A COMMUNITY group working to historic farm buildings at Down’s Estate in Seaford have been given 18 months to show that a farm homestead and large shed should not be demolished. The Down’s Estate Community Working Group (DECWG) received unanimous backing from councillors at this month’s public council meeting to begin work on “a community use project”. The group hopes an indigenous bush-food garden and permaculture site can be established at Down’s Estate alongside an indigenous cultural trail. DECWG representative Maureen Griffin told councillors at the meeting that the group wants to work to save the farm homestead, formerly occupied…
Author: Neil Walker
POKIES losses across Frankston rose slightly in the past 12 months and still topped $63 million despite the introduction of voluntary pre-commitment cards for gamblers last year. Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation (VCGLR) figures for 2015-16, released last week, show Frankston municipality pokies players lost $62,900,685 over 12 months, up from $62,065,687 in 2014-15. The Labor state government launched a $197 million YourPlay scheme in December last year allowing pokies players to preselect losses limits using a swipe card to gamble on poker machines. Critics of YourPlay note gamblers can simply increase the preselected limit if they want…
A PLAN to halve Victoria’s suicide rate over the next decade by following up on hospital patients with mental health issues and increasing awareness in the community was launched by the state government in Frankston last week. Premier Daniel Andrews visited Frankston Hospital last Thursday (28 July) to announce a $27 million program, funded in this year’s state budget, aimed at increasing workforce training, school-based support and mental health literacy program within several regions including Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula. Suicide was the cause of death of 646 people across Victoria last year, more than double the road toll of…
THE SPORT of rugby union may not be as popular as the AFL football powerhouse in Victoria but a Seaford-based club is spreading the word about the game in the south east. Southern Districts Rugby Club will host Viva 7s Rugby at Rivera Park, Seaford on Thursday 11 August, 6pm and are offering a ‘come and try session’ for 16 year olds and over to try the game. The club also hopes to increase female participation in rugby union to reform a women’s 7s team after a three-year gap. “The game is a combined male and female exercise with seven…
A CAREER in technology beckons for one of Patterson River Secondary College’s brightest mathematics and IT students, Jessika Du, who was invited to attend a University of Melbourne education camp for future engineers and IT professionals this month. The 14-year-old from Patterson Lakes says she enjoyed the three-day Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) skills camp aimed at increasing female participation in the science and technology sectors. Thirty girls attended the course from Victoria. “I feel like I learned a lot of different skills in a lot of different engineering areas,” she said. “Being with people who are like-minded…