Pittwater Life February 2018 Issue

The Local Voice Since 1991
LAP
LAND
OUR OCEAN POOLS
& THE PEOPLE
WHO USE THEM
FEBRUARY 2018
FREE
pittwaterlife
BUSY SAVING
THE PLANET
ROBBI NEWMAN’S
ENVIRO QUEST
ARE YOU
CONNECTED?
DON’T GET
CAUGHT OUT BY
THE NBN CUT-OFF
ROBO-SURF
MAN-MADE WAVES
... RAD OR FAD?

Editorial
Take a bow, local achievers
This month this space is
dedicated to congratulating
the wonderful local achievers
awarded Australia Day
honours for their service to
community. Take a bow all!
Member (AM)
John Kinsella (Mona Vale) –
for significant service to the
international community
through healthcare and
educational programs for
vulnerable children in
Cambodia; Dorothy Isaksen
(Narrabeen) – for significant
service to the Parliament
of NSW, as an advocate for
gender equality in politics, as a
mentor, and to the community.
Officer (AO)
Emeritus Prof Russell
Lansbury AM (Avalon Beach)
– for distinguished service to
industrial relations education
as an academic, researcher
and author, and as a mentor
of young academics; Angus
Gordon (North Narrabeen) –
for service to environmental
management and planning,
and to the community (former
general manager Pittwater
Council 1996-2005).
Medal (OAM)
Dr Kenneth Hughes AFSM
(Bilgola Plateau) – for service
to the community, particularly
through emergency response
organisations (was Pittwater
Council Citizen of the Year,
2002); The Reverend Ivan
Roberts (Mona Vale) – for
service to the Uniting Church
in Australia, and to the Myall
Creek Memorial.
Meanwhile NB Council
announced its own Australia
Day Awards Winners.
Outstanding Community
Service award winners in
Pittwater region (a total of 15
were awarded) were: Kellie
Carroll (Mona Vale) and
Lorraine Clarke (Narrabeen).
If you know a local who
deserves to be acknowledged,
we urge you to nominate them
next year. – Nigel Wall
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2018 3

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Email:
info@pittwaterlife.com.au
Website:
www.pittwaterlife.com.au
Publisher: Nigel Wall
Managing Editor: Lisa Offord
Graphic Design: CLS Design
Photography: iStock
Contributors: Rosamund
Burton, Gabrielle Bryant, Brian
Hrnjak, Jennifer Harris, Nick
Carroll, Sue Carroll, Dr. John
Kippen, Janelle Bloom, Geoff
Searl.
Distribution:
John Nieuwenhof & Gill Stokes
pitlifewalkers@gmail.com
Published by
Word Count Media Pty Ltd.
ACN 149 583 335
ABN 95 149 583 335
Printed by Rural Press
Phone: 02 4570 4444
Vol 27 No 7
Celebrating 26 years
The Local Voice Since 1991
LAP
LAND
OUR OCEAN POOLS
& THE PEOPLE
WHO USE THEM
BUSY SAVING
THE PLANET
ROBBI NEWMAN’S
ENVIRO QUEST
ARE YOU
CONNECTED?
DON’T GET
CAUGHT OUT BY
THE NBN CUT-OFF
ROBO-SURF
MAN-MADE WAVES
... RAD OR FAD?
FEBRUARY 2018
FREE
pittwaterlife
26
38
44
WALKERS
WANTED
To deliver Pittwater Life
once a month.
Permanent and casual runs
are available now in:
Palm Beach, Avalon,
Newport,
Bayview & Church Point.
EARN TOP MONEY PAID PROMPTLY!
Email:
pitlifewalkers@gmail.com
thislife
COVER: Many of us don't give them a second thought
but Pittwater's seven ocean pools have their own little
micro-communities of swimmers and supporters (p26);
We made enquiries to ensure you don't miss the NBN
connection cut-off date in your suburb (p8); Read about
the background of local marine environmental group
Living Ocean and its co-founder Robbi Newman (p38);
Nick Carroll details what it's like to surf Kelly Slater's
man-made wave pool in inland California (p44); and
catch up with the latest on the local health front (p46).
COVER IMAGE: James Knight / aeroaus.com
also this month
Editorial 3
Pittwater Local News 6-25
Special Feature: Our Ocean Pools 26-36
Life Stories: Robbi Newman 38-39
Art Life 40
Boating Life 41
Surfing Life: Riding in Kelly Slater's Wave Pool 44-45
Health & Wellbeing; Hair & Beauty 46-52
Local Call 53
Money 54-55
Law 56-57
Food: Super seafood dishes 66-68
Crossword 69
Gardening 70-72
the goodlife
Restaurants, food, gigs, travel and gardening.
Also find our regular features on beauty, health, surfing,
art, local history, our guide to trades and services, money,
law and our essential maps.
ATTENTION ADVERTISERS!
Bookings & advertising material to set for
our MARCH issue MUST be supplied by
FRIDAY 9 FEBRUARY
Finished art & editorial submissions deadline:
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The MARCH issue will be published
on WEDNESDAY 28 FEBRUARY
COPYRIGHT
All contents are subject to copyright and may not be reproduced except with the
written consent of the copyright owner. GST: All advertising rates are subject to GST.
4 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

News
Bus lane conversion ‘spells disaster’
The NSW Government has
come under friendly fire
from local Federal MP
Jason Falinski over its conversion
of sections of T3 lanes to
bus-only lanes between Manly
Vale and Neutral Bay, which
the Mackellar Liberal member
said would spell disaster for
Pittwater commuters.
Mr Falinski told Pittwater
Life he is outraged by the
decision that will significantly
increase travel times for
Northern Beaches residents
who drive the corridor.
T3 lanes are now bus-only
lanes along Burnt Bridge Creek
Deviation (from Condamine
Street to Sydney Road) and
along Spit (pictured) and
Military Roads (from Ourimbah
Road, Mosman to the Neutral
Bay interchange), operating
during the morning peak
period from 6am to 10am
weekdays.
“These changes are detrimental
to our community,” Mr Falinski
said, adding he had written
to State Minister for Transport
Andrew Constance urging him
to delay his decision.
“January is the one time of
the year where traffic is reasonable,
and the commute to the
city during peak hours is bearable.
The conversion has made
the traffic just as bad as during
the worst time of the year, with
many rightly asking me: how
bad will it get in February and
beyond when everyone is back
at work and school?”
Mr Falinski said that since
the 1970s, the State Transit
Authority (STA) had argued
that the T3 Lanes along the
road corridor from the Northern
Beaches to the CBD should
be converted to bus-only lanes
to reduce bus travel times
and encourage greater use of
public transport.
“Unfortunately, all the evidence
I have seen – including
modelling from the RMS – disputes
this claim,” he said. “And
who is going to be hurt most
by this? It’s people who are carpooling
(doing the right thing),
or families taking not just their
children, but their neighbour’s
children to school.”
He said the Northern
Beaches already had three of
the worst-congested roads,
with Warringah Road rated the
third worst-congested road
in Australia by Infrastructure
Australia. He added traffic
congestion currently cost NSW
$6.5 billion a year.
“These figures hide the human
misery that congestion
causes to our citizens, communities
and their families,”
Mr Falinski said. “Transport
continues to be the number
one issue for people on the
beaches – it’s what I get asked
about the most.”
He said better infrastructure,
like the beaches Link tunnel,
Mona Vale Road upgrades
and French Forest roadworks,
should be given a chance to
work first, before any other
changes made the local transport
situation even worse.
“I urged the Minister to delay
this conversion, so life wouldn’t
become unbearable for commuting
families, and workers
who choose to carpool on the
Northern Beaches.” – Nigel Wall
6 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

News
Don’t get caught by NBN cut-off
Around 10,000 homes
and businesses in
Pittwater will lose
their internet connection
over the coming months
unless they migrate to the
new National Broadband
Network (NBN) by their
part-of-suburb’s designated
disconnection date.
An approach by Pittwater
Life revealed approximately
5,200 premises in parts of
Avalon and Bilgola will reach
the end of the 18-month
migration window in April –
and a further 2,700 premises
in parts of Avalon and Palm
Beach will follow in June.
More homes and businesses
in other parts of Avalon and
Bilgola will be cut-off in
October.
While some parts of
Pittwater suburbs are
already serviced and
connected by the NBN, others
are not, or have yet to be
scheduled for connection –
which is causing considerable
confusion in the community.
NBN spokesperson
Marcela Balart explained
that where possible, NBN Co
looked to upgrade existing
technologies in order to roll
the network out as quickly
and efficiently as possible.
“We use a range of
technologies which result in
fast and reliable broadband
– this choice of technology is
decided area-by-area, based
on the best solution for the
location,” she said.
“This may mean that
sometimes we prioritise
building the network to
one part of a suburb before
installing new infrastructure
in another part of that area.”
She added: “It’s important
for people to know the
switch to the NBN network
is not automatic. Once the
NBN network is available
in an area, people will have
18 months to contact their
preferred phone or internet
company to make the
switch. After this time, the
old copper network will be
decommissioned.”
More than 21,000 premises
across the Northern Beaches
areas are expected to
become ready for service
over the next six months, Ms
Balart said.
Construction was currently
underway to connect
almost 15,000 premises in
parts of Pittwater suburbs
Elanora Heights, Narrabeen,
Mona Vale, Newport, North
Narrabeen and Warriewood.
More than 21,000 other
premises across the
Northern Beaches areas were
expected to become ready
for service over the next
six months, including parts
of Bayview, Church Point,
Elanora Heights (other),
Ingleside, Narrabeen (other),
North Narrabeen (other),
Mona Vale (other), Newport
(other) and Warriewood
(other).
Ms Balart said the best
thing for people to do was
visit the NBN Co website
(nbnco.com.au) and use the
Check Your Address function
which would tell a resident
or business when they will
be eligible to order a retail
service over the NBN access
network.
“If the address is ‘ready
to connect’, an approximate
disconnection date will also
be available,” she said. “If
access is not yet available,
people can register their
email address and NBN Co
will notify them when they
can order a service through a
retailer.”
The network was now more
than halfway built with more
than seven million homes and
businesses across Australia
able to connect to retail
services over the new network.
Almost 1.8 million of those
8 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

premises were in NSW.
“To date, the rollout
has been largely focused
on regional Australia and
prioritising those areas that
are underserved. While this
continues, the focus is now
on ramping up the network
build in metro areas,” she
said.
“This will include parts of
Sydney and the surrounds,
with 2018 set to be NBN’s
biggest in terms of build and
scale.”
– Nigel Wall
More connectivity
options on horizon
Simon Bond from Newportnet
– which offers optic fibre internet
connectivity for customers
in their business premises
– says the Beaches rollout of the
NBN has been “somewhat of a
patchwork quilt”.
“Having spoken to several
contractors carrying out the
work it is apparent that many
areas are easier to connect than
others,” said Mr Bond. “When
you consider that every location
offers different challenges
it is easy to understand that
the timing of the rollout and
the pressures to get as many
people connected as possible in
a challenging timeframe means
that if difficulties arise, the
contractors will simply move to
the next area where there are
less complications.”
Work in Newport to upgrade
existing services such as
electricity and water had meant
that much of the existing infrastructure
where the NBN rollout
was planned had seen works
needing to be rescheduled due
to the need for increased civil
works due to damage caused to
existing infrastructure.
“Here in Newport we invested
in our own fibre to the building,
in order to future-proof
businesses and residents early.
“Newportnet’s connection
is a 10-gig symmetrical fibre,
meaning the connection is 100
times as fast as the maximum
NBN download capacity and
250 times the fastest upload.
“Local residents also share
Newportnet’s infrastructure –
meaning that they do not even
need to worry if, or when the
NBN comes to town.”
Mr Bond recommended that
consumers facing disconnection
anxiety should reach out
to the NBN, whose website had
a clear roadmap for consumers
who may be confused.
Mr Bond also said he would
be happy to offer advice to people
if they were unable get the
answers they needed. – NW
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2018 9

Patriots go boom
News
The Palm Beach Patriots are not only
one of the top female surf boat crews
in Australia but the four rowers
are also riding a wave of success in their
chosen careers.
Lucy Day is a current affairs reporter/
producer at Channel Seven and MC for the
Sydney Swans’ home games; Elly Reynolds
is Head PE teacher at Newtown Performing
Arts High School; Verity Boulton is senior
partnership manager at Rugby Australia;
and new recruit Papa Hipango, who studied
at UC Berkeley for four years, is working
for Salesforce Enterprise Business Development
in Sydney.
The crew is swept by long-time Palmy
surf club member Peter Spence, who is
National Field Sales Manager Impulse at
Nestle.
While the Patriots appear to have a
mortgage on the elite Ocean Thunder series
after making it three wins in three rounds
at Dee Why on January 13, it’s the State and
Aussie titles they have their sights set on.
Lucy, Verity and Elly met through the
surf club and have become very close
friends.
“Yes, we are really tight,” Lucy said.
“‘We hang out a lot together socially and
talk daily, even though we see each other
every second day for training or carnivals.
Verity was also one of my bridesmaids when
I got married in 2016.
“We are all pretty outgoing and don’t shy
away from a good dance floor!”
Verity admits to being a bit of a thrill
seeker and has already climbed Mt Kilimanjaro
to raise funds for Flying Kites, Kenya.
Elly is the ‘mum’ of the crew, according to
Lucy.
“She is the most organised person I know.
Elly has the memory of an elephant and
ensures we are organised for carnivals and
training,” Lucy said.
WHAT A CREW:
Palm Beach
Patriots Verity
Boulton (left),
Elly Reynolds,
Peter Spence
(sweep), Papa
Hipango and
Lucy Day.
10 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

in Thunder race
Papa Hipango only arrived on the scene
this season after long-time Palmy rower
Alex Tyrrell decided to take a break after
rowing for nine years.
“They were always going to be big
shoes to fill,” said Lucy, who at 17 was
ranked No 1 in Australia in the 2000m
Steeple Chase.
“We looked internally for a replacement
but many of our female rowers at Palmy
were already in a crew or had fallen pregnant
or had just had a baby so we then had
to look externally.”
As luck would have it, Verity found Papa
at her local gym.
“Verity saw what Papa pulled on the ski
erg one session and quickly bailed her up,”
Lucy said.
Little did they know that Papa excelled in
rowing and was an All American at college.
“She is a natural athlete. We’ve had some
big and tricky surfs this season which has
tested all of us,” Lucy said. “Papa takes it
all in her stride. She has no fear and listens
and learns fast.
“I think she is loving the transition into
surf boats.”
Verity and Lucy have won silver and gold
medals in under-23s at nationals in 2008
and 09 respectively with Matt Giblin as
their sweep.
Elly started rowing with the great Midget
Farrelly as her first sweep.
It was when Lucy returned from interstate
after working for Adelaide’s ‘Today
Tonight’ that she was back rowing again
and joined forces with Verity, Elly and Alex,
with Spency at the helm.
“Peter has a solid training program we’ve
been following since we started rowing
with him. It works well for us,” said Lucy.
After taking out round three of Thunder
at Dee Why, the Patriots (24 points) have
opened a five-point gap over closest rival
Collaroy Gold, with Currumbin a further
point behind.
“We are certainly not taking anything for
granted,” said Verity. “We still have a job
to do. It would be nice to win back-to-back
Thunder titles. Then we can focus on the
big carnivals ahead.”
Verity typifies what this crew is all
about. She injured her back at the gym
the day before the third Thunder round
but told her chiropractor Jason Lamb
she just had to row the next day. “He did
a very good job,” Verity said.
– John Taylor
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2018 11

News
SEEN…
HEARD…
Hmm. Looks kind of familiar doesn’t it? Imagine our prise when Pittwater Life bumped into this doppelganger
sur-
logo while on a recent fact-finding trip to the US.
Former PM Bob Hawke was in fine form leading guests
in a rousing rendition of ‘Waltzing Matilda’ at Jonah’s
Australia Day bash. The annual soiree doubles
as a birthday celebration for the boutique hotel and
restaurant which this year turned 89. Mr Hawke, accompanied
by partner Blanche
d’Alpuget, noted his
affinity with Jonah’s as he enters his 89th year. The
couple were joined by a mix of celebs and dignitaries
including car supremo Col Craword, media identity
Deborah Hutton, INXS’ Kirk Pengilly and former world
surfing champ Layne Beachley, Olympics boss John
Coates, and media face Kerry Anne Kennerly and husband
John. Guests feasted on Australia Day-inspired
creations from new executive chef Matteo Zamboni,
including bespoke ‘Chiko’ rolls, lamb cutlets, fresh
seafood and savoury ‘Lamingtons’.
Also heard: Those traffic monitoring wires installed
over summer at the intersection of Old Barrenjoey
Road and Avalon Parade? An approach to NB Council
revealed the statistics will be “used to update traffic
data and fed into the Avalon Place Plan”. Stay tuned…
Also, the flurry of activity at Pasadena at Church Point
continues – Fairfax Media reports the controversial
refurb will open in March with a 160-seat seafood
grill. We hear the 10-room boutique hotel will follow
later in the year.
ABSURD…
Seems not everyone was happy with the additional
transport services across Pittwater over
summer, with the Palm Beach base of Fantasea
Cruises telling Pittwater Life it had to suspend
its newly introduced water taxi service due to leged vandalism and threats to its staff, as well
as heckling of customers. Police confirmed they
al-
had taken reports of several malicious damage
incidents; Northern Beaches Local Area Com-
mand are also in possession of CCTV footage of
the alleged culprits which they are investigating.
Police also urge anyone with information
to come forward and contact local police or
Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
12 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

News
Palmy Walkway nearing delivery
The expected completion date for the pedestrian
walkway from Palm Beach Wharf to Governor
Philip Park has been revised to midyear,
Northern Beaches Council has confirmed.
General Manager Environment & Infrastructure
Ben Taylor said Palm Beach Walkway – part
of the first stage of construction works in the
Coastal Walkway Project, Connecting the Northern
Beaches and which was originally scheduled
to be open by January – had progressed to
‘delivery’ phase.
“This long-awaited walkway consists of
elevated boardwalk sections together with
concrete footpaths, with custom screening and
handrails,” Mr Taylor said. “When completed it
will see planting of new native trees, opportunities
for community art and an overall upgrade in
safety to the current walking conditions.”
He confirmed cyclists would not be permitted
to use the walkway for safety reasons.
“The walkway will be one of a kind and will be
a key piece of infrastructure in the area.”
The construction process has been undertaken
in conjunction with extensive consultation with
residents whose properties border the walkway;
Council did not reply to questions about any
ongoing issues or current consultation.
Work started on the Palm Beach walkway in
November 2017.
“Council is continuing to develop concepts
for other sections of this overall iconic walkway
between Palm Beach and North Head and consultation
with the community will be occurring in
early 2018,” Mr Taylor said.
He added concepts are being developed for
several missing links including Whale Beach
Road (from Florida Road to Norma Road);
upgrades for the section from Newport SLSC to
Avalon Beach SLSC (via The Serpentine), Hillcrest
Avenue Mona Vale, upgrades near Mona Vale
SLSC and sections along Narrabeen Park Parade
at Warriewood.
– Nigel Wall
6THINGS
THIS MONTH
New hospital Open Day.
You have read all about it; now’s
your chance to get a feel for the
brand new Arcadia Pittwater
Private Hospital at 4 Daydream St
Warriewood when it opens its doors
for a Community Open Day on Sun
4 from 10am-3pm.
Get a wriggle on. Learn about
the art of composting and worms
from the experts at Kimbriki Eco
House and Garden in Terrey Hills
so your can reduce your amount of
food waste going in the rubbish bin
while creating natural fertiliser for
your garden on Sun 4 OR Fri 9 from
10am-1pm. Cost $25 per person.
Places limited. Bookings essential.
9486 3512 or kimbriki@kimbriki.com
Week of golf. Hundreds of
women golfers will be doing the
rounds at seven stunning Northern
Beaches courses – Bayview,
Cromer, Long Reef, Manly, Mona
Vale, Monash and Wakehurst
from Mon 12 to Fri 16 in one of the
largest amateur women’s golfing
tournaments in the Southern
Hemisphere – The Barrenjoey
Peninsula Week of Golf. Details
barrenjoeyweekofgolf.com
Visit Manly. Pop into Manly Art
Gallery & Museum for two very
good reasons. First catch the last
few weeks of the amazing North
Head Project curated by Katherine
Roberts (closes Sun 18) then enjoy
the creativity of this year’s crop
of HSC students’ works selected
for the Express Yourself exhibition
to be opened by artist Joshua
Yeldham on Fri 23 for a five-week
run. 9976 1421
Car seat check. Have your child
car seats, harnesses and booster
seats checked for safety and fit
with a free inspection by Authorised
Restraint Fitters at Winnererremy
Bay Reserve, Mona Vale on
Thursday 22. Co-ordinated by NB
Council. From 9am-2pm; bookings
are essential 1300 434 434.
Lights, skate, action. Council’s
Youth Services Team in partnership
with Skater HQ are hosting a Friday
Night Lights event on Fri 23 from
4.30-7.30pm at Avalon Beach Skate
Park. Free entry, spot prizes, free
coaching plus food and drinks.
Contact 9942 2401 or youth@
northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au for
more info.
14 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

A new hitch for
trailer adverts
News
The practice of leaving
unhitched trailers to
advertise businesses on
prominent transport corridors
throughout Pittwater is about
to be stamped out, with the
NSW Government announcing
hefty fines of up to $3000 for
offenders.
Changes to environmental
planning rules kick in on
March 1, aimed at unclogging
the visual distraction
on our roads and improving
safety. However, there will be
a three-month amnesty before
Northern Beaches Council
rangers commence dishing out
fines ($1500 for individuals
and $3000 for businesses) from
June 1, to ensure the community
has adequate time to be
informed and for trailers to be
cleared.
Until now the issue has been
a grey area, with planning
controls around trailers unclear
– unless trailers breach a
parking restriction, authorities
are virtually powerless to act.
The change will see advertisements
banned on
parked trailers on roads, road
shoulders, footpaths and
nature strips – but excluding
advertising associated with
the primary use of the trailer
in the course of work being
undertaken, e.g. tradesman’s
trailers and public authorities.
Additionally, consent will be
required for displaying signage
on trailers parked on private
land in view from roads, road
shoulders footpaths and nature
strips – including homes.
At the same time, the
Government confirmed that
advertising in transport corridors
would be permissible with
consent from the Planning
Minister.
A government spokesperson
said: “During consultation,
safety and amenity concerns
were raised about roadside advertising
trailers blocking motorists’
vision and distracting
drivers. By reducing the types
of roadside trailer advertising
currently on our roads, we’ll
minimise risks to drivers.”
He added: “Allowing advertising
in transport corridors
will provide funding for
transport agencies and councils
to deliver public benefit
programs, such as road
safety improvements, better
public transport services
and improvements to public
amenity.”
NB Council currently offers
banner advertising along Barrenjoey
Road and Pittwater Rd,
including Newport Hill and the
junction of Mona Vale Rd; cost
for a two-week commercial
booking is $76 ($38 not-forprofit
groups).
One local business owner
affected by the new ban, who
did not wish to be named,
told Pittwater Life: “The
government and Council
need to look at the big picture
here – the abundance of boats
and caravans parked on our
streets are much larger and
raise more concerns about
16 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

locking motorists’ vision.
“There is a plethora of road
signs, advertising hoardings
and banners on just about
every road to distract the
driver… is paying the government
or Council for this right
eliminating the distraction?
“The advertising trailer
ban is nothing but discrimination
against small business
owners trying to promote
their services and wares…
and the council not getting a
cut.”
– Nigel Wall
The sign of things to come
Coming to your street
(sort of) soon – the new,
approved Northern Beaches
Council street sign!
Pittwater Life, which
spotted this shiny new
addition in Elizabeth St,
Avalon, has been told the
rollout of our new street
signs, which were on the list
of deliverable requirements
following the Council
amalgamation in May 2016,
could take many, many
years to fulfil.
NB Council confirmed
around 30 signs have been
replaced so far from Manly
to Palm Beach – including
13 in the former Pittwater
Council area.
But don’t hold your
breath about any largescale
change, or be concerned
Council is splurging
ratepayers’ money – the
costing wasn’t budgeted
in the State Government’s
cash handover, meaning
replacements will be done
only when necessary.
Acting General Manager
Customer and Corporate
Melanie Gurney said:
“Council’s obligation
to ensure responsible
management of ratepayer
funds means we will only
replace the signs with the
new branding on an asneeds
basis – such as when
they are damaged or faded.”
Ms Gurney confirmed any
replacement of signs will
be funded from Council’s
existing budget.
Streets that have the
new sign are: Loombah St –
Bilgola Plateau; Cooinda St
– Bilgola Plateau; Mirrabooka
St – Bilgola Plateau;
Chisholm Ave – Avalon;
Bungendore St – Ingleside;
Eastbourne Ave – Avalon;
Emma St – Mona Vale;
Patrick St – Avalon; Elizabeth
St – Avalon; Narrabeen Park
Pde – Mona Vale; Hunter
St – Warriewood; Hunter St
North – Warriewood; and
Patterson Lane – Avalon.
– Nigel Wall
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2018 17

News
Local ballerinas leap at amazing opportunities
It has been another highly successful
year for Dynamite Premiere Academy
(DPA) in Newport with students
offered coveted places at schools in
London, New York, the French Riviera,
Hong Kong as well as the Australian
Ballet Interstate program.
Emma Price (pictured) will be off to
London in April after she was accepted
into the Royal Ballet School Spring
Intensive.
Through an audition process the
13-year-old was given direct entry into
the program, where she’ll stay with
other young dancers at White Lodge
in Richmond Park and train for seven
hours every day for a week with various
Royal Ballet School teachers.
Taking dance lessons since she was
three, the Year 8 Ravenswood School
for Girls student has her sights set on
a career in dance.
And she’s no stranger to the commitment
required to achieve this
goal – last year Emma was dancing 17
hours of ballet/contemporary a week.
What does she enjoy about ballet?
“I love the structure and discipline
ballet requires… when I am
dancing I just feel happy.”
Emma’s proud mum Pippa can’t
praise her teachers highly enough.
“Dynamite Premiere Academy has
been such an important part of Emma’s
dance journey so far,” she said.
“Emma has teachers providing opportunities
that she could only have
dreamed of, teachers that believe in
her ability and future… we would not
be anywhere else.”
DPA Principal Melissa Mitchell was
thrilled with all students’ achievements,
reporting the sisters
Pittwater Life featured last year
– Emily and Charlotte Enright –
each gained direct access into
the Royal Ballet School Autumn
Intensive Program in Hong Kong
and through YAGP (the biggest
competition in the world)
14-year-old Emily
received a summer
program
scholarship
to the École
supérieure de
danse, Cannes
Also,
six students received scholarships to
the Summer Intensive Program at the
Joffrey Ballet School in New York and
all received direct entry into its fulltime
training program.
And nine-year-old Zara Wenborne’s
acceptance into The Australian Ballet
Interstate Training Program means
DPA now has students across all its
levels.
One of the refreshing aspects of DPA
is the equal emphasis placed on providing
a relaxed and fun environment
and a range of recreational
classes for children of every age
and standard.
To this end, DPA is offering
a “free trial” to all new
families for the beginning
of term 1 (terms and
conditions apply). Term
1 resumes Monday 5
February.
For more
information
call 9918
8841 or
email info@
dynamitepa.
com.au.
Photo: Winkipop Media
18 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Pittwater’s International
Women’s Day breakfast
Book your seat or get a
group of friends together
and secure a table to celebrate
International Women’s Day
with a scrumptious breakfast
and a special guest speaker at
the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht
Club in March.
This annual event acknowledges
the achievements of
women and it’s where Member
For Pittwater Rob Stokes
traditionally announces the
Pittwater Woman of the Year.
Guest speaker at this year’s
breakfast to be held in a beautiful
space overlooking the
water across to Bayview and
Scotland Island, is wheelchair
basketball player, sailor and
Member of Parliament Liesl
Tesch AM.
Hosted by Zonta Club of
Northern Beaches, a group
assisting local women in need
and international projects
in developing countries,
the breakfast is always well
attended by the local community
(men are also welcome!).
SPEAKER: Liesl Tesch AM
The Pittwater IWD Breakfast
will be held from 7am-
9am on Wednesday 7 March.
The cost is $45. Book early to
avoid disappointment (bookings
will remain open until
Thursday 1 March or until
sold out). Enquiries to pittwateriwdbreakfast@gmail.com
or Sue on 0407 850 860.
Proceeds from the breakfast
will support service
projects of Zonta Club of
Northern Beaches.
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2018 19

News
Events
Strategy
feedback
sought
N
orthern Beaches Council
has drafted a new events
strategy to support local
organisations to run their own
vibrant events and complement
those run by Council.
Mayor Michael Regan urged
the community to provide feedback
before submissions close
on February 11.
He said the strategy aimed
to help attract, develop and
support a range of diverse and
exciting events.
“We have a proud history
of hosting spectacular events
on the Northern Beaches,” Mr
Regan said.
“Today, hundreds of events
are held from Manly to Palm
Beach each year, entertaining
more than half a million people
with an array of festivals, music,
shows and exhibitions.
“Our events bring people
together to celebrate who we
are and where we live – instilling
a great sense of community
pride and connection as well as
stimulating the local economy.
“We know that the community,
businesses and organisations
have a real enthusiasm
for even more events. From
listening to more than a thousand
community members
during the consultation period,
it is clear there is a real appetite
for a mix of large-scale events
and smaller, local events.
“They want events that
showcase local talent, create
new experiences in non-traditional
locations and promote
the Beaches as a destination of
choice. And the community has
told us they want events to be
sustainable, help boost employment
and be accessible through
improved transport options,”
Mr Regan said.
The new Events Strategy
will have a range of actions,
including investigating funding
models to help support a wider
range of local events – some of
which could potentially transition
to significant events.
More info at ‘Your Say’ at
northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au.
20 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Pittwater News
News
Mona Vale Autumn
Festival announced
The Mona Vale Chamber of
Commerce have come up with
a great way to keep businesses
at the forefront of the local
community exiting the busy
summer trade period, launching
a new Autumn Festival
that will transform Bungan
Street into a cavalcade of
food, entertainment and more
from 10am to 4pm on March
3. “This new inaugural event
is expected to attract thousands
of people to Mona Vale
so it presents a great opportunity
for local businesses to
open their doors to drive both
sales and consumer awareness,”
said Chamber president
Chris Kavanagh. “We’re looking
to attract both stallholders
and visitors – currently
we encourage local shops to
join us with a stall on Bungan
St, or opening onto the street
from their premises.” Benefits
to Autumn Festival stallholders
include a free year’s
membership to the Chamber,
plus 50% off the price of a
stall at the end-of-year Mona
Vale Market Day. Chris said
the Autumn Festival would
be heavily promoted locally.
For more information email
info@monavalechamber.org
or call 02 9194 6788.
Stop Press: Mention the
Festival ad in Pittwater Life
magazine on Autumn Festival
Day on March 3 and you’ll go
in the draw to win a magnum
of champagne! Simply drop
by the Event tent.
It’s last call for
Creative entries
Organisers say there is still
time to register to enter and
make your three-minute film
for the 5th Northern Beaches
Creative Creatures film
festival. Films are to be up to
three minutes long and are required
to include an image or
reference to red shoes. Deadline
for submission of entries
is March 18. The festival will
be held on the front green
at Avalon Bowling Club on
Sunday April 8 from 1pm-
8pm. “Be a part of this fabulous
local film festival which
launched the now famous
Avalon Now,” said organiser
Katy Young. Register at
creativecreaturesfilmfestival.
com.au. (While we’re on the
subject, a reminder Tropfest
Australia returns on Saturday
17 February at Parramatta
Park. Academy Award winner
Susan Sarandon will head this
year’s Tropfest Jury – and for
the first time the ABC will
be the exclusive broadcast
partner.)
Councillor starts
grants program
Passionate Narrabeen Ward
councillor Rory Amon is
putting his money where his
mouth is, funding a community
grants fund with a
portion of his pay as a means
of giving back to the local
community. The Liberal-endorsed
councillor said Round
1 of the program, now open
for applications, includes a
total of $5,000. “Grants are
between $200 to $500 for any
community group to help
with projects or the purchase
of items which benefit our
community,” Cr Amon said.
“As I am a Councillor for
Narrabeen Ward, priority
will be given to groups with
a connection to that Ward – a
connection might be that your
group is based in Narrabeen
Ward, does work in the Ward,
or one of your members lives
in the Ward.” He added all applications
would be assessed
by an independent community
panel. Applications for
the Amon Community Grants
Fund close February 28; more
info roryamon.com.au
Scotland Island
Wharf Upgrades
The Scotland Island Residents
Association has chalked up
a huge win for its offshore
22 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

community with news the
State Government has announced
almost $1 million
towards wharf upgrades on
the island. Pittwater MP Rob
Stokes confirmed Northern
Beaches Council had
been allocated $641,000 to
support improvements to
Carols Wharf and $351,000
to upgrade Bell Wharf. Both
wharves will be extended
to accommodate additional
capacity and improvements
will be introduced to enhance
safety and disability access.
SIRA president Hubert van
Mierlo said that although a
detailed design was yet to be
done, they expected the works
would be in line with the
proposals submitted by SIRA
last year, including 30 new
commuter boat tie-ups at Bell
Wharf and 38 new commuter
boat tie-ups at Carols Wharf.
“The legwork for this was
done by the Wharves Working
Group under leadership
of Alec Beckett – well done
Continued on page 24
Book now for Barefoot Ball on Newport Beach
Tickets are now on sale for Newport Surf
Club’s 2018 ‘Barefoot Ball’ from 6pm on
March 24, with the gala evening on Newport
Beach set to raise funds for Cystic
Fibrosis research and care. Attendees will
enjoy delicious catering from hatted local
restaurant Sotto Sopra, great music from
the Kate Lush Band, and bare feet all under
the stars at one of Sydney’s most stunning
beaches! The Ball is conducted in partnership
with Cystic Fibrosis Community Care
(CFCC) which contributes valuable funds to
research Australia’s most common lifeshortening
genetic condition and works
to improve the quality of life for sufferers
and their families. The first Ball was
not only a wonderful evening when the
community came together under the full
moon on Newport Beach, but a significant
fundraising success for both Newport SLSC
& CFCC – and a great opportunity to get a
better appreciation of the work of CFCC and
the impact it has had on the lives of many.
Book now – the last Ball sold out in two
weeks. Visit eventbrite.com.au and search
‘barefoot ball’. If you can’t attend, but
wish to contribute by donating or purchasing
a ticket in our raffle to win a $19,500
10-night European cruise, visit galabid.
com/auction/barefoot
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2018 23

News
Pittwater News
Tracking down family histories
If you’ve ever wanted to learn
more about your family’s
history but don’t know where
to start, Northern Beaches
Council has the answer – it
has recruited experienced volunteers
to help at Dee Why Library
Family History Fridays.
Mayor Michael Regan said the
program, which runs 10am
to 4pm on Fridays starting
on February 2 through to the
end of the year, would have
great results in helping locals
find out about and connect
with their family history. An
example: local resident and
Vietnam veteran Alan Wright
knew almost nothing about
his family history before
coming along to the Council
Library initiative. However,
Alan’s search – which started
with a single birth certificate
– has led to him locating a
91-year-old cousin he didn’t
know existed and WWI medals
awarded to his ancestors
which he plans to wear at
future ANZAC Day marches.
He has also traced records
back to his great-great-greatgrandfather
and compiled a
huge folder of historical documents,
including photographs,
about his family. Alan now
spends two days a week at the
library making the most of its
free access to online ancestry
research tools and says he
would love to do a course in
family history research to
help others. (Alan, right, pictured
with Dee Why Library
staff member Michael Houstone.)
Bookings are essential
for Family History Fridays.
Call 9942 2610 to request a
one-hour session with a volunteer
or visit northernbeaches.
nsw.gov.au/library for more
information.
Continued from page 23
to all!” he said. “SIRA will
start talks with Council on
the timing and details of the
work next month – the funding
deal stipulates that the
works are completed before
the end of 2019 and of course
we hope for a much earlier
delivery.” Mr Stokes said the
wharf extensions, part of the
Government’s Boating Now
Program, would also enable
deeper water access during
low tides and assist with overall
reliability. “These are vital
projects for Scotland Island
residents – so I’m delighted
the NSW Government is
providing financial support,”
he said.
Avalon ocean
Swims’ new date
Ocean swimmers will make
a big splash at the rescheduled
Avalon ocean swims on
Sunday 9 April with a choice
of three swims including
the iconic ‘Around The
Bends’ swim. Volker Klemm,
race director of the Avalon
swims, says there is a swim
for ocean swimmers of all
levels. “We have a 1km swim
starting at 9.30am sharp
at Avalon Beach followed
by our traditional 1.5km
swim starting at 10.30am,”
Volker said. “For the more
daring ocean swimmers
there is the ‘Around The
Bends’ course from Newport
Beach to Avalon – a 2.5km
swim which will provide a
truly magical experience.”
He added the revised date,
prompted by the cancellation
of the Avalon Swim on January
14 due to big seas, came
with benefits. “April 9 is not
such a busy time for ocean
swims and participants
will have the chance to get
in more training,” he said.
Entries are still being taken
at oceanswims.com (and late
registration is available from
8am at Avalon). However,
there are no late entries for
the Around The Bends swim;
caps and timing chips will
be available for collection at
Newport Beach. There is also
a shuttle bus from Avalon to
Newport after the swim.
10 new interns
for MV Hospital
Staffing at Mona Vale Hospital
has received a boost with
10 new medical graduates
commencing their clinical
internships in late January.
Local MP Rob Stokes said the
intake was part of a record
999 graduates commencing
positions in NSW hospitals as
part of a major investment by
the NSW Government to increase
the number of doctors
in metropolitan and rural areas.
The interns will be under
the guidance of experienced
senior doctors and will put
into practice their many years
of university preparation.
24 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

“Mona Vale Hospital has a
long-standing history of contributing
to the education of
our state’s medical workforce
and we know these latest
graduates will be in excellent
hands,” Mr Stokes said. “I’m
delighted the NSW Government
is continuing to lead
the nation in training junior
doctors and responding to the
ever-increasing demand for
medical services.”
Rainbow Club
seeks swim teachers
Rainbow Club Warriewood is
seeking AUSTSWIM or Swim
Australia qualified swimming
teachers. Rainbow Club
Australia has 20 clubs across
NSW which provide swimming
lessons for children
with a disability. ‘Swim
the Rainbow’ is a specially
designed program tailored
for children with a disability.
Spokeswoman Heather Nadilo
said the Club paid above
award rates to attract dedicated
and passionate teachers
who can commit to a school
term of weekend lessons (current
rates are from $30/hr).
“Our club meets on Saturdays
during the school term and
we offer all our swimming
teachers a full package of
benefits to reward them for
all their commitment and
dedication,” Heather said. Apply
rainbowclubaust.com.au
or email Heather at admin@
rainbowclubaust.com.au
A healthy start in Mona Vale
Health foodies rejoice… organic and wholefood market, Flannerys,
has just opened a flagship store in Park St, Mona Vale –
with 10,000 hand-picked products (including organic fruit and
vegetables), a huge amount of fridge space and 300 different
bulk offerings, plus a cosy on-site café – serving Cocowhip,
acai bowls, organic and free-trade coffee, smoothies, super
lattes (with beetroot, turmeric and cocoa) as well as other
healthy bites. There’s also a naturopath consulting area, where
visitors can watch their herbs being mixed while they wait –
and it’s hard to miss the live rescue bee hive in the middle of
the store. Naturopath and local Caroline Robertson (pictured)
says Flannery’s choice to open on the Northern Beaches was
indicative of the local community’s growing move towards
healthy living. “We are all about creating a gathering place for
the community, to get health advice and stock up on health
food needs,” she said. “We’re really excited about our online
booking system where you can secure a free, 15-minute advice
session with our naturopaths. We have a private area to meet,
so if there’s something a bit more personal to talk about – like
hormone imbalances, prostate trouble or difficulty breastfeeding
– we offer a personalised, uninterrupted place to get advice.”
From February there will also be a a series of workshops
in-store – these include a cooking workshop demonstration
by acclaimed nutritionist Lee Holmes, a mushroom immunity
session and a workshop focusing on how to manage daily
stress and sleep well. More info Flannerys.com.au
Vet
on
call
with
Dr Ben Brown
Vaccination is an essential
part of the creation of
‘herd immunity’ whereby
the entire animal population
is protected because the
prevalence of life-threatening,
contagious diseases is
substantially reduced due to
greater immunity in the pet
population.
Every vaccinated
animal contributes to
the maintenance of herd
immunity. Annual vaccination
also allows a complete
physical examination to be
conducted each year; this is
particularly important because
our pets can’t tell us they feel
unwell, and signs of disease
(especially in the early stages)
can be very subtle.
We recommend an annual
check-up and vaccination;
however with advances in
technology we no longer need
to vaccinate dogs against the
same diseases every year. For
unvaccinated dogs Parvovirus
is still very common,
especially in younger dogs,
and can cause life-threatening
viral gastroenteritis and
bone marrow suppression.
Distemper causes viral
meningitis and is rapidly
fatal in the majority of dogs
it infects. Thankfully, due
to vaccination and herd
immunity, this disease is rare
in Australia. Infectious Canine
Hepatitis is a worldwide,
contagious disease of dogs.
In addition to our core
three-yearly vaccination
protocol we also recommend
vaccination against canine
cough every year; it’s an oral
vaccine plus an injection.
Canine cough is common,
especially where dogs
congregate e.g. dog parks,
and via public water bowls.
To increase rates of
vaccination we have
commenced a ‘LifeVac’
program which reduces the
cost of your pet’s vaccinations
over its lifetime. Drop into
our hospitals at Newport and
Avalon to find out more!
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2018 25

Differen
Strokes
Story by Rosamund Burton
Photos: Rosamund Burton & Lindy Hardcastle; Jay Platt, Jim Knight, Gab Scanu (aerial).
Cover Feature
26 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

t In
the 1920s baths were
carved into the rocks along
the Northern Beaches, and
they became popular swimming
places. A decade later in
the 1930s, providing work for
the unemployed during the
Depression, the ocean pools
started to be built. There are
seven pools between North
Narrabeen and Palm Beach,
and over a couple of days lifelong
swimmer, Lindy Hardcastle,
and I visited each one...
North Narrabeen
‘Pool Closed’ the sign says
when we arrive at North
Narrabeen (right) at 7.30am.
However, a man appears from
the direction of the pool with
a towel over his shoulder.
“Don’t pay any attention
to the sign,” he says, “The
pool gets cleaned on Tuesday
night, and the cleaners have
forgotten to turn it around.”
Size-wise North Narrabeen
is the most impressive of all
the Northern Beaches ocean
pools. It’s a 50-metre by
18-metre pool with a wooden
boardwalk built within a
larger 70-metre by 40-metre
wading pool. It’s located at
the entrance of the Narrabeen
Lagoon at the north end of
Narrabeen Beach.
We reach the changing
rooms as three men – Yorkshire-born
Bob Gibson, Garry
Smith and Greg Johnson –
Cover Feature
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2018 27

ABOVE: Braving the elements
– Lindy Hardcastle
at North Narrabeen pool;
CENTRE: author Rosamund
with (l-r) Bob Gibson, Garry
Smith and Greg Johnson;
RIGHT: Mona Vale pool in a
lull between ocean surges.
Cover Feature
emerge from the water
looking chilly.
“The water is around
15 degrees today,” says
Manly-born Johnson, who
has been swimming at the
pool daily for 38 years.
He is an accountant and
from here heads to his
office in the city for the day.
“I usually swim between 500
metres and a kilometre; I’ve
done 500 metres today, because
it’s cold and also rough.”
He tells us that the pool was
built in the 1930s under the
Unemployment Relief Scheme.
It cost [then] Warringah Council
£494 to build and opened in
March 1934. In 1933, in anticipation
of the pool opening,
the Narrabeen Ladies Amateur
Swimming Club was formed –
now known as the Narrabeen
Lakes Amateur Swimming Club.
The pool is also home to the
Shivering Sharks, a club which
formed in the 1960s, and in
winter hosts the Charlie Brady
Memorial Narrabeen Shield
in the pool (and doesn’t allow
competitors to wear wetsuits).
Greg Johnson also mentions
Joe Crowley, who passed away
two years ago. “He was known
as the mayor of the pool, and
taught swimming here for over
55 years.”
Next to emerge from the
water is Leon Wickens, 77.
Pulling a large piece of blue tac
out of his ear, he tells us with
a grin: “I was born in Lakemba
and moved to Narrabeen in
1951. I’ve been swimming here,
on and off, for 60 years.” He
joined the NAB in 1955 and for
many years was bank manager
at the local branch.
“Starting the day with a swim
is excellent for the physical
health, and spiritually as well.
It makes you feel so good. We
swim and then all go to the surf
club and have a cup of coffee...
it doesn’t really matter what
happens for the rest of the day.”
The tide has now come up
over the edge of the pool and
the surf is crashing into it. So,
in a lull in the waves, we walk
quickly along the wooden
boardwalk to the far end, then
plunge into the cold water
and do a fast 50 metres back
towards the beach.
Mona Vale
We pull off Surfview Road at
the north end of Mona Vale
Beach. A hundred metres
from the headland across the
sand on the rock promontory
which divides Mona Vale
Beach from Bongin Bongin
Bay is the 30-metre pool and
also a kids’ pool. Ocean baths
were built here in 1914 and
then improved in the 1930s.
However, a sign saying
‘Beach Closed’ has been
planted into the sand, and the
concrete walkway to the pool,
and the pool itself are hidden
under spume and spray, so
we can’t swim today. It only
dawns on us now that the
pool at Narrabeen might have
been closed today because
of the rough conditions and
unusually high tide due to the
‘super moon’.
We return at 7 o’clock the
following morning, and walk
into the change rooms to find
it full of women dressing after
their swim in the pool.
“We’re the Buckettes,” they
chime. Eighty-two-year-old
Jenny Lewis is the oldest and
the founding member of this
group of 20 women. Ten
years ago she was swimming
28 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

LEFT: Mona Vale’s ‘Buckettes’ (l-r) Jenny Lewis, Maggie Perdrian, Mina Pontello
and Pauline Unsworth; ABOVE: the concrete approach to Mona Vale
pool; RIGHT: The long, thin Newport pool on the beach’s southern tip.
Cover Feature
in the pool, and started
talking to Pauline Unsworth,
and then they introduced
themselves to Margot Yorke.
The three of them began
having coffee after their
morning swim, and going
to the movies together. A
couple of other women joined
the group, and it grew from
there.
“People were attracted to
our laughter and happiness,”
Pauline explains. “Rain, hail or
shine we swim. In winter we
put hot water in our bucket
and stand in it after swimming
to warm up.”
“We share clothes,” adds
another Buckette. The change
room is affectionately called
the Shed and the clothes,
including a purple bra, are
known as ‘The Shed Brand’.
They have also had Buckette
shirts printed, which several
of them are wearing.
“Every July,” continues Pauline,
“we go up on the train to
Moree to the hot spring baths.
We’ve been through so much
together – life experiences,
births, deaths and weddings.
You get to know each other so
well. And,” she adds, “when
you’re naked there’s no hiding
from each other.”
The Buckettes head to the
Bronze Kiosk at Mona Vale
Surf Club for coffee, and
Lindy and I walk onto the
beach and along the narrow
concrete walkway to this pool
nestled in the rocks in the between
the two beaches. Water
is breaking over the edge and
it’s exhilarating to do laps in
the clean water.
Newport
We walk down the walkway on
the corner of Calvert Parade
and The Boulevarde onto the
beach, and follow the track at
the southern end of Newport
Beach around the rocks to
the pool. It’s not hard to pick
our way over the rocks, but
we’re told later by a regular
swimmer that the path has
been destroyed by recent
storms. A couple of people are
swimming up and down this
50-metre pool with its natural
30 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

ock bottom, including David
Hodkinson, who has only lived
in the area for a couple of
years, but cycles down regularly
to swim his laps. “This is
the best rock pool,” he says.
“It’s always quiet.”
However, it wasn’t always
quiet. From the 1860s onwards
steamers brought people
from Sydney to Newport
Wharf, and they would walk
to the surf beach. The Sydney
Morning Herald reported on
31 January 1926 the opening
of ‘the new rock baths’, which
had cost £560. An ocean pool
was built in the current location
in the 1930s.
This pool and Mona Vale’s
have no electricity, so the
council workers who clean
all seven ocean pools have to
wear headlamps when they
are cleaning the pool at night.
In August 2012, early morning
swimmers arrived to find
an 11-metre, 30-tonne young
adult humpback whale carcass
had broken the post and chain
where it had washed over, and
lay lodged in the pool.
The high tide and big swell
that evening washed the car-
Cover Feature
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2018 31

ABOVE: Local David Hopkinson
swims laps regularly – Newport is
his pool of choice as it’s ‘always
quiet’; RIGHT: The ever-popular
Bilgola pool at the southern end of
the beach presents a long length.
grew up at Palm Beach, now
lives in Avalon, and runs a gardening
business called Lanes
Gardens.
“I usually swim here or at
the Newport Rock Pool,” he
says. “I have a break from
gardening in the middle of the
day and in summer and winter,
I swim 20 lengths, 1km. I do
it to keep fit, but also, I love
being in the salt water every
day. It’s like a form of meditation.
It relaxes me and I feel
re-energised.”
While he’s talking 54-yearold
Maryanne Spiers dives into
the pool. She is a fitness coach
and personal trainer, who lives
at Bilgola Plateau.
“I love all the ocean pools,
but Bilgola is my favourite. It’s
a good length for laps and has
a lovely aspect. The salt water
is so refreshing. It relaxes
and revitalises you more than
fresh water.”
Maryanne Spiers grew up
ocean swimming at Austinmer
in Wollongong. She was
a member of the Surf Life
Saving Club, when few women
were members. “Our crew at
Austinmer were the second
group of girls who got their
bronze medallion. That was
around 1979.” Then at the age
of 18 she said she became
Australia’s first female professional
lifeguard.
“I had all the qualifications,
but women hadn’t been
Cover Feature
cass out of the pool and back
out to sea, but then it washed
up on the beach. An excavator
couldn’t move the giant mammal,
and it had to be cut up
with chainsaws, and put into
landfill at Lucas Heights.
The surf always breaks
around this pool, and here
you feel all the energy of the
ocean. This morning waves
are breaking over the edge,
and Lindy and I are whirled
around by the water as we
swim our laps.
Bilgola
Tucked in near the rocks at
the southern end of the beach
are the eight-lane 50-metre by
15-metre pool and the 50-metre
by 5-metre wading pool,
which were built in the 1960s.
When we arrive at quarter
past one, 45-year-old Steve
Lane is swimming lengths. He
32 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

ABOVE & BELOW: Maryanne Spiers
and Steve Lane both agree swimming
at Bilgola pool is a form of
meditation; RIGHT: The angular and
exposed pool at Avalon Beach is
susceptible to much ocean churn.
employed before. Then I beat
half of the men in the test, so
they couldn’t not employ me
after that. I set the bar,” she
concludes with a smile.
Not content with breaking
glass ceilings on the beach
Maryanne Spiers turned to the
snow, representing Australia
in the ski-ing at the 1998 Calgary
Winter Olympics.
She is passionate about
healthy ageing. “I’m getting
younger every year, not older,”
she grins.
Lindy is already swimming
lengths, so I dive in and swim
join her. The surf is breaking
into the pool, and I’m buffeted
by spray and the pull of the
foaming water, but the energy
of the swirling sea water is
utterly exhilarating.
This is the home of the Avalon
Bilgola Amateur Swimming
Club, which started in the mid-
’60s, and meets here every
Saturday morning from mid-
October to the end of March,
catering from social swimmers
to the more competitive.
Avalon
In 1923, the Sydney Mail
reported “young people
enjoying themselves at what is
known as the Avalon bathing
hole, a natural rocky bath”.
The present day 22-metre pool
and the toddlers pool beside it
were built in the late 1930s.
In 2011 a 1.5-metre baby
bronze whaler was found
circling inside the pool, so the
pool had to be drained, and
the shark removed by [then]
Pittwater Council workers.
“Another problem when
we get big seas,” says Steve
Lawler, Executive Manager
of Parks and Recreation with
Northern Beaches Council, “is
that often so much kelp ends
up in the pool, it’s not possible
to swim.”
On this particular morning
with the ‘super moon’ tide
still rising it’s impossible to
see whether whalers or weed
might be lurking beneath
the swirling foam. Lindy
marches confidently along
the concrete walkway to the
pool, while I cower from the
spray, and watch her descend
the steps and enter the water.
As she does a few strokes she
looks like a seal, her head
of dark hair bobbing up out
of the water and then being
submerged by the waves.
Far less brave I don’t even
contemplate trying to swim
in this. Clinging to the rails I
Cover Feature
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2018 33

Cover Feature
walk down the steps and just
submerge myself into the
maelstrom of white water.
Sitting on a bench above
the pool, like the Socrates of
the ocean pools, is Michael
Ossipoff. He lives on Clareville
Beach and tells us he wets
his gills daily in either Whale
Beach, Bilgola, Newport or
Avalon ocean pools.
“They have different personalities,”
he muses. “In this
pool, like Newport, you feel
closely connected to the surf
and the ocean in general.” The
three of us gaze down at the
pool awash with surf. “The
pools have a value beyond the
mental and physical health they
provide. They also draw community
together. They should
be viewed as being one of the
jewels of the area,” he says.
Whale Beach
It’s six o’clock in the evening
when we park on The Strand,
and walk south along the beach
to the shallow 25-metre pool.
There is no breeze and no
longer sunlight on the pool.
A single swimmer is doing
lengths, 73-year-old Maria
Salome from Guatemala who
came with her husband to
Australia in 1984, and who has
lived in the area since 1994.
“I swim every day except
Sundays, because there are
usually too many people. Even
in winter I swim. I love it.
“I usually come at half past
seven in the morning, and
there are about 10 or 12 other
people,” she says. Then her
eyes well with tears. “My husband
has cancer and is in the
Royal North Shore Hospital. My
ABOVE: Lindy struggles through the ‘washing machine’ at Avalon pool.
ABOVE: Colour contrast of rocks
and pool at Whale Beach; RIGHT:
Maria Salome swims six days a
week but avoids Sunday crowds.
son had flown from Germany
and my daughter from Holland.
I’m here at this time today because
I just wanted a swim.”
She is so strong in the face
of such sadness, and yet again
I am reminded of what sanctuaries
these ocean pools are.
We place our bags on a
rock ledge, before sinking
into the still water and, aware
of its healing power, do four
slow lengths. Tiny whiting flit
through the water.
Palm Beach
We reach Palm Beach at half
past four. The 50-metre ocean
pool is nestled into the southern
end of the long beach, and
accessed from Ocean Road.
Seventy-two-year-old Tina
Horkan swims here twice a day.
“Years ago they were filming
Home and Away here. There
were all these cameras and
lights, and Chris Hemsworth
was standing in the middle of
the pool. I was doing breaststroke
and he was in my way,
so I gave him a kick. He gave
me a devastatingly beautiful
smile and I felt so bad.”
Christina Webber and
Jackie Green are sitting on the
sandstone steps below the
changing rooms soaking in
the warm afternoon sun after
their swim. They have been
friends for 16 years, are house
painters and currently paint-
34 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

LEFT: No black line – swimmers get into a rhythm at Palm Beach pool;
CENTRE: Tina Horkan had an encounter with actor Chris Hemsworth;
RIGHT: Christina Webber and Jackie Green swim after work every day.
Cover Feature
ing a house in Bilgola. They
are both speckled with white
paint after their day’s work.
“We finish work at four,”
Jackie explains, “and come
down and swim a kilometre,
then sit and talk for as long
as we can before going home.
It’s a fantastic way to finish
the day.”
“It’s beautiful here in every
sort of weather,” Christina
explains. “It changes our outlook.
Even if we’re tired we
know we’ll feel so good
afterwards. We look forward
to it, and doing it consistently
keeps us in good shape and
also a good frame of mind.”
Christina moved to Avalon
25 years ago, and Jackie has
lived in the area her whole
life, growing up in Avalon, and
now living in Clareville.
“We meet lots of people
here,” Christina tells me. “People
are very friendly. I think
swimming opens people up
to conversation. You’re happy
after a swim.”
This is also the pool, where
for over 65 years Jack Carter,
who is now in his 80s, has
taught kids to swim every
summer. He taught Kerry and
Ros Packer to swim, and then
their son, Jamie.
In the distance is Barrenjoey
headland, and the lighthouse,
and then the long expanse
of Palm Beach’s red sand.
Gazing at the idyllic view we
lower ourselves into the water.
And we are both filled with
that great sense of well-being
which comes from plunging
into ocean pools as we swim
our final lengths.
The ocean pools are cleaned
weekly during the summer
months, and fortnightly during
the winter months of June,
July, August. Cleaning times
depend on the tides and the
weather, and people are not
able to swim in the pools
three hours prior to cleaning
and 12 hours after.
* For the pool cleaning
timetable go to northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au/thingsto-do/rockpools.
Sources trove.nla.gov.au;
for more information visit
oceanpoolsnsw.net.au
36 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Sea
Changers
Life Stories
Behind a lillypilly hedge on Barrenjoey
Road near Sandy Point is an original
old timber beach house. Old Man
Banksia grows beside worn steps leading
up to the verandah where a Sea Shepherd
beach towel is draped over the railing.
I’m here to meet photographer Robbi
Newman who with his wife Carol is one
of the co-founders of Living Ocean. The
tall, willowy Carol greets me and leads me
through the main house with its original
ornate ceilings, surfboards adorning the
walls, and a glass cabinet full of old cameras
and seashells.
Robbi’s studio is in the garden, and
stretched diagonally across the corrugated
iron roof is a large model of a humpback
whale. “We were given it,” Robbi says casually,
when I ask how the cetacean found its
way there. “The kindergarten kids love it.”
Robbi Newman grew up between Dural,
where his family had orchards, and at Palm
Beach. His grandfather was a renowned
photographer, who travelled all around
Australia shooting with plate cameras.
“So, the house always had cameras in it
– old Kodaks and Brownies – and even as a
kid I used to take lot of photos.”
His father died when Robbi was less
than 12 months old; and he describes his
stepfather as “a ratbag who ran down the
family fruit farm”. Robbi was at The King’s
School in Parramatta when, aged 15, he
left home and moved in with friends at
Newport. He used to get a lift to school with
an art teacher who lived at Avalon, until the
teacher moved to Tasmania. So from then
on Robbi went to Narrabeen High.
“I spent one whole autumn surfing one
year at the Wedge, and when I went back to
school, the headmaster just said: ‘Newman,
you’re back.’ That’s all there was to it, which
I thought was fantastic.”
Robbi went to the University of New England
and studied Natural Resources.
“I was a child of the ’60s and ’70s. It was
the ‘dawning of Aquarius’ and we were
going to save the planet. But I was torn between
being an environmentalist and being
a creative person.”
Robbi “got sucked in” to the peninsula’s
creative world, taking photographs and
writing environmental stories for the surfing
magazine, Tracks, while making friends
with surf filmmakers, Paul Witzig, Alby Falzon
and others like David Elfick, who was
the producer of ‘Newsfront’ and one of the
executive producers of ‘Rabbit-Proof Fence’.
He travelled around Australia working on
the 1974 surfing film, ‘Rolling Home’, and
had already started taking photographs for
a range of magazines like Overlander and
also expedition photography with Australian
Himalayan Expeditions to the Himalayas
and beyond.
He went on to travel the world as a photographer,
working and living in Singapore
and early Dubai, shooting for airlines and
Living Ocean has achieved so much
for the marine environment over eight
years, thanks to Robbi Newman and co.
Story by Rosamund Burton
ad agencies. This opened the doors to
destinations like New York, London, Africa
and Asia.
Returning to base himself as an advertising
photographer in the booming days of
advertising at North Sydney he became one
of the top 10 photographers of the time.
Robbi and Carol met in 1980. She was a
model and he was taking photos of her on
a swing at Palm Beach for Cleo magazine.
“We couldn’t do the shoot, because it was
raining,” said Carol.
“So I went to his place at Bungan for
breakfast. That happened a couple of mornings,
so we got to know each other.”
They worked together off and on. Then
a job took Robbi to Singapore. He came
back to Australia, and when he returned to
Singapore, Carol went with him.
“The advertising agency put us up in the
Ava Gardner suite at Raffles Hotel, and the
billiard room was set up as the photographic
studio,” she recounts. Robbi and
Carol continued to travel the world with
his photography work, and they had two
children, Jamie and Claudia, who are both
now in their 20s.
Before they bought this house 10 years
ago they lived at Whale Beach. Robbi sold
that property and bought this, not thinking
they would live here, as he had work lined
up in Dubai. But that fell through and the
cottage became the family home, which
they have grown to love, and Jamie lives in
38 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Main pic credit: Nigel Wall
a flat at the end of the garden.
Living Ocean was founded in 2010, a
couple of years after they moved here.
“Sea Shepherd had filmed a clip of a
Japanese whaling boat shooting a mother
whale with her calf next to her, and I posted
that clip to Facebook,” he explains. “Friends
of ours, Deon and Kim Hubner, who lived
at Whale Beach, saw it and said ‘we’ve got to
do raise some money to help fight this’.”
Robbi, Carol, Deon and Kim decided to
organise a fund-raising dinner, and invite
some of their friends to one of their homes.
However because so many locals were
excited by the idea of protecting whales,
the event grew and, in the end, was held at
Ripples at Whale Beach. The evening started
with Aboriginal musician Bunna Lawrie,
playing a whale call on the didgeridoo, a
call to the whales migrating to the Southern
Ocean to be safe. After the meal and
auction hosted by David Koch, Iva Davies
launched into Icehouse’s ‘Great Southern
Land’, and former Mondo Rock bassist Paul
Christie and a group of other musicians
started playing and the evening took off.
“The fundraiser was a huge success and
it was obvious that we should form an
ocean conservation and awareness-based
charity, which we called ‘Living Ocean’.”
Robbi and Carol’s daughter, Claudia, who
is very much involved with Living Ocean,
designed the logo.
Over the next few years Living Ocean
organised three more major fundraising
events and many smaller ones, and has
raised tens of thousands of dollars for Sea
Shepherd and other environmental groups.
“The peninsula is a wealth of extraordinary
talent and everyone we ask to
contribute time and talent always say yes. It
empowers all who contribute,” he said.
In 2011 Living Ocean started their ‘No
Plastic Please’ campaign. International
bodyboarder, Ben Player, who lives locally,
said “everywhere I go there’s plastic in the
ocean” and was passionate about doing
something about it. Documentary and
surf film maker, Jack McCoy, and other
surfers, including Tom Carroll and Barton
Lynch, also got involved, and behind Living
Ocean’s science-based beach clean-ups run
by Sarah Taite and Sally Gole, along with
other plastic awareness groups such as
The Green Team. Currently, Living Ocean is
supporting and funding world-renowned
Dr Jennifer Lavers’ scientific research on
Lord Howe Island into reduced numbers of
shearwaters due to plastic ingestion.
In 2014 Living Ocean merged with the
Whale and Seal Foundation. IT guru Bill
Fulton, and environmentalist, Sam Barrip,
had been leading research in tracking the
migration of humpback whales. In September
2017 the organisation successfully
postponed seismic testing by a petroleum
company in a 40km area south of Newcastle,
showing that the location of the
seismic survey was in the direct path of the
southern migration routes of species such
as Humpback whales with their calves.
Having lived on the peninsula most of
his life Robbi recognises the connection
that residents feel to the ocean, and their
deep desire to do what they can to ensure
the health of its sea life. Robbi emphasises
that it’s the efforts of numerous unsung heroes,
locals and other, which enable Living
Ocean to make a difference both globally
and locally.
“Living Ocean is a volunteer organisation
and we need volunteers to help our growing
number of citizen-science-based campaigns
and new volunteer action group alliances
that are being formed.”
As Robbi juggles his photography work
with his commitment as Living Ocean
president, he is fulfilling his desire to be
creative and his passion to preserve the
natural world.
For more info, to donate, or to become a
member for $10 per annum, go to livingocean.org.au
Life Stories
CLOCKWISE FROM OPPOSITE: Robbi at Palm
Beach; in his designed studio at North Sydney
during the advertising industry’s heyday in the
late 1980s; with the gifted whale on the top of
the beach house (image by Bruce Usher for White
Horse magazine); at home with Carol; celebrating
research vessel Salt with (l-r) Bill Fulton (research
& IT), Prof Ian Goodwin (Macquarie Uni); Jack
Barripp, Sophie McClelland (finance), Sam Barripp
(research), Rita Kluge (photographer) and Mark
Farrell (navigator); Carol, shot on the NSW south
coast for Good Weekend magazine in 1987.
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2018 39

Art Life
Art Life
Quilters are ‘Touching Stars’
The Avalon Quilters are presenting their 2018 Exhibition of
Members Works at Avalon Uniting Church in Bellevue Avenue
on the weekend of March 9-10.
The group will be raffling a special 1930s vintage quilt,
‘Touching Stars’ (pictured) – with all proceeds donated to the
Australian Mitochondrial Disease Foundation.
As well as an extensive display of hand-made quilts, attendees
will have the opportunity to purchase from a vast array of
exquisite hand-crafted goods.
The exhibition is open from 9am-5pm; entry $5. More
info call Anne Perry 0401 335 737.
Cubist influence
really fits the Bill
Palm Beach-based artist Bill
Chamberlain has enjoyed the
artistic journey that has taken
him from absorbing the harsh
dark shapes and character of
the inner city to the fresh local
landscape.
With a background steeped in
art – his father was a finalist in
the Wynne and Archibald Prizes
and his uncle an illustrator in
London – Bill enrolled at the
Julian Ashton Art School where
he studied for five years.
“This school, using classical
teaching methods, provided
an essential grounding in the
fundamentals of drawing and
painting without which any
form of creative expression is
problematical,” Bill said.
Bill’s first influences were
the cubists and the painters of
Sydney’s old inner city suburbs,
including Surry Hills, where he
lived for a time.
“I started exhibiting, mainly
painting inner city scenes,”
he said (example pictured). “I
branched out into figurative
work and take my inspiration
now from the local Pittwater
environment.
“Colour is most important
to me, but it must be used in
a refined and gradated way,”
he explained. “Learning to mix
paint properly and to reproduce
tone are a great legacy of the
Julian Ashton… but like learning
a musical instrument, it takes a
long time to get that touch.”
Bill has had a varied working
life – originally in the legal industry,
he also trained as a chef
and has a diploma in hospitality
management.
“All this time I painted, moving
into different medias like
gouache and ink, alongside my
favourite, oil. Then in 2013, I
was a finalist in the Gallipoli Art
Prize.”
Bill recently decided to
include business acumen into
the mix. “I decided I needed an
image for my art, so I designed
a logo and registered my business
name ‘Savannah Studios’.”
He intends to evolve his art
even more.
“I have found you have to
be curious about other artists,
whether it’s the Australian impressionists,
or the French moderns…
look at every possible art
book and exhibition and maybe
one day something of what you
have seen might come out in
your own work.” – Nigel Wall
40 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Boating Life
More funding supports
Narrabeen boat storage
The State Government
has tipped in a further
$45,000 to assist Northern
Beaches Council with its plan
for watercraft storage around
Narrabeen Lagoon.
Pittwater MP Rob Stokes
said the funding is part of
the Government’s Boating
Now Program which provides
financial support to councils
to introduce boating infrastructure
initiatives.
Council has been allocated
$30,000 to introduce additional
storage facilities for
dinghies and kayaks around
the foreshore. A further
$15,000 will assist Council
with the construction of
a storage shed for larger
dragon boats and outrigger
canoes at Jamieson Park.
“Narrabeen Lagoon is one of
our community’s most impressive
and important recreational
areas – throughout summer
the lagoon is a hive of activity
with people enjoying all sorts
of watercraft,” Mr Stokes said.
“The lagoon’s popularity
means additional watercraft
storage is necessary to help
improve safety around the
foreshore and maintain the
area’s natural beauty.
“The creation of Narrabeen
Lagoon State Park has enabled
a whole range of investments
that maximise public
access to this beautiful area.
“There have long been issues
with people informally
storing canoes, kayaks and
dinghies around the fore-
shore and these can become
eyesores.”
The new facilities are addressing
the increase in demand to
store watercraft and aimed at
reducing watercraft dumping,
overcrowding and dangerous
boat storage practises.
As reported by Pittwater
Life last year, watercraft
owners must now apply for a
yearly permit sticker, which
gives them an allocated position
to store their watercraft.
Watercraft without an
authorised permit sticker
are no longer permitted to
be left along the Narrabeen
foreshore; offending watercraft
are removed and stored
at Council’s compound for
collection or disposal.
Permit fees are $179 for
residents and $268 for nonresidents;
more info from
the Property Officer – Watercraft
on 9970 1111.
Watercraft safety blitz
Five penalty notices were issued to people on Pittwater
during a Roads and Maritime Services personal watercraft
safety campaign last month.
Roads and Maritime Services’ Ride Smart safety operation
was carried out between Saturday 13 and Monday 22 January.
The first six days of the operation focused on education
and the remaining four on compliance.
The purpose of the campaign was to ensure personal watercraft
(PWC) operators were aware of NSW waterways rules.
A Roads and Maritime Services spokesperson said during
four days of compliance activities, around 3609 vessels
across NSW were checked. Of these vessels, 35 per cent
(1271) were PWC.
“Around eight per cent of all vessels checked (276) were
operating on Pittwater and Northern Beaches waterways,” the
spokesperson said.
“More than 25 per cent of vessel checks were carried out
on PWC including jetskis and Boating Safety Officers issued
five Penalty Notices – a total of 113 Penalty Notices were issued
across NSW.”
Offences included irregular riding, not wearing a lifejacket
while being towed, not wearing a lifejacket on a vessel and
causing excessive wash.
– Lisa Offord
Boating Life
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2018 41

Young Life
Young Life
Helping girls to
make their move
The benefits of playing team
sport are well known, yet
young women are twice as likely
as young men to be inactive.
Inspired by campaigns to
encourage girls to move more,
Pittwater Peninsula Netball (PPN)
has organised a number of activities
and extended invitations
to all clubs to enjoy a Gala Day
leading into the new season.
“Research has indicated that
girls’ participation in organised
sport has decreased over the
years and is much less that
boy participation, despite the
benefits sport gives young girls,
especially teenagers,” said PNN
Secretary Belinda Geros.
Studies show in addition to
greater energy and improved fitness,
regular physical activity can
help manage stress, alleviate depression
and anxiety, strengthen
self-esteem, enhance mood and
boost mental alertness.
“The earlier that our girls start
playing sport, the more benefits
they will experience and the
longer these benefits will stay
with them,” Belinda said.
“We would like to create as
many opportunities for our
young girls from our community
to be involved with a great team
sport like netball for all ages and
abilities and from a young age
by encouraging as many families
from our community to get
involved.”
The club will be running
several skills clinics this year with
some high-profile professional
netballers teaching players of all
ages and grades; it is expanding
its indoor training facilities;
fundraising for more equipment
and getting involved in more
gala days including running its
own Gala Day in March for all
clubs to attend.
The 10yr and 11yr Gala Day
hosted by PPN will be held
at John Fisher Park on Sat 24
from 9am-1pm and comprise
20-minute games, (2 minutes
halftime), with each team playing
four games – no point score, no
stress or pressure.
The BBQs will be fired up from
8.30am and there will be coffee
vans. Team entries close March
19.
Meanwhile PPN team formation
starts Feb 5 with 8yrs and 9yrs
skills clinics on Feb 9 and 16.
For more information go to
peninsulanetball.org.au
TUITION
Northern Beaches Home Tu toring
Call John 9972 1469
1-ON-1 individual tutoring in your home. All ages and subjects K-Uni.
Qualifi ed tutors. WWC child protection checked. Since 2009.
David’s ace idea
Local tennis coach David
Vytopil is looking
forward to serving up
more tennis lessons at
the Newport Community
centre, where he has
helped improve the
games of all ages for the
past two years.
“The courts are in a
pleasant environment,
away from busy traffic,”
explained David, who
has been coaching for
six years and launched
his own ‘Action Tennis’
business a year ago.
“Mums can stay and
watch their kids in a
relaxed, shaded setting,
or drop them off and
head to a local café to
catch up with friends.”
David (pictured), who
also coaches at the
Elanora Heights Tennis
Club, has a background working at several tennis centres
and has also worked at private schools on the north shore
(he is police record-checked), with qualifications obtained
through Tennis Australia. He coaches children using the
Tennis Australia Hotshots program.
As he explained: “I cater for all ages and levels and can
accommodate group or private lessons, and for women’s
groups I can arrange social matches with in-built coaching
– I aim to provide a friendly, fun atmosphere.”
David said he gets a lot of satisfaction from seeing
students improve their tennis and gain confidence –
something important as they start out and which will make
them want to continue playing tennis later in life.
“I have seen many kids come out of their shells and
become more self-confident through tennis, all the while
appreciating an enjoyable approach to the game.”
David says his rates are “very competitive”; he is
currently arranging a 9-week term starting on the 5th of
February, with times available from 7-9am and 3.30pmdusk.
For more info phone 0407 007 161.
42 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Avalon SC shoots
for success in
2018 local comp
Avalon Soccer Club is gearing
up for another great
year down at ‘The Bay’
with officials offering a warm
welcome to members, current
and new, to season 2018.
Online registrations are now
open via the club’s website avalonsoccerclub.com.au
– this is
also the best source for general
information about the club and
the season ahead.
The club will be holding one
registration/orientation day at
the Careel Bay Clubhouse on
Saturday 10th February 2018
from 9am-5pm. They will also
be selling new playing gear
and club merchandise at great
prices on these days (see ad on
page 13).
“Avalon SC prides itself on a
friendly, family club environment,”
said club president John
Kowtan. “The club comprises
more than 1,100 players aged
from 5 to 70, who enjoy playing
the beautiful game at a
variety of levels and we are entirely
run by a group of highly
dedicated volunteers.
“AVSC strives to provide
the best possible playing and
coaching environment with the
resources to their disposal. We
put a great emphasis on player
development and coach education
at all skill levels.
“We are fortunate to boast
two experienced and professional
coaches as their Directors
of Coaching. This allows us to
provide members with quality
coach education and academystyle
coaching ‘in-house’.”
The club’s dedication to
player development has led to
some great success in recent
seasons and they look to build
on this in 2018.
Some of their recent achievements
include:
n MWFA Women’s Premier
League Grand Final Winners
& FA Cup Winners 2017;
The Local Voice Since 1991
The Endsister
by Penni Russon
Allen & Unwin
$16.99
It’s shaping up to be
another great year of
authors of Australian
teen fiction writing for
younger readers. Allen
& Unwin has certainly
plucked some winners,
following last year’s turn
with Jacyln Moriarty,
they’ve just published
WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS: Avalon SC’s League and GF-winning W16-1 team. award-winning Penni
Russon’s The Endsister.
n MAL-1 Semi-Finalists 2017; Cup in Canberra.”
The Outhwaites move
n W16-1 FNSW Champion Of As part of their effort to from Australia to begin a
Champions Semi-Finalists continually improve the facilities
new life in an inherited,
2017;
at Careel Bay, new lighting haunted mansion in
n MWFA W12-1, W15-1 and was installed on the mini fields London where the baby
W16-1 (pictured) League and in 2016 which has greatly
of the family, Sibbi,
Grand Final Winners 2017; increased the area available begins to act very
n MWFA Women’s Premier for training after dark and strangely, forever talking
League FA Cup Winners 2016; future night matches. New about a mysterious
n W14-1 FNSW Champion of drainage for the mini fields ‘endsister’.
Champions Finalist 2016; has been completed recently Alternating narratives
n W18-1 FNSW Champion of to enable more junior games between the siblings
Champions Finalist 2015; to be played in the event of including 16-year-old
n W16-1 FNSW Champion of rain, all boundary fencing has Else and 4-year-old
Champions Winners 2013 & been renewed, including new Sibbi, plus a couple of
2014;
car park fencing around field ghosts, make for pacy
n MWFA Presidents Cup for 1, with plans to complete the chapters. The mystery
Best Junior Club 2013;
other fields in 2018.
builds quickly plus there
n FFA Junior Team of the Year “A lot of the club’s success is a satisfying amount
2012 (W16-1);
is due to the hard work of the of character back story
n Six successful tours to
great committee and volunteers which helps round out
Vanuatu in successive years at Careel Bay, who really make this tale.
(2012-2017) by Avalon SC W16 everyone welcome and ensure Interestingly, Russon
teams, promoting cultural exchange
the atmosphere is one of a
used online writing tool
and women’s football friendly community club,” John and forum, Storybird,
development in the region. said.
to develop Endsister,
“Planning and fundraising for If you’re interested in
soliciting feedback and
their 2018 tour of Vanuatu by volunteering or joining the support from readers.
Avalon W16s is well advanced,” committee please email
The results are now here
John said. “The club will again Club President John Kowtan for everyone to enjoy.
also be encouraging teams to at president@avalonsoccerclub.com.au
– Libby Armstrong
take part in the 2018 Kanga
FEBRUARY 2018 43
Young Life

Surfing Life
Surfing Life
Surfing Kelly Slater’s
robo-churn Wave Pool
Most of you have seen some video footage... but what’s it really like?
with Nick Carroll
Ever since the Kelly Slater
steel mesh fence, held up by a
Wave Company did its big
series of metal posts, 100 in all,
reveal two years ago, every
each around four metres from
surfer I know has been quietly
wigging out. They’re wigging
because of what the KSWC
revealed: to wit, what appeared
to be a seriously excellent, and
for sure completely artificial,
wave. Breaking in a pool. For a
long way.
Since then, the KSWC and its
owners, the World Surf League,
have been releasing a slim yet
steady diet of carefully curated
video clips showcasing their
invention. Each clip – slow-motioned,
angled just right, and
starring Kelly or one of his pro
tour compadres – makes it look
better and better.
Yet at the same time, they
have kept the doors to this facility
BREAKING NEWS: Not quite the backdrop we’re used to seeing from the beach.
the next. Everything is grey,
precise and industrial; it looks
for all the world like a high-tech
watery prison.
I was completely fascinated.
Never had I thought that anyone
would expend this kind of time,
money, and human ingenuity
on making a wave! Especially
when there’s so many of them
out there in the ocean already.
Around a dozen of us had
been invited for the day, mostly
other surf journalists. We were
organised into groups of four
at a time. I was in the second
group, which drove me a little
bit mad, but at least it gave me
a chance to watch.
Here’s another thing you
closed to any independent
It truly is the last place you’d rim, running all the way around
can’t tell from the PR – the wave
observer. The secrecy around expect to be surfing. And the the pool’s perimeter – maybe destroys the Pool. Like, blows
the Pool has been obsessive. truth is, what you do in the Pool 700 metres end to end, and it to bits. As it breaks, the wave
Access has been limited to is not surfing, it’s something 150 metres wide. On the inner sets all the three or four Olympic
pools’ worth of water in
invited guests and potential else again.
rim, the wall falls away on its
investors. As a result, the WSL When you arrive at the facility open side to a broad trough wild motion. It washes over an
Surf Ranch, as it’s officially gates for your session, they maybe two and a half metres elevated area of plastic-coated
known, has become the most swing smoothly open to reveal deep, which runs most of the concrete known as “the beach”
exclusive surf spot in the world. a small carpark and a neatly way down that side before and surges through several
Kelly’s been compared to Willy kept building. Inside the building
circling around at both ends channels into the deep trough
Wonka in some circles, and
invites to his Chocolate Factory
are sought far and wide.
Well, thanks to a series of
odd events, late last year I got
the Golden Ticket, as it were.
Come visit the Ranch for a day!
No expectations! See what you
think!
Thus, in early November I
found myself roaring up the
I-5 freeway out of Los Angeles,
on possibly the single weirdest
and least expected surf trip of
my life.
The WSL Surf Ranch is
set behind an immaculately
maintained wooden wall, at
a property just off Jackson
Road in Lemoore, California.
Lemoore is a central valley farm
town of around 25,000 people.
The town grows cotton and
struggles with its water supply.
you’ll find a spacious chang-
ing room complete with filled
board racks, wetsuits, leashes,
towels, wax, everything you
might want to use during a surf.
Everything feels organised,
low-key, stylish. A door opens
from that room into a hang-out
area, then into another room
dedicated to the Pool’s design,
with bathymetry charts and
illustrations of imaginary Pools
of the future.
Well you would see all that
if you weren’t me, because I
ignored all that stuff and ran
straight to the low-slung wall
beyond, and gazed out over
Kelly’s modern miracle.
Immediately I realised how
much of it has been hidden in
the videos. The KSWC Pool is
contained by a concrete wall,
maybe a metre high on its outer
and joining up with the body of
the Pool.
Half way down this side of
the Pool is a large control tower
set-up. From here they run the
Pool, watching an array of sensors,
picking up any issues with
the machinery or with waterflow,
and eventually, pushing
the button to make it work.
On the other side of the Pool
is the thing that does the work:
basically a heavy blade or foil,
half-submerged and around
12 metres long, and mounted
train-like on a monorail track
running the length of the Pool.
When dragged along the track,
this foil forms an exaggerated
version of a ship’s prow-wake,
in effect pulling the wave from
one end of the Pool to the other.
The machinery is separated
from the body of the Pool by a
along the outer rim. Water flies
everywhere. Small quantities
are blown clean out of the Pool
and on to the paths surrounding
it. The reverberations go
on for a long time, surging up
and down the Pool, and take
ages to truly settle; even after
five minutes, the typical period
between waves, the surge is still
present.
Not only does this effect tend
to ever so slightly vary the wave
over time, it’s also a revelation.
If a single wave can do that in
the Pool, how much energy is
being distributed through an
everyday surfing lineup?
Slightly freaking out with
excitement, I grabbed my board
and waded out to the takeoff
point. There was no need to
paddle, at least not any further
than Metal Pole number 31,
44 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

where I was instructed to wait
for the wave to approach. The
water itself is fresh and treated
regularly to eliminate bacteria;
there was a slight wafting of
chlorine.
Then it got weird. “ONE
MINUTE!” came a disembodied
voice from a range of
loudspeakers up and down
the Pool. No waves break in
this pool without the control
tower’s button being pressed.
They TELL you when they’re
making a wave.
I sat there, trying to remain
calm. The machine started.
Aside from an initial clank, it
sounded like a ski lift – sort
of a muted grinding. I gazed
down the Pool and watched as
a triangle of elevated water appeared
from behind the fence
and migrated across the Pool.
Good God! Here it came!
The wave had been described
to me by various
surfers whom I trust. They’d all
struggled a bit to explain the
thing, but they’d all called it “legit”.
Here’s my quick run-down:
The wave has the power of
a soft Indonesian location, or
one of Australia’s easier pointbreaks.
It’s a long ride – about
45 seconds – but it passes
quickly, possibly because the
pace of the wave is so constant
as to be almost hypnotic.
Ocean waves change and flex
constantly, while this one just
proceeds along, controlled by
the foil’s movement – as soon
as the foil stops, it stops.
The wave grows hollower
and flatter at different times
during the ride, as it encounters
different bits of the bottom
contour, but the changes
happen with no warning: for
one thing, there’s no wave in
front of you to show you what
might be about to happen, and
for another, you can’t see the
bottom. All the normal “tells”
of a surfing lineup are missing.
You have to rely on a lifeguard
on a jetski, who rides along
just inside the wave line, yelling
encouragement and advice.
Once you get the wave’s
timing figured out, it’s a piece
of cake, honestly. The wave presents
very little physical challenge.
There’s no duck-diving
or negotiating broken water,
or watching for errant waves. If
you wipe out, the wave’s gone
and there you are, pfft.
But there’s one thing about it
that I feel many surfers would
find extremely challenging:
there’s no choice involved. In a
normal ocean surfing situation,
you make a lot of choices about
waves, often for reasons you
aren’t fully conscious of at the
time. Maybe a wave reminds
you of one you rode and liked
three months ago. Maybe it
scares you even though you’re
not sure why. You want to catch
a left or you want to catch a
right. You just feel like sitting
there!
In Kelly’s Pool, all that’s out.
There’s someone in a tower
yelling “ONE MINUTE!” There’s
you, by yourself, with three of
your mates sitting further down
the Pool hoping you’ll fall off.
And because you’re getting
maybe three or four waves a
session, you really don’t wanna
fall off.
It feels almost exactly like
being in a professional surfing
contest.
I caught a dozen waves in two
sessions and drove back down
the I-5 to Los Angeles, thrilled
yet dissatisfied. The wave is super
fun, but is that all surfing’s
about? Three days later a small
south swell arrived in Californian
waters, and I jogged down
to Lower Trestles for the early.
It was late fall, and the smell
of sage was in the air. I could
tell Lowers had had an active
summer by the sand-line, which
changes year to year. A dozen
or so surfers were out, most
of whom I knew. We told each
other stupid jokes; and caught
waves when we felt like it.
Nick Carroll is a leading
Australian and international
surf writer, author, filmmaker
and surfer, and one
of Newport’s own. Email:
ncsurf@ozemail.com.au
Surfing Life
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2018 45

Health & Wellbeing
Health on the back-to-sch
Health & Wellbeing
Got the backpack, lunchbox,
books, uniform
and pencils organised
– tick… but how much thought
have you given to your children’s
vision and hearing, the
two senses that can have a
profound effect on learning
and behaviour?
As the new school term gets
underway find out how simple
health checks and being aware
of certain signs and symptoms
– and seeking expert advice
if you are concerned – can
help prevent problems further
down the line.
Vision
Did you know that vision is
responsible for 80 per cent of
all learning in your child’s first
12 years? Poor vision can interfere
with your child’s learning
and social development, yet it
often goes unnoticed, says optometrist
Rowena Beckenham.
“It’s important for children to
have an eye examination prior
to starting school and again
every two years throughout
their life to monitor their vision
and eye health,” Rowena, from
Beckenham Optometrist in
Avalon, said.
“Making this a part of your
child’s regular health care
routine will give you peace of
mind and confidence that they
won’t miss a thing.”
Rowena explained there
were changing demands on
the visual system as children
progressed through school and
every eye examination should
take these into consideration.
Advice on computer, digital
games and phone use, time
spent at near tasks and time
devoted to outdoor pursuits
were all critical for healthy
eye development and performance
in a learning environment,
she said.
Signs and symptoms of a
vision problem include:
n One eye turns in or out
while the other points
straight ahead;
n Frequent blinking;
n Red or watery eyes;
n Sensitivity to light;
n Frequently rubbing eyes;
n Difficulty concentrating;
n Tilting head noticeably;
n Covering or closing one eye;
n Difficulty learning to read;
n Holding a book very close
when reading;
n Leaving out confusing words
when reading;
n Squinting or sitting very
close when watching television;
n Difficulty recognising familiar
people in the distance;
and
n Complaints of headaches,
blurred or double vision
Children’s eye health checks
are covered by Medicare.
Hearing
Hearing is crucial to speech
and language development,
communication, learning and
social skills – and hearing
problems are probably more
common than you think.
A staggering 30 per cent of
children in Kindy to Year 2 will
have a hearing loss at some
point in time and hearing
problems can develop at any
age, said audiologist Michelle
Thompson-Laing.
Michelle joined Pittwater
Hearing in Avalon in December,
having previously worked
at Australia’s largest paediatric
clinic fitting babies as young
as 6 weeks and children with
hearing aids.
Michelle said there were
several types of hearing loss
that could affect children.
“Sensorineural hearing loss
is a permanent hearing loss
generally caused by damage
to the cochlea,” Michelle said.
“This type of loss is often
genetic in children but in
many cases there may be no
other family members with a
known hearing loss.”
The most common type of
hearing loss in children is a
conductive loss.
“This is caused by a blockage
in the middle or outer ear
(most often fluid) and is usually
temporary and treatable,”
Michelle said.
Hearing can be tested at any
age and a child is never too
young to have their hearing
checked if a parent or caregiver
is concerned.
Passing the newborn hearing
screening test does not
guarantee a child will not
develop a hearing loss and
parents should always be on
the look out for changes in
hearing.
Signs and symptoms of hearing
loss include:
n Difficulty understanding
what people are saying;
n Says “what?” or “huh?” frequently;
n Delays in speech and language;
n Turning up the TV volume or
46 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

ool checklist
sitting very close to the TV;
n Problems academically,
especially if they weren’t
present before;
n Complaints of ear pain,
earaches or noises; and
n Watching a speaker’s face
intently – many children’s
hearing loss escapes detection
because they are very
good lip readers.
Michelle explained hearing
tests in children over the age
of three were quick and easy
- and usually fun and stressfree.
– Lisa Offord
Oral heath
Making sure your child
knows how to look after
their teeth and gums at
home and at school (think
good oral hygiene, avoiding
sugary snacks and wearing
a mouthguard when playing
sport) will help them to stay
healthy and avoid dental
problems.
Just like twice daily
brushing, if you schedule
regular visits to the dentist
it will become a normal part
of your child’s routine and
set them up for good oral
health for life.
Focus on feet
The experts from the
Australian Podiatry
Association say after the long
summer break is the perfect
time to get into the routine
of giving kids an annual foot
check to find out if shoes fit
and if they are experiencing
foot pain or any other issues.
If foot problems run in the
family, its important to have
children’s growth checked
periodically by a podiatrist
or at least have feet
measured by a shoe supplier
that provides professional
measuring services.
Avoid handing down
shoes – a shoe belonging to
someone else will take on
their shape and gait, which
will not be the same as the
new wearer. Buying new is
always advised.
Top-to-toe
wellness
Avalon Beach
Chiropractic & Wellness
has welcomed another
health professional to its
team – podiatrist Evan
Johnstone from Avalon
Beach Podiatry.
Since Chiropractor Dr
Sam Garner and his partner
Rachel became part of the
Avalon Beach community
in 2015, they have steadily
expanded services to comanage
patients.
“Regularly patients will
receive a combination
of therapies based on
their presentation to
optimise their results,” Sam
explained.
“Our team looks at
the whole body; if there
is a problem at their
foundation – for example
their feet, this can have
an effect on the knees,
hips right through to their
neck,” he said.
“For this reason we
are very happy to have a
podiatrist join the team
for best outcomes for our
patients.”
Their team also includes
two remedial massage
therapists, Joe De Sensi
and Sarah Gartside.
You will find Avalon
Beach Chiropractic &
Wellness in the heart of
the village at 2 Simmonds
Lane.
Info call 9918 0070 or go
to avalonbeachchiropractic.
com.au
Health & Wellbeing
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2018 47

Health & Wellbeing
Health & Wellbeing
Inspection time after our
fun in the summer sun
It is still summer time – and
therefore a good time to
remind you to check your
spots. Remember a large
proportion of spots are found
by the person themselves and
not necessarily the doctor.
People are well aware of any
changes and are often able
to point these out to their
doctors.
There is a simple memory
aid to checking spots: A –
Asymmetry; B – Border; C
– Colour; D – Diameter; and
E – Elevation.
Spots should be
symmetrical and rounded;
any asymmetry or uneven
shapes may be a concern.
The border of a spot should
be smooth and rounded.
Irregular, scalloped borders
or borders that merge into
the skin may raise concern.
Spot colour should be
uniform and light – any
very dark colour, or any
colour that is speckled or
uneven, should be noted.
Spots should be less than 6
millimetres in diameter. Flat
spots are better than raised
or elevated spots. A final
check is any change and the
rate of change.
Spots that are new,
bleed, do not heal, hurt or
change may be suspicious.
Remember that blood after
combing or brushing hair
may be a hidden spot. Scalps
may be sunburnt especially
along part lines or in males
when their hair starts to thin.
Remember that trauma may
be an alert to a pre-existing
spot and is not usually the
cause of a skin cancer. It may
be the bump that alerts you
to a spot or causes the spot
to break down and not heal.
Skin cancers may occur in
places not obviously exposed
to the sun. Behind the ears,
in the ears, high on the
upper lips and in the scalp
are not unusual places for
skin cancers. Certain areas
are more common for skin
cancers. The tops of the
ears, lower lips, noses, back
of the hands, upper backs,
shoulders and lower legs are
particularly common sites.
Spots themselves are
highly variable. They may be
flat, raised, crusty, dry, pink,
brown, black, purple, pearly,
full of veins, ulcers, sores,
blister, lumps, nodules, soft,
firm, smooth, irregular and
in any combination of the
above. Some spots are easily
diagnosed by simply looking
with Dr John Kippen
and feeling or stretching the
skin. Others may require
a small sample or biopsy
to be taken for diagnosis.
Biopsies also give additional
information such as the
subtype of skin cancer or the
depth of the lesion. This may
aid the final treatment as
certain types and subtypes
of skin cancer require a
larger or wider cuff of normal
skin to be taken. This is
known as the margin. Poorly
differentiated skin cancers
or those with an infiltrating
growth pattern require larger
margins to obtain clearance.
Now and as we head out
of summer are good times
to check your own skin spots
and to also get them checked
by your doctor.
Our columnist Dr John
Kippen is a qualified, fully
certified consultant specialist
in Cosmetic, Plastic and
Reconstructive surgery.
Australian trained, he also
has additional Australian and
International Fellowships.
Dr Kippen works from custom-built
premises in Mona
Vale. He welcomes enquiries
and questions. Please
contact him via johnkippen.
com.au or by email: doctor@
johnkippen.com.au
48 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Hospital boost as ‘fusion’ facility opens
Here’s a look inside Pittwater’s first
brand new fully accredited private
hospital admitting patients from this
month.
Boasting a unique care model not yet
seen in Australia and promoted as the
“next generation in health care” the 85-
bed Arcadia Pittwater at 4 Daydream
Street Warriewood is a blend of
hotel-styled amenities with the latest
hospital care and facilities.
The purpose-built sub-acute
hospital is designed for patients
requiring short to longer hospital
stays for recovery after surgery or
for a medical condition and palliative
and geriatric care.
This summer, scores of locals
including medical providers have
had a taste of things to come at
open days and tours where they have
experienced the facilities including
spacious private rooms flooded with
natural light, indoor pool, gymnasium
and even tested the hospital menu
prepared by a former 5-star hotel chef.
Developed by new private hospital
operator Arcadia Health Care, Arcadia
Pittwater is essentially a hospital and
hotel fusion operation providing a
setting for a leading medical team to
create an individualised treatment plan
for a patient for best outcomes.
Accordingly, the hospital offers a
range of accommodation styles and
services to meet a patient’s needs
throughout their stay, at a standard well
above typical hospital accommodation
models, Managing Director Dr Harry
Pannu said.
Services patients can expect to be
offered, in addition to top-class care,
include room service outside of the
usual breakfast, lunch and dinner
options; guest laundry; massage and
wellness treatments; concierge service;
and hair washing and blow-dry.
As for cost, Dr Pannu explained a
majority of the stay would be covered
by private insurance recoveries, which
will vary according to policy and
health fund provider with additional
services collated and billed to a
patient as guest services during
their stay… just as in a hotel.
“As a private hospital patients
will be facilitated through an
admissions process, fully assisted
by a specialist admissions team, that
verifies the medical need, tailored
program for the residential care,
rehabilitation recovery services or day
rehabilitation,” Dr Pannu said.
Staff report there’s plenty of
interest in the new facility, with
patients and families pre-booking beds
before the doors of the hospital had
even opened.
* Open Day on February 4 – all
welcome; more info 8919 3100 or
visit arcadiapittwater.com.au
Health & Wellbeing
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2018 49

Health & Wellbeing
Health & Wellbeing
More surgery options in Mona Vale
Patients requiring day
surgery will have more
opportunity to undergo
operations and procedures
close to home in a newly
rebuilt health facility in the
heart of Mona Vale.
After months of
construction work, Pittwater
Day Surgery is set to re-open
in March with a new fresh
look, more operating theatres,
more services and state-ofthe-art
equipment for local
specialists and patients.
Since 2002, more than
17,000 patients have visited
the day surgery at 20 Bungan
Street for ear, nose and
throat, ophthalmology, plastic
surgery, cosmetic surgery and
dental operations.
The expanded facility on
the original site will be four
times bigger (from 250m2
to 1000m2) and allow for
other services including
gastroenterology, urology
and gynaecology surgery to
be provided in the medical
hub where more than 50
specialists are located.
Features of the build
included a complete
refurbishment of the existing
consulting rooms and waiting
space and construction
of a new day surgery with
three operating theatres
incorporating the latest
technology and equipment.
Pittwater Day Surgery
Founder and CEO Dr Frank
Elsworth said the new
facilities ensured people on
the Northern Beaches would
continue to get the best in
medical care with minimum
need for residents to travel too
far from home for day surgery
or post-operative care.
He explained specialists
who consulted on the
Northern Beaches were some
of the best in NSW - very
experienced surgeons and
anaesthetists also operating at
the top private hospitals such
as The San, The Mater and
North Shore Private.
“Investing in this new
facility in Mona Vale ensures
all of the community can take
advantage of staying in the
local area under the care of
their specialist of choice,” Dr
Elsworth said.
Pittwater Day Surgery is
fully licensed with the NSW
Department of Health, holds
full ISO accreditation and is
also accredited against the 10
National Quality Standards.
For more information go
to pittwaterdaysurgery.com.
au – Lisa Offord
50 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Health & Wellbeing
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2018 51

Hair & Beauty
Hair & Beauty
New magnificent seven:
The things to try in 2018
Another year, another
opportunity to harness
the latest potential
at hand to assist in making
our skin and body healthy
and radiant. Most of us on
the spectacular Northern
Beaches want to be the best
possible version of ourselves
– and not a “different”
version where we become
unrecognisable. There are
many new treatments and
products calling out to us,
along with those that are
still tried, true and reliable
staples.
Lose the fat – Given the
increasing obesity epidemic,
researchers from the
University of Texas Medical
Branch at Galveston have
discovered a promising drug
that has been shown to
selectively shrink excess
fat by increasing fat
cell metabolism.
The drug
significantly
reduces body
weight and
blood
cholesterol
levels
without lowering
food intake in
obese mice,
according to a
recent study published in
Biochemical Pharmacology.
Activated Charcoal –
Became popular in skin
care a few years ago;
the ingredient draws out
impurities and bacteria to
help fight acne and detoxify
with Sue Carroll
helping fuel optimal skin
function and providing a
healthy glow.
Fat Freezing – Is a
treatment growing
in popularity. The
process does not
result in weight
loss, but can assist
with both debulking
and sculpting of
difficult areas of
fat that are hard to
budge with regular exercise
and diet. It is an amazing
treatment for men and
women to assist with actual
body sculpting; ideal for
women who have small
pockets of fat in areas such
as the bra roll, a tummy
pouch after pregnancy, love
handles and a tummy bulge.
New Injectables – The
evolution of new injectables
is allowing both men and
women to have a more
youthful appearance. Kybella
is a new product; it is a
prescription medicine used
in adults to improve the
appearance and profile of
moderate to severe fat below
the chin.
After attending the annual
Anti-Ageing Aesthetic
Medicine Conference last
year, it is evident that there
are many new products and
technologies available to
help enhance both our health
and appearance. However, it
is still common practice to
use multiple technologies,
treatments, products and a
healthy lifestyle, in order to be
the best we can be in 2018.
skin. Activated Charcoal may
assist with calming breakouts
and reducing oil flow. A
popular treatment using the
Q Switch Nd Yag laser and a
charcoal carbon serum can
also assist with decongesting
the upper layers of the skin
to give it a healthy glow.
LED therapy – For the
face or localised areas
is not new, but the LED
treatment beds will be more
commonplace for full body
treatments in 2018. Multiple
wavelengths (colour) of light
work together to increase
blood circulation and reduce
inflammation so your body
can naturally relieve pain,
speed the healing process
and promote total body
wellness. LED therapy may
also prevent damage to
cells caused by free radicals
and protect skin from UV
damage.
Moringa – has twice the
protein of spinach and three
times as much iron. The
‘super green’ (pictured) is
shown to be an even more
powerful inflammation
Sue Carroll of Skin
fighter than turmeric
Inspiration has been a qualified
Aesthetician for 33 years.
(which was the 2017 antiinflammatory
go-to).
Sue has owned and
Facial serums – With skin
battling UV rays, pollution,
operated successful beauty
blue light from technology clinics and day spas on
and harsh ingredients, a
the Northern Beaches.
wave of facial serums will be info@skininspiration.com.au
introduced in 2018 to support www.skininspiration.com.au
skin barrier functioning,
52 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Local Call
Luxurious
Valentine’s
lingerie
If there’s ever a special time of year when premium
lingerie takes centre stage it’s now – but
for some, the world of undergarments is an
unexplored space.
In Pittwater we’re lucky to have three independent
lingerie stores staffed by trained
experts to ensure you shop with confidence.
And if the idea of buying lingerie for Valentine’s
Day still feels awkward, an extra-special
sleepwear purchase never goes amiss – the
stores featured here have that covered too.
Nothing
Butt
Lingerie
Store owner Chris
is a great believer
in Valentine’s Day
being the special day
to spoil the special
person in your life –
and she says Nothing
Butt Lingerie (see ad
page 31) are ready
for the occasion with
lovely specialty pieces
from Palindrome,
Essence, Pleasure
State, Ginia as well
as Simply Silk.
“Envy silk nighties
are a ‘special
spoil’, as well as
matching robes
to many of our
nighties,” says
Chris. “And French
Country cool cotton
nighties in summer are fabulous.
“Red lingerie sets for Valentine’s are a big hit
and we have them from Simone Perele, Pleasure
State and Bassoni.”
She added lace bodysuits from Palindrome
and Triumph, as well as lace triangle bras, will
be very popular.
“Beautiful lingerie sets are also in stock from
Heidi Klum and Pleasure State, in lovely summer
colours,” she said. “Everyday bras and briefs
from Berlei, Triumph, Simone Perele are always
in stock.
“Our staff are all trained fitters and available
at all times to assist with gift ideas or everyday
purchases.”
Gift-wrapping and gift vouchers are always
available. P: 9999 1462
The Local Voice Since 1991
Avalon Uncovered
The girls at Avalon Uncovered – Madeleine,
Lauren and Di – believe that beauty starts
underneath and have a wide variety of beautiful
styles, fabrics and fashion items for that
someone special and to suit women all ages and
figure types.
“Our gorgeous collection of lingerie includes
the iconic French label Simone Perele, the expertly
designed and exclusive collection by Wacoal
and luxury Australian intimates range
by Palindrome,” says owner Madeleine Petersen.
“We offer a range of sophisticated and modern
style for a fresh, feminine and luminous
look.”
Key colours include charcoal, midnight, natural
and cream blended with muted shades of
rose pink and soft greys (see ad page 34).
“For nightwear, we have luxurious Ginia silk
nighties, chemises, camisoles and pyjamas in
gorgeous tones of champagne, cream, black and
ruby red.
“Other options include our best-selling cotton
sateen night robes in glorious florals by Sanctuary
Studio, or the super soft and sexy Mischka
slips by the Western Australian company
Humidity.
“We have also just received more stock in of
luxurious silk eye masks and silk pillow cases
by The Goodnight Co – featuring beautiful soft
colours in 100% pure mulberry silk.”
Madeleine added gift vouchers and gift-wrapping
were also available in-store.
“We pride ourselves on personalised service
and commitment, ensuring every customer
has a positive and rewarding experience.”
P: 0419 822 844
Utopia Lingerie
Owner Julia says it’s a given that women love their
partner to show their appreciation of them – “and
giving us lingerie means we both get to enjoy it!”
Indecision is no excuse either, with Julia urging
men who may be uncertain about the right gift to
speak to one of her trained staff, who have years
of experience in knowing what women want.
She suggests you could even give your special
someone a Gift Voucher so that they can choose
themselves.
Utopia Lingerie was situated at Warriewood
Square for 10 years so if you are wondering
where they have gone – they’ve moved to bright
new spacious premises at Narrabeen (in between
The Sands and the 7/11, opposite Bunnings)
where they currently have lots of items on sale in
time for Valentine’s Day (see ad page 12).
“We have a huge range of brands and can fit
from first bras to ladies’ soft cup, then up to H
cups including sports bras,” said Julia.
“Many of our European brands cater for small
to large cups and backs. Our Simone Perele range
is extensive. Not forgetting our sleepwear – particularly
for the elderly ladies.”
Brands include Givoni, Schrank and many
more. P: 9913 7091
FEBRUARY 2018 53
Local Call

Business Life: Money
Business Life
Good Risk conundrum: reason for going what
‘nuts’ exactly this festive in the bottle? season with Brian Hrnjak
This When month writing we about look at round n An unsecured up feature of deposit Acorns made as attractive and functional user balance of your Acorns account
how financial under-pricing innovation risk one it allows to another them entity to save for while them interface – fancy words for the rises and falls in line with the
can of lead the perspectives to financial I they to spend. invest into As a emerging parent of app looks and feels very cool. movements in markets during
can failure: share I have with a you client is from in the
inside soft drinks of a fintech business company and in
which our first in my meeting case has I asked been
rolling him what out the starting fast-growing point
Acorns was when app. he Since was launching designing
in a new Australia drink in or early drinks 2016 the
app range. now My resides naïve assumption the smart
phones was that of he around spent 350,000 days in
Australians, the test kitchen that’s taste-testing
roughly 1.5%
of different the population. flavours, colours
and If you’re combinations the dark but about he
what pulled I’m me talking up short about, with Acorns his
is response: a micro investment “Nah, I always platform start
or with what’s the brand.” sometimes called a
‘round-up’ Branding app, is a the critical first one step
of in its consumer kind in Australia. marketing; Our aside
teenagers markets I and think private I’ve come equity
to offering the conclusion you a that target apps return
such of 4.45% as Acorns per using annum a blend over 12
of months. psychology and technology
may The be first the only message effective above way
to is taken get modern from the kids Company’s
to save
because website – they it sounds sure do like know
how a term to spend. deposit, it even
looks Acorns like works a term because deposit the
principles advertisement underlying but with its design many
more asterisks. The second
line is my paraphrasing of
the managing director’s
comments in the Australian
Financial Review. The point is:
Would you provide unsecured
While these principles have
proven to be sound over time
Acorns goes on to provide an
indirect benefit to its users
in the form of education and
improved financial literacy.
Get two or more people in the
room who have an account and
you’ll find out what I mean –
when did you start? What are
the course of the trading day.
One of the challenges
any finance app would have
encouraging young people to
save and invest is to remain
relevant in their eyes. Over
the past year a number of
enhancements have taken place
following user feedback, the
headline ones being:
Found Money partners – users
can shop online with brands
such as Bonds, Dan Murphy’s,
BCF, Uber etc. and these
partners usually deposit bonus
amounts or extra round ups
firm from along positioning with our your partners product finance for a company to
into the users account;
brought among the it out myriad from others US out invest in ‘emerging markets’ deposits. Over that same My of market Finance positions feature – but uses in
in there, 2015 if where your product it had been exhibits in return for a 4.45% p.a. period I also noticed:
artificial this case intelligence the Bitcoin to trade track as
established certain characteristics for a few years. it return? Consider that our n A Perth-based hedge fund and well. categorise The Citibank spending product and
allows The app potential works customers
in a couple banks regularly offer you advertising on Facebook; calculate is offering free a term cash flow; deposit
of to ways: suspend by taking judgment a data and unsecured consumer finance n Citibank promoting a Super rate of fund 4% p.a. linkages for 6 months – allows
feed become from more your receptive spending to are via your firmly credit rooted card in behavioural at a rate you combined saving for? term What deposit returns / users on the to condition make deposits that you to a
accounts your message. and rounding up the finance: of around investing 20% p.a. small To me have structured you had? investment; It’s inherently and range place half of industry of your and deposit public
purchases Compare you these make two to the amounts what’s being on a offered regular basis not that competitive n The investment but when outlined it’s offer into an superannuation at-risk structured funds;
nearest messages dollar for and the investing same won’t a fair be return missed if you combined take a with combined earlier offering with the ‘term’ tools and based Emerald financial Portfolio product issued – a socially by
these offer: accumulated balances investing proper account over an of extended risk in the information deposits for that another app entity responsible the bank. The portfolio ‘term’ option deposit
into n 12-month a mix of term exchange investment; traded period equation. of time to average provides to invest it’s into also what extremely appears introduced product is following basically member a loan to
funds 4.45% listed per on annum*; the ASX, free or, into Over the markets the holiday smoothing period informative to be venture – as a capital. regular user feedback; another company or fund so
by account you debiting set-up; an amount monthly or out it was peaks reported and troughs. that our Of you The can’t hedge help fund but become mentioned Little that it Acorns can go – and sub accounts invest in a
regular distributions; payment from dedicated your course major banks it doesn’t made hurt even that it more above informed is a classic about hedge the fund designed range of to smaller allow investment companies
bank account account manager; to your Acorns $100k does further all of cuts these to things the low within behaviour that can take of markets advantage whether of on before behalf they of children list on any or other stock
account. minimum. Most users enjoy the the rates framework available of on a highly cash you gearing are looking and any to combination
or not – the dependants exchange. under the age of 18.
56 54 DECEMBER FEBRUARY 2018 2017
The Local Voice Since 1991

On their own, there
is absolutely nothing
wrong with any one of
these financial products
if you understand and
knowingly accept the risks
involved in making an
investment. Problems are
only going to arise if there
is a mismatch between the
risk and performance of what
you invested in and what you
thought you invested in.
There is also a common
thread through these three
very different investment
products. Each of them is only
being offered to ‘sophisticated’
investors, occasionally
referred to as ‘professional’
or ‘wholesale’ investors
as well. These flatteringsounding
terms come from the
Corporations Act, which in a
nutshell says that if you have
an accountant’s certificate
verifying that you hold assets
in excess of $2.5 million, or
earned gross income in excess
of $250,000 per year for the
past two years, or you are
investing over $500,000 in a
single holding, then you do not
need to be provided with the
range of consumer protections
that retail investors receive –
such as a statement of advice
considering your financial
needs and risk profile, fee
disclosures or access to the
financial ombudsman service
etc.
As one of my clients who
was contemplating one of
these investments noted: Half
of the suburb of Manly could
be classified as sophisticated
just by virtue of their
property holdings.
But just because you
can get a ticket to the
high rollers’ room doesn’t
mean you should suspend
common sense and healthy
scepticism; on the contrary
you should have more than
average, according to the
legislation. Those of us
around during the last great
crisis 10 years ago can recall
most hedge funds shutting
up shop, all of the investment
banks pulling back or closing
their structured product
divisions and even blue chip
shares taking a 40% haircut
in value.
If you recall, all of this was
precipitated by the under
valuation and under-pricing of
risk – house prices will never
fall, asset prices are robust,
liquidity is plentiful, money is
cheap… and so on. At a time
when low cash returns are
forcing many investors higher
up the risk spectrum, we
need to maintain our guard.
To avoid the problems of the
past…
Brian Hrnjak B Bus CPA
(FPS) is a Director of GHR
Accounting Group Pty
Ltd, Certified Practising
Accountants. Offices at:
Suite 12, Ground Floor, 20
Bungan Street Mona Vale
NSW 2103 and
Shop 8, 9 – 15 Central Ave
Manly NSW 2095,
Telephone: 02 9979-4300,
Webs: www.ghr.com.au and
www.altre.com.au Email:
brian@ghr.com.au
These comments are of a
general nature only and are
not intended as a substitute
for professional advice.
Business Life
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2018 55

Business Life: Law
Business Life
Importance of investing
in field of conveyancing
Over the years this column
has addressed the
subject of conveyancing
– what is it and its importance
to all who have property
transactions, both residential or
commercial.
Briefly a Conveyance has
been defined as “a mode by
which property is transferred
from one person to another
by written instruments and
related formalities, and also
such an instrument itself, such
as a lease, mortgage, or vesting
instrument”.
It is the science and art of
validly creating, transferring,
and extinguishing rights in
property, particularly in or over
land by written deeds of various
kinds. It has traditionally been a
major branch of legal work and
lawyers’ business.
It includes investigation of
title – the document which
at the end of a transaction is
paramount. For after every
step has been taken, if a
vendor is unable to convey a
clear unencumbered title there
will be no settlement – no
concluded transaction.
To market a property, a
real estate agent needs to be
provided with a draft contract
by a solicitor or conveyancer for
those prospective purchasers,
who having inspected the
property, wish to investigate
with their legal advisors the
specific details of what is being
offered for sale.
The draft contract contains
12 pages of conditions in what
is known as the Law Society
Contract, the latest edition
being 2017. To this is added
Special Conditions, drafted
by the solicitor and designed
to protect the interests of the
vendor; and a title search as
held in Land and Property
Information (old Titles office) –
this should show the identities
of the individuals or companies
who are registered as owning
the land upon which the
improvements or buildings are
found and if more than one
person is noted as owner on
title the manner in which their
shares are held i.e. joint tenants
or tenants in common (and if
the latter the percentage held
by each person).
The Title should also show
any plan of subdivision,
easements, covenants mortgage
or caveat and even on rare
occasions a caveat in the name
of ‘Queen Elizabeth II’ meaning
a failure to pay land tax.
Other documents to be
included should be a survey
of the property showing the
placement of the buildings or
improvements on the land,
a building certificate – this is
more optional and a serious
purchaser should seek the
Vendor’s agreement for one
to be obtained from the local
council. Plus a final occupation
certificate (if the property
is new or has had major
renovations), and a swimming
pool certificate showing that
the pool complies with recent
legislation. There are other
elements depending on the
type of property. Whether it is
with Jennifer Harris
a Retirement Village or a Strata
Title complex or Company
title and rural lands can be
different again. Frequently
Contracts are offered for ‘Off
the Plan’ property (units or
townhouses yet to be built). In
this transaction a prospective
purchaser agrees to purchase
and pays a deposit on a specific
plan – usually to be built
within a nominated period to
completion and payment of the
final agreed sum. Should the
time period not be achieved a
‘sunset clause’ may operate and
the parties can agree to rescind.
There are obvious risks in this
type of transaction.
Media comment from time to
time suggests that conveyancing
should cost very little in terms
of time and effort, this being
particularly so for residential
property. There may be some
transactions which appear
straightforward but in this
writer’s experience they can be
few and far between. There are
many matters which can add to
the complexity of conveyancing.
For example, questions of land
tax; home warranty insurance;
GST; unauthorised or illegal
structures; caveats; separate
advice for a purchaser of First
Home Owners Grant; whether
the property is subject to a
tenancy; if a retirement village
separate advice on the village
contract and advice as to the
purchasers’ rights and liabilities;
56 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

whether Foreign Investment
Review approval is required; and
finally the nature of ownership.
If unequal shares, the need to
ascertain percentages if the
property is held as tenants in
common. Quite often Family
Law property settlements have
to be taken into consideration.
These are an indication
of some of the issues to be
determined by the lawyer
conveyancer.
The first grant of land from
the Crown was made in NSW
in 1792. It was based on the
English Common Law System
of conveyancing known as ‘old
system’. Each time land was
sold or mortgaged, a separate
deed was drawn up and when
lodged for registration, was
given a book and number
identification. To prove
ownership to title there had
to be an unbroken series of
deeds i.e. Grant, conveyance,
mortgage, re-conveyance,
acknowledgement, discharge of
mortgage, etc. This is known as
the chain of title.
This system has
overwhelmingly been replaced
by Torrens title. A system of
land registration, in which
a register of land holdings
maintained by the state
guarantees an indefeasible title
to those included in the register
have ownership transferred
through registration of title
instead of deeds.
As technology has
transformed business over
the past 30 or 40 years with
facsimile, email and text, so too
have aspects of conveyancing
with the development of E
Conveyancing – largely done
online. However, there remains
major issues to be addressed
before a clear title and
settlement can be achieved.
Risks which are frequently
identified are: illegal/
unapproved building works;
incorrect boundaries;
encroachments; unpaid rates
and taxes; identity theft, fraud
and forgery; and dealings with
the property by third parties
after exchange but before the
incoming purchaser settles and
is registered on title to mention
but a few.
An added method of
protection of title introduced
in recent years is the
introduction of title insurance
The Local Voice Since 1991
for home buyers. There are
two companies – First Title
and Stewart Title – both with
American antecedents. These
policies provide an indemnity in
respect of ‘actual loss’ suffered
by an insured in circumstances
where a property has been
purchased without a building
certificate, and following
settlement the purchaser is
ordered to demolish or rectify all
or part of an existing structure
due to non-compliance with the
relevant development consents
required by law.
Depending on the
circumstances each of the
matters listed above can be
covered by title insurance. It
is particularly important in
matters of identity theft, fraud
and forgery, which with the
development of technology can
produce documents of all kinds
– particularly titles. There have
been cases in Western Australia
and the ACT where owners have
had their properties sold and
titles registered to new owners
by use of forged titles.
It would be prudent to
consider these matters with
your lawyer/ conveyancer. So
often we receive an inquiry
which asks how cheaply we can
act on a conveyance. So often it
is from someone who has or is
about to pay over $1 million for
the property to be purchased.
It always seems strange that
one would ask for cut-price
conveyancing on something
so vital and important. The
average person in life sees a
solicitor for conveyancing, a
Will and Power of Attorney and
associated documents. We
encourage the care you take in
choosing your property to be
reflected in the care you take
in choosing your conveyancing
team. Long ago this writer
embraced the idea of having a
certified practising conveyancer
as part of our team so that
clients may have the benefit of
both practitioners in the field of
conveyancing.
Comment supplied by
Jennifer Harris, of Jennifer
Harris & Associates, Solicitors,
4/57 Avalon Parade,
Avalon Beach.
T: 9973 2011. F: 9918 3290.
E: jennifer@jenniferharris.com.au
W: www.jenniferharris.com.au
FEBRUARY 2018 57
Business Life

Trades & Services
Trades & Services
AUTO REPAIRS
British & Swedish
Motors
Call 9970 6654
Services Range Rover, Land
Rover, Saab and Volvo with the
latest in diagnostic equipment.
Narrabeen Tyrepower
Call 9970 6670
Stocks all popular brands
including Cooper 4WD. Plus
they’ll do all mechanical repairs
and rego inspections.
Barrenjoey
Smash Repairs
Call 9970 8207
barrenjoeysmashrepairs.com.au
Re-sprays a specialty, plus
restoration of your favourite vehicle.
Commercial vehicle specialist.
BOAT SERVICES
Avalon Marine
Upholstery
Call Simon 9918 9803
Makes cushions for boats, patio
and pool furniture, window seats.
ELECTRICAL
Eamon Dowling
Electrical
Call 0410 457 373
For all electrical, phone, TV,
data and security needs.
FLOOR COVERINGS
Blue Tongue Carpets
Call Stephan 9979 7292
Family owned and run. Carpet,
rugs, runners, timber, bamboo, vinyl,
tiles & laminates. Open 6 days.
GARDENS
Graham Brooks
Call 0412 281 580
Tree pruning and removals.
Reports regarding DA tree management,
arborist reports.
Precision Tree Services
Call Adam 0410 736 105
Adam Bridger; professional tree
care by qualified arborists and
tree surgeons.
CLEANING
The Aqua Clean Team
Call Mark 0449 049 101
Quality window washing,
pressure cleaning, carpet
washing, building soft wash.
Martin Earl House Wash
Call 0405 583 305
Pittwater-based owner on site at
all times. No travellers or uninsured
casuals on your property.
House Washing
Northern Beaches
Call Ben 0408 682 525
Family-run housewashing –
exteriors, high-pressure cleaning
and soft washing; 18 years
on the Northern Beaches.
LAWN CARE
Platinum Turf Solutions
Call Liam 0412 692 578
Specialists in turf supply &
installation, lawn care & cylinder
mowing, full lawn construction,
turf renovations, maintenance.
MASSAGE & FITNESS
Avalon Physiotherapy
Call 9918 3373
Provide specialist treatment for
neck & back pain, sports injuries,
orthopaedic problems.
Avalon Physiotherapy
& Clinical Pilates
Call 9918 0230
Dry needling and acupuncture,
falls prevention and balance
enhancement programs.
Avalon Beach
Chiropractic
Call 9918 0070
Professional care for all ages.
Treatment for chronic and acute
pain, sports injuries.
Francois Naef/Osteopath
Call 9918 2288
Diagnosis, treatment and
prevention for back pain and
sciatica, sports injuries, muscle
soreness and strain, pregnancyrelated
pain, postural imbalance.
PAINTING
Contrast Colour
Call 0431 004 421
Locals Josef and Richard offer
quality painting services. Tidy,
reliable, they’ll help consult
on the best type of paint for
your job.
Modern Colour
Call 0406 150 555
Simon Bergin offers painting
and decorating; clean, tidy,
quality detail you will notice.
Dependable and on time.
Painting & Decorating
Call 0418 116 700
Andrew is a master painter with
30 years’ experience. Domestic
and commercial; reasonable
rates, free quotes.
Interior &
Exterior Colour
Call 0417 236 577
Deborah is a local colour and
interior design/decorating
consultant with over 30 years’
experience. One-hour colour
consultation with spec and
samples.
UPHOLSTERY
All Foam
Call 9973 1731
Cut to measure quality foam
for day beds, boats, caravans
and more. Discounted prices
and reliable local service. Free
measure and quote.
Luxafoam North
Call 9999 5567
Local specialists in all aspects of
outdoor & indoor seating.
Custom service and expert
advice.
Esyou Design
Call Susan 0422 466 880
Specialist in day bed and outdoor
areas. Reliable local
service. Offering domestic &
commercial.
Leather Hero
Call 0490 796 012
Northern Beaches-based specialists
in leather cleaning, revamps,
repairs and colour restoration for
lounges, cars and boats.
Advertise your
Business in
Trades
& Services
section
Phone
0438 123 096
58 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Trades & Services
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2018 59

Trades & Services
TUITION
Northern Beaches
Home Tutoring
Call John 9972 1469
1-ON-1 individual tutoring
in your home. All ages and
subjects K-Uni. Qualified tutors.
WWC child protection checked.
Since 2009.
Eliminate all manner of pests.
They provide a 24-hour service.
PUMPS & TANKS
Water Warehouse
Call 9913 7988
waterwarehouse.com.au
Rainwater tanks & pumps. Irrigation
& filter supply specialists.
DISCLAIMER: The editorial and advertising content in Pittwater Life
has been provided by a number of sources. Any opinions expressed
are not necessarily those of the Editor or Publisher of Pittwater Life
and no responsibility is taken for the accuracy of the information
contained within. Readers should make their own enquiries directly
to any organisations or businesses prior to making any plans or
taking any action.
Trades & Services
PEST CONTROL
Predator Pest Control
Call 0417 276 962
predatorpestcontrol.com.au
Environmental services at their
best. Comprehensive control.
Advertise
your Business
in Trades
& Services
section
Phone
0438 123 096
RENOVATIONS
Rob Burgers
Call 0416 066 159
Qualified builder provides all
carpentry needs; decks, pergolas,
carports, renovations and
repairs.
Underdeck
Call Adrian 0417 591 113
Waterproof under your deck and
turn the area into usable space
all year round.
SunSpec
Call Dustin 0413 737 934
sunspec.com.au
All-aluminium, rust-proof remotecontrolled
opening roofs & awnings.
Beats competitor’s prices.
60 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

the
good
life
Showtime
Shakespeare in the park
Theatre company Bard on the Beach returns
to Avalon with three outdoor performances
in February.
Fans can look forward to Shakespeare’s first
comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona on Fri
23, and two performances of The Tragedy of
King Richard III on Sat 24 and Sun 25.
The performances will be in Dunbar Park
starting at 7.30pm.
There are no tickets; it’s first-in, bestdressed
– we suggest you get there early to
find a place on the grass and reserve your
spot with a blanket.
You can take low chairs, grab some takeaway
or bring a picnic dinner and enjoy the show.
Once the sun sets it can get very cold so make
sure you pack something to keep you warm.
Payment is at the end of the show by
donation only; recommended minimum $20
per person. Info bardonthebeach.net.
dining
food
62
66
All ages
band night
Showcasing a unique blend
of rock, pop, soul and
beyond local brother-duo
Lime Cordiale (right) and Gold
Coast rock band Bleeding
Knees Club will be doing their
stuff at the Northern Beaches
PCYC in Dee Why on Fri 16
from 7-10pm.
Tickets $15 includes free endof-night
transport to Mona Vale
and Manly and a one-year PCYC
membership.
Supported by bands Black
Iguana and Heartlake, this is an
all-ages, alcohol- and drug-free
event. If the kids don’t already
know how to book tickets,
you can find details on the NB
Council website.
Showtime
crossword
gardening
travel
69
70
73
Around
the clubs
If our maths are right it’s
been 40 years since Aussie
rock legends The Radiators
played their first show, yet if
you are lucky enough to catch
The Rads on stage these days
you’ll see the passing years
and rigours of touring haven’t
diminished their spark.
Tickets to The Radiators and
Spy Vs Spy at Dee Why RSL
on Friday 9 are selling like
hotcakes, so better be quick!
Starts 7.45pm; tickets $30.
If classic rock (we’re talking
Queen, The Eagles, Bruce
Springsteen, Kiss, Creedence
Clearwater… you get the
drift) is more your style check
out the gig locked in on Sat
10 at The Royal Motor Yacht
Club; members $25,
non-members $30.
FEBRUARY 2018 61

Dining Guide
February's best restaurants, functions, events and reader deals...
Bistro 61
Avalon Beach RSL
1 Bowling Green Lane
Avalon Beach
OPENING HOURS
Open 7 days
Lunch 12pm-2:30pm
Dinner 5:30-8:30pm
CUISINE
Modern Aust / pub food
PRICE RANGE
Meals $8-$30
Specials $12-$15
BOOKINGS 9918 2201
Avalon Beach RSL’s Bistro 61
is a great place to head for
a local meal, offering tasty
modern Australian dishes at
affordable prices.
Don't miss their $25 Ribs
deal for lunch or dinner on
Mondays in February.
Plus they’re open for
breakfast on weekends over
summer, from 8am.
Watch Super Bowl LII on
February 5 with $5 chicken
wings and $20 buckets of
Budweiser.
Great music acts on
The holidays may be over but
smart operators of eateries and
bars are taking advantage of
the warm weather with great
options for customers.
Café Racer – formerly The
Inch – overlooking Village Park
at Mona Vale is now open for
dinner on Friday and Saturday
nights, with owner Jeremy
Drayton excited about the
dishes prepared by head chef
Karan Sandhu (below).
“Customers have been
asking us to open for cocktails
Saturdays this month include
The Replacements (3rd), Nat &
Rin (10th), Shade of Red (17th)
and East West Blues (24th).
Happy Hour is every
Monday, Tuesday & Friday from
4-6pm.
Open for lunch and dinner
seven days, with extensive
outdoor dining areas, Bistro
61 offers a variety of specials
(lunch and dinner) during the
week, including $12 tacos
(Tues), $15 Chicken Schnitzels
(Wed), 2-4-1 pizzas (Thurs), and
a $20 burger + beer (Fri).
Seniors are well catered
for – there are daily Seniors
specials, including beerbattered
flathead – plus they
do a $5 kids meals on Sundays!
(There’s a playground, too.)
From the menu, chef
Mitch recommends his twist
on nachos – pulled beef and
blackbeans with chipotle, corn
chips, guacamole, Danish fetta
and coriander.
Members get discounts on
meals purchased. Membership
starts from $5.50.
The club is licensed, with
no BYO. Bookings online or
call 9918 2201 – large groups
welcome.
More tasty morsels
and drinks, so we’ve put a
thoughtful menu together
including share plates, pasta,
steaks and salads,” he said.
“We’ve been trading seven
days for the past decade and
have always been a popular
breakfast and lunch destination
– we’re happy we can now
translate into a relaxing dining
venue at the weekend.”
He added food blogger
spooningaustralia.com.au had
recently joined them for dinner
– “Look us up there, with some
great dinner photos, or come
try for yourself soon!”
Meanwhile north of the
bends, Freebird Avalon (right)
is making a name for itself with
its ’70s vibe, attractive cocktail
list and menu crafted by ex-
Lucio’s (Paddington) sous chef,
Simon MacKay.
Owner Daniel McManus has
Hong Kong
Chinese Restaurant
332 Barrenjoey Rd,
Newport
OPENING HOURS
Dinner Tues-Sun 5pm
CUISINE
Chinese & Asian
PRICE RANGE
Entrees $5-20
Mains $12.90-26.50
*Deliver Whale Beach - Narrabeen
BOOKINGS 9997 4157
Book a table at this
popular Newport eatery in
February and your family
is guaranteed a great night
out with a feast for the eyes
and the tastebuds.
Order ahead for their
wonderful Peking Duck which
is offered as a dine-in-only
special Thursdays through
Sundays in Summer.
There are two traditional
courses: Peking Duck
pancakes & duck sang choy
bow (bookings essential;
62 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991
LIC
BYO
All
an impressive hospitality CV;
he started as a barman at 17
and progressed to opening
Mojo Record Bar which he ran
for four years (winning Time
Out’s People’s Choice Award
and Best New Bar in Australia
award at the prestigious
Bartender Awards) moving to
Palm Beach where he consulted
to the industry.
He spent the past year
waiting for the right space to
become available in Avalon
for his new venture – which
P
mention the ad when you
call).
This long-established
restaurant on the eastern
side of Barrenjoey Rd has
an extensive menu based
on traditional flavoursome
Cantonese with touches of
spicy Szechuan and other
Asian dishes and fresh
seasonal vegetables.
Entrees start at just $6
while mains are great value
too, starting at $16.80.
The menu ranges from
adventurous, like a Sizzling
Szechuan-style Platter of
king prawns and fillets of
chicken, to contemporary,
featuring spicy salt and
pepper king prawns, to
traditional, with favourites
including Mongolian lamb,
Honey king prawns and
Honey chicken.
New dishes are introduced
regularly so make sure you
check out the blackboard
specials.
The team are only too
happy to home deliver your
meal, with a range that takes
in Narrabeen to the south to
Palm Beach in the north.
Fully licensed or BYO.
opened in December.
Daniel is rightly proud of
the transformation of his space
overlooking Avalon Parade.
“I did 75 days straight of 15
hours so yes, a big job!”
So why Avalon?
“There are a lot of music
lovers in Avalon and people
who love live music,” Daniel
said. “I saw Avalon as a great
place where I could open up a
venue to eat, drink, gather and
enjoy the music, both on our
playlist and our live gigs.
“I spend hours every week
getting the playlist right. Our
food menu is designed for
people to come in and share
over a bottle of wine or a beer
so it’s very much a place to
catch up with friends."
And why Freebird?
“I’ve always loved the Lynyrd
Skynyrd song – all nine minutes
of it!” he explained. “It had a
nice retro sound and was in
line with the era of music I play

Royal Motor
Yacht Club
Salt Cove on Pittwater
46 Prince Alfred
Parade, Newport
OPENING HOURS
Breakfast Lunch & Dinner
Mon-Fri from 8.30am
Weekends from 8am
PRICE RANGE
Breakfast from $8-$18
Entrees from $9-$21
Mains from $16-$26
BOOKINGS 9997 5511
RMYC’s restaurant Salt
Cove on Pittwater’s menu
offers affordable meals and
generous servings including
a variety of starters and share
plates, seafood, burgers,
grills, salads, desserts and
woodfired pizza.
Great Friday night music in
kicks off in the Lounge Bar
from 7.30pm. Acts in February
include: Jack Derwin (2nd),
Braden Evans (9th), Peter Kinch
(16th) and Joe B (23rd).
Get ready for The Classic
Rock Show on Saturday
February 10, with the music
of Blondie, Bruce Sprinsteen,
Creedence Clearwater Revival,
Queen, The Eagles and more.
Trivia is held every Tuesday
night from 7.30pm (great
prizes and vouchers).
Club social memberships
are available for just $160.
Barrenjoey
Bistro
Club Palm Beach
1087 Barrenjoey Rd,
Palm Beach
BISTRO OPENING HOURS
Lunch 11:30am-2.30pm
Dinner 6pm-8.30pm
PRICE RANGE
Lunch and dinner
specials $13.50
BOOKINGS 9974 5566
Head to Club Palm Beach,
conveniently located just a
short stroll from Palm Beach
Wharf, for hassle-free dining
in February.
Barrenjoey Bistro is open
for lunch (11.30am to 2.30pm)
and dinner (6pm to 9pm) seven
days, plus there's a Snack Menu
available 2.30pm-6pm.
The Bistro serves top-value a
la carte meals plus daily $13.50
specials of roasts (Mondays),
rump steak with chips and
salad (Tuesdays), chicken
schnitzel with chips and salad
(Wednesdays), homemade
gourmet pies with chips and
salad (Thursdays) and fish
and chips with salad (Fridays),
except public hols.
Watch Super Bowl LII on the
big screen on Monday February
5. The Members’ lucky badge
draw is held Wednesday and
Friday night (every 30 mins
between 5pm-7pm), and
jackpots by $100 each week.
Enjoy Trivia Night from
5.30pm on Wednesdays, plus
Bingo 10am on Fridays.
The club has a courtesy
bus that makes regular runs
Wednesdays, Fridays and
Saturdays from 4.30pm to
9pm. Ring to book a pick-up.
here – ’50s through ’70s.
“The posters on the wall are
all Tour and band posters from
that era, so it has authenticity.”
Daniel recommends
Freebird’s 18-hour slow-cooked
pork belly; for drinks, he
says you can’t go past their
signature ‘Let’s Twist Again’,
cocktail – a blend of fresh lime
juice, maraschino liqueur and
gin, shaken and served in a
chilled martini glass.
“And we have launched a
special kids / family menu
every day from 4pm – 7pm.
The kids menu has dishes such
as Roast Chicken ragu with
hidden vegetables – we grate
broccoli, carrot and zucchini
into it so the kids might not
notice! And we have a classic
Australian BBQ session with
drinks specials every Sunday
afternoon – perfect for our
outdoor balcony.”
Find Freebird at 50 Old
Barrenjoey Rd, Avalon.
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2018 63

Functions
Couple look to love beyond Mirage
Valentine’ Day will be extra
special for Newport couple
Marisa Galvez Ganoza and
Miguel Arrisueno – not only
will it be their first as a married
couple but the first time
they have spent February 14
together in the same country.
Theirs is a true and very
modern love story. Marisa,
50, and Miguel, 56, first met
and became great friends as
students in Peru in 1985 but
when Miguel’s family moved to
Australia they grew apart.
Then, after 26 years, Miguel
used Facebook to track down
the woman he “always remembered
with love” sending her a
message “just to say hello” as
Marisa was married with four
children.
Turns out Marisa had
recently separated from her
husband… and it wasn’t long
before a few messages through
Facebook turned into hundreds
of exchanges every day.
“After a while we challenged
each other who was going to
call first… and she did!” Miguel
said.
When Miguel visited Peru
they “instantly clicked – and
after six wonderful weeks we
realized that there
was a chance for
love!” he said.
For four years
Miguel travelled to
Peru to see Marisa
twice a year; and
he proposed over
a candle-lit dinner
complete with
champagne and
strawberries when
Marisa came to
Australia to visit.
The couple’s decision to
marry at The Metro Mirage
Newport last September was
an easy one.
“It’s such a wonderful place
Marisa and Miguel and
their ceremony at Metro
Mirage Hotel Newport.
with a stunning view
that we had already
fallen in love with as
we live only three
blocks away and the
people there are
amazing and very
helpful,” Miguel said
The couple described the
wedding planning experience
as “fascinating” and were impressed
by the attention given
to detail – such as the release
of two balloons with the names
of their fathers who had
recently passed away.
“The highlight of the
day was seeing each other
in our wedding clothes
and realizing that we were
finally getting married
after four long years of
a long-distance relationship…
and having a dance
with all our friends,” Miguel
said.
“Now that we are finally here
together we are planning to
have a wonderful life.”
Thinking of tying the knot?
The Summer Wedding Expo
will be held on Sunday Feb
18 from 1pm-4pm at the
Metro Mirage Hotel overlooking
beautiful Pittwater
at 2 Queens Parade West,
Newport. Meet wedding suppliers,
enjoy live music and
canape and wine tasting. Free
entry. See Facebook or visit
metrohotels.com.au or call
9997 7011 for details.
64 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Times Past
Careel House a Jolly good design
Careel House (on the north
of Bangalley Headland)…
“which is substantially
in its original condition, is a
proud simple structure. It is
difficult to determine where
the structure ends and the cliff
begins. It rises from the rocks
as though it is part of them,
revealing a master story-teller
who has mixed fact with fiction
so boldly that the house has
the dimension of truth”. This
appropriate statement is how
Douglas Al exander saw the
house (and architect Alexander
Stewart Jolly’s philosophy)
when appraising it in his thesis
for his Bachelor of Architecture
in 1969.
Careel House is another
of Alexander Stewart Jolly’s
Avalon Beach masterpieces,
designed in 1931 for Major and
Mrs Pauline Grieve.
Although the house was
built by Czech stonemasons
and using sandstone from the
site, the stunning fireplace
was designed and almost
certainly constructed by
Jolly with his own hands. It
is characteristic of several of
Jolly’s fireplace designs but
this fireplace is undoubtedly
his most elaborate – “built
on baronial proportions”.
It extends across the entire
seven-metres width of the
house, with the ingle a direct
extension of 3.5 metres into
the living room. Seating
extends on either side of the
hearth and the ingle became
a cosy retreat during wintery
and westerly conditions.
It was designed using the
principles Jolly observed
when he revisited Scotland
and some of the original
ingles there. Although the
fireplace is almost massive in
proportions, it possesses some
delightful details of form,
patterns and earthly colours.
Another internal feature
of the house was the folding
‘Hollywood-style’ beds in
the living room. The four
beds were constructed of
timber and sprung with
springs bought from the
Railways Department and
fitted by a Czech handyman.
During the day they were
recessed in the stone walls
and appeared as bookshelves
and had a cupboard in each
one with linen underneath.
At night they were turned
on a vertical axis through
180 degrees and were laid
horizontally to become
beds. Of course, this gave
more space during the
day and provided sleeping
accommodation without
having to include separate
bedrooms.
The floors throughout
the house were originally
polished cedar boards with the
characteristic red colour and
ran the full length of the living
room space. The longitude
orientation of these boards
tended to further exaggerate
the length of the living room
space of 17.2 metres (56 feet).
The bathroom was originally
a “handsome affair” composed
of daffodil yellow unglazed
tiles with a sunken bath,
built-in cupboards and (rather
primitively) the shower
operated by a string.
TIMES PAST is supplied
by local historian
and President of the
Avalon Beach Historical
Society GEOFF SEARL.
Visit the Society’s
showroom in Bowling
Green Lane, Avalon
Beach.
Times Past
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2018 65

Food Life
Light seafood meals are
a great way to beat heat
with Janelle Bloom
It’s back to school, work and
regular routine – which is
nowhere near as much fun
as the time off most of us have
just enjoyed. Nevertheless, the
weather will remain warm to
hot for the coming weeks, so
light meals remain front of
mind. I’m sure you’ll discover
these seafood recipes fit the
bill! Enjoy!
Warm salmon
& rice salad
Serves 4 (as light meal)
Food Life
Recipes: Janelle Bloom Photos: Steve Brown; Benito Martin; Thanks also to Perfection Fresh
2 tbs sesame seeds, toasted
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 tsp sesame oil
1½ tsp caster sugar
3 tbs soy sauce
3 tbs rice wine vinegar
2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
2 x 375g pieces salmon fillet,
skinned, pin-boned
1¼ cups rice and quinoa
1 bunch Broccolini, ends
trimmed
1 tbs light olive oil
4 Quke baby cucumbers, thinly
sliced
1 cup coriander or parsley
leaves
2 cups bean sprouts, trimmed
1 long red chilli, deseeded,
finely chopped
1. Combine the sesame seeds,
green onion, sesame oil,
sugar, soy, vinegar and ginger
in a jug. Put salmon onto
a plate and spoon over 1½
tablespoons dressing, turn to
coat. Cover and marinate in
the fridge 10 minutes.
2. Cook the rice and quinoa
following packet directions.
Drop the broccolini into a
saucepan of boiling salted
water, cook 1 minute. Drain,
pat dry then chop.
3. Heat a large frying pan over
medium-high heat until hot,
add oil, swirl to coat pan.
Cook salmon for 2 minutes,
turn and cook further 2 minutes.
Reduce heat, cook 5-6
minutes for medium or until
cooked to your liking, remove
to a plate, stand 5 minutes
then break into pieces.
4. Combine the warm rice, broccolini,
Qukes, coriander, bean
sprouts and chilli. Gently stir
through the salmon. Pour
over the remaining dressing
and serve with lime wedges if
desired.
Fish tagine
Serves 4
2 tbs olive oil
1 large brown onion, finely
chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
Finely grated rind, 1 lemon
1 tsp sea salt
3 tsp ground turmeric
3 teaspoons ground cumin
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
2 large ripe tomatoes, diced
2 cups chicken or fish stock
6 chat potatoes, peeled, cut
into thick wedges
1 cup flat leaf parsley leaves,
chopped
100g Sicilian green olives
800kg skinless white fish fillets,
66 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

For more recipes go to www.janellebloom.com.au
cut into 3cm cubes
1 cup couscous
Extra parsley and lemon
wedges to serve
1. Heat oil in a large, deep
frying pan over medium
heat. Add onion, cook, stirring
often for 5 minutes or
until soft. Add garlic, lemon
rind, salt, turmeric, cumin
and cinnamon. Cook, stirring,
for 1 minute or until
fragrant.
2. Add the tomato, stock and
potato. Cover and simmer for
10 minutes or until potato is
just tender. Stir in the parsley
and olives.
3. Add the fish to the tagine,
cover and cook gently for 10
minutes or until fish is just
cooked through.
4. Meanwhile, place couscous in
a large heatproof bowl and
cover with 2 cups boiling water.
Cover and set aside for 5
minutes. Remove the cover
and stir gently with a fork to
separate the grains.
5. Divide couscous among serving
plates. Top with tagine
and sprinkle with parsley and
serve with lemon.
Fresh fish nuggets
Serves 4-6
800kg skinless, boneless white
fish fillets, cut into 3cm cubes
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbs tomato sauce
1 tsp sea salt flakes
2 tsp ground white pepper
2 tbs chopped flat leaf parsley
1 tbs corn flour
1 cup plain flour
2 eggs, beaten
Vegetable oil for cooking
Sour cream and sweet chilli
sauce or tartare sauce, to serve
1. Place fish into a food
processor. Pulse until finely
chopped. Add Worcestershire
sauce, tomato sauce, salt,
pepper, parsley and cornflour.
Pulse to form a sticky
paste.
2. Using a tablespoon of mixture,
use wet hands to shape
into nuggets. Place onto a
tray lined with baking paper.
Dust lightly in flour, turn and
dust other side. Repeat until
all mixture is shaped.
3. Dip nuggets into beaten egg
and then into flour again.
4. Heat a large, deep frying pan
or wok with enough vegetable
oil to come halfway up
the sides until to 180°C (see
Janelle’s Tip). Cook nuggets in
batches of six for 2-3 minutes,
turning over halfway or until
cooked through. Remove to a
wire rack to drain.
5. Serve with sour cream and
sweet chilli sauce or tartare
sauce.
Janelle’s tip: To check if oil
is hot enough add a cube of
bread to the hot oil – it should
turn golden in 10 seconds.
Apple jelly
grape cups
Makes 8
2 cups clear apple juice or apple
cider
3 tsp powdered gelatine
1 tbs water
750g seedless black grapes
1. Pour the apple juice or cider
into a small saucepan. Mix
gelatin and water in a small
bowl. Add to the apple juice.
Whisk over low heat for 5
minutes until gelatin dissolves
and mixture is warm.
Set aside for 20 minutes to
cool.
2. Remove grapes from the
stalk. Put them into plastic
cups or glasses. Pour the apple
mixture over the grapes
to almost cover. Refrigerate
for 4 hours until set and well
chilled. Serve with scoop
vanilla ice cream if you like.
Tip: Try using cranberry,
mango or pineapple juice
instead of apple juice.
Food Life
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2018 67

Food Life
In Season
Limes
Janelle’s Tip:
To get the most
juice from the
fruit, roll on the
benchtop then
microwave for 20
seconds before
cutting in half
and juicing.
Food Life
Closely related to lemons,
the lime originated in
South East Asia. In Australia
we see two varieties: the
Tahitian lime which has a
green skin, and the Mexican
Lime which is yellow-skinned.
Buying
Look for fruit that is brightly
coloured and feels heavy.
While they are in season it’s
a good idea to buy in bulk
and juice the fruit. Pour into
ice cube trays and freeze
then transfer to an airtight
container or bag and freeze.
Storage
Store out of direct sunlight
in a fruit bowl on the bench
for up to 7 days, or in an
unsealed plastic bag in the
crisper for up to one month.
Also In Season
February
Apricots; Berries
(blueberries, raspberries
& strawberries); Figs;
Lychees; Mangoes;
Watermelon, Nectarines;
Peaches; Pineapple; Plums;
also Avocado; Beans
(butter, snake, green &
flat); Cucumber, Chillies,
Capsicum; Lettuce; Sugar
Snap Peas; Radishes, Corn,
Tomatoes and Zucchini.
Nutrition
Limes are a great source of
vitamin C.
Lime & berry ice pops
Makes 12
4 limes, juiced
¼ cup white sugar
1¾ cups coconut water, chilled (see Janelle’s Tip)
125g Perfection Fresh Blueberries
125g Perfection Raspberries
1. Combine lime juice and sugar in a small saucepan. Stir over
medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the
boil, simmer gently 5-8 minutes until syrup has reduced by
half. Set aside to cool.
2. Combine the blueberries and raspberries in a bowl. Half-fill
12 x 80ml (1/3 cup) popsicle moulds carefully with berries.
Combine the lime syrup and coconut water in a jug. Pour
over the berries to almost cover. Freeze for 30 minutes or
until partially frozen.
3. Insert a paddle-pop stick into the centre of each mould.
Add the remaining berries then cover with remaining juice.
Freeze for 6 hours or overnight if time permits. Remove
from the moulds and serve immediately.
Janelle’s Tip: You can buy watermelon coconut water which is
great option for this recipe!
68 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Pittwater Puzzler
Compiled by David Stickley
31 Across clue
30 Item from a restaurant’s menu (4)
31 Establishment like La Paysanne in
Bilgola (10)
ACROSS
1 Fellow pupil from Pittwater House,
perhaps (10)
6 Black bird sometimes seen on Narrabeen
Lagoon (4)
10 Reserve in Bayview that will soon have
its boating facilities upgraded (7)
11 Puzzling sort of device for cryptic
crossword solvers (7)
12 The B in NBN (9)
13 To supply or provide with (5)
14 Growing old (6)
16 Handyman’s collection of stuff (7)
17 Possible final score after a round at
Avalon Golf Course (3)
19 Rigorously austere (7)
21 Solemn promise (6)
25 BBQ sausage-turners (5)
26 Recreational facility of which there
are seven between North Narrabeen and
Palm Beach (5,4)
28 Supplements (7)
29 A really hot day (7)
DOWN
1 Craft expertly raced by the Palm Beach
Patriots (8)
2 DIY bookstore section (3-2)
3 Continually (2,3,2)
4 Opening time of Limani Seafood Restaurant
in Narrabeen (6)
5 Almost secret opening in floor or ceiling
(8)
7 Event held in Gilbert Park Manly every
Friday night from 12 January to 23
March, _____ ____ Markets (5,4)
8 One, for example, anaesthetic? (6)
9 One of Alexander Stewart Jolly’s Avalon
Beach masterpieces, ______ House
(6)
15 Food goodies sold by 4mates at the
Berry Reserve Market (9)
16 Possible result of summer at the
beach (3)
17 Wide landscape view (8)
18 Help yourself (4,4)
20 Describing the sun first thing in the
morning (6)
22 Pulses prominent in Curry By The
Curve’s menu items (7)
23 Run aground (6)
24 Watercraft that takes advantage of
beautiful locations of Pittwater (3-3)
27 The archetypal uncultivated Australian
working man (5)
[Solution page 72]
Pittwater Puzzler
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2018 69

Garden Life
Garden Life
Delight Passionate in the pomegranates amazing
colours great for of growing, hydrangeas eating
Pomegranates Always a favourite for
ger and sweeter with
Christmas are native to colour, hydrangeas
Iran, but are early flowering their
Pomegranates don’t
some extra attention.
heads travellers off! took They the look wonderful
seed in the corners garden, brightening
the of the semi-shaded earth. Now areas and
glowing the pomegranate in the full, is protected
sunlight. grown all Once over the
older
varieties world. It has were been either pink or
blue found depending ancient on the soil,
additional carvings in lime China, will it deepen
the is mentioned pinks and in blueing the tonic
(sulphate Bible, it was of named aluminium) will
heighten in ancient the Rome blues, by but the
new Pliny named as the ‘Apple varieties will
maintain of Carthage’, their and colour. it’s White
never said that changes. Venus There gave a are pomegranate
to Paris! of every size from
hydrangeas
the History tiny dwarf also tells Piamina us that to the juice
tall of the traditional pomegranate Mop was Heads. used by the
With prophet so many Mohammed to choose to purge from the
it sin is of almost envy. Pomegranates too difficult to grow like of the traditional mop heads,
decide. scarlet Christmas There are baubles, the delicate hanging the cone-shaped flowers of
lace from caps, a very the beautiful, huge blooms small, compact hydrangea paniculata bushes
tree and with bright, glossy green
like frost, but cooler
winters produce better
fruit. To fruit well
the flowers need bees
for pollination. Two
trees will fruit better
than one. (Plant plenty
of flowering plants to
attract the bees to the
garden.)
There are several
commonly
grown varieties,
but I think
the best is
‘Wonderful’; its
fruit is softer
and the seeds
that can be two not metres so hard. tall.
The recently introduced Also, there is
smaller growing a dwarf Picotee pomegranate
varieties that with grows two-tone to just flower one
leaves. It is perfect for a small urban garden.
Pomegranates need hot weather to produce
metre – it is a great heads pot are plant hard or very to leave special be-ihind
flowers and if you still have produce a semi-
fruit
a rockery. The single
fruit; in cooler areas they are often grown as to eat.
shaded wall, the climbing
an ornamental shrub or tree. Late-winter pruning
will increase the density of the shrub. The amazing double flowers; beautiful. it won’t give you any
The dwarf ornamental hydrangea pomegranate petiolaris is has just
crumpled petals of the bright scarlet flowers fruit but is a stunning Hydrangeas container are plant. forgiving
are a joy to see, standing out against the dense The huge leathery plants fruits that are are full easy of sweet to grow.
foliage. Pruned annually this delightful fruiting scarlet beads. They They can like be regular eaten raw, water used and for
tree is a spectacular sight in any garden. juice or mixed into
any
salads.
good
The
garden
unripe
soil.
skins
Mulch
To do well, pomegranates (punica granatum) produce a bright
the
red
roots
juice that
with
is
compost
used for
to
dye
require full sun and long hot summers, welldrained
garden soil (mulched with cow manure the fruit – the juice
on Moroccan leather.
keep
Look
them
out
cool
when
and
you
feed
cut
them
stains!
in early spring to get
or compost) and regular watering. Before
them going. Grow them in
A pomegranate plant may be hard to find
pots, or in the garden; bring
planting, add a small amount of garden lime. but well worth the trouble. It can usually
them inside when in flower
Although they handle drought and extreme be found online from Daley’s fruit trees in
or cut the blooms – they last
weather conditions well, the fruit will be big-
Queensland.
well in water.
with Gabrielle Bryant
Cherry Guava a
sweet surprise
IBe n full flower quick in my veggie
garden is my Cherry Guava,
to sometimes snap known up as a Strawberry
Guava. This delightful
Spring bulbs
evergreen shrub never fails to
Iproduce t’s so tempting a heavy right crop now of cherry – the
guavas bulb stands in early are autumn. full of tulips,
daffodils, It is a small, jonquils, pretty hyacinths tree with
and rounded, snow glossy drops. green If you leaves want
to that grow only these grows cold-climate
to about
bulbs three metres you should in height. treat Keep them it
as trimmed annuals. into Give shape them after the fruiting.
old
The delicate – place fluffy them flowers in the
treatment
crisper are creamy drawer white, of the growing refrigerator
close
the branches. for six weeks They before are fol-
planting, lowed by the and tangy they will flavoured, flower
beautifully sweet, berry-sized, in spring. cherry However, red
without fruit that a are frosty high winter vitamin they C.
won’t Unlike be the good taller-growing the following deciduous
yellow These guava bulbs that are needs better
year.
grown cooking, the containers. fruit can be eaten
raw Why straight not grow from the warmerclimate
tree or
used in cooking, spring bulbs jellies, that drinks, will
come sauces back or jams. year after year?
Nothing You should can beat protect the the scent fruit
of from freesias, fruit fly or with the a display fruit fly of bait.
brightly coloured sparaxis,
ranunculus and anemones.
Get Cheerful into orange the lachenalias,
standing straight like orange
soldiers, ‘swing’ make of a pretty Xmas border
Iin t partly is time shaded to relax areas. and enjoy The
sun-loving your garden. pale Look blue at Spring your
Stars outdoor (tritelia) seating will requirements
soon multiply
come – the back shops year are after full year. of
and
The amazing upright chairs spikes and of tables. the pale
pink, Hanging lilac, cane white egg and chairs magenta have
flowers been trendy of the for babiana the past Baboon few
Flowers years and complement now the ‘Swing blue, yellow,
Seat’ mauve is back. or Nothing white Dutch is more iris.
peaceful Buy your than bulbs swinging as soon in as a
you seat see for them two, sheltered to avoid disappointment,
from
the weather as with they a sell roof out to
quickly shade from (then the plant sun late – makes March). a
great Christmas present too!
72 70 DECEMBER FEBRUARY 2018 2017
The Local Voice Since 1991

Bonsai – big
impact with
a little effort
Bonsai trees make wonderful Christmas
presents but they need special
care to keep them going. They are
mistakenly given as indoor plants but to
thrive they must be kept outside (perfect
for balconies or patios).
The ancient Japanese art of bonsai can
become totally absorbing. These miniature
trees take many years of love and
patience to create. For the beginner there
are a few crucial tips to keep your tiny
tree healthy and growing.
First, find out about your tree and the
conditions it would need if it were to
grow to full size. Sun or shade? Warm or
cold? It will need the same conditions
even though it is a miniature plant.
Of course, water is essential for survival
– but more bonsai die from root rot than
from thirst. Check the soil before you
water. Bonsai trees are in tiny pots and
dry quickly but in colder months they may
only need water a couple of times a week.
Help care for chooks
FUN & EDUCATIONAL: Finn Selby
lends a hand at the Avalon garden.
The Local Voice Since 1991
The roots soon fill the pot, making it hard
for the water to sink in. Make sure that the
water penetrates the soil. If in doubt, water
the pot in a container and let it soak,
then lift it out to drain. (It is best to water
your tree in the evening so that the soil
stays damp through the night.)
Bonsai need to be fed regularly
through the growing season – but with
a half-strength fertiliser. Plants should
Avalon Community Garden,
located in the grounds of
Barrenjoey High School in Tasman
Road, North Avalon, has
slowly developed over the past
seven years into a thriving
environment, with additions
such as watering systems,
a large growing enclosure,
storage, pathways – and the
introduction of chickens.
President Helen Saunders
said currently there are a
couple of gaps on the chicken
feeding roster.
“This involves picking up
from Avalon Organics, who
kindly donate their leftover
veggies, letting the chickens
out for their daily forage and turning the sprinklers on.”
Helen said joining ACG costs very little and involvement was
both enjoyable and rewarding.
“When you are in the garden you feel like you are on a farm
in the country,” she said. “Kids love collecting the eggs and the
chickens love being petted… you get to take home the eggs you
collect and a whole bunch of vegetables – it’s fabulous!”
“Anybody is welcome but I also think it would be a really
worthwhile after-school activity… maybe two or three families
would like to come together or even share the activity; the more
the merrier!”
More info phone Helen (0418 251 480), or Billy Bragg (0405
508 270); also check out the website and Facebook pages.
be re-potted every two years. Until you
learn how to do this job yourself it is best
to get this done by a bonsai expert at a
bonsai nursery. They will also prune the
roots and shape the tree for you.
Once hooked, you will find bonsai an
intriguing and fascinating hobby. If you
want to learn more there are several
bonsai courses available. Look online to
find one nearby.
FEBRUARY 2018 71
Garden Life

Garden Life
Garden Life
Jobs this Month
February
Days of extreme heat
followed by thunder,
lightning, hail and wind
don’t make life easy for our
gardens! Sunburn and wind
damage look terrible, but wait
until the very hot days are over
before you trim back foliage,
as you will expose new growth
to more sunburn. Also, let your
lawn grow a little longer than
usual in the hot weather. This
will keep the roots cooler and
hold the moisture better. Also,
check gutters for leaves after
the windy days. Keep them
clear. Blocked gutters are a
danger during bushfire season.
Tree-mendous
myrtle
Crepe Myrtles are in full flower;
if you want to plant one this is
the month to see all the colours:
lilac, pink, dark pink or white.
Crepe myrtles make excellent
street trees because they
respond well to being pruned
and their size can easily be controlled.
Some are flowering very
late and some are not flowering
well. I believe that this is caused
by the very dry winter.
Care for roses
Lightly prune roses, removing
any old flowers, and feed the
plants with Sudden Impact
for Roses for a new flush of
flowers as the weather cools.
Spray with Eco Fungicide to
prevent blackspot. Fuchsias
have suffered in the heat but
will soon bounce back if you
trim them and water them
with a liquid fertiliser.
Orchids spiking
As the days cool bring your
cymbidium orchids into a
sunny position. They will be
starting to form their flower
spikes now. Feed them with
Strike Back for Orchids.
Feed citrus
Citrus should be fed this
month but as the new shoots
appear look out for leaf miner
and aphids on the tips. Spray
weekly while the weather
stays warm with Eco Oil. Spray
either early in the morning or
in the evening – never spray
if the temperature is over 30
degrees.
Buy bulbs
Spring bulbs are on the bulb
stands and bulb catalogues
are available online. Make
your choice as soon as possible
to avoid disappointment
but wait until the end of March
to plant them.
Switch vegies
There is still time to plant a
last crop of tomatoes, beans
and zucchini, carrots – but
remember to leave room for
winter crops of beans, broccolini,
cauliflower, onions, carrots,
parsnips and lettuce.
Get digging!
The holidays are over and it
is time to work in the garden.
Digging and getting dirty is
part of a gardener’s life! Pull
out flowers and veggies that
have finished and replenish the
soil with compost or cow manure,
to be ready for autumn
planting. Dig the garden well,
turning the soil. Add a wetting
agent to allow the water to
soak in. The rain has been
heavy but a few centimetres
down the earth is dry. If you
can, resist the temptation to
Graft a gum
If you love the birds, plant
a grafted dwarf flowering
gum. You will get
birds, bees for the garden
and huge gum nuts for
Christmas decorations.
The flowers can be cream,
pale pink, hot pink, dark
pink, orange or scarlet.
Don’t ‘hedge’ bets
Don’t be tempted to trim
sasanqua hedges now, even if
they need it – the shrubs are
already setting their buds for
Autumn blooms. If you trim
them now you will lose your
flowers. Feed Camellias and
Sasanquas with Kahoona. This
is the last time before Spring.
Mite be trouble
Look out for red spider mite
on azaleas. You can control
these mites with Yates Rose
Gun or Natrasoap. Spray under
the leaves as well as on top
until the solution runs off.
Crossword solution from page 69
replant for a couple of weeks.
Mystery location: LONG BEACH
72 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Travel Life
Road Trip, USA
Think ‘road trip’
and think cruising
the US west coast,
with the desert, iconic
Highway 1 or Route 66
and myriad small-town
destinations all major
players in your holiday
dream. But is it really
like that? Yes… and a
whole lot more.
The loop from Los
Angeles to Las Vegas is
one of the most popular
in the world but add
more variety by plotting
a route that takes
in San Francisco as your
finishing point; all up it’s
2,500km of easy driving
spiritual experience. Stay
in 14 days – and it will take at the hip Mojave Sands Hotel,
you from city, through desert, thoughtfully refurbed and
snow-capped mountains and offering tick-the-box touches
back to the coast.
like record players with collections
of through-the-decades
Picking up your rental car
from the airport is stress-free, vinyl. Pappy and Harriet’s, at
thanks to the myriad shuttle the deserted Western films
buses supplied by providers.
As for plotting a course the stars turn up to play to
lot ‘Pioneer Town’, is where
Google Maps makes navigation
foolproof.
nounced (Paul McCartney
stunned, small houses unan-
Explore LA in two days: take played there last February as
in Venice and Santa Monica a precursor to his World Tour).
beaches; the Mount Wilson And Noah Purifoy’s desert art
Observatory (think ‘La La installations are a must see.
Land’), the Walk of Fame on Continue east to take in the
Hollywood Boulevard, Rodeo Southern Rim of the Grand Canyon
and impressive engineering
Drive, Beverley Hills, and the
famous Hollywood sign. Allow marvel Hoover Dam. Get your
at least a half day at the Getty photo taken on the fast-disappearing
Route 66 via Amboy. At
Museum, with its awesome collection
of art and unbeatable the Canyon, take the Sky Walk
views of the city and coastline. (horseshoe of Perspex jutting
Plug in your road ‘tape’, turn out over the 4000-feet drop).
up the volume and cruise the Continue to Hoover Dam (three
two hours to Palm Springs. hours) before hitting Vegas
This low-profile desert city, (one hour), baby!
surrounded by mountains, is The city has a heap more
famous for its architectural contributions
to modern America main strip; a visit to the Nation-
going for it than just its glitzy
– a self-guided tour (midcenturypalmsprings.com)
is a must, entertaining if sobering insight
al Atomic Testing Museum is an
especially the iconic Kaufmann into the Cold War and nuclear
House (1946) and Elvis Presley’s arms race, while the nearby Fremont
Street Experience takes
Honeymoon Hideaway (1957).
Joshua Tree is a further in the ‘old’ Las Vegas with its
hour’s drive; it’s a long strip smaller casinos, original neon
of not-much-happening with signs and offers true carnival
some must-pop-in-and-check- atmosphere (ride the horizontal
'em-out local stores dotted zipline!). As one local recommended:
“Everything’s a lot
between. Head 20 minutes
out of town to Joshua Tree looser down there.”
National Park for a truly
Las Vegas to Ridgecrest (site
The Local Voice Since 1991
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Joshua trees cast incredible, brooding
shapes against the desert sky; get your kicks... you know where;
former prison Alcatraz from atop Lombard Street, San Francisco.
of the US Navy’s
largest landholding with 12%
USA restricted airspace) takes
four hours 30 minutes, cutting
through Death Valley and its
marble-cake-colouring desert
mounds. Then it’s a 10-hour
day on the road heading up and
through the stunning, snowtouched
(in December) Sequoia
State Forest, some 7000 feet
above sea level, before dropping
down into Monterey and
Cannery Row (think John Steinbeck
and Big Little Lies).
Explore Big Sur down
Highway 1, taking in renowned
Pebble Beach golf course, plus
Carmel-by-Sea and Monterey
township, which was
fished out of sardines by
the 1960s and is a now a
National Marine Sanctuary.
In San Francisco, the
audio self-tour on Alcatraz
is a must. Also drive
across the Golden Gate
Bridge to Point Vista for
some mandatory holiday
snaps; ride a cable car from
the wharf district back to
town; have dinner in vibrant
Chinatown (R&G Lounge is
very good); and allow a few
hours to scale and explore
the recently expanded San
Francisco Museum of Modern
Art where you’ll take in Warhols
and Lichensteins and more.
– Nigel Wall
* Plan your own US road trip
now with DriveAway Holidays,
car rental from LAX
starting from $39/day ($270
for 7 days). Or treat yourself
with a Mustang Convertible
from $85/day ($598 for 7
days). All prices include full
insurance with nil excess
for complete peace of mind.
Visit driveaway.com.au or
speak to your travel agent.
FEBRUARY 2018 73
Photos: Nigel Wall; Lisa Offord
Travel Life

Travel Life
Travel Life
Top End tours top-shelf for memories
The Northern Territory
is home to a land of
contrasts, from the Red
Centre’s majestic natural
wonders to the Top End’s
vibrant floodplains and
hidden waterfalls.
A visit the heartland of Australia
will reveal traditional
Indigenous culture, where
you can view beautiful rock
art dating back thousands of
years, sample delicious and
authentic bush tucker and
hear stories of the land and
‘Dreamtime’.
TravelView’s Sharon Godden
says when you explore Australia’s
Top End with Inspiring
Journeys’ ‘Kakadu’s Ancient
Secrets’ tour you will discover
another side of the Outback –
a land of untamed wilderness,
winding rivers, lush wetlands
and spectacular wildlife.
“Begin your five-day journey
exploring serene Litchfield
National Park, where you can
swim in the secluded pools
of Wangi and Florence Falls,”
Sharon said. “Spot beautiful
birds and awe-inspiring
saltwater crocodiles with a
morning safari cruise on the
Mary River. Take in spectacular
views of Kakadu National
Park from Gunlom Falls and
marvel at the iconic sights
of Katherine River’s gorges
and canyons. Be immersed
in Australia’s heritage at the
rock art galleries of Ubirr and
Nourlangie and learn traditional
Indigenous painting
techniques.
“With Inspiring Journeys,
you will delight in the
benefits of boutique travel.
Unwind in distinctive eco-
lodges, enjoy the comfort
of luxury 4WD vehicles and
relax as our experts provide
authentic experiences that
create moments to last a
lifetime.”
Sharon added Inspiring Journeys’
‘Outback Australia: The
Colour of Red’ brings to life
Australia’s sacred heartland.
“Throughout this five-day
outback adventure you will
explore the Red Centre’s
most iconic sites while enjoying
touches of luxury and
immersive experiences, from
stylish accommodation and
4WD vehicles to distinctive
meals that capture the essence
of a destination,” she
said.
“You’ll be mesmerised by
the magic of a Red Centre
sunrise and delve into the
ancient history of Uluru and
Kata Tjuta… hike to the top
of Kings Canyon and be
rewarded with breathtaking
views and hidden gardens
before enjoying dinner ‘Under
a Desert Moon’ accompanied
by sparkling starlight.”
Other highlights include
exploring the West MacDonnell
Ranges and embarking on
a walk through the dramatic
Angkerle (Standley Chasm)
before wandering through
Simpsons Gap; plus learning
about outback life at Curtin
Springs cattle station and the
Royal Flying Doctor Service;
and appreciating Indigenous
connection to land with a delicious
bush tucker dinner.
For more info contact
TravelView Avalon; phone
9918 4444 or email sales@
travelview.net.au
74 FEBRUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991