Pittwater Life Febraury 2024 Issue

News
SEEN…
Surfing industry legend Shane Stedman and media man
David ‘Kochie’ Koch are among those with ties to Pittwater
on the 2024 Australia Day Honours list. Anthony (Shane)
Stedman (formerly Mona Vale) was awarded the Medal of the
Order of Australia (OAM for service to the surfing industry,
while David was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia
(AM) for significant service to media as a television presenter,
and to economic journalism. Others included Caroline
Kelly from Avalon Beach (AM) for significant service to the
community through awareness and research funding for
pancreatic cancer, while OAMs were given to Roberta Conroy
(service to the community) and Benjamin Tory for service to
the community through emergency response organisations.
Judith Perrin was awarded an Honorary OAM for service to
gymnastics, and to the community. And Diane Elfleet and
Emma Tan were awarded the Public Service Medal (PSM) for
outstanding public service to healthcare, in particular the
delivery of COVID-19-related services. Also seen… teenage life
saver Saskia Rundle Trowbridge has been widely praised for
her daring rescue of three boys at the Warriewood blowhole
last month after a cliff jump left one of them injured. On
patrol with Warriewood SLSC, the 16-year-old jumped from
a rubber duck braving wild swells and jagged rocks (above)
to bring the boys back to safety. The injured 15-year-old was
taken to Northern Beaches Hospital where he was treated for
concussion.
HEARD…
Northern Beaches Mayor Sue Heins smacked a return
into the court of Pittwater MP Rory Amon after our State
Member demanded Council expedite the commencement of
trials of off-leash dog spaces on Mona Vale Beach South and
Palm Beach North (see story p9). Mr Amon also alleged that
for more than 20 years, forces “had worked to subvert the
will of our community, and we have evidence of this… this
cannot continue.” Mayor Heins shot back: “… we are strictly
bound by several mandatory processes. The next step in
the process is to prepare a Plan of Management for the
proposed sites which is legally required before Council can
make a decision to progress any potential trials; however,
this requires Crown Lands to delegate care, control and
management of these sites. We are currently in discussions
with them about this, while we are continuing to prepare our
draft Plan of Management. We welcome any assistance Mr
Amon can provide with lobbying the government to overhaul
the very complicated Crown Lands management processes.”
Meanwhile we note plans for a new, at-most three-storey,
$13.6 million luxury residential project on Beaconsfield
Street at Newport (below) were lodged with Northern
Beaches Council in early January. Developer Jak Newport
Pty Ltd plans to demolish the existing buildings at 54-58
Beaconsfield Street and build a part two-, part three-storey
residential
building of 13
three-bedroom
apartments
with basement
carparking for
32 vehicles.
The site is near
the Kalinya
Street Local
Centre, which
was holiday
destination up to the 1950s
before medium- and low-density residential development
increased. The median price for a three-bedroom unit at
Newport is $1.8 million.
ABSURD…
Further to our item last month on Palm Beach’s ‘hydrangea
hacker’, property owners John and Tigi Coplestone report
the thief returned for yet another round of petal plunder
– this time resulting in police action. “They returned for a
third bunch of around 10 new blooms – and we have a lovely
video of the lady in action,” John said. “The info was passed
on to police and we believe the culprit has been served a
court notice.” John said the incident had a silver lining:
“Your article drew great interest from numerous passers-by,
neighbours, friends. We’ve made many new friends! Your
readership is obviously strong.” John added several people
had sought their advice on growing their own hydrangeas
and/or questioning what a season’s bloom were worth. He
supplied Pittwater Life with his ‘grow-to’ guide, compiled
over 17 years, which we will publish in our Gardening
section in an upcoming monthly issue.
30 FEBRUARY 2024
The Local Voice Since 1991