NEWS DESK
‘Favours’ denied as women move to bring an end war WHEN the women of ancient Greece stage a sex strike for peace, sparks fly and the comedy “pops-up” everywhere in Lysistrata, a bawdy anti-war comedy by the playwright Aristophanes. The play kept audiences laughing, and squirming, for 2500 years. Lysistrata is a comic account of a woman’s mission to end the Peloponnesian War. She convinces other women to withhold sexual privileges from their husbands as a means of forcing them to negotiate a peace treaty. The play will be held 8pm, 7, 8, 13, 14 and 15 October, at McClelland College Performing Arts Centre, 26 Alexander Cr, Karingal (enter off Karingal Drive). Lysistrata has much to offer theatre-
goers and society, director Emma Sproule said. “If the laughs can shake us hard enough, perhaps they might shake us free of the chains in which a patriarchal society binds us still.” Dionysus Theatre is a contemporary company, established on the Mornington Peninsula by Victorian Drama League award-winning director Emma Sproule. Tickets are $30 or $25 concession. Groups of eight or more are discounted. There’s cabaret-style seating, BYO nibbles and drinks at bar prices. The production contains course language, sexual references and imagery and partial nudity and is not suitable for under 15 year olds. Bookings: tickethost.com.au Event=1083
‘Father’ of archaeology dies EMERITUS Professor John Mulvaney, often described as the father of Australian archaeology, died in Canberra on 21 September at the age of 90. Mulvaney's father was a primary school teacher and the family moved from Yarram to Frankston, where John was born. All of John Mulvaney's secondary schooling was undertaken at Frankston High School where he was a contemporary of historian, Valda Cole. Both were taught by history teacher, Doris McRae. After war service John Mulvaney completed an MA with first class hon-
ours at the University of Melbourne where he developed an interest in prehistory and archaeology. He then had a distinguished academic career at the University of Melbourne, Cambridge University, and Australian National University in prehistory and was a leader of archaeological field explorations of Aboriginal sites, including Lake Mungo where the "burial culture" was progressively dated back 42,000 years. A consequence of his work was the nomination of the Willandra Lakes as a World Heritage site. Peter McCullough
Picture: Gary Sissons
Boost to hopes of saving pier SAVE the Dromana Pier campaigners are buoyed by Mornington Peninsula Shire’s support for their cause, even though any decision on its future ultimately rests with Parks Victoria. Councillors voted at Monday night’s Special Council meeting – the last before the shire goes into caretaker mode – to advocate for the redevelopment of the pier to ensure its long-term survival. The group’s secretary Ray Barnard-Brown said the shire’s backing was a much-needed “shot in the arm” for their campaign. “It gives us added legitimacy,” he said. It also reinforces community approval for the 1862 pier – extended in 1873 and rebuilt in the 1950s – which was reflected in a 7000-signature petition collected at a foreshore rally on Australia Day. A 2012 report by the Association for Building Community in Dromana had predicted the life span of the existing pier, even accounting for recent repairs, was only eight-10 years. A shire planning report recommends the advocacy stance
be directed at Parks Victoria and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning. The Save the Dromana Pier group is talking up a mail survey by Nepean MP Martin Dixon’s office which received more than 1000 positive replies out of 4000 forms sent out canvassing community views on the pier. “That was pretty extraordinary,” electorate office manager Russell Joseph said. “We’ve had even more dribbling in - there’s more like 1100 now.” Mr Barnard-Brown said the community response was “remarkable”. His group also believes there is a strong case for extending the pier to its original length – about twice its present length – to enable bigger boats, and possibly ferries, to dock when road traffic reaches gridlock during holidays and peak hours over the next few years. They say the depth now is only about waist high at low water. “There’s an opportunity for fast ferries to come from Melbourne for the wineries and the new Arthurs Seat Eagle chairlift.” Stephen Taylor
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Western Port News 4 October 2016