OPERATION Nemesis, run by Somerville Highway Patrol members at various Mornington Peninsula hot spots on Friday and Saturday nights, uses several patrol cars to detect drug-affected drivers. Police focus on specific locations and times which they believe provides the best chance of success. On the weekend of 18-21 May police breath tested 61drivers and found one driver over the limit and one who refused to be breath-tested. Of the 22 drivers given preliminary oral fluid tests for drugs, nine were positive and one refused to be tested. Three drivers were found to be unlicensed, suspended or disqualified from driving and…
Author: MP News Group
MT MARTHA artist Eric Shepherd has been commissioned to do a painting of a WWI battlefield for an “exhibition of premium art by the best Victorian artists”. His oil on canvas work Battle of the Somme will feature in the Holt Armistice 100 year art exhibition at Narre Warren Mechanics Institute Hall in October. The exhibition will be attended by ambassadors or representatives of the embassies of the countries involved in the conflict. Afterwards the artists’ works will travel around the major cities in Australia. Mr Shepherd, 83, said he put a lot of effort into researching details behind his…
A SECTION of Defence Road in Point Nepean National Park will be closed for the next nine weeks. Parks Victoria says the roadworks are part of the state government’s $3.7 million “commitment towards activating the Point Nepean master plan”. However, the announcement by Parks Victoria has not gone unnoticed by Mornington Peninsula Shire councillor Hugh Fraser who says the money being used to pay for the road is not “new money”. “The $3.7 million announced by the minister at the quarantine station Point Nepean on 21 January this year with a great fanfare as if it were new state government…
THE $1.5 million 270 metre long Dorothy Houghton Walk was officially opened earlier this month. The path, above, was paid for by Mornington Peninsula Shire and provides access between Camerons Bight Beach and Sullivan Bay. In 1980, as Flinders shire president, Dorothy Houghton was instrumental in the state government buying land along the Sorrento foreshore, including Sullivan Bay, the Eastern and Western Sisters and part of Camerons Bight. “Mrs Houghton worked hard to protect public land along the Sorrento foreshore,” Mornington Peninsula Shire mayor Cr Bryan Payne said. “This [path] is a welcoming tribute to her legacy and will be…
A NEW solar and battery system at Sorrento Community Centre will lower electricity bills, act as a renewable energy education centre for visitors and redirect power back to the grid during days of peak demand. The system, supplied through the Community Grid Project and the state government’s New Energy Jobs Fund, features 7kW solar panels on the roof coupled with a 6kW Fronius solar inverter and 14kWhr Tesla Powerwall 2 battery. The project is the result of a partnership between United Energy, Mornington Peninsula Shire and GreenSync to will deliver a safe and reliable power supply to the southern peninsula…
AN attempt to break a Guinness World Record for the most people stargazing across multiple venues will be held this week at The Briars Astronomy Centre, Mt Martha. Mornington Peninsula Astronomical Society will host the event which aims to have the most people ever stargazing at the moon through a telescope or binoculars for a 10-minute period, tomorrow night (23 May). The world record of 7960 people at 37 locations was set in 2015 by the Australian National University. Society members say they are “aiming to set a record so large that it will be nearly impossible to break again”.…
MOOROODUC farmer David Sims believes eagles killed a new-born calf overnight at his Derril Road property, Thursday 17 May. He said he saw the eagles on the carcase as he drove into the paddock next morning looking for its mother and watched as they flew off into trees when he approached. He said flesh had been torn from the calf’s mouth and ear. Mr Sims, who runs 30 cattle on his 32 hectare property, said it appeared the calf had been born alive and then been killed because the thin tissue on its feet had worn after it had walked…
PEOPLE can show appreciation this month for State Emergency Services volunteers who help out during road rescues and storms. Wednesday 23 May is Wear Orange Wednesday (WOW) Day, a nationwide day for Australians to dress in orange to thank SES crews for their assistance in fraught times. SES volunteers across Victoria responded to more than 31,000 requests for help last year, putting in 302,623 hours collectively to respond to emergencies. VICSES operations chief officer Tim Wiebusch said WOW Day “is an important day of appreciation for our volunteers who selflessly dedicate their time and skills to helping their communities during…
POLICE are seeking to identify a woman, pictured, after a deception incident at Rosebud on Saturday 13 January. At about 1am a woman entered a Point Nepean Road service station and bought items using a stolen credit card. She is Caucasian in appearance, in her late teens to early 20s, and was wearing a white dressing gown. Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000 or report confidentially online at crimestoppersvic.com.au First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 22 May 2018
By Hugh Fraser* TIMOR-Leste – the most democratic state in the south east Asia region – voted decisively at the 12 May parliamentary elections for majority government ending, 10 months of budget paralysis after last year’s inconclusive result. Together with Friends of Lospalos chair Xaioli Ma and former Mornington Peninsula Shire councillor Tim Rodgers, we had the privilege – which can be withdrawn at any time – to observe the election process as “Observadors Internasional” at the invitation of the Timor-Leste government. The observers were supported by 17 teams “in the field” from the Australian Embassy in Dili. We were…
POLICE have been alarmed by serious injury collisions involving cyclists around the Mornington Peninsula and Frankston. While cycling is usually regarded as a healthy pursuit, they are among groups classified as “vulnerable road users” because of their lack of protection on the road. Leading Senior Constable Greg Wolfe, of Mornington Peninsula Traffic operations, based at Somerville, said five incidents over the past two months included: A cyclist riding into the back of a car parked in Point Nepean Road, Sorrento, and suffering serious facial injuries. A 90-year-old pedestrian walking out in front of a cyclist on Point Nepean Road, Rosebud,…
Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives are investigating a fatal collision following a pursuit in Mt Eliza on 14 April. Police attempted to intercept a silver Commodore sedan alleged to have been involved in serious offences. The vehicle failed to stop on Nepean Highway near Mount Eliza Way about 8.20pm. A short pursuit was initiated. At the time of the incident a civilian vehicle and a police car collided on Nepean Highway near Humphries Road. Four occupants of the vehicle were taken to hospital and the police officer was not injured. One of the occupants of the vehicle, a 79-year-old Mt…
BASKETBALL SOUTHERN Peninsula Sharks state championship women’s side continue to show that they deserve their spot in the highest division as they slotted their fifth victory for their season on the road against McKinnon Cougars in round seven of the Big V. The Sharks’ young squad shot at a 47 per cent clip to defeat the Cougars (58-82) away from home, with Jaz Shelley (26 pts) and Peyton Little (23 pts) again delivering solid performances. While the Cougars took a six point lead out of the first break, the Sharks quickly turned the game around in the second quarter to…
THIS year’s Mornington Winter Music Festival celebrating Jazz, Blues, Soul and more hosts some of our music industries iconic and upcoming female performers. Deborah Conway has been an eminent contributor to Australian music for over 30 years. Conway was named a Living Legend twice by the Rolling Stone Magazine. “It is a challenge to find any musical work Conway has been involved with that isn’t simply magnificent” wrote Sydney Morning Herald. With hits such as ‘Man overboard’, ‘It’s only the beginning’ and ‘Release Me’ just to name a few, Deborah and musical collaborator Willy Zygier will put on a show…
AUSTRALIAN musical theatre star Philip Gould and award winning singer/actress Michelle Fitzmaurice team up again to sing and dance their way through 22 hits of the man they called the Chairman of the Board…Frank Sinatra. The fascinating life story of Frank Sinatra will be told through skilfully written narration and all of this in front of the backdrop of wonderful stills of Frank’s life on the big screen. Classic Sinatra hits including My Way, Three Coins in a Fountain, Fly Me to the Moon, High Hopes will be performed. The show will also contain many hits from the women in…
HUMOUROUS insights into religion and life in an English village are coming to Rosebud in a stage adaptation of the Vicar of Dibley television series. “I am a huge fan of Dawn French and the cast of the TV series,” director Keith Gledhill says when expressing his delight at being asked to take charge of the Southern Peninsula Players’ production. A fan of the series, Gledhill chose to bring three episodes to the stage: “Arrival”, “Dibley Live” and “Autumn”. The TV scripts have been amended to suit live stage performances. “The Vicar of Dibley is a magnificent example of British…
THE new executive committee of the Disabled Surfers Association Mornington Peninsula Branch (DSAMP) went to Point Leo last week for a final look before the official opening of a viewing platform and a new way of getting onto the beach. Known as the boardwalk, the 82 metre long structure starts near Point Leo Surf Lifesaving Club and ends with a wheelchair ramp to the beach. A wide-tyred wheelchair is available for loan from the club. Taking a close look at the completed boardwalk last week were newly-elected DSAMP president John Bowers, vice-president Steve Hough, secretary Scott Cosgriff and former secretary…
By Barry Morris TV footage of bombed-out cities, streams of people fleeing war or persecution, the tiny body of a Syrian boy washed on to a beach in Turkey – all are images graphically illustrating the story of 22 million people worldwide seeking asylum. The scale of the human disaster can leave us numb, wondering what on earth, if anything, we can do to help. Asylum means refuge, haven, sanctuary, shelter and place of safety. Because some of these asylum seekers end up in Victoria, the social justice group at St Macartan’s Catholic Church, Mornington, has decided to do something…
POETRY soiree Poet’s Corner is taking part in the Melbourne Spoken Word and Poetry Festival on Sunday 27 May as part of the inaugural Melbourne Spoken Word & Poetry Festival. It will run Friday 18 May-Sunday 3 June at various venues. Poet ReVerse Butcher, which is Stephanie Petrik’s stage name, will perform on stage, 6-8pm, at Blue Bay Cafe, McCrae. She also makes artist’s books, collages and visual art, as well as writing, creating and performing poetry. Poet’s Corner aims to encourage anyone interested to write, read, perform or listen to poetry. Visitors wine, dine, and hear poetry during the…
HEADS turned and diners whispered … hey, isn’t that Hillary Clinton at that table over there? The US former First Lady and presidential candidate is certainly not your everyday guest but, there she was, enjoying lunch, at Merricks North’s luxury hotel Jackalope, Wednesday 9 May. “It was an honour and a pleasure to have had Ms Clinton drop in to Jackalope to dine with us at Rare Hare today,” the hotel’s general manager Tracy Atherton said. “Her PA made a booking and she was greeted by the hotel’s owner Louis Li who escorted her inside for lunch.” Ms Clinton shared…
DIVISION ONE A four point thriller between Bonbeach and Frankston Bombers was the standout of a number of tight contests in MPNFL Division One football this weekend. Three goals from former Sydney Swan Trent Dennis-Lane saw Bonbeach narrowly defeat a Bombers side that held the lead at each of the major breaks in the game. With a comfortable 15 point advantage at three-quarter time, Frankston looked well and truly home before a final quarter comeback saw Bonbeach take advantage of Frankston’s poor goal kicking accuracy and end the game just ahead, winning 10.10 (70) to 8.18 (66). The four points…
DIVISION TWO THE top of the ladder clash between Dromana and Chelsea was the headliner of the MPNFL Division Two competition this weekend, in a match that saw two sides both sitting undefeated going into Round Five do battle. The much anticipated contest took place at Chelsea Reserve, and saw the home side start strong to go into quarter time in front by a goal. Despite these early signs of fight, it did not take much longer for Dromana to stamp their authority on the game, eventually running away to a comfortable lead they would hold for the rest of…
BASKETBALL THE Southern Peninsula Sharks division two Men’s side has suffered their first loss for the season to the ninth-placed Maccabi Warriors in round six of the Big V. What was slightly unexpected, the Warriors clawed their way back after trailing by nine points in the third quarter to sink a last-minute jump-shot for an upset one-point victory (65-64) on Saturday 28 April. The Warriors tied it up with just over two minutes to go and as the Sharks tried to bide their time and throw up an unsuccessful shot, Jared Mintez dished it up to team mate Andrew Sharp…
IT’S an impressive line-up at this year’s music festival including national headline acts and a wonderful array of local and emerging talent both in the venues around Main Street and as part of the Saturday and Sunday street entertainment. After their recent sell out show at the Victorian Art Centre, Cookin’ on 3 Burners are heading to the Peninsula for a one-night only event as part of the Mornington Winter Music Festival. Sunday 10th June at The Grand, the Burners with Andrew De Silva, Clairy Browne and Stella Angelico will pump out classic soul sounds from The Big Chill. A…
HOTEL Sorrento by Australian playwright Hannie Rayson is a highly commercial and relatable comedy/drama and familial story for a mainstream audience. This award winning play, which inspired the film of the same name, tells the story of three sisters who grew up together in the seaside town Sorrento. Hilary lives in the family home in Sorrento with her father and 16 year-old son. Pippa, a business woman, is visiting from New York and Meg, a successful writer, returns from England. When the three sisters are reunited after 10 years apart they again feel the constraints of family life. A semi-autobiographical…
By Barry Morris SCOTLAND’S Loch Ness has its monster and Balcombe Estuary at Mt Martha has its . . . rakali. The elusive rakali is the Australian equivalent of an otter or water rat. While argument still rages about the existence of Nessie, there is no doubt about the rakali which weighs up to 1.3 kilograms, has a distinctive white-tipped tail and lives in burrows or hollow logs on creek banks. Sue Brabander, the former information ranger at The Briars historic property at Mt Martha, is aware of four sightings since 2015 in Balcombe Creek and estuary. “A young family…
By Barry Irving RYE Junior fire brigade members and 1st Tootgarook Cub Scouts enjoy getting together each year to promote friendship and learn new skills. Recently, the cubs played host to the Sorrento Sea Scout Cub Pack whose members worked towards their Boomerang badges while researching and training with the Rye junior fire brigade. The cubs, aged 7-11, benefited from the leadership and mentoring of the junior firefighters, aged 11-16. The activities highlighted the strengths of the three groups. Afterwards there was fun free time to chat and make new friends. For more information on the scouts call 0438 338…
WITH a state election due in November, the Mornington Peninsula Greens and its supporters are out and about in the environment. A field excursion on Saturday 28 April saw a group tour of the Tootgarook wetlands under the direction of Save Tootgarook Swamp’s Cameron Brown. Paul Saunders, the Greens candidate for Nepean, said the group was “particularly impressed with range and diversity of animals, birds and plants supported by the wetlands, including many endangered species”. “Concerns were raised in areas of the wetlands where VicRoads owns parcels of land that permit a freeway extension from Rosebud to Blairgowrie,” Mr Saunders…
SKYE local Melanie Rees was able to spend every precious last moment with her late husband Joel in hospital before he passed away on Boxing Day last year; but only because of Frankston Hospital’s expanding Oncology service. The 55-year-old sadly lost his battle with aggressive tongue and throat cancer and spent his last weeks on Ward 5FS at Frankston Hospital. “If I didn’t have the support of Frankston Hospital I wouldn’t have been able to spend as much quality time with Joel,” says his wife Melanie. “When Joel was receiving treatment in the city there was an endless amount of…
A WOMAN who allegedly stole a mobile phone while grocery shopping in Frankston last month is being sought by police. The owner of the phone said she placed it on the counter at a supermarket on the corner of Golf Links Road and Hastings Road, Tuesday 10 April. It is believed another woman and her children who approached the counter to pay for her items, about 5.45pm, picked up the phone and placed it in her handbag. The woman is described as mid-to-late 30s, large build, long straight brown hair tied in a ponytail, with a dark tattoo on her…