Autumn Issue – April 2012

SANDRINGHAM FORESHORE ASSOCIATION (SFA)

Founded January 2007
ABN 42947116512
A CHARITABLE NOT FOR PROFIT VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION
SFA
PO Box 52
Sandringham 3191
E-mail: sandyforeshore@optusnet.com.au Website www.sandyforeshore.net.au

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Aboriginals at Half Moon Bay – their life and heritage

A free community event: Walk & talk

Saturday, June 2nd 3-5pm at Half Moon Bay Lifesaving Club

SFA are proud to co-host and are grateful for the support received in
organising this event with Bayside City Council
The SFA respectfully acknowledges the original custodians of the Bayside foreshore: the Boonwurrung
and Wurundjeri Tribes for their rich culture, deep affinity with the land and spiritual connection to it.
Invited speakers:

Respected Aboriginal Dr Valerie Tarrant PHD

Boonwurrung Elder Carolyn (Doctorate on Melbourne’s
Briggs when she won the Female Indigenous Plants Movement:
Elder of the Year 2011 The return of the Natives 2005
Deakin University)
 Speakers on behalf of
the organising committee:

Dr Vicki Karalis MC, President

Deputy Mayor Cr Clifford Hayes
SFA, Medical Practitioner

Aboriginals at Half Moon Bay – their life and heritage

o No bookings required. Just come to Half Moon Bay Lifesaving Club at 3pm for a talk and walk
o Hear the history of local Indigenous life along the Bayside foreshore
o Learn about how tribal Aborigines lived & what they ate
o See aboriginal wells, middens & indigenous plants
o Hear about Dreamtime stories
o All welcome (adults & children)
o Refreshments, tea and coffee available
o Event ends at 5pm

EVENT SPONSORS:
John Amiet * Photographer ~ Knight Frank Valuations ~ Marshall White real estate

Marine Care Ricketts Point 2nd Annual Winter Solstice Walk

 Free public education event 10am Sat, 23rd June along the Marine Park sanctuary

Just turn up at the Bulwark path on the foreshore at MC Gregors Rock area, roughly
opposite Central Ave, Black Rock.

Event starts at the north end of the sanctuary at McGregors Rock, with a walk along the
beach to Table Rock. It's about 1.5 hours easy stroll, with a cop out or add in for those less
able, at the Ricketts Point Tea House, located half way.

Along the way, there will be various stops to hear from local experts on the Bay history,
marine life, geology and fossils, rock pool life, sea birds, Aboriginal history, foreshore edible
plants and more.
Bayside City Council (BCC) update
Annual Community Grants Program 2012-2013

Grants of up to $5000 each may be made in the 2012/13 grant round for initiatives by
community groups that meet the objectives of the Bayside Community Grants Policy March
2010. Applications will open Tuesday 10 April 2012 and close COB Friday 1 June 2012.

The overall objectives of the community grant program are:

• Assist community organisations to establish, extend and improve programs and services that address local
needs, and are not provided by any tier of government or the private sector. (This does not preclude grants for
organisations such as kindergartens where the grant is for projects that will not attract federal or state
government funding.)
• Encourage voluntary activity, community participation and the contribution of local groups and organisations
to community life.
• Promote community development and build social capital.
• Encourage innovative approaches to emerging issues and needs.
• Invest in community capacity to operate multi-purpose community centres that are accessible to residents
throughout Bayside.
• Assist groups and individuals in taking up opportunities that will return benefits to the Bayside community.
• Respond to community and individual needs in times of crisis.

For more information, view the Community Grants Policy or contact (03) 9599 4444.
http://www.bayside.vic.gov.au/communitygrants.htm
Bayside City Council
SFA value our relationship with Bayside City Council who meet with us on a regular basis to
raise any concerns about our local beaches and to discuss areas that require attention. If
you have any concerns, feel free to write to us: sandyforeshore@optusnet.com.au

The Mad Paddle held on March 18th

Well done to Cr Felicity Frederico and Kathy Naoumidis !!

A word from our local Councilor Felicity Frederico:

Thank to SFA for supporting the inaugural SUPVic Mad Paddle
event. 45 stand-up paddlers and numerous escort boats participated in
a 31km paddle. Given the south easterly wind conditions on the day,
we set off from Frankston Pier at first light, 7.00am, followed the shore
line and arrived at the Sandringham Yacht Club at midday. As we
rounded the final breakwater we were greeted by the spectacular sight
of further paddlers, yachts and hundreds of people. We would like to
thank the generous support of the community who helped us raise
nearly $30,000 to enable the purchase of a mobile ultrasound unit for
the Emergency Department at the Sandringham Hospital.
Thanks to the Sandringham Yacht Club, Parks Vic, Port of Melbourne
Corporation, Regional Channel Authority, Hampton Lifesaving Club, the
Coast Guard, Sandybeach Headquarters and many others who assisted
in making this massive logistical exercise a resounding success.

From left to right: Dr Sally Cockburn, Elizabeth Miller, Bayside City Councilor Felicity Frederico,
Andrew Robb MP, Tammy Van Wisse.
The start of the race 7am at Frankston Pier:

Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) update

Coastcare Grants Program 2012

Applications for the Coastcare Community Grants are open 16th March - 30 April 2012.
Victorian communities and volunteers play a key role in the ongoing protection and
conservation of our coastal landscapes. To support these community groups and their
activities, funding is provided through the Coastcare Victoria Community Grants Program.
Grants of between $2,000 and $25,000 will be provided to successful applicants for works
on conservation projects along the Victorian coast.
The Grants Program is a partnership between Australian Government's Caring for our
Country program and the Department of Sustainability and Environment's
Coastcare program. The aim of the Grants Program is to protect the ecological integrity of
Victoria's coastal ecosytems by funding on-ground conservation works undertaken by
volunteer groups.

For more information use this link: http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/coasts-and-

marine/coasts/coastcare/grants

SFA Member profile

John Anderson a resident of Black Rock gives us a beautiful insight into the history of his
great grandfather Angelo Bertotto a fishermen in the 1850’s, his family members and his
connection to the Sandringham Picnic Point Natural Spring located up from the foreshore
above the Hampton Pier.
Sandringham Picnic Point Natural Spring located up from the foreshore above the
Hampton Pier.

This Natural Spring has significant connection to my family as my Great Grandfather Angelo
Bertotto was one of the early fishermen families who established themselves in the 1850’s.
The community provided the base for these families and an opportunity to grow and
prosper.
Angelo Bertotto
 Was born in 1834 in Chioggia Italy and Died in Sandringham in 1928
 At aged about 25 he arrived at Sandridge (Port Melbourne) on the “Sabova” in
October 1859 he walked with a mate to Half Moon Bay
 After trying his luck in the Gold Fields he returned to the Sandringham district where
he began fishing and settled on the foreshore at “Picnic Point” in about 1865. One of
the family stories credits Angelo as one of the first Europeans to sight a Kangaroo in
the area
o The Bertotto boat “Morning Star” was said to be one of the fastest between
Brighton and Mordialloc
o One of the fishing boats was built on the vacant land in Moor street
Sandringham and transported to the foreshore for launching
 6 fishermen’s huts on the foreshore, roughly on the site known as the “Trey Bit”
commonly known as “Picnic Point” belonged to Angelo Bertotto, Edward Stewart,
James O’Mara, Thomas O’Mara, Thomas Bradley and Thomas Hatfield and their
families. They were apparently given permissive occupancy until about 1870
o Angelo married at Kyneton in 1868 Caroline Emma Creek an English lass who
arrived in 1860 from Essex
Children :
 Archangela Charlotte (Nina) born 1869
 Martha Louisa born 1870
 Joanna Susan born 1872
 William Thomas born 1874
o Prior to the departure of William Bertotto for the
China War “The proud Councillors and citizens of
Sandringham held a farewell function for him at the Duke of
Edinburgh Hotel, Sandringham.
After many toasts and speeches Cr. Storey was deputed by
the friends and admirers of William to present him with a
silver Rotherham watch and chain bearing the following
inscription -
“Presented to Mr. William Bertotto by his friends of
Sandringham, on his departure to China with the
Victorian Naval Contingent, July 10th. 1900”
o Crewed on the Battleship ‘Cerberus’
o In 1907 after discharge from the Navy returned
to 5 Moore Street Sandringham to continue
professional fishing. Died in 1946 of a heart attack on
the foreshore at Sandringham
 Margaretta Maria born 1876
 Angelo Francis born 1877
 Caroline Valenti born 1879
 Joseph (Joe) born 1881-
o A professional Fisherman all his life. Base was a
fisherman/boat shed opposite the Hampton Pier and moorings for
his boat Moring Star. A number of other fishermen operated from
sheds on this foreshore together with the Devolla boat hire. A strong
 sense of community was created by the common factors that bound
them
o To house his wife and family, Jo built “KUKULU” at number 22
next door “Waringah” owned/occupied by Angelo Bertotto at 24
Georgiana Street Sandringham
o Joe married Elizabeth Annie (Nance) Dickinson in 1907 – 6
children from this union
 My Parents: The third child of Joseph and Elizabeth was Ellinor born 1914
 Ellinor married Theodore Thomas Anderson in 1937 – 4 boys from this
union. Geoffrey, John, Peter and Christopher
 Angelo Dominico born 1883
 Ambrose Joseph born 1885
 Mary Justina born 1886

 Apparently one of the driving forces for establishing the huts at this location is the
existence of a Natural Spring that is located above the foreshore above where the
Hampton Pier now exists
 After spending 20 years at “Picnic Point” and with the expansion of the family it was
time by the mid 1880’s for the Bertotto family to move into an appropriate sized
family home that would accommodate them all
 Angelo and Elizabeth Bertotto was one of the first to build at Gipsy village
o A family home was built in 1885 at number 5 Moor Street Sandringham
o The home was given the name of the Angelo’s birth place “Chioggia”
Picnic Point
The original Hampton pier was built in 1882, and shown here in 1900. The location of the
pier is directly below where the natural spring is located where the Bertotto and other
fishermen’s families collected fresh water.
Gipsy Village
Crown land sale in 1852 an area of eighty acres which was purchased for three hundred
pounds and was divided into 280 house blocks.

City of Sandringham Proclamation

On the 21st March 1923 a grand occasion was planned for the proclamation of the City of
Sandringham.

The photo from “The News” shows the State Governor, Lady Stradbroke, Joanna Toltra (nee
Bertotto- Daughter to Angelo), Angelo Bertotto and Cr. Chisholm. Angelo had reached the
great age of 88.
Bayside search for girl
The Argus January 1950 article and photo
“The search goes on! Senior Constable H. Cooper searches the bay and Hampton beach with
binoculars from a dinghy during the search for 3 year old Margaret McCann which
continued yesterday. Joe Bertotto, a local fisherman, is rowing the boat. Margaret has been
missing since Friday evening”

Joe Bertotto (my Grandfather)

was born in 1881 at a time when
the family lived at Picnic Point in
one of the 6 Fisherman’s huts.

John Anderson
Fourth Street Black Rock

April 2012

Acknowledgements
Bayside Reflections – published
by Sandringham City Council as
part of Bicentennial celebrations.

We hope you have enjoyed reading the SFA Autumn newsletter.

All the very best to you and your families over the coming autumn-winter period.

We hope you can join us for the Indigenous event to be held on Saturday June 2nd at Half
Moon Bay.

Dr Vicki Karalis, SFA President & committee members:

Helen Gibson, Adrienne Smith, Alison Horton, Paul Hede, John Amiet, Craig Francis, and
Ruby Campbell-Beschorner