Pittwater Life February 2021 Issue

The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2021
FREE
pittwaterlife
COUNTING THE COST OF COVID
YOU’VE GOTTA LAUGH: FUNNYMAN JONATHAN COLEMAN REFLECTS
NEXT TIGER WOODS? MEET 7-YEAR-OLD BAYVIEW STAR JACK CASTLE
THE WAY WE WERE / HOME-MADE FIRE ENGINE / SEEN... HEARD... ABSURD

Editorial
Do you want to elect the Mayor?
Seems the item in our January
issue about the timeframe
required for residents to
popularly elect the Mayor, and
the processes required, struck
a nerve with some councillors
and Council staff.
It was never our intention to
suggest staff hadn’t fulfilled
their obligations by not alerting
councillors of required process
12 months out from the new
election date of September
2021.
We’re told they did alert
councillors 12 months before
the originally scheduled
2020 election. Which begs
the question: why didn’t our
elected representatives flag it or
debate it at the end of 2019?
Seems the short answer is...
no-one on our elected Council
thinks it’s a priority for them to
lobby for the change.
As we were told by a senior
Council official: “It’s the
community’s responsibility to
make it happen.”
Seriously!
(Granted, there are other
issues in play, like having
to reduce the number of
councillors... but that can be
worked out.)
So... what about it? Do you
want to have your say on who
wears the Mayoral robes?
Starting this month, we’re
launching our ‘Tell Us If You
Want To Elect The Mayor’
campaign. Because Council says
it’s up to YOU!
Email us why you want to
elect the Mayor at readers@
pittwaterlife.com.au – we’ll
update you every month.
* * *
Also this month we kick
off ‘The Way We Were’
recapping the history of
Pittwater Life, via the news
and events of the past three
decades. It is mind-blowing how
the more things change, the
more they stay the same! Hope
you enjoy it. – Nigel Wall
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2021 3

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Email:
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Website:
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Publisher: Nigel Wall
Managing Editor: Lisa Offord
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Photography: Adobe / Staff
Contributors: Rosamund
Burton, Gabrielle Bryant, Rob
Pegley, Beverley Hudec, Brian
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Vol 30 No 7
Celebrating 30 years
36
82
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2021
FREE
pittwaterlife
COUNTING THE COST OF COVID
YOU’VE GOTTA LAUGH: FUNNYMAN JONATHAN COLEMAN REFLECTS
NEXT TIGER WOODS? MEET 7-YEAR-OLD BAYVIEW STAR JACK CASTLE
THE WAY WE WERE / HOME-MADE FIRE ENGINE / SEEN... HEARD... ABSURD
18
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thislife
INSIDE: Northern Beaches Mayor Michael Regan wants
to fast-track the Mona Vale Place Plan (p6); Councillors
urge involvement with the Avalon Place Plan exhibition
(p10); Pittwater businesses weigh up the cost of the latest
COVID lockdown (p14); Council wants your say on rates
harmonisation (p17); meet 7-year-old golfing talent Jack
Castle (p18); we reveal the locals who featured in Max
Dupain’s iconic At Newport image – and their 50-years-on
recreation photo (p22); Jonathan Coleman’s life story (p36).
COVER: Dinghy / Sharon Green
also this month
Editorial 3
Pittwater Local News 6-35
The Way We Were 30-31
Life Stories: Jonathan Coleman 36-38
Books & Author Q&A 40
From Pittwater To Tokyo: Georgie Rowe 42
Art 44-45
Hot Property 46-53
Times Past 54
Schools Special Feature 58-61
Surfing 62-63
Health & Wellbeing; Hair & Beauty 64-73
Tasty Morsels; Food 82-86
Crossword 87
the goodlife
Returning soon! Showtime, Pubs & Clubs and gigs!
Inside this month: our regular features on food, gardening,
beauty, health, surfing, art, local history, money, plus our
guide to trades and services... and our essential maps.
ATTENTION ADVERTISERS!
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our MARCH issue MUST be supplied by
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on FRIDAY 26 FEBRUARY
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written consent of the copyright owner. All advertising rates are subject to GST.
4 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991

CONTROVERSIAL HISTORY:
The Mona Vale Place Plan.
News
Mayor flags a fast-track
for Mona Vale Place Plan
Northern Beaches Mayor Michael
Regan says Council staff are
working overtime to deliver
responses and outcomes for Pittwater
individuals and businesses who
continue to struggle with the effects of
the December COVID-19 outbreak and
three-week lockdown.
And to give locals a “beacon of hope”,
Cr Regan says he wants to fast-track the
Mona Vale Place Plan, which is currently
on the backburner and ranked third in
priority behind the Avalon and Manly
Place Plans.
Cr Regan wants the Mona Vale Place
Plan to be worked on and delivered
concurrently with the Manly Place Plan –
but in order to do so he admits Council
would need more funding to outsource
much of the project.
“I’m keen to now fast-track the
development of the Mona Vale Place Plan
so we can get the community involved
as soon as possible,” he said.
“I’m planning to write to (Planning
Minister) Rob Stokes to see if he can assist
with additional resources so we can get
Mona Vale started and it can be done at
the same time as others already in train.
“Our current resourcing is dedicated
to finalising the Avalon Place Plan and
Manly is next in line – also hit hard by
COVID closures.”
Pittwater Life understands Council
requires around $250,000 to fund the
concurrent Place Plan development.
Meanwhile the Mayor said relief for
businesses continued to be a priority.
“I am talking every day with local
businesses and the chambers – I know
exactly how challenging this is for
them,” Cr Regan said, adding a raft of
measures would be moved at Council’s
next meeting on February 23.
“Council has invested over $8 million
since March last year in support for
our business community that includes
a range of measures outlined in the
Business Support Package we adopted
then and are continuing to roll out.
“The expansion of outdoor dining
continues to be a focus and is supported
through the ongoing waiving of fees for
it and other services.
“At a time like this, the community
wants Council to be quick off the mark
and listen to what they need. Which
is why we set up a Business Support
Service in early January that responded
to more than 100 calls and enquiries in
just a few days.
Cr Regan said that during the recent
“hotspot” lockdown, Council staff
made wellness calls to more than 7,300
vulnerable residents, including the
elderly over the Christmas and New
Year period.
A range of measures were adopted by
Council in its Business Support Package
including $2.3m in waived fees for
outdoor dining, footpath merchandise,
health and safety, and fire inspections;
$1.9m in waiving of property rental
charges; a $0.4m COVID subsidy on
rates notices (estimate on business
rates); and $3m in Place Management,
Economic Development, Tourism, Events
and Activations.
Other business assistance measures
Council has put in place include
supporting and promoting the
increase in outdoor dining footprints
to encourage business trading and
social distancing wherever possible;
promoting Council’s Hardship policy
and payment terms to support small
businesses; creating more flexible
arrangements for supplier deliveries
and quick pick-up zones to support
food takeaways and shop-and-go; fasttracking
Development Applications
for small businesses; developing ‘shop
local’ marketing campaigns; promoting
mental health resources and webinars
to support the wellbeing of small
business operators; and programming
and supporting activations, including
the state-funded Shared Spaces program
and beautification works, in local
villages and town centres.
Council is also working on fasttracking
the Events grants program
for February and March to support
businesses to create new opportunities.
– Nigel Wall
6 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991

News
Home-made fire risk solution
Dennis White is
somewhat relaxed
about the bushfire
risks to his Ingleside
home – but it hasn’t
stopped him
building his own
personal fire engine.
in Brookvale for 25 years. I were two fires out of control Dennis explains.
kids were
going to get me a
“The
fireman’s hat for
Christmas,” laughs Dennis
White. “But we haven’t seen
them yet, because of the
lockdown.”
Dennis has lived on the
Northern Beaches for all of
his 78 years. Having grown
up just down the road in
Elanora Heights, he has spent
the last 43 of those years
on his current Ingleside
property – much of which he
built himself.
“I’ve always been practical
and hands-on,” says Dennis.
“I had a smash repair shop
built our house here and the
tennis court. I’ve done almost
everything myself.”
He even rebuilt a historic
windmill on his property.
“It’s the original windmill
from the gunpowder site,
from which Powderworks
Road gets its name,” explains
Dennis. “It was on the old
property that the German
bloke tried to start making
gunpowder on in the 19th
century. I moved it here and
restored it.”
Dennis’ latest creation has a
sign on the back proclaiming
‘White’s Fire Tank’. It weighs
over 1000 kilograms when
full of water and is ready to
ward off any bushfires that
might encroach onto Dennis’
property.
“We’ve had three big fires in
the area in the time I’ve been
here,” says Dennis, “but the
last one was 20 years ago and
that was a controlled burnoff.
Before that though, there
in the ’80s. We lost two or
three houses in the valley.
“I really built the fire truck
to give us more security, so
we can look after ourselves to
some degree. The Rural Fire
Service are very good, but
they have limited resources
and are sometimes called
away to help other areas,”
HOSING DOWN CONCERNS:
Dennis White’s ‘Fire Tank’ is the
envy of his Ingleside neighbours.
“We’re one property away
from the Ku-ring-gai National
Park, so there’s always an
underlying concern about
fires,” he continues.
“I have a couple of dams
on the property I can access,
so I got a company to build
me the basic trailer and tank
for $1200, and I’ve fitted the
pump myself with the help of
a semi-retired plumber mate
of mine.
“It’s got a 208cc motor,
so there’s a fair amount of
drive for when it comes to
pumping the water – either as
a spray of as a more powerful
direct jet.
“My neighbour Steve Smith
was very impressed. He said
I can come and save his place
after I’ve done mine,” laughs
Dennis.
Hopefully it won’t come
to that, but Fireman Dennis
is ready for an emergency.
Albeit without a hat, at the
moment. – Rob Pegley
8 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991

News
Councillors urge ‘get
involved’ with Avalon Plan
Council representatives
are urging residents to
“get involved” in the
Avalon Place Plan in what they
say is a once in a lifetime opportunity
to effect meaningful
change for the beachside
village.
The community-driven
draft blueprint for the planning,
design and management
of Avalon Beach will be
launched for public exhibition
on Council’s website in
February.
So important and potentially
polarising is the comprehensive
document that
it’s expected it will be open
for submissions for several
months.
Key elements include the
proposed redesign of the Old
Barrenjoey Road and Avalon
Parade intersection, and the
introduction of dedicated
cycleways.
The Village Hub Precinct
plan involves upgrading
the intersection as well as
the streetscape and public
areas along Old Barrenjoey
Road and Avalon Parade,
incorporating new pavement
treatments, street furniture,
ambient lighting, landscaping
and public art.
“The question of what to do
with the (Avalon) intersection
is a hotly contested issue,”
Council’s document states.
“Information gathered from
the community over the past
25 years has consistently
raised and identified safety
concerns for both vehicles
and pedestrians.
“Overall the community
feedback received during consultation
strongly supported
a pedestrian plaza for this
space, followed by a shared
zone.”
Pittwater Ward Councillor
VILLAGE HUB PRECINCT: Focusing on the Avalon town centre.
Ian White told Pittwater Life
the Avalon Place Plan was by
far the biggest and most comprehensive
planning project
he had been involved with.
“It started in May, 2018 with
two visionary workshop sessions,
progressing to a ‘Have
Your Say Avalon” posting on
the Council website which
included an online survey
which had more than 1500
responses,” he said.
“This is the largest response
to a ‘Have Your Say’
that the Northern Beaches
Council has had.”
He added the Avalon Community
Reference Group was
formed in July 2018.
“It incorporated local resident
groups CABPRA, WBPBA
and APA as well as representatives
from disability
and inclusiveness, Youth and
Community, Avalon Beach
Chamber of Commerce, Avalon
Beach Surf Club, sporting
associations and local experts
in arts and culture and heritage.
“The process has been
quite unique on the Northern
Beaches – thousands of
people have already had some
input into its development.
“I would strongly encourage
interested community members
to have their say.”
Fellow Pittwater Ward
Councillor Kylie Ferguson
echoed Mr White’s “call to action”
from community.
“I want to stress the design
and the outcome is not
made – if you want to change
something, please speak up,”
she said.
“Is there something you’d
like to see, or don’t want – we
want to hear from you.
“The finished product will
be representative of the majority
of thoughts.
“And we’re looking for the
mums and the dads to get on
board, not just the same people
who communicate with
us on all matters on a regular
basis.
“I can’t stress how important
it is for your voices to be
heard.”
The Draft Avalon Place Plan
will launch on Council’s website
in February – no date had
been determined as Pittwater
Life went to print. Check
Council website for updates.
– Nigel Wall
News
10 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2021 11

Nearly 90 and still lapping up life
News
Life in the fast lane may
be a thing of the past for
Narrabeen Ocean Pool’s
unofficial ‘caretaker’ Leo Van
Haren, but immersion therapy
is still part of his daily routine.
Most mornings for the past
18 years Leo, 89 going on 90,
has made his way to the spectacular
pool complex in the
pre-dawn dark to swim laps
with a group of people who
have become his comrades
and joint witnesses to thousands
of watery sunrises.
Friend Richard Carlton
explains: “There is a group of
probably seven or eight of us
that have been hardy regulars.
You can go for years and
notice people’s faces and not
their name, yet they are your
friends.
“It’s taken a while for us to
get to know each other even
though we’ve shared this
early morning part of our
lives together.”
But everyone knows and
loves Leo, who turns 90 on
February 24, and is by far the
POOL PALS: Leo
Van Haren with
regular swimmers
Lesley O’Rourke,
Sheron Christie and
Kelvin Carlsson.
oldest of the group.
He’s the guy who’d bring
down a thermometer to measure
the pool’s water temperature
in the dead of winter, the
person who would clear the
stinging blue bottle jellyfish
from the pool and, crucially,
he’s the one who had a key to
the change rooms and could
let everyone in. You see, Leo
knows the ropes when it
comes to pools.
“I started at North Curl Curl
– that’s a short pool there –
and I started on the advice of a
doctor. I had a back manipulation
under anesthetic,” he tells
us. “The doctor told me beforehand
that the problem might
return, it wouldn’t cure, and
said ‘you should start swimming’.
So, I took his advice.
“I went from my (then)
home in Brookvale to North
Curl Curl on the bike and
started swimming in that
pool until one morning I
swam at the pool by myself
and I almost swam into a
shark. It was sort of docile, it
was not moving. That was my
last day at North Curl.”
Leo, a builder by trade,
was in his early 40s when he
started swimming and taught
himself. He came to Australia
from Nijmegen, western
Holland, in 1951 to join his
parents and eight siblings
who had arrived a couple of
years earlier.
A decade on he met his wife
Ann – a country girl visiting
the big smoke after an eighthour
trip with three girlfriends
on the mail train from Orange
– at “the first cappuccino café
in Manly” in the New Brighton
Hotel. Their eyes connected,
Leo bought her a cappuccino,
and the rest is history.
After his near collision with
the shark at North Curl Curl,
Leo moved down the beach to
the South Curl pool, where he
swam for 25 years, before he
and Ann – who raised a family
of four – downsized to a garden
apartment in Narrabeen in
2013. Leo switched allegiance
to the local ocean pool, where
he tries to swim “10 long laps a
day” at 76 metres a lap.
He’ll be cutting down to six
laps and no longer swims in
winter. He’s getting on, you
know.
“I went swimming for 40
winters but haven’t for the
past three. I’m not doing it
anymore.”
Leo says his fellow swimmers
are an important part
of his morning ritual. “I’ve always
enjoyed the people at the
pool. Every morning the same
women, the same men.
“Mostly nice people. They
are there to do the same thing
as me, swimming.”
And that common interest
has turned into the ties that
bind.
“It’s part of our life,” says
fellow swimmer Carlton. “You
get down there and see the
beautiful sunrises. I said to
someone once: ‘Wow, why
doesn’t everyone want to be
down here?’ And she said:
‘Shh it’s our little secret.”
– Martin Kelly
12 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991
PHOTO: Nigel Wall

News
Counting the cost of COVID-19:
tourism rolls with the punches
Local tourism operators
lost millions of dollars
in booking revenue over
the Christmas-New Year holiday
lockdown, but they rolled
with the punches, stayed positive,
did the right thing by
their customers and remain
optimistic about the future.
In fact, the roller-coaster
ride that was 2020 – multiple
lockdowns, physical distancing,
onerous new cleaning
protocols – provided operators
with an education in
resilience while international
border closures unlocked an
enormous appetite for domestic
travel that shows no sign
of abating.
Niels Storaker, who has
owned Church Point Charters
for 33 years, says he’d never
had a better run of business
in the months before the December
lockdown, which he
estimates cost him $130,000
in booking revenue.
“Until we shut down on
December 20, we were set for a
record year – by far, absolutely
by far,” Storaker says.
Storaker provided all his
customers with no-questionsasked
refunds and estimates
that 25% have so far rebooked.
“It cost us but I’m not complaining
at all,” says Storaker.
“It’s just one of those things,
you’ve got to go with the flow.”
He says the long-term trend
BOUNCING BACK:
Lakeside Holiday Park
GM Bonnie Ewers; full
capacity on January 25
(below left) and empty
on Christmas Eve
during lockdown
(below right); Church
Point Charter owner
Niels Storaker
(opposite page).
PHOTOS: Martin Kelly
remains positive. “Forward
bookings throughout the year
are very, very good.”
But he’s taking nothing for
granted. “You can’t predict
the future these days, can
you?”
Claire Marriott from LJ
Hooker Palm Beach says the
business was on the verge of
its biggest ever peak season
when news of the lockdown
came through, giving
operators 24 hours to
get things sorted.
“The announcement on
December 19 couldn’t have
come at a worse time for
us because everything’s
prepared, everything’s
ready to go,” she says.
“We’d taken on 20 new
holiday homes to meet
the demand... and then
everything fell over.”
The business, which
operates the Palmbeachholidayrentals.com.au
website, has around 100
properties, all of which
were booked solid over
Christmas New Year, some
for the cost of a brand-new
luxury car.
She says all bookings were
immediately refunded to ensure
consumers would have
the confidence to book again.
“We had $70,000 bookings –
you can imagine how quickly
that adds up.”
“It was incredibly complicated
just to keep track of
everybody, it was very complex,
but we got through it.”
Business immediately rebounded
after the lockdown
lifted. “Now it’s all happening
again. We seem to be getting
a lot of last-minute enquiries.”
She says that despite the
two COVID lockdowns in
2020 and numerous travel
and social distancing restrictions,
2020 was a strong year
for the business.
“Although we had such a
bad December and January
we did terribly well during
winter.”
Bonnie Ewers, GM of NRMA
Sydney Lakeside Holiday Park
at Narrabeen, says the lockdown
was an extraordinary
period.
“It lasted longer than anyone
could have expected, and
certainly destroyed our entire
premium season.”
She says more than
$500,000 in bookings were refunded
and that the lockdown
caused “devastation to
families who come here
year after year”.
The holiday park –
which normally accommodates
1500 people
over Christmas-New Year
– had around 40 guests
throughout the threeweek
lockdown period.
“We took no further
arrivals, most people who
could leave here did and
those that couldn’t locked
down here with us.
“Christmas was a
write-off and then New
Year rolled around so
we were just hoping it
wasn’t going to be February
or March when the
lockdown was lifted.”
Fortunately, that wasn’t to
be, and customers returned
as soon as they could, bringing
the summer holiday
energy with them.
“It’s so great to have the
campers back,” says Ewers.
– Martin Kelly
New Avalon
Art Space will
open in March
The new Avalon Art
Space within the Avalon
Golf Clubhouse will open
in early March, said Mayor
Michael Regan.
“Major construction on
the site, which commenced
in October 2020, has been
completed, and in February
minor works and finishing
detail will take place,” he
said.
“The Avalon Workshop
is a new creative space for
the whole community. It
is available for community
hire for workshops,
studio practice, artistic
collaborations, arts
activations and talks.
“It will support the
creative sector including
young and emerging
artists, to connect and
build relationships and
networks.
“The lower level of
the Avalon Golf Club is
being transformed into a
hireable artist studio, two
multi-use teaching spaces
and a communal kitchen,
providing a low-key local
space for Avalon and
surrounding suburbs.”
The project saw
extensive consultation with
the community over 18
months from 2018, with
more than 650 submissions
received and more then 30
participants taking part in
workshops.
Meanwhile, a next steps
for the new Mona Vale
Creative Space has yet to
be determined. – NW
News
14 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2021 15

News
6THINGS
THIS MONTH
Power up solar. Join this
free webinar to find out how to
maximise the savings from your
solar system. Thursday 11 from
6.30pm-8pm. More info and
bookings 8495 6520.
Turner’s Turn. See a true icon
of Australian show business
Geraldine Turner at Glen Street
Theatre Belrose on Monday 15 at
11am in this intimate morning of
songs from her celebrated career.
Tickets $30; book at glenstreet.
com.au
Cheap feeds. Join Wholefood
Chef Suzanne Lambert in this
free webinar on Friday 19 from
5.15pm-6.15pm and discover how
to feed a family of four delicious,
nutritious meals for under $10. You
will be shown ways to extend your
ingredientss. Bookings essential
through Council website.
Express Yourself 2021. An
exhibition of artworks by HSC
Visual Arts students from high
schools across the Northern
Beaches showcasing diverse
bodies of work including multimedia,
digital, sculpture and
drawing at Manly Art Gallery &
Museum; Fri 19 to Sun March 28.
Walk and weed. Start at Oxford
Falls at 7.30am on Sunday 21
walking for 3.5 hours, weed for
30 minutes, continue to walk for
another half an hour and carpool
back to start with the Friends of
Narrabeen Lagoon Catchment.
Walk grade – Medium 3. Bring
gloves and screwdriver if available.
Bookings Connie 0432643295
more info narrabeenlagoon.org.au
Calling young writers. The
Young Scriptwriters Competition
is open to high school students
(years 7-12) who live or go to
school on the Northern Beaches.
Write a 10-minute original short
play script based on the theme
‘Fake News’. Entries will be judged
according to characterisation,
originality, plot and innovative use
of the theme ‘Fake News’. Six
finalists will have the chance to
have their scripts workshopped
with a director and then performed
at Glen Street Theatre on Wed 14
April. Contact your local library
or go to NB Council website for
details.
Feedback sought on rates harmonisation
Council’s request of the State Government
to allow it to gradually
harmonise imbalanced rates across
the northern beaches has been granted
by the Office of Local Government.
As part of its amalgamation process,
the State Government mandated that
newly merged councils’ rates would be
harmonised so that rates were more
evenly and fairly distributed – in the
case of the Northern Beaches, across the
former Pittwater, Warringah and Manly
local government areas.
The move is not expected to affect
Pittwater residential ratepayers, who can
expect an average annual rate cut of $37
from July 1; however, Pittwater commercial
ratepayers can expect some relief
from the jolt of an estimated annual
$465 rates hike.
Conversely, ratepayers in the former
Manly area face increases of $306 per
year (residential) and $1272 (commercial).
Council is encouraging the community
to have its say on a new approach to rating
structures, on public exhibition until
28 February.
Recognising the additional hardships
experienced due to COVID-19, Council
is also consulting on an option which
would see no change due to harmonisation
for ad valorem ratepayers until
2022/23 to support ratepayers and businesses
through the next twelve months
of recovery.
Mayor Regan said harmonising rates
provided a challenge for Council, especially
in a COVID environment.
“We know many people are doing it
tough right now – especially our business
community and those who work in
areas like services and hospitality,” Cr
Regan said.
“With any harmonisation process there
will be positive and negative impacts on
individuals. We are consulting on a range
of options to reduce the impact of increases
including gradual harmonisation
and deferment in year one, to support
COVID recovery.
“It is important to note that Council
does not collect any additional revenue
through this process. If you are a resident
or business who benefits from a rate
decrease through the process, it could
also be implemented gradually and/or
deferred a year.
“We’d really like to hear community
feedback on what they think is the fairest
approach to implementation for all
our ratepayers.”
Cr Regan thanked the Office of Local
Government for recognising “our unique
situation through COVID here on the
Northern Beaches and working with us
for the benefit of our community”.
Cr Regan said Council rates and how
they were calculated was inherently complex
and encouraged ratepayers to join
one of the many information sessions
so they can understand what is being
proposed.
Gradual harmonisation is subject to
legislative change by the State Government
with the proposal currently also
open for community feedback.
Council will consider all proposals and
community feedback at its March Council
meeting.
– Nigel Wall
News
16 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2021 17

News
Jack on
course
for the
big show
Could a 7-year-old local prodigy become
Australia’s next superstar golfer?
It’s a pristine Friday
afternoon and Jack Castle
has knocked off early
from school. He’s here for a
lesson on the driving range
at Pittwater Golf Centre,
where decked out in polo
shirt, knee-length shorts
and cap he looks every inch
the accomplished player.
And that’s before he unveils
a swing that would have
impressed Ben Hogan.
When you’re seven
years old you don’t bother
limbering up. Practice
swings? Also superfluous.
With precisely zero ado Jack
uses his 8-iron to knock a
dozen balls high and true
into the near distance. The
sound at contact – a crisp
thwack – indicates this Mona
Vale lad plays at a level
incompatible with someone
who is the same age as Prince
George.
Jack and his coach of three
years, David Saunders, repair
to a nook on the edge of the
range to study video of his
swing.
“Very nice,” Saunders
mutters, as much to himself
as to Jack.
Analysis complete, Jack
returns to the mat and pulls
out his driver. Using reducedflight
balls he still knocks
them out there 150 metres.
“With normal balls my best
drives go 170,” says Jack, who
finished the 2020 schoolyear
as the tallest kid in first
grade at St Luke’s Grammar
School Bayview.
A teaching pro for more
than 40 years, Saunders
PHOTOS: Nigel Wall
takes a seat and together we
watch the boy’s next round
of shots.
Is he the best you’ve seen
at his age?
“No question. Not even
close,” says Saunders. “It’s
frightening. He makes grown
men cry because of the way
he hits it.”
Would you place any limits
on what he could achieve?
“None whatsoever. He could
PRECOCIOUS TALENT:
Bayview Junior Cadet Jack
Castle shows perfect form.
be the next phenomenon.
When I say that, he doesn’t
have to be the next Tiger
Woods. He could be the next
Adam Scott, say, or the next
Marc Leishman. But he could
be another Tiger Woods. He’s
that advanced. He can spin
the ball. He can make it run.
He can hit it low or high,
draw it, fade it. He can hit
any shot you like.”
The boy blocks a couple
of iron shots and Saunders
directs Jack’s attention to his
downswing: “Just get that
butt [of the club] pointing at
the ball a little bit more, big
guy.”
When Jack was 18
months old his maternal
grandparents gave him a set
of plastic clubs. Within a day
he was swinging expertly,
sending balls soaring
across the backyard. He
started lessons at two with
Leon Faulkner, founder of
Golf Rocks Kids Academy.
Coaches who’ve worked with
Jack marvel as much at his
work ethic and concentration
as his talent.
Jack is a junior cadet
at Bayview Golf Club and
shines in the US Kids Golf
Sydney Local Tour. Indeed,
he’s Australian
champion in US
Kids for his age
and qualified for
last year’s World
Championships
at Pinehurst,
North Carolina
but couldn’t
go because of
COVID-19. He
spends 15 hours
a week playing
or practising.
His next big
tournament
is April’s
Australian
Junior Age
Division Golf
Championship at Royal Pines
on the Gold Coast.
Lesson over, it’s time for a
cold drink with mum Brooke
on a bench near the pro shop.
Jack looks you in the eye
when you speak to him and
responds thoughtfully to
questions. He plays various
sports, he says, but golf is
his favourite “by far” and he
can’t help thinking about it
while in class. His long-term
goal is “going to America to
play in the Masters”.
Though an “immense
talent”, says Faulkner, Jack
is at the start of a frightfully
long fairway. And yes, it
could culminate in his
winning as an adult on
the PGA Tour. That is one
possible future. Experience
tells us another is that he
quits golf before he’s 15.
Jack has sensible people
around him. His parents,
Brooke and Matt,
are determined
he practise
and compete
primarily out
of love for the
game. And
his 82-yearold
maternal
grandfather,
Michael Withers,
knows a lot
about elite
sport, having
competed in
water polo at
three Olympics.
“I’d love to
think,” says
Withers, “that I
could help guide him.”
– Daniel Williams
News
18 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2021 19

Sparky
makes
celebrant
switch
News
Pittwater resident Gary Clementson
gave up his job as an electrician on
building sites to become a full-time
marriage celebrant and wedding MC – and
he’s certainly “feeling the love” as a result.
After attending “a few too many boring
weddings”, Gary (above) decided to
do something about it and liven up the
legal part of the wedding day.
Having studied acting at NIDA, Gary
knew how to entertain a crowd; and so
three years ago he performed the MC
duties at a friend’s wedding. It was quite
the show; however, being unable to
perform the legal ceremony at the time,
the couple had to follow up a week later
with the actual contractual formalities.
Gary’s own wedding was then performed
by “a ’70s-looking chilled-out
dude with flares and a big moustache”.
“It was so much fun,” he adds. “I
thought ‘I’d love to do that’.”
When Gary tore the ligaments in his
knee on a building site, he took it as a
sign that it was time to do just that.
However, the course was longer and
more complex than he’d imagined.
“It takes between six and 12 months
and was more in-depth than I realised,” he
explains. “It involves ethics, how to run a
small business, dealing with people. But
the biggest part is the legal paperwork.
Creating legal documents and checking
the chain of identities to make sure people
aren’t using false names.”
Having qualified in July 2019, Gary
turned full-time in December. Three
months before a global pandemic…
“There was a bit of a lull with COVID
restrictions – lots of postponements,”
admits Gary. “Although this year, after
lockdown, will be busy!” he laughs.
“With a maximum of five people allowed,
there were weddings with myself,
the couple and two guests. It was certainly
intimate,” Gary says. “But now in good
times it’s up to 20 people in a public place
and 150 if the venue can handle it.”
Gary currently performs three weddings
a week and likes to make the nuptials
as relaxed, personal and authentic
as possible.
“I like it to be non-traditional and
LITERALLY:
Tying the
knot.
authentic. Find a way to tell the story of
their meeting, falling in love and the proposal
– but in their voice,” says Gary. “And
get people cheering and having fun.
And he’s certainly had fun.
“There’s been an Indian fire ceremony
for a couple with differing religious
backgrounds... and a ‘Circus Wedding’
with fire twirlers and aerialists.”
For one wedding, the bridal party
arrived by helicopter. For another there
were a dozen people on a boat with Gary
and a guitarist.
“I also performed a Celtic wedding
in which there are three ribbons tied
around the wrists of the two families
and the new couple,” he explains. “You
pull the three strings at the end and it
all becomes one knot. Which is where
the phrase ‘tying the knot’ comes from.”
“I love the job,” says Gary, who is
expecting a flurry of bookings after
Valentine’s Day on February 14. “I get to
sit down with a couple and talk about
how much they love each other.”
I wonder aloud if he ever sees the tension
that can underly some weddings.
“I have to say I never have,” he replies.
“All I’ve seen is the love.” – Rob Pegley
* Check out Gary’s website marryusgary.com
or his Instagram page
@marryusgary_celebrant.
20 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991

Story of Dupain photo rev ealed
News
With the publication of
the Max Dupain story
in last month’s issue
of Pittwater Life, 81-year-old
Whale Beach resident John
Warburton (right) contacted
the magazine saying it was
his two friends and he who
featured in Dupain’s At Newport
photograph.
John says that he is on the
right about to dive into the
pool, Sam Pratten is in the
middle facing the camera, and
Chris Chown on the left, sitting
on the edge. Someone else had
claimed that they were the
figure on the left, but “there
is absolutely no doubt that is
Chris Chown,” John says.
And, although the photograph
has previously been
thought to have been taken
by Dupain in 1952, John says
it would have been later than
that, more likely the mid-
1950s.
He explained the three men
were members of Newport
Surf Club, but all lived in
Pymble, so they used to walk
to the corner of Mona Vale
Road and the Pacific Highway
and hitch hike from there to
Newport.
“Sam Pratten’s family had a
holiday home on Barrenjoey
Road, so he often used to stay
in Newport, but Chris Chown
and I usually just went there
for the day,” John recalls. “We
had no idea Max Dupain was
photographing us at the time,
but later the image became
quite well known.”
The three men have remained
friends, and in 2010
over 50 years after Dupain
took this photograph, they
had the idea to have a replica
photograph taken of themselves
at Newport pool.
John says he thought that
his sister might have been one
of the female figures in the
original photograph, but neither
she nor he were sure, so
friend and Bayview resident,
Madeleine Gilmour, was asked
to don a swimming cap and
stand in as the most prominent
of the female figures.
John’s son-in-law is wellknown
photographer Hugh
Stewart. Studying Max
Dupain’s photograph, he
worked out from the shadows
that it was taken in the late
afternoon in summer. So,
a time and date was set for
the retake, and Hugh Stewart
even decided to shoot with
film using a Rolliflex, the
same type of camera which
Max Dupain had used.
Reliving their youth, the
three friends went to the
Newport Arms beforehand.
“And,” recounts Hugh Stewart,
“they arrived late after a
boozy lunch.”
Sam Pratten no longer has
that youthful spring in his
step, John Warburton isn’t
looking as long and lean,
and Chris Chown is stouter,
but what a testament to their
friendship.
John and Chris travelled
around Europe together in
their early 20s, which was
when John met his English
wife, Maureen; he became a
commercial litigation lawyer.
Sam joined the family
printing business and Chris
became a stockbroker.
John and Chris, who now
lives in Killara, still meet up
regularly, and are in touch
with Sam, who is a Life Member
of the Newport SLSC, but
see him less often, as he has
moved to Port Stephens.
“We’ve all got the ‘OBE’
now – Over Bloody Eighty,”
says John, sitting in his home
office, and looking at the Max
Dupain print and the two
photographs taken over 50
years later. But he hasn’t given
up swimming. For the past 25
years Maureen and he have
lived at Whale Beach, and he’s
either in the surf or doing
lengths of the ocean pool
most mornings.
– Rosamund Burton
RECREATED: Max Dupain’s
At Newport (top) photographed
more than 50
years later with original
subjects (l-r) Chris Chown,
Sam Pratten and John
Warburton.
News
22 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2021 23

News
Australia Day honours for locals
Dedicated volunteers
with a deep love of
Pittwater are among
seven local residents on the
Australia Day 2021 Honours
List.
Kenneth Allen of Palm
Beach was appointed an Officer
of the Order of Australia
(AO) for distinguished
services to international relations,
particularly through
global information sharing
networks for expatriate Australian
professionals.
Local recipients of the Medal
of the Order of Australia
(OAM) included Susan Martin
of Clareville, for service to
the community of Pittwater;
David Palmer of Mona Vale,
for service to conservation
and the environment; Roger
Sayers of Avalon Beach, for
services to surf lifesaving;
William Sherman of Bayview,
for service to public relations,
to sport, and to the community;
Robert Lloyd of Terrey
Hills, for service to children
with a disability; and star of
AWARD: Thomas Spithill.
the ABC documentary ‘Old
People’s Home for 4 Year
Olds’ Shirley McLaren, who
lives at RSL LifeCare’s retirement
village at Narrabeen, for
service to veterans and their
families, and to the community.
Earlier in January, four Pittwater
residents were among
20 citizens recognised in
Northern Beaches Council
Australia Day Awards.
Pittwater residents who
received Outstanding Community
Service Awards were:
Lynleigh Greig of Elanora
Heights, for volunteering
over nine years for Sydney
Wildlife, including providing
awareness training and advice
and organising fundraising
events; Michael Hardy,
of Great Mackerel Beach, for
volunteering endless hours
to the Rural Fire Service over
the past seven years, as a
senior member of the Great
Mackerel Beach RFS; Adam
Lynch of Elanora Heights,
for starting BEAT Bladder
Cancer Australia in 2018; and
Thomas Spithill of Newport,
awarded for his contribution
as Head Coach of the Royal
Prince Alfred Yacht Club and
as a long-serving volunteer
and mentor.
Mayor Michael Regan said
the Council awards recognised
Northern Beaches’
unsung heroes – individuals
or organisations making an
outstanding contribution to
their community during the
year, and those who have
given outstanding service.
“The Awards pay tribute
to the special people in our
community who have gone
above and beyond to help
improve the lives of others
and contribute to a diverse,
friendly and strong community,”
Cr Regan said.
“All the awardees are dedicated,
passionate and want to
leave only a positive imprint
within our community.
“It has been a tough year
and our community has
taken some knocks, so we
are particularly grateful for
people who selflessly give
back to their communities to
make it a better place for all.”
Citizen of the Year Christian
Barwell from Collaroy
said the motivation for starting
his new disability support
group was having a younger
sibling who lives with a disability.
“[Up & Over] has a strong
focus on providing valuable
and meaningful social engagement
for young people
with disabilities and adding
value to an individual’s time
spent with us.” – Lisa Offord
24 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991

Business of garbage:
Kimbriki flags new
$15 million investment
News
Next time you take the
rubbish out, spare a
thought for where your
garbage is going and what will
happen to it.
In the case of Pittwater, the
destination is Kimbriki Resource
Recovery Centre, which
since its foundation as a local
landfill in 1974 has become a
diverse and complex operation
where 80 per cent of waste is
now recycled.
It is also the most significant
business owned by Northern
Beaches Council, generating
$26m revenue last financial
year through user fees, with an
operating profit of $6 million.
Like any other business,
Kimbriki needs to keep evolving,
especially with changing
community attitudes toward
waste and its impact on the environment.
For Kimbriki, this
means accelerating infrastructure
development through initiatives
including the construction
of a new 9,000sqm landfill
“cell” that cost $5 million and
was finished last June.
Next in the development
pipeline is a Clean Water
Diversion System encircling
the 34-hectare site with an
estimated end cost of up to $15
million.
Kimbriki CEO Peter Davis
tells Pittwater Life the project
– which will capture, treat and
divert 75% of stormwater runoff
away from the site – is going
to tender this month, and
hopes work will start in July.
Combined, he says, these
two projects represent by
far the largest investment
Kimibriki has made in its near
50-year history.
Another major priority is
reducing the amount of landfill,
which is expensive both
financially and environmentally,
says Davis.
“We want to discourage
landfill. The first cost we incur
is an Environment Protection
Authority levy of $146 on every
tonne.”
The other reason is that
landfill costs a lot to manage
– infrastructure is required to
ensure it is safely stored and
does no environmental damage
through soil leaching and
noxious gases.
“It’s not simply a case of
push it into a hole and cover
it over,” Davis explains. “One
of the biggest problems with
landfill is the waste-water that
gets into the rubbish, decomposes
it, creating dirty water
(leachate).”
The good news is that landfill
volumes appear to have plateaued,
even though Kimbriki
became busier through COVID.
“With everyone working
at home there was a significant
increase in terms of the
volume of people coming but
the amount of waste remained
stable, except for concrete and
demolition.
“Obviously, there’s been
a slowdown in that space – I
don’t think there’s too many
Parents and carers of children in
Kindergarten, and Years 1, 2 and 7
will be able to enter school grounds on
the first day to drop off their children
in a COVID-safe way following the State
Government’s release of new guidelines.
Schools will provide relevant information
to families about the processes for
their school prior to the first day.
Parents, staff and students are not required
to wear face masks at school but
in line with Public Health Orders, masks
must be worn by those aged 12 years and
over on any public transport.
Similarly, students aged 12 and over
must comply with the Public Health Orders
around masks at all other relevant
locations within the community, and
also during external school activities.
Parents are asked to avoid coming onto
ACCELERATING INFRASTRUCTURE: Kimbriki CEO Peter Davis says
the centre is in the midst of its biggest investment in 50 years.
people demolishing big buildings
in the city at the moment,
there’s nobody living or working
there.”
Meanwhile, green waste is up
over the past couple of years
due to increased rainfall.
Recycling has much momentum
but, in most cases, the
economics still don’t add up,
says Davis.
“Of all the waste streams,
the only one that is not subsidised
in some way – by that I
mean someone paying a gate
fee, a government subsidy or
us taking a hit on things – the
only thing that can support
itself in terms of recycling
income is metal.
“Everything else apart from
paper (break-even) requires a
cost to process it that outweighs
the end result of that
processing.”
Davis says a major issue
confronting the waste industry
is increasing the percentage of
materials that can be recycled.
“Getting to 80 per cent was a
challenge in itself, but now the
next 20 per cent is becoming
incrementally harder,” he says.
“And so, there’s a lot of talk
about the innovation required
to reduce that 20 per cent further
– and we’ve got a couple
of things we’re hoping we can
bring to bear in the next couple
of years.” – Martin Kelly
COVID won’t stop first day at school farewells
school grounds unless the visit complies
with the current school guidelines, such
as volunteering at the school canteen or
visiting the uniform shop.
Schools can still plan for sporting
carnivals, excursions and overnight
camps in 2021, and special events such
as concerts, with a COVID Safety Plan in
place.
* Special Schools feature – page 58.
26 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991
PHOTO: Martin Kelly

News
SEEN…
A ferocious electrical storm lashed the beaches in early January,
producing this spectacular light show. Readers Richard Turner
and Hamish Downes sent us these eerily similar pics. Downes
snapped his shot (above left) from Bangalley Headland while
Turner braved conditions at Mona Vale Headland (right). “It was
a very tense two hours while the storm raged all around... I
thought I was going to get struck a few times!” said Turner.
HEARD…
Rumblings in the corridors of power, AKA Parliament House,
over the State Government’s ludicrous decision to grant boat
owners from outside Pittwater, AKA ‘The Northern Zone’, an
exemption to access their boats for recreation – despite locals
being in total lockdown. We hear an almost apoplectic local MP
Rob Stokes couldn’t get to the phone quick
enough to call NSW Health Minister and fellow
Northern Beaches MP Brad Hazzard to politely
point out the inequity. Said Mr Stokes: “Many
residents raised with me their concerns, and
I agreed. People hadn’t been able to see their
families for weeks, weren’t able to celebrate
Christmas, and were forced to close their
businesses. With so much sacrifice and
hardship throughout our community, this was
clearly unacceptable and unfair. I am pleased
the Health Minister rescinded the Health Order
regarding access to boats. It’s one thing being
subject to a local lockdown. It’s quite another to
provide an exemption benefiting people outside
the area who are fortunate enough to own a
boat. If Pittwater had to be locked down – then
the same rules should have applied – period!”
ABSURD...
The emerging ‘Eshay’ problem on the Northern Beaches. Not
heard of Eshays? Nor had we. But Beaches locals know about
them all too well, with gangs of teens roaming the streets
causing trouble and looking for fights. Apparently the term
‘Eshay’ has been appropriated from Pig Latin for ‘He’s a Lad’.
We’ve been told of instances of teens abusing commuters
on buses, smashing bottles at wharves and looking to pick
fights. The most recent incident occurred around 8pm on
January 20, when police responded to multiple residents’
calls about a brawl in Bert Payne Park. The crowd had
dispersed by the time police arrived; however, investigations
revealed a 22-year-old man had allegedly been kicked after
falling to the ground (see resident’s pic below), suffering
chest and facial injuries. Police arrested a 17-year-old boy
at a home at Newport the next day; he was charged with
affray. Residents claim police failed
to respond quickly to their phone
calls and point out the lack of police
presence north of Narrabeen bridge
seems to be empowering the gangs.
Narrabeen Ward Councillor Vince De
Luca has written to Police Minister
David Elliott, saying it’s another
example of why Mona Vale Police
Station needs to be returned to full
operation. He says police have “clearly
lost control north of Narrabeen”.
Things certainly seem to be getting
worse – in recent months gangs have
menaced and assaulted police at
Warriewood, and there have been
two local stabbings. Let’s see if police
boost their presence at the very least.
28 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991

The Way We Were
The Way We Were
Every month this year we will pore over 30 years of Pittwater Life magazine. Our first reflection
has provided us with some lovely tales of times gone by, more than a few giggles and showed us
in black and white (and later in colour) how some things never change. Compiled by Lisa Offord
25 Years Ago…
In February 1996, publishers Michael and
Pamela Southern produced 80 pages
printed on newspaper and distributed
to 23,000 homes and businesses in the
“Pittwater Municipality” by a team of local
walkers co-ordinated by Ray Drury.
The mag carried a neat little survey to
cut out and fax(!) to the Minister for Local
Government Ernie Page. Stories included
residents’ opposition to a number of
traffic changes in Avalon such as the
style of traffic control devices to be put
into Avalon Parade at Ruskin Rowe, with
the observation that “… Council staff are
saying that the scheme is a fait accompli
and that in spite of what the public thinks
it will go ahead” and the Avalon Beach
Chamber of Commerce protest about
plans to stop the use of the roundabout
(kamikaze corner) by traffic from Old
Barrenjoey Road in peak hours. In the
lead up to the Federal
Election, “… Mackellar
remains one of the safest
seats for the Liberals
but… the interest centres
on whether Mrs Bronwyn
Bishop can win back the
votes lost in the by-election
when she took over the
seat from Jim Carlton.”
There was a call for more
facilities for skateboarders,
with Kitchener Park Mona
Vale identified as an “…
ideal location for a streetstyle
bowl” ” and community
leaders in Avalon “anxious”
to ensure there was a
15 Years Ago…
facility built in that area, noting “…
skateboarding in the commercial centres
of Avalon Beach and Newport became a
serious problem last year and resulted
in signs being erected banning the
boards.”
Community events included Australia
Day celebrations at Newport Beach,
with line dancing and egg-and-spoon
races and a “… a thong-throwing
competition, still one of the most
popular events.” The 2nd Pittwater
Festival where the streets of Avalon
“… will be decorated with banners
and lights” was heavily promoted.
Highlights included a classical piano
trio hosted in Bronwyn Bishop’s
Newport home; ‘Mal Day’ for surfers
on pre-1968 boards; the artistic
Herman family opening their home
Hy Brasil to the public, writers talks
with Tom Keneally
and Morris West;
and history walks
with Geoff Searl. The Palm
Beach to Whale Beach Swim
attracted 600 entrants.
Advertisements
included LJ Hooker’s
listing for 38 Trappers
Way Clareville; John Stone
Photo & Record Centre
(selling TDK audio tapes
for $6.95); Home and
Away ‘Summer Bay’
T-shirts exclusive to Bell’s
Palm Beach Newsagency;
and a black-and-white
post for Peninsula Netball
Registration Day. Business
Class Europe airfares were $2850. Jonah’s
mains were priced $22-$25 while at ‘Le
Boulevard’ in Avalon, two courses cost
$20. The Newport Bottler had ’89 Wynn’s
Coonawarra Cabernet Hermitage for
$12.95 a bottle and Video Ezy’s ‘Triple
Treat’ deal was a new release (eg Judge
Dredd or While You Were Sleeping), plus
three ‘weeklies’ and two cans of soft
drink for $10.
The magazine also featured ‘A Back
to School’ competition to win an Oxford
Dictionary.
at night. Meanwhile, councillors received a 4% pay
rise from the State Government; Pittwater Council’s
(under the leadership of Mayor Alex McTaggart) last
gasp on the future of hospital services “… yet again
recommending the Mona Vale site”; 637 swimmers
took to the water for the annual Ocean Swim at
Avalon; council’s Traffic Committee was “… trying to
get rid of the pedestrian crossing” at the Palm Beach
Ferry shops; and the National Parks and Wildlife
Service was asking for public comment on plans to
upgrade the access trail to Barrenjoey Lighthouse.
Video camera sales were going through the roof (an
entry-level Canon camcorder cost $530); and Pittwater
Probus celebrated its 24th anniversary. Our
columnists had lots to say: Jennifer Harris wrote on
debate about the ID Card for Australians; Gabrielle
Bryant gave readers tips on how to tend gardens that
were scorched by the “searing heat” of 44 degrees
at New Year; and Nick Carroll reported on how Jessi
Miley-Dyer became the inaugural Billabong World
Junior Women’s Champion.
Meanwhile, advertisements included grabbing any
overnight video, DVD or game hire for $3.85; flying
First Class on British Airways Sydney to London for
$9,236; the minimum charge for a meal (excluding
drinks) at Jonah’s was $35pp; and for $25 you
could take a 2-hour twilight cruise with Palm Beach &
Hawkesbury River Cruises.
5 Years Ago…
By 2016, a full-colour glossy
Pittwater Life was being
nurtured by new owners/
publishers (journalists Nigel Wall
and Lisa Offord) – 32,000 copies
distributed to 27,000 homes
from Narrabeen to Palm Beach by
our own team of walkers (some
families have been with the
mag from the start), dedicated
stands topped up weekly in major
shopping centres including Mona
Vale, Dee Why, Balgowlah and
Manly (yep, our print magazine is
really popular down south!).
Major stories included a call
for residents to have a say on
the future of Pittwater Council
by making a submission for
an expanded Pittwater or one-
Council region to the NSW
Government online; Romilly
Madew was named Pittwater
Citizen of the Year;
Barrenjoey High was selling
paving stones to raise money to
build its performance
space; and local
historian Geoff Searl
was featured as our
‘Life Story’ subject.
And the ads tell a
tale too – Peninsula
Music Club promoting
its four concerts a
year with a sparkling
wine supper after
each performance;
Beckenham
Optometrist proudly
showcasing its new
space in Avalon
Beach; Jonah’s
offering four courses
on Valentine’s
Day for $195pp;
and cruising the
Kimberly Coast
with Ponant (prices
starting from
$6,760 per person
for 10 nights) was
all the rage.
In February 2006, the mag introduced a new cover
design featuring a full-page colour lifestyle photograph.
Major stories included ‘Vandals and plant
thieves running riot in Pittwater … over the December-January
holiday period’ – plants were stolen
from Winnererremy Bay, Avalon and Newport and a
number of shops were also damaged by “… someone
shooting bullets at glass windows in the three major
shopping centres.” Council estimated the cost of
damage and theft was running at between $5,000 to
$7,000 a week during the holiday period. A council
spokesman said he believed “massive graffiti” in
Village Park, Mona Vale and damage to the children’s
playing area was “… caused by youths in the 14-17
or 18-year-old age groups who loiter in the park at
night.” Council employed security guards to patrol
30 FEBRUARY 2021 The Local Voice Since 1991
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2021 31
The Way We Were

News
Pittwater News
BreastScreen Van
at Warriewood
A BreastScreen NSW mobile
screening unit will be stationed
at North Narrabeen Reserve
until February 5 to provide free
mammograms to women aged
between 50-74 years.
Director of BreastScreen
Johnny Jazz &
The Pacemakers
NSW in Northern Sydney
Meredith Kay said a screening
mammogram is one of
the most important things
women aged 50-74 can do for
their health.
“Detecting breast cancer
early increases your chance
of survival while reducing
the likelihood of invasive
treatment, such as mastectomy
or chemotherapy,” she
said. “Around 90 per cent of
women diagnosed with breast
cancer have no family history
and this is why breast cancer
screening is so important for
all eligible women.” To book a
Following the death of Gerry Marsden, the
founder of Merseybeat band ‘Gerry & the
Pacemakers’ on January 3, some local fans
and members of a Mona Vale walking and
swimming group decided to pay tribute in a
somewhat unique way. Four of the group, aged
between 68 and 82, have a pacemaker – and
they teamed with jazz afficionado and passionate
trumpet player John to pose for this photo
for a bit of fun. Pictured left to right are Brian (‘The Chemist’),
Dave (‘The Font’), Steve (‘Mr Rugby’) and John (‘Johnny Jazz’). The group of retirees started
when Steve and John were walking up to the Warriewood Headland in 2013, when John asked if
they should start swimming through winter. “Each morning we get together for the walk, swim,
talk and a laugh,” said John. “The pacemakers themselves serve as a daily reminder of how
important our health and fitness is, but also how important it is to have a laugh.” Photo courtesy
Donovan Callaghan; locationscout.net/@donovan-callaghan
mammogram, call 13 20 50 or
visit book.breastscreen.nsw.
gov.au
Get involved in
Seniors Festival
Council is calling for community
groups organisations and
businesses to be part of the
annual Seniors Festival events
and activities program for the
over-60s. This year the local
festival will run from Tuesday
13 to Friday 30 April. Council
will produce a brochure promoting
local Seniors Festival
events and activities based
around the following themes:
Health including physical
activity, food and nutrition,
and dementia; Technology,
intellectual stimulation and
art appreciation; End of life
planning and accommodation
options; The value of relationships
including intergenerational,
multicultural and
the wisdom of age; Libraries;
Environment and My Aged
Care (accessing services).
Submission of your event/
activity does not mean auto-
matic inclusion in the Festival
printed program. Expressions
of interest close Tuesday
9 February. Go to council
website for more info.
Seniors grants
up for grabs
NSW organisations which help
older people get active and
connected have the chance
to share in the $200,000
NSW Seniors Festival Grants
Program. Acting Minister
for Seniors Geoff Lee said
grants of up to $10,000 will
help local councils, small
businesses and not-for-profit
organisations engage seniors
in COVID-safe programs and
activities during the NSW Seniors
Festival. Grant applications
are now open and can be
submitted at seniorsfestival.
nsw.gov.au until February 4.
Virtual Sydney to
Auckland sailing
Following the postponement
of the 2021 Sydney to
Auckland Ocean Race, the
Royal Prince Alfred Yacht
Club at Newport and Virtual
Regatta have teamed up for a
‘virtual’ Sydney to Auckland
yacht race in 2021 instead.
Virtual Regatta is an exclusive
partner of the ‘World Sailing’
federation and of the ‘eSailing
World Championship’, the
world’s most renowned sailing
eSport competition. Their
product empowers people
to take an active part in the
most famous regattas across
the world, including the Vendée
Globe, Route du Rhum,
Sydney Hobart, The Ocean
Race, America’s Cup and
now the Sydney to Auckland
Ocean Race. The partnership
brings together renowned
offshore sailors and gamers
to race on a realistic platform
that mirrors live conditions.
Sail configurations, wind
and sea conditions as well as
routing choices are all part of
the fun of the real and virtual
races. Organisers say it will be
exciting to have the opportunity
to see how the conditions
in the race would have played
out; and how the high and low
pressure systems throughout
the Tasman Sea will affect the
routing and duration of the
race. “The game uses the actual
weather conditions across
the course for the race so we
will not yet know if it is going
be a long, slow race navigating
a series of high pressures,
or a bumpy blast across the
ditch characterised by low
pressure systems coming up
from the Southern Ocean,” an
organiser said. More info and
to register virtualregatta.com;
visit sydneytoauckland.com
for info on the 2022 Sydney to
Auckland Ocean Race.
Crown lands get
$51m fund boost
The NSW Government will
provide a record $51.7 million
from its Crown Reserves
Improvement Fund (CRIF) to
maintain and upgrade Crown
reserves and community
facilities across the State. Minister
for Water, Property and
Housing Melinda Pavey said
Continued on page 34
News
32 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2021 33

News
Pittwater News
Continued from page 33
this year’s fund has received a
$40 million stimulus boost to
support communities impacted
by bushfires and COVID
with infrastructure improvements
to support jobs and
local economies. “Last year
the Crown Reserves Improvement
Fund supported about
345 projects across NSW and
this year’s stimulus boost will
more than double the number
of projects to 705,” Mrs Pavey
said.
Minister for Planning and
Public Spaces and Pittwater
MP Rob Stokes said CRIF
projects included improvements
to nature reserves,
public halls, surf life-saving
facilities, Scout and Girl Guide
halls, showgrounds, caravan
parks, amenities blocks, PCYC
clubs, racecourses, playground
equipment and more.
“Crown land is for the people
of NSW to use and enjoy, and
to support organisations at
the heart of our communities,”
Mr Stokes said. “This
record $51.7 million investment
will protect and
enhance Crown land while
stimulating local economies
with work for tradespeople.”
More information visit:
reservemanager.crownland.
nsw.gov.au
Bell and Co. team for Echoes of the Jazz Age
Revered actor and director
John Bell and renowned
pianist Simon Tedeschi will
take audiences back to the
brilliance and bedazzlement
of a bygone era when Echoes
of the Jazz Age plays at
the Glen Street Theatre in
February. John Bell talks
about this unique work...
How did you come up with
the concept?
Having enjoyed a couple of
collaborations with Simon
(Enoch Arden and Bright
Star), I wanted to expand
our repertoire to include
Simon’s phenomenal talent in
playing Jazz. There is a lot of
very entertaining literature
from the 1920s, so selecting
samples was easy... But I
realised that to really capture
the Jazz age, we needed a
singer as well, so we offered
the gig to Blazey Best, a fine
actress and terrific singer
who really knows how to sell a
number.
This is your third
collaboration with Simon;
how did you begin working
together?
We first met when Simon rang
me out of the blue and asked
if I would collaborate with
him on Enoch Arden... I was
thrilled with the opportunity
and really relish our
partnership.
What in particular drew you
to F. Scott Fitzgerald and his
essay?
I’ve loved Scott Fitzgerald’s
writing ever since my
university days when I was
introduced to his works
by fellow student Clive
James. The Great Gatsby is
one of my favourite books,
and the essay Echoes of the
Jazz Age is a gem. A number
of extracts from it form the
spine of our show.
How does preparation for a
production like Echoes of
the Jazz Age differ from a
play?
We mostly rehearse
individually, then come
together for half a day to
put the show together. We
also perform with scripts
in hand most of the time to
remind people that this is a
recital rather than a play. We
pretend we are doing a radio
broadcast.
What can audiences expect?
Some fantastic Jazz piano
playing and vocal renditions of
some of the greatest hits of the
1920s, along with the suave
Probus news
The next meeting of the
Palm Beach and Peninsula
Probus Club members is on
Wednesday, February 17. The
speaker will be Ian Thompson,
Industrial Research
Chemist, who spent the last
25 years of his long career
working with Reckitt & Colman
as a Research Scientist in
the development of products
for the control of urban insect
wit of Scott Fitzgerald and
contributions from a range of
celebrities including Mae West,
Groucho Marx, W.C. Fields,
Dorothy Parker and T. S. Eliot.
pests that invade the home,
in particular insects that are
vectors of disease such as
mosquitoes, cockroaches and
houseflies. Meeting starts
9.45am at Club Palm Beach.
Membership is open to retired
men and women and, for those
who have recently moved into
the area, it is an easy and
cordial way to make local
acquaintances. For more
information contact Carmel
* Echoes of the Jazz Age
at Glen Street Theatre on Sat
Feb 14 and Sun Feb 14; adults
$69, bookings glenstreet.com.
au or 9975 1455.
on 9918 5534 or Patricia on
9973 1247.
‘Reel’ Scottish fun
Have fun and improve your
fitness with weekly Scottish
Reel Dancing at Nelson
Heather Centre, Warriewood
– it’s also very good exercise
for your brain to remember
what you are doing! Sessions
run from 2pm to 4pm every
Thursday. Join the friendly
crew and enjoy tea, coffee
and biscuits afterwards; cost
is just $5 a session. No
lock-in commitment; also
no partner required. Ideal
for over-50s and retirees.
Wear soft flat shoes and
comfortable clothes. More
info call Noreen on 9971 1646
or 0413 033 526.
Narrabeen Lagoon
wildlife discussion
The first Forum from the
Friends of Narrabeen Lagoon
Catchment for 2021 will be
on Monday February 22. It
will be presented by keen
observer of nature Jayden
Walsh whose stunning photographs,
information and
presentation style are
renowned by audiences. The
focus will be on wildlife that
lives near the Narrabeen
Lagoon and that, if you are
fortunate, you may see
when on the Narrabeen
Lagoon walkway. Bookings
essential email@narrabeenlagoon.org.au
Vet
on call
with Dr Brown
The causes of vomiting
and diarrhoea in pets are
numerous and can be serious
or relatively mild. Because
there can be a number of
possible causes of vomiting and
diarrhoea in pets tests are often
needed to determine the cause
and therefore the treatment
required. Significant vomiting
and diarrhoea quickly leads to
dehydration which can be life
threatening .
Vomiting and diarrhoea
can be related to a primary
gastrointestinal problem.
The most common reason is
‘dietary indiscretion’ which is
when pets (especially dogs)
eat or scavenge foods that
they don’t usually eat. This
can cause inflammation of the
digestive tract and subsequent
vomiting and diarrhoea. Any
change in pet food needs to be
done slowly to avoid a sudden
change in the population of
the microbiome of the gut
(called dysbiosis) that can lead
to vomiting and diarrhoea. In
severe cases, dysbiosis can lead
to inflammation of the colon –
called colitis, which often leads
to bloody diarrhoea.
Parasites can also cause
vomiting and diarrhoea.
For adult dogs and cats we
recommend deworming
medication be given every three
months. Puppies and kittens
need more frequent treatments
as they are more at risk of
carrying parasites.
Vomiting and diarrhoea can
also be secondary to other
health problems. Liver and/or
kidney disease can affect the
digestive tract secondarily and
cause vomiting and diarrhoea.
Pancreatitis (inflammation
of the pancreas) sometimes
follows ingestion of a very
fatty meat and can cause
life-threatening illness. Dogs
and cats with pancreatitis
often have abdominal pain and
vomiting.
A thorough physical
examination by one of our vets,
blood tests and stool analysis
are often used to determine
the cause of vomiting and
diarrhoea in pets and to
determine the best treatment.
News
34 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2021 35

getting them laughing – or at least
getting them off the subject of maths
homework,” he says.
For a teenage Jonathan, music ruled.
The dream of playing in a band and
thus being irresistible to girls was
intoxicating. On finishing school he
enrolled in a graphic design course
at the former East Sydney Technical
College, where fellow students included
Greedy Smith and Reg Mombassa. He
played keyboard in a band with Rob
Susz, who would go on to front Dynamic
Hepnotics and give ‘Soul Kind of
Feeling’ to the world (and who also lives
locally, on Scotland Island).
“Being in a band helped me be a bit
larger than life,” Jonathan says. “It also
helped build a feeling of security rather
than the insecurity that a lot of people
have.”
He started out in advertising as a
copywriter for Leo Schofield. “I learnt
all about producing radio and television
ads, and ended up getting written into
a TV commercial for Big Sister Fruit
Cake,” recalls Jonathan, who played a
choirboy who asks disbelievingly, “Even
on Sunday?” People still repeat the line
back to him, he says.
His big break came in 1979, when as a
23-year-old who looked 18 he applied for
a TV reporting role on a new children’s
magazine program. “I had to do a screen
test one Saturday morning in Hyde
Park,” he says. “I just jumped around
and talked to passers-by and trees, and
luckily it all clicked.”
Warm-hearted yet edgy, Simon
Townsend’s Wonder World made
Jonathan a star. Aside from acting the
goat and bending television norms, he
conducted what were, in retrospect,
historic interviews with emerging bands
such as INXS. Viewers liked him, almost
as much as they did Simon’s sleepy-eyed
hound Woodrow. His initial 13-week
contract became a four-year ride.
Just as, for many, Ron Howard will
always be Richie Cunningham, for a
Continued on page 38
Clown
Life Stories
Prince
Palm Beach’s Jonathan Coleman retraces his
four decades in television and radio pursuing
a simple goal: to make people laugh.
Story by Daniel Williams
CLOCKWISE FROM OPPOSITE: Jonathan Coleman with
wife Margot at favourite Pittwater venue Jonah’s; with
the crew from Studio 10; meeting Sir Elton John in
London; with movie director George Miller and the late
great Robin Williams; with Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber;
beachside with Margot, son Oscar and daughter Emily;
with radio partner Ian ‘Dano’ Rogerson and PM Bob
Hawke in 1984; meeting ‘The Hoff’; Jono and Dano with
Billy Idol in the 1980s.
Life Stories
Having bought the fruit and veg
and cooled off in the pool, it is
time for Jonathan Coleman to
relax on his rear deck, which affords a
sweeping view of Pittwater.
“I’m living the dream,” says the
veteran entertainer in that distinctive
tone that blends a genial candour with a
tinge of self-mockery.
What a likeable man he is. And what
a survivor. It has been more than 40
years since he appeared as a greenhorn
reporter on Simon Townsend’s Wonder
World. And without once feeling
inclined to overhaul his act he’s been
bantering, pranking and wisecracking
for a living ever since, often on eradefining
shows.
And why change what works? Why
tinker when your persona lies just
beneath the surface of your everyday
self? Jonathan and Jono are the same
man, more or less. “With me,” he says,
“it’s what you see is what you get.”
He is in a mood to reflect, happy to
discuss a lifetime in show business – as
well as a serious health challenge to
which even the jolliest of men are not
immune.
At 64, he has scaled back. While he
remains a regular on the Channel 10
breakfast show Studio 10 and does
community radio, these are part-time
roles he could do on his ear. Recently, he
and wife Margot snapped up this wellsituated
Palm Beach abode, previously
the weekender of former Qantas boss
Geoff Dixon.
“A lot of our friends lived up here
and we’ve always had a love affair with
the area,” says Jonathan, who in 2018
introduced Bob Hawke at an Australia
Day event at Jonah’s where the former PM
crooned Waltzing Matilda. Later that same
year the Colemans came to the Northern
Beaches for keeps. Regrets? None.
Boy Wonder
It’s fitting that a jokester like Jono
was born in mid-1950s London on
February 29. It’s as though ‘missing’ a
bunch of birthdays helped him retain a
playfulness that deserts most people as
life bangs away at their joie de vivre.
His father, Maurice, was a podiatrist
turned confectionary salesman; his
mother, Sylvia, a shorthand typist.
They were both, he says, positive
and fun-loving – “great parents who
always encouraged my sister and me in
whatever we wanted to do”. In 1963, the
family emigrated to Australia, settling
in Bronte when Jonathan was seven.
Already the Jono style was
crystallising, shaped by his affection
for The Goon Show and “all that old BBC
radio comedy”. He was the class clown
at Clovelly Public School and later at
Randwick Boys, but never obnoxious. “It
was just grabbing the teachers’ interest,
36 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2021 37

Life Stories
Continued from page 37
lot of those same ’70s kids Jonathan
is frozen in time as the daffy Wonder
World reporter. And he’s fine with that.
“Wonder World was such a huge program
for people,” he says. “Kids used to come
home from school and watch it, and musos
watched it because it was before MTV
and we used to play a music video every
afternoon. If it hadn’t been for Simon
Townsend’s Wonder World things could
have turned out very differently for me. It
set me up as a TV and radio presenter.”
Off the Charts
In the ’80s, Coleman landed parts
in movies Midnite Spares and Young
Einstein, but radio became the centre of
his life after he set up a meeting with
then Triple J boss Marius Webb.
“I said to Marius I’d love to do a
radio show,” Jonathan recalls. “And he
said, ‘Okay, how about you do a demo
this Saturday night with Ian [‘Dano’]
Rogerson?’” So it was that one of the
great duos of Australian radio, Jono and
Dano, was conceived and unleashed.
In 1988, the pair moved into television
as co-hosts of Saturday Morning Live,
a descendant of Donnie Sutherland’s
Sounds. While the show worked it didn’t
last long, and Jonathan accepted an
offer to front a late-night satellite-TV
show, Jonathan Coleman’s Swing Shift,
in his native London.
He would spend the next 16 years
there – and it was time well spent. In
addition to the period’s professional
high points – success on Virgin Radio,
chatting with Paul McCartney on
breakfast radio, guest appearances on
The Bill – he and Margot brought two
children into the world: Oscar and
Emily, now 27 and 23, respectively.
Jonathan returned to Sydney in 2007,
primarily to be nearer to his ailing mum
but also, he quips, for the sake of the
children: “We wanted Oscar and Emily
to grow up as Aussie kids. We didn’t
want them turning into little Poms.”
On local airwaves, Jono and Dano
resurfaced, while Coleman hosted the
nationally syndicated My Generation. He
has been the beating heart of Studio 10
since the show launched in 2013.
No Laughing Matter
One Friday in 2017, Jonathan got the
news he had prostate cancer. He has had
chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and his
health is being monitored.
The diagnosis, he says, sent a chill
through his bones but there was never
any self-pity. Rather, it was a catalyst to
buy the house in Palmy, to breathe the
salty air on weekend walks, to bathe in
the ocean and improve his diet.
“I’m not eating much, if any, red meat,”
he says. “We’re doing a lot more fish and
vegetables. I’m not drinking alcohol.
I’m exercising without going crazy.” He
has struck, he says, a splendid work-life
balance – “with more life than work”.
Casting an elder statesman’s eye
over today’s radio and TV scene,
Jonathan finds a lack of creativity and
experimentation, which has led, in turn,
to a collapse in consumer loyalty. He can
just manage to tune in occasionally to
the shock jocks – but only for a laugh. “I
just can’t believe that someone is actually
listening to this and taking it seriously.”
It’s a comment that underlines one of
the secrets of his success: he has never
exuded a trace a hubris. “And that’s how
I want to be remembered: as someone
who took the piss out of himself and
everything else.”
There’s a time to be serious when
the camera’s rolling, he says. “But
yes, I’m always quick to get back into
entertainment mode. There’s enough bad
news around. Death is sad. But you also
think, ‘Bloody hell, they got to 70 or 80
or whatever’. We’re all going to go one
day. I could get hit by a bus or I could die
from cancer at some stage. I think you
just make the most of everything and
enjoy yourself while you’re around.”
38 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991

Books
Extraordinary
Old Dogs
By Laura Greaves
Penguin Books $34.99
Books
Pittwater’s dog population
has experienced significant
growth over the past 12 months,
leading to what will be a boom
of next-generation extraordinary
old dogs.
Journalist Laura Greaves
shines the spotlight on a
number of older dogs who have
achieved astonishing things:
from Maya, a rescue dog who
contributed to the saving of
koalas after the Black Summer
bush fires; to Haole the surf
therapy dog battling cancer; to
Chilli who found TV fame in his
middle age.
It’s not only a celebration of
‘senior’ dogs, but also a rally
cry for people to think twice
about giving up on their dogs
once they’ve grown out of their
playfulness or have started to
face health issues.
Extraordinary Old Dogs was
a top pick at Beachside for
Christmas, particularly as a
gift for people who had recently
lost an older dog. It’s a perfect
choice for any reader though, as
these true stories will not only
warm your heart, but also make
you marvel at the incredible
resilience of our canine friends.
– Libby Armstrong, Beachside
Bookshop Avalon
Valerie’s French connection
Bayview resident Valerie Muir is a widely published writer of travel pieces,
poetry and children’s stories. Writing under her maiden name Valerie Helps,
her second non-fiction book A Third of a Pond was released last year. The
book takes readers on a journey covering the purchase and restoration of a
200-year-old farmhouse and the re-creation of its garden, plus rural life in the
Loiret region of France. Valerie illustrates her writing with equal contributions
from her husband, retired architect Geoffrey Bull. Interview by Lisa Offord.
Q: Tell us about yourself and your
connection to the Northern Beaches.
My connection was made with members
of my family during my two-yearly visits
from Greece and France. I have three
daughters and a son. They helped me and
Geoffrey to identify a retirement village
near the beach that had to be pleasing to
the eye, graced with trees and not too hilly
– although views would be appreciated
– close to a small centre and not too far
from them. A tall order!
Q: When and why did you begin writing?
At boarding school in Tanganyika (now
Tanzania) East Africa from the age of seven
I wrote “heart-breaking” poetry and was
good at art and literature, they told me.
Q: What inspired you to write your latest
book?
My books are gleaned from a lifetime of
journals. I have been a successful travel
writer for many years but only thought of
approaching a book publisher per se, seven
years ago. He accepted my first two books
but went belly-up in 2015 in France where
I was living. On my return to Australia
in 2016 I failed to interest a publisher so
approached Pegasus Publishers in the UK.
They have accepted three of my books and
are interested in a fourth.
Q: What are your writing habits?
I write in my head and memory before I
look at my journals. I am an early riser
and write in the silence before dawn, as
the kookaburras share the secrets of the
night. I have an old, wide wooden desk that
keeps me upright and somehow focussed.
It reminds me of my father’s desk where he
wrote his memoirs. One of his antecedents,
a writer, edited Queen Victoria’s diaries* –
perhaps it runs in the family?
Q: Any interesting or surprising
feedback?
The nicest was from someone who
purchased A Third of a Pond through contact
with Avalon library who have been showing
my seven-minute video about the book. She
said she would not permit herself to read
more than one chapter a night for fear the
story would end too soon.
Q: What are you working on now?
The Silent Towers Speak – Secrets of the Deep
Mani – another illustrated memoir about a
remote and unspoiled region of the southern
Peloponnese where we explored ruins and
castles, many mentioned by Homer.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your
writing?
I believe my books offer a gentle escape
from today’s world with its consuming
anxieties and fears. Writing is also an
escape for me.
* Sir Arthur Helps KCB HonDCL (10 July
1813 – 7 March 1875) was an English
writer and dean of the Privy Council. He
was a Cambridge Apostle and an early
advocate of animal rights.
40 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991

From Pittwater to Tokyo
Rowe
talent
In the lead up to Tokyo
2021, Pittwater Life
talks to our local
Olympians as
they prepare for
the games.
From Pittwater to Tokyo
Who: Georgie Rowe
Sport: Rowing
When the 2020 Olympics
were postponed, Georgie
Rowe and her teammates were
sent back to their home states
to keep training. Georgie
returned to North Narrabeen
to resume her career as a
registered nurse, and try to
keep as fit as possible.
“It’s really hard to keep your
mental focus when you’re
preparing for something that
you don’t know is actually
going to happen,” Georgie
says.
And so to keep training
interesting, Georgie attempted
to break a few world records
on her indoor rowing machine
- and broke two of them!
Something she is incredibly
modest about.
“I’m not sure a lot of elite
rowers actually attempt them,”
she laughs. “I’d broken the
5000m women’s world record
back at the training centre
before we left. At home I
attempted the marathon and
the half marathon, and a few
others.”
Georgie broke the world
record for 21km by a whopping
40 seconds, in a time of under
80 minutes.
“It’s great, but the rowing
machine doesn’t float,” Georgie
points out.
Ten minutes on a rowing
machine can seem a long time
to the average gym-goer, so it
begs the question of whether
mental or physical strength is
needed to keep going for over
an hour.
“You have to be physically
fit,” says Georgie, without a
pause. “Rowing is one of the
hardest sports, because it
involves aerobic and anaerobic
capacity. You need power
and stamina, strength and
endurance.”
“People would be amazed at
how much we train,” she adds.
“But you have to be mentally
strong, too. You have to almost
enjoy pain and being hard on
yourself. You either have it or
you don’t, and some of the
girls don’t have that lack of
fear when it comes pushing
themselves hard,” explains
Georgie.
“I think it’s a lot to do with
how you’re brought up,” she
adds.
For Georgie, that upbringing
included playing sport from
the age of five, with three elder
brothers; watching her aunty
Shelly kayak for Australia
at two Olympics (someone
she describes as “a huge
influence”); seeing her parents
separate as a 15-year-old; and
then surrounding herself with
athlete role-models on the
Northern Beaches like Naomi
Flood and Jo Brigden-Jones.
Her route to rowing –
despite that surname – was not
direct. Her aunty’s success saw
her dabble with the kayak, but
she was then drawn to the fun
of the surf club by friends –
initially surf ski paddling, and
then in the surf boat. She loved
her surf seasons with Collaroy,
but had a nagging Olympics
dream. Always performing
well in Erg tests, teammates
suggested the National indoor
rowing competition – and she
duly won it.
Suddenly ‘hot property’, she
had her fare paid to represent
Australia at the 2016 World
Indoor Championship, where
she placed second.
She was then offered
the chance to row for one
of Sydney’s best teams –
Haberfield – and that year
was another gruelling step in
building her mental toughness.
“The whole of 2017 I got
up at 4.15am every day and
drove from North Narrabeen
to Haberfield. I’d row with the
team for 20km, then go for
a run, then come back to the
Beaches for a gym session and
a swim,” Georgie remembers.
“Then I’d go to work as a nurse
from 2pm to 10pm.”
“I only got through it
because of the great support
around me,” she says. “I look
at pictures of myself then and I
look absolutely exhausted!”
At 6 foot 2 tall, physique
is also on Georgie’s side. She
sits in the engine room seat
of Number 4 for Australia’s
rowing eight, where she has
picked up bronze and silver at
the World Championships.
And she is now back at the
training centre preparing for
Tokyo 2021.
“It feels like a lifetime ago
that we were told we weren’t
going to the 2020 Olympics,”
she recalls. “But the girls have
done a great job of training
through lockdown and the
coaches have done a great job
of keeping us focussed and
present.”
As for the whole 2020
debacle, Georgie has a very
positive view.
“The extra 12 months could
be a blessing – I’ve had a year
to get better at rowing.”
“And considering everything
happening, elite athlete is a
pretty good job to have at the
moment.”
If you like extreme physical
pain, that is. – Rob Pegley
42 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991

Art Life
Art Life
Trinity a finalist in prestigious prize
Newport artist Trinity Morris has
been named as a finalist in the 66th
Blake Prize for her artwork ‘Join the
Jesus Army’, inspired by her quest to be
“de-baptised” a Catholic.
The Blake Prize is a biennial event
that engages local and international
contemporary artists in conversations
on the wider experience of spirituality,
religion, and belief.
Hailing from all over the world and
across Australia, 88 finalists were carefully
selected from a record 1,200 entries. The
winner of this prestigious prize will receive
$35,000.
Trinity’s artwork depicts a stainedglass
window, with a cheeky Jesus-like
figure recruiting for baptism.
“As someone who was baptised and
educated in the Catholic School system, I’ve
felt shame and disgust at the wide-spread
and long-running abuse of children and
systemic cover-ups by the Catholic Church,
and I finally decided I wanted to formally
defect… but it wasn’t that simple,” she said.
Trinity explained when she contacted the
Catholic Church to enquire if she could be
removed from the baptismal register (or debaptised)
she was told it wasn’t possible.
She said the church describes the
Baptismal registers as records of historical
events much like Births, Deaths and
Marriages and they instead suggested
the best thing to do was to indicate NO
RELIGION on the next national Census.
“It made me feel that baptism was like
a contract I was locked into as a child and
could never get out of. I had no idea that
baptism was immutable.”
Trinity said she hoped her artwork
would spark discussion about baptism
and defection.
“I also want others who might feel
similar to know that they only have one
opportunity every five years to let the
church know they no longer want to be
counted a Catholic.” The next Australian
Census is in August 2021.
The winner of the 66th Blake Prize
will be announced at the launch on 13
February and the exhibition will be at the
Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre from 13
February – 11 April.
Trinity, who has been creating art since
the age of five, says her work is inspired
by her desire to understand her world.
Her style is influenced by growing up in
the ’80s, and artists like Reg Mombassa,
Keith Haring, and Thierry Noir.
– Lisa Offord
* More info trinitymorrisartist.com
Artists Trail
back on track
After a COVID-induced
hiatus in 2020, The
Pittwater Artists Trail will
return in 2021 with a group
exhibition at Newport
Community Centre on the
weekend of 27-28 March.
Amongst the artists making
their debut on the Trail
this year is Joanna Gambotto,
who exhibited ‘Interior
Worlds: Hill End’ at Manly
Art Gallery and Museum in
2020; Julz Beresford who
paints the Hawkesbury
with expressively thick oils;
and Silver Plus Studios who
showcase handmade jewellery
and accessories.
Featuring a wide array of
artists, both established
and emerging, The Pittwater
Artists Trail Group Exhibition
is an opportunity to
meet all of the Trail members
in one place ahead
of the July and November
Open Studio Weekends.
Visit pittwaterartiststrail.
com.au to view artist
profiles.
Stunning ‘Artists Books’ showcase
Art lovers and bibliophiles will be excited
by the scores of stunning artists’ books
that will be exhibited at Manly Art Gallery
from February 19.
Over 50 artists’ books from around the world
– all finalists in the 2021 Library Artists’ Book
Awards – are featured in the unique exhibition.
Artists books – crossing the boundaries between
the art and literary worlds – are a growing
art form, drawing
in creative people
from many different
practices, such as
visual artists and photographers
as well as
writers. They are works
of art, usually published
in small editions
though sometimes
produced as one-of-akind
objects referred
to as ‘uniques’.
They are made in a
wide range of forms,
including scrolls, fold-outs, concertinas or
loose items contained in a box, as well as
bound printed sheets of all kinds.
In this year’s exhibition, artist Theo Strasser’s
work The Survivors’ Suite was made in his
home during COVID-19 isolation. There are
seven books in the box set, each standing in
for a day of the week. The work (pictured) was
created from materials collected over years and
repurposed to create new imagery linked to the
current times.
Another example is artist Ilona Simon from
Hungary, whose work Koyaanisqatsi was inspired
by Godfrey Reggio’s film Koyaanisqatsi
(1982). In Hopi Indian language, the title means
“life out of balance”. The idea was taken further
by using the ornament of Indian headdresses,
the bird’s feather and
includes 40 drawings
of different bird
feathers.
Since its launch in
2011, the Library Artists’
Book Award has
attracted entries from
around the world, confirming
its status as
a globally recognised
event.
This year, Ross
Heathcote, Curator
of Manly Art Gallery
& Museum and eminent Sydney based artist
Anthea Boesenberg, the judges of the 2021
awards, curated the exhibition and acquired
the books which will form part of the Northern
Beaches Library Service’s permanent collection.
The exhibition runs until March 28.
– Nigel Wall
* More info Council website
Art Life
44 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2021 45

Hot Property
Big capital gains as ‘Northern
Zone’ escapes lockdown pain
Hot Property
Optimism and uncertainty are
unlikely bedfellows but that is the
situation confronting the Pittwater
property market as the summer holidays
(and New Year lockdown) fade into
history.
There’s optimism because of strong
buyer demand, low interest rates and
continued high property prices. Uncertainty
revolves around COVID and the widespread
reluctance of owners to sell until things
become more… certain. But in so many
ways the market remains bullish.
On the ‘flip’ side…
Further evidence that the Narrabeen
peninsula is one of Sydney’s hottest
markets can be found in the off-market
sale late last year of 141 Ocean St for
$3.475 million.
The same property sold for $2.35
million just two years earlier in December,
2018.
No improvements were required to
net a $1.125 million profit for the sellers,
representing an astonishing capital gain
of 48% in just 24 months.
The property is a modern beach
house fronting Ocean Street with partial
ocean views on a 470-square-metres
block including four bedrooms, three
bathrooms, a two-car garage and storage.
It was marketed by Belle Property,
which also sold 105a Ocean St,
Narrabeen, a new semi-detached luxury
beachfront, in early December for $5.61
million.
Meanwhile…
The strong local run continued a few
blocks further north, where a fourbedroom
beachfront home on more than
LOCAL BUYERS:
171 Ocean St,
Narrabeen.
1000 square metres at 171 Ocean Street,
near the corner of Tourmaline Street, sold
for $6.8 million on Christmas Eve.
Agent Nik Vuko from Domain
Residential says most demand came from
out-of-area buyers looking for a holiday
house, but it was eventually bought after
two months on the market by a local
family.
“If I had another two or three like
that, I could sell them in a week,” says
Vuko, who sold the same property for $5
million in 2015.
The Narrabeen suburb record is $7.55
million for 197 Ocean Street, a new sixbedroom
beachfront which appears to
have been rarely occupied since it was
sold in November, 2018.
Selling out,
sizing down
Downsizing is becoming a trend for
people who bought into the upmarket
subdivision at Winnererremy Bay, Mona
Vale, developed in 2000.
Agent Ben Spackman from Raine and
Horne sold 3 Eric Green Drive for $3.9
million two days before Christmas and
was also responsible for the sale of
nearby 6 Eric Green Drive for $4.4 million
in November.
“It’s quite a unique pocket,” Spackman
says. “There was a land release in 2000
and all the properties were built around
the same time, so in most cases these are
original owners downsizing and moving
out of that area.”
He added, “... we have a couple more
homes coming up shortly” and that “... it’s
super popular down there, even though it
is expensive.
“You look at number 3 getting $3.9
million. Big, beautiful home... but it’s a lot
of money for a home without a view.”
New off-market, market
There has been a lot of noise about the
increased number of off market sales in
Pittwater over the past year.
Now there is a sub-category – working
the agency database before paying the
big bucks for advertising on the major
portals Domain or Realestate.com.au.
The LJ Hooker Partnership had much
success with this strategy, supplemented
by strategic print ads in Pittwater Life, in
late 2020 (three $10 million-plus sales in
December) and the good run continued
through January when the Avalon office
sold 508 Barrenjoey Road, Avalon Beach,
for more than the price guide of $5.5
million (listing and ad in the January issue
of Pittwater Life).
Agent Jono Gosselin says the dramatic
clifftop property sold to a couple living in
Singapore who due to travel restrictions
were unable to personally inspect the
property before buying it.
– Martin Kelly
46 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991

Hot Property
Hot Property
Lease and live the dream
Bayview
Unit 9/1754 Pittwater Road
2 bed / 2 bath / 2 garages
Nestled on the shores of Pittwater, the as-new exclusive boutique
complex delivers a level of sophistication, luxury and
style that is simply unmatched by other over-55s.
It features large bedrooms north with water views and travertine
bathrooms with underfloor heating. A fusion of modern
contemporary lines and spaces offers the finest in finishes.
Low-maintenance living unmatched by other over-55s developments.
Designer kitchen includes integrated Miele appliances
and custom joinery with internal laundry.
For Lease $1,500 per week.
* Contact LJ Hooker Avalon Beach’s Sian Uther (0439 844
743) or Liam Pickles (0499 005 479).
Sublime deep waterfront
Clareville
30 Hudson Parade
5 bed / 3 bath / 2 car
Nestled against Pittwater’s foreshore and bordered by a
nature reserve, this impeccable residence feels like a private
coastal retreat; claiming a deep waterfront position complete
with a substantial jetty and pontoon, it’s a classic Pittwater getaway
five minutes from Avalon Sailing Club and Hilltop shops.
The entire layout feels effortless, with banks of bifolds connecting
the fluid, open design to sunlit terraces boasting eastern
morning light and amazing views. It’s been well zoned for
families and guests with dual living areas, tranquil bedrooms on
the ground level plus a top floor master retreat.
* Contact the listing agent @ LJ Hooker Avalon: Claudio Marcolongo
(0418 460 345).
50 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991

Times Past
BEFORE THE BENDS: Barrenjoey
Road (later ‘The Serpentine’)
circa 1920, on the far
right ascending to Kamikaze
Corner – note the pedestrian
short-cut down to the beach
and tiny Bilgola House; Fill
already deposited and awaiting
planting (below, October
1997); photo taken around
1935 showing the similar
area and original vegetation
down the side of the road.
Times Past
Bilgola Bends
story stretches
Before ‘The Bends’, ‘The
Serpentine’ was actually
Barrenjoey Road. Prior
to the late 1920s, visitors
to the northern beaches
were forced to negotiate the
descent down to Bilgola Beach
and then the ascent to the
north on what was then an
unsealed road!
After wet weather, early
resident Madge Breckenridge’s
job (around 1920) was to
stand on the running board
of the family sedan as they
climbed up to Kamikaze
Corner. Halfway up the
incline was a permanent
watercourse (as there is today)
and to avoid the rear wheels
losing traction, Madge used
to grab an armful of bush to
shove under the wheels.
In the real estate section of
‘The Sun’ in October 1926 it
was reported:
“A start is already being
made, for a deviation is to
circle the ugly hill which
divides Newport from
Avalon.”
This was the beginning of
the mighty ‘Bilgola Bends’,
which aimed to provide
much improved access to the
northern beaches.
“This deviation will do
more than cut out a badsurfaced
route with a nasty
grade. It will improve the
road to the north by adding
new scenic vistas.”
No-one disagreed with the
benefits which The Bends
would bring; however, after
approximately five years, the
threat of the establishment
of a quarry around the Bends
aroused a great deal of angst.
An attack on the Main
Roads Board was made by AJ
Small, the vice-president of
the Parks and Playgrounds
Movement of NSW (and
‘father’ of Avalon Beach); he
contended that “… it would
destroy the beauty of a spot
unique in the State”.
Apparently the stone was
to be used in the construction
of the deviation of Barrenjoey
Road around Bushranger’s
Hill near The Avenue,
Bungan.
The Bends took more than
a few years to construct,
excavate, fill and build the
‘viaduct’ over the watercourse
from Hewitt Park, seal the
road surface and fence the
road, especially on the steep
northern section.
Fast forward to July 1979,
and significant roadworks to
‘widen the Bends’ had begun
in earnest by the Department
of Main Roads. Approaches by
the Avalon Preservation Trust
and the then MP for Pittwater,
Mr Max Smith, to the
Planning and Environment
Minister, Mr Paul Landa, fell
on deaf ears but it did halt
the sealing of the newly filled
area which they planted out
with native shrubs and trees.
Originally the DMR
reported late in 1979 that the
filling work would continue
so the area would be stable
for road building when they
did have the money… “in
around five years”.
Thankfully 1983 came and
went, and The Bends remain
green!
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.
Photos: Supplied x 2; Geoff Searl.
54 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991

Sporting Life
Sporting Life
The Reds renewed for a mighty 2021
After navigating the challenges of a
COVID-19 interrupted season last
year, Avalon Soccer Club head into
2021 renewed, refreshed and ready for
the club’s biggest year ever.
Despite a three-month delay to the
2020 season, and the numerous challenges
of operating under the pandemic
restrictions, Avalon SC was able to deliver
a largely interruption-free season for its
1,200-plus members, spread across more
than 90 teams. Returning club President
John Kowtan (JK) says he’s proud of the
way the club handled the disruption, and
keen to get back to work and deliver an
unforgettable 2021.
“There’s no doubt the club and community
faced some major challenges over
the past 12 months, and I’m so proud of
how our Avalon Soccer Club committee
and members came together to ensure
we could deliver pretty much a full season,”
JK said.
“But that’s hopefully behind us now,
and we have a new-look committee in
place bursting with energy and new
ideas, ready to deliver a great year for the
club and the community.”
Online registrations are now open via
the club’s website avalonsoccerclub.com.
au – this is the best source for general
information about the club and the season
ahead, with the club also holding its
annual Information Day at the Careel Bay
Clubhouse on Saturday 6th February from
9am – 3pm.
“We’re in the Early Bird phase of registration
so I’d encourage everyone to join
as soon as they can, and then head
down to the club on the 6th, the
shop will be open so grab some
gear, meet the committee, ask
any questions you have, and learn
about some of the great new initiatives
we have coming up.”
One of those initiatives is a new player
development program that will allow
members from U6 to U18 access professional
coaches, who will run multiple sessions
across the year aimed at all abilities.
JK is delighted to be able to kick off
2021 on such a positive note.
“Every year we hear from parents who
wish that their kids could stay at Avalon
and receive additional coaching instead
of having to travel out of the area or join
external academies. Well, we’ve listened
and we’re delighted to be able to offer
this opportunity for professional coaching
for those who wish to utilise it right
here at Careel Bay.”
The club continues to go from strength
to strength on the field, with more champion
and top division sides in 2020 to
add to what is an impressive honour roll
already:
■ W18/1s – 7 x League Champions and
6 x Grand Final winners, FNSW State
Cup Winners & CofCs Winners
■ WPL – Grand Final winners (2017) &
FA Cup winners (2016, 2017 & 2018)
■ MAL1 – Semi-Finalists (2016, 2017 &
2019)
■ MWFA League & GF winners:
WAL1 – 2014
W18 – 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
W16 – 2013, 2014, 2018
W15 – 2016, 2017
W14 – 2013, 2015,
2016, 2019
W13 – 2015
W12 – 2013, 2014,
2017
■ FNSW Champion of Champions
(CofCs):
W16 – 2013, 2014, 2018 winners
W14 – 2016, 2019 finalists
Off the field, COVID-19 caused a delay
to the launch of the club’s ambitious
‘PROJECT 2030’ plan, but the new year
delivers new impetus for ‘JK’.
“We can’t wait to get the ball rolling
on Project 2030. We’ll establish a series
of sub-committees to help us deliver on
our agenda to deliver this club on and off
the field. There’ll be a focus on football
development, infrastructure, sponsorship
and marketing, as well as administration
and the club’s history.
“With the council committed to deliver
an artificial field to Careel Bay in the coming
years, it’s an incredibly exciting time
to be involved at the club, and we encourage
anyone who wants to play their part
to get in touch, or come and see us.
“Join us down at The Bay and find out
why we say ‘Avalon is
Magic’!”
* More info visit
avalonsoccerclub.
com.au
56 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991

School Life
HIGH ACHIEVEMENT:
Knox Grammar
ranked 19th out of
650 schools in NSW.
The very best
in primary care
School Life
Newport resident and
keen surfer Peter Grimes,
the principal of Mosman
Prep School, shares with
Pittwater Life his views on
educating young boys in
the best way possible.
It soon became clear, when we met
Peter Grimes to discuss Mosman Prep
School’s approach to education, that he
is incredibly passionate about teaching.
Or moreover, the overall development of
young children.
Twenty minutes in, there had been no
mention of algebra or NAPLAN – instead
Peter focused on how he helps
young boys to become decent men
in the community.
“We aim to create a setting that
gives young boys the freedom to
learn intellectually, spiritually and
physically,” explains Peter.
It’s not that Mosman Prep
undervalues academic achievement,
in fact they excel – many of the
boys go on to schools such as
Shore or Scots College – it’s just
that there is so much more to how
they develop young boys.
And before you think ‘Mosman
is a long way away’, access is
essentially door to door via the new
private bus from Newport.
Aristotle said: “Give me a child
until he is seven and I will show
you the man.” Peter is only too
aware of how crucial those early
developmental years are.
“We know that the ages of two
to seven are critical for brain
development – and if we don’t get
it right at primary school, then it’s
hard for the high schools to catch
that up,” Peter explains.
“But that’s not just in terms
of education, it also extends to
values, character and interpersonal
skills,” says Peter. “So we extend
our offering beyond the classroom,
to work on kindness and empathy
and team work with the Good CHAP
program.”
Good CHAP (Community Helps Assisting
People) encourages students to live out the
school motto, Non Nobis Solum, meaning
Not for Ourselves Alone. It helps students
to learn personal and social responsibility,
and compassion and care for others via
activities such as musical performances at
nursing homes, fundraising initiatives by
the students, and cooking meals for the
homeless.
On their own initiative, some students
wrote ‘thank you’ cards to hospital staff
during the pandemic and even donated
their pocket money towards coffee
vouchers.
It sounds a simple premise, but there
is a great deal of work done behind the
scenes to achieve the right environment.
ENTHUSIASTIC:
Mosman Preparatory
School principal and
Newport resident
Peter Grimes.
Data-driven teaching and learning
programs mean that individual children
don’t slip through the net. Research-based
strategies in education are employed, and
a high ratio of teachers to students.
The school works hard at intentionally
building relationships with the children
that allows trust to flourish and a happy
environment in which they want to learn.
And boys especially need to know why
they are learning, so relevance and
purpose are emphasised.
Importantly, there is lots of hands-on
practical application which means the boys
don’t get bored – this includes outdoor
learning at the school’s offsite location in
Terrey Hills.
A keen surfer, fisherman and reader,
Peter himself understands the
need for a rounded lifestyle. And
with three teenage sons – the
eldest having just finished his HSC
– he also has personal experience
of developing young men.
Now, having been at Mosman
Prep for 18 months he is keen for
Northern Beaches residents to
know what the 116-year-old school
can do for their children.
“Every kid wants to succeed,
whether they display that or
not – some just need greater
support than others,” he says.
“We want our boys to be happy
and feel they belong. So we have
high expectations, clear and
consistent boundaries, but we also
want them to have fun and build
relationships.
“Eventually students have to
make specialised choices, but early
on we want to give them as wide a
variety as possible, so that those
choices are good ones.”
It seems too good an
opportunity to be limited to the
Mosman area…
“Previously it was very much
Mosman-based students, but
increasingly that demographic is
changing. There is no boundary to
where you live and we actually run
safe coaches to Newport.”
“There are opportunities for kids
from all areas,” says Peter.
– Rob Pegley
58 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991
Knox reflects on standout year
Knox Grammar reports
outstanding results in
the 2020 Higher School
Certificate, with 30 boys
achieving an ATAR of 99+,
118 boys achieving 95+ and
196 boys attaining an ATAR
of 90+.
Two Knox students achieved
the ‘perfect score’ ATAR of
99.95.
“What has shone through is
the incredible resilience of our
students and school community,”
said Knox Headmaster
Scott James. “While the boys
were challenged in every
respect, they have proven they
are strong and capable leaders.
The Local Voice Since 1991
“The boys worked and
studied as a team, supporting
each other to improve their
performance individually and
collectively.”
He said the teachers, with
their high expectations of the
boys and themselves, selflessly
worked to ensure each
boy had been fully supported
in his learning, especially during
remote learning.
Knox ranked 19th out of
650 schools in NSW, with 845
Band 6 results (subject results
of 90+).
“As a non-selective boys’
school, we are extremely
pleased with the results. Each
boy’s result is a reflection of
his own commitment, dedication
and focus,” said Mr James.
Forty-seven Knox boys were
placed on NESA’s All Rounders
Achiever’s List for achieving
90 or higher in their best 10
units.
Fourteen Knox students
placed in the Top Achiever’s
List for placing in the top 20
in NSW in a course, including
Bilgola Plateau’s Finn Cameron
who placed 8th in Legal
Studies.
Other notable achievements
included Jeremy Dunn
(Singleton) having his Visual
Arts Major Work, ‘Murmuration’,
selected for ARTEXPRESS
at the Art Gallery of NSW,
while Roseville Chase’s Nick
Reynolds was selected for On-
STAGE for his theatre reviews.
“Even as we recognise and
celebrate the boys’ success,
we know that the value of
these young men is neither
described nor determined by
their marks,” said Mr James.
“We celebrate in seeing them
enter a rich and rapidly changing
world, to enjoy it fully and
in due course leave their mark
upon it.”
* A full report on Knox’s
2020 HSC Results is available
at knox.nsw.edu.au
FEBRUARY 2021 59
School Life

School Life
School Life
COURTED
SUCCESS:
Kitty Henderson.
Oxford Falls Grammar has
proudly unveiled its new
crest and new academic and
sports uniforms for students
from Kindergarten to Year 12 .
A school’s ‘look’ exemplifies
who it is as a community,
explained OFG Principal Dr
Peter Downey.
“Crests and uniforms reflect
a school’s unique culture,
style, geography and values,”
he said. “They traditionally
provide a sense of identity
and are a source of pride, connecting
and uniting generations
of students and alumni.”
Dr Downey said the new
school crest was a strong
visual representation of OFG’s
ethos and unique culture.
“Our new crest is strategically
built upon our school
ethos – For Greatness, For
Excellence, For Christ – utilising
three symbolic images
encased within circle.”
The Crown represents
Kitty delivers perfect
balance at St Luke’s
After 12 years at St Luke’s Grammar,
Catriona Henderson graduated in 2020
with a wonderful balance of elite academic
and sporting achievement.
‘Kitty’ walked through the door in Year 1
in 2009 and left the campus having contributed
significantly to the sport profile of St
Luke’s, while also being recognised as an
All-Round Achiever in the 2020 HSC Examinations
(achieving a 90% or more mark in 10
or more units).
Kitty excelled in many sports during
her time at St Luke’s. She competed at a
National level, starting in the first five at
several National Basketball Championships
and also progressed through to the Australian
All Schools Triathlon Championships on
multiple occasions.
In recent years, Kitty participated in and
won State and National Basketball championships,
as part of both the St Luke’s Opens Girls
team and the Manly Warringah Representative
Basketball teams. On several occasions, Kitty
was named as the MVP, and her success on
the Basketball Court has seen her receive a full
Basketball Scholarship to Columbia University,
Oxford Falls’
smart new look
Greatness; the Star represents
Excellence; and the Cross
represents Christ.
“The reintegrated colours
of navy and red signify the
strong emotional connection
many families have made
with our school since 1984, a
seamless integration of past
and present.”
Over the next two years the
independent co-educational
Christian school’s green
blazers, tartan dresses and
tomato-coloured PE uniform
will be phased out in favour
of a contemporary suite of
bold navy blue, red and white
garments with a subtle accent
colour of sand.
The new uniforms utilise
modern designs that provide
a consistent look across the
different Year groups.
Age-appropriate uniform
options also provide students
with a variety of choice and
flexibility, including shorts
and pants for girls.
And the contemporary
fabrics are practical, enabling
students to undertake various
activities and stages of school
life while feeling smart and
comfortable.
The PE and sports uniforms
in particular use state-of-theart
technologies and fabrics
for comfort and durability.
Reflecting on the year that
was, Dr Downey said the
school was “immensely proud”
of the Year 12 Class of 2020.
“Our Dux achieved an ATAR
of 99.25 and over 90% of the cohort’s
course averages exceeded
the state average,” he said.
NY in 2021.
In addition, Kitty received the School’s
highest sport awards each year since her commencement,
culminating in the achievement of
the prestigious St Luke’s ‘Sports Person of the
Year’ award in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 &
2020 – her entire high school career!
COVID aside, undoubtedly the biggest
change at St Luke’s in 2020 was the actual
‘changing of the guard’, with the School welcoming
new Principal Geoff Lancaster in Term
3, following the retirement of Jann Robinson.
With a new leader at the helm, and the
uncertainty of ever changing COVID restrictions,
the Class of 2020 certainly had
reasons to become unsettled and lose their
focus. However, their resilience and perseverance
shone through, with their outstanding
HSC results ranking St Luke’s at an
incredible 24th in the State.
Further analysis of the results shows that
St Luke’s achieved the result of 2nd in the
State amongst all co-educational independent
schools, and 1st on the Northern
Beaches out of all comprehensive schools.
– Nigel Wall
UNVEILED: Oxford Falls Grammar’s new crest and uniforms.
“This is an amazing achievement
considering the challenges
2020 presented.
“Inspiring students to reach
their full potential is grounded
within our ethos of ‘For Excellence’,
in part illustrated in
the number university offers
received.
“The OFG Class of 2020
students received 111 early
university offers, even before
they commenced their HSC
examinations – this demonstrates
how each student
individually excelled, living
and valuing our school ethos,”
explained Dr Downey.
– Lisa Offord
60 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991
Mater Maria Open Day
Mater Maria Catholic College – the only
co-educational Catholic secondary
school in Sydney’s northern beaches – is
holding its next Open Day on Thursday
March 4.
Located in the tranquil bush setting of
Warriewood Valley, Mater Maria CC is a
co-educational systemic school for Years
7 to 12; it welcomes all families who are
seeking a faith-based, co-educational,
quality education for their sons and
daughters.
With newly opened buildings and
specialised learning spaces for STEM,
digital learning, drama, fitness,
hospitality, languages, music, science,
timber, textiles and visual arts, the
facilities at Mater Maria CC are modern
and equipped to offer engaging and
creative ways of collaboration and
communication.
Its new learning resource centre and
student learning hub provide students
with an excellent educational experience
focused on deep learning, positive
support networks and an infinite array of
opportunities. Students are challenged and
supported to realise their potential with a
focus on maximising individual growth.
The College provides opportunities for a
variety of academic pathways.
Mater Maria Catholic College offers
The Local Voice Since 1991
an extensive extracurricular program in
creative and performing arts and is well
resourced with an impressive auditorium
‘the Byrne Theatre’.
An equally impressive gymnasium
offers multiple sport opportunities and a
gathering space for College events. With
a huge oval, outdoor court, cricket nets,
students have a vast array of sporting
opportunities available to them and
teams regularly compete in the Broken
Bay Sports Association and the Peninsula
Cup. Elite sporting pathways are open
to Mater Maria students and the College
proudly supports many students onto
higher sporting honours.
A range of significant liturgical events
are celebrated by the students and
staff in its beautiful modern chapel
which is located centrally in the College
grounds. Students have opportunities
to be involved in social justice and
environmental stewardship initiatives.
All visitors are welcome at the Open
Day on March 4 and there is no need to
preregister. Once NSW regulations ease,
college tours will resume to allow parents
and prospective students to experience a
day in the life of a Mater student.
* For more info or to request a
prospectus visit matermaria.nsw.edu.
au/enrolments.
REALISING POTENTIAL:
Mater Maria Catholic
College, Warriewood.
FEBRUARY 2021 61
School Life

Surfing Life
Surfing Life
Justine latest proof ‘Girls Can’t
Surf’ is so far off the mark
Further exploding the ‘Big Balls’ myth...
All sorts of surfing
gender myths have been
exploded over the years
– both in and out of the water.
The terrific documentary
‘Girls Can’t Surf’, which
recently premiered at the
Sydney Film Festival, details
how the top women pro
surfers of the 1980s had to
work through calcified layers
of boy-privilege in order to
make space for themselves
and the generations to follow.
Those women, just girls
at the time, didn’t have a
Stephanie Gilmore or a Tyler
Wright to look up to. They just
had themselves, and a big
idea.
Yet Steph and Tyler –
Australia’s biggest surf stars,
bar none – are the result.
Those two, and the many girls
in their wake, have blown up
the myth contained in that
doco’s name and left it in the
shorebreak. You’d have to be
an exceedingly silly man to
look at them surf and still think
they couldn’t (surf that is).
But one myth has struggled
on, clinging to life, a last
bastion of macho surfing
belief. The myth of Big Balls.
Ever since Waimea Bay in
Hawaii was first ridden back
in 1957, these outsize male
genitalia have apparently been
the most vital equipment for
anybody in the pursuit of
larger than normal surf.
The hallowed heroes of
big surf’s pioneer days were
all men, and big men at that:
Greg ‘Da Bull’ Noll, Buzzy
Trent, Jose Angel, Eddie Aikau,
Bob Pike, Rick Grigg, Rodger
Erickson, Ken Bradshaw. They
were built like NFL linebackers
and they wore their
masculinity like Superman’s
cape, even if they were
anything but invulnerable.
Even the death toll among
their ranks seemed to gild the
machismo encrusting their
mythic status in the surfing
world.
All the language around
their pursuit reeked of warlike
bravery in the face of terrible
danger. They “charged”.
They rode “big guns” – “rhino
chasers”, even! – and took off
with Nick Carroll
TUBULAR BELLE:
Justine Dupont rides a
50-footer at Peahi in
Hawaii last month.
on “bombs”. But most of all,
they had Big Balls. This was
the sacred quality gifted to
them by those (also pretty
much all men) who stood
awestruck on the Waimea Bay
sand and watched.
Cue Justine Dupont.
Justine, a 29-year-old surfer
from Bordeaux in south west
France, is a high achiever. She
heads up the International
Surfing Association’s athlete
62 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991
PHOTO: Courtesy surfline.com
NICK’S FEBRUARY SURF FORECAST
This is shaping up to be a BIG month of surf. After a pretty
quiet few weeks, the north-west monsoon is beginning to pour
energy into the atmosphere over the south-west Pacific, which
means serious tropical cyclone activity is imminent – indeed
by the time you read this, it could already be underway. Once
they get going, cyclones are hard to predict, but La Niña
years often see them shifting further south than usual and
occasionally tracking all the way down to the Tasman Sea.
When this happens, boom! And I think there’s a fairly high
likelihood that it will. Watch for consistent onshore winds
early in the month, bringing rain and messy conditions, then
swinging to a more favourable southerly angle through the
month. Larger than normal windswell type surf should be
interlaced with heavier bursts of groundswell from the east
and north-east, and if a cyclone falls the right way, don’t be
surprised to see a real Event. Mega- swells, erosion, and all.
Nick Carroll
commission. She understands
organisations. In mid-January
this year at Peahi in Hawaii,
she rode through the tube of a
50-foot wave.
It was a ride none of big
surf’s pioneers could even
have imagined, much less
pulled off.
Justine was in Hawaii after
a quick flight from California,
where she had been surfing
giant Maverick’s south of
San Francisco for a week. “I
thought it might have been
a bit too much, like my body
wouldn’t be able to handle it,”
she told surfline.com later.
“But at the same time, when
I saw the swell, it looked so
big.” I.e. irresistible.
She and her jetski driver
Michel Larronde waited a long
time for the wave. “I was really
confident in Michel. A set
came and nobody was going,
so we went for it.”
Afterwards, she sat on the
back of the jetski, wondering
if she should go again. “The
crew told me, ‘You’re not
going to get a better one
today. For sure you could get
a bigger one, but not a better
one’. So I had a voice in my
head telling me that I should
rest... I was happy with that.”
Happy!
The language around big
surf is changing, as are the
mix of people involved. At
Waimea Bay, while Justine was
riding through her fabulous
barrel, half the waves were
being ridden by women.
Some, like Emi Erickson,
daughter of Rodger, who
rides her Dad’s old board just
The Local Voice Since 1991
to feel it, have a bloodline.
Others just got a good
surfboard, paddled out, and
got hooked on the rush.
Like every other surf spot
in the world, the Bay – once
Big Balls Only – is now almost
50/50.
Even the men are changing.
The best big wave rider in the
world right now is 33-yearold
Kai Lenny, of Maui, and
other than his extraordinary
skill and balance, Kai’s most
obvious quality is... neatness.
If you ever visit his home
surfboard storage, you’d
better make sure your shoes
are clean, or you’re NOT
COMING IN!
And Kai’s not even that big.
If they stood together on a flat
surface, Justine would have to
look down at him.
Thing is, the Big Balls myth
has always been just that – a
myth. Surfing big waves isn’t
about gender. It’s not even
much about courage. Instead
it’s about adrenaline, about
doing crazy things for fun
with your friends, and about
finding new ways to test your
skills. Masculine genitals not
required.
I have a feeling that in
coming years, the myth will
be dispensed with forever. A
lot of girls will have watched
the video of Justine’s ride. A
few of them will already be
trying to figure out the next
step toward such a ride. As
the great Pam Burridge says
during the closing credits to
‘Girls Can’t Surf’: “If you can’t
see it, you can’t be it.”
Well, now they can see it.
FEBRUARY 2021 63
Surfing Life

Health & Wellbeing
Health & Wellbeing
Smart nutrition focus
helping to minimise
menopause symptoms
It’s accepted a diet rich in
vegetables, fruits, whole
grains, nuts, seeds and
legumes, with healthy protein
choices and moderate physical
activity will assist healthy
ageing.
What many women may not
know, is how particular foods
and dietary changes can also
help fight unwanted symptoms
of menopause.
Menopause is the final
menstrual period – and it’s a
natural part of life.
The average age for women
in Australia to reach menopause
is 51 or 52 years, but
anytime from 45 to 55 years
is common, according to Jean
Hailes for Women’s Health.
Symptoms can be physical,
mental and emotional… and
they can be wide-ranging.
Common symptoms include
hot flushes, night sweats,
joint and muscles aches, vaginal
dryness and fatigue.
No two women experience
menopause the same way. One
in five women don’t experience
any symptoms. Another one
in five will have symptoms so
severe that they significantly interfere
with their daily life. For
three out of five women, the
symptoms of menopause are
mild to moderate.
Northern beaches-based
Holistic Health Coach Katie Pinnick
was 43 when she started
early menopause. She, like
many women, wasn’t prepared
for the emotional and physical
changes until she began
to experience unpleasant
symptoms.
“One of the numerous health
challenges at this stage in life,
for some women, is inflammation,”
Katie said. “My joints
started to hurt – I thought I
was either developing arthritis
or had a debilitating virus.
“I was really feeling very
sorry for myself and of course
having erratic sleep patterns
compounded this,” she said.
NATURAL
APPROACH:
Katie Pinnick.
In a search for relief Katie,
who studied nutrition and
was training as a Whole and
Natural Foods Chef, turned
her thoughts to food.
“I realised that this was a
stage in my life where I had to
develop an anti-inflammatory
diet – and fortunately because
of my training, dietary
changes were easy,” she said.
Katie focussed on boosting
her healthy diet with
nutritious foods that fight
inflammation including good
fats such as extra virgin olive
oil, plenty of leafy green
vegetables, wild blackberries,
oily fish, fresh and medicinal
mushrooms, flaxseed, turmeric
and ginger.
“This helped a little, but I
did have to use whole food
supplementation as well.”
Seven years later, and now
post-menopause, Katie has
had many friends wanting to
learn about her experience.
“I tell them to take a preventative
approach – reduce
inflammation now!”
Katie recently founded her
own health and wellbeing
company – Sage Wellbeing Co.
“I knew that an important
offering of my curation needed
to address inflammation – I
researched omega-3 and turmeric
and now sell products
that work for me and that I
truly believe in,” she said.
“I offer 10 per cent off
first orders, because I really
want people to experience
healthy ageing and to be
feeling boundless,” she said.
(Use code SAGETRIBE at the
checkout).
Every woman experiences
menopause in a unique way,
so the best course of action
is the one that works for you.
If your symptoms are severe
and impacting on your quality
of life or you are concerned
about your health and wellbeing
talk to your GP.
– Lisa Offord
Low carb
approach to
managing
diabetes
64 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991
A
new study suggests that
type 2 diabetes can be
reversed through a short-term
low carbohydrate diet.
Australia’s national science
agency, CSIRO, conducted
research with labs across
the world and found that a
dietary pattern that is lower
in carbohydrates and higher
in protein and healthy fats is
more effective for improving
blood glucose management.
Published in the British
Medical Journal last month,
scientists analysed 23
published clinical trials
worldwide, comparing low
carbohydrate diets with mostly
low-fat control diets.
Professor Grant Brinkworth,
contributing author to the
study and CSIRO Research
Scientist, said the findings
showed those who better
adhered to the low carb
dietary approach had the
greatest health improvements.
“Building on existing
research, this study
underscores that a low carb
diet can achieve greater
weight loss and is more
effective in reducing diabetes
medication and improving
blood glucose control,”
Professor Brinkworth said.
“However, this study has
gone one step further in
showing the low carb dietary
approach to be effective in
driving type 2 diabetes into
remission.
“We know that lifestyle
factors such as what we
eat play a major part in
determining our risk to
type 2 diabetes.
“The good news is these
lifestyle choices are within our
control to change,” he said.
Diabetes Australia says
there is no one-size-fits all
approach to food and diabetes
and encourages people who
are considering low carb
eating to talk to a qualified
health professional to ensure
their eating plan is safe and
enjoyable.
– LO
Bookings open for Zonta brekkie
B
ookings are now open for the Zonta Club of Northern
Beaches’ annual Pittwater International Women’s Day
Breakfast on Wednesday March 3 at The Royal Prince Alfred
Yacht Club.
Guest speaker is performer, concert soloist, session
singer and recording artist Sam Shaw, who has appeared in
lead roles in many West End of London top rating musicals
including Les Miserables, Oliver, Grease and Saturday Night
Fever.
Moving to Sydney in 2008 with her family, Sam now
enjoys a full career as a vocal coach teaching at the Sydney
Vocal Arts Centre and in her home suburb, Avalon.
Sam is also the parish singing leader for the Catholic
Parish of Pittwater and runs a community singing group
called The Big Sing, based in Avalon. The Big Sing welcomes
anyone who just loves to sing and have fun at the same time.
The 2021 Pittwater Woman of the Year will be announced
at the breakfast by the local member Rob Stokes.
Zonta Club of Northern Beaches is a member of Zonta
International, a global organisation of executives and
professionals working together to advance the status of
women worldwide through service and advocacy. Zonta
International is affiliated at the United Nations with other
major women’s organisations.
This breakfast marks International Women’s Day (March
8); tickets $50pp, bookings by February 22.
More info facebook; email pittwateriwdbreakfast@gmail.
com or phone Susie (0413 623 392) or Sue (0407 850 860).
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2021 65
Health & Wellbeing

Health & Wellbeing
Health & Wellbeing
COVID highlights why general
vaccinations are so important
Vaccination is currently a
huge talking point, with
the world-wide testing
for the most effective and safe
COVID-19 vaccine.
Currently, the NSW Poisons
and Therapeutic Goods
Regulation has granted
approval for appropriately
trained pharmacists in NSW to
administer privately funded
influenza vaccine, diphtheriatetanus-pertussis
(dTpa) and
measles-mumps-rubella (MMR)
vaccine to selected patients.
It is likely that pharmacists
will also be able to assist in
providing a COVID-19 vaccine
in the future.
While we wait in
anticipation, it is important
as a community we
understand the importance
of vaccinations. Immunisation
is a safe and effective way to
protect you and children from
harmful, contagious diseases.
It also safeguards the health
of other people, now and for
future generations.
Vaccines are only given
after a long and careful review
by scientists, doctors, and
healthcare professionals.
Vaccines can involve some
discomfort, redness, or
tenderness at the site of
injection – but this is minimal
compared to the dangers of
the diseases these vaccines
prevent. Side effects following
vaccination, such as a severe
allergic reaction, are very
rare. (Although if you are
anaphylactic to anything,
please let your healthcare
professional know before
receiving a vaccine.)
Vaccination rates are
nearly 95% for 5-year-olds
in Australia, but we need
to do more to protect our
community.
Before vaccination
campaigns in the 1960s and
1970s, diseases like tetanus,
diphtheria, and whooping
cough killed thousands of
children. Today, it is extremely
rare to die from these diseases
in Australia.
All diseases we vaccinate
against can cause serious
ongoing health conditions, and
sometimes death. Immunisation
is a safe and effective way of
protecting yourself against
these diseases.
Immunisation protects
with Andrew Snow
more than you from serious
diseases. When you get
immunised, you protect
yourself as well as helping to
protect the whole community.
When enough people in the
community get immunised,
it is more difficult for these
diseases to spread. This
helps to protect people who
are at more risk of getting
the disease, including
unvaccinated members of the
community. This means that
even those who are too young
or too sick to be vaccinated
will not encounter the disease.
We call this ‘herd immunity’ –
and it can save lives.
Anyone who is around
babies should be up to date
with their whooping cough
vaccine. This can provide
indirect protection for
the baby. A baby’s family
members and caregivers are
not only protecting their own
health, but also helping form a
“cocoon” of disease protection
around the baby during the
first few months of life.
If enough people in the
community get immunised
against a disease, the infection
can no longer spread from
person to person. The disease
can die out altogether. For
example, smallpox was
eradicated in 1980 after a
vaccination campaign led by
the World Health Organization
(WHO).
A similar campaign by
the Global Polio Eradication
Initiative has succeeded in
reducing the number of polio
cases. There are now only a
few cases remaining in the
developing world.
In March 2014, the WHO
declared that measles was
eliminated in Australia. But it
is important to maintain high
levels of vaccination against
measles. It can still come to
Australia by travellers from
countries where the disease is
common.
For more information on the
importance of vaccinations,
speak to your health care
professional.
Pittwater Pharmacy &
Compounding Chemist
at Mona Vale has operated
as a family-run business
since 1977. Open seven
days; drop in and meet
the highly qualified and
experienced team of Len,
Sam and Amy Papandrea
and Andrew Snow. Find
them at 1771 Pittwater Rd;
call 9999 3398.
Men urged:
Swim sober
This summer, someone
has died from drowning
almost every day. Men
continue to be overrepresented,
accounting
for 75% of drowning deaths
over this summer. One-third
of drowning deaths have
occurred at inland waterway
locations.
Inland waterways are the
leading location for drowning.
Over the past 10 years, most
drowning deaths in men have
occurred at unpatrolled inland
waterways such as rivers and
creeks, accounting for 31% of
deaths, more than any other
location.
Royal Life Saving research
shows that the risk of
drowning doubles on public
holidays, with alcohol being
a major risk factor. People
are twice as likely to drown
when drunk (Blood Alcohol
Concentration ≥0.05%) on a
public holiday than any other
day, with 37% of drowning
deaths on public holidays
involving alcohol.
Health & Wellbeing
66 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2021 67

Health & Wellbeing
Health & Wellbeing
Mausoleum of The Holy Way
offers new memorial choice
The new Mausoleum of
The Holy Way at Macquarie
Park Cemetery and
Crematorium will offer families
an exceptional memorial option
when it comes to remembering
and honouring the lives of
ancestors.
Work is progressing on the
construction site of the new
mausoleum, which will become
the centrepiece of a major
expansion project underway at
Macquarie Park Cemetery and
Crematorium, North Ryde.
The Mausoleum of The
Holy Way is expected to be
ready by the end of 2021; it
will stand as an impressive
semi-open structure built on
undeveloped land adjacent to
the Stations of the Cross area,
in the Catholic section.
Its design complements existing
surrounds and provides
a sanctuary for remembrance,
worship, and quiet reflection.
Northern Cemeteries CEO
Pauline Tritton said the project
represents a significant commitment
for Macquarie Park,
and one that will help support
Sydney’s growing need for
burial and vault options.
“Caring for our community,
in all its diversity, means
providing a level of memorial
choice that is strongly aligned
with the demands and expectations
of our increasing population,”
Mrs Tritton explained.
“Our new mausoleum will give
ARTIST’S IMPRESSION: The new Columbaria (above) and Pool of Reflection (below).
families an additional and exceptional
option when it comes
to remembering and honouring
the life of their ancestors – for
generations to come.”
Mrs Tritton said features
included 660 above-ground
crypts with natural stone; five
distinct family vaults each providing
12 crypt spaces; various
columbaria spaces for ash interments;
high ceiling levels; and
use of stone and other natural
finishes to reflect a high quality
and sustainable approach.
The new area will also
incorporate a courtyard and
water features, new landscaping
including a separate reflection
garden, and an amenities block.
“Offering this opportunity
further serves our community
who now expects and appreciates
better memorial places,
spaces, and surrounds,” said
Mrs Tritton.
Northern Cemeteries is a
leading not-for-profit memorial
provider overseeing five sites
located on Crown land throughout
the northern suburbs of
Sydney and Newcastle.
Each site has its own distinct
personality catering to diverse
communities with individual
cultural, traditional and religious
needs.
“Northern Cemeteries strives
to ensure all users experience a
high level of care, quality, and
respect,” Mrs Tritton said.
* For more information about
the Mausoleum of The Holy
Way call 1300 389 888 or visit
nmclm.com.au
Wear Red Day
for heart research
Heart disease is the single biggest
cause of Australian deaths. Wear
Red Day is Feb 14, Valentine’s Day,
but Heart Research Australia based
at Royal North Shore Hospital has
been raising awareness in January
and will continue its campaign
throughout the entire month of
February encouraging Australians
to wear red for someone close to
their heart to help keep families
together for longer. Getting
involved is as simple as
wearing red and donating at
heartresearch.com.au
Free healthy
lifestyle course
A free online healthy lifestyle and
physical activity program is now
available for people aged 60 and over,
and Aboriginal people aged over 45
years, living in Northern Sydney.
Healthy and Active for Life Online
(HALO) is a NSW Health initiative that
aims to support older adults to lead more
active and healthy lives while increasing
their knowledge, skills and confidence in
becoming more physically active and also
helping to prevent future falls. Each 10-
week program will coincide with school
terms, with online self-paced interactive
healthy eating and lifestyle modules
supported by graded beginner level,
exercise videos to do in your home each
week. At times that suit them, participants
will also receive weekly phone support
from a trained coach. Participants need
access to a computer or tablet with
internet, space to exercise safely
in the home, ability to understand
and read English, and considered
a beginner in physical activity
programs.
To register, or for
more information, visit
activeandhealthy.nsw.gov.au/
home/
Charity to
support local
cancer patients
A group of locals touched by cancer
have come together to form a new
charity offering support to people
undergoing cancer treatment. The
Northern Beaches Community
Cancer Care Association (NBCCC)
will work in conjunction with
professional caregivers associated
with the Northern Beaches
Hospital. Due to launch this month, the
NBCCC will fundraise for equipment
and research and focus on building a
supportive community network where
cancer patients and their loved ones
can “connect with others in meaningful
ways”. To support the NBCCC, get
involved or learn more visit nbccc.
org.au
Health & Wellbeing
68 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2021 69

Health & Wellbeing
with Rowena Beckenham
Why it’s smart to customise
eyeware to suit your needs
Health & Wellbeing
Relying on one pair of
glasses for all your
life’s activities and
tasks will almost always be a
compromise when it comes to
your vision and eye comfort.
There will be times when a
different pair of glasses would
be an advantage for other
aspects of your life. Many
optometrists recommend
specific-purpose frames
and lenses to give you the
best visual performance
and protection, whatever
your vision demands. With
many of us working in new
environments, the New Year is
a perfect time to start thinking
about what you need most
from your lenses to suit your
lifestyle.
Lenses are not all created
equal. Whilst we love frames,
Beckenham Optometrist
believe that lifestyle-specific
lenses are key to delivering you
the best vision. An essential
step in prescribing the right
lens is understanding how you
use your eyes in the different
aspects of your life. Whether
you spend time gardening, on
the computer, reading, playing
sport or crafting – the lens and
frame choice will vary based
on your vision needs.
Yet the question remains:
what do you need your
glasses for? Here are your
eyewear options:
Work Glasses. Based on your
work environment and the
visual tasks you perform, we
recommend frame and lens
solutions to maximise your
vision, eye and neck comfort,
UV protection and eye safety.
Computer Glasses. Spend a
few hours or more a day on a
computer or device? Computer
glasses/digital eyeware are
designed to give you optimal
close-up and intermediate
vision as well as reduce digital
eye strain, neck and shoulder
discomfort and blue light
exposure.
Outdoor Glasses. We live in
such a beautiful sunny part
of the world and this means
prescription sunglasses are
like sunscreen for your eyes
delivering necessary glare and
UV protection together with
clear vision. Add polarised
lenses and you’ll have the
best outdoor vision and eye
protection available.
Sports Glasses. Sports-specific
eyewear can enhance your
performance whilst protecting
your eyes against harmful UV
rays and injury. Sports-specific
coloured lenses highlight
colours, alter light levels,
enhance clarity and reduce
glare. If you’re a regular at
Palm Beach Golf course or
hitting the North Avalon tennis
courts this summer, there is
a design to suit everyone’s
needs.
Driving Glasses. Road
safety starts with good
vision. Progressive lenses
are recommended for a
smooth visual transition for
all distances, (i.e. from road
signs in the distance to the
dashboard up close.) Polarised
filters, tints, and anti-reflective
coatings to minimise glare and
light distortion from oncoming
headlights, particularly when
driving at night.
Reading Glasses. Do you wear
multifocal glasses and enjoy
reading and other close-work?
A specific pair of reading
glasses will provide clear,
uninterrupted vision for these
activities.
Contact Lenses. Most of the
time, wearing glasses is no
problem, but there are times
when glasses can get in the
way. Today’s advances in
materials and design means
almost everyone who wears
glasses can enjoy the freedom
and convenience of contact
lenses.
If you think it might be time
for a new pair of glasses, or
if you need a task specific
option, make sure to book in
for an eye examination, and
get the most out of 2021.
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 20 years,
in addition to working
as a consultant to the
optometric and
pharmaceutical industry,
and regularly volunteering
in Aboriginal eyecare
programs in regional NSW.
70 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2021 71
Health & Wellbeing

Hair & Beauty
with Sue Carroll
Oxygen skin treatments will
help you to ‘age with attitude’
Hair & Beauty
Weigh up a better smile
The state of your teeth Dr Astrid Kylstra from Avalon
Beach Family Dental said teeth, can do a lot of damage
bicarbonate of soda on your
can affect how you look
and feel, especially as even subtle changes in your for no real whitening gain.
you age, but with proper care smile can make a difference in The ADA also advises you to
your pearly whites can look as the way you look and feel. keep in mind that crowns,
good as new.
“As teeth wear, the jaws veneers and fillings don’t
Our teeth can become move closer together when change colour when you have
darker in colour with age, can biting, this has the effect of your teeth whitened.
wear down from decades of giving your facial profile a Veneers
biting, chewing and grinding prematurely aged look with a Veneers are thin, tooth-coloured
and become more prone to promienent chin and creating
porcelain or glass/plastic
chips and cracks, gum disease
promient grooves on the layers fixed onto the front of
and tooth decay.
face,” Dr Kylstra explained. your teeth that can be a suitable
While you can’t prevent
Worn teeth also look shorter
option if you have teeth
the natural process of aging and squarer which can contribute
with gaps, that are stained, dis-
there are things you can do
to a prematurely aged coloured, broken or chipped,
to minimise the risk of dental look.
crowded-in or crooked, oddly
problems and top of the list is “Building up worn teeth by shaped or badly aligned.
good oral hygiene.
adding bonded resins can Crowns
Regular brushing and flossing,
be a viable and affordable If your broken or decayed
check-ups and dental alternative to more traditional tooth needs to be rebuilt, it’s
cleanings and a healthy diet methods such as crowns and possible your dentist will use
are critical in maintaining porcelain veneers,” Dr Kylstra a crown to do the job. Crowns
healthy, good-looking teeth said.
are generally made from
said Dr Joanne Evans from The Australian Dental
materials such as porcelain,
Gateway Dental Care in Mona Association (ADA) lists the and porcelain/metal combinations.
Vale.
following treatments:
Not only do they make
“The prevention of dental Teeth Whitening
your teeth look more attractive,
problems is always the more While you can buy overthe-counter,
but they also give them
affordable alternative to treating
use-at-home added strength, durability and
them when it’s too late toothpastes and strips, the stability.
and costly,” Dr Evans said. ADA says your dentist is best Teeth straightening
“That’s why we place so qualified to determine if you Using corrective items like
much emphasis on diagnostic need teeth whitening. They braces and plates, your dentist
and preventive treatment.” can diagnose the reason for or orthodontist will line up
If you have periodontal the discolouration and its your teeth within your jaw to
disease, today’s advanced type and can then advise the not only enhance your smile
treatment and procedures can most effective treatment for but also to aid more efficient
usually save your teeth. you. The ADA warns incorrect use of the affected teeth.
If you are self-conscious use of bleaching agents may Dental implants
about your smile, dentists can cause irreversible damage If you have missing teeth, your
advise on a range of simple to your teeth and gums. dentist may suggest the use of
cosmetic and aesthetic treatments
DIY bleaching comes with implants to replace them. Not
which can change the all sorts of risks, and home only may your smile improve,
look of your teeth and even remedies such as rubbing you may also enjoy a better
improve your facial profile. strawberries, lemons, or even quality of life.
– LO
72 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991
For both men and women,
our skin and body need
water, food and oxygen
for basic cellular functions.
Oxygen skin treatments have
been a weapon of choice for
many years by celebrities to
keep signs of aging at bay
and to be red carpet-ready.
A large amount of oxygen
that is used by the skin
passes into the skin from
the atmosphere. Oxygen
must meld into the skin
and then into the part of
the skin known as the basal
layer which is located in the
top layer of the skin (the
epidermis). Even though all
layers of the epidermis utilize
oxygen, it is the basal layer
that consumes most of the
epidermal oxygen. This is
so important to understand
as without the ability for the
oxygen to get into the skin
first, and then down to the
basal layer next it would
not make any sense for
the oxygen to be used as a
treatment.
Oxygen therapy for the skin
will improve skin brightness
and clarity; increase the
delivery of nutrients to
the skin; detoxify the skin
and assist with reducing
breakouts; increase cellular
metabolism; and soothe,
hydrate, and soften the skin.
This means that oxygen skin
treatments may assist with
improving visible signs of
aging, dull, dry complexions,
acne rosacea and active acne.
Even though the skin is our
largest organ it is usually the
organ that comes off on the
shortest end of the metabolic
stick. When our skin ages
there is a decrease in the
circulation, our tissues and
cells undergo damage, there
will be a sluggish immune
system, and a reduction in
our metabolic activity just
to name a few changes.
The skin is also assaulted
daily by free radicals, both
The Local Voice Since 1991
outside and inside the body.
Any treatment of aging
skin should not only be
incorporating an internal
antioxidant and glycation
free diet but should also
incorporate a home care
regimen with antioxidant,
peptide, growth factor and
vitamin c topical cocktail
application. Add this to an
in-clinic oxygen treatment
or course of treatments and
the skin will start to heal and
express its gratitude with
radiance.
Depending on the severity
of decline of the skin, the
relaxing oxygen treatment
can be received up to three
times per week for the
first two weeks and then
incorporated once a month
either as a stand-alone
treatment or used with other
modalities.
Topical oxygen therapy
is also a useful treatment
modality to assist with the
reduction of both acne and
rosacea skin conditions. When
considering treating acne,
the epidermis needs oxygen
to kill bacteria, to reduce
swelling, to initiate new blood
vessel production, to supply
energy to the cells, and to
stimulate fibroblast activity.
When applying the mist-laden
oxygen to the surface of the
skin, it distributes effective
levels of oxygen into the
hair follicle and targets the
sebaceous gland where oil
is produced. Rosacea which
is often characterized by
persistent redness, flushing,
small pimples and burning or
stinging may also be treated
effectively with the fine, wet
form of oxygen. When used in
conjunction with a cocktail of
bioflavonoids, chamomile and
natural antimicrobial agents,
the results can provide
almost instant calming and
relief from the bright red
appearance along with a
reduction in the pimples and
inflammation of the blood
vessels. Oxygen treatments
have also shown to be
effective in the reduction
of the Demodex mite and
the infection Heliobacter
pylori, both of which are
often prolific in the rosacea
affected skin.
Using oxygen for skin
treatments is an art by your
aesthetician, even as a oneoff
skin radiance treatment.
When used in clinical
treatments, a combination
of oxygen, enzymes and
a cocktail of vitamins and
minerals externally, the
benefits of oxygen skin
treatments will assist when
you want to age with attitude.
Sue Carroll is at the forefront
of the beauty, wellness
and para-medical profession
with 35 years’ experience on
Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
She leads an experienced,
professional team who are
passionate about results for
men and women.
info@skininspiration.com.au
www.skininspiration.com.au
FEBRUARY 2021 73
Hair & Beauty

Business Life
Business Life: Money
with Brian Hrnjak
Mortgage boom conundrum:
Seriously, you want it when?
This month a look at the
continuing strength of
the property market
and some elements of the
home loan approval process
affecting business applicants…
It would seem that the love
affair Australians have with
residential property is not just
a many splendored thing but
something unaffected by the
uncertainties thrown up by
the pandemic – at least that’s
how it feels on the Northern
Beaches anyway.
In mid-January the ABS
released the latest statistics from November 2019; ■ Owner/occupier first homebuyer
are seeing the first home buy-
covering the period up to ■ Construction loan commitments
commitments were ers back at the same level that
November 2020 for new home
were up 75% from up 42.5% to 13,905 from we saw back in 2009.’
loan commitments; some highlights
July 20 and following the start of 2020 to November So it’s the first home buyers
from their news release: June implementation of
2020 – the highest they’ve driving the market for new
■ The value of all new loans the Government’s Covid-19 been since 2009 when the home loans driven by low
for housing was up 23.7% HomeBuilder grant;
Commonwealth Government
interest rates, government
temporarily tripled the incentives and the fear of
first homeowner grant in missing out (FOMO). Investors
response to the GFC.
are still there but their share
In The Sydney Morning represent about 21% of the
Herald on 20 January, Clancy applications according to AFG
Yeates and Jennifer Duke which is the lowest percentage
picked up on the trend that: going back to 2013. I don’t
‘First home buyers are flooding know how long the investors
back into the property market will stay subdued; lately I’ve
lured by ultra-low interest rates come across plenty of them
and government support.’ weighing up a 2% net yield
Quoting David Bailey from from property with prospects
ASX listed mortgage broker of capital growth versus nothing
AFG: ‘The company’s latest
from bank deposits.
figures showed 22 per cent of With all this extra demand,
loan applications lodged by its Karen Maley in the Australian
brokers in the latest quarter Financial Review on 22 January
were for first home buyers, considered the RBA’s relaxed
compared with the historical position on house prices even
average of about 12 to 13 per with estimates of price growth
cent of loans going to first time of 5 to 10% per year from most
buyers.’
of the major bank economists.
These figures were echoed Maley argues the Bank’s
by Mortgage Choice CEO comfort stems from their wider
Susan Mitchell in the same view on low wages growth,
article: ‘Over the past two low immigration and elevated
months the market had been unemployment levels, with the
“very buoyant,” with loan applications
head of the RBA referring to
up by 25 to 30 per estimates of strong growth in
cent compared with a year certain areas but not across
earlier. Ms Mitchell also noted the country as a whole.
the surge in first home buyer Maley also made the following
activity, saying these buyers
interesting observation in
accounted for almost 25 per her article: ‘Not only are the
cent of applications, up from banks offering tantalisingly
13 to 15 per cent normally. We low mortgage rates, particu-
74 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991
larly for fixed rate loans,
they’re also working hard to
slash their turnaround times.
Lenders have discovered that
mortgage brokers are now
quick to move their business
away from lenders whose
approval times are too long.
Still, at least so far, there’s no
indication the banks are relaxing
their credit standards in an
effort to boost their share of
the lucrative mortgage market.
It’s likely that bankers still
have too vivid a memory of the
humiliation they suffered at
the hands of the Hayne Royal
Commission, which put some
of their past lending mistakes
on bruising public display, to
drop their credit standards too
far.’
Behind every good housing
boom are the usual suspects:
bankers, real estate agents,
mortgage brokers, lawyers and
accountants. Remember, the
last two in this list aren’t trying
to sell you something. If you
feel the urge to join the crowds
heading for the gold rush and
you need a loan you should
get your fiscal ducks in a row
beforehand.
The comment above in
Karen Maley’s article regarding
approval turnaround times
by the banks reflects a real
concern we see affecting the
access to debt. Since the introduction
of the National Consumer
Credit Protection Act in
2009, ASIC regulation around
lending and the aftermath of
the Hayne Royal Commission,
the credit departments inside
the banks have been well and
truly in charge.
If you are an individual or
couple with clean credit, in
long-term professional jobs
with large employers and you
can prove your income with
The Local Voice Since 1991
PAYG withholding statements
you can stop reading now, go
straight to your preferred bank
or one of these new slick digital
offerings and apply for a
loan; it won’t be a problem. If,
however, you have ‘issues’ it
may pay to engage a broker to
help you navigate the process
and identify the best loan for
your circumstances.
If you are a small business
person and want a loan,
you’re likely to need a team
consisting of bank, broker and
accountant to get this project
over the line. If you are starting
the application process from
scratch don’t for a moment
think that you are going to be
attending an auction this Saturday
with unconditional finance
approval in your back pocket,
the feedback from our broker
is that you should allow up to
a month when dealing with the
major lenders – COVID working
conditions and high demand
have taken a toll on processing
what banks consider to be
‘complex’ transactions. Having
your accounts reconciled and
up to date is great starting
point as well as ensuring that
all past tax obligations are met
– they will check.
Small business finance applicants
should also be cautious
of mortgage brokers who think
there are ‘magical’ letters written
by accountants that can
overcome poor credit or trading
outcomes or offer some
form of economic vaccine from
COVID-19 – this would be like
believing in unicorns. It’s far
more likely the broker has
oversold their ability to get
you a loan, or the bank is just
being plain lazy with due diligence.
The accountants I know
around here are way too smart
to fall for that.
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.
FEBRUARY 2021 75
Business Life

Business Life: Law
with Jennifer Harris
Business Life
What you need to know when
planning Strata renovations
Throughout the year of
the pandemic, while
working from home
and in the recent peninsular
lockdown, renovations and
supply of materials have
been in demand. In fact, local
hardware outlets have been
inundated such that they
experienced shortages of
supplies e.g., paint.
The desire to renovate
has required careful
planning, particularly in
strata buildings. As part of
the revamp of the Strata
Schemes Management Act,
the NSW Government sought
to make the planning and
approval process easier for
owners in Strata Schemes
to understand, whilst also
ensuring that adequate
protections are in place for
other owners in the Scheme.
Under the new Act,
renovations are classified
under 3 categories – cosmetic
work, minor renovations,
and major renovations. Each
of these has its own type of
approval process, so owners
planning to renovate their
property need to be aware of
these before proceeding with
any works.
Cosmetic works – or do it
yourself – indicates that it is
not limited to:
• Installation or replacing
hooks, nails, screws for
hanging paintings and
other items on walls.
• Installing or replacing
handrails.
• Painting.
• Filling minor holes and
cracks in internal walls.
• Laying carpet.
• Installing or replacing builtin
wardrobes.
• Installing or replacing
internal blinds and curtains.
Cosmetic works are
superficial changes to the
look and feel of the property
for which you do not need
to have committee approval.
However, while making
cosmetic renovations within
the property, you will be
responsible for any damage
to the common property.
Minor renovations
For minor renovations,
approval by ordinary
resolution of the Strata
Committee is required.
Minor renovations include:
• Change to recessed light
fittings.
• Installing hardwood floors.
• Removing carpet to expose
hardwood floors.
• Installing air-conditioning
or replacing wiring cabling
or power or access points.
• Installing a rainwater tank.
• Installing a clothesline.
• Installing a heat pump.
• Installing heat insulation.
The above will not be
considered minor renovations
if they involve structural
change. For these renovations
to proceed approval is
required from the Owners
Corporation. A motion
granting approval is usually
FINE PRINT: Know your
obligations when planning.
passed at a General meeting,
however the motion can be
passed at a Strata Committee
meeting if the Owners
Corporation has previously
passed a by-law delegating
authority to the Strata
Committee to approve minor
renovations.
To obtain approval of
the Owners Corporation
you are required to submit
to the Strata Manager a
carefully worded motion
supported by any relevant
information, e.g. pictures,
plans, commencement dates
and details of tradesman,
including licence details
of those to undertake the
works. The motion will be
added to the agenda and will
be circulated to all owners
usually 21 days prior to the
meeting.
The Owners Corporation is
entitled to place reasonable
conditions on the proposed
works, including assurances
that any damage to common
property be rectified by the
unit/lot owner.
Major renovations – require
a Special Resolution
approval vote.
Interestingly the Strata
Schemes Management Act
does not specifically define
“major renovations”, so what
is not defined as Cosmetic
or Minor Works are deemed
Major Renovations.
The Owners Corporation
will require sufficient
details of the work prior
to being able to approve,
including providing plans,
contractor details/licences,
commencement and finishing
dates of the work being
carried out unlike for minor
renovations the Owners
Corporation cannot delegate
approval to the Strata
Committee.
If the local Council is
involved, it will require
evidence of Owners
Corporation approval prior to
development approval being
granted.
Works that would be
deemed major renovations
include:
• Changes affecting the
structure of the building
such as removal of any
structural walls.
• Changes affecting
waterproofing including
bathroom renovations or
changes to balcony tiles.
• Works concerning fire
safety, cladding and/or
insulation.
• Changes to the external
appearance of the unit such
as awnings, window blinds,
air-conditioning units,
decks, satellite dishes and
access ramps.
The Strata Schemes
Management Act requires that
a common property rights
bylaw be registered before an
owner can undertake major
renovations. The main reason
for this is to ensure that
responsibility for the future
maintenance and repair of
the works and the common
property affected by the
works passes to the property
owner.
A Special Resolution at a
General meeting is required
for a by-law granting approval
for major renovations. This
means that no more than 25%
of the unit holders entitled to
vote against the resolution.
If the motion is to be
placed on the agenda for an
upcoming meeting, then no
additional fee will be payable.
However, if an Extraordinary
General Meeting is required
for the motion to be approved
before the next scheduled
meeting then a fee will be
payable for the additional
meeting.
So, what are the steps in
obtaining approval and a bylaw
for renovations?
1. Draft a by-law usually with
the assistance of a strata
lawyer. The by-law needs
to describe the renovation
works, specifying the
location of the works and
indicate any impact the
works will have on common
property.
2. The draft by-law and
consent to the Strata
Manager and request them
to place on the agenda for
the next General meeting.
3. All unit/lot owners will be
provided with the agenda
for the meeting together
with your draft motion and
by-law, usually 21 days
prior to the meeting.
4. At the meeting unit/lot
owners will vote on each
of the motions listed on
the agenda, including your
motion which needs to be
specifically resolved.
5. The motion having been
specifically resolved;
the new by-law needs to
be added to the list of
schemes existing by-laws
before the by-law can be
registered. Consolidation of
the by-laws will require the
assistance of your strata
lawyer. Before you can take
this step, it is wise to check
with the Strata Manager to
confirm whether costs will
be covered by or shared
between yourself and the
Owners Corporation.
So, before you begin
renovating you must confirm
that your by-law has been
registered with the Land
Registry Services (Titles
Office). For this to take place
you will need your lawyer’s
assistance.
The process of renovating
can be an interesting
lockdown experience,
provided you take the
appropriate steps to
obtain approvals from the
Owners Corporation and
have communicated with
your neighbours. Indeed a
successful result can add
much to the value of your
property in 2021.
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
76 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2021 77

Trades & Services
detection, roof installation and
painting. Also roof repairs specialist.
Trades & Services
AIR CONDITIONING
Alliance Climate Control
Call 02 9186 4179
Air Conditioning & Electrical
Professionals. Specialists in Air
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AUTO REPAIRS
British & Swedish Motors
Call 9970 6654
Services Range Rover, Land Rover,
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Narrabeen Tyrepower
Call 9970 6670
Stocks all popular brands including
Cooper 4WD. Plus they’ll do all
mechanical repairs and rego inspections.
AV INSTALLER
Chase AV
Call Erin 0429 336 606
End your frustration with a suite of
Savant products to bring you stressfree
TV and music.
BATTERIES
Battery Business
Call 9970 6999
Batteries for all applications. Won’t
be beaten on price or service. Free
testing, 7 days.
BOAT SERVICES
Avalon Marine Upholstery
Call Simon 9918 9803
Makes cushions for boats, patio and
pool furniture, window seats.
BUILDING SERVICES
Rob Burgers
Call 0416 066 159
Qualified builder provides all carpentry
needs; decks, pergolas, carports,
renos & repairs.
CLEANING
Amazing Clean
Call Andrew 0412 475 2871
Specialists in blinds, curtains and
awnings. Clean, repair, supply new.
The Aqua Clean Team
Call Mark 0449 049 101
Quality window washing, pressure cleaning,
carpet washing, building soft wash.
Housewashingnorthernbeaches.com.au
Call Ben 0408 682 525
Celebrating 21 years on Pittwater.
Softwash experts, pressure cleaning,
gutters & windows inside & outside.
CONCRETING
Pavecrete – All Concrete
Services
Call Phil 0418 772 799
pavecrete@iinet.net.au
Established locally 1995. Driveways plus
– Council Accredited. Excavation service.
ELECTRICAL
Eamon Dowling Electrical
Call Eamon 0410 457 373
For all electrical needs including
phone, TV and data. Pittwater-based.
Reliable; quality service guaranteed.
FLOOR COVERINGS
Blue Tongue Carpets
Call Stephan or Roslyn 9979 7292
Northern Beaches Flooring Centre has
been family owned & run for over 20 years.
Carpets, Tiles, Timber, Laminates,
Hybrids & Vinyls. Open 6 days.
FLOOR SANDING
Pittwater Eco Floor Sanding
Call 0425 376986
Floor sanding & polishing; staining &
lime washing; installation & repairs;
rejuvenation; decking and outdoor
timber. Call for your free quote.
GARDENS
!Abloom Ace Gardening
Call 0415 817 880
Full range of gardening services
including landscaping, maintenance
and rubbish removal.
Melaleuca Landscapes
Call Sandy 0416 276 066
Professional design and construction for
every garden situation. Sustainable vegetable
gardens and waterfront specialist.
Precision Tree Services
Call Adam 0410 736 105
Adam Bridger; professional tree care by
qualified arborists and tree surgeons.
Tree Force
Call Guy 0411 730 239
Professional, safe 7 cost-effective
service. Specialising in all aspects of tree
work. 30 years on Northern Beaches.
GUTTERS & ROOFING
Cloud9 G&R
Call Tommy 0447 999 929
Prompt and reliable service; gutter
cleaning and installation, leak
Ken Wilson Roofing
Call 0419 466 783
Leaking roofs, tile repairs, tiles
replaced, metal roof repairs, gutter
cleaning, valley irons replaced.
HANDYMEN
Onshore Handyman Services
Call Mark 0415 525 484
Tick off your wish list of repairs and
improvements around your house!
KITCHENS
Collaroy Kitchen Centre
Call 9972 9300
Danish design excellence. Local
beaches specialists in kitchens, bathrooms
and joinery. Visit the showroom
in Collaroy.
Seabreeze Kitchens
Call 9938 5477
Specialists in all kitchen needs;
Trades & Services
Antique
General
Store
78 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2021 79

Trades & Services
design, fitting, consultation.
Excellent trades.
MASSAGE & FITNESS
Avalon Physiotherapy
Call 9918 3373
Provide specialist treatment for neck &
back pain, sports injuries, orthopaedic
problems.
PAINTING
Modern Colour
Call 0406 150 555
Simon Bergin offers quality painting and
decorating; clean, tidy, great detail you
will notice. Dependable and on time.
PEST CONTROL
Predator Pest Control
Call 0417 276 962
predatorpestcontrol.com.au
Environmental services at their best.
Comprehensive control. Eliminate all
manner of pests.
PLUMBING
North Beachside Plumbing
Call 1800 99 58 58
General and emergency services. Hot
water; CCTV sewer and stormwater
inspections. Serving Northern Beaches
for 30+ years.
Rapid Jet Pipe Cleaning
Call 1800 99 58 58
Sewer & stormwater pipe rehabilitation;
25-year warranty & annual CCTV
inspection.
RENOVATIONS
BlindLight
Call Dave 0403 466 350
Specialists in window tintings and
glass coatings. Act now for summer.
RUBBISH REMOVAL
Jack’s Rubbish Removals
Call Jack 0403 385 312
Up to 45% cheaper than skips. Latest
health regulations. Old-fashioned
honesty & reliability. Free quotes.
One 2 Dump
Call Josh 0450 712 779
Seven-days-a-week pick-up service
includes general household rubbish,
construction, commercial plus
vegetation. Also car removals.
UPHOLSTERY
Luxafoam North
Call 0414 468 434
Local specialists in all aspects of
outdoor & indoor seating.
Custom service, expert advice.
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
Trades & Services
80 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2021 81

Tasty Dining Morsels Guide
Tasty Morsels
All things bacony and more
sets Narrabeen's Oceans apart
Oceans
Cnr Ocean/Malcolm St,
Narrabeen
Open: Mon, 6am-3pm; Tues-
Fri, 6am until late; Sat-Sun,
7am until late
P: 9970 6262
The great dividing range
between breakfast,
brunch and lunch can be
blurry.
Oceans’ breakfast selection
doesn’t blur those wavy
lines; instead, it sticks to old
favourites, vegetarian options,
rising stars and Nutella
pancakes for the kids.
As you’d expect, all things
eggs-and-bacony rule the
pre-noon menu. There’s
everything from bacon and
egg rolls (main) and wraps to
a hearty fry-up that’s simply
called ‘Oceans’ Lot’.
Breakfast with the lot comes
with streaky bacon, chorizo,
hash browns and house-baked
beans. Take away the meat,
and the cafe’s vegetarian
choices include a three-egg
and mushroom omelette
and halloumi, poached egg,
spinach and mushroom on
toasted dark rye sourdough.
Top billing of any selfrespecting
cafe must go to
that ultimate and indulgent
weekend treat, Eggs Benedict.
This can be enjoyed, as it
comes, on sourdough with
wilted spinach. Or it can be
pimped with bacon, leg ham
or smoked salmon.
And if you want to double
down on another breakfast
dish, order the eggs and
hollandaise sauce on top of the
corn and sweet potato fritters.
Thankfully, the corn and
sweet potato fritters (below
left) are popular in their own
right. The fritters are more
like little pancakes.
The plump
but not too
doughy patties
are flavoured
with grated
sweet potato,
corn kernels
and flecks of
parsley and
coriander.
The threepancake
stack
is instantly
Instagramable. It
is topped with a
decent spoonful
of smashed
avocado, a
couple of blistered cherry
tomatoes and a drizzle of chilli
jam. What lifts the dish is the
creamy, slightly sour dollop of
labneh.
Go for something lighter
with Beverley Hudec
and something of cafe menus right across
that’s more suited the globe. It’s a light, fruity,
to a hot summer frozen concoction that works
beach day and well after a brisk power walk
there are two or a dip in the ocean. In other
standout choices words, it’s ideal for summer in
– either the fruit Sydney.
and natural
Once the initial thaw
yoghurt, or a bowl brimming permeates, Oceans’ acai bowl
with antioxidants straight softens without being too
from the Amazon.
runny into a purple slushie
The acai bowl has had a with a slightly bitter, sour and
meteoric rise through the semi-sweet flavour.
ranks to become the superstar It would be a bit boring if it
didn’t come with a few extras
to jazz it up. Oceans’ line-up
features slices of kiwi fruit
(does anyone actually like kiwi
fruit?), chopped strawberries,
shredded coconut and a
liberal sprinkle of granola
(left). The combination of
nuts, seeds and coconuts are
toasted in-house and add
some crunch and texture.
An acai bowl makes a
welcome change, but I
couldn’t face one regularly.
If you believe all the hype,
these supercharged berries
are good for you. How
serendipitous is it to have a
soft-serve berry sorbet for
breakfast?
82 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991
Tiny Morsels…
Sublime mix of
coffee, honeycomb
Fuel Espresso has prepped a couple
of intriguing cold coffees to sip this
summer. One is an iced latte, which
is flavoured with black organic
tahini and topped with a sprinkle of
homemade dukkah. Then there’s an
iced coffee topped with pieces of
homemade honeycomb. Both drinks
are exclusive to the North Narrabeen
cafe in Garden Street.
Up Tempo menu
for Terrey Hills
Cyclists have a new coffee stop
on the Terrey Hills to West
Head route. Light and airy
Tempo doesn’t miss a beat
with its healthy, wholefood
menu either. There’s zucchini
and corn fritters with poached
eggs for brekkie and pulled
beef brisket burgers in
sprouted seed buns and kale
chips for lunch. Open daily
from 6.30am.
The Local Voice Since 1991
JB & Sons bringing
burgers to Narrabeen
Burger fans can count down the days
until the beaches’ latest burger joint
opens. JB & Sons is finalising the fit-out
of sibling number three. The winning
formula of big, beefy American-style
burgers and Australian craft beer will
be the same as the menus in Dee Why
and Manly. Narrabeen is due to open its
doors early February.
Berkelo's Tin bread
secret revealed!
Artisan bakery Berkelo’s artisan
bread is growing. There’s now
a sesame tin sandwich loaf. The
secret ingredient is organic mashed
potato so that the bread is soft
and fluffy. Buy one, and a selection
of homemade pies, quality pantry
goodies and coffee at the Mona
Vale bakery/cafe.
Three of a kind: Mexican (ole!)
Beer-battered flathead, Mexicans eat chilaquiles for You won’t find an
pico de gallo salsa and breakfast. Try the mix of assortment of Mexican
citrus yoghurt served on corn chips, salsa roja, crema kitsch at Alma. Instead,
homemade corn tortillas and cheese as an al fresco this Avalon restaurant
is one of Muchacha’s (left) evening snack. El Gusano delivers coastal cool vibes
most popular dishes. The is a Collaroy taqueria that with a sharp, modern
Narrabeen Mexican eatery promises a little taste of Mexican food and a fancy
also makes seared tuna and Mexico, complete with
cocktail list. Dive into the
caramelised pineapple tacos authentic street food. Tacos diverse menu for succulent
that go very nicely with are the house specialty. If dishes like crispy pork
one of the margaritas. Kids you’re brave, there’s lengua, belly served with confit
love the cheese quesadillas, a soft corn tortilla topped green apples and green
which are sold to fussy little with slow-cooked beef
peppitt mole, or octopus
diners as ‘Mexican pizzas’. tongue. How ’70s!
escabeche.
FEBRUARY 202 83
Tasty Dining Morsels Guide

Food Life
Recipes: janellebloom.com.au; facebook.com/culinaryinbloom; instagram.com/janellegbloom/ Photos: Adobe
Food Life
To your health: Chinese New
Year recipes offer positivity
Well, the New Year didn’t exactly start
as we had all hoped for here on
the Northern Beaches! But we’re a
resilient bunch, and always up for a party –
so let’s shake off that ‘glitch’ and celebrate
Chinese New Year instead! Food
is paramount in this centuries-old
Pork & cabbage
pot stickers
Makes 30 (approx)
In Chinese culture, dumplings
symbolize wealth, so they
are often eaten as part of
a Chinese New Year banquet.
You can make these ahead and
freeze at end Step 3 below.
Cook from frozen – although
they will take a few minutes
longer.
¼ (approx 300g)
green cabbage, core removed
1 tsp fine salt
300g pork mince
2 green onions, finely chopped
3cm pieces fresh ginger, finely
grated
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs shaoxing rice wine (or dry
sherry)
1 tsp sesame oil
¼ tsp ground white pepper
275g pkt gow gee wrappers
2 tbs peanut oil
Dipping sauce
¼ cup light soy sauce
1 tbs sweet chilli sauce
2 tbs rice wine vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
2 green onions, chopped
1. To make the dipping sauce,
combine all ingredients
together.
2. Roughly chop the cabbage
then place in a food
processor. Pulse until finely
chopped. Transfer to a bowl.
Sprinkle with salt. Stir to
combine. Set aside for 10
minutes to soften. Spoon
into a sieve and rinse under
cold water. Drain well then
squeeze out as much water
as possible.
3. Meanwhile combine the
mince, onions, ginger,
garlic, soy sauce, Shaoxing
Wine and sesame oil and
pepper. Add the cabbage,
mix well with clean hands.
Place one gow gee wrapper
on a board. Top with 2
heaped teaspoons of pork
mixture. Brush edge with
water. Fold over to enclose
filling. Pinch pleats along
the edge to seal. Repeat
celebration, with many foods having
symbolic meaning. The recipes I’ve
assembled this month offer positivity, so
grab that apron and start cooking to our
health, wealth, longevity and luck. We are
all in need of it! And as they say: "Gong Hei
Fat Choy!" ("Hope you get rich!").
with remaining wrappers
and filling.
4. Heat half the oil in a large,
non-stick frying pan over
medium heat. Add half
the dumplings. Cook for 2
minutes or until the bases
are golden. Add enough
water to the pan to come
1cm up the side. Cover and
cook for 7-10 minutes or
until water has evaporated
and dumplings are tender.
Remove to plate. Keep
warm. Repeat to cook the
remaining pot stickers. Serve
with the dipping sauce.
Janelle’s Tip: Keep opened
sesame oil in the fridge to stop
it going rancid.
Ginger prawn spring
rolls with sweet and
sour sauce
Makes 24
24 large green prawns, peeled,
de-veined, leaving tails intact
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp cornflour
2 tbs chilli sauce
2 tbs soy sauce
3cm piece ginger, grated
1 garlic clove, crushed
12 frozen spring roll wrappers,
halved diagonally
vegetable oil, for deep-frying
sweet and sour sauce, to serve
Spring roll ‘glue’
3 tbs plain flour
3 tbs water
1. Place the prawns onto board
lined with baking paper.
Using flat side of meat
mallet, pound prawns gently
to flatten slightly.
2. Combine the sesame oil,
cornflour, chilli sauce, soy,
with Janelle Bloom
ginger and garlic in a glass
or ceramic bowl. Season
with ground white pepper.
Add the prawns, stir to coat.
Cover and refrigerate for
30 minutes. Drain marinade
from the prawns really well,
discarding the marinade. Pat
prawns with paper towel to
remove any excess marinade.
3. For the spring roll ‘glue’,
combine flour and water to
form a thick paste.
4. Place one half spring roll
wrapper on a board. Lay a
prawn across the wrapper
so that its tail is hanging
out. Fold like an envelope
and roll up, sealing with the
spring roll ‘glue’. Repeat
with remaining prawns and
wrappers.
5. Pour enough vegetable oil
into a large, deep saucepan
to come one-third up the
sides. Heat over medium
84 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991
heat until hot. Cook 5-6
spring rolls at a time, for
3-4 minutes or until golden.
Remove to a wire rack and
keep warm on the rack over
a baking tray, in the oven
while cooking remaining
spring rolls.
Janelle’s Tip: You can make
the spring rolls up to the end
Step 4, up to 3 hours ahead of
cooking. Place on a tray, cover
with a damp tea towel and
keep in the fridge.
Kung Pao chicken
Serves 4
Kung Pao chicken is often
served during the Chinese New
Year season, and although
it doesn’t carry a special
significance the peanuts,
symbolise longevity (it’s one of
my favourite dishes).
3 tsp Shaoxing (rice) Wine (or
dry sherry)
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tbs salt-reduced soy sauce
3 tbs cornflour
600g (2 large) chicken breast
fillets, cut into 2.5 cm pieces
¼ cup chicken stock
The Local Voice Since 1991
2 tsp white sugar
1 tbs Chinese black vinegar
1 tbs Szechuan peppercorns
4 tbs vegetable oil
½ cup unsalted raw peanuts
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 green onions, sliced
steamed rice, to serve
1. Combine the rice wine,
sesame oil, 1 tbs soy and
2 tsp cornflour in a bowl.
Add the chicken, mix well.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes,
then drain, reserving the
marinade.
2. Combine 2 tsp of the
remaining cornflour, 1 tbs
soy, stock, sugar and vinegar
in a jug.
3. Toast the Szechuan
peppercorns in a dry frying
pan until lightly golden.
Transfer to a pestle and
mortar, grind to a fine
powder, then sieve into a
large bowl, discarding any
large, tough bits. Add the
remaining 2 tablespoons
of cornflour and stir to
combine. Add the chicken
and toss to coat.
4. Heat half oil in a wok over
medium-high heat. Add
peanuts and cook, stirring
for 2 minutes or until
golden. Remove with a
slotted spoon and drain on
paper towel. Add remaining
oil and cook the chicken in
batches, for 3-4 minutes or
until golden. Remove from
wok and set aside.
5. Return chicken to wok, stir
in reserved marinade and
chicken stock mixture. Bring
to the boil, cook 2-3 minutes
or until sauce has thickened
and chicken is cooked
For more recipes go to janellebloom.com.au
through. Scatter over the
green onions and peanuts.
Serve with steamed rice.
Where To Get It: Chinese black
vinegar is from Asian food
stores. You can substitute
rice wine vinegar; Szechuan
peppercorns are from some
supermarkets, Harris Farm and
Asian food stores.
Beef Chow Mein
Serves 4
Noodles are a symbol of
longevity in Chinese culture. It’s
considered very unlucky to cut
the noodles into short lengths.
400g fresh Chow Mein or thin
egg noodles
600g porterhouse steak
2 tbs peanut oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 small brown onion, halved,
thinly sliced
1 tbs curry powder
100g button mushrooms,
thinly sliced
2 small capsicum, thinly sliced
¼ small Chinese cabbage,
trimmed, shredded
1 cup bean sprouts, trimmed,
optional
Toasted sesame seeds, to
serve, optional
Chow Mein Sauce
2 tbs oyster sauce
2 tbs dark soy sauce
1 tbs light soy sauce
2 tbs rice vinegar
1 tsp white sugar
1 tsp sesame oil
¼ cup chicken stock or water
1. Combine all the sauce
ingredients in a jug.
2. Place noodles in a heatproof
bowl. Cover with boiling
water. Stand for 2 minutes
until just tender. Drain.
Separate noodles and set
aside. Thinly slice the steak
across the grain.
3. Heat wok over high until
hot. Add 2 teaspoons oil
and half beef, stir fry until
sealed. Remove to a plate,
repeat with remaining beef.
Add remaining oil with the
garlic and onion. Stir-fry
for 1 minute. Add curry
powder and mushrooms
and capsicum, stir fry 30
seconds.
4. Add the Chow Mein Sauce,
bring to the boil. Return
the beef, add noodle and
cabbage. Stir-fry for 1
minute until heated through.
Top with beans sprouts and
sesame if you like. Serve
immediately.
Janelle’s Tip: You can replace
the steak with 300g beef or
pork mince if you prefer.
FEBRUARY 2021 85
Food Life

Food Life
Pittwater Puzzler
Compiled by David Stickley
Food Life
Pick of the Month:
Apricots
There is no comparing fresh
Apricots with their canned
relation so while we can, let’s
enjoy these beauties before
they disappear off the shelves.
There’s a link with Chinese
New Year too – apricots
were cultivated in China
and Central Asia as early
as 2000 BC, migrated with
the country’s traders, who
traveled the Great Silk Road.
Apricots are a great source
of many antioxidants,
including beta carotene and
vitamins A, C, and E. What’s
more, they’re high in a group
of polyphenol antioxidants
called flavonoids, which have
been shown to protect against
illnesses, including diabetes
and heart disease.
Here are two quick and
simple ideas to make your
apricots go further than just
an inclusion on a tasting
platter…
BBQ Apricots
Cut apricots in half and
remove seeds. Spray cut side
lightly with olive oil. Chargrill
or barbecue the apricots cut
side down for 2 minutes or
until lightly charred. Drizzle
with honey and sprinkle with
toasted pistachio nuts. If
you like, serve with a dollop
whipped ricotta. Great on
their own, as a complement to
your favourite protein.
Chocolate
hazelnut
filled
apricots
Again, cut apricots
in half and remove
seeds. Swirl Nutella
and roasted chopped
hazelnuts through
whipped cream. Spoon
onto the cut side of apricots.
Dust with icing sugar or cocoa
powder and serve. Yum!
Cinnamon
brown sugar
roasted apricots
Serves 8
2kg fresh apricots
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
Micro herbs, to serve
(optional)
1. Preheat oven 230°C fan
forced. Half the apricots
and remove seeds.
2. Combine the brown
sugar and cinnamon and
sprinkle over the cut side
of the apricots. Allow to
stand 5 minutes so sugar
dissolves a little.
3. Put cut side up in greased
roasting pan. Roast for 10
minutes until light golden.
Serve for breakfast with
yoghurt over muesli or with
a scoop ice-cream, cream or
yoghurt for dessert.
In Season
February
Berries (blueberries,
blackberries, raspberries
& strawberries); fresh figs;
grapes; limes; lychees;
mango; watermelon;
nectarines; peaches;
pineapple; plums. Also
avocado; beans; broccolini;
cucumber; chillies;
capsicum; eggplant; snow
peas, sugar snap peas;
radishes; silverbeet and
English spinach; Tomatoes
and onions.
ACROSS
1 A narrow channel of the sea
joining two larger bodies of
water (6)
5 Traditional Australian
takeaway favourite (4,3)
9 Holidays involving travel (8)
10 See 19-down
12 A thing that is or may be
chosen (6)
13 Australian poet and
balladist of the bush, called
“Banjo” (8)
15 Statement of promise (4)
16 An overall or long-term
view (3,7)
19 Someone who records the
transactions of a business (10)
20 In a natural state; not
tamed, domesticated or
cultivated (4)
23 A vital means of
communication (8)
25 Sport that local Georgie
Rowe will participate in at the
upcoming Tokyo Olympics (6)
27 Open to view, not
concealed (5)
28 Badge of military rank (8)
29 Put into order (7)
30 Frenchs or Duffys, for
example (6)
DOWN
2 Number in Macpherson St,
Warriewood of Flower Power
Garden Centre (6-3)
3 Soccer club known as the
Mighty Reds (6)
4 Cuisine served by the Sabiang
restaurant in Avalon Beach (4)
5 School that Newport resident
Peter Grimes is the principal of
(6,4)
6 A particular environment or
surrounding influence (8)
7 Fairly small bodies of still
water formed naturally or
artificially (5)
8 Intrinsic nature (7)
11 Nickname of radio and TV
personality, Jonathan Coleman
(4)
14 Personal emergency vehicle
built by Ingleside man, Dennis
White (4,6)
17 Vehicles used by
tradespeople (9)
18 Bare bones (8)
19 & 10-across Windy stretch
of Barrenjoey Road (7,5)
21 Top Christmas pick
at Beachside Bookshop,
Extraordinary Old ____ (4)
22 Someone who runs a
steady slow pace usually for
exercise (6)
24 Runaway (5)
26 Expression of incredulity
(2,2)
[Solution page 90]
Pittwater Puzzler
86 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991 The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2021 87

Garden Life
Garden Life
February focus is on pulling
out tired summer vegetables
The vegetable garden needs your
attention this month. The wet, cool
summer, interspersed with a couple
of very hot days, has not been kind to the
veggie patch. Powdery mildew, rust, white
cabbage moths and thrips – not to mention
stink bugs in the citrus trees – have
all been hard to control when there is not
sufficient time to spray between showers!
This sounds a dismal situation but
nevertheless the veggies keep growing
despite their troubles. Don’t give up!
There are several non-toxic sprays
available that will protect your veggies
and take care of the caterpillars and
other insects, while regular applications
of Eco oil and Eco fungicide will help to
keep the fungal problems to a minimum.
You will still be able to harvest your
crops. (Make sure to read the withholding
time on the bottle, most are just 48
hours after spraying.)
The end of this month is time to plant
the new season’s
winter
with Gabrielle Bryant
crops, so bite the bullet and
pull out the tired summer
vegetables as they start to
finish.
Don’t wait too long. Turn
the soil, adding plenty of
compost and new manures
and let the ground rest for
a few weeks so as to settle.
Some extra blood and
bone and a light dressing of
garden lime, together with
the addition of the probiotic
GoGo juice to release the nutrients
into the soil, will set
you up well for the next round of crops.
Finally, mulch well with sugarcane mulch
combined with some Who Flung Dung.
This can be dug into the soil as additional
nourishment at planting time. You will be
well rewarded for some soil improvement
when you harvest your next crop.
Brussels sprouts, beans, cabbage, carrots,
cauliflower, onions, parsley, parsnips,
sweet peas, radishes and turnips can all
be planted in autumn.
88 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991
Snowbush
to warm
the heart
The Hawaiian snowbush
(Breynia nivosa roea)
has been grown around the
world in tropical gardens
since it was first discovered
in Vanuatu in 1776.
Its delicate appearance
is deceiving. The highly
ornamental, slim red stems
and the oval, mottled pink,
white and green leaves are
colourful in any garden.
Breynia is a fast-growing
shrub that will grow in sun
or semi-shade, but if in the
shadier spot it needs bright
light to show off its true
colours.
It grows to a height of
1.2m and 1m wide. It loves
good soil and a thick layer
of mulch to keep the roots
moist and cool.
Snowbush makes an
ideal specimen plant in a
large pot. In recent years
the Hawaiian snowbush has
gained popularity as an
indoor pot plant. I have not
tried it, but it would be well
worth a try.
Grown indoors it would
need good light and openair
movement. It should
never be allowed to dry
out. As a plant that loves
warm humid conditions it
would not be suitable for
air conditioning.
The Local Voice Since 1991
Stunning
season
of crepe
myrtles
We are so spoilt with amazingly beautiful
flowering trees in Sydney. It is
possible to have a different spectacular
flowering tree every month of the year!
When the jacarandas and flame trees
finished the ivory curl tree burst into
long tresses of creamy white flowers
and now this month we have got the
scarlet Poinciana and the glorious dwarf
flowering eucalypts – not to mention
the flower-laden crepe myrtles that have
flourished in the wet, cooler summer.
The trees are flowering better than I have
ever seen them, in every shade of pink,
purple, lilac and burgundy.
Crepe myrtles are very successful
garden trees. Left untouched they can
grow large but they are easily controlled,
pruned in early spring before the new
leaves appear they can be kept to any
size. They provide cool shade in summer
heat but let the sun shine through in
winter when they lose their leaves.
Heuchera
‘Firefly’
Coral Bells
When spaces appear in the
garden it can be hard to
find a quick filler. Empty spaces
just encourage weeds.
Heuchera plants are perennial
low-growing plants that love
part-shade. There are many n
ew varieties that
are grown for
foliage colour
of gold, bronze,
burgundy or
chocolate.
However, the
development of
these stunning
newer varieties with their vivid
colours has led to the neglect
of the dainty spires of tiny flowers.
The flowers are pale and
insipid.
The original heuchera sanguinea,
with bright green leaves,
has tall scarlet fairy-like spikes
of bells that stand high above
the neat green clumps of leaves
(pictured). It has been grown for
flowers, not foliage.
FEBRUARY 2021 89
Garden Life

Garden Life
Garden Life
Jobs this Month
February
A
cool, wet summer has
given our gardens
rapid relief from the
drought last year. Weeds
have sprung up everywhere
and plants and shrubs are
overgrown. It is a busy
month! Trim and prune
back excess growth on
flowering plants now, ready
for an autumn burst of
colour. Trim back roses and
feed with Sudden Impact
for Roses, to enjoy a second
flush of flowers in autumn.
Mildew watch
Watch out for powdery
mildew that loves the
humid weather. Spray
at first signs with Eco
Fungicide. You can
use Mancozeb Plus on
ornamentals but there is a
7-day withholding time if
you use it on edible crops.
Snail control
Snails love the rain. Protect
your plants with Multiguard
snail pellets. These pellets
are harmless to birds and
wildlife. They are made
of iron and bran. The iron
kills the snails and the bran
attracts them. Animals have
no attraction to this bait.
Use it sparingly as directed
on the packet. It is approved
for organic gardening.
Don’t slip!
Clean up moss that has
developed on pathways with
Slasher. Slasher is a plantbased
herbicide that works
immediately when sprayed
on a clear sunny day. Safe
for frogs, pets, people and
wildlife, but not for plants.
It will kill anything; it is not
selective. Spray on a calm
day to prevent spray drift.
Bulb moments
Bulb stands are full of
exciting, brightly coloured
bags of spring bulbs.
Choose carefully and check
the growing conditions
before buying. Buy early
flowering varieties. Many
of the European spring
bulbs need frost, and a
cold winter to flower. All
the bulbs will flower the
first season because they
have been grown in colder
areas of Australia, but they
won’t grow and multiply for
ensuing years. Bulbs grow
well in pots. Plant pansy
or other winter flowering
annuals over the top and
the bulbs will pop up
through them. Low-growing
seedlings such as pansies,
violas, alyssum, marigolds
or polyanthus or primula are
perfect.
Final chores…
Give your citrus trees a
last application of fertiliser
before winter. Protect the
new season growth from
leaf miner and stink bugs
with a weekly spray of Eco
Oil. As the weather cools
down move cymbidium
orchid into bright light or
morning sun to encourage
the development flower
spikes that will appear in
winter… Dull days haven’t
encouraged the bees that are
so important for pollination.
Spray Bee Keeper on the
garden to bring them back!
Crossword solution from page 87
Mystery location: SOLDIERS POINT
Bright fuchsias
Take cutting of fuchsias
this month. The semi-hard
stems from this year’s
spring growth will strike
most easily. Remove the
soft tips, the leaves and
any flower buds from the
cutting and trim to about
150-200mm in length. Dip
the rooting end into either
cutting powder or a rooting
hormone liquid before
planting firmly into seed
raising mixture. A successful
old-fashioned method is to
rub honey onto the end of
the cutting instead of using
rooting hormone. Honey has
antibacterial properties that
will prevent root infections.
Place several cuttings into
a 125mm pot and water
well. Cover the pot with a
clear plastic bag and keep
in a warm, shaded spot until
signs of new leaves appear,
then remove the bag.
90 FEBRUARY 2021
The Local Voice Since 1991