NEWS DESK
Artists work to oppose AGL gas plan
Online event to help find a cancer cure
MOUNT Eliza’s Geoff Nyssen will be going all out for Sunday’s annual MY Mount Eliza Run & Fun Festival raising money for the Snowdome Foundation to find a cure for the terminal blood cancer, multiple myeloma. Everyone, including pets, can join 8am-12pm on the day on Facebook. The virtual event will include live entertainment, challenges, promotions, prizes, silent auction and physical activities. Mr Nyssen was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2014, and despite COVID-19 restrictions is de-
termined to go ahead with this year’s festival. “We plan to engage and connect around the core values of empowerment, wellness and community,” he said. “We ask our participants to don their MY Mount Eliza T-shirt, and get active for a good cause. Participants can walk, run, jump or cycle, but the main aim is to have fun.” The festival will be on its Facebook page @MyMountEliza or visit mymounteliza.org.au and use #HelpGeoffTo80 to participate or to offer support. MY Mount Eliza Run & Fun Festival is also atmymounteliza.org.
AN exhibition to raise awareness of the campaign to stop AGL’s proposed gas import terminal from being built at Crib Point will run 3-25 October. Art is in our Nature includes the work of 54 artists while raising money for community group Save Westernport’s legal challenge to the proposal alongside Environment Victoria and the Victorian National Parks Association. “I reached out to the broader art community and was struck by the incredibly generous response of artists,” curator Penelope Gebhardt said. “Many have personal connections to the Mornington Peninsula and it has been heart-warming to hear their stories. Our community is passionate about this issue and the broader community is as well.” Visitors are being asked to “act for the health and longevity of Western Port” by donating or buying an artwork to help reach the $100,000 target by November. Co-hosted by Merricks General Wine Store and Silver Leaf Art Box, the exhibition will continue across the two venues (subject to COVID-19 restrictions) and will be live online from 12pm, Saturday 3 October. The wine store is at 3460 Frankston-Flinders Road, Merricks, open 9am-5pm, call 5989 8088 and Silver Leaf is at 3361 Frankston-Flinders Road, Merricks, open 9am-5pm, 0422 132 525. Visit silverleaf-artbox.com.au
Hearings begin An online directions hearing for consideration by a government-appointed
BRONZE figure by David Larwill panel of the environmental effects information prepared by AGL was held last week (17 September) ahead of the formal hearings which begin on 12 October. Findings will be delivered mid-February 2021. Mornington Peninsula Shire has asked panel chair Kathy Mitchell to postpone the hearings because expert witnesses cannot physically inspect the Crib Point site because of stage four COVID-19 restrictions. The panel has given AGL until this
Friday (25 September) to produce further information about tidal and weather conditions, greenhouse gas emissions, chlorine and formaldehyde, acid surface soil contamination, the disposal of oily sludge, traffic considerations, and the proposed mitigation strategies. The panel has asked objectors to list areas within Western Port that they believe will be adversely affected if AGL is given the go ahead. Keith Platt
Drive-in lines up for shot at scoring Grand Final Stephen Taylor steve@mpnews.com.au DROMANA Drive-In’s Paul Whitaker is on a Grand Final mission to convince the state government to allow him to run a live screening of the AFL’s biggest game of the year. Permission would be manna from heaven – however unlikely – if his beloved Saints were one of the team’s playing. “We hosted a successful live telecast of the St Kilda football match on 14 June, during stage two restrictions,” Mr Whitaker said. “It was a fantastic night. Lots of people commented that it was like the old VFL days with cars parked around the oval, horns and lights flashing with every goal and behind. “It was monitored by the Victoria Police COVID-19 squad from Frankston divisional deadquarters. “We had also completed negotiations for hosting the Melbourne Victory match on 16 July, but that was cancelled due to the introduction of stage three restrictions.” Mr Whitaker said hosting the Grand Final was a unique opportunity to live telecast the match
being played at The Gabba, in Brisbane, on all three screens to Victorians on Victorian soil. “With the effects of stage four restrictions biting hard for many people, to be able to proceed with this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity would be priceless,” he said. To get the nod, as things currently stand, Mr Whitaker would require an exemption for the evening of Saturday 24 October – two days before the current restrictions are expected to ease. He said all tickets for the match would be issued electronically with a mandatory name, address, and phone number recorded for contact tracing purposes. On arrival, the tickets would be scanned without contact. During the match people would stay in their cars and wear facemasks or facial covering. The drive-in would provide food ordered through a smart phone app and delivered to cars in sealed paper bags. Toilets would be open, with staff monitoring numbers. Hands would be sanitised upon entry and exit and the bathrooms regularly cleaned. “If there is any way for this to proceed, it would be a huge social relief for the community,” Mr Whitaker said.
Ferry back with weekend services SEAROAD Ferries has resumed its weekend service between Sorrento and Queenscliff following last week’s lifting of restrictions in regional Victoria. CEO Matt McDonald said the lifting of restrictions would allow the “‘recovery” to begin and hoped to see the Mornington Peninsula and metropolitan Melbourne soon “move in line with regional Victoria”. The changes allow people from regional Victoria to use the ferry service to drive from Geelong to Phillip Island.
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Southern Peninsula News
23 September 2020
“During stage three and stage four we have continued to move our customers who, ultimately, rely on the service,” Mr McDonald said. Permitted travel has included food supplies, emergency services, essential workers and medical staff, along with individual carers travelling for compassionate reasons. The service will operate an interim, two-hourly timetable departing Queenscliff at 8am, 10am, 12pm, 2pm and 4pm and from Sorrento at 9am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm and 5pm. Details: visit searoad.com.au