Western Port
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Western Port
realestate 29 January 2013
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29 January ary – 4 February 20 2013 013 3
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On track for school THE summer holidays are over and children are getting ready to return to school. The Williams brothers, Josh, 9, and Toby, 8, are looking forward to going back to school at Tyabb Primary. Their younger siblings, fouryear-old twins Lachlan and Heath, are starting kindergarten at Tyabb Preschool. The boys’ mother, Shae Williams, said Josh and Toby are excited about heading back to school. “They will be happy to catch up with friends they’ve not had a chance to see over the holidays,” she said. The Department of Education estimates 15,900 students have enrolled in government-funded schools across the Mornington Peninsula for 2013 classes, including 10,200 primary school students, 5500 secondary school students and 200 special school pupils. About 1500 preps will attend school for the first time. Anticipation: Toby, Lachlan, Heath and Josh Williams of Tyabb in their school T-shirts. Picture: Yanni
No sign of Hastings on Link By Mike Hast THERE are no signs on Peninsula Link showing traffic where to exit to reach Hastings and the Western Port side of the peninsula. Lisa Dixon of Western Port Tourism, which was re-formed last winter after a hiatus of three years, said it was very disappointing and a blow to the revival of tourism in the region. “There are no signs to Tyabb, Hastings or Somerville and also none directing people to tourism destinations,” she said. Linking Melbourne Authority, the state government’s freeway manage-
ment body, said there were no signs as the authority “did not wish to create issues in local communities by encouraging excessive truck usage on roads that are not designed or built to carry large volumes of heavy vehicles”. LMA community and stakeholder manager Gemma Boucher said the authority had “carefully considered both direction and tourism signage for Peninsula Link in conjunction with Southern Way [the consortium that owns the road], Abigroup [the freeway builder], VicRoads and Tourism Victoria”. “Like all major road projects, there can be initial concerns regarding direc-
tion signage on opening and it is therefore difficult to satisfy the expectations of all road users,” she said. “Feedback from road users is very welcome so concerns can be brought to the attention of the appropriate responsible authorities. “In light of comments received, LMA has already commenced a process of reviewing signage on Peninsula Link. We will also extend this review to cover the broader corridor. “Together with VicRoads and Southern Way, LMA will make any changes that are deemed necessary.” Ms Boucher said that since opening
Peninsula Link, “staff from LMA have met with community representatives to explain the background to the development of the signage scheme”. Ms Dixon, who is also president of Western Port Chamber of Commerce, said signs to Western Port should be installed at Frankston-Flinders, Bungower and Mornington-Tyabb roads. “There should also be brown tourism signs letting motorists know there is a new tourism information office in Hastings,” she said. A Tourism Victoria sign on Western Port Highway near Ballarto Rd roundabout pointed to tourist information of-
fices in Frankston and Dromana, which is 47 kilometres away. “Staff at the Frankston tourist information office have had people walking in and asking for directions to Western Port,” she said. Western Port Tourism has written to Tourism Victoria asking it to update the sign. WPT is also seeking so-called “hero destination” signs that display large photos of tourism attractions on Western Port. “It would be good to have one of these at the northern end of Peninsula Link,” Ms Dixon said.
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