BALNARRING Primary School has collected a staggering 798 pairs of shoes for recycling to become the national prize winner in the TreadLightly sustainability awards. Students at the school collected the shoes and raised awareness by giving a short presentation on TreadLightly to each class to encourage students, parents, teachers and the wider community to get behind the cause. Their efforts have won $8600 in prizes and school resources. Teacher Kate Large said the school was dedicated to sustainability and “we know kids’ feet grow so quickly”. “This was a perfect opportunity for our school to get onboard with an initiative…
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THE inaugural Drift festival continues on Saturday with a floating gallery at Point Leo. Titled Ocean, the exhibition curated by Janenne Willis includes visual, sound, video and performance artists. Willis says the “experiential, site specific installation encourages audiences to swim, paddle or row amid ocean-inspired works by Shanai Kellett, Leyla Bulmer, Judith Van Heeren, Warren Cooke, Hayden O’Neill, Tilly Riches, Alice Blanch, Sarah Dingwall and Hamish Donaldson. The works will be found in the water off Point Leo Boat Club, on Saturday 14 May (weather permitting). Details: driftartsfestival.com.au/program/o-c-e-a-n-floating-gallery The Point Leo part of the Ocean exhibition follows Groundswell, above, the…
FEMALE soccer had been going from strength to strength on the Mornington Peninsula, until COVID hit in 2020. Mount Martha Soccer Club is on a mission to encourage the return of females to the sport after two years of disruption. The club has an opportunity to do so with the Go Soccer Mums program, which was started in 2019 with Football Victoria and VicHealth. Committee member and recovered stroke sufferer Shelley Christie said the program at Mount Martha was called Women’s Social Soccer – Go Soccer Mums, as it is promoted not just to mothers, but females from all walks…
THE Salvation Army Church in Mornington is holding a Lego competition to raise money for its Red Shield Appeal. The Salvos want children and adults to build something with Lego, that they think represents something unique about the Mornington Peninsula. Competitors will be asked to bring their creations to the church where they will be on public display over the 28, 29 May weekend. There are prizes for ages 12 and under, 13-17 and 18 plus. Registration is a must. Details: salvationarmy.org.au/mornington or email debbie.taylor@salvatioarmy.org.au To donate to the Salvos’ Red Shield Appeal: digitaldoorknock.salvationarmy.org.au/mornington-salvos First published in the Mornington News…
AN all-abilities clinic held at Rosebud Stadium (Southern Peninsula Basketball Association) in conjunction with GenU Rosebud drew about 40 participants aged 19 to 50. The day was designed for all levels of basketball ability, starting with a skills and drill session to get participants warmed up, and finishing with two full court games. Community engagement officer for the association, Peter Caspersz, said the level of basketball skill was wide, but the “smiles and friendships and fun was massive”. “Being truly our first all abilities clinic and with the help of Danielle Sparks and a group of experienced teachers from GenU…
SEVENTY-TWO years ago, a young couple met at a dance, fell in love and began a partnership that has stood the test of time. On Friday 22 April, Mount Martha couple Gerry and Val McKenna, pictured, celebrated their 72nd wedding anniversary and reflected on the strength of a loving union that has lasted more than seven decades. Mrs McKenna, 94, said her husband Gerry, 96, was “a wonderful man” who had been a loving husband and father. There was no “secret” to their strong union other than shared interests, music, travel, working together and being dedicated to raising a family,…
SIXTEEN years of collecting sea glass on the Mornington Peninsula foreshores turned into something of an environmental message for Mount Eliza artist Marynes Avila, who has won the best entrant prize in the 2022 Mount Eliza Sculpture Trail competition. Avila’s winning entry, Indifference, is an ongoing site-specific project, and is a poignant choreography of about 1500 sea glass pieces in a sea of sand that she describes as “a commentary on oblivious human behaviour towards environmental issues”. The self-described “visual artist” who creates sculptures and photographs, is exhibiting her work in the Police Point Artist in Residence Retrospective exhibition. With…
SCHOOL students from across the Mornington Peninsula have used art and imagination to demonstrate their engagement with the wonders of the underwater environment. The Mornington Peninsula Schools Art Competition, run by the Save Flinders Pier group with the support of the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council and Mornington Regional Art Gallery, drew almost 300 artworks of all genres. The competition was the brainchild of the SFP group as a way of bringing wider attention to the importance of the marine environment, and to encourage young people to engage with the underwater world. One of the key organisers, retired teacher and Flinders…
MORNINGTON artist John Trebilco was busy sketching the activities he saw around him as the community hall in Verdon Street, Dromana became the focal point for two days of live performances as part of the Drift Festival. The inaugural 11-day festival – a “vehicle for creativity” – was sponsored by Mornington Peninsula Shire and included theatre, music, outdoor installations, film, writing and art projections. The artistic offerings based at the Dromana hall were named Lift, a collaboration of the Peninsula Culture Collective (Dreamhouse Theatre Company, Living Culture, MP Music Network, Peninsula Studio Trail, Peninsula Writers Club and Spark Productions). Trebilco,…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire’s inaugural 11-day arts festival Drift started on Thursday 21 April, with performances continuing until 1 May. For 11 days Drift is bringing the peninsula’s venues, places and spaces to life with more than 80 works from all disciplines including performance, music, visual arts, public art installations, film and projections, writing, culture and heritage. With a focus on immersion, participation, creativity and fun, Drift honours the local creative community across the peninsula, while also bringing new talent to the region. There is even the opportunity to choose a personalised experience by using the Your Drift festival planner: driftartsfestival.com.au/your-drift-a…
MORE than 1500 people braved the chilly nine degree weather to attend the dawn service at Rye RSL on Monday. It was the first service since 2019 and attracted a crowd of all ages, including many children. First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 26 April 2022
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Mayor Anthony Marsh is still nursing his tired muscles from kayaking about 100 kilometres along much of the peninsula’s coast to raise money for charity. But the pain is almost forgotten as the councillor of two years reflected on raising $35,000 and the “incredible” experiences since launching from Mount Eliza on 15 April. The Mayoral Charity Paddle saw Marsh take to the water in both Port Phillip and Western Port over the Easter long weekend. Marsh said the passing scenery highlighted the importance of the coast to the peninsula and the importance of an up-to-date coastal management…
WHEN Yulia Voituk fled Ukraine a few weeks ago under an Australian government emergency evacuation scheme, there was little time to do anything more than grab a few belongings. One of 600 Ukrainians to receive the visa to Australia, Voituk says she feels “safe” in Australia, but is desperate to be with her husband and to again believe in the future. The mother of one was in the middle of a course of extensive dental treatment at the time she was given the opportunity to escape Ukraine and had no choice but to discontinue the treatment and travel in pain…
MEMBERS of the West Rosebud Bowling and Croquet Club are ecstatic that Brian Richardson has been recognised with the 2021 Good Sports National Volunteer of the Year Award. Club president Phil Brown said the award acknowledged the time and effort Mr Richardson had put into improving the club, whether it be in his more noticeable roles of maintaining the grounds, organising social bowls events, or working behind the bar. “Behind the scenes Brian offers and has delivered so much more,” he said. “Brian is always around the club, whether it be applying his initiative and skills to extend the life…
THE painters were keen to get a job and the cost, including paint, was agreed. “Can you start Monday?” the house owner asked. “Sure, although if it’s a northerly we might be here in the afternoon, or Tuesday.” The house owner was pleased with the price and the can-do attitude but baffled by the reference to the wind – it was an inside job. New to the Mornington Peninsula she later discovered the painters were serious – about surf. Surrounded on three sides by sea, including unpredictable Bass Strait, the peninsula is an ideal base for surfers. The type and…
STUDENTS are being encouraged to consider following a career path into the Mornington Peninsula’s $200 million a year wine industry. The industry group Mornington Peninsula Wine is working with members of a learning and employment network on “active vocational pathways” for students from the region’s 29 schools to work in the peninsula’s wine industry. The move is designed to help overcome labour shortages in the wine industry. Partnering with the Frankston and peninsula local learning and employment network (FMPLLEN), schools and students can take Vocational Education and Training Certificate (VET) courses in horticulture, viticulture or winemaking. The courses include “hands-on”…
AN innovative eye scan device to monitor brain injury for sportspeople is being used on the Mornington Peninsula and giving improved indication of date-to-test eye health. The device replaces the “follow my finger” test for ocular motor function and captures 1200 data points on eye movements in 10 seconds. The EyeGuide non-invasive test enables users to capture, chart, and analyse objective data to better understand overall wellness of the eye. Community Bank Southern Peninsula gave $3250 to Rye Junior Football Club, for half the cost of the equipment to monitor and identify head knocks that may result in concussion. The…
PENINSULA Health has won three prizes at the 2021 Healthcare Financial Management Association awards, which recognises talent and leadership in health organisation finance teams across Australia. Financial planning and analysis manager at Peninsula Health and winner of the innovation award, David Monaghan, said that as finance increasingly moved to organisational decision-making on healthcare, the finance division had become more intimately involved in the day-to-day operations of the organisation. “Our skill set is in analysing and interpreting large datasets to drive efficiencies in the service; to ensure hospitals and health services remain sustainable and operational now and into the future for…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire mayor Cr Anthony Marsh says he will be swapping chocolate eggs for saltwater this Easter paddling a canoe in Port Phillip and Western Port to raise money for emergency services. Cr Marsh says his trip will “shine a light” on the need to preserve the shire’s beaches and maintain its coastal infrastructure, such as piers, jetties, and boat ramps. The challenge will take four days, starting in Mount Eliza on 15 April (Good Friday) and finishing in Somerville on 18 April (Easter Monday). On the first day, Cr Marsh has set his sights on paddling from the…
A LOW key birthday celebration was just the thing for 100-year-old May Hobson on Sunday, as she shared her special milestone, or so she thought. Ms Hobson, a resident at Mornington Bay Care Community aged care centre, was delighted to discover her birthday bash was slightly bigger that she expected, with her daughter Sue Pugsley secretly inviting a few former neighbours and past connections. Mrs Pugsley said her mother, whose husband Les passed away in 2016, did not want presents, so surprise guests who were part of her life over the years were the best thing. The Hobsons had two…
A RARE portrait of Josephine Bonaparte stolen from The Briars historic property at Mount Martha in 2014 is now back on public view. The tiny portrait was one of 10 priceless Napoleon Bonaparte artefacts stolen from The Briars Museum, but the only one recovered after it appeared recently on an online selling site. It was reinstated as a key piece in the Napoleon Bonaparte exhibition at the Mornington Peninsula Regional Art Gallery on Thursday. The miniature portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte’s wife Josephine was allegedly discovered online by a Sydney art dealer who bought it on eBay for $250 before realising…
FOUR sailors from Mornington Yacht Club will be heading for Germany later this year after having won the under-22 category and open class events in last month’s Asia Pacific finals in Newcastle. Fifteen clubs from around Australia and Vanuatu competed in the titles on 26 and 27 March. The competition in Germany will determine the World’s Best Sailing Club of the Year. The Mornington team hoping to continue its winning form in Germany comprises skipper James Jackson, 17, Jack Eickmeyer, also 17, and 19 year old twins Lily and Matilda Richardson. James Jackson was last year’s Australian Sailing’s youth sailor…
MORE than $200 million worth of cars and modern art were on display last week when Pt Leo Estate hosted the Motorists Concours d’Elégance. The event saw car, art and food and wine enthusiasts view about 100 of concours and preservation-state cars. Pt Leo Estate, home to a $70 million art collection, was kept by the Gandel family as a winery and private retreat for many years but is now a sculpture park with 330 hectares of landscaping featuring works by Australian and overseas artists. Together with her husband John, Pauline Gandel has combined a knowledge of sculpture parks around…
MALCOLM Gordon’s new book ‘A Never Ending Journey’ was officially launched at Crittenden Estate Wine Centre on Friday 25 March. The Member for Flinders, Greg Hunt, launched the book, speaking on the importance of recording history for generations to come. The book is a history of the Mornington Peninsula and in fact a sequel to his earlier publication ‘Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula’ which first appeared in 1997. Readers of the new book will find pre-history, geology, natural systems, cultural landscapes, visitor attractions, conservation and expanding development, rural and coastal townships and their distinctive characters, alongside entertaining local anecdotes. Throughout there is…
A TOUCHING tribute to Mt Eliza’s Percy the peacock, who was hit by a car and died late last year, has been made by a local couple who the injured bird hiding in grass off Kunyung Road. The couple, Teresa and David Quinn, have mounted a beautiful and colourful peacock image on the front of their house to commemorate the importance of the bird’s presence to the community. Neighbour Dawn Whittaker, whose home was often visited by Percy, said the plaque was a beautiful celebration of Percy’s life and a reminder of how much he was loved by those who…
THE first piece of art in a ‘Billboards’ tour of Victoria by Indigenous artists is being presented by Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery and on show at 2061 Frankston-Flinders Road, Hastings, until 8 May. Mixed-cultural, First Peoples multidisciplinary artist Lisa Waup, along with artists Amrita Hepi, and Steven Rhall, have been commissioned to create new works for ‘Billboards’ in regional Victoria in partnership galleries. The tour, commissioned by NETS Victoria, an Australia Council for the Arts initiative to create a national network of visual arts touring, aims to ensure contemporary art continues to reach audiences. For the first billboard, Waup’s work…
MORNINGTON Park Primary School is celebrating its results, which shows concerted efforts to lift reading rates have achieved remarkable improvements compared to previous years. Principal Beverley Dadds said the school was “incredibly proud” to be recognised for the results achieved in Naplan, after ‘whole school community’ efforts during the difficult lockdown periods of the past two years. Ms Dadds said teachers had worked hard to improve literacy, with lots of one-on-one support, and the school moving away from levelled readers. She said classrooms were happy places of learning, now only filled with quality literature to engage students in reading. Feedback…
JOSIE Jones is one of those genuinely humble people who inspire by their actions, but never expect anything in return. Which is why the recent Order of Australia Medal recipient and environmental reformer wins hearts and minds wherever she goes, with her rare mix of intelligence and determination, underscored with a gentle focus on love, nature, and the environment. Our conversation begins with a discussion about her dogs, her now-deceased 15-year-old Jack Russell, Cocolait, that would accompany Ms Jones on beach rubbish pick-up walks, and the dog’s daughter Honey, who is now always by her side. It’s obvious Ms Jones’…
TO raise much-needed money to support mental health, Mornington Peninsula cyclists with the Ride for Relief team left for Mallacoota yesterday to enjoy some pampering before the ride. The group will be enjoying a pre-opening dining and bathing experience at the soon to be open Metung Hot Springs, where they will be able to relax in geothermal waters and take on breathtaking views across the Gippsland Lakes. The riders are preparing to ride across Victoria as part of a fundraising mission, and hope to build on the success of past Ride for Relief events. This year’s ride will be a…