Pittwater Life May 2022 Issue

The Way We Were
Every month we continue to pore over three decades of Pittwater Life, providing a
snapshot of the area’s recent history – and confirming that quite often the more things
change, the more things stay the same! Compiled by Lisa Offord
25 Years Ago…
The Way We Were
Posing the question ‘Is Pittwater any better off
five years after secession?’ and noting “There
is a strong body of opinion that says yes, but it
is hard to get them to quantify this” the mag
reviewed Pittwater Council’s performance
“over those turbulent years.” Of note: “The fact
is we still have roads in dire need of repair, have
no civic centre and just about all of the public
works are funded from Government grants…”
The story claimed “… the community is very
much divided with one lobby seeking to reunite
with Warringah and even hoping for a mega
merger of Manly Warringah and Pittwater”. In
news, Council considered plans to Heritagelist
properties at Palm Beach, including “the
Surf Club, the Cabbage Tree and Pacific Clubs,
the Packer house, Willeroon owned by the
Forsyth family, Sam Chisholm’s property and
Karlua, owned by Ian Joye”. In Avalon, rear-tothe-curb
parking was suggested to “reduce the
number of incidents caused by people reversing
out into oncoming traffic”. The ‘bends’ were
getting some long-overdue attention: “At last,
15 Years Ago…
the RTA has begun clearing the weeds…
opening up views of Bilgola Beach that
have not been seen for years.” In Newport,
Robertson Road was to be designated
‘one way’ as part of “Council’s new plans
for the future of the Newport Commercial
Centre”. Any new developments “… will
have to be in accordance with the master
plan… with a preference for buildings not
more than two storeys.” A new feature
debuted – How Much for the House Next
Door? Here’s a taste… LJ Hooker sold
a deep waterfront at 18 Cabarita Rd
Stokes Point for $1million; a “large
old home” in 36 Bellevue Ave Avalon
for $560,000, a record for that street;
a property at 5 Carefree Road North
Narrabeen went for $520,000; and
four-bedroom homes were popular –
in Mona Vale, 10 Peita Crescent sold
for $385,000; 14 Palm Rd Newport
fetched $515,000 and 5 Bilkurra Ave
Bilgola Plateau sold for $420,000.
5 Years Ago…
A report on Pittwater’s finances read: “The NSW Government is We proclaimed:
ripping more than $100m a year out of Pittwater but has offered “How time flies! The
only a lousy $893,135 in grant money for urban infrastructure interim Northern
and natural resources for the coming year.” Income for the year Beaches Council marks
was budgeted at $58.7m and expenditure $57.1m. Council
12 months of
allocated $10.3m for capital and major works, with most
operation this month –
going towards Newport’s community centre and main street but it won’t get to
redevelopment estimated to cost $5.5m over two years. “To
celebrate another
fund this, Council is borrowing a total of $2m… then Council is birthday given we are
borrowing $3.5m to buy into a new company to run Kimbriki
all headed to the polls
Tip…” Borrowings of up to elect a new Council
to $10m for work at the in September.”
Lakeside Caravan Park Meanwhile
over five-years were
passionate locals
foreshadowed. Legal
were continuing
fees of $1,045,000 were to “… fight against
allocated “… but indications forced council
from the current year
amalgamation and
suggest this will almost restore Pittwater
certainly blow out unless Council”. Groups
the Council decides to fight were “anxious about
fewer cases in the Land overdevelopment, the B-Line and the future of Mona Vale
and Environment Court.” Hospital” and plans were afoot to establish a crowdfunding
In news, Boondah Reserve page to obtain the services of a solicitor and take action to
was selected as the site for have Pittwater Council restored. In other news, more than
a $6m Olympic swimming 420 submissions were received after public exhibition of
pool “… which could be draft plans for “the new environmentally sustainable suburb
opened in the second half in Ingleside” which featured 3,400 new homes, a town centre
of next year”; and work and new school; Todd McKenney was performing at Dee
began on “… the rundown Why RSL celebrating 20 years singing the songs of Peter
Police Station at Mona Allen; and we featured the life of local author Amanda
Vale”.
Hampson.
22 MAY 2022
The Local Voice Since 1991