A LOCAL koala conservation group is calling for urgent action after multiple koalas have been killed on the Westernport Hwy this year. Mornington Peninsula Koala Conservation (MPKC) committee member Sue Boggan said since the start of this year an estimated ten koalas had been killed on the road. She said the area of concern along the highway was between Thornells Rd and the intersection of Oneills Rd and Mckirdys Rd. “We’ve lost two females who would have had joeys with them. The koalas were left to the side of the road, and we couldn’t find the joeys.” Since 2024, more…
Browsing: Mornington Peninsula
Anthony Marsh has won preselection as the Liberal Party candidate for the upcoming Nepean by-election. News out of Liberal HQ is that Marsh had a clear win against the other candidates in the first round of voting. Out of 19 votes cast, it is understood Marsh received 10 votes, Briony Camp received four votes, Nathan Conroy received three votes, and David Burgess received two votes. Marsh now has less than ten weeks to campaign for the 2 May poll to elect a replacement for retired MP Sam Groth. Precedent exists for what will be in store for Marsh, currently Mornington…
A ROSEBUD youth service charity is facing an uncertain future after a federal government decision to redirect mental health funding away from local initiatives. Jimmy’s Youth Wellbeing Sanctuary manager Jeanette Horsley said they had been told that by 30 June the federal government’s funding currently committed to Jimmy’s would cease. She added that there would be “no ongoing or recurrent funding due largely to the commitment by the Australian government to channel critical mental health dollars into national projects and Primary Health Networks”. “While we understand the strategic thinking behind these decisions and remain extremely grateful for the very positive…
WITH the change of leadership for the parliamentary Liberal Party came the inevitable reshuffle of portfolios. Member for Flinders, Zoe McKenzie, remains in the shadow ministry after the ditching of Sussan Ley in favour of Angus Taylor, but in different roles. On 28 May last year, McKenzie announced that she had been asked by new leader Ley to serve in the capacity of Shadow Assistant Minister for Education and Early Learning and Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health. At the time McKenzie stated she was honoured at the elevation into the shadow ministry stating “I have a deep passion for…
OPINION: There is no doubt that the current councillor term at Mornington Peninsula Shire has been marked by considerable change. There has been a vast restructuring inside the organisation and a swathe of well-publicised changes including, perhaps most notably, the scrapping of the Climate Emergency Plan in April last year. While suggestions of a “block” are refuted by Marsh, some votes in the current council terms appear predetermined, if not by connivance, then by undoubtably by councillor’s personal philosophies. That is a pity. For the best outcomes for ratepayers are the ones where every item is carefully considered not through…
MICHAEL “Mick” O’Rourke, a large figure in community sport on the Mornington Peninsula, was posthumously awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the Australia Day Honours. For more than six decades, O’Rourke’s life was inseparable from the Rye Football Netball Club and the wider Rye sporting community. His contribution spanned playing, coaching, administration and tireless behind-the-scenes work that helped shape not just a club, but generations of people connected to it. His family said the honour, which recognised his “service to community sport”, reflected what they had always known about him. “Our family is deeply proud of…
WITH the federal subsidy on home batteries, state rebates on solar panels and increasing electricity bills, many people are realising there is no time like the present to invest in home renewable energy and storage. Repower Mornington Peninsula and Flinders Zero Carbon Community will be hosting another “Solar and batteries – Is now the time?” forum at Flinders Civic Centre on Sunday 15 March at 3pm. As before, there will be a presentation by an independent expert from the Yarra Energy Foundation, followed by a demonstration of the innovative tool ‘Repower and Save’ that enables research on electric products, prices…
CHRIS Brayne, who was the Member for Nepean between 2018 and 2022 before being ousted by Sam Groth, has re-emerged from self-imposed exile with some pointed commentary about the upcoming by-election. Brayne was a shock winner in the 2018 state election when, at just 25-years-old, he snatched the seat retiring MP Martin Dixon had held for 16 years. Brayne pulled off an 8.5% swing in his favour, albiet holding the seat with a tenuous 0.9% margin. Brayne faced an uphill battle in 2022 against high-profile Groth and was ousted at the poll. Brayne retired into the background and has been…
MORNINGTON Green Living Legacy Gardens will unveil the world’s largest sunflower later this month, offering locals a rare chance to see the enormous floral landmark up close. Created from 3000 individual sunflower plants arranged to form one spectacular giant bloom, the installation will be open to the public for one weekend only from 20-22 February. The display returns for its third year after the success of the 2025 event, which drew thousands of visitors. The sunflower sits at the heart of Mornington Green’s Living Legacy Forest, a world first initiative that transforms processed ashes into nutrients that help grow memorial…
The voters of the Nepean electorate will head to the polls on 2 May to elect a replacement for retired MP Sam Groth. The date was announced yesterday (Tuesday 17 February) by Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Maree Edwards, and leaves candidates and voters a little over ten weeks of campaigning. Crucially, candidates will have only ten weeks run their campaign to be elected and only 23 days if they wait until the final nomination day for candidates on 10 April. Voters have even less time to update their enrollment, with the electoral roll closing on 20 March News from…
Volunteers at the Southern Peninsula Rescue Squad Op Shop (SPRS) in Rye have been left disappointed after a counterfeit $50 note was used in the store two weeks ago. The fake note, which passed through the shop undetected, was later identified by Bendigo Bank. SPRS committee member Pamela Taverniti said the note wasn’t an obvious fake and only came to light when the shop’s banking was processed. She said the incident was the first time the store had ever encountered a fake note. “It went past our staff in the op shop and then the lady who does our banking…
BEC Watson, who has risen to digital fame with her “Bec’s Unhinged Reviews” social media account has had a short but succinct look at the Nepean by-election before deciding to pass. The Mornington resident has had a meteoric rise since starting her page in October last year to over 40,000 Facebook followers of her scorched earth reviews of local towns and landmarks that have captured the imagination of a community who always knew it but were too polite to say it. Taking to social media on 6 February, Watson told her followers “Alright I need to be very clear because…
CRIB Point pool has celebrated a significant milestone, marking 50 years of operation with a vibrant anniversary event. Opened in 1975, the outdoor pool has long been a central part of life in Crib Point, hosting swimming lessons, carnivals and family fun days, while providing a daily meeting place for locals who begin their mornings with a swim as the sun rises. A recent golden anniversary celebration saw families, long-time patrons and first-time visitors to the pool to share in the occasion. Mayor Cr Anthony Marsh said the milestone highlighted the value of shared spaces within the community. “Crib Point…
A Liberal Party source has told The News there are at least six contenders for preselection for the upcoming Nepean by-election with applications believed to be closing on Monday 16 February. Among the mix are ex-Frankston City mayor and two-time Dunkley candidate Nathan Conroy, who contested the 2024 by-election after the death of Peta Murphy, and again in the 2025 federal election, both times losing to Labor’s Jodie Belyea. Also putting her hand up for another attempt is Briony Camp (nee Hutton), who ran for the seat of Hastings in the 2022 state election, losing to Labor’s Paul Mercurio. Her…
Independents for Mornington Peninsula have announced they are stepping up their search for a candidate for the state seat of Nepean, after the news of Sam Groth’s resignation and the forthcoming by-election. President of Independents for Mornington Peninsula, Phil Riley, told The News they had been searching for candidate for this year’s state election since November, but the by-election had created a “new urgency”. “The voters of Nepean will be forced to the polls twice in eight months,” said Riley. “Once again, voters of the Mornington Peninsula find themselves paying the price for Liberal Party incompetence. “This by-election isn’t about…
SOUTH East Water’s major upgrade at Mount Martha Water Recycling Plant has passed a key milestone towards delivering a more resilient and sustainable wastewater service for the Mornington Peninsula’s growing population. Upgrade operations have completed the base slabs of the two new clarifier tanks that are being constructed to relieve capacity constraints in the secondary treatment system. Clarifier tanks are large tanks or basins designed to remove solids from water by settling. Once the clarifier upgrade is fully completed, the wastewater treatment plant will become more resilient to severe weather conditions, such as heavy rainfall, which can put additional pressure…
MEMBER for Mornington, Chris Crewther, has vowed to focus on a Liberal win in November after failing in his bid for the deputy leadership of the Victorian Liberal Party. The position opened up after the announcement by Nepean MP Sam Groth that he would not be contesting November’s election and would relinquish his deputy leadership role (Groth calls game, set and match on political career, The News 13/1/26). David Southwick, who had previously served as deputy to both Matthew Guy and John Pesutto, was challenged by Crewther, who is in his first term as a state member, after previously representing…
HMAS Cerberus will be “partially divested” as part of a massive sale of 35,000 hectares of defence real estate – including some of the nation’s most historic barracks – that is expected to raise almost $2b. Announced by Defence Minister Richard Marles on Wednesday 4 February, the announcement is the long-awaited response to a sweeping audit of the nation’s defence estate portfolio released in 2023. The government has acknowledged the sale of defence facilities has been a challenging issue, with the expectation of push-back from veterans and local communities to the sale of some of the country’s most iconic defence…
REPURPOSED stairs have been installed at Shire Hall Beach in Mornington to restore safer access amid ongoing concerns of beach erosion. The move comes after the loss of the original Shire Hall Beach stairs beside the car park – an issue that has frustrated many locals. Mornington Peninsula Shire confirmed that while a long-term solution was still under way, routine maintenance on a nearby pathway created an opportunity to install the temporary stair structure. “We know the loss of the Shire Hall Beach stairs beside the car park has been frustrating, and we’re continuing to work on a long-term fix,”…
Police will charge a man with drink driving offences after he was allegedly detected driving on the wrong side of the road and narrowly avoiding a head-on collision with police. The 33-year-old Safety Beach man had reportedly been drinking with friends since midday before stopping at a drive-thru bottle shop to purchase another bottle of wine. He was intercepted by police shortly afterwards. Officers observed red wine spilt down the man’s t-shirt. He returned an evidentiary breath test with an alleged reading of 0.185. His licence was immediately suspended for 12 months, and his vehicle was impounded at a cost…
A TWO-month operation targeting jet ski riders on Mornington Peninsula beaches has resulted in fines for 94 jet ski riders and boaties. Seventeen fines were issued for operating a vessel exceeding five knots within 200m of the water’s edge. Three people copped fines for speeding within 50 metres of swimmers, and one was caught too close to a structure in inland waters. Police officers from Rosebud, Dromana, Rye, and Sorrento, have been conducting the targeted operation since the start of December. They used drones alongside patrols by local police, the Public Order Response Team, Water Police, Transit officers, and the…
Diving for a meal of wild abalone in Port Phillip is something special, enjoyed by lots of people every summer. To keep the bay’s abalone stocks healthy, we all need to do our bit, which includes abiding by bag and size limits. Fisheries Officers recently focused their efforts on the bay, apprehending 2 men at Mt Eliza with 147 abalone, 144 of which were undersize. The daily limit is 5 abalone per person. Both men will be charged on summons. For everything you need to know about abalone, including open days in Port Phillip along with bag and size limits…
THE Rotary Club of Hastings Western Port has donated more than $40,000 to local clubs, schools and community organisations over the past year. The funding has supported a wide range of community groups, including local football clubs, the Hastings Men’s Darts Club and the Hastings Ladies Netball Club, which received a contribution to help with savings and ongoing development. Education has also been a strong focus for the club, with Rotarians working closely alongside primary schools. Initiatives have included the provision of breakfast club support to help ensure students start the day well, as well as hosting a barbecue for…
Mornington Peninsula Crime Investigation Unit members have arrested and charged a man after executing a warrant in Hastings as part of an ongoing investigation. Officers attended an address in Villawood Drive about 8.45am on 30 January and arrested a 26-year-old man He was interviewed in relation to a number of copper thefts from power poles in the Hastings area since August last year. Officers located a large amount of copper wiring at the property during a search. The 26-year-old has been charged with theft, dealing with property suspected to be the proceeds of crime and commit indictable offence whilst on…
Southern Metro Region Four Divisional Response Unit members have arrested and charged a man after executing a warrant in Rosebud on Friday morning. Officers attended an address in Sharen Court about 9.30am on 30 January as part of an ongoing investigation. They arrested a 53-year-old man and a 58-year-old woman and searched the property. It is alleged officers located a number of items including firearms, ammunition, drugs, a 3D printer and cash. The 53-year-old has been charged with traffick commercial quantity of drugs, traffic drug of dependence, possess traffickable quantity of firearms and possess proceeds of crime. He has been…
NOMINATIONS for the 2026 Victorian Sport Awards have officially opened, celebrating sport and active recreation in Victoria last year. Eighteen awards will recognise individual and team athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers, administrators, media personnel, and initiatives that encourage others to stay active. Nominations are open to the public and can be submitted via the Vicsport website until 13 February. Following the nomination period, judging panels will select four finalists for each award, with finalists announced in March. First published in the Mornington News – 27 January 2026
WATER safety authorities are reminding jet ski riders to follow speed and distance rules as enforcement patrols increase across Victorian waterways during summer. A Safe Transport Victoria spokesperson said responsible behaviour on the water was essential as beaches and waterways became busier over the holiday period. Joint compliance efforts will continue throughout summer, with Victoria Police, Safe Transport Victoria, the Victorian Fisheries Authority and Parks Victoria patrolling waterways across the state. “It is critical that operators of all vessels, including jet skis, meet their safety responsibilities and respect others on the water,” the spokesperson said. “This summer, enforcement agencies including…
MORNINGTON Yacht Club (MYC), in partnership with the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria (ORCV), will host a historic Ocean Racing Panel on Friday 30 January 2026, celebrating one of the most remarkable careers in Victorian offshore sailing. The event will feature Graeme Taylor, whose achievements place him among the most accomplished ocean racers the state has produced, and whose influence has helped shape offshore sailing culture for more than three decades. Taylor has competed in 29 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Races, claimed nine Line Honours victories, an overall win and a race record, and has twice been named Australian Sailing…
Two people have been taken to hospital after a traffic collision in Mornington late this morning, which occurred while the popular street market was on. Emergency services were called to Main St just before 11.30am on 28 January, following reports a car had lost control and collided with another vehicle before mounting the footpath and striking a park bench and two pedestrians, Victoria Police said. The vehicle also struck an egg stall at the market but one witness said a tree luckily slowed the car down, limiting its impact. The driver of the car, a man in his 80s, was taken…
THE voluntary organiser of the Save Flinders Pier campaign, who rallied the support of more than 40,000 Victorians and even attracted the attention of Sir David Attenborough, has been recognised with an Order of Australia Medal (OAM). Charles Reis was motivated to act when plans were announced in 2020 to demolish the historic Flinders Pier, renowned for its Weedy Sea Dragon habitat. At the time, Sir David Attenborough said he would do all he could to help support the protection of Victoria’s marine emblem. Leading a grassroots campaign, Reis built widespread community support that eventually persuaded the state government to…