Pittwater Life June 2023 Issue

The Local Voice Since 1991
JUNE 2023
FREE
pittwaterlife
INCREASE TREE FINE ‘HURT’
A TRIBUTE TO COMMUNITY COUPLE JOHN & PAM WARD
SURFING IN SIBERIA / JONATHAN KING’S CORONATION DIARY
SEEN... HEARD... ABSURD... / HOT PROPERTY / THE WAY WE WERE

Editorial
They’ve shown us the money…
Our politicians are crowing
over a new pot of money
promised to help speed
flood mitigation and safety
improvements on arterial link
the Wakehurst Parkway.
New Wakehurst MP Michael
Regan used his first question
to NSW Parliament to prise
commitment from the Labor
Government that they would
stick to their pre-election
pledge and stump up an
additional $13 million, on
top of the previous Liberal
Government’s $18.1 million
handed to Council.
Mr Regan also sought
assurance an existing $75
million pledge would be
honoured.
Pittwater MP Rory Amon
sensed ambiguity in the
wording of the Government’s
response – “investing $75
million in total…” – and seized
the moment to get clarification.
Mackellar MP Dr Sophie
Scamps said she met with then
Shadow Roads Minister John
Graham in January, which
resulted in Labor’s additional
cash commitment.
Mr Regan said the longoverdue
attention the
Wakehurst Parkway will now
receive comes after decades
of neglect and inaction from
governments of all persuasions.
And he’s right… well,
kinda. Unfortunately there’s
no guarantee of any action.
Ironically, under Mr Regan’s
watch, Northern Beaches
Council decided not to progress
the most beneficial flood
mitigation options identified
in its draft feasibility study,
citing the likely damaging
environmental impact.
Nothing’s changed. Those
identified environmental
impacts remain. Unless
someone in our bureaucracies
pushes the ‘go’ button, all this
money talk will go down as
nothing more than political
point-scoring. – Nigel Wall
The Local Voice Since 1991
JUNE 2023 3

FREE LOCAL
MONTHLY
INDEPENDENT
DISTRIBUTION
32,000
Delivered to householders
& businesses throughout
the Pittwater area at the
beginning of each month.
AFFORDABLE
RATES &
LONG-LIFE
EXPOSURE
CALL
US TO
DISCUSS
YOUR AD!
Tel: 0438 123 096
PO Box 170
Mona Vale 1660
Email:
info@pittwaterlife.com.au
Website:
pittwaterlife.com.au
Publisher: Nigel Wall
Managing Editor: Lisa Offord
Graphic Design:
Craig Loughlin-Smith
Photography: Adobe / Staff
Contributors: Rob Pegley,
Steve Meacham, Rosamund
Burton, Gabrielle Bryant,
Beverley Hudec, Brian Hrnjak,
Jennifer Harris, Janelle Bloom,
Sue Carroll, Geoff Searl, Daniel
Williams, Greg McHugh.
Distribution: John
Nieuwenhof & Gill Stokes
pitlifewalkers@gmail.com
Published by
Word Count
Media Pty Ltd.
ACN 149 583 335
ABN 95 149 583 335
Printed by IVE Print
P: 1300 725 628
* The complete Pittwater Life
archive can be found at the
State Library of NSW.
Vol 32 No 11
Celebrating 32 years
36
The Local Voice Since 1991
JUNE 2023
FREE
pittwaterlife
INCREASE TREE FINE ‘HURT’
A TRIBUTE TO COMMUNITY COUPLE JOHN & PAM WARD
SURFING IN SIBERIA / JONATHAN KING’S CORONATION DIARY
SEEN... HEARD... ABSURD... / HOT PROPERTY / THE WAY WE WERE
PWL_JUN23_p001.indd 1 29/5/2023 5:16 pm
14
58
WALKERS
WANTED
Retirees, mums, kids to deliver
Pittwater Life once a month.
Permanent and casual runs
may be available now in:
Avalon, Whale Beach,
Bilgola, Newport
& Bayview.
EARN TOP MONEY PAID PROMPTLY!
Email:
pitlifewalkers@gmail.com
thislife
INSIDE: Meet film maker Spencer Frost whose latest project
involved surfing the icy waters of the Kamchatka Peninsula
between Siberia and Alaska (p8); Avalon historian Dr
Jonathan King recounts his wild Coronation camp-out
(p14); Dr Sophie Scamps talks about her first 12 months
as Mackellar MP (p18); Canopy Keepers want higher fines
for the illegal removal of trees (p22); and we pay tribute to
Elanora community couple John and Pam Ward (p36).
COVER: Headland Light / Sharon Green
XXXXX 2022
also this month
Editorial 3
Pittwater Local News & Features 8-33
Seen... Heard... Absurd... 26
Briefs & Community News 28-33
Life Story: John & Pam Ward 36-38
Art 40
Hot Property 41
Health & Wellbeing; Hair & Beauty 42-47
Money & Law 48-51
Trades & Services/Classifieds 52-55
The Way We Were 56
Crossword 57
Food & Tasty Morsels 58-60
Gardening 62-64
ATTENTION ADVERTISERS!
Bookings & advertising material to set for
our JULY issue MUST be supplied by
MONDAY 12 JUNE
Finished art & editorial submissions deadline:
MONDAY 19 JUNE
The JULY issue will be published
on WEDNESDAY 28 JUNE
COPYRIGHT
All contents are subject to copyright and may not be reproduced except with the
written consent of the copyright owner. All advertising rates are subject to GST.
JUNE 2023 The Local Voice Since 1991

Surfing in Siberia
makes for cool change
News
certainly the wildest
place I’ve ever been,”
“It is
says Spencer Frost, the
award-winning Avalon-born
documentary film maker.
“It’s winter there for eight
months of the year.”
He’s talking about the
Kamchatka peninsula in far
eastern Russia, sandwiched
between Siberia and Alaska,
a gigantic teardrop pointing
down to the Japanese archipelago.
“There are 29 active volcanoes
along the Bering Sea
coast all covered deeply in
snow, with smoke coming
from their summits.
“There’s these jagged,
snow-encrusted cliffs that
just look angry. The average
water temperature when we
were there was two degrees
celsius.
An obvious place to film a
surfing documentary, then?
Spencer, 28, who went to
Barrenjoey High School – “We
spent a long time in the surf
and learned to love the ocean”
– had enjoyed
the success of
his first surfing
documentary
‘A Corner of the
Earth’, having
filmed it in northern
Iceland and
inside the Arctic
Circle.
Where could be
more difficult to
film? The team
discussed several
options, but Kamchatka
proved by far the most
extreme.
Some Russian surfers head
to Kamchatka in the four
months of summer, surfing
on the more protected western
side of the peninsula.
But no-one has been so
foolhardy as to try surfing
in winter on the Bering Strait
coast.
The planning
took three years,
mainly during
COVID.
But the crisis
point came at
Abu Dhabi airport
on Thursday
Feb 24.
“Everything
was normal when
we left Sydney,”
Spencer recalls.
“Then all the TV
screens at the
airport were showing the Russian
invasion of Ukraine.”
Spencer, his co-filmmaker
Guy Williment and their two
pro-surfer friends Letty Morrison
and Fraser Dovell – all
Northern Beaches boys – held
urgent talks, consulting family
and friends about whether
they should pull the pin.
“We looked at the map, and
confirmed the Kamchatka
peninsula is a 10-hour flight
from Moscow,” Spencer says.
“We’ve touched on the
Ukraine invasion in the film,
but at the end of the day we’re
not political commentators.
We’re just surfers.”
Kamchatka is a world away
from the ‘insular peninsula’,
though much more isolated.
Spencer explains the
logistics involved once the
four-man crew arrived at the
nearest airport:
“When we got off the 10-
hour flight from Moscow, it
was minus 16 degrees C,” he
says.
“The only way of getting to
the peninsula was to charter
8 JUNE 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991

huge helicopters to transport
us to a suitable beach.
“On the way we saw a
left-hand pipeline similar to
Teahupo’o in Tahiti. Nothing
we’d expected to find in
Russia.”
As the helicopters took off
again, leaving them alone, the
four friends heaved their gear
– camping equipment, surf
boards, gas, food and cameras
– to their chosen beach.
“We set up camp, then went
to sleep in the snow on the
beach,” Spencer says.
In his teenage years, Spencer
was a talented surfer.
“But a lot of my friends
became pro-surfers. I was
never really that good, so I
concentrated on filming them
behind the camera.”
His images earned him a
livelihood with surf mags and
adverts before venturing into
documentaries.
The breakthrough came in
2019 when he collaborated
with Guy and Fraser on ‘A
Corner of the Earth’. That
trip prepared them – as best
as possible – for the freezing
temperature they endured in
the Kamchatka peninsula.
PHOTOS: Guy Williment
OPPOSITE: Spencer with his trusty camera which captured pro surfers Letty Morrison and Fraser Dovell (above).
For the latest trip, their wetsuits
were custom-made by
Project Blank to survive the
intense cold. But still the four
friends suffered for their art.
Spencer rarely surfed. “As
director I mostly filmed with
my underwater camera. Nothing
really prepares you for the
freezing cold waters of the
Kamchatka peninsula.”
Not that it was all chill and
no chili. The local diet, Spencer
says is “caviar, reindeer
jerky and smoked salmon.
No veggies. Nothing grows up
there.”
‘Corners of the Earth:
Kamchatka’ had its sold-out
premiere on February 4 at
Cremorne’s Orpheum.
It has since had five screenings
at United Cinemas Avalon,
with another scheduled
at the Cremorne Orpheum on
June 27.
Spencer doesn’t have a long
time to chat at Avalon Life
Saving Club. He’s about to
drive to Coffs Harbour, before
crossing to Western Australia
for more publicity launches.
Later this year he’ll be presenting
‘Corners of the Earth:
Kamchatka’ in Bali, the UK
and the USA.
So where next? “It might be
the Antarctic,” Spencer says.
“We’ve heard of an island that
has good breaks.”
– Steve Meacham
*Tickets Orpheum.com.au
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
JUNE 2023 9

WELLBEING: The
benefits of cold water
swimming have been
scientifically proven.
News
Beaches Winter water therapy
Increasingly, social media
pages are filled with
images of people shivering
in ice baths, or adopting Wim
Hof’s methods. But for many
Northern Beaches’ residents,
a cold water start to the day
is nothing new. They simply
jump in the ocean or their
local ocean pool every day.
And they do so all year
round, including through
Winter.
Anytime from 5am onwards
you’re likely to see people in
hoodies and hooded towels,
Ugg boots and beanies, holding
steaming cups of coffee as they
prepare to – literally – take the
plunge. Some bring out the
wetsuits for June to August,
others keep going in cozzies
and shorts. But all agree it’s
good for them – and with the
majority aged in their 60s, 70s,
and 80s it would be hard to
argue.
In fact, benefits of cold
water swimming have been
scientifically proven.
For one, it’s good for your
immune system. Forced to
react to extreme conditions,
your body becomes better
at raising its defences and
your white blood cell count
can actually rise as a result.
Circulation also improves, as
the cold water flushes veins
and arteries.
Endorphins kick in
as a result of cold water
swimming, so it’s good
for your mind as well as
your body. Endorphins are
released when we are in pain
and so exercise and cold
water combine to get the good
mood chemicals pumping.
You burn calories – and not
just due to swimming laps.
Simply being in the cold water
means the heart has to pump
faster to keep you warm.
All these factors should
mean that stress is
reduced. Not to mention the
connections you make, seeing
the same faces every morning
and having a chat over a
coffee to start your day.
Physically, mentally and
emotionally, there are few
better starts to the morning.
Research has also shown
cold water also increases
libido. Oestrogen and
testosterone are produced
just taking a dip in the cold
water every morning.
That said, many regular
Winter swimmers will tell
you that the water isn’t that
cold – and they’re not “being
tough”. Often the hardest part
of a Winter swim is getting
out. Sydney water is usually
around 18 degrees in early
Winter – compared to around
23 degrees in Summer.
(Although temperatures
are quite consistent there
is a time lag that means
September is the coldest,
dropping to around 16
degrees or less.)
Getting out, however,
is more than fresh. Some
mornings you emerge from
the water to temperatures of
around 6 or 7 degrees, and
with the wind factor it feels
like minus 5! Never fear, get
the Uggs and hoodie on, grab
that coffee and feel a selfsatisfied
smugness wash over
you that you’re boosting your
immunity and starting the
day right.
Here’s what some local
Winter swimmers say:
Scott Campbell, North
Narrabeen: “Swimming in the
pool all year round is the best
psychiatrist known to man.”
Mark Bevan and Sally
Simpson, Narrabeen:
“I used to swim a lot as a kid,
and then my partner got me
back in the pool after my son
died,” said Mark. “It gave me
a fresh start and now I look
forward to my laps every day.”
Adds Sally: “I just love it as a
start to the day, it grounds me
and connects me to nature.”
Matt Zack Curnow, Collaroy:
“Starting my mornings off
in the ocean really sets my
mind and body up for the
best chance of a good day. It
gets me moving, present with
nature, and out of my head. I
love it.” – Rob Pegley
PHOTO: houseofwellness.com.au
10 JUNE 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991

Bec and call of the beach
News
For most of us a day at the
beach is relaxing – catch
a wave, soak up some
sunshine… hot chips from
the local take-away, chill out;
nice.
Bec Capell of Newport SLSC
was recently crowned Australian
Champion Lifesaver
(40-49 years) at Scarborough
Beach, Western Australia. Bec
explains her day at the beach
can be very different.
Champion Lifesaver events
test the all-round skills and
abilities of competitors – it’s
surf lifesaving’s version of
the Olympic decathlon.
Bec outlines the energy sapping
event:
Run – 70-metre dash on soft
sand: “I can’t say I love that!”
Swim – 500 metres: “I’m
better in the surf than in the
flat I’ve discovered… I always
bank on a wave to carry me
in.”
Board – 600-metre paddle.
Tube rescue – 300-metre
swim with fins and rescue
tube: “Out of all of them that
one is the hardest.”
CPR – starts with a live patient,
then compressions on a
dummy (precision timing is
required).
Theory – 40 multiple choice
questions from a 300-page
manual, encompassing surf
forecasts, first aid… even obscure
questions on hat brim
width.
Bec said competition days
could run from 7am marshalling
through to 6pm.
Physical and mental fitness is
examined. Training is often
squeezed in late after Bec’s
day as a Support Education
Facilitator at Mona Vale Public
School.
She comes from a social
work background and now
works with autistic children
in Kindergarten up to Year
3 – a rewarding and challenging
career requiring patience.
Bec enjoys being able to work
one-on-one with children in a
small class environment.
“My job can be quite stressful
some days and it’s that
training… because we train
almost an hour every afternoon
doing something… that
makes me able to go home
and ‘face the music’ for the
family,” she explained.
Health, and mental healthwise,
it’s been a godsend.
“I think I get more out of it
than I ever expected and the
competition is just a bonus,”
AUSSIE CHAMPION:
Bec Capell on
Newport Beach.
she said.
Bec’s training partners,
Guyren Smith (Australian
Champion Lifesaver 50+
years) and Phoebe Savage, encouraged
her to enter Masters
events (30+ years). The pair
have been her guides.
“Guyren and Phoebe just
took me under their wing and
it was such a slow progression,
they just kept putting
my name down as a Master. I
think I came last in my first
Aussies!” Bec said.
“Every week they just kept
me going. They’ve become my
second family.”
Bec’s husband Brendan
and children Sam, Harry and
Abi are all active members of
Newport SLSC. The Capells
are in the famed Patrol No.2
(the Love Patrol).
“These dates are the first in
the calendar and we work our
life around them. Sometimes
it’s the only time in the week
that all five of us get together,”
she said.
Certainly hers is a busy life.
“I think that’s why I respect
so many Masters, because
we’ve all got family, we’re all
working and we can still find
time for each other and train.
I think that needs to be given
credit.”
Synchronised swimming
was Bec’s water background
before discovering her love
for the beach and the surf.
She first got involved
with surf lifesaving in 2009
when Sam and Harry joined
Newport Nippers after she
and Brendan decided their
children needed to do Nippers
and learn to surf, or at least
learn to ‘read’ the surf.
A Bronze Medallion, Nippers
water safety and stints
as Junior Activities Chairperson
and the Club’s Member
Protection Information Officer
have all followed.
Bec is also a member of the
six-person Patrol Competition
team (a super mix of Masters
and teenagers) and the
Masters water team. She’s also
recently joined the Inflatable
Rescue Boat team – she says
just so she can “hang out with
Harry”.
On 3 June, Newport SLSC
is holding its Annual Awards
presentation, The Bernies
(named after Club legend
Bernie Howard). The Capell
family feature strongly – with
seven nominations.
– Greg McHugh
12 JUNE 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991

Elliot’s future is written in the stars
Imagine it is 2050. You’re on a space mission
to Titan, Saturn’s largest moon. It’s a ‘brief’
three-year trip and there are 35 astronauts along
for the ride.
Elliot Powell and his futuristic rocket propulsion
system will get you there!
Elliot, 17, a Year 11 Oxford Falls Grammar
student, has been awarded the highly soughtafter
NASA-affiliated Al Worden ‘Endeavour’
Scholarship, beating out more than 600 other
applicants.
His video pitch to the Scholarship judges
showcased experimental future technology in
a nuclear thermal-powered Mothership and a
traditional chemical-powered Landing Module.
Elliot said a family trip to the Kennedy Space
Centre in Florida to witness a rocket launch when he was just
nine lit the fuse for his passion.
“That was quite incredible. They say you feel it before you
see it and that was definitely true,” he said. “My Dad calls it
the greatest place on earth.”
Introduced to the Kerbal Space Program video game by his
English cousin (who designs rockets to collect space junk),
Elliot was soon building and designing his own ‘virtual’
rockets.
“As a nine-year-old seeing that (launch), it presented a
medium through which I could build my interest in space,”
he said.
A deep family interest in aviation, aerospace and a steady
diet of space-themed movies has continued to fuel Elliot –
with ‘Apollo 13’ on an infinite loop at the Powell’s residence.
SCHOLARSHIP: Elliot Powell.
In July, Elliot will fly to Space Camp at the US
Space and Rocket Centre in Alabama.
The Al Worden ‘Endeavour’ Scholarship aims
to inspire young space explorers and engineers.
Al Worden was the Apollo 15 Command Module
pilot and a passionate advocate for exploration
and STEM (science, technology, engineering,
mathematics) education.
Elliot and three other eager Australian high
school students will travel to Alabama with
an experienced STEM educator. Teams from
France, Bahrain and the United States will also
touch down at Space Camp.
“It’s an incredible opportunity.”
The Space Camp will expose students to
astronaut training simulators, engineering
challenges and team-based activities – even lessons on space
careers and on International Space Station languages.
The simulators have grabbed Elliot’s attention.
He talks about actor Ed Harris (who played astronaut John
Glenn) in the movie ‘The Right Stuff’, being locked in a chair
and spun every which way to simulate a tumble on re-entering
the Earth’s atmosphere (the Multi-Axis Trainer).
Elliot says he is up for it.
“I have been pretty good on rides… never been sick. It will
really test me but I’m looking forward to it,” he said.
Currently learning to fly a Cessna, he has dreams of going
into aviation, ideally through a degree with the Air Force.
“It’s definitely a goal of mine to go to space. The destiny of
humanity is in the stars… we do need to explore, we do need
to get out there.”
– Greg McHugh
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
JUNE 2023 13

An Avalon camper’s
crazy Coronation diary
News
Story by Dr Jonathan King
As soon as I heard King Charles III’s
Coronation would be 6 May 2023, I
decided to attend; after all, I had an
inside lane – or so I thought – having gone
to Geelong Grammar’s bushland campus,
Timbertop, just a few years ahead of
Charles. I had also interviewed Charles for
a story for The Australian when he arrived
at Timbertop in the 1960s.
We shared the same History teacher, Michael
Persse, and graduated with History
Degrees. In 1984 Persse asked Charles to
secure Buckingham Palace support for my
Australian Bicentennial Re-enactment of
the First Fleet voyage.
Thanks to Charles, Prince Philip met
me at Buckingham Palace and wrote a
strong letter of endorsement. My wife
Jane and I were presented to the Queen,
who accepted a posy from our daughters
in Portsmouth where Her Majesty then
boarded HMS Sirius, reviewed my Fleet
of 11 tall ships, officially launching our
expedition.
As Australian Rainforest Foundation
director, in the 1990s, I also publicly defended
Charles’ visionary call for bans on
rainforest logging.
I won an Order of Australia in 2022 in
the last Queens Birthday Honours; hence
I really thought I had this ‘inside lane’ to
the Coronation. In January I sent a letter
to Charles asking for special consideration
for his 80-year-old ‘School Chum’.
I checked my letterbox every day for
months but to no avail. I decided, “To
hell with it – I’ll go anyway!” (I am certain
Charles would have replied if he had seen
it.)
Having seen enthusiasts on TV camping
out for Royal weddings, I bought a tent,
flew to London and headed straight to
Buckingham Palace.
Friday 5 May
I got to the front of the queue of red, white
and blue bunting-covered tents at the
Buckingham Palace end of the Mall by
sneaking through St James Park, finding
a tiny spot under a tree on Coronation eve
morning.
Smiling nervously, I took my Australian
flag out of my backpack, donned my Akubra
and asked the most dominant camper
if I could pitch my tent. “Of course, Aussie!
We’ll help!” said cockney Jake, 35. He
instructed Marty (from Poland) and Jirina
(from Czechoslovakia) to assist erect
my tent, tie it to a tree and blow up my
Li-lo. Then there was Welsh couple Paula
and John who said I looked like Crocodile
Dundee; they presented a bottle of
Australian chardonnay, and barbequed
sausages. Karen from Portsmouth, who
remembered the Queen farewelling my
First Fleet, gave me a portable charger.
By noon I “belonged” and began enjoying
the camaraderie of this unifying
celebration. However, 30 minutes later
we encountered heavily tattooed former
British soldier Leighton, 42 – with a pottymouth
and shaved head, he burst into our
camp erecting his tent beside mine. He
said he was stoned on marijuana and he
was happy to boast about it. Then between
vapes he befriended me. Leighton said
he’d been invalided out of the Afghanistan
war after stepping on a landmine, showing
me a patched-up leg. “It’s all in here,”
he said, fishing a copy of Prince Harry’s
‘Spare’ out of his tent. “Harry fought in
same theatre, a bloody brave soldier, and
great bloke.”
More colourful characters added spice
to the afternoon, before at 2.05pm the
crowd roared: “It’s the King!” A red Rolls
Royce stopped nearby. Charles, the Prince
and the Princess of Wales, went on walkabouts,
chatting to campers for 20 minutes.
During the afternoon, reporters from a
host of countries interviewed us for social
media, with an English reporter congratulating
me on “the best seat in the house”.
Exhausted, I fell asleep at 7pm, woken
just an hour later by laughter as a group
of Jamaicans carrying chairs joined our
crowded camp.
Going to the toilet was a challenge, as
the Porta Loos were locked until the day
of the Coronation. When I reported a paper
shortage in the local toilet, the ‘Bobby’
laughed; “I’ve got more important issues
than that!”
At 9pm a drunken Irishman fell into my
tent. Every time I emerged, more people
had pushed in. At 10pm it looked like a
refugee camp. Loud hammering woke
me at 2am as security guards erected a
wall blocking my wife’s Jane’s rehearsed
entry via St James Park. I texted her. After
catching sleep in half-hour lots I woke at
4.30am.
14 JUNE 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE LEFT: The Town Crier welcomes the author to London; Dr King and wife Jane finally
catch up with ‘King Charles’; Dr King’s campsite on Coronation eve; the crowd gathers later that night; the author
with fellow campers Leighton and Paul; dressed for the occasion, Coronation enthusiasts cheer the new King.
Saturday 6 May
The day started in chaos. Police arrived
at 6am demanding we dismantle
our tents but one of the group refused,
shouting: “That’s no way to treat a homeless
man!” Leighton vowed to defend
the camp, demanding I stand firm. No
chance for breakfast.
Jane arrived at 6.30am, just before police
blocked access. At 7am, overhearing
my accent, a Sky News reporter interviewed
me in a live cross for the 4pm
Sydney news.
The excitement built and shortly after
10am campers rushed barricades as the
official procession left the Palace for Westminster
Abbey – King Charles in white
robes waving with Queen Camilla. Then,
with the rain beginning to fall, we watched
on our mobile phones as the 40th monarch
since 1066 was crowned at the Abbey.
At 1.30pm we peered through drizzle
at Charles returning in the glittering
1762 gold state coach. Running with the
crowds we reached the Palace just as
King Charles appeared waving on the
balcony – an historic moment for us history
tragics!
“Thank you, King Charles for supporting
my First Fleet!” I shouted, lifting removing
my hat in respect. This prompted the young
woman beside me to burst into tears.
“What’s the matter?” I asked.
“It’s your deep respect for our King”
replied 35-year-old Rebecca in Irish
brogue. “I haven’t seen that for years – it
touched my heart.”
So, as I hoped, it was indeed rewarding
connecting with my old school chum –
even if just to unleash these heartfelt emotions
from a woman from, of all places, the
traditionally Republican south of Ireland!
* Author and historian Dr Jonathan King’s
Life Story appeared in our September
2022 issue.
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
JUNE 2023 15

News
McCarrs Creek cyclists’ push
When the McCarr Creek Cyclist Club was formed in 1994,
it was before lycra became the figure-hugging cycling
uniform of choice.
“We started riding in T-shirts and shorts,” says John Florin,
one of three founder members. “It was a while before we got
into lycra. I’m afraid we’re all lycra warriors now.
“It’s much more comfortable to ride in.”
So it’s not that club members want to look sexy? “Lycra only
looks sexy on some!” John admits.
Stuart de Jong, who joined the MCCC around 2005, credits
John, the late Lindsay Harvey and Richard Farago (who is now
unable to ride because of dementia) for the group.
Lindsay was the keenest and most talented cyclist of the trio.
He also rode with the Audax Australia Cycling Club, which specialises
in long distance rides of between 200 and 300 kilometres
under the auspices of Audax Club Parisien and Union des
Audax Français.
He persuaded several of
these elite riders to join the
MCCC, and was always on the
lookout for new members.
At its peak, the club had 50
members on its email list,
though a typical ride would
feature around 20.
Richard, according to Stuart,
was the club’s self-appointed
fashion director, not
holding back if he thought
a member wasn’t dressed to
standard.
“He was also the ‘Scone Nazi’,” Stuart laughs. “He was an
advocate of healthy food.”
Now the club is looking for new members, especially women
since female numbers have been depleted recently.
Most members are men in their 60s and early 70s who cycle
to keep up their fitness but younger members are welcome.
Despite its name, the MCCC is not a registered club, John
explains. “It’s more a group of loosely connected friends.
“We’re extending an invitation to anyone who would like to
join us for a relatively gentle ride and a cup of coffee.
“People need to feel comfortable riding at our pace. Our ride
average is between 18 and 22km/h. If someone wants to ride
a lot faster or a lot slower, they probably wouldn’t enjoy it as
much.”
There are two rides a week, both starting at 7.30am. On
Wednesdays, they ride the 30 kilometres around Akuna Bay
OUTINGS: Members at their
regular ‘pit stop’ (top right)
at West Head; and on tour
at the top of Mt Hotham.
and back – starting and
finishing at Tempo, the
popular cycling cafe in
Terrey Hills run by Dan
Forsythe.
For a while Dan rode with
the MCCC. “But he’s a much
better cyclist than us,” John
admits.
“When we first rode to
West Head, we’d be the only
cycling group there,” Stuart
recalls. “Now it’s standing
room only.”
On Saturdays, the routes
16 JUNE 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991

vary, but are generally between 60 to 100 kilometres. Sometimes
they start at Hornsby and ride to Woy Woy, taking the
train back. Another route starts at North Turramurra and
heads to Berowa and the Galston Gorge. A third is to Palm
Beach and back.
The rides are social rather than competitive, featuring plenty
of on-saddle banter.
Twice a year the club heads to somewhere further afield:
Tumut, Bright, Mount Hotham – with partners acting as support
crew.
They’ve also organised cycling trips abroad including the
South Island of New Zealand, the Italian Dolomites and the
Pyrenees. – Steve Meacham
*If you’re interested in going for a test ride with the MCCC
either arrive at Tempo before 7.30 am on a Wednesday or
phone John (0438 533 844) or Stuart (0429 442 604).
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
JUNE 2023 17

News
‘My first year on Mackellar w
Independent Federal MP Dr Sophie Scamps
outlines the progress she’s made on behalf of
the residents of Mackellar in the 12 months
since her election. Interview by Nigel Wall
Q: Congratulations on your
one-year anniversary… tell
us, what’s been the biggest
eye-opener from the past 12
months?
The biggest surprise to
me has been the rate and
extent to which change can
happen in Parliament and
how quickly our nation can
respond to important issues
– if the political will is there.
The past 12 months has seen
our country take enormous
strides on important issues
like the climate crisis, international
relations and alliances,
and the transition to a
renewable energy economy. It
feels like Australia is back on
the international stage again
and it feels good to be there.
Q: What has been your most
satisfying achievement?
Prior to the last election
two issues were clear front
runners for our community
– urgent action on climate
change and restoring integrity
to federal politics.
So, I’ve focused on negotiating
with the government
to improve our climate laws,
including enshrining our net
zero 2050 target in law and
strengthening the safeguard
mechanism to ensure our
biggest polluters deliver real
emissions cuts. I’m proud
that Australia is finally on the
road to addressing climate
change.
At the same time, I’m very
proud to have voted in line
with community expectations
for a strong National Anti-
Corruption Commission and
to further push the issue of
integrity in politics with my
‘Ending Jobs for Mates’ Private
LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY: Dr Sophie Scamps says local issues are
front and centre of her focus as she enters her second year in parliament.
Member’s Bill. This Bill aims
to end the cronyism and ‘jobs
for mates’ culture that has led
to many Australians losing
trust in federal politics.
More locally, it was very
pleasing that after advocating
strongly to all levels of
government that the new NSW
Government listened to my
concerns over the flooding
of the Wakehurst Parkway
and promised to deliver extra
funding for flood mitigation
works.
Q: What is the most pressing
local issue?
People tell me repeatedly
that cost-of-living pressures,
particularly the lack of affordable
housing in the area,
is the major issue of concern.
It is heartbreaking to witness
young families and individu-
18 JUNE 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991

atch’: Scamps
als having to move away from
the Northern Beaches because
they cannot afford to buy
their own home or the high
rents in the area. It separates
people from their families
and networks and drives intergenerational
inequality.
Protecting our local environment
is also an issue that
is very close to the hearts of
the people of Mackellar so
I will continue to campaign
strongly against PEP11 – the
permit to drill for oil and gas
off our coastline. I was proud
to second the Bill of fellow
Northern Beaches Independent
MP Zali Steggall that calls
for this licence to be extinguished
forever.
Q: Are you happy with how
you are being heard by the
Albanese Labor Government?
The Prime Minister and
ministers have been very
open to communicating and
working with me and the
others on the crossbench. The
Prime Minister meets regularly
with the crossbench and
during parliamentary sitting
weeks Government ministers
brief the crossbench weekly
about upcoming legislation
for question and comment.
This is apparently something
that has not happened previously.
Consistent with my promise
to do politics differently, I’ve
been working constructively
with the government to improve
and create better laws
for our nation. For example,
when a Bill to ensure our biggest
polluters cut their emissions
was held up in the Senate,
I helped find a solution
by drafting an amendment
that was broadly accepted and
allowed the Bill to be passed.
The amendment I proposed
to this safeguard mechanism
Bill was to require all new and
expanded fossil fuel facilities
to be net zero from the day
they start operating. This is
now law.
Q: What things have you
requested specific to Mackellar
that are still works in
progress, or have not been
addressed?
Working together with State
and Local governments we’re
making progress on upgrades
The Local Voice Since 1991
to the Wakehurst Parkway to
reduce the recurrent flooding
and closure of the road
from 6-7 times a year to once
or twice every two years. It
is vital the people of Mackellar
can access their only
public hospital no matter the
weather. I will continue to
push to ensure that both the
flood mitigation works and
upgrades to the road itself
progress.
I’ve also recently requested
that the Federal Communications
Minister intervene on
the unacceptable 3-year delay
in upgrading the mobile telecommunications
infrastructure
at Cottage Point. For
over 20 years, the community
has asked for solutions to the
lack of mobile phone coverage
and internet access to
the area, and still this has
not happened. This is despite
the death of a resident in
2019 after their partner was
unable to contact emergency
services because the landline
was down and there
was no mobile signal. With
the awarding of funding for
the installation of a mobile
phone base station in March
2020 through the Federal
Government’s Mobile Black
Spot Program, the community
was relieved that a solution
was imminent, however
three years later, this is yet to
be installed. It is an unacceptable
situation.
Q: Now the area doesn’t have
a sitting Government member
both federally and State,
will you work collaboratively
with the MP for Pittwater to
help hold Chris Minns accountable,
and help lobby for
local improvements?
One of the advantages of
being an Independent is that
I can work with MPs from
across the political spectrum
to stand up for our community.
I am 100% looking forward
to working with both our
new state MPs, Rory Amon in
Pittwater, and Wakehurst’s Independent
MP Michael Regan.
Together we will hold the new
NSW Labor Government to account
and ensure the government
tackles the issues we are
facing here on the Beaches.
JUNE 2023 19
News

News
No-take proposal
polarises locals
Our story about the planned proposal to
Northern Beaches Council to turn Mona
Vale basin at the north end of the beach
into an aquatic reserve and no-fishing zone
has caused something of a submarine stoush.
Not least between members of the
Dawnbusters ocean swimming group, from
which the ‘Friends of Bongin Bongin Bay’ was
formed.
John Randall, 83, claims to be “the oldest
long-term member of the Dawnbusters”,
having swum with the club for 23 years.
He says the story in the May edition of
Pittwater Life “… has caused friction at the
beach and anger in the community directed
at us”.
Twice recently, John says, he was confronted
by locals complaining the no fishing proposal
from the ocean swim club was “a scare
campaign”.
An abusive poster festering against the nofishing
proposal has since been removed.
John said he couldn’t defend his fellow
swim club members’ proposal because he and
several other members of the Dawnbusters
don’t agree with it.
Particularly about the club’s insistence that
aquatic life would be destroyed if fishing was
allowed to continue along the beach and the
two rock headlands that stand sentry.
John says he is now too unsteady on his feet
to fish from the rocks anymore.
But he relishes memories of fishing from
the headlands when he was younger.
“I’ve been talking to experienced fishermen
– one who has been fishing here for 65 years
– and they all say they haven’t noticed any
reduction in fish numbers or size.”
John has also spoken to general beachgoers
who, he says, resent one club attempting to
impose restrictions on an environment every
Australian should be able to enjoy.
“These guys (the swim club’s management)
want to swim across the bay every morning,
but want to stop fishermen (being able to
enjoy the same location).
“There’s absolutely no need to ban fishing
off the rocks – and there are a lot of angry
people after your article.”
Friends of Bongin Bongin Bay expect to
finalise and submit their proposal to Council
in late Winter.
– Steve Meacham
*Want your say? Read the submission:
bonginbonginbay.com
6THINGS
THIS MONTH
Music treat. Peninsula Music
Club presents international
Australian Pianist Andrea Lam
performing favourite classical
works as well as works by
Australian composer Matthew
Hindson who will be live on-stage
providing insight into the pieces,
what inspired them and how they
evolved on Sun 4 from 2.30pm-
4.30pm at St Luke’s Grammar
School Bayview Campus. Tickets
$30 peninsulamusicclub.com.au
or at the door.
Boat safety series. The Royal
Motor Yacht Club at Newport
is hosting a free safety series
this month with a range of guest
speakers, sessions on how to
conduct safety audits, lifejacket
and fire extinguisher checks,
radar and night navigation, flare
and life raft demos and a “First
Mate” ladies technical day. Info at
royalmotor.com.au or 9997 5511.
Weaving Workshop. Join Master
Weaver Aunty Karleen Green at
the Mona Vale Creative Space on
Fri 2, 9, 16 and 23 from 10am-12pm
to weave, listen to stories about
our local history and contribute
to a public artwork as part of
Gai-mariagal Festival. Bookings
through Council website.
Wrestling. International Wrestling
Australia presents Team Northern
Beaches vs Team Western
Sydney, featuring Australian
Heavyweight Champion and
Northern Beaches Local Jackson
Kelly at Pittwater RSL on Sat 10.
General Admission $22 Adults,
$18 Child. Doors open 7.30pm.
More info pittwaterrsl.com.au.
Author talk. Avalon Library
welcomes Anthea Hodgson who
will talk about her book The War
Nurses – a story of courage and
camaraderie based on a true story
of Australian nurses in WWII. On
Sun 25 at 3pm; book at the library
or call 8495 5080. Tickets $10.
High Tea and Champagne.
Chemical CleanOut. Clear out
your old paint, batteries, poisons,
garden, and household chemicals,
plus motor fuels, globes, smoke
detectors and gas bottles and
safely dispose of them for free at
the Mona Vale Beach car park on
Sat 24 and Sun 25 from 9am-3pm;
more info epa.nsw.gov.au
20 JUNE 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991

New Independent Wakehurst
MP Michael Regan
has extracted confirmation
from the Minns State Government
that it will honour
its pre-election pledge of
increased funding to hasten
flood mitigation works and
safety and capacity improvements
on the Wakehurst
Parkway.
The former Northern
Beaches Mayor used his first
question in parliament to ask:
“Will this government deliver
its pre-election commitment
of $13 million for flood mitigation
work, as well as the
previous budget allocation
of $75 million dollars for the
Wakehurst Parkway, so that
the people of the Northern
Beaches can rely on this crucial
arterial road?”
In response, Transport Minister
Jo Haylen confirmed the
Government’s $13 million commitment
to fast-track work on
flood mitigation measures, in
addition to the $18.1m already
provided to Northern Beaches
Council by the former Liberal
State Government to improve
flood mitigation on Wakehurst
Parkway.
“The NSW Government is
investing $75m in total to improve
safety and capacity on
the parkway,” she added.
“It is a critical thoroughfare
but it is also surrounded by
places of important cultural
heritage and environmental
significance, so the Government
needs to get this right.”
Ms Haylen said the Government
would carry out the
widening of Dreadnought
Road to the Oxford Falls Road
intersection, with an additional
southbound lane from
Dreadnought Road to Trefoil
Creek, and improvements
at Elanora Road at Elanora
The Local Voice Since 1991
FOCUS: Fast-tracking
flood mitigation works.
Parkway funding confirmed
Heights and Mirrool Street at
North Narrabeen.
“The investigations and
works will ensure that this
Government gets this right,
and the community will be
informed along the way,” she
said.
“The proposed improvements
to the road will help
to reduce accidents. They
will improve access to the
Northern Beaches Hospital
– a something that is very
important for the member’s
community. Ultimately, it will
save commuters time.
“It will improve road safety,
network efficiency, capacity
for future traffic flow, public
transport and active transport
opportunities.
“While a lot of the work will
be carried out to minimise
traffic impacts, there will be
some disruptions along the
way.”
Ms Haylen added the Government
wanted to make sure
it dealt with any environmental
impacts.
Mr Regan said the upgrades
to the Parkway were something
he had pushed for both
as Mayor of Northern Beaches
Council and during the NSW
election.
“It is heartening that the
new Government has officially
confirmed this funding
for our community,” he said.
“The long-overdue attention
the Wakehurst Parkway
will now receive comes after
decades of neglect and inaction
from governments of all
persuasions.
“Now that funding has been
confirmed, the works should
begin as soon as is practical,”
he said. – Nigel Wall
*What do you think? Tell
us at readers@pittwaterlife.
com.au
JUNE 2023 21
News

News
Tree fines: ‘Increase the hurt’
Pittwater-based community
group Canopy Keepers
is urging Northern
Beaches Council to increase
the financial penalty for the
illegal removal of trees.
The group also want Council
to advertise tree removal
applications and permits
onsite, with signage as per
current Development Application
displays.
Their calls follow a decision
in Manly Court on May
9 where a developer was
convicted of the removal of 14
trees from a construction site
at North Narrabeen in 2021.
The defendant was ordered
to pay a fine of $10,000 plus
professional legal costs, with
the court judgment describing
the offence as a “serious
breach”.
Canopy Keepers spokeswoman
Deborah Collins said
although the group welcomed
the successful prosecution,
the penalty was insufficient
deterrent.
“Unfortunately, we need to
increase the hurt,” Ms Collins
said.
Council was first alerted to
the issue in September 2021
after receiving a complaint
about the removal of a tree at
a construction site in North
Narrabeen.
On inspection, Council
found that 14 trees had been
removed in contravention of a
development consent.
Northern Beaches Council
Interim CEO Louise Kerr said
the case served as an important
reminder of the need
to comply with development
consents.
WATERED DOWN DETERRENT: Canopy Keepers’ Deborah Collins wants
financial penalties for the illegal removal of trees increased.
“Northern Beaches Council
is committed to protecting
and maintaining trees and
bushland, especially threatened
species and trees with
heritage significance,” Ms
Kerr said.
“Council has zero tolerance
to these types of offences and
takes these matters seriously.
“While these 14 trees have
sadly been removed, we hope
that this will serve as an
important reminder to others
in the community to comply
with conditions of their
development consent and not
remove trees without Council
permission.”
Canopy Keepers’ Ms Collins
told Pittwater Life: “We support
Council’s stand of Zero
Tolerance with breaches of
this kind… residents have a
high expectation that Council
is able to act in such circumstances
and yet more often
than not our canopy and our
wildlife suffer an irreversible
loss with limited reparation.
“The NSW Department
of Planning says it gives
Councils extensive powers
to investigate incidents and
penalise offenders, yet we believe
many at Council would
agree that there is much in
the legislation that requires
reviewing and improving – including
an easier way to bring
about convictions.”
She pointed to Ku-ring-gai
Council as leading the way to
have illegal tree removal fines
increased.
Ms Collins urged Northern
Beaches Council to join with
other councils to ensure fines
were increased, as well as
amend the ‘burden of proof’
legislation.
“We call on the Council to
advertise tree removal applications
and permits onsite
– just as they do DAs.
“This allows residents to
know in advance what is happening
to their community of
trees and why it is happening
– and this alone could avert
many illegal removals.”
She noted that in the North
Narrabeen case, the developer
received a $10,000 fine 18
months after the offence.
“That’s $700 per tree for
possibly 70-100 years of
growth – such a fine is not a
deterrent to a developer or a
wealthy home buyer, it simply
is part of the development
cost and seen as such,” Ms
Collins said.
She added that planting
replacement tree stock, that
took decades to mature, did
not replace habitat or canopy,
and with often a low compliance,
this solution was
flawed.
Ms Collins said another
layer of deterrent could be
added if tree loppers were
made accountable after carrying
out illegal services for
their clients.
“In this instance was the
tree lopper also fined? If a
tree lopper was at risk of being
listed on the NBC website
or newsletter as disreputable,
might that deter them?” she
posed.
Ms Collins said the
vigilance of residents was
essential in deterring illegal
tree felling.
“Follow the sound of the
chainsaw, take photos of
the tree felling, call Council,
check the NBC website for approvals,
talk to neighbours,”
she said. – Nigel Wall
*What do you think? Tell us
at readers@pittwaterlife.com.
au; also visit canopykeepers.
org.au
22 JUNE 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991

Govt delivers Council a $3m blow
Northern Beaches Council has slammed
the Minns State Government for withdrawing
crucial Environmental Services
Levy insurance subsidies it pays NSW
Councils, which will leave our Council with
a $3.1 operating budget deficit heading into
the new financial year.
Newly elected Mayor Sue Heins labelled
the move a “cost-shifting exercise”, while
Pittwater State MP Rory Amon warned
Labor’s move would likely force Council to
raise its rates, further impacting the hip
pockets of ratepayers during the current
cost-of-living crisis.
Mayor Heins said Labor had dumped a
highly damaging increase in the Emergency
Services Levy (ESL) on all NSW councils
without warning heading into the 2023-’24
financial year.
She said the sharp rise in the ESL
through a 19.5 per cent increase and the
removal of the existing subsidy paid by the
NSW Government to offset levy increases
in recent years would result in a $3.1 million
spike (50 per cent increase) in its costs
in 2023-’24.
“This sudden announcement by the NSW
Government came after we had finalised
our draft 2023-’24 budget and started consulting
our community on a plan we can
no longer afford to fully fund,” she said.
“This means we will now have to look at
cutting costs elsewhere to meet this sharp
increase in the levy.
“It impacts our community because we
may not be able to provide all the programs
and services we had planned to.”
Mayor Heins explained the NSW Government
had paid an ESL subsidy to Councils
since 2019-’20. The subsidy covered the
large increase in the ESL in recent years
due to increasing costs following bushfires
and floods, along with funding reforms
to workers’ compensation for firefighters
with work-related cancers.
“Now NSW Councils are being asked to
fund significant rises in emergency services
budgets,” Mayor Heins said.
In the 2023-’24 financial year, Northern
Beaches Council’s ESL will increase by $3.1
PHOTO: NSW RFS
million, comprising a $1.5 million (19.5 per
cent) increase in the levy to $9.3 million,
and $1.6 million through the removal of
the levy subsidy.
The ESL is paid by councils and insurance
companies to support NSW emergency
services including Fire & Rescue, State
Emergency Service and Rural Fire Service.
Insurers of property in NSW fund almost
74 per cent of the costs. They collect
an Emergency Services Levy from their
customers as part of insurance premiums,
which is passed onto the NSW Government.
All NSW Councils fund 11.7 per cent of
the costs of emergency services. Unlike
the insurance industry, councils are not
permitted to pass this levy directly onto
customers through rates notices.
Pittwater MP Rory Amon, a former Pittwater
Ward councillor, said the new Labor
Government had “ripped the carpet out
from underneath our local Council”.
“They have told them to fund the levy increase
themselves, leaving us $3.1 million
worse off this year alone,” he said.
“This hike threatens the Council cancellation
core services or projects, such as
the delivery of new footpaths or surf club
upgrades. This is unacceptable.
“Labor’s decision demonstrates how out
BUSHFIRES: The Northern
Beaches remain a high-risk
of natural disaster area.
of touch they are with local communities,
and they need to wake up to the enormous
challenges being faced in communities
across the state.
“This decision of Labor will only further
hurt families because Council will likely
need to yet again increase rates to make up
the $3.1 million difference, or by cutting
key services or projects.”
Mr Amon said local community services
had long been funded through a costsharing
arrangement between insurers,
Councils and the NSW Government.
“The former Liberal Government understood
that local councils simply couldn’t
afford any increase to their contribution as
a result of COVID-19, natural disasters and
other economic challenges,” he said.
“I am proud of the former Government’s
commitment to communities by delivering
millions of dollars to local Councils
to cover the cost of levy increases, so that
Council could focus on core community
services and projects.”
Mayor Heins said Council rejected the
move outright and had resolved to call on
the NSW Government to reinstate the ESL
subsidy.
– Nigel Wall
*What do you think? Tell us at readers@
pittwaterlife.com.au
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
JUNE 2023 23

News
Helping youth stage their identity
Since its resurrection two
years ago, the Northern
Beaches Youth Theatre
has gone from strength to
strength – and now it wants
your help in growing further.
“There’s always a lot of
laughter and fun. Myself and
Chantal feel very privileged
to work with the kids,” says
Victoria Lockhart.
Chantal is Chantal Harrison,
who along with
Victoria are the co-directors
of Northern Beaches Youth
Theatre (NBYT). Pittwater Life
last talked to the pair two
years ago when they started
NBYT back up after a 10-year
hiatus. Previous to that, it had
two decades producing great
plays and great young actors
– Chantal was NBYT alumni
herself.
Back in 2021 the theatre
was about to put on a production
of the heart-warming
play ‘Hating Alison Ashley’.
It’s safe to say it was quite a
success.
“It was excellent,” says
Victoria, “we really chose the
right play to do and so there
was a sigh of relief afterwards.
“The audience loved it, the
kids loved doing it, and we
could see that we were servicing
a part of the Northern
Beaches which had not happened
in a long time.”
Another contemporary play
came next: ‘School of Sharks’
was written about life on an
isthmus, the strip of land out
to an island.
“We saw some irony in
doing the play on the peninsula,”
says Victoria, “and it
was something that appealed
to the youth – there are some
mental health issues in it,
which seemed especially
heightened in young people
after COVID.
“Like with ‘Hating Alison
Ashley’ we had a double cast
as so many kids wanted to be
involved. The play is full of
humour and coping mechanisms
for dealing with mental
health.”
And indeed the NBYT itself
is very much an antidote
to the pressures of being
a young person in today’s
world.
“It’s a stepping stone to confidence
in many ways,” agrees
Victoria. “Students come out
of their shell and it gives
them a voice. Kids that were
quiet and shy are suddenly
animated.”
‘Christmas Carol High
School’ – again with a double
cast – was the latest production.
And now with ‘Anne
of Green Gables’ about to
premiere, the theatre is very
much looking to take its next
growth step.
“We’re looking for more
youth to get involved, but also
more adults,” explains Victoria,
“and we want the community
to know we’re there.”
”We’re building ourselves
as a theatre and we’re now
looking for people to assist
with grant applications,”
BOOST: Victoria and
Chantal (rear) say
Northern Beaches
Youth Theatre provides
kids with a stepping
stone to confidence.
she said. “We’re looking for
philanthropists and we want
to grow.
“We know now that we’re
needed and appreciated.
It’s a safe space for youth
to explore and get into that
lovely creative and imaginative
space. They can free
themselves and feel ownership
and pride over what they
create. We’re facilitating their
creativity.
“But to do more, we need
more finances.”
If you want to get involved,
the Home Theatre is in Warriewood
at Pittwater Uniting
Church. Rehearsals are
4.30pm to 6.30pm on a Friday
evening. And that ramps up
coming up to production
time – which is the case now,
with ‘Anne of Green Gables’
next up.
“The kids have just loved
it,” says Victoria. “We hadn’t
done anything traditional
up until now and this is a
straight adaptation of the
story.”
“It’s been great to do a
traditional piece, with people
involved in creating the set
and costumes that requires –
so that people could see our
scope and variety.
“And everyone has loved it.
They giggle a lot at the language,
and it’s a great education
for them.” – Rob Pegley
*Anne of Green Gables performances
June 15 and 17
(Cast A) and June 22 and 24
(Cast B). Tickets @ Humanitix.com;
Adults $20, Youth/
concession $12, Family $50.
Email infonbyt@gmail.com
24 JUNE 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991

News
SEEN…
The notice from NSW Liberal HQ appointing Pittwater MP
Rory Amon Shadow Assistant Minister for Planning and
Public Spaces, Housing, and Youth. Mr Amon told Pittwater
Life: “These portfolios shape our future. We need sustainable
planning policies, better activation and sensitive use of our
public spaces, effective policies for affordable and social
housing, and ensuring that Government provides a wholeof-government
approach to youth issues to make sure our
future generations are represented. Labor have promised to
dump more density in Pittwater and the Northern Beaches
and have no plans for more infrastructure… I will advocate
against inappropriate development which may be pursued
by the NSW Labor Government in Pittwater.” Also, more a not
seen – the wait goes on for the posted decision by the Sydney
North Planning Panel on the future of Newport Surf Club.
A public meeting was held on 16 May, when the Panel heard
verbal submissions and asked questions of representatives of
Council (the applicant) and other interested parties – including
the Surf Club and Surfrider Foundation. The Panel’s website
indicates that a determination has now been deferred “… to
enable further consideration of complex statutory and policy
requirements” and “to ensure that an informed decision can
be made”. The Panel says it will now determine the matter
“electronically”. No time frame was provided. Previously the
Panel had indicated it would aim to publish its decision within
seven days after the public meeting. (An earlier determination
by a differently constituted Panel refused the DA.)
HEARD…
Still with Rory Amon, the Pittwater MP has slammed the
Albanese Federal Government’s 2023-24 budget for its failure to
deliver anything for environmental initiatives, local community
groups, organisations, or for local infrastructure projects
in Pittwater. “Labor completely ignored Pittwater and the
Northern Beaches altogether. There was not one cent of new
funding for our community groups or infrastructure. This is
despite an exhaustive consultation process being undertaken
by the Government with councils, community groups and
Independent MPs to determine community needs.” … Did
you know that the Federal seat of Mackellar, despite having
an incumbent Independent MP in Dr Sophie Scamps, also has
its very own ‘Senator for Mackellar’ – Labor’s Tony Sheldon?
No, it was news to us, too. Last month Senator Sheldon’s office
announced that Labor had granted Pittwater High School
$25,000 for refurbishment, repairs and maintenance, as part
of a $32 million nationwide program. Senator Sheldon also
confirmed Labor’s commitment of $500,000 for a community
battery at Warriewood (like the battery installed at Beacon Hill
in 2021 – pictured). But as Dr Scamps told us: “While that’s
great news, it’s clear that ongoing community consultation by
Ausgrid is required
to find a suitable
location.” She said
the first consultation
had identified
broad support for
community batteries
and the transition
towards cleaner,
cheaper energy in
Mackellar. But not
all residents were
on the same page
about its proposed location
(Valley View Reserve at Parkland Way). “And so I look forward
to working with the Government and Ausgrid to find either a
suitable location for the battery or an alternative solution such
as installing a fleet of smaller batteries that attach to power
poles,” Dr Scamps said. “This technology is being proposed
in other electorates and could be perfect for the Warriewood
community.” Meanwhile, Senator Sheldon’s spokesman said
that while it was presumed constituents would first approach
sitting MP Dr Scamps with their concerns about local issues, the
Senator was also happy to be approached.
ABSURD…
Council’s Local Traffic
Committee is currently
working with Northern
Beaches Police to audit
electric bike, electric
scooter, electric
rollerblades, electric
skateboards and other
bike usage, on our various
shared paths, bike paths
and footpaths. The audit
is examining how Police
and Council rangers can
target non-compliance
with road rules. Which is great. To
complement that, Council have compiled a quiz which they’ve
posted on their website, inviting locals to test their knowledge
on e-bike safety. They’re encouraging folk to enter by offering
the chance to win one of five $100 gift vouchers. Trouble is the
short, multiple-choice quiz content doesn’t go to any lengths to
actually educate participants about what you can and can’t do.
It’s a curious form of parenting. Surely Council would be better
off posting a Facts sheet, to deliver absolute clarity about the
legalities of e-bikes (and other) and their usage. But if you’re
interested in winning a gift voucher, head to Council’s website;
you have until Thursday June 15 to enter.
26 JUNE 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991

News
Pittwater News
Local Probus Club
June speaker news
The newly formed Bilgola
Plateau Probus Club
reports they have reached a
membership of 84-strong.
They meet at 10am on the
first Friday of every month
at Newport Bowling Club.
The speaker at their next
meeting on Friday 2 June will
be Chris Gotham, volunteer
ambassador from Australian
mental health and well-being
organisation Beyond Blue.
Chris will share his personal
experience of dealing with
depression and his road to
recovery. More info Shelley
Barwick (0415 538 864). The
speaker at the next Newport
Probus Club meeting will be
Jon Simpson. He will speak
about The Sydney Heritage
Fleet, which he describes as
Sydney’s best kept secret.
The meeting will be held at
Newport Bowling Club on
Thursday 1 June, commencing
at 10am. Visitors welcome;
more info call President Di
Burrell (0410 465 303). The
Combined Probus Club of
Mona Vale meets the third
Tuesday of each month in the
auditorium at Pittwater RSL
Club (from 10am). On June
20 the guest speaker will be
author Warren Henry. Warren
says he was born curious –
small wonder then that he
includes 24 years as a Private
Investigator in a resume of
careers that have included
wine production, export, film
making, management training
and hospitality. Warren will
be discussing his book, ‘The
Ark in your Pocket’, in which
he addresses a dilemma
facing the modern family:
How do we maintain bonds
Ice Skating fun returns
Pittwater RSL’s hugely popular
Ice Skating Spectacular
is returning for a third successive
year, with the Club’s allweather
area to be converted
into a Winter Wonderland
from July 1-16.
Presenting an exciting
experience for the whole family
during the Winter school
holidays, the 225-square-metre
all-ice rink will be open daily,
with ice skating sessions running
for 45 minutes starting
on the hour every hour.
The pop-up rink is the
perfect activity for families,
sporting teams, and corporate
groups looking for a fun and
unique experience.
Children under four years
old must be accompanied by
an adult on the ice, and there
are penguin ice skating aids
available for hire for small
children who need extra assistance.
“We are excited to bring
back the Ice Skating Spectacular
to the Northern Beaches.
After the success of last year’s
event, we wanted to give the
community another chance
to enjoy Pittwater’s leading
services once again” said Club
CEO Jason Manning.
Book tickets and times online
at pittwaterrsl.com.au
of intimacy and togetherness
when we live ever further
apart? Warren reveals new
ways to preserve and pass
on the best bits of family, the
stories of who we are and
where we came from. Visitors
welcome; more info 1300
630 488. The next meeting of
Palm Beach and Peninsula
Probus Club is on Wednesday
15 June, with former Detective
Superintendent Deb Wallace
their guest speaker. Deb’s
trail-blazing career and long
experience in commanding a
range of specialist crime
squads led to her hosting
‘Million Dollar Murders’
for Channel 9. Working
collaboratively with NSW and
Victorian Police and with
$1m reward on offer, the
show aimed to shine a light
on unsolved cases. Visitors
welcome; meeting at Club
Palm Beach commencing 9.30
am. More info call Carmel
(0414 978 465). The speaker at
the next meeting of Pittwater
Mens Probus Club at Mona
Vale Surf Club on Tuesday
13 June will be member Bill
Sherman, who will trace the
history of firearms (and what
makes them go bang) from
their early days in ancient
China through to the present
day. Commences 10am;
visitors welcome. More info
call Terry (0412 220 820).
Sailing Club in
history shout-out
Narrabeen Lakes Sailing Club
is calling on members of the
local community to help them
write their history so they
can publish a book in time for
their 120-year anniversary in
2025. Publicity Officer David
Continued on page 30
28 JUNE 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991

Welcome to Ocean Country
Tens of thousands of Humpback Whales
are expected to migrate north along the
East Coast of Australia from June to September;
traditionally the indigenous Garigal
people of the Northern Beaches, whose totem
is the whale, welcomed the migration to their
Ocean Coast.
On June 3, environmental
organisation Living
Ocean will facilitate
a Welcome to Ocean
Country for the humpback
whale migration,
commencing 7:30am at
the Avalon Beach Surf
Club (last year’s event
pictured).
A Garigal elder will
perform a smoking ceremony, followed by
whale songs on the didgeridoo, and finally
the local community will call the whales in
the traditional way by squeaking their feet in
the sands of Avalon Beach.
The ceremony will mark the beginning
of Living Ocean’s 2023 whales and climate
research program, which is being planned to
span humpback behavioural research from
Pittwater; humpback non-invasive GPS tagging
from Eden; and the humpback Antarctic
research project.
Living Ocean says the 2023 research program
is critical as it will help fill significant
data gaps on shifting migratory patterns due
to climate change.
Living Ocean Vice President David Cousins
said that the world’s oceans hit their warmest
temperatures on record for the fourth year
in a row in 2022, with many scientists saying
2023 would take our
oceans into uncharted
territories.
“As the oceans warm,
they are also acidifying,
putting krill, the
humpbacks’ main food
source in the Southern
Ocean, under increasing
threat,” he said.
“The crustaceans’
shells are eaten away by the acid, reducing
their reproduction and survival rate.
“Additionally, the location of krill concentrations
on the migration route is changing
because of shifts in ocean currents, adding
to the difficulty humpbacks have in finding
food during their long migrations.”
Living Ocean is already observing reduced
body weight in humpbacks migrating north
from their feeding grounds at the Antarctic
shelf.
More info Simon Hayward: simon@livingocean.org.au
or call 0411 416 643.
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
JUNE 2023 29

News
Pittwater News
Continued from page 29
Loomes said he anticipated
that the book would include
several chapters which would
document the evolution of
the Club,. Unfortunately
records and memorabilia
were destroyed by fire in
2021, so the Club is asking
past members and friends to
participate in this project by
writing their own anecdotes
which will be collated and
included. To contribute, email
nlschistory@myyahoo.com
New facilities for
Porter Reserve
A new amenities building
and kiosk has opened at
Porter Reserve in Newport –
with the aim of supporting
an increase in female
participation in sport. Home
to Newport Breakers Rugby
Club and Newport Junior
Rugby Club the Reserve is
used heavily during Winter
for rugby training, games
and gala days. The focus of
the new amenities building
is a female change room with
toilets and showers, which
complements the existing
change rooms, a first aid
room, accessible amenities,
canteen and balcony area
and seating. At the official
opening on 28 April, the club
were joined by Rugby royalty
with the Australian Women’s
7’s team attending. Newport
Junior Rugby Club President
Josh Griggs said: “These great
new facilities will support the
enjoyment, accessibility and
solidify our commitment to
inclusive rugby for all.” The
build took eight months to
complete and cost $1.1 million.
Scotland Island
takes to the stage
A new historical fiction
play based on two women
important to the history of
Scotland Island will premiere
at the island community
hall in June. Written by
Jasper Marlow and featuring
Continued on page 32
Finding ability through creativity
Local Northern Beaches
community access and
social program, Explore
Social has spent the past 18
months building a strong
platform in bringing together
young adults from all
abilities to be more confident
and learn new skills
and passions.
Co-founder, Jess Summerfield
praised the local
community in supporting
their cause.
“Explore Social is all about
being supportive and the
community has been so supportive
of us which has been
awesome, it’s helped our clients
discover so many new
things about themselves,”
said Jess.
One key area of success
has been creative-based
activities which have opened
the door for clients to explore
their creative side and
develop a strong sense of
pride and ownership.
Moving into 2023 and
beyond Explore Social plans
to grow their initiative of
building pride through art
in developing dedicated art
classes for people of all ages
and abilities.
“We’re finding that art
just breaks all boundaries,
it doesn’t matter your age
or ability you can create
something and the positive
results we’re seeing now it’s
exciting to expand into the
dedicated classes,” said Jess.
*To view the works visit
exploresocial.com.au
30 JUNE 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991

‘Granny Flats’ make sound investment
Want to safeguard yourself against inflation and cost of
living pressures? The trending, low-risk investment option
offering great returns is not what you might think…
No, it’s not Bitcoin or crowdfunding another
tech start-up. It’s tangible and you can
keep a close eye on it – as it’s in your backyard!
Although its name can be polarising, it has so
much more potential than the humble ‘Granny
Flat’ label would suggest.
Chris Willoughby, Director of local Granny
Flat builder Bungalow Homes, answers some
topical questions.
Q: Why should I look to invest in a Granny
Flat?
While demand for typical ‘Granny Flat’ use
– where family members move into a smaller
home on a property – remains strong, we are
now seeing more people looking to create additional
income streams by taking advantage of
this lucrative option.
A deepening of the rental crisis is placing
upward pressure on rental prices – it’s only set
to worsen due to limited supply, the current
squeeze on credit, and reduced residential
building activity.
This represents an opportunity for investors.
We have clients who rent out their Granny
Flats and are using the additional income to
fulfil their travel goals; or they have moved into
READY TO HELP: The Bungalow Homes team.
the Granny Flat and are renting their larger
home. This just shows that a Granny Flat can
offer superb flexibility. Combined with rental
returns, Granny Flats are also proven to add
value to your property.
On the Northern Beaches, our 2-bedroom
Granny Flats have recently seen rental returns
of more than $900 per week. Even 1-bedroom
Granny Flats are renting for more than $550
per week.
However, the rental does not have to be
long-term and fixed. Being in the Northern
Beaches, a highly sought-after location with
few other accommodation options, you can
use short-stay websites such as Airbnb to help
facilitate casual rentals – allowing you to have
[Advertorial]
guests when you want, while still creating great
returns.
One of our newly completed bungalows in
Collaroy has been renting for short stays during
May for over $1,000 per week – and it’s not
even peak season.
Alternative property investment options
come with their own costs – stamp duty, strata
fees, Council rates, land tax. The Granny Flat
option is much more cost-effective, and so the
returns are much greater.
Q: I’ve heard stories of expensive construction
and delays; is now the right time?
At Bungalow Homes we have developed
an innovative design which can be completed
in half the time of our custom Granny Flats.
The design utilises interconnecting concrete
panels which form structural walls, and by
incorporating architectural design and quality
finishes, we have created a very durable, lowmaintenance
home at a new lower price point
in the Granny Flat market.
Although finance costs are a little higher
right now, returns remain strong, especially
when compared to alternative investment
options.
We are passionate about the returns our
Granny Flats can provide and offer all our
clients a complimentary site assessment and
feasibility report, so that they can fully evaluate
this option with no obligation.

News
Pittwater News
Continued from page 30
“many local celebrities”,
‘Two Catherines: A Twisted
Scotland Island Tale’ will be
performed on June 16, 17 and
23, 24 from 7.30pm. More info
scotlandisland.org.au.
Gotta love The Shack
The Shack Live Music Club
is held on the first Saturday
of each month at the Ted
Blackwood Hall, Warriewood.
Each show features three
live music acts in a cabaret
candlelit atmosphere with BYO
nibbles and drink for an
affordable and enjoyable night
of live entertainment. Next
concert on 3 June features
Daddy Longlegs and the
Swamp Donkeys, Wild Thyme
and Greg Nunan. Then on
July 1 enjoy performances
from Kevin Bennett,
Traditional Graffiti and Dead
Mellow. Entry $30 cash at door
(no wi-fi f) or tickets/booking
at shackfolk.com.
Hospital Auxiliary
in call for help
The Mona Vale Hospital
Auxiliary members are hoping
to increase their numbers of
volunteers to help with stalls
Sue Heins elected new Mayor
Councillor Sue Heins has been elected the
new Mayor of the Northern Beaches. Council
voted for the position at an Extraordinary Meeting
in May, following Michael Regan’s resignation
from the role. A second May
meeting saw Councillor David
Walton elected as Deputy Mayor.
Cr Heins, who represents the
Curl Curl Ward, was first elected
to Council in 2012. She will hold
the position of Mayor for four
months before the next Mayoral
election is held in September.
Cr Heins has lived and worked
on the Northern Beaches for
more than 25 years. She has supported
the local small business
community passionately for
many years, running networking
events and facilitating mentoring
programs.
Cr Heins is also involved
with several charities and is
currently Chairperson of Women & Children
First (domestic violence services) and Women’s
Healing Sanctuary. In 2015, Cr Heins received
the Minister’s Award for Women in Local Government
for her outstanding contributions to
Council and the community.
New-Mayor Heins acknowledged the work
of former Mayor Michael Regan, who has been
elected the Member for Wakehurst in the NSW
State Parliament, and said she
was honoured to accept the role.
“I am looking forward to collaborating
with my fellow Councillors
and thrilled to serve the
Northern Beaches community in
this new role,” she said.
Councillor Rory Amon also
submitted his resignation from
Northern Beaches Council.
Council is consulting with the
NSW Electoral Commission for a
countback of the ballot papers
to fill the vacancy in the Pittwater
Ward, with the new Councillor
likely to be sworn in in July.
New Deputy Mayor David Walton
was previously a Police Officer,
Detective and Commander
of the Northern Beaches Local Area Command,
where he was awarded the NSW Police and
National Police Medals.
The position of Deputy is a 12-month appointment
and is peer voted annually.
32 JUNE 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991

Bei Loon in State of celebration
Bayview-based Bei Loon Dragonboat Club
achieved great success at the recent
Australian Championships held at Gateway
Lakes, Albury/Wodonga.
Bei Loon entered a team of 37 paddlers, 10
of which were first-time Nationals entrants.
The team competed in 10 events and claimed
medals in five of the Senior B (over-50s)
events.
The Senior B Women 20s – 2km; and Senior
B Mixed 10s – 500m teams won gold, while
the Senior B Women 20s – 500m, Senior B
Women 20s – 200m and Senior B Mixed 10s –
200m each won silver.
Five paddlers – Arthur Papanicolaou, John
Flaherty, Steve McKeough, Di Maher and
Wynette Monserrat – represented the State
team.
Collectively, the Bei Loon NSW State paddlers
and give them new ideas at
their monthly meetings. The
auxiliary raises funds to
purchase equipment for
Mona Vale Hospital and
to make patients’ stays
in the Rehabilitation and
Palliative care units more
comfortable. More info email
monavalehospitalaux@gmail.
com.
Marine Rescue’s
warning on whales
Boaters off the Pittwater coast
are being advised to not get
too close to whales as they
make their annual trip north
to warmer waters. Multiple
pods of humpbacks have been
spotted off our coast in recent
weeks. Marine Rescue NSW
Commissioner Alex Barrell said
boaters needed to be aware
and vigilant in their attention
offshore. “As we are starting to
see the whale migration along
the NSW Coast, Marine Rescue
is reminding boaters that there
are rules and restrictions in
place for the wellbeing of the
animal but also the safety of
boaters,” he said. “Boaters are
not to come within 100 metres
of a whale or 300 metres of
a whale and a calf. If a whale
does surface near your vessel it
is important that you cut your
motors and slow down to a safe
speed.” Commissioner Barrell
also said skippers should not
approach whales from behind,
or wait in front of their paths.
No more than three vessels at
a time should approach whales
and skippers should wait their
turn.”
netted 5 gold and 2 silver medals and also
claimed honours in the State v State event.
Dragon Boat racing is a rapidly emerging
inclusive Australian and International competitive
sport for people of all ages, involving
up to 20 paddlers in a boat, accompanied by a
sweep. There is also a drummer when racing.
*Bei Loon of Bayview is the biggest club in
NSW; for more info visit beiloon.com.au
Royal Far West look
for history volunteers
Do you have a passion for
history? Help tell the rich
stories of Royal Far West
Manly in the lead-up to its
Centenary in December
2024. RFW is looking for
volunteers to help them
manage and preserve records.
The organisation needs help
reviewing its collection,
accessioning, and keeping
its records up to date as well
as preparing its collection
to move to another location.
The project will start in June
at the offices in Wentworth
Street, Manly. Volunteers
will need to commit to a
minimum six-month period
email communications@
royalfarwest.org.au
Vet
on call
with Dr Brown
Therapeutic laser therapy for
pets involves the use of red
and near-infrared wavelengths
of light to stimulate the body’s
natural ability to heal. This
regenerative process alters
the cellular and tissue physiology
stimulating electrons and
activating cells to promote
tissue growth, proliferation and
repair – helping damaged cells
to recover from injury faster.
The effects of this laser energy
include improved healing time
after wounds or surgery, pain
reduction, increased circulation
and decreased swelling.
Laser therapy is quickly becoming
an important standard
of care in both human and
veterinary medicine. Considered
a non-invasive treatment,
laser therapy is pain-free, and
we use it at each of our Sydney
Animal Hospitals to reduce
pain and inflammation, and to
speed healing. Our veterinary
team members administer laser
therapy via a handpiece that
emits the therapeutic infrared
light to treat surface problems
such as wounds, as well as
deeper structures – penetrating
through fur, skin, and fat
if necessary to reach damaged
tissue. Laser therapy can often
reduce or replacing the need for
pain medications.
Because laser therapy is painfree,
pets tolerate the treatment
very well, and no clipping or
shaving is required.
Laser therapy treatments for
pets take approximately 5 to 10
minutes depending on the size
of the treatment area and the
condition being treated. During
this treatment your pet will
experience a soothing warmth
that often relaxes patients, and
sometimes makes them go to
sleep! Our vets will discuss the
recommended treatment regime
with you when your pet’s
condition is evaluated.
Senior pets, and those pets
who have recently had orthopaedic
surgeries such as Tibial
plateau levelling osteotomy
(TPLO) can especially benefit
from laser therapy.
For more information call our
team at Avalon (9918 0833)
or Newport (9997 4609); sydneyanimalhospitals.com.au
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
JUNE 2023 33

John and Pam Ward
never set out to
be paragons of
community-mindedness.
But through decades
of selfless service, they
became exactly that.
Story by Daniel Williams
Life Stories
The Giving Kind
The spirit of the union between John window of the Wards’ upstairs sitting Idleness played no part in their lives.
and Pam Ward was set at their first room. “All the while she could have been Why sit around gazing at a screen when
meeting, back in a simpler time. They up there dancing with all these people and you can be useful? Why seek to monetise
were student teachers, both teenagers, having fun. She won me on the spot.” every skerrick of your time and talents
and in the winter of 1957, fate had brought For her part, Pam was exactly where she when there’s a sweeter reward to be felt in
them to what is now the Broken Bay Sport wanted to be. “I thought he had the kindest contributing to the greater good?
and Recreation Centre, north of Sydney, to face I’d ever seen,” she says.
a training camp that would qualify them to How apt that an act of kindness – and Bush Values
run school-holiday playcentres for the NSW an attraction sparked by a perception of John entered the world on Valentine’s
Education Department.
kindness – lit the fuse for John Ward and Day 1939 in Gilgandra, at the foot of the
It was the evening of the big dance, Pam Coates. Until John’s recent passing Warrumbungle mountains in northwest
and all the 150-odd trainees were in high at the age of 84, the couple could reflect NSW. Home was a property called Wait-Aspirits.
Everyone, that is, except John, on a life together built on precisely that While, on which his father was a grazier
who’d sprained an ankle that day in a quality: kindness, as well as compassion, and wheat farmer. His mother, a former
gymnastic mishap and was sitting glumly generosity, fairmindedness – and a mighty dux of her school and force of nature, was
while the pretty young women kicked up work ethic.
a schoolteacher who died of cancer when
their heels.
Last Australia Day, the office of the John was four. His father remarried the
Suddenly, one of those women, Pam Governor-General recognised the Elanora following year; John would become the
Coates, was at his side.
Heights couple’s contribution to the
eldest child of six in a blended family. He
“What happened to you?” she asked. public good, awarding them both Medals was a born athlete. In everything he tried –
John related his tale of woe, and they of the Order of Australia for service
cricket, rugby, athletics – he shone.
began talking. They chatted for an hour or to the community through a range of
Pam was born in Kyogle, west of
more as the dancing and frivolity went on organisations, encompassing causes from Lismore, the daughter of a bank manager.
around them. It was all so effortless. They Scouts to world peace, Indigenous children Raised in a devout Catholic family, “I
shared a keen interest in sport – tennis, to the Olympic movement, learn-to-swim was certainly taught what was right and
especially – and they’d both grown up away classes to the Australian Labor Party. what was wrong,” she says. The bulk of
from the big smoke.
John and Pam lived in a manner that is her childhood was spent in Newcastle,
“She stayed there just talking to
an inspiration to us all. In an era marred where she played competition tennis on
me,” John recalled on a recent wintry by social media-generated self-absorption, Saturdays and swam like a mermaid at
Wednesday morning at their home, as the Wards stood tall as a couple who would Newcastle Ocean Baths on Sundays.
we took in a view of Long Reef from the sooner help others than strive to get ahead. In pursuing teaching, John was following
36 JUNE 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991

the example of his late mother, while Pam
saw it as a noble profession. John’s first of
13 appointments was to Bega High School
as an agriculture teacher in 1958, while
Pam started out in the infants department
at Wattawa Heights PS in Bankstown, where
she soon became the sports mistress.
Their relationship blossomed despite
one obstacle: religion. Pam’s Catholicism
clashed with John’s Protestant upbringing.
Fortunately, John’s father was ready with
some advice.
“Look, don’t worry about religion,” he
told John. “It doesn’t really matter. The
thing is, do you love her?”
John was sure that he did, and he and
Pam wed on 9 May 1964 at St Jerome
Catholic Church in Punchbowl.
As a newly married couple, never did
they sit at the kitchen table and resolve
to live a life defined by volunteerism
and community spirit. That happened
organically, from a blend of character and
largely unspoken guiding principles.
“I’ve loved every class I’ve taught,”
said John, who retired at the end of 1999
after 41 years in schooling, having spent
the previous eight years as principal
at Barrenjoey High School in Avalon.
“Naughty kids and good kids alike, I could
always find something I liked about them.
I’ve always been someone prepared to give
people second and third chances. All my
life I’ve felt a strong sense of justice.”
In his boyhood, John noted a form
of segregation occurring at Gilgandra’s
Western Monarch Theatre, where wealthy
people sat upstairs, poorer folk sat
downstairs, while the local Indigenous
patrons did not sit at all – they stood
downstairs in a zone just for them. The
injustice of it troubled the boy, who
couldn’t be soothed by adult assurances
that this was simply how things worked.
Pam says she learnt much from
Aboriginal children while teaching
at Stewart House in Curl Curl. “If an
Aboriginal child ran away, it was not
because they were naughty,” she says.
“The child was simply used to being out
in the bush. Although it (Curl Curl) was a
lovely place to bring them, it was different
to what they knew. That opened my eyes.
They weren’t naughty. They just felt
penned in.”
It was never the Ward way to stew on
issues while doing nothing practical. Much
better to pursue change from the inside.
Pam was the NSW Teachers Federation’s
representative on the state’s Aboriginal
Education Council from 1992-95, and then
a council vice-president for a further five
years. For all that time, John was a council
VP, too.
Play Together,
Stay Together
In 1975, two years before they moved into
their Elanora Heights home, John and Pam
became members of the Elanora Tennis
Club, of which John would later become the
honorary treasurer and then president. He
never chased power, he told me, but found
it fiendishly hard to say no when asked to
step into the breach.
Pam has been the same. In rough
chronological order, in a period spanning
the late-1960s to now, she’s served as:
examiner, Royal Life Saving Society of
Australia; committee member, Elanora
Heights Girl Guides; secretary, Chequers
Netball Club; member, St Anthony in
the Fields Catholic Church (Terrey Hills)
Continued on page 38
PHOTOS: Rob Tuckwell (x3)
Life Stories
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Pam, with Governor of NSW Margaret
Beazley, after receiving her OAM; with John at Uluru; at a Labor
function; the inseparable couple; beaming on their Wedding Day;
John after being awarded his OAM for service to the community;
meeting Prime Minister Julia Gillard; family has always come first.
The Local Voice Since 1991
JUNE 2023 37

Life Stories
Continued from page 37
Social Justice Group; secretary,
Narrabeen-Pittwater branch of
the ALP; secretary, Mackellar
Federal Electorate Council of
the ALP (both Pam and John
ran the election campaigns for
Pittwater and Mackellar from
the 1990s to present); member,
finance committee of the NSW
branch of the ALP; pioneer
volunteer, Sydney Olympic
Games; assessor, AUSTSWIM.
That list is not exhaustive.
John’s looks similar, though
toss in positions with the
Elanora Community Centre and
the Narrabeen Scout Group, as
well as refereeing duties for
state basketball and the NSW
Rugby League.
As a couple, John and Pam
were proof that you can be
a pillar of society but still
recognise (and protest) its
failings. Both marched for
nuclear disarmament in the
1980s when the Cold War
was casting its shadow over
everything. In 1984, John
handed out how-to-vote cards
for Peter Garrett when the
Midnight Oil frontman ran as a
federal candidate for the newly
formed Nuclear Disarmament
Party. Here again, John cited
the influence of his father: “He
hated war with a vengeance”.
A life of service won’t make
you rich, Pam says, but it offers
priceless rewards. One is that
it links you with likeminded
people, fellow travellers who
share your love of this or your
thoughts on that.
Another benefit, Pam says,
is that, in a small way, she and
John helped put federal Labor
back in power in May last year.
Not having “come down in
the last shower”, she knows
politics is polarising and that
others won’t share her fond
memories of the change of
government. But as she sees
it, “Australia’s now in a much
better place. [Labor] looks after
people. It’s progressive in its
social policies. I’m Catholic,
but everyone has a right to feel
secure, happy and loved.”
Family First
It’s not as though John and
Pam devoted themselves to
community in lieu of raising
a family. Between 1965-’85,
they brought six children
into the world – Stephen,
Katherine, Peter, Helen, Kali
and Rebekah. They now have
10 grandchildren and one
great-grandchild.
Recently, with the help of
Jayne Denshire, a Hammond
Care Palliative Care Biography
Program volunteer, John
produced a short book about
his life, A Fair Go For All, in
which his children open up
about their dad. Clearly, none
of them feels deprived for
having had such a busy father.
This from Kali: “I will
remember you as a great
storyteller, teacher and
philosopher. I will remember
you for your empathy,
kindness, fairness and
humbleness.”
Katherine recalled a verse
her dad used to sing to her
from Nat King Cole’s Pretend:
Pretend you’re happy when
you’re blue
It isn’t very hard to do
And you’ll find happiness
without an end
Whenever you pretend
Likewise, Pam has shown
she will do anything for her
children. In 2000, she donated
one of her kidneys to eldest
child Stephen. From her
adolescence until eight years
ago, she also made 108 blood
donations, stopping only when
her doctor ordered her to.
Shortly before we parted,
John told me the story of how
he’d started feeling ill in April
2021, of the grave diagnosis
and extensive treatment, how
his cancer seemed beaten but
then returned, how he’d now
exceeded by a couple of months
the timeframe doctors gave
him. “I’m on borrowed time,”
he said, matter-of-factly.
Quite rightly, Pam has the
last word in John’s book.
I would not have wanted to
spend my life with anyone else
but you, John – my husband, my
hero, my best friend. You have
borne your illness so bravely.
You never complained or asked:
Why me?
Vale, my darling. Safe
journey.
* Editor’s note: John Ward
passed away peacefully on
May 22, five days after being
interviewed by Pittwater Life.
With Pam’s permission, we
publish this piece as a tribute
to John and to acknowledge
his and Pam’s selfless,
decades-long contribution to
the Beaches community.
38 JUNE 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991

Art Life
Art Life
Society’s colours of the ‘Spectrum’
The Northern Beaches Art
Society will present their
77th Annual Awards Art Exhibition
and Sale – ‘Spectrum’
– at The Creative Space, Curl
Curl from June 14-25.
Entry to the exhibition is
free and viewing and sales will
run from 10am to 4pm daily.
The Official Opening, by new
Northern Beaches Mayor Sue
Heins, runs 6-8pm on Wednesday
14 June, when drinks will
be served.
Society President Heather
Macorison said their enthusiastic
members, who are all local
artists, will be vying for three
major awards, which will be
presented on opening night.
“Visitors will be able to
see a vast array of works in a
variety of mediums and styles
stunning photographic exhibition that reveals
A how Australian veterans and their families
share personal stories and experiences through
tattoos opens at Manly Art Gallery and Museum
(MAG&M) on 9 June.
The emotive Ink in the Lines exhibition
features more than 70 portraits detailing the
experiences of 22 Australian servicemen and
servicewomen; it’s thought to be the first exhibition
in Australia to explore the use of tattoos in
the military.
Australian War Memorial photographic curator
Stephanie Boyle said the veterans’ identities
are inscribed on their skin to recognise the
commemoration of loss, experiences of trauma
and overcoming adversity, the bonds of family
and friends, and to acknowledge the experiences
that define who they are.
“I hope this exhibition helps visitors to engage
with the Australian military in a way they
probably haven’t before, so that they see that
in oils, watercolours, acrylics,
and pastels as well as drawings
covering a plethora of
subjects,” Heather said.
“They will also be able to
purchase raffle tickets to win a
beautiful oil painting of boats
on Pittwater, with all proceeds
from this raffle going to the
Ukraine Crisis Appeal.”
The winner will be drawn at
the end of the exhibition.
Visitors will also be able to
vote for their favourite painting.
The artist who gains the most
‘People’s Choice’ votes for their
painting will win a prize at the
end of the exhibition.
Opening night drinks will be
served from 6pm, with closing
drinks on the afternoon of
Sunday 25 June from 2pm.
All the paintings will be for
sale and any sold paintings
can be picked up after 4pm on
Sunday 25 June. – Nigel Wall
*For more info visit northernbeachesartsociety.org
‘Ink in the Lines’ military tribute
PHOTO: Bob McKendry
everyone has an important story to tell, and
that some stories can be written on skin.”
“By sharing personal accounts of their service,
and emotional details of life after the defence
force, the exhibition reveals the unifying
reasons for getting ‘inked’ – to remember the
people, events and experiences which shaped
their lives,” Ms Boyle said.
The exhibition, which runs through July, includes
a comprehensive schedule of associated
public programs.
– NW
*More info MAG&M website.
Affordable Art
Fair returns
Following a successful Sydney
debut last year, welcoming
close to 10,000 visitors and
generating millions of dollars’
worth of art sales for galleries,
Affordable Art Fair will make
its return to the Winx Stand at
Royal Randwick Racecourse
from 15-18 June.
Boasting its biggest gallery
line-up yet, the Fair will see 56
of the nation’s best boutique
galleries converge to showcase
thousands of original
works under $10,000, from
established and emerging
artists.
Alongside a kaleidoscope of
artworks, the Fair’s extended
program will provide new
immersive experiences for
visitors including live artist
demonstrations, free interactive
workshops, an outdoor
sculpture park, and a scrumptious
selection of culinary
delights and tasty tipples.
Since its Australian debut in
2019, Affordable Art Fair has
significantly contributed to
the growth of the national art
ecosystem by attracting a total
of 37,500 visitors and generating
more than $7 million in art
sales for hundreds of living
artists and galleries. – NW
*More info and full gallery
list @ affordableartfair.com
40 JUNE 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991

Hot Property
Where home is where the hearth is
During the colder months a fireplace often becomes the heart of the home, drawing us in and providing
comfort with its warmth and flickering flames. Even if you live for Summer and the great outdoors, these
three homes which are currently on the market boast fabulous fireplaces that make it easy to hunker down.
The large, original wood-burning stone
fireplace in the lounge room of this luxurious
residence creates a charm that’s hard to beat.
The fireplace is one the original features
retained in a flawless transformation of one
of the area’s original sandstone cottages at
32 George Street Avalon Beach. Designed to
embrace laidback beachside glamour, the fourbedroom,
three-bathroom light-filled split-level
home is full of warmth with original timber
beams and French Oak timber floors and
high-end inclusions including Calcutta marble
island kitchen bench, brass fittings, induction
appliances and bespoke cupboards. Outside
you’ll find north-facing entertaining areas,
newly landscaped gardens and a striking inground
pool surrounded by a spacious level
lawn. For sale through LJ Hooker Palm Beach.
The stunning Bronpi wood-burning fireplace
at 5 Kookaburra Close Bayview can be
appreciated from several vantage points in this
contemporary tri-level home. Stylishly built
into the vast split-level first floor, this modern
fireplace is the perfect fit for this off-centre
space, housing a raised kitchen and dining, main
living area and open lounge room with sliding
doors leading to a terrace. With soaring ceilings
and floor-to-ceiling windows, the bold angular
design of this solidly built three-bedroom, twobathroom
home is softened by curved features
inside and out, soaking up spectacular northly
views across Pittwater from its natural bushland
setting. Heated flooring throughout will help
keep you warm underfoot. For sale through
Ray White Prestige with a price guide of $3.5
million to $3.7 million.
New data has confirmed what
our local real estate agents have
been telling us – the Northern
Beaches has experienced some
of the strongest property price
growth in Sydney in the past
five years.
Several local suburbs
featured in lists, published by
Sitting on 693 square metres of land within
a magical rainforest garden, this characterfilled
original three-bedroom beach house
retreat is a lovely setting from which to
reflect and relax this Winter. Northern light
streams through large windows from the deck
into the open plan living area of the cottage
at 127 Avalon Parade Avalon Beach where
the crackling fireplace is complemented by
Big gain hunting: local property market review
Channel Nine Entertainment
Co, of the top 10 suburbs
based on the median prices for
units and houses recorded by
Domain data in the five years
to March 2023.
Narrabeen topped one list;
its unit prices rose most over
the past five years, growing
42.7 per cent to $1,245,000.
Also, Collaroy recorded a 27.8
per cent growth to $1,185,000,
Mona Vale had a 23.5 per cent
growth to $1,135,000 and
Newport came in at 10th place
with a 19.4 per cent growth to
$1,015,000.
Avalon Beach’s median
the warmth of the exposed beams and timber
floors. A split-level floorplan with flexible
spaces offers plenty of scope to put your
own stamp on this charming property – and
whenever you are up for a swim you’ll be
spoilt for choice, with the surf and Pittwater
only minutes away. For sale with an asking
price of $2.27 million through Laing +
Simmons Young Property.
house price grew by just over
50 per cent to $2,715,000,
placing it 6th on the list while
Newport’s median house
price was up 48.4 per cent in
five years (despite the price
dropping 14.3 per cent in the
last year to March 2023 to
$2,785,000). – Lisa Offord
Hot Property
The Local Voice Since 1991
JUNE 2023 41

Health & Wellbeing
Hernias: The other
battle of the bulge
Health & Wellbeing
Hernias are common and hernia repair
is one of the most common surgical
procedures in Australia. We interviewed
surgeon Dr Gabby Vasica from Pittwater
Day Surgery to find out more...
What is a hernia?
A hernia is the protrusion of
body contents from one body
space where they should be to
another body space where they
should not be, for example fat
and bowel protruding through
the bellybutton to under the
skin.
Types of hernias
Hernias can occur in different
parts of the body. The most
common hernias in men are
groin or inguinal hernias – up
to 75% of all men will experience
a groin hernia on one
side or the other. The most
common hernias in women
are umbilical (or belly button)
hernias due to the changes
in the abdominal wall during
pregnancy.
Signs and symptoms
Hernias can be completely
asymptomatic. They can be
present for many years before
patients either notice them,
or someone points them out,
or before symptoms develop
such as pain or a burning
sensation. The main reasons
for seeing a doctor are either
a swelling or pain. Hernias can
also present as an emergency,
and this may be because the
contents become caught and
can be starved of blood flow
– this will require emergency
surgery.
Causes and risk factors
Hernias can occur simply because
we have natural openings
in our bodies that allow passage
of body contents from one
space to another and being an
upright posture being, gravity
can pull extra contents through
these openings. As we age, we
also become a little bit more
stretchy, less strong – this occurs
because there is a change
between the volume of collagen
and elastin in our bodies, so
these natural openings in our
bodies widen with age. Exercise
and lifting cause us to tense
our core, hence increase our
intra-abdominal pressure which
causes the hernias to grow. It is
commonly thought that lifting
and exercise cause hernias –
SURGEON:
Dr Vasica
not quite so, and we would not
recommend stopping these
activities because hernias can
occur without them. Some risk
factors include overall health
and wellbeing, weight, medical
conditions, previous pregnancies,
and past surgeries. Also,
if a patient has had one hernia,
it is very likely that they will
develop another at some stage
over their lifetime.
Treatment
Early medical care and lifestyle
changes such as weight loss,
good management of any
underlying medical issues and
overall improvement of general
fitness can minimise symptoms
however surgery is the only
way to effectively treat a hernia.
There are different types of
hernia repairs including open
surgery (via an incision) or
laparoscopic (keyhole) repair.
Any form of hernia repair can
be reinforced with the use of
meshing which has been shown
to reduce the risk of hernia recurrence.
In the extreme, very
large hernias can sometimes
require an abdominal wall reconstruction
which can be quite
long and complex procedures
but shown to lead to marked
improvement in quality of life.
Hernia repair surgery
Hernia surgery is mostly
undertaken in hospital and
requires the use of general anaesthetic.
Dependent on what
type of hernia you may have,
your surgeon may advise open
or laparoscopic surgery. Open
surgery usually means an
incision over the hernia itself,
dissection to identify where the
hernia has protruded through
and subsequent release of the
hernia to really be able to see
how large the defect is. Once
this is clear, the surgeon will
either suture the defect closed
with layered sutures and/
or reinforce the repair with
42 JUNE 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991

mesh. Mesh is generally made
of polypropylene which is a
polyester-based product that is
inert and incorporates into your
body to form a strong scar. It
is this scar that reduces the
risk of another hernia forming.
Alternatively, your surgeon
may recommend a keyhole
repair, in which case they use a
camera, typically through your
navel that allows them to see
the hernia from beneath. After
reducing the hernia, once again
meshing is used to reinforce
PAIN: Hernia
symptoms can
include a burn-
ing sensation.
the repair to reduce another
hernia from occurring. These
surgeries usually take an hour
or so and you may need to stay
in hospital overnight for post
operative care. In general, it
takes about six weeks for you
to complete the recovery and
it is usually six weeks before
you can do normal exercise and
normal lifting.
How to reduce the
risk of hernia
Everyone is at risk of a hernia
simply because of our body’s
design. Good overall health,
nutrition, fitness, and stable
weight are all sensible ways
we can reduce the chance of
developing a hernia. Learning
to lift correctly and maintain
core strength can also reduce
those risks. However, despite
all of this, it is still possible to
develop a hernia. The most important
thing to remember is if
you experience any symptoms
do not ignore them – see your
doctor to be assessed. Hernias
are much simpler with good
long-term outcomes when they
are small rather than waiting
until they are large and then
needing a much more complex
surgery to repair them.
– with Lisa Offord
* Dr Vasica is local to the
Northern Beaches providing
a service to all residents in
the emergency on-call roster
and elective lists at Pittwater
Day Surgery and the
Northern Beaches Hospital.
In addition to rooms in Mona
Vale’s Bungan Street Tower,
she also consults at the
Sydney Adventist Hospital in
Wahroonga.
Health & Wellbeing
The Local Voice Since 1991
JUNE 2023 43

Health & Wellbeing
with Bec Johnson, M.Pharm
Health & Wellbeing
Raising awareness on how
to reduce bowel cancer risk
Bowel cancer is the second
most common cancer in
men and women in NSW,
with an estimated 1 in 14
people being diagnosed within
their lifetime. June marks
Bowel Cancer Awareness
Month, the goal of which is to
stress the importance of reducing
risk factors and the role of
screening in early detection.
The large intestine, or large
bowel, consists of the colon,
rectum, and anus. The term
“bowel cancer” refers to any
cancers which originate in the
colon or rectum.
People with certain risk
factors are more likely to
develop bowel cancer, including
a strong family history of
bowel cancer; over 50 years of
age; history of polyps in the
bowel; inflammatory bowel
diseases (such as Crohn’s disease
or ulcerative colitis); and
poor lifestyle, including being
overweight, high alcohol intake,
smoking, or a diet rich in red or
processed meats.
The National Bowel Cancer
Screening Program is free to all
Medicare-registered Australians
aged 50-74 years. This program
arranges screening kits to be
sent out every two years, usually
around six months after
your birthday.
Bowel cancer can often
develop without any symptoms;
however, trace amounts of
blood can leak from growths
and pass into the faeces. Bowel
screening therefore involves
doing a faecal occult blood
test (FOBT), which looks for
these trace amounts of blood
in two tiny faecal samples. The
test kits come with detailed
instructions to make it as clean
and easy as possible to perform
yourself at home. Once you
have the samples, you simply
post them off to the lab.
The results are sent back to
you and your doctor or health
service within four weeks.
Early detection of bowel
cancer greatly improves the
chances of successful treatment
and remission, with more than
90% of early detected cases
being successfully treated. This
program is severely underutilised,
with only an estimated
40% of eligible people participating.
Taking a small amount
of time to send the samples in
for analysis can save lives.
If you do not qualify for a
free test and you are concerned
about your risk of developing
bowel cancer, screening kits
are available for purchase from
your local pharmacy.
A few simple points to keep
in mind are as follows:
n Maintain a healthy weight.
National guidelines recommend
a BMI between 20 and 25.
n Keep physically active, for at
least 30 minutes a day. Avoid
sitting for long periods of time.
n Drink less alcohol. National
guidelines recommend no
more than 10 standard drinks
per week, and no more than 4
standard drinks in any one day.
n Quit smoking.
n Get screened regularly. As
discussed, you can take part
in the National Bowel Cancer
Screening Program if you are
aged between 50-74.
n Eat healthy. Increase intake of
fruits, vegetables, wholegrains,
fibre, and dietary or supplemental
sources of calcium. As
red meats (such as beef, lamb,
and pork) and processed meats
(such as bacon, ham, and
chorizo) increase bowel cancer
risk, it is recommended to keep
these to a minimum.
Pittwater Pharmacy &
Compounding Chemist
at Mona Vale has operated
as a family-run business
since 1977. Open seven days;
drop in & meet the highly
qualified and experienced
team of Len, Sam and Amy
Papandrea, Andrew Snow
and Bec Johnson. Find them
at 1771 Pittwater Rd;
call 9999 3398.
44 JUNE 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991

Be prepared to stay well as colds hit
Everyone in NSW is being urged to
ensure they are up to date with their
recommended influenza and COVID-19
vaccinations, with community transmission
at high levels.
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said that
as we enter the Winter months, staying up
to date with recommended vaccinations
was the best way to protect you, your family
and the community from serious illness.
“Influenza is a serious disease in young
children, and both COVID-19 and influenza
viruses can have serious consequences
for older adults, people who have chronic
health conditions and those who are immunocompromised,”
Mr Park said.
“Vaccination remains the best protection
against severe illness and now is the
time to make sure you are up to date with
the shots recommended for you.”
NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry
Chant said health authorities were
anticipating high levels of influenza
activity over the coming months, so it
was important people continued to take
simple precautions to protect themselves
and each other.
Those considered to be at higher risk
of severe illness from influenza are
eligible for a free influenza vaccine and
include:
INCREASE: Flu risk
during Winter.
n Children aged six months to under five
years;
n People aged 65 and over;
n Aboriginal people from six months of
age;
n Pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy;
n Those with serious health conditions
such as diabetes, cancer, immune disorders,
obesity, severe asthma, kidney,
heart, lung or liver disease.
Simple steps to help protect individuals
and their loved ones from COVID-19
and influenza include:
n Staying up to date with your recommended
influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations;
n Staying home if you have cold or influenza
symptoms;
n Wearing a mask in crowded, indoor
places;
n Getting together outdoors or in large,
well-ventilated spaces with open doors
and windows;
n Washing or sanitising your hands often;
n Talking with your doctor now if you
are at higher risk of severe illness from
COVID-19 or influenza to make a plan
about what to do if you get sick, including
what test to have, and being assessed
to determine if you are eligible for antiviral
medicines;
n Don’t visit people who are at higher
risk of severe illness if you have cold or
influenza symptoms or have tested positive
to COVID-19 or influenza;
n Consider doing a rapid antigen test
(RAT) before visiting people at higher risk
of severe illness;
n Free RATs are now accessible to the
community via ServiceNSW and NSW
Health services.
Also, a good diet and a healthy lifestyle
can help support your immune system
and the effect of vaccines. Research
has shown a Mediterranean diet has
an anti-inflammatory effect in the gut
which can help boost the body’s immune
function and moderate-intensity physical
activity can improve immune response.
Health & Wellbeing
The Local Voice Since 1991
JUNE 2023 45

Health & Wellbeing
with Rowena Beckenham
Health & Wellbeing
Think safety when choosing
your sports vision solution
As the seasons change,
so do the ways we move
our bodies and spend
our spare time. While we hang
up our goggles and towels it’s
time to pull on our socks and
uniforms and head out onto
the sports fields. No matter
your age, there are eyewear
solutions if you choose to
spend your time playing
team sports, road cycling, or
hitting the slopes skiing or
snowboarding.
If you need spectacles to see
well, chances are you can also
enjoy the freedom of contact
lenses. Advances in contact
lens technology in Australia
over the past few years have
made contact lenses more accessible
to everyone, ranging
from kids as young as 8 to
adults with complicated multifocal
prescriptions. Contact
lenses are made from comfortable
breathable materials ensuring
your eyes remain fresh
and lubricated all day, providing
the freedom to exercise
and play whilst seeing clearly.
Contact lenses can help you
experience clear vision at all
distances, so you can perform
your best on and off the field –
court, bike, or slope!
Vision itself isn’t the only
consideration when thinking
about sporting eyewear; safety
is also an important factor. In
a five-year study conducted by
The Royal Victorian Eye and
Ear Hospital, 54 per cent of eye
injuries were attributed to ball
sports and more than 30 per
cent of these injuries occurred
in children and teenagers. Specs
and sport don’t mix – unless
you’re talking impact-resistant
sports glasses.
While sporting specs aren’t
currently standardised, talking
to your local optometrist about
protecting the eyes and seeing
clearly while participating in
sport, may also have the benefit
of improved performance with
depth perception, judgment of
speed on or off a ball and clarity
in variable or low-light situations
like playing or training
at night, or cycling before the
sun’s up.
When it comes to cycling,
consider prescription, scratchresistant,
antifog cycling sunglasses.
These not only enable
you to see more clearly and
protect your eyes from dangerous
UV rays during long rides,
cycling glasses also ensure your
eyes are protected from debris
and traumatic injury.
In terms of eyewear when
skiing, make sure to don a pair
of goggles or sunglasses on the
slopes. Whilst you might not
be thinking about sun damage
when it’s so cold, reflective
glare off the slopes and
altitude increase the intensity
of UV. Contact lenses and goggles,
goggles with prescription
inserts, or prescription
backcountry eyewear will enable
good vision in all conditions in
addition to reducing glare and
ensuring your eyes don’t get
burnt. The right tints in alpine
eyewear also increase contrast
so you can see the terrain better
and reduce other injuries on
the mountain.
If you’re looking for a sports
vision solution, or need advice
on the options that might suit
you best, call in and talk to the
experienced staff at Beckenham
Optometrist.
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 more than
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.
46 JUNE 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991

Hair & Beauty
with Sue Carroll
Looking on the brighter
side of skin during Winter
Winter is upon us,
and this is an ideal
opportunity to treat
hyperpigmentation created
during the warmer months. So
many of us battle some form of
hyperpigmentation; no skin is
resistant to this, regardless of
gender, race or age. Correcting
the skin to its bright and
healthy complexion is easier
when there is an understanding
of pigmentation.
The creation of
hyperpigmented
(melanogenesis) is a complex
process. When the skin
is harmed, the melanin
production cycle changes and
either slows down or goes into
overdrive, producing more
melanin. When this happens,
we see three main classes of
pigment shifts in the skin.
1. Hyperpigmentation or
darker pigment;
2. Demarcation or uneven
pigment; and/or
3. Hypopigmentation or
deficiency of melanin in the
skin.
The various types of
hyperpigmentation occur
mainly from either intrinsic
(internal) or extrinsic
(extrinsic) factors. The main
extrinsic factor is UV exposure.
Intrinsic factors might be
hormonal fluctuations or
medication. And then there is
inflammation, which may be
caused by either/both intrinsic
or extrinsic influences.
There are four crucial
factors to help with
eliminating, lessening and
managing hyperpigmentation
issues. These are exfoliating
the surface of the skin,
suppression of melanocyte
activity, skin brightening
and lightening and cellular
protection and repair.
Treating the various forms
of hyperpigmentation can
be a frustrating process.
The question to ask is: what
direction will you take to
achieve a brighter, more
The Local Voice Since 1991
even skin tone? Many options
range, from lasers, chemical or
herbal peels, mesotherapy, or
mechanical resurfacing. Any of
these options can be impactful
on the right individual. The
best outcome is when both
clinical and home care regimes
are combined.
When choosing a good
homecare program, look for
ingredients such as botanical
brighteners, plant stem cells,
epidermal growth factor,
peptides, mandelic acid and
retinaldehyde. This combination
will address the four
fundamental areas, melanin
suppression, cellular repair and
protection, exfoliation, skin
brightening, and of course, a
good 30+ sun protection each
day – rain, hail or shine.
In-Clinic, treatments are
wide and varied. There is
usually some downtime
with these procedures, this
being determined by the
depth of colour we start with.
One of the most important
considerations before any in
Clinic treatment is undertaken,
is to prep the skin with home
care products prior. A better
outcome will be achieved and
will also reduce the likelihood
of rebound pigmentation from
occurring.
IPL (Intense Pulsed Light)
is an effective light therapy
treatment and will reduce or
eliminate brown spots and
colour on the face, neck, chest,
hands, arms, legs and back.
Diathermy is an effective
and affordable treatment
using an electrical current to
dehydrate minor seborrheic
keratoses
Fractional Laser creates
small pixels in the skin and
helps to reduce or remove
hyperpigmentation and will
stimulate elastin and collagen
production at the same time
Cosmelan, Deep Sea
Herbal Peel and Clinical peels
are fabulous treatments to
assist with the removal of
brown marks on the skin,
particularly the face, neck
and chest. Depending on the
depth of peel decided upon
will determine the level of
downtime. There are 3 main
types of peels, Progressive
(may be performed weekly),
Mid-depth (can be done
monthly) and Deep Peels
(performed once every 3
months and have the greatest
amount of downtime where
the skin will shed).
Mesotherapy, Tixel
Infusion and Skin Needling
are treatments whereby
either injecting/infusing skin
brightening serums into the
skin will work on reducing
hyperpigmentation.
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 a dedicated team
of professionals who are
passionate about results for
men and women.
info@skininspiration.com.au
www.skininspiration.com.au
JUNE 2023 47
Hair & Beauty

Business Life: Money
with Brian Hrnjak
Business Life
Give til it hurts: questions on
donations & tax deductions
As the financial year end
approaches, we look at
issues around giving –
which apparently some of you
aren’t doing too well…. It was
Stephen Brook recently in The
Sydney Morning Herald that
painted Aussies as a bunch
of tightwads: ‘One-quarter of
Australians have not donated to
a charity in the past year and
our charitable donations lag
behind comparable countries.
We would need to lift donations
to charities from $13.1 billion to
$30 billion annually to match
New Zealand, according to
Philanthropy Australia.’
In the rush for a click-baitable
headline the author seems
to have ignored the fact that
more than 13 per cent of the
population, or around half
that number being called out
for non-giving, live below the
poverty line and are more likely
to be on the receiving end of
a charitable gift. The article
contained similar insights such
as: ‘Those on less than $50,000
were less likely to donate – 63
per cent – than those earning
more than $120,000 (83 per
cent).’ Who would have thought?
Probably the most useful
insight was: ‘Polling for
Philanthropy Australia found
the three key motivations for
donating were a personal or
emotional connection to a cause
that affected loved ones; people
preferred donating on their
own terms; and when giving
made them feel part of a bigger
community.’
The point about donating
on their own terms aligns
with what we see as a key
motivator expressed by clients
when collating their taxation
returns. Elsewhere in the SMH
article the author notes a
Productivity Commission report
from 2010 recommending
that all registered charities
are granted deductible gift
recipient (DGR) status. Currently
only about half of all charities
hold this status due to the
complex processes involved in
qualifying, but the article fails
to note rorts from the past and
the potential for abuse that
comes with the ability to accept
tax-deductible donations.
While the charity sector is
largely populated by genuine,
well-intentioned people it
has not always covered itself
in glory. Charitable trusts
operated by sports people and
celebrities have in the past been
shut down following exposure
of maladministration, including
lack of record keeping, hiring
family members, spending on
personal expenses… whatever
shenanigans you can think of
that tend to happen where you
can engineer a tax deduction
for otherwise non-deductible
expenses.
Corporate charitable
programs are things that
progressive CEOs love to
promote. It’s one thing if a
company’s staff or customers
have contributed to a cause
and those funds are being
passed on, but what are the
ethical implications when a
company then matches those
48 JUNE 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991

contributions, or simply
donates out of profits? Many
shareholders and shareholder
associations would argue the
most ethical approach is for
the company to return those
funds to shareholders as a
dividend and the shareholders
can choose to make whatever
donations they wish.
The charities themselves are
under enormous pressure to
evolve. For many years they
were notoriously low payers
of salaries and wages to the
extent that the FBT system still
has a carve out for benefits
paid to employees of some
charities and benevolent
institutions. Because of benefits
such as these and their DGR
status there is a need for
greater scrutiny of governance
which means more complex
reporting and administration.
Charities themselves have
also evolved their corporate
structures: CEOs, marketing
managers, fundraising
executives are a part of many
organisations. They are likely to
reach out to potential donors
very early on, even looking to
be written into wills. We have
seen charity representatives
attend funerals and agitate
after probate is granted for
benefits to be paid over.
Complex arrangements
around fundraising are now
normal. Those overly friendly
people you see when walking
into Woolies who are seeking
donations on behalf of some
good cause are usually
contractors that are primarily
focussed on getting you to
sign up to a monthly program
of giving for which they will
receive a healthy commission.
It’s no wonder that people
hesitate to give or give larger
amounts to charity when they
struggle to determine what
actual percentage of their
contribution makes it to the
cause. The regulator is of little
help in this regard. I looked at
one charity that claimed 100
per cent of funds raised were
paid to eligible charities, but
its accounts with the regulator
show that in 2021 it donated
18 per cent of donations
revenue raised in that year to
charities and in 2022 it donated
16 per cent of donations
raised to charities. A greater
percentage of donations were
spent on fundraising and
travel expenses. I don’t quite
The Local Voice Since 1991
understand how you can claim
to donate 100 per cent when
you have operating expenses
at all.
The problem with donating
cash is its fungibility; basically
it can be used for anything and
once you hand it over you lose
control.
For most of us, donating a
few dollars to the Salvos or Red
Cross in their times of need will
continue to be the norm. For
others who are looking to
make a more substantial
donation there are a few other
options. For example, you may
be able to donate property
to a DGR within 12 months
of purchase – items such as a
piece of medical equipment or
a motor vehicle or other nonphysical
items such as shares
and ownership rights.
If the item is more than 12
months old but over $5,000 it
may also be claimable through
a valuation process with the
ATO. This pathway can also be
used for prizes won in raffles
that people may wish to donate
as they don’t fit the definition
of being ‘purchased’.
There is a cultural gift
program for art, artefacts,
film paintings, manuscripts,
photographs and the like.
Again, these need to be valued
and the recipient must be a
DGR unless you are donating
to the Australiana Fund or
Australian Government for
Artbank.
The rules for this type of
giving can be complex as can
be the tax consequences and
it would be sensible to seek
advice. It is important to keep in
mind that donations cannot add
to or create a tax loss so there
are provisions in place to elect
to claim your deductions over a
period of up to five years.
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.
JUNE 2023 49
Business Life

Business Life: Law
with Jennifer Harris
Business Life
Managing mortgage stress:
Communicate with lenders
Following the global
financial crisis in 2009
and 2020-21 COVID
lockdowns, it was said that
business had “returned to
normal”, but its ramifications
had not. All over the
peninsula it was becoming
quite common to see and
hear of businesses closing –
and mortgage stress rising.
The Governor of the
Reserve Bank Dr Philip Lowe
seemingly reassured the
market that interest rates,
then at record lows, would
remain stable and virtually
unaltered through until
2024. Then early last year
he reversed his observations
and began increasing interest
rates every month for 11
months, with one small pause
before it started again.
While it is still unusual to
see property repossessions
and mortgagee sales, there
are an increasing number of
mortgage ‘delinquencies’.
With cost-of-living increases,
people are experiencing
substantial financial hardship.
If you have a home loan –
ie, a loan covered by one of
the industry codes of practice
– you should be able to have
recourse to sections of the
code which cover financial
hardship and how the lender
should respond to a request
for a repayment arrangement,
if sought.
However, is your problem
one of urgency?
If you have defaulted in
making payments to the
lender, quite possibly.
If you have received a
default notice which gives you
28-30 days to repay the areas,
then yes.
If you have received
a statement of claim or
summons from the court
seeking possession of your
property in payment of your
loan – yes.
In all these circumstances
you should seek advice
immediately. In fact, if you
have circumstances – a say
illness, or unemployment
which may cause you to miss
a payment – it is wise to notify
the lender before you default.
If you call the lender you
should ask to be transferred
to the financial hardship team.
You need to tell the lender
you are in financial hardship
and in these circumstances
what you can afford to pay
per month, and how long you
can afford to make reduced
repayments. If the period of
lesser payments is uncertain,
ask for between three to eight
months.
You may seek a variation
of the term of the loan if you
can’t afford new repayments.
If legal action has been
commenced request default
fees and interest cease
while your request is under
consideration by the lender
and ask that you not be
listed on the credit reference
listing. Banks operate a
comprehensive credit report
which notes a positive
reflection and a negative
50 JUNE 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991

eflection and usually is
reviewed monthly.
Whatever you do keep a
note of your conversations
and agreement if any with
the lender and confirm the
conversations in writing with
the lender.
You may find dealing
with the matter quite
difficult, particularly if the
lender rejects your offer of
repayment.
If this is the case, you may
find it more efficient to seek
External Dispute Resolution
(EDR).
EDR is a service for
resolving disputes between
consumers and credit
providers (including mortgage
managers and finance
brokers).
Under EDR, lenders are
held to account under their
industry code of practice and
the National Credit Code.
Enforcement action is put on
hold and negotiations should
take place. This service has
been found to be particularly
effective in cases of real
financial hardship.
External Dispute Resolution
(EDR) is free and can be
accessed via the Financial
Ombudsman Service at 1300
78 08 08 and fos.org.au; or
Credit Ombudsman Service
1800 138 422 and cosl.com.au
Other helpful areas are
Money Smart, which is the
Australian Securities and
Investments Commission’s
website on money matters. It
contains helpful and practical
information and videos for
people who are struggling to
pay their mortgages. www.
moneysmart.gov.au
Finally, there is the
Consumer Credit Legal Centre
(NSW) 1800 808 488 and
cclcnsw.org.au
This is far from an
exhaustive list of matters;
there are many more issues
to consider and to which
you must attend. It is not
an option in this country to
offer to vacate the premises
and give the lender the keys.
You are responsible for
repaying the lender, even
after the property has been
repossessed and sold. Any
shortfall from the sale of the
property is your responsibility.
What is required is that you
seek help early and try to
resolve the problems ahead.
Seek legal advice if you
need help on any of these
issues.
Comment supplied by
Jennifer Harris, of Jennifer
Harris & Associates,
Solicitors, 4/57 Avalon
Parade, Avalon Beach.
T: 9973 2011. F: 9918 3290.
E: jennifer@jenniferharris.com.au
W: www.jenniferharris.com.au
Business Life
The Local Voice Since 1991
JUNE 2023 51

Trades & Services
Trades & Services
AIR CONDITIONING
Alliance Climate Control
Call 02 9186 4179
Air Conditioning & Electrical Professionals.
Specialists in Air Conditioning Installation,
Service, Repair & Replacement.
BATTERIES
Battery Business
Call 9970 6999
Batteries for all applications. Won’t be beaten
on price or service. Free testing, 7 days.
BUILDING
Acecase Pty Ltd
Call Dan 0419 160 883
Professional building and carpentry services,
renovations, decks, pergolas. Fully licensed
& insured. Local business operating for 25
years. Lic No. 362901C
CARPENTRY
Able Carpentry & Joinery
Call Cameron 0418 608 398
Doors & locks, timber gates & handrails, decking
repairs and timber replacement. Also privacy
screens. 25 years’ experience. Lic: 7031C.
CLEANING
Amazing Clean
Call Andrew 0412 475 2871
Specialists in blinds, curtains and awnings.
Clean, repair, supply new.
All NB Pressure Clean
Call 0416 215 095
Driveways, paths, garden walls, awnings,
house wash.
CONCRETING
Adrians Concrete
Call Adrian 0404 172 435
Driveways, paths, slabs… all your concreting
needs; Northern Beaches-based.
Northern Beaches Concreting
Call Tony 0417 640 546
Specialising in driveways; quality work,
council compliant. FREE quotes. Servicing
the beaches for 14+ years.
ELECTRICAL
Alliance Service Group
Call Adrian 9063 4658
All services & repairs, 24hr. Lighting
installation, switchboard upgrade. Seniors
discount 5%.
Eamon Dowling Electrical
Call Eamon 0410 457 373
For all electrical needs including phone, TV
and data. Pittwater-based. Reliable; quality
service guaranteed.
Warrick Leggo
Call Warrick 0403 981 941
Specialising in domestic work; small jobs
welcome. Seniors’ discount; Narrabeenbased.
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.
GARDENS
!Abloom Ace Gardening
Call 0415 817 880
Full range of gardening services including
landscaping, maintenance and rubbish
removal.
Conscious Gardener Avalon
Call Matt 0411 750 791
Professional local team offering quality
garden maintenance, horticultural advice;
also garden makeovers.
Living Gardens Landscape
Call Richy 0475 148417
Lawn & garden maintenance, garden
regeneration, stone work, residential &
commercial.
Melaleuca Landscapes
Call Sandy 0416 276 066
Professional design and construction
for every garden situation. Sustainable
52 JUNE 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991

vegetable gardens and waterfront
specialist.
Precision Tree Services
Call Adam 0410 736 105
Adam Bridger; professional tree care by
qualified arborists and tree surgeons.
GUTTERS & ROOFING
Cloud9 R&G
Call Tommy 0447 999 929
Prompt and reliable service; gutter cleaning
and installation, leak detection, roof
installation and painting. Also roof repairs
specialist.
Fellofix Roofing
Call Joe 0434 444 252
All aspects of roof repairs & restoration. Fully
insured; Honesty & quality the priority. Free
quote.
Ken Wilson Roofing
Call 0419 466 783
Leaking roofs, tile repairs, tiles replaced,
metal roof repairs, gutter cleaning, valley
irons replaced.
HANDYMEN
Local Handyman
Call Jono 0413 313299
Small and medium-sized building jobs, also
welding & metalwork; licensed.
HOT WATER
Hot Water Maintenance NB
Call 9982 1265
Local emergency specialists, 7 days. Sales,
Trades & Services
The Local Voice Since 1991
JUNE 2023 53

Trades & Services
Trades & Services
service, installation. Warranty agents, fully
accredited.
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; design, fitting,
consultation. Excellent trades.
MASSAGE & FITNESS
Avalon Physiotherapy
Call 9918 3373
Provide specialist treatment for neck & back
pain, sports injuries, orthopaedic problems.
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.
PAINTING
Cloud9 Painting
Call 0447 999 929
Your one-stop shop for home or office
painting; interiors, exteriors and also roof
painting. Call for a quote.
Tom Wood Master Painters
Call 0406 824 189
Residential specialists in new work & repaints
/ interior & exterior. Premium paints; 17 years’
experience.
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
Total Pipe Relining
Call Josh 0423 600 455
Repair pipe problems without replacement.
Drain systems fully relined; 50 years’
guaranty. Latest technology, best price.
R AINWATER TANKS
Aquarius Watermaster
Call 1300 794 850
Rainwater tanks & pumps to capture and use
54 JUNE 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991

the rain. Sales, service & installation. View
large display area at Terrey Hills.
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.
Local Rubbish Removal
Call 0407 555 556
All residential and commercial waste;
deceased estate; Seniors discount. Sameday
service. 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.
SLIDING DOOR REPAIRS
Beautiful Sliding Door Repairs
Call 0407 546 738
Fix anything that slides in your home; door
specialists – wooden / aluminium. Free
quote. Same-day repair; 5-year warranty.
UPHOLSTERY
Luxafoam North
Call 0414 468 434
Local specialists in all aspects of outdoor
& indoor seating. Custom service, expert
advice.
Advertise your
Business in
Trades &
Services section
Ph: 0438 123 096
Trades & Services
The Local Voice Since 1991
JUNE 2023 55

The Way We Were
Every month we 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
Avalon Beach became the focus of
international attention with the
Australian Surf Life Saving IRB
Championships. “White hot action
is guaranteed” with more 700
Surf Life Savers, 100 officials, 200
VIPs and 2000 spectators on the
finals day expected. “The event has
particular significance for Avalon,
for it was in this club and on this
beach that the IRB was developed as
a surf life saving rescue vehicle by
Warren Mitchell and it was here, just
a month later in December 1969 that
the first mass rescue took place.” In
other news Pittwater Council held a
public meeting “on issues connected
with the ocean outfall from the
Warriewood Sewage Treatment Plant
(STP)… issues to be discussed include
timely release of information for the
community on the operation for the
Warriewood STP, System by-pass,
health and environmental impact of the
current ocean outfall performance and
increased development in Warriewood Valley and plans to
upgrade plant capacity… HAVE YOUR SAY Now!” Opposition
to the Environment Levy was growing, as Pittwater Life
posed the question: “E Levy: Community views ignored?”.
While there was undoubtedly widespread support for a
special environmental levy that was fair and equitable
in its applications, the “… proposed E-levy for Pittwater
smacks of attempt to bring the budget into line by having a
de facto increase in rates” and while
Council was “arguing it is only an
average of $52 per household… the
real costs vary from a mere $15 in
some households on low valuations to
around $180 on others. There is no
differentiation between single-person
households which have less impact
and households with four or more
people in them. Nor does
it give any relief to fixed or lowincome
persons already caught
in a spiral of high rates and land
taxes. The majority of Pittwater’s
Councillors are ‘gung-ho’ to
ignore the views they received
with public consultation, and
impose an Environment Levy
on the community. In doing so
they have ignored two public
meetings… Councillors note that
Manly and Warringah imposed
an E levy without any community
consultation. How they operate
is not the issue. Pittwater has an articulate community
which likes to be consulted. That’s why it broke away
from Warringah.” Meanwhile, all unleashed dog exercise
areas in Pittwater were again under scrutiny, with an
audit undertaken to “assess the appropriateness of each
area… and environmental impact” as a result of the State
Government’s proposed new Animal Act; and Cr Shirley
Phelps was photographed turning the first sod for the
Avalon Skate Park.
15 Years Ago…
5 Years Ago…
There were moves to make Avalon plastic-bag free, Woolworths “have informed us their
with Council calling a meeting between community supermarkets in Avalon, Narrabeen
groups and Woolworths to encourage the supermarket and Warriewood will go single-use
to move away from plastic bags to coincide with the plastic bag free from June 20”. Our
store’s re-opening following
mag presented six pages promoting
its renovation. The
Pittwater’s cafes; Former Pittwater
second Avalon Festival was Councillor Kay Millar talked about
to be held; the new $1.3m her quest to ensure our local area
purpose-built animal
gained much-needed inpatient palliative
hospital on Barrenjoey
care; Residents group Protect
Road Newport was officially
Pittwater explained how they would
opened; Pittwater focus on gathering information they
Outrigger Racing Canoe say would “prove the failings of the
Club’s Open Women’s Crew new Northern Beaches Council and
became the new national strengthen their case for returning
sprint champions and
to the former Pittwater Council
it was expected Council boundary”. The Palm Beach & Whale
would begin discussions Beach Association celebrated 100 years; People were urged to exercise
on a Masterplan for the caution near the Whale Beach Ocean Pool due to dangers posed by an
long-term future of Avalon
unstable rock shelf; and the Avalon Youth Hub marked its first full
town Centre.
month of operation.
56 JUNE 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991

Pittwater Puzzler
Compiled by David Stickley
(40-49 years) from Newport SLSC,
Bec ______ (6)
26 An idea that does not fall within
normal social standards (3,5)
29 Largest continent (4)
30 Large racing yacht (4)
31 In a softened tone (5)
32 A public display of a message
(4)
33 The principal dish of a meal
(4,6)
DOWN
1 Large whale with long flippers
that may be seen travelling off the
Northern Beaches (8)
2 Beautiful; heavenly (7)
3 One of the things Kimbriki deals
with (5)
4 Newport SLSC’s Annual Awards
presentation (3,7)
5 Pinkish table wine (4)
7 Stops by briefly (5,2)
8 A choice delicacy or item (6)
12 Fuel used by internalcombustion
engines (6)
15 The crowning of King Charles
III, for example (10)
17 Praises greatly (6)
19 A person who is present and
participates in a meeting or an
event (8)
21 Swimming back and forth over
and over again (7)
23 Someone who accesses a
website (7)
24 Large bodies of water (6)
27 The speed at which music is or
should be played (5)
28 A festive or special occasion (4)
Pittwater Puzzler
ACROSS
1 The upper tributaries of a river
(10)
6 Prepare for publication (4)
9 An ancient astrologer or
magician (5)
10 Direction of the sea from Whale
Beach (4)
11 Former Prime Minister, Harold
____ (4)
13 Person in general who might
visit Pittwater Uniting Church (8)
14 Watercraft that takes advantage
of beautiful locations of Pittwater
(3-3)
16 Ride a bike (5)
18 Material used to make wetsuits
(8)
20 In fashion (3,3,2)
22 Bottomless Lunch destination in
Newport (5)
25 Australian Champion Lifesaver
[Solution page 64]
The Local Voice Since 1991
JUNE 2023 57

Food Life
with Janelle Bloom
Food Life
Recipes: janellebloom.com.au; FB: facebook.com/culinaryinbloom Insta: instagram.com/janellegbloom/
Veg out: Get your serves of
these wonderful Winter crops
We all know how important vegetables in our diet are.
We should be eating at least five serves each and every
day – but most Australians only eat half that. The secret
is to try to add some to each meal, then the five serves is easy to
achieve. Given the wonderful winter crop of vegetables we have at
our fingertips, I hope the recipes below inspire you to get creative!
Spiced roast
cauliflower
Serves 4-5 (as a side)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp cayenne
¾ tsp sea salt flakes
Pinch of ground turmeric
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil, plus
extra, to serve
1 (approx 700g) cauliflower,
trimmed, cut into florets
Raita or yoghurt, to serve
3. Drizzle with oil. Serve with
raita or yoghurt.
Serving suggestion: Serve
with pan-fried minute steak,
salmon or lamb chops.
Italian Stuffed
mushrooms
Makes 8 (Serves 4)
8 large Portobello/flat
mushrooms
1½ cups soft breadcrumbs (see
Tip)
¼ cup roasted red capsicum
strips
¼ cup semi dried tomatoes,
chopped,
2 tbs pitted olives, chopped
¼ cup parsley leaves, chopped
2 tbs pine nuts, toasted
½ cup basil pesto
½ cup finely grated parmesan
cheese
olive oil cooking spray
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C
fan-forced. Trim the stalks
from the mushrooms. Finely
chop the stalks and place
in a large bowl. Add 1 cup
of the breadcrumbs to the
bowl. Add the capsicum,
tomatoes, olives, parsley and
pine nuts. Season. Mix well.
2. Place the mushrooms
on a baking tray. Divide
the stuffing between the
mushrooms and press
down slightly. Dollop
over the pesto. Combine
the remaining ½ cup
breadcrumbs and parmesan
and sprinkle over the
mushrooms. Spray the tops
with oil.
3. Roast for 20 minutes or until
the tops are golden and the
mushrooms are tender.
Serving suggestion: Serve
with roast beef, chicken or
barbecued chorizo sausages.
Janelle’s Tip: Process day-old
sourdough or sliced bread;
you will need around 4-5
slices.
Winter roast
vegetables
Serves 4 (as a side)
1 red onion, peeled, cut into
thin wedges
2 zucchini, cut into thick
rounds
2 Lebanese (or 1 small
regular) eggplant, cut into
thick rounds
1 red capsicum, chopped
1 yellow capsicum, chopped
3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 tbs maple syrup
2 tbs orange juice
1 tsp dried oregano
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C
fan-forced.
2. Place all the vegetables in
a large greased roasting
pan. Whisk the oil, maple
syrup, orange juice,
oregano and salt and
pepper together until well
combined. Pour half over
the vegetables, toss gently
so all the vegetables are
well coated. Spread the
vegetables evenly over the
pan.
3. Roast for 25-35 minutes,
shaking the pan every
10 minutes until the
vegetables are golden
and tender. Spoon over
the remaining oil mixture.
Serve.
Serving suggestion: Serve
with meatloaf, rissoles,
bolognese or char-grilled
pork chops.
Janelle’s Tip: Add thinly
sliced baby potatoes,
pumpkin or sweet potato,
brussels sprouts or
cauliflower to the mix if you
have them on hand.
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C
fan forced. Combine the
cumin, coriander, paprika,
cayenne, salt and turmeric
in a bowl. Add the oil, stir to
combine.
2. Place the cauliflower in
a greased roasting pan.
Spoon over the spiced oil
mixture. Turn to coat all
the cauliflower, then spread
the cauliflower in a single
layer. Roast, shaking the
pan occasionally, for 20-30
minutes or until golden and
tender.
58 JUNE 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991

For more recipes go to janellebloom.com.au
Kale, quinoa and
cranberry stuffed
butternut pumpkin
Serves 4
1.6kg butternut pumpkin,
halved lengthways
olive oil cooking spray
150g (¾ cup) quinoa, rinsed
(see Tip)
¾ cup water
3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
2 tbs Moroccan spice blend
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 cup can chickpeas, drained
1 cup shredded kale, spinach
or silverbeet leaves
1/3 cup slivered almonds or
pistachio, toasted
½ cup cranberries or raisins
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C
fan-forced. Line a baking tray
with baking paper. Remove
and discard the pumpkin
seeds and membranes. Place
the pumpkin, cut side down,
on the baking tray. Cover
tightly with foil. Roast for 1
hour.
2. Remove the pumpkin from
the oven and turn over.
Leaving a 2cm border around
edge of pumpkin halves,
scoop out the flesh (see tip).
Spray the pumpkin cavities
lightly with oil and season.
Roast, cut side up a further
30-45 minutes or until the
pumpkin is golden and
tender when tested with a
skewer.
3. Place the quinoa and water
in saucepan. Bring to the
boil. Reduce heat to low,
cover and simmer for 12-15
minutes until the water is
absorbed. Remove from the
heat, stir with a fork.
4. Meanwhile, heat 1
tablespoon oil in a large
frying pan over medium
heat. Add onion. Cook,
stirring, for 5 minutes or
until softened. Add spice
blend, garlic and chickpeas.
Increase the heat to medium
high, sauté for 5 minutes
until the chickpeas start to
colour. Remove from the
heat, add the kale, almonds
and cranberries. Transfer
to a bowl, stir in the quinoa,
season and mix well.
5. Spoon the quinoa mixture
into the roasted pumpkin
halves. Drizzle with
remaining oil, cut the
pumpkins in half crossways.
Serve.
Serving suggestion: Serve with
chicken, lamb or pan fried tofu.
Janelle’s Tips: You can replace
the quinoa with couscous or
cooked rice… Steam, roast or
microwave the scooped-out
pumpkin. Mash or puree. Great
on its own or stirred through
mash potato and served with
sausages.
Herb and garlic
Hasselback sweet
potato bake
Serves 6
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
80g herb and garlic butter (see
tip), melted
60ml (¼ cup) chicken or
vegetable stock
2kg sweet potato, peeled
chopped parsley and finely
grated parmesan, to serve,
optional
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C
fan-forced. Grease a deep
20-22cm (top measurement)
heavy based pan (see tip) or
baking dish.
2. Combine the olive oil and
butter in a bowl. Add 2
tablespoons to the stock and
mix well (set the remaining
oil mixture aside).
3. Use a mandolin or a sharp
knife to cut the sweet potato
into 3mm-thick slices.
Discard the end slices of
each potato. Place in stacks
on a plate. Arrange the slices
standing on their sides, 1
stack at a time, in a tightly
packed circular pattern in the
pan or dish. Season.
4. Pour the stock mixture over
the top. Cover with foil.
Bake for 1 hour. Remove
the foil. Warm the reserved
oil mixture if necessary and
brush about a third over the
top of the sweet potatoes,
allowing some to run
between the layers. Bake,
uncovered for a further 20-
30 minutes, basting with the
remaining oil mixture every
10 minutes or until the sweet
potato is tender and the top
is golden and crisp.
5. Sprinkle the top with
combined parsley and
parmesan. Serve.
Serving suggestion: Serve
with roast chicken, lamb or
barbecued steak.
Janelle’s Tips: Heavy-based
cast iron pans, suitable for
stovetop and oven, are great
for this recipe as they hold the
heat; if using a ceramic dish,
the cooking time may be a little
longer… You can buy herb and
garlic butter or to make your
own, mix 100g softened butter
with 3 cloves crushed garlic
and 2 tbs chopped herbs like
parsley, thyme or rosemary.
Food Life
The Local Voice Since 1991
JUNE 2023 59

Tasty Morsels
with Beverley Hudec
Some Tiny Morsels to savour in June
Bottomless lunch?
You've gotta Lovat!
Fancy a leisurely weekend lunch?
Lovat’s $99-a-head Bottomless Lunch
starts with an Aperol spritz on arrival,
followed by burrata and olives. The
deal has two entrees and four main
courses. Choices include Sri Lankan
fish curry, steamed mussels or steak
with fries. Pair with bubbles, wine or
beers. Dessert is extra.
Queen Ester expands
street eats empire
Queen Ester fans can now sample its
tasty street eats in Mona Vale, where
a second outpost is now open on
weekdays. Go for Israeli cheese-filled
pastries called Ziva, shakshuka, coffee
and sweet treats. The homemade
felafel pockets stuffed with hummus,
hot pickled peppers and labneh make
trying to find a car spot worthwhile.
Tasty Dining Morsels Guide
Sammy's at
Careel Bay
Newly opened Sammy’s
at Careel Bay serves its
coffee with knockout
water views. Tuck into
avo and goats cheese on
sourdough, chia puddings
and NY-style bagels with
smoked salmon and cream
cheese. Hot bites include
jaffles filled with bacon,
egg and aioli and jaffles or
slow-cooked bolognese,
mozzarella and basil.
Beans on the move at
Narra's Bar 210
Bar 210’s coffee beans make their way
from a Marrickville boutique roaster to
Narrabeen for the cafe’s caffeine fixes.
There’s an all-day breakfast menu with
smashed avo on sourdough and egg and
bacon rolls. Move on to lunch and there
are chicken burgers and wraps as well as
a selection of jaffles and paninis.
Three of a kind: Burgers
It’s winner, winner chicken
dinner in Newport. Chicken
burger fans can pick pimped
schnitty burgers or tangy
tandoori chicken burgers
with minted yoghurt. The
Honest Chicken’s namesake
(pictured) features a herby
grilled chicken fillet, lettuce,
tomato, cheese and aioli.
Chicken salt-sprinkled chips
are a must.
Narrabeen’s Two Hungry
Bears has mega-meaty burgers
to sate peckish carnivores.
Mr Miyagi packs a beef patty,
American cheese, crispy sweet
and sour pork hock, pickled
carrots and sesame mayo
into a bun. Mac Killer pimps
Angus beef, American cheese
and bacon jam with a mac ’n’
cheese patty, special sauce and
pickles.
Any self-respecting cafe these
days has to have a vegetarian,
and preferably, a vegan
option. Mona Vale’s Ruby’s
at the Beach showcases
its chickpea, turmeric and
cauliflower patty and then
piles on kimchi, vegan aioli,
lettuce, pickles and sweet
potato fries. Alternatively,
swap the ciabatta bun for a
naked burger bowl.
60 JUNE 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991

Garden Life
with Gabrielle Bryant
Garden Life
Now’s the time to plant beds
of colourful, fragrant roses
It’s rose-planting time – roses need a
bright sunny well drained position in
the garden. There are roses for every
situation; carpet roses will spill down
slopes or cover the ground, tiny miniature
roses are ideal for pots and window boxes,
standard roses are perfect for structural
balance in tubs or lining pathways, climbing
roses cover arbours, fences and climb the
walls – but the most popular are the bush
roses. Perfect for picking and easy to grow.
Bush roses are either single-stemmed
for cutting, or multi-headed floribunda
roses for massed colour in the garden.
The selection in the garden centres and
online from the rose growers is quite
overwhelming.
Some roses are fragrant while others are
not. Colours from pure white to the deepest
velvet, through every shade of pink, orange,
As the cold weather sets
in, it is the best time to
plant new rhubarb crowns,
either in the veggie patch
or in large pots or tubs.
Rhubarb is an old-fashioned,
perennial favourite that is
coming back into modern
cooking. Nothing can
beat hot rhubarb crumble
or rhubarb pie on a cold
winter’s night.
Rhubarb is a cut-and-comeagain
vegetable – just like
the ‘Magic Pudding’. Planted
in compost-rich soil, it needs
to be well-fed and watered
regularly but must not have
yellow, purple and lavender. There is a rose
for everyone.
Before you plant your new rose, dig the
proposed spot thoroughly and add some
slow-release fertiliser and plenty of compost
to the soil. Remove the rose from its bag and
‘tease’ the roots. Next, mound the soil in the
bottom of the hole and sit the rose onto the
mound, spreading the roots downwards into
the hole. Fill the hole with water and allow
it to drain, then backfill to bury the roots,
making sure that the graft remains above
the soil level. The graft can be identified by
a scar on the stem that is just above the soil
line, then water well once again.
It is very important that the roots should
not be allowed to dry. If the rose has
started to make new growth while in the
bag, cut it back now. It will soon shoot
again.
Rhubarb… rhubarb… rhubarb!
wet feet or the crown will rot.
It is very easy to grow.
Rhubarb will jump into
life as soon as the weather
warms up, growing huge,
scarlet-stemmed leaves. Once
the plant matures, harvest by
braking back from ground
level and pulling up. Make
sure to discard the outer
leaves – only the stems are
edible. (The green leaves
are full of oxalic acid that is
poisonous.)
Put the discarded leaves
to one side. Boil them up
in water, about 1 part to
10, add some soapy water,
after you have strained it,
and you will have your own
organic insecticide.
Legacy of
Dolly’s Dream
If you have kids or grandkids,
this is the rose for you. Dolly
took her life after cyber bullying
and being badly bullied at school;
it led her family to start the
charity ‘Dolly’s Dream’ with the
aim to reduce bullying in schools
through education and support.
Together with Knight’s Roses
in SA, they have released a
floribunda red rose called ‘Dolly’s
Dream’ that has three or four
buds on every stem.
This is a very fragrant, dark red
rose that can change in colour in
different temperatures, from dark
burgundy to deep purple. It can
be bought now as a bush rose
or as a 2ft or 3ft standard rose.
It is available online and every
rose sold will pay royalties to this
charity and help to focus on antibullying
programs in schools.
62 JUNE 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991

Welcome new Davana Fern
Introducing a spectacularly beautiful
new fern: Phlebodium Davana.
Phlebodium aurea is an epiphytic fern
that grows wild in the Caribbean and
tropical parts of South America. It
grows naturally both on the trees and
across the ground. It’s known in the US
as the ‘Blue Star fern’ as it can be found
growing in the South-eastern States.
Meanwhile Davana is a compact
cultivar that has been developed in the
Netherlands; its glorious blue, greygreen
ruffled leaves grow thickly from
rhizomes that slowly creep across the
surface, clinging to the soil.
Unlike other ferns it is tolerant of
many conditions. You can grow in in
hanging baskets, pots or in the ground.
It prefers regular water – but not too
much, always water the soil below and
avoid watering the foliage if possible. If
you miss out and forget, it will forgive
you.
This fern will withstand dry soil for
a short time and will spring back into direct sunlight that will burn the huge, heaters that will dry the air. It will live in
new growth once it gets a drink. Where ruffled fronds) to keep its bright blue shadier, dark spots but the colour will
it comes from there are periods of colour. Light shade or dappled light if it be less intense.
drought before the seasonal rains. is outside; indoors it needs good light Davana is an amazing newcomer
Davana needs good light (but not near a window and away from winter which will soon become a favourite!
Little John a good hedge bet
So much is discussed about
tall hedges for privacy and
screens – but sometimes a
hedge is used for boundary
lines and edging in open
spaces. There are several
plants that are perfect along
a pathway, at the top or the
bottom of a wall, beside a
driveway, next to a swimming
pool or marking a boundary.
Dwarf Indian hawthorn, with
either pink or white flowers,
will always do well; if it is
hot and sunny all day plant
lavender (find either lavender
allardii or French lavender,
lavender dentata). Some of the
newer varieties are less hardy
for hedging.
Small-growing grevilleas,
scarlet sprite (or Mt
Tamboritha) will grow in
part sun and part shade
while westringia (the coast
rosemary) is hard to beat in
salty, exposed positions.
But my favourite that will
take all conditions is the
tiny bottlebrush, Little John.
Little John is a small-growing
shrub (1m). The blue/grey
The Local Voice Since 1991
foliage is highlighted by deep
red bottles every Spring and
Autumn, with spot flowers
thoughout the year. It can be
left as an informal hedge to
1m, or it can be trimmed into
a formal hedge.
After planting, water
regularly until established
and then unless there is a
prolonged drought it will look
after itself. A feed three times
a year of any slow-release
fertiliser for native plants will
keep it bushy and flowering
well.
JUNE 2023 63
Garden Life

Garden Life
June
Jobs this Month
Garden Life
The weather is cold and
wet, but there are still
plenty of jobs to do in
the garden. Time to rug up
and put on the rubber boots!
June is the month to harvest
all the dormant winter
crops: potatoes, artichokes,
shallots, sweet potatoes,
garlic and onions. This will
give you time to replenish
the soil, ready to re-plant
next month. Also, check out
the bulb stands for liliums to
plant in time for Christmas
colour. Check the instructions
carefully as there are so many
different colours, shapes
and sizes, some for pots and
some for gardens.
Cleaning up
Once frangipani, Spring
blossom and fruit trees are
bare, spray the trees and
surrounding soil with Lime
sulphur or a copper spray to
destroy any lingering fungal
spores after the wet and chilly
weather. This will give the new
growth a head start spring.
Be sure to clean up any fallen
leaves from the ground and
put them in the bin.
Red beds
Plant a strawberry patch this
month. Dormant strawberry
crowns are available in garden
centres now. Strawberries are
a great ground cover in the
veggie patch. Their pretty,
bright green leaves will keep
down weeds. Plant them 30cm
apart and tuck them in with a
mulch of straw or sugar cane.
Also, June is a good month to
plant blueberries. Blueberry
Burst is an attractive small
shrub that grows better in
a pot than in the ground.
A great plant for terraces
or balconies. In Spring you
will be picking your own
breakfast!
Colour tips
There is no excuse for a dull
Winter garden; they can be
as bright and cheerful as in
Summer. Flowering now are
camelias; pale pink and white
tree dahlias; pink, yellow,
and orange kangaroo paws;
tall yellow or scarlet aloes;
begonias; orchids; violet
salvias; pink and scarlet
poinsettias… the list goes
on. Fill any gaps with multicoloured
polyanthus or Winter
pansies.
Lawn
care
If your lawn
has suffered
badly in the
wet weather
and the
grass has been
too wet to mow, becoming
long and lanky, don’t be
tempted to cut it too short; if
we get a few hot sunny days
the roots will burn. Reduce the
length over time with several
cuts. Let the grass harden up
slowly.
Moss fix
Wet weather can make paving
very slippery. There are many
products on the market
to help stop this, but for a
simple solution, mix a cup of
baking soda into a bucket of
water and add some soapy
detergent. Spray or brush it
onto the pavers and leave for
half an hour before brushing
off with a hard-bristled brush.
Then wash off with water.
White vinegar can also be
effective – but never use a
brown vinegar as it can stain.
Perfect Pyrus
Most trees that have Autumn
colour
perform better in cooler
climates, but the brilliant
red ornamental pear Pyrus
Chanticleer is spectacular
in our seaside suburb. Plant
one now. It is a slim, columnshaped
tree that is perfect
for small suburban gardens.
First you have white blossom,
then the green leaves that
are followed in Autumn with
amazing colours that change
from green to gold to red.
Crossword solution from page 57
Mystery location: BILGOLA
64 JUNE 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991

Times Past
Milkman to butcher to mechanic
VARIED CAREERS: Sam off
to service someone’s fridge
in the 1960s; Jones’ dairy –
main house, now occupied
by the El Cortijo home units
on Barrenjoey Rd; and Sam
(WJ) Meek’s label for box
packaging of his tomatoes.
Last issue we left colourful character
Sam Meek in transit from Joe’s dairy
at Mona Vale to Stan Jones’ dairy at
North Avalon. It seems he only spent a
short time at Joe’s because he arrived at
North Avalon in December 1939 – around
a month after suffering Joe’s 4am morning
wake-up call of the ‘roaring bull’!
Jones’ dairy, located between Whale
Beach Road, Careel Head Road and Burrawong
Road, supplied milk locally as
well as to Palm Beach.
Jones had 40 cows which were allowed
to free range all around the area and
Sam’s first job of the day was to locate
the cows, round them up and head them
back to the bales for milking around
4am. He admitted it wasn’t easy in the
dark, so you had to listen out for thebells,
especially if the cows had travelled
as far as Ruskin Rowe.
Sam didn’t refer to the job as milking
but used instead the less subtle expression
of ‘tit pulling’. After milking 10 cows, he’d
load up the delivery van and head off to
Fred’s Boatshed (these days better known
as Careel Bay Marina or simply as ‘Bluey’s’).
With 10 litres of milk, a bottle can measure
and a torch, he wound his way through the
scrub and vines to deliver to Finisterre, the
last residence on Stokes Point.
Later while on his rounds, Sam noticed
a sign in Mr Brindell’s butcher shop in
Avalon Beach.
The sign read: ‘Youth wanted to learn
butchering’. The Japanese were closing
in on the east coast and the manager, Sid
Alford wasn’t going to hang around in
case they landed locally.
He took his wife and family and
headed for the Blue Mountains and Sam
got his job. He had to make the sausages
and deliver parcels of meat using a motor
bike and sidecar. Sam recalled it was
tricky on the dirt roads, constantly dodging
the koalas.
Sam joined the Avalon Fire Brigade as
a volunteer and recalled a trip to Crows
Nest Station to learn how to extinguish
incendiary bombs using a wooden
shovel.
After around 10 years as a butcher,
Sam decided to “hang out my shingle as
a refrigeration mechanic” taking care of
the fridges in the increasing number of
shops in the local area as well as domestic
fridges.
He bought three acres of land for 75
pounds ($150) and in the 1950s built a
house in Therry Street where he grew
some excellent orchids and loads of tomatoes,
which he sold to local shops.
TIMES PAST is supplied by local historian
and President of the Avalon Beach
Historical Society GEOFF SEARL. Visit
the Society’s showroom in Bowling
Green Lane, Avalon Beach.
Times Past
The Local Voice Since 1991
JUNE 2023 65

Travel Life
Travel Life
Tauck sprints the travel walk
International travel experts Tauck keep
you have along the way, those personal
moving forward to find new ways
encounters and unexpected moments that
to enhance experiences that will be
memorable for the lifetimes of their
guests – that’s why they’ve been named
to esteemed authority Travel and Leisure’s
‘World’s Best’ list for 25 consecutive years.
Travel View Avalon’s Gail Kardash
explained that Tauck are a company – and
a family – of passionate travellers.
“As a family owned travel company
for over 98 years, their values and vision
remain true: to always do the right thing
for their customers and guests.”
“With unique and exclusive access,
with journeys across seven continents,
in over 100 destinations and to 70+
countries, Tauck invites you to see the
world as you’ve never seen it before.”
Gail said Tauck’s philosophy was that it
wasn’t just about the places you visit – it’s
how you experience them.
“These are the travel experiences
that define Tauck – authentic, intimate
experiences that connect you more deeply
to the destination and the people you
meet,” she said.
“These moments take you behind the
scenes, providing special access to mustsee
sites and places generally not open
to the public, often at times when crowds
aren’t there.
“They show you the world differently
than you could see it on your own and
astonish you with the unexpected – and
that’s what makes the difference between
a trip and the trip of a lifetime!”
Gail said the best travels bring the
right kind of connections, with locals who
share their daily lives along with cultural
insights, secrets of nature, stories of the
past that define the present, and special
skills – and a journey becomes both
enriching and everlasting.
“The most memorable trips aren’t
just about the grand sights you see,
they’re also about the little experiences
make your visits – and your memories –
extraordinary!” she said.
She added that personal, caring
service was the hallmark of all Tauck
Tour Directors and their handpicked local
guides.
“Tauck Tour Directors average 10 years
of service, come from 41 countries and
collectively speak a total of 52 languages,”
said Gail. “Their expertise in local culture,
customs, and traditions allows them to
show you the world in ways you could not
experience on your own… it’s the Tauck
difference.
“An example is their 2024 Tours to
Jordan and Egypt – ‘Petra to the Pyramids’
(see ad below).
“You can travel confidently… just book
your trip, pack and go.
“Not to mention their experienced
Global Response Team stands ready
to spring into action to respond to any
situations should they unfold. Tauck
manage the unexpected – big and small –
so you can sit back, relax and enjoy.”
* Want to know more? Call Travel View
Avalon on 9918 4444.
66 JUNE 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991