THE 50th anniversary Mornington Art show will feature about 700 paintings, work from glass artist Roberta Easton, artist and sculpture Neil Uren and coastal art hangings by Amber Skehan. “Glass blowing is such a captivating medium, a truly worthwhile and satisfying art form,” said Easton, who has been a professional glass blower for more than 20 years. “In 1990 I was introduced to glass and immediately formed a strong attraction. From this was born a commitment to pursue glass as my chosen career.” A regular contributor to the show, Uren will be exhibiting some of his nearly one metre high…
Author: MP News Group
DROMANA Drive-In has become a popular venue for school communities getting together to celebrate end-of-year functions. This has come about as, over the past two years, the pandemic has forced many schools to think outside the square and to capitalise on the space and opportunities offered there. It is a trend that has pleased drive-in proprietor Paul Whitaker. “Some schools filmed their annual play, as they could not present it to parents, and we screened it here on the three big screens, with parents and the actors in the cars,” Mr Whitaker said. “Others did a live-to-screen-graduation presentation with a…
ROSEBUD Italian Club president Lorenzo “Laurie” D’Alia has been named Elder of the Year in the Mornington Peninsula Shire mayor’s senior achiever award 2021. The award to Mr D’Alia was among several presented as part of the shire’s Delys Sargeant Age-Friendly Awards announced Tuesday 14 December. The awards recognise individuals, clubs, services or businesses that contribute to building a stronger community for older people on the peninsula. Mr D’Alia was described as a “tireless volunteer”. His citation said that during the pandemic lockdowns, he “visited many older, isolated members of the community, and assisted with care and transport for medical…
THE speed limit on Ocean Beach Road, Sorrento, and surrounding streets has been cut to 40kph. This comes after Mornington Peninsula Shire received $2.5 million from the state government for improved traffic management works, as well as road upgrades near the ferry terminal. The shire is working with Searoad Ferries, Department of Transport (VicRoads) and the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions on the works and upgrades. “Keeping our community safe in high traffic areas is essential, particularly during the peak season,” the mayor Cr Anthony Marsh said. Other works due to begin next year include a roundabout at the…
About 18 FRV and CFA firefighters fought a house fire in Mornington on Sunday afternoon, 12 December. They were called to the Craigrossie Road fire about 1.30pm after a 000 caller reported flames and smoke coming from the vacant house The firefighters were on the scene within five minutes and quickly extinguished the flames, bringing the fire under control within seven minutes. The police are investigating the fire which they regard as being suspicious. Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000. First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 21 December 2021
JANUARY’S Portsea Classic will be held over two days and include running and swimming events. The open water Blazer Portsea Swim Classic had been expanded to include the new Portsea Bay to Surf Adventure Run. The Portsea Classic will be held over the weekend of 14, 15 January, opening on the Friday with the Portsea Bay to Surf Adventure Run: two twilight runs and a walk through Point Nepean National Park. On the Saturday, the 36th Portsea Swim Classic will be held at the national park’s Quarantine Station. The Bay to Surf will see 1000 competitors each tackle a 4.5km…
YOUNG people feeling challenged by their teenage years, life circumstances, or want to find somewhere they can just be themselves are welcome to visit Jimmy’s at Rosebud. The sanctuary for marginalised, disengaged, and disadvantaged youth on the Mornington Peninsula is the creation of philanthropist Sarah Darling and the Jimmy’s Foundation board. It was opened by Flinders MP Greg Hunt on Monday 13 December and will be managed and fostered by the YMCA Peninsula Youth Services. About 75 per cent of mental health problems are said to occur before a person turns 25; one in 10 of those aged 12-17 years…
Ho ho ho! Santa Claus is coming to Mornington We’re getting closer to Christmas and all across the Shire children are very excited to meet Santa! We have good news! Santa’s helpful elves have told us he will be coming in for landing in his sled on Monday 20 December in Mornington. So, bring your little ones to Main Street to watch the very special Christmas Parade and meet Santa. Santa will also be strolling up and down Main Street on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday leading into Christmas. Like last year, from 17 December – 1 February Mornington Main Street (between Barkly Street…
Although Ms McKenzie must wait until the new year to find out if she has been preselected by the Liberal Party, she has stood down from several boards and her own company, Trade & Investment Advisory, to concentrate on securing that position. “I have not taken the decision lightly to throw my hat into the political ring, but believe my business, legal and public policy experience, as well as my various community and volunteer related roles, ideally positions me to make a significant contribution on behalf of this beautiful region, and its remarkable people, in our federal parliament,” she wrote…
A YEAR 6 student from Toorak College has finished second in her age group in the BMX Victoria state titles. Julijana Vrapcenjak trains most days, sometimes twice a day. Her mother, Zoe Vrapcenjak, said Julijana’s “hard work, grit and determination” had helped prepare her for the challenges of competitive BMX racing. As well as from her family, she gets a lot of support from her teachers and the wider school community. “Toorak has provided me with the platform and encouragement to pursue my passions, no matter what they may be,” Julijana said. “Not many girls compete in BMX racing so…
RESIDENTS at Morven Manor Retirement Village, Mornington have welcomed the installation of a plaque featuring the Uluru Statement from the Heart. With an average age of 75, the group of residents want to see the kind of changes First Nations people are calling for in the Statement from the Heart. None of the group received education at school about Australia’s past treatment of Aboriginal people. “What happened in the past is shameful,” village resident Joyce Toth, 94, said. Another resident, Maureen Donelly, said she remembered visiting Mooroopna with her grandfather in the 1950s. “Even as a small child I could…
YAWA Aquatic Centre is the 200th Victorian aquatic centre to join Life Saving Victoria’s Watch Around Water safety campaign. The campaign aims to reinforce the message about the importance of supervising children around water: younger children should be within arm’s reach and those under 10 within sight and under active supervision. The campaign places the onus on parents and guardians and their close attention to their children is a condition of entry to the aquatic centres. Life Saving Victoria marked the occasion with a celebration at Yawa last week. Manager aquatic industry services Alek Olszewski emphasised the importance of the…
SOUTHERN Women’s Action Network (SWAN) rallied in Mornington on Thursday 25 November in support of Safe Steps 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence and Mornington Peninsula 16ks in 16 days Steps for Respect. They called for an end to what they say is a “growing incidence of violence against women”. SWAN members marched along Main Street, chatting to interested bystanders, before being addressed by Cr Sarah Race in Mornington Park. Cr Race said the Walk Against Family Violence “amplified a cause that is endemic on the peninsula”. With fragmented services exacerbated by COVID, there was a “critical need for…
POLICE are urging Mornington Peninsula residents to be vigilant about fire danger, despite a wetter outlook for summer. They are gearing for the annual Operation Safeguard, which aims to deter or reduce the impact of intentional and recklessly lit fires. The most common causes of recklessly lit fires include burning off, campfires, car exhausts and machinery, use of tools such as angle grinders and welding equipment, bonfires and flares and farming machinery such as harvesters. While recklessly lit fires are considered by many to be accidental, the outcome is often the same as arson, with potential for injury, loss of…
A ROSEBUD man was seriously injured when he was attacked by a man wielding an axe, 9am, Friday 3 December. Detective Sergeant Eddie Logonder, of Somerville CIU, said the 38-year-old was found in Barry Street, Tootgarook, with wounds to his head and legs. He was taken to Frankston Hospital for treatment. No description of the attacker is available, and the victim is said to be not cooperating with police. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000. First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 7 December 2021
A ROSEBUD boy, 15, faces serious charges after a police sergeant was allegedly hit from behind during schoolies’ week celebrations on the foreshore. Police responding to a noise complaint at the Rosebud pier just after midnight, Monday 29 November, found up to 300 teenagers on the beach listening to loud music. After dispersing the crowd without incident police remained at the scene to ensure there were no further disturbances. In what they describe as an “unprovoked attack” an acting sergeant was allegedly hit from behind by the boy who was arrested at the scene. He has been charged with assaulting…
JANET McNeill last week watched as what has been described as a tsunami of cloud rolled over Mornington. “It was eerie,” she said. “I went outside at about 5pm (Thursday 2 December) and just kept taking pictures.” At first the Mornington real estate agent thought the approaching air mass could be a dust storm, then she felt a strong gust of wind and what was later described as a “shelf cloud” was overhead for about 15 minutes. “It was incredible,” she said. Meanwhile, photographer Yanni, a noted storm chaser, had a feeling something unusual was about to happen and drove…
LIKE Santa’s helpers, the Woodworkers of the Southern Peninsula have been busy all year making 825 toys for charities to give to children this Christmas. The group’s president John Bayliss said the past year had been the toughest of 25 due to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions, . The Salvation Army’s Lynne Jones thanked the woodworkers for their donations and highlighted their “creativity and attention to detail”. She praised the team “for their gift of time and commitment”. “As you know, there is a lot of homelessness and domestic violence on the Mornington Peninsula and Salvo…
Detectives from Mornington Peninsula Crime Investigation Unit have charged a 15-year-old boy following a stabbing in Dromana last month. A 17-year-old boy suffered serious injuries after he was allegedly stabbed at an outdoor gathering on Boundary Road around 10.30pm on 13 November. Yesterday, detectives executed a search warrant in the Carrum Downs area and arrested a 15-year-old boy. The Carrum Downs boy has been charged with intentionally causing serious injury. He was remanded to appear at a children’s court on 1 December. Victoria Police News – Wednesday 1 December 2021
Detectives from Frankston Crime Investigation Unit have charged a teenager following an alleged assault on a police officer in Rosebud overnight. Police responded to reports of a noise complaint at the Rosebud Jetty just after midnight. A large crowd of up to 300 people were on the beach listening to loud music. The crowd was dispersed by officers without incident and as police remained at the scene to ensure there were no further disturbances a male Acting Sergeant was allegedly king hit from behind in what police described as an unprovoked attack. The 15-year-old from Rosebud was arrested at the…
THE 50th Anniversary Mornington Art Show will again feature two popular quality artists among the 700 or more paintings on display. Yesim Gozukara finds joy and excitement in creating bold, dynamic, expressive contemporary paintings in watercolour. Her subjects are inspired from her extensive travels within Australia and overseas. She uses the quality of watercolour pigments to create different textural effects. Yesim has been pursuing her ambition and painting with passion in her home studio based in Melbourne, while concurrently working as a senior experimental scientist for the last 30 years. Her award winning paintings have been featured in six solo…
A TEENAGE girl was assisted by police, paramedics, Hastings SES and Mornington FRV crews after falling onto rocks at Mornington pier on Saturday night, 27 November. The girl is believed to have been fishing with her carer when she fell about two metres and injured her knee and ankle, telling rescuers she “couldn’t move”. The crews rushed to the scene about 10pm concerned a rising tide may hamper rescue efforts. They spent more than an hour treating the girl on the rocks while others waited above to lift her up over the wall and into a waiting ambulance. She was…
POLICE who intercepted a tow truck being driven by a 28-year-old Balnarring man near Wodonga, 20 July, allegedly found more than 15kg of methyl-amphetamine, with a street value of up to $10 million, on board. The man, and a 36-year-old Frankston man, have been charged with trafficking a commercial quantity of a drug of dependence. The Balnarring man has been remanded to appear at Wodonga Magistrates’ Court on 15 December and the Frankston man remanded to appear at the same court on 1 July 2022. The men are among 20 arrested and seven charged with drug trafficking in a major…
ARTIST Kitt Bennett has painted a mural to celebrate the opening of Jimmy’s Youth Wellbeing Sanctuary at Rosebud. During lockdown the courtyard and front garden at 827-829 Point Nepean Road was completed and a start made on the mural on the entrance wall. The design reflects items and objects of meaning to the young people who use Jimmy’s services. They include a combination of fruit/vegetables/card games/coffee keep cups and plants to create a welcome and hint at what to expect when joining the Jimmy’s community. Yoga, reiki, acupuncture, naturopathy, and mental health first-aid courses are just some of what members…
Officers from Somerville Highway Patrol were left shaking their heads following four separate incidents involving speeding drivers on Peninsula Link over-night. The first incident occurred when a 19-year-old woman was caught travelling at an alleged 138km/hr on Peninsula Link about 9pm. The Cranbourne woman’s vehicle was not registered, and she was not displaying p plates. She was issued with infringement notices for both offences and will lose her licence for three months. At approximately 10pm, a 19-year-old Narre Warren man was the second driver to be pulled over on the same road. He was allegedly travelling at 161km/hr and his…
POLICE are seeking witnesses to a collision on Mornington-Tyabb Road, Tyabb, 2.20pm, Thursday 11 November. A truck was heading east on the road, between Coolart and Boes roads, when two cars attempted to overtake it. One of the cars lost control and rolled into the truck. The driver was later taken to hospital for assessment. Police are seeking witnesses or dash-cam footage of the incident. Anyone with information is asked to call Senior Constable Nick Lewis, of Somerville Highway Patrol, 5978 1300. First published in the Western Port News – 24 November 2021
IN what was most certainly the longest bowls tournament in living history, a composite side from the southern tip of the Mornington Peninsula captured the newest blue ribbon event on the national calendar at the Karingal SkyeDome last Friday night. The rich Skyedome SuperLeague event – originally scheduled for a seven-week season when it kicked off mid-May – suffered from two lockdown interruptions – but reached its climax under the Big Top at Karingal when the Men@Work side outgunned Somerville’s Port Pirates in a hard-fought final – 27 weeks later. Rosebud stars Frank Krslovic, John Sykes and Ben Wales were…
A FIRE at a block of units in Mornington last week was brought under control within 10 minutes. FRV and CFA firefighters were on the scene at the top end of Main Street at 12.55pm – six minutes after the alarm was raised, Friday 19 November. Police and Ambulance Victoria also attended, as well as a gas and power company. Morning Peninsula Shire building surveyors were notified. There were no reports of injury. Main Street was blocked near the busy Nepean Highway corner and traffic was diverted down nearby streets. FRV crews stayed on the scene late into the afternoon…
A BIO-INFILTRATION swale is replacing a dirty old storm water drain at Rye, to become the first of its kind on the Mornington Peninsula. Friends of Rye Foreshore worked in partnership with Mornington Peninsula Shire’s Chris Lyne, Jessica Wingad and Mel Burridge and contractors to weed the swale and plant about 11,000 indigenous, water tolerant plants as part of a natural filtration system. The plants will clean stormwater of pollutants as it flows through the sand dunes. Street litter will be collected via a gross pollution trap. A timber boardwalk along the swale leads to the beach. The group hopes…
SEVERE storms which lashed Sorrento and Rye camping grounds on 29 October put a dampener on an early start to the camping season. Many areas were declared unsafe to pitch a tent or park a caravan. Since then, Mornington Peninsula Shire crews have inspected trees, trimmed branches and cleared debris allowing the camping grounds to open on Friday (26 November). Inspections at McCrae and Rosebud will start soon at sections five, six and seven, before moving on to sections 11 and 12, which are said to be the “most popular camping areas during the pre-peak camping period”. The shire hopes…