Western Port
Features inside
Western Port
realestate A tou 12 February
class
FOOD AND ENTERTAINMENT
PAGES 41–43
2013
ch of
> Page 3
WESTERN PORT SCOREBOARD
PAGES 46–48 WHEELS ON WESTERN PORT
PAGES 49–51
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12 February ary – 18 February 2013 2013
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Winning smiles in the surf THE waves at Point Leo were ideal on Saturday. The “Let’s Go Surfing” event run by the Mornington Peninsula branch of the Disabled Surfers Association attracted more than 50 people wanting to feel what it’s like to ride a surfboard, and more than 200 volunteers to help make their wish come true. One of the keenest surfers was Moorooduc Primary School pupil Noah Fayle. Chelsea McGhee made sure he made it back to the beach on his first wave. After that Noah did it his way. Picture: Keith Platt
See ‘The ups and downs of surfing bring a smile’ Page 5.
Use a QR code reader to watch scenes from last Saturday’s DSA event.
Doubt on fire text alerts By Mike Hast THE inadequacy of the Mornington Peninsula’s mobile phone system during summer when thousands of visitors arrive has been exposed by a senior CFA volunteer. In a letter to a federal politician, Peninsula Fire Brigades Group officer Tony Brown stated “poor to non-
existent” mobile phone coverage in the region meant people might not receive bushfire warnings. Congestion of the mobile network over summer was putting lives at risk. Mr Brown said the increase in summer tourists and campers meant local roads “would struggle to cope with a mass evacuation” and could leave peo-
ple potentially trapped with no mobile communication. The warning came in a letter sent to federal MP for Flinders Greg Hunt who used it as the basis for a speech in Federal Parliament last Thursday. The CFA’s peninsula group includes Boneo, Dromana, Flinders, Main Ridge, Mt Martha, Rosebud, Rye and Sorrento.
In his speech, Mr Hunt said the peninsula was one of the most bushfireprone areas in Victoria. “We have a large number of people in a high fire danger area with failing telecommunications. It is a recipe for disaster,” he said. “Lives are at risk because the government is failing to ensure adequate
mobile coverage on the peninsula.” Mr Hunt said he had spoken to Telstra and written to the federal Minister for Communications Stephen Conroy seeking urgent assistance. “It is a region with ongoing significant telecommunications problems,” he said. Continued Page 4
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