NEWS DESK PORTSEA Swim Classic winners Sophie Thomas and Jesse Coulson. Pictures: Supplied
Portsea Classic, racing on land and sea Continued from Page 1 “It was a good race and great to have that sort of speed with the tide,” she said. Entrants were grouped into 21 categories, and events included a 2.5km swim, a shorter 500m distance for juniors, and a relay. In the inaugural Portsea Bay to Surf Adventure
Run on Friday night (above), Tom McFarlane was fastest over the nine kilometre course, with Eleanor Rapper the first female home. The event at Point Nepean National Park and finishing at the Portsea Surf Life Saving Club, included a shorter 4km distance won by James Hall, 8. First female over the line was James’ older sister Sophie, 10.
Planning protection ‘a step closer’ Liz Bell liz@mpnews.com.au ADVOCATES of protecting the Mornington Peninsula’s green spaces are celebrating a significant step forward in their fight for green wedge protection. In a pre-Christmas announcement, Planning Minister Richard Wynne authorised the shire’s proposed Planning Scheme Amendment C270morn to rezone 10 parcels of land - seven of which are outside the urban growth boundary - from special use to green wedge or public conservation and resource zone. A council statement said the rezoning aimed to protect the shire’s highly valued open spaces from development, resolve anomalies in the planning scheme, and ensure the zoning of the sites “reflects their intended use and location within the green wedge”. One of the sites earmarked for protection, part of the former Ansett estate at 60-70 Kunyung Road, Mt Eliza, has been the subject of a community battle to save it from being developed into a large-scale residential aged care facility and/or retirement village. While Ryman Healthcare’s proposal failed last year after being opposed by the shire and rejected at VCAT, the fight is far from over, with Ryman now planning to win approval for a smaller development of 104 independent apart-
ments, 35 assisted living suites and 82 care beds. But Save Reg’s Wedge campaign spokesperson Leigh Eustace, also a member of the Green Wedge Coalition, said communities around the shire could be cautiously optimistic that the minister’s authorisation of the council’s rezoning amendment would result in ultimate protection for the ten sites. “This is not a given yet, there will be a couple of sites within that list of 10 that will be heavily fought for by developers, but it’s a great step,’’ he said. “There is a lot of money involved to see developers walk away from some of these, such as the proposed Portsea Golf Course development. “But we are ecstatic that the minister has seen fit to put forward this amendment, it has given communities hope, it means it can now go through a formal planning scheme amendment process.” The fight to save the 8.9-hectare Kunyung Road site has been a long one, with the shire resolving in December 2019 to seek rezoning approval from the planning minister. A clause in the planning scheme schedule (51.02) had excluded the Kunyung Road property from the core green wedge provisions, based on the property being used as an education centre when it was owned by Mount Eliza Business College. Mr Eustace said the minister refused the council’s request but invited it to
submit a planning scheme amendment for authorisation to rezone the land, which it did, along with moving to correct other planning scheme anomalies for special use properties throughout the shire. He said the amendment had been brought up in parliament by Mornington MP David Morris, but had been “sitting on the minister’s desk’’ since 3 March 2021. Last year Mr Morris said the government often bragged about protecting the green wedge, and “it is about time those words were put into action’’. Council plans to exhibit the amendment for community feedback early in 2022. Other sites that would be protected by the rezoning are: Sunnyside Beach off Sunnyside Road, Mount Eliza; 50A McGregor Avenue, Mount Martha; 60 Hearn Road, Mount Martha; 19 Tallis Drive, Mornington (Mornington Golf Course); 46 London Bridge Road, Portsea (Portsea Golf Club); 35 Sunnyside Road, Mount Eliza (Manyung Recreation Camp); 3875 Point Nepean Road (Point Nepean National Park); 74-76 Marine Parade, Shoreham (Mentone Grammar Camp); and 62 Oakbank Road, Mornington (Padua College).
Wind a blow to safe landing RECREATION Aviation Australia is investigating an incident at Tyabb Airport on Thursday afternoon, when strong wind is being blamed for blowing a light aircraft off the runway. Neither the trainee pilot nor the instructor was injured when the aircraft came off the runway on landing. A report on the incident will be made by the RVA and Peninsula Aero Club. Club president Jack Vevers said televised media reports of the incident were surprising, given the plane had already landed safely and no one was injured. The two people helped from the damaged aircraft before emergency services arrived were later checked and cleared by Ambulance Victoria. Because of a small fuel leak, members from Tyabb Fire Brigade made the area safe and remained on scene until the plane was taken away on the
back of a truck. Mr Vevers said it was unfortunate it was being portrayed as a safety incident, adding that the club had an “impeccable’’ safety record. “Our pilots are subject to being retrained every two years, and we have a great safety record,’’ he said. “It literally had landed and simply rolled off the runway a few metres by a gust of wind.” The pilot was believed to be a novice pilot completing circuit training. “I think we have a fantastic safety record,’’ Mr Vevers said. Questions have been raised over why a training session had taken place on a day of strong, gusty northeasterly winds. One Tyabb resident said the inexperienced pilot would have had trouble flying such a small plane in the “challenging” wind conditions. Liz Bell
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Southern Peninsula News
19 January 2022
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