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February 2011
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Solar power for the night A THERMAL battery that stores the sun’s power for use at night has been invented in Frankston North and is attracting interest from around the world. Stephen Bradbury, left, of Solar Flare International and team have found the holy grail of solar power generation and the principle has been successfully applied to base load solar power stations in South Australia, Spain, the United States and Middle East, but not on a domestic scale. Mr Bradbury has a trial set-up in a Mt Eliza home that stores 50 kilowatts of thermal energy and 20Kw of thermal electrical energy. An average family home uses 50Kw a day. The trial battery is charged to 220 degrees by two automated parabolic trough mirrors. They can be charged by any solar or waste heat generated by industrial ovens, kilns, generating plants and boilers. “Co-generation opportunities will soon to be available for homes and small businesses such as panel beaters, bakers and pizza makers that will significantly offset emissions and reduce energy bills,” Mr Bradbury said. The cost is about half that of an equivalent solar panel system. “The future of the world is electric and the best way of generating electricity is the sun. Our battery enables the energy to be available 24 hours a day. Micro power stations using the sun and recycle waste heat are the way of the future.” Details: Stephen Bradbury, 0415 463 425 or www.solarflareinternational.com
Saints not sinners
By Mike Hast FRANKSTON City Council has confirmed its support for St Kilda Football Club’s schools visiting program following the nude photo scandal. The football world was rocked on 20 December when a 17-year-old girl posted on Facebook a nude photo
Council backs school visits program
of captain Nick Riewoldt and semiclad Zac Dawson and Nick Dal Santo that had been taken by backman Sam Gilbert on the 2009 end of season trip to Miami, US. The photos were allegedly uploaded
by the teenager who claimed she fell pregnant after having sex with two AFL players earlier this year and had been badly treated after losing the baby at three months. The teenager was among a number
of students at Frankston High School who attended a Saints’ football clinic at the school last year, but she said she had not been pursued by Gilbert or any other Saints player that day and had not received a phone number from any player at the clinic. She met Gilbert and other AFL players socially for the first time in
Sydney after the round 1 St Kilda versus Sydney Swans match on 27 March last year. An AFL investigation into her complaint found the St Kilda players involved were not at fault and no police charges were laid. Continued Page 6
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Frankston Times February 2011
A LIFE-SIZED bronze statue of legendary boxing champion Johnny Famechon could be installed at Ballam Park. Frankston Council is considering an offer from businessman Rob McCarthy and Sydney sculptor Stephen Glassborow, from whom Mr McCarthy commissioned the work. The donation would be funded by the private sale of 15 smaller statuettes costing $12,000 each with the council covering installation costs of $45,000, which include transportation, footings, a plaque and landscaping. A report to the council states similar statues have been installed by other councils, including Mornington Peninsula Shire placing a statue of legendary footballer John Coleman outside Hastings library in 2005 and Baw Baw Shire a statue of another Aussie boxing champ, Lionel Rose, in a Warragul park. The report stated that when John Famechon was asked where he wanted the statue placed, he said in Frankston, where he grew up after arriving from France as a young boy. Famechon achieved worldwide fame after his epic title fights with Fighting Harada of Japan. Born in France in 1945, Famechon has
always called Frankston home. He was actively involved with the community, including helping police run the Frankston Blue Light Boxing Club for young people. He became WBC Featherweight World Champion in 1969 after defeating Cuban Jose Legra on points at the Albert Hall in London. He defended his crown against Fighting Harada twice. With a career record of 56 wins (20 by KO), 6 draws and 5 losses, Famechon was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in Los Angeles in 1997. He was inducted into the Frankston Hall of Fame in 2008. Fammo, as he is known, was badly injured when hit by a car while jogging in Sydney in 1991 and sustained horrific injuries. In 1993 Fammo started a radical and demanding rehabilitation program to improve his acquired brain injury. After three months he took his first steps. He now walks with the help of a walking stick and his speech and memory have improved. In June 1997 he walked down the aisle at his wedding to long-time girlfriend Glenys, fulfilling a promise he made to her four years earlier.
Mornington harbour marina battle THE Battle of Mornington harbour started on Tuesday 1 February when marina proponents and objectors faced off at an independent panel public hearing at the shire office in Mornington. The panel, appointed by the state government Department of Planning and Community Development’s Planning Panels Victoria, has to decide if a large part of the public harbour will be handed over to Mornington Boat Haven Pty Ltd, a company formed to build the so-called safe harbour by members of the yacht club.
MBH chairman Philip Coombs said last year the $19 million project would create 172 water berths for club members and others plus 25 public berths for short-term visits. There would be a 200-metre long wave screen to protect the natural deep water harbour from northerlies, 197 berths, public jetty, refuelling area and associated infrastructure. Mornington Environment Association, the lead objector, has a war chest of $10,000 to fight the proposal after contacting more than 800 objectors.
Rocks off as paths take costly turn Final costs triple on estimates By Keith Platt PLANS to build footpaths in Frankston with crushed rock have virtually hit a brick wall - the cost was twice that of using concrete. In May 2008 council adopted a $2.4 million five-year plan to build 25 footpaths on a priority list. The plan also included using “modified crushed rock” on a trial path in Brunei Rd, Seaford. Council officers estimated they could cut costs by 30 per cent by not using concrete. However, the estimated cost of $23,000 blew out o $69,000. The estimate for concrete was $46,000. Factors contributing to the high cost included the belief the rock could be spread manually. It could not, and a paving machine had to be brought in. Sections that were manually laid had to be reconstructed. Paving machines can only make paths with a minimum width of 2.3 metres while the Brunei path was designed to be two metres wide. Geotechnical testing was also needed for the crushed rock path which also needs regular spraying for weeds. Neither cost was included in the original estimate.
Sandman: Television personality Jules Lund of Getaway meets his likeness at the Frankston Waterfront during filming of a recent episode of the travel show. Picture: Frankston City Council
Festival aims for 100,000 MORE than 64,000 people have visited the Creepy Crawlies sand sculpting exhibition on the waterfront at Frankston with organisers hoping to break the magical 100,000 mark by the time it ends on Easter Tuesday, 26 April. A spokesman for Frankston Council said attendance was almost 20,000 more than at the same time last year and 15,000 more than two years ago when the record of 90,000 was set.
The 50,000th visitor, Sandra Bosch of Berwick, received a hamper and a gold pass to next year’s event when she arrived on 21 January. Creepy Crawlies has 19 sculptures carved by sand sculptors from around the world using about 5000 tonnes of sand and is open daily from 10am.
For a great family outing
The path was built under the Citywide Pathway Program, part of council objective No 4: Well Planned, Well Built and Well Maintained. The report says it supports the plan, which is now being modified to make nine planned crush rock paths out on concrete. Delays and price blowouts have also occurred with a path in Baden Powell Drive, Frankston South. One section of the path has been completed, but the remainder needs a complete redesign, taking the cost from $43,000 to $307,000. “Other paths, particularly in the Frankston South region, will have site restraints requiring designs to be undertaken and additional works such as retaining walls, though they shouldn’t be to the extent required for Baden Powell Drive,” the report states. The report recommends council raise an extra $500,000 a year from rates to enable the path program to be completed in six years rather than 11 under the current $320,000 a year program. “The additional funding required can be covered by re-prioritizing the Road Assets class within the Capital Works Program,” the report states. “No economic implications apply”.
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NEWS DESK
Retirees to be licensed to drink RESIDENTS of the Oak Tree Skye Retirement Village, Skye, will soon be able to keep and drink alcohol in their communal leisure centre. Frankston Council look set to issue a liquor licence allowing the residents of the village’s 52 units to store their drinks in a shared fridge. The village, in McCormicks Rd, will be allowed to sell and serve liquor 11am-11.00pm, Monday to Saturday (midday-11pm Anzac Day and Good Friday); 11am-11pm on Sunday. A report to council’s 7 February meeting councillors said t he retirement village’s leisure centre had no operating hour restrictions and would be frequented only by the residents and their visitors. It said the liquor licence would allow the retirement village to provide a more diverse range of services for the residents. The sole objector to the licence being granted said an altercation had occurred at the village which they believed involved the consumption of alcohol.
Cut for health card holders TAFE students aged 15-24 holding health care cards will be eligible for reduced fees from 1 February. The state government says it will provide $56 million to cut fees for health care card holders by 95 per cent, resulting in savings for young people studying for diploma and advanced diploma courses. The should bring bring annual TAFE training fees for youth health care card holders to $100; the usual tuition fee rates are up to $2000.
Cashed up: Dick Cox, left, with shire councillors Ben Colomb, Bill Goodrem and Leigh Eustace with RACV Cape Schanck resort manager Conleth Roach at the under-renovation studio.
Radio station ready by Easter By Mike Hast RENOVATION of community radio station 3RPP’s new home at the old secondary school in Wilsons Rd, Mornington, is going at an astonishing rate, says project coordinator Dick Cox of the Rotary Club of Somerville-Tyabb. Half of the last surviving classroom block, which is next to Peninsula Community Theatre, formerly the school’s Findlay Hall, and behind The Studio@PCT, a performing arts centre that was once the library, will be ready for radio by Easter.
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Frankston Times February 2011
A red letter day will be Easter Monday 25 April, which is also Anzac Day, when the work is expected to be completed and a fund-raising raffle is drawn (see separate story). The latest donation to the renovation project, being run by a cluster of peninsula Rotary clubs – including Somerville-Tyabb, Hastings Western Port, Mornington, Mt Martha, Dromana, Rosebud, Rye and Sorrento – is $5000 from the RACV Foundation through its Cape Schanck resort. This followed donation of 1000 square metres of insulation batts from a national company late last year. Other big ticket donations of cash or materials are in the wings. The “renovation rescue� gained pace when Rotary appointed a registered builder, Point Leobased Staff Building & Contracting, late last year. Mr Cox said it was great to have Rob Lawrence and his team working as well as directing Rotary and other volunteers. “We start putting up the plasterboard on 27 January, which should take about four days, and then we’ll finish the electrical wiring and plumbing,� he said. Next stage would be fitout. Some of the furniture will come from a cache stored away by a senior manager when the shire replaced office furniture and fittings at its Queen St, Mornington, office. The News understands it was a close run thing between dumping the furniture at a tip and keeping it in storage for use in a then-unknown future project. The classroom block’s exterior will match the nearby hall, and an entranceway halfway down the length of the block would match the hall’s entrance, Mr Cox said.
“We have a big recording room for bands of all sorts, two studios, control and production rooms, voice-over booth, board/lunch room, kitchen, toilets, general office and offices for sales, the manager and presenters,� Mr Cox said. “The shire said it would cost $500,000 to renovate, but we’ll be doing it for under $300,000.� Cr Leigh Eustace, deputy chairman of the 3RPP project and fund-raising committee, said the renovation had so impressed shire CEO Michael Kennedy when he inspected work just before Christmas that the shire was now considering asking the renovation team to fix up the three other rooms in the block, which would be used for community groups. Cr Eustace said Dr Kennedy told Mr Cox: “This building was dead and you’ve brought it back to life.� Dr Kennedy had directed his executive management team to find funds for the unrenovated half, Cr Eustace said. “It is a stunning renovation,� Cr Eustace said. “It will be the envy of mainstream radio stations let alone community ones.� The shire tipped in $50,000 last year and in December approved $130,000 as “bridging finance� to enable Rotary to continue the project while the fund-raising raffle was being conducted. Cr Eustace said the shire was studying with great interest the way the renovation had been carried out with its mixture of shire money, corporate donations in cash and kind, money from the community through the raffle, volunteer labour and paid commercial builders. “The innovative project could be a model for other shire building projects,� he said.
Rally around raffle call SELLING 150,000 $2 tickets in the Rotary Club of Somerville-Tyabb raffle to pay for the radio station renovation was always going to be a big ask, organisers admitted last week. The tickets started selling in late November, some months behind schedule due to legal permission red tape, but the influx of holidaymakers to the peninsula has helped sellers. The raffle is under the auspices of the Somerville-Tyabb club, but seven other peninsula Rotary clubs are putting the hard word on friends and strangers to buy tickets. Cr Leigh Eustace, a member of the organising committee along with Rotarians and radio station people, said some clubs already had their own raffles in place before the 3RPP raffle came along. “We’ll have more people selling tickets after Australia Day as at least two clubs have been busy doing their own raffles,� he said.
Cr Bill Goodrem told The News ticket sellers would be at all major peninsula shopping centres at various times between January and April. “We’ll be selling well into April,� he said. He said there would be four prizes – a Toyota Corolla valued at $26,000 and a Toyota Yaris ($19,500), both from Motor Court Toyota in Mornington; a cruise package ($10,000) from Travelscene Westernport; and a plasma television ($3300) from Rosebud Retravision. Cr Goodrem said the draw would be a lottostyle affair with selected young people being asked to draw a numbered ball from bags. This would obviate collecting all ticket stubs and “ensure that all buyers were in the hat�, he said. It will be drawn at 3RPP’s studios at 3.30pm on Monday 25 April. Winners will be notified and the result published in The Age on 30 April and local newspapers in early May.
Loan advice could save your house LAWYER Victoria Mullins has issued a warning against taking out a loan to clear a credit card debt. Consolidating several loans in a new loan that requires security could eventually lead to some people losing their homes. Ms Mullins, a lawyer with Peninsula Community Legal Centre, said advertising for short-term loans targeted at “new year resolutions to reduce credit card debt” carried hidden dangers. “There are many newspaper, television and radio advertisements that offer loans to people who are having trouble paying their debts. However, these loans may create a worse financial position, especially if your house is used as security for the loans. “Often the loan is only for one or two years and you only pay the interest on the loan and therefore do not reduce the total amount of money you owe. “If you have one of these loans, with your house as security, and you cannot repay the total amount when it is due, your house could be taken from you.” Ms Mullings said many households faced credit card debt. “When used responsibly, a credit card can help you manage your financ-
es, but unpaid bills can cost you dearly. It can take months to pay off something that only took a few minutes to buy and the pressure to meet repayments can lead people to place themselves in more debt through refinancing or consolidating without seeking appropriate independent financial advice. “If you are in financial difficulty it is worth knowing that you will have fewer options available if you consolidate all of your debts into one large debt,” she said. “Options such as surrendering your car, or negotiating with a credit card company are not available once you have one large loan. Talk through your options with an independent adviser or financial counsellor before making a decision. “If you are finding it difficult to meet your credit repayments, it is important to take immediate action. Don’t ignore the problem as it won’t go away.” Ms Mullins said Peninsula Community Legal Centre was one agency that provided free advice. Contact Peninsula Community Legal Centre on 9783 3600 or visit www. pclc.org.au
Artist has her art in the clouds PENINSULA printmaker Fran Henke has chosen a favourite subject – clouds – for her first solo exhibition. An active member of the international Cloud Appreciation Society, Mrs Henke gave herself a dual challenge of theme and media. “Carving transient cloud images onto lino plates was ambitious,” she said. “After the first half dozen efforts I realised that capturing the elusive could be more entertaining. I saw a painting by Los Angeles artist John Baldessari called Falling Clouds, which added to an old fear, suggested a quirky path. “I turned around the idea of scary road signs in alpine areas that say ‘Beware of falling rocks’ with a series of linocuts called Beware of Falling Clouds.” Mrs Henke was introduced to and majored in printmaking at Chisholm Frankston and with a group of former students is forming Peninsula Printmakers to promote the art of the print. “Printmaking is absorbing,” Mrs Henke said. “That moment of easing the print away from the plate on the press offers a mix of thrill and trepidation. You’re bringing into play technique, ideas and imagery in a totally different discipline. ‘Carving Clouds’, is at Libran Dogma Gallery, A’Beckett Rd, Narre Warren North, 5-27 February.
Frankston Times February 2011
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NEWS DESK
Predictions of prosperity, congestion for port By Keith Platt STATE government promises to fasttrack development of a container port at Hastings are being made amid warnings that the town “will be more congested that Port Melbourne”. “A 24-hour port will mean thousands of truck trips, not just a benign little port. Hastings people are in for a big shock,” Jenny Warfe of the Blue Wedges Coalition said. Transport minister Denis Napthine said the government would legislate this year to create a Port of Hastings corporation or authority, ending a short-lived management of the port by the Port of Melbourne Corporation. While not wanting to be “held to any specific 10 years”, Mr Napthine told The News that Hastings would become a “moderate sized working container port as soon as possible”. He expected Hastings to be handling up to two million containers by 2030, about 20 to 30 per cent of the state’s total. Mr Napthine ruled out a container port at Geelong, which has been proposed by stevedoring company Asciano. He said the government’s proposals for Hastings neatly fitted with the federal government’s latest national port strategy. Although past estimates for developing Hastings have been as high as $11 billion, Mr Napthine said there were “lots of figures” and financial input would come from state and federal governments and the private sector. Melbourne would become too congested if the Port of Melbourne handled all incoming containers, while the relatively undeveloped Hastings port could be serviced by “dedicated rail or truck shuttles” taking cargoes to inland ports. “We will make sure this doesn’t interfere with existing traffic routes,” Mr Napthine said. The creation of a new body to manage the Port of Hastings will come just as new PoMC-appointed CEO Jeff Bazelmans takes over from Ralph Kenyon. Mr Bazelmans was previously general manager environment of the controversial Port Phillip channel deepening project. The PoMC’s CEO Stephen Bradford told The News he “can’t comment” on
Port in waiting: The Liberal state government wants to “fast-track” port development north of Hastings. Digital picture: Michael Abicare (www.winningimages.com.au) the government’s plans to take the Port of Hastings away from his control. “We never sought Hastings; it was a decision of the previous government,” Mr Bradford said. Mr Bradford said he had “no issues” with the latest decision “and will facilitate the handover when it happens”. “We deliberately excluded Hastings [from consideration when planning for predicted increases in container traffic] because the pace of getting it up and running would be too slow.” Mr Napthine in December told parliament that Labor’s abolishment of the Port of Hastings Corporation had stymied opportunity for development of the port of Hastings. “It fundamentally thumbed its nose at the opportunity to develop this beau-
tiful, natural deepwater port.” Mr Napthine said the PoMC was facing “massive challenges as it is expected that it will increase its container throughput from about two million TEUs [20-foot equivalent units] at the moment to eight million TEUs within the next 25 to 30 years”. “Under Labor the port of Hastings has suffered a litany of broken promises, ill-conceived plans and poor decisions.” He said Hastings could be Victoria’s “competitive second container port”. “We are committed to undertaking cost-benefit, environmental and social impact studies up-front, independently to guide the sensible and environmentally responsible development of the port of Hastings.
“There are great opportunities for job growth and economic development of the region both locally and across the state. “We want the economic benefits that come from a strong, independent, competitive port of Hastings, and that is what we will deliver.” Although the Liberal government accused the former government of going at a “snail’s pace” in Hastings, Blue Wedges says Labor planned to build three additional berths for cars and general cargo within 10 years. In a call to arms against development of the port, the group’s website says: “After that, (2020-2035), major container facilities for international trade would cater for 3.8 million containers per annum and 640,000 cars with 3500
truck trips and 16 goods trains per day. By 2035 Hastings would be pumping out twice the current throughput of the Port of Melbourne, which already works 24/7.” Hastings MP Neale Burgess issued a news release saying he supported “careful development of our port for a range of reasons; not least of which is the jobs it will bring for our families”. “Of equal importance to the people of our community, however, is the high quality infrastructure and services a leading edge port will bring.” Mr Burgess said it was “critical that our community has the ability to choose what businesses come to Hastings and therefore, ultimately, the type and quality of jobs”.
Council continues backing for Saints’ school program Continued from Page 1
The photos were taken by Gilbert and stored on his laptop. The teenager and Gilbert had been in a relationship. The story ran for weeks and finally lost steam on 21 January after the club reached an out-of-court agreement with the teenager. Before this she had threatened to post more photos on the internet, had distributed pamphlets at a Saints’ first training session of 2011 at its new training base at Belvedere Park in Seaford and had been facing legal action from the club. At a Federal Court hearing into the release of the nude photos, Justice Shane Marshall ordered the teenager and St Kilda to attend a mediation session before 28 January. The club’s legal threat was criticised by very few commentators, although the “Human Headline”, Derryn Hinch, posted highly critical statements about St Kilda and the AFL on his website. The agreement includes St Kilda paying for an apartment in
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Frankston Times February 2011
Melbourne for the teenager until May and the girl deleting the images taken from Gilbert’s computer. The club released a statement saying it had agreed to pay for the girl’s accommodation for a “few months” as she tries to rebuild her life. On Tuesday 1 February, Frankston Council released a one-paragraph statement from mayor Kris Bolam. “St Kilda players have already made a number of visits to schools in our municipality, and the council has had nothing but positive reports about those visits. We expect the St Kilda Football Club will maintain this level of professionalism in all their community activities in our city.” Cr Glenn Aitken, whose ward includes Belvedere Park, was remarkable sanguine when asked by The Times about the sinning Saints. “None of it surprises me. If I was a classic politician, which I’m not, I’d say ‘disgraceful’ but it’s really the football culture,” he said. “I’m quite happy for the school visits
program to continue,” he said. “Allowing the photos to be taken was an error of judgement by Nick Riewoldt and the others. “We have to keep the photo scandal in proportion; it’s just a glitch and Frankston has gained and will gain great benefits from having the club down here.” Nudity had become commonplace on television, in films and in print, he said. “It’s today’s reality. “In political terms, if you have one corrupt member of a government you don’t sack the whole government.” Cr Aitken said St Kilda would likely benefit in the long term from the photo scandal and the problem in New Zealand (see end of story). “It is reasonable to expect the club will be even more careful in the future and you might see these kinds of problems occurring at other clubs but not at St Kilda.:” Cr Aitken said he was happy with the Belvedere Park project and the money the council had put into it. “It’s a major sporting facility that also will be used
by junior footballers and other sporting and community groups.” The “Saints in Schools” is a key element of the council’s agreement with St Kilda that has seen $3.8 million of ratepayers’ money go to developing Belvedere Park. Belvedere Park has the original oval and new MCG-sized oval – already being used by the Saints and soon by the Dandenong Stingrays – indoor multi-purpose court, a gymnasium, lecture theatre and meeting rooms. On the drawing board is a pavilion for local clubs and a third oval to be built after the Peninsula Link freeway is completed in 2013. It is expected more than $11 million will be spent on the site, funded by state government, Frankston Council, AFL and the Saints. When it signed the Saints’ deal, the council stated the club would “deliver branding exposure for Frankston City, which will provide flow on benefits, both social and economic, to the local community.” The deal includes St Kilda holding
a minimum of three major activities at Frankston Park each year. The club’s free annual family day is on Sunday afternoon 13 March at Frankston Oval. Highlights include children’s rides, clinics, player signings and the entire 2011 squad presented on stage with their playing jumpers for the 2011 season. The St Kilda Football Club struck more trouble in late January when it confirmed four players had breached “team behavioural standards, including the use of alcohol, misuse of prescribed medication and leaving the team hotel against a player established policy” at its training camp in New Zealand. Paul Cahill, Zac Dawson, Rhys Stanley and Jack Steven have been suspended for six weeks. They will train with VFL affiliate Sandringham during the ban. The quartet will also be fined, have to find full-time employment during the suspension and “participate in relevant community programs in the ... Frankston area”.
Bus stop move urged as quick fix to drug worry
Rig sets sail for other fields THE Kan Tan IV drilling rig was last week towed out of Western Port into Port Phillip to be loaded onto a semisubmersible vessel The Transporter to be taken to its Singapore base. A spokesman for Hastings Port Authority said the 40,000 tonne rig had completed a job in Bass Strait before being anchored off Cowes. It is understood the rig was taken to Port Phillip to make loading easier onto The Transporter.
The arrival of the Kan Tan IV followed the arrival and departure of the metal jacket for the latest addition to the Marlin B oil and gas platforms. The jacket - made of steel pylons - was brought to Western Port by another semi-submersible, the Dockwise, before being towed by tugs to the Bass Strait drilling fields. Picture: Snez Plunkett
By Keith Platt MOVING a bus stop from one side of the railway station to another is the latest suggestion to change Frankston’s image as a town with a drug problem. The recommendation follows a meeting last November of the Pharmacotherapy Accord, a group formed in 1999 to monitor the government-sanctioned program of giving drug addicts the heroin substitute methadone. The accord is made up of representatives of pharmacists, health officials, government departments, police and council. A 7 February report to Frankston councillors states that the Health Department lists Frankston as having the highest recorded number of drug and alcohol abuse residents in the Melbourne metropolitan area. Many of the city’s registered addicts receive methadone, which in turn is credited as improving their health and decreasing crime. The department says every $1 spent on the methadone program saves the community $4 to $7 in health care costs and reduced crime. In November the then mayor, Cr Christine Richards, told an accord meeting that there was growing concern about the concentration of pharmacies distributing methadone, or
pharmacotherapies, in central Frankston. She said there was an assumption by many members of the public that the location of these outlets attracts drug users into the central area. The report to council said “this perception impacts on the city’s reputation, which has a negative effect on Frankston in a number of ways”. However, the Pharmacotherapy Accord meeting decided that providing methadone in the city centre was just one of many social, economic, environmental and cultural issues that affected the demographic of people who ‘hang’ around Young Street Medical. “The meeting determined that no link has been established between the practice of distributing pharmacotherapies and the issue of poor perceptions of Frankston,” the report stated. “It was highlighted that most recipients of the pharmacotherapy program leave the area promptly and are not the persons of concern who are hanging around the streets or behaving antisocially.” The accord “advocated” for the bus interchange to be re-located to the other side of the train station “as this would have an impact on the perception of people hanging around Young St”.
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PAGE 7
NEWS DESK
Rare goshawks seen on peninsula By Mike Hast GOSHAWKS were spotted on the peninsula at Mt Martha last winter and at Flinders in spring. The medium-sized raptors were the white morph form of the goshawk, which also has a grey form. They are infrequent visitors to the peninsula, living mostly in the Otway Ranges as well as Strzelecki Ranges, Gippsland Plains, Glenelg Plain and Otway Plains The Mt Martha bird was spotted by an amateur bird photographer, Helan Reid, who was housesitting for friends in May and June. Ms Reid saw the goshawk in Ferrero Reserve near Balcombe Creek: “It flew along the lane near the end of Hilton Court and ... settled in a tree about 15 metres beyond the easternmost property. It stayed for about five minutes, flying off when I attempted to photograph it.” PENBOC News, the quarterly newsletter of the Mornington Peninsula branch of Bird Observation and Conservation Australia, reported this sighting as well as one by Sally Cleary. Ms Cleary said she saw a goshawk on a property on Musk Creek Rd in Flinders. “I saw what I thought was a sulphurcrested cockatoo on a post overlooking a chook yard,” she reported. “On closer inspection I realised it wasn’t a cockatoo as it looked like a hawk. I looked up my bird book, but couldn’t find any white hawks so got on the internet looking for a birdwatching club.
Rare birds: A grey goshawk (grey morph form) and a “white goshawk” like the ones spotted on the peninsula.
“I then sent an email to the Bird Observers Club of Australia thinking I may have spotted some rare and exotic bird or maybe an albino one. I got a very prompt reply from Bill Ramsay advising me that I had most likely spotted a white morph grey goshawk, which of course it was.” Ms Cleary said a few hours later she saw a flock of sulphur-crested cockatoos with one being constantly bombarded by some of the squawking birds. “By its flight I realised this was my goshawk. I later learned they often fly with sulphur-crested cockatoos as a means of camouflage.” A few days later she was talking to a
neighbour who said she, too, had seen the white goshawk – on the edge of Musk Creek Rd. “As she got closer my neighbour noticed it was trying to lift something from the roadway and fly off but it was too heavy,” Ms Cleary said. Later inspection showed the bird was trying to lift a dead young possum. It soon returned when the humans had departed and dragged its find into bushes and was not seen again. The grey goshawk exists in two distinct and readily recognisable forms – grey morph and white morph (often referred to as “white goshawk”). Most birds in Victoria are the white
morph, with just a few greys being seen and no known resident populations. The grey morph predominates in jungle and subtropical rainforest while the white morph mainly lives in eucalypt forests. It grows to 40-55cm with a wing span of 70-110cm. Females can be almost twice as heavy as males. Only females and immature birds hunt in urban and agricultural areas. The goshawk is an opportunistic hunter preying mostly on mammals such as rabbits, possums and bats. They also prey on birds, reptiles and insects and hunt from either concealed
or exposed perches and often take prey both in flight and on the ground. Some scientists have speculated that a dominant grey population is gradually replacing the white form. In 2003, scientists said the grey goshawk is in a demonstrable state of decline, which is likely to result in extinction, and very rare in terms of abundance and distribution. Their decline is caused by deliberate shooting, direct poisoning during dog and fox control programs, secondary poisoning during rabbit control programs, bioaccumulation of pollutants and eggshell thinning due to the past use of DDT.
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I WOULD like to thank the people of Frankston who have placed their trust in me as the new state MP. It is a privilege to be able to serve Frankston in this way and I am humbled by all the well wishers I have received. Policing is top of our priority list and the Baillieu Government is committed to this, together with fixing the core responsibilities of government – water, education, health, transport and infrastructure. Communication will be closer with the council and I anticipate this closer relationship will deliver a better result for the people of Frankston. I want to see Frankston as the jewel by the bay – a thriving, prosperous, clean and safe city, in which to work and live. I look forward to seeing many of you in the future and working together to make Frankston all it can be. Geoff Shaw MP for Frankston
IT is an honour to represent Frankston as mayor for the coming year. Deputy mayor Cr Sandra Mayer and I realise what a huge privilege and responsibility it is to lead this great city. We look forward to working in partnership with our passionate community and the Federal MP for Dunkley Bruce Billson and the new state government MP for Frankston Geoff Shaw. As mayor I recognise Frankston’s potential and I’m keen to improve its image. Frankston is on the cusp of recognising its full potential and the council will do all it can to help realise this. I’m grateful for this opportunity and I’ll do my best to bring about change and transparency. I look forward to a great year ahead and wish you all a safe and prosperous 2011. Kristopher Bolam JP Mayor of Frankston
LMA selects freeway servos builder By Mike Hast THE state government’s freeway authority Linking Melbourne Authority has appointed a builder for the twin service stations on Peninsula Link south of Baxter. They will be built and operated by A A Holdings, a land development and management company based in Collingwood, in conjunction with a sister company Bredix Pty Ltd. The companies develop service stations for BP Australia and The News understands the twin servos will carry the BP brand. The centres, described as “truck stops”, one north-bound and one south-bound, will be built on farming land south of Baxter and would open by early 2013 when the freeway is complete. Each will have a truckies’ lounge, showers, toilets and laundry; baby changing room, children’s playground and picnic area; buildings of about 3000 square metres; parking for 100 cars, four buses, five caravans and 16 trucks; 26 refuelling points for cars and four for trucks; a convenience store, five food or retail shops and a tourist information kiosk; indoor seating for 272 people and outside seating for 52; and about 13 toilets, including one for people with disabilities. LMA issued the tender last May and in December notified Mornington Peninsula Shire Council of its decision. In May, then shire mayor David Gibb said he was surprised LMA had issued the tender as he had no knowledge of it. It was reported that shire CEO Michael Kennedy was privately annoyed at the proposal as the shire has a policy of refusing applications for stand-alone service stations in the green wedge zone, even though they are a permitted use. In its submission to the Peninsula Link environmental effects statement process in December 2008, the shire told LMA: “That council [would] continue to discourage the development of service centres within the green wedge zone along any adopted route of the ... freeway, to
Truck stops: The proposed twin service stations south of Baxter.
avoid further impacts on the landscape or agricultural land.” Bredix Pty Ltd bought 10 hectares just south of Baxter from Margaret Davis and family before the tender was released in May. Mrs Davis’s father bought 100 hectares between Moorooduc Highway and the old railway line and south of Sages Road in the 1950s. The family built a house on Sages Road near the north-east corner of the land in 1968. A large part of the Davis cattle farm has been compulsorily acquired by LMA for the freeway.
In May Cr Gibb said the shire wanted to see the LMA needs analysis that showed twin service centres were viable. “When the service centre planning application comes to the council, we would look at elements such as how does it fit in with our landscape values. There are some high hurdles to jump.” Cr Gibb said he thought north of Baxter was a better location for freeway service centres. On Friday, Peter Baulch, chairman of Baxter Residents and Traders Progress Action Committee, said the committee
and many Baxter residents support the twin servos. “They will not be accessible from Baxter streets and can only be reached via the freeway. They are sufficiently distant from houses to not pose a noise problem and we have been promised the operator will offer employment to Baxter residents as a priority,” he said. LMA chief executive Ken Mathers has told the shire the servo sites would be extensively landscaped to integrated them into the surrounding environment. They would have “community
assets” such as a picnic area, shared pathways for walkers and cyclists, and a tourist information kiosk. Mr Mathers said the centres were needed to provide drivers with a place to rest and refresh to combat driver fatigue. The project would inject $30 million into the local economy via construction and operation once open, and was expected to create 155 direct and 244 indirect full time, part time and casual jobs during the construction period, and 450 jobs when open, Mr Mathers said.
$2m win for Baxter BAXTER residents were all for Peninsula Link freeway until they discovered a harsh reality mid-2009 – a 500-metre long overpass would soar over the town, right next to people’s homes. They had earlier been told the freeway would be built under Frankston-Flinders Rd and the town’s “main street”, BaxterTooradin Rd, vastly reducing the visual and noise impact on the population of about 1200 people. Through the lobby group BRATPAC, residents fought like tigers to get the government and LMA to change the overpass to an underpass, but nature conspired against them – the water table was too close to the surface and putting the freeway below ground level would cost too much. LMA told residents an underpass would be impacted by the water table and surface water, and would require a permanent pumping station, desalination plant and siphon structures. Dropping the freeway down would have greater visual impact as noise walls would be located closer to people’s fencelines, the authority said. A special low-noise road surface would be used, which would reduce the height and amount of sound walls required. BRATPAC chairman Peter Baulch said the
lobby group was now satisfied the overpass was the only option “based on scientific grounds”. He said there was an up side to the controversy as the group had been able to win a number of concessions to benefit Baxter. “As a result of protracted opposition to the overpass, the group was invited to meet roads minister Tim Pallas in November 2010,” he said. A scheduled 30-minute meeting stretched to 90 minutes as Mr Baulch made a compelling case to Mr Pallas and senior executives of LMA and VicRoads that Baxter should receive some benefits for copping the overpass. The government has agreed to: Full sealing, kerbing and underground drainage for Baxter-Tooradin Rd from the rail crossing to Frankston-Flinders Rd roundabout, a long-neglected section. Sealed footpaths on both sides of this section of Baxter-Tooradin Rd. Signalled pedestrian crossing in the shopping precinct, probably near Thomas St. Mr Baulch said the cost of the work would be more than $2 million and would “significantly improve the community amenity in Baxter”.
Dominator: Artist’s drawing of how the 500-metre overpass at Baxter will look. Picture: Linking Melbourne Authority Frankston Times February 2011
PAGE 9
Artistic surge after wave hero’s death By Keith Platt RESPONDING to his initial emotions, Mornington photographer Robbie Warden jumped on a plane and flew to Hawaii to join the thousands mourning the 2 November 2010 death of champion surfer Andy Irons. “I just felt the need to go over and see my friends and family over there. I didn’t realise how much of an impact Andy had until I arrived,” Warden said. “There were shrines and memorials on every street and the feeling was pretty down; it just showed how much Andy meant to everyone.” One week after the memorial, Warden dislocated a rib while surfing, virtually ripping the muscle off the bone. “I had to go to hospital and spend three weeks out of the water, which meant no surfing, just swimming, photography and getting to know the locals.” After spending a month in Kauai, Warden headed to the north shore of Oahu for the Pipe Masters competition. The first day of the event also heralded the birth of Andy Irons’s son, Andy Axel Irons. “I spent the rest of the trip documenting the event and free surfing on the north shore before returning home before Christmas.” The loss of a hero, the sudden trip overseas, injury and inspired artistry
with his camera was the beginning of a creative summer for Warden who is about to publish his Hawaiian experiences in a journal, with online and print editions. His photographs will feature in an exhibition at the new Surface Pop gallery shop in St Kilda starting on 4 February. Like many artists he constantly seeks inspiration, following a surf at favourite beach Gunnamatta with a trip to Arthurs Seat to watch the setting sun break through a brewing storm across Port Phillip. “Like waking up early on Christmas morning to open presents as a child, full of excitement and surprise, I exited the highway home from the surf to climb to higher ground,” he writes. “The sun was bright, hitting every puff of cloud it could, making an explosion of colour and patterns not even the most psychedelic of drugs could create. “Thanks to mother nature the environment put on an almighty show that lasted well over an hour after the sun had disappeared.” Days later Warden is at Rosebud carnival where coloured lights illuminate youngsters braving the bumps and sudden turns of machinery and slides. Robbie Warden credits his grandfather Edwin R Warden with “the passion that has always been running
Inspiring moments: Photographer Robbie Warden (top right) is making a career of mixing business with pleasure. Watching the sun break through an evening sunset at Arthurs Seat (top left) followed a trip to Hawaii to pay homage to the late great Andy Irons which put him on the spot to take this shot of champion Kelly Slater, one of a sequence used by the Swellnet website. A glass piece (above) by Mt Martha artist Sarah Dingwall is carried by Warden “to shoot in exotic locations ... Her work is amazing and has been an inspiration to help me focus on my passion - photography”. The lack of consistent summer weather may have kept the numbers down at the Rosebud carnival (left) but its operators remain optimistic and plan to extend their season by a day to raise money for flood victims.
through my veins … he was a photographer, adventure pioneer and event organiser who lived to be 92”. “He ran his business shooting footy teams, weddings and portraits, including the Footscray VFL team in the 1950s and was a successful working class photographer with an office at the front of the house and a studio and darkroom in the backyard.” After a marketing stint with the surf label Volcom and inheriting his grandfather’s equipment, journals and inspiration, Robbie Warden decided on a more artistic course. “Growing up I never knew what to do. I just knew I loved the outdoors – surfing, skateboarding, snowboarding, skimboarding, sailing – they were my passions and I wanted to pursue them.” His business, marketing and international business studies at Monash University were fitted in with travelling, surfing and working for Surfing
Victoria as a judge and with Volcom part time. After three years of studies, Warden lived for a time at Huntington Beach, California, and then the north shore of Hawaii where his photography career began, shooting tourists learning to surf on Waikiki Beach. This was followed back in Australia with full-time work for Volcom as the Australian and New Zealand event manager, running surf, skate and snow events and travelling to the US each year for the international finals. “When the recession hit, so did the marketing budget and I was cut, which was nice, because the pressure of events is quite intense.” Unemployed, Warden qualified for government help, which he used to start a photography business. “After almost two years of operating a small business, my outlook has
changed dramatically. From going from surf photography that is highly competitive and has limited resources I have decided to work toward the more viable wedding and real estate markets that enable me to pay the bills, travel and surf.” In the mix with his work and search for clients Warden this year plans to be at the Quiksilver Pro on the Gold Coast, the Alley Fish Fry in Currumbin and the Noosa Festival of surfing from February to March. There is also a chance Warden will be covering the Baja 500 race in Mexico in July and later in the year his own Side Slippin Event at Shoreham. “So many more ideas I’d love to put to action, but I never seem to have enough time or resources. There’s a whole world going on out there.” Contact Robbie Warden at www.robbiewarden.tumblr.com
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PAGE 11
NEWS DESK
2010 news roundup: action aplenty By Mike Hast Part 2: JULY Marina tussle: It was back to the beach in early July, this time in coats and hats, for 175 vocal opponents of the proposed marina in Mornington harbour, the so-called safe harbour project that boaties have been agitating for since at least 1983 when a big blow devastated the precinct, and repeated in April 2008. The $18 million project, which includes almost 200 berths and a wave wall running at an angle off the historic pier to stop northerlies belting the harbour and its boats, is being pushed by a company associated with Mornington Yacht Club. The state government will have to change planning laws to rezone public waters as private, a move that has angered many locals and seen community leaders ducking for cover. The matter will be decided in 2011. Sylvan standoff: Anti-freeway protestors set up a pre-dawn picket at the heritage-listed Frankston South property Westerfield as rumours spread of the imminent arrival of Abigroup bulldozers to clear precious bushland for the Peninsula Link freeway. This was despite the matter still being before the Heritage Council of Victoria. Angry picketers were joined by Frankston mayor Christine Richards, who led negotiations with Abigroup, and Liberal politicians Geoff Shaw (who defeated Labor’s Alistair Harkness at the state election in November), Neale Burgess (Hastings MP) and David Morris (Mornington MP). Little did the objectors know that they would have to
mind the barricades for 13 weeks. Ferry expensive: It is revealed that infrastructure for the proposed tourism “missing link”, the car ferry between the Mornington Peninsula at Stony Point and Cowes on Phillip Island, could cost at least $50 million and the state government could be forced to subsidise trips to the tune of $2 million a year. Ferry critics say the service would be economically unviable, but supporters, including Mornington Peninsula and Bass Coast shires, and four state government departments including Parks Victoria, continue to push the project. Tide and time: State Greens MP Sue Pennecuik releases analysis of Port of Melbourne Corporation tide data done by Port Phillip Baykeeper Neil Blake that shows higher tides in southern Port Phillip since dredging of The Heads in September 2008. The biggest increase is at Point Lonsdale, just inside the western side of the entrance, where average daily tides were 100mm above the 10-year average. Others readings: Queenscliff 40mm above average, Rosebud 51mm, St Leonards 48mm, Williamstown 2mm. Government spokesman Don Hough, the dredging watchdog, refutes the claim, saying the bay’s high tides “have increased by an average of about 10mm”, which was in line with channel deepening project predictions. Meanwhile, complaints about disappearing Portsea beach continue to dog the government. Take a gander: Shire council approves a 400-square, single-storey, 99-metre long house on the foreshore at Point Leo for the Gandel family of shopping
centre fame. It will be made of rammed earth, terracotta tiles, copper cladding and have big windows facing Western Port and Bass Strait, of course. Point of it all: Parks Victoria releases the long-awaited management plan for Point Nepean National Park and its historic quarantine station precinct, listing a range of tourism-, education-, arts-, science- and recreation-based activities as features. The plans also allow for a boutique hotel, backpacker hostel, camping area, respite centre, restaurants, cafes, museum and meeting rooms, but no swimming off the park’s beaches, where fast-moving tides make it too dangerous. Critics of the plan, including members of the disbanded community trust, appointed by the Howard government, and Flinders federal Liberal MP Greg Hunt, strongly question the luxury hotel plan, with one trust member saying Melbourne hoteliers had looked at the site and decided it was not economically viable. Budget for this: Frankston Council ups its rates by 6.5 per cent to raise $56 million from rates. The shire council approves a rate rise of 6.2 per cent with revenue from rates to yield $104 million. Peninsula property values go up an average of 10.3 per cent after compulsory valuations in January. Gavin a good time: State environment minister Gavin Jennings digs out his Melway and heads south of the river to Frankston to inspect historic Westerfield and meet its owners Simon and Joyce Welsh as well as Peninsula Link freeway protestors who have manned a picket against bulldozers clearing the property for more than seven weeks.
Jennings also visits the Frankston Reservoir reserve, but is confronted by conservationists demanding he lock up the reserve to protect precious flora and fauna. It’s raining, again: The peninsula’s (and Australia’s) wet year continued when heavy downpours over the last weekend in July swamped low-lying parts of Baxter while SES units at Frankston, Hastings and Sorrento answered calls from property owners with damaged roofs and downed trees. AUGUST Bold gamble: Hotel Sorrento becomes the first pub in Victoria to hand back its poker machines with owners Anne and Rob Pitt saying they were always uncomfortable running a gambling venue and would concentrate on accommodation, conferences, wining and dining at the 1871 limestone hotel on the hill. Vote for me: The phony election war is over as candidates in Flinders and Dunkley for the 21 August federal poll confirm their candidacy: Greg Hunt (sitting MP, Liberal), Francis Gagliano-Ventura (ALP), shire councillor Reade Smith (Family First) and Robert Brown (Greens) contest Flinders, while Bruce Billson (sitting MP, Liberal), Helen Constas (ALP), Simon Tiller (Greens) and Yasmin De Zilwa (Family First) go in Dunkley. Big stink: Water utility South East Water escapes court and a heavy fine after more than 40,000 litres of sewage from one of its sewer mains leaked into a Mt Martha creek in September 2008. SEW and the EPA agree on what is known as an “enforceable undertaking”, a Victorian first, that will see SEW complete
nine tasks costing about $330,000. They include installing early warning systems for leaks, better inspection of its pipes, better plans for dealing with leaking pipes and sharing knowledge gained with the water industry and community. SEW has until the end of 2012 to implement the undertaking. Vale vans: Flinders Caravan Park is bought by a developer for $6.21 million, $700,000 more than expected for the two-hectare property that will farewell vans in June 2011 and be subdivided for housing. It is just another in a long list of caravan parks in Victoria being snapped up for development, including sites in Portsea, Rosebud and Hastings. Confidence eroding: World-renowned coastal scientist Gerry Byrne of Sorrento calls on the state government and Port of Melbourne Corporation to fund a detailed mathematical modelling of wave movements in Port Phillip as government authorities continue to deny dredging of The Heads is causing the devastation of Portsea front beach. His call is ignored as contractors truck in 50,000 tonnes of Gippsland sand for the beach before erecting a temporary rock wall to stop more erosion. Winner, worrier: Flinders Liberal MP Greg Hunt celebrates retaining his seat at the 21 August federal election while his colleague, Dunkley’s Bruce Billson, is in the fight of his political life with ALP candidate Helen Constas. Billson prevails many days later, winning by just 1750 votes two-party preferred, but incurring a three per cent swing against him and making his seat one of the most marginal in the state.
THE
CHARITY AUCTION IS ON AGAIN!
THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA ASSOCIATION MORNINGTON PENINSULA REGIONAL GROUP
PICNIC AT CRUDEN FARM The property of Dame Elisabeth Murdoch AC DBE Cranhaven Road, Langwarrin Melway 103-G6
Featuring entertainment from
TOMMY CARTER OAM & HIS CELEBRATED JAZZ BAND Sunday, February 20th 2011 12 Noon to 4.30 pm
Fundraiser for our Secondary Schools Award Programme BYO PICNIC, TABLES AND CHAIRS Donation: $10.00 per Person, School Children -Free
♦ EVERYONE WELCOME - ENJOY TIME WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS – NO NEED TO BOOK – JUST ARRIVE. ♦ SAUSAGE SIZZLE; VALUABLE RAFFLE PRIZES ♦ MAGNIFICENT GARDENS, TREES AND LAKE ♦ PRESENTATIONS: SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS FOR 2010
Excellent under cover facilities COFFEE AND TEA PROVIDED; SOFT DRINKS FOR SALE
Further information from
Brian Stahl OAM JP Ph 0407 683 525 Email: ber.bri@bigpond.com. or Tom Newman OAM Ph 9017 0904 Email: twnewman@optusnet.com.au
Come and share a great night among friends while doing your bit to prevent cancer in Victoria. This is an opportunity to enjoy the electric atmosphere and meet our auctioneer Andrew Morello, winner of Channel 9’s ‘The Apprentice’, and our MC the ‘master of one-liners’ John Blackman. We have FABULOUS auction items that are yours for the bidding. Big or small, practical or luxury, we have something to suit your taste, including: • Hummer Limo Rides • Luxury Accommodation Packages • Sporting Memorabilia • A HUGE range of Gift Certificates • And So Much More!!!
Friday 25th of February Mornington Race Club in the Gunamatta Room Doors open at 6:30pm Tickets $40 inc. access to great bargains, finger food and Raffle Ticket to win a $500 cash door prize.
ALL MONIES RAISED WILL GO TO THE CANCER COUNCIL OF VICTORIA as part of the Mornington Peninsula Relay for Life Contact: Darren Morris on 0407 118 788 or, contact@southernlandscapes.com.au for ticket sales and donations
now you’re at home. P R I N T
Mornington Ph: 03 5975 9288 CNR. NEPEAN HWY & TYABB RD, MORNINGTON
PAGE 12
Frankston Times February 2011
D E S I G N
MORNINGTON 5973 6333
SEPTEMBER Chair-left: Parks Victoria fails to find an operator for the ill-fated Arthurs Seat chairlift, closed since May 2006, and announces a second tendering process. Owner Richard Hudson of Dromana continues litigation against Parks and WorkSafe over the forced closure. In November, the government announces that a consortium led by Macquarie Group senior executive and yachtsman Simon McKeon, also chairman of the CSIRO and former head of the Point Nepean Community Trust, will rebuild the chairlift at a cost of $5 million and be granted a 50-year lease. No smoke: Peninsula Health bans smoking at all of its centres including Frankston and Rosebud hospitals and their grounds after what it claims was a successful trial at Hastings Community Health service. Coast shaved: A huge section of cliff six metres high and 30 metres long near the end of Daveys Bay Rd, Mt Eliza, collapses onto the beach, with two earth tremors in March, the long drought and then above-average rains being blamed. It follows landslips at two other Mt Eliza beaches in August, one caused by heavy rain and one by sea erosion, and massive erosion at Mt Martha. Players sacked: Pearcedale Football Club sacks four of its best players after an end-of-season party at Baxter Tavern. The club had been put on a $10,000 good behaviour bond by the local footy league the year before after incidents in Warrnambool. Weather? Storms, of course: SES volunteers endure more sleepless nights fixing roofs and removing fallen trees as yet another big storm belts the peninsula, on the first weekend of the month. Sorrento SES received 300 callouts, almost double its 2003
record, and Hastings a similar number. Winds top 130km/h, some homes and shops lose power for 48 hours and SES units from as far afield as Footscray, Essendon and Northcote come to help. Worst affected were Mornington, Mt Martha, Somerville, Balnarring, Red Hill, Main Ridge, McCrae, Rye, Blairgowrie and Sorrento with the shire council saying it would take six weeks to clean up. Shipping steel: Striking BlueScope Steel maintenance workers return to the plant at Hastings after a five-week strike over conditions. Fake rape: Police hunt for male sex attacker after a 21-year-old Mt Martha woman claims she was assaulted while jogging on a track beside the Esplanade at Mt Martha. Hundreds of fearful local women change their routines, but a week later police announce the report was false and move to charge the woman over false claims. The incident generates a blizzard of negative publicity nationwide. Big wet: Melbourne Water rainfall figures for winter confirm what we already knew: the peninsula received rain well above the 10-year average and more than 50 per cent more than last winter. Playing pool: Frankston councillors approve a $31 million aquatic centre for Samuel Sherlock Reserve, with the state government promising $12.5 million, the largest amount ever given to a council for a pool. The decision is not supported by all councillors with some calling for money to be spent on other projects. Bulldozed: Peninsula Link freeway builders, police and conservationists face off at the heritage-listed Westerfield property on Tuesday 28 September after the Heritage Council of Victoria removes the final legal barrier for bushland clearing work to start. Some
of the 50 conservationists who had maintained a 13-week picket scale or stand beside trees and jump on earthmoving equipment as police from a squad of 70 officers make five arrests. Fish fight: Department of Primary Industries contractors secretly release trout fingerlings into Devilbend Reservoir to howls of protest from members of the Devilbend Foundation and other conservationists who for more than 10 years have been trying to dissuade the government from allowing recreational fishing in the 1000-hectare reserve. OCTOBER Bagged out: Department of Sustainability and Environment contractors finish sandbagging Portsea beach after spending more than $2 million and tipping thousands of tonnes of sand onto the fast-eroding beach, which locals claim was caused by swells coming in from Bass Strait through the entrance to Port Phillip, deepened as part of the dredging of shipping channels. Bus-ted: Public transport advocates slam the state government for failing to introduce recommendations of its own bus review of the peninsula. Just two of 12 suggestions have been introduced: a new bus route between Rye and St Andrews Beach to connect with the Portsea-Frankston route and a new route to service Rosebud TAFE. Race not run: Mornington Racing Club is forced to cancel its premier spring racing day, the Peninsula Cup, in late October after more, you guessed it, heavy rain. 80mm in fact. It was to be the first meeting on the new, $1.4 million upgraded track. The cup was run on 20 November when almost 10,000 people flocked to the track to see the first meeting since January. Market rules: The value of blocks at the controversial Martha Cove marinabased estate at Safety Beach continue to languish after CP1, part of the Gold
Forever memories: Wedding photos come alive on the waters of Port Phillip Bay. Photo Dave Bryant
Coast-based City Pacific group, hit the wall in August 2009 and was forced to sell off large parts of the development to other developers. Blocks that previously cost up to $500,000 were being offered at a substantial discount, but optimists said land values would come good in the longer term. NOVEMBER Three’s a crowd: Osborne Primary School principal Liz Klein sparks a statewide debate when she bans groups of three or more pupils from wandering around the school grounds at breaks “harassing others�, a first for Victorian state schools. While group games are encouraged, pupils engaging in “annoying and silly behaviour at the expense of others� will be separated. Mud map: Melbourne Water starts work on a map to show which houses in Frankston and on the peninsula would be subject to flooding by predicted rising seas and more frequent storms and rains. Poll push: Victorians returned to voting centres, this time for the state election, at the end of the month. In Frankston, the ALP’s Alistair Harkness was a surprise loser, well beaten by the Liberal’s Geoff Shaw, a Frankston accountant, and further up the line Labor lost Carrum, Mordialloc and Bentleigh, with the former Bentleigh MP Rob Hudson blaming problems on the Frankston rail line for voters deserting the ALP and political analyst Nick Economou of Monash University saying the Peninsula Link freeway, north-south pipeline and Wonthaggi desal plant debacles cost Labor dearly. Landmark on market: Frankston’s tallest building, the 12-storey Peninsula Centre once described by comedian Barry Humphries as Melbourne’s ugliest building, goes back on the mar-
ket after owner Asian Pacific Building Corporation scraps plans to turn it into a 140-room luxury hotel. The firm bought it three years earlier for $11.25 million. It comes with concept plans for 90 apartments and ground floor shops. Butt out: Frankston Council starts its smoke-free trial in Shannon St Mall, Station St Mall, parts of Young St and two smaller streets. Cop shop: The $8.4 million Carrum Downs police station opens with the state government promising 35 officers, some of whom will no doubt improve their fitness for chasing miscreants by using the station’s gymnasium. Firsts among equals: Frankston councillors vote Defence Department recruitment officer Kris Bolam as their new and youngest-ever mayor at 24, while the Mornington shire councillors hand the robes and chain to Dromana pest controller Graham Pittock. DECEMBER Hot seat: Main Ridge winery T’Gallant, owned by brewing giant Fosters Group, submits a new plan to the shire council seeking a 150-seat restaurant and cellar door area for 40 after failing to win approval for a 274-seat eatery earlier in the year. Opponents claim the winery has consistently exceeded its 60-seat capacity and chide the shire for failing to issue fines. Councillors will consider the new application in February. Bay blitz: Fisheries Victoria officers blitz Port Phillip and Western Port boat ramps, handing out 57 fines to anglers with too many or undersized fish, and continue to target abalone poachers with two men from the southern peninsula caught red-handed with abalone and diving gear in the car park of a Chinese restaurant in distant Sunshine.
PHOTOGRAPHY $2 0 0 OFF TAKE
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All- lus ve P k e
WEDDINGS are a booming business on the Mornington Peninsula and not surprisingly, there are more wedding businesses than ever before. Dave Bryant is one of them, and in the past 20 years he’s become one the most respected and experienced photographers in the industry. “Being a resident of Rosebud is a positive for new clients who want someone with local knowledge and are willing to assist in creating an effective itinerary for their wedding day,� he said. His years of experience are important when it comes to finding good photo opportunities at the various gardens, beaches and lookouts. “The role of a photographer should be to assist in the planning of any wedding day. Pho-
tographers see more in a day than any other service, so fundamentally, allowing them to offer ideas and options is valuable. I always offer my experience and ideas when I meet a new client, even if they choose another photographer.� David also has a page of great hints and tips on his website. He makes a point of making sure his clients understand the necessity for enough time after their ceremony for the possibility of a group photo, followed by family shots and eventually at least an hour with the bridal party, although he would like an hour or two for the best photo opportunities. “You only have one opportunity to get photos that capture the essence of your day, so don’t rush it. Take the time to discuss
the day with your photographer, it will result in a time-effective itinerary and see your day go off without a hitch,� he said. David is self-employed, also specialising in real estate and underwater photography (also known as Seapics). He has won several Australian awards for his images and has been published in diving and travel magazines. His passion for the local environment is evident if you get the chance to see his marine pictures. Check out his new wedding website at www.davebryant photography.com.au or call him any time on 0417 125 710. David is offering a $200 discount off his top package as long as you mention the offer or present the advertisement in this issue during an interview.
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PAGE 13
NEWS DESK
Child killer wants $80,000 from dead girl’s mother By Mike Hast COMMUNITY anger is mounting over child killer Derek Percy winning Supreme Court approval for 72-yearold pensioner and grandmother Jean Priest to pay for his legal costs for a failed court case. Last week Ms Priest lost her bid to force Percy, a former naval rating based at HMAS Cerberus in Crib Point, to give evidence about her daughter Linda Stilwell, 7, who was abducted from St Kilda in August 1968. Her body has never been found. Police have long suspected Percy, known as “The Spook”, was involved in her disappearance and he admitted to one officer that he was in St Kilda on the day she went missing. In a police interview in 1969, when asked if he killed Linda Stilwell, Percy said “possibly, I don’t remember a thing about it”. Last week the court ordered that Ms Priest must pay Percy’s legal costs of $32,247 for the first stage of the failed court case. The day after, in an affidavit filed in the Court of Appeal, Percy argued through his lawyer that Ms Priest should pay another $48,700 as security in her final appeal to make him answer questions under oath. Ms Priest faces possibly bankruptcy over the two claims. Percy remains in jail indefinitely for the 1969 killing of Yvonne Tuohy, 12, of Warneet, for which he was found not guilty by reason of insanity. He is the only Victorian prisoner held at the “Governor’s pleasure”, now at Port Phillip Prison in Laverton North, and has never been charged with any other crime. Percy was based at Cerberus when he was arrested just hours after Yvonne Tuohy’s kidnapping. Her mutilated body was found in bushland at Devon Meadows, a short drive from Warneet. Police acted on information from Shane Spiller, a 12-year-old boy with Yvonne at Warneet’s Ski Beach in the coastal reserve between Blind Bight and Warneet on an isolated part of Rutherford Inlet, which flows into Western Port near Tooradin. The boy escaped from the kidnapper’s clutches by brandishing his tomahawk. Leading calls for the state government to help Jean Priest is Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews, Steve Medcraft of People Against Lenient Sentencing and prominent Crime Victims’ Support Association spokesman Noel McNamara, who also says Percy should pay his own bills. Percy has amassed more than $300,000 during his 41 years behind bars. Although he was with the Navy for only 20 months, he continues to collect ComSuper payments of up to $20,000 a year, based on 60 per cent of a recruit’s annual salary. In 2007, police found 35 cardboard boxes and tea chests filled with material from Percy in a South Melbourne storage depot. They alleged the material included clippings on sex crimes, stories Percy had written on how to commit child abductions and items that appeared to implicate him in unsolved murders. There was also a valuable stamp collection.
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Frankston Times February 2011
Faces of a child killer: Derek Percy, above, after his arrest in 1969 for the murder of Yvonne Tuohy and the boy, Shane Spiller with his tomahawk, who helped police find the Royal Australian Navy recruit at HMAS Cerberus; Derek Percy, right, when he appeared in court in the early 2000s; and, left, Derek Percy last year, aged 62.
Police discovered Percy had leased storage units since 1970, had $300,000 in the bank and had successfully invested in gold. He had used part of his income to rent the storage unit. The murder of Yvonne Tuohy became Warneet’s dark secret. It was only discussed in whispers behind closed doors. Residents who remember the event have died, moved away or refuse to talk about it. The murder brought shame on the Navy and HMAS Cerberus, and changed forever the life of the boy who was with Yvonne, the daughter of the owners of Warneet’s one general store. On that fateful day, the day US astronaut Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, the two 12-year-olds had headed off on an adventure, walking about two kilometres from the village through the bush reserve that separates Warneet Rd from the upper reaches of Rutherford Inlet. In Australia it was still a time when parents allowed their children to go adventuring on their own, a time when child stealing was virtually unknown, although the 1960 kidnapping and murder of eight-year-old Sydney boy Graeme Thorne, whose parents had won 100,000 pounds ($5 million in today’s value) in a Sydney Opera House lottery, was still remembered. It was a crime that caused massive shock around the nation and overseas, and was the first known kidnapping for ransom in Australian history. It became world famous as one of the first times a crime had been solved by forensic investigation. The convicted killer, Stephen Leslie Bradley, died of a heart attack while playing tennis in Goulburn jail on 6 October 1968, aged 42. Victoria’s famous Faraday State School $1 million kidnapping, where a 20-year-old female teacher, Mary Gibbs, and her six girl pupils were taken at gunpoint from their tiny schoolhouse north-west of Melbourne, was
still three years away. The kidnapping, dubbed “Australia’s crime of the century”, had a happy ending as Ms Gibbs and her pupils escaped from a van and police arrested Edwin John Eastwood and Robert Clyde Boland, who were sentenced to long terms in jail (although Eastwood later escaped and committed a second bush school kidnapping in 1977). Shane Spiller and Yvonne Tuohy were playing on Ski Beach when a man approached them and seized the girl. When Percy attempted to grab Spiller, the boy threatened him with his tomahawk. Spiller ran for his life through the bush and raised the alarm when he arrived breathless in the coastal village. Police were called and raced to Warneet. Spiller told them Percy had taken the girl away in an orange station wagon. He gave detectives a drawing of a sticker he’d seen on its rear window, a Royal Australian Navy insignia. Police drove to Cerberus and found Percy in the laundry, trying to wash Yvonne’s blood from his clothes. Shane Spiller was haunted by the incident for the rest of his life and disappeared from Wyndham, a small town on the NSW south coast near Merimbula, in 2002 at the age of 44. He had started drinking at age 14, his school results deteriorated, he fell out with his parents, left school and went walkabout from the family home in Armadale. A neighbour in Wyndham years later described him as “the most paranoid person I’ve ever met. Shane suffered all his life with post-traumatic stress disorder. There was this overwhelming dark cloud over his life and he was basically self-medicating with drugs and alcohol”. Police claim Percy ruined Spiller’s life. Percy has since been linked to the disappearances and deaths of eight other children in Victoria, NSW, ACT and South Australia, including the
three Beaumont children, who were abducted from an Adelaide beach in 1966 and never found. Detectives from four police forces have been investigating cold case child murders for four years in an operation codenamed Heats. Percy has been questioned about: The murders of 15-year-olds Christine Sharrock and Marianne Schmidt on Sydney’s Wanda Beach in January 1965, while Percy, then 17, was holidaying nearby with his parents. The disappearance of the Beaumont children (Jane, 9, Arnna, 7, and Grant, 4), abducted from Glenelg Beach near Adelaide on Australia Day in 1966, which spawned books, documentaries and the visit of a Dutch clairvoyant, Gerard Croiset, who said their bodies were buried under an Adelaide warehouse. The site was dug up but nothing was found. The case burned a hole in the national psyche and is discussed to this day. Percy admitted to police he was in Adelaide at the time. The murder of Allen Redston, 6, in Canberra in September 1966. The boy left his home to go to a nearby milk bar for ice-cream. The following day his body was discovered concealed in reeds by a creek. He had been hog-tied and had plastic wrapped around his throat. When Percy was questioned in 1969, he confirmed taking a family holiday in Canberra that year. The death of Simon Brook, 3, in Sydney in May 1968, taken from the yard of his home in Glebe. By this time Percy had left school and joined the Navy. He lived at the naval base at Garden Island and commuted through Glebe to the dock. The disappearance of Linda Stilwell. Percy was subpoenaed to appear in court in late 2009 to give evidence about Linda Stilwell, who was last seen playing on St Kilda foreshore on 10 August 1968. Percy had admitted to police he drove through St Kilda that day but, as with all of his interviews
with the law, says he cannot remember killing anyone. He has maintained this line through 40 years of interviews. Linda Stilwell’s brother Gary has reportedly said he truly believes Percy murdered his sister and Stilwell wants to eyeball Percy in court. The cold case homicide unit first reviewed the Stilwell file seven years ago to prepare the inquest brief. In April 2007, Howard government veterans affairs minister Bruce Billson, the Dunkley MP based in Frankston, promised to investigate the payments to Percy. But the Coalition lost power later that year and the money has continued to flow. Last week, Linda’s mother fought back tears after Supreme Court Justice Iain Ross ruled that Percy, 62, did not have to give evidence to answer questions on his alleged involvement in Linda’s abduction. Percy instructed his lawyers to pursue the Stilwell family for money he spent on barristers defending his fight against self-incrimination. Deputy State Coroner Iain West last year ruled Percy should not give evidence to an inquest on Linda as his apparent psychosis in the late 1960s meant he would be unreliable. An appeal to Justice Ross had sought a judicial review to overturn Mr West’s decision and force Percy to give evidence and for evidence of five other child abductions and murders to be considered. Ms Priest has one more attempt to force Percy to talk. Then she and her family have to face the harsh reality of the child killer’s $80,000 legal bill claim. Members of the public have offered her financial support, but the real issue is a legal system that has allowed this awful case and a state government that so far has remained mute. Premier Ted Baillieu and AttorneyGeneral Robert Clark have refused to discuss the case, despite their “tough on crime” stance prior to the November election.
F
D& ENTERTAINMENT ʔʦLȫɏ
Pea, corn and bacon frittata
Recipes are from The Australian Women’s Weekly, Only Four Ingredients. ACP Books. RRP $12.95, available from selected newsagents, supermarkets and online from www.acpbooks.com.au
Confucius says: If the shoe fits, get another one just like it
PET OF THE MONTH
RIddle Solution
A doctor and a lawyer were talking at a party.
This is our dog Aussie. He is a four year old black lab. We have recently adopted him from the animal shelter. He loves the leash-free park and dog school where he is learning to socialize. He also loves rolling on the lawn on his back and likes to be tickled. He is very loving and adorable.
Their conversation was constantly interrupted by people describing their ailments and asking the doctor for free medical advice. After an hour of this, the exasperated doctor asked the lawyer, “What do you do to stop people from asking you for legal advice when you’re out of the office?”
You are driving a bus throughout the Peninsula. At the first stop, 3 three people get on. At the next one, 12 people get on and 2 get off. After that 5 more people get on. What is the bus driver’s name? ANSWER: Whatever your name is since YOU are the bus driver.
Sudoku Solution
“I give it to them,” replied the lawyer, “and then I send them a bill.”
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The doctor was shocked, but agreed to give it a try. The next day, still feeling slightly guilty, the doctor prepared the bills. When he went to place them in his mailbox, he found a bill from the lawyer.
To advertise in the next Frankston Times please contact Carolyn Wagener on 0407 030 761 The most ridiculous and strange, fresh for you... Frankston Times February 2011
PAGE 15
Western Port
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Frankston Times February 2011
Hastings & District Community Bank速Branch
LIFE & LEISURE
Entertainment I WAS recently intrigued by a conversation l had with 17-year-old Toorak College photography student Brittany Anwender at a Mt Eliza restaurant. Brittany has a passion for still life, portraiture and landscape photography. I caught up with the Mt Eliza student this week as she told me of her journey. “I only took up photography because I had a spare slot in my timetable and thought doing an art subject would be fun. After taking a few shots I was really happy with what I saw and thought I may be good at photography. My teacher has been a great inspiration to me and I quickly saw a huge improvement in my work from that,” she said.
It’s handy Brittany’s parents owned a photo lab, so they passed down some knowledge of photographic chemical process and gave Brittany her first SLR camera, which is now one of her film cameras of choice. “My parents fully support me and are happy that I have found something that I enjoy a lot. I hope to go and study photography at RMIT or fine art photography at Melbourne University. From there I will try and make a decision of what sort of career I want in photography.” Brittany also enjoys playing music a lot and is currently doing a project where she draws or paints a picture each day for a year. “I also like to create collages with
magazine cuttings and collect antique cameras as well. “I am also interested in fashion and design, running my blog, travelling, reading, art history and writing.” Can Brittany recommend a camera for all of us? “For a beginner who wants to take up film photography, automatic film SLRs are not too expensive these days and will give you a good insight to how cameras work, such as the shutter speed, aperture and the light sensitivity of film. For anyone who has trouble finding places to process their film, digital is a better option, and digital SLRs are becoming a lot more reasonable than they were for a basic model. I prefer to use the Nikon
with Gary Turner
Bright future: Brittany Anwender.
system. You don’t need the most expensive camera to take fantastic
A Grain Of Salt WE all feel sorry for the Queensland flood victims. That’s a given. Even Prince Charles “How wonderfully resilient you Australians are.” Fair enough. Give a donation if you can. Ditto the Victorian flood victims. But this feeding frenzy by the television stations and newspapers is too much. Then there’s the complaints, similar to our bushfire victims a year ago, blaming the government, the insurers and eventually the organisers-anything but nature. Lastly the politicians, taking lessons in how to show remorse. The more they show the more we judge? How ridiculous. Who dresses Julia? I’m surprised Shane Jacobson hasn’t somehow got into the act. “Dishonest, dishonourable and deceptive” says our man Greggy Hunt in response to the Wikileaks disclosure of Kevvy Rudd on whaling. These politicians eh. Talk about tongue in cheek. The real fascination is how the Yanks keep a record of everything and anything about every country in the world. So they don’t just spy on their enemies-they spy on everyone. Ditto England, Russia, China, Australia et al. Who are they spying for? Us? No-
photos; it all depends on how you use it really,” she said. On Brittany’s advice I purchased a Nikon SLR camera and my photography has improved, although l have a long way to go. One of Brittany’s images was recently displayed at Peninsula Community Theatre in Mornington: a black and white time lapse photograph of her sister holding a sparkler. Brittany was representing Toorak College. I am sure we will see a lot more of her work in years to come and some lucky newspaper may have her in their team.
with Cliff Ellen we don’t give it a second thought. So, they play their games for themselves. A world coterie of international wanking. Almost all of us come up against the legendary “Brick Wall” at one or sometimes more stages of our life. We either walk away from it, generally causing some psychological damage varying in degrees (of regret), or we climb over it after much stress, with occasionally handsome rewards to your state of mind. I went within an inch of walking away from two careers (?) but fortunately fell over just sufficient to maintain a shred of dignity. Ahh, but I never quite got there with the lovely Avril Brown. Madly in love for 3 years but never the courage to make my feelings known, she being the school captain and me a minnow. And now, almost 60 years later, I’m still regretting it. It’s a certainty she would have peremptorily dismissed me, but that’s not the point. That fear of refusal stayed for life. On the other hand as I’ve never asked a female out I’ve never had a refusal. “Tourism leaders on the Mornington Peninsula are looking outside the
region for ideas to boost us into the future.” Wow! We are all aware of the bottleneck along Point Nepean Road which will become total gridlock after the Peninsula Link is opened, so where to fit the extra tourists? Somers? Hastings? How about a giant mermaid in Collingwood colours this side of Frankston with ginormous physical attributes? A large “sqeeze in” sign on the left and “hurry out” on the right? I read somewhere that all opinions, in the philosophical sense, reach the same conclusion, that pleasure is our target. It may be a good job, a car, an obedient wife or husband, a grand final win or tattslotto but it appears to always equate to pleasure, or meaning. My problem is that in my twilight years I find it difficult to decide what “pleasure” really means, apart from a good feed of crayfish. I’ve bought lots of toys lately; a new flashy mobile phone with lots of Apps (?) and other useless items. Why? This twilight period has strong similarities to my very early childhood. Is that it then? We begin as babies, live a life to a certain age, and drift back to child-
hood? Apparently. So it boils down to crayfish, cigarettes, beer, a grumpy bum attitude...and the increasingly rare fantasy? A word of advice to all you oldies out there in MP land: I notice there’s two crowds heavily advertising how you will get what you’re entitled to from Centrelink-at a price. Disregard! A simple appointment at the depressing Centrelink office will tell you the full story, for free. This time next year there may be nowhere to have a smoke with a coffee or a beer, thanks to Teddy’s lot, not that the opposition is any different. And then? Why of course-reduce .05 to .02 or even zero. And then? A ban on fat people appearing in public? Let’s all bring a thermos, a slab and ciggies, and meet at the Rye ocean beach (I refuse to call it St Andrews) every February 29. An old world celebration devoid of the “we know what’s best for everyone” mob. All welcome, apart from psychiatrists, politicians, psychologists, financial advisers and doctors. “It’s not the same anymore; it’s not the same when you walked
right out that door”...Lah de dah. [PS: I’m advised by my son (son’s know everything) that I’m also a “we know best” type, but with opposite views. Fair point, but I’m opposed by nature to what George Orwell described as “groupthink”] “I am monogamous from time to time, but I prefer polygamy and polyandry.” [Lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy] “Don’t part with your illusions. When they are gone you may still exist, but you have ceased to live” [Mark Twain] Brevity is the soul of wit, said Shakespeare (or was it Polonius?) so I’ll shut up. Cheers...cliffie9@bigpond.com
Mornington Peninsula Camera Club The Mornington Peninsula Camera Club is one of the oldest, established photographic clubs on the peninsula, with it’s beginnings at Red Hill many years ago. At our club we endeavor to cater for all levels of competence, from real beginners to the more experienced members, encouraging them to challenge themselves and try new ideas. If you would like to join our club, we meet on the 1st Thursday of the month at the Benton’s Square Community Centre, Benton’s Road, Mornington, starting at 7:30pm. New Members are always welcome – for further information, please call either Graeme on 5975-1260 or Maree on 5975-0454.
Clockwise from left: Best Large Print in ‘B’ Grade, ‘Georgianna McHaffie’ by Judith Meier Best large print in ‘A’ Grade, ‘The Cob’ by David Pycroft Best Small Print ‘A’ Grade, ‘Greengrocer Cicada’ by David Pycroft Best Monochrome for 2010, ‘Bearded Dragon’ by Jackie Jones Frankston Times February 2011
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WHAT’S ON The Southern Peninsula 50+ Club is a Peninsula based friendship club who meet regularly for outings such as dinners, lunches,walks, games,picnics, bbq,s, bus trips. The club holds general meetings at the West Rosebud Community Hall the third Tuesday of each month. For more info, ring Val on 5985 3045.
Womens pre-loved Fashion Market Mornington Racecourse Loved it Market is a unique event with over 65 indoor stalls selling quality womens pre-loved fashion & accessories. Come along & pick up current fashion, a vintage piece, or a designer handbag. Sunday February 20th 2011 Mornington Racecourse Dining Room 9.30 – 1.30 pm $3 Entry & free parking. Enquiries 0417 138 125 or email loveditmarket@yahoo.com.au Racecourse Road access from Bungower Rd Closed
Peninsula Diabetic Self Help Group is a friendly group who meet on the 3rd Monday of each month in the Uniting Church Hall, Murray Anderson Road, Rosebud at 1pm. Diabetics, careers and friends are most welcome. Details 59867795.
Club Open Day. Saturday February 12th 2011 from 10am to 3pm. Hastings Tennis Club, 54 Marine Parade, Hastings. Free open day, coaching, ball machine, and best of all free sausage sizzle. Come along and have fun at our open day. For more information telephone vicki 59794920 or just turn up on the day.
Warhammer Kids Club. Play the game, make scenery, paint miniatures. Free attendance, fully supervised. Bentons Square Community Centre. Mondays 3.30-5.30pm 5977-2468
Your event here? Email team@ mpnews.com.au to have your community group’s event listed in the ‘What’s On Around The Peninsula’ section’.
Birdwatching Peninsula Bird Observers be birdwatching during February on Wednesday 9th at Devilbend Reserve and Sunday 20th at MainRidge. Walks start at 9.00am. This is an opportunity to share your knowledge and learn about local birds. Bring lunch and binoculars if available. For further details ph Max 97890224
Cancer Support Group meets every second Tuesday of the month. All welcome. Community Health. 185 High Street, Hastings, or ring 0419 020 543.
Western Port Equestrian Association Inc, for equestrian families, holds rallies on the 3rd Sunday and 2nd Wednesday of every month at Woolley’s Road Equestrian Reserve, Woolley’s Road, Crib Point. New members most welcome. Enquiries 0408 173 486 Youth Swing and String Music Extend your music skills and make new friends by joining the Peninsula Youth Askey Swing Band or the La Grutta Youth Orchestra. We welcome musicians who play either woodwind, Brass, percussion/drums, violin, viola, cello, double.bass to join one of these groups on Wednesday 9th Feb. at St Peters Church Hall, Albert St., Mornington at 5.45pm. These rehearsals are held weekly throughout the school year. For details contact 9782 2450 or visit www.pyms.org.au Saturday Music Activity Come to Karingal Primary School on Saturday 12th Feb. if you are in Prep to grade and join in the fun of dancing, drama, singing and learning to play music. The morning activity starts at 9.30 and finishes at 11.45am. This fun filled music program is a developmental course that continues for the school year. Contact 9789 3686 or visit www.pyms.org.au
National Seniors Rosebud branch will hold its first meeting for 2011 on Wednesday 9th February at 1.30pm in the Rosebud Library Community room. Guest speaker will be Mark Bruechert from Rosebud CFA. Following the meeting a BBQ will be held at Tom Salt Park Rosebud. Visitors are most welcome. Margot: 59812974. Mornington Peninsula Family History Society will meet on Saturday 5th February at 1.30pm in the Frankston South Recreation Centre Towerhill Road, Frankston. Mel ref 102 D7 Mr Richard Cotter will speak about “No Place For A Colony” the story of the Bunwurung people and the First White Settlement in Victoria. Inquiries ph 9785 6814 or www.mpfhs.org
Bluegrass/Country Music Club If you like to sing, play banjo, guitar, concertina, fiddle, mandolin, spoons, harmonica, or just tap ya feet, we want to see you at Mahogany Bluegrass. Jack Verity Hall - Frankston. Cost is $5. Coffee and Tea Provided. 9-786,1445
Hastings VIEW Club are holding their first luncheon of the year on the 18th February at Hastings Club, Marine Parade, Hastings. A good day to join this group and experience a year of friendship, fun and outings. To book or enquire ring Val on 5931 3726 or Elaine on 5977 3424.
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General Goods Lawn Mower. Honda HRB475 petrol driven Rotary with rear grass collection bag. Is in good condition but has not been used for a while so may need a service, hence only $75.Phone 0435 442291 Balnarring Electric Lawn Edger GMC 1400w. Adjustable height metal cutting edge. Good for tough edges. $50. Phone 0435 442291 Balnarring Flymo Multi Trym Revolution 2500 lawn strimmer $25. Phone 0435 442291 Balnarring Single Bed. Good condition. Good clean mattress. Solid light wood head and foot board. 2.1mx1.2m approx. $100 Phone 0435 442291 Balnarring
Ads are free for private items under $100. Ads are just $5 for private items over $100. Add a photograph to an ad for another $10. Situations vacant ads are $20. Garage sales ads are $20. Once you have your ad or listing completed you can 1. E-mail it to team@mpnews.com.au 2. Fax it to (03) 5979 3509 3. Mail it to Mornington Peninsula News Group, PO Box 588, Hastings, 3915.
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All ads must be paid for before publishing. No ads will be taken over the phone. PAGE 18
Frankston Times February 2011
Thetford Porta Potti camping toilet. Model Elegance 165. Good clean condition. $25 Phone 0435 442291 Balnarring Baby change table, VGC, wooden, 3 tiers, $60. Baby cot mattress, VGC, $50, Rosebud, 5986 2554
General Goods Whipper snipper. Electric (so no fumes!). Perfect working order. As new condition. $50. 5982 1227 Rosebud Furniture - Electric overn GC $80. Dining table extension, teak veneer $60. Cane lounge suite sette with two chairs $200. 0403 134 513 Microwave Whirlpool. As new. Includes microwave dishes. Grills, crisps, fan forced. $89. 0419 103 862 Electric heater. Hotpoint free standing. Fan assisted 1600w $20. 0419 103 862 Bar fridge. Fisher Paykel 120lt. Never been used. White. $150 ono. 5979 4963. Fence Extensions x 5 woven type, almost brand new $65 the lot. Call 0400554405 Frankston Area 4 piece Lounge Suite. 2x2 Seater + 2xSingle Seat. $100.00. White dressing table with drawers & full mirror. $30.00. Small TV cabinet on castors. $30.00.Single folding bed VGC. $40.00. 0404876327
Camper trailer. Off road. Full width zip-on annexe and accessories. VGC $1000 ono 5975 7409 Mornington.
Ladies Bike 3 speed, 26” wheels. Front & rear fenders and reflectors. Chrome rims, White frame. Good condition.$45.Phone 59711259 Baxter
High chair. As new. Used only twice. Very good condition. $99. 9787 6553 or 0402 155 154. Frankston South.
50 pianola rolls.$75 the lot.Condition very good to fair Phone 59870860 Safety Beach
Professional
Professional
RACV’s Cape Schanck Resort, situated on the spectacular Mornington Peninsula, requires cheery and energetic hospitality professionals to join their busy team on a part time basis. Current employment opportunities include: Food and Beverage Attendants Housekeeping Attendants Why not join a vibrant team dedicated to serving our members and guests, whilst developing skills to enhance your career? You will ideally have previous hospitality experience and be flexible to work a variety of shifts across a 7-day rotating roster. RACV offers competitive remuneration, career opportunities and extensive benefits. Register your interest on www.racv.com.au in the career opportunities section now. Solid wooden rocking chair - $45 Valcro run about 3 wheely pram $50 Good Condition Mornington 0413 316 079 Display cabinet. 2 glass doors and shelves. Above: shelf and two wooden doors. Below: Light coloured timber. $175ono. 5976 4916. Mount Martha. Cabinet. Two shelves above. Below drawer. Two wooden cupboard doors with shelf. Greeny brown colour. GC $125. 5976 4916. Mount Martha. Baby Stair Doorway Barrier $28 59841853 Akubra Coober Pedy Hat Size 54 made in Australia new condition $55. Artificial Flowers Red Berries and Twigs $35. Extension Ladder wood solid $15 97668405.
Hand push mower with catcher almost new. Height adjustable $60. 5986 1212. 12lt Marine fuel tank plus hose and fittings. Excellent condition. $40. 5975 2875.
Cars Ford Futura 1994 5spd, recent LPG dual fuel, new tyres, exhaust, windscreen, belts, RWC, white. 230,000kms. Must sell. $2,000 ono. Ph 0420 637 102. Bittern Nissan Patrol. TD Model magon (4x4), First registered 1991. Diesel, LWB 7 seater. Bull-bar. Black and silver. One owner since new. Excellent condition. RWC. $9,500 5974 1058. Mount Martha.
Peninsula racer geared up for 2011 Bryce Van Hoof of “Hoofy Racing” will be competing on a Kawasaki ZX6 for the 2011 race season, he has some amazing support from Motorcycle Rimstickers, Mototrack Accessories, Motorcycle Race Gear, ASR Suspension, and TBG Photo. Bryce’s goal for the 2011 season is compete in all 5 rounds of the Supersport category in the ASBK (Australian Superbike Series), which will take
him to most states in Australia Bryce is looking forward to competing on the ZX6 as it is a bike that he knows well and is very comfortable on. Bryce’s goal is to place top 15 for the series against the factory race teams and highly experienced competitors in the category. 2011 marks a big series for Bryce and his Hoofy Racing team as there will be live TV coverage on Speed TV.
You can keep track of Bryce’s progress on the Hoofy Racing website (www.hoofyracing.com). All results will be on the ASBK website (www. asbk.com.au) and in most motorcycle magazines available. Bryce is still looking for some extra support to help him follow his dream for the 2011 season, so if you would like to help please feel free to contact Bryce: bryce@hoofyracing.com
Octogenarians living the high life 86 YEAR old Reno Buttigieg and his 82 year old wife Nina Buttigieg from Langwarrin decided they wanted to experience the HIGH life, so what better way then to Rock Climb for the first time in their lives. They have always kept active, but had never tried Rock Climbing, so naturally they were a little apprehensive at first, but it didn’t take long for them to ‘learn the ropes’. Reno’s double knee replacement surgery (some years ago) did not stop him from going all the way to the top of a 10 metre wall, while Nina’s five(5) graft heart by-pass has given her a new lease on life and was up for the challenge. When asked how they felt after the activity –one word summed up their experience - ‘exhilarated’ ! Their adventure was at Bayside Rock Indoor Climbing & Adventure Centre in Carrum Downs. Bayside Rock caters for any age and ability level as the facility is owned & operated by a family of climbers who encourage and assist anyone who is up for a challenge. For further information visit www.baysiderock.com.au or Telephone 9775 1557. 9 Network Drive Carrum Downs Mel. Ref: 98 D12
Ph: 0359
Got any local sport news? Email: team@mpnews.com.au or call us on 59798564
Photo: Tim Bowman www.bowmanphotos.com
838 222 0408 134 933
Ph: (03)59
838 222 0408 134 933 Frankston Times February 2011
PAGE 19
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Frankston Times February 2011
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