Community Magazine Summer 2019 Edition

GEORGES RIVER COUNCIL GEORGES RIVER COUNCIL

COMMUNITY SUMMER EDITION 2019/20

Sensational summer events

WWW.GEORGESRIVER.NSW.GOV.AU

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MAYOR'S MESSAGE

Summer is here, and we have a wonderful selection of events on the horizon for you and your loved ones to enjoy. Magic of Christmas will be entertaining thousands of people on the first Sunday in December and I urge you to head along and enjoy the performances and activities.

There are a range of Christmas events taking place throughout the local area this festive season.

The centre pages of this magazine form a Christmas Program which can be pulled out (carefully) for your quick reference. It highlights concerts, movies, competitions, markets, local carols, photos with Santa and other activities that will really help you get in the swing of Christmas this year.

In 2020, Lunar New Year falls earlier than usual, and will be celebrated on Saturday 18 January. Make sure you head to Forest Road, Hurstville, for all the fun and excitement this incredible festival offers.

The following week, Australia Day will once again be celebrated within the beautiful bush setting of Carss Bush Park, and there is an incredible line-up of performers and activities for everyone to enjoy. Come and help us celebrate our national day, as well as the people that make up our unique community.

There are loads of events on offer throughout the school holidays for the kids to enjoy at our libraries, Hurstville Entertainment Centre and the Hurstville Museum & Gallery, so please don’t forget to check out what’s on.

On behalf of Council, I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a safe and happy New Year.

Kevin Greene, Mayor Georges River Council

Information and events in this publication are current at the time of printing. Subsequent changes may occur. Georges River Council does not guarantee that this publication is without flaw or wholly appropriate for your purposes. It and its employees expressly disclaim any liability, for any loss or damage, whether direct or consequential, suffered by any person as the result of or arising from reliance on any information contained in the publication.

Georges River Council acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land in which the Georges River Local Government Area is situated - the Biddegal people of the Eora nation.

2 | READ ONLINE AT WWW.GEORGESRIVER.NSW.GOV.AU

GEORGES RIVER COUNCIL

CONTENTS 4. INNOVATION 5

Hurstville Place Strategy primes city for transformation Council sets its sights on attracting investment to Kogarah

6. ENVIRONMENT

Community worm farmers embracing sustainability

8. OUR COMMUNITY

Graffiti Removal 9. Foreshore naturalisation project opened by PM Going sky high for kidney research

10. EVENTS

Magic of Christmas 11. Christmas Program pull-out section 15. Celebrate the Year of the Rat at our Lunar New Year festival 6. Australia Day 2020 1

17. SPORT

Sydney FC kicks off in Kogarah

18. ART AND CULTURE

Georges River Art Prize 20. Official launch of Woke online magazine

14. LOCAL HISTORY

What’s in a name? - Connells Point

22. WORKSHOPS

Free workshops teach community to repair and reuse

23. WHAT'S ON

YOUR

SAY

Be involved in important projects by contributing to Council decisions that shape the future of the Georges River area.

Your feedback matters! Register via Council’s website at yoursay.georgesriver.nsw.gov.au.

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3

Special Rates Variation Project Thank you to the more than 4,000 community members who have provided feedback so far on Council’s proposed rate variation by attending an information session, submitting a hard copy survey or providing a submission via Your Say Georges River.

The consultation and engagement period closed on 17 November. Council will be analysing all the feedback we’ve received and it is anticipated that a report will be presented to an Extraordinary Council Meeting on 10 February 2020.

COMMUNITY | SUMMER EDITION | 3

INNOVATION

Hurstville Place Strategy primes city for transformation The Draft Hurstville Place Strategy is set to be the catalyst for significant change in Hurstville, as Council drives the vision of Hurstville as the Heart of the City.

The strategy leverages the city’s existing strengths as a bustling commercial, retail and cultural centre with convenient access to the Sydney CBD and Sydney Airport.

It has launched at a pivotal point in Hurstville’s evolution as a key strategic centre in Sydney.

Council aims to transform the Hurstville CBD, through economic, cultural and infrastructure improvement projects.

The strategy outlines 12 priority projects for the Hurstville CBD area, including: planning for a healthy community, encouraging a bustling night-time economy, and creating a connected, walkable centre with an increased tree canopy.

The construction of One Hurstville Plaza which is currently underway is a significant step forward in our goal of attracting investment and jobs to Hurstville.

Feedback received from the community in relation to the draft, which was on public exhibition until early November, will help to inform the final strategy.

4 | READ ONLINE AT WWW.GEORGESRIVER.NSW.GOV.AU

GEORGES RIVER COUNCIL

The strategy aims to create a Kogarah Health, Education and Innovation Precinct.

Council sets its sights on attracting investment to Kogarah Kogarah is geared for an economic boost, with the development of the Draft Kogarah Investment Attraction Strategy.

The strategy aims to leverage Kogarah’s competitive advantages to create a Kogarah Health, Education and Innovation Precinct (HEIP), and guides the expansion of investment and employment in the sectors of health, education and innovation, to ensure the precinct reaches its full potential.

The strategy provides a detailed analysis of Kogarah’s strengths and the opportunities that these present, and has identified a strong positioning for the development of a HEIP, based on Kogarah’s current health and education landscape and the area’s demographics.

The development of the strategy coincides with the opening of the $13.5 million Microbiome Research Centre in Kogarah on 9 August 2019. Considered an Australian-first, the centre, which is dedicated to studying gut health, is a collaboration between the St George & Sutherland Medical Research Foundation, University of New South Wales and the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District.

COMMUNITY | SUMMER EDITION | 5

ENVIRONMENT

Community worm farmers embracing sustainability Fran Smith and her daughter Kathleen recently attended a worm farming workshop presented by Council. With a passion for gardening, growing their own food and sustainability, Fran and Kathleen have used their knowledge to create an urban oasis.

Fran: “I’ve always grown things and am keen to increase the diversity in my garden and grow food for my family.”

Kathleen: “I'm gluten free and vegan, so it's nice to be in control of your own food and decide what to grow.

It inspires you to be creative, try new foods and experiment more.”

That's what gardening is all about! Using all your senses.

Fran: “I find that I disappear into the task at hand when gardening, even weeding! Gardening requires my full concentration, and, like mindfulness, it takes you away from things that have been worrying you. When you enter your garden and see something has grown, it's wonderful. So rewarding!

“We encourage moths, spiders and other insects to build their homes around ours. Our community of St Andrews Cross spiders are now residents of our property, living alongside us. The birds pick out the spiders from their webs and enjoy the nutrition drawn from our beautiful yard.”

Fran: “Another piece of advice is to go to the bargain corner of your nursery and enjoy the satisfaction of resurrecting a sad looking plant. Be cheap and cheerful! Remember plants, are infinite. If something dies, try again or try something new! Don't be disheartened.”

You're really embracing the environment when you garden.

Kathleen: “Grow what you eat!

Don't grow random things that look really pretty, because you’ll become uninspired. Maybe start with herbs.

Kathleen: “Our little worms are very well fed. Everything goes in there kitchen scraps and even paper. The plants flourish when they’re planted in a mix of our compost with a little bit of manure. Our compost is good quality not too sandy or squishy.

“Talk to your friends about what you’re growing - you might be able to get a cutting of something you’d like to try.

People are craving that connection now, and more people are living in units without yards and gardens.

That's why the community gardens are fantastic.”

“While creating homegrown fertiliser for your garden, composting means your rubbish just disappears! Gone is stinky garbage as there’s no rotting food sitting in the bin!”

6 | READ ONLINE AT WWW.GEORGESRIVER.NSW.GOV.AU

If you’d like to learn how to make your own compost or create a thriving garden, come along to one of the workshops led by our Waste Education Officers.

GEORGES RIVER COUNCIL

Get inspired to create your own urban oasis.

COMMUNITY | SUMMER EDITION | 7

OUR COMMUNITY

Graffiti removal Community members joined forces for Graffiti Removal Day on Sunday 27 October 2019, to help combat the issue of illegal graffiti in the local area.

Matthew Bramston, who is employed

by Council as an Operations Specialist, designed a preventative mural for the Carss Bush Park Public Amenities Block, which features tiles painted by local school children.

Council was delighted with the community support for the initiative, with hundreds of residents involved,

and we’re thrilled to report that more than 500 children from Blakehurst Public School and St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, and 75 kids from Council’s Childcare Centres took part in the mural’s creation.

Locals also helped put the finishing touches on the mural, and plant vegetation to ‘green up’ the amenities block.

8 | READ ONLINE AT WWW.GEORGESRIVER.NSW.GOV.AU

Council is lucky to have its very own artist and professional painter, and it was fantastic to see so many people come together to help bring Matthew’s vision to life.

Graffiti Removal Day is a fantastic way to get the whole community involved in beautifying the Georges River area and fighting graffiti vandalism, and the new mural is a bright and colourful addition to Carss Bush Park. Get down there and check it out!

GEORGES RIVER COUNCIL

Foreshore naturalisation project opened by PM The Hon. Scott Morrison, MP, Prime Minister of Australia recently unveiled the latest stage of the Carss Park Foreshore Naturalisation Project, with Mayor of Georges River Council Kevin Greene. The recent works will help to encourage and protect estuarine habitat communities, beautify the area and enhance recreational opportunities for Georges River residents. Council thanks the Federal Government for its generous funding of $800,000 towards the project.

The Hon. Scott Morrison, MP, Prime Minister of Australia with Mayor of Georges River Council Kevin Greene. Photo by John Veage

Going sky high for kidney research Beverly Hills couple Vimla and Geoff Hayman recently headed to Nepal to trek to Mount Everest Base Camp, in order to raise funds for kidney research.

Vimla, founder of Rotary Club of St George Next Gen, was inspired to undertake the trek by 26-year-old fellow Rotarian Michael Cornell, who was a Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) sufferer until a transplant last year, following donation of a kidney by his mother.

PKD can lead to kidney failure, and Vimla explained that the more people who know about it, the more resources can be dedicated to finding treatments, or even a cure.

Vimla said of Michael, “Despite all his health difficulties, Michael is dedicated to helping others, and has led major Rotary projects like blood donation, graffiti removal and feeding the homeless. He is an inspiration to us all.”

“Funds raised by this trek will be donated to PKD to support a research project to find a cure.”

Donate to the fundraiser at give.everydayhero.com/au/everest-base-camp-challenge-for-pkd

COMMUNITY | SUMMER EDITION | 9

EVENTS

Magic of Christmas It’s time to kick off a summer Christmas, and what better way to celebrate the festive season with your friends and family than with Magic of Christmas at Carss Bush Park. This year’s event is set to be spectacular, with Colin Buchanan returning as our headline act to perform his Aussie Christmas tunes.

There’ll be opportunities for meet and greets with characters from Paw Patrol and Sesame Street, plus free Santa photos, food and drinks, and a crowd favourite – the fireworks finale!

Sunday 1 December 2019, 4.00pm-9.00pm Facilities will include a dedicated baby feeding/change room. For more information please visit Council’s website.

10 | READ ONLINE AT WWW.GEORGESRIVER.NSW.GOV.AU

WEDNESDAY 11 DECEMBER

SATURDAY 21 DECEMBER

The Potter’s House Christmas Carols Penshurst Park, Penshurst 7.30pm-8.30pm

Kogarah Library and Service Centre 10.00am-10.30am (session in Mandarin) South Hurstville Library 10.30am-11.00am

SUNDAY 22 DECEMBER

Greek Orthodox Parish and Community of Kogarah Christmas Carols Kogarah Town Square, 6.30pm-10.00pm

FRIDAY 13 DECEMBER

CHRISTMAS STORYTIMES

Oatley Library, 10.30am-11.00am

Christmas Rhyme Time for Babies

COUNCIL CAROLLERS

(0-18mths)

MONDAY 9 DECEMBER

SATURDAY 7 DECEMBER

Hurstville Library and Service Centre 10.00am-10.30am

Kingsgrove Road, Kingsgrove 10.30am-12.15pm Morts Road, Mortdale, 12.30pm-2.30pm

TUESDAY 10 DECEMBER

Penshurst Library, 10.00am-10.30am

SUNDAY 8 DECEMBER

Frederick Street, Oatley, 10.30am-12.15pm Forest Road, Lugarno, 12.30pm-2.30pm

THURSDAY 12 DECEMBER

Kogarah Library and Service Centre 10.00am-10.30am Christmas Rhyme Time for Toddlers (18mths-3yrs)

MONDAY 9 DECEMBER

Hurstville Library and Service Centre 11.00am-11.30am

TUESDAY 10 DECEMBER

Penshurst Library, 11.00am-11.30am

THURSDAY 12 DECEMBER

Kogarah Library and Service Centre 11.00am-11.30am Christmas Story Time (3-5yrs)

TUESDAY 10 DECEMBER

Oatley Library, 10.30am-11.15am Hurstville Library and Service Centre 11.00am-11.45am (session in Mandarin)

SATURDAY 14 DECEMBER

CHRISTMAS MARKETS

Kogarah Town Square, Kogarah 10.30am-12.15pm Rocky Point Road, Sans Souci 12.30pm-2.30pm

WEDNESDAY 27 NOVEMBER

Oatley Westside Christmas Shopping Night Mulga Road, Oatley, 6.00pm-9.00pm

SUNDAY 15 DECEMBER

14, 15, 21, 22 DECEMBER

Hurstville Plaza, Hurstville 11.00am-2.00pm

Christmas Markets Hurstville Plaza, Hurstville 9.00am-6.00pm, Saturdays 9.00am-4.00pm, Sundays FRIDAY 27 DECEMBER

Foodies and Farmers Markets Our Lady of Fatima Church, Peakhurst 3.00pm-9.00pm

CHRISTMAS CAROLS SATURDAY 7 DECEMBER

Hurstville Library and Service Centre and South Hurstville, 10.30am-11.15am

International Community Fellowship Hurstville City Carols Woodville Park, Hurstville 3.00pm-9.00pm

FRIDAY 13 DECEMBER

SUNDAY 8 DECEMBER

THURSDAY 12 DECEMBER

Kogarah Library and Service Centre and Penshurst Library, 10.30am-11.15am Christmas Rhyme Time for Babies and Toddlers (0-3yrs) TUESDAY 10 DECEMBER

Hurstville Library and Service Centre 10.00am-10.30am (session in Mandarin)

The Salvation Army Community Carols in the Park Penshurst Park, Penshurst, 6.00pm-9.15pm SATURDAY 14 DECEMBER

Oatley Combined Churches Association Carols in the Park Oatley Memorial Park,Oatley 6.15pm-8.30pm

PHOTOS WITH SANTA SUNDAY 1 DECEMBER

Carss Bush Park, 10.00am-1.00pm SATURDAY 7 DECEMBER

Penshurst Library, 10.00am-1.00pm SUNDAY 8 DECEMBER

Riverwood Plaza,10.00am-1.00pm SATURDAY 14 DECEMBER

Kogarah Library, 10.00am-1.00pm SUNDAY 15 DECEMBER

Hurstville Central, 10.00am-1.00pm

COMMUNITY | SUMMER EDITION | 11

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Hurstville Entertainment Centre Christmas productions

Christmas Tree Lighting

Hurstville Museum & Gallery Christmas programs

Christmas Markets

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For more information please visit the Georges River Council website www.georgesriver.nsw.gov.au or scan the QR code with your smart phone to go directly to the event page.

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MONDAY 11 NOVEMBER

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS COMPETITION - ENTRIES OPEN Open to all residents and businesses within the local government area. Be sure to nominate yourself or a worthy recipient. There are plenty of prizes to be won.

LEGO CHRISTMAS CLUB (5-12yrs)

Unlock your child’s creativity through play using LEGO in a fun social setting.

Oatley Library, 4.00pm-5.00pm WEDNESDAY 11 DECEMBER

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS COMPETITION - ENTRIES CLOSE Public voting will be open for a week to choose the People’s Choice winner.

LEGO CHRISTMAS CLUB

Christmas Lights Competition

SATURDAY 14 DECEMBER

It’s that time of year again! Deck the house with reams of twinkling lights and you could win a $500 gift card! Help create a festive, fun and sparkly vibe in your neighbourhood by entering your house into our Christmas Lights Competition.

FRIDAY 13 DECEMBER

(5-12yrs) Unlock your child’s creativity through play using LEGO in a fun social setting.

Hurstville Library and Service Centre 4.00pm-5.00pm SUNDAY 1 DECEMBER

MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS Friends and families revel in this festive evening at Carss Bush Park, which, against a magical backdrop, features festive stalls and special performances.

Carss Bush Park, 4.00pm-9.00pm

CHRISTMAS POMANDERS (5+) Create festive, sweet scented decoration using oranges and cloves.

Hurstville Museum & Gallery 11.00am-2.00pm

WEDNESDAY 4 DECEMBER

CHRISTMAS RECIPE CLUB Swap Christmas recipes and taste the results.

South Hurstville Library, 2.30pm-4.00pm MONDAY 9 DECEMBER

CHRISTMAS MOVIE MATINEE MONDAY Enjoy the special Christmas movie, a social cuppa and a chat.

Oatley Library, 2.00pm-4.15pm TUESDAY 10 DECEMBER

CREATIVE CHRISTMAS CORNER (3-5yrs) Creative Christmas activities.

Kogarah Library and Service Centre 10.30am-11.30am

WEDNESDAY 18 DECEMBER

LAH-LAH’S CHRISTMAS SHOW Lah-Lah and her Big Live Band are sure to get the whole family up singing and dancing.

Hurstville Entertainment Centre, Tickets - $27.50 10.00am

14 | READ ONLINE AT WWW.GEORGESRIVER.NSW.GOV.AU

Entries can be submitted via Council’s online form, or in hard copy format – see our website for details. Households can selfnominate or be nominated by other residents.

Entries open 9.00am Monday 11 November, and close midnight Wednesday 11 December 2019.

Winners will be announced and notified on Tuesday 17 December 2019.

Voting for the People's Choice category will be open to the public from 9.00am Thursday 12 December, and close midnight Monday 16 December 2019.

GEORGES RIVER COUNCIL

Celebrate the Year of the Rat at our Lunar New Year Festival

EVENTS Don't miss one of our most culturally rich events.

Lunar New Year falls before Australia Day next year, so our highly anticipated festival on Forest Road in Hurstville will take place on Saturday 18 January, 2020.

There will be an incredible range of community entertainment including singing, dancing, music and martial arts. The colourful street parade will commence at 10.00am, along with dragon dancing, inflatable zodiac animals and later in the day the lively Waikato Drumming Performance will have you in a trance.

Everyone will absolutely adore the Hello Kitty Stage Show, and there’s a lovely Wishing Tree Forest activation which will be a joy to take part in, as well as a live mural which is to be painted throughout the day. As with each Lunar New Year Festival there will be oodles of delicious food stalls, craft stalls, activities and entertainment.

COMMUNITY | SUMMER EDITION | 15

EVENTS Come and see the Real Thing

AUSTRALIA DAY 2020

Summer will be jam-packed with fantastic events, and our Australia Day Festival on Sunday 26 January will be no exception. There is an incredible line-up including a special Citizenship Ceremony which will include Auslan interpreters, and the announcement of our Australia Day award winners.

Our headline act is the legendary Australian musician and winner of the Best Blues And Roots Album at the 2016 ARIA Awards, Russell Morris, who after an incredible career continues to inspire musicians worldwide.

The more “mature-aged” among us will

remember his 1969 classic psychedelic single The Real Thing… “Oo-mow-mamow-mow, Oo-mow-ma-mow-mow…”

Don’t miss this gig!

The Weeklies, made up of both customers and staff from Disability Services Australia’s Community Solutions site in Taren Point, will also take to the stage. They have grown in size and popularity over the past few years, appearing in local gigs and larger scale concerts. Creating an atmosphere of fun and positivity, they’ll have the crowd up and dancing.

16 | READ ONLINE AT WWW.GEORGESRIVER.NSW.GOV.AU

The festival will offer a great range of food and craft stalls, activities for all ages, and will conclude with the always impressive fireworks display over Kogarah Bay.

*This event will be a Drive-in

GEORGES RIVER COUNCIL

SPORT Sydney FC come to Kogarah

Sydney FC kicks off in Kogarah Football legends Sydney FC have returned to Netstrata Jubilee Stadium in Kogarah for another summer of football, playing 10 of their 13 home games at the venue throughout 2019/2020.

Cheer on the champions in your own backyard as the Sky Blues attempt to go back-to-back and secure their fifth Hyundai A-League crown, with family-friendly games running until April 2020.

The season will also see Women’s League and Youth League matches, including a triple header for the first time.

Don’t miss a minute of all the high-octane action. Grab your tickets today!

Tickets available at ticketek.com.au

COMMUNITY | SUMMER EDITION | 17

ART AND CULTURE

18 | READ ONLINE AT WWW.GEORGESRIVER.NSW.GOV.AU

GEORGES RIVER COUNCIL

Georges River Art Prize 2019 The biennial Georges River Art Prize is on show at Hurstville Museum & Gallery and Kogarah Library & Service Centre until 30 January 2020.

Now in its second year, the prize received record entries, with over 340 submissions across the categories of painting, sculpture, and youth artworks.

We had a great time at the awards ceremonies at Kogarah Library and Service Centre and Hurstville Museum & Gallery, celebrating all our finalists’ works and announcing our winners!

Congratulations to the winners and highly commended artists: WINNER: Leon Lester for The source of energy in everything Highly commended Jacqueline Balassa for Pine tree – Yellow Mountain Elouise Roberts for Winter thistles Stuart Watters for Timberland Georges River Sculpture Prize 2019 WINNER: Julia Flanagan for Everything I own Highly commended Merran Esson for Autumn Geoff Harvey for Sooty owl Georges River Local Artist Prize 2019 WINNER: Rebecca Trajkovski for The board (series 4)

Georges River Youth Prize 2019 WINNER: Ann Yang for Horse with his man Highly commended Grace Chan for Look away Angela Lin for Summer Kai Xuan Yong for Trio daffodils Georges River Little Artist Prize 2019 WINNER: Natalie Tsang for Colour in the sea Highly commended Mira Kwok for Mira had 4 little lambs Serena Lin for By the windowsill Dean Theodoropoulos for V8 Supersports

Family fun day 11 January 2020, 11.00am – 2.00pm To coincide with the Georges River Art Prize, Hurstville Museum & Gallery is holding a fun day for the whole family. Become an Art Explorer with our family activity trail, vote for your favourite artwork, and take a guided tour to get inspired before creating an artwork of your very own.

Images: (This page) Georges River Art Prize winner Leon Lester and his artwork The source of energy in everything.

(Opposite page) Georges River Art Prize 2019 awards night.

Little Artist Prize winner Natalie Tsang and her artwork Colour in the sea.

Georges River Youth Prize and Little Artist Prize at Kogarah Library & Service Centre.

COMMUNITY | SUMMER EDITION | 19

ART AND CULTURE

Official launch of Woke online magazine for young people

Georges River Council Mayor Kevin Greene officially launched the online youth magazine Woke in late October, which was created by the Knijnik triplets, Luiza, Juliana and Marina as part of Council’s Youth Week event, Dragon’s Den. With approximately 70 people in attendance including local youth services representatives and educators, Mayor Greene congratulated the young entrepreneurs on the initiative and talked passionately about the importance of social justice.

“It’s enormously heartening to see young people who are passionate about the interests, issues and concerns relevant to their peers, and taking action to provide a platform for their discussion,” said Mayor Greene.

“Woke provides a valuable outlet for young people to express their opinions and speak freely, two things that are essential to bringing about societal change and assisting the community to develop and progress.

“Council was pleased to award $2,000 to aid in the website’s development, and I look forward to watching its progress as other young people add their voices in order to inform and inspire each other.

Juliana Knijnik said that she and her sisters started Woke because they wanted to make a difference, and her sister Marina said that the Dragon’s Den competition gave young people with a dream of helping their community a chance to pitch their ideas to judges.

“We’ve always thought about doing something to help our community and this was our chance,” said Marina.

“The world today seems to regard teenagers and young adults as incapable of forming intelligent opinions based on world problems. They think students should stay in school and leave the politics to those outside the school.

“This opinion that adults have about teenagers only encourages the apathetic nature many of us demonstrate. We decided to create a website for young people by young people that talks about issues that affect us every day.

“We want to provide a platform that informs the youth about what’s happening in the world, as well as telling the stories of many young people

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who are following their dreams and striving to make a difference in our society.

“Our plan is to empower the youth of today, by informing them and telling them about these young change makers, so that little by little we can make the world a better place.

“This is the dream of Woke – to connect, inspire and empower the youth of today’s society and show them that they can truly make a difference,” explained Marina.

Luiza Knijnik said that one voice or article calling for change is crucial to activism in today’s world.

“That’s what Woke aims to do. We want to be the spark that can set the world aflame, because one person can make a difference. One voice can start a ripple effect, and as the old adage goes, a pen will always be mightier than the sword,” added Luiza.

The Dragon’s Den event was run in partnership between Georges River Council, 3Bridges and the Rotary Club of Hurstville.

For more information or to check out Woke online magazine, go to ourwoke.com or contact them by email at ourwoke@gmail.com.

GEORGES RIVER COUNCIL

LOCAL HISTORY

What’s in a name? Connells Point Connells Point was originally called O’Connells Point, and derived its name from Charles Daniel O’Connell (1819-1891) who owned land there and built a homestead named Connello, overlooking the Georges River.

O’Connell came to Australia in 1838.

He was a nephew of Sir Maurice O’Connell KCH, after whom O’Connell Street in Sydney is named, and who married Mary, daughter of William Bligh.

When Charles O’Connell got into financial difficulties and had to offer Connello for sale in 1860, the advertising stated: “Nothing can exceed the beauty of the scenery from Connello, which embraces in its views the winding Georges River and its picturesque bays...”

Oyster beds were discovered in O’Connell’s Bay in the late 1850s, and were worked from the mid-1860s onwards. In the 1870s Mr Albert

Emerson established a depot at his premises in O’Connell’s Bay and employed men to gather oysters from the foreshores, and dredge for those growing in deep water. Georges River oysters were regarded as the best quality by Sydney connoisseurs.

A significant land subdivision took place in 1897, when the Terry Estate at Connells Point was offered for sale, comprising 54 lots. The property, covering 450 acres, had been owned

by Samuel Terry and Robert Wisdom, after whom Terry Street and Wisdom Street were named.

From the 1890s onwards, picnic grounds at O’Connell’s Bay were a popular attraction for Boxing Day outings.

In 1938 Connells Point Sailing Club was formed, with its clubhouse built in 1965. Donnelly Park has a public boat ramp and a public pontoon.

The land forming Connells Point Reserve was transferred to Kogarah Council in 1928, and the playground at the reserve was recently upgraded.

Poulton Park, named after Kogarah Alderman Harry Leonard Poulton, lies to the west of the suburb. It contains the home ground of Connells Point Rovers Soccer Club, established in 1966, as well as an important stand of mangroves and associated wetland.

Image: Terry Street, Connells Point in 1934.

Georges River Local Studies Collection

COMMUNITY | SUMMER EDITION | 21

WORKSHOPS

Free workshops teach community to repair and reuse The Oatley Remakery & Sustainability Hub has received $48,000 in funding from the NSW Government's My Community Project Program, which will support the roll-out of free monthly Repair & Reuse Workshops at the Oatley Community Centre in 2020.

Mayor of Georges River Council Kevin Greene said that Council’s Waste Smart Program will facilitate the initiative by providing the community space free of charge for the workshops.

“It’s important to remember the significant impact that seemingly small individual actions can have on the global scale in terms of environmental sustainability,” said Mayor Greene.

“Sometimes we can be too quick to discard items that could be made good as new again with a few expert tweaks.

“The new workshops will enable community members to gain new skills repairing everyday items, and will provide an opportunity for residents to swap unwanted clothes, household items, books and toys.

“We’ll see a reduction in items going to landfill, less waste and will bring the philosophy of repair and reuse the forefront of our resident’s minds,” added Mayor Greene.

The Oatley Remakery & Sustainability Hub Workshops will be facilitated by experts from The Bower Reuse &

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Repair Centre, who will share their varied knowledge on repairing and upcycling items.

Guido Verbist, Co-operative Manager at The Bower Reuse & Repair Centre Co-op said that the events will foster a culture of sharing and connectivity.

“We’ll essentially offer a mini ECO festival on a monthly basis, where we will focus on the basic skills to repair furniture, electronic appliances and bikes,” said Guido.

“Other organisations will also be invited to teach the community additional skills."

STARLIGHT CINEMA

WHAT'S

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Starlight Cinema will be returning to a selection of locations throughout the Georges River area in 2020, starting in late February and continuing into March.

ON

Locations, times and movie listings will soon be made available on Council’s website, so stay tuned!

For more information or to check out all of our events, please visit www.georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

DRAGONFLIES KIDS’ CLUB: BEAD BONANZA Experiment with beads, string and wire to create an artwork in this fun and educational workshop designed for

children aged 4-7 years.

Saturday 4 January, 11.00am-12.30pm Hurstville Museum & Gallery Cost: $5.50 Bookings required: www.georgesriver.nsw.gov.au/HMG

ART IN THE COURTYARD: WORKING WITH LIGHT AND SHADE

FREE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS KIDS MOVIE: ALADDIN (PG) Keep the kids entertained these School Holidays with a free movie screening of Aladdin, starring Will Smith.

Explore shading techniques using black ink, experimenting with tone to create a still life image in this workshop for adults.

Wednesday 8 January, 10.00am-12.30pm Civic Theatre, Hurstville Entertainment Centre Cost: Free Bookings required: www.hec.org.au

Friday 10 January, 10.00am-12.00pm Hurstville Museum & Gallery Cost: $5.50 Bookings required: www.georgesriver.nsw.gov.au/HMG

FAMILY FUN DAY: GEORGES RIVER ART PRIZE Bring the whole family for a fun day out

at Hurstville Museum & Gallery. Join guided tours and craft activities, and vote for your favourite artwork in our People’s Choice competition.

Saturday 11 January , 11.00am-2.00pm Hurstville Museum & Gallery Cost: Free

FREE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS KIDS MOVIE: SECRET LIFE OF PETS 2 (G) Keep the kids entertained these School Holidays with a free movie screening of the Secret Life of Pets 2.

Saturday 11 January, 10.00am-12.30pm Civic Theatre, Hurstville Entertainment Centre Cost: Free Bookings required: www.hec.org.au

THE MANY STORY TREEHOUSE EXHIBITION This exhibition showcases the original illustrations, sketches and layouts of the phenomenal Treehouse series, written

by Andy Griffiths and illustrated by Terry Denton.

Saturday 8 February-Sunday 3 May Hurstville Museum & Gallery Cost: Free

Blakehurst

Hurstville

Kogarah Bay

Mortdale

Peakhurst

Sam Elmir

Vince Badalati

Stephen Agius

Con Hindi

Kevin Greene

Sandy Grekas

Nancy Liu

Nick Katris

Lou Konjarski

Rita Kastanias

Kathryn Landsberry

Christina Wu

Leesha Payor

Warren Tegg

Colleen Symington

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

0424 617 831 sgrekas @georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

0419 984 934 klandsberry @georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

0411 745 255 vbadalati @georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

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

0400 241 851 cwu @georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

0419 556 023 sagius @georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

0419 402 191 nkatris @georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

9330 6296 lpayor @georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

Deputy Mayor 0408 383 783 chindi @georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

0421 188 896 Lkonjarski @georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

0427 671 666 wtegg @georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

CHRISTMAS HOURS Georges River Service Centres, Libraries, Childcare Centres and facilities have limited opening hours over the Christmas and New Year period.

Our Customer Service Centres at Hurstville and Kogarah will be closed on: Christmas Day, Wednesday 25 December 2019; Boxing Day, Thursday 26 December 2019; New Year’s Day, Wednesday 1 January 2020

Mayor 9330 6020 kgreene @georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

0416 009 695 rkastanias @georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

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

For a comprehensive list of operating hours at Council facilities during the Christmas period please go to www.georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

CONTACT Phone: 9330 6400 24 hours, 7 days a week www.georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

f georgesrivercouncil q @georges_river i @grcouncil & mail@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au Language Assistance Service

131 450

After-hours Customer Service Georges River Civic Centre Corner MacMahon and Dora Streets, Hurstville available at Hurstville Library 5.00pm - 9.00pm, Monday to Friday Open: 8.30am - 5.00pm, Monday to Friday 9.30am - 4.00pm, Saturday and Sunday Kogarah Library and Service Centre Kogarah Town Square, Belgrave Street Open: 8.30am - 5.00pm, Monday to Friday