Southern Peninsula Caring for local families for over 40 years www.rosebudfunerals.com.au
123 Jetty Road, Rosebud
Ph: 5986 8491
An independent voice for the community
Your weekly community newspaper covering Safety Beach to Portsea
FREE
DOWNLOAD 3MP FROM THE APP STORE OR GOOGLE PLAY
Wednesday 14 February 2024
For all advertising and editorial needs, call 03 5974 9000 or email: team@mpnews.com.au www.mpnews.com.au
Shed’s classic restoration
IT hadn’t been driven for more than 40 years, but that did not deter the car restoring team at Mornington Men’s Shed from trying to get it back on the road. Three years after acquiring this 1967 MGB, the team has delivered on the task and rebuilt the car and it’s engine almost from the ground up. President Mark Parritt said about 10 shed members shared their skills and talents to get the car back in shape, with some outside help when special machinery was required. “There are a few of us who have restored cars before, but it’s also been a great opportunity for others to get involved and learn new skills,” he said. “It’s been a team project, a lot of fun and a lot of time working together.” The men worked on the car twice a week and are now resting up for a bit before taking on a new challenge. “Someone has just offered to donate a car they have for restoration and, while I can’t tell you much about it yet, it will gets the same special treatment,” Parritt said.
Road worthy: This “champion red” 1967 MGB has been restored by the specialist team at Mornington Men’s Shed. Standing with the classic car are Mark Parritt and Ed Degabriele. Picture: Gary Sissons
Sanctuary may be forbidden for Harry Keith Platt keith@mpnews.com.au MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Council is this week expected to back down on its insistence that the Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience event could not be moved from The Briars wildlife sanctuary. The move follows last Thursday’s announcement that Warner Bros and Fever were “re-evaluating the current location” of the event at the shireowned Mount Martha property. Tuesday’s (13 February) council meeting had one “Community Strengthening” item on its agenda: The Briars – Event Experience Trail
Location. An accompanying report prepared by five council officers was not available Monday morning. The shire was continuing to defend the choice of the wildlife sanctuary for the nightly sound and light spectacular just two days before Peter van Roden, senior vice-president, Global Themed Entertainment Warner Bros. Discovery contacted the Save Briars Sanctuary group to say the site was being reviewed. Shire CEO John Baker gave assurances at last week’s (6 February) public council meeting that the “Harry Potter areas” in the sanctuary “will be managed by trained security staff who will be able to ensure people stay
in the designated areas, which are already used by the community”. “The experience will occupy only seven per cent of the 90-hectare sanctuary, leaving space for animals to move away,” Baker said in response to more than 50 letters questioning the choice of a wildlife sanctuary for the months’ long nightly Potter performances. No mention was made about how far the lights or sound would travel in and outside the property. Questions raised in the letters included concerns for the welfare of wildlife living in the sanctuary; secrecy surrounding the contract for the Harry Potter show; how individual
councillors had voted on the decision; and lack of community consultation. Any debate by councillors and reports by officers about the Potter show have been kept secret since first being raised in August last year. Councillors - except David Gill - agreed to sign non-disclosure agreements, ensuring that there would be no public announcement about the use of The Briars sanctuary for the Harry Potter show until a marketing plan was in place and tickets were ready to be sold. Once that date was reached, the shire’s website promoted the show and provided online links to ticket sellers along with details about paid parking.
However, once the secret was out protesters quickly organised an online petition (more than 20,000 signatures), displayed placards condemning the show in The Briars wildlife sanctuary, called a public meeting and attended last week’s council meeting, again carrying placards calling for the show be held elsewhere. In a since deleted Facebook post, Cr Steve Holland described protestors as “a noisy, fringe minority”. The disclosure has also ensured that the secrecy surrounding the Harry Potter saga will be ongoing for councillors seeking re-election in October (Potter sequel at the ballot box, The News 30/1/24). Continued Page 4
