A CAMPAIGN to find new homes for lost cats is in full swing, with Mornington Peninsula Shire launching PURRfect Match at the animal shelter in Watts Rd. “We are constantly looking for ways to increase pet adoption and, to this end, work closely with other animal management and adoption agencies like the RSPCA,” Environment Protection manager David Dobroszczyk said. “PURRfect Match is designed to find new homes for the many cats – around 700 – that find their way into our animal shelter each year.” Mr Dobroszczyk said the number had remained static in recent times, with most lost pets…
Author: MP News Group
By Jason Banks MAIN Ridge under-12 cricketers have won the premiership for the second year in a row. Their bowling and fielding performance over the last weekend in February limited Sorrento’s potent batting line-up to 122, with Will Jewell knocking up another 30 runs before retiring. Main Ridge batsmen Louis Bisogni and Lochie Davies both retired on 30, setting up a thrilling last-over win. Finn Emile-Brennan clipped one off his toes to force the winning single with his batting partner Amerlie Obrien scampering through to take the win. The Main Ridge under-14s also won their grand final. Under pressure from great…
PROPERTY owners and residents of the Mornington Peninsula are being urged to prepare for climate change. The recently-launched Climate Ready website explains how global warming is caused by people “adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere more quickly than in the past” and provides details on how to create a “climate ready action plan”. The website is the result on a partnership between the peninsula, Bayside and Kingston councils and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP). Climate Ready – a website designed to help you better understand how to adapt to the likely impacts and risks of climate…
Don’t miss out on getting your entries in to this years Red Hill Show, Easter Saturday, March 26th from 8.30am to 5pm. Our show is one for the whole family! All categories are open from Art, Craft, Cooking, Photography, Flowers, Fruit & Vegetables, Cattle, Dogs High Scramble, Heavy Horses, Miniature Goats, Sheep, Poultry and Rats. Children from our local schools are already busy working on their art & craft projects. The Totem Pole competition is always a favourite. Visit our website and download your entry forms now. Time is running out! Along with the hundreds of exhibitors there will be…
By TERRI LEE FATOUROS With Liam Kealy on Hammond keys rocking it and Dean James producing first-class riffs on lead, the four originals of Nicholas Pearce (sax), Jason Nehill (bass), Neil Richardson (percussion) and Nicole Nehemia (vocals) are paramount in sound. Their panache is making waves at the Heritage 3059 on Sunday, 13th March. Safari Motel are seeped in soul, funk and blues and combined with their big band sound is really rocking it. Over the past two years they have been playing regularly at festivals around the state and have attracted a huge and loyal fan base. Their mix…
PARENTS of children with disabilities, developmental delays or a chronic medical condition are being encouraged to make contact with Biala Peninsula based in Mornington. The free group, in Elizabeth St, allows parents to unwind and talk about their experiences. A trained facilitator helps guide the discussion, share experiences and connect parents with support services. A skilled play helper engages children below school age so parents and carers are free to chat with each other. “Research tells us that many parents of children with disabilities struggle to find time to look after themselves, and that social isolation is a real danger,”…
BUSES will replace trains on a section of the Frankston line from Friday 25 March until Monday 4 April as part of the Labor state government’s commitment to remove eleven level crossings along the line. Premier Daniel Andrews says an “Easter blitz” to remove three level crossings – at Ormond, McKinnon and Bentleigh – means the works at those three sites will be completed ahead of the original schedule of mid-2017. Buses will shuttle passengers between Mordialloc and Caulfield stations. Ormond and McKinnon Stations will also be closed for up to five months so they can be demolished and completely rebuilt…
BENTON Junior College pupils were active on National Ride 2 School Day last week. There was plenty of action as 234 pupils rode, 156 skated or scooted, 219 walked, three took public transport and 136 rode in the car, Friday. The aim of the day was to encourage more pupils to be more active more of the time. And that includes parents and teachers as well. It’s is reported that 80 per cent of children aged five-17 don’t complete the recommended number of hours of exercise each day, and 81 per cent have more than two hours of screen time…
SARAH Wooding is representing Mornington in the Miss Teen Galaxy Australia contest – and she is the only Victorian representative chasing the title. The Mornington Secondary College year 10 student, 15, is studying science and hoping it will lead into medical science and gene research. Modelling with Bettina Modelling Agency since she was 13, Sarah has also done various catalogues, film shoots, billboards and even appeared as an extra in the film Emo the Musical, to screen next year. “Miss Teen Galaxy will be by far Sarah’s biggest journey,” mum Fiona Wooding said last week. “The national finals are in…
STUDENTS at Balcombe Grammar School will gain an international perspective when they host an Australia-Indonesia Muslim exchange program on Wednesday (9 March) and 13 April. The visit by some of Indonesia’s brightest emerging leaders aims to improve cultural and educational exchanges – and bring on a few selfies – among students in years 7 and 10. Principal Matthew Dodd is all for forging community collaborations and learning opportunities beyond the school’s grounds. “We embrace programs like the Muslim exchange program because of the mutual learning that is ignited by face to face, cross-cultural interactions,” he said. The visit is backed…
DESTINATION Rosebud will be the topic of discussion at the Rosebud Kite Festival, Sunday 13 March. The project is aimed at invigorating the township by bringing in investment, jobs and opportunities for the community. Six key elements include: streetscape works, Jetty Rd forecourt, lighting, Village Green and Soundshell, township entrance features and a foreshore “playspace”. Streetscape works include footpath renewal along Point Nepean Rd (Chinaman’s Creek to Sixth Av), bin renewal and garden bed implementation; Jetty Rd forecourt includes shared zones, upgrades to the toilet and public plaza, including shelters and barbecues; Lighting includes improved safety and amenity to Rosebud…
MORNINGTON Peninsula-grown produce has a new identity with the launch of the Mornington Peninsula Produce food provenance brand. The certified trade mark, developed by Mornington Peninsula Shire and its Food Industry Advisory Body, will help consumers confirm the provenance of fresh produce when buying from the farm gate, farmers’ markets and retail outlets. Launching the new initiative last week at The Briars, the mayor Cr Graham Pittock, said local agribusiness was integral to the region’s economy. “Around one third of our land is devoted to agricultural production, and the Mornington Peninsula is the second most valuable agricultural region in Victoria,…
FLINDERS MP Greg Hunt is urging community groups and individuals to apply for grants to “to engage with and raise awareness of” Point Nepean. Point Nepean is the only one of 104 places on the National Heritage List in Mr Hunt’s electorate. “I encourage community organisations and individuals who want to engage with Point Nepean to consider making an application for a grant,” Mr Hunt said. “Grants of between $2500 and $10,000 are available to undertake activities that promote community engagement and raise awareness of places on Australia’s National Heritage List.” Mr Hunt, who has long been a critic of…
POLICE visited a picket line at the United Petroleum site on Bayview Rd, Hastings, Tuesday, but took no action against protesters. Hastings Senior Sergeant Steve Burt said the company had contacted police. “They just wanted to know what was going on, so we attended,” he said. “The protest was peaceful and gave us no cause for concern. We talked to the protesters who guaranteed a peaceful blockade. They have every right to protest and, unless they cause a problem, everything’s OK.” Organiser Kevin Roberts said workers entering the site – at which West Australian business Decmil is contracted to supply…
AN appeal is being made for signatures and money to strengthen the fight against concrete footpaths at Somers. The Somers Village Community Association (SVCA) says it will appeal to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Appeals Tribunal (VCAT) against thye footpaths planned by Mornington Peninsula Shire. The shire plans to apportion costs among all Somers property owners, not just those fronting the footpaths. Many of the property owners to be charged live several kilometres away from the two metre wide, 5.2 km long footpaths. “We [Somers Village Community Association] are calling for people to help us doorknock Somers in order to…
AN accidently discharged flare may have caused a fire at Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron, Saturday (20 February), which destroyed three boats and burned a man’s face. CFA crews from Sorrento, Rosebud and Rye attended the incident at 2.30pm. Thick black smoke billowed from the boats which were tied up at the marina. Some members trained hoses on the blaze in a desperate effort to stop it spreading to neighbouring boats. CFA District 8 Operations Officer John Francis said firefighters from CFA and Coast Guard took 30 minutes to control the blaze. “Two boats were destroyed, another was severely damaged and…
USERS of Port Phillip and Western Port are being asked to tell Parks Victoria about any risks they know about in either bay. The feedback may be added to the safety and environment management plan (SEMP) covering the two bays and Port Campbell. “Our local ports feature unique marine habitats that have been recognised internationally for their diversity and we want to make sure we are serving the community and our marine environment as best we possibly can,” Parks Victoria senior manager local ports and waterways Victor Teoh said. “We’re keen to hear from a whole range of people who…
PT LEO surf beach is sure to be crowded on Saturday, but no one is grumbling as it will be the second event held this year by the Mornington Peninsula branch of the Disabled Surfers Association. The first event for the year on Saturday 16 January saw 115 participants enjoying the surf with the help of 300 volunteers. And organisers are predicting this Saturday’s event will attract even more volunteers and participants. Volunteers can register with the DSA near the Pt Leo lifesaving club from 9.30am (or earlier if they want to help set up for the day). There are…
ROSEBUD Secondary College students spent the past two weeks hiking, raft-building, abseiling and camping in the Victorian high country, as part of a Melbourne University study into the impact of outdoor experiences on positive adolescent development. The 130 Year 9 students attended two free camps run by specialist outdoors instructors at Howman’s Gap on the Bogong High Plains. They reportedly revelled in the challenge. They were encouraged to help each other and work as a team setting up camp, taking turns to lead and organise the others. The going was tough, but the sense of accomplishment rewarding. Students completed a…
A DARK musical tale of love, vengeance and the best pies in London, Astral Theatre Society’s production of Sweeney Todd will take to the stage at Rosebud Memorial Hall later this month. Set in grim 19th-century London, the musical tells the story of wrongfully-imprisoned barber Benjamin Barker (aka Sweeney Todd), and his desire for revenge against the scheming judge who exiled him to an Australian penal colony for a crime he did not commit. Armed with a sharp, straight razor and a mind full of menace and revenge, Todd sets up shop as one of the finest barbers in the…
MELBOURNE Easter Show is bringing a unique, family friendly “ little , big show” to the suburbs of Melbourne Presenting all the hallmarks of a traditional style show, Melbourne Easter Show has it all- albeit without the expensive price tags! Melbourne Easter Show presents the first free entry show of it’s kind to the families of Melbourne. The team at Melbourne Easter Show wanted to bring the experiences of the show, the thrill of rides, the joy of choosing a showbag and engaging children in an array of activities without the huge entry prices for families , like other events.…
Pierce Brothers have taken their music from busking on the streets of Melbourne to the world. Their irresistible energy and world-class live show has generated a word of mouth buzz not seen for sometime. The acclaimed live act has been shaking dance floors and selling out rooms across UK, Europe, Canada, USA & their native Australia. Comprising of twin brothers Jack and Pat Pierce, the multi instrumentalists have sold over 50,000 EP’s independently. Pierce Brothers are returning to Australia to play a select run of shows to launch their top 10 ARIA EP Into The Dirt. After spending the majority…
WESTPAC Bank is closing its Centro Somerville branch on Friday 18 March. A spokeswoman said the seven-year-old branch was “amalgamating” with the branch at 70 High St, Hastings. She said three of the five Somerville staff would be redeployed to Hastings and the bank was “looking for redeployment opportunities for the other two”. “We have made changes to our branch network across Australia because over-the-counter transactions have steadily declined as a significant number of customers prefer digital banking options, such as mobile banking, internet banking and smart ATMs,” she said. She said customers could make deposits and withdrawals, query account balances,…
SOMERVILLE hall is again open almost one year since being severely damaged in a storm. The reopening of the Mechanic Institute hall earlier this month also marked 125 years since a hall was first built on the Station St site and a century since two rooms were added at the front. Among those gathered for the reopening ceremony was the mayor Cr Graham Pittock, Cr Lynn Bowden and shire CEO Carl Cowie. Land for the original hall was donated by Henry Gomm, with building money being raised through public subscriptions, bazaars and other fundraisers. The hall was managed by volunteer…
Dame Elisabeth Murdoch’s Cruden Farm will once again host McClelland Sculpture Park and Gallery’s annual fundraising event on Saturday 19 March. Picnicers will be entertained by Mrs Mippy dixieland jazz band, Dukes of Debonaire, the Beckitt Brothers & The Frankston High School Senior Stage Band – Directed by Leon de Bruin. This is the only event at Cruden Farm that takes in the gardens at twilight. Bring your picnic basket, rug, table & chairs and sit back and enjoy the ambience and surrounds of the beautiful gardens and lakes whilst being entertained by a variety of bands across two locations…
By ANDREA LOUISE THOMAS Each year Frankston is taken by storm as the city is immersed in the stories, music, sport, dance, food, film and arts of Latin American, Spanish and Portuguese cultures. The annual month-long Ventana Festival is a highlight of the city’s calendar providing authentic insights into the cultural diversity of Spanish-speaking countries. With events and activities for all ages, such as, a pop up film festival, concerts, bilingual storytelling, craft and costume displays, soccer, capoeira, luche libre (Mexican wrestling), and educational workshops, each year Ventana gets bigger and better. Ventana’s Street Fiesta on March 12 is a dazzling display of…
RELAXED racing has arrived on the peninsula and the 2016 Mornington BMW Cup is simply drooling with great dining packages. The peninsula’s premier race day features exciting additions to the Mornington Racecourse menus that will satisfy every budget and the tastebuds of every racegoer – big or small. For a relaxing day in the gardens, the newly upgraded Garden Bar will now be located trackside with hawker style food stalls providing a unique food offering. The trademark Trackside Marquees and Marina Marquees will be returning as well as the luxurious Pommery Saddle Club – a must for anyone looking for…
PREMIER Daniel Andrews visited Frankston Hospital last Thursday morning (18 February) to officially open a new eight-bed Rapid Assessment Chest Pain Unit expected to treat up to 2000 patients per year. The new eight-bed unit means specialist cardiologists can assess people with chest pain earlier and faster, to ease pressure on the emergency department. The extra beds at Frankston Hospital mark 92 out of 101 beds and points of care opened as a result of the Labor state government’s $200 million Hospital Beds Rescue Fund. “In less than a year, we will deliver 101 new beds and points of care…
THE senseless shooting of a tawny frogmouth has upset and angered Rye Beach Veterinary Hospital staff. The wounded juvenile was found on Old Melbourne Rd near the Rye football oval with a badly fractured and infected shoulder could not be helped and had to be euthanised. X-rays revealed a lead pellet – probably fired from an air rifle. “I was very upset to receive it as it was a lovely little bird,” said veterinarian Stacey Lethlean, who has treated injured native animals for the past 30 years. The nocturnal raptor, which eats moths and small animals, is a well camouflaged…
THE case against a Victorian motorcyclist fined for having cameras attached to his helmet has been thrown out by a County Court judge on appeal. Max Lichtenbaum was fined $289 and lost three demerit points after being pulled over by police in Frankston in March 2014 for wearing a helmet with cameras affixed. Mr Lichtenbaum was found guilty in the Frankston Magistrates Court last year of not wearing an approved motorcycle helmet. Lawyers Maurice Blackburn appealed the magistrate’s decision, arguing successfully that the Australian Standard governing motorcycle helmets was not made freely accessible to the public by VicRoads, therefore, riders…