THE Esplanade in Mount Martha received special attention last Sunday week (8 October), and it wasn’t just about the popular Around the Bay cycling event. Volunteers took the opportunity to clean up the busy area while the road was closed for the bike ride and collected 321 kilograms of litter. While watching the race, 13 volunteers took about 2.5 hours to collect the haul, which beat last year’s clean up by around 80 kilograms. Much of the waste was soft plastic: bottles, bags, coffee cups and bottles as well as cans, tyres and cigarette butts. The strangest thing volunteers found…
Author: MP News Group
‘No’ to social housing ‘sad indictment on community’ I note with some interest that Mornington Peninsula Shire Council is listing affordable housing as one of it’s priorities (“Shire ‘shouts’ for money” The News 4/10/22). People may be aware that both the state and federal governments have committed billions to building additional housing. However, to do that they need to work with councils and the organisations to find suitable land and develop partnerships to build. The problem we have here is that the council has crab-walked away from options for affordable housing to be built on council owned land that have…
A DRAFT master plan for the Hastings foreshore is open for public comment. The foreshore is used daily by people exercising, fishing, playing and socialising and is also home to occasional large-scale events such as concerts and festivals. The area covered by the draft plan stretches south from the northern end of Fred Smith Reserve and includes a playground, fitness stations and Western Port’s busiest boat ramp. Mornington Peninsula Shire says the “five key themes” resulting from nearly 300 community responses are: playful destination; connected foreshore; resilient coast; enhanced natural environment; collaborative and engaging processes. It says the draft master…
Southern Metro Crime Team detectives have arrested five teens following a series of aggravated burglaries and home invasions throughout the southern and eastern regions. Investigators believe a series of linked incidents occurred from 3 October to 10 October in a number of locations including Ringwood, Ashburton, Malvern, Hawthorn East, Hawthorn, Clarinda, Mount Waverley, Springvale, Cheltenham, Sandringham, Brighton, Toorak and Shepparton. The investigation came to a head overnight when officers intercepted an allegedly stolen 2019 Skoda wagon on the Monash Freeway at the Toorak Road exit about 11.35pm. The car, which had been stolen from an address in Champion Street Brighton…
A HASTINGS man, 34, has been charged with murder after a fatal hit-and-run in Hastings on Saturday. Police said a 23-year-old male pedestrian was with friends when he was hit by a white SUV at the intersection of McCallum Street and Cool Store Road about 11pm. He died at the scene. Police allege the driver of the vehicle did not stop at the scene. He was arrested later that evening. A crime scene was set up where investigators remained into the morning. Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives are still working to find out the exact circumstances and are urging anyone…
HOMELESSNESS and increasing hardship on the Mornington Peninsula have prompted a south eastern food charity to expand services to the peninsula. Langwarrin-based Sikh Volunteers Australia has started a food run in Hastings, providing prepared meals every Sunday from the Fred Smith reserve car park between 1pm and 2pm. Jaswinder Singh said the charity had recognised the need for support on the peninsula and that it was part of the Sikh philosophy to help people in need. He said the first Sunday in Hastings three weeks ago saw around 40 meals provided, but that had almost doubled every weekend since. “We…
ONE year on from a frightening car crash, Red Hill resident James Clark-Kennedy met and thanked the “volunteer heroes” who worked through a storm to rescue him from the wreckage. On Friday, 30 September 2022, Clark-Kennedy and his family visited Dromana fire station to meet 14 of the local CFA firefighters from Dromana and Red Hill, who were at the scene that night. It was just after 5pm on 30 September 2021 when CFA crews were called to a complex rescue operation at Moat’s Corner on White Hill Road in Dromana. Crews from Dromana, Mount Martha, Red Hill, Rosebud and…
Bumpy ride for wheelchairs The new roundabout at the corner of Myers and Hendersons roads, Bittern is a safety hazard. More specifically, the secondary speed bumps just before the roundabout are a significant hazard to anyone who is travelling in a wheelchair. While the initial speed bumps on the approach to the roundabout have a gentle gradient and stretch the full length of the land to allow a smooth ride over them, the secondary speed bumps are higher and only partially cover the lane. This means that the car travelling over them is rocked far more violently, even at low…
SUPPORTERS of Fenton Hall in Merricks North will hold a spring picnic at the end of October as part of a campaign to repair it and obtain a heritage overlay. The picnic will be held midday-2pm Sunday 30 October with attendees being invited to take their own picnic, blankets and chairs as there will be no access to the hall. Merricks North resident Sue Cusack said there was still a lot of work needed to make the hall useable, but supporters hoped it could become a “vital social and entertainment hub for the area”. She said it was pleasing that…
MORNINGTON Yacht Club’s Jack Eickmeyer, 17, is Australian Sailing Victoria’s Youth Sailor of the Year. The win, announced at the organisation’s annual awards in early September, recognises Eickmeyer’s performance at a state, national and international level over the past year. Club spokesman Peter Davey said Eickmeyer has always worked hard to hone his sailing skills, putting in time with his training partners at MYC and through the scholarships he earned with the Victorian Institute of Sport. Although Eickmeyer led the charge, Davey said Mornington Yacht Club was well represented on the night, with Lachie Weber first in the Victorian Sailing…
THE inaugural rose-to-rose walk raised more than $400 for the peninsula branch of the Blue Ribbon appeal, as 30 police, staff, and family members walked from the Mornington police station to the Mornington Botanical Rose Garden in Dunns Road. Senior Sergeant Paul Edwards said participants were humbled to be able to pay respects to fallen colleagues and help with the Blue Ribbon appeal. The walkers started from the Angela Taylor rose and plaque outside the Mornington police station and finished at the rose garden, home to the Angela Taylor rose bush. Originally given to Victoria Police by the Taylor family,…
THE campfire looks real enough to warm your hands, according to scouts Sibella, Harry, Harry, Josh, Benji, Dylan and Thomas. The fire takes centre stage in a mural painted by street artist Tyson “Father Marker” Savannah and aspiring artist and former scout, 15-year-old Eligh Rennalls. Their work now covers the wall of the 1st Mornington Scout Group’s hall in Mitchell Street, Mornington thanks to a place-making grant from Mornington Peninsula Shire. With support from business, artists and families the scout group has been working on the large scale mural to help brighten the space and reflect the values of the…
THIRTY-THREE speeding drivers were among the 60-plus motorists charged on the Mornington Peninsula over the four-day Grand Final weekend. Highway patrol officers and uniformed police participated in Operation Scoreboard, as thousands of holiday makers and day trippers flocked to the peninsula for the break. Also nabbed were seven drivers who exceeded the blood alcohol limit, six disqualified drivers, two unlicensed drivers, three people for not obeying signs/signals, one drug-affected driver and seven people with unregistered vehicles. Senior Sergeant Phil Huffey from Somerville Highway Patrol said the number of people caught breaking road rules was disappointing. “It is certainly concerning in…
IT’S an unfortunate global phenomenon and a dog act, and it’s happening on the Mornington Peninsula to the detriment of the environment. A small percentage of dog owners, or dog poo bag tossers, continue to either not pick up their pooches’ poo, or leave full poop bags on the ground, in trees, or on the beach – often within metres of a rubbish bin. Lazy dog owners who refuse to dispose of their dog’s waste responsibly are being warned that fines will almost double from $100 to $185 on 5 October when the new community amenity local law comes into…
A FACEBOOK post about the Queen by the Liberal Party’s candidate for Hastings Briony Hutton was changed within the hour. The first post read: “Queen Elizabeth II perhaps the most famous, and famously inscrutable, woman in the world. “Even before she became Queen at the impossibly young age of 25, Elizabeth set the tone for her reign by declaring, in effect, that the job was bigger than the person. “And so is my job as your candidate for Hastings. I am and will continue to be devoted to your service.” Within a short time Hutton’s message was changed to: “Queen…
GREENS MPs holding the balance of power in the Victorian parliament “could be a successful way of going forward on climate”, according to Mat Morgan, the party’s Upper House candidate for Eastern Victoria, which includes the Mornington Peninsula. “If we can’t get climate change right, then there’s no point,” Morgan said. “If successful in getting into parliament, I will look out for Mornington Peninsula residents on my watch.” Morgan was speaking at Balnarring Hall at a “meet the candidate event launch” on Saturday 24 September along with three Greens candidates for the Lower House seats of Hastings (Paul Sanders), Mornington…
YOUNG people from the southern end of the Mornington Peninsula will have access to youth support services and programs when the Southern Peninsula Youth Hub opens in 2024. The $13 million project at Olympic Park, Rosebud is being paid for by Mornington Peninsula Shire Council and state and federal governments. The council will work with young people and key stakeholders to plan, design, deliver and manage the youth centre, with building expected to start this month, October. The mayor Cr Anthony Marsh said the hub would meet the current and future needs of young people in the southern peninsula. He…
POLICE are seeking witnesses to an accident on Browns Road, Main Ridge on Saturday night (1 October) where two police officers from Rosebud dragged the driver from his utility which was leaking fuel. The acting sergeant and senior constable were first to arrive at the scene to find the vehicle on its side about 11pm and were able to tear open the vehicles smashed windscreen to rescue the man. The 23-year-old man from Officer, who police have been told was on a buck’s weekend, was given a preliminary breath test and returned a positive result. He was taken to hospital…
AFL players added to the pre-grand final buzz during a successful community event on Somerville on 21 September, which raised more than $3000 for research into a debilitating progressive disease. The family of 21-year-old Somerville resident Tyson Stanley, who has Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP), organised the event to raise community awareness of the disease and to fund much-needed research. There is currently no cure for the rare and crippling disease, which causes bones to form in muscles and other soft tissue. Tyson said he was pleased football players Will Hayes and Lachie Hunter gave up their time to attend the…
OPINION By Max Bryant – PresidentWestern Port Oberon Association FIRSTLY I must apologise to all Victorians, the residents of the Mornington Peninsula and in particular the people of the Hastings and Crib Point. I apologise for the loss of the submarine, the former HMAS Otama, which was to be the centre piece of a project to create a world class tourism destination at Crib Point. Western Port Oberon Association (WPOA) had purchased Otama for $55,000 with a receipt and clear bill of sale from Defence Disposals (DD). Many would say “well the submarine has sat there for over 20 years…
Affordable housing not council’s domain Using emails and social media, our Mornington Peninsula Shire Council intends to urge the owners of holiday houses and investment properties to rent these to long term tenants (“Long-term rentals key to housing ‘crisis'”, The News, 13 September). Dream on. The peninsula is the sixth worst municipality for rough sleepers because there is an abundance of sheltered beaches, foreshore and parks. Affordable housing and social housing are the domain of federal and state governments and councils should not try to triplicate this. Our federal government has, as an economic policy, firm plans to bring in…
HOCKEY A FRANKSTON Hockey Club stalwart’s epic scramble to score in a sudden death penalty shootout has seen the Stingrays secure premiership glory in the men’s Vic League Three grand final. After missing his initial chance early in the shootout, Brendan Taylor’s penalty goal gave the Stingrays a 3-2 lead in the shootout. Scores were tied 1-1 with RMIT at full-time in last weekend’s grand final at the State Hockey Centre. Frankston’s Nicholas Nixon scored early in the second quarter, with the Stingrays overall dominating the first half. In the second half RMIT played quick counter-attack hockey and evened the…
THE Art Gallery of New South Wales has announced the Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery (MPRG) as the exclusive Victorian venue for the Archibald Prize tour in 2023. The exhibition will run from 15 September to 5 November 2023. The Archibald Prize for portrait painting is the country’s favourite and most significant art award. Judged by trustees of the Art Gallery of NSW, the prize is awarded to the best portrait painting. Since 1921, it has highlighted figures from all walks of life, from famous faces to local heroes, reflecting back to us the stories of our times. MPRG last hosted…
BURN off restrictions will be eased for small properties throughout October to allow Mornington Peninsula residents to prepare properties for fire prevention purposes. During October, open air burning will be permitted only on Fridays and Saturdays between 9am and 4pm on land between 500 and 1500 square metres, provided that: the property is within the Mornington Peninsula Shire Bushfire Prone Area.For the purposes of fire prevention.No more than 1 cubic metre of vegetation is burnt at any one time.The fire is not within 10 metres of any neighbouring dwelling.The General Fire Safety Provisions are followed at all times. The easing…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Council will use the results of a community survey to push the state government to fund a cross-peninsula bus service and rail electrification between Hastings, Langwarrin and Frankston. As part of council’s ‘better buses’ advocacy campaign and ahead of the Victorian election, the ‘better buses’ survey has tracked people’s views on public transport for the peninsula. According to the council, an incredible 82 per cent of the peninsula is not serviced by public transport, and there are no opportunities for many residents to catch a regular bus or a train to parts of the peninsula. Shire mayor…
Frankston Crime Investigation Unit detectives are investigating after an allegedly stolen vehicle crashed in Mount Eliza this morning. The car first came to police attention on Frankston Flinders Road when it was spotted driving erratically and over both lanes with no headlights in Frankston about 2.15am. Police attempted to intercept the car at the intersection of Frankston Flinders Road and Sages Road, but the driver failed to stop. The Hyundai IX35 continued to be driven at speed along the Moorooduc Highway before it crashed and rolled at a roundabout on Wooralla Drive. A 16-year-old Ascot Vale boy, who was driving…
Otama fate a disgrace after years of inaction Having read the article (“Scrapyard may be Otama’s next berth” The News 14/9/2022) it beggars belief that Parks Victoria would choose as the only option available to spend $5 million hiring a submersible vessel and remove the Otama to be scrapped in Western Australia when for the estimated amount of $500.000 it could have been brought ashore and put on display in Crib Point. Without doubt this project has, over its 20 year history, been the victim of bureaucratic ineptness and a serious lack of “political will” on the part of both…
Victoria Police will increase its focus on motorcycle safety in an effort to reduce rider deaths from reaching a record five-year high. It comes as police launch Operation Scoreboard, a statewide road policing effort to coincide with the AFL Grand Final long weekend. The operation has been extended to account for the additional National Day of Mourning public holiday on 22 September, with many motorists expected to take advantage of the four-day long weekend across Victoria. Police across the state will target speeding and distracted drivers heading out to regional areas on high-risk rural roads and highways. Police are also…
WARNINGS have been issued to be wary of wildlife on land and at sea for their protection and to avoid personal injury. The Conservation Regulator wants visitors to keep their distance from whales as videos of dangerous interactions increase on social media. Videos of swimmers, surfers and people in boats getting too close to whales posted on social media encouraging behaviour which threatens the animal’s health and welfare. Investigations are being made into nine reports of boats being too close to whales this season as well as individuals seen in several videos posted online. Water patrols are being carried out…
THE Mornington Peninsula Koala Conservation 2022 project is well underway, with more than 14,000 trees planted this year around Balnarring and Merricks, and another 6000 scheduled for planting by the end of October. This year marks the project’s third year to establish vegetation corridors linking fragmented populations of koalas. Thousands of trees were planted at Arthurs Seat, Somers and Balnarring during 2020/2021. Group president, co-founder and 2022 Mornington Peninsula Shire Citizen of the Year Dirk Jansen said the project had received support from property owners providing land for tree planting, and volunteers. “We would love to welcome more of the…