‘Potter’ prepares for new ‘stage’
Aboriginal name for youth hub THE release of the mainly Aboriginal names for Mornington Peninsula Shire’s 11 wards coincides with public approval being sought to name the “brand new Southern Peninsula Youth Hub in Rosebud”, Tounnin Wominjeka. The shire says it decided to use “traditional owner language” for the name after feedback from young people interacting with its youth services department and consulting with the Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation (Aboriginal names for $13m youth hub, The News 13/1/24). The land council had suggested three suitable names and the shire had since “engaged” with more than 360 young people, with most voting for Tounnin Wominjeka. Public comments can be made before Thursday 14 March at: mornpen.vic.gov.au/ name-SPYH
Liz Bell liz@mpnews.com.au IT appears to be business as usual for the teams behind the Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience event in April, with organisers pivoting quickly to focus on the new site at The Briars community forest dog park. Signs on the gate block people from using the dog park so that infrastructure upgrades and decorative installations can be completed by the event’s start on 6 April. The advertising spin of the event remains unchanged, tempting audiences with the line that it will be a “nighttime woodland trail experience filled with magical creatures and wizarding wonders from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films”. Apart from the deal not yet being sealed by an official letter from Warner Bros confirming the site change, those opposed to the wildlife sanctuary being originally chosen as the event site are celebrating the organisers’ change of heart. The site change was prompted by a global backlash that threatened to harm the Harry Potter brand and was enough for global entertainment giants Warners Bros and Fever Entertainment to rethink their choice - with approval from Mornington Peninsula Shire - of using a wildlife sanctuary. Community group Save Briars Sanctuary (SBS) was behind a national and international protest campaign calling on organisers to relocate the event away from the sanctuary. Its petition attracted more than 22,000 signatures and the campaign gained support from the political parties, environmental groups and wildlife carers, in Australia and abroad, and the group wrote directly to Warner Bros. In a welcome move, on 8 February the group received an email from the senior vice-president of Warner Bros. Discovery Global Themed Entertainment, Peter van Roden, saying the companies were “reevaluating the current location of Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience in The Briars at Mount Martha”. The council then scheduled an extraordinary meeting to inform the community of the “joint” decision to relocate the event to the community
Guitars centre stage
Dog ban: Work has already started at the Briars community forest dog park to get it ready for the Harry Potter event by 6 April. Picture: Supplied And some of the animals that can rest assured they won’t be subject to lights, noise and action. Pictures: Yanni
forest dog park within The Briars. Responding to a question during the meeting by Cr Sarah Race about the “very big dog community” on the peninsula, CEO John Baker said dog walkers would be accommodated at the public golf course in Mount Martha during the Harry Potter event, and “other dog walking” options were being investigated. A release from Save Briars Sanctuary stated: “The decision to relocate Harry Potter is a significant achievement and we are relieved that the
wildlife will now be safe. “However, the seeming lack of scrutiny when approving the largest event in the history of the Mornington Peninsula is alarming. Especially when the location is a special and precious ecosystem. Our wildlife should never be put at risk for profit.” A spokesperson for the group said it was looking forward to the shire’s promised review of its processes and hoped that the shire “engages with the community during and after the examination”.
SES needs help to find stolen ATV SORRENTO SES unit was dealt a blow last week when thieves stole the unit’s ATV and trailer from its locked compound early Monday 12 February. The ATV’s registration number is 1LT1RD and the trailer’s is Y3119. Unit spokesperson Max Daw said they had CCTV footage and were disappointed that someone would target a volunteer organisation. “I was gutted, I came in and knew something was wrong, something had happened,” he said. “It took about two years to build and get this finished.”
A THREE-day Guitar Fest will be held at the Peninsula Beer Garden, Boneo over the 9 to 11 March long weekend. The brainchild of peninsula-based musician Steve Myles, who has spearheaded a program to revive live music on the peninsula and give seasoned and aspiring musicians a platform, the event will feature local, interstate and international guitarists and support musicians. The line-up includes Geoff Achison, blues player Anna Sconti and peninsula-based Ocean Pulse, a group that takes inspiration from vintage surf music and the peninsula’s surf vibe. Myles says the band plays surf music “like Jimi Hendrix”. Frankston-based guitar maker Jim Cargill, whose father Merv taught him guitar making skills, will hold a workshop, while there will be guest appearances and free performances all weekend except for a combined event on Sunday. “We have worked hard to put together a great line-up for all – local favourites like Rob Papp, as well as guest appearances from local and international artists,” Myles said. Peninsula Beer Garden’s Guitar Fest (inside Eagle Ridge Golf Course), 215 Browns Road, Boneo. Details: peninsulabeergarden.com.au/ guitar-festival-mar-9-10-11/
Shire ‘consolidates’ MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Council is advertising for “experienced contractors/firms” to be partners in building new “consolidated” shire offices. The offices can be built on private or shireowned land and would replace the current offices at Rosebud, Hastings and Mornington. Potential locations listed by the shire include the sites of the three existing shire offices: Wannaeue Place, Rosebud; Queen Street, Mornington; Waterloo Place car park, Mornington; Besgrove Street, Rosebud; Marine Parade, Hastings; Civic Reserve, Dunns Road, Mornington. Details: mornpen.vic.gov.au/futureworkplace
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Southern Peninsula News
21 February 2024
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