Pittwater Life July 2024 Issue

The Way We Were
Every month we 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
The Way We Were
25 Years Ago…
Northern Sydney Area Health Service was
planning a meeting to discuss the future of
Mona Vale Hospital. “It will follow a meeting
held late last month in Mona Vale when the
community made it quite clear that it wants
the hospital to remain open.” The editor at
the time wrote that Health Minister Craig
Knowles “… has refused to give a direct
answer on the future of the hospital… The
current State Government does not care
for the Northern Beaches as manifested by
the State Budget which gave the area not
one cent for important and urgent works.”
Pittwater MP John Brogden “… is quite
convinced that the Government’s mediumterm
plan is to close the hospital, along
with the Manly Hospital and amalgamate
services in a central location”. Referring to comments
made by Director of the Executive Unit of the NSAHS Ms
Loray Dudley, the Editor wrote: “This is one of the options
under consideration… the driving force she says is the cost of
technology and expertise.” There were plenty of developments
in the pipeline. A building application for 14 one-bedroom
apartments plus two commercial spaces at 5-7 Careel Head
Road Avalon North was set to go back before Council after
it was “opposed almost two years ago and ended up in the
Land and Environment Court where it was approved”; same
story for a group of 13 townhouses between Hock Avenue,
15 Years Ago…
Interest in “secondary
dwellings, the successor
to what used to be known
as ‘granny flats’ has been
growing steadily in Pittwater
since the Council changed its
policy to allow them in 2008…
the policy change was made to
overcome a lack of affordable
housing in Pittwater”.
The parents
of Avalon
Beach shark
attack victim,
15-yearold
Andrew
Lindop, were
honored at the
Club’s annual
presentation
night.
Andrew’s dad
Charles (who
put himself
between
Andrew and
the shark after
the attack at North Avalon
that March and helped him
onshore) was given an Award
of Courage, while Andrew’s
mother Louise received the
Life Saver of the Year Award
for her dedication to training
volunteer life savers. It was
reported “Andrew is currently
in good spirits
recovering,
waiting for
nerves in his leg
to mend. He has
been back in
the water too.”
Residents were
encouraged
to register for
the 17 th annual
Pub to Pub fun
run; and the
Palm Beach
RSL hosted
the Miss Palm
Beach Model
Search.
The Crescent and Barrenjoey Road; and
concerns were being raised by “Newport
Progress Association over the proposed
Woolworths development which involves
two floors of underground parking, a
shopping level at the ground floor and two
levels of (30) residential units” between
Barrenjoey Road and Foamcrest Avenue.
The Association considered the project
to be “an overdevelopment of the site”.
The editor noted: “It is however typical of
what is happening in commercial areas
like Newport and Avalon as developers
seize on the Council’s policy of shop-top
housing to cover its commitment to the
State Government to provide mediumdensity
housing.” In other news, Avalon
Community Library “went electronic last
month with a Webpoint Internet Kiosk… the booth is available
to the public wanting the surf the Net, for students needing
to research projects and for individuals wanting to set up
their own email address or use it to check their mail when
away from home”; there was a proposal to run an under-18s
nightclub on Fridays from 6pm-midnight at the rear of the
Avalon Cinema for up to 1200 teenagers; and nominations
for the September Council elections were to open late July.
“At this stage sitting Councillors are not saying if they plan to
run or not but it is expected many of them will.”
5 Years Ago…
Pittwater was earmarked
the lion’s share of public
art installations across the
Northern Beaches Coast
Walk. Bryan Brown and
Rachel Ward gave us the
inside goss on their new
movie Palm Beach. Labor
triggered a parliamentary
enquiry into the Northern
Beaches Hospital,
prompting Health Minister
Brad Hazzard to defend the
facility saying “… challenges
will continue to some degree
– as happens with all new
hospitals”. Council proposed
“… a trial arrangement
that would allow people
to take their dogs for a
walk and a swim offleash
along a section of Station
Beach – bound to east by
Palm Beach Golf Club and
to the west by Pittwater
Estuary – at specified times
and days”. Avalon Beach
SLSC was awarded Sport
NSW Community Club of
the Year and Minister for
Local Government Shelley
Hancock described NB
Council as “… a shining
star amongst the merged
councils”. She told
Parliament: … it is amazing
to see what they have
been doing in that space.”
Our Life Story featured
local maritime and sailing
identity Yvette Wijnen.
30 JULY 2024
The Local Voice Since 1991