Ric de Vries has spent a lifetime around the water. It started when an 18-year-old Ric moved to Cape Paterson and landed a job with Fisheries. That was the beginning of a love affair with the water that eventually led him to Mornington and his true passion: abalone diving. Now 60, Ric has spent the last 30 years diving for abalone and has seen the market for the delicacy shift under his feet. “When I started out 30 years ago, all the abalone we caught was exported around the world at premium prices,” said Ric. “It was a huge, high-priced…
Author: Cameron McCullough
Vandals used loose footpath bricks in the early hours of Thursday (16 July) to smash around 30 panes of glass at around 12 shops in Sorrento. Residents were said to be in a state of shock as they surveyed the damage, while some stores face long disruption while waiting for suitable glass to replace broken windows. Under fire was the Mornington Peninsula Shire, with the loose bricks having been slatted for a repair that had yet to eventuate. The News understands that, once made aware of the situation, shire CEO Mark Stoermer immediately organised staff to head to Sorrento to…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillor David Gill is asking for peninsula residents to cast their vote in the Victorian government’s “Pick My Park” program. Gill is hoping “people power” will secure funding for Parks Victoria’s submitted proposal for $110,000 to upgrade the picnic area at Coolart Homestead, including new accessible picnic tables and chairs on concrete aprons. “The ‘Pick my Park’ project is a great opportunity for a much-needed upgrade for the popular Coolart venue as a picnic area, historical precinct and water bird sanctuary,” said Gill. “Funding of proposals is only determined by votes. Victorians aged sixteen years and over…
MORNINGTON Peninsula shire officers have prepared a draft submission regarding the partial divestment of HMAS Cerberus, with councillors unanimously voting to put it out for public consultation. In February, Defence Minister Richard Marles announced HMAS Cerberus would be “partially divested” as part of a massive sale of 35,000 hectares of defence real estate – including some of the nation’s most historic barracks – that is expected to raise almost $2b (HMAS Cerberus to be ‘partially divested’ in defence land sell-off, The News 10/2/26). At the time it was stated that 1164 hectares of the 1500 hectares that make up HMAS…
DEFENCE force personnel and dignitaries gathered last Friday (10 July) to commemorate the 84th anniversary of the loss of a Bristol Beaufort bomber that crashed on Arthurs Seat on 12 July 1942 with the loss of four crew. The crash was not the first, as another RAAF aircraft, an Arvo Anson A4 crashed into Arthurs Seat four years earlier, on 10 August 1938, also with the loss of four crew, with one survivor. Early on the morning of 12 July 1942, 100SQN Beaufort A9-64 launched from RAAF Laverton to conduct an anti-submarine patrol just off Philip Island. In the three…
HASTINGS Police station’s front lawn was dug up by hooning motorcycles not once, but twice last week. Investigators believe motorcycles were ridden across the lawn on 6 July about 9.30pm and again on 8 July about 5.40pm. Initially, police media told The News that investigations were ongoing, and that “officers have a number of enquires to make”. On Thursday (9 July), police executed a warrant at an address in Auburn Court in Hastings in relation to the vandalism. During a search of the property it is alleged police located a homemade firearm on the premises and arrested a 22-year-old man.…
A MORNINGTON dance teacher who recently lost an appeal against his conviction for indecently assaulting a 17-year-old girl is suing a volunteer-run, Mornington Peninsula-based community Facebook page, claiming it defamed him. In response, the admins of “Mornington Peninsula Noticeboard Vic”, which has over 112,000 followers, have launched a “Go Fund Me” campaign to raise money to cover their legal fees. The legal action stems from a post made onto the page in November 2024, and comments on that post, pertaining to the conviction of Jon “Jonny” Garnett, the owner of Mornington Dance Studio, for indecent assault. The material posted included…
THE new pier according to space tourism website space-axiom.com (left), and the new Dromana Pier according to Parks Victoria (right). Pictures: Space-axiom.com and Parks Victoria EDITORIAL MORNINGTON Peninsula News Group celebrates its 20th anniversary this August. It has been an incredible journey, and we are very proud that we have been able to continue through numerous challenges along the way. But perhaps the greatest challenge we face is the rise of artificial intelligence. Already on the Mornington Peninsula there is media that uses AI to write articles to keep you, the members of the community, informed. What’s the problem with…
CRIME across the Mornington Peninsula has dropped by nearly 10 per cent in the year ended March 2026, according to newly released figures from the Crime Statistics Agency. There were 11,588 criminal offences recorded in the Mornington Peninsula LGA in the year ending March 2026, down from 12,855 offences in the previous 12 months; a drop of 9.9 per cent. Despite the drop, crime has still risen by 31 per cent on the Mornington Peninsula since 2022. Rosebud was the peninsula suburb most affected by crime, followed closely by Mornington and Hastings. Rosebud witnessed a large jump in offences recorded,…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Council has elected Cr Stephen Batty as its new mayor, after a dramatic contest for the top job. The councillor group regrouped last Tuesday (16 June) after the earlier attempt to elect a new mayor to replace Anthony Marsh ended in a deadlocked five-all vote (No new mayor as vote deadlocked, The News 9/6/26). Trying for a second meeting to elect a mayor, the chair, shire CEO Mark Stoermer, called for nominations. Cr Bruce Ranken nominated Cr Paul Pingiaro and Cr Max Patton nominated Cr Kate Roper. Given the opportunity to address councillors, Pingiaro spoke first. “I…
AN estimated crowd of well over 300 people, many unable to get inside, assembled at Crib Point Primary School last Wednesday (10 June) for a community consultation over the government’s plan to sell off land at HMAS Cerberus. In February, Defence Minister Richard Marles announced HMAS Cerberus would be “partially divested” as part of a massive sale of 35,000 hectares of defence real estate – including some of the nation’s most historic barracks – that is expected to raise almost $2b (HMAS Cerberus to be ‘partially divested’ in defence land sell-off The Times 10/2/26). At the time it was stated…
MORNINGTON Peninsula’s first tiny house on wheels for crisis accommodation was handed over to the Salvation Army last Friday (12 June) after an incredible community effort. The unique project, the first of its kind on the peninsula, is being hailed as a significant step towards providing immediate, dignified shelter for individuals or a small family in urgent need. The fully mobile home was built by former shire mayor Simon Brooks, along with a few other tradespeople, who have volunteered countless hours of their time to bring the vision to life. Supported by the Dromana Association and Rotary Club of Dromana,…
The Mornington Peninsula Shire will cease delivering Commonwealth-funded aged care services in July next year, including their Meals on Wheels service. The decision to move out of aged care services was made at Tuesday’s council meeting (9 June) where discussion on the matter was listed as a confidential item. The News believes the shire’s decision was made based on changes to the national aged care system. The rights-based framework of the new Aged Care Act 2024 has introduced a suite of new obligations, duties and responsibilities for registered aged care providers. While these changes aim to make aged care safer…
THE poor state of Mornington Junior Football Club’s facilities at Narambi Recreation Reserve in Mornington were raised in state parliament last Wednesday (3 June) with a group of players watching on from the public gallery. Despite a masterplan being prepared by the Mornington Peninsula Shire for the club’s home ground in 2019, the junior football club is making do with clubrooms that are no longer fit for purpose, and a tiny transportable with two plastic porta-loos, and no running water, at the other oval where the girls teams play (MP and junior club call for urgent action on facilities, The…
THE careful salvaging of the Moonraker Dolphin Swims vessel was undertaken over the King’s Birthday weekend, with the owners vowing to not stop working until they are back on the water. The 20m-long commercial vessel lost its mooring and ran aground near the Sorrento boat ramp on Monday 1 June. It was among twelve vessels that either lost their moorings and drifted ashore or were sunk during the storm. The removal of the vessel was a multi-day exercise, being readied before finally being lifted by crane onto a waiting barge on Saturday. A public notice placed at the site said…
Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors have failed in their bid to elect a new mayor on Tuesday (2 June) after the vote was deadlocked, with Cr Paul Pingiaro to carry on as acting mayor until they reconvene to try again. Councillors were required to convene a meeting to elect a new mayor of the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council after the resignation of the previous mayor, Anthony Marsh. Two councillors nominated for the role of mayor; current acting mayor Cr Paul Pingiaro, and Cr Stephen Batty. Put to a vote, both candidates for the position attracted five of the ten councillors’ votes.…
A COMMUNITY consultation session will be held at Crib Point Primary School on 10 June to gauge community feeling about the proposed sell-off of land at HMAS Cerberus. It was announced in February that HMAS Cerberus will be “partially divested” as part of a massive sale of 35,000 hectares of defence real estate – including some of the nation’s most historic barracks – that is expected to raise almost $2b (HMAS Cerberus to be ‘partially divested’ in defence land sell-off, The News 11/2/26). The announcement by Defence Minister Richard Marles was the long-awaited response to a sweeping audit of the…
Independent candidate in the May 2 Nepean by-election, Tracee Hutchison, has announced she will not be contesting the November 2026 state election. After the by-election, Hutchison announced she would re-contest in November. Her decision to now not run came after reassessing her capacity to mount another campaign so quickly off the back of the May 2 by-election. Hutchison ended up third in the first preference battle with 8533 votes (21.05% of the primary vote), with One Nation’s Darren Hercus (9941votes: 24.52%) and Liberal Anthony Marsh (15682 votes: 38.68%) polling higher. Hutchison moved into second place in the two-candiate-prefered race, after…
THE president of Mornington Junior Football Club has expressed his disappointment at being “forgotten”, as the fast-growing club struggles with ancient or non-existent infrastructure at its two home ground ovals. Despite a masterplan being prepared by the Mornington Peninsula Shire for the club’s Narambi Recreation Reserve home ground in 2019, the junior football club is making do with clubrooms that are no longer fit for purpose, and a tiny transportable with two plastic porta-loos, and no running water, at the other oval where the girls teams play. “It is difficult when our teams play away and see the wonderful facilities…
THE Leader of the Victorian Liberal Party, Jess Wilson, was in Hastings on Sunday morning (17 May) in support of the preselected Liberal candidate for the seat of Hastings, Frank Schiefler. Doing a press conference at Harbourside Cafe at Hastings Marina, Wilson announced an elected Liberal government in November would lift the threshold for businesses paying payroll tax from $1m to $1.2m, and lift the Land Tax threshold from $50,000 up to $300,000. Wilson also decried the shuttering of police stations and record levels of crime, and said her government would recruit 3000 new police officers. Wilson and Schiefler then…
It all started with a single post to a Facebook community noticeboard on a Monday. Bec Watson posted her rant about the Peninsula Link roadworks anonymously, not feeling confident enough to put her name to it in case she copped flack. She’d had a bad run over the previous six months or so and just wasn’t feeling like she could face that. Then something happened. Actually, a lot of things happened. Her rant garnered over 2000 likes and the comments came in thick and fast. Comments like “This so well written; you should do this as a job”, and “If…
THE Victorian Electoral Commission has officially declared Anthony Marsh the elected member for Nepean. The final two-party preferred results after the distribution of preferences were Marsh with 25642 votes (63.24%) and independent Tracee Hutchison with 14903 votes (36.76%). The result puts an end to the long-running saga after the previous Member for Nepean, Sam Groth, resigned in February sparking the by-election. The result saw the Liberal’s share of the primary vote slip significantly from to 48.11% of the vote in the 2022 state election to 38.68% in the by-election; a drop of 3932 votes. On the other hand, due to…
An anonymous tip-off to Crime Stoppers has led police to an alleged cannabis crop and a cache of unregistered firearms at a home in Mornington. Following enquiries, detectives from the Mornington Peninsula Divisional Response Unit executed a search warrant at the property about 10am on Wednesday. A search of the home uncovered eight firearms, including five handguns and ammunition, as well as 2kg of cannabis, mature plants and drugs of dependence, knuckledusters, knives and a machete. A 49-year-old man was arrested at the scene and charged with 21 offences, including: The Mornington man appeared in Frankston Magistrates’ Court today, where…
Mornington Peninsula Shire Council has today (14 May) confirmed the resignation of mayor Cr Anthony Marsh following his successful election to the Victorian Parliament as the Member for Nepean. Chief Executive Officer Mark Stoermer said Council had formally received Cr Marsh’s resignation and would now commence the required processes under the Local Government Act. “Council now has one month to conduct an election for a new Mayor and I will write to the Minister for Local Government advising of the resignation and the need to conduct a by-election for the Briars Ward,” said Stoermer. Deputy Mayor Cr Paul Pingiaro will…
OPINION MY father, Peter, used to work for the Country Roads Board. He tells a story of when he was in the boardroom once in the late 1960’s when a call was patched through to the chairman of the organisation. On the other end of the phone was Alan Hunt, the Member for Mornington at the time. The opposition had found a good candidate and he was wondering if CRB could announce some new projects around Mornington to bolster his chances or re-election. My father recounts that a furious chairman told Hunt, in no uncertain terms, that it was beneath…
MORNINGTON Peninsula social worker Georgia Hocking accepted Victoria’s top motherhood award at Melbourne Town Hall on Friday morning (8 May), two days before Mother’s Day. Lord mayor Nick Reece presented the 2026 YMCA Victorian Mother of the Year award, which comes with $10,000 in grant funding from YMCA Open Doors. Hocking was chosen from more than 500 nominations; the highest number in the award’s history. Hocking said the ceremony had brought together finalists and past winners from across Victoria.“It was just such a celebration of mothers and people doing work in the community,” she said. The 35-year-old grew up on…
AS a General Practitioner, Floyd Gomes is accustomed to treating people’s ailments. In particular, the founder of the Atticus Health group of GP clinics and aged care medical services has taken a keen interest in the health and well-being of our aged population. “It has been a slow realisation for me,” said Gomes. “Patients would present to me with conditions, or situations that I could treat, but were also readily preventable in the first place, except that our system isn’t set up correctly to address that.” Gomes gives the example of an elderly patient that presented with serious burns from…
ANTHONY Marsh is heading to Spring Street as the Liberal Party’s elected Member for Nepean, after winning the by-election on Saturday (2 May). His election will result in his resignation as Mornington Peninsula Shire mayor and councillor for Briars Ward, triggering a by-election for the vacant ward. As of the close of counting on Saturday night, 40,612 votes had been counted, representing 79.77% of the total enrolment as at the close of the rolls. Marsh came out on top in the primary count with 14927 votes (38.53% of the votes), followed by One Nation’s Darren Hercus with 9556 votes (24.66%…
Water Police are continuing to search southern Port Phillip Bay after a crew member was reported missing from a ship last night. The commercial Liberia flagged oil tanker vessel left Port Melbourne around 5pm on Thursday, 30 April. The crew requested assistance when they discovered a member was missing as they were approaching the heads. Police were notified about 8.30pm last night. State Police Search & Rescue Coordination Centre were deployed and conducted a search of the South Port Phillip Bay area. The missing crewman aged in his 30s was not located. The vessel returned to Port Melbourne. A full-scale…
ANALYSIS THE Commonwealth Electoral Act was comprehensively rewritten in 1918 to introduce preferential voting, replacing the previous “first past the post” system that had existed in the years after Federation. The change was in response to the rise of the Country Party in the aftermath of the First World War – a third major party – and the prospect of the loss of seats to Labor through a split in the non-Labor vote. The three-party system which preferential voting helped to support has remained fundamentally unchanged to this day. The system has also encouraged the participation in elections of minor…