NEWS DESK
All aboard for ‘essential’ ferry Keith Platt keith@mpnews.com.au POLICE checked and cleared all passengers for travel on the Sorrento to Queenscliff ferry after stage three coronavirus restrictions came into force on Thursday 9 July. The ferry is classed as an essential service, linking the Mornington and Bellarine peninsulas. Although the Mornington Peninsula is subject to the restrictions Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula are not within the Melbourne metropolitan area. “During the next six weeks we expect that the only travellers on our service will be people that have a need to travel for one of the three permitted reasons,” Searoad Ferries’ operations general manager Wes Oswin said. “The travellers will predominantly be trades and business people, government employees as well as emergency service personnel. “We also have a number of people, including medical professionals that live on one peninsula and need to travel as a result of their work.” Police cleared all passengers on Thursday’s 1pm service after they arrived at Queenscliff Sorrento and have since told The News that while no specific checks are being made at Sorrento, random checks are being made of motorists throughout the peninsula. Mr Oswin said Searoad Ferries had
PENINSULA Grammar students are back to online learning this week. Pictured are junior school head Celeste Hudson and principal Stuart Johnston. Picture: Gary Sissons
decided it was impractical to use thermal Cameras to check passengers’ temperatures “as most people are ticketed and board the vessel while seated in a vehicle”. Searoad CEO Matt McDonald said the ferry would keep running to a twohourly schedule “for those services that need to travel for one of the permitted reasons”. “This includes travel for emergency services, essential supplies, work, education and medical purposes as outlined in the government guidelines.” The Department of Health and Human Services website says other vehicles can use the ferry if travelling to Gippsland or Phillip Island, but travellers “should plan your trip so that you don’t need to stop in an impacted area unless it is for one of the three reasons”. Details: dhhs.vic.gov.au/updatedrestrictions; searoad.com.au
Lockdown no limit on learning at grammar WHEN the Premier Daniel Andrews announced a return to stage three restrictions last Tuesday, he also tackled the vexing question of what to do with the hundreds of thousands of student due back at school this week for the beginning of term three. The premier’s solution was to get VCE and specialist school children back, but to extend school holidays for those in prep to year 10, returning them to remote learning on 20 July. Peninsula Grammar, Mount Eliza, is one of a handful of Independent schools that will return to its online learning program today (Tuesday 14 July), rather than giving students an extra week of holidays. In a letter to parents, principal Stuart Johnston said the school had
again found itself “in a situation that requires both resilience and resoluteness”. “I write today to inform you we will not waiver in our determination to secure the learning journey of each child at the school,” Mr Johnston stated. Preparations began in early March to take the school curriculum online at the first sign of an escalation of the coronavirus crisis. During remote learning in term two, students were required to be at their computers during usual school hours, in school uniform, and were directly taught by their teachers with only slight variations to their in-class timetables. Having proven the effectiveness of their online learning program, the school has decided that students’ best
interests are served by reverting to online learning for the beginning of term three. “Throughout the duration of this crisis, we have placed the students and their learning at the centre of all decisions, and so we remain determined to provide for them the routine they need at this point in time,” Mr Johnston said. “We are inherently proud of the quality of the learning our exceptional teachers have provided and will continue to provide our students and we will not compromise on this.” Students in years 10, 11 and 12, as well as those whose parents are unable to be at home, will return to the school’s classrooms on Tuesday. Cameron McCullough
WHAT’S NEW...
Chef to the stars now delivering food on the Mornington Peninsula A NEW home delivery food service has launched on the Peninsula to cater to the growing demand for preprepared, healthy and delicious meals while we all wait out Victoria’s second wave of COVID-19. With over 10 years of experience in the film and TV catering industry, local chefs Dan Hawke and Reece Morrow have spent years catering for the likes of Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, Heston Blumenthall and Chris Martin on the sets of The Voice, Masterchef and Pirates of the Caribbean. With their film and TV work on pause indefinitely, now they’re catering for the Mornington Peninsula in this coronavirus time of need. Dan and Reece, who live in Mt Eliza and Mt Martha, have brought their mobile kitchens from Fox Studios in Sydney with the aim of providing instant meals for peninsula locals. “There is very little going on in the film and TV industry at the moment and we thought our own community, where thousands of people are trying to avoid going out unnecessarily or are working from home. We thought they could use some help,” said Reece, who relocated with his wife and two kids a year and a half ago. “We brought the kitchens and fridges here and have set up our HomeRun Food Co service to help people who cannot easily get to the shops or are just sick of
cooking,” said Dan, who is also a member of his local CFA. “We source as much produce and ingredients locally as we can, ensuring we’re supporting the community that we live in and love.” Home Run Food Co sells a variety of dishes including family meatballs, crushed root vegetables, mixed grain salad and a Mexican fiesta box! All meals are hygienically and safely packed in sanitised vacuum sealed bags and refrigerated until they are ready to be eaten. It is a quick few minutes in the microwave and they are ready to serve and enjoy or pop in the freezer to eat at a later date! www.homerunfood.co
MIX IT UP. KEEP IT FRESH. Next level taste + nutrition + convenience Fresh, pre-cooked, chilled and vac-sealed dishes prepared by chefs
Order by midday for same day delivery before 6pm
www.homerunfood.co Mornington News 14 July 2020
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