Pittwater Life November 2023 Issue

The Local Voice Since 1991 

NOVEMBER 2023 

FREE 

pittwaterlife 

THE MUSIC SPECIAL ISSUE 

+ ROD WILLIS: HIS WILD ROCK JOURNEY WITH COLD CHISEL 

ANGRY MONA VALE ROAD DRIVERS VENT / LOCAL TREE PLAN 

THE WAY WE WERE / LEGO SHOW / SEEN... HEARD... ABSURD...

Editorial 

‘No need’ for upgrade: Minns 

It doesn’t matter which side of 

the political fence you stand, 

NSW Premier Chris Minns’ 

reasoning for putting the 

upgrade of the Western section 

of Mona Vale Road on hold 

doesn’t pass the pub test. 

Asked on ABC Radio last 

month about whether there 

was a need to upgrade the 

Western section, Mr Minns was 

dismissive of the importance of 

the road to our community. 

“No, I don’t believe so,” he 

said. “There is a case for road 

upgrades right across Sydney... 

it’s all about severity and we 

are applying a needs-based 

approach to infrastructure 

spending, not on a marginalseats 

or Labor-electorates 

approach... and obviously those 

communities that desperately 

need the funds are where we 

are investing them.” 

Apparently it doesn’t matter 

that the single lanes of road 

heading east and west between 

Kimbriki Tip and the Baha’i 

Temple are piling up crash 

statistics and full closures like 

no other major road in Sydney 

Mona Vale Road has been 

closed for six hours at a time 

twice in the past 12 weeks – at 

the black spot now on hold. 

There have been more than 

10 serious accidents requiring 

police and emergency vehicles. 

Mr Minns should talk to the 

users of the road about what 

they think, as we did (see p12). 

* * * 

Remember when cafe owners 

used to offer a small 

discount on a takeaway coffee 

if you brought your own ‘keep 

cup’? 

We do – but only just. Does it 

even happen anymore? 

We’d love to hear from 

readers about their experiences; 

and as reward we’ll give a shout 

out to the local cafes who are 

offering the ‘perk’. 

Remember, every little bit 

helps in the battle to reduce 

landfill. 

– Nigel Wall 


NOVEMBER 2023 3

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Vol 34 No 4 

Celebrating 33 years 

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thislife 

INSIDE: Council will oppose the revised development plan 

for the Patyegarang Development (Lizard Rock) at Belrose 

(p10); local users of Mona Vale Road express their disgust 

that the Western Upgrade has been put on hold (p12); reflect 

on 50 years of the Avalon PS band (p16); Pittwater and its 

existing tree canopy will be given the same priority as other 

Beaches areas needing more trees (p21); a bunch of bands 

hit the local scene (p24); and hear from Avalon’s Rod Willis 

on his wild ride managing Aussie band Cold Chisel (p44). 

COVER: Palmy Gold / Sharon Green 

also this month 

Editorial 3 

Pittwater Local News & Features 10-41 

The Way We Were 30 

Seen... Heard... Absurd... 32 

Community News 36-41 

Life Story: Cold Chisel’s manager Rod Willis 44-48 

Art 50-51 

Hot Property 52-53 

Health & Wellbeing; Hair & Beauty 56-63 

Money; Law 64-67 

Trades & Services 68-71 

Food & Tasty Morsels 72-75 

Travel: The spectacular North Pole 80-81 

Crossword 82 

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NOVEMBER 2023 The Local Voice Since 1991

News 

Council renews Lizard Rock fight 

Northern Beaches Council has 

picked holes in the revised 

Planning Proposal for 450 

homes in the renamed Patyegarang 

Development (formerly Lizard 

Rock) at Belrose and will renew its 

opposition in a new submission to 

the NSW Government. 

At its October meeting, Council 

staff papers observed that the revised 

Planning Proposal presented by the 

Sydney North Planning Panel – which 

was placed on public exhibition 

in September and will be open for 

submissions through 7 November – failed 

to address most of the concerns raised by 

Council 12 months ago. 

These included severe bush fire risks, 

major impacts upon biodiversity, and 

inconsistency with Council’s Local 

Strategic Planning Statement and Local 

Housing Strategy. 

But a key point in Council’s 

“overarching” concerns with the 

revised proposal regarded the required 

acquisition of Council land in Forest Way 

for a slip lane to evacuate the area. 

“The draft Planning Proposal included 

a description and map of the proposed 

slip lane for evacuation purposes as 

required by the RFS (left turn slip lane 

AERIAL: The slip lane would exit Morgan Rd onto Forest Way 

(top left of pic). 

from Morgan Road and allow traffic to 

bypass the traffic lights and directly 

enter Forest Way), requiring acquisition 

of Council land,” Council said. 

“No discussion in relation to this 

matter has been undertaken.” 

Council was disappointed the majority 

of elements in the new Planning 

Proposal remained the same. 

“The proposal still provides for the 

development of 450 dwellings in a highly 

bushfire-prone area with very restricted 

evacuation and transport routes,” 

Council said. 

“The proposal still would involve the 

clearing of approximately 70% of the 70.1 

ha site in an undisturbed bushland area 

with high conservation value. 

“The proposed rezoning to R2 low 

density residential and RE2 private 

recreation remains inconsistent with 

the North District Plan, Council’s 

Local Strategic Planning Statement 

and Local Housing Strategy, and 

Council’s most recent and extensive 

work underpinning proposals for 

zoning of the Deferred Lands area 

under the new consolidated LEP for 

the whole of the LGA. 

“The revised Planning Proposal 

still does not provide sufficient 

information or evidence to support the 

proposed re-zoning. Nor have any new 

or significant mitigation measures or 

actions been identified to respond in a 

meaningful way to the concerns Council 

raised in its submission on the draft 

Planning Proposal (in November 2022).” 

It noted the revised Planning Proposal 

stated that “If Council refuse to negotiate 

then Transport for NSW have the powers 

to compulsorily acquire the land”. 

Council said it would object to the 

acquisition of its land to facilitate this 

development; further consideration of 

Council’s property rights was being 

undertaken. 


*More info Council website 

10 NOVEMBER 2023 

The Local Voice Since 1991

Charge of the EV stations 

The NSW government has 

allocated $10 million 

to support more than 125 

apartment buildings across 

NSW to install electric vehicle 

(EV) charging stations in their 

carparks. 

Grants are now available for 

buildings 

with 10 

or more 

apartments 

and will 

co-fund up 

to 80 per 

cent, or a 

maximum 

FREE: 15-minute charging. 

of $80,000, 

the necessary upgrades and 

purchase and installation of 

up to four chargers. 

“In a national first, NSW is 

co-funding EV infrastructure 

upgrades in apartment 

buildings, to make EV 

ownership attractive for more 

people,” said NSW energy 

minister Penny Sharpe. 

“More than 90 per cent 

of EV drivers charge their 

vehicle at home, and we 

don’t want people living in 

apartments to miss out.” 

The Electric Vehicle Ready 

Buildings grants program is 

open until June 20, 2025. 

Meanwhile, following 

community consultation, NB 

Council in partnership with 

JOLT will be rolling out EV 

Stations 

deploying 

free public 

charging 

for up 

to 15 

minutes at 

Pittwater 

Park South 

carpark, 

Palm Beach and Berry Reserve 

Carpark, Narrabeen. 

A proposal to place a 

station at The Boulevarde, 

Newport will not proceed due 

to potential flooding issues. 

Council said it would 

continue to work with JOLT to 

find an alternative location in 

Newport. – Lisa Offord 

*More info on the Electric 

Vehicle Ready Buildings 

grants program at nsw.gov.au 

News 



Mona Vale Road disgust 

News 

With funding for the completion 

of the Mona Vale Road upgrade 

now on hold, regular users of 

the arterial route say lives are being put 

at risk in the name of politics. 

The Western stage of the upgrade is 

in limbo, with $340 million previously 

allocated for the road works now pulled 

as part of the Minns Government’s first 

budget. The Eastern section is still due 

for completion before the end of this 

year, but the dangerous Western section 

has had its funding deferred for at least 

two years. 

Local MP Rory Amon has reacted 

angrily, claiming that Pittwater is a 

victim of ‘postcode politics’, with the 

budget concentrating on winnable Labor LATEST ACCIDENTS: Mona Vale Road West was closed for six hours both ways on October 9 (above) 

seats. Mr Amon says lives will be put at while a head-on accident in August closed the road for a similar time in August (below). 

risk as a result – and regular users of the 

road have been quick to agree. 

Mark Bevan from Narrabeen drives a 

truck, making deliveries for a building 

supplier. He says that the section of the 

road that will remain as one-lane eachway 

can be extremely hazardous for 

heavy vehicles. 

“It’s really one of my least favourite 

roads,” Mark tells Pittwater Life. 

“Especially where it gets very narrow 

between Bahai Temple and Kimbriki. I’m 

surprised there are not more accidents 

than there already are. 

“You have to really concentrate hard 

in a wide vehicle and it can be quite 

unnerving. 

“It’s particularly dangerous with 

goat track? We’re being punished by the section (“a fab design”) but is incredibly 

vehicles turning right out of Kimbriki 

Labor party again. 

disappointed that work has stopped on 

tip to head back towards Mona Vale,” he 

“I wrote to Rory Amon after the last the West. 

continues. “That whole section could do 

accident that occurred recently and 

“There’s just no margin for error on 

with a rethink.” 

Long-time Avalon resident Jacqueline 

he’ll do what he can, but frankly I’m that strip – you’d just need to sneeze 

Watson, who used to work at Kimbriki 

appalled.” 

and you could have a head-on,” says 

and regularly uses Mona Vale Road West, 

Mark Fitzgerald has been a resident Cliff. “It’s narrow and dangerous and 

wrote to Mr Amon in October regarding 

of Newport for decades; he says 

I’ve sadly seen a lot of accidents over the 

her concern at the funding withdrawal 

he “tolerates” Mona Vale Road. He 

years. I’ve had a few near misses myself. 

for the upgrade. She believes the road has a different thought on who the 

“When it’s raining or there’s fog, it’s 

has not been properly maintained and government was actually penalising. even worse – and the sun can be shining 

feels unsafe when she uses it. 

“I think it’s dogmatic and smallminded 

to pull the funding when the “I guess Labor don’t want to spend 

in your face. 

“The West section is the worst portion 

of the road,” said Jaqueline. “I worked road is half finished, but I think they are the money here. I’m not a political 

at Kimbriki for a few years and had to discriminating against people out west. commentator, but it would seem to slam 

travel that road every day. I also had It’s a huge bottleneck and they’re saying the door on them for the future.” 

to exit Kimbriki and the right turn you ‘we don’t care if you want to go to the Transport for NSW’s traffic tool shows 

have to make is harrowing – it’s the only beach’. It’s going to take people out west Mona Vale Road is used by more than 

word for it. 

two hours to drive here and two hours to 30,000 vehicles each way every weekday. 

“I remember at least three occasions drive back.” 

On Sunday 9 October, a URM garbage 

where the road there was closed because He added he was also annoyed the truck was involved in a collision with two 

of accidents on the dip portion of the Liberal government didn’t finish the cars at the one-way blackspot section of 

road. 

project quicker “as it was obvious this the road, with four persons injured – two 

“One night I was going home in the would happen as soon as government seriously. The accident blocked traffic in 

dark where the road turns and someone changed in the cycle of things”. 

both directions for six hours. 

was doing a three-point-turn on the road. Cliff Brigstocke from Avalon works 

– Rob Pegley 

I was doing the speed limit, but was in manufacturing and has done the *Mr Amon’s petition to the Government 

worried someone might be coming up drive to Homebush and back four or five to have a change of heart and throw the 

behind me. 

times a week for the past 20 years. He West upgrade a lifeline now has more 

“How long do we have to live with this loves the job they’ve done on the East than 4000 signatures. 



News 

Meet the Palmy ‘Pod Couple’ 

Palm Beach locals Di 

Edwards and Nicola Dale 

have been best friends 

for more than 40 years. They 

love a chat so much, that it’s 

become their passion project, 

co-hosting the popular Podcast 

‘Over the Back Fence’. 

Di and Nicola truly love to 

talk. Usually interviews with 

story subjects involves asking 

numerous questions in 

search of a decent soundbite. 

However, for Di and Nicola it’s 

simply a case of switching on 

the tape recorder, sitting back 

and occasionally trying to 

sneak in the odd question. 

“We’re honestly always 

excited to see each other, even 

after 40 years,” says former 

international flight attendant 

Nicola. 

“And because we’ve been 

friends that long, we respect 

each other’s opinions even 

when we disagree,” responds 

Di, owner of LJ Hooker Palm 

Beach. “I don’t hold back!” 

In fact, neither of them 

hold back, which makes the 

Podcast so entertaining. Commendably, 

it was one of those 

great ideas that actually came 

to fruition, rather than just 

fizzling out. 

“I’d presented a TV show in 

the past and was keen to do 

something 

new, but 

wasn’t sure 

on what platform,” 

says 

Di. “But you 

put things 

out there 

and surrender 

to the 

universe and 

something 

happens.” 

Adds Nicola: “And I was 

hiking in Tasmania with my 

daughter (Gabriella Power 

from Sky News) and we were 

listening to Podcasts. 

“That night I said to 

Gabriella ‘I think Di and I 

could do a Podcast’. Gabriella 

loved the idea and went 

straight into producer mode 

making notes. 

“Di was in the States and 

I asked what she thought,” 

continues Nicola. “And, bang! 

Straight away she comes back 

with a list of ideas.” 

And so in April this year, 

Over The Back Fence was first 

recorded. 

Since then 

there have 

been 30 episodes 

and 

although 

it has a 

community 

focus, it also 

now has a 

global following. 

“They particularly 

love us in America,” 

says Nicola. “I can see us going 

over there sometime. But 

we’ve really found our happy 

place with this.” 

“We wanted to celebrate 40 

years of friendship,” continues 

Di, “but also explore the 

issues of being older, with an 

undercurrent of being motivating 

and uplifting.” 

“If we could help or inspire 

one person then we’ve done 

our job,” adds Nicola. 

“Inspiring people with a 

giggle!” says Di with a laugh. 

It’s a double act that has to 

be witnessed – and with an 

Instagram account showing 

clips of the Podcast, and a 

YouTube channel on the way, 

you can do just that. The real 

beauty comes in their ability 

to find the positive in just 

about any situation. 

“We seem to naturally find 

the joy, even when things are 

really bad,” explains Di. “We 

bring some goodness out of 

the worst situations. It just 

seems to happen. We can lift 

people when they’re down. It’s 

effortless.” 

“We just see the beauty in 

people,” agrees Nicola. “We 

find interest and joy in every 

single person that we meet.” 

A great array of guests have 

already appeared on the show 

including Mandy Spooner, 

Richard and Colin Scotts, 

Catherine Mahoney, Lizzi 



PODCAST WITH PURPOSE: Neighbours and friends Nicola and Di have 

gone global with their down-to-earth chats. 

PHOTO: Rob Pegley 

Morrissey and Gus Worland. 

Tim Olsen is an upcoming 

guest and the duo have yet to 

even tap into the contacts of 

Nicola’s partner of four years 

Richard Wilkins. 

“Richard said a few words 

at the launch party… he said 

‘I’ve got to give it to these 

ladies they’ve done it completely 

on their own’. And we 

have,” says Di. 

“We’ll get him on the show 

at some paint,” says Nicola. 

“I’ll give him such a hard 

time!” laughs Di. 

While plenty of women in 

their 20s, 30s and 40s are 

doing podcasts, it’s rarer to 

find women in their 50s and 

upwards. To Nicola and Di 

“age is just a number”. Jane 

Fonda and Bette Middler are 

just two of the names they’d 

love to chat to ‘over the fence’, 

and both agree that some 

women are doing amazing 

things against all odds as 

they get older. 

“The older I get I just feel 

gratitude that we’re at this 

age,” says Nicola. “Some people 

never even get to where 

we are.” 

“And some people don’t 

have a sense of purpose 

anymore,” adds Di. “The kids 

have gone and they’re treading 

water – we can hopefully 

help them find that purpose.” 

“We’re Palm Beach women,” 

Nicola sums up. “Our kids 

went to Palm Beach kindy and 

Avalon schools, we share a 

back fence… we’re two local 

ladies who have started a 

thing that’s going global.” 


News 



Fine tuned: 50 years 

News 

What does the Avalon Public 

School Band have in common 

with iconic Aussie rock band 

AC/DC and American new wave band 

Devo? All three are celebrating their 

50th anniversary in 2023. 

“I am tremendously proud of the 

Avalon Public School band program and 

its significant heritage and pedigree,” 

gushes School Principal, Andy Rankin. 

“Reaching 50 years of continuous musicmaking 

is a wonderful achievement – 

even more notable when we share a 50th 

anniversary with equally famous bands 

such as Devo, Journey and AC/DC. Go, 

Avalon!” 

On 14 September, the Band celebrated 

their 50th Anniversary with a 

spectacular gala concert in the school 

hall, a backdrop of pictures spanning 

the five decades stirring the memories 

for many in attendance. Videographers 

captured the musicians up close and 

projected their images to LED screens 

on both sides of the stage, creating a 

“live concert moment” for everyone in 

attendance. There was also a screening 

of a video made by local actress Raelee 

Hill – A Day in the Life of Band – with 

the entire room delighted in watching 

this depiction of band life told from the 

perspective of the kids. 

Avalon Public School has the longest 

continuously running band program in 

NSW public schools. When the kids were 

asked what they thought about being 

part of this, their pride was palpable: 

“Wow!”… “Pretty cool”… “We’re the best”. 

The school has four bands – Training 

Band, Concert Band, Senior Band and 

Performance Band – playing wind, brass, 

bass and percussion instruments. Mostly 

kids will play in the band suitable for 

their school year, but if someone shows 

aptitude, they can move up a band. 

Band Director of three years Charles 

Wilkinson skilfully keeps the kids 

engaged by choosing movie themes 

or contemporary songs for them 

to perform. He also recognises the 

importance of performing for the 

young musicians and this year has seen 

participation in the Instrumental Festival 

at Pittwater High School, NSSWE Spring 

Festival, APS Learning Expo and the 

Music Showcase at Warringah Mall, and 

playing with Shaw’s Northern Beaches 

Concert Band. 

Wilkinson took over from Sarah Shaw 

who held the role for many years; he 

is assisted by fellow conductor Rachel 

Rule. The band program has also been 

supported by Assistant Principal Sam 

Bateson, who has liaised between the 

school and the band for 30 or so years. 

Band President Cassandra Mow has 

been involved with the band since 

her son Edwin Minter, who plays the 

euphonium, joined in Year 3. Now in Year 

6, he is one of the band captains, along 

with Felix Frost. Yonca O’Mahony takes 

over the role of Band President next 

year; her daughter has just joined band. 

“She loves playing flute. She loves music 

and she feels like she’s part of a team. I 

wasn’t expecting anything like that for 

her in Year 3,” says Yonca. 

“It’s a very inclusive program with a 

place for any child,” Cassandra stresses. 

“Any child can learn music. It’s about 

giving the kids pride and a sense of 

community, a love of music and having 

some fun at the same time.” She adds 

that not all kids want to put in the 

practice or get up early for rehearsals 

and they tend to drop out but may return 

later. However, there have also been 

many stories from past parents about 

how their child blossomed. 

The 50th anniversary celebration 

brought back a flood of memories. Local 

historian Geoff Searle found an article 

in the October 1975 edition of Avalon 

News, reporting that 68 band members 

attended band camps at Narrabeen 

National Fitness Centre. For band 

members today the weekend band camp 

held at the Sydney Academy of Sport 

and Recreation Centre in Narrabeen is 

a highlight of the year. The two days of 



of hitting high notes 

NOW AND THEN: The band celebrates 50 years of making music; the huge 

band in 1977; performing on ANZAC Day in 1983; 50th year performance; 

Lions Festival 1977 (couldn’t do that today!); Manly Aquarium 1990. 

intensive practice and tuition culminate 

in a concert on the Sunday afternoon and 

see a steep change in skill level. 

Band alumni Trent Morgan started 

with cymbals in 1981 and became 

percussion section leader in 1982. He 

recalls: “The highlight for me playing 

these cymbals was on the back of a 

flatbed truck in the Palm Beach ANZAC 

Day march, standing up (no safety 

precautions back then) as the truck 

rolled along amongst the diggers.” 

In 2007, he went on to form his own 

band, which is still performing. “Playing 

in the school band had a lifelong 

influence on me.” 

Other alumni include sisters Elena 

and Laura Newlyn, who both played in 

the band and are now tutoring flute, 

while studying at the Australian Catholic 

University. And Michael Welch, started 

his musical journey here, graduated from 

Barrenjoey High School in 2019, and 

is now majoring in tuba at the Sydney 

Conservatorium of Music. Will Cassell 

is a graduate of Barrenjoey HS in 2022; 

he achieved equal first in NSW for HSC 

Music 1. “You need passionate teachers, 

an encouraging learning environment…” 

he said, when interview by the ABC after 

leaving school. 

“We have been blessed with some 

amazing band directors, highly talented 

students and a supremely supportive 

parent body of volunteers without whom 

our program would not exist,” says Andy 

Rankin. 

Wilkinson summed up the legacy 

of this phenomenal school band in 

his speech at the gala concert: “As we 

celebrate the past 50 years, let us also 

look forward to the next 50, knowing 

that the music we make today will 

continue to inspire generations of young 

musicians, setting them on their own 

journeys of creativity, expression, and 

lifelong learning.” 

– Rosamund Burton 

News 



News 

The biggest group of ocean swims in Australia, 

the annual Pittwater Ocean Swim 

Series, is coming to Pittwater in January 2024. 

The series, conducted by surf clubs in the 

region, attracts ocean swimmers, of all levels, 

from around the world and Australia. 

David Madew, coordinator of the Pittwater Series, 

says ocean swimmers welcome the chance 

to test their ocean swimming skills at some of 

the most beautiful beaches in the world and at 

the same time go in the draw for a Whitsundays 

holiday (which includes an Oceanfit swim). 

“Each of the ocean swims caters for both 

experienced swimmers right through to swimmers 

testing their swimming skills in an ocean 

environment. There are short courses such as 

400m and 800m which are very popular for 

the less experienced or for strong swimmers to 

warm up for the longer events. 

“The first swims in the series will be at 

Newport on Sunday 7 January 2024 followed 

by Bilgola on 14 January, Then it’s Mona Vale’s 

turn, on 21 January with their popular Warriewood 

to Mona Vale course. The Big Swim from 

Palm Beach to Whale Beach one of Australia’s 

original ocean swims is celebrating its 50th anniversary 

with its event on Sunday 28 January. 

“Then on Sunday 17 March, Avalon will hold 

its iconic, Around the Bends, ocean swim from 

Newport to Avalon to complete the Pittwater 

Series.” 

REGISTER: Entries 

are now open for 

the 2024 Pittwater 

Ocean Swim Series. 

Swim series makes another splash 

Each of the ocean swims not only offers 

a challenge to those wanting to take on the 

ocean. Each swim is an important fund raiser, 

for the surf clubs involved, so that they can 

purchase and maintain essential life saving 

equipment. 

“This in turn make sour beaches safer for the 

many swimmers who visit Pittwater each summer,” 

said David. 

To be eligible to win the Oceanfit Whitsunday 

holiday prize, swimmers must enter at least 

three of the swims in the series. “Previous winners 

have thoroughly enjoyed the Whitsunday 

experience. The winner is drawn from those 

who have entered three swims, so the winner 

can come from any swimmer, no matter what 

time they achieve,” David added. 

The Pittwater Ocean Swim Series is generously 

sponsored by Northen Beaches Council, who 

obviously recognise the tourism value of the 

event with the knowledge that swimmers and 

their supporters flock to the local cafes, clubs 

and restaurants as well as the boutique shops 

after the swims. 

There is a strong emphasis on safety for each 

of the swims as would be expected from the 

surf clubs. Swimmers are urged to train for 

their event and take notice of lifesavers on the 

beach. 

– John Guthrie 

*All info and entries visit oceanswims.com; 

also follow the series on Facebook. 

6THINGS 

THIS MONTH 

Author talks. Global risk 

specialist Tony Loughran will be 

speaking about his remarkable 

life and new book Zero Risk at 

numerous venues this month 

including Zubi Expresso 207 

Ocean Rd Narrabeen on Thurs 

2 from 6.30pm and Manly Spirits 

Winbourne Road Brookvale on 

Thurs 30 from 6pm. He will also 

join five speakers at Bucketty’s 

Brewing Co in Brookvale on Tue 21 

from 7pm-9pm. Go to the ZeroRisk 

International Facebook page for 

more details. 

Music Festival. Catch some 

of the 50 acts performing on 

five stages over two days in the 

Northern Beaches Music Festival 

at Narrabeen Tramshed and Berry 

Reserve on Sat 4 to Sun 5. Info at 

northernbeachesmusicfestival.org 

Flute & Harp. A duo of Flute and 

Harp might conjure images of 

heavenly music that is sweet and 

gentle, yet the extraordinary Sally 

Waker and Emily Granger may well 

change this perception with their 

undeniable dynamism and skill. 

Catch their ‘Something Like This’ 

concert at Pittwater High School 

Hall on Friday 10 from 8pm. Tickets 

$30 peninsulamusicclub.com.au 

Polystyrene drop. Residents 

are invited to bring rigid pieces 

of 100% clean polystyrene 

packaging for recycling to Kimbriki 

Resource Recovery Centre on Sat 

11 from 8am-4pm. 

School bus drive. Providing 

support to children with moderate 

to severe intellectual disability who 

live on the Northern Beaches and 

beyond, Fisher Road School Dee 

Why is holding a fundraiser on Sat 

11 from 6.30pm at Manly Leagues 

Club; details comedyforacause. 

net/FRS. 

Eramboo art. Artist in residence 

Bronte Cormican-Jones invites 

a conversation between the 

architectures of the trees and 

surrounding bushland, and 

the space within the gallery 

through the layering of images 

and reflective materials in her 

exhibition ‘Passing Through’. 

Opening night includes live music 

and celebratory drinks at Eramboo 

Artist Environment, 304 McCarrs 

Creek Road, Terrey Hills on Sat 25 

from 5pm-7pm. 



News 

Lego mania set for Pittwater 

The Pittwater Brick Show takes place 

the first weekend in November, providing 

great entertainment for the 

kids… but perhaps an even greater thrill 

for their parents. 

“I do the door and ticketing for the 

events,” explains Graham Draper, creator 

of The Brick Show, “and the parents are 

often the bigger fans of LEGO. They like 

to talk about what they like building, and 

they pull up chairs to build alongside their 

kids. 

“I do a show in Orange and some locals 

actually come and display their own stuff 

there!” 

For many big kids, Graham is living the 

dream, turning his lifelong passion for 

LEGO into the day job. 

“I’ve always played with LEGO, from 

the age of five,” said Graham. “I have my 

own personal collection at home and have 

been to Billund in Denmark [where LEGO 

is made] many times. Some might say I’m 

obsessed. 

“About six or seven years ago I started a 

LEGO group in Wollongong, where I live, to 

raise money for charity, for sick and disabled 

kids. We’ve raised $250,000 for them 

so far. I also raise money for underprivileged 

kids to get them 

toys at Christmas. 

“Then during COVID 

I decided that maybe 

I could go on the road 

with the shows full-time. 

So I started ‘Playwell 

Events’ and now we do 

about one big show – like 

Pittwater – every month, 

and a smaller show every 

fortnight. But we still 

do the charity shows as 

well.” 

What kids – and Mums 

PLASTIC FANTASTIC: Graham Draper is bringing The Brick Show to Pittwater RSL in November. 

and Dads – can expect at The Pittwater 

Brick Show are around 40 tables of LEGO 

displays, some made of up of 50,000 

pieces. 

There are also interactive models to 

engage with, play tables to get your hands 

on LEGO, and plenty of 

LEGO sets available to 

buy. 

“Myself and my partner 

Rachel put all of the 

show models together… 

I wouldn’t say she’s a 

fan, but she tolerates it,” 

Graham laughs. 

“None of the models 

are glued together and 

so I’ve had a few fall 

over and smash when 

transporting them. The 

whole show takes me 

around six or seven hours to set up.” 

When the shows aren’t happening, 

Graham has the LEGO in storage, while he 

works behind the scenes on Channel 9’s 

LEGO Masters show. He’s not allowed to 

compete, but thinks that might be a blessing: 

“Too much pressure!” 

And to reinforce the fact that LEGO 

might be for the parents more than the 

kids, Graham shares that he has an 

11-year-old son with no interest whatsoever. 

“He’s spent his whole life around it and 

he’s just not interested,” said Graham. “I 

thought I might pass on the family business 

one day, but it doesn’t look like it at 

the moment. He’d rather play basketball.” 


*The Pittwater Brick Show is at Pittwater 

RSL on the weekend of 4-5 November; 

entry $8. 



New Canopy Plan a win for locals 

Council’s new Tree Canopy Plan will give Pittwater’s vast 

existing canopy the same focus as other suburbs on the 

Northern Beaches that require increased plantings, thanks to 

intervention by Pittwater Greens Councillor Miranda Korzy. 

Last month Council endorsed its initial three-year plan to 

ensure the Local Government Area’s tree canopy remained one 

of the largest in Sydney. 

But Councillor Korzy explained the final draft plan prioritised 

the creation of canopy in areas like Brookvale and Dee 

Why, where trees were scarce and 

the urban heat more intense. 

However, in a win for the upper 

Peninsula, her proposal to give 

equal weighting to protection and 

preservation of areas with significant 

canopy such as Pittwater was 

endorsed in the final plan. 

“That means funding for the 

Canopy Plan for actions like succession 

planting – so as old trees reach 

the end of their life, younger ones 

are already growing in place,” said 

Cr Korzy. 

“We can also look forward to the 

creation of an Iconic Tree Register 

RECORD: A Tree Register will note significant trees on both 

public and private land. 

to record trees on both public and private land with significant 

scientific, social, historic and/or aesthetic value. 

Also, to protect trees from illegal removal, Cr Korzy called for 

a system of notification for Council-approved tree removals. 

“This would include signs to be posted at properties, as for 

DAs, alerting the community to the proposed removal, providing 

opportunities for community feedback, and identifying if 

permission exists for a tree to be felled.” 

She said the canopy plan also included other important measures, 

such as establishing incentives for landowners to retain 

and protect trees. 

Council said it received 197 submissions on the draft plan. 

There was strong support for increased compliance and heavier 

fines for illegal tree removal; strong support for a review of 

statutory and development controls to support the protection of 

trees on private land; and strong support for tree planting being 

practical and prioritising native species. 

Other key actions in the plan include: continuing to plant 

5,000 trees per year; conducting an audit of trees in priority 

areas; measuring tree canopy cover every four years; raising 

awareness about tree planting programs; improving tree 

diversity and health; and strengthening the Local Environment 

Plan and Development Control Plans to focus on retention and 

protection of tree canopy. 

Council said it would continue to investigate and act upon 

unauthorised activities that impacted on the tree canopy, 

such as illegal vegetation clearing, unauthorised recreational 

trails and other environmental 

damage. 

The plan provides actions to 

manage tree canopy through 

to 2027, when the plan will be 

reviewed. 

Beyond existing canopy, the 

Pittwater suburbs prioritised for 

increased plantings included Mona 

Vale, Narrabeen and Warriewood. 

Local regeneration group Canopy 

Keepers welcomed the plan. 

Canopy Keepers has always 

maintained a focus on the preservation 

of the existing canopy, 

so we thank Councillor Korzy,” said 

spokesperson Deb Collins. 

She said retaining canopy was easier and cheaper than growing 

new canopy and existing canopy provided the vital corridors 

that wildlife needed to access food, water and their habitat. 

“This Tree Canopy Plan now offers us a multi-pronged approach.” 

She added that if residents better understood the health and 

safety aspects of a strong canopy they would contribute to 

growing and maintaining canopy on private land – which she 

stressed was the place of greatest canopy loss. 

“Compliance needs to come in the form of more rangers 

on the ground who can answer questions, assess tree health, 

explain to residents how the laws work and why, and track tree 

replacements,” she said. 

“And we need better systems and a new interface between 

Council and residents to assess and monitor tree removal permits 

and approvals.” 


*What do you think? Tell us at readers@pittwaterlife.com.au 

News 



News 

Rehab services recall plea 

The State Government 

has been urged to 

urgently address the lack of 

residential drug and alcohol 

rehabilitation services on the 

Northern Beaches. 

Member for Pittwater Rory 

Amon said that having been 

denied access to vital rehab 

services for almost a year, 

vulnerable residents continue 

to travel far out of area to 

seek help. 

He explained Kadesh 

Rehabilitation Services had 

operated in partnership with 

the Northern Sydney Local 

Health District from 2010. 

Its Phoenix House Drug 

and Alcohol Rehabilitation 

residential service was 

established at the Mona Vale Hospital site in 

February 2019. 

In December 2022, the service was closed 

without any notice being given to the Pittwater 

or Northern Beaches community. 

“Since being elected, I have pursued the new 

Government about reinstating the residential 

drug and alcohol rehabilitation service for 

Pittwater and Northern Beaches residents,” Mr 

Amon said. 

“Sadly, the government has obfuscated and 

refused to provide any commitment to these 

CLOSED: Mr Amon at the vacant Mona 

Vale Hospital rehab space. 

vital services.” 

The calls come months 

after Mr Amon wrote to the 

Health Minister and sought 

answers to a Question 

in Parliament seeking 

assurances regarding the 

reinstatement of the services. 

Recent Government 

advice stated that “The 

former Phoenix House site 

is currently unoccupied 

pending the outcome of 

further investigations and 

consultations about the best 

use of the site.” 

Mr Amon continued: 

“The Government has been 

investigating and consulting 

on the provision of critical 

residential drug and alcohol 

services for nearly 12 months. It has taken far 

too long and swift action is needed. 

“The closest operational residential 

rehabilitation services are in St Leonards, 

Sydney City, and Concord. 

“This means that people struggling with 

addiction are forced to seek support far away 

from their home, isolated from their loved 

ones. 

“It is an utter waste to have Phoenix House 

sitting vacant at the Mona Vale Hospital site.” 

– NW 

Another garden 

centre set to go 

W 

arriewood could be 

without a dedicated plant 

nursery with another garden 

centre looking set to make way 

for a housing development. 

An application to demolish 

Foleys Nursery at 16 Macpherson 

St, Warriewood and transform 

it into 28 new homes is 

with Northern Beaches Council. 

The proposed $18-million 

housing development would 

comprise 21 separate houses 

and four semi-detached homes 

as well as three attached dwellings 

— all with three bedrooms. 

In the DA, planning consultants 

state that the homes would 

“provide a high level of amenity 

for future occupants, without 

compromising the amenity of 

surrounding development or 

the character of the locality”. 

The application to redevelop 

the 10,000 sqm site comes as 

NSW Government planning officials 

are examining a $36-million 

proposal to uproot the 

nearby Flower Power Garden 

Centre and replace it with 53 

homes. 



Musos take it to the limit 

News 

Close your eyes and listen to The 

Australian Eagles Show and you’d be 

excused for thinking you were back 

in cruisy California in the 1970s. 

Locals will get the chance to do just that 

when the tribute band brings their Dark 

Desert Highway Tour to the Glen Street 

Theatre on November 24. 

“I can remember exactly where I was 

when I first heard Take It Easy, the Eagles’ 

first single,” recalls Shayne Browne, of The 

Australian Eagles Show, “and it changed 

my life.” 

“It was 1972, I was in my mum’s car, a sky 

blue HR Holden, and I said to her ‘I want 

to do that when I get older’, and I started 

learning the guitar almost straight away.” 

Going on to be a music teacher and play 

in various bands, Shayne was true to his 

word. But he still had no idea things would 

come full circle in terms of the Eagles, 

until he was approached at a gig he was 

playing. 

“It was 2015 and some of us were in a 

different band at the time, we were playing 

covers of ’70s and ’80s music like The Little 

River Band, Steely Dan and the Doobie 

Brothers. A promoter came up to us and 

said that our harmonies would be perfect 

for an Eagles tribute band. 

“I asked him if there was a market for 

that sort of thing and he said ‘you’ve got to 

be kidding me!’” 

Despite being accomplished musicians, 

it took three months of rehearsals before 

they were ready to play. 

It’s Troos Love for You all 

Ahead of their performance at Avalon 

RSL in November, as part of The 

You’s Pull Up Their Troos Tour, Russell 

‘Rusty’ Hopkinson talked to Pittwater 

Life about why You Am I still love playing 

together after 35 years. 

“Nothing beats the moment when 

everything kicks in just right on stage,” 

says You Am I drummer Rusty (pictured 

second from right). “It doesn’t matter if 

it’s in front of 20 or 20,000 people. That’s 

what’s what we do it for, the push and 

pull of being a living, breathing rock and 

roll band playing off each other’s energy 

and getting the joint moving.” 

On Sunday 19 November that joint 

will be Avalon RSL, and the You’s always 

enjoy a gig on The Beaches. 

“We play up on the Northern Beaches 

a lot and have always had people come 

along and have a good time, right from 

the early days,” says Rusty. “It’s one of 

our old stamping grounds – the gigs 

seemed to dry up for a while but in past 

few years places like the Narrabeen RSL 

and now Avalon have been real lifesavers 

for the music scene up there.” 

Still recording new music, Rusty says 

that the latest album is in the “smoke 

and mirrors phase of conjecture and 

small talk”, but that “these things have a 

habit of snowballing very quickly!” 

He adds: “It’s nice to know there are 

people out there who want to hear new 

tunes but it’s also nice that there’s folks 

out there who just want to hear our older 

stuff. We’ve always made records that are 

primarily aimed at pleasing ourselves so 

anyone else liking them is a bonus!” 

The band have plenty of outside 

interests to keep things fresh, but are 

essentially just mates who never tire of 

playing together. 

“We keep things mellow and we have 

done for a while now. We all have other 

interests outside of the band so there’s 

plenty to keep us busy if we want to wind 

the band down for a little bit every now 

and again,” Rusty explains. “Most importantly 

we’re all friends so it’s not like we 

can’t talk to each other if things start to 

get tough.” 

“The Eagles’ music is like an onion 

– there are just layers and layers to it,” 

explains Shayne. “It sounds simple, but 

when you start picking the songs apart 

there’s a lot going on. You’ve got to get the 

vocal harmonies arranged very carefully 

– there are five different vocal tones all 

being blended.” 

The band members are all aged in their 

50s and early 60s, and Shayne says that 

their core audience tends to be between 45 

and 70, although plenty of young people 

come along, having grown up listening to 

their parents’ records. 

But it was on Hamilton Island a few 

years ago they saw how The Eagles’ music 

really transcends time. 

“We were on Hamilton Island to play a 

“But what’s not to love. It’s the best job 

in the world, with the best people in the 

world”. 

Having supported The Rolling Stones 

and The Who, Rusty also reels off Soundgarden, 

Teenage Fanclub, The Replacements, 

The Ramones and The Strokes 

from the top of his head, as favourite 

acts they have played alongside. 

Pittwater music fans can shortly 

remind themselves why You Am I are so 

valued by the biggest names in rock. 

As Rusty says: “Expect a rock ’n’ roll 

show with a bit of pomp and swagger; 

some newer stuff, some older stuff, some 

hits… and some misses! It will be loud 

and it will be fun and everyone’s welcome 

to come and join us!” – Rob Pegley 



LIFE IN THE NOT-SO-FAST 

LANE: ‘Eagles’ band members 

(l-r) Shayne Browne, Michael 

John Thompson, Paul Kerin, 

David Thompson, 

Jason Chandler. 

gig for a yacht race and when we got there 

the crowd were all in their 20s dancing to 

a DJ’s ‘doof-doof’ music. It turns out they 

are the hard-working crews of the yachts 

and want to party,” Shayne said. 

“I said to the rest of the band” ‘I think 

we’re in trouble here!’. 

“We started playing and those little buggers 

knew the words to every song –they 

had a great time!” 

And those songs include all of the classics: 

Lying Eyes, Take It Easy, Desperado, 

Hotel California (the most popular song). 

The band also play some surprise songs 

from the solo careers of Don Henley, Glenn 

Frey and Joe Walsh. 

Currently negotiating a tour of Malaysia, 

the band play all over Australia a couple of 

times a month, day jobs allowing. But they 

never replicate the excesses of the Eagles 

themselves. No televisions are thrown out 

of hotel windows as part of the tribute act. 

“It’s funny when places are putting 

together a rider for us,” says Shayne, “they 

ask if we want beer and Jack Daniels, but 

we ask for 24 bottles of water, some tea 

and coffee. None of us even smoke!” 

“When we finish a gig, it’s a nice cup of 

tea and then home to bed. 

“We get lovely comments from audiences 

about how if they close their eyes, they 

can hardly tell the difference. We don’t try 

to look like the Eagles or act like them, we 

just try to sound like them – and I think 

we do a great job. 

“And the music sells itself. It gives 

people memories and that’s what they love 

about it. I know when I hear Take It Easy, 

I’m right back in the sky blue HR Holden in 

1972.” – Rob Pegley 

*More info + tickets Glenstreet.com.au 

A ‘Cam do’ sort of guy 

The multi-talented Cameron Daddo 

comes from a family of multitalented 

Daddos. Himself, Andrew and 

Lochie all cross the roles and genres 

of actor, presenter, musician, author 

and DJ. Whether nature or nurture, 

Cameron blames the parents! 

“We’re the product of very creative 

parents,” reveals Cameron. “They 

didn’t put any restrictions on what we 

wanted to do and we were modelled 

very creative behaviours to follow. 

“My mum in particular was a very 

talented painter, ceramicist and 

gardener. And she had very eclectic 

tastes.” 

On the first weekend 

in November, 

Cameron Daddo 

and The Paisley 

Prophets will play 

the Northern Beaches 

Music Festival at 

Narrabeen. 

In a world where 

the likes of Russell 

Crowe, Keanu 

Reeves and Johnny 

Depp sometimes 

draw criticism 

for daring to play 

music live, it should 

really come as no 

surprise that creative people can be 

creative in a number of areas. 

“It’s a necessity!” says Cameron. 

“It’s a small industry. I’m treating my 

acting career as a bit of a hobby at the 

moment! And in the meantime I’ve 

been with Smooth FM for a decade now, 

which I love. I just try to fill my time 

with creative pursuits and the band is 

one of them.” 

With a blues, folk, country folk 

sound, it’s Cameron’s Dad who was the 

influence in terms of music. 

“Dad was a huge music fan and we 

grew up with him playing records. Hot 

August Night by Neil Diamond was 

one, and it’s still one of the greatest records 

ever made. I loved KISS and Slide, 

anything with a big back beat. I’ve got a 

heavy left hand when I play the piano. 

“So we’ll be playing songs from the 

two albums and two EPs I’ve written. 

Good story songs.” 

All three Daddo brothers were 

born in Melbourne, but now call the 

Northern Beaches home. Lochie is at 

Newport, Andrew in Manly, another 

sister is at Fairlight and Cameron is at 

North Curl Curl. 

“I first moved to the Northern 

Beaches at the age of 19 and never left 

– apart from 25 

years in LA! 

“I was living in 

The Cross when I 

moved to Sydney at 

18 and was then offered 

the chance to 

house-sit at Whale 

Beach, which was a 

no-brainer.” 

“Now we’re back, 

I belong to Long 

Reef Golf Club and 

swim with the Pink 

Caps at Manly in 

the morning. We 

like the Harbord 

Hilton and The 

Diggers, and my father-in-law has just 

moved to Dee Why, so we go to the Dee 

Why RSL a bit.” 

Along with Smooth FM and gigs with 

The Prophets a mix of creativity is, as 

always, on the horizon. 

“I’ve just taken part in the next series 

of Luxury Escapes,” says Cameron. 

“I’m in about four episodes of that on 

Ten, Foxtel and Binge. And I’m publishing 

my first book next year – it’s a book 

on confidence called ‘Come Undone’.” 


*Northern Beaches Music Festival full 

bands line-up, tickets and info visit 

northernbeachesmusicfestival.org 

News 



News 

Bye Bye ‘Boat Builder’s Curse’ 

Gary Swindail might have 

discovered a love of sailing when 

he was only eight but for more 

than four decades he’s suffered from the 

boat builder’s curse. 

Gary has spent his whole life building, 

restoring and repairing boats for other 

people and not enough time enjoying 

and reflecting on his handiwork – “some 

call it the boat builder’s curse,” he 

chuckled. 

“It’s not that I don’t enjoy my work, I 

feel lucky to love what I do,” the 62-yearold 

from North Narrabeen said. 

“Now the time has come to have more 

‘me time’. So what do you do in your me 

time? You build a boat – but this one is 

for me.” 

He started building a 5.8-metre ocean 

mini sailing yacht – a Class Globe 580 – 

almost two years ago in his spare time 

at his Mona Vale workshop. But don’t 

expect to see him sailing on Pittwater 

once it’s finished early next year; he 

plans to sail it around the world. 

This involves filling with freezedried 

food and 

water (maybe 

a few beers) 

and shipping 

it to Lagos 

next October 

to compete in 

the 2024 Trans 

Atlantic qualifier 

race from Portugal 

to Antigua in the 

Caribbean, via the 

Canary Islands. 

Thereafter 

his next stop? 

Sailing solo 

around the world 

in the Mini Globe 

Race; Gary will 

start and finish at 

Antigua, following 

a tradewinds route 

for 26,000 nautical 

miles. Departure 

date is February, 

2025, and he will be 

at sea for more than a year with 

only four main stops. 

“There’s not much room on board 

but I don’t mind being by myself,” Gary 

said. “It’s a race of attrition, if you don’t 

try you’ll never know. You don’t get to 

sleep for long periods, in theory it’s 20 

minutes at a time. That is generally the 

amount of time it takes a cargo ship, 

if on a collision course, to reach your 

position once it comes over the horizon.” 

He estimates it has cost about $50,000 

to build the boat (not including labour) 

and hundreds of man hours to complete 

PASSION PROJECT: Gary Swindail and his partially completed mini 

sailing yacht at Mona Vale; and at the helm of an Agean 600. 

Gary says 

“My wife is a little apprehensive 

there are 

(about the global race) but she has fully 

generations of supported me from day one.” 

boat builders He has worked as a shipwright for 

and seafarers most of his life and started Sydney 

on his mother’s Harbour Boat Builders nearly 20 years 

side of the ago. After thinking about “just taking 

family – but he off and going sailing for many years”, 

will be the last it almost seemed like fate when an 

to uphold the advertisement about the Mini Globe Race 

boat building popped up on his Facebook feed. 

tradition 

“It’s just what I’ve always wanted to 

because his do,” Gary said. “When it’s dead calm at 

two sons sea I’ll jump off to clean the bottom of 

have gone the boat, I’ll just have to watch out for 

in different sharks.” 

directions for His wife Tina will meet him at the 

their careers. main stop-over ports at Panama, 

His great Antigua, Fiji and Cape Town so he can 

grandfather, restock and repair any damage to the 

grandfather and uncles were all 

boat. 

boat builders while his great great 

And when he finishes the race he still 

grandfather was a ship builder and hasn’t quite decided what he will do with 

ship’s captain. Gary’s grandfather built Question II. 

him a Sabot (sailing dinghy) when he “I could leave it in Antigua unless 

was a youngster and they named it someone wants to buy it, or my wife and 

Question. The boat Gary is building I could sail around the islands,” he said. 

now will be called Question II in honour Gary would like to raise $100,000 for 

of his grandfather, with a flag staff the compulsory safety and navigation 

repurposed from the original mast of equipment. He will be looking for possible 

his Sabot. 

sponsors or donors in the coming months. 

“My mum didn’t like boats at all, she Any offers of support can be emailed to 

was scared of swimming,” he said. “So gary@sydneyharbourboatbuilders.com 

I only ever took her out once on a boat I 

– Kat Adamski 

it. 

restored. 

*More info visit minigloberace.com 



PHOTOS: Kat Adamski

News 

Letters: Readers have their say 

Shared concern #1 

I have concerns about the 

Avalon Shared Space: First, as 

the bus stop for the 192 service 

has been moved to Barrenjoey 

Rd opposite the entrance to 

Avalon Beach car park, there 

is no facility to sit down while 

waiting for the bus. My elderly 

neighbour (84) now drags her 

trolley up to the bus stop at 

Central Rd because there is no 

seating at the new bus stop. 

On notifying Council officers 

nearly 10 months ago there 

have been many new seats 

added in the Shared Space but 

still no seating while waiting 

for the bus. 

Second, the marking for 

the pedestrian crossing has 

been removed at the approach 

to the shared space. With 

no markings we are relying 

on drivers to read a sign on 

approach. The pedestrian 

crossing area should be 

reinstated. 

Bob Cooper 

Avalon Beach 

Shared concern #2 

I was shocked, upset and 

unable to see the purpose 

of this ugly extension of the 

already adequate pathway. It 

does not help to alleviate the 

congestion which arises 

where roads meet. A simple 

roundabout would suffice. 

There is a park (Dunbar) for 

people to sit – put some shaded 

space and chairs there. 

Another summer is not 

going to change the way it is 

not working, or addressing 

fundamental traffic issues. 

Sally Martin 

Avalon Beach 

Shared thanks #1 

I am a big ‘yes’ to the shared 

space. In fact, I wish it went 

further and was a full mall. 

The entry and exit to Woolies 

could be off the main road. Of 

course, over summer there is 

never enough parking but that 

relates to too many people and 

an ever-expanding Australia… 

without the planning! 

I would be really upset if it 

doesn’t become permanent. 

Nila Chambers 

Avalon 

Shared thanks #2 

I’ve been dealing with 

the carnage at the village 

intersection for the past 40-odd 

years I’ve had a driving licence 

and, in my opinion, the new 

shared space arrangement has 

helped with the challenges for 

people with a below-average 

driving ability. 

It’s much easier for them… 

less to think about, I guess. 

The shared space is also an 

awesome gathering place for 

locals and tourists alike. 

Anyone that doesn’t like 

this set-up must be very hard 

to please and I feel for Council 

having to put up with all these 

‘Karens’ and ‘Carls’ in the area. 

Todd Warren 

Avalon Beach 

Liberals’ ‘hypocrisy’ 

Re your article: ‘Ambulance 

upheaval will put lives at risk’ 

(October 2023). State Liberal MP 

Rory Amon says lives will be 

put at risk given the impending 

move of Narrabeen Ambulance 

centre to Dee Why, a distance 

of 6km. However, he seems to 

have forgotten that it was the 

former Liberal Government 

that closed Mona Vale Hospital 

as a full working hospital and 

redirected to Northern Beaches 

Hospital at Frenchs Forest 

13km away. 

Maybe he’s also forgotten 

that in 10 years the Liberal 

Government undertook no 

upgrade to Wakehurst Parkway. 

As the road floods in heavy 

rain, alternative routes must be 

used via Belrose (19km), or Dee 

Why (15km). 

The hypocrisy is clear to 

see, and more of the same 

old ‘Liberal good, Labor 

bad’ politics. Shame the 

Independent Jacqui Scruby 

didn’t win the seat, we might 

have gained more of a balanced 

approach. 

Gerry Lenihan 

Avalon Beach 

(Editor’s note: We contacted Mr 

Amon for comment; he wished 

to clarify his concern was based 

on the hole in services that 

would be created if intensive 

care paramedics relocated to 

Dee Why without any additional 

resources allocated north of Dee 

Why. He also wished to make 

clear the Wakehurst Parkway 

upgrade/flood mitigation was 

funded by the State Government 

six years ago but has yet to be 

progressed by Council.) 

Warriewood woes 

I am saddened and upset to 

know that the Flower Power 

area in Warriewood may be 

redeveloped (pictured), and also 

Foleys. 

It is bad enough to lose the 

facility itself, as it is a distance 

to travel for locals to the next 

nearest Flower Power. But, even 

worse, the fact that if both 

developments are approved 

there will be 52 dwellings 

replacing it, plus nearly 40 for 

Foleys, is horrifying. 

This area is already 

overdeveloped and the 

infrastructure is not there to 

deal with it. Macpherson Street 

and Garden Street are already 

a nightmare at commuter and 

school times. 

Liz Vincent 

Warriewood 



New localised help for veterans 

RSL LifeCare is set to extend its crucial 

service delivery for local veterans 

and their families with the opening of a 

Veteran Wellbeing Centre in Dee Why. 

This centre has been made possible 

thanks to a partnership with Dee Why 

RSL, which has committed $1 million 

over the next four years to house and 

assist with the ongoing operating costs 

of the centre, as well as ongoing financial 

support from local RSL NSW sub-Branches. 

The new Northern Beaches Veteran 

Wellbeing Centre, which will join RSL 

LifeCare’s three established hubs in 

Nowra, Wagga Wagga, and Newcastle, 

will continue to provide financial 

assistance, homelessness support, 

DVA Claims assistance, employment 

pathways, and further education and 

training opportunities for veterans and 

their families who reside in the Northern 

Beaches region. 

RSL LifeCare Chief Executive Officer 

Janet Muir said the Northern Beaches 

Veteran Wellbeing Centre was an 

extension of the ‘hub and spoke’ model 

being implemented across New South 

Wales that would ensure veterans could 

access a range of critical services that 

were tailored to the needs of the local 

communities, wherever they chose to 

settle. 

“RSL LifeCare is always excited to 

announce another Veteran Wellbeing 

Centre, because we know the positive 

impact the facilities have on the mental 

and physical health and wellbeing of 

our Australian Defence Force personnel 

who have given so much to protect our 

country,” Ms Muir said. 

“Together with RSL NSW, we are 

very happy to have established this 

partnership with Dee Why RSL, because 

with a large number of veterans in the 

area, this is a great step forward to 

provide the localised assistance that 

those veterans and their families need. 

“This important step is representative 

of our ongoing commitment to 

supporting veterans and their families 

across the state.” 

Dee Why RSL President Graeme Liddell 

said he was proud to be partnering 

with RSL LifeCare and RSL NSW for this 

important initiative. 

“We know there is a need for these 

services in the local community, and 

every year on ANZAC Day we see the 

passion of local families for supporting 

veterans when they come out in the 

NEEDED: Beaches veterans will be able to 

access a range of critical services at the new 

centre in Dee Why. 

thousands for our Dawn Service at Dee 

Why Beach. 

“This partnership and this veteran 

wellbeing centre reinforce our 

commitment to support veterans and 

their families across the Northern 

Beaches,” Mr Liddell said. 

RSL NSW President Ray James said: 

“RSL NSW is committed to supporting 

RSL LifeCare’s veteran focused centres 

and hubs because we know they work. 

“Since 2021, RSL NSW sub-Branches 

have donated over $5.2 million to RSL 

LifeCare to support the ongoing delivery 

of critical services to veterans and their 

families right across NSW.” – NW 

*Pittwater Remembrance Day services – 

see page 37. 

News 



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 

The future of Currawong “the worker’s 

paradise… is under review with claims 

that it will become a millionaire’s resort” 

with plans to create a modern conference 

centre and holiday accommodation on the 

site. Council’s Rangers were “again in the 

spotlight following their blitz on A-frame 

signs and shopping centre parking which 

has many businesspeople wondering if 

they are becoming revenue collectors for 

the Council.” According to the story, “last 

year the Rangers produced more than 

$540,000 in revenue for the Council mostly 

from car parking infringements.” (The fine 

for displaying an A-frame on the footpath 

outside a store was $330). Pittwater Life’s 

computer columnist David Hague was 

awarded the State Government contract to 

“place the HSC results on the Internet”. Students were able to 

access their results onscreen by using a PIN number… it was 

the first time “individual HSC results will be available via an 

Internet Web page.” Hague said the main challenge in setting 

up the site for the NSW Board of Studies was “making sure 

the results couldn’t be hacked or tampered with.” Meanwhile 

his column ‘Chip Thrills’ focussed on “the joys and pitfalls” 

of internet shopping. “The media continually tell us the 


Internet is full of sharks and charlatans 

trying to rip us off by stealing credit card 

numbers and organising ‘net-based scams’; 

the fact remains however that the internet 

is going to be a major part of our lives 

when it comes to spending.” In news, the 

“new technology for home entertainment, 

the Digital Video Disc” was available in 

Avalon at That New Video Shop, with the 

proprietor noting rentals of DVDs had 

started slowly as consumers switched 

to the new players… “some stores are 

already renting DVD players for around 

$267 a month on a 12-month contract”. 

The Avalon Beach Market Day was held; 

Council spent more than $50,000 to 

“redesign and rejuvenate” Newport’s 

Robertson Road, turning it into a one-way 

street with angle parking that released large areas for newly 

paved courtyards for outside dining; Dog owners using 

the unleased area at Careel Bay asked Council to “respond 

to a submission made last August following a meeting with 

councillors on the future of the area” – the dog owners were 

“concerned that emphasis is being placed on environmental 

sensitivity at the expense of public use; and the Crown to the 

Sea bushlink was ready for walkers. 


Avalon Market Day and the 

the intersection. Chip Thrills 

Our villages came to life 

Newport Festival were held. 

columnist David Hague wrote with markets and festivals in 

Pressure mounted against private about the development of a 

Avalon, Mona Vale, Newport 

development of Currawong, with small screen into which a daily and Narrabeen. Readers 

calls to put the site on the Heritage newspaper could be downloaded. learned the State Government 

list. Meanwhile the 

“Are the days 

funding earmarked for the 

group Pittwater 

of newspapers 

compulsory acquisition of 

Residents Against 

numbered, to 

the Pasadena site at Church 

Inappropriate 

be overtaken by Point was to be redirected 

Development 

electronic devices?” to the Mona Vale Surf Life 

(PRAID) was 

(Hague didn’t think Saving Club following the 

seeking to expand 

so). Meanwhile the scrapping of the planned 

its “sphere of 

Christmas holiday purchase. We reported dog owners advocacy group 

influence by 

rental market, Pittwater Unleashed had accused Northern Beaches 

generating a wider 

particularly in Council of “… unnecessarily delaying the introduction 

membership base to 

Palm Beach and of an off-leash dog trial at Palm Beach’s Station Beach, 

give more emphasis 

Whale Beach, was which it says should have been settled be staff”; local 

to developments in 

“feeling the pinch in business chambers slammed council’s fee increases 

the southern area 

bookings in some for outdoor seating space for cafes and restaurants 

of Pittwater”. In 

areas, with rentals “… saying they are jeopardising businesses and slowly 

Newport, Cabbage 

in the lower price stripping villages of their vibrancy and character”. And 

Tree Palms had 

ranges down on last year”. At the we noted there was a “ghost town vibe about Newport 

“suddenly appeared among the top end, bookings had already and Avalon, with more shopfronts with ‘For Lease’ signs 

controversial Norfolk Pines in the been taken in the $35,000- to than we can recall.” Writer Rosamund Burton spent 

median strip” of the rejuvenated $40,000-a-week market, though time with our Marine Rescue volunteers to provide an 

Newport shopping Centre, and agents reported that many were overview of all the fine work they do; and Life Stories 

shopkeepers in Robertson Road taking shorter holidays reflecting featured engineer Bob Moran and his remarkable 

were advised of major disruptions the international and domestic collection of scientific wonders in the ‘Discovery Shed’ 

due to the redevelopment of financial downturn. 

in Mona Vale. 



News 

SEEN… 

Around a year ago Pittwater Life reached out to Northern 

Beaches Council about Council conducting an audit of its 

COVID-19 signage. We thought it timely to move on from the 

pandemic, and surely removal of ‘reminder’ and ‘warning’ 

signage should have been on the agenda. Council told us they 

had attended to their COVID signage. Yet here we are, nudging 

2024, and stark reminders are common. Like this one at Palm 

Beach Wharf. Readers with other examples are urged to let us 

know at readers@pittwaterlife.com.au. We’ll forward them on 

to Council. Also seen (briefly): a tweet from Mackellar MP Dr 

Sophie Scamps linking the electorate’s Voice referendum result 

with community opposition 

to the Local Metropolitan 

Aboriginal Land Council’s 

plan to build 450 homes on 

land it owns at Belrose – formerly 

known as Lizard Rock, 

now the Patyegarang (grey 

kangaroo) development. 

Dr Scamps’ tweet came six 

days after the vote, with the 

result in Mackellar barely 

50.3 per cent in favour of 

the Voice. Dr Scamps’ office 

said the tweet was deleted 

to respect Indigenous Yes23 

campaigners who had 

called for a week of silence 

after the referendum 

result was known, Channel 

9 Media reported. Dr 

Scamps has been publicly 

critical of the planned development, campaigning alongside 

former Northern Beaches Mayor, now Wakehurst Independent 

State MP Michael Regan. Mr Regan countered: “The people of 

Wakehurst can distinguish between local planning issues and 

constitutional recognition.” 

HEARD… 

Secret ballot voting introduced for September’s election 

of Deputy Mayor was well received, according to Pittwater 

Greens Councillor Miranda Korzy, who called for the private 

votes after Sue Heins was re-elected Mayor. “I believe this 

Council has been characterised by block voting since its 

inception, and the votes for Mayor and Deputy have been 

no exception,” said Cr Korzy, referring to the majority Your 

Northern Beaches Independent-aligned councillors plus 

Liberal Councillors, outweighing the two Greens in the 

15-strong contingent. “That’s why I called for a secret ballot 

for the election of Deputy Mayor – and was pleased the majority 

of councillors supported it.” Cr Korzy maintained the 

secret ballot enabled councillors to vote for the candidate 

they believed was best for the role, without the risk of repercussions 

from their political grouping. “Councillors know 

each other’s strengths and weaknesses as well as political 

outlook… with the rejection of popular elections for Mayor 

and Deputy, I believe secret ballots can provide the best possible 

outcome when choosing the Mayor and Deputy.” Manly 

Ward Liberal Councillor Georgia Ryburn was elected Deputy 

Mayor on the secret ballot. Cr Korzy added she did not think 

the outcome for Mayor would have been different with a 

secret ballot… Out-of-area commercial and residential agent 

Upstate (Dee Why-based) has been appointed by Council to 

negotiate the lease on the Avalon Beach Surf Life Saving Club 

café and restaurant space. We’ll let you know when (or if) 

they put pen to paper with a new operator… Last, North 

Avalon residents are livid that Des Creagh Reserve has 

again been ripped up by hoon drivers, barely 12 months 

after the last incident (above). They are calling for Council 

to install CCTV cameras to deter future vandalism. 

ABSURD… 

At Council’s September meeting, Curl Curl Ward Councillor 

David Walton was expected to push his plan to reduce the 

Northern Beaches Local Government area from five wards and 

15 elected representatives to two wards with six councillors 

each. However, Cr Walton revised his motion, instead pushing 

three wards with a total of 12 councillors. The motion 

was defeated. Cr Walton had argued the carve-up would lead 

to better and more timely decision-making. It was a pushback 

against the stifling debate that results when councillors 

pursue issues and agendas relevant to their wards. But… isn’t 

that the whole point of electing people to represent our area? 

Pittwater Council used to have nine councillors; now we have 

six spread from Narrabeen to Palm Beach. Can you imagine 

just two wards covering 35km of coastline? Sounds like a 

whole different Council… hey, wait a minute… 



News 

Pittwater News 

‘Prepare for a bad 

bushfire season’ 

Former Commissioner of Fire 

and Rescue NSW Greg Mullins 

has encouraged Northern 

Beaches residents to heed 

the advice of the Rural Fire 

Service (RFS) and prepare 

their homes and families now 

ahead of a potentially serious 

bushfire season. Mullins, 

also a local firefighter, used 

an appearance at an October 

bushfire season preparation 

event hosted Mackellar MP 

Dr Sophie Scamps to inform 

local residents how serious 

bushfire seasons have 

become more frequent and 

are lengthening. “Fire seasons 

are getting exponentially 

worse across the country, and 

The next meeting of the Palm Beach and 

Peninsula Probus Club is on Wednesday 

15 November, commencing 9.30 am at Club 

Palm Beach. Guest speaker is Marie Palmer, a 

volunteer with Sydney Harbour Trust. Marie 

will talk about the extraordinary places on 

Sydney Harbour that are open to the public – 

these include North Head Sanctuary, Headland 

Park, Mosman, Cockatoo Island, the old 

submarine base at North Sydney, Woolwich 

and Macquarie Light Stations. Club membership 

is open to retired men and women and 

visitors are welcome. Enquires 0421 435 792. 

The Combined Probus Club of Mona Vale 

will next meet on Tuesday, 21 November in 

the auditorium at Pittwater RSL Club (from 

10am). Guest speaker is Kez Hasanic, whose 

subject will be the Lusitania disaster. Kez 

has had a lifelong interest in history and in 

particular military and naval history. Before 

retirement in 2018 he served as a history 

teacher at Kogarah High School for 40 years. 

Currently Kez is active as a volunteer guide 

at the Australian National Maritime Museum 

and recently joined the museum’s speaker’s 

group. The RMS Lusitania was a British ocean 

liner owned by the Cunard Line – built to 

compete for the highly lucrative transatlantic 

passenger trade. On 7 May, 1915 it was sunk 

by a German U-boat – this solidified the 

United States’ public opinion against Germany 

and indirectly contributed to the entry 

of the US into World War I. Visitors welcome; 

more info Robert (0407 202 266). (NB: No 

guest speakers in December or January.) 

The next meeting of Avalon Beach Ladies 

Probus will be held at Club Palm Beach on 

Tuesday 14 November (10am-12pm, followed 

by lunch). Guest speaker will be Sallymae 

Bailey, an administration professional who 

the forecast is for a hot and 

dry spring and summer. The 

Northern Beaches is a particular 

concern this year as we 

haven’t had a major fire for 

nearly 30 years, while three 

consecutive La Ninas have 

fuelled massive growth in 

grass and vegetation,” Mr Mullins 

said. “It’s important we 

prepare now for what could 

be a bad summer.” Mr Mullins 

urged residents to focus on 

preparing their properties by 

clearing flammable materials 

away from their homes, 

regularly clearing their roof 

gutters and having a bushfire 

plan. Dr Scamps urged locals 

to heed the advice of authorities 

while also committing 

to fighting for more ambitious 

and urgent action on 

climate change. “The people 

of Mackellar have consistently 

told me that tackling climate 

change is a major priority for 

them, so I will continue to 

work with all sides of Parliament 

to move Australia in a 

direction that decarbonises 

our economy while setting 

us up as a clean energy and 

green commodity superpower.” 

Find out more about how 

you can prepare your home 

for bushfire season at rfs. 

nsw.gov.au/plan-and-prepare. 

Calling all cyclists 

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, 

Northern Beaches charity 

Royal Far West is calling 

for cycling enthusiasts to join 

its annual Ride for Country 

Local Probus News in November 

had the privilege of serving on the newest 

custom-built hospital ship MV Global 

Mercy for six months in Europe and Senegal 

in early 2022. She will share her experience 

of travel in pandemic times, being part of 

the equipping team, experiencing a Bay of 

Biscay storm on the first sail to the Canary 

Islands and eventually serving in Dakar, Senegal. 

Visitors welcome. 

The guest speaker at the next meeting of 

Narrabeen Lakes Probus Club on Wednesday 

22 November will be David Rosenberg, whose 

subject will be ‘From Pine Gap to the Present’. 

Venue is Narrabeen Baptist Church; more info 

call or text 0424 464 047. 

Bilgola Plateau Probus Club reports it 

celebrated its first birthday in style at its 

October meeting. Their next meeting is on 

Friday 3 November at Newport Bowling Club, 

when guest speaker Noel Phelan will deliver 

a talk about the HMAS Melbourne and HMAS 

Voyager collision – Australia’s worst peacetime 

naval disaster. Doors open 9.30am; 

more info Shelley (0415 538 864). (NB – this 

will be the Club’s last meeting for 2023, with 

a Christmas party taking place on Friday 1 

December.) 

The speaker at the next Newport Probus 

Club meeting on 2 November will be Ken 

Davies – the well-known local musician 

who is one of the world’s most celebrated 

composers of relaxation, environmental and 

ambient music. Ken composes many styles 

of music and he created ‘Healing Rooms’ at 

the Royal North Shore Hospital for patients 

receiving chemotherapy. His music is available 

on all streaming services. Meeting commences 

10am at the Newport Bowling Club. 

Visitors welcome; more info Di Burrell (0410 

465 303). 

Kids. Raising funds for vital 

health and developmental 

services for children in 

remote and regional communities, 

the ride will take place 

next March 17-19 with riders 

powering over 330 kilometres 

from Merimbula to Cobargo. 

RFW will be holding an information 

session to share all 

the details and all interested 

riders should visit the website 

rideforcountrykids.com.au to 

learn more. 

Technology made 

easy for Seniors 

Do you struggle with the 

demands of modern technology? 

Computer Pals for Seniors 

Northern Beaches can help; 

they give lessons on Android/ 

Apple tablets and phones, 

Apple/Microsoft laptops. 

Each lesson is one-on-one for 

an hour each week during 

term times. Operating hours 

are Monday to Friday, 9am to 

5pm. Computer Pals are based 

at The Tramshed Arts & Community 

Centre, Narrabeen 

(close to the B-Line). More 

info call Anne (9984 0604) or 

email anne.computerpals@ 

gmail.com 

Clubs benefit from 

Sport & Rec grants 

Mona Vale Golf Club and the 

Avalon Beach Pickleball Association 

are among six sporting 

clubs across the beaches 

that will share $100,000 in 

grants from Northern Beaches 

Council. The annual Sports 

and Recreation Infrastructure 

Grant Program aims to 

improve sports and recreation 

facilities on the Northern 

Beaches. This year Council received 

19 applications. Avalon 

Beach Pickleball Association 

will receive $12,000 to install 

six sandstone seating blocks 

and a path at the multiuse 

courts at Avalon Beach 

Reserve. Mona Vale Golf Club 

has been allocated $10,000 to 

redesign and rebuild an existing 

teaching and practise facility 

consisting of a chipping 

green and bunker. Other recipients 

included Manly Warringah 

Field Archers (located 

at JJ Melbourne Hills Memorial 

Reserve in Terrey Hills) 

who will receive $30,000 to 



install an all-weather structure 

over a target range as 

well as a disabled parking bay 

and new paths; $20,000 to 

Northern Beaches Volleyball 

Association to install two 

dual-use seats with storage 

at North Steyne Reserve in 

Manly; $18,000 to Allambie 

Height Community Tennis 

Club to convert one synthetic 

court to a hard-court surface; 

and $10,000 to Long Reef Golf 

Club to redesign and improve 

the bunkers at the 13th hole. 

Heins re-elected 

Beaches Mayor 

Councillor Sue Heins has been 

re-elected as the Mayor of the 

Northern Beaches with Manly 

Liberal Councillor Georgia 

Ryburn elected Deputy Mayor. 

Mayor Heins who represents 

the Curl Curl Ward, was first 

elected to Council in 2012. 

She will hold the position of 

Mayor until the next Mayoral 

election in September 2024. 

Councillor Ryburn has served 

Continued on page 38 

Remembrance Day services 

Remembrance Day on Saturday 11 November will commemorate 

the Armistice at the eleventh hour of the eleventh 

day of the eleventh month, marking the end of World 

War I; it remembers all those who have suffered or died in 

wars and armed conflicts. 

Avalon Beach RSL Sub-Branch: Saturday 11 November 

from 10.45am – 11.15am; commemoration service at Dunbar 

Park followed by members lunch (medals to be worn). 

Pittwater RSL Sub-Branch: From 10.20am – 11.30am; commemoration 

service at Lower Cenotaph, Pittwater RSL Club. 

Dee Why RSL Sub-Branch: From 10.30am; commemoration 

service at Dee Why RSL Club Peace Garden. 

Narrabeen RSL Sub-Branch: From 10.45am – 11.15am; 

commemoration service at Narrabeen Cenotaph. 

Palm Beach RSL Sub-Branch: From 10.45am; commemoration 

service Club Palm Beach cenotaph. 

War Vets (Narrabeen) RSL Sub-Branch: From 10.30am; 

assemble Montgomery Theatre and Forecourt. 

News 



News 


Continued from page 37 

on Northern Beaches Council 

for more than two years 

representing the Manly Ward. 

The position of Deputy is a 

12-month appointment and is 

peer voted annually. 

December acts 

for The Shack 

The Shack Live Music Club is 

held on the first Saturday of 

each month at the Ted Blackwood 

Hall at Warriewood. 

Each show features three live 

music acts in a cabaret candlelit 

atmosphere with BYO 

food and drinks for an affordable 

and enjoyable night of 

live entertainment. The concert 

on December 2 features 

Rhonda & The Grass Cutters, 

Ann Palumbo & Friends and 

Dan Challis. Shack entry $30 

cash (no wi-fi) at door or visit 

shackfolk.com 

Society thinks 

theosophically 

The Theosophical Society was 

founded in 1875 to explore 

ancient wisdom. The Avalon 

group meets on the first 

Saturday of the month at 2pm 

for a talk by a guest speaker, 

discussion and afternoon tea. 

Small club offering moor 

Palm Beach Yacht Club was 

established in 1985 with the 

singular aim of helping boat lovers 

enjoy their vessels – either 

by racing them, cruising them, 

or just talking about them. 

The small Club, with relaxing 

environment and feel, is now 

accepting new members, with an 

annual subscription of just $300. 

Management says the focus is 

on members enjoying Pittwater 

to the fullest – it boasts smaller 

fleet sizes that are well suited to 

less-experienced sailors to get 

Past talks have included such 

topics as Sacred Geometry, 

Rumi, Spiritual Symbolism 

in Colours, Kabbalah, Sacred 

Architecture, Hildegard of 

Bingen, Raja Yoga, The Power 

of Thought, Near Death Experiences, 

Science and Spirituality 

and Reincarnation. There 

is no dogma and members 

are free to explore and follow 


participants safely competing 

and enjoying their boats. 

The Club holds Twilight 

and Sunday yacht races, with 

monthly ‘virtual mark’ racing 

for navigation buffs all year 

round. 

Club moorings are nestled in 

picturesque Coasters Retreat, 

Towlers Bay and Refuge Bay. 

It also hosts social dinners at 

Club Palm Beach (membership 

included in Club fees). 

*More info pbyc.com.au or call 

Jim (0414 351 642). 



Timber Boat Festival 

Head to the Royal Motor 

Yacht Club on 4-5 

November (9am-4pm) to 

marvel at a collection of 

beautiful and unique wooden 

boats, set on the picturesque 

backdrop of Pittwater. 

There will be nautical 

displays, kiddies’ activities 

(from ducky fishing, treasure 

hunts, art competition, a 

crafting corner, snow cones) 

plus free skin cancer checks 

from the Australian Skin 

Cancer Foundation Truck. 

(The event is a 

fundraiser for 

both Marine 

Rescue and the Skin Cancer 

Foundation.) 

The Festival will also 

feature the ‘Duyfken’ 

courtesy of the National 

Maritime Museum. The 

Duyfken (pictured) is one of 

the rarest ships in the world 

– a full-scale reproduction 

of the original ship that was 

the first European contact 

with the Australian mainland 

and meeting between 

the Indigenous people of 

Australia and Europeans, 

it pre-dates James Cook’s 

voyage on Endeavour by 164 

years! 

Off-site parking is 

available, with a shuttle 

bus from Porter Reserve, 

Newport and Barrenjoey 

Road; $5 entry, kids 

under 12 free. 

*More info 

royalmotor.com.au 

News 



News 



their own belief systems and 

spiritual interests. Visitors 

welcome; more info theosophicalsociety.org.au 

or 

Manly Xmas Concert 

Manly-Warringah Choir is 

performing a Christmas 

concert ‘Tidings of Comfort 

and Joy’ in the Waterford Hall, 

St Paul’s College, Manly, from 

4pm on Sunday December 

3. Afterwards, meet up with 

friends or make new ones on 

the lawns overlooking Sydney 

Harbour. Tickets $45; early 

booking advisable. More info 

and to book visit manlywarringahchoir.org.au 

or phone 

0411 777 738. 

$16m Crown 

Grants call 

Applications are now open for 

$16 million in NSW Govern- 

ment funding to maintain and 

improve Crown land reserves 

for the use of communities, 

with $14 million in grants and 

$2 million in loans on offer. 

Eligible applicants include all 

Crown land managers including 

community organisations, 

and user groups that are licensed 

to use Crown reserves 

across NSW. Grants also 

support weed and pest management 

projects to ensure 

healthy public reserves that 

help protect native plants and 

animals from invasive species. 

Crown reserves support 

communities by protecting 

the environment and providing 

open spaces and facilities 

for parks, ovals, walking, 

cycling, camping and other 

sports and recreation activities, 

to keep communities 

healthy and happy. They also 

provide land for community 

organisations and assets like 

showgrounds, public halls, 

scouts and girl guide groups, 

surf life saving clubs and 

more. Applications are open 

until 17 November; visit 

reservemanager.crownland. 

nsw.gov.au 

Council devises 

‘ulti-mutt’ solution 

Northern Beaches Council has 

partnered with National Parks 

and Wildlife Service (NPWS) 

to stop the spread of Phytophthora 

cinnamomi, a soil-borne 

pathogen that infects threatened 

and iconic plants, by 

using specially trained sniffer 

dogs to detect the disease. 

The soil pathogen threatens 

endangered species and can 

cause root rot in susceptible 

plants. With funding from the 

NPWS Saving Our Species program, 

the NPWS Invasive Species 

Unit developed a project 

in mid-2022 to see if conservation 

detection dogs could be 

trained to detect Phytophthora 

and prevent new infestations 

to protect threatened 

species. Two of their newest 

dogs – Alice, a Springer 

Spaniel and Echo, a Brittany 

Spaniel – have been successful 

in identifying the pathogen 

in controlled trials. Mayor 

Sue Heins said results from 

the pilot study had proven 

the dogs could discriminate 

the scent of Phytophthora and 

they could successfully locate 

infected tube stock when 

placed with uninfected tube 

stock. Conservation detection 

dogs play an important role 

at NPWS and are also used in 

detecting threatened species 

such as Koalas and underground 

orchids, as well as 

invasive animals and plants 

like the Hawkweed eradication 

program in Kosciuszko 

Ooh la la at Palmy 

Celebrate the Cuisine of France at a special two-course dinner 

at Palm Beach Golf Club on Saturday 25 November. 

The evening will feature a special a la carte menu from Head 

Chef Phillip Martin and launch the Club’s French seasonal 

wine. 

Tickets are $60 (entree + main), and an additional $10 for 

dessert (you may opt in on the night). 

Enjoy a beautiful, casual dining experience with a view 

across the golf course and out to Lion Island and the stunning 

Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. 

*Book early – scan the ad on Page 3, or head to palmbeachgolf.com.au 



National Park. More info visit 

the NPWS website. 

Bayview yachtie 

a NSW ‘Legend’ 

Bayview yachtsman John 

Forbes will join fellow Northern 

Beaches sportspeople, 

surfer Layne Beachley and 

cricketer Brett Lee, in being 

inducted as a Legend of NSW 

Sport. The trio will be honoured 

at a NSW Champions of 

Sport Ceremony on November 

20. Forbes made history when 

he became the first Tornado 

catamaran sailor to win three 

World Championships. He 

went on to better that by 

completing his career with 

a total of seven catamaran 

World Championship wins. 

Four-time Australian Sailor 

of the Year, and a veteran of 

three Olympic Games, Forbes 

won a bronze at the 1992 Barcelona 

Olympic Games with 

Mitch Booth. In 2000, they 

won silver at the 2000 Sydney 

Olympic Games. Forbes won 

four European Championships, 

and 10 Australian 

Championships. Beachley, 

from Queenscliff, unquestionably 

one of the greatest 

female surfers in the history 

of the sport, becomes the 

24th NSW athlete and the first 

surfer to be elevated to NSW 

Legend Status. Beachley is 

the first woman to win seven 

World Championships triumphing 

in 1998, 1999, 2000, 

2001, 2002, 2003, and 2006. 

New beach wheelchair 

Pittwater MP Rory Amon joined with representatives of 

the Newport Surf Life Saving Club to unveil the Club’s 

new beach wheelchair in October. 

“After having the previous beach wheelchair for 15 years, 

the club sought support from the community to obtain a 

new fit-for-purpose wheelchair, to ensure Newport Beach 

can continue to be accessed and enjoyed” said Newport 

SLSC President Guyren Smith. 

The Club received financial support from Pharmacare 

Laboratories in Warriewood and an Amon Community 

Grant to fund the purchase of the chair. 

*The chair is available now and bookings can be made 

through Northern Beaches Council or directly through the 

club. 

Vet 

on call 

with Dr Brown 

We all know how important 

tick prevention is for our 

dogs – but what about heartworm 

disease? Is your dog 

adequately protected? 

Heartworm in dogs is a 

potentially fatal disease that is 

transmitted from infected to 

uninfected dogs by mosquitoes. 

These mosquitoes inject a 

number of tiny worms (microfilaria) 

into the dog’s body which 

then mature into adult heartworm 

over about six months. 

These adult worms settle inside 

the chambers of the heart and 

interfere with the flow of blood. 

Adult heartworm infection 

causes heart failure which can 

result in serious illness and 

death. Heartworm disease is 

very difficult and expensive to 

treat so prevention is much better 

than cure! 

According to the Australian 

Heartworm Advisory Panel, 

year-round heartworm protection 

is recommended for every 

dog Australia wide. Therefore, 

just as we vaccinate pets 

against deadly viral diseases, 

heartworm prophylaxis is an 

important cornerstone of preventative 

care. Whilst monthly 

heartworm preventatives have 

been demonstrated to be 

effective (when given every 

month) any lapse in treatment 

puts patients at higher risk of 

heartworm disease. 

Recent research showed 

that complacency around 

heartworm prevention has resulted 

in dogs testing positive 

to heartworm, in fact around 

40 per cent of dogs diagnosed 

with heartworm disease are 

on owner-given monthly 

heartworm preventatives. 

The easiest way to avoid 

forgetting heartworm medication 

is to use annual heartworm 

prevention given by injection 

at the time of vaccination, this 

medication lasts for 12 months. 

Call your local Sydney Animal 

Hospitals Avalon (9918 0833) or 

Newport (9997 4609) to discuss 

your dog’s heartworm prevention 

with our team. We’ll help 

make sure they are adequately 

protected leading into the 

warmer months. 

More info head to sydneyanimalhospitals.com.au 

News 



Idol 

maker 

Avalon’s Rod Willis recalls a life spent in the 

heady world of ear-splitting music, including 

guiding a little-known pub-rock band from 

Adelaide – Cold Chisel – to stardom. 

Life Stories 

Story by Daniel Williams 

Presently, the days pass one else – apart from our road not even a half-century in the Roseville, where the trajectory 

quietly for Rod Willis. crew – would know about cauldron of rock can match the of Rod’s life was reset. Living 

Unable to surf after a until the performance”. But ferocity of the Australian sun. across the road was the 

series of skin-cancer ops, 

he spends most of his time 

at home – reading, listening 

to music (soul and blues) 

and helping out with an 

expanding family. Until 

recently, he was putting 

the finishing touches to his 

memoirs. It’s a way of life 

that’s perfectly apt for a man 

in his mid-70s, yet one that 

could scarcely contrast more 

sharply with his lifestyle of 

decades past. 

Perhaps you remember 

the grand finale of the 

Countdown Music Awards 

of 1981, when Cold Chisel 

reworked ‘My Turn to Cry’ into 

a full-throated protest song 

– against sponsors TV Week 

specifically and the music 

industry generally – complete 

with guitar smashing, drum 

kicking and microphone-stand 

slamming? Onlookers, you 

could say, were aghast. 

Today, Willis admits to 

co-hatching the plan “that no- 

as a member of the audience 

that night at Sydney’s Regent 

hotel, he watched the mayhem 

unfold uneasily, sliding ever 

lower in his seat. Then, as 

band manager, he had to go 

onstage to accept the last 

award of the night – Best 

Record Cover Design, for 

Chisel’s huge-selling East. 

“The walk of shame,” he says, 

“was all mine.” 

While music took Willis 

on a long and wild ride, he 

remains a lovely bloke with 

an excellent memory, and 

on a recent Friday morning 

in the sitting room of his 

Avalon home he’s delighted 

to walk this reporter through 

the strikes and gutters of his 

extraordinary life. 

He looks fit in jeans and 

a snug-fitting, palm treepatterned 

collared shirt, 

though he wears a cap to 

conceal the aftereffects of 

those recent surgeries. For 

impact on the flesh, it seems 

Knockin’ On 

Heaven’s Door 

Willis came into being on 

November 19, 1947, the first 

of three children to Graham, 

a TV executive, and Peggy, a 

model. They lived in Dee Why 

in a house near South Creek 

Road that had been designed 

to resemble a ship. Young Rod 

was happiest outside with his 

friends, surfing at Collaroy 

Beach or making rafts out of 

corrugated iron to use on Dee 

Why Lagoon or heading into 

the bush with a slingshot or 

BB gun. 

Inspired by the 1956 

Australian film Smiley, the 

boy decided he’d like to be a 

farmer. His dad had a mate by 

the name of Rob Askin (yes, 

the future premier of NSW) 

who pulled some strings to 

secure the Willis boy a place 

at James Ruse Agricultural 

High School in Carlingford. 

The Willises relocated to 

Hamilton family, whose oldest 

boy Tony had formed a surf 

band called The Stompedes, 

which had no trouble getting 

gigs during the 1960s’ dance 

phenomenon known as ‘The 

Stomp’. 

“Of course, the venues 

were packed with young 

girls, so I’m thinking, This is 

fantastic!” says Willis. “So, I 

started lugging gear for them. 

That was my entrée into what 

would consume the next 50- 

odd years of my life.” 

In June 1964, The Beatles 

came to town and Rod’s father 

procured four tickets to one 

of their concerts at Sydney 

Stadium. Seated in row 7, 

Rod was mesmerised. “It was 

crazy,” he says. “You couldn’t 

really hear the band because 

the crowd noise was so loud; 

just every girl screaming. But 

you knew every song from the 

records.” 

Soon other huge acts – The 

Rolling Stones, PJ Proby, The 



PHOTO: Robert Hambling 

Dave Clark Five – made it 

to these shores, helping to 

spark in Willis a new yearning 

that had nothing to do 

with ploughing or milking. 

The music of the ’60s was 

changing Western culture and 

Willis dreamed of being at the 

epicentre of the revolution: 

London. By labouring in 

Darwin, he saved enough 

money to buy a return ticket 

on an Italian liner bound for 

England, his father’s country 

of birth. 

“I don’t think I can 

overstate how terrified I was,” 

says Willis, who was 18 when 

he sailed away on September 

28, 1966. “The furthest I’d 

been until then was Wagga in 

Dad’s car.” 

Disembarking six weeks 

later at the White Cliffs of 

Dover, Willis planned to stay 

in England for two years. 

But those two years would 

become 11 as the various 

cultural movements of the 

time – mod, hard rock, 

hippy, psychedelia – came in 

a torrent that engulfed the 

goodtime boy from Dee Why. 

He saw Cream, a young Rod 

Stewart, an emergent Pink 

Floyd – basically every hot act 

under the Northern sun while 

living as a hormone-fuelled 

mod with a charming accent 

during the Swinging Sixties. 

Staying meant working, 

though, mostly as a roadie, 

firstly for Little Free Rock, a 

hard-rock trio from Preston 

in Lancashire. He also pitched 

in variously for Emerson, 

Lake & Palmer, King Crimson, 

Grand Funk Railroad and 

Roxy Music, among others, 

before joining the crew of the 

full-tilt and hugely influential 

UFO. Life on the road with 

that volatile group drained 

Willis, who left the music 

scene for two years to work as 

an illegal street trader selling 

belts and bags on Oxford 

Street, resulting in numerous 

appearances in Marylebone 

Magistrates Court. 

In the early 1970s, music 

lured him back. He became 

a road dog for Irish folk-rock 

singer Jonathan Kelly before 

linking with blues band Savoy 

Brown, for whom he became 

tour manager in 1976. Having 

learnt so much – about 

equipment, lighting, travel 

arrangements and handling 

the egos and quirks of 

brilliant and temperamental 

musicians – Willis was more 

than ready to step up. 

Misfits 

But Willis’ life was about to 

take another turn. Standing 

around at a concert in 

Toronto, Canada, he noticed a 

girl in the front row smiling 

at him. Long story short, he 

married this girl, Barbara, 

in London and there was a 

baby on the way. “I decided I 

couldn’t live this rock ’n’ roll 

lifestyle any longer,” Willis 

says. “I needed to return to 

Australia.” 

In 1977, back in Sydney 

with his pregnant wife, Willis 

knew this much: “My days 

of shovelling elephant shit 

were over; I was determined 

to be the ringmaster.” All 

he needed was an exciting 

yet undiscovered local band 

to take to the top. His early 

impressions of the Australian 

music scene were dispiriting, 

however. Then his brother Ian 

suggested he check out this 

band from Adelaide called 

Cold Chisel. 

“Oh, my God,” Willis 

recalled, “what a dreadful 

name.” 

“No, no,” Ian insisted. 

“You’ve got to go see them.” 

So, Willis went one night 

to the once-famous Chequers 

nightclub in Sydney’s 

Chinatown where Cold Chisel 

were performing “in front 

of three men and a dog”. But 



CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: With Don Walker and Michael 

Gudinski at Rod’s 50th birthday at Avalon RSL in 1997; the 

Breakfast at Sweethearts album cover shoot in 1979; singing 

at his 50th (Barnsey on guitar); with Jimmy, bass player Phil 

Small and guitarist Ian Moss, 2020; London in the Swinging 

Sixties; business discussion with Mossy; Southern Rocker in 

the US, 1976; with Savoy Brown in the USA, 1975. 





Willis was acute enough to 

see past the dingy room and 

woeful crowd. “They were just 

an incredible, tight band,” he 

says. “Great guitarist [Ian Moss], 

their piano player [Don Walker] 

rocked like Jerry Lee Lewis, and 

the singer [Jimmy Barnes] had 

this voice. There were a lot of 

blues shouters around who had 

that gruff quality, but this guy 

was like Stevie Winwood. I was 

blown away.” 

Afterwards, Willis met 

first with just Walker, who 

produced a folder full of 

knockbacks from record 

companies, one of which had 

written off the band as having 

“no commercial potential”, 

before making his pitch to all 

the guys in a cramped room at 

the Plaza Hotel in Kings Cross. 

“You guys are world class,” 

he said. “I reckon I could 

make you the biggest band in 

Australia – maybe the world.” 

Willis doubted he’d gotten 

through to them. But the next 

day, his phone rang. 

“It’s Don, mate. You’ve got 

the job.” 

In the winter of 1980, as 



CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: With 

financial guru Gino, EMI Publisher 

John Anderson and Icehouse 

frontman Iva Davies sealing 

a deal in 1989; early days 

celebrations with Cold Chisel 

– Don Walker, Ian Moss, Jimmy 

Barnes (in shades), Phil Small and 

Steve Prestwich; mixing in LA in 

July 1998; Rod with Jimmy, Steve 

and Phil on a ferry to Denmark in 

1982; Rod’s new book is out now. 

Cold Chisel were taking off, 

Willis’ marriage to Barbara 

was unravelling and not even 

their three-year-old daughter 

Shannon could keep them 

together; they divorced in 

1981. Barbara subsequently 

married Dallas Royall, the 

original drummer for Rose 

Tattoo, while Willis found 

comfort in the arms of his 

secretary Gay with whom 

he would raise Shannon as 

well as two daughters of 

their own, Kelly and Leigh. 

Today, Willis and Gay remain 

happily married and have six 

grandchildren. 

He’s content here in their 

Avalon home of 30 years. For 

Willis, the Northern Beaches 

are, simply, “home” – for him 

and for most of his oldest 

mates, who know him, he 







says, “not as Rod Willis the 

band manager but Rod the 

surfer”. 

When The War Is Over 

Although Willis never made 

Cold Chisel the biggest band 

in the world, he did guide 

them to an enduring form 

of superstardom: album 

sales nudging seven million; 

eight studio albums in the 

Australian Top 5; induction 

into the ARIA Hall of Fame; 

instant name recognition 

across generations of music 

fans. 

“I wouldn’t call myself 

the sixth member [of the 

band],” says Willis, “but the 

way it worked was, Don and 

I ran it. Don always was and 

remains the leader of Cold 

Chisel. Don’s songs made 

the difference. He was the 

visionary in terms of what 

the band was going to be. 

And I had my vision, and our 

visions were close. I saw that 

they were a working-class 

band.” 

In 1983, Cold Chisel 

disbanded for more than a 

decade, causing Willis to focus 

on other projects, including 

enticing to Australia a range 

of smash international acts – 

Tears for Fears, Paul Young, 

Howard Jones, Alison Moyet 

– and a managerial stint with 

another great homegrown 

band, Icehouse. But when Cold 

Chisel reformed in 1997, Willis 

came back onboard, finally 

walking away in 2009 when 

the band wanted to change the 

terms of his contract. 

Feeling adrift and driving 

Gay spare by moping about 

the house, Willis linked up 

with a horticulturalist mate 

and spent the next 10 years 

as a professional landscaper. 

While he’s had chances to 

return to the music industry, 

he’s let them go. “The vibe,” 

he says, “is gone.” 

But the Chisel boys, you 

ask, does he stay in touch 

with them? 

“Of course,” he says. “It’s 

hard to break that bond.” 

*Ringside: A tale of music 

and mayhem from the 

man behind rock and roll 

superstars Cold Chisel (Allen 

& Unwin) is out now. 



Art Life 


Adam Cullen retrospective 

Over a decade since Adam Cullen’s 

death, rarely seen works by the artist 

are now on display at Manly Art Gallery & 

Museum. 

In this retrospective exhibition, more 

than 70 paintings, 

works 

on paper, 

bronzes, 

ceramics, film 

footage, and 

artist books 

have been 

drawn largely 

from private 

collections. 

The colourful 

and complex 

artist, 

who grew up 

on Sydney’s 

Northern 

Beaches, 

famously won 

the Archibald 

Prize in 2000 for his portrait of actor David 

Wenham, which will feature in the exhibition. 

In 2002, he represented Australia at 

the 25th Biennale de São Paulo. 

As a child, Cullen showed artistic talent 

and drew cartoons for the local Collaroy 

In this time of mass production, fast 

fashion and global availability it is 

more important than ever that we take 

the time to stop, take a breath and 

appreciate the small conversations or 

moments which make our lives more 

whole. Take the time to also consider the 

things which can enrich your life in the 

long term. 

The final Open Studio Event for the 

Pittwater Artists Trail in 2023 happens 

on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 November 

at studios across the Pittwater area 

(10am – 4pm). The artisans invite you to 

join them in their working environments, 

to share with you the process and 

intricacies of creating unique pieces, to 

hear their narrative behind the work. 

More often than not when hearing 

these narratives it can evoke a memory 

for you the visitor, and it is that shared 

narrative which can only happen through 

meeting the artist themselves. This is 

why taking the time to visit the trail is 

so rewarding – plus you may walk away 

with a new treasure for your collection 

or a very special gift for a loved one. 

The Pittwater Artists Trail includes 

the work of 21 artists and craftspeople 

Plateau newspaper. After art school, he 

emerged from Sydney’s grunge art scene 

in the 1990s to become one of the most 

important artists of his generation. 

Cullen’s bold and challenging paintings 

are insightful 

and often 

confronting, 

reflecting on 

contemporary 

societal 

issues. 

Works revolve 

around 

issues of 

national and 

gendered 

identity, 

addressing 

racial intolerance, 

bigotry, 

sexism, and 

political 

and social 

hypocrisies 

(pictured – ‘Kelly with Mare’, 2011). 

Cullen passed away at his home in Wentworth 

Falls in July 2012. – Nigel Wall 

*Adam Cullen: Art is Pain Relief is showing 

at the Manly Art Gallery & Museum 

until December 3. Free entry. 

16 studios on Artists trail 

(pictured painting by Ben Waters) 

featured at 16 studios from Palm Beach 

to Collaroy and Terrey Hills. 

Find a brochure in public libraries and 

Council facilities across the peninsula, 

art suppliers and many other venues. Or 

text 0423 456 373 or 0414 762 168 to 

request a brochure. 

*You can also find maps, studio 

and artist details at 

pittwaterartiststrail.com 

Onespace with 

plenty on offer 

The Northern Beaches is filled 

with great artistic talent – but 

sometimes finding the right piece, 

at the right price, can be a challenge. 

Just in time for the holidays and 

gift-giving, Sydney Art Space and 

Sandrine Levallois have joined 

creative forces to deliver an inspiring 

end-of-year exhibition at the 

Onespace Collective (63 Bassett St, 

Mona Vale). 

On the weekend of 25-26 November, 

a collection of original paintings 

and sculptures will be sold by their 

makers (pictured above is Sandrine’s 

work ‘Spiky’). 

Sandrine, a visual artist who aims 

to deliver works that speak of nature 

and deeper connection, is also 

passionate about helping others become 

a better version of themselves 

and radiate in their community. 

To fulfil this purpose, Sandrine 

and her husband Scott co-created 

Onespace Collective, a venue 

focused on nurturing self-growth 

through art and wellness workshops. 

“For those who have been a part 

of the Onespace Collective and 

Sydney Art Space community, it’s a 

time of celebration, as we prepare 

to showcase the journey that has 

unfolded within our art workshops 

venue,” said Sandrine. 

Sydney Art Space, established 

2013, is now a permanent resident 

of Onespace. They offer adult 

classes covering sculpture and drawing, 

teens’ and kids’ art club, plus 

school holiday workshops. They also 

provide private tuition for HSC BOW 

candidates. 

“We had a rocky start, opening 

just three weeks before COVID hit – 

but the Onespace Collective is now 

thriving thanks to the overwhelming 

support from the local community,” 

said Sandrine. 

– NW 

*More info on exhibitions, classes 

and workshops: onespacecollective.com.au 

and sydneyartspace. 

com 



Emotions run deep 

The emotionally expressive 

creations of Palm 

Beach ceramics artist Claressa 

Gonsalves will be on show at 

The Studio at Careel Bay in 

November. 

Claressa’s exhibition – Motion 

of the Deep – will feature 

works which represent the 

physical manifestation of 

her processing of a range of 

powerful emotions through 

her life. 

Clarissa says that with 

a soul-deep connection to 

the ocean, she enjoys using 

clay, throwing on the wheel, 

making handmade pieces, 

using moulds as an avenue to 

express textures of shells, and 

experimenting with glazing. 

“I use the vessel as a canvas, 

to explore and express 

the waves of emotion, creating 

a shoreline,” she says. 

A Northern Beaches local 

who grew up on the Palm 

Beach shore, Claressa’s family 

founded the Gonsalves boatshed, 

the little fisherman’s 

shack adjacent to the ferry 

wharf which has been passed 

down for generations. It’s an 

upbringing which has proven 

rich in artistic inspiration. 

A percentage of sales from 

Claressa’s exhibition will be 

donated to Variety, the children’s 

charity. 

The Studio at Careel Bay 

Marina is the half office / 

half creative space initiative 

of Laing+Simmons Property 

principals Amy and Matthew 

Young (with Claressa, centre). 

The not-for-profit community 

endeavour has supported 

a range of local causes over 

the years including Living 

Ocean, One Eighty, ORRCA, 

Dreams2Live4, Sea Shepherd 

Australia, the Seabin Project, 

and the Be Centre. – LO 

*Claressa’s exhibition at The 

Studio runs throughout November 

on Saturdays from 

9am-12 noon; more info Matthew 

Young (0418 723 232). 



NOVEMBER 2023 

51

Hot Property 

Taste of Pittwater easy-living 

Retreat to a meticulously renovated beach house, a glamourous tri-level home 

or a two-bedroom apartment in a boutique resort… Compiled by Lisa Offord 

Boasting an elegant understated coastal 

design with majestic views across Pittwater, 

this five-bedroom, three-bathroom home 

at 77 Hilltop Rd, Avalon Beach has been 

renovated and master-built from the ground 

up, blending original elements from its 

1960s beach house history with modern 

high-end finishes. The master suite, home 

office and guest wing are on the ground 

level. Upstairs are three bedrooms with 

living, kitchen and dining which open 

to an entertaining deck and native rock 

garden at the rear. Contact Amy Young 

Laing+Simmons Avalon Beach. 

Hot Property 

Stay a while or lock up, leave and holiday 

lease this easy-care, self-contained twobedroom 

apartment with internal lift, 

secure basement parking, communal 

pool, heated spa, plus barbeque area in 

a tightly held boutique resort at 7/39 

Iluka Road Palm Beach. Featuring openplan 

living and balcony overlooking the 

gardens, The Lighthouse at Iluka Resort 

offers the duality of a holiday retreat 

or generation of an all-year income. 

Contact Tara Jaijee Ray White Prestige 

Palm Beach. 

Innovative design and attention to detail 

are matched with a generosity of space in 

this five-bedroom home, holding a blueribbon 

position overlooking Winnererremy 

Bay and boat-studded Pittwater. Designed 

by locally acclaimed Chartered Building 

Designer Peter Downes, 125 Waterview St 

Mona Vale has been crafted with a noexpenses-spared 

approach to family living, 

with multiple living spaces, easy internal 

lift access and a seamless connection to 

a north-facing resort-style garden with 

striking pool and spa. Contact Gordon 

Spring LJ Hooker Newport. 



PRIVILEGE: 

A lucky few 

get financial 

help from 

their parents. 

Research: few withdrawals 

from ‘bank of mum & dad’ 

Just a small proportion 

of Aussie homeowners 

tapped into the ‘bank of 

mum and dad’ when buying 

their first home, according to 

new research by Finder. 

A survey of 1,096 

respondents – 584 of whom 

own a home – revealed 

just 1 in 10 (equivalent 

to 682,000 households) 

received financial assistance 

from their parents towards a 

deposit on their first home. 

Those who received 

financial assistance were 

granted an average of 

$56,231 towards their 

deposit. 

A third (35%) of first home 

buyers didn’t receive an 

offer of help from the ‘bank 

of mum and dad’ – but this 

included 12% who still receive 

help from their parents in 

other ways. 

The research found 1 in 

10 first home buyers asked 

their parents for help but the 

request was denied, while 

a similar amount had their 

parents guarantee their loan. 

A further 36% didn’t want 

financial assistance from 

their parents towards a 

deposit. 

Richard Whitten, home 

loans expert at Finder, said 

saving for a deposit is no 

small feat. 

“Getting on the property 

ladder can feel like an 

impossible dream, but many 

battle to do so without the 

help from the ‘bank of mum 

and dad’,” he said. 

“For many home buyers 

there is no ‘bank of mum and 

dad’. They’re on their own. 

“Over the course of the 

pandemic, saving for a house 

deposit became easier as 


many were able to stash 

away their cash during 

lockdown. However, the cost 

of living has forced Aussies 

to cut savings. 

“Rising costs and 

skyrocketing interest rates 

will see plenty of Australians 

priced out of the market 

without financial assistance 

– a worry felt by thousands 

of house hunters across the 

country.” 

The average first home 

buyer deposit in Australia 

now tops almost $119,000 

– more than the average fulltime 

salary of $94,000. 

It would take the average 

first home buyer more than 

12 years to save up that 

amount of cash, taking into 

account potential interest 

earned in an average savings 

account with a rate of 2.7%. 

Mr Whitten urged 

prospective first home 

buyers to supercharge their 

savings. 

“Look for ways to boost 

your capital. With some high 

interest savings accounts 

surpassing 5.5%, getting a 

decent earnings rate for your 

savings is becoming easier.” 

Whitten said every dollar 

counted when you’re on the 

road to home ownership. 

“There are plenty of 

schemes and incentives for 

first home buyers to take 

advantage of. 

“If you qualify for a first 

home owners grant, this can 

form part of your deposit. 

“Getting your parents to go 

guarantor can be an option 

for some buyers if direct 

financial support is out of 

the question. 

– Taylor Blackburn 

*More info finder.com 

NOVEMBER 2023 53 

Hot Property

School Life 

School Life 

Promoting inner stillness, reduced stress 

It takes a community to 

raise a child, and children 

learn best when they are 

not alone on their journey. 

Through collaborative learning 

opportunities within class, to 

opportunities for students to 

engage across year levels in 

an integrated buddy program, 

John Colet School 

students learn 

with, and are 

supported by, 

each other. 

Likewise, 

the collective 

understanding 

between home 

and school 

helps ensure 

there are no 

gaps for students and that they 

are supported at all stages. 

“Actively developing a child’s 

ability to give attention to tasks 

is an important skill that is best 

learnt at an early age,” says 

Headmaster Julian Wilcock. 

“Children’s minds naturally 

wander, and 

practical 

exercises help 

them to learn 

how to focus. 

It is all about 

being in the present moment. 

“Many of our unique subjects 

and clubs facilitate this, such as 

Singing, Shakespeare, extended 

Art and Chess. However, it is 

the regular pausing throughout 

the day that helps children 

learn how to fall still, quiet 

the emotions and give their 

attention to the task at hand.” 

John Colet School is a 

multi-faith School where 

spiritual and character 

development is an important 

aspect of our students’ 

development. Children are 

introduced to simple exercises 

in self-awareness and inner 

stillness. There are regular 

moments of quiet between 

lessons, and at the age of 

10, the children can learn 

meditation. The aim is to give 

children a quiet sense of self 

assurance and confidence. 

Philosophy classes are 

conducted at all age levels, as 

open discussions addressing 

questions such as who am I; 

how should I live my life; what 

does it mean to be a good 

friend? Scripture classes draw on 

traditions from East and West. 

Students are taught within a 

caring, supporting environment 

of trust and stay with their 

class teachers for 2-3 years 

for stability and connection. A 

daily vegetarian lunch is also 

provided. 

“While we are well-known 

for our academics, our focus 

remains on building a child’s 

confidence and adaptability, 

which we do through a 

traditional curriculum and a 

focus on liberal arts,” says Mr 

Wilcock. 

*Limited places for Girls in 

Years 3 and 5 in 2024. Call 

9451 8395. 



Health & Wellbeing 

The heads-up on ear, 

nose & throat problems 


If ever there was a certain 

time of year when most locals 

experienced issues with their 

ears, nose and throats it would 

be around now: the height of 

the hay fever season. 

Yet ear, nose and throat 

problems occur year-round, 

regardless of the weather, with 

a range of symptoms and conditions 

that can affect children 

and adults at varying degrees. 

Mild ear and sinus infections, 

hay fever and excessive sneezing 

and coughing, sore scratchy 

throats and runny or stuffy 

noses can often be managed 

with home remedies and simple 

solutions with advice from a GP 

or pharmacist. 

However, signs of a chronic, 

acute, or severe condition relating 

to these parts of the body, 

should prompt a referral to an 

otolaryngologist, widely known 

as an ENT surgeon – a specialist 

in the diagnosis and treatment 

of disorders and diseases affecting 

the ear, nose, throat and 

structures of the head and neck. 

Mona Vale-based ENT 

surgeon Dr Frank Elsworth 

said common symptoms that 

required investigation by a 

specialist included: 

• Difficulty swallowing. 

• Frequent nose bleeds. 

• Chronic nasal congestion. 

• Speech delay. 

• Loss of smell, hearing or 

voice. 

• Ringing in the ears. 

• Earache, sore throat, or pain 

that doesn’t go away. 

• Dizziness or balance 

problems. 

• Nasal breathing problems; 

and 

• Sleep problems. 

Dr Elsworth said when 

surgery was required the good 

news for locals was many 

procedures could be carried 

out close to home at Pittwater 

Day Surgery (PDS) in Mona Vale, 

with patients admitted and 

discharged on the same day. 

Conditions commonly treated 

by ENT specialists at PDS 

include: 

Recurring acute/chronic otitis 

media (glue ear) 

“Glue ear is a condition where 

the middle ear fills with thick 

fluid. It most commonly presents 

in young children with 

speech delay, hearing loss, 

behavioural change or recurring 

painful ear infections,” said 

Dr Elsworth. “Persistent glue 

ear causes middle ear damage 

and possibly long-term hearing 

loss. Tiny tubes called grommets 

can be inserted into the 

ear drum under general or local 

anaesthetic to help prevent the 

build-up of fluid or ear infections.” 

Grommets can also assist 

adults/children who experience 

severe ear pain and possible 

inner ear damage with hearing 

loss due to air travel. 

Sleep impairment 

“In children, this usually manifests 

by excessive snoring and 

poor sleep quality and fatigue. 

If caused by adenoid enlargement 

or tonsil enlargement (or 

both) your doctor may recommend 

a trial of a medicated 

nasal spray or removal of the 

adenoids (adenoidectomy) or 



tonsils (tonsillectomy). Adenoidectomy 

is carried out at PDS 

while paediatric tonsillectomy 

is referred to a larger hospital,” 

he explained. Adolescent and 

adult tonsillectomy is performed 

at PDS. 

Sleep disorders 

“In adults, surgery to widen the 

airway and allow air to move 

through the throat and/or the 

nose more easily may help if 

a sleep disorder is severe and 

wearing a mouth guard or 

splint or using continuous positive 

airway pressure (CPAP) at 

night haven’t helped,” he said. 

Allergic rhinitis/chronic hay 

fever 

“Hay fever is the common name 

for allergic rhinitis. It affects 1 

in five people in Australia. Hay 

fever can be managed by medications 

and immunotherapy 

and sometimes surgery may be 

recommended,” he explained. 

“Surgery cannot cure allergy 

but can help reduce nasal congestion, 

sinus pressure and 

improve breathing, providing 

long-term relief.” 

Acute, chronic, or recurring 

sinusitis 

“Sinusitis is when the lining of 

the sinuses that surround the 

PAINFUL: Recurring symptoms should prompt referral to a specialist. 

nose become inflamed/ infected. 

Surgery may be recommended 

to help reduce sinusitis 

symptoms.” 

Tongue tie 

“Present at birth, tongue tie (ankyloglossia) 

can effect breast 

feeding, eating and speech” 

Dr Elsworth said. “Sometimes 

tongue tie may not cause problems. 

Some cases may require 

a simple surgical procedure, 

managed by ENT surgeons or 

paediatric dentists.” 

Nasal obstruction 

“A common cause is nasal 

septal deviation, a condition 

in which the nasal septum is 

significantly crooked, making 

breathing difficult,” Dr Elsworth 

said. It is also associated with 

poor sleep quality. “Surgery 

may be needed to straighten 

the nasal septum. In some 

cases, surgery to reshape the 

nose may also be needed for 

functional or cosmetic purposes.” 

Other causes of a nasal 

obstruction include allergies, 

enlarged adenoids and nasal 

polyps. 

Surfer’s ear 

A condition where the bone of 

the ear canal expands into the 

ear canal causing obstruction, 

water trapping and recurring 

outer ear infection. “The bony 

growths are called exostoses. 

If surfer’s ear develops to an 

extent that it causes repeated 

infection or deafness, it is best 

managed by surgically removing 

the bony growths.” he said. 

Ear drum perforation 

“The eardrum can be punctured 

or torn by infection, sudden 

pressure changes, loud noise, 

injury from an object forced 

into the ear or a blow to the 

head. This might result in hearing 

loss and infection. It may 

require surgical repair if it does 

not heal by itself.” 

Voice changes 

“To investigate the cause of 

voice changes, biopsy, or 

removal of some lesions in the 

voice box may be done under 

brief general anaesthesia.” 

– Lisa Offord 

*Six ENT surgeons are 

accredited to operate at Pittwater 

Day Surgery – Dr Frank 

Elsworth, Dr Ming Lee, Dr 

Nicholas Leith, Dr Jason Roth, 

A/Prof Alex Saxby and Dr 

Michael Taplin. 

All specialists have trained 

in paediatric and adult ENT 

surgery in Australia and PDS 

is accredited to take patients 

from 12-months of age. 





with Dr John Kippen 


Preparation advice for best 

outcomes after your surgery 

A 

question often heard concerns 

getting prepared 

for plastic surgery and 

trying to get the best outcomes. 

As a general rule, you need 

to be in the best health possible 

to optimise outcomes. Anyone 

who is fit, healthy and eats and 

sleeps well will bounce back 

from surgery more quickly. If 

you do not regularly exercise 

it is often counter-productive 

to race out the week before 

surgery and run, stretch and 

cycle. You will end up with sore 

muscles, dehydrated and tired. 

Regular exercise, a good 

healthy diet, good hydration 

and an overall healthy lifestyle 

will encourage the best 

outcomes. Active people tend 

to get moving more quickly 

after surgery which reduces 

some risks such as deep vein 

thrombosis and basal lung 

pneumonias. 

Certain procedures require 

you to be at your ideal weight. 

Breast reduction, tummy-tucks 

and liposuction are procedures 

where parts of the body are reduced 

or tightened. Subsequent 

weight loss will result in tissues 

being empty and flaccid which 

goes against what the surgery 

is trying to achieve. With a tummy-tuck 

the abdominal skin is 

tightened and stretched down, 

this amount cannot be too 

tight as then blood supply and 

thus healing will be effected. If 

after the procedure you were to 

then lose weight, this tightness 

would be less. 

People requesting liposuction 

who are overweight will often 

be left with skin excess if they 

then lose weight. An empty roll 

of tummy skin may be more 

difficult to manage – do you 

tuck it in your belt line or let it 

hang over? If you were at your 

ideal weight a small skin excision 

procedure would give you 

a better outcome. 

The degree of weight loss 

does depend on body type 

and height. In a person who is 

broad-shouldered and tall, a 

few kilograms has less overall 

effect then a small framed, 

shorter person. 

It is important to list not 

only prescription medications, 

but also all supplements and 

herbal remedies. These products 

may affect blood clotting 

and result in more bruising or 

increase the risk of bleeding. 

Bruising in the tissue is often 

inflammatory and can cause 

more pain. It may even affect 

the healing process. Medication 

that affects platelet function 

may need to be stopped seven 

to 10 days before surgery. Stopping 

anticoagulation medications 

needs to be balanced 

against the value that they 

provide; it is much better to 

have a healthy heart and some 

bruising than cause heart problems 

with no bruising. Be very 

honest in what supplements 

you may take and how much 

alcohol you drink. 

Smoking has a huge impact 

on surgery. Most surgeons re- 

quire you to stop smoking some 

time before surgery. Recent cessation 

often leaves an irritable 

airway which result in coughing 

after the procedure. This may 

put tension on the wounds and 

healing can be reduced. Blood 

flow in small vessels is reduced 

by smoking and this significantly 

reduces healing. Nicotine 

containing products or patches 

have a similar result and should 

be listed 

Having said all that, it must 

be remembered that often 

having surgery allows easier 

exercise and is very motivating. 

This is especially true for 

breast reduction and breast 

lifts. Larger pendulous breast 

can make exercise difficult and 

once they are reduced or lifted 

this becomes a lot easier. Many 

people find having had surgery 

to be very strong motivation to 

change their lifestyle or commit 

to the changes they may have 

made before surgery. 

Our columnist 

Dr John Kippen is a qualified, 

fully certified consultant 

specialist in Cosmetic, Plastic 

and Reconstructive surgery. 

Australian trained, he 

also has additional 

Australian and International 

Fellowships. He welcomes 

enquiries; email 

doctor@johnkippen.com.au 



NB Hospital celebrates 5 Years 

BUSY: More than 116,000 elective surgeries 

have been performed at Northern Beaches 

Hospital in five years. 

As Northern Beaches Hospital marks 

five years of operation, CEO Andrew 

Newton says the hospital continues 

to achieve great results and is consistently 

performing as one of the best emergency 

departments in its peer group. 

“We continue to be one of the busiest 

EDs in the region and we have saved many 

lives,” said Mr Newton. 

“Each day we care for an average of 

200 patients with many resuscitation and 

life-threatening emergency cases brought 

directly to NBH instead of being diverted to 

other hospitals. 

“People are feeling confident that their 

local hospital is the place to come when 

you need high quality health care close to 

home.” 

More than 430,000 people were treated 

in the ED since October 30, 2018, with 

more than a quarter admitted to hospital. 

Almost 83,000 people arrived by ambulance 

with the majority transferred to 

hospital care within 30 minutes. 

More than 116,000 elective surgeries 

were performed, with almost 100 per cent 

of elective surgery conducted within the 

clinical timeframe, he said. 

Also, almost 9,000 babies were born 

since opening. 

“Hundreds of highly respected specialists 

have joined the team and introduced a 

range of new procedures that have never 

been available locally,” he said. 

“With the addition of world-renowned 

specialists like Prof Michael Wilson, Beaches 

residents now have access to advanced 

robotic heart surgery avoiding the need for 

open heart procedures.” 

Prof Wilson has started using the recently 

purchased NBH DaVinci robot to conduct 

minimally invasive heart and lung cancer 

surgery. 

“Other services like robotic orthopaedic 

and urology and spinal surgery are now 

available to local residents right here on 

the Beaches,” Mr Newton said. 

“Our directory of services is updated 

regularly as we add new doctors and 

procedures to keep residents up to date on 

everything we can offer. 

“Our services will continue to grow and 

evolve to meet local demands which means 

people won’t need to travel out of the local 

area to get the services they need.” 

He added NB Hospital was also bringing 

cutting edge clinical research to the 

Beaches with more than 100 trials and 

research projects now underway. 

“Our Clinical Trials Unit means residents 

of the Northern Beaches no longer have to 

travel to access some international clinical 

research trials. 

“For many, the travel requirements are 

too much and they aren’t able to participate 

in these studies.” 

The hospital was also gaining a reputation 

for being a great training ground for 

junior medical staff, he said. 

“Each year we have thousands of people 

apply for our junior medical and nursing 

roles and we have close partnerships with 

TAFEs and universities to train staff and 

then place them here at NBH to begin their 

careers. 

“Most importantly, we are continuing to 

work with your community. Our volunteer 

workforce is growing and diversifying and 

we’ve forged partnerships with local high 

schools and community groups.” 





Dental anxiety? 

Have no fear... 

CALM: Most fears about 

the dentist are passed down 

from parents to children. 


It’s fair to say most people 

don’t relish the thought of 

going to the dentist. 

But what if you knew one of 

the best ways to feel more at 

ease in the dental chair was to 

schedule regular visits, when 

you’ll likely also discover some 

of the simple steps some 

dentists now take to make 

sure patients get the best care 

they need? 

From the fear of the unknown 

or what the dentist 

might find, the perceived pain 

of a procedure and the fact 

that people feel like they have 

little control in the dentist’s 

chair, it’s very common for 

people to feel nervous or 

apprehensive about a dental 

appointment. 

Recent studies suggest high 

dental fear affects approximately 

one in six Australian 

adults. 

Despite striking advances 

in technology over the past 

20 years and pain-free 

techniques, dental fear can 

lead to people cancelling appointments 

or avoiding them 

together. 

Problems get worse, 

requiring more complex and 

intensive treatment – which 

reinforces the fear and leads 

to continued avoidance and 

poorer health. 

In Australia, estimates suggest 

that around 40 per cent 

of people with high dental 

fear are trapped in this “vicious 

cycle”. 

The good news is most 

dentists are now trained in 

dealing with anxious or nervous 

patients. 

Lead dentist at Maven Dental 

in Avalon Beach Dr Celso 

Cardona said communication 

was the key to helping people 

find a dentist they were comfortable 

with to manage any 

nerves or fears. 

“We make a point of meeting 

and talking to our patients 

in a consultation room with no 

instruments or dental chairs 

in sight to help people relax 

and encourage them to open 

up about any concerns,” Dr 

Cardona said. 

“Some people might 

be nervous about sound, 

some are nervous about the 

sensation, some might be 

concerned because they gag, 

some may fear the unknown 

and want to know exactly 

what will occur during their 

visit… others might be worried 

about money. 

“We take time to help allay 

any fears and work out the 

best strategy for each patient 

often starting with a simple 

procedure and working up 

from there if necessary. 

“If sound of the dental 

practice causes anxiety, we 

can provide a patient with 

noise-cancelling headphones, 

we can switch on an overhead 

TV for distraction, if they feel 

that would help, and if anxiety 

is severe, we can discuss sedation 

dentistry,” he said. 

Dr Cardona added the best 

way for people to overcome 

fears was to prevent the need 

for dental treatment in the 

first place. 

“Regular visits will reduce 

fears in the long term as patients 

develop trust with their 

dentist and in turn prevent 

the need for more complex 

treatment.” 

Finally, if you are a parent, 

be positive. 

“Most fears about the dentist 

are passed down from parents 

to children,” Dr Cardona said. 

“If parents stay relaxed and 

calm about their child’s visit, 

the child will generally remain 

calm too.” – Lisa Offord 






Hair & Beauty 

Papillon Hair 

spreads wings 

Hair & Beauty 

TEAM EFFORT: Deborah and Ben in the new Papillon space. 

In-demand hair stylist Deborah 

Raymond has unveiled a 

dream new salon space for 

clients and her team of handpicked 

hairdressers in Avalon. 

A destination for people who 

appreciate the professional skills 

required to create beautiful natural 

hair that’s easy to maintain, 

Papillon Hair first opened in Paddington 

in 2012, relocating to 

Avalon Beach after Deborah and 

her husband made the move 

here almost a decade ago. 

“We were enchanted by the 

charm of Avalon, its welcoming 

community, and the coastal 

beauty,” Deborah explained. 

“My dream to open in Avalon 

materialised in 2017 with the 

launch of Papillon Hair and now 

I’ve embraced an exciting opportunity 

to relocate right next 

door, crafting my dream salon 

precisely as I envisioned it.” 

The new salon in Garden 

Court Arcade, Avalon Parade, is 

luxurious and welcoming; the 

extensive use of natural wood, 

beautiful colours, and the soft, 

filtered natural light that fills 

the space, creates a soothing 

atmosphere. 

The project, which entailed 

fusing two neighbouring office 

spaces, removing walls, uncovering 

boarded-up windows, 

grinding and polishing concrete 

floors, design and fit-out, was a 

year in the making. 

The space is meticulously 

designed, with solid American 

oak and marble finishes, handcrafted 

pieces, fluted glass 

and linen curtains juxtaposed 

with the rough character of 

the original concrete slab and 

large windows opening out to 

the colourful back alley. 

Deborah collaborated with 

talented local interior designer 

Alex Johnson from Knot Studio 

to select the colour palette 

featuring captivating green tiles 

and a stunning green marble 

desk. 

Her husband, Ben Raymond 

from Vanwood, took the helm 

in overseeing and hand-crafting 

the entire fit-out, from the 

intricacies of joinery to the creation 

of custom-made benches, 

floors, and windows. 

Working alongside him, 

Ben Haig Smith from Haig and 

Smith played a pivotal role in 

decision-making and produced 

some of the custom-built pieces 

in the salon. 

“We were fortunate to have 

the invaluable support of local 

tradespeople, and the collective 

effort has resulted in the 

creation of something extraordinary,” 

Deborah added. 

Deborah says she is proud 

to have been able to deliver 

something for the community 

to enjoy. 

“Seeing the joy on our clients’ 

faces and that of my staff made 

it all worthwhile” she said. “I 

deeply care about my staff 

and want to ensure they love 

coming to work, so a perfect, 

functional salon was a top 

priority.” 

Papillon is certified as an 

official ‘Sustainable Salon’, upholding 

the highest standards 

in terms of waste management, 

team training and overall social 

responsibility. All products used 

in the salon are chemical-free 

and chosen for minimal harm 

and maximum performance. 

– Lisa Offord 

*To celebrate the launch, Papillon 

Hair Avalon is extending 

a warm welcome to new 

clients with an exclusive offer 

(see ad this page). 



PHOTO: Martin Siegner

with Sue Carroll 

So much available... but which 

treatment should you choose? 

Texture, tone and 

colour all play a huge 

role in defining the 

appearance of healthy skin. 

Many treatments are available 

to improve the texture and 

complexion of your skin by 

reducing hyperpigmentation 

and fine lines, clearing acne, 

improving pore size, reducing 

scarring and simply brightening 

the skin. But where to start, 

what to have and what to 

combine it all with for the best 

possible result. 

RF Skin Needling is a 

revolutionary skin tightening 

and firming treatment, which 

utilises a combination of 

percutaneous needling and 

radio frequency to induce the 

tightening of elastin fibres and 

induce collagen production. 

A set of tiny needles creates 

controlled micro-injuries on 

the skin’s surface. These 

tiny needles also deliver 

radiofrequency energy to 

the deeper layers of the skin, 

promoting collagen production 

to firm the skin. 

By incorporating both the 

radio frequency and the use 

of the microneedles, the result 

is a firming from the RF and a 

refinement of the skin texture. 

This treatment is also beneficial 

when treating stretch marks 

and scarring. If the skin is in a 

less than optimal condition, it 

is a great choice to start with 

2-3 skin needling treatments 

spaced about seven days apart 

and then embark on the RF 

needling treatment, which 

can be performed monthly for 

2-3 treatments with minimal 

downtime. 

Surface rejuvenation and 

toning with the Q switch laser 

is a gentle and non-invasive 

treatment that stimulates the 

skin’s deeper layers. A very 

short delivery system gently 

heats the skin, can shatter 

pigment, stimulate collagen 

production and assist with 

skin refinement, all without 

downtime. The Q switch laser 

toning system is suitable for all 


skin types, particularly those 

who suffer from acne, blocked 

or enlarged pores, dull skin, 

pigmentation and simply those 

who wish to step up from their 

facial peels and treatments. 

The Q switch laser treatment 

may be added to a fractional 

laser treatment to boost 

results. It may also be used in 

the China Doll or Hollywood 

skin treatment for that special 

occasion. 

Over time and with added 

stress in our lives, the 

underlying changes to the skin 

result in fine wrinkles, lines 

and sagging skin. HIFU is a 

treatment that lifts and tightens 

the skin and simultaneously 

reduces fine lines. HIFU 

delivers ultrasound energy 

non-invasively to heat the skin 

tissue at numerous depths, 

from 1.5mm and up to 4.5mm 

for the face and up to 13mm 

for the body. This will trigger 

a natural regenerative reaction 

that promotes the development 

of new collagen and contracts 

the fibres for the firming effect. 

After the HIFU treatment, you 

can return to work the next 

day with no visible downtime. 

In some instances, a feeling of 

slight bruising may last for 2-4 

weeks due to the depths the 

ultrasound has penetrated. It 

must be remembered nothing 

will replace a facelift. Still, 

often, when postponing this 

procedure, this might just 

be the next best thing when 

combined with IPL for colour 

correction, RF Needling for 

skin refinement and a little 

injectable here and there. 

Fractional laser delivers 

multiple microscopic columns 

of light energy into your skin 

to emulate micro-wounds, 

which will, in turn, stimulate 

your skin’s natural healing 

and rejuvenation. Fractional 

laser is an effective treatment 

for pigmentation, fine lines 

created by the sun, scarring 

and general skin refinement. 

This treatment has minimal 

downtime and can be repeated 

every 4-6 days until the desired 

results are achieved. 

An old favourite and an 

excellent treatment to start with 

before all treatments is Intense 

Pulsed Light. IPL uses multiple 

wavelengths and will treat both 

capillaries and pigmentation in 

the same treatment. Darkening 

of pigment is seen immediately 

post-treatment and can last 

7-10 days and will then be 

sloughed off. 

Restoring your confidence 

and natural beauty when 

guided by a professional 

aesthetician is easy. Book a 

consultation and be guided by 

their expertise. 

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 


Hair & Beauty

Business Life: Money 

with Brian Hrnjak 

Business Life 

Doctors finding new payroll 

tax medicine hard to swallow 

This month we touch on 

an issue that’s likely to 

be giving your doctor 

a case of heartburn… It 

never fails to amaze me that 

in 2023 we are yet to arrive 

at a harmonised position, 

across all sectors of business 

and government, as to what 

defines a person’s status as an 

employee versus a contractor. 

This question of status 

has been asked for a long 

time now and has grown in 

importance along with the 

dominance of professional 

and service industries in 

our economy. At its core the 

issue is not that complicated: 

the person engaging the 

contractor wants to transfer 

the risk of undertaking a 

task to them, pay them for 

the service and then move 

on. The contractor wants 

to receive a fee for service, 

deduct whatever expenses 

are appropriate in providing 

the service and deal with 

their profits as they see fit. 

Neither party seeks to be 

entangled by each other’s 

workers compensation 

insurance, public liability, 

superannuation, payroll tax or 

industrial issues; each party 

should provide for their own – 

otherwise you’d just hire them 

in the first place. 

An employee on the other 

hand is hired by the employer; 

they are provided with the 

tools and equipment to 

perform their tasks, they are 

paid (mainly) on a time-based 

system and undertake their 

work at the direction of the 

employer. The employer takes 

the risks for their output, pays 

them a regular wage based 

on the applicable industrial 

framework and incurs the 

liability for superannuation 

guarantee payments, workers 

compensation insurance, 

payroll tax and PAYG 

withholding. 

It would be so easy if 

everyone could just stick 

to their definitions, but 

sometimes employers and 

contractors blur the lines 

between the two when it suits 

them, sometimes by mistake 

–and then there are the 

governments that occasionally 

move the goal posts. 

Why this issue is giving 

your doctor and other health 

professionals heartburn is 

that Revenue NSW released 

a ruling on payroll tax in 

August this year targeting 

medical centres that applies 

to a range of practitioners 

(doctors, dentists, specialists) 

as well as allied health 

(physios, optometry etc.). 

The preamble to the ruling 

also neatly describes the nub 

of the problem: “A contract 

between a principal and a 

contractor may be a ‘relevant 

contract’ under the contractor 

provisions in Division 7 of 

Part 3 of the Payroll Tax Act 

2007 (‘the Act’). If the contract 

is a relevant contract, the 

principal who engages the 

contractor is deemed to be an 

employer (section 33 of the 

Act), the contractor is deemed 

to be an employee (section 

34 of the Act) and payments 

made under the contract for 

the performance of work are 

deemed to be wages (section 

35 of the Act).” 

You need to briefly suspend 

your views on payroll tax 

(as an ill-conceived piece 

of tax legislation that acts 

as a brake on employment) 

to consider that, yes, you 

would need a range of antiavoidance 

provisions to make 

sure that people didn’t rort 

the system. But when you as 

a single taxing agency start 

‘deeming’ things you run the 

risk that you may be going 

beyond the original intent of 

the legislation, the common 

law, or, the rules as they stand 

at the federal level and in the 

other States. 

In this case the ruling 

wants to prescribe that a 



professional’s relationship 

with a medical centre is not 

subject to payroll tax if all of 

the following items apply: 

1. The practitioner provides 

services to the public 

generally – section 32(2)(b) 

(iv) of the Act. 

2. The practitioner performs 

work for no more than 90 

days in a financial year – 

section 32(2)(b)(iii) of the 

Act. 

3. Services are performed 

by two or more persons – 

section 32(2)(c)(i) of the Act. 

According to the ruling, 

if any of these 3 items are 

absent in the relationship, the 

centre is deemed to be your 

employer and you are deemed 

to be its employee. While the 

first test might be reasonable, 

the second and third are 

pretty arbitrary hurdles that 

seem less about defining a 

business and more about 

bringing greater numbers into 

the tax net. 

The affected practitioners 

aren’t looking to avoid payroll 

tax – they want to be treated 

as standalone businesses 

and therefore have access 

to their own thresholds. The 

larger medical centres already 

pay payroll tax when their 

staff wages are above the 

threshold – for example for 

reception, nursing, junior and 

employed doctors. They are 

objecting to the practitioner’s 

own business turnover being 

classified as wages and 

being subjected to payroll 

tax because they choose to 

affiliate with a medical centre. 

They also don’t like the threat 

of a five-year look back that 

may bankrupt some practices. 

The majority of 

professionals I deal with in 

this space trade through 

a practice entity such as 

company or trust; they align 

themselves to a particular 

centre because it’s the best 

cultural or geographical fit 

for them. They work the times 

and days to suit their family 

circumstances and they don’t 

derive any employment-related 

benefits from the centre – they 

see patients, they get paid, 

they don’t see patients, they 

don’t. They typically pay the 

centre around 30% of what 

they charge to cover reception 

and common administrative 

expenses. Technology has 

allowed more and more 


practitioners these days to 

bill their patients directly and 

remit the service fee to the 

centre rather than having the 

centre provide central billing; 

this further strengthens their 

contractor argument. As 

medical professionals they 

assume personal liability for 

their mistakes and they carry 

medical indemnity insurance 

to protect themselves and the 

public. It’s not complicated, 

they’re in business. 

The Federal rules already 

define what it takes to pass 

the ‘results’ test and to be 

definitively considered as a 

business; so why would a State 

Government need to deem 

anything more proscriptive 

than this, particularly when 

they have anti-avoidance 

provisions with regard to 

grouping and common 

ownership of businesses. 

Not long after the ruling 

was published the College 

of GPs and other medical 

associations swung into 

action at a scale and pace 

that must have alarmed the 

State Government who moved 

to an immediate 12-month 

moratorium on implementing 

the ruling. There were signs 

and petitions in waiting 

rooms, there were threats of 

increasing the costs of a visit 

to the GP by $20 to cover the 

impact – not a good thing 

when cost of living is front of 

people’s minds. 

We can probably expect a 

revised ruling to come out 

for consultation in the new 

year. Keep an eye out when 

you go for your flu shot 

next year; if the corflute 

signs and petitions are back 

in the waiting rooms, the 

negotiations are probably not 

going so well. 

Brian Hrnjak B Bus CPA (FPS) is 

a Director of GHR Accounting 

Group Pty Ltd, Certified Practising 

Accountants. Office: Suite 12, 

Ground Floor, 20 Bungan Street 

Mona Vale NSW. 

Phone: 02 9979-4300. 

Web: ghr.com.au and altre.com.au 

Email: brian@ghr.com.au 

These comments are general 

advice only and are not intended as 

a substitute for professional advice. 

This article is not an offer or 

recommendation of any securities 

or other financial products offered 

by any company or person. 


Business Life

Business Life: Law 

with Jennifer Harris 


Final steps to securing the 

purchase of your new home 

Last month we discussed 

the process of 

conveyancing up to the 

exchange of contracts by both 

private treaty and auction. 

The process then is one of 

investigations of title of the 

property you are purchasing 

including: 

*The ordering of searches 

from Government authorities. 

The Conveyancing (Vendor 

Disclosure and Warranty) 

Regulations give you the right 

to end the Contract and claim 

return of the deposit in the 

event that the property is 

affected adversely by certain 

matters which were not 

disclosed to you in the Contract. 

If we find that the property is 

affected then the only remedy 

is to rescind the Contract. These 

investigations only relate to the 

property being purchased and 

do not extend to adjoining or 

neighbouring properties. 

*Where you are borrowing to 

purchase the property, seeing 

that your lender has what it 

needs to complete the loan. 

*Arranging the stamping 

of the Contract which has to 

be paid within 3 months of 

exchange. 

(However if you are to 

settle with 42 days, which 

is customary, and you have 

an incoming mortgagee 

they will require that stamp 

duty is payable on or before 

settlement. 

Your solicitor will arrange for 

settlement/completion of the 

Contract with the Vendor and 

your lending Bank.) 

This is an initial summary 

of a residential Conveyancing 

procedure which will be 

conducted by your solicitor 

or Conveyancer when you 

purchase a property. 

What happens when you 

decide to sell your property 

and how different is it from 

purchase? 

The Vendor or seller 

commences the process by 

instructing the solicitor to 

prepare a Contract for sale. 

The Vendor via the Contract 

provides information and 



includes warranties and 

representations about the 

property which is being sold. 

Essential elements of the 

Contract include for example 

a, zoning certificate, issued by 

the local council and provides 

details of planning controls and 

matters which may affect the 

property. A Sewerage service 

diagram which shows the 

location of the sewer lines and 

a copy of the certificate of title 

showing your ownership of the 

property are crucial together 

with copies of documents which 

create easements, rights of way, 

covenants or restrictions. 

The warranties you make 

about the property include 

that you have not received 

notice that the land on which 

the property stands is not 

proposed to be acquired by any 

government or government 

instrumentality which would 

affect your enjoyment of the 

property. 

That the sewer service lines 

are fully disclosed on the 

sewerage service diagram and 

that the planning certificate 

provides an accurate of the 

zoning of the land as at the date 

of the contract. 

If you have carried out 

improvements or building 

works you should include 

copies of a building certificate, 

an occupation certificate, 

a copy of home owners 

warranty insurance and if you 

have a pool, a certificate of 

compliance. 

You may also provide to the 

successful purchaser copies of 

the plans as approved by the 

council in the case of major 

works. 

Your solicitor usually 

provides special conditions 

to the contract. i.e. terms and 

conditions additional to the Law 

Societies standard conditions 

found in the first pages of the 

contract. 

Special conditions are drawn 

to protect the vendor’s best 

interests. It may be that the 

vendor is purchasing another 

property at the same time 

as selling and desires to 

have both settlements occur 

simultaneously. A special 

condition which seeks the 

release of the deposit for the 

purpose of a deposit on the 

new property may therefore be 

included. 

It is customary for solicitors 

for vendors and purchasers to 

negotiate many of the terms 

and conditions of the contract. 

For example, a purchaser may 

want to have a shorter or more 

likely longer settlement period 

than the usual 42 days. 

Often there are negotiations 

over what is included in the 

sale for example fittings and 

fixtures or what constitutes 

fittings and fixtures and in 

cases where vendors are 

downsizing furniture and 

furnishings may be included or 

offered in the sale. 

All these matters must be 

negotiated and settled before 

exchange. 

Another element vitally 

important in the sale is the real 

estate agent. 

It is not lawful to show or 

advertise a property without 

a contract available for a 

prospective purchaser to view 

or obtain a copy. It is always 

desirable that the vendor 

has a solicitor responsive 

to prospective purchaser’s 

solicitor’s enquiries as they 

examine the contract. 

When the contracts have been 

exchanged and the property 

has been taken off the market 

the deposit cheque is frequently 

handed to the real estate agent 

to invest in an interest-bearing 

account until settlement. If 

you don’t have an agent your 

solicitor may do it for you. 

At settlement the interest 

earned on the deposit will 

usually be split equally between 

the vendor and purchaser. 

These two articles have 

endeavoured to provide 

information on some of the 

steps and matters which occur 

in the process of buying and 

selling residential property. 

They are not an exhaustive 

summary of the steps to be 

taken but they may provide 

some of the issues you should 

consider when buying and 

selling. It can be an extremely 

complex area of law and should 

not be embarked upon without 

professional legal advice. 

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 




Trades & Services 


AIR CONDITIONING 

Alliance Climate Control 

Call 02 9186 4179 

Air Conditioning & Electrical Professionals. 

Specialists in Air Conditioning Installation, 

Service, Repair & Replacement. 

BATHROOMS 

Northern Beaches Bathrooms 

Call 0475 147 375 

Specialists at complete bathroom 

renovations, mains and ensuites. Prompt, 

reliable. High-quality work. Free quotes. 

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. 

CARS WANTED 

AAA Absolutely Unwanted 

Call Mike 0414 423 200 

All cars, vans, utes and trucks removed free; 

cash up to $30,000. Same-day removal all 

suburbs. 

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. 

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. 



housewashing - 

northernbeaches.com.au 

Call Ben 0408 682 525 

Celebrating 25 years in Avalon & Collaroy. 

Experts in softwashing & pressure washing. 

Also windows, gutters, roofs & driveways. 

CONCRETING 

Adrians Concrete 

Call Adrian 0404 172 435 

Driveways, paths, slabs… all your concreting 

needs; Northern Beaches-based. 

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. 

FENCING 

Add-A-Fence 

Call Adam 0410 332 197 

Supply and install for pool, garden, all timber 

and tubular fencing. Plus gates, handrails, 

security and more. Repairs / small & big jobs. 

Lic 3391C. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

JEWELLER 

Gold ‘n’ Things 

Call 9999 4991 

Specialists in remodelling. On-premises 

(Mona Vale) workshop for cleaning, repairing 

(including laser welding), polishing. Family 

owned for nearly 40 years. 

HOT WATER 

Hot Water Maintenance NB 

Call 9982 1265 

Local emergency specialists, 7 days. Sales, 

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. 


Melaleuca Landscapes 

Call Sandy 0416 276 066 

Professional design and construction 

for every garden situation. Sustainable 

vegetable gardens and waterfront 

specialist. 




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. 

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. 

POSITION VACANT 

Practice Manager 

Call Sam on 0435 165 265. 

George & Matilda Eyecare for Mark Wilson 

Optometrists in Dee Why are looking for a 

Practice Manager. Call Sam on 0435 165 265. 




RUBBISH REMOVAL 

Jack’s Rubbish Removals 

Call Jack 0403 385 312 

Up to 45% cheaper than skips. Latest health 

regulations. Old-fashioned honesty & 

reliability. Free quotes. 

One 2 Dump 

Call Josh 0450 712 779 

Seven-days-a-week pick-up service includes 

general household rubbish, construction, 

commercial plus vegetation. Also car 

removals. 

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. 




Food Life 

with Janelle Bloom 


Recipes: janellebloom.com.au; Insta: instagram.com/janellegbloom/ 

Make and bake: homemade 

Xmas gifts from the heart 

Yes, it’s November! Where did the year go! 

While there have been plenty of curve 

balls thrown at us this year, it’s time 

to push them aside and start planning for 

Christmas. 

Step 1: write up a list of all teachers, 

doctors, tradies, work colleagues, family and 

Mexican spiced 

Macadamia nuts 

(Makes 2 cups) 

2 cups (300g) raw Australian 

Macadamia kernels 

30g butter 

1 tbs maple syrup 

2 tbs (20g) Taco spice mix 

(Fiery) or Mexican seasoning 

(see Janelle’s Tip) 

1. Preheat the oven 150°C fan 

forced. Line a baking tray 

with baking paper. 

2. Melt the butter in a medium 

frying pan over medium 

heat. Add the maple and 

spice mix or seasoning. Cook 

shaking pan for 15 seconds. 

Add the macadamia nuts, stir 

to coat. 

3. Spread the macadamia 

nuts onto the tray. Roast 

for 20-25 minutes, stirring 

every 5 minutes until the 

macadamias are golden and 

roasted. Set aside to cool. 

As a Christmas Gift: Pack them 

into cellophane bags, then into 

Christmas gift boxes or spoon 

into clean, sterilised jars. 

Storage: Nuts will keep 1 month 

in airtight bags or jars, at room 

temperature. 

Tip: Use hot taco seasoning if 

you like them spicy; alternately 

you can use medium or regular 

taco seasoning. 

Aunt Dot’s 

Rum Balls 

(Makes about 24) 

This recipe is a ‘family 

heirloom’, and I think the 

best rum balls ever! 

250g pkt Marie biscuits 

1 cup icing sugar 

2 tbs cocoa powder 

2 tbs (40ml) golden syrup 

4 tbs (80ml) dark rum (see 

Janelle’s Tip) 

2 tbs (40ml) sherry 

a good pinch sea salt flakes, 

crushed 

1 cup grated dark or milk 

chocolate 

1½ cups desiccated coconut, 

chocolate sprinkles or extra 

grated chocolate, for coating 

1. Place the biscuits into a food 

processor, process to fine 

crumbs. Transfer to a mixing 

bowl. Add the icing sugar, 

friends who are on the home-made gifts list 

for this year! Step 2: decide what to make – 

and that’s where I can help you out. I have put 

together my favourite things to make as gifts 

that won’t break the bank, but will certainly 

be received with gratitude. Get the family 

together and start planning! 

cocoa powder, golden syrup, 

rum, sherry, salt and grated 

chocolate. Mix well, adding 

more rum if necessary to 

make a suitable consistency 

for rolling. The mixture 

should come together in a 

firm ball when to squeeze a 

spoonful in your hand. 

2. Spread the coconut, sprinkles 

or extra grated chocolate 

onto a plate. 

3. Using damp hands (this helps 

roll the balls into smooth 

rounds), roll a small spoonful 

of mixture into even size 

ball, then roll in the coconut, 

sprinkles or chocolate 

(important to roll while the 

surface of the rum ball is a 

little wet from your damp 

hands). 

4. Place into small paper cases 

and refrigerate at least 3 

days. Rum balls get better the 

longer they have to chill. 

As a Christmas Gift: Place into 

gift boxes or airtight jars and 

give as a gift. 

Janelle’s Tip: If you prefer not to 

add alcohol, you can replace the 

rum and sherry with ½ cup cold 

espresso. 

Gingerbread granola 


4 cups traditional rolled oats 

3 cups mixed nuts (like walnuts, 

whole almonds and pecans) 

½ cup brown sugar 

½ cup extra light olive oil or 

grapeseed oil 

¼ cup maple syrup 

¼ cup golden syrup 

1 tbs ground ginger 

2 tsp each ground cinnamon 

and nutmeg 

1 cup dried fruit, like raisins, 

sultanas, craisins, chopped 

dried apricots 

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C 

fan forced. Grease a large 

roasting pan with olive oil. 

2. Combine the oats, nut and 

sugar in a large bowl, mix 

well. 

3. Combine the oil, maple syrup 

and golden syrup in a small 

saucepan. Stir over medium 

heat until hot. Remove from 

the heat, stir in the spices. 

Pour the warm spice mixture 

into the oats. Mix well. Spoon 

the mixture into the roasting 

pan, spreading out evenly. 

4. Bake for 15 minutes, stir 

and bake a further 15-20 

minutes without stirring (this 

allows the granola to clump 

together) or until golden. 

Removed from the oven. 

Scatter over the dried fruit, 

set aside to cool. 

As a Christmas Gift: Spoon 



into airtight jars. Add 

swing tags and Christmas 

decorations. 

Reindeer cookies 

(Makes about 18) 

125g butter, chopped at room 

temperature 

¼ cup caster sugar 

¼ cup brown sugar 

1 egg 

1½ cups plain flour 

1 tsp ground cinnamon 

100g milk chocolate, melted 

red Smarties, Jaffas or M&Ms, 

to decorate 

1. Using an electric mixer, 

beat the butter and sugars 

together until creamy. Add 

the egg and beat until just 

combined. Sift the flour and 

cinnamon together over the 

butter mixture, beat on low 

speed until the dough just 

comes together. 

2. Turn the dough onto a lightly 

floured surface. Gently knead 

until the base is smooth. 

Divide into two. Shape each 

into 2cm-thick discs. Wrap 

in baking paper, place in the 

fridge for 30 minutes. 

3. Roll the dough between 

sheets baking paper until 

3mm thick. Use 8cm round 

cutter to cut discs from the 

dough, rerolling unused 

dough and chilling as 

require. Place cookies on 

lined baking trays, allowing 

a little room between each. 

Place in the fridge 15 minutes 

until firm. 

4. Preheat oven to 180°C 

fan forced. Bake for 10-12 

minutes or until light golden. 

Cool on trays. 

5. Spoon the chocolate into a 

resealable snap lock bag. 

Make a small cut in one 

corner. Use chocolate to 


attach the smarties to the 

biscuits for noses. Pipe the 

remaining chocolate on the 

biscuits to make reindeer 

eyes and antlers. Allow to 

set. 

As a Christmas Gift: Place 

into cellophane bags, tie with a 

Christmas ribbon and swing tag 

as gifts. 

Microwave 

caramilk, pistachio 

craisin fudge 

(Makes 16) 

1x395g can condensed milk 

1 cup caster sugar 

100g butter, chopped 

2 tbs liquid glucose or light 

corn syrup (see tip) 

180g caramilk or white 

chocolate, chopped 

2/3 cup pistachio kernels, 

roughly chopped, toasted 

½ cup craisins, roughly 

chopped 

1. Line a 20cm (base) square 

cake pan with baking paper, 

extending the paper up the 

sides of the pan. 

2. Combine condensed milk, 

caster sugar, butter, and 

glucose in a large heatproof, 

microwave-safe bowl. 

Microwave, uncovered, on 

High, stirring every minute 

for 6-8 minutes or until 

mixture the mixture comes 

to the boil, thickens and 

changes a light caramel 

colour. 

3. Add the chocolate; stir until 

chocolate melts and mixture 

is smooth. Stir in most of 

pistachio kernels and craisins 

(leaving a few of each to 

press on top). Pour into pan 

and smooth the surface. 

Sprinkle over the remaining 

pistachio kernels and 

For more recipes go to janellebloom.com.au 

craisins, press into the fudge. 

Place in the fridge 4 hours to 

set. Cut into pieces. 

As a Christmas Gift: Wrap 

individually in baking paper 

and place into gift boxes or 

jars. Fudge will keep in the 

fridge for 4 weeks. 

Janelle’s Tip: You can buy 

liquid glucose or light corn 

syrup from supermarket or 

health food stores. 

Strawberry 

margarita jam 


1kg fresh strawberries, washed, 

hulled, roughly chopped 

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon 

juice 

5 cups white sugar 

2 tbs citrus pectin 

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime 

juice 

½ cup tequila 

¼ cup Triple Sec (or other 

orange liqueur) 

1. Combine strawberries and 

lemon juice in a large bowl. 

Add 1 cup of the sugar, stir 

to coat. Cover and refrigerate 

3 hours or overnight to 

macerate. 

2. Combine remaining sugar 

with pectin and mix well (this 

prevents the pectin from 

clumping). 

3. Pour the strawberry mixture 

to a large non-reactive 

saucepan. Add lime, tequila 

and Trip sec, stir to combine. 

Sprinkle over pectin sugar 

mixture, stirring until well 

combined. 

4. Place over medium heat, 

bring to the boil slowly, 

stirring occasionally until 

the sugar has dissolved. Boil 

gently, stirring occasionally, 

for 20-30 minutes, skimming 

and scum from the top every 

10 minutes. Cook until the 

jam reaches the setting 

point. 

As a Christmas Gift: Spoon 

into sterilised jars and seal. 

Decorate with Christmas fabric 

and ribbon. 

To sterilise jars: Place jars 

with lids in a large saucepan 

of simmering water for 10 

minutes. Using tongs, remove 

jars and lids to a clean tea 

towel. Ladel hot jam into hot 

jars. Secure the lids. Turn the 

jam upside down for 3 minutes 

then turn upright and set aside 

to cool. 

Test for setting point: Place 

a small plate in the freezer 

for 10 minutes to chill. Drop a 

spoonful of jam onto the chilled 

plate. Refrigerate for 3 minutes. 

Push your finger through the 

chilled jam – if the jam stays 

separate on the plate and 

wrinkles as it is pushed, setting 

point has been reached. If not, 

cook for a little longer. 


Food Life


Pick of the Month: 


Beetroot 

Beetroot, which is ripe 

when picked, can be 

roasted, steamed, boiled, 

baked microwaved, pickled 

and grated raw. 

They are a good source of 

dietary fibre and folic acid 

and contain a useful source 

of vitamin C. 

Select smooth skin 

beetroot that are not split at 

the top. The leaves and stems 

should be intact. 

Storage 

Store beetroot in a storage 

bag (with leaves intact) in the 

crisper section of the fridge 

for up to 10 days. 

Preparation 

Cut the stems from the 

top of the beetroot, 

leaving approximately 

2-3cm depending on the 

recipe. Leave the root end 

untouched. Wash the beetroot 

well to remove the surface 

soil. 

Cook with skin on to 

avoid the colour running. 

Use rubber gloves to rub 

the skin from the beetroots 

after cooking. The leaves are 

edible, wash well to remove 

soil and blanch, steam or 

microwave until just wilted. 

(Chop and use in soups, pasta 

sauces.) 

Pickled Beetroot 

(Makes 1 x 2-cup jar) 

This is delicious in salads, 

on sandwiches, wraps and 

burgers. 

1 bunch beetroot, trimmed, 

scrubbed 

1 cup red wine vinegar 

½ cup caster sugar 

1 tsp mustard seeds 

1 tsp peppercorns 

1 fresh bay leaf or 2 dried 

bay leaves 

½ tsp sea salt flakes 

1 star anise 

1. Preheat oven to 180°C fan 

forced. Wrap the beetroot 

together in foil. Place on 

a tray. Roast for 1 to 1½ 

hours or until tender. Set 

aside to cool. 

2. Peel beetroot. Use a sharp 

knife to chop the beetroot. 

Place in a 2-cup 

sterilised jar. 

3. Combine. 

In Season 

November 

Look out for a wide variety 

of tomatoes, asparagus, 

Asian greens; Hass 

avocadoes; broad beans, 

coloured baby carrots; 

green and yellow beans; 

beetroot; capsicum, peas; 

green onions, zucchini 

and zucchini flowers. 

The top fruit buys are 

blueberries, blackberries, 

raspberries, strawberries, 

grapes, pineapple, early 

season cherries, mangoes 

and melons including 

rockmelon, green melon 

and seedless watermelon. 



Tasty Morsels 

with Beverley Hudec 

Some Tiny Morsels to savour in November 

You can't get enough 

of these Bad Boys 

Newport’s eat street has a new player. 

Bad Boys Kebab adds kebabs, pide, 

gozleme, Turkish pizza and burgers 

to Robertson Rd’s global food scene. 

Eat in, or order one of the takeaway 

falafel wraps, stuffed with crunchy 

pickles, tabouli, salad and hummus 

sauce for an impromptu beach picnic. 

For something different, the menu has 

a camel burger. 

Taste of Spain 

hits Mona Vale 

Hola Bocado! Pittwater RSL’s 

newest eatery taps neatly 

into tapas. Spanish for 

“small bites”, Bocado’s menu 

embraces savoury nibbles 

like marinated meatballs 

and bacon-wrapped chorizo. 

There are more-substantial 

sharing dishes including 

flatbreads and a fiery prawn 

pizza topped with chilli flakes 

and sriracha mayo. The venue 

opens on November 3. 

In good spirits 

at The Good Bar 

Two buzzwords – cube 

maturation – are the talk of 

Brookvale. Goodradigbee is 

distilling its brand of spirits 

with an innovative, distinctly 

Australian twist. Instead 

of French or American oak 

barrels, this new distillery is 

using native hardwood cubes. 

The cubes offer more contact 

surface area than barrels so 

the artisan spirits develop 

their flavour, complexity 

and colour much faster than 

traditional barrel maturation 

processes. Goodradigbee is 

also distilling wood-infused 

and native botanical gins 

and vodka. The Good Bar on 

Orchard Rd is open for tipples 

and food on Wednesday 

to Friday from 4pm. On 

weekends, doors open at 

noon on Saturdays and from 

10am on Sundays. 

Barrenjoey House is 100 

From those early days of 

Over the years too, this iconic 

tea and scones to lobster Palm Beach venue has played 

cocktails, charred broccolini a pivotal role in the culinary 

with tahini and trendy mezcal backstory of several high-profile 

cocktails, Barrenjoey House’s chefs. Peter Kuruvita, the late 

menu has moved with the times Darren Simpson and Neil Perry 

in its 100-year history. 

have all worked in the kitchen. 

Originally built for the Resch Until October 31, Barrenjoey You’ll find Casa, the new casual 

family in 1923, its current 

House is celebrating its very Italian restaurant and bar in the 

owners, The Boathouse Group, special birthday with luxe $100 existing homewares store just 

has created a restaurant, bar menus and champagne. 

down the road. The menu has 

and guest accommodation built Moving forward, the group antipasto, pizza and cocktails. 

around its signature brand of has also unveiled Casa, a 

Aperol Spritz paired with 

Aussie Hampton style. 

pop-up that’s summer-ready. shopping, what could be better? 



Tasty Morsels

Garden Life 

with Gabrielle Bryant 


Prepare for your new lawn 

and you’ll soon be on a roll 

If you are planning a new lawn, now is 

the best time to get going before the 

weather gets too hot. New lawns take 

several weeks to establish but there 

is still time to establish the grass in 

readiness for Christmas entertaining. It 

is a simple task but there are a few steps 

that are essential for success. 

First, prepare the ground well. Rake 

and level the surface, removing any 

weeds and stones. Weeds can be easily 

removed with Slasher, or another weed 

killer that does not sterilise the soil. If 

you have sufficient soil loosen it with a 

rake or hoe to a depth of at least 10cm; 

alternatively, apply a layer of fresh, sandy 

soil that can be supplied by your turf 

supplier. The surface along pathways 

should remain 2cm below the path to 

allow for the thickness of the turf. 

Next, add some lawn starter fertiliser 

and water crystals to the surface before 

laying the turf. 

When rolling out the turf lay it in a 

brick pattern. By doing this it will remain 

stable until it is firmly rooted. Butt the 

edges firmly together, leaving no gaps 

between the edges; any soil that remains 

exposed will allow weeds to creep in 

before the new grass begins to grow. 

If you lay turf on a sloping site, roll out 

the turf horizontally across the area to 

keep it in position. Vertical rolls will slip. 

Once the turf is laid, water it 

thoroughly and roll the whole area to 

make sure that there is complete contact 

between the turf and the soil below. 

Rollers are easily hired for the day. 

Each turf roll is one square metre 

and measures approx 1.7m x 6m. 

When ordering, allow for extra rolls 

(5-10%) to avoid using small pieces to 

fill the gaps. These small pieces rarely 

take easily. 

Watering is essential until the turf is 

growing. Make sure not to let it dry out! 

Summer water 

We had a few heavy showers in mid- 

October, but the soil remains dry. 

It is time to prepare your garden for a 

hot dry summer. Automated sprinkler 

systems are fantastic but expensive; a 

soaker hose will give a good soaking 

to the soil at minimal cost. If shrubs 

are taller, try stapling the soaker hose 

to the top bar of the fence. A tap timer 

that can be programmed to minimise 

water wastage is easy to install. 

There is often confusion about the 

different benefits of water crystals and 

liquid wetting agents. Both can help 

with the dry conditions ahead. 

A wetting agent is a liquid that is 

applied to the surface of the earth, 

either as a ready-to-use product or 

mixed into a sprayer. By reducing the 

surface tension, it will allow water to 

penetrate dry, hydrophobic soil and 

reach deep down to the roots of the 

plants. An application to all lawns 

and garden beds will be beneficial in 

upcoming summer months. 

Water crystals are different. They 

are small beads that absorb the water. 

They can increase up to 500 times their 

size. Mixed into the soil or potting mix 

they will store water to be released 

slowly to the roots as needed. Water 

crystals will reduce the number of 

times that you will need to water your 

plants. 

A quick word of warning: They work 

magic for your plants but keep them 

away from pets and children as they 

are toxic. 



Adenium Desert Rose 

It is hard to believe that 

the Desert Rose adenium 

obesum, with its olive green 

leaves and trumpet-shaped 

flowers, is a member of the 

succulent family. This exotic 

plant is slow growing and 

easy to grow, making it one 

of the easiest plants for a 

beginner or experienced 

gardener alike. 

It originates from the 

hot dry regions of Africa 

and the Middle East. The 

swollen trunk and sculptured 

branches make it easily 

mistaken for a bonsai, but 

it is not. Instead of swollen 

leaves to store water like 

most succulents, it stores the 

water in its swollen trunk, 

looking like a miniature 

bottle tree. 

The soft green leaves will 

fall in autumn when the 

temperature falls below 12 

degrees and it will remain 

dormant until spring, when 

the flower buds appear in all 

shades from white through 

pink to deep crimson. 

Shrimp plants are old-time favourites that are coming back 

into popularity. The name is very appropriate. When it is 

in full flower it looks as though it should be in the fish shop 

window. The pinkish brown flowers look just like shrimps. The 

“flowers” are bracts of colour, and the actual tiny white flowers 

peep out from 

behind. 

Shrimp plants 

have been 

listed under 

three different 

names, but 

most commonly 

as Beloperone 

guttata. Shrimp 

plants love a warm, 

semi-shaded 

position. They 

are amongst the 

easiest plants 

to grow. Trim 

them regularly to 

keep them bushy 

and you will be 

rewarded with 

flowers year-round. 

They will grow to 

about 90cm tall and wide but can easily be kept smaller. The most 

usual colour is pink but there is also a lime green and yellow one 

available. 

If you are very lucky there is a variegated pink variety which is 

hard to find. Its flowers are brighter pink than the common pink 

variety. 


It is an amazing little 

plant; it’s perfect for pots 

indoors or out, where 

the light is bright, has 

sheltered morning sun and is 

protected from the weather. 

In a warmer climate where 

it can be grown in the 

ground the Desert Rose can 

reach a height of 2m, but in 

Sydney it is better grown in 

pots. It will grow slowly, a 

maximum of 30cm in a year; 

it can be re-potted each year, 

but to keep it small leave it 

in the same pot for several 

years before potting on. 

Adeniums should be 

grown in pots with great 

drainage to prevent root rot, 

using a succulent mix with 

additional sand. They have 

a shallow root system, so 

bonsai pots are perfect. To 

keep if flowering fertilise 

monthly with a half-strength 

liquid fertiliser. 

To propagate, it can be 

grown from seed that will set 

after flowering, or you can 

take z cutting in winter when 

Shell out for Shrimp plant 

it loses its leaves – be careful 

as the sap is poisonous. 

Allow the cut surface to 

heal for several days before 

planting into a cactus mix. If 

you grow seeds the seedlings 

will not always be the same 

as the parent plant. 


Garden Life


Jobs this Month 

November 


After a mixed beginning 

to spring with both 

heatwaves and sudden 

cold, at last the warmer 

weather is settling in. If 

you haven’t sown vegetable 

seeds, buy some ready-toplant 

seedlings. Plant now 

tomatoes, climbing beans, 

bush beans, squash, zucchini, 

pumpkin, cucumber, spring 

onions, carrots, lettuce, 

capsicum, eggplant, basil, 

coriander, parsley, oregano, 

and all other herbs. 

Worm watch 

Army worm are on the march 

as the weather warms up. If 

tell-tale patches appear in the 

grass, spray with Neem oil. 

These caterpillars appear at 

dusk to eat their fill of your 

lawn and its roots. If you are 

unsure, leave a damp towel 

on the grass overnight and 

look under it in the morning. 

If caterpillars are there, they 

will be under the towel. 

Aggie care 

It is Agapanthus month, with 

purple and white flowers 

everywhere! Remember to cut 

back the flower heads before 

they go to seed and escape 

into neighbouring bushland. 

Agapanthus come in all sizes, 

from the giant white-and-blue 

striped Queen Mum; the dark, 

nearly black/violet flowers of 

Black Panther; to the tiny white 

Snow Flake (just 15cm tall) 

that looks so dainty in a pot. 

Choose carefully and make sure 

of the height before planting. 

Bad bindii 

Too late now to control the 

bindii in the grass. The seed 

heads are already formed, 

with the tiny barbs that 

are designed to hook onto 

passing prey to spread the 

seed far and wide. Bindii 

cannot differentiate between 

human feet and the fur 

coats of wild animals! The 

only way now is to sit on the 

grass with a glass of wine 

and systematically dig out 

the bindii plants. A garden 

weeder makes the job easy. 

Xmas colour 

There are only a few weeks 

until Christmas, but there is 

still time to plant petunias, 

alyssum, lobelia, bedding 

begonias, asters, portulaca, 

nasturtiums, gerberas, French 

marigolds and ageratum. Get 

them in now for Christmas 

colour. 

Tomato tips 

Tomatoes are the most 

popular vegetable and the 

easiest to grow. The larger 

table varieties attract fruit 

fly and will need regular 

treatment to protect the crop. 

White oil sprays every week 

and a Cera trap fruit fly bait 

hanging on the plant. For 

carefree tomato growing, 

plant the small cherry-size 

tomatoes. They don’t attract 

the dreaded fruit fly. 

Last things 

Don’t forget the bees. Spray 

flowering veggie crops with 

Bee Keeper to increase the 

pollination for a bumper crop… 

Warm weather is bringing 

back the weeds. Spray with an 

organic weedkiller that won’t 

harm the environment. Slasher 

is one but there are many on 

the market… If you harvest 

your spring onions, either cut 

them off just above the soil 

leaving the roots, or replant 

the roots. They will grow again 

faster than new seedlings. 

Crossword solution from page 82 

Mystery location: HERON COVE 



Times Past 

Barrenjoey High School memories 

When Barrenjoey High School 

opened in 1968 there were 

almost a quarter of a million 

students engaged in secondary school 

education under the new Wyndham 

Scheme. The first school magazine, produced 

in 1971 and called ‘Kulka’, named 

the 751 students who attended that year. 

The Government Architect’s Office 

helped to alleviate the pressing problem 

of increasing student numbers using 

what were called ‘doughnut buildings’, 

with Michael Dysart as the brainchild. 

They were usually sited around a central 

area creating a large open space but, as 

some students recalled, they created 

a cold wind tunnel effect, especially 

in winter. Apparently Dysart hadn’t 

anticipated the prevailing sou-easterlies 

of Avalon Beach sufficiently and one 

ex-student recollected: “The wind would 

blow off the ocean between the headland 

and Avalon Beach sandhills but we 

wouldn’t lower the hems on our uniforms 

for anything.” 

There are times when the history of an 

event is best recounted by those present 

as prime sources. Here are some recollections 

to stir the memories. 

“I remember jumping off the first floor 

into the fibreglass insulation bags when 

it was being built. We were so itchy after 

the bags split open and the fibreglass got 

into our skin.” 

“We initially lived in Elaine Avenue 

right behind the school and when 

construction started and the pile driver 

began thumping its way to bedrock, the 

shudder was deafening.” 

Up to eight students used to ride to 

school and one student recalled “the 

horse paddock gate would be ‘accidentally’ 

left unlatched at lunch time. Then, 

shock, horror… classes would notice that 

the horses had escaped, requiring students 

to rush out of class to rescue the 

THROUGH THE YEARS: 

BHS after construction 

in 1968; a recent aerial 

which shows clearly 

the squared ‘donut 

design’ by Dysart; the 

striking cover a 1974 

issue of ‘Kulka’. 

horses”. Another recalled “several horses 

jumped the barricade in the mood of 

a stampede and the other horses just 

ploughed through it. They formed a herd 

of around seven horses clattering down 

Tasman Road”. 

Milton Brown, one of the teachers, was 

a member of the NSW School Surfing 

Association and after intense lobbying of 

the Department of Education from 1976 

to 1980, managed to have Barrenjoey 

High School declared the first school 

to have surfing officially approved as 

a school sport. As a consequence, one 

recollection claimed that “not everyone 

who entered the cross country through 

he sandhills returned, they got lost in 

the surf.” 

Another recalled that “some boys 

would go for a surf at lunch and return 

covered in sand – if they returned at all”. 

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 



Travel Life 

The North Pole: [Northern] 


There’s a lot to take in at arguably the remotest place on the planet. Story by Sharon Godden 

The North Pole – the top of 

the world, not Santa’s home 

– is a famed, almost mystical 

geographical location. But it does exist 

– and in August, my daughter and I were 

privileged to join the ranks of the few 

thousand people to have ticked it off 

their destination bucket list. 

To put things into perspective, our 

voyage was on the stately PONANT vessel 

Le Commandant Charcot’s ninth trip to the 

North Pole – and only 168 times has any 

ship ever reached 90° North. Only around 

22,000 people have ever reached there. 

The first man to ever reach the North 

Pole was Ronald Amundsen in 1926, on 

an airship which flew over the ice caps 

with 16 men onboard. 

Almost 100 years on, our journey 

started with a charter flight from Paris to 

Norway’s Spitsbergen archipelago, where 

we boarded Le Commandant Charcot. 

We set off not realising the remarkable 

adventure that lay in store. 

In the evening we were briefed by our 

captain Patrick Marchesseau (regarded 

as somewhat of a nautical hero given his 

capture by Somali pirates on Le Ponant); 

we were to sail north and could expect to 

see our first sea ice in two days. Beyond 

this point we would be breaking through 

ice drifts for another two days, before 

reaching the geographic North Pole. 

Crushing through sea ice is an outof-body 

experience. With 24 hours of 

daylight, the sun hovers slightly over the 

horizon and the ice covers the ocean, 

creating a desert of white – it’s like flying 

in a plane through clouds just before 

sunset. Crushing through the ice can 

also be a similar feeling to turbulence on 

a plane; it’s more of a vibration than a 

rocking sensation. 

En route we were treated to 

numerous lectures from the expedition 

team, including qualified naturalists, 

photographers and scientists. 

Vessels cruising these waters are 

invested in scientific investigations, 

given their ability to enter such 

remote environments. An onboard 

science research lab is kitted out for 

experiments. 

My favorite place to experience the ice 

crushing was from the bow, watching the 

ice crack and shatter. Every morning we’d 

pull back the curtains of our cabin and it 

was like a Christmas surprise, wondering 

what new vista awaited. The excitement 

among travellers and crew is palpable for 

days; we are also on 24-hour lookout for 

wildlife including Polar Bears, seals and 

whales. 

On the fourth morning Captain Patrick 

announces we will reach the North Pole 

that afternoon. At 2pm we all gather on 

the helicopter pad at the front of the ship. 

Finally, we arrive. The vessel reaches 90 

degrees North. Patrick sounds the horn 

and the crew let off flares. Then an opulent 

surprise: rising from below deck, up to 

the helipad, champagne and canapes are 

conveyed – accompanied by a saxophonist 

playing ‘What A Wonderful World’. 

This was a true ‘Ponant moment’ when 

we thought “we are the luckiest humans on 

the planet to be in this place right now”. 

After the welcome celebration we 

prepared to disembark and venture out 

onto the ice sheet; we put on orange 

parkers (supplied by Ponant), plus our 

boots, thermals and beanies; we were ready 

to play! (I say play because we were all like 

kids playing in the snow with snowshoes/ 

cross country skis and toboggans.) 

We would have been out there for a 

couple of hours but the unexpected 

Plan your perfect Cruise with us! Call 



CLOCKWISE FROM OPPOSITE: Four days from civilisation; the Northern Lights; 

we made it – only 168 times has any ship reached 90 degrees North; crushing 

through the ice – “it’s an out-of-body experience”; snug on an icy expedition 

within sight of Le Commandant Charcot; the “friendly” Polar Bear that managed 

to sniff out our cruise party from its home two kilometres away! 

happened; the expedition team started 

ushering us back onboard, saying they 

needed to pack up. However, it was 

revealed a polar bear from around two 

kilometres away was making its way to 

the ship. 

We watched as the most magnificent 

animal I have ever seen in the wild 

walked across the icy expanse to 

our ship. The bear had smelled our 

footprints in the snow and was probably 

thinking “how I am going to eat these 

people”. (Actually, it probably smelled 

the amazing French cuisine onboard that 

was being cooked for our dinner.) The 

Polar Bear stayed around for an hour, 

which enabled us to just sit and observe 

this beautiful creature. 

We remained parked on the ice sheet 

overnight before the expedition team 

went out the next morning, scouting to 

make sure there were no Polar Bears still 

hanging around. The expedition team 

set up a guarded perimeter around the 

ship so that we could explore. On the 

day’s agenda was more fun on the ice 

– and the ‘Polar plunge’, an incredible, 

exhilarating experience. 

We left the North Pole that afternoon; 

there was some sadness in knowing that 

we possibly would never return and that 

Lights, cameras, action! 

quite possibly in years to come this ice 

sheet will be gone… along with the Polar 

Bears that call this place home. 

Captain Patrick was quick to lift our 

spirits, telling us the second half of 

the cruise was going to be every bit as 

exciting. We headed back to Svalbard for 

three days and over to East Greenland. 

In Svalbard, we visited Ny-Alesund, a 

research town where Amundsen and 

his men left in their airship to reach the 

North Pole. We cruised in Zodiacs up 

close and personal to Lilliehook Glacier, 

where we could hear the cracking and 

rumble of the glacier sliding into the 

sea (also known as ‘carving’). The blues, 

whites and greys of the landscapes 

were so enchanting it was difficult to 

stop taking more and more photos. We 

saw more Polar Bears on land from our 

Zodiacs (not too close). One morning 

when we awoke there was so much fog 

that we got in the Zodiac and seconds 

later could not even see the ship 

(although we did see a group of walruses 

which came close to us in the ocean). 

Last stop was Ittoqqortoormiit, one 

of the remotest towns on the planet 

in East Greenland inhabited by Inuit 

people. Some of the guests went for a 

four-hour hike with the expedition team. 

(Everywhere we stopped on land you had 

an option of hiking or possibly kayaking, 

depending on the weather.) 

Then we journeyed back to Iceland, 

cruising past beautiful icebergs with the 

sun setting. That evening at 11.30pm, 

when most of us were asleep, the 

captain announced over the loudspeaker 

that the Northern Lights were out and 

putting on a show! Jumping out of bed, 

we quickly dressed and raced outside to 

watch a mesmerising two-hour show of 

the Northern Lights. What a way to end 

the cruise! 

After one more day at sea we arrived 

in Iceland to start our land adventure. 

Be warned: once you visit the world’s 

polar regions you will want to keep 

going back for more – the polar areas 

are captivating, and so integral to what 

keeps humans alive, and the planet’s 

environments balanced. 

*The author would like to thank Ponant 

for the opportunity to experience the 

world’s first luxurious Ice Breaker and 

its journey of exploration through the 

polar regions. For more information on 

the Le Commandant North Pole trips, 

or any of the polar regions, call Travel 

View Avalon on 9973 4444. We would 

love to help! 


the team on 9918 4444 



Pittwater Puzzler 

Compiled by David Stickley 

28 To separate by untwisting (7) 

29 Pittwater haven, Scotland 

______ (6) 

30 Reflector studs set into a road 

(4,4) 

Pittwater Puzzler 

ACROSS 

1 Park located along the southern 

foreshores of Narrabeen Lagoon (8) 

5 Fishing equipment attached to 

fishing lines indicating biting fish (6) 

10 Provide commentary for a film, 

for example (7) 

11 To mark or ornament with 

incised letters, designs, etc. (7) 

12 One the events in the Pittwater 

Ocean Swim Series (3,3,4) 

13 Band that Rod Willis helped get 

to the top, ____Chisel (4) 

14 Mentally perceptive and 

responsive (2,3,4) 

17 Local boatbuilder who plans to 

compete in the Mini Globe Race in 

2025, ____ Swindail (4) 

19 Careel, Towlers, Crystal are 

some (4) 

20 Person who loads new program 

onto a computer (9) 

23 To eject or expel (4) 

24 Artist whose works are now 

on display at Manly Art Gallery & 

Museum; a former Archibald Prize 

winner (4,6) 

27 Guacamole ingredient (7) 

DOWN 

1 The meeting of two major roads, 

like Pittwater Road and Mona Vale 

Road (8) 

2 To cause to be swallowed up or 

absorbed in something greater or 

superior (5) 

3 Testing people (9) 

4 Expanse of ocean (4,3) 

6 The star of Graham Draper’s 

‘The Pittwater Brick Show’ (4) 

7 Local club that features Bistro 61 

(6,1,1,1) 

8 Done without delay (6) 

9 A wire, rod, etc. exposed to 

receive or emit electromagnetic 

waves (6) 

15 Spore-producing, poisonous, 

umbrella-shaped fungus (9) 

16 Group of linked computers that 

communicate with each other (3) 

17 People who have received a 

degree on completing a course of 

study, as at a university or college 

(9) 

18 Small fancy articles, bits of 

jewellery, or the like, usually of 

little value (8) 

20 Located, suited for, or taking 

place within a building (6) 

21 An Italian anise-flavoured 

liqueur (7) 

22 Band playing at 7-down with 

Russell Hopkinson on drums 

(3,2,1) 

25 The people as distinguished 

from some particular profession, 

usually the clerical (5) 

26 The first light of day, a 

magic time on any Pittwater 

ocean beach (4) 

[Solution page 78]

Pittwater Life November 2023 Issue

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