Community Georges River Council Magazine Autumn Edition 2023

COMMUNITY

A diamond in the bus

Bus Stop Films making a difference with their Accessible Film Studies Program.

Contents

Mayor's Message

We also had a remarkable turnout at this year’s Lunar New Year Festival, which marked its 20th anniversary in Hurstville.

The Lunar New Year Festival is one of Council’s largest community events and this year it attracted 50,000 people. By celebrating our diverse cultures and traditions, we continue creating a better place for people to live, work and play in Georges River.

Welcome to the first edition of Community for 2023, we’ve had a fantastic start to the year so far! It’s been wonderful to reconnect after the festive break and I’ve enjoyed seeing many of you.

At the annual Australia Day Awards ceremony, Council welcomed 130 new local citizens and revealed the award winners. These awards are Council’s way of celebrating these outstanding people and in recognising their efforts in enriching our community.

Congratulations to Ann Madden, Hussein Ali Elsayed, John Tyler and all our nominees, you have made the Georges River community very proud. Thank you to our 2023 Georges River Australia Day ambassador, Professor Veena Sahajwalla, who presented the awards and delivered the Australia Day address on the day.

For a taste of what’s to come over the next few months, The Wiggles and Don McLean will be appearing at Hurstville Entertainment Centre and there’s heaps of school holiday activities planned to keep the little ones busy during Easter. As always, bookings are essential so check out Council’s What’s On page for more information.

In addition to attending events, I encourage everyone to continue sharing their thoughts and ideas on Council’s Your Say page. We’re always interested in understanding what’s important to the community whether it’s a project or campaign like ‘Better Together’. This fouryear campaign aims to promote diversity, encourage social cohesion and call out discrimination in our community.

The Georges River area is a rich and culturally diverse community, where everyone deserves to feel safe and welcome, so share your experiences and ideas with us or stay up to date on Council’s Your Say Page.

That’s all for now, I hope you enjoy reading the autumn stories!

Nick Katris Mayor, Georges River Council

Georges River Council acknowledges the Bidjigal people of the Eora Nation, who are the Traditional Custodians of all lands, waters and sky in the Georges River area. Council recognises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as an integral part of the Georges River community and values their social and cultural contributions. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who live work and meet on these lands.

Mayor Nick Katris (right) and Councillor Peter Mahoney visited students at Connells Point Public School for Zero Litter in Georges River program.

Recognising our 2023 outstanding citizens at the Georges River Council Australia Day Awards

At the 2023 Australia Day Awards ceremony, Council welcomed 130 new citizens to the Georges River community.

Our local Australia Day Ambassador, Professor Veena Sahajwalla, an internationally recognised materials scientist, engineer and inventor in the field of recycling science and 2022 NSW Australian of the Year award recipient, presented this year’s awards.

Congratulations to the following 2023 Georges River Council Australia Day Award recipients:

Ann Madden – Citizen of the Year

Hussein Ali Elsayed – Young Citizen of the Year

John Tyler - Volunteer of the Year

To learn more about the event or how you can get involved next year, visit the Australia Day Festival and Awards page on Council’s website.

Ann Madden – Citizen of the Year with Georges River Council Mayor, Nick Katris.

Hussein Ali Elsayed – Young Citizen of the Year with Georges River Council Mayor, Nick Katris.

GEORGES

Image above: Crowds at Magic of Christmas in Carss Bush Park 2022. Image below: Festival goers enjoying a swim at the Australia Day Picnic at Carss Bush Park

Taste of Summer

The Georges River Council local government area (LGA) came to life over the summer with the return of our major events including Magic of Christmas, Australia Day Awards and Picnic, Lunar New Year and In Good Taste Festival.

Magic of Christmas

After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, Magic of Christmas kicked off the summer events with families enjoying the free festive entertainment, celebrations and fireworks at Carss Park.

Australia Day Picnic

Celebrations on Australia Day called for a relaxed picnic day at Carss Park where the community was able to soak up the summer atmosphere.

We cover the Australia Day Awards and winners in more detail in a separate story in this edition.

Lunar New Year

This year marked the 20th anniversary of the Lunar New Year festival in Hurstville with over 50,000 visitors flocking to Forest Road to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit.

The jam-packed day featured lion dancing, stage and roving performances, lantern making and food stalls.

In Good Taste

Foodie-enthusiasts were treated to a multicultural melting pot of food stalls showcasing cuisines from around the world.

The In Good Taste Festival offered the community the opportunity to try new cuisine and share connections with different cultures and food.

Council events run throughout the year, stay up to date via Council’s What’s On page.

Images clockwise: Lion dancers, crowds watching performers and dancer on stage at Lunar New Year Festival 2023 held in Hurstville.

Images clockwise: Churros vendor, crowds enjoying food and entertainment, Little foodie enjoying the fare, vendor serving up mexican food at In Good Taste 2023, held in Hurstville.

A diamond in the bus

Congratulations to Bus Stop Films who received a $25,000 grant for their Accessible Film Studies Program.

Bus Stops Films is an award winning, disability-led organisation which has been in operation since 2009 and based at Shop Front Arts in Carlton. Their primary focus is supporting those living with disabilities and others from marginalised communities in the film industry.

Bus Stop Films has been able to set up the Accessible Film Studies Program with the grant, providing room to recruit and train staff, host a launch event and fund the first short film project produced by the participants. As part of the grant, Bus Stop Films will also offer free taster workshops later in the year, ahead of the full 40-week program starting in February 2024.

What’s next? There’s always lots on at Bus Stop Films! This year they finalise their first feature film ‘Baby Cat’ while producing 20 other inclusively made short film projects with their students. Following their local success, the Northern Territory is also on the horizon to set up the program interstate.

This project was funded by a Reconnecting Communities Grant as part of Georges River Council’s Community Grants program.

To learn more about Community Grants, visit the Grants and Sponsorship page on Council’s website.

BSF student Zac with teacher Shane on set Mise En Place. Image by Julia Firak.

Miguel with BSF CEO Tracey, Director Julian and Cast. Image by Julia Firak.

Cast and crew of Mise En Place. Image by Julia Firak.

BSF student, Chloe on set of Girl Coded. Image by Jefferson Lopez.

COMMUNITY CHAMPION Ronan Soussa

In this edition we speak to Ronan Soussa, a 23-year-old local who has appeared in ABC’s reality show, Love on the Spectrum.

Ronan shares his story on the importance of acceptance and inclusiveness in the Georges River community, awareness of ‘invisible disabilities’ and what it’s like growing up in the area.

What do you love about your community?

I have always found the community friendly and supportive. I have met many people through different activities that I take part in and also from attending school and I have always appreciated how accepting and inclusive the community is.

Having a disability sometimes makes it hard to know where you fit in within a community but in the Georges River community, I have found many great people that have helped me and that makes me feel very comfortable.

What do you love about the Georges River LGA?

Living in the LGA has provided so many opportunities to learn, develop new skills and do many recreational activities.

Things I have needed throughout my life have been available within the area, such as schooling, therapies, post-school learning, disability support groups and many other activities.

As I am learning to travel independently, there is plenty of public transport for me to catch which has been wonderful… although, I did just get my driver’s licence so you might see me on the roads instead soon!

I love how many beautiful parks there are, plenty of great restaurants (my favourite being Italian), lots of fun recreational things to do and it’s not too far to get to the beach. I’ve lived in Georges River my whole life so I can’t really compare, but I am very happy living in this area.

How have you positively impacted your community?

Firstly, by being an upstanding citizen who cares about the area I live in and to take good care of it. I always like to be positive in my life and I try to extend that to other people too.

Secondly, I hope that my appearance on the ABC show “Love On The Spectrum” has given people an insight into autism and showcased how someone living with autism still wants the same things in life as most people do. It was such an honour and privilege to be selected for the show and I hope that I was able to shed a positive light on the importance of acceptance and inclusiveness in our communities and an understanding that people with disabilities still have hopes and dreams. People living with disabilities have so much to offer when given the chance.

Lastly, I want to continue to be an advocate for inclusiveness and accessibility especially through my role as an ambassador for Bus Stop Films. I hope to encourage communities and organisations to open doors for people with disabilities and give them opportunities so that they can feel accepted in our society.

Do you have any tips or advice to share with the community?

My tip would be to be aware that not every disability is visible; these are called ‘invisible disabilities’, because they are disabilities that cannot be seen. I would also encourage people to try and be mindful when someone might be having difficulty with something. Try to be patient and understanding because it’s possible that person has an invisible disability.

Lastly, I would like to encourage businesses in the community to continue to be accessible and to give people with a disability an opportunity for employment wherever possible to promote inclusiveness. If everyone in our community has an awareness and understanding of disabilities that would be great.

Do you know of someone who is a Community Champion?

We’re on the hunt to feature our next community hero, someone who has positively impacted the Georges River community. If this sounds like you or someone you know, please complete the submission form online here.

IN GOOD TASTE RECIPES Onion Cutlets

Region: Ukraine

Contributor: Oleksandra Lunova

This recipe was first made in Oleksandra’s family in the 1990s, whilst Ukraine was experiencing a time of difficulty. The USSR had collapsed and there was little work, but people still wanted to eat tasty and varied types of food. The origins of this recipe are unknown to Oleksandra but since it was first cooked in her family it quickly became a favourite.

Ingredients

4 large onions

3 eggs

1 small carrot, grated

5 tbsp plain flour

Sugar, to taste

1 bay leaf

2 tbsp tomato paste (or alternatively, a bottle of passata)

Vegetable oil

2-3 cups water

Parsley, to garnish Feature

Method

1. Roughly dice three onions and set aside.

2. Break eggs into a large mixing bowl and beat until combined, then add the diced onions and stir through.

3. Gradually add the flour to the egg and onion mixture and stir thoroughly until a thick batterlike consistency forms. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Add vegetable oil to a large frying pan on medium heat. Using a tablespoon, scoop the batter into the pan so it resembles pancakelike shapes. Fry on both sides until golden brown and then set aside.

5. Cut the remaining onion into half rings then, peel and grate the carrot. Add enough vegetable oil to a large, thick bottomed pot to cover the base and heat on medium heat. Add the sliced onion and sauté until almost translucent and then add the grated carrot.

6. Once the carrot has softened, arrange the onion cutlets vertically in the pot, using the sautéed onion and carrot as a base for the culets to sit on top of.

7. Dilute the tomato paste with 2-3 cups of water (If using passata only dilute with half a cup of water) and pour over the cutlets, then add the bay leaf. Make sure to allow at least one centimetre of space at the top of the pot so the mixture doesn’t spill over the sides when cooking.

8. Bring the contents of the pot to a boil and then simmer over low heat for 20-30 minutes until the sauce has reduced.

9. Remove pot from the heat and allow contents to cool for the cutlets to retain the ideal shape. Serve with parsley (optional) as a garnish and enjoy!

Artist in Residence: Tara Gilbee

Tara Gilbee concluded her stay at the Carss Park cottage as part of the Georges River Artist in Residence program in January. During her residency, Tara explored the fluctuation of water and time and focused on the Georges River as a prime location where water and urban spaces intersect.

Describe your recent Artist in Residence experience. “I gave an artist talk at the residency where I explained some of my past artworks, current works and set up a ‘Camera Obscura’ in the artist residence to expand on how the pinhole cameras work and for the audience to have a direct experience of what it might be like to be inside a camera. I also enjoyed the historic and curated exhibitions at the Hurstville Museum & Gallery, the contemporary artworks woven within the First Nations history and the cultural relationship to Dharawal Country, and waterways was a highlight.

I attended Murrawarri artist, Dr Virginia Keft’s weaving workshop as part of the Guraban exhibition and left a small weaving for her collaborative artwork. I also saw the Christmas Market in Carss Park, which was a lovely time to see the community come together and celebrate the end of the year.”

What was your favourite piece from some of the collections at Hurstville Museum & Gallery?

“I was intrigued by the placing of the flint stones with the contemporary installation by Dennis Golding’s commissioned work “Remnants” from the exhibition Guraban: where the saltwater meets the freshwater.”

Cloudy reflect by Tara Gilbee

What was the inspiration for your art?

“It has been a very long time since I have been to Sydney, and I have not spent time in the Georges River region. So, I enjoyed finding such a diverse cultural mix and landscape to explore. The way in which it is close to the National Park, rivers and beaches makes it a wonderland to explore. I will always think of my time fondly and hope to return.”

Where to from here?

“I have shared some of my works where people have expressed intrigue and some interesting responses. I plan to return to some work I started at a large reservoir near my home and continue to

look at the effects of bodies of water as reflective surfaces, the ways in which I can take direct prints and pinhole works and combine the various approaches I explored while researching and experimenting at Carss Park. I also have just installed a large set of artworks at Castlemaine Art Museum which I am pleased to share with my local community and others.”

To learn more about the Georges River Artist in Residence program, visit: georgesriver.nsw.gov.au/AIR

Tara Gilbee running her Artist talk

Images of Carss Park by Tara Gilbee

Meet your new Councillor Veronica Ficarra

Looking for a venue to host your next event?

Georges River Council offers hireable venues to accommodate a variety of events, from small gatherings up to events with 1,000 people.

Hurstville Entertainment Centre (HEC) is located in MacMahon Street, in the heart of Hurstville CBD and is a short walk from Hurstville Train Station and other transport options.

HEC is a unique multi-purpose venue ideal for hosting a variety of events such as meetings, conferences, presentations, dinners, product launches, community or professional theatre and concerts. Equipped with a flexible floor plan over two levels in the Marana Auditorium and fixed theatre seating in the Civic Theatre.

Georges River Council also offers a variety of community centres and halls for hire throughout the Georges River area.

Please visit the ‘Our Venues’ page for a full list of Council’s venues for hire. Book a venue for your next event on Council’s website.

Councillor Ficarra joined Council in the position vacated by Councillor Kevin Greene in the Peakhurst Ward.

Councillor Ficarra has worked in various government and non-government roles including working in bush regeneration in our LGA. As a lifelong resident of the Georges River area and youngest Councillor, she adds representation for youth issues within our LGA.

What do you love about the Georges River LGA?

I love all of my memories of growing up in Georges River and exploring all the wonderful things that our community has to offer. As a young person working in bush regeneration, it provided me with an

opportunity appreciate the parklands and waterways in the area. I’ve always loved spending time with my friends and family at local restaurants. We are so lucky that each suburb has its own unique and beautiful character, and I treasure living in such a vibrant and friendly community.

Why do you think diversity and representation is important to our community?

The thing that I love most about diversity in our area, is that it is just a normal way of life for our community. Georges River welcomes people from all walks of life, no matter your age, ancestry, faith, or income.

I was born and raised in the Georges River area, and it was only when I left school and started visiting other parts of Sydney that I realised how lucky we are to be part of such a diverse community.

What’s also special about Georges River is how diverse our community representation is, from the local business owners, teachers, sporting organisations and community leaders. Take for example Georges River’s councillors.

Upon my election, I will be the youngest Councillor in the LGA at 26 years old. I hope that my election will show other young people that being elected as a Councillor is achievable, and a fantastic opportunity to contribute to your local community.

Where are your favourite places to unwind within the Georges River LGA?

Websters Lookout in Oatley Park has a beautiful view of the river and is a great place to enjoy our local natural environment. The Riverwood CBD has some of the best restaurants in the area - I encourage everyone to visit them and support our local small businesses!

Councillor Veronica Ficarra

Expressions of Interest: Un[contained] Arts Festival

Georges River Council is excited to announce that the Un[contained] Arts Festival will once again deliver three days of excitement to surprise and delight our community along Belgrave Street, Kogarah.

The festival will again feature an array of immersive art installations, dynamic live performances, and mouth-watering food.

Un[contained] Arts Festival will be an accessible event, inviting people from all walks of life across all abilities to take part in a celebration of our city’s creativity.

Expressions of Interest

Council is seeking Expressions of Interest from multiple artists/ teams of artists to create and install artworks as part of the annual Un[contained] Arts Festival

Expressions of Interest close midnight, Sunday 26 March 2023.

Join us at the Un[contained] Arts Festival 2023!

Date: Friday 23 June - Sunday 25 June 2023

Where: Kogarah Town Square, Belgrave Street

For more information or to apply visit the Public Art page on Council’s website.

Keep an eye out for this toxic beauty in autumn

Rhus tree (Toxicodendron succedaneum) is a small, deciduous tree with stunning bright red leaves in autumn. It looks beautiful, however the Rhus tree contains a toxin that can cause a dangerous allergic reaction in people.

Touching the plant can cause painful reactions including severe dermatitis and itching as well as swelling of the face, arms and legs.

Autumn is a good time to look out for Rhus Tree, especially when the leaves turn red. If you think you have Rhus Tree on your property, remember not to touch the plant. Check to see if there is a single leaflet at the end of the leaves as there are other plants that look similar to Rhus Tree.

For more information on weed management, you can contact Council’s Biosecurity Officer or visit the Biodiversity page on Council’s website.

Performers at Un[contained] Arts Festival 2022

Rhus tree (Toxicodendron succedaneum)

Update on Zero Litter in Georges River Program

Late last year, Mayor Nick Katris and Councillor Peter Mahoney visited Connells Point Public School students as they started their quest to reduce litter in Georges River to zero.

The local school was one of six primary schools to be involved in the ‘Zero Litter in Georges River’ program developed by Georges Riverkeeper with funding from the Australian Government.

The ‘Zero Litter in Georges River’ program provides environmental education, aligned to the NSW curriculum, about stormwater pollution, and encourages students to look for solutions to reduce litter flowing to the Georges River.

Connells Point Public School have recently completed the education program and as part of the project, students created designs for artworks that will be painted on local footpaths near storm drains in March.

The students will star in campaign videos with the footpath art and QR codes linked

to program information to help educate the community.

The street art developed for the campaign features the innovative use of Augmented Reality technology which allows passersby to scan a QR code to interact with a virtual long-neck turtle called ‘Zero’, one of the native animals found in the river that is threatened by pollution.

Watch out for the footpath artworks coming soon!

Connells Point Public School artwork for the Zero Litter in Georges River campaign

Mayor Nick Katris (right) and Councillor Peter Mahoney visited students at Connells Point Public School for Zero Litter in Georges River program.

Developing a love of reading Early Literacy

Reading to children from an early age is a great way to encourage early literacy and communication development. It helps children develop language skills and expand their vocabulary as well as their creativity and imagination. Reading together is also a great opportunity to build fond memories. The library is a perfect way to introduce your family to a love of reading and a wonderland of stories. Read on to find out how.

Connect with others

Georges River Libraries hold regular story and rhyme time sessions across our library branches. These face-to-face sessions are led by library staff to help familiarise children and their parents with sounds and language through rhymes, stories, and movement.

Track your progress

BeanStack is an app you can download that supports readers of all ages engage in reading activities and challenges. It includes book and activity logging where you can track progress and earn badges to encourage engagement and a love of reading. This is a great tool for all ages and can be accessed through your library membership.

For parents

Stories provide ways that children can learn about themselves and others – toilet training, moving house, and starting school –as well as challenging topics – divorce, bullying, and death - that sometimes can be difficult for parents to find the right language. Our Raising Readers is a bundled selection of books covering different topics to help your child’s development.

How to support your child’s love of reading

Birth to 12 months

Allow children to touch and handle a variety of picture books. Select board books including ‘touch and feel books’ that are easy for babies to handle. You can have your baby on your lap and look at large pictures with simple words, sentences or sounds. At our libraries, we have books with CDs available in our collection.

12 to 24 months

Select books with topics and experiences that are familiar to toddlers where they can recognise pictures from their own lives and environment. Books that encourage sounds and actions will help engagement and speech development for example recognising animals and their sounds “meowmeow”, “woof-woof”, or words that represent sounds (onomatopoeia) “Boom”, “Crash”.

2 – 3 years

Choose books where pictures give clues to meanings of words. When reading, encourage your child to point out names and actions they know about in the pictures. “What colour is the ball?” “What is the bunny doing?”

3 – 5 years

Let your child choose books about topics they’re interested in and explore more facts about them. Ask your child about their own experiences in relation to picture books. “What games do you play at school?” “Do you remember a time when it was raining? What did you do?”

For more information about Georges River Libraries or to find your closest branch, visit the Libraries page on Council’s website

"Children are made readers in the laps of their parents.”

- Emilie Buchwald

What's on

Find more infomation on all events, visit georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

Double the line-up, double the fun with “Hello! We’re The Wiggles” Live in Concert!

Following the runaway success of winning the coveted ARIA for ‘Best Australian Live Act’ in 2022, The Wiggles are bringing their all singing, all dancing stage show hit to Hurstville Entertainment Centre!

Hello! We’re The Wiggles features hit songs ‘Do the Propeller!’, ‘Hot Potato’ and ‘Rock-a-Bye Your Bear’ plus new favourites that will have you up and dancing such as ‘We’re all Fruit Salad’, ‘Getting Strong!’ and ‘Hey Tsehay!’

Anthony, Tsehay, Simon, Lachy, Caterina, Lucia, Evie and John will be joined on stage by all your favourite characters including Captain Feathersword, Dorothy the Dinosaur, Wags the Dog, Henry the Octopus, Shirley Shawn the Unicorn and Bok the Hand Puppet!*

There’s never been a better time to see the world’s most popular and award winning children’s entertainment group live in concert. Hurry tickets will sell like…Hot Potatoes!

Date: Monday 27 March 2023

Time: Two shows - 10.00am and 12.30pm

Venue: Hurstville Entertainment Centre, MacMahon Street, Hurstville

Tickets: $32 (Children under 12 months old will not require a ticket for entry but will be required to sit on the lap of a parent or guardian - no separate seat).

Limited stroller parking is available.

*Some characters or Wiggles may be substituted.

Head to the Hurstville Entertainment Centre website to purchase tickets.

Hello! We're The Wiggles in Concert

Charlie’s Angles

Exhibition dates: 4 March – 11 June 2023

Location: Snapshot Gallery, Hurstville Museum & Gallery, 14 MacMahon Street, Hurstville

Charlie’s Angles showcases the varied building styles within the St George region designed by local architect Charles Halstead (1865-1941) between 1889-1915.

Kogarah Council Chambers, front aspect, Belgrave Street, Kogarah NSW, undated. Georges River Council Libraries Local Studies collection; GRLS20-130.

One World Entertainment presentsDON MCLEAN 50th ANNIVERSARY TOUR

Don McLean is iconic in popular culture, most recognised for his song, ‘American Pie’, a ballad about the deterioration of teenage culture in America and the loss of innocence. It has been named by RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) as one of the top five songs of the 20th century.

One of the most revered and respected songwriters in American history, Don McLean has a string of mega-hits such as ‘Vincent’, ‘Castles in The Air’ and many more. His catalogue of songs has been recorded by Madonna, Garth Brooks, Josh Groban, Drake, Weird ‘Al’ Yankovic, and countless others.

In 2015, one of McLean’s four handwritten manuscripts of the lyrics to ‘American Pie’ was auctioned by Christie's, selling for just over $1.2 Million. McLean was honoured in 2019 on the Las Vegas

Walkway of Stars and his song ‘And I Love You So’ was the theme for Prince Harry and Megan Markle’s wedding.

In 2020, Don signed a recording contract with Time Life/Warner Bros. Records to release his catalogue of recordings as well as the much-anticipated new album Still Playin' Favorites’.

His famous song, ‘American Pie’ has been featured in the Avenger’s Black Widow film and the Tom Hanks movie BIOS. Plus, Don is now on the road marking the 50th anniversary of ‘American Pie’ with a world tour.

Date: Thursday 20 April 2023

Time: Doors open 6.30pm | Show from 7.00pm-10.00pm

Location: Hurstville Entertainment Centre, MacMahon Street, Hurstville

Tickets: $98 per person

To purchase tickets or for more information, visit Council’s What’s On page.

April school holiday program at Hurstville

Hurstville Museum & Gallery offers a range of fun activities and performances to entertain and educate children during the school holidays.

Art & Nature

Look for inspiration in nature to create your own special artwork.

Tuesday 11 April

Session 1: 10.15am-12.00pm (5-12 years)

Session 2: 1.15pm-3.00pm (12-16 years)

Our Solar System

Discover the secrets of our solar system and create space inspired art.

Thursday 13 April

Session: 10.15am-12.00pm (5-12 years)

Clay and play

Sculpt your own clay creation.

Tuesday 18 April

Session 1: 10.15am-12.00pm (5-12 years)

Session 2: 1.15pm-3.00pm (12-16 years)

Poppies for ANZAC Day

Learn about the ANZAC and create your own poppy inspired art.

Thursday 20 April

Session: 10.15am-12.00pm (5-12 years)

Booking information

All programs are fully supervised by qualified staff. Bookings are essential for all activities; session times may vary. Events and activities with a cost may incur booking fees and surcharges depending on payment method.

Payment must be made at the time of booking. No refunds for cancellations or missed bookings. Session swapping is not permitted.

To book an activity or for more information, visit Council’s What’s On page.

Street Photography

PHOTOGRAPHY STREET

Before Instagram, personal cameras, copyright and privacy laws, street photographers were a familiar part of Australian cities and towns during the 1930’s to the late 1950’s.

They created a vast archive of black-and-white, postcard-sized candid images of the cities and its people. At the height of its popularity in the mid-1930s, over 10,000 people in NSW were buying photos from street photography companies every week.

Street Photography features 250 digitised and enlarged personal images, offering a fascinating glimpse into the everyday life of Australian cities and its people during the Depression, WWII and post-war years. This carefully curated selection of images was chosen following a hugely successful public call-out by Museums of History NSW where 1500 personal images were contributed.

As street photography companies went out of fashion, very few negatives lasted except for a rare collection which came to light through the public call-out and have now been acquired by Museums of History NSW, preserved for the future.

Presented alongside this extraordinary and largely unseen pictorial record, is a series of works by the nationally acclaimed photomedia artist Anne Zahalka. She restaged ten of the original images, with descendants and those still living in similar locations where their parents, grandparents or they themselves once stood. The exhibition also includes new images taken at live photographic locations in key places around the city similar to the street photography of the past.

Providing a fascinating glimpse into our modern history, Street Photography demonstrates the wide reach of street photographers capturing our everyday lives.

Each image is a fleeting memento of a day spent in the city and reveals who we were, the changing fashions and social mores.

On exhibition until the end of April

Presented by Hurstville Museum & Gallery, Street Photography is a touring exhibition from Museums of History NSW.

Street photograph by Leicagraph Co, photographer Ted Waight, Pitt Street, Sydney, 1940. State Library of New South Wales collection, ON 228.

Home in St George 1920-1960

For many people, the Great Australian Dream during the 20th century was to buy and own a home. During this time, the design and use of houses changed substantially from the 19th century Victorian era, both in terms of scale and social patterns. Fewer families had large homes or employed domestic servants. Although suburbs in the Georges River area such as Hurstville and Kogarah were established in the 1880s, the region experienced large growth in housing between the 1920s to 1940s.

Unlike today, houses during these eras often fed the families who lived in them, with vegetable gardens, fruit trees and poultry commonplace. Changing technology in the home affected people’s lives, impacting on everything from day-to-day activities through to household chores and recreation.

This exhibition explores and presents fresh perspectives on notions of home and domestic life in the Georges River area from the 1920s to the 1960s. How were homes designed, built, and made in the

local area during these decades? What made a house a ‘home’furnishings, equipment, tools, gardens, recreation, hobbies? What were the lives of women, men and children in these homes like during these decades?

Showcasing Hurstville Museum & Gallery’s extensive collections, the exhibition aims to present aspects of the diverse and important collections held by Hurstville Museum & Gallery, reflecting the social, cultural and family lives of residents in the St George region during the first half of the 20th century.

Exhibition dates: 6 May – 23 July 2023

Location: Hurstville Museum & Gallery, 14 MacMahon Street, Hurstville

Stay up to date with upcoming exhibitions and events, visit Council’s What’s On page.

Villa Maria Interior, Woniora Road, Hurstville NSW, c. 1920. Georges River Council Libraries Local Studies collection, LMG13-32

Sam Elmir 0410 654 310 selmir @georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

Colleen Symington 0409 546 202 csymington @georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

Mayor Nick Katris 0419 402 191 nkatris @georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

Nick Smerdely 0431 646 321 nsmerdely @georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

Lou Konjarski 0421 188 896 lkonjarski @georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

Natalie Mort 0499 522 200 nmort @georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

Nancy Liu 0400 681 188 nliu @georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

Elise Borg 0477 222 089 eborg @georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

Ashvini Ambihaipahar 0434 494 231 aambihaipahar @georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

Peter Mahoney 0419 374 727 pmahoney @georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

& mail@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

f georgesrivercouncil

i grcouncil

y Georges River Council

Hurstville Mon to Fri 8.30am-5.00pm

Kogarah Town Square, Belgrave Street, Kogarah Mon to Fri 9.00am-6.00pm Sat 10.00am-4.00pm Sun 10.00am-1.00pm

Blakehurst Hurstville Kogarah Bay Mortdale Peakhurst