Pittwater Life March 2018 Issue

The Local Voice Since 1991
BAY VIE W
BUST-UP
RESIDENTS, GOLF CLUB
IN COUNTER-CLAIMS
OVER ECO-IMPROVEMENT
MARCH 2018
FREE
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Editorial
Newport knows the B-Line drill
Three months after the
B-Line’s launch, the
Government has announced
three days of geotechnical
surveys to help determine if
the intersection of Barrenjoey
Road and Neptune Road at
Newport is a viable location for
a roundabout and the possible
northernmost B-Line terminus.
Transport NSW informs
us that night drilling will
be conducted around the
intersection on March 6,
followed by day drilling on
March 7 and 8, to collect data
and soil samples to inform
the Review of Environmental
Factors (REF) that’s being
prepared. Surveys will also
be conducted through the
Newport Beach car park.
The REF will be ready for
assessment after Easter and
then placed on public display,
with the community invited to
make submissions.
Oh, if you see the Roads
Department camping in the car
park, don’t fret: coincidentally,
they are undertaking drainage
maintenance on a section
of Barrenjoey Rd near The
Serpentine.
* * *
This month we look at the
development issue that’s
polarizing the peninsula: the
planned seniors living units on
a portion of Bayview Golf Club.
On the one hand we
have residents who say the
development would destroy
Pittwater’s highest-priority
wildlife corridor. On the other
are restoration ecologists
recruited by the developer
who claim no such corridor
currently exists – but whose
Environmental Assessment
Report and landscaping
recommendations, if
implemented along with any
approved DA, would increase
connectivity and provide an
environmental gain of 10:1.
Council certainly has a job
on its hands…
The Local Voice Since 1991
MARCH 2018 3

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Publisher: Nigel Wall
Managing Editor: Lisa Offord
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Cleary, Brian Hrnjak, Jennifer
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Vol 27 No 8
Celebrating 26 years
The Local Voice Since 1991
BAYVIEW
BUST-UP
RESIDENTS, GOLF CLUB
IN COUNTER-CLAIMS
OVER ECO-IMPROVEMENT
MARCH 2018
FREE
pittwaterlife
RUNNING WITH
THE RAT PACK
BEHIND THE SCENES
WITH OUR SYDNEY
RUGBY CHAMPS
TOM BURLINSON
‘THE MAN’ REFLECTS
ON A CAREER FULL
OF HIGH NOTES
PLUS...
CHECK OUT
OUR NEW
WEBSITE!
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thislife
COVER: The proposal to build a seniors living
development on a parcel of Bayview Golf Club land has
sparked debate about the best environmental outcome
for Pittwater (p20); residents are concerned an off-leash
dog park trial in Avalon has been set up to fail (p6);
there are more parking dramas on the horizon for
Palm Beach (p12); our man Matt Cleary goes behind the
scenes as the Warringah Rats prepare to defend their
Shute Shield rugby title in 2018 (p30); and weigh up the
pros and cons of solar energy installation (p53).
COVER IMAGE: Jack Fontes
also this month
Editorial 3
Pittwater Local News 6-29
Special Feature: Running With The Rat Pack 30-33
Life Stories: Tom Burlinson 34-35
Art Life 36-39
Young Life 41
Surfing Life 42-43
Boating Life 44
Hair & Beauty; Health & Wellbeing 45-52
Money 53-55
Law 56-57
Food 64-66
Crossword 67
Gardening 68-70
the goodlife
Restaurants, food, gigs, travel and gardening.
Also find our regular features on beauty, health, surfing,
art, local history, our guide to trades and services, money,
law and our essential maps.
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All contents are subject to copyright and may not be reproduced except with the
written consent of the copyright owner. GST: All advertising rates are subject to GST.
4 MARCH 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

News
Off-leash park danger warning
Dog owners say a new trial
of a fenced, off-leash
area at the north-western
section of Avalon Beach
Reserve has been “set up to
fail”, while a local veterinarian
and animal behaviourist
has warned of the dangers of
injury to both dogs and people
from potential fights in the
small, enclosed space.
A Northern Beaches Council
meeting last August resolved
that Avalon Beach Reserve
would be declared an unleashed
dog exercise area on a
trial basis for six months; the
trial commenced in February
and will conclude in July.
General Manager Environment
and Infrastructure Ben
Taylor said the trial was a
response to requests from the
community for more and improved
off-leash dog exercise
areas.
“In May and June 2017,
Council sought community
feedback on new unleashed
areas including one at Avalon
Beach Reserve,” Mr Taylor
said. “In response, Avalon
Beach Reserve was selected as
a trial site.”
Mr Taylor added the Avalon
trial was part of a range
of initiatives that Council
was considering to improve
unleashed dog exercise areas
across the Northern Beaches.
However, Ben Brown from
Sydney Animal Hospital,
Newport and Avalon, said
in most cases these types of
dog parks were only suitable
for well-socialised dogs with
sound foundation skills which
included responding to basic
cues.
“Often owners of fearful
and fear-aggressive animals
make the mistake of assuming
that merely increasing
exposure to people and
other dogs will improve the
problem, although this does
occasionally happen, many
animals can simply become
more sensitised and reactive –
and the problem gets worse,”
Mr Brown said.
“This response is made
more likely when the (already)
fearful animal is forced to be
in close proximity to other
animals and people.”
Avalon dog owners approached
by Pittwater Life said
the fenced park – 30 metres
by 90 metres – was inadequate
for an off-leash trial.
“It’s a farce – my dog is too
big for that space,” said one
owner (name withheld).
Others said they were unaware
of the trial – but added
they would not use the facility
because of its closed-in set-up
and the fearful nature of their
animals.
Council will review the
amount of use, comments
from users and nearby residents
before determining the
future of the site.
The trial coincides with
Council employing two fulltime
animal management
officers in a bid to solve dogrelated
disputes. – Nigel Wall
6 MARCH 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Car park ballot reminder
Offshore residents are being
reminded that applications
to secure a long-term
reserved parking space in the
new Church Point car park
close on Sunday March 4.
The two-level carpark located
on McCarrs Creek Road
is scheduled to open later this
month; it will allocate 68 reserved
parking spaces on its
top level to eligible residents
through a ballot system for a
two-year term. Cost is $4,939
per year, paid quarterly.
The lower level will be a
Pay and Display carpark;
it will also be available for
Church Point Permit holders
overnight.
The reserved spaces will
be issued via an Expression
of Interest consisting of up
to four rounds. First round
applications will give priority
to permanent offshore
property owners who reside
at Scotland Island, Elvina Bay,
Lovett Bay, Morning Bay and
Douglas Estate who are existing
holders of a Church Point
parking permit.
If not exhausted in the
first round, three additional
rounds will be conducted. A
waiting list will be created if
demand exceeds allocation.
General Manager Environment
and Infrastructure Ben
Taylor admitted demand for
parking at Church Point had
been particularly difficult for
both mainland and offshore
residents.
“Too often we hear stories
of offshore residents coming
home and spending hours
trying to park, having to walk
kilometres to their car, or
even giving up and staying
with friends nearby,” he said.
“After several years of
consultation with the local
community it is exciting to be
offering some certainty.”
The ballot will be selected
from the eligible applications
at random by a system
under the supervision of the
Northern Beaches Office of
Integrity and Complaints
Resolution. – Nigel Wall
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
MARCH 2018 7

News
No pining for plastics
Surfrider Foundation is rolling
out a new program to
certify and encourage local
businesses that are making a
difference to our ocean, waves
and beaches.
Passionate protectors of
our playground, the not-forprofit
sea-roots organisation
is hoping the free Ocean
Friendly program will reduce
the excessive plastic entering
our waterways by stopping the
pollution at its source.
Surfrider Northern Beaches
Rowan Hanley explained
by implementing six simple
changes that eliminate unnecessary
single-use plastics,
Surfrider will certify and
promote the business on its
website, social media and community
events.
“Plastic pollution in our
oceans and on beaches is a
critical issue that breaks our
hearts, but it is an issue that we
can fix in our own backyard…
indeed, we have a responsibility
to do so,” Rowan said.
“We are hoping the program
will make a significant difference
to the cleanliness of our
local beaches as well as gradually
encouraging consumer
and business habits to become
more sustainable.”
The first Northern Beaches
Ocean Friendly business is
4 Pines in Newport, which is
single-use-plastics-free and
sets incredibly high standards
of social and environmental
performance, accountability
and sustainability.
Receiving the accreditation
certificate last month 4 Pines
Sustainability Officer Kiera
Murphy said: “It’s not about doing
extra things, it’s just about
doing things differently.”
To qualify for Surfrider
Ocean Friendly certification,
establishments must implement
six compulsory criteria:
1. No polystyrene foam use;
2. No single-use plastic straws;
3. Reusable tablewear issued
for dine-in and non-plastic
utensils for takeaway food;
4. No water sold in plastic
bottles;
5. No plastic bags offered; and
6. Proper recycling practices.
PLASTIC NOT FANTASTIC: 4 Pines Sustainability Officer Kiera Murphy, Surfrider
Northern Beaches’ Rowan Hanley and Brendan Donohoe (President)
and 4 Pines Venue Manager Chris Owen.
There is also the option to
adopt extra practices, including
discounts to customers
who bring in reusable cups,
bags or containers; energy-efficient
lighting and energy star
appliances; vegetarian/seafood
sustainable options and water
conservation efforts.
The Surfrider Ocean Friendly
program will begin in earnest
on the Northern Beaches from
April, with a special focus on
Avalon where its vibrant and
environmentally conscious
groups are already working in
earnest towards becoming a
successful single-use-plasticsfree
community.
Local business owners
interested in accreditation can
contact Surfrider Foundation
Australia via operations@surfrider.org.au
– Lisa Offord
8 MARCH 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Sam riding
next chapter
News
Newport’s Sam Bloom has
taken up surfing again,
with her sights set on a
spot in the Australian Adaptive
Surfing Team.
With a little instruction from
former world champion surfer
Tom Carroll and with husband
Cameron and son Noah not far
from her side, the avid sportswoman
caught her first wave
on an adaptive surfboard just
before Christmas.
A champion kayaker who
represented Australia in the Paracanoe
World Championships
in Milan in 2015, Sam will compete
for a place on the national
surfing team later this year.
Meanwhile in between
training, working and raising
their three boys – Rueben, 16,
Noah, 14 and Oli, 12 – Sam and
Cameron are telling their story
of love and hope to audiences
around Australia so beautifully
captured in their book Penguin
Bloom.
A fixture in many homes not
only here but around the world,
the book is an extraordinary
tale of how a magpie chick
dubbed Penguin helped the
Blooms cope with the aftermath
of the terrible accident in 2013
that left Sam paralysed and
deeply depressed.
As Sam says: “A wild bird
brought me back to life… it’s a
strange and painful story, but
also a happy one.”
Through Cameron’s stunning
photographs, words by Bradley
Trevor Greive and a message
from Sam, Penguin Bloom is
one of those unique books
Photo Credit: Cameron Bloom
treasured by all ages connecting
with people on many different
levels.
The book is also set to become
a feature film produced
by Reece Witherspoon, Bruna
Papandrea, Emma Cooper and
Naomi Watts (who will also play
the role of Sam).
When Pittwater Life caught up
with Cameron recently, screenwriter
Shaun Grant’s script
had been completed and the
producers were in discussions
with a prominent director.
“It’s all moving pretty quickly…
we’re not letting it lead
our lives but it will be exciting
when filming gets underway,”
Cameron said.
Cameron said he and Sam
were still coming to grips with
how the book has been embraced
around the globe (more
than 100,000 copies have been
sold in Germany alone).
In particular Sam’s message
at the back of the book has
resonated with so many people,
inspiring them to write to her
and connect with her.
“We are incredibly grateful…
and it’s a bit overwhelming having
people email from all over
the world to get in touch but it’s
one of the nice things to come
from the book,” Cameron said.
10 MARCH 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

“Just last night we got this
lovely email from a woman
in Germany whose mother
had a spinal cord injury only
a year ago – she is a quadriplegic
now and she said our
book has kept her going, it has
given her hope.
“I think having an injury
like that you feel so alone and
can’t express what it’s like to
anyone unless they have been
there themselves. So the book
has given people something
tangible… they no longer feel
alone and realise that better
days are ahead.”
The success of the book has
also provided a substantial contribution
to research into spinal
cord injury with a percentage
of the royalties from the sale
of each copy of Penguin Bloom
supporting the work currently
underway at leading charities
such as SpinalCure Australia
and Wings For Life.
Sam and Cameron will talk
SURFER SAM:
Sam Bloom
enjoying the
waves with
son Noah
about love, nature, depression,
family, friendship and hope accompanied
by beautiful images
and video at the RMYC Ladies
Lunch, sponsored by Travel
View Avalon and Silversea, on
Wednesday 28th March.
* Tickets are $65 members,
$70 non-members and include
a two-course lunch from 12pm.
Bookings essential 9997 5511.
Signed copies of Penguin
Bloom available on the day.
– Lisa Offord
Tom’s
negatives
a surfing
positive
A
young Tom Carroll
did more than surf
when he was on the
World Tour in the ’80s –
he took loads of photos
and in doing so captured
the time like no other.
Hidden in boxes in his
Newport home for more
than 30 years, Tom’s
film negatives have been
given a new life in his
first photo exhibition.
The images are a window
into pro surfing’s
history from a unique
perspective and access –
‘Occy’, Richards, Curren
and Thomson just some
of the famed names in
the frame.
The exhibition is at
SUNSTUDIOS in Alexandria
until March 8 (8am-
6pm weekdays, 8am-4pm
weekends) before relocating
to Torquay, Victoria
for the Bells Beach Pro.
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
MARCH 2018 11

Sandbagged!
News
Residents have requested Northern Beaches Council revisit
their landscaping masterplan for the ‘Kiddies Corner’ area
of Palm Beach, including a proposed boardwalk, after learning
up to 20 much-needed beachside parking spaces will be lost.
Locals say Council representatives have signaled an intention
to do away with existing parking arrangements along the strip –
despite no mention of it in the plan that was approved last August
following the conclusion of the community consultation period.
Stephen Guildford, a resident of Palm Beach for 37 years, addressed
the Council meeting on February 27 to request the issue
of parking and the viability of a boardwalk be reassessed.
“As part of this plan it is intended to stop the beachside parking
which is already at a premium… we cannot afford to lose 17 or
more parking spaces,” Mr Guildford said, adding the strip included
two disabled spaces which were often utilised by the elderly.
He said Council had failed to communicate their intention to
stop parking along the beachfront on the masterplan.
“How could this be commented upon if it is not shown?” he said.
Mr Guildford told Pittwater Life a petition objecting to the loss
of parking had attracted more than 500 signatures from residents
and young families from out of the area who frequented the
beach due to its safety and easy access.
“The most often asked question was ‘why?’ and ‘where are we going
to park?’ he said. “Responses ranged from outrage to disbelief.
“A high volume of the users of this strip are young families
with children who come to Kiddies Corner precisely because it is
safer than other local beaches.
“They can unload their children directly onto the beach, where
they can swim and surf under the watchful eye of their parents.”
He said the area was adequately signposted as a 10kph ‘shared
Photo Credit: Guy Finlay
zone’, with pedestrian right of way and numerous speed humps.
“Council has raised some safety concerns although they are
somewhat vague,” he continued.
“There have been no recorded incidents and everything works
just fine – and always has done,” he said. “Everyone respects the
rights of walkers and pram pushers who would continue to walk
down the road as they have always done.”
He said “99 per cent” of petition signees were unaware of the
masterplan.
Mr Guildford added it was a widely held view that the proposed
building of a boardwalk along the low-lying section of beach
would be extremely costly, both to build and maintain, and prove
impractical.
“It would quickly become covered in sand, which would render
12 MARCH 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Photo Credit: Guy Finlay
LEFT: Parking on the beach side of
the road at Kiddies Corner is set
to be scrapped. ABOVE & BELOW:
Boardwalk maintenance could prove
costly given shifting sand and storm
events, such as this one in 2016.
it unusable,” he said.
“Wave action during a
combination of high tides and
increasingly common winter
storm events – like the devastating
one in June 2016 – would
scour away sand from around
supporting pillars, affect the
natural movement of the sand
and damage a boardwalk, with
costly ongoing maintenance.”
Mr Guildford said that currently,
while cars appeared to
be parked on the beach, buried
beneath the sand were the bitumen and hard rock foundations of
previous attempts to hold back the tides.
“If this road edge were properly formed and stabilised, on top
of this existing foundation a wider solid platform would be created
allowing continuation of parking along this strip.”
He added the masterplan approved last August had been driven
by former administrator Dick Persson, with no representation
from duly elected councilors.
Palm Beach Whale Beach Association President Dr Richard West
told Pittwater Life that while the association was supportive of
Council’s plans to landscape the beach, given the significant community
concern the proposed reduction in parking had generated,
it agreed Council should revisit the plan for Kiddies Corner.
Comment from Council was not available as Pittwater Life went
to press. – Nigel Wall
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
MARCH 2018 13

5THINGS
THIS MONTH
News
Living Ocean Tale. With
four decades at the coalface,
Associate Professor in
Marine Climate Risk and
Deputy Director of the Marine
Research Centre at Macquarie
University Ian Goodwin has
plenty to share at a free talk
titled ‘A Climate Change
Odyssey’; at Avalon Bowling
Club on Thurs 1 from 7pm.
Colour Run. Barrenjoey High
is kick-starting its 50th year
celebrations with a colour run
and a giant inflatable obstacle
course backed with booming
music on Barrenjoey Oval on
Fri 9. Sessions for all school
ages – kindy to Year 12. Entry
$10; bookings essential via
trybooking.
Barefoot Ball. Be quick to
snap up the few remaining
tickets for this premier blacktie
barefoot charity event on
Newport Beach on Sat 24 from
6pm. Hosted by Newport Surf
Life Saving Club with catering
by hatted restaurant Sotto
Sopra and music from the Kate
Lush band, this wonderful
evening raises money for
Cystic Fibrosis Community
Care. Details eventbrite.com.au
Clean the lagoon. Meet
at the Narrabeen Woolies
carpark for an induction by
the NB Council team at 8am
and collect your free gloves
and bags (the first 100 to turn
up will also get a free hat). If
you want to be on the water
bring your kayak or SUP;
if you want to work on the
ground you’ll need to wear
covered footwear. This great
community event is on Sun 25
from 8am-11am.
Composting workshop.
Learn about composting and
worm farming and how simple
actions can make a huge
contribution to cutting back on
food waste and greenhouse
gas emissions and maintaining
a healthy lifestyle at 7.15pm
on Thurs 29 at Nelson Heather
Centre Nth Narrabeen. Brought
to you by Permaculture
Northern Beaches. Entry by
donation. Bring a container if
you want some worm castings.
14 MARCH 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Tap into red shoes for Festival
Red shoes are the signature item
that will be featured in entries in
the upcoming Creative Creatures
Film Festival which returns to the
Avalon Bowling Club on April 8 after a
year’s hiatus.
In fact, festival organiser and founder
Katy Young has requested all audience
members wear red shoes, to get in
the spirit while viewing the impressive
schedule three-minute films.
Katy says judges for this year’s films
– which are in the running to win cash
from a combined $4000 prize pool as
well as the coveted ‘Willbe’ trophies –
are director/producer team Stephan
Elliott and Rebel Penfold Russell
(‘Priscilla Queen of the Desert’), Lucy
Durack (who plays Glinda in the current
stage production of ‘The Wizard of
Oz’), Christian Byers (who played Stevie
Wright in the recent TV mini-series
‘Friday on My Mind’), local actor Peter
Phelps and casting manager Allison
Meadows.
“The gates open at 1pm and there
will be fabulous local talent supplying
food and tunes including Mexican
from Azteca Taqueria and brilliant
burgers from Cafe Rukus,” said Katy.
“Local bands Backbeat, Liquid Time
and Nativosoul will play up until
the films commence at 5pm,
projected onto the huge outdoor
LED screen.”
This year’s festival opening
are courtesy of designer The
Kingdom of Ludd and DOP
Steven Murray, unearthing
an array of local talent and
set to the Angus and Julia
Stone tune ‘Yellow Brick
Road’.
Katy said prize money
was made up from ticket
sales, with 10% of proceeds
donated to Lifeline
Northern Beaches; the
festival Gold Sponsor is St
George Bank.
Tickets for this 1pm-8pm
event are available online
now ($10) at creativecreaturesfilmfestival.com.au
or
$15 at the door. Free entry for
children under 5. – Nigel Wall
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
MARCH 2018 15

News
SEEN…
It will sadden many foodies across the peninsula to learn that popular
café owner Cassie Starr is selling up her gluten-free establishment
at Newport and heading north – “to eat wheat”. Effervescent Cassie,
who opened her Kalinya Rd café more than three years ago, has taken
to advertising her business on a blackboard with typical tongue-incheek
humour. She also has a bottle of French champagne ready to
hand over to the new buyer. Cassie told Pittwater Life she’s enjoyed
her time at Newport where she’s made many lifelong friends but is
looking forward to a move to Queensland. Anyone interested in continuing
Cassie’s gluten-free legacy should contact her at GFC Cafe.
HEARD…
Wondering what happened to the $3 million boost to
the Pittwater arts scene trumpeted by administrator
Dick Persson in May 2017? Seems there’s been a lot of
discussion by working groups who are investigating
sites for a dedicated art space in the former Pittwater
and the plan for a Public Art Trail (PAT), featuring pieces
like the Sea Nymphs at Manly (pictured). We tried to
get any of the nine members on the PAT to talk about
progress but confidentiality agreements with Council
prevented them. Ditto the advisory group investigating
the art space, which has a budget of $1 million. We did
hear from Council’s General Manger Planning Place
and Community David Kerr, who said: “The projects are substantially underway and both groups
have been working with community stakeholders, progressively planning the delivery of both
projects. As there are complexities to the projects, once the plans are developed they will then go
to Council for approval. It is hoped that this will occur in the second half of this year.” It should
be remembered there’s been a push for a dedicated art space for ages. We hear it’s not the $1
million budget causing delay, but rather a dearth of sites. Prior to Council amalgamation creative
types were eyeing space at the Avalon Golf Club. Could it still be in the mix?
We also hear our local wildlife volunteers and enivronmentalists have had a win with the
redevelopment of Mona Vale Rd, with the State Government approving a fauna crossing for
the eastern section. It’s being heralded as a win-win for the area, with improved connectivity
between bushland for animals and by association improved safety conditions for motorists.
ABSURD…
Flustered and worried locals are concerned that developers are bypassing Northern Beaches
Council and opting for Private Certifiers to approve DAs and carry out critical stage inspections
during construction, which are a requirement to ensure the building work is in accordance
with the development consent and legislative requirements. The owners of a certain
building in Newport are caught in the middle of a battle between the developer and Council
via the Land and Environment Court regarding non-compliance issues with a building development
consent. We’ve been told Council have requested several discrepancies be rectified,
which could potentially cost the owners thousands of dollars and jeopardise the safety and
security of the many retirees who have called it home for the past 18 months. The owners
and rate payers ask: “Where is Council during the building stage? Why isn’t Council ensuring
that developers are held accountable through construction stage?”
16 MARCH 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Hidden gardens revealed
News
Shhh… don’t tell the others!
Read on to discover a special
deal to see the pros’ designs…
Garden groupies are in for treat
this month with 13 usually
private spaces containing the
work of some of Sydney’s leading
landscape designers and architects
opening their “doors” – many for the
first and only time – to the public.
The Hidden Design Festival
showcases our city’s talented garden
makers, with two of the gardens
featured in this year’s event right on
our doorstep.
And as a special deal for locals
Pittwater Life readers can buy singleentry
tickets to the two gardens in
Bayview for only $8 per head at each
gate on the weekend of March 10-11.
Fans of Michele Shennen’s work will
be delighted to discover this year she’s
showing her very own garden called
‘wabi-sabi’
Michele, who has notched more than
35 years in the industry, describes the
space, which is carved out of bush, on a
slope, as a “crazy challenge”.
Only six years old, it comprises many
sections from formal zones flanked in
sandstone to “wilder” areas, a pizza
oven maple garden, sculpture garden,
productive vegie beds and a place for
her new chickens.
“There’s a lot to discover and
upkeep… it is a garden that either keeps
me young or ages me quicker, I am not
sure!” Michele said.
Why ‘wabi-sabi’? Michele says it
is Japanese, describing a thought of
transience and simplicity, finding
beauty in humble imperfection.
The other “hidden garden” in our
area ‘Coomalong’ is a welcoming
one-acre space designed around
natural rock outcrops and huge
native trees with magnificent views
overlooking Pittwater.
Lovingly developed by owners
Sue and Peter Glasson, the eclectic
gardens include an enchanting
Japanese-style garden designed by
Ken Lamb which incorporates an
existing pond with waterfall and
features granite pathways, lanterns,
rocks and typical Japanese plantings.
‘Coomalong’ boasts plenty of
places to pause and take in the
surroundings plus a carefully designed
vegetable garden and aviaries.
* Hidden Design Festival is on March
10-11. Tickets allowing entry to all 13
gardens are $55 supporting the Go
Foundation. Bayview Gardens each $8
a head for Pittwater Life readers. Info
hiddendesignfestival.com – Lisa Offord
18 MARCH 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Bayview bust-up
News
Special report by Nigel Wall
Ask the local residents
and they say the Development
Application before
Northern Beaches Council
to build 95 retirement living
units on the northwestern parcel
of the Bayview Golf Course
will result in the destruction of
Pittwater’s largest high-priority
wildlife corridor if approved.
But ask Bayview Golf Club
and the Restoration Ecologist
responsible for the conservation
component of the proposal
before Council and they will
tell you the DA represents a
unique opportunity to increase
the environmental sustainability
of the course’s land – and
create a wildlife corridor that
currently exists in name only.
Bayview Golf Club course
manager David Stone says opponents
referencing the wildlife
corridor on the site are off
the mark – maintaining it has
been an arbitrary concept only
for more than 20 years and
that an approved DA would
allow the applicant to fund and
establish a true wildlife corridor
– increasing the flora and
fauna connectivity between the
thick bushland to the north
and the shores of Pittwater to
the east.
These are the conflicting
views Northern Beaches Council
faces as it tries to weigh up
what looms as a litmus test for
future developments involving
environmentally sensitive areas
of the upper Northern Beaches.
The site in question comprises
2ha of the Bayview Golf
Club’s land north of Cabbage
Tree Rd. The parcel currently
hosts four golf holes; the DA
involves two of the tree-lined
holes making way for the new
units, by applicant/developer
Waterbrook Bayview Pty Ltd,
ABOVE: Aerial view of the section
of Bayview Golf Course where
approval is being sought for construction
of 95 seniors living units.
LEFT: Ecologist Dr Anne Clements
photographed these fledgling Powerful
Owls after identifying their
nesting location (yellow circle).
which would be built within the
existing tree canopy, with some
trees removed before replanting
with increased numbers.
It’s not the first time the
development has been pitched
20 MARCH 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

over seniors site
However, residents group Restoration Ecologist Dr
Bayview Life remain unconvinced
the changed DA is any as consultant for Bayview Golf
Anne Clements, who is acting
better than the former plan. Club and who has prepared a
They are resolutely opposed to comprehensive Environmental
the DA. And they dispute the Assessment Report for Council,
applicants’ improved connectivity
claim.
the residents’ passion for their
told Pittwater Life she admired
Spokesperson Chris Fletcher environment.
told Pittwater Life their objections
were based on the former why conservation activities
“Communities are the reason
Pittwater Council’s Habitat and occur,” Dr Clements said. “The
wildlife corridors conservation extent of this conservation
strategy (1995), which they said plan would not be as great as it
identified threats to habitats is had the community not been
and corridors in Pittwater and as active as they have been, nor
identified areas for priority the Council as responsive to
action.
community concerns.”
“Maps showed that major But she urged opponents to
habitat areas existed in the look beyond the issue of the
Bayview/Ingleside/Warriewood retirement village construction
area,” Mr Fletcher said, echoing
the group’s submission environmental benefit in the
and first consider the potential
to Northern Beaches Council.
offing.
“Bayview Golf Course was
Dr Clements said reviewing
identified as a high-priority
the history of the golf course
location for maintaining and
provided an insight into its
enhancing fauna habitat and
current environmental status.
“Bayview Golf Club land is a
movement. The report urged
golf course and has been used
‘thickening of fairway vegetation’
– not destruction.”
since 1924 for playing golf,” she
said. “As a result of the historic
Mr Fletcher added there had
clearing, golf-related landform
been a steady loss of native
modifications and drainage
vegetation and habitats as urbanization
continued through-
changes, plus maintenance of
the course, the Bayview Golf
out the council area in the 23
Club land is actually considered
to be a blockage to native
years since.
“The golf club should be
flora and fauna movement.
playing its part in this work,”
“The occurrence of native
he said. “Creating a massively
vegetation is restricted to
destructive retirement village
land unsuitable for golf – for
and then dressing it up with
example land too close to road
an elaborate landscape rescue
boundaries or too steep to play
package which will take many,
golf – and to narrow, between-
many years to reach maturity
is not the answer.” Continued on page 22
to Council, with a DA rejected
in 2015.
Since then Waterbrook resubmitted
with a plan that had 19
fewer apartments, and which
it says makes improvements
to tree scape and landscaping,
involves significantly less
visual impact, ‘future-proofs’
the golf course and results in
an environmental gain of 10:1
– largely on the back of its “real
and proper establishment of
the wildlife corridors”.
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
MARCH 2018 21

News
Bayview bust-up over seniors site Continued from page 21
fairway strips with top-dressed
and mown turf.”
Dr Clements said opponents
had incorrectly interpreted the
referenced 1995 Habitat and
wildlife corridors conservation
strategy – maintaining it actually
identified the extensively
cleared golf course land as a
fauna movement barrier to the
peninsula from Ku-ring-gai
Chase National Park, Katandra
Sanctuary and Bayview.
She agreed that thickening
of vegetation was needed to
increase the bushland connectivity
– but said the submitted
landscaping plan provided for
that.
“The conservation component
of the proposal is to
increase the environmental
sustainability of the land, as
well as increasing the flora and
fauna connectivity consistent
with the Pittwater 21 Development
Control Plan,” Dr Clements
said.
“The strategy includes
retention and enhancement of
avifauna and microbat habitats
– including retaining tree
hollows, planting feed tree for
prey for the Powerful Owl and
for native insects for bats.”
One of the main areas of
residents’ objections involves
the impact on animals including
Powerful Owls around the
development site – Dr Clements
said that although owls had
been observed in trees within
the proposed construction
zone that was not where they
lived.
“We have identified fledglings
at the northern course
boundary and that’s where
they nest,” she said. “But planting
feed tree for prey for the
owls will encourage the adults
to hunt for food and return it
to their young.”
Dr Clements said the plan
was to stabilise at least 1ha
of erodible slopes by excavating
and relocating sandstone
slabs to provide flora and
fauna habitat and encourage
the re-establishment of ferns
and rainforest. Moist rocky
outcrops on the slopes were
designed to provide habitat for
native fauna, especially frogs.
The placed sandstone slabs
would also form and channel
a water course that would run
from the top of the land parcel
across a fairway and down
the periphery of the building
site. The water is existing, but
currently dissipates across the
broad area of the slope.
22 MARCH 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

LEFT: The site (yellow) and broader
Bayview course boundary, showing
a lack of connectivity to Pittwater.
ABOVE: A tree hollow on the site.
Reconstructed water courses
on the lower land would mimic
the natural flow to Pittwater.
Also, existing waterbodies
would be connected to the
downstream natural waterway
of the main Cahill Creek; and
a series of weirs would be built
and maintained to protect the
freshwater habitat from current
regular saltwater intrusions.
Dr Clements said the
removal of 139 trees on the
proposed retirement village
site would be offset by 3000
additional trees, which would
see a proposed increase in area
from approximately 4.44ha of
“degraded patches” to 11.9ha
of “connected, restored and
re-established” ecosystems of
the listed Coastal Floodplain
communities.
“I see Bayview as an opportunity
to address environmental
issues – and that’s what it
should be,” she said.
Bayview Golf Club course
manager David Stone said the
purpose of the proposed development
of the aged care facility
was to provide the resources to
do things that a not-for-profit
Northern Beaches, locals’ golf
club could not hope to afford.
“That includes future-proofing
the course from climate
change by raising flood-prone
areas, especially those below
sea level, to make the course
more playable more of the
time,” he said. “And a positive
by-product is lessening flood
events for the Club’s neighbours.”
He added it was an opportunity
to retire the Club’s debt,
which at $1.65m was a fraction
of the value of the Club’s
land and buildings .
“The land was sold for $10m
plus the substantial cost of
future-proofing the golf course
from flooding, plus the substantial
cost of the works that support
the environmental gain of
10:1,” Mr Stone said. “Negotiated
since 2013, this is a good deal
for the Club, which will use the
proceeds to improve the tees,
bunkers and greens of the golf
course, retire debt and create an
endowment for posterity.”
Local MP Rob Stokes, a critic
of the original DA, told Pittwater
Life: “Whilst a number of
changes have been made since
the original proposal, I appreciate
that concerns remain
regarding the placement and
height of the proposed buildings.
I expect these issues to be
carefully examined during the
assessment process.”
Bayview Life’s Chris Fletcher
concluded: “Despite the
elaborate and professionally
produced landscape plan we
cannot accept that the scheme
‘seeks to build on the significant
landscape character
traits of Pittwater’ and that the
plan will ‘ensure that fauna
corridors are created through
the strategic placement of local
species’.
“These claims belie the fact
that about 2ha of existing
green space will be permanently
transformed into an urban
precinct, and more than 100
trees will be sacrificed.
“We believe the likelihood of
new fauna corridors being created
is remote.” – Nigel Wall
* Read more at northernbeachescouncil.com.au
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
MARCH 2018 23

News
Dos and don’ts of attending court
Peninsula lawyer Chris Kalpage has assisted
hundreds of locals negotiate the
stressful court appearance process for
more than three decades. Over the course of
his career he’s noted where defendants have
come undone when dealing with authority
– and says there are some simple guidelines
to follow, should you find yourself before a
court, that will assist in “obtaining the best
outcome”.
Chris’ services range from criminal and
traffic law, including drink driving. The
nature of the business sees him available 24
hours a day, seven days a week.
First, he urges clients to not leave the assessment
of their case to the last minute.
“It may be human nature to put things in
the ‘too hard basket’ and to procrastinate, but
you are doing yourself a disservice,” he said.
“There are times when I would get a call from
a prospective client the evening before a court
appearance, or on the day of the court appearance
when the prospective client has turned
their mind to their problem only to realise
that it is far more complicated than they first
envisaged.”
Second, if you do consult with a lawyer,
Chris says you should make sure you do
everything asked of you, so the lawyer can be
thoroughly prepared and the best case can be
presented on your behalf.
“If you do not understand something, get
your lawyer to explain it to you,” he said. “I
have seen cases where a client has not understood
something that has happened in court
and then subsequently done something that
has got them in deeper trouble.”
Chris said arriving at the court on time was
important.
“Talk to your lawyer and confirm a time and
place of meeting before court and ensure that
you are there early,” he said. “The situation is
stressful enough without running late due to
some unforeseen circumstance that may have
easily been avoided.”
Personal appearance was crucial.
“Ensure that you are well dressed, wearing
the neatest attire you can afford,” he said. “If
you have a suit wear it, or even a shirt with a
collar… it is not that difficult.
“The number of times I have seen people
in court with shorts and t-shirt or singlet is
surprising.”
He added going to court was like a job
interview – “someone is going to be making
a decision that will impact upon you and you
should ensure that you are creating the best
impression”.
Last, Chris advised against getting into
arguments with the magistrate or prosecutor.
“Again, try to concentrate on the relevant
issues. That does not mean not putting one’s
case forcefully – but getting into an unnecessary
argument with the prosecutor or police
officers on a personal level may result in an
adverse result if they have any discretion to
exercise in your case.”
He said often where there were multiple
charges, discretion could be exercised in a
defendant’s favour in trying to get charges
dropped and proceeding with lesser charges;
often the police officer in charge and the
Prosecutor would be involved in this process.
Chris said getting into a personal argument
with a Magistrate or Judge, apart from
potentially having serious consequences, was
“just stupid”.
“Whether you like it or not, show respect for
the institution – it is the playing field that you
are on and a little respect shown towards the
institution and the Magistrate or Judge does
not harm your case.”
Chris offers home meetings on request, and
a free initial telephone conversation (see page
56 for contact details). – Nigel Wall
24 MARCH 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Pittwater News
Barrenjoey scholar
Congratulations to Rachel
Birrell, who graduated from
Barrenjoey High last year after
performing outstandingly
well in her HSC. Rachel won a
Women in Engineering Scholarship
with the University of
Technology, Sydney. When
Rachel attended the Ceremony
earlier this year to accept
her $10,000 scholarship she
was told her application was
the most outstanding and
subsequently awarded the
IT Cooperative Scholarship,
a four-year, $66,000 scholarship.
Poppy wall for Avalon
A poppy wall is being created
at Avalon RSL in time for
Anzac Day and everyone can
be a part of it. You can join
the friendly group of poppy
makers who meet at the club
or you can donate knitted or
crocheted poppies (there are
lots of patterns online) to the
club anytime. If you are not
creative you can still help out
by donating red wool. Vice
President of the Avalon RSL
Sub Branch Tamara Sloper-
Harding said the project
would continue throughout
the year with the aim of adding
to the growing haul of
handmade poppies to make
a bigger display for Remembrance
Day. Phone the club
on 9918 2201 for more info.
Enjoy Narra Lagoon
eco-paddle day
Take part in a Narrabeen Lagoon
eco-paddle from 1pm on
Saturday March 31 and admire
the dozens of black Swans that
have taken up residence on the
lagoon. As you explore Sydney’s
newly proclaimed Narrabeen
State Park with Friends
News
French-inspired hair salon opens
The owner of one of the inner city’s chic boutique hair salons has
opened a second salon in the heart of Avalon. Having garnered a
loyal clientele in her flagship studio Papillon Hair in Paddington,
local Deborah Grevett (pictured) said she had long dreamt of having
another space closer to home. “I love the beachside, small town community,
I love that it has style and groove,” Deborah said. “I will enjoy
doing hair here as it’s a real mix of bright blondes and fabulous
brunettes with the chic French bob. Most of all beach hair is my hair,
like effortless Parisian hair!” Located in Garden Court, Avalon Pde,
where the John Adams salon was prior to his retirement, the space
has undergone a fresh French-inspired refit. To celebrate the opening
clients will receive a 25 per cent discount for the first two appointments,
when the first appointment is made by March 31.
26 MARCH 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

of Narrabeen Lagoon Catchment’s
former president Tony
Carr you’ll cruise along the
astonishing Deep Creek, which
attracts migratory birds from
as far away as Russia, and Middle
Creek, which has been the
subject of a substantial remediation
program. You’ll also get
to experience an extraordinary
piece of history from pre-World
War II. It’s an easy three-hour
paddle with a break. Suitable
for first timers – tuition given.
Kayak hire $68pp. Email tonycarr@ozemail.com.au
or phone
0417 502 056.
Plant Giveaway
Grab a free native plant and
provide a habitat for local wildlife
and while you are there
lend a hand to the locals and
Bushcare volunteers who are
doing a fabulous job restoring
the coastal rainforest area
at Mona Vale Basin on Sun 25
8.30am-12.30pm. Tools and
morning tea provided. Wear
closed-in shoes, hat and comfortable
clothing. Info sonja.
elwood@northernbeaches.nsw.
gov.au
Unpatrolled beaches,
pools safety review
Unpatrolled Council areas
such as Narrabeen Lagoon will
undergo a safety audit to
ensure beach-goers can access
life-saving equipment during
emergency situations. Mayor Michael
Regan said it was prudent
to consider what could be put in
place at non-patrolled beaches
or ocean pools that might help
save a life. “We may need to
consider additional monitoring
during peak periods or just
make sure there is a way for
people to call nearby lifeguards
quickly in an emergency – such
as duress alarms. These are
already installed at a number
of our ocean pools and it would
be good to review where they
are and if there are any gaps.”
He added other medical devices
like defibrillators could also
be life savers when in the right
place at the right time.
Probus drug
gangs talk
Pittwater Probus is holding
their annual general meeting
at their next gathering at Mona
Vale Golf Club on Tuesday
March 13. The guest talk – ‘My
Life In Crime’ – will be delivered
by former police commander
Bev Wallace who will detail her
work and experiences dealing
with Middle Eastern drug gangs
in Sydney’s west. Meeting starts
10am; all welcome. More info
email Geoff geoffsheppard@
bigpond.com
Clean Up Australia
Day registrations
Get involved in Clean Up Australia
day on Sunday 4 March
– running for 27 years, this
environmentally focussed day
brings the community together
to remove rubbish before it
damages our parks, bushland,
waterways and oceans. It’s
predicted by 2025, as much as
250 million tonnes of plastic
Continued on page 28
Improve
cycling skills
Want to improve your
cycling and skills
awareness? Join cycling
coach Sarah Anne Evans
for a workshop to help
you build confidence and
knowledge on your bike.
It covers checking your
bike, bike handling skills,
riding safely and cycling
laws. This is a practical
workshop including using
a local shared path. You
must have your own
bike and an approved
helmet. Held Wednesday
March 7, 10am-1pm at
the Cromer Community
Centre; bookings essential
9976 1619 or roadsafety@
northernbeaches.nsw.
gov.au
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
MARCH 2018 27

Pittwater News
Continued from page 27
News
Midget submarine wreck dive
Ten lucky people dived into an important
part of Australia’s history last month when
they were granted permission to descend 54
metres to the seabed east of Bungan Head to
the site of the Japanese midget submarine
M24.
The divers were the first members of the
public permitted access after a ballot last
year to commemorate the events of 1942
when three Japanese midget submarines
entered Sydney Harbour.
Maritime archaeologist and Director
of Heritage Operations at the Office of
Environment and Heritage Tim Smith said
up until this point access to the area around
the wreck – the only remaining midget
submarine from the 1942 attack located in
situ underwater – was granted to only a few
researchers.
The Collaroy resident, who has managed
the wreck since it was discovered by a group
of recreational divers in 2006, said the ballot
was held to trial public interest in seeing the
site in a controlled and sensitive way.
More than 300 divers registered in the
ballot, suggesting there may be more
opportunities in the future for the public
to connect with this site of international
heritage significance.
The submarine is a protected
Commonwealth Government Historic
Shipwreck and is also listed on the NSW
State Heritage Register and remains the
grave for two Japanese submariners.
There are penalties of up to $1.1 million
for disturbing the M24 site. – Lisa Offord
as 250 million tonnes of
plastic could make its way to
the ocean – plastic bags, food
wrappers and drink bottles
are some of the commonly
collected items during the
clean-up. Last year, hundreds
of community volunteers and
Northern Beaches Council’s
waste management staff
collected almost nine tonnes
of rubbish across 82 Clean
Up Australia Day sites on the
beaches. Numerous events
already registered across the
Beaches including Narrabeen
Rock Pool, Bayview, as well
as our offshore communities.
Registrations remain open
– more info cleanupaustraliaday.com.au
Loosely Woven set
to ‘Fly Away’
Local music group Loosely
Woven will give a free community
concert in Avalon
on Sunday March 11. Led by
Wayne Richmond, 21 instrumentalists
and singers will
perform their new concert
‘Fly Away’ – a celebration
of the volunteer group’s 23
years of support for Amnesty
International. Audience
participation is encouraged
which always contributes
lots of fun. Enjoy this musical
treat while supporting
human rights causes. Starts
4pm at the Avalon Baptist
Church.
28 MARCH 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Help for parents
who are living in ‘L’
Are you supervising your son
or daughter who are on their
‘Ls’ and learning to drive?
Then you might want to
consider attending Council’s
free ‘Helping Learner Drivers’
workshop on Wednesday
March 21. This workshop
aims to increase the confidence
and knowledge of
supervisors of learner drivers
– and thereby flow it on to the
young drivers themselves.
The two-hour workshop provides
practical advice about
supervising learner drivers;
completing the Learner driver
log book; understanding the
benefits and safety aspects of
supervised on-road driving
experience; and understanding
of licence conditions for
learners and provisional
licence holders. Runs 6.30-
8.30pm at the Dee Why Civic
Centre. More info Karen Menzies
9942 2447.
Funds Available To
Support Active Kids
Parents are being reminded to
take advantage of the NSW Government’s
Active Kids rebate
when registering their children
for sport programs this year.
The NSW Government will
contribute $100 for every
school-aged child towards
the cost of sports registration
or fees for physical activities
such as swimming, dance and
athletics. Over $200 million
has been allocated towards
the scheme over the next four
years. “The rebate is able to be
claimed throughout the year –
so parents have the flexibility
of using it for either summer
or winter sports,” local MP Mr
Stokes said. Parents can register
online with Service NSW to
receive their $100 voucher to
provide to their approved sport
or physical activity club.
Team awarded for
Whale Beach rescue
Congrats to the 25-strong
team of Whale Beach surf lifesavers
whose quick thinking
to prevent a double drowning
in the lead-up to Christmas
saw them honoured with the
prestigious NSW Rescue of the
Month Award for December.
The team rescued two men
aged in their 20s, visitors to
the area, who were swept off a
sandbank into a powerful rip.
One of the men was retrieved
unconscious from the ocean
floor and given CPR; both
men survived after being
taken to hospital. “It’s huge
for the club and hopefully
puts Whale Beach on the map
but what it really brought
home for us is the importance
of lifesavers on the beach and
how we need to have the skills
because you never know when
they can be called upon,”
said Patrol 9 Captain Suzy
Bownes. Lifesavers honoured
were: Suzy Bownes, Iain
Bownes, Angus Bownes, Oliver
Bownes, Sophie Rothery,
Liam George, Jack Bregenhoj,
Lachlan Williams, Sydney
Robertson, Sally Collier, Tom
Sanderson, Nicholas Dijohn,
Lara Boyle, Alexander Burchett,
Max Zagorski, Archie
Elliott, Angus Kellaway, Dylan
Gay, Oscar Press, Edward
Harrison, William Harte, Ben
Rothery, Barney Allen, Harrison
Penn, Maddie Zagorski.
Enjoy classical concert
Wyvern Music Forestville will
open its 2018 concert series on
Sunday March 4 with a concert
entitled ‘Last Rose of Summer’
by Ensemble Aspherical
(comprising flute, harp, violin
and viola). Formed in 2017 by
four leading Sydney classical
musicians – including Avalon
resident and former Principal
Flute of the Sydney Symphony
Orchestra, Janet Webb – Ensemble
Aspherical combines
the vibrancy and warmth of
the violin and viola strings
with the ethereal qualities of
the flute and harp to create
sounds and evoke images for
the listener both congenial and
colourful. The program will
also include a Concerto a 4 by
Vivaldi, a Serenade by Reger
with Last Rose of Summer on
the harp as the centre-piece.
Concert starts 4pm at Our
Lady of Good Counsel Catholic
Church, Forestville; tickets $25
(full), $20 concession, children
under 16 free. More info wyvern.fmca.org.au
Vet
on
call
with
Dr Ben Brown
Have you ever wondered why
some dogs seem ‘snappy’
when approached by other dogs
and people? These dogs are not
just having a bad day…
Growling, lunging and
barking at unfamiliar dogs and
people is very typical of fear
aggression in dogs. This is
not so much a trait within the
animal but rather an abnormal
response that the animal has to
something in the environment
– in this case other dogs and
people.
This fearful response is made
more likely when the (already)
fearful and anxious animal is
placed in an area where it is
forced to be in close proximity
to other animals and people.
Small or overcrowded dog
parks are a common trigger.
The unwanted behaviour is
often subsequently reinforced
when owners pat the dog or the
person/other dog withdraws
after the fearful dog reacts,
thus creating an incentive for
the fearful dog to continue the
unwanted behaviour.
Often owners of fearful and
fear aggressive animals make
the mistake of assuming that
merely increasing exposure
of the dog to people and
other dogs will improve the
problem; although this does
occasionally happen many
animals simply become more
sensitised and reactive and the
problem gets worse. In most
cases these types of behaviours
can be avoided by ensuring
dogs are well socialised from
a young age and learn sound
foundation skills i.e. orienting
to the owner regardless of their
surroundings.
Once fear aggression
becomes a problem, special
behavioural modification
training is needed to help the
dog feel more comfortable in
unfamiliar surroundings with
unfamiliar people and pets.
Medications are sometimes
used to decrease levels of
anxiety to help with this training
so that these pets cannot
endanger themselves and other
animals and people in public.
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
MARCH 2018 29

Running with the
News
We go behind the scenes of a gruelling pre-season
training session with the Shute Shield premiers.
Can they defend the title in 2018? By Matt Cleary.
The grandstand at Pittwater
Rugby Park on
the North Narrabeen
Reserve – known now and
forever as ‘Rat Park’, amen
– looks from the back like a
hangar for Sopwith Camels.
It’s wide, rounded, a giant
corrugated-iron shed. Within
there’s a gym, office, function
room and bar. And it is not
flash. But it is Rat Land. Soul
Town. HQ and home of your
Warringah Rats.
We’re in the gym where the
clink of weights accompanies
banter and thumping bass
beats. There’s Rats in the gym
this hot Tuesday afternoon,
big bodies, pushing steel.
Some of these guys have
known Super Rugby contracts.
Others have turned out for
clubs in Japan or Italy or the
south of France, half their
luck. The game offers opportunities
for the troubadour.
The club toured Chile last preseason.
And also Orange.
I ask after general manager,
Luke Holmes. “He’s just
getting needled,” comes the
reply. “He’ll be out soon.” It’s
very ‘rugby’ – the guy running
the show is a player, a clubman,
a grunt like the rest of
them, doing what he must to
get on the paddock.
The core of a rugby club –
the players, coaches and volunteers
– could be upwards of
150 people who all know each
other. It’s a ‘tribe’ of sorts,
a micro-community that
represents a larger one. People
buy in with different levels
of emotional attachment.
But everyone feels part of it.
And while it all filters up to
first grade and 2017’s famous
premiership, everyone felt
they contributed. The thirds
won the comp, too. As did the
women’s team, ‘the Ratettes’.
And so to sideline of the
training ground and a yarn
with the “old boys”, these
ageless clubmen and crusty
demons of dirt who’ve been
around forever. We meet
Richard Harris, ‘Dicky’ to
all. The first grade manager
is a chatty cove in a Panama
hat who doesn’t wear shoes.
Young blokes wouldn’t know
– or perhaps even care – how
old he is. They mightn’t even
know his actual name. But
that’s okay. Young blokes love
the old blokes.
It was love that the club
leaned on when they suffered
the unimaginable
heartache of losing Lachlan
Ward, 25, who died while
playing fifth grade against
Gordon in June of last year.
No-one knew he’d passed,
though teammates were worried.
The family turned up at
Royal North Shore Hospital
hopeful. There to meet them
was club doctor Tom Harwood
ONCE MORE, WITH FEELING: The
Warringah Rats will never forget
the joys of triumph, nor the tears
of loss, experienced in 2017. The
squad is committed to going backto
back in 2018 – and have put in
plenty of hard yards in preparation.
30 MARCH 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Rats
Photos: Matt Cleary; Warringah RC
– also head of Emergency at
RNS – who relayed the terrible
news. He stayed with the family
a month. Love did its best.
People rallied. The NSWRU
and ARU sent people. Holmes,
through his church, had
counsellors at the ground for
anyone who wanted a yarn. The
old boys got everyone together.
Coach Darren Coleman put his
credit card over the bar. They
talked it out. There are no rules
on grief. A message from the
counsellors was that it could
hit you days or weeks afterwards.
And so talk they did.
And they cried it out. And they
held the Ward family tight.
In the weeks that followed
Lachlan’s father Murray was
offered the gig of first grade
assistant manager. He wasn’t
ready. Couple weeks later
Murray’s son, Sam, first grade
vice-captain, suggested to
Dicky that maybe you could
ask the old man again. Harris
did. Today Murray Ward’s
job is, effectively, be Murray
Ward. He hangs out the jumpers
for first grade. Has a yarn
with the boys as they come
into the shed. He drinks a tinnie
in the bar afterwards. It’s
rugby holding its own close
after unimaginable loss. But
people can empathise. And
they can love. You get teary
thinking about it.
No tears at training today
but plenty of sweat and a
little blood. There’s sacks
of footballs, water bottles,
cones, dodge-’em sticks, a
whiteboard with plays on it.
It’s nearly 6pm and still close
to 30 degrees. Pre-season for
Continued on page 32
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
MARCH 2018 31

News
Running with the Rats Continued from page 31
a footy player means to sweat
many buckets.
The players run shuttles, up
and back, running and running,
sweating for Australia.
Dicky Harris stands sideline,
shoe-less, pointing out players
who’ve come from everywhere.
There’s Sam Needs of
South West Rocks, off to play
for Seawaves of Japan.
There’s Baxter King from
Taranaki via Western
Force. Dicky picked him
up at the airport. The
Force didn’t do that in
Perth. Stiffed him for a
job, too.
Richard Munchow
came from Darwin and
Penrith Panthers U/20s,
a tidy mover. Another
gun: Max Girdler of
Avalon, played Australia
U/20s. There’s Harry
Jones, a big lump with
pony-tail and beard,
shades of Khal Drogo
in Game of Thrones.
“He’d be a No.8?” I
ask Dicky about Jones’
position.
“No, mate,” smiles
Dicky. “Winger.”
“Jesus,” I reply.
“Yes,” says Dicky.
No mistaking the positional
choice of the chunky
man in the green polo shirt,
Emanuele Fuamatu, for he is
the size of a refrigerator. He
threw shot put for Samoa in
the 2012 London Olympics.
He is studying international
TRUE COLOURS: Other clubs are green with envy!
relations and law at Sydney
University. He gets no change
from 140kg.
Other end of the spectrum
is a thin dude with blonde-grey
hair, five-eighth Myles Dorrian.
The 35-year-old has played
pro rugby for London Irish,
Coventry and across the UK,
contracts lined up by coach
Coleman, a man he’d
never met. When Dorrian
came back to Sydney he
became a Rat, introduced
himself. When gun No.10
Hamish Angus went
down late last season,
Dorrian filled the breach,
experience writ large.
And there’s Dave
Feltscheer, the superfine
fullback. Not a
lot of him. Most of it
beard. But you want
some entertainment on
a Saturday afternoon?
Get down to Rat Park
and watch the No.15 for
Warringah. The Rats
scored a try in the derby
game against Manly in
2014, length-of-the-field,
must’ve gone through 30
sets of hands. Feltscheer
would’ve touched it upwards of
20 times.
And so they run and run,
and run some more, and they
blow like bellows. If it were
cold they couldn’t be seen for
breath-fog. But it’s still close
to 30C so it’s lungs afire stuff.
Not much banter now. These
are hot, hard yards.
The 70-odd players are divided
up into four sectors. In
one Coleman runs an attacking
drill. Dorrian holds up
the white board, points to it.
“Jerry is here, here and here,”
he doesn’t say. There is talk of
“green zones” and “zing” and
“Rangi”. Whatever that means,
they all nod along, privy to
the intelligence, commercialin-confidence.
There’s a defensive drill and
big blokes go hard at each other,
driving shoulders into lower
ribs, physical, jolting stuff.
At another there’s three men
leaping over one another, like
Chinese acrobats. And in the
fourth zone they just continue
to run. And run, and run…
The club had a video made of
their 2017 run into the grand
final and beyond, and late last
32 MARCH 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

year put on a fleet of buses for
players and supporters, and
went off to the Chauvel Theatre
in Paddington to watch it. And
there were cheers and tears as
Sam Ward scored a try and was
chaired off the field pointing
to the sky clutching a photo of
his brother. The club wrapping
arms around their brother. Doing
their best.
All power to them as they
defend their title in 2018. Go
the Rats.
* Warringah Rugby Club
memberships come with
heaps of benefits. Don’t
miss the opportunity to get
your home day pass for the
season, parking privileges,
Rats paraphernalia,
and exclusive invites to
networking opportunities
and events. Choose from
Platinum ($200), Premium
($160) or Hillbillies ($160)
memberships. More info
warringahrugby.com.au
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
MARCH 2018 33

Perfectly
Frank
Life Stories
Tom Burlinson started his working
life as an actor before his childhood
love of classic crooning launched
an entirely new career.
Story by Rosamund Burton
loved Frank Sinatra since I was
a toddler,” says 62-year-old Tom
“I’ve
Burlinson, arguably most famous
for his lead role in the 1981 film ‘The
Man From Snowy River’. “My parents had
an album called ‘A Swingin’ Affair’ on
the front of which was Frank Sinatra in
his fedora. I’d say to Mum: ‘Play the man
in the hat!’”
Sitting on the L-shaped sofa in his
home at Newport with the family
dachshund Coco at his feet, Tom is
talking about his life-long love of Frank
Sinatra, and his new show, ‘Swing That
Music’, which makes its world premiere
at the State Theatre on April 21.
With English parents and born in
Canada, Tom came to Australia aged
nine. His parents separated six months
later, his mother taking his two younger
sisters back to England, and his older
sister and he remaining with his father,
who then remarried.
The family moved to Bayview when
Tom was 12, when he enrolled at
Pittwater High. It was during his last
years at school that he rediscovered
‘A Swingin’ Affair’ in his father’s record
collection.
“I fell in love with it all over again
and became an avid Sinatra fan,” he
recalls. “I studied how he breathed, how
long he held notes, and his distinctive
phrasing.”
After school, he went to the National
Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), and
then worked in the theatre, and on
1970s TV soapie ‘The Restless Years’,
before, aged 24, auditioning for the role
of Jim Craig in ‘The Man From Snowy
River’. At his audition was the director,
the producer and executive producer,
and Sigrid Thornton, who had already
been cast as Jessica.
“I explained I had only sat on a horse
three times in my life, and was told,
‘Don’t worry about that!’”
When he was given three scenes to
read, he asked for 15 minutes alone, and
learnt the words. Not having to keep
looking at the script enabled him to
make eye contact with Sigrid Thornton.
“One of her lines was, ‘I must look a
sight,’ and I replied, ‘You look beautiful’,
which was true, and she blushed.
Immediately, it was obvious we had a
natural chemistry.”
Having been offered the part, he
received the full script, and reading it
saw: ‘And then Jim Craig rides down the
mountain.’
“I’m thinking, ‘Don’t worry about
that!’ I have to look as if I’ve been riding
horses all my life.”
He joined a riding school at Terrey
Hills, then rode all day every day in the
high country of Victoria where the film
was shot. He befriended Charlie Lovick,
a fourth-generation cattleman, only six
years older than him, who owned the
buckskinned horse, Denny, which was
cast as ‘the small and weedy beast’.
“Charlie was a natural teacher, and
we became very close,” Tom explains.
“Whenever I had to do a horseback scene
on camera I’d look at Charlie after the
shoot, and he’d go, ‘That’ll do,’ or, ‘Better
have another go.’”
The climax of the film comes
when ‘The Man’ rides down the steep
mountain. Tom convinced the director
that he, not his double – rodeo rider
Gerald Egan – should do the ride.
“Denny and I were on top of the
hill, and I was shaking as I waited for
the call, ‘Action’. We did eight takes
of the terrible descent that day, and
it’s the moment in the film everyone
remembers.”
‘The Man from Snowy River’ was a
phenomenal box office success. And
Tom went on to play racehorse stable
hand Tommy Woodcock in ‘Phar Lap:
34 MARCH 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

MAIN PIC: Nigel Wall
Heart of a Nation’ – also a huge hit –
and to work in Australia, America and
England.
At the end of the 1980s he wrote a
song about Frank Sinatra’s impact on
him, calling it ‘The Man in the Hat’. He
had a big band arrangement done of
the song, and recorded it, not knowing
what he would do with it. But he gave
an audio cassette of the recording to
Channel Nine’s ‘Midday Show’ host Ray
Martin, who asked him to sing the song
on the show.
“I had never sung professionally
before, let alone on national television,
so I was as nervous as a cat.”
Soon after, Tom heard about a miniseries
called ‘Sinatra’ being produced by
Tina Sinatra, Frank’s youngest daughter,
at Warner Brothers in Los Angeles. Tina
Sinatra needed someone to sing the
voice of her father as a young man, so
she asked Tom to fly to LA to audition.
He sang songs such as ‘Stormy
Weather’ and ‘Begin the Beguine’, and, he
reminisces: “Tina sat there with tears
in her eyes. That afternoon she rang me
and said, ‘Tom, I want you to do this
job for me.’ So, there I was, untrained,
singing the voice of one of the most
recognisable voices of 20th century
popular music.” The series won the
Golden Globe Award for best mini-series
of the year and was seen by 30 million
people.
When it became known back in
Australia that the man from Snowy
River could sing, Tom was offered the
lead role in the musical ‘How to Succeed
in Business Without Really Trying’. This
was another turning point in his life, as
he met Mandy Carnie, a dancer in the
show, and they fell in love and married.
In 2001, when Mandy was pregnant
with their second child, they needed
to move from their small townhouse
at Mosman. Remembering his own
upbringing on Pittwater, and believing
this area to be “one of the best
residential areas for family life in the
world”, Mandy and he started looking
for a home here and fell in love with
their current Newport home. Seventeen
years later their oldest daughter, Mia,
has just finished her HSC; their son,
Guy, is in Year 11 at Pittwater High; and
their youngest daughter, Rikki, is at
Newport Primary. And having been “a
triple threat” – as singer, dancer and
actress, performing in major musicals
such as Sweet Charity and A Chorus
Line – Mandy has turned her focus to
personal tr aining, running the ‘Perfect
Fit’ fitness studio at Newport.
While appearing in ‘How to Succeed in
Business Without Really Trying’ Tom also
met trumpeter Ralph Pyl who lives on
Bilgola Plateau. He told Tom that if he
ever wanted to do a show about Frank
Sinatra that “he had the band”. In 1998
Tom did 12 performances of ‘Frank –
A Life in Song’, accompanied by the
Sydney All Star Big Band, at the Seymour
Centre. Since then Tom and Ralph have
not only toured the country with that
show, and subsequent Frank Sinatra
ones, but also shows celebrating Frank
Sinatra’s contemporaries.
“When I’m asked for advice by people
starting in the business I always say:
‘Give every opportunity 100 per cent
effort, because you never know how
one thing might lead to another.’” With
the 17-piece Sydney All Star Big Band,
spectacular dancers, and starring
jazz singer Emma Pask, trombonist Ed
Wilson and Tom himself, 100 per cent
effort is certainly going into ‘Swing
That Music’.
* Tickets on sale now for ‘Swing That
Music’ at the State Theatre on Saturday
April 21; visit swingthatmusic.com.au
Life Stories
CLOCKWISE FROM
OPPOSITE: Tom
says Newport
has been the
ideal location to
raise a family;
in performer
mode; one of his
earliest roles – as
a Roman Gladiator,
complete with
lollypop; on
set as The Man
from Snowy
River in 1981;
the fresh-faced
School Captain
of Pittwater High
in 1973; and
inhabiting the
Sinatra persona
while performing
in ‘Frank – A Life
in Song’ in 1998.
The Local Voice Since 1991
MARCH 2018 35

Art Life
Art Life
Mali shares top HSC art prize
Barrenjoey High School student Mali prominent artist and Pittwater local Joshua
Hole’s creative processes and hard work Yeldham late last month – will showcase
during the HSC last year have been recognized,
with the talented artist sharing the students from local secondary schools
the work of more than 40 HSC Visual Art
Manly Art Gallery & Museum Society Youth until Sunday April 1.
Art prize for her stunning work which
Other Pittwater region students included
features as part of the gallery’s Express are Michaela Curnow, Georgia Klemes and
Yourself 2018 exhibition.
Georgia Westwood (all Barrenjoey HS),
Judges spent more than two hours deliberating
and commented: “The standard Luke’s), Isabella Curtis (Pittwater HS) and
Olivia Heaton and Eleanor Gordon (St
was very high across the exhibition, and Resmine Sionemale (Narrabeen SH).
making the selections was very challenging
– so much so we were unable to sepa-
praised the ongoing outstanding quality
Northern Beaches Mayor Michael Regan
rate some artists for each prize pool.” of the artworks which this year range from
Mali shared the $3000 prize with
multi-media and digital pieces to sculpture,
graphics and drawing.
Thomas Carr (The Forest High School)
and Zac Mrakovcic (St Augustine’s College), “Express Yourself reflects the artistic
with her work ‘Prophetic Marine Forms’ strength of emerging young artists on the
comprising sea creatures (pictured) and Northern Beaches as well as the quality of
objects made from plastic pollution displayed
in a vitrine based on 19th century Statements are displayed alongside the
our schools,” he said.
museum displays.
artworks describing the inspirations and
The $5000 Theo Batten Youth Art
influences that informed the works and
Award was split between Isabella Seeto
(NBSC Freshwater Senior Campus) are encouraged to vote for their favour-
the students’ creative journeys. Visitors
and Kyle Levett (St Paul’s Manly).
ite artwork in the People’s Choice award.
Express Yourself – which was opened by More info NB Council website.
‘Little Black Swan’
Kerrie using her art
to help conservation
Artist Kerrie Swan says she gets
huge inspiration for her works
living in the sleepy beachside village
of Scotts Head near Macksville on
the NSW north coast.
A lover of the ocean, the marine
world, animals and travel, most
of Kerrie’s work – which is known
collectively as Little Black Swan Art –
is ocean-themed or animal-related.
Kerrie is the Autumn guest artist
exhibiting in the rooms of Eye
Doctors Mona Vale from March 1
through the end of May.
“I am passionate about
conservation,” said Kerrie. “I paint
my emotions and the vibrant colours
I see – and I especially love colour!
“I try to capture the feelings I
experience and bring that to my
audience. I want people to feel
like they are drifting along in
the current when they view my
underwater scenes. I hope they
will connect to the beauty of the
amazing animals and environments
in which they live.”
Also, Kerrie created ‘Little
Tusker Designs’ after embarking
on an emotional trip to Africa in
2014 with a small group of animal
conservationists.
“The total proceeds of sales from
these designs are shared between
The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
(DSWT) and The Askari Project,”
said Kerrie. “The DSWT in Kenya
rescues and cares for orphaned
elephants who have lost their
mothers through poaching.
“My art presently sponsors eight
animals in their care.”
The Australian-formed Askari
Project raises funds for The Tsarvo
Trust, also in Kenya, to protect the
last great Tuskers in the world.
They provide trained rangers, aerial
surveillance and rapid response
veterinary teams in the fight against
poaching.
View Kerrie’s work 9am to 5pm
work in EDMV rooms on Level 3, 20
Bungan Street, from 9am to 5pm
Monday to Friday. – Nigel Wall
36 MARCH 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Two artists… One journey
Established landscape duo
Debbie Mackinnon and Mike
Staniford unveil their latest
body of work in the free exhibition
entitled ‘Two artists, One
journey’, which showcases a
powerful body of work inspired
from their travels through Spain
and Italy.
Running from 7 March to
28 March at ME Artspace in St
Leonards, the artworks blend
their experiences and memories
to create stunning landscape
pieces that are enhanced by
their stay at locations such as
remote Andalusia and on a
mountain farm in rural Italy.
In their artworks, huge skies
meet complex layered horizons.
“When every other form of
distraction is taken away and
you exist in an environment of
evocative landscape, you can’t
help but become wholly committed
to painting”, says Mike,
who left his role as an International
creative director to focus
on his art alongside Debbie.
Debbie and Mike’s work holds
a deep connection with the places
they have been. “Our time
drawing and painting in Spain
and Italy were very exploratory.
It had such a lasting effect on
us that we have become different
artists because of it”, says
Ms Mackinnon.
Debbie is the founder of ME
Artspace, where she runs painting
workshops every week. She
has also been nominated for
awards including the Northern
Beaches Art Prize. Mike is a
finalist in the Adelaide Perry
Drawing Prize 2018.
* Exhibition runs 7 March
(opening night) through 28
March – 11am-4pm Tuesday to
Friday; 10am-2pm Saturday.
Art Life
The Local Voice Since 1991
MARCH 2018 37

Art Life
Art Life
Martine's glimpse of
underwater Shimmer
Sydney painter Martine Emdur is renowned for capturing the
magic and mystery of the underwater world – and she is currently
enjoying her first exhibition in a public gallery with ‘Shimmer’
on display at the Manly Art Gallery & Museum until April 1.
“I am very excited about the show and it couldn’t be more appropriate
that it is staged on the shores of Sydney Harbour, my
muse of the past 20 years,” Martine said.
“There is both great beauty and mystery offered up by the
sea… I understand that locals feel drawn to the sea for the same
reasons I do and I hope that the paintings resonate with other
coastal dwellers, together with those who visit the seaside.”
Curator Katherine Roberts said Shimmer presented a mix of
dark, moody paintings (including ‘Soleful’ and ‘Limelight’ – oil
on linen).
“They evoke a sense of voyeurism as the viewer catches a
fleeting act of intimacy; a connection otherwise concealed by
the ocean,” Katherine said. “Other works hold a more joyous and
playful tone. Under full sun, the saturation of colour of the sea
and the swimmers (in their cozzies) evokes a quintessentially
Australian summer theme.
“Buoyancy and the fact that the weight of the world is
stripped away is central to her work and yet the foreboding
aspect of being immersed in the vastness of the ocean provides
the duality that makes her work particularly engaging.”
* Join Martine in conversation with curator Katherine Roberts
on Sunday 11 March from 3-4pm to learn about the development
of Martine’s ideas and her life as an artist (no bookings
required).
Pittwater trail
gets a March on
It’s on again in March – the
Pittwater Artists Trail,
celebrating the alliance
of talented artists who
collectively open their studios
to the public on select
weekends each year creating a
‘Trail’ for art lovers.
Visitors can engage with
the artists, see how they work
and what inspires them, buy
beautiful, original artworks or
perhaps enroll in one of the
courses offered by several of
the artists on the Trail.
The PAT’s inaugural Open
Studio weekend was held
in 2011 and the group have
been going from strength
to strength ever since.
This month, don’t miss the
opportunity to spend a day (or
even two) discovering original
works on Saturday 10th and
A stitch in time...
See some amazing patchwork at the annual Avalon Quilters
Exhibition on Fri 9 and Sat 10 at Avalon Uniting Church in
Bellevue Ave; entry $5. Also, don’t forget to be in the draw
for ‘Touching Stars’, a 1930s Vintage quilt purchased in
the US – you can by raffle tickets ($2 each or 3 for $5) at
Avalon Fabrics and Craft, Cottage Quilts Warriewood or
at Patchwork on Pittwater in Mona Vale. Proceeds to the
Australian Mitochondrial Disease Foundation.
38 MARCH 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Sunday 11th, from 10am-5pm.
The weekend heralds the
renewed and expanded
network of inspiring studio
locations on offer in this
year’s Pittwater Artists Trail.
It provides opportunities
to watch ceramicists, fibre
and glass artists, painters,
jewellers and sculptors
producing their artwork. As
the studio doors are thrown
open, you will be invited
to see “behind the scenes”
and learn about individual
processes and practice.
You are encouraged to plan
your own route from Elanora
to Clareville and Terrey Hills to
Newport, with up to 17 artists
across 11 locations to visit.
(And if you are an artist who
lives on the Northern Beaches,
have visited the Trail and would
like to apply to join in 2018-’19,
check out their website – it
also contains a map and artist
details for the March weekend.)
More info pittwaterartiststrail.com.au
– Nigel Wall
Art Life
The Local Voice Since 1991
MARCH 2018 39

Young Life
Local students awarded
$20,000 in scholarships
Narrabeen Sports High
School Captain Hayley
Creed is one of 14
exceptional northern beaches
students to be given a financial
boost as they study for this
year’s HSC.
Dee Why RSL recently
awarded Year 12 students from
eight secondary schools a total
of $20,000 through its increasingly
popular School Scholarship
Program.
At a reception for family and
friends last month Club President
and retired schoolteacher
Graeme Liddell commented
on the exceptional standard of
more than 50 written applications
this year.
“All students are to be congratulated
for the way in which
they addressed the criteria of
academic excellence, extracurricular
activities, sport and
contributions to school and
community,” Mr Liddell said.
Hayley has a busy year ahead
juggling study with multiple
high-level sport commitments,
volunteer work and school
leadership duties.
The 17-year-old from Warriewood
told Pittwater Life the
$1400 scholarship would be
One of the world’s bestknown
parent educators,
Steve Biddulph, will be
presenting two live talks at
Pittwater House School in
March.
‘Raising Boys’ will be
hosted on Wednesday 14th
March and ‘Raising Girls’ on
Thursday 15th March; each
talk will provide practical,
helpful and entertaining
information designed to
assist parent and guardians
to help their children.
The ‘Raising Boys’ talk
covers: how to raise boys to
be safe, happy and confident;
the importance of Dads and
what to do if you’re a single
Mum. It will also explore the
three stages of boyhood.
The Local Voice Since 1991
WINNING CREED: President Dee Why RSL Club Graeme Liddell, Narrabeen
Sports High's Hayley Creed and Dee Why RSL Vice President Mark Rendell.
put towards extra tutoring to
help keep her on track with her
studies.
Other successful recipients
of this year’s scholarships
were:
Valentino Blasini, Mitch
Horner, Christopher Howteinfat,
Katherine Jones, Rhiannon Marshall-Witte,
Natalie Patterson,
Nicholas Zaunders from Manly
Selective Campus; Emily Doyle
from Davidson High School;
Rachel Hosemans from Killarney
Heights High School; Paula
Latu from Cromer Campus;
Kasey Lewis from Mackellar
Girls; Caroline Ng from Monte
and Alessandro Todisco from St
Paul’s Catholic College.
* Online applications for
the 2019 School Scholarship
Program will be open in the
second semester of this year
go to www.dyrsl.com.au for
more information.
Expert Biddulph's school talks
The ‘Raising Girls’ talk
provides information on
how to raise your daughter
to be strong and free in a
world that tries to ‘box-in’
females. Girls’ mental health
issues will also be addressed
and practical, powerful and
moving stories will be shared.
* The Steve Biddulph
‘Raising Boys’ visit is
sponsored by Krav Maga;
tickets are available for $35
at pittwaterhouse.com.au.
Shout out to
the Girls
Random House
$29.99
Criticised for the lack of
books promoting positive
female role models for
young readers, it is as if the
industry has over-corrected
and we now have a deluge
of ‘girl’ books.
But that’s not a bad
thing. The runaway success
of Good Night Stories for
Rebel Girls has meant
more women are being
written about and their
achievements recognised.
Just in time for
International Women’s Day,
50 Australian women will
be celebrated in Shout Out
to the Girls. From Cathy
Freeman to Julia Gillard
this book is a celebration of
women in all fields, from all
walks of life, and from past
and present.
* Bring this review into
Beachside Bookshop on
Thursday 8 March to get
10% off a copy, and help
shine the spotlight on our
homegrown achievers. –
Libby Armstrong
MARCH 2018 41
Young Life

Surfing Life
Surfing Life
Come on in, the water’s
... well, too darn hot!
What should we watch if we want to understand surf?
Can I bore you for a column?
I don’t know… maybe
you’ll find this boring,
maybe not. But how often does
the water surface temperature
off Pittwater beaches hit 24.8
degrees Celsius?
I will tell you! Never. Never
in my surfing life has the water
here been this warm.
Offshore water temperatures
are higher even than
that. But they frequently reach
25 degrees these days. It’s the
coastal temps that are coming
as a shock – or maybe the
reverse of a shock. You don’t
dive in to a skin-tingling feeling
of refreshment right now,
that’s for sure.
It’s coming as a bigger
shock since through November
last year, temperatures
stayed stubbornly LOW, rarely
budging above 19 and sometimes
shrivelling to 17 – colder
than a typical mid-winter.
Strange things are occurring.
In the second-last week
of February, our beaches were
suddenly struck by an influx
of small jellyfish. Not stingers,
rather a prune-shaped
jelly, almost fully transparent,
pumping itself along with two
halves of its body. Millions of
’em. They were all gone in a
day.
The surface warmth has
brought humidity, yet weirdly
GITA MOVE ON: Greenmount at Coolangatta unfurls during February’s cyclone.
enough, almost no rain. Low
cloud comes in overnight with
the dying sea breeze, and settles
on the coast. The air feels
wet, yet the garden stays dry.
You wake exhausted, go down
to the beach for a refreshing
swim, and remember, nup, it
isn’t refreshing right now.
I watch this stuff closely as
an adjunct to the surfing obsession,
trying to pick up clues
on how weather is evolving
in our swell “windows” – the
areas of ocean big and broad
enough to provide us with significant
surf. (I say “weather”
because surf relies on weather,
not necessarily climate. Surf
arises from wind on the water
somewhere. Climate is at a
remove from that.)
Our local warmer water is
tangentially related to a much
vaster pool of warm surface
water to our east and north.
This pool of 25-degree-plus
water stretches way out into
the southwest Pacific, my very
favourite swell window. It’s
been pouring energy into the
atmosphere for months via
the easterly tradewind band,
which runs from east of Tahiti
all the way (sometimes) to the
south-east Queensland coast.
Every now and then in a
year like this, something
reaches into that tradewind
band and sets off a kind of
bomb. This year it’s been a
pulse of atmospheric energy
associated with the northern
monsoon. The pulse wanders
around the Equator, touching
with Nick Carroll
down in mid-Pacific every 30
to 40 days.
It last touched down at
the end of the first week of
February. The result was
Severe Tropical Cyclone Gita.
TC Gita migrated west from
near Tahiti, blew apart Tonga,
missed Fiji and New Caledonia
by the atmospheric equivalent
of a hairs-breadth, and ended
up scaring the citizens of
Wellington, NZ half to death
when it went post-tropical and
swamped the city.
Gita also joined forces with
the easterly tradewind belt to
create a series of spectacular
groundswells. We kinda
missed out, being a touch too
far south for the swell angle.
But Queensland’s Kirra Point
didn’t miss anything. While Pittwater
suffered under roaring
Photo Credit: Greenmount image: richardgoldnerimages.com
SWELL TIME: Kirra was pumping too.
42 MARCH 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

PL’s MARCH SURF CALENDAR
11-22/3: WSL Championship Tour: Quiksilver and Roxy
Pros, Snapper Rocks, Qld
The World Surf League commences the last of its full-year championship
seasons in the most traditional fashion possible, with a
double header on the Goldie. This sweaty epic of an event may
not start 2019: the WSL plans a complete re-vamp of its schedule,
beginning in February and ending in September, rather than with the
renowned December showdown at Pipeline. The schedule is yet to
be released, so we can’t give you more detail. We can make a few
calls about this year though: the waves will be fun but not epic Gitastyle,
you’ll see the eventual world champs in the semi-finals, and
the women’s will be gnarlier and more competitive than the men’s.
NICK’S MARCH SURF FORECAST
Hopefully this isn’t redundant given the entire preceding column! I
think March will mark a distinct change of season for this coastline.
Sometimes you see the change and sometimes you don’t, and this
year I think we’ll see it – a turn toward cooler days, less humidity
but perversely more rain, and a fair bit of surf, mostly coming from
the southern angle off southerly gales near Tasmania and southern
NZ. In between those south angled swells it’ll be pretty darn quiet,
with clean mornings, light to moderate afternoon seabreezes, and
not much surf at all. This may begin to change again late in the
month with the firing up of the southwest Pacific, but we may not
see much from that until early April. I say ride what you see, and
enjoy the warm water, it’ll be around for a while.
Nick Carroll
Surfing Life
northeast winds and a classic
late-summer bluebottle invasion,
our friends to the north
had the time of their surfing
lives.
To be completely frank, it
made Kelly’s pool (the subject
of last month’s column) look
like, well, a pool.
On a climate scale, a lot of
this is to be expected. Meteorologists
were calling out a La
Niña event as early as August
last year, and La Niña always
means warmer water in the
western Pacific.
But La Niña is also supposed
to mean rainfall, for
us. Hasn’t happened. Forecasts
for higher than average
rainfall in eastern Australia
have had to be revised, then
revised again, always down.
Now, La Niña has officially
decayed, and they reckon
we’re in for a drought. This
is why as a surfer, I try to put
The Local Voice Since 1991
climate aside, and just watch
for weather.
Anyway, TC Gita was a
safety valve of sorts for all
that warmwater-driven energy,
and the southwest Pacific will
be quiet for a while, surf-wise
at least.
But the Pacific heat will
re-build in coming weeks, and
will begin looking for something
to do.
That monsoon pulse is due
back in mid-Pacific in the third
week of March. It may be a
bit late for the WSL’s opening
events (see calendar), but it
won’t be too late for the rest
of us.
Nick Carroll is a leading
Australian and international
surf writer, author, filmmaker
and surfer, and one
of Newport’s own. Email:
ncsurf@ozemail.com.au
MARCH 2018 43

Boating Life
Boating Life
Photo: Lori Wilson
Avalon
Open Day
The Avalon Sailing Club
and the Couta Association
NSW are hosting an Open
Day on Saturday 24 March
for families to check out
what the club has to offer
for kids and adults. The
club’s committee invites locals
to enjoy a trial sail on
a family friendly Coutaboat
– “the prettiest sailing boat
you will see on Pittwater!”
Hours are 10am-4pm.
More info Larry Eastwood
0417 244 406.
Yes harm, if no foul!
Pittwater is unique with its
rocky shorelines, intertidal
mudflats, mangroves and saltmarshes
each having a different
impact on the health of boat
bottoms.
If you own a boat you already
know how important it is to
antifoul annually.
A fouled hull can cause
serious problems affecting
a vessel’s performance and
durability.
Applying an antifouling paint
to the hull of your boat prevents
the attachment of fouling
organisms such as barnacles,
weed and slime.
With no antifoul your hull will
become a breeding ground for
all types of marine life and the
longer the growth is there the
harder it will be to get off ...
prevention is the key.
Owners should check the
underwater coating of their
vessels, if they’re not active,
every couple of months and if
‘fouling’ is starting to settle,
they should give the area a
wipe down or scrub depending
on what type of product
has been used, says Northern
Beaches-based yacht coating
expert Kane Barfoot.
With more than 25 years’ experience
in paint application in
the yachting industry, the technical
sales representative for
International Paints explained
antifouling paints worked by
delivering a controlled, steady
release of biocide (such as copper)
from the paint surface into
the microscopic layer of water
next to the hull.
It is this layer of biocide that
stops the fouling from settling.
“Modern antifouling paints
are specifically formulated to
release just the right amount
of biocide to keep the surface
clean throughout the season,
without the need to scrub your
boat,” Kane added.
While some may try doing the
job themselves it’s generally a
task best left to the experts.
Kane recommended avoiding
getting the job done in cold and
wet times of the year, as these
conditions can sometimes affect
application of any product used.
For more information visit
yachtpaint.com
44 MARCH 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Hair & Beauty
Time to come clean: How
do you wash your face?
with Sue Carroll
Summer is now over, even
gauze and toning lotion to
though it may not feel like
ensure all makeup and debris
it as we are still dealing
is removed thoroughly and the
with heat and humidity. While
pH of the skin is returned to
every season brings a new set
its normal level of between 4.5
of challenges for the skin, the
and 5.
end of summer and the start of
For skin fitness and health, the
autumn usually sees a depletion
cleansing routine is the starting
of hydration in the skin and a
block for proper care every
dulled complexion. The first
morning and night. Skin, it’s for
area of skin fitness is cleansing
life… we are only given one, so
and if this is not performed
give it the care it deserves.
correctly the aftermath of
summer will be heightened.
Sue Carroll of Skin
You may think it simple to Know Your Skin Type – and then cleanse the skin with Inspiration has been a qualified
Aesthetician for 33 years.
wash your face; you reach for Choosing a cleanser for your the cleanser. If you do not have
soap in the shower – stop, don’t skin type can be daunting. The a makeup remover and you
Sue has owned and
do it! There is a huge margin of internet is constantly booming have thick, heavy makeup on,
operated successful beauty
error when it comes to washing with suggestions of the latest perform a double cleansing
clinics and day spas on
your face, so it is important to
and greatest products making it routine: wash with the first
the Northern Beaches.
make sure you are performing
hard to weed through what you application, rinse and then
this twice-daily exercise
really need and what you will wash again with the second info@skininspiration.com.au
correctly. There are four things
like. Not to mention your best application. Follow with your www.skininspiration.com.au
you should know:
friend’s advice, and all those TV
infomercials! Knowing what your
Say No to Bar Soap – You
skin needs is essential. Make
might cringe at the idea of
time to speak with your beauty
purchasing something other
therapist, which will often not
than the soap you buy from
cost you a thing except your
the supermarket or health
time. The therapist will ask
food store. But washing your
questions about your lifestyle,
face with that bar of soap can
your skin concerns and will
do more harm than good.
be able to customise the right
Bar soaps contain a high pH
cleanser.
(they are very alkaline which
Stick to a Routine – We all get
leaves the skin squeaky clean;
crazy and we all get lazy. If you
sometimes they are similar to
are washing your face too little,
dishwashing liquid) which can
or too much, you’ll start to see
destroy and irritate the outer
those negative effects on your
layer of skin. In addition, bar
skin. Instead of cutting corners
soap can dry the surface of the
and hoping it will get you
skin, which can cause breakouts, through, stick to a routine, like
wrinkles and create a breeding cleaning your teeth twice a day.
ground for bacteria and other Your face can be washed either
germs. Instead, choose a wash at the basin or in the shower,
or cleanser that is suited to remembering never to have the
your skin condition, one that full force of the hot streaming
is not too harsh with alcoholbased
shower pounding onto your
ingredients. It must be skin. Dehydration and bright
pH balanced and if you have red capillaries may be the result
an oily skin tending towards and then further skin treatments
breakouts, it must not contain such as IPL to remove the
coconut-based ingredients (they redness and oxygen treatments
are comedogenic and will cause to hydrate the skin will follow.
pimples, milia and sebaceous Removing Makeup – We are
hyperplasia). A prescribed all guilty of trying to cut corners
cleanser may be a little more with a quick splash of water
expensive than the soap bar or a wipe with a baby wipe.
initially, but your skin will thank Remove makeup either with a
you for it.
specialised makeup remover
The Local Voice Since 1991
MARCH 2018 45
Hair & Beauty

Health & Wellbeing
BreastScreen’s dedicated home on
Health & Wellbeing
BreastScreen NSW has
a dedicated home on
the northern beaches
with mammogram screening
services now offered in a
brand new facility located
opposite Warringah Mall.
Part of a new purpose-built
Community Health Centre,
the in-house BreastScreen
unit will be able to screen up
to 40 women a day in a more
formal setting than locals are
used to when attending the
mobile vans that have serviced
Pittwater.
However, for those who
prefer closer to home, the
BreastScreen van will continue
to visit Warriewood regularly.
BreastScreen is one of 22
preventative and community
health services including
adult and community mental
health services and an oral
health service with specialist
paediatric dentists housed in
the new facility.
On the B-Line and with
ample on-site parking the
$50-million, purpose-built
Brookvale Community Health
Centre and its 200-plus staff
– many of them local – is the
latest boost to health care on
the Northern Beaches.
At the official opening
last month State Minister for
Health Brad Hazzard said the
centre was part of the NSW
Government’s commitment
of $100 million in community
health facilities for the
Northern Beaches region,
as part of the $600 million
Northern Beaches health
service redevelopment.
Mr Hazzard said community
health centres played a vital
role in our health system by
keeping people fit and well –
and out of hospital.
The new centre is the third
community health facility
delivered to the Northern
Beaches in recent years,
complementing the Dalwood
Child and Family Health
Centre in Seaforth and the
Community Health Centre at
Mona Vale Hospital.
Services at the Brookvale
centre include:
n BreastScreen NSW;
n Child and Family Health;
n Child and Youth Mental
Health;
n Chronic and Complex Care;
n Community Adult Mental
Health;
n Community Drug and
Alcohol;
n Health Promotion;
n Northern Sydney Home
Nursing Service;
n Oral Health; and
n Community Rehabilitation
and Aged Care.
A spokesman confirmed the
services currently available
46 MARCH 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

eaches
at Mona Vale Community
Health Centre would
continue to be provided and
these included:
n Acute Post Acute Care;
n Adult mental health;
n Adult Occupational Therapy;
n Adult Physiotherapy;
n Carer Support;
n Child and Family Health;
n Child and Youth Mental
Health;
n Chronic disease and
rehabilitation;
n Community drug and
alcohol;
n Community nursing;
n Early Childhood Health
Centre;
n Oral Health;
n Paediatric occupational
therapy;
n Paediatric Physiotherapy;
n Paediatric speech
pathology;
n Podiatry; and
n Rehabilitation and Aged
Care. – Lisa Offord
Caring for
our carers
If you or someone you
know is caring for a
loved one it’s important
to know support and
guidance is not far
away. Northern Beaches
Community Connect
runs several support
groups throughout the
year specifically for
people caring for others
with dementia or mental
health issues; general
carers and a male carers
group. All groups meet
once a month for two
hours in a sharing
confidential environment
where people can talk
openly and without
judgement about their
concerns. To find out
more contact 9931
7751 or email anak@
northernbeachconnect.
com.au
Health & Wellbeing
The Local Voice Since 1991
MARCH 2018 47

Health & Wellbeing
Health & Wellbeing
Healing at cellular level
In her former demanding full-time role
in anaesthetics and intensive care, and
as a mother of three young boys, local
doctor Jasmina Dedic-Hagan admits it
was a point in her life where she was
struggling to keep up.
“I was tired, sleep-deprived, waking up
achy and battling brain fog,” the newest
member of the Avalon Wholistic Medical &
Dental Centre revealed.
“At about the same time my son was
experiencing severe eczema and a conventional
approach was not working for either
of us.”
With an academic record including an
honours degree in Molecular Biology and
Genetics from Sydney Uni, a PHD in Molecular
Biology from ANU and a medical degree
from the University of Melbourne, it was
natural for Dr Dedic-Hagan (pictured) to
investigate further.
“I came across functional medicine, an
approach that seeks to find the root cause
of illness, understand its molecular basis
and provide personalised care,” she said.
“This appealed to me as I had background
in genetics and molecular biology and believed
that what we experience as a myriad
of different symptoms has its origins at a
cellular level.”
Dr Dedic-Hagan spent the following two
years training with the Institute of Functional
Medicine in the US and finding ways
to implement what she was learning in her
general practice.
“Every patient has a story and their life experiences,
environment and genetics impact
their health,” she explained. “I take these
elements into account and tailor a personalised
treatment to optimise outcomes.”
Dr Dedic-Hagan said she particularly enjoyed
working with women who were going
through the challenging phase of their lives
that involved juggling work and family.
“These women work incredibly hard and
often become very depleted, physically as
well as emotionally,” she said. “It is very
rewarding when I see that improvements
in their health lead to happier families and
healthier communities.”
Prior to joining the Avalon practice Dr
Dedic-Hagan worked across Sydney and
also on the Northern Beaches as a part of a
Palliative Care team.
“I always felt that working on the beaches
was something special – I enjoyed working
within a close-knit community, in a beautiful
environment, with people who love to live
life their way,” she said.
Family aside, these days Dr Dedic-Hagan
does make sure she carves out some time
for herself, which usually means yoga, a
bike ride or swim. A former elite alpine
skier, her perfect holiday still includes challenging
mountains with plenty of snow.
– Lisa Offord
48 MARCH 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Looking out for
glaucoma signs
World Glaucoma Week
falls this month… so
what is glaucoma? It
is the name given to a group
of eye diseases where vision
is lost due to damage to the
optic nerve. Approximately
300,000 Australians have
glaucoma, and generally
there are no symptoms or
warning signs in the early
stages of this eye condition.
The loss of sight is gradual
and a considerable amount
of peripheral (side) vision
may be lost before there is an
awareness of any problem.
The primary problem in
glaucoma is damage to the
optic nerve. Intraocular pressure
is the fluid pressure
inside the eye, and the level
of eye pressure at which there
is progressive damage to an
optic nerve varies between
people: some individuals
with high eye pressures do
not develop nerve damage,
while others with normal eye
pressure develop progressive
nerve damage.
The best way to protect
your sight from glaucoma is to
have your eyes tested.
Glaucoma cannot be selfdetected,
and many people
affected by glaucoma may not
be aware of any vision loss.
It is important to remember
that while it is more common
as we get older, glaucoma
can occur at any age. Unfor-
tunately there is currently no
cure for glaucoma and vision
cannot be regained, although
early detection and adherence
to treatment can halt or
significantly slow progression.
Treatment is usually really
simple and involves using
drops in the eyes.
Important facts around
the disease: currently 50 per
with Rowena Beckenham
cent of people with glaucoma
remain undetected and firstdegree
relatives of people
with glaucoma have an up to
tenfold increased risk of developing
the disease
So the lesson this March is:
Talk to relatives and see your
optometrist for a comprehensive
eye examination that will
detect glaucoma.
Comment supplied by Rowena Beckenham, of
Beckenham Optometrist in Avalon (9918 0616). Rowena
has been involved in all facets of independent private
practice optometry in Avalon for 16 years, in addition
to working as a consultant to the optometric and
pharmaceutical industry, and regularly volunteering in
Aboriginal eyecare programs in regional NSW.
Health & Wellbeing
The Local Voice Since 1991
MARCH 2018 49

Health & Wellbeing
Health & Wellbeing
Arcadia ticks recovery boxes
his is like a hotel!” is the sets a world-class standard “Some of the patients have gram involving a morning and
“Tuniversal observation of never before seen in Australia
already endured long periods afternoon physiotherapy and
patients and visitors attending
Pittwater’s new private hospital
in Warriewood.
The purpose-built boutiquestyle
Arcadia Pittwater began
taking patients last month
and within the first fortnight
was operating with an average
occupancy of 20 ‘guests’.
Developed by Arcadia
Health Care, operators say
– it essentially runs like
a hotel for patients providing
a setting for medical teams to
deliver individualised treatment
plans.
Most patients at the fully accredited
sub-acute facility are
admitted to improve mobility
post surgery, or following an
injury, a medical condition, or
as part of their palliative care
of hospitalisation and are the
ones that greatly appreciate
the difference in accommodation
and amenity standards
offered by Arcadia Pittwater,”
a spokesperson said.
Testimonials from three local
residents who were transferred
to the facility to complete
post-surgery recovery
as rehabilitation in-patients,
hydrotherapy treatment, were
overwhelmingly positive.
While the three patients
raved about the staff, the
treatment services in the spa
and gym and quality of the
food, most importantly they
reported favourable outcomes,
successfully improving
in wellness to enable their
return home two to four days
the facility in Daydream Street treatment.
admitted for a two-week pro-
ahead of schedule. – NW
Women set to inspire on
their International Day
Two of Australia’s outstanding sports
stars will be speaking at local breakfasts
marking International Women’s
Day early this month.
In Pittwater, wheelchair basketball
player, sailor and Member of Parliament
Liesl Tesch AM will address hundreds of
guests at a breakfast at the Royal Prince
Alfred Yacht Club.
Liesl became an incomplete paraplegic
after a mountain bike accident at the
age of 19. She competed in wheelchair
basketball at five paralympics, winning
three medals before shifting her focus
to sailing, winning a gold medal at the
2012 Paralympics in London and another
gold at the 2016 Paralympics in Rio.
Last year Liesl was elected Member for
Gosford in the New South Wales Legislative
Assembly – she will speak of her life
story before the Pittwater Woman of the
Year is announced.
The event, organised by Zonta Club
of Northern Beaches, will be held on
Wednesday March 7 from 7am-9am.
Tickets cost $45 bookings essential
at pittwateriwdbreakfast@gmail.com or
contact Sue on 0407 850 860.
Three-time Olympic athlete and
Australian 200m record holder Melinda
Gainsford-Taylor AM will be speaking at
Manly Golf Club on Thursday March 8
(hosted by Northern Beaches Council).
A mother of two and media commentator,
Melinda coaches and mentors
aspiring athletes through her Explosive
Speed Clinics and is also a National
Selector for Track and Field.
Melinda is also an ambassador for
the Can Too Foundation encouraging
people to get fit and raise funds for
cancer research – there will be a raffle
and opportunity to donate to Can Too
at the breakfast in Balgowlah from 7am-
9am. Tickets $45 book via NB Council
Website.
– LO
50 MARCH 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Health & Wellbeing
The Local Voice Since 1991
MARCH 2018 51

Health & Wellbeing
Health & Wellbeing
Time to think flu vaccine
Local GP Ethel Gilbert
says April is the month
to book vaccinations
to protect against the flu
virus, reminding parents
that the Government is now
supplying all children aged
6 months to five years with
free vaccine.
Dr Gilbert said two new,
enhanced flu vaccines would
also be free for people
over-65, in a bid to prevent
a repeat of last year’s horror
season, with chronic disease
patients also to benefit from
the free program.
Meanwhile Gilbert
Collins Medical Practice
has expanded its team and
services to meet the growing
health needs of the local
community.
“Our focus remains on
delivering comprehensive
general practice healthcare
in-house,” Dr Gilbert said. “We
provide shared antenatal care
services, all immunisations
including childhood
immunisations, influenza for
all ages and are an accredited
Yellow Fever Clinic.
“We also provide
contraceptive services,
childhood and elderly health
checks, men’s health checks
and management of long
term illness.”
Dr Ainslie Maddock has
recently joined the team – a
local with a wide range of
GP experience, Dr Maddock
trained in Sydney and worked
in Dee Why for four years.
She is looking forward to
helping new patients of all
ages.
Also new to the rooms
at 20 Bungan Street is
psychologist Louise Adams,
who has 20 years in clinical
practice.
Louise sees people from
all walks of life for many
kinds of issues. She uses
cognitive behaviour therapy,
mindfulness and selfcompassion
training, and
ACT techniques to help her
clients learn to take care of
themselves and to become
their own therapist.
In addition to general
psychological issues, Louise
NEW PATIENTS: Dr Maddock.
is an expert in the space
of treating people with
eating disorders, body
image problems, and people
struggling with weight, all
from a non-diet perspective.
Louise also trains other
health professionals
and regularly presents
professional training
workshops around Australia.
She is the author of
‘Mindful Moments’ which
is about discovering selfcompassion.
Online bookings gilbertcollinsmedicalpractice.com.
au
– Lisa Offord EXPERT: Psychologist Louise Adams.
52 MARCH 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Business Life: Money
Cutting through hype
on home solar power
Not keen on burning fossil
fuels to create the electricity
for your house and
thinking about solar? Already
got solar panels on your roof
and are wondering about
installing batteries to store
power? Want to say goodbye to
expensive power suppliers and
take responsibility for your own
power? Or maybe you just want
to read a bit more about solar,
to try to cut through all the hype
and misinformation. Read on…
Most of us don’t like burning
fossil fuels to make electricity.
There are myriad reasons why
we do it – efficiency, immediacy,
convenience… even questionable
political agendas. But the
sun provides a viable alternative.
The sun is an extremely
powerful nuclear reactor (it’s
been burning for 4.6 billion
years) some 149,600,000km
from earth. Light takes eight
minutes to get here from there.
It’s a sensible place for a nuclear
reactor and it is going to run
smoothly for about another five
billion years. Nobody charges
you anything for the energy that
you can freely collect from this
reactor; putting up some solar
panels will only have a positive
effect on global warming; solar
panels pay back the energy/pollution
created in making them
within weeks (contrary to myths
spread by fossil fuel fanciers).
Prices are falling, payback in
maybe 3-4 years. The case for
solar panels is compelling.
So how much solar power do
you need? A good starting point
is to find out your daily power
consumption from the last couple
of electricity bills. A frugal
4-person house without a pool
might need about 20kwh of
power per day. (20 kilowatts for
an hour, 1 kilowatt for 20 hours
etc) per day. Add 50% for a pool
or spa, add another 50% for
aircon and non-frugal families.
Then you need to size your
solar system. A 5kw system is
pretty much standard nowadays,
as a starting point (usually
The Local Voice Since 1991
around 20 panels). That means,
theoretically, it will put in 5kw
per hour in peak sun conditions
and, when the sun hits the
panels less than 90 degrees, or
when there is a bit of cloud or
pollution, or when the neighbour’s
tree has dropped sap on
your panels, the production will
be much less. In fact, the realworld
output of a solar install
is typically around 80% of the
rated output at best, with occasional
glimpses of better. Also,
in the real world, you might get
five times your system’s rated
output per day in summer, and
three times in winter (if lucky).
So, bottom line, a 5kw system
might just about produce 25kw
in summer – enough to run a
2-person house with a pool,
but this ignores inefficiencies,
clouds, bird poo, losses through
heat, resistance, losses through
charging and power conversion.
In winter, you’ll need 60% more
in the way of solar panels to
get similar output, so the 5kw
isn’t going to be enough unless
you are especially frugal. So fit
as much solar as you can and
keep in mind that when the sun
isn’t out you’ll still be buying
power from your electricity
supplier, and they will be paying
you half as much, per Kwh, for
spare power from your panels
that you send to them in the
daylight… which is why some
people like the idea of batteries,
and where it gets really
complicated, especially working
out what sort of energy storage
system will suit you.
If you have enough solar
power to run everything during
the day, and also enough spare
solar power to fully recharge
batteries, replacing the power
you took from them last night,
then your batteries only need to
get you from dusk to dawn (so
you use the dishwasher, washing
machine, pool pumps and
other power-hungry appliances
during peak sunshine, and not
all at the same time).
In that case, you might want
to consider one of the fancy
lithium batteries that fits onto
your wall and has quite small
capacity that you’ll use, every
evening, to get you through the
‘shoulder’ charging period so
you only buy your power at offpeak
prices.
(A caution, though. Look at
cost versus savings, the payback
period, expected service life and
also take a look at how much
power one of these units can
supply. I’m in the battery business
and I haven’t seen one of
these that reliably pays back in
less than 8 years, or one of the
single packs that can handle the
dishwasher, washing machine
and aircon running together
without pulling power from the
grid so, at the moment, they’re
not a universal solution, and an
By Clive Weatherhead
8-year payback on a product
that might last 10 years is not
compelling, either.)
If you want independence
from the grid, but are happy to
stay attached and pay a small
service fee every quarter, just in
case you need it, then it’s a bigger
system, bigger money, and
battery selection is critical.
There’s a bit of choice here
but, for simplicity and unless
you live in a submarine or warship,
it comes down to lead acid
(cheaper) or lithium (longer lasting),
with a few zany technologies
emerging around the edge.
My personal preference is to
use 2-volt lead acid batteries
(also used in forklifts) wired
together in series to output 48
volts, with some clever technology
to take power from the
solar panels into the batteries,
and then to convert battery
power into something suitable
for the house. There are good
arguments in favour of lithium
batteries, and for more expensive
types of lead acid battery.
Make sure you talk to someone
who knows, not just someone
with an opinion.
What about cost and payback
for a self-sufficient battery system?
Well into five figures and
if you live in a house with a reliable
grid connection, the case
won’t stack up on economic
grounds alone because, if it did,
everyone would be doing it. Payback
in about 6 years is about
achievable at the moment, for
some, so there has to be more
to it than saving a few dollars,
and it comes down to helping
heal Mother Earth.
In that case, you might just
want to harness and store all
that lovely wireless power from
the perfectly safe nuclear reactor
at the centre of our solar
system. If so, I hope this has
piqued your interest.
* Clive is the co-owner of
Battery Business, based at the
Warriewood office. Read more
at batterybusiness.com.au
MARCH 2018 53
Business Life

Business Life: Money
Business Life
Good Corporate reason tax for losses going&
‘nuts’ bias? this A, B, festive Cee in season yah... with Brian Hrnjak
In When one go this writing month about we canvass
the financial issues innovation of corporate one it cable allows to Australian them to save businesses while interface – fancy words for the rises and falls in line with the
round taxation up arrangements feature of Acorns appli-
as attractive and functional user balance of your Acorns account
tax losses, of the tax perspectives reform and I they as tax spend. evasion As and a parent dragged of app looks and feels very cool. movements in markets during
can bias share at the with ABC… you I will is from gladly the teenagers the national I think broadcaster I’ve come into While these principles have the course of the trading day.
inside put my of hand a fintech up to company the fact that to a partisan the conclusion position that in direct apps proven to be sound over time One of the challenges
which I’m one in of my those case middle has been aged such conflict as Acorns with proposed using a government
blend Acorns goes on to provide an any finance app would have
rolling white guys out the who fast-growing
thinks the only psychology policy. and technology of
indirect benefit to its users encouraging young people to
Acorns interesting app. stuff Since on launching TV is to be may Here’s be the an only introductory effective part way in the form of education and save and invest is to remain
in found Australia on the in ABC early or 2016 SBS. the I’m to of get Alberici’s modern article kids as to I save managed
improved financial literacy. relevant in their eyes. Over
to salvage they sure it from do know the ABC Get two or more people in the the past year a number of
app also now inclined resides to defend on the what smart to because
phones me are these of around two worthy 350,000 media how website to spend. on the morning of 14 room who have an account and enhancements have taken place
Australians, icons against that’s constant roughly charges 1.5% February: Acorns works because the you’ll find out what I mean – following user feedback, the
of of the bias population. – but only to a point that principles ‘Qantas underlying CEO Alan Joyce, its design one when did you start? What are headline ones being:
was
If you’re
unfortunately
in the dark
and
about
spectacularly
of the most prominent supporters
of the Turnbull Govern-
Found Money partners – users
what I’m talking
breached
about,
this month.
Acorns
can shop online with brands
is a
In
micro
case you
investment
missed it,
platform
what ment’s proposed big business
such as Bonds, Dan Murphy’s,
or what’s sometimes called a
I’m referring to happened in tax cut, presides over a company
that hasn’t paid corporate kangaroo has avoided paying partners of those usually corporates deposit with bonus their
of $106.4 billion, the flying BCF, on the Uber dubious etc. and tax these practices
‘round-up’ app, the first one
mid-February when the ABC’s
of its kind in Australia. Our
chief economics correspondent tax for close to 10 years.
tax on that bounty since 2009, amounts ‘double Irish or extra Dutch round sandwich’ ups
firm along with our partners
Emma Alberici (ex-‘Lateline’) The period roughly coincides thanks to Australia’s generous into or ‘marketing the users account; offices’ located
brought it out from the US
set local media outlets and with Mr Joyce’s tenure at the tax concessions, depreciation My in low-taxing Finance feature Singapore, – uses she
in 2015 where it had been
politicians into spin when she helm of Australia’s flag carrier. provisions and the ability to artificial probably intelligence would have to had track a
established for a few years.
called out a range of normal Despite generating income offset company losses against and minor categorise spat with spending the Treasurer and
The app works in a couple
past and future profits.
calculate that would free have cash been flow; that. I
of ways: by taking a data
New analysis by the ABC Super gather fund it was linkages her bitter – allows attack
feed from your spending are firmly rooted in behavioural you reveals saving Qantas for? is What not returns alone – its users on Qantas to make that deposits led to her to a savaging
of in industry the wider and media. public
accounts and rounding up the finance: investing small
have tax behaviour you had? is It’s consistent inherently with range
purchases you make to the amounts on a regular basis that competitive about 380 of but Australia’s when it’s largest offer Alberici superannuation not only called funds; into
nearest dollar and investing won’t be missed combined with combined companies. with ATO the corporate tools and tax Emerald question Portfolio the corporate – a socially citizenship
of Qantas portfolio but in option particular
these accumulated balances investing over an extended information transparency that data the – confirmed app responsible
into a mix of exchange traded period of time to average provides in email exchanges it’s also extremely with company
representatives – as a regular – reveals user feedback; CEO Joyce, contrasting the rise
introduced the salary of following its high-profile member
funds listed on the ASX, or, into the markets smoothing informative
by you debiting an amount or out peaks and troughs. Of you about can’t one help in five but of become the country’s
Little of his Acorns total remuneration – sub accounts pack-
regular payment from your course it doesn’t hurt that it biggest informed companies about the have more
designed age to the to (lack allow of) investment corporate
bank account to your Acorns does all of these things within behaviour paid no tax of for markets at least whether
past on taxes behalf paid of by children his company. or other This
account. Most users enjoy the the framework of a highly you three are years.’ looking to or not – the dependants is all good populist under the stuff age which of 18.
I mention above that I
the Australian Financial Review
salvaged the article from the (AFR) editorial on 15 February
ABC’s website – I didn’t realise noted as putting the ABC into
at the time that I was salvaging a ‘zany alliance’ with Senator
anything but a few days later Pauline Hanson with shared
the article was gone, completely
views on tax cuts to corporate
removed and in its place Australia.
was just a photo of Qantas CEO The problem is that Alberici
Alan Joyce.
unfairly and viciously called
Alberici’s original article out Qantas for not paying tax
absolutely went to town on a while it was still clawing back
range of foreign corporates prior period losses. She either
such as American Express, didn’t know the difference
Barclays Bank and JP Morgan
between income and profit or
Chase. She reserved a chose deliberately to confuse
particular dose of venom for the issue to her readers – not
Goldman Sachs, dredging up a good look either way for a
the old Rolling Stone magazine chief economics correspondent.
description of them being “the
The same tax rules that
great vampire squid wrapped apply to mum and dad business
around the face of humanity”. owners also apply to Qantas
Maybe if she had stopped – you can carry forward prior
there or had kept her focus tax losses into the future, you
56 54 DECEMBER MARCH 2018 2017
The Local Voice Since 1991

can depreciate plant – whether
that plant is a car or an A380
aircraft – it’s just on a much
bigger scale. The fact that our
national broadcaster attacked
our national flag carrier makes
it look like the emu attacking
the kangaroo on the coat of
arms – when everyone has
finished beating each other
up it’s not a great look for the
country.
The AFR in part editorialised
on the Alberici article as
follows:
‘The ABC lives off the taxes of
others, which might explain its
own lack of grip on the subject.
This week it launched a blitz
against the Turnbull government’s
proposed company tax
cut under the headline claim
that one in five companies
don’t pay tax anyway, so none
deserved a tax cut. Exhibit A in
this fallacy was Qantas, which
hasn’t paid profits tax for
years, even as the airline managed
to double the pay of its
chief executive Alan Joyce. Qantas
is indeed profitable again,
thanks to the perseverance of
Mr Joyce for which he’s been
well rewarded (as have super
savers who own Qantas shares).
But for years Qantas was under
existential threat: a bitter lockout
and grounding, circling
corporate raiders, then a horror
$2.8 billion net loss in 2014 and
calls for Mr Joyce’s head. The
airline is still writing off those
losses off. It may resume paying
tax next year.’
The AFR’s Joe Aston also
called out the ABC’s claim that
“one in five of Australia’s top
companies has paid zero tax
for the past three years” citing
“freely available data produced
by the Australian Taxation Office
showed that 32 of Australia’s
largest 50 companies paid
$19.33 billion in company tax in
the 2015-16 year, further noting
the other 18 paid nothing because
they lost money or were
carrying over previous losses”.
As someone who doesn’t
frequent inner city cafes but
who wants to continue to
enjoy the ABC, I see a couple
of issues raised by the Alberici
article. The first one is the
issue of editorial and management
control – surely this
article with its factual errors
and opinion as analysis purely
and simply breached the
ABC’s editorial guidelines. Secondly
and more importantly,
Alberici’s now demonstrated
anti-business posture consistent
with radical left wing
student politics has caused
reputational damage to her
employer by leaving a smoking
gun for those on the right
wing side to double down on
claims of editorial bias.
Brian Hrnjak B Bus CPA
(FPS) is a Director of GHR
Accounting Group Pty
Ltd, Certified Practising
Accountants. Offices at:
Suite 12, Ground Floor, 20
Bungan Street Mona Vale
NSW 2103 and
Shop 8, 9 – 15 Central Ave
Manly NSW 2095,
Telephone: 02 9979-4300,
Webs: www.ghr.com.au and
www.altre.com.au Email:
brian@ghr.com.au
These comments are of a
general nature only and are
not intended as a substitute
for professional advice.
Business Life
The Local Voice Since 1991
MARCH 2018 55

Business Life: Law
Business Life
Exploring the powers
of a Royal Commission
The headlines have dominated
all media and general
conversation over the
past several years. There have
been problems with the banks,
with their aggressive sales-driven
culture, which emphasises
profit at all costs.
There appears to have been
a flawed compliance structure –
and no-one in a senior position
has been held accountable.
The Commonwealth Bank’s
financial advisers were found
to have misled its customers
and recommended speculative
investments which resulted in
them loosing hundreds of millions
of dollars. Commonwealth
Bank financial planners were
also accused of forging signatures,
overcharging fees and
creating unauthorised investment
accounts for customers
without their permission.
Other banks – i.e. Westpac,
ANZ and NAB – were also caught
up in litigation and complaint.
A Senate inquiry in 2014
exposed bank practices and
culture and stirred calls for a
Royal Commission. Momentum
for a Royal Commission built
over the next several years,
with resistance from the banks,
Prime Ministers both past and
present, and the Treasurer. Late
last year these matters came to
a head with the banks writing to
the Prime Minister requesting an
inquiry to address uncertainty
in the financial sector. In light
of the request and acknowledging
pressure, the Government
announced it would recommend
to the Governor General
to appoint a Royal Commission
into the banks and to appoint “a
distinguished serving or former
judicial officer to lead the commission”.
A budget for the Commission
of $75 million has been
provided and the commission
is to report by February 2019.
The Commission has now been
established and began hearings
last month.
Over the past six years, several
high-profile Royal Commissions
have inquired into a range
of important issues, including
sexual abuse, home insulation
and trade unions.
Royal Commissions, appointed
by royal warrant, at the
instigation of government (State
or Federal) have served an
important role of informing successive
governments, both in an
inquisitorial and policy context.
They are an option for responding
to a crisis and a call for action,
as well as a mechanism for
developing public policy.
Public inquiries have a long
history in Commonwealth and
Westminster democracies such
as the United Kingdom, Australia,
Canada and New Zealand.
Australia has a long history
in the use of public inquiries. In
fact, while still a penal colony,
Australia’s first inquiry was the
appointment by the Secretary
of Colonies of J. T. Bigge in 1819
to report on the state of the new
colony and in particular the
administration of Governor
Macquarie.
As each of the colonies
gained self-government,
public inquiries, mainly in
the form of Royal Commissions,
were regularly
appointed. In New South
Wales they investigated native
police, charities and the
civil service; in Queensland
defence, local government,
sugar industry, and mining
accidents and in Victoria Education,
factory regulation and the
Murray River. After federation
the States have continued to appoint
Royal Commissions.
After federation, the Commonwealth
established a first
Royal Commission in 1902 over
the transportation of troops
from South Africa.
Royal Commissions attract
much media and public attention.
They live stream their public
hearings, and their proceedings
are followed in print and
on radio, television and online
devices.
How and why is a Royal Commission
likely to be established?
As noted above Government,
not parliament, establishes a
Royal Commission and Royal
Commissions conduct themselves
independently.
Governments write the terms
of reference governing and
with Jennifer Harris
directing Royal Commissions
terms to which the Royal Commission
may publicly request
amendments to permit it to
investigate other issues.
It is suggested that a Royal
Commission may be established
if the following elements
are present:
n There is a crisis involving a
loss of public trust;
n The scope of the inquiry is
defined to quite specific issues
and the risk of opening up
other areas is low;
n The costs of the inquiry (establishing
and conducting it, and
considering and implementing
its recommendations) are justifiable
compared to the costs
of doing nothing;
n The outcomes of the Commission
are manageable; and
56 MARCH 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

n The timing of the Commission
ties in with the government’s
agenda and the electoral
cycle.
Royal Commissions have
wide-ranging powers and if
appearing before it, it is wise to
fully understand their extent.
The powers are found in the
relevant legislation – e.g. Royal
Commissions Act 1902 (Cth),
Royal Commissions Act 1923
(NSW), Inquiries Act 2014 (Vic),
the specific letters patent and
terms of reference for that
inquiry and any relevant practice
notes.
If called before an inquiry to
give evidence it should be considered
whether it represents
an opportunity to positively
engage with the Commission
and present draft recommendations
in the hope that they
appeal to the Commissioner
and be adopted and endorsed.
Unlike our Courts, the rules of
evidence do not necessarily
apply.
As someone who has appeared
before at least seven
Royal Commissions and Inquiries
over the years, representing
journalists and media interests,
the opportunity does not always
present. The Commission has
coercive statutory powers to
require witnesses to attend,
or documents to be produced
– documents in this instance
means all electronic records or
devices – an inevitability in so
far as journalists are concerned
goes to the issue of revealing
sources. The ever-present dilemma
is one of management of
this issue, as failure to address
it can mean the journalist and
their organisation being dealt
with for contempt.
The hearings of the Commission
are public hearings. Differing
from court proceedings,
the Commissioner and Counsel
Assisting will determine who
and in what order witnesses are
called to give evidence. Generally
corporations or business
entities seek to be legally represented,
as may individuals. This
is not an automatic right and is
at the discretion of the Commissioner.
An application for leave
to appear must be made to the
Commissioner in doing so this
may mean liaising with Counsel
Assisting the Commission and
lawyers for the Commission.
If you would like to participate
in a Commission, it is usually
open to interested parties to
provide a written submission or
participate in private hearings or
community or expert consultations.
A Royal Commission is not a
judicial body and cannot prosecute.
Findings made by a Royal
Commission are not binding on
any other body and have no authoritative
legal value. However,
a report from a Royal Commission
can have a substantial impact
on government and society.
It is likely that the banking
Royal Commission will attract
a large volume of submissions
and public interest. We await
with interest Commissioner
Hayne’s deliberations and report
in February 2019.
Comment supplied by
Jennifer Harris, of Jennifer
Harris & Associates, Solicitors,
4/57 Avalon Parade,
Avalon Beach.
T: 9973 2011. F: 9918 3290.
E: jennifer@jenniferharris.com.au
W: www.jenniferharris.com.au
Business Life
The Local Voice Since 1991
MARCH 2018 57

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

Trades & Services
The Local Voice Since 1991
MARCH 2018 59

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

the
good
life
dining
food
62
64
Showtime
World-renowned artists
simply music to our ears
Legendary
Australian flautist
Jane Rutter (will
perform a fascinating
concert in Bayview
next month.
With several number
one albums and
ARIA nominations
under her belt Jane –
awarded the prestigious
French medal
Chevalier des Arts et
Lettres in 2016 – is a
classical trailblazer
who has devoted her
life to French flute
playing.
In the concert Jane Rutter
Flute Spirits and the Four
Seasons, Jane plays 12 different
solo Gold, Silver, Bamboo Classical
and Ethnic Flutes.
Works include ‘Spring: The
Four Seasons’ by Vivaldi, Indian
Ragas, Irish melodies linking
poetry by Rumi, Patrick White
and Anaïs Nin, and pieces by
Debussy, Devienne, Vaughan-
Williams, Irving Berlin and Ross
Edwards Flute Spirits – mystically
connecting the Australian
Dreamtime, European Classical
music and the universal appeal
of the flute.
The concert is the first of
four performances brought to
us this year by The Peninsula
Music Club.
Jane Rutter Flute Spirits and
the Four Seasons will be held
at St Luke’s Grammar School,
Bayview Campus, 1977 Pittwater
Rd on Friday April 6 at 8pm
– doors open at 7.30pm.
Other concerts in the 2018
program are:
John Field inventing Night
Music featuring
pianist Tamara-Anna
Cislowska (June 3);
Pianist Simon
Tedeschi and
Sydney Symphony’s
Principal Viola Roger
Benedict performing
works from their
new album for ABC
Classics (August 17);
and
L’Heure Exquise
featuring baritone
Jose Carbo and
guitarists Andrew
Blanch and Ariel
Nurhedi (Nov 9).
A season ticket to the fourconcert
series is $80. Single
event tickets ($25) are also
available. Students under 18 admitted
free when accompanied
by an adult.
A feature of the Peninsula
Music Club Concerts are the
suppers served after each performance,
when you can meet
the artists.
Info and bookings peninsulamusicclub.com.au
or
9972 3556 or 9999 1937 or
0407 441 213 – Lisa Offord
Showtime
crossword
gardening
travel
67
68
72
Around the clubs
Talented acoustic “fingerstyle”
guitarist Ziggy McNeill is back at
Avalon Beach RSL due to popular
demand. You can catch the 25-yearold
northern beaches local in the Surf
Lounge on Saturday March 3 from
8.30pm-11pm; phone 9918 2201.
Shows at Dee Why RSL this month
include Queen – The Magic Tour,
starring Thomas Crane and his band
Bohemian Rhapsody on Friday 16,
8pm (doors open 7.30pm, tickets
$35); also, an afternoon of Ireland’s
best live music and dance, performed
by leading singers and dance
champions – Eireborne celebrates
modern music and pushes Irish
choreography to the limits fusing
it with contemporary jazz, tap and
ballet (for all ages on Sunday 18 from
4pm; doors open 3.30pm with tickets
from $25); and The Divine Miss M – a
tribute to Bette Midler (Friday 23 at
8pm; tickets $25).
The Mercy –
Movie Ticket
Giveaway
We’re thrilled to offer
readers the opportunity
to win a double pass
to see new film The Mercy
in cinemas from March 8.
Academy Award winner
James Marsh directs this
incredible, true story of
amateur sailor Donald
Crowhurst (played by
Academy Award winner
Colin Firth) and his
attempt to win the first
non-stop, single-handed
round-the-world yacht
race in 1968.
The story details Crowhurst’s
dangerous solo
voyage and the struggles
he confronted on the epic
journey.
Pittwater Life has five
double passes to give
away. Send your name and
contact details to win@
pittwaterlife.com.au
Winners will be selected
on March 8 and notified
by email. Good Luck!
MARCH 2018 61

Dining Guide
Dining Guide
March's best restaurants, functions, events and reader deals...
Bistro 61
Avalon Beach RSL
1 Bowling Green Lane
Avalon Beach
OPENING HOURS
Open 7 days
Lunch 12pm-2:30pm
Dinner 5:30-8:30pm
CUISINE
Modern Aust / pub food
PRICE RANGE
Meals $8-$30
Specials $12-$15
BOOKINGS 9918 2201
blackbeans with chipotle,
corn chips, guacamole,
Danish fetta and coriander.
Members get discounts
on meals purchased.
Membership starts from
$5.50.
The club is licensed, with
no BYO. Bookings online or
call 9918 2201 – large groups
welcome.
Riva Bar &
Kitchen
8/57 Avalon Pde,
Avalon Beach
OPENING HOURS
Lunch 11.30am-2.30pm Thur-Sun
Dinner 5.30-9.30pm Tues-Sat
whole duck (or half duck per
person) with port braised
cabbage, Cointreau sauce and
green shallot and potato blinis.
Plus all vegan, vegetarian,
gluten-free, nut allergy or
other special requirements
can be catered for with
advance notice.
Kids meals Including Fish
and Chips, Pasta or Chicken
and Chips) are $12. BYO every
night! Phone 9918 4007.
Special of the day.
The Mirage restaurant is
also open for dinner from
Monday to Saturday from
5.30pm – 8.30pm and can
be hired, along with all the
hotel’s function rooms, for
private and corporate events
of between 60-110 guests.
Avalon Beach RSL’s Bistro
61 is a great place to head
Royal Motor
for a local meal, offering
CUISINE
Yacht Club
tasty modern Australian
Salt Cove on Pittwater
dishes at affordable
Modern Australian
prices.
PRICE RANGE
The Mirage
46 Prince Alfred
Head down on St Patrick's
Parade, Newport
Day (Saturday March 17) Entrees $14-$19
Restaurant
for breakfast from 8am. Mains $30-$32
at Metro Mirage
OPENING HOURS
Special promotions include Desserts $14
Hotel Newport
Breakfast Lunch & Dinner
$100 cash prize member's BOOKINGS 9918 4007 2 Queens Parade West, Mon-Fri from 8.30am
draws on the hour from
Weekends from 8am
4-8pm; $6 Guinness cans, Avalon’s latest up-market Newport
and specialty food including eatery boasts a stylish CUISINE
PRICE RANGE
Steak & Guinness pies.
interior and mouthwatering
contemporary Modern Australian
Check out the brand new
Breakfast from $8-$18
Stella Room, while Saturday
menu crafted by
PRICE RANGE
Entrees from $9-$21
night music in March
experienced chef Rishi
Mains from $16-$26
includes Ziggy McNeill (3rd)
(ex Berowra Waters Inn) - Breakfast – $25 adults,
and it's BYO every night. $12.50 kids (5-12)
BOOKINGS 9997 5511
and CJ & The Mellows (10th).
The lunch special in Dinner – entrees
RMYC’s restaurant Salt
Happy Hour is every
March is Fish of the Day plus from $7-$17,
Cove on Pittwater’s menu
Monday, Tuesday & Friday
a glass of Checkerboard Mains from $21-$30,
offers affordable meals and
from 4-6pm.
Sauvignon Blanc for $29. Desserts from $13-$25 generous servings including
Now open for breakfast
Or tuck into entrees
from 9am to 11.30am.
a variety of starters and share
including Kingfish
BOOKINGS 9997 7011
Open for lunch and
plates, seafood, burgers,
Carpaccio, lime, chilli
Local residents are finding
dinner seven days, with
grills, salads, desserts and
vinaigrette and pickled the peaceful ambience
extensive outdoor dining
woodfired pizza.
cucumber and watercress of The Mirage restaurant
areas, Bistro 61 offers a
Friday night music kicks off
salad, or Crispy-skin Pork overlooking spectacular
variety of specials (lunch
in the Lounge Bar from 7.30pm.
Belly with port-braised
Pittwater, the perfect
and dinner) during the
Acts in March include: Keff
cabbage and apple and waterfront venue to enjoy
week, including $12
McCullough (2nd), Krishna (9th),
saffron puree (both ($16). breakfast or dinner.
tacos (Tues), $15 Chicken
Geoff Kendall (16th) and Jesse
Mains include Crispy
Schnitzels (Wed), 2-4-1
Located in boutique
(23rd).
Skin Barramundi, black
pizzas (Thurs), and a $20
Metro Hotel Mirage Newport, Don't miss the Crazy Classic
rice, prawn and peas with
burger + beer (Fri).
The Mirage restaurant is a Hits Show on Saturday March
citrus vinaigrette (pictured),
Seniors are well catered
popular choice for breakfast 17, featuring songs from the
Baby Chicken stuffed
for – there are daily Seniors
from 7-10am seven days a
with pistachios, porcine
1950s through the 1980s, plus
specials, including beerbattered
flathead – plus
full hot and cold buffet,
week, offering a fixed-price
and brioche served with
humour, stories and faudience
mushroom sauce, and
participation. Members $25;
they do a $5 kids meals 8-hours Slow-cooked Glazed
including a selection of non members $30.
on Sundays! (There’s a
Wagyu Beef Brisket, truffle cereals, seasonal fruit and Trivia is held every Tuesday
playground, too.)
mashed potato, speck and freshly made juice, toast night from 7.30pm (great
From the menu, chef
Mitch recommends his twist
on nachos – pulled beef and
wild mushroom.
The dinner menu also
boasts a sharing platter of
and pastries and sausages,
eggs, has browns, bacon and
tomato served with the Chef’s
prizes and vouchers).
Club social memberships
are available for just $160.
62 MARCH 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Hong Kong
Chinese Restaurant
332 Barrenjoey Rd,
Newport
OPENING HOURS
Dinner Tues-Sun 5pm
CUISINE
Chinese & Asian
PRICE RANGE
Entrees $5-20
Mains $12.90-26.50
*Deliver Whale Beach - Narrabeen
BOOKINGS 9997 4157
LIC
BYO
All
Book a table at this popular
Newport eatery in March and
your family is guaranteed
a great night out with a
feast for the eyes and the
tastebuds.
Order ahead for their
wonderful Peking Duck which
is offered as a dine-in-only
special Thursdays through
Sundays in Autumn.
There are two traditional
courses: Peking Duck pancakes
& duck sang choy bow
(bookings essential; mention
the ad when you call).
This long-established
restaurant on the eastern
side of Barrenjoey Rd has
an extensive menu based
on traditional flavoursome
Cantonese with touches of
spicy Szechuan and other
Asian dishes and fresh
seasonal vegetables.
Entrees start at just $6
while mains are great value
too, starting at $16.80.
The menu ranges from
adventurous, like a Sizzling
Szechuan-style Platter of king
prawns and fillets of chicken,
to contemporary, featuring
spicy salt and pepper king
prawns, to traditional, with
favourites including Mongolian
lamb, Honey king prawns and
Honey chicken.
New dishes are introduced
regularly so make sure you
check out the blackboard
P
The Local Voice Since 1991
specials.
The team are only too
happy to home deliver your
meal, with a range that takes
in Narrabeen to the south to
Palm Beach in the north.
Fully licensed or BYO.
Barrenjoey
Bistro
Club Palm Beach
1087 Barrenjoey Rd,
Palm Beach
BISTRO OPENING HOURS
Lunch 11:30am-2.30pm
Dinner 6pm-8.30pm
PRICE RANGE
Lunch and dinner
specials $13.50
BOOKINGS 9974 5566
Head to Club Palm Beach,
conveniently located just a
short stroll from Palm Beach
Wharf, for hassle-free dining
in March.
Barrenjoey Bistro is open
for lunch (11.30am to 2.30pm)
and dinner (6pm to 9pm) seven
days, plus there's a Snack Menu
available 2.30pm-6pm.
The Bistro serves top-value
a la carte meals plus daily
$13.50 specials of roasts
(Mondays), rump steak with
chips and salad (Tuesdays),
chicken schnitzel with chips
and salad (Wednesdays),
homemade gourmet pies with
chips and salad (Thursdays)
and fish and chips with salad
(Fridays), except public hols.
The Members’ lucky badge
draw is held Wednesday and
Friday night (every 30 mins
between 5pm-7pm), and
jackpots by $100 each week.
Enjoy Trivia Night from
5.30pm on Wednesdays, plus
Bingo 10am on Fridays.
Cruise Palm Beach Mon-Fri,
when groups of 10 or more
pay just $25 for a cruise on
Pittwater plus lunch.
The club has a courtesy
bus that makes regular runs
Wednesdays, Fridays and
Saturdays from 4.30pm to
9pm. Ring to book a pick-up.
MARCH 2018 63
Dining Guide

Food Life
Sharing at the table over
the Easter long weekend
with Janelle Bloom
Food Life
Recipes: Janelle Bloom Photos: Ben Dearnley; Steve Brown; Benito Martin
The end of this month
ushers in the Easter
break we have all been
waiting for (well, I certainly
have). I look forward to sharing
great food with family
and friends around the long
table on the back deck. Here is
some of the food I am looking
forward to serving up – happy
Easter!
Olive Focaccia
Serves 4
1¼ cups warm water
2 tsp (7g sachet) instant dried
yeast
1 tsp caster sugar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 cups plain flour
3 tsp sea salt flakes
2 tbs fresh rosemary leaves
1 cup pitted kalamata olives
1. Combine the water, yeast,
sugar and 2 tablespoons
of oil in a bowl. Mix well.
Combine flour and 1 tsp
salt in the large bowl of an
electric master. Add yeast
mixture. Using the doughhook,
beat on low speed
until the dough comes
together.
2. Increase the speed to medium
and beat for 8 minutes
or until smooth and elastic.
Cover the bowl with plastic
wrap and a tea towel, set
aside in a warm place for
45 minutes or until dough
doubles in size.
3. Preheat oven to 200°C fan
forced. Grease a 20 x 30cm
pan. Punch the dough
down with your fist; knead
for 2 minutes or until
smooth. Press into the pan.
Cover with plastic wrap and
a tea towel and set aside in
a warm place for 15 minutes
or until dough doubles
in size.
4. Use your finger to press
dimples into the dough.
Brush the top with the
remaining oil. Press the
olives into the dough and
sprinkle over rosemary and
remaining salt. Bake for 20-
30 minutes or until golden.
Serve warm or at room
temperature with dips.
Barbecue T-Bone
with tomato
chilli jam
Serves 4 (Not Good Friday!)
4 thick cut (400g each) t bone
steaks
2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs dried pink peppercorns,
crushed
1 tsp sea salt flakes, crushed
Tomato chilli jam
2 red banana chillies, seeds
removed, roughly chopped
2 birdseye red chillies, seeds
in, roughly chopped
1 small red onion, roughly
chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
5 medium (600g) ripe
Short history of chocolate eggs & hot cross buns
Eggs have been associated with the Christian
festival of Easter, which celebrates the death
and resurrection of Christ, since the early days
of the church. However, Christian customs connected
with Easter eggs are also adaptations of
ancient pagan practices related to spring rites.
The earliest Easter eggs were hen or duck
eggs decorated at home in bright colors with
vegetable dye and charcoal. The Victorians
had cardboard, ‘plush’ and satin covered
eggs filled with Easter gifts and chocolates;
handmade chocolate Easter eggs date from the
early 19th century.
It wouldn’t be Easter without the Easter
Bunny, which appears to have originated in
Germany in the 17th century. Known as the
‘Easter Hare’, this mythical character distributed
eggs to children who had been wellbehaved,
in the same vein as Santa Claus. (Like
eggs, rabbits have a long symbolic association
with fertility.)
And then there’s the hot cross bun – an
English tradition dating from medieval times,
the spiced sweet bread is topped with a cross
made from flour paste to signify the crucifixion
of Christ.
tomatoes, peeled, halved,
seeds removed
1½ cups white sugar
1 tsp sea salt
½ cup red wine vinegar
1 cup water
1. To make the Tomato chilli
jam: Process the chillies,
onion and garlic until
finely chopped. Transfer
to a medium, heavy-based
saucepan. Roughly chop
the tomatoes and add to
the saucepan with the
sugar, salt, vinegar and
water. Stir over medium
heat for 10 minutes or until
the sugar has dissolved.
Increase the heat to
medium-high and boil
gently for 35-40 minutes
until thick and jam-like.
Spoon into a sterilised jars,
seal and allow to cool.
64 MARCH 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

For more recipes go to www.janellebloom.com.au
2. Preheat a barbecue over
high heat until hot. Brush
both sides of the steaks
with olive oil. Season with
pink peppercorns and
salt, pressing on with
finger tips. Reduce heat to
medium-high, add steaks
and cook, for 5 minutes
each side for medium-rare
or until cooked to your
liking. Remove to a board,
spread a spoonful of jam
over each steak, cover
loosely and set aside to
rest for at least 5 minutes.
Serve with extra tomato
chilli jam on the side.
Cajun spiced
broccolini
Serves 4 (as a side)
2 bunches broccolini,
washed
2 tbs olive oil
1-2 tbs Cajun spice mix
1 lemon, halved
½ cup whole egg mayonnaise
1 tbs chipotle sauce
1. With the water clinging
to the broccolini, place
into a snap lock bag in a
single layer. Microwave for
1 minute on High/100%.
Carefully drain, pat dry with
paper towel, then arrange
on a tray. Drizzle over the
oil, sprinkle with spice mix,
turning to coat.
2. Preheat the barbecue plate
to medium heat. Add the
broccolini and lemons,
cut side down. Barbecue
for 4 minutes, turning the
broccolini often until lightly
charred. Then transfer to
a tray.
3. Combine the mayonnaise
and chipotle. Serve
broccolini drizzled with
mayonnaise and barbecue
lemon on the side.
3cm deep, 16.5cm x 26cm
slab pan.
2. Combine the flour, brown
sugar and coconut in a
bowl. Add butter, mix well.
Press mixture over the
base of the prepared pan.
Bake 10-15 minutes or until
light golden.
3. Combine the condensed
milk, golden syrup and
butter in an 8-cup capacity
heatproof, microwave-safe
Pyrex bowl. Microwave,
uncovered for 3-4 minutes
on High/100%, whisking
every minute until light
golden and thickened
slightly. Pour the warm
caramel over the warm
base. Bake a further 10-12
minutes or until the edges
are deep golden. Set aside
to cool 1 hour.
4. Combine the chocolate
and cream in a heatproof,
microwave-safe bowl.
Microwave uncovered
in 1-minute bursts on
High/100%, stirring every
minute with a metal spoon
until smooth. Spread over the
room temperature caramel.
Cut into pieces once set.
Variation Tip: Add 1 cup
roasted chopped hazelnuts to
the caramel before pouring
over the base in Step 3.
Food Life
Janelle’s chocolate
caramel slice
Makes 18
1 cup plain flour
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup desiccated coconut
125g butter, melted
Caramel filling
395g can sweetened
condensed milk
2 tbs golden syrup
50g butter, chopped
Chocolate topping
200g good quality dark
chocolate (like Plaistowe and
club)
¼ cup pouring cream
The Local Voice Since 1991
1. Preheat oven 170°C, fan
forced. Line base and sides
MARCH 2018 65

Food Life
In Season
Carrots
Food Life
The carrot is a root
vegetable, usually orange
in colour but also a red-white
blend, with a crisp texture
when fresh. The edible part
of a carrot is a taproot. It is a
domesticated form of the wild
carrot Daucus carota, native
to Europe and southwestern
Asia.
Buying
Choose carrots that have a
bright colour, feel firm and
heavy. Never buy, limp carrots
with cracked or discoloured
skin or those that are sprouting.
Storage
Store unwashed carrots, loose
in the crisper section of your
fridge. Use within five days of
purchase.
Also In Season
March
Bananas; fresh Dates & Figs;
Grapes; Kiwifruit; Limes;
Nashi; Valencia oranges;
Papaw; Passionfruit; Plums.
Also Asian greens; Green
Beans; Broccoli; Broccolini;
Carrots; Capsicums;
Cucumbers; Eggplant; Kale;
Sweet corn; & Zucchini.
Nutrition
Carrots are an excellent source
of beta carotene, which is converted
to vitamin A in the body.
The deeper the orange colour,
the higher the beta carotene
content. They also contain fibre
(especially when unpeeled),
vitamin K, potassium, folate,
magnesium, vitamin E and zinc.
Cooking destroys some of the
vitamins of many vegetables,
but you can absorb more beta
carotene from cooked carrots
than from raw ones.
Little carrot cakes
Makes 12
2 eggs
2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2/3 cup light olive oil
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 cup self-raising flour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
250g carrots, peeled, grated
3/4 cup hazelnuts, roasted, chopped
1 tbs cinnamon sugar, to serve
cream cheese frosting
250g cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup icing sugar mixture
1. Preheat oven 180°C fan forced. Grease 12 x 1/3 cup capacity
muffin holes.
2. Beat eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla with an electric mixer until
thick and creamy. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and
cinnamon over the egg mixture then stir gently to combine.
Fold in the carrot and hazelnuts. Spoon into muffin
holes so they are three-quarters full.
3. Bake 18-20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the
centre comes out clean. Stand in pan for 5 minutes before
turning out onto a wire rack to cool.
4. Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Add
icing sugar, beating until thick. Spread frosting over top
the cakes. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Serve.
66 MARCH 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Pittwater Puzzler
Compiled by David Stickley
acoustic “fingerstyle” guitarist Ziggy
McNeill in March (6,5,3)
26 Marsh plant (5)
27 Rodeo ring? (6)
DOWN
2 The mid-morning break in primary
school, also called recess (9)
3 Put into the required order (7)
4 A slight or indirect indication or
suggestion (4)
5 No doubt a feature of The Parkway
Hauntings (5,5)
6 With “Life” we have a local residents
group concerned about changes to
wildlife corridors (7)
7 Local boy Tom Burlinson’s new show,
'_____ That Music' (5)
8 One happy to go halves (6)
10 Red shoes are the signature item
that will be featured in entries in the
upcoming Creative Creatures ____
ACROSS
1 Ostentatious display (6)
5 Sailing manoeuvres (5)
9 15-across school celebrating its 50th
year in 2018 (10,4)
11 15-across secluded spot, Scotland
______ (6)
12 A long horizontal timber connecting
upright posts, supporting a floor, or the
like (8)
14 Basic offering from Lasse and the
crew at Avalon Village Meats in Avalon
Beach (5)
15 With “Life” we have a great local
publication (9)
17 Organiser; planner (9)
19 Sailing class (5)
21 Systematic investigation towards
increasing the sum of knowledge (8)
23 Not filled or occupied (6)
25 Venue where you can see talented
Festival (4)
13 Having relevance (10)
16 An arm of the southern Pacific
Ocean between southeastern Australia
and New Zealand (6,3)
17 A natural body of running water
flowing on or under the earth (6)
18 Sporting feature found many times
on St Matthews Farm Reserve in Cromer
(7)
19 An animal skin made smooth and
flexible by removing the hair and then
tanning (7)
20 Warringah rugby players (4)
22 Leading performers (5)
24 Charity event held on Newport
Beach, Barefoot ____ (4)
[Solution page 70]
Pittwater Puzzler
The Local Voice Since 1991
MARCH 2018 67

Garden Life
Garden Life
Delight Frangipanis in the – the amazing stars of
colours summer of sun, hydrangeas sea & surf
Always a favourite for
Christmas colour, hydrangeas
are flowering their
heads off! They look wonderful
in the garden, brightening
the semi-shaded areas and
glowing in the full, protected
sunlight. Once the older
varieties were either pink or
blue depending on the soil,
additional lime will deepen
the pinks and blueing tonic
(sulphate of aluminium) will
heighten the blues, but the
new named varieties will
maintain their colour. White
never changes. There are
hydrangeas of every size from
the tiny dwarf Piamina to the
tall traditional Mop Heads.
With so many to choose from
it is almost too difficult to
decide. There are the delicate
lace caps, the huge blooms
Frangipani flowers cast a
tropical spell over the garden
as they produce their
waxy sprays of star-shaped
blooms through the hottest
months of the year.
From white to pink, apricot,
yellow, gold or ruby red, their
fragrant flowers, two-toned or
striped, are a symbol of summer
sun, sea and surf.
of the traditional mop heads,
the cone-shaped flowers of
hydrangea paniculata bushes
Frangipanis are easy to grow
– but don’t underestimate
the size that they attain. A
frangipani should be planted
carefully in a spot where it can
develop to its full potential.
Frangipanis should be grown
in the full sun out in the open
where they will eventually
reach a height of up to five metres,
with a five-metre canopy.
that can be two metres tall.
The recently introduced
smaller growing Picotee
varieties with two-tone flower
heads are hard to leave behind
and if you have a semishaded
wall, the climbing
hydrangea petiolaris is just
beautiful.
They make wonderful shade
Hydrangeas are forgiving
trees that will let the sunlight
plants that are easy to grow.
through when they lose their
They like regular water and
leaves in winter. They grow
any good garden soil. Mulch
slowly and can be trimmed
the roots with compost to
back in the dormant months.
keep them cool and feed
Frangipanis grow well in
them in early spring to get
pots and are great for balcony
them going. Grow them in
gardens, but don’t expect
pots, or in the garden; bring
them to grow very big.
them inside when in flower
These magical trees look
or cut the blooms – they last
great around pools but keep
well in water.
far enough away so that the
falling flowers that look so
good on grass don’t get into
the water.
Hold back the water when
the tree is dormant, but in
summer your tree will respond
to regular water. Feeding is not
necessary but a good mulch
of cow manure in spring will
improve the flowers.
In the hot humid months
watch out for rust on the
leaves. It appears on the
underside of the leaf like a fine
brown dust. If it gets bad it will
defoliate the tree. At the first
with Gabrielle Bryant
Planning
your new
season
vegie patch
It is time to make a harsh decision.
Late-summer veggies
may still be producing capsicum,
egg plants, tomatoes
Cherry Guava a
them sweet grow on surprise
you will miss
and cucumbers – but if you let
Iout n full
on
flower
your winter
in my
veggies.
veggie
garden
You can
is
leave
my Cherry
them
Guava,
to the
end
sometimes
and leave
known
the gardens
as a Strawberry
Guava.
empty to recover
This
for
delightful
early
spring
evergreen
planting,
shrub
or
never
bite
fails
the
to
bullet
produce
and
a heavy
pull them
crop
out
of cherry
now
for
guavas
new
in
winter
early
crops.
autumn.
It
It is
is
a
time
small,
to
pretty
replenish
tree
the
with
soil.
rounded,
If you
glossy
have
green
a compost
leaves
bin
that
that
only
is
grows
ready,
to
empty
about
it into
the
three
garden.
metres
If
in
not,
height.
add
Keep
cow
it
manure,
trimmed into
mushroom
shape after
compost
fruiting.
The
and/or poultry
delicate
manure.
fluffy flowers
Dig in
some
are creamy
garden
white,
lime,
growing
potash
close
and
complete
to the branches.
fertiliser
They
and
are
water
followed
the soil
by
well
the
adding
tangy flavoured,
Wettasoil
granules
sweet, berry-sized,
to help the
cherry
water
red
penetrate
fruit that
the
are
dry
high
subsoil.
in vitamin C.
Unlike
New
the
crops
taller-growing
to plant now
deciduous
yellow guava
are
broccolini, cauliflower,
that needs
spinach,
cooking,
lettuce,
the fruit
carrots,
can be
parsnips,
eaten
potatoes,
raw straight
bush
from
beans,
the tree
cabbage,
or
used in
Asian
cooking,
greens,
jellies,
bok
drinks,
choy,
radish,
sauces or
spring
jams.
onions – and it’s
not
You
too
should
late for
protect
last zucchini.
the fruit
from
(Don’t
fruit
forget
fly with
to
a
leave
fruit fly
room
bait.
in the veggie patch for sweet
peas to plant on St Patricks
day, March 17th. Flowers will
bring
Get
the
into
pollinating
the
bees.)
‘swing’ of Xmas
It is time to relax and enjoy
your garden. Look at your
outdoor seating requirements
– the shops are full of
amazing chairs and tables.
Hanging cane egg chairs have
been trendy for the past few
years and now the ‘Swing
Seat’ is back. Nothing is more
peaceful than swinging in a
seat for two, sheltered from
the weather with a roof to
shade from the sun – makes a
sign spray, with Eco Fungicide. great Christmas present too!
72 68 DECEMBER MARCH 2018 2017
The Local Voice Since 1991

The dangers of planting
around boundary fences
Be careful when you plant
trees or shrubs against
boundary fences. Innocentlooking
plants can become a
nightmare 10 years down the
track.
If you plant trees or shrubs,
check the height and girth of
the trunk that they will reach
when fully grown – they may
get too big and knock the
fence over.
Don’t always believe the
labels on “indoor plants” –
these are dimensions if the
plants stay in small pots. The
innocent China Doll is labelled
as 1.5m! It will grow more than
20m high when planted in the
ground.
Many hedging plants – murrayas,
lilypilies, waterhousias…
even sasanquas – if left
untrimmed will grow into fullsized
trees. Make sure that the
branches will not overhang your
neighbour’s gutters and that as
the tree grows it will not push
the fence or allow the roots to
invade and damage pipes, pushing
up paving. This could cost
you money to repair.
Palms can cause more trouble
than they are worth. The fronds
are heavy and damage gardens
underneath when they fall.
Creepers that look pretty
when they flower can become
invasive as they find their way
between the timber palings and
sucker on the other side. Jasmine
and the orange pyrostegia
are notorious for this.
If your plants go over the
fence tell your neighbour
nicely that they can hand the
offending foliage back to you
and you will put it in your
green bin. This should avoid
the frustration of foliage being
thrown back at you.
Privacy is important to all of
us, but don’t take your neighbour’s
sun.
Dazzling
diamonds
in the dark
Diamonds in the Dark are a revolutionary new breed of
Crepe myrtles. The darkest purple leaves dress the bare
winter branches in early spring and are followed by a dazzling
display of colour from early summer to autumn.
Scarlet, deep crimson, hot pink, the palest pink or white
sprays of crinkled flowers look stunning against the almost
black leaves. Now you don’t need to envy the purple-leaved
prunus trees that do so well in colder climates, but won’t survive
our tempestuous weather and heatwave days.
You can have summer shade and winter sun when the leaves
fall as the temperature cools with these dazzling newcomers.
Crepe Myrtles, largerstroemias, prefer an acid soil that is
well drained but will grow in any garden soil. Water them well
when first planted but once established they are hardy, undemanding
trees.
The Diamonds in the Dark are small trees, ideal for large
pots or specimen trees. They can be mass-planted for hedging
or trimmed to fence height for privacy. They will grow just
three metres tall and two metres wide if they are not cut. Prune
them in late winter, before the stunning new growth appears,
to thicken the plant.
The flowers appear in the new season’s wood. Feed in spring
and early summer with Kahoona or a complete fertiliser.
Garden Life
African Tulip
tree has a
sinister secret
The huge scarlet goblets of the
African Tulip Tree (Spathodia
campanulata) flowers are glowing
against the summer skies. These
exquisitely beautiful rainforest
trees are almost classed as a noxious
weed in northern Queensland, but in Sydney the cooler
climate makes them a spectacular garden tree if you have room.
There are these trees in Pittwater that I have watched grow for
the past 30 years and they have never caused a problem. It is too
cold for the seed to become invasive. However there is a sinister
problem that they are responsible for. The huge flowers attract the
birds, bats and bees. As the nectar of the older flowers ferments
it is poisonous to Australian native bees and kills them. These are
the bees that we all try to attract to our gardens as pollinators,
think before you plant one of these spectacular trees.
The Local Voice Since 1991
MARCH 2018 69

Garden Life
Jobs this Month
Garden Life
March
If you have worn tracks or
damaged spots on your lawn,
try patching with the new
Hydro Mousse Liquid Lawn. This
is a product that sprays grass
seed that is coated to keep the
seed moist. You can see where
you have sprayed. It is similar
to the seed sprayers that coat
the banks beside the road. Fill
the hose attachment with liquid
lawn mousse and grass seed,
then spray the damaged areas.
Nothing could be simpler.
Leave the foliage
After the scorching hot days
plants and shrubs have suffered.
Keep the water up but
resist the temptation to remove
damaged foliage. Wait until the
weather cools and signs of new
growth appear. The damaged
leaves give shade protection to
the recovering growth.
Fertiliser tip
Have you ever been frustrated
with hose-on spray fertilisers
or other spray-on products? Try
the new Seasol Spraymate. It
can be bought online, directly
from Seasol. Gone will be the
leaky bottles, the kinked hoses.
The on-off Spray mate will
make life easy. It will fit any
hose-on bottle of fertiliser or
weed killer. Just remember to
rinse thoroughly if you change
product.
Help the trees
Trees are suffering from the
drought and the heat. Push a
one-metre piece of plastic pipe
on the perimeter drip line of
the canopy into the ground.
Use this to deep-water the tree
on a weekly basis.
Fruit protection
As paw paws, cherry guavas,
grapes and other fruits ripen,
cover the plants and trees with
bird netting to keep the possums
and birds away.
Orchid care
Orchids have had a rough
time with the heat and sun.
Grow them outside, hanging
under trees in baskets or
on the fence under shade.
Catteleyas and phaleanopsis,
dendrobiums and oncidiums
will all grow under trees
through summer but they
will not tolerate temperature
change or sun. Autumn
brings new growth, flowers
and restores a constant
temperature. Feed them this
month with StrikeBack for
Orchids for a new round of
flowers. Make sure that your
cymbidiums are back in the
full sun. They are making
their flower spikes now for
spring.
Go for citrus
Autumn is a good time to plant
new citrus trees. Choose the
new tree for shape. If the tree
has fruit, resist the temptation
to leave it on. Remove all the
existing fruit when you plant.
Your new tree will need all its
energy to grow and develop
a strong framework. Young
trees should not be allowed to
produce a crop for two years
after planting.
Bulb warning
Look for spring bulbs in the
garden centres. Make sure that
the bulbs have not started to
shoot. If they have, DON’T buy
them. An amazing selection of
bulbs are available online.
Plant now
Look around the garden:
Autumn is the best time for
planting. The ground is warm,
you can water to keep the soil
moist and if you plant now, the
newcomers will have time to
establish new roots before the
winter cold. All in readiness for
a quick getaway in spring.
Have a Heart
The silver-leafed Sea Heart
(brunnera) will brighten up a
shady spot in the garden. It
is a low-growing, clumping
plant with huge heartshaped
silvery leaves that
are heavily patterned with
bright green veins. It looks
good all year round and in
spring will delight you with
a display of bright blue
flowers. It looks great when
used as a border plant.
Crossword solution from page 67
Mystery location: BANGALLEY HEAD
70 MARCH 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Times Past
Early days
of Newport
Public School
Some 130 years ago
Newport Public School
began as the Mona Vale
Provisional School. Although
an application for a school had
been made back in 1887, it was
declined. However, on Monday
April 30, 1888, the school
began in a tent – with water
for the students having to be
retrieved from a well nearby
and carried back in buckets.
A fascinating excerpt from
the Sydney Mail and New
South Wales Advertiser recounts
a journey from Manly
to Newport in June 1890:
‘… we arrive at the top of
the cliffs, where we make a
detour round Bushranger’s
hill, on a very picturesque
road, and leave at right angles
the main Barrenjoey road, to
a short run to our destination.
A very interesting sight
here for townspeople is the
Public school, as sketched,
a kind of building which is
rarely seen except up country.
Here, under canvas, the Public
school teacher instructs the
young hopefuls in the mysteries
of arithmetic, elementary
physiology, etc. A reading lesson
on the latter subject was
being conducted at the time
of our visit, and very
appropriate too.’
Miss Elizabeth
Giles (formally Lizzie
Noble Giles) was the
first teacher and only
23 years old at the
time. She had commenced
her career
on April 29, 1881 as a
pupil teacher at Christ
Church C of E Infants.
In 1971, when Mr R.
M. Bowie wrote a his-
tory of the school, a ‘tattered
register’ was still
in existence. It listed the
first enrolments – the
two Scott children – as
the first male and the
first female registered.
Also enrolled were two
members of the Boulton
family and 11 members
of the Bulfin family, ranging
from 14-year-old twins down
to young Lillie Bufin at 2
years and 6 months.
After the new Telegraph
Office at Newport was opened
in December 1888, the party
of guests adjourned to Bulfin
‘s Newport Hotel. After dinner
Christmas prizes were presented
to some ‘students of
Newport public school, which
has been open for about six
months, and is under the
supervision of Miss Giles’.
Some residents contributed
to prizes, one a watch
given to ‘the most efficient
pupil’. Misses Bulfin and Scott
presented Miss Giles with a
gold bracelet and a ‘smelling
bottle’.
In June 1910, Mrs Hogue,
wife of the then Minister for
Education, visited Newport
The school building was erected
in 1890 but demolished in 1968;
a class photo from 1925 showing
champion sculler Neville Fox
(second from left in front row)
and Roly Jeffrey (middle of middle
row), an early builder who
grew up in Newport.
Public School to unfurl a flag
which had been received
from Newport on the Isle of
Wight. The flag was a ‘Union
Jack of large dimensions,
beautifully worked in silk
and bearing the Newport
arms in its centre’. It was
received in return for a
flag previously sent
some months earlier. Three
cheers were given for
the flag and pupils from
Mona Vale and Narrabeen
schools joined in to sing a
number of patriotic songs.
TIMES PAST is supplied
by local historian
and President of the
Avalon Beach Historical
Society GEOFF SEARL.
Visit the Society’s
showroom in Bowling
Green Lane, Avalon
Beach.
Times Past
The Local Voice Since 1991
MARCH 2018 71

Travel Life
Travel Life
Ponant’s new ‘Blue Eye’ to the future
It’s an exciting year for small
expedition ships specialist
PONANT which is upgrading its
luxury fleet with four new ‘Explorer’
class vessels – as well as
introducing an incredible worldfirst
multi-sensory underwater
lounge where passengers can
truly immerse themselves in the
aquatic experience.
Travel View’s Sharon Godden
said PONANT – the only French
cruise line to sail to little-known,
remote lands that are inaccessible
to larger ships – would introducing
the Le Lapérouse and
Le Champlain vessels this year,
followed by Le Bougainville and
Le Dumont-d’Urville in 2019.
“The four new stars of PO-
NANT’s fleet pay tribute to
the great French explorers,”
explained Sharon. “In keeping
with PONANT’s philosophy,
each ship combines a
limited guest capacity, sleek
design, cutting-edge technology
and of course respect for
the environment.”
She said the
new additions
would enable PO-
NANT to offer an
even wider range
of destinations.
“These new
smaller-capacity
yachts boast
elegantly designed
staterooms, spacious
suites with
bay windows, lounge areas
opening onto the outside, infinity
pool, panoramic view sauna,
a modular marina platform to
enjoy water activities and a fleet
of Zodiac,” Sharon said.
“Their design and size are the
guarantee of a unique cruising
experience in comfort
and elegance.”
The new additions
to the fleet
will be equipped
with a multi-sensory
underwater
space called ‘Blue Eye’, designed
by renowned French
architect and oceanographer
Jacques Rougerie.
“Rougerie’s vision enables
guests to perceive and feel
the underwater universe
through three innovative
concepts,” she said.
“The Blue Eye lounge
space’s graphical references
evoke cetaceans and jellyfish
– this inspiration is evident in
the lines of the lounge, the
furniture and the fittings. All
focus is drawn towards the two
portholes, shaped like the eye
of a cetacean looking out upon
the subaquatic
world.
“And the
mural décor
disappears to
make way for
the integrated
digital screens
projecting the
images filmed
live by three
underwater cameras,” Sharon
added. “Placed at the ship’s
strategic points, these cameras
enable guests to witness, for example,
the spectacle of dolphins
playing in the bow waves. It’s an
incredible experiential addition.”
* For more information on
PONANT’s new ships call 9918
4444.
72 MARCH 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Offering peace of
mind on insurance
Travel insurance is a vital
piece of “luggage” you
should not forget when travelling
– but which type and level
of insurance is best for the
individual has long been a vexing
issue.
Travel View Cruise View
Avalon principal Gail Kardash
says while most travellers are
aware they should not travel
overseas without insurance,
they remain unaware that the
most expensive or cheapest
plans don’t always offer the
best options.
She says that’s where travel
consultants can assist.
“Travel Agents usually are
trained in multiple companies
all offering different cover,”
Gail said. “Also they are updated
periodically as travel insurance
companies are constantly
amending and changing their
inclusions and exclusions, as
world events change.”
Providers could check your
destination, travel spend, preexisting
medical situations
and even take into consideration
activities you are planning
– for example, hiring a
car when travelling, she said.
Gail said there were important
considerations when
choosing a policy.
“You should take out your
plan as close as you can to
purchasing your travel and
make sure you have taken out
adequate cancellation cover
(as it is not always offered
The Local Voice Since 1991
automatically),” she said.
“Declare any Pre-existing
medical conditions, and make
sure you choose a cover with
unlimited medical expenses.”
Gail said it was vital to
check whether the policy covered
any adventure activities
that you may be planning – for
example skiing or diving.
“And if you are intending
to take computers, mobile
phones etc, check they are
covered,” she said.
Choosing the right cover
for the country where you will
be spending most time was
important too.
“Keep your policy and the
24-hour emergency number at
hand,” Gail said. “If you have
something lost or stolen a
police report helps speed up
the claim – additionally, not
lodging in time can result in
no claim, usually 30 days after
your trip ends.”
Gail said a key benefit of
liaising with a travel agent
when arranging insurance was
that should any unfortunate
incidents occur whilst overseas,
the consultant would
know where you are and how
to reach you, and had your
flight and travel arrangements
on hand, with the authority to
alter and change if necessary.
“We will also assist with any
claims on your return,” she said.
* For more information call
Avalon 9918 4444 or
Collaroy on 9999 0444.
MARCH 2018 73
Travel Life

Travel Life
Travel Life
Croatian and Tuscan treasures revealed
Picture yourself immersing in
idyllic country settings across
Italy and Croatia, including
ancient towns and picturesque
coastlines, as you take in the
unique cultures and sample
local cuisine with Back-Roads
Touring.
Travel View consultant Karen
Robinson says the small-group
touring specialists encourage
you to do more than just “see”
a destination, but also experience
the scenery, architecture,
food and people that make the
destinations truly unique.
“Whether you are a history
buff, a passionate foodie, or
prefer to kick back and relax
while winding through breathtaking
scenery, Back-Roads
Touring’s leisurely paced itineraries
allow you to choose the
way you travel,” said Karen.
You’ll experience the fascinating
history and fine architecture
of Italy on their Tuscan Treats
tour, where you will spend
seven days as a culinary connoisseur
exploring the rocky
coastline and almond-coloured
villages.
“Stroll through the postcard
town of Cinque Terre, visit the
famous Leaning Tower of Pisa
and try some local gelato in San
Gimignano,” said Karen. “You’ll
also attend authentic wine tastings
in Fattoria San Donato and
roll up your sleeves in Tuscany
for an exclusive cooking class
where you will be guided by
skilled chefs in making Tuscan
delicacies.”
She said anyone looking to
explore Europe by sea should
investigate their relaxing eightdays
Croatian Islands Sailing
tour.
“Sail the azure seas in a
luxury motor yacht that takes
you to arguably some of the
most diverse and most beautiful
parts of Croatia – Central
Dalmatia,” said Karen. “You will
encounter the divine beaches of
the Croatian Islands with crystal
blue water and look back on
the spectacular backdrop of the
rugged mountain side from the
comfort of your yacht.”
The tour visits a new destination
each day, including the
stunning Krka Waterfalls, the
cliffs of Kornati National Park
and also Telašcica National Park;
there’s swimming, snorkelling
and also a wine-tasting tour at
the famous Bibish Winery.
Back-Roads Touring offers
unforgettable tours with
experienced tour leaders who
are dedicated to delivering a
truly authentic experience, with
their vast collection of unique
personal stories that marry
perfectly with their knowledge
and passion.
Tuscan Treats starts at
$2,850pp, twin share; Croatian
Islands Sailing starts at
$3,699pp, lower deck.
* For more info on Back-Roads
experiences phone 9918 4444.
74 MARCH 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991