A NEW defibrillator has been donated to Mount Eliza residents and installed in the Village Green. The Ranelagh Club and Bendigo Bank, alongside organisers and sponsors of the Mount Eliza Swim Classic, made the donation possible. Cr Stephen Batty said every second counts in a cardiac emergency and the first two minutes are crucial. The defibrillator has been installed in the Village Green as part of a planned effort to have three devices throughout Mt Eliza village. “We’re so grateful for their support in keeping our community safe,” said Batty. Bendigo Branch manager Fiona Parsons and her staff came together…
Author: Raia Flinos
FORMER first responder Paul Turner will paddle more than 2350kms along the Murray River to raise funds and awareness for emergency service workers living with post-traumatic stress. Turner is a Mt Eliza resident who spent 26 years with Victoria Police. Five years ago, he was forced to retire due to post-traumatic stress. His development of the condition was a result of a fatal collision he witnessed during his 11 years of highway patrol. “My youngest child at the time was the same age as the actual child that was killed in the fatal collision, so that triggered my PTSD,” said…
MORNINGTON Peninsula beekeepers are calling for a dedicated treatment site after the destructive Varroa mite was detected in local bee populations. Mornington Peninsula Beekeepers Association (MPBA) has approached Mornington Peninsula Shire to request access to land where infected swarms can be treated and quarantined away from existing hives. MPBA President Renato Pocci said the parasite has spread rapidly around the peninsula in the last month or so after arriving in Australia through a NSW port in 2022. “It’s hit the Mornington Peninsula, to my knowledge, in the last probably month,” said Pocci. “By this time next year, you imagine it’ll…
MORNINGTON sailing athlete Sophie Jackson is set to compete in the World Championships in Japan this August as she works towards Olympic qualification. Jackson began her sailing journey at six years old thanks to her father and grandfather’s long-term involvement with Mornington Yacht Club. Now, Jackson is a 470 Australian National Champion, a 470 Oceania Champion, and is working her way towards being an Olympic athlete. “For me, being a sailing athlete hits all of my values,” said Jackson. “Being outdoors, adventure, challenge, and also health and fitness, and it kind of brings all those together and I get to…
MORNINGTON resident Olga Viken celebrated her 105th birthday on 19 May. At 105, Olga still makes her own breakfast, has a daily routine, and lives alone in the Mornington home she has owned for the last 55 years. Olga spent her birthday surrounded by flowers, balloons, neighbours, and members of Melbourne’s Norwegian community. She had an open door on her birthday and had more than 20 visitors come through to celebrate her. “It was just fabulous,” said Olga. “And the police were here, and all my friends were here, you know. It was just fantastic.” Olga’s neighbours, Derek and Pat…
MORNINGTON Baseball Club is calling for urgent upgrades to their Wilsons Rd facilities after concerns the lighting has become a safety risk. The club said multiple lights at the ground are no longer working and sections of the training area are dangerously dark during evening sessions. The concerns come after the club independently ordered a lux lighting assessment, which found the lighting failed to meet Australian standards for baseball training facilities. Club president Russell Johnston said the lighting system was installed more than 20 years ago and was never designed to accommodate the size of the club today. “The numbers…
MAJOR maintenance works are set to begin at Portsea Pier in July after storm damage in mid-2024. The pier will be closed during construction, and a marine exclusion zone will be put in place to ensure people’s safety. The pier is expected to re-open in late 2026, ahead of the summer period. Works will begin at the pier entrance and be completed in stages. Sarah Auld, Director of Maritime and Waterways at Parks Victoria, said the works will ensure the pier is able “to be enjoyed by the community well into the future”. “Our piers and jetties exist in harsh…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has approved plans for a new telecommunications facility in Fingal aimed at improving 4G and 5G coverage. The proposal is funded by Telstra and the Victorian government through the Connecting Victoria program. At the 12 May council meeting, the proposal was endorsed in an 8-1 vote. The approved development includes a monopole which will reach a maximum height of 26.3m, security fencing of 2.4m with a double access gate area, and approximately 200m of underground power and fibre routes. Cr Cam Williams, who moved the motion, said the development would provide a much-needed telecommunications upgrade for the…
SOUTHERN Women’s Action Network (SWAN) celebrated their 30th anniversary on 24 May with a lunch at Safety Beach Sailing Club. SWAN is a volunteer-led organisation advocating for social justice, equality, and promoting involvement in the community. The event saw members, community leaders, and advocates come together to reflect on the past 30 years of social justice work across the Mornington Peninsula and surrounding areas. There were speeches and messages of support including from the Governor-General. SWAN facilitator Diane McDonald said the milestone was significant for both long-term and newer members. “It was a very significant moment because this organisation that…
A MOUNT Martha business is now facing court over claims it illegally employed three children under the age of 15 without a license. Workforce Inspectorate Victoria (WIV) has filed charges against 85 Percent Pty Ltd, trading as Mount Martha Gourmet Burgers, alleging the business breached the Child Employment Act 2003. The charges come after a major audit of 122 businesses across the Mornington Peninsula that revealed 574 alleged breaches of Victoria’s child employment laws. According to WIV, the Mount Martha business employed three children under the age of 15, failed to ensure they were supervised by an adult with a…
A GROUP of 21 young dancers from Somerville’s DanceLab recently returned from a once-in-a-lifetime performance tour in the United States. The dancers, aged eight through to early 20s, travelled to California in early April where they performed at Disneyland, Universal Studios, and Citadel Outlets. DanceLab director and owner, Emily Kheissy, said the trip came after the studio reached out to companies specialising in international dance tours. “We sent out some inquiries about taking some students over and the travel companies got back to us,” said Kheissy. “They do all of the back and forward communications with Universal Studios and Disneyland…
YEAR 10 Padua College student Tom McGough is set to represent Australia at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow later this year. Following an impressive start to 2026, Tom will compete as part of the 24 member Australian Para Athletics team at the games. He will compete in the Men’s 100m T38 event. Tom’s journey into athletics only begun a few years ago thanks to school sport cross country competitions. His mum, Angela, said running quickly became more than just a hobby. “He started off doing school sports,” said Angela. “And then did two national championships through school cross country as…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has approved plans for a new host farm accommodation development at Green Olive at Red Hill. Councillors voted 8-1 at the 12 May council meeting to support the planning permit application for the “Green Olive Escape Host Farm Accommodation” proposal. The development includes four accommodation villas, a 56 panel solar system, extensions to the existing gravel access track, and the removal of 36 trees. The approval of the permit is subject to strict conditions relating to wastewater management, vegetation protection, biodiversity offsets, and bushfire management. Cr Stephen Batty, who moved the motion, said the proposal “represents far…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has partnered with Wildlife Victoria in a new three-year initiative aimed at reducing wildlife road tolls across the peninsula. The partnership was formed through Wildlife Victoria’s Wildlife Roadtoll Action Program (WRAP) and will provide council with detailed multi-year data analysis identifying wildlife collision hotspots and trends. The program is designed to help guide mitigation strategies to reduce the number of native animals being struck on local roads as well as improving safety outcomes for drivers. Wildlife Victoria’s Roadtoll Action Program Manager, Anna Tran, said the program reflects a growing need for coordinated action as wildlife collisions continue…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire have unanimously backed a proposal for stronger regional cooperation on environmental and planning protection for Melbourne’s green wedge councils. At the 12 May council meeting, councillors voted in favour of establishing a new regional advocacy alliance aimed at giving councils a stronger voice on environmental and planning issues. The “Green Wedge Councils Planning Alliance” would see Melbourne’s 17 green wedge councils come together for coordinated advocacy and information. The motion, moved by Cr David Gill and seconded by Cr Max Patton, also included the release of a progress report on the shire’s Green Wedge Management Plan 2019.…
A PUSH to transform suburban nature strips into greener community spaces has been backed by Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors. Cr David Gill brought forward the notice of motion seeking a report on “progress with local street community partnerships to help enable the greening of nature strips by residents in line with climate change initiative policies of council”. The motion drew on research from the University of Melbourne which showed nature strips make up close to 40 per cent of green public space in urban neighbourhoods and around seven per cent of residential land mass. Multiple councils are allowing residents to…
PLANS for a 250-home residential estate in Dromana have cleared a major federal environmental hurdle despite ongoing concerns over the destruction of endangered swamp skink habitat. The Commonwealth Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water has approved the proposed subdivision and development of land at 170 Boundary Rd and 62 Collins Rd under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. This approval allows for the removal of 17.09 hectares of habitat used by the endangered swamp skink. The approval is subject to conditions, including environmental offsets at an approved site in Loch Sport. This decision comes after…
CONCERNS about the growing spread of illegal and excessive signage across the peninsula have prompted councillors to begin a review of the shire’s signage policy. Following a unanimous vote in favour of Cr David Gill’s motion at the 12 April council meeting, a detailed report on signage on the peninsula is expected by September 2026. Residents have raised ongoing complaints about the increasing number of real estate signs, advertising boards, and promotional billboards across the region. During debate, councillors discussed how signage has become a growing source of frustration for many residents who believe the visual clutter is affecting the…
VICTORIA’S largest co-operative housing provider says areas like the Mornington Peninsula are no longer immune from Australia’s worsening housing affordability crisis. Liz Thomas, managing director of Common Equity Housing Limited, visited Rosebud on 14 May to meet with local housing co-operatives and promote co-op housing as a long-term solution for renters struggling to secure affordable accommodation. Thomas said regional areas that were once considered more affordable than metropolitan centres are now facing many of the same pressures. “I think that lack of supply is impacting regional areas now in the way it’s generally been limited to metro areas,” said Thomas.…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire council have voted to switch designs for the proposed redevelopment of the Western Pavilion at Emil Madsen Reserve after escalating construction costs. At the 12 May council meeting, councillors voted 7-3 in favour of proceeding with a revised “option two” concept and abandoning the previously endorsed “option three”, which was backed by council earlier this year (Mt Eliza set for ramped-up pavilion, The News 23/02/26). The decision was a result of recommendations from council officers after investigations found the expanded pavilion proposal no longer financially viable despite funding contributions from tenant sporting clubs. Under the revised decision,…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire council has voted to work towards a Wildlife Master Plan for the peninsula amid increasing concerns about habitat loss and wildlife protection. At the council meeting on 12 April, councillors unanimously supported a motion from Cr David Gill calling for a report on the best path towards a Wildlife Master Plan, investigation of options for a wildlife hospital, and long-term advocacy to address the wildlife road toll on the peninsula. The motion comes following the proposed sale of more than 1100 hectares of largely remnant indigenous vegetation of Cerberus Defence Land, which Gill said heightened the urgency…
TLC Healthcare has unveiled plans for a $250m integrated healthcare precinct at the Rosebud Hospital site. The proposal was announced this week and would see the existing public hospital rebuilt as part of a large public-private partnership incorporating a new public hospital, private day surgery, aged care, childcare, staff accommodation, allied health services and community facilities. TLC chief executive officer and managing director Lou Pascuzzi said the organisation was prepared to commit “circa $250m” to the project if an amicable agreement could be reached with the Victorian government. “Our vision for Rosebud is fundamentally humanistic, not politically mechanistic,” said Pascuzzi.…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire’s priority list for missing footpaths reveals both the scale of demand across the region and the costs of delivering pedestrian infrastructure. The rankings are part of the Pedestrian Access Strategy 2024-2034 and assess gaps in the pedestrian network using an evaluation matrix that weighs up safety, connectivity, and community need as well as environmental and construction constraints. The current highest ranked project is Nepean Hwy in Dromana, followed by Boundary Rd, also in Dromana. Rounding out the top three is Bruce Rd in Mount Martha. The top priorities show the strong focus on high-traffic roads and areas…
CONCERNS have been raised by Dromana residents who are questioning whether public feedback is reflected in the final design of Dromana Pier. The concerns centre around the width of the pier and the design for the end of the pier. In 2021, Parks Victoria developed three early designs and sought community feedback before finalising the project. Peter Low, who has lived in Dromana for seven years, said community members were originally showed concept designs featuring a wider structure. “In the original concept drawings, it was shown as four metres,” said Low. He said his concerns grew after witnessing the first…
THE private developer responsible for roadworks on Nepean Hwy in Mornington has issued a statement apologising for the significant disruptions caused, while Padua College has called for an “immediate review of the current traffic arrangements” after further traffic restrictions were introduced last week, impacting their 2000 students and 300 staff. In a letter seen by The News, the developer of the factory complex next to Bata Shoes, Neue Space, said they “sincely apologise for the disruption and frustration” experienced by the community and recognised the “real and tangible impact on people’s daily lives”. The works, which involve construction of a…
THE Victorian Government’s 2026/27 budget includes a notable investment towards renewable energy but limited support for infrastructure and development across the peninsula. The budget, which was delivered on 5 May by Treasurer Jaclyn Symes, outlines key funding priorities for Victoria. Among them is a commitment to progressing activities for the Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal at the Port of Hastings. The budget has allocated $124.5m towards the terminal, which includes progressing the Environmental Effects Statement. The terminal is expected to play a key role in Victoria’s transition to renewable energy and will facilitate and enable offshore wind development, particularly in Gippsland.…
FOLLOWING the announcement that the full length of Flinders Pier is unable to be rebuilt, community members have been advocating for additional funds to be released to allow completion of the project. A statement released by Parks Victoria on 22 April revealed the timber inner section of the pier was in far worse condition than previously revealed. This means the timber inner section will need to be replaced and it will not be possible to rebuild the full length of the pier. In a statement provided to The News by Minister for Ports and Freight Melissa Horne’s office, a Victorian…
MOUNT Martha Life Saving Club is celebrating a landmark achievement after four members of its adaptive “Starfish Nippers” program competed at the 2026 Australian Surf Life Saving Championships. The championships, also known as “The Aussies”, were held at North Kirra and Tugun beaches on the Gold Coast and attracted more than 7,000 competitors from 316 clubs across Australia. Destiny Grech won three gold medals in U17 Female Sprint, U17 Female 500m Run, and U17 Female Beach Flags. She also added a silver medal for the Female Wade Race. Teammates Liam Slattery and Cooper Stringer added to the award tally, with…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has raised concerns with the Victorian government over recent changes to planning permit rules. The shire is concerned how the changes will affect residents who received approvals under previous regulations. The adjustments were introduced under the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and establish standard timeframes requiring developments to begin within three years and be completed within five. The new changes also apply to any permits that were originally issued without a commencement deadline. A shire spokesperson confirmed acting mayor Paul Pingiaro has written to the Victorian Planning Minister regarding the council’s concerns. “The acting mayor has written…
THE Victorian Government’s latest public transport investment has caused frustration on the peninsula as local leaders say the region has been overlooked. The 2026/26 Victorian Budget includes almost $100m for bus network upgrades across regional and metro Victoria and promises longer operating hours, new routes, and improved weekend services. Josh Sinclair, CEO Committee for Frankston and Mornington Peninsula, said the peninsula will see no benefits from the new investment. “Despite 82% of the Mornington Peninsula Shire having no access to public transport, the Victorian government’s $100m Budget ‘bonanza’ features no new, additional, or amended routes for Mornington Peninsula residents,” Sinclair…