Upmarket Sorrento recorded the steepest annual drop of 23.9 per cent, to a median house price of $1.75 million, the latest Domain House Price Report shows.
Sorrento is not alone in its more subdued conditions. The heat in the market has been flushed out of Blairgowrie (down 15.7 per cent, to a median of $1.34 million), Rye (a 10.8 per cent reduction, with a median of $990,000), Mornington (down 7 per cent, hitting a $1.07 million median), Mount Martha (a 5.2 per cent drop, to $1,375,000) and Dromana (down 3.8 per cent, to $976,000).
Slender declines were recorded in Capel Sound (1.5 per cent down, to $720,000) and Rosebud (1.4 per cent weaker, at $754,278).
Houses in Mount Eliza ($1,635,000), Tootgarook ($900,000) and Hastings ($670,000) registered less than 1 per cent annual growth. Somerville and McCrae rose 6.5 per cent and 7.8 per cent, to medians of $820,000 and $1.25 million respectively.
However, the dwindling prices follow substantial five-year growth, and most owners are still ahead on capital gains.
There were not enough reported sales in Portsea to record a median.
Steve Granger, director of McCrae-based agency Granger, says proximity to the freeway appeals to retirement-aged buyers who divide their time between Melbourne and the beach.
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It is faster to access McCrae from their Melbourne bolthole – which is often an apartment – than the so-called boot end of the peninsula.
“Seventy per cent of my buyers come from Boroondara – Camberwell, Kew, Hawthorn, Balwyn,” he says. “The commute from those suburbs is so easy.”
Sam Danckert, director of Mount Martha’s Danckert Real Estate, says the broad range of price movements reveals the micro-dynamics of the peninsula market.
“At the extreme, where Sorrento is concerned, it is holiday-orientated, and the headwinds of vacant land tax and Airbnb tax are really harming the market,” he says.
“The demand side of the market is not there because people are not relocating out of Melbourne to live in Sorrento. They are away from hospitals, schools and other amenities.
“But if you go to the other end of the peninsula, like Mount Eliza, there is still relocation from Baby Boomers and families moving out of Melbourne.
“Through the COVID hysteria, we went from a regional-style market to a metropolitan-style market very quickly.”
Kay & Burton director Liz Jensen, who sells in Sorrento, Portsea, Blairgowrie and Rye, says some vendors have an expectation of pandemic-era prices, but buyers have a different take.
“I have purchasers saying, ‘the world has fallen apart, therefore it is worth way less than it was in the boom,’ ” she says.
However, these tend not to be genuine buyers, she says.
“There are very few people looking, but the ones who are looking are deadly serious, so the strike rate is much better than normal,” Jensen says.
Domain’s chief of economics and research Dr Nicola Powell says the data reveals a “classic pattern” of deeper declines in premium locations and medians “holding up” in affordable areas.
“We are seeing multispeed growth across those suburbs,” she says. “Some areas had really strong rates of growth, particularly over that five-year period, when people were fleeing the city.
“We are moving past that peak rate of decline. Areas like Sorrento, with a nearly 24 per cent decline, presents such an opportunity for buyers.”
A shallower pool of buyers in higher-end suburbs exposes them to shifting attitudes, AMP Capital chief economist Shane Oliver says.
Victoria’s vacant residential land tax, which requires owners to stay at their holiday home for at least four weeks a year to avoid the levy, has likely had a “significant” influence.
“I think the tax imposts on investors generally has an impact on the overall property market in Victoria, but the vacant land tax is probably magnified for some of these areas,” Oliver says.
This, and the call back to the workplace for at least a few days a week, has played a role in reducing some peninsula prices.
“When people were told to stay at home, they wanted to live somewhere nice, so there was an interest in sea-change and tree-change areas,” Oliver says.
“People were working from home and there was talk that it could become a permanent thing.
“Both of those things have reversed and people are finding they need to be in the office more.”
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the Lilydale Croquet Club Division 1 level play team played host to the Mornington club
This week’s team was Craig McCracken and Murray Howlett
Craig and Murray started well and were taking their opportunities to run the hoops and controlled the pace of the game to go on and have a comfortable 7 hoops to Mornington 2 hoops
Murray Howlett played in the first singles game
Mornington started well and had the first three hoops on the board before Lilydale got off the mark
Murray slowly worked his way into the game and eventually took the lead and went on to win 7 hoops to Mornington 5 hoops
Craig got off to a good start and was able to put his opponent under pressure which caused his opponent to make some crucial errors
Craig went onto win 7 hoops to Mornington 3 hoops
the scores were Lilydale 3 games 21 hoops to Mornington 2 games 10 hoops
With two games to play Lilydale had already won the day
Murray Howlett played in the next singles game
Murray got off to a good start and controlled the game with some steady well thought out plays and went on to have a comfortable 7 hoops to Mornington 3 hoops win
This game was possibly Craig’s best for the season so far
clearing balls or jumping balls all came off and he had a dominant 7 hoops to 0 win
The final scores were Lilydale 5 games 35 hoops to Mornington 0 games 13 hoops
Lilydale are in fourth position two wins behind the ladder leader in Kew
so it is going to be a close finish to the season
The Lilydale division 2 level play team of Alan Jones
Kerri McCracken and Mick Crawley travelled to Kew Croquet club
Kerri McCracken and Mick Crawley played in the doubles
This was a very close game with both teams going hoop for hoop and after the twelfth hoop had
been played the scores were 6 hoops each with the thirteenth hoop to be played to decide the winner
Both teams set up reasonably well but it was the Kew team that was able to run the hoop and win 7 hoops to Lilydale 6 hoops
Alan Jones played in the first singles game
Both teams started ok but then Alan missed a couple of hoops that he would normally have run which let in his opponent and Kew went onto win 7 hoops to Lilydale 3 hoops
Mick Crawley played in the next singles game
Mick got off to a good start but the Kew player started to peg him back a bit
then Mick steadied and took the win 7 hoops to Kew 4 hoops
the scores were Kew 2 games 18 hoops to Lilydale 1 game 16 hoops
both teams still had a chance of winning the day
Kerri McCracken played in the first game after lunch
Kerri got off to a flying start and really did not let her opponent settle into the game at all and in the end had a comfortable 7 hoops to Kew 2 hoops win
This win to Lilydale put both teams on 3 wins each with Lilydale holding a 3 hoop advantage
so it was all down to the last game to decide the winner on the day
As you would expect for a deciding game things were tight
with both players not giving an inch and after twelve hoops had been played the score was six hoops a piece
with the thirteenth hoop to be played to decide the winner
like all the rest was a close affair but in the end it was the Kew player who came out on top
The final scores for the game were Kew 3 games 27 hoops to Lilydale 2 games 29 hoops
Lilydale sit on top of the ladder from Kew
but Lilydale hold the lead by 7 games and 33 hoops
Thursday saw the start of the Round Robin between the four top teams and the club that finishes on top after the round robin will be the season’s winner
Lilydale was playing at home this week against the team from Sandringham
The last time these two teams played one another,r it was a marathon match that did not finish until 5pm
hopefully this will not be a repeat of that day
This week’s team for Lilydale was Murray Howlett
Mick Crawley played in the first singles game
both players were on the same handicap so neither player had an advantage
Mick started strongly and had the first three hoops on the board before his opponent was able to run his first hoop
Mick continued to control the game and went on to win 7 hoops to Sandringham 2 hoops
Lilydale were starting with a one-hoop disadvantage while Sandringham had a one-hoop advantage
Lilydale had made up their disadvantage at the first hoop
then it was just a matter of clearing their opponents away from the hoops so that Lilydale could set up and run the hoops
Drew was starting with a one-hoop disadvantage
The game was close all the way with both players playing some good and not-so-good croquet
it was the Sandringham player who came out on top 7 hoops to Lilydale 6 hoops
Mick Crawley and Kerri McCracken played in the next doubles game
Mick and Kerri quite often team up well in their doubles and this game was no exception as they controlled the game to go on and have a comfortable 7 hoops to Sandringham 2 hoops win
the scores were Lilydale 3 games 27 hoops to Sandringham 1 game 15 hoops
Sandringham have their work cut out for them if they want to win with just two games to play
Kerri McCracken played in the last singles game
Kerri was starting with a one-hoop disadvantage
Kerri unfortunately missed a couple of hoops she would normally have run and this was all it took for the Sandringham player to win 7 hoops to Lilydale 5 hoops
Howlett and McLean that teamed up for the last doubles game
Lilydale were starting with a 2 hoop disadvantage
Sandringham were 5 hoops and Lilydale still had 1 hoop in disadvantage
then a complete transformation in the game happened and Lilydale then just controlled the play and scored the next 8 hoops to go on and win 7 hoops to Sandringham 5 hoops
The final scores for the day were Lilydale 4 games 39 hoops to Sandringham 2 games 27 hoops
This win puts Lilydale on top of the ladder by one game with two games to play
There is no games next week due to the Australian Open competition at Victorian Croquet Centre at Cairnlea
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A McCrae couple told they would have to pay to stabilise a steep hill under their home after the first of three landslides has won a court battle with the local council
Mornington Peninsula Council has been trying to force Gerry and Bronwyn Borghesi to pick up an estimated $1.25 million bill for earthworks on the cliff face since 2022
But the Building Appeals Board ruled on Wednesday the council had made its orders without authority
Gerry and Bronwyn Borghesi at the bottom of the hill where a landslide destroyed the home below theirs.Credit: Simon Schluter
Their home at the top of the hill has experienced three landslides in two years
with the council issuing an emergency works order to stablise the area after the first
Eight homes in McCrae remain under emergency evacuation orders and off-limits to their occupants, four months after the third landslip in the coastal suburb destroyed a three-storey house at the base of the hill
The council has said that it must spend about $8 million reckoning with the January 14 landslide
at an average cost to ratepayers of about $75 per household
The council has no authority to compel the Borghesis to stabilise the damaged escarpment on their property because the couple were not undertaking any building work when the first landslide happened in November 2022
Eighty millimetres of rain – well above the November average – fell on the peninsula on the day before the 2022 slip
A geotechnical report submitted to the board in evidence also concluded that cracks in the street kerb directed water towards the escarpment
The cliff in McCrae has experienced three landslides since November 2022.Credit: Joe Armao
The council ordered the Borghesis to stabilise the landslip in accordance with a structurally engineered design that satisfied the council
and to remove all the landslip debris at the bottom of the cliff
The works had an estimated cost of $1.25 million
Board chairperson Eric Riegler ruled in his determination that an emergency order and a building order the council issued the Borghesis were not “jurisdictionally valid”
“We accept the evidence of the Applicants that no building work is currently being carried out or proposed to be carried out on this area of the land or generally,” Riegler’s determination states
“The power to make an emergency order in relation to land does not crystallise unless there is work being or proposed to be carried out on the land in question.”
Gerry Borghesi said the board’s determination vindicated the couple’s conviction that the council could not order them to stabilise a part of the property they were not building on
“We’ve always felt the council has been overreaching in exercising its powers to force ratepayers to fix problems they are not responsible for,” he told The Age
The board’s determination does not resolve the question of who is responsible for fixing the damaged escarpment
Part of the Borghesis’ property was hit by the third landslide on January 14 this year
in which tonnes of waterlogged soil collapsed onto a house in Penny Lane at the base of the hill
The council’s emergency building orders related to the first landslide in November 2022
and were issued because the municipal building surveyor judged that the unstable cliff was a danger to life and property
Nineteen properties were evacuated after the landslide in January this year; 11 properties have since had their evacuation orders lifted, while eight, including the Borghesis’, remain under indefinite evacuation orders. Multiple homes have been looted
who say they have had thousands of dollars worth of possessions stolen
The Allan government has appointed a commission of inquiry into the causes of the landslides in McCrae and to identify how to prevent future landslides there. The commission is currently accepting submissions
a spokesperson for residents temporarily displaced by January’s landslip
said the commission was taking a thorough approach and had spoken with all affected people individually
“That was the first public understanding and empathy shown to all the people in four months
so we’re confident we will get a fair hearing,” he said
Bendel said uncertainty about when people could return to their homes was causing “quite significant psychological issues”
Many of the displaced residents are aged in their 70s and 80s
The council has been critical of the Victorian government for failing to contribute to the cost of dealing with the landslide
“The state government has contributed zero to the actual response and $3.14 million into the autopsy,” Mayor Anthony Marsh said at a council meeting last month
at which a maximum allowable 3 per cent rate rise was approved
in part to cover the cost of the landslide
The council has until May 16 to appeal the board’s determination
Mornington Peninsula Shire Council said: “We are currently considering the decision and its implications
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Eight homes in McCrae remain under emergency evacuation orders and off-limits to their occupants
four months after the third at the base of the hill
Eighty millimetres of rain \\u2013 well above the November average \\u2013 fell on the peninsula on the day before the 2022 slip
Board chairperson Eric Riegler ruled in his determination that an emergency order and a building order the council issued the Borghesis were not \\u201Cjurisdictionally valid\\u201D
\\u201CWe accept the evidence of the Applicants that no building work is currently being carried out or proposed to be carried out on this area of the land or generally,\\u201D Riegler\\u2019s determination states
\\u201CThe power to make an emergency order in relation to land does not crystallise unless there is work being or proposed to be carried out on the land in question.\\u201D
Gerry Borghesi said the board\\u2019s determination vindicated the couple\\u2019s conviction that the council could not order them to stabilise a part of the property they were not building on
\\u201CWe\\u2019ve always felt the council has been overreaching in exercising its powers to force ratepayers to fix problems they are not responsible for,\\u201D he told The Age
The board\\u2019s determination does not resolve the question of who is responsible for fixing the damaged escarpment
Part of the Borghesis\\u2019 property was hit by the third landslide on January 14 this year
The council\\u2019s emergency building orders related to the first landslide in November 2022
Nineteen properties were evacuated after the landslide in January this year; 11 properties have since had their evacuation orders lifted
The Allan government into the causes of the landslides in McCrae and to identify how to prevent future landslides there
a spokesperson for residents temporarily displaced by January\\u2019s landslip
\\u201CThat was the first public understanding and empathy shown to all the people in four months
so we\\u2019re confident we will get a fair hearing,\\u201D he said
Bendel said uncertainty about when people could return to their homes was causing \\u201Cquite significant psychological issues\\u201D
\\u201CThe state government has contributed zero to the actual response and $3.14 million into the autopsy,\\u201D Mayor Anthony Marsh said at a council meeting last month
The council has until May 16 to appeal the board\\u2019s determination
Mornington Peninsula Shire Council said: \\u201CWe are currently considering the decision and its implications
entertainment ideas and a long read to enjoy
Service centre and connection point operating hours and days vary by location
Mornington Peninsula Shire acknowledges and pays respect to the Bunurong people
the Traditional Custodians of these lands and waters
The Georgian-inspired house in Main Ridge is nestled on a 2.83ha block
Business power couple Jinah and Christian Johnston have listed their sprawling Mornington Peninsula estate for a $8.2m-$9m sale
Ms Johnston is a business improvement manager at cosmetics giant Mecca
She previously worked for The Just Group which owns clothing chains including Just Jeans
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Mr Johnston served as chair of investment bank and financial services firm Goldman Sachs Australia and New Zealand from 2020 to 2023
following 14 years as the company’s head of banking
He’s now an advisory director to the business
a Melbourne Cricket Club Committee vice president and a member of the Australian Takeovers Panel
The Johnstons are selling their Georgian-inspired house in Main Ridge featuring a pool and cabana
a large dining area and kitchen with an island bench inside the home
The separate studio is another new addition to the house
Kay & Burton executive director Tom Barr Smith declined to comment on the five-bedroom home’s owner but public documents show that it is held in Ms Johnston’s name
Mr Barr Smith said the 2.83ha property had been extensively renovated in addition to offering privacy and a low-maintenance
as you’re driving in you get beautiful deciduous trees and the swimming pool,” he said
A separate studio that was built in the last 18 months would serve as the ideal work from home spot
The Georgian-inspired facade includes a portico entrance
A fireplace keeps one of the living areas cosy
The two-storey house has an open-plan living space with an open fireplace
kitchen centred around an island bench and French doors
Other highlights include a main bedroom suite with a double-vanity ensuite and dressing room
Mr Barr Smith said most of the interested buyers were based in Melbourne and seeking a home to use as a city retreat
Expressions of interest close at midday on May 13
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LARGER-than-life hot-air balloon sculptures – the giant Skywhale and Skywhalepapa – will grace the skies over Mornington in what promises to be a sunrise spectacle
Created by leading Australia artist Patricia Piccinini
the hot-air balloons will take flight at Dallas Brooks Park as the first light of day breaks over Mornington on 26 April from 5.30am to 7.30am
Measuring 34 meters long and 23 meters high
the Skywhales are twice the size of a standard hot-air balloon
The free community event is being hosted by Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery and presented by the National Gallery of Australia and supported by the Friends of Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery (MPRG)
grab a coffee or breakfast from a food van and feel the anticipation build as the balloons inflate and take flight before your eyes,” the event’s organisers said
followed by a special introduction from the visionary artist Patricia Piccinini herself.” After ascending
the festivities will continue back at MPRG with free kids’ activities
Skywhales Across Australia is a National Gallery touring event
supported by the Australian Government through Visions of Australia and the National Collecting Institutions Touring Outreach Program
Skywhales is the third instalment of The Balnaves Contemporary Series and is a Know My Name project
Register to attend at mprg.mornpen.vic.gov.au/skywhalesmornington
First published in the Mornington News – 8 April 2025
Mornington Peninsula News Group (MPNG) is a locally owned and operated
MPNG publishes five weekly community newspapers: the Western Port News
Frankston Times and Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News
MPNG also publishes two glossy magazines: Peninsula Essence and Peninsula Kids
This is probably not the page you’re looking for
thriving café culture and a relaxed coastal lifestyle
the Mornington Peninsula continues to attract homebuyers looking for a sea change
Located just an hour from Melbourne (even though locals will deny it)
experts say the region is set for even more activity in the coming months
Locals love the Mornington Peninsula for its quiet community feel
its abundance of cafes and restaurants and
it’s the kind of place that offers a relaxed seaside lifestyle without having to venture too far from the city
“The Mornington Peninsula has plenty of things on offer,” explains Bendigo Bank Relationship Manager Dan Dietzel
“There are also a number of award-winning wineries and restaurants
While the property market experienced a slight lull in the latter half of 2024
Marshall White Mornington real estate agent Jake Egan says prices have remained “relatively stable"
demand for high-quality properties is still strong
Summer on the Mornington Peninsula is full of sun
“Good quality properties are still in demand
and I expect pricing in the back half of 2025 into 2026 is is going to increase dramatically,” Egan says
now could be the time to secure a home before prices climb again
First-home buyers are increasingly drawn to the peninsula
“The Mornington Peninsula is a great place for first-home buyers
particularly in the mid and southern parts of the peninsula like Dromana
The Peninsula gives easy access to places like Diamond Bay
a popular family beach surrounded by sandstone cliffs
“We’re seeing people get affordable houses at a cheap price
making it achievable to own a slice of paradise.”
the market is expected to pick up pace as interest rates ease
“I think the next six months in the Mornington Peninsula are going to see a lot more positivity
with more transactions this year than what we saw last year,” Egan predicts
“I think buyer numbers will gradually increase
especially with rate cuts and just that sentiment of people getting on with things.”
and a lifestyle that continues to draw interest
the Mornington Peninsula remains one of Victoria’s most desirable places to buy a home
The Mornington Peninsula is set to attract droves of buyers in 2025
Dietzel says having local experts to help you navigate the sea change process is key
I can tee you up with local agents and conveyancers to help make your purchase a smooth and stress-free process,” he says
a family-friendly community or a long-term investment
the Mornington Peninsula offers the perfect blend of lifestyle and opportunity
And with price growth expected and more people looking to enter the market
now could be the right time to make your move
For buyers looking to take advantage of current market conditions
Bendigo Bank can help navigate the home-buying process
With expert local knowledge and personalised service
(L-R) Newly elected Mornington Peninsula Shire Council Deputy Mayor Cr Paul Pingiaro and Mayor Cr Anthony Marsh
The new Mornington Peninsula Shire Council
In response to the State Government’s Recycling Victoria Policy we have commenced the transition to new bin lid colours
These bin lid colours are being standardised across the state
We will be changing from the old colours of blue recycling bin lids and dark green rubbish bin lids to:
There will be no change to the food and garden organics bin
The transition to the new bin lid colours will be gradual
with damaged or new bins being issued in the new colours to begin with
This means that while we transition to the new standardised bin lids your bin lid colour may be different to your neighbours
These changes will not affect bin collections
Visit the State Government’s Transforming Recycling in Victoria website page for more information on the state’s recycling transition
The Mornington Peninsula Shire Council has announced it has appointed Mark Stoermer as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) following a Special Council Meeting today (4 March 2025)
Mark brings extensive leadership experience in local government
He is currently the Director of Corporate Services at Brimbank City Council and previously held the same role at Wyndham City Council
He has also served as CEO of Douglas Shire and Nillumbik Shire Councils
As Director of Corporate Business at the City of Melbourne
he led major financial and governance reforms
delivering sustainable budgets and operational efficiencies for one of Australia’s largest municipalities
Mark has significant corporate leadership experience
having held senior roles in the financial services and business sectors
His previous positions include CEO of Fordham Business Advisors and leadership roles at Moore Stephens Australia
His ability to bridge corporate acumen with public sector leadership ensures a strategic
and financially responsible approach to council operations
Bulent Oz will continue as Acting CEO until Mark commences on 16 April 2025
after which he will return to his substantive position as Chief Financial Officer
“The Mornington Peninsula Shire is delighted to welcome Mark Stoermer as our new Chief Executive Officer,” said Mornington Peninsula Shire mayor Anthony Marsh
“Mark is a highly respected and experienced leader
and deep commitment to delivering high-quality community outcomes
“We received an impressive field of applicants for the CEO role
and Mark’s appointment is a testament to his outstanding leadership
and proven ability to drive positive change
“I would also like to sincerely thank our Chief Financial Officer
for his invaluable leadership as Acting CEO since November
and dedication have been deeply appreciated during this transition.”
Mark Stoermer said “I am thrilled with this amazing opportunity to work and live in the crown jewel of Victoria and to lead the organisation in supporting Council to deliver on its vision for the community
“I look forward to bringing a community and customer focus while ensuring the long-term sustainability of Council.”
Mornington Crime Investigation Unit detectives have charged a man and a woman following an alleged kidnapping in Mornington
Investigators have been told a ride-share driver was stopped on Mornington-Tyabb Road about 8.30pm on 20 February by a potential fare
A man and a woman got into the car and it is alleged the driver was threatened with a knife and told to drive to an address in Joffre Street
Noble Park where the pair got out of the car
Detectives have made a number of enquires and on Tuesday executed a warrant at an address in Cooba Court
They arrested a 34-year-old woman and a 23-year-old man at the address
The 23-year-old has been charged with kidnapping
He has been remanded to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 4 March
The 34-year-old woman has been charged with kidnapping
She has been remanded to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 4 March
School holidays are here and the Mornington Peninsula has plenty to keep kids active
making it an ideal time to get out and explore
visit local farms or just enjoy a great playground
so it’s easy to plan something fun without spending too much
Here’s a round-up of some of the activities happening across the region to help you plan your next family day out
Green Olive at Red Hill is going all out this April with the launch of its new pickleball court
Kids' Holiday Program are running Tuesdays to Thursdays during the break
enjoy a hot chocolate and head off on a farm scavenger hunt. Bookings required
Dates: Pickle Ball Everyday Holiday Program: 8–10 & 15–17 April, 11:15amCost: Pickleball Launch - FREE / $15 per child per programLocation: 1180 Mornington-Flinders Rd, Main RidgeMore info and bookings: School Holiday Program
Mount Martha Public Golf Course 2-day school holiday camp is perfect for young golfers looking to build their skills and confidence on the course
the program focuses on all aspects of golf
with an emphasis on on-course play to help juniors prepare for tournament conditions
Led by experienced PGA Teaching Professional Kom Pertama
it’s a fun and supportive environment for kids to learn and grow their love of the game
and while it's preferred that kids bring their own clubs
The Briars in Mount Martha is a must visit for curious nature lovers these school holidays
with immersive programs that bring the bushland and its creatures to life
There’s even more happening at The Briars these holidays
so click here to explore the full program and book your spot
Both sessions are family-friendly and a wonderful way to connect with nature—by day and night
Set your alarms early for this free event on Saturday 26 April from 5:30am to 7:30am, Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery (MPRG) invites the community to witness the breathtaking Skywhales Across Australia event at Dallas Brooks Park
Created by leading Australian contemporary artist Patricia Piccinini
the awe-inspiring Skywhale and Skywhalepapa hot air balloons are part floating sculpture
watch the giant Skywhales slowly inflate and gently lift into the sky
accompanied by an atmospheric soundscape and a special introduction from the artist herself
You’re encouraged to bring a picnic rug
grab a warm drink or bite from a food van and soak up this magical moment
presented by the National Gallery of Australia and supported by the Friends of MPRG
Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery has a fantastic lineup of art workshops these school holidays
10am–11am: 5–8 year-olds (adult co-creator welcome)
Kids can paint and decorate three handcrafted Easter-themed clay shapes ;a Love Bird
Long-eared Bunny and Easter Egg using acrylic paints and Posca pens
hands-on workshop is all about creativity and fun
Each child can take home their own Easter keepsakes
Turn your pet (or a favourite animal image) into a playful portrait with mixed media
followed by a story time with Judy from her book ‘Jo and the NO.’
Both workshops are held outdoors under a marquee
Snacks available from Nuno’s Southern Hospitality food van
Soar into Autumn Fun at Arthurs Seat Eagle
Take your school holiday adventures to new heights with a trip on the Arthurs Seat Eagle gondola
Running special activities from 5–21 April
the Eagle is offering plenty to entertain families beyond the stunning views
Kids can spot hidden eggs from above in the Eagle Egg Hunt
and even win prizes in the Golden Egg Giveaway
There’ll be live animal shows (8 & 17 April)
cultural bush walks with Living Culture (10 & 14 April)
a giant balloon dome experience on Wednesdays
Extend the day with Twilight Flights on 12 & 19 April or chill out with live music at the summit every Sunday
Most activities are free with your gondola ticket
but bookings are recommended for select experiences
The brand-new RW Stone Reserve Dirt Jump Park in Somers is ready to roll
tabletops and more and is perfect for first-timers and confident riders
get active and learn about jump safety and maintenance
Lightfall is a world-first light trail experience at the Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne
complete with a stunning soundscape and large-scale glowing installations
Make a night of it with an early dinner on the Peninsula before heading to Cranbourne for this exciting experience
Mushroom Reef Marine Sanctuary is a fantastic spot for families to explore the coastline at low tide
filled with rockpools and marine life including colourful sea stars
It’s one of the best low-cost nature experiences on the Peninsula
Please observe the no collecting rule to help protect this special place
This is just a quick snapshot of things you can do
You’ll find more inspiration on our Facebook and Instagram pages – or come and chat with us at the Mornington Peninsula Visitor Information Centre
We’d love to help you plan your perfect autumn day out these school holidays
WORK has begun on a new “tropical paradise” industrial business park in Mornington
and studio spaces.Located near the racecourse at 41 Watt Rd
the new $5 million business precinct called “Free Form” officially broke ground last week
creating a new opportunity for those who “want modern workplaces with a Mornington address”
Once complete it will feature 32 warehouses
and one caretaker’s residence across the half a hectare site.A sod-turning ceremony on 5 March was celebrated by dignitaries including Flinders MP Zoe McKenzie
Mornington Peninsula Shire deputy mayor Cr Paul Pingiaro
whose usual developments range from luxury homes to medium density apartments
said Free Form was the “perfect opportunity” to create a precinct that could put “Mornington on the map”
making it not only an attractive option for businesses who wanted a space closer to home but also creating a local hub of innovation and economic growth.“We’ve gone to great lengths in the design and architecture of the building and landscaping to attract businesses that want to be client-facing and proud of their business address
We’re not pretending we’re in Melbourne; we want to be on the peninsula and proud to be on the peninsula,” Reeve said.Kyle and his wife Kristiina and two small children moved from Melbourne to Mount Martha in 2019 and now feel very much part of the local community
Reeve had been formerly working from a co-working space in Mornington but when he realised that he and other business owners were dividing their time between Mornington and Melbourne with no comparable office space in the local area
he knew something had to be done.Free Form’s flexible offering has so far proven to be a promising venture with 60 per cent of the project having been sold to local businesses from logistics
and interesting businesses on the peninsula with nowhere to go
There’s very little choice for decent businesses to put themselves somewhere,” Reeve said.“I feel a great responsibility to deliver something remarkable for the site
as I live locally and will have my office in this development
This isn’t just about selling and disappearing; it’s about building a community and setting a new standard for industrial developments,” he said.Free form’s design is touted to “lift the bar for industrial spaces by bringing a residential approach to industrial development”
will see a “tropical paradise” created with a six-metre buffer from the road
including various plants and palm trees.“We’ve got design guidelines around signage and branding to ensure the aesthetic appeal of the development
We’re not just building warehouses; we’re creating a place where businesses can thrive and be proud of their location,” Reeve said
First published in the Mornington News – 11 March 2025
For more information and to have your say, visit: mornpen.vic.gov.au/ourfuture.
Service centre and connection point operating hours and days vary by location.
Mornington Peninsula Shire acknowledges and pays respect to the Bunurong people, the Traditional Custodians of these lands and waters.
Watch 6m Luxury Mornington Peninsula house falls down cliff in landslide
But there remains a scar in the landscape, from a morning like no other.
KEN THESEIRA, LANDSLIDE WITNESS: In less than five seconds, and then you just heard the big crack sound, and the next thing I knew, the fence went down, and the ground below me as well, just pushed down a little bit and dropped my things, and I just had to run. And I yelled at my friend, I said, run, run. I says, there's a landslide.
MIKE LORIGAN: Ken Theseira, was outside cleaning the windows of a luxury property above, making it ready for sale when the earth started to move below him.
This vision he filmed and broadcast for the first time shows the moments right after the cliffside gave way.
KEN THESEIRA: So, I ran a few steps just to get covered. By the time I turn and look behind, I can see the house was just being swept away, and everything was just collapsed. That was it.
MIKE LORIGAN: Last week, the landslide destroyed a three-storey holiday rental, injured a council worker on the property and has forced the evacuation of 19 properties below and around the area.
All are still under an exclusion zone while engineers assess the structural integrity of the slope.
A week before this incident, a landslip occurred leading to the evacuation of the property which eventually came tumbling down.
KEN THESEIRA: I think from the first landslide that happened 10 days ago, whatsoever, it should have been put to a stop down, down there, as to evacuate people, knowing that this could happen again. And true enough, it happened again.
MIKE LORIGAN: At the beach the water is a blessing but up on the hill, behind the beach, water is becoming a curse. It’s turning into a nightmare for property owners who own some of the most sought-after views in the region.
Properties at the top of the escarpment are now teetering on the edge.
DAVID KENNEDY, COASTAL GEOMORPHOLOGIST: I'd definitely be concerned if I was there, because we know it's slipping. And if we look at the aerial laser surveys, there are gullies going into that section. So, nature wants to pull this thing down.
GRANT MCCONNELL, REAL ESTATE AGENT: We're standing in Prospect Hill Road at the entry of Viewpoint Road where the landslide happened, only a couple of 100 meters down there.
MIKE LORIGAN: Local real estate agent Grant McConnell was preparing to put this evacuated property on the market.
At Christmas, what were you looking or what were you hoping to sell that property for?
GRANT MCCONNELL: Well, we have a price range of four and a half to $5 million like it was certainly going to be a suburb record. There's no question about that.
MIKE LORIGAN: In 2023 Grant sold the home which slid down the cliff face.
What was known about this beforehand? What did you know?
GRANT MCCONNELL: What did I know? Well, I mean, from locals around there's always been, you know, and we're talking decades of water, of springs underneath the ground that have been, you know, trickling away.
DAVID KENNEDY: What I think happened was the ground was probably too wet.
MIKE LORIGAN: Coastal geomorphologist, Professor David Kennedy says subterraneous water is moving from inland, through the escarpment and out into Port Phillip.
DAVID KENNEDY: It's naturally an unstable landscape. The geology is quite weak. It's loose sand, and it's probably over steep from what nature would like it.
So, it's something that's going to go and usually, that is usually with water and once you plonk water on that landscape, it's going to start moving.
MIKE LORIGAN: The landslide was a surprise for most a week ago but for others living here, there have been warning signs.
2011 Australian of the Year, businessman and philanthropist Simon McKeon lives along the escarpment.
SIMON MCKEON, RESIDENT: You know, we have simply seen the cliff erode. Sometimes that might just be a handful of boulders, other times more significant, but in a way, nothing has had the effect that what we saw a few days ago has had.
MIKE LORIGAN: More recently, residents say a sinkhole has also appeared nearby on the road above the escarpment.
SIMON MCKEON: An incident occurs, and it's fixed, soil or whatever is put back up a cliff, retaining walls put in place, basically sticky tape and band aids.
MIKE LORIGAN: This is something that you had perhaps foreseen or expected as a resident living here, that this could happen?
SIMON MCKEON: No doubt at all and what we have not known, though, is the precise causes.
MIKE LORIGAN: In 2022, eight houses had to be evacuated after a landslip sent 10 tonnes of earth down the cliff.
The Mayor of Mornington Peninsula Shire Council told 7.30 the council does not know if there is any connection between the 2022 landslip and the current one.
He declined to comment because the 2022 landslip is subject of ongoing legal proceedings. In the immediate future the council has formally requested urgent assistance from the Victorian state government to address the challenges posed by this event.
Simon McKeon believes now is the time to finally address the issues undermining the cliff.
SIMON MCKEON: The work that I've seen over the last two or three days of teams of people coming in with the right equipment, dyes being poured down water courses, cameras going down pipes. This is all the data that we need.
I think we're finally on notice that if we just do what we've been doing in the past, that's a pretty dumb way to approach it.
MIKE LORIGAN: Should people have built homes here?
SIMON MCKEON: Well, I'm certainly not the person to answer that question, but you should be asking some people that. But what I would say is that you know, if the, if the answer is no, then I want to know that as the answer.
DAVID KENNEDY: I would have advised against building on the cliff face if I was in the planning or writing a report for this area.
MIKE LORIGAN: After a week of investigating the local council and the local water authority, South East Water are both yet to detect any issues with their infrastructure in the cliff side. The cause is still unknown. It says only once the investigations are complete can they begin a plan to return residents to their homes.
SIMON MCKEON: The reality is that we all could have done a better job actually, starting with me. I've been a resident here for better part of 50 years. Where was my voice two or three decades ago. So I'm less interested actually, in blaming a particular organization.
But for goodness sake, we need to understand what has actually caused all of this.
Mornington Peninsula has some of the most sought-after properties in Victoria but last week a landslide caused a house to collapse down a cliff face.
Mike Lorigan reports with Alysia Thomas-Sam.
CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced
AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time)
United Energy helicopters are scanning powerlines across the Mornington Peninsula over the next fortnight as part of United Energy’s year-round bushfire mitigation and vegetation management program
which fly about 300m above the ground and use technology known as Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) to scan the distance between tree branches and powerlines
Related article: United Energy conducts bushfire safety upgrades
United Energy teams create 3D models of powerlines and their surroundings
helping to inform what vegetation needs to be cut
United Energy head of vegetation management Ayce Cordy said it was important that accurate measurements were taken of all vegetation each and every year
“Inspecting and managing vegetation growing near powerlines is an essential part of how we keep power safe and reliable for our customers,” Cordy said
we can track growth rates of vegetation across our network
helping us plan where to cut right now and when we may need to conduct cutting in the future.”
The helicopters are operating over Frankston
Mornington and Dromana over the next fortnight
Each year United Energy uses a fleet of three helicopters to inspect more than 13,000km of powerlines across Melbourne’s east
Trained cutting teams can enter private property to cut trees back from powerlines
and also work on public land across our network
Teams need to meet clearance requirements that are regulated by Victoria’s energy safety regulator
Related article: Drones to replace helicopters for powerline inspections
Larger clearance areas are required in areas of higher bushfire risk
United Energy teams notify customers of cutting required at their address
complete the required pruning work then return to remove debris
the teams aren’t always able to provide advance notice
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The forum was live-streamed across Facebook and YouTube. For those who missed it, a recording is available for viewing at: mornpen.vic.gov.au/shoutout
The Mornington Peninsula Shire continues to collaborate closely with the State Emergency Service (SES)
and relevant agencies to respond to the landslip at McCrae that occurred on the morning of 14 January 2025
The cause of the landslide remains unknown
Geotechnical assessments are ongoing and South East Water is also conducting extensive testing to determine the source of the water contributing to the landslip
and we are monitoring ground movements closely
An exclusion zone remains in place to ensure the safety of the community
We urge everyone to stay clear of the area
The site is still under the control of the SES
Point Nepean Road is closed to general traffic between Latrobe Parade and Coburn Avenue but allows limited access for local vehicles
There is no access through the exclusion zone
We expect the closure to last at least a week and are working closely with the Department of Transport to enhance road management and redirect traffic away from local roads
providing pedestrian and bike access around the front of the exclusion zone
Our community relief hub operates today from the Dromana Visitor Information Centre (359B Point Nepean Road
It provides access to information and referral to support services
We acknowledge and deeply empathise with residents displaced from their homes due to the landslide
We understand how distressing and disruptive this situation has been and are here to support all affected parties during this challenging time
and we assure the community that our best people are diligently investigating the source and cause of the landslip
We are also focused on identifying the necessary rectification and remediation works to make the area safe again
On behalf of the Mornington Peninsula Shire
I’d like to thank the community for their patience
and understanding as we navigate this challenging situation and the emergency service teams and volunteers working tirelessly to make the site safe
We are in direct contact with affected residents and homeowners and will continue to provide updates as new information becomes available
If you have immediate concerns, please call us at 1300 850 600 or email us at customerservice@mornpen.vic.gov.au.
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A Mornington Peninsula mansion has sold for $17 million
with the hefty deal taking place well outside the prestige page staple suburbs of Portsea and Sorrento
it’s a 45-minute drive back towards Melbourne CBD in Frankston South
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Since 1 July, our Port Phillip beaches have all been cleaned solely by hand as part of a new 12-month trial
The frequency of cleans has remained the same
with each Port Phillip beach cleaned fortnightly
we’re ready to share the first report with our community.
The trial came about after investigations found that the mechanical rake only removed about 40 per cent of litter and sometimes broke plastic items into smaller pieces and buried them in the sand
The investigation also found 85 per cent of the material collected by the rake and taken for waste disposal was organic matter
Removing seaweed from beaches means taking away a major food source for marine animals such as birds
We also want to reduce the amount of organic matter in landfill to limit dangerous methane gases that contribute to poor environmental outcomes.
and it comes and goes with the tides and winds
Typical seasonal wind patterns see the wind moving north-westerly during the colder months
This is evident with the amount of seaweed present on our Port Phillip Bay beaches in winter
the wind patterns tend to change and we’re likely to see less seaweed on our beaches in summer.
Seaweed left on the beach will decompose rather quickly and blow onto the foredune areas where it will help stabilise the vegetation
We’re keeping an eye on this to find out how quickly it breaks down and what benefits the seaweed has on the flora and fauna.
Our community members have been very forthcoming with feedback
Some people have told us they are starting to notice more shorebirds and marine animals on our beaches
Many are concerned about seaweed on the beach
We had some big storm events in September that brought more seaweed and debris onto our beaches than usual
it was the windiest September in seven years
With the storms and strong north-west winds
we copped more than just seaweed: litter and rubbish from other municipalities came onto our beaches from across the bay (including a large wheelie bin from the Bellarine Peninsula!)
It’s thanks to the hand-cleaning method we know that not all rubbish collected here is from the Mornington Peninsula
The cleaning team records debris and rubbish from other councils
We will reach out to our colleagues across the bay to share our findings and discuss what can be done to limit the amount of rubbish moving across the bay and onto our beaches.
volunteers play a major role in keeping our beaches clean
We are incredibly grateful to everyone who does their bit
whether they are part of an organised group
take part in clean-up events or just pick up rubbish when they see it.
Fortnightly cleans will continue over the summer
We will continue to monitor the beaches and the type of litter we pick up.
It’s important we let the trial run for the full 12 months to get an accurate understanding of the pros and cons of hand cleaning
This will allow the new Council to make an informed decision about how best to clean our beaches in the future.
We’ll keep the community informed and look forward to sharing the findings of the next quarterly report early next year.
Go to mornpen.vic.gov.au/beachcleaning to read the July – September report
Fill in the survey to share your feedback on the trial until 30 June 2025.
Note: Beaches on the ocean side of the Peninsula
from Point Nepean to Somers are not cleaned on a regular schedule – either by hand nor rake
Timberlake x Nike shoe collab early access
Australia's Mornington Peninsula is full of delights
Within hours of touching down in Melbourne, Australia
I’d yet to check whether toilets really flush in the opposite direction in the Southern Hemisphere
But I’d verified another law of physics: slices spin in the same Down Under as they do back home
and I’d just missed the middle of a fairway by a mile on the 3rd hole of the North Course at Peninsula Kingswood
a rustic beauty where straying from the short grass can be ruinous for many reasons
a club representative had treated us to a pre-round speech worthy of Steve Irwin
telling us excitedly about the course and the venomous snakes that reside on it
“If one of them gets you,” he said
“You’ve got about an hour.”
James and Sean — and I had been upgraded to Qantas business class
We arrived the next morning at far end of the world
rested and ready to hit the ground running
the most skilled of our foursome at driving on the wrong side of the road
Like the most famous Melbourne-area courses — Royal Melbourne, Kingston Heath and Victoria — Peninsula Kingswood is part of the Sandbelt and bears the hallmark features of layouts in the region
But the club sits farther south than its siblings at the gateway to the Mornington Peninsula
a boot-shaped protrusion below Melbourne that doubles as a draw for golfers
surfers and nearby city-dwellers on weekend getaways
“It’s sort of like what Long Island is to Manhattan,” Mike Clayton
the acclaimed golf course architect and Melbourne native
other comparisons came to mind: the Mornington Peninsula was Northern California
minus the congestion; it was Scotland with nicer weather and better wine
it was not shabby spot to start our 10-day escape
Peninsula Kingswood made a sensible first stop in part for its location
just less than an hour’s drive from the airport
Formed by a merger of two clubs (Peninsula and Kingswood) with roots that reached back to the early 1900s
sandy site and is home to two highly regarded courses —the North and the South — both of which were restored in recent years by the Aussie quartet of Clayton
Of the two layouts, the South is longer, flatter and — based on the course ratings — more difficult
but the North offers a more faithful introduction to Sandbelt golf in the style and scale of its sandy wastes and bunkers
To say it’s easier than the South doesn’t mean it’s shy on strategic demands
being out of position brings all kind of non-reptilian problems to the fore (it’s worth noting that snakes
as our Aussie friend made clear in his pre-round pep talk
want even less to do with us than we do with them; just thump the turf with a club whenever you’re ball hawking and if they happen to be near
A well-placed drive opens up a world of opportunity
leaves you playing defense on your approach
taking dead aim at the flag isn’t often the wise choice
the North Course is a bouncy celebration of the ground game
which is less a game of darts than it is a mogul run
And one of the great pleasures of playing it is anticipating the hops and rolls and trying to execute accordingly
but nowhere more than on the par-5 17th hole
where Darren’s blade runner of a layup skipped and skirted before coming to rest in an ideal spot
Good breaks are only good if you take advantage of them
and Darren’s next shot was pro-model
a perfect baby wedge that landed on a ridge at the front right of the green
into a back-left cup for eagle — a fist-pump moment made even more euphoric by the fact that it was filmed by a drone that Darren had set hovering behind the hole
This highlight of the round was also a focus of our post-round conversations
With the sun dipping low over Port Phillip Bay
we made the scenic drive through vine-latticed terrain to Pt
one of many bright lights in a constellation of area wineries
where we sat for a spot-on farm-to-table dinner
The Mornington Peninsula’s temperate
coastal climate is similar to that of Sonoma County
and the same grape varietals — including pinot noir and chardonnay — thrive in both locales
Over a feast of grilled lamb and roast vegetables at Pt
while reliving the day in the smack-talk language in which all golfers are fluent
Then we made our way to our accommodations and got ready to do it again
Where the fun might take us next was another matter. The peninsula is loaded with so many courses, we were forced to pick and choose within the two days we’d allotted for this portion of our tour. After some debate, we opted for the National Golf Club, a luxurious retreat where we faced another choice because the National has four courses, including designs by Greg Norman and Tom Doak.
It called for our attention from high points on the course, and captured it fully on the 7th hole, a short par 3 over a canyon to a green set on a bluff with an infinity of blue extending behind it. After a solid pin-high play and a routine two putt, Sean stood at the green’s edge, taking in the postcard vista, and half-jokingly suggested that we camp out where we were for the rest of the day.
It was not a bad idea, but it was good that we kept going. After 36 hours and nearly three rounds, we’d yet to come across a snake in Australia. But on the very next hole, an uphill par 5, we had our first encounter with a different native species: a troop of kangaroos, lazing and grazing astride the tilted green, as bored by us as we were thrilled by them.
Distracted, I three-jacked. Another bogie and another nugget for the memory banks, with more to come. Two days down, we still had eight to go in and around Melbourne, where my game seemed very similar to what it was back home, but the golf — our group had already come to realize — was unlike anything anywhere else.
A golf, food and travel writer, Josh Sens has been a GOLF Magazine contributor since 2004 and now contributes across all of GOLF’s platforms. His work has been anthologized in The Best American Sportswriting. He is also the co-author, with Sammy Hagar, of Are We Having Any Fun Yet: the Cooking and Partying Handbook.
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Frank Watt is receiving dialysis on country for the first time. (Supplied: North West Hospital and Health Service)
For the first time, the remote community of Mornington Island has a permanent renal dialysis unit.
Previously, many patients had to fly to Townsville or Mount Isa for treatment and were displaced for years at a time.
Renal dialysis will also be available in the remote community of Normanton after hospital upgrades are complete.
Link copiedShareShare articleAfter spending two years away from home for life-saving medical treatment, Mornington Island resident Frank Watt says reuniting with his family has brought him "back to life".
"When you're home you get more support from your family … [it] brings you back to life because you feel happy inside," Mr Watt said.
Between 2022 and 2024, Mr Watt received treatment for end-stage kidney disease at Townsville — 850 kilometres away on a multi-day, mutli-flight commute — because there were no suitable renal facilities on the island.
It was a "scary, lonely" time that made him homesick, the 54-year-old said.
Frank Watt on his first day in the new Mornington Island unit. (Supplied: North West Hospital and Health Service)
But that has changed since a permanent renal dialysis unit was established at Mornington Island Hospital, enabling patients like Mr Watt to receive critical treatment on country.
"Indigenous people that come from this place, it's a privilege for them to come home and have dialysis," Mr Watt said.
Frank Watt is relieved to be back home. (Supplied: North West Hospital and Health Service)
The ex-police liaison officer said receiving treatment locally was life-changing and he wanted other remote Indigenous communities to have the same opportunity.
"They can go down the beach and do some fishing when they got day off, sit out with families and have a talk, a yarn, like they used to before they got sick."
Melinda Foster and Dorita Escott benefit from the new service. (Supplied: North West Hospital and Health Service)
The rate of kidney disease is disproportionately higher among First Nations people than the general population.
Kidney Health Australia said Indigenous patients were four times as likely to die from the condition.
Last year, dialysis was the leading cause of hospitalisations for Indigenous Australians accounting for 44 per cent of admissions — 11 times higher than the non-Indigenous population, according to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework.
Patients with kidney disease require treatment multiple times a week to stay alive, taking hours at a time.
When that is not able to be delivered locally, remote patients like Mr Watt travel hundreds of kilometres to a treatment centre and can be displaced from home for years.
Fishing is an important part of family life on the island. (Supplied: Des Mellican)
Mornington Island, nestled in the Gulf of Carpentaria off the north coast of Queensland, is home to about 1,000 residents.
Mr Watt recalled family members who were being treated for dialysis on the mainland sometimes died there, away from their loved ones back home.
"It cost a lot of money to bring home a family member back on the island for a funeral."
Mr Watt was one of the first patients to be treated at the new renal dialysis unit at Mornington Island Hospital when it opened in June last year.
The six-chair unit caters to those who independently dialyse and those requiring clinical support from specialist dialysis nurses.
It was a boost from the previous temporary two-chair, satellite supported haemodialysis unit.
Scott Windor has seen how patients' lives have improved. (Supplied: North West Hospital and Health Service)
Mornington Island director of nursing Scott Windsor said it was a "significant improvement" in the quality of life for dialysis patients.
"Having access to such critical services locally means that patients can maintain their routines and support networks, which is vital to their wellbeing," Mr Windsor said.
North West Hospital and Health Service chief executive Sean Birgan said the response from the island's patients was encouraging.
"The new, more permanent renal dialysis unit allows us to deliver healthcare services more efficiently and effectively, providing better continuity of care and enhancing overall patient experience," Mr Birgan said.
Back on the mainland, 150km south-east, Normanton Hospital is currently undergoing a significant upgrade, due to open mid-2025.
In 2024 the federal government announced $18.58 million for additional dialysis units across multiple locations in remote Australia, including Normanton.
A specific timeline for dialysis at Normanton has not been confirmed, but Mr Birgan said it would be coming to the new hospital.
"They want the capability to deliver dialysis. That's a service they don't currently have," he said.
"I can confirm that the new building will have the capability of delivering renal dialysis."
The old hospital was knocked down for new pre-fabricated modules. (Supplied: North West Hospital and Health Service)
Another 400km south-west in the border town of Camooweal, dialysis chairs are scheduled to be installed in the local primary health clinic.
Acting health service chief executive Damien Searle said the chairs had been ordered and he was awaiting a delivery date.
"We endeavour to inform the community and our patients waiting for dialysis treatment in Camooweal as soon as this service is available," Mr Searle said.
The family behind one of Melbourne’s biggest family-owned car dealerships are carving up a sprawling Mornington Peninsula holding they spent decades collecting
and wife Pam have bought up six adjoining properties to the Dromana beach house they purchased for their family in 1992
Mr Jefferson established Jefferson Ford in Bentleigh in 1988
It now employs hundreds of staff across 17 locations with brands including Ford
Jefferson Ford founder Simon Jefferson and wife Pam list huge beach property
Kamala Harris set to jet to Aus for odd reason
he and his family have used their spacious Dromana holdings as a place to relax
Dromana is one of several blocks that the Jefferson owns
But with the family no longer needing or using the sprawling series of properties
Last year they offered the full package with a $20m price tag for the lot
but in the coming months they are planning to sell the individual titles piecemeal — though are still open to a unified sale
The first block to hit the market, a 1012sq m bare block at 3 McArthur St
has been listed via Docking Real Estate boss Adam Docking
though Mr Docking is expecting a “very high end” home to be built on the site after the land sells
MORE: Australia’s surprise mortgage-free hotspots revealed
Millennial renters pocket $250k from bold home play
Mr Jefferson spent years accumulating land around Dromana
“It’s one of their two blocks facing into McArthur St
then there are two facing onto Latrobe Pde,” he said
but this one has the most elevated position — so it’s about what sort of property someone wants to build
you’d be spending $1m and change to build a home.”
The Jefferson family also sold their Vermont South home in 2024
While there could be an option for townhouse construction
the agent noted that he’d already received interest from families looking at the site for a future holiday home
Mr Docking sold the Vermont South home the Jefferson family had lived in since the 1980s
The Ngumby Rd property set a $5.15m house price record for the suburb in June
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Run down inner-city home scores huge $600k auction windfall
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THE Bays’ new Cancer Care Centre in Mornington officially opened its doors last week with a grand ceremony
marking a milestone in the community.The centre will be the first of its kind to have a radiation oncology service on the Mornington Peninsula
providing the latest radiation therapy technology and techniques for all cancer types
with an integrated approach focused on personalised care for patients and their families
The $15 million project was completed late last year after construction began in April 2023
“Today marks the culmination of years of planning and dedication to enhancing cancer care in our region,” The Bays Healthcare Group CEO Jade Phelan said at the official opening on 3 February
“The Bays Cancer Care Centre is more than just a building—it’s a commitment to providing accessible
compassionate cancer treatment and support for our local community
right here at home.” The ceremony was attended by Flinders MP Zoe McKenzie MP and former Health and Aged Care Minister Greg Hunt
board chair of Community Bank Mount Martha
which has funded the wellness centre within the new Bays Cancer Care Centre.Among the centre’s key features are a team of oncologists
and allied health professionals; a dedicated radiation therapy planning CT scanner
and advanced technology including a HyperArc for brain cancer
and stereotactic radiation therapy for precision treatment of small tumours
and tattoo-less radiation therapy.Leading cancer care provider Icon Cancer Centre will provide radiation oncology services while a wellness centre with breast care and prostate care special nurses will provide support groups
nutritional advice and a mobile wig library
Free parking will also be available with its location reducing any stress for patients travelling long distances for treatments.“Its integrated
patient-centred approach is designed to improve access to high-quality care and ensure that every patient receives the best possible treatment,” The Bays said in a statement
“The Bays Healthcare Group is committed to continuing its mission to deliver healthcare excellence to the Mornington Peninsula and beyond
and the opening of The Bays Cancer Care Centre is a significant step forward in this journey.”
First published in the Mornington News – 11 February 2025
What makes this offering so unique is the land parcel is on 14 acres and is entirely vacant
the “beach farm” at 4315 Frankston Flinders Road
has a price guide of $9.6 million to $10.3 million
this sprawling beach farm unfolds before million-dollar views over Western Port Bay
Phillip Island and the Nobbies,” the listing reads
Pop icon Kylie Minogue once owned a hideaway on the off-grid French island.
She reportedly spent time there recovering from cancer treatment with former boyfriend, actor Olivier Martinez.
The exclusive cliff-top site is described as having boundless potential for someone with architectural vision to “maximise those panoramic ocean vistas”.
For a buyer with deep pockets, the idea to create their own home on a manicured blank canvas would no doubt be ideal.
The Victorian coastal towns where house prices plunged 20 per cent
Breathtaking estate in Mornington Peninsula's Boneo for sale
Rare chance to buy solid brick bathing box in Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula
Though, of course, all ideas are of course subject to council approval.
What also makes the land desirable is its proximity to the nearby township of Flinders, which is just a five-minute drive away.
“Beloved for its rugged coastal beauty, wineries, thermal springs, golf courses and foodie scene, from high-end restaurants to farm gate produce, the Mornington Peninsula offers a barefoot beachside lifestyle that encompasses the very best Victoria has to offer,” the listing reads.
For those longing for a country retreat with city access, it’s a 90-minute commute to Melbourne’s city centre.
Interested buyers have until 5pm on March 31 to express their interest.
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One of our state’s greatest assets is its light: the purple of Melbourne’s late afternoons; the dazzling gold slant of the sun across the fields of Central Victoria; the misty and mysterious blue of the filtered rays through the trees of East Gippsland. On the Mornington Peninsula, if you’re a little away from the startling blue of the bay, the light can sometimes be almost peachy orange – pure and glorious.
At Barragunda, the new restaurant at Cape Schanck, the room makes amazing use of that fire-touched light, which shines over its wood and earth tones and casts the dishes of chef Simone Watts in warm clarity. It helps that the room and the food are already gorgeous. But there’s a sense in the design of the space, the large windows looking over a sandy garden, that the landscape and light of the Cape are invited in, as integral a part of your meal as the food, wine and service.
It’s an environmental project in more than one way – kitchen and restaurant waste is composted, plastics are avoided, and profits are redirected to the family foundation, which supports “innovation and systemic change in Australia’s food systems”.
Eggplant danish.Wayne TaylorFrom the consumer point of view this is, at its heart, a very fancy restaurant. But it’s certainly one with objectives that go beyond luxury and revenue.
It is also, compared to its counterparts, relatively inexpensive. I’ve long complained of most degustations that they are too long, too heavy and too expensive. “Cut the menu in half! Cut the cost by a third!” I’ve whinged to dinner companions multiple times over the past few years. In many ways, Watts has done just that. There are snacks, a seafood course, a meat course, a pre-dessert and a dessert, and the cost is $145. I’d label it a bargain.
Those snacks are garden-led: baby vegetables with a decadently creamy sabayon made from leek tops; a danish, its golden pastry fantastically lacquered and stretchy, filled with sweet and smoked eggplant and black garlic; a kofta ball made from smoked hogget. Many of the dishes here have a lightly Middle Eastern bent, an homage in part to the late chef Greg Malouf, who was a mentor of Watts’.
I was lucky enough to dine here at the tail end of tomato season and get a glorious dish of whole heirloom tomato that had been dried and reanimated into a slump of sweet flesh over stracciatella cheese, an intense ode to the end of summer.
The tomato and stracciatella dish.Wayne TaylorNext up: Portarlington mussels, some poached, some tempura fried in a sourdough batter, lending a tart and deeply savoury note to an otherwise acid-forward dish, led by fermented fennel and softened with sunflower cream.
The main course is a rustic spread of black Angus raised on the property, alongside a springy salad and a yellow gazpacho topped with charred yellow peppers. The steak is lovely, but I especially appreciated the deep comfort in the jumble of ossobuco, made into a ragu with green-picked figs and rainbow chard.
Dessert is also a high point – a semolina and peach confection in recent weeks, infused with cardamom and bathed in orange blossom honey, its apricot ice cream topping and cashmere caramel accompaniment creamy, subtle and generous.
Caramel, cardamom and stonefruit dessert.Wayne TaylorEven the cocktails are conceived of with the produce on hand as inspiration. I’ve never had an appletini quite like the one here, made with six of the estate’s dozens of apple varieties, tasting like freshness and autumn and, yes, that perfect yellow sunlight.
Service in general, and wine service more specifically, is that wonderful, oh-so-Australian combination of passion, warmth and personality – these are lovely people with whom to spend the afternoon, and they want you to eat and drink extremely well. The wine list is a mix of small and exciting Australian producers and European cult labels, and talking it through with the knowledgeable staff is a joy.
I found a huge amount of hope in the experience of dining at Barragunda: hope for the future of Victorian dining, which has been struggling in the years since this restaurant was first imagined. We haven’t seen very many new projects with this kind of ambition in that time, and it’s wonderful to experience that freshness and excitement again. Watts and her team are presenting an experience that revives that excitement – a beautiful homage to this part of the world and its exquisite light.
Go-to dish: Eggplant danish; mussels and baby fennel; stonefruit, semolina and citrus blossom honey
Drinks: Great non-alcoholic options and cocktails, all inspired by the garden. Wonderful wine list with a focus on Victoria and France, as well as other Australian and European regions
Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.
Where to sit, the total bill and best dishes: Your cheat sheet to Australia’s first Ministry of CrabA Sri Lankan seafood restaurant with nine international branches has opened on Flinders Lane, bringing bibs, claw crackers and the theatre of wok-cooked mud crabs.
Slurp down 16 different types of oysters at this tiny, casual CBD seafood spotStop Whining is a stay-a-while sibling to hole-in-the-wall oyster bar Muli Express, offering a casual spot for seafood feasting on Little Bourke Street.
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Flinders candidates have their say before voters head to the polls this Saturday.
Candidates are listed in ballot paper order.
Actions speak louder than words and it was only after my press release regarding my inability/apprehension going forward with the ToP, pressed upon them how serious I was about the situation they put me in. Subsequently, ToP preferencing was changed with One Nation put second, followed by a Teal, Labor, the Greens candidate before a Liberal representative, so a vote for ToP is still against my belief that a conservative government is the best outcome for our nation.
We as a people have been misrepresented by the current Labor government. Many families are struggling to pay bills and put food on the table and their desperation seems to go unnoticed. A vote for the ToP in Flinders is a preference for Teals/Labor, and I won’t stand for it! Don’t vote for me, instead vote for Mike Brown from One Nation, and follow his how-to-vote card – that is the best chance we have of getting out of this mess that The Left has put us all in.
I’ll never forget one young mum who came into the Mornington Community Support Centre last year. She was working two jobs – but still sometimes had to choose between rent or feeding her family. She’d done everything “right” but was falling through the cracks.
I never planned on going into politics. But every day someone would come in with a story like this. Yet, when I tried to reach out to our elected representatives to let them know how people were struggling, I was met mostly with platitudes. The major parties have shown themselves incapable of dealing with the big issues impacting us all.
Prior to election, I ran my own business building opportunities for Australian exporters and was a board director for the Committee for the Mornington Peninsula, NBN Board and Australia Council for the Arts. Earlier, I practised as an IR lawyer. This experience underpins my understanding of the challenges facing our small and family businesses. I am determined to build the peninsula’s thriving economy, protect our lived environment and ensure we get our fair share.
In 2023, the Albanese government cut over $300m from budgeted infrastructure for the peninsula: roads, public transport, even the National Centre for Coasts and Climate were severed. I fought and saved road safety improvements on the Nepean Highway, the site of countless accidents, and worked with universities to keep the National Centre for Coasts and Climate alive.
I work daily with Nepean and Mornington MPs Sam Groth and Chris Crewther to address key issues of local crime, tighten bail laws and improve community safety. Working together we will secure funding for critical projects like the Rosebud Hospital – which only the Liberal Party has committed to rebuild.
The Coalition has a proud record of investment here, and I opened the Mornington Comprehensive Cancer Centre and Alexandra Park Pavilion, the Rosebud Youth Hub and the Endeavour Fern Gully Education Centre – all funded by the Coalition. I have fought for funding for our sporting facilities, mental health services and telecommunications improvements.
My commitments bind the Coalition to providing up to $900m to modernise the Frankston Baxter rail corridor; $5m for the Mornington to Moorooduc Trail, $5m to rebuild the Somerville Recreation Reserve, $5m to create a Veterans Wellness Centre and $2m towards improving mobile reception in Somerville – to name a few.I ask for your support to keep fighting for Flinders.
I am calling on voters to reject the Climate 200-backed “Teal” campaign and restore honesty and common sense to Canberra. As a father of seven, grandfather of nine, and long-time Mornington Peninsula local, I am a self-funded candidate — not backed by Climate 200, corporate donors or Simon Holmes à Court’s money.
I believe the One Nation Pauline Hanson team is the only real force keeping the buggers honest in Canberra. I welcome the support of former candidate Jason Smart, who recently resigned from the Trumpet of Patriots after Clive Palmer overruled him and referenced the Teals against his wishes. Mr Smart is now assisting the One Nation campaign to stop the Greens, Labor and Teals from gaining control of Flinders.
This election isn’t about left or right — it’s about right and wrong. Labor and the Greens have barely lifted a finger in Flinders because Climate 200 and their Teal candidate Ben Smith are doing the heavy lifting. It’s time to wake up and push back.
One Nation preferences are structured to strengthen the conservative vote — not split it.A Vote 1 for One Nation is the strongest message you can send to Canberra. I’m not here for a political career — I’m here to fight for the country I love and the community I live in.
Watching television, tears welled up in my eyes when I saw an advertisement asking viewers to sponsor an Australian child to access a decent public education. What is happening in Australia? How can 27 million people living on a resource rich continent fail so many of its children?
I was born in Brisbane in 1951, the son of Italian sharecroppers. I am a father, stepfather, grandfather, widower. For the past fifty years I have been a doctor, community radio broadcaster and activist. Residents, including Denise Hassett of the 1993 Flinders Labor candidate, asked me to provide electors with real choices. I’ve made mistakes and have regrets. My journey helps me gain the insights, experience, determination and strength to represent you.
The experts tell me I have “a snowball’s chance in hell of being elected.” They think I’m a 21st century Don Quixote tilting at virtual platforms. I’ve put my money where my mouth is and financed my own campaign. I owe nothing to political parties or secular or religious groups. Help me do a Bradbury. Put a cat among the Parliamentary pigeons and Vote 1 Joseph Toscano. I’m not allocating preferences – your vote, you decide your preferences.
I’ve also worked to secure tens of millions for our peninsula including:
This is only the beginning of what better representation can offer our area. At this election the choice is clear. Keep building Australia’s future with Labor, and with me as part of that team. Or Peter Dutton’s cuts. In just three years Labor has halved inflation, got wages growing, and interest rates are reducing.
Now Labor is building on those foundations by:
I ask for your vote so that I can secure these benefits for our community and represent the peninsula as your member in a Labor government.
The Greens’ plan is clear. Make big corporations pay their fair share of tax to fund world-class public services working for people, not profit, and genuinely tackle the housing crisis, but also take action on climate, “the greatest moral challenge of our time”.
Other candidates take huge donations from big corporations and billionaires. We don’t. Have you noticed on the peninsula the Greens have not had the exposure that the wealthier, billionaire backed candidates have? I will side with everyday people over big corporations, always.
Greens MP’s and Senators are like terriers, nipping at the heels of the government, arguing for climate action, with no new coal or gas mines, free GP visits, dental on medicare and unlimited mental health services, publicly owned affordable social housing and rent freezes.
The big four banks made $44.6b profit last year. We will pressure government to build good quality homes, sold and rented at a price you can afford, with big banks to offer discount mortgages to all homeowners, including first homebuyers and owner-occupiers. We must stop the $180b in tax handouts to wealthy property investors.
We argue for free education, with fully funded public schooling, $800 per child back-to-school each year, and publicly owned and operated, safe, free child-care for all. Cancelling all student debt as well.The Independent Parliamentary Budget Office fully costed this plan.
Closing the gap for our First Nations people is urgent. A young First Nations’ man will have more chance of going to prison than university. This weighs heavily on me and motivates me to work in this space and stand as a Greens candidate to pressure for reforms which change this statistic.I will work assiduously to Keep Dutton out and make Labor act.
First published in the Mornington News – 29 April 2025
Established in 2006, Mornington Peninsula News Group (MPNG) is a locally owned and operated, independent media company.
MPNG publishes five weekly community newspapers: the Western Port News, Mornington News, Southern Peninsula News, Frankston Times and Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News.
MPNG also publishes two glossy magazines: Peninsula Essence and Peninsula Kids.
The plan provides a policy framework that guides land use, development, transport and public and private investment in the centre up to 2030. It outlines a shared vision with supporting objectives and strategies for achieving the vision. Identifying five distinct precincts, the Structure Plan addresses the following ten key elements:
The plan includes an implementation framework outlining stakeholder leadership and responsibilities, projects and planning actions responding to each of the above themes.
The Structure Plan is due for renewal subject to funding in a future financial year.
At its meeting of 15 July 2024, Council noted the progress report relating to the Mornington Activity Centre Structure Plan.
Watch 8m Residents alarmed over inaction after Mornington Peninsula landslide
PAUL WILLIGENBURG, RESIDENT: I was in the living room, I think, watching the news, and then we just heard this. It's really hard. It was like a rumble, really, really loud rumble.
MIKE LORIGAN: A landslide caused a three-storey home to tumble down the embankment and crash into another house. Paul Willigenburg was renting this home at the bottom of the hill.
PAUL WILLIGENBURG: I didn't have a clue what it was, maybe an earthquake. Then my wife screamed out, the bloody house has come down.
MIKE LORIGAN: A council worker was left with a broken leg. Nineteen properties were evacuated and put under an exclusion zone. Since then, eight remain inaccessible to residents including Paul.
PAUL WILLIGENBURG: We've had this latest incident happened and now we've got no idea. We've just got no clue where the hell we are now.
MIKE LORIGAN: Paul and his wife Denise find themselves in an extraordinary situation. They were renting a home at the bottom of the cliff because in November 2022 another landslip sent ten tonnes of earth into the back yard of the home they own two doors down.
PAUL WILLIGENBURG: When you say in your life, it can't get any worse than this, it actually has got worse than this and it's just kept getting worse and worse and worse.
The Mornington Peninsula Shire, who issued the emergency order, in their view, there's a risk to life, so we're unable to return until that situation is resolved, and 27 months later, it's still not resolved.
MIKE LORIGAN: Since that time the Willigenburg’s launched legal action against the council.
PAUL WILLIGENBURG: The legal question is basically, who's responsible and who pays. I couldn't make it any simpler than that.
MIKE LORIGAN: Those proceedings were put on pause, after the landslide earlier this year.
On the 4th of February, the state government announced its intention to set up a board of inquiry into the latest disaster.
JACINTA ALLEN, PREMIER OF VICTORIA: Its purpose is to understand what has caused this impact.
MIKE LORIGAN: More than a month on, its yet to be established.
CR ANTHONY MARSH, MORNINGTON PENINSULA SHIRE MAYOR: We still don't know. So there's obviously water flow, but we're not sure what the cause is.
MIKE LORIGAN: Is this hillside still moving?
ANTHONY MARSH: It is in the exclusion zone that we currently have set up, which is why there's still eight homes that are not available to be accessed by the owners.
MIKE LORIGAN: Whilst being evacuated from their homes, the Willigenburg’s and a number of other residents have suffered the indignity of being robbed.
PAUL WILLIGENBURG: This is the property that we haven’t accessed for 27 months. Our neighbour called us, and she basically she said your garage door is wide open, and I can see stuff's been strewn all over the place.
MIKE LORIGAN: The confirmation came a short time later when the police called.
PAUL WILLIGENBURG: They said, unfortunately, not only has your home been robbed, your rental property has been robbed as well, so we've been evacuated from two properties in 27 months and now we’ve been robbed in two properties.
MIKE LORIGAN: Victoria Police has told 7.30 they have still been unable to access several of the properties, due to the exclusion zone which in turn, has prevented them from investigating and confirming some of the reports of looting.
Paul Willigenburg says it’s not just him who is struggling.
PAUL WILLIGENBURG: The one thing I thought of the other day is the effect on your friends and your family - that’s hard, that’s very hard.
MIKE O’NEILL, RESIDENT: It's been harrowing, particularly for my wife, to come back and realize that, you know, all of her heirloom jewellery handed down through generations has been stolen.
MIKE LORIGAN: Mike O’Neill, is a spokesperson for the affected residents. He also had his property ransacked. He is highly critical of the council’s efforts to protect the affected properties.
MIKE O’NEILL: It wasn't until properties had been wholesale burgled, had been tampered with, some properties have been ransacked, that council started to actually listen to us, as the affected of residents to say, we should be doing a better job of actually maintaining these homes.
MIKE LORIGAN: Do you think council has done enough to ensure these homes were secure and protected?
ANTHONY MARSH: I think in council's remit, absolutely. I mean, it's, it's, it's not something most people would expect their rates to be used to provide private security, to enforce crime or the fighting of crime over the peninsula.
MIKE LORIGAN: But it's a site you had responsibility over?
MIKE LORIGAN: Okay, but, but you've, you've also forced the evacuation of people from their properties?
I do not believe we are responsible for fighting crime, but obviously we did take steps to try to eliminate that possibility. Clearly wasn't enough, but as you're probably aware, we had police resources that were withdrawn. We then stepped up our resources, but private security is never going to be the same deterrent as Victoria Police.
MIKE LORIGAN: Council funded CCTV cameras, and security patrols are now present at the landslide site alongside the fencing.
Residents are also critical of a lack of emergency assistance from authorities.
MIKE O’NEILL: We’ve had no offer of financial assistance.
MIKE LORIGAN: Any assistance during the relocation?
MIKE O’NEILL: No, no. We got offered $200 towards replacing our fridge if we needed to.
ANTHONY MARSH: We've given rate waivers. Obviously, if the house is empty, it seems fair that we don't charge them rates for that period. But beyond that, we haven't been able to provide additional support. But we we've provided that.
MIKE LORIGAN: Do you think they deserve that?
ANTHONY MARSH: Yes, but I guess it comes down to what's the role of council in this space. We've committed almost $3 million in the current budget to respond to this event. It's a huge number. So while yes, I would love to be able to help further, I do think there's other responsibilities. State government that should be stepping in here and helping too.
MIKE LORIGAN: Late last month more concern surfaced on the hillside.
This video, obtained by 7.30 shows water seeping through the backyard of a property inside the exclusion zone, on the eastern edge of the landslide site.
The council says it is investigating the source of this water coming out of the escarpment.
A report given to residents at the end of February by council, detailed the technical studies being carried out and indicated, the landslide is still active.
ANTHONY MARSH: We now have three different geotechnical firms helping us with the investigations, but these, these experts, cost a lot of money. So financially, council, you know, we can, we can pay for that, but that means there's $3 million that won't go into building roads and foot paths and playgrounds. So something has to give.
MIKE LORIGAN: In the weeks following the landslide, Mornington Peninsula Shire Council wrote to the state government requesting urgent technical and financial help to deal with the disaster.
A Victorian Government spokesperson told 7.30, the council is responsible for the ongoing management of the site and says it provided the council with a building surveyor from the Victorian Building Authority.
7.30 has confirmed the council is footing the bill and is paying the surveyor’s wages.
When do you think these fences might come down and you might be able to move back in?
PAUL WILLIGENBURG: No idea, absolutely no idea at all.
MIKE O’NEILL: We're told it will be by the end of the year. In terms of people that are still out of their homes, you know, I have real fears that who knows what the time frame is for them.
ANTHONY MARSH: I think the issue broadly will be going on for a while, and then I think, you know, there's going to be questions about other similar areas along the coast. We have cliff faces like this from Mount Eliza to Portsea, and I'm sure, if you go into Frankston and around the coast elsewhere, these landslide events are probably going to be more common.
This area has had a few, obviously. So I think this, this will be a bigger issue than McCrae, but also McCrae, I think this will go on for some time.
MIKE LORIGAN: Paul and Denise are now renting a second home in neighbouring Dromana just a couple of kilometres away, but the road back home seems a long way off.
Would you feel comfortable moving back in? Do you believe that the slope is safe?
PAUL WILLIGENBURG: Not until somebody proves it to me.
A landslide struck a coastal town in Victoria two months ago and the state government and local council don't know why the landslide occurred.
Do I need to submit a Traffic Management Plan
A Traffic Management Plan (TMP) may need to be submitted for works on Shire controlled roads
TMPs are submitted to Mornington Peninsula Shire for review and approval
Some examples where TMPs are required are below (not an exhaustive list):
If you are unsure whether you need to submit a Traffic Management Plan for assessment, please email traffic.management@mornpen.vic.gov.au with your query
The fees to Traffic Management Plans and subsequently issue a Memorandum of Authorisation are:
Exceptions include (but are not limited to) Events
works conducted by or on behalf of utility companies (verification required) and projects on behalf of and funded by Shire
Why do I need to submit a Traffic Management Plan
The purpose of submitting a Traffic Management Plan is to protect public safety on our roads and footpaths and to ensure that disruptions caused by works are kept to a minimum
Traffic Management Plans are reviewed by our Traffic Engineers and once approved you will be issued with a Memorandum of Authorisation (MOA)
All TMPs must be prepared by a qualified person as required by the Road Management Act 2004 and Road Safety Act 1986 and be in accordance with:
Please be aware that consent for some major traffic control devices (such as the use of portable traffic signals) will require approval from VicRoads
the 'road reserve' is divided between the roadway (which includes the road shoulders
and lanes used by traffic) and the roadside (which includes footpaths
nature strips and any grasslands or landscaped areas where they exist).
You must apply to the relevant Coordinating Road Authority for consent to perform works within the Road Reserve and this may be the Shire and/or VicRoads/Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) based on the type of road:
It is a requirement of the Shire’s Community Amenity Local Law 2022
Works on Council Land or Roads to obtain a permit to undertake any works on a road or Council land and it is a requirement of the Road Management Act 2004 to obtain written consent of the coordinating road authority to conduct any works in
until all required permits have been issued and all conditions have been met
If any works begin before this time enforcement action may be taken
You will need to submit all relevant paperwork (failure to do so could delay your approval)
Ensure you have these documents ready to attach
Please note that by completing the Shire MOA form
the contractor and the traffic management company are agreeing to abide by the Shire’s standard terms and conditions for traffic management
A copy of the Shire MOA application and the Shire’s standard terms and conditions can be found below:
please carefully consider the timeframes for the works/event (including unforeseen delays)
as expired MOA applications will need to be resubmitted for approval and this may lead to unnecessary delays
Worksite hazard assessment check list (Appendix C of the Code of Practice)
Shire MOA application (Must include period of works and property and contractor details
Any incomplete applications will be sent back to the applicant)
Traffic Management Plan/s (include any aftercare plans)
Approved VicRoads MOA for the authorisation of major traffic control devices (if applicable)
NOTE: If you require any other permits to undertake works your MOA will be issued in conjunction with these and you will require all relevant permits before your works can commence, please see Engineering for other permits that may be relevant
until all relevant permits have been issued and all conditions have been met
If any works begin before this time enforcement action may be taken.
Apply online
Applications are assessed by a Traffic Engineer for compliance with the relevant regulations
standards and guidelines (mentioned above)
We have 20 days to assess traffic management applications in accordance with the Road Management Act 2004
we will try to respond with initial feedback within five business days
If the submitted TMP is not to our satisfaction
we will ask for the plans to be revised and re-submitted
the MOA form will be signed and returned to the applicant with the approved TMPs
the MOA form will be signed and returned to you with the approved TMPs
NOTE:If you require a Road Opening / Drainage Connection / Works in Road Reserve Permit your MOA will be issued in conjunction with this and you will require both permits before your works can commence, please see Road Opening / Drainage Connection / Works in Road Reserve Permit
Implementation of TMPs must be in accordance with the appropriate legislation
TMPs and any associated permits must be kept on site during the works
Individual contractors/works managers are responsible for implementing the TMP and work sites may be inspected by Council officers at any time
Download: Traffic Management Plan FAQs(PDF, 263KB)
Combined Planning Scheme Amendment C247morn
Planning Permits P23/2400 and P23/2402 for subdivision
and a Development Plan propose to create a new residential estate in Mornington known as the “Woodbyne Precinct”
Amendment C247morn proposes several changes to existing zoning and overlay controls affecting the land
removing the Public Park and Recreation Zone (PPRZ) from the Council owned Watt Road plantation reserve (between 8 and 10 Woodbyne Crescent)
Planning permit P23/2400 is for the subdivision of four existing lots into 57 lots and P23/2402 is for the subdivision of four existing lots into 59 lots
The two planning permits also include the removal of the Council owned Watt Road plantation reserve (between 8 and 10 Woodbyne Crescent)
creation of reserves for new public open spaces and removal of vegetation
The combined amendment and permits apply to land at:
Land affected by Amendment C247morn and Planning Permit applications P23/2400 and P23/2402
Council’s adopted Housing and Settlement Strategy Refresh 2020-36 (Mornington Peninsula
2020) identifies this land as a place that may be suitable to provide more housing supply to help meet the needs of the Shire’s growing population
The combined amendment and planning permits are required to allow the land to be developed for more housing than can currently be achieved under the exiting LDRZ
the amendment and planning permits are required to facilitate the proposed subdivision and development of the land for conventional and medium density housing and supporting infrastructure
The DPO25 is required to ensure that the precinct is properly master planned to:
Whilst the amendment includes removing the existing DDO6
key design requirements from this overlay will be incorporated into the new DPO25 to ensure new development respects the valued character of the Mornington North area
Removing the existing PPRZ from the land allows for the creation of new and more functional areas of public open space for use by future local residents of the precinct
planning permit and proposed Development Plan documents free of charge
You can also read more about the combined amendment
planning permits and proposed Development Plan in the 11 July 2023 Council meeting agenda and minutes
You can download copies of the draft amendment documents from the Document Library at the bottom of this page
You can also read more about the amendment in the 11 July 2023 Council meeting minutes
Council/Committee Meeting Agendas and Minutes
The C247morn combined planning scheme amendment and P23/2400 and P23/2403 was exhibited from 21 November 2024 to 24 January 2025
Council received a total of 151 submissions
You can view all submissions free of charge by:
Exhibition of Amendment C247morn & Planning Permits P23/2400 and P2402 finished at 5pm on Friday
Council will consider any submissions received during exhibition before deciding whether to:
Council will make its decision at a meeting on (date to be advised). Prior to the Council Meeting both submitters and applicant will be notified of the date of the meeting
If Council decides to refer all submissions to an independent planning panel
a panel will be appointed by the Minister for Planning
The panel will invite all submitters to present their submission at a public hearing
The following dates have been pre-booked for a panel hearing:
If no submitters wish to present their submission to the panel
the panel will still consider all written submissions without holding a hearing
the panel will prepare a report with findings and recommendations
Council must consider the panel’s report before deciding whether to adopt the amendment (with or without changes recommended by the panel)
If Council adopts the amendment (with or without changes), we will submit the amendment to the Minister for Planning for final approval. The Minister’s decision on the amendment can’t be appealed. If the Minister approves the amendment, a notice will appear in the Victorian Government Gazette and the amendment will come into effect
all affected landowners and submitters of Council’s decision and the planning scheme will not be changed
As the amendment is accompanied by two planning permit applications
the Minister for Planning will decide whether to grant the permits (with or without changes or conditions)
No one can appeal the Minister’s final decision
Council will be the responsibility authority for the permits
You can get updates at key stages of the amendment if you made a written submission to Council during exhibition
This web page will also provide updated regarding the combined amendment and planning permits
The amendment was exhibited from 21 November 2024 until 24 January 2025
★ Stage 4 – Reviewing submissions and Council decision
Submissions are reviewed and Council decides whether to adopt the amendment (with or without changes) or refer submissions to a planning panel
Stage 5 – Planning panelAn independent planning panel reviews submissions and prepares a report for Council
Stage 6 – Council decisionCouncil considers the panel’s report and decides whether to adopt the amendment (with or without changes)
Stage 7 – Ministerial decisionThe Minister for Planning decides whether to approve the amendment
Image caption: Tootgarook Ward Cr Cam Williams
Benbenjie Ward Cr Max Patton and Nepean Ward Cr Andrea Allen at the launch
Mornington Peninsula has joined forces with Bass Coast Shire
and Greater Dandenong Councils to address the high number of non-fatal and fatal drownings in our regions
and local community group The Back Beach Collective
aims to tackle the alarming drowning rates affecting local residents and visitors.
Belgravia Leisure and The Back Beach Collective came together to launch the brand new Water Safety Framework at Portsea Surf Life Saving Club on Wednesday 5 March
Nepean Ward Councillor Andrea Allen addressed the crowd and acknowledged the power of Councils coming together to advocate for safer beaches and better infrastructure and the importance of community education to reduce drowning incidents on our beaches and inland waterways.
The Framework provides an overview of drowning incidents in the region over the past decade and will guide water safety and drowning prevention efforts to address key trends and risk factors.
Both Mornington Peninsula and Bass Coast are recognised as drowning blackspots in Victoria - with alarming statistics
there is a 99 per cent likelihood of a drowning death every year
with a 39 per cent chance that it will involve a local resident
between 2014 – 2024 there were 54 drownings on the Mornington Peninsula – that's nine times the Victoria average!
Learn more about the Water Safety Framework and our commitment to keeping our community safe in and around the water at mornpen.vic.gov.au//watersafety
Quotes attributable to Mayor Councillor Anthony Marsh:
“We want to reduce drowning incidents and water related accidents
The Cross Council Collaborative’s framework document has been endorsed by Life Saving Victoria.
I encourage all residents and visitors to install the Beach Safe app on their smart phone and check the conditions before you swim.”
we are committed to ensuring our community is informed
engaged and well-represented throughout this essential democratic process.
Council’s role is to advocate for the needs of our region and provide opportunities for residents to hear directly from the candidates who seek to represent our community.
Here’s how we’re contributing to the election process:
These projects focus on areas such as infrastructure
We have shared this list with all federal candidates and are inviting them to meet with us to discuss how they can support these projects.
Our campaign will also highlight our Shire-wide advocacy priorities, detailed on our website: Mornpen.vic.gov.au/shoutout
The Pledge Tracker aims to provide voters with an unbiased summary of what each candidate has pledged in terms of specific funding for the Peninsula and allows the progress of pledges to be tracked after the election.
respectful and balanced platform for candidates to present their vision and priorities for the Mornington Peninsula
and respond to moderated and audience-submitted questions.
to learn more about what each candidate has planned for the Peninsula if elected.
we can ensure the Mornington Peninsula is on the radar of federal politicians and candidates and that our community needs are heard during the campaign.
If you have any questions or want to learn more about our approach to the election, please visit: Mornpen.vic.gov.au/shoutout
and ongoing advocacy work are all designed to ensure our community is well-informed and that candidates are held accountable for their commitments.
“This election is a chance for our community to make its voice heard
and engage with candidates to help shape the future of the Peninsula.”
clifftop mansion in the Mornington Peninsula hits the market
designed by American architectSarah Petty
A beachside clifftop mansion in Frankston South has hit the market and could shatter the suburb’s price record
The six-bedroom Spanish-style house ‘Villa Ulibarri’ at 23 Gulls Way has a $16m-$17m price guide
Records show property developer Piermont Group managing director Warren Trewin owns the lavish manor
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the abode would smash the current residential price record by more than $6m
The Frankston South estate overlooks Daveys Bay
Aqua Real Estate Mount Eliza listing agent Michelle Skoglund said this home was the first one she’d seen on the Mornington Peninsula of this calibre in her 20 years working in real estate
“It’s a cliff top with no public access to the property
It is one of the best built homes you’ll see,” Ms Skoglund said
they saw this beautiful home when they were looking online … and they made contact with the architect
The house was designed by American builder Cornerstone Constructions
“He designed the home for that location and he flew out on numerous occasions to make sure it was going to plan,” Ms Skoglund said
The gym with an infra-red sauna at the end of the main wing
The main bedroom’s dressing room which has a rotating shoe rack
Past large iron gates and the property’s circular driveway
the house has a grand entry leading to many entertaining areas
Luxurious features include travertine floors
ceilings and bathrooms as well as American Oak
The kitchen is fitted with an Officine Gullo stove
Sub-Zero drinks fridge and a separate scullery
The expansive kitchen fitted with an Officine Gullo stove and Gaggenau fridges
oval spa and dressing room with a rotating shoe rack
It also opens out to a poolside alfresco lounge with a fireplace
a door leads to a gymnasium with an infra-red sauna and a guest suite with its own kitchenette
Ms Skoglund said the north-facing mansion took three years to build and had only just been completed
and you just feel like you’re on holidays,” she said
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THE Mornington Peninsula rightly holds the spot as the premier cycling and walking destination in the state
Filling in the final missing links on the Peninsula Link Trail will cement our region’s place
attracting more tourists to enjoy our beautiful environment and local businesses.That’s why an elected Coalition government will commit $5m towards the construction of a 5km path along the Mornington Tourist Railway
to connect Mornington to the Peninsula Link Trail at Moorooduc.According to the Mornington Peninsula Shire
the construction of the path would directly create 12 full-time equivalent jobs
and contribute $5.95 million in direct economic output.A Mornington to Moorooduc Trail would encourage greater active transport use
improving physical health for local residents
The proposed route also passes by multiple schools
sustainable alternative to private vehicle use
This has the benefit of reducing traffic congestion
especially during peak school drop-off and pick-up hours
This missing link in the trail has the potential to attract off-peak and mid-week tourists and more evenly disperse them across the peninsula.Federal Member for Flinders
said “with work having begun on the Somerville to Baxter trail
the Mornington to Moorooduc trail is the obvious next step.” “Around two thirds of the proposed 130km Peninsula Link Trail is complete
and this section will take us one step closer to a fully connected trail that connects our coastline and townships across the Mornington Peninsula” “I was proud to commit $5 million to this project at the 2022 election but it went unmatched by Labor
The Coalition will once again stand up for local businesses
residents’ health and our local environment in supporting this project.”
First published in the Mornington News – 18 March 2025
Post-run, Watts is into the kitchen to mill the flour, bake the bread and light the wood fire, ready for grilling and smoking garden veggies, Peninsula seafood and estate-reared hogget and Black Angus beef before guests start arriving.
The 40-seat fine diner – part barn, part glasshouse – extends out from an old farm shed reimagined by David Dubois (Portsea Hotel). It’s a seamless blend of rusticity and contemporary design, with a warm, earthy colour palette and all-natural materials like spotted gum timber floors, terracotta pendant lights and tiles, bespoke ceramic plateware, natural-stone benchtops and arrangements of native grasses.
“There’s a feeling that [the restaurant has] always been there – it sits calmly and quietly in the landscape,” Dubois says. “[The design] pays homage to the farm aesthetic. A farmer is very handy: everything from the fences to the buildings and sheds, they’ve had their hand in all of that. We approached it from that respect, where everything is handmade but elevated.”
A bench on entry and several tables throughout the restaurant have been crafted from locally fallen trees; the central waiters’ station is an old carpenter’s work bench found in Cape Schanck.
Browse Domain’s property and lifestyle magazines.
Just beyond the dining room is an abundant market garden where farmer Karl Breese tends to rows of artichokes, carrots, spring onions, celeriac, radishes, turnips, saltbush and more. Further along the property is Watts’s own thriving patch of the farm, where she’s been growing native murnong (yam daisy), lemongrass, chillies, heirloom tomatoes and soybeans (for house-made soy sauce).
Watts says you don’t need your own farm to bring farm-to-table dining into everyday cooking at home. “It’s about asking questions [around] where your food is coming from. To be a conscious eater, you have to be a curious eater.”
Not sure how to get started? “Think about what you eat most and maybe do a bit of research about heirloom varieties that aren’t your standard Bunnings seedlings, so you know you’re getting some interesting old-world vegetables,” she says. “People get overwhelmed thinking it’s going to be too hard or time-consuming, but if you’ve got an Instagram account, you have the time to grow your own food.”
What’s on architect Todd Henderson’s design mood board
Unwind in a lake house, explore olive groves and go fruit picking at Linnaeus Farm
Inside interior designer David Hicks’ gallery-style living room
The chef has some tips for storing and avoiding waste, too. “Fermenting is always great because you get that extra little bacteria boost that’s great for your gut. A sauerkraut is the easiest place to start, but you can pretty much ferment any vegetable or fruit you like.
“I think the beauty of having a garden in your own backyard is that there isn’t wastage. It’s not sad veggies at the bottom of your crisper. You’re only picking what you need and you know it’s going to be as nutrient-dense as possible because it’s only been off the plant for a couple of hours.”
With more than 1,360km of sealed local roads to manage
Mornington Peninsula Shire has significantly increased its annual investment in road renewal funding to $5.3M
combined with an additional $2M plus from the Federal Government’s Roads to Recovery program amounts to an ongoing yearly investment of $7.5M
With a high reliance on cars to get around the Peninsula
feedback about our roads regularly features in our customer satisfaction surveys
Council is about to embark on an ambitious resealing and rehabilitation program covering 159,700 square metres across 35 Shire managed local roads
This year’s program includes more patching
to ensure that what’s under the surface is in good condition too
In addition to this extensive body of work
we have also introduced a range of new measures to further improve our road network:
The renewal works will be done in stages throughout the year. For more information and a list of which roads are scheduled, visit our website at Road Resurfacing and Rehabilitation Program - Mornington Peninsula Shire.
We continue to advocate to the state government for the maintenance and renewal of state managed freeways and arterial roads including Boneo Road and Frankston-Flinders Road.
Council also welcomes the $14M investment from the Federal Government’s Roads to Recovery Program (RTR) to help support our local efforts.
The RTR provides funding to councils across Australia to support the construction and maintenance of local roads. Between 2024-2029, Mornington Peninsula Shire has been allocated $14,164,875.
The following projects will be delivered under the program in the first three years, with projects in years four and five still to be finalised:
As designs progress, we will be in contact with adjoining properties to seek feedback and provide further details around construction timeframes.
“Managing our extensive network of local roads is a significant challenge, but it’s also one of Council’s highest priorities. Our community has been clear—better roads matter. That’s why we’ve boosted our annual investment to $5.3 million, ensuring we can deliver safer, smoother roads for residents and visitors alike.”
Watch 5m Battle over a luge planned for Mornington Peninsula
Luge - flying down an ice-covered track on a sled barely above disaster at speeds approaching 120 kilometres per hour.
For most, this is as close to the real thing as they’ll ever get. Luge rides, built on metal tracks, like this one in Thredbo in Kosciuszko National Park in New South Wales.
MATTHEW MULKEARNS, CEO, AUTHURS SEAT EAGLE: Because they’re fun.
NORMAN HERMANT: Matthew Mulkearns believes a luge track would be perfect under the gondola he runs at Arthurs Seat State Park on the picturesque Mornington Peninsula 60 kilometres south of Melbourne.
And he says visitors to this tourist attraction agree.
MATTHEW MULKEARNS: The feedback very clearly was that we love what the gondola is about. We love the experience of the gondola but what else can we do at Arthurs Seat Eagle?
NORMAN HERMANT: Starting in 1960, a ride to the top of Arthurs Seat, 300 meters above Port Phillip, brought in the crowds but the old chairlift started to become a risky proposition - high-profile accidents forced its closure in 2006.
A brand-new gondola opened a decade later and now the company that runs it has big ideas for Arthurs Seat beyond just a luge.
Renderings show plans for a new observation tower at the top. There will also be a new experience centre at the base but it’s the luge track proposal that’s getting the most attention.
MATTHEW MULKEARNS: Our leased corridor pretty much runs within the easement that you can see. So, the luge ride will follow the terrain down with lots of cuts and turns and a couple of helixes that bring people down to a point somewhere around here. It's very, very light touch.
NORMAN HERMANT: What will be here under the proposal?
KYLIE GREER, SAVE OUR SEAT: This is the luge top station which is about the size …
NORMAN HERMANT: Local resident Kylie Greer from the group Save Our Seat opposed to the development plan, doesn’t agree.
KYLIE GREER, SAVE OUR SEAT: They call it a light touch, but it can't be a light touch, because people need to be safe on it. So there has to be, you know, concrete pylons, pegs in ground, and a lot of metal.
NORMAN HERMANT: Save Our Seats’ petition against the Arthurs Seat plans now has nearly 10,000 signatures. Among the objections, the destruction of wildlife corridors and native habitats.
KYLIE GREER: This is a public park. It's a state park. If the proponents want to build a luge, then they should buy their land somewhere else and build a luge wherever they want to. It's not appropriate to have a luge underneath this gondola.
NORMAN HERMANT: A small but determined band has taken their fight to Victoria’s parliament concerned approval could come under special rules for projects deemed economically significant by Victoria’s Planning Minister.
JANET STREET, SAVE OUR SEAT: If she approves it, we’ll have no right to appeal that. We’d have to go straight to the Supreme Court, which would cost a lot of money.
NORMAN HERMANT: A Victorian Government spokesperson told 730 “it would be inappropriate to comment while a proposal is being considered."
One of the key arguments for the luge is that it would add an attraction to the already popular gondola.
Roger Lancia is the chair of regional tourism board.
ROGER LANCIA, MORNINGTON PENINSULA REGIONAL TOURISM: It's come back to life. We're seeing people back on the lifts, on the chair lifts, heading, you know, up and down Arthurs Seat, one of the most iconic viewpoints of the Mornington Peninsula.
Adding to that experience with another element is something that I think would be really quite enticing.
NORMAN HERMANT: But some say there’s already plenty to do at Arthurs Seat.
It's not like there aren't other attractions nearby. In fact, just several hundred meters away, there's an adventure park perfect for old school fun like getting lost in a maze.
And there is another option near Melbourne. This is the Alpine Toboggin Slide. Notably, it’s on the ground, not on an elevated track.
Nothing like the luge rides experienced by Matthew Mulkearns.
MATTHEW MULKEARNS: I love them. I thought they were fun. I think they're very family oriented.
You can go down at 10 kilometres an hour, you could go down at 40 kilometres an hour and be protected by the safety mechanisms.
NORMAN HERMANT: Or, Kylie Greer hopes, you could not go down at all because the luge won’t be built but if the Save Our Seat campaign fails this won’t be the only way to ride down Arthurs Seat.
For tourists looking for an extra thrill, a luge ride may be just the ticket but many opposed have told them and Victoria's state government, not so fast.
Editor's note: This story has been re-edited to remove a graphic representation of the proposed luge track. The graphic was intended to give the audience a general impression of the location of the track but it did not represent the full extent of the clearing required for the proposed luge track.