NEWS DESK
Music industry in tune for future THE Mornington Peninsula’s music scene is poised to emerge from the pandemic stronger than any other Victorian region, according to music industry booker Shaun Adams. This was predicted at the inaugural Mornington Peninsula Music Network’s professional development and networking event on 13 October, said to be the largest-ever gathering of music industry representatives on the peninsula. Ex-CEO Music Victoria Paddy Donovan compered the day and updated the peninsula music sector on the shire’s music plan which he helped to write. Those involved in putting it together were Robin Griffiths, Heidi Luckhurst, Maxon and Michael Clarke. Mornington Peninsula Shire mayor Cr Despi O’Connor and Cr Sarah Race spoke about their passion for music and introduced the music plan. The shire’s festivals and events coordinator Steve Harris presented an update on the shire’s draft Music Plan 2025 which can be seen at shape.mornpen.vic.gov.au/music-plan-2025 Mr Harris announced the waiving of busking fees and community event permit fees. He said the draft music plan included investing in programs supporting peninsula artists, developing peninsulawide festivals, creating an online hub and database of industry contacts and resources and providing access to a creative hub for the music sector to meet, collaborate and participate in activities. He said money had been allocated for the first year of the plan and that members of the community would have a say in how it was spent. Last year the council handed out $40,000 in performing arts grants and has increased it this year to $500,000. A further $100,000 will be released for music activities when the council endorses the music plan. The networking event advised artists to do their own PR and bookings before taking on a manager, booking agent or publicist. Peak bodies can provide relevant support and information to assist, and most memberships are free, so “there’s no excuse in not signing up”. Register for APRA/AMCOS’s regional sessions at apraamcos. com.au/about-us/news-and-events/announcing-the-regional-sessions-vic Stephen Taylor
Three years to build youth hub
Nature’s workers: Friends of Rye Foreshore plant indigenous species in the swale to help filter stormwater. Picture: Supplied
Natural way to clean run-off A BIO-INFILTRATION swale is replacing a dirty old storm water drain at Rye, to become the first of its kind on the Mornington Peninsula. Friends of Rye Foreshore worked in partnership with Mornington Peninsula Shire’s Chris Lyne, Jessica Wingad and Mel Burridge and contractors to weed the swale and plant about 11,000 indigenous, water tolerant plants as part of a natural filtration system. The plants will clean stormwater of pollutants as it flows through the sand dunes. Street
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Southern Peninsula News
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litter will be collected via a gross pollution trap. A timber boardwalk along the swale leads to the beach. The group hopes that in 12 months the site will be visually appealing with no polluted storm water going into the bay. Rye Community Group Alliance initiated the project, financed by the shire, the state government’s Port Phillip Bay Fund and Melbourne Water. The alliance’s Mechelle Cheers said the group could now “close the books on this great collaborative project”.
A YOUTH hub to be built at Rosebud will offer tailor made and targeted services to young people on the southern Mornington Peninsula. The hub, described as a “major boost for the area”, will mean young people from the southern end of the peninsula do not have to travel to Mornington or further to access various youth services. The two-year build at Olympic Park, Rosebud, will start late next year and be finished by November 2024. The hub will host mental health and wellbeing programs, education, training and recreation support services, and access to pre-employment, vocational and other training programs to help young people become work ready. There will be recreation and art spaces, meeting rooms, workspaces and classrooms. Mornington Peninsula Shire said a survey of 1000 people aged 10-25 from the southern peninsula had identified Rosebud as the preferred location with 41 per cent saying it “felt safe” to be at Olympic Park. Concept plans have been approved after the shire received $4.3 million from the state government and a $1.5 million commitment from the federal government.