Pittwater Life Febraury 2024 Issue

ly formed
attend have had some sort of
niggle or injury – the gym was
started to help people finish
rehab more actively. Many of
our clients have repeatedly
hurt themselves training and
we help them to move their
bodies again.
“And we really build
relationships, because
unlike the bigger gyms we’re
appointment-based, we rely
on people walking through
the door.
“The other nice thing is
that there feels like a really
cohesive community of gyms
on Pittwater and we help
each other when we can. It
feels very representative of
Avalon.”
India Carolan launched
Core Culture two years ago as
she felt there was a gap in the
market for the sort of Pilates
class she’d like to attend.
“There seemed to be only
two types of Pilates around
at the time – one was the
impersonal class at the
huge gyms, and the other
was an overly expensive
class that was very slow. I
wanted to offer something
around the $30 mark that
involved getting a sweat on
and exercising as part of the
Pilates experience.”
She found the place in
Newport during COVID
lockdown, kitted it out and
the doors were opened as
soon as normal life resumed.
It’s been very much a family
affair.
“My partner works in
real estate and helped find
the premises, my Dad is an
accountant and is a director
of the business, and my
sister Saskia is my right-hand
woman. Even my mum is very
hands-on.”
Things have gone well for
India and her family, with a
second premises now open in
Cammeray and a third studio
on the way soon. India is still
very much hands-on at the
Newport studio though and
she believes this is part of the
attraction of smaller fitness
places.
“Yes, if you have a problem
with a class, then I’m still the
first person you talk to. We
really build a relationship
with our clients. Whereas at
the bigger gyms, they’re quite
happy to earn money from
people who don’t attend, we
want people at the studio.
“I’ve also been determined to
make it a luxury environment
for my clients, so that they
love coming. There are fresh
flowers every day, clean towels
and with the cost of living high
at the moment, I want them to
get the most out of their visit.”
– Rob Pegley
*Suburb-by-suburb guide
to Pittwater’s small gyms –
page 47.
‘Revive Back to
School vouchers’
With the 2024 school
year in swing, the NSW
Opposition has called on the
Minns Government to listen
to families and restore Back
to School vouchers.
Having heard from local
families impacted by the
scrapping of the popular
Back to School vouchers,
Opposition Leader Mark
Speakman and Pittwater
MP Rory Amon agreed
the Government must act
to reduce cost of living
pressures.
“Families are struggling
to make ends meet and what
we’ve heard, and repeatedly,
is that these vouchers
made a real difference for
parents,” Mr Speakman said.
“Axing Back to School
vouchers is impacting
families here in Sydney and
across NSW particularly
hard at a time when they
can least afford it.
“While households
struggle, the Minns
Government has axed Back
to School vouchers, slashed
Active Kids, Creative Kids
and First Lap, and limited
energy relief,” he continued.
Mr Amon said that
families relied upon the
Back to School vouchers
to help them buy school
uniforms and supplies, but
that support for household
budgets had been stripped
away.
In its first Budget, the
Minns Government axed
the former Coalition
Government’s Back to
School vouchers, a cost-ofliving
assistance package
that gave all parents $150
per child in vouchers to
help with the costs of school
supplies, uniforms and
technology.
“During December’s school
presentation season, I met
thousands of parents across
Pittwater and the number
one concern for these
families in Pittwater was cost
of living,” said Mr Amon.
“Not only has the Labor
Government cut practical
cost of living alleviation
measures, such as massively
successful Active Kids and
Back to School vouchers,
Premier Minns isn’t even
across the detail.
“The Labor Government’s
cuts are having very real
consequences for Pittwater
families, but the Premier
doesn’t seem to care.” – NW
*What do you think?
Were Back to School
vouchers a useful saving
for your family? Email us
at readers@pittwaterlife.
com.au
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The Local Voice Since 1991
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