NEWS DESK
Rain a blow to beach water quality FIVE of the Mornington Peninsula’s Port Phillip beaches are ranked in the top 10 for water quality by Environment Protection Authority Victoria. Top of the 36-beach list for having the best water quality over summer was Santa Casa, followed closely by Easter, The Dell and Portarlington – all beaches on the Bellarine peninsula. Portsea and Rosebud came in at equal five, up from eight the previous summer. Overall, water quality at the bay’s beaches was rated good throughout summer, except after large rain events which produced days when swimming should not take place. Brighton came in as the worst of 36 bay beaches checked by the EPA. The beach was adversely affected after a sewage leak in a nearby street which triggered poor water quality for seven days in a row. The EPA’s chief environmental scientist Dr Andrea Hinwood said water quality was “fairly even across locations”. “Whatever contaminants wash off the streets of Melbourne in a rain storm wind up in the bay, bringing with them the risks of infections, stomach upsets and skin irritation,” she said. Contaminants washing into the bay included animal droppings, litter, plastics, cigarette butts and detergents. “There are several things you can do about that: don’t litter, be careful what you allow to wash into the gutters and stormwater drains in your street and check the Yarra and Bay website before you hit the beach,” Dr Hinwood said. One other common cause of poor water quality is algae, which occurs naturally in the bay and varies according to conditions. “We advise people to avoid swimming near stormwater or river outlets for 24 to 48 hours after heavy rain, because that’s when animal droppings and other contaminants are washed into the bay from beaches and streets,” Dr Hinwood said.
WHILE sometimes it doesn’t always appear to be a place for a leisurely swim, Safety Beach is in the top 10 beaches on Port Phillip for having good quality water over the past summer.
Ranked 10th on the EPA’s water quality list (with last summer’s ranking in brackets) were Carrum (19), Mt Martha (11) and Safety Beach, 10 (5). Other rankings were Sorrento 15 (5); Dromana 16 (8); Blairgowrie 17 (11); Canadian Bay 18 (19); Rye 18 (17); Frankston near the lifesaving
You’re invited
The reform proposes a new service model that will provide clients with choice of service provider. In this changing environment Council needs to consider the best way to respond to the potential changes that the reform may bring. Your input is an important part of our future planning process. Council remains committed to ensuring continuity of care for clients now and as any national changes are introduced.
PET registration renewals for cats and dogs on the Mornington Peninsula are due by Wednesday 10 April. Mornington Peninsula Shire says registration fees pay for “services to support pet owners”, such as: Off-leash dog areas located around for residents to train, exercise and play with their dogs. To learn where the closest off-leash area is to you visit mornpen.vic.gov.au/leashfree. The Community Animal Shelter and Pound which cares for lost pets and finds new homes for unclaimed cats and dogs. If you are in a situation where your cat or dog is missing, visit mornpen.vic.gov.au/lostpets to see if a ranger has picked up a pet. Local laws rangers responding to dog attacks and nuisance complaints. The shire says dogs and cats that are registered and microchipped also have a greater chance of being reunited with their families quickly and safely if they get lost or go astray. The Domestic Animals Act 1994 directs that all cats and dogs over the age of three months must be microchipped and registered with the Shire. Cats must be desexed to be registered within the shire unless the cat and owner are a member of the Feline Control Council. It costs $41.50 a year to register a desexed dog and cat. Discounts apply for pension card holders. The fine for not registering your dog or cat with the shire is $322. For first time animal registrations, once registration fees have been paid, pet owners are issued with a lifetime identification disc to attach to the pet's collar. Dog or cat owners should notify the shire of any change of address or if pet no longer lives with them or is dead at mornpen.vic.gov.au/ animalchanges or by calling 1300 850 600. To change a pet’s microchip details visit car. com.au/updating-registry-records Pet renewals can be done online, over the phone and in person. Details mornpen.vic.gov. au/petregistration.
Wear your heart on your windows
Community Conversation National aged and disability services reforms Mornington Peninsula Shire invites community members, aged and disability services clients and their carers to engage with Council in a discussion about the National reform of aged care and disability services and the best role the Shire may play in supporting older residents in the future.
club 23 (26); Mornington 26 (31); Beaumaris 28 (17); Frankston near the coast guard 28 (26); Seaford 30 (19). Beach reports will reopen for next summer on 1 December. Check EPA forecasts for water quality at swimming spots by visiting www.yarraandbay.vic.gov.au Keith Platt
Time to register pets
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Join a Community Engagement session: 8 April, 4.30 – 6.30pm
Shire Office – Mornington, 2 Queen Street
9 April, 11am – 1pm
Rosebud Memorial Hall, 994 Point Nepean Road
11 April, 3 – 5pm
Hastings Hub, 1973 Frankston – Flinders Road RSVP (optional) 5950 1688 community.care@mornpen.vic.gov.au If you require support to attend a session, please contact 5950 1688
For more information: mornpen.vic.gov.au/servicereforms 5950 1688
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call 03 5975 9366
www.shadesofaustralia.net.au Shop 8a, 1-13 Tyabb Road (cnr Nepean Hwy) Mornington Mornington News
2 April 2019
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