Pittwater Life September 2017 Issue
Michael Robothan, When Crime Does Pay. Fair Trial. Greens With Envy. Keep Calm, Vote Wisely.
Michael Robothan, When Crime Does Pay. Fair Trial. Greens With Envy. Keep Calm, Vote Wisely.
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The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
MICHAEL<br />
ROBOTHAM<br />
WHEN CRIME<br />
DOES PAY...<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
FREE<br />
pittwaterlife<br />
FARE TRIAL<br />
CAN ON-DEMAND<br />
BUSES SOLVE<br />
TRANSPORT WOES?<br />
GREENS WITH ENVY<br />
PITTWATER’S PRIVATE<br />
GOLF HOLES REVEALED<br />
NB Council Election <strong>2017</strong><br />
KEEP CALM,<br />
VOTE WISELY<br />
+ DUMMIES GUIDE<br />
TO POLLING DAY
Editorial<br />
Stay calm and vote wisely...<br />
Far be it from us to tell you<br />
who you should vote for<br />
on Northern Beaches Council<br />
election day on <strong>September</strong> 9.<br />
That’s not how we do things.<br />
That said, there are some<br />
things we think you should<br />
consider to help you make<br />
your decision... Our cover line<br />
says it all: Stay calm and vote<br />
wisely. We believe the passion<br />
and hype surrounding the<br />
amalgamation of May 2016,<br />
and whether or not the former<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong> is returned, should be<br />
taken out of the equation.<br />
Be wary of investing in<br />
candidates who want to take<br />
us backwards, irrespective<br />
of their good intentions – if<br />
de-amalgamation is to happen<br />
it will happen, but it’s a wholly<br />
different matter to the one<br />
at hand: electing the office<br />
bearers we need who will take<br />
a seat at the table of a new<br />
business that turns over nearly<br />
$1 billion a year, and who will<br />
be charged with driving our<br />
local community forward.<br />
Our advice? We need<br />
progressive thinkers and good<br />
communicators on the new<br />
Council to ensure we have our<br />
hyper-local issues and concerns<br />
managed appropriately. We<br />
cannot afford to allow our<br />
voice to be muffled; we will<br />
be represented by just six of<br />
a total 15 councillors across<br />
the 254 square kilometres<br />
from Palm Beach to Manly to<br />
Davidson to Belrose (see our<br />
Dummies Guide on p25).<br />
We need individuals sensitive<br />
to our environment, both built<br />
and natural, who possess the<br />
business acumen (that doesn’t<br />
mean business professional)<br />
and the savvy required to not<br />
just deal with other councillors,<br />
but also negotiate with the<br />
government of the day to<br />
deliver the additional essential<br />
and other services we require,<br />
above and beyond seeing our<br />
bins emptied on time.<br />
Pride is an honourable trait;<br />
just be careful what you wish<br />
for.<br />
– Nigel Wall<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 3
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Email:<br />
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Website:<br />
www.pittwaterlife.com.au<br />
Publisher: Nigel Wall<br />
Managing Editor: Lisa Offord<br />
Graphic Design: CLS Design<br />
Photography: iStock<br />
Contributors: Rosamund<br />
Burton, Gabrielle Bryant, Brian<br />
Hrnjak, Jennifer Harris, Nick<br />
Carroll, Sue Carroll, Dr. John<br />
Kippen, Janelle Bloom, Geoff<br />
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Phone: 02 4570 4444<br />
Vol 27 No 2<br />
Celebrating 26 years<br />
MICHAEL<br />
ROBOTHAM<br />
WHEN CRIME<br />
DOES PAY...<br />
FARE TRIAL<br />
CAN ON-DEMAND<br />
BUSES SOLVE<br />
TRANSPORT WOES?<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
GREENS WITH ENVY<br />
PITTWATER’S PRIVATE<br />
GOLF HOLES REVEALED<br />
NB Council Election <strong>2017</strong><br />
KEEP CALM,<br />
VOTE WISELY<br />
+ DUMMIES GUIDE<br />
TO POLLING DAY<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
FREE<br />
pittwaterlife<br />
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thislife<br />
COVER: The first Northern Beaches Council election is<br />
on <strong>September</strong> 9 – we introduce you to all 41 candidates<br />
for our two local wards to help you decide who you<br />
will trust with your vote... and our future (p21). Plus<br />
we detail everything you need to know about voting<br />
in our ‘Dummies Guide’ (p25). Read about the NSW<br />
Government’s on-demand <strong>Pittwater</strong> transport trial (p6)<br />
and the amazing private golf holes hidden in our midst<br />
(p16). Plus we sit down with award-winning Avalon<br />
author Michael Robotham to discuss his ‘life of crime’<br />
(p34). COVER IMAGE: Jack Fontes / Narrabeen pool.<br />
also this month<br />
Editorial 3<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong> Local News 6-19<br />
<strong>2017</strong> Northern Beaches Council Election Special 21-28<br />
Community News Briefs 30-33<br />
<strong>Life</strong> Stories: Author Michael Robotham 34-35<br />
Art <strong>Life</strong> 36-39<br />
Surfing <strong>Life</strong> 40-41<br />
Health & Wellbeing; Hair & Beauty 42-49<br />
Money & Finance 50-52<br />
Local Call 54-55<br />
Law 56-57<br />
Food 64-66<br />
Gardening <strong>Life</strong> 68-69<br />
Travel <strong>Life</strong> 73-74<br />
the goodlife<br />
Restaurants, food, gigs, travel and gardening.<br />
Also find our regular features on beauty, health, surfing,<br />
art, local history, our guide to trades and services, money,<br />
law and our essential maps.<br />
ATTENTION ADVERTISERS!<br />
Bookings and advert material to set for<br />
our OCTOBER issue MUST be supplied by<br />
FRIDAY 8 SEPTEMBER<br />
Finished art & editorial submissions deadline:<br />
FRIDAY 15 SEPTEMBER<br />
The OCTOBER issue will be published<br />
on WEDNESDAY 27 SEPTEMBER<br />
COPYRIGHT<br />
All contents are subject to copyright and may not be reproduced except with the<br />
written consent of the copyright owner. GST: All advertising rates are subject to GST.<br />
4 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
On-demand transport<br />
It's access<br />
for all areas<br />
News<br />
The State Government’s<br />
on-demand transport trial<br />
for the upper northern<br />
beaches, aimed at improving<br />
access to main road bus stops<br />
from the outer reaches of the<br />
peninsula, will utilise a fleet of<br />
eight four-seater cars, <strong>Pittwater</strong><br />
<strong>Life</strong> can reveal.<br />
The government hopes<br />
uptake of the super low-cost,<br />
Uber-like service, timed to coincide<br />
with the commencement<br />
of the B-Line later this year, will<br />
prove a success and help solve<br />
the problem of congested car<br />
parking along the new rapid<br />
transport route.<br />
Cars have been chosen to fulfil<br />
the <strong>Pittwater</strong> trial due to the<br />
difficult geographical nature<br />
of parts of the peninsula that<br />
would prove challenging for<br />
mini buses to negotiate.<br />
Local MP Rob Stokes said the<br />
on-demand pilot – which will<br />
run for an initial six-month<br />
period and may be extended<br />
for up to two years – would<br />
allow commuters from Palm<br />
Beach to Narrabeen to book a<br />
ride by phone call or online, or<br />
through a custom-built app.<br />
Customers would be dropped<br />
off at the nearest transport hub<br />
– and could arrange a return<br />
journey from the bus stop<br />
home if required.<br />
“We want to make it as easy<br />
as possible for everyone to<br />
access public transport – so<br />
it’s entirely appropriate for<br />
the government to be trialling<br />
something that’s a little outside<br />
the square,” Mr Stokes said.<br />
The pilot is crucial to fulfilling<br />
the important ‘first and last<br />
mile’ component of the new<br />
local rapid transport set-up.<br />
The standard one-way fare<br />
will be $3.10, with a 50% discount<br />
for seniors and pensioners,<br />
apprentices and students.<br />
Its operating hours are Mon-Fri<br />
UBER-LIKE: Your personal chariot awaits…<br />
6am-10pm, Sat 7am-7pm and<br />
Sunday 7am-5pm; bookings can<br />
be made at least 30 minutes before<br />
and up to one month prior<br />
to the required pick-up.<br />
The on-demand trial will be<br />
operated by the partnership<br />
of Keolis Downer, Australia’s<br />
largest provider of multi-modal<br />
public transport (Keolis are<br />
70% owned by SNCF, the French<br />
national rail operator) and<br />
regulated by Transport NSW.<br />
The partnership operates the<br />
Yarra Trams in Victoria and<br />
also the Gold Coast Light Rail<br />
in Queensland.<br />
Keolis Downer entered the<br />
bus market in 2015; they currently<br />
run 930 buses on 91<br />
routes in South Australia, Western<br />
Australia and Queensland.<br />
The Group have partnered<br />
with car share company Go Get<br />
who will provide the vehicles<br />
for the trial.<br />
“There are many elderly<br />
members of our community<br />
who live in areas that aren’t<br />
easily accessible by traditional<br />
buses,” Mr Stokes continued.<br />
“This is an additional option<br />
that could help support their<br />
transport independence.<br />
“This trial will not replace<br />
any existing bus services – but<br />
will complement the range<br />
of transport opportunities<br />
already on offer.”<br />
Minister for Transport<br />
and Infrastructure Andrew<br />
Constance said the <strong>Pittwater</strong><br />
trial would transform the daily<br />
commute for workers.<br />
“This trial is just the start of<br />
our transport future in NSW<br />
6 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
– imagine not having to check<br />
a timetable because you know<br />
your service will be there when<br />
and where you need it,” he said.<br />
Local community spokespeople<br />
welcomed the trial but maintained<br />
their concerns about the<br />
new B-Line service.<br />
CABPRA president David<br />
Owen described the trial as an<br />
interesting experiment.<br />
“But it completely misses the<br />
issue we have in northern<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong> and that is the majority<br />
of residents should be within<br />
walking distance (400 metres)<br />
of fast and reliable public<br />
transport services that will take<br />
them into the city on an express<br />
basis throughout the day without<br />
changing buses.<br />
“Until these express bus<br />
services are in place, the ondemand<br />
transport trial is very<br />
much misdirected.”<br />
PBWBA president Dr Richard<br />
West said his membership supported<br />
the trial and would be<br />
keen to see its results.<br />
“However, its introduction<br />
does not negate the necessity to<br />
continue an express bus from<br />
Palm Beach to the city in peak<br />
and off-peak hours,” he said.<br />
“This trip to the city is the<br />
longest commuter bus trip in<br />
Sydney. There should be no<br />
necessity to change buses.<br />
Changing buses will make the<br />
trip from Palm Beach to the<br />
city even longer.”<br />
Newport Residents Association<br />
president Gavin Butler said<br />
any initiative that made public<br />
transport more accessible had<br />
to be looked on positively.<br />
But he was surprised at the<br />
‘eleventh hour’ announcement.<br />
“Transport experts say the<br />
most essential aspect of rapid<br />
transport is what they term the<br />
‘first mile/last mile’ component<br />
– the services which feed<br />
into the core route,” he said.<br />
“So here we have an announcement,<br />
barely two<br />
months prior to the revised<br />
launch of the system, which<br />
only now addresses the local<br />
aspects that should have been<br />
the first stage of the planning<br />
process.<br />
“As an established local<br />
residents association, our<br />
problem is not with the B-Line<br />
per se – it is with the abysmal<br />
lack of planning and community<br />
engagement that becomes<br />
more evident as the juggernaut<br />
rolls on.” – Nigel Wall<br />
Plan to wipe eyesore Pasadena<br />
Locals have supported a joint State Government and Northern<br />
Beaches Council initiative that would see the derelict former<br />
restaurant Pasadena at Church Point purchased in the public<br />
interest to remove a stumbling block to the waterside suburb’s<br />
much-needed community infrastructure expansion.<br />
Opened in 1930, in its time Pasadena was a vibrant ambassador<br />
for <strong>Pittwater</strong> but since winding up operations in 2009 it has<br />
become little more than a waterfront eyesore, wedged between the<br />
public carpark and the commuter wharf hub.<br />
President of the Clareville and Bilgola Plateau Residents<br />
Association David Owen said residents would approve the<br />
acquisition if the purchase price was reasonable to ratepayers.<br />
“It would fit in well with a low key, iconic community precinct<br />
concept,” he said. “The last thing we would want to see on the site<br />
is more car parking.”<br />
Local MP Rob Stokes said he was delighted the State<br />
Government was continuing its financial support to Council<br />
for the Church Point precinct, having already chipped in for the<br />
car parking, boardwalk and pedestrian improvements being<br />
introduced.<br />
“The site is literally the missing piece in the puzzle – its location<br />
in the centre of the community precinct is prohibitive in enabling<br />
Council to proceed with broader landscaping, recreational and<br />
community infrastructure improvements,” he said.<br />
Negotiations will continue with the property owner; if<br />
unsuccessful the site will be compulsorily acquired.<br />
News<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 7
News<br />
Maz turns ‘life fails’<br />
into successful read<br />
Avalon gym owner Maz<br />
Compton says she’s<br />
crammed all the news that’s<br />
fit to print about her career<br />
in music and entertainment<br />
media – all the positive news,<br />
at least – into her new e-book,<br />
‘UnEdited’.<br />
The former MTV Australia<br />
host and breakfast radio star<br />
said the concept came to her<br />
while she was writing a blog.<br />
She noticed some stories<br />
garnered more interest than<br />
others – usually celebrity<br />
encounters and confessions<br />
on her “life fails”.<br />
“The idea was for a collection<br />
of my best and worst<br />
moments and put them into<br />
one hilarious read,” Maz says.<br />
“It took about a year to write<br />
and about a decade to do all<br />
the stuff that I have written<br />
about.”<br />
She said anyone mentioned<br />
in the book was included because<br />
she has a great memory<br />
with them – including an<br />
unusual encounter with ‘Iron<br />
Man’ star Robert Downey Jr.<br />
“Yes, he called me a piece<br />
of s*** – but if you read the<br />
whole story and not just the<br />
out-of-context quote in the<br />
online news, you’ll see it<br />
was a hilarious and playful<br />
exchange,” Maz said.<br />
“I’d like to think that anyone<br />
I encountered during my<br />
career, on and off the air, had<br />
a good experience with me.<br />
“The stories I want to share<br />
are with people worth sharing<br />
about – it goes completely<br />
against my core as a person to<br />
write an expose or to gossip.<br />
I’ve chosen to reflect on my<br />
time in media with a positive<br />
energy and light.<br />
“I’ve learnt a lot along the<br />
way and I felt it was important<br />
to include not just the<br />
celebrity moments, but the<br />
fabric of life stuff as well.”<br />
Maz, who operates F45 at<br />
Avalon, says she isn’t in a<br />
hurry to return to the industry<br />
she left two years ago.<br />
“I am enjoying a new pace<br />
of life, helping people on their<br />
health journey and I am finding<br />
day by day is a great way<br />
for me to do life, as opposed<br />
to interview by interview –<br />
and I’ve already started writing<br />
‘UnEdited 2.0’.”<br />
And the three most relaxing<br />
things in her life now?<br />
“I live across the road from<br />
the beach and I love it! My<br />
husband just started baking<br />
his own sourdough bread and<br />
I love it! I can wear sneakers,<br />
all day, every day… and I love<br />
it!” – Nigel Wall<br />
8 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
News<br />
Logo or loco? Beaches get a new<br />
identity packed with symbolism<br />
Like it or not, prepare to be swamped by the<br />
Northern Beaches Council’s new logo as<br />
it’s rolled out to brand garbage trucks, street<br />
signs, boundary signs, uniforms and caps,<br />
rates notices and Council correspondence –<br />
even merchandise like mugs and<br />
pencil cases – over the coming<br />
months and years.<br />
Our new ‘Identity’ – a State<br />
Government requirement<br />
of the interim council<br />
prior to the <strong>September</strong> 9<br />
election – was revealed<br />
in August, along with its<br />
$42,000 price tag, following<br />
six months of community<br />
consultation.<br />
The swirly, wave-like logo<br />
combines key elements of the<br />
three former Council regions in<br />
a new united symbol for life on the<br />
Northern Beaches.<br />
The artwork includes depictions of a collection<br />
of flora and fauna, plus man-made elements<br />
synonymous with the Northern Beaches.<br />
There’s a humpback whale, Norfolk pine,<br />
pelican, weedy seadragon, Bluetongue lizard,<br />
references to sailing and surfing plus other elements<br />
relating to culture and heritage, music<br />
and creativity and community and nature.<br />
One of the key drivers of the project, local<br />
arts identity Lorrie Morgan, says the identity<br />
“speaks about everything we are and brings<br />
everybody together”.<br />
However, feedback received by <strong>Pittwater</strong><br />
<strong>Life</strong> to date has been mixed.<br />
While many people gave the artwork<br />
the thumbs-up, just as<br />
many said they believed the<br />
logo was “too complicated<br />
and busy” and described it<br />
as “an ink blot”.<br />
Council General Manager<br />
Mark Ferguson said more<br />
than 2000 locals, including<br />
residents, businesses,<br />
Indigenous representatives, a<br />
community advisory panel, staff,<br />
members of the Implementation Advisory<br />
Group (IAG) and Local Representative<br />
Committee (LRC) participated and provided<br />
insights during extensive workshops, interviews,<br />
pop-ups and online exercises.<br />
The new identity was developed in conjunction<br />
with the new website.<br />
* What else can you see? Turn to p55 for an<br />
explanation. Do you like what you see? Tell<br />
us at readers@pittwaterlife.com.au<br />
Fundraiser<br />
is a fete<br />
accompli!<br />
Organisers of the Avalon<br />
PS Fete on Sunday <strong>September</strong><br />
10 say they are taking<br />
the biennial event to a<br />
whole new level.<br />
"We've flipped the traditional<br />
fete program and<br />
added cool and creative<br />
bohemian workshops,<br />
competitions and stalls<br />
that blend with our unique<br />
Avalon vibe... your vibe<br />
attracts your tribe!"<br />
There'll be a giant tipi<br />
filled with kids' tribal<br />
workshops as well as<br />
yoga, music and movement<br />
and drumming<br />
sessions, an epic skate<br />
course, comps for all ages<br />
(c'mon dads) and a mechanical<br />
surf competition.<br />
In a nod to tradition, all<br />
classes have been working<br />
on activities and stalls including<br />
tombola and show<br />
bags. You'll also find artisan<br />
stalls and amusement<br />
rides. From 9am-3pm.<br />
12 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
IHAPs corruption clampdown<br />
The state government has<br />
clamped down on possible<br />
corruption in the approval<br />
process for large scale development,<br />
with Sydney councils<br />
stripped of their power and decision-making<br />
instead handed<br />
to mandatory Independent<br />
Hearing and Assessment Panels<br />
(IHAPs).<br />
New legislation passed will<br />
see the independent bodies<br />
consider applications valued<br />
at between $5 million and $30<br />
million as well as a range of<br />
high-risk development types.<br />
Significantly, property developers<br />
and real estate agents<br />
will not be able to sit on the<br />
new panels.<br />
Minister for Planning and<br />
Housing Anthony Roberts<br />
says the IHAPs will bring<br />
transparency, integrity and a<br />
high degree of probity to the<br />
development application (DA)<br />
assessment process and give<br />
communities and ratepayers<br />
greater certainty about planning<br />
decisions.<br />
“Most importantly, local<br />
councils will be able to focus<br />
on preparing the strategic<br />
plans and development<br />
controls that will identify the<br />
range and location of development<br />
types for their local<br />
area,” he said.<br />
The panels will comprise<br />
three independent expert<br />
members and a community<br />
member; the community<br />
member, to be selected by the<br />
Council, will represent the geographical<br />
area within the LGA<br />
of the proposed development.<br />
IHAP members, who will<br />
be chosen by Councils from a<br />
pool managed by the Department<br />
of Planning and<br />
Environment, will have to be<br />
an expert in at least one of:<br />
planning, architecture, heritage,<br />
the environment, urban<br />
design, economics, traffic and<br />
transport, law, engineering,<br />
tourism, or government and<br />
public administration.<br />
The Chair must also have<br />
expertise in law or government<br />
and public administration.<br />
Local councils will still<br />
process most applications for<br />
individual houses.<br />
News<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 13
6THINGS<br />
THIS MONTH<br />
News<br />
<strong>Life</strong> skill opportunity. Young<br />
people 17-25 can learn how to<br />
support someone in a crisis at<br />
a workshop which introduces<br />
core counselling skills and draws<br />
on the experience of <strong>Life</strong>line<br />
Australia. Accidental Counsellor<br />
Training participants will receive<br />
a statement of attendance at the<br />
completion of the course in Mona<br />
Vale on Wed 6 from 5-9pm. Cost<br />
$20 – the usual $150 cost is being<br />
subsidised by <strong>Life</strong>line Northern<br />
Beaches and NB Council.<br />
Bookings essential 9970 1600.<br />
Off with the birds. Join a<br />
guided bird walk with <strong>Pittwater</strong><br />
Natural Heritage Association on<br />
Sun 17 at Irrawong Reserve from<br />
8-10am. Wear a hat, comfortable<br />
shoes and bring a water bottle<br />
and binoculars. Meet corner of<br />
Irrawong Rd and Epworth Rd.<br />
More info pnhabirdwatching@<br />
gmail.com or 0402 605 721.<br />
New cultural space<br />
workshop. Take part in a<br />
workshop to shape <strong>Pittwater</strong>’s<br />
new Cultural Space on Tues 19,<br />
2-4pm at Newport Community<br />
Centre. Book by Sept 12. Contact<br />
Zoe Johnson on 9970 1171.<br />
Sniff and pick. Get along to<br />
Mona Vale Garden Club’s 46th<br />
Spring Flower Show on Sat 23<br />
and see displays of flowers,<br />
vegetables, herbs and floral<br />
art. All entries will be judged.<br />
Refreshments, cakes, crafts and<br />
white elephant goods for sale.<br />
Adults $2; children free. At the Ted<br />
Blackwood Hall Warriewood.<br />
Get jazzed up. Experience the<br />
celebration of sound, great food<br />
and good vibes of the Manly Jazz<br />
Festival, marking its 40th year on<br />
Sat 30 – Mon 2 Oct with a variety<br />
of international and local guests<br />
performing in multiple indoor and<br />
outdoor venues.<br />
Peta Credlin visit. Like a good<br />
back-story to politics? You might<br />
find an event on Oct 12 of interest<br />
when the Palm Beach Liberal<br />
Party Branch and Jason Falinski<br />
host guest speaker Peta Credlin<br />
(Tony Abbott’s former COS) at<br />
a Spring Dinner at Moby Dick’s,<br />
Whale Beach. Tickets $150<br />
available now, online.nsw.liberal.<br />
org.au/events/<strong>2017</strong> or phone<br />
8356 0300 and ask for events.<br />
14 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
News<br />
Private golf<br />
designs are a<br />
hole lot of fun<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong> boasts some of<br />
the finest members-only<br />
golf courses in Sydney – but<br />
the region is also witnessing<br />
a growing trend in private<br />
golf holes maintained with<br />
meticulous care on large-acre<br />
properties.<br />
It’s both the ideal<br />
compromise if you can’t spare<br />
five hours to play 18 holes –<br />
and the prefect addition for<br />
golf-mad home owners.<br />
The smattering of custombuilt<br />
‘backyard’ holes use<br />
the best turf, practices and<br />
standards.<br />
Local turf care specialist<br />
Liam Ash has overseen<br />
maintenance of a few holes<br />
(locations withheld for<br />
privacy reasons) since 2015.<br />
One is a downhill par-3<br />
built by two construction<br />
professionals in 2010; it<br />
measures 105 metres with<br />
four tee boxes and comprises<br />
the finest quality Santa Ana<br />
couch on its fairway, plus poabent<br />
greens that are closely<br />
mown and rolled to run<br />
extremely fast.<br />
“It is like managing any<br />
hole on a regular golf course,”<br />
says Liam, who was assistant<br />
superintendent at Monash<br />
Country Club prior to starting<br />
his business, Platinum Turf<br />
Solutions.<br />
“There is a fleet of<br />
equipment that was purchased<br />
for the maintenance of<br />
the green, tee, fairway and<br />
surrounding areas. We deal<br />
with the same pressures of<br />
pests and diseases that all fine<br />
turf growers do, which means<br />
that in summer we have staff<br />
here every day.<br />
“This place is tournamentready<br />
every day,” he<br />
continued. “In summer, we<br />
do around 10 hours a week,<br />
dropping in winter to around<br />
6-7. There is also a lot of<br />
garden maintenance.”<br />
16 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
The hole even has its own<br />
‘Country Club’ logo for its flag<br />
and tees, plus a sandstone<br />
sign that directs golfers to the<br />
adjacent billiard room that<br />
also serves as the 'clubhouse'.<br />
Liam said the hole provided<br />
hours of ‘home’ entertainment<br />
– with A-list celebs and PGA<br />
professionals among those to<br />
have teed it up.<br />
Liam began his private<br />
greenkeeping journey after<br />
work hours and quickly realised<br />
a business opportunity.<br />
“The Northern Beaches<br />
offers city living but five<br />
minutes up the road there are<br />
5-acre blocks with amazing<br />
lawns,” he said.<br />
“There is definitely a<br />
market for private golf holes<br />
on the beaches – plus it<br />
increases land value, creates<br />
an entertainer’s dream and is<br />
downright amazing!<br />
“It’s all about building to<br />
your budget. If you didn’t<br />
want to outlay as much you<br />
could look at just a putting<br />
surface – we specialise in<br />
tailoring projects to meet all<br />
different needs.”<br />
Liam said building his<br />
business (details p27) had<br />
been tough, but rewarding.<br />
“I was told I was too young<br />
to take on management role<br />
in the golf industry – now I<br />
manage multi-million-dollar<br />
projects and I maintain<br />
properties worth millions of<br />
dollars,” he said.<br />
“My regular clients are<br />
really seeing the benefits of<br />
employing a greenkeeper to<br />
maintain their properties.”<br />
– Nigel Wall<br />
News<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 17
Clubby, lifeguard battle<br />
News<br />
Local surf lifesaving<br />
heads say they expect<br />
the service provided<br />
by their members and paid<br />
lifeguards to continue as a<br />
‘status quo’ following the<br />
election of the new Northern<br />
Beaches Council.<br />
It follows assurances given<br />
by outgoing council administrator<br />
Dick Persson and Your<br />
Northern Beaches Independent<br />
team (YNBIT) head<br />
Michael Regan that there<br />
were no plans to change or<br />
expand the existing arrangement<br />
which sees professional<br />
lifeguards currently<br />
employed at beaches in the<br />
former Manly and Warringah<br />
regions, alongside volunteer<br />
SLS members.<br />
Surf <strong>Life</strong> Saving Sydney<br />
Northern Beaches (SLS SNB)<br />
CEO Steve McInnes said fears<br />
of a push to further dilute<br />
the status of the volunteer<br />
club members appeared<br />
unfounded.<br />
At the same time, he confirmed<br />
SLS SNB’s own plan to<br />
expand their responsibilities<br />
on the beaches, saving ratepayers<br />
money by delivering<br />
wholescale lifesaving services<br />
free; such a move would see<br />
the number of paid lifeguards<br />
reduced.<br />
“We acknowledge that the<br />
YNBIT has written to our<br />
Clubs advising that it has no<br />
plans to expand the current<br />
paid lifeguard service for the<br />
upcoming season which is the<br />
same commitment we have<br />
received from the Administrator,”<br />
Mr McInnes said.<br />
“We welcome this, as the<br />
nine <strong>Pittwater</strong> SLS Clubs (Warriewood<br />
to North Palm Beach)<br />
have managed their beaches<br />
for the past 20 years without<br />
the need of assistance from a<br />
paid lifeguard.”<br />
He said SLS would work<br />
closely with the newly elected<br />
Council to review the three<br />
different models that currently<br />
exist regarding beach<br />
management (lifesaving<br />
services), security of tenure<br />
(leases) and funding to SLS<br />
clubs, and hoped to have the<br />
situation resolved for the<br />
2018/19 season.<br />
Meanwhile he confirmed<br />
SLS SNB president Doug Menzies<br />
had written to council<br />
candidates seeking pledges<br />
and support on several issues,<br />
including a review of the current<br />
arrangements for beach<br />
management, based on a<br />
risk-based appraisal of needs<br />
and potential savings to the<br />
community.<br />
Also, in the new Council’s<br />
first term, the SLS SNB is<br />
seeking replacement 20-year<br />
leases for all Clubs on Council<br />
or Crown land (the majority<br />
of current leases expire in<br />
2020); plus increased funding<br />
for their 21 SLS Clubs and<br />
Branch “based on the value<br />
we provide to the community<br />
– currently less than 3.5% of<br />
our operating expenditure is<br />
met by Council”.<br />
Mr Menzies added they<br />
would pass on to their membership<br />
“the names of all candidates<br />
who sign this pledge<br />
prior to the election”.<br />
Mr McInnes continued:<br />
“Our SLS Clubs are essentially<br />
a service provider to<br />
Council and the community,<br />
providing a voluntary rescue<br />
service year-round (we are on<br />
call 24/7) but more evident<br />
in the summer months when<br />
volunteers patrol the beaches<br />
on weekends and public<br />
holidays.<br />
“Last season we invested<br />
more than 150,000 volunteer<br />
hours patrolling the beaches<br />
between Manly and North<br />
Palm Beach and an estimated<br />
similar number of hours in<br />
training for new awards and<br />
maintaining skills.”<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong> ward independent<br />
candidate and Avalon Beach<br />
SLS office bearer Robert Hopton<br />
said he was in favour of<br />
the objectives.<br />
“Our clubs are important<br />
community hubs which<br />
build better communities;<br />
they need to be encouraged<br />
and allowed to grow their<br />
members, not become fearful<br />
about disappearing into the<br />
background.”<br />
YNBIT head Michael Regan,<br />
who has nominated to run in<br />
Curl Curl ward in the Council<br />
election, said he had been<br />
forced to quash “malicious<br />
rumours swirling around various<br />
Surf <strong>Life</strong>saving circles”.<br />
He confirmed that if<br />
elected, he would lobby for<br />
existing lifeguard contracts<br />
to remain in place and if possible,<br />
renewed where need be<br />
18 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
‘cools’<br />
BEFORE<br />
AFTER<br />
– with no plans for expansion<br />
into beaches of the former<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong>.<br />
“Surf Clubs play a vital role<br />
in the service to our community<br />
alongside either Council<br />
<strong>Life</strong>guards, or in the former<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong> council area, alongside<br />
the contractor Monday to<br />
Friday,” Mr Regan said.<br />
“We confirm that we have<br />
no plans to change anything<br />
or alter any existing arrangements<br />
in regards to the provision<br />
of lifeguard services.<br />
YNBI team are committed to<br />
enhancing the service, and to<br />
working with each club and<br />
group of clubs to maximise<br />
community benefits.”<br />
He said every beach and<br />
every club was as unique as<br />
the community it served.<br />
“There is no ‘one size fits<br />
all’… it is our intention to<br />
sit down with all surf clubs<br />
– both through the branch,<br />
and separately – to see what<br />
can be done to ensure the<br />
relationships are enhanced,<br />
strengthened and aligned to<br />
community expectations.<br />
"If elected, we will address<br />
what was done well – and<br />
what wasn’t – and find solutions<br />
to existing problems.<br />
"The Council has a unique<br />
chance and more resources<br />
than ever before to deliver for<br />
our entire community – that<br />
includes surf clubs.”<br />
– Nigel Wall<br />
Paving the way for walking<br />
More residents and visitors<br />
will soon be able to walk<br />
to bus stops, wharfs, beaches<br />
and village centres safely<br />
with footpath improvements<br />
at Palm Beach, Careel Bay and<br />
Clareville set to get underway.<br />
Local member Rob Stokes<br />
recently announced the state<br />
government would provide<br />
Northern Beaches Council<br />
with $1 million to support<br />
foreshore and pedestrian access<br />
helping to accelerate the<br />
delivery of approved plans<br />
and community-initiated<br />
improvements.<br />
The projects include the<br />
Palm Beach (South) Landscape<br />
Masterplan, Careel Bay<br />
Foreshore Masterplan (Stage 2<br />
– Stage 1 pictured above) and<br />
the extension of the Hudson<br />
Parade Footpath Project<br />
between Clareville Beach and<br />
Taylors Point.<br />
The improvements have<br />
been strongly endorsed by<br />
residents associations.<br />
Palm Beach & Whale Beach<br />
Association President Dr<br />
Richard West said the plans<br />
preserved the iconic nature of<br />
Palm Beach while at the same<br />
time providing vastly improved<br />
pedestrian access and<br />
enjoyment in the iconic area.<br />
“This is particularly so<br />
for the elderly, disabled and<br />
young families with prams,<br />
strollers and toddlers, via<br />
appropriate walkways and<br />
thoughtful placement of street<br />
furniture,” Dr West said.<br />
The plans also provide for<br />
the stabilisation of the sea<br />
wall at the northern end of<br />
the beach to prevent further<br />
collapse of the wall.<br />
Work on the Careel Bay<br />
foreshore and footpaths along<br />
Hudson Parade Clareville will<br />
expand upon work done a few<br />
years ago.<br />
Extensive footpath improvements<br />
were introduced<br />
along Hudson Parade during<br />
2014 – but there’s a missing<br />
link that’s been identified by<br />
the community that until now<br />
hasn’t been funded, explained<br />
Mr Stokes.<br />
“With the Government soon<br />
to increase the frequency of<br />
public transport services operating<br />
through the Clareville<br />
area – completing this footpath<br />
project will have multiple<br />
benefits for surrounding<br />
residents,” Mr Stokes said.<br />
Clareville and Bilgola<br />
Plateau Residents’ Association<br />
President David Owen said<br />
this was “fantastic news” for<br />
the community.<br />
“It’s great to see the Council<br />
and State Government<br />
increase their emphasis on<br />
pedestrian safety, linking<br />
communities, and access to<br />
destinations as opposed to<br />
the previous ‘town-centric’<br />
footpath strategy,” Mr Owen<br />
said.<br />
“Now residents, both old<br />
and young, can safely walk to<br />
bus stops, beaches, wharfs,<br />
Avalon and even Whale Beach<br />
– and leave the car behind.”<br />
– Lisa Offord<br />
News<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 19
NB Council Election – <strong>Pittwater</strong> Ward<br />
LIBERALS: Kylie Ferguson (right), Dale Cohen<br />
and Allan Porter want a focus on long-term<br />
investment rather than short-term gain.<br />
FRIENDS OF PITTWATER: Peter Bosley, Jenny<br />
Stone and John Lettoof want to see a cap on<br />
building heights in the <strong>Pittwater</strong> ward.<br />
YOUR NORTHERN BEACHES INDEPENDENTS:<br />
Team head Michael Regan with <strong>Pittwater</strong> candidates<br />
Ian White, Katinga Schroeder and Bill Gye.<br />
Election Special<br />
LABOR: Hamish Tilley, Barbara Butt and Richard<br />
Pearse offer youth and experience; they support<br />
the B-Line being held in public ownership.<br />
Time to<br />
decide<br />
The first Northern Beaches Council<br />
election is on <strong>September</strong> 9. The former<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong> Council region comprises two<br />
wards; here's your guide to the total 41<br />
candidates and what they stand for...<br />
INDEPENDENTS FOR PITTWATER: Selena Griffith,<br />
Dr Suzanne Daly, Peter Middleton, Marcia Rackham<br />
and Lorrie Morgan offer experience and passion.<br />
GREENS: Miranda Korzy, Pru Wawn and Andrew<br />
McIntosh want an end to 'tokenistic' consultation<br />
and true community liaison restored.<br />
INDEPENDENTS: Alex McTaggart, Joss Stewart<br />
and Margaret Makin are opposed to a return to<br />
the 'bad old days of developer-driven culture'.<br />
INDEPENDENTS: Robert Hopton (centre) with<br />
Tony Blackie and Christine Hopton aim to ignite<br />
the passions of the younger generation locally.<br />
20 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
Independents<br />
Alex McTaggart: Elected to<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong> Council in 1999 on<br />
a platform of “community<br />
consultation” and served from<br />
1999 to 2008 Including mayor<br />
2005-07) and 2012-16; member<br />
for <strong>Pittwater</strong> in State Parliament<br />
2005-07.<br />
Joss Stewart: Former financial<br />
planner now retired;<br />
worked for community helping<br />
to build classrooms in<br />
Mongolia and helped establish<br />
indigenous scholarships in<br />
the NT.<br />
Margaret Makin: Former<br />
Elanora Heights and Bilgola<br />
Plateau school teacher now<br />
retired; former president of<br />
Bayview-Church Point Residents<br />
Association (currently<br />
secretary).<br />
Their pitch: “There are three<br />
key issues challenging the <strong>Pittwater</strong><br />
Ward – protecting and<br />
enhance the natural environment<br />
and our village lifestyle;<br />
managing the spectre of<br />
housing and population density<br />
being forced on us by the State<br />
Government; and opposing a<br />
return to the bad old days of<br />
developer-driven culture,” said<br />
Alex.<br />
“How <strong>Pittwater</strong> residents<br />
deal with the ‘new reality’ of<br />
the amalgamated council will<br />
be crucial… confrontation<br />
will lead to chaos and another<br />
administrator. Firm, articulate,<br />
vigilant representation should<br />
ensure a fair deal.<br />
“We must demand good<br />
governance from the mayor,<br />
councillors and council staff<br />
and insist on an open, consultative<br />
council which involves community<br />
and gives ownership of<br />
the decision-making process to<br />
the community.<br />
“The Government’s Greater<br />
Sydney Commission 20-year<br />
population increase with 3,400<br />
dwellings in the first five years<br />
is a moving projection, not a<br />
target – that’s not good enough!<br />
We will work to ensure realistic<br />
numbers are set.”<br />
NSW Liberals<br />
Kylie Ferguson: Former deputy<br />
mayor of <strong>Pittwater</strong>; was<br />
actively engaged in the new<br />
Northern Beaches Council.<br />
Dale Cohen: Mona Vale<br />
resident; longtime worker in<br />
the internet industry with<br />
ninemsn and Telstra.<br />
Allan Porter: An original <strong>Pittwater</strong><br />
councillor.<br />
Their pitch: “It is critical that<br />
experience is carried forward<br />
so that the potential benefits of<br />
a larger Council are not lost to<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong>,” said Kylie. “My experience<br />
and commitment will<br />
ensure we get our fair share.<br />
“We are pro-<strong>Pittwater</strong> and<br />
all things aimed at maintaining<br />
and enhancing the region’s<br />
wonderful mix of community,<br />
environment and unique beauty<br />
– both natural and built.<br />
“We promote long-term<br />
investment rather than shortterm<br />
financial gain. We welcome<br />
and encourage those who<br />
bring to the peninsula a vision,<br />
which is aligned to <strong>Pittwater</strong>’s<br />
existing qualities and evolving<br />
them respectfully for future<br />
generations.<br />
“We aim to help facilitate<br />
ongoing improvements in infrastructure<br />
in <strong>Pittwater</strong>, while<br />
fighting against inappropriate<br />
over-development that may<br />
be proposed as a result. “It’s<br />
crucial that we consult with the<br />
community on big issues and<br />
sustainability should be at the<br />
centre of everything we do."<br />
Independents<br />
for <strong>Pittwater</strong><br />
Selena Griffith: Former <strong>Pittwater</strong><br />
councillor; academic.<br />
Dr Suzanne Daly: Family<br />
doctor on Northern Beaches<br />
for 38 years; supports retaining<br />
Mona Vale Hospital with<br />
all essential services.<br />
Peter Middleton: Rotarian;<br />
former member <strong>Pittwater</strong><br />
Council Community Reference<br />
Groups.<br />
Marcia Rackham: President<br />
of the Mona Vale Residents<br />
Association.<br />
Lorrie Morgan: Arts advocate;<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong> Citizen of the<br />
Year 2012.<br />
Their pitch: “We are experienced<br />
community leaders<br />
with a proven track record of<br />
listening to, and advocating for,<br />
community across the Northern<br />
Beaches Council <strong>Pittwater</strong><br />
Ward on Environmental, Social,<br />
Development, Eco Tourism,<br />
Health, Sustainability, Transport,<br />
Culture, Arts and Heritage<br />
issues,” said Selena.<br />
“We are the only truly<br />
independent team running in<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong> Ward. We are dedicated<br />
to ensuring the people<br />
of <strong>Pittwater</strong> are heard in the<br />
new, larger council and are<br />
unencumbered by political or<br />
party ties which means we only<br />
answer to, and represent, you,<br />
the community, and promise to<br />
do so once elected.”<br />
Labor<br />
Hamish Tilley: Trainee train<br />
driver; lives Newport. Represents<br />
the voice of youth.<br />
Barbara Butt: School teacher<br />
40 years; recently retired.<br />
Active in community organisations,<br />
including Catholic Care.<br />
Richard Pearse: Teacher and<br />
academic; former president<br />
of Bayview Church Point Progress<br />
Association.<br />
Their pitch: “Labor’s position<br />
on amalgamation is that its<br />
communities should have the<br />
opportunity to opt out of an<br />
organisation if it does not meet<br />
the needs of the community,”<br />
said Hamish.<br />
“Our candidates will also<br />
work to achieve an effective<br />
Northern Beaches Council. The<br />
position is to make the new<br />
council live up to the goals<br />
of being more efficient and<br />
remaining responsive to the priorities<br />
of different communities.<br />
“The practice of creating<br />
place plans based on community<br />
needs initiated by<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong> Council – and applied<br />
to Mona Vale – has great value<br />
compared with ad hoc growth<br />
by individual developments<br />
or growth legislated by State<br />
governments.<br />
“The place plans for Mona<br />
Vale and being developed for<br />
Avalon should be continued<br />
and adjusted to community<br />
concerns to find workable compromises,<br />
in particular between<br />
building heights and affordable<br />
housing.<br />
“The current program to<br />
improve road congestion,<br />
alignments and footpaths in<br />
the Newport areas has to be<br />
extended to other critical roads<br />
in the area like in Church Point.<br />
“The use of narrow streets<br />
for trailer/boat parking is a<br />
transport and safety issue that<br />
has not been controlled by<br />
recent state government legislation<br />
and needs Council action.<br />
“We’re running at the local<br />
level because increasingly statelevel<br />
government policies are<br />
major drivers of what happens<br />
Continued on page 22<br />
Election Special<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 21
Election Special<br />
NB Council Election – <strong>Pittwater</strong> Ward<br />
Continued from page 21<br />
at the local level – as shown by<br />
the B-Line bus project, the redevelopments<br />
at Frenchs Forest<br />
and the need by local government<br />
to respond to housing targets<br />
set by state governments.<br />
“We believe in the development<br />
of the community and the<br />
protection of the environment<br />
rather than over-development<br />
and privatisation; in the advance<br />
of community facilities<br />
rather than of private interests;<br />
and in being accountable to the<br />
community as a whole, rather<br />
than to a particular interest.”<br />
Your Northern<br />
Beaches<br />
Independent Team<br />
Ian White: Former deputy<br />
mayor of <strong>Pittwater</strong>; teacher at<br />
Newport PS.<br />
Katinga Schroeder: Event<br />
manager; actively involved<br />
with local not-for-profit organisations.<br />
Lives Terrey Hills.<br />
Bill Gye: President Scotland<br />
Island Residents Association.<br />
Their pitch: “We’re a team<br />
of active locals and former<br />
councillors who have banded to<br />
take on the major political parties,”<br />
said Ian. “We are all nonaligned<br />
independents and all<br />
votes will be conscience votes.<br />
“We want to take the best<br />
things about the former <strong>Pittwater</strong><br />
Council and bring them to<br />
the new council. For example, I<br />
would like to see more innovations<br />
like the rotational energy<br />
fund (where savings in electrical<br />
costs by using new energysaving<br />
technology was banked<br />
and the money used to fund<br />
more energy savings).<br />
“I would also like to see the<br />
Ingleside escarpment (that was<br />
purchased by <strong>Pittwater</strong> Council)<br />
linked via a wildlife corridor to<br />
the National Park.<br />
“We will address the infrastructure<br />
deficit in the <strong>Pittwater</strong><br />
Ward. <strong>Pittwater</strong> Council,<br />
although well run, struggled to<br />
pay for much of its infrastructure.<br />
Low housing density and<br />
poorly constructed 1940s cutand-fill<br />
roads meant that much<br />
of the infrastructure budget<br />
had to be spent on road repair<br />
rather than building footpaths,<br />
gutters, cycleways and other<br />
basic infrastructure.<br />
“My team believes that<br />
limited strategic high-density<br />
housing should be considered<br />
as a solution for areas along<br />
the beaches that attract more<br />
business and new residents,<br />
but accept that the natural<br />
environment north of Mona<br />
Vale should be preserved for<br />
everyone to enjoy and high-rise<br />
should not dot the skyline.<br />
“Being nonaligned independents,<br />
we look forward to<br />
working with the State Government,<br />
but won’t let it impose its<br />
agenda on us. We need to work<br />
with all levels of government to<br />
ensure the best outcomes.<br />
“Our challenge is to work to<br />
build an inclusive council where<br />
all residents feel they belong<br />
– I know many residents are<br />
worried the new council could<br />
be remote and impersonal. It<br />
will be important that the new<br />
Council maintains the level of<br />
intimacy that residents have<br />
come to expect.”<br />
Greens<br />
Miranda Korzy: Local<br />
resident and journalist 15<br />
years; former vice president<br />
Barrenjoey HS P&C; helped set<br />
up ‘Protect <strong>Pittwater</strong>’ to regain<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong> Council.<br />
Pru Wawn: Visual arts<br />
teacher, member of numerous<br />
community groups.<br />
Andrew McIntosh: Accountant;<br />
environmentalist.<br />
Their pitch: “Top of our list<br />
is making local government<br />
open to the people it is meant<br />
to serve,” said Miranda. “We<br />
want the voices of ordinary<br />
people rather than tokenistic<br />
consultation. Accountability,<br />
transparency and community<br />
involvement will be of primary<br />
importance.<br />
“We will ensure we have a<br />
‘clean’ Council. Climate change<br />
is a serious threat to us in<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong>, with the increased<br />
likelihood of sea-level rise,<br />
flooding, bushfires and stress<br />
on local native flora and fauna.<br />
The Climate Council has recently<br />
found that 1 in 5 councils<br />
across the country are aiming<br />
for zero emissions and we can<br />
be amongst them.<br />
“Closely related to this is our<br />
commitment to environmental<br />
protection and sustainable<br />
development. Housing in <strong>Pittwater</strong><br />
should not be beyond<br />
the means of our young adults<br />
and ordinary workers. And we<br />
22 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
must face the reality that over<br />
the next 20 years, the over 65s<br />
will grow to 40 per cent of our<br />
population and will need homes<br />
suitable to their needs. The<br />
Greens on council will ensure<br />
that those homes are built to a<br />
human scale, without threatening<br />
the precious green spaces<br />
and character of the area we<br />
are entrusted with.<br />
“We will advocate to retain<br />
one of our most important community<br />
resources, Mona Vale<br />
Hospital.<br />
“We would continue building<br />
and maintaining appropriate<br />
walkways, tracks, bike paths<br />
and promoting public transport<br />
that works for <strong>Pittwater</strong>.<br />
And we would investigate the<br />
viability of a public pool heated<br />
in the colder months.<br />
“We have the greatest respect<br />
for independent candidates and<br />
their integrity. However, relying<br />
on a councillor’s conscience in a<br />
critical vote can be a gamble.”<br />
Independents<br />
Robert Hopton: Design and<br />
architecture specialist; active<br />
member of Avalon Beach SLS<br />
Club since 2000.<br />
Tony Blackie: Journalist and<br />
PR business owner; former<br />
head of Media for the ABC;<br />
beaches resident 35 years.<br />
Christine Hopton: Former<br />
President and life member<br />
Avalon Beach SLS Club; independent<br />
director for Surf <strong>Life</strong><br />
Saving Australia since 2011.<br />
Their pitch: “It’s time for<br />
renewal – we need to ignite<br />
the passions of our younger<br />
generation to preserve and<br />
enhance our unique natural<br />
environment,” said Robert.<br />
“Council looks after 270,000<br />
people, with an $800 million<br />
turnover – we need serious<br />
candidates and not individuals<br />
using Council as a political<br />
stepladder.<br />
“Our elected councillors need<br />
to have a strong and articulate<br />
voice at the ‘boardroom table’<br />
to ensure that the community<br />
voice is heard and to ensure<br />
that there is a continuity of<br />
the best processes and policies<br />
from the ‘old’ council.<br />
“We are firmly against height<br />
restrictions lifted to accommodate<br />
six-storeys; and for the<br />
renewal of our major business<br />
hubs in Mona Vale, Newport<br />
and Avalon Beach, so they can<br />
retain and attract businesses.”<br />
Added Tony: “Our council<br />
needs to be represented by<br />
people who have the community<br />
to heart and have the<br />
business acumen to be able to<br />
make decisions that improve<br />
our environment and protect<br />
our beaches.”<br />
Friends of <strong>Pittwater</strong><br />
Peter Bosley: High school<br />
teacher on the Northern<br />
Beaches for 35 years, now<br />
retired; member of Avalon<br />
Preservation Association and<br />
Friends of Mona Vale.<br />
Jenny Stone: Lived on the<br />
beaches 57 years, past 30 in<br />
Mona Vale; supporter of community<br />
groups including Narrabeen<br />
Lagoon Committee.<br />
John Lettoof: High school<br />
English teacher; patrol member<br />
Bilgola SLSC and member<br />
of Avalon Community Garden.<br />
Their pitch: “<strong>Pittwater</strong> is a relaxation<br />
and rejuvenation destination<br />
for people from all over<br />
Sydney, as well as international<br />
tourists – but we are now under<br />
threat from State Government<br />
planning laws working for developers<br />
with the aim of forcing<br />
further population, high-rise<br />
buildings and traffic density<br />
into our already full-to-capacity<br />
and congested environment,”<br />
said Peter. “We have only one<br />
road in and one road out.”<br />
Jenny said she wanted to see<br />
building heights limited to no<br />
greater than four storeys in <strong>Pittwater</strong><br />
Ward and supported the<br />
development of a communitybased<br />
alternative to the Mona<br />
Vale ‘Place Plan’.<br />
“I oppose any further<br />
development of Mona Vale Village<br />
Park, Kitchener Park and<br />
other Crown Lands in <strong>Pittwater</strong><br />
Ward, support the campaign for<br />
the return of <strong>Pittwater</strong> Council,<br />
reject any development in<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong>’s wildlife corridors,<br />
including Bayview Golf Course,<br />
and support the retention of<br />
emergency, maternity and<br />
other critical public facilities at<br />
Mona Vale Hospital.”<br />
John said: “It is local<br />
representation that must be<br />
paramount in the policies and<br />
deliberations of our local council.<br />
Selfish, self-earning agenda<br />
must bow therefore to local<br />
concerns and consensus.”<br />
Election Special<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 23
Dummies Guide to the Council Election<br />
When is the Council election?<br />
The first election for the new Northern<br />
Beaches Council will be held on Saturday<br />
9 <strong>September</strong>.<br />
Why are we having an election?<br />
On May 12 last year, the Northern Beaches<br />
Council was formed when the state<br />
government merged the former <strong>Pittwater</strong>,<br />
Warringah and Manly councils. In the leadup,<br />
Warringah council had fiercely advocated<br />
for the three councils amalgamating,<br />
while <strong>Pittwater</strong> and Manly had fought to<br />
stand alone within existing boundaries.<br />
Later, Manly and <strong>Pittwater</strong> proposed a<br />
plan that would see Warringah carved up,<br />
with <strong>Pittwater</strong> and Manly expanding their<br />
boundaries to take in new territory. However,<br />
the Government under then Premier<br />
Mike Baird chose to amalgamate Manly,<br />
Warringah and <strong>Pittwater</strong> councils as a single<br />
entity. The resulting Northern Beaches<br />
Council covers an area of 254 sq km with<br />
a population of approximately 266,000<br />
(based on latest Census). The government<br />
appointed Dick Persson and Mark Ferguson<br />
as Administrator and interim General<br />
Manager respectively.<br />
The election is your chance to have a say<br />
on who will be the council’s first councillors<br />
and who will represent the interests of<br />
the area where you live.<br />
Northern Beaches Council is divided into<br />
five new wards – Manly, Frenchs Forest,<br />
Curl Curl, Narrabeen and <strong>Pittwater</strong>. Residents<br />
in each ward will elect three councillors.<br />
There will be 15 councillors elected<br />
to run the new council and the head of the<br />
council – the mayor – will be elected annually<br />
by the councillors.<br />
Do I have to vote?<br />
Yes. Voting is compulsory for all residents<br />
18 years of age or older enrolled to vote.<br />
Fines apply for not voting. The penalty for<br />
failing to vote at a Local Government election<br />
is $55.<br />
Where can I vote?<br />
There is no absent voting at this election.<br />
You must vote in a polling place located<br />
within your council ward. Polling places at<br />
local schools and community centres are<br />
open 8am-6pm on election day.<br />
What happens if I can’t make it on<br />
election day?<br />
If you’ll be away from your ward, you must<br />
vote early in a pre-poll venue or via postal<br />
vote. Pre-poll voting is open from Monday<br />
28 August to Friday 8 <strong>September</strong> at Mona<br />
Vale Pre-Poll, 1 Park St Mona Vale; Northern<br />
Beaches Returning Officer’s Office Unit<br />
2, 192 Harbord Rd Brookvale; Manly Library<br />
and Sydney Town Hall. You can apply<br />
for a postal vote online at votensw.info (applications<br />
close 5pm <strong>September</strong> 4). Postal<br />
voting packs can be sent to any address<br />
you nominate in Australia or overseas.<br />
Completed postal votes must be received<br />
by 6pm Monday 11 <strong>September</strong>. There is no<br />
online voting for this election.<br />
What’s my ward?<br />
The fact you are reading <strong>Pittwater</strong> <strong>Life</strong><br />
means it is highly likely you will be voting<br />
for candidates in the <strong>Pittwater</strong> Ward or the<br />
Narrabeen Ward.<br />
Pitttwater Ward covers the northern<br />
end of the council territory including Terrey<br />
Hills, Mona Vale, Bayview, Newport,<br />
Bilgola, Avalon Beach, Whale Beach and<br />
Palm Beach.<br />
Narrabeen Ward covers north-central<br />
parts of the council including Collaroy,<br />
Narrabeen, Ingleside, Elanora Heights and<br />
Warriewood.<br />
You can get a clearer idea of the boundaries<br />
of the ward you live in by visiting the<br />
council website.<br />
How do I fill out the ballot paper?<br />
Carefully read the directions on the<br />
ballot paper. You can vote for a group by<br />
filling in squares above the line – known as<br />
'voting above the line'– or you can vote for<br />
individual candidates by filling in squares<br />
below the line. If you choose to vote above<br />
the line, you will be voting for that whole<br />
group of candidates in the descending order<br />
they are listed below that square. That<br />
is all you have to do. If you vote this way,<br />
you do not put numbers in any squares<br />
below the line. If you do not want to vote<br />
for a whole group but for individual candidates<br />
in any order, you may choose to<br />
Sources: NB Council Website, Electoral Commission NSW and Australian Electoral Commission.<br />
vote below the line. To vote, you must put<br />
a number ‘1’ in one of the squares below<br />
the line and then put choices, starting with<br />
the number ‘2’. The directions on the ballot<br />
paper will tell you how many choices you<br />
must show for your vote to be counted. You<br />
can then show more choices, after that,<br />
if you want. If you vote this way, you do<br />
not put any numbers in any squares above<br />
the line.<br />
Who are the candidates?<br />
Candidates in the <strong>Pittwater</strong> and Narrabeen<br />
wards in this election are grouped as<br />
Independents, Liberal, Labor, The Greens<br />
and Your Northern Beaches Independent<br />
Team. Candidates are (mostly!) locals<br />
(check!); some have many years of local<br />
government experience having served on<br />
previous councils; others are community<br />
leaders taking their first step into subpolitics…<br />
and there are some new faces,<br />
too. In the <strong>Pittwater</strong> Ward there are 26 candidates<br />
in 8 groups (ordered A-H, based<br />
on pre-determined ballot… so there could<br />
be some good stuff down the bottom!)<br />
In the Narrabeen Ward there are 15 candidates<br />
in 5 groups (A-E). Regular readers<br />
would have seen stories on many of the<br />
candidates in previous issues and we’ve<br />
brought them all together in this issue.<br />
When will we find out the results?<br />
Results will be available as they are counted<br />
once polls close at 6pm on election<br />
day. The first results are estimated to be<br />
available about 6.30pm and most election<br />
night results by 10pm.<br />
What next?<br />
The first meeting of the newly elected<br />
Northern Beaches Council will be held in<br />
the chambers in Dee Why on 26 <strong>September</strong><br />
at 6.30pm when the Mayor and<br />
Deputy Mayor will be elected by the 15<br />
councillors. An agenda will be available on<br />
the council website. Council meetings are<br />
usually held on the fourth Tuesday of each<br />
month.<br />
– compiled by Lisa Offord<br />
Election Special<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 25
NB Council Election – Narrabeen Ward<br />
INDEPENDENTS: Conny Harris, Stephen Baldwin<br />
and Jayden Walsh have the Narrabeen catchment<br />
at the top of their agenda.<br />
LABOR: Pam Ward, with Sean Sotheran-Campbell<br />
and John Ward, support appropriate development<br />
and change, with a focus on affordable housing.<br />
NSW LIBERALS: Rory Amon (right) with Neil Stronach<br />
and Vicky McGahey, aim to bring down rates,<br />
cut costs and set up a Narrabeen masterplan.<br />
Election Special<br />
TRUE INDEPENDENTS: Vincent De Luca (centre)<br />
with Tammy Cook and Tony Biasi will work to deliver<br />
more services at better value to ratepayers.<br />
YOUR NORTHERN BEACHES INDEPENDENTS:<br />
Sue Heins (centre) with Rohan Fisher and Matt<br />
Nicholson will push for meetings with residents.<br />
Your Northern Beaches<br />
Independent Team<br />
Sue Heins: Former deputy mayor of<br />
Warringah; businesswoman and strong<br />
advocate for local business. In 2015, Sue<br />
received the Minister’s Award for Women<br />
in Local Government.<br />
Rohan Fisher: Former president of the<br />
South Narrabeen Surf <strong>Life</strong> Saving Club<br />
and current Duty Operations Advisor<br />
for Surf <strong>Life</strong> Saving Sydney Northern<br />
Beaches; heavily involved with the Dee<br />
Why Lions Rugby Club and is passionate<br />
about council’s provision of youth<br />
services.<br />
Matt Nicholson: Former Australian and<br />
NSW cricket representative; lives North<br />
Narrabeen.<br />
Their pitch: “We need to create a solid<br />
and sound foundation for our new council<br />
based on transparency, good governance<br />
and respect,” says Sue. “If we don’t get it<br />
right now, we will face endless problems in<br />
the future.<br />
“We believe the Northern Beaches<br />
Independent Team is the right platform<br />
to find solutions for our community,<br />
within our community. We want common<br />
sense and transparency to be reflected<br />
in a new council, along with financial<br />
sustainability to provide the services and<br />
infrastructure needed right now and for<br />
future generations.<br />
“We regard community consultation<br />
as vital and, believing that compromise<br />
can only be reached when different<br />
perspectives are put forward, we would<br />
like to introduce a regular meeting point<br />
where residents can bring their concerns,<br />
ask questions and be heard.<br />
“Our wish list to work through if<br />
elected includes giving the business<br />
community a voice at council, determining<br />
a firm direction for more sporting<br />
fields; protecting our biodiversity;<br />
supporting local lifesaving and its 12,000<br />
members; facilitating a stronger voice<br />
for local youth; and upgrading council<br />
playgrounds.”<br />
True Independents<br />
Vincent De Luca: Solicitor; former Warringah<br />
councillor; awarded OAM in 2004<br />
for service to the community; lives North<br />
Curl Curl.<br />
Tony Biasi: Local small business owner;<br />
former President of St Paul’s College,<br />
Manly Parents and Friends Association.<br />
Tammy Cook: Full-time working mum;<br />
member of Narrabeen Beach Surf <strong>Life</strong><br />
Saving Club since 2007 where she currently<br />
serves in Administration Support.<br />
Their pitch: “The amalgamation so far<br />
has delivered few cuts to the highly paid<br />
and bloated bureaucracy while there has<br />
been a huge reduction in services, with<br />
increases in development,” said Vincent.<br />
26 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
“We believe that only political<br />
parties and developers have<br />
gained from the amalgamation.<br />
“We will fight to protect<br />
the needs and interests of all<br />
our residents, our environment<br />
and community; stop<br />
pushes for increased high rise<br />
development; ensure Mona<br />
Vale Hospital is not privatised<br />
or sold off; build a cultural<br />
centre, aquatic centre, community<br />
centre hubs with<br />
actual essential services; have<br />
a review for more off-leash<br />
dog walking and swimming<br />
areas; widen the Narrabeen<br />
bridge; ensure free parking<br />
for ratepayers at beaches and<br />
parks is maintained.<br />
“At Warringah Council I opposed<br />
the waste of over $500k<br />
of ratepayers’ money being<br />
spent on the aggressive amalgamation<br />
campaign and felt it<br />
was just a quest for power.<br />
“Council should not be used<br />
as a training ground for aspiring<br />
parliamentary aspirants<br />
but a place for people who truly<br />
care about people, our local areas<br />
and are prepared to stand<br />
up and fight for the interests of<br />
residents as opposed to developers,<br />
party leaders, lobbyists and<br />
party donors.”<br />
Labor<br />
Pam Ward: Educator; leader<br />
in swimming education in<br />
NSW as teacher in charge of<br />
the NSW Department of Education<br />
school swimming and<br />
water safety program. Lives<br />
Elanora.<br />
John Ward: Former Principal<br />
of Barrenjoey High and<br />
Director of the Narrabeen<br />
Sport and Recreation Centre;<br />
currently Hon. Treasurer of<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong> RSL. Lives Elanora.<br />
Sean Sotheran-Campbell:<br />
Working in the Labor movement<br />
as a staff member of<br />
parliamentarians and an active<br />
member of Young Labor;<br />
lives Narrabeen ward.<br />
Their pitch: “Our candidates<br />
combine leadership experience<br />
in community organisations<br />
and the viewpoints of youth<br />
and a gender balance,” said<br />
Pam. “We are not developers<br />
or associates of developers<br />
(and have signed declarations<br />
to that effect) – but we do support<br />
appropriate development<br />
and change.<br />
“We will support the implementation<br />
of the amalgamation<br />
process and give it a go…<br />
but we will also support any<br />
future Labor state government<br />
legislation to enable<br />
de-amalgamation by way of a<br />
plebiscite.<br />
“Affordable housing for<br />
rental and for purchase is vital<br />
to maintain social cohesion in<br />
families as well as to provide<br />
opportunity for people of<br />
average incomes. Councillors<br />
will advocate that provision<br />
of affordable housing should<br />
be at the level of 10-15% in all<br />
new developments in housing<br />
complexes, apartments and<br />
estates, and should apply to<br />
new seniors’ accommodation<br />
and retirement villages.<br />
“We support the continuation<br />
of Mona Vale Hospital’s<br />
emergency, maternity and<br />
theatre facilities as a major<br />
public facility, and we support<br />
continuation of the B-Line bus<br />
service in public hands.<br />
“We believe in the development<br />
of the community and<br />
the protection of the environment<br />
rather than over-development<br />
and privatisation; in<br />
the advancement of commu-<br />
Continued on page 28<br />
Election Special<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 27
Election Special<br />
NB Council Election – Narrabeen Ward<br />
Continued from page 27<br />
nity facilities rather than of<br />
private interests; and in being<br />
accountable to the community<br />
as a whole, rather than to a<br />
particular interest.”<br />
NSW Liberals<br />
Rory Amon: Commercial<br />
litigation lawyer, lives in Narrabeen;<br />
President Davidson<br />
Volunteer Rural Fire Brigade,<br />
active rugby union referee.<br />
Vicky McGahey: Local<br />
school teacher, Doctor of Education,<br />
Rotarian and author.<br />
Neil Stronach: RAAF pilot<br />
veteran and retired financial<br />
controller; active in the War<br />
Vets Narrabeen RSL Sub-<br />
Branch, Probus.<br />
Their pitch: “Under the<br />
Independents, the former<br />
Warringah Council voted to<br />
increase rates by 26%. If they<br />
are elected to this Council,<br />
they will do the same to the<br />
residents of former Warringah<br />
and the residents of former<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong>,” says Rory. “A Liberal<br />
Party council will work to<br />
bring rates down and cut costs<br />
before hitting rate-payers.<br />
“We need to fight over-development<br />
and provide better<br />
infrastructure and public<br />
transport. We will oppose new<br />
developments which do not<br />
have adequate infrastructure<br />
in place to cope with any<br />
growth in population. We will<br />
work with the NSW Government<br />
to ensure continued<br />
investment in infrastructure<br />
and public transport. Labor<br />
and the Greens are opposed to<br />
the B-Line and Beaches Link,<br />
vital projects, and will cancel<br />
them.<br />
“We need a masterplan for<br />
Narrabeen Lagoon to make<br />
this a recreational and tourist<br />
hub. This is a resource which<br />
can be shared by all, but<br />
needs proper management.<br />
“We cannot make a success<br />
of Northern Beaches Council<br />
by trying to drive it through<br />
the rear-view mirror. Irrespective<br />
of your views on amalgamation,<br />
we now need to make<br />
this council work.<br />
"Ultimately, this election<br />
comes down to who do you<br />
trust? Who do you trust to run<br />
a half a billion dollar a year<br />
organisation? Independents<br />
who will increase your rates<br />
by 26%? Labor and the Greens<br />
who don’t want to give us any<br />
new roads or public transport?<br />
Or, the Liberal Party,<br />
who are sound economic<br />
managers and whose State<br />
Government is delivering record<br />
infrastructure and public<br />
transport investment to the<br />
Northern Beaches.”<br />
Independents<br />
Conny Harris: GP who<br />
worked in emergency at Mona<br />
Vale Hospital for five years;<br />
former deputy mayor Warringah<br />
Council; lives Belrose.<br />
Stephen Baldwin: Lives<br />
Elanora.<br />
Jayden Walsh: Lives in<br />
Warriewood.<br />
Their pitch: “We need capable,<br />
independent councillors.<br />
Our priority is protecting our<br />
environment – we have wonderful<br />
beaches and bushland<br />
and once they are gone we<br />
cannot get them back,” said<br />
Conny.<br />
“Protection of our natural<br />
areas together with wildlife<br />
corridors that make it possible<br />
for wildlife to get from one<br />
area to another will allow our<br />
area to keep its outstanding<br />
character and qualities. This<br />
is especially important given<br />
the significant road building<br />
projects going on around us.<br />
“Linked to that is our<br />
commitment to stop<br />
inappropriate development.<br />
Dee Why will get more highrise,<br />
Frenchs Forest is going<br />
to join this unfortunately<br />
with the new hospital and its<br />
surrounds. All of this is being<br />
planned without thinking<br />
through the consequences for<br />
traffic, public transport or<br />
infrastructure.<br />
“Good planning with<br />
protection of the natural<br />
environment is paramount.<br />
The Frenchs Forest development<br />
must be kept at bay<br />
and not overspill to make our<br />
iconic Northern Beaches a<br />
second Chatswood. Dee Why<br />
and Manly must not become<br />
the Gold Coast.<br />
“As chair of the traffic committee<br />
during my previous<br />
term as councillor, I understand<br />
the problems associated<br />
with our roads and the extra<br />
demands which will arise from<br />
increased population and the<br />
new hospital, in particular for<br />
Wakehurst Parkway.”<br />
28 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
<strong>Pittwater</strong> News<br />
Scotland Island<br />
wastewater study<br />
Wastewater services on<br />
Scotland Island are in the<br />
pipeline following the<br />
announcement of State<br />
Government funding for a<br />
Council-led feasibility study<br />
into the long-standing issue.<br />
Consultants will be engaged<br />
to assess the viability of the<br />
project and advise on service<br />
provision models. “Providing<br />
wastewater services to<br />
Scotland Island has been<br />
proposed for decades – but<br />
without a detailed feasibility<br />
study it’s never been able<br />
to be properly considered<br />
or progressed,” said local<br />
MP Rob Stokes. Council has<br />
already provided funding to<br />
the Scotland Island Residents’<br />
Association to introduce a<br />
modern, automated water<br />
booking system to better<br />
distribute and manage<br />
residents’ access to emergency<br />
water supply – often used<br />
to help top-up personal<br />
household water tanks.<br />
Get inspired about<br />
sustainable building<br />
If you’re planning to build or<br />
renovate, or just have an interest<br />
in sustainable building design,<br />
be informed and inspired<br />
at the free Building Sustainable<br />
Homes information night on<br />
<strong>September</strong> 21. The Council initiative<br />
is designed to support<br />
home builders and renovators<br />
considering sustainable options,<br />
with a goal of reducing<br />
reliance on non-renewable resources<br />
and minimising home<br />
running costs.<br />
Sustainability professionals<br />
will offer expert advice<br />
and information at the<br />
two-hour event, which also<br />
includes a Q&A session. Building<br />
Sustainable Homes will<br />
be held at Manly Town Hall.<br />
Bookings are essential via<br />
northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au.<br />
More info 9976 1664.<br />
News<br />
Locals push on for mental health<br />
Terry Finch cycles to fight<br />
his personal demons.<br />
It’s a challenge he’s been<br />
battling most of his life.<br />
Cycling is his answer to a<br />
disease that affects almost<br />
half of Australians. From<br />
<strong>September</strong> 16-23, Dee Why<br />
resident Terry is joining 65<br />
riders (including 23 cyclists<br />
from the Northern Beaches)<br />
in a relay ride from Perth to<br />
Broome to raise awareness<br />
about mental health and<br />
funds for the Black Dog<br />
Institute, an organisation<br />
that researches, diagnoses<br />
and treats mood disorders<br />
and depression. It was<br />
only after he visited his<br />
local GP, who recognised<br />
his disease, that he was<br />
referred to the Black Dog<br />
Institute. “The Black Dog<br />
Institute helped me to<br />
understand how important<br />
it is to talk openly about<br />
a condition that affects<br />
48 per cent of Australians<br />
– we often think of<br />
individuals suffering from<br />
mental illness as people<br />
committed to psychiatric<br />
wards, not ordinary people<br />
who have families and<br />
good jobs. Nothing could<br />
be further from the truth,”<br />
he said. More info tourxoz.<br />
com.au<br />
30 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
Ocean swims<br />
are just around<br />
the corner<br />
The popular <strong>Pittwater</strong> Ocean<br />
Swim Series is on again<br />
this summer, with Bilgola<br />
kick-starting proceedings<br />
on Sunday 10 December.<br />
There will be an ocean swim<br />
every Sunday in January,<br />
starting with Newport (7th)<br />
followed by Avalon (14th),<br />
Mona Vale (21st) and the<br />
Big Swim Palm Beach to<br />
Whale Beach (28th). Series<br />
co-organiser Rob Berry says<br />
the swims will bring more<br />
than 4,500 swimmers to the<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong> region from all<br />
over Australia, providing<br />
a boost to local businesses<br />
while raising much-needed<br />
funds for the participating<br />
surf clubs. “Many in the<br />
local business community<br />
support the series through<br />
sponsorship and prizes,”<br />
Rob said. “Our feedback tells<br />
us that swimmers and their<br />
families love the area, with<br />
many staying for lunch and<br />
a browse through the shops.<br />
“Local Avalon Beach travel<br />
agency Travel View have<br />
also been wonderful with<br />
their continuing support<br />
for the series providing<br />
the prize of air fares for<br />
two to Byron Bay and Bay<br />
Royal Apartments provide<br />
luxury accommodation<br />
for three nights and entry<br />
into the Byron Bay ocean<br />
swim in May this year,” said<br />
Rob. “Ocean swimming is a<br />
wonderful sport that is good<br />
for the mind and body and,<br />
we have swimmers from all<br />
age groups, young and old,<br />
taking part." Most of the<br />
clubs have shorter swims to<br />
encourage those who would<br />
like to get started in the<br />
sport. All funds raised go to<br />
the surf clubs enabling the<br />
purchase of essential life<br />
saving equipment as well as<br />
maintenance. "That means<br />
everyone using the beaches<br />
benefits from the <strong>Pittwater</strong><br />
Ocean Swim Series,”<br />
Rob added. Full details<br />
oceanswims.com.<br />
Female stars focus for<br />
Rotary Spring Concert<br />
Sing and swing along to an<br />
exciting program of popular<br />
music classics at the Rotary<br />
Club of Upper Northern<br />
Beaches’ eighth annual<br />
Northern Beaches Spring<br />
Concert from 7.30pm on<br />
Wednesday 20 <strong>September</strong> in<br />
the Grand Theatre at United<br />
Cinemas, Warriewood. This<br />
year brings back the popular<br />
local symphony, the Northern<br />
Beaches Orchestra, playing<br />
for the first time with the<br />
ARIA nominated Australian<br />
country singer/songwriter<br />
Melinda Schneider. The<br />
show is an eclectic selection<br />
of enduring songs made<br />
popular by Doris Day, Dolly<br />
Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Dusty<br />
Springfield and others, plus<br />
Melinda’s own award-winning<br />
hits. Proceeds go to the<br />
projects of Upper Northern<br />
Beaches Rotary, including<br />
the Palliative Care Centre<br />
at Mona Vale Hospital. The<br />
was formed in 2008 to give<br />
talented local musicians<br />
a chance to excel and to<br />
enhance our community<br />
cultural life. Tickets $50<br />
(deluxe); $40 (regular). Book<br />
early to avoid disappointment;<br />
rotaryuppnorthernbeaches.<br />
org or phone 9913 2800.<br />
Northern Beaches Orchestra Continued on page 32<br />
News<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 31
<strong>Pittwater</strong> News<br />
Continued from page 31<br />
Golden anniversary<br />
for Community Aid<br />
MWP Community Aid is<br />
marking 50 years of assisting<br />
many elderly and disabled<br />
clients on the Northern<br />
Beaches with a celebration<br />
on <strong>September</strong> 2. The nonprofit<br />
organisation based<br />
in North Narrabeen, which<br />
has helped thousands of<br />
people to live independently<br />
in their own homes, wishes<br />
to gratefully acknowledge<br />
its dedicated volunteers and<br />
their generosity. Over the<br />
years, many of its volunteers<br />
have been recipients of local<br />
and state awards for service<br />
to Community Aid and the<br />
community. The group also<br />
wishes to thank the local<br />
councils, churches and<br />
other organisations for their<br />
support over the years. “The<br />
challenge for tomorrow is to<br />
keep the wonderful heritage<br />
of community-based services<br />
supported by our strong base<br />
of volunteers and qualified<br />
staff,” said MWP Community<br />
Aid CEO Kevin Reid. More info<br />
9913 3244.<br />
Fund floodgates<br />
open on closures<br />
The fast-approaching opening<br />
of the new Northern Beaches<br />
Hospital has seen the NSW<br />
Government address the<br />
ongoing issue of Wakehurst<br />
Parkway road closures due to<br />
flooding with the release of<br />
up to $5 million to support<br />
the introduction of flood<br />
mitigation measures. Earlier<br />
this year Northern Beaches<br />
Council began investigating<br />
environmental measures to<br />
help address intermittent<br />
flooding caused by the<br />
overflow of Middle Creek.<br />
An interim report presented<br />
to Council late last month<br />
concluded that making<br />
changes to Middle Creek, and<br />
removing vegetation, may be<br />
able to reduce road closures<br />
in smaller but more frequent<br />
flood events. The new<br />
funding from government<br />
will support Council’s<br />
detailed investigation and<br />
the implementation of any<br />
practical actions to reduce the<br />
frequency of flooding.<br />
Vintage cars focus<br />
for PROBUS meeting<br />
Vintage cars will be the focus<br />
of an interesting talk at the<br />
next <strong>Pittwater</strong> Men’s Probus<br />
Club meeting on Tuesday<br />
<strong>September</strong> 12. Club member<br />
Kim Russell will speak<br />
about specific makes and<br />
models of vintage vehicles<br />
manufactured from 1919<br />
through 1930. Meeting starts<br />
at 10.30am at Mona Vale Golf<br />
Club; visitors welcome. More<br />
info Bill Marshall 9999 5226.<br />
Dee Why RSL<br />
giving back<br />
More than 115 local<br />
organisations will benefit<br />
from Dee Why RSL Club’s<br />
Community Support Program<br />
this year, with $1.65 million<br />
worth of assistance allocated<br />
through cash and in-kind<br />
donations. Some of the local<br />
groups who will benefit include<br />
Be Centre, Zonta, Fight For<br />
Cure and <strong>Life</strong> Saving Northern<br />
Beaches. Executive Manager,<br />
Community at Dee Why RSL<br />
Club, Sheila Malone said the<br />
support program was made<br />
possible through all those who<br />
utilised the club’s facilities<br />
and services. Applications are<br />
open during February and<br />
March and the community<br />
support year commences at the<br />
beginning of each <strong>September</strong>.<br />
News<br />
No ‘Indian’ summer<br />
ahead for Avalon<br />
The collapse of a large chunk of<br />
the cliff at the north headland of<br />
Avalon Beach has left locals with<br />
the task of coming up with a new<br />
name for the landmark. Before<br />
the rock collapse last month<br />
the headland was sometimes<br />
known as ‘Indian Head’ due to its<br />
resemblance to the distinguished<br />
profile of a Native North American<br />
(not exactly PC we know).<br />
Terrey Hills skatepark<br />
a moveable feast<br />
Local school student<br />
Matthew Plunkett is the<br />
toast of his mates following<br />
Northern Beaches Council’s<br />
announcement of plans to<br />
build a $200,000 skatepark at<br />
Terrey Hills Oval – on 11-yearold<br />
Matthew’s suggestion.<br />
The skatepark will be built<br />
using a flexible system of<br />
prefabricated skate elements<br />
on a concrete slab that can<br />
be relocated or expanded<br />
32 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
Time to strike up the<br />
bands in Mona Vale<br />
Northern Beaches Council has come up with an<br />
initiative that will allow residents to contribute<br />
tax deductible donations to a Charitable Trust,<br />
with funds accumulated going towards the<br />
construction of a new indoor performing arts<br />
facility within the grounds of Mona Vale Public<br />
School. The new Mona Vale Performance Space<br />
would be run by Council (with permission from<br />
the Department of Education) and used by<br />
all local schools and the broader community.<br />
The plan came about after Council’s Strategic<br />
Reference Group for Arts and Culture<br />
identified the clear need for a performance<br />
space to support the many performance<br />
ensembles across Northern Beaches’ schools<br />
and the broader community. “Building such a<br />
space at Mona Vale Public School would be a<br />
great opportunity to utilise existing space for<br />
the broader community benefit,” said outgoing<br />
depending on the outcomes<br />
of the proposed Terrey Hills<br />
Oval Landscape Plan and is<br />
scheduled for 2019.<br />
Final film screening<br />
The last work of former<br />
Bayview resident, political<br />
candidate and veteran<br />
filmmaker John Davis, who<br />
died in a helicopter crash in<br />
November 2015 while trying to<br />
expose damage caused by the<br />
Shenhua coal mine, will screen<br />
at Avalon Primary School<br />
on Friday <strong>September</strong> 15. The<br />
late filmmaker’s family and<br />
friends completed the film in<br />
his memory. It’s bound to be<br />
an emotional evening, with<br />
administrator Dick Persson. “This would<br />
include creating a community organisation/<br />
trust whose principal purpose is the promotion<br />
of literature, music, performing arts, craft,<br />
design, film, video, radio, community arts or<br />
television.” A Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR)<br />
Endorsement will be explored along with all<br />
other options for funding. The project would be<br />
similar to the collaboration between Council,<br />
sporting groups and the State Government in<br />
the late 1990s which led to the establishment of<br />
the Northern Beaches Indoor Sports Centre.<br />
the film depicting invasive<br />
coal expansion near our farms<br />
and forests and revealing the<br />
effect on the land and the air<br />
we breathe. It also documents<br />
some of the inspirational<br />
people who have dedicated<br />
their lives to stopping the<br />
mining. Tickets are $5 on the<br />
door; screening from 6.30pm.<br />
Vet<br />
on<br />
call<br />
with<br />
Dr Ben Brown<br />
We all know how important<br />
tick prevention is for<br />
our dogs as the weather<br />
warms up but what about<br />
heartworm disease? Is your<br />
dog adequately protected?<br />
Heartworm in dogs is<br />
a potentially fatal disease<br />
that is transmitted from<br />
infected to uninfected<br />
dogs by mosquitoes. These<br />
mosquitoes inject a tiny<br />
worm into the dog’s body<br />
(microfilaria) which then<br />
mature into adult heartworm<br />
over about 6 months inside<br />
the chambers of the heart.<br />
Adult heartworm then cause<br />
heart failure which can result<br />
in serious illness and death.<br />
Heartworm disease is very<br />
difficult and expensive to treat<br />
so prevention is much better<br />
than cure!<br />
According to the Australian<br />
Heartworm Advisory Panel,<br />
year-round heartworm<br />
protection is recommended<br />
for every dog Australia<br />
wide. Therefore, just as we<br />
vaccinate pets against deadly<br />
viral diseases, heartworm<br />
prophylaxis is an important<br />
cornerstone of preventative<br />
care. Whilst monthly<br />
heartworm preventatives<br />
have been demonstrated<br />
to be effective, when given<br />
every month, any lapse in<br />
treatment puts patients at<br />
higher risk of heartworm<br />
disease. Recent research<br />
showed that complacency<br />
around heartworm prevention<br />
has resulted in dogs testing<br />
positive to heartworm, in<br />
fact around 40% of dogs<br />
diagnosed with heartworm<br />
disease are on ownergiven<br />
monthly heartworm<br />
preventatives.<br />
The easiest way to avoid<br />
forgetting heartworm<br />
medication is to use annual<br />
heartworm prevention at the<br />
time of vaccination. Give us<br />
a call to discuss your dog’s<br />
heartworm prevention to<br />
make sure they are adequately<br />
protected leading into the<br />
warmer months.<br />
News<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 33
When<br />
crime<br />
does<br />
pay…<br />
<strong>Life</strong> Stories<br />
When Michael Robotham was<br />
a 24-year-old journalist with<br />
Fairfax’s The Sun newspaper he<br />
came up to <strong>Pittwater</strong> to stay in a house<br />
that his then girlfriend, Vivien, was<br />
housesitting. The house had a view in one<br />
direction over <strong>Pittwater</strong> and in the other<br />
over the ocean. He said to Vivien, “If I ever<br />
achieve my dreams of being a full-time<br />
writer I want to live in a place like this.”<br />
Fast forward 30-odd years and Michael<br />
Robotham is a renowned international<br />
crime writer. His 12th novel, The Secrets<br />
She Keeps, was released in July. His books<br />
have been translated into 23 languages,<br />
and made into films. Michael and Vivien<br />
Robotham have three daughters, Alex,<br />
Charlotte and Bella, and live in a large,<br />
open plan sandstone house in Avalon.<br />
But, despite the dream life, this couple<br />
are very down-to-earth. When I arrive<br />
Vivien is unloading the dishwater, and<br />
putting a pile of obviously much-loved<br />
plates, on which are faded images of African<br />
animals, into a drawer.<br />
“We bought them when we lived in<br />
Harare for a year,” she explains, “while<br />
Michael was ghostwriting a book there.”<br />
Beyond the swimming pool is what<br />
their daughters call the “Cabana of Cruelty”<br />
where Michael pens his novels. He<br />
seats himself on a worn red swivel chair<br />
in front of his desk, on which is a large<br />
Apple iMac, and I sit on a sofa.<br />
He was born in Casino. His father was<br />
a school teacher, and Michael was one<br />
of four children. The family moved to<br />
Gundagai when he was four, and Coffs<br />
Harbour when he was 13. He describes his<br />
upbringing as “idyllic and poor, but we<br />
didn’t want for anything”.<br />
When he left school Michael was one of<br />
6,000 applicants to apply for 16 cadetships<br />
with Fairfax.<br />
“The newspaper said it would send me<br />
a telegraph by the following Monday if<br />
I’d got a position (my folks didn’t have<br />
a telephone),” he recalled. “Monday and<br />
Tuesday went. I gave up hoping. That Friday<br />
I was at cricket practice when I looked<br />
up and saw my mother running down<br />
the road, waving a telegram. She had run<br />
more than a mile from home.”<br />
Vivien and he moved to London in 1986.<br />
Michael was a senior features writer for<br />
the UK’s Mail on Sunday, until in 1993<br />
he left the newspaper with the idea of<br />
ghostwriting.<br />
“Vivien was pregnant with our first<br />
child. We were living in Shepherd’s Bush<br />
and our house was in negative equity. It<br />
was a scary time. I was freelancing and<br />
hoping to pick up ghostwriting work. That<br />
first year I earned a tenth of what I had<br />
been making as a journalist.”<br />
The first book he ghostwrote was Empty<br />
Best-selling author Michael Robotham<br />
enjoyed a globetotting journalism career<br />
before settling on his dream ‘job’<br />
– and settling in his dream location...<br />
Story by Rosamund Burton<br />
Cradles about the Nottingham social<br />
worker, Margaret Humphreys, who uncovered<br />
the child migrant scandal, the British<br />
Government’s program of forcibly sending<br />
children from unwed mothers and orphanages<br />
to Commonwealth countries such as<br />
Australia and New Zealand. Over the next<br />
10 years he was ghostwriter for 15 books<br />
including the life of the singer, Lulu, and<br />
Geri Halliwell of the Spice Girls.<br />
The Robothams came back from London<br />
in 1997 when Vivien was pregnant with<br />
their second daughter, Charlotte. “A week<br />
after arriving home we drove up to <strong>Pittwater</strong>,<br />
round the Bilgola Bends, and I had to<br />
pull over because Vivien was morning sick.<br />
Afterwards, we sat in a café in Avalon and<br />
decided this is where we wanted to live.”<br />
It was while ghostwriting for Paul<br />
Britton, the forensic psychologist whose<br />
work inspired the BBC series Cracker, that<br />
Michael became intrigued by criminal<br />
psychology. In between ghostwriting projects,<br />
he started writing a crime novel.<br />
He had written 117 pages of the novel<br />
when he had lunch with the publisher<br />
to discuss a ghostwriting project. She<br />
demanded to see the partial novel, and<br />
afterwards “made an offer that I couldn’t<br />
refuse” for the UK and Commonwealth<br />
rights. Several months later word leaked<br />
out and a bidding war broke out at the<br />
London Book Fair.<br />
34 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
“The phone rang at three in the morning.<br />
There were six American publishers<br />
bidding, and five German publishers<br />
bidding, and the French had offered this<br />
and the Italians that. In the space of three<br />
hours every dream I’d ever had of being a<br />
full-time writer came true.<br />
“By 7.30 in the morning Viv and I had<br />
spent the money, by 8 o’clock we’d cast<br />
the Hollywood film, and by 8.30 the terror<br />
set in. It was a part-finished manuscript<br />
and I had no idea how it ended. It<br />
was like being backed into favouritism for<br />
the Melbourne Cup never having run the<br />
two miles before.”<br />
That first book, The Suspect, which was<br />
published in 2004, sold more than a million<br />
copies. His latest page-turner,<br />
The Secret She Keeps, a story told<br />
through the voices of two pregnant<br />
women, has been endorsed by crime<br />
writer, Stephen King, and highly acclaimed<br />
by the New York Times.<br />
However, despite his phenomenal<br />
international success as a writer Michael<br />
admits he suffers from what is known as<br />
‘imposter syndrome’.<br />
“Every time I deliver a new book I<br />
believe that this will be the book that exposes<br />
me for being a complete fraud. And<br />
no matter how many I’ve written when I<br />
start a new one I feel like I’ve never done<br />
it before, and I’m learning all over again<br />
how to do it.”<br />
The Robothams moved to their current<br />
house five years ago. It was a home that<br />
Vivien had admired years earlier. Michael<br />
saw it was for sale two hours after it was<br />
meant to have gone to auction. Vivien<br />
rang the agent and was told it hadn’t been<br />
auctioned, but there were three interested<br />
parties. At four o’clock they were looking<br />
around the house, and the following day<br />
Michael put in an offer.<br />
“When I bought it, my girls thought I<br />
was having a mid-life crisis. They were<br />
embarrassed to bring their friends here,<br />
because they considered it to be ostentatious,<br />
but they love it now.”<br />
Michael Robotham is not a surfer, fisherman<br />
or sailor, and admits he doesn’t even<br />
get to the beach much. But as he writes all<br />
his books in longhand, he is often found<br />
sitting scribbling away in various Avalon<br />
cafes. It’s at those times that he might<br />
write a paragraph portrait of a fellow coffee<br />
drinker for a character in a book.<br />
“At the end of the day I’ve been very<br />
fortunate to be one of the few people<br />
who can make a living out of what I do,”<br />
concludes this unassuming, hard-working<br />
author. But when I walk down to Avalon<br />
Village and into Bookoccino, its owner<br />
Margaret Hutchings gives credit where it’s<br />
due. “Michael Robotham is one of the best<br />
crime writers in the world,” she says. “His<br />
books keep getting better and better, and<br />
he’s one of the most undervalued Australian<br />
authors.”<br />
<strong>Life</strong> Stories<br />
CLOCKWISE FROM OPPOSITE: Leafy surrounds outside the ‘Cabana of Cruelty’ where<br />
Michael Robotham pens his novels; autumn in the UK with Vivien in 1986; ‘Indiana’<br />
Robotham in Africa in 1994; on holiday in Amsterdam last year with Bella, Alex, wife<br />
Vivien and Charlotte; sharing an adventure with Vivien in the 1990s; celebrating the<br />
birth of first daughter Alex in 1993.<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 35
Art <strong>Life</strong><br />
Art <strong>Life</strong><br />
Plenty of Space to<br />
satisfy your creativity<br />
Sydney Art Space at Mona<br />
Vale has linked with The<br />
Manly Arts Festival to offer a<br />
variety of interesting events<br />
and workshops in <strong>September</strong>.<br />
First up there’s the ‘From<br />
Trash to Treasure’ weaving<br />
workshop which will be held<br />
on site at the Space at 64<br />
Darley St on Sunday 17th from<br />
1-5pm.<br />
An experimental sound and<br />
drawing night – ‘Sonic Moves<br />
IV’ – will be held underground<br />
at Newport’s Kave Bar on<br />
Wednesday 20th from 6-10pm.<br />
Set aside the evening of<br />
Friday 22nd – SAS convenor<br />
Christine Simpson will stage<br />
her ‘Noise Pagoda: Recent<br />
Works on Paper’ art exhibition<br />
and fundraiser for the<br />
upcoming Newport Sculpture<br />
Trailblazers <strong>2017</strong>; venue is the<br />
Kave Bar from 5.30-8pm.<br />
Live Painting Performances<br />
will be held on Sat 23rd in the<br />
BWS Arcade at Newport from<br />
1-4pm.<br />
The arcade will also be<br />
the location for two Mural<br />
Painting Workshops for kids.<br />
The first one on Sunday 24th,<br />
for kids aged 7-13, will be for<br />
drawing and painting; it will<br />
be followed by a drawing and<br />
stencilling workshop for ages<br />
14-18 on Sunday October 1.<br />
Plus, the Sydney Art Space<br />
School Holiday Art Program<br />
is now up on their website<br />
sydneyartspace.com, with all<br />
sorts of creative experiences<br />
for all ages.<br />
Places are limited and bookings<br />
essential; more info 0402<br />
532 957 or email info@sydneyartspace<br />
– Lisa Offord<br />
Mia celebrates her<br />
‘coastal aquarium’<br />
ellyfish are<br />
“Jmy organised<br />
chaos,” says artist<br />
Mia McLean with a<br />
laugh, “they are my<br />
playful, favourite<br />
subject matter.”<br />
‘Spindrift’ – a<br />
collection of Mia’s<br />
works drawing<br />
inspiration from<br />
the coastline and<br />
waterways that<br />
form her Australian<br />
‘backyard’ – opens<br />
at Re:Publik Café at<br />
Ettalong Beach this<br />
month, exhibiting<br />
through to early<br />
November.<br />
Delicate<br />
seahorses and the<br />
floating tentacles of jellyfish are beautifully captured by Mia in<br />
watercolour and multimedia on canvas.<br />
Mia explained she travelled across Australia for nearly 12<br />
months to beautifully capture ‘our backyard’, as she refers to<br />
her paintings.<br />
“We camped along the way, setting up market stalls and<br />
selling watercolour originals of varying seascapes, all the time<br />
drawing inspiration from the surroundings,” she said.<br />
“My work is an ‘Alice in Wonderland’ take on realism, with<br />
the colours and the placement slightly warping the truth.<br />
“The Re:Publik Café exhibition is a celebration of the tranquil<br />
beauty that exists in our own coastal aquarium.”<br />
Amid the underwater ‘chaos’, Mia says whales were also a<br />
favourite, representing ultimate calm and the solitude of the<br />
deep.<br />
Café owner Catherine McDonald said she was delighted to<br />
help support the local arts scene.<br />
“We do not take a commission on any sales and purely<br />
support the artists and their works,” she said.<br />
“The café walls become their space to show the art they<br />
choose. With more artists signed up, our art schedule now<br />
extends until the 2018 – it’s very exciting.” – Nigel Wall<br />
36 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
Win cool cash as a local Insta hero<br />
What does the Northern Beaches mean to you?<br />
In <strong>September</strong>, Northern Beaches Council is<br />
running a photographic competition asking you<br />
to showcase your images. To win one of four $200<br />
prizes, take a local snap, share it on Instagram and<br />
hashtag #northernbeaches<strong>2017</strong>. Entries are limited<br />
to 10 per person. Photos should illustrate the Northern<br />
Beaches’ lifestyle: heritage, culture, events,<br />
music, technology, sports, arts, etc. Selected entries<br />
will be included in a free exhibition at Mona Vale Library<br />
on October 24, when the competition winners<br />
will also be announced. More info 9970 1607.<br />
‘Grand’ idea for kids<br />
<strong>September</strong> may be the month<br />
for Father’s Day but grandparents<br />
will be the focus of one<br />
of two great children’s holiday<br />
workshops conducted by Meredith<br />
Rasdall Visual Art at the<br />
Avalon Recreation Centre.<br />
The ‘My Grandma or Grandpa’<br />
portrait-on-canvas painting workshop<br />
on Wednesday <strong>September</strong><br />
27 will see children work from a<br />
photograph of their grandparent<br />
to create a unique keepsake using<br />
expressive paint techniques<br />
and mixed media such as buttons,<br />
fabric and wire.<br />
A second ‘Clay Masks’ workshop,<br />
on Thursday <strong>September</strong> 28, will<br />
encourage children to look at primitive<br />
masks as inspiration for their<br />
own creations that they will fashion<br />
from clay, feathers, wire and cane.<br />
Both workshops run 10am-<br />
12pm; cost $50. Bookings essential<br />
– phone 0402 121 184 or email<br />
meredithrasdall@westnet.com.au<br />
On the Trail<br />
to connect<br />
and collect<br />
In October, don’t miss<br />
the opportunity to<br />
spend a day (or even two)<br />
discovering original works<br />
by a band of talented<br />
Northern Beaches artists.<br />
On Saturday the 14th and<br />
Sunday the 15th, from<br />
10am – 5pm, witness the<br />
renewed and expanded<br />
network of inspiring<br />
studio locations on offer<br />
in this years’ <strong>Pittwater</strong><br />
Artists Trail. Organisers<br />
encourage you to plan<br />
your own route from<br />
Elanora to Clareville and<br />
Terrey Hills to Newport.<br />
Enjoy the day by engaging<br />
with multiple makers who<br />
are ready to share their<br />
stories and spaces with<br />
trail visitors. For a map<br />
and artist details visit<br />
pittwaterartiststrail.com.au<br />
Art <strong>Life</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 37
Art <strong>Life</strong><br />
Art <strong>Life</strong><br />
Bound to<br />
make an<br />
impact<br />
Specialist book maker Gwen<br />
Harrison has worked in collaboration<br />
with Sue Anderson<br />
in the production of finely<br />
bound, limited edition Artists<br />
Books for the past decade.<br />
Motivated by a shared<br />
respect for the integrity of<br />
each process involved in the<br />
making of an artist book, its<br />
means of traditional labour, its<br />
materiality, form and content,<br />
their works are respected and<br />
highly regarded.<br />
The pair will exhibit a collection<br />
of their prints and wall<br />
works at Eye Doctors Mona<br />
Vale (20 Bungan St) throughout<br />
spring, with viewing during<br />
business hours.<br />
Gwen and Sue were recently<br />
guest speakers at the ‘Codex<br />
Symposium for Artists Books’ in<br />
San Francisco as well as the ‘San<br />
Francisco Centre for the Book’.<br />
All but one of their book<br />
series have full page, original<br />
etchings or collagraphic<br />
prints, researched and written<br />
by the artists, with the text<br />
hand-set letterpress type.<br />
The books are large, with<br />
images as substantial as 55cm<br />
x 60-72 cm wide, gate-folded<br />
within the volumes.<br />
The stunning works are held<br />
by the Australian National<br />
The 50th Birthday celebrations<br />
of the Artists &<br />
Craftsmen of <strong>Pittwater</strong> continue<br />
this month with a three-day<br />
Spring Exhibition and Sale at<br />
Mona Vale Memorial Hall.<br />
Featured art from Thursday<br />
28th to Saturday 30th (9am-<br />
4pm each day) includes both<br />
contemporary and traditional<br />
styles in oils, acrylic, water<br />
colour, pastel and mixed media.<br />
Plus, multi award-winner<br />
Linda Joyce will have a collection<br />
of framed prints and art<br />
cards available for sale.<br />
In a new development,<br />
ACOP’s Kathy Dallamico says<br />
visitors will be invited to<br />
take part in both the People’s<br />
Choice Art and People’s<br />
Choice Craft Awards.<br />
“Voters will be eligible to<br />
go into a draw for a $200 Gift<br />
Voucher that can be redeemed<br />
on Art or Craft items at ACOP<br />
Exhibitions,” said Kathy.<br />
“These Art & Craft Awards<br />
have proved to be a big hit<br />
Library for their Special collections,<br />
the NSW State Library<br />
as well as the British Library,<br />
collectors from the US Codex<br />
Foundation in San Francisco<br />
and Boston, Stanford University,<br />
University of California<br />
Santa Barbara, Berkeley and<br />
others.<br />
Gwen and Sue’s work can<br />
also be viewed from <strong>September</strong><br />
7-9 at ‘Sydney Contemporary’<br />
at Carriageworks in<br />
Sydney. – Nigel Wall<br />
with customers as they peruse<br />
the collections, sometimes<br />
surprising themselves by<br />
choosing a piece that they<br />
wouldn’t have normally<br />
thought would inspire them.<br />
“This is a great way to engage<br />
directly with the Artists<br />
and Crafters and have a better<br />
appreciation of the stories be-<br />
Pieces of<br />
Silver Plus – the peninsula’s<br />
longest-formed cooperative<br />
of jewellery makers – are<br />
celebrating their 30th year<br />
with an innovative exhibition<br />
this month.<br />
‘The Shape of Things’, to be<br />
held over the weekend of <strong>September</strong><br />
16-17, will showcase<br />
the work of 12 members in<br />
their stunning studio setting<br />
at Ingleside.<br />
“A shape is determined by<br />
the outline or external boundary<br />
of an object,” explained<br />
Silver Plus member Susan<br />
Peacock. “With jewellery however,<br />
the curves and movement<br />
of the body, and the<br />
body language of the wearer<br />
themselves, also inform our<br />
perception of the piece.”<br />
She said members had chosen<br />
this time of year to stage<br />
their exhibition, to capitalise<br />
on their exquisite bush setting,<br />
which will be bursting<br />
with spring colour.<br />
“We hope people will enjoy<br />
ACOP offers two bites<br />
at People’s Choice awards<br />
hind the people and the pieces<br />
presented for sale.”<br />
She said hand-made goods<br />
continued to attract customers<br />
looking for unique style and<br />
craftsmanship in pieces for<br />
purchase.<br />
“The craft section includes<br />
Kim’s ever-popular hand-made<br />
jewellery pieces, including a<br />
limited number of stunning<br />
baroque pearl necklaces – and<br />
she can also help you put<br />
together a gorgeous personalised<br />
bracelet for your children.”<br />
Other collections to be showcased<br />
are patchwork, handembroidered<br />
baby gifts and<br />
towel sets, children’s summer<br />
dresses, silk scarves, screen<br />
printed tea towels and aprons,<br />
felt toys, hand painted cards,<br />
wooden burls, paper tole,<br />
quilling, hand knitted toys,<br />
enamels, cushions made from<br />
French and English fabrics,<br />
mosaics and glass terrariums.<br />
More information acop.com.<br />
au or facebook. – Lisa Offord<br />
38 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
Silver take ‘Shape’<br />
meeting the makers, viewing<br />
the unique jewellery pieces<br />
and breathing in the fresh air,”<br />
Susan said.<br />
The work on display will<br />
include a huge range of metal<br />
working techniques including<br />
Kuem Bu – fusing<br />
gold-leaf and silver<br />
(Susan Peacock);<br />
and Mokume – melding<br />
metals to create<br />
a water-like pattern<br />
(Heidi Francis).<br />
Other pieces are<br />
patterned using a rolling<br />
mill (Margot Ryan);<br />
decoratively pierced<br />
(Brenda Coleman),<br />
forged (Lesley Mountford,<br />
Hanne Kambro)<br />
or twisted (Christine Sadler).<br />
Unique chain designs from<br />
Bobbie Winger and Gail Jenner<br />
will feature, along with<br />
bracelets from Cilla Cross and<br />
Margaret Illy in sterling silver.<br />
Colour is introduced with semiprecious<br />
stones (Hanne Kambro,<br />
Brenda Coleman,<br />
Margot Ryan) and<br />
enamel (Irene Garran).<br />
The exhibition is open<br />
10am-4pm on both days;<br />
all are invited to attend the<br />
launch on Saturday 16th<br />
(morning tea supplied).<br />
More information Silverplus.<br />
studio@gmail.com or phone<br />
0405 561 718.<br />
Art <strong>Life</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 39
Surfing <strong>Life</strong><br />
Surfing <strong>Life</strong><br />
What a ‘Lady’: chilling out<br />
on a surf trip that isn’t...<br />
Nothing glossy about this Great Barrier Reef location but it shines nonetheless<br />
As the plane circles, I<br />
gaze down, thinking<br />
just how completely<br />
strange.<br />
There, a hundred metres<br />
below, lies a coral sand<br />
island, encased from the east<br />
by a perfect semi-circle of<br />
reef. You can see the ins and<br />
outs of a doubled-up surf<br />
zone, a left on one side, a<br />
right on the other – a pretty<br />
good right by the look, exit<br />
point and all.<br />
No real swell, but that’s<br />
not so strange. Not even the<br />
sight itself is strange – coral<br />
sand islands with fringing<br />
reefs are pretty familiar to<br />
a surfer’s eye. Heck, I’ve<br />
probably seen a hundred<br />
of ’em. But I’ve never seen<br />
such a sight without having<br />
a board nearby. THAT feels<br />
strange.<br />
Lady Elliot Island is like that<br />
– a surf trip that isn’t, kinda. I<br />
was tipped off to it by surfer<br />
mates who’ve visited, yet they<br />
all talked about it like surfing<br />
was secondary.<br />
The island sits in clear<br />
water on the southernmost<br />
fringe of the Great Barrier<br />
Reef, some way north of<br />
Fraser Island. It marks one of<br />
the east coast’s big transition<br />
points, from the sandisland<br />
deposits off southern<br />
develop the island’s original<br />
tree species. They also run<br />
an airstrip and a very downhome<br />
little eco resort facing<br />
out to the eastern lagoon,<br />
with daily SCUBA and snorkel<br />
runs off the outer waters and<br />
along the western side.<br />
Spend a few days there and<br />
it feels like you’ve fallen off<br />
the edge of the world. Not<br />
even in the Mentawais can<br />
you escape mobiles these<br />
days, but there’s no reception<br />
on Lady Elliot, and no TVs in<br />
the simple but comfortable<br />
units. You can buy internet<br />
time but really, why would<br />
ya. Instead we collected fins,<br />
masks and snorkels, dived off<br />
boats near the non-breaking<br />
with Nick Carroll<br />
REEF-RINGED: Lady Elliot Island offers time to look at a tropical ecosystem in recovery. PHOTO: Wendy Carroll.<br />
Queensland to the enormity<br />
of the reef.<br />
Its modern history is a<br />
near perfect reflection of<br />
Queensland’s oscillating<br />
priorities – mining, or<br />
tourism? In 1960, strip-mined<br />
a century ago for its guano<br />
deposits and since gnawed<br />
flat by goats, Lady Elliot<br />
was a desert. It was slowly<br />
re-greened, first by keepers<br />
of the island’s lighthouse,<br />
then by a succession of<br />
tourism lease-holders who<br />
gained the rights from the<br />
Commonwealth of Australia.<br />
(Yep, we all own it!)<br />
The current lessees have<br />
accelerated the re-greening,<br />
working out of a nursery to<br />
left, and swam the lagoon at<br />
high tide, when blacktips and<br />
green turtles cruised over<br />
the reef, looking for this and<br />
that.<br />
Humpback whales are everpresent,<br />
sometimes circling<br />
the island, breaching and<br />
carrying on. Go down near<br />
the bottom outside the reef<br />
line, where the water density<br />
carries sound for kilometres,<br />
and you’ll hear them singing<br />
and squeaking away.<br />
At night, with a clear sky,<br />
the stars explode out of the<br />
blackness the way they never<br />
do in a town. You might as<br />
well be in Tahiti.<br />
Like I said, there’s nothing<br />
glossy about Lady Elliot.<br />
40 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
PL’s SEPTEMBER SURF CALENDAR<br />
6-17 Sept: Hurley Pro and Swatch Women’s Pro, WSL CT,<br />
Lower Trestles, CA USA<br />
Back into the double headers at pro surfing’s pointy end. All the top<br />
men and women spend two sunny weeks in San Clemente, trying<br />
to show off in front of their endorsements’ CEOs. This is actually a<br />
critical event for the men’s and women’s world title races, both of<br />
which are closing up into the last third of the tour, but Lowers isn’t<br />
nearly as great a CT venue as we’ve seen so far this year – it’s not<br />
a patch on Jeffreys Bay, for instance – and it doesn’t pose much<br />
of a challenge to this level of surf skill. All one can hope for is a<br />
freak storm swell, a hurricane or some such; or maybe for the entire<br />
event to decamp 250 miles north to Kelly Slater’s new wave pool for<br />
a demo session. That’d be weird, but it’d definitely be entertaining.<br />
26-29 Sept: BL’s BlastOff!<br />
The most eagerly awaited grommet surfing get-together of the year<br />
bar none! Divisions from 6 to 14 years of age, girls and boys, get to<br />
surf, compete, and take on heaps of advice from a judging panel<br />
whose mission is less to sort out winners and losers, and more on<br />
helping kids get to be better surfers. Venue: Whale Beach, with<br />
Avalon and Palm Beach on standby. So much happens in a short<br />
time. BlastOff! Idol is an eagerly awaited part of the deal, as is a<br />
twilight carnival at Beach Without Sand and a Coastalwatch Grom<br />
Summit where kids can learn about everything from sponsorship to<br />
surf forecasting. Plus… showbags! Look it up online for late entry –<br />
there’s not much space left!<br />
NICK’S SEPTEMBER SURF FORECAST<br />
First the bad news. The water’s not gonna warm up. Inshore water<br />
temps dropped by two degrees in late July, dipped a tiny bit more<br />
in mid-August, and while it’s fairly warm well offshore, Northern<br />
Beaches surf zones will be tingly for some time yet. Sorry! Next, the<br />
slightly better news – surf-wise I think maybe we are in for a pretty<br />
active start to Spring. Southern Hemisphere air pressure charts<br />
have shown a distinct early trend toward broken-up air masses, with<br />
colder southerly air leaking up into the tropics and warm equatorial<br />
air being sucked toward the temperate zones right around the globe.<br />
This air mixing, often a sign of a very strong monsoon to come,<br />
makes for a dynamic surf outlook on east coasts like ours. Watch<br />
for sudden southerly gales, early season nor-easters, and warmer<br />
days of variable winds and quite a bit of swell – often from the south<br />
and south-east, but also from the direct east angle thanks to the air<br />
mixture in the south-west Pacific. Seize the day! Etc.<br />
Nick Carroll<br />
Surfing <strong>Life</strong><br />
The food’s good, it’s quiet.<br />
The clientele aren’t flashy<br />
sorta people: some European<br />
tourists, and a lot of repeat<br />
customers who come to<br />
dive or chill. Yet the island<br />
contains one extraordinary<br />
luxury: Time. I know the<br />
surf here does actually<br />
pump on occasion, I’ve seen<br />
the photos, but with the<br />
obsessive pursuit of waves<br />
out of the picture, there’s<br />
time to have a close slow<br />
look at a tropical ecosystem<br />
in recovery – at a time when<br />
almost all the news about the<br />
Reef is bad.<br />
Further north, with the<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
Abbott Point loading<br />
extension and the billiondollar<br />
railway to nowhere,<br />
Queensland might be<br />
turning the clock back to<br />
mining. Ironically, the reborn<br />
Lady Elliot generates<br />
way more income than it<br />
ever did from guano, just by<br />
being itself.<br />
Nick Carroll is a leading<br />
Australian and international<br />
surf writer, author, filmmaker<br />
and surfer, and one<br />
of Newport’s own. Email:<br />
ncsurf@ozemail.com.au<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 41
Health & Wellbeing<br />
Health & Wellbeing<br />
Spring into the<br />
school holidays<br />
The weather is warming<br />
up and Spring School<br />
Holidays are almost here –<br />
time to start planning how<br />
you are going to keep the kids<br />
occupied.<br />
Here are a few ideas to<br />
keep kids active during the<br />
break.<br />
Goodwin’s Tennis<br />
Academy<br />
With years of local knowledge<br />
and experience Joel Goodwin<br />
and the team have got kids’<br />
school holiday tennis camps<br />
down pat.<br />
Held at Mona Vale and<br />
Narrabeen for ages 4 and up,<br />
Joel offers parents and carers<br />
great flexibility with full-week<br />
or daily bookings available<br />
and free before camp care<br />
from 7.30am and after camp<br />
care until 5pm.<br />
Qualified coaches ensure<br />
the kids learn and/or improve<br />
their tennis in a relaxed environment;<br />
there’s lots of fun<br />
and prizes – and free Maccas<br />
on the last day of each camp!<br />
For details and bookings<br />
go to goodwinstennisacademy.com.au<br />
or call 9979 6772.<br />
Coastal Environment<br />
Centre<br />
Parents and carers in-theknow<br />
book kids into the CEC’s<br />
Kids On The Coast holiday<br />
programs early to avoid disappointment.<br />
There’s a range<br />
of fully supervised activities<br />
available during the holidays,<br />
teaching kids the value of our<br />
natural environment. Below is<br />
a taste of what’s on the activity<br />
menu.<br />
Running Wild – kids will learn<br />
about bush tucker and how to<br />
make tools out of what they<br />
can find in the bush, how<br />
to make fire with hands and<br />
make a fish hook out of shells.<br />
Race Around the Headlands<br />
– a day-long treasure hunt<br />
where kids follow the clues at<br />
the CEC and surrounding area<br />
on a trail to fun and adventure.<br />
Survivor Challenge – a great<br />
activity for those wanting to<br />
learn how to build a shelter<br />
and survive on what they find<br />
in the great outdoors.<br />
Rock Platform Rambles – oldfashioned<br />
outdoor fun by the<br />
sea where the kids peer into<br />
rock pools, build sandcastles<br />
and fly kites.<br />
The CEC is on Pelican<br />
Path, Lake Park Road, North<br />
Narrabeen. Kids must be 6<br />
years and over and enrolled<br />
in school. Activities run from<br />
10am-3pm (no before or after<br />
care). Cost $61. More info<br />
online or 1300 000 232<br />
All on board<br />
No need to tell you when it<br />
comes to water based activities<br />
in <strong>Pittwater</strong> we are spoilt<br />
for choice.<br />
For starters check out<br />
the school holiday sailing<br />
camps at The Royal Prince<br />
Alfred Yacht Club rpayc.com.<br />
au and Avalon Sailing Club<br />
avalonsailingclub.com.au<br />
and Manly Surf School will<br />
be running four-day learn to<br />
surf courses at Palm Beach;<br />
call 9932 7000.<br />
42 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
Trusted advice still close<br />
There’s no doubt navigating<br />
the complex health,<br />
disability or aged care<br />
systems is confusing – which<br />
is why it’s important to know<br />
there are services available<br />
that can provide fast, free,<br />
unbiased information, advice<br />
and guidance.<br />
For almost a quarter of a century<br />
the not-for-profit, non-religious<br />
organisation Community<br />
Care Northern Beaches (CCNB)<br />
has been supporting older<br />
people, people with a disability,<br />
mental illness and dementia,<br />
indigenous people – and their<br />
carers to maximise their independence<br />
and wellbeing.<br />
Now settled into new premises<br />
just up the road in Frenchs<br />
Forest, the CCNB team are assuring<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong> residents they<br />
will continue their mission to<br />
enable people to live independently<br />
in their own home<br />
and get the most out of life<br />
by providing impartial advice,<br />
information, guidance, referral<br />
and support covering:<br />
n Home (aged) Care;<br />
n Dementia Care;<br />
n NDIS Support Coordination;<br />
n Mental Health; and<br />
n Families and Carers<br />
CCNB’s care coordination<br />
service helps to match and<br />
connect people to the right government-subsided<br />
and privately<br />
funded support services and<br />
helps them get the best out of<br />
the disability, health and aged<br />
care systems.<br />
The organisation also<br />
hosts a number of free events<br />
throughout the year to help<br />
arm the community with the<br />
latest information on health<br />
issues including mental health<br />
and dementia (CCNB is highly<br />
regarded for its expertise in<br />
memory loss and dementia<br />
and its impacts on the individual,<br />
partners, family and<br />
friends) and changes to health<br />
and social care systems such<br />
as the NDIS and aged care.<br />
It also provides wonderful<br />
support to the carers in our<br />
community.<br />
See the website ccnb.com.<br />
au for more info and the ad<br />
on this page for the new office<br />
address.<br />
Health & Wellbeing<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 43
Health & Wellbeing<br />
Health & Wellbeing<br />
Why modern dentures are<br />
something to smile about<br />
If the very mention of the<br />
word dentures conjures in<br />
your mind a full set of pictureperfect<br />
false teeth protruding<br />
from a lived-in face, you’re not<br />
alone.<br />
But what you may not realise<br />
is dentures are not only for<br />
the elderly and there are many<br />
different denture types to help<br />
improve a smile, the way a person<br />
eats and their confidence.<br />
Dental prosthetist Anthony<br />
Boyle of <strong>Pittwater</strong> Denture<br />
Clinic says it is a common<br />
myth that not many people<br />
wear dentures anymore.<br />
“A surprising number of<br />
people wear dentures and the<br />
good dentures look so lifelike<br />
that it is often difficult to tell<br />
the difference between someone<br />
with natural teeth and<br />
someone who wears dentures,”<br />
he said.<br />
Anthony said that if you<br />
don’t wear dentures you can<br />
thank fluoride, which was<br />
added to Sydney’s drinking<br />
water in 1960 subsequently<br />
reducing tooth decay, tooth<br />
loss and the number of people<br />
who required dentures.<br />
“People have missing teeth<br />
for a variety of reasons,” Anthony<br />
said.<br />
“The most common reason is<br />
lack of fluoride in the water;<br />
the next most common is<br />
smoking which adversely<br />
affects the condition of the<br />
periodontal ligaments causing<br />
healthy teeth to become loose<br />
and drop out.”<br />
Anthony, who has also<br />
taught hundreds of students<br />
and was the NSW Secretary of<br />
the Australian Dental Prosthetists<br />
Association, has witnessed<br />
several advances since<br />
his father started <strong>Pittwater</strong><br />
Denture Clinic more than 40<br />
years ago.<br />
He said by utilising technology<br />
and modern materials,<br />
dentures could now be<br />
custom-made to fit accurately,<br />
were stronger, remained<br />
cleaner, were easier to clean<br />
and were healthier, as bacteria<br />
was less able to cling to the<br />
denture.<br />
For more information visit<br />
pittwaterdentureclinic.com<br />
or phone 9979 7590.<br />
For a good<br />
cause<br />
n Local band RockGear<br />
will shake the house at<br />
Collaroy Beach Club on<br />
Saturday <strong>September</strong> 30<br />
in a fundraiser aimed<br />
at increasing awareness<br />
of the ongoing<br />
battle against breast<br />
cancer. Tickets are just<br />
$10, with all proceeds<br />
going to the McGrath<br />
Foundation. The event<br />
is supported by Peninsular<br />
Cricket Club – head<br />
along in pink and join in<br />
for a good cause. More<br />
info Kay 0429 268 138;<br />
book online at facebook.<br />
com/rockgearsydney/<br />
n Home Sweet <strong>2017</strong> – at<br />
Freshwater SLSC on<br />
<strong>September</strong> 15 – is a new<br />
‘sleepover’ fundraiser<br />
which aims to raise at<br />
least $100,000 to support<br />
homeless youth on<br />
the Northern Beaches.<br />
Held on Friday 15th<br />
<strong>September</strong> at Freshwater<br />
SLSC also aims to raise<br />
awareness. There are<br />
currently an estimated<br />
200 homeless young<br />
people on the Northern<br />
Beaches, many are<br />
‘hidden homeless’ –<br />
sleeping in cars and on<br />
couches. All funds go to<br />
The Burdekin Association,<br />
providing housing,<br />
counselling and access<br />
to employment and<br />
training for vulnerable<br />
youth for over 30 years.<br />
More info homesweet.<br />
raisely.com<br />
44 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
Stay in your home as you age<br />
Clareville resident Louise<br />
Mace founded a business<br />
dedicated to helping people<br />
in the later stages of life after<br />
she experienced the emotional<br />
and logistic struggles families<br />
faced when the desire to age<br />
independently at home is compromised.<br />
Louise said her elderly father,<br />
like many Australians, never<br />
wanted to move into aged care<br />
so when his health took a turn<br />
and his independence faded,<br />
the prospect of leaving the<br />
safety of his home was more<br />
stress than he needed.<br />
“Like many my father didn’t<br />
qualify for a government-subsidised<br />
home care package;<br />
his options were limited,”<br />
Louise said.<br />
Louise left her job to care<br />
for her father full-time; however<br />
within weeks he passed<br />
away in hospital.<br />
“I found myself in this position<br />
of grieving not only for<br />
the loss of my dad but for the<br />
way his final weeks turned<br />
out,” she said. “It seemed obvious<br />
in hindsight that what he<br />
needed was a way to not only<br />
be able to receive the care he<br />
needed at home, but to fund<br />
that care by using his wealth<br />
that was tied up in his home.”<br />
Driven to act, Louise, who<br />
has more than two decades<br />
working in the health and<br />
aged care industries, and<br />
husband Les, a veteran of the<br />
Australian financial industry,<br />
created New Way To Stay – a<br />
service that develops personalised<br />
in-home care packages.<br />
New Way To Stay is hosting<br />
an Empowerment In Ageing<br />
information evening at the<br />
Royal Motor Yacht Club on<br />
November 9; speakers include<br />
specialists in estate planning,<br />
a dedicated aged-care<br />
experienced financial planner<br />
and MP Jason Falinksi (who<br />
has a career background in<br />
health care products used in<br />
ageing).<br />
More info newwaytostay.<br />
com.au<br />
Health & Wellbeing<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 45
Health & Wellbeing<br />
Health & Wellbeing<br />
High blood pressure: the<br />
possible effect on eyes<br />
High blood<br />
pressure<br />
can damage<br />
blood vessels in the<br />
retina – this is called<br />
hypertensive retinopathy.<br />
The retina or film layer of<br />
the eye has infinite delicate<br />
blood vessels that can be<br />
affected by various medical<br />
conditions and eye diseases.<br />
Detrimental changes in<br />
the retinal blood vessels<br />
can occur when high blood<br />
pressure is not controlled,<br />
which may cause a loss<br />
of vision that can become<br />
permanent. The higher the<br />
blood pressure and the<br />
longer it has been high, the<br />
more severe the damage.<br />
Symptoms may include<br />
double vision or dim<br />
vision, headaches, visual<br />
disturbances and<br />
sometimes sudden<br />
vision loss. Sudden<br />
symptoms can be a<br />
medical emergency.<br />
Unfortunately,<br />
most people with<br />
hypertensive retinopathy do<br />
not have symptoms until late<br />
in the disease.<br />
However, some may report<br />
decreased or blurred vision<br />
and others experience<br />
headaches.<br />
Some of the signs a<br />
comprehensive retinal eye<br />
examination will detect<br />
include retinal arteriolar<br />
narrowing, arterio-venous<br />
crossing changes, retinal<br />
with Rowena Beckenham<br />
haemorrhages and exudates,<br />
retinal microaneurysms,<br />
macular and optic disc<br />
oedema.<br />
Your optometrist should be<br />
asking you for a full medical<br />
history in relation to current<br />
medications and any personal<br />
or family history of high<br />
blood pressure and refer back<br />
to general practitioners for<br />
review if signs are detected in<br />
the eyes.<br />
Comment supplied by Rowena Beckenham, of<br />
Beckenham Optometrist in Avalon (9918 0616). Rowena<br />
has been involved in all facets of independent private<br />
practice optometry in Avalon for 16 years, in addition<br />
to working as a consultant to the optometric and<br />
pharmaceutical industry, and regularly volunteering in<br />
Aboriginal eyecare programs in regional NSW.<br />
46 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
Health & Wellbeing<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 47
Health & Wellbeing<br />
Health & Wellbeing<br />
Creating a positive place for teens<br />
New research suggests<br />
small daily acts of creativity<br />
can bolster mood – and<br />
that those positive changes<br />
could be enduring.<br />
Counsellor Shar Votano<br />
(pictured) first observed the<br />
power of the artmaking process<br />
and how it transformed<br />
students when she was a high<br />
school visual arts teacher.<br />
“It brought about critical<br />
thinking and contemplation in<br />
some, a focus and calmness in<br />
students who perhaps were not<br />
in other classes, whilst others<br />
were energised and empowered<br />
by creating,” Shar said.<br />
As a qualified counsellor<br />
and Director of Good Counsel<br />
Northern Beaches, Shar has<br />
created a serene space in Warriewood.<br />
She incorporates art therapy<br />
practices for some clients to<br />
help express themselves, trigger<br />
conversations and boost<br />
wellbeing.<br />
Art therapy studies support<br />
the notion that creative<br />
expression is good for us.<br />
“Research underscores what<br />
artmaking can do for us in<br />
terms of ‘feeling better’… and<br />
tells us that art therapy is conducive<br />
to producing positive<br />
health outcomes,” Shar said.<br />
Cognisant of the issues<br />
facing young people, Shar has<br />
teamed with teachers and artists<br />
to present another series<br />
of school holiday workshops<br />
where teens can unwind, create,<br />
express their feelings and<br />
emotions, learn how to maintain<br />
healthy boundaries and<br />
adopt good coping strategies.<br />
The art-based therapy<br />
workshops, which also include<br />
yoga, meditation and some<br />
light-hearted activities, are<br />
designed to allow young<br />
people aged 13-17 to explore<br />
their creativity and help build<br />
self-confidence.<br />
Designed to be positive and<br />
thought provoking, the workshops<br />
will also address relevant<br />
concerns for teens such<br />
as self-esteem, body issues,<br />
anxiety and depression, social<br />
pressures, how to reach out for<br />
support when they need it and<br />
how to build resilience.<br />
Sessions will be held on<br />
Mon 25 to Fri 30 <strong>September</strong><br />
and Mon 2 to Thur 5 October<br />
from 9am - 4.30pm at Good<br />
Counsel Retreat Space, 6a<br />
Prosperity Parade, Warriewood.<br />
Cost $60 per day includes<br />
art materials and resource<br />
books, personal journal to<br />
make and keep for reference<br />
and support, a healthy lunch<br />
and snacks and yoga and<br />
meditation facilitation.<br />
For info email info@<br />
goodcounsel.net.au, visit<br />
goodcounsel.net.au or phone<br />
0409 253 277.<br />
– Lisa Offord<br />
* Interested in finding out<br />
more about art therapy?<br />
UNSW is hosting a festival<br />
of arts + science + people<br />
called The Big Anxiety,<br />
Australia’s largest mental<br />
health festival, with 60<br />
events across Sydney. More<br />
info thebiganxiety.org.<br />
48 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
Hair & Beauty<br />
How pulses of light can<br />
provide skin rejuvenation<br />
with Sue Carroll<br />
Every human cell contains<br />
organelles called<br />
mitochondria, which<br />
generate the energy that the cell<br />
needs to survive, as well as help<br />
cells communicate with each<br />
other to work more efficiently.<br />
The process of generating the<br />
energy can be stimulated and<br />
enhanced by providing energy<br />
to the cell in the form of light<br />
energy. This is called<br />
Light Emitting Diode (LED)<br />
therapy, which uses pulses of<br />
visible therapeutic light over<br />
many wavelengths that deliver<br />
energy to the various layers of<br />
the skin.<br />
The science of light therapy<br />
started in Europe around 40<br />
years ago. It has also been used<br />
extensively in the USA by the<br />
NASA space program to aid<br />
in the rapid healing of cuts,<br />
scrapes and bruising (when in<br />
space the lack of gravity limits<br />
the body’s healing capacity).<br />
It has been shown in studies<br />
using LED light, that the visible<br />
light works by changing the<br />
molecular structure of a gluelike<br />
layer of water on elastin, the<br />
protein that provides elasticity<br />
in skin, blood vessels, heart<br />
and other body structures.<br />
Figuratively speaking the<br />
light strips away those water<br />
molecules that are involved in<br />
the immobilisation of elastin,<br />
gradually restoring its elastic<br />
function and thus reducing<br />
facial wrinkles.<br />
Other benefits of LED light<br />
therapy that have been studied<br />
and reported include:<br />
n increased vascularity (relating<br />
to fluid carrying vessels);<br />
n stimulated collagen<br />
production (a protein found<br />
in skin, bone and connective<br />
tissue);<br />
n increased adenosine<br />
triphosphate (ATP) release<br />
(fuel for cells);<br />
n increased RNA and DNA<br />
synthesis (essential for protein<br />
synthesis, ATP production and<br />
cell repair);<br />
n increased lymphatic drainage<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
(a fluid containing white blood<br />
cells that is drained from<br />
tissue spaces – in the course<br />
of healing, it often carries<br />
away bacteria, viruses and<br />
cancer cells);<br />
n stimulated fibroblastic<br />
activity (connective tissue that<br />
secretes collagen and elastic<br />
fibres);<br />
n increased phagocytosis<br />
(a process of cleaning the<br />
blood stream and tissues of<br />
bacteria, waste and other<br />
foreign particles);<br />
n it is anti-inflammatory, which<br />
will assist in reducing red<br />
capillaries, and rosacea; and<br />
n its purifying and antibacterial<br />
effect will assist with<br />
reducing, calming and healing<br />
acne.<br />
For those looking for a<br />
non-invasive and no-downtime<br />
treatment, LED is a safe and<br />
effective treatment for the<br />
rejuvenation of skin, the healing<br />
of jaundice in babies, and the<br />
reduction of acne and rosacea.<br />
Treatments can take from 15-30<br />
minutes per session. Depending<br />
on what is to be treated, several<br />
sessions may be required over a<br />
few weeks.<br />
LED treatments may also<br />
be included in other skin<br />
treatments in order to speed<br />
the healing and rejuvenation<br />
capacity of the skin. Most<br />
people will see results after the<br />
first application of LED, where<br />
the skin is calm, hydrated<br />
and has a healthy and radiant<br />
glow. LED treatments may be<br />
performed while lying on an<br />
LED bed – similar to a sunbed<br />
– in a clinic, or even at home at<br />
your own leisure.<br />
It is very important to know<br />
the true efficacy of the actual<br />
LED, knowing that it is of the<br />
correct wavelength and not just<br />
a coloured light globe, which<br />
will not produce a beneficial<br />
result.<br />
The science of skin<br />
rejuvenation can be as easy<br />
as LED therapy. The light<br />
treatment is beneficial for both<br />
men and women of all ages,<br />
skin types and conditions.<br />
Sue Carroll of Skin<br />
Inspiration has been a qualified<br />
Aesthetician for 33 years.<br />
Sue has owned and<br />
operated successful beauty<br />
clinics and day spas on<br />
the Northern Beaches.<br />
info@skininspiration.com.au<br />
www.skininspiration.com.au<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 49<br />
Hair & Beauty
Business <strong>Life</strong>: Money<br />
Business <strong>Life</strong><br />
Mortgage stress: Same<br />
old story, different day<br />
This month we look at a<br />
topic that is becoming<br />
somewhat of a recurring<br />
theme in financial markets.<br />
Last month ABC’s flagship<br />
‘Four Corners’ program<br />
screened an episode<br />
titled ‘Betting on the House’,<br />
presented by Michael Brissenden.<br />
The report dealt with<br />
the topic of mortgage stress<br />
and the linked question of a<br />
bubble in house prices. Aside<br />
from entitlements granted to<br />
politicians and bank bashing I<br />
can’t think of a more popular<br />
topic and proof of that was<br />
the blanket press coverage<br />
the next day as every major<br />
paper and plenty of regionals<br />
ran with the story. Part of<br />
the reason why this particular<br />
issue carried far and wide was<br />
the use of clever graphics that<br />
depicted mortgage stress by<br />
postcode and showed, not<br />
surprisingly, that our regional<br />
areas were carrying more than<br />
their fair share of the burden.<br />
This is not to say we are immune<br />
from mortgage stress<br />
here on the sunny northern<br />
beaches. The same data used<br />
in the Four Corners report<br />
suggested the following statistics<br />
for our local area:<br />
Stressed at current rates:<br />
Avalon (17% of 2,277 properties);<br />
Newport (33% of 1,440);<br />
Mona Vale (0% of 1,393); Warriewood<br />
(11% of 1,292); and<br />
Narrabeen 0% of 2,669).<br />
Stress rates with a 2% rate<br />
increase would see each of<br />
those suburbs hike to 51%,<br />
40%, 52%, 58% and 36% duress<br />
respectively.<br />
It dawned on me a few<br />
minutes after I saw the Four<br />
Corners report that this is<br />
old news. So I dug back a few<br />
years, 13 to be exact, and<br />
there it was – my <strong>Pittwater</strong> <strong>Life</strong><br />
column from November 2004<br />
titled ‘Interest Rates on my<br />
Mind’. Here’s the first couple<br />
of paragraphs:<br />
with Brian Hrnjak<br />
‘You can tell you’re living<br />
in Sydney when the number<br />
one read article on the Sydney<br />
Morning Herald website<br />
concerned forecast changes to<br />
interest rates (SMH: 18 October<br />
2004). Scrolling down the page<br />
you could see that in Victoria,<br />
readers of the Age newspaper<br />
were far more concerned<br />
about issues of child welfare,<br />
followed by Shane Warne and<br />
then finally interest rates which<br />
ranked a distant third.<br />
So what’s the big deal about<br />
interest rates in Sydney? Clearly,<br />
rates are the number one<br />
concern in the mortgage belt<br />
– which is the rather tight belt<br />
around the necks of so many<br />
homebuyers in our community<br />
and control, or, perceived<br />
control, over where these rates<br />
may go will get you elected to<br />
Government.’<br />
Here is the fourth paragraph:<br />
‘The article in the Herald<br />
quoted research from economic<br />
forecasters BIS Shrapnel<br />
who say that Australia’s long<br />
period of moderate growth,<br />
low inflation and low interest<br />
rates can’t last. Fair enough,<br />
nothing lasts forever. The<br />
researchers argue that as a<br />
consequence of skills shortages<br />
and subsequent wages push<br />
inflation, interest rates would<br />
rise in their estimation by 2 to<br />
3 per cent over the next three<br />
years. You can almost hear<br />
that mortgage belt tightening<br />
at the thought.’<br />
BIS Shrapnel did a great job<br />
forecasting, standard variable<br />
home loan rates peaked at<br />
9.60% in July 2008.<br />
So when rates rose to their<br />
peak in 2008, did disaster<br />
befall the property market? No<br />
it didn’t and it’s worth looking<br />
at a wider history to see what<br />
did occur at certain times –<br />
bearing in mind that we can<br />
only talk about averages as<br />
the data for the Sydney area is<br />
from the ABS.<br />
50 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
In the six-year period following<br />
Australia’s last recession in<br />
1991, Sydney home prices grew<br />
23.6% between 1991 and 1997,<br />
an average of 3.9% per annum.<br />
Variable home loan interest<br />
rates at that time fell from<br />
highs of around 17% to 6.7%.<br />
For the seven-year period<br />
between 1997 and 2004 Sydney<br />
home prices more than<br />
doubled their value while rates<br />
were relatively flat: 6.7% –<br />
7.05% p.a.<br />
For the 13-year period<br />
between 2004 and <strong>2017</strong> Sydney<br />
home prices more than<br />
doubled again as standard<br />
variable rates fell to around<br />
5.6% p.a.<br />
So, do Sydney house prices<br />
ever fall? Well, yes they do, as a<br />
deeper look into the statistics<br />
would show and recall again<br />
these are averages which may<br />
mask some wild swings. During<br />
the period of the last recession<br />
around 1989 to 1991,<br />
prices were flat to negative.<br />
Prices stagnated for nearly four<br />
years between 2003 to 2007<br />
in response to a fairly modest<br />
rate rise in late 2003 which<br />
went on to become the start<br />
of a rate rise cycle. During the<br />
tail end of the GFC in 2010/11,<br />
prices also stagnated or fell in<br />
response to extreme volatility<br />
in financial markets.<br />
Is the Four Corners report<br />
justified in putting a negative<br />
spin on the incidence of<br />
mortgage stress and talking up<br />
fears about a housing price collapse?<br />
I suspect that mortgage<br />
stress is a sad but incidental<br />
part of trying to establish<br />
oneself in Sydney, a world class<br />
city. What we know about the<br />
housing stock in our area is that<br />
around 40% is owned outright<br />
and around 38% of homes are<br />
in the process of being bought<br />
with a mortgage. So could 3%<br />
of our local housing stock be<br />
under mortgage stress as the<br />
Four Corners figures suggest?<br />
Sure, there are always going to<br />
be buyers who overextend or<br />
through other circumstances<br />
become stressed. I’m not,<br />
however, convinced that a rate<br />
rise, when it comes, will necessarily<br />
lead to a collapse in home<br />
prices.<br />
History has shown that prices<br />
in our area are more likely<br />
to stagnate while people try<br />
to ride out the cycle. Anyone<br />
who has to sell at that time,<br />
usually because of the three<br />
ds – death, divorce, da-bank<br />
– may cop a hiding if buyers<br />
happen to be on strike. The<br />
other people that should make<br />
themselves scarce once rates<br />
start to move north are mums<br />
and dads with retirement savings,<br />
otherwise known as the<br />
lenders of last resort.<br />
Business <strong>Life</strong><br />
Brian Hrnjak B Bus CPA (FPS) is a Director of GHR Accounting<br />
Group Pty Ltd, Certified Practising Accountants. Offices at:<br />
Suite 12, Ground Floor, 20 Bungan Street Mona Vale NSW 2103<br />
and Shop 8, 9 – 15 Central Ave Manly NSW 2095,<br />
Telephone: 02 9979-4300, Webs: www.ghr.com.au and<br />
www.altre.com.au Email: brian@ghr.com.au<br />
These comments are of a general nature only and are not<br />
intended as a substitute for professional advice.<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 51
Business <strong>Life</strong>: Finance<br />
Business <strong>Life</strong><br />
Getting to the pointy end<br />
of your dream retirement<br />
When I talk to people<br />
about retirement<br />
planning, the<br />
conversation invariably starts<br />
with numbers. Managing<br />
our client’s life savings for<br />
a living, I am aware of the<br />
importance that money plays<br />
in a successful retirement.<br />
But it is incomplete to look<br />
at figures without taking into<br />
consideration what purpose<br />
money will serve: your<br />
quality of life and sense<br />
of emotional wellbeing.<br />
Numbers alone don’t<br />
provide emotional wellbeing<br />
and quality of life. There is<br />
a need for an approach that<br />
fuses both realms into one<br />
conversation – which we call<br />
Financial <strong>Life</strong> Plan ning.<br />
All of us face the challenge<br />
of developing a retirement<br />
plan that (ideally) will see<br />
us run out of breath before<br />
we run out of money. There<br />
are many ways to approach<br />
this issue but one that seems<br />
to really work is based on<br />
20th century psychologist<br />
Abraham Maslow’s<br />
‘Hierarchy of Needs’. Here<br />
is my version of ‘Maslow’s<br />
Pyramid’ (pictured).<br />
Maslow teaches that we<br />
are motivated by unmet<br />
needs, and that lower needs<br />
must be satisfied before<br />
the higher needs can be<br />
addressed. We must meet<br />
Money<br />
Pyramid<br />
our most basic needs (like<br />
physical survival) before we<br />
can address our higher needs<br />
(like belonging).<br />
Let’s look at the different<br />
levels of the Pyramid.<br />
Existence Money<br />
Existence Money makes ends<br />
meet. How much do you need<br />
to wake up each day and have<br />
food and shelter? Is it $5,000<br />
a month, or $10,000? If you<br />
stripped away the frills and<br />
thrills and just paid for your<br />
existence, what would it cost?<br />
Most people I meet haven’t<br />
taken the time to answer this<br />
question. They might know<br />
how much they spent last<br />
year, but that is a different<br />
number (more like the whole<br />
pyramid).<br />
Security Money<br />
Security Money is money<br />
we must have to meet life’s<br />
unexpected turns. What if<br />
everything doesn’t work<br />
out as you hoped and<br />
imagined it would? This<br />
is money set aside for<br />
things that don’t turn<br />
out as planned.<br />
Things such as the<br />
risk of outliving<br />
your money,<br />
suffering poor<br />
investment<br />
returns in<br />
the early<br />
years of<br />
retirement, or having to help<br />
family members financially.<br />
Freedom Money<br />
Freedom Money is money to<br />
pursue interests, hobbies and<br />
things that bring fulfillment<br />
to our lives. The cost of the<br />
activities (and indulgences)<br />
that bring pleasure and<br />
relaxation into your life is<br />
different for each household.<br />
Some people engage in<br />
low-cost relaxation activities<br />
(like walking on a beach) and<br />
others engage in high-priced<br />
activities (like walking after<br />
a golf ball). Travel, adventure<br />
and personal growth/<br />
education are also some<br />
of the considerations to<br />
include when calculating the<br />
amount needed to fund your<br />
freedom.<br />
Giving<br />
Giving Money is money for<br />
the people and causes that<br />
we care deeply about. Having<br />
with Darren Johns<br />
met our basic needs of<br />
survival, safety and freedom,<br />
our money can be utilised for<br />
a higher purpose. Many of us<br />
would love to do something<br />
for our parents or children<br />
or to support causes close to<br />
our heart. The money needed<br />
here is your giving money.<br />
Dream Money<br />
Dream Money is money for<br />
the things you’ve always<br />
dreamed of being, doing, and<br />
having. What do you want to<br />
be? What do you want to do?<br />
What do you want to have?<br />
Putting a number on Dream<br />
Money is vastly different<br />
for each of us. The time<br />
and money cost to do/be/<br />
have the things that bring<br />
meaning into our lives can<br />
vary greatly. One of our<br />
clients wants to write a book,<br />
which requires a lot of time<br />
but relatively little money.<br />
Another client wants to spend<br />
a year sailing around the<br />
world, which requires a lot of<br />
money and a lot of time.<br />
How to Get Started<br />
Doing this exercise not<br />
only produces clarity, it can<br />
bring you hope. View your<br />
retirement income not as<br />
just a way to pay the bills<br />
but as a means of funding<br />
a life. To get started, visit<br />
alignfinancial.com.au/<br />
resources/ and download<br />
your own worksheet. It’s<br />
quick and easy and will help<br />
to give you a clear picture<br />
of what it costs to live Your<br />
Ideal <strong>Life</strong>.<br />
Darren Johns is the current AFA Adviser of the Year, a SMSF<br />
Specialist and one of Australia’s only Financial <strong>Life</strong> Planners.<br />
He is the Principal Adviser at Align Financial, an independently<br />
owned financial planning business. His writing, thinking,<br />
speaking and questioning have made him one of Sydney’s<br />
most trusted resources for people who realise that time is<br />
finite and that more money doesn’t equal more happiness.<br />
Email: adviser@alignfinancial.com.au or call 02 9913 9995.<br />
These comments are of a general nature only and are not<br />
intended as a substitute for professional advice.<br />
52 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
Business <strong>Life</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 53
Local Call<br />
Local Call<br />
Silver<br />
lining<br />
for ‘Av<br />
Fab’<br />
Avalon Fabrics & Craft’s big birthday celebration<br />
this month has been a quarter<br />
of a century in the making.<br />
Owner Carolyn Saunders and her daughter<br />
Rachelle Braund say it has been 25 wonderful<br />
years since the little store grew with the modernisation<br />
and refurbishment of the arcade<br />
into a treasure trove of colour and texture,<br />
brimming with creative inspiration.<br />
Over the years Carolyn has placed great importance<br />
on the ability to source a wide variety<br />
of beautiful natural yarns and fabrics for creative<br />
clients while providing value for money.<br />
“The expertise of the staff – Jan Cristaudo,<br />
Judy Porter, Sue Logan, Kathleen Bain and Laurellen<br />
Symonds – is truly remarkable,” Carolyn<br />
said.<br />
“They assist in so many ways to ensure projects<br />
are completed and enjoyed.”<br />
While our community’s enthusiasm for<br />
visiting the store and appreciating the tactile<br />
approach to sourcing materials and face-to-face<br />
advice has never waned, Avalon Fabrics has also<br />
MILESTONE: Sue, Carolyn and Rachelle.<br />
embraced technology with a nationally recognised<br />
online source of inspiration and ordering<br />
through their online store, Instagram and<br />
Facebook pages.<br />
As well as materials, Avalon Fabrics stocks<br />
Janome sewing machines and services all<br />
brands of overlockers and sewing machines.<br />
“We also offer a fortnightly scissor and knifesharpening<br />
service, clothing alterations and<br />
home decorating needs,” Carolyn said.<br />
Other services include access to Avalon<br />
Curtains, Blinds and Screens (avalonscreens.<br />
com)<br />
And for those inspired to learn how to knit<br />
or crochet, Avalon Fabrics & Craft hold group<br />
lessons once a month.<br />
“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all<br />
the enthusiastic, delightful customers who help<br />
us ensure a visit to the shop is a unique, positive<br />
experience,” Carolyn said.<br />
“Thank you to all the great work of the girls<br />
behind ‘the counter’ – with a special mention to<br />
Ted, the man behind the scenes.” – Lisa Offord<br />
New NB Council Identity explained<br />
Buyer’s<br />
agent for<br />
change<br />
An increasing number of first<br />
home buyers, busy professionals,<br />
investors and downsizers<br />
are engaging professionals<br />
to do the leg-work for them to<br />
help secure their property.<br />
Having co-owned a high-end<br />
real estate agency before working<br />
as a buyer’s agent for the<br />
past four years, local property<br />
professional Anita Borgnis has<br />
launched northern beachesbased<br />
‘Your Home Buyer’.<br />
Anita explains a buyer’s agent<br />
advocates for the buyer, providing<br />
objective and independent<br />
advice to ensure any property<br />
purchase is sensible, affordable<br />
and suitable – while still being<br />
the buyer’s “dream home” or<br />
investment.<br />
“This offers real value in a<br />
property market where buyers’<br />
emotions, the sales strategies of<br />
the real estate agent and tactics<br />
by auctioneers all converge to<br />
drive up the price of properties,”<br />
Anita said.<br />
Anita says there is a real need<br />
locally for buyer’s agents who<br />
have access to off-market and<br />
pre-market properties, due to<br />
shortages of stock and people’s<br />
lives getting busier.<br />
“People need someone on the<br />
ground to put them in the best<br />
possible position to purchase a<br />
home,” she said.<br />
Anita said she loves understanding<br />
buyers’ unique dreams<br />
and goals and helping them find<br />
their special place.<br />
“I basically turn a stressful<br />
experience into a comfortable<br />
journey home.”<br />
Anita said a buyer’s agent<br />
in Sydney typically charges a<br />
commission rate; however fee<br />
structures could also come as a<br />
fixed fee.<br />
“As long as you choose a<br />
buyer’s agent who is transparent<br />
about their fees from the<br />
outset and you do your research<br />
to choose someone who has a<br />
number of years experience and<br />
understands your brief, in many<br />
cases your cost savings in negotiating<br />
an excellent purchase<br />
price will surpass the fees of a<br />
buyer’s agent,” she said.<br />
More info see ad p6. – LO<br />
54 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
Book Review<br />
The Twentieth<br />
Man<br />
Tony Jones<br />
Allen & Unwin $33<br />
Take yourself back to the<br />
1970s when we feared<br />
communism, the Whitlam<br />
government had just been<br />
elected and the state of<br />
Yugoslavia still existed.<br />
Tony Jones uses this as<br />
background to tell the<br />
story of a terrorist plot by<br />
the Croatian fascist Utasha<br />
organisation aimed at<br />
unseating the communist<br />
government in that country. It is a young ABC journalist (of<br />
course!) who, while following the plot, begins to unravel the<br />
myriad motivations and connections between Utasha, and<br />
the Australian ‘establishment’ including the former Liberal<br />
Government and ASIO.<br />
While the overall story runs at a cracking pace, the power<br />
of this book is Jones’ ability to take us behind the scenes of<br />
political and journalistic life in the Whitlam years, including<br />
his detailed depiction of Attorney-General Lionel Murphy’s<br />
planning and execution of the infamous ASIO raid in 1973.<br />
The dialogue involving George Negus, Murphy’s press secretary,<br />
is particularly amusing and provides the reader with a<br />
colourful view of how political power works in this country.<br />
* Beachside’s Blokes’ Book Club (first Monday night of the<br />
month) is discussing The Twentieth Man for <strong>September</strong>;<br />
more info 9918 9918. – Michael Armstrong<br />
Embrace<br />
Reading Hour<br />
T<br />
he Australian Reading<br />
Hour on <strong>September</strong> 14 will<br />
encourage people to embrace<br />
the benefits of reading for one<br />
hour and help them either<br />
rediscover their love of reading<br />
or introduce them to the joys<br />
of storytelling and learning.<br />
In children, reading has<br />
been shown to help with<br />
identity formation, setting<br />
them up for success in the<br />
future. In adults, reading has<br />
been shown to reduce stress<br />
by 68% more than listening to<br />
music, going for a walk… or<br />
even having a cup of tea. (More<br />
info readinghour.org.au)<br />
Join Beachside Bookshop<br />
for Reading Hour from 5pm<br />
on <strong>September</strong> 14 and enjoy<br />
listening to the team and guest<br />
stars read from fantastic new<br />
picture books, junior and<br />
middle fiction releases.<br />
Participants will have the<br />
chance to purchase these<br />
books. Bookings essential (each<br />
child accompanied by an adult<br />
will receive a goodie bag).<br />
Local Call<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 55
Business <strong>Life</strong>: Law<br />
Business <strong>Life</strong><br />
Open Banking: interest<br />
grows on pending relief<br />
<strong>Issue</strong>s of concern to the<br />
public (despite media claims<br />
to the contrary) which<br />
our pollsters rate include<br />
electricity prices and the role<br />
and functioning of the four<br />
major banks.<br />
Calls for a Royal<br />
Commission into the banks<br />
are becoming more insistent<br />
as announcements of profits<br />
in the billions are made<br />
and revelations by Austrac,<br />
the government’s financial<br />
intelligence agency, of<br />
systematic breaches of<br />
anti-money laundering<br />
laws by the Commonwealth<br />
Bank come to light.<br />
Against this<br />
background it was a<br />
surprise when your<br />
correspondent received a<br />
document titled ‘Review<br />
into Open Banking in<br />
Australia – <strong>Issue</strong>s paper<br />
<strong>2017</strong>’.<br />
It would appear that in<br />
the budget in May this year,<br />
the Treasurer announced<br />
that “the Government will<br />
introduce an Open Banking<br />
regime that will increase<br />
access to banking products<br />
and consumer data by<br />
consumers and third parties,<br />
if the consumer consents.<br />
And that the government will<br />
commission an independent<br />
review to recommend the<br />
best approach to implement<br />
the Open Banking regime in<br />
Australia to report by the end<br />
of <strong>2017</strong>”. The Open Banking<br />
<strong>Issue</strong>s paper was released on<br />
August 9.<br />
Open Banking is said to<br />
give customers greater access<br />
to and control over their own<br />
banking data. Open Banking<br />
enables the customer to<br />
direct that they, or third<br />
parties chosen by them, be<br />
provided with pre-determined<br />
parts of their banking data in<br />
a secure environment and in<br />
a prescribed way, so that it<br />
can be used to offer new or<br />
better services – for example,<br />
more competitive banking<br />
products that better suit their<br />
needs, or banking products<br />
that would otherwise not<br />
have been available to<br />
them, or better financial<br />
management, accounting,<br />
tax and budgeting tools. The<br />
term is also used to refer<br />
to enabling open access to<br />
banks’ data on their products<br />
and services.<br />
Open Banking is underway<br />
in jurisdictions overseas. Last<br />
March the United Kingdom<br />
began a progressive rollout of<br />
access to banking data under<br />
a mandated Open Banking<br />
standard. The standards<br />
and sharing of customer and<br />
transaction data via open<br />
Application Programming<br />
Interface (API)s are required<br />
with Jennifer Harris<br />
to be in operation by January<br />
1, 2018. While progress has<br />
and is being made, the policy<br />
development process is<br />
reported to have encountered<br />
challenges.<br />
The European Union is<br />
moving towards an Open<br />
Banking regime which should<br />
come into force in 2018.<br />
Elsewhere, the United States,<br />
Singapore and Japan<br />
are all committed to<br />
adopting and are moving<br />
towards an Open Banking<br />
regime.<br />
In recent years in<br />
Australia there have<br />
been several reviews<br />
and inquiries which have<br />
recommended expanding<br />
customers’ access to data.<br />
In 2014, The Murray<br />
Inquiry – The Financial<br />
System Inquiry – argued<br />
for the development of<br />
standards for accessing<br />
and formatting data and<br />
product information,<br />
and addressed consumer<br />
privacy concerns to<br />
strengthen confidence and<br />
trust in the use of data.<br />
In 2015, The Harper<br />
Review Competition Policy<br />
Review recommended that<br />
the Government consider<br />
ways to improve individuals’<br />
ability to access their own<br />
data to inform customer<br />
choices. As a result of the<br />
Harper recommendations, the<br />
56 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
Productivity Commission was<br />
commissioned to examine the<br />
recommendations.<br />
The Productivity<br />
Commission recommended in<br />
its report – Inquiry into Data<br />
Availability and Use – that<br />
a new right for consumers<br />
across the economy to direct<br />
data holders to transfer<br />
the consumers’ data in a<br />
machine-readable form to the<br />
consumer or their nominated<br />
representative be introduced.<br />
Finally, late last year the<br />
House of Representatives<br />
Standing Committee on<br />
Economics’ Review of the<br />
Four Major Banks – the<br />
Coleman Report – while<br />
disagreeing with much of the<br />
Productivity Commission’s<br />
recommendations and<br />
conclusions, agreed that<br />
there was a strong case for<br />
increasing consumers’ access<br />
to their banking data and to<br />
banking product data. And<br />
it recommended that banks<br />
be required to provide open<br />
access to customer and small<br />
business data by July 2018.<br />
The current Review into<br />
Open Banking is therefore<br />
tasked with making<br />
recommendations to the<br />
Treasurer on the following:<br />
n The most appropriate<br />
model for Open Banking in<br />
Australia; and<br />
n A regulatory framework<br />
under which an Open<br />
Banking regime should<br />
operate, and a roadmap<br />
and timetable for its<br />
implementation.<br />
The Coleman Report noted<br />
that in 2013, the McKinsey<br />
Global Institute estimated<br />
that increasing access to data<br />
in consumer finance could<br />
add between $210-$280<br />
billion a year to global GDP,<br />
with up to 50% of this total<br />
flowing through to consumers<br />
through:<br />
n Enhanced price<br />
transparency; and<br />
n Tailored product offerings,<br />
and consumers’ ability to<br />
actively shape the products<br />
that they consume.<br />
There is in these inquiries<br />
and reports a recognition of<br />
the inequity of the banks,<br />
not consumers holding<br />
data which give the banks a<br />
substantial amount of power.<br />
In the United Kingdom, the<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
Competition and Markets<br />
Authority (CMA) found that<br />
both Small and Medium<br />
Enterprises and consumers<br />
find it difficult to understand<br />
the cost and quality of<br />
bank products as compared<br />
with products from other<br />
suppliers. The CMA found<br />
that 92% of consumers<br />
could be around 92 pounds<br />
(approximately $A150) better<br />
off per annum by changing<br />
their current account.<br />
However, this is the issue.<br />
How often have your heard<br />
a politician proclaim you<br />
should “change banks where<br />
you can get a better deal”?<br />
The cost of banking<br />
products is generally unknown<br />
and unknowable which makes<br />
switching costly as to time<br />
and charges. But Data sharing<br />
through Open Banking should<br />
increase price transparency<br />
with the consumer able to<br />
assess precisely the cost of a<br />
product.<br />
The Coleman Committees’<br />
recommendations include<br />
“… there is a strong case<br />
for increasing access to<br />
what the banks themselves<br />
regard as, customers’ data.<br />
This includes, for example,<br />
a customer’s transaction<br />
history, account balances,<br />
credit card usage, and<br />
mortgage repayments”. And<br />
“each data sharing participant<br />
should also release the terms<br />
and conditions for each of<br />
their banking product in a<br />
standardised and machinereadable<br />
format”.<br />
This is an important<br />
review – particularly for small<br />
business.<br />
* Should you wish to make<br />
a submission to the Review,<br />
the closing date is 22<br />
<strong>September</strong>; email: OBR@<br />
treasury.gov.au or mail<br />
to Open Banking Review<br />
Secretariat, The Treasury,<br />
Langton Crescent, Parkes,<br />
ACT 2600.<br />
Comment supplied by<br />
Jennifer Harris, of Jennifer<br />
Harris & Associates, Solicitors,<br />
4/57 Avalon Parade,<br />
Avalon Beach.<br />
T: 9973 2011. F: 9918 3290.<br />
E: jenniferha@pacific.net.au<br />
W: www.jenniferharris.com.au<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 57<br />
Business <strong>Life</strong>
Trades & Services<br />
Trades & Services<br />
AUTO REPAIRS<br />
British & Swedish<br />
Motors<br />
Call 9970 6654<br />
Services Range Rover, Land<br />
Rover, Saab and Volvo with the<br />
latest in diagnostic equipment.<br />
Narrabeen Tyrepower<br />
Call 9970 6670<br />
Stocks all popular brands<br />
including Cooper 4WD. Plus<br />
they’ll do all mechanical repairs<br />
and rego inspections.<br />
Barrenjoey<br />
Smash Repairs<br />
Call 9970 8207<br />
barrenjoeysmashrepairs.com.au<br />
Re-sprays a specialty, plus<br />
restoration of your favourite<br />
vehicle. Commercial vehicle<br />
specialist.<br />
BOAT SERVICES<br />
Avalon Marine<br />
Upholstery<br />
Call Simon 9918 9803<br />
Makes cushions for boats,<br />
patio and pool furniture,<br />
window seats.<br />
KB Marine<br />
Call Pami 9913 3522<br />
New owner; one-stop shop for<br />
sales, service and repairs of<br />
outboard and inboard Mercury<br />
engines, boats and trailers.<br />
ELECTRICAL<br />
Eamon Dowling<br />
Electrical<br />
Call 0410 457 373<br />
For all electrical, phone, TV,<br />
data and security needs.<br />
FLOOR COVERINGS<br />
Blue Tongue Carpets<br />
Call Stephan 9979 7292<br />
Family owned and run. Carpet,<br />
rugs, runners, timber, bamboo,<br />
vinyl, tiles & laminates.<br />
Open 6 days.<br />
GARDENS<br />
Graham Brooks<br />
Call 0412 281 580<br />
Tree pruning and removals.<br />
Reports regarding DA tree management,<br />
arborist reports.<br />
Precision Tree Services<br />
Call Adam 0410 736 105<br />
Adam Bridger; professional tree<br />
care by qualified arborists and<br />
tree surgeons.<br />
CLEANING<br />
The Aqua Clean Team<br />
Call Mark 0449 049 101<br />
Quality window washing,<br />
pressure cleaning, carpet<br />
washing, building soft wash.<br />
Martin Earl House Wash<br />
Call 0405 583 305<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong>-based owner on<br />
site at all times. No travellers<br />
or uninsured casuals on your<br />
property.<br />
LAWN CARE<br />
Platinum Turf Solutions<br />
Call Liam 0412 692 578<br />
Fully qualified specialists in turf<br />
supply & installation, lawn care<br />
& cylinder mowing, full lawn<br />
construction, turf renovations,<br />
maintenance and more.<br />
MASSAGE & FITNESS<br />
Avalon Physiotherapy<br />
Call 9918 3373<br />
Provide specialist treatment<br />
for neck & back pain, sports<br />
injuries, niggling orthopaedic<br />
problems.<br />
Avalon Beach<br />
Chiropractic<br />
Call 9918 0070<br />
Professional care for all ages.<br />
Treatment for chronic and acute<br />
pain, sports injuries.<br />
NJF Exercise Physio<br />
Call 0449 713 472<br />
Increase mobility. Entitled<br />
Department of Veterans Affairs<br />
(DVA) clients may be referred for<br />
clinically necessary treatment<br />
on a valid D904 referral form.<br />
Francois Naef/Osteopath<br />
Call 9918 2288<br />
Diagnosis, treatment and<br />
prevention for back pain and<br />
sciatica, sports injuries, muscle<br />
soreness and strain, pregnancyrelated<br />
pain, postural imbalance.<br />
PAINTING<br />
Contrast Colour<br />
Call 0431 004 421<br />
Locals Josef and Richard offer<br />
quality painting services. Tidy,<br />
reliable, they’ll help consult<br />
on the best type of paint for<br />
your job.<br />
Modern Colour<br />
Call 0406 150 555<br />
Simon Bergin offers painting<br />
and decorating; clean, tidy,<br />
quality detail you will notice.<br />
Dependable and on time.<br />
Avalon Physiotherapy<br />
& Clinical Pilates<br />
Call 9918 0230<br />
Dry needling and acupuncture,<br />
falls prevention and balance<br />
enhancement programs.<br />
Painting & Decorating<br />
Call 0418 116 700<br />
Andrew is a master painter with<br />
30 years’ experience. Domestic<br />
and commercial; reasonable<br />
rates, free quotes.<br />
58 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
Trades & Services<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 59
Trades & Services<br />
PLUMBING<br />
Nick Anderson Plumbing<br />
Call 0411 251 256<br />
All aspects of plumbing including<br />
gasfitting and drainage.<br />
Competitive rates, free quotes.<br />
UPHOLSTERY<br />
Luxafoam North<br />
Call 9999 5567<br />
Local specialists in all aspects<br />
of outdoor & indoor seating.<br />
Custom service and expert<br />
advice.<br />
Susan Ottowa<br />
Call Susan 0422 466 880<br />
Specialist in day bed and outdoor<br />
areas. Reliable local service.<br />
Domestic & commercial.<br />
RENOVATIONS<br />
Rob Burgers<br />
Call 0416 066 159<br />
Qualified builder provides all<br />
carpentry needs; decks, pergolas,<br />
carports, renovations and<br />
repairs.<br />
Underdeck<br />
Call Adrian 0417 591 113<br />
Waterproof under your deck and<br />
turn the area into usable space<br />
all year round.<br />
SunSpec<br />
Call Dustin 0413 737 934<br />
sunspec.com.au<br />
All-aluminium, rust-proof<br />
remote-controlled opening roofs<br />
& awnings. Beats competitor’s<br />
prices.<br />
Advertise your<br />
Business in<br />
Trades<br />
& Services<br />
section<br />
Phone<br />
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has been provided by a<br />
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prior to making any plans<br />
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Trades & Services<br />
PEST CONTROL<br />
Predator Pest Control<br />
Call 0417 276 962<br />
predatorpestcontrol.com.au<br />
Environmental services at their<br />
best. Comprehensive control.<br />
They provide a 24-hour service.<br />
PUMPS & TANKS<br />
Water Warehouse<br />
Call 9913 7988<br />
waterwarehouse.com.au<br />
Rainwater tanks & pumps. Irrigation<br />
& filter supply specialists.<br />
Askerrobertson<br />
Call 0411 956 242<br />
Northern Beaches-based<br />
specialists in residential alterations<br />
and extensions, and new<br />
houses.<br />
SECURITY<br />
Sure Security<br />
Call 1300 55 12 10<br />
Northern Beaches-based specialists<br />
in Alarms, Intercoms, Access<br />
Control and CCTV Surveillance;<br />
solutions to fit your needs.<br />
60 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
the<br />
good<br />
life<br />
dining<br />
food<br />
crossword<br />
62<br />
64<br />
67<br />
Showtime<br />
A heady, complicated ‘Actress’<br />
Poignant comedy<br />
‘The Actress’ is the<br />
next production of<br />
talented amateur group<br />
Elanora Players, with<br />
nine performances from<br />
<strong>September</strong> 29 through<br />
October 18.<br />
Peter Quilter’s play follows<br />
the events backstage as<br />
colourful, complicated<br />
actress Lydia Martin<br />
makes her emotional farewell<br />
performance, while dealing with<br />
the unexpected arrival of her<br />
provocative ex-husband.<br />
Various people from Lydia’s<br />
life invade her dressing room<br />
to say their goodbyes, declare<br />
their love, roar with laughter,<br />
spit insults, grab a final<br />
embrace, and renew old battles.<br />
Vicki Castorina, who plays<br />
Lydia, says there’s a very<br />
interesting play within the<br />
play.<br />
“Lydia is retiring, with her<br />
last role as Lubov in Anton<br />
Chekhov’s ‘The Cherry<br />
Orchard.’ Audiences are<br />
treated to three excerpts from<br />
Chekhov’s play as seen from<br />
backstage,” she said.<br />
Quilter said of his work: “I<br />
think it’s a very funny play,<br />
so I really want audiences to<br />
come and laugh. But it’s also<br />
romantic and bittersweet,<br />
and I hope that audiences will<br />
enjoy it as a character study of<br />
Lydia and the men in her life.”<br />
Vicki’s most recent<br />
appearance with EP was<br />
as Marge in the January<br />
production of “Hotel<br />
Sorrento”. Audiences will<br />
recognise Jan Adamson<br />
(Katherine), Sue Whittaker<br />
(Harriet) and Robert<br />
Longley (Charles) from<br />
roles in earlier <strong>2017</strong><br />
Players’ productions.<br />
Gillian Cooper as Lydia’s<br />
daughter Nicole, brings a<br />
bright new young talent to the<br />
stage.<br />
The season opens at the<br />
Elanora Heights Community<br />
Centre, 49a Kalang Rd,<br />
Elanora Heights at 8pm on<br />
Friday 29 <strong>September</strong>. Other<br />
performances are at 8pm<br />
on 30 <strong>September</strong> and 5, 6<br />
& 7 October, at 3pm on 30<br />
<strong>September</strong> and 1 & 7 October,<br />
and at 11am on 1 October.<br />
– Nigel Wall<br />
Looks magic for the whole family<br />
I<br />
t’s not called the ultimate magic show for nothing.<br />
Young entertainer Jonas Jost brings his action-packed show<br />
that’s full of humour and mind-blowing magic for kids and adults<br />
alike to the beaches this month for a special school holiday treat.<br />
An Australian Society of Magicians Stage Magic Champion,<br />
Jonas’ show is highly interactive getting the kids involved in all<br />
the action onstage while keeping the adults happy too.<br />
Experience the mystery and fun of the Ultimate Magic Show on<br />
Septmber 28 at Dee Why RSL.<br />
Doors open 10.30am for an 11am show. Tickets from $10.<br />
Book at deewhyrsl.com.au or call 9454 4000.<br />
Showtime<br />
gardening<br />
68<br />
travel<br />
73<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 61
Dining Guide<br />
Dining Guide<br />
<strong>September</strong>’s best restaurants, functions, events and reader deals...<br />
Barrenjoey<br />
Bistro<br />
Club Palm Beach<br />
1087 Barrenjoey Rd,<br />
Palm Beach<br />
BISTRO OPENING HOURS<br />
Lunch 11:30am-2.30pm<br />
Dinner 6pm-8.30pm<br />
PRICE RANGE<br />
Lunch and dinner<br />
specials $13.50<br />
BOOKINGS 9974 5566<br />
LIC<br />
All<br />
P<br />
It’s here! Club Palm Beach,<br />
conveniently located just a<br />
short stroll from Palm Beach<br />
Wharf, is celebrating its<br />
60th birthday on <strong>September</strong><br />
30 – and everyone’s invited<br />
to the party!<br />
The Bobby Sox will rock<br />
the house from 7pm – but<br />
you must book your ticket<br />
to avoid disappointment!<br />
They’re just $10 online (see<br />
ad outside back cover of this<br />
magazine).<br />
And don’t worry about<br />
dinner – there’s a lamb on a<br />
spit from 5-8pm ($15pp).<br />
It’ll be a huge weekend<br />
– head down on Sunday<br />
October 1 for the NRL Grand<br />
Final on the big screen.<br />
The Members’ lucky badge<br />
draw is held Wednesday and<br />
Friday night (every 30 mins<br />
between 5pm-7pm), and<br />
jackpots by $100 each week.<br />
Wednesday and Sunday<br />
are meat raffle nights, with a<br />
whopping 14 trays to be won.<br />
Enjoy Trivia Night from<br />
5.30pm on Wednesdays, plus<br />
Bingo at 10am on Fridays.<br />
The club’s Barrenjoey<br />
Bistro is open for lunch<br />
(11.30am to 2.30pm) and<br />
dinner (6pm to 8.30pm) seven<br />
days. The Bistro serves topvalue<br />
a la carte meals plus<br />
daily $13.50 specials of roasts<br />
(Mondays), rump steak with<br />
chips and salad (Tuesdays),<br />
chicken schnitzel with chips<br />
and salad (Wednesdays),<br />
homemade gourmet pies with<br />
chips and salad (Thursdays)<br />
and fish and chips with salad<br />
(Fridays), except public hols.<br />
Entrees on the a la carte<br />
menu range from $10.50 to<br />
$17.50 (mains $14.50 to $25).<br />
The club has a courtesy<br />
bus which meets the 11am<br />
ferry from Ettalong at the<br />
Palm Beach Wharf at 11.20am<br />
daily, returning on request.<br />
It also makes regular runs<br />
Wednesdays, Fridays and<br />
Saturdays from 4.30pm to<br />
9pm. Ring to book a pick-up.<br />
The Mirage<br />
Restaurant<br />
at Metro Hotel<br />
Mirage Newport<br />
be hired, along with all the<br />
hotel’s function rooms, for<br />
private and corporate events<br />
of between 60-110 guests.<br />
Bistro 61<br />
Avalon Beach RSL<br />
1 Bowling Green Lane<br />
Avalon Beach<br />
OPENING HOURS<br />
Open 7 days<br />
Lunch 12pm-2:30pm<br />
Dinner 5:30-8:30pm<br />
CUISINE<br />
Modern Aust / pub food<br />
PRICE RANGE<br />
Meals $8-$30<br />
Specials $12-$15<br />
BOOKINGS 9918 2201<br />
Avalon Beach RSL’s new<br />
2 Queens Parade West,<br />
Bistro 61 is a great place<br />
Newport<br />
to head for a local meal,<br />
CUISINE<br />
offering tasty modern<br />
Modern Australian<br />
Australian dishes at<br />
affordable prices.<br />
PRICE RANGE<br />
Bistro 61 has been named<br />
to commemorate the opening<br />
Breakfast – $25 adults, of the Club in 1961. The<br />
$12.50 kids (5-12)<br />
kitchen – led by experienced<br />
Dinner – entrees<br />
Northern Beaches head chef<br />
from $7-$17,<br />
Mitch Blundell, boasts all<br />
Mains from $21-$30,<br />
fresh, house-made meals, with<br />
Desserts from $13-$25 locally sourced ingredients<br />
BOOKINGS 9997 7011<br />
used when possible.<br />
Open for lunch and dinner<br />
Local residents are finding seven days, with extensive<br />
the peaceful ambience outdoor dining areas, Bistro<br />
of The Mirage restaurant 61 offers a different special<br />
overlooking spectacular (lunch and dinner) every<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong>, the perfect<br />
weekday, including $15 rump<br />
waterfront venue to enjoy steak chips and salad (Mon),<br />
breakfast or dinner.<br />
$12 tacos (Tues), $15 Chicken<br />
Located in boutique Metro Schnitzels (Wed), 2-4-1 pizzas<br />
Hotel Mirage Newport, The (Thurs), and a $20 burger +<br />
Mirage restaurant is a popular beer (Fri).<br />
choice for breakfast from<br />
Seniors are well catered<br />
7-10am seven days a week, for – there are daily Seniors<br />
offering a fixed-price full hot specials, including beerbattered<br />
and cold buffet, including a<br />
flathead – plus<br />
selection of cereals, seasonal they do a $5 kids meals<br />
fruit and freshly made juice, on Sundays! (There’s a<br />
toast and pastries and<br />
playground, too.)<br />
sausages, eggs, has browns, From the menu, chef<br />
bacon and tomato served with Mitch recommends his twist<br />
the Chef’s Special of the day. on nachos – pulled beef and<br />
The Mirage restaurant is blackbeans with chipotle, corn<br />
also open for dinner from chips, guacamole, Danish fetta<br />
Monday to Saturday from and coriander.<br />
5.30 pm – 8.30pm and can Members get discounts on<br />
62<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
Visa<br />
MasterCard
meals purchased. Membership<br />
starts from $5.50.<br />
The club is licensed, with<br />
no BYO. Bookings online or<br />
call 9918 2201 – large groups<br />
welcome.<br />
Head to Avalon RSL for<br />
APL Poker Tournaments on<br />
Tuesdays and Thursdays.<br />
Visit avalonrsl.com.au/<br />
bistro-61<br />
Royal Motor<br />
Yacht Club<br />
Salt Cove on <strong>Pittwater</strong><br />
46 Prince Alfred<br />
Parade, Newport<br />
OPENING HOURS<br />
Breakfast Lunch & Dinner<br />
Mon-Fri from 8.30am<br />
Weekends from 8am<br />
PRICE RANGE<br />
Breakfast from $8-$18<br />
Entrees from $9-$21<br />
Mains from $16-$26<br />
BOOKINGS 9997 5511<br />
LIC<br />
All<br />
P<br />
RMYC’s restaurant Salt Cove<br />
on <strong>Pittwater</strong>’s menu offers<br />
affordable meals and generous<br />
servings including a variety<br />
of starters and share plates,<br />
seafood, burgers, grills, salads,<br />
desserts and woodfired pizza.<br />
Spoil dad on <strong>September</strong> 3<br />
with Father’s Day breakfast,<br />
lunch or dinner.<br />
Great Friday night<br />
entertainment kicks off in the<br />
Lounge Bar from 7.30pm. Acts<br />
appearing this month include<br />
Marty Stewart (1st), Eric Lewis<br />
(8th), Keff McCulloch (15th),<br />
Geoff Kendall (22nd) and GJ<br />
Donovan (29th).<br />
Trivia is held every Tuesday<br />
night from 7.30pm (great<br />
prizes and vouchers).<br />
There’s a Ladies High Tea<br />
on Wednesday 3rd with Clover<br />
Hill champagne ($65 members,<br />
$70 non-members).<br />
Don’t miss the Madonna &<br />
Cyndi Show on Saturday 2nd<br />
(members $25, non-members<br />
$30), with Susan Smith and<br />
Grace Fagnano recreating the<br />
look and sounds of the famous<br />
1980s songstresses.<br />
Club social memberships<br />
are available for just $160.<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
Hong Kong<br />
Chinese Restaurant<br />
332 Barrenjoey Rd,<br />
Newport<br />
OPENING HOURS<br />
Dinner Tues-Sun 5pm<br />
CUISINE<br />
Chinese & Asian<br />
PRICE RANGE<br />
Entrees $5-20<br />
Mains $12.90-26.50<br />
*Deliver Whale Beach - Narrabeen<br />
BOOKINGS 9997 4157<br />
LIC<br />
BYO<br />
All<br />
Book a table at this popular<br />
Newport eatery for Father’s<br />
Day on <strong>September</strong> 3 and<br />
your family is guaranteed<br />
a great night out with a<br />
feast for the eyes and the<br />
tastebuds.<br />
Order ahead for their<br />
wonderful Peking Duck which<br />
is offered as a dine-in-only<br />
special Thursdays through<br />
Sundays in Spring.<br />
There are two traditional<br />
courses: Peking Duck<br />
pancakes & duck sang choy<br />
bow (bookings essential;<br />
mention the ad when you call).<br />
This long-established<br />
restaurant on the eastern<br />
side of Barrenjoey Rd has<br />
an extensive menu based<br />
on traditional flavoursome<br />
Cantonese with touches of<br />
spicy Szechuan and other<br />
Asian dishes and fresh<br />
seasonal vegetables.<br />
Entrees start at just $6<br />
while mains are great value<br />
too, starting at $16.80.<br />
The menu ranges from<br />
adventurous, like a Sizzling<br />
Szechuan-style Platter of king<br />
prawns and fillets of chicken,<br />
to contemporary, featuring<br />
spicy salt and pepper king<br />
prawns, to traditional,<br />
with favourites including<br />
Mongolian lamb, Honey king<br />
prawns and Honey chicken.<br />
New dishes are introduced<br />
regularly so make sure you<br />
check out the blackboard<br />
specials.<br />
The team are only too<br />
happy to home deliver your<br />
meal, with a range that takes<br />
in Narrabeen to the south to<br />
Palm Beach in the north.<br />
P<br />
Sabiang<br />
Thai Restaurant<br />
4/49 Old Barrenjoey Rd,<br />
Avalon<br />
OPENING HOURS<br />
Lunch 11.30am – 3pm 7 days<br />
Dinner 5-10pm 7 days<br />
CUISINE<br />
Thai<br />
PRICE RANGE<br />
Entrees from $8<br />
Mains $15-$28<br />
BOOKINGS 9918 3292<br />
Sabiang Thai is Avalon<br />
Beach’s newest dining<br />
destination – and if you’re<br />
craving some traditional<br />
Thai ‘street food’ fare as well<br />
as hearty curry favourites,<br />
you’ll come away licking<br />
your lips at the menu<br />
formulated by co-owner Mint<br />
and team.<br />
Chef’s specials include<br />
‘Angry Seafood’ (a spicy<br />
seafood stir-fry), Pad Cha<br />
Duck (stir-fried with wild<br />
ginger, basil, red chilli and<br />
green peppercorn), and<br />
‘Heavenly’ Sizzling Beef<br />
(marinated in sesame oil with<br />
oyster sauce, onion, shallot<br />
and roasted sesame seeds).<br />
Enjoy Larb Chicken Mince<br />
– which features chicken,<br />
chillies, toasted rice, onion<br />
and mint – or the Kana Moo<br />
Grob, which is a stir-fry<br />
broccoli dish with oyster sauce<br />
and garlic. For street food you<br />
can’t go past the crispy skin<br />
pork stir fry with green beans,<br />
red chilli, kaffir lime leaves<br />
and prik khing sauce.<br />
Or try their delectable<br />
seafood dishes including<br />
whole fried baby barramundi,<br />
crispy soft shell crab or salt<br />
and pepper squid.<br />
Fried rice, noodle dishes,<br />
curry, and soups are also<br />
favourites...<br />
Located near the corner<br />
of Old Barrenjoey Road and<br />
Avalon Parade, Sabiang<br />
boasts a smart, industrialstyle<br />
interior with soft<br />
colours and soothing blackand-white<br />
wall prints.<br />
There’s outdoor seating<br />
too – perfect as the weather<br />
heats up. Open seven days;<br />
takeaway pick-up or delivery.<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 63<br />
Dining Guide
Food <strong>Life</strong><br />
Food <strong>Life</strong><br />
Cakes and ‘just desserts’ make<br />
for delicious sweet memories<br />
As a young girl, I used to sit on the kitchen bench and bake<br />
on weekends with my grandmother; these are the sweetest<br />
of memories for me – and I guess it’s where my love<br />
for all things sweet comes from. I subscribe to the theory that<br />
life is too short to deny ourselves! Memories created and shared<br />
around a home filled with beautiful baking last forever. So go<br />
on: treat yourself, family and friends…<br />
Lemon brulee tart<br />
Serves 8<br />
6 eggs<br />
1 cup caster sugar<br />
150ml thickened cream<br />
6 large lemons, juiced<br />
Double cream, to serve<br />
Pastry<br />
2 cups plain flour<br />
¼ cup caster sugar<br />
200g butter, chopped<br />
Janelle’s Tip: Don’t use<br />
plastic as it causes pastry<br />
to sweat, making it more<br />
difficult to roll out. This<br />
pastry – almost shortbread –<br />
is sensational; if it breaks as<br />
you’re lifting it into the tin,<br />
just press it back together<br />
with your fingers.<br />
1. For the pastry, combine the<br />
flour, sugar and butter into<br />
a food processor. Process<br />
until pastry comes together.<br />
Press into a 15cm round.<br />
Wrap in greaseproof paper<br />
(see Janelle’s Tip). Refrigerate<br />
15 minutes or until firm<br />
enough to roll out.<br />
2. Roll pastry out between two<br />
sheets baking paper to a<br />
32cm round. Use to line a<br />
25cm (base) tart pan. Trim<br />
the excess. Refrigerate or<br />
freeze until firm.<br />
3. Preheat oven and a flat<br />
tray, large enough to sit the<br />
tart, to 180°C fan forced.<br />
Line the pan with a sheet<br />
greaseproof paper. Half-fill<br />
with baking beans or raw<br />
rice. Place onto the hot tray,<br />
bake for 20 minutes until<br />
light golden around the<br />
edges, remove the paper<br />
and beans or rice and cook<br />
a further 10 minutes until<br />
light golden all over.<br />
4. Beat eggs, 3/4 cup of the<br />
caster sugar and cream together<br />
with a fork until well<br />
combined. Stir in 3/4 cup<br />
lemon juice. Pour the filling<br />
into the warm pastry case<br />
and bake 25-30 minutes or<br />
until firm in the centre. Set<br />
aside to cool 30 minutes.<br />
5. Sprinkle top of tart with<br />
remaining ¼ cup caster<br />
sugar; use a kitchen blow<br />
torch to caramelise the top.<br />
Refrigerate until cold. Cut<br />
into wedges and serve with<br />
a dollop double cream.<br />
Eclairs<br />
Makes 36<br />
300ml thickened cream<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
2 tbs caster sugar<br />
2 cups pure icing sugar<br />
1/3 cup cocoa powder<br />
3-4 tablespoons boiling water<br />
Choux pastry<br />
1 cup plain flour<br />
125g butter, softened,<br />
chopped<br />
1 cup water<br />
4 x 60g eggs, lightly beaten<br />
Recipes: Janelle Bloom Photos: Steve Brown<br />
1. For the choux pastry,<br />
preheat oven 200°C fan<br />
forced. Grease and line two<br />
baking trays.<br />
2. Place butter and water in<br />
a medium saucepan over<br />
medium heat. Stir until<br />
butter is melted. Increase<br />
heat to high and bring to<br />
the boil quickly without<br />
stirring, the mixture should<br />
begin to rise in pan. Remove<br />
from the heat and quickly<br />
add the flour, stirring until<br />
the dough comes together<br />
64 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
For more recipes go to www.janellebloom.com.au<br />
Nan’s cup cakes<br />
Makes 12<br />
with Janelle Bloom<br />
60g butter, softened<br />
½ cup caster sugar<br />
½ teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
2 eggs<br />
1 cup self-raising flour, sifted<br />
¼ cup milk<br />
icing sugar, to serve<br />
Raspberry cream<br />
300ml double cream<br />
1 cup frozen raspberries,<br />
partially thawed<br />
2 tablespoons icing sugar<br />
Janelle’s Tip: For coffee icing<br />
replace the cocoa powder<br />
with 1½ tablespoons instant<br />
espresso coffee powder.<br />
in a thick ball.<br />
3. Transfer to the bowl of an<br />
electric mixer. Add egg<br />
slowly, a little at a time,<br />
until dough is thick and<br />
shiny.<br />
4. Spoon or pipe into little<br />
eclairs about 6cm long onto<br />
baking trays. Bake for 20<br />
minutes, switch the trays in<br />
the oven and bake a further<br />
5-10 minutes or until pastry<br />
is golden and crisp. Set<br />
aside to cool on trays.<br />
5. Whip cream until thick. Add<br />
the vanilla and caster sugar<br />
and whip gently again until<br />
combined. Use kitchen<br />
scissors to cut eclairs in<br />
half. Fill with whipped<br />
cream.<br />
6. For the icing, combine icing<br />
sugar and cocoa in a bowl<br />
(see Janelle’s Tip). Add<br />
water a little at a time until<br />
a thick icing forms. Spoon<br />
icing over eclairs. Allow to<br />
set before serving.<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
1. Preheat oven to 170°C fan<br />
forced. Line a 12-hole, 1/3-<br />
cup capacity muffin pan<br />
with paper cases.<br />
2. Using an electric mixer,<br />
beat butter, sugar and<br />
vanilla together until light<br />
and fluffy. Add eggs one at<br />
a time, beating well after<br />
each is added. Fold in half<br />
the flour, then half the<br />
milk. Repeat with remaining<br />
flour and milk until just<br />
combined.<br />
3. Divide mixture between<br />
the paper cases so they are<br />
two-thirds full. Bake for 12-<br />
15 minutes or until a skewer<br />
inserted into centre comes<br />
out clean. Stand 5 minutes<br />
in the pan, then transfer to<br />
a wire rack to cool.<br />
4. For the raspberry cream,<br />
whisk the cream in a bowl<br />
until thick. Place raspberries<br />
onto a plate, sprinkle over<br />
the icing sugar. Crush<br />
berries with a fork, then<br />
swirl through the cream.<br />
Janelle’s Tip: To make these<br />
into fairy cakes, cut the top in<br />
half and press the wings into<br />
the cream.<br />
5. Using a small, sharp knife,<br />
cut a shallow disc from the<br />
centre of each cake, 1cm<br />
in from edges and 1½ cm<br />
deep. Spoon raspberry<br />
cream into the hole in<br />
each cupcake and gently<br />
press the top back in place.<br />
Sprinkle with icing sugar<br />
just before serving.<br />
100g dark chocolate, chopped<br />
100g butter, chopped<br />
1½ tbs cocoa powder<br />
½ cup caster sugar<br />
1 egg<br />
¼ cup plain flour<br />
2 tbs self raising flour<br />
1. Preheat oven 180°C no fan.<br />
Grease and line the base<br />
and side of 23cm (base)<br />
New York brownie springform pan with baking<br />
paper.<br />
cheesecake<br />
2. For the brownie base,<br />
Serves 10<br />
combine chocolate and<br />
butter in a microwave-safe<br />
750g cream cheese, at room<br />
heatproof bowl. Microwave,<br />
temperature<br />
uncovered, for 2 minutes<br />
1 cup caster sugar<br />
on High/100%. Stir until<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
smooth. Add cocoa powder<br />
4 eggs, at room temperature<br />
and whisk until smooth. Stir<br />
2 tbs plain flour<br />
in sugar, egg and flours.<br />
300ml carton sour cream<br />
Spread mixture over the<br />
Cocoa powder, for dusting<br />
base of the pan and bake<br />
300ml double cream and<br />
for 15 minutes (the base will<br />
berries to serve<br />
still be a little soft). Remove<br />
Brownie base<br />
from the oven and set aside<br />
15 minutes. Reduce oven to<br />
160°C no fan.<br />
3. Using an electric mixer, beat<br />
the cream cheese, sugar and<br />
vanilla until just combined.<br />
Add the eggs, one at a time,<br />
beating well after each<br />
addition. Stir in the flour.<br />
Fold in the sour cream until<br />
just combined. Pour the<br />
cream cheese mixture over<br />
the warm base, place on a<br />
baking tray and bake for<br />
1¼ to 1½ hours or until just<br />
set in the centre. Turn oven<br />
off, leave the door ajar, and<br />
allow cheesecake to cool<br />
completely in the oven.<br />
Refrigerate until cold.<br />
4. Dust with cocoa, cut with<br />
a warm knife, serve with<br />
cream and berries.<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 65<br />
Food <strong>Life</strong>
Food <strong>Life</strong><br />
In Season<br />
Bananas<br />
Bananas Food <strong>Life</strong><br />
are the world’s<br />
oldest fruit and one of the<br />
most important food crops<br />
in the world. Australians<br />
eat more than 5,000,000 per<br />
day! Bananas are grown on a<br />
palm-like plant (related to the<br />
lily); technically bananas are a<br />
herb, not a fruit (because they<br />
don’t have a strong woody<br />
stem). Once fully grown the<br />
plant produces a single-flower<br />
stem and the banana develops<br />
from the female flower only.<br />
Each banana is known as a<br />
finger; a number of fingers is<br />
a hand and several hands are<br />
a bunch!<br />
Buying<br />
Bananas are harvested while<br />
still green; they will mature<br />
off the plant, so it’s safe to<br />
purchase green fruit. As the<br />
banana ripens the starch<br />
Banana<br />
coconut bread<br />
converts to sugars,<br />
the fruit softens<br />
and the greenish<br />
skin changes to<br />
yellow, followed<br />
by a honey-gold<br />
colour with splashes<br />
of brown spots and<br />
eventually to brown-black.<br />
To eat immediately, buy fruit<br />
with honey-gold skin and few<br />
brown marks; to keep a few<br />
days buy fruit with yellowgreen<br />
skin; and for baking<br />
cakes and muffins use fruit<br />
that is too soft to eat.<br />
Storing<br />
Allow to ripen in a fruit bowl<br />
at room temperature out of<br />
any direct sunlight. When<br />
ripe, store in the fridge to<br />
slow the ripening further;<br />
the skins will turn black but<br />
flesh will be unaffected. To<br />
speed up the ripening process<br />
place a firm green banana in<br />
a brown paper bag at room<br />
temperature with a soft ripe<br />
banana or apple.<br />
Nutrition<br />
Bananas are a healthy<br />
source of fiber, potassium,<br />
vitamin B6, vitamin C, and<br />
various antioxidants and<br />
phytonutrients.<br />
Also In Season<br />
<strong>September</strong><br />
Grapefruit, Mandarins,<br />
Australian Blood and<br />
Cara Cara Oranges,<br />
Tangelos, Papaya,<br />
Pineapples, Blueberries and<br />
Strawberries. Also Broad<br />
and Green Beans; Beetroot;<br />
Cauliflower; Carrots (look<br />
out for bunches of coloured<br />
baby carrots), Australian<br />
Garlic, Spring Onions and<br />
fresh Peas.<br />
Serves 8<br />
2 cup self-raising flour<br />
2/3 cup raw caster sugar<br />
1 cup shredded coconut<br />
70g (½ cup) pecan nuts,<br />
coarsely chopped<br />
2 tsp mixed spice<br />
1 cup mashed ripe banana<br />
3/4 cup milk<br />
60g butter, melted, cooled<br />
2 eggs, lightly whisked<br />
Butter, to serve<br />
1. Preheat oven to 180°C.<br />
Brush an 11 x 21cm (base)<br />
loaf pan with melted butter<br />
to lightly grease.<br />
2. Line the base and two<br />
opposite sides with<br />
non-stick baking paper,<br />
allowing the sides to<br />
overhang.<br />
3. Place the flour, sugar,<br />
coconut, pecans and mixed<br />
spice in a large bowl. Stir<br />
until well combined. 4.<br />
Make a well in the centre.<br />
5. Combine the banana,<br />
milk, butter and eggs in<br />
a medium bowl. Add to<br />
the flour mixture and stir<br />
until just combined. Spoon<br />
mixture into the prepared<br />
pan and smooth the<br />
surface.<br />
6. Bake in preheated oven<br />
for 50-55 minutes or until<br />
a skewer inserted into the<br />
centre of the bread comes<br />
out clean. Remove from the<br />
oven and set aside for 5<br />
minutes. Turn onto a wire<br />
rack to cool. Serve at room<br />
temperature or toasted<br />
spread with butter.<br />
66 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
<strong>Pittwater</strong> Puzzler<br />
Compiled by David Stickley<br />
use (8)<br />
23 Slightly salty (8)<br />
24 On a ship or train (6)<br />
25 The smallest possible quantity (7)<br />
26 Zubi Bar or ShotLab Espresso<br />
may be described as this type of<br />
establishment (4)<br />
DOWN<br />
1 Beach north of the entrance to<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong> beyond Lion Island (5)<br />
2 Kitchen garden favourite (generally)<br />
used to flavour food (3,4)<br />
3 Northern Beaches resident and<br />
author of The Secrets She Keeps (7,8)<br />
4 Native animal threatened by foxes<br />
on the Northern Beaches, _____<br />
wallaby (5)<br />
5 Shock absorber (7)<br />
6 Maz Compton shares part of this in<br />
ACROSS<br />
1 Small edible shellfish (4)<br />
3 Play with much song and dance like<br />
Hot Mikado put on by the NBCS in 2016<br />
(7)<br />
8 A cocktail based on light rum,<br />
curacao, and fruit juices (3,3)<br />
9 Put into a category (8)<br />
10 Very short-stemmed plant with thick<br />
leaves with soothing mucilaginous juice<br />
(4,4)<br />
11 Father John Joseph Therry, who at<br />
one time owned all of Avalon and<br />
much more, was one (6)<br />
12 Complicated situation (9)<br />
14 A sheltered and secluded place (4)<br />
15 Forthwith; immediately (4)<br />
17 Large inlet that has its entrance<br />
between the northern Box Head and<br />
Barrenjoey Head (6,3)<br />
19 Spanish rice dish that is a specialty<br />
of catering company Food Stuff (6)<br />
21 Fallen into disuse, or no longer in<br />
her new e-book, ‘UnEdited’ (4,5)<br />
7 Swoop down and attack like a<br />
protective magpie (4-4)<br />
12 Social network that must be<br />
used to enter the Northern Beaches<br />
council’s current photographic<br />
competition (9)<br />
13 In a foreign country (8)<br />
16 Path that must be taken to reach<br />
the Coastal Environment Centre in<br />
North Narrabeen (7)<br />
18 Starting point of the first <strong>Pittwater</strong><br />
Ocean Swim this summer (7)<br />
20 A recognised truth (5)<br />
22 Number of councils that<br />
amalgamated the form the Northern<br />
Beaches Council (5)<br />
[Solution page 70]<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong> Puzzler<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 67
Garden <strong>Life</strong><br />
Garden <strong>Life</strong><br />
It’s not hard to care for<br />
flowering ‘living stones’<br />
Not everyone has either<br />
the time or the space<br />
to garden; for busy<br />
plant lovers the tiny lithops,<br />
commonly known as ‘living<br />
stones’, are the ideal window<br />
sill plant that looks after itself.<br />
Lithops grow wild in the deserts<br />
of South Africa, thriving<br />
in the small cracks between<br />
rocks and stones. They are<br />
drought-tolerant and store<br />
enough water in their fleshy<br />
leaves to last for many months.<br />
There are 35 known species of<br />
lithops and they come in all the<br />
desert colours – greys, greens,<br />
pinks and purples, all designed<br />
to give them camouflage on<br />
the sandy desert floor.<br />
They are so easy to look<br />
after – just make sure not to<br />
overwhelm these tiny plants<br />
with too much TLC. They grow<br />
in coarse sand mixed with fine<br />
gravel plus a small amount<br />
soil. Let the soil dry out completely<br />
before watering again.<br />
Through the winter months<br />
these tiny stones will survive<br />
for 3-4 months without water.<br />
If they are over-watered they<br />
become greedy and the plants<br />
will burst. Keep them in a<br />
bright sunny spot inside the<br />
window or outside.<br />
Lithops love hot, dry<br />
conditions but, as desert<br />
plants, they are very tolerant<br />
of over-night cold. As the<br />
weather warms they grow<br />
their new leaves. The outside<br />
pair begins to wither as a new<br />
pair slowly emerges from the<br />
centre. At this point, hold<br />
back water until the outside<br />
leaves have completely shrivelled<br />
and fallen away. Lithops<br />
flower infrequently, producing<br />
bright yellow or white<br />
with Gabrielle Bryant<br />
daisy-like flowers that open<br />
each day and close at night<br />
once the tiny succulent has<br />
rejuvenated in spring.<br />
68 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
Chinese<br />
Jasmine is<br />
something<br />
to bee-hold!<br />
If you have a wall, a bank,<br />
a septic tank or water<br />
tank that you want to hide,<br />
the bright yellow Primrose<br />
Jasmine (sometimes known<br />
as Chinese Jasmine or<br />
jasminium mesnyi) is the<br />
perfect answer.<br />
Unlike the heavily<br />
scented white jasmine that<br />
twists and turns delighting<br />
us in spring with its heady<br />
scent, this jasmine is completely<br />
controllable and<br />
grows with long arching<br />
canes that can be trimmed<br />
or trained into shape. It<br />
can be hedged as a privacy<br />
screen, clipped or just be<br />
left alone to ramble.<br />
The bright, cheerful<br />
flowers develop along<br />
the stems of the previous<br />
year’s growth and flower<br />
from spring until summer.<br />
And bees love it!<br />
Primrose Jasmine is<br />
fast-growing and will grow<br />
in any average garden<br />
soil with little attention; it<br />
loves the morning sun or<br />
part shade. Hot wind and<br />
afternoon sun can burn<br />
the flowers but will not<br />
affect the foliage.<br />
It is an old favourite that<br />
can be seen growing in established<br />
gardens around<br />
the peninsula. This is a<br />
plant well worth growing<br />
in difficult situations.<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
Stunning giant alcantarea the<br />
landscaper’s tropical delight<br />
If you are looking for<br />
a stunning plant that<br />
will take your breath<br />
away, consider planting<br />
a giant alcantarea – one<br />
of the largest and most<br />
majestic bromeliads.<br />
Alcantareas have in<br />
recent years become<br />
the landscaper’s delight<br />
for planting in tropical<br />
gardens as an accent<br />
plant. They grow in full<br />
sunlight or part shade<br />
and look brilliant mixed in with palms, gingers,<br />
cordylines, aloes and agaves.<br />
It will be just a small plant about 30-40cm<br />
wide when you buy it, but give it space. This<br />
Jerusalem the<br />
pick of the<br />
artichokes<br />
Jerusalem artichokes are an<br />
amazing vegetable that produces<br />
flowers you can pick in<br />
summer and tubers that you<br />
can eat in winter.<br />
Also known as Sunchokes<br />
they are members of the<br />
sunflower family. They grow<br />
tall, with huge yellow ‘daisy’<br />
flowers. They love the sun,<br />
growing to a height of 1.5m.<br />
Plant the tubers now about<br />
5cm deep and 20cm apart in<br />
good soil that has compost<br />
and fertiliser added; once<br />
planted they are easy to grow.<br />
They are quite droughttolerant<br />
but regular water will<br />
ensure good-sized tubers.<br />
Buy your first crop from the<br />
garden centres, then once you<br />
get them going, leave a few<br />
behind in the soil and they will<br />
pop up again next spring.<br />
They make delicious soups<br />
– or you can use them just as<br />
you would use potatoes.<br />
huge swirl of colour<br />
will grow to a height<br />
of 1.5m and 1.5m<br />
wide! There are many<br />
colours and cultivars<br />
available but the<br />
easiest to find is the<br />
alcantarea imperialis<br />
rubra. The soft, grey/<br />
purple leaves turn to<br />
deeper purple in the<br />
colder months.<br />
Alcantarea Silver<br />
Plum has silver foliage<br />
on top, with soft purple backs. Alcantareas need<br />
little water. Usually natural rainfall is enough.<br />
Plant them in free-draining soil and feed with a<br />
slow-release fertiliser in spring.<br />
Magnificent magnolias<br />
add vibrant spring colour<br />
Every garden should have<br />
a spring blossom tree that<br />
bursts into flower as the days<br />
warm up and grow longer.<br />
While our gardens on the<br />
peninsula are too warm for the<br />
traditional peaches and plums,<br />
magnolias will thrive in sheltered<br />
gardens out of the wind.<br />
The huge chalices of pure<br />
white, pink or purple magnolia<br />
soulangeana explode into<br />
colour as winter fades away.<br />
Magnolias are slow-growing<br />
and may take a couple of<br />
years to settle in but once established<br />
they are unbeatable<br />
for spring colour. Plant one as<br />
a shade tree for summer in a<br />
spot where you will enjoy the<br />
sunlight in winter after the<br />
leaves fall.<br />
If you only have a small<br />
space, plant the star magnolia<br />
– magnolia stellate – that<br />
is a beautiful small tree or<br />
large shrub.<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 69<br />
Garden <strong>Life</strong>
Garden <strong>Life</strong><br />
Garden <strong>Life</strong><br />
Jobs this Month<br />
<strong>September</strong><br />
As the garden wakes up<br />
from winter there is a<br />
lot to do: this includes<br />
feeding, trimming, planting,<br />
digging and mulching. A<br />
priority is to spray your grass<br />
with a bindii killer to get rid of<br />
the bindies before the flowers<br />
set seeds that will stick into the<br />
soles of bare feet in summer.<br />
And it’s a good month to<br />
repair lawn damage. New turf<br />
will establish quickly and bare<br />
patches can be over-sown with<br />
seed. (Try to get your grass<br />
identified before patching, to<br />
make sure that turf or seed<br />
matches your lawn. Take a<br />
sample to a turf supplier for<br />
identification if you are not<br />
certain of the variety.)<br />
Check systems<br />
Mostly it has been a very dry<br />
winter. Check out your watering<br />
system to make sure that<br />
there are no corners of your-<br />
Crushed eggshell tip<br />
Plant flower seedlings of petunias,<br />
phlox, gazanias, lobelia, nasturtiums,<br />
alyssum, verbena, marigolds,<br />
dianthus, sunflowers and impatiens.<br />
Here’s a tip: crushed eggshells make<br />
great barriers around newly planted<br />
seedlings – slugs and snails can’t<br />
slide over them. Much better for the<br />
environment than snail bait!<br />
garden that miss out on water.<br />
As plants grow and change<br />
shape, watering systems need<br />
adjusting.<br />
Prune hibiscus<br />
Prune back hibiscus this<br />
month. It is hard to cut back<br />
flowering stems but it must be<br />
done now to keep the bushes<br />
compact and healthy. They will<br />
soon grow back. Feed them<br />
with a mulch of cow manure<br />
and a slow-release fertiliser.<br />
Watch out for hibiscus beetle.<br />
Apply some granular Richgro<br />
Bug Killa to the soil; this is<br />
great for ornamentals but<br />
should never be used on vegetables<br />
or fruit that you eat.<br />
Cut back hard<br />
Trim back poinsettias as the<br />
flowers finish. They can be cut<br />
back quite hard, and you will<br />
be rewarded next winter with<br />
additional flowering stems.<br />
Manage<br />
hydrangeas<br />
Look after your hydrangeas.<br />
Additional lime will increase<br />
the intensity of pink flowers<br />
and blueing tonic enhances<br />
the blues. Cut them back to a<br />
double bud to shape the bush.<br />
Some of the newer varieties<br />
grow thick new shoots from<br />
ground level.<br />
Take it as red<br />
It is tomato time! Plant seedlings<br />
now to have tomatoes<br />
in time for Christmas. There<br />
are so many different ones<br />
available, from yellow, orange,<br />
red to black. Put in stakes at<br />
the time of planting so that<br />
you can support them as<br />
they grow. The smaller cherry<br />
tomatoes are easiest to grow<br />
– and they don’t have the<br />
same fruit fly problem that the<br />
larger varieties have.<br />
Trap pests<br />
Position a leaf miner lure trap<br />
in your garden. This is small<br />
and unnoticeable, and it will<br />
protect your daisies, gazanias,<br />
vegetables, citrus trees and<br />
ornamental plants from the<br />
hideous trails that these insects<br />
leave as they burrow into<br />
leaves. A yellow sticky pad will<br />
help to control the aphids and<br />
Help the bees<br />
Bring back the bees by<br />
planting flowers in the<br />
veggie garden. Scarlet<br />
nasturtiums, orange French<br />
marigolds, purple lavender<br />
and bright blue borage<br />
all help the vegetables to<br />
produce more fruits.<br />
flying insects. Hang the trap<br />
as high as possible; the glue is<br />
so strong that even tiny lizards<br />
will get caught.<br />
Plant out vegies<br />
Sow vegetable seed now!<br />
Beans, cabbage, carrots,<br />
capsicum, chillies, onions,<br />
zucchini, eggplants, tomatoes,<br />
cucumbers, lettuce and silver<br />
beet and radishes can all go<br />
in for great results in coming<br />
months.<br />
Crossword solution from page 67<br />
Mystery location: WHALE BEACH<br />
70 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
Times Past<br />
Myths abound about<br />
Avalon headland hamlet<br />
– the high nest of<br />
a bird of prey, as an<br />
‘Eyrie eagle or of any large<br />
bird; a house built high.’<br />
This definition from the<br />
Macquarie Dictionary seems<br />
to suit the tiny three metres<br />
square structure which stands<br />
precariously on the edge<br />
of North Avalon headland,<br />
almost directly above St<br />
Michael’s Cave.<br />
The Oxford Dictionary<br />
extends the definition to ‘a<br />
high or inaccessible place<br />
from which someone can<br />
observe what is below them’.<br />
Many claims have been<br />
made for activities conducted<br />
in this intriguing and tiniest<br />
of buildings – some real and<br />
some apparently imagined!<br />
The most popular claim that<br />
surfaces frequently is that the<br />
author Paul Brickhill finished<br />
writing his 1951 non-fiction<br />
novel ‘The Dam Busters’ up in<br />
the eyrie. Another and similar<br />
claim is that Neville Shute<br />
completed his novel ‘On The<br />
Beach’ way up there; however<br />
neither of these possibilities<br />
have been confirmed.<br />
According to an article<br />
printed in the ‘Pacific Times’<br />
in the mid 1970s, the eyrie<br />
and the adjacent dwelling<br />
were built in 1938 by an<br />
engineer from Maroubra,<br />
William Lumsden. His wife,<br />
Mrs Winifred Lumsden,<br />
told the paper that “her<br />
husband had used the oneroom<br />
cliff-top house as an<br />
office”. He would retreat to<br />
the office where he could<br />
work undisturbed “while the<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
children were growing up”.<br />
When asked about the<br />
possibility of either Brickhill<br />
or Shute occupying the eyrie,<br />
Mrs Lumsden simply replied<br />
“romantic but untrue”. Of<br />
course, the Lumsdens had<br />
occupied the eyrie during (and<br />
after) World War II, the same<br />
period when the authors were<br />
supposed to be “in residence”.<br />
The family was still using<br />
both places on weekends in<br />
the 1970s.<br />
Apparently Brickhill did<br />
own the exclusive Palm Beach<br />
property called ‘Craig Rossie’<br />
for four years from 1960.<br />
Perhaps this was how the<br />
folklore evolved – at least he<br />
was living in the area!<br />
During more recent years it<br />
has been used (temporarily)<br />
as a yoga studio, an artist’s<br />
retreat – and my son rented<br />
it for 18 months in the mid-<br />
1990s as a cinematographic<br />
editing suite.<br />
In view of the recent<br />
massive collapse of the North<br />
Avalon headland and with<br />
one major fracture still very<br />
visible, one begins to wonder<br />
how long the eyrie will be<br />
with us.<br />
TIMES PAST is supplied<br />
by local historian<br />
and President of the<br />
Avalon Beach Historical<br />
Society GEOFF SEARL.<br />
Visit the Society’s<br />
showroom in Bowling<br />
Green Lane, Avalon<br />
Beach.<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 71<br />
Times Past
Boating <strong>Life</strong><br />
Boating <strong>Life</strong><br />
Discover sailing at the Alfreds<br />
The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht<br />
aimed at minimising the risk to<br />
Club at Newport – one<br />
the sailors and boats,” he said.<br />
of Australia’s premier sailing<br />
clubs – is holding a ‘Discover<br />
Sailing Information Day’ on<br />
<strong>September</strong> 24.<br />
Communications manager<br />
Brendan Rourke said the Club’s<br />
sailing program and activities,<br />
ideal for the whole family, were<br />
second to none.<br />
“We take pride in our ability<br />
to host high quality, professional<br />
events in a pristine<br />
environment of <strong>Pittwater</strong>,” he<br />
said. “Our professional event<br />
administrators ensure that<br />
our yacht racing is innovative,<br />
safe and user-orientated with<br />
a varied program, combining<br />
inshore and offshore racing.”<br />
He said racing was conducted<br />
year-round throughout<br />
the week; during Twilight hours<br />
there’s a Women’s Tuesday Twilight<br />
Series and Thursday open<br />
series which were great social<br />
fun events.<br />
Any age or ability can enjoy<br />
the various classes, divisions,<br />
great sailing locations and<br />
competition. The Club has<br />
a wide and varied range of<br />
sailing activities available,<br />
including training (on-water<br />
and shore-based courses) and<br />
seminars to increase your<br />
skills.<br />
“Crew are always welcome to<br />
join races and an online crew<br />
and boat register is available.<br />
The Club actively encourages<br />
safe sailing and actively<br />
pursues a range of initiatives<br />
“Alfred’s Training seeks to<br />
help you achieve your sailing<br />
goals, gain confidence on the<br />
water, whether you are Grand<br />
Prix racing, a day sailor or<br />
cruising up the coast. There<br />
are options for kids through<br />
to adults, dinghies through to<br />
yachts, and high-performance<br />
racing to first aid and sea safety,<br />
we can help you develop<br />
whatever skills you need.<br />
“We specialise in the delivery<br />
of courses for beginner<br />
sailors (and new boat owners),<br />
boat handling skills and<br />
cruising through to racing<br />
skills and shore-based professional<br />
qualifications.<br />
“Our structure allows participants<br />
to move through the<br />
courses at their own pace and<br />
ability in an enjoyable environment.”<br />
More info www.rpayc.com.<br />
au or phone 9998 3700.<br />
72 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
Travel <strong>Life</strong><br />
Romantic European<br />
adventure as East-West<br />
cultures are entwined<br />
The heart of Central Europe,<br />
where East and West meet<br />
and entwine in fascinating<br />
cultures and turbulent history,<br />
has long been the focus for<br />
travellers seeking a sense<br />
of adventure – now you can<br />
discover the beauty of the<br />
romantic lower Danube on a<br />
Budapest to the Black Sea river<br />
cruise with Tauck.<br />
Glide past medieval<br />
monasteries, citadels and<br />
villages; discover resort towns<br />
along Romania’s Black Sea<br />
Coast; explore an ancient<br />
Christian necropolis in Pecs;<br />
and visit ‘Dracula’s’ castle in<br />
Transylvania.<br />
Along the way, dine in the<br />
Soviet-style People’s Palace in<br />
Bucharest. Share homemade<br />
refreshments in the home of a<br />
Croatian family rebuilding their<br />
lives in post-war Vukovar; and<br />
listen to famous composer Béla<br />
Bartók’s piano music at a recital<br />
in his Budapest home.<br />
Travel View’s Karen Robinson<br />
says you’ll experience authentic<br />
local cuisine, music and dance,<br />
and a wealth of architectural<br />
wonders as your river cruise<br />
winds its way through Hungary,<br />
Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria and<br />
Romania.<br />
“Nights on land are spent at<br />
luxury hotels in the popular<br />
cities of Bucharest and<br />
Budapest (the Paris of Eastern<br />
Europe),” Karen said. “Tauck<br />
offers uncommon access at<br />
every turn – for example your<br />
hotel in Bucharest has an ideal<br />
location next to the Parliament<br />
Palace.”<br />
Other highlights of the cruise<br />
in August 2018 are an exclusive<br />
evening at Belgrade’s Royal<br />
White Palace and a private<br />
evening at Festetics Palace in<br />
Budapest, plus dinner at the<br />
Parliament Palace in Bucharest.<br />
The distinctively inclusive<br />
nature of Tauck provides<br />
value inclusions worth $3,150<br />
in the form of private shore<br />
excursions and experiences.<br />
“When travelling with Tauck<br />
you can look forward to a high<br />
level of service, expertise and<br />
guest satisfaction – with the<br />
highest cruise director to guest<br />
ratio in the industry,” Karen<br />
said.<br />
Tauck’s ‘Budapest to the<br />
Black Sea’ journey includes<br />
airport transfers upon<br />
arrival and departure; 28<br />
meals; service charges; most<br />
gratuities; admission fees; taxes<br />
and porterage; plus unlimited<br />
complimentary onboard<br />
beverages including regional<br />
wine, beer and premium spirits<br />
in addition to specialty coffee.<br />
“This trip will be escorted<br />
(minimum 10) so if you would<br />
like to travel with a small group<br />
of like-minded travellers and<br />
with the added security of your<br />
own escort, it’s an ideal option.”<br />
– Nigel Wall<br />
* Travel View is hosting<br />
an information evening in<br />
conjunction with Tauck on<br />
<strong>September</strong> 14; to attend<br />
phone Karen on 9918 4444.<br />
Travel <strong>Life</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 73
Travel <strong>Life</strong><br />
Travel <strong>Life</strong><br />
Small ships big<br />
on wow factor<br />
Imagine taking in a painter’s<br />
palette sunset in Santorini<br />
(right), experiencing the<br />
glamourous French Riviera,<br />
the bohemian shores of Ibiza,<br />
culinary delights of Sorrento,<br />
Dubrovnik’s cobbled paths,<br />
the ancient cities of Athens<br />
and Rome, and ultra-luxurious<br />
Monte Carlo (top).<br />
These travel treasures –<br />
and more – can be collected<br />
on Silversea’s Grand Voyage<br />
2018: an extraordinary 42-day<br />
circumnavigation aboard Silver<br />
Muse, Silversea’s newest flagship<br />
vessel, venturing to 38 ports<br />
across nine countries (departing<br />
Venice on June 5, 2018).<br />
Plus, this month you can<br />
take advantage of Silversea’s<br />
incredible ‘Europe Fly Free’<br />
offer – guests making new<br />
bookings until 30 <strong>September</strong>,<br />
on select European 2018<br />
voyages, will receive free<br />
economy class roundtrip air<br />
fares or for $4,998pp upgrade<br />
to business class (subject to<br />
availability).<br />
Guests who opt not to utilise<br />
the Europe Fly Free’ offer will<br />
receive an exclusive savings<br />
offer of $1,300 per guest.<br />
(These special offers are valid<br />
on new bookings and are<br />
capacity controlled; terms and<br />
conditions apply.)<br />
In 2018, Silversea will<br />
embark on 70 voyages through<br />
Northern Europe, the British<br />
Isles, and the Mediterranean,<br />
encompassing over 170 ports<br />
and adding nearly 30 new<br />
destinations to the ultra-luxury<br />
cruise line’s itineraries.<br />
Travel View’s Karen<br />
Robinson says Silversea’s team<br />
of experts enable travellers<br />
to fully immerse themselves<br />
in the idyllic cities and ports<br />
visited, providing gastronomic,<br />
architectural, and historical<br />
insights.<br />
“The fleet of Silversea vessels<br />
are specifically designed to<br />
allow guests to disembark<br />
closer to shore, maximising<br />
the amount of time spent<br />
exploring,” Karen said. “Guests<br />
can expect to explore and<br />
discover myriad spectacular<br />
destinations, or simply sit back,<br />
relax, and be mesmerised by<br />
the stunning beauty of the<br />
passing landscapes.”<br />
Silversea’s cruise<br />
fares include all-suite<br />
accommodation with butler<br />
service; gourmet menus<br />
inspired by Relais & Châteaux;<br />
complimentary on-board wines<br />
and spirits; and one hour of<br />
complimentary WiFi per day for<br />
each guest (or unlimited WiFi for<br />
select suite categories), plus all<br />
gratuities.<br />
Silversea Cruises is<br />
recognised as an innovator<br />
in the ultra-luxury cruise line<br />
industry, offering guests<br />
large-ship amenities aboard its<br />
intimate, all-suite vessels.<br />
* For more info contact<br />
Travel View Cruise View on<br />
9918 4444 or 9999 0444.<br />
74 SEPTEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991