Pittwater Life June 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 they stay the same! Compiled by Lisa Offord
25 Years Ago…
The Way We Were
Of the “$21.4 million that Pittwater Council plans to raise in
rates in the next financial year $14.8 million will be spent on
wages, salaries and other employee costs.” Residential rates
were up by 2.9%, commercial 3.6%
and farmland (about 20 properties)
3.1%. “This means that the average
rate per household in Pittwater is
now $875, compared with $717 in
the 1994-95 year.” An “upmarket”
Clancy’s Supermarket was mooted
for Avalon. Meanwhile, Franklins’
plans for upgrading its store “are
advancing and it too will include
some fresh food counters… it will
also carry farm produce though it
is believed that with will cater more
for late shoppers rather than go into
competition with the existing fruit
and vegetable shops.” In other news,
Avalon Primary School’s multipurpose
centre was ready, with expressions of
interest sought for operating pre- and
after-school childcare in the building.
“Avalon Primary with 880 children
is one of the largest primary schools
in the state.”; NSW TAB confirmed
15 Years Ago…
Council staff withdrew
support for plans to
build a privately funded
Olympic-sized swimming
pool at Boondah Reserve
Warriewood, with
suggestions the project
could take another 10 years
“to materialise into anything
concrete… by that time
the opportunity to build a
community pool with be
lost…” A Pool for Pittwater
spokesman adding: “While
the Council may be able
to constantly put this issue
on the backburner, the
demands of the community
can no longer allow this
issue to be delayed and
frustrated.” The inaugural Avalon Village Festival was to be held
this month; new State MP Rob Stokes wrote about the campaign
to save Currawong from the “wrecking ball” and his support in
pushing for it to be recognised as a Heritage site to afford it “full
protection”; Woolworths received approval from council for a
fuel outlet and convenience store on Barrenjoey Road Newport;
and Peninsula Music Club hosted a night of Latin American
music with the group Tiempo De Tango.
the Avalon TAB’s future was in doubt: “… it has not been
consistently making the turnover of $40,000 a week which the
TAB insists upon”; A Motel was proposed for Avalon adjacent
to the Youth Hostel and the mag
launched a computer column “… the
most common question asked about the
Internet is just what can it be used for?”
In a special food feature Countrywide
Meats in Clareville was championing its
“guaranteed country killed” beef, lamb,
and pork “… from the farm gate to the
dinner plate!” Avalon Organics had free
apple tasting daily and was promoting
a $35 family box of “purity guaranteed
organic produce”; you could enjoy
a 2-course meal and coffee at Le
Boulevard for $25 a head and lunch
at the Avalon RSL for just $2 every
Tuesday. In property news, LJ Hooker
sold a three-year-old, five-bedroom
house opposite the beach at 439
Barrenjoey Road Newport for $806,000
and a small waterfront block with a
“knockdown cottage” at 208 Hudson
Pde Clareville for $680,000.
5 Years Ago…
We featured a “Dummies Guide to the B-Line” as the State
Government revealed Newport would be the point of
origin and termination for buses. We observed that the
announcement “begs the question of how the buses will turn
around at Newport; we understand that will occur adjacent
to the Newport Surf Lifesaving Club”. In the lead up to the
Council election we sat down with the man who aspired
to be Northern Beaches Council’s first Mayor, Michael
Regan. Now-Councillor Miranda Korzy wrote about the
“local resident activist group” Protect Pittwater Association
“… who say all residents in the former Pittwater Council
region must support a
campaign for the return
of Pittwater Council if they
want to regain control of
local decision making.” It
was reported the walkway
between Palm Beach Wharf
and Governor Phillip Park
was expected to be up
and running by Christmas
and the boundaries of the
Narrabeen Lagoon State
Park were increased by
50 per cent to support
facilities for public
recreation and protect the
natural habitat.
24 JUNE 2022
The Local Voice Since 1991