North Sydney Sun October edition

Council supports abused elders | What’s new at the Ensemble | What’s happening in local cricket

October 2023 Issue 27

News and views for North Sydney’s residential and business communities

www.northsydneysun.com.au

Housing supply debate comes to the fore With the NSW state government directly indicating that it wants more high rise residential apartments in the North Sydney LGA, two developers have responded with plans for major apartment initiatives. But there is pushback on one of them amid concerns that good planning practice is being bypassed.

The developer of the site over the coming Crows Nest Metro station, Third.i, said it will dedicate about 15 percent of its proposed residential tower at Hume Street to affordable housing for nearby hospital workers.

Third.i and its partner PPI said they are joining with one of Australia’s largest community housing providers, Evolve Housing, to designate 15% of the mixed-used development to nurses, midwives, health professional and

* Plan to build affordable units for healthcare workers at Crows Nest Metro * Proposed MLC Building residen al fitout opposed by Council * Kylea Tink plans residents advisory panel services staff working at nearby Royal North Shore Hospital and other local health facilities in perpetuity. “This will allow health workers, who are unable to find affordable rental apartments within the Local Government Area, to live close to their workplaces,” they said.

A survey conducted by the developers found many St Leonards health workers travelled 30 to 50km to work, with the cost of local studio apartments equivalent to 58% of their pay.

Third.i and PPI have already been granted Stage 1 approval for the Metro Precinct Site A and B development, but are proposing to amend the con-

cept for mixed-use, which includes a mix of affordable housing, private residential, retail, and commercial floor space. Although the two did not identify the number of new apartments planned, they did place a value of $130 million on the initiative.

Earlier this year, Third.i indicated full priced units in the development would cost around $800,000 for a one -bedroom and $1.8 million for a twobedroom unit.

Meanwhile, MLC Building owner Investa has released plans to repurpose the empty office block as a build-to-rent office tower. Having been thwarted by the state govern-

Proposed Metro development ment and the courts to demolish the Con nued page 4

Print edition of North Sydney Sun to go on hiatus With this October edition, the printed version of the North Sydney Sun will go on hiatus.

According to North Sydney Sun publisher Grahame Lynch, the Federal Government’s decision to so far not renew the Regional and Local Newspaper Publishers program this financial year, which helped fund the printing costs of well over 100 local and regional titles, is the catalyst behind the timing of the decision.

“It’s with some regret I have come to this decision,” Lynch said. “Print is still clearly the most effective way to reach an entire local community, par-

ticularly with the algorithms of social media now firmly set against visibility of news sites.”

“The funding from the federal government for last financial year was really important in helping us defray print costs.”

Lynch said that the print edition of the Sun was incredibly resource and time intensive and that he no longer felt the desire to subsidise it from other business operations.

“We will continue to report on local news via our website and Facebook group, as well as looking to extend our presence across other platforms such

as Instagram and LinkedIn,” he said, adding that there would likely be a greater emphasis on business news.

“To those people who supported our print edition via readership, advertising or patronising an advertiser or an advertised event, I offer a big thankyou,” Lynch said.

“There is great satisfaction for us in knowing that we added something to a community, particularly given we launched during COVID,” he added.

Lynch said there may be a return to print if advertiser demand warranted it, particularly around elections when political candidates were keen to reach

North Sydney readers.

But with financial and time resources freed up by the decision to put print on hold, the North Sydney Sun aspires to enhance reporting on the affairs of the local community, subject to reader feedback.

“If you liked the Sun’s print output we urge you to come online and either sign up to receive news via our website or to join out Facebook group where we regularly post news,” Lynch said.

“And if business conditions change and circumstances warrant it, perhaps we will return in people’s letterboxes sooner than later.”

Zoe Baker re-elected as mayor by peers unopposed North Sydney Mayor Zoe Baker has been re-elected unopposed for a one year term, signalling that she will continue to take the fight up to the state government on roadworks, open planning and density targets.

“I’d like to thank you all for extending the significant honour and privilege to continue to serve with me and to continue to work collaboratively with you to serve our exceptional North Sydney community,” she said after her election, at a meeting of the ten councillors.

“I’m so very grateful for the faith that you have placed in me and beyond grateful to be able to serve with a group of councillors who have worked constructively and collaboratively to place the community interest above personal interest,” she said.

“A group of councillors committed to delivering on environmental, social, and financial sustainability, committed to open government principles. A group who value and strive to protect the character and heritage of our suburbs and public domain. Who understand that we have been elected to be prepared to stand up to state governments of all political persuasions on behalf of our community. A group of councillors who continue to stand up daily for the thousands of residents along the whole of the Warringah Freeway upgrade corridor from Cammeray, Neutral Bay down to High

William Bourke Street and North Sydney and beyond.

Who are enduring the devastating impacts of the construction of these major roads, projects, and the ongoing impacts of those projects more generally,” she continued.

“A council that will not stop lobbying the state government to deliver the

Zoe Baker return of the one and a half hectares of public open space at Cammeray Park, taking for the Major Roads Project and the return of public lands from Cammeray to Berrys Bay, to the community at the end of the construction period. A council who will fight until the Minister for Planning collaborates

with our community on housing density targets. A council committed to continuing to deliver affordable housing projects to ensure the strength and diversity of our community and the teachers, nurses, police, emergency service workers and council staff can afford to live where they work.”

Concerns at PCYC North Sydney building sale

By James Mullan Users of the Police Citizens Youth Club in North Sydney converged on a town hall meeting at the Falcon St venue to protest the sale of the club building.

But management of the PCYC charity told attendees that the transaction was a fait accompli.

About 100 people attended the meeting late last month on 28 September where they had an opportunity to question PCYC management including interim CEO Craig Becroft, GM people and culture Kellie Lavecombe, GM brand and philanthropy Simon Gerathy and youth command superintendent Sam Crisafulli.

Attendees at the meeting told the Sun that PCYC management admitted that their board had already resolved to sell the club, although there was no confirmation of rumours that the State Government was buying the property – about two house blocks in size – to build an ambulance station.

The North Sydney PCYC club has been in operation since 1957 and offers gym, boxing and martial arts classes as well as driver learning and even blue light discos. According to one correspondent, there have been intimations that the club is no longer generating a positive cash flow. But the most recent accounts for the PCYC movement as a whole – for calendar year 2021 – indicate that the entity

made a $11.74m surplus on assets of $110.22m.

According to our sources, attendees at the meeting were unhappy that there had been no consultation on the decision.

One said: “You talk about your there for the community, you’re there for members, yet we are hearing second hand that decisions have already been made. The process, stakeholder engagement, you need to listen to the community, you need to listen to members, you need to do proper analysis. This is a big decision for the community but also for yourselves.”

Another member in attendance pointed out the fact both the Dee Why and Hornsby PCYCs had recently been given totally new facilities. The Hornsby club was rebuilt for a $12.5 million cost with the local Shire Council contributing almost $3 million, while the new Dee Why centre cost $26 million, most of which came from the local council. PCYC management said they were different cases because those clubs were owned by council.

One attendee later told the Sun: “They are not actually telling us what’s truly going on which is that there is a very big pay day which is to occur from the sale of this building – with no clarity to what that money will be used for other than saying the money will be going back to PCYC with no certainty

or understanding whether there will be a form of replacement in our local area. Nobody was willing to be straight with no confirmation or clarity on the sale of the site.”

Another said: “We’d like to know firstly why it’s being sold, we don’t know whether it’s social or economic.

As far as we are concerned we hold up all the missions of looking after the youth in the area. We are a profitable club. So the social and economic factors seem to be there, yet they are deciding to close us; a profitable club,

obviously to pay off debt somewhere else.”

North Sydney Mayor Zoe Baker was in attendance and clarified that the council had not been approached or consulted by PCYC about the sale.

CEO Becroft agreed to make a representation to the board on behalf of PCYC North Sydney asking if there was any way the club could be saved.

The NSW government had previously indicated plans to build a new ambulance station for the lower North Shore area in Cremorne.

Residents zero in on cost of Milsons Point bike ramp Milsons Point residents who oppose the linear design for a new cycle ramp at the Sydney Harbour Bridge have made a new claim that the project cost may surge past $100 million – for infrastructure serving just several hundred users.

Joan Street, who heads a local community group, says that Transport for NSW advised in 2018 that a linear design would cost $55 million to build.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, infrastructure costs have increased 26% since then. When design costs – now over $8 million – and standard contingencies are added in, the project is now likely to cost $97 million or more, she claims.

The recent state budget provided funding for the proposed ramp as part of an “Active Transport” line item totalling $98m across four years. The funding is allocated to just two projects: the Milsons Point ramp and a dedicated bike path between Cronulla and Sutherland.

In the previous budget, the Cronulla project was costed at $24 million over two years, and the Milsons Point cycle ramp at $21 million over the same period.

At the same time, the local residents have pointed to data from Transport for NSW monitoring of cyclists on the Bridge at Dawes Point

which they say shows that an average of only 590 individual cyclists use the bridge each day – slightly down over the past year – but down 34% since the project was first proposed five years ago.

The Sun’s reading of the data is that 1100-1200 cyclists are counted each day at the city-side bridge approaches, with the residents presumably assuming each makes a return trip to calculate their claimed number of individuals.

Transport for NSW does not count cyclists at the Milsons Point end.

Residents are proposing their own community design which they say would be cheaper and occupy a much smaller footprint in Bradfield Park, reducing its impact on open space and bridge heritage values.

They say that the Transport for NSW ramp bears an unacceptably high cost for infrastructure used by such a small number.

For its part, Transport for NSW has already conducted preliminary work on the ramp and aims to begin construction early next year.

Meanwhile, Cr Ian Mutton has questioned whether North Sydney Council has given Transport for NSW the necessary legal consent to use the Milsons Point parkland for the ramp.

While owner’s consent has been grant-

The proposed bike ramp ed for a design, it does not appear that final permission has been given for a build. . Cr Ian Mutton has written to Council general manager Therese Manns questioning whether the council had given permission to build the cycleway and whether the original masterplan for the area allowed for the new intended use.

In his letter, Mutton observed that the Council had yet to vote on giving permission to the State Government to

North Sydney Sun | October 2023 | Page 3

use Bradfield Park North – held by council – for the cycleway ramp. All it had done had offered so-called ‘owners’ consent’ to apply for permission to use the land.

“To the extent that the TfNSW proposal relies upon land which is owned

by North Sydney Council, it would seem essential that the Council makes a resolution as to whether it will permit and facilitate any particular cyCon nued next page

The Sun Says...

North Sydney Council staff set quite a provocative test for the ten councillors at their last meeting. They said that there were not sufficient resources available to them to pursue major reviews into both affordable housing and heritage conservation in the LGA at the same time.

A choice would have to be made, council staff observed, and that would have to be in favour of affordable housing, largely because it was a priority issue for state and federal governments.

As you might expect, councillors affirmed their grave concern for affordable housing but did not see the need for it to be traded off against heritage conservation. They did the predictable thing and punted off the issue for a private councillor briefing.

However, this council has a track record of opposing new housing and other forms of accommodation such as aged care facilities. We’ve seen it repeatedly in Cremorne, Neutral Bay, Crows Nest and North Sydney.

These decisions all had their reasons but it’s fairly simple: if you cut a tree down, you should at least plant a replacement nearby. The same principle should apply with housing. Votes speak louder than words.

Copyright Decisive Publishing.

All rights reserved.

ACN 065 084 960 Responsibility for election comment taken by G Lynch Office address: Unit 704 6a Glen St Milsons Point NSW Australia 2061 Phone: 0415756208 URL: www.northsydneysun.com.au Email for editorial: grahamelynch@northsydneysun.com.au Printer: Spotpress, 24-26 Lilian Fowler Place Marrickville NSW 2204

Housing availability issue comes to the fore Con nued from page 1 1957 building, Investa now wants to refit the building to support 340 apartments and 2500sq m of retail space.

However, the plan has attracted instant opposition from North Sydney Council.

Mayor Zoe Baker told the Sydney Morning Herald that “In one fell swoop, something like this undermines that careful planning and conservatorship of that core for commercial purposes. We’ll be making a very strong submission that this not proceed.” She added that it will be the “death knell” for the North Sydney CBD. According to Council, “the existing E2 – Commercial Core zone, expressly prohibits residential development including serviced apartments. This prohibition has been in place for many years.”

The North Sydney Local Strategic Planning Statement says “The North Sydney CBD will retain its commercial core zoning to ensure that employment capacity is provided for and residential development is restricted to its peripheral locations. This will ensure that North Sydney continues to deliver a place that is reflective of the highest order centre assigned under the regional and district plans.”

It’s worth noting that there is some

MLC building in North Sydney residential accommodation in the North Sydney CBD already.

There is an apartment block at 93 Pacific Highway, just one block away from MLC, as well as substantial residential property north of Berry St, again just one block away.

TINK’S FORUM PLAN: Meanwhile, independent federal MP for North Sydney Kylea Tink has made the call out to local residents for their ideas on how to solve the housing issue. “What’s the one big idea we need to push Canberra to consider? What’s the idea you think will make the most impact but which politicians seem unwilling to consider?” she asked, calling for written submissions by this

weekend.

Tink is also engaging in what she calls deliberative democracy to help foster discussions about solutions, via a North Sydney Community Housing Forum. “For this event, a group of around 30-40 residents will convene to spend a day together to consider potential solutions to this difficult policy problem. Participants are asked to find common ground around one idea, showing their reasoning and what questions need to be answered to know if it is viable,” Tink said.

“Participants will be selected from a random sample of voters in the North Sydney electorate,” and weighted to be representative.

Milsons Point bike ramp cost, consent concerns Con nued from previous page cleway design,” Mutton wrote.

“At present, the only resolution that has ever been made by the elected Council was a determination of the Council to permit an application being made by TfNSW to the Heritage Council for an approval under the Heritage Act as a preliminary precondition to consideration of that proposal. In no way did the Councillors’ resolution reflect a decision of the Council to proceed with any particular design for the cycleway extension.”

The state government has decided to proceed with a controversial linear design which spans most of the park, excluding from consideration a community-sourced design which has a much smaller footprint and leaves much of the park untouched.

Mutton goes on to say that the Local Government Act imposes strict conditions upon any use of community land other than when it is in accordance with what he describes as “the relevant adopted Community Plan of Management.”

“It is quite clear to me that the

proposed uses of the Park as a cycleway and the proposed ancillary works depot are inconsistent with the Bradfield Park Plan of Management,” Mutton wrote.

“That being the case I seek confirmation that the community land management protections under the Local Government Act are being met,” he asked in the letter.

The Cycleway project was funded in this month’s NSW state project and is set to proceed in the new year. Preliminary survey work has already been conducted on the site.

AdverƟsement

Does Council support community consultation?

Cr Ian Mu on We hear a lot about community consultation – North Sydney Council says it does a great deal of it. Ever wondered whether consultation influences councillors in how they vote?

Council’s ambivalent attitude to cars is instructive – voting for more roads in the east (Neutral Bay village) but less parking in the west (St Leonards Crows Nest through to Milsons Point).

Council proposed that the number of parking spots for apartments be reduced.

Expressed in aggregate terms the reduction was for apartments:

There have been two community consultations that I think particularly important.

First, the Young Street Plaza in the Neutral Bay village – turning a road into a playground. The last Council resolved to convert Young Street (between Military Road and Grosvenor Lane) into a pedestrian plaza and established a temporary conversion to allow comment. The present Council undertook an extensive community consultation on the proposition that the pedestrian plaza be undone and opened up to cars.

Council’s consultation involved both a survey (82 responses) and a call for submissions (27).

The survey results were reported: By far the most common response to the proposal was general support for retention of the plaza. In the survey, over half the respondents (51%) answered “yes” to the question “I support the installation of the proposed plaza” without offering additional comment. A further 17% of the responders answered “yes with modifications” bringing the total support for the project in the survey to over two thirds (68%) of responders.

A very extensive consultation process was undertaken by Council – the result with 351 submissions received was: > 20% supported the proposed reduction in car parking, and > 80% objected to the reduction.

Council did the opposite and voted to reduce parking, against the view of Council’s surveyed respondents – the vote was: For the reduction in parking: Councillors Baker, Beregi, Bourke, Lamb, Santer, and Welch.

Against (supporting the respondents): Councillors Gibson, Lepouris, Mutton, and Spenceley.

The next opportunity to judge the effect of community consultation on Council will come when Council considers a proposal by Transport for NSW to build a linear ramp for bikes through Bradfield Park Central and North.

The opposition to Transport for NSW’s proposal has manifested in several public meetings (drawing audiences from 200 to 500) and a petition to be presented to the Parliament of NSW with more than 8,000 signatures.

Council has allowed TfNSW to submit an application to the Heritage Council seeking approval to build its linear ramp but has so far not given owners consent for the construction of the linear ramp.

The 27 submissions: > 9 offered support for the project, > 4 suggested that changes be made, > 2 offered comments/queries, and > 12 opposed the project outright.

Contrary to the survey results and the submissions, Council voted to reopen what was the Young Street pedestrian plaza to cars – the vote was: For: Councillor Baker, Councillor Beregi, Councillor Bourke, Councillor Lamb, Councillor Santer and Councillor Welch and Councillor Spenceley.

Against: Councillor Drummond, Councillor Gibson and Mutton.

A case of Council ignoring its Community Consultation.

Second, parking is a growing issue and set to become larger as more apartments are built in North Sydney. The proposal to reduce parking in new apartment buildings in and around transport hubs from St Leonards and Crows Nest and down to Milsons Point was put to Council.

The community has put forward the Community Cycle Ramp (CCR), a fold back ramp that preserves parkland and the heritage features of the locality and which is safer for pedestrians and cyclists and which Council has supported.

Councillors will likely consider their collective position as custodians of Bradfield Park in the next month or so. How will Council vote?

This discourse leads us on to voting patterns – are there any?

During 2022 and 2023 (up to and including 25 September), there were 82 votes which were not unanimous. Unanimous votes tend to be for non-controversial motions such as accepting the minutes of previous meetings and the like.

0n 71 of 82 votes, Mayor Baker and Councillors Lamb, Welch, Santer, Beregi and Bourke voted in support of the motion passed, as did Councillors: Spenceley (on 36 occasions), Mutton (on 29 occasions), Lepouris/Drummond (on 15 occasions), and Gibson (on 10 occasions) On the 11 other occasions, the vote was more scattered and the mayor’s casting vote was required for two motions.

Ian Mutton Ian Mutton – A Voice For North Sydney www.ianmutton.com

It’s better to be on the inside than the outside

Stay in touch with the North Sydney Sun online at www.northsydneysun.com.au

FOCUS ON NORTH SYDNEY

One Denison St claims wellness, sustainability recognition By staff reporter Winten Property Group’s $1.2 billion 1 Denison commercial office tower said it has achieved WELL V 2 Platinum certification and 6-star NABERS Energy and Waste ratings, positioning it North Sydney’s most sustainable commercial office tower.

Designed by Bates Smart, 1 Denison features 61,600 sqm of premium grade commercial office space across 37 storeys, with an innovative lifestyle precinct and basement parking for 225 cars and 568 bicycle racks.

WELL V 2 Platinum Certification is the highest possible rating and recognises its wellness amenities and facilities, enabling occupants to maintain their physical health, productivity, social connections, and happiness in the workplace.

1 Denison has also been awarded a 6-Star NABERS Energy rating and, most recently, a 6-Star NABERS Waste certification as well.

“We are proud to be recognised as North Sydney’s most sustainable office tower. Our sustainability objectives are closely aligned with those of our tenants. Delivering a high-performance building not only improves our environment and assists in meeting tenant

Environmental, Social & Governance targets – it also reduces building outgoings and expenses for our tenants,” said Stuart Vaughan, Chief Operating Officer of Winten Property Group.

According to 1 Denison’s Property Managers CBRE, the highperformance building’s sustainability was further enhanced through strategic, operational fine-tuning roadmapped after the building was constructed.

“We identified several core environmental pillars to focus on including reducing energy and waste, with occupant health and well-being also paramount. We collaborated with our project team and developed strategic pathways to achieve these new environmental benchmarks,” said Nathan Chehab, General Manager of 1 Denison Street.

Since its completion, the total energy consumption at 1 Denison has been more than halved annually, from 3.8 MW in 2020 to just 1.6MW in 2023, successfully elevating the building’s NABERS rating.

1 Denison’s energy efficiency was further increased through a range of initiatives in collaboration with Conservia, the Building Management Sys-

tem vendor, providing an energy management platform under a preventative maintenance structure.

Initiatives used to enhance environmental performance included optimising Tenant Condenser Water and Chiller Staging modification to maximise efficiency and reduce peak demand during summer, effectively resulting in 20% less energy being used for the Chiller alone. Peak load lopping is also utilised, reducing the amount of energy consumed during periods of peak demand and further optimising the building’s electricity usage.

In addition, a focus on waste management strategies at 1 Denison aims to achieve 100% landfill diversion and a zero-landfill target.

Among its sustainability features are onsite rainwater harvesting which delivers 70,000 litres of water to the building’s amenities.

1 Denison’s windows feature highperformance glazing and automated blinds to reduce the impact of harsh sunlight on its tenants, while energyefficient lighting is tuned to occupants’ Circadian rhythms, which fosters both greater productivity and energy as well as healthier sleep patterns.

1 Denison provides tenants with a

North Sydney Sun | October 2023 | Page 7

waterless, eco-friendly car wash by Wow Wash, which saves an average of 200 litres of water per car.

Tenants are also given the opportunity to lease low-emissions vehicles via their digital building app, with access to Tesla car and Lekka bike hires, in partnership with Ohmie Go. The building is fully leased and is home to several high-profile corporate tenants from a diverse range of industries, from media and technology to fashion and medical.

Tenants include Nine, Microsoft, SAP, Qualtrics, Red Hat, Essilor Luxottica, Indue, Datacom, Galderma, Qualitas Health, Ferrovial and Spaces.

FOCUS ON COMMUNITY

Council moves to support abused elders

By James Mullan North Sydney Council has created a new body called the North Sydney Elder Abuse Prevention Collaborative.

The group will bring together local organisations such as community centres, local seniors services, government agencies and will be co chaired

by Jonathan Alderton, Senior Constable of North Shore Police, and a Council representative.

The bodies involved in this collaboration include the Seniors Rights Service, Carers NSW, all North Sydney Council Community Centres, Stanton Library and Community Care Network Program. Council is endeavouring to support older people in the local area who are at risk of, or are experiencing, abuse, neglect or exploitation in their family, home or community.

North Sydney Council launched the collaborative group with guest speakers, State Minister for Seniors, Jodie Harrison and the Aging and Disability Commission NSW Commissioner Robert Fitzgerald.

Minister Harrison told the audience: “Elder abuse is a growing problem, especially with our ageing population. The North Sydney Elder Abuse

Prevention Collaborative is an important initiative to raise community awareness of this abuse. It will play a vital role in safeguarding adults at risk of abuse through a collective effort.

Thank you to everyone who has volunteered their time and resources to be involved.” She added “Community solutions are the best solutions.”

The council predicts by 2036 that 17% of the population in North Sydney will be aged 65 and over, meaning occurrences of elder abuse could rise.

North Sydney Mayor Zoe Baker was also in attendance and said: “Between 2020 and 2022, we know of 47 reports of abuse from older people or adults with disability in North Sydney. These of course are just those that were reported. This is 47 too many. Of these, the majority were women.”

Mayor Baker detailed that the most common forms of reported abuse in North Sydney are verbal, unmet support needs and financial exploitation.

She also highlighted the main focuses of the collaborative (sic) being “early intervention strategies, strong referral pathways, best practice reporting, policy and process, connection between service providers and greater aware-

Robert Fitzgerald, Zoe Baker, Jodie Harrison, MaryAnn Beregi ness of elder abuse.”

Aging and Disability Commission NSW Commissioner Robert Fitzgerald also addressed the meeting saying the key purpose of the collaboration is to “bring voice and presence to older people in our community.” He believes these types of groups are crucial for addressing abuse issues as they incor-

porate local government and community in decision making, as opposed to leaving solutions to a bureaucracy.

Fitzgerald believes older people interact with the world most predominantly on a local level, meaning collaboration from these communities are ideal as opposed to a top down approach.

Bloomingales embraces local craft makers

By James Mullan Kirribilli favourite Bloomingales is diversifying its range of products to support local craft makers.

Owner Venietta Slama-Powell has brought on some up and coming as well as established brands, the majority of which emanate from Sydney’s North Shore.

She told the Sun: “The reason why we were established was to celebrate beauty, talent and craft, so we are always exploring new talent.”

A stand-out new addition is the Kalma Koala which is a toy designed to calm babies and help with sensory development. They are designed for babies and toddlers up until age 3.

The Koala product was developed

by Kirribilli local Sue who was a midwife now turned researcher and mothercraft nurse. The toy not only provides comfort to babies and parents but also raises funds to support the declining koala population.

Also new is Ode, high premium but natural candles created by Crows Nest local Rachel. These candles feature a variety of fragrances such as citrus, lavender, bergamot and lemon zest.

They also come in boxes with stunning Australian landscapes art, hand painted by Melbourne artist Julian Jones.

“Candles are often used during times of vulnerability and openness. To re-

ABOVE: Venie a Slama-Powell RIGHT: The Kalma Koala lax, to slip into a new mood, to signify the beginning or the end, to celebrate, to share. We want our products to be effortlessly reached for, throughout all of life's occasions”, maker Rachel King writes.

Easy Peasy Cakes brings the enjoyment of baking, health and sustainability together in a tasty tango. Founder Kara is a North Shore local who created these cake kits after becoming a mother of two and looking to feed her kids’ appetite for craft.

Easy Peasy cakes aren’t just environmentally friendly but also boast healthy ingredients.

“There are zero artificials. Even our sprinkles are 100% natural and GMO

free! We also limit refined sugar as much as possible. And what about gluten free and sugar free? Easy! We have options for most dietary require-

North Sydney Sun | October 2023 | Page 8

ments.” Kara says of her cake kits.

Slama-Powell told the Sun that she is dedicated to supporting local craftspeople, especially women.

FOCUS ON LOCAL ARTS

The memory of water flows into the Ensemble

By James Mullan Set in the 1990s, playwright Shelagh Stephenson’s new Ensemble production The Memory of Water follows the story of sisters Mary, Catherine and Teresa who are coming together for their mother’s funeral.

But how will the three sisters remember their childhood and what skeletons are living in their family’s closet?

Director Rachel Chant said the opportunity to direct The Memory of Water began to take shape as far back as 2020 while she was an assistant director for two Ensemble productions; The Women in Black and Nearer the Gods. Chant then went on to direct Love Letters at the Ensemble in February 2022 before being approached to direct this year’s show.

“The first time I read it I was crying and laughing in the one read of the play. I got to the end of it and thought any play that can do both of those things on a first read is the right play for me,” she told the Sun. Chant was immediately drawn to the story, especially to the relationships between characters. “Seeing the way this family worked together

and didn’t work together” adding that the juxtaposition of family grudges with their love really stood out: “They can be your worst enemy and your best ally, friend and the only person who can understand you.”

According to the director, the piece is filled with humour as well as serious drama, creating an emotive experience for the audience. “It is a rolling comedy but the way I talk about it so often can make it sound like this heart breaking, poignant piece.”

Chant told the Sun. The director believes the play strongly confronts the idea of how much family runs through all of us: “There’s no escaping where we have come from and how we embrace that.”

This ties into the title of the show. “We’ve been talking a lot about the metaphor of water and I think there’s something really great about the idea that water never dies. It has a different evolution and lives in different states, but it never entirely disappears,” she said.

This play promises to be thought provoking and humorous. It will run from 20 October 2023 until 25 November 2023.

Rachel Chant

Amy Raymond: journey of a Kirribilli artist

By Hannah Wilcox From a hobby sparked as a young kid to redirecting her career path many years later to follow her artistic passions, the Sun sat down with local artist Amy Raymond to hear about her journey in self discovery and creative expression.

Raymond moved to the North Shore after graduating high school in Kurrajong, and lived in Lavender Bay for nine years before relocating to Kirribilli in 2007.

“I’ve always loved art ever since I was young,” she said.

“I used to go to weekly art classes, and I got to the point where I really wanted to paint a mural along my bedroom wall - luckily I had very good parents that let me do that!

“So I got creative there and also did art for the HSC, but then I decided it was a bit nerve racking; the idea of becoming an artist.”

Raymond decided to pursue a career in graphic design, before ending up in an art director role at multinational advertising agency Saatchi and Saatchi for 10 years.

“I was always in that creative field but painting had been left behind,” she added.

The artist then put her passion on the backburner when she started focusing on having a family, before a sentimental moment Raymond shared with her daughter reignited her interest. “It wasn’t until I was painting with my four year old that I thought, ‘alright, it’s time to do a painting for myself’ - so I pulled out the paints and the rest is history.”

“I’ve been back into painting now for five years,” she said.

Working mostly with acrylic paints and inks, Raymond’s creativity runs wild with a more abstract take in many of her works.

Her unique style caught the eye of a keen buyer after spotting one of her works displayed on the wall of Kirribilli’s own BTB Cafe.

“I had my first exhibition [at BTB], and that’s where someone saw my work and called me about the [commissioned] Bondi Beach painting,” she explained.

“I was always more into abstract painting, and then I did the commission for someone which was quite different from anything that I had done.”

“I think the abstract angle comes into it a lot because there are definitely paintings that have an abstract feel.

They're a little realistic, a little abstract,” Raymond added.

“I wasn’t even sure I could do it; but that pushed me in a new direction, and from there on that’s what I’ve been focussing on.”

Like many local artists, she finds inspiration in the spectacular streets of North Sydney.

“Just of late I’ve been painting a few jacarandas scenes,” Raymond said.

“I live near McDougall Street which has so many jacarandas which people love, so I’ve been incorporating them into some of my harbour pieces recently for that extra pop of colour.”

“In Kirribilli you are so close to the Northern Beaches and the Eastern Suburbs Beaches so we got the best of both sides,” she added.

“There are also all the harbour bays which are just so beautiful. It’s been very inspiring!”

Amy Raymond James Madut Raymond uses photography within her artistic process for inspiration, often taking a photograph and then repainting it to make it her own.

“It’s all about the colour! I like to create vibrant colours in my paintings so they really pop,” she explained.

“I really want them to bring joy to people, be aesthetically pleasing and make people happy. If it makes you feel like jumping in [to the painting] then I’m happy with the work.”

“I like to create energy in the paintings,” she said. To create the beautiful texture Raymond has mastered in her

North Sydney Sun | October 2023 | Page 9

paintings, she works in layers - often jumping between paintings whilst waiting for the layers to dry.

She started posting her works on social media platform Instagram a few years ago whilst still painting as a freelancer before switching to become a full time artist when her audience started to grow.

“It made me realise being an artist these days, as opposed to 20 years ago when I finished school, is that through the internet you can get your work out there and people on the other side of the world can see it!” she added.

AROUND THE GROUNDS

North Sydney primed for a bumper season of cricket

By James Mullan The weather is warmer, the boots have been hung up and the posts have been replaced by a cricket pitch at North Sydney Oval and Tunks Park.

This summer will serve up plenty of action including our own North Sydney Bears, WBBL, state and international cricket.

This season North Sydney Oval has already hosted two international Twenty20 matches between Australia and West Indies, with the teams splitting the win one a piece.

The second game was incredible with the West Indies breaking the record for most runs in women’s T20 international as batter Hayley Matthews posted the highest ever run total with 132. In fact, both sides combined to make the highest ever combined score total in international T20 women’s cricket with 425.

The Aussie women will be back on February 2nd and 10th to take on South Africa for one day international matchups.

Turning to domestic competition, the North Shore is hosting two New South Wales Men’s Marsh One-Day Cup games. Last season, NSW played at North Sydney Oval on three occasions only winning one game. This was part of a lacklustre one-day season finishing second last.

In their first game at the oval, NSW lost by one wicket to Queensland in a nail biter of a match.

NSW will return on February 14th to face Victoria.

For another season, North Sydney Oval is the home of WBBL’s Sydney Sixers, hosting 6 games. There will also be two double headers with Sydney Thunder vs Melbourne Stars plus Sydney Sixers vs Hobart Hurricane on November 10th.

Then on October 22nd, Perth Scorchers will take on Brisbane Heat

followed by the Sydney derby between the Sixers and Thunder. The Thunder, who are typically Western Sydney based, will host a game at North Sydney Oval on November 6th.

The last time the Sixers played at the Oval was in last year’s grand final.

The side had won the minor premiership last season but fell at the last hurdle, going down to the Adelaide Strikers.

Locally, our North Sydney Bears have started their season in the states’ premier division. Last season, the men’s side were underwhelming, recording five wins in fifteen matches.

2023 has gotten off to a good start as the Bears won their first one day game of the season, trumping ManlyWarringah chasing down their total 7/542. Club veteran Tim Reynolds posted 52 runs with both James Campbell and Oliver Knight claiming 2 wickets each.

Reynolds joined the club aged 14 in 2014 before making his first grade debut just two seasons later.

Pace bowler Campbell is also another Bears legend having played at the club since a junior and chalking up more than 180 first grade games since debuting in 2010. He will spearhead the Bears bowling attack while Justin Avendano is a key batsman playing in his 11th season with the club.

Avendano has been playing for North Sydney since 2012 while also featuring in several Big Bash seasons with the Sydney Sixers and most recently the Melbourne Stars. He is only one of thirteen players who have surpassed 5,000 First Grade runs for the Bears.

The men’s first grade side will play their first home game at North Sydney Oval on Saturday 2nd December against local rivals Gordon.

Meanwhile, Norths’ top women’s side have also got their season off to a

First grade captain Nic Bills great start with a T20 win over Northern Districts, 5/118. Sisters Alexandra and Sophia Marvos combined for 54 runs in their debut for the club. Both previously played for Parramatta before taking their talents to the North Shore for the 2023/24 season, with Sophia captaining the side.

An impressive player to keep an eye on this season is rising star Shiloh Julien. Last season, she captained Norths’ Brewer Shield (under 18s) team, leading the competition in runs scored while managing to have the second highest wicket count with 29.

Julien claimed both the Brewer Shield

player of the year and captain of the year awards as well as the NSW Women's Cricket Umpires’ Association player of the year.

The young gun led her side to the Grand Final and won player of the match.

Julien is just one of plenty of talented female players coming through the ranks at the Bears with the U18 team finishing second on the ladder last season. This marks an upswing in Women’s cricket at the club with their top side finishing 4th in Third Grade last season and now competing in Second Grade.

EVENTS Saturday 21st October, 8:00PM American Pie Venue: Norths Cammeray Stephen Fisher-King’s American Pie features the greatest hits by the artists mentioned in Don McLean’s epic ode to the history of music.

Sunday 22nd October, 3:00PM Mirusia - Live in Concert Venue: Cremorne Orpheum Named as Australia’s #1 Classical/ Crossover artist for 2022, Mirusia is known to millions around the world as the ‘Angel of Australia’ – the name given to her by the famous Dutch violinist, André Rieu. The international Soprano will return from an extensive

European headlining tour to debut her stunning new concert program.

Friday 27th October, 8:00PM David Campbell - Good Lovin’ and More Venue: The Concourse Chatswood David Campbell is back with a new show celebrating songs of soul, swing and the 1960s. A thundering collection of classic ‘60’s blue eyed soul including tracks like 1, 2 3, Now That I’ve Found You, You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling, Devil In A Blue Dress and of course Good Lovin’ brought to the stage with David’s larrikin charm and incredible voice.

Tuesday 31st October Saturday 4th November QANTAS Pathfinder Revue 2023 Venue: Norths Cammeray Back for the 21st time, this year’s revue they’re shining the light on the changing of the guard at Qantas in a hilarious night of entertainment sure to appeal to everyone. Each year talented Qantas Cabin Crew, Pilots and friends generously volunteer their time and talents to bring this show to life.

ed is coming back to the Orpheum on Fri Nov 3 and this time with a live string section!

Wednesday 15th November, 12:00PM Three to Tango - Live at Lunch Venue: The Concourse Chatswood

Two of Australia’s best tango musicians, sensational Chilean-born Australian concert pianist / composer Daniel Rojas, and bandoneón player, Friday 3rd November, 8:00PM Stephen Cuttriss are joined by legendThe Beatles Rebooted - Get Back Live ary flutist Jane Rutter in a concert of Concert electrifying tango and folk-influenced Venue: Cremorne Orpheum music. Cross development Artists impression of the Victoria Live tribute show The Beatles Reboot-

North Sydney Sun | October 2023 | Page 10

AROUND THE GROUNDS

Heartbreak Bears just fall in Grand Final

By James Mullan My Dad is a lifelong Bears fan. He would always say to me his club would always be “snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.”

And so it goes. With a chance to break a 30 year premiership drought, Norths unfortunately fell in the NSW Cup Grand Final at the hands of the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Notwithstanding the loss, the North Sydney Bears had an incredible season on and off the field. Record crowds, strong financial support, constant mentions as the next NRL licence and of course both top men’s and women’s sides winning their competitions’ Minor Premierships.

The health of the club was on full display with the stands of Parramatta Stadium covered in red and black. In

fact, 8,000 fans packed into the stadium for the decider.

In a preliminary final, Souths had beaten the Norths 24-30, with the regular season matchup going the Bears’ way. The stage was thus set for a tight contest.

Just 5 minutes in Alfred Smalley got the Bears on the scoreboard catching a tough pass as he tippy toed on the sideline before acrobatically diving over in the corner. Souths responded with some attacking pressure which eventually led to a try in the 14th minute.

Norths star five eighth Jess Marschke was next up to score, busting through the defensive line and out pacing chasers to cross under the posts. 25 minutes in, Bears up 10-6.

The Bunnies then edged ahead again

Jess Marschke touches down with a 32nd minute converted try.

A penalty kick from the Bears’ Kieran Heyman tied the game up 12-12 right on halftime.

Former Bears star Tom Carr would

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be next on the score sheet, crossing 10 minutes into the second half to put the Bunnies up 16-12. There were plenty of former Bears suiting up for Souths due to the two clubs past feeder arrangement, including Yileen ‘Buddy’ Gordon and Dean Hawkins. Gordon actually donned the red and black the last time the club was in the Grand Final, way back in 2007.

The next stanza continued the back and forth battle, with neither side yielding an inch.

This was broken in the 68th minute as the Bears found a gap and the try line edged in front 18-16 after a successful conversion. The trophy was just 10 minutes away if Norths could just hold on.

But with just 5 minutes left on the clock Souths crossed again to edge in front 22-18 after the conversion. As the clock ticked away, the Bears put on one final charge for the line. A right flank manoeuvre led to an overlap but the final pass from Toa Mata’afa just couldn’t find the winger, bobbling out of bounds.

Despite an excellent season and great Grand Final performance, Norths just fell short, giving Souths their first NSW Cup title since 1983 and their 21st premiership.

After the game the club released a brief statement on social media saying “With our heads held high, heartbreakingly our 2023 season comes to an end. Congratulations South Sydney Rabbitohs.”

Zach Docker-Clay was arguably Norths’ best on ground with 40 tackles and countless hit ups. Jesse Marshke was also in great form, steering the team around the paddock well. Hopefully both can return for next season.

Until then, the club will look to shake the immediate sadness of the loss and refocus for the 2023 season in which the NSW Cup side will become the feeder for the Melbourne Storm.

Not only this, club administrators continue to push for the Bears reinstatement into the NRL. This stellar season bodes well for the clubs chances of returning to the top flight of Rugby League, proving to be a strong performer in the key areas of a reserve grade side.