Pittwater Life November 2017 Issue
5 Questions for the Mayor. Principal & Interest. A Loyal Commission. Market Value! 5 Questions for the Mayor. Principal & Interest. A Loyal Commission. Market Value!
The Local Voice Since 1991 NOVEMBER 2017 FREE pittwaterlife A LOYAL COMMISSION ARCHIBALD FINALIST WHO WANTS YOU IN THE FRAME 5 QUESTIONS FOR THE MAYOR WILL PITTWATER GET A FAIR DEAL? PRINCIPAL & INTEREST WHY OUR EDUCATORS ARE BETTER EQUIPPED THAN EVER MARKET VALUE! Family fun days out in Avalon, Narrabeen, Newport & Mona Vale
- Page 3 and 4: Editorial Will we ever give Bs a ch
- Page 6 and 7: 5 Quick Questions News Our new Mayo
- Page 8: News Continued from page 7 places l
- Page 11 and 12: GRATEFUL: Narrabeen Sports High Pri
- Page 14 and 15: News Festival fun and excitement he
- Page 16 and 17: Put yourself in the frame News DOUB
- Page 18 and 19: News Netballers court improvements
- Page 20 and 21: News Keeping up with Kardash The wo
- Page 22: News ‘Cut’ price offer for film
- Page 25 and 26: History gets a repeat at Mona Vale
- Page 27 and 28: Get crafty: 60,000 poppies needed B
- Page 29 and 30: the Vice Captains as well as a radi
- Page 31 and 32: Sight for Soar eyes Photographer So
- Page 33 and 34: Newport ablaze with sculptures Sydn
- Page 35 and 36: PL’s NOVEMBER SURF CALENDAR 18/11
- Page 37 and 38: Avalon’s big day out! Avalon Beac
- Page 39 and 40: The Local Voice Since 1991 NOVEMBER
- Page 41 and 42: Real Estate Upside to downsize With
- Page 44 and 45: Health & Wellbeing Health & Wellbei
- Page 46 and 47: Health & Wellbeing Health & Wellbei
- Page 48 and 49: Health & Wellbeing Health & Wellbei
- Page 50 and 51: Business Life: Money Business Life
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
FREE<br />
pittwaterlife<br />
A LOYAL<br />
COMMISSION<br />
ARCHIBALD FINALIST<br />
WHO WANTS YOU<br />
IN THE FRAME<br />
5 QUESTIONS<br />
FOR THE MAYOR<br />
WILL PITTWATER<br />
GET A FAIR DEAL?<br />
PRINCIPAL<br />
& INTEREST<br />
WHY OUR<br />
EDUCATORS ARE<br />
BETTER EQUIPPED<br />
THAN EVER<br />
MARKET<br />
VALUE!<br />
Family fun days out in Avalon,<br />
Narrabeen, Newport & Mona Vale
Editorial<br />
Will we ever give Bs a chance?<br />
Last month we reported<br />
local Minister Rob Stokes’<br />
frustration at misinformation<br />
about the B-Line service<br />
being spread throughout the<br />
community and the wariness<br />
of opponents to accept the<br />
government’s word on its<br />
planning.<br />
Well, nothing’s changed.<br />
Which is a shame given the cash<br />
the government is spending<br />
trying to consult with residents.<br />
A rally at Newport Beach Surf<br />
Club in late October saw the fire<br />
of opposition stoked further. A<br />
Newport Residents Association<br />
petition garnered more than<br />
500 signatures; those who<br />
signed it pledged to withhold<br />
support for the extension of<br />
the B-Line from Mona Vale<br />
to Newport until a “fully<br />
developed and researched plan”<br />
is submitted for consideration.<br />
There’s hope then; that<br />
appears to allow room for<br />
anyone currently opposed to the<br />
B-Line heading to Newport to<br />
change their opinion.<br />
It won’t be the major<br />
community and residents<br />
groups north of Newport<br />
though; they remain steadfast<br />
in their opposition to the B-Line<br />
heading north of Mona Vale.<br />
It appears Newport residents<br />
may be more flexible – but<br />
they’ll need to be convinced<br />
their village won’t be “slashed<br />
and burned” in the process.<br />
The government’s preferred<br />
position – a roundabout at<br />
Neptune Road with no incursion<br />
into the surf club car park<br />
and no loss of trees – seems a<br />
good starting point for a “fully<br />
developed and researched plan”.<br />
(Yes the netball court will go<br />
but new ones have already been<br />
sited and funded – see p18.)<br />
Will a bus entering a<br />
roundabout every 10 minutes<br />
add a pinchpoint to southbound<br />
traffic during peak periods, if<br />
synchronised with an existing<br />
set of traffic lights 150 metres<br />
south? We’ll leave that to the<br />
experts. But it’s guaranteed not<br />
all will agree! – Nigel Wall<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 3
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Email:<br />
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Website:<br />
www.pittwaterlife.com.au<br />
Publisher: Nigel Wall<br />
Managing Editor: Lisa Offord<br />
Graphic Design: CLS Design<br />
Photography: iStock<br />
Contributors: Rosamund<br />
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Carroll, Sue Carroll, Dr. John<br />
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Vol 27 No 4<br />
Celebrating 26 years<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
5 QUESTIONS<br />
FOR THE MAYOR<br />
WILL PITTWATER<br />
GET A FAIR DEAL?<br />
PRINCIPAL<br />
& INTEREST<br />
WHY OUR<br />
EDUCATORS ARE<br />
BETTER EQUIPPED<br />
THAN EVER<br />
MARKET<br />
VALUE!<br />
Family fun days out in Avalon,<br />
Narrabeen, Newport & Mona Vale<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
FREE<br />
pittwaterlife<br />
A LOYAL<br />
COMMISSION<br />
ARCHIBALD FINALIST<br />
WHO WANTS YOU<br />
IN THE FRAME<br />
16<br />
38<br />
64<br />
WALKERS<br />
WANTED<br />
To deliver <strong>Pittwater</strong> <strong>Life</strong><br />
once a month.<br />
Permanent and casual runs<br />
are available now in:<br />
Palm Beach, Avalon,<br />
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Bayview & Church Point.<br />
EARN TOP MONEY PAID PROMPTLY!<br />
Email:<br />
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thislife<br />
COVER: It’s markets and festivals month! Find info on<br />
what’s on offer at Mona Vale, Narrabeen Lakes, Avalon<br />
Beach (4-page liftout p37) and Newport Beach; Mayor<br />
Michael Regan gives a heads-up on what we can expect<br />
from Council in its first term (p6); we profile local artist<br />
and Archibald Prize finalist Phil Meatchem – who wants<br />
to paint your portrait (p17); plus check out our other<br />
great local artists and their exhibitions (p30); Nick Carroll<br />
recounts a sobering tale (p34); and Janelle Bloom shows<br />
how to cook a cafe-style breakfast for the family at home<br />
(p64). COVER: Warriewood Beach /Jay Platt – allskydrones<br />
also this month<br />
Editorial 3<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong> Local News 6-27<br />
<strong>Life</strong> Stories 28-29<br />
Art <strong>Life</strong> 30-33<br />
Surfing <strong>Life</strong> 34-35<br />
Boating <strong>Life</strong> 36-37<br />
Avalon Market Day Program 38-41<br />
Health & Wellbeing; Hair & Beauty 42-49<br />
Money & Finance 50-52<br />
Law 54-55<br />
Trades & Services 56-58<br />
Food: Cafe-style breakfasts – at home 64-66<br />
Gardening <strong>Life</strong> 68-70<br />
Travel <strong>Life</strong> 72-74<br />
the goodlife<br />
Restaurants, food, gigs, travel and gardening.<br />
Also find our regular features on beauty, health, surfing,<br />
art, local history, our guide to trades and services, money,<br />
law and our essential maps.<br />
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4 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
5 Quick Questions<br />
News<br />
Our new Mayor Michael<br />
Regan says his commitment<br />
to creating an<br />
inclusive, integrated northern<br />
beaches will be made possible<br />
through community consultation,<br />
by appreciating the<br />
individuality of each village<br />
and town centre… and learning<br />
from past mistakes.<br />
“It’s a huge honour and<br />
very humbling to have been<br />
elected to the new Northern<br />
Beaches Council,” Mr Regan<br />
said in his first interview<br />
with <strong>Pittwater</strong> <strong>Life</strong> since the<br />
election.<br />
“To have been elected as<br />
the first ever Mayor is both<br />
exciting and challenging.”<br />
In a special message to our<br />
readers Mr Regan said: “This<br />
Council is history in the making<br />
and I am determined not<br />
to let you down.<br />
“I will represent all within<br />
our Community and continue<br />
to champion the Northern<br />
Beaches at every opportunity.<br />
“We 15 councillors – ‘the<br />
first 15’ as one of my Councillors<br />
put it – have diverse<br />
views and skills which rightly<br />
reflect the diversity of the<br />
community that we represent.<br />
“We all agree that we live in<br />
the best part of the world.<br />
“You, the voters, have put<br />
your faith in us and it is up to<br />
us to work hard together to<br />
achieve the best outcomes.”<br />
What’s your message to<br />
1. <strong>Pittwater</strong> residents wary<br />
that the Mayor and Deputy<br />
Mayor roles have been won<br />
by councillors external to<br />
the <strong>Pittwater</strong> and Narrabeen<br />
wards?<br />
I pledged to be Mayor for<br />
all the Northern Beaches. I<br />
will make decisions which<br />
are in the best interests of<br />
the entire Northern Beaches<br />
and not favour one area over<br />
another. I am proud of the<br />
numerous projects that are<br />
already underway at Church<br />
Point, Palm Beach, Avalon and<br />
other areas. We are one community<br />
and I will endeavour<br />
to be a strong voice for all.<br />
We are one Council now, and<br />
the onus is on us to lead by<br />
example, and to learn from<br />
history.<br />
How much of a debrief<br />
2. were you given on the<br />
projects pledged or currently<br />
underway in the former <strong>Pittwater</strong><br />
area, and what in particular<br />
excites you when taking<br />
into account the broader<br />
new Council region?<br />
I’m very enthusiastic about<br />
bringing the Northern Beaches<br />
together. We have so much<br />
in common and so many<br />
shared aspirations. Take the<br />
$22.3 million Connecting<br />
Northern Beaches plan, which<br />
will essentially fill the missing<br />
links and create a shared<br />
pathway from Palm Beach to<br />
Manly. It will also link to the<br />
incoming B-Line bus service. I<br />
also want to see the Northern<br />
Beaches inclusive as well as<br />
connected. The $10.3 million<br />
‘Connecting All Through Play’<br />
project features the creation<br />
of two new major all-abilities<br />
playgrounds, upgrades to play<br />
areas across the Northern<br />
Beaches to make them more<br />
inclusive and $4 million for<br />
sporting facilities and Surf<br />
<strong>Life</strong>saving Clubs. I’m excited<br />
about the projects we have<br />
underway in this part of<br />
the Northern Beaches. The<br />
upgrade at Church Point<br />
will provide safer access,<br />
improved parking and better<br />
facilities, as well as a<br />
much-needed facelift. The<br />
new walkway at Palm Beach<br />
will greatly improve access<br />
between the ferry wharf and<br />
the park. At the southern end<br />
of Palm Beach, the landscaping<br />
project will improve<br />
parking, landscaping and<br />
access. The ‘Walk Avalon’<br />
project will improve safety,<br />
6 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
for the Mayor<br />
convenience and connectivity<br />
within Avalon Village. Council<br />
is also upgrading wharves<br />
at Currawong and Mackerel<br />
Beach, roads and drainage<br />
on Scotland Island, and new<br />
retaining walls, footpaths,<br />
stormwater drains and foreshore<br />
renewals across the<br />
northern suburbs.<br />
Access to the new Northern<br />
Beaches Hospital at Frenchs<br />
Forest is a major issue, in particular<br />
for people in the north.<br />
I am committed to ensuring<br />
that road access is as good as<br />
it can be. Council is working<br />
with the RMS to investigate<br />
ways to stop the frequent<br />
flooding on Wakehurst Parkway<br />
during heavy rain and to<br />
ensure that the road network<br />
around the new hospital is<br />
efficient and effective.<br />
McPherson Street in Warriewood<br />
is an important connection<br />
and Council is nearing<br />
completion of the upgrade.<br />
One of the really tangible benefits<br />
of the amalgamation is<br />
that Narrabeen Lagoon State<br />
Park is now under the control<br />
of one council and can be<br />
managed and protected more<br />
consistently. We will continue<br />
to work with the Narrabeen<br />
Lagoon Catchment Committee<br />
and the community to ensure<br />
the area is respected, maintained<br />
and enhanced.<br />
There are more announcements<br />
pending such as the<br />
performance space at Mona<br />
Vale. Watch this space!<br />
Since the formation of the<br />
new Council, former <strong>Pittwater</strong><br />
has received unprecedented<br />
capital works expenditure<br />
and their debts reduced.<br />
Are there any current<br />
3. exclusive services being<br />
delivered to regions of the<br />
new Council that you would<br />
look at replicating in <strong>Pittwater</strong>?<br />
For example, we have<br />
been inundated with queries<br />
about Manly’s free ‘Hop, Skip<br />
& Jump Bus’ service?<br />
While I am committed to<br />
an inclusive and integrated<br />
Northern Beaches there is<br />
no one-size-fits-all approach<br />
that will work. We have much<br />
in common but the villages<br />
and towns which make up the<br />
Northern Beaches have their<br />
own distinctive flavor and<br />
feel, as well as needs.<br />
For instance, I am<br />
conscious that the<br />
level of development<br />
we see in<br />
Continued on page 8<br />
News<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 7
News<br />
Continued from page 7<br />
places like Manly, Dee Why<br />
and Frenchs Forest is not appropriate<br />
for the north.<br />
We will not be seeing<br />
skyscrapers adorning the<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong> foreshore, not while<br />
I am Mayor. We have a unique<br />
opportunity to learn from what<br />
has worked and not worked<br />
in places like Manly and Dee<br />
Why to inform planning for the<br />
north. In terms of replicating<br />
the Manly Hop, Skip & Jump<br />
Bus service, it is clear the way<br />
public transport is provided<br />
is changing. The NSW Government<br />
will soon be trialing<br />
a new on-demand mini-bus<br />
service that will perform a<br />
similar role to the Hop, Skip &<br />
Jump service. It will connect<br />
customers from Palm Beach to<br />
North Narrabeen allowing customers<br />
to book transport from<br />
their home to a local transport<br />
hub or landmark. But why stop<br />
there? I’ll be calling on the<br />
Council to develop a Northern<br />
Beaches Transport Strategy to<br />
transform the way people move<br />
around.<br />
How will Council demonstrate<br />
an 4. improved<br />
overall community consultation<br />
process?<br />
Community consultation<br />
is one of the most important<br />
things councillors can do, to<br />
make sure that we have as wide<br />
as possible an understanding<br />
of what the community wants<br />
– and doesn’t want – before we<br />
embark on projects. Whether<br />
it is the review of library<br />
hours, to the future shape of<br />
Brookvale, I urge the community<br />
to get involved. As the<br />
Mayor I make the following<br />
promise: I will always listen<br />
to the community and I will<br />
always be open to new ideas<br />
and new perspectives. And<br />
as I have said all along, One<br />
Council has far more resources<br />
to be effective and do more for<br />
less. The community is already<br />
noticing the difference.<br />
And a final question<br />
thrown in for good measure…<br />
A lesson learned from<br />
5. your last time in office?<br />
You are always learning if<br />
you are listening. You will<br />
always make a mistake – nobody<br />
is perfect. So own it, fix<br />
it and learn from it. Simple.<br />
– Compiled by Lisa Offord<br />
8 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
News<br />
Gold star for Principal support<br />
Local school principals<br />
have given top marks to<br />
a new State Government<br />
grant program and leadership<br />
strategy they say will ease the<br />
burden on their day-to-day<br />
workloads and allow them to<br />
focus more on their key roles as<br />
educators.<br />
Local State MP and Education<br />
Minister Rob Stokes recently<br />
announced the NSW Government<br />
will allocate $50 million<br />
a year to enable principals to<br />
focus on core duties such as<br />
curriculum planning, student<br />
progress, teaching quality and<br />
student wellbeing.<br />
The strategy follows an<br />
independent study that found<br />
school principals were spending<br />
too much time on management<br />
and administration tasks<br />
and not enough time on improving<br />
teaching and learning.<br />
The study, involving principals<br />
at 119 government schools,<br />
found principals’ workloads<br />
had increased in recent years<br />
with burgeoning responsibilities<br />
in areas like planning,<br />
policy, finance, compliance, risk<br />
and work health and safety.<br />
Numerous tasks undertaken<br />
by principals distract them<br />
from their key role; they include<br />
fixing plumbing, organising<br />
cleaning, minor asset repairs,<br />
tree audits, and troubleshooting<br />
technology.<br />
Mr Stokes said the new<br />
strategy would also include a<br />
leadership institute to develop<br />
and support school leaders<br />
and those preparing to take<br />
on leadership roles, as well as<br />
coaching and mentoring for<br />
new principals and support for<br />
existing principals.<br />
Additionally, 20 scholarships<br />
a year will be awarded<br />
for principals to participate<br />
in internationally renowned<br />
leadership programs and a<br />
new team of trained officers<br />
will be introduced to undertake<br />
annual work, health and<br />
safety inspections and remove<br />
the compliance burden off<br />
principals.<br />
Mona Vale Public School<br />
Principal Greg Jones said the<br />
pledge and focus on educational<br />
leadership was welcome<br />
news for the many heads who<br />
found themselves “drowned in<br />
administration”.<br />
And he said the big winners<br />
would be the students.<br />
“The role of the principal<br />
is both complex and multifacetted,”<br />
said Mr Jones. “While<br />
we believe our core business is<br />
leading communities towards<br />
improved school and student<br />
outcomes, many distractions<br />
have drawn us from that goal.<br />
“For many years the path<br />
to becoming a principal was<br />
relatively simple: be a good<br />
teacher, have organisational<br />
and leadership skills and a<br />
desire to be a school leader and<br />
although much of this remains<br />
essential today, an understanding<br />
of business mythology is<br />
also critical.”<br />
Mr Jones – who was recently<br />
awarded the <strong>2017</strong> NSW Primary<br />
10 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
GRATEFUL: Narrabeen<br />
Sports High<br />
Principal Dane<br />
Ropa (left) and<br />
Mona Vale Public<br />
School head Greg<br />
Jones (above).<br />
Principals Association’s ‘Professional<br />
Award’ for Leadership<br />
– said NSW Public School<br />
principals led their communities<br />
under the mantra of ‘Local<br />
Schools Local Decisions’ and<br />
while this had allowed schools<br />
to focus on what worked for<br />
their community, it had also<br />
added to the organisational,<br />
compliance and risk requirements<br />
they needed to manage.<br />
These included planning,<br />
policy, finance and work place<br />
health and safety.<br />
“In any given week at Mona<br />
Vale I can deal with cleaning<br />
issues, tree audits, plumbing<br />
and electrical issues, repairs to<br />
buildings, lodging reports regarding<br />
vandalism, workplace<br />
injuries, technology issues,<br />
staffing matters and a neverending<br />
number of administrative<br />
returns,” Mr Jones said.<br />
“The big winners will be<br />
students – they should be at<br />
the centre of what I do and less<br />
time on administration allows<br />
me more time for them and<br />
staff.”<br />
Narrabeen Sports High Principal<br />
Dane Ropa said he was<br />
grateful the government had<br />
listened and understood the<br />
distinct and varying needs of<br />
principals in different contexts<br />
across the state.<br />
“I have experienced the<br />
best days along with the most<br />
challenging days of my career<br />
during my first two years as<br />
a principal,” Mr Ropa said.<br />
“These experiences are part of<br />
what makes the role exciting<br />
and meaningful."<br />
He said schools were complex<br />
organisations and as Principal,<br />
he was responsible for the<br />
operational, relational, strategic<br />
and systemic structures that<br />
delivered education, support<br />
Continued on page 12<br />
News<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 11
News<br />
Winner<br />
Lily waxes<br />
financial<br />
and leadership to students and<br />
their families each day.<br />
“Most businesses employing<br />
more than 100 staff would have<br />
positions responsible for the<br />
carriage of each of those four<br />
areas,” he observed.<br />
“I will be using the Minister’s<br />
flexible funding to employ<br />
staff to relieve me of the<br />
many compliance and heavily<br />
administrative requirements of<br />
managing human and financial<br />
resources such as payroll and<br />
site management.”<br />
Mr Ropa said that during the<br />
school day, he prioritised being<br />
available for and working with<br />
his students, teachers, staff and<br />
community – meaning other<br />
administrative tasks had to be<br />
done in the evening, denying<br />
him quality time with his own<br />
family or the process of ‘timing<br />
out’ to be best prepared for the<br />
next day.<br />
“The opportunity to improve<br />
my work-life balance and work<br />
more closely with teachers to<br />
improve practice will have a<br />
positive impact on the success<br />
of my students,” he said.<br />
The leadership institute’s<br />
programs will be developed<br />
with school leaders in partnership<br />
with experts and universities.<br />
The first flagship course<br />
will be a 12-month development<br />
program starting in 2018<br />
for aspiring principals.<br />
– Nigel Wall<br />
12 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
A<br />
successful local start-up<br />
business is giving back to the<br />
community, having partnered<br />
with Barrenjoey High School to<br />
provide a valuable leg-up to budding<br />
business entrepreneurs.<br />
In late 2016, Surf Collective,<br />
which promotes independent<br />
Aussie surf brands, approached Barrenjoey High with a<br />
proposal to help bring a study subject to life for students.<br />
Surf Collective co-owner Mark Ranucci said the school was<br />
receptive to the idea and suggested that the Year 10 Business<br />
Studies class would be ideal.<br />
“Surf Collective then had the students develop ideas for a<br />
surf-related product, together with a marketing plan,” Mark<br />
said. “The subject topics revolved around their product,<br />
which helped engage all the kids in the class.”<br />
Not surprisingly, with $2,000 up for grabs for the winner<br />
to help bring his/her product to market, there was plenty of<br />
interest.<br />
“Some worked in a group and others individually,” Mark<br />
continued. “Surf Collective spent time in the classroom providing<br />
feedback before putting the kids in front of their very<br />
own ‘Shark-Tank’ – a panel made up of local Surf Collective<br />
Brands – to pitch their ideas.”<br />
He said the eventual winner, Lily McElligott, presented an<br />
awesome idea – to recycle unwanted skateboard decks and<br />
convert them into wax combs.<br />
“Lily’s idea was both clever and environmentally responsible,”<br />
Mark said.<br />
Surf Collective is promoting Lily’s idea on their website –<br />
surfcollective.com.au – and in The Sneaky Grind Café, their<br />
retail collaboration in Avalon Beach.<br />
Meanwhile, Lily plans to make other products under her<br />
new venture, ‘The Coastal Upcycling Company’.<br />
Mark added the program was so successful in engaging with<br />
local kids and their studies that it would be repeated next year.<br />
– Nigel Wall<br />
Gold star for Principal support<br />
Continued from page 11
News<br />
Festival fun and excitement<br />
headed for Newport Beach<br />
This year’s Newport Beach Festival on<br />
Sunday <strong>November</strong> 26 will be big, with a<br />
huge array of activities planned for the 45th<br />
anniversary of the event.<br />
Event organiser Owen Heywood reports<br />
there will be three stages with quality<br />
local music talent playing all day, plus<br />
performances by local dance schools and<br />
street performers.<br />
“There’s a great ride area, with jumping<br />
castles, mechanical rides and face painting<br />
near the beach for the young or young at<br />
heart,” said Owen.<br />
“We’ll have more than 200 great stalls<br />
with an exciting mix of fashion, food and<br />
furniture and everything in between – the<br />
local businesses are more supportive than<br />
ever, with most of the shops in Newport<br />
running exceptional promotions and sales<br />
for the day and local restaurants and cafes<br />
showcasing their food.”<br />
He added there would also be the muchloved<br />
visit from Santa, who’ll be doing a meetand-great<br />
and handing out treats.<br />
“There is something for everyone at the<br />
Festival, it has a great community feel to the<br />
day and really brings people together and<br />
shows off what a great suburb Newport is.”<br />
The Newport Beach Festival is run on behalf<br />
of the Newport Chamber of Commerce,<br />
who set up the event in 1972 with the aim<br />
of fulfilling the motto ‘one community, one<br />
village’.<br />
The fun kicks off from 9am (until 5pm)<br />
on Sunday <strong>November</strong> 26; more info Newport<br />
Beach Festival facebook page.<br />
6THINGS<br />
THIS MONTH<br />
Breakfast bowl. Get down<br />
to Newport Bowling Club<br />
Sunday mornings from 9am<br />
where you can have a bowl and<br />
a bacon and egg roll for only<br />
$10. Beginners welcome, bowls<br />
supplied. The club at Palm Road<br />
Newport is also available for<br />
barefoot and corporate bowls.<br />
Call 0402 126 109.<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong> Paddle. This<br />
major community fundraiser<br />
for NBI, supporting children<br />
with additional needs and their<br />
families, kicks off 9am on Sun 12<br />
at Winnererremy Bay. There are<br />
two paddles this year; one purely<br />
for fun, the other for those who<br />
like a challenge. Register as an<br />
individual or compete as a team<br />
in a multi-seated craft. If paddling<br />
isn’t your thing, simply show your<br />
support on the day – there will<br />
be food and entertainment. More<br />
info nbi.org.au<br />
Want a feathered friend?<br />
Chooks make great pets; they<br />
help reduce your food waste and<br />
give you free, fresh eggs. Find out<br />
the best chicken breed for you<br />
and learn how to feed and house<br />
them at this free workshop at the<br />
Coastal Environment Centre on<br />
Sat 18. Bookings essential cec@<br />
northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au or<br />
9942 2732.<br />
Get into print. Warringah<br />
Printmakers Studio is holding<br />
an exhibition of contemporary<br />
printmaking, artist books and<br />
three-dimensional print-based<br />
media at the Creative Space,<br />
Abbott Rd North Curl Curl on<br />
Nov 15-26 from 10am-4pm with<br />
printmaking demos Sun 19, Sat<br />
25 and Sun 26 from 12-2pm.<br />
Code club. Every Sunday<br />
between 2-3.30pm Mona Vale<br />
Library hosts a Code Club<br />
for kids aged 9-11. The club,<br />
supported by trained volunteers,<br />
is based on fun, creativity and<br />
problem solving. Materials<br />
provided. Kids are encouraged<br />
to bring their own laptop if they<br />
have one. Registration essential<br />
9970 1606.<br />
Beach Clean. Do a clean sweep<br />
of Avalon Beach with The Green<br />
Team at 4pm (after Market Day)<br />
on Sun 19. All ages welcome.<br />
Bring a bucket, gloves and hat.<br />
14 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
Residents demand better B-Line plan<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong> community groups<br />
remain opposed to the<br />
extension of the B-Line to Newport<br />
despite assurances from<br />
NSW government consultation<br />
representatives that their fears<br />
of disruption and destruction<br />
of the beachside suburb’s village<br />
lifestyle were unfounded.<br />
Transport NSW met with<br />
groups including the Newport<br />
Residents Association<br />
and CABPRA to present its<br />
‘preferred option’ for the $500<br />
million bus service last month.<br />
It followed a letterbox drop<br />
by Transport NSW revealing<br />
their plan to construct a<br />
roundabout on the corner of<br />
Neptune Road and Barrenjoey<br />
Road, with buses turning and<br />
stopping at the existing bus<br />
stop outside Newport Beach<br />
Surf <strong>Life</strong> Saving Club.<br />
No incursion into the surf<br />
club was proposed in the government’s<br />
preferred plan, nor<br />
were any car parking spaces<br />
corralled for B-Line users.<br />
The preferred option for the<br />
B-Line terminus was contingent<br />
on the results of engineering<br />
studies, the Transport<br />
NSW representative said.<br />
However, residents groups<br />
rebuffed the consultation, with<br />
the NRA proceeding with a<br />
rally on October 22 that drew<br />
a crowd of hundreds and<br />
garnered more than 500 signatures<br />
on a petition to withhold<br />
support for the extension of<br />
the service from Mona Vale to<br />
Newport until a “fully developed<br />
and researched plan” was<br />
submitted for consideration.<br />
NRA president Gavin Butler<br />
said residents felt they were<br />
being “blackmailed” by the<br />
government to a degree.<br />
“They are saying if you don’t<br />
accept the B-Line in Newport<br />
you will not share in the $500<br />
million of the B-Line money<br />
and you will end up with an<br />
inferior bus service to the one<br />
that you have today,” he said.<br />
He added there were great<br />
concerns as to whether a<br />
roundabout could work at the<br />
Neptune and Barrenjoey Road<br />
intersection, “let alone create<br />
another choke point for communities<br />
north of Newport”.<br />
Transport NSW also met<br />
with the Newport Beach<br />
Chamber of Commerce, who<br />
queried whether the iconic<br />
Norfolk Pines in the centre of<br />
the road or other trees would<br />
be removed; representatives<br />
said some pruning would be<br />
required in the village centre<br />
but said it would be arboristled<br />
and minimal.<br />
Following the meeting the<br />
Photo: Michael Mannington<br />
Chamber was hopeful of gaining<br />
several parking spaces for<br />
shoppers on Barrenjoey Road,<br />
currently designated ‘no parking’<br />
due to the length of the<br />
existing ‘bendy buses’.<br />
Meanwhile CABPRA has<br />
rejected the ‘Newport B-Line<br />
solution’ out of hand, supporting<br />
Mona Vale as the northern<br />
terminus point, with feeder<br />
and express services catering<br />
for communities north of<br />
Mona Vale.<br />
It said the proposed turnaround<br />
site was a “very dangerous<br />
intersection”.<br />
President David Owen added<br />
the group had supplied the<br />
B-Line project team with a<br />
proposed service schedule<br />
for residents north of Mona<br />
Vale. This proposal was also<br />
supported by the NRA, the<br />
Palm Beach and Whale Beach<br />
Association and the Avalon<br />
Preservation Association.<br />
Transport NSW is holding a<br />
drop-in B-Line info session at<br />
Newport Beach SLSC on Tuesday<br />
October 31 from 4-7pm.<br />
– Nigel Wall<br />
News<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 15
Put yourself in the frame<br />
News<br />
DOUBLE TAKE: Francis Greenslade in front of his Archibald portrait.<br />
It’s not every day you get the<br />
chance to commission an<br />
Archibald Prize finalist to<br />
paint your portrait or other<br />
artwork, but that’s the business<br />
model local artist Phil Meatchem<br />
is rolling out as he looks to<br />
pursue his lifelong dream of<br />
painting fulltime.<br />
Meatchem, 59, admits he was<br />
gripped by fear when he quit<br />
his successful 40-year career in<br />
advertising last year.<br />
“Sheer terror and crazy excitement”<br />
are the mix of emotions<br />
the Avalon resident uses<br />
to describe his midlife detour.<br />
However, he’s feeling a whole<br />
lot more excited and less terrified<br />
now after his portrait of<br />
ubiquitous Australian television<br />
and theatre actor Francis<br />
Greenslade was selected as a<br />
finalist in the <strong>2017</strong> Archibald<br />
Prize – the first time Meatchem’s<br />
entered Australia’s bestknown<br />
art prize.<br />
“l had never had the confidence<br />
to enter the Archibald<br />
Prize before,” Meatchem says<br />
as he guides us to his opento-the-elements<br />
creative space<br />
underneath his house in the<br />
Avalon hinterland.<br />
Across a few square metres<br />
is crammed a jumble of turnedaround<br />
completed works,<br />
drained paint pots, strewn<br />
paintbrushes and a lone metal<br />
stool. It’s a storage space for<br />
surfboards and nostalgia too,<br />
including collector car hubcaps.<br />
(“This is it,” he says with a mixture<br />
of disbelief and pride.)<br />
“l’d go and visit (the Archibald)<br />
every year and always<br />
felt frustrated and would think<br />
to myself, ‘l can do that’,” he<br />
said. “lt was a dream to one<br />
day hang in the Art Gallery of<br />
NSW – l’m in my second year of<br />
following my dreams and this<br />
was the year l had that box to<br />
tick.<br />
“l had to at least have a go…<br />
even though I thought I was no<br />
hope in Hades of getting in.”<br />
Shocked but delighted,<br />
Meatchem says the acknowledgement<br />
has been a huge<br />
confidence boost.<br />
“It has given me the feeling<br />
that l actually rate,” he said.<br />
Meatchem (pictured right)<br />
has always loved art.<br />
“As a kid I was a comic book<br />
fanatic and was quite particular<br />
about the artists who<br />
created them,” he explained.<br />
“Neil Adams was my favourite<br />
‘Batman’ illustrator and l loved<br />
Will Eisner’s ‘Spirit’ comics… l<br />
used to spend hours copying<br />
their styles.”<br />
After leaving school he spent<br />
a year at the Julian Ashton art<br />
school, where he discovered<br />
painting and became passionate<br />
about animation.<br />
“This eventually led me into<br />
becoming an animator at a<br />
very young age, l think l was<br />
16 or 17,” he said. “The career<br />
blossomed and l transitioned<br />
into live action directing as<br />
well – l stuck at this for almost<br />
40 years... drawing and designing<br />
was a huge part of this.”<br />
Painting took a back seat –<br />
until he could no longer ignore<br />
“an incredible urge to slow<br />
down, simplify things and just<br />
paint”.<br />
“l liken it to becoming entranced<br />
and l basically gave in<br />
to the urge and walked away,”<br />
he said. “l’ve taken a risk to see<br />
if dreams do come true.”<br />
Meatchem says he is inspired<br />
by many artists, with the list<br />
changing often.<br />
“l love the old school guys<br />
like Rembrandt and Australian<br />
Ivor Hele,” he said. “Current<br />
artists that l idolise are Hollis<br />
Dunlap, Zin Lim and Sebastian<br />
Kruger – all these artists are<br />
real masters of their craft and<br />
l can see by their work they<br />
are confident and strong with<br />
every brushstroke, which is<br />
something l’m only learning.”<br />
He describes his style as<br />
“more or less traditional”.<br />
“l’m still developing and<br />
learning… my biggest challenge<br />
is not to overwork things<br />
and labour too long,” he said. “l<br />
work mainly with acrylic paint<br />
as l find it quicker to work<br />
with than oils. I’ve found l can<br />
achieve a rich, deep oil paint<br />
look with acrylic.”<br />
Portraits or the human figure<br />
are his favourite subjects,<br />
although he adds: “l do lots<br />
of dogs and animals and l<br />
enjoy that as well… l like to<br />
think l can paint pretty much<br />
anything.”<br />
He said the time it takes to<br />
create a portrait can vary.<br />
16 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
“l’ve found that smaller isn’t<br />
necessarily quicker,” he says. “l<br />
think a good timeframe would<br />
be two weeks.”<br />
He said his Archibald portrait<br />
of Francis Greenslade took<br />
around a week to paint.<br />
“He didn’t know me and l<br />
was very nervous about contacting<br />
him,” Meatchem said.<br />
“Through the fantastic support<br />
from my son Zac’s partner<br />
Lucy, we got an immediate<br />
response. Lucy had emailed the<br />
request to Francis and he was<br />
happy to be on board. l flew to<br />
Melbourne for an initial sitting<br />
with Francis – and things were<br />
in motion.”<br />
Meatchem already has his<br />
2018 work in the pipeline – and<br />
says he’s blown away by the<br />
subject whose identity he understandably<br />
declines to reveal.<br />
As for painting for locals,<br />
Meatchem says the process is<br />
optional.<br />
“l usually request a series of<br />
photos and l’ll select which one<br />
would be suitable,” he said.<br />
“l can also set up a sitting<br />
where l take some photos and<br />
work from there. Working<br />
from photos is convenient for<br />
clients,” he said.<br />
His preference is to work<br />
alone and undistracted in his<br />
space at home.<br />
“The only thing l worry<br />
about is have l made the right<br />
choice? I’m basically starting<br />
over and l’ve never done<br />
anything like this before. It’s<br />
part sheer terror and crazy<br />
excitement!”<br />
* Contact the artist at<br />
philmeatchem.com – Nigel Wall<br />
NB Veterans<br />
Day doing it<br />
for the kids<br />
All are welcome to the<br />
Inaugural Northern<br />
Beaches Veterans and<br />
Community Day on Sunday<br />
<strong>November</strong> 12 in Dunbar<br />
Park Avalon Beach from<br />
10am-4pm.<br />
Awareness of veteran’s<br />
issues is increasing within<br />
the community and the AN-<br />
ZAC Spirit is flourishing on<br />
the Northern Beaches; the<br />
aim of this special event is<br />
to provide an opportunity<br />
for younger generations to<br />
learn more about past and<br />
current conflicts and to<br />
meet veterans and serving<br />
members of the Australian<br />
Defence Force.<br />
This free, non-profit<br />
event will feature an array<br />
of stalls supporting wellness<br />
with local schools and<br />
community groups showcasing<br />
talents through<br />
music, drama and artwork.<br />
There will be a quilt<br />
show, ANZAC biscuit<br />
baking competition and<br />
many interactive displays<br />
and activities including an<br />
obstacle course.<br />
The day has evolved due<br />
to the success of the Avalon<br />
Military Tattoo over the<br />
past 10 years and to carry<br />
on the legacy of past Avalon<br />
RSL Sub Branch President,<br />
the late CDRE Graham<br />
Sloper AM RAN (Rtd).<br />
News<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 17
News<br />
Netballers court improvements<br />
Local netball clubs are one step<br />
closer to reaching their goal of<br />
securing additional training and<br />
playing facilities with the NSW<br />
government contributing $300,000<br />
towards the installation of permanent<br />
courts at Avalon Beach.<br />
It is anticipated the funding<br />
will be used by Northern Beaches<br />
Council to construct three new<br />
all-weather hard courts, with<br />
lighting next to the Avalon skate<br />
park, to cater for the increasingly<br />
popular sport.<br />
Netball is booming on the<br />
peninsular, with Newport Breakers<br />
and Peninsula netball clubs<br />
boasting more than 1000 registered<br />
players fielding more than<br />
60 junior and senior teams.<br />
Welcoming the financial boost,<br />
Simone Dickinson from <strong>Pittwater</strong><br />
Peninsula Netball and Cara Mc-<br />
Cauley from Newport Breakers Netball,<br />
said there was a dire need for more<br />
courts in the <strong>Pittwater</strong> area.<br />
“We approached <strong>Pittwater</strong> Council<br />
in June about the lack of facilities for<br />
netball players in our area and submitted<br />
a request for more hard courts,” Simone<br />
told <strong>Pittwater</strong> <strong>Life</strong>.<br />
HOLDING COURT: Caitlin Dickinson, Michaela Dickinson, Simone<br />
Dickinson, Cara McCauley, Zara McCauley and Astrid Osborn hope<br />
the new netball courts will be built adjacent to the Avalon Skate Park.<br />
“Although they seemed sympathetic,<br />
it was placed into the 15-year plan… unfortunately,<br />
we are in need of the courts<br />
now and have been for some time.”<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong> Peninsula Netball Club had<br />
46 teams and Newport Breakers Netball<br />
Club had 15 teams entered in the <strong>2017</strong><br />
Manly Warringah competition.<br />
“The majority of our teams are junior<br />
teams, Under-8s to Under-17s,<br />
most requiring a court to train<br />
during the week,” Simone said.<br />
Currently there is only one,<br />
free-to-use hard court available in<br />
the <strong>Pittwater</strong> area for training.<br />
“This court is at Newport Beach<br />
and is limited to about an hour of<br />
training due to the lack of lighting<br />
– and it may be sacrificed for<br />
the B-Line,” Simone said.<br />
As a result, both clubs pay for<br />
the hire of Avalon Recreation<br />
Centre and while acknowledging<br />
this was a fabulous facility, they<br />
said not every team was afforded<br />
training time because of demand.<br />
“Some teams have to train on<br />
grass courts that can be poorly<br />
marked and restricted by weather<br />
conditions,” said Simone.<br />
“Our clubs would love to see<br />
the money spent on constructing<br />
three all- weather hard courts with lighting,<br />
to help with the demand for training<br />
facilities.<br />
“Many players will benefit from these<br />
courts and it will continue to encourage<br />
our young people to stay active in a team<br />
sport,” Simone said.<br />
– Lisa Offord<br />
18 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
Sorting out plastics problem<br />
Citizen science is at the heart of a pilot project aimed at monitoring<br />
micro plastic levels in Narrabeen Lagoon.<br />
Micro plastics are tiny pieces of plastic, less than 5mm, which<br />
can end up in our waterways from the breakdown of various plastic<br />
items, including plastic fibres shed from clothing.<br />
Mackellar MP Jason Falinski launched the $30,000 ‘What’s in<br />
our Lagoons?’ program – funded by Greater Sydney Local Land<br />
Services through the National Landcare Program – at Narrabeen<br />
Lagoon last month.<br />
Local Northern Beaches volunteers and school kids will be<br />
trained in the collection of micro-plastics using steel sieves, as<br />
well as how to identify findings through microscopes.<br />
They will then be taught how to record the data using a special<br />
program known as the Australian Marine Debris Database.<br />
The project will help scientists better understand the role of micro<br />
plastics in local waterways and their impact on local wildlife.<br />
Mr Falinski said survey kits would be developed to sample and<br />
analyse surface sediments for micro plastics, in partnership with<br />
local high schools and the Department of Education and Communities<br />
Environmental Education Centre.<br />
“I am very happy to say the Federal Government has extended<br />
the National Landcare Program over the next five years with a<br />
further $1 billion commitment.”<br />
News<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 19
News<br />
Keeping up with Kardash<br />
The world of travel may<br />
have changed a lot in<br />
the 30 years specialist<br />
Gail Kardash has run Travel<br />
View in Avalon Beach but the<br />
excitement factor of working<br />
in the industry remains at an<br />
all-time high.<br />
Formerly Barrenjoey Travel,<br />
the agency (now called Travel<br />
View Cruise View) opened its<br />
doors in October 1987 with<br />
Gail heading up the operation<br />
as Managing Director for<br />
owners the Lerpiniere family.<br />
It was a time when air<br />
travel was still a comparative<br />
luxury, two airlines – TAA<br />
and Ansett – dominated the<br />
domestic scene, and the only<br />
cruise line in and out of Sydney<br />
was P&O.<br />
“Air travel was booming<br />
with the introduction of the<br />
Jumbos and with Qantas<br />
boasting a full fleet of 747s<br />
and the introduction of Business<br />
Class,” Gail said.<br />
“Interestingly the average<br />
economy return airfare to<br />
London was $2300 – quite<br />
expensive when<br />
comparing the average<br />
salary today.”<br />
She said the ’80s<br />
also saw a growth in<br />
air and hotel packages,<br />
with more of us holidaying<br />
in Asia, Bali, the USA and<br />
the South Pacific, while the<br />
best way to see Europe was on<br />
coach tours.<br />
“Australians didn’t need a<br />
passport for New Zealand –<br />
and mothers travelling with<br />
their children were required<br />
to carry a permission letter<br />
from their husbands,” Gail<br />
said.<br />
The deregulation of domestic<br />
aviation in 1990 saw a big<br />
shift in the industry.<br />
“Benefits intended were low<br />
average airfares, more people<br />
travelling by air, increased<br />
competition, more efficient<br />
carriers and to improve quality<br />
of service,” Gail said.<br />
“This saw the introduction<br />
of our first low-cost carrier<br />
Compass, who had two failed<br />
attempts at the market… the<br />
next 10 years saw other lowcost<br />
carriers having their turn<br />
but not succeeding and 1993<br />
saw Ansett buying East West<br />
airlines.<br />
“The year 2000<br />
brought the introduction<br />
of Virgin<br />
Blue to our fine<br />
shores and their<br />
success speaks for<br />
itself.”<br />
Gail said the<br />
September 11, 2001<br />
terrorist attacks<br />
changed the way we<br />
travel forever.<br />
“2011 was significant<br />
in the way not only Australia<br />
but the way the world<br />
viewed travelling,” Gail said.<br />
“Obviously security has<br />
been the highest of priorities<br />
everywhere – scanning of<br />
bags, bodies and waiting in<br />
lines at airports and shipping<br />
terminals is a new part of our<br />
travelling days and one that I<br />
don’t foresee the end of.<br />
“But we are still here and<br />
still as excited as ever –<br />
our industry is now being<br />
saturated with exciting new<br />
destinations, and we are now<br />
leading the way with Expedition<br />
cruising,” Gail said. – NW<br />
20 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
Book Reviews<br />
The Extremely<br />
Inconvenient<br />
Adventures<br />
of Bronte<br />
Mettlesome<br />
Jaclyn Moriarty<br />
Allen & Unwin $22.99<br />
Sometimes books<br />
come along that are so<br />
special, you don’t want<br />
to finish them. Always<br />
a household of fans of<br />
Sydney author Jacyln<br />
Moriarty’s awardwinning<br />
teen novels,<br />
getting our hands on her<br />
first middle fiction title<br />
was like being handed our<br />
own packet of never-ending<br />
Tim Tams.<br />
Ten-year-old Bronte’s<br />
parents are killed by pirates,<br />
and their will stipulates<br />
she must visit all her aunts<br />
throughout the Kingdoms<br />
and Empire to deliver their<br />
meaningful gifts. And so<br />
the extremely inconvenient<br />
adventures begin.<br />
Written with Moriarty’s<br />
signature wit and storyteller’s<br />
gift, this enchanting and<br />
sometimes poignant tale<br />
will be a favourite re-read<br />
by younger readers, and a<br />
beautiful book to read aloud<br />
to any age. Well done to her<br />
publishing team at Allen &<br />
Unwin for creating such a<br />
beautiful edition – a sparkly<br />
addition to your Australian<br />
classics collection.<br />
– Libby Armstrong<br />
News<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 21
News<br />
‘Cut’ price offer for<br />
film festival entry<br />
Reinvigorated after a<br />
12-month hiatus, the<br />
fifth Northern Beaches<br />
Creative Creatures Film<br />
Festival will run at the<br />
Avalon Beach Bowling<br />
Club on Sunday April<br />
8th 2018.<br />
Most recently renowned<br />
around town as<br />
the launching pad for<br />
Avalon Now, filmmakers<br />
young and old are being<br />
encouraged to register<br />
at Avalon Market Day on<br />
Sunday <strong>November</strong> 19 –<br />
for a 50% discount on<br />
the registration fee.<br />
Festival Director Katy Young said you won’t be able to miss<br />
their Market Day stall in Dunbar Park, with its huge, glitterspangled<br />
red shoe – the signature item to be included or referenced<br />
in all film entries for 2018.<br />
“This local film festival is all about showcasing the many<br />
creative creatures in the area.” Katy said.<br />
“So if you or anyone you know is interested in making a film<br />
for the festival, come and see me on Market Day in Dunbar<br />
Park by the big red shoe, register for half price and be in the<br />
running to win part of the $4,000 prize pool and the coveted<br />
‘Willbe’ trophy for under- and over-16-year age categories.”<br />
Also available at the Market Day stall will be the limited<br />
edition 2018 calendar showcasing our beautiful beaches as<br />
painted by local artist Julie Nicholson.<br />
Festival goers on April 8 will be treated to not only an array<br />
of short films by both talented local and out-of-area filmmakers<br />
but also fabulous food vendors and local music on the<br />
Bowling Club green.<br />
Over the years one of the festival’s key features have been<br />
the opening titles, which in 2018 will be designed by The<br />
Kingdom of Ludd set to the tune ‘Yellow Brick Road’ by local<br />
dynamic music duo Angus and Julia Stone.<br />
For registrations after Market Day go to creativecreaturesfilmfestival.com.au<br />
or call Katy on 0409 285 169.<br />
– Lisa Offord<br />
Grab market value in Mona Vale<br />
Get along to Village Park<br />
on Sunday <strong>November</strong> 5<br />
for Mona Vale Market Day.<br />
Billed as the event’s<br />
biggest yet, more than 120<br />
stalls have been booked<br />
for this year’s celebration<br />
organised by the Mona Vale<br />
Chamber of Commerce.<br />
Certain to draw a crowd<br />
this year will be a shiny new<br />
double decker bus and a B-<br />
Line stall manned by those<br />
in the know prepped to<br />
answer all your questions.<br />
Another new crowd pleaser<br />
will be the 9D cinema –<br />
billed as an Ultimate Virtual<br />
Reality Experience – set up<br />
between the Memorial Hall<br />
and Café Racer.<br />
There will be scores of<br />
other amusements and interactive<br />
stalls, with child-centered<br />
activities and plenty<br />
to keep the adults happy too<br />
with great food, live music<br />
plus stalls selling jewellery,<br />
clothing, homewares, crafts<br />
and collectors items.<br />
Local businesses will have<br />
their doors open too, with<br />
some great pre-Christmas<br />
bargains. More info under<br />
the Market Day tab at monavalechamber.org<br />
22 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
<strong>Pittwater</strong> News<br />
Spotlight lagoon walk<br />
Friends of Narrabeen Lagoon<br />
catchment will be holding<br />
their last Forum for <strong>2017</strong><br />
on <strong>November</strong> 27. Wildlife<br />
expert Jayden Walsh will<br />
give a presentation featuring<br />
original photographs,<br />
depicting a hidden world<br />
of the Herpetofauna<br />
– Amphibians and Reptiles<br />
– of the catchment. This<br />
presentation will be followed<br />
by a guided Spotlighting<br />
walk led by Jayden to see<br />
some of these incredible<br />
creatures and their habitats.<br />
Join them for a night not<br />
to be missed. More info<br />
and bookings email @<br />
narrabeenlagoon.org.au.<br />
Heritage Grant<br />
For Church Point<br />
Cemetery<br />
Historic Church Point<br />
Cemetery has been allocated<br />
a $100,000 grant for heritage<br />
improvements. The funding<br />
will be provided to Northern<br />
Beaches Council as part<br />
of the NSW Government’s<br />
Heritage ‘Near Me’ grant<br />
program. Improvements<br />
will include an upgrade<br />
to the street access and<br />
pathway, landscaping,<br />
and the installation of a<br />
viewing platform, seating<br />
and heritage information<br />
signage to improve amenity<br />
and increase visitation.<br />
“This historic cemetery is<br />
a peaceful site in which<br />
visitors can explore and<br />
reflect,” local MP Rob<br />
Stokes said. “It’s a reminder<br />
of the pioneering days<br />
of our community and<br />
I’m delighted the NSW<br />
Government can assist<br />
in preserving our local<br />
heritage.” The cemetery<br />
was adjacent to the small<br />
Methodist church that stood<br />
on the site between 1872<br />
and 1932 and from which<br />
Church Point derives its<br />
name.<br />
News<br />
Ritzy ‘Rocks’ Christmas<br />
Christmas is fast<br />
approaching – and Renata<br />
from RITZYROCKS<br />
has returned from a<br />
wonderful trip to Venice<br />
and Murano sourcing<br />
new products. Renata has<br />
added beautiful millefiori<br />
watches to her range;<br />
these watches come in<br />
a variety of coloured<br />
leather bands and feature<br />
a quartz movement.<br />
Renata also added to<br />
her range of Millefiore<br />
pendants, which are<br />
produced by the Murrine<br />
technique that involves<br />
the layering of coloured<br />
liquid glass, stretched<br />
into long rods called<br />
canes which are then<br />
sliced in cross-section<br />
revealing the layered<br />
pattern. As a Christmas<br />
bonus for <strong>Pittwater</strong> <strong>Life</strong><br />
readers, RITZYROCKS<br />
is offering free postage<br />
on all orders placed<br />
from <strong>November</strong> 1 up<br />
until Christmas. (Simply<br />
include the code RRXS17<br />
when completing your<br />
order.) RITZYROCKS<br />
will be at Mona Vale<br />
Market Day (Village Park)<br />
on <strong>November</strong> 5 from<br />
10am. More info www.<br />
ritzyrocks.com.au<br />
24 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
History gets a repeat<br />
at Mona Vale Probus<br />
‘The truth about history’ will<br />
be the topic of an enthralling<br />
and entertaining talk at the<br />
next meeting of the <strong>Pittwater</strong><br />
Probus Club on Tuesday<br />
<strong>November</strong> 14th. Speaker Phil<br />
Pryor, a regular speaker on<br />
history for Sydney U3A adult<br />
education school, says he<br />
can always find new ways of<br />
approaching his subject with<br />
any audience. Bring along<br />
your pre-conceived notions<br />
on any historical topic and<br />
Phil will talk about them.<br />
Also, John Harston will<br />
give a short talk on electric<br />
cars. The meeting starts at<br />
10.30am at Mona Vale Golf<br />
Club; all welcome. More info<br />
Michael Mannington 9973<br />
1624.<br />
Performance fund<br />
top-up to $1 million<br />
Member for <strong>Pittwater</strong> Rob<br />
Stokes has announced a<br />
further $500,000 will be<br />
provided to Northern Beaches<br />
Council for the construction<br />
of a Community<br />
Performance Space at<br />
Barrenjoey High School. The<br />
NSW Government funding<br />
follows an earlier $500,000<br />
announced last month to<br />
complete planning and<br />
initiate construction of Stage<br />
One of the project. The total<br />
of $1 million will now enable<br />
the construction of the full<br />
project in cooperation with<br />
funding already raised<br />
by the Barrenjoey High<br />
School P&C Association.<br />
Mr Stokes said the project<br />
would now be fast-tracked.<br />
“The Barrenjoey P&C have<br />
worked incredibly hard to<br />
deliver the vision for this<br />
dedicated performance<br />
space and along with the<br />
Avalon Beach community<br />
they’ve done a fantastic job<br />
fundraising.” Renowned<br />
local architect Richard Cole<br />
has generously donated<br />
his services towards this<br />
project which will deliver<br />
a high-quality enclosed<br />
Continued on page 26<br />
News<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 25
<strong>Pittwater</strong> News<br />
News<br />
Continued from page 25<br />
amphitheatre designed to<br />
facilitate performances of<br />
ensembles, choirs, dance and<br />
drama. Other local school<br />
and community groups such<br />
as Scouts, surf clubs and<br />
garage bands will also be<br />
able to benefit from the new<br />
creative space.<br />
Help Council make<br />
a special delivery<br />
Northern Beaches Council<br />
wants the <strong>Pittwater</strong><br />
community to help set<br />
priorities for the next<br />
three years to make the<br />
new Council even better.<br />
So far, more than 2,000<br />
beaches residents have<br />
provided input to the draft<br />
More accolades<br />
for our Romilly<br />
Green Building Council of<br />
Australia Chief Executive<br />
Officer and proud local<br />
Romilly Madew has been<br />
awarded the prestigious<br />
World Green Building Council<br />
(WorldGBC) Chairman’s<br />
Award for her work to<br />
advance sustainable building<br />
globally. The Award honours<br />
people who have contributed<br />
to the transformation of<br />
the global property and<br />
construction industry;<br />
Romilly was chosen as this<br />
year’s winner for her tireless<br />
commitment to sustainability, and her inspirational<br />
leadership. At the helm of the GBCA for more than<br />
a decade, Romilly represents 650-plus individual<br />
companies with a collective annual turnover of more<br />
than $40 billion. Under her watch the GBCA has certified<br />
more than 1,715 sustainable buildings, communities and<br />
fit-outs under the Green Star rating system. Importantly,<br />
these buildings consume 62 per cent less energy than<br />
non-Green Star buildings, emit 66 per cent fewer<br />
greenhouse gases and use 51 per cent less water. Today,<br />
37 per cent of Australia’s office space has Green Star<br />
certification.<br />
vision and 10-year draft<br />
Community Strategic Plan;<br />
the next step is to identify<br />
priorities for the Delivery<br />
Program which will be<br />
rolled out over the next<br />
three years. To help build<br />
this plan, Council wants<br />
to identify community’s<br />
priorities in service delivery.<br />
Mayor Michael Regan said<br />
some of the challenges<br />
are complex. “<strong>Issue</strong>s like<br />
housing and transport<br />
are regularly identified as<br />
among the most pressing<br />
on the Northern Beaches as<br />
housing costs and traffic<br />
congestion increase… This<br />
is a great opportunity for<br />
the community to join the<br />
conversation to help Council<br />
deal with some of the major<br />
issues we face. So please<br />
do tell us what projects<br />
and services you want us<br />
to prioritise. Council will<br />
be listening to what is<br />
important to you. Your input<br />
will shape our roadmap<br />
for the future.” Workshops<br />
in <strong>November</strong> will be held<br />
at Mona Vale (Wednesday<br />
1 <strong>November</strong>, 6-8:30pm);<br />
Long Reef (Monday 6<br />
<strong>November</strong>, 6-8:30pm); and<br />
Frenchs Forest (Wednesday<br />
8 <strong>November</strong>, 6-8:30pm).<br />
Register to attend, complete<br />
the online survey or make<br />
a submission on the draft<br />
Community Strategic Plan<br />
at yoursay.northernbeaches.<br />
nsw.gov.au.<br />
Your chance to be<br />
a lighthouse guide<br />
Discovery Chase Alive Volunteers<br />
of NSW National Parks<br />
and Wildlife Service have<br />
continued to play an integral<br />
role at Kalkari Discovery<br />
Centre, Ku-ring-gai Chase<br />
National Park and surrounding<br />
reserves. Guiding walks<br />
and leading tours at Barrenjoey<br />
Lighthouse, Muogamarra<br />
Nature Reserve and areas of<br />
the Great North Walk, delivering<br />
children’s programs and<br />
of course welcoming visitors<br />
to the various reserves is only<br />
some of the duties. If you can<br />
spare a minimum of eight<br />
hours per month as a volunteer,<br />
they would love to hear<br />
from you. Contact Kalkari on<br />
02 9472 9300 or email snr.<br />
discovery@environment.nsw.<br />
gov.au for a volunteer pack.<br />
26 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
Get crafty: 60,000<br />
poppies needed<br />
Be part of something remarkable and<br />
create a knitted or crocheted poppy<br />
to contribute to special installation<br />
of 60,000 handmade poppies at the<br />
Australian War Memorial in Canberra<br />
in <strong>November</strong> next year. Part of the<br />
commemoration of the end of World<br />
War I, each poppy made will represent<br />
one Australian life lost in the Great War.<br />
In a call to arms Community Connect<br />
Northern Beaches will be hosting a ‘Knit-<br />
In’ and morning tea on <strong>November</strong> 8 from<br />
10am-12.30pm at 28 Fisher Rd Dee Why.<br />
Everyone is welcome. Patterns and some<br />
knitting supplies will be provided on the<br />
day but bring whatever you can, including<br />
needles (3.75mm knitting needles or<br />
350mm crochet hook), red wool, black<br />
Bird’s eye view of<br />
‘connecting’ projects<br />
Want a bird’s eye view of<br />
the works being delivered<br />
to connect the Northern<br />
Beaches, including 36km<br />
of coastal walkways and<br />
cycleways stretching from<br />
Manly to Palm Beach?<br />
Head to Council’s website<br />
and its new interactive map.<br />
The Social PinPoint map<br />
provides an opportunity to<br />
view the overall program<br />
in one location and can<br />
be zoomed in to identify<br />
individual projects. Clicking<br />
on map pinpoints brings up<br />
details about that project<br />
and shows whether work<br />
is current or proposed.<br />
It also gives users the<br />
opportunity to learn more<br />
or have their say. The map<br />
will be regularly updated<br />
as works progress on the<br />
program, which forms part<br />
of Council’s $32.6 million<br />
Connecting Northern Beaches<br />
infrastructure investment<br />
partnership with the NSW<br />
Government. To find the<br />
map, visit northernbeaches.<br />
nsw.gov.au and search<br />
‘connecting northern<br />
beaches’.<br />
Remembering<br />
the fallen<br />
Remembrance Day<br />
Memorial Services will be<br />
held across the Northern<br />
Beaches this month, with<br />
the public invited to<br />
attend. Remembrance Day<br />
commemorates the armistice<br />
at the eleventh hour of the<br />
eleventh day of the eleventh<br />
wool, wool needle for sewing up, and<br />
decorative threads and buttons. For more<br />
info and to RSVP contact Vesna on 9931<br />
7777 ASAP.<br />
month, marking the end<br />
of World War I (1914-18) 99<br />
years ago and remembers<br />
all those who have suffered<br />
or died in wars and armed<br />
conflicts. Services include:<br />
Friday 10 <strong>November</strong> at<br />
10.45am – Manly Dam War<br />
Memorial Park, King Street,<br />
Manly Vale (presented<br />
by Northern Beaches<br />
Council and the Manly<br />
Warringah War Memorial<br />
Park Remembrance Trust;<br />
Saturday 11 <strong>November</strong> at<br />
10.45am – The Manly War<br />
Memorial, corner of The<br />
Corso and Belgrave Street<br />
(presented by Northern<br />
Beaches Council); Avalon<br />
RSL Sub Branch, Palm Beach<br />
RSL, <strong>Pittwater</strong> RSL, Dee Why<br />
RSL and the War Veterans,<br />
Collaroy Plateau will also<br />
hold services.<br />
Vet<br />
on<br />
call<br />
with<br />
Dr Ben Brown<br />
Unfortunately tick season<br />
is well and truly upon us<br />
again and we are treating<br />
many cases of tick paralysis<br />
in dogs and cats.<br />
Ixodes holocyclus is the<br />
official name of the paralysis<br />
tick which inhabits coastal<br />
bushland areas. This species<br />
of tick is only a problem in<br />
Australia! These ticks are<br />
most active in the warmer<br />
months especially after<br />
wet weather which initiates<br />
hatching of eggs and activity<br />
of the larval stages which<br />
feed on mammals.<br />
After attaching to a host<br />
these ticks inject a neurotoxin<br />
(or nerve toxin) as part of<br />
their feeding process. After<br />
the tick has been attached<br />
for a day or two enough<br />
poison will have been<br />
injected to cause significant<br />
neurological disease in pets<br />
due to blocking of nerve<br />
receptors at the nerve-muscle<br />
interface. The most common<br />
symptom is a weak or flaccid<br />
paralysis starting in the hind<br />
limbs due to nerve signals<br />
being blocked from accessing<br />
the muscles of movement.<br />
As time progresses the<br />
paralysis ascends up the<br />
body to eventually affect the<br />
muscles of breathing and<br />
swallowing. This process<br />
causes significant illness and<br />
death unless an antiserum<br />
is administered. Other<br />
symptoms of tick paralysis<br />
include vomiting, coughing,<br />
excessive panting and<br />
grunting, an altered bark or<br />
meow or limping if the tick is<br />
lodged in a foot or leg.<br />
Tick poisoning is<br />
common, severe and very<br />
preventable. Our top tips for<br />
prevention are:<br />
■ Tick clipping by an<br />
experienced groomer and<br />
daily tick searching.<br />
■ Administration of highly<br />
effective and safe tick<br />
preventatives such as<br />
Bravecto, Nexgard (dogs<br />
only) or Seresto collars<br />
(dogs and cats).<br />
News<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 27
One<br />
for all<br />
<strong>Life</strong> Stories<br />
Newport’s Sandy Menzies has been a<br />
leading voice in the successful adoption<br />
of inclusiveness in surf lifesaving.<br />
is a day I just want to be<br />
over,” says blonde 54-year-old<br />
“This<br />
Sandy Menzies standing on<br />
the terrace of Newport Surf <strong>Life</strong> Saving<br />
Club. Sandy is a clinical nurse specialist<br />
for the Cerebral Palsy Alliance, and she<br />
is close to tears as she explains that two<br />
of her patients have died within hours<br />
of one another.<br />
“You get close to them,” she murmurs.<br />
We go into the bar area to talk, and<br />
I tentatively suggest that maybe she<br />
should have a drink.<br />
“It’s all locked up,” she replies.<br />
“Would Rescue Remedy help?” I ask,<br />
producing a bottle of the herbal stress<br />
reliever from my bag.<br />
“I’ve already taken a gutful,” she<br />
responds.<br />
From 2014 to 2016 Sandy Menzies was<br />
the first ever female president of the<br />
Newport SLSC. I had visions of meeting<br />
some Amazon woman who, whatever<br />
the weather, runs down to the beach at<br />
dawn and plunges into the surf, while<br />
urging a bevy of men to follow suit. But,<br />
Sandy confesses that she doesn’t like<br />
cold water, and only got back into the<br />
water for the first time this season with<br />
the start of Nippers last month.<br />
She spent much of her life inland,<br />
as having done her nursing training at<br />
Hornsby Hospital, aged 21 she married<br />
Doug Menzies, and they moved for his<br />
work – he was a hospital administrator<br />
– to Armidale. During their eight years<br />
there they had their first two children,<br />
Jess and Kieran, before moving to Cowra<br />
for two years where their third child,<br />
Brendan, was born.<br />
The Menzies clan came back to Sydney<br />
in 1993, and moved into the house<br />
they had bought a few years earlier<br />
in Newport’s Wallumatta Road. Two<br />
years later Jess started Nippers, and<br />
the family involved with the surf club<br />
began. Doug did his bronze medallion<br />
in 1998 and Sandy in 2000.<br />
“I had swum a lot at school, and used<br />
to come to the beach growing up, but<br />
training for it was scary,” Sandy admits.<br />
“Back then you were just given a board<br />
and told, ‘Off you go,’ and I’d never been<br />
on a board. I was covered in bruises<br />
for weeks, and at times the challenge<br />
seemed impossible, but I’m fairly<br />
Story by Rosamund Burton<br />
stubborn,” she says with a smile.<br />
Sandy is one very determined lady<br />
with the firm belief that she can do<br />
anything if she wants to. ‘Unstoppable’<br />
is probably the best way to describe<br />
her. With her bronze medallion under<br />
her belt she rowed surfboats, until<br />
she had to stop due to a shoulder<br />
reconstruction. She was First Aid Officer<br />
at the club for 12 years, only giving that<br />
up when she took on the position of<br />
President. Her other roles have included<br />
Chief Instructor, Secretary and two<br />
stints as Vice President.<br />
All the Menzies family are active surf<br />
club members. Currently Sandy does<br />
patrol as well as assessing and training<br />
for CPR and spinal management, and<br />
Nippers training. Doug is Branch<br />
President. Jess is Newport’s Club<br />
Captain, so in charge of organising<br />
all the patrols. As we’re talking she<br />
appears, looking for some keys. She and<br />
Lauren Budd were recently sponsored by<br />
the surf club to travel to Timor with the<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong> Friends of Soibada to do CPR<br />
training at the hospital and schools over<br />
there. Jess’s brother, Kieran is one of<br />
28 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
the Vice Captains as well as a radio and<br />
jet ski operator for the branch. They all<br />
train and assess, including the youngest<br />
family member, Brendan.<br />
“If there’s an assessment there’s<br />
a pretty good chance that you’ll get<br />
somewhere between two and five of us,”<br />
says Sandy.<br />
Despite having been the first woman<br />
president in the club’s history, and at<br />
the AGM in July this year being made<br />
the club’s second female <strong>Life</strong> Member,<br />
Sandy is quick to say she isn’t a<br />
feminist.<br />
“I just think people should do what<br />
their comfortable with, and if we can<br />
keep up with the men, then fantastic.”<br />
The presidency was a role which took up<br />
a lot of time, and involved a fair amount<br />
of negotiation and conflict resolution,<br />
she admits. This was particularly<br />
demanding with her job, as there would<br />
be phone calls regarding the club most<br />
days, and she wasn’t always contactable<br />
during work hours. When asked if she<br />
would take on the position again, she<br />
gazes through the window at a surfer<br />
paddling out beyond the break, before<br />
CLOCKWISE FROM OPPOSITE: Sandy<br />
Menzies on the balcony of her beloved<br />
Newport Beach Surf <strong>Life</strong> Saving Club;<br />
heading to her high school formal with<br />
now-husband Doug who she married<br />
at 21; receiving her <strong>Life</strong> Member cap –<br />
only the second awarded to a female at<br />
Newport; with her friend Leanne Budd<br />
– Sandy‘s daughter Jess and Leanne’s<br />
daughter Lauren recently travelled to<br />
Soibada to teach CPR training at its<br />
schools and hospitals.<br />
replying, “Not while I’m working fulltime,<br />
but maybe one day.”<br />
A project that Sandy has held close to<br />
her heart since Doug and she initiated<br />
it at the Newport SLSC in 2002 is an<br />
inclusion and access program called<br />
Marlins and Dolphins. They had a friend<br />
whose child had a disability, so initially<br />
they organised a program for six weeks,<br />
twice a year, for him and several other<br />
participants.<br />
After a few years they decided to run<br />
the program on Sunday mornings, the<br />
same time as the other Nipper groups.<br />
The integration of these children with<br />
disabilities has not only made them<br />
feel more included, but also raised<br />
awareness in the other children at<br />
Nippers.<br />
“I think it’s shown them there’s<br />
another side, and I would hope when<br />
they see these guys on the street they<br />
would say, ‘hello’.”<br />
There are usually between 15 and 20<br />
participants in Marlins and Dolphins,<br />
ranging in age from 6 to their late 20s.<br />
‘They enjoy it so much they keep<br />
coming back year after year. A couple of<br />
the fellows in the program who are both<br />
in their mid-20s also do patrol support.<br />
They wear a white shirt with Patrol<br />
Support on it, and help the patrol set<br />
up and pack up, and move the flags<br />
around.”<br />
Sandy tells me that they thought<br />
Newport was the first club to establish<br />
this inclusion and access program, but<br />
later found out that Pambula SLSC had<br />
set up something similar at the same<br />
time. Currently, four of the Northern<br />
Beaches’ 21 clubs operate this program,<br />
the other three clubs being Mona Vale,<br />
South Curl Curl and North Steyne.<br />
Sandy is on the Surf <strong>Life</strong> Saving<br />
Australia Learning and Development<br />
Advisory Council, and is eager to convey<br />
to many more clubs that this program<br />
doesn’t require a lot of funding, special<br />
equipment or people with particular<br />
qualifications.<br />
“You just need a bit of patience.”<br />
With Sandy Menzies’ quiet, caring<br />
pragmatism and determination, not to<br />
mention patience, there is no doubt that<br />
we’re going to see a few more Marlins<br />
and Dolphins at our local surf clubs.<br />
<strong>Life</strong> Stories<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 29
Art <strong>Life</strong><br />
Art <strong>Life</strong><br />
Seeing Saltwater<br />
Country connects<br />
‘S<br />
altwater Country’ began in 2009 when<br />
artists Sally Mayman and Dale Kentwell<br />
collaborated with the local indigenous peoples<br />
of the Dampier Peninsula in WA. The resultant<br />
exhibition of both photographs and painting<br />
explores connection to country, highlighting a<br />
unique saltwater lifestyle.<br />
Recently acquired by the State Library of WA for<br />
their permanent collection, this beautiful, thoughtprovoking<br />
body of work explores through stories,<br />
language, portraits and landscape, the strength<br />
and humanity within the remote communities.<br />
Observes local Dr Jeff McMullen: “Sally<br />
Mayman and Dale Kentwell, with the camera and<br />
canvas, have beautifully conveyed in an honest<br />
and warm-hearted way what country means<br />
to the Aboriginal peoples living on Saltwater<br />
Country in the Dampier Peninsula. Listen to their<br />
stories. Listen to the country sing to us all.”<br />
Fremantle Press has produced a beautiful book<br />
and the artists have now printed a high-quality<br />
archival box set of the works, hoping to increase<br />
understanding, awareness and reconciliation.<br />
Their exhibition at Avalon Art Gallery opens<br />
Friday 17th <strong>November</strong> from 6-8pm for drinks<br />
with the artists, showing until Saturday 2nd<br />
December.<br />
Design<br />
School<br />
Open Day<br />
Looking to make a career change<br />
in 2018? Have you always loved the<br />
idea of being an Interior Decorator<br />
Designer and creating spaces that<br />
people love?<br />
Sydney Design School is offering<br />
career courses in interior decoration<br />
and design, as well as ‘short tasters’<br />
as part of their summer school in<br />
January.<br />
Director Amanda Grace says you<br />
can pave your own career path with<br />
loads of options and work opportunities.<br />
“Choose from a career working<br />
with architectural and interior design<br />
firms, furniture/furnishings and lighting<br />
suppliers or become a stylist for<br />
an online retailer, magazine or real<br />
estate styling company,” she said.<br />
“Or if you’d prefer to go it alone,<br />
work for yourself in your own interiors<br />
business – this is a great way to combine<br />
the demands of work and family<br />
while achieving a work life balance.”<br />
As an interior designer, Amanda<br />
said you will be involved in myriad<br />
aspects of the job, from dealing<br />
with clients and developing design<br />
concepts, to planning spaces, working<br />
with buildings and developing colour<br />
and furnishing schemes.<br />
“Best of all you’ll see your ideas<br />
come to life!” she said.<br />
“If you want to see what’s on offer<br />
bring your family and friends along to<br />
our Open Day on Saturday <strong>November</strong><br />
4 from 10am -12pm where you’ll<br />
get hands-on experience creating<br />
your own mood board and be in the<br />
running to win an Interior Design<br />
Masterclass.”<br />
More info and registrations sydneydesignschool.com.au<br />
30 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
Sight for Soar eyes<br />
Photographer Sophie Howarth<br />
says she became fascinated<br />
with capturing the ‘festival<br />
experience’ – the gaze and energy<br />
of an audience – through<br />
her role as official photographer<br />
for leading rock music<br />
festival, Big Day Out.<br />
This fascination, coupled<br />
with her passion for photography,<br />
took her to Mongolia,<br />
where she captured incredible<br />
images of the local traditional<br />
Golden Eagle Festival, involving<br />
participants who train eagles<br />
to hunt for them.<br />
Her extraordinary images<br />
will be showcased at her exhibition,<br />
Soaring – the Eagle<br />
Hunters Of Mongolia, Land Of<br />
The Eternal Blue Sky, at the<br />
Chatswood Concourse from<br />
<strong>November</strong> 1-19.<br />
“The Golden Eagle Hunters<br />
have captured my heart<br />
and each visit to Mongolia<br />
has taken me deeper into the<br />
enduring tradition of eagle<br />
falconry,” said Sophie.<br />
“The Golden Eagle Festival<br />
was the first experience I had<br />
of being swept away – visually<br />
and emotionally.<br />
“My work is a study of reverie,<br />
a powerful alchemy that<br />
the performer and audience inspire,<br />
exist in, and respond to<br />
during the cycle of a festival…<br />
a presence that everyone has a<br />
part in, that brings an otherworldliness<br />
to the occasion;<br />
an atmosphere of something<br />
greater than ourselves.”<br />
Sophie explained the old<br />
Kazakh tradition of horseback<br />
eagle falconry was celebrated<br />
each October in the Bayan-<br />
Olgii Province in far western<br />
Mongolia.<br />
“Participants train an eagle<br />
to hunt and at the festival they<br />
have an opportunity to show<br />
their skill as a hunter,” she said.<br />
Sophie’s images will also be<br />
released in a book.<br />
The exhibition runs at Art<br />
Space on the Concourse, 409<br />
Victoria Ave, Chatswood,<br />
from 11am-5pm Wednesdays<br />
through Sundays. Art After<br />
Hours on <strong>November</strong> 3-4 until<br />
10pm.<br />
– Nigel Wall<br />
Art <strong>Life</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 31
Art <strong>Life</strong><br />
Art <strong>Life</strong><br />
Market exhibitions<br />
offer interesting Mix<br />
It’s a busy month for the Mixed Palette Art<br />
School which will be running two professional<br />
art exhibitions in <strong>November</strong> – providing art<br />
lovers with a great opportunity to grab some<br />
bargains and Christmas presents.<br />
First up is the exhibition on Sunday 5th at<br />
Mona Vale Memorial Hall in conjunction with<br />
the Chamber of Commerce annual market day.<br />
The exhibition will feature a diverse range<br />
of works by local artists Jan Cristaudo,<br />
Debby Waters, Ellie Waters, Lorrie Morgan<br />
and Theresa Hunt, with the style and subject<br />
matter varying from contemporary abstraction,<br />
landscape, portraiture and still life, making it<br />
an event for all to attend.<br />
Mixed Palette will also be running the annual<br />
Art Exhibition in Avalon Recreation Centre<br />
in conjunction with Avalon Market Day – the<br />
‘lucky’ 13th year that this highly successful,<br />
free-admission exhibition has taken place.<br />
Opening night will be in the Avalon<br />
Recreation Centre on Friday 17th from<br />
6.30pm to 9pm; the Avalon exhibition will<br />
continue Saturday and Sunday 18th-19th from<br />
9am to 4pm.<br />
Debby Waters and Lorrie Morgan are the<br />
energetic<br />
duo running the<br />
exhibition, which will represent an eclectic mix<br />
of paintings, jewellery, ceramics, wall hangings<br />
(and more) by many local artists.<br />
n Interested in being involved in the<br />
exhibition? Contact Lorrie on 0412 141 852<br />
or Debby on 0409 278 591.<br />
Mixed Palette runs mixed media art classes<br />
for all ages – from children, teens, HSC<br />
students and adults – as well as Art Parties<br />
and Workshops.<br />
Avalon’s Christmas craft sale<br />
Members of the Avalon Craft Cottage are busy arranging<br />
their annual Christmas Show and Sale which will be held in<br />
the Avalon Recreation Centre over three days from Thursday<br />
<strong>November</strong> 30.<br />
Organiser Maureen Darcy Smith said members remained<br />
proud of their link with Avalon, where they set up in 1969.<br />
Nowadays they ply their craft at <strong>Pittwater</strong>’s shopping centres,<br />
as well as making two regular trips<br />
back north of the Bends each year.<br />
“With our 50th birthday coming<br />
up in a couple of years, the Craft<br />
Cottage is proud we still have a few<br />
original members, all creating lovely<br />
craftwork,” said Maureen.<br />
Maureen said the Rec Centre<br />
space would be looking very ‘Christmassy’<br />
over the three days, with<br />
beautiful bunting, patchwork quilts<br />
and brilliant silk wall hangings.<br />
“As always there will be a variety<br />
of hand-crafted items on show,<br />
from Australian woodwork, ceramics, colourful patchwork<br />
quilts, embroidered baby wear and knitted shawls, booties and<br />
blankets, screen-printed tea towels, jewellery, children’s summer<br />
dresses, brilliant silk scarves, fabric handbags, knitted scarves,<br />
socks and beanies, plus hundreds of beautiful hand-crafted<br />
greeting cards and decorations,” Maureen said.<br />
She said all visitors would receive a ticket in their Christmas<br />
raffle to win a basket chock full of Christmas goodies.<br />
The sale is on <strong>November</strong> 30 then Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd<br />
December from 10am to 4pm; free admission.<br />
More info 9999 3703 or facebook.<br />
32 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
Newport<br />
ablaze with<br />
sculptures<br />
Sydney Art Space is proud to announce<br />
their curational role for<br />
the Newport Sculpture Trailblazers<br />
<strong>2017</strong> – this fabulous not-for-profit<br />
arts event runs till 13th <strong>November</strong><br />
in Newport village and environs and<br />
features artworks from many Northern<br />
Beaches artists including talented<br />
participants from Sydney Art Space.<br />
Convenor Christine Simpson<br />
urges art lovers to come and see a<br />
wonderful range of sculptures that<br />
employ various media, from contemporary<br />
installations to timeless<br />
figurative classics.<br />
Sydney Art Space also collaborated<br />
with Newport Primary School<br />
Year 2s to facilitate the ceramic installation<br />
– 46 Sugar Gliders – which<br />
is being exhibited during the Trailblazers<br />
arts event at the Newport<br />
Community Gardens in Woolcott<br />
Street (a hidden treasure for all of<br />
the community to enjoy!)<br />
Meanwhile coursework for sculpture,<br />
drawing, painting and Kids/<br />
Teens Art Club continues at Sydney<br />
Art Space’s home base at 64 Darley<br />
St, Mona Vale for Term 4 (until the<br />
week before Christmas).<br />
“If you want to step out of the<br />
mad Christmas rush and enjoy some<br />
creative quiet time check out what is<br />
being offered,” said Christine.<br />
More info at sydneyartspace.<br />
com<br />
Nettie well versed in Rime art<br />
Scotland Island-based author and illustrator<br />
Nettie Lodge has drawn on her lifelong<br />
love of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s poem<br />
‘The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner’ to create<br />
a stunning artistic accompaniment to the<br />
classic verse – a series of 40 paintings which<br />
will be exhibited at the Manly Art Gallery<br />
and Museum from <strong>November</strong> 3.<br />
Nettie explained she was mesmerized by<br />
Coleridge’s words at the age of 10 and her<br />
“visual narrative” of the poem, created over<br />
the past seven years, powerfully illustrates<br />
the epic and tragic<br />
story of the albatross<br />
and the mariner.<br />
“I first heard the<br />
poem on a record,<br />
recited by Richard<br />
Burton, when I was a<br />
child and it conjured<br />
such imagery and<br />
adventure, it has<br />
stayed with me all<br />
my life,” Nettie said.<br />
Originally started<br />
as a picture book for adults, Nettie’s work<br />
soon evolved into broader project.<br />
“For me, the poem galvanizes the concept<br />
of humanity and uses its symbolism to<br />
deliver a story so compelling and tragic<br />
and contemporary, that it has survived and<br />
continues to mystify new generations of<br />
readers,” she said.<br />
“At the heart of the poem are the ocean<br />
and the albatross. They are the protagonists,<br />
the wild forces that elude the mariner.<br />
They are the metaphors for guilt and redemption,<br />
so prevalent in the poem.”<br />
She added it has been argued that Coleridge<br />
based his poem on Captain James<br />
Cook’s second voyage to the Southern<br />
Ocean around 1772.<br />
“I have always loved this link to Australia<br />
– the poem was written in 1798 – and the<br />
reference to the Great Wandering Albatross.”<br />
Nettie explained her illustrations were her<br />
interpretation of the text.<br />
“They are not literal, but spattered with<br />
symbols,” she said.<br />
“As the weight of guilt falls on the mariner,<br />
my albatross becomes omnipresent: a<br />
ghost. In the poem, the mariner is forced<br />
to wear the dead<br />
albatross around his<br />
neck, so I have given<br />
my mariner wings – I<br />
want the bird and<br />
the man to become<br />
interchangeable.”<br />
To reflect the<br />
pivotal point in the<br />
story, when the ship<br />
runs into the doldrums,<br />
Nettie created<br />
a three-dimensional<br />
skeleton ghost ship using diaphanous<br />
materials – “a kind of three-dimensional<br />
drawing”.<br />
“The vagaries of the ocean have always<br />
influenced me and my work,” she said. “I<br />
have lived on <strong>Pittwater</strong> for many years and<br />
the water and ocean will continue to remain<br />
my innate soul mate.”<br />
The exhibition at Manly Art Gallery and<br />
Museum runs from <strong>November</strong> 3 through<br />
December 3; open Tuesday to Sunday 10am-<br />
5pm; free entry. More info 9976 1421.<br />
* Join Nettie on a walk through the exhibition<br />
and learn about her creative process;<br />
Sunday <strong>November</strong> 12 from 2-3pm.<br />
Art <strong>Life</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 33
Surfing <strong>Life</strong><br />
Surfing <strong>Life</strong><br />
Beep from the deep – a<br />
reminder of the unseen<br />
As the whales pass by us again at this time of year, what travels with them?<br />
I’ve often thought of surfing<br />
skill as the modern equivalent<br />
of shooting pool: sign of a<br />
wasted youth. But occasionally<br />
I get a glimpse of things that if I<br />
hadn’t surfed, I’d miss.<br />
On the second Saturday in<br />
October, at around 8am, I was<br />
sitting on a surf ski 200 metres<br />
north-east of the tip of Newport<br />
Reef, a southerly gale ripping<br />
up a messy sea. Birds were<br />
bombing the surface, and small<br />
dead fish, mostly leatherjackets,<br />
floated dead in the chop,<br />
victims of some offshore algae<br />
bloom which must have starved<br />
them of oxygen at just the<br />
wrong moment in their short<br />
lives.<br />
My eye was on another<br />
paddler, fighting the wind just<br />
seaward.<br />
Then maybe 50 metres<br />
further out, I saw a small silver<br />
streak of a fish leap clear of the<br />
surface, and before I’d quite<br />
registered that, the fish’s pursuer<br />
exploded from the water<br />
behind it – a big mako shark,<br />
maybe a touch under three<br />
metres, as close to a game fish<br />
as a shark can get.<br />
My eye froze the image of<br />
the shark at the top of its arc,<br />
even as it twisted down and<br />
vanished. The sharp lines of its<br />
body and tail quivering with<br />
the energy of its movement, so<br />
sudden, yet so practised and<br />
efficient. Then the vanishing;<br />
200 kilos of wild animal gone<br />
in a blink, with barely a splash.<br />
Nothing there now but the<br />
wind, and the circling birds and<br />
the small dead fish.<br />
Where did it go? I have no<br />
idea. I didn’t see it again. I<br />
didn’t say anything about it to<br />
the other paddler – just gently<br />
encouraged a return to shore.<br />
That afternoon I switched<br />
on the SharkSmart app on my<br />
phone. The SharkSmart app<br />
is connected to an array of<br />
“smart” sensor buoys off the<br />
NSW coast, which are designed<br />
to pick up transmissions<br />
from the tags being fitted to<br />
“killer” shark species caught<br />
on drumlines off Ballina, Evans<br />
Head, Forster, and several other<br />
known haunts of great white<br />
sharks. The NSW Department of<br />
Primary Industry’s latest figures<br />
show 178 Great Whites have<br />
been tagged in the past year<br />
and a half, along with a lesser<br />
number of bulls and tigers. (No<br />
makos; makos don’t care for<br />
drumlines. Makos like chasing<br />
things.)<br />
Now my phone beeps every<br />
few minutes, day and night.<br />
It tells me about sharks off<br />
Sharpes Beach in Ballina, and<br />
Lighthouse Beach in Port<br />
Macquarie, and Old Bar Beach<br />
with Nick Carroll<br />
STAYING CALM: The SharkSmart app is proof you’re never alone offshore.<br />
and the main beach in Forster,<br />
and even as far south as<br />
Sussex Inlet, as the humpback<br />
whale migration moves toward<br />
its Southern Ocean summer<br />
haunts. It tells me about further<br />
taggings. Beep! There it goes,<br />
right now, as I type: 3.19m<br />
Great White caught on drumline<br />
off Tuncurry, tagged and<br />
released. Make that 179.<br />
My phone is telling me about<br />
an unseen coast, in deep contrast<br />
with the one we see each<br />
day. And generally, the coast we<br />
see shows us the things we like<br />
about our world. The whales<br />
we watch with such pleasure<br />
as they breach just offshore,<br />
the cliffs and dolphin pods, the<br />
beautiful waves and amazingly<br />
unpolluted water. The<br />
holiday-style trappings of life in<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong>.<br />
Yet the seen and unseen<br />
co-exist. They do more than coexist.<br />
They rely on each other,<br />
in critical ways. This can be uncomfortable<br />
knowledge. During<br />
September and mid-October,<br />
four whales washed up dead on<br />
east coast beaches, one each<br />
at Wurtulla in Queensland, Port<br />
Macquarie and Ballina in NSW,<br />
and Kilcunda in Victoria. Three<br />
of the whales had lost flesh and<br />
34 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
PL’s NOVEMBER SURF CALENDAR<br />
18/11: Under-12 Grommet NSW Titles, Cronulla NSW<br />
This event had to be re-scheduled after an earlier cancellation. It’s a<br />
seeded event, so there’s no random entries, but it might still be fun to<br />
watch if you’re around the ’Nulla that weekend. As well some of you<br />
may be, since the Tradies Surf Masters – possibly the greatest dads’<br />
surf contest ever – is on at the same time!<br />
25/11: Australian Junior Surfing Titles, Culburra NSW<br />
Under-14 to under-18 divisions for boys and girls, plus schools team<br />
titles. Absolute mayhem no doubt.<br />
25/11 – into December: WSL CT Maui Women’s Pro, Honolua<br />
Bay, Maui<br />
Peak moment for this year’s world title race. After years of ups and<br />
downs, untimely injuries and harsh over-shadowing by other pros in<br />
their primes, Sally Fitzgibbons is finally in the box seat to win a world<br />
championship. Three surfers – Hawaii’s Carissa Moore, California’s<br />
Courtney Conlogue and fellow Aussie Tyler Wright – can numerically<br />
get to her, but Sal’s in the lead and it’s hers to take, and it’s impossible<br />
to think of a pro, man or woman, who deserves a world title more. Go<br />
Sal! Watch it live at www.worldsurfeague.com<br />
NICK’S NOVEMBER SURF FORECAST<br />
I try to read the tea leaves of these seasons, I really do. But lately I<br />
am being undone by computer modelling. There’s three big forecast<br />
models in use by most surf predictors, one from Europe, one from<br />
the US, and one from right here in Australia, and they all have their<br />
strengths and weaknesses, but to a model, right now, they’re undercalling<br />
things. They’re saying it’s September and the weather’s acting<br />
like it’s December. I’m going to semi-ignore them here and go with<br />
a gut feeling: that we’re heading for the hottest summer ever, and<br />
<strong>November</strong> will be another step toward that. Watch for some big swings<br />
this month, with a couple of cooler southerlies early in the month,<br />
then a pattern of heat, humidity, and flat northerly coastal winds, and<br />
occasional brief showery south-easterlies. Surf-wise, this means a<br />
constant conflict between winds and swells: south swells filling in only<br />
to be met by north winds, and vice versa. At least it also means the<br />
water’s warming trend should continue. You’ll be in boardshorts or<br />
bikinis before ya know it!<br />
Nick Carroll<br />
Surfing <strong>Life</strong><br />
blubber to the white shark population’s<br />
feeding effort. Local<br />
communities in each case were<br />
riven by the presence of the<br />
carcasses. Councils and government<br />
departments tried to bury<br />
them on the beaches, only to<br />
be faced by astonishment and<br />
outrage from surfers and others,<br />
who were concerned that a<br />
decomposing whale would act<br />
as literal sharkbait. Feigning<br />
misunderstanding, the councils<br />
and government departments<br />
quickly dug them up.<br />
Behind it lies the uncomfortable<br />
knowledge: You don’t just<br />
get pretty things in Nature.<br />
That booming whale population,<br />
so magnificently visible<br />
from our cliffs and beaches,<br />
is moving in lockstep with so<br />
much else we never see, unless<br />
maybe we are dumb enough<br />
to be a kilometre offshore on a<br />
surf ski, at exactly the moment<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
a mako decides to leap.<br />
Otherwise… out here, off<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong>? You won’t even get<br />
a ping on your phone. There’s<br />
Smart buoys all up and down<br />
the coast. But there’s none off<br />
Sydney. The array stops at Newcastle,<br />
and starts again south<br />
of Wollongong. When it comes<br />
to Great White sharks, we’re off<br />
the only radar there is.<br />
I guess it’s how the ocean<br />
gets to us. It shows us things<br />
and it hides them. We see the<br />
things we want to see. But the<br />
other things are still there,<br />
whether we see them or not.<br />
Nick Carroll is a leading<br />
Australian and international<br />
surf writer, author, filmmaker<br />
and surfer, and one<br />
of Newport’s own. Email:<br />
ncsurf@ozemail.com.au<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 35
Boating <strong>Life</strong><br />
Boating <strong>Life</strong><br />
Coutas show<br />
‘Tenacity’<br />
The name says it all – Don<br />
Telford’s ‘Tenacity’ became<br />
the first non-Victorian crew to<br />
claim an Australian title in the<br />
historic Couta Boat class when<br />
the Sydney team wrapped up<br />
the four-race series on a tricky<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong> on October 15.<br />
A second NSW team and<br />
Tenacity’s Royal Prince Alfred<br />
Yacht Club clubmates, Larry<br />
Eastwood’s Sylvia, finished<br />
runner-up by two points and<br />
the Sorrento crew of Margarita,<br />
skippered by Australian class<br />
president James Mighell,<br />
completed the podium results.<br />
“We had no idea if we’d won<br />
overall after today’s race,” said<br />
Telford (pictured right). “It’s a<br />
wonderful win; to take it to the<br />
Victorians was magnificent.”<br />
Long-time mate and tactician<br />
John ‘Steamer’ Stanley – pleased<br />
to knock off an Australian<br />
championship at the age of 70 –<br />
added: “after the Sydney regatta<br />
we worked out you had to be in<br />
the top 10 in every race”.<br />
Tenacity finished tenth from<br />
an outstanding multi-state line<br />
up of 22 Coutas in the final<br />
passage race around Scotland<br />
Island and then north to<br />
Mackerel Beach and back south<br />
to the area known as ‘the pond’,<br />
in 8-10 knot east sou’easters.<br />
Following one<br />
general recall and<br />
a re-jig of the line,<br />
Stanley opted to<br />
play it clean at the<br />
start and from<br />
there Tenacity’s<br />
crew of six left<br />
nothing behind, knowing the<br />
championship result rested on<br />
their final score.<br />
Said Telford: “Steamer was<br />
saying for old guys this is the<br />
only class left; everything else<br />
is sailing on the water not in the<br />
water. These are beautiful and<br />
very hard boats to sail.”<br />
The likes of professional<br />
yachtsman Steve McConaghy,<br />
coach Rod Hagebols and Moth<br />
sailor Josh McKnight raised the<br />
bar at what was already a very<br />
serious class meet – serious<br />
enough for 10 Victorian owners<br />
to transport their Coutas on<br />
B-double trucks from the<br />
Mornington Peninsula and one to<br />
send his boat the length of the<br />
continent from Perth.<br />
At the closing awards<br />
presentation at Avalon SC,<br />
James Mighell acknowledged<br />
the hospitality and work of the<br />
volunteers, chiefly NSW president<br />
Larry Eastwood and his helpers.<br />
“Bringing the boats to Sydney<br />
was a crazy idea borne of people<br />
with foresight. But for it we’d all<br />
be sitting around our own little<br />
clubs. It’s people like Larry and<br />
Couta boat builder Tim Phillips<br />
who have the vision to drive<br />
ideas like this one,” he said.<br />
On combined scratch (over the<br />
line) results it was a Victorian<br />
whitewash, with the top six<br />
racing for the Sorrento Sailing<br />
and Couta Boat Club, led by Nick<br />
Williams’ Wagtail.<br />
In the Wattle Cup, reserved<br />
in <strong>2017</strong> for the classic Coutas,<br />
Kelly Holder’s syndicate-owned<br />
Kathleen Mary (built 1988)<br />
from the Royal Motor Yacht<br />
Club Broken Bay collected<br />
the main trophy, while Tim<br />
Phillips’ century-old Muriel<br />
(SSCBC) finished second and Jeff<br />
Richardson’s Georgia (SSCBC)<br />
placed third. – Lisa Ratcliff<br />
36 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
Avalon’s<br />
big day out!<br />
Avalon Beach Market Day returns on Sunday 19 <strong>November</strong><br />
from 9am to 4pm. The main streets of Avalon Beach<br />
village and Dunbar Park will be alive with amazing music,<br />
fabulous food, fantastic fashion and fun for all the family!<br />
There will be an array of market stalls selling fashion, jewellery<br />
and crafts as well as gourmet food stalls. Local clubs and<br />
charities will be working hard to raise funds for their worthy<br />
causes. This year the markets are being organised by a local<br />
event company, Roobarb and Company Pty Ltd, who bring a<br />
more local focus to the day – more stallholders from the local<br />
area and northern beaches.<br />
Also, to help increase breast cancer awareness, McGrath<br />
Avalon will be selling pink cupcakes, pink lemonade and pink<br />
fairy floss as well as a huge<br />
raffle with the chance to<br />
win an Apple i-pad mini<br />
and a host of other community<br />
donated prizes. (All<br />
proceeds to the McGrath<br />
Foundation.)<br />
Fun for the Kids<br />
The carnival rides are<br />
back – this year they will be<br />
located on Old Barrenjoey<br />
Road, outside of Avalon lic School. There will also be<br />
Puban<br />
assortment of Show Bags<br />
filled with lots of goodies.<br />
Annual Dog Show<br />
The ever-popular Dog Show is on the main stage at 9.30am!<br />
(Sponsored by Sydney Animal Hospital Northern Beaches,<br />
Yvette’s Pet Grooming and Chelsea Lane Pets.) This year there’s<br />
a gold coin donation to enter (proceeds to saferehoming.com.<br />
au). Join MC David Koch (Kochie – right) from ‘Sunrise’ alongside<br />
judges – The Hon. Rob Stokes MP, and Mr Jason Falinski MP.<br />
Bring your pooch<br />
down on the<br />
day to partake<br />
in Best Dressed<br />
Dog, Best Trick<br />
and Best Dog in<br />
Show. (Thanks to Elizabeth<br />
Browning, ‘Rust’, who does an amazing<br />
job organising the Show every year.)<br />
Live music<br />
John Stone has arranged a spectacular line-up of local school<br />
bands, dance troupes, musicians and fantastic bands (full entertainment<br />
schedule – see page 40). The main streets of Avalon<br />
Beach village will be filled with bluegrass from Distant Sons,<br />
soul singer Tiana Martel, Latin jazz by Urban Gypsies Quartet<br />
and cool tunes by Expand & Surrender. Stop by the Dunbar Park<br />
stage to support the local school bands from Avalon Public<br />
School, Maria Regina Catholic, Bilgola Public School and Barrenjoey<br />
High School. Mona Vale Music has also arranged a fantastic<br />
line-up of young local talent on the Avalon Parade stage. (Special<br />
big thanks to Lamont Dance School for their ongoing support!)<br />
Food… & more food<br />
Dunbar Park will be the place to go to grab a bite from of the<br />
many fabulous food stalls. Anything from paella to Turkish<br />
gozleme to Japanese pancakes or a simple sausage sizzle.<br />
The flavours of the world are at your doorstep!<br />
The Local<br />
Voice Since 1991<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 37
38 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 39
Stage 1 – X-roads<br />
9am: Ella Seabrook<br />
9.30am:<br />
10.15am:<br />
11am:<br />
11.15am:<br />
12pm:<br />
12.15pm:<br />
1pm:<br />
1.10pm:<br />
2pm:<br />
3pm:<br />
Dog Show<br />
Distant Sons<br />
Lamont Dance<br />
Tiana Martel<br />
Flamenco Dance<br />
Liquid Times<br />
Qantas Bollywood Dancers<br />
Backbeat<br />
Urban Gypsies Quartet<br />
Expand & Surrender<br />
Stage 2 – Dunbar Park<br />
9am: Avalon Public School Bands<br />
10am:<br />
10.30am:<br />
11am:<br />
12pm:<br />
12.30pm:<br />
1pm:<br />
1.30pm:<br />
2pm:<br />
2.30pm:<br />
3pm:<br />
Maria Regina Band<br />
Bilgola Public School Band<br />
Barrenjoey High School Bands<br />
Blue Jays<br />
Jade Darby<br />
Night Owls Acappella<br />
Hot Robert Jazz Funk Grooves<br />
Mr. T. Mosman Rock Trio<br />
Lara Duncan<br />
Village Big Band<br />
Stage 3 – Avalon Parade<br />
9pm: Josh Armistead<br />
9.15am:<br />
10.15am:<br />
10.30am:<br />
10.45am:<br />
11.15am:<br />
11.30am:<br />
12pm:<br />
12.30pm:<br />
1pm:<br />
1.30pm:<br />
2.30pm<br />
3pm<br />
3.30pm:<br />
Ella Couston and<br />
Megan Mulcahy<br />
Natasha Elliot<br />
Micah Lihachov<br />
Dan Crestani<br />
Fifi Archibold<br />
Megan Longhurst<br />
Tiana Mannell<br />
Kasey Cramer<br />
Tayanita Robinson<br />
Ken Lloyd Guitar Ensemble<br />
Barrenjoey Year 8 Rock<br />
Barrenjoey Year 10 Rock<br />
Merryn Baker<br />
40 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local<br />
Voice Since 1991
Real Estate<br />
Upside to<br />
downsize<br />
With its sweeping waterways<br />
and laid-back<br />
villages offering an<br />
enviable lifestyle, it comes<br />
as no surprise that <strong>Pittwater</strong><br />
is attracting more and more<br />
‘downsizers’ who are prepared<br />
to sacrifice large living areas for<br />
smaller ‘digs’ to live by the sea.<br />
It’s not just retirees who<br />
are opting for the move, but<br />
also the over-55s whose children<br />
have left home, leaving<br />
parents in large houses with<br />
“wasted” space.<br />
Local developer Tom Luedecke,<br />
whose local projects<br />
include The Boathouse at<br />
Clareville and Catalina 66 at<br />
Avalon, said over-55s living<br />
appealed because their<br />
developments were generally<br />
low-rise, and situated in<br />
convenient and pleasant locations,<br />
rather than an apartment<br />
located in a commercial<br />
or medium-density zone.<br />
“Downsizing from a large<br />
home allows residual capital<br />
which can be used for many<br />
other lifestyle choices,” Tom said.<br />
“We have renovated and built<br />
a number of luxury homes in<br />
the area, working with Richard<br />
Cole Architecture on most<br />
occasions, and have translated<br />
the style and quality of a home<br />
rather than a generic apartment<br />
into our over-55 developments.<br />
“Our motto is ‘build them as<br />
you would like to live in them<br />
yourself’ – quality and style in<br />
a considered approach.”<br />
Tom said the requirements<br />
of seniors living produced a<br />
well-considered home, with<br />
spacious hallways, generous<br />
bedrooms and bathrooms<br />
generally all on one level with<br />
no stairs – with most owners<br />
as occupiers who took care of<br />
their homes.<br />
Tom’s latest development is<br />
drift at Avalon (pictured) – a<br />
modest profile of four crafted<br />
town homes and four singlelevel<br />
apartments.<br />
“It’s a meld of The Boathouse<br />
and Catalina 66, taking the<br />
best of both and matching it<br />
with what purchasers expect<br />
and request and will enjoy,”<br />
Tom said.<br />
“Once again it’s a simple,<br />
timeless architectural-considered<br />
space providing a blank<br />
canvas for owners to personalise.<br />
“Richard Cole is a well-known<br />
and respected residential<br />
architect in Avalon who has<br />
designed three developments<br />
for us now and each is refined<br />
and tuned to the location and<br />
expected occupants.”<br />
He said using a residentialquality<br />
architect meant the<br />
spaces felt like generous<br />
homes rather than gyprocklined<br />
apartment boxes.<br />
“I love drift’s build quality,<br />
the textures, the layouts, the<br />
location, the aspect and its<br />
overall simplicity – architectural<br />
simplicity is harder to achieve<br />
than complexity,” he said.<br />
“Developments need to be<br />
appropriate places to fit in,<br />
convenient and pleasant to all<br />
– they need to add to the area<br />
rather than detract.”<br />
And the most common feedback<br />
he receives?<br />
“Everyone we’ve built<br />
an apartment for has<br />
said ‘why didn’t we do this<br />
years ago?’ – that sums it up.”<br />
– Nigel Wall<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 41
Health & Wellbeing<br />
Health & Wellbeing<br />
Fire up for fitness and fun<br />
Over 40 and looking for an alternative<br />
fitness regime that will<br />
combine wellbeing with socialising?<br />
Then you might want to consider Dragon<br />
Boat Racing, one of the fastestgrowing<br />
aquatic sports in the<br />
world that’s taken a real foothold<br />
on the upper northern beaches.<br />
The <strong>Pittwater</strong> Dragon Boat<br />
Racing Club, based at Rowland<br />
Reserve on the shores of <strong>Pittwater</strong><br />
at Bayview, is holding a series of<br />
open days to help explain what<br />
they and the sport are all about.<br />
Club coach Lindy Chester explains<br />
Dragon Boat Racing began<br />
in China more than 2000 years<br />
ago as a celebration conducted<br />
during the summer solstice. At<br />
this time of year disease and death were<br />
more prevalent and the racing came to<br />
symbolize the struggle against nature as<br />
well as enemies.<br />
“A dragon boat team consists of 20<br />
paddlers sitting two abreast, plus a Sweep<br />
who steers the dragon boat from the rear<br />
and a drummer who sits at the front –<br />
they’re the heartbeat of the boat,” said<br />
Lindy, who is also a coach at NSW level.<br />
“It’s great for promoting strength,<br />
fitness and of course teamwork, as the<br />
performance of the boat is determined by<br />
the work of the paddlers in unison.”<br />
The PDBRC was formed in 2011; since<br />
then it has become a popular outlet for<br />
over-40s looking to stay fit.<br />
“A typical member would be over 40<br />
– we race in the over-40s, -50s and -60s<br />
categories,” she said, adding it was a good<br />
sport for breast cancer survivors.<br />
The racing season runs from Sept<br />
to April, with at least one racing regatta<br />
per month and culminating with the Australian<br />
Championships to finish off<br />
the season.<br />
“It’s a summer sport so it won’t<br />
interfere with your winter sports –<br />
and you will become addicted!”<br />
Training for 90 minutes is on<br />
Tuesdays and Thursdays from<br />
6pm, as well as 8am Saturdays<br />
and 7.30am Sundays; three sessions<br />
a week are recommended.<br />
“This is a great team sport<br />
for over 40s, both friendly and<br />
competitive,” she said. “We have<br />
achieved a lot over the past few<br />
years with medals at international,<br />
national and State level and several of our<br />
team paddle for NSW and have paddled<br />
for Australia – in fact our oldest member is<br />
75 and still paddling in the National team!”<br />
The club is holding Open Days at<br />
Rowland Reserve on <strong>November</strong> 11 and<br />
December 9; more info 0414 450 065<br />
(Donna) or pittwaterdragons.com.au<br />
42 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
Health & Wellbeing<br />
Health & Wellbeing<br />
Colourful step the right direction<br />
Former model and kids clothing<br />
designer Kylie Johnson<br />
has launched a book to help<br />
adults and children connect “in<br />
the present moment”.<br />
The mum of one from Bayview<br />
was inspired to create her<br />
book Mindfulness Colouring<br />
With Affirmations For Kids and<br />
Adults after she experienced<br />
a number of tough years going<br />
through IVF, a marriage<br />
breakdown and the death of<br />
her mother.<br />
Kylie said her creativity and<br />
the power of positivity during<br />
that time were the answers to<br />
her healing.<br />
As Kylie’s art evolved, her<br />
daughter Jasmin (now aged 7)<br />
joined her to draw, colour and<br />
paint – an activity Kylie found<br />
was mutually beneficial.<br />
Kylie said the book celebrated<br />
the simplicity of togetherness<br />
and was based on the<br />
principles of mindfulness.<br />
She said the aim of the book<br />
was for parents and carers to<br />
bring awareness to children<br />
about the power of a positive<br />
mindset and to learn the<br />
practice of positive-self talk by<br />
using affirmations.<br />
“When you become mindful<br />
of all your thoughts, words<br />
and feelings and talk kindly to<br />
yourself, you realise that your<br />
mind is the most powerful<br />
friend you have,” Kylie said.<br />
“If you can act with gratitude<br />
and kindness then you will<br />
lead a fulfilling life.<br />
“Only then will your mind<br />
be trained to see the upside of<br />
life – even if you have to look a<br />
little harder at times.<br />
“My hope with this book is<br />
to inspire children right from<br />
the start and be reminders to<br />
adults at the same time.”<br />
Kylie says the book (available<br />
through kyliejohnsonart.<br />
com) is suitable for adults and<br />
children from five years of age.<br />
– Lisa Offord<br />
44 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
Dental care Family grows<br />
After an exciting and successful first three years Avalon<br />
Beach Family Dental is expanding – adding another dental<br />
chair, dentist and offering more hours to provide convenience<br />
and flexibility for patients.<br />
The practice opened in late 2014 with one dental room<br />
and with practice owner Dr Astrid Kylstra as the only operating<br />
dentist.<br />
However, the warm embrace<br />
the team have received from the<br />
local community has prompted<br />
a growth to two dental rooms<br />
and three dentists.<br />
Dr Kylstra said she and colleague<br />
Dr Mary Clayton, who<br />
has been onboard since last<br />
year, are excited to introduce Dr<br />
Jayne Temple to their modern<br />
space at the southern end of Old<br />
Barrenjoey Road.<br />
“We can now care for patients<br />
not only six days a week, but also have the ability to treat<br />
more patients throughout each day,” said Dr Kylstra.<br />
Dr Temple is originally from the UK but has resided on the<br />
beaches for the past 12 years. She is excited to work within<br />
the Avalon community.<br />
“We are really excited to have another dental chair and to<br />
welcome Jayne,” said Dr Kylstra.<br />
“We can now provide more overall clinical time, ‘out-ofhours’<br />
time slots and the opportunity to treat new and existing<br />
patients more promptly and with greater flexibility.<br />
“We know life is busy and we want your dental health to<br />
be a priority.”<br />
Health & Wellbeing<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 45
Health & Wellbeing<br />
Health & Wellbeing<br />
Making contact<br />
with new lenses<br />
Do you want to read a<br />
menu without specs?<br />
Do your glasses dig<br />
in, fall down or fog up when<br />
you exercise? Do you want to<br />
avoid reading glasses with<br />
sunnies over the top on the<br />
beach or by the pool this<br />
summer?<br />
No matter what your age<br />
or vision condition, contact<br />
lenses are now available to<br />
solve all vision problems. The<br />
lenses we prescribe provide<br />
the best in vision, health and<br />
comfort for your eyes.<br />
If you are more reliant on<br />
reading glasses than ever before,<br />
carrying specs with you<br />
to restaurants or becoming<br />
frustrated in shopping centres<br />
with spectacles on and off….<br />
modern contact lenses can be<br />
a used as a part-time or fulltime<br />
vision correction.<br />
Contact lens technology has<br />
improved to provide flexibility<br />
for those needing different<br />
vision at different distances,<br />
with new generation multifo-<br />
Celebrate ‘Movember’ this month and help<br />
men live happier, healthier and longer lives.<br />
Each <strong>November</strong> the Movember Foundation<br />
is responsible for the sprouting of moustaches<br />
on thousands of faces around the world,<br />
with funds raised helping to deliver innovative<br />
research and support programs focusing<br />
on prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental<br />
cal lenses available. It also<br />
provides a great alternative to<br />
those looking at surgical correction<br />
for vision problems.<br />
Prescribing contact lenses<br />
to children is a particularly<br />
rewarding part of our practice.<br />
It changes kids’ lives, giving<br />
confidence, and encourages<br />
with Rowena Beckenham<br />
those to come out from behind<br />
their specs to participate in<br />
team sports and make it ‘out<br />
the back’ in the surf break.<br />
Contact lens options are<br />
also becoming important in<br />
the prevention of myopia and<br />
progression of short sightedness,<br />
with the latest release of<br />
lenses also addressing relief of<br />
digital eyestrain.<br />
No longer are contact lenses<br />
only suitable for the minority;<br />
flexibility and a wide range<br />
of options are the key to<br />
modern-day contact lenses.<br />
For further info or an<br />
appointment contact us on<br />
9918 0616 or visit beckenhamoptometrist.com.au<br />
Comment supplied by Rowena Beckenham, of<br />
Beckenham Optometrist in Avalon (9918 0616). Rowena<br />
has been involved in all facets of independent private<br />
practice optometry in Avalon for 16 years, in addition<br />
to working as a consultant to the optometric and<br />
pharmaceutical industry, and regularly volunteering in<br />
Aboriginal eyecare programs in regional NSW.<br />
Grow a mo for men’s health issues<br />
health and suicide prevention.<br />
Thankfully, growing a ‘tash’ isn’t the only<br />
way to get involved – other fund-raising activities<br />
for men’s health include walking, running<br />
or cycling and hosting an event.<br />
There are tips on how to grow a mo, “move”<br />
for Movember and how to host a memorable<br />
event on the website movember.com.<br />
46 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
Health & Wellbeing<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 47
Health & Wellbeing<br />
Health & Wellbeing<br />
Bounce back with a tailored<br />
holistic health program<br />
Physical activity can make you feel happier,<br />
more relaxed and boost your self-esteem –<br />
but when you aren’t feeling 100 per cent, often<br />
the last thing you want to do is exercise or go<br />
to the gym.<br />
Whether you are a trained athlete or haven’t<br />
moved for a while due<br />
to pain, injury or lack of<br />
motivation, professional<br />
help will get you on the<br />
right track.<br />
Exercise Physiologists<br />
are university-trained<br />
health professionals who<br />
specialise in helping<br />
people of all fitness levels<br />
feel comfortable and<br />
empowered to embrace<br />
healthy habits that suit<br />
their individual needs.<br />
Local Exercise Physiologist Andrew Daubney<br />
of Rebound Health, works with a dedicated<br />
team of allied health professionals providing<br />
one-to-one coaching, group classes, specialised<br />
programs, physiotherapy and nutritional<br />
advice.<br />
“We believe in working collaboratively as a<br />
team in order to allow our clients to achieve<br />
their goals – be them rehabilitation, sport or<br />
adventure,” Andrew said.<br />
Andrew explained success came from<br />
comprehensive and evidence-based<br />
assessment, personalised<br />
programming and a<br />
holistic ‘goals-based’<br />
approach to health.<br />
“We aim to support our<br />
clients by guiding positive<br />
change and cementing<br />
healthy lifestyle habits,”<br />
he said.<br />
As well as a range<br />
of personal training<br />
programs, Rebound<br />
Health runs community<br />
health and fitness programs including Veterans<br />
Wellness programs, an 8-week exercise program<br />
for people with Type 2 diabetes (which is bulkbilled),<br />
an exercise program for people with<br />
cancer and an 8-week weight loss program.<br />
For details visit reboundhealth.com.au or<br />
call 9907 6023.<br />
48 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
Hair & Beauty<br />
Put the big freeze on fat,<br />
smile through summer<br />
with Sue Carroll<br />
The thought of ‘bathing<br />
an experienced therapist, the<br />
suit season’ can incite<br />
contouring of the body with<br />
anything from mild<br />
the fat freezing technology<br />
insecurity to hysteria in both<br />
will definitely provide an<br />
men and women. However,<br />
exceptional reduction of<br />
there is a possible solution to<br />
stubborn fat bulges for<br />
most of those hard-to-budge<br />
both men and women. (As<br />
areas – fat freezing. The<br />
always, any treatments<br />
freezing of one’s assets used<br />
have greater longevity and<br />
to be an exclusive domain of<br />
optimum results when used<br />
bankruptcy courts, but with<br />
in conjunction with a healthy<br />
ever-evolving technology,<br />
diet and lifestyle.)<br />
the term has now been<br />
extended to the freezing and<br />
Sue Carroll of Skin<br />
permanent removal of areas<br />
Inspiration has been a qualified<br />
of fat.<br />
Aesthetician for 33 years.<br />
Fat freezing is a method of<br />
Sue has owned and<br />
non-invasive fat reduction. Its<br />
operated successful beauty<br />
principle relies on controlled<br />
clinics and day spas on<br />
cooling, through non-invasive<br />
the Northern Beaches.<br />
technology, of the stubborn include the heating of the fat today for the permanent<br />
fat areas of the body. Fat cells prior to the freezing process. non-surgical removal of fat. info@skininspiration.com.au<br />
are more sensitive to cold To make it easier there is After having a complete<br />
www.skininspiration.com.au<br />
than other cells, which means equipment that will do all of 360-degrees consultation with<br />
that fat freezing treatments this with the one handpiece,<br />
kill fat cells without harming rather than two separate<br />
the skin, nerves or other treatments, and therefore<br />
tissue surrounding the area providing exceptional results.<br />
to be treated.<br />
Another innovation is the<br />
Fat cells can be compared ability to be able to treat two<br />
to a balloon that expands areas of fat at the same time,<br />
and contracts. When you which for time-poor people<br />
lose weight through diet and is advantageous. So long<br />
exercise, you do not lose fat as weight is not gained the<br />
cells; rather they will shrink. size will remain contoured<br />
Fat freezing can be used in permanently. If weight is<br />
conjunction with diet and gained and then lost, the<br />
exercise to either contour or contour returns.<br />
debulk stubborn areas of fat Fat freezing can treat<br />
to provide a more defined areas of the body such as<br />
silhouette for both men and the inner and outer thigh,<br />
women.<br />
stomach, waist, hips and<br />
Today there are many ‘love handles’, bra rolls, chin,<br />
machines that pretend to knees and arms. Usually the<br />
destroy fat, when in fact they optimum result can be seen<br />
only do this temporarily and within 12 weeks. Areas can<br />
the fat soon returns. In order also be retreated in order<br />
for the fat cells to die the to reduce the site further.<br />
temperature of the treatment Each treatment will destroy<br />
can be anywhere from -9 a minimum of 20% of the<br />
to -11 degrees celcius for at existing fat cells. As there<br />
least an hour, depending on is no down-time with the fat<br />
the area being treated. The freezing treatment it can<br />
fat cells are literally frozen; be an ideal choice for those<br />
they become crystallised, seeking a non-invasive,<br />
die and are then eliminated localised fat reduction<br />
from the body as waste. treatment compared to<br />
With constant research the liposuction.<br />
improvements with this<br />
Fat freezing tends to be the<br />
treatment have come to most consistent treatment<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 49<br />
Hair & Beauty
Business <strong>Life</strong>: Money<br />
Business <strong>Life</strong><br />
Running the rule over<br />
Exchange Traded Funds<br />
Iwrite this on the anniversary<br />
of the October 1987 stock<br />
market crash – or ‘Black<br />
Monday’. Back then I was a<br />
21-year-old with barely two<br />
years of work experience and<br />
no real concept of what was<br />
happening to the markets or<br />
people’s wealth at the time.<br />
In the 20-year period<br />
spanning Black Monday to<br />
what history now refer to as<br />
the Great Recession (the period<br />
between 2007 – 2010) not much<br />
other than the development<br />
of electronic trading really<br />
changed the nature of our local<br />
stock market.<br />
Since the Great Recession,<br />
however, our markets have<br />
become home to a breed of<br />
products that have altered the<br />
nature of investing and portfolio<br />
construction. Exchange traded<br />
funds (ETFs) have been a feature<br />
on American exchanges since<br />
the launch of an S&P 500 fund<br />
in 1993 but it wasn’t until<br />
the passing of the GFC that<br />
local investors started to seek<br />
out ASX-listed ETFs and the<br />
manufacturers of ETFs started<br />
developing a wider range of<br />
products.<br />
The reason for this wave<br />
of interest had had several<br />
important parts to it:<br />
Cost – ETFs in the main are<br />
based on relatively low-cost<br />
index funds listed on the ASX<br />
and post GFC people were<br />
looking at ways of reduce the<br />
cost of investing.<br />
Administration – being<br />
listed on the ASX they could<br />
be transacted easily and<br />
electronically from any broking<br />
account.<br />
Democratisation of the<br />
stock market – along with the<br />
advent of low-cost electronic<br />
trading investors saw that many<br />
active fund managers fared no<br />
better than index funds during<br />
the GFC so why pay a fund<br />
manager a fee when a cheap<br />
index fund would do the job.<br />
Diversification – the<br />
purchase of a single ETF share<br />
brings instant diversification<br />
with up to the entire market<br />
underlying a single share<br />
purchase.<br />
Tax structure – ETFs that<br />
represent indexes tend not<br />
to be as frequently traded as<br />
active managed funds which<br />
can reduce the amount of<br />
distributable capital gains<br />
– something that generally<br />
bothers investors outside of<br />
super funds.<br />
We have had ETF-like<br />
securities listed on the<br />
Australian exchange for many<br />
years before we saw the rise<br />
of ETFs in the post-GFC era.<br />
Investors would have known<br />
these as Listed Investment<br />
Companies or LICs. There<br />
are several key differences<br />
between the two including<br />
a fundamental issue of legal<br />
structure but the main one was<br />
a tendency for LICs to trade at<br />
a discount to their net asset<br />
value (NAV). This often has to<br />
do with restrictive management<br />
agreements embedded in LICs<br />
but it mainly has to do with<br />
the key ETFs having a market<br />
with Brian Hrnjak<br />
maker that stands in the market<br />
providing liquidity and allowing<br />
them to trade close to their NAV.<br />
So how can you use<br />
ETFs to enhance portfolio<br />
construction?<br />
Geographic diversification:<br />
You can hold the wider<br />
investable Australian market by<br />
owning a single share in an ASX<br />
300 Fund as easily as you can<br />
own a share in a US based S&P<br />
500 Fund, a Euro market Fund or<br />
a Japanese Fund.<br />
Company size<br />
diversification: You can<br />
purchase shares in ETFs that<br />
track large or small, global or<br />
local companies.<br />
Industry diversification: You<br />
can purchase shares in ETFs that<br />
focus on particular industries,<br />
such as one that tracks a Nasdaq<br />
index following shares in cyber<br />
security companies.<br />
Diversification into<br />
commodities: You can buy<br />
an interest in gold, crude oil<br />
or agricultural commodities<br />
through an ETF.<br />
Diversification into<br />
currencies: You can buy<br />
exposure to UK Pounds, Euros or<br />
US Dollars via an ETF.<br />
Gearing: You can buy ETFs that<br />
contain internal gearing that will<br />
disproportionately profit if the<br />
market rises (the opposite if it<br />
falls!) or short based ETFs that<br />
will profit if the market is falling.<br />
So, like the US, our listed<br />
market is moving down a path<br />
50 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
of sophistication where we can<br />
select ETFs that allow us to slice<br />
and dice risk in portfolios in<br />
ways only imaginable 10 years<br />
ago. But what are the potential<br />
downsides of ETFs?<br />
Just lately there have been<br />
articles appearing questioning<br />
the potential effect of ETFs in<br />
falling markets. What we know<br />
about index funds is that they<br />
diligently buy the underlying<br />
assets that make up their<br />
respective index. An index that<br />
is rising causes index funds<br />
to automatically buy more of<br />
the underlying shares further<br />
raising the index. In a down<br />
market the reverse happens;<br />
prices fall, causing the index<br />
to fall and the index funds<br />
therefore to automatically sell<br />
shares.<br />
With the global market for<br />
ETFs now reportedly around<br />
$US 4 Trillion the experts are<br />
divided on what the effect may<br />
be in a down market as ETFs<br />
have never been prevalent<br />
during a market correction. As<br />
you’d expect when asking<br />
experts, the range goes from<br />
nothing to a risk of contagion.<br />
I suppose we’ll just have to<br />
wait and see when it happens<br />
but my experience suggests<br />
that the existence of large<br />
pools of ETFs in a falling market<br />
would enhance or exaggerate<br />
a fall with this effect being<br />
more pronounced the quicker<br />
it happens which is simply the<br />
inverse of what occurs in a<br />
rising market.<br />
Brian Hrnjak B Bus CPA (FPS) is a Director of GHR Accounting<br />
Group Pty Ltd, Certified Practising Accountants. Offices at:<br />
Suite 12, Ground Floor, 20 Bungan Street Mona Vale NSW 2103<br />
and Shop 8, 9 – 15 Central Ave Manly NSW 2095,<br />
Telephone: 02 9979-4300, Webs: www.ghr.com.au and<br />
www.altre.com.au Email: brian@ghr.com.au<br />
These comments are of a general nature only and are not<br />
intended as a substitute for professional advice.<br />
Business <strong>Life</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 51
Business <strong>Life</strong>: Finance<br />
Business <strong>Life</strong><br />
Processing future won’t<br />
be left up in the ‘Cloud’<br />
I<br />
have watched the ongoing<br />
debate about the National<br />
Broadband Network and its<br />
rollout for some time now.<br />
What seems to be taking place<br />
is that the more people get<br />
connected, the more people<br />
complain about their low<br />
speeds and frustration.<br />
But consider this. Due to<br />
the fact there is a Coworking<br />
business (ours) in the middle<br />
of Newport offering flexible<br />
desk space, with required highspeed<br />
internet capacity, there<br />
was a need to think outside the<br />
box.<br />
Some time ago we figured<br />
that the convergence of Artificial<br />
Intelligence, big data, and<br />
low-cost processing power<br />
would fundamentally transform<br />
computing. For the first time<br />
in history, real world data is<br />
being collected in real time<br />
(vision, location, temperature,<br />
etc), using an exponentially<br />
growing sensor network – so<br />
underscored Peter Levine in his<br />
presentation: The End of Cloud<br />
Computing.<br />
Every AI network-connected<br />
device, whether self-driving<br />
cars, robots, immersive AR /<br />
VR, or Internet of Things sensors<br />
will use huge amounts of<br />
processing power, becoming its<br />
own small data centre.<br />
The current cloud architecture<br />
of sending all data to a<br />
centralised location for processing<br />
is obsolete and won’t<br />
work for AI-driven applications,<br />
because there is simply not<br />
enough bandwidth, resulting in<br />
significant latency issues.<br />
Self-driving cars can generate<br />
10 gigabytes of data per mile,<br />
requiring single-digit millisecond<br />
response times to avoid<br />
collisions, communicate with<br />
nearby vehicles for optimising<br />
traffic flow and finding the best<br />
routes. Assuming there is a<br />
strong wireless signal, it takes<br />
150-250 milliseconds to communicate<br />
with a data centre.<br />
However, at 60mph, a<br />
250-millisecond delay corresponds<br />
to 21 feet – potentially<br />
the difference between being<br />
able to dodge an obstacle or<br />
not. This means more processing<br />
will be done at the<br />
“edge” of the network, rather<br />
than in huge data centres and<br />
therefore require increasing<br />
connectivity.<br />
So, the need will be for everincreasing<br />
amounts of bandwidth;<br />
this can be achieved by<br />
fibre, or a hybrid model of fibre<br />
and wireless. The technology<br />
is advancing rapidly, in fact so<br />
rapidly that Google is currently<br />
conducting trials with Nascar in<br />
the US to see how fast a car can<br />
go whilst still maintaining an<br />
uninterrupted wireless signal.<br />
But back to the NBN. The top<br />
tier 5 is 100 mbps down and<br />
40 up, known as asymmetrical.<br />
Sign up and depending on how<br />
many others sign up the following<br />
will happen. If you are<br />
on it by yourself at 2.34am you<br />
may get a reasonable download,<br />
BUT, add in a contention<br />
ratio – which means that the<br />
connection is shared among<br />
others – and it’s a different ball<br />
game. Say the contention ratio<br />
with Simon Bond<br />
is 30, and all those 30 are on at<br />
the same time watching Netflix,<br />
or on Facebook or Snapchat,<br />
Instagram, Twitter, You Tube<br />
or whatever. That means you<br />
divide 100 by 30 to get an average<br />
download of 3.33 mbps<br />
and an upload of 1.33 mbps.<br />
Hmm, not so future proof.<br />
Here in Newport we invested<br />
heavily in getting our own “dark<br />
fibre” connection to the building,<br />
initially lit to a gig – that is<br />
1,000 mpbs down and 1,000<br />
mbps up. Symmetrical, which<br />
means it’s ours. And all ours.<br />
Any on-site resident can<br />
theoretically participate in that<br />
1,000 mbps connection. If you<br />
“google” speedtest you can easily<br />
check your own connection<br />
speed. Then compare it to the<br />
one illustrated here.<br />
From my research, I can state<br />
that at this time, ‘Sandara’ in<br />
Newport Beach, Sydney, has the<br />
fastest residential internet connection<br />
in Australia.<br />
Imagine what that connection<br />
does for real estate value?<br />
NewportNet co-director Simon Bond has been actively involved<br />
in all aspects of Stockbroking since 1987. His focus is on how<br />
technology is changing the investment landscape, demographic<br />
trends and how they influence equity markets.<br />
52 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
Business <strong>Life</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 53
Business <strong>Life</strong>: Law<br />
Business <strong>Life</strong><br />
Responsible model of<br />
respecting body image<br />
The lazy days of summer<br />
are fast approaching and<br />
this year it is projected<br />
to be be a long, hot one. Hence<br />
it won’t be too long before<br />
we’ll be searching out the<br />
lighter clothes, beach wear and<br />
swimming costumes.<br />
The latter can bring the<br />
confronting realisation that<br />
perhaps over the winter days a<br />
little too much indulgent eating<br />
and drinking has occurred,<br />
altering one’s body shape and<br />
size. A look in the mirror as well<br />
as a step on the scales serves to<br />
confirm early fears.<br />
At the same time fashion<br />
shows, magazines and other<br />
media display slim and beautiful<br />
models which challenge the<br />
viewer and often activates<br />
eating disorders among men<br />
and women as they try to<br />
cope with what they consider<br />
inadequate body image.<br />
Four per cent of Australians<br />
– or approximately one million<br />
people – suffer from an eating<br />
disorder. The figure doubles<br />
among young Australian<br />
women, with 10 per cent<br />
between the ages of 14-24<br />
suffering from an eating<br />
disorder. Eating disorders are<br />
the second most likely cause of<br />
young women being admitted<br />
to hospital. Such statistics<br />
are adding to a movement to<br />
legislate healthier body image<br />
requirements into law.<br />
Internationally, Israel and<br />
France have passed legislation<br />
designed to regulate the<br />
advertising fashion and media<br />
industries from photoshopping<br />
images so that women appear<br />
thinner and more attractive, as<br />
has been the ideal in Western<br />
countries for many decades.<br />
The “ideal” body is a thin one.<br />
Photoshopping is a common<br />
method of digitally editing<br />
images featured in fashion<br />
magazine spreads’ advertising<br />
campaigns to make models<br />
appear slimmer or more<br />
aesthetically attractive.<br />
As the American Medical<br />
Association stated in a press<br />
release in 2011 condemning<br />
excessive image alteration:<br />
“The appearance of<br />
advertisements with extremely<br />
altered models can create<br />
unrealistic expectations of<br />
appropriate body image. In one<br />
image, a model’s waist was<br />
slimmed so severely, her head<br />
appeared to be wider than her<br />
waist. We must stop exposing<br />
impressionable children and<br />
teenagers to advertisements<br />
portraying models with body<br />
types only attainable with the<br />
help of photo editing software.”<br />
Models in Israel and France<br />
are required, among other<br />
matters, to present a medical<br />
certificate confirming that their<br />
health, assessed in particular<br />
terms of Body Mass Index<br />
(BMI), is compatible with the<br />
practice of the modelling<br />
profession before being cast for<br />
a modelling job.<br />
Body Mass Index, calculated<br />
by dividing an individual’s<br />
weight in kilograms by their<br />
height in metres squared, is<br />
supposed to indicate whether<br />
someone is underweight,<br />
healthy or overweight. (The BMI<br />
test is controversial on the basis<br />
with Jennifer Harris<br />
that a low BMI is not necessarily<br />
indicative of an eating disorder<br />
and the laws may be unfair to<br />
the naturally thin model.)<br />
The Israeli Government<br />
passed The Act Limiting Weight<br />
in the Modelling Industry 2012<br />
(Israeli Photoshop Law) under<br />
which the model must provide<br />
a medical certificate which<br />
has been supplied in the past<br />
three months stating that they<br />
have a BMI of at least 18.5 in<br />
order to work. If an image is<br />
photoshopped making the<br />
model appear thinner, the image<br />
must state that it has been<br />
modified. And the statement<br />
must convey it’s at least seven<br />
per cent of the image and it<br />
must be clearly visible.<br />
The Israeli law is criticised<br />
by some commentators as<br />
having inadequate sanctions.<br />
Unlike the French law, where<br />
criminal sanctions for a breach<br />
of the law applies, a breach<br />
of the Israeli law only offers<br />
civil actions which would be<br />
almost impossible to prove. For<br />
example, it would be difficult<br />
to mount an action on the basis<br />
that a publication caused a child<br />
to suffer from an eating disorder<br />
and poor body image.<br />
By contrast, the French law<br />
provides specific criminal<br />
sanctions for breach of the<br />
law – for example if someone<br />
modifies an image to make a<br />
model appear thinner, then<br />
a warning must accompany<br />
54 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
the image that states “edited<br />
photograph”. If the warning<br />
is omitted there may be a<br />
fine of 37,500 Euro, or 30 per<br />
cent of the amount spent on<br />
advertising. And if a modelling<br />
agency earns money from<br />
employing a model who has a<br />
BMI less than the one required<br />
by law, its directors can face six<br />
months in prison and a 75,000<br />
Euro fine.<br />
Other countries have in<br />
varying ways taken steps to<br />
legislate or regulate in this area.<br />
Argentina in 2005 passed a<br />
law requiring stores in Buenos<br />
Aries to carry larger sizes of<br />
clothing because they were<br />
selling clothes only 30 per<br />
cent of women could fit into;<br />
in 2006 Spain banned very<br />
thin models from participating<br />
in fashion shows after two<br />
models died, and in 2010<br />
its parliament passed a law<br />
forbidding television networks<br />
from showing advertisements<br />
for plastic surgery, diet products<br />
and some cosmetics during<br />
certain hours; Italian fashion<br />
administrators in Milan have<br />
been enforcing the BMI test<br />
before models can participate<br />
in its famous fashion shows;<br />
the UK has had a parliamentary<br />
inquiry and the subject is<br />
ongoing (however, from July<br />
2016 advertisements on public<br />
transport in London cannot<br />
feature models whose figures<br />
may negatively impact upon<br />
the public’s body image); and<br />
in Trondheim, Norway, similar<br />
regulations were introduced.<br />
So much for overseas… what<br />
have we done in Australia?<br />
In 2009 the then Minister for<br />
Youth, Kate Ellis, established<br />
the National Advisory Group on<br />
Body Image, which in due course<br />
created the voluntary industry<br />
code of conduct on body image<br />
that encourages businesses not<br />
to photoshop models so that<br />
their figures look “unrealistic<br />
or unattainable”. An awards<br />
scheme encouraging positive<br />
image was announced.<br />
However, Mia Freedman, who<br />
chaired the advisory group, has<br />
stated that the voluntary code<br />
is not working. She asked the<br />
government to make the code<br />
mandatory but last year The<br />
Minister for Women, Michaela<br />
Cash, reportedly said that the<br />
federal government would not<br />
follow French moves to ban<br />
“super-skinny” models. She said<br />
the industry needed to take<br />
action and not the government.<br />
The issue of body image and<br />
eating disorders has however<br />
attracted academic attention<br />
and writing. They have noted<br />
“Body Image Law is part Fashion<br />
Law (Fashion Law involves<br />
Trademark law, Copyright<br />
Law, Employment Law, and<br />
Corporate Law, among other<br />
areas) because it affects aspects<br />
of fashion Models’ work. It is<br />
also Part Health Law because it<br />
involves trying to improve the<br />
health of the public, or more<br />
specifically, the body image<br />
among the general public.”<br />
So while you ponder what<br />
to wear this summer, don’t be<br />
disheartened; just be yourself<br />
and enjoy the lazy, hot days.<br />
Comment supplied by<br />
Jennifer Harris, of Jennifer<br />
Harris & Associates, Solicitors,<br />
4/57 Avalon Parade,<br />
Avalon Beach.<br />
T: 9973 2011. F: 9918 3290.<br />
E: jenniferha@pacific.net.au<br />
W: www.jenniferharris.com.au<br />
Business <strong>Life</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 55
Trades & Services<br />
Trades & Services<br />
AUTO REPAIRS<br />
British & Swedish<br />
Motors<br />
Call 9970 6654<br />
Services Range Rover, Land<br />
Rover, Saab and Volvo with the<br />
latest in diagnostic equipment.<br />
Narrabeen Tyrepower<br />
Call 9970 6670<br />
Stocks all popular brands<br />
including Cooper 4WD. Plus<br />
they’ll do all mechanical repairs<br />
and rego inspections.<br />
Barrenjoey<br />
Smash Repairs<br />
Call 9970 8207<br />
barrenjoeysmashrepairs.com.au<br />
Re-sprays a specialty, plus<br />
restoration of your favourite vehicle.<br />
Commercial vehicle specialist.<br />
BOAT SERVICES<br />
Avalon Marine<br />
Upholstery<br />
Call Simon 9918 9803<br />
Makes cushions for boats,<br />
patio and pool furniture,<br />
window seats.<br />
KB Marine<br />
Call Pami 9913 3522<br />
New owner; one-stop shop for<br />
sales, service and repairs of<br />
outboard and inboard Mercury<br />
engines, boats and trailers.<br />
ELECTRICAL<br />
Eamon Dowling<br />
Electrical<br />
Call 0410 457 373<br />
For all electrical, phone, TV,<br />
data and security needs.<br />
FLOOR COVERINGS<br />
Blue Tongue Carpets<br />
Call Stephan 9979 7292<br />
Family owned and run. Carpet,<br />
rugs, runners, timber, bamboo,<br />
vinyl, tiles & laminates.<br />
Open 6 days.<br />
GARDENS<br />
Graham Brooks<br />
Call 0412 281 580<br />
Tree pruning and removals.<br />
Reports regarding DA tree management,<br />
arborist reports.<br />
Precision Tree Services<br />
Call Adam 0410 736 105<br />
Adam Bridger; professional tree<br />
care by qualified arborists and<br />
tree surgeons.<br />
CLEANING<br />
The Aqua Clean Team<br />
Call Mark 0449 049 101<br />
Quality window washing,<br />
pressure cleaning, carpet<br />
washing, building soft wash.<br />
Martin Earl House Wash<br />
Call 0405 583 305<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong>-based owner on site at<br />
all times. No travellers or uninsured<br />
casuals on your property.<br />
House Washing<br />
Northern Beaches<br />
Call Ben 0408 682 525<br />
Family-run housewashing –<br />
exteriors, high-pressure cleaning<br />
and soft washing; 18 years<br />
on the Northern Beaches.<br />
LAWN CARE<br />
Platinum Turf Solutions<br />
Call Liam 0412 692 578<br />
Specialists in turf supply &<br />
installation, lawn care & cylinder<br />
mowing, full lawn construction,<br />
turf renovations, maintenance.<br />
MASSAGE & FITNESS<br />
Avalon Physiotherapy<br />
Call 9918 3373<br />
Provide specialist treatment for<br />
neck & back pain, sports injuries,<br />
orthopaedic problems.<br />
Avalon Physiotherapy<br />
& Clinical Pilates<br />
Call 9918 0230<br />
Dry needling and acupuncture,<br />
falls prevention and balance<br />
enhancement programs.<br />
Avalon Beach<br />
Chiropractic<br />
Call 9918 0070<br />
Professional care for all ages.<br />
Treatment for chronic and acute<br />
pain, sports injuries.<br />
NJF Exercise Physio<br />
Call 0449 713 472<br />
Increase mobility. Entitled<br />
Department of Veterans Affairs<br />
(DVA) clients may be referred for<br />
clinically necessary treatment<br />
on a valid D904 referral form.<br />
Francois Naef/Osteopath<br />
Call 9918 2288<br />
Diagnosis, treatment and<br />
prevention for back pain and<br />
sciatica, sports injuries, muscle<br />
soreness and strain, pregnancyrelated<br />
pain, postural imbalance.<br />
PAINTING<br />
Contrast Colour<br />
Call 0431 004 421<br />
Locals Josef and Richard offer<br />
quality painting services. Tidy,<br />
reliable, they’ll help consult<br />
on the best type of paint for<br />
your job.<br />
Modern Colour<br />
Call 0406 150 555<br />
Simon Bergin offers painting<br />
and decorating; clean, tidy,<br />
quality detail you will notice.<br />
Dependable and on time.<br />
Painting & Decorating<br />
Call 0418 116 700<br />
Andrew is a master painter with<br />
30 years’ experience. Domestic<br />
and commercial; reasonable<br />
rates, free quotes.<br />
56 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
Trades & Services<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 57
Trades & Services<br />
UPHOLSTERY<br />
Luxafoam North<br />
Call 9999 5567<br />
Local specialists in all aspects<br />
of outdoor & indoor seating.<br />
Custom service and expert<br />
advice.<br />
Susan Ottowa<br />
Call Susan 0422 466 880<br />
Specialist in day bed and outdoor<br />
areas. Reliable local service.<br />
Domestic & commercial.<br />
Leather Hero<br />
Call 0490 796 012<br />
Northern Beaches-based<br />
specialists in leather cleaning,<br />
revamps, repairs and colour restoration.<br />
Clean in time for Xmas.<br />
PUMPS & TANKS<br />
Water Warehouse<br />
Call 9913 7988<br />
waterwarehouse.com.au<br />
Rainwater tanks & pumps. Irrigation<br />
& filter supply specialists.<br />
RENOVATIONS<br />
Rob Burgers<br />
Call 0416 066 159<br />
Qualified builder provides all<br />
carpentry needs; decks, pergolas,<br />
carports, renovations and<br />
repairs.<br />
Underdeck<br />
Call Adrian 0417 591 113<br />
Waterproof under your deck and<br />
turn the area into usable space<br />
all year round.<br />
Advertise your<br />
Business in<br />
Trades<br />
& Services<br />
section<br />
Phone<br />
0438 123 096<br />
DISCLAIMER: The<br />
editorial and advertising<br />
content in <strong>Pittwater</strong> <strong>Life</strong><br />
has been provided by a<br />
number of sources. Any<br />
opinions expressed are<br />
not necessarily those of<br />
the Editor or Publisher<br />
of <strong>Pittwater</strong> <strong>Life</strong> and<br />
no responsibility is<br />
taken for the accuracy<br />
of the information<br />
contained within. Readers<br />
should make their own<br />
enquiries directly to any<br />
organisations or businesses<br />
prior to making any plans<br />
or taking any action.<br />
Trades & Services<br />
PEST CONTROL<br />
Predator Pest Control<br />
Call 0417 276 962<br />
predatorpestcontrol.com.au<br />
Environmental services at their<br />
best. Comprehensive control.<br />
They provide a 24-hour service.<br />
SunSpec<br />
Call Dustin 0413 737 934<br />
sunspec.com.au<br />
All-aluminium, rust-proof<br />
remote-controlled opening roofs<br />
& awnings. Beats competitor’s<br />
prices.<br />
58 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
the<br />
good<br />
life<br />
dining<br />
food<br />
crossword<br />
gardening<br />
travel<br />
60<br />
64<br />
67<br />
68<br />
72<br />
Showtime<br />
Better look out<br />
the ’80s are back<br />
A brand new show for any fan<br />
of the ’80s. Back to the ’80s<br />
– The Music Video Show has<br />
been described as the perfect<br />
mix of seeing a live band,<br />
flashback videos and a disco<br />
all in one. Bringing back the<br />
good and not so good – think<br />
mullets, shoulder pads and<br />
acid-washed jeans – of the<br />
era you will see the best MTV<br />
videos played on three big<br />
screens accompnied by a live<br />
band in perfect lip sync. Get<br />
a group of friends together<br />
for this one but you better<br />
act quickly as tickets for<br />
the show at the Royal Motor<br />
Yacht Club in Newport at 8pm<br />
on Nov 25 ase selling fast.<br />
More info at royalmotor.<br />
com.au.<br />
Night of laughs<br />
and happy tears<br />
Laugh out loud when the<br />
Comedy All Stars Gala lights<br />
up Dee Why RSL on Friday<br />
Nov 10. Catch Australian<br />
multi-award winning comic<br />
the internationally acclaimed,<br />
gobsmackingly excellent<br />
Jackie Loeb on one of her<br />
visits back home. Also<br />
starring in this show is the<br />
loveable, quick-witted and<br />
clever Nova radio morning<br />
host Greg Burns. The pair will<br />
be supported by Bill D’Arcy<br />
and Lizzy Hoo with MC Simon<br />
Kennedy live on stage from<br />
8pm. Bookings<br />
at deewhyrsl.com.au.<br />
For some the ’80s<br />
just keeps giving<br />
Direct fromt he ’80s, idols<br />
of the oz music scene Scott<br />
Carne ( Kids In the Kitchen),<br />
Brian Mannix (Uncanny<br />
Xmen), Sean Kelly (The<br />
Models), Fred Loneragan<br />
(Machinations) and Paul<br />
Gray (Wa Wa Nee) with the<br />
Absolutely ’80s Band are<br />
celebrating 11 years of<br />
touring with their ‘1 Louder<br />
Tour’ in a high octane two<br />
hour show (18 years and<br />
over) at Dee Why RSL on<br />
Friday Nov 17. Do yourself<br />
a favour and catch this gig<br />
and all the big hits of the<br />
Countdown era.<br />
Get a Handel<br />
on Christmas<br />
Start the festive season<br />
on the first weekend in<br />
December with an uplifting<br />
concert in the stunning<br />
Cardinal Cerretti Chapel in<br />
the castle overlooking Manly.<br />
The Manly-Warringah<br />
Choir with orchestra and<br />
soloists will present two<br />
Majestic Christmas Concerts<br />
featuring Bach Magnificat,<br />
Schubert Symphony No<br />
5, Handel – Corona tion<br />
Anthems and modern and<br />
traditional carols (audience<br />
participation optional!).<br />
The Saturday December 2<br />
concert will begin at 7.30pm<br />
while the Sunday Dec ember<br />
3 performance starts at<br />
4pm, followed by light<br />
refreshments.<br />
Pictured is soloist Hayden<br />
Barrington (baritone)<br />
who is studying elite<br />
performance at the Sydney<br />
Conservatorium of Music. He<br />
will be joined by MWC’s long<br />
time favourite soprano Anita<br />
Kyle, Naomi Giselle (second<br />
soprano), Anna Yun (alto)<br />
and Ryan O’Donnell (tenor).<br />
The conductor is Carlos<br />
Alvarado.<br />
Tickets $50 available<br />
through manly<br />
warringahchoir.org.au or<br />
call 0432 656 798 for more<br />
information.<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 59<br />
Showtime
Dining Guide<br />
<strong>November</strong>’s best restaurants, functions, events and reader deals...<br />
Dining Guide<br />
Bistro 61<br />
Avalon Beach RSL<br />
1 Bowling Green Lane<br />
Avalon Beach<br />
OPENING HOURS<br />
Open 7 days<br />
Lunch 12pm-2:30pm<br />
Dinner 5:30-8:30pm<br />
CUISINE<br />
Modern Aust / pub food<br />
PRICE RANGE<br />
Meals $8-$30<br />
Specials $12-$15<br />
BOOKINGS 9918 2201<br />
Avalon Beach RSL’s new<br />
Bistro 61 is a great place<br />
to head for a local meal,<br />
offering tasty modern<br />
Australian dishes at<br />
affordable prices.<br />
Book now for ‘Melbourne<br />
Cup by the Park’ on Tuesday<br />
<strong>November</strong> 7 with a threecourse<br />
lunch including bubbles<br />
and canapes on arrival ($65<br />
members; $69 non-members).<br />
Strictly limited tickets left.<br />
Great music acts on<br />
Saturdays include Rogue<br />
Company (9th), The Maybes<br />
(11th), Shade Of Red (18th)<br />
and Bonnie Johnston (18th).<br />
Happy Hour is now every<br />
Monday, Tuesday & Friday<br />
from 4-6pm.<br />
Bistro 61 has been named<br />
It’s been a busy few months for iconic<br />
local restaurant and boutique hotel<br />
Jonah’s at Whale Beach, with the<br />
appointment of a new Executive Chef<br />
and a luxurious rooms transformation.<br />
The stunning renovation, driven<br />
by interior designers Baxter & Thrum,<br />
pays homage to Jonah’s breathtaking<br />
beachside, clifftop location. It<br />
encompasses 11 rooms including the<br />
opulent Peninsula Room, offering more<br />
space with beautifully crafted furniture<br />
pieces and a separate living area to<br />
bedrooms, with the treatment in a<br />
neutral palette with gold accents.<br />
The hotel’s overall room design<br />
allows guests to relax, indulge<br />
and completely unwind while<br />
enjoying thoughtful touches such as<br />
to commemorate the opening<br />
of the Club in 1961. The<br />
kitchen – led by experienced<br />
Northern Beaches head chef<br />
Mitch Blundell, boasts all<br />
fresh, house-made meals, with<br />
locally sourced ingredients.<br />
Open for lunch and dinner<br />
seven days, with extensive<br />
outdoor dining areas, Bistro<br />
61 offers a variety of specials<br />
(lunch and dinner) during the<br />
week, including $12 tacos<br />
(Tues), $15 Chicken Schnitzels<br />
(Wed), 2-4-1 pizzas (Thurs),<br />
and a $20 burger + beer (Fri).<br />
Seniors are well catered<br />
for – there are daily Seniors<br />
specials, including beerbattered<br />
flathead – plus they<br />
do a $5 kids meals on Sundays!<br />
(There’s a playground, too.)<br />
From the menu, chef<br />
Mitch recommends his twist<br />
on nachos – pulled beef and<br />
blackbeans with chipotle,<br />
corn chips, guacamole,<br />
Danish fetta and coriander.<br />
Members get discounts on<br />
meals purchased. Membership<br />
starts from $5.50.<br />
The club is licensed, with<br />
no BYO. Bookings online or<br />
call 9918 2201 – large groups<br />
welcome.<br />
Head to Avalon RSL for<br />
APL Poker Tournaments on<br />
Tuesdays and Thursdays.<br />
Visit avalonrsl.com.au/<br />
bistro-61<br />
Royal Motor<br />
Yacht Club<br />
Salt Cove on <strong>Pittwater</strong><br />
46 Prince Alfred<br />
Parade, Newport<br />
OPENING HOURS<br />
Breakfast Lunch & Dinner<br />
Mon-Fri from 8.30am<br />
Weekends from 8am<br />
PRICE RANGE<br />
Breakfast from $8-$18<br />
Entrees from $9-$21<br />
Mains from $16-$26<br />
BOOKINGS 9997 5511<br />
RMYC’s restaurant Salt<br />
Cove on <strong>Pittwater</strong>’s menu<br />
offers affordable meals and<br />
generous servings including<br />
a variety of starters and share<br />
plates, seafood, burgers,<br />
grills, salads, desserts and<br />
woodfired pizza.<br />
Great Friday night<br />
entertainment in <strong>November</strong><br />
kicks off in the Lounge Bar<br />
from 7.30pm. Acts appearing<br />
include Phil Simmons (3rd), Alex<br />
Roussos (10th), Keff McCulloch<br />
(17th) and Geoff Kendall (24th).<br />
Don’t miss the <strong>2017</strong> Timber<br />
Boat Festival 10am-4pm on<br />
<strong>November</strong> 4-5.<br />
And book now for the ‘Back<br />
To The ’80s’ show on Sunday<br />
<strong>November</strong> 25.<br />
complimentary video on demand, free<br />
WIFI, USB charger outlets, high pressure<br />
walk-in showers, automated curtains,<br />
indulgent mini bar with Vittoria coffee<br />
machines and hand-crafted World Luxury<br />
Series king beds from A.H. Beard.<br />
Jonah’s also welcomed Executive<br />
Chef Matteo Zamboni to the kitchen.<br />
Trivia is held every Tuesday<br />
night from 7.30pm (great<br />
prizes and vouchers).<br />
Club social memberships<br />
are available for just $160.<br />
The Mirage<br />
Restaurant<br />
at Metro Hotel<br />
Mirage Newport<br />
2 Queens Parade West,<br />
Newport<br />
CUISINE<br />
Modern Australian<br />
PRICE RANGE<br />
Breakfast – $25 adults,<br />
$12.50 kids (5-12)<br />
Dinner – entrees<br />
from $7-$17,<br />
Mains from $21-$30,<br />
Desserts from $13-$25<br />
BOOKINGS 9997 7011<br />
This boutique waterfront hotel<br />
is now taking bookings for its<br />
popular traditional Christmas<br />
Day Buffet Lunch, commencing<br />
at 12 noon on December 25.<br />
Guests will enjoy a sumptuous<br />
Christmas menu created by Head<br />
Chef, Raul Farnea.<br />
At a fixed price of $150 for<br />
adults and $65 for children<br />
(5-12 years), guests will enjoy<br />
everything from Italian-style<br />
porchetta with crunchy crackling<br />
New double-take at iconic Jonah’s<br />
Italian-born Matteo has recently<br />
launched new menus across the<br />
property including A La Carte and<br />
Degustation menus along with in-room<br />
dining, terrace and function menus.<br />
Matteo’s impressive career has<br />
included opening his own restaurant<br />
Zambo in Surry Hills, prior to that he<br />
worked at 2 Hatted Pilu in Freshwater<br />
as Head Chef, 2 Hatted Ormeggio at<br />
the Spit, 3 Hatted Quay Restaurant<br />
Sydney, 3 Michelin Star RyuGin in<br />
Tokyo, and Head Chef for the royal<br />
family in Qatar, Doha.<br />
Matteo’s menus showcase<br />
contemporary Australian cuisine with<br />
Italian influences. Jonah’s current<br />
Spring menu is available seven days a<br />
week for lunch and dinner.<br />
60<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
and roasted turkey filled<br />
with dried fruit and nuts, to<br />
a selection of fresh seafood<br />
including oysters, king prawns,<br />
house-smoked salmon,<br />
Moreton Bay bugs and blue<br />
swimmer crabs. Whether it’s<br />
traditional roasted vegetables<br />
or a variety of summer salads<br />
you are after, the buffet has<br />
all the sides you could want,<br />
including an antipasto platter<br />
of Italian charcuterie, marinated<br />
olives, pickles, assorted<br />
cheeses and dips.<br />
A choice of desserts will be<br />
available, including a traditional<br />
Christmas pudding with brandy<br />
sauce and berry Christmas<br />
pavlova. Tea and coffee and<br />
gingerbread cookies are also<br />
included (other beverages are<br />
additional cost).<br />
Bookings 9997 7011.<br />
Pizzico Italiano<br />
2 Simmonds Lane<br />
Avalon Beach<br />
PRICE RANGE<br />
Entrees from $17.50<br />
Mains from $24.50<br />
BOOKINGS 9918 8717<br />
Family-owned Pizzico is<br />
introduce relaxing ‘Aperitivo’<br />
summer dining sessions<br />
this month with extended<br />
hours Friday through Sunday,<br />
from 2pm-6pm, with a light<br />
tapas-style menu inspired by<br />
summers on the Amalfi coast<br />
and accompanied by Aperol<br />
spritz, cocktails, Italian wines<br />
and imported beers.<br />
Brother and sister Elena<br />
and Mauritzio and mamma<br />
Giovanna have crafted a menu<br />
that sings with traditional<br />
treats and flavours including<br />
Elena’s favourite pasta offering,<br />
pappardelle with slowcooked<br />
lamb ragu, topped with<br />
parmigiano reggiano.<br />
Other offerings include<br />
Nonna’s house-made gnocchi<br />
baked and served in a clay pot,<br />
Spaghetti barcaiola with fresh<br />
local seafood, lamb scottadito,<br />
stuffed zucchini flowers, while<br />
the specials menu regularly<br />
features duck, quail, fish and<br />
house-made pasta.<br />
As part of the Aperitivo<br />
by Pizzico menu, expect<br />
house-made fried bread with a<br />
selection of cured meats and<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
cheeses, fresh buffalo ricotta<br />
and mozzarella, antipasto platters,<br />
sardines scapece, Burrata<br />
cheese, and traditional street<br />
food from Napoli.<br />
More info on facebook.<br />
com / pizzicoitaliano<br />
Barrenjoey<br />
Bistro<br />
Club Palm Beach<br />
1087 Barrenjoey Rd,<br />
Palm Beach<br />
BISTRO OPENING HOURS<br />
Lunch 11:30am-2.30pm<br />
Dinner 6pm-8.30pm<br />
PRICE RANGE<br />
Lunch and dinner<br />
specials $13.50<br />
BOOKINGS 9974 5566<br />
Conveniently located just a<br />
short stroll from Palm Beach<br />
Wharf, celebrate Melbourne<br />
Cup on <strong>November</strong> 7 with a<br />
Bucket of Prawns and glass<br />
of champagne for $26.50pp.<br />
The Members’ lucky badge<br />
draw is held Wednesday and<br />
Friday night (every 30 mins<br />
between 5pm-7pm), and<br />
jackpots by $100 each week.<br />
Wednesday and Sunday<br />
are meat raffle nights, with a<br />
whopping 14 trays to be won.<br />
Enjoy Trivia Night from<br />
5.30pm on Wednesdays, plus<br />
Bingo at 10am on Fridays.<br />
The club’s Barrenjoey<br />
Bistro is open for lunch<br />
(11.30am to 2.30pm) and<br />
dinner (6pm to 8.30pm) seven<br />
days. The Bistro serves topvalue<br />
a la carte meals plus<br />
daily $13.50 specials of roasts<br />
(Mondays), rump steak with<br />
chips and salad (Tuesdays),<br />
chicken schnitzel with chips<br />
and salad (Wednesdays),<br />
homemade gourmet pies with<br />
chips and salad (Thursdays)<br />
and fish and chips with salad<br />
(Fridays), except public hols.<br />
Entrees on the a la carte<br />
menu range from $10.50 to<br />
$17.50 (mains $14.50 to $25).<br />
The club has a courtesy<br />
bus that makes regular runs<br />
Wednesdays, Fridays and<br />
Saturdays from 4.30pm to<br />
9pm. Ring to book a pick-up.<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 61<br />
Dining Guide
Dining Guide<br />
Dining Guide<br />
Hong Kong<br />
Chinese Restaurant<br />
332 Barrenjoey Rd,<br />
Newport<br />
OPENING HOURS<br />
Dinner Tues-Sun 5pm<br />
CUISINE<br />
Chinese & Asian<br />
PRICE RANGE<br />
Entrees $5-20<br />
Mains $12.90-26.50<br />
*Deliver Whale Beach - Narrabeen<br />
BOOKINGS 9997 4157<br />
LIC<br />
BYO<br />
All<br />
Book a table at this<br />
popular Newport eatery in<br />
<strong>November</strong> and your family<br />
is guaranteed a great night<br />
out with a feast for the eyes<br />
and the tastebuds.<br />
Order ahead for their<br />
wonderful Peking Duck which<br />
is offered as a dine-in-only<br />
special Thursdays through<br />
Sundays in Spring.<br />
There are two traditional<br />
P<br />
courses: Peking Duck<br />
pancakes & duck sang choy<br />
bow (bookings essential;<br />
mention the ad when you call).<br />
This long-established<br />
restaurant on the eastern<br />
side of Barrenjoey Rd has<br />
an extensive menu based<br />
on traditional flavoursome<br />
Cantonese with touches of<br />
spicy Szechuan and other<br />
Asian dishes and fresh<br />
seasonal vegetables.<br />
Entrees start at just $6<br />
while mains are great value<br />
too, starting at $16.80.<br />
The menu ranges from<br />
adventurous, like a Sizzling<br />
Szechuan-style Platter of<br />
king prawns and fillets of<br />
chicken, to contemporary,<br />
featuring spicy salt and<br />
pepper king prawns, to<br />
traditional, with favourites<br />
including Mongolian lamb,<br />
Honey king prawns and<br />
Honey chicken.<br />
New dishes are introduced<br />
regularly so make sure you<br />
check out the blackboard<br />
specials.<br />
The team are only too<br />
happy to home deliver your<br />
meal, with a range that takes<br />
in Narrabeen to the south to<br />
Palm Beach in the north.<br />
Fully licensed or BYO.<br />
Sabiang<br />
Thai Restaurant<br />
4/49 Old Barrenjoey Rd,<br />
Avalon<br />
OPENING HOURS<br />
Lunch 11.30am – 3pm 7 days<br />
Dinner 5-10pm 7 days<br />
CUISINE<br />
Thai<br />
PRICE RANGE<br />
Entrees from $8<br />
Mains $15-$28<br />
BOOKINGS 9918 3292<br />
Sabiang Thai is Avalon<br />
Beach’s newest dining<br />
destination – and if you’re<br />
craving some traditional<br />
Thai ‘street food’ fare as well<br />
as hearty curry favourites,<br />
you’ll come away licking<br />
your lips at the menu<br />
The Mill: small bar, big vision<br />
Restaurant-goers<br />
are spoilt for<br />
choice in Avalon but if<br />
you’re looking to get<br />
together with friends<br />
for a late-afternoon<br />
drink, a small bite<br />
or something more<br />
substantial, you need<br />
to know where to go.<br />
Stepping up to the<br />
‘plate’ with renewed<br />
energy is The Mill @<br />
Avalon Beach, with a<br />
revamp to its offerings<br />
and vibe at its welcoming<br />
modern space in Avalon<br />
Parade.<br />
Owner Nathan Livotto<br />
(above left) has joined forces<br />
with industry-renowned chef<br />
Hayden Ellerton, who has<br />
crafted a new-look menu,<br />
which will feature market-fresh<br />
produce to complement the<br />
extensive range of cocktails,<br />
wines and beers (including<br />
micro-brewery draughts).<br />
“After four years, the run-in<br />
to this summer gives us the<br />
opportunity to refresh things,”<br />
said Nathan.<br />
“We want people to know<br />
we have great, sophisticated<br />
mains and substantial sharemeal<br />
options, so they can stay<br />
and relax rather than grab a<br />
quick drink and think about<br />
where to move on to dinner.<br />
“Our aim is to provide<br />
the right atmosphere, great<br />
drinks and variety of quality<br />
dining options so they can<br />
settle in and really enjoy our<br />
small bar experience, which<br />
includes great live music<br />
Friday through Sunday.”<br />
Hayden said he was looking<br />
forward to creating<br />
new offerings for the<br />
menu every couple of<br />
weeks, based on the<br />
availability of seasonal<br />
produce.<br />
A current ‘wow’<br />
dish is Hayden’s<br />
moreish Kingfish<br />
Ceviche with blood<br />
orange, stinging<br />
nettles and bottarga<br />
(right) – the ideal<br />
‘small bite’ that goes<br />
great with a glass of<br />
Semillon or crisp beer.<br />
There’s a selection of<br />
French and Spanish cheeses,<br />
schiacciata (Italian flat bread)<br />
with prosciutto, roast garlic<br />
and parmesan, while large<br />
share plates include Baked<br />
Snapper, celeriac remoulade,<br />
watercress, coriander seed<br />
and lemon.<br />
“We are a small bar<br />
producing contemporary,<br />
tasty, thoughtful bites,<br />
including beautiful oysters,<br />
delicious pizze and wellexecuted<br />
main-size meals<br />
62 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
formulated by co-owner Mint<br />
and team.<br />
Chef’s specials include<br />
‘Angry Seafood’ (a spicy<br />
seafood stir-fry), Pad Cha<br />
Duck (stir-fried with wild<br />
ginger, basil, red chilli and<br />
green peppercorn), and<br />
‘Heavenly’ Sizzling Beef<br />
(marinated in sesame oil with<br />
oyster sauce, onion, shallot<br />
and roasted sesame seeds).<br />
Enjoy Larb Chicken Mince<br />
– which features chicken,<br />
chillies, toasted rice, onion<br />
and mint – or the Kana Moo<br />
Grob, which is a stir-fry<br />
broccoli dish with oyster sauce<br />
and garlic. For street food you<br />
can’t go past the crispy skin<br />
pork stir fry with green beans,<br />
red chilli, kaffir lime leaves<br />
and prik khing sauce.<br />
Or try their delectable<br />
seafood dishes including<br />
whole fried baby barramundi,<br />
crispy soft shell crab or salt<br />
and pepper squid.<br />
Fried rice, noodle dishes,<br />
curry, and soups are also<br />
favourites...<br />
Located near the corner<br />
where sharing is encouraged,”<br />
said Hayden.<br />
“I’m really looking forward<br />
to what other great ideas<br />
we can come up with in the<br />
coming months.”<br />
The Mill @ Avalon Beach (19<br />
Avalon Pde) is open Tuesday<br />
to Sunday, 3pm to late.<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
of Old Barrenjoey Road and<br />
Avalon Parade, Sabiang<br />
boasts a smart, industrialstyle<br />
interior with soft<br />
colours and soothing blackand-white<br />
wall prints.<br />
There’s outdoor seating<br />
too – perfect as the weather<br />
heats up. Open seven days;<br />
takeaway pick-up or delivery.<br />
Riva Bar &<br />
Kitchen<br />
8/57 Avalon Pde,<br />
Avalon Beach<br />
OPENING HOURS<br />
Lunch 11.30am-3pm Wed-Sat<br />
Dinner 5.30-10pm Mon-Sat<br />
CUISINE<br />
Modern Australian<br />
PRICE RANGE<br />
Entrees $14-$19<br />
Mains $30-$32<br />
Desserts $14<br />
BOOKINGS 9918 4007<br />
Avalon’s latest up-market<br />
eatery boasts a stylish<br />
interior and mouth-watering<br />
contemporary menu crafted<br />
by experienced chef Rishi<br />
(ex Berowra Waters Inn) at<br />
exceptional value (3-course<br />
special only $55).<br />
Tuck into entrees including<br />
Kingfish Carpaccio, lime,<br />
chilli vinaigrette and pickled<br />
cucumber and watercress<br />
salad, or Crispy-skin Pork<br />
Belly with port-braised<br />
cabbage and apple and<br />
saffron puree (both ($16).<br />
Mains include Slowpoached<br />
Salmon, dried olives,<br />
orange and fennel and ginger<br />
cream, Baby Chicken stuffed<br />
with pistachios, porcine<br />
and brioche served with<br />
mushroom sauce (both $30),<br />
and 8-hours Slow-cooked<br />
Glazed Wagyu Beef Brisket,<br />
truffle mashed potato, speck<br />
and wild mushroom ($32).<br />
Plus all vegan, vegetarian,<br />
gluten-free, nut allergy or<br />
other special requirements<br />
can be catered for with<br />
advance notice.<br />
Kids meals Including Fish<br />
and Chips, Pasta or Chicken<br />
and Chips) are $12; BYO<br />
offered only Monday, Tuesday<br />
and Wednesday. Bookings<br />
9918 4007.<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 63<br />
Dining Guide
Food <strong>Life</strong><br />
For more recipes go to www.janellebloom.com.au<br />
Food <strong>Life</strong><br />
Recipes: Janelle Bloom Photos: Steve Brown and Benito Martin<br />
Creating your own gourmet,<br />
cafe-style breakfasts at home<br />
We are spoilt for choice<br />
when it comes to<br />
cafes and breakfast<br />
options on the northern<br />
beaches. While there is nothing<br />
more relaxing than sitting<br />
along our stunning coastline<br />
watching the surf break, sipping<br />
a latte and enjoying a<br />
cooked breakfast, it can be an<br />
expensive family outing. While<br />
we encourage you to eat local,<br />
here are some great recipes<br />
with plenty of tips so you can<br />
create your own café breakfast<br />
at home.<br />
Café-style scrambled<br />
eggs with roasted<br />
tomatoes<br />
Serves 4<br />
400g Solanato tomatoes (these<br />
are sweet and perfect for<br />
breakfast)<br />
2 tbs olive oil<br />
8 large free-range eggs<br />
2/3 cup pouring cream<br />
4 tbs butter<br />
2 tbs finely chopped chives<br />
4 thick slices multigrain bread,<br />
toasted<br />
1. Preheat oven to 200°C fan<br />
forced. Scatter the tomatoes<br />
over the base of a roasting<br />
pan lined with baking paper.<br />
Drizzle olive oil over tomatoes<br />
and season with salt and<br />
pepper. Roast for 8 minutes<br />
until skins start to blister.<br />
2. Meanwhile, whisk eggs and<br />
cream together in a bowl<br />
until just combined. Melt the<br />
butter in a large frying pan<br />
Janelle’s Tip: Don’t<br />
add salt to the eggs<br />
until after they are<br />
cooked; salt will<br />
toughen the protein,<br />
causing eggs to<br />
become watery as<br />
they cook.<br />
over medium-high heat. Add<br />
egg mixture. Leave to cook<br />
for 30-45 seconds until they<br />
start to set around the edge.<br />
Gently stir egg mixture from<br />
outer edges of the pan into<br />
the centre, until eggs form<br />
creamy curds. Remove the<br />
pan from the heat just before<br />
they are cooked.<br />
3. Spoon over the tomatoes.<br />
Scatter over the chives and<br />
season with salt and pepper.<br />
Serve with toast.<br />
Buddah breakfast<br />
bowl<br />
Serves 4<br />
300g dried peaches<br />
2 cups cloudy apple juice<br />
2 cups granola or toasted<br />
muesli<br />
4 slices brioche or fruit loaf,<br />
toasted, buttered<br />
2 x 125g fresh blueberries<br />
2 cups Greek yoghurt<br />
2 passionfruit, halved<br />
Edible flowers & herbs (optional),<br />
to serve<br />
Milk, apple juice or yoghurt,<br />
to serve<br />
1. Combine the dried peaches<br />
and apple juice in a saucepan.<br />
Place over medium<br />
heat for 8 minutes until<br />
64 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
chopped<br />
1 tbs butter<br />
4 fresh free-range eggs, at room<br />
temperature<br />
200g fresh ricotta<br />
Toasted grain bread, to serve<br />
with Janelle Bloom<br />
fruit are soft and plump.<br />
Transfer to a bowl, set aside<br />
to cool.<br />
2. Spoon ½ cup granola into<br />
one bowl. Add quarter of the<br />
peaches and syrup, 1 piece<br />
brioche and a quarter of the<br />
blueberries. Top with ¼ cup<br />
yoghurt and ½ passionfruit.<br />
Scatter over flowers and<br />
herbs, repeat three times to<br />
make 4 bowls. Serve with<br />
extra apple juice or yoghurt<br />
if desired.<br />
Janelle’s Tip: If your<br />
yoghurt is a bit runny,<br />
spoon it into a sieve lined<br />
with some muslin or a<br />
clean Chux cloth; cover, sit<br />
over a bowl in the fridge<br />
for 1-3 hours. The excess<br />
liquid will drain off leaving<br />
you with a beautiful, thick<br />
creamy yoghurt.<br />
Toasted fruit<br />
bread with<br />
roasted cinnamon<br />
sugar grapes<br />
Serves 4<br />
750g seedless black grapes<br />
½ tsp ground cinnamon<br />
2 tbs white sugar<br />
1 loaf fruit bread, toasted<br />
250g, cream cheese, fresh<br />
ricotta or cottage cheese<br />
Spinach & ricotta<br />
omelette<br />
Serves 2<br />
1 tbs olive oil<br />
½ bunch English spinach,<br />
shredded<br />
2 green onions, thinly sliced<br />
2 tbs flat leaf parsley leaves,<br />
1. Heat oil in a 20cm heavybased<br />
frying pan, (preferably<br />
non-stick with shallow sides<br />
so omelette will slide out easily)<br />
over medium-high heat.<br />
Add spinach, green onions<br />
and parsley and toss until<br />
spinach just wilts. Remove to a<br />
plate. Wash and dry the pan.<br />
2. Reheat the pan over mediumhigh<br />
heat until just warm. Add<br />
half the butter. Tilt frying pan<br />
back and forth until the butter<br />
is sizzling. Crack 2 eggs into<br />
a jug. Use a fork to beat eggs,<br />
until the egg runs in a thin<br />
stream when you lift fork out<br />
of the mixture. Pour into frying<br />
pan, tilting to cover base<br />
with egg. Using a wooden<br />
spoon, drag cooked egg from<br />
outer edge into centre. Tilt<br />
pan to allow uncooked egg to<br />
come in contact with pan.<br />
3. Arrange half the spinach<br />
mixture over one-half of the<br />
omelette, crumble over half<br />
the ricotta. Fold the omelette<br />
over the filling and cook<br />
1-2 minutes until warmed<br />
through. Slide onto hot toast.<br />
Season with salt and pepper<br />
and repeat with remaining<br />
ingredients.<br />
Food <strong>Life</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
1. Preheat oven 230°C fan<br />
forced. Line a roasting<br />
pan with baking paper.<br />
Remove the grapes from<br />
stalks, put into a sieve.<br />
2. Combine the cinnamon<br />
and sugar. Rinse grapes<br />
under cold water, put into<br />
roasting pan with water<br />
still clinging. Sprinkle<br />
over three-quarters of<br />
the cinnamon sugar and<br />
shake pan to coat the<br />
grapes. Roast 10 minutes.<br />
Remove from oven. Cool 5<br />
minutes.<br />
3. Spread the fruit loaf with<br />
cream cheese, ricotta or<br />
cottage cheese. Top with<br />
grapes and pan juices.<br />
Sprinkle with remaining<br />
cinnamon sugar. Serve.<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 65
Food <strong>Life</strong><br />
In Season<br />
Minicaps<br />
Barbecue Minicaps, corn & Quke salad<br />
Serves 4<br />
Food <strong>Life</strong><br />
These attractive little multicoloured<br />
capsicums are<br />
absolutely delicious – they<br />
may look like a chilli, but they<br />
carry no heat. They are sweet,<br />
crunchy and great eaten raw,<br />
stuffed, baked, roasted or<br />
barbecued.<br />
Buying<br />
Minicaps come pre-packed<br />
in containers at the<br />
greengrocers and sometimes<br />
are located at room<br />
temperature or in the fridge<br />
section of the fruit and veg at<br />
the supermarket.<br />
Storing<br />
Keep stored in their<br />
containers in the crisper<br />
section of the fridge for up to<br />
7 days.<br />
Also In Season<br />
<strong>November</strong><br />
Look out for a wide variety<br />
of tomatoes, Asian Greens;<br />
Hass avocadoes; Broad<br />
Beans, Baby carrots;<br />
Green beans; beetroot;<br />
capsicums; peas; Green<br />
onions; zucchini and<br />
zucchini flowers. The<br />
top fruit buys include<br />
blueberries, blackberries,<br />
raspberries, mulberries,<br />
cherries, mangoes (Calypso<br />
& Kensington Pride); plus<br />
seedless watermelon,<br />
grapes and pineapple.<br />
Nutrition<br />
Minicaps are packed with<br />
vitamin C to strengthen the<br />
immune system, as well as<br />
cholesterol-fighting niacin<br />
and cell-boosting folate.<br />
2 x 175g Minicaps, halved, seeds removed<br />
1 tbs olive oil<br />
3 corn cobs, husks removed<br />
200g Qukes (baby cucumbers), thinly sliced lengthways<br />
6 red radish, thinly sliced<br />
1 bunch watercress, leaves picked<br />
Roasted hazelnut vinaigrette<br />
60ml extra virgin olive oil<br />
1 small orange, rind finely grated, juiced<br />
1 tsp honey<br />
1 tsp Dijon mustard<br />
¼ cup roasted hazelnuts, chopped<br />
1. Spread the Minicaps on a large tray. Drizzle with oil, season,<br />
turn to coat. Wash the corn and place on a microwavesafe<br />
plate, cover with damp paper towel and microwave on<br />
High/100% for 3 minutes until hot.<br />
2. Preheat a barbecue plate on medium heat. Barbecue the<br />
corn and Minicaps for 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally or<br />
until lightly charred. Set aside to cool to room temperature.<br />
Cut the corn from the cobs.<br />
3. For the dressing, whisk the oil, orange rind and juice, honey<br />
and mustard together, Season then stir in the hazelnuts.<br />
4. Combine the Minicaps, corn, Qukes, radish and watercress<br />
on a platter. Spoon over the vinaigrette, toss gently. Serve.<br />
66 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
<strong>Pittwater</strong> Puzzler<br />
Compiled by David Stickley<br />
26 Type of yoga involving physical<br />
exercise (5,4)<br />
27 Cook with dry heat (5)<br />
28 Eating plan (4)<br />
29 Postie’s target when delivering the<br />
mail (9)<br />
ACROSS<br />
1 No doubt one appears in Channel 7’s<br />
reality TV show, ‘Beach Cops’ (9)<br />
6 Frothy stuff sometimes seen on the<br />
surface of the ocean (4)<br />
10 One may go off if a shark is spotted<br />
at a swimming beach (5)<br />
11 Modern musical (4,5)<br />
12 Golf club at the southern end of Fishermans<br />
Beach (4,4)<br />
13 Any medical centre devoted to a<br />
particular type of treatment or health<br />
care, as child health care, vaccinations,<br />
prenatal care, etc. (6)<br />
14 Dehydrated (5)<br />
15 Lounge around on a beach catching<br />
some rays, say (7)<br />
17 Sydney ___ Space are involved with<br />
Newport Sculpture Trailblazers <strong>2017</strong> (3)<br />
18 A wide tidal mouth of a river (7)<br />
20 Kookaburras, cockatoos, lorikeets<br />
etc. (5)<br />
23 A business that serves other businesses<br />
(6)<br />
24 Equestrian discipline that can be<br />
learnt at the Loane Equestrian Centre<br />
in Ingleside (8)<br />
DOWN<br />
1 Round gems that can be found in<br />
oysters (6)<br />
2 Well-read (7)<br />
3 Aboriginal people group, part of the<br />
Guringai language nation, whose home<br />
was the lower North Shore area (10,4)<br />
4 Avalon Beach event that will feature<br />
amazing music, fabulous food, fantastic<br />
fashion and fun for all the family (6,3)<br />
5 A narrow elongated projecting strip<br />
of land like that which goes out to Barrenjoey<br />
Lighthouse (4)<br />
7 Islands of the Pacific and adjacent<br />
seas (7)<br />
8 Avalon resident who entered a<br />
painting of Francis Greenslade in the<br />
Archibald Prize (8)<br />
9 Location of the <strong>Pittwater</strong> Dragon<br />
Boat Racing Club’s open days in <strong>November</strong><br />
(7,7)<br />
15 Northern Beaches construction<br />
company with a name of a famous<br />
rescue dog breed (2,7)<br />
16 Showing lack of emotional involvement<br />
(8)<br />
19 Building designed for the performance<br />
of plays, operas, etc. (7)<br />
21 Regular routes taken by ocean traffic<br />
(7)<br />
22 Scotland Island-based author and<br />
illustrator with an exhibition based on<br />
Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s poem The<br />
Rime Of The Ancient Mariner, ______<br />
Lodge (6)<br />
25 Narrabeen Sports High principal,<br />
Dane ____ (4)<br />
[Solution page 70]<br />
<strong>Pittwater</strong> Puzzler<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 67
Garden <strong>Life</strong><br />
Garden <strong>Life</strong><br />
Jump on board and plant<br />
kangaroo paws for effect with Gabrielle Bryant<br />
Aussie kangaroo paws have wrongly been<br />
slighted as being difficult to grow. It is true<br />
that the new dwarf varieties are short-lived,<br />
but the tall-growing varieties are tough and hardy.<br />
These spectacular plants will send up flower<br />
spikes two metres tall – yellow, red, green or<br />
black, they are all amazingly tough, long-lasting,<br />
low-maintenance landscape plants. Planted as a<br />
backdrop to smaller native shrubs or used as the<br />
most spectacular feature plants, they are hard to<br />
beat. Also, kangaroo paws are drought-resistant<br />
and tolerate full sun and coastal conditions.<br />
Once a year in autumn, after flowering, cut<br />
them back hard and they will quickly bounce back<br />
with new flowers and foliage. I have even seen<br />
large areas of these amazing plants mown with a<br />
lawn mower!<br />
Many years ago, I was given a hint as to how<br />
to prolong the flowering time of these wonderful<br />
plants: once the flowering stems have opened, cut<br />
the top half and use them as a bunch of flowers.<br />
This will encourage new flower stems to grow<br />
from the bottom.<br />
Pansy Orchids are an exciting find<br />
Orchids have returned to<br />
popularity over the past<br />
few years. Pansy Orchids<br />
(miltonia) may be hard to find,<br />
but to orchid lovers they are an<br />
exciting addition to collections.<br />
Nowadays it seems no interior<br />
house photo is complete<br />
without a moth orchid on the<br />
coffee table; modern tissue<br />
culture has made it possible<br />
to supply new plants by the<br />
thousand. Let’s hope that<br />
pansy orchids will be the next<br />
to be grown this way.<br />
These light, free-flowering<br />
orchids are hardy and easy to<br />
grow. They love good light but<br />
not direct sun. They will grow<br />
inside or outside in the shade<br />
and are happy in temperatures<br />
from 6 degrees to high 30s<br />
(however, shelter them from<br />
extreme heat). Their natural<br />
home is high in the rainforests<br />
of Columbia, where they get<br />
rainfall every day.<br />
Pansy orchids, unlike<br />
other orchids that like to dry<br />
before another watering,<br />
need to be kept moist during<br />
the summer months. Soak<br />
the whole pot in water and<br />
allow it to drain. Miltonias<br />
are sensitive to a build-up<br />
of fertiliser. Water them with<br />
a liquid fertilizer (don’t use<br />
granular food) about every<br />
two weeks.<br />
Pansy orchids are epiphytes<br />
and as such dislike potting<br />
mix that breaks down. Re-pot<br />
every year after flowering, in<br />
a mix of sphagnum moss and<br />
fine-grade orchid bark.<br />
68 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
A sprinkle<br />
of retro<br />
sparkle<br />
Summer is almost here<br />
and the forecast is for a<br />
good share of long, hot, dry<br />
days. Make sure you are well<br />
prepared. Fully automated<br />
irrigation systems are great…<br />
but not only are they very<br />
expensive to install, they<br />
need continual updating and<br />
adjusting as plants grow, with<br />
dry spots appearing as foliage<br />
begins to block the water flow.<br />
There is something to be<br />
said for good old-fashioned<br />
sprinklers. Large rainwave<br />
sprinklers can be adjusted to<br />
any rectangular shape, the<br />
water goes high into the air<br />
and falls evenly downwards like<br />
rain; the original capitol sprinkler<br />
is great in the shrubbery<br />
– it will soak the ground without<br />
wasting water.<br />
There are any number of decorative<br />
sprinklers – tall, spinning<br />
ones and short ones that can<br />
connect. Sprinklers are always<br />
good gifts for gardeners.<br />
Buddleja<br />
Buzz – the<br />
butterfly<br />
bush<br />
Buddlejas attract birds, bees and butterflies to the garden. They<br />
flower from spring to late summer. Old-fashioned buddlejas<br />
are very beautiful – but they can grow tall and get out of control.<br />
The Buzz range is different; these are small, compact shrubs<br />
that grow just over a metre high. Covered in honey-sweet<br />
spears of magenta, violet, lilac, pink or white through the summer<br />
months, these hardy and easy-to-grow bushes are ideal<br />
for every garden.<br />
Importantly, all the pollinators love them! Dead-head the<br />
flowers as they finish, to promote new ones. As winter approaches,<br />
be ruthless and cut them back hard (they will grow<br />
back in spring). The flowers appear on the new season’s<br />
growth. The butterfly bush is not choosey – it will grow in any<br />
garden soil, in full sun or semi-shade.<br />
A slow-release fertiliser applied in spring and again in early<br />
autumn is all that they need to flourish.<br />
Fragrant pelargoniums<br />
stand the test of time<br />
Regal Pelargoniums, which<br />
are closely related to geraniums,<br />
are easy to grow;<br />
and they are tougher than<br />
the new hybrid geraniums.<br />
They flower from early<br />
spring until summer, rambling<br />
and spilling over banks,<br />
creating glorious colour on<br />
gravel beds, in large tubs<br />
and in rock walls. The profusion<br />
of large flowers can be<br />
lilac, bright red, purple, burgundy,<br />
pink, white or violet.<br />
Once established they are<br />
tough, hardy and droughttolerant;<br />
the perfect answer<br />
to hot dry coastal gardens.<br />
Often thought of as ‘Old<br />
fashioned Grandma plants’<br />
pelargoniums are becoming<br />
popular once more. Make<br />
sure their drainage is good;<br />
they hate wet feet and high<br />
humidity. They need open<br />
space and fresh air to grow<br />
well.<br />
Their huge velvety leaves<br />
add a delicious fragrance<br />
to the evening air when<br />
crushed. Add a small amount<br />
of dolomite to the soil when<br />
planting and feed a couple<br />
of times a year with an allpurpose,<br />
slow-release fertiliser.<br />
This is all the attention<br />
they need. Trim them back<br />
to keep them bushy after<br />
flowering.<br />
Garden <strong>Life</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 69
Garden <strong>Life</strong><br />
Garden <strong>Life</strong><br />
Jobs this Month<br />
<strong>November</strong><br />
At last – it is raining off<br />
and on! After a very<br />
long dry spell, the rain<br />
is beginning to heal scorched<br />
plants. It is amazing how quickly<br />
the gardens start to grow and<br />
flourish once more. This month,<br />
keep on top of the weeds. Spray<br />
with ‘Slasher’, the organic weed<br />
spray (don’t spray on a windy<br />
day to avoid spray drift). It will<br />
kill any plant that it touches, but<br />
it leaves no residual in the soil.<br />
The big ‘wet’<br />
Even though we have had rain<br />
the ground is dry; with a hot<br />
summer ahead it is worth the<br />
effort to apply a granular wetting<br />
agent, before applying a<br />
thick mulch. This will enable the<br />
water to penetrate the surface<br />
and soak into the ground, instead<br />
of running off. It will also<br />
reduce your water bills.<br />
Encourage bees<br />
Plant borage or scarlet nasturtiums<br />
in the veggie garden to<br />
attract the bees. Spray fruiting<br />
trees and flowering veggies<br />
with Beekeeper every week.<br />
Without bees there is no crop!<br />
Miner relief<br />
Eco oil will keep the leaf miner<br />
away from citrus trees. A CLM<br />
sticky trap in the trees will<br />
attract the male leaf miner and<br />
Little Bambinos<br />
Bambino bougainvilleas are<br />
in full flower. Plant this dwarf<br />
variety in pots, window boxes<br />
or hanging baskets, to give<br />
it time to settle in before the<br />
Christmas festivities begin.<br />
Cane cull<br />
If you haven’t already done<br />
so, cut back and remove<br />
old canes from ornamental<br />
gingers. New shoots will soon<br />
come up from below the soil.<br />
These are the shoots that will<br />
flower after Christmas.<br />
Top-dress time<br />
Now the rain has returned it<br />
is the perfect time to lightly<br />
top-dress and feed the grass.<br />
Lightly rake and scratch the<br />
surface of any bare patches<br />
before raking in a light dressprevent<br />
them from mating<br />
with the females.<br />
Hibiscus care<br />
Feed hibiscus this month with<br />
dynamic lifter to get them going.<br />
Protect them from hibiscus<br />
beetle with granular Richgro<br />
Bug Killa. It is a systemic<br />
insecticide. If you apply it now<br />
it will control the beetles and<br />
by the time the flowers come<br />
in summer, it will not be active<br />
to hurt the bees.<br />
More than less<br />
Be ruthless in the garden. Pull<br />
out any spring annuals that are<br />
just hanging on and replace<br />
them with petunias, dahlias,<br />
verbenas, alyssum, lobelia,<br />
or other brightly coloured<br />
annuals. Get the kids to pot<br />
up seedlings. They make ideal<br />
presents for end-of-term gifts.<br />
‘Carnival’ colour<br />
Looking good this month<br />
is Leucospermum Carnival<br />
Orange. There are several<br />
that are flowering along<br />
our coast. Leucospermums<br />
are hardy and droughttolerant,<br />
the birds love<br />
them and they will grow<br />
right by the water’s edge.<br />
(They are closely related to<br />
our own waratahs.)<br />
ing of Top Dressing soil. Don’t<br />
put on too much at one time,<br />
apply a thin layer first and<br />
follow it with more at weekly<br />
intervals if necessary.<br />
Bush Tucker<br />
Trim back native shrubs that<br />
have finished flowering and<br />
feed them with Bush Tucker<br />
Native Plant Fertiliser. (It is<br />
made by Neutrog and is brilliant<br />
– the results are amazing.)<br />
Cover the ground<br />
If you want a new ground<br />
cover for a tropical, shaded<br />
or semi-shaded garden, plant<br />
the new and very beautiful<br />
Tradescantia Sunshine Gem.<br />
The bright gold foliage lights<br />
up the garden. Grow it in the<br />
ground as a border or as an<br />
indoor plant in bowls or pots.<br />
If you have a dog, be aware<br />
some dogs can be allergic to<br />
rhoeos and tradescantias.<br />
Crossword solution from page 67<br />
Mystery location: ERIC GREEN RESERVE<br />
70 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
Times Past<br />
Legend<br />
of the Parkway link<br />
Even prior to the raids on<br />
Darwin during World<br />
War II, the possibility of<br />
the Japanese heading south<br />
down our east coast was<br />
considered very real. Coastal<br />
defence activities such as<br />
barbed wire and two-tonne<br />
concrete tetrahedrons as tank<br />
traps were installed along the<br />
northern beaches.<br />
Wakehurst Parkway was<br />
considered essential to<br />
provide alternate access for<br />
residents and maybe for<br />
troop movements and<br />
other military purposes.<br />
Although the ‘Parkway’<br />
wasn’t opened until<br />
1946, construction work<br />
began in 1939 with 30<br />
workers – the number<br />
growing to 300 by 1942.<br />
It’s understood the road<br />
required a total of five<br />
bridges to be built, the<br />
main one being Deep Creek<br />
(Cement Works Creek<br />
plus three across Middle<br />
Creek boosted the number to<br />
five). The delay in completion<br />
was also brought about by<br />
the temporary diversion of<br />
workers to the more-urgent<br />
coastal defence works.<br />
Over time the Parkway has<br />
become known for numerous<br />
fatal crashes, the grisly<br />
murders committed at Deep<br />
Creek, and as a dumping<br />
ground for bodies of murder<br />
victims.<br />
There is also the story of the<br />
‘Lady in White’ – the ghost of a<br />
young girl, Kelly, who appears<br />
mysteriously in the back seat of<br />
vehicles travelling north late at<br />
night down the Parkway from<br />
Warringah Road. (One wild<br />
legend has it that if you do not<br />
inform Kelly that her presence<br />
is not required, telekinetically<br />
she makes your vehicle veer off<br />
the road and crash!)<br />
Other reports closer to Deep<br />
Creek claim that “windscreen<br />
wipers suddenly cease to<br />
work, car doors lock by<br />
themselves and switched off<br />
radios suddenly ramp up”.<br />
For the Aboriginal<br />
population of the area<br />
(members of the Camaraigal<br />
clan) the area around Deep<br />
Creek provided<br />
a very real<br />
and necessary<br />
community living<br />
area. Peter Read<br />
in ‘The Dictionary<br />
of Sydney’ claims<br />
that this Narrabeen<br />
Lagoon town<br />
camp “was one of<br />
the many coastal occupation<br />
sites offering seasonal shelter,<br />
fish and wetland resources”.<br />
Apparently it was the last of<br />
the town camps to survive in<br />
the northern Sydney suburbs<br />
and it existed “probably before<br />
the British invasion”.<br />
Many other town camps<br />
were resumed for residential<br />
and recreational reasons but<br />
the Narrabeen Lagoon camp<br />
lasted the longest, primarily<br />
because of its inaccessibility.<br />
The opening of the<br />
Parkway on 22 March 1946<br />
was followed closely by the<br />
creation of a 32-hectares<br />
National Fitness Centre<br />
(Sydney Academy of Sport and<br />
Recreation). This combination<br />
rang the death knell for the<br />
20 or so resident Koori people<br />
of the camp, with humpies<br />
destroyed and the occupants<br />
forcibly removed to the<br />
Western Suburbs.<br />
Wakehurst Parkway is<br />
named after John de Vere<br />
Loder, 2nd Baron Wakehurst<br />
and the Governor of NSW from<br />
1937 to 1946.<br />
TIMES PAST is supplied<br />
by local historian<br />
and President of the<br />
Avalon Beach Historical<br />
Society GEOFF SEARL.<br />
Visit the Society’s<br />
showroom in Bowling<br />
Green Lane, Avalon<br />
Beach.<br />
Times Past<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong> 71
Travel <strong>Life</strong><br />
Travel <strong>Life</strong><br />
Bucket list to a tee<br />
The South American<br />
Ultimate Bucket List Tour<br />
for Golfers is a new 30-day<br />
escorted tour curated by<br />
Chris and Luana at Newport<br />
Travel for their 2019 bucket<br />
list journeys program.<br />
“Beginning with a tango<br />
in Buenos Aires and all the<br />
excitement of Carnival in Rio,<br />
the journey takes you through<br />
to mystical Machu Picchu and<br />
a traverse of Peru on the new<br />
luxury sleeper train, the Andean<br />
Explorer,” explains Chris.<br />
“After a golfing<br />
sojourn at iconic<br />
Iguassu Falls,<br />
we travel down<br />
to the stunning<br />
wilderness areas<br />
of Patagonia,<br />
where the trip<br />
ends with a 5-day Chilean<br />
Fjord cruise onboard the<br />
newly built MV Ventus<br />
Australis – and a round at the<br />
‘End of the World’ golf course<br />
in Ushaia.<br />
“This is an epic, yet<br />
leisurely paced, journey with<br />
active, engaging and unique<br />
experiences selectively woven<br />
into the itinerary.”<br />
All up there are five<br />
courses on the itinerary,<br />
including the wow-factor Rio<br />
Olympics course (subject<br />
to being open) which was<br />
designed by renowned<br />
American architect Gil Hanse<br />
plus El Calafate with its<br />
breathtaking backdrop of<br />
The Andes mountains and<br />
Los Glacieres National Park.<br />
Although created with<br />
golfers in mind, Chris said<br />
the tour would also appeal<br />
to many others – including<br />
photographers, who<br />
appreciate lots of ‘free time’<br />
integrated into a guided tour<br />
itinerary. (Non-golfers are<br />
also welcome on the tour.)<br />
Accommodation is luxury,<br />
boutique-style in stunning<br />
locations, such as the Explora<br />
Patagonia, and the golf<br />
courses are iconic and among<br />
the best in South America.<br />
For a full itinerary or more<br />
information, email luana@<br />
newporttravel.com.au or call<br />
9997 1277.<br />
Take in the<br />
country roads<br />
Local boutique self-drive<br />
holiday specialists Driving<br />
Adventures have included a<br />
new five-day tour for 2018<br />
that takes in the best roads<br />
and some of the best-kept<br />
secrets that Victoria and<br />
the New South Wales South<br />
Coast have to offer.<br />
Departing Melbourne on<br />
March 5, you’ll head into the<br />
Yarra Ranges enjoying a great<br />
road leading to the overnight<br />
stop at Mansfield.<br />
Day 2 is particularly<br />
memorable, visiting the<br />
gourmet village of Milawa<br />
then on to Myrtleford and<br />
scenic Bright (in its autumn<br />
glory) before overnighting in<br />
Falls Creek.<br />
Next is the Murray Valley<br />
and the Alpine Way through<br />
Thredbo into Jindabyne;<br />
on Day 4 you’ll head east,<br />
dropping into the Bega Valley<br />
and the beautiful south coast,<br />
before turning north on Day 5.<br />
Operator David Thomas<br />
says the drives – all between<br />
350-375km – are well away<br />
from the heavy traffic and<br />
highways and take in beautiful<br />
locations, great country pubs<br />
and a couple of special cafes.<br />
“There is plenty of time for<br />
stops, which you will want<br />
so you can photograph this<br />
amazing country,” he said.<br />
“Dinners are still being<br />
organised but will be in line<br />
with our mantra of ‘Great<br />
Roads – Good Bottle of Red –<br />
Soft Bed’!”<br />
More info drivingadventures.<br />
com.au or phone David on<br />
0418 473 916.<br />
72 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991
Travel <strong>Life</strong><br />
Travel <strong>Life</strong><br />
New unique Kimberley experience<br />
The Kimberley is an ancient<br />
land built on 1.8 billionyear-old<br />
sandstone that has<br />
been uplifted, contorted and<br />
eroded to form spectacular<br />
gorges, desolate mountains and<br />
magnificent waterfalls.<br />
Now you have the<br />
chance to experience<br />
this living indigenous<br />
culture dating back<br />
more than 40,000<br />
years, and Australia’s<br />
oldest rock art galleries<br />
contained within<br />
the rocky outcrops.<br />
“The isolated coastline<br />
boasts more than 2,633<br />
islands, extensive mangrove<br />
forests, wild rivers and important<br />
seabird breeding colonies,”<br />
said Travel View Cruise View’s<br />
Gail Kardash.<br />
“It is a national biodiversity<br />
hotspot listed in the top four per<br />
cent of least-impacted marine<br />
environments worldwide!”<br />
Gail said PONANT’s upcoming<br />
unique Expedition Cruise<br />
through the Kimberley would<br />
deliver an authentic expedition<br />
blended with luxury.<br />
“You’ll explore the coastline<br />
in refined adventure on board<br />
their luxury small ship, Le<br />
Laperouse, which boasts all<br />
the facilities of a 5-star yacht –<br />
including a pool.”<br />
Plus, Le Lapérouse is the<br />
world’s first cruise ship<br />
equipped with a multi-sensory<br />
underwater space.<br />
“Located within the hull beneath<br />
the water line, the state-<br />
of-the-art technology developed<br />
with PONANT lets guests<br />
become modern-day explorers,”<br />
said Gail.<br />
“All focus is drawn towards<br />
two portholes, looking out<br />
upon the sub-aquatic world.<br />
And, comfortably ensconced,<br />
guests can listen to the underwater<br />
world thanks to hydrophones.”<br />
Incredibly, the natural symphony<br />
of the deep sea is captured<br />
across a 5km radius and<br />
transmitted live into the lounge<br />
in the form of acoustic waves.<br />
Innovative underwater vision<br />
is enhanced by non-intrusive underwater<br />
projectors developed<br />
expressly for PONANT, enabling<br />
the observation of the seabed<br />
– without any risk to the marine<br />
biosphere.<br />
“On your cruise you’ll enjoy<br />
regular Zodiac outings and<br />
shore visits to get close to the<br />
nature of the Kimberley, and<br />
discover landscapes and rock<br />
art that is billions of years old,”<br />
Gail said.<br />
“You’ll be amazed listening to<br />
stories of the Dreamtime from<br />
the oldest continuous culture on<br />
the planet.<br />
Not to mention the cruise<br />
provided an encounter with the<br />
world’s largest population of<br />
migrating humpback whales.<br />
* The PONANT 2019 Kimberley<br />
Expedition cruises – with<br />
up to 30% savings – are now<br />
available with Travel View and<br />
Cruise View. For more info call<br />
9918 4444 or 9999 0444.<br />
74 NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
The Local Voice Since 1991