By BARRY IRVING OVER the past 20 years, Woodworkers of the Southern Peninsula have made and hand finished more than 20,000 toys for non-profit groups to help needy families all over the peninsula. Of the 80 expert woodworkers, 20 specialise in making toys. They spend each Wednesday at the shed and then many hours at home finishing off their inspired creations. The Community Bank has sponsored both the raw materials and, also, renovations at the shed, enabling the team to make more than 1200 toys this year. These will go to Good Shepherd Australia/New Zealand, Rosebud Salvation Army Corp, Southern Peninsula…
Author: MP News Group
THE Destination Rosebud project, part of the state government’s Interface Growth Fund, was launched earlier this month at Rosebud pier. Eastern Victorian Region MP Daniel Mulino did the honours, alongside the then mayor Cr Bev Columb and councillors Antonella Celi and David Gibb. Also attending were representatives of Seawinds Community Hub, local schools, Rosebud West Action Group, Rye Rosebud Rotary, Southern Peninsula Community Support and Information Centre, Rosebud Senior Citizens Club, Rosebud Chamber of Commerce, Rosebud Lions Club, Rosebud police and Mornington Peninsula Tourism. The total value of the project is $5.5 million with the council contributing $1.35m from this…
ROSEBUD police acted quickly online to shut down an unauthorised party being held on the Rye foreshore, Friday night. They noticed the event titled “Beach gath, rye, Friday night, BYO” on Facebook and used their own page to comment: “Thanks for the invite Lleam, Tyson and Lochie. “Rosebud police will definitely be attending! PS. Did you remember to get your permits from Mornington Peninsula Shire Council?” At the time, 99 people had signalled their interest in the event, 188 were going and 916 invited. It was looking like being a big night, but interest faded when it became known the…
The life of an artist is one of quiet solitude with a lot of time for reflection and often too much emotional energy consumed on introspection. It is fair to say that artists at peace with themselves usually translate this serenity to their creations with never an angry brushstroke evident! Conversely , an artist frustrated with ‘creative block ‘, or too many external influences negatively impacting on her or his peace of mind ,may , if they can indeed create anything at this stage , reflect their ‘issues’ with a dark or gloomy choice of colours and subject matter. Artist…
By TERRI LEE FATOUROS What a fantastic turn out recently when Andy Phillips of Cadillac Walk fame and his partner and manager Heidi LaFaerie hosted their VIP merchandise launch party at the Double G Saloon in Mornington recently. Fans of the Cadillac Walk can now buy T-shirts with the bands new insignia printed on it, get mugs, stubby holders and a host of other cool stuff that acts as a constant reminder of their fav band. “The new logo design by international artist for Harley Davidson, was commissioned with a view that we wanted a cool design for our merchandise…
IT was a grand affair when Mornington’s Avenue of Honour was dedicated and the new rotunda opened in Mornington Park, Sunday 8 November. Musical accompaniment was provided by the Royal Australian Navy Band and Mornington Youth and Citizens’ Band and the service was well attended on the sunny day. The celebrations started when secondary students from Peninsula School, Toorak College, Padua College, Mornington Secondary College and Balcombe Grammar marched along the avenue bearing plaques with the names of the 120 WWI volunteers from the old Mornington Shire. The RSL’s Heritage Support Committee chair and MC Colin Fisher told the gathering…
THREE Mornington Peninsula tourism businesses have been inducted into the Victorian Tourism hall of fame after winning gold medals in their categories for three consecutive years. Searoad Ferries, Enchanted Adventure Garden and Tree Surfing, and Stillwater at Crittenden were honoured at the 31st awards night in Melbourne. Searoad was doubly rewarded when its CEO, Matthew McDonald, won gold in the young achievers award. Aquabelle Apartments in Rye won the inaugural “Self-contained accommodation” category. Erin Joyce of the Victoria Tourism Industry Council said the awards had benefited Victoria’s $21 billion tourism industry by “showcasing and celebrating the high standard of business…
THE state government’s bid to promote students’ interest in science brought Education Minister James Merlino to the second annual Southern Peninsula Principals’ Network 2015 Annual Science Fair. With more than 500 year 5-7 students were at the fair, being involved in science experiments, demonstrations and offering their ideas. The fair, held in the hall at the New Peninsula Church, Craigie Rd, Mt Martha, aims to support science teaching among government schools. Schools at the fair included Boneo, Balnarring, Somers, Tyabb Railway and Dromana primary schools, Dromana, Somerville and Western Port secondary colleges, Peninsula Special School and Red Hill Consolidated. Mr…
THE International Day of People with a Disability will be celebrated with an all-abilities sports day in Mornington next week. It will be Mornington Peninsula Shire’s inaugural “All-abilities come and try sports day” and will be held at Civic Reserve Recreation Centre off Dunns Rd. People with disabilities, their carers, families and friends have been invited to attend the free event. Sports and activities will include tennis, gymnastics, soccer, netball, Australian rules football, cricket, table tennis, yoga, and Pilates. Swish, a version of table tennis for people who are blind or vision impaired, is likely to attract interest. It is…
Cats the Musical – Melbourne Double pass giveaway Tickets valid for Saturday 19th December, 2pm performance at The Regent Theatre, Melbourne Terms and Conditions These terms and conditions (“Terms and Conditions”) govern the relationship between you, the entrant (“you”, “yours”) and the promoter, Mornington Peninsula News Group (“Mornington Peninsula News Group”, “Promoter”, “we”, “our”, “us”) 2/1 Tyabb Road, Mornington Eligibility The Competition is open to Australian residents aged 18 years or over. 2. The following are not eligible to enter the Competition: (i) employees and independent contractors of the Promoter and/or its related party entities (i.e. parent companies and subsidiaries); (ii) immediate…
WALLAROO Primary School at Hastings is holding its first school fair, Saturday 28 November. Principal Nicky Fammartino said parent volunteers had worked hard on the project, in particular school council president Deb Stargett and vice president Brooke Hamilton. “We have a lovely school community and the fair is a brilliant way to share this with the broader community,” she said. Ms Fammartino welcomes the community to come along and have some fun, and is even volunteering to sit on top of the “dunk tank” machine and inviting students to throw the lucky ball. The free fair 10am-3pm will feature a…
THE state government has stumped up $23,000 for a graffiti prevention project in Mornington Park (formerly Tanti Park), Hastings and Rosebud West. Newly elected mayor Cr Graham Pittock said the cash would pay for “an early intervention and prevention educational project provided by Warner Youth Education in partnership with Victoria Police” in the three areas. “It will also involve a series of murals created by primary and secondary students to encourage community pride and educate students about the consequences of illegal graffiti,” he said. Grade 5 and 6 pupils from Mornington Park, Wallaroo, and Eastbourne primary schools as well as…
OPPOSITION Police spokesman Edward O’Donohue and Hastings MP Neale Burgess were at the $16.3 million Somerville police complex on Friday voicing their concerns over its lack of counter service. They wanted to highlight the fact that it “remains closed to the public because of Daniel Andrew’s failure to provide funding for more police”. Mr Burgess said it was important that he had been allowed inside the police building at the corner of Eramosa Rd West and Coolart Rd, Somerville. He was taken on a 30-minute tour by Acting Senior Sergeant Peter Drake and Detective Sergeant Jason Hocking. “It was designed…
A PLAY that’s truly out of this world will land on stage at Hastings Hall this month. A youth show production by Pelican Theatre Company called ‘What’s Above?’ featuring performers aged 10-18 will investigate mysterious sightings of UFOs and aliens. The play is written by Pelican Theatre Company vice-president Madeleine Kay who says the comedy about people who believe in aliens is suitable for the whole family. “I watched a documentary about people who believed in aliens in the US and thought it was a really good idea for a show,” she said. “Adopting a mockumentary to the stage is…
WELLBEING workshops, “empowering” guest speakers and live music are all being brought together for a family fun day. As well as providing a family day out, this month’s Mindfulness Festival is aimed at raising money for the Wellness Pavilion at Rosebud Secondary College. The Wellness Pavilion will offer meditation sessions, counselling support and innovative programs for college students and youth and families within the wider community. Music at the festival will be played by The Warrains, SugaTree, Drew Bowden, Lady and the Tramps and The Daddios. Guest speakers will join yoga, meditation and nutrition practitioners as they demonstrate child and…
ALL creatures furry, rough skinned and feathered will be at the free annual Peninsula Pet Expo on the Village Green in Rosebud 9am-3pm on Sunday 29 November, which is hosted by Mornington Peninsula Shire. One highlight will be NSW dog trainer and qualified behaviourist “Farmer Dave” Graham with his “Muttley Crew”, a troupe of dogs dumped at animal shelters – because their owners couldn’t cope with their bad behaviour – which he has transformed into acclaimed performers. Graham first came to attention as a competitor on TV reality show Big Brother and used his profile to open the Farmer Dave…
The picnic basket just got tastier! We are excited to welcome the incredibly talented multi ARIA Award winner Missy Higgins, bringing with her a catalogue of sweet hits for picnickers in 2016. Joining this year’s menu of music, with his blues and roots flavour will be sonic virtuoso Kim Churchill, Powderfinger guitarist extraordinaire Darren Middleton giving the Peninsula a taste of his solo offerings, rising Adelaide folk star Timberwolf and Shoreham local singer songwriter Ruby Whiting. Roll out your picnic rug, and relax to the sweet sounds of some of Australia’s finest acts, while taking your taste buds on a…
FOUR schools and two individuals have won recognition at the Mornington Peninsula Shire 2015 Mayoral Sustainability Awards. Now in their 10th year, the awards acknowledge the achievements of students, teachers, student groups and school communities in working toward a sustainable future. They were presented by Cr Graham Pittock, who said four outstanding schools were recognised in the student group category, which recognised groups that demonstrated leadership in sustainability practices. Student group award winners were: Mt Eliza Secondary College – years 7 and 8: Students with an interest in environmental sustainability spent one day a week working on sustainable practices on…
By Barry Morris* THEY might have cute little faces and tails and are protected by the Victorian Wildlife Act, but the abundance of ringtail possums in Mt Eliza and Mt Martha are being blamed for a massive loss of gum trees. Ecologist Jeff Yugovic says the tree loss is linked to dense understoreys in which possums can hide from their major remaining predator, the fox. He says the role of the introduced fox has replaced locally extinct native predators which would once have kept the possum population under control. Dr Yugovic’s solution to the possum problem is to remove their…
A PHOTOGRAPHER by profession, Fran Bainbridge these days finds herself more often wielding paint brushes and metalworking tools than operating a camera. “In a world where everything is so readily accessible online, I considers it a pleasure to be designing and creating unique pieces in silver and gold,” she says. Her paintings are inspired by life on the Mornington Peninsula. She describes “Shoreham sands” as “a painting executed in a free flowing loose abstract style that has captured the interest of many who love to wander along our pristine beaches”. Bainbridge, previously of Gallery One in Mornington, is having an…
This Is Christmas at The Palms Double pass giveaway Tickets valid for Thursday 10th December, 7.30pm performance at The Palms, Crown Melbourne Terms and Conditions These terms and conditions (“Terms and Conditions”) govern the relationship between you, the entrant (“you”, “yours”) and the promoter, Mornington Peninsula News Group (“Mornington Peninsula News Group”, “Promoter”, “we”, “our”, “us”) 2/1 Tyabb Road, Mornington Eligibility The Competition is open to Australian residents aged 18 years or over. 2. The following are not eligible to enter the Competition: (i) employees and independent contractors of the Promoter and/or its related party entities (i.e. parent companies and subsidiaries);…
THE sun was out, volunteers were smiling and the participants were pumped and ready to go at the Arthurs Seat Challenge 2015 on Sunday. More than 1500 participants took to the 6.7 kilometre climb from the sea at Rosebud to the summit of Arthurs Seat, raising community awareness and money to support Fit2Drive, a road safety program for young people. The challenge was taken out by Nathan Barry, a regular at the event, in 26 minutes and 34 seconds. In the women’s, Kiah Fry was first over the line in 31 minutes and 17 seconds. Junior champions were brother and…
THE three winning fish in this year’s Snapper Point Angling Club Tea Tree competition were caught in Western Port. Although based at Mornington, the competition ranges over both Port Phillip and Western Port, which also yielded the most fish: 947 out of a total bag of 1360. However, the number of competitors, 1537 (including 159 juniors) outnumbered the fish. John Close, of Boronia, was the overall winner with a 12.07 kilogram fish, making him the new Victorian snapper champion. Theo Hatzis, Pakenham, came second with a 10.23kg fish and Norman Kemp, Cranbourne North, was third with a 10.11kg fish. Held…
TO the casual observer at Dromana it may have looked like a group of people was having an enjoyable day at the beach. There were some tricky balancing acts on stand-up paddleboards and quickly arranged photos. There was enjoyment and the need for balance, but it was also the arranged announcement of the involvement of “citizen scientists” in monitoring water quality. Flinders MP and Environment Minister Greg Hunt jumped aboard a SUP to show how water samples could be collected offshore and then, with John Gemmill of the Clean Ocean Foundation measured the water’s PH level. Mr Hunt, a long-time…
SOUTHERN Peninsula Food for All is appealing for support for its Christmas appeal. The group has raised $4810, well below its $65,000 target. Last year, Food for All provided 516 Christmas hampers to the needy as well as toys to 600 children. This year it again plans to distribute hampers and toys to those “doing it tough”. Collection bins for non-perishable goods are at Woolworths Rosebud, Rosebud West and Rye, Coles Rosebud and Ritchie’s Dromana. All donations of $2 or more are tax deductible and can be sent to Food for All, PO box 440, Rosebud, 3939. Details: Diane Falconer…
MAIN Ridge and Boneo will be the stage for a pre-summer CFA training exercise on Sunday 22 November. Joining CFA crews will be staff from the Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning and Parks, and a water bombing helicopter. CFA brigades from across the Mornington Peninsula, along with those from as far afield as Casey and Cardinia, will converge on Arthurs Seat to test pre-planning and management to combat a major fire on the peninsula. “The exercise will simulate a rapidly developing fire starting on the southern side of Arthurs Seat and running south toward, and into, the Mornington…
BUSKERS by the score will be on the streets of Rosebud this Saturday. Musicians and other entertainers have been invited onto the streets and outside Rosebud Plaza for the annual Buskfest. Spots were limited to 35, but organisers say more than double that number applied for Saturday’s gig, perhaps attracted by the $1000 cash prize. The competition includes performances by solo vocalists, duos, bands, pianists, harpist, African drummers, dancers, jugglers, comedians and quick draw artists. The shows starts at 10am and ends at 1pm. A panel of judges will be out and about among the audiences to see who takes…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has made a commitment to be carbon neutral and has been working with the community to develop the best approach to achieving this outcome, the mayor Cr Bev Colomb says. A draft carbon neutral policy, action plan and the supporting business cases, are available for community feedback. Cr Colomb said carbon neutrality was a forward-thinking approach to long-term environmental improvement. “In August, council endorsed the preferred option in achieving carbon neutrality within five years,” she said. “This approach includes actions to significantly reduce emissions, such as upgrading public street lighting to LED lights, installing solar panels on…
YOUNG people in the Mornington area have a new place to hang out with the opening of The Corner, a youth resource centre, in Wilsons Rd. The centre brings together a range of youth services under one roof and caters to the needs of the growing youth population in Mt Eliza, Mornington and Mt Martha. “The Corner will provide a modern and safe space where young people can seek advice and support from a range of youth organisations, including the council’s youth service and Headspace,” Dunkley MP Bruce Billson said. “It will offer drop-in services, fun and engaging programs, youth-orientated…
A STYLISED calendar featuring fire fighters from across the Mornington Peninsula is helping raise money for the new Monash Children’s Hospital. Designed to hang on the wall, the Victorian Firefighter Calendar 2016 displays a month a page with space for jotting down notes in each day’s box. Public holidays are clearly marked. The glossy pages feature fire fighters in posed, semi-action shots at locations all over the peninsula. Producer Carolyn Donovan, of Mornington, said the calendar paid tribute to the crews who “go above and beyond every day to serve the community”. “They choose their valued profession because they want…