Pittwater Life April 2018 Issue

The Local Voice Since 1991 

APRIL 2018 

FREE 

pittwaterlife 

WE WILL 

REMEMBER 

WHAT PITTWATER 

WILL BE DOING 

ON ANZAC DAY 

40 YEARS’ 

COURTSHIP 

CAREEL BAY 

TENNIS CLUB 

HITS A HIGH 

TINA 

HARROD 

IN TUNE WITH 

ISLAND LIFE 

SAFETY 

FIRST 

REDUCING RISK TO 

ANIMALS & TRAFFIC 

ON MONA VALE RD

Editorial 

Who’ll take Council’s rudder? 

The departure of Northern 

Beaches Council CEO 

Mark Ferguson less than six 

months into the role reveals a 

rift between some of the folk 

elected to govern us at a local 

level and the foot soldiers who 

deliver our essential services. 

The best candidate for 

the job, out of the talent 

pool comprising the former 

Pittwater, Warringah and 

Manly Councils, was effectively 

shown the door, resulting in a 

confidential-terms payout of 

more than $400,000. 

Now, while the recruitment 

process is undertaken, each 

of Council’s three General 

Managers will share the duties 

of running our mega Council, 

rotating on one-month shifts. 

One month? We would have 

thought that’s hardly enough 

time to read the paperwork that 

thuds on the desk, let alone 

make any meaningful progress. 

Heck, the handover from 

month to month alone must 

take a week of explanation! 

* * * 

Seems the State Government 

is serious about protecting 

its investment in the car parks 

it has built to encourage use of 

public transport, announcing 

measures to safeguard abuse. 

Users of B-Line car parks, 

including Mona Vale and 

Warriewood, will receive up 

to 18 hours of free parking, 

providing they use public 

transport within that 

timeframe – something that 

will be monitored by data 

when a new system is installed 

requiring they submit their 

Opal Card to exit the car park. 

This will ensure parking 

spaces are reserved for local 

commuters rather than be 

nabbed by residents or workers 

in local shopping districts. 

Of course, it could also be the 

first step to making us pay for 

the privilege. 

What, us cynical? – Nigel Wall 


APRIL 2018 3

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Tel: 0438 123 096 

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Email: 

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Website: 

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Publisher: Nigel Wall 

Managing Editor: Lisa Offord 

Graphic Design: CLS Design 

Photography: iStock / Staff 

Contributors: Rosamund 

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Vol 27 No 9 

Celebrating 26 years 

TINA 

HARROD 

IN TUNE WITH 

ISLAND LIFE 


APRIL 2018 

FREE 

pittwaterlife 

WE WILL 

REMEMBER 

WHAT PITTWATER 

WILL BE DOING 

ON ANZAC DAY 

40 YEARS’ 

COURTSHIP 

CAREEL BAY 

TENNIS CLUB 

HITS A HIGH 

SAFETY 

FIRST 

REDUCING RISK TO 

ANIMALS & TRAFFIC 

ON MONA VALE RD 

22 

37 

64 

WALKERS 

WANTED 

To deliver Pittwater Life 

once a month. 

Permanent and casual runs 

are available now in: 

Palm Beach, Avalon, 

Newport, Mona Vale, 

Bayview & Church Point. 

EARN TOP MONEY PAID PROMPTLY! 

Email: 

pitlifewalkers@gmail.com 

thislife 

COVER: Persistent lobbying by local environmentalists has 

seen the State Government write a cheque for $7.5 million 

to fund fauna bridges and underpasses – a Sydney first – 

as part of the new Mona Vale Road upgrade (p16); local dog 

owners react to Council's offleash park plans (p6); Palm 

Beach locals remain unimpressed at the potential loss 

of up to 26 car parking spaces in the village (p18); plan 

your Anzac Day locally (p30); meet Scotland Island singer 

and Church Point Co-Op Club founder Tina Harrod (p32); 

and learn about the history of the Careel Bay Tennis Club 

which celebrates its 40th anniversary this month (p40). 

also this month 

Editorial 3 

Pittwater Local News 6-29 

Anzac Day: Lest We Forget 30-31 

Life Stories: Tina Harrod 32-35 

Art Life 36-39 

Careel Bay Tennis Club's 40th Anniversary 40-41 

Local Call 42-43 

Surfing Life 44-45 

Health & Wellbeing; Hair & Beauty 46-53 

Money 54-55 

Law 56-57 

Food 64-66 

Crossword 67 

Gardening 68-70 

the goodlife 

Restaurants, food, gigs, travel and gardening. 

Also find our regular features on beauty, health, surfing, 

art, local history, our guide to trades and services, money, 

law and our essential maps. 

ATTENTION ADVERTISERS! 

Bookings & advertising material to set for 

our MAY issue MUST be supplied by 

WEDNESDAY 11 APRIL 

Finished art & editorial submissions deadline: 

TUESDAY 17 APRIL 

The MAY issue will be published 

on FRIDAY 27 APRIL 

COPYRIGHT 

All contents are subject to copyright and may not be reproduced except with the 

written consent of the copyright owner. GST: All advertising rates are subject to GST. 

4 APRIL 2018 

The Local Voice Since 1991

Dog paddle 

option urged 

News 

Dog owners group 

Pittwater Unleashed 

is calling on Northern 

Beaches Council to focus 

on a new dog swimming 

option north of Bilgola as a 

key deliverable in Council’s 

new $400,000 four-year plan 

to upgrade unleashed dog 

exercise areas. 

They say it’s the opportunity 

for the new Council to make 

good on an undertaking by the 

former Pittwater Council to 

find a replacement swimming 

option following the closure of 

Careel Bay in 2003. 

And they point to Station 

Beach on the Pittwater side of 

Palm Beach – a rundown strip 

where locals have for decades 

run the gauntlet of potential 

fines by letting their dogs 

roam illegally offleash – as 

being the perfect site, given it 

was investigated as a trial site 

10 years ago before the plan 

was shelved on the back of 

“bureaucratic misinformation”. 

Pittwater Unleashed 

spokesperson Mitch Geddes 

said a Review of Environmental 

Factors for Station Beach had 

been commissioned before 

Pittwater Council canned the 

potential trial in 2014, when it 

blamed the NSW Department of 

Primary Industries (Fisheries) 

for not supporting the idea. 

However, a letter from 

the Deputy Director DPIF to 

former Council Administrator 

Dick Persson in 2016 (seen by 

Pittwater Life) reveals that the 

department did not object to, or 

stop, the trial. 

Rather, it expressed a 

willingness to assist Council 

to obtain funding to upgrade 

Station Beach, so any 

ACTION ‘STATION’: Pittwater Unleashed want a trial at this Palm Beach strip. 

POPULAR ONE-OFF: Dogs enjoy playtime next to Rowland Reserve, Bayview. 

environmental conditions that 

might otherwise stop the trial 

from proceeding could be met. 

“For people north of Avalon it 

is a return trip of up to an hour 

to take the dog to Rowland 

Reserve at Bayview for a splash 

on a hot day, even though you 

might have the foreshore at the 

end of your street,” Mr Geddes 

said. “We say the issues can 

be managed, provided there is 

fairness and transparency.” 

Pittwater Life asked Council’s 

General Manager Environment 

and Infrastructure Ben Taylor 

whether Station Beach would 

be reconsidered as an off-lead 

swimming option. 

Mr Taylor replied: “Council’s 

four-year plan to guide 

upgrades to its unleashed 

dog exercise areas includes 

options to spread the use 

of high-demand, existing 

unleashed dog areas using 

a range of strategies. This 

includes the promotion of 

existing unleashed sites and 

investigation of additional land 

for unleashed dog areas.” 

Meanwhile, Mr Taylor said 

the Avalon Beach Reserve 

offleash trial, scheduled 

to run until July, had been 

overwhelmingly supported by 

residents. 

“Council has received twice 

as many positive than negative 

responses,” he said. 

But Pittwater Unleashed 

remain unimpressed by the 

selection of a section of Avalon 

Beach Reserve for the trial. 

“Mr Taylor implied the 

Avalon dog park trial was in 

response to requests from 

the community – this is not 

the case at all,” Mr Geddes 

said. “We have an engaged 

membership of more than 2000 

and the selection of this space 

took us by surprise.” 

“It is a case of the tail 

wagging the dog, where 

someone in the back office 

decides what the community 

will have, rather than the 

community driving the 

process.” 

Mayor Michael Regan said 

Council’s four-year plan would 

be developed by mid-year, with 

draft integrated policy for dog 

management and unleashed 

dog exercise areas presented 

to Council for consideration by 

September. – Nigel Wall 



Building on care 

News 

Passionate locals who 

spent decades lobbying 

for palliative care closer 

to home are over the moon 

following the establishment 

of the Northern Beaches’ first 

dedicated inpatient unit for 

patients with life-limiting 

illnesses. 

A new, state-of-the-art, 

10-bed Palliative Care Unit 

at Mona Vale Hospital will 

allow patients who are in 

the final stages of their lives 

to remain on the beaches 

instead of having to go to the 

north shore when specialised 

hospitalisation is needed. 

The unit will be part 

of a new building to be 

constructed overlooking the 

coast on the far-eastern side 

of the hospital’s campus. 

Unveiling the preliminary 

sketches late last month, 

Member for Pittwater Rob 

Stokes said this was the ideal 

location for an increasingly 

important inpatient service 

FIRST LOOK: An artist’s impression of the new Palliative Care Unit (above) which will be built over the existing helipad 

overlooking the coast and water. It will provide an inpatient service not previously available on the Northern Beaches. 

that’s never been available on 

the Northern Beaches. 

“The new unit will take 

advantage of the coastal 

surrounds and planners will 

carefully incorporate this 

into the detailed design,” Mr 

Stokes said. 

“It’s envisaged the new 

unit will have a less clinical 

look and feel than acute 

hospitals – with the aim of 

providing a comfortable and 

welcoming environment for 

patients and their families 

during the most difficult and 

challenging times.” 

The palliative care 

inpatient service will be 

provided by NSW Health and 

will complement the in-home 

and community care services 

managed by HammondCare. 

Friends of Northern 

Beaches Palliative Care 

President Jo-Ann Steeves 

said those individuals who 

had worked for decades for a 

dedicated space of this type 

on the beaches were thrilled 

with the news. 

“We are, of course, 

absolutely delighted – after 

all this time!” she said. 

“The tyranny of distance 

that has precluded complete 

palliative care close to home 

and family will no longer be 

an issue. 

“Specialist hospitalisation 

for respite and end-of-life 

care will be close to loved 

ones and blessed by nature’s 

gifts from the sea.” 

Jo-Ann said the Northern 



Beaches Palliative Care 

Inpatient Facility Working 

Group, which was formed in 

June 2014, would continue 

to liaise and meet with 

Northern Sydney Local 

Health District to contribute 

to optimal outcomes for the 

community. 

The Palliative Care Unit 

will be co-located with a 

separate 10-bed Geriatric 

Unit within the new building, 

which will be connected to 

the recently constructed 

Beachside Rehabilitation 

Unit. 

The helipad will be 

relocated approximately 100 

metres to the north to make 

way for the new building with 

construction work scheduled 

to begin mid-year. 

Chief Executive, Northern 

Sydney Local Health District 

Deb Willcox said the shifting 

of the helipad would not 

delay the changes scheduled 

for Mona Vale Hospital. 

“Construction of the 

helipad is expected to 

commence in mid-2018 and 

there will be no impact to 

the timeline of works for 

the Mona Vale Hospital 

redevelopment or patients 

requiring air transfer during 

that time,” Ms Willcox 

confirmed. 

Mona Vale Hospital’s role 

is being transformed with its 

focus shifting to sub-acute, 

community health, urgent care 

and primary care services. 

Emergency and acute care 

will be delivered at the new 

Northern Beaches Hospital 

when it opens in Frenchs 

Forest in October. 

NSW Health has committed 

to providing numerous 

health services at a revamped 

Mona Vale Hospital site and 

is considering potential 

co-location opportunities 

with other medical service 

providers. 

“The redevelopment team 

are working with clinicians 

and staff to develop a 

detailed design which will 

be released in the coming 

months,” Ms Willcox said. 

“Early works on the site 

are scheduled to begin in 

mid-2018 and will include 

demolition of two existing 

demountable buildings 

to make way for the 

construction of a support 

services building and the 

reconfiguration of services 

such as the Urgent Care 

Centre.” 

Jo-Ann Steeves thanked 

Rob Stokes for his tireless 

efforts in getting the project 

off the ground. 

“With his community in his 

heart he has, from the outset, 

been a major and persistent 

advocate for achievement of 

the palliative care inpatient 

unit,” Jo-Ann said. 

– Lisa Offord 

News 



News 

Earn cash returning bottles, cans 

Pittwater’s first ‘Return and Earn’ reverse 

vending machine – where residents can 

drop off empty drink containers and claim 

a 10 cent refund per unit – has opened in 

Warriewood. 

Accessed via the Indoor Sports Centre 

carpark off 

Jacksons Rd, the 

machine accepts 

most 150ml to 

three-litre drink 

containers and 

allows users 

to transfer 

refunds either 

to designated 

bank accounts, 

donate to 

selected 

charities, 

or receive a 

credit voucher 

redeemable for 

cash at Woolworths supermarkets. 

Container materials eligible for a refund 

include glass, plastic, aluminium, steel and 

liquid paperboard (cartons). 

Containers should be empty, uncrushed, 

unbroken and have the original label attached. 

(Wine, spirits, cordial and plain milk containers 

are not eligible and should continue to be 

placed in recycling bins for collection.) 

Hours are Monday to Sunday 7am to 10pm, 

with the maximum number of containers 

per transaction 500. 

Word is weekends can be particularly busy, 

with queues and parking an issue, so best 

aim to return containers during the week. 

You can also 

take containers 

to the North 

Narrabeen 

Newsagent (3/1 

Powderworks 

Rd) or Danny 

Deli Cafe 

(26 Avalon 

Pde Avalon 

Beach) who are 

taking overthe-counter 

returns. 

A NSW 

Environment 

Protection 

Authority spokesperon said there were now 

more than 500 collection points across NSW 

with more than 150 million drink containers 

having been refunded in just the first three 

months of operation. 

An interactive map on the Return and 

Earn website www.returnandearn.org.au 

lists all locations and a full list of eligible 

containers. 

– Lisa Offord 



News 

New Warriewood car park eases pressure 

The opening of the ground floor section of 

the new Warriewood commuter car park 

last month has already eased pressure on 

parking and traffic in Mona Vale. 

Around 200 undercover car spaces at 

street level are being utilised daily by bus 

commuters, including B-Line passengers, 

following months of construction adjacent to 

Warringah Rugby Park. 

Transport NSW reports weather delays are 

largely to blame for the delay in completing the 

top deck of the car park, which will accommodate 

an additional 150 cars per day when construction 

is expected to be finished in May. 

Residents reported some parking issues at 

Mona Vale in recent months, with residents 

from neighbouring suburbs using the Mona 

Vale hub parking and surrounds while 

Warriewood remained under construction. 

More info b-line.transport.nsw.gov.au 

Movie support 

Iconic Aussie actor Bryan 

Brown and the awardwinning 

cast of his ‘Palm 

Beach’ movie project head 

into pre-production this 

month minus the $25,000 

in financial assistance they 

asked from Northern Beaches 

Council to help fund the 

project after councilors 

wiped out their request. 

However, the team will 

still benefit from the 

goodwill of locals, with 

Council awarding $20,000 

worth of in-kind support 

to cover parking and the 

waiving of location fees for 

the potential blockbuster, 

which is expected to figure 

in Australian Film Awards 

(AFI) nominations after its 

release in 2019. 

The movie, starring 

Brown, Sam Neill, Greta 

Scacchi and Jacqueline 

McKenzie, will be directed 

by Brown’s wife 

and fellow award-winning 

actor Rachel Ward. Brown 

will co-produce. 



Surprise find delays 

Church Pt car park 

The opening of the new 

Church Point car park has 

been delayed by rain – but 

also because Council workers 

had to down shovels after 

they unexpectedly dug up an 

underground storage tank 

thought to be a remnant of the 

days when the General Store 

operated as a petrol station. 

The tank had to be removed 

in accordance with statutory 

requirements which held up 

construction while representatives 

discussed the appropriate 

important next steps and 

extraction procedure with 

the Environmental Protection 

Authority (EPA). 

Council’s General Manager 

Environment and Infrastructure 

Ben Taylor said the opening 

of the car park, scheduled 

for May, had been pushed back 

slightly. 

“An underground storage 

tank was uncovered during 

critical drainage works,” he 

said. “This tank was removed 

without incident.” 

He added the soil adjacent to 

the tank had been tested and 

Council had determined there 

had been no risk to the nearby 

waterway. 

Mr Taylor said the car 

park’s Reserved Parking Space 

Scheme had been well received 

by offshore residents, including 

a second round of applications 

which closed on March 25. 

“After several years of 

consultation with the local 

community it is exciting to 

be offering local residents a 

new car park and additional 

parking spaces at Church Point 

Reserve and Bothams Beach to 

help alleviate parking issues in 

the area and those wanting to 

park overnight,” he said. 

He added Council was unable 

to release data surrounding 

the amount of applications 

and remaining spaces 

available at this point, as the 

process was still underway. 

– Nigel Wall 

News 



It’s Newport… but not as we know it 

An exhibition casting new 

light on the life and work 

of pioneering Australian 

photographer Frank Hurley, 

famous for his shots of the local 

landscape, launches at the 

Manly Art Gallery & Museum 

on April 6. 

‘Frank Hurley: Photographer 

& Gardener’ reveals 

the subject’s early Sydney 

and Sydney Harbour photographs, 

tourist postcards 

and studies of Australian 

wildflowers which were his 

lifelong passion. 

The exhibition is structured 

to provide bookends 

to Hurley’s life (1885-1962) 

with the first focus being 

on his photography in and 

around Sydney and the 

Northern Beaches (including 

this incredible photo of 

Newport Beach circa 1950s), 

and the second being on the 

photographs that reflect his 

lifelong engagement with 

Australian native plants. 

Perhaps best known as 

the photographer for both 

the Mawson and Shackleton 

expeditions to Antarctica and 

the Ross Smith Flight from 

London to Sydney, Hurley has 

been described as “one of 

Australia’s first multimedia 

figures”. He was a photographer, 

cinematographer, 

writer, journalist and radiobroadcaster 

who learned how 

to maximise the impact of his 

work by promoting it globally 

through various types of 

media. 

Hurley spent his final 

years (1948-62) living at 

Collaroy Plateau from where 

he travelled Australia to produce 

books, photographs and 

postcards. 

More info MAG&M website or 

phone 9976 1421. 

*More April art exhibitions – 

see pages 36-39. 

News 



Mona Vale Rd 

upgrade’s new 

‘safety first’ 

News 

The expansion and upgrade 

of vital arterial link 

Mona Vale Road to four 

lanes will include Sydney’s first 

vegetated fauna bridges and underpasses 

– with the $7 million 

investment expected to dramatically 

reduce the number 

of animal roadkill deaths and 

translate to improved safety for 

the thousands of motorists who 

use the road each day. 

The announcement last 

month by NSW Roads and Maritime 

Services (RMS) of a bridge 

and underpass for each of the 

East and West sections of the 

upgrade as well as an extensive 

network of exclusion fencing, 

delivers a huge win for local environmentalist 

group Pittwater 

Natural Heritage Association 

(PNHA) who have pushed the 

cause for almost seven years. 

PNHA members Jacqui Marlow, 

Marita Macrae and David 

Palmer explained the survival 

of animal species importantly 

related to their ability to range 

widely for food and breeding. 

“Research has shown that 

without populations being 

able to move between bushland 

reserves like Katandra 

Bushland Sanctuary, Ingleside 

Chase Reserve, Garigal National 

Park and the much larger Kuring-gai 

Chase National Park, 

they would eventually become 

extinct in some locations,” Mr 

Palmer told Pittwater Life. 

He said the 6.5km stretch of 

Mona Vale Rd from Terrey Hills 

to Mona Vale had historically 

proven to be a barrier for native 

animals, with many deaths 

resulting from their trying to 

get from one patch of bushland 

habitat to another. 

“This decision is a win for 

both native animals and road 

users,” Mr Palmer said. “From a 

road user’s perspective, it will 

also be an improvement on the 

current situation… many car 

drivers find it distressing to see 

dead animals lying on the road 

and there is also the risk of a 

car or motorbike being damaged 

in a collision with a wallaby, 

or a serious collision being 

caused by a driver swerving to 

avoid an animal.” 

Ms Marlow explained community 

concern about roadkill 

on the Northern Beaches 

became a prominent issue in 

the early 2000s, prompting the 

formation of Northern Beaches 

Roadkill Prevention Committee 

(NBRPC) in 2005, to address the 

native fauna roadkill problem 

and raise awareness of wider 

conservation issues on the 

Northern Beaches. 

“One of the major contributions 

of the NBRPC was the 

collection of data on species, 

numbers and location of roadkill 

on regional arterial roads,” 



Bridge pic: Marita Macrae 

AT LONG LAST: Pittwater Natural 

Heritage Association’s Jacqui 

Marlow, Marita Macrae and David 

Palmer celebrate their win (far 

left) which will see fauna bridges 

and underpasses built as part of 

the Mona Vale Road upgrade. The 

vegetated crossing will be similar 

to this one in Brisbane (above) 

and the underpass will feature 

‘fauna furniture’ (top right). 

she said. “It soon became 

apparent that a consequence 

of ongoing native fauna deaths 

on roads would be a decline in 

local populations, leading to 

eventual local extinction.” 

The Committee set about 

lobbying RMS for action to 

reduce roadkill – indeed, over a 

period of six years the number 

of roadkills on Mona Vale Rd 

recorded by NBRPC became so 

concerning that RMS commissioned 

its own report into options 

for reducing roadkill on 

the Northern Beaches, including 

Mona Vale Rd. 

“Its recommendations 

included construction of exclusion 

fencing and fauna crossing 

structures,” Ms Marlow noted. 

“So as soon as the Mona Vale 

Rd upgrade announcement was 

made in 2011, PNHA started 

campaigning for fauna crossings.” 

Mr Palmer said fauna crossings 

were a good example of the 

science of road ecology, which 

was relatively new but growing 

in importance and recognition. 

“The effects of roads on the 

landscape and its fauna are 

well documented and research 

is proving that a range of 

structures can be designed into 

roads to mitigate the damage 

they cause to fauna populations,” 

Mr Palmer said. 

“Research has shown that 

when properly designed, underpasses 

will be used by a range 

of animals including frogs, 

mammals such as wallabies, 

possums and echidnas, reptiles 

such as lizards and snakes and 

many species of invertebrates.” 

He added the effectiveness of 

underpasses could be improved 

by the addition of “fauna 

furniture” such as structures to 

encourage climbing and use. 

“However, the optimal 

type of fauna crossing is the 

vegetated overpass, which will 

be used by all the animals 

listed previously as well as bats, 

arboreal mammals, small birds 

and ground dwelling birds – in 

other words, almost all native 

animal species,” he said. 

One of the first major 

vegetated fauna overpasses in 

Australia was built on Compton 

Road in the southern suburbs 

of Brisbane in 2005; research 

since then had clearly demonstrated 

its effectiveness. 

However, a major concern 

for the PNHA campaigners was 

that while early in the planning 

process RMS included a major 

fauna overpass in the design of 

Mona Vale Road West, there was 

inadequate provision for fauna 

crossings on Mona Vale Road 

East, so this became a major 

focus for the PNHA team. 

Ms Marlow said: “We have 

found the current project manager 

for the Mona Vale Road upgrade 

to be very sympathetic to 

our cause – as soon as he came 

on board he visited the site with 

us, listened to our arguments 

and immediately took positive 

action.” 

Local MP Rob Stokes had also 

been very helpful in arranging 

meetings and making representations 

on behalf of the 

association. 

Mr Stokes announced tenders 

to construct the Mona Vale 

Road East project would remain 

open until April 30. 

“An enormous amount of 

preliminary work has been 

completed over recent years 

to reach this point,” Mr Stokes 

said. “All local motorists understand 

the challenges associated 

with the eastern section of 

Mona Vale Rd – especially the 

inability to overtake slow moving 

heavy vehicles uphill. 

“The project will include 

building additional lanes for 

climbing and descending to 

improve travel times, as well 

as wider shoulders, median 

separation and a heavy vehicle 

arrester bed to enhance safety.” 

He added a three-metre-wide 

shared path would be built between 

Lane Cove Road East and 

Foley Street to improve safety 

for pedestrians and cyclists. 


News 



Palm Beach in a spot 

News 

Northern Beaches Council 

says it will welcome 

an application for a 

memorial bench from the Palm 

Beach Whale Beach Association 

to recognise the contribution 

of lifetime resident Herminie 

Swainston who passed away 

suddenly last month (see p71). 

Ms Swainston had been a key 

liaison representative in the ongoing 

consultation with Council 

in the design and construction 

of the walkway linking Palm 

Beach Wharf with Governor 

Phillip Park. 

Ms Swainston pointed out to 

Council that its planned route 

at the northern end of the walkway 

would see up to nine muchused 

car parking spaces, mostly 

used by members or visitors to 

Palm Beach Golf Club, lost and 

the unnecessary narrowing 

of Barrenjoey Road at its most 

dangerous point (pictured). 

But Council said the narrowing 

of lanes to 3.8m each was 

a Roads and Maritime Services 

(RMS) requirement and an 

attempt to slow vehicles down 

– and a requirement regardless 

of the pathway location. 


and Infrastructure Ben 

Taylor told Pittwater Life that 

safety was the key factor. 

“The northern end of the 

walkway will provide the safest 

possible path, minimise the 

removal of trees and also maintain 

parking,” Mr Taylor said. 

“We have designed the walkway 

to maximise safety of pedestrians 

and will also provide 

access to the current informal 

path as requested by Ms Swainston,” 

he continued, adding the 

design of the walkway had gone 

through several independent 

Road Safety Audits as required 

by RMS. 

“The construction of the 

Palm Beach walkway is expected 

to be complete in July 2018, 

Case #1 

a key milestone of our incredible 

36-kilometre Palm Beach to 

Manly walkway,” he said. 

PBWBA member Mitch Geddes 

said Ms Swainston believed 

the walkway was so important, 

and in such a special location, 

that it had to be done properly – 

“without compromise”. 

“Her recent hand-drawn 

sketches involved walking up 

and down the hill near the 

northern end of the walkway 

many times with measuring 

tape in hand,” Mr Geddes said. 

“These sketches helped the 

PBWBA understand that Council 

was placing the northern 

section of the walkway in a 

location that would threaten the 

continued use of highly-valued 

car parking spaces, or would 

otherwise cause Barrenjoey 

Road to be narrowed here unnecessarily. 

“Herminie knew that to properly 

understand the issues here 

required a formal sketch from 

Council showing the walkway 

location with respect to property 

boundaries and traffic lane 

alignment.” 

He added her request for a 

formal sketch had not been 

actioned by Council. 




of bother over parking 

Northern Beaches 

Council and Palm 

Beach residents remain 

at loggerheads over parking 

availability at the southern 

end of the beach adjacent to 

‘Kiddies Corner’ with Council 

confirming it will press ahead 

with its ‘no-parking’ brief 

to accompany its rubberstamped 

boardwalk project 

– despite Council revealing an 

apparent ignorance to current 

parking operations at the site. 

As Pittwater Life reported 

last month, concerned locals 

fronted Council requesting to 

know why up to 17 existing 

car parking spaces would be 

scrapped when the boardwalk 

is constructed along the verge 

of the road parallel with the 

beach. 

Stephen Guildford, backed 

by the Palm Beach Whale 

Beach Association, lobbied 

on behalf of the residents at 

Council’s February meeting. 

Following an approach 

by Pittwater Life, Council’s 


and Infrastructure 

Ben Taylor said Council had 

identified the ‘Kiddies Corner’ 

boardwalk on the masterplan 

as a method to deliver safe 

and inclusive access from the 

reserve south of the Pavilion 

to the rockpool. 

“This area is currently unsafe 

for pedestrians unfortunately, 

as cars are parking on 

the road edge in an area that 

is informal and does not meet 

RMS guidelines for parking,” 

Mr Taylor said. 

He added that minimising 

parking loss at the site would 

be a key consideration when 

Council’s design process was 

undertaken over the coming 

months. 

But Mr Guildford refuted 

Council’s declaration of 

informal parking status, with 

photos of current parking 

signs supporting a formal 

parking set-up. 

“We don’t know what they 

are talking about,” said Mr 

Guildford. “There are currently 

signs in place that are 

identical to all the rest in 

Palm Beach.” 

“If the parking is not 


designated ticketed Council 

parking, who is banking the 

revenue?” 

He said three signs denoting 

ticketed parking from 

6am to 9pm were situated between 

the end of the ‘front-on 

parking’ opposite the Cabbage 

Tree Club to the turning circle 

to the south of the strip. 

Mr Guildford said residents 

would seek further answers, 

including how Council could 

possibly make up for the loss 

of 17 parking spaces. 

Commenting further on 

the project Ben Taylor said 

the community had been 

consulted during June and 

July 2017, when the landscape 

masterplan for Palm Beach 

was developed, and would be 

further consulted in developing 

the detailed designs for 

the boardwalk later this year. 

But Mr Guildford said: “Users 

of the area were totally 

unaware of the proposed plan 

– as evidenced by the petition 

taken during the summer 

months which showed that 99 

per cent of people who actually 

parked on the strip were 

unaware.” 

Meanwhile, Council will 

start the design process for 

Stage 2 works, including the 

boardwalk, in late 2018. 

“Engineering the boardwalk 

to withstand coastal hazards, 

providing an acceptable 

design that is sympathetic 

to local area, minimising the 

impacts on the environment 

Case #2 

and parking loss will be key 

design considerations,” Mr 

Taylor said. 

Also, Council will commence 

landscape improvements 

to the area opposite 

Ocean Place next month. 

– NW 

APRIL 2018 19 

Main pic: Guy Finlay 

News

News 

Legal eagles have eyes on Pasadena 

Northern Beaches Council has stepped 

up its campaign to compulsorily 

acquire the rapidly transforming Pasadena 

property at Church Point, engaging a 

specialist legal team to assist the process 

and provide specialist planning and 

valuation advice. 

Council’s move coincides with the 

completion of the compulsory six-months 

timeline for negotiations with the owner, 

opening the door for the next stage of the 

complex acquisition process. 

Council resolved to commence 

negotiations to acquire the Pasadena site 

for community use on August 8 last year; 

sources told Pittwater Life that by law, 

compulsory acquisition cannot commence 

until at least six months of negotiations 

have been undertaken between the parties. 

Council’s General Manager Environment 

and Infrastructure Ben Taylor confirmed 

the recruitment of the specialist legal 

team, adding: “If council are unable to 

reach agreement with the current owner, 

we intend to proceed with a compulsory 

purchase with the aim of returning the 

waterfront site to the public for open space 

as well as providing suitable building/s to 

accentuate public use of the area.” 

As for the current renovations being 

undertaken by the owners of Pasadena, 

including works that would deliver a 

restaurant and boutique accommodation, 

Council’s General Manager Planning, 

Place and Community David Kerr said 

construction was based on a 1963 Approval 

for which a recent Construction Certificate 

had been obtained by a Private Certifier. 

He added: “Council will engage with the 

community and undertake a masterplan 

for the area once the outcome of the 

compulsory acquisition is determined.” 

Pittwater Life has sought comment 

from the owners of Pasadena on several 

occasions over past months. 

Meanwhile, at the Council’s meeting on February 

27, councillors unanimously resolved 

to support the concept of a boardwalk on the 

‘missing link’ on the Bayview / Church Point 

walkway, requesting staff prepare them a 

briefing note this month on an approximate 

cost for inclusion in the 2018/19 or 2019/20 

budgets, as well as any grants which might be 

available for the project. – Nigel Wall 



News 

SEEN… 

Pittwater’s ‘big wet’ in early March 

saw Narrabeen Lagoon’s water 

level spike dramatically in just a 

24-hour period, with residents on 

the edge of the lagoon threatened 

by flooding. This prompted a swift 

response from Northern Beaches 

Council who set about digging a 

channel through the sand to ‘drain’ 

the excess water from the lagoon back out to sea. Council reports the process is only effective 

when the water level in the lagoon gets above 1.3 metres above sea level. If the water level isn’t 

high enough, the water can’t flow down to the ocean fast enough to clear the sand and keep the 

channel open beyond the next tide. This action though seemed to do the trick. 

HEARD… 

Word on the street is Northern Beaches Council has its sights set on Avalon to test out its 

new place-planning process. But rather than basing their plans on the suggestions and 

recommendations of the community who live and breathe the village every day, we hear the 

place plan will be formulated from 

the ‘top down’ – like so many other 

masterplans that appear to be 

getting thrust on the top end of 

the peninsula with little uptake of 

the points raised by community 

submissions. It was only three 

years ago that the local Chamber 

of Commerce, Surf Life Saving 

Club, residents and community 

groups painstakingly compiled 

and tabled their recommendations 

for an Avalon Place Plan, including 

the important issue of pedestrian 

access around the village. But back 

then Pittwater Council shifted its 

attention to the Mona Vale precinct (we all know how that panned out) and Avalon was placed 

on the backburner. That is, until last year, when former administrator Dick Persson put it back 

on the hob (after fielding complaints from a small group of independent residents). But will the 

report tabled in 2015, full of really useful stuff, be used to help formulate the new place plan? 

Apparently not. Which seems a massive slap in the face to the folk who live north of the Bends. It 

remains to be seen what Council will make of the traffic data it gathered on the Avalon Parade / 

Old Barrenjoey Road intersection over summer. Watch this space. 

ABSURD… 

A recent survey by Serviceseeking.com.au revealed that your postcode determines how much 

tradies charge for their services – and the variations can be extreme. According to them, the 

cheapest Pittwater suburb for tradespeople’s services is Mona Vale, followed by Narrabeen, then 

Newport. (Interestingly no other local suburbs were included in the survey.) Apparently the 

discrepancy between Mona Vale and Newport can be as much as an 86% increase in the hourly 

rate. Anyone out there call BS on that? Or have any horror stories to share? 

6THINGS 

THIS MONTH 

Local film festival. The wait 

is over for Avalon’s Creative 

Creatures Film Festival which 

will be held at the bowling 

club on Sun 8. Gates open 

1pm with bands, food and fun. 

Films start on the big screen 

from 4.45pm. Embrace this 

year’s theme and wear red 

shoes! It pays to be organised 

too with tickets ($10) online at 

creativecreaturesfilmfestival. 

com.au or at the gates ($15). 

Take a plunge. Organisers are 

hoping for favourable conditions 

on Sun 8 for the Around The 

Bends – Newport to Avalon and 

the Avalon Beach surf swims 

which were originally scheduled 

for January but postponed 

due to high seas. More info 

avalonbeachslsc.com.au or 

www.oceanswims.com 

Give Blood. The Mobile Blood 

Service is visiting Mona Vale 

Memorial Hall on Wed 11 from 

1.30-6.30pm; Thurs 12 from 

8.30am-2pm; and Fri 13 from 

8.30am-1.30pm. Appointments 

13 14 95 or donateblood.com.au 

Eco workshop. Learn how to 

make eco-cleaning products 

such as dishwashing liquid, 

household cleaning spray, toilet 

cleaner, furniture polish and 

natural skin care products from 

an experienced team in Avalon 

on Sun 15 from 2-5pm. Spaces 

limited, bookings and info 

maria.i.claverol@gmail.com. 

Get crafty. ‘Kids’ from 13 to 

30 are invited to transform a 

comic book, favourite book or 

a piece of paper into a unique 

hat or pencil case using mod 

podge glue. Thurs 19 from 10.30- 

11.30am. Cost $5. All materials 

provided or BYO comic books or 

other paper. Mona Vale Library; 

bookings essential 9970 1600. 

Deep Creek walk. See and 

identify spectacular Sydney 

sandstone flora in Autumn 

‘blossom’ by joining an organised 

walk of the Upper Deep Creek 

Catchment. Start 10am at 

Terrey Hills on Sat 28 and allow 

3 hours. Bring a screwdriver for 

some voluntary weeding near 

the end of the track. Carpool 

required. Bookings essential; 

Conny Harris 0432 643 295. 



News 

World’s your oyster 

at Uncorked Avalon 

new pop-up Semillon & 

A Oyster Bar is the highlight 

feature at this year’s Uncorked 

Avalon Festival at Dunbar Park 

on Sunday April 22. 

The Festival will bring 

together 25 wineries from 

the Hunter Valley, providing 

a taste of what’s to come at 

this year’s Hunter Valley 

Food & Wine Festival in May 

and June. 

The pop-up bar will be 

hosted by four of the region’s 

leading winemakers and 

vignerons who will showcase 

Semillon matched with 

freshly shucked oysters. 

The master classes by 

Mount Pleasant Wines, 

McLeish Estate Wines, 

Tamburlaine Organic Wines 

and Tulloch Wines run for 

45 minutes and cost $45 per 

person (includes a souvenir 

Riedel glass, a flight of 

Hunter Valley Semillon and 

half a dozen oysters). 

But you’d better be quick 

– each supplier has 20 spots 

only (total 80), so be sure to 

book in advance. 

Hunter Valley region 

restaurants and producers 

include Bar Coco, Choux 

Patisserie, Hunter Valley 

Cheese Company, Il 

Cacciatore, Inbocca, Miss 

Mables, Pimp My Chimney, 

Pukara Estate, Rockin 

Oysters and The Cellar 

Restaurant. 

Other wineries showcasing 

include Allandale, Briar 

Ridge, Brokenwood and 

Hungerford Hill. 

The funky sounds of 

Soul Shack Entertainment 

will keep guests dancing 

throughout the day, which 

kicks off at 10.30am and 

runs through 5pm. 

If you want to skip the 

line, a festival glass and 

four tasting vouchers can 

be purchased online for $26 

(Glasses can be purchased on 

the day for $10; wine tasting 

vouchers $4.) 

Oysters will be supplied 

by renowned Port Macquarie 

supplier Rockin’ Oysters, 

who have built a solid 

reputation for producing 

high-quality, full-bodied 

Sydney Rock variety oysters. 

PS: Look out for Max, Luke 

and the crew from Avalon’s 

Oceana Traders who will be 

cooking their acclaimed fish 

tacos plus Tiger prawns. 

More info winecountry. 

com.au 



News 

Pittwater News 

Probus wartime 

survivor gives talk 

Pittwater Probus Club member 

Jay (Jurgen) Claren, who 

grew up in Hamburg during 

World War II, will give a talk 

about what it was like enduring 

the Allied forces’ bombing 

of Nazi Germany at the club’s 

next meeting on April 10. The 

five-minute speaker will be 

Graham Morely who will detail 

his teaching of building craft 

in the Solomon Islands. Venue 

is Mona Vale Golf Club; starts 

10am. More info email geoffsheppard@bigpond.com 

Expert gives talk on 

small-scale gardens 

Highly regarded horticulturist 

Libby Cameron is the guest 

speaker at the next Palm Beach 

Probus Club meeting on April 

19. Libby will deliver valuable 

insights into “gardening 

on smaller scale”. A trained 

pharmacist, Libby changed 

careers in the 1990s and has 

worked ever since in garden 

design, as a garden writer and 

as a tour leader for Ross Garden 

tours. Visitors welcome. More 

info phone Patricia Prior on 

9973 1247. 

Pink Connections 

Breast cancer support group 

‘Pink Connections’ is inviting 

community members to join 

them at their meetings at Mona 

Vale Golf Club every first Tuesday 

of the month. The group 

offers face-to-face support for 

survivors over a cup of tea or 

a lunch, providing an opportunity 

for attendees to learn 

from each other about improving 

and enriching the quality 

of their life. More info phone 

Fran Hardy 9984 8454 or Judee 

Radford 0416 211 902. 

Council says: 

‘Let there be light!’ 

Council is accelerating its 

sportsfield lighting program, 

with up to 26 local sportsfields 

across 13 locations targeted 

to receive new or upgraded 

lighting by June 2020. Locally, 

upgrades are planned 

for North Narrabeen Reserve 

and Newport Oval (pending 

community consultation). 

Northern Beaches Mayor Michael 

Regan said he hoped the 

sportsfield lighting program 

would be completed two years 

ahead of schedule, adding it 

would mean greater training 

capacity for thousands of 

local sports participants. “We 

are committed to encouraging 

outdoor active play in the 

community wherever we can,” 

Mayor Regan said. He said the 

acceleration would be made 

possible by “reprioritising the 

focus of staff and implementing 

cost-saving initiatives”. 

Teens’ chance for 

Youth Exchange 

Northern Beaches Council 

is looking for Youth Ambassadors 

aged between 14 and 

19 to represent Council in a 

Youth Exchange Program, with 

applications now open for an 

opportunity for six teenagers 

to travel to Brewarrina in 

outback NSW for a once in a 

lifetime experience. Mayor Michael 

Regan said the scheme 

promoted friendship, respect 

and understanding of life at 

the beach versus the bush. 

“The trip is fully funded and 

will give our young people a 

taste of what’s it’s like to live 

in the bush including a visit to 



Local wins Ocean Swim Series prize 

James Campbell, from Avalon Beach, is the lucky winner of 

the Pittwater Ocean Swim Series major prize. The 52-yearold’s 

name was drawn by random computer draw by Gail 

Kardash, owner of TravelView Avalon, one of the proud 

sponsors of the Pittwater Ocean Swim Series. James wins 

three nights’ accommodation at Bay Royal Apartments Byron 

Bay with return airfares for two to Ballina, sponsored by 

TravelView, and entry into the Byron Bay Classic on Sunday 

May 6. A member of Bilgola and Avalon Beach SLSC clubs, 

James is a keen ocean swimmer who took up the sport in his 

30s. He was delighted when told of his win, which came in 

the fourth Series he’s contested. “It’s a great prize and I am 

looking forward to going in the ocean swim up there,” he said. 

“Swimming is a great way to keep fit and control your weight 

and it is so relaxing.” James added he was looking forward 

to swimming the postponed Avalon Beach event ‘Around the 

Bends’, on Sunday April 8 (2.5km from Newport to Avalon). The 

Pittwater Ocean Swim Series drew over 3,000 swimmers aged 

10 to over 80 in 2018, with 234 qualifying for the Byron Bay 

prize draw (swimming three or more events). The series raises 

much-needed for funds for the Bilgola, Newport, Avalon, Mona 

Vale and Whale Beach life saving clubs. 

Lightning Ridge, sheep shearing 

and fishing on the Barwon 

River,” he said. As part of the 

exchange, Council recently 

hosted four young Aboriginal 

teenagers from Brewarrina, 

who travelled over 800 kilometres 

and enjoyed a jam-packed 

itinerary including learning to 

surf. “If readers know a local 

young person aged 14-19 who 

would like to experience life 

in a remote community for a 

week, then apply now,” Mayor 

Regan said. More info or to apply 

visit northernbeaches.nsw. 

gov.au or email justin.burke@ 

northerbeaches.nsw.gov.au 

News 



Pittwater News 

News 

Tour de Cure fundraiser riders 

inspire Mona Vale school kids 

Students at Mona Vale Public School gave Westpac Tour de 

Cure riders a rousing reception when the 80-strong peloton 

cycled into the grounds to conclude their fundraiser 

last month. On this tour, the cyclists and support crew 

covered up to 384km from North Sydney to the Hunter 

Valley and Nelson Bay before returning to Sydney via ferry 

from Ettalong. Tour de Cure co-founder and Mona Vale 

school mum Samantha Hollier-James said they hoped to 

have matched last year’s tally of $1 million to fund cancer 

research. “We have visited over 100,000 kids in schools 

across Australia however leading our peloton into my 

daughters Henley and Miller’s school was very emotional 

for me,” she said. “Our team said the reception of hundreds 

of energised kids was the best reception in Tour de Cure 

history. However, it was the special messages I have got 

since, of kids asking to ride their bike as they want to be 

a Tour de Cure rider one day… even a gorgeous student 

requesting to wear his cycling PJs every night since.” More 

info tourdecure.com.au 

Film fave Babe for 

Cinema By The Sea 

Everyone’s favourite pig ‘Babe’ 

hits the big screen at Des 

Creagh Reserve North Avalon 

on Saturday April 7 as the 

feature of this year’s ‘Cinema 

By The Sea’. Proudly hosted by 

Barrenjoey Montessori School, 

gates to the seventh annual 

family friendly event open at 

5pm with the film starting at 

6pm (nice and early for the 

littlies). Bring a rug and pack 

a picnic or enjoy a sausage 

sizzle under the stars. Sponsors 

are welcome – show your 

support by placing a slide in 

the ad reel. Tickets $10 children, 

adults $15 or $45 family 

package. Phone 9973 1422 

or purchase tickets online 

barrenjoeymontessori.com. 

au or from the box office on 

the night. 

Roll up sleeves for 

bush regeneration 

It’s on again – the annual 

Pittwater Youth Hostel Bush 

Regeneration weekend from 

Friday May 11 through Sunday 

May 13. Volunteer for two 

mornings’ bush regeneration 

and for just a $20 ‘donation’ 

you’ll enjoy two nights’ accommodation, 

plus evening 

meals and BBQ lunches, 

morning teas, plus the use of 

kayaks to relax in downtime. 

Alternatively, anyone interested 

is invited to head down 

for a morning’s bush regen- 

eration and enjoy morning 

tea, lunch and an afternoon 

kayak. Accommodation bookings 

are essential; cost is $50 

non-refundable booking fee 

with a $30 refund on arrival. 

More info phone 9999 5748 or 

email pittwater@yha.com.au. 

Community Garden 

Day adds zest 

Add some zest to your life 

with a free event hosted by 

Avalon Community Garden 

– located in the grounds 

of Barrenjoey High School, 

North Avalon – from 10am to 

2pm on Sunday April 8. The 

‘Healthy You, Healthy Planet’ 

day will see special guests 

speak about their passion 

for the planet, for soil, for 

plastic-free living, caring 

for the Oceans and more. 

The garden’s Natural Food 

Café will be open all day for 

lunch, organic produce, tea, 

coffee and cakes, with music 

provided by local talent. The 

kids are catered for too, with 

craft and painting, musical 

entertainment, gardening – 

and their own café! 

Seniors urged to 

‘do more together’ 

Local seniors are being encouraged 

to join in celebrations 

for the 60th annual NSW 

Seniors Festival from Wednesday 

4 April through Friday 27 

April. The 2018 Seniors Festival 

Program lists a host of 



Support advocate 

Gailene honoured 

Passionate local children’s support 

advocate Gailene Keene is the 2018 

Pittwater Woman of The Year. Gailene 

works with the unique Be Centre 

Children’s Charity at Warriewood, 

which assists youngsters aged 3-12 who 

have experienced challenging personal 

experiences. Gailene has devoted her 

life to ensure children in some of the 

most dire situations are supported. For 

more than a quarter of a century she 

has worked in key roles with the Cancer 

Council, St Lucy’s School and the Starlight 

Children’s Foundation. Colleagues say 

Gailene goes above and beyond her role at 

the Be Centre where she funds the support 

of children who parents/carers are in 

crisis and cannot afford to pay for services 

– more than half of the centre’s 200 clients 

each year fall into this category. Along 

with her regular duties Gailene recently 

creative activities, education 

and information sessions, fitness 

and exercise programs, 

health and wellbeing sessions, 

outings, activities and special 

events. Northern Beaches 

Council has scheduled a calendar 

of events, complementing 

those run by other groups 

and organisations. In all there 

will be more than 90 exciting 

attractions and activities, all 

highlighting the theme ‘Let’s 

do more together’. * What’s 

happening across Pittwater – 

see page 46. 

National Disability 

Insurance Expo 

People with disability, their 

carers and families are invited 

to meet with organisations 

that provide NDIS-accredited 

services on Wednesday 11 

April from 10.30am- 4.30pm 

at Dee Why RSL. The free expo 

is an important resource, with 

visitors provided the opportunity 

to speak directly with 

staff from the NDIS, Uniting 

Local Area Coordination, 

Ability Links and Synapse Appeals 

Service to find out more 

about services or the process 

of applying for the NDIS or 

preparing for a review or appeal. 

As well as exhibitions 

from around 50 NDIS service 

providers, specialist seminars 

will also be held on the day 

including: Plans for children 

aged 0-8 (11am); 

managed a complete fit-out and move 

for Be Centre into new fully equipped 

premises. In making the presentation at 

the Zonta Club’s annual breakfast marking 

International Woman’s Day last month, 

Local MP Rob Stokes said Gailene was 

an incredibly talented and passionate 

children’s advocate. 

plans for students and adults, 

including employment (1pm); 

and planning reviews and 

appeals (3pm). The NDIS is 

being progressively rolled out 

across NSW to replace the current 

NSW disability support 

system and will be operating 

state-wide by July 2018. More 

info on 9942 2686 

Avalon Car boot sale 

You are always guaranteed 

to spot something unique at 

this popular community Car 

Boot Sale which will be held 

in Dunbar Park on Saturday 

April 14 from 8am-2pm. There 

will be live music, food – and 

plenty of things you didn’t 

know you needed to find! 

Vet 

on 

call 

with 

Dr Ben Brown 

Just like humans, animals 

need greater care in their 

senior years. Dogs are 

considered seniors when they 

reach their 7th birthday, for 

cats it is their 10th birthday. 

It is important to be aware 

of the signs of aging as early 

detection is vital. 

Some symptoms of aging 

may be more obvious, like 

an intolerance to exercise or 

limited mobility, while others 

are more subtle. Monitor your 

pet’s eating patterns and body 

weight, as obesity can cause 

many health issues, including 

osteoarthritis and diabetes in 

old age. Similarly, if your pet 

is too thin it could be having 

dental issues, metabolic 

disease or certain types of 

cancers. Sleeping patterns and 

cognitive behaviour are also 

things to look out for; a cat 

or dog that isn’t aware of its 

surroundings or has difficulty 

recognising people may be 

experiencing early cognitive 

dysfunction or dementia. Also, 

looking at the condition of 

your pet’s coat and how much 

your cat is grooming itself can 

also be indicative of its health. 

A less obvious but just as 

important sign of aging is how 

much your pet is drinking and 

urinating. How much your 

pet is or isn’t drinking can be 

indicative of many problems, 

from endocrine issues to 

kidney disease. It’s often 

difficult to check, but water 

intake should be monitored if 

possible. The normal intake for 

cats and dogs is approximately 

50ml per kg bodyweight per 

24hrs, any level above this 

warrants a check-up. 

Because pets can’t talk to 

us and communicate how they 

feel, senior pets should have 

a routine blood test every 

year. This helps to determine 

the health of many important 

internal organs like the kidneys 

and liver and can often be the 

first indicator that something 

is wrong. Drop into one of our 

hospitals this month to discuss 

our senior pet health focus. 

News 



ANZAC Services 

ANZAC DAY 

Lest we forget 

This is the final year of Australia’s most important period 

of national commemoration – The Centenary of Anzac. 

Marking 100 years since our involvement in the First 

World War, the Anzac Centenary 2014 to 2018 is a historic 

tribute to our original ANZACs and honours the generations 

of Australian servicemen and women who have defended our 

values and freedoms in wars, conflicts and peace operations 

throughout a Century of Service. 

Here’s what’s happening locally… 

Avalon Beach 

Anzac Day in Avalon gets bigger every year with organisers 

engaging all members of the community in a range of activities 

including school visits and conducting services to include 

veterans of all wars. 

This years’ march will include local schools, sporting teams 

and groups such as Rotary, Zonta and Surf Lifesaving. 

And as a one-time initiative all current and ex-serving 

women have been invited to march together to highlight the 

number of women who have served and who continue to serve. 

All march participants will assemble at the Avalon Beach 

Public School at 10.45am on Anzac Day for an 11am start 

marching through the village to the RSL Club cenotaph. 

To accommodate the bigger crowds the Avalon Beach RSL 

Club will hold the VIP Sub-Branch lunch at 12pm in a marquee 

in Dunbar Park, freeing up the club for the public to utilise 

throughout the day. 

The club will open at 5am with a dawn service at the 

cenotaph at 5.30am, followed by a gold coin donation breakfast. 

The commemorative service at the club’s cenotaph will start 

at 11.20am. 

Two-up in the Surf Lounge has been set to start at midday 

and the bistro will be open from 12pm serving a full menu all 

day until 8.30pm. 

The club will close at midnight. 

Also for the first time a poppy wall is being created at the 

club in time for Anzac Day with a view to adding to the haul 

of knitted and crocheted poppies to make a bigger display for 

Remembrance Day. 

Avalon Beach RSL Club 1 Bowling Green Lane. P: 9918 2201 or 

avalonrsl.com.au 

Palm Beach 

Club Palm Beach becomes an adults-only zone all day – 

and night – on Anzac Day with a special members lunch, 

entertainment and two-up. 

The march will commence at 10.45am from Pittwater Park 

near Palm Beach Ferry Wharf and finish at the club where 

the commemorative service will be held at the cenotaph from 

11am. 

A luncheon featuring comedian and entertainer Peter Dean 

will be held from noon (Members of Palm Beach RSL Sub- 

Branch Free; Club Members $75 Non-members $85. Bookings 



essential for catering and seating purposes – no tickets will be 

sold on the day). 

The club will open to the general public (18 years and over) at 

11.30am, with two-up from 2-7pm. 

Club Palm Beach 1087 Barrenjoey Rd Palm Beach. P: 9974 

5566 or clubpalmbeach.com.au 

Mona Vale 

An Anzac march will be held on Sunday April 22 from 

Vineyard Street to the Mona Vale War Memorial in Village Park. 

Participants will assemble at the rear of the Police Station 

at 12.20pm and commence the march at 12.30pm, with a 

commemoration service and wreath laying ceremony at the 

memorial at 1pm. 

A dawn service will be held on Anzac Day at 5.40am at the 

cenotaph located at the rear of Pittwater RSL Club. 

Members will assemble in the undercover car park at 5.20am 

with the march commencing at 5.30am. 

Local military historian and Sub-Branch Member Joe 

Crumlin will present the Anzac address. 

And breakfast will be available to purchase in the Club after 

the service. 

Pittwater RSL Club 82 Mona Vale Road Mona Vale. P: 9997 3833 

Narrabeen 

Narrabeen Sub-Branch Members and RSL Club members will 

participate in the annual Anzac Sunday march and wreath 

laying ceremony, on Sunday April 22. 

Participants will assemble in the car park next to the 

Narrabeen Terminus from 11am and the march will commence 

at 11.30am. 

The parade, led by the Manly Warringah Pipe Band, will 

proceed along Pittwater Road to the Narrabeen Cenotaph at the 

intersection of Pittwater Road and Ocean Street. 

For those who may not be able to participate in the march 

there will be courtesy bus leaving Narrabeen RSL Club at 

10.45am (for the cenotaph). 

Narrabeen RSL Club 116 Nareen Parade. P: 9913 8016 

Dee Why 

A crowd of more than 10,000 is expected to gather at Dee Why 

Beach at sunrise on April 25 for a dawn service marking the 

final year of the Anzac Centenary period. 

There will be an elevated outdoor stage in the heart of the 

Ted Jackson Reserve and large screens to allow everyone to 

view the proceedings which will commence at 5.30am. 

Seating will be available to those who have served or are 

unable to stand for long periods of time. 

Veterans Centre – Sydney Northern Beaches Manager, Ben 

Webb will deliver the ceremony and returned decorated 

servicemen Adrian Talbott will present the commemorative 

address. 

Each attendee will receive a poppy prior to the service to 

place on specially created structures as their own personal 

tribute (these structures will be transported to Dee Why RSL 

where they will be displayed for all to see). 

A complimentary shuttle bus will be available from Dee Why 

RSL Club to Dee Why Beach from 5am and a return service will 

operate from 6.20am. 

Dee Why RSL invites everyone to the club to enjoy a $6 hot 

breakfast following the service. 

Throughout the day there will be activities including two-up 

from 12pm, live entertainment and a BBQ in the Peace Garden 

with all proceeds going to the Veteran’s Centre – Sydney 

Northern Beaches. 

Dee Why RSL 932 Pittwater Road Dee Why P: 9454 4000 or 

dyrsl.com.au 

ANZAC Services 



In tune 

with 

Island 

life 

Life Stories 

On the eve of her new album release, 

singer Tina Harrod explains how 

living offshore provides peace for 

her and daughter Mia. 

Story by Rod Bennett 

Acclaimed singer Tina Harrod says 

walking out onto her Scotland 

Island balcony reminds her 

that this is where she wants to be. She 

says island life is not for everyone but 

confesses she loves the disparate group 

that makes up this bunch of locals: 

builders and bankers, writers and 

painters, musicians and council workers, 

and more. 

“They will go out of their way to help 

you… to a degree,” she said. “Of course, 

in the end it’s really up to you to manage 

your life.” 

Tina, who is in her early 50s, is doing 

this with the release of her fifth solo 

album, City of Longing, on April 4: “I 

think that with each new album you’re 

chipping away at ideas. I’m very proud of 

this record.” 

But an offshore lifestyle wasn’t always 

as clear cut for the New Zealand-born 

back-up singer, turned solo frontwoman. 

“My daughter Mia convinced me to 

take this place – she is very persuasive,” 

Tina said. “At first I was not interested. 

I told her ‘it’s by water access only’. I 

thought it would be too hard.” 

Six years later they are still there and 

Tina says it has changed her life. 

“Whatever hardships there are I 

can put up with because of the peace 

of my home, and the strength of the 

community – that sense of community is 

a key factor.” 

She wasn’t a resident of the peninsula 

all that long before she was approached 

by local photographer and musician 

Chuck Bradley, with an idea to bring 

quality live music to Church Point on a 

regular basis. 

From these early utterings, to 

the collaboration with the existing 

Waterfront General Store & Cafe, the ‘Co- 

Op Club’ was born. 

“I feel really proud of it, of what we 

achieved,” Tina said. “It stands as a 

permanent fixture for live music on the 

northern beaches. But irrespective of the 

location, I wanted it to be a place to hear 

quality music. Something decent. 

“Good musicians will travel if they 

are respected and if it’s an enjoyable 

experience.” 

After four years at the creative helm, 

booking artists, Tina felt it was time to 

leave the role and she passed the baton 



to fellow peninsula performer Kate Lush. 

The tranquillity of Tina’s island home 

belies a more frenetic past – singing in 

bands, constantly touring, being a mum, 

and sharing life with the late, great 

musician Jackie Orszaczky. 

Tina was born into a family with Fijian, 

Welsh and Celtic heritage. On the Welsh 

side she said her great grandfather had 

a beautiful voice. “He could really sing,” 

she said. On the Fijian side, the family 

used to get together, pick a note and just 

naturally harmonise. 

She moved to Australia in 1982 at the 

age of 17. 

“When I was 20 I knew I wanted to sing 

professionally but didn’t know what to 

do about it,” she said. “I started having 

singing lessons with a Catholic nun. She 

could see I had no money and didn’t 

charge me. I remember her as gentle and 

kind.” 

Tina used to answer ads wanting 

singers and she saw a lot of live music. 

“I was a little different because I 

mainly liked listening to the backing 

vocals,” she said. “I didn’t want to be up 

front. I didn’t really like the sound of my 

own voice.” 

Gradually that changed and she 

developed her own sound. 

“The voice can be like a wild animal,” 

she said. “You have to tame it and get to 

know it. It’s like a life-long relationship.” 

The singer says she has been touring 

since her early 20s and admits being on 

the road is more exciting when you are 

younger. “And it was better when there 

was a budget,” she said. “With more 

prestigious performers you stay in better 

places. When you’re on the road on your 

own it’s exciting as an artist but can 

be hard financially; you might play to 

empty rooms and you still have to pay 

the band.” 

Still, she says there is plenty of fun 

and games on the road. “After the gig 

there’s all this adrenalin. So you might 

go to a party, other times you might go 

back to your room. Everyone has their 

own thing they like to do.” 

Tina has worked closely with the likes 

of Jimmy Barnes, Paul Kelly, Diesel, 

Vika & Linda Bull, Katie Noonan, Paul 

Grabowsky, The Whitlams, Guy Sebastian 

and Thirsty Merc. 

Her voice has been likened to Nina 

Simone’s and Billie Holliday’s. “Nina was 

my favourite,” she said. “I liked how she 

could cross-over genres. She could pull 

apart any song and put it together again 

without losing the essence.” 

Tina met Jackie Orszaczky in 1991. She 

was, in her words, “a major fan”. 

“I’d do my gig and then we’d head to 

Kings Cross to see him, and be blown 

away by his bass playing and singing,” 

she said. “I joined his band in 1993 

and was in it for six months before we 

became involved.” 

Orszaczky passed away 10 years ago. 

He and Tina were together 14 years. 

The family lived in Erskineville. As 

Orszaczky was Hungarian, they would 

travel to central Europe every year on 

tour. 

Asked what she misses about him, she 

looks thoughtfully at the table where we 

sit. 

“I miss his intellect. He was a well-read 

Continued on page 35 


CLOCKWISE FROM OPPOSITE: Tina on Church Point Wharf; with daughter 

Mia and much-missed partner Jackie Orszaczky; in 1992, shortly before 

joining Jackie’s band; filling big boots as a child; a shot for the cover of 

her new album ‘City of Longing’; the album cover for Deep Down & Out. 



Continued from page 33 

man. If you couldn’t find Jack 

he would be out the back with 

his nose in a book, trying to 

get away from everything. I 

learned a lot from Jack – not 

just music.” 

She laughs at the memory. 

Tina and Mia continued to 

live in the inner-city following 

Jackie’s passing, moving to 

Redfern in 2012. One year 

later Tina announced she 

“needed to be near water”. 

Now she says she cannot 

leave. She still doesn’t have a 

boat to get to the mainland but 

it’s no bother; she is satisfied 

taking the ferry or a water taxi. 

“At one stage, Mia was going 

to school in St Ives and said 

she would like to move off the 

island,” Tina recalled. “I told 

her that we were staying and, 

because she pressured me to 

move here in the first place, 

she should be careful what 

she wished for!” 

* Tina Harrod’s new album 

is called City of Longing and 

the launch concert is at The 

Basement on Wednesday, 

April 11. Tickets are $30 from 

Moshtix. 

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Kicking back with friends during a gig at the 

Beach Hotel in Byron Bay; with her sister Bronwyn in the 1980s; with 

daughter Mia at the Sziget Festival in Europe in 2007. 




Art Life 


Hide & Seek art 

packs a punch 

Whilst working on a 

private commission 

in 2016, Martin Wales first 

started experimenting with 

the creative possibilities of 

using leatherworking tools to 

punch holes into large sheets 

of heavy-weight and richly 

textured paper. 

“This created the 

opportunity to effectively 

‘draw with light’ by looking 

‘through’ the finished 

artwork to a bright surface 

or window beyond – or 

alternatively, placing the 

work such that the sun or a 

spotlight projects the tracery 

of forms onto an adjacent 

surface,” Martin said. 

Thus was born his most 

recent collection of works 

– inspired by the imagery 

within the poetry of Japanese 

haiku master Matsuo Basho, 

and by favourite passages 

from the Tao Te Ching. 

“I seek evocations of 

simple, natural forms in these 

traditional texts and translate 

them into delicate, white 

sculptural pieces – enlivened 

by the play of light that 

pierces them,” he added. 

Throughout this same 

period Roberta – Martin’s 

partner and co-owner of The 

Pencil Tin studio in Mona 

Vale – who previously worked 

primarily in watercolours 

and gouache on paper, was 

moving toward applying 

acrylics to natural timbers. 

Roberta discovered the 

“exciting” possibility of 

using beautiful, old and rare 

timbers – Kauri floorboards 

and Oregon doors, rescued 

from demolished Sydney 

homes – as both painting 

surface and inspiration. 

“By allowing the timbers 

to show through the paint 

and become a part of each 

composition, they add their 

own history to the depictions 

of domestic objects and 

historic environments I have 

portrayed with brush and 

paint,” she said. 

Roberta and Martin’s new 

and exciting, free exhibition 

Bolt from 

the Blue 

Liz Cuming’s exhibition ‘Out 

Of The Blue’ has special 

meaning for the Sydney-based 

artist who grew up around 

Pittwater’s boating community. 

As a young woman Liz fell 

in love and became engaged 

to the former Commodore of 

Ku-ring-Gai Motor Yacht Club, 

Bryan Inder, spending time at 

his parents’ holiday weekender 

at Whale Beach. But the couple’s 

love foundered on the eve of 

their wedding and they drifted 

apart. 

“It was by coincidence that 

my artistic rediscovery of the 

commanding, everchanging 

vistas of Whale Beach, came 

about through unexpected, lifechanging 

events,” Liz said. 

“40 years later – out of the 

blue – our love rekindled and we 

are back to enjoying all life can 

offer, especially the little house 

on the hill at Whale Beach.” 

Liz’s reacquaintance came 

about nearly three years ago 

when she was fundraising 

‘Hide & Seek’ opens at the 

Creative Space (105 Abbott 

Road, North Curl Curl) on 

Wednesday 11 April and runs 

until Sunday 22 April. 

There will be free floor 

talks, a workshop and daily 

opportunities to engage with 

the artists in the gallery. 

More info 0412 671 346 or 

email martin@thepenciltin. 

com.au – Nigel Wall 

to build a specially equipped 

off-road campervan for a good 

friend who had been 40 years an 

incomplete quadriplegic. 

“I emailed all I could contact, 

offering those who donated 

$100 their pick of small outback 

paintings I had spent painting 

‘en plein air’ over the past decade,” 

Liz said. 

“Bryan responded, and the 

rest as they say is history!” 

Liz’s seascapes on Belgian 

linen capture the texture, movement 

and rhythm of the ocean. 

View her works at Art2Muse 

Gallery in Double Bay from 

April 17-30; more info art- 

2muse.com.au – NW 



Avalon sees the Light 

Avalon Art Gallery owner 

Jen Hill is excited to be 

presenting her Liquid Light 

solo exhibition at her space 

in Cinema Arcade, Avalon 

from April 7-28. 

“I’m fascinated at how 

colour and depth are affected 

by light play and 

the emotional and memory 

response that evokes when 

viewed by individuals,” Jen 

said. “That doesn’t always 

mean you’ll feel happy and 

joyful… it may mean that 

you are required to challenge 

or question a certain 

thought or ideal – but that 

questioning will hopefully 

bring you to a place that is 

one of satisfaction or maybe 

even beauty.” 

The exhibition art has 

been created with liquid 

suspended pigments. 

Jen’s works will be accompanied 

by pieces from 

Northern Beaches ceramic 

artist Katarina Wells, whose 

work focuses on form, balance 

and harmonious line. 

She finds inspiration in 

nature – rocks, seedpods, 

shells, sea sponges… “the 

little treasures one finds 

when out and about”. 

Opening night is 6-8pm 

on Saturday April 7; viewings 

are Wednesdays through Saturdays 

(or by appointment). 

More info avalonartgallery. 

com.au – Nigel Wall 

Sharing the Beauty of 

Pittwater and Beyond 

Seduced by the beauty of the sky and the ocean, much of 

Mona Vale local Pamela Pauline’s photographic artwork 

explores the natural landscape and wildlife of Pittwater. 

Some of her work can be viewed at the newly opened Arcadia 

Pittwater Private Hospital, having supplied all the artworks for 

this impressive 5-star facility. 

Pamela’s Home Gallery and Studio, aptly named the 

‘Exposure House Gallery’ has also just been completed 

and Pamela (pictured) is excited to be staging two Autumn 

Creative Photography Workshops in her new purpose-built 

space. 

“My workshops are aimed at photographers wanting to 

expand on their knowledge of creative photography and 

editing techniques,” said Pamela. 

Pauline’s Gallery (open by appointment only) showcases 

scenes of beautiful Pittwater and further afield. 

As an award-winning photographer and Master of the 

Australian Institute of Professional Photography, Pamela has 

exhibited in India, China, the United States and Australia and 

her artworks are held in public and private galleries across the 

globe. 

More info pamelapauline.com; Instagram: 

pamelapaulinephotography; and Facebook. 






From Coast to Country 

The exhibition ‘From 

Coast to Country’ at the 

Creative Space in North Curl 

Curl is a collaboration of four 

painters whose works explore 

the beauty and vibrancy of 

coastal lifestyles and the 

remoteness of the interior. 

Exhibiting artists are Maggy 

Oehlbeck, 

Jenny 

Lavender, 

Margo 

Harbison, 

and Leon 

Boland, 

with works 

including oil and acrylic on 

canvas, paper, and Xray film. 

“The Northern Beaches provide 

me with an inexhaustible 

source of subject matter: my 

affection for its inhabitants, 

the majesty of big seas and 

big skies,” said Maggy. 

Abstractionist, Narrabeen’s 

Jenny Lavender has developed 

a process of applying 

paint to exposed X-ray film 

and mark-making into the 

surface. “My work becomes a 

dialogue with my materials,” 

she said. 

Margo Harbison lived at 

Warriewood when working 

in paediatrics at Mona Vale 

Hospital. “The view of the 

ocean and coastal fringe in 

their many 

moods 

have permeated 

my 

artistic soul 

for years!” 

she said. 

Leon 

Boland says his canvases resonate 

with the loneliness and 

isolation of life on a remote 

property in Northwest NSW. 

“My landscapes are imaginary,” 

he said. “Where I grew 

up, there were no hills and few 

trees. Now I satisfy my yearning 

by painting them in.” 

The exhibition runs at the 

Creative Space in North Curl 

Curl from April 24 to May 6. 

Gift ideas galore 

in ACOP return 

They’re back – the Artists & Craftsmen of Pittwater (ACOP) 

return to Mona Vale this month for the first of four 

exhibitions scheduled in 2018 and just in time to buy great 

gifts for Mother’s Day. 

Refreshed after summer and with renewed creativity, all 

artists are excited to be submitting both new and current 

artworks in the much sought-after ‘People’s Choice’ award 

(where attendees get to vote for their favourite painting). 

Items – all hand-made by members – include patchwork, 

jewellery, knitting, gifts for babies, girls dresses, silks, timber 

bowls (made from Australian timbers), magical felt toys and 

play mats, cards, screen printed aprons and tea towels, folk 

and decorative art, gift bags, quilling, applique towels, handpainted 

porcelain, candles, and silver wire jewellery. 

Also, the group will be holding a Jewellery Workshop 

on Friday April 20 from 1-4pm where you can make a pair 

of earrings for just $10 a set. No bookings required, with 

materials provided (for adults and children accompanied by 

an adult for the duration of the class). 

If you’re interested in joining ACOP they have limited places 

available within their art and craft ranks – enquire through the 

website or at the sales desk during the exhibition. 

The Autumn Exhibition runs from Thursday 19th April 

through Saturday 21st April, 9am to 4pm at Mona Vale 

Memorial Hall; more info acop.com.au and Facebook. 



SPLASHES OF 

CREATIVITY 

The Creative Space at 

North Curl Curl will 

hold its first curated 

exhibition, Invisible Bridges 

(produced by Cassia 

Bundock) from May 12 to 

May 19. Cross-culturalism, 

sexuality, spirituality and 

knowledge are some of the 

themes running through 

painting, photography, 

video, textiles, collage and 

sculpture. Collaborating 

artists are Danilo 

Brandão, Abbie Hashimoto, 

Cyma Hibri, Cassio Leitão, 

Fernanda O’Connell, Paula 

do Prado, and Louise 

Whelan. The exhibition runs 

daily from 10am to 4pm; 

entry is free. More info 

paulistagallery.com.au 

* * * 

The Avalon Craft 

Cottage members are 

busily preparing for their 

first showing for 2018 

at St Ives Village from 

Easter Monday April 2. 

Their stall will be situated 

downstairs, outside the 

Newsagency, and will run 

normal business hours 

until Sunday 8th April 

(closing 4pm). A great 

display of woodwork will 

be a focus, as well as all 

the usual handcrafted 

jewellery, baby gifts, handknitted 

jackets, booties, 

shawls; plus scarves, bed 

sox, patchwork quilts, and 

screen-printed tea towels. 

More info call Rita on 

9918 2748. 

Workshop autumn 

ideas at the SAS 

The Autumn Art School 

at Sydney Art Space in 

April offers many great art 

workshops for adults and 

children to get their teeth into 

– and burn off the chocolate 

bunnies! 

Convenor Christine Simpson 

says areas of interest (for ages 

16 and up) include a three-day 

sculpture casting intensive 

called Body Parts and Found 

Objects. 

“Other hot workshops include 

Drawing Fundamentals 

after Banksy; Experimental 

Watercolour; Soapstone Carving; 

Relief Printmaking and 

Coiled Vessels using Upcycled 

Fabrics,” said Christine. 

She added two wonderful 

workshops for children are 

also scheduled – Printmaking, 

Painting and Collage (with 

the theme ‘Monsters from 

the Narrabeen Lagoon’); plus 

Fabulous Poms Poms! 

For more info and costings 

visit sydneyartspace.com or 

phone 0402 532 957. 

Meanwhile, Christine reminds 

regulars that Term 

2 coursework kicks off on 

Tuesday May 1. 




Careel Bay serves up 

40 years of memories 

Ah, the 1970s… a time 

when neighbours had 

time to pitch in and 

build community; when progressive 

dinner parties served 

as fundraisers and when 

no-one baulked at the idea of 

turning wetlands and a rubbish 

dump into tennis courts. 

This year The Careel Bay 

Tennis Club celebrates its 40th 

anniversary with a gala morning 

and a nod to all the local 

families who made it happen. 

The facility in Hitchcock 

Park, North Avalon only exists 

because of a unique collaboration 

between council and the 

painstaking efforts (and personal 

finances) of local tennis 

enthusiasts. 

Two of the Club’s founding 

members Kay and Ken 

Howarth explained the club’s 

history began in 1974 when, 

after a series of pubic meetings 

lobbying for sporting 

facilities, the then Warringah 

Council provided a grant of 

land encompassing the former 

rubbish dump and part of the 

Careel Creek wetlands. 

A steering committee of 

local residents – including the 

Howarths – was established to 

get things rolling, with work 

commencing a year later. 

The mangroves were turned 

over and work progressed well 

but when the official opening 

weekend came around things 

fell a little flat. 

“The Council didn’t know 

that the courts needed to be 

made from compacted loam,” 

Kay said. “The initial surface 

was just sand and as a result 

the balls would not bounce… 

we couldn’t play on them!” 

The first loam court was 

opened in 1978 and the first 

of the Club’s ‘Open Championships’ 

was played later that 

year, with the husband-andwife 

combination of John Ebsary 

winning the Men’s Singles 

title and Betty Ebsary winning 

the Ladies Singles. 

EARLY DAYS: Careel Bay's first 'clubhouse' was a humble shed (above); 

members and kids literally dug deep to help deliver the new Clubhouse, 

which opened in 1983 (below). FAMILIAR FACES: Two of the club's founding 

members, Kay and Ken Howarth, remain active in the Club today (right). 

Kay explained the members 

would spend weekends and 

any spare time beautifying 

and maintaining the facilities. 

“It was a different world 

back then, we’d have working 

bees to clear the land, build 

the gardens and lay pavers… 

everybody gave their time and 

effort and for the first five or 

six years everything was run 

on a voluntary basis,” Kay 

recalled. 

It was no surprise locals 

rallied when it came time 

to replace the tin shed that 

served as the clubhouse with 

something a little more accommodating. 

Fundraisers were held, including 

fashion parades, progressive 

dinners and chook 

raffles, however it was evident 

a larger chunk of money was 

needed so several generous 

families loaned savings to 

cover the shortfall. 

The plan for the clubhouse 

was chosen from sketches submitted 

by Club members – Sue 

Stephens was the winner and 

local architect Bruce James 

drew up the plans – the build 

was supported by members 

who worked on the courts and 

surrounds and later a few additions 

and a lower ceiling. 

The Clubhouse was opened 

in 1983 by then Warringah 

Mayor Paul Couvret, with an 

exhibition of tennis featuring 

local icons Adrienne Avis and 

Teresa Stapp together with 

Davis Cup player John Alexander 

and the Club’s 1983 ‘Men’s 

Singles Champion’ Murray 

Coddington. 

Many of the founding mem- 



Book Review 

The Lost 

Flowers of 

Alice Hart 

by Holly Ringland, 

Fourth Estate 

$32.99 

Debut Australian 

author, Holly Ringland, 

grew up in a tropical 

garden on the coast, 

so it’s not surprising 

that flowers play an 

important role in her 

novel. They also have 

made for one of the 

most beautiful covers 

we’ve seen on our 

new release shelves 

this year. 

What makes 

Ringland’s compelling story of tragedy, 

family secrets and coming of age so special, is how skillfully 

she makes the Australian landscape and flora characters in 

their own right. 

Alice Hart is a survivor, which is important to know going 

into this novel, which at times goes to very dark places. 

Ringland is a talented storyteller, and her knowledge of native 

flora is impressive. If you liked Charlotte Wood’s The Natural 

Way of Things or Meredith Ashley’s The Birdman’s Wife, The 

Lost Flowers of Alice Hart is one for you. – Libby Armstrong 

bers are still active in the Club 

today – Ken, 78, is a five-times 

Captain and still on the Works 

Committee and Kay, 75, is Vice 

President again this year and 

continues to play a number 

of times a week… with their 

grandchildren now enjoying 

the facilities too. 

“There are a few of us who 

have been there since day dot 

and we still get more fun out 

of it than what we put into it,” 

Ken said. 

The generosity of the founding 

families will be recognised 

on the Saturday April 21 gala 

morning when a commemorative 

plaque will be unveiled. 

And in another nod to the 

past, the Mayor of our Council 

plus John Alexander will be 

back at Careel Bay participating 

in exhibition matches. 

Everyone is invited to be 

part of the gala morning from 

9am-1pm – see ad page 27 for 

details. – Lisa Offord 



Local Call 

A 'couple 

of ideas' 

to help you 

get creative 

Meet Chris Barlow and Ivina Khoo – a 

self-confessed ‘kooky’ couple with a 

solid advertising and creative pedigree 

who like to think outside the square to 

deliver results for their clients. 

Local Call 

Pittwater Life recruited the affable 

Avalon-based husband-and-wife team 

to design, develop and deliver our 

new website, which launched to great acclaim 

last month. 

“We help businesses look the best they 

can with thoughtful design and identity 

branding,” said Ivina. “That’s always the 

starting point and from there we can develop 

effective marketing and communication 

strategies – this includes web presence 

and direct marketing approaches.” 

Chris explained their careers in advertising 

often intersected, so it made sense 

with their skills sets that they would complement 

each other working on projects 

together – which led to them forming 

‘Kookie Mix Creative’. 

“We have the big agency experience (40 

years combined) distilled into a dedicated 

talented team,” he said. “Clients are getting 

inspiring ideas and design – without 

the big agency overheads.” 

But why ‘Kookie Mix’? 

“Creative problem solving requires thinking 

outside the obvious,” said Ivina. “And 

sometimes the answers are pretty straight 

forward but you need to explore many options 

to ensure you have the best solution. 

“Kooky is a bit out of the ordinary, curious 

and eccentric… and why not? 

“We apply this thinking to creative 

problem solving, with the result being a 

range of creative solutions. That, and we 

like baking cookies!” 

The couple’s connection to the area began 

with their marriage on a boat floating 

in Pittwater back in 2002. 

Time is ripe for Peaches 

Independent Avalon boutique Peaches has 

closed its doors after nearly 40 years of 

outfitting locals with “smart, casual clothes 

aimed at the Northern Beaches way of 

life” – with owner Susie Fitzgerald and her 

sister Gail Cameron saying they are looking 

forward to spending more time traveling. 

Susie explained Peaches was opened in 

1980 by a Canadian, Bonnie Consiglio. 

“Bonnie had six daughters and thought 

a clothing shop would be a good idea,” she 

said. “I started working at Peaches in 1986 

and in 1992 Bonnie decided to return to 

Canada; however she kept the shop until 

1994 which is when I bought it, along with 

a friend who unfortunately had to return to 

her native Melbourne after just one year. 

“I took over her share and have been 

the sole owner since, with Gail joining me 

shortly after.” 

Peaches has always been in the same 

location near the pedestrian crossing on 

Avalon Parade, and originally included the 

shop next door which was called Peaches 

Pour Homme, with an opening between the 

two premises. 

Susie (left, with Gail) said Peaches had 

enjoyed a successful final Summer trade. 

“Peaches has provided a fabulous lifestyle 

for Gail and me… we have met and 

made friends with so many lovely people, 

who have been so supportive, as have a 

lot of people who visit the peninsula every 

year,” she said. 

“Over the years we have enjoyed visits 

from many well-known identities and celebrities 

– some of whom held off buying until 

they got to Avalon. 

“But things are changing in Avalon,” noted 

Susie, who has lived in the suburb since 

1985. “It is still a lovely, friendly village and 

I feel a similar business can do very well by 

displaying a little individuality. 

“I just hope the locals will continue to 

support all our local small businesses. 

“We would love to thank all the people 

“Living in the inner city at the time, we 

were always inspired by the natural surrounds 

of the Pittwater area,” said Chris. 

“We had always had an affinity with the 

green spaces and fresh air. 

“Eight years ago, when the time came 

to consider where we wanted to raise our 

young family, we chose Avalon.” 

Ivina said some of their most creative 

work has been for some of their smallest 

clients. 

“And it has been great working with the 

Pittwater Life team to get their new website 

off the ground,” she said. “The clean 

design of the site reflects the Pittwater 

area and lets the beautiful imagery of the 

area speak for itself.” 

Check out their work at kookiemix.com 


who over the years have been such loyal 

customers, such wonderful friends,” she 

said, adding thanks to all the previous staff 

who worked in Peaches over the years. 

“We are now going to retire, enjoy this 

beautiful area and travel at home and overseas!” 

– NW 



Ben’s ‘Blue’ sky thinking 

Mobile mechanic and 

Narrabeen local Ben 

Murdock is still pinching 

himself seven months after 

taking control of his own business 

which he says is changing 

people’s perceptions of the 

automotive industry. 

Ben runs Blue Toro Mobile 

Mechanics, with a territory 

covering the whole 

of the Northern Beaches. 

His services include everything 

a standard workshop 

mechanic operation offers, 

including new car servicing 

that won’t void warrantees, 

plus repairs and breakdown 

assistance. 

The difference is, he 

comes to you – saving 

time, money and all-round 

hassle. Plus, customers 

receive a 20,000km, 12-month 

warranty on all work. 

Ben cut his teeth as an apprentice 

at a local dealership and 

small workshop before joining the 

NRMA where he worked for the 

past eight years, gaining in-depth 

experience on all makes, models 

and problems with vehicles. 

Almost 40 years after she 

made her first hanging 

mosquito net, Kaye Quiney is 

closing Ozzie Mozzie Nets at 

Avalon. 

Kaye, who has occupied several 

local shop sites over 36 years, 

intends to go back to her true 

cottage industry roots, selling 

online and arranging pick-ups for 

her loyal customers. 

She says when the shop closes 

this month it will “complete the 

circle” after she moved to the area 

in 1976, settled down and raised a 

family while growing her specialist 

business to great reviews. 

“I started out with a stall at 

Paddington Market… my days 

were spent at the beach in the 

mornings and at the sewing machine 

in the afternoons, sewing 

clothing and soft furnishings to 

sell at the weekend at my stall,” 

she said. 

Kaye had sewn for herself 


Ben reasoned the Blue Toro 

company would change the 

quality of his life while allowing 

him to remain passionate about 

his chosen career. 

“Blue Toro is a family-run 

organisation which shares many 

of the same values as mine,” 

he said. “Mobile mechanics are 

becoming increasingly popular, 

with most of my customers citing 

that they simply don’t have 

the time to drop their car to a 

workshop and have the hassle 

of public transport, organising 

alternate transport or waiting 

around a shopping centre all 

day… my customers love the 

convenience mobile servicing 

provides.” 

He said vehicle servicing 

started from $205, depending 

on the type of vehicle and level 

of service. 

“For breakdowns or 

repairs, I provide a free, 

no-obligation quote which 

is more than competitive 

within the market,” he said. 

Ben added the majority 

jobs were completed on 

the same day, within a few 

hours, with the exception 

of larger jobs where parts 

may not be readily assessable 

on the same day. 

“I love that I get to work in 

a different location every 

day, meet great people 

and help to take hassle out of 

people’s lives by taking care 

of their vehicles at a time and 

place that suits them,” he said. 

“And you can’t beat my ‘office’ 

– I love how friendly people 

of the Northern Beaches are.” 

More info 0420 851 706. 

– NW 

Raine & 

Horne 

launch 

Forty years after Denis 

McDonagh started 

the first Raine & Horne 

real estate agency in 

Avalon, his daughter 

Lara Rowell is following 

in his footsteps. 

Along with wellknown 

local real estate 

identities Nina and 

Slava Sokolov, the trio 

have launched the latest 

branch of the familiar 

black and gold brand, 

with their prestige 

market territory 

including Avalon and 

Palm Beach. 

Raine & Horne was 

involved in subdivisional 

sales in Palm 

Beach as far back as the 

late 19th century. 

Formerly of Fine & 

Country, Nina, Slava and 

Lara will continue to 

operate out of the iconic 

former Westpac building 

on Avalon Parade, with 

a Palm Beach office also 

planned. 

New hangout for Ozzie Mozzie 

a few different canopy-style dispatching to stores throughout 

Mozzie Nets which she hung Australia and New Zealand,” Kaye 

from the ceiling using fishing said. 

line and wire. 

“There was a lot of interest 

“I became good friends with from country areas, so I started 

Judy Bray, a local architect who a mail order business to supply 

had also made some cotton mosquito 

remote areas and produced my 

nets and we combined our first mail order catalogue in 1990 

designs to come up with the first – by then the range had grown 

Ozzie Mozzie Net,” she said. to include three styles of Mozzie 

“The nets were so popular we Nets, plus bed linen.” 

decided to start a business and Kaye opened her first shop on 

enthusiastically embarked on the corner of Whale Beach Road 

manufacturing the nets for sale and Barrenjoey Road in 1991, operating 

– we were lucky enough to have 

for 11 years before mov- 

a story in Vogue magazine and ing to Old Barrenjoey Rd – and 

the product was launched into a the days of the famous ‘Avalon 

wider audience.” 

Waffle Blankets’. 

While Judy withdrew to concentrate 

“I will miss seeing the friendly 

on her career, Kaye faces and chatting with the lovely 

expanded her product offering, customers, many of whom have 

making bed linen which she sold become good friends,” Kaye said. 

wholesale. 

“But it will allow me to spend 

“I employed a few friends to more time at the beach with my 

help with the production of the grandchildren and visit friends in 

bed linen and nets and we were the country.” – Lisa Offord 


Local Call

Surfing Life 


How surfing leads the 

way on equality & parity 

It comes as no surprise the professional league’s biggest trend is – women 

nies tend to make short-cut surf 

gear for women, and malefocused 

surf media outlets have 

long delighted in running images 

of girls and young women 

doing frontside bottom turns in 

short-cut surf gear. 

Now, thanks to the WSL ruling, 

women competitors need 

no longer concern themselves 

that a pic or clip of them doing 

such a turn might end up being 

chortled over rather than admired 

for the technical skill. 

It reflects a major trend since 

the WSL took pro surfing’s reins 

back in 2014. 

At the time, the organisation 

made it clear it intended 

to treat the women pros with 

at least as much respect as the 

HONOURED: Pam Burridge, Pauline Menczer and Stephanie Gilmore. 

with Nick Carroll 

The World Surf League 

organisation is full of 

surprises. Think of the 

Surf Ranch wave pool! Five 

years ago I don’t think many of 

us expected that. 

Yet recently, they did 

something absolutely nobody 

expected them to do. That 

nobody in a powerful position 

in the sport of surfing has ever 

done, in fact. 

The WSL has banned photographers 

and filmers at their CT 

events from recording images 

that focus on women’s bums. 

It’s a fact that when a surfer 

leans into a frontside bottom 

turn, a lot can be briefly 

revealed about their rear ends. 

It’s also a fact that surf compa- 

men. Immediately they brought to life as a female pro surfer in 

about effective prizemoney decades past. 

parity in Championship Tour Recently we got to attend the 

events: while the women’s CT Surfing Australia Hall of Fame 

is still only half the strength of Awards for 2018. The Awards 

the men’s in sheer numbers, revolves around the induction 

the prize purses have increased of just one surfer per annum to 

to the point that only a year the Hall of Fame itself. This year 

ago, women’s world champ it was Pauline Menzcer, and everybody 

Tyler Wright actually out-earned 

there agreed it’d been a 

men’s champ John Florence. long time coming. 

(She made over US$300,000, Short, fiery and hilarious, 

not counting her many endorsements, 

Pauline grew up in Bondi in 

which run into the the 1970s, when the joint was 

millions.) 

rough as guts. She lost her 

It’s a fascinating test case. Dad – a taxi driver – when she 

Turns out that if you pay was five years of age, and the 

women athletes more, they get family never had any money. 

better. In 2018, the women’s She contracted young-onset 

CT roster is much stronger rheumatoid arthritis that made 

and more competitive than the every day difficult and some 

men’s. Tyler recently explained days unbearable. Despite this, 

to Pittwater Life why this is and despite having no endorsement 

so. “It’s allowed us to invest in 

sponsor, she won the 

ourselves,” she said. “We can 1993 world pro tour. 

hire nutritionists, physiotherapists, 

Flanked now onstage by 

coaches, and we can fellow greats Pam Burridge 

concentrate on getting better. and Stephanie Gilmore, Pauline 

It’s given us all the support recounted some tales from her 

we need to practice our craft. time on tour. “I’d noticed that in 

It’s how being a professional France, people would go crazy 

should work.” 

for Levis jeans. They’d pay anything 

It’s also a staggering contrast 

for those jeans. I was in 



PL’s APRIL SURF CALENDAR 

To April 8: Rip Curl Pro, men’s and women’s WSL CT, Bells 

Beach, Victoria 

April 11-22: Margaret River Pro, men’s and women’s WSL 

CT, Margaret River, WA 

These two double headers may well decide the world champions. 

They pretty much did last year. Mick Fanning will be retiring at the 

Bells event so it’ll be all about him, until he loses. Once that happens, 

the focus will shift to the winners. Watch for returns to form from 

the big winners last year, the likes of Owen Wright, John Florence, 

Jordy Smith and co, plus some real sparkle from CT newcomers like 

Brazil’s Michael Rodrigues. It’s a year of change on the men’s roster, 

with Fanning’s departure and the virtual retirement of Kelly Slater 

who struggles with recovery from a foot injury first sustained in July 

last year. The women’s roster is wide open, with numerous surfers 

in full flight. California’s Lakey Peterson won the first event at Kirra in 

Queensland but there’s no telling who’ll get these two, everyone’s just 

too good. Watch and see at www.worldsurfleague.com 

NICK’S APRIL SURF FORECAST 

Photo Credit: WSL 

It’s been such a dynamic year so far! Like the seasons are crashing 

into each other rather than gracefully giving way. I feel April may 

go two ways on this score: either give us a rest from this twitchy 

activity with a month of gentleness and grace, or sorta up the ante 

with a couple of really serious swell events. There is nothing in the 

atmospheric trends to indicate one or the other will occur so I guess 

it is a gut call. In which case I think I’ll go with the gentleness. Down 

the track, late May or June will explode again with east coast lows 

and associated close range chaos but my sense is that April will 

relax into quiet and beautiful days with varied winds and a general 

re-setting of the clock after a quite hectic end to summer. It won’t 

be flat, small swells should reach our shores from distal easterly 

winds in the SW Pacific and from autumn storms passing south of 

Tasmania. But a cold and solid winter awaits us, so get ready. 

Nick Carroll 


California, and France was the 

next tour stop. I was desperate 

to win the contest in California 

because if I didn’t win 

some prizemoney, I wouldn’t 

know how I’d be able to get to 

the next tour stop.” She was 

sleeping in a tent in a friend’s 

backyard at the time. 

“I did win some money. Then 

I remembered about the jeans. 

I went to a discount store and 

bought about 100 pairs of 

Levi’s jeans and stuffed them 

all in my suitcase and board 

bag, flew to France, and set 

up shop in the carpark at the 

contest.” 

She made enough from selling 

the jeans to finish the tour 

year and win the world title. 

Pauline couldn’t get a sponsor 

back then because she 

didn’t fit the mould. She wasn’t 

blonde, she wasn’t tall, she 

didn’t care how she looked 

anywhere but on a wave. Today 

she’d be a superstar. 

I thought a bit about Pauline 

a few weeks later when I 


paddled out for a surf at my 

home break, Newport, and 

came upon Holly Wawn. In case 

you don’t know, Holly is the 

peninsula’s best chance of a 

world surfing champion since 

Damien Hardman. Her Dad Bill 

grew up surfing Newport back 

in the 1970s, and Holly grew up 

running around on the beach 

trying to borrow lost boards in 

the Newport shorebreak. 

Today, she is this irrepressible 

young woman, relaxed and 

ripping, and ranked 12th on 

the 2018 WSL qualifying rankings, 

having already won more 

money this year than Pauline 

managed in the whole of 1993. 

If the World Surf League does 

nothing else, it’s given Holly a 

shot. 

Nick Carroll is a leading 

Australian and international 

surf writer, author, filmmaker 

and surfer, and one 

of Newport’s own. Email: 

ncsurf@ozemail.com.au 


Health & Wellbeing 


How Pittwater seniors can ‘Do More 

The theme of this year’s 

Seniors Festival April 4-27 

is ‘Let’s Do More Together’. 

Northern Beaches Council has 

collated activities from Manly 

up to Palmy to encourage everyone 

to get out… we’ve sifted 

through the program (available 

to download from their website) 

to showcase some of the free 

events close to home. 

And don’t miss the special 

Wellbeing Expo, the official 

launch for Seniors Festival 2018 

at Dee Why RSL on Friday 6th 

from 10am–2pm. 

Keynote speaker, SBS television 

personality Andrew L. Urban, 

will recount his colourful 

ventures, followed by presentations 

from the experts on the 

NBN, My Aged Care and managing 

personal finances. 

The Expo will feature 40 

information stalls ‘expo-sing’ 

options and benefits to keep 

you healthy and wealthy in 

retirement. 

Tip: Seniors who attend 

before 12.30pm will receive a 

bonus $15 lunch voucher 

Other special Festival events 

include Comedy for a Cause, a 

luncheon deal with comedians 

Gary Eck, Sam Bowring, Peter 

Meisel and Oliver Phommavanh 

at The Builders Club Dee Why; 

Simple Dreams – The Songs of 

Linda Ronstadt at Glen Street 

Theatre; and Cinema Comes to 

Kimbriki featuring the film A 

Plastic Ocean. – Lisa Offord 

What’s on in Pittwater 

Pioneering Lawyer Learn 

about Australia’s first Environmental 

Lawyer and first 

practising female solicitor in 

New South Wales Marie Byles. 

On Wed 4 from 1.30-3.30pm at 

Newport Community Centre. 

Bookings 9970 7161 or mavis. 

bickerton@bigpond.com 

Creative Leisure Are there 

activities you would like to try 

but don’t know where to start? 

Enjoy a chat and a cuppa with 

the folk from Northern Beaches 

Creative Leisure and Learning 

at Nelson Heather Centre Warriewood 

Thurs 5 from 10am- 

12pm. Bookings 9913 1474 or 

manresa123@optusnet.com.au 

Beginners Tap Dancing Lots 

of fun while keeping your mind, 

muscles and joints active. Try 

tapping on Thurs 5 at 9-10am 

at the Avalon Rec Centre. Bookings 

8877 5304. 

Beginners Yoga Yoga is for 

everyone regardless of age or 

fitness level. Give it a go on 

Mon 9 from 9-10am at Nelson 

Heather Centre Warriewood. 

Bookings 8877 5304. 

Learn About Lawn Bowls An 

introduction to the game with 

some practice on the green 

at Newport on Tues 10 from 

2-3.30pm. Bookings 9918 9847 

or infodell@bigpond.net.au 

Leaving A Digital Legacy 

Getting your affairs in order 

can be challenging. Avalon 

Computer pals will assist you to 

create a record of your assets 



Together’ 

and provide tips on managing 

your digital legacy. On Tues 10 

from 1.30-3.30pm at Newport 

Community Centre. Bookings 

8064 3574 or apcoordinator@ 

gmail.com 

Home Support Learn how to 

apply for Home Care Packages 

and/or how a brain exercise 

program which is now available 

in the home can assist people 

living with dementia. Presented 

by Home Care Assistance, 2C 

Bungan St Mona Vale on Wed 

11 from 12-1.15pm includes free 

healthy refreshments. Bookings 

0430 130 227 or dschaffer@ 

homecareassistance.com. 

Make Your Home Comfy 

Learn to make your home feel 

comfortable during weather 

extremes on Wed 11 from 

1.30-2.30pm at Nelson Heather 

Community Centre Warriewood. 

Bookings 9942 2994 

Live Your Best Benevolent 

Society Ageing Services are 

hosting a free lunch and talk on 

how you can be assisted to live 

at home, showcasing products 

to help make life easier. On Wed 

11 from 12-2pm at Ted Blackwood 

Community Centre, Warriewood. 


Cyber Security A workshop on 

what you can do to reduce the 

risk of hackers. Thurs 12 from 

2-3pm at Seabeach Gardens 

Retirement Village Mona Vale. 

Bookings 9979 6517 or ahennessy@baldwincare.com.au 

A History Of Astronomy An 

entertaining talk to enhance 

your passion for star-gazing 

on Fri 13 from 1.30-3.30pm at 

Nelson Heather Centre, Warriewood. 


Humanitarian Work Salvation 

Army Chaplain Paul O’Keefe 

will discuss the challenges of 

establishing an orphanage and 

medical clinic in Ghana on Tues 

17 from 10-11am at Seabeach 

Gardens, Mona Vale. Bookings 

9979 6517 or a hennessy@ 

baldwincare.com.au. 

Road Safety Learn what senior 

pedestrians and drivers need 

to know on Thurs 19 from 10- 

11am at Pittwater Village, Mona 

Vale. Bookings 0402160252 or 

robyn.strevens@lendlease.com. 

Forgetfulness Or Dementia? 

Tips for communicating and understanding 

behaviour changes 

in a person who had dementia. 

On Fri 27 from 10am-12pm at 

NBCC, Narrabeen. Bookings 

9970 1000 or enquiries@nbcc. 

nsw.edu.au 

* Healthy ageing tips from local 

experts – see page 50. 

Natural 

Approach 

Over the past 

couple of 

weeks we have 

seen more 

people looking 

for cold and flu 

remedies. So 

what can you 

do to avoid and 

fight off the 

cold and flu season? 

First, think about boosting 

your immunity. Eating a 

By Debbie 

Milsom 

balanced diet ensures you get 

all nutrients needed. Gut health 

is super important too. Several 

immune-boosting substances 

such secretory IgA comes from 

the gut. A probiotic can help 

boost your gut health along 

with prebiotic foods. 

Vitamin C and zinc are 

important immunity boosters. 

Citrus fruits, dark leafy 

greens, broccoli, kiwi fruit and 

capsicums are a good source of 

vitamin C. Zinc can be found in 

pepitas, seafood, cashew nuts. 

Herbs such as Astragalus, 

Siberian ginseng have been 

found to boost immunity. (We 

love Fusion Health Astra 8 

which comes in tablet or liquid 

form). 

Once a cold or flu hits, keep 

up fluids. Hot lemon juice with 

Manuka honey is great; add a 

sprig of thyme for an antiviral 

effect. Chilli, ginger and garlic 

will all help chase the cold away 

– our hot tip is to grate some 

into your hot lemon drink. 

Other herbs such as 

Andrographis, Echinacea, 

Elderflower, Reishi and thyme 

have all been used for their 

anti-viral, antibacterial immuneboosting 

properties. Products 

such as Fusion Health Activiral 

and Vitamin C 1000 Advanced 

are useful. Plus we have plenty 

of practitioner-only products. 

Flannerys Organic & 

Wholefood Market Mona 

Vale have friendly, qualified 

naturopaths instore that can 

speak with you about all of 

your health and wellness 

needs. Plus, you can book 

in for free 15-minute advice 

sessions. Visit flannerys.com. 

au to secure your spot today or 

see us in store. 

* Debbie is a naturopath at 

Flannerys, Mona Vale 






Transfer a way of doing 

yourself ‘fat’ lot of good 

With age comes volume 

loss – and facial volume 

is perceived as youthful. Fat 

transfer is one way correct 

this volume loss. Cheeks are 

a good example of an area 

that are popular with volume 

replacement; the reintroduced 

fat fills and recontours the lost 

tissue. 

Fat transfer is a three-step 

procedure. Firstly the fat cells 

are harvested. Secondly they 

are prepared. Thirdly they are 

reinjected. This gives a longlasting 

result, that is natural 

and soft to touch. 

Depending on the amount 

of fat to be transferred, the 

technique can be performed 

under local anaesthetic, 

sedation (oral or IV) or general 

anaesthetic. Local anaesthetic 

containing small amounts of 

adrenaline is always used. 

Adrenaline causes the blood 

vessels to shut down or 

vasoconstrict, which minimises 

bleeding and bruising. Local 

anaesthetic reduces pain so the 

amount of general anaesthetic, 

if used, can be reduced. Local 

anaesthetic also ensures a 

number of pain-free hours after 

the procedure. 

The stomach, inner thighs 

and inner knees are favoured 

as areas to harvest the fat from. 

At all times the fat cells are 

with Dr John Kippen 

preserved by minimising the 

trauma and damage to them. 

This ensures many viable cells 

to use. 

Fat cells are prepared in 

different ways. The aim is 

to remove blood cells, oils, 

ruptured fat cells and tissue 

fluid from viable, live fat 

cell. Cells are centrifuged, or 

washed or decanted to allow 

this separation. 

Prepared fat is then 

reinjected as small droplets or 

narrow strings. Cheeks, chins, 

lips, temples, tear troughs, 

eyes, jaw line and hands are 

commonly injected. The volume 

reinjected at each pass is fairly 

small, as the fat cells rely on 

obtaining a blood supply from 

the surrounding tissue. For 

bigger volumes the fat may be 



layered in various tissue planes; 

for example, deep to muscle, 

superficial to muscle and 

then under the skin. Often no 

stitches are required because 

the punctures used are so 

small. 

As the fat is taken from 

the same person rejection 

cannot occur. There is some 

degree of absorption of the fat. 

This amount is variable. The 

resorption takes place slowly. 

Usually the procedure needs 

to be repeated to obtain full 

correction. Repeat procedures 

are performed after a number 

of months to allow full 

settlement. 

Swelling and bruising are 

quite common and variable. 

Pain is usually mild and related 

to the amount of fat used. 

Infection is a low risk when 

performed in the face. Contour 

irregularities, clumping and 

lumps may occur and is usually 

due to irregular fat absorption; 

these can be corrected at the 

planned second procedure. 

The ideal candidate should 

be in good general health and 

have realistic expectations. 

Smoking can affect the blood 

supply and therefore the uptake 

of fat. Aspirin-containing 

medications, non-steroidal 

anti-inflammatories and some 

herbal preparations can thin 

the blood and make bruising 

worse. These should be 

avoided for 10 days prior to 

the procedure. Both donor and 

recipient area should be clean 

and free of make-up. 

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. 

Dr Kippen works from custom-built 

premises in Mona 

Vale. He welcomes enquiries 

and questions. Please 

contact him via johnkippen. 

com.au or by email: doctor@ 

johnkippen.com.au 

Never too late to exercise 

We know physical activity can improve your health no 

matter what your age - one of important benefits 

of regular exercise for seniors is the role it plays in 

maintaining strength and independence. 

Fitness expert Ingrid van Baren-Davey, who specialises 

in leading exercise programs for over-55s, said as 

metabolism naturally slowed with age maintaining a 

healthy weight was a challenge. 

“Exercise helps increase metabolism and builds muscle 

mass, helping to burn more calories,” she said. 

Ingrid explained that as we age, our muscle mass begins 

to decrease. “Muscle is an essential contributor to our 

balance and bone strength; it keeps us strong,” Ingrid said. 

Adults aged 65 or older who were generally fit and had 

no health conditions that limit their mobility should try to 

be active every day. 

Ingrid, who has more than 30 years’ experience in the 

fitness industry, runs community-based exercise programs 

in Warriewood that cater for all abilities including 

modified classes for people with health conditions such 

as osteoporosis, COPD, MS or Parkinson Disease or 

recovering from heart attack or stroke. 

She said regular group exercise not only contributed to 

balanced health, it had the bonus of providing enjoyment 

and social connectedness. 

“You get mutual support and you are having fun with 

other like-minded individuals… importantly too, scheduled 

exercise gets you up and out of the house.” 

All people attending Ingrid’s classes are required to fill 

out a pre-exercise screening form that needs to be signed 

off by their GP. – LO 






Now hear this 

... and step up 

to good health 

While we are all generally 

pretty good at monitoring 

our heart health and keeping 

an eye out for changes in 

our sight and skin, two things 

that take a pounding throughout 

our lifetime – our feet 

and our hearing – are often 

neglected. 

Foot care plays an important 

role in keeping people… 

well, on their feet. 

Feet are made up of a 

complex network of 28 bones, 

33 joints, 107 ligaments, 19 

muscles and tendons all working 

in unison. 

Yet although our feet are 

quite possibly the most hardworking 

part of our body they 

are easily overlooked, said 

podiatrist Mark Osborne of 

Avalon Podiatry. 

“Feet are the foundations 

of our body and need to be 

treated well to maintain good 

health,” Mark said. 

As we age, healthy feet 

play a vital role in keeping the 

whole body healthy. 

“Walking is the best exercise 

for both your feet and general 

health – by maintaining good 

mobility, your leg and foot 

muscles will be strong, which 

in turn helps the blood circulating,” 

Mark said. 

“When we don’t exercise, 

our muscles become weak 

and in the elderly this will lead 

to a high risk of falls.” 

The average person will 

walk more than 128,000km 

in their lifetime – that’s over 

three times the circumference 

of the earth. 

Little wonder then our feet 

become prone to problems. 

In fact a recent survey 

showed 60 per cent of females 

and 32 per cent of males 

over 65 were troubled by foot 

problems. 

“Painful and uncomfortable 

feet are not a natural part 

of growing old, nor are they 

something you have to put up 

with,” Mark said. 

“Foot pain from bunions, 

corns and callouses, thickened 

toenails and heel pain are 

all common foot complaints 

treated by a podiatrist. 

“Painful feet in the elderly 

causes instability and interferes 

with the normal foot 

function and gait and is a 

common reason that leads to 

falls.” 

Mark said when it comes to 

foot pain, comfortable and appropriate 

supportive footwear 

was a good place to start. 

“Often podiatrists will assess 

the patient’s feet and recommend 

treatments like padding, 

strapping and orthotics 

to improve foot function, 

eliminate pain and return the 

patient to their daily exercise 

routines,” he said. 

There is also increasing 

evidence of the importance 

of hearing to overall health, 

especially as people age, says 

audiologist Emma van Wanrooy 

from Pittwater Hearing. 

Emma said a recent study 

from France found those people 

reporting hearing problems 

had an increased risk of 

disability and dementia. 

“In men, there was also a 

link between poor hearing and 

depression; however the same 

links were not found in those 

people wearing hearing aids,” 

Emma said. 

“This suggests that when 

hearing loss is treated appropriately, 

people are more likely 

to remain socially active.” 

The incidence of hearing 

loss increased with age – up to 

70 per cent of people over 70 

had some degree of hearing 

loss. 

Emma, who has worked with 

adults with acquired hearing 

loss for two decades, said it 

was quite typical for someone 

who developed hearing loss 

as they aged to delay doing 

anything about their hearing 

for 10 years. 

“However, the new studies 

linking hearing loss to dementia, 

mobility and depression 

provide good reasons why 

everyone should take action 

to ensure they hear as well as 

possible as they get older,” 

she said. 

Emma has observed many 

reasons why it was important 

not to delay hearing assessments. 

“A lot of the time people 

don’t take action about their 

hearing until they are experiencing 

multiple health issues, 

such as memory problems, 

vision or mobility issues and 

this can make managing their 

hearing loss or a hearing aid a 

lot harder,” she said. 

“However, if they have worn 

hearing aids before these 

other health issues arise, then 

managing the hearing loss 

is already second nature to 

them.” 

Emma recommends regular 

hearing assessments because 

“hearing loss sneaks up on 

you gradually and often 

people don’t notice it until 

communication is significantly 

affected.” – Lisa Offord 






Hair & Beauty 

Hair & Beauty 

The ins and outs of laser 

hair reduction treatments 

Now men and women can 

undertake laser hair reduction 

for various parts 

of the body at a moment’s 

notice. Forget waxing, shaving 

and tweezing – the new technology 

for hair reduction will 

save you time and money. 

Laser hair removal has not 

always been the speedy service 

it is today. The first generation 

of laser hair reduction technology 

focused mainly on heating 

the hair follicle without the 

use of cooling devices that 

keep the surface of the skin 

comfortable. Still it was generally 

considered faster, more 

permanent and more convenient 

than waxing or electrolysis. 

Usually the only candidate for 

the early lasers were those with 

light skin and dark hair – while 

with Sue Carroll 

The optimum preparation 

for the treatment will involve 

shaving the area to be treated 

the evening before. This will 

ensure less irritation to the skin 

and will allow the optimum 

heat to penetrate and destroy 

the follicle. Do not apply any 

lotions or creams the day of the 

treatment and stop the use of 

all irritating products, such as 

scrubs, vitamin A or AHAs, at 

least a week before the treatment. 

If you have been using 

Roaccutane you cannot have 

this treatment for a minimum 

of 6 months after ceasing its 

use. Another important point is 

to not use any coconut-based 

products in the area to be treated. 

This will mean shampoo, 

conditioner and body wash, as 

the coconut can go down into 

the follicle, coat the hair white 

and then laser – which has a 

target of colour – will see there 

is nothing there to treat. 

In the Clinic we suggest 

not shaving the facial area for 

women at all. First, shaving 

will remove all blonde hair 

which cannot be treated and 

therefore a rough stubble may 

be the result. Secondly, for 

whatever reason, the treatment 

does not work! For men this is 

not such a huge problem, but 

for women they do not want to 

be left with a dark beard. (The 

downside of this is that more 

treatments may be required.) 

For a professional laser 

hair reduction treatment, it is 

important to seek the service 

from a professional who has 

government accreditation for 

laser hair reduction. 

those with dark skin took their tion of hair (not the ‘removal’) 

chances for a possible result or are hormonal activity, genetics, 

a possible disaster with burns 

dormant hair follicles and 

and skin discolouration. 

medications which can possibly 

It should be noted that stimulate hair growth. 

legally, laser hair reduction It does not matter what machine 

should not be termed ‘permanent’ 

you choose the treatment 

hair removal (as it was will only work on the growth 

originally). We all have various stage of hair. The three cycles 

hair growth cycles; no-one can are the anagen (growth phase); 

definitively say they can provide 

the catagen (transitional stage) 

‘permanent’ hair removal. and the telogen (resting phase). 

Other considerations for reduc- Currently no-one can tell how 

much hair is in each phase, in 

each part of the body, at any 

given time. As an example, hair 

in the catagen or the best treatable 

stage, may be anywhere 

from 10-20% at the time of 

treatment. The more hair in the 

catagen stage when treated, 

usually the better the outcome. 

Laser hair reduction works 

by directing the laser light to 

a group of hair follicles, using 

enough power to disable or 

destroy the root without harming 

the surrounding skin. As 

there is only a small percentage 

of hair in the anagen stage 

at any given time, most people 

will therefore require 4-8 treatments 

for at least a 75% hair reduction. 

With the introduction 

of chilled laser tips and the use 

of chillers the process should 

be relatively pain-free. 

Time between treatments 

may vary initially from 4-6 

Sue Carroll of Skin 

weeks. When the treatment 

Inspiration has been a qualified 

Aesthetician for 33 years. 

is above the clavicle, the 

frequency might be every 4-5 

Sue has owned and 

weeks, whilst below the clavicle 

operated successful beauty 

might be every 6 weeks. As 

the process continues the time 

clinics and day spas on 

between will be extended 

the Northern Beaches. 

(remembering when there is no info@skininspiration.com.au 

visible hair in the area, there is www.skininspiration.com.au 

nothing to treat). 



Relax and be 

pampered 

Avalon beauty therapist Eileen Campbell has been an 

accomplished industry figure for almost 20 years and 

she’s now offering one-on-one treatments in her serene 

local studio. 

“Over 18 years I worked as a beauty therapist followed 

by Spa Manager in some of Sydney’s top Urban Day Spas 

specialising in facials and skin rejuvenation treatments,” 

Eileen said. 

“For 10 of those years I had my own very successful 

Spas, then I sold my businesses and spent a year at home 

before the youngest of my three children went to school.” 

Eileen is enjoying the private and personal attention she 

is now able to deliver to her clients. 

“I have decided to focus on one-on-one treatments in my 

boutique salon, enjoying meeting and helping clients with 

their skin needs,” she said. “In the salon I perform waxing, 

tinting, specialist facials including microdermabrasion, oxygen 

facials, peels plus hydrating and collagen treatments.” 

This month Eileen is offering a 90-minute ‘E Signature 

Facial’ pampering special (see ad this page). 

For more info visit eileencampbell.webs.com 

You beauty! 

Home-grown 

skin care 

truly Grand 

With so many natural skin-loving ingredients at 

our disposal it’s no wonder Australian-made 

beauty products are popular both here and overseas. 

After nearly 20 years’ focussing on the international 

market, the Grand Nature brand of skincare 

products are now increasingly available in selected 

Australian pharmacies – including Pittwater outlets in 

Avalon, Newport and Elanora Heights. 

Grand Nature face and hand creams champion a 

variety of natural ingredients including grape seed 

extract, pomegranate, lanolin, sheep placenta, 

rose oil, camomile and lavender to target several 

different skin care concerns including 

dryness, fine lines, skin tone and 

texture. 

The pharmacies are supporting 

the Grand Nature products 

(see ad page 7) which is priced 

affordably and competitively. 

More info at grandnatureskincare.com.au 

Hair & Beauty 



Business Life: Money 

Business Life 

Good A look reason at how for tourism goingis 

‘nuts’ changing this the festive Apple season Isle 

I 

could have started this article 

When writing about 

with the financial line: “Eight innovation guys one 

walk into of the a bar” perspectives but it would I 

can have share been with a joke you in is search from the 

inside of a punchline of a fintech as our company muchanticipated 

in my motorbike case has been tour of 

which 

rolling Tassie started out the fast-growing 

with a major 

Acorns systems app. breakdown Since launching at Sydney 

in Airport Australia and in a lengthy early 2016 pause the 

app at an now airport resides pub. on Some the smart four 

phones hours later of around we finally 350,000 landed in 

Australians, Launceston, that’s sober roughly mind you, 1.5% 

of ready the to population. start our long way 

’round If you’re the in Apple the dark Isle. about 

what For I’m those talking readers about, looking Acorns 

is for a the micro regular investment money platform column 

or you what’s are in sometimes the right place called as a 

‘round-up’ I thought that app, this the visit first to one 

of Tasmania its kind highlighted in Australia. some Our 

firm fantastic along examples with our partners both good 

brought and bad it of out what’s from happening the US 

in 2015 our booming where it had tourism been sector. 

Eight of for us a set few out years. on this 

established 

ride, The all app small works business a couple people 

of and ways: as we by stopped taking a data places 

feed each from day we your couldn’t spending help but 

accounts sprinkle a and little rounding economic up the fairy 

purchases dust in service you make stations, to the pubs, 

nearest hotels, restaurants dollar and investing and everything 

accumulated in between. balances 

these 

into Heading a mix of out exchange from Launceston traded 

funds up through listed the on the Tamar ASX, Valley or, 

by we you overnighted debiting at an Scottsdale amount or 

regular before heading payment out from for your the 

bank east coast account early to the your next Acorns day. 

account. On the road Most to users St Helens enjoy we the 

round up feature of Acorns as 

it allows them to save while 

they spend. As a parent of 

teenagers I think I’ve come 

to the conclusion that apps 

such as Acorns using a blend 

of psychology and technology 

may be the only effective way 

to get modern kids to save 

because they sure do know 

how to spend. 

Acorns works because the 

principles underlying its design 

came across the town of Derby 

around breakfast time. Derby 

must sit as one of the best case 

studies of transformation from 

old to new industry as the town 

are evolved firmly from rooted its mining behavioural and 

finance: logging background investing small to one 

amounts now based on around a regular tourism. basis that 

won’t Derby’s be missed history combined was deeply with 

investing rooted over tin mining, an extended an activity 

period that peaked of time in to the average late 19th 

into century. the markets In 1929 the smoothing town experienced 

peaks tragedy and troughs. following Of local 

out 

course flooding it and doesn’t the hurt collapse that of it a 

does dam used all of by these things mine which within 

the resulted framework in 14 deaths. of a highly It wasn’t 

attractive and functional user 

interface – fancy words for the 

app looks and feels very cool. 

While these principles have 

proven to be sound over time 

Acorns goes on to provide an 

indirect benefit to its users 

in the form of education and 

improved financial literacy. 

Get two or more people in the 

room who have an account and 

you’ll find out what I mean – 

when did you start? What are 

until 2015 that the area capitalised 

on its natural attributes 

and rugged wilderness with 

the development of a series of 

mountain bike trails. Attracting 

you crowds saving of cyclists for? What from returns Tasmania 

and you the had? mainland It’s inherently last year 

have 

competitive the town also but hosted when a it’s leg of 

combined the international with the Enduro tools and World 

information Series mountain that bike the app event in 

provides April 2017. it’s also extremely 

informative The ABC covered – as a regular the story user 

you of Derby can’t and help its but transformation 

only informed December about the last year, 

become 

more 

behaviour noting that of visitor markets numbers whether are 

you currently are looking around to 30,000 or not per – the 

with Brian Hrnjak 

balance of your Acorns account 

rises and falls in line with the 

movements in markets during 

the course of the trading day. 

One of the challenges 

any finance app would have 

encouraging young people to 

save and invest is to remain 

relevant in their eyes. Over 

the past year a number of 

enhancements have taken place 

following user feedback, the 

headline ones being: 

Found Money partners – users 

can shop online with brands 

such as Bonds, Dan Murphy’s, 

BCF, Uber etc. and these 

partners usually deposit bonus 

amounts or extra round ups 

into the users account; 

My year Finance on the trails feature with – uses visitors 

artificial staying on intelligence average four to track to five 

and nights categorise in Derby spending and another and 

calculate five days free elsewhere cash flow; in Tasmania. 

fund The linkages to the – article allows 

Super 

users is: abc.net.au/news/2017- 

to make deposits to a 

range 12-26/mountain-bike-trails- 

of industry and public 

offer driving-major-change-in-der- 

by/9276384. Portfolio – a socially 

superannuation funds; 

Emerald 

responsible Our path then portfolio wound option down 

introduced Tasmania’s following famous east member coast 

feedback; through St Helens, the Elephant 

Little Pass road Acorns at St – Marys sub accounts to 

designed Bicheno and to allow veering investment inland on 

on the behalf recommendation of children or of other some 

dependants other old bikers under via the the age Lake of 18. 

56 54 DECEMBER APRIL 2018 2017 


Leake Road to Campbell Town, 

Bothwell and New Norfolk 

before arriving at Hobart for 

a few nights. You only have to 

have a quick look around Hobart 

to see a vibrant and funky 

centre that thrives on tourism 

– and not the quaint parochial 

country town kind of tourism, 

but high-end food, wine and 

experiences leveraging the 

climate and natural features of 

the environment. The MONA 

museum of old and new art is 

the best example of this transformation 

but by no means the 

only example. 

One of my clients, an abalone 

fisherman, pointed out the 

gentrification of Hobart coincided 

with the development of 

MONA and the rise in property 

prices coincided with the arrival 

of the large cruise ships. There 

are properties around Hobart 

that locals tell me currently 

sell in hours not days, weeks 

or months. A look at the ABS 

stats confirms the house price 

inflation – 13.1% average from 

December 16 to December 17, 

the highest of any of the eight 

capital cities. 

We then travelled south of 

Hobart to Bruny Island which 

has become a highly regarded 

foodie destination. Boarding 

the car ferry at Kettering 

we meandered down to the 

lighthouse a trip of some 60 

kilometres, half on gravel, 

which is no fun on bikes but 

worth the drive, with the next 

bit of land after the lighthouse 

Antarctica. Returning to Hobart 

we managed to get caught up 

on the road with about 50 to 70 

members of the local chapter 

of the Devils Henchmen motorcycle 

gang, not a problem in 

itself but one of our group was 

wearing a pink Elmo cover on 

his helmet which earned him a 

police escort for the last 15km 

into Hobart, probably for his 

own safety. 

From Hobart we set out to 

reach the town of Deloraine 

but momentum and the desire 

for a decent steak took us 

all the way to Cradle Mountain 

Lodge as they had eight 

rooms available – something 

that had become an issue 

for our group, Tasmania was 

pretty much booked out at 

this time of year. The alpine 

wilderness surrounding Cradle 


Mountain looks positively prehistoric 

and teeming with wildlife 

right up to the door of the 

Lodge. It has taken me a lifetime 

to get around to visiting 

this part of Australia and I’m 

glad I did, it is world class and 

unique. What is a shame, however, 

is the state of the best 

accommodation in the area 

– tired and run down. This is 

what happens when there is a 

lack of competition. Leases in 

this area would presumably be 

controlled by National Parks 

and they would be tightly 

regulated and even more 

tightly held. Even though the 

Lodge was near capacity all 

service shut down at 10.30pm, 

no television, Wi-Fi limited to 

one lounge area… this was old 

school thinking and long due 

a refurbishment. 

The trip out of Cradle Mountain 

the next day brought the 

only rain of the trip and thankfully 

it was a short-lived experience. 

I don’t know of anyone 

who likes to ride in the rain and 

no amount of wet weather gear 

stops you getting soaked. Once 

the weather cleared we wound 

the bikes through the port 

towns of Burnie and then 

Devonport and finally Launceston 

before a flight home. 

Six days on bikes riding 

through spectacular scenery 

on excellent roads (bar the 

gravel bits) with hardly a 

policeman in sight. Tasmania 

is not only a haven for food, 

wine and art lovers but also 

a haven for those who have 

watched the Wild Hogs movie 

way too many times. 

Brian Hrnjak B Bus CPA 

(FPS) is a Director of GHR 

Accounting Group Pty 

Ltd, Certified Practising 

Accountants. Offices at: 

Suite 12, Ground Floor, 20 

Bungan Street Mona Vale 

NSW 2103 and 

Shop 8, 9 – 15 Central Ave 

Manly NSW 2095, 

Telephone: 02 9979-4300, 

Webs: www.ghr.com.au and 

www.altre.com.au Email: 

brian@ghr.com.au 

These comments are of a 

general nature only and are 

not intended as a substitute 

for professional advice. 


Business Life

Business Life: Law 


Promises, promises... 

examining Mutual Wills 

Late last year we considered 

Mutual Wills and whether 

the manner in which they 

were expressed could be considered 

a binding contract. 

The Manly Daily and the 

weekend metropolitan tabloids 

often carry advertisements 

which state words to the effect: 

“Have you been left out of 

a Will... Or named in a Will but 

treated unfairly? Is the Will 

legally binding, can you challenge 

the Will? Perhaps you’re 

an Executor needing to defend 

a claim?” 

This can give rise to consideration 

of issues other than 

the situation which arises in 

just interpreting Mutual Wills in 

which, for example, there will 

be found to exist a contract 

not to revoke without notice 

to the other party, which will 

be enforced by a Court in the 

case of breach by means of a 

constructive trust in favour of 

the intended beneficiaries. 

The issue often comes 

down to the question of what 

are known as ‘testamentary 

promises’ which may best be 

illustrated by the observations 

of a Justice in the English Court 

of Appeal in a decision in 2001 

in which he said: 

“It is notorious that some 

elderly persons of means derive 

enjoyment from the possession 

of testamentary power, and 

from dropping hints, as to their 

intentions without any question 

to an existing or past fact. 

Representations are the 

subject of common law estoppel 

whereas the enforcement of testamentary 

promises are found in 

the equitable jurisdiction of the 

Court by way of what is known 

as “estoppel by encouragement”. 

A testamentary promise may 

be reflected in a testamentary 

contract, which is either a contract 

to make a Will supported 

by an agreement between the 

testator and another party by 

which the testator agrees to 

make provision for that party 

or a third party in consideration 

for the promise of doing certain 

things – for example living with 

the testator and providing care 

for the testator’s life, or occupying 

a property and renovating it, 

or rebuilding it. 

Such promises arise throughout 

society, particularly in 

families where ageing relations 

wishing to retain their home 

and independence may make 

arrangements, often not documented, 

for a member of the 

family or friend to move in with 

the testator and care for them 

on the basis that the testator will 

reward the family member or 

friend with a benefit – usually a 

share in the testator’s estate. 

Sometimes these arrangements 

evolve and lack precision 

and clarity, and when examined 

by a Court, fail. 

A quite common area where 

testamentary contracts or promof 

estoppel arising.” 

Estoppel is a judicial device 

in common law legal systems in 

which a Court may prevent (or 

estop) a person from making 

assertions or from going back 

on his word. As his honour also 

noted, a reasonable person 

faced with a representation by a 

living person as to his intentions 

for his will should “not 

count his chickens before they 

have hatched”. 


arise where a promise is reasonably 

understood or intended 

to be binding and is acted upon 

by the promisee when changing 

his or her position, that promise 

will no longer be revocable and 

can be enforced immediately by 

the promisee. 

But what is a promise; and can 

it be contrasted with a representation 

of fact? A promise is conduct 

on the part of the promisor, 

which creates and encourages 

an expectation on the part of 

the promisee. A representation 

is generally a statement made 

by a person directed to another 

with the intention that it relates 

with Jennifer Harris 



ises are examined is in the rural 

community. A son may work 

with his father on the continued 

development of the family property 

to the greatly increased 

prosperity of the father. The assumption 

that the father would 

leave the property to the son on 

his death follows, otherwise the 

son might not commit to working 

on and developing the farm 

and it may not be as profitable. 

Claims may be made by a son 

who has been working on the 

farm for a number of years that 

he has received a promise he 

would be rewarded by inheriting 

the farm on his father’s death. 

Such a promise can be both 

difficult to prove and difficult to 

deny if the son has worked for 

a long period on the farm and 

made considerable improvement 

to it at his own expense. 

The son may regard his inheritance 

as rightfully his. However, 

his sisters may think otherwise, 

as they consider themselves being 

involved in the farm in their 

youth and they may have looked 

after ageing parents. The sisters 

may regard the farm as “family 

property” that should belong to 

all family members. 

In many cases a son may, 

after leaving school, join his 

father and be trained in the 

ways of farming. By the time of 

the father’s death the son could 

have helped build up the assets 

of the farm, frequently doing 

much of the heavy work for long 

hours with no defined sick leave 

or holiday leave and for very low 

wages while the father held the 

purse strings. 

In farming cases it is not uncommon 

for a claim for family 

provision to be combined with 

a claim to enforce a mutual will 

or a testamentary contract. 

This is complex litigation. 

In family provision matters, 

the court considers the conflict 

between rewarding sons who 

have worked on farms and providing 

maintenance for other 

children. In most cases the 

conflict has been resolved in 

favour of recognition of farming 

sons’ contribution over 

other children’s needs. There 

are few cases, if any, where 

a daughter has taken sole 

charge of a farm for a period 

of years and has bought a 

claim. Non-farming sons, widows 

and daughters who have 

helped in various ways have 

received very small amounts 

by way of compensation. 


not have the status of a binding 

contract but it is reasonable for 

the person to whom the promise 

has been made to act in reliance 

on the interpretation, if they 

thereby suffer detriment when 

the person who has made the 

promise departs from the promise. 

The promise may support a 

claim of estoppel by encouragement, 

or proprietary estoppel, 

and thus the promise may be 

upheld and the estate estopped 

from denying the claim. 

There are recent cases where 

the Courts have considered 

these complex but important issues, 

which require careful legal 

advice should you wish to make 

a claim. 

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 


AUDIO REPAIRS 

Andy McGill 

Call Andy 0450 511 250 

45 years’ experience in hi fidelity 

& muso equipment. Specialising 

in old analogue equipment 

including amplifiers, speakers & 

turntables. 

AUTO REPAIRS 

British & Swedish 

Motors 

Call 9970 6654 

Services Range Rover, Land 

Rover, Saab and Volvo with the 

latest in diagnostic equipment. 

Narrabeen Tyrepower 

Call 9970 6670 

Stocks all popular brands 

including Cooper 4WD. Plus 

they’ll do all mechanical repairs 

and rego inspections. 

Barrenjoey 

Smash Repairs 

Call 9970 8207 

barrenjoeysmashrepairs.com.au 

Re-sprays a specialty, plus 

restoration of your favourite vehicle. 

Commercial specialist. 

BOAT SERVICES 

Avalon Marine 

Upholstery 

Call Simon 9918 9803 

Makes cushions for boats, patio 

and pool furniture, window 

seats. 

ELECTRICAL 

Eamon Dowling 

Electrical 

Call 0410 457 373 

For all electrical, phone, TV, 

data and security needs. 

FLOOR COVERINGS 

Blue Tongue Carpets 

Call Stephan 9979 7292 

Family owned and run. Carpet, 

rugs, runners, timber, bamboo, vinyl, 

tiles & laminates. Open 6 days. 

GARDENS 

Graham Brooks 

Call 0412 281 580 

Tree pruning and removals. 

Reports regarding DA tree management, 

arborist reports. 

Precision Tree Services 

Call Adam 0410 736 105 

Adam Bridger; professional tree 

care by qualified arborists and 

tree surgeons. 

CLEANING 

The Aqua Clean Team 

Call Mark 0449 049 101 

Quality window washing, 

pressure cleaning, carpet 

washing, building soft wash. 

Martin Earl House Wash 

Call 0405 583 305 

Pittwater-based owner on site at 

all times. No travellers or uninsured 

casuals on your property. 

LAWN CARE 

Platinum Turf Solutions 

Call Liam 0412 692 578 

Specialists in turf supply & 

installation, lawn care & cylinder 

mowing, full lawn construction, 

turf renovations, maintenance. 

MASSAGE & FITNESS 

Avalon Physiotherapy 

Call 9918 3373 

Provide specialist treatment for 

neck & back pain, sports injuries, 

orthopaedic problems. 

Avalon Physiotherapy 

& Clinical Pilates 

Call 9918 0230 

Dry needling and acupuncture, 

falls prevention and balance 

enhancement programs. 

Avalon Beach Chiropractic 

Call Sam 9918 0070 

Professional care for all ages. 

Treatment for chronic and acute 

pain, sports injuries. 

Francois Naef/Osteopath 

Call Francois 9918 2288 

Diagnosis, treatment and prevention for 

back pain and sciatica, sports injuries, 

muscle soreness and strain, pregnancy-related 

pain, postural imbalance. 

PAINTING 

Modern Colour 

Call 0406 150 555 

Simon Bergin offers painting and 

TUITION 

Northern Beaches Home Tu tor ing 

Call John 9972 1469 

1-ON-1 individual tutoring in your home. All ages and subjects K-Uni. 

Qualified tutors. WWC child protection checked. Since 2009. 

decorating; clean, tidy, quality 

detail you will notice. Dependable 

and on time. 

Painting & Decorating 

Call 0418 116 700 

Andrew is a master painter with 

30 years’ experience. Domestic 

and commercial; reasonable 

rates, free quotes. 

Interior & 

Exterior Colour 

Call 0417 236 577 

Deborah is a local colour and 

interior design/decorating consultant 

with over 30 years’ experience. 

One-hour colour consultation with 

spec and samples. 

UPHOLSTERY 

All Foam 

Call 9973 1731 

Cut to measure quality foam for day 

beds, boats, caravans and more. 

Discounted prices and reliable local 

service. Free measure and quote. 

Luxafoam North 

Call 9999 5567 

Local specialists in all aspects of 

outdoor & indoor seating. 

Custom service, expert advice. 

Essyou Design 

Call Susan 0422 466 880 

Specialist in day bed and outdoor 

areas. Reliable local service. 

Offering domestic & commercial. 

Leather Hero 

Call Leanne 0490 796 012 

Northern Beaches-based 

specialists in leather cleaning, 

revamps, repairs and colour 

restoration for lounges, cars 

and boats. 







TUITION 

Northern Beaches 

Home Tutoring 

Call John 9972 1469 

1-ON-1 individual tutoring 

in your home. All ages and 

subjects K-Uni. Qualified tutors. 

WWC child protection checked. 

Since 2009. 

Eliminate all manner of pests. 

They provide a 24-hour service. 

PUMPS & TANKS 

Water Warehouse 

Call 9913 7988 

waterwarehouse.com.au 

Rainwater tanks & pumps. Irrigation 

& filter supply specialists. 

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. 


PEST CONTROL 

Predator Pest Control 

Call 0417 276 962 

predatorpestcontrol.com.au 

Environmental services at their 

best. Comprehensive control. 

Advertise 

your Business 

in Trades 

& Services 

section 

Phone 

0438 123 096 

RENOVATIONS 

Rob Burgers 

Call 0416 066 159 

Qualified builder provides all 

carpentry needs; decks, pergolas, 

carports, renovations and 

repairs. 

Underdeck 

Call Adrian 0417 591 113 

Waterproof under your deck and 

turn the area into usable space 

all year round. 

SunSpec 

Call Dustin 0413 737 934 

sunspec.com.au 

All-aluminium, rust-proof remotecontrolled 

opening roofs & awnings. 

Beats competitor’s prices. 



the 

good 

life 

dining 

food 

crossword 

gardening 

travel 

62 

64 

67 

68 

72 

Showtime 

Players tackle Coward’s ‘crazy love’ 

Strictly 

Mozart 

Set aside the evening 

of May 5 – that’s when 

Manly-Warringah Choir and 

orchestra will present their 

‘Strictly Mozart’ program 

at the Cardinal Cerretti 

Chapel in Manly. Organisers 

promise you’ll be entranced 

from the moment 

the orchestra bursts forth 

with the very familiar and 

youthfully exuberant opening 

sequence of Mozart’s 

Symphony No. 25 – indeed 

the two main works were 

popularised in the film 

Amadeus. The Requiem 

reflects profoundly on the 

beauty and magnificence 

of life, as the music ranges 

from delicate to thunderous 

and everything in 

between. It is a work loved 

and admired by musicians 

and audiences around the 

world for over 200 years. 

Bookings and info 9953 

2443 or manlywarringahchoir.org.au 

LOVE REKINDLED: 

Amanda (Karen 

Pattinson) and Elyot 

(Dan Ferris). 

Anyone who has ever 

been in love will 

agree it can sometimes 

drive you ‘bonkers’ – 

which gets to the heart 

of the Elanora Players’ 

new production of Noel 

Coward’s classic ‘Private 

Lives’ which premiers its 

nine-performance run at 

the Elanora Community 

Centre on April 20. 

Director Sarah Lovesy says 

‘crazy love’ is the undeniably 

scrumptious theme of the 

play. 

“The plot outline is intimate, 

funny, sensuous and full of 

coincidences,” said Sarah. “This 

theme interrogates the idea 

that ‘do you opt for love that is 

safe and comfortable or do you 

opt for something that burns 

fiercely and brightly but is incredibly 

destructive?’… this is a 

very contemporary question.” 

Elyot and Sibyl are newlyweds 

and are on their honeymoon. 

Coincidently, Amanda 

and Victor are honeymooning 

right next door to their suite, 

with an adjoining patio. Nothing 

too strange about this – 

except that Amanda and Elyot 

used to be married to each 

other a few years back. 

“Now they find the moonlight 

and their nearness irresistible 

and all their romantic feelings 

for each other come flooding 

back, causing them to abandon 

their new spouses,” said 

Sarah. “The poor, bereft and 

much saner spouses, Sibyl and 

Victor, are left to ponder how it 

all could have gone so 

terribly wrong so horribly 

fast.” Into this mix 

comes Louise, the French 

Maid, whose inability 

to speak English and 

her incomprehension of 

the bizarre occurrences 

in the Paris apartment 

provide great comedy 

(although written in 1930 

this production is set in 

France in 2018). 

The cast are Dan Ferris as 

Elyot Chase, Lela Keighley as 

Sibyl Chase, Michael McCrann 

as Victor Prynne, Karen Pattinson 

as Amanda Prynne and 

Iwona Abramowicz as Louise 

the French maid. 

Performance dates are April 

20th, 21st, 26th, 27th, 28th at 

8pm, with Matinees at 3pm on 

21st, 22nd, 28th and on e 11am 

show on the 22nd. 

Booking on 9982 7364 or 

1966elanora.bookings@gmail. 

com.au. More info at elanoraplayers.com.au. 

– NW 


Showtime

Dining Guide 

Dining Guide 

April's best restaurants, functions, events and reader deals... 

Bistro 61 

Avalon Beach RSL 

1 Bowling Green Lane 

Avalon Beach 

OPENING HOURS 

Open 7 days 

Lunch 12pm-2:30pm 

Dinner 5:30-8:30pm 

CUISINE 

Modern Aust / pub food 

PRICE RANGE 

Meals $8-$30 

Specials $12-$15 

meals purchased. Membership 

starts from $5.50. 

The club is licensed, with 

no BYO. Bookings online or 

call 9918 2201 – large groups 

welcome. 

Hong Kong 

Chinese Restaurant 

332 Barrenjoey Rd, 

Newport 

OPENING HOURS 

Dinner Tues-Sun 5pm 

CUISINE 

Chinese & Asian 

Honey king prawns and selection of cereals, seasonal 

BOOKINGS 9918 2201 

Honey chicken. 

fruit and freshly made juice, 

PRICE RANGE 

New dishes are introduced toast and pastries and 

Avalon Beach RSL’s Bistro 61 Entrees $5-20 

regularly so make sure you sausages, eggs, has browns, 

is a great place to head for Mains $12.90-26.50 check out the blackboard bacon and tomato served with 

a local meal, offering tasty 

*Deliver Whale Beach - Narrabeen specials. 

the Chef’s Special of the day. 

modern Australian dishes at 

The team are only too 

The Mirage restaurant is 

affordable prices. 


happy to home deliver your also open for dinner from 

The Anzac Day service 

LIC BYO P 

meal, with a range that takes Monday to Saturday from 

starts 11.20am, followed by 

All 

in Narrabeen to the south to 5.30pm – 8.30pm and can 

two-up from noon. 

Palm Beach in the north. be hired, along with all the 

Head down and enjoy the Book a table at this 

Fully licensed or BYO. hotel’s function rooms, for 

Surf Lounge Sessions – live popular Newport eatery 

private and corporate events 

music every Saturday night in April and your family is 

of between 60-110 guests. 

from 9pm. In April, check 

guaranteed a great night The Mirage 

out Wizards of Oz (7th), 

out with a feast for the 

Restaurant 

Ziggy McNeill (14th), CJ & The 

eyes and the tastebuds. 

at Metro Mirage More than 

Mellows (21st) and Shade of 

Order ahead for their 

Hotel Newport 

wonderful Peking Duck 

Red (28th). 

surf ’n’ turf 

which is offered as a dinein-only 

special Thursdays 

Check out the new Stella 

2 Queens Parade West, 

Room, with Kid Kenobi & 

Newport at Jonah’s 

through Sundays in 

Friends on Saturday 28th. 

Autumn. 

Happy Hour is every 

CUISINE Jonah’s is adding a gilt 

There are two traditional 

edge to midweek dining 

Monday, Tuesday & Friday from 

Modern Australian 

courses: Peking Duck 

with a spectacular ‘Meet The 

4-6pm. 

pancakes & duck sang choy 

Now open for breakfast 

PRICE RANGE 

Producers’ dinner on Thursday 

bow (bookings essential; 

April 19. 

from 9am to 11.30am. 

Breakfast – $25 adults, 

mention the ad when you 

The iconic Whale Beach 

Open for lunch and dinner 

$12.50 kids (5-12) 

call). 

boutique hotel and restaurant 

seven days, with extensive 

Dinner – entrees 

This long-established 

is teaming with Anthony 

outdoor dining areas, Bistro 

from $7-$17, 

restaurant on the eastern 

Puharich from Vic’s Premium 

61 offers a variety of specials 

Mains from $21-$30, 

side of Barrenjoey Rd has 

Quality Meat and Con 

(lunch and dinner) during the 

Desserts from $13-$25 

an extensive menu based 

Nemitsas from Southern Fresh 

week, including $12 tacos 

on traditional flavoursome 

Seafood for a collaborative 

(Tues), $15 Chicken Schnitzels 


Cantonese with touches of 

evening, with Executive 

(Wed), 2-4-1 pizzas (Thurs), spicy Szechuan and other Local residents are finding Chef Matteo Zamboni 

and a $20 burger + beer (Fri). Asian dishes and fresh the peaceful ambience creating a special five-course 

Seniors are well catered seasonal vegetables. 

for – there are daily Seniors 

of The Mirage restaurant degustation menu that 

Entrees start at just $6 

specials, including beerbattered 

flathead – plus they 

Pittwater, the perfect 

overlooking spectacular 

highlights the very best from 

while mains are great value 

the paddock and the sea. 

too, starting at $16.80. 

Anthony Puharich has an 

do a $5 kids meals on Sundays! 

waterfront venue to enjoy 

The menu ranges from 

established reputation as one 

(There’s a playground, too.) 

breakfast or dinner. 

adventurous, like a Sizzling 

of Australia’s leading butchers 

From the menu, chef Szechuan-style Platter of 

Located in boutique Metro 

and entrepreneurs. Few 

Mitch recommends his twist king prawns and fillets of Hotel Mirage Newport, The 

people share his knowledge 

on nachos – pulled beef and chicken, to contemporary, Mirage restaurant is a popular and passion for all things 

blackbeans with chipotle, corn 

chips, guacamole, Danish fetta 

and coriander. 

Members get discounts on 

featuring spicy salt and 

pepper king prawns, to 

traditional, with favourites 

including Mongolian lamb, 

choice for breakfast from 

7-10am seven days a week, 

offering a fixed-price full hot 

and cold buffet, including a 

meat. Anthony’s expertise 

and enthusiasm has seen him 

regularly appear in Australian 



Royal Motor 

Yacht Club 

Salt Cove on Pittwater 

46 Prince Alfred 

Parade, Newport 

OPENING HOURS 

Breakfast Lunch & Dinner 

Mon-Fri from 8.30am 

Weekends from 8am 

PRICE RANGE 

Breakfast from $8-$18 

Entrees from $9-$21 

Mains from $16-$26 


media – culminating in his 

own Lifestyle FOOD program, 

‘Ask the Butcher’. 

Southern Fresh Seafood 

source premium seafood 

produce from around the 

country and New Zealand. 

Its customers are chefs and 

restauranteurs who share the 

same ethos and core values. 

Quality is the primary pillar of 

their business and developing 

sos (27th). 

Don't miss the Dancing On The 

Ceiling Show on Saturday April 14, 

featuring songs from Diana Ross 

and Lionel Richie. 

Trivia is held every Tuesday 

night from 7.30pm (great prizes 

and vouchers). 

Club social memberships are 

available for just $160. 

Barrenjoey 

Bistro 

Club Palm Beach 

1087 Barrenjoey Rd, 

Palm Beach 

BISTRO OPENING HOURS 

Lunch 11:30am-2.30pm 

Dinner 6pm-8.30pm 

PRICE RANGE 

Lunch and dinner 

specials $13.50 


Head to Club Palm Beach, 

located just a short stroll from 

Palm Beach Wharf, for hasslefree 

dining in April. 

On Anzac Day (April 25), a 

close relationships with 

fishermen, producers, divers 

and the like is integral to the 

overall success this boutique 

supplier enjoys. 

Cost is $140, which 

includes a glass of Bollinger 

on arrival (sommelier wine 

matching $75pp); bookings 

essential on 9974 5599 or 

email reservations@jonahs. 

com.au. 

RMYC’s restaurant Salt Cove 

on Pittwater’s menu has been 

updated – but it still offers affordable 

meals and generous 

servings including a variety 

of starters and share plates, 

seafood, burgers, grills, salads, 

desserts and woodfired pizza. 

Friday night music kicks off in 

the Lounge Bar from 7.30pm. Acts 

in April include: Keith Armitage 

(6th), Geoff Kendall (13th), Keff 

McCulloch (20th) and Alex Rouscommemorative 

service will be 

held outside from 11am, with the 

club then open to the public (with 

two-up from 2pm). 

Barrenjoey Bistro is open 

for lunch (11.30am to 2.30pm) 

and dinner (6pm to 9pm) seven 

days, plus there's a Snack Menu 

available 2.30pm-6pm. 

The Bistro serves top-value a 

la carte meals plus daily $13.50 

specials of roasts (Mondays), 

rump steak with chips and salad 

(Tuesdays), chicken schnitzel with 

chips and salad (Wednesdays), 

homemade gourmet pies with 

chips and salad (Thursdays) and 

tempura fish and chips with salad 

(Fridays), except public hols. 

The Members’ lucky badge 

draw is held Wednesday and 

Friday night (every 30 mins 

between 5pm-7pm), and jackpots 

by $100 each week. 

Enjoy Trivia Night from 

5.30pm on Wednesdays, plus 

Bingo 10am on Fridays. 

The club has a courtesy 

bus that makes regular runs 

Wednesdays, Fridays and 

Saturdays from 4.30pm to 9pm. 

Ring to book a pick-up. 

Super-Cali burgers are 

right in our 'Front Yard' 

Pittwater has some of Sydney’s best burgers right in its front 

yard – that is, the ‘Front Yard’ of Mona Vale’s new social 

hub, Park House. In a short time since launching with a cool 

retro-Cal vibe, Park House has quickly established itself as a 

go-to destination for laid-back eating and drinking. 

Front Yard’s kitchen brings Americana 

to the beaches in mouth-watering 

style, with big burgers and 

stacks of fries on the side. 

A recent sampling by Pittwater 

Life revealed options galore 

– choose from the ‘Old Skool 

Single’ one-pattie with cheese, 

aioli, pickle, ketchup, tomato and 

lettuce, to the loaded-up ‘Shake & 

Bacon’ crammed with crisp bacon, 

shack sauce, bacon jam, cheese 

and tomato. Plus chef has crafted 

an epic vegetarian option, the ‘No 

Meat Burger’ – a super-tasty, moist, 

black bean and zucchini pattie 

combined with herbed pickles, 

lettuce, tomatoes and just enough 

chipotle mayo to bring the heat. 

Front Yard also boasts an outdoor brew garden and feature 

bar with 40-odd craft beers on tap, plus craft beer flights. And 

for the connoisseur they stage ‘Brewer of the Month’ events 

and fortnightly ‘Meet the Brewer’ Wednesday nights. 

More info parkhousefoodandliquor.com.au 

Dining Guide 



Food Life 

For more recipes go to www.janellebloom.com.au 


Recipes: Janelle Bloom Photos: Ben Dearnley 

Grab the kids and bake 

up a storm of memories 

Growing up I used to love 

the school holidays for 

many reasons, including 

the release from the daily 

school work it provided, to 

the time spent with friends – 

although my fondest memories 

are cooking with my mum, nan 

and friends. We would cook up 

a storm; yes, we’d make a mess 

but that’s all part of the fun! 

I urge you to encourage your 

kids to cook, as you will make 

memories that last a lifetime. 

Here are a few of the recipes I 

used to make growing up… 

Cut-out cookies 

Makes 40 

200g butter, softened 

1 cup caster sugar 

1 tsp vanilla extract 

1 egg yolk 

2 tbs milk 

2 cups plain flour, sifted 

to a wire rack to cool 

completely. 

To decorate 

1. Freckle biscuits: Spread 

melted dark or milk 

chocolate over the biscuits 

and sprinkle with hundreds 

and thousands. Allow to set. 

2. Polka dot biscuits: Spread 

melted dark or white 

chocolate over the biscuits. 

Spoon left-over melted 

chocolate into snap-lock bag, 

cut small piece off one corner 

and pipe polka dots over the 

biscuits. Allow to set. 

3. Dust the warm biscuits heavily 

with drinking chocolate and 

set aside to cool. 

powder. Pulse until just 

combined. 

3. Roll tablespoons of mixture 

into balls. Place onto trays. 

Flatten slightly with finger 

tips. Using your thumb, 

dip into a little flour to 

prevent sticking then press 

an indent, taking care not 

to go all the way through. 

Spoon ½ teaspoon of jam 

into each hole. 

with Janelle Bloom 

4. Bake 1 tray at a time for 

18-20 minutes or until 

light golden around the 

edges. Allow to stand on 

trays for 5 minutes before 

transferring to a wire rack 

to cool completely. 

Janelle’s Tip: You can use a 

mixture of jam flavours so 

everyone loves the cookies. 

Double choc 

brownies 

Makes 24 

200g butter, softened 

1 1/3 cups brown sugar 

3 eggs, lightly beaten 

200g good quality dark 

chocolate, chopped (like 

Plaistowe), melted 

3/4 cup plain flour 

½ tsp baking powder 

¼ cup cocoa powder 

200g good quality white or 

milk chocolate, chopped 

1 cup walnuts, chopped 

1. Preheat oven to 180°C fanforced. 

Grease and line 4 

baking trays with baking 

paper. 

1. Preheat oven 180°C 

2. Beat butter, sugar and 

vanilla on high speed in 

a mixer for 5 minutes, or 

until pale. Add egg yolk 

and milk and beat until well 

combined. Add flour and stir 

with wooden spoon until the 

dough comes together. 

3. Transfer to a lightly floured 

surface. Knead dough until Thumbprint 

smooth. Cut dough in half. biscuits 

Roll each piece dough out Makes 30 

between 2 sheets of baking 

paper until 5mm thick (if hot 250g butter, softened 

day refrigerate until firm). 3/4 cup icing sugar 

4. Using 6cm cutters, cut 1 tsp vanilla extract 

shapes out of dough and 1 3/4 cups plain flour 

place onto lined trays. ½ cup custard powder 

Press leftover dough 1 cup jam 

together and repeat. 

Refrigerate biscuits for 10- 1. Preheat oven to 180°C fan 

15 minutes until firm. 

forced. Line 2 baking trays 

5. Bake two trays at a time with baking paper. 

12-15 minutes or until light 2. Combine butter, sugar and 

golden. Allow biscuits 

vanilla in food processor. 

to cool on trays for 5 

Process until well combined. 

minutes before transferring Add flour and custard 



Janelle’s Tip: 

Brownies are 

best cooked in 

an oven with 

no fan. The 

fan will set 

the top and 

form a crust 

preventing the 

inside from 

cooking. 

conventional (see Janelle’s 

Tip). Grease and line 3cmdeep, 

16cm x 26cm (base) 

slab pan, allowing a 2cm 

overhang at both long ends. 

2. Beat butter and sugar 

on medium speed in a 

mixer until just combined. 

Add eggs one at a time 

beating on low speed 

until combined. Add the 

chocolate and mix well. 

3. Sift the flour, baking 

powder and cocoa together 

over the chocolate mixture, 

stir with a wooden spoon 

to combine. 

4. Stir in the white or milk 

chocolate and walnuts. 

Spread into the pan. Bake 

35-40 minutes or until a 

skewer inserted comes out 

with moist crumbs sticking. 

Cool completely in the pan. 

Cut into squares to serve. 

Banana 

blueberry loaf 

Serves 8 

2 cups self raising flour 

½ cup plain flour 

1 tsp baking powder 

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

½ cup brown sugar 

3 very ripe bananas, peeled 

2 eggs 

1 cup buttermilk 

2 tbs light olive oil 

1 cup fresh or frozen 

blueberries 

1. Preheat oven 170°C fan 

forced. Grease and line 

8cm x 25cm (base) loaf 

pan, allowing overhand at 

both long ends. 

2. Sift the flours, baking 

powder and cinnamon into 

a bowl. Stir in the sugar. 

3. Mash the bananas with 

a fork in a bowl. Add 

the eggs, buttermilk, 

oil and sugar mix until 

well combined. Add the 

buttermilk mixture to the 

flour mixture. Stir gently 

until just combined. Pour 

mixture into prepared pan. 

Scatter the berries over the 

top and poke them into the 

mixture. 

4. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 

10 minutes or until a 

skewer inserted into the 

centre comes out clean; if 

the top starts to brown too 

much cover loosely with 

foil after 40 minutes. 

5. Set aside to cool in pan for 

10 minutes. Lift onto a wire 

rack to cool completely. 

Slice and serve. It’s 

delicious toasted under a 

hot grill! 





In Season 

Watercress 


Considered a superfood, 

watercress is often 

overlooked when thinking 

about leafy greens to add 

to a salad. Watercress is a 

close cousin to mustard 

greens, horseradish, 

cabbage and rocket. An 

attractive, succulent plant, 

watercress bears small, 

round, slightly scalloped 

leaves, which, in summer, 

produce tiny white flowers 

that become small pods 

with two rows of edible 

seeds. Watercress has been 

cultivated in Europe, Central 

Asia, and the Americas for 

millennia for use as both 

food and a medicine. 

One of the best culinary 

aspects of watercress is its 

versatility. It can be used as a 

salad green (a very nutritious 

one!) with Romaine lettuce 

or fresh spinach, steamed 

and eaten as a vegetable, and 

is great when added in soups 

to give a subtle, peppery 

flavor. It’s also a standard 

ingredient for sandwiches in 

Britain for both common and 

high tea. 

Buying 

Look for fresh, perky 

leaves in bunches, 

with no 

signs of 

wilting; the leaves begin to 

darken and the stems become 

limp as it gets old. 

Storage 

Remove end ties and plunge 

the bunch in a large bowl of 

iced water. This is a great way 

to keep it fresh and crisp for 

2-3 days. Before using, place 

onto a clean tea towel, draw 

the edges together and shake 

gently to remove water. 

Nutrition 

Watercress is a good source 

of antioxidants and contains 

iron, folic acid, Vitamin B6, A 

and C. 

Also In Season 

April 

Apples – Royal Gala 

and Delicious; Bananas; 

Figs; Kiwifruit; Limes; 

Mandarins (Imperial); 

Pears; Passionfruit; 

Australian Pomegranate; 

Passionfruit and Quince. 

Also Asian greens; Green 

beans; Broccoli; Broccolini; 

Cabbage, Capsicums; 

Cauliflower; Fennel, 

Potatoes, Pumpkin, 

Silverbeet and Spinach. 

Roast potato, beetroot and 

watercress salad 

Serves 6-8 (as side) 

1kg washed potatoes, scrubbed 

3 tbs olive oil 

2 bunches baby beetroot, small leaves reserved 

3/4 cup walnut halves, toasted 

2 cups picked watercress 

¼ cup micro herbs, optional 

100g labne, drained (see jb tip) 

Horseradish Dressing 

60ml extra virgin olive oil 

½ lemon, juiced 

2 tsp horseradish cream 

1. Cut the potatoes into 4cm pieces and put into a saucepan. 

Cover with cold water. Add a good pinch salt and bring 

to the boil. Reduce heat to medium and boil gently for 10 

minutes. Drain. Transfer to a greased roasting pan. Drizzle 

with half the oil, season, turn to coat. 

2. Preheat oven to 200°C fan forced. Peel and trim the beetroot. 

If large cut in half. Arrange in a roasting pan lined 

with baking paper. Drizzle with remaining olive oil, season. 

Roast potatoes and beetroot together (potatoes on shelf 

above the beetroot) for 1 hour or until potatoes are golden 

and beetroot tender. Set aside for 15 minutes to cool 

slightly. 

3. Arrange potatoes and beetroot on a serving platter. Scatter 

over the walnuts, any reserved beetroot leaves, watercress 

and micro herbs. 

4. Combine all the horseradish dressing ingredients in a bowl, 

whisk to combine. Drop spoonfuls of labne over the salad, 

pour over the dressing, toss gently. Serve. 

Janelle’s Tip: You can buy labne in some supermarkets. To 

make your own, spoon 500ml Greek yoghurt into a sieve lined 

with muslin or a new Chux. Sit the sieve over a bowl, cover 

and refrigerate 4 hours (or overnight if time allows). Discard 

the liquid in the bowl – the soft, creamy mixture in the sieve 

is labne. Spoon into a jar, cover with olive oil and keep in the 

fridge for up to 2 weeks. 



Pittwater Puzzler 

Compiled by David Stickley 

26 Scotland Island resident and singer, 

Tina ______ (6) 

27 Wine festival to be held in Dunbar 

Park in April, Avalon ________ (8) 

DOWN 

1 A device of one or more pairs of 

conductors separated by insulators 

used to store an electric charge (9) 

2 The N in PNHA, a group supporting 

fauna crossings in the Northern 

Beaches area (7) 

3 Cuts available at The Meat Emporium 

Butchery & Deli in Elanora Heights (1-5) 

4 Ignore; overlook (4,2) 

6 Status accepted by golfers with a 

handicap (5,3) 

7 Board a B-line bus, say (3,4) 

8 Lines used to tie up boats at 

Holmeport Marinas, perhaps (5) 

10 Burial chambers (6) 

14 An older person, often retired from 

ACROSS 

1 War memorial at the centre of ANZAC 

services (8) 

5 Island in the Hawkesbury River near 

Brooklyn (6) 

9 Club regulars (7) 

10 A hob set into a work surface (7) 

11 Northern Beaches club celebrating 50 

years with a gala day in April (6,3,6) 

12 A narrative or story, especially 

fictitious and imaginatively treated (4) 

13 Palm Beach Ferries destination on the 

Central Coast (8) 

17 Practise (a play, recital, etc.) for later 

public performance (8) 

19 Having great ability; clever, skilful (4) 

23 Northern Beaches body of water that 

has an opening monitored by council (9,6) 

24 Tradespeople who offer top 

coverage? (7) 

25 The distinctive clothing worn by 

members of the same body, e.g. by 

soldiers, police, and schoolchildren (7) 

full-time work, who travels around 

the country, living in a caravan or 

motorhome (4,5) 

15 Chilli used at Mexicano in Narrabeen 

and Mona Vale (8) 

16 Property and possessions, especially 

regarded as having value in meeting 

debts, commitments, etc. (6) 

18 Sydney’s is considered one of the 

best in the world (7) 

20 Small owl with white-spotted back 

and wings and large dark patches 

behind the eyes (7) 

21 One after another (2,4) 

22 A public building for gambling and 

entertainment (6) 

23 Direction Pittwater is in relation to 

Manly (5) 

[Solution page 70] 

Pittwater Puzzler 



Garden Life 


Delight Plant Tibouchinas, in the amazing watch 

colours the purple of flowers hydrangeas reign 

As Always the a favourite days cool for down the 

Christmas sunlight colour, changes hydrangeas 

autumn are flowering light intensifies their 

and the 

heads the colours off! They in our look gardens. wonderful 

Tibouchinas in the garden, come brightening 

into flower with 

The 

the huge semi-shaded pink, purple areas or violet and flowers 

glowing that stand in out the full, flamboyantly protected against 

sunlight. the cool, Once cloudless the older blue skies. 

varieties When these were either plants pink were or first 

blue introduced depending into on Australia, the soil, nursery 

additional man Ken Dunstan lime will from deepen Alstonville 

the developed pinks and many blueing cultivars tonic suitable 

(sulphate for our climate. of aluminium) ‘Alstonville’ will was the 

heighten first to be the released; blues, but it’s the huge 

new violet named tree that varieties we see will flowering 

maintain everywhere their now. colour. He followed White this 

never with the changes. hot pink, There smaller-growing 

are 

hydrangeas ‘Kathleen’ and of every ‘Noelene’ size from (after 

another tiny dwarf family Piamina member) to with the the 

tall 

latter 

traditional 

breaking 

Mop 

into 

Heads. 

flower as white 

With 

before 

so 

turning 

many to 

to 

choose 

bright 

from 

pink as 

it is almost too difficult to 

decide. There are the delicate 

lace caps, the huge blooms 

it ages, giving a multi-coloured 

effect. Next came mauve ‘Jules’, the 

one-metre baby of the family for 

pots and borders. 

In recent years new varieties 

have been added; ‘Jazzie’ is a small 

shrub with more dainty violet, 

white-centered flowers, the mauve 

‘Groovy Baby’ that grows just 60cm 

tall and ‘Peace Baby’ with white 

flowers ideal for pots. 

All Tibouchinas are hardy and 

easy to grow. They need sun and 

protection from wind. They love 

general garden conditions, regular 

water and respond well to mulching 

with cow manure or garden 

compost in spring and summer. As 

summer fades, Tibouchinas are just 

beginning! 

with Gabrielle Bryant 

Cherry Guava a 

sweet surprise 

In full flower in my veggie 

garden is my Cherry Guava, 

sometimes known as a Strawberry 

Guava. This delightful 

evergreen shrub never fails to 

produce a heavy crop of cherry 

guavas in early autumn. 

It is a small, pretty tree with 

rounded, glossy green leaves 

that only grows to about 

of the traditional mop heads, that can be two metres tall. 

the cone-shaped flowers of The recently introduced 

hydrangea paniculata bushes smaller growing Picotee 

Fan ‘Flame’ varieties for with two-tone brilliant flower lily colour 

I 

heads are hard to leave behind 

and if you have a semi- 

three metres in height. Keep it 

t is bulb time. We all instinctively think mium potting trimmed mix in a into 250mm shape or after 30cm fruiting. 

during The delicate the growing fluffy season flowers – 

pot 

of daffodils and tulips and often quite and water well 

shaded wall, the climbing 

forget the amazing bulbs and tubers that but never let are the creamy pot sit in white, water. 

hydrangea petiolaris is just 

growing Feed it close well 

are available now and are perfect for our fortnightly with 

beautiful. 

to the a liquid branches. fertiliser. They are followed 

are by readily the tangy available flavoured, online 

climate. 

These tubers 

Hydrangeas are forgiving 

The ‘Flame Lily’ grows wild in Africa and but may be hard 

plants that are easy to grow. sweet, to berry-sized, find in garden cherry centres. red 

in parts of Asia. The exquisitely beautiful They are in bulb 

They like regular water and fruit that catalogues are high now. in vitamin Order C. in 

scarlet and golden-flowering Gloriosa lily advance to be 

any good garden soil. Mulch Unlike sure the to get taller-growing them. The deciduous 

them yellow to you guava at planting that needs time 

growers 

will send 

twines up a trellis or along a fence. Grown 

the roots with compost to 

in a pot, it needs a climbing frame to support 

the bright green leaves that hang on Gloriosa superba 

in early spring. 

keep them cool and feed cooking, the fruit can be eaten 

them in early spring to get raw straight – the from wild the flame tree lily or 

by tendrils on their tips and the profusion – can become 

them going. Grow them in used invasive, cooking, it can jellies, be found drinks, 

of spider-like flowers. 

growing as a 

pots, or in the garden; bring sauces weed or where jams. it has naturalised 

in coastal 

Plant the tuber in the sun where it is sheltered 

from the hottest part of the day, or in the cultivated 

them inside when in flower You areas should of Queensland, protect the but fruit 

or cut the blooms – they last from variety fruit Gloriosa fly with a Rothschildiana 

is not invasive. 

fruit fly bait. 

bright light. For best results grow it in a pre- 

well in water. 

Get into the 

‘swing’ of Xmas 

It is time to relax and enjoy 

your garden. Look at your 

outdoor seating requirements 

– the shops are full of 

amazing chairs and tables. 

Hanging cane egg chairs have 

been trendy for the past few 

years and now the ‘Swing 

Seat’ is back. Nothing is more 

peaceful than swinging in a 

seat for two, sheltered from 

the weather with a roof to 

shade from the sun – makes a 

great Christmas present too! 

72 68 DECEMBER APRIL 2018 2017 


Carissa is 

the Star of 

the desert 

Autumn is the best time for 

planting new shrubs and 

creating new gardens. The soil 

is still warm for new roots to 

develop before the surge of 

spring growth. After the rain it 

is sometimes hard to remember 

the hot dry summer months. 

If you are planting a new 

hedge, nothing can cope with the 

summer heat and long dry spells 

better than Carissa Desert Star. 

This bright green shrub is ideal 

for clipping into formal shapes, 

or let it grow into its natural 

shape. It is a dense, spreading 

shrub with dark green glossy 

leaves that hide the spines below. 

Take care when pruning. The 

fragrant, pure white, jasminelike, 

star-shaped flowers are 

scattered over the shrub from 

spring to autumn, to be followed 

by dark pink berries. 

Alliums make spectacular pot plants 

Carissa makes a perfect backdrop for 

native border of grasses, interspersed 

with alliums for colour. It is time now to 

buy the bulbs of these wonderful plants. 

Ornamental alliums are members of the 

onion family. 

This is a huge diverse family. There 

varieties of every size from the tiny kitchen 

garden chives, to the small-growing 

burgundy Drumsticks, to the huge violet 

Globe Master. The round balls of the flower 

heads can be from 3cm to 30cm in diameter. 

Once established they are very hardy and 

drought tolerant; they appear as if by magic 

through the grasses. Alliums are herbaceous 

perennials that will die down through the 

winter months. Once established they need 

little attention and will multiply in number as 

the seasons pass. 

They can be grown in the garden or as 

spectacular pot plants for patios or balcony 

gardens, alliums are great in the veggie 

garden to attract the bees or grow them to use 

as long-lasting cut flowers to bring inside. 


Great burgundy foliage 

Dark burgundy foliage is hard to find for native gardens. 

‘Breynia Ironstone’ is usually found as an understorey small 

tree in coastal scrub or forest – breynias have wonderfully soft 

weeping foliage. 

You can trim them to shape and enjoy the new, red growth, 

or train them up as a small standard shrub by pruning back the 

lower branches. The dark foliage brightens up shaded areas but 

for the best colour grow it in good light or sun. It will grow in 

the wild to three metres but in domestic gardens it is a shrub of 

1-2m tall and 1m wide. 

The pale brown flowers are insignificant and are followed 

by brown berries, giving it its common name of ‘Coffee Bush’. 

There is also a variegated pink, white and green variety, breynia 

nivosa rosea Snow Bush, that comes from the Pacific islands, 

but this one is better in warm semi-shade as full sun will burn 

the pale colours in the leaves. Breynias are hard to find, if you 

can find one to buy you are lucky! 





Jobs this Month 

April 

The autumn rains will start 

to abate, the warm soil 

is damp and the days 

are cooling down. It is time to 

get gardening and prepare for 

winter. Break up the surface 

soil and feed the garden. If you 

have been filling a compost 

bin it should be ready after the 

summer heat. Empty it into the 

garden and start again with 

autumn leaves, kitchen waste 

and clippings as you tidy after 

the storms. Two smaller bins are 

better than one large one: as 

each fills, leave it to break down, 

don’t add more compost for a 

couple of months, and start a 

second one. This way you can 

rotate the bins as you use the 

compost. Gogo Juice watered 

into the bins will accelerate the 

process. 

Plant pea seedlings 

If you didn’t sow sweet pea 

seeds last month, plant seedlings 

now. Grow the taller ones 

for picking. They will need 

something to climb up. Put 

this up at planting time – don’t 

wait until the seedlings start to 

grow. Netting around bamboo 

stakes works well or re-use 

your tomato frames from the 

summer crop. Dwarf sweet 

peas are great in hanging baskets 

or pots. 

Plant a hedge 

The camellia sasanqua hedges 

are flowering now. Look 

around and identify the variety 

that you like. Always buy 

new plants with flower if you 

can. They are often wrongly 

labelled. This is the best 

month to plant a new hedge. 

Winter vegies 

Plant your winter vegetables 

now. Cabbages, cauliflowers, 

broccolini, peas, spinach, 

carrots, parsnips, lettuce and 

onions seedlings or seeds are 

in the garden centres ready 

to plant. If the weather is still 

hot, a light covering shade 

cloth will protect the seedlings 

from the hot sun. 

Stop pests 

Caterpillars and snails can 

destroy seedlings overnight. 

Spray with Yates Success to 

control the caterpillars and 

spread Multiguard pellets to 

eliminate the snails. 

Citrus care 

Citrus trees are all bursting 

into new growth after the rain. 

Spray weekly with Eco Oil to 

prevent the damaging leaf miners 

that distort and twist the 

new leaves. If already attacked, 

prune back the damaged 

Plant a slice of ‘Cherry Pie’ 

Often known as ‘Cherry Pie’ this sweetly fragrant, small, 

woody shrub is great for the veggie patch, in a cottage 

garden, in large pots or in hanging baskets. The bees love its 

vanilla-like fragrance that gives it its name. The heads of tiny 

violet flowers sing out against the dark green, crinkled leaves. 

There are several other varieties – one has golden leaves 

with violet flowers; there is one with pale lilac flowers; and 

another with white flowers – but the original violet variety is 

the easiest to grow. Once established it looks after itself. 

Tip is to prune young plants to keep the compact and 

remove the old flowers as they finish. 

leaves and put them into the 

green bin, not the compost. 

Succulent option 

It is fun to have outdoor pot 

plants on tables and balconies 

but they can be a lot of work 

for busy lifestyles. Succulents 

are the answer. They are very 

forgiving if forgotten! They 

are easy to grow either in 

small pot or mixed together in 

large bowls or window boxes. 

Love your lawn 

Give your lawn some attention 

this month. The soil will be 

compacted after heavy rains. 

Aerate the grass with a garden 

fork or hire a spiked roller 

before feeding with Sudden Impact 

for Lawns. By aerating the 

lawn it will allow the oxygen to 

the roots that the grass needs 

to grow, it will also let the water 

and fertiliser soak down. 

Annuals swap 

Replace summer annuals with 

pansies, violas, poppies, snapdragons, 

primula, alyssum, 

lobelia, or verbena for winter 

colour. English marigolds are 

good in the vegetable garden 

to attract the bees. 

Attract bees 

Spray the garden with Bee 

Keeper; it works wonderfully 

well to bring back the bees to 

our gardens. 

Bulb tip 

Wait until next month before 

planting spring bulbs, the 

weather is still too warm. Keep 

the bulbs in the chiller drawer 

of your refrigerator until you 

plant them. 

Crossword solution from page 67 

Mystery location: BROKEN BAY 



Obituary 

Farewell to a daughter of Palm Beach 

gathering of 300 packed St David’s 

A Church Palm Beach on 8 March to 

farewell Herminie Swainston, who died on 

1 March, aged 81. 

Born into the family home high on 

Observation Point in 1937, Herminie literally 

cast her eye over the Palm Beach locality 

for 80 years. When a young child, Herminie 

regularly took the ferry to Brooklyn and 

then the train to Epping, where the family 

had access to their schooling and medical 

needs. 

Herminie spent time on the land in 

Merriwa and Tamworth, where she was 

employed as Muswellbrook’s first art teacher, 

and where she met her husband John; the 

couple married in 1966 then set off to 

discover parts of the world not yet colonised 

by the backpackers of today. This saw them 

working as far afield as Papua New Guinea, 

but Palm Beach was always home. 

In recent times, Herminie shared her 

fond recollections of growing up in Palm 

Beach – running with her dog from one side 

of the tombolo to the other when it was 

open space in its natural state, before the 

earthworks and introduced plantings. She 

also enjoyed riding her horse everywhere, 

even in the surf. Herminie’s son Matthew 

recounted: “Mum lived life to the full, right 

up to her 80s. She would swim out the back 

of the waves, then come in and play French 

cricket. She became known as ‘Super 

Gran’, because she’d be up on the climbing 

equipment with the kids.” 

Reverend Sturt Young reflected on 

Herminie’s commitment to others: “Her 

gardening skills and generous heart came to 

the fore recently, when we arranged a working 

bee in the rectory garden. When younger 

hands had done all they could, we’d look 

around to see Herminie powering on to get the 

job finished.” The church was very important 

to Herminie, as were many other causes, like 

protecting the Bible Garden.” 

Another issue of importance to Herminie 

was the Palm Beach Walkway project. The 

PBWBA is now hatching a plan to honour 

Herminie’s decades of selfless service by 

having the clearing at the midway point 

of the Palm Beach Walkway named as 

“Herminie’s Landing”. 

Herminie is survived by her husband 

John, their children Paul, Matthew and 

Sarah, and seven grandchildren. 

– Mitch Geddes 

Obituary 



Times Past 

War exercises 

on the Bangalley 

Headland 

Times Past 

With the possibility of 

the Japanese forces 

heading down the 

east coast of Australia during 

World War II, the establishment 

of coastal defences, especially 

north of Sydney, was 

imperative. 

Bangalley Headland (North 

Avalon) was no doubt chosen 

as an observation post because 

it is taller and protrudes 

further into the Tasman 

Sea than neighbouring 

headlands. In early maps of 

the area it was even labelled 

‘the South Head of Broken 

Bay’ because it lies significantly 

further to the east than 

Barrenjoey Headland. 

Mrs Pauline Grieve, who 

had ‘Careel House’ built on 

the headland in 1932, claimed 

that the view up and down 

the coast provided ‘the most 

wonderful panorama of earth 

and sea and sky’. 

By December 1941, a coastal 

defence post had been established 

on Bangalley Headland. 

It may have been facilitated as 

a consequence of the ‘invasion 

exercise’ which occurred 

in September 1941 when 

hundreds of troops ‘repelled 

the enemy’ from Palm Beach 

to Frenchs Forest. It was the 

culmination of a week of manoeuvres 

in which the Navy, 

Army and Air Force took part 

to test the communications 

and co-ordination of the three 

services in defence of the 

coast. 

Fred Powderly began his 

full-time war service in 

the CMF (Civilian Military 

Forces) after he enlisted at the 

Ashfield Drill Hall on 26 May 

1941. It appears no time was 

wasted in posting him to the 

headland. Photographs taken 

by him of several mates at 

their ‘Hill Camp at North Avalon’ 

are reliably dated 1941. 

The main photo shows 

some of these men constructing 

a ‘slit-trench’, commonly 

known as a DFP – a defensive 

fighting position, which was 

reinforced with sand bags. 

It is not known whether 

DFPs were required on the 

headland or it may have 

been a training exercise for 

‘sappers’. Sappers were field 

engineers or ‘tradesmen of 

the battlefield’ and known 

in rhyming slang as ‘ginger 

beers’ (engineers). 

The fire on the headland 

in late 2017 revealed several 

signs of past activity, such as 

five large eyebolts secured 

apparently randomly into the 

sandstone with concrete. It is 

thought they may have supported 

or ‘stayed’ a flagstaff 

or signal mast. A small brick 

pit was also revealed – but 

there was no sign of the slittrench 

which would have been 

only of a temporary nature. 

An Avalon Beach resident 

who now lives on the South 

Coast has given the Society 

an empty and badly corroded 

shell case from a 303 rifle. He 

found it while searching the 

headland for information for 

his thesis for a horticulture 

degree in the late 1990s. 

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. 



Travel Life 

‘Choose Your Cruise’ is music to the ears 

There’s something for all musical tastes 

on Cruiseco’s four exclusive music 

cruises cruising the South Pacific, roundtrip 

from Sydney this year. 

Travel View and Cruise View’s Karen 

Robinson says the four-star ‘Radiance of the 

Seas’ will become the ultimate ‘stage’ for 

some of the best international and Australian 

artists. 

If a country vibe is your thing, ‘Cruisin’ 

Country 8’ (departing 9 October) is all 

about the past, present and future. 

“Over seven fun-filled nights via Isle of 

Pines and Noumea in New Caledonia, you’ll 

enjoy dance lessons, song writing and guitar 

workshops; not to mention performances 

from illustrious country music artists including 

John Williamson, Troy Cassar-Daley, 

Graeme Connors, Gina Jeffreys (right) and 

Sara Storer,” Karen said. 

Interior cabins now start from $2,705* 

per person, twin share. Oceanview staterooms 

start from $3,295* per person, twin 

share. 

“Nostalgia is on the menu of ‘Rock the 

Boat 8’ – featuring an extraordinary list of 

iconic rock ’n’ roll and more than 40 live 

acts including Foreigner, The Romantics, 

Ross Wilson, Russell Morris and Shannon 

Noll, coupled with dancing lessons,” said 

Karen. 

“It’s an extraordinary seven-night round 

trip from Sydney departing 21 October, 

now starting from $2,615* per person, twin 

share in an Interior stateroom.” 

And following the success of 2013’s inaugural 

‘Cruise N Groove’ cruise, celebrate on 

a trip down memory lane with the best Elvis 

tribute artists. ‘Elvis Meets the Legends’ will 

celebrate Elvis through the years, over seven 

nights aboard ‘Cruise N Groove 2018’. 

Departing 6 November, The Ultimate 

Tribute Artists include Shawn Klush, Justin 

Shandor, Elvis to the Max, Dean Z, Ben 

Thompson and more. 

Todd McKenney, Teddy Tahu Rhodes 

(pictured) plus Tom Burlinson and Rhonda 

Burchmore headline the ‘BRAVO’ Cruise of 

Performing Arts, departing 13 November for 

an eight-night journey via Noumea, Mystery 

Island, Vanuatu and Lifou, Loyalty Islands. 

Travel View and Cruise View are 

members of Cruiseco; for more info on 

pricing and cruises plus bookings call 

9918 6007 or 9999 0444 or email sales@ 

travelview.net.au 






A new lease on 

touring Europe 

Hungry for a self-drive adventure? Consider combining 

stunning scenery and tasty cuisine on a journey through 

the various regions of France, finding out what the 

local specialities are and where to find the best shopping and 

breathtaking sights. 

Tick Europe off your bucket list and lease a Renault from 

Renault Eurodrive in Australia. This is a fantastic option for all 

types of travellers wanting a car to drive around Europe for 

21-170 days. You receive a brand new, tax free Renault model of 

your choice, direct from 

the factory with full 

factory warranty and 

24-hour assistance. The 

vehicle also comes with 

full insurance with nil 

excess to drive through 

40 countries in Europe 

and the UK – and all 

vehicles come with an 

in-built GPS. 

Drive and discover 

more of Europe today 

by collecting and/or 

returning your Renault 

vehicle for FREE at 

one of the designated 

locations in France. 

Alternatively, Renault 

Eurodrive Australia also 

offer collections and/ 

or returns from outside for an additional fee which is quoted for 

you at the time of booking. 

Self-drive brings you the freedom to explore the cultural 

cities, as well as all the nooks and crannies of the quaint towns 

and villages. 

You have the choice to travel within one country, or get set to 

explore as many as you please. So whether it’s driving through 

the south of France, exploring the French Rivera or discovering 

the coastal towns of Naples in Italy, remember you can do and 

see more on a self-drive holiday. 

Visit renaulteurodrive.com.au for more information, 

conditions and pick-up/drop-off locations, or contact your 

travel agent.

Pittwater Life April 2018 Issue

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