City Hub 13 December 2018

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Having a beer with Duncan

BY Michael Hitch I love to have a beer with Duncan … and I’d love to have a beer with Darcy too.

Inner Westies can rejoice as the Inner West Council has revealed new plans to protect local watering holes from dreary redevelopments after studies revealed a number of historic hotels are not heritage listed.

Council is rolling out its new Heritage Pub Protection Program as more and more iconic Inner West pubs fall victim to the growing gentrification crisis – many reborn as 24-hour gyms and exposed brick apartments.

Earlier this year, the historic Town Hall Hotel in Balmain closed down so that the premises could be turned into a gym and massage parlour. Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne said conversions like the Town Hall’s set a very risky precedent, and if allowed to continue, could lead to the Inner West losing its history, culture and soul.

“Our hotels and pubs are cultural institutions and have a value above and beyond the commercial – they have architectural, historical and social significance,” he said.

“We’ve got to draw a line in the sand and send a clear message that if you buy a heritage hotel in the Inner West you need to operate it as a pub and not convert it into new usage.

“Council officers have investigated the heritage status of every pub in the Inner West. And the good news is many historic pubs are already heritage listed.

There are 66 pubs that are currently operating in the Inner West Local Government area but 17% (11) of these pubs have no heritage protection while 36% (24) have limited protections due to their heritage location.

Needless to say, Slim Dusty would twist daisies in his grave to know that over half of Inner West pubs, conduits of Australia’s culture and history,

The Town and Country Pub in St Peters. Photo: Michael Hitch

are being left defenceless against the tyranny of cashed-up contractors.

The pub is one of the best meeting grounds where Duncans and Colins and Kevins, and Alices and Emmas and Sylvias, can catchup, spin a yarn and even sell life insurance, an endeavour that Pat Alexander, writer of the music and lyrics to Slim Dusty’s second-most successful song “Duncan”, attempted at the Town and Country Hotel in St Peters.

Though unsuccessful in selling the insurance to factory owner Duncan Urquhart, Mr Alexander walked away with his only commercially successful song.

Owner of the Town and Country Hotel, Helen Filips, understands the importance of a pub where the atmosphere is great, and said that losing any

pub in the Inner West to a 10-unit apartment means a permanent loss of rich history.

“Our pub is a local pub with a history; it keeps people coming back and there’s a huge feeling of camaraderie and passion for this corner,” she said.

“A pub belongs to our history. With the Inner West being by far the densest in pub culture, that’s the most importance reason why pubs should be supported by everyone.

“With the history of Slim Dusty and him singing his Duncan song at my pub, it even brings people from the country here to see it. This pub has probably got one of the most historical presences within the Inner West Community, but losing any pub around here means the exact same loss.”

However, though Slim’s history is still kept alive, Ms Filips also noted that pubs needed to

change with the community if they expect to turn a profit.

“Every corner there’s a local pub and with the increasing diversity we’re seeing a lot more ‘lifestyle’ pubs as well and we want to be a part of that. We’ve done away with the pokies, we prefer families with children to come and join and we’ve tried to make ourselves a deeper part of the community,” she said.

The decline in the five o’clock rush over the last 50 years has increasingly caused venues to abandon a typical RSL setup in favour of the ‘lifestyle’ pub. This new iteration of the publichouse focusses on an atmosphere that reflects friendly values of drinking in moderation-ish, and providing a calmer atmosphere to have a craft brew with your mate, Duncan.

Though these aspects of pub culture have changed, the public’s enthusiasm for the local watering-hole hasn’t, making Council’s move to protect the pubs an imperative one.

Newtown resident, Kaihla Oxman, a frequent patron of her local pub, Corridor, said that her loyalty towards the pub is due to its welcoming atmosphere and friendly staff which she noted are quintessential components for any Australian pub.

“I’ve been going there for years now. You go to Newtown Hotel and you will always be around friends. It’s like your own little family and you can always count on it feeling like a second home,” she said.

“Drinking is a big part of the culture of Newtown.

But it’s not just about that. You go out and you’ll run into every single person you know. It’s a good way to keep in touch … especially when everyone’s wiping their arse with their iPhone.

“Places like my Newy need to be protected. It’s kind of like a sanctuary, and especially in Newtown, it’s such an accepting community. You don’t have to be someone else. Our pubs promote safe spaces and places where you can be yourself.”

Working for a Liveable, Sustainable, Progressive Sydney for all.

See my 2018 Report Card at www.alexgreenwich.com/2018_report_card city hub 13 DECEMBER 2018

3

Meet your Waterloo!

Published weekly and freely available Sydney-wide.

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ABN 52 600 903 348 Group Publisher: Lawrence Gibbons Group Editor: John Moyle Production Manager: Michael Hitch Contributors: Michael Hitch, Peter Hehir, Laura Neill, Sarah McLenaghan, Irina Dunn Arts Editor: Jamie Apps Advertising Manager: Georgina Pengelly Cover Photo: Supplied. Lee Kernaghan Designer: Nadia Kalinitcheva Advertising: sales@altmedia.net.au Mail: PO Box 843 Broadway 2007 Email: news@altmedia.net.au, arts@altmedia.net.au Ph: 9212 5677, Fax: 9212 5633 Website: altmedia.net.au

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By Irina Dunn After consulting multiple stakeholders and government agencies for two years the State government presented their plans for a massive $20 billion makeover of Waterloo Metro Quarter to a group of local resident and community activists. Representatives from both UrbanGrowth NSW and Sydney Metro (Transport for NSW) visited the Factory Community Centre in Waterloo on 6 December as guests of the community organisation REDWatch to present their proposals for the block to be built over the new metro station at Waterloo, where construction is well under way. The site is bounded by Botany Road, and Cope, Wellington and Raglan Streets.

You’d need a PhD and / or infinite patience to work your way through the documentation provided by for the Waterloo Metro Quarter proposals.

“The exercise that UrbanGrowth and Sydney Metro have been through over the last 24 months has been to take the planning controls away from the City of Sydney and place them in the state government structure.

The studies that have been undertaken are basically there to introduce new planning controls,” says Geoff Turnbull, a spokesman for the REDwatch community organisation.

The State is proposing two controversial changes in the new masterplan. The first will increase building heights from three to 29 storeys, allowing for high rise development in the precinct. The second will increase densities in the area by more than 300 percent, increasing maximum floor space ratios from 1.75:1 to 6.1:1.

Under the new plans, the government will deem the site to be a State Significant Development (SSD) proposal, allowing for

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city hub 13 DECEMBER 2018

REDwatch spokesman Geoff Turnbull facing a lot of reading in the Waterloo Metro project. Photo: Irina Dunn

three residential towers of 23, 25 and 29 storeys with a three-storey non-residential base.

There is a provision for 10% of the site or 70 of the 700 proposed home units to be set aside for public housing (also called social housing), and this would probably be given over to a community housing provider to run.

Turnbull explains: “Social housing is given on the basis of need, so that means women escaping domestic violence, people coming out of other family breakdowns, or with mental health issues, really the most marginalised in the community, and there is a move to get homeless people off the street into social housing, largely people on pensions”.

There is also a provision for up to 10% of affordable housing in the residential sections. The affordable housing provision is

contentious because it runs out after 10 years, and after that the owner of the building, the developer or whoever, can ask the affordable housing tenants to leave and then sell their units.

Affordable housing is for low-paid workers who can’t afford to live in the city because of the high rents. Affordable housing normally has three tiers: one is just above public housing, and the top end has a household income of about $100,000. That mix of incomes makes the housing viable to run.

Work on the underground hole and station “box” is proceeding apace, so it will not be long before the developer for the over-station development will be selected. If you are interested in making a submission, it is time to act now. You have until 30 January.

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5

Parking crisis hits Oxford Street

BY Sarah McLenaghan Sydney’s historic Oxford Street is facing further decline if the City of Sydney introduces parking meters to the area.

Businesses and residents have joined forces to protest the parking changes and save the iconic strip.

Sue Ritchie, owner of the Beauchamp Hotel on Oxford Street, said: “Oxford Street needs help, it doesn’t need another nail in the coffin from Council”.

The City of Sydney is pushing for parking meters to be installed along Greens Road and on the southern side of Oxford Street between Oatley and Greens Road.

The ticket parking will replace the current system of two hours free parking along the kerbside.

Robert Bleakley, owner of Verona Cinemas on Oxford Street, argued: “It’s a further vote in favour of shopping malls and against supporting community and individual traders, and it’s individual traders who have made Oxford street such a vibrant and interesting destination”.

In recent years, the strip has suffered a staggering withdrawal of the unique businesses which once serviced the area. In 2014, it was reported that 89 shopfronts in the precinct were vacant.

Stephan Gyory, owner of Darlinghurst Recordstore, said Darlinghurst is still suffering from the effects of the lockouts which reduced business turnover by 25 per cent: “Council openly admit that this area has been adversely affected by these anti-competitive laws. They also regularly acknowledge the pressure high streets are facing from malls and the internet.

“So why they would then place another financial barrier to small businesses in the area is not at all clear.”

Mr Bleakley added that Oxford Street has

The City of Sydney is proposing the installation of parking meters along Oxford Street. Photo: Robert Bleakley

already suffered through the failure of the City in 2006 to introduce the Glazebrook study which proposed a light rail along Oxford street.

“People have to be able to access an area and that would have been achieved wonderfully had they proceeded with the light rail, but they didn’t and at the same time they’re tightening up the access which is available,” said Mr Bleakley.

Fellow Oxford Street business owner, Sue Ritchie, believes parking meters are not good for customers: “They’re a cost and an inconvenience that deter people from the area”.

Ms Ritchie shared her fears over what these changes will mean for businesses: “There are lots of businesses there that don’t have off-street parking so we are going to have to be running out and putting money in the meter ourselves.

Revenue going down, cost going up, we can really do without it.

“It’s unfortunately the thin edge of the wedge and will encourage more decline because as small businesses are unable to maintain viability with

less revenue and more costs, there’ll be more empty shopfronts, not fewer, and you won’t be attracting the same sort of quality of service provider in the area.”

Linda Scott, Deputy Lord Mayor of the City of Sydney, stressed the historical significance of Oxford Street: “Oxford Street is one of the City of Sydney’s most important destinations, with a story that is emblematic of the diversity of Sydney.

“I’m deeply opposed to introducing parking metres onto Oxford Street. I’ve met with Paddington residents and Oxford Street businesses, all of whom tell me parking metres are not in the public interest for Oxford Street.”

Paddington resident and President of the Paddington Society, Will Mrongovius, said: “This is a commercialisation of the Heritage Conservation Area of Paddington.

“Parking meters result in motorists driving into unmetered nearby residential streets to park as currently occurs on the Woollahra side of Oxford Street.”

On Woollahra Council’s side of Oxford Street, the northern side, there are 16 parking meters between Boundary and Queen Streets, which cover approximately 130 parking spaces.

According to Mr Mrongovius, there has been a complete lack of consultation with the community on both sides of Oxford Street on this issue.

The City of Sydney said they informed Victoria Barracks, Oxford Street Working Party and Woollahra Council of the proposal.

However, active community groups including the Paddington Darlinghurst Community Working Group, the Three Saints Project group and the Paddington Society were not consulted.

Significant businesses like Berkelouw Books and Verona Cinemas were also not consulted.

This is not the first time businesses and residents have had to drop everything and join forces to fight a parking meter proposal.

Two years ago, just before Christmas, there was a push for parking meters by the City of Sydney which was resolved just last year.

Now, Ms Ritchie says the overwhelming majority support better enforcement of the existing free street parking, not paid parking.

Mr Gyory agrees: “The council’s rationale is that the meters make it easier for the rangers to enforce the current arrangements, to which we have argued that if this was simply the case, they should offer 2/4 hour FREE metered parking.”

Although the proposal to introduce meters only affects a small stretch of Paddington, the ripple effect it could send throughout the area is alarming.

Ms Ritchie explained: “Wherever they introduce the meters, like on Oxford Street, there’ll be more pressure on the residential streets behind that . . . then they’ll say okay, well we’ll put parking meters in there and then that will force the behaviour into other free parking areas”.

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Bondi plans flushed out

BY Michael Hitch Bondi is one step closer to restoring its famous Pavilion and putting an end to its toilet terrors.

The Bondi Pavilion Restoration Project has successfully progressed to the detailed design phase, with Waverley Council endorsing the community’s changes to the original concept design.

After a 28-day community consultation period in September, Waverley Council has endorsed new changes and is preparing to submit a development application (DA) in the first half of next year.

Mayor of Waverley, John Wakefield, said that he was thrilled to be preparing DA plans for construction but noted that community input and involvement will still be crucial throughout the process.

“We want to take the community with us on this, that’s the big issue,” he said.

“Where we’re at is that we’re preparing the DA plans - the detailed diagrams, - to submit for for construction work to begin.

“This DA process will also incorporate another 28-day public consultation period, the third we’ve had in a year on this project.

“We’re going one step at a time to the public as we progress the plans. So, we’ve achieved consensus, and universal support of council for where we’re at and now it’s time to move to the next stage.”

The first proposal for redevelopment came in 2016 after concerns raised by the Council and the community over the building’s deterioration. Since then, the Bondi Pavilion Stakeholder Committee was formed, and the community and Council have assessed design concepts submitted by Tonkin Zulaikha Geer architects. Tonkin Zulaikha Geer developed the original concept design as well.

The concept included revisions from the first consultations, which called for an initial renovation of all amenities and a provision of technological facilities to “future-proof” the Pavilion.

Waverley Council isn’t clowning around wtih their new plans. Photo: Supplied.

In the second stage of community-feedback, Council endorsed other amendments which include a relocation of the Lifeguards Room on the Ground Floor to the outside of the Pavilion, a repositioning of the Tourist Centre/Box office to the North of the Entrance Foyer and a further increase in amenities.

Bondi Pavilion Stakeholder representative, Lenore Kulakauskas, said that the restoration of the iconic structure was well overdue and that the primary goal for proposed amendments is to ensure that the Pavilion stays within the Waverley community.

“The Pavilion had been let go for many years, it wasn’t properly maintained, and we were concerned about the state as far back as 2011,” she said.

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“We have been very distraught, it was let go and if you look at the condition of it then you’ll see that a lot of work and many changes have got to be done and done now.

“As far as the changes go, such as the changes to amenities, it’s not a toilet block. It’s actually a building that can be used for a lot more than beach toilets.

“Obviously we wanted it to be kept it as a community cultural centre primarily, so the reason for the reconfigurations is so that community space can be increased … and the commercial use can be maintained so that Council is assured of an income.”

Owner of Bondi Rocks Media and Stakeholder

Committee member, Mark Gould, said that a lack of amenities around the beach has been a key issue in the Pavilion’s proposed redevelopment and that such an iconic community space needed to be “relieved” of its toilet pressures in peak periods.

“They have to accommodate periods where there are events at the Pavilion and busy days at the beach when thousands of people need to relieve themselves.

So, the committee has seen that this is a more holistic problem than just the Pavilion itself.

“We’re looking at installing toilet facilities elsewhere on the beach but most importantly we’re looking to upgrade our facilities at the Pavilion.”

While changes to amenities are still among the most pressing proposals for the Pavilion, Waverley Council also revealed plans to enhance the cultural connections to First Nations communities by investigating the introduction of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander “one-stop shop”.

Indigenous Greens Councillor and Deputy Mayor of Waverley, Dominic Wy Kanak, said that the “One-stop shop” proposed by stakeholder committee member, Aunty Rhonda Dixon Grovenor, would acknowledge and recognise Indigenous Australians as the cultural owners of the land.

“For the first Time in Bondi Waverley’s modern history, a Darug People’s Representative and Traditional Owner Supporters advised us on the past history and contemporary importance of the Bondi Pavilion to Our First Nations Community,” he said.

“Blackfellahs do not have a monopoly on intergenerational trauma, but Our People do have a specific unique and inherent right as Indigenous Peoples to an inalienable context from which any common ground, or exclusive cornerstone, must properly recognise prior and continuing ownership of cultural property. This is necessary in order to start restoring of Hope and progressing sovereignty through socio-political-cultural conciliation.”

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Alert and alarmed in Pyrmont Pyrmont looks towards the heavens.

Photo: Maksym Kozlenko via WikiCommons

BY Laura Neill Pyrmont could become the next high-rise peninsula to support Sydney’s CBD, according to development lobby group Urban Taskforce.

Last month, the group released a longterm “vision” for the area, which included unprecedented high-rise development to maintain the city’s global competitive edge.

The 2040 vision, designed by award-winning Sydney architectural firm LAVA, showed clusters of translucent skyscrapers superimposed onto the existing medium-rise landscape.

Chris Johnson, CEO of Urban Taskforce, stated that the regeneration of Darling Harbour and the Fishmarkets are among the catalysts for the change.

“We see the peninsula…as being a genuine mixed-use development precinct with entertainment and hospitality uses as well as being a focus for IT and Creative industries,” he said in a media release.

LAVA director Chris Bosse described Pyrmont’s current state as a collection of “scattered buildings”. “What we need is a way for them to be connected,” he said. “Pyrmont is so close to the city. There is enormous potential for residential, entertainment and hi-tech businesses all to be developed just five minutes from the CBD.” The vision comes just months after the Star Entertainment Group lodged a Development Application with the NSW Department of Planning for a 61-storey Ritz Carlton Hotel Tower to be added to the existing Star Casino. The 237m hotel, with 220 hotel rooms and 200 high-rise residences, would dominate the Pyrmont skyline, towering over its harbourside counterpart the 38-storey Sofitel.

Star Entertainment Group CEO Matt Bekier said the tower will deliver significant benefits to the local community, with the project including a 5-level neighbourhood centre, a social enterprise café, reading room, collaboration hub and rooftop terrace.

“As a company, we take pride in fostering and supporting the communities in which we operate,” Bekier said.

Local Independent Member for Sydney Alex Greenwich has objected to the proposal, calling the tower a “daunting, bulky figure” that would cause wind impacts and obliterate winter sunlight in neighbouring residences, particularly Union Square and Pyrmont Bay Park.

“It will suffocate important public spaces and erode the experience of these important public places for private benefit,” he said in his response to the proposal.

The City of Sydney also submitted a 13-page objection to the tower.

If the Ritz-Carlton is approved, it will initiate a radical rethink of heights and zoning along the peninsula. Currently, the Casino site sits in an area with a height limit of 28 metres under the current LEP. The area is also zoned for commercial use only.

Elizabeth Elenius, convenor of the Pyrmont Action Group, fears that the height of the tower could become a precedent for further skyscrapers.

“We could have 61-storey towers in the Bays Precinct on the basis of the precedent set by this tower,” Ms Elenius said. “It’s this precedent that gives us the most concern. Once you’ve got one 61-storey hotel in Pyrmont, how can you argue against others?”

Ms Elenius said that hints about expansion of the CBD to Pyrmont were contained in the documentation associated with the proposed Ritz-Carlton building.

“It states that Pyrmont is at the beginning of a transition, just when we thought we’d reached the end of the transition from industrial sites to residential/commercial redevelopment,” Ms Elenius said. “To say that we are alert and alarmed is an understatement.”

Pyrmont’s rise in popularity is only relatively recent. In the post-war years up until the 70s and 80s, it was considered an undesirable neighbourhood due to the post-war popularity of suburban living, the relocation or closing of manufacturing and industry, and the freeways that cut it off from neighbouring Ultimo. In the 1990s, the government-initiated Better Cities Program transformed the abandoned and derelict warehouses into office spaces and apartment blocks, and the area saw a resurgence in popularity. The Star Casino was officially opened in 1997 and, by 2004, the population of the area had blown out to 13,000. In 2018, the ABS states that the area now has over 22,000 residents.

Urban Taskforce also names the impending move of the Powerhouse Museum to Parramatta as another factor that will impact on the transition of Pyrmont to high-rise development. Although the final use of the space has yet to be decided, a document by the Cultural Infrastructure Program Management Office released earlier in the year showed that the NSW Government had already priced the sell-off of the Museum site for residential and commercial development. A plan for two or three storeys of office space, a fashion and design museum, and a 1500-seat lyric theatre is also being considered.

Recently, the adjacent site, Hannah’s Pies, made up of a warehouse and adjoining terrace houses, sold at auction for around $20 million to Caper Properties, a company specialising in the build-to-rent and co-living sectors. Last year, the nearby vacant lot at 142-152 Broadway sold to the University of Notre Dame for $21 million. The site is reported to have flexible, mixed-use zoning.

Although the future of Pyrmont is still unclear, a further evolution of the area seems almost inevitable as the city of Sydney moves towards 8 million people over the next 40 years.

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Are you in the firing line?

By Peter Hehir Tunnelling works for the next Stage of the biggest unnatural disaster to ever hit Sydney begins in May. The potential for structural damage to homes is all too real, based on what has previously happened to home owners affected by Stages 1 and 2 tunnels.

This link https://stage3a.anzgeo.com/ takes you to an interactive map that shows the route of the tunnels for Stage 3 a - aka the M4-M5 Link, from Haberfield to St Peters.

The identified route traverses the suburbs of Haberfield, Leichhardt, Annandale, Camperdown, Newtown, Stanmore, Enmore, Erskineville and St Peters - and is reputed to be accurate to within half a metre. It indicates the depth of the tunnels and shows the homes and businesses that are likely to be affected.

This map identifies a staggering 4,500 properties in total!

All of these homes fall within the designated 50 metre impact zone and claims for damage will only be considered for properties within that zone! There is however a change in relation to the manner in which structural damage to homes affected by Stage 3a are to be assessed.

The substantive difference between Stages 1 and 2 and the assessment for Stage 3a, is that a “review panel” has now been introduced into the application process for reimbursement in relation to structural damage. On the face of it this appears to be an important safeguard. However the members of that supposedly “independent” review panel are all appointed by the RMS! Nothing else has changed. The onus is still on the property owner to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the damage was caused by the tunnelling or associated drainage works. This has been shown to be extremely difficult, if not almost impossible to do.

RAW – Rozelle Against WestConnex – has requested at the Inner West Council Community

Forum meeting held on the 6th of November, that the Department of Planning and Environment write to the Joint Venture requesting they provide both the total number of properties whose owners believe they have been affected by the tunnelling works for Stages 1 and 2 and also how many of these claims have been accepted as valid.

In North Strathfield at least 15 homes have sustained structural damage, at least 8 in Haberfield as well as a number of others in Beverley Hills; however none of these people have yet had their claims approved. This concern was raised in the article “It’s your home. You fix it…” in a recent edition of City Hub. Those who live in the 50 metre impact zones, are strongly urged to avail themselves of the opportunity to have their homes inspected by the Joint Venture contractor when the offer is extended. This offer takes the form of two written communications to the property owner as well as a knock on the door by the contractor.

Home owners are well advised to also ensure that they arrange their own independent inspections by a licensed builder in the week or two before the tunnels approach their properties.

This inspection should ensure all walls, skirtings and cornices in every room are photographed in detail with a time and date stamp, all doors and windows fully open and closed, with external shots of the structure looking along exterior walls, as well as the rear and the façade.

Any cosmetic or essential structural repairs that need to be undertaken should be identified well in advance and rectified prior to the inspections, so that the residence is then both aesthetically and structurally sound.

This approach will prove invaluable once the claim has been routinely denied by the contractor and evidence is then presented to the review panel. Given the past performance of the RMS

Opinion

The Newtown tunelling site between Probert Street and Chelmsford Street. Photo: Michael Hitch

and the utter contempt that they have shown to the community over the past decades, it’s inconceivable that this so called “independent review panel” won’t side with their contractors and will almost certainly deny all claims.

The matter can only then be referred to the DPE, whose record in relation to assessing objections to this project; coupled with allegations from whistle-blowers of rife internal corruption – could only be described as abysmal. They’ll then adjudge whether the determination process and the decisions made by both the contractor and the review panel are compliant.

With the current slide in property values here in Sydney, home owners are already feeling the pinch.

The unwelcome burden of having to shell out big dollars to rectify damage to their homes; damage that is no fault of their own, could well tip many over the fiscal edge.

Insurance companies will be loathe to honour these claims in the belief that a prima facie case exists suggesting that the tunnelling is to blame and that the home owner should seek redress through the courts.

It’s thanks to Glad the Impaler that the onus is on the property owners to prove causality – and they will no doubt be left holding the bag. And what an expensive sack it is. Remediation of structural damage can easily run into six figures.

Thanks again Premier. I’m so glad your days are numbered…

city hub 13 DECEMBER 2018

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FEATURE

Tamworth Country Music Festival

Lee Kernaghan. Photo: Supplied 12

city hub 13 DECEMBER 2018

By Jamie Apps “You’re not a fully fledged, fair dinkum Aussie until you’ve been to the Tamworth Country Music Festival at least once.”

The above statement by Australian country music legend Lee Kernaghan reflects just how important he views this ever growing festival to be, not just for country music but for Australian culture as a whole.

Tamworth Country Music Festival has been transforming the quiet country town into a mecca for Australian music fans since its inception in 1973. What initially began as a small country music talent quest over the Australia Day long weekend has since grown into a 10 day epic festival which sees over 300,000 people heading to Tamworth to witness 2,800 shows from 700 artists in 120 different venues.

Kernaghan, who now acts as the official ambassador for the festival, has attended almost every festival since his very first experience there in 1978, at just 13 years old.

“I entered the CCMA (Capital Country Music Association) Talent Quest at the Town Hall and won Best Male Vocal Under 15, which was the first award I’d ever won for anything,” he recalled.

Since then Kernaghan has gone on to win 37 Golden Guitar awards at the Tamworth Country Music Awards of Australia.

Without the festival Kernaghan truely believes he wouldn’t be where he is today.

“It was a life changing award for me. It set me on a path and career in country music. When I look back on how things fell into place if it hadn’t been for the Star Maker award I probably would be doing something else.

“The Star Maker got me my first publishing deal for songwriting, it gave me the opportunity travel to America and learn from some of the best songwriters in the world, and to work with some of the best musicians on the planet. There have been so many people that I’ve met as a result of that, including Garth Porter who produced my first album The Outback Club.

“None of what I’ve done would have happened without Star Maker.”

Due to the importance he places on both the festival and the Star Maker competition Kernaghan is more than happy to provide mentoring to winners of the competition.

This is a role which the late Slim Dusty once acted in for Kernaghan, and something that he will “forever be grateful for.”

Whilst 2019 marks the 47th year for the festival as a whole, it will be the 40th Anniversary of the Toyota Star Maker Award.

As such many of the past winners will be returning to the festival for a very special one off performance together.

“I’m really looking forward to being involved in the monumental concert being held at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre (TRECC) on January 23 featuring 28 winners on one stage.”

It’s not just the live shows which make the Tamworth Country Music Festival special, it’s also the atmosphere which envelops the town, the impromptu jam sessions between artists who rarely cross paths due to their touring schedules and then obviously the Tamworth Country Music Awards of Australia.

“It’s the town, the festival and the awards that give birth to new stars of Australian music. The Golden Guitar Awards are the most important awards event of the year for all of our artists. They can be career changing or career defining.”

One of Kernaghan’s most endearing memories of the Tamworth Country Music Festival is an impromptu late night jam session with fellow country megastar Troy Cassar-Daley.

“One January I’d done 21 touring shows in a row and then I did three shows in one day at the Services Club with my Dad, but then at the end of the night I still hadn’t had enough so Troy and I ended up jamming until about 4am.”

The festival though isn’t just for country music fans explains Kernaghan.

“I think anybody could go and absolutely love it. If you enjoy music you’re going to get all kinds of music at the festival, from roots music to blues and all different types of country such as contemporary, bluegrass and traditional.

That’s one of the magical things about our genre of music, there’s so many different variations and dimensions that there is something there for everyone.”

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT w Ellen Steele. Photo: Cynthia Gemus

REVIEW: The Club

David Williamson’s quintessential Australian drama, The Club, is set in the 1970s in the blokey world of a debilitated Australian Rules football club. With a six male character cast, it’s an unlikely performance choice for three female actors, yet Jude Henshall, Louisa Mignone and Ellen Steele from Adelaide’s isthisyours? theatre company have managed to pull it off hilariously.

The action takes place in the office of a football club that has had a run of bad seasons.The opening scene features the coach, Laurie (Steele), the administrator, Gerry (Mignone), and club president, Ted (Henshall).The actors are dressed in stereotypical 70s men’s clothes and each sports a porn-star moustache. Of course, it has immediate comic impact, but thankfully, they don’t merely rely on this one obvious device, instead incorporating well-timed movements, reactions, gestures and some other comic tools in a choreography of comedy reminiscent of classic vaudeville.When a fourth character enters the scene, we are introduced to a very funny and clever device for distinguishing different characters played by the same actor: a wig attached by a bull clip to a cable

suspended from the ceiling. From then on, the mere dropping down and raising of the cables is enough to raise a laugh.The actors have great rapport and play their roles knowingly tongue-in-cheek, yet with rigid precision. Henshall, in particular, is utterly riveting as Ted and also Jock, the elder, South African? (it was hard to lock down the accent) statesman of the club, balding, stiffly traditional and, as it turns out, utterly gullible.

Director, Tessa Leong, has done a terrific job of injecting an already satirical play with a selfreferential irony that highlights the absurdity of this testosterone hyped, insular world.Very, very entertaining. (RB) Until Dec 22. Downstairs, Belvoir St Theatre, 25 Belvoir Street, Surry Hills. $20-$25+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.belvoir.com.au

Audiences should be mesmerised by this original independent theatrical production, which explores the life and untimely death of Ned Kelly, Australia’s most infamous bushranger.

“We follow Ned through his defining life moments – his childhood, being heralded a local hero saving a boy from drowning, his time in jail, the events leading up to him being outlawed, his time on the run and his eventual execution,” explained Cypriana Singh, who plays Ned Kelly’s younger sister Maggie. “This show is an exploration of morality and how people deal with the cards they’re given and how their choices affect others. It’s got a lot of heart and most Australians would know Ned’s story but what is unique about this musical is its exploration of his relationships with his family and the members of the gang.”

But will audiences warm to the story of Ned Kelly as a musical?

“Ned’s story is uniquely Australian.Audiences are bound to relate and enjoy it just through the language and humour and to take one of Australia’s most polarising historical figures and give him a song to sing just humanises a legend.”

Josh McElroy (A Town Named Warboy) portrays Ned Kelly and is joined on stage by Jodie Harris (My Fair Lady) and Marcus Rivera (Miss Saigon) in pivotal roles and a supporting cast of 15 performers.“It was really exciting working with such a talented cast.The girls are always swooning side stage when Josh is singing his numbers and that’s really fun to watch too!” laughed Singh.

This is an Australian story that explores colonial Australia and should appeal to everyone. “All audiences should enjoy this show and engage with Ned before deciding

The Kelly Family.

Photo: Shakira Wilson

Ned: A New Musical

whether he’s a hero or a villain and music theatre fans won’t be disappointed either because the score is beautiful. It’s a wonderfully talented cast that captures the humour, heart, and tragedy of this Australian icon,” concluded Singh. (MMo) Dec 18–22. New Theatre, 542 King St, Newtown. $40-$55+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.newtheatre.org.au

People who have experienced the passing of a loved one should overwhelmingly relate to this stage play, which resonates the importance of family and forgiveness.

Love, happiness, sadness, loss, and grief are emotions which are experienced by all families. Death brings families together and with that togetherness, memories from the distant past come flooding back – good memories and bad.

Tension can inadvertently transform grief into emotional bitterness which is the basis of this play written by award-winning playwright Mary Rachel Brown.

Maria (Angela Bauer), Anne (Di Adams) and Peter (Richard Sydenham) are siblings approaching midlife and their

father who has been suffering from cancer for four years has chosen to die in his own home with dignity. Josh (Alex Beauman) is the loving grandson.

Questions arise about their father’s persona, a gambler and philanderer, who suffered from depression and apparently wanted a family to shield himself from the world. Should saying goodbye be a hard thing to do and should people be forgiven for their wrongdoings prior to their passing? Also, does forgiveness take a lot out of you?

Death is depressing, but this play isn’t. Delightfully argumentative, the awkward and humorously irrelevant conversations which unpredictably develop amongst

a&e

Photo: Robert Catto

REVIEW: All My Sleep And Waking

these grieving souls provides much laughter, evenly dispersing the emotionally dramatic and light-hearted moments.

A talented ensemble cast of four deliver commanding performances and may reduce the more sensitive viewers to tears in the final moments.

Ultimately, audiences will come to realise that love filters through

13 STAGE 14 SCENE 15 Sounds 15 SCREEN

as these siblings bury their father and move on. ‘Life is remarkable – death is unremarkable’, Peter states as he delivers his eulogy at his father’s funeral – a statement which pretty much sums up this play. (MMo) Until Dec 22. Old 505 Theatre, 5 Eliza St Newtown. $30$40+b.f.Tickets & Info: www. apocalypsetheatrecompany.com

Arts Editor: Jamie Apps For more A&E stories go to www.altmedia.net.au and don’t forget to join the conversation on Twitter at @AltMediaSydney

Hear Me Roar

When Helen Reddy released the powerhouse anthem, I Am Woman in 1971, it became a war cry for the feminist movement and positive affirmation for women around the world. Almost 50 years later, the song finds new resonance in a social landscape dominated by ever louder female voices. Hear Me Roar (the second line of that iconic song) is a show that honours the female voice; a tribute to women who wrote and sang some of the most impactful songs of the last few decades. The ensemble of performers represents Australia’s best across genres: Melinda Schneider, Christine Anu, Sarah McLeod, Emma Pask, Tania Doko, Prinnie Stevens, all under the musical direction of the amazing Tina Harris.

“It will be quite magical, I think.With everything that has been going on in the world in the last year I think it’s just perfect timing for this show. It’s going to be really empowering for the audience and for us,” says Melinda Schneider, one of Australia’s leading country music singers.Among the songs she’s chosen is Dolly Parton’s 9 To 5.

“I always love singing that song, and it’s very poignant at the moment with the gender pay gap and all the stuff we’re still talking about, you know, all these years after she wrote that song.”

The performers will talk about what each song means to them.They’ll perform variously as individuals, in duets, small groups and ensemble with part harmony.

“I’m really excited about the group numbers because that’s the energy of all the women who come from such vast different backgrounds will connect on the night. That’s the exciting thing that people will enjoy,” says Christine Anu, who, as part of her set, will perform Carole King’s Natural Woman, which was totally usurped by Aretha Franklin, Anu’s idol.

Anu says this type of all-female show and the songs they’ve chosen will remain important and relevant.

“I think we’re always going to need to empower our young women, you know, I think that’s always going to be an important message for young women.” (RB) Dec 13 & 14. Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point. $55.20-$129+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.sydneyoperahouse.com

Contributors: Emily Shen, Irina Dunn, Jade Morellini, Mark Morellini, Mel Somerville, Olga Azar, Rita Bratovich, Sarah Pritchard, Shon Ho, Riley Hooper, Erika Echternach & Lili Sekkai, Joseph Rana, John Moyle, Angela Stevens, Will Fournier, Gabe Merkel & Lanie Tindale, Madison Behringer, Allison Hore.

city hub 13 DECEMBER 2018

13

Christina Bianco - “O Come All Ye Divas” When you buy a ticket to a Christina Bianco show, you get dozens of celebrities for the price of one. She is a Youtube and stage sensation and has garnered a reputation as one of the best impersonators and most highly sought after entertainers in the business. The New York born woman of Italian immigrant grandparents has all the drive, wit, gumption and effervescent sparkle you’d expect from that heritage, but she is also down-to-earth, modest, and genuinely intent on giving her best and then better each time.

“If I’m going to keep my audiences interested… and not make them get tired of the same old ‘gimmick’.. then I’ll have to push myself and try a few new things,” says Bianco. “I think the audience appreciates me taking that chance.”

If her popularity online and with reviewers is anything to go by, they certainly do. Her show, as she describes it, is “a musical comedy grab bag of fun. There is definitely something for everybody.”

Fellow impersonator, Trevor Ashley, met Bianco in New York and was a guest in some of her shows.

He persuaded her to come and perform her show in Sydney - which didn’t take much persuading: “It’s at the Sydney Opera House! What a dream come true, right?” says Bianco.

The unconventional show includes sketches, comic routines, marathon medleys and “vocal cameos” from Edith Piaf, Celine Dion, Dolly Parton, Britney Spears, and possibly every other great female singer you can think of; all done with seasonal cheer.

“For me it’s all about doing the great divas and I think they’re that much more spectacular at Christmas. They all have their take on how to cover the classic Christmas song…so it gives me a lot of heightened material to work with.”

Bianco is thrilled to be performing with long time collaborator and friend, Joe Louis Robinson. They’ll have a straight person/whacky person banter happening and will perform some duets as well as playing a game with the audience called Christmas Crackers. It’s a special surprise. So you’ll need to buy tickets to find out more. (RB) Dec 13-15.The Studio, Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point. $69.90-$79.90+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.sydneyoperahouse.com

THE NAKED CITY

SYDNEY, THE WORLD IS WATCHING?

With Coffin Ed Most people would agree that Sydney is one of the worst planned cities in Australia, if not the world. A legacy that began when the early settlers ran cattle tracks in all directions, which has left us with a jumble of narrow streets, increasing traffic congestion and a series of band aid measures designed to stall the inevitable gridlock.

The ad hoc ‘planning’ that began in the city proper quickly spread to the suburbs and the madness continues today, with endless roadwork infrastructure, unbridled high rise developments and a sense that we are all about to explode at the seams. But, whoopee, you need not totally despair. The NYE fireworks are about to blow all that pain away, like a huge hit of dopamine – at least for a couple of days.

Yes folks, we are reliably informed this year’s pyrotechnic spectacular on Sydney Harbour will be (as they say every year), the “biggest and best ever” – with billions of TV viewers tuning in around the world to observe this multi-million dollar extravaganza. Just don’t ask how many millions of dollars go up in smoke each year as both the City Of Sydney Council and Destination NSW are reluctant to release actual figures for the total cost of the event. A rough guess in recent years is that the City alone spends around $50,000 a minute on just the crackers.

Then again we have just saved around $20 million with the City Of Sydney’s announcement that they have cancelled the horrendous Cloud Arch,

the gigantic Casper The Ghost concrete ‘artwork’ that was to have straddled George Street like a lingering smoke ring. Admittedly some $2.25 million in design and artists fee has, like the fireworks, simply gone up in smoke but let’s be

grateful for small mercies.

When the monorail finally closed in June of 2013 many were led to believe that Sydney’s days of mad impulsive planning decisions were now well behind us. There has always been a long held belief

that the city should always be on show.

Irrespective of the harbour, the Opera House and all the other attractions, the credence is that we are an international city and projects like the monorail and the ill-fated Cloud Arch are necessary to cement that position - attracting hordes of foreign tourists in the process.

Who cares if they are glued to their TV sets in Mozambique or Uzbekistan to marvel at the Sydney fireworks. As clichéd as it sounds, the big picture of sexy infrastructure and million dollar parties has overshadowed all the little pictures of everyday life in this city. Like coffee shops and other small businesses forced to shut down as a result of light rail construction and music venues that are no longer because of over regulation and bureaucracy run amok.

As a postscript I have often wondered what happened to the monorail after its closure some five years ago. Some of the cut up carriages were snapped up by locals as conversation pieces for their backyards or hobby farms. And about three years ago it was reported that twenty one of the carriages were shipped to Taiwan, with the possible option of using them in an amusement park.

Clearly if this was the case, we have missed a golden opportunity to promote the great city of Sydney abroad. We should have purchased all the advertising space on those carriages, proclaiming “DIRECT FROM SYDNEY AUSTRALIA”. Don’t tell me that wouldn’t have seen thousands of Taiwanese rushing to their travel agent to book a package down under.

STAR WARS Identities: The Exhibition Photo: Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM

If you want to meet the major and minor characters of the Star Wars films, then Star Wars Identities:The Exhibition, the blockbuster show at the Powerhouse, is the place to be. If you want a lesson in human development thrown in, then ditto. A curious combination to say the least, but the movies as seen through the prism of Luke Skywalker’s childhood and maturity, as well as that of other characters such as Darth Vader, it isn’t as preposterous a suggestion as one might think.

Add to this peculiar mix your own interactive journey of identity discovery and it can be a quite fun, slightly silly

14

city hub 13 DECEMBER 2018

experience. Alongside hundreds of artefacts from the Lucasfilm archives there are 10 stations where the visitor, via a techie wristband, builds his or her own Star Wars identity: Species, planet of origin, culture, values and other personality markers. All stages are highlighted with clips from various films, illustrating biology, psychology and the like. At the end of a leisurely meander (allow at least two hours, possibly much, much longer for major fans), the visitor is presented with a digital representation of an identity, such as a bounty-hunter Wookie from a planet in the Star Wars universe.

A bit geeky, yes, but also crammed with fascinating details about the effort and imagination that went into creating that universe, from life-sized Storm Troopers and a quite terrifying Darth Vader. There’s even Jabba’s creepy eyes to gaze into (apparently the rest of his latex body melted). But will you choose the Dark Side? Tempting, no? Imagine Yoda saying that and if that appeals, finding your identity, at least for the day, a hoot should be. (OA) Until Jun 10. Powerhouse Museum, 500 Harris Street, Ultimo. $23-$36+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.maas.museum

By Jamie Apps Bands don’t always form in the iteration which has them break out, but often this process of evolution is a key factor in their success.

Wollongong band Droves are the perfect example of this phenomena.

Originally beginning two years ago as a solo project of Phillip Spiteri, performing under the moniker Giverny, the project would eventually grow into the five piece that is today known as Droves.

City Hub recently spoke with Spiteri and fellow band member Taylor McAuliffe about the reasons and influences behind the changes.

“Performing as a solo artist got a bit lonely on stage because there was nobody to bounce off,” explained Spiteri.

In order to counteract this loneliness Giverny would grow into a duo, a trio and then eventually the five piece outfit of today. With such a

Photo: Carl Jeffreys

Droves

drastic shift in the composition of the band there was a need to recalibrate the creative process and also rebrand the group.

“At first we were playing the songs that I had written as a solo act, but as we grew into a band it felt like more people should be contributing to the songs that we were writing,” said Spiteri.

For McAuliffe the opportunity to contribute more directly to the music allowed her to inject a dark synth aesthetic, which she was first introduced to by her father. It’s not just Spiteri and McAuliffe injecting their ideas into the music though.

“Everyone in the band is able to bring their different influences and perspectives together and create

something that works really really well,” said McAuliffe.

These unique sonic influences and creations will be showcased in Droves’ upcoming story heavy EP, Bloodline.

“In the past we’d just releases singles, but for Bloodline we wanted to create a platform that tells a story,” explained Spiteri,“Every one of the songs has been written in a kind of storytelling pattern… [focusing on] the idea that death might not be final.”

Fans of Droves will have an opportunity to get a glimpse into Bloodline, and the recrafted live show next Friday when the group hosts a single launch party for Time in Sydney.

“Part of the transition from our old name to the new one was the decision to never play with any form of backing track. We will be playing every instrument live which creates a much more vibrant dance party,” said Spiteri.

Dec 21. Botany View Hotel, 597 King St, Newtown. FREE.

AFI - The Missing Man The latest EP, The Missing Man, from punk legends AFI is everything fans of the band have grown to love throughout the years.

The Missing Man is aggressive while simultaneously being easy to listen and sing along with. Comprising only five short tracks the record is punchy and doesn’t ever skip a beat, something which the band had struggled with on recent full length album releases.

Fans of the group will definitely want to add this to their collections and rotation. Whilst for new listeners this EP is a great introduction to the modern incarnation of AFI. Fingers crossed this is simply a teaser to tide us over until a full length album of equal calibre. (JA) WWWW

Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse

In the realm of comic books the idea of multiple parallel dimensions/universes has become such a norm it even spawned its own word, multiverse. The latest animated

Man film is able to bring multiple iterations of the iconic character into the one world. Whist the film centres around the Miles Morales, an African-American teen, version of Spider-Man the audience is quickly introduced to the original Peter Parker version, a female version known as Spider-Gwen and a range of other unique versions.

The diverse cast of characters is combined with an incredible artistic style which really makes this film pop off the screen and feel like the most true comic feature film offering from adaptation to date.

Sony employs this multiverse Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse concept to create an incredibly is funny, compelling, poignant, emotion filled comic book film. and certainly worth your time.

By using the concept of (JA) WWWW multiverses this new Spider-

Mortal Engines

Mortal Engines is set in a post-apocalyptic future where mobile, or ‘traction’ cities scour the earth, plundering its remains and each

other. None is bigger or more powerful than London, which has crossed what remains of the English Channel (Brentering?) and is roaming the continent in search of prey to feed its hungry machine. But when budding historian Tom (Robert Sheehan) is thrown together with a feral young woman Hester (Hera Hilmar) after a terrible truth is exposed about leading citizen Thaddeus Valentine (Hugo Weaving) the two work together with the help of outlaws led by Anna Fang (Jihae) to survive and stop the devastating consequences of him using ancient tech for his own devious ends.

Based on the first of four young adult novels by Philip Reeve, Peter Jackson protégé Christian Rivers keeps the action moving in a film that is more Star Wars and Mad Max than The Hobbit.

(CCov) WWW

Second Act

There’s something strangely annoying about this comedy which centers on a woman who obtains a sought-after executive role in a reputable skin care company, through a deceitfully exaggerated resume.

Jennifer Lopez plays the role of Maya, a lady who gave her daughter up for adoption at an early age and who acquires the job of her dreams.

Much of the ‘comedy’ seems contrived, with several embarrassingly bad slapstick comedic moments nonsensically included as a poor attempt to garner laughter.

The ludicrous and incredulous coincidence which propels one of the pivotal storylines involving a chance meeting also detracts and downgrades the film.

Photo: STX & Roadshow Films

Several stereotyped quirky characters provide a few laughs, but the constant reference to skin care products should ensure that most red-blooded males disengage in what can best be described as a chick flick.

Underneath the dull and silly premise, there’s a touching subplot centering on a mother reconnecting with her daughter, which predictably leads to a soppy and painfully sugar sweet conclusion. (MMo) WW1/2

It takes extraordinary educators to shape the world of tomorrow through the children of today

Do you know an extraordinary Cert III or Diploma qualified educator who wants to kick start their career in Early Childhood Education?

Contact the Talent Acquisition Team 1300 765 560 or visit guardian.edu.au/careers/ or gelg.co/garden-street city hub 13 DECEMBER 2018

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