Pittwater Life July 2022 Issue

The Local Voice Since 1991 

JULY 2022 

FREE 

pittwaterlife 

DEBATING DOGS ON BEACHES 

‘NOT TRUE’: MAYOR REJECTS COUNCIL PARKWAY FLOOD ‘INACTION’ 

NEWPORT RUGBY ‘BREAKETTES’ / ANITA JACOBY’S LIFE STORY 

THE WAY WE WERE / ARTISTS TRAIL / SEEN... HEARD... ABSURD...

Editorial 

Mayor hits back over Parkway 

Last month’s Letters page, 

featuring reader response to 

our coverage of steps taken (or 

not) by Council on Wakehurst 

Parkway flood mitigation 

measures, annoyed folk at 

Council HQ. 

Mayor Michael Regan 

expressed his disappointment 

at the inference that Council 

was sitting on its hands rather 

than acting prudently to 

deliver maximum mitigation, 

which this magazine had 

interpreted was the preferred 

outcome based on community 

consultation feedback. 

Cr Regan told us 

environmental concerns are 

still at the forefront of any 

decision-making, hence the call 

for further investigations. 

Also, he said he was 

frustrated at Council being 

singled out instead of the 

State Government, who he 

says could have worked to fix 

flooding on the Parkway at any 

time over past decades. 

That may be the case, but it 

would be remiss of us to not 

note that it was the current 

State Government, via three 

MPs whose territories overlap 

the Parkway, that initiated talks 

with the new amalgamated 

Council to try to find a way to 

reduce the frequency of road 

closures due to flooding. 

Council embraced those 

talks; it also accepted the 

$18 million the Government 

stumped up based on the 

findings of the Councilmanaged 

feasibility study. 

Read the Mayor’s response to 

readers’ letters – see page 10. 

* * * 

This month our community 

says farewell to Avalon 

Family Medical Practice GP, 

Dr Jeff Cavanough, who is 

hanging up his stethoscope 

when he turns 65 on June 30. 

We wish Jeff a wonderful 

retirement; we will recount 

some great stories from his 

working life next month! – NW 


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Publisher: Nigel Wall 

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Contributors: Rob Pegley, 

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Vol 31 No 12 

Celebrating 31 years 

34 



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pittwaterlife 

DEBATING DOGS ON BEACHES 

‘NOT TRUE’: MAYOR REJECTS COUNCIL PARKWAY FLOOD ‘INACTION’ 

NEWPORT RUGBY ‘BREAKETTES’ / ANITA JACOBY’S LIFE STORY 

THE WAY WE WERE / ARTISTS TRAIL / SEEN... HEARD... ABSURD... 

PWL_JUL22_p001.indd 1 27/6/2022 4:25 pm 

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thislife 

INSIDE: Mayor Michael Regan has responded to community 

anger over perceived Council ‘inaction’ on Wakehurst 

Parkway flood mitigation (p10); meet Newport’s first female 

rugby union team the ‘Breakettes’ (p14); residents groups 

react to the scrapping of Ingleside as a targeted growth area 

for residential development (p21); we hear from those ‘for’ 

and also those ‘against’ Council’s proposed offleash dog 

walking trial at two local beaches (p24); and local media 

identity Anita Jacoby shares her life story (p34). 

COVER: Midnight blue / Sharon Green 

XXXXX 2022 

also this month 

Editorial 3 

Pittwater Local News 8-33 

The Way We Were 26 

Briefs & Community News 28-33 

Life Story: Anita Jacoby 34-37 

Hot Property 38-45 

Art 46 

Surfing 48-49 

Health & Wellbeing; Hair & Beauty 50-57 

Money; Law 58-61 

Trades & Services 62-64 

Crossword 65 

Food & Tasty Morsels 66-69 

Seen... Heard... Absurd... 74 

the goodlife 

Returning soon! Showtime, Pubs & Clubs and gigs! 

Inside this month: our regular features on food, gardening, 

beauty, health, surfing, art, local history, money, plus our 

guide to trades and services... and our essential maps. 

ATTENTION ADVERTISERS! 

Bookings & advertising material to set for 

our AUGUST issue MUST be supplied by 

FRIDAY 8 JULY 

Finished art & editorial submissions deadline: 

FRIDAY 15 JULY 

The AUGUST issue will be published 

on WEDNESDAY 27 JULY 

COPYRIGHT 

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

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

* The complete Pittwater 

Life archive can be found at 

6 

the State Library of NSW. 


The Local Voice Since 1991

News 

Robotham’s thrilling next chapter 

You’ll know Michael Robotham as 

one of Australia’s most prolific and 

profitable novelists. 

Since he and his wife Vivien moved back 

here from the UK in 1997 he’s written 16 

critically acclaimed crime novels, translated 

into 25 languages and having sold 

more than six million copies. 

The most recent have been conceived 

in the poolside wooden writing studio in 

Avalon his three children have nicknamed 

“the cabana of cruelty” for the dark, 

twisted tales that emerge from his imagination 

before he returns across the patio 

for a cheerful family greeting. 

He’s currently on the inevitable international 

publicity tour to launch his latest 

thriller, ‘Lying Beside You’, about a woman 

with ‘the gift’ of knowing whenever she’s 

being deceived. 

It’s the third in his bestselling Cyrus 

Haven/Evie Cormac series. 

The original – ‘Good Girl, Bad Girl’, made 

him the first Australian to twice win the 

UK’s prestigious Gold Dagger Award for 

crime fiction (after ‘Life or Death’, his only 

novel so far set in the US). 

‘When She Was Good’ – the second in the 

series – won the international Ian Fleming 

SEEING STARS: Author Michael 

Robotham on the set of 

Network 10’s ‘The Secrets She 

Keeps’ with actors Jessica De 

Gouw and Laura Carmichael. 

Steel Dagger Award. 

“So no pressure then!” he laughs. 

What is adding to the pressure, Michael 

concedes, is how many of his past novels 

are being made into English language TV 

series – at the same time. 

He’s no stranger to TV adaptions, he 

points out: “Seven of my novels have been 

dramatised on German TV.” 

Yes, but none of those star Aidan 

Turner, “the handsome hunk who got his 

kit off in the remake of Poldark”. 

Eighteen years after Michael introduced 

the characters of Joseph O’Loughlin (a 

clinical psychologist suffering the twin 

surges of Parkinson’s and marital separation) 

– and Vincent Ruiz (a hard-drinking 

homicide detective) in his first novel, ‘The 

Suspect’, it’s being filmed for international 

audiences by World Productions. 

“They made Line of Duty and Bodyguard’,” 

he explains. “So again, no pressure!” 

Meanwhile here in Australia, Network 

10 is deciding when to schedule the 

follow-up series to The Secrets She Keeps. 

“But it will be screened this year, I 

think,” he says, unable to reveal more 

because of contracts. 

Filmed in Sydney, “Secrets 2” is propelled 

by the extraordinary viewing figures 

The Secrets She Keeps earned when 

it was shown by the BBC in prime time 

– features most of the original characters 

and Australian cast. 

Michael’s problem was that he wrote 

The Secrets She Keeps as a “stand-alone” 

about two pregnant women whose babies 

are due at the same time and whose lives 

collide in the most dangerous of ways. 

Fortunately, Michael left the novel with 

some unresolved loose ends. So he was 

able to help shape the follow-up – along 

with the creative team at Lingo Pictures 

who helped fashion the story and write 

the scripts doing justice to the characters 

he created on page. 

In doing so, at 61, he’s had to learn new 

skills. “Storyboarding”, for example. 

Amazingly, he’s never plotted any of his 

novels. 

He starts – in “the cabana of cruelty” 

– with characters, often prompted by snippets 

of intrigue he’s spotted in the wide 

selection of newspapers he reads. Then he 

sees where it leads. 

TV crime series work differently: 

everything must be planned to an infinite 

degree before cast and crew are engaged. 

“It was a completely new process for 

me,” he admits. “Each episode has to be 

(written) with cliffhangers for every commercial 

break. So people can go off, make 

their cup of tea, and come back eager to 

watch the next part.” 

As befits a master crime writer, Michael 

leaves the most exciting news until the end. 

For some months he lived in the southern 

states of the US while he wrote Life 

or Death, about a convicted criminal who 

escapes prison the day before he was due 

to be release from a 10-year sentence. 

Why would anyone do such a thing? 

It’s a gripping yarn, one of his best – 

and his only novel set outside the UK. 

South Korean director Park Chan-wook 

– whose films include The Handmaiden 

along with his TV series of John Le Carré’s 

novel ‘The Little Drummer Girl’ – is planning 

a movie of Life or Death. 

– Steve Meacham 

*More info michaelrobotham.com 

Locals honored 

by the Queen 

Former Pittwater Woman of the 

Year Lynleigh Greig is among six 

members of the community who 

received Queen’s Birthday Honours 

last month. 

Elanora Heights resident Lynleigh 

was a awarded the Medal of the 

Order of Australia (OAM) for her 

dedicated and exceptional service to 

wildlife conservation. 

Other OAM recipients included 

Avalon Beach’s Dr Jonathan King 

(for service to community history); 

Narrabeen’s Dr Daniel White (for 

services to education); Narrabeen’s 

Dr Janet Judd for service to 

conservation and the environment); 

Judith Malcolm (for service to sport 

in a range of roles); and Terrey Hills’ 

Alan Brinkworth (for service to 

emergency organisations). 

Avalon Beach’s John McConaghy 

was made a Member of the Order 

of Australia (OM) for his significant 

service to the yacht manufacturing 

industry. 

This year a total 45.9% of awards 

in the General Division went to 

women. 

News 

8 JULY 2022 




Mayor 

deflects 

Parkway 

backlash 

FLOODING: 

No easy fix for the 

Wakehurst Parkway. 

News 

Northern Beaches Mayor Michael 

Regan has written to Pittwater 

Life to clarify “misconceptions” 

about flood mitigation on Wakehurst 

Parkway. 

It follows reader backlash published 

in last month’s magazine. 

On why Council is managing the 

project, Cr Regan said: 

“Council completely 

understands the community 

frustration that such a major 

arterial road is closed by 

flooding so often. 

“As the road was built on 

a floodplain, it has been an 

issue for decades but only 

in the past few years has the 

NSW Government who own 

and maintain the road turned 

their attention to it. 

“They have not however, 

committed to the major works to 

raise and floodproof the road, and 

the hundreds of millions of dollars 

required to do so, and instead have 

given the problem to Council via grant 

funding and asked us to find other 

solutions on their behalf.” 

On alleged Council inaction, he said: 

“We’ve done the feasibility studies on 

behalf of the State Government. And there 

are some options which will reduce the 

Mayor Michael Regan 

number of times the road will be closed. 

“Claims of inaction are just not true. 

“Council is progressing concept 

and detailed designs (suitable 

for construction tender) of the 

culvert upgrades at Oxford Falls/ 

Wakehurst Parkway and the Review of 

Environmental Factors required for the 

work to proceed. To be clear, 

the works are being managed 

by Council but funded by the 

State Government. 

“But we are right to be 

cautious about the potential 

for environmental impacts 

from other options. 

“That’s why we are 

undertaking additional 

investigations at the Bends 

site, which has the greatest 

flood impact, to see if there 

is anything further that 

can be done to reduce the potential 

for environmental impact. We’ve lost 

so much vegetation from the State 

Government works in Frenchs Forest 

and Mona Vale Road widening, we 

want to make sure we’re reducing any 

more loss from this project as much as 

humanly possible.” 

Cr Regan said Council had taken the 

works options to the community and 

had heard that most people wanted 

action to reduce flooding. 

“But there is no consensus on how,” 

he said. “Some want the full flood proof 

option, which the State Government 

have not put on the table – so that will 

not be considered – while others are 

very concerned about the potential for 

environmental impacts.” 

He said Council was “listening” to the 

community. 

“That’s why we are progressing some 

works and doing more investigations on 

others. 

“I get it’s frustrating for the community 

to be waiting, but there is no quick fix. If 

there was, the State Government would 

have done it years ago.” 

He conceded “it is great” that the 

government asked Council to manage it 

on their behalf and granted money to do 

some works to reduce some of the flood 

impact. 

“I’m proud of the fact that we’re 

taking some leadership on this issue 

and working on solutions for the State 

Government to see what can be done 

with the least environmental impact to 

alleviate the ongoing frustrations for 

motorists. 

“But please – if you want a permanent 

fix, focus your attention to Transport 

for NSW; it’s ultimately their road and 

their responsibility.” – Nigel Wall 



News 

Breakettes tackle preconceptions 

SMASHING THE GRASS CEILING: The Breakettes with manager Emma (third from right) before her injury. 

Newport Rugby’s breakthrough 

female team – the 

Breakettes – are smashing perceptions 

of them, converting 

ladies from other sports… and 

just having fun along the way. 

“The girls actually go harder 

than the men,” says Breakettes 

coach Joey Osborne. “I think 

because of their lack of experience, 

they just go all out. It’s 

pretty scary!” 

Team manager Emma 

Matthews is certainly a good 

example of that. 

“I was one of the first to sign 

up for the Breakettes, but was 

absolutely smoked in a tackle,” 

Emma explains. “I snapped my 

ACL and MCL, and had a fractured 

and dislocated knee. 

“I’m hoping to play again 

next season – it’s just what happens 

in rugby sometimes,” she 

says matter of factly. “In the 

meantime, I’m making sure the 

girls are supported properly, 

organising tournaments, sorting 

training and dinners, and 

promoting the team.” 

Now in their second season, 

the Breakettes were formed 

in January 2021, after founding 

manager Lupe Tali Lomu 

badgered the Club for a year or 

so before that. 

President Jake Osborne 

agreed it would be a great 

addition for the club and the 

Breakettes were formed, mainly 

from women playing in other 

sports such as soccer. 

“We had 18 girls at one 

point,” says Emma. “But because 

of COVID, other sport the 

players have, and games being 

cancelled due to the ongoing 

wet weather, it’s been hard to 

always get a team together.” 

Games are played on Saturdays 

and Sundays against 

teams such as Barker College, 

Hunters Hill and UNSW, with 

teams of either seven or 10 

players playing games of 20 or 

30 minutes respectively. 

“It can be hard, but it’s great 

fun and the Newport Rugby 

Club is a great community,” 

says Emma. “And this season 

we’re getting a lot of support 

from the men’s teams.” 

“Last season a lot of the boys 

were probably a bit standoffish,” 

Emma continues. “It’s a 

male-dominated sport and they 

were a little hesitant that we 

were on their turf. I don’t think 

they thought we were up to it.” 

“We’ve kept coming back 

though and had our first 

home win recently. They’ve 

been including us in far more, 

we’ve been hanging out at the 

clubhouse and went on a tour 

of Wollongong with the boys, 

which was great. 

“We’ve stuck around and 

proved them wrong.” 

The girls train once a week 

under the watchful eye of Joey, 

and he’s certainly one of the 

men who have been impressed. 

“They’re tough girls and 

their defence is really good. 

Many of them have come from 

other sports such as soccer and 

rugby league, so there’s been a 

learning curve.” 

In fact, two of the girls come 

from Gridiron, with Christiana 

Osbourne and Kiera Boots soon 

to represent Australia at the 

World Gridiron Championships 

in Finland. 

“They have a great team 

spirit though,” Joey continues. 

“They’re growing together, 

getting wins and building confidence. 

They just need a few 

more players and I think they 

could win a tournament.” 

Emma can’t recommend it 

enough – despite her injury. 

“Just give it a chance – it’s a 

fun game that keeps you fit and 

might be different to how many 

women imagine,” Emma says. 

– Rob Pegley 

*More info newportrugby. 

Return of service for 

Elanora squash centre 

Business owner Tim Wyres is rallying 

hard to keep squash alive on the 

Northern Beaches. After struggling 

through the challenges of COVID he is 

hoping for a bright future for the sport, 

hopefully with the help of local funding. 

“It was so hard during COVID, I 

wanted to walk away,” says Tim, Director 

of Elanora Squash & Fitness centre, 

“but then where would squash be on 

the Northern Beaches? There would be 

nowhere to play.” 

There’s no doubt that COVID has hit 

businesses hard over the past two years; 

and Tim as much as anyone. Helped by 

business mentors, in recent years he 

diversified his squash centre to include 

a gym, a bar and a function room – but 

all of those businesses were locked down 

three times, putting him under severe 

personal financial strain. 

“I had to meet costs while the business 

was closed and had no money left,” Tim 

explains. “I’ve had to take a full-time job 

from 7am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, and 

then run the centre in the evenings after 

that.” 

“I had a meeting with (former Mackellar 

MP) Jason Falinski and he seemed 

interested in helping with funding. I’ll 

hopefully talk to Sophie Scamps, and I 

have a meeting lined up with Rob Stokes. 

We need help with funding to keep 

squash alive on the Northern Beaches. 

“Because of cost pressures and the 

price of real estate, there are just nine 

courts on the Beaches – for 250,000 

people.” 

Tim’s passion for the sport has not 

diminished though, and the sport that 

was huge in the 1970s and ’80s has a 

dedicated younger following under Tim’s 

guidance. 

“There have been around 300 kids 

come through the junior program in my 

12 years at the centre. One of those kids 

was recently number two in Australia in 

the under-15s. Many of the juniors then 

keep playing as adults when they turn 

18, although some move on.” 

It’s not only the elite that Tim helps 

though, but also the young members 

of society who need sport more than 

anyone. 

“One of the young juniors here has 

ADHD and squash has been a massive 

help to him. It’s a sport that helps with 

depression and all sorts of mental conditions, 

with the positive endorphins it 

creates.” 

“And it’s a sport where you personally 

reap the rewards of what you put in. You 

play squash to get fit, you don’t get fit to 

play squash. You get a feeling that you’re 

really worth something and that’s something 

we really encourage.” 

Passionate pleas to private sponsors 

have helped Tim to keep his head above 

water so far, but funding is really needed 

to help achieve his aims for the centre. 

“We have great facilities here – there’s 

even a view of the ocean from Court 

2. You don’t even need a mate to play 

against – I match people up with the 

right opponent. You can just come along 

and have a hit with someone at a similar 

level.” 


*More info elanorasquash.com.au 

HOPEFUL: 

Tim Wyres doesn’t 

want the future of 

local squash to be 

up in the air. 

News 





News 

Vale Wal Williams 

World War II veteran and 

Japanese prisoner of war 

survivor Wal Williams, whose 

incredible life story was 

captured by writer Michelle 

Fraser in the April issue of 

Pittwater Life, died on June 4; 

he was 99. 

Mr Williams was awarded 

the Order of Australia (OAM) 

in the 2021 Queen’s Birthday 

Honours list for services to 

veterans and their families. 

His war decorations included 

the 1939-1945 Star; The 

Pacific Star; 1939-1945 War 

Medal; Australian Service 

Medal 1939-1945; Australian 

Service Medal 1945-1975 S.W; 

and Pacific Clasp. 

He joined the Australian 

Imperial Force (AIF) in 

November 1941 and by his 

own recollection served 118 

days in Australia and 1370 

days overseas, most of these 

as a POW. 

Mr Williams recounted his 

Battalion fought in the defence 

of Singapore from 8-15 

February 1942. 

After the fall of Singapore 

he was interned and held in 

Changi Prison, before being 

transported to Burma in May 

1942 to work on the infamous 

Burma-Thai railway. 

Mr Williams was among 

1300 POWs selected for trans- 

SERVICE: Wal Williams. 

fer to work in Japan in 1944; 

however, the Japanese ship 

they were in was torpedoed 

and sunk by a US Submarine, 

unaware that POWs were 

onboard. 

Collectively, he was a POW 

at the hands of the Japanese 

for three and a half years. In 

1945, he returned to Australia 

on his 23rd birthday. 

Mr Williams would have 

turned 100 on October 10. 

– Nigel Wall 

*Read Wal Williams’ amazing 

story (April issue): pittwaterlife.com.au/digital 

Beaches mental health 

services $11.4m boost 

Children and young people across the Northern Beaches 

will benefit from significantly enhanced mental health 

services following a $11.4 million investment under the 

2022-23 NSW Budget. 

The funding will be used to expand hospital and community 

services, including establishing acute paediatric 

specialist mental health beds at Northern Beaches Hospital 

and supporting local community mental health and drug 

and alcohol treatment services. 

It will significantly increase capacity and reduce wait 

times by enabling a comprehensive child and youth mental 

health service to operate seven days a week. 

The allocation will include: 

l $7.5 million to establish four dedicated acute paediatric 

specialist mental health beds at Northern Beaches Hospital. 

l $1.4 million to employ additional staff, including senior 

multi-disciplinary clinicians, to support Northern Beaches 

Child Youth Mental Health Service in the Brookvale Community 

Health Centre. 

l $1.1 million to recruit additional staff, including peer 

workers and clinicians, to support and operate the Northern 

Beaches Youth Response Team service out of Mona Vale 

Community Health Centre seven days a week. – LO 



News 

Celebrating sustained success 

Very few businesses make it past the 

says Beverley. 

10-year mark, so it is remarkable that 

“Every time you buy our product, 

Ecodownunder, founded by Pittwater 

locals Russell Lamb and Beverley Tilbury, 

is celebrating 25 years. In many ways 

ahead of its time, the company’s mission 

firmly plants sustainability at the heart 

of everything it does. 

“We believe we all have a responsibility 

to look after the natural environment 

for future generations,” says Russell. 

“Our goal is to make a real difference by 

you are helping keep harsh chemicals, 

synthetics and plastic out of the 

environment.” 

The couple are also hugely encouraged 

to see young people “get it” and those 

young converts are increasingly 

demanding that other businesses do 

better as well. 

Currently there are three stores on 

the Northern Beaches, in Avalon, Mona 

SILVER LININGS: 

making quality, eco-friendly products 

Vale and Freshwater, with another at 

Ecodownunder 

more affordable.” 

founders Russell 

Paddington. The focus is very much on 

In the 1990s Russell and Beverley 

observed a lot of cheap synthetic 

products coming from China: Harsh 

chemicals like cancer-causing Azo 

dyes and formaldehyde coated sheets; 

polyester or “micro fibre” (which are 

just plastic fibres); and single-use plastic 

packaging. 

They decided they had to do better, 

and so the idea for Ecodownunder was 

born in 1997. 

Back then, “eco” was not a commonly 

used term and to some extent production 

was scarce and expensive. Progress was 

needed rather than perfection in a quest 

to turn the tide – but some things were 

non-negotiable: no harsh chemicals; no 

and Beverley. 

synthetics; and no single-use plastic 

packaging 

Russell and Beverley used certified 

organic cotton and Australian-made 

products whenever possible, and to 

this day every ecodownunder product 

goes through rigorous quality control 

systems. 

By selling direct, they also avoid big 

mall rents and pass on those savings to 

the consumer. 

“We regularly check the big retail 

chains’ pricing and believe our everyday 

prices are generally 10-20% below their 

sale prices on comparable products,” 

flagship stores in the northern beaches 

and online. 

And when they get a spare moment 

away from the business, the pair 

are both active members of the 

local community; in particular, as 

members of local surf clubs Avalon and 

Warriewood. Bev competed in surf boat 

rowing, winning many national and 

international titles with her Avalon crew, 

and has been a volunteer bronze trainer 

at Warriewood for many years. Russell 

first as Patrol Captain and then Boat 

Captain at Warriewood, coaches surf 

boat rowing, encouraging others to 

participate in the sport. 


COVER 

STORY: 

Taylor with 

her quilt. 

Local design quilt-edged 

Ecodownunder’s latest collection is all about nature – and 

has its genesis on the Northern Beaches. 

Taylor Springthorpe is studying for her Masters in 

Architecture at Newcastle Uni, but has always had an 

interest in textile design. Her exclusive quilt cover 

collection for Ecodownunder was inspired by her time 

fossicking in local rockpools with her marine biologist 

father. 

Taylor’s intricate and beautiful drawings include her 

favourite shells and the much-loved seaweed Hormosira 

banksii (Neptune’s necklace), sea grapes and bubble weed. 

Growing up in Pittwater, in a home accessible only by 

boat, it’s no surprise that Taylor has a love of the ocean; 

her connection to the natural world, her artistic flair, 

and instinct for colour, made her a perfect partner for 

Ecodownunder. 

Taking the signature eco cotton, selecting shades of grey 

that complement all colour palettes and adding a splash 

of colour from the ocean, the quilt cover set is available in 

four ocean-inspired themes. – RP 

*More info ecodownunder.com.au 

News 





Council now Ingleside ‘guardian’ 

News 

$400m to complete 

local infrastructure 

The NSW Government 

ing Arts Centre commenced 

has allocated Pittwater 

in late May. 

more than $400 million 

The facility is part of the 

to progress long-awaited and 

much-needed large infrastructure 

projects across the 

region. 

The bulk of funds are 

earmarked for Pittwater’s 

overburdened and under-themicroscope 

major roads, with 

$340 million over the next 

four years to upgrade Mona 

Vale West and $40 million for 

safety and capacity improvements 

on Wakehurst Parkway 

(which has a total project cost 

of $150 million over the next 

three years). 

Local Member Rob Stokes 

major upgrade, delivering 

state-of-the-art indoor and 

outdoor learning spaces, new 

school hall and canteen, and 

upgraded support facilities. 

“This is an exciting time for 

students and our wider community,” 

Mr Stokes said. “The 

works underway throughout 

the school campus are delivering 

generational improvements 

and are setting a new 

benchmark for our local 

education facilities. 

“The new Performing Arts 

Centre will become a focal 

point of the school and 

said the Government’s 

provide opportunities never 

UNDERWAY: The new Mona Vale Performing Arts Centre. 

2022/23 budget allocation 

before available to local students. 

represented a record investment 

in local education, road, 

transport and health initiatives. 

“This enables our community’s 

largest infrastructure 

projects to be completed,” Mr 

Stokes said. 

“We’ve had great momentum 

over recent years and it’s 

exciting to build upon the major 

works already underway 

throughout our community.” 

Mr Stokes noted the Mona 

Vale Road upgrade was the 

investment in Pittwater, 

adding the budget allocation 

confirmed the project would 

be completed in its entirety. 

“By supporting key infrastructure 

projects and local 

services we can grow our 

economy, create jobs and help 

boost our local businesses. 

“This is a great budget for 

Pittwater and ensures the 

major funding that’s been 

flowing towards our community 

will continue.” 

Other highlights included 

upgrading Mona Vale Public 

School (total project cost 

$52.8 million); $15.5 million 

to commence the upgrade 

of the Narrabeen Education 

Campus (total cost subject 

to tender); $2.4 million for 

the construction of a dedicated 

pedestrian/cycling link 

between Newport Beach and 

Bilgola Beach; and $1.09 

million for ongoing campus 

configuration improvements 

at Mona Vale Hospital. 

Construction on Mona Vale 

“Through innovative 

shared-use arrangements, the 

wider community will also be 

able to benefit from this dedicated 

performance facility.” 

He said the NSW Government 

was investing $7.9 billion 

over the next four years, 

continuing its program to 

deliver 215 new and upgraded 

schools to support communities 

across NSW –the largest 

investment in public education 

infrastructure in the history 

largest ever infrastructure $11 million to continue Public School’s new Perform- 

of NSW. – Nigel Wall 

The responsibility for the future of Northern Beaches 

“problem-child” suburb Ingleside, including any new development, 

has been transferred to Northern Beaches Council. 

The NSW Department of Planning announced last month that 

it would not be proceeding with the Ingleside Place Strategy, a 

revised version of which attracted resident backlash following 

the end of its public exhibition period on 23 July last year. 

In a statement, the Department acknowledged the cost of 

providing infrastructure and acquiring land for water management, 

flooding and riparian corridor protection affected the 

viability of delivering homes 

in Ingleside. 

A Land Use and Infrastructure 

Implementation Plan 

for Ingleside was exhibited 

in late 2016 which proposed 

3400 dwellings but that was 

scaled back last year to 980 

dwellings (to be built south 

of Mona Vale Road) following 

the risks highlighted in a 

subsequent bushfire study. 

Northern Beaches Mayor 

Michael Regan and Residents 

Against Inappropriate Development 

(RAID) Chair Jackie 

Jarvis welcomed the decision to abandon Ingleside as a “growth 

area”. 

Cr Regan thanked the government for listening to Council and 

the community. 

“This news will be very welcome by many in our community 

and it’s great to have more certainty now for the future of this 

area,” he said. 

Council had questioned the viability of the revised plan, 

raising concerns of continued bushfire risk, lack of traffic and 

transport planning, the significant cost to ratepayers to provide 

the most basic infrastructure, significant impacts on biodiversity 

and the ability to deliver any affordable housing in line with 

Council’s adopted policy. 

Cr Regan said planning for Ingleside would be handed back 

to Council which would consider it as part of the development 

of the new Local Environmental Plan for the whole Northern 

Beaches area. 

“However, we will not be considering any new housing development 

of the scale proposed by the government, given we now 

have all the studies to demonstrate the significant bushfire risk, 

the environmental and Aboriginal heritage impacts and the need 

for costly infrastructure in order to make such a development 

feasible.” 

Cr Regan said Council would continue to advocate for the 

NSW Government to transfer into Council ownership, at no cost, 

the NSW Government land on which planning infrastructure is 

sited and ask the government to transfer surplus NSW government 

land for other public purposes such as sports fields, passive 

recreational spaces 

‘PROBLEM CHILD’: and biodiversity offsets. 

Ingleside is no “We now have an op- 

longer considered a 

“growth” area. portunity to repurpose 

some of this less environmentally 

sensitive land for 

broad community use.” 

Jackie Jarvis said RAID 

welcomed the news but 

added it was done with 

“cautious relief”. 

“RAID would like to 

thank everyone – individuals 

and community 

groups alike – who 

made the time and effort, 

and in some cases expended considerable sums of money, to 

register their opposition to this Government proposal, which was 

inappropriate on so very many levels,” she said. 

“I probably speak for many when I say that we are cautiously 

relieved at this decision – over 900 submissions were received, 

predominantly and unsurprisingly from 2101 residents, and the 

majority opposed the Ingleside Place Strategy outright. 

“We hope that this will now be the last attempt by any State 

Government to develop this semi-rural enclave. 

“Now that planning for Ingleside has been passed to the Council, 

we look forward to learning more, and the community being 

properly consulted and heard on its proposal for Ingleside as 

part of its LEP. 

“However, the nature and scale of any future proposal for 

Ingleside, whatever it is, must take into account the broad range 

of serious community concerns, which have been expressed in 

opposition to this Strategy; just because the current Strategy has 

been abandoned, they don’t go away.” 

– Nigel Wall 

News 





News 

Easing trauma 

on the water 

It’s a spectacular winter’s 

morning at the Royal Prince 

Alfred Yacht Club and a 

flotilla of boats is about to 

embark for a sailing lesson on 

Pittwater. 

There’s a motley crew on 

board – a mixture of seasoned 

male and female yachties, 

gnarled novices and (literally) a 

couple of “sea” dogs not wishing 

to miss a bow “wow”. 

At first glance there’s nothing 

to link such an idyllic 

scene with the war zones of 

Afghanistan, the catastrophic 

bush fires of 2020-21 or the 

equally calamitous floods 

which drowned so much of 

northern NSW and southern 

Queensland last summer. 

So what’s the connection? 

Most of us know what it 

means “to soldier on” (continuing 

with a battle plan no matter 

how weary it makes you or 

how hopeless it seems). Well, 

this morning’s excursion could 

be called Operation Sailor 

On. For the men and women 

taking instruction from some 

of the club’s senior volunteers 

have all suffered trauma on 

the frontline, whether in military 

uniform or in civilian life. 

Brendan Rourke, the club’s 

sailing and communications 

manager, explains ‘The Alfreds’ 

community sailing (ACS) 

program began in 2013 to provide 

on-water experiences to 

not-for-profit groups including 

those with disabilities, both 

physical and mental. 

Its ACS program is designed 

to integrate sailors into regular, 

inclusive-for-all, club racing 

events, support veterans, 

people with disabilities and 

community organisations. 

“We normally meet around 

9am for coffee and a chat at 

Halyards (the club’s bistro), 

are on the water by 10am and 

are back for lunch around 

12.30pm,” Brendan said. 

James Milliss, one of those 

ready to set sail, admits these 

days afloat have been a godsend 

to himself and his family. 

The father of three enlisted 

HEALING PROCESS: 

James Milliss (third 

from left) on the water. 

and served in East Timor as a 

medic with the Commandos 

(4RAR) before returning to 

civilian life as a paramedic in 

2004. 

However, James remained 

an active reservist and was 

deployed to Afghanistan in 

2008-09. That was very rare. 

“There were only a few of us 

reservists who were with the 

1st Commando regiment. 

“When I came back from 

Afghanistan I went straight 

back to work as a paramedic. 

I thought I was just having 

‘adjustment issues’ returning 

from a war zone to civilian life. 

“It was my wife Emma who 

told me, around two years 

later, that I was struggling and 

needed help.” 

Emma had read a story 

about a fellow soldier James 

had served with who had 

confessed the anguish he was 

going through to Soldier On 

Australia, the charity established 

to help all veterans 

suffering from Post Stress 

Disorder Syndrome (PSDS). 

“He was blown up in a blast 

which killed one of our mates,” 

James explains. “I thought, 

God, he was an amazing soldier. 

If it happened to him, it 

could happen to any of us.” 

Prompted by Emma, James 

contacted Soldier On Australia. 

Their three children – Johnny 

(12), Sienna (10) and Charlie 

(5) – “all know about my PSDS. 

There are ongoing issues 

but I’m nowhere near as low 

as I was”. 

Today James works as a 

spokesman for both Soldier On 

Australia and Fortem Australia 

(established to provide the 

same kind of mental health 

care for first responders like 

paramedics, firefighters and 

the state emergency service 

volunteers). 

Is he a competent sailor 

now? 

“No, but it has been very 

good for me,” James says. 

“The Royal Prince Alfred is an 

amazing organisation. You’re 

really welcomed into the club 

and placed with senior sailors 

who know what they’re doing, 

even when you don’t.” 

His praise for the club’s volunteers 

– many of them retired 

– knows no boundaries. 

“Sailing allows you that social 

growth you need if you’re 

suffering as a first responder 

or veteran,” he continues. “It 

could be anything – surfing… 

or throwing darts. 

“It’s all part of the healing 

process to have a good time 

while you’re socially connecting.” 

Not that his children always 

understand as they go off to 

school. 

“They think I’m crazy when 

I tell them I’m going off for a 

sail on Pittwater and a good 

hamburger as part of my healing 

process!” – Steve Meacham 

More info: rpayc.com.au; 

soldieron.org.au; 

fortemaustralia.org.au 

8THINGS 

THIS MONTH 

Winter warmers. Head to 

Pittwater Place on Sat 2 from 

9am-3pm to buy knitted-with-love 

beanies, scarves, bed socks, 

booties plus jams and craft at the 

Mona Vale Hospital Auxiliary stall, 

raising funds for the rehabilitation 

and palliative care units. 

NAIDOC Week. Participate 

in a range of cultural activities 

including music, dance and bush 

tucker workshops at Dunbar Park 

Avalon on Sat 9 from 10am-12pm; 

it’s free and everyone is welcome. 

Reduce plastic. Join council’s 

Reducing Plastic on a Budget 

webinair to learn budget-savvy 

options to avoid single-use 

packaging and waste reduction 

tips on Wed 6 from 6.30pm-8pm. 

Free; register via NB Council 

website. 

Wuthering Heights Day. Pop 

on some red, flowing clothes and 

join others at Village Park Mona 

Vale on Sat 16 from 11.30am to 

recreate the iconic Kate Bush 

video, raising awareness of the 

Women’s Resilience Centre. 

Donate blood. A mobile blood 

donor centre will be set up at 

Surfview Road Mona Vale from 

Mon 11 – Sun 17; book at lifeblood. 

com.au or call 13 14 95. 

Comedy Festival. Six amazing 

world-class comedians will take to 

the stage at Avalon Beach RSL on 

Sat 16 from 8.30pm; tickets cost 

$30 – book via avalonrsl.com.au 

Choir is back. Rejoice! The 

Manly-Warringah Choir and 

orchestra led by Musical Director 

Dr Carlos Alvarado, will celebrate 

the return to public performances 

by presenting a program of 

uplifting music with selections 

from Handel’s Messiah (including 

the Hallelujah Chorus) and his 

stunning Coronation Anthems 

on Sun 17 from 3pm. Tickets $35 

manlywarringahchoir.org.au. 

Tree Day. Plant, protect nature 

and engage in organised activities 

celebrating Schools Tree Day on 

Fri 29 and National Tree Day on 

in the Australian Army in 1996 

Sun 31; treeday.planetark.org. 



News 

What’s next in the 

great offleash dogs 

on beaches debate? 

Both Michele and Don (not 

his real name) love dogs, 

but they’re on either side 

of the great Northern Beaches 

dog debate on whether to 

allow more off-leash walking 

areas for our four-legged best 

friends. 

Should dogs be allowed, unleashed, 

on specially selected 

Council-approved beaches at 

certain times of the day? 

Northern Beaches Council is 

due to decide soon on whether 

12-month trials should proceed 

at two stretches of sand – 

north Palm Beach and south 

Mona Vale beach (each with 

strictly limited hours of 5.30- 

10am and 5-9pm in winter, 

6-10am and 4-7pm during 

daylight saving). 

Next steps will depend on 

the outcome of discussions on 

the Environmental Assessment 

that was tabled at Council’s 

meeting on June 28 (after Pittwater 

Life went to print). 

In recent months Council’s 

legal department has been 

studying the environmental 

report it commissioned in 

2021; clearly it is anxious to 

avoid a repeat of the embarrassment 

it suffered when the 

Land and Environment Court 

of NSW ruled against its previous 

proposal to permit Station 

Beach (on the Pittwater side of 

Barrenjoey peninsula) to become 

the site of an unleashed 

dog trial in 2020. 

That ruling was largely due 

to the opposition of legal action 

by the Palm Beach Protection 

Group. (The group also opposes 

the two current proposals 

– though south Mona Vale 

beach is at least 22 kilometres 

if you walk the coastal route, 

and several million dollars in 

property prices, away from 

north Palm Beach). 

Prior to the LEC’s ruling, 

community support was 

overwhelming – with 88% of 

almost 3000 Northern Beaches 

residents who responded during 

a three-month consultation 

period to February 2019 (there 

were 7683 submissions overall) 

supporting new local off-lead 

walking venue options. 

Countering that, Council 

noted some opposition based 

on potential environmental 

and local community impacts. 

Then came the COVID 

pandemic, which placed added 

pressure on public spaces as 

more residents added a dog, or 

two, to their families. 

Council records obtained by 

Pittwater Life show significant 

year-on-year increases in local 

dog registrations from 2019 to 

2021: In 2019, a total of 1,922 

new dogs were registered, 

which rose to 2,243 in 2020. 

In 2021, there were 2,767. 

Through the first four months 

of 2022, Council stamped 758 

new dog registrations. 

Despite statistical support, 

any proposal to allow dogs to 

walk off-leash, even at trial 

venues during trial times, is 

guaranteed to polarise opinion. 

“I’ve had dogs all my life,” 

says Don, who doesn’t want his 

‘Lots of people who own and love dogs 

don’t support them being on beaches. Many 

of the people who voted for me don’t.’ 

– Pittwater Ward Councillor Miranda Korzy 

name used because he says he 

has suffered abuse in the past 

from dog owners who oppose 

his views that dogs shouldn’t 

be allowed on local beaches. 

“Our last dog died six years 

ago – and had a happy life 

without ever being let loose on 

a beach.” 

He says his opposition to offleash 

dogs on beaches is based 

on two factors: “One social, the 

other environmental.” 

“When my kids were little, I 

was worried about taking them 

to the ocean beaches because 

little kids are scared by dogs, 

especially when they’re off 

leash,” he says. 

“Beaches are public spaces 

for everyone, including 

families with little kids and 

unsteady oldies. 

“Dogs don’t respect the 

space of other beach users. 

Either they’re too friendly or 

too riotous. 

“I also have a problem with 

dogs being let loose in environmentally 

sensitive areas. 

“There are all sorts of creatures 

living in the water and the 

sand dunes, like ghost crabs, 

that are disturbed by dogs. 

“The dog lobby argues some 

beaches like north Palm Beach 

and south Mona Vale are 

empty of people. 

“That means the beach is 

probably pristine enough to 

allow the ecosystem to thrive 

in something like its natural 

state. 

“We have a duty to protect 

that, I reckon.” 

Michele Robertson is the 

founder and president of 

Pittwater Unleashed, the dog 

owners group pressing for 

more off-leash dog parks and 

areas within the Northern 

Beaches Council LGA – both on 

the beaches and on dry land. 

Founded in 2014, the group 

says it has 10,000 supporters, 

mostly Facebook subscribers. 

Avalon resident Michele 

couldn’t be more diametrically 

opposed to ‘Don’, though like 

him she no longer owns a dog. 

“I’ve had Cocker Spaniels all 

my life,” she explains. “They 

were bred as sporting dogs, 

and I walked Minty, my last 

dog, on the 20km of beaches 

from Warriewood to Barrenjoey 

Head until he died in 2020. 

“But we were always looking 

over our shoulders, struggling 

to outrun the council rangers. 

“I won’t get another Cocker 

Spaniel until I have a beach I 

can legally let he or she off the 

leash. 

“Minty was two years short 

of ‘the promised land’ when he 

died. “If he couldn’t get to the 

beach in his older years, he’d 

just put his paws into his water 

bowl.” 

What is being proposed for 

north Palm Beach and south 

Mona Vale are merely trials, 

she points out. 

On the new dog registrations 

spike, Pittwater 

Unleashed says there are 

now more than 63,000 dogs 

registered within the Council 

borders living in 101,000 

homes. “That means 56 per 

cent of households in the 

Northern Beaches have one or 

more dogs,” Michele says. 

HOPEFUL: Pittwater 

Unleashed members 

Michele Robertson, 

Mitch Geddes, Graeme 

Wood and Jools Farrell. 

Our elected Council is also 

on opposite sides of the dog 

debate. 

Michael Gencher, successful 

on Mayor Michael Reagan’s 

Independent ticket for Pittwater 

Ward at the last election, describes 

himself as a “long-time 

animal lover”, whose young 

daughters adopted Bailey, a 

Pomeranian Chihuahua, five 

years ago from Monika’s Doggy 

Rescue at Ingleside. 

“I like the idea of dogs being 

allowed to be unleashed on 

selected beaches,” he says, 

adding that he will support 

the trials if the environmental 

report is favourable. 

However, he wants the trials 

to be supervised, to ensure 

dog owners clean up after their 

pets and also keep them wellbehaved. 

Greens councillor Miranda 

Korzy is more conflicted, admitting 

she changed her mind 

mid-speech during the Council 

debate on whether to instigate 

the environmental report. 

She too has a dog – an ageing 

Border Collie/Kelpie cross, 

who she says she has let off 

the leash at Rowland Reserve 

at Bayview, the only beach 

north of Narrabeen where 

canines are currently allowed 

to run on the sand and into 

the water. 

“The Bayview beach is 

overcrowded at weekends,” she 

says – before further claiming 

it has become a venue for dog 

owners who live “way outside” 

Council borders. 

Cr Korzy says she fears 

the same thing will happen 

if the two proposed new dog 

beaches are approved. 

Of the two, she’s most 

against north Palm Beach. “It’s 

too close to Barrenjoey Head 

National Park. There’s a seal 

colony on the other side of the 

headland, so if a seal comes up 

onto the beach, an unleashed 

dog could attack it.” 

Even if the environmental 

report decides in favour of 

the trials, Cr Korzy says she is 

unlikely to vote ‘yes’ . 

“Lots of people who own and 

love dogs don’t support them 

being on beaches. Many of the 

people who voted for me don’t.” 

* What do you think? Email 

readers@pittwaterlife.com. 

au; want more info? Visit 

pittwaterunleashed.com.au; 

also northernbeaches.nsw.gov. 

au (search ‘proposed dog offleash 

areas’). 

News 





The Way We Were 

Every month we continue to pore over three decades of Pittwater Life, providing a snapshot 

of the area’s recent history – and confirming that quite often the more things change, the more 

they stay the same! Compiled by Lisa Offord 

25 Years Ago… 

The Way We Were 

The proposed flight path for incoming jet aircraft over 

residential areas of Pittwater was abandoned after pressure 

from the community. The “Battle of the towers continues” at 

Bilgola, with the school wanting the three communication 

towers removed from its vicinity “… 

because of perceived health problems and 

because they are ugly” and residents 

opposed to Telstra’s, Optus’ and 

Vodafone’s solution of building “one 

huge tower in the middle of the park, and 

closer to homes” fearing they “will be 

subjected to radiation every day of the 

year.” The RTA’s focus on Barrenjoey 

Road and the intersections of Kevin 

Avenue, Central Avenue and the turn 

to Old Barrenjoey Road copped some 

flack “… for years the right-hand turn 

here has worked efficiently and without 

accident but now? Well, the RTA decided 

to redesign it all, making it compulsory 

to turn right at each intersection and 

to stop traffic getting into the lane for 

perhaps the next turn to the right. They 

painted lines on the road, arrows and 

other visual pollution and it did not work. 

So they painted some of the lines out. 


At only a few hours’ notice “Avalon author Robotham comes to our rescue” 

when he stepped in to speak to 130 guests gathered for the Pittwater Literary 

Dinner, sponsored by Pittwater Life. The audience was expecting David Hill, 

who had fallen ill. Robotham received an “enthusiastic reception” as he “spoke 

about his writing career and latest novel The Night Ferry… his third successful 

thriller after The Suspect and Lost.” In news, “plans for Newport’s main street 

include an avenue of Norfolk pines down the centre strip of the six-lane road… 

while the idea was criticised no suitable alternative was offered and so the 

proposal, first mooted seven years ago, looks like going ahead… The Council 

is moving closer to a final plan… various 

plans have been put forward for at least 20 

years as shopkeepers have tried to prevent a 

downturn in business on the shopping strip.” 

Also a limit of two dogs per household on 

the Western foreshores was among the 

changes proposed to “Pittwater 21, the 

planning bible for Pittwater’s future”. And 

the mag featured a picture spread of “Wild 

storms and waterfalls” captured when the 

NSW Coast was “lashed by strong winds and 

driving rains causing widespread damage 

to hundreds of properties throughout 

Pittwater.” Surfers of course were “ecstatic”, 

with columnist Nick Carroll writing about 

“June Madness” when from “the 9 th to the 

21 st there’d been action almost unheard 

of since the 1970s: three swells over three 

metres, and plenty in between.” 

Then they came back and put a huge white blob in the road 

but no-one is quite sure what it means. Is it working? No. In fact 

the accident rate in this area has already begun to increase… 

so they are going to throw more money at it all and now start 

putting in extra lights and other signals to try to make it work… 

where is all the money coming from, 

why not put it into Mona Vale Road 

where it is needed?” In news, for the 

22 nd time in 24 years the Avalon Branch 

of the Red Cross won the Patterson 

Cup for raising the most money in 

NSW in a year; Jonah’s Restaurant at 

Whale Beach took out a major NSW 

Award for Excellence in Tourism (FYI a 

two-bedroom fibro cottage at 82 Bynya 

Rd sold for $412,500); Bruce Mackay 

of LJ Hooker Avalon presented the 

Avalon Sailing Club with a new rescue 

boat called Bosun; Elanora Players “the 

longest running community theatre on 

the Northern Beaches” were presenting 

The Day They Kidnapped The Pope; and 

work had begun on “the seven-cinema 

centre at Warriewood” with owner Ray 

Mustaca expecting it would be ready by 

Christmas. 


Residents groups 

were up in 

arms about the 

announcement that 

Newport had been 

selected as the 

terminus point for 

the new B-Line rapid 

bus service “despite 

assurances to the 

contrary from the 

government they 

fear the streetscape 

at Newport would 

be ripped up” 

and “Newport 

Surf Life Saving Club don’t want it on their 

doorstep or in their carpark.” Meanwhile, the 

“much-needed Mona Vale Road overhaul was 

no longer a pipe dream” with an upgrade 

to the east section scheduled in 2020 

following the State Government’s budget 

confirmation of full funding for the project; 

Bookoccino celebrated its 25 th birthday. 

And we ran a Plastic Free July feature about 

the locals making a difference, with NB 

Council lobbying to ban plastic bags and 

implementing its single-use plastics policy. 



News 

Pittwater News 

Heart defibs close 

for the community 

LJ Hooker Newport, Avalon 

Beach and Palm Beach have 

each invested in Heart180 

defibs to assist in Heart180’s 

mission of having a defibrillator 

within 180 seconds of every 

Australian. “Please spread 

the word to the community 

that these are available in our 

three offices,” said LJH’s Peter 

It’s been 40 years since 43 locals formed a 

local tennis club in Bayview – now the Club 

boasts a membership of almost 140, including 

10 life members. 

The Club, nestled along the foreshore of 

Pittwater, is proud to continue to introduce 

new folk to the game, with 10 juniors in its 

ranks. 

When first serves were sent down in 1982 its 

courts were clay, with large protruding rocks; 

they were upgraded to synthetic turf within a 

decade. In 2010, lights were installed. 

To celebrate its 40-years milestone, more 

than 70 people, including founding, past and 

Robinson. “We hope they don’t 

need to be used, but they are 

here to help our communities 

should they be required.” 

Heart180 is a nationalbased 

defibrillator company 

founded by Guy Leech in 2016. 

Heart180 distributes the two 

leading brands – LIFEPAK & 

HeartSine and provides a total 

solution for its customers, 

including free online CPR & 

Defib training courses as well 

as professional counselling 

support for anyone associated 

in the management of an 

event. “We want to stop so 

many Australians dying from 

cardiac arrests; to drastically 

reduce the 30,000 lives lost 

from Sudden Cardiac Arrests 

every year,” Guy said. “We’re 

here to educate and inspire 

Australians to act, and together 

give defibrillators to the people 

who can’t afford them.” 

40 ‘love’ for Bayview Tennis Club 

present members, gathered on 19 June for a 

cocktail party. 

Reflecting on its anniversary, Club President 

Karen Stapleton said: “We are incredibly 

excited – I would like to thank the Northern 

Beaches Council and importantly, our 

members, who have helped to turn the club 

into the important community organisation 

that it is today.” 

Pictured are life members (l-r) Keith Smith, 

Rob Boon, Janina Clack, David Niven, Karen 

Stapleton, James Etherington, Mark Salvaterra. 

Info and membership enquiries: tennis.com. 

au/bayview 

Gotcha4Life gets 

$25,000 boost 

Local mental health 

and suicide prevention 

charity Gotcha4Life has 

received a $25,000 donation 

from the Sunbites Good Fuel 

Fund. The donation will fund 

its education provider Man 

Anchor, that works with 

schools, businesses and other 

local groups to get people 

talking about their mental 

health. Man Anchor’s founder 

Steven Gamble said following 

the pandemic conversations 

around mental and physical 

health grew rapidly both 

online and offline. As a 

result, Man Anchor has seen 

an increase in locals seeking 

mental health services. “The 

donation enables Man Anchor 

to provide resources and 

support to over 3,000 local 

Sydney residents through 

Gotcha4Life, helping to make 

a massive impact on the local 

community,” he said. The 

Sunbites Good Fuel Fund is an 

initiative designed to support 

local charities by donating 

$25,000 each month until 

November and shine a light 

on the ‘heroes’ that fuel the 

good work. Nominations at 

sunbites.com.au. 

July Probus 

meetings update 

Garden lovers will be keen 

to attend the next meeting 

of the Palm Beach and 

Peninsula Probus Club on 

Wednesday 20 July when 

Elizabeth Swane will present 

her talk on ‘Country Gardens’. 

Elizabeth is a member of one 

of Australia’s best-known 

nursery and rose-growing 

families and an experienced 

horticulturist, garden 

writer, broadcaster and 

garden tour guide. Club 

membership is open to 

retired men and women. 

Meeting starts 9.30am at Club 

Palm Beach; visitors welcome. 

More info call Carmel (0414 

978 465). Meanwhile, having 

now moved into their new 

home at Mona Vale Surf Club, 

Pittwater Men’s Probus’ July 

meeting (on Tuesday 12th) 

will be devoted to a ‘Members 

Say’ session to reflect on how 

the club is currently run and 

what improvements might be 

made. Meeting commences 

10am; visitors welcome. More 

info Terry Larke (0412 220 

820). 

Have your say to 

‘protect Pittwater’ 

A forum supported by 

Pittwater Ward Greens 

councillor Miranda Korzy 

calling for the protection 

Continued on page 30 

Keep cats home to protect wildlife 

Native wildlife in NSW will be better 

protected thanks to an innovative 

partnership program between the NSW 

Government, RSPCA 

NSW and Northern 

Beaches Council to 

encourage cat owners 

to keep their pets 

safe at home. 

Environment 

Minister James 

Griffin said 

nationally, domestic 

cats killed around 

390 million animals 

every year in 

Australia – including 

mammals, reptiles 

and birds. 

“We know that 

on average, each 

roaming pet cat kills 

an average of 186 

reptiles, birds and 

mammals per year 

in Australia,” Mr 

Griffin said. “The majority of animals killed 

by pet cats are native Australian species. Cats 

roaming away from home is disastrous for 

our native species and the ecosystems that 

rely on each species’ existence.” 

Under the program, Council is receiving a 

tailored program to address specific needs 

and challenges it 

encounters in its LGA. 

CEO Ray Brownlee 

said: “Cats make 

cute and cuddly pets, 

but they can also 

be a big problem 

for our precious 

native wildlife on the 

Northern Beaches, 

if allowed to roam 

unchecked. This 

is a very worthy 

initiative to provide 

education and advice 

to communities on 

the importance of 

containing their 

cats safely at home. 

Council will work with 

local veterinarians, 

companion animal 

groups, cat owners, 

and wildlife groups to change attitudes 

and behaviours in the community towards 

responsible cat ownership.” 

More info rspcansw.org.au/safecats 

News 





News 

Pittwater News 

Continued from page 29 

of Pittwater’s heritage and 

values will be held at the 

Mona Vale Memorial Hall 

on Sunday July 24. The free 

forum is being held to discuss 

a position that the Pittwater 

Environmental Heritage 

Group might take to Council 

as it develops its new Local 

Environment Plan for the 

Northern Beaches. Organiser 

Anna Maria Monticelli said 

speakers at the forum would 

include landscape architect 

Craig Burton and young 

architect Sacha Lesiuk, with 

others to be confirmed. “We’re 

losing Pittwater on our watch. 

The current avalanche of 

development is destroying the 

character and environment 

in our area forever,” Ms 

Monticelli said. “Pittwater 

needs urgent protection – so 

we encourage residents to 

come to this forum to hear 

how we can do this. There 

needs to be a rules-based 

LEP/DCP approved by the 

community that is not up for 

interpretation or compromise 

– this includes incorporating 

heritage elements throughout 

the area, to preserve our 

natural habitat and lifestyle.” 

The forum runs 3pm-5.30pm; 

more info email pittwaterenvironmentalheritage@ 

gmail.com 

Newport fundraiser 

Nina Imani boost 

The local community dug 

deep last month, raising 

nearly $10,000 for the 

Nina Imani Foundation at 

a fun trivia night at the 

Newport Surf Club. Nina 

Imani supports young and 

impoverished women in 

Tanzania to learn trades 

and become self-sufficient. 

Organiser and Newport 

resident Kathy Hofmann 

said: “I am so happy with 

the outcome and want to 

thank all our generous 

sponsors; I was overwhelmed 

by the support of the local 

business community – 

almost every business we 

approached contributed to 

the cause.” Kathy said food 

for the fundraiser on June 25, 

featuring a silent auction, a 

raffle, a variety of games and 

trivia, was donated by local 

restaurants and delicatessens, 

with donated vouchers for 

restaurants, shops and other 

businesses in high demand, 

as well as local artworks. 

More info ninaimani.org 

Locals ‘satisfied’ with 

Council performance 

Council says results from 

the latest independently 

conducted Community 

Satisfaction Research Survey 

show that overall, 88% of 

residents had been satisfied 

with its performance over 

the past year. The telephone 

survey of 600 randomly 

selected residents across all 

wards was undertaken by 

market research consultants 

Micomex Research. The 

survey looked at longterm 

trends in community 

satisfaction and priorities 

across a broad range of 

Council services and facilities. 

Mayor Michael Regan said 

the results were reflective 

of the organisation’s vision 

and values. “It has been a 

challenging 12 months with 

COVID… We can always strive 

to do better but it’s pleasing 

to receive results which 

recognise the dedication and 

commitment of our hardworking 

staff.” Cr Regan 

said the survey established 

a consolidated baseline for 

Council’s services and would 

be considered as part of its 

ongoing strategic planning. 

Other highlights included: 

81% of residents who had 

contact with a Council 

staff member in the past 

12 months said they were 

‘somewhat satisfied’ to ‘very 

satisfied’; the community 

rated their highest 

satisfaction with lifeguards, 

libraries, food safety and the 

Warringah and Manly Aquatic 

Centres; quality of life on 


Get your ice skates on 

Pittwater RSL is revisiting the ice skating spectacular it 

had planned for last year before the COVID lockdown 

hit the Northern Beaches. 

From July 9-17, you can book a 45-minute ice-skating 

session at their specially installed rink located within 

their undercover car park. Tickets are from $15 (and 

Service NSW Vouchers will be accepted up to June 30 when 

purchasing tickets in person at the Club). 

The Club is also running over-18s only ’90s ‘Disco 

Parties’ from 6pm on the weekend of 15-16 July; the 

45-minute Adult sessions cost $20 per person – plus halfprice 

frozen cocktails will be available. 

More info pittwaterrsl.com.au 

News 





News 

Pittwate 


the Northern Beaches rated 

extremely high, with 99% of 

residents reporting it to be 

good or better (than 2021). 

Findings on Council’s website. 

Scan&Go at new 

Narrabeen Woolies 

Woolworths has relaunched 

its Narrabeen store with 

an expanded fresh food 

experience including an 

additional 300 new grocery 

products, ranging from 

chilled dairy goods to 

ready-made meals. The store 

will offer convenient and 

innovative shopping options 

including Scan&Go, which 

allows customers to scan 

products on their smartphone 

as they shop, securely pay in 

the app and skip check-out 

queues. Also on offer will be 

freshly baked, artisan-style 

breads; 100% Australian beef 

from Aussie farmers and an 

array of fresh, local seafood 

from the fish market. Other 

features include the Direct to 

Boot service, where customers 

place their orders online, 

then confirm when they’ve 

arrived in one of two marked 

bays via the Woolworths 

app or SMS link to notify the 

store team, who then pack 

the order in the boot with no 

additional charge. Narrabeen 

Woolworths says it’s 

dedicated to supporting the 

local community and proudly 

partners with OzHarvest, 

where their driver collects 

surplus fruit and vegetables 

to help provide meals to 

locals in need. 

Back To School 

payment boost 

Parents will receive help 

to pay for school supplies 

thanks to a new $193 million 

program in the 2022-23 NSW 

Budget. The Premier’s ‘Back to 

School’ program will provide 

families with a $150 subsidy 

for each child who attends a 

primary or secondary school 

in NSW in 2023. Premier 

Dominic Perrottet said the 

program would help boost 

the family budget while 

ensuring kids have what they 

need when they head back 

into the classroom. The $150 



r News 

can go towards the cost of 

school uniforms, shoes, bags, 

textbooks or stationery; it 

will be made available via the 

Service NSW app from early 

2023 and must be drawn 

down by June 30, 2023. 

Bayview, Church 

Point foreshore 

getting upgraded 

Bayview and Church Point 

residents will benefit from 

upgrades along the Pittwater 

foreshore. A new sandstone 

seawall will be constructed 

at Bayview to ensure the 

ongoing structural integrity 

of Pittwater Road and the 

foreshore pathway will 

be widened to increase 

pedestrian safety. The 

works, funded by the NSW 

Government’s Metropolitan 

Greenspace program and 

Council, will also provide 

greater connectivity for 

residents and environmental 

benefits. Council is working 

closely with Bayview and 

Church Point Residents 

Association. Local MP Rob 

Stokes said; “There’s been 

fantastic collaboration 

between the community, 

Council and State Government 

and it’s great we’ve now 

secured the funds to progress 

the works.” 

Mackellar Voices 

says thank you 

Community group Voices 

of Mackellar (VOM) has 

congratulated Dr Sophie 

Scamps on her federal 

election win and says it is 

proud that her six-months 

tenure as a founding 

committee member gave Dr 

Scamps direct experience 

consulting with the 

community via early ‘Kitchen 

Table Conversations’. The 

committee said it appreciated 

her early role to establish VOM 

as an important contributor 

to community. “We look 

forward to the role we 

endeavour to play ensuring 

community voices continue 

to be heard and counted.” 

The committee also thanked 

outgoing MP Jason Falinski for 

his service for the past two 

terms and acknowledged the 

heavy workload undertaken 

and the personal sacrifices 

that Mr Falinski and all 

parliamentarians made on a 

daily basis. 

Curtain up for Players 

Elanora Players are back 

treading the boards with 

their first performance since 

January 2020! 

Mr Bennet’s Bride, written 

by Australian playwright 

Emma Wood and directed 

by Vicki Castorina, will run 

at their new home – North 

Narrabeen Community 

Centre in Woorarra Avenue – 

from July 8-16. 

COVID was not the only 

obstacle to its return. 

Said director Vicki: “After 

two years of waiting, the 

patient cast were in place – with the exception of a young 

man to play James Bennet. 

“This role was proving impossible to cast,” she 

explained. “On May 3, the cast and I assembled to discuss 

doing another play when… (with apologies to Casablanca) 

of all the community halls, in all the towns, he walked into 

ours! 

“We had our James (Patrick Richardson), and the play 

could go on.” 

Tickets ($35, $28 concession) selling fast; bookings 

ticketebo.com.au 


Vet on call 

with Dr Brown 

Does your dog have bad breath, discoloured teeth or difficulty 

eating? Dogs can’t brush their teeth, but just like people, they 

are at risk of developing dental problems because bacteria and 

plaque accumulate on their teeth contributing to gum disease or 

gingivitis –which can be painful and also lead to bacteria entering 

the bloodstream and circulating to affect other body organs. 

Over 80% of dogs develop dental disease by the age of three. 

Dental disease can often be hidden from sight, with unhealthy 

teeth contributing to pain and other diseases. During July and 

August, Sydney Animal Hospitals are offering free dental checks 

by our veterinary nurses, along with reduced price dental 

procedures and discounts on dental pet foods. 

Regular health checks with our veterinary team are so 

important, so that we can examine your pet and discuss any 

dental treatment or preventative management that may be 

required to help keep your dog’s teeth healthy. 

Some tell-tale signs that your dog may require a dental 

treatment include if they have bad breath or if they have 

yellow or brown tartar deposits on their teeth – as normal 

healthy teeth should always be white. If there is a red line 

along the gum margins around the teeth, this usually indicates 

gingivitis – or inflammation and infection of the gums. 

Our veterinary team will discuss with you the appropriate 

treatment options available to manage your dog’s dental 

health. This may include a dental scale and polish procedure 

performed under a general anaesthetic to clean and protect 

the teeth. Using dog dental chews can also be helpful, as these 

products help to draw plaque and tartar off the teeth helping 

to keep the teeth clean. Special dental foods are also available 

to help reduce the risk of dental disease in your dog. 

Much like people brushing their teeth to keep them clean, 

you can also brush your dog’s teeth using a dog toothbrush and 

special dog toothpaste. This mechanical brushing action against 

the teeth surface will help slow the build-up of plaque and tartar. 

Recognising when your dog’s teeth require veterinary 

attention, seeking advice from our veterinary team and 

implementing the appropriate treatment will ensure that your 

dog remains happy and healthy into their older years. 

During July and August the team at Sydney Animal Hospitals 

are providing free vet nurse dental checks to examine your 

dog for signs of dental disease, along with reduced price 

dental treatments and discounted Hill’s dental food. This offer 

is valid until the 31st August 2022 (Ts&Cs apply). 

For more information contact our team at Avalon 

(9918 0833) or Newport (9997 4609) or book online 

sydneyanimalhospitals.com.au 

JULY 2022 33 

News

Life Stories 

Secrets 

agent 

Anita Jacoby spent 35 

years telling other people’s 

stories all over the world – 

before she used her 

investigative journalist 

skills to uncover the many 

long-held secrets buried deeply 

within her own family. 

and the two of them spent hours most 

weekends in his study. 

“He would challenge my opinions and 

stimulate my intellect and encourage me 

to believe that anything in life was possible.” 

He encouraged her to question the 

status quo, and instilled in her the belief 

that as a young woman she could do anything 

she dreamt of. 

Anita’s first job was for Paul Hamlyn 

publishers before she moved to The Australian 

Women’s Weekly (working under 

editor Ita Buttrose), before she landed her 

first role in television as a researcher on 

Simon Townsend’s Wonder World! 

Aged 19, Anita moved into the holiday 

house at Paradise Beach, and Avalon has 

been her home ever since. 

In the mid-’80s she bought a captain’s 

cottage where she lived for more than 30 

years, until four years ago when she and 

husband John moved into their current 

home overlooking Pittwater. 

“I’ve travelled all over the world and 

made multiple trips every year for work, 

and every time I return and go around 

Bilgola Bends I feel a sense of calm. I have 

never found anywhere as beautiful as 

this area,” she says, “and there is such a 

strong community here.” 

This vivacious woman has had a stellar 

career in television. In 1987 Anita was 

headhunted from TEN’s Good Morning 

Australia to work on the Today Show, 

Nine’s breakfast program. At the time the 

station was very much a ‘boys club’. She 

worked on Today for nearly three years as 

the 2IC and to her frustration three times 

had been passed over for the top role of 

executive producer, despite essentially 

doing that job. 

Her father mentored her through her 

disappointment, advising her not to put 

up with the entrenched misogyny she 

was encountering, or be afraid of taking 

a risk, so she resigned. Two days later she 

was offered a position as associate producer 

on 60 Minutes, which in the late ’80s 

was Australia’s highest-rating television 

show. It was an opportunity she could not 

turn down. 

In 1990, a horrific motorbike accident 

almost ended Anita’s career. 

Riding as a pillion passenger on the 

family farm in Boggabri in north-western 

NSW, Anita lost her balance while travelling 

over an uneven cattle grid. Her right 

leg became entangled in the back wheel, 

causing traumatic life-threatening injuries 

and a critical loss of blood. 

At Tamworth Hospital, doctors had to 

amputate her leg below the knee. 

Now this fit young woman faced the reality 

that for the rest of her life she would 

not only be in constant pain, but forced to 

live with a prosthetic leg. 

Her father was devastated. 

Anita was determined that her life 

and all that she would achieve was not 

going to be defined by her disability. 

She has seldom shared the story of what 

happened to her, and only included it in 

the book because she believes it was a 

contributor to her father’s Alzheimer’s 

disease. 

“To write about it I had to re-live what 

happened, which I had never done. I 

found that very confronting.” 

After the accident she had to learn to 

walk again… and much more. 

Avalon locals Mike and Nola Kadwell 

owned the old squash courts close to the 

Fire Station and encouraged her to get 

back on the court. 

“Nola, who had both her knees reconstructed, 

taught me how to stand in the 



Story by Rosamund Burton 

One morning in 2013, award-winning 

television producer Anita 

Jacoby got out of Bilgola Beach 

ocean pool after her morning swim to 

find a gilt-edge notebook and a handwritten 

note from a local resident, Alf 

Lindberg, on her beach towel. 

“In this book you can jot down your 

thoughts and observations on Places, 

People, Happenings and Adventures. I feel 

one day you will write a book about it all.” 

It had never crossed Anita’s mind to 

write a book, but several months later, 

her husband John Cary and she were at a 

family dinner party. Anita had just been 

appointed managing director of the Australian 

operations of Britain’s ITV Studios, 

one of few women to be appointed to such 

a senior role in media. 

“I so wish Dad was still around to see 

me in charge of a company as big as ITV. 

He would have been so proud,” Anita said. 

She had been very close to her father, 

Phillip Jacoby, and had an unshakeable 

bond with him. The table fell silent and 

then someone asked Anita if she knew 

about the infamous court case in the 

early 1950s involving her father. 

Anita knew nothing about it, and the 

question was a turning point for her. She 

had been a producer on many popular programs 

including 60 Minutes, Sunday and 

Today. More recently she had worked with 

Andrew Denton as executive producer on 

Enough Rope and The Gruen Transfer. She 

had told stories about Sir David Attenborough, 

Bill Clinton, Jane Fonda and Princess 

Mary, to name a few. But now, having spent 

35 years telling other people’s stories, she 

used her investigative journalist skills to 

find out about her own family history. It 

was the start of a nine-year project and 

the publication of her page-turning book, 

‘Secrets Beyond the Screen’. 

She knew her father was a German 

political refugee, and because of his 

part-Jewish ancestry, he was forced to flee 

Nazi Germany in the mid-1930s. He had 

arrived alone and penniless in Australia, 

before becoming a pioneer in Australia’s 

communications industry and an extremely 

successful businessman. 

Anita’s mother Josephine Horak was 

a Russian-Czech born in Manchuria and 

also a political refugee. They married in 

1954; Anita and her younger brother Karl 

were brought up by parents who focused 

on looking forward and seizing opportunities, 

rather than dwelling on their turbulent 

pasts. The family lived at Killara 

on Sydney’s North Shore, but always had 

strong ties to Pittwater. 

Anita was only 18 months old when 

the Jacoby’s first stayed in prominent 

artist Sali Herman’s son Ted’s home on 

three acres in Chisholm Avenue at Avalon 

Beach. Phillip and Josephine Jacoby 

were enchanted by Pittwater and in 1964 

they bought an old cottage overlooking 

Paradise Beach. From then on, the family 

spent their holidays and most weekends 

there. At every opportunity, Anita was in 

the ocean either swimming, bodysurfing 

or riding a surfboard. 

She was the apple of her father’s eye, 




CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE LEFT: Anita’s new book; with Mum Josephine and 

brother Karl at Killara; Carla Zampatti with Anita’s Dad Phillip; on location 

in London with John Laws; one of Anita’s last visits to the family farm near 

Boggabri; with husband John; with 60 Minutes colleague Jennifer Byrne (pic 

courtesy Foxtel); a precious moment with Phillip during his struggle with 

Alzheimer’s disease; Anita in surfie mode with her much-loved kneeboard. 




T and dominate the squash 

court, forcing the other player 

do the running.” Anita went 

on to play competition squash. 

She is also a keen skier, a 

SCUBA diver, and swims every 

day. 

Alzheimer’s disease saw 

Phillip’s health and wellbeing 

go downhill over a six-year 

period. He died in 1996 aged 

85. Seventeen years after 

his death, Anita’s research 

revealed far more about the 

father she adored and thought 

she knew so well. 

She learned about Phillip’s 

matrimonial relationships… 

a complicated and astonishing 

history involving several 

women before her mother 

Josephine, two tragedies and 

even suicides. 

“I’d always considered Dad 

to be steadfast and loyal,” 

writes Anita, and it was a 

great shock to discover that 

her father had fallen in and 

out of love with disastrous 

consequences. 

With the outbreak of World 

War II Phillip was considered 

an “enemy alien” and interned, 

despite having fled persecution 

in Nazi Germany. But after convincing 

authorities he was not 

a danger to national security, 

in 1947 he was recruited by 

Britain, at the recommendation 

of the Australian Government, 

to conduct an industrial espionage 

mission in Germany. His 

mission was for a month, but 

he was away six months. Anita 

surmises he was establishing 

work contacts, but reflects: 

“Half a year was a long time 

to be away from his young 

family.” 

Less than two months after 

his return, Phillip went to 

work as usual one day; that 

afternoon his then wife was 

found dead in their kitchen, 

having taken her own life. 

Anita finds it difficult to 

reconcile that her father, who 

was so aware of her feelings, 

had been unaware of the inner 

turmoil of the women in his 

life. “It’s hard,” she writes, 

“but I have to accept there was 

another side to Dad.” 

A further surprise was her 

father’s brief third marriage 

to Bonnie Snellgrove, a sexy, 

heavy-drinking brunette… 

a relationship that ended in 

tears and a messy divorce. It 

was learning about this court 

case at the family dinner party 

in 2013 which first led Anita to 

start researching her father’s 

life. 

“I never anticipated all the 

extraordinary things I would 

find out about my father,” says 

Anita. Although much of what 

she discovered has been confronting 

it has also given her a 

greater understanding of this 

man, who had been a friend 

and mentor to fashion icon 

Carla Zampatti, given 22-yearold 

Dick Smith his first sales 

job, and had John Howard as 

his commercial lawyer before 

he went into federal politics. 

Anita says she feels a profound 

sadness she’ll never be 

able to talk to her father about 

her findings. She hopes that 

‘Secrets Beyond the Screen’ 

will provoke readers to think 

about talking to their parents 

and loved ones about their 

lives whilst they can. 

“Writing this book is the 

hardest thing I’ve ever done,” 

says Anita. “As a journalist, 

it’s all about telling other people’s 

stories, never your own. 

I stubbornly danced around 

‘finding my voice’, remaining 

fixated on telling Dad’s 

story with no intention of ever 

revealing anything of a deeply 

personal nature. Yet here we 

are nine years later… and of 

course I did.” 

For the past eight years 

Anita has been an Associate 

Member of the Australian 

Communications and Media 

Authority; she is on the boards 

of Chief Executive Women, 

Documentary Australia and 

Women in Media; and recently 

she was appointed Chair of 

the ABC’s Advisory Council. In 

2019 she was awarded a Member 

of the Order of Australia 

(AM) for significant services to 

broadcasting and print media 

and to community mental 

health groups. 

Her next project is to track 

down other relatives who were 

in Germany before WWII, and 

their descendants, who are 

now probably scattered all 

over the world, and to learn 

about their stories. 

But first, with the world 

opening again after COVID 

lockdowns, she is keen to 

travel again. 

*‘Secrets Beyond the Screen’ is 

published by Ventura Press. 






Hot Property 

Northern Beaches homes 

tick all boxes on searches 

Hot Property 

There’s been significant 

change in what people 

want in a property since 

the global pandemic. 

And the good news for local 

property owners is many of 

the features that home hunters 

have been searching for can 

be found in our neck of the 

woods, according to data gathered 

by the online property 

site Domain. 

Australian homebuyers are 

largely driven by lifestyle and 

nothing showcases this more 

than keyword searches, said 

the author of the Domain Spotlight 

Report – NSW, Dr Nicola 

Powell. 

“NSW buyers are wanting so 

much more from their homes 

– waterfront suburbs and the 

added lifestyle luxury of a 

swimming pool,” she said. 

“Housing preferences initially 

triggered through pandemic 

lockdowns remain a firm 

favourite also – outdoor space, 

lifestyle additions and, of 

course, a study.” 

A home office remained a 

priority for Sydney buyers as 

many employees continued to 

work from home or opt for a 

hybrid approach. 

Rising through the “keyword 

ranks” was the added extra of 

a granny flat. 

“There is a plethora of 

benefits from this extra space, 

providing the ability to convert 

to a dedicated working space 

KEYS TO SUCCESS: Swimming pool, oceanfront, outdoor space, selfcontained 

studio plus a home office at 18-20 Rayner Road Whale Beach. 

separated from the home, the 

option to have an older generation 

stay long term, or the 

potential for extra income,” Dr 

Powell said. 

“It’s understandable why 

searching for a ‘granny flat’ 

has become more common 

across NSW.” 

Location is top of mind – as 

“waterfront”, “view”, “river” 

and “beach” all rank in the top 

keyword searches on Domain 

in NSW. 

Outdoor areas continued 

to be desirable with “garden”, 

“courtyard” and “balcony” high 

on a Sydney buyer’s wish list. 

“The importance of a dedicated 

workspace is a priority, 

with the search for “study” the 

second most used keyword in 

Sydney,” Dr Powell said. 

“In Sydney, the top 10 are a 

combination of location, outdoor 

space, lifestyle features, 

the type of home and affordability.” 

Other snippets of interest 

from the report confirmed 

all suburbs in the Northern 

Beaches area have a median 

house price of over $1million, 

with the area also boasting 

the most million-dollar unit 

suburbs in Sydney. 

Palm Beach saw house prices 

rise by a whopping 50.2 per 

cent over the past 12 months 

alone and Whale Beach was 

one of the top 10 Sydney 

suburbs with the most views 

per listing – all the most desirable 

suburbs were in coastal 

pockets bar one, the inner-city 

suburb of Darlington. 

While Sydney house prices 

are dropping for the first 

time in nearly two years, local 

Cunninghams agent Jonathan 

Fletcher says activity and 

transactions were remaining 

consistent in the Northern 

Beaches real estate market. 

“We have an unrivalled 

nature-rich, beachside lifestyle 

and the demand for that never 

waivers,” Mr Fletcher reports in 

his market update. 

“Both new buyers and 

new listings are entering the 

marketplace which is bringing 

equilibrium to the playing field 

and a price alignment. 

“Generally, we are seeing 

buyers being more considered 

and in some cases holding 

back as they assess the market 

conditions and their increase 

in choice. 

“Strong results are still 

occurring on the Northern 

Beaches, especially with properties 

that tick buyers’ criteria 

boxes and offer a compelling 

emotional appeal,” he said. 

Locals in NSW 

Architecture Awards 

Several local projects, designs 

and architects are among the 

100-plus entries shortlisted 

in the 2022 NSW Architecture 

Awards which are announced 

this month. 

This year, the Australian 

Institute of Architects sought 




Hot Property 

Relaxed coastal living 

Avalon Beach 

152 Cabarita Road 

4 beds / 2.5 baths / For Lease 

With intimate, uninterrupted views of Careel Bay and beyond, 

this property is the perfect sanctuary for coastal living. 

North-facing, its high, cathedral ceilings and open-plan design 

create an abundance of natural light throughout. 

Property features include: Modern open-plan kitchen with 

gas cooktop and Miele dishwasher overlooking incredible water 

views; 4 bedrooms (all with built-in wardrobes); spacious master 

bedroom and ensuite with separate bathtub; second living area/ 

rumpus room downstairs; open rustic copper fireplace; and plenty 

of street parking for guests 

Six-month lease – $1850 per week. 

* Contact the leasing agents @ LJ Hooker Avalon Beach: 

Sian Uther (0439 844 743) or Lauren Fisher (0499 154 655). 

Private touch of paradise 

Avalon Beach 

51 Therry Street 

6 Bed / 3 Bath / 3 car 

Enjoy tranquil vistas and privacy from this flexible tri-level home, 

with outdoor spaces in which to relax and entertain. 

Its sun-dappled interiors offer seamless transition to a resortstyle 

rear yard, crowned by a top-floor parents retreat and a 

lower-level two-bedroom self-contained flat ideal for multigeneration 

living or potential income (STCA). 

Set in a peaceful cul-de-sac just moments to Careel Bay Marina, 

transport, schools, village shops, and Avalon Beach, its features 

include a stone-crafted kitchen with stainless steel appliances overlooking 

the heated pool; separate dining area with timber floors 

flowing directly to outdoor living; alfresco entertaining deck. 

* Contact the listing agents @ LJ Hooker Avalon Beach: Peter 

Robinson (0401 219 077) or Rebecca Hammond (0488 004 052). 


entries across 11 categories 

covering all architectural angles 

such as commercial, residential, 

interior, sustainability, educational, 

urban design and heritage 

etc – with some shortlisted 

across multiple categories. 

Cadence & Co’s Charlotte 

Park at Terrey Hills, Matt Elkan’s 

Tsubo Niwa, Richard Smith’s 

Chisholm House (shortlisted 

in the Residential Architecture 

Houses (New) category, picture 

by Michael Nicholson right), 

Peter Stutchbury Architecture 

and Oscar Martin’s Dimensions 

X OM1, Ava Shirley with Noah 

Shirley’s Kin House and the 

refurbishment of the Palm Beach 

Surf Club by Allen Jack + Cottier 

(AJ+C) are just a few of the 

projects with links to our area 

that are in contention for these 

prestigious awards. 

The winners from each state 

and territory will progress to 

be considered for the National 

Awards which will be announced 

in November. 

SHORTLISTED: Richard Smith’s Chisholm House. 



Art Life 

Art Life 

Artists’ studios are open 

Ever wanted to get inside the 

head of a creative person – a 

writer, a painter, a dancer – to 

experience the world as they see 

it? The members of the Pittwater 

Artists Trail can offer you just 

such a glimpse. Over the weekend 

of July 23-24, you are invited to 

step inside their workspaces, see 

their tools, preparatory sketches, 

and more importantly watch 

them work on new pieces. 

See pen put to paper, brush to 

canvas, hammer to metal. Watch 

as the artists attempt to distil the 

breadth of the ocean, capture the 

moment of a smile, or celebrate 

Nada’s art by the Bay 

Avalon Beach artist Nada Herman’s new exhibition 

‘Uplifting’ will help raise much-needed funds for 

local youth mental health charity One Eighty. 

Uplifting will be launched at The Studio at Careel 

Bay Marina on July 7 at 5pm and run for the whole 

month; a percentage of sales will be donated. 

The Studio at Careel Bay Marina is an initiative 

of Amy and Matthew Young (pictured, with Nada) 

of Laing+Simmons Young Property, to support local 

artists and causes through exhibitions each month. 

“July’s exhibition will resonate with everyone – 

this locally inspired collection depicts the beauty of 

nature in an evocative and meaningful way, capturing 

the essence of Pittwater to lift spirits and raise 

the simple beauty of a flower. 

There are 11 different studios 

to visit (pictured: Stef Tarasov); 

details can be found on the website 

or pick up a trail brochure 

which has been distributed widely 

in shops and council buildings 

across Pittwater. Have fun planning 

your route through the regions 

– moving from Palm Beach 

down through Avalon, Clareville 

and Newport; on to Mona Vale 

and Church Point; then head up 

Mona Vale Road to take in the 

bush settings in Ingleside and 

Terrey Hills. 

With more than 25 artisans 

participating across the weekend, 

you would be hard pressed to not 

find something which speaks to 

you. – Susan Peacock 

*Studios open 10am-5pm; more 

info pittwaterartiststrail.com 

money for an important cause at the same time,” 

Amy said. 

Uplifting is open 8am-4pm Monday to Saturday, 

and Sundays from 8am to 12pm. 

*More info 0422 225 227 

Women are in focus during NAIDOC Week 

chre Woman’ is an exhibi- 

of 10 First Nations ‘Otion 

women, living or culturally associated 

with Gai-mariagal Country, 

Northern Beaches. 

The exhibition by Heidi Lee 

Warta during NAIDOC Week (July 

1-10) will feature weaving workshops 

and guest speakers from 

some of the women in focus. 

Using charcoal, pastel and 

ochre, portrait drawings by Heidi 

Lee have been applied to large 

eco-dye fabrics, which is an 

expression of the artists’ love and 

connection to the original culture 

of the land. 

*Free exhibition; The Creative 

Space, North Curl Curl. Tickets 

trybooking.com (ochre woman). 

Other 

shows this 

month… 

Eye Doctors Mona 

Vale are seeking 

new artists for their 

seasonal exhibitions; 

email enquiries@ 

eyedoctorsmonavale. 

com.au. Meanwhile 

self-taught local outdoors 

artist Stephen 

Mann’s exhibition 

continues in Winter; 

his work specialises in 

capturing moments of 

tranquility along the 

coastline from Palm 

Beach to Manly. 

Melbourne’s Heide 

Museum of Modern 

Art is exhibiting 

‘Bruce Munro: 

From Sunrise Road’ 

until October 16. The 

celebrated artist, 

responsible for the 

iconic Field of Light 

at Uluru, lived at Palm 

Beach in the 1980s 

and the exhibition 

features work inspired 

by the area. More info 

Heide.com.au 

Head to Glen Street 

Theatre on Saturday 

July 9 for ‘30 Something’ 

– a comedy/ 

cabaret performance 

taking audiences back 

to 1939, looking at the 

speak-easy days via 

a 21st Century lens. 

Supported by a live 

band with music from 

artists Cab Calloway 

to Lady Gaga, Prince 

and more. Glenstreet. 

com.au 



Surfing Life 

with Nick Carroll 

NICK’S JULY SURF FORECAST 

That was June – wow, what 

a swell time was had by all 

The month the outer reefs began to break and people travelled to Sydney to surf 

June can be topped, I know it. I just don’t know if July’s the 

month to do it. La Niña is more or less gone for now, but her 

Indian Ocean cousin, the IOD or Indian Ocean Dipole, has gone 

negative, which means warm waters pooling near NW Australia. 

That warmth will trigger something down the track for sure, but 

possibly not through July which looks as if it may be dominated 

by a series of huge Southern Ocean storms building right now 

between South Africa and WA. Watch for a steady series of south 

swells through the first half of the month, then watch for a change 

in the second half to something potentially a bit sketchier. 


In case you were wondering 

why I missed last month’s 

column, I went to California 

in May. What an interesting 

place it is at present! California 

is not representative of 

all the US; indeed the more 

time you spend anywhere in 

the US, the more you realise 

it is not easily represented by 

anything or anyone. But while 

I was in California, everything 

and everyone seemed vaguely 

subdued. The huge cars and 

loud voices I could recall from 

the past have gone, replaced 

by a populace that seems a bit 

stunned following the events of 

the past six years. You can see 

it on people’s faces: Did all that 

really happen? Was he really the 

President? Is China bigger than 

us yet? 

Oh, and a lot of electric vehicles. 

You couldn’t throw a stone 

without hitting a Tesla. 

Anyway, the surf was not 

very good at all, so I came back 

here. And wandered into the 

finest surfing month of the 

year. 

June often lights up in La 

Niña years, and this has been a 

La Niña year of terrific proportions. 

It began on January 1 

with a good, solid cyclone swell 

from TC Seth, and it almost 

never stopped, not until the 

rains came and chased us all 

WATCH THE DROP: Chris McKellen riding the inside bombie at Long Reef 

out of the suddenly sewageladen 

water. By the time that 

cleared, I was in California. 

Then June began, and threw 

the switch straight to winter. 

A south-west change blew 

across the corner of Australia, 

pulling a bouncy and slightly 

ominous pulse of southerly 

swell behind it. The change 

brought early snow to the 

mountains and an early move 

to full wetsuits for the NSW 

surfing population. 

On Friday, June 3, more 

energy came in behind that 

first surge. Winter swells are 

so distinct. They come up from 

real cold-water places far to 

our south and drive up through 

the Tasman Sea, missing some 

parts of the coast and really 

connecting with others, rising 

so quickly that when it happens 

during daylight hours, you can 

drive away from near-flatness 

at 10am and return to a rapidly 

eroding sand line by lunch. 

June 3’s surge came in just like 

that: not there at breakfast 

PHOTO: Fabio Silvestre 

time, staying half-visible in 

some places, and bombing in 

others. If you were at Collaroy 

that afternoon and hoping to 

surf, you’d have shrugged and 

gone home – but on the other 

side of Long Reef, the bombies 

were triple overhead. 

The wind turned slowly 

through the day, bending from 

flat south-west through to a 

strange, near-northerly angle. 

Icy cloud layers built high in the 

atmosphere, dulling the late 

afternoon sun. Another cold 

front was on the way. 

Behind that approaching cold 

front, the best week of surf this 

year awaited. 

We were heading toward 

the Queen’s Birthday long 

weekend. Slowly, it unfolded: 

Tuesday a small to moderate 

swell building; Wednesday bigger 

and straighter, long swell 

lines arriving in many-wave sets 

at near clockwork intervals. 

This had nothing to do with 

La Niña, and everything to do 

with a huge expanse of south 

winds blowing off the Antarctic 

rim at 30-40 knots over 

maybe 1000 nautical miles of 

Southern Ocean, for days on 

end. The swell source was so 

far away it bore no relation to 

our local weather conditions, 

which stayed icy-dry and clear, 

the water now like glass – you 

could see the bottom in 10 metres 

of it. It felt like we were in 

Indonesia, or Hawaii, but chilly. 

And it kept pushing. By now 

the swell forecast was as clear 

as the water: that wind band 

was migrating north. Over the 

Queen’s Birthday weekend, it 

would lock in near Tasmania 

and blow 10 knots stronger for 

about a day, then blow up and 

dissipate into the Tasman. 

Saturday was perfect and bigger 

again. Outer reefs began to 

break: German Bank off Longy, 

Avericks off Avalon, Voodoo 

Reef off Cronulla. People began 

travelling to Sydney. To surf! 

The great big-wave rider Ross 

Clarke-Jones loaded up his 

jetski and favourite boards and 

did a 12-hour drive from his 

home in Victoria. 

Ross spent all of Sunday on 

the road, so he missed what 

happened late that afternoon. 

I have some guru mates in 

the forecasting business; they 

watched that wind near Tassie 

and told me: Sunday afternoon, 

3.30pm. OK, I thought, and 

headed down to the beach at 

4pm, and watched the surf 

literally double in size in 20 

minutes. 

I couldn’t think of anything 

other than: get out there. 

Nick Carroll 

The tide was coming toward 

a full moon mega high, and this 

new swell was overwhelming 

everything. I clambered around 

the back of Newport pool, 

dodging huge wash-throughs 

as they tore away at the soil at 

the cliff base. Rocks four times 

my size were being thrown 

around like kiddies’ bath toys. 

Outside, this swell was pushing 

waves of four metres and bigger 

up on the rock platform. 

Every now and then a bigger set 

would break all the way across 

from south Newport to Bilgola. 

I got wave after wave, dodging 

a few situations, and when it 

got a bit too dark, rode one in 

almost in front of the surf club, 

thinking, Hmm, I am definitely 

not in California any more. 

Everyone had high hopes 

for Monday, but it was kind of 

lame. The swell had peaked 

overnight, washing sand into 

the surf club and ripping 

away a bunch of fencing some 

optimistic landowners had used 

to beachfront their properties. 

But then it’d dropped back, and 

by morning the ocean had a 

wobble in it that spoke of spent 

energies. 

But heck! We’re barely past 

the Solstice. This winter’s got 

some legs, gang. 






Health & Wellbeing 


Funds boost 

for menopause 

Women struggling with menopause 

symptoms will get access to specialist 

health services following a $40.3 million 

budget boost to help break down the 

stigma surrounding this stage of life. 

The NSW Government will establish 16 

‘holistic menopause services’ and four 

health hubs to provide expert advice for 

women experiencing severe menopausal 

symptoms and address the associated 

health risks such as fractures, risk of 

stroke and heart disease. 

A state-wide education and awareness 

campaign will mean we will all hear a lot 

more about the “taboo topic”. 

Menopause is a natural occurrence at 

the end of a woman’s reproductive years, 

when the production of the ‘female’ hormones 

oestrogen and progesterone slows, 

and menstruation stops. 

President of the Australasian Menopause 

Society Dr Karen Magraith said at least 

75 per cent of women would experience 

symptoms of menopause – for some, the 

symptoms will affect their ability to work 

and function. 

Some of the symptoms women may 

have included hot flushes and night 

sweats, problems sleeping, headaches, 

mood changes, forgetfulness, tiredness, 

aches and pains and reduced sex drive. 

Menopause can also trigger serious health 

risks for many women. 

“One of the consequences of the drop of 

oestrogen levels which comes with menopause 

was the increased risk of osteoporosis,” 

Dr Magraith said. 

“It’s not often realised at the time of 

menopause and may not be diagnosed 

until a woman has a fracture. 

“If this can be prevented via the creation 

of these new services, then that’s the 

goal.” 

Dr Magraith welcomed the education 

campaign to raise awareness of perimenopause 

and menopause, its impact on 

women and the supports available to help 

women manage before, during and after 

menopause. 

“Knowledge of, and education about, 

menopause is still quite limited given it 

has traditionally been a taboo topic,” she 

said. 

“In previous generations, women were 

expected to deal with it quietly, but 

today’s women expect information and 

treatment options. 

“Many of them are busy working and 

raising adolescent kids and caring for ageing 

parents and are expected to function 

at a very high level, despite debilitating 

symptoms. 

“They also need preventative and treatment 

options for the long-term effects 

which include not only osteoporosis but 

also heart disease.” – Lisa Offord 

Asthma alert 

Winter is a key time for mould and 

dust mites to multiply, releasing 

tiny spores into the air which can 

trigger asthma and allergy symptoms. 

National Asthma Council’s Sensitive 

Choice Program Manager Adele 

Taylor said for the 2.7 million Australians 

living with asthma, that can 

lead to serious flare-ups. 

“It is important to take control now 

to ensure you have a healthy home 

as higher indoor humidity levels 

make it easier for mould and dust 

mites to multiply,” Ms Taylor said. 

“The symptoms can include nose, 

eye, and skin irritation, sneezing or 

wheezing, and severe breathing difficulties 

in some people.” 

Ms Taylor said mould thrived in 

warm, damp environments and can 

make itself at home anywhere there 

is low air flow or excess moisture, 

such as built-in wardrobes and in 

bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms. 

“Be aware of signs such as condensation 

on your windows due to 

lack of air circulation, or a crack in a 

bathroom tile or pipe,” she said. 

“To help keep this space healthy, 

focus on good natural air circulation 

and use extractor fans,” she said. 

Another common asthma trigger 

during winter can be dust mites. 

“These microscopic creatures 

feed off skin cells and grow well in 

humidity in bedding, blankets and 

winter clothing that has been left in 

cupboards all year,” Ms Taylor said. 

She added it was important for 

people with asthma to be aware of 

their asthma triggers and see their 

GP for regular check-ups. – LO 





Are you looking stressed or 

tired? Keep a ‘lid’ on things 

A 

common request for 

upper eyelid surgery 

follows patients being 

told they look tired, angry 

or stressed. Puffiness and 

swelling of the lower lids can 

be corrected surgically. 

Upper lids – Skin and muscle 

excess contribute to fullness, 

folding and hooding. Medial 

fat pocket excess, adjacent to 

the nose, results in bagginess 

in this area. Lateral fullness 

may be due to tear gland 

droop. Skin thickness is 

important, with thin skin 

correcting easily. Thick skin 

may look a little undercorrected. 

Surgery addresses 

all these layers, namely skin, 

muscle and fat. Tear glands 

may need to be repositioned. 

The incisions run hidden in the 

fold lines and usually extend 

out into the crow’s feet – this 

corrects the lateral hooding. 

Frown lines can be softened 

through these incisions. 

Eyebrow position – Is very 

important, as drooping 

eyebrows contribute to upper 

eyelid skin. Brows may need 

to be independently corrected 

to optimise outcomes. There 

are a range of procedures 

to accomplish this, from 

minimally invasive direct 

browlifts to endoscopic, 

camera-assisted procedures. 

Droop of the upper eyelid 

– Can also be corrected. 

This is usually the result of 

the elevating muscle being 

stretched or disconnecting 

from the insertion. This is 

done at the same time. The 

eyelid is repositioned with 

respect to the pupil. 

If the upper eyelids touch 

the lash line, or obstruct 

vision, there is a Medicare item 

number – which means there 

may be a rebate for part of 

the fee. 

Where appropriate, 

upper eyelid surgery can 

be performed under local 

anaesthetic in the rooms 

or in a day surgery. Lower 

eyelid surgery is usually 

performed in a day surgery or 

hospital; sedation or general 

anaesthetic may also be 

used. Surgery takes between 

30 and 90 minutes. Stitches 

with Dr John Kippen 

are removed between 4 and 

7 days. Internal stitches 

dissolve. 

Depending on the bruising 

and type of occupation, 

people can be back at work as 

early as three days, or a little 

longer with more-invasive 

procedures. Vision may be a 

little blurred and eyes a little 

dry. A full explanation will be 

given at consultation. 

Two consultations are 

usually required to fully 

explain and understand the 

procedure, recovery and 

return to activities of daily 

living. Careful assessment 

and planning is needed and 

photographs are often used 

for this. Written information, 

brochures and before and 

after photographs are useful 

to fully explain the techniques, 

outcomes and risks. 

This is usually a welltolerated 

procedure, with 

favourable outcomes. 

Our columnist 

Dr John Kippen is a 

qualified, fully certified 

consultant specialist in 

Cosmetic, Plastic and 

Reconstructive surgery. 

Australian trained, he 

also has additional 

Australian and 

International Fellowships. 

He welcomes enquiries; 

email 

doctor@johnkippen.com.au 

Be smart about your heart 

Barely a day goes by without 

When left untreated, heart failure 

hearing about an important 

progressively worsens; but with early 

health issue. 

This month, another health promotion 

was added to the calendar – 

Heart Failure Awareness Week. 

Launched by charity hearts4heart, 

the campaign has been developed to 

raise awareness about the prevalence 

of heart failure and to educate 

people about symptoms, especially 

those aged 65 and older, caregivers 

and healthcare professionals. 

Now affecting 1 in 50 Australians, 

heart failure is becoming increasingly 

common and is expected to 

rise, as more people survive heart 

attacks, live longer, and experience 

heart issues that lead to this potentially 

debilitating condition, said 

diagnosis, treatment and lifestyle 

changes, a person with heart failure 

can reduce their risk of hospitalisation 

and improve their quality of life. 

Common heart failure symptoms 

can often be dismissed as 

other health issues or even old age. 

Recognising symptoms is key to 

early diagnosis and the best health 

outcomes. 

Symptoms can include any of the 

following: 

n Shortness of breath during minimal 

exercise or exertion; 

n Needing to use extra pillows 

when lying down to breathe 

easier; 

n Irregular heartbeat or palpitations; 

hearts4heart CEO Tanya Hall. 

n Swelling of legs, feet, or stomach; 

AWARENESS: Know the signs of heart problems. 

Heart failure claims the lives of 

n Coughing/wheezing; 

61,000 people every year, and it’s 

the number one cause of hospitalisation 

in people over the age of 65. 

“Unfortunately, dangerously low levels 

of awareness about heart failure are 

leaving Australians vulnerable to this 

heart has stopped, but it is ‘failing’ to 

keep up with your body’s demands. 

The heart is unable to pump enough 

blood through the body to meet its 

nutritional needs, either because the 

heart is unable to fill with enough blood, 

n Weight gain over a short period 

of time (eg, >2kg over 2 days); 

n Extreme tiredness, low energy, or no 

energy; and 

n Loss of appetite. 

If you experience any of these symptoms 

long-term condition,” Ms Hall said. its pumping action isn’t strong enough, 

talk to your GP. – Lisa Offord 

Heart failure doesn’t mean that your or both. 

More info hearts4heart.org.au 







with Bec Johnson, B.Pharm 


Different types of pain and 

their specific management 

Pain is an unpleasant sensation 

caused by stimulation 

of specific pain receptors, 

which transmit information to 

the brain. Pain can be: 

Nociceptive – where pain is 

detected by pain receptors in 

response to specific stimuli, 

such as tissue damage, heat, or 

inflammation. 

Neuropathic – where there is 

damage or irritation to nerve 

pathways which transmit pain 

signals, resulting in either a 

burning/shooting type of pain, 

or numbness/tingling. 

You can experience a mix of 

nociceptive/neuropathic pain, 

for example cancer-related 

pain. The type of pain will 

determine the appropriateness 

of certain treatments. If you 

are being treated for pain, it 

is important to develop a pain 

management plan with your GP 

or pain specialist. 

Acute pain 

Acute pain is felt as a result 

of a specific disease state or 

injury, is sudden in onset, and 

only lasts a short period of time 

(days to weeks). Causes of acute 

pain include traumatic injuries, 

surgery, and other medical procedures; 

however some forms, 

such as headache, may have no 

identifiable cause. Acute pain 

needs to be managed with immediate, 

short-term pain relief, 

along with any treatments. 

It is important to start acute 

pain management as early as 

possible, to minimise the risk of 

the acute pain transitioning to 

chronic pain. 

Chronic pain 

Chronic pain is defined as pain 

experienced for a duration 

of over three months. While 

chronic pain can be a result of 

an ongoing medical condition 

or poor healing following a 

traumatic injury, the source and 

cause may not be identifiable. 

Long-term pain puts cumulative 

stress on the brain, and can 

cause psychological changes 

over time. This can include the 

development of anxiety and 

depression, and changes in 

sleep patterns. 

Non-pharmacological 

management 

Managing pain requires a holistic 

approach and addressing 

lifestyle factors is a key aspect. 

For sufferers of chronic pain, 

cognitive behavioural therapy 

(CBT) can be helpful in addressing 

patterns of thinking and 

behaviour. CBT focuses on the 

patient’s understanding of pain, 

and the relationship between 

pain and physiology (such 

as pain and muscle tension, 

thoughts, emotions, and behaviours). 

This can be accessed 

through referral from your GP. 

Staying as active as possible 

and regularly exercising within 

your capacity has been shown 

to greatly benefit general 

wellbeing. Working with a local 

physiotherapist, exercise 

physiologist, or occupational 

therapist on motion therapy, 

muscle strengthening, and 

postural training can help support 

this. 

The use of hot packs or cold 

packs can provide relief. It is 

important to never apply ice or 

extreme heat directly onto the 

skin – create a barrier with a 

small towel. 

Pharmacological 

management 

Pain-relieving medications do 

not necessarily stop the pain 

but they can reduce the pain to 

a level which lessens the impact 

on everyday life. Mild to moderate 

pain can often be managed 

using over-the-counter options 

from your local pharmacy, 

such as paracetamol or ibuprofen 

tablets or capsules, 

or anti-inflammatory/anaesthetic 

creams. It is important 

to discuss this with your local 

pharmacist or doctor. 

For more severe pain, 

your doctor may choose to 

prescribe stronger medications 

like opioids. Opioids are 

not appropriate for everyone, 

and can have undesirable side 

effects such as constipation 

and sedation. Opioids are 

highly addictive if not used appropriately. 

Tolerance to and 

dependence on opioid therapy 

can occur even after a few 

days. Consequently, opioid 

therapy needs to be withdrawn 

slowly to avoid developing 

withdrawal symptoms 

(sweating, anxiety, muscle 

aches, and nausea). 

Having a good support 

network can help make living 

with pain more bearable. While 

support from family or friends 

helps to maintain quality of life 

and general wellbeing, reaching 

out to pain support groups 

(such as the Australian Pain 

Management Association) can 

help you connect with people 

who understand what it is like 

to live with pain. 


Pittwater Pharmacy & 

Compounding Chemist 

at Mona Vale has operated 

as a family-run business 

since 1977. Open seven 

days; drop in and meet 

the highly qualified and 

experienced team of Len, 

Sam and Amy Papandrea 

and Andrew Snow. Find 

them at 1771 Pittwater Rd; 

call 9999 3398. 






with Matilda Brown 

Hair & Beauty 

with Sue Carroll 

Shut out distraction & find 

the magic in everyday life 

Importance of hydrating to 

defend your skin in Winter 


There’s so much 

information out there 

about what we’re 

supposed to be doing for our 

minds and bodies to live a 

healthy, happy life. Every day 

on my news feeds I see a new 

headline from a new guru 

with a new study and new 

findings that promise new 

results. Sure, these headlines 

can be informative and 

motivational, but they can also 

be overwhelming, and with all 

these things we feel we should 

be doing, it’s easy to miss the 

point of life entirely. 

So, instead of attempting to 

The Good Farm 

Shakshuka Eggs 

(Serves 2) 

1 diced brown onion 

4 chopped garlic cloves 

2 tbs olive oil 

½ tsp sumac 

1 tsp cumin 

1 tsp smoked paprika 

¼ tsp cayenne pepper 

6 tomatoes – cored and 

roughly chopped 

1 tin tomatoes 

Sea salt 

4 free range eggs 

Sprig of fresh thyme 

1. Pre-heat the oven to 160C. 

In a medium saucepan heat 

the olive oil on medium 

heat, before adding the 

onions and garlic and sauté 

for 5-6 minutes. 

2. Add all the spices and 

reduce heat; cook for 8-10 

minutes. 

3. Add the fresh tomatoes and 

cook for further 10 minutes 

with the lid on. 

4. Finally add the tinned tomatoes; 

season, and continue 

to cook for further 5 minutes 

keeping the lid on. 

5. Remove from the heat and 

blitz with a bar mix or in a 

be another guru, let me share 

with you the beautiful things 

that happened last month, 

that kept me waking up feeling 

positive about the world. 

Because sometimes life can feel 

monotonous and repetitive but 

if we look, we can always find 

the magic. Magic makes itself 

known only to those who are 

open to it. To access the true 

power of magic, you have to 

acknowledge it. So here are my 

moments of magic in May... 

My son Zan turned 3. Magic 

in unwrapping presents, magic 

in his face when everyone sung 

him happy birthday, magic in 

Scott’s Comfort Corner 

blender until smooth (some 

chunky bits are totally ok). 

6. Return to an oven-proof 

frypan. Make 4 depressions 

in the tomato sauce and 

crack the eggs in. 

7. Place in the oven for 12 

minutes or until eggs are 

confetti, magic in the joy I felt 

lighting the candles on his 

Bluey birthday cake. 

Magic in the sun. When 

it arrived after having been 

gone so long. The way it feels 

on my face, the way it makes 

everyone happy in the street. 

Magic in the way it dances 

on leaves and on the walls. 

Magic in its warmth. Magic in 

my daughter Anouk trying to 

understand her magic shadow. 

Magic when my parents 

or friends visit. Magic in the 

preparation, making the 

house tidy and cosy for them, 

magic in the poppies on the 

cooked to your liking. 

8. Sprinkle with fresh thyme, 

season and enjoy! Serve 

with some delicious bread 

and butter – our fave is the 

48-hour sourdough from 

Bonfire Organic Bakery in 

Avalon. 

table, slowly wilting but still 

so beautiful. Magic. Even 

with half-finished sentences 

and screaming kids and sand 

all through the house and 

exhaustion in our bodies. 

Magic in my friend’s tears 

last week, as she tells me 

about her drug use and 

regrets. How lovely she still 

looks after 10 years of grief, 

abuse and depression. Magic 

in the people who want her 

to thrive. Magic that she’s still 

alive. 

Magic in our collective 

failures as humans as we all 

muddle through. Together. Not 

knowing if we’re doing good 

or bad. With nothing really 

to compare it to and no real 

handbook. Just guess-work. 

And dedication. 

Magic in the dedication. 

For whatever reason we have. 

Magic in the drive to keep 

going. Despite finding it hard, 

despite being knocked back. 

Magic in our common goal to 

try, and to survive. 

Magic in one person saying 

thank you. One smile. One 

hug. 

Magic that my heart beats 

every second of every day. 

That my children were born. 

That they are happy and 

healthy. Magic that I have 

someone to do life with. Magic 

that I know love and that they 

know love. 

Last month was full of 

magic. 

Okay, your turn. Please 

report back! 

*Email readers@pittwaterlife. 

com.au 

Matilda Brown is 

an actress, writer and 

business owner. Her 

husband Scott Gooding 

is a holistic performance 

& nutrition coach, sports 

nutritionist and chef. 

Together they founded and 

run The Good Farm Shop. 

www.thegoodfarm.shop 



Winter is here, 

the season that 

brings cold, 

chilly temperatures, 

snow and frost to a lot 

of the country. Winter 

can affect the skin 

in many ways. From 

the distress of indoor 

temperatures to the 

harsh cold weather 

outside, it is essential to 

take time to hydrate and 

heal the skin. 

The frigid 

temperatures tend to 

zap skin of its moisture 

barrier, leaving it dry, flaky, 

irritated and red. Couple that 

with a cold, flu or runny nose, 

and you’ve got a lot working 

against the health of your skin. 

A few tweaks to your daily 

regimen will alleviate winter 

irritation leaving your skin 

healthy. 

Dry, dehydrated skin is 

common, especially in areas 

that may be more exposed to 

the elements like the cheeks, 

lips and hands. If not addressed 

quickly, we begin seeing 

flaky, irritated and itchy skin 

that leads to a compromised 

barrier. A compromised barrier 

creates vulnerability in the 

skin, allowing toxins, harmful 

pathogens, and UV radiation to 

penetrate the body more easily. 

Start with the factors you 

can control easily this time of 

year. It is easy to indulge in a 

poor diet, increased alcohol 

consumption, indoor heating 

and hot showers, but these all 

work against your skin’s best 

hydration defences. Instead, 

consider limiting alcohol 

consumption; or for every 

alcoholic beverage, consider 

drinking a minimum of eight 

ounces of water with a few 

slices of lemon, which will 

improve the body’s ability to 

absorb the water and rehydrate. 

To bring some hydration 

to those dry, heated rooms, 

consider running humidifiers 

throughout the office and 


home. As inviting as hot 

showers are, try to stick to 

lukewarm temperatures. Hot 

water is one of the quickest 

ways to reduce your skin’s 

hydration level. If you can’t get 

away from hot showers, ensure 

your body wash is pH-balanced 

so it will not exacerbate the 

dryness of the skin. In addition, 

apply moisturiser to the body 

when dry to add a layer of 

nourishment to the skin. Also, 

balance sleep, exercise, and 

antioxidant-rich foods are 

essential to a healthy skin 

barrier. 

Now, let’s hone in on what 

you’re applying or not applying 

to your skin. This time of year, 

it is essential to cleanse your 

skin morning and night, which 

helps regulate its oil production. 

It’s also crucial to load up on 

nourishing hydration topicals 

but doing that without cleansing 

will actually slow down your 

skin’s oil production decreasing 

your natural hydration level. 

Try these suggestions for a 

cold-weather regimen to keep 

your skin hydrated and healthy: 

First, switch to a gentle cleanser 

that helps retain moisture, 

with soothing ingredients like 

lavender and organic grapeseed 

oil. Removing makeup and the 

build-up of dry skin without 

depleting the skin’s protective 

barrier will assist in keeping the 

skin healthy. 

Rebuild and strengthen the 

skin by delivering a healthy 

dose of antioxidants and 

nutrients to the skin. 

Grapeseed oil and EFAS 

are soothing and protect 

against cellular damage. 

Hydrate and moisturise 

by infusing the skin 

with restoring lipids to 

prevent transepidermal 

water loss (TEWL) and 

reduce inflammation 

and dry irritations. Spritz 

with heavy water such as 

hydra soothe spritz, and 

incorporate hyaluronic 

acid into your evening 

winter regimen to help 

the skin retain moisture and 

stimulate collagen for a more 

buoyant skin. 

Be mindful of your daily 

skin routine this season and 

what you might be doing to 

contribute to the dry conditions. 

Remember, your skin is your 

largest living organ; don’t let 

this winter season take a toll 

on it. The cold weather may be 

unavoidable, but with the right 

mix of ingredients and healthy 

skin care habits, you can 

help stave off uncomfortable 

irritated skin. 

Sue Carroll is at the forefront 

of the beauty, wellness 

and para-medical profession 

with 35 years’ experience on 

Sydney’s Northern Beaches. 

She leads a dedicated team 

of professionals who are 

passionate about results for 

men and women. 

info@skininspiration.com.au 

www.skininspiration.com.au 


Hair & Beauty

Business Life 

Business Life: Money 

A new financial year – but 

‘lettuce’ pray for better days 

This month being the start 

of a new financial year 

I’d like to start with a bit 

of a stocktake… Pandemic? 

Tick, that’s still here, but now 

there’s something new to worry 

about that can turn you into a 

monkey. 

Geopolitical crisis? Tick, we 

have a few of those – Ukraine, 

Russia, China. It does make you 

wonder what’s been happening 

with the perma-crisis in the 

Middle East, or Africa, or South 

America for that matter, while 

we’ve been busy with this latest 

issue. 

Inflation? Tick, that’s come 

back and it’s here in spades. 

Can anyone recall only a few 

years ago that the world was 

on the cusp of de-inflation? 

Interest rates? Tick, they’re 

back and more to come. Pretty 

much only the grey beards with 

no mortgages are celebrating. 

Market meltdown? Tick, why 

not? In fact why not have a 

meltdown of both equity and 

bond markets at the same 

time? 

The order of the items in our 

stocktake list is deliberate; the 

first two items are causative 

factors of the other three. If 

you have been searching for 

a single word to describe the 

essence of the problem we 

currently face I’d suggest that 

‘scarcity’ is a good one. 

The pandemic created 

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scarcity across a wide range 

of everyday items and 

services; the war in Ukraine 

further compounded these 

issues. During the pandemic, 

governments around the world 

pumped money into their 

economies to support demand; 

prices have risen; interest 

rates respond to inflationary 

pressure; share and bond 

markets adjust to the new 

paradigm. 

*Outer leaves 

have been 

removed. 

Desperate Times: The economy’s ‘salad days’ are well and truly gone. 

In Australia we have also 

experienced compounding 

issues due to a string of natural 

disasters that top, tailed and 

intertwined with the pandemic: 

namely drought, fires and 

floods. This has given rise to a 

poster vegetable for the times – 

the humble iceberg lettuce. 

The media have really 

jumped onto this ‘lettuce 

index’ to illustrate price 

changes and by doing so they 

with Brian Hrnjak 

imply through the economic 

principle of the zero-sum 

game – for every winner there’s 

a loser – that a new breed 

of ‘lettuce baron’ has been 

created. Nothing could be 

further from the case, as Eli 

Greenblat recently reported in 

The Australian on 17 June. 

In his article, Greenblat 

introduced us to Jeremy Haw, 

a farmer in the Gippsland 

region of Victoria and one of 

our country’s largest lettuce 

producers. The reality of the 

$12 lettuce reads more like this: 

‘Poor weather has ruined 

crops, and what lettuce is 

growing is weeks behind 

schedule – if he can find the 

labourers to pick the crop.’ 

‘His supply lines are in chaos; 

new tractors he has ordered 

now won’t arrive until 2024. His 

own bills are soaring and there 

are delays in getting key winter 

seeds for planting. And when 

they do arrive, floods and rains 

could ruin the crop anyway.’ 

The farmer says: “It’s 

ridiculous. You can’t get 

equipment, you can’t get 

chemicals, all these different 

things. You’ve got fuel prices 

that are obviously killing 

everybody, plastics have gone 

up and it just goes on and on. 

All these things are driving the 

cost… it will push prices up 

everywhere which will become 

inflationary.” 

The journo continues: ‘Haw 

stresses that despite $12 a 

head for lettuce, farmers are 

not making “super profits” 

like those seen in the mining 

industry as coal and iron ore 

prices soar.’ 

“No- one is really making 

those super-profits. Normally 

you might have 100 per cent of 

your crop to sell, but then you 

have a bad weather event and 

you lose half your crop, and 

you only have 50 per cent you 

can sell and then cover all your 

costs. 

“There is very little profit or 

no profit at all, as the costs 

have driven so high that we are 

actually paying people to take a 

box of lettuce, so losing money 

on the sale.” 

In Australia we seem to have 

an unusual habit of assigning 

a fruit or vegetable as some 

form of financial indicator – 

think back to when bananas 

were nearly $15 per kilo after 

Cyclone Yasi, or smashed 

avocado was the reason behind 

the inability of millennials to 

afford buying property. 

If you read Greenblat’s 

article, the humble lettuce is 

being unfairly slandered in 

sections of the media while 

scarcity, as I pointed out 

earlier, is the true culprit. The 

economy won’t be released 

from the grip of inflation until 

there is some relaxation in 

the scarcity of key inputs such 

as oil and energy and labour, 

factors that feed into the costs 

of production. This is likely to 

take some time to work itself 

out unlike the poor old lettuce 

which we can simply substitute 

with cabbage. 

Meanwhile, investors this 

year are staring at negative 

superannuation returns, 

something that doesn’t happen 

often, as markets experience 

turbulence adjusting to more 

normal settings for inflation 

and interest rates. The key 

word here is normal; what 

we’ve been experiencing over 

the past decade or so with 

negative real interest rates was 

not normal. 

After a long time in the 

freezer, cash is starting to 

show a return with rates on 

deposits ticking up in line with 

RBA rate movements, although 

buying into long-dated term 

deposits as rates are rising 

might not be the best strategy. 

The Australian equity 

market has been remarkably 

resilient compared to the US 

over this turbulent period, 

with the US off about 22 per 

cent and the local market 

down approximately by half 

that amount. Most people 

will naturally stay invested 

regardless of market conditions 

and the key to weathering this 

period in good shape is to stick 

with quality shares. Quality in 

this case being defined as large 

companies that are dominant 

in their markets, highly 

liquid, make profits and pay 

dividends. 

Brian Hrnjak B Bus CPA (FPS) is 

a Director of GHR Accounting 

Group Pty Ltd, Certified 

Practising Accountants. Offices 

at: Suite 12, Ground Floor, 

20 Bungan Street Mona Vale 

NSW 2103 and Shop 8, 9 – 15 

Central Ave Manly NSW 2095, 

Telephone: 02 9979-4300, 

Webs: www.ghr.com.au and 

www.altre.com.au Email: 

brian@ghr.com.au 

These comments are of a 

general nature only and are 

not intended as a substitute 

for professional advice. 






Business Life: Money 

with Robert Greig 

Business Life: Law 

with Jennifer Harris 


Retirement ‘number’ planning 

It’s a question we are often 

asked: “How much will I need 

to retire?” The answer is 

different for everyone, as it 

depends on your retirement 

goals and lifestyle – but there 

are some simple guidelines you 

can use to start calculating. 

The ASFA Retirement 

Standard publishes what it 

terms “comfortable retirement” 

figures quarterly. Based on 

owning your home, according 

to recent figures*, singles need 

$46,494 and couples $65,445pa. 

This calculation includes daily 

essentials, primary health and 

medical needs, technology costs 

and some social spending. 

The ASFA Retirement Standard 

suggests a single person needs 

a superannuation balance at 

retirement of $545,000 and a 

couple $640,000 to achieve a 

“comfortable” lifestyle. However, 

these forecasts are based on 

using all your capital over your 

life expectancy and receiving a 

part Age Pension, so they don’t 

leave much room for error. 

And, what’s considered 

“comfortable” by ASFA is 

unlikely to deliver the retirement 

you want. 

These numbers don’t include 

many ‘big-ticket’ items. When 

it comes to travel, they include 

one domestic flight each year 

and an international flight every 

seven. They also don’t cover 

those expensive hobbies you 

want to enjoy in your golden 

years, from golf to boating. 

There is no allocation 

for helping children get a 

foot on the property ladder, 

contributing to grandchildren’s 

education, or leaving a legacy 

– whether a financial gift to 

family, a bequest to charity, or a 

combination. So, let’s rephrase 

the question: “How much to live 

the retirement I deserve?” 

The amount you need is as 

unique as you are; it’s essential 

to understand this during your 

pre-retirement years, to build 

the right income sources. 

Mapping lifestyle expenses 

with investment cash flow can 

be complex, even for those 

with significant assets. In 

addition, selling assets to build 

future income streams involves 

understanding and carefully 

navigating the tax implications. 

There are many ways to build 

retirement income streams, 

but it’s key to match these with 

your retirement goals so you 

can live your best life today and 

in retirement. 

At Apt Wealth Partners, we 

help thousands of Australians. 

We’re a national firm with a 

rich 30-year history and offices 

in Sydney, Melbourne, Geelong 

and now, the Northern 

Beaches. We’re looking forward 

to being part of this great 

community and helping many 

of you to live your dream 

retirement. 

* Robert Greig is Senior 

Financial Adviser, APT Wealth 

Partners. 

*Source: superannuation.asn.au/ 

resources/retirement-standard 

Note: This information is of a 

general nature only and does not 

take into account your individual 

objectives, financial situation or 

needs. It should not be used, relied 

upon, or treated as a substitute 

for specific professional advice. 

Apt Wealth Partners (AFSL and 

ACL 436121 ABN 49 159 583 847) 

and Apt Wealth Home Loans 

(powered by Smartline ACL 

385325) recommends that you 

obtain professional advice before 

making any decision in relation to 

your particular requirements or 

circumstances. 



Understanding guarantees 

and issues of enforceability 

A 

not uncommon 

observation made by 

friends when discussing 

their adult children is: “Have 

you noticed that the older they 

get the more expensive they 

become.” 

It is the comment of 

caring parents everywhere 

who endeavour to help their 

children pay HECS or obtain 

the deposit for their first 

home or help them in business 

or pay the grandchildren’s 

school fees. 

The help can take many 

forms: a gift of funds, the 

establishment of a trust fund, 

or a third party guarantee 

where parents provide a 

person Deed of Guarantee 

and Indemnity for a specified 

amount and often add the 

mortgage over their family 

home. 

More often than not, 

clients call and make an 

appointment, saying they have 

some papers from a bank 

or lending institution which 

requires their signature to be 

witnessed by a solicitor. 

It is rare that a full 

explanation is given as to 

what the documents to be 

witnessed are for and it 

requires a few questions 

to understand what the 

documents represent. 

If the documents are a Third 

Party Guarantee, requiring the 

provision of independent legal 

advice, this practice asks that 

the documents are submitted 

prior to the conference, 

where they are to be signed 

so that they can be read and 

understood. 

Unfortunately, far too many 

loving and well-disposed 

parents caught up in the spirit 

and emotion of helping their 

family do not understand 

the possible consequences 

of signing a Third Party 

Guarantee. 

They’re presented the 

documents often in triplicate, 

heavily flagged with ‘Sign 


Here’ tabs and assume that 

the tabbed pages are all they 

have to read. 

When providing an 

Independent Advice Certificate 

it is the duty of the solicitor 

to act as a “competent, 

independent and disinterested 

stranger”, to explain the 

import of the documents to 

be signed by the clients and to 

determine as to whether in his 

or her opinion those signing 

adequately understand 

the possible consequences 

to themselves should the 

primary borrower default. 

An interesting case occurred 

in which the NSW Supreme 

Court deliberated in what 

is a good illustration of the 

difficulties which can arise 

from Third Party Guarantees 

and those who advise them. 

A lender agreed to lend 

$23 million to a property 

development company, which 

was in desperate need of 

funds to pay creditors and to 

ensure completion of a large 

residential strata title property 

in Perth. 

As the lender assessed the 

loan as being at a high level 

of risk, it sought to mitigate 

by requiring security including 

Personal Deeds of Guarantee 

and Mortgage from third 

parties. 

The businessman and 

Company Director of the 

company raising the loan 

turned to his elderly parents 

to provide the Guarantees, 

Indemnities and Mortgages 

for $2 million. The father 

had worked as a builder and 

had an understanding of 

the construction side of the 

project and business involved, 

but the mother had no 

involvement in the Company 

or its activities. 

The Company defaulted 

on the Loan and the lender 

sought to enforce the Personal 

Guarantees of the parents and 

its rights under the mortgage, 

over the family home at 

Clontarf in Sydney. 

The parents sought to resist 

the lender’s Application for 

Orders on various grounds 

but the mother claimed 

that the transaction was 

not adequately explained 

to her and to enforce the 

transaction against her would 

be unconscionable. 

The mother, and 

not the husband, was 

successful in their claim of 

unconscionability. 

The court found the mother: 

n Was not wholly aware of 

what she was signing and 

relied totally on her 

husband; 

n The requirement by the 

lender that the mother and 

father receive legal advice 

was more to protect itself 

rather than to protect the 

mother and father; 

n There was a conflict of 

interest and the solicitor 

providing the advice did not 

act as an independent solicitor 

and the advice given was 

wholly inadequate – only 

by telephone; 

n The lender was aware of the 

inadequate advice being given 

and the conflict of 

interest the solicitor had with 

the borrowing entity; and 

n The lender was found to 

not have taken enough steps 

to ensure that the Third 

Party Guarantor was given 

competent, independent or 

objective advice to ensure that 

she was wholly aware of the 

extent of the agreement. 

Applying an earlier decision 

of the High Court in 1998, the 

Supreme Court held that it 

would be unconscionable to 

enforce the Guarantee against 

the mother. 

This case carries a 

message to lenders and 

solicitors advising Third Party 

Guarantors to be aware that it 

is not enough that legal advice 

has been obtained but that 

the advice should be objective 

and adequate. 

It should also provide a 

message to those who are 

asked to provide Third Party 

Guarantees and Indemnities. 

No matter how much one 

may wish to help children 

and families, it is prudent to 

carefully consider the import 

of the Guarantees, Indemnities 

and/or Mortgages or other 

Security which you may be 

asked to provide and to be 

aware of the consequences; ie, 

that you may lose the Security 

should the primary borrower 

(your children or family) 

default. 

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

Trades & Services 


AIR CONDITIONING 

Alliance Climate Control 

Call 02 9186 4179 

Air Conditioning & Electrical Professionals. 

Specialists in Air Conditioning Installation, 

Service, Repair & Replacement. 

NORTH EAST AIR 

Call Tim 0400 364 913 

We will deliver all your heating and cooling 

options; prompt, courteous service. 

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. 

BATTERIES 

Battery Business 

Call 9970 6999 

Batteries for all applications. Won’t be 

beaten on price or service. Free testing, 

7 days. 

BUILDING 

Southern Stairs 

Call 9542 1344 

Specialists in high-quality staircase for 35 

years; new Northern Beaches showroom. 

CLEANING 

Amazing Clean 

Call Andrew 0412 475 2871 

Specialists in blinds, curtains and awnings. 

Clean, repair, supply new. 

Aussie Clean Team 

Call John 0478 799 680 

For a sparkling finish, inside and out. 

Also light maintenance/repairs. Free 

quotes; fully insured. 

The Aqua Clean Team 

Call Mark 0449 049 101 

Quality window washing, pressure cleaning, 

carpet washing, building soft wash. 

ELECTRICAL 

Alliance Service Group 

Call Adrian 9063 4658 

All services & repairs, 24hr. Lighting 

installation, switchboard upgrade. Seniors 

discount 5%. 

Eamon Dowling Electrical 

Call Eamon 0410 457 373 

For all electrical needs including phone, TV 

and data. Pittwater-based. Reliable; quality 

service guaranteed. 

FLOOR COVERINGS 

Blue Tongue Carpets 

Call Stephan or Roslyn 9979 7292 

Northern Beaches Flooring Centre has 

been family owned & run for over 20 years. 

Carpets, Tiles, Timber, Laminates, Hybrids 

& Vinyls. Open 6 days. 

GARDENS 

!Abloom Ace Gardening 

Call 0415 817 880 

Full range of gardening services including 

landscaping, maintenance and rubbish 

removal. 

Living Gardens Landscape 

Call Richy 0475 148417 

Lawn & garden maintenance, garden 

regeneration, stone work, residential & 

commercial. 

Melaleuca Landscapes 

Call Sandy 0416 276 066 

Professional design and construction 

for every garden situation. Sustainable 

vegetable gardens and waterfront 

specialist. 

Precision Tree Services 

Call Adam 0410 736 105 

Adam Bridger; professional tree care by 

qualified arborists and tree surgeons. 

GUTTERS & ROOFING 

Cloud9 R&G 

Call Tommy 0447 999 929 

Prompt and reliable service; gutter cleaning 

and installation, leak detection, roof 

installation and painting. Also roof repairs 

specialist. 

Ken Wilson Roofing 

Call 0419 466 783 

Leaking roofs, tile repairs, tiles replaced, 

metal roof repairs, gutter cleaning, valley irons 

replaced. 

HANDYMEN 

Hire A Hubby 

Call 1800 803 339 

Extensive services including carpentry, 

outdoor maintenance, painting and plastering 

and more. 

Local Handyman 

Call Jono 0413 313299 

Small and medium-sized building jobs, also 

welding & metalwork; licensed. 

HOT WATER 

Hot Water Maintenance NB 

Call 9982 1265 

Local emergency specialists, 7 days. Sales, 

service, installation. Warranty agents, fully 

accredited. 

KITCHENS 

Collaroy Kitchen Centre 

Call 9972 9300 

Danish design excellence. Local beaches 

specialists in kitchens, bathrooms and joinery. 

Visit the showroom in Collaroy. 


Advertise 

your 

Business in 

Trades & 

Services 

section 

Ph: 0438 123 096 






Pittwater Puzzler 

Compiled by David Stickley 


Seabreeze Kitchens 

Call 9938 5477 

Specialists in all kitchen needs; design, 

fitting, consultation. Excellent trades. 

LOCKSMITHS 

Mosman Locksmiths 

Call 9969 6333 

40 years servicing the Beaches; specialists 

in lock-outs including automotive, rekeying, 

smart lock security; also door hardware and 

safe sales & installation. 

MASSAGE & FITNESS 

Avalon Physiotherapy 

Call 9918 3373 

Provide specialist treatment for neck & 

back pain, sports injuries, orthopaedic 

problems. 

PAINTING 

Cloud9 Painting 

Call 0447 999 929 

Your one-stop shop for home or office 

painting; interiors, exteriors and also roof 

painting. Call for a quote. 

PEST CONTROL 

Predator Pest Control 

Call 0417 276 962 

predatorpestcontrol.com.au 

Environmental services at their best. 

Comprehensive control. Eliminate all manner 

of pests. 

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. 

PLUMBING 

Mark Ellison Plumbing 

Call 0431 000 400 

Advanced solutions for sewer & stormwater 

pipe relining: Upfront price, 25-year warranty. 

RUBBISH REMOVAL 

Brown Bros Skip Bins 

Call 1300 879 688 

Local waste management & environmental 

services experts. Bins to suit, delivered 

between 2 & 24 hours. Green footprint. 

Jack’s Rubbish Removals 

Call Jack 0403 385 312 

Up to 45% cheaper than skips. Latest 

health regulations. Old-fashioned honesty & 

reliability. Free quotes. 

One 2 Dump 

Call Josh 0450 712 779 

Seven-days-a-week pick-up service 

includes general household rubbish, 

construction, commercial plus vegetation. 

Also car removals. 

SLIDING DOOR REPAIRS 

Serenity Now 

Call Cam 0452 336 677 

Local specialists in sliding door repairs and 

track service, including new rollers; 5-year 

guarantee. 

UPHOLSTERY 

Luxafoam North 

Call 0414 468 434 

Local specialists in all aspects of outdoor & 

indoor seating. Custom service, expert advice. 

ACROSS 

1 Petrol pump (6) 

5 Anita Jacoby’s book, _______ 

Beyond the Screen (7) 

9 High-pitched signal (5) 

10 Dog owners action group led 

by Michele Robertson, Pittwater 

_________ (9) 

11 These may be seen flying along 

the coastal areas of Pittwater (8) 

12 Small bite from a fish, possibly 

(6) 

13 School year section (4) 

14 Newport Rugby’s first female 

team (10) 

18 Cindy Gardiner, Geoff 

Lancaster and Heidi Currie for 

example (10) 

20 A festive or special occasion (4) 

23 A list or plan showing turns 

of duty or leave for individuals or 

groups in an organisation (6) 

24 And others; and so forth; and 

so on (2,6) 

26 The NSW Government will 

no longer be pursuing the 

development of this Northern 

Beaches suburb as a growth area 

(9) 

27 Tentative or experimental 

action in order to ascertain results 

(5) 

28 Someone skilled in an 

industrial or applied art; a 

craftsperson (7) 

29 Mosaic artists (6) 

DOWN 

2 Out of doors (4-3) 

3 Recently elected Member for 

Mackellar, ______ Scamps (6) 

4 Sort of journey undertaken 

by Palm Beach Ferries within 

Pittwater, say (5,4) 

5 Substance that gives sea water 

its characteristic taste (4) 

6 A woodwind instrument with a 

single-reed mouthpiece (8) 

7 An object or collection on 

display to the public (7) 

8 Marsh plant (5) 

9 What can be found at the corner 

of Pittwater Rd and Coronation 

St (3,4) 

15 An area of community space 

like that used by Newport 

Community Garden, perhaps (9) 

16 Concrete barrier designed 

to protect coastal property in 

Collaroy (7) 

17 Those with a plan of action (8) 

19 The power of discerning and 

understanding things (7) 

21 28-across’s workroom (7) 

22 Money received for letting out 

a house, say (6) 

23 Yoghurt side dish available 

from Northern Beaches Tadka in 

North Narrabeen (5) 

25 A publicly displayed board 

giving information (4) 

[Solution page 72] 

Pittwater Puzzler 





Food Life 

with Janelle Bloom 

For more recipes go to janellebloom.com.au 

When it comes to the crunch, 

think apples for versatility 


Recipes: janellebloom.com.au; facebook.com/culinaryinbloom; instagram.com/janellegbloom/ Photos: Adobe Stock 

It’s apple season right now – and this year’s is 

expected to be a bumper one! Food experts 

calculate that in 2022 we will enjoy a staggering 

200 million kilos of apples. There are many 

varieties on offer, my favourite at the moment 

being the dark purple-skinned Bravo! They are so 

Apple and cinnamon 

jam with croissant 

Makes 6-7 cups 

1.5kg apples (1kg granny 

smith, 500g Braeburn or Pink 

lady) 

3 lemons, rind finely grated, 

juiced 

2 cups (500ml) apple juice 

6 cups (1.35kg) white sugar 

2 cinnamon sticks, broken in 

half 

1. Peel and core the apples, 

reserve the cores and seeds 

(as these contain pectin 

which help set the jam). 

Place the core and seeds in 

a piece of muslin or un-used 

Chux cloth, and secure with 

a piece string. Slice or dice 

the apples into 3cm pieces. 

Place the apples and bag with 

cores and seeds in a large 

heavy-based saucepan over 

low heat with the lemon rind, 

lemon juice and apple juice. 

Cook, stirring occasionally 

for 15-20 minutes until apples 

are just tender when tested 

with a skewer. 

2. Add the sugar and 

cinnamon, stir until the 

sugar has dissolved. 

Increase the heat to high 

and bring to the boil. Boil 

gently, stirring occasionally 

for 20 minutes, using a large 

spoon to remove any scum 

from the surface every 10 

minutes, or until setting 

point is reached (see tips). 

3. Remove the bag with the 

cores and seeds, ladle hot 

jam into hot sterilised jars. 

Seal, turn the jam upside 

down for 2 minutes, then 

turn upright. This jam is 

delicious served warm 

or cold on a croissant for 

breakfast or brunch. 

TIP: Test your jam is at 

setting point 

Remove the pan from the 

heat, place a small plate in the 

freezer for 15 minutes. Drop a 

teaspoon of the jam onto the 

plate and return to the freezer 

for 1 minute. Push your finger 

through the jam on the plate; 

the jam should wrinkle and 

stay separated on the plate. If 

it’s not ready, continue cooking 

the jam and test again. 

TIP: To sterilise jars 

Preheat the oven to 130°C. Do 

not be tempted to heat the 

oven any higher, or you may 

risk the glass breaking. Place 

a tea towel on a baking tray. 

Wash the jars and lids (metal 

and glass lids only). Place 

upright on the tray, making 

sure the jars are not touching 

each other. Heat for 20 

minutes. 

Pork, apple 

and onion jam 

sausage rolls 

Makes 12 


2 apples (Granny Smith, Royal 

versatile, with wonderful natural sweetness – they 

are great to eat, juice and cook with, like many 

other apple varieties, so grab a kilo or two and 

support our farmers; these country folk sure had 

a tough few years before the rains blessed them 

with this new bounty! Enjoy… 

Gala) quartered, cored, thinly 

sliced 

1 tsp fennel seeds 

½ cup onion jam (see tip) 

600g pork mince 

3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs 

1 tbs Dijon mustard 

2 eggs 

2 sheet frozen puff pastry, 

partially thawed 

1 tbs sesame seeds 

1. Preheat oven to 200°C fanforced. 

Line a large baking 

tray with baking paper. 

2. Heat a large non-stick frying 

pan over medium heat. 

Add the oil, apples and 

fennel seeds, cook, stirring 

occasionally for 6 minutes or 

until the apples are tender. 

Transfer to a large bowl, stir 

in the jam. Set aside to cool. 

3. Add the mince, 

breadcrumbs, mustard 

and 1 egg; mix until well 

combined. Season well. 

4. Cut the pastry sheets in half. 

Shape one-quarter of mince 

mixture into a log the same 

length as the pastry. Place 

onto pastry and roll over to 

enclose the filling. Repeat 

with remaining mixture. Cut 

each roll into 3 pieces. 

5. Beat the remaining egg and 

brush the top of the sausage 

rolls with egg, sprinkle with 

sesame seeds. Place on the 

tray, seam side down and 

bake for 30 minutes or until 

puffed and golden. 

Janelle’s Tip: Onion jam is 

available in supermarkets; 

alternatively, sauté 2 large 

onions in olive oil with a little 

brown sugar until soft and 

golden. 

Apple, beetroot 

and roasted maple 

walnut salad 

Serves 4-6 (as a side) 

It’s delicious served on burgers 

or with chicken, sausages or 

pan-seared salmon. 


1 tbs maple syrup 

½ tsp chilli flakes, optional 

½ cup walnuts 

500g packet precooked 

beetroot (see tip) 

4 Jazz, Fuji, Kanzi or Pink lady 

apples 

1 cup firmly packed picked 

coriander or flat leaf parsley 

leaves 

Horseradish dressing 

¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive 

oil 

1 tbs sherry vinegar 

1 tbs horseradish cream 

½ small garlic clove, crushed 

½ tsp maple syrup 

1. Preheat oven 180°C fan- 



forced. Combine the oil and 

maple in a bowl, season 

with salt and chilli flakes. 

Add walnuts and stir to coat. 

Spoon onto a baking tray. 

Bake for 10 minutes until 

toasted. Set aside to cool, 

roughly chop. 

2. Whisk all the dressing 

ingredients together in a 

large bowl, season with salt 

and pepper. Cut the beetroot 

and apple into matchsticks 

and add to the dressing, stir 

gently to combine. Add the 

coriander and walnuts, stir 

gently and serve. 

Janelle’s Tip: Precooked 

beetroot is available in the fruit 

and vegetable section of the 

supermarket. 

Seared pork chops 

with apple and 

mustard sauce 

Serves 4 

4 loin steaks 

1 tbs thyme leaves 

2 tbs extra virgin olive oil 

3 apples (like Jazz, Kanzi, Pink 

lady or Royal Gala or Bravo), 

quartered, cored, thickly sliced 

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 

¼ cup dry white wine 

1 tbs Dijon mustard 

1 cup chicken stock 

½ cup thickened cream, plus 

extra to drizzle 

Mashed potato or cooked pasta, 

to serve 

1. Season both sides of the pork 

and sprinkle with thyme. Heat 

oil in a large frying pan over 

high heat. Add the pork, cook 

for 1 minutes each side until 

golden. Remove to a plate. 

2. Reduce heat to medium, add 

the remaining oil with the 

apples and garlic to pan. 

Cook for 30 seconds. Add the 

wine and bring to the boil. 

3. Meanwhile, whisk the 


mustard and stock together 

until smooth. Pour into the 

pan and bring to the boil, 

boil gently 4-6 minutes until 

the apples are almost tender 

and sauce thickened slightly. 

Stir in the cream then return 

the pork to the pan, simmer 

5 minutes until the pork is 

cooked and apples tender. 

Serve over mash potato or 

pasta. 

Apple strudel 

Serves 6 

25g unsalted butter 

1kg apples (mix of Granny 

Smith and Pink Lady or Kanzi), 

peeled, cored, quartered, thinly 

sliced 

½ cup white sugar, plus extra 

to sprinkle 

1 tbs lemon juice 

1 tsp ground cinnamon 

¼ cup raisins 

375g roll frozen all butter puff 

pastry (see tip), thawed 

2-3 tbs panko crumbs 

2 tbs brown sugar 

Icing sugar, to serve 

Double cream (optional), to 

serve 

1. Melt the butter in a large 

frying pan over medium 

heat. Add the apples, sugar 

and lemon juice. Cook 

for 6-8 minutes or until 

the apple starts to soften, 

but still hold their shape. 

Transfer to a colander to 

drain. Set aside to cool 

completely. Spoon the 

apple into a bowl. Stir in the 

cinnamon and raisins. 

2. Place a large oven tray into 

the oven. Preheat oven and 

tray to 180°C fan-forced. 

3. Unroll the puff pastry and 

lay it vertically in front of 

you on a sheet of baking 

paper. Combine the panko 

crumbs and brown sugar, 

sprinkle evenly over the 

pastry. Spoon the apple 

mixture along the long 

side closest to you, leaving 

a 3cm at both short ends 

free. Fold in the ends. Roll 

up firmly to enclose the 

filling. 

4. Brush the top lightly with 

water and sprinkle with white 

sugar. Score the top of the 

pastry at 2cm intervals. Lift 

the strudel, still on the paper 

onto the hot tray in the oven. 

Bake for 30 minutes or until 

golden. Dust with icing sugar 

and serve with cream or ice 

cream. 

Janelle’s Tip: Carême butter 

puff is worth looking for; 

you will find it at Harris Farm 

and other good-quality food 

retailers. 

Apple fritters 

Serves 4 

1 cup (150g) self-raising flour 

2 tbs icing sugar, plus extra to 

serve 

200ml chilled soda water 

4 apples (Royal Gala, Eve, Kanzi 

or Bravo), washed, dried 

Vegetable oil, for frying 

Icing sugar and ice cream, to 

serve 

1. Sift the flour and icing sugar 

into a bowl, make a well in the 

centre. Gently whisk in soda 

water. 

2. Trim the tops and bases the 

apples. Cut apples into 4-6 

rounds (this depends on the 

size of your apples), then use 

an apple corer to remove the 

core from each piece of apple. 

3. Half-fill a medium saucepan 

with oil and heat over medium 

heat. Dip 4 apple slices, one 

at a time into the batter, then 

carefully lower into the oil. 

Cook for 2 minutes then turn 

the fritters over and cook 

a further 1 minute or until 

golden. Remove to a wire rack 

over a tray to drain. Repeat 

with the remaining apples, 

reheating the oil as needed 

between batches. 

4. Dust with icing sugar, serve 

warm with ice cream. 


Food Life


Tasty Morsels 

with Beverley Hudec 


Pick of the Month: 

Potatoes 

Potatoes last longer on 1 green chilli, finely chopped over 

the kitchen bench than 500g floury potatoes (like medium 

most fruits and vegetables, 

but eventually, they start to 

sprout green shoots and lose 

some of their freshness. So 

here are a few storage tips. 

Remove potatoes from 

plastic bags and place a 

cardboard box, paper bag 

or basket to ensure good 

ventilation. Plastic bags won’t 

allow them to breathe and 

will shorten their shelf life 

considerably. 

Store your potatoes in a 

cool, humid, and dark place. 

Never store potatoes in the 

fridge; the cold temperature 

turns the potato starch into 

sugar. 

Check on your potatoes 

regularly and remove any that 

are soft or sprouted so they 

don’t spoil the other potatoes. 

Even if your potatoes have 

sprouted, they are still safe 

to eat, if the sprout is small, 

the potatoes are firm – but 

always remove and discard 

the sprouting piece. 

Sebago), peeled, chopped 

1 litre chicken or vegetable 

stock, plus extra as needed 

400g broccoli, cut into small 

florets 

2 tbs thickened cream, 

optional 

Micro herbs or mint, to serve, 

optional 

1. Place the oil, leek, garlic 

and chilli in a saucepan 

heat, 

cooking 

stirring for 3 

minutes or until 

soft. Add the potatoes, 

cook, stirring for 1 minute. 

Add the stock and bring to 

the boil. Simmer, covered, 

for 8 minutes or until the 

potatoes are tender when 

tested with a skewer. 

2. Add the broccoli; cook, 

Potato and 

broccoli soup 

Serves 4 

1 tbs extra virgin olive oil, 

plus extra to serve 

1 leek, thinly sliced 

2 garlic cloves, crushed 

uncovered, 

for 2 

minutes until 

the broccoli is 

bring green and tender. 

Remove from the heat. Cool 

slightly. Use a stick blender 

to blend until smooth. 

Taste and season. Stir 

through the cream if using, 

heat over medium-low 

heat until heated through, 

adjusting the consistency 

with extra stock as needed. 

3. Ladle the soup into bowls. 

Drizzle with extra virgin 

olive oil, sprinkle with 

micro herbs, season and 

serve. 

In Season 

July 

Apples, bananas, Custard 

apples, dates, mandarins, 

Kiwi fruit – look out for new 

gold and pink variety; Nashi 

pears, Australian Navel 

and Cara Cara oranges, 

pears, quince, rhubarb and 

strawberries. Also avocados, 

beetroot, broccolini and 

broccoli, Brussels sprouts, 

cauliflower, leeks, fennel, 

Jerusalem artichokes, 

pumpkin, Sweet potato, 

potatoes, spinach and 

silverbeet, kale and turnips. 

Some Tiny Morsels to savour in July 

Newport's Pivot 

currying f(l)avour 

Newport’s Pivot is making a name 

for itself with a selection of readymade 

meals on a rotating menu. 

Go-to dishes include fish curries 

and black pepper chicken. Book a 

table on Friday night for margaritas, 

nachos and burritos. Alternatively, 

drop in during the week for a 

caffeine hit from local roaster, 

Barrel One. 

Wurst still best 

for small goods 

Brot & Wurst has moved 

premises. It’s still in 

Narrabeen and it still stocks 

German small goods and 

provisions on its shelves, 

in the cooler cabinets and 

freezer. Check out the chilled 

deli section for comfort food 

like weisswurst, bockwurst 

and kransky. It’s a bakery too 

with German rye bread, rolls, 

pretzels and cherry strudel. 

Sa-Biang a stairway 

to delish Thai heaven 

If you’re taking the kids out for Thai, 

pad Thai is a noodle dish that always 

goes down a storm with all age groups. 

It balances the essential sweet, salty 

and sour elements of Thai cuisine 

without being spicy. Avalon’s Sa- 

Biang also showcases plenty of family 

favourites like fragrant massaman 

curry, oyster sauce stir fries, as well as 

fish cakes, dumplings and curry puffs. 

Seafood no surprise 

at new Mona dining 

Roll on Spring when restaurateur 

Doug Fraser opens The Basin Dining 

in the newly renovated Mona Vale 

Surf Life Saving Club. Given the 

location, expect to see plenty of 

seafood on the 85-seater lunch and 

dinner menu. Fraser says that several 

popular dishes from his nearby 

Newport eatery, Lovat, will migrate to 

the beachside venue. 

Tasty Dining Morsels Guide 




Three of a kind: Local Golf Clubs 

There’s an Asian twist to dining 

at Palm Beach Golf Club. Sashimi 

Kingfish tacos, Thai beef salad and 

spanner crab omelette with chilli 

lime dressing pep up Beach Road 

Dining’s menu. Fish and chip fans 

can go two ways. There’s either 

traditional beer battered ling or 

pan-roasted barramundi with 

Asian slaw and chilli jam (left). 

White Rock Cafe at Long Reef 

Golf Club is a hidden local gem. 

What could be nicer than a table 

with views over Fishermans Beach? 

Breakfast picks include scrambled 

chilli eggs and buttermilk 

pancakes. Bacon and egg rolls 

pop up at lunchtime, as do herbchicken 

schnitzels, crunchy salad 

bowls and chilli prawn pasta. 

Bookings are a must for the 

hugely popular Wednesday night 

steaks at Bayview Golf Club. The 

eight-hour confit beef rib eye is 

perfect with chips, salad and your 

choice of sauce – perfect on a cold 

winter night. On Friday night, it’s 

time for pizza and live music. The 

club’s restaurant is open to both 

members and non-members. 


Garden Life 

with Gabrielle Bryant 

A good year for the roses, with 

colour and fragrance aplenty 


There is a rose variety for every 

garden; with a little bit of research 

you’ll find there are roses for pots, 

in the ground, to climb up pillars, cover 

archways, to cover the ground or to 

ramble over banks, for full sun or semishade. 

Roses add colour and fragrance 

wherever they grow. 

As gardens grow smaller in urban 

areas and neighbouring buildings steal 

the sun, it’s becoming harder to find a 

spot that will be suitable year-round. The 

answer is to grow potted plants that can 

be moved around as the seasons change. 

Potted roses are easy to grow if you 

follow a few important steps. 

Roses are greedy: they love plenty 

of food, soil that is rich in compost, a 

regular watering and very good drainage. 

The roses that are most suited to pots 

are the single-stemmed formal hybrid tea 

roses; or the floribunda roses that have 

clusters of flowers on every stem. 

Use the largest pot available. A 30cm 

pot is the smallest that will be successful 

(right). If 

possible, choose 

a terracotta pot 

that will allow the 

roots to breathe 

(black plastic will 

heat up in the 

sun and the roots 

can burn). 

Choose a very 

good potting 

mix with plenty 

of organic 

matter. If 

possible, choose 

a mix without any pelleted fertiliser. 

These mixes are great in the ground but 

in pots the pellets release salts that build 

up over time as they break down. Feed 

roses with water-based fertilisers and 

liquid fish fertilisers. 

Never let the soil dry out. Pots 

should be watered at least 

every second day. Cover the 

surface of the soil with 

a mulch of compost or 

sugar cane mulch to 

hold the moisture. 

Chase the sun with 

the pot, to make 

sure that your rose 

gets at least half a 

day of sunlight. 

Remember to ‘dead 

head’ the flowers to 

keep some new buds forming. 

Most roses will flower throughout 

the summer months. 

Roses have very few problems. Aphids 

(below) can be hosed off. Try to avoid 

pesticides. Aphids are a food for beneficial 

hover flies, birds 

and lady birds 

in the garden. 

If they get out 

of control spray 

with Eco Oil. 

Powdery mildew 

and Back spot 

are fungal 

disease caused 

by humidity. 

Control these 

with a spray of 1 

part milk to 10 

parts water. 



Fill spaces with fruiting shrubs and trees 

Gardens get smaller and 

smaller, but it is still nice 

to fill the space with trees. 

Most trees grow too large – 

but choose carefully and you 

can find a wide selection to 

choose from. 

If you are a home produce 

addict, take a look at the 

variety of dwarf and smallgrowing 

fruits that will grow in 

pots or in the ground. 

Most raspberries need a 

cooler climate, but Raspberry 

Bliss (top left) grows in warmer 

climates. It is a smallergrowing 

shrub, perfect for 

large pots, full sunshine and 

For many years rose growers have supported charities by 

donating royalties and profits. If you are undecided about 

which to buy, why not buy online a rose that supports a charity 

that is close to your heart? 

Knights Roses in South Australia sells online as postal orders. 

They have charity roses of every colour. Support the Leukaemia 

Foundation by 

growing the rich 

golden yellow 

fragrant flowers of 

Always Remember 

(right). The soft loose 

pearly pink blooms 

of Butterfly Kisses 

will send funds to the 

Variety Club to help 

sick children and 

their families. 

If you want to 

support welfare for 

women and their 

children, the rich red 

hybrid tea rose SACWA will help the Country Women’s Association 

of South Australia raise the much-needed funds to help women in 

cities and country alike. 

We all remember the amazing dedication of the firefighters 

in the bushfires; Fire Star is a brilliant floribunda rose that has 

clusters of scarlet buds that turn brilliant orange and fade to soft 

pink with time. 

The rich marmalade orange tea rose We Will Remember Them 

is a much-loved rose that will help to maintain the war memorials 

in France. 


plenty of nourishing soil. It will 

grow to just 1m tall and 1m 

wide. 

Blueberries are full of 

vitamins and perfect for 

muffins, smoothies or in fruit 

salad. Blueberry Burst is an 

awesome variety that always 

performs to perfection in a pot. 

If you love bananas, grow 

a dwarf banana Nathan in a 

large tub or in the ground. 

At two years old and 1.8m it 

will produce hands of small, 

delicious bananas, at the same 

time as being an attractive 

courtyard addition, or you can 

bring the pot inside for a very 

Roses boost for charity 

dramatic indoor plant. 

For something more 

traditional, look at the Trixzie 

fruit trees from Flemings 

Nursery in Victoria. There 

are miniature apples, pears, 

nectarine, peaches (right) or 

cherries. (It is a bit too warm 

for cherries, but the others will 

grow in peninsular gardens.) 

Every garden needs some 

shade from the hot summer 

sun. July is the month for a 

visit to the garden centre to 

find a tree that will give shade 

in summer and let the light 

shine in in winter. 

Magnolia trees are late- 

Spring flowering trees but with 

time they grow tall, look for 

a magnolia Stellata (centre) 

either with starry flowers of 

white or pink. These magnolias 

are small and compact, and a 

delight in any spring garden. 

For Autumn colour you can’t 

go past Cercis Forest Pansy. 

This small attractive 5m tree 

has heart-shaped, bright new 

green foliage that turns to dark 

red as it matures. The leaves 

continually change colour until 

they glow in the Autumn sun, 

giving a display of fiery red 

before losing their leaves for 

Winter. 


Garden Life


Jobs this Month 

July 

Times Past 

RECORD: Pittwater on left 

and the main quarters show 

very clearly to the right, circa 

1880s; all that remained 

of the station in 1986 after 

the fire (below). 


After months of torrential 

rain the ground is 

starting to dry. It may 

seem crazy but it is time to 

water the garden. Through the 

wet weeks, plants will have 

sent roots to the surface to 

survive, now these new roots 

are in danger of burning. It 

will take time for plants to reestablish. 

Seedling colour 

If your garden is looking drab 

after a very cold Winter, fill 

empty spots with seedlings 

or potted colour. Primulas 

(below) are cheerful fillers 

that will flower for the weeks 

ahead; keep picking the 

flowers and bring them inside 

to prolong the flowering time. 

Lollypop primulas are mixed 

colours of red, pink and white, 

or if you have a colour scheme 

you can buy punnets of 

individual colours. 

Prune & tidy 

Time now to prune and tidy 

the garden. Prune back roses, 

cut back any weak or twiggy 

growth. Always prune back to 

an outward pointing shoot, 

keeping the centre of the bush 

open. Spray the bush with a 

copper spray. This will clean 

up any fungal spores from the 

last season and strengthen 

the new growth against any 

sudden drop in temperature. 

Pest watch 

Cymbidium orchids are coming 

into flower. Protect the flower 

spikes from marauding snails 

that can destroy the buds 

overnight. Multiguard snail 

pellets are safe for animals 

and birds. Watch out for leaf 

miner on the new shoots 

on citrus trees. The curled 

Aerate lawns 

Lawns have suffered with heavy rain. Aerate the compacted 

turf with a spiked roller or a pair of spiked sandals before 

feeding with a slow-release lawn food to get your grass 

back to health in time for Spring. 

distorted leaves are a giveaway. 

Trim back affected 

leaves and spray with eco oil. 

Simple chores 

Lift and divide gingers, 

agapanthus, iris, Mondo grass, 

liriope, paint brush lilies, 

Autumn crocus or any other 

perennials, bulbs or ground 

covers that need splitting. 

Sow tomato seeds and other 

Summer veggies now and be 

ready to plant them out as 

soon as the weather warms 

up. Seeds are much cheaper 

than seedlings! 

Trim time 

Geraniums need a tidy up. 

Trim them up and take 

cuttings to replace any plants 

that are woody and old. Also, 

trim and train passionfruit 

vines. The fruit only produces 

on the new growth. Cut the 

vines back by 50% to form a 

solid framework. 

Move trees 

It may be cold outside, but it 

is time to rug up and move 

any trees and shrubs that 

have outgrown their space. 

Spray with Yates Drought 

Shield a week before moving 

as a precaution to reduce 

transplanting shock. 

Crossword solution from page 65 

Mystery location: PALM BEACH 

Early Customs Station at ‘Barranjoey’ 

A 

Customs Station was 

established in the lee 

of Barranjoey Headland 

in 1843 in response to 

the frequency and persistent 

smuggling of spirits. Custom 

duties were seen as a way of 

‘self-funding’ colonisation 

and income tax wasn’t introduced 

until 1915. 

John B. Howard, former 

captain of the Revenue Cutter 

‘Prince George’ was selected 

as the first Coast Waiter of 

this new Customs Station. 

Initially three tents from 

the Colonial Stores were 

issued to seven men at the 

station on 19 April 1843. The 

coxswain was a free man but 

the carpenter, the boat builder 

and the three boatmen were 

convicts. With their assistance, 

Howard managed to 

construct a building for the 

boat crew, a jetty and “a very 

comfortable residence for 

himself” – all for 150 pounds 

($300) and from his own pocket 

(to be later reimbursed). 

Parliamentary reporter 

Charles de Boos, at the end of 

his extraordinary walk from 

Manly to Barranjoey in 1861, 

described the building as the 

“white cottage we could see 

glistening brightly against 

the dark background of the 

vast cliffs of the mountain”. 

However, upon closer inspection, 

Charles commented 

that the beauty “was all in 

appearance” and “the slabs 

and posts and weatherboards 

were now so far decayed as to 

make it doubtful on the occasion 

of every gale of wind, 

whether it would stand it out 

or succumb before the blast”. 

After only 18 years, and 

three successive coast waiters, 

the Colonial Architect, 

James Barnet reported that 

the buildings were “in a most 

dilapidated condition and 

unworthy of repair”. 

He promptly drew up plans 

for new cottages and boatsheds 

and by December 1862 

John Taylor had completed 

construction at the tendered 

price of 595 pounds. 

It was reported only six 

months later that a brief but 

heavy hailstorm broke all 

the glass in the 12-paned 

colonial windows and an 

urgent request for putty and 

86 squares of glass was sent 

to Stores. 

In 1867 the station was 

positively described as “… a 

pretty cottage of the Customs 

Officer, Mr Ross and the residences 

of those connected 

with the Customs Station. 

There is evidence of food in 

the gardens and the ground 

around the station and an 

air of peaceful comfort quite 

refreshing to those engaged 

in the turmoil of city life”. 

In December 1900, Broken 

Bay was no longer officially 

regarded as a port and the activities 

of the Custom Station 

ceased. 

After appraisal by architect 

David Sheedy in April 1976, 

the main building – the Cus- 

toms House – was accepted 

for classification by the 

National Trust the following 

month. 

Sadly, five months later (on 

9 October), the building was 

totally destroyed by fire. 

David had managed to 

complete measured sketches 

of plans and elevations 

before the tragedy, so along 

with contemporary photographs, 

at least a very accurate 

history of the complex 

remains. 

* With respect to the late 

Jervis Sparks (and ‘keeper’ 

of the headland for some 

30 years), the spelling of 

Barranjoey is maintained in 

this article. 

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 





CREDIT: Giant Design Consultants 

News 

SEEN… 

We’ve been given a glimpse of the stylish fit-out of the new 

Basin restaurant at Mona Vale SLSC (above left)… and photographer 

Fabio Silvestre was on hand to capture some of the huge 

shore break swell at Narrabeen last month (above right). 

HEARD #1… 

Dr Sophie Scamps (below with husband Adam Magro) was 

declared winner of the seat of Mackellar on June 10; Dr Scamps 

will head to Canberra for the opening of the 47th Australian 

Parliament on July 26. We wonder whether the kerfuffle over 

the Albanese Government cutting the advisors headcount of 

crossbench representatives will have been sorted by then. 

The dispute between Trippas White 

Group and Council that’s seen the 

hospitality space at Avalon Beach 

Surf Lifesaving Club deserted over 

the past year has been resolved. 

Council tells us: “Council and 

Avalon Beach SLSC have reached 

agreement with the operator 

to end the restaurant and café 

arrangements.” In July, Council 

plans to release a tender for a new 

operator; however, in the interim 

the function space is available to 

the community, with bookings 

through the Club… Council says 

the most recent complaint it has 

received about the Barrenjoey 

Swim School, which continues to 

operate after its closure was revoked in April, was on 1 May. 

Council says complainants have been informed that the matter 

is on hold while Council reviews the school’s revised operating 

model… Mayor Michael Regan has again cautioned his fellow 

councillors about raising community expectations on projects 

post-COVID. It comes as Councillors push to revitalise small 

village centres such as Elanora Heights. Cr Regan said: “I am 

pleased to see our smaller centres get some focus; councillors 

now need to work up a budget to deliver on all these promises. 

We are still paying off debt and it’s important we prioritise the 

maintenance of our existing assets.” 

ABSURD... 

HEARD #2… 

It’s four months since thousands of potholes started appearing 

on roads across the northern beaches due to torrential rain – 

now it seems both the State Government and our Council are 

fed up with the repair contractor’s tardy response. Government 

sources confirmed there is growing frustration and impatience 

internally at the delay in repairs and other broader network 

issues. And Mayor Michael Regan wants Council to step in and 

do the Government’s job for them – at their expense. He told 

us: “I’m fielding a lot of complaints about potholes on State 

Government-managed roads, especially on Bilgola Bends and 

Wakehurst Parkway. I agree that it’s frustrating how long it’s 

taking to get these seen to. I have offered the government for 

Council to assist, at State expense, to make sure they get done 

in a timely way.” As for Council’s roads, he says: “Our crews 

have been working hard to get on top of every pothole reported. 

Since February we’ve had over 3,622 potholes reported on 

Council-managed roads across the Northern Beaches and we’ve 

fixed 3,277 of them – and we’re working methodically through 

the remaining.” You can report potholes on Council’s website.

Pittwater Life July 2022 Issue

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