VICTORIA Police have ramped up their presence across the Mornington Peninsula this month, aiming to keep residents and visitors safe during the busy summer season. Operation Scorchio is under way, responding to the surge in population in the region over the holiday period. Officers are conducting highly visible patrols to target antisocial behaviour, public order offences, and other criminal activity. The operation is set to continue until 31 January. On the water, Operation Summersafe is focusing on jet ski safety, enforcing speed limits, ensuring riders stay clear of restricted areas, and keeping swimmers safe near the shore – which will…
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Two men have been arrested as police continue to investigate a series of alleged ATM ram raids across Victoria over the last two months, including incidents in Frankston and Baxter. Police have linked nine alleged burglaries and attempted burglaries which targeted a variety of businesses across the state from November to January this year. It will be alleged stolen tow trucks were used to force entry into the businesses, including those with ATMs affixed on walls outside, causing more than $1 million in combined damage. The alleged incidents across Melbourne included a restaurant on Heatherhill Road in Frankston about 3am…
COUNCIL rates will rise by no more than 2.75 per cent in the next financial year, following a decision by the state government aimed at easing cost-of-living pressures for households. The cap, announced on 23 December by Local Government Minister Nick Staikos, will be lowered from the current three per cent cap. This is based on the forecast consumer price index, which limits how much councils can increase their total revenue from general rates and municipal charges in 2026–27. The decision falls under the Fair Go Rates system, which links annual rate increases to inflation. The cap was set after…
THE board of BlueScope Steel Limited announced last week (7 January) that it had unanimously rejected an “unsolicited, non-binding, indicative and conditional takeover proposal”, and listed the unrealised value of its land bank, including at Western Port, as one of the reasons for rejecting the offer. The offer was presented by a consortium comprising ASX listed SGH Limited, and BlueScope rival United States steelmaker Steel Dynamics, at $30 per share, valuing BlueScope at $13.2b. SGH Limited was founded by Kerry Stokes and is headed by son Ryan Stokes. The company is said to be a “diversified operating company, with market…
THE two monitors appointed to oversee Mornington Peninsula Shire Council will commence their roles next week. Victorian Minister for Local Government, Nick Staikos, announced on 23 December that two municipal monitors would be appointed to the shire. Municipal monitors Prue Digby and Rebecca McKenzie will be in place for 12 months from 19 January 2026 until 18 January 2027. A press release from the state government said “They will advise, assist, and support the council to improve its governance processes and practices. They will also work with the council to support good governance including in relation to service delivery, the…
MORE lifesavers have been rostered across Victorian beaches amid rising temperatures. The decision to deploy more paid lifesavers came during last week’s heat wave. Life Saving Victoria chief operations officer emergency management capability and response Kirsty Robertson said “no one wants a day by the water to turn to tragedy.” “One drowning is one too many, and we need everyone to do what they can to keep themselves and each other safe. Water safety is everyone’s responsibility,” Robertson said. A Life Saving Victoria report released late last year found that young adults swimming on the Mornington Peninsula posed the highest…
THE state Planning Minister, Sonya Kilkenny, has approved an interim erosion management overlay (EMO)for the Mornington Peninsula that critics say is deeply flawed, potentially misclassifying tens of thousands of properties as landslide-prone despite council acknowledging errors in outdated mapping and raising concerns about “anomalies”. The approval comes after a letter from Kilkenney in October, obtained by The News, gave the shire just 14 days to commence the implementation of the EMO, or face state government intervention. Described by some as a major “overreach”, the interim erosion management overlay (EMO7) targets land assessed as highly susceptible to landslides, affecting about 33,000…
By Barry Irving SATURDAY saw the running of the 50th Annual Rye Gift, hosted by the six local clubs that make up the Rye Sports and Social Club: Southern Peninsula Little Athletics, Rye Foot-ball Netball Club, Rye Junior Football Club, Rye Tennis Club, Rye Cricket Club and Rye & District Basketball Club. The VAL (Victorian Athletic League) providing the professional administration of the events timing, handicaps etc. The shire management and preparation of the oval and running surface must be congratulated on producing what many competitors and parents said was a running track second to none. The day kicked off…
Police have arrested a man and recovered an allegedly stolen jet ski in Rye, as well as counterfeit money used in a series of alleged deceptions. Officers from Rosebud Uniform executed a search warrant at a property on Collingwood Street on Friday, 9 January as part of an ongoing investigation with South Australia Police. A jet ski and trailer, allegedly stolen from Mannum in South Australia on 21 September 2025, were located. Police also seized over $11,300 of counterfeit money, allegedly used in a series of cash deceptions, as well as three outboard motors, another vessel and drugs. A 32-year-old…
The state Planning Minister, Sonya Kilkenny, has approved an interim erosion overlay for the Mornington Peninsula that critics say is deeply flawed, potentially misclassifying tens of thousands of properties as landslide-prone despite council acknowledging errors in outdated mapping and raising concerns about “anomalies”. The approval comes after a letter from Kilkenney in October, obtained by The News, gave the shire just 14 days to implement an EMO, or face state government intervention. Described by some as a major “overreach”, the interim erosion management overlay (EMO7) targets land assessed as highly susceptible to landslides, affecting about 33,000 lots. Of these, roughly…
Members from the Mornington DRU executed a drug search warrant in Hastings on the 6th January and located; A 46-year-old female was charged with multiple offences including trafficking a commercial quantity of drugs and remanded until April 2026.
BALNARRING Junior Football Club’s reputation as a football factory was on full display on Monday 15 December, when three of its players were selected in the AFLW Draft. Mizuki Brothwell was taken at pick 14 by the Western Bulldogs, Matilda Argus joined Collingwood at pick 41 and Nalu Brothwell was selected at pick 50 by Essendon. In a single draft, Balnarring JFC doubled its total number of AFL and AFLW draftees. Previous selections from the club include Will Hamill (Adelaide Crows, 2018), Isabella Shannon (St Kilda, 2019) and Sam Fletcher (Gold Coast Suns, 2019). Founded in 1890, the Balnarring Football…
CRIB Point residents are rallying to protect two mature gum trees at the entrance their housing estate, now under threat from proposed road and infrastructure upgrades. The two trees at the corner of Cooma and Disney streets face removal as part of planned roads, drainage, and other infrastructure upgrades for properties rezoned from industrial to residential in 2019. However, Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors voted unanimously in support of a motion at their 16 December to explore alternative road designs to preserve the two trees, while also approving a planning scheme amendment to update the development contributions plan (DCP) for the…
THERE are few milestones more auspicious than that of a centenary, and the celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Recruit School was no exception. Held on 11 December 2025, the Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Mark Hammond, AO, RAN hosted an official reception and Ceremonial Sunset, honouring 100 years of Recruit School shaping Navy’s future. The RAN Recruit School was opened in 1925 at HMAS Cerberus, continuing the work of the ‘Boys’ Training Ship’ HMAS Tingira, where recruits had been trained since 1912. RAN Recruit School Commanding officer, Commander Ben McGrath, addressed the gathered guests.…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillors have rejected a proposal for a 32.5-metre telecommunications tower in Fingal, declaring it would unacceptably and adversely impact the area’s amenity. The decision was made at the council’s 16 December meeting, despite a recommendation from council officers to approve the facility at 36 Foam Rd in Fingal, close to the rear boundary of The Dunes Golf Links golf course. The application attracted 38 objections which cited concerns of visual impacts, negative health impacts, poor proposed location, lack of a need for a facility, proximity to residents and the overall height. The facility was to be co-funded…
A high-angle rescue is currently underway after a person fell from a cliff at Diamond Bay in Sorrento this morning (23 December). It is believed the person fell around three metres. A spokesperson from the CFA said crews have locted the person and the rescue is underway. The incident is not yet under control. Fourteen emergency units are currently on site, and the Air Ambulance was in attendance. An injured person has been airlifted to the Alfred Hospital.
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire will prepare a report exploring whether council rates and charges should be waived for 12 McCrae properties impacted by the January landslide that forced residents to evacuate their homes. The decision was made at the council’s 16 December meeting after Cr Max Patton led a motion asking that the council considered waiving the 2025–26 financial year council rates and charges for the 12 properties that were subject to emergency orders following the 14 January landslide. A report will be considered alongside council’s mid-year budget reforecast at its 17 March meeting. Emergency Orders were placed over 19 properties…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillors have moved to ease residents’ concerns after conceding “errors” in an interim erosion management overlay (EMO) had prompted widespread community confusion and angst. The shire has mapped wide-spread landslide-risk areas across the peninsula after councillors approved on 17 November to advance an interim erosion management overlay – a planning control aimed at managing development on land most prone to landslides despite property owners believing they face no such risk. The measure followed an urgent directive from state Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny, requiring council to prepare an amendment to the Mornington Peninsula planning scheme to introduce the…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire mayor Cr Anthony Marsh has called on the state government to step in as the number of people sleeping rough at foreshore camping grounds is creating an “immediate challenge” ahead of the peak holiday season. Marsh said the situation has become increasingly difficult as paid campers expect access to booked sites, while people experiencing homelessness had few local alternatives when asked to move on. “The situation presents a significant and immediate challenge,” the mayor said in a letter to Housing and Building Minister Harriet Shing, seen by The News. The mayor said council was facing a complex…
CRIME across the Mornington Peninsula has continued to rise, with newly released figures from the Crime Statistics Agency revealing criminal offending has reached a record high. There were 12,483 criminal offences recorded in the Mornington Peninsula LGA in the year ending September 2025, up from 12,375 offences in the previous year, an increase of one percent. Mornington was the peninsula suburb most affected by crime, followed closely by Rosebud and Hastings. The data shows crime rose across most offence categories, with stealing from a motor vehicle remaining one of the most common offences, increasing by 12 percent to 1591. Motor…
STUDENTS at Moorooduc Primary School held their annual Moorooduc Market on 3 December and raised approximately $2000 for charity. The Grade 5/6 students worked alongside Grade 3/4 and designed, refined, marketed and produced a wide range of items, including key rings, snow globes, and tree decorations. The students confidently interacted with customers and were able to enjoy the experience of selling the products they had produced. The school said they were incredibly proud of the students’ hard work, teamwork, and entrepreneurial spirit. The money raised went towards Milly’s Search, Trap and Reunite, a charity which helps reunite lost dogs with…
ON Boxing Day, a crew of nine from Mornington Yacht Club will set sail in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race aboard the Ginan. This will mark the first Sydney to Hobart for the boat, which is co-owned by experienced yachtsmen Cam McKenzie and Nigel Jones. The crew is predominantly local to the peninsula and consists of Marc Jukes, Greg Patten, Tim Bilham, Will McKenzie, David Kneed, James Jackson, and Ruben Gustafson. For the crew, the race is not only a sporting challenge but a chance to showcase multiple generations united by long-standing friendships and a shared love for sailing.…
THE Peninsula Aero Club has held its annual toy run with over 800 toys donated by the local community in support of families in challenging circumstances at Christmas. The gifts will be supplied to Food for All and Western Port Community Support group who will distribute them. The day was fun all around with the Holden Enthusiasts Club and the Antique Aeroplane Association for supporting the day. Live music was donated by Jon Burstow and the Catalina Cruisers Band, while visitors enjoyed a free sausage sizzle. A band of PAC members and volunteers ensured the day was enjoyed by all.…
AFTER a devastating fire destroyed its Moorooduc offices, a disability support service is breathing a sigh of relief as it prepares to move into a new purpose-built headquarters in Somerville. The move comes after the June blaze at the Coolstores facility on Moorooduc Hwy forced staff to work remotely for months, disrupting operations but not dampening the organisation’s commitment to supporting people with disabilities across the Mornington Peninsula. The new Somerville Central location is currently an empty shell but will soon be transformed into a modern, purpose-built home for the organisation, marking a fresh start after the unexpected loss of…
A SURVEY conducted by Peninsula Community Legal Centre has found that more than one-in-three people are facing hidden legal problems, including unpaid fines and debts. The Peninsula Community Legal Centre’s mobile legal office, the Street Law Coffee Van, made 136 visits across Melbourne’s south-east between February 2024 and August 2025. It conducted 3799 “legal health checks” during that time, finding that 36 percent of clients had a legal issue that needed addressing. PCLC CEO Jackie Galloway said that a majority of the identified issues related to housing insecurity and cost of living stress. She said “this data confirms what we…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire mayor Cr Anthony Marsh has been cleared of any wrongdoing after an arbiter dismissed a councillor conduct complaint application over Marsh’s decision to rule three motions out of order at council meetings in June. The application was lodged by councillors David Gill, Kate Roper, Max Patton, Michael Stephens, and Patrick Binyon on 27 August. It alleged Marsh breached the Councillor Code of Conduct when he ruled Gill and Patton’s motions out of order and subsequently ruled their dissent motions out of order. The blocked motions asked the council to work on developing a new climate resilience plan,…
COUNCIL has signed off on a new Community Disaster Resilience Plan, aiming to lift preparedness and strengthen how the community responds to future emergencies. The plan, adopted alongside a Year One Action Plan at the council’s 2 December meeting, follows community consultation held in April, May and September and sets out a whole-of-community approach to building resilience. Mayor Cr Anthony Marsh said the plan recognised the crucial role council played during crises. “Local government is often the first and most consistent point of contact in times of crisis. This plan reflects our commitment to working alongside our community, preparing for,…
RESIDENTS across the peninsula have been left outraged and baffled after newly proposed mandatory planning rules suddenly labelled thousands of properties as “highly susceptible” to landslides, despite many believing they face no such risk. The Mornington Peninsula Shire has mapped wide-spread landslide-risk areas across the peninsula after councillors approved on 17 November to advance an interim erosion management overlay – a planning control aimed at managing development on land most prone to landslides. The move followed an urgent directive from state Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny to prepare an amendment to the Mornington Peninsula planning scheme that would form the new…
ONE of the peninsula’s favourite walking and riding trails is set for a refresh, with locals being asked to help shape the upgrades. The Red Hill to Merricks trail will soon receive new directional and interpretive signage thanks to funding from the Victorian Government’s Tiny Towns Grant. The project aims to make the trail easier to navigate while providing more information about local stories, cultural connections, and natural beauty. The council is asking for community input before beginning design work. The trail is 6.5kms and accessible from the picnic area at Red Hill Station Reserve or the Merricks Red Hill…
Mornington Crime Investigation Unit detectives are appealing for public assistance following a ramming in Mornington last night. Police were called to reports of a suspicious loiter at a unit complex on Fleet Street about 7.40pm on Friday 12 December. Officers attended and located a stolen black Toyota Land Cruiser utility in the driveway of the property. It is understood the utility rammed the parked police vehicle multiple times before it became wedged in the property’s driveway. The unknown male driver exited the vehicle and fled north bound on Fleet Street. During the incident, the two male senior constables retreated to…