STPL News - Somerville Times & Peninsula Local

20/12/2025

⚠️ Peninsula-wide bluebottle warning ⚠️

Bluebottles have been reported across the foreshore, with sightings spanning Seaford, Frankston, Mornington and Safety Beach, and further along the Peninsula to Portsea, where a swarm forced the Portsea back beach to close for periods this week.

With warmer weather drawing more people to local beaches, it’s important to know what to do and what NOT to do if you or someone with you is stung.

We’ve included a clear first-aid infographic with this post, outlining the correct steps to take and common mistakes to avoid.

🔗 Read the full article in the comments.

Please share to help keep others safe.

19/12/2025

𝗦𝘁 𝗔𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘄’𝘀 𝗢𝗽 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗚𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗔 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴-𝘀𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗨𝗽𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲

St Andrew’s Opportunity Shop in Somerville has received a king size upgrade after being moved into a newer, larger on-site building. The new building, still located at the St Andrew’s Anglican Church in Somerville, have now increased their display space for donations and made browsing much easier for locals.

🔗 Read more: https://stplnews.com.au/community-news/st-andrews-op-shop-new-premises-somerville/

19/12/2025

𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝘀, 𝗟𝗶𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗰𝘁 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 $𝟮.𝟴𝟱𝗺 𝗨𝗽𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲

Frankston City Council has announced a $2.85 million electrification project at PARC and the arts and library precinct, aimed at reducing emissions and cutting long-term energy costs.

Read: https://stplnews.com.au/frankston/frankston-council-parc-energy-upgrade-electrification/

18/12/2025

𝙐𝙥𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙚: 𝙒𝙚 𝙃𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙍𝙚𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙅𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙃𝙖𝙨 𝘽𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙁𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙

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𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝟭𝟬-𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿-𝗢𝗹𝗱 𝗕𝗼𝘆 𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻

Victoria Police are searching for missing 10-year-old Jack, last seen near Violet Street, Frankston at around 8.30pm Thursday night. Police are urging anyone who sees him to call 000 immediately.

Full details: https://stplnews.com.au/community-news/missing-person/slug-missing-10-year-old-jack-frankston/

18/12/2025

𝙐𝙥𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙚: 𝙒𝙚 𝙃𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙍𝙚𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙅𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙃𝙖𝙨 𝘽𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙁𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙

Police Search for Missing 10-Year-Old Boy Jack in Frankston

Victoria Police are searching for missing 10-year-old Jack, last seen in Violet Street, Frankston about 8.30pm Thursday night. Police urge anyone who sees him to call 000....

Victoria Police are searching for missing 10-year-old Jack, last seen in Violet Street, Frankston about 8.30pm Thursday night. Police urge anyone who sees him to call 000.

18/12/2025

𝗛𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗯 𝗛𝗼𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗮

Hastings locals are calling for speed humps across West Park’s residential streets to help curb hooning and slow traffic.

Separately, residents want safer pedestrian crossings along Frankston–Flinders Road, including calls for advocacy around the Creek Hotel area.

STPL News contacted Cr Michael Stephens, who thanked residents for getting in touch and said he will follow up with locals to discuss speed calming measures. He also said he will write to the Member for Hastings to advocate for the pedestrian crossing.

Read the full story here: https://stplnews.com.au/mpnews/hastings-speed-humps-hooning-frankston-flinders-road-crossings/

Have you seen hooning or near-misses in your area? Tell us what you’re seeing (and where) in the comments.

17/12/2025

𝗖𝗿 𝗖𝗮𝗺 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗔𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗧𝗣𝗟 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄, 𝗦𝗮𝘆𝘀 “𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲” 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗪𝗲𝗿𝗲 “𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲”

Mornington Peninsula Shire councillor Cam Williams has apologised after fallout from an STPL News interview, claiming some comments were “not accurate” and confirming he has removed the post that was attacking 5 of his fellow councillors. STPL News has contacted Cr Williams seeking clarification on what he now disputes.

Read here:
https://stplnews.com.au/mpnews/cam-williams-backtracks-stpl-news-interview/

16/12/2025

𝗧𝗿𝗼𝘆 𝗖𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗿 𝗥𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 & 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀

Police are seeking public assistance to locate Troy Cunneen, who is wanted in connection with a police car ramming incident in Mornington and is the subject of multiple outstanding warrants.

Victoria Police allege a stolen vehicle was deliberately driven into a police car before the driver fled the scene on 12 December. Cunneen is also wanted on warrants including alleged burglary, vehicle theft, theft, and breaches of bail and court orders.

He is known to frequent the Mornington Peninsula.

👉 Full details, description and how to report information:

🔗 https://share.google/xK75MDZE8ZxrtCYCv

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online.

15/12/2025

𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗼𝗿 𝗜𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗔𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗶, 𝗦𝘆𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸

Frankston City Council Mayor Sue Baker has issued a message of condolence and unity following the deadly incident in Sydney, saying Frankston stands together in respect, compassion and care.

Read: https://stplnews.com.au/frankston/frankston-mayor-issues-statement-following-sydney-attack/

15/12/2025

Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, survivors and their families following the tragedy in Bondi.

This is being reported as the deadliest mass shooting since Port Arthur, a moment that will understandably prompt national reflection and have far-reaching consequences.

While this did not occur on the Mornington Peninsula or in Frankston, it is a stark reminder that events like this are not confined to one place and could easily have happened here.

Out of respect, STPL News will pause non-urgent updates for the remainder of today.

15/12/2025

𝗟𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿: 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗖𝗮𝗻’𝘁 𝗕𝗲 𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿

In a letter to the editor, Anne Kruger of Rye questions whether the public can trust council decision-making if integrity inside the chamber is treated as optional, pointing to renewed concerns about governance and internal politics at Mornington Peninsula Shire Council.

In a letter to the editor, Anne Kruger of Rye questions whether the public can trust council decision-making if integrity inside the chamber is treated as optional, pointing to renewed concerns about governance and internal politics at Mornington Peninsula Shire Council.