MYSTERY surrounds a Mentone Grammar push to rezone land that could open up the school’s playing fields in Keysborough to residential development. The News understands the elite private school wrote to Kingston Council planning consultant Planisphere just before the firm finalised a green wedge report for council’s consideration in August 2012. Mentone Grammar is understood to have asked for its Keysborough playing fields to be included in the Urban Growth Boundary, instead of staying in the green wedge, where development of any kind is extremely restricted. The school’s request was kept confidential by council, while other submissions to Planisphere were…
Author: Neil Walker
KINGSTON councillors have opted to accept an invitation by Planning Minister Matthew Guy to engage with a “special fast-track” panel to consider council and community feedback on proposed new residential zones throughout Victoria. Mr Guy added an extra layer of bureaucracy to a state-wide consultation process on amending residential planning zones but said the formation of the panel would help the process. Councillors voted at this month’s council meeting to consult with the new panel. The State Government has imposed a 1 July deadline this year for councils to finalise planning zones in municipalities and Mr Guy has set up…
MORDIALLOC now has its own beer. The 2 Brothers Brewery has brewed a limited edition Mordi Lager to be sold exclusively at next month’s Mordialloc Food, Wine and Music Festival for the first time. The Moorabbin-based brewery was founded in 2007 by brothers Andrew and David Ong. Andrew said the brothers had the idea to start their own Australian commercial brewery on a trip to the US where they saw how popular the craft beer market was overseas. He said they were keen to get involved with the festival due to close family connections with Mordialloc. The pair’s grandparents lived…
BRANDON Stenhouse is headed for the big league. The Mordialloc teen has been drafted by baseball giants the New York Yankees as a pitcher and will head to the US in September. Brandon’s father, Dave Stenhouse, said the 17-year-old Parkdale Secondary College student was excited about the prospect of heading to America and realising his near lifelong dream to play professional baseball. “He’s been playing baseball since he was four years old,” Mr Stenhouse said. “When he reached the age of about 14 we realised he may have what it takes to turn pro.” Brandon has been played for the…
MORDIALLOC resident Laura John has been chosen as Australia’s sole United Nations youth representative this year. The 24-year-old Monash University arts/law student is excited about the prospect of addressing world leaders at the UN’s headquarters in New York in September. Ms John, a former student at Kilbreda College in Mentone and 2013 City of Kingston Young Citizen of the Year, said she was honoured to be selected as Australia’s youth representative from a field of more than 200 applicants. “I was standing in a park in Sydney when I heard the news and started jumping and dancing around excitedly,” Ms…