Pittwater Life January 2018 Issue

The Local Voice Since 1991
JANUARY 2018
FREE
pittwaterlife
A DAY IN
THE LIFE
… OF OUR
WATER POLICE
MAKING
A SPLASH
45 YEARS OF
THE BIG SWIM
KING OF
THE ROAD
IDLE CHAT WITH
DAVID THOMAS
Locals’ Guide
129 *
Things
You
Can Do
(* Maybe more... we lost count)

Editorial
How to live the (Pittwater) life
Is there any better place than
Pittwater to spend a lazy
summer holiday? We think not.
Swimming, surfing, sailing,
boating, bushwalks and hiking...
we’ve got it all on our doorstep.
This month we present our
annual Locals’ Guide to help you
make the most of your time off.
Turn to page 24 and you’ll find
information on all that the area
has to offer throughout January.
And regardless of whether
you’re into fitness or fun, don’t
forget the Pittwater Ocean Swim
Series which runs throughout
the month and culminates
in the Big Swim on January 28
(see page 6).
Find out what happened when
we spent a day with our local
water police, who have been
afforded added random drug
testing powers for the first time
this summer (see page 14).
January is also the month of
art exhibitions and sales, with
some talented individuals and
wonderful works (see page 38).
There have been plenty of
announcements on the local
news front – including
a walkway link between
Bayview Heights and Church
Point, and a shared pedestrian
and cycling path to wrap
around the Bilgola Bends. And
we have our ear to the ground
listening to the latest rumblings
over the development of the
Pasadena site at Church Point
(see page 18).
The warm weather provides
the perfect opportunity to pack
up a picnic and head to a local
beach or park; our foodie Janelle
Bloom has come up with some
great recipes that are easy to
make (see page 66).
The New Year will be a big
one for Pittwater Life; we have a
new website arriving soon and
we intend to deliver more of the
great features you look forward
to every month... plus we have a
few surprises up our sleeve that
we know you’ll love!
Here’s wishing all our readers
a happy and safe 2018.
– Nigel Wall
The Local Voice Since 1991
JANUARY 2018 3

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Email:
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Website:
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Publisher: Nigel Wall
Managing Editor: Lisa Offord
Graphic Design: CLS Design
Photography: iStock
Contributors: Rosamund
Burton, Gabrielle Bryant, Brian
Hrnjak, Jennifer Harris, Nick
Carroll, Sue Carroll, Dr. John
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Vol 27 No 6
Celebrating 26 years
JANUARY 2018
FREE
pittwaterlife
A DAY IN
THE LIFE
… OF OUR
WATER POLICE
MAKING
A SPLASH
45 YEARS OF
THE BIG SWIM
The Local Voice Since 1991
KING OF
THE ROAD
IDLE CHAT WITH
DAVID THOMAS
129 *
Locals’ Guide
Things
You
Can Do
(* Maybe more . we lost count)
14
42
68
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thislife
COVER: There are so many awesome things to do in
Pittwater in January – check out our Summer Guide (p24);
the Ocean Swim Series has a packed calendar (p6);
find out what happened when we spent a day with the
Broken Bay Water Police (p14); discover the artists who will
be exhibiting and selling works this month (p38); Nick
Carroll ponders the changing face of our iconic headlands
(p46); Janelle Bloom dishes up great picnic food recipes
(p66); and Gabrielle Bryant details a DYI water garden
(p70). Have a safe holiday – and happy New Year all!
COVER IMAGE: Gab Scanu / Shores RE
also this month
Editorial 3
Pittwater Local News 6-21
Life Stories 22-23
Summer Guide To Pittwater 24-37
Art Life 38-41
Young Life 42-45
Surfing Life 46-47
Health & Wellbeing; Hair & Beauty 48-54
Times Past 55
Money 56-57
Law 58-59
Food: Summer picnic food 66-68
Crossword 69
Gardening 70-72
the goodlife
Restaurants, food, gigs, travel and gardening.
Also find our regular features on beauty, health, surfing,
art, local history, our guide to trades and services, money,
law and our essential maps.
ATTENTION ADVERTISERS!
Bookings & advertising material to set for
our FEBRUARY issue MUST be supplied by
FRIDAY 12 JANUARY
Finished art & editorial submissions deadline:
FRIDAY 19 JANUARY
The FEBRUARY issue will be published
on WEDNESDAY 31 JANUARY
COPYRIGHT
All contents are subject to copyright and may not be reproduced except with the
written consent of the copyright owner. GST: All advertising rates are subject to GST.
4 JANUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Riding the Big Swim wave
News
Whale Beach Surf Club veteran
Paul Hughes remembers 1974
like it was yesterday – that was
the year he and 43 mates lined up for the
first ever Big Swim from Palm Beach to
‘Whaley’, with the now 81-year-old credited
as first across the line.
In fact, Paul swam the fastest times in
each of the first two years – although a
five-minute handicap imposed after
his maiden victory saw him finish fourth
in 1975.
“Because I won by such a big margin
the first year, they gave a me the penalty,”
Paul recalls. “When I started
I was swimming all alone –
that’s not a good feeling, so I
went hard to catch the field.”
Paul is the face of this
year’s 2.8km Big Swim – ‘If
I can, You Can’ – with race
director Simon Morgan also
canvassing far and wide
for input from swimmers
who have competed in 10
or more Big Swims.
“This is the surf club’s
annual significant
fundraiser and all funds
raised go to saving lives
here at Whale Beach and other local
beaches as the club’s volunteers quite
often assist with lifesaving activities
across the local beaches,” said Simon.
“The Macquarie Big Swim is a true
Ocean swim. Swimmers compete against
each other but also the swell, chop and
other conditions which make ocean
swims such a challenge.
“There is a rich history at a local level
with approximately 300 volunteers, all
local, assisting with on the beach registration,
traffic control, water safety, first
aid etc. It’s a far cry from 1974, when
there was no water safety team,
just a couple of guys on surf
skis!”
In 2018 the swim enters its
45th year and celebrates its
44th staging, having been
called off just once (in 2005
due to conditions).
Here are some of the
locals’ recollections
about the Big Swim,
which goes under
starter’s orders in 2018
on January 28:
“In the early swims, my
awesome Dad followed the bodies around
on his surf ski (my rescue craft, fortunately
never needed), and was always able
to spot me (no idea how) in amongst the
splash of bobbling coloured heads... Some
of these years were pure bliss: flat, crystalclear
waters right around the headland;
and others, more of what appeared to be
an overwhelming challenge, with massive
dumping surf at both ends. Only one year
was I ‘kissed’ by a bluebottle. I see that as
pretty lucky... For me, this swim used to be
a celebration of being young and fit and
being part of an amazing day of community,
fun and sense of great achievement…
and now, as I head to (OMG) 50, it’s about
proving that my age is just a number and
not something that will stop me experiencing
one of the best feelings in the world.”
– Christina
“I have swum in all years except four;
the first swim started beside the pool
and the club invited the great Des Renford
to lead off the swim and I remember
looking at this portly older gentleman
and thinking if I can’t beat him there is
something wrong... I did it in 20 something
minutes; Des was about an hour – but of
course he could have kept going to Sydney!
He was a true marathon swimmer...
6 JANUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

And of course in the early days there was
a keg and roast on the spit at the finish.”
– Alex
“I used to love coming around the headland
and sometimes, when I was a little too
close in, I remember seeing some amazing
marine life on the rock shelves – once
there was a Port Jackson shark finning
below me. Coming in at Whale, I always
wondered how much of a shore dump
was happening and whether I’d be able to
make it up the beach.” – Rose
“I did my first Big Swim in 1996, I’ve
swum everyone since, bar two; one year it
was cancelled and one year I was away.
“I know this because when I started,
we all used to get a small sample pack at
the end of each swim, which included a
bumper sticker – ‘I did the Big Swim’ – and
the year it was conducted. I never put one
on my car, but used to stick them on my
filing cabinets at work, and somewhere I
have a photo of the cabinets with the stickers
and the earliest was 1996.” – David
“I’ve just been through my archives and
found my first certificate from 1984. I also
came across a hand-written letter from
1985 which I received for winning my age
category – only 94 females entered that
year. Since my first swim 32 years ago, I
believe I have completed 25 Big Swims.”
– Sue
“Some years we have swum through
thousands of little jelly fish, other swims
we have swum into strong southerly winds
and other times it has been crystal clear,
this is what makes this swim an absolute
must-do.” – Peter
Entries and info visit thebigswim.org.au
Dip your toe into
ocean swimming
There are many stories to be told about the
resilience of ocean swimmers, according
to Rob Berry, one of the Pittwater Ocean
Swim Series organisers.
“The swims are really for the young and
the old and it’s great to see the wide range
of ages tackling whatever the ocean has to
throw at them that day,” Rob said. “Ocean
swimming is a great way to get yourself fit
and it is quite meditative with the regular
sound of your breathing.
With the Bilgola swims having kicked
off the series in December, the next leg
– the Newport Pool to Peak swims – are
on Sunday January 7. (In 2018 Newport is
giving swimmers a choice of a 400m and
800m and a 2km swim.)
Avalon is on the following Sunday
(January 14) with 1.5 and 1km swims;
Mona Vale (January 21) with a 2.2km swim
and 800m swim and the Big Swim Palm
Beach to Whale Beach on Sunday January
28 with (2.8km swim and a 1km course).
By competing in three swims, swimmers
will go in the draw for a trip for two to
Byron Bay staying at Bay Royal Luxury
Apartments. The trip includes return air
flights sponsored by Travel View.
Entries for all the Pittwater ocean
swims are available online at
oceanswims.com
The Local Voice Since 1991
JANUARY 2018 7

News
Bayview Heights foreshore link
Bayview Heights residents will
no longer need to ‘bush-bash’
down steep terrain to the Pittwater
foreshore following a $130,000
funds injection from the State
Government that will see a sleek,
environmentally sensitive community
walkway constructed in 2018.
The funds were allocated after a
submission from Bayview Church
Point Residents Association President
Roberta Conroy, lodged in
August, was given the green light
in December.
A delighted Ms Conroy told Pittwater
Life the track would be integrated
into the Pittwater Trails network,
connecting all community members and
visitors to the area, including school
children, families and seniors, enabling
access to public transport, water, facilities
and businesses in the Church Point
‘hub’.
“It will reduce motor vehicle use,
promote fitness and healthy outdoor
activity, environmental appreciation and
social inclusion and benefit all residents
and visitors,” she said.
“Presently it is only possible to
navigate through this bushland by bushbashing
and rock climbing, making it
STEEP TERRAIN, DENSE BUSHLAND: Bayview Heights
unsafe for most community members,
depriving Bayview Heights residents access
to Church Point and making escape
during fires dangerous and almost
impossible.
“Healthy lifestyle is paramount to
the broad community – this bush track
construction will encourage exploration
of our local area; there are many retirement
village residents nearby needing
accessible stable infrastructure for safe
exercising, as do children and all of the
community.
“And the bush track fits well with the
current Church Point Precinct major redevelopment
with the new carpark, road
widening and boardwalk, enabling
increased visitation to our area.”
Local MP Rob Stokes said the
track would complement a range
of ongoing infrastructure improvements
around the Church Point
community precinct.
“Access between Bayview Heights
and Church Point is heavily
restricted due to the terrain and
bushland, which effectively divides
the two areas," he said.
“Providing a formal pedestrian
pathway will better enable residents
to traverse between the two
areas and help address a number
of concerns regarding access during
emergency situations."
He added other initiatives currently
being progressed at Church Point with
financial support from the NSW Government
included extensive car parking
and pedestrian upgrades, boardwalk
and foreshore improvements around the
historic General Store and heritage enhancements
around the original church
and cemetery site.
“Congratulations to the Bayview
Church Point Residents Association for
successfully advocating for this important
initiative.”
– Nigel Wall
8 JANUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

News
Shared path safety questioned
The State Government’s
announcement of a $3
million shared walking
and cycling pathway to link
Avalon Beach with Newport
around the Bilgola Bends has
met with measured support
from the cycling specialist
appointed to the Northern
Beaches Council’s Local
Traffic Committee.
Local MP Rob Stokes
announced Council will
manage the construction of
the new shared path which will
become a key component of
the Northern Beaches Coastal
Walkway and Cycleway.
The new path will include
an off-road boardwalk section
along the Bilgola Bends
between Newport Beach and
The Serpentine to safely allow
cyclists and walkers to travel
along this area, separated
from vehicles (see artist's
impression).
Council’s Traffic
Committee’s cycling
representative Owen Dunne
said shared paths, which
provide access for pedestrians
and the occasional cyclist,
were a step forward in
assisting families and the
beginner or occasional cyclist
to utilise a shared cycle-path –
providing riding speeds were
less than 10km/h.
“However, this is not
a solution for the bulk
of cyclists and cyclingcommuters
as well as
pedestrians, as a shared path
is not a safe option for either
the pedestrian or the cyclist,”
he warned.
“I am still looking forward
to a viable solution for
cyclists and cycle-commuting
that fully addresses all the
needs of cyclists to utilise
a designated cycle zone to
provide much-needed and
safe cycling access between
Avalon and Newport.”
Newport Residents
Association (NRA) President
Gavin Butler said the
association welcomed
the move to link three
of Pittwater’s iconic surf
beaches.
He added: “We now look
forward to improvements
from Newport south,
especially the lack of walkway
around the Bungan headland
by using Bungan Head Reserve
through to Bungan Beach.”
Mr Stokes said the new path
would become a spectacular
part of the new Coastal
Walkway and Cycleway and
prove hugely beneficial for
local residents.
“There isn’t currently an
easy or convenient way to
travel between these areas
without using a vehicle,”
Mr Stokes said. “The new
path will link communities,
encourage people to get active
and to leave their cars at
home.” – Nigel Wall
10 JANUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

News
Australia Day beaches booze ban
Northern Beaches Council has banned
alcohol on all Northern Beaches Council
beaches for 24 hours from 6am on Australia
Day. The ban follows a request by the Northern
Beaches Local Area Command to Council staff
to assist reducing antisocial behaviour often
brought on by the consumption of alcohol on
beaches.
However, Narrabeen Ward councillor Rory
Amon – who opposed Council’s resolution –
criticised the ban as a “band aid” solution.
“Banning the consumption of alcohol on
our beaches on Australia Day is ignoring the
problem – it’s punishing the 99.99% who do
the right thing because of a few hooligans,” he
said. “We need to address antisocial behaviour
head-on and find solutions, not penalise Australians
who want a beer or wine on the beach
on Australia Day.”
He added there had been no community
consultation beforehand.
Council endorsed the band after rejecting
Councillor Amon’s proposed amendments
requiring community consultation for future
booze bans, as well as rejecting Amon’s call
for staff to arrange a briefing from Northern
Beaches Police on alcohol fuelled violence
on the Northern Beaches as well as the data
around the impacts of booze bans and
whether they lead to violence being driven
from public spaces into the home where it cannot
be seen.
“I am disappointed with the ban,” Mr Amon
said. “However, I commend our police for all
their work in keeping us one of the safest communities
in Australia – they have a tough gig.
If they need more powers to deal with alcoholfuelled
violence, my preference is to give it to
them, not to penalise the 99.99%.”
What do you think?
Tell us at readers@pittwaterlife.com.au
6THINGS
THIS MONTH
Happy New Year! Enjoy
fireworks at 9pm and midnight
from the shore at Rowland
Reserve Bayview or surrounding
businesses including the Royal
Motor Yacht Club and Royal Prince
Alfred Yacht Club. (No alcohol will
be permitted at Rowland Reserve
from 6am Dec 31 to 6am Jan 1.)
Polo By The Sea. This event
at Hitchcock Park has been
described as one of the best of
the year and although it attracts
A-Listers and people who are
actually interested in Polo it’s not
as posh as you may think. If you
want a fun day out on Saturday 13
and a party that keeps on going
well after the action has finished,
there are still tickets available.
Go to polobythesea.com.au.
Nominate an outstanding
woman. There are plenty of
women in Pittwater who deserve
a gong for their wonderful work
so put someone’s name forward
for the 2018 NSW Women of the
Year Awards. There are seven
state-wide award categories but
be quick nominations close at
11.59pm on Sun 7 January. Details
at women.nsw.gov.au/women_of_
the_year_awards
Avalon Car Boot Sale. You'll
always find something you didn’t
realise you needed at this popular
community event especially as it
is being held so soon after Xmas.
With live music, fresh coffee and
lots of treasures. Dunbar Park
Avalon Sat 20, 8am-2pm.
Stay safe in the surf. Dr Rip
– aka Dr Rob Brander – who has
been studying beaches and surf
zones for 20 years, will show you
what to look for before you go out
in the water at his award-winning
presentation Science of the Surf.
Suitable for adults and children
8 years and above; 11.30am at
Warriewood SLSC on Thursday
25. For further info call 9976 1654.
Australia Day. Our council
will mark the day by hosting
breakfast BBQs, rides for kids and
entertainment up and down the
coast. In our neck of the woods
events will be held on Friday 26 at
Bert Payne Reserve at Newport
Beach from 7.30-11.30am and
Lakeside Park at North Narrabeen
from 8am-12pm.
12 JANUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

The Thin Blue (Wa
News
We’re putt-putting
through a no-wash
zone by Scotland
Island on a “ride-along” with
Broken Bay Water Police and
I can’t get two songs out my
head. One is the Paul Kelly
tune about “so much water”;
the other the theme song to
Cops – “Bad boy, bad boys,
what you gonna do”. And it’s
a bit annoying. And then the
songs are gone because I’m
just about airborne. And it’s
all I can do to hang on.
We’re on a “ride-along” with
Senior Constables Matthew
Watt and Nathan Cooksley,
shooting breeze, talking shop,
when Watt points into the
distance and says, “Jetskis”.
And we go from walking pace
to high-speed pursuit. The
vessel had appeared modest,
a cross between a small
commercial fishing boat and
honest tug. But when Cooksley
guns its twin outboard Suzuki
engines, it’s like being in Mad
Max’s tricked-up V8 Interceptor
bounding through sand
dunes. Which is quite exciting.
We’d met the men in their
office at Holmeport Marina on
Church Point. The view from
the deck is of moored white
boats on a green sea framed
by a forest of eucalypts. The
office itself is like any other,
just with high security and
guns. There are radios on the
wall, what looks like Batman’s
utility belt hanging off
a hook. There are computers,
whiteboards, a kitchen with
ordinary coffee. There’s a picture
of Borat in a mankini.
HIGH VISIBILITY POLICING: Senior Constables Watt and Cooksley plot their course for a day's 'PR' on Pittwater.
I’m given a lifejacket and a
brief drill on its contents.
“Can you swim?” asks Watt.
I nod.
“Do you know boats?”
Not so much.
“Keep one hand free.”
“What for?” I ask.
“To hang on,” replies Watt
presciently.
Broken Bay Water Police
patrol a body of water bigger
than Sydney Harbour. From
their base at Church Point,
their “beat” extends across
the Pittwater, up the Hawkesbury
and north to Brisbane
Water on the Central Coast.
They can head 30 nautical
miles out to sea.
Their work is varied.
There’s untold hectares of
national park in which hikers
can sometimes become lost.
One time a person reported
the hull of an upturned boat
that turned out to be a dead
whale being feasted upon by
sharks. There’s a “Pudding
Club” which contains a list of
pregnant women on Scotland
Island and their due dates.
And so those big Suzukis
roar like angry dragons and
we fly over the briny, the single-hulled
cop craft, on loan
14 JANUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

ter) Line
Pittwater Life hitched a ride with the Broken Bay
Water Police to find out what goes down on a
summer Sunday. Words & photos by Matt Cleary.
NOT A BAD VIEW: Who said a desk job was boring? Through the window of the 'office' at Holmeport Marina at Church Point.
from Sydney Water Police,
thumps down and shoots up.
The sea cops ride it out; bums
perched on seats, anticipating
the bumps. For the journo it’s
like being in one of those spiralling
Russian space planes.
Cooksley half turns to me,
smiles.
“You get seasick?” he asks.
“Not yet,” I reply. “Give it
time.”
We round up the jetski
riders, four men in their 20s,
out for some rollicking water
action. Watt checks licences,
life jackets, and a “behaviour
label”. One fellow doesn’t have
one. He’s owned the craft a
week. There’s an impromptu
lesson in water safety and sealane
rules. There are breath
tests.
“Booze and water do not
mix,” says Cooksley. “And a
nice day out can turn into a
tragedy.” It’s not delivered as
tired cliché. It’s a statement of
fact – when people drink on
boats it’s dangerous.
Our run today is called
HVP – High Visibility Policing.
It’s more about PR than
arresting baddies. It’s not so
much about “busting” anyone,
though do a bad thing and
they will. It’s more: Hello,
citizens, the police are here
to help. Also: don’t do a bad
thing. Often their presence is
enough.
We pull up to a couple of
lads on a speedboat, fishing
for Jewfish in a bumpy, freeflowing
bit of water called
“The Rip”.
“Catchin’ any?” asks Watt.
One of the lads proudly
holds up a monster.
“Look at that! Where’d you
catch that?” asks Watt.
“Can’t tell ya,” says the
CHECKS PLEASE: Making sure everything is in order with a jetski crew.
man. “It’s a secret.”
We repeat the good cheer
with several other anglers. In
a typical conversation Watt
will ask: “Get any bites? Had
the boat long? Anything to
drink today? Beautiful day!
Can you read out your licence
number? How are your fire
extinguishers? That one looks
a bit rusty! You’ve got another
one? It’d pay to keep that one
handy, no? Ladies, tell me, do
you bait your own hooks?”
And so on.
We enjoy a takeaway coffee
at Killcare Wharf and talk of
“good busts”. Recently a boat
stolen on the Pittwater turned
up near Hamilton Island. Another
fellow was stealing batteries,
hundreds of them. The
team built a case and arrested
the man, found his garage full
of them. On Christmas Day in
2016, at little Parsley Bay near
Brooklyn on the Hawkesbury
River, police intercepted a
boat carrying 500 kilograms
Continued on page 16
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
JANUARY 2018 15

The Thin Blue (Wa ter) Line Continued from page 15
News
AT THE READY: Running the eye over their 'patrol vehicle' before hitting the water; all in a day's work.
of cocaine.
“Should’ve seen these
blokes,” smiles Watt. “It was
Cheech and Chong stuff.
There’d been eyes on them
for months. They thought
because it’s Christmas Day
no-one will be working. That
was not correct.”
We cruise past fine houses
on Umina Beach. There’s
homes set among the eucalypts
like the Swiss Family
Robinson. There’s homes that
float on the water. “Older people
can get a bit isolated,” says
Cooksley. “Sometimes we’ll
have to medivac them off.”
And sometimes people
die. And the smell, they say,
is not easily forgotten. And
you think, for all the “cool”
bits of the job, the rescues
and helicopters, and busting
crooks, there are things you
don’t envy.
A message comes over the
mobile phone: complaint
about jetskis at Patonga.
We fly over the flat water,
Suzukis roaring. We bounce
through some big swell where
the ocean meets Broken Bay.
There’s talk of fishing and a
Mexican prison island, and
Margot Robbie, before we
putt-putt quietly into Patonga.
And there we find a fisherman
from central casting:
leathery skin, sun-blonde
beard, salt-flecked shorts,
knitting his nets with a trusty
hound by his side.
“Did you call us, mate?”
asks Watt.
“I bloody well did!” says
the man. “I’m jack of these
bastards. Twenty of ’em. Took
off. Smart-arses.”
“Did you take down rego?”
16 JANUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

asks Watt. “Did you get the
colour of the boat?”
“I didn’t,” says the fisherman.
“But I’ve got video on my
phone. I’ll come aboard, show
ya.” He comes aboard. But
his video is bouncing about
and not evidence
of anything. Watt
explains the limits
of police power.
We see some
jetski riders on the
shore. The fisherman
isn’t sure it’s
them. Watt gets
to the front of
the boat, calls the
men towards him.
There’s a shirtless
bloke with a
Mohawk and muscles. There’s
a bloke in white Panama hat,
sunglasses, tattoos, more
muscles, up to his knees in
the sea.
As Watt ask questions
pertaining to the fisherman’s
complaint, Panama hat man
screams in fear and fright,
and just about leaps out of
the water, clutching at his leg.
And he’s screaming, yowling.
“Stingray,” remarks Cooksley.
“Get a few around here.”
For all the
'cool' bits of
the job – the
rescues and
busting crooks
– there are
things you
don't envy...
Our man hops to shore,
clutching his calf. Watt takes
off his shoes and heads
onto the beach to assist. He
inspects the leg. No entry
wounds. “Probably a numb
ray,” reckons Cooksley. “It’s
like an electric
shock.”
There’s an offer
of an ambulance
but Panama hat
insists he’s okay.
Watt climbs back
aboard, “We can
force them to take
an ambulance
if we have to,
though it goes on
the boss’s budget.
We’ll do that. But
the bloke said he didn’t need
it, so, we’ll leave it there.”
We talk of the fisherman, a
hard-working man of the sea
spending his Sunday fixing
his nets. “He was right to call
us,” says Watt. “We want people
to ring. We need the public
to help us.”
* To contact Broken Bay
Water Police call 9910 7899;
0412 162 093; or email
brobay@police.nsw.gov.au.
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
JANUARY 2018 17

SEEN…
Most innovative use of your
garden to get in the Christmas
spirit? Forget twinkling lights;
we have a winner! Top marks
to the Mona Vale residents
who trimmed their street-front
muraya hedge into a raggedy
untrimmed pyramid, then decorated
it with baubles, a star…
even spray-painted tinsel! Voila
– the perfect Christmas tree!
News
HEARD…
ABSURD…
A new Australian film will be shot in
and around Palm Beach between April
and June this year. The movie’s producers
have asked Northern Beaches
Council to provide financial and in-kind
support – their request was considered
during a closed session at the final
council meeting of 2017 in late December.
Expect more “action” about this in
the coming weeks.
The Pasadena situation at Church Point? What a mess. The
current owner bought the site in 2009 but says he had a
succession of DAs for improvement and works knocked
back by the former Pittwater Council. Hence its derelict
appearance. In August, the new NB Council and the Government
announced intent to compulsorily acquire the land
for community use; it coincided with the owner obtaining a
construction go-ahead that fell back on consent granted in
1963. All very legal. So now Council is walking on eggshells
as it tries to break the impasse. On the one hand Council
has a duty as a compliance authority to act in the best interests
of the community. On the other, it would be wary that
any decision it makes that may curtail the property owner
from making improvements could be considered ‘obstructionist’
and affect the property’s valuation. Regardless,
Council’s General Manager Environment & Infrastructure
Ben Taylor told us Council was continuing discussions with
the site owner to acquire the property. “If we are unable
to reach agreement, Council intends to proceed with a
compulsory purchase with the aim of returning the waterfront
site to the public for open space. After the land is
bought, Council will engage with the community to create
a masterplan for the area, with the intention to convert the
majority of the site to public open space as well as provide
suitable building/s to accentuate public use of the area.”
Meanwhile days before Christmas the development owner
told us he had not
had discussions
with Council about
compulsory acquisition
and intended
to push ahead
with his plans for
the new Pasadena,
including a swish
restaurant, outside
dining and
15 accommodation
rooms. Stay
tuned.
18 JANUARY 2018
The Local
Voice Since 1991

Pittwater News
On-demand trial
hits road running
The State Government’s ondemand
transport trial has
hit the road running on the
Northern Beaches, with the
Keoride car-sharing service
providing connections from
people’s homes or designated
local pick-up point to the new
B-Line bus service stops. Using
a fleet of ‘GoGet’ vehicles,
it aims to provide a personalised,
frequent and direct
service to local communities,
and encourage the use of
public transport. Locals have
embraced the service, which
operates seven days a week
– weekdays from 6am-10pm,
Saturday from 7am-7pm and
Sunday from 7am-5pm. Mona
Vale resident Helen Dunne
said: “This service is reliable,
safe and convenient. It will
probably mean I don’t need
a second car.” James George
from Clareville added: “I tried
this the other day and, for
less than the price of a cup
of coffee, I was picked up at
my front door at the time of
my choosing and taken to the
nearest B-Line and bus stop
hub. It’s the most amazing
public transport initiative.”
Each Keoride service costs a
flat fee of $3.10 per trip and
payments can be made by
credit card. The service can be
booked online keoride.com.
au, through the Keoride app
or by phone 1800 KEO RIDE.
And they are off
and walking!
The Northern Beaches has a
new social group: greyhound
owners and their hounds and
a few extra doggies meeting
once a month for a stroll, a
chat (or sniff) and a coffee (or
water). Organised by Greyhounds
As Pets volunteer
Toni Barnes in November, the
Northern Beaches Greyhound
Walking Group (above) has
already brought together
around 20 hounds and their
human friends. The first walk
was from the Flying Fox Café
to the Marina Café Church
Point and back, the second
walk last month took in part
of the Narrabeen Lagoon
Trail. “All the dogs were wellbehaved
the whole way… it
was a lovely sight,” Toni said.
“We are trying to have a walk
once a month so we can catch
up and talk ‘greyhound’, share
tips or ask for help or advice,”
she explained. The first walk
in 2018 will be at Long Reef on
January 14, meeting at 8am
near the tennis courts on Anzac
Ave. Toni asks owners to
bring along water for you and
your hound and please make
sure your dog has their green
collar or muzzle on. If you
have a greyhound and want to
join the group or interested in
learning more about the breed
and perhaps even adopting
one of these calm, low maintenance
pets check out the
Northern Beaches Greyhound
Walking group on Facebook.
Probus delves into
‘super-rich’ world
The “shadowy world of the
super-rich” is the subject of a
talk by author and former equity
dealer Robert Salisbury
at the next Pittwater Probus
meeting at Mona Vale Golf
Club on January 9. Robert will
speak about his new fiction
thriller ‘The Shadows’ – in
it he gives details about the
anonymous families that rule
the world through their control
over the finance industry,
including equity markets
and cryptocurrencies such as
Bitcoin. Also on the agenda is
a five-minute talk from Peter
Mayman who will outline the
key features and points of
interest of a tour of Norway.
Meeting starts 10am and all
are welcome. More info Geoff
Sheppard 0437 274 074.
Continued on page 20
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
JANUARY 2018 19

News
Pittwater News
Continued from page 19
Marriage equality
weddings boost
Local events venues are
gearing up for a busy year
with the passage of marriage
equality set to inject
an estimated $1 billion into
the Australian economy in
the next three years alone.
Metro Mirage Hotel Newport
has already taken bookings
for same-sex marriages and
expects more enquiries when
it stages its Summer Wedding
Expo on Sunday February 18
from 1pm-4pm. “The passing
of the same sex marriage
legislation is not only a
great result for couples who
simply want to confirm their
love for each other, but will
undoubtedly have positive
flow-through benefits to all
of our local suppliers, as well
as to the broader community
through the expanded
employment opportunities
these increased celebrations
will bring,” said hotel General
Manager Stuart Crossman. He
added the hotel was delighted
to take its first same sex marriage
wedding booking some
weeks before the Australian
legislation passed. More Summer
Wedding Expo info 9997
7011.
Fate ‘sealed’ for
Oxford Falls Rd
Northern Beaches Council
intends to upgrade gravel
sections of Oxford Falls
Road and Morgan Road in
Oxford Falls to sealed roads
and investigate appropriate
traffic calming and wildlife
protection measures. Mayor
Michael Regan said Council
currently maintains sections
of both roads next to the one
lane bridge over Oxford Falls
Creek with a gravel surface,
while the other sections are
sealed. “But traffic volumes in
this area have substantially
increased lately due to traffic
changes around the new hospital
and sections of the road
20 JANUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

are starting to really deteriorate
with rutting and loss of
gravel,” he said. “Traffic is
diabolical in Frenchs Forest
due to the RMS road works
and that has forced council’s
hand on what is supposed to
be a semi-rural access road
for residents and not a main
thoroughfare. Maintenance
costs are now significantly
higher and locals say there
has also been an increase in
road kill numbers. If we do
nothing, it will continue to
cost ratepayers almost quarter
of a million dollars a year to
maintain in its current state.
But by investing $490,000, we
can upgrade to a sealed road
with only minor maintenance
needed for the next 15-20
years.” Mayor Regan said.
He added Council was also
very aware of the concerns in
relation to access to and from
Wakehurst Parkway and will
discuss options with the RMS,
highlighting what has become
a dangerous right-hand turn
onto the parkway.
Steps to thwart tree scammers
Professional local tree service
providers have compiled a
‘dodgy tree loppers’ checklist
to ensure residents don’t
fall victim to unqualified
scammers who have been
operating throughout the
upper-Pittwater area. It
follows a warning from NB
Council Mayor
Michael Regan
about rogue contractors
who had
targeted Avalon
and Bilgola, offering
residents
cheap rates
before inflating
their prices once
the job was complete.
Mr Regan the actions
of the band of illegal tree removalists
had the potential to
place residents hoodwinked
by their approaches at risk
of enforcement action. He
added Council had received at
least six reports in December,
leaving three property owners
potentially facing large
fines for illegal tree removal
or lopping. Local practising
arborist Graham Brooks said
there were some things customers
should never accept
when dealing with loppers.
“Verbal quotations or a quote
on the back of a business
card are at the top of the list,”
Graham said, “Also a business
card with
contact number
only and no
other contractor
details.
And be wary of
door knockers
offering cheap
works, and
workers who
cannot produce
insurance certificates.” He
said customers could request
specific criteria to identify
genuine sole traders and/or
companies. “Essentials are
that they are registered with
an ABN and or ACN, they have
a current Insurance Certificate
with $20 million public
liability and worker’s compensation
(Tree Industry).”
Vet
on
call
with
Dr Ben Brown
We all know how important
tick prevention is for
our dogs as the weather
warms up but what about
heartworm disease? Is your
dog adequately protected?
Heartworm in dogs is a
potentially fatal disease that
is transmitted from infected
to uninfected dogs by
mosquitoes. These mosquitoes
inject a tiny worm into the
dog’s body (microfilaria)
which then mature into adult
heartworm over about six
months inside the chambers
of the heart. Adult heartworm
then cause heart failure which
can result in serious illness
and death. Heartworm disease
is very difficult and expensive
to treat so prevention is much
better than cure!
According to the Australian
Heartworm Advisory Panel,
year-round heartworm
protection is recommended
for every dog Australiawide.
Therefore, just as we
vaccinate pets against deadly
viral diseases, heartworm
prophylaxis is an important
cornerstone of preventative
care. Whilst monthly
heartworm preventatives
have been demonstrated
to be effective, when given
every month, any lapse in
treatment puts patients at
higher risk of heartworm
disease. Recent research
showed that complacency
around heartworm prevention
has resulted in dogs testing
positive to heartworm, in fact
around 40% of dogs diagnosed
with heartworm disease are
on owner-given monthly
heartworm preventatives.
The easiest way to avoid
forgetting heartworm
medication is to use annual
heartworm prevention at the
time of vaccination. Sydney
Animal Hospitals are offering
a free heartworm blood test
in January and February;
drop by or give us a call to
discuss your dog’s heartworm
prevention to make sure they
are adequately protected.
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
JANUARY 2018 21

As you’d expect, local driving tours
operator David Thomas has a lifelong
love of all things auto.
Story by Rosamund Burton
Life Stories
King of
Road
the
With the roof down on a sunny
day David Thomas steers his
black 2003 model Porsche
Boxter S through the backstreets of
Mona Vale.
“I’ve had a love of cars ever since
I was old enough to hold a steering
wheel,” he tells me. “I’ve been lucky
that pretty much my whole life I’ve
been involved in cars and motorcycles
– teaching people how to drive, racing,
rallying and now conducting tours.”
Through his company, Driving
Adventures, he runs half-day and fullday
Porsche driving tours, which always
start in Mona Vale, before following the
Pittwater foreshore to Church Point,
and enjoying the McCarrs Creek Road
bends.
“People come from all over Sydney for
a drive in a Porsche, and they’re blown
away by the scenery.”
David Thomas grew up at Revesby in
the Western Suburbs. Aged 20 he had
a second job, working behind the bar
in a club, and one of his workmates
suggested he come to the ‘Club Lap
Dash’ at the weekend. He drove his
Holden Torana GTR out to Catalina Park
near Katoomba, and completed the race
track circuit in the best time.
Then for 20 years he raced production
cars, competing at Bathurst and on
the Adelaide Grand Prix circuit, while
working in the NSW police force as a
driving instructor. David went on to
teach members of the police force to
drive high speed cars, for several years
was chief motorcycle instructor, and
eventually was in charge of all traffic
and mobile police training in NSW.
He was in his late 30s in 1991, when
he left the police force, and also split up
with his first wife, with whom he’d had
three children.
He ran his own driver training school
for several years, and during that time
landed a couple of dream jobs driving
in international rallies. In 1993 he
competed in the month-long London to
Sydney Rally.
The owner of the car was Jenny
Britain, and David and she were
running third in a field of more than
100 cars when they reached Perth.
“We were trying to put some pressure
on the leaders and clipped a tree
stump. We didn’t realise the extent of
the damage, so kept going. Two days
later in the Flinders Ranges we had just
finished the stage. I hit the brakes and
the steering arm parted, and I parked
the car rather untidily roof first in a
tree. Jenny broke five ribs and was
carted off to hospital, and I injured
my neck and ligaments.” He shifts the
Porsche into a lower gear as we head
round a sharp corner on McCarrs Creek
Road, and adds reassuringly, “That’s the
only major accident I’ve ever had.”
Two years later he competed in the
London to Mexico Rally, and started
doing promotional work for a number
of car companies. After running a
couple of weekend driving tours, he
saw the opportunity for his Driving
Adventures business.
“I knew a lot of people had nice cars
and never drove them, so I gave them
an excuse to drive them. Last week
I took 14 cars – Ferraris, Maseratis,
Porsches and BMWs – on a three-day
tour through the Snowy Mountains and
down the far South Coast of NSW.”
22 JANUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

David Thomas also leads an annual
two-week USA driving tour, a tour
of England, Wales and Scotland and
a 19-night European tour staying
in exceptional hotels, eating out at
gourmet restaurants, and following
some of the world’s great passes and
roads.
He pulls in at Hills The Flower Market
on Mona Vale Road at Terrey Hills, and
over a coffee explains that he met his
wife, Maryann, in 1997, a couple of
weeks after he moved from Turramurra
into an apartment block opposite the
Newport Surf Lifesaving Club. She was
also a new resident in the block, and
told him he was in her parking spot.
“We moved together into a house in
Avalon. I had three teenage boys and
she had three teenage girls living with
her, and a son who was living with her
parents,” he tells me. “I knew I was in
trouble when I paddled out in the surf
at Newport one day, and a guy paddled
past and said, ‘Good day, Mr Brady’. The
Brady Bunch has certainly been formed,
and it was a circus, because there were
never just seven kids there, but all their
friends as well.” As David goes off to
buy a bunch of flowers for Maryann, it
is obvious, after 17 years of marriage,
and with eight grandchildren between
them, he hasn’t regretted parking in the
wrong spot.
Maryann Thomas was born and
raised in Newport, and has sailed all
her life. She was one of Katie Spithill’s
crew for the Busan Cup Women’s Match
Racing World Championships in Korea
in 2010, when the team won silver,
and 2013, when they came away with
bronze.
“Maryann sails a lot, and is very
good at it, so if I wanted to see her
at weekends I had to go sailing,”
David explains. So he directed his
competitiveness from the road and
onto the water, crewing with Maryann
for several years on the Tripp 47 yacht,
Abracadabra, and then the Sydney 38,
Eye Candy.
These days David can be found on
the 66-footer, Wild Oats X, in the Royal
Prince Alfred Yacht Club’s Wednesday
afternoon race with another driving
and sailing enthusiast, 91-year-old Bill
Buckle.
“He sits up the back, and I do a bit
of knuckle work, which at 91 he’s not
expected to do, and we’ll chat about
cars. After sailing one day he invited
me to take his new electric Tesla car
for a drive. ‘Give it some acceleration,’
he urged, so at his insistence I did, and
quick as a flash, he said, ‘You’re using
up all my battery.’”
As we walk back to the car, David
says, “It’s your turn to drive now,” and
hands me the keys. Never in my wildest
dreams did I imagine I’d have the
opportunity to drive a Porsche, and now
I hardly dare reverse out of the parking
spot for fear that I’ll put a dent in this
dream machine. However, with his
years of driver training, David knows
exactly how to instill confidence in his
nervous driver, and within minutes I’m
joyously toe-tapping between the brake
and the accelerator, as I navigate the
bends down to Akuna Bay.
Driving the Porsche up David
Thomas’s driveway and pulling up
beside his 2006 model, and his newly
restored yellow 1970s Porsche 911E, I
can only admire this dynamic 63-yearold,
who over his entire adult life has
pursued his passion for driving, and
developed this niche business for other
car and driving enthusiasts.
For more information about
Driving Adventures visit www.
drivingadventures.com.au or phone
0418 473 916.
Life Stories
CLOCKWISE FROM OPPOSITE: And so
it began – watching his Dad change
a tyre at the family home in Revesby
in 1957; racing a Mini at Oran Park
in Sydney; getting some drift in his
Mark I Ford Escort in Austria during
the London to Sydney Marathon in
1993; race preparations at Winton in
Tasmania; taking in the Taj Mahal;
coming down from the top of Mount
Panorama during the big race at
Bathurst in the early 1990s.
The Local Voice Since 1991
JANUARY 2018 23

Summer Guide
Here are a few things to take on board to inspire you to discover more about beautiful
Pittwater… and perhaps even try something new. Compiled by Lisa Offord.
Special Feature
24 JANUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

KEEP IT CLEAN
Our waterways and bushland
are pristine and you will
notice most of us are doing
our best to ensure they stay
that way. Our community is
doing a great job in helping
to reduce the amount of
plastic in landfill, polluting
our bush land or ending up in
the ocean or other waterways
and we encourage you to
keep it up.
Swap this for that. Everything
you can do to reduce the use
of single-use plastic helps.
Get yourself a “keep” cup
for your caffeine fix and/
or a reusable water bottle
and remember to take them
with you when you go out.
Break the habit of drinking
with a straw and when food
shopping try to avoid excess
packaging.
Boomerang Bags. These
reusable shopping bags are
made to share and designed
to be used by customers who
have forgotten their own.
Available at various locations
in our villages (the little red
boomerangs on our maps in
the mag show you where) the
bags should be returned once
they are no longer required.
Volunteers work really hard
throughout the year to create
the bags so we don’t have
to resort to using single-use
plastic. Please don’t take
them as a souvenir.
Water stations. We have some
brand new water stations so
you can grab a cool drink or
fill a bottle without having to
hand over a cent. It is hoped
the water stations will help
our environment by reducing
the amount of plastic bottles
going to landfill. Water
station locations include
Careel Bay, Avalon Beach,
Newport Beach, Kitchener
Park in Mona Vale and Terrey
Hills Oval.
LIFE’S A BEACH
It goes without saying you
should swim between the red
and yellow flags which are
pushed into the sand from
9am-5pm over the summer
months. The best spot at any of
our beaches during summer is
the north end. There is always
a nor-east sea breeze and it
can be unpleasant if you’re
fully exposed to its impact.
Mona Vale Basin, North Bilgola,
North Avalon and Whale Beach
are all sheltered and beautiful
in these conditions. While our
beaches are always beautiful
Beachwatch – the team that
monitors Sydney’s recreational
water quality – says as a
general precaution swimming
at ocean beaches should be
avoided for up to one day
after heavy rainfall or for as
long as stormwater is present.
The most obvious signs of
stormwater pollution are water
discolouration as well as debris
in the water and on the tide
line.
Rock pools
Pittwater has some stunning
ocean rock pools. Rock pools
are sometimes closed due to
rough seas, renovations and
cleaning. The pools can get
a little grotty between cleans
especially in summer when
slime and grime builds up
quickly from frequent use so
time your swims accordingly.
NB Council publishes the
cleaning schedule on their
website. You’ll find rock
pools along the coast at
North Narrabeen, Mona Vale,
Newport, Bilgola, Avalon,
Whale Beach and Palm Beach.
Ocean swims
Pittwater Life Saving Clubs
co-ordinate five ocean swims
over Summer. In January you
can join 800 metres up to
2.6km swims at Newport,
Avalon Beach, Mona Vale and
the Big Swim from Palm Beach
to Whale Beach. See page 11
and 49 for details.
ON PITTWATER
Our waterways are the
cleanest they have ever been
but as a general precaution
its best to avoid swimming
in Pittwater for up to three
days following rainfall or
for as long as stormwater is
present.
Swimming Enclosures
If you want to swim in the stillwater
swimming enclosures
in Pittwater, plan ahead. The
enclosures are tidal and usage
may be limited on low tides…
finding a parking spot can
also be tricky.
Check out: Paradise Beach –
located at the southern end
of the beach. Access is off
the northern end of Paradise
Avenue, Avalon; Taylors
Point Baths – located at the
southern end of Clareville
Beach Reserve. Access is off
Hudson Parade, Clareville;
Bayview Baths – On Pittwater
Road Bayview and Tennis
Court Wharf – You’ll find
this swimming enclosure off
Scotland Island near Pitt View
Street.
Avalon Stand Up Paddle
Experience the many
pleasures of Stand Up Paddle
at any level you choose.
Located at the beautiful
Clareville Beach, the tranquil
and enclosed area is ideal
for learning. Tony Henry’s is
the place to go and provides
both individual and group
lessons SUP Hire, parties, gift
certificates, items on sale and
much more. Book online at
avsup.com.au or call Tony on
0413 363 405.
Kayaking
Paddlecraft at Bayview Marina
and Pittwater Kayak Tours
are two businesses offering
a number of eco-friendly
tours, kayak hire options
and special events for you to
explore our islands, bays and
coves.
Sailing
Plenty of places to learn to
sail or get on board a boat
for a day. Contact clubs to
see what’s on offer or the
local businesses that provide
Special Feature
The Local Voice Since 1991
JANUARY 2018 25

Special Feature
skippered boat hire and yacht
charters.
GONE FISHING
There are great recreational
fishing spots around
Pittwater. If you have kids
(8-14 years old) who are
showing an interest in
fishing the Department of
Primary Industries is holding
a workshop on January
23 from 10am-2pm where
they can learn how to fish
and importantly where to
fish safely. Cost is $40 and
includes a rod, reel, hat
and T-Shirt. Contact the
Coastal Environment Centre
Narrabeen for more info.
Here are some local fishing
tips to take on board.
Yellowtail Kingfish – Pittwater
hotspots are the moorings
from Stokes Point all the
way past Clareville. Work the
outer first or second row of
boats and keep a keen eye
out for fish working bait
schools on the surface. Also
try moorings around Scotland
Island and also the current
line between Palm Beach
Wharf and Mackerel Beach. If
bait fishing, you will need live
or freshly caught squid, live
yellowtail, garfish or slimy
mackerel.
Flathead – The best areas are
along sand drop-offs and
the convergence of sand
and weed or sand and rock.
Cover ground when fishing;
if wading keep on the move
and fan your casts out.
The best outfit is a light to
medium 7ft rod with a small
to medium sized spinning
reel. Use 8-12lb (4-6kg) braid
as mainline and a 10-20lb (5-
10kg) mono trace.
Bream – Fish in areas close to
structures such as wharves,
or rocky headlands with
ample tidal flow. When bait
fishing, use a fine misty
burley of an oily fish and
bread and keep the trail light
but consistent. Fishing unweighted
or lightly weighted
baits on a set-up similar to
your flathead combo will
produce the goods.
GETTING AROUND
PB&H River Cruises
Palm Beach & Hawkesbury
River cruises operates the
ferry between Palm Beach,
Patonga Beach, Cottage Point
and the Hawkesbury River
cruise to Bobbin Head. It’s a
great few hours of leisurely
cruising. Departs 11am,
returning 3.30pm. You can
also hire the beautiful 50-foot
timber passenger ferry for
private events. Call 0414 466
635.
Fantasea
Operating all day every day
Fantasea Palm Beach Ferries
have fast cat ferries which
travel between Palm Beach to
Wagstaffe and Ettalong Beach
on the lower Central Coast
peninsula departing roughly
every hour. This journey is
one of the most picturesque
in the world. It spans across
four waterways from Pittwater,
Broken Bay; the entrance to
the Hawkesbury River and
Brisbane Waters. Passing Lion
Island between the heads
of Barrenjoey Headland and
Box Head ensures that no
two journeys are ever the
same. You’ll spot plenty of
wildlife along the way too.
Ferries also depart hourly
from Palm Beach to Bennett
Wharf, Bonnie Doon, The
Basin, Currawong Beach and
Mackerel Beach. The round
trip journey takes about 45
minutes. Call 9974 2411
Water Taxis
This summer Fantasea has a
new addition to the fleet – a
16-seater water taxi (above)
which can also hold luggage
for those who are holidaying
or day-tripping and can be
privately chartered for groups
of 16 or less. Call direct on
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Special Feature
0419 521 168. Pink water taxis
based out of Church Point
are primarily an on demand
service that can take up to six
passengers – they say they will
pick you up from anywhere
they can safely get to.
Church Point Ferry
Catch a ferry to Scotland
Island, Lovett Bay and Elvina
Bay (departs Church Point
hourly). Scotland Island
stops: Bell, Carols, Eastern
and Tennis Court Wharves.
North-facing Tennis Wharf is
a perfect spot for a picnic.
Western Foreshore stops
include: Elvina Bay, Halls
Wharf (access to Morning
Bay), and Lovett Bay.
Public transport
Are you thinking what I’m
thinking? Jump on a new
B-Line bus for a birds-eye
view and a quick trip to the
city. The high frequency
double-decker yellow buses
currently stop at Mona Vale,
Warriewood, Narrabeen,
Collaroy, Dee Why, Brookvale,
Manly Vale, Spit Junction
(Mosman), Neutral Bay and
Wynyard. If you are north of
Mona Vale you will be able to
use the 199 service between
Palm Beach and Manly to
access turn-up-and-go B-Line
services at Mona Vale.
Transport on demand
There are many areas of our
community that aren’t serviced
by buses lucky for us we are
currently taking part in a trial
of an innovative “on-demand
transport model” where you can
order a lift to and from a public
transport hub. Pittwater is one
of the first areas in NSW to test
this customised service model
which it is hoped will also serve
to encourage people to leave
their cars at home – give it a
go. Keoride operates weekdays
6am-10pm, Saturdays 7am-
7pm and Sunday 7am-5pm.
A one-way trip costs $3.10,
with concession card holders
(including pensioners, seniors,
students and apprentices)
receiving a 50% discount. Call
1800 KEO RIDE (1800 536 7433)
or download the ‘Keoride’ app
to book.
MARKETS
Berry Reserve Market
Set amongst the trees in a
beautiful lakeside position at
Berry Reserve Narrabeen you
will find more than 80 stalls
offering arts, craft, jewellery,
collectibles, homewares,
fashion food stalls and much
more on Sunday 21 January
and every third Sunday of the
month throughout the year.
More info: 0412 056 531.
Beaches Market
More than 100 stalls of quality,
fresh farmer’s produce, baked
goods, dairy, fish and deli,
jams, spices and honey, clothes,
jewellery and hot food from
around the world. Every Friday
rain, hail or shine at Pittwater
Rugby Park, Warriewood.
Palm Beach Market
Head to Governor Phillip
Park on Sunday 28 Jan from
9am-3pm; browse and buy
quality homewares, fashion
and jewellery, specialist food
items and chow down on
great food.
Frenchs Forest Organic
Food Market
Every Sunday from 8am-1pm
the carpark at the Parkway
Hotel on Frenchs Forest
Road becomes a bustling
marketplace with a great
selection of fresh produce
including certified organic
to conventional fresh food,
flowers as well as artisan and
lifestyle stalls.
WALK THIS WAY
There’s a handy awardwinning
Walking Pittwater app
that covers walks around the
area and you can also discover
more at nationalparks.
nsw.gov.au. Here are a few
organized walks and tracks
you can explore at your leisure
to inspire you.
Escarpment Walk
This free, guided walk on
Saturday 20th will take you
through Pittwater’s largest
continuous piece of bushland
– Irrawong Reserve, North
Narrabeen. Suitable for the
whole family, the track is 1.5km
one-way and is a little steep
in parts so although you will
be taking it at a gentle pace a
reasonable level of fitness is
required. Starting at 9.30am
the two-hour walk is a Northern
Beaches Council’s Green
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Communities Event. Bookings
essential on 1300 000 232
Long Reef
A little further down the coast
you can join a free guided
walk of Long Reef Aquatic
Reserve with NSW Department
of Industry & Investment
Fishcare Volunteers on
Sunday 14, 1-3pm weather
permitting. More info
reefcarelongreef
Oxford Falls Triangle
Three-hour bushwalk on
Monday 1st starting at 4.30pm
from Morgan Rd, Oxford Falls.
Friends of Narrabeen Lagoon
will identify plants and on
the way home do 20 minutes’
weeding of whiskey grass.
Bookings essential: Conny
0432 643 295
Wildlife Walk
This walk around Narrabeen
Lagoon will be led by
Jayden Walsh starting at
7.30am Saturday 20th.
Meet at end of Deep Creek
Carpark. Spaces limited to
30 people. Bookings: email@
narrabeenlagoon.org.au
Barrenjoey Lighthouse
Positioned 91m above sea level,
the lighthouse can be reached
by a couple of different walks.
For an easy trek, the 1km
walk offers stunning views on
the way up. Or for those who
are keen for a challenging,
steep yet short hike, take the
Smugglers track to the top –
don’t fear… it isn’t as hard as
it looks. The views at the top
are well worth it. Bring your
camera along to capture the
beauty of the region, with
glorious views of Broken Bay,
Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park
as well as the Central Coast.
Half-hour guided tours of the
lighthouse are conducted every
Sunday 11am–3pm, except in
extreme weather conditions.
Adults $5 per person. Child
$2 per person. Meet at the
top. NB There are no toilets or
drinking water available at the
lighthouse.
Resolute Track Loop
The Resolute Track lies at the
far end of West Head. There
are numerous lookouts along
the way. This is a perfect
summer walk as you can cool
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JANUARY 2018 29

Special Feature
down with a swim. Catch
a ferry from Palm Beach to
Great Mackerel Beach wharf
proceed north along the
beach to enter the bushland
track in Kur-ring-gai Chase
National Park. You can do the
loop the other way by driving
and parking at the Resolute
picnic area at the end of West
Head Road.
Chiltern Track
The Chiltern Track at
Ingleside is a great walk with
challenging parts. Its 1600m
in distance with an almost
100m vertical climb. It’s a
testy trek from McCarrs Creek
Road at Church Point over to
Chiltern Road in Ingleside.
Avalon to Narrabeen
Coastal Walk
Beginning at Avalon Beach
Surf Life Saving Club this
walk will take you over
Bilgola Head to secluded
Bilgola Beach and around
the southern headland to
Newport Beach. Past Bungan
Castle the walk drops down
to Bungan Beach, then over
Mona Vale Headland to
Bongin Bongin, Mona Vale
and Warriewood beaches.
Continue on to Turimetta
Head and beach, Narrabeen
Head, Narrabeen lagoon and
Narrabeen’s shopping centre.
Allow at five and a half hours
to cover the 13km distance
with plenty of stops.
Narra Coastal Walk
You can start the Narrabeen
Coastal walk down at North
Narrabeen pool. This is a
leisurely stroll and great
for taking in the wonder of
the area. Start by trekking
up the big brown steps and
arrive at Turimetta headland.
There are a few tracks to
choose from. The lookout
overlooking North Narrabeen
beach is breathtaking. You
can take the path all the way
along to Mona Vale headland.
America Bay Track
One of the more popular
walking tracks in the Kuring-gai
Chase National
Park. Moderate in difficulty,
the walk takes in waterfalls,
aboriginal engravings, scenic
lookouts and an abundance
of natural wildlife. Leave
1-2 hours, depending on
your ability (or the number
of photos you want to take
along the way).
Warriewood Wetlands
The Warriewood Wetlands is
the largest remaining sand
plan wetland in the Northern
Sydney area at 26 hectares
it is home to all sorts of
flora and fauna. There’s a
boardwalk stretching 2.4km
and trails that can lead you to
waterfalls. Easy to find (just
behind Warriewood Square)
and navigate with lots of info
signposted.
Crown to the Sea walk
This a challenging walk
linking four bushland
reserves between Newport
and Bilgola Plateau. Starting
at the Crown of Newport
reserve, walkers take on
a 300m moderate/steep
walk under the canopy of
a rainforest, plants and
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waterfalls home to a range of
fauna. The Attunga Reserve
follows, which is a 1000m
strenuous steep climb
with incredible coastline
views. This challenging
section is followed by an
easy 300m walk through
Porter Reserve which has
undergone extensive bush
regeneration after its early
history of cattle grazing. The
walk finishes with a short
160m steep climb through
Kanimbla Reserve on the
mountainside of Bilgola
Plateau cliff which overlooks
Newport. All up the walk is
roughly 1.76km.
Narrabeen Lagoon Trail
The journey around
Narrabeen Lagoon will take
you 2-3 hours on foot though
beautiful ecosystems, cultural
heritage and historical sites.
The well-formed track has
no steps and is a shared trail
popular with joggers, hikers,
cyclists, dogs on leads, mums
with prams and families with
kids on bikes. Cyclists are
asked to stick to the left and
pedestrians have right of way.
There are places to peel off to
rest along the way and picnic
areas with toilet facilities
dotted along the circuit. If
you don’t want to tackle the
8.4km loop in one go there
are five short walk options
(Middle Creek to Bilarong
Reserve 2.2km; Bilarong
Reserve to Berry Reserve
1.2km; Jamieson Park to
South Creek 2.3km and South
Creek to Middle Creek 1.2km).
There is plenty of parking
and the trail is wheelchair
accessible from the Jamieson
Park, Berry, Middle Creek and
Bilarong Reserve carparks.
PICNIC SPOTS &
KIDS PLAY
Bert Payne Reserve
A handy spot for a picnic
or takeaway, the reserve at
Newport Beach also boasts a
great innovative playground
which provides an ‘inclusive’
play space and equipment
suited to children of varying
ages and abilities.
Winnererremy Bay
‘Flying Fox Park’ next to
Pittwater High School in
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JANUARY 2018 31

Mona Vale is still one of
the best parks for kids.
The playground has a giant
climbing structure, swings and
much more to keep the littlies
entertained for hours. The
park also has BBQs and picnic
areas and is bike-, skateboardand
scooter-friendly.
Apex Park Mona Vale
Apex Park is across the road
from Mona Vale beach and
a great spot for families. It
has a huge bike path for the
kids to ride around plus a
playground and BBQ areas.
Special Feature
Warriewood Valley
Playground
Better known as “Rocket
Park” this is a great space
with a range of exciting
play equipment for kids of
all ages. There are BBQs
and toilets, plenty of shade
and pleasant grassy areas.
Callistemon Way, Warriewood.
The Basin
Take a short ferry ride from
Palm Beach to the Basin on
the western foreshores of
Pittwater Ku-ring-gai Chase
National Park. It will be busy
at this time of year but there’s
plenty to do. There are places
to swim (pack your snorkel)
and several walking tracks. A
day trip is a good way to suss
out the camping area for any
future expeditions.
Robert Dunn reserve
The Robert Dunn reserve near
Mona Vale Hospital takes in
the beautiful scenery of Mona
Vale beach and surroundings,
with plenty of benches and
seats. It also doubles as a
dog park – one of the little
treasures of the area.
McCarrs Creek Reserve
This is a picturesque location
with the Ku-ring-gai Chase
National Park on the opposite
side. The large grassy area
is great for throwing around
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a Frisbee or for setting up a
game of beach cricket.
Bilarong Reserve
Bilarong Reserve at North
Narrabeen is an ideal place
for a family picnic. Complete
with bike tracks, a playground
in two halves – a shaded
fenced play area with basic
equipment for toddlers
surrounded by a larger more
adventurous playground
– and fantastic BBQ and
table set-ups, it ticks a lot
of boxes. Located right next
to Narrabeen Lagoon on the
Wakehurst Parkway.
New Leaf Nursery
This great nursery on
Powderworks Rd Ingleside
specialises in sustainable
living and is set up for all
the family to enjoy. Kids love
the free petting zoo where
they can feed the chickens,
rabbits and guinea pigs and
enjoy a real farm experience.
Get all the info you need on
growing fruits and vegies,
expert advice on choosing
and keeping backyard pets
including chooks and ducks
and tips on garden design.
QUIET REFLECTION
Bible Garden
Situated high on the
escarpment, the Bible Garden
in Mitchell Road, Palm
Beach offers magnificent
views over the ocean,
Pittwater and Barrenjoey.
The garden features every
plant mentioned in the Old
and New Testaments a pond,
seats, table and a Bible. All
are welcome.
The Baha’i Temple
This beautiful house of
worship and nine hectares of
gardens open to all people
of all beliefs is an ideal
place to find some peace of
mind. A place of prayer and
meditation, the magnificent
nine-sided structure – a
symbol of the unity of the
world religions – is the
highest point in the area and
one of seven Baha’i Temples
throughout the world. There’s
a Visitors Centre (with
volunteer guides available
to answer questions), a
bookshop and an open-air
picnic area. The temple is
open to the public in January
from 9-5 weekdays and until
7pm weekends. Admission is
free. A public service is held
every Sunday at 11am; 173
Mona Vale Rd, Ingleside.
Make room for a view
Make time to appreciate
the beauty Pittwater’s
majestic headlands. Take
in a different view, breathe
and just enjoy the moment.
Narrabeen Headland – Peal
Place, Warriewood; Turimetta
Headland – Narrabeen Park
Parade, Warriewood; South
Mona Vale Headland –
Narrabeen Park Parade, Mona
Vale; Mona Vale Headland
– Grandview Parade, Mona
Vale; Eastern end of Hillcrest
Avenue, Mona Vale; Bungan
Head – Queens Parade
East, Newport; Newport
Headland – Barrenjoey
Road, Newport; Eric Green
Reserve (access from North
of Newport Beach Carpark);
North Bilgola Headland – The
Serpentine, Bilgola; Bangalley
Head – the highest point on
Sydney’s northern coastline
– Marine Road, Avalon;
Careel Head – Whale Beach
Road, Avalon; Whale Beach
Headland – Malo Road & The
Strand, Whale Beach Malo
Reserve; Little Head – Whale
Beach Road and Norma Road,
Whale Beach; Palm Beach
Headland – Southern end of
Ocean road, near Rockpool,
Palm Beach; Barrenjoey
Headland – At the end of
Governor Philip Park, Palm
Beach.
SPORTS
Tennis
Grab the family and head
to your local tennis court.
Newport Community Centre
and North Narrabeen
Community and Tennis Centre
have courts available for $17
per hour. Book through NB
Council.
Barefoot bowls
Walk the greens at Avalon,
Newport, Mona Vale Bowling
Clubs and Narrabeen RSL
to enjoy barefoot bowls.
No experience necessary.
Contact the clubs for details
and while you’re there ask
about happy hours and meal
deals. Newport for example
is running a $10 bowl and
breakfast deal.
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Special Feature
Skate Park
A predominantly street style
park with a mini bowl and
a refurbished vert ramp,
the Mona Vale Skate Park is
huge hit with skateboarders,
bladers and BMX and scooterusers
of all ages and abilities
– and their parents. Situated
in Kitchener Park, the 1800m2
space has features that allow
progression of skill from
beginner to advanced.
Golf
Boasting three public
courses and some of the
best invitation-only private
courses in Sydney, if golf is
your game you’re in the right
spot. Bayview and Mona Vale
are 18-hole courses while
Palm Beach and Avalon Beach
offer nine-holes of fun and
relaxation.
ON YOUR BIKES
The Terrey Hills BMX Bike
Track is one of the best
in Sydney. The firm, wellmaintained
and recently
upgraded track is competition
standard and open to all
levels. The track is closed
when damp or wet to prevent
damage to the track surface.
You will find it near Garigal
National Park at JJ Melbourne
Hills Memorial Reserve,
Thompson Drive. Contact
Manly Warringah BMX Club
for more info.
Ideal for beginners, the Bairne
Track in Ku-Ring-Gai National
Park is an easy and peaceful
ride with stunning views
of Pittwater. The starting
point at West Head Road is
6.2km from the junction with
McCarrs Creek Road. To get
there by car a NPWS pass is
required, or simply park by
McCarrs Creek and cycle up.
The Perimeter Trail in Terrey
Hills is an easy 7km, tracing
the edge of the park amongst
grass trees and angophoras.
The track leads to other trails
such as the Long Trail, which
leads to the Peach Trees
lookout with views across
to Cowan Creek. The trail
is fairly flat but becomes
more challenging towards
the end with a varied rock
and sand surface and slightly
undulating topography.
Bike Hire
Northern Beaches Cycles on
Powderworks Road Narrabeen
have bikes for rent to ride
around Narrabeen Lake.
Phone 9913 8455.
GET CREATIVE
Make a movie
The fabulous local film
festival is back with some
great prizes and the coveted
Willbes trophies up for grabs
for adults and young folk.
You need to submit your
film to the Avalon Bowling
Club by March 18 so if you
have a great idea and want
to be in the mix you better
get cracking. This years’
theme is Red Shoes. Rules;
terms and conditions at
creativecreaturesfilmfestival.
com.au or contact katy@
creativecreaturesfilmfestival.
com.au
Make a picture
Check out The Art Shop
in Mona Vale for all your
materials and helpful advice.
There are some great art
workshops run by talented
locals for all ages to tap into
over the summer months
(see pages 38-41). If you
want some one-on-one help
on how to use your camera
and tips on the best way to
capture beautiful Pittwater
professional landscape
photographer Peter Sedgwick
at threepeaksphotography.
com.au offers a range of
courses for all ages.
THE GREAT
INDOORS
See a movie
If the weather has taken a
turn for the worse or you just
need to escape the summer
heat, why not catch a film at
a local cinema. Take your pick
between Avalon Cinema (39
Old Barrenjoey Rd, Avalon)
and Warriewood Cinema (4
Vuko Place, Warriewood).
Maritime Model Museum
Visit the Maritime Model
Museum and see over 150
model ships, including
dioramas and working
scale models and maritime
artifacts. One boat was
made from over 12,000
matchsticks. The Museum
also makes models and has
a wide range of memorabilia
available for sale. It’s located
at 20 Bungan St in Mona Vale.
Art Exhibitions and sales
Many of Pittwater’s talented
artists have exhibitions and
sales in January – see our Art
section page 38.
Bowling
Apparently tenpin bowling is
hip a perfect excuse to take
a trip down memory lane!
The closest bowling alley is
in Dee Why near the RSL at
932 Pittwater Road. There are
plenty of deals for the whole
family this month. Check out
AMF Bowling website.
Summer reading
Head to your nearest
Northern Beaches Council
Library and discover a wide
range of books to enjoy
over summer. Kids 4-12
are encouraged to play
Summer Reading Club Bingo
to be in the running to win
an awesome prize pack.
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Special Feature
Right opposite Mona Vale
Library you can buy books
from Berkelouw or pop
into Avalon’s Bookoccino
and after shopping grab a
coffee in their little café at
the back of the store. For
readers of teen fiction and
great recommendations for
all ages, you can’t go past
Beachside Bookshop corner
of Barrenjoey Road and
Avalon Pde, Avalon Beach
beachsidebookshop.com.
Inflatable fun
If the kids like the water and
bouncing around you don’t
mind taking a little trip up
the Wakehurst Parkway,
pack the cossies and head to
Warringah Aquatic Centre on
Thursday afternoons from
1-4pm during the school
holidays when the giant
inflatable course will pumped
up and ready for action.
Suitable for kids no taller
than 1.7m and up to age 14.
Indoor Games
It’s game on at Mona Vale
Library on Thursday 11
when kids aged 5-12 are
encouraged to drop in from
10.30am-12pm and play an
assortment of board, party
and card games.
HOLIDAY CAMPS
Tennis
Goodwin’s offers beginner
to advanced instruction on
strokes, round robin, games
and match play. Lots of
prizes. Racquets provided
if needed. There are school
holiday tennis camps running
throughout January at
Narrabeen and Mona Vale.
Full and half day sessions
are available and lunch is
provided on the last day.
Bookings essential 99796772
or 0410 523 726.
Surfing
Run by Matt Grainger and his
team. For beginners – Palm
Beach, Long Reef and Manly
Mon-Thurs, every week of
the holidays. Daily rate $50;
four days $150. For kids with
skill – technique, contest
strategies, skateboarding and
fitness. Half day $50; full day
$100. Four days of classes
9am-12pm at Long Reef then
12pm-3pm at the HPSC centre
$200 or 9am-3pm $400.
Bookings 9932 7000.
Sailing
School holiday sailing
programs at the Royal Prince
Alfred Yacht Club at Newport
provide a fun, safe and
affordable introduction to
sailing. Programs are tailored
to age groups and conducted
under the supervision of fully
qualified instructors. There
are courses for primary and
secondary school ages available
in January, from beginners
to zipping around solo in one
of the club’s fleet of Poly
Optimist dinghys and learning
the finer points of sailing.
Non-members welcome. More
info rpayc.com.au
Coastal Environment
Centre
Parents in the know book the
kids in early to the holiday
programs run at the CEC
Narrabeen (Tel 9970 1675
or 1300 000 232). In January
activities include: Circus
Workshop – Thu 11; Race
around the Headlands – Fri 12;
Rock Platform Rambles – Mon
15; Marine Biologist Junior
Science – Tue 16; Junior Fun
Day – Wed 17; Running Wild –
Thu 18; Summer Science – Fri
19; Survivor Challenge at Stony
Range – Mon 22 and Build it,
Fly it, Float it – Wed 24.
36 JANUARY 2018
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Art Life
Art Life
Jeff’s life comes full circle
Making Avalon Beach his
home after 20 years’ living
in Seoul has led to a measure
of reverse culture shock for
local artist Jeff Kendal.
Although he grew up in
Sydney and started his career
teaching high school fine arts,
Jeff spent most of his working
life teaching other subjects
overseas. Now he is back and
revelling in all the sights the
local area has to offer.
“Spending decades out of my
native environment and culture
and now returning to Sydney
has given me a fresh appreciation
for the natural beauty of
the Northern Beaches,” Jeff
said.
“I am not a self-expressionist…
I don’t see any worth in
venting my own feelings in my
paintings” he says. “There is
too much beauty in creation
to make people aware of, than
to embark on a naval-gazing
excursion of modern selfexpressionism.”
Jeff’s attitude has led him
to paint amazing representational
seascapes in oils. He
paints, capturing the moment
– anything from waves in
detail, surfers doing what they
love, seagulls on the beach,
two men strolling pensively on
the shore and children playing
carelessly in the sand.
“I love the beaches – what a
privilege to live here!” he said.
“I’m back, and I find life has
come full circle – I’m painting
again – with a new vigor and
ability, and now with a lifetime
of experience to share.
Jeff’s works will be exhibited
and for sale as part of
the Summer Art Space Exhibition
from January 5-14 from
10 am-4pm (see ad below).
MRVA offers children's
holiday art workshops
High School art students
looking for guidance as
they navigate towards and
through their Higher School
Certificate continue to benefit
from the tutoring offered by
Meredith Rasdall
and her team.
“Our HSC students
excelled, with
three talented individuals
achieving a
Band 6 in visual art
while three others
achieved high Band
5," said Meredith.
One student was shortlisted
for the Art Express exhibition.
“With HSC tutoring we work
closely with school art teachers
to ensure we achieve the
best results for our students,
while encouraging individual
expression,” she said.
MRVA are taking bookings
for children’s holiday art
workshops running in January
at the Avalon Rec Centre; a
‘Fantasy Creatures’ canvas
painting session for kids 5-12
years will be held on January
17 from 10am-12pm (cost
$50) while a ‘Clay
Animals’ workshop
is on January 18.
Term 1 classes
for 2018 begin
on February 12.
Children’s mixed
media classes run
Mon-Wed from 4pm-
5.30pm; high school
student’s classes at the Avalon
Rec Centre, with HSC and
senior students on Mondays
(6.30pm-8.30pm) and Years
7-10 on Wednesdays (6.30pm-
8.30pm.)
Adult classes (eight-week
term) run Thursdays 10am-
1pm at the Avalon Sailing
Club. More info 0402 121 184.
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The Local Voice Since 1991

'Wet' season sets in
at Summer Art Space
The emotive nature of water, its settings and its myriad
moods have always appealed to local painter and sculptor
Cathie Alexander – so much so she has devoted a whole series
of works to the subject.
Now locals have the chance to view and buy Cathie’s stunning
and unique art when she presents her ‘Wet’ series at the Summer
Art Space, Avalon Recreation Centre, from January 5-14.
Cathie (above) explains her artistic style embodies ethereal,
watery-layered acrylic paintings.
“It’s an emotional response to the natural environment which
can be perceived as calming, romantic and whimsical, before
also becoming bolder and more dynamic in colour and style,”
she said.
“I like to delve into either total abstraction, or the semi-abstract,
depicting water landscapes or the tangible, including water
birds and boats. I draw on local, broader Australian as well
as international destinations – but with this series it’s always
about water, hence the name.”
Cathie considers herself blessed to be able to pursue her
childhood dream of painting and sculpting, having graduated
from The National Art School in 2006; since then her full-time
career in the Fine Art Business has grown to encompass the
creation of small and large-scale sculpture works and large-scale
paintings for public exhibition in NSW, Victoria and Queensland.
Since 2008 she has been exhibiting in long-established galleries
(30 years or over), whom have supported both emerging to
mid-career artists.
Cathie is looking forward to interacting with art lovers at the
Summer Art Space and says the colour palette of her ‘Wet’ series
is ideal for anyone looking for art for their home.
“Paintings with a water theme lend themselves to both softer
or brighter colours, making them the ideal complement for the
typical Northern Beaches lifestyle and home,” she said.
Cathie is excited to be sharing space with 10 artists at Avalon
– you’ll find her in one of the upper-level rooms each day from
10am to 5pm.
“The great thing about an exhibition like this one is that as an
artist I get to talk through the creative process and answer any
questions one-on-one… people get the chance to learn more
about the technique and the references for these unique original
works,” she said.
‘Wet’ Series by Cathie Alexander is showing at the Summer
Art Space, 59a Barrenjoey Road, Avalon Beach from 10am-
5pm from January 5-14; opening night on January 5 from
6-9pm. More info 0401 161 737.
The Local Voice Since 1991
JANUARY 2018 39
Art Life

Art Life
Art Life
Mona Vale workshops
are better by the dozen
Get your creative juices flowing in January at Sydney Art Space
with Summer Art School, the Sydney Art Space Yearly Exhibition
and Term 1 Coursework for 2018.
“We have 12 wonderful art
workshops scheduled for January
Summer School catering to adults,
youth and children across various
genres including sculpture, painting,
printmaking, collage, weaving,
watercolour, glass and resin
work,” says convenor Christine
Simpson. “Our Yearly Exhibition
is held from Thursday 18th till
Sunday 21st at Avalon Recreation
Centre; opening night is Friday
19th from 6-8pm showcasing
student work for sculpture,
drawing and painting.”
Christine said Term 1 Coursework 2018 begins on Jan 30 with 10-
week classes that follow the state school calendar and include sculpture
workshops on individual projects; sculpture life-class working
from the lifemodel; drawing fundamentals; watercolour; painting
multi-media; life drawing and kids/teens art club.
“And we also tutor for HSC Visual Arts Process Diary,” she said.
Sydney Art Space is located at 64 Darley St, Mona Vale
(opposite Pittwater Place carpark). For workshop and coursework
outlines and costs visit www.sydneyartspace.com
High-five for Avalon
Avalon Art Gallery will be
bulging with the works
of five talented female artists
in an exciting exhibition running
from January 4-27.
Gallery convenor Jen Hill
said the group exhibition of
diverse creations would be a
must-see for art lovers both
Sally’s
spiritual
textiles
all spin
a yarn
local and from out of area.
“Tara Winona has an affinity
with animals (below),
it’s almost as if she gets
into their heart and soul and
paints their portraits as they
would paint themselves… if
they had the inclination!” Jen
said. “Her art is in demand
It’s been a whirlwind yet
undeniably inspirational year
for Sydney textile artist Sally
Campbell who has designed a
new range of quilts, throws and
tableware in khadi cotton.
You can view Sally’s textiles at
Avalon Recreation Centre from
January 6-14 – and she says
all her textiles have their own
special story to tell.
Sally explains that Khadi is
hand-spun and handwoven
cotton in its purest form (and
originally worn by Gandhi).
“Natural dyes featured are
ochre reds from the roots of
the madder plant, indigo from
the indigo foliage, blacks and
charcoals from acorns, lemons
and iron,” she said.
Sally has travelled to five different
states in India to work exclusively
with talented artisans.
“The lightweight, handwoven
cotton is perfect for our hot
climate and these organic cottons
are eco-friendly,” she said
(the scarves pictured are natural
dyes on handwoven matka silk).
The boutique range of clothes
features hand-woven cotton
from villages outside Kolkata,
hand-woven silk with natural
dyes from Gujarat, and hand
block-printed cotton and linen
in the state of Rajasthan.
Sally also commissioned a
Kolkata artist famous for natural
dyes to produce hand-painted
scarves and shawls.
“And we have vintage textiles
from India, Iran, Uzbekistan, Japan
and SE Asia, many of which
have been made into unique
cushions.”
40 JANUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

group exhibition
worldwide and we
are thrilled she is a
part of this exhibition.
“Julie Hickson,
whom many know
as Pod & Pod, has
always been drawn
to organic line,
shape and colour
(right). Whilst Julie
is renowned for
her hand-coloured
printwork, this show will be
very special – breathtaking
in colour and form, as all the
works are original botanical
paintings.
“Nicola Woodcook is a
master of the oil pastel. Her
current body of work is a
small study of cacti and succulents.
The works are on
timber with an encaustic wax
top layer which mirrors finish
of the plants. They exude a
calm beauty that is strangely
mesmerising.
“Katarina Wells’
ceramic pieces
are held in collections
worldwide
and for good reason.
She focuses
on form, balance
and harmonious
line. Her inspiration
is found in
nature – rocks,
seedpods, shells,
sea sponges;
the little treasures one finds
when out and about.
“And Pamela Twomeys’ inspiration
for work has always
come from her personal, spiritual
and emotion response
to what she sees around her.
Currently she is exploring the
different moods of the sea.”
Find Avalon Art Gallery in
the Avalon Cinema Arcade,
37-39 Old Barrenjoey Road
Avalon Beach; opening night
from 6pm on January 4.
– Nigel Wall
Art Life
The Local Voice Since 1991
JANUARY 2018 41

Young Life
Young Life
Sibling revelry for Morris family
As toddlers, siblings Zach an d Mitchell
Morris had no fear of the water.
Which comes as no surprise, given
they grew up with the beach virtually on
their doorstep at Caves Beach.
But Mitchell’s twin brother Jake was
a little timid, according to his mother
Tracie. “Jake didn’t even like the sand let
alone the water,” Tracie recalls. “But it
wasn’t until the twins were in nippers at
Swansea Belmont in under-8s that they
got really involved… it was then that Jake
wanted to do what Mitch did.”
While Zach is a couple of years older
than his twin brothers, he was more interested
in paddling boards when he first
joined nippers. When he was 10 his father
Aaron asked him if was interested in doing
the ironman – and so Aaron taught
Zach all about surf swimming.
When Aaron took him to Newcastle
Beach to watch some of the Nutri Grain
iron events and Zach found a hero in
Caine Eckstein.
“Caine was really good at what he did,
endurance-based and I wanted to be like
him,” Zach said.
Zach went on to win the NSW under-11,
-12 and -14 irons before he left
the juniors. At 15, he’s been competing
with some of the very best in the Ocean6
series, making a board final and two surf
race finals. Next on the agenda is a trip
to Torquay for the fourth round of the
series on January 12-14.
“For a 15-year-old, he’s killing it,” said
his Newport clubmate Fletcher Davies.
“He has a massive future ahead of him if
he keeps it up.”
TALENTED MORRIS TRIO: Zach (above) and twin brothers Jake (opposite top) and Mitch (below).
BHS Band enjoys
southern sojourn
On December the 1st Barrenjoey
High School’s Concert
Band, Jazz Big Band and Jazz
Combo departed on a weeklong
tour of Southern NSW,
led by esteemed Band Director
Joshua Hughes and Head of Music
John Stone. Throughout the
tour, students from Years 7 to
12 performed a variety of symphonic
concert band repertoire,
jazz big band charts, jazz fusion
hits, 6-part jazz standards,
solo vocal and guitar acts and
even classical music.
The group comprised students
who had already finished
Year 12 choosing Barrenjoey
Band Tour over ‘schoolies’ – a
testament to their dedication
and enjoyment of the amazing
band program at Barrenjoey.
The concert venues ranged
from a farm shed on a sheep
station in Yass, to school halls,
and a beautiful golf course
on the coast in Narooma, but
wherever they played an everpresent
variety and abundance
of musical talent was on
display.
Despite an unfortunately
wet beginning to the trip (they
had to cancel their gig at the
Canberra Farmers’ market),
the beds in the Canberra
Youth Hostel were a welcoming
respite after cultural tours
to the National War Memorial,
National Gallery of Australia
and Questacon.
Music and fun were both on
the program and there was an
opportunity to sight-see many
beautiful regions of western
and southern NSW and the ACT,
including The Three Sisters and
Minnamurra Falls.
Performances at Cowra High
School, Braidwood Central
School (pictured), Narooma
Golf Club, Narooma High
School, Ulladulla High School
and Dapto High School, left
audiences enthusiastic for more
of the music that countless
42 JANUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Needless to say, the twins are following
in Zach’s footsteps. They have dominated
at junior carnivals since day one when
they wore the Swansea Belmont cap. In
fact, it is very rare that they don’t finish
one-two in individual water events. It’s a
truly ‘home-grown’ rivalry.
“Mitch is more serious than Jake,”
reveals mum Tracie, adding, “If they are
both on the same wave whether it be
a surf race or board race, Aaron and I
cringe! But Mitch handles it better these
days if Jake does beat him…
“We love it when they are in team
events together. It’s easier on us as
parents! But they are good mates. They
wouldn’t be boys if they didn’t have their
moments at home.
“But they are a great help around the
house and in the garden – Zach’s a bit
different in that regard.”
Tracie admits the monthly food bill is
very expensive.
“We have one big shop a week, but still
buy food every day. They do eat well.”
When the Morris boys came to Sydney
they originally joined Manly but are at
Newport because it is closer to home –
plus Tracie teaches at Narrabeen Sports
High where all three boys attend.
“It is much easier to get them to training,”
she said. “The culture is different
there and it reminds me so much
when the boys were at Swansea Belmont.
“Zach just loves training with the seniors,
like Max Brooks, and has kicked on.”
The trio played a huge part in Sydney
Northern Beaches winning the NSW Inter
Branch trophy at Stockton Beach on December
9 and 10.
Branch captain Brooks, who had a
terrific championship himself, was full of
praise for the three Morris boys.
“They are the types of guys you want in
a team – they never let you down,” Brooks
said.
Mitch Morris was an absolute standout,
winning the under-13 ironman, board and
swim and was involved in three team
event victories. Jake was second to his
brother in the iron and board and third
in the swim. They were also involved in
SNB’s board rescue relay win.
Zach had some outstanding individual
results as well in the youth competition
but for now he’s loving every minute of
competing in Ocean6 surf races.
“The racing is so fast. If I get used to
that then I should go well in my own age
group,” Zach said.
He’s certainly making a very good fist
of it.
– John Taylor
Young Life
hours of work had produced
– with two of the high schools
vowing to begin their own band
programs, so well received was
the variety and professionalism
of the visitors’ repertoire. Audiences
clearly didn’t expect this
breadth and depth of talent and
were enthralled by it.
Band members also mentored
less well-resourced students
along the way. Braidwood
Central School had been given
brass and woodwind instruments
two years ago to start
their own band, but had no
access to tutors, so Barrenjoey
helped out with some French
horn and Tuba lessons for
the primary school children.
Workshops with other schools
The Local Voice Since 1991
highlighted the joys of playing
in groups and gave students
an opportunity to connect with
others across all ages.
As a conclusion to the
2017 Barrenjoey Band Tour,
students’ hard work was
rewarded with an entire day
at the water park, Jamberoo!
In the end, a week away with
such an incredibly talented
and diverse range of students
allowed the Band to knit
together better both musically
and socially. Seven days felt
much more like seven weeks
– full of laughter, learning
and new experiences to be
reflected on and enjoyed for
many years to come!
– Axel Akerman, Year 11 BHS
JANUARY 2018 43

Young Life
Stellar HSC
results for Knox
Knox Grammar boys have
achieved outstanding
results in the 2017 Higher
School Certificate, with more
than 160 boys attaining an
ATAR of 90+ and a massive
660 Band 6 results (subject
results of 90+).
The Wahroongah school,
which services the upper
Northern Beaches with a
dedicated bus improved its
ranking to 16 out of 650
schools across NSW.
Thirty-two boys achieved
ATARs of 99+.
“This year’s results are
some of our best ever and a
testament to the hard work
of our boys and staff,” said
Headmaster John Weeks. “We
are absolutely delighted for
the boys and their families
and teaching staff.”
“As a non-selective boys’
school, we are extremely
pleased with the rise in the
ATAR ranks. Each boy’s result
is a reflection of his own
commitment, dedication and
focus,” said Mr Weeks.
Forty-three Knox boys
were placed on the Board
of Studies’ All Rounders
Achiever’s List for achieving
90 or higher in their best 10
units, with 15 students placed
in the Top Achiever’s List for
placing in the top 20 in NSW
in a course.
Additionally, Callum Parker
had his Visual Arts HSC
Mona Vale school
open in holidays
In years past any children caught ‘trespassing’
on school grounds during school holidays were
hunted off the grounds by security – but in a radical
twist Mona Vale Public School is now open and
accessible to the public over the January school
holidays as part of the State Government’s push to
free up much-needed recreational and play space.
Pittwater MP and Education Minister Rob Stokes
and Mona Vale Public School Principal Greg Jones
agree it is a sensible solution to making better use of
the school grounds, which will also see the school allocated
a $15,000 grant to help upgrade its facilities
– one of 42 state schools to benefit from the pilot
program and the only one on the Northern Beaches.
“Schools are an important part of every community
and often occupy prime open space – instead of locking
the gate this summer, the trial program will share
this public space to allow people to exercise and play
over the summer holiday break,” Mr Stokes said.
“Our schools have a range of quality recreational
and play facilities and we are making them accessible
to the broader community outside of the school term.”
The move has met with widespread support from
local community groups.
Mr Jones said the northern beaches school had
been selected for its extensive facilities and its location
near shops and cafes.
“Our school’s gates will be open from 8am-6pm until
January 21, with regular security patrols through the
day in place to monitor safety and security,” he said.
Play is unsupervised and parents are urged to
monitor young children.
Any security issue at the school can be reported
24 hours on 1300 88 00 21.
Major Work, ‘Lost in Transit’
selected for the ARTEXPRESS
showcase at The Armory,
Sydney Olympic Park, while
a musical composition by
Matthew Kokolich entitled
Much-needed upgrades to the
athletics track and facilities
at the Sydney Academy of Sport
at Narrabeen will be completed
by March.
The State Government
finally heeded
to public pressure
and a petition with
almost 1,000 local
signatures demanding
improvements to
the dangerous state
of the track which is
used by thousands
of young athletes
each year, with $1.2m
funding for a new Polytan
terracotta-colour
track surface, grandstand
and other facilities including
the kiosk, timing room and toilet
block released in December.
During these upgrades, track
closures will be required through
January and until the end of February,
reports Sydney Pacific Athletic
Club President Rob McEntyre.
Mr McEntyre thanked Mackellar
MP Jason Falinski for his concerted
effort to draw the matter to the
attention of the State Government
through his launching of the community
petition.
‘Darwin’ was selected for
the ENCORE showcase of
exemplary music and a
theatre review by Manan
Luthra was selected for the
OnSTAGE Drama Showcase.
Narrabeen track
gets $1.2m upgrade
Minister for Sport Stuart Ayres
said the NSW Government said the
investment would benefit thousands
of grassroots and high-performance
athletes
who used the facility
each year.
“The Narrabeen
Track is part of the
su ccess story of many
of Australia’s most
prominent athletes,
including Olympians
Melinda Gainsford
Taylor and Analise
Ruby,” Mr Ayres said.
“More than
100,000 people visit
the track each year
including around
90 school groups for athletic
carnivals, and junior groups for
training and Little Athletics.
“Australia’s Invictus Games
Team, National Wheelchair Games
athletes, the NSW Special Olympics
team, and the Australian
Men’s and Women’s Rugby Sevens
Teams also regularly use this facility
for high-performance training.”
Narrabeen Athletics Track was
developed as a staging camp
for Australia’s team for the 1960
Rome Olympics.
44 JANUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Get ready for netball season 2018
Excitement and anticipation for
the 2018 season is building for
Pittwater Peninsula Netball, who
are preparing a host of programs
for both established and new
members.
NetSetGo Netta (for 8/9yrs)
Skill Development Clinics for
registered players will be held
on consecutive Fridays (February
9 and 16) from 4.30pm in the
Avalon Recreation Centre.
This program is for players
turning 8/9yrs in 2018; it’s an
introductory program which
is modified to provide the
following benefits: it’s safe to
play, but still challenging; it
places emphasis on fun and the
development of skill, adopting
modified netball rules.
They also run a fun NetSetGo
program for 6- to 7-year-olds;
it’s the ideal introduction to the
sport, helping girls to learn the
basics of netball at the Avalon
Recreation Centre.
The Club will hold an
Information Day on Saturday
January 27 (when uniforms will
also be on sale).
Team formation for 2018
commences on Monday
February 5 – see their website
for more details. More info
peninsulanetball.org.au
Book Review
Under the Cold
Bright Lights
Gary Disher
Text Publishing $29.99
Disher has been flying under
the radar for too long, and
that’s all about to change. His
latest novel is a pacy, cleverly
crafted novel of cold case
crime and hot topics set in
Melbourne.
Alan Ahul is a detective and
modern-day patron saint of
broken souls. Disher eschews
macho for empathy, giving
Ahul plenty of layers worth
getting to know. He has also developed
a strong cast of female
characters that shape Ahul’s
personal and professional life.
An excellent procedural and
serial read for the holidays,
one of my favourite crime novels
of 2017. – Libby Armstrong
The Local Voice Since 1991
JANUARY 2018 45

Surfing Life
Surfing Life
Friend & stranger: the
rock that shapes our surf
Six days before Christmas,
on a calm morning with
a tiny swell, I wander
down toward the north end
of Newport Beach, thinking
to jump off the rock platform
and swim back to the Peak.
It’s been a long year,
maybe I can wash a bit of it
off.
There’s almost nobody
on the beach; just a woman
with a Labrador dog in the
corner, where the sand ends
and the rock begins. An old
tennis ball is stranded at
the high tide mark. I offer it
to the dog, and the woman
smiles and declines on the
dog’s behalf. The dog looks
doubtful.
I let it go, along with the
ball, and begin the careful
walk out along the inner rim
of the rock shelf, close to the
cliff, the rising tide pushing
little leftover north-east wind
chop up against me with a
smack.
If you ever do this walk,
you’ll find it takes you up
and along a little crescent
curve of very old exposed
volcanic rock, then onto a
short flat section, then to a
large awkward pile of clifffall
rock slabs, tumbled over
each other like badly shuffled
cards.
with Nick Carroll
With one year dust and another not quite begun, it’s a good time just to wander and look around.
EVERYTHING MUST CHANGE: Pittwater's cliff-faces seem enduring, but they weather like anything else.
Climbing across this pile
is tricky, especially at high
tide. The rocks are scattered
at strange angles to one
another. I’ve done this walk
numerous times over the
years and it’s never quite
precisely the same. At every
step you’re confronted with
some new little puzzle, a
step from the familiar to the
uncertain and back again – a
rock that holds, a rock that
moves. As I hop from one
to the next and the next,
I recognise rocks from my
childhood a half century
ago, and almost trip over
rocks I’ve never seen before,
recently descended from the
fractured edge of the cliff
above.
These cliffs and platforms,
from Barrenjoey to the
outside curve of Warriewood,
define the Pittwater surfing
experience. They contain
and form the sand bottom
contours of our daily surfing
bread. They turn an angled
wind offshore. In some cases,
in the right swells and winds,
their unevenly weathered
laminar layers create our
finest and possibly most
frightening surfing moments.
The cliff-faces seem
enduring, yet they’re anything
but. Look at any Pittwater
headland image from 80
years back and you’ll see the
differences. The cliffs are
changing, like human faces,
marking time. That doesn’t
prevent us from endowing
them with deep, often barely
spoken significance. When
the nose fell off north Avalon
headland a few months ago,
it caused a shudder to pass
through the ranks of the Av
old school. “It’s the end of
an era,” I heard one mutter
not long afterward, as he
46 JANUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

NICK’S FULL 2018 SURF FORECAST!
Now I know this is silly. Surf is dependent on wind and whether it’s
blowing toward us or away from us or some weird combination of
both, and nobody knows what the wind will be doing in a week, much
less the next 12 months. But I am prepared to wing it a bit based on
long-term climate trends, which might give us a bit of an idea. Number
One: for us here in Pittwater, the first half of the year is likely to be
better than the second half. Give or take a month or two. A weak
La Niña event hangs over the Pacific Ocean and is forecast to hang
until maybe May or June. This event sees warmer than usual surface
waters in the South Pacific east of Tahiti, which means more storms
in our easterly swell window. La Niña’s effects will be dampened by
a quieter Indian Ocean but should still produce more surf than usual
from a combo of the long distance easterly angle and closer-range
East Coast Lows fuelled by all that sticky warmth. Our autumn could
be the best in several years. As La Niña fades, its after-effects won’t
do us much good and may reduce the mid-winter months to a soggy
and unfriendly mess, with almost none of the fabled winter south
groundswells of more standard years. Other parts? Indonesia has
had way too good a run over the past three years and we would not be
surprised if 2018 turned out to be a semi-dud, with fewer than normal
Southern Ocean mega-storms forming between Africa and Australia.
Maybe some good days, but just not super consistent. The North
Atlantic tends to go ballistic after a La Niña, for whatever reason, so
if you’re thinking of a European vacation in September/October, you
know, hurray! Last: the North Pacific has had a shocker so far in 2017
and we’d be exceedingly surprised to see that repeated. Expect a
bigger and better Hawaiian winter surf season next year than this.
gazed out at the wreckage –
though what era, he wasn’t
quite sure. “That rock’s been
watching over us since I was
a kid.”
I scramble clear of the
card-shuffle rocks, and walk,
still being careful, across a
more organised collection
of slabs, and toward the
platform itself, which is
mostly submerged by the
tide. Behind me, the cliff
teeters, its face cracked and
creviced by twelve thousand
years of wind and salt water.
Eras, huh.
A huge, unusually shaped
rock sits alone on the
platform, roughly halfway
around to Bilgola. The rock
has an old wooden post
driven into it – perhaps a
remnant of an old ocean
swimming pool whose
outlines can still be seen
near the south-east corner
of the platform. I don’t know
who thought that was a good
place for a swimming pool.
No surfer, that’s for sure.
This platform is frequently
swept from end to end by
massive swells from both
south and north-east. I’ve
The Local Voice Since 1991
Nick Carroll
scampered across it in terror,
in an effort to surf the reef
beyond it in a big easterly
swell – running to jump
off the rim, and trying to
remember as I ran the exact
location of a small, deep
hole near the jump-off point.
The hole is only half a metre
wide and deep, but if you put
a foot down it when a big
wave hit, you’d be leaving the
beach in an ambulance.
Not today. It’s an easy walk
through knee-high water. I
skirt the hole, slide off the
platform into a startledlooking
school of little black
drummer, and swim clear.
It’s six days before Christmas
and there’s still almost
nobody on the beach. The
Labrador is still rummaging
around in the corner.
* Happy 2018! Have a good
year, everyone! Don’t let me
drop in on ya.
Nick Carroll is a leading
Australian and international
surf writer, author, filmmaker
and surfer, and one
of Newport’s own. Email:
ncsurf@ozemail.com.au
JANUARY 2018 47
Surfing Life

Health & Wellbeing
Health & Wellbeing
Arcadia new hospital benchmark
FINAL FIT-OUT: Arcadia Private Hospital takes its first patients in February.
new purpose-built private
A hospital in quiet setting in
Warriewood will set a worldclass
standard never seen in
Australia, say its operators.
Created to fill a gap in local
health care, the 85-bed subacute
boutique-style Arcadia
Pittwater Private Hospital will
accommodate patients who
require assistance following surgery
or medical, geriatric and
rehabilitation services.
Developed by new private
hospital operator Arcadia Health
Care, the facility in Daydream
Street will essentially run like
a hotel for patients, providing
a setting for medical teams to
provide individualised treatment
plans, explained Managing
Director Dr Harry Pannu.
“Whilst Arcadia Pittwater is
a licensed private hospital it is
designed and built to offer an
amenity suitable for patients
or “guests” to stay in residence
from three to 30 days, or longer
if of benefit to a patient’s recovery,”
Dr Pannu said.
“Existing hospitals, mainly tertiary,
are not built for a patient’s
needs over this length of stay,
as their average length of stay is
between three to five days.
“Accordingly, our hospital
offers patient areas for socialising
and mobilisation outside of
the patient’s room,” Dr Pannu
added.
Three years in the making and
undergoing a final fit-out before
opening to its first “guests” next
month, the facility has been
designed from the ground up
fusing comfortable, modern
amenities with the latest hospital
facilities.
Patients will be able to choose
bedrooms that are larger than
industry standards, with ensuites
and high-tech inclusions.
The main entry level is dedicated
to lounges and dining and
a dramatically proportioned
spa-styled Day Rehabilitation
48 JANUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Centre with pool, gymnasium
and wellness treatment rooms
for patients who have been
discharged or do not require
overnight stay to continue their
recovery and wellness journey.
The Café and room service –
with food prepared by a former
5-star hotel chef – will offer
an all-day menu selection for
patients and their visitors.
Other services that will be
provided include conciergeassisted
parking, guest laundry,
massage, wellness treatments,
hair wash and blow-dry.
Local GPs will be among the
first to explore the facility at an
education evening on January 18.
And the hospital will be opening
its doors to the community
over the first weekend in February,
hosting several functions
and tours.
For more information visit
arcadiapittwater.com.au
Meanwhile, the ongoing
transformation of the Mona Vale
Hospital campus continues as it
cements a role providing essential
health services complementing
the new Northern Beaches
Hospital at Frenchs Forest when
it opens later this year.
Under management of
Northern Sydney Local Health
District, the Mona Vale site will
accommodate 24/7 Urgent
Care, medical imaging, pathology,
pharmacy, rehabilitation
and assessment, geriatric
evaluation and management,
palliative care and community
health services.
Works on a new Rehabilitation
and Assessment Unit, a
new multi-storey Community
Health Service Building and a
re-vamped Palliative Day Care
Unit are now complete.
The helicopter facility has
recently been rebuilt to enable it
to accommodate larger, modern
medical helicopters and transfer
and receive patients requiring
specialist medical care.
The Emergency Short Stay
Unit is complete and the hydrotherapy
pool building has
undergone a facelift.
– Lisa Offord
Health & Wellbeing
The Local Voice Since 1991
JANUARY 2018 49

Health & Wellbeing
Health & Wellbeing
The truth on
children, UV
and Blue-
Violet light
Because of
their lifestyle,
children are more
exposed than
adults to light,
yet their eyes
are not yet fully
developed so they
are less protected
from the harmful
effects of UV and
Blue-Violet light.
Consider this:
n Children tend to spend a lot
of time outdoors: on average
their annual UV exposure is
3 times higher than that for
adults;
n Children’s pupils are larger,
meaning they let in more UV
and Blue-Violet light; and
n Their crystalline lens is more
transparent, meaning it is less
efficient at filtering out UV.
Why does this matter?
Up to 80% of all UV exposure
occurs before the age of 18 and
70% of children do not wear
sunglasses.
with Rowena Beckenham
Screens tablets
and smartphones
which use LEDs
emit Blue-Violet
light – and the
sun is a major
source of Blue-
Violet light too.
We now know
that 46% of 5- to
8-year olds use
a computer at
least once a week, and children
spend an average time of three
hours each day watching TV
or playing on a tablet or smart
phone.
The long-term implications
for UV damage around the eyes
include cataracts, pterygiums,
skin cancers around the eyes
and macula degeneration so
early protection is vital for long
term eye health.
Talk your local Optometrist
for advice on looking after your
kid’s eyes. And remember:
children’s eye examinations are
covered by Medicare.
Comment supplied by Rowena Beckenham, of
Beckenham Optometrist in Avalon (9918 0616). Rowena
has been involved in all facets of independent private
practice optometry in Avalon for 16 years, in addition
to working as a consultant to the optometric and
pharmaceutical industry, and regularly volunteering in
Aboriginal eyecare programs in regional NSW.
50 JANUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Youth health hub a step closer
vision for a much-needed permanent
A centre in Pittwater where young
people can access advice and support is a
step closer to becoming a reality.
Weeks before Christmas the NSW Government
and Northern Beaches Council
allocated just shy of $70,000 to The Burdekin
Association, currently working with
Northern Beaches Council and Barrenjoey
High School and the wider community to
establish a youth health hub in Pittwater.
The Burdekin Association is a
Brookvale-based not-for-profit organisation
with more than 30 years of experience
supporting and mentoring vulnerable
youth.
The association’s Chief Executive
Officer, Justene Gordon, explained the
‘Youth Hub’ was a response to the lack of
permanently based youth services in the
Pittwater region and the need to support
the community from the north to the
south.
“Many youth services are coming
together to deliver this service to support
12- to 24-year-olds and their family/support
people,” Ms Gordon explained.
Young people and carers will be able
to make an appointment to see a trained
support worker, or drop in as required.
The worker will chat to you about the
reason for coming in and then connect
you with the most appropriate professional
service.
“We hope many services will be able
to deliver support out of the Youth Hub
to ensure young people and their family/
carers have access to appropriate and
professional intervention,” Justine said.
Locals will be able to access support
for a range of concerns including overwhelming
or stressing feelings; drug and
alcohol use; sexual health issues; mental
health concerns; homelessness; and
school disengagement.
The Burdekin Association was allocated
$48,050 to build a youth health hub in
Pittwater through the Stronger Communities
Grant Program, made possible
through council amalgamation in early
December.
And $20,350 funding for a building fitout
was announced just before Christmas
through NSW Government’s Community
Building Partnership Program.
Member for Pittwater Rob Stokes said:
“We have serious youth mental health
issues in our community – so I’m very
pleased that Government, Council and
the Burdekin Association are taking steps
to address the situation and help ensure
necessary support opportunities are
available.” – Lisa Offord
Health & Wellbeing
The Local Voice Since 1991
JANUARY 2018 51

Health & Wellbeing
Ironing
out energy
‘kinks’
Health & Wellbeing
Few people can say they
are doing what they were
destined to do in life –
Divine Balance founder Shelley
McConaghy is one of them.
“I’ve always been incredibly
sensitive to what’s happening
around me – I could tell how
people were feeling, would
have prophetic flashes and
felt a profound connection to
animals and nature… it was
no surprise to anyone that I
fell into the healing arts in my
early 20s,” Shelley said.
With decades of experience
Shelley and her partner Jason
Engelbrecht provide “energy
healings” at rooms in Mona
Vale and Dee Why.
“The sessions bring relief to
the physical, mental, emotional
and spiritual bodies by
‘ironing’ out the kinks in the
energy field that build up in
our day to day lives,” Shelley
explained.
Sessions incorporate polarity
therapy, Usui Reiki, crystals
and sound healing techniques.
“In addition to these modalities,
I’ve developed quite strong
intuition over the years to help
‘see and feel’ what my clients
need and Jason has inherited
abilities as an Aboriginal Medicine
Man,” Shelley said.
Shelley said clients came
from a range of backgrounds
with therapies often used
in conjunction with other
strategies for achieving and
maintaining good health.
“Most of our clients are
seeking support as they work
through feelings of anxiety
and/or depression, emotional
upsets, the results of traumatic
events… we also treat lots of
aches and pains such as annoying
arthritis and nerve damage.”
All clients leave with simple
‘homework’ in the form of
energetic self-care.
“It can vary from a particular
way to connect with nature,
or a certain crystal that would
help them, or a meditation
technique,” Shelley said.
“I would rather our clients
have simple tools they can use
in their daily lives rather than
feeling that they have to come
back regularly for sessions just
to maintain their equilibrium.”
While traditional customs
and a long history of use generally
formed the basis of most
complementary or alternative
therapies, sceptics remain.
“We’re realistic in that not
everyone either believes or is
open to non-mainstream therapies…
and that’s okay – there’s
a therapist/healer/doctor to
suit everyone,” Shelley said.
“What gives us great joy
though, is having a sceptic get
up after the session, beaming
like a lighthouse.”
– Lisa Offord
52 JANUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Health & Wellbeing
The Local Voice Since 1991
JANUARY 2018 53

Hair & Beauty
Hair & Beauty
The essentials for dealing
with our harsh summer
During Australia’s hot
summer months,
the skin needs the
most support to prevent
pigmentation issues, DNA
damage and oxidative
stress. No matter how busy
or relaxed your summer
vacation time is, the skin
will be requiring a boost
of antioxidants and skin
protective ingredients
both in the clinic treatment
room and at home.
The skin is constantly
producing melanocytes to
help protect our epidermis
from UV damage. As we
age, the skin loses a lot
of its natural resources
needed to protect and
repair it. This happens
more rapidly during the
summer months because
the skin is constantly in
protection mode, which
depletes these natural
resources. Consequently,
it becomes even more
important to help replenish
them and support the skin
during this time.
Because melanocytes rise
to the surface to help protect
the skin from the sun, this
activity naturally goes into
overdrive during prolonged
exposure to UV rays. The
key during the summer is to
find a balance. We have to be
careful not to suppress the
melanocytes, while ensuring
the skin is not overproducing
them – that is when more
permanent discolouration
occurs.
The goal is to maintain
the production, but to find
a healthy balance. When
ingredients designed to
inhibit melanocytes are
used, they are not able to
respond and protect the
cell. Melanin suppressants
may be okay in the
treatment room, depending
on your skin and if you
are compliant with staying
out of the sun. At home,
however, you will want to
limit these to the evening
skin regime, blending
with growth factors and a
treatment cream.
To further support the
skin, antioxidants are
crucial during the summer.
This can be done both
with Sue Carroll
support, and externally
with skin care. Topically
products should be
designed to help reduce
heat and inflammation,
while still ensuring enough
hydration is received by
the skin. At night the focus
for skin care should be
focussed on corrective
support with topicals such
as mandelic acid, arginine
and a mild Vitamin A. Using
a corrective that causes
the skin to become dry
and flaky will actually work
against us at this time of
the year, as it exposes the
epidermal layer, which
makes the skin more
vulnerable to the sun. This
has to be minimized at
this time of the year. The
evening is also a good
time to help neutralize the
melanocyte activity and
help ensure its functioning
optimally.
Being an Australian
usually means being
subjected to an outdoor
lifestyle. In order to
protect, support and repair
our skin this should go
hand in hand with a good
physical sunscreen with
an SPF factor of around
30, a broad-brimmed hat,
sunglasses, light clothing
that will cover most areas
(should not cast a shadow
when held up to the light),
and a healthy dose of
antioxidants topically and
internally. These tips will
help to ensure a healthy,
radiant skin all year round.
Sue Carroll of Skin
Inspiration has been a qualified
Aesthetician for 33 years.
Sue has owned and
operated successful beauty
clinics and day spas on
the Northern Beaches.
info@skininspiration.com.au
www.skininspiration.com.au
with the diet for internal
54 JANUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Times Past
Artist Robert Johnson’s
'Ashlar' house project
Artist Robert Johnson
was born in Auckland,
New Zealand on 9
September 1890. He studied
art at the Elam School of Art
in Auckland under Archibald
F. Nicoll who, it is claimed, laid
the foundation for his work.
Johnson served
during World War I as an
artilleryman and found time
to do sketches in and out of
the trenches; whilst on leave
he spent much of his time
visiting English galleries.
It was at the Elam School
that ‘Bob’ met Olive Phillipson
who was studying watercolour
painting. They married,
crossed the Tasman in 1921
and rented a flat at Bondi. He
found the Australian colours
warmer and the landscape
intensely interesting (and very
different to his birthplace).
In 1923 the family (they
now had a daughter, Heather)
moved to Eastwood and
lived on an old orchard in a
farming area. Bob carried his
sketchbook with him on his
bicycle wherever he went.
His first one-man show was
held at the Grosvenor Galleries
in Sydney in 1927. It caused a
sensation and one of his works
was purchased for the National
Gallery of NSW, elevating
him to a prominent
position in the art world.
Landscapes were always
painted in the open, often
camping on the spot.
In the late 1930s and
1940s Johnson travelled
the length and breadth
of Australia in a caravan,
painting intensely for
long periods. He rarely
touched the canvas after
leaving the site.
A son was born and
the family were keen to
establish an outdoors
lifestyle.
Bob was very fond of
the coastal environment
as a subject and bought
land at Clareville. He designed
and helped build a fine stone
house in Hilltop Road.
According to Heather, the
aesthetics of the house were
as important to Bob as its
function. He was determined
the structure should appear
organic and rustic to blend
in with the environment, so
he chose the random-coursed
masonry style known as
‘Ashlar’ and gave the house
this name.
In 1930 he commissioned
Charlie Erickson from
Newport to do the stonework,
most of which came from
Bilgola Plateau. Flagstone
for the generous west-facing
veranda and paths was split
above Hilltop Road and slid
down the hill on a wooden
sled. Heather became adept
at shingle-splitting and
contributed in no small
way to the huge number
of shingles which were
required. (The shingles were
replaced 10 years later and
then by tiles in 1956, after
several bushfire scares.)
Bob died in 1964 but left a
fine legacy of how he saw this
wonderful country.
TIMES PAST is supplied
by local historian
and President of the
Avalon Beach Historical
Society GEOFF SEARL.
Visit the Society’s
showroom in Bowling
Green Lane, Avalon
Beach.
Times Past
The Local Voice Since 1991
JANUARY 2018 55

Business Life: Money
Business Life
At a premium: why travel
insurance is paramount
In this traditional holiday
month we take a brief look at
the value of travel insurance;
for me there were a couple of
reasons why travel insurance
has been front of mind.
The first reason is that I have
lost the ability to simply click
and pay for insurance for an upcoming
trip next year courtesy
of a tiny piece of metal holding
one of my coronary arteries
open. It’s a wonderful thing
finding yourself at that stage of
life when you have things called
‘pre-existing conditions’ and
insurers begin to take a great
deal of interest in you because,
well, because they may have to
pay out.
The second reason is that
we have recently had one our
teenagers away on schoolies;
she was in Byron Bay thankfully
and not Bali, but it was the fate
of the Bali group from Barrenjoey
High School that made me
pause and think again about the
value of travel insurance.
In fact Bali and travel
insurance seem to go hand in
glove as issues. There’s been
no shortage of recent media
coverage about the two and in
particular since Mt Agung made
its smouldering presence felt in
September.
But in general terms Bali
seems to me to be the sort
of place you shouldn’t go to
underinsured. It is the only
place in the world I have ever
witnessed a grossly sunburnt
middle-aged woman wearing a
tank top, thongs and no helmet
trying to ride a motor scooter
while balancing a case of wine
on the footpads.
Denpasar airport is also the
only place where I’ve seen a
screaming child in what was
supposed to be a peaceful
airline lounge pause mid-wail
to throw up on the carpet. And
for that matter the flight home
is the closest I’ll ever come to
experiencing the conditions on
a medi-vac flight out of ‘Nam.
But don’t for a minute take
my comments as a downer on
Bali; I actually like the place. Bali
is what Bali is and I suspect that
the charm of the place in part
anyway is the freedom and risk
that we are so protected from
here at home. But insurance
is all about managing risk, so
with that in mind the following
few tips are aimed at helping
achieve a safe holiday whether
in Bali, the US or Europe.
The first is simple – don’t
buy travel insurance from
whoever sells you your travel or
flights. They are quite possibly
more motivated by a commission,
not your well-being and
research from consumer groups
such as Choice suggests you
will usually overpay.
Some time ago the media
reported the story of a travel
agent who was both an active
travel insurance promotor and
customer service guru. He religiously
followed up his customers
after they returned home
with Brian Hrnjak
to enquire about how well their
trip went. It turns out he was
only submitting the insurance
policy applications if something
went wrong on the trip – apparently
pocketing the entire policy
amount. I gather the insurance
industry has tightened its processes
since then.
But credit card-based travel
insurance is another area where
you can be lulled into a false
sense of security. I have a
Computer repairs made easy
It’s one thing to have your computer repaired;
it’s another to understand what went wrong in
the first place.
That’s one of the benefits of Jean-Paul de
Ronserail’s local business Bits & Bytes Business
Solutions which has been fixing computers
across the Northern Beaches for 21 years.
A Pittwater local for two years, Jean-Paul – who
visits you in the home or office – says he makes
things simple by communicating with clients in
people speak, not ‘geek speak’.
“I started in 1996 when people had to take
their systems in to a shop to have them repaired,”
he said. “I understood that what people wanted
was not just to have their computers repaired but
to understand what it was that was being done
for them.
“I have clients from all walks of life that I have
been servicing for over 21 years,” he said. “No
job is too small – I’ve seen my clients’ children
grow through primary school, high school
and University, and I now fix their children’s
computers!”
Jean-Paul says trust and privacy are the
cornerstones of his business – “Clients can be
assured that their data and private information is
safe with me.”
He provides a range of other computer
services (see ad p18).
“Living on Pittwater (with a boat) means that I
can service both the offshore community as well
as the mainland community,” he said. “I do not
charge a call-out fee, I only charge my hourly rate
and if I can’t fix or find the problem, then I don’t
charge!”
For more info call Jean-Paul on 0412 475 119.
56 JANUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

couple of these cards in my wallet
that purport to offer travel
insurance benefits. Before you
get to any benefits there are
hurdles as well as terms and
conditions – for example you
may need to pay for part, most
or all your trip with a particular
card to qualify, or you may have
excesses or age limitations.
I don’t know about you but I
don’t have the terms and conditions
of my credit card handy
and even if I could find them I
don’t feel like reading 30 pages
of fine print to figure it out.
Insurance is like most things
in life – you get what you pay
for and free or discounted cover
is often loaded with conditions.
The other fact of life with
any sort of insurance cover,
especially the cheap stuff, is
that if you do ever have to claim
you can be sure that the first
question the insurer will ask
themselves is how they get out
of providing cover.
Which brings me back to the
issue of the lady on the scooter
with the case of wine. These
days, with so many people travelling
and undertaking so many
activities, insurers differentiate
themselves by the levels of
cover and prices they charge. If
you are partaking in specific
activities, like motor bike riding,
you really do have to match the
policy to your potential activities
and check the terms.
A few years ago I attended
the Sturgis bike rally in South
Dakota USA – a 2,500km ride
from Denver Colorado through
some of the most litigious country
known to man. Finding insurance
was a challenge; many
insurers point blank refuse to
cover motor bike riding which
of course includes motor scooters.
Some had a limit of a 250cc
engine size which would be fine
for scooters but not for a Harley
Davidson. All of them however
had requirements that you only
rode a bike that you were in fact
licensed for back home; that
you wore all the relevant protective
gear (in particular a helmet)
even if you were in a jurisdiction
that had no compulsory helmet
rules; that you did nothing
reckless and that you had no
traces of drugs or alcohol in
your system in the case of an
accident. For the woman on
the scooter in Bali I’d say that’s
four strikes in the event of accident…
even if she had cover it
would be useless.
Other mistakes that people
often make with travel insurance
include purchasing cover
immediately before departure.
Part of the value of your
cover is the protection it offers
for cancellation due to specified
events such as illness, death
in the family group or loss of
employment before travel. Ideally
to obtain the most value,
cover should be bought when
the trip is booked and deposits
are paid.
Also, many people are
inclined to ignore travel cover
for domestic trips on the assumption
that Medicare and
private health insurance are in
force. While that may be the
case there may be merit in pricing
cover for high-value trips
or where a hire car is involved
– the cover may be an inexpensive
way of protecting your
booking or hire car insurance
excess.
Key takeaways for obtaining
effective travel cover: shop it
from providers direct, avoid
buying cover at point of sale;
buy it sooner rather than later,
ideally when booking; match
cover to your anticipated activity
– cruising, motor bike riding,
snow skiing whatever; match
your conduct to the terms and
conditions otherwise don’t expect
to be covered; have regard
to pre-existing conditions otherwise,
again, don’t expect to be
covered and also consider cover
for domestic trips especially
those that are high value bookings
or involve a hire car.
Business Life
Brian Hrnjak B Bus CPA (FPS) is a Director of GHR Accounting
Group Pty Ltd, Certified Practising Accountants. Offices at:
Suite 12, Ground Floor, 20 Bungan Street Mona Vale NSW 2103
and Shop 8, 9 – 15 Central Ave Manly NSW 2095,
Telephone: 02 9979-4300, Webs: www.ghr.com.au and
www.altre.com.au Email: brian@ghr.com.au
These comments are of a general nature only and are not
intended as a substitute for professional advice.
The Local Voice Since 1991
JANUARY 2018 57

Business Life: Law
Business Life
Beware of emotion in
third party guarantees
Welcome to the New Year
– a time of celebration
and hope. For most
readers the holiday period has
brought together family and
friends. Many have aspirations
and plans for the year ahead
and have discussed these over
days of rest and recreation.
Some have taken the
opportunity to discuss with their
partner, parents or friends their
ambitions for business. Perhaps
a new venture and business
opportunity, or expanding an
existing business. In many of
these cases a lender will have
stipulated the need for a third
party guarantee.
What is a third party
guarantee and why do people
agree to give them?
It is a loan guaranteed by a
third party in the event that the
borrower defaults.
Research has shown:
n A high proportion of female
guarantors support the
borrowing of male partners
who are engaged in small
business (primarily family
business). The female partner
may be listed as a shareholder
or director but often she is
rarely in a position of any real
control over the company;
n Older guarantors – i.e. over
the age of 50 – guaranteeing
the loans of adult children;
n Only a small number of
guarantors receive legal
advice prior to signing the
papers offered by the lender;
n Lenders frequently do not
encourage guarantors to
obtain legal or financial
advice;
n Most guarantors are in a close
relationship with the borrower
but have an inadequate or
nonexistent understanding
of the borrower’s financial
position;
n Many guarantees are entered
into in informal settings such
as the family home;
n Few guarantors are aware
of the commercial or
legal implications of the
transaction when they
execute the guarantee;
n Legal advice is often cursory
and takes place shortly before
the documents are signed;
n A considerable number
of guarantors come from
non-English speaking
backgrounds and it is
considered that their level
of comprehension is often
inadequate; and
n The majority of guarantees
are for loans in excess of
$150,000 and when the
guarantee is in support of a
business loan, the safeguards
in the Consumer Credit Code
are not available.
So why do guarantors sign?
The reasons include trusting the
borrower, an optimistic outlook
for the business venture,
individual pressure from
the borrower, ranging from
emotional pressure to threats of
coercion, a misunderstanding
or misinformation, and more
general pressures such as
cultural and family pressure to
support a borrower. However,
many guarantors sign because
they feel that they have no
choice but to sign, especially
in circumstances of economic
dependence on the borrower.
What happens when the
with Jennifer Harris
borrower defaults? It was found
that the majority of guarantors
received little or no information
concerning the loan until the
guarantee was called upon.
The general reaction is one
of shock, particularly when it
is realised that the guarantor is
liable for the entire debt plus
interest and other charges which
may well have included an ‘all
moneys’ guarantee. ‘All moneys’
clauses extend the liability of a
guarantor to future as well as
present loans up to an unlimited
amount. There has been much
criticism of these clauses as
causing gross unfairness to
guarantors. In recent times the
revised Code of Banking Practice
has limited the use of ‘all
moneys’ clauses so that they do
not apply to all transactions.
The calling in of the
guarantee by a lender inevitably
leads to a dispute, one for which
there is often a protracted,
complex and expensive path to
a resolution.
The obvious path is to
litigation but it is possible
to attempt mediation or an
approach to The Australian
Banking Industry Ombudsman.
However, the Ombudsman’s
jurisdiction is limited as to
monetary limits and the fact
that commencement of litigation
ceases his involvement.
The Consumer, Trader and
Tenancy Tribunal also has
limited jurisdiction which
58 JANUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

ecause of the Consumer
Credit Code does not include
Guarantees that support loans
for business purposes.
Litigation is expensive
and legal costs are high. The
inclusion of ‘all reasonable costs
of recovery’ clause is common
in guarantee documents.
These costs are in addition
to the claimed principal and
interest, and include legal costs
of pursuing the borrower and
the guarantor. These terms
can raise a significant portion
of the risk of lending and may
amount to tens of thousands
of dollars before litigation has
commenced.
So is there a way of
resolving the borrower,
guarantor, lender impasse
without litigation?
During the ’80s there was a
spate of defaults by borrowers,
many in rural areas and on the
central coast. Borrowers took
the risk of borrowing in Swiss
Francs at a very competitive
rate which after time proved
not to be, so default occurred.
Guarantees were called in and
foreclosure of properties – the
usual security – triggered. There
were some very high-profile
cases, including Kerry Packer.
But very few ended in litigation
in the courts; most were settled
by mediation.
One family case in which
this writer was concerned
involved parents in a regional
city guaranteeing their son’s
purchase of a building in which
to conduct his business. The
borrowing was in the vicinity
of $600,000. The son’s annual
income was approximately $65-
70K per annum. Interest rates
were high. The son mortgaged
his home and the building as
security. In granting the loan
and accepting the parents as
guarantors the bank said it
would be helpful if the parents
put up the deeds of their
property. A very substantial
unencumbered rural property.
The son defaulted and lost
the business, the building
and his home and then the
bank turned to the parents as
guarantors and claimed their
home as well. This painful
situation was resolved by
mediation and negotiation.
Ultimately the bank took
ownership of their home and
the parents were permitted
to stay there for the rest of
their lives and on leaving the
property or their passing the
bank took possession thus
denying any inheritance to the
son and his siblings.
One solicitor commented:
‘People will give guarantees
unwisely because they have
dreams and aspirations and can
only achieve those by borrowing.
Most guarantees are given by
spouses and company directors/
shareholders who share the
dreams.’
So, for those contemplating
borrowing – which is tempting
in this environment of
extremely low interest rates
– think carefully; seek legal
and financial advice on any
documents you are asked to
sign.
Comment supplied by
Jennifer Harris, of Jennifer
Harris & Associates, Solicitors,
4/57 Avalon Parade,
Avalon Beach.
T: 9973 2011. F: 9918 3290.
E: jennifer@jenniferharris.com.au
W: www.jenniferharris.com.au
Business Life
The Local Voice Since 1991
JANUARY 2018 59

Trades & Services
Trades & Services
AUTO REPAIRS
British & Swedish
Motors
Call 9970 6654
Services Range Rover, Land
Rover, Saab and Volvo with the
latest in diagnostic equipment.
Narrabeen Tyrepower
Call 9970 6670
Stocks all popular brands
including Cooper 4WD. Plus
they’ll do all mechanical repairs
and rego inspections.
Barrenjoey
Smash Repairs
Call 9970 8207
barrenjoeysmashrepairs.com.au
Re-sprays a specialty, plus
restoration of your favourite vehicle.
Commercial vehicle specialist.
BOAT SERVICES
Avalon Marine
Upholstery
Call Simon 9918 9803
Makes cushions for boats, patio
and pool furniture, window seats.
ELECTRICAL
Eamon Dowling
Electrical
Call 0410 457 373
For all electrical, phone, TV,
data and security needs.
FLOOR COVERINGS
Blue Tongue Carpets
Call Stephan 9979 7292
Family owned and run. Carpet,
rugs, runners, timber, bamboo, vinyl,
tiles & laminates. Open 6 days.
GARDENS
Graham Brooks
Call 0412 281 580
Tree pruning and removals.
Reports regarding DA tree management,
arborist reports.
Precision Tree Services
Call Adam 0410 736 105
Adam Bridger; professional tree
care by qualified arborists and
tree surgeons.
CLEANING
The Aqua Clean Team
Call Mark 0449 049 101
Quality window washing,
pressure cleaning, carpet
washing, building soft wash.
Martin Earl House Wash
Call 0405 583 305
Pittwater-based owner on site at
all times. No travellers or uninsured
casuals on your property.
House Washing
Northern Beaches
Call Ben 0408 682 525
Family-run housewashing –
exteriors, high-pressure cleaning
and soft washing; 18 years
on the Northern Beaches.
LAWN CARE
Platinum Turf Solutions
Call Liam 0412 692 578
Specialists in turf supply &
installation, lawn care & cylinder
mowing, full lawn construction,
turf renovations, maintenance.
MASSAGE & FITNESS
Avalon Physiotherapy
Call 9918 3373
Provide specialist treatment for
neck & back pain, sports injuries,
orthopaedic problems.
Avalon Physiotherapy
& Clinical Pilates
Call 9918 0230
Dry needling and acupuncture,
falls prevention and balance
enhancement programs.
Avalon Beach
Chiropractic
Call 9918 0070
Professional care for all ages.
Treatment for chronic and acute
pain, sports injuries.
Francois Naef/Osteopath
Call 9918 2288
Diagnosis, treatment and
prevention for back pain and
sciatica, sports injuries, muscle
soreness and strain, pregnancyrelated
pain, postural imbalance.
PAINTING
Contrast Colour
Call 0431 004 421
Locals Josef and Richard offer
quality painting services. Tidy,
reliable, they’ll help consult
on the best type of paint for
your job.
Modern Colour
Call 0406 150 555
Simon Bergin offers painting
and decorating; clean, tidy,
quality detail you will notice.
Dependable and on time.
Painting & Decorating
Call 0418 116 700
Andrew is a master painter with
30 years’ experience. Domestic
and commercial; reasonable
rates, free quotes.
UPHOLSTERY
All Foam
Call 9973 1731
Cut to measure quality foam for
day beds, boats, caravans and
more. Discounted prices and reliable
local service. Free measure
and quote.
Luxafoam North
Call 9999 5567
Local specialists in all aspects of
outdoor & indoor seating.
Custom service and expert
advice.
Susan Ottowa
Call Susan 0422 466 880
Specialist in day bed and outdoor
areas. Reliable local
service. Offering domestic &
commercial.
Leather Hero
Call 0490 796 012
Northern Beaches-based
specialists in leather cleaning,
revamps, repairs and colour
restoration for lounges, cars
and boats.
PEST CONTROL
Predator Pest Control
Call 0417 276 962
predatorpestcontrol.com.au
Environmental services at their
best. Comprehensive control.
Eliminate all manner of pests.
They provide a 24-hour service.
PUMPS & TANKS
Water Warehouse
Call 9913 7988
waterwarehouse.com.au
Rainwater tanks & pumps. Irrigation
& filter supply specialists.
RENOVATIONS
Rob Burgers
Call 0416 066 159
Qualified builder provides all
carpentry needs; decks, pergolas,
carports, renovations and
repairs.
60 JANUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Trades & Services
The Local Voice Since 1991
JANUARY 2018 61

Trades & Services
Underdeck
Call Adrian 0417 591 113
Waterproof under your deck and
turn the area into usable space
all year round.
Advertise your
Business in
Trades
& Services
section
Phone
0438 123 096
SunSpec
Call Dustin 0413 737 934
sunspec.com.au
All-aluminium, rust-proof remotecontrolled
opening roofs & awnings.
Beats competitor’s prices.
DISCLAIMER: The editorial
and advertising content
in Pittwater Life has been
provided by a number of
sources. Any opinions
expressed are not necessarily
those of the Editor or Publisher
of Pittwater Life and no
responsibility is taken for the
accuracy of the information
contained within. Readers
should make their own
enquiries directly to any
organisations or businesses
prior to making any plans or
taking any action.
Trades & Services
62 JANUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

the
good
life
dining
food
crossword
gardening
travel
64
66
69
70
73
Showtime
‘World’s worst singer’
hits Glorious high note
Imagine you’re ushered back
brought to life in the movie
in time to 1940s New York,
of the same name, starring
and you’ve got tickets to
see the performer who was
making a name for herself
for all the wrong reasons –
Florence Foster Jenkins, an
enthusiastic singer whose
pitch was far from perfect!
Known as ‘the first lady of
the sliding scale’, Florence
warbled and screeched her
way through the evening to
an audience who mostly fell
about with laughter.
But this delusional and
joyously happy woman paid
little attention to her critics,
instead she was surrounded
by a circle of devoted friends
who were almost as eccentric
as she was. Based upon a true
story, the Elanora Players’
latest production spins from
Florence’s charity recitals and
extravagant balls, through to
her bizarre recording sessions
and an ultimate triumph at
Carnegie Hall in this hilarious
and heart-warming comedy.
The story of Florence
Foster Jenkins was recently
Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant.
Elanora Players brings this
wonderful character to the
stage in the Peter Quilter play
Glorious! starring Pam Ennor
as Florence, Wade Orth as
her pianist, Cosme McMoon
and James Belfrage as her
loving boyfriend St Clair. Jan
Adamson, Chris Richardson
and Robin Silvolli round
out the cast of eccentric
characters in this truly feelgood
play.
Performances run from 12
to 20 January 2018. Tickets
are $25 ($22 concession,
$20 groups of 10 or more);
bookings over the phone
(9979 9694), by email
(1966elanora.bookings@
gmail.com) or online
elanoraplayers.com.au.
Something for
everyone at
Dee Why RSL
T
here is a live show for
everyone this month at
Dee Why RSL.
Fans of Paul McCartney
and Eric Clapton rave
about Guitars Gently
Weep, a production that
brings together the songs
that defined each artist on
Fri 12.
Another gig for the
over-18s, Thirsty Merc,
will be celebrating all their
music plus songs never
performed live on Jan 19.
And to mark Australia
Day (early) you can catch
The Australian INXS
Show and The Australian
Divinyls on Thurs 25.
For the kids, the popular
Crazy Science Show is
back on Thurs 18 and an
interactive mini-musical
Red Riding Hood’s
Adventures on Tues 23.
Bookings at deewhyrsl.
com.au
JANUARY 2018 63
Showtime

Dining Guide
January’s best restaurants, functions, events and reader deals...
Hong Kong
Chinese Restaurant
332 Barrenjoey Rd,
Newport
OPENING HOURS
Dinner Tues-Sun 5pm
CUISINE
Chinese & Asian
PRICE RANGE
Entrees $5-20
Mains $12.90-26.50
*Deliver Whale Beach - Narrabeen
BOOKINGS 9997 4157
LIC
BYO
All
Book a table at this
popular Newport eatery in
January and your family is
guaranteed a great night
out with a feast for the eyes
and the tastebuds.
Order ahead for their
wonderful Peking Duck which
is offered as a dine-in-only
special Thursdays through
Sundays in Summer.
There are two traditional
courses: Peking Duck
pancakes & duck sang choy
bow (bookings essential;
Here are seven eateries getting
their first taste of summer in
Pittwater:
Riva Bar and Kitchen –
Carefully created, prepared and
presented dishes packed with
natural flavour. Open for lunch and
dinner with “street food” options
also available throughout the day.
With four entrees, six mains and
four desserts plus specials, menus
are changed to reflect the season.
Right now, locals are loving the
kingfish carpaccio. Avalon Pde
Avalon Beach.
Freebird Avalon – Modern
Australian restaurant and bar
with great specials, tasty grazing
plates an old school ’50s, ’60s and
’70s playlist and live music every
Sunday. Plenty to like @ 50 Old
Barrenjoey Road Avalon Beach.
Alma Avalon – Vibrant modern
Mexican fare with a focus on
P
mention the ad when you
call).
This long-established
restaurant on the eastern
side of Barrenjoey Rd has
an extensive menu based
on traditional flavoursome
Cantonese with touches of
spicy Szechuan and other
Asian dishes and fresh
seasonal vegetables.
Entrees start at just $6
while mains are great value
too, starting at $16.80.
The menu ranges from
adventurous, like a Sizzling
Szechuan-style Platter of
king prawns and fillets of
chicken, to contemporary,
featuring spicy salt and
pepper king prawns, to
traditional, with favourites
including Mongolian lamb,
Honey king prawns and
Honey chicken.
New dishes are introduced
regularly so make sure you
check out the blackboard
specials.
The team are only too
happy to home deliver your
meal, with a range that takes
in Narrabeen to the south to
Palm Beach in the north.
Fully licensed or BYO.
locally sourced seafood and
organic wines.
Enjoy breakfast, lunch and/or
dinner indoors or on the verandah
overlooking Old Barrenjoey Road
and watch the world go by.
Mekong Merchant – Did
someone say pork belly? Authentic,
simple, Vietnamese food – banh
mi, rice paper rolls, rice and
noodle salads and Pho. Open
for breakfast and lunch with set
Bistro 61
Avalon Beach RSL
1 Bowling Green Lane
Avalon Beach
OPENING HOURS
Open 7 days
Lunch 12pm-2:30pm
Dinner 5:30-8:30pm
CUISINE
Modern Aust / pub food
PRICE RANGE
Meals $8-$30
Specials $12-$15
BOOKINGS 9918 2201
Avalon Beach RSL’s Bistro 61
is a great place to head for
a local meal, offering tasty
modern Australian dishes at
affordable prices.
Don't miss their $25 Ribs
deal for lunch or dinner on
Mondays in January.
Plus they’re open for
breakfast on weekends over
summer, from 8am.
On Australia Day enjoy $5
VBs, plus live music and raffles.
Great music acts on
Saturdays this month include
Nat & Rin (6th), Sundown (13th),
Feast out on these tasty morsels
menu dinners Friday and Saturday
nights during summer. Avalon Pde,
Avalon Beach.
Caffeine Villains – Coffee,
burgers and “healthy feeds with a
touch of naughty” dished up by a
friendly crew tucked at the back of
331-335 Barrenjoey Road, Newport.
The Park House – We have
waved bye, bye to the Mona Vale
Hotel and with a lick of white paint
and some classic northern beaches
styling welcome the Park House
with a range of dining options and
more to come in the New Year.
Park Street, Mona Vale.
Monkey King Thai –
Continuing to expand – from
Lindfield into Newport and
Warriewood – now at North
Narrabeen at the lights opposite
the 7 Eleven. Generous and tasty
dishes and clever marketing keep
customers coming back for more.
Special Guests (20th) and CJ
& The Mellows (27th); plus
Browntown on Friday 26th.
Happy Hour is every
Monday, Tuesday & Friday from
4-6pm.
Bistro 61 has been named
to commemorate the opening
of the Club in 1961. The
kitchen – led by experienced
Northern Beaches head chef
Mitch Blundell, boasts all fresh,
house-made meals, with locally
sourced ingredients.
Open for lunch and dinner
seven days, with extensive
outdoor dining areas, Bistro
61 offers a variety of specials
(lunch and dinner) during the
week, including $12 tacos
(Tues), $15 Chicken Schnitzels
(Wed), 2-4-1 pizzas (Thurs), and
a $20 burger + beer (Fri).
Seniors are well catered
for – there are daily Seniors
specials, including beerbattered
flathead – plus they
do a $5 kids meals on Sundays!
(There’s a playground, too.)
From the menu, chef
Mitch recommends his twist
on nachos – pulled beef and
blackbeans with chipotle, corn
chips, guacamole, Danish fetta
and coriander.
DO YOURSELF
A FLAVOUR: BBQ
Chicken noodle
salad from
newcomer
Mekong
Merchant (left)
and taco time
at Alma Avalon.
64 JANUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Members get discounts on
meals purchased. Membership
starts from $5.50.
The club is licensed, with
no BYO. Bookings online or
call 9918 2201 – large groups
welcome.
Head to Avalon RSL for
APL Poker Tournaments on
Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Visit avalonrsl.com.au/
bistro-61
Royal Motor
Yacht Club
Salt Cove on Pittwater
46 Prince Alfred
Parade, Newport
OPENING HOURS
Breakfast Lunch & Dinner
Mon-Fri from 8.30am
Weekends from 8am
PRICE RANGE
Breakfast from $8-$18
Entrees from $9-$21
Mains from $16-$26
BOOKINGS 9997 5511
RMYC’s restaurant Salt
Cove on Pittwater’s menu
offers affordable meals and
generous servings including
The Local Voice Since 1991
a variety of starters and share
plates, seafood, burgers,
grills, salads, desserts and
woodfired pizza.
Great Friday night music
kicks off in the Lounge Bar from
7.30pm.
Bookings are essential for
New Year’s Eve, with a 2-course
dinner, music by ‘Collage’ and
the Fireworks over Pittwater.
Get ready for '60s Mania –
The British Invasion featuring
'The Fab Four' and Ronnie
Kellett and hits from The
Beatles, The Kinks, Cilla Black
and more.
Trivia is held every Tuesday
night from 7.30pm (great
prizes and vouchers).
Club social memberships
are available for just $160.
Barrenjoey
Bistro
Club Palm Beach
1087 Barrenjoey Rd,
Palm Beach
BISTRO OPENING HOURS
Lunch 11:30am-2.30pm
Dinner 6pm-8.30pm
PRICE RANGE
Lunch and dinner
specials $13.50
BOOKINGS 9974 5566
Watch the Fifth Ashes
Test on the big screen
from January 4-8.
The Members’ lucky
badge draw is held
Wednesday and Friday night
(every 30 mins between
5pm-7pm), and jackpots by
$100 each week.
Enjoy Trivia Night from
5.30pm on Wednesdays,
plus Bingo 10am on Fridays.
The club has a courtesy
bus that makes regular runs
Wednesdays, Fridays and
Saturdays from 4.30pm to
9pm. Ring to book a pick-up.
The Mirage
Restaurant
at Metro Hotel
Mirage Newport
2 Queens Parade West,
Newport
CUISINE
Modern Australian
PRICE RANGE
Breakfast – $25 adults,
$12.50 kids (5-12)
Dinner – entrees
from $7-$17,
Mains from $21-$30,
Desserts from $13-$25
BOOKINGS 9997 7011
Local residents are finding
Head to Club Palm Beach, the peaceful ambience
conveniently located just of The Mirage restaurant
a short stroll from Palm overlooking spectacular
Beach Wharf, for hasslefree
Pittwater, the perfect
holiday dining in
waterfront venue to enjoy
January.
breakfast or dinner.
The club’s Barrenjoey
Located in boutique
Bistro is open for lunch Metro Hotel Mirage Newport,
(11.30am to 2.30pm) and The Mirage restaurant is a
dinner (6pm to 9pm) seven popular choice for breakfast
days, plus there's a Snack from 7-10am seven days a
Menu available 2.30pm-6pm. week, offering a fixed-price
And enjoy acoustic
full hot and cold buffet,
sessions with Suraya, 12- including a selection of
2.30pm in the garden on cereals, seasonal fruit and
Sunday 7th, 14th and 21st. freshly made juice, toast Advertise
The Bistro serves topvalue
a la carte meals plus eggs, has browns, bacon
and pastries and sausages,
in our
daily $13.50 specials of
and tomato served with the
roasts (Mondays), rump Chef’s Special of the day.
steak with chips and salad The Mirage restaurant is Dining
(Tuesdays), chicken schnitzel also open for dinner from
with chips and salad
Monday to Saturday from
(Wednesdays), homemade 5.30 pm – 8.30pm and can
Guide!
gourmet pies with chips be hired, along with all the
and salad (Thursdays) and hotel’s function rooms, for
Phone
fish and chips with salad private and corporate events 0438 123 096
(Fridays), except public hols. of between 60-110 guests.
JANUARY 2018 65

Food Life
Food Life
Recipes: Janelle Bloom Photos: Ben Dearnley, Steve Brown, Andre Martin
Easy-to-make picnic food
creates quite the spread!
With the Christmas
rush over, it’s now
time to relax and
enjoy everything we love
about where we live: the sun,
surf, beaches, parks and
relaxed lifestyle. Here is some
fabulous modern picnic food.
Regardless of whether you
take it to the beach, park or
your friends’ back deck, these
recipes provide quick, easy and
delicious food to share.
Tomato, prawn &
kale salad
Serves 4 (as a light meal)
Serves 6-8 (as a side salad)
1 cup rice and quinoa blend,
rinsed
5 cups cold water
1 tbs olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
½ bunch kale, leaves shredded
or 100g baby spinach leaves
200g tomatoes, halved
600g cooked prawns, peeled,
deveined
125g feta, crumbled
½ cup pine nuts, toasted
½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves,
chopped
Dressing
3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, rind finely grated,
juice
½ tsp caster sugar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
5 minutes. Rinse under cold
running water. Drain well.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan over
medium heat. Add garlic and
saute 1 minute. Add kale or
spinach and cook 1 minute
until just wilted. Set aside to
cool.
3. Combine all the dressing
ingredients in a large bowl;
whisk until well combined.
Add the rice and quinoa, kale
mixture, tomatoes, prawns,
feta, pine nuts and parsley.
Season with salt and pepper
and stir to combine. Spoon
into a large bowl. Serve.
Pack for picnic: Follow steps
1 and 2, make dressing and
store in a jar. Combine all the
salad ingredients in a container.
Pack into chill bag with ice. Just
before serving, pour over the
dressing and serve.
Hoisin chicken rice
paper rolls
Makes 15
½ x 250g packet rice vermicelli
noodles
3 Lebanese cucumbers
6 spring onions, cut into 5cm
lengths
1 cup roughly chopped fresh
coriander leaves
1 cup mint leaves
½ cup Thai basil leaves
2 cups shredded cooked
chicken
2/3 cup roasted salted peanuts,
with Janelle Bloom
chopped
150g packet Vietnamese rice
paper wrappers
½ cup hoisin sauce (Lee kum
kee brand)
¼ cup peanut butter
lime wedges, to serve
1. Place noodles in a large
heatproof bowl. Cover with
hot water. Stand 5 minutes or
until tender. Drain. Refresh
under cold water. Drain well.
Return to the bowl. Cut into
shorter lengths using kitchen
scissors. Using a mandolin or
1. Put rice and water into a
sharp knife, cut cucumbers
medium saucepan, bring
into thin ribbons.
to the boil. Reduce heat to
2. Cut the spring onions into
low, boil gently, uncovered
thin strips. Combine the
for 25 minutes or until rice
herbs.
is tender. Stand, covered for
3. Working with one rice paper
sheet at a time, submerge
it in a shallow dish of warm
water for about 5 seconds, it
will still be firm when you remove
it. Place on a chopping
board. Arrange 3 cucumber
ribbons lengthways down the
centre of the rice paper. Top
with noodles, chicken, spring
onions, herbs and peanuts.
Fold in sides and roll-up
firmly to enclose filling.
66 JANUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

For more recipes go to www.janellebloom.com.au
Repeat to make 15.
4. Combine the hoisin sauce,
peanut butter and 2 tablespoons
boiling water, mix
well. Serve rice paper rolls
with hoisin sauce and lime
wedges.
Pack for picnic: Place rice
paper rolls into an airtight
container lined with baking
paper. Cover with a sheet baking
paper then lid. Spoon sauce
into an airtight container and
lime wedges in a snap lock bag.
Pack into chill bag with ice.
a serrated knife score the
top of the bread lengthways,
don’t cut all the way through.
Bake 10 minutes until warm.
Remove from the oven.
2. Combine the mozzarella
and ¼ cup of the parmesan.
Spoon pesto between each
cut piece bread. Poke in
prosciutto, olives, tomatoes,
basil leaves and combined
cheese. Return to the oven,
bake for 12 minutes.
3. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan
cheese and extra basil
leaves to serve.
Janelle’s Tip: Sponge is
best baked 1-2 days before
making into lamingtons.
Slightly stale sponge will
absorb more icing making
the lamingtons even better.
If you have time freeze the
sponge 4-5 hours, it’s easier
to cut sponge almost frozen.
Antipasto pull apart
Serves 6
480g packet La Famiglia Stone
Baked Garlic Sourdough
1¼ cups grated mozzarella
1/3 cup finely grated parmesan
¼ cup basil pesto
100g prosciutto, halved
½ cup pitted olives
1/3 cup semi dried tomatoes,
chopped
1 cup basil leaves
Extra basil leaves, for garnish
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C
fan forced. Line a baking tray
with baking paper. Place the
sourdough on the tray. Using
The Local Voice Since 1991
Pack for picnic: Follow step
1-ed step 2. Wrap in baking paper
and foil. Just before serving
complete step 3.
Lamingtons
Makes 24 (for Australia Day!)
1½ cups wheat cornflour
1½ tsp cream of tartar
3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
6 x 55g free range eggs, at
room temperature
1 cup caster sugar
4 cups desiccated coconut
Pink icing
½ cup frozen raspberries,
thawed
150ml boiling water
3 cups icing sugar mixture
Pink food colouring, optional
Chocolate icing
3 cups icing sugar mixture
½ cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup boiling water
1. Preheat oven to 150°C fan
forced. Grease and line 4cm
deep, 23x28cm (base) lamington
pan, allowing an overhand
along both long sides.
2. Sift flour, cream of tartar and
bicarbonate of soda together
three times. Beat eggs and
caster sugar in an electric
mixer on high speed for 5
minutes or until thick and
pale.
3. Sift flour mixture over egg
mixture and gently fold
until just combined. Carefully
spread sponge mixture into
the pan and bake, for 28-30
minutes or until light golden
and a skewer inserted into the
centre comes out clean. Allow
to cool in the pan. Cover
with a clean tea towel and set
aside overnight (See Janelle’s
Tip).
4. Remove cake from the pan
and trim the edges. Cut into
24 squares. Spread 2 cups
coconut onto a tray.
5. For the pink icing, crush the
raspberries in a bowl with a
fork. Stir in 2 tablespoons
boiling water, set aside
to cool 5 minutes. Sieve
raspberry mixture into
another bowl. Sift icing sugar
into a large bowl. Combine
two tablespoons raspberry
puree and remaining ½ cup
boiling water together and
stir into icing sugar. Whisk
until smooth. Add pink food
colouring to reach the colour
you desire.
6. Using 12 pieces of the
sponge, dip 1 piece at a time
on the end of a fork into the
warm pink icing, turning
quickly to coat. Allow excess
to drip back into the bowl.
Roll the cake in the coconut
and place on a tray lined with
baking paper to set. Discard
any leftover coconut on tray
and replace with remaining 2
cups coconut.
7. For the chocolate icing, sift
the icing sugar and cocoa
powder into a medium bowl.
Add the water and stir until
smooth. Using the remaining
sponge repeat step 6 using
chocolate icing and coconut.
Pack for picnic: Place lamingtons
into paper cases and pack
in an airtight container.
JANUARY 2018 67
Food Life

Food Life
In Season
Basil
Tomato, feta & basil tarts
Makes 32
Food Life
Basil is one ingredient;
no matter what you put
it in, it makes dishes come
to life. It’s considered the
herb of summer and has
long been regarded as an
anti-depressant. There are
many types of basil, the most
common being sweet basil.
Buying
Look for fresh basil with
bright-coloured, blemish-free
leaves.
Storage
Wrap in dry paper towel and
store in a sealed plastic bag
or an airtight container in the
fridge for up to five days.
Goes well with
Bread, pasta, tomatoes, peas,
Also In Season
January
Apricots; Berries
(blackberries, blueberries,
raspberries & strawberries);
Cherries; Lychee; Lime,
Mango; Melons Nectarines;
Peaches, Plums &
Pineapple. Also Avocado;
Asparagus, Beans (green
& flat); Eggplant; Celery,
Cucumbers, Capsicum;
Lettuce; Peas; Radish, Corn
on cob & Tomatoes.
lamb, seafood, eggplant,
cheese, balsamic vinegar.
Nutrition
Basil is high in beta-carotene,
vitamin C, iron and calcium.
1/3 cup finely grated parmesan
2 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry, partially thawed
Olive oil cooking spray
200g marinated feta
375g solanato tomatoes, halved
Macadamia basil pesto (Makes 1 cup)
1½ cups firmly packed basil leaves
½ cup roasted salted macadamia nuts
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
60g parmesan cheese, finely grated
1. For the pesto; place basil, macadamia nuts and garlic into a
small food processor. Process until chopped. With processor
running, pour oil down feed tube in a slow and steady
stream. Process until all oil is combined. Transfer pesto into
a bowl. Stir in parmesan and season with salt and pepper.
Use immediately or spoon pesto into a clean sterilized jar.
Cover top with a thin layer extra virgin olive oil and store in
the fridge for up to 3 months.
2. Place two flat baking trays into the oven. Preheat oven and
trays to 200°C fan forced. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons parmesan
over each pastry sheet, using a rolling pin, roll over the
parmesan to press into the pastry. Cut pastry sheets each
into 16 squares. Quickly spray the hot trays with oil and
top with pastry squares. Bake 10-12 minutes or until light
golden. Set aside to cool on the trays.
3. Drain the feta and mix until smooth. Spread over the
pastry squares, top with tomato then spoon over pesto.
Season and garnish with micro herbs if desired.
68 JANUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Pittwater Puzzler
Compiled by David Stickley
house, hotel, etc., used for getting a tan
(7)
28 Special cards that the members of
the Peninsula Bridge Club, based in Warriewood,
know all about (6)
DOWN
2 Spray swept by a violent wind along
the surface of the sea (9)
3 A thing learnt or to be learnt by a
pupil (6)
4 A social or official position or standing,
as in the armed forces (4)
5 These may be seen out to sea or in a
local bar (9)
6 Riders who are well catered for on the
Northern Beaches (8)
7 An agreement by which the owner of
property allows another to use it for a
specified time, usually in return for payment
(5)
ACROSS
1 Avalon Beach house, on Hilltop Road,
built by artist Robert Johnson in the 1930s
(6)
5 Concerned with the affairs of this world;
not spiritual or sacred (7)
9 Summer holiday program for the young
ones run by Northern Beaches Council
(4,2,3,5)
11 A former male pupil of a school (3,3)
12 Small, brightly-coloured, arboreal parrot
found mainly in Australasia (8)
13 Take a dip at Palm Beach, say (4)
14 Company run by David Thomas that
provides a Porsche experience, Driving
__________ (10)
18 A business concern (10)
19 Terrain in its natural uncultivated
state (4)
22 Tries (8)
24 Artist on display at the Summer Art
Space Exhibition, Jeff ______ (6)
26 Community theatre group that will be
performing Glorious during January (7,7)
27 A flat roof or platform adjoining a
8 Goes for a spin (7)
10 Propels a scull, for instance (4)
15 A rough, unsurfaced road of sorts
normally in the 19-across (4,5)
16 A journey to some place and back
again (5,4)
17 Instrument played in the Northern
Beaches Concert Band no doubt (8)
18 They are used mainly for getting rid
of unwanted pencil marks (7)
20 A naturally raised area of land, not
as high as a mountain (4)
21 Bye for now (3,3)
23 Mode of transport not available on
the Northern Beaches (5)
25 A suite of rooms, usually on one
floor only, forming a complete residence,
and usually rented (4)
[Solution page 72]
Pittwater Puzzler
The Local Voice Since 1991
JANUARY 2018 69

Garden Life
Garden Life
Potted colour that adds a
bit of heat in the kitchen
Fiery hot or sweet, mild
chillies make cheerful pot
plants for the kitchen or
garden in pots, on the windowsill
or planted into the ground.
Chillies come in every
shape, size and temperature
(heat)! The number of
varieties available increases
every year; it is hard to know
which to grow. If you are
going to grow them, look
carefully at the labels: some
growers have a thermometer
guide on the label which
makes the choice much easier!
The most commonly grown
is the Scarlet Bird’s Eye chilli,
widely used in Thai and
Indonesian cooking. It is hot
and very spicy. Use the flesh
and remove the seeds. The
seeds are the hottest part of
the chilli. (Bird’s Eye chillies are
fantastic with prawns and lime.)
The habanero chilli is
sizzlingly hot and delicious in
salsa. Take care when you cut
them: if the juice gets on your
skin it can cause irritation.
Jalapenos are the most
popular of all. They are
great either raw in salad or
cooked. Add them to salad
with tomatoes and avocado,
or slice them onto homemade
pizza.
The Serrano chilli looks
like a Bird’s Eye chilli but the
pods are more rounded at the
tip. Plant it out of the hottest
direct sunlight and the fruit
will be great for cooking as it
turns to an orange/gold. (Just
a mild chilli, this one.)
with Gabrielle Bryant
Going wild
for Mop
Top Robinia
If you are looking for a small,
hardy elegant tree for a
formal garden or street tree,
it is hard to look beyond the
Mop Top robinia.
It is a grafted tree that
naturally grows into a compact,
neat, rounded shape. It loses
its leaves in winter; at this time
it is easy to control its growth
by pruning it hard to keep its
shape.
The very attractive blue/
green foliage is dense, making
a soft green ball. Once
established, Mop Tops will
grow in almost any conditions,
from full sun to shade, in good
garden conditions or in the
compacted poor soil of general
street conditions.
They are grafted onto a trunk
that is about 1.2 – 1.5m tall.
With a full-grown height of just
3-4 metres and a canopy that
can be controlled to any width,
Mop Tops are the perfect trees
for courtyards, pots, driveways
or kerbs.
70 JANUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

The do-it-yourself water garden
There is something very special about water
gardens. The sound of water is peaceful
and relaxing. Fully landscaped ponds and water
features are wonderful if you have the space,
but with gardens getting smaller and smaller,
container water gardens are
increasingly the answer.
Water gardens in containers
are easy to build and the pleasure
that they give is endless.
You will need an empty bowl,
a half barrel, a plastic bucket,
a wheelbarrow – or even an old
bath tub if you have the room – a
couple of bricks to reduce the
water level for marginal plants,
some pebbles, a selection of
aquatic plants, and a couple of
goldfish to eliminate the mosquitoes!
The water depth should
be between 100mm and 300mm
above the rim of the pots.
There are three groups of
aquatic plants: floaters, marginal and rooted
plants that float on the surface. Mix and match
– for a perfect balance it is best to have some of
each category.
We all love submerged water lilies of every colour
and size. For potted water gardens the dwarf
varieties are perfect. Or for something different
look for yellow water poppies (opposite top); the
floating leaves of these plants shade the water
and reduce the growth of unwanted algae.
The marginal plants grow in the shallower
waters, so it works well if you sit
the pots onto bricks to lift them
up. For tall accent plants the
colourful Louisiana iris (left) or
dwarf papyrus are easy to grow,
the variegated foliage of Court
Jester (opposite bottom) adds
colour and the violet spears of
Pickerel Rush are hard to beat.
The floaters are the easiest
of all to grow as they live and
multiply on the surface without
any pot at all. Duck weed and
fairy moss (azolla) soon cover
the water, and they blend well
with the other water plants.
Finally, add a couple of goldfish
that will keep your water
clear and feed on any mosquito larvae
that appear.
Water plants are easy to find either at garden
centres or through the internet. As a final addition
a small solar powered fountain will complete
your miniature water garden.
Garden Life
The Local Voice Since 1991
JANUARY 2018 71

Garden Life
January
Jobs this Month
Garden Life
It is time to look after living
Christmas trees. Put them
back into the garden, hose
them down and keep them in
the shade for the first few days,
before gradually “hardening”
them up in semi-shade then full
sun. Also, if you have got pot
plants inside, trim them up and
feed them now. Trim any faded
bracts on poinsettias. Once
outside they will revert to their
normal flowering pattern and
flower again for you in June.
Pinch annuals
Some summer annuals are
looking tired. Pinch them back
for a last display of colour
before the weather cools and
it becomes time for bulbs and
winter colour.
Don’t scalp grass
Remove the bottom leaves
of tomato plants to avoid the
risk of mildew. Make sure that
no leaves are touching the
ground. At the first sign of
fungus, spray with Eco Fungicide.
Also, don’t be tempted
to scalp your lawn grass if you
are going away. It is better
to keep it a little longer than
usual. Cut it too short and the
hot sun will burn the roots.
Vegie check
Check the vegie garden and
pull out any that are finishing.
You could plant a new row of
carrots and it is not too late
for small-growing tomatoes,
lettuce, Chinese Pak Choi and
bush beans.
Mulch ado
There is still very hot weather
to come. Mulch the garden
with a thick layer of pea straw
and cow manure mixed together
to hold in the moisture.
This will give your shrubs
some extra energy to cope
with the hot days to come.
Indoors protection
If you are going away, put
indoor plants into the bath
or shower and fill to a depth
of 2.5cm. This cool, moist
environment should keep your
plants watered for a couple
of weeks. Plants grouped together
take longer to dry out.
Palm seed advice
Fruit fly love palm seeds. Make
sure to sweep them up to
protect your fruit trees. Fallen
seeds roll under foot and can
cause a fall.
Talking turkey
Brush turkeys have become
prolific in recent years – they
can destroy a garden overnight.
It is illegal to harm them as they
are protected birds; all you can
do is try to discourage them.
They hate water, so I have
bought a water blaster from
the pool shop and every time I
see one in the garden I shoot it
with a jet of water. It does the
birds no harm but gradually
they’re getting discouraged and
hopefully they will return to the
reserve behind.
Tale of the tape
Seed tapes make planting very
easy, just roll out parsnips,
radishes, carrots, spring onions
and beetroots. Cover with
a thin layer of seed raising mix
and water with a fine spray.
Frangi-plenty
Frangipanis are in full flower.
There are hundreds of colours,
shapes and sizes to choose
from. If you are buying a new
plant, make sure that it has a
flower open. This way you will
be sure to get the colour that
you want. Without flowers it is
easy to muddle the labels and
you may well be disappointed
with the colour that you get.
Don’t be tempted to buy the
evergreen white frangipani
that has rounded dark green
leaves. I have seen them for
sale in Sydney – but they won’t
survive our cold winters.
Colour swatch
Hibiscus and bougainvillea are
looking good. Feed them with
a fertiliser that is low in nitrogen
and high in phosphorous;
they will flower into autumn.
Crossword solution from page 69
Mystery location: CRYSTAL BAY
Sweet Potato
offers colour
kaleidoscope
Sweet potatoes are hardy and
very easy to grow. They have
been grown as decorative
indoor plants for many years,
and are often grown as a
school project for kids.
Their bright green
trailing stems will climb
up a support, hang from a
basket or cover the ground.
Ordinary sweet potatoes are
pretty – but now you can
grow the ornamental sweet
potatoes in a kaleidoscope of
colours.
The tubers are smaller and
no good to eat but they can
be grown the same way. The
singing foliage colours, from
lime green to burnt orange to
dark purple, are sensational.
Grow them on their own in
pots or baskets or use them to
spill over the rims of troughs
and mixed containers.
All sweet potatoes grow
easily from tubers. Submerge
half the tuber in water either
a trough with pebbles or
suspend the tuber with
toothpicks in a glass and
watch the roots and shoots
appear. Once the new
shoots appear, if you want
to increase your number of
plants, remove them from
the tuber and plant them
as cuttings in soil. They
will root into the soil very
quickly.
72 JANUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991

Travel Life
Seabourn difference is oceans apart
Cruising on a
Seabourn ship is
unlike any other form
of travel. The experience
is luxurious, yet
relaxed… elegant, yet
casual… sumptuous, yet
understated.
Travel View’s Karen
Robinson says Seabourn’s
intimate ships
visit the most desirable
destinations worldwide, sailing
to the heart of landmark cities,
as well as to hidden gems
where larger vessels cannot
follow.
“Their ships attract interesting
people, who seek to
share experiences beyond the
expected in places beyond the
ordinary,” Karen said. “Their
acclaimed staff offer a unique
style of heartfelt hospitality
that is sincere, thoughtful and
personal.”
Karen explained that Seabourn
pioneered small-ship,
ultra-luxury cruising, and
continues to represent the
pinnacle of that unique style
of travel with a fleet of intimate,
all-suite ships, carrying
between 458 and 600 guests
each, sailing to the world’s
most talked-about destinations
at their peak seasons.
“Seabourn’s intimate ships
offer key elements that set
the line apart: spacious,
thoughtfully appointed suites,
most with verandas and all
100 per cent ocean front;
superb dining in a choice of
venues including The Grill by
Thomas Keller; differentiated
evening experiences in partnership
with renowned lyricist
Sir Tim Rice; Spa & Wellness
with Dr. Andrew Weil; open
bars throughout the ship;
fine wines poured at lunch
and dinner; award-winning
service and a relaxed, sociable
atmosphere that makes guests
feel right at home onboard,”
Karen said.
“The ships travel the globe
to many of the world’s most
exciting destinations, including
marquee cities, and lesserknown
ports and hideaways.”
Seabourn also offers
its optional for-charge
Ventures by Seabourn
program in select
destinations around
the world. The program
is an expedition-style
excursion offering that
delivers experiences
which include hiking
and kayaking, as well as
Zodiac and catamaran
tours.
Seabourn’s ships attract accomplished
people who enjoy
travelling well, and sharing
fun and adventures with other
interesting people.
“A great many of them have
found the Seabourn cruise experience
to be their preferred
method of travel, and return
regularly to sail with them
again and again,” said Karen.
More info phone Travel
View Cruise View Avalon
(9918 4444) or Collaroy
(9999 0444).
Travel Life
The Local Voice Since 1991
JANUARY 2018 73

Travel Life
Travel Life
Antarctica
travel a
‘life-changer’
Imagine camping on polar ice,
dozing as the still of the clear
night is broken only by the
occasional crack of a sheet of
glacial ice separating from its
parent body…
Welcome to Antarctica – a
travel destination unlike any
you’ll ever experience.
Travel View’s Sharon Godden
was lucky enough to experience
this trip of a lifetime aboard
a Wild Earth Travel small ship
out of Argentina, with numbers
limited to just 100.
“I have been hooked on
Expedition Cruising ever since I
ventured to Far East Russia two
years ago,” Sharon said. “Before
I left for the Antarctic people
kept asking me: ‘Why do you
want to go and see
icebergs that just
float around in the ocean?’
“But I knew visiting this
wilderness area would be much
more than that – in Russia I had
a moment on the ship where
I was watching a new volcanic
island form while killer whales
were swimming past! I couldn’t
wait to see what Antarctica
offered.”
Sharon says travel – and
expedition travel in particular –
“changes you on the inside”.
“Of course, you see the
icebergs, the amazing wildlife,
incredible scenery but it’s a lot
more than that,” she said. “You
are at the bottom of the Earth
on the last remaining continent
that humans haven’t yet destroyed.
You are travelling with
like-minded people from different
countries who fall in love
with the same place – you are in
awe and realise how vulnerable
this beautiful continent really
is and why we all must stand
together and protect it.”
Sharon said a range of activities
were offered, including
kayaking – but nothing topped
her experience of camping on
the ice.
You dig out a shallow bed
in the ice for the night, which
you must fill in the next morning,”
she said. “You don’t really
‘sleep’ that much because it
doesn’t get dark – but you can
hear the glaciers crack through
the night and crash into the sea.
“It’s absolutely like nothing
you can imagine!”
Sharon said the ship was the
perfect size to visit Antarctica;
in order to protect the environment,
only 100 people are
permitted ashore at any time.
She added another benefit
was you could share a cabin on
this ship and pay no single supplement.
Sharon would be happy to
share more insights from her
incredible voyage; call her on
9918 6007 or email sales@
travelview.net.au – Nigel Wall
74 JANUARY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991