Western Port
Jewellers
Jewellery manufacture and repairs
YOUR GUIDE TO WHAT’S ON THIS WEEKEND FOR PENINSULA FAMILIES
OVER 40 YEARS
EXPERIENCE
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peninsulakids.com.au INSTAGRAM: mornpenkids
TYABB CRAFT VILLAGE 14 Mornington-Tyabb Road, Tyabb
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Phone 5977 3711
Wednesday 1 April 2020
5974 9000 or email: team@mpnews.com.au www.mpnews.com.au
A barrowful: Candice West with Wallara clients Damien and Jordon. Picture: Supplied
Tasteful gift was home grown FRESH produce grown by residents with disabilities at Sages Cottage Farm, Baxter, went to a good cause last week. The vegetables were given to residents of Wintringham, a specialised aged care facility for elderly and frail men and women who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. They used the fine fare to make soup. Sages Cottage staff work there as a way of gaining employment and life skills. Disability charity Wallara has placed the farm in lockdown due to the coronavirus restrictions.
Visitors told ‘stay away’ Keith Platt keith@mpnews.com.au EASTER is usually the final fling for seasonal holidaymakers on the Mornington Peninsula - but this year there is no welcome mat out. The healthy injection of income businesses rely on to balance the books over winter has been replaced by closed doors and staff being stood down. Visitors are being asked to stay away. The peninsula was last week identified as having second highest number of recorded COVID-19 cases of any Victorian municipality. The ltatistics released by the Department of Health and Human Services
showed the City of Stonnington had the highest number of cases, 61, with the peninsula at 42 ahead of Melbourne with 36. Cases on the peninsula and in Stonnington are being traced back to a number of Australians who went skiing at Aspen in the United States in March. A third cluster in Noosa, Queensland was also linked to the Aspen group. Several families involved have properties in both Stonnington and at either Sorrento or Portsea. The fear of COVID-19 being imported onto the peninsula by visitors has led to the mayor, Cr Sam Hearn appealing for them to stay home and not
come to the peninsula. Flinders MP and Health Minister Greg Hunt, who’s electorate covers the entire peninsula, said rules about social distancing were the same everywhere: “I do have a message to those thinking they can come to the Mornington Peninsula and take a holiday from social distancing, the rules are the same regardless of location. We must continue to practice social distancing and stay home as much as we can to flatten the curve and reduce the spread of coronavirus.”
COME AND SEE THE CHICKENS ROAMING FREE IN THE PADDOCK!
Bruce Billson, the former Liberal MP for Dunkley and now president of the Committee for Mornington Peninsula, has asked Victoria's Chief Health Officer, Professor Brett Sutton, to prevent positively diagnosed COVID-19 cases travelling to the peninsula. He said infected people and returning travellers isolating themselves on the peninsula were “potentially placing huge pressure on local health resources”. “Holiday homes and airbnb properties are reportedly popular isolation destinations for people whose primary place of residence is in metropolitan Melbourne,” Mr Billson said.
Along with other bayside municipalities Mornington Peninsula Shire closed its bayside beaches on Saturday (28 March), two days before the Premier Daniel Andrews listed “the only four reasons” people had to leave their homes: food and supplies, medical care, exercise, and work or education (“Shire closes bay beaches indefinitely” Page 5). People breaching the directions faced on-the-spot fines of $1652 for individuals and $9913 for businesses. Mr Hunt urged peninsula residents with any concerns to call the coronavirus hotline 1800 675 398 or visit www. australia.gov.au
BARN DOOR SALES MONDAY TO FRIDAY 8AM - 4.30PM AND SATURDAYS 8AM - 12.30PM
Our farm is family owned and managed. We have been producing quality eggs for over 40 years, supplying the public, restaurants and other businesses on the peninsula. Eggs are collected 365 days a year so you can be assured that you are buying the freshest eggs with the best yolk and flavour. Retail and Wholesale from our barn door.
5977 5405
220 Eramosa Road West, Moorooduc. corner of Binnak Way email: admin@somervilleeggfarm.com.au