Frankston Fire Festival To Light Up Waterfront This Winter

Frankston Fire Festival will bring fire pits, live music, food vendors, fire performers and large-scale fire art to Frankston Waterfront on Saturday 13 June.

Frankston Fire Festival will bring fire pits, live music, food vendors, fire performers and large-scale fire art to Frankston Waterfront on Saturday 13 June.

Frankston Business Chamber has welcomed Frankston City Council’s move to review trader support, de-escalation training and clearer referral pathways for local businesses.

Public transport fares have been cut in half across Victoria from today, reducing daily travel costs for Frankston, Stony Point and Mornington Peninsula commuters until 1 January 2027.

Young people in Frankston have two days left to help shape the city’s next five-year youth plan, with feedback closing on 31 May.

Mornington Peninsula residents are being asked to help shape a new 10-year strategy for local playgrounds and outdoor exercise spaces, with consultation open until 21 June.

Frankston City has recognised more than 16,800 local volunteers during National Volunteer Week, with community groups also raising pressures linked to training, insurance and fuel costs.

A proposed 15-storey mixed-use development at 8 Davey Street, Frankston, has drawn public objections over height, parking, traffic and amenity as Frankston City Council considers the planning application.

Frankston City Council has launched Frankston City First, a state election advocacy campaign seeking more than $19 million for sport, community infrastructure, public spaces and support services.

Frankston City Council says its adopted 2026/2027 Budget will deliver cost-of-living relief, reduce waste charges for most households and fund an $83.6 million Capital Works Program.

Frankston’s Australia’s Most Accessible Beach program will return next summer after strong demand during its first season at Frankston Foreshore.

Greens candidate Dr Sianan Healy has used the final days of the Nepean by-election campaign to call for a two-year rent freeze and stronger protections for renters.

South Side Festival will return to Frankston from 8 to 17 May, with 10 days of arts, culture, neon installations, comedy, sustainability events and workshops planned across the city.

Frankston Sharks BMX Club has been crowned Australia’s top BMX club after three of its riders won national titles at the 2026 AusCycling BMX Racing Nationals.

Frankston MP Paul Edbrooke has joined Victoria’s cabinet in a reshuffle of the Allan government, with former mayor Kris Bolam welcoming the promotion as a significant moment for the city.

Leslie Moorhead Pre-School in Mornington has opened a new nature-based playground following a $739,000 redevelopment funded through the Victorian School Building Authority.

Frankston seniors are being encouraged to register for a free two-part escorted train travel program starting on April 21, 2026, with sessions covering train safety, station navigation, myki tips and a guided trip to Melbourne to see the new Metro Tunnel.

Greens candidate for Nepean Dr Sianan Healy has made cost of living and public transport central to her by-election campaign, arguing Peninsula families are being squeezed by rising everyday costs.

Frankston City Council is bringing Party in the Park back to Cruden Farm on Sunday 12 April, with superhero-themed entertainment, family activities, rides, stalls and school holiday fun.

The Australian Sand Sculpting Championships are returning to Frankston Waterfront, where 400 tonnes of sand will be transformed into large-scale sculptures, interactive attractions and family-friendly activities.

The northern section of the Somerville to Baxter Trail is now open, but the full link remains incomplete as work continues on a key crossing near Frankston-Flinders Road.

The Maritime Union of Australia has criticised Searoad Ferries following allegations a passenger assaulted crew and accessed a restricted operational area during a 2024 voyage on the Sorrento–Queenscliff ferry route.

A vacant shop at Bayside Shopping Centre will be converted into a pop-up street art studio from 19–22 March as part of the 2026 Frankston Street Art Festival, with tours, workshops and a post-festival silent auction.

More mobile food vans are coming to Frankston City from 1 June 2026, with Council approving new and returning operators across parks and foreshore locations, including a new Carrum Downs site.

Frankston City Council has opened applications for its 2026–27 Destination Event Attraction Program, offering a $250,000 funding pool to support new and returning destination events in the city.

Frankston City Council has been recognised as an Established Welcoming City under the Welcoming Cities program after a national accreditation assessment that returned a score of 4.4 out of 5.

A 26-year-old Hastings man has been charged following a Victoria Police investigation into alleged copper thefts from power poles in the Hastings area, with police seizing what they described as a large amount of copper wiring during a search.

Roccella Lido will open at the Frankston Yacht Club in August 2026, ending a decade-long vacancy and bringing a new Italian waterfront dining venue to Frankston’s foreshore.

Mornington Peninsula Shire has announced the recipients of its 2026 Australia Day Awards, recognising local residents and community groups for contributions to community life across the Peninsula.

Frankston Mayor Sue Baker has met with Japan’s Consul-General to discuss the Frankston–Susono sister city relationship, ongoing student exchanges and opportunities to strengthen cultural and education links.

About 220 patients and mental health consumers have moved into Frankston’s new Peninsula University Hospital tower, marking its first full operational day.

Two boys aged 17 and 13 have been arrested after a high-speed police follow involving an allegedly stolen white Mazda SUV across Melbourne’s south-east, ending in Berwick, Victoria Police say.

An incident at Somerville Central near Target and Chemist involved a woman being followed and verbally abused by a group of young boys, prompting security attendance and strong community backlash.

Frankston’s Waterfront Festival will return to the foreshore on 6–7 February 2026, with a $95,000 Revive Live funding boost supporting Australian performers and improved accessibility updates, including large LED screens for real-time information and safety messaging.

Police allege a 32-year-old Rye man was about to leave a Collingwood Street property with a jet ski and trailer stolen from Mannum, South Australia, when officers executed a warrant. Police also allege more than $11,300 in counterfeit cash was seized. The man was bailed to appear at Dromana Magistrates’ Court on 12 February.

Police are investigating after a man’s body was found floating near Rye Pier on Thursday morning. It was the second death reported on the Mornington Peninsula the same day, after police were called to a campsite in Rosebud earlier that morning.

Burnout played a significant role for many workers in 2025, with stress and exhaustion affecting wellbeing and productivity. Burnout specialist Nick Orchard, founder of The Big Refresh, shares practical tips to help Mornington Peninsula and Frankston residents recognise early warning signs and reduce the risk of burnout in 2026.

An Austrian tourist has been airlifted to hospital after a six metre cliff fall at Bushrangers Bay near Cape Schanck, in the second serious cliff incident on the Mornington Peninsula in a week, following a teen’s rescue at Sorrento’s Diamond Bay.

South East Water has reported a sewage spill at Frankston South, sending overflow into Sweetwater Creek and Frankston Beach. Residents are urged to avoid the water while clean up and water quality testing continue.
Peninsula University Hospital will open its new 12 storey clinical tower on 20 January 2026, significantly expanding public hospital services for people in Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula with more beds, new operating theatres, an upgraded emergency department and improved access to specialist care closer to home.

Bluebottles have been reported across Peninsula beaches from Seaford and Frankston to Portsea, where the back beach closed for periods this week. Here’s what beachgoers should know, including safety advice and first aid steps if stung.

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.

Frankston 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.

Frankston City councillors have elected Cr Sue Baker as Mayor and Cr Cherie Wanat as Deputy Mayor for 2025–26, creating the city’s first all-female leadership team alongside incoming CEO Tennille Bradley. The new leaders have flagged housing, cost-of-living pressures and aged care reforms as key priorities for the year ahead.

Frankston parents have secured a major overhaul of the local kinder enrolment system, with new rules to keep children at the same centre, stronger sibling priority and extra places created through upgrades in Frankston South, Seaford and Langwarrin.

Frankston Arts Centre visitors will now arrive through a rebuilt $2.1 million forecourt designed to improve safety, accessibility and the overall theatre experience, with new Bunurong-inspired landscaping, upgraded lighting and clearer access forming part of broader investment in the city centre.

Frankston City Council has strengthened its summer water-safety measures following the deaths of two men at Frankston Beach in October. Increased patrols, extended lifeguard hours and clearer warnings will be in place across the foreshore.

Two men were arrested in Somerville after an early morning police intercept involving a stolen moped, with the rider facing multiple charges and a court date at Frankston Magistrates Court.

Frankston’s newly rebranded Christmas Festival drew huge crowds on Saturday, with strong police presence, positive behaviour and no reported incidents. Council says the name change reflects a stronger focus on community connection.

Frankston City Council has addressed community concern over alleged illegal vegetation removal and unauthorised foreshore works, confirming investigations with DEECA and urging residents to report suspected breaches.

Peninsula Hot Springs has been named the world’s leading luxury hot springs destination, winning the Global Luxury Hot Springs award at the World Luxury Spa Awards. The Mornington Peninsula wellness centre marks 20 years of growth.