EFFORTS to shape an “age-friendly” Mornington Peninsula have seen the former chair of the Peninsula Advisory Committee for Elders Jeanette Lane being asked to spread the word to other parts of Victoria. Her success in engaging with older members of the community on the peninsula led to Ms Lane being invited to attend the Central Highlands Elder Abuse Prevention Project launch in Ballarat to speak on the committee’s programs and outreach. Ms Lane presented a 30-minute program with Gary Ferguson from Seniors Rights Victoria to help the central region start its first elder abuse program. PACE was established in May…
Author: MP News Group
A man drowned off Ranelagh Beach Mt Eliza this afternoon (Sunday 8 April). It is believed the man had been snorkling at the time. A witness said they heard the man shouting out but thought he was calling a friend on the beach. When they looked back they saw the person in the water but not moving, they rushed from the cliff top down some stairs to render assistance. A rescue boat was launched from Ranelagh Club and the man was brought to shore. He was unable to be revived. Police, Ambulance and SES attended. It is believed a number…
THE YMCA’s Buxton Camp at Shoreham, which ran from 1925 to the early 1970s, was a place to relax for many boys having their first experience of nature: camping in the bush at the seaside. A feature of camp life after the war included services at the outdoor Cyril Young Open Air Memorial Chapel, which commemorated Cyril and Ivan Young, brothers and airmen who were killed in the war. Services at the chapel, sometimes at night and illuminated by flaming torches, were integral to the camp’s philosophy of emphasising a balance between mind, body and spirit. Now called Buxton Reserve,…
“Alice, you have mail. From Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.” Yes Alice Meyer, your long awaited card from The Queen has arrived to congratulate you on reaching the monumental milestone of 100 birthdays on 12 March. Alice, many years ago, promised her family that she intended “to be around long enough to receive a birthday card from The Queen”. And it has finally happened. Alice’s birthday was a great opportunity for her ever increasing family to enjoy a truly happy family reunion, to be able to share this special occasion and to celebrate with Alice. In December 1945, Welsh born…
PENINSULA Boxer Tyla McDonald has been crowned Australian champion for the second year running defeating usual rival and 2016 national champion Tameriah Barney-Sandy on Sunday 25 March. Tyla, 15, took out the junior under-54kgs national championships and was the only female Victorian boxer to claim back-to-back championships at the Australian Underage Titles in Perth. On top of the national crown, Tyla was part of the Junior Girls Team of the Year award, alongside fellow Victorian junior boxers, Dakotah Keane and Millicent Woods. Peninsula Boxing head coach Marcos Amado said the final was a highly competitive fight and was extremely proud…
DIVISION TWO IF the opening quarter was any indication of what was in store for Rye in 2018, fans would have been battling to hold back the grins. In the only match for the weekend in Division Two, the Demons smashed Dromana in the first quarter 5.5 (35) to 1.1 (7) leaving the Tigers bedazzled. But Dromana, who had the advantage of being on home turf, were not prepared to tuck their tails and give up, and pushed back hard during the second quarter to be only 11 points down at the long break. The battle continued in the third…
DIVISION ONE THE newly configured Division One of the MPNFL started with gusto on Friday 30 March and the first round threw up some very close finishes. Of the four games played by Saturday night, three of them had ten points or less in them at the final sirens. Meeting on Good Friday, Frankston Bombers and Mt Eliza kicked off the season. Mount Eliza jumped out the of the blocks and kicked four goals to one in the opening term, leaving Frankston Bombers stunned and set for a struggle. The stage was set though, and the Bombers trailed all day,…
Chocolate Starfish – regarded as one of Australia’s best live bands of the 90s boasting two Top 10 albums and six Top 50 singles – has released their first full-length album in twenty years. SPIDERfeatures ten piping-hot, brand-spanking- new tracks. It’s classic rock ‘n’ roll and Chocolate Starfish at the top of their game. And what a game it is. Chocolate Starfish powered on to the Australian music scene in the early 1990s and quickly secured themselves a space as an influential force with their cover of Carly Simon’s ‘You’re So Vain’, original hit ‘Mountain’ and perennial favourite ‘Four Letter…
When 5-year-old Dot gets lost in the bush, she is rescued by a kangaroo who gives her magic ‘berries of understanding’ that allow her to follow the languages of all the animals and insects around her. With this new gift, Dot and Kangaroo set out on an action-packed adventure to return her home – an adventure that changes the way she sees the Australian bush and her place within it forever. But how long before this unique native wildlife disappears as humans encroach on their habitat? Creature invites you to enter the magical world of the Australian bush to explore…
The Mavis’s announce a special 20th anniversary tour for those much loved Pink Pills. Darlings of a time when Rage and Recovery were a staple in the TV diet and Triple J was the on speed-dial… The Mavis’s rode the radio waves with their singles ‘Naughty Boy’ and ‘Cry’ on high rotation while they frequented the Hey Hey it’s Saturday stage. From Ballarat babes to national treasures, a tour with Kylie – the Impossible Princess and headliners of the summer festival circuit, The Mavis’s were a force to be reckoned with… Their sound was like ABBA through a Rock N’…
POLICE are searching for a thirsty thief who used a stolen bank card to make a number of purchases, including a strawberry milk drink. Investigators have been told an offender entered the female change rooms of a soccer club on Monterey Boulevard, Frankston sometime between 3-4.15pm on Sunday 25 March. It is believed they went through a bag and took a number of items, including a black Mimco wallet, Tiffany necklace, bank cards, ID cards and a small amount of cash. A bank card was used later that day between 4.15-4.40pm at a number of locations in Frankston, including a…
By Michael Cummings* AS Geoff Nyssen, a towering figure in a bright orange t-shirt with a loud hailer in hand, marshalled hundreds of walkers and runners near the start line, no one would have suspected his cancer has returned. The organiser of the MY Mt Eliza Run & Fun Festival on Sunday 25 March was a ball of enthusiastic energy at the event he founded in 2017 to raise funds for the battle against myeloma, the terminal blood cancer he was diagnosed with four years ago. The event – attended by about 800 with 600 registered participants – is a…
EXTRA spending on capital works and community services are features of the proposed Mornington Peninsula Shire Council’s 2018-19 budget released last week. The document, which is on public exhibition until Thursday 26 April, reflects the priorities identified by members of the community, the mayor Cr Bryan Payne said. “It provides ongoing service improvements and infrastructure enhancements within the current financial environment”. The state government has again capped rate rises at 2.25 per cent. The mayor said the waste service charge, based on full cost recovery, was proposed to increase by 10 per cent – to $217 – driven by an…
ART enthusiasts flocked to hear British antiques expert Paul Atterbury speak at the March meeting of the Australian Decorative and Fine Arts Society in Mornington. About 230 members and guests enjoyed a fascinating and well-illustrated presentation on The Canal Age, Mornington branch chairman Peter McGinley said. Mr Atterbury gave insights into the development of the network of canals in Britain, 1760s-1840s, that he said was at the heart of the Industrial Revolution. Their development was said to have had a major impact on artists such as John Constable and manufacturers such as Josiah Wedgwood. The talk looked at those who…
PET Therapy Pals are making hospital and nursing home stays more enjoyable for elderly patients on the Mornington Peninsula. One patient, Alan Wardley, describes his therapy pal, Spotless, as a “wonderful, wonderful friend”. Mr Wardley, who has dementia, was a patient at The Mornington Centre when staff realised he would benefit from Peninsula Health’s Pet Therapy Pal program. The weighted stuffed animals remind patients of the feeling they enjoyed holding and caring for their real pets. They keep patients company and – like real pets – are ready for a cuddle at any time. “Patients who are very confused, who…
UP to 500 southern Mornington Peninsula residents will benefit from yet another piece of world-class medical equipment supplied to Rosebud Hospital through the support of Rye Op shop. The new orthopantomogram (OPG) will be added to the hospital’s suite of medical imaging tools thanks to the op shop’s $225,000 donation. “This machine is a huge boost for the community,” the hospital’s head radiologist Damien Barbour said. “It means [patients will not need to take] more trips to Frankston Hospital or inconvenient drives to private providers on the peninsula; it will help considerably in speeding up treatment times in the emergency…
Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate missing 11-year-old Ben Hodson. Ben was last seen on 25th March 2018 in the Mount Eliza area. Police have concerns for his welfare due to his age and the length of time he has been missing. Ben is 155cm tall with a skinny build, fair complexion and blonde hair. Ben is known to frequent the Hastings and Frankston areas. Police have also released an image of Ben in the hope someone recognises him and can provide information regarding his current whereabouts. Anyone with information about Ben is asked to contact Mornington…
THE Royal Australian Navy’s largest warship HMAS Adelaide arrived in Port Melbourne on Friday after steaming from a temporary berth at HMAS Cerberus in Western Port. The Sydney-based frigate is 230 metres long and can transport 100 vehicles, 18 helicopters and 1000 troops. Captain Jonathan Earley skippered the vessel in her first return to Melbourne since she was assembled at Williamstown in 2012. The visit allowed the navy to resupply the vessel and give its crew some shore leave at a time when the city was hosting the Formula One Grand Prix, AFL round one and International Flower and Garden…
THE crew of a catamaran which capsized on Western Port Bay on Sunday 25 March were assisted by members of Pt Leo Surf Life Saving Club who saw the boat in trouble from the shore. The three crewmen, who had sailed the 5.8 metre craft from Phillip Island, were all wearing lifejackets and were in the water for only a short time before the club’s rubber ducky arrived at 12.30pm. A lifesaver jumped in to help get them get their craft upright and they then sailed it back to Ventnor. Sergeant John Cannon, of Hastings police, said “extremely strong winds”…
A SMOKING ceremony at Somerville Primary School last week was “one piece of a much larger picture at the school”, acting principal Andrew Haley said. Adam Magennis, of the Bunurong Land Council, conducted the ceremony at a special assembly with pupils’ involvement, Friday 23 March. “As a school we are focusing on acknowledging the traditional land owners, both past and present,” Mr Haley said. “It is vital as a school that we continue to raise awareness within our school community and acknowledge the Aboriginal people. “It is powerful for our students to know the customs and traditions of our traditional…
A MOTORBIKE rider came a cropper while fleeing coppers after clipping the wheel of a 4 wheel drive on Frankston-Flinders Road near Balnarring on Tuesday 20 March. The 33-year-old Bittern rider decided to avoid a police roadside testing operation at Hodgins Road and “booted it” on a Harley Davidson bike. His bike crossed the road line and clipped the 4WD travelling in the opposite direction along Frankston-Flinders Road. The rider, believed to be unlicensed, was airlifted to The Alfred hospital with a broken arm and leg and facial injuries. The driver of the 4WD was unharmed. First published in the…
A MAN was treated for the after effects of smoke inhalation in the wake of a fire at Volitans Avenue, Mt Eliza on Tuesday 20 March. The 47-year-old heard “a crackling noise” and discovered the rear deck and fence on fire. CFA firefighters brought the blaze, described by police as “potentially suspicious” under control, and the fire caused about $20,000 worth of damage to the deck, fence, BBQ and deck furniture. Anyone with any information should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at crimestoppersvic.com.au online. First published in the Mornington News – 27 March…
SIXTEEN graduates from the African Children’s Choir will sing in Mt Martha next month. As members of Ubuntu Africa they will spend a week on the Mornington Peninsula as part of a “grass roots cultural exchange” arranged by Mornington Church of Christ, Two Bays Choir and Mornington Community Singers. “Watching participants from both sides learn about each other’s cultures is one of the highlights of the tour,” Kwaya Australia president and founder Marsha Gusti said. The singers will eat at an Aussie barbecue, eat fish and chips at the beach, visit The Briars and shop at the Wednesday Mornington market.…
By Barry Morris IT was a windy day with reptiles slithering, veggies growing, insects, bugs and spiders crawling, poo composting, water and plastic recycling and the sounds of frogs croaking. But there was nothing to fear or complain about as it was all part of the 35th Mornington Peninsula Schools Environment Week at The Briars historic property, Mt Martha. Teachers and volunteers over the week (19-22 March) were instilling in more than 2000 schoolchildren the belief that they can make a difference to the world by living a sustainable life. Indigenous leaders taught children about Victorian Aboriginal culture and the…
THE 1ST TOOTGAROOK scouts group used Clean Up Australia Day to spread the message on reducing beach litter – and in the process won a photo competition beating scouts from all over Australia. The 24 children in the group cleaned one kilometre of foreshore over three hours, collecting 32kg of rubbish. They chose 555 pieces to create a colourful map of Australia which won them a digital camera. Joey scout leader Noel Bangs received an email from Clean Up Australia praised the photograph for its “presentation of the wide range of items collected, and the creativity and effort involved”. The…
THE federal government is partnering with Moon lit Sanctuary, Pearcedale to build an aviary for young orange-bellied parrots to survive their first winter. Research has shown that a high proportion of the endangered parrots born in the wild fail to survive their first migration across Bass Strait to Tasmania. “With only 50 adults left in the wild, and around 350 adult birds in captivity, we need to increase the breeding population – every bird matters here,” Flinders MP Greg Hunt said. “Using this technique, known as ranching, the birds will be released back into the wild population in Tasmania next…
THE Easter weekend is starting indoors for a group of Mornington Peninsula artists who like to paint outdoors. Members of Peninsula Plein Air Painters begin their holiday weekend early with their annual exhibition opening on Thursday, March 29. Artist Miodrag Jankovic will officially open the exhibition being held at the Sorrento Activity Centre daily until Easter Monday. Members of the group can be seen on any Thursday at such scenic places as Mothers Beach, Mornington, Millionaires Walk, Portsea, Arthurs Seat or Cape Schanck. Plein air painting originated through the French impressionists and notable Australian plein air landscape artists include McCubbin,…
A BOMB scare this morning (Tuesday 20 March) saw part of Fletcher Road near Frankston Magistrates’ Court cordoned off between about 8am and 10am. Police gave the “all clear” and reopened the road after the bomb squad was called in to investigate using a robot to get close to “suspicious devices” outside the courthouse building. Eyewitnesses said it appeared a fuel container had been wired and taped up to look like an incendiary device in what seemed to be “a hoax”. Anyone with information about the incident should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime…