CHANGE may be coming to Cruden Farm amid signs a property developer is showing an interest in the Langwarrin homestead. The idyllic 54-hectare estate was Dame Elisabeth Murdoch’s home for eight decades before her death in 2012 at the age of 103. Dame Elisabeth was the mother of News Corp founder Rupert Murdoch. The estate was transferred into the name of Cruden Custodian Limited in 2013 and its trustees include several grandchildren of Dame Elisabeth but not the media mogul himself. Its gardens are sometimes open to the public and the estate hosts community and charity events at the behest of…
Author: Neil Walker
A MEDIATOR has been brought in by the state government to try to salvage a multi-million dollar expansion and upgrade of the Frankston Basketball Stadium amid a council threat to “remove” the organisation that runs basketball competitions at the stadium. Sport and Recreation Victoria, a Department of Human Services department body, will talk to Frankston Council and the Frankston & District Basketball Association to try to break a deadlock over a new lease agreement. The association has refused to sign a lease increasing annual rent payable from about $30,000 to about $160,000 each year, including a 6 per cent take…
RARE species of bird that migrate to the Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands and other endangered wildlife could be further threatened if rail under road is built at Bonbeach and Edithvale. The state government announced last month that rail trenches would be dug to remove level crossings at Bonbeach and Edithvale. The prospect of elevated rail, dubbed sky rail, has risen again. The Level Crossing Removal Authority acting project director Brad Smith and senior planning and environmental specialist Adam Mitchell last week referred a report by consultants GHD and Aecom to the federal and state governments. The report flagged possible “long-term and irreversible”…
MORE than half a million tonnes of food and garden waste will be diverted from Melbourne landfills to a new composting facility as part of a deal with 13 councils including Kingston and Frankston from early next year. The state government announced last week that eight south-east councils have agreed to collect and process organic waste for recycling into compost. Kingston, Frankston, Bayside, Cardinia, Casey, Glen Eira, Greater Dandenong and Monash councils in the south east have signed deals with Veolia Environment Services. Knox, Manningham, Maroondah, Whitehorse and Yarra Ranges in Melbourne’s east are also onboard. Veolia will recycle the…
A STALEMATE over lease terms for the use of the Frankston Basketball Stadium that threatens a $12.7 million upgrade and expansion of the stadium is no closer to resolution two weeks after The Times first revealed a breakdown in negotiations between Frankston Council and the Frankston & District Basketball Association. Meetings between council CEO Dennis Hovenden, the mayor Cr Brian Cunial, councillors and association representatives have failed to resolve a dispute over increased lease payments to council by the not-for-profit association. The association says it has been trying to agree to a new lease since mid-2015. Council has ordered developer…