Browsing: Mornington Peninsula

MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillors have backed a formal submission on the environmental assessment for the proposed Port of Hastings renewable energy terminal, urging stronger safeguards for Western Port. The Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal (VRET), proposed by the Port of Hastings Corporation, a state government-owned entity, would act as a dedicated assembly port in Western Port to support the construction of Victoria’s first offshore wind farms along the Victorian coast. The project proposes a landside development and new land reclamation of about 16.5 hectares in area. A draft Environment Effects Statement (EES) on scoping requirements was released for community comment late…

FROM THE EDITOR ONE of the great scourges of our modern democratic system is that political parties view power as an end in itself, and not a means to an end. Of course, governing is the end. Power is just the means to be able to govern. We live in a state where the Labor government seems unwilling or incapable of performing the tasks required to effectively govern. Decision making is tortured and flawed, with the best outcomes taking a distant second place to political considerations. Whether it is crime, cost-shifting or crumbling infrastructure, the result is that we live…

Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate Hunter Scott. The 18-year-old man is wanted on warrant for armed robbery, theft of motor vehicle, attempted burglary, drive whilst disqualified and theft offences. Scott is described as Caucasian in appearance, approximately 175cm tall, with brown hair, fair complexion and medium build. He is known to frequent the Hastings area. Investigators have released an image of Scott in the hope that someone may be able to provide information on his current whereabouts. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a…

Have you ever wondered what happens to your drink cans, bottles and cartons after you return them for a 10-cent refund through Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme (CDS Vic)? With this week being National Recycling Week (10–16 November), CDS Vic shares what happens next, and how every returned container helps power Victoria’s circular economy. This year’s theme, Join the Cycle, perfectly aligns with the mission of CDS Vic: keeping eligible drink containers in the recycling loop so they can be remade into new products again and again. “National Recycling Week is a timely reminder of our shared commitment to a more…

FROM barefoot to all-abilities bowls, players of all ages can now enjoy a more comfortable roll at the Somerville Bowling Club thanks to shelter upgrades at their facility, backed by the state government. Minister for Community Sport Ros Spence and Member for Hastings Paul Mercurio opened the club’s upgraded facilities last Thursday (6 November); made possible by a $80,000 grant from the Community Sport and Recreation Projects Initiative. The shelter upgrades cover the walkway between the club’s two competition greens and provides protection from the elements, giving bowlers a place to escape the sun’s rays or rain in between ends…

MORNINGTON golfers are swinging into action this month to raise vital funds for seriously ill children as part of X-Golf’s nationwide Starlight Swing campaign. As of this week, X-Golf Mornington has already helped raise more than $2000 towards the initiative, which runs throughout the month of November in support of the Starlight Children’s Foundation. For the first time, X-Golf has launched a specially designed Starlight Swing golf course to celebrate the campaign – a reimagined version of the beloved Pirates Island Golf Course, complete with vibrant Starlight-themed visuals. The nine-hole course, created by Korean manufacturers in partnership with the X-Golf…

A man attempted to evade police early this morning by climbing a tree off Coolart Road, and settling in for the long haul. The man first came to police attention following a call about a suspicious vehicle in Hunts Road, Bittern, around 3.30 this morning (13 November). Officers attended the Bittern scene after it was confimed the vehicle was stolen to find a man asleep at the wheel. He drove off, narrowly avoiding police before another police unit successfully deployed stop sticks. The vechicle was abandoned on Coolart Road and the driver fled into a paddock. The Air Wing and…

A TYABB-based puppetry duo is bringing creativity and humour into classrooms, helping children tackle life’s toughest challenges. Chris Elkington and Rob Irvin, founders of The Melbourne Puppet Kerfuffle, have performed for thousands of students across the state, using puppet shows to address bullying, resilience, cyber safety, and emotional well-being. Founded in November 2021, the pair first met when Elkington ran a primary school puppet workshop in Langwarrin South. A subsequent visit to a puppet festival in Williamstown inspired them to make family-friendly puppetry more accessible by taking it into schools and kindergartens. “Our first and most popular show, The Prank…

THE artist collective Peninsula Studio Trail Inc. (PST) is opening its members’ working studios for two weekends, inviting the community to see art being made and to meet the people behind the work. Visitors will be welcome to explore artists’ private working spaces across the Mornington Peninsula, talk to the creators about their process, and view or purchase unique works straight from the studio. The free event will be held on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 November, as well as Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 November. Jackie Quail, who was the winner of the People’s Prize at PST’s recent annual…

THIS year, the Mornington Community Support Centre is aiming to raise $75,000 for their Annual Christmas Appeal. Every year, MCSC launches a campaign which captures the true spirit of “Community Supporting Community”. Mornington Community Support Centre CEO Ben Smith said Christmas is a time when those struggling feel the burden more than ever. “There’s a lot more pressure on people to perform or to be out in communities or to be connecting with friends and family when you don’t have any money or times are tight and that can be really difficult for people to do,” he said. The money…

THE Light Up Autism Foundation has announced the launch of its Positive Support Program, a program aimed to help create brighter futures for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the mainstream schooling system. Founded in 2012 by the late Bianca Appleford OAM, the foundation was born from Bianca’s determination to create change after witnessing firsthand how the education system was not meeting the needs of her autistic child. Bianca’s passion and advocacy sparked a movement toward inclusion, understanding, and practical support for children on the autism spectrum. The Light Up Autism Foundation is dedicated to empowering children with autism…

A SORRENTO couple have expressed concern after incomplete fire-prevention works left their roadside vegetation a “dead and dying mess,” raising fears it may increase fire risk. Residents Helen and Bruce, who asked not to use their surname, said contractors engaged by Mornington Peninsula Shire removed some dead ti-trees and undergrowth along Hughes Rd but left large amounts of vegetation behind. The leftover debris, they said, located between their front fence and the road, was both a fire hazard and an “ugly eyesore”. Despite repeated calls and emails, the couple said the shire appeared to have no plans to return to…

THE Mornington Peninsula Shire has adopted its new Domestic Animal Management Plan, setting out the management of animal-related services over the next four years. All councillors except Cr David Gill voted in favour of the motion at the 5 November council meeting, Gill stating there are still “real problems with animal management on the peninsula”. Cr Andrea Allen, who moved the motion, said the plan was shaped by community consultation, with over 660 residents contributing feedback through an online survey and face-to-face consultation sessions. The shire reached out to community members to ensure the plan included activities which were top…

WESTERN Port and the Southern Peninsula waters will soon be safer under the protection of state-of-the-art rescue vessels thanks to new funding from the state government. Emergency Services Minister Vicki Ward visited the Coast Guard’s Hastings headquarters last week to announce the investment, which will deliver new rescue boats to the Coast Guard Western Port and the Southern Peninsula Rescue Squad by the middle of 2027. The vessels are designed to handle both nearshore and offshore emergencies, capable of operating up to 60 nautical miles from land. They’ll come equipped with advanced technology including thermal imaging systems, remote-controlled rescue devices,…

THE heritage-listed Norman Lodge gatehouse on Nepean Highway, Mount Eliza, has completed being dismantled with the owners expected to lodge a “dismantling report” to Heritage Victoria by this Friday (14 November). The protected gatehouse has been the subject of planning applications in 2013 and 2020 that would have seen the structure deconstructed and moved just metres away to be reconstructed on a concrete slab footing. The future of the building fell into doubt in April 2024 when it was badly damaged after a large eucalyptus tree fell onto it. Subsequent to that incident, the shire issued a demolition order after…

A BUZZ of creativity filled the Studio Hall at the Mornington Theatre last Friday (7 November) as students from ten local schools took part in the Mornington Lions Club’s annual Lego Technical Building Competition. One of the Mornington Lions Club’s signature projects, the event encourages non-physical and creative challenges for children, giving grade four and five students the chance to think like engineers. Teams of up to eight students were tasked with constructing a Lego model that was unique and could perform some form of active work yet remain static, using only the special Lego Technic kit provided by the…

MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire deputy mayor Cr Paul Pingiaro has reaffirmed the council will not exceed the state’s three per cent rate cap or future rate caps, after cutting its ten-year projected deficit from $296m to $3m. The deficit cut was announced in the shire’s Financial Plan 2025-26 to 2035-36, adopted on 30 October, which also forecast a $67.2m cash balance by 2035, up from $3m projected last December. The dramatic turnaround has prompted questions from residents about how the deficit was achieved, what financial measures were used, whether rate rises would be applied, and if the changes could affect core…

The Mornington Yacht Club sailing season is well underway with racing on Tuesday afternoons, Thursday Twilight, Saturday Championships and Aggregate races as well as Off The Beach racing on a Sunday.Last Thursday’s Twilight race #4 was difficult with no breeze at the start and a stiff easterly to finish. The winner of the race was Daddy Cool skippered by Dave Eickmeyer with an elapsed time of 00:51:26. First published in the Mornington News – 11 November 2025

DROMANA Secondary College students have turned creativity into conservation through a Wild At Art competition, run by the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) Community Group Mornington. Traditionally aimed at primary students, the secondary-level version of the nationwide contest invited entries for the ACF 2026 calendar while encouraging awareness of local biodiversity and threatened species. The Mornington Peninsula is one of Victoria’s most ecologically diverse regions, home to more than 60 ecological vegetation classes and nearly 700 indigenous plant species – about one-fifth of the state’s total. Students have been learning how native planting supports local wildlife and protects delicate ecosystems. With…

A 55-acre estate in Boneo described as Australia’s largest privately owned garden and wildlife sanctuary has hit the market with a price guide of $8m- $8.8m.  Azure on Panorama, formerly known as Panorama Garden Estate, sits at 130 Hyslops Rd in Boneo, and features 22 themed gardens, a boutique day spa, a wildlife refuge, and a five-bedroom residence surrounded by coastal views. The sanctuary, which has a two-kilometre, 2.5-metre electrified fence, provides a haven for albino kangaroos, wallabies, emus and peacocks. Owned and developed over three decades by Nick Smith and Annemaree Van Rooy, the property has been a lifelong…

CONCERNED parents at Moorooduc Primary School are calling for urgent traffic safety upgrades, saying overlapping roadworks and poor planning have created dangerous conditions for children and families during school drop-off and pick-up times. Multiple sets of roadworks have been approved in the area surrounding the school, leading to an inflow of traffic onto Mornington-Tyabb Rd and Derril Rd, the main access point to the primary school. Concerned parent and petition organiser Cassandra Anastasia said the situation has become increasingly dangerous, with hundreds of cars funnelling through the 40km/h school zone. “Drivers are frustrated, speeding, and aggressive,” Anastasia said. “We’ve had…

MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire will review whether a long-missing pedestrian link in Rosebud can be formally built as calls grow from residents. Locals have gone so far as to create their own path within the missing link along Old Cape Schanck Rd between Jetty Rd and Cleek Cres by regularly mowing the grass and cutting back vegetation. Councillor Max Patton raised the issue at the council’s 14 October meeting, putting forward a motion calling for the council to investigate options for completing the missing pedestrian path. The proposed pathway falls outside the township’s urban growth boundary and therefore sits beyond the…

MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has pulled off a dramatic financial turnaround, cutting its projected ten-year deficit from $296m to just $3m in less than a year. The change follows councillors’ adoption of the shire’s ten-year Financial Plan 2025-26 to 2035-36 at their public meeting on 30 October. The plan now forecasts a $67.2m cash balance by 2035 – a significant shift from the $3m cash deficit projected last December. The new plan includes financial levers to guide council decisions on long-term sustainability, which will also be “considered in detail” through the annual budget process. Key findings reveal that from the fifth…

A MORNINGTON Peninsula tradesman has been celebrated for his remarkable bravery after saving a woman with a disability from her burning home on New Year’s Day. When an illegal firework ignited a blaze in a Tootgarook house just after midnight, bystander Jon Croft sprang into action. Without hesitation, he smashed through a bedroom window and pulled wheelchair user Nikki Gill to safety – mere moments before flames consumed the room. Croft was officially recognised for his heroism on 25 October, receiving the CFA Citizen’s Commendation for Bravery during a ceremony in Rye. The award honours members of the public who…

LAST weekend’s scheduled Point Leo Vintage Surf Day will now be held on Sunday 23 November. The same deadly and damaging storms that caused the cancellation of the Sunday 26 October vintage surf day saw two surfers die off Frankston beach and calls for help made to emergency services across the peninsula.“Due to a very bad forecast for our vintage day and the grounds being underwater, we have had to move the day to Sunday 23 November,” event coordinator Phil Newman told exhibitors last Thursday. He said the more than 40 exhibitors already booked for the day would be asked…

By Barry Irving After visiting family in New Zealand, local woodworker Dennis Conner returned home inspired by a simple but meaningful idea — handcrafted wooden tulips sold to raise funds for Parkinson’s disease. In New Zealand, craftsmen have created more than 5,500 wooden tulips over the past five years to support the cause. Wanting to bring the initiative to Australia, Dennis approached the Fight Parkinson’s group and suggested a local fundraising effort. Members of the Woodworkers of the Southern Peninsula embraced the idea, turning, sanding, and painting 700 tulips as a club project. The finished tulips were recently presented to…

By Barry IrvingRye Sports and Social Club held its annual Sports Person of the Year awards at the Rye Hotel on Wednesday, 22 October. Guests included club sponsor Southern Peninsula Community Bank Bendigo Bank, led by board chairman Vin Cheers and accompanied by Paul Zaltsberg and Renae Dunston. The Mornington Peninsula Shire was represented by Andrea Allen and Cam Williams, while Rye RSL was represented by Bruce White and Andrew Laing. Life members, nominees, club delegates, and family also attended. MC for the evening was Gary Sanford, with nominees interviewed by Fiona Shepheard-Sanford and Vicki O’Sullivan.Nominees for the awards were:…

NESTLED among the rolling hills and towering gums, the Hill & Ridge Community Market is fast becoming a must-visit destination for locals and visitors alike. Held on the first Saturday of each month at the Red Hill Recreation Reserve, the market brings together a variety of stallholders showcasing the very best of the Mornington Peninsula and beyond.In 2024, the Red Hill Agricultural & Horticultural Society – proud custodians of the Red Hill Show since 1922 – embraced the opportunity to run the monthly market, ensuring it continues to thrive as a celebration of community, creativity and country life.From artisan breads…

BUSINESS leaders are joining forces on 9 November to raise funds for vulnerable children’s mental health and wellbeing through the Sorrento Bay Stride or Ride 2025.The community event brings together walkers, cyclists, sponsors, and leaders with one goal: to support children facing disadvantages, trauma, and social isolation in Victoria. The funds raised help provide life-changing programs that build resilience, confidence, and connection for these vulnerable kids.Now in its fourth year, Stride or Ride was started by the Sorrento Bay Riders, a group of passionate cycling enthusiasts. This year, notable participants include property developer and philanthropist Max Beck, TLC Healthcare CEO…