SIX candidates are running for one seat to represent the Watson ward at Mornington Peninsula Shire council for the next four years. The Watson ward includes Baxter, Somerville, Tyabb and parts of Moorooduc and Pearcedale. Ballot papers are being mailed out to voters by the Victorian Electoral Commission ahead of Mornington Peninsula Shire elections on 22 October. Voters should return completed ballot papers well before a final deadline of Friday 21 October, 6pm. Voters who have not received a ballot pack by Wednesday 12 October should call the VEC on 8619 1615 to arrange a replacement. LISA DIXON What suburb do you live in? I live in Baxter – Watson ward.…
Author: MP News Group
Somerville Highway Patrol is appealing for public assistance following a hit-run in Pearcedale on Tuesday 11 October. Investigators have been told a green coloured Subaru station wagon was traveling south on Craig Road, Pearcedale, before making a right turn into Baxter-Tooradin Road into the path of an oncoming motorcycle about 4.30pm The Subaru wagon initially stopped a short distance from the scene before fleeing without rendering assistance or exchanging details. The rider, a 56-year-old Pakenham man, was taken to hospital with serious injuries. Anyone who may have witnessed the collision or with information about the incident is urged to contact…
IT might seem like a lark, but head and beard shaves for seven workers at the Decmil site, Hastings, last week were serious business. The group, led by Ian Stead, lost their locks to raise money for the Peter Mac Foundation – and exceeded everyone’s expectations by generating a $3285.25 total thanks to the generosity of 50 colleagues at the plant. Mr Stead, backed up by Ryan Jackson, Ryan McDonald, Shane Bisby, Tony Ta’ Avili, Peter Moore and Kieran Mulholland, then added to their appeal takings through a sausage size and tin rattle. They chose the Peter Mac Foundation because,…
MT ELIZA resident Bob Greaves received a Council of the Ageing Senior Achiever Award at a ceremony at Government House last week. He was one of eight recipients of the award presented as during the 2016 Victorian Seniors Festival. It offers more than 1300 free and low-cost events all over Victoria, including a great array of social, cultural, educational and body-and-soul activities. Other local award recipients were Vishnu Prasad, of Skye: Promotion of Multiculturalism Award, and Verna Phillips, of Carrum Downs: Veteran Community Award. An Age-Friendly Victoria Award went to Peninsula Transport Assist which provides transport for older people in…
PARENTS double and triple parking at Mt Eliza Primary School pick up and drop off times are still risking lives and creating traffic chaos, despite years of campaigning for safe parking practises. A resident, who did not want to be identified, told The News pick up and drop off times outside the school were “a nightmare” as parents tried to squeeze their cars in wherever they could to wait for their children. He said he had complained to police, the Mornington Peninsula Shire council and the school for two years about the “dangerous” double parking that occurs every school day.…
James was a member of Australian Crawl for seven years, releasing four studio albums in five frenetic years in the ’80s. He’s been a solo artist for the past 28 years, releasing eight studio albums, plus two acoustic collections, a covers album and two live albums… He has been a part of our lives since making an unforgettable debut on Countdown in 1979. “I just feel that I’m getting better,” James Reyne says. “I’m a better singer and a better songwriter.” It’s a simple statement, but also remarkable – considering that this is an artist who has sold more than…
MORNINGTON Peninsula and Frankston foster carers may soon have the opportunity to transform the way vulnerable children and young people are supported under a new model of foster care. Under the internationally-recognised model, professionalised foster carers will be trained to provide intensive support for children and young people who experience significant emotional or behavioural problems. The state government is investing $5.6 million to trial a ‘Treatment Foster Care Oregon’ program, which supports the state’s child protection and family services system and aims to keep young people out of residential care. Professionalised foster carers will work with at least 28 children…
IT wasn’t as dramatic as a fire, but Mornington fire station officer Simon Mildren was only too happy to respond to a call out of an unusual nature last week. A swarm of bees had made themselves at home on the front doorstep of a Mt Martha home and the owners – with young children – were a little nervous about them staying. Unsure who to contact, they alerted the brigade who arrived with a camera to make an educational documentary for similar occasions. Mr Mildren said swarms at this time of year were normal and, if left undisturbed, were…
A MORNINGTON man is hoping to take the world by storm with his new deal-based app, ifloc. Anthony Cincotta’s ultra-local app will send people notifications of deals available within a one kilometre radius of their location. “It is aimed to help businesses capture the market of people currently nearby, and to create a more instantaneous result,” said Mr Cincotta. That differs significantly from other deal applications, that offer deals with a much larger geographical location. “The idea is that somebody might be walking down Main Street Mornington, and deals will pop up on their screen as they walk. “They can…
By John Renowden THE Mornington Art Show has established itself as the biggest and best quality art show on the Mornington Peninsula and one of the best in Victoria, judging by the comments of various show judges and submitting artists. The 45th show will run for six days: Thursday 19 January to Thursday 26 January at the Mornington Peninsula Community Theatre, corner Nepean Hwy and Wilsons Rd. The annual art show attracts a wide range of valued sponsors and a great number of quality artists. The Mornington Peninsula News Group remains a major supporter and sponsor of the art show.…
FOR almost a year, the ‘Currawong Crafties’ have been diligently sewing, knitting and crocheting for the great U3A Mornington Art & Craft Show on Friday 28 October. Crocheting member Stella Hamilton is pretty proud of her beautiful rug, and is hoping a grand-child in the not-too-distant future will be able to pass it on through the family. Her rug is made up of ‘lots and lots’ of wool – some new, some self-spun and some unravelled from garments owned by other family members, including her mother-in-law. It is an instant family heirloom, filled with memories and connections to the past.…
VICROADS will be undertaking a range of maintenance activities all over the Mornington Peninsula from now as it prepares for the coming bushfire season. More than $550,000 will be spent on removing dead and dangerous trees, cutting low branches over roads and reducing fuel until the end of the year. This work will include fence-to-fence grass mowing on all rural arterial roads to cut the large amounts of fuel generated by a wet winter, and to ease the risk of a fire spreading from road reserves to adjacent land. Maintenance work along Balnarring Rd will begin this week. VicRoads regional…
FIREFIGHTERS will be assisting paramedics at Frankston, Rosebud and Patterson River after the launch of an initiative to boost emergency responses to heart attack calls. The three stations are among five to receive the new Emergency Medical Response (EMR) program, which will also operate at Pakenham and Traralgon. Data from Ambulance Victoria shows the number of Victorians suffering heart attacks increased to a ten-year high last year. Firefighters at the five fire stations will now be dispatched to respond to triple zero calls for heart attack and non-breathing patients at the same time as paramedics. CFA and Ambulance Victoria trialled…
By Barry Irving IT was a sensational finish to a stellar season for Rosebud Heart. With 18 wins from 18 home-and-away games the team had reason to believe that they could go all the way and win the state championship. But, in their way were RMIT FC – the champions of State North 5. In a sensational final, Heart’s Daniel Hodge scored the opening goal before RMIT equalised, making the scores one-all at full time. This was the closest to losing a game the Heart’s had been all season. The players regrouped and, in the penalty shootout, both teams went…
By Barry Irving FORMER SAS Warrant Officer, 68-year-old Laurie “Truck” Sams, holder of the Star of Courage medal, has embarked on an epic cycling journey called The Long Ride Home. And one of his stops will be the Southern Peninsula. Mr Sams is cycling through six countries to support Australian Army, Navy, Air Force and Special Operations veterans of wars in Vietnam, Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan. He started at the Australian Embassy in Hanoi at 11am, Thursday 12 May, and plans to complete the 10,000km ride on the 51st anniversary of the 10,000-day Vietnam War. Crossing the bay by Sea…
The Rye Football and Netball club will be at Bunnings Warehouse Rosebud from 9.00 am to 3.00 pm on Saturday 8 October and Sunday 9 October selling tickets in their $40,000 “Your Choice” Raffle. Helping sell the tickets will be Hagan Rice from this year’s House Rules on Channel 7, and Brady Egan from the Foxtel’s show, The Recruit. Both of the guys play senior football at Rye and will be available to have a chat and a selfie from 11.00am to 1.00pm on Saturday the 8th. Come down meet the guys, purchase a ticket and be in the draw to win the first prize…
WHEN the women of ancient Greece stage a sex strike for peace, sparks fly and the comedy “pops-up” everywhere in Lysistrata, a bawdy anti-war comedy by the playwright Aristophanes. The play kept audiences laughing, and squirming, for 2500 years. Lysistrata is a comic account of a woman’s mission to end the Peloponnesian War. She convinces other women to withhold sexual privileges from their husbands as a means of forcing them to negotiate a peace treaty. The play will be held 8pm, 7, 8, 13, 14 and 15 October, at McClelland College Performing Arts Centre, 26 Alexander Cr, Karingal (enter off…
THREE men have been charged after being caught at Number 16 Beach, Rye, with 169 abalone. Fisheries officers who stopped the men at 11pm on Thursday 23 September found the abalone in their four-wheel drive. “The men, aged 32, 36 and 40 from Malvern, Mt Waverley and Vermont South, were not deterred from fishing in what were cold, rough and windy conditions,” acting director of fisheries education and enforcement, Brooke Hall, said. The men will be charged on summons with taking a commercial quantity of abalone during the closed season; taking abalone from the protected intertidal zone; taking and possessing…
Thieves forced the back door of a Dromana house and stole an iPad and a PlayStation sometime between 28 September-1 October. The Lombardy Av house was ransacked while the owners were away. Police said the offenders apparently stayed at the house, “taking their time, opening cans of food and bathing”. Anyone with any information is urged to call Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000. First published in the Western Port News – 4 October 2016
A BITTERN man has been arrested after allegedly breaking into a Bittern house and stealing items valued at $3000, 1.30pm, Friday 30 September. Mornington Peninsula CIU detectives said the owner of the house, in Frankston-Flinders Rd, returned home to find the house ransacked and the TV set missing. She saw a man standing in the front garden beside bags of goods and called Triple 000. Police later charged a man, 35, with burglary. He will appear at Frankston Magistrates’ Court at a date to be fixed. Anyone with any information is urged to call Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000. First published…
FUNCTIONS and events, including morning melodies, breakfast, dinner dance and silent auctions, have helped Lifestyle Community’s Homeowners Committee, Hastings, raise $4656 for two blood testing machines for Frankston Hospital’s oncology day unit. On top of this, the Lifestyle Communities village management, through a foundation set up after a founding director died of cancer, matched this amount to give a combined total of $9330. The cheque presentation on Thursday 29 September at Lifestyle Communities, High St, Hastings, was attended by the Lifestyle committee and management, and representatives of Peninsula Health. “During their treatment, patients regularly need to have their blood tested,”…
FRENCH Island’s koalas are about to get a helping hand from Parks Victoria and government land and environment officers. Over the next six weeks, vets and support staff will be catching koalas, assessing their health, and treating up to 400 females with a contraceptive implant to help stabilise the local population. Thirty healthy koalas will be moved from the island to Tallarook, 100km north of Melbourne, to test the area’s suitability for more translocations. “French Island’s koalas are currently in good health but, without intervention, their over-abundance will affect their welfare, ruin trees and destroy native habitat,” Department of Environment,…
POLICE are calling on people to report stolen mobile phones to their telecommunications provider and ensure the phone’s International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) is blocked. Almost 13,700 mobile phones were stolen in Victoria last year. Crime squad detective inspector Wayne Newman said phone thefts could be eventually reduced if more people activated the IMEI blocking function and offenders realised the phone could not be used. “We also encourage buyers of second-hand phones to request proof of ownership and perform an IMEI check on the handset before making a purchase,” he said. IMEI blocking is a free service which can be…
Aria Hall of Fame inductee, #1 selling Platinum artist, King of Pop, Australian Icon are just a few phrases commonly used when describing Aussie legend Russell Morris. Shooting to fame in the middle 60’s with Somebody’s Image, Russell had a string of hits including Hush and the Bob Dylan classic Baby Blue. In 1969 he and producer Molly Meldrum released “The Real Thing”, Australia’s only true psychedelic #1 hit and a song that is played regularly on commercial radio to this day. Following that, Russell penned breakthrough hits such as; Sweet Sweet Love, Wings of an Eagle, Rachel, Part 3…
Australia’s favourite psych rock sisters Stonefield are hitting the road on a massive national headline tour that will stop in at The Grand Hotel, Mornington on 27 October. Coinciding with their massive tour, the band have released a new single, ‘Love’. In contrast to most of the record, where the writing process began with the vocal as the guiding light, ‘Love’ was written with quite a different approach, taking shape from a stripped back jam between lead guitarist Hannah, Sarah (keys) and Holly (bass). The sisters were rocking out in their lounge room in country Victoria, and brought to life…
ANIMAL lovers of all ages are invited to this year’s Blessing of the Animals Service at St George’s Anglican Church, Red Hill. The service at 4pm, Saturday 8 October, marks the feast day of St Francis who died in 1226 and was well known for his love of all creatures. It is regarded as a celebration of the environment and all living creatures and is an opportunity to acknowledge their importance in our lives. “Members of the Community may remember last year’s service which was a wonderful, happy gathering of adults, children, and their pets,” organiser Jennifer Atkins said. “They…
FISHING By Paul Pingiaro WELL it’s fair to say Melbourne’s spring weather has been very typical. Four season in one day seems to be the norm at the moment, however when the weather gods shine the fishing has been quite good and the good news is it’s only going to get much better. This time of year the majority of anglers focus on snapper. While the large schools of fish are still a few weeks away, it’s very promising to see some great early catches. Anglers fishing off the Rocks at Mt Martha, Mornington and Brighton are catching some nice…
CRIB Point is celebrating the 100th birthday of the original school building with a free Family Fun Day, 10am-2pm, Sunday 16 October. Former teachers of the Park Rd school will be returning to reminisce and catch up with each other and past students. Construction began on the first purpose-built school in Crib Point in 1915 and classes ran 1916-84 when it moved to Milne St. The building was saved from demolition in 1985 by the then Flinders Federal MP Peter Reith and then State MP Robin Cooper. It is now the home of the Crib Point Community House, and the…
HMAS Cerberus will hold an open day, Sunday 23 October, to mark the end of Navy Week. Those attending can bring a picnic, buy lunch from one of the food stalls, including an army field kitchen. Activities will include military fly pasts, air force hot air balloon team, army vehicles, navy helicopters, fast roping from helicopters, federation guard precision drill displays food stalls, bands from all three services, vintage cars, and children’s activities. The base’s steam truck will also make an appearance. Teams of sailors will compete to “rescue” a shipmate from the far side of a “river”. Entry off…
PENINSULA Over 60 cricketers are padding up for the season opener next month with three new teams bringing the competition total to 22. Peninsula players come from Frankston and all over the Mornington Peninsula to the oval at Grayden’s Rd, Tuerong. They play midweek and Sunday one-day matches comprising a 40-over innings. The game is designed for players of all abilities and new players are welcome. Some have played all their lives while others may not have played for 20-40 years. The common thread is a love of cricket and being part of a team keeping fit while enjoying the…