North Sydney Sun September 2023

area’s best Banh Mi rolls reviewed | Focus on St Leonards & Crows Nest

THE SILENT MAYORAL ELECTION: Council rejects move to require candidates to answer questions

By Grahame Lynch

North Sydney Council’s ten councillors will meet later this month to elect a new mayor and deputy mayor—but candidates for both positions will not be asked to pitch their reasons for running or even to answer any questions about their plans for the future.

A majority of councillors voted to block a motion from Cr Jilly Gibson—a former mayor herself—which would have required candidates to make a pitch for why they should be elected or to answer questions about their candidacy. The September 25 vote will elect a mayor and a deputy mayor for the remainder of the current term, scheduled to last one more year until September 2024 popular elections.

Previously, North Sydney Council mayors were elected by a popular vote but that changed at the start of the current council to a system where the

mayor is elected by fellow councillors.

Zoe Baker was elected in January last year against Ian Mutton by a margin of six to four. Neither Baker or Mutton spoke to their candidacy or answered any questions at the meeting prior to that vote, but that was partly excused by the novelty of a new voting system and a lack of conventions as to how it should proceed.

However, with nearly two years of subsequent experience and a doubling of meeting frequency this year in the name of transparency, Cr Gibson proposed at a meeting this week that candidates for mayor and deputy mayor be asked to address the council prior to the vote and answer any questions about their nominations.

Her motion was defeated 5-4, with one councillor, Ian Mutton, missing because he was stuck on a delayed flight. Incumbent mayor Cr Zoe Baker

and fellow independent Cr MaryAnn Beregi along with Labor councillors Shannon Welch and Godfrey Santer as well as Sustainable Australia Party member Cr Georgia Lamb voted against the motion.

None of them, perhaps conscious of the potential irony, availed themselves of a speaking opportunity to explain why they opposed Gibson’s motion.

Gibson told the meeting that she did not think there should be a vote for a mayoral candidate “without hearing why that person thinks they should be nominated, without any justification or any words to the meeting for the councillors.”

“Surely, the community deserves to hear why someone thinks they should be voted in as mayor or as deputy mayor. I also think there should be an opportunity for councillors to be able to ask questions of the nominees or the candidates before they vote,” she told the meeting.

Gibson told the Sun that a parttime worker at McDonalds faces more questioning about their suitability for the job than an aspiring mayor of North Sydney does.

The election of a mayor and deputy mayor are expected to be the only items on the agenda on Sep 25.

Duelling proposals for Neutral Bay’s Grosvenor Plaza: Coles vs Arkadia

After years of discussion, Neutral Bay residents can finally take a look at two competing proposals for the redevelopment of Grosvenor Lane. Council has been slightly more favourable to the Coles proposal, but both that plan and a competing Arkadia proposal have been given the green light to proceed to DAs.

More on page 2

Cr Jilly Gibson

The Coles plan

The Arkadia plan

Coles vs Arkadia: Rival developers make their pitch in Neutral Bay

By Grahame Lynch

Coles has finally released its development plan for the Grosvenor St site in Neutral Bay where Woolworths currently operates. An application was lodged at the same time as Arkadia released a rival proposal for the adjoining council carpark.

The much anticipated development application would see the current Woolworths building demolished and replaced with a seven storey residential tower, a new supermarket and a three floor underground carpark which would stretch under the existing Grosvenor Lane ground carpark. This in turn would, controversially, be turned into a plaza, at Coles’ expense –an outcome which other small business owners in the area fear will kill their trade.

Under the plan, Coles would develop its supermarket and car park first, opening in December 2026. The plaza would be completed by August 2027 and residential units would be fitted out and released by June 2028. Construction would begin as early as November next year.

The plan calls for a seven storey mixed use shop top housing development consisting of 3,429 sqm of retail located on the ground floor, with six storeys of residential apartments above, a community centre located on the first floor and four basement levels to facilitate a loading dock, public and residential car parking. It also proposes an apartment mix of 72 dwellings consisting of 11 x 1 bedroom units, 27 x 2 bedroom units, 30 x 3 bedroom units, and 4 x 4 bedroom units.

There would be 267 car spaces available in the basement carpark, and just 18 remaining above ground in the proposed Grosvenor Lane plaza area. The new building would be slightly higher than adjoining properties either side which max out at five storeys.

The Coles supermarket would colocated with Vintage Cellars, while there will also be two spaces allocated at street level for separate retail premises.

Coles controversially obtained “owner’s consent” over the Council owned carpark at Grosvenor Lane to file development plans earlier this year. This prompted Arkadia to also

seek owner’s consent from Council, which it has now received, for a rival proposal for the carpark. Arkadia believes its plan better balances the need for over-ground parking so that other small businesses are not wiped out by the construction work and subsequent undergrounding of nearly all car parking under the Coles proposal.

Arkadia CEO Rick O’Connell said: “We will provide an activated plaza that the community will love, be proud of, and will retain the heart of Neutral Bay Village. Coles’ proposal is monopolistic. They want to control the outcome, the movement of people access to the site and its parking. Coles’ plans are dependent on the sale of luxury apartments and breaking council's height controls doubling the height that’s currently allowable. Their proposal is binary. Give us height and you’ll get a plaza. Ours is not.”

O’Connell went on to say that the Coles’ plan to build under the existing Council carpark would see the are “turned upside down for three and a half to four years with no offer of compensation to the retailers. Simply, we don’t see how the retailers will survive, nor will they be willing to stay should they expire through the term of construction, which is considerable.”

The Arkadia plan: About half the exis ng lane carpark converts to a plaza, some above-ground parking retained

The Coles plan: 7 storey residen al tower with supermarket, 3 floor underground carpark to help fund above-ground plaza

Council says A-frame ban protects the disabled as it pursues MoU for hundreds of new e-bikes

By Grahame Lynch

North Sydney Council has defended its actions against commercial A-frames outside retail premises saying they are motivated, in part, by the needs of disabled residents. However, this policy may be about to be tested by an impending agreement to allow hundreds of rental e-bikes in the LGA.

Council has come under social and broadcast media criticism in recent weeks after it was revealed it had levied a $330 fine on Kirribilli cafe Oski and $990 of fines on North Sydney’s Urban Sports Injury Clinic for placing small A-frame boards outside their premises.

The Oski board contained a daily saying or witticism and was placed adjacent to a street pole, while the Clinic said it was advertising discounted or free consultations for people who couldn’t afford normal physiotherapy as a community service.

But a Council spokesperson defended the enforcement, stating: “sandwich boards are not permitted on footpaths and Council property under the North Sydney Development Control Plan 2013. Where signs are placed on footpaths, warnings are issued to ensure the owner is able to remove the signs before being issued a fine.”

The spokesperson added: “Council is committed to improving our streetscape for disadvantaged members of the community through the recent adoption of the North Sydney Council Disability Inclusion Action Plan. In surveying disadvantaged members of our community, many felt a general lack of under-

standing within the community of the challenges of living with a disability, and that this was a barrier.”

“It is Council’s responsibility as a leader in the community to support the inclusion of all members of our community and be responsive where they find obstacles to this,” the spokesperson said. “Within our action plan, one of our key actions is to make it easier, safer and more predictable for people with a disability to confidently navigate places and access services in North Sydney. Council’s footpath trading policies aim to ensure free passage for people of all abilities.”

The Council has come under some criticism for appearing hypocritical, given it uses A-frames to promote its own events.

To this, the spokesperson said: “Temporary event signs are exempt, however, when Council places signs, a full assessment for accessibility is undertaken. In acknowledging recent pictures on social media, Council staff will only use these signs when staff are present to ensure they remain in place.”

However, Council’s intentions to keep the streets free for unimpeded passage may be tested by a pending new arrangement with Lime, the e-bike operator.

North Sydney Council wants to enter a memorandum of understanding which would see Lime introduce 250 and perhaps as many as 500 e-bikes on a trial basis to the LGA. Riders would be able to leave

the e-locked bikes at their destinations in public areas for the next user to then pick up.

Cognisant of so-called “post ride” parking issues, the proposed MoU envisages placing some responsibility on Lime to reduce safety hazards created by its bikes.

Lime will maintain a foot patrol to move bikes parked in appropriate locations. It envisages a three hour response time for “‘dangerously place bikes”, defined as any bicycle that is causing an unreasonable hazard to people’s safety by being parked across a road, or adjacent to or in disabled car parking bays; and a 12 hour response time for “inappropriately” placed bikes.

North Sydney Sun | September 2023 | Page 3

The Sun Says...

Milsons Point residents who oppose the proposed bike ramp design for the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Bradfield Park are mounting a new argument.

They say Transport For NSW has admitted that it overestimated the height of the bridge deck. Thus, they argue, the bike ramp can be considerably shorter and should be re-designed with a smaller footprint which would reduce its intrusion into the small park below.

Works begin on the ramp this month and, already, this will result in the loss of several car spaces in Alfred St South, a strip where parking is already at a premium.

The Sun wonders how the bike ramp survives a budget process which has already seen the cancellation or rumoured axing of a number of bigger projects including Beaches Link, Park’n’Pay and a rebuild of the Powerhouse Museum.

At a rumoured $50 million the ramp won’t be cheap. But as of last month, the government indicated it was on track.

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Local MPs, mayor make pitch for SBS to stay local

Local MPs and mayors have formed a rare united front to help keep SBS in Artarmon. But the responsible federal minister says any decision to move is ultimately a call for the SBS board.

Federal Labor promised at the last election to look at moving the national broadcaster to the western suburbs of Sydney in what was seen as a better fit for its multicultural ethos.

But North Sydney independent federal MP Kylea Tink, state Liberal MP Tim James and Willoughby mayor Tanya Taylor have combined to lobby for SBS to remain local.

In a letter to federal communications minister Michelle Rowland, Tink wrote: “The broadcasting industry represents over $4.2 billion of total output in the local area and provides close to 10% of all local employment. Artarmon has been home to SBS for over 30 years, with SBS enjoying the benefits of ownership of the site they occupy.”

Tink continued: “In this context, not only is the broadcaster an important employer locally, it also appropriately reflects what is the wonderful diversity of our community with up to 50% of the people who live in North Sydney having been born overseas, while 30% speak a language other than English at home.”

Tink and her fellow politicians are critical of what they say is a lack of community consultation over the potential move, and invited the minister

Talk of the town

to visit the area to hear their views.

Asked by the Sun about this, a spokesperson for Rowland said that “The feasibility study is being conducted in close consultation with SBS, and any decision to relocate the SBS will lie with its board.”

The spokesperson said that a steering committee has commenced targeted engagement with key stakeholders to inform analysis. “As part of this en-

gagement, the Mayor of Willoughby City Council will be contacted, among other councils, to seek views on the study,” the spokesperson said. “Further information on progress of the study will be published on the department’s website when it becomes available. In the meantime, interested parties may submit comments on the study available on the department’s website.”

Fallout from decision to cancel Beaches Link tunnel

With the new state government removing the plan for a Beaches Link tunnel from the strategic infrastructure list, the project is now officially dead. But that won’t be enough to save over 20 homes resumed by government for the now abandoned tunnel at a cost of tens of millions of dollars.

NSW Roads minister John Graham said they will stay in government hands. “It’s important that we do protect properties in this corridor, you’ve got to plan for the future, and the government’s doing that,” Graham said.

One of them is a unique 1908 Californian Bungalow with four bedrooms and a stand of 20 native eucalypts situated at the end of Bellevue St in Cammeray. It had just two owners in the past 57 years, according to Cian Byrne, who grew up there. The house, one of the most notable historical properties in the area, is now being used as a site office for the related Warringah Freeway Upgrade.

North Shore state MP Felicity Wilson was critical of the government’s decision to cancel, pointing out that it had not come up with any alternative

plan for the route. “This Minns Labor Government clearly aren’t interested in solving traffic congestion, rat runs, and improving safety on our local streets,” she said.

The decision to cancel the Beaches Link Tunnel won’t impact the Warringah Freeway Upgrade or the Western Harbour Tunnel, which will proceed through to completion.

Local independent activist Larissa Penn, who led a five year campaign against the tunnel, welcomed the decision but called on the government to halt and review these existing works.

Above: Kylea Tink, Tim James and Tanya Taylor

Perrottet out Minns in: what could it mean for North Sydney?

The Minns’ Government seems set to:

> have a shot at addressing the housing shortage with heavy reliance of the private sector (expect an avalanche of applications for development approvals), > ignore the simple fact that people need local amenities like parks and schools. Addressing a housing shortage without addressing the stress put on amenities by increasing the number of residents is a recipe for long term fails.

What does the Minns’ Government have in store for North Sydney?

Actions to date give a huge cause to worry. Let’s look at some.

Development – first Crows Nest/St Leonards, next Neutral Bay

North Sydney has one of the highest ratios of residents to parkland relative to other local government areas. In other words, it’s crowded (with 576 residents per hectare of parkland compared to Mosman’s 270). A ratio that is set to worsen with the seizure of 2.6 hectares of the Cammeray Golf Course. Premier Minns has targeted the Crows Nest to St Leonards “transport hub” for increased housing. What he has not done is put a brass razoo towards the cost of providing additional parkland. Quite the opposite, he has given up on one big opportunity to add more than 4 hectares of parklands – the Sydney Harbour HighLine.

Sydney Harbour HighLine

A vision that saw the repurposing of the railway from Waverton to the Milsons Point ferry wharf – a key component in the pre–Sydney Harbour Bridge commute to and from the Sydney’s CBD. It would have seen the creation of more than 3 kilometres of walking trails and 4 hectares of harbour fronting parklands.

The HighLine had bipartisan support before the election. What happened next?

One of the first acts of the Minns’ Government was to jettison the HighLine and then turn down all requests for meetings for reasons that even Sydney Trains disputed. The fear is that the land will become the site of development like Premier Minns has promised for Crows Nest to St Leonards.

Bradfield Park – cycleway

Everyone wants a ramp for cyclists to connect the Harbour Bride cycleway to North Sydney roads. The Minns’ Government has come out in support of the design to put it slap through the centre of Bradfield Park and rejected the community design that placed it to the side of the Park. What’s stunning about the Minns’ Governments decision is that it goes against a community which had the support of more than 8,000 people – people, I guess, that don’t matter.

Remember the calls for “open government”?

North Sydney matters so little to Premier Minns and his Minister (for Transport) Haylen that both have said they are too busy to meet with the community. They have accepted faulty departmental advice.

The Beaches Link – putting traffic underground.

The Minns’ Government has jettisoned the road tunnel connecting the Warringah Freeway to the Northern Beaches and with that a new crossing of Middle Harbour. North Sydney has lost the opportunity to restrict the traffic crossing the Spit and passing along Spit and Military Roads and Spit and Ourimbah Roads as it battles to get to and from the Warringah Freeway and beyond.

The streets of Cremorne and Neutral Bay will become gridlocked, and the town centres destroyed.

Next, my bet sees the Minns’ Government noting the number of bus movements along Military Road and then characterising Neutral Bay village as a “transport hub.” The significance of that? The Minns’ Government will then unleash Crows Nest/St Leonards style development on Neutral Bay village.

Bradfield Park South (the green coloured portion fronting the harbour above the bridge easement shown below in white)

Back in 1988 a large portion of Bradfield Park, the southern end, was taken from North Sydney to facilitate the building of the first road tunnel. At the time there was the promise that it would be returned. Here we are, 25 years on and the advice is that the land is to be transferred to the Department of Transport. Whatever that Department has planned for it you can count on it not being a park – perhaps a bus terminus or a parking lot.

Berrys Bay

It was a Labor Government back in 2009 that called for bids for a large section of the Bay leased to be used as a marina in the Bay – perhaps one of the most pristine harbour bays. With the jettisoning of a recent proposal to moor the Heritage Fleet in the Bay, the Minns’ Government leaves open the question, what next?

Already we have seen:

> a temporary lease given to Noakes to allow it to expand its over water lease (to accommodate the floating dry dock) and its business in a way that dwarfs its past activities. A decision taken with absolutely no consultation with the local community.

> the utility of the Bay reduced with the mooring of old hulks (a Manly Ferry and a barge, former Rushcutters Bay restaurant) that without maintenance will follow the MV Baragoola to the bottom).

The Minns’ government has been strangely silent when it comes to explaining its vision for Bay.

Is there cause for concern? The recent musings of a new planning secretary, when wondering about the small risk of removing outdated integrity measures, risking some malfeasance corrupting a bit of the planning system, outweighing the benefit of getting more market certainty? The notion that malfeasance corrupting the planning system is a price worth paying for market certainty gives cause to pause.

The public deserves better – the Premier has said he would govern for all. Let him prove it by meeting with us.

Ian Mutton www.ianmutton.com

Government needs to be transparent + people in Government should be accountable

We review the best Vietnamese Banh Mi rolls in North Sydney

Banh Mi Delicious, Mosman

The new roll on the block makes missing your bus at Mosman’s northbound B-Line stop a little more worth it. Partners Lam and Thi brought their irresistible flavours from Parramatta to Military Road a year ago after situational circumstances led them to pursue their passion for home cooking.

Lam had been working in the medical field before being made redundant around the Covid period, and on a day out to Balmoral Beach from Parramatta they fell in love with the area and found the perfect spot to set up Banh Mi Delicious.

The store rocks a classic setup with fresh grated veggies stacked next to some seriously big rice paper rolls. On offer there are five varieties of pork roll from the classic to roast, BBQ Pork AKA Nem Nuong and the lemongrass pork. The Sun tried the very unique Char Siu which is Lam’s favourite!

You might be more accustomed to finding this pork at a Chinese restaurant but when you put it together with pate, mayo, pickled carrot and daikon, lettuce, cucumber, red onion, soy sauce, fresh coriander, chilli then top it off with fried shallot, you have one of the best Banh Mi in Mosman. The sweetness of the Char Siu with the pickled veggies really compliments the aromatics and saltness of the pate, with the texture being simply perfect. They really pack the roll, especially the meat, with the fillings going all the way to the crunchy bread crust.

If pork isn’t your thing, Banh Mi Delicious also offers chicken rolls in roast, schnitzel or lemongrass and tofu and tuna options too. The pho and rice paper rolls are also extremely good, also served up with generous portions with great prices. Every ingredient is prepared on site with the recipes all being family secrets passed down through generations.

Eat Mi, Grosvenor

Lane, Neutral Bay

This is one you would definitely miss if you weren’t paying attention. Nestled in the alley way that connects Grosvenor Lane to Military Road, Eat Mi is a hole in the wall shop parallel to Priceline Pharmacy and just in front of the Neutral Bay Community Centre.

Eat Mi opened up a little over four years ago filling a huge void in the area with plenty of great food options rang-

ing from the Banh Mi menu to an extensive iced tea list, from your standard lemon to lychee rose, chrysanthemum and of course Vietnamese style.

They also offer fresh noodle salads served up with vermicelli noodles, lettuce, herbs, pickled veggies, cucumber, peanuts, fried shallots; topped off with fish and soy sauce.

The Sun reviewed Eat Mi’s unique eggplant Banh Mi - not your typical filling, but a great option for those who are vegetarian or just looking to mix it up. Every roll at Eat Mi is served with your classic ingredients such as pickled veggies, cucumber, spring onion, lettuce, pate, chillies and coriander; however, at this store they also feature the option to add sweet chilli sauce, mayo, sriracha and fried shallots.

Those additional sauces and aromatics pay off flavour wise though. The eggplant had a soft texture which complemented the crunchier veggies and onions whilst the sauces brought an extra level of flavour which helped bring out the best in the eggplant, packing more subtle tones. Flavour wise it was on the sweeter side which was very pleasant with the fried shallots really bringing the finishing touch to balance it all out.

If you aren’t that keen on eggplant, Eat Mi also offers the classic pork roll, crispy pork complete with crackling or for something a little more deluxe try the New Nuong Vietnamese style pork. Tuna is also an option as well as tofu, which is served with shredded yam, carrot and bean noodles - a nice touch that really completes the piece.

Simply Sandwiches, Crows Nest

The next Banh Mi joint has been a local favourite for 14 years sitting in the heart of Crows Nest. It’s no frills, family run and the flavours are out of this world. Simply Sandwiches was opened by Van after he had worked for several years at his brother's bakery in Bankstown. He has kept the family tradition going, with Van’s aunt and brother working alongside him serving up fresh feeds. Since opening up he has loved Crows Nest for its quiet, friendly atmosphere.

The store doesn’t solely serve Banh Mi, with the option to order a standard sandwich with any filling you could ever ask for. If you ask any local resident or worker they will tell you there is one that stands above the rest

- the Roast Pork Roll. Served with pork crackling, the roll features incredible pickled daikon, fresh coriander, Spanish onions, carrot, coriander, mayo and a family recipe pate. It might be a little more bare bones than other Bahn Mi rolls the Sun has reviewed but the flavour is seriously rich, especially the fatty pork pieces. The salads soften up the texture along with pate, creating a melt in your mouth sensation.

If this was a competition the chicken and classic pork would be a close second. The rolls are all hearty in size too, which is definitely another reason the queue outside is always long at lunch time. The traditional pork is another original recipe with three layers of meat creating a rich texture whilst the chicken is on the leaner side.

If you haven’t been convinced to try these flavoursome rolls yet, the selling factor is the roll’s affordable priceswith all under $13, which considering the portion has to be one of the best deals on Willoughby Road.

You may also want to try subbing out one of the fillings with the other meats on the menu including chicken

schnitzel, roast beef, turkey, salmon or even tandoori chicken. It really depends on how much of a Bahn Mi purist you are. Simply Sandwiches may seem like your standard shop from the outside but the flavours and servings will leave you beyond satisfied.

Botanica Garden Cafe, Waverton Wait a minute, isn’t this just your standard local cafe not a Bahn Mi joint? Well, it might not stand out as your classic Vietnamese bakery but top of their breakfast menu is a roll that will change the way you think about bacon and eggs forever. We’re talking about the seriously unique, tasty and signature Botanica Breakfast Banh Mi. Australian - Vietnamese fusion at its finest.

Botanica has been a Waverton establishment for about a little over eight years but has been under its current ownership for four years now. Owners Minh and Vivian are of Vietnamese descent which inspired their wonderful culturally inspired creation. It’s pretty common to find pork on

Continued next page

North Sydney Sun’s James Mullan went to all four corners of the district to find our best Banh Mi rolls: the Vietnamese lunch delicacy fusing French bread and pate once described by American humourist Calvin Trillin as “the only good argument for colonialism”

FOCUS ON CROWS NEST

Sam Lee opens his third coffee outlet in Crows Nest

By James Mullan

Sam Lee faced a critical decision point in his career: whether to continue in the hotel industry or take the risk of starting his own business.

After careful planning with his colleague Quintin, they launched their first café, Double Cross, in the heart of Crows Nest. This café specialised in seasonal, single-origin coffee and offers a fusion of Korean/ Japanese and Aussie café-style food. The café quickly gains popularity, outgrowing its original location on Willoughby Road. In response, Lee and Quintin move the café to a larger space at 31 Albany St, converting the old site into Only Coffee Roasters, which focuses on unique coffee brews and beans from around the world.

Lee’s motivation is to bring something unique to Crows Nest, focusing solely on coffee and telling the stories behind the coffee that customers enjoy. With the success of Double Cross and Only Coffee, Lee decides to open his third venture, Always Sandwich ‘n’ Brew, to fill a gap in the local market.

Always Sandwich ‘n’ Brew prides itself on simplicity, serving sandwiches and batch brew coffee, distinguishing itself from the abundance of espresso -style coffee options in the area.

When you enter, you immediately notice six taps on the wall offering a variety of hot brews, iced lattes, and iced tea. The coffee selection changes with the seasons, featuring options like Los Alastias from Bolivia with notes of raspberry finger lime and hon-

ey, washed Hairloom from Ethiopia with grapefruit and apricot flavors, and Petit AA from Kenya with notes of grapes, passionfruit, and molasses.

The café sources its bread locally from Fiore, a popular bakery in McMahons Point. Lee carefully curates the breakfast and main menus, offering dishes like Japanese curry scrambled eggs, English muffins with kewpie mayo, and optional additions like spam and American cheese. The Fiore Sourdough sandwich is also a highlight, with customisable spreads and a choice of fillings.

For the main menu, customers have a build-your-own sandwich setup. First, choose a meat from options like mortadella, free-range ham, saison pork & native pepperberry salami, smoked salmon, miso tuna, or meatball.

Vegetarian choices include basil kimchi and avocado or Van Dec, featuring chargrilled eggplant, olive, roasted pepper, and pesto. Next, select a cheese from cheddar, provolone, gruyere, or stracciatella, and add free extras like rocket, tomato, and pickles. Finally, top it off with a sauce of your choice, including extra virgin olive oil, pesto, mayo, chili tomatoes, mustard, or

Continued from previous page: Best Banh Mi

your Banh Mi but bacon is rare, let alone egg. It was served to the Sun with caramelised onion which is another unorthodox yet sensational ingredient choice, as well as homemade garlic chilli soy sauce. The roll is banished with the classic fresh coriander, chopped spring onion and optional chilli.

The result: one of the best rolls you’ll find locally. The runny egg provides a creamy sauciness that a pate would normally bring whilst the sizable bacon brings a crunchy and salty addition. The sauce really brings it all together like your typical BBQ sauce on a B&E, but instead with the pop of some soy sauce.

Botanica is a winner here with this roll bringing the best parts of Banh Mi and a B&E roll together. You almost wonder why this isn’t a more common menu item around Sydney, but for now there’s only one place you can find it - amongst the lush green canopy in the heart of Waverton.

St

Leonards Breads and Cakes

Amongst the bustle of one of the North Shore’s busiest bus stops is a family-run bakery that will become an essential pit stop, if it isn’t already.

This bakery is on Pacific Highway next to Domino’s and Bon Pollo Chicken, behind the northbound St Leonards Station bus stop.

Van and Trang have been baking up a storm in St Leonards for eight

years after previously running a Banh Mi store in Chinatown for 10 years. They are serious veterans of the pork roll game. It’s seriously tough work, starting their day at 3am and preparing all the bread, sweets, meats and other ingredients from scratch by hand.

Trang told the Sun the traditional pork roll is the most popular, with a thick layer of cold cut style pork topped off with your standard liver pate, carrot, lettuce, tomato, red and spring onion, a hint of mayo and a soy -style vinaigrette. But today, we simply could not go past the crispy pork roll.

The pork cooks for one and half hours which you can taste in the crunch of the crackling, not to mention the juiciness of the fatty parts. For such a low price, it is a very decadent treat. Every meat is prepared from homestyle recipes that have been passed down through generations.

St Leonards Breads and Cakes also offers a third type of pork roll in the form of garlic pepper pork which packs a serious flavour punch, as well as a beef Banh Mi alongside your classic chicken and tuna.

If you’re not in a Bahn Mi mood, the sausage rolls are quite sizable with the flavour to back it up.

Bakery classics like pies, caramel slices and brownies are also done to perfection by Van and Trang. The owners love the atmosphere and friendly people of the North Shore and

relish, all for just $14.

Lee’s goal is to make Always Sandwich n Brew an affordable lunch option, encouraging repeat visits from customers. You can find Always Sandwich n Brew at 2 Clarke Street, Crows Nest, open every day from 7:30 am to 3 pm.

have raised their two kids here.

In their line you find all sorts from RNSH nurses, to tradies, locals and office workers - all in agreement it’s one of the best value, quality Bahn Mi rolls on the North Shore.

Saigon Roll, St Leonards

St Leonards might just be the Banh Mi capital of the North Shore as much as Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam. This roll shop might just be the best of them too. Tucked away on Sergeants Lane just off the station, next to Ace Noodles, is a serious gem for hungry office workers, locals and people passing through the busy St Leonards CBD.

Saigon Rolls has been a lunch staple for 10 years, with Katie and her husband Peter having run the business for the last four bringing their deep passion for serving food, especially that of Vietnamese cuisine, to the area.

Before bringing their roll craft to St Leonards, the pair were working at Hungry Jacks together whilst Katie also worked part time at a bakery.

Although the burgers may be better at Hungry Jacks, the Banh Mi isn’t, so they decided to open up their own establishment.

Everything on the menu is made from scratch and original family recipes that you won’t find in a cookbook or online and it really shows in the unique and rich flavours. On offer is an all star lineup of Banh Mi from grilled, crackling and traditional pork to meatball, tuna and tofu. The Sun, however, was tempted by the chicken

rolls - a choice between the lemongrass and traditional roasts. We chose the roast chicken which provided an almost out of body experience with the extremely juicy meat packing a beautiful flavour.

They marinate the lemon grass and roast chicken for hours to make sure that flavour is strong, Katie added. The rolls also feature your Banh Mi classics including carrot, red onion, remarkable pate, daikon pickle, shallots, Asian herbs, fresh coriander and some feature tomato and lettuce.

This might be regular practice, but there is just something about the extra flavour touches the couple put into the fillings that take it up a notch. The bread is a perfect mix of crispy, not flakey on the outside and soft on the inside.

Katie told us her personal favourite roll is the pork crackling which takes two hours to prepare in the morning. Saigon Rolls also adds a special Vietnamese style ham to the regular cold cut pork lineup.

While interviewing Katie, a familiar face walked past and said they love the vegetarian options available including the tofu roll or salad bowls.

Also featured on the menu is Pho, rice paper rolls (you have to try the prawn) and summer bowls which have vermicelli noodles.

Both Katie and Peter have really enjoyed serving up in St Leonards as they enjoy the vibrancy and friendliness throughout the day time and they appreciate not having to stay up working late into the night like prior gigs.

Artists impression of the Victoria Cross development

Proposed development at 88 Walker St

Newlands (artist impression)

FOCUS ON CROWS NEST

Crows Nest Fest returns Oct 15

By Hannah Wilcox

The Crows Nest Fest is back again, bigger and better than ever, on October 15. Running from 10am to 5pm, the mainstreet will be transformed into a one-day-only celebration of food, music and activities for the whole family.

Over 150 artisan and produce stallholders will set up shop spanning five ways from Pacific Highway, down Willoughby Road to Albany Street, into Burlington, Holtermann and Clarke Street.

The stallholders will showcase local businesses as well as a range of producers selling an assortment of cured meats, nuts, spices, preserves, fabrics and textiles, puddings, homewares, plants, designer jewellery, board games and even origami pop up cards.

Food Alley will also be making a return on Burlington Street, boasting a range of cuisines from food vendors, local cafes, restaurants, and bars.

For a sneak peek on what to expect,

there will be something for everyone with stalls and food trucks selling gnocchi, Asian, empanadas, Portuguese custard tarts, vegetarian flavours and seafood.

Local favourite Xenos restaurant will be hosting ‘Greektoberfest’, with an outdoor pop-up bar offering their signature lamb on the spit alongside plenty of Greek gourmet flavours.

Lola Cocina will return with their infamous paella, whilst homemade gelato and pizza will be available at Bravo Trattoria.

For the adults, the top of Willoughby Road will be the Licensed Zone. The zone, inclusive of the Crows Nest Hotel with an outdoor bar area, will have a selection of drink marquees available with a Stone & Wood Beer truck and Aperitivo Bar.

To keep the good vibes flowing, Big Music will again take the stage with musical performances running all day on the Ernest place stage, whilst local school bands and dance groups will

perform on Holtermann Street.

The little ones have not been forgotten, with the Kids’ Zone sporting a petting zoo, pony rides, street entertainers and buskers. Circus Playground will also be making a comeback in Hume Street park with children able to test their talents with juggling toys, stilts, unicycles, spinning and balancing acts.

Board director JoEllen Henderson told the Sun she was thrilled to present such a diverse and exciting lineup

for this year’s festival.

"We invite everyone to join us in celebrating Crows Nest Fest 2023," Henderson said.

"This festival encapsulates the vibrant culture and strong sense of community that defines Crows Nest now in its 32nd year.”

“With fun activities, delectable food, and captivating entertainment, we aim to create an unforgettable free community event for families and friends."

Organic, plastic free shopping returns to Crows Nest

By James Mullan

The Plant Food Company has opened its doors just next to Woolworths on Burlington St, Crows Nest.

This comes after a similar business on the same site closed its doors last year, leaving a void in the market. The new store has a simple mantra “healthy for you, good to the environment and respectful of both human and other animals rights.”

Leslie Goldman is the founder of The Plant Food Company and has been a local for more than 20 years. After originally starting the business online, he decided it was time to open up a shopfront after being a regular at the previous store and to provide locals with the option to shop waste free.

He summarises the company as “At the vanguard of a movement to change the way we think about, and the way we produce and eat food. We believe that food can only be truly good if it’s good for you, if it’s good for the planet and good for the other animals.”

It’s not only about providing ethically sourced products, but also minimising the environmental impacts in from production to sale.

“You may be more than a little surprised to know that when you buy food from the supermarket often, if you add up the value of the packaging, the cost of transporting the packet and the marketing fees is far more than the cost of the food inside! And all that packaging and transporting ends up in landfill or as CO2 emissions.”

This also helps to reduce the overall price of products with Goldman adding “Instead of people’s food dollar going into branding or packaging, it goes into the quality of the products and our prices are comparable to the major super markets.”

What really stands out is the range that is on offer, as organic or ethically sourced food can often have the reputation of limiting one's choice. The vast majority of their offerings are sourced from Australia including your building block ingredients including quinoa, flour, yeast, nuts, sugars, pastas and rice.

On the sweeter side there is rocky road, licorice, lollies, chocolates or on the healthier side dried

fruits like bananas, papaya, cranberries or just about any fried fruit you could think of. The nuts are plenty too as well as snacks like rice crackers, trail mix and chips.

Moving to the non solids their peanut butter has proved to be very popular as well as their soy sauce, agave, sunflower oil, vinegars, honey, tahini and even molasses. Of course, all organic.

Goldman’s pointed out the insecticide free almonds, their gluten free range, unique pastas, organic rices as just some of the foods that are quite unique to his store. The range or food is hard to cover in just one article, so you'll just have to pop in soon. Also available are vegan, plant based, low toxin, biodegradable cleaning products for all needs, including lemon myrtle laundry liquid, lime disinfectant, fabric conditioners and much more. They also cater for personal care products like body soaps,

shampoos and conditioners.

Goldman said “There's a growing concern around the community around the amount of chemicals particularly in personal care products.” also highlighting the potential health problems associated with harmful chemicals on bodies. They source all of these products from a manufacturer in Perth.

Customers are also encouraged to BYO packaging, bottles and bags to help eliminate waste. All products are self service meaning customers are not locked into predetermined amounts, plus pretty much everything is sold by weight.

Goldman had one final message for the community: “If you are looking to change the world one delicious bite at a time and the best value bulk organic food PLUS low toxin, human friendly and eco friendly cleaning products, all sourced as locally as we are able to – shop with us!”

St Leonards South is rising

By Jasmin Williams

The St Leonards South precinct has come to life over the past few months. This coincided with the opening of residential towers The Landmark, 88 Christie and The Embassy, which combined have brought 1,300+ new dwellings to the suburb. With this, a bevy of new shops have opened up to service the area as well as public amenities. We take a look at some of the newest food and retail businesses in St Leonards.

Camy's Chargrill Chicken

After being open for just over a month, Camy’s Chargrill Chicken has solidified itself as a local fan favourite. Serving up succulent chicken, wraps, burgers and fresh salads you can’t go wrong with a quick and easy meal.

Operator Josh Soni works behind the scenes, while his wife Alesha tends to the front of the house. But this isn’t their first rodeo. This is the second store they’ve opened in the past year, with their other location proving itself reputable at Macquarie Park.

Camy’s is a hit with workers on their lunch breaks and families after the school pick up and their large variety means there is something for everyone on the menu.

While there are several tempting options, Operator Josh Soni says the fan favourite at the moment is the Tropicano Burger. Boasting fresh chargrilled chicken, crispy bacon, cheddar cheese, lettuce, pineapple and mayo, there’s no surprise it’s as popular as it is.

As well as the classic chicken, burgers and wraps - the store also has a large range of fresh salads. These salads “get made fresh every morning” and get made “3 or 4 times throughout the day” according to Soni.

Despite this extensive menu, he likes to keep it simple. Telling us that his favourite has to be the Camy special, which has schnitzel, cheese, mayo, sweet chilli sauce and lettuce.

But Camy’s isn't just a reliable lunch option, it also is open until late, giving people options on that latenight train home. According to Soni, the cheesy loaded fries are extremely popular, saying “they’ve been massive on Friday and Saturday nights, we just can’t keep up with them.”

This glowing testament was only reinforced by the lines out the door, further proving their growing success.

Yaochii Asian Grocery Store

Are you looking for a one-stop shop for all your Asian grocery needs? Look no further than Yaochii Asian Grocery Store, the biggest Asian grocer in the area. If you want it, Yaochii Asian Grocery Store probably has it. Boasting a large variety, ranging from skincare, shelves of instant noodles, and

general groceries, it is easy to get lost in the aisles.

At home in Mall 88, the owner Gary says he’d been looking for the perfect location for the store for years - and landed on a new home in St Leonards. He is predicting a sizable growth in the area, saying there are good prospects in the area as a result of the new developments to surrounding infrastructure.

He also attributes the success of the store to the Asian population in the area, saying that the store is easy and convenient for the growing Japanese and Chinese populations.

He noted the sheer volume of products, saying “we have lots of products from lots of countries, most of them are from Asia.” Making it a unique and interesting place to explore and try new things. Just in case you need something that Yaochii don’t happen to have, Gary has set up a ‘WeChat’, where customers can join and request specific products and they will “try [their] best to get the product for them” highlighting the commitment that they have to their customers.

La Petal - Floral Design

Following an extremely successful tenure in Sydney Westfield and Martin Place, the La Petal team has expanded out to our very own St Leonards. Collecting over thirty years of experience, the La Petal team have been recognised in the past, winning the ‘Best Florist In Sydney’ award from the Quality Business Awards.

Located right near St Leonards station, the boutique florist is there to give assistance with all your botanical needs. They specialise in wedding and bridal flowers, as well as plants like terrariums and indoor varieties.

Manager Jay Kim says that the response and popularity towards the products have been varied, with plants and box arrangements growing in popularity. A response that is different to the city branch, whose biggest seller is bouquets.

Kim also says the store has a ‘great connection’ within the Orchid market, allowing them to stock orchid varieties that aren’t available in other stores. This makes them an outlier when it comes to sourcing exquisite orchid

variations all year round.

They don’t just specialise in flowers, they also have a variety of homeware products, like diffusers and scents. Kim says that they like to get “local products…”, stocking mostly “Australian wild scents, rather than bring overseas ones.”

If you can’t get into the store itself, don’t sweat - La Petal also delivers. There is a “half-and-half” split in general between walk-ins and delivery. They can also set up weekly flower supply subscriptions and monthly corporate accounts to keep the office looking bright and lively.

In addition to all this, they also offer free consultation for weddings and events, to ensure you have the bouquet of your dreams for your special day.

Having only been open for a few weeks, La Petal already boasts several 5-star reviews, praising their flowers, customer service and extensive knowledge of their product. This is truly a testament to the dedication, professionalism and passion of the staff.

Matchi Matchi

Need your tea fix? Look no further than Matchi Matchi. The milk tea chain has opened up a new location right in the heart of St Leonards. After a successful Australian launch in 2019, Matchi Matchi has become a popular option for beverages, with options like Fresh Orange Jasmine Green Tea and an Oolong Milk Tea/Coffee Jelly Fusion - there really is something for everyone. If you’re looking to try

something new, they offer a cream cheese foam which is unique and extremely popular. Better yet, if you can’t get down in person, they also offer delivery via doordash.

Banana Blossom

If you’re looking for something fresh and fast, head over to Banana Blossom. Serving fresh Asian-inspired salads, rice bowls and rice paper rolls, there is a large range to cater for everyone’s needs and dietary requirements. Open from 11 am to 7 pm, it is perfect for a lunchtime break, or to grab for dinner before jumping on the train home.

MyungJang St Leonards

MyungJang speaks for itself, finding a new home in the heart of St Leonards. The Authentic Korean BBQ restaurant has a huge range of authentic dishes so everyone can try something they like, ranging from soups to noodles, to spicy chicken. They have new dishes on offer, including a Beef Bulgogi pot, and a Porkatz Kimchi Stew. For the adults, they also have a large range of Korean spirits and beer, giving visitors a chance to try something new.

Premium Lanzhou Beef Noodles

Around the corner, you’ll find Premium Lanzhou Beef Noodles. Located right near the newly opened Wandanggari Park, the store boasts a range of authentic Chinese flavours. Ranging from tender beef noodles to chicken stir-fries, there is something for everyone at this St Leonards gem.

FOCUS ON ST LEONARDS

Wadanggari Park opens as centrepiece of South St Leonards

By James Mullan

It’s a green space that almost appeared out of thin air. Not that long ago the site of the Wadanggari Park was vacant space over the railway line.

But now there is 4,750 square metres of open space featuring gardens, outdoor seating and of course; a seriously big playground.

Wadanggari means 'Banksia' in Sydney Indigenous language and was chosen in a community poll while design features were primarily inspired by the native Australia plant.

The park sits next to Mall 88 at 568 Pacific Highway, connecting the site to Canberra Avenue. This provides a needed public and green space for the higher density St Leonards precinct.

The playground is magnificent, sign posted by towers shaped as banksia brushes. Arcadia was responsible for the design of the playground, they said the design “reflects the stages of

growth of a banksia flower, the play space will include a pod climber for the preschoolers, a net tower for the primary school visitors and an art structure for teenagers and adults."

The playground also features steppers, infant pods, climbing bridges, climbing nets, viewing decks, play logs and slides.

As part of the transformation of the area, the pedestrian tunnel that runs from The Forum at St Leonards Station, under Pacific Highway and to the new precinct.

The underpass has many historic photos of St Leonards plastered on the wall as well as improved lighting and pavement, especially when compared to the old passage way.

The precinct also features a new library run by Lane Cove Council which features a vast collection of books, multimedia, free WiFi, hublets, printing and scanning facilities.

FOCUS ON NORTH SYDNEY

180m tower at 88 Walker St is North Sydney’s tallest

By Hannah Wilcox

88 Walker Street has claimed the title of the tallest building in North Sydney with the construction of a 180m 50storey mixed-use tower now complete.

$350 million later, the skyscraper provides commercial and public infrastructure with 19 levels dedicated to the CBD’s newest hotel, new Citadines Walker North Sydney and 24 levels of premium office space acquired by LaSalle Investment Management.

There are also eight levels of facilities across the hotel and commercial components, including a ground-floor café, a restaurant and three levels of end-of-trip tenant amenities including 105 bicycle racks, lockers, and showers.

Some 20 per cent of the office space has been pre-leased to tenants in industries including healthcare, finance and media. It’s believed the tower has already achieved record-breaking rental rates in North Sydney’s commercial office sector with over $1,300 per square metre, per annum.

88 Walker was designed by architects fitzpatrick+partners and boasts a glass curtain facade, innovative cantilever and views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.

A vacant nine-storey commercial building was bulldozed to make way for the skyscraper when plans were lodged by developer Billbergia in April 2019.

Sitting atop the 1895 heritage listed fire station - which is now operating as a pub under the name Firehouse Hotel - the brand-new high rise comes as the area continues to revitalise in a bid to create a ‘vibrant, pedestrianised pre-

cinct’.

The cantilever allows the building to sit suspended above the pub and increases the floorspace from around 4000 sqm to 22,800 sqm.

“88 Walker Street is a welcome addition to the North Sydney CBD,” North Sydney Mayor Zoë Baker said.

“This elegant building, which retains the heritage Firehouse Hotel, is part of a new social business district emerging in the revitalised North Sydney CBD.”

“88 Walker Street and the Citadines Hotel are part of a new wave of dynamic, diverse, connected businesses at the heart of a thriving micro-city in North Sydney that the Council has been planning for to coincide with the arrival of the Metro,” she added.

The tower’s hotel offering, the Citadines Walker North Sydney, is a 252room hotel owned by leading Singaporean lodging operator, The Ascott Limited.

It has a range of rooms available including four top-floor Premier Suites complete with kitchenette.

Citadines will also have an onsite gym, guest lounge, workspaces and boardroom facilities equipped with video conferencing capabilities for guests to use; with whispers a fullservice restaurant and bar is tipped to open its doors in the new year.

The hotel’s 24- hour reception can be found in a two-storey mezzanine across levels five and six.

“We are delighted to launch our second Citadines hotel in Sydney,” Managing Director of The Ascott Limited David Mansfield said.

“The prime North Sydney CBD lo-

cation of Citadines Walker provides a powerful reinforcement of the brand’s growing relevance in the local corporate travel market, and represents a milestone moment for Citadines in Australia.”

88 Walker has a 4.5-Star NABERS rating and a 5-Star Green Star rating. “88 Walker is vibrant and connected, with outstanding amenity,” Partner at fitzpatrick+partners and architect Paul Reidy said.

“The building will boost patronage to nearby retail, cafes, restaurants and services by adding new pedestrian connections to the precinct.”

“The building’s slender form is an iconic new landmark on the CBD skyline,” he added.

“It marks the dawn of a new era for North Sydney and puts it on the map as a flourishing precinct befitting of a global city.”

“88 Walker sits in stark contrast to the conventional and box-like forms of the older buildings that have characterised North Sydney,” he said.

North Sydney’s transformation is set to have $11 billion invested into new infrastructure to complement the highly anticipated Victoria Cross Metro station.

The skyscraper was the beginning of a spate of other new commercial towers in the area including Stockland’s $1.3 billion 110-112 Walker Street and Lendlease’s $1.2 billion Victoria Cross projects.

The vision for North Sydney to become Sydney’s ‘second CBD’ continues with a continuous fresh batch of construction projects.

But as the departure of TPG from

its Berry St highrise for Barangaroo shows, times may be tougher for older highrises in North Sydney which don’t offer the same benefits in terms of environmental and design credentials.

As for the new Walker St building, while it may be the tallest building in North Sydney, it is only the 22nd tallest building across the city.

The tallest building in Sydney is the Crown Tower, coming in at 271m, a little higher than the 263m Salesforce Tower at Circular Quay.

And 88 Walker St will only hold North Sydney’s highest building crown for a short time.

The planned Affinity Tower at 110112 Walker St will top out at 214m with 55 floors. The Victoria Cross project will peak at 170m with some 40 floors, above the new metro entrance,

James Madut

LOCAL THEATRE

Summer of Harold will be the best thing you see this Spring

By James Mullan

Director Francesca Savige has proven that all good things come in threes with her revival of Hilary Bell’s Summer of Harold, now on stage at the Ensemble Theatre. The show brings together the three comedic pieces including the title piece, Enfant Terrible and Lookout to tell the story of adventure, obsession and hope through everyday objects.

Summer of Harold and Enfant Terrible are monologue masterclasses that have the audience hanging on to every word, quirk and mannerism before finishing the night off with an emotive duologue.

The performances of Berynn Schwerdt and Hannah Waterman are simply sensational, with the pair embodying their characters down to the finest detail whilst grabbing the audience's attention from the first second with their pace and performance cadence.

Summer of Harold introduces us to Janet, a once quintessential Australian teenager in the 80s. The 19-year-old is chasing her wanderlust dreams in the

motherland England, a far different world to the humble riverside city of Launceston, Tasmania. Although grown up, Janet recalls every detail of her time as a backpacker working over summer at the manor of British playwright, Harold Pinter, with Waterman delivering a high energy performance that creates a serious endearment for the character whilst also juggling impressions and accents with ease.

Cue Berynn Schwerdt as Garth next in Enfant Terrible. If we told you a bitter, jaded ceramist has one of the funniest stories you'll ever hear, you probably wouldn’t believe it; but playwright Hilary Bell has the ability to turn any story into gold. Garth is sour about the success of his ‘friend’, a rival ceramicist, and reflects upon a long standing resentment that goes all the way back to university. Schwerdt is seriously hilarious and nailed the character with his mannerisms, tipsy slur and comic timing that would make a perfect case study for theatre students.

Schwerdt and Waterman take us on another journey in Lookout, play-

ing out the story of Jonathan (Schwerdt) and Rae (Waterman) having ventured back to a picturesque Blue Mountains lookout, just like old times. Jonathan has a lot on his mind, with his life at a crossroads, as an enthralling exchange with Rae makes the future more murky as unaddressed complications still linger from the past. That’s all we can tell you about the plot without giving too much away.

The performances were sharp and engaging with both actors displaying incredible chemistry in every conversation - encouraging the audience to be laughing one second and tearing

LOCAL FITNESS

up the next.

Set designer Jeremy Allen and sound designer Mary Rapp deserve mention for their work, notably on the floor to ceiling shelf covered in intriguing trinkets that hints at themes that emerge throughout the stories. These props work fantastically with Rapp’s transition soundscapes reminiscent of turning the dial on an old radio. The pair found evocative items and sound treasures that successfully engaged the audience throughout the intertwined storylines.

Summer of Harold is showing at the Ensemble Theatre until October 14.

30 years on, North Sydney’s NRG is still running

In 1993 Susan Griffith was a personal trainer at Ultimate Fitness, where Fitness First St Leonards is now, when she posted a notice on the gym’s notice board an invitation to join her for a run with 30 people turning up the next week. Little did Susan and her friend Gary Swain know that this was the start of a running community that would still be going 30 years later, without any signs of slowing down.

As the group grew to 80+ members in 2002, Griffith put together a committee to establish a formal running association. The runs rolled on with the usual weekly Saturday and interval training on Thursdays as well as coaching sessions and in 2004 Tuesday night runs started.

By 2010, the group had expanded to 280 members, then 381 by 2012, the same year Wednesday morning runs started. In 2014 membership was at 450 with the ‘Get up and Run’ program starting too.

The onset of COVID in Australia badly affected NRG for obvious reasons as people no longer could meet and run. Membership did dip but runners found the support network from the group valuable as running was one of the rare opportunities to get out of the house and be active. Runs were able to resume late 2021 around the same time Kim Ryan became president of the club.

Kim has been running with NRG for 13 years and can be found mainly in the morning groups. The Sun talked with him to find out how it all works and why NRG has lasted so long.

A key aspect that sets the group apart from say running individually is “There’s social benefits, we have education nights telling people about nutrition, gear, equipment, training techniques. We also have away runs and a lot of it is geared around races like the 6 foot track in the Blue Mountains. People will train together for it and stay there the night before, so it’s a big social thing too.”

Kim added: “If you run by yourself you don’t run that hard. You don’t learn all the techniques and what is required.”

As for the types of people who join in: “We have a lot of competitive people who place highly in races but also a lot of newbies who just want to start running.”

With NRG there is no need to sign up to start as people can just rock up and join in. After a few runs, if they enjoy the runs, joining up to become a member is affordable and easy.

But how is it running around the streets and parks of the North Shore?

Kim simply replied “It’s hilly.” adding “But hills are good because they make you a lot faster.” This is especially beneficial for any training for the City 2

Surf, a notoriously hilly fun run.

The group also has marathon training runs that run for about three months and are great for beginners or people who want to improve their times.

They celebrated the anniversary on the 29th of July at The Greens North Sydney with over 100 runners, friends and past members attending.

Looking forward the club hopes to fully recover its membership numbers

from the COVID downturn. Additionally more events are on the drawing board, like the return of the Run Nation film festival at the Cremorne Orpheum, which they hosted last year.

Who would’ve thought that a simple invitation on a noticeboard would have grown to a club that has done thousands of runs, created countless friendships and is still going strong 30 years on, with no signs of slowing down?

Artists impression of the Victoria Cross development

Heartbreak for North Shore’s winter code teams

By James Mullan

It has been an incredible winter season for the North Shore’s top clubs. The North Sydney Bears Rugby League, Northern Suburbs Rugby Union and North Shore Bombers AFL men’s squads all won their competition’s minor premierships, while North Bears Basketball women’s side took out the NBL1 East Championship.

2023 has arguably been the best combined season across all sports on the North Shore, at least in regular season competition. Grand Finals on the other hand have led to disappointment for many fans who don the red and black.

Norths Rugby Union took out the Shute Shield Minor Premiership this season after yet another great season of footy. Since winning the premiership in 2016, they have been at least in the top 4 teams. Randwick finally broke their premiership drought, last winning it in 2004. Advancing through to the Grand Final after convincing wins in the playoffs, they faced the second placed Randwick.

Fans packed into Leichhardt Oval to watch the top two teams of 2023 battle it out. Both sides were considered defensive powerhouses, a characterisation they lived up to in the early stages of the game. Randwick opened up the scoring then backed it up by

holding Norths off the try line for the first half. At the half time break, Randwick was up 17-3 with a single Jude Gibbs penalty goal all Norths could manage.

Norths managed to flip the script in the second half with Luke Gersekowski crossing the line from a rolling maul before Nathan Russell’s set up Henry O’Donnell who burnt the defense, crossing the line and bringing Norths within 2 points.

In the dying moments of the Grand Final, Randwick defense was under serious siege, but with 8 minutes remaining a penalty gave Norths a chance to pull ahead by one point with a goal.

It was a difficult angle for kicked Jude Gibbs who unfortunately couldn’t connect with Randwick holding onto to secure the Shute Shield 15-17.

It was a heartbreaking result for Norths with such a narrow loss denying them the Shute Shield after another great season.

For Randwick they claimed their first title in 19 years for their 29th premiership in competition history.

Just weeks later on Saturday August 9th the North Shore Bombers had a chance to win the AFL Sydney Premier Division but bowed out in the GF.

The Bombers were in uncharacteristically slow scoring form on Satur-

AROUND THE GROUNDS EVENTS

day, struggling to break the Bulldogs’ suffocating defense. Mitch Crisafulli did stand up, coming off the bench in his 100th premier division game. He, along with Nicholas Brewer, Ned Campbell, Jack Dillon, Jake Veale and Finn Chalmers, were best on ground for the Bombers. Only managing 6 goals and 11 behinds in the contest, UNSW took out the premiership 6646. Alas, it was another year of heartbreak for the Bombers who lost last years’ grand final in a similar way, also at the hands of the Bulldogs. The club said “It hurts. It’s a tough

lesson to go down in a Grand Final. Tonight we hurt. But we’ll be back. We love this club, we love this game; and we’ll be back.”

There is still some hope for the area, with the North Sydney Bears into the NSW Cup final this weekend against the NZ Warriors. Win and they are through to the grand final.

The Warriors finished 3rd this season and are coming off a dominant 496 victory over Canberra. Meanwhile, Souths have booked their spot in the Grand Final and will await the winner of this week’s match up.

Saturday 23 September, 7:30PM

Hans Disco Spektakular

Venue: Cremorne Orpheum

Rising like a purple feathered phoenix from the ashes, Hans is set to get the party started with a slew of disco hits, his glamorous girls The Lucky Bitches and what every party needs…A piano accordion!

Friday 29 September, 8:00PM

Phil Burton - Sweet Soul Music

Venue: Norths Cammeray

Jump on board the soul train with ARIA Hall of Famer Phil Burton as he takes you through a non-stop hit parade of all your favourites, including ‘In The Midnight Hour’, ‘Soul Man’, ‘Reach Out’, ‘Let’s Stay Together’, ‘I Heard It Through The Grapevine’, ‘(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay’, ‘Dancing In The Street’, When A Man Loves A Woman’… plus many more soul classics that will have you dancing all night.

Saturday 30 September, 8:00PM

Desperado: The Eagles Show

Venue: Norths Cammeray

The multi award winning show,

skillfully and meticulously, recreates that sound which flooded the World music stage. They have recreated the great musicianship coupled with precision vocals and harmonies, all of which are performed live.

Sunday 8 October, 3:00PM

Tommy Fleming: The Voice of Ireland

Venue: Norths Cammeray

Ireland’s top entertainers with over 6.5 million Youtube hits and over 3.5 million album sales worldwide. Singing traditional Irish songs mixed with contemporary classics from “Danny Boy” & “Raglan Road” to “You Raise Me Up” Fleming has toured extensively throughout Ireland, the UK, Netherlands, China, the United States and Australia, the latter he refers to as his “second home.”

Friday 13 October, 7:00PM

Moira Dela Torre

Venue: The Concourse, Chatswood

Join us on an extraordinary musical journey featuring Philippines’ “Voice of the New Generation Singer-Songwriter and multiawarded recording artist.”

The Shoremen bow out in the GF