Somers is a seaside village community located south of Melbourne on Westernport Bay in the Mornington Peninsula Shire. With a mix of sandy beaches, rockpools and tidal flats, Somers is popular for sailing, skiffle boarding and beachcombing. The cliffs of Somers have spectacular views to Phillip Island and the Nobbies.
Connecting the Community
The Somers community news ‘Paper Nautilus‘ connects the various groups and individuals in our township, providing an avenue of expression. Such groups as the Somers Residents Association, the Somers Yacht Club, Probus groups, Somers Foreshore Committee, Folklaw, Geologists, Environment and Wildlife specialists and others participate with the newspaper to inform the Somers residents.
Like the little octopus (Argonauta nodosa)The Somers Paper Nautilus has nurtured Somers’ thoughts, dreams, creations and concerns for over twelve years…
The Nautilus name is derived from a local surface-dwelling relative of the octopus called the Paper Nautilus, a small octopus that lives in the top layer of the open ocean. When it is time for the female to lay her eggs she creates this beautiful translucent shell using secretions from her two enlarged dorsal tentacles. She lays her eggs into this beautiful ‘cradle’ and then she climbs on board to nurture her brood as she floats with the current and the wind, with only her round head and possibly a tentacle or two protruding from the shell. Discarded shells of this amazing animal frequently wash up on the Somers beach after storms.
Mission Statement
The purpose of a community newspaper is to connect the various groups and individuals in our township and give them an avenue of expression. This may be in the form of:
- Information – eg News relevant to Somers and the surrounding area
- Creative endeavour – eg Personal Stories, essays poems, short stories, art, photography
- Letters – We aim for inclusiveness and openness, catering for a diversity of views without rancour.
The paper will not be a vehicle for party political or any other organisations. However we want people to feel free to express opinions on matters that concern them (for example; environment, the roads, public transport or anything else relevant to our community).
The editorial committee will collect, compile, edit and produce the paper with the help of an outer group of associates. All are volunteers.
Final decisions are to be made by the editorial committee members. The editors reserve the right to edit for legal reasons or issues of space. The main concern is that the Nautilus should be informative, communicative, interesting, and enjoyable to read and become an indispensable part of Somers life.
To fund the newspaper the Nautilus will carry ads for local trades people, craftspeople, professionals, artists etc. at competitive rates.
