NEWS DESK Developer’s $5000 for ‘overhang’
Triathletes steered away from course of trouble SAFETY Beach will be the scene of frenetic athletic activity when the Sufferfest Triathlon takes over the foreshore on the weekend of 23-24 March. Organisers hope the new location will be more of a safe haven after they were criticised last year for basing their races in Mt Martha and closing the Esplanade between Mornington and Safety Beach on Clean-up Australia Day. Competitors dodged shoppers, beachgoers and clean-up volunteers and leading to Mornington Peninsula Shire amending its events policy to prevent any future clashes of dates (“Policy to avoid event clash” The News 3/4/2018). The shire’s communications and events manager Randal Mathieson said during this year’s Sufferfest all traffic, including cyclists, would be banned from using Marine Drive in
Safety Beach from Bruce Road to Nepean Highway, Sunday 24 March. He said the shire would install detour signs to guide motorists unfamiliar with the area. The parking lane on the residential side of Marine Drive will be reserved for residents entering and exiting their properties. Access to the Halcyon and Robin Park caravan parks will be along Link Drive, Prescott Avenue and Tonkin Street. Access to the Safety Beach boat ramp will be along Victoria Street at the direction of traffic controllers, who will also be positioned at each closed side road to advise motorists and pedestrians on detours. The weekend’s Sufferfest activities will kick off with the Frog Challenge on the Saturday, followed by swim-run endurance events and cycling, running and swimming on the Sunday. Stephen Taylor
Labor powers up for Baxter train LABOR candidate for Flinders, Joshua Sinclair, has moved quickly to climb aboard the electrification of the rail line to Baxter project. With the results of a $3 million federal government-financed business case due soon, Mr Sinclair last week “reaffirmed that a Shorten Labor government will move quickly to deliver the much-needed Frankston to Baxter rail upgrade”. “A federal Labor government will electrify and duplicate the track [from Frankston] to Baxter, giving commut-
ers better access to high quality public transport and park-and-ride options,” he said. “Shadow Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese said the project was part of Labor’s commitment to increase public transport services around the nation, including between capital cities and regional centres.” Mr Sinclair said the state government business case would look at the route, the level crossing removals required, stabling options, and park and ride facilities at Langwarrin.
In safe hands: Volunteer Marine Rescue crews tow the stricken Devil Cat back to Patterson River. Picture: Supplied
Trio rescued from bay THREE men off Carrum were lucky a boat was passing when their fivemetre Devil Cat sank one kilometre from shore, Sunday 10 March. Water was flooding both hulls and the boat was almost under when the trio of work colleagues jumped overboard and were picked up about 11am. The rescuing skipper, David Garrett of Pearcedale, reported the incident and stood by as Volunteer Marine Rescue vessel AK1 arrived from Mornington. VMR Mornington’s Tim Warner said “all occupants were found to be wet and shaken ... but in good health”. With the upturned vessel getting closer to sinking, AK1 skipper Sean Whelan asked Mr Garrett to take the shivering trio to shore while his crew of Chris Wynne, Alec Owen,
Stu Dunlop, Bob Chase and Rick Cooper secured a line. They towed the boat slowly for one and a half hours which allowed it to drain water and re-float. When VMR’s second rescue boat AK2 arrived the two boats double rafted the ailing Devil Cat back to Patterson River and helped the owner get it back onto its trailer. Mr Garrett said the Devil Cat, which was on its maiden voyage, likely suffered a crack in the hull or perhaps a loose bung plug causing it to take on water. He said the owner, of Balwyn, had told him he had been rebuilding the boat for the past six months. Mr Garrett said the twin 50 horsepower Yamaha outboards, which had been submerged for four hours, could be salvaged “with a lot of work”. Stephen Taylor
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has agreed to a developer paying $5000 for a thin strip of land overhung by a first-floor balcony. The balcony is part of a three-storey building on the Esplanade, Mornington that has been built next to the shireowned car park in Vancouver Street. Senior property officer Jonathan Chivers told council’s Tuesday 12 March meeting that it “is not possible” to remove the offending tensioned steel reinforced concrete balcony. He said the solution to the overhanging balcony was to sell the developer a 25-centimetre-wide strip of the shire’s land. The development at 786 Esplanade has shops on the ground floor and apartments above with underground car parking. Mr Chivers described the overhanging balcony as a “minor encroachment” onto the shire’s land. “The first-floor balcony is immediately above the vehicular entrance to the underground car park for the development,” he stated in a report to council. “The balcony overhang does not impact on the use and operation of the adjoining shire land.” The shire’s acting manager property and strategy Nathan Kearsley told The News that access to the underground car park for the new building was across council-owned land at 2 Vancouver Street “which was originally acquired by council to provide rear access and parking to adjoining properties”. He said realigning title boundaries enabled council to “rectify this minor encroachment” of the overhanging balcony.
As the highest performing secondary school on the Mornington Peninsula, Dromana College will continue to work tirelessly to develop and consolidate the many exemplary educational programs on offer. With outstanding facilities, a committed professional staff and a caring school community, students are challenged to explore their interests and talents to achieve their personal best. As a school of academic excellence we have actioned and established • Outstanding VCE results • Single gender classes in Year 9 • Select entry academic enhancement program (LEAP) • ‘State of the art’ Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9 areas • Performing Arts Centre, Design Centre • International Sister Schools Program and study tours • Before and after school enhancement classes • Instrumental music tuition • Diverse and engaging extra curricula events • High expectations of all students • A clear and consistent code of conduct for all students
‘A high performing provider of education on the Mornington Peninsula’
Open Night
Tuesday 30 April 2019 at 6.00pm LEAP 2020 Testing – Saturday 11 May 2019 - 9.00am at the College. All applicants are required to register their details, for the testing by 6 May 2019. No late applications will be accepted. All information is on the DSC website under ‘Curriculum’.
110 Harrisons Road, Dromana, Victoria 3936 Entry via Old White Hill Road
T: 03 5987 2805 E: dromana.sc@edumail.vic.gov.au W: www.dsc.vic.edu.au
‘Lessons come from the journey… not the destination’ Tours available Tuesday mornings at 9:30am. Please phone 03 5987 2805 for bookings.
RESPONSIBILITY, RESPECT, INTEGRITY, PERSONAL BEST Southern Peninsula News
20 March 2019
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