Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens and Hunter Valley | INTOUCH MAGAZINE JULY ISSUE 2019 by INTOUCH MAGAZINE

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Newcastle•Lake Macquarie•Hunter Valley•Port Stephens

LLY OW N E D &

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ISSUE #46 // JULY 2019

Celebrating 90 Years of

MICKEY

MOUSE

Local Business Gets Behind Wallsend Winter Fair MAFS Man on a Mission to Help Others Hunter Valley Beer & BBQ Festival Creative Ensembles Band Together for Annual Extravaganza Happy 40th Birthday Charlestown Square!

pg. 4

Lifestyle // Entertainment // Dining // Fashion // Community // Travel // Family // Home // Property

34 WALLSEND TH

WINTER FAIR SUNDAY9AM 11TH TO AUGUST 2019 3PM

E R O M & S E D I R C I S U M E V I L E D A R A P D AN R G S T A E T E E R T S MARKET STALLS PROUDLY SPONSORED BY

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: WINTERFAIR.COM.AU

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From the Editors... It seems that July is the month for celebrating anniversaries – both local and international! Can you believe that Charlestown Square turns 40 this month? Massive celebrations are taking place throughout the month and across the centre. We’re talking 40 days of celebrations, activations and giveaways, all to commemorate a significant milestone for the centre. Charlestown Square has been one of the locals since the 1970s, so what better way to celebrate than ’70s style? Read more on page 25. On the international stage, we celebrate 90 Years of Mickey Mouse memories with Disney on Ice in a show that celebrates 90 years of Mickey Mouse as well as honouring Walt Disney’s legacy by bringing the acclaimed stories to life on the ice. All the kid’s favourite characters will take to the ice from July 12 to 14 – a perfect activity for the School Holidays with the Newcastle Entertainment Centre transformed into a wintery wonderland for eight performances across the three days – but book early as tickets will sell out. For the astute readers – yes we did just say school holidays! For two weeks this month (three weeks for some local schools), the little angels will be looking to you to entertain them and with our handy School Holiday Guide (page 45) we’ve got all the activities to ensure you achieve genius status with the kids. Tickets for the Newcastle Music Festival are on sale now – so get out your diaries and book to see your favourite performers as inspiring visiting artists join local performers to entertain, enchant and engage audiences across Newcastle, Maitland and Singleton from August 6 to 18. This year’s ASPIRE production, 365 Questions, Issues and Good Deeds, runs from July 31 to August 3. The ASPIRE program, first of its kind in the Maitland/Newcastle Catholic Diocese, provides students with opportunities to explore their creativity and develop their talents in drama, dance, music and more A group of 150 students is selected to participate in a range of development activities, culminating in one very big, very special annual show at the Civic Theatre. Read all about it on page 19. Enjoy! Stay intouch at getintouch@intouchmagazine.com.au

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Contents ISSUE #46 JULY 2019 Features 12

Honouring Walt Disney's Legacy on Ice

Local Business Key to Success of Winter Fair

The 2019 Newcastle Music Festival

Creative Ensembles Band Together for ASPIRE

An Educational Experience That's Full of Flavour

Celebrating 40 Years of Charlestown Square

Avoiding Bill Shock – Renovation Cost

Carving up the Competition

MAFS Man on a Mission to Help Others

Maroba Leads with Highrise Retirement Village

Seeing Red? Treating Rosacea

Taking on Rogue Doctors for Local Women

Mini Tummy Tucks Deliver Big Results

School Holiday Guide Special Feature

The ever enduring Mickey Mouse celebrates 90 years of fond memories this year, including starring in the Disney On Ice production – Celebrating 90 Years of Mickey Mouse at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre from July 12 to 14. Read more on page 12.

Regulars Contacts Publisher & Editors Two Tribes Media Quentin von Essen – quentin@intouchmagazine.com.au Di von Essen – di@intouchmagazine.com.au Phone (02) 4943 0888 Address Level 1, 216 Pacific Highway, Charlestown NSW 2290 Web www.intouchmagazine.com.au Email getintouch@intouchmagazine.com.au Advertising Sales Phone (02) 4943 0888 Marketing & Account Management Di von Essen and Olivia Rodgers Graphic Design Jess Codrington Feature Writers Michelle Meehan & Claire Bradshaw © Copyright 2019 Two Tribes Media. Published monthly by Two Tribes Media. All rights reserved. Permission to reprint or quote excerpt granted by written request only. While every attempt has been made, Two Tribes Media cannot guarantee the legality, completeness or accuracy of the information presented and accepts no warranty or responsibility for such.

What’s on Guide + Highlights

Horoscope

Home + Lifestyle

Family + Community

Business + Finance

Health + Wellbeing

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CONTRIBUTORS Michelle Meehan Jess Codrington Di von Essen Quentin von Essen Tanya Obreza Claire Bradshaw Melinda Murray

Brett Cameron Ben Grosse Nicola Hazell Chloe O'Sullivan Jasper Holmes Louise Williams Caroline Dando

Chris Walkom Dr Kathryn Holmes Mel Smith Mia Kyrikos Kim-Cherie Davidson

What’s on? MONDAY, JULY 1 The Umbilical Brothers - Green 14 performances at The Playhouse, until 7 July. Snowtime in the Garden Winter fun at Hunter Valley Gardens! Until 21 July www.hvg.com.au

►COMING UP JULY WEDNESDAY 3RD Terence Koo The Star Hotel FRIDAY 5TH INXS Tribute Edgeworth Tavern Tyler John Gunyah Hotel Mark Wells Duo Mary Ellen Hotel Boys in the Band Belmont 16s SATURDAY 6TH Zane Penn Duo Premier Hotel Redline Duke of Wellington Sneaky Freakers Wickham Park Hotel Sundays Record Caves Coastal Bar Kaylens Rain Duo Warners at The Bay SUNDAY 7TH Pete McCredie Customs House Jake Davey Colliery Inn FRIDAY 12TH Gen-R-8 Wests New Lambton Matt McLaren The Star Hotel Madelyn Lambton Park Hotel Sari Jade & Spike Pippis at the Point SATURDAY 13TH Zane Penn Shortland Hotel Project X Toronto Workers Dean Kyrwood Northern Star Mick Jones Mattara Hotel DJ 88 The Mezz Bar SUNDAY 14TH Mojo Bandits Catho Pub Karen O'Shea Colliery Inn Mark Wood Wickham Park Hotel Matt McLaren Mavericks on the Bay FRIDAY 19TH Sari Jade & Spike Jesmond Hotel Joel Procter Mavericks on Darby ROX Pianoman Nags Head Hotel SATURDAY 20TH Yianni Colliery Inn Nano Battlesticks Bar Jackson Broadway George Tavern The Smarts Mary Ellen Hotel Pete McCredie General Roberts Hotel SUNDAY 21ST Nano Customs House Hotel Kaylens Rain Duo The Lucky Hotel TUESDAY 23RD Catfish & the Bottlemen Civic Theatre WEDNESDAY 24TH The Doors Alive Civic Theatre FRIDAY 26TH The Angels Belmont 16s Zane Penn Duo Great Northern Hotel Tim Rossington Lambton Park Hotel KISSmas in July Club Macquarie SATURDAY 27TH Joel Procter Albion Hotel Chad Shuttleworth Duo Queens Wharf Hotel Paperboy Blackbutt Hotel John Larder Northern Star Robbie T Town Hall Hotel SUNDAY 28TH Greg Bryce Wickham Park Hotel Madelyn Battlesticks Bar

6 | www.intouchmagazine.com.au

Ten Years of Newcastle Productions See the art of Trevor Dickinson on display at Newcastle Library until 20 July. Streets of Our Town – Local Subdivision Plans 1880's–1950's Exhibition Some of the most beautiful, artistic and interesting plans on show at Newcastle Library. Until 20 July. Drop in during the school holidays to join in the Treasure Hunt!

Australian Wallaroos Vs Japan Rugby At No.2 Sportsground, tickets at www.ticketek.com.au Newcastle Brickfest At Newcastle Jockey Club 13+14 July. A Taste of Ireland The Irish Music & Dance Sensation at Civic Theatre.

JULY 13

FRIDAY, JULY 5 Alien Intrusion A free film night at St Andrews Presbyterian Church. The documentary is about UFO sightings, happenings and mysteries – 7pm start, 12 Laman Street Newcastle

SATURDAY, JULY 6 Hunter Valley Cheese & Chocolate Festival At Hope Estate, Pokolbin 6+7 July. For tickets visit www.hopeestate.com.au Rummage Second hand sale at 3 Cowper St, Carrington, 10am–2pm, $5 entry. Alex Williamson: Sin on My Face At City Hall. Newcastle Knights vs Warriors McDonald Jones Stadium, 7.30pm. Pelican Foreshore Markets At Pelican Foreshore. Pink Race Day Newcastle Racecourse. Bogey Rollers vs. Harbour Hellcats Roller Derby At Newcastle Entertainment Centre. Visit www.newcastlerollerderby.org.au/tickets

SUNDAY, JULY 7 Newcastle City Farmers Market 7am–1pm, every Sunday, Newcastle Showground (July 14 market at Newcastle Racecourse, from 9am) Olive Tree Markets Civic Park, 9am–3pm.

The Olive Tree Market For this month only, head to the Olive Tree Market on the second Saturday of the month. Civic Park, 9am–3pm. Raffertys Coastal Run 12km, 22km and 36km trail running events in Lake Macquarie. www.raffertyscoastalrun.com.au MAKE It MADE It Design Conference Creative talks, exhibitions, discussions, and masterclasses. For tickets visit www.makeitmadeit.com.au

SUNDAY, JULY 14 My Kids Market Pre-loved good quality baby and kids goods. No ATM on site, cash only, $4 entry. Newcastle Basketball Stadium, 9am–12pm. Bastille Day Degustation Lunch A traditional French-inspired Degustation Long Lunch at Longworth House. Visit www.ticketbooth.com.au A Day on Our Green Markets, live music, wine tasting and food at Lowlands Bowling Club, 11am–4pm.

FRIDAY, JULY 19 Rock of Ages 19+20 July, Civic Theatre. Sydney Hotshots Jewells Tavern. Dead Men Talking A lively one act show with Henry Lawson and Banjo Patterson having a casual drink at Heaven's Gate. $30, Lovett Gallery. Book ahead.

MONDAY, JULY 8 Inflatables on the Green Entry is $5 per child for one day only or $15 per child for unlimited entry over the school holidays. Charlestown Bowling Club, 10am–2pm from 8–14 July. Hundred and One Dalmatians At The Young Peoples Theatre, 8 July–17 August.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 10

SATURDAY, JULY 20 Winery Running Festival A scenic 2km Kids, 6km, 10km, 21.1km or 42.2km through the Hunter Valley Vineyards. 20+21 July, www.wineryrun.com Feast Fest Blacksmiths Beach, 4pm–8pm.

SUNDAY, JULY 21

Dr Seuss's Cat in the Hat Civic Theatre.

Sunday Muster Markets At Mortels Thornton, 9am–2pm.

FRIDAY, JULY 12 Disney on Ice Celebrates Mickey and Friends At Newcastle Entertainment Centre, 12–14 July. www.nec.net.au HogWatts – A Magical Parody An immersive dinner and show experience set within the magical walls and halls of 48 Watt St.

SATURDAY, JULY 13 Stepping Out A light hearted musical-comedy by Newcastle Theatre Company, 13–27 July. Visit www.newcastletheatrecompany.com.au

WEDNESDAY, JULY 24

Our Body Our Choice A rally supporting womens choices in Civic Park, Newcastle 12pm–3pm. Dogs in the Park – Christmas in July Stalls, demonstrations, competitions, grooming, adoptions and more. Free event, dogs on leash. Speers Point Park, 9.30am–3.30pm. Live Your Light – Body Mind Soul Expo Stalls with products and services, plus workshops, demonstrations, readings and loads more at Souths Merewether. $10 entry, 10am–5pm.

Circumference of a Squirrel Knock and Run Theatre is bringing its second major production of 2019 to Newcastle this July. Circumference of a Squirrel by award winning American playwright John Walch, follows a young man named Chester who, in the aftermath of several life changing events, reflects on his turbulent relationship with his father. James Chapman plays Chester in this oneman performance and is well known to Newcastle audiences, recently being nominated for the Best Male Actor in a Lead Role CONDA for his role in Year of the Rooster. Allison Van Gaal directs. 24–28 July, at The Royal Exchange, Bolton St, Newcastle. www.knockandruntheatre.com/book-tickets

THURSDAY, JULY 25 Hunter Future Choices Expo for Students with Disability Free event is for students with disability in mainstream schooling or support classes, and VET and University students. 9am–1pm, McDonald Jones Stadium.

FRIDAY, JULY 26 Last Fridays IGN Fair Art Party, 5pm–8pm, Newcastle Art Gallery. The Pirates of Penzance Performing at Lake Mac Centre, 26 July–4 August. www.stickytickets.com.au

SATURDAY, JULY 27 Riverwood Trail Run 4km, 15km, 30km and 55km – and you can bring your dog! Riverwood Downs, 27+28 July. tailrunner.events IGN Art Fair 2019 Micro-talks with artists and collectors, Art Cart for the kids and mini-workshops, 10am–3pm, Newcastle Art Gallery.

SUNDAY, JULY 28 Chilli Festival Newcastle Lots of chilli products and food, chilli eating competition, food trucks, beer and live music. Free, The Station Newcastle, 9am–5pm. Little Dum Dum Club Live Podcast Tommy Dassalo and Karl Chandler will host some cracking surprise comedian guests. The Happy Wombat, tickets $25 at www.littledumdumclub.com The Bloody Long Walk A fully supported walk from Belmont to Newcastle Beach (35km) supporting people living with mitochondrial disease. Visit www.bloodylongwalk.com.au/newcastle Peek into the Past A wonderful old fashioned day out at Tocal Homestead, 10am–3pm, adults $12, conc $10, school kids free.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 31 Roald Dahl's The Twits At The Playhouse Theatre, 31 July–2 August. 365 Questions, Issues and Good Deeds Civic Theatre, 31 July–3 August.

Do you have a local event or gig coming up next month? Email us before the 15th of this month at getintouch@intouchmagazine.com.au

What’s on? Coming Up AUGUST

Live & Cookin’

SATURDAY 3RD PBR Invitational A massive bull-riding action spectacular at Newcastle Entertainment Centre. Gutsy Girls Adventure Film Tour 2 hrs of the most inspirational and entertaining films celebrating adventurous women. Event Cinemas Kotara.

31 Morehead Street, Lambton Doors open from 6pm FULLY LICENSED

JULY

SUNDAY 4TH Lah Lah – The Stripy Sock Club At NEX. TUESDAY 6TH Newcastle Music Festival Various venues around Newcastle and the Hunter will host up to 30 exciting concerts and recitals as well as masterclass and competition events, 6–18 August. Visit www.newcastlemusicfestival.org SATURDAY 10TH Variety of Chefs An impressive night of delicious food and great entertainment to raise funds for kids in need. Visit www.thenex.com.au SUNDAY 11TH Wallsend Winter Fair A free, fun filled, family friendly day in Nelson Street, Wallsend. 9am–3pm. Newcastle Food and Flower Markets Doggy Picnic They are looking for 12 dogs for a Market Doggy Calendar and Coffee Table Book. To enter, you must attend the Doggy Picnic! 8am–2pm, Rural Drive Sandgate. WEDNESDAY 14TH Beauty & the Beast 14–24 August, Civic Theatre. FRIDAY 16TH Thelma Plum Better in Blak Tour The Cambridge Hotel. SATURDAY 17TH 2019 Our Town Model Show Newcastle Racecourse, 17+18 August. SUNDAY 18TH Soweto Gospel Choir: Freedom Soweto Gospel Choir brings their Grammy winning freedom tour to Australia. City Hall. SATURDAY 24TH Whisky & Craft Spirit Festival 30 stalls with over 50 brands of whisky, rum, gin and vodka, plus more at Babylon, King St Newcastle. Buy your tickets quick - www.wacsfestival.com.au WEDNESDAY 28TH Legally Blonde The Musical Charity Night Support The Wolfpack Foundation (in aid of Wolfram Syndrome) with dinner and show at Theatre on Brunker, Adamstown. Visit www.theatreonbrunker.com

COMING

Up!

Lazy Sunday Lunch with The Black Sorrows Sunday, 18 August 2019

The Black Sorrows continue to be one of Australia’s most successful touring bands. They have played all around Australia and all over the world. Their albums, Hold On To Me (1988), Harley and Rose (1990) and their greatest hits compilation The Chosen Ones (1993) each amassed triple platinum sales with the band's other releases collecting gold and platinum sales. In 1990 The Sorrows won the ARIA Award for Best Band. The irrepressible Joe Camilleri, writer of milestone anthems such as, Hold On To Me, Harley and Rose and Chained To The Wheel, leads The Black Sorrows from the front. Whether it be leading one of his band incarnations – Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons, The Black Sorrows, The Revelators and Bakelite Radio as creative director and producer of his Jazzhead label; or as owner and producer at his own Woodstock Studios, this ARIA Hall of Famer, is one of the most committed and successful musicians this country has ever produced. A man who loves and lives music. Don't miss seeing Joe Camilleri and The Black Sorrows in the intimate surrounds of Lizottes. And if you're worried about partying on a Sunday – don't be! The popular lazy lunches are all wrapped up before 5pm, leaving you plenty of time to get some zzz's in before the working week starts. In fact, we can't think of a better way to prime you for the week ahead than with a good dose of Australian rock music!

Win!

Thanks to the crew at Lizotte’s we have 2 x double passes (show only) to give away to 2 lucky readers. Visit www.intouchmagazine.com.au/Giveaways to enter – entries close midnight July 31 2019.

SHANE NICHOLSON Thursday 4 RUGBY THE MUSICAL Friday 5 BONDI CIGARS Saturday 6 TAMMI SAVOY + THE CHRIS CASELLO COMBO Thursday 11 UNLOCKING THE DOORS Friday 12 BRIANS FAMOUS JAZZ AND CHILLI CRAB NIGHT FT ANDY FIRTH + ROD WHITE Saturday 13 THINK ROCK N FOOD TRIVIA Thursday 18 THE GARY MOORE EXPERIENCE Friday 19 CHRISTINE ANU Saturday 20 LUNCH WITH DANIEL THOMPSON’S JOHNNY CASH LIVE Sunday 21

AUGUST ABBASBACK Friday 2 VINCE JONES Saturday 3 LUNCH WITH THE LEGENDARY KIKI DEE Sunday 4

MITCH CAPONE SINGS ELVIS PRESLEY Friday 9

1979 THE HITS Saturday 10 ARREBATO ENSEMBLE Sunday 11 BOWIE UNZIPPED FEATURING JEFF DUFF Friday 16 THE BLACK SORROWS Sat 17 + Sun Lunch 18 PETER ASHER & ALBERT LEE Wed 21

JUL 13 · AUG 3 · SEP 7

MORE SHOWS added daily. LIVE SHOWS starting from $65 (including dinner)

Wednesday’s

BOOK ONLINE NOW + See who else is coming to dinner...

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What's On

HIGHLIGHTS

Rugby League – The Musical Friday, 5th July After a triumphant 2018 season, Rugby League – The Musical is returning bigger than ever, with satirist Denis Carnahan only just coping with the mountain of off-season material that has been thrown his way. This high-energy, one man show takes aim at rugby league's larger than life characters, melodramas and controversies in a brilliant blend of sketch comedy, stand up and musical satire. Catch the show at Lizotte’s – visit www.lizottes.com.au

Bastille Day Degustation Lunch

Warners Bay Markets

Sunday, 14th July Join Decante This, Restaurant Mason and Longworth House for a Degustation Long Lunch celebrating the French national day – Bastille Day! In what will be a sensational mix of the best from France and Australia, French Wine specialist Leigh Dryden from Decante This is bringing 6 organic wines and Champagnes to be paired with 6 French-inspired dishes created by Restaurant Mason owner Chris Thornton. The long table lunch will be a formal/informal affair for up to 100 people in the old-world charm of Longworth House, with both Leigh and Chris speaking before each course about the wine and the culinary expertise. To book a seat at this exciting event, visit www.ticketbooth.com.au and search 'Bastille Day Degustation Lunch' or email leigh@decantethis.com.au.

Saturday, 20th July Operating on the 3rd Saturday of each month from 8am to 2pm on the beautiful Warners Bay Foreshore, Warners Bay Markets offer a large selection of fashion, gifts, homewares, arts and crafts, jewellery, skincare, pet accessories, local produce, gourmet delights, live entertainment and plenty more to tempt you! It’s a great day out for the whole family – including your fur-baby (responsible owners only). Pop in and stroll around – find something different and unique, pick up some fresh local produce, enjoy a coffee or a bite from one of the street eat vans and then take home some fresh baked goodies. Don’t forget to check out the many wonderful local businesses while you are in Warners Bay. Email www.warnersbaymarkets@outlook. com for further information or to book a stall, or visit www.facebook.com/WarnersBayMarkets

Watercolour Workshop: Natural History Illustration Bogey Rollers vs Harbour Hellcats Saturday, 6th July Keen to see some different live action? Pay a visit to a game by the Newcastle Roller Derby League! Fast and fun, the girls skating their way around the track are fierce. See the Bogey Rollers verse the Harbour Hellcats at Newcastle Entertainment Centre this month, adults $12; kids 7+ $8; family (2 adults, 2 kids) $35. Doors open 6pm, first whistle at 6:30pm – get in early to get a good seat (byo cushion!). Grab tickets at the door. www.newcastlerollerderby.org.au

Friday, 19 July This exciting workshop is running in conjunction with the exhibition Transformations: Art of the Scott Sisters at SEEN@Swansea, with artist Tanya Hoolihan. Illustrate a small work in a style reminiscent of the Scott sisters work. It will include a small plant specimen and accompanying butterfly with the focus on depicting the objects in fine detail. Achieve realistic results while learning about colour mixing and matching, glazing, and dry brush. Gain an understanding of capturing the true character of an object in your illustration and the essential elements of natural history illustration. Tickets are $22 per person and include all materials to be used in your illustration. Spots are limited. 3pm–5pm, at The Swansea Centre, SEEN@ Swansea. Bookings are essential – www.watercolournature.eventbrite.com.au

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The Bloody Long Walk!

Newcastle Antiques Fair Friday, 26th–Sunday, 28th July The third annual Newcastle Antiques and Collectables Fair, a much anticipated event for antique lovers in NSW, is on this month at Newcastle Showground. The fair features dealers from all over the country, bringing an impressive array of antiques, collectables and vintage goods to browse in one spacious location. As part of condition of entry, dealers are required to label all items clearly and accurately, making this event as buyer friendly as possible. You'll be able to sort through all types of antiques and collectables – Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, retro, vintage, Australiana, Asian, European, American – it’ll all be there! One fair goer will also win $1,000 in the lucky door prize. The fair runs Fri 4pm–8pm, Sat 10am—5pm, and Sun 10am–4pm. Tickets are sold at the door – $12 adults; $10 concession; under 16 free (Friday night visitors may request free return all weekend).

Sunday, 28th July Walk, jog or run from Belmont to Newcastle Beach – a scenic 35kms to stand up and support people living with mitochondrial disease! Mitochondrial disease is a debilitating illness causing developmental, physical and cognitive disabilities of an estimated 1 in 4,000 people – with no known cure. The Bloody Long Walk supports the work of The Mito Foundation, hosting walks around Australia to raise funds for this devastating disease. The walk will take you from Belmont down the beautiful Fernleigh Track heading towards the harbour. You'll walk through the city to Merewether, pass our stunning beaches and the Newcastle Memorial Walk before finishing at Newcastle Beach. The walk is fully supported, with refreshment stations along the way. Visit www.thebloodylongwalk.com. au to participate in the walk solo or as a team, to volunteer or donate.

A Morning with Kate Forsyth – The Blue Rose Wednesday, 31st July Internationally published author Kate Forsyth, reveals her new novel – The Blue Rose, inspired by the true story of the quest for an ever-blooming blood-red rose. Kate brings history to life in an evocative tale of endurance, love and triumph paralleling the turbulent times of revolutionary France and the secrecy of Imperial China. Books will be available for purchase and signing. This is a free event with limited spots, 11am–12pm, at Charlestown Library. Bookings are essential and can be made at www.thebluerosecha.eventbrite.com.au

Newcastle Chilli Festival Sunday, 28th July What better way to warm up these cooler months than attending Newcastle Chilli Festival! This great day out will have loads of chilli products and food on offer for the chilli lovers, and if you're not so thrilled on the heat, you'll be covered with food trucks, wine and beer, stalls and live music and a kids zone. If you're an avid chilli eater, why not enter the Chilli Eating Competition! Nominate a friend or yourself to participate – the entry fee is $200 with all funds raised donated to Soul Cafe. The event runs from 9am–5pm at The Station, Newcastle. See you there!

The Twits Wednesday, 31st July – Friday 2nd August In a classic Roald Dahl tale, Mr and Mrs Twit, two of most terrible and disgusting people who have ever lived, are brought to life by hand held puppets at the Playhouse Theatre.

NO DOGS

• Newcastle City Farmers Market •

Please check our websites for details

• www.nswfarmersmarket.com.au • • www.newcastlecityfarmersmarket.com.au • NSW Farmers Market Pty Ltd, P.O Box 152 MORPETH, NSW 2321

E: finefoodmarket@bigpond.com E: 0427 586 079

* Each Sunday at Broadmeadow SHOWGROUND Griffiths Road entry please

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Sagittarius November 22 – December 21 It seems you’re the luckiest sign of the zodiac this month. But even with Lady Luck on side, don’t test good fortune. Mercury goes out of phase, so to avoid bad press or quarrels - be on your best behaviour. And if you’ve nothing good to say, say nothing at all. If you need extra moral support, look to friends or family. Travel may also be on the agenda, or at least a chance to mix work with play. Just double check all itineraries and plans.

Astrologer TANYA OBREZA on what’s in the stars.

STAR OF THE MONTH Cancer 22 June – 22 July You’ve been working hard for some time now Cancer, and this next year is no different. Ambition doesn’t wane – nor does your confidence. An upbeat Jupiter creates a buzz around work and money, while your creativity dazzles all. If there’s a project going, you’ll be the obvious candidate. Even this year’s challenges become blessings in disguise. The snag? You might attract more attention than you bargained for. As it is, you have a busy private life to contend with. Financially, invest in something solid – property, perhaps? Unexpected turns of events in relationships won’t faze you either, as most will be to your advantage. Enjoy.

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Leo 23 July – 22 August Fast-paced Mars gives you extra energy and plenty of fight this month, so competition or challenges are welcomed. You’re encouraged to show the world what you can do – so go-ahead Leo, make your presence known. Expect new beginnings. Sex appeal runs high. The downside: you may become impatient with less dynamic souls. Impulsive behaviour can also lead to accidents, or you're more susceptible to illness, fevers or headaches. Virgo 23 August – 22 September Here we go again, with Mercury starting to back-peddle after the 2nd – many Virgos will feel like they’re trying to push a boulder uphill. Your world seems to crash in all directions this month, sending change and upheaval your way. Communications are delayed; money doesn’t arrive on time. If this pattern feels familiar, that's because you’ve dealt with such cosmic mischief before. Take a deep breath. This, too, shall pass. Libra 23 September – 22 October You are probably still pinching yourself, not quite certain if what just happened was a dream or an accident of fate. The truth is, your ambition and hard work should finally find its audience this month – so take advantage of any good press. But good fortune or fame is usually fleeting. Make sure you record all praise so that, in the future, you can hold others to their word. If they want what you have so badly, get it in writing. Scorpio 23 October – 21 November Mercury steps backwards this month – playing tricks on your mind; you also may have bizarre dreams or, perhaps - disturbed sleep. Other possibilities: misplaced keys, being forgetful or physical exhaustion. Don’t rely on your memory this month, Scorpio – write down important appointments and details. If possible, retreat. Slip into something comfortable, fire up your social media and indulge in some well-earned R&R.

Capricorn December 22 – January 19 It’s rare to find a Capricorn lazily lolling around, but that’s just what a slow-moving Mercury has in mind for you right now. During an intense month of planetary folly, take your holiday at home and fill your days with television, sleeping, yoga and perhaps – the occasional chocolate binge. It may be hard for you to resist invitations, but it’s worth it to get the rest you need. Aquarius 20 January – 18 February Calling all hoarders: if you have belongings that you never use, it’s time to designate them to the trash. At work, a shake-up calls time out on something. Things are equally unclear in your love life, especially if someone’s keeping secrets. Consider whether this situation is worth your energy. Conflicts often result in no winners or losers; only exhausted people and wasted time. If necessary, choose to walk away. Pisces 19 February – 20 March Most Pisceans are blessed this month, as July offers balance, hope and prosperity. Your dreams are ready to materialise, and you finally realise how we are all interconnected. We’re meant to give and receive. It’s in this delicious dance that we move towards true joy and find unconditional love. What you give, you receive – and receive you shall. There are opportunities everywhere, Pisces. Grab them. Aries 21 March – 20 April Often, life's chaos distracts us. We’re forever planning for the future, forgetting that in order to manifest what we want – we must live in the present. The trouble is, we “worry” and this uncertainty clouds our judgement. July reminds you not to fret. Mostly, you have all you need, and you’re progressing in the right direction. Everything will fall into place soon enough as past struggles are replaced by growing optimism, and fun. Taurus 21 April – 20 May Your actions seem to be guided by instinct or intuition this month. Creativity and imagination are enhanced. Relationships improve, with female friends or family members being more sympathetic or supportive. Even domestic chores or making improvements around the home seem less of a hassle. It's also an ideal time to move house or take action towards buying or renting a new home or property. Gemini 21 May – 21 June A retrograde Mercury brings its usual disruption, with a living situation becoming chaotic – particularly with a spouse or family. With passions reeling, you’re on something of an emotional bender. On a more practical note, be mindful of electronics. Machinery, too, could either break down or need repair. Best advice: get out of the house or office. Fresh air is the perfect antidote to this month’s Mercury-madness.

TANYA OBREZA was born in Slovenija and emigrated to Australia with her parents as a young girl. It was during her first visit to England that Tanya was introduced to astrology, and in 1980 she gained her London Faculty of Astrological Studies qualifications. Over the years, Tanya has established an extensive and wideranging international following, mostly due to her reassuring, down to earth presence.

Emerson String Quartet The Great Masters of Chamber Music ‘... with musicians like this, there must be some hope for humanity.’ — The Times (London) Perhaps the most celebrated string quartet ever to emerge from the USA, the Emerson String Quartet is making its first Australian tour in two decades and will visit Newcastle Conservatorium for one night only on Tuesday 10 September. Founded in 1976 and with only one personnel change in all that time, the ensemble has stacked up countless awards. With such a pedigree, it is no surprise that the quartet plays with masterly warmth and ease: a spontaneous confidence and joy. Featuring violinists Eugene Drucker and Philip Setzer, violist Lawrence Dutton and cellist Paul Watkins, the Emerson String Quartet has maintained its stature as one of the world’s premier chamber music ensembles for more than four decades. The quartet has made more than 30 acclaimed recordings and has been honoured with nine Grammys® (including two for Best Classical Album), three Gramophone Awards, the Avery Fisher Prize, and Musical America’s ‘Ensemble of the Year’.

The Emerson frequently collaborates with some of today’s most esteemed composers to premiere new works, keeping the string quartet art form alive and relevant. They have partnered in performance with stellar soloists including Reneé Fleming, Barbara Hannigan, Evgeny Kissin, Emanuel Ax and Yefim Bronfman, to name a few. The Emerson’s extensive recordings range from Bach to Harbison, including the complete string quartets of Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Bartok, Webern and Shostakovich, as well as multi-CD sets of the major works of Haydn, Mozart, Schubert and Dvŏŕak. Based in New York City, the Emerson was one of the first quartets whose violinists alternated in the first chair position. The quartet, which took its name from the American poet and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson, balances busy performing careers with a commitment to teaching and serves as Quartet-in-Residence at Stony Brook University. In January 2015, the quartet received the Richard J. Bogomolny National Service Award, Chamber Music America’s highest honour, in recognition of its significant and lasting contribution to the chamber music field. Naturally enough, a master string quartet has chosen to play a program of great masterpieces: Haydn’s Quartet op 71 no 2, Bartók’s Quartet in B flat major no 5 and the ‘Razumovsky’ Quartet no 8 of Beethoven. All were written with their audience very much in mind – the Haydn and Beethoven full of attention-grabbing highlights and dreamy slow movements, while the vitality of folk music shapes the quartet of Bartók. ‘I very much doubt whether Haydn ever heard his music sound like this; and if that is so, then I think it was a deprivation much to be regretted on his behalf,’ writes Fanfare Magazine. The New York Times praises the quartet’s

Photo credit Jürgen Frank

‘extraordinary fusion of experience and authority with audacity and freshness’, while Fortune Magazine dubs them ‘arguably the world's best group of chamber musicians.’ Whatever form their effusive praise takes, this is one group not to be missed. The Emerson String Quartet will perform at the Newcastle Conservatorium on Tuesday, 10 September 2019 at 7:30pm. Visit www.musicaviva.com.au/emerson for bookings and further details.

PROGRAM HAYDN String Quartet in D major, op 71 no 2 BARTÓK String Quartet in B flat major, no 5 BEETHOVEN String Quartet no 8 in E minor, op 59 no 2 ‘Razumovsky.’

Musica Viva

International Concert Season 2019

Emerson String Quartet TUESDAY 10 SEP 7.30PM Harold Lobb Concert Hall Newcastle Conservatorium of Music Corner of Laman & Auckland Sts, Newcastle

musicaviva.com.au/emerson or call 1800 688 482 (no booking fees) ticketek.com.au | (02) 4929 1977

“ZOFO’s feisty performances surge with athletic precision, always mindful of how much joy there is in music” WASHINGTON POST

www.intouchmagazine.com.au | 11

“I was a very active kid so I was always wanting to do something and I thought that figure skating, when I saw it on TV, was the perfect blend of artistry and athleticism. “I wanted to give it a try, and I just fell in love. I even told my Mum, ‘This is like ballet and track and field on ice!’ and she was just like, ‘Oh okay, here we go’. “I fell in love immediately, and I couldn't get enough of it. “I was pretty serious about competing; I was a competitive figure skater for about 15 years. I didn’t really know much about show skating until I got older and one of my choreographers told me about Disney on Ice and shows in general and said I should give it a try once I’m finished competing. “The funny thing was that even back then, it was still really thrilling to be able to perform in front of people, especially the judges because the hardest thing to do is to perform for the judges. “At the time that I finished competing, I was focusing on college, and after that, I was doing various jobs. But I thought to myself – ‘I should give (show skating) a chance’. I’d spent so much of my life devoting myself to a sport; I might as well do something with it. For me, it just seemed natural to just go on performing.” The Los Angeles-based skater is currently in Australia as part of the international Disney On Ice celebrates Mickey and Friends tour.

Anna Bradshaw as Rapunzel

Walt Disney’s Legacy on Ice WORDS MICHELLE MEEHAN

Anna Bradshaw is living every little girl’s dream. Not only does she spend her life travelling around the world as a professional figure skater, she gets to do it surrounded by Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and countless other cherished childhood characters as a performer in the muchloved Disney on Ice production.

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To cap it all off, Anna herself takes to the ice as a Princess, donning the iconic golden locks and stunning purple dress of Rapunzel. For the former English tutor, being able to combine her love of performing with her passion for figure skating is, in itself, a dream come true. Anna took up ice skating after watching it on television as a nine-year-old and instantly fell in love with its artistry and athleticism. She spent 15 years as a competitive figure skater before giving it away to concentrate on her college studies. But it wasn’t until she was working in various odd jobs, including tutoring high school students in English, that she considered turning her passion for skating into a career. She joined Feld Entertainment (the company behind various live touring family entertainment experiences) in 2015 after successfully auditioning for a role in Disney on Ice, and since then hasn’t looked back. “Before I took up ice skating, I was doing track and field, as well as ballet,” Anna said.

The show celebrates 90 years of Mickey Mouse and honours Walt Disney’s legacy by bringing the acclaimed stories to life on the ice. Mickey Mouse is joined by Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy on a journey to discover his favourite memory of all time. Using Mickey’s ‘Mouse Pad’, the show’s hosts encourage fans to be part of the action and help the gang venture through Disney stories, sharing memorable moments from treasured tales. Along the way, families sail away with Moana as she displays the courage to save her island on a high-seas adventure with the demigod, Maui. Families will continue the journey to the wintery world of Arendelle as royal sisters Anna and Elsa discover true love, and experience the mysterious magic of Fantasia as the Sorcerer’s Apprentice makes brooms come to life. The show also follows the unforgettable Dory through the unexplored seas of the Pacific Ocean, joins the Toy Story pals on an exciting adventure and experiences the emotional rollercoaster of Inside Out. Audience members will also be encouraged to “Live Your Story” alongside Disney Princesses including Rapunzel, as they use perseverance, determination and hard work to inspire Mickey and children around the world to share their favourite Disney memories. After kicking off in Perth last month, the show will travel around the country until July 23, visiting Adelaide, Wollongong, Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne, Newcastle and Sydney. It will stop off in Newcastle from July 12–14, with the Newcastle Entertainment Centre transformed into a wintery wonderland for eight performances across the three days. Anna travelled to Newcastle during a quick pre-show publicity tour in May, taking to the ice at the Hunter Ice Skating Stadium to share a few of her skills with a handful of lucky fans alongside the region’s own ice skating champion, Olympian Kailani Craine.

Finding Nemo Cinderella and Prince Charming

“It was wonderful,” Anna said. “Sometimes you don’t get a chance to interact with locals, so it was really wonderful to be able to do that with some of the local skaters and to talk with them and hopefully help inspire them to achieve their dreams, no matter what it is. “They ask you what you do in the show and what kind of skills are required, but they also ask how you got into Disney, and what your background is. There’s always a lot of questions, but it’s super flattering, and it’s awesome to be able to answer as many as I can. “The advice I would give kids who want to be performers is practice, practice, practice. Hone your skills, step outside your comfort zone, and above all, if it’s something you love to do, don’t stop.” While Anna clearly had plenty of expertise on the ice before she joined the Disney production, the highly-awarded skater has picked up a few new skills, including how to take her performance up a notch – literally. As part of her role as Rapunzel, Anna completes a section of her routine high above the ice using aerial silks. “Perhaps my toughest challenge during my performance career has been to learn a completely new apparatus, the silks, which is now part of my normal performance role,” she said.

“It was quite a challenge because as a figure skater, most of our strength is in our lower body, but to learn an aerial act that’s all upper body and a lot of core strength, with some lower body as well. “It was kind of interesting to be able to turn yourself on your own head so to speak, to suddenly develop all of these new muscles and strengths in your upper body that you’ve never even tried before. “I remember the first time I flew in front of a crowd, it was exhilarating, and it has honestly been the most rewarding experience to be able to perform this for the audience. “When we take off for our first trick, there is this audible gasp (from the audience) because they see we are preparing for the routine, but they don’t exactly know what's going to happen. “When we go to take off, and we’re getting into the air, the gasps are pretty special… that’s probably the most rewarding aspect of performing. And then getting to see the kids’ faces light up, it sounds clichéd, but it is really special, it does not get old.’ Aside from learning how to control her movements in the air, Anna also had to master the art of using her skating to (Continued next page) ►

“When we take off for our first trick, there is this audible gasp (from the audience) because they see we are preparing for the routine, but they don’t exactly know what's going to happen.

www.intouchmagazine.com.au | 13

Toy Story

(Continued) tell a story, which in the case of this Disney on Ice production, involves packing the key elements from the movie Tangled into a tiny three-minute routine. Anna said it is both fun and challenging to combine this aspect with the more technical skills of skating. “I find it a blend of both because the particular routine that I do on the ice is supposed to convey fun and adventure as well as the character I portray – I’m supposed to convey her story of getting away from being sheltered and going outside her comfort zone,” Anna said. “So having to try and convey that to the audience and still interact with them while also performing the tricks is a bit challenging, especially because the routine is only three minutes long. “It’s a lot to put into three minutes, but it’s fun, and I really enjoy my job being able to try and do that. “I’m also in the ensemble number, ‘Round Up’, which is our Toy Story segment and I’m an ensemble cowgirl, and I also portray young Anna in Frozen, so you’ll see me throughout the show.

[When I perform] I want the audience to get the feeling of being drawn away from the worries and cares of daily life, to remember what it is to dream with childlike splendour.

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“I love seeing the joy and excitement on the crowd’s faces when I get to do what I love. Knowing I’ve made their day or helped them dream, even for a moment, gives me happiness.” Anna has been performing with Disney on Ice for the past five years and said the experience has been amazing, allowing the 32-year-old to travel to places she might never have otherwise got to see. While being paid to travel around the world may sound like a dream, it does have its downsides, including being away from home for such a long time. But with all the benefits of the job, Anna doesn’t see herself wanting to take off her skates any time soon. “Well, sometimes you tend to get homesick, which is completely normal when you’re on the road for ten months out of the year,” she said. “Perhaps the worst thing about living on the road is making sure your luggage isn’t overweight at the airport!” “But you get to see the world, and you get to go to places and experience things that not a lot of people get to experience, so I would say that it balances itself out. “There are far too many memories to choose from [for a travel highlight], but most of them involve being surrounded by my friends when we take side trips to national parks. “Perhaps my favourite thing to do in my free time is to explore the culture of the city I’m in or go see a play, concert or other kind of live performance. “Experiencing local cuisine is another favourite thing I like to do.” Aside from her laptop and her camera, which are the essential items she takes with her on the road, Anna never travels anywhere without her most prized possession, her journal, which you will often find her writing in during

downtime between rehearsals and performances. “I’ve been writing some short stories [on this tour]. I’ve actually been able to write a lot because even though our schedule is pretty busy, we do get downtime and days off and on travel days I get time to sit and write and collect my thoughts, so I do actually get a bit of writing done, which is great,” Anna said. “I’m a huge fan of historical fiction, so that is probably my favourite subject to write and to read about. I also like modern fiction as well, but I like to explore all avenues, and I think writing a really good autobiography, or a biography of someone else, would be something really amazing to be able to accomplish.” With celebrated author JK Rowling among her role models, it’s not surprising that writing has always been one of Anna’s cherished creative outlets. But while it may be just a hobby for now, Anna hopes it will also form the basis of her post-performance career. “My major life goals outside of my performing career include furthering my education and getting a Masters in English Literature, travelling the world and becoming a successful writer,” she said. “As of right now performing is my main job but going back and getting my Masters, whether it’s online or at a university, is still a huge goal of mine because I would love to be able to teach English someday. “I tutored high school English for two years, mainly doing summer courses with athletes and tutoring them after school. “I felt that was a great blend of my two passions because I was able to help athletes achieve their goals, and I could understand what they were going through, having to balance and maintain their academics with their sport. I loved being able to do that.

August 6–18

> newcastlemusicfestival.org

“I still love to write, I still love to read, and my most prized possession is my journal. “It’s kind of the same thing that skating is, it’s another outlet, it’s another way to express yourself and to be able to be creative. It’s almost therapeutic. “Being able to skate is therapeutic; writing is therapeutic, so I find it’s a great way to maintain those creative juices and be able to inspire. “For me, one of my greatest goals in life is to be able to inspire people, whether it’s through skating or writing or helping them by teaching.” Princess Jasmine

Disney On Ice celebrates Mickey and Friends will open in Newcastle on Friday, July 12 with performances at 10am and 1.30pm. Additional sessions will also be held on July 13 and 14 at 10am, 1.30pm and 5.30pm each day. Tickets are on sale from $33 through Ticketek: www.ticketek.com.au/DisneyOnIce ■

Love your city Love your Music Check this year’s exciting program online.

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Book for concerts or get your Festival Pass – six events for the price of four! (Includes a free Masterclass!)

Principal Sponsor

Aerial photograph: Karl Hofman

13 DAYS • 33 EVENTS • 350+ PERFORMERS! www.intouchmagazine.com.au | 15

Local Business Key to Success of Winter Fair WORDS CLAIRE BRADSHAW

Since 1985, the Wallsend Winter Fair has been a highlight on the local community calendar. Brightening up the second Sunday in August each year, the Fair attracts up to 30,000 locals and visitors alike, bringing generations together for a day spent celebrating and supporting the Wallsend community. It’s now in its 34th year and bigger and better than ever, so mark your diaries: on Sunday 11th August, Wallsend Town will be the place to be. Its beginnings might have been humble, but over the years, both the Fair and its attendance have grown exponentially. The 30,000 mark for attendance was first cracked back in 2015, and the Fair is now one of, if not the largest annual community event in the Newcastle area. But no matter how big the crowds get, the focus is always the same: creating a fun, family-friendly event that brings together local talent, businesses, community and sporting groups, charities, schools and entertainers. It’s a chance to showcase all Wallsend has to offer – and year after year, Wallsend’s community really does rise to the occasion. 16 | www.intouchmagazine.com.au

So what can fairgoers expect on the day? Festivities kick off at 9am with the Grand Parade down Wallsend’s main street – more on this below. (Our tip: get there early to secure your spot on the sidelines – the streets fill up quickly!) After the Parade, visitors can wander around 150 specialty stalls and local businesses offering unique arts, crafts, gifts, clothing, jewellery and more. There’s entertainment across two stages, plenty of tasty cuisines on offer throughout the food precincts and local eateries – and of course, what would a fair be without rides? Two precincts full of the latest amusement rides are on offer for the young and young at heart. The Wallsend Winter Fair wouldn’t be possible without the hard work of the Wallsend Town Business Association, which organises the Fair every year. Nor would it be possible without its sponsors. Local businesses and groups come forward every year to make the Fair happen, and 2019 is no different. There are several local supporters on board, with Newcastle City Council as the event’s major sponsor. “Newcastle City Council is a proud supporter of great community events like the Wallsend Winter Fair,” says Ben Johnson, Media Officer at NCC. “Council officers will be on hand at the Fair to talk to you about what's happening across the city. Come on along to our stall to have your say!”

Having supported the Winter Fair for the past four years, the Greater Bank is back on board with its fifth sponsorship in 2019. On the day, the bank’s Wallsend branch staff and Head Office volunteers will be found at the information stand, assisting patrons with programs and directions. There’ll also be a $1,000 cash giveaway, where Fair attendees can explore local businesses and find the hidden Greater Bank cheques for their chance to win. So why has the Greater Bank chosen to sponsor the Fair year after year? “We are committed to supporting the communities that support us. This is a key philosophy of our business and the reason why we have again thrown our support behind this event,” says Matthew Hingston, Head of Marketing and Customer Experience at the Greater Bank. “Wallsend has been an important community hub for us for many years, and like Greater Bank, the Wallsend community has continued to grow and flourish. The Wallsend Winter Fair is reflective of the prosperous community it prides itself on being today.” McDonald’s Wallsend is also a proud supporter, bringing a variety of local talent to the McDonald’s Community Stage for the entertainment of fairgoers. From 9.30am to 3pm you’ll see some great young talent, including up-and-coming singers and dancers, judo demonstrations, a magician and more. Kids will also want to keep an eye out for a special visit from Ronald McDonald himself near the McDonald’s Stage after the Grand Parade. Like the Fair itself, Wallsend Village Shopping Centre is a central aspect of the local community. The Wallsend Village Grand Parade serves as the official start to the Winter Fair and is currently the one and only street parade in the Newcastle LGA. Attracting dozens of local community groups, businesses and schools, all led by marching, pipe and brass bands, the Grand Parade begins at 9am at Boscawen Street, continuing down Nelson Street to Cowper Street. It’s always a popular event, and entrants have the opportunity to win one of three great prizes from Wallsend Village. Keep an eye out for the Wallsend Village marquee at the Fair as well. Optus joins the Fair for the second time this year, bringing along their portable ‘store on wheels’ to the Optus Interactive Zone. The Optus truck features a 4 x 2-metre screen that pops up to display interactive media content on all things Optus, and staff will be on hand to talk about the latest devices, network updates and mobile options. Visit the Optus team on the corner of Tyrrell and Nelson Streets for some great offers and info. Local pub the Lemon Grove Hotel also joins the Winter Fair as a supporter this year, sponsoring the ‘Groovin’ the Grove’ Main Stage – and providing a great spot for fairgoers to stop for a drink and hearty pub lunch.

Head down to the 34th annual Wallsend Winter Fair on Sunday, 11th August from 9am to 3pm. Find out more and apply as a Grand Parade participant, stallholder or Community Stage performer at www.winterfair.com.au

Sensory Concerts®

33 Events over 13 Days with over 350 Performers

IT’S THE 2019 NEWCASTLE MUSIC FESTIVAL Inspiring visiting artists will join with local performers to entertain, enchant and engage audiences across Newcastle, Maitland and Singleton from August 6 to 18 at this years Newcastle Music Festival, making this year’s festival the most widely accessible yet. Vivacious violinist Lerida Delbridge joins colleagues Grace Kim (piano) and Teije Hylkema (cello), in the Cumulus Trio, performing in recital on August 11 and then in their Sensory Concerts®, tailored for children and adults with sensory/special needs with onsite therapist support provided. This year, two artists-in-residence take part across several events. Our first is Newcastle local Heather Price, composer, songstress, and double bass exponent, skilled in both classical and jazz repertoire. Heather’s first event is Music on a Plate, Italian Soul at The Umbrian. Heather then joins her father Rod Barnes with the Dungeon Big Band, for swing standards, and closes her Festival appearances as one part of a jazz duo at Maitland Regional Art Gallery – teaming up with pianist Terence Koo.

Our second artist-in-residence, who was raised in Newcastle but makes her home now near London in the UK, is soprano Miriam Allan. Miriam’s first appearance is with Sally Walker on flute and baritone Christopher Allan in Twilight Musical Dialogues, Musical Kin – Father and Daughter. On Saturday, August 10, Miriam conducts a Masterclass for aspiring singers before appearing in a concert of Purcell songs with The Muffat Collective from Sydney. Her final appearance is as soloist in JS Bach’s beloved Cantata BWV147, with the Festival Choir. Dare to hear… Chilean Australian pianist Daniel Rojas and bandoneon player Daniel Wallace-Crabbe, guitar virtuoso Damien Wright and Bandaluzia Flamenco, The Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra, pianist Maria Raspopova, Sax Blue, organist Peter Guy, Waratah Girls’ Choir, Newcastle University Choir, guitarists Andrew Blanch and Ariel Nurhadi, jazz pianist Jacob Neale, Perform-Ability, Shake Rattle n Roll, Under Construction, singers Małgorzata Wišniewska, Genevieve Dickson, Sarah Dockrill, Martin Buckingham and festival favourite Deborah Humble join pianists Erin Sweetman and Ross Fiddes, Baltic Bar Mitzvah, Newcastle Wind Orchestra, Newcastle Strings, Hobart Friends and the contemporary bands at Lo-Fi and Fused. Grab your diary and book your events at the Newcastle Music Festival! Go to www.newcastlemusicfestival.org or pick up a festival guide to check out the vast array of classically beautiful sounds, contemporary bands, flamenco, jazz, choirs, opera, singing, piano, guitar, strings, big band, children’s music and Sensory Concerts®. Newcastle Music Festival – so good you must be there!

The Muffat Collective

Casual teachers

Every teacher shapes a life We are seeking casual teachers across our network of 57 Catholic Schools. Our schools are located in the Manning, Upper Hunter, Maitland, Newcastle and Lake Macquarie regions. For more information call Rabecca on: 49 79 1230.

www.mn.catholic.edu.au www.intouchmagazine.com.au | 17

PRESENTS

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Book at the civic theatre box office Any ticketek outlet or call 4929 1977 $12.50 Student | $25 Pensioner/Concession | $35 Adult $30 Group booking of 10 or more | $75 Family Ticket Prices include GST. Booking and transaction fees may apply. 18 | www.intouchmagazine.com.au

Friday

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Ned Keogh is undertaking a one-year paid internship.

Creative Ensembles Band Together

For ASPIRE WORDS CLAIRE BRADSHAW

To ‘aspire’ is to aim high. To dream big. To set your heart and sights on achieving something special. And there’s no more fitting word to describe an initiative that seeks to boost students to new heights in the creative and performing arts. The ASPIRE production program is the first of its kind for the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle and provides students with opportunities to explore their creativity and develop their talents in drama, dance, music and more. Launched in 2011, ASPIRE invites students from Years 5 to 11 across all 59 Catholic schools in the diocese to audition across the key areas of acting, singing, dancing, music, design and production. A group of 170 students is then selected assist develop and perform one very big, very special annual original production, with the seven creative ensembles banding together for performances at one of Newcastle’s most beautiful venues, the Civic Theatre. The opportunities the program offers its participants are significant. Some even extend beyond their time as students – as is the case with former ASPIRE participant Ned Keogh, who, after being part of the program for two years, joined the team as an intern following his HSC. Local paid opportunities like Ned’s one-year internship provide a rare chance for

newcomers to gain further experience in the creative arts scene, allowing them to take that next important step on their career path. Ned’s first steps on that path were made in 2015 when he auditioned for the ASPIRE program after moving from Canberra to Newcastle. Successfully making his way into the 2016 drama ensemble, Ned played several characters in his first ASPIRE production before moving into a leading role in the 2017 show, The Hoarders Next Door. “It’s such a good opportunity, mainly because of the scale that it’s on, and the way you’re treated in it,” says Ned of the program. He particularly notes the professional feel of the production and the value of the long rehearsal time in helping the young actors understand and explore their characters. “Lisa Hall, who’s the Drama Ensemble Director, pushes you pretty hard when it comes to the drama – which I think a lot of people shy away from doing with kids because they think they’re not ready,” he continues. “But the way Lisa would sort of turn it around and ask you difficult questions and make you concentrate in front of your friends was really significant in developing me as an actor.” After completing his HSC in 2018, Ned discovered the newly introduced ASPIRE internship and jumped at the chance to delve deeper into the world of performing arts. As well as assisting with drama workshops at various schools and running a junior theatre-makers’ ensemble, the role

involves working closely with Artistic Director, Anna Kerrigan, on this year’s main ASPIRE production: 365 Questions, Issues and Good Deeds. The show charts the experiences of its cast of characters over the space of a year, following the highs and lows of their intersecting lives. “Theatre is a vital tool for placing our society under a microscope, and this year the characters and relationships depict many situations that will resonate with all audiences,” explains Anna, who developed the story and script. Some of her initial inspirations included her own cape-wearing son, who informed the show’s ‘everyday hero’ character, Ollie; and the importance, for herself and many others, of making lists to bring structure to the chaos of life. But further key influences stemmed from insights Anna gained during several school visits last year, in which a unifying focus emerged. As Ned explains, the production has evolved from there. “Anna kept taking away that there was a large focus on mental health – in primary schools, even. And that idea formed one part of the storyline, which is with the junior kids,” he says.

Usually with kids at that age – Year Five to Year Eight – it’s quite easy to hand them just a comic piece, or something that doesn’t hold much weight. But this time all the junior actors are involved with it, and it’s really deep – about the anxiety and mental health issues that you might not expect kids at that age to deal with. Working with those young actors to help them understand their roles has been a key part of the internship for Ned. “Some of the drama kids will come up and ask me for advice on a scene, or I run it with them and see how it’s going and change it if they’re feeling worried about it,” he says. “If they walk away with a better understanding of their character, then that’s a really rewarding part.” And while he plans to focus on performance himself after his internship, experiencing the other side of the student-mentor dynamic has been beneficial, as have the other behind-the-scenes insights he’s gained. “I was really lucky to get this [internship] – it gave me a year to stay in Newcastle and think things over, and it’s given me some time to do some local productions,” Ned says. “After doing ASPIRE and getting to see that world, I would regret it if I didn’t give acting a proper go.”

This year’s ASPIRE production, 365 Questions, Issues and Good Deeds, runs from Wednesday, 31 July to Saturday, 3 August. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit aspire.mn.catholic.edu.au www.intouchmagazine.com.au | 19

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AUGUST

An Educational Experience That’s Full of Flavour WORDS CLAIRE BRADSHAW

Our very own Hunter Valley Wine Country is an idyllic place to be at this time of year. Crackling fires, warming winter food, a glass or two of red… These all come easily to mind when planning a visit to the vineyards in cooler months. But what about two things that are generally thought of as summer fare: beer and BBQ food? Well, Hope Estate has brought these two of your tastebuds’ best friends together for the inaugural Beer & BBQ Festival – the ideal family event to warm up a winter weekend. Held across two days on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th August, the Beer & BBQ Festival will take place in the expansive grounds of Hope Estate. The picturesque rural setting forms the perfect backdrop for a weekend celebrating two of Australia’s favourite pastimes: drinking locally brewed beer and eating hearty food.

So how did the idea for the Beer & BBQ Festival come about? “I’m always thinking of other ways we can use this magnificent property we have,” says Michael Hope, owner of Hope Estate. “Last year, the Chocolate Festival in the Hunter moved away, and the Cheese Festival moved away… and I thought it was a great idea to put them together.” And put them together he did. The inaugural Cheese & Chocolate Festival made its debut at Hope Estate on a Saturday in mid-July, 2018, 20 | www.intouchmagazine.com.au

bringing around 6,000 visitors to the venue. “It blew me away how many came along,” Michael continues. “I thought, wow, we’re onto something here – people don’t just have to come to watch an Elton John or a Bruce Springsteen [concert]; they’re looking for an experience for the day.” The experience is set to be both a tasty and educational one for drinkers of Australia’s favourite beverage. Over 40 beers and ciders will be available to taste, all brewed in-house at Hope Brewery. But it won’t just be a case of blind tasting; there will be an informative element involved, giving you the chance to learn more about the different types of beers you’re drinking and the process behind their creation. “Normally, you go along to a beer festival and you go from tent to tent, trying different beers but not necessarily understanding what you’re trying,” Michael says. “So we’re going to have ten tents with different styles of beer in each tent and some educational signage. People can go along and try different beers of the same style.” Breaking things down in terms of style gives punters a chance to learn their own tastes and preferences better, Michael points out. “It’s the same as wine: if you understand why you like a certain wine, it helps you pick what you like,” he explains. “And beer’s the same. If you understand that you’re not into big malty or dark beers, that you’re into fruitier, lighter beers, you’ll prefer pilseners or basic lagers or fruit beers. It’s about helping people understand what the differences are in beers, because we usually know beers by brand, not by style.”

This approach can also help introduce new or uncertain beer drinkers gently and informatively to the world of malt and hops. So if you’re not usually a beer fan, don’t discount the festival out of hand – with so many different and creative styles on offer, you’re more likely to find one you’ll enjoy. As Michael points out: “The craft beer revolution has opened up the beer world to a lot more people who wouldn’t ordinarily drink beer. And the consumption of alcohol in Australia is changing. The volume is less, but the value and the variety is higher.” For those seasoned beer-drinkers, or perhaps those who might be aspiring brewers themselves, there’ll also be Strong Beer Masterclasses on offer. On the BBQ side of things, the festival will centre around two competition events: the US-sanctioned Steak Cookoff on Saturday and the Australasian BBQ Alliance Championship on Sunday. With the ever-growing popularity of TV cooking competitions and BBQ cooking in general, these are sure to be some of the most popular attractions over the weekend. As well as watching all the action of the competitions, you’ll be able to get up close and personal with the BBQ experts – maybe even picking up a few tips: “All the attendees can go and talk to the exhibitors and see how they do it and try to learn things,” Michael adds. And you won’t go hungry, of course, with plenty of BBQ food vendors and stalls offering their wares for famished festival-goers. The kids haven’t been forgotten, either. While you’re off sipping beers, sampling BBQ food and enjoying the entertainment, they’ll be occupied in the kids’ zone. “We’re really conscious of making it a family day – understanding that if we’ve got some entertainment for kids in a safe environment, that it’s easier for the parents to come out and have a taste, listen to live music,” Michael explains. “We’re going to have a petting zoo, jumping castle, the usual kids’ activities, and we’re looking to add in dodgem cars and a few other interesting things for kids to do. A bit of a mini Royal Easter Show, come to the Hunter!”

The inaugural Hope Estate Beer & BBQ Festival takes place from 10am–5pm on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th August 2019. Early bird tickets, family packages, hamper packages, VIP experiences and masterclass tickets are now available. Find out more and purchase tickets from www.hopeestate.com.au

www.intouchmagazine.com.au | 21

We have a flavour for every taste. Hunter Distillery is the only certified organic distillery in the Hunter Valley region. Visit us to try our wide range of multi-award winning Gin, Vodkas, Liqueurs and Schnapps!

OPEN 7 DAYS 10AM - 5PM

1686 Broke Road, Pokolbin Hunter Valley Âˇ PH (02) 4998 6737 Âˇ www.hunterdistillery.com.au

6 - 21 July

Get your roller skates on

Charlie is turning 40, celebrate with a spin around our roller skating rink, located on Level 1, near Myer. All through the July school holidays you can boogie on down like itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1979. Tickets are $5 for a 45 minute session, book online or purchase in-centre. BOOK NOW at charlestownsquare.com.au #charlieturns40

1 July - 9 August

PRESENTS FOR EVERYONE $40K GIVEAWAY INCLUDING A $10K HOLIDAY! Charlie is turning 40 and we’re celebrating big! Spend $150 in-centre* and you could win a $10K Helloworld dream holiday. Plus daily instant win prizes. *T&Cs apply, excludes Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and Dan Murphy’s. LTPS/19/35536. Details at charlestownsquare.com.au #charlieturns40 24 | www.intouchmagazine.com.au

Charlestown Square in June, 1987

Kmart in March, 1979

Celebrating 40 Years of

Maskeys Meats in May, 1987

Charlestown Square WORDS CLAIRE BRADSHAW

From the 1st of July until the 9th of August this year, there’ll be no better place to be than Charlestown Square. We’re talking 40 days of celebrations, activations and giveaways, all to commemorate a significant milestone for the centre: its 40th birthday. And with Charlestown Square having been one of the locals since the 1970's, what better way to celebrate than ’70's style? During the school holidays (6th–21st July), kids can take a spin around a 10 x 12-metre ’70's inspired roller-skating rink on Level 1 near Myer. On Saturday 13th July, there’ll be a disco party and a centre-wide sale day, with giveaways, activations and performances throughout the Square. Shoppers will also have access to a ‘disco room’ to snap a 70's-style shot for Instagram. Over the 40 days, visitors can also take a trip down memory lane with a 2x2-metre photo cube celebrating Charlestown Square through the decades, including a timeline of photos. And while it may be the Square’s birthday, they’re the ones handing out the presents with over $40,000 in giveaways. There’ll be a $10,000 Helloworld holiday to a destination of choice up for grabs, as well as daily instant-win prizes such as gift cards, movie tickets and more. Charlestown Square has come a long way since its opening on March 27th, 1979. The first shopping centre development in the Lake Macquarie region, it was a $13 million project encompassing 60 stores, anchored by a Kmart and a Coles supermarket (then called Coles New World).

Since then, the centre has undergone significant investment in extensions and modifications. Upgrades occurred in 1983, 1989 (including the addition of the region’s first Myer department store, and the inclusion of the first modern food court, called ‘Charlie’s Magic Eatery’), 1996 and 2000. The largest of these redevelopments occurred in 2010 when Charlestown Square doubled in size to 88,000m2. Costing $470 million, this development provided 1,250 permanent or part-time retail jobs, making it a major employer in the region. A whopping 110 stores were added, bringing the total number of retail stores to 280, and parking increased by more than 1,000 new spaces to a total of 3,500. The opening of the new and improved centre attracted thousands of visitors, satisfying shopping requirements that were previously sought outside the Hunter region. Notably, the 2010 development also included some groundbreaking energy- and water-saving features, reflecting the decision made when the centre was first built that minimal environmental impact should occur during construction. As a result of these measures, carbon emissions were reduced by 89%, from 97 gas emissions per square metre in 2005 to just 18 gas emissions per square metre in 2016. In 2016, further exciting additions ensured Charlestown Square was still the premier shopping destination in the area. Several international ‘mini-major’ retailers were brought into the centre, including, for the first time in the Hunter, Swedish fast-fashion giant H&M, as well as national favourite Cotton On Mega. International beauty chain Sephora followed in 2017, opening its first store in the Hunter at the Square.

WWII Display in September, 1990

Today, Charlestown Square attracts some 14 million visitors a year – the most of any shopping centre in the region. So what’s next? Here’s a sneak peek… In late 2019, the centre will launch The Corner, Newcastle’s newest dining and entertainment precinct. Revitalising the centre’s north-east corner, the $10 million development aims to showcase the best of the Hunter’s burgeoning food and café scene, supporting both popular and emerging local food heroes and introducing new food and beverage vendors to the area. The standalone precinct will also include an outdoor performance space, art installations by local artists and an allocation for a regular rotation of food trucks. Visitors can expect events and live music by local artists as well as a day-to-night dining experience. For more details about Charlestown Square and the ‘Charlie turns 40’ birthday celebrations and giveaways, visit www.charlestownsquare.com.au

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BELINDA DOYLE Ocean-Inspired, Contemporary Works of Art WORDS CLAIRE BRADSHAW

Living in Newcastle, it can sometimes be easy to take the beauty of the ocean for granted. After all, it’s right on all of our doorsteps. Whether you’re strolling along the break wall, taking a dip in Merewether Baths, surfing at Pogo’s or wandering over the Anzac Walk, the water is a powerful, steady and familiar presence in the lives of many Novocastrians. But artists like Belinda Doyle remind us, through their work, of how beautiful and breathtaking Australia’s seascapes really are. Born and raised on the NSW South Coast, Belinda’s fascination with the ocean should come as no surprise. “Growing up, if we weren’t water skiing we were at the beach, either swimming, fishing or worming, and it was a huge part of my childhood,” Belinda says. “Even now, my favourite thing to do is sit on the beach with my camera or drone and watch the waves.” While the ocean and photography have always been her happy place, creativity has always been her way of life. Excelling in art, technical drawing and photography subjects at school, Belinda’s skills and talents shaped the direction of her future from a young age. Her career path has included several creative branches, including directing a children’s interiors business specialising in wall murals, studying interior design, and working with builders on new homes. But in 2015, Belinda decided that she needed a creative challenge. “I tried resin [art], and it was love at first sight,” she explains. “A year later, it was my full-time income, and has been ever since.” Since 2016, Belinda has dedicated herself to the creation of unique artworks through Belinda Doyle Art & Design. Beginning by selling her wares at local markets, she built her brand and expanded her offerings, opening her first pop-up store ‘The Collective’ in Kiama in 2017, with her second following in Gerringong and a third on the way. Nowadays, the works created in her Gerringong studio include resin art and homewares, both ocean-inspired and 26 | www.intouchmagazine.com.au

AVOIDING BILL-SHOCK contemporary; fine art prints reproduced from original ink paintings; photographic art prints; and even ‘wearable art’ in the form of soft inked scarves. Belinda’s resin artworks are all oneof-a-kind. Combining her love of two materials, resin and timber, these works aim to recreate the look and feel of aerial photography, and have become a signature style for Belinda. The high-gloss, reflective surface of the resin lends itself particularly to aerial beachscapes, creating an almost three-dimensional effect, while the sandy grain of the birch completes the seaside feel. Her homewares are just as popular, with a range of natural and coastal colours incorporated into unique resin-edged serving boards and bowls. “I love that every single time I work on a new piece, the resin reacts differently and I am constantly challenged by how it will behave,” Belinda says. “Every single artwork, serving board and bowl is unique, and even I could not replicate it if I tried!” The coastal theme continues in Belinda’s photography, with the ever-changing nature of the ocean captured in moments snapped at a variety of locations along the East Coast. Her fine art prints and scarves, on the other hand, move into more abstract styles. They’re an evocative mix of swirling colour and pattern, some calling to mind the underwater worlds of coral reefs. So what keeps Belinda inspired and creative? Her answer is simple: “I just love creating art. Many parts of my business feel like work, but when I walk into my studio each day and start creating, it doesn’t feel like work at all.” View Belinda’s work online at www.belindadoyle.com.au or catch her at our very own Olive Tree Markets! **JULY OLIVE TREE MARKET** The Olive Tree Market in July is a little bit special – with the market being held on the second Saturday in July (July 13th) – rather than the usual first. Put it in your diary and don’t miss out on The Olive Tree Market on July 13th at Civic Park.

What is my Renovation Going to Cost? WORDS CHRIS WALKOM - Walkom Constructions

It’s the ‘million dollar question’ and the one I am most often asked by homeowners who are at the beginning of the building journey when a renovation or extension is merely an idea or a dream. Before we go further: The first step you need to make is setting a budget, but I’ll come back to this later! When finding out what it is going to cost to renovate or extend your home, it is a bit like the old saying “You only get out what you put in.” What I mean by that is, the less detailed the information that goes into your design brief, sketches, plans etc. the less accurate and reliable the information will be that you get out of it. Finding the true costs of your project is a work in progress that it is going to take some time. It will require your investment of time and money to answer. And the cost will change through the design process because at each level; you will uncover more information like existing structural implications, council restrictions, material selections etc. When you are just starting on your building journey, you should put considerable effort and time into creating a design brief for a builder or architect to work from. Ask yourself, ‘Why are we doing this? What is the main driver, what don’t we like about our current home?’ You should also collect photos to establish what level of finish your project will be, sketches are a great idea. Step 1: Speak with a professional builder first so they can complete a site consultation to determine what you can and can’t do. Step 2: Its time to get some simple design sketches drawn up. Plans are the language that the industry speaks, helping professionals to see what it is you

want to have done, how big the spaces are, how it works or ties-in with the existing house, what is roughly going to be required structurally (very important). The plans get all parties working towards a common goal. Step 3: It's now time for a builder to use their skills and knowledge to complete a build cost estimate (not a quote). Now – back to establishing your build budget! I once read somewhere that “80% of building designs never get built because they are designed over budget.” I’m not exactly sure of the make-up of the type of projects in this statistic, but I do know that plans are often drawn outside the build budget. There is not always someone to blame for this; it can happen for several reasons. Trying to work out costings for a renovation or extension is an extremely difficult process and should always be done by a professional builder, not working off a square metre rate. There are a few ways to work out your budget. One way is to do some real estate research and see what makes sense in terms of not over capitalising your property and understanding what makes sense financially to spend on the property and what is realistic for your family situation. Then you can speak to designers and builders that do similar projects and determine what realistically can be done within the confines of your budget. The worst thing you can do is not start with a budget at all, just draw something up and keep going, get approvals and then get quotes and they come back double what you wanted to spend! This happens all too often in the industry, and it is a significant waste of your time and money, and everything from there will feel like a total compromise.

Shutters & Blinds

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It’s Open and Shut at MASTERCLASS!

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Masterclass Shutters and Blinds, a Newcastle based business serving the Hunter and beyond, have been offering their reliable and professional services since 2016. Since taking over the business (previously known as Adamstown Cedar Shutters), owner Craig Mellors has expanded the already extensive range of shutters to include aluminium shutters, privacy

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screenings and all types of blinds and awnings. Perhaps your existing shutters need a facelift? Not only do Masterclass install brand new products, but they can also restore your old, tired or damaged shutters as Newcastle's only shutter resprayer and repairer. The Masterclass team will take your old shutters away and re-install them refreshed and looking like new – adding value to your home. To organise a time for an obligation free measure and quote, call Craig on 0423 461 962 or email your measurements through to shutters@adamsstowncedar.com.au. It's that easy!

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Things are Heating Up at Jetmaster Newcastle WORDS DI VON ESSEN

The thermometer has hit rock-bottom, but that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean we need to shiver our way through the rest of winter. Jetmaster Newcastle has been providing Newcastle and its surrounding regions with the highest quality fireplace products for over ten years. Their constantly updated showroom at Adamstown hosts the regions premier display of gas and log burning fireplaces. Whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking to add a fireplace that oozes contemporary style or perhaps a period fireplace to suit the heritage of your home, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re sure to find exactly what you are looking for at the Adamstown display centre. Designers increasingly include fireplaces into interior designs and Robin Hastings, the owner of Jetmaster Newcastle, says that they are definitely seeing a real trend towards homeowners returning to having a fireplace as a central feature of their living environment. â&#x20AC;&#x153;At Jetmaster, we offer both gas and log burning fires. Our gas range is perfect for those who prefer the cleanliness of gas and convenience of touch button while our log burning

fires are for those who love the beautiful natural heat and effect that only a log burning fire can provideâ&#x20AC;? says Robin. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In our showroom, customers can view the Heat & Glo range of balanced flue gas fires. This range is available in many configurations. In addition to the health benefits of the sealed unit and flue system, the design allows for flexibility in installation and location within your home. There are not many places you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fit a Heat & Glo gas fire. The range-topping Mezzo Series from Heat & Glo is certainly a favourite with architects and in some of the finest homes in Newcastle,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We also have our range of contemporary Horizon and traditional Jetmaster naturally drafted (open) gas fires. These fires are aesthetically stunning and provide brilliant, radiant heat, reliability of operation and a myriad of accessories so you can achieve just the look youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re after.â&#x20AC;? For those who love a real wood fire ( and who doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t), then you will find that Jetmaster Newcastle have you covered there too! Open fires are where it all began for

Jetmaster. Over 50 years ago the Jetmaster firebox design was patented, and since that time the name "Jetmaster" has become synonymous with simply the best open fire you can buy. With a smokeless design, a wide range of sizes and a convection system providing up to five times more heat than a conventional open fire there really is only one choice. The friendly team at Jetmaster can also help you plan your installation. For new fires going into existing homes, they provide a full, obligation free home consultation. They come to your home at a time that suits you and fully assess your options in regards to fire selection, installation and finishes. They can also organise your installation from start to finish, so all you have to do is sit back and enjoy. For new home builders and renovators, they will liaise directly with your builder and other site trades to take the fuss out of any purchase and install. Jetmaster Newcastle is also the regions largest supplier of period architectural hardware. Meticulously crafted reproductions from authentic originals collected from around Australia include door and window hardware, locks and latches, cabinet hardware, electrical switches, tiles, pressed tin panels and so much more. For architects, interior designers, builders, developers and commercial proprietors, Jetmaster Newcastle offers the services of a dedicated commercial division. With over 20 years of experience in commercial and government contract works the team truly understand the way to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;make things happenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x201C; on time, on budget, fuss-free and fully compliant from start to finish. Offering the full start to finish service, Jetmaster Newcastle is your one-stop solution for Winter warming fires and period restorations. For more information visit www.jetmasternewcastle.com.au

Â Â?Â? Â Â?Â Â Â?Â? Â Â? Â Â? Â&#x20AC;

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WALLSEND TOWN Dining & Food

A Convenient Shopping and Service Centre The Colliery Inn Hotel Owned by Deb & Mick Potts, publicans in Newcastle for 25 years, with a reputation for great beer, food, service & traditional pub hospitality. The restaurant is open 7 days lunch and dinner, with bookings advised via phone or facebook. Don’t miss weekly trivia, raffles & live music.

Cafe Tempest Café Tempest is one of the best places in town when you want to chill and enjoy good food. Served by friendly staff, Café Tempest’s coffee is known for its rich and smooth flavour. They also offer a full range of breakfast and lunch plus a delicious assortment of sweets.

87 Cowper Street, Wallsend Ph 4955 8234 www.collieryinnwallsend.com

177 Nelson St, Wallsend Ph 4955 9453 CafeTempest

Lemon Grove Hotel The Lemon Grove Hotel offers great food and warm hospitality. We host trivia on Mondays, 2 for 1 meals and free pool on Tuesday nights, raffles on Wednesday, Thursday & Fridays, musical bingo on Friday nights, and free pool Sunday afternoons. We are also home of the $5 Schooner!

Drop In Espresso Bar Drop in espresso bar serves coffee made by coffee lovers. We make treats in house, offer a simple, delicious, breakfast menu. Our burger menu has been released with our famous (it's what we do to them) sweet potato fries. Open Monday to Saturday.

112 Nelson St, Wallsend Ph 4955 9511 www.lemongrovehotel.com

107 Nelson St, Wallsend DropInEspressoBar

Over 200 Businesses & Services Offering Fashion, Fresh Food, Hospitality, Op Shopping, Professional Services, Health & Beauty, Newsagents, Supermarkets, Medical Centres, Wallsend Library, Electric Car Charging Stations, Bottle Recycling Centre, 6 Car Park Areas and more! Call into Wallsend Town and Check Us Out!

A Wallsend Town Business Association Project

www.wallsendtown.com.au

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LIVE YOUR LIST

Making Magical Memories WORDS KIM-CHERIE DAVIDSON - Live Your Bucket List

The words “Let’s go to Europe for your birthday,” caught this Swansea resident slightly off guard. Her first thought was the Greek Islands, followed by; it will be too cold. Then, looking at her two boys, a brilliant idea hit – Christmas in the Northern Hemisphere (plus, deep down, she had always wanted to experience the magic of a Christmas at the top of the world). So, in mid-December 2015, the Morris clan – Liane, her husband Jonny and two boys, Darcy, 9, and Max, 8 – left the summer heat for sub-zero temperatures to spend a fortnight in Europe, which included a week in Finland. “It was beautiful – it was like every Christmas card you have ever seen. We grow up associating snow-covered landscapes with Christmas though we don’t experience it in Australia. So, these scenes are alien yet very familiar and to be there and be part of it was magical,” Liane said. The full-on family festive adventure was based at Lapland’s Ranua Wildlife Park, an Arctic Zoo with accommodation and activities that included a personal meeting with Father Christmas, dog sledding and the chance to see the Northern Lights. On the day they met Santa, the family left at 3pm, in the pitch black of the Arctic winter and travelled by a snowmobilepulled sleigh through the winter

wonderland deep into the forest. Then by foot, they followed fairy lights and arrived at a small log cabin. Peeking through the windows, they saw the man in red himself. He was sitting by the fire, writing in a big book, by candlelight. The boys raced around to the front door with Mum and Dad in tow, where they were all greeted by Santa Claus, who called them by name and invited them in for a chat. He also listened to their Christmas wishes, checked his ledger to see if they had been good, then gave them a gift. “It was an unforgettable experience that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Santa was the most beautiful traditional Father Christmas you could ever imagine. The boys were so excited, and Max even pulled Santa’s beard to see if it was the real deal. And it was!” The next family favourite was dog sledding, where after some instruction Jonny took hold of the Husky team’s reins for a 20- kilometres trip around a frozen lake in the woods. “Again, it was just us! What an amazing way to travel through this snowy wilderness.” After the ride, the family went back to the kennels, where they patted the dogs. The head musher was surprised to see the most standoffish husky having his tummy tickled by Max, who he invited to come back when he was grown up to work as a musher. “We brought home so many wonderful memories – snowmobiles rides, Christmas tree hunting, reindeer-sleigh ride, ice fishing, and feeding Arctic foxes.” Liane admits she has “lived a great life” and has ticked off major milestones on her bucket list – living in London, getting married and having kids. She also worked for Who Magazine, lived in Bondi, travelled by limousine and private jets, met rock stars and celebrities. These days she works as the Foundation Manager for the Hunter Breast Cancer Foundation and hopes her work makes a difference in the lives of people living with breast cancer. However, there are two major ticks she is still working on – living overseas in a non-English speaking country for an extended time and being a published children’s book author. “My great grandfather was a poet and had the same dream to be published. He never made it, so I hope I can do it for both of us.” She has been working hard at being published by attending writing classes, conferences, workshops and retreats. At the end of this year, three of her stories will be published in a children’s anthology. “It is a great first step towards my goal of being picked up by one of the major children’s book publishing houses. It’s a tricky bucket list item, but I’m not giving up.”

Since 1958

Hunter TAFE Foundation scholarships and awards recipients.

Foundation Helps Students Achieve Dreams Marking its 20th year of operation, the Hunter TAFE Foundation has granted 23 deserving students $17,500 worth of awards and scholarships in a formal ceremony at TAFE NSW Kurri Kurri. Attended by more than 70 members of the Hunter business community, students and their families, the event celebrated the recipients’ resilience, determination and commitment to further education.

All students study at TAFE NSW facilities in the Hunter or Central Coast region and applied to the Foundation for financial assistance to help them achieve their study goals. Their courses range from Certificates to Diplomas. TAFE NSW Regional General Manager Susie George said, “This presentation is a particularly poignant occasion. We have witnessed almost two dozen students who will directly benefit from the generosity of Hunter TAFE Foundation donors and the concerted efforts of the Foundation directors.” “It is wonderful to hear about what a difference the awards and scholarships will make to these students.” Established in 2000, the Hunter TAFE Foundation is a not-for-profit charitable organisation working with business, education and community leaders committed to supporting education and training at TAFE NSW by helping students achieve their goals. Last financial year it presented over $75,000 in awards and scholarships. www.intouchmagazine.com.au | 31

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Photo: PowerPlay Photographics

CARVING UP THE COMPETITION

The Newcastle Rescue Northstars are enjoying their best start to an Australian Ice Hockey League season in franchise history. A combination of strong pre-season training, attention to detail and dedicated leadership within and surrounding the team has seen the Northstars rack up an impressive win rate in their run at the 2019 AIHL Championship. Now more than halfway through the season and with minimal losses to their name the Northstars sit at the top of the AIHL ladder. And it is not a position they are planning to give up any time soon. “I’m very happy the way we have come out of the gate this year,” Northstars coach John Kennedy Jr said. “I’m happy with how the boys are playing. We’ve been playing good hockey. We’ve been tested in a couple of games, where it’s been tight, but we’ve come out on top. That’s the story of our team this year - we find a way to win. We come to the rink every game expecting to win, and that’s not just

because we are the Newcastle Northstars – it’s because of our attention to detail, our effort and our team play.” The Northstars have been a force in the AIHL since it joined in 2002, having won six championships up until 2016. The past two years have been a challenge for the Northstars, with the team ending their seasons in the middle of the pack and missing out on playing in the finals. The return to the winner’s circle was a priority this year, and the work that has gone into making that happen appears to be paying dividends. The Northstars were riding high on a seven-game win streak in the opening weeks of the 2019 season until the Melbourne Mustangs snapped it. However, the team were quick to shake it off and went on to beat the Mustangs in their meeting the following week. While the Northstars have had their fair share of convincing wins, they have also had a few tough games that were determined by going goal-for-goal. In more than one game the Northstars have come from behind to secure the win which Kennedy said showed a lot of character by the players. Kennedy added that the team as a whole had meshed this year well despite some heavy movement in the lines. Czech import Ondrej Smach left at the end of May to return to the Magnus Ligue in France while Dominik Gabaj returned home to Slovakia at the start of June to heal following an extensive wrist injury. The pair were two of the Northstars’ leading goal scorers at the time, but their departure opened the doors to Canadians Luke Simpson and Trey Phillips who made an impressive debut in the league not 48 hours after touching down in Australia. With just one team training session under their belt, both still scored goals in their first game of the year against Sydney Ice Dogs. “I feel like we'll soon see them really hit their groove with their timing, passing and working with their linemates,” Kennedy said. “I see them having a high contribution to the team, as you would expect from any import. At the end of the day, they add on to what the team already is.” The Northstars’ greatest competition this season is defending AIHL champions Canberra Brave – with Kennedy labelling the Brave a “formidable opponent.” “Everyone knows that these are the top two teams,” he said. “But we’re ready for them.” Northstars and Brave will go head-to-head in Canberra on July 20 and at Hunter Ice Skating Stadium in Warner’s Bay on July 21. Stay up to date with Newcastle Northstars news on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or northstars.theaihl.com

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Community Calendar FRIDAY JULY 5 Friday Beats N Eats The Station Newcastle, 4pm–9pm. SUNDAY JULY 7 Waratah Male Voice + Sydney Male Choirs Joining forces for a combined concert. 2pm at The Baptist Tabernacle, cnr Laman and Dawson Sts, Newcastle. Tickets $20 at the door, from 1.30pm. SUNDAY JULY 14 Miss Porter’s House Museum See yesteryear's photographs, postcards and memorabilia showing the Porter family and their neighbourhood in the early 20th century. 434 King Street, Newcastle, 1pm–4pm. Adults $10, conc $8, under 5 free.

WEDNESDAY JULY 17 Katy Perry & Taylor Swift Kids Concert Tickets $15 (includes kids meal), adults free. Jewells Tavern, from 11am. SATURDAY JULY 27 An Afternoon with Rachel Collis Concert and afternoon tea $25 pp – funds raised go to Kiwanis Beachside Bags and Community Activities Centre Merewether. Families and kids welcome. 2-4pm, Merewether Uniting Church. Visit www.trybooking.com/BCWBL Street Feast Food trucks and live music at Foreshore Park, Newcastle under the Carriage Sheds, 4pm–8pm. BYO rug! St Kevin's School Fete 9am–1pm, Main Road, Cardiff. LIST YOUR EVENT - getintouch@intouchmagazine.com.au

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Nic with young fan Maddi at a recent Jets Game

NIC

JOVANOVIC

MAFS Man on a Mission to Help Others WORDS CLAIRE BRADSHAW

It’s no surprise that Nic Jovanovic’s life has changed over the past few years. You might recognise the Novocastrian electrician as a participant in Season 6 of Married at First Sight – the Channel Nine ‘social experiment’ that follows the relationships of several just-met, just-married couples. But the filming and aftermath of the reality show isn’t the only thing that’s had an impact on his life of late. Nic, 28, is now a twotime cancer survivor, having first been diagnosed with a form of testicular cancer when he was just 24. “Pretty full-on” is how he now calmly describes the experience of his initial diagnosis. Back in 2015, realising something wasn’t quite right after experiencing persistent stomach pain, he saw a doctor to get it checked out. By the end of that week, after several scans and tests and the reveal of a mass 34 | www.intouchmagazine.com.au

behind his stomach, Nic was officially diagnosed with a form of testicular cancer. Treatment required chemotherapy and surgery. It was a tough road, but ultimately a successful one, leaving Nic cancer-free upon completion. “You think being that young and having dealt with it once, surely that’s it,” he told Nine Honey earlier this year. But unfortunately, a few years later, the difficult journey would continue. At the end of 2018, while in the midst of filming for Married at First Sight, Nic discovered another testicular lump, and a second diagnosis of cancer was confirmed. After MAFS filming had concluded, he had further surgery in late January this year, followed by more chemotherapy. And thankfully, he’s now in remission, returning for six-monthly check-ups to ensure the cancer has not returned. Strangely enough, Nic was later told by his specialist that the stomach pain that led to his initial diagnosis had actually

been unrelated to the testicular cancer. It had been a case of extremely fortunate timing – but after his second fight with the disease, Nic is now on a mission to warn other men that they shouldn’t leave anything up to luck. According to the Cancer Council, in Australia, testicular cancer is the second most common type of cancer in men aged 18–39. And while the survival rate for most men is very high, there is still a 1 in 20 chance of losing one’s life to the disease once it is diagnosed. It’s this statistic that Nic is working to help change by speaking out about his experience and teaming up with initiatives like the recent Movember campaign for Testicular Cancer Awareness Month. It’s all about raising awareness of the disease and its warning signs, and promoting the need for guys to check themselves – and get checked out. “I’m trying to promote healthy living, and for blokes to go and get checked and just be vigilant with their health,” Nic says. “Just encouraging guys to have a feel, and [see] if there’s any weird lumps or bumps, any aches or pains, a change in shape or texture – anything that’s not normal, or anything that’s out of the ordinary for a bloke. Don’t hesitate; don’t put it off and go, ‘She’ll be right’. It might be alright, but it also might not be alright, so you don’t want to take that risk.” Nic’s life and outlook have obviously been changed by his cancer experience, but it’s also been affected, of course, by his experience on Married At First Sight. So now that he’s back to full health, how has he adjusted to life post-MAFS? “As soon as the show finished, I think I had an extra week off to readjust back home and catch up with family and friends, then went straight back to work, straight back to everything,” he explains. “I think the best thing was just to readjust and get back to normality as quickly as possible, and that’s what I did.” No matter how grounded he’s remained, Nic says it’s still a surreal experience when people approach him around town as if they already know him. “I didn’t realise how invested people were in the show,” he admits. “It’s massive, and you don’t realise until during or after when everyone knows you and everyone knows your business and everyone has an opinion on everything you do. It makes it hard when you think you’re doing the right thing, but you don’t know, and then you question yourself. But you’ve got to do what you think is right. That’s what I did on the show, and I think I came out alright.” Nic’s primary aim has been to use the platform the show has given him for good – raising cancer awareness as well as participating in other charity and community events. You might have spotted him at a recent Jets game, where he helped out with the half-time show, and you might also catch him later this year at the Jack Newton Celebrity Classic, a charity golf event raising money for diabetes research and junior golf in NSW. He’s quick to express his gratitude for the opportunities the show has afforded him, and for the fact that the Newcastle community has welcomed him back with open arms. “It’s been great, and I’m really thankful that everywhere I go, everyone’s been extremely wonderful – really kind and really supportive,” he says. “Everyone in Newcastle’s been amazing.” You can follow Nic’s post-MAFS life on Instagram @nicccj, and find out more about testicular cancer by visiting www.cancer.org.au or the Men’s Health section of www.movember.com.au

www.intouchmagazine.com.au | 35

SAVE THE DATE

Maroba Leads with Highrise Retirement Village in Belmont In a first for Maroba Caring Communities and Belmont CBD, Maroba on Macquarie will offer residents the lifestyle and independence they have always enjoyed, along with comfort and security that comes with living in a community. “Maroba on Macquarie has been designed to encourage residents to maintain their independence as well as their connection with the local community. We want Maroba on Macquarie to be a friendly environment with space for residents to enjoy all the benefits of living in a vibrant city centre,” says Viv Allanson, Maroba CEO. Centrally located at Macquarie St, Belmont, these modern dwellings are close to shopping centres, public transport, hospital, cafés, medical centres, clubs, restaurants and the beautiful lake. The intimate retirement community offers 12 contemporary apartments comprising a mix of one and two bedrooms featuring quality finishes and natural deco. Each apartment is thoughtfully designed with comfort and security in mind, and also includes fully accessible bathrooms and balconies, gourmet kitchens with European appliances and light, airy and spacious living throughout. Choosing to move into a retirement village is an important lifestyle decision, and the right village can offer a host of advantages that make life easier, more sociable and

enjoyable. Being part of a Maroba retirement village means having peace of mind, knowing you can live independently but can also call on the friendly staff for help accessing support services in times of special need or an emergency. Through our Community Service program, you can also connect with the wider Maroba Community and participate in a varied program of wellness and support services that includes access to a gymnasium, onsite allied health professionals, organised outings and functions, and ongoing support and care services. Already offered for our Waratah residents, and for many people in the wider Newcastle area, the Maroba Community will be expanding to serve new residents of Maroba on Macquarie and others in the Belmont community. It’s time to relax and love every minute being part of the friendly Maroba Community! This stylish four-storey vertical retirement village is DA approved and now selling off the plan. For more information contact Tracy Walker on 0422 800 561 or email tracy.walker@maroba.com.au

Maroba Open Day The Maroba Open Day offers the chance for individuals, couples, and families considering future retirement options and care needs, to take a sneak peak at the very best of aged care living options and programs within a beautiful community environment. Visitors can meet the staff, enjoy a cuppa in The Junction Café and hear about real life at Maroba. The Open Day allows visitors to: • Talk with CEO, Viv Allanson, recently named Australian Game Changer of the Year 2019. • Discover the features and benefits of living in a supportive retirement community which is well maintained, and secure, giving you peace of mind. • Chat with staff about our Community Services program that supports active healthy ageing, inspect our state of the art gymnasium, and chat with our on-site allied health professionals. • Take a tour and experience Maroba’s leading residential aged care service that includes a dining experience, on site day spa, hair salon and arts program. • Listen to the experts explain those tricky financial aspects about moving into residential care, how much it costs, how to work it out, and who to talk to about managing your finances. • If you are interested in working in aged care, or volunteering with Maroba, our Open Day will be a perfect introduction to the sector. Our registered training organisation, Smart Training and Consulting Group will be on site to talk through career options with school leavers, or those seeking a midcareer change. The event is on Thursday, August 15 at Maroba, 58 Edith Street Waratah – 9.30am–3pm. For more information on our Open day program follow Maroba on Facebook, email: enquiries@maroba.com.au or ring (02) 9235 0300.

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Teachers Have a Positive Influence in the Life of Your Child Nicholas Redgrove is just one teacher in the 57 schools in the Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle who started his career as a casual teacher and who, in only his third year of temporary block teaching, became a permanent full-time teacher. He has now been a full-time teacher for the past five years. We caught up with Nicholas ahead of this month’s School Holidays to find out what it’s like working as a teacher in the Diocese. Why do you like working within the network of Catholic schools in the HunterManning region? Each school I have worked in has openly welcomed me into their school community. The members of these communities – and especially the teachers – go above and beyond to meet the needs of every child that enters their

school. So, working in our schools, I have found that you aren't just going to work, but you are going to spend your day with your second family. What have been your opportunities for advancement to date in Catholic schools? After two years of full timetemporary teaching, I was provided with an experienced mentor teacher to help me complete my journey to becoming a ‘proficient level teacher’ as outlined by NESA. This process was a brilliant learning curve, and the process was very smooth thanks to the staff who were provided to help me. The schools have also enabled me to capture many professional development opportunities not only in the Hunter-Manning region but also throughout NSW. This has helped me to develop even further. What have been the highlights of your career to date? First, I was lucky enough to be appointed as a full-time teacher at St Aloysius Primary School in Chisholm in its second year after the school opened. To be a part of the team that was able to build, and which is continuing to build, a great school community is one I will cherish for the rest of my career. Second, it was great to be nominated by parents of students at our school for an ASG National Excellence in Teaching award. That said, it is not the accolades I find rewarding but more the realisation just how much of a positive influence you as a teacher can have over a child’s life. The main highlight, therefore, is something that happens at the end of every school year – the amazing words of thanks and appreciation you receive from parents for the difference they say you have made in the life of their child. The Catholic Diocese of MaitlandNewcastle is seeking casual teachers to work across its network of 57 schools in the Hunter-Manning region. For more information call Rabecca on 4979 1230.

E-Conveyancing in NSW – It’s Time to Embrace the Change. WORDS LOUISE WILLIAMS

The new financial year is fast approaching, and with it brings changes to conveyancing rules in NSW. In a constantly evolving digital landscape, it is no surprise that the legal sector must keep pace and adapt to the technological times. There has been a large shift in recent years within the conveyancing field, from the traditional paper methods of transacting, towards utilising technology in order to move towards more streamlined, more efficient, more convenient, more economical and less resource-reliant ways of conducting property dealings with the eventual goal of achieving 100% digitalised conveyancing. Electronic Lodgement Networks (ELN’s) such as PEXA (Property Exchange Australia Limited) are secure online property exchange platforms – virtual spaces in which subscribers are able to prepare, lodge and register documents, and facilitate the financial settlement of property. July 2019 changes – Up until now, electronic conveyancing within NSW has not been compulsory, and some solicitors (especially the ‘old school’) still choose to use the “normal” method. The introduction of electronic lodgment of certain documents has been staged over the years, along with the gradual replacement of paper title deeds with electronic versions. However, as of 1 July, e-conveyancing is to

become mandated insofar as the following lodgments will take place online: • Transfers; • Mortgages and discharge of mortgages; • Caveats, and withdrawal of caveats; • Transmission applications. Essentially this means that the majority of conveyancing and property dealings will occur online. Like everything, there are always exceptions, but the aim of the changed rules is that all mainstream transactions will be dealt with within an electronic platform. E-conveyancing poses practical benefits for both solicitors and clients. E-conveyancing is timely – there is far less chance of substantial delay with a PEXA settlement, and lodgment of documents can occur almost instantaneously. Ultimately, e-conveyancing is a far more convenient and streamlined approach, all the while saving a lot of time for solicitors and therefore costs, for the client. We can help! Understandably, change can be daunting. At Jenkins Legal Services, our experienced property team has embraced electronic conveyancing via PEXA and all the advantages it brings. We will assist you with all your conveyancing requirements and talk you through each part of the process. Please contact us on (02) 4929 2000 or email us at office@jenkinslegal.com.au

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www.jenkinslegal.com.au | PH 4929 2000 www.intouchmagazine.com.au | 37

Have you Been Injured in a Slip and Fall Accident? WORDS BEN GROSSE - Senior Associate, Turner Freeman Newcastle

"Slip and fall" accidents occur in all manner of private, commercial and public places. Some result in minor bumps and bruises but others result in serious sustain injury. Depending on the circumstances, the injured person may be entitled to compensation from the person responsible for the location of the fall. The law commonly refers to this person

(who may be an individual, corporation, or the State) as an 'occupier'. However, the injured party needs to establish that the fall was caused by some negligence on the part of the occupier. This area of compensation law is literally a minefield for the unwary. Common places where slip and fall accidents occur are supermarkets and shopping centres. Customers frequently sue supermarkets. The sheer number of customers who enter stores make a larger number of falls (and resulting injuries) inevitable. For that reason, Supermarket chains are acutely aware of the risk of injury to customers and therefore generally have procedures and policies in place to ensure staff members inspect the floors for hazards and clean the floors at regular intervals. The intention is to minimise the risk of injury to customers and in so doing minimise the liability of stores to pay compensation to the injured. It is important to understand that the obligation on the part of a supermarket or other occupier to its customers is to take 'reasonable' care. The mere fact that a customer is injured while in a supermarket is not enough to trigger a legal liability to pay the injured customer compensation. Courts determine cases on their facts, but it is generally accepted that a supermarket store will fulfil that standard (and therefore escape liability for any particular slip and fall) if it maintains a policy of regular inspection and cleaning, and that policy is adhered to by supermarket employees. A good example of a slip and fall injury is where a customer slips and falls on some liquid laundry detergent that has been spilt from a bottle knocked onto the floor of an aisle by another customer. The supermarket would rely on its cleaning policy to deny negligence. Assume the policy requires a staff member to perform an inspection of the relevant aisle every half hour, and a signed cleaning log

shows the aisle was inspected at 10:30am, and the aisle was found to be clean, but a customer then slips and falls on spilt detergent at 10:35am, a fact proven by CCTV footage. In those circumstances, the supermarket is unlikely to be found to be negligent, as by maintaining and adhering to a policy it has taken reasonable care. An injured customer would have to prove that the cleaning policy was unreasonable in the circumstances or the liquid had been missed on inspection in order to prove negligence. Assume for a moment that the staff member responsible for inspecting the aisle had taken a morning tea break at 10:30am rather than inspecting the aisle, thereby breaching the supermarket's cleaning policy. This would mean that the last inspection occurred at 10am (instead of 10:30am). If the customer could prove the spill occurred at 10:35 am (and evidence of when the spill actually occurred would be vital in these circumstances) and the accident occurred very shortly after that, then the supermarket would probably be found to be negligent. Similarly, if the relevant staff member did not clean up the spilt detergent properly, or failed to observe it (assuming it to be a large spill), the supermarket would likely be found to be negligent. If you have been injured in a slip and fall and are thinking about making a claim for compensation, it is important that you seek advice from an experienced lawyer. The wrong advice could see you having to pay the supermarket's legal costs, adding insult to injury. Ben specialises in personal injury law, specifically workers compensation, work injury damages, occupiers and public liability, motor vehicle accidents and total and permanent disability insurance. If you require assistance, we encourage you to call the Newcastle office on 4925 2996 or visit www.turnerfreeman.com.au

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“I own a business, and this is my dilemma…” WORDS NICOLA HAZELL - DFK Crosbie

“We have a family business, but it’s time for us to think about moving on. The problem is, we’re not sure who should take it over. Should we keep it in the family? And how do you choose the best person to run the business without creating a rift about who’s getting what? Any advice would be appreciated.”

This is such a great question from a client. When you’re in business, and you’ve worked hard to make it a success, figuring out your succession plan can be a dilemma. Here are some points to consider: People are usually very attached to their business Often people tell me their business feels like their baby, metaphorically speaking. When you nurture something for many years, of course, it feels personal. Building and running a business takes a lot of time and effort. By the time you’re ready to retire or move on, you may want to get out — but there’s often still an attachment there. You don’t want to see it fall apart. Don’t leave it too late How far ahead you should plan for succession? The simple answer is five to ten years, but that doesn’t account for sickness or an unexpected life event where you simply can’t operate the business anymore. It’s important to think about succession even if you’re just starting out or retirement feels forever away. Who’s going to take over if you can’t do it anymore? When keeping it in the family is a priority Deciding between family members can be tricky. Have they already been working in the business with you? Do they have the necessary skills? Also, keep in mind they may not have the same ideals or values as you. So, they may not want the same things for the business. Are you OK with them

taking it in a new direction once you’re out of the picture? Ask these questions and allow everyone to be honest and upfront. Determine whether you’ll still be involved in the business. Many buyers appreciate this, at least for a set time. Or will it be a clearcut transition where you’ll need to keep your nose out? Get a business valuation This is important, regardless of whether you plan to sell or keep it in the family. Once the business is valued, other children can be allocated something of equal value, so they don’t feel left out. Often the people who aren’t qualified wouldn’t want to run the business anyway, but they might be interested in being a silent partner. The valuation also helps you facilitate those discussions about how the business works, and whether your successor has the necessary skills and ability. Sometimes family isn’t best Ask yourself if you’d be better off selling the business, especially if you’d rather have a clean break. You might have a competitor who wants to expand or perhaps there’s someone who’s worked with you for a long time who might want to buy in. We have a lot of clients who, over the years, bring along an employee who has what it takes to run the business. Sometimes they buy shares so eventually, in five years or whenever you plan to move on, you have someone ready to take over. Sort out the structure Family trusts are popular, but that might not be the best structure for your situation. This is a conversation to have with your adviser, who should be able to help you solve your dilemma — and find peace of mind about your succession plan.

Nicola Hazell is a Manager, Business Services at leading accountants and business advisers DFK Crosbie, proudly based in Newcastle.

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Lost Connections The Key to Men’s Health WORDS BRETT CAMERON - Cameron Hypnotics

When is the right time to talk about the health of men and boys? It is always the right time. But for many, they just don’t know where to begin. This is not the time to ask why, but to ask how and who? Enough has been written about the programming of the brain, the impact of testosterone, family and societal conditioning, and assumed roles and responsibilities of being a male. The questions I pose now are: 1. How can we empower men and boys to be better men and boys? 2. If you don’t have the tools and resources, then who can help you to find those missing tools and resources? Let’s look at the grim statistics* (*Lifeline 13 11 14) • In Australia, there are more than eight (8) deaths each day by suicide. • Figures indicate that the ratio of suicide deaths is three males to every female. • It is estimated that for every suicide, 30 people have attempted to end their life. In mid-June, we had Men’s Health Week. I had the pleasure of going along to an event at The Blind Monk in Hamilton with the theme ‘Keeping Boys and Men Healthy.’ It opened my mind to how I can offer more to the community of men. What a positive night, attended by over 50 people wanting to improve men’s health. Among the speakers were Professor John MacDonald (Director of Men’s Health Week), Sam Parker (Grab Life by the Balls) and others. There were many constructive messages taken from that evening, but for me, it was the strength of connections. Us humans are social animals who thrive through the fostering of family and social and community connections. It could be argued, however, that as a society, we are more disconnected than ever before. We might be connected electronically with a plethora of devices, however paradoxically our human to human connection is reduced. ‘Connections’ has many connotations. For many men who are living with mental health challenges, they could be experiencing a disconnection from meaningful values, disconnection from meaningful work or contribution, a disconnection from status and respect, and maybe even a disconnection from hope for a successful or secure future (Hari, Johann, Lost Connections, 2018). Teenage boys might be experiencing mental health issues due to a lack of an adult male role model in their life. I encourage any parent of teenage boys to read Celia Lashlie’s He’ll be OK. She was an inspirational educator of young men and boys in New Zealand. She gained an

understanding of the developing male brain from being the first woman prison officer to work in a male prison, and from her own experience of raising a teenage boy as a single parent. She talks about the moment that she realised it was time for her to step off the adolescent male bridge and to invite an older male to be there as a guide for her son. It could be the boy’s father, an uncle, grandparent or a friend. But the value of having a significant positive male role model in the boy’s life is immeasurable. Boys and men are complex beasts. Our communication is not always verbal. In fact, in many cases, verbal communication is not our strength. Some men find it difficult to discuss their feelings openly. I encourage men reading this article to give thought to how the bottling of emotions might not be the best strategy in dealing with ‘stuff.’ There is always a different solution. So how are you going to be a better man and who is going to help you? There are many ways to start. 1. Read. There is plenty of literature online and in bookstores that offer strategies for men’s health. 2. Talk to someone. Talk to a partner, a family member, a workmate, a drinking mate, a footy mate, a counsellor or therapist. Just talk to someone. 3. Check in on a mate who you know might be feeling down. Please. 4. Let your mates know that you are only a phone call away. And if they call, be there for them. This is about connecting again and knowing that you are a human, and many others have shared experiences. If telling your story is not your gig, you might also consider hypnotherapy. The hypnotherapist doesn’t have to know your content. They want to know the context. The context being, why has all of that stuff got you stuck now? Are you ready to rebuild your future? Brett at Cameron Hypnotics has created a 3 Session Resilience Hypnotherapy program for $450. You might also want to check the range of self-hypnosis MP3s on Spotify and iTunes by searching Cameron Hypnotics. For more information, visit www.cameronhypnotics.com.au

SEEING RED? Treating Rosacea

Changing Women’s Lives

WORDS DR KATHRYN HOLMES - The Mayah Clinic

How do you like the cold weather? Do those long summer days feel hard to remember? Well at least by the time you read this, the shortest day of the year will have come and gone. Still, we have a number of weeks of cold to survive. Because skin is my thing, I’m going to ask you how the cold affects your skin? Is it feeling dry, maybe a bit flaky, sensitive, perhaps a bit irritated, and bit pink? Winter weather and the heating devices we use to keep warm are all really drying. For some people, this will be enough to disrupt the skins protective barrier, resulting in a lot of the problems I’ve mentioned. You can be proactive in this, though. Use more moisturiser, keep using your sunscreen, use a product like Rationale Proceramide Balm that provides actual protection for the surface of your skin as well as hydration. Visit your skin professional a bit more often to check how your skin is surviving and provide a customised facial treatment. Some people will be affected more, and they are people who have Rosacea. With rosacea, your skin is already extra sensitive, the protective barrier is already often disrupted, and there is redness in the skin already! Rosacea is a common, incurable skin condition, but it is controllable and medically manageable. True, untreated it will gradually worsen with time, but get onto it as soon as you can, and you can regain healthy skin. Over 45 million people worldwide have rosacea. Sometimes it is mistaken for rosy cheeks, sunburn or acne (sometimes called acne-rosacea). It can affect all skin types but is most common in English, Scottish and Irish backgrounds. The symptoms can range from redness and easy flushing, acne type bumps, broken vessels on the skin, red eyes and even an enlarging lumpy nose! It can occur alongside other skin problems too. 25% of people with rosacea have seborrheic dermatitis as well.

Coles Partners with Heart Foundation to Promote Heart Health Coles is partnering with the Heart Foundation to encourage Australians to look after their hearts, launching a massive awareness drive to Coles’ 21 million weekly customers. The partnership comes as Coles rolls out Automated External Defibrillators (AED) to all Coles supermarkets across Australia this month, to provide rapid aid to customers or team members having a sudden cardiac arrest. Heart disease is Australia’s biggest killer, with more than 18,000 people losing their lives each year – equivalent to two deaths every hour. The Heart Foundation’s Group CEO, Adjunct Professor John Kelly, congratulated Coles for taking an active role in protecting the heart health of Australians. “Coles will make AEDs more accessible so they can be deployed quickly in an emergency, which will save lives,” Professor

Your skin professional can usually diagnose it just by looking, but occasionally it may require a biopsy. It can be triggered by stress, smoking, alcohol, sun exposure and spicy foods, and even some medications. Once you know that’s what you’re dealing with, make a plan. This is sensitive skin, so make sure you are not aggravating your skin with creams, scrubs, cleansers, masks, makeup etc at home. Get advice from an expert – an actual expert - about what will be best to use. Many foods we eat can make our skin inflamed (the gut/ skin axis). Foods high in fat and sugar are classics for this. Dairy can also contribute, and of course, alcohol will dilate blood vessels and dehydrate the skin. (So sitting in front of the fire with the red wine is definitely not good for you!) Broadband Light and LED are treatments we regularly use at The Mayah Clinic as part of a Rosacea management program. Prescription medications like antibiotics can also be used. The most important thing to understand is that something can be done to treat rosacea. Learning about how your skin works and partnering with a professional clinic on this journey will help put you on the road to healthy skin. For more information about The Mayah Clinic visit www.themayahclinic.com.au The Mayah Clinic is a professional boutique skin care clinic in Lakelands. They provide a wide variety of beauty treatments, skin care, cosmetic medicine and laser, cosmetic tattooing, Emcyte Pure PRP and Vaginal Rejuvenation.

Kelly said. “AEDs are critical to saving lives as every second and minute counts when a person is having a cardiac arrest. St John Ambulance Australia CEO Gordon Botwright congratulated Coles for providing all stores with a defibrillator, which will have a positive impact in local communities across the country. “Sudden cardiac arrest is one of the leading causes of death in Australia, but if victims receive defibrillation within the first few minutes their chances of survival are significantly strengthened from just five per cent without defibrillation to more than 70 per cent,” he said. The Heart Foundation’s General Manager of Heart Health Bill Stavreski said Heart Health checks were the best way to understand and manage the risk of heart disease, as many risk factors are silent or have no visible symptoms. “The Heart Foundation recommends that people aged 45 to 74 years have a heart health check at least every two years, sooner if recommended by your doctor – for Indigenous Australians the checks should start at 30,” Mr Stavreski said. Heart Health Checks are now covered by Medicare for eligible Australians.

Stress Incontinence Vaginal Dryness Vaginal Irritation Vulvovaginal Laxity Orgasmic Dysfunction

Available at The Mayah Clinic 5/149 Ambleside Circuit, Lakelands PH 4954 5044 www.themayahclinic.com.au www.intouchmagazine.com.au | 41

Taking on Rogue Doctors for Local Women WORDS CAROLINE DANDO - Catherine Henry Lawyers

Hunter woman, Krystal Bailey, is one of dozens of women alleging unprofessional conduct and substandard care at the hands of suspended cosmetic surgeon Dr Leslie Blackstock. These allegations include procedures being performed without an anaesthetist; asking patients while sedated if they’re satisfied with the appearance of their breasts or

face-timing partners to seek feedback; no examination or assessment pre-procedure; surgery having to be redone; and incompetently managing complications from his surgery. Dr Blackstock told Krystal that he could fix a deformity from a breast augmentation she had in 2014. She said, while under anaesthetic, Dr Blackstock informed her he didn’t have his proposed implants and sought consent to insert different ones. The surgery failed. Dr Blackstock’s remedy was to replace her implants with even larger ones, which also failed. He again replaced the implants with smaller ones, but a cavity formed between Krystal’s breasts. At the end of 2015, Krystal had more surgery where Dr Blackstock inserted the originally proposed implants. Krystal will need further surgery, but she won’t have it performed by Dr Blackstock. She said the process has left her in debt and impacted her mental health. “The time I took off for surgery meant I wasn’t able to work as much, so I started putting expenses on credit cards to survive,” Krystal said. “I didn’t get what I asked for from Dr Blackstock, but I felt powerless to do anything about it,” she said. But Hunter law firm Catherine Henry Lawyers has helped Krystal to successfully settle a case against Dr Blackstock. Krystal said getting a lawyer wasn’t about getting money. “I just needed to be rid of my debt and pay for my corrective surgery. It isn’t just the botched surgery; it is the fact that he lied about his qualifications and showed no remorse,” she said. Principal Catherine Henry said her firm helps many women who’ve suffered at the hands of rogue doctors. Doctors such as obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Emil Gayed and pelvic mesh surgeon Dr Richard Reid. Catherine is expanding her award-winning health law

team to help more people who have been victims of botched surgery as well as those who experience birth trauma, receive incorrect prescriptions or anaesthetic, or experience inappropriate behaviour by a healthcare professional. Accredited specialist in personal injury law Erin Woodward has joined the firm to work in Newcastle and the Mid North Coast. Catherine has decades of experience in health and medical law, in both Sydney and the Hunter, working on many high-profile cases, particularly in relation to women’s health. Her firm’s expertise was recognised late last year when she and senior associate Lucy Wilk made the prestigious Doyle’s list of NSW’s top 16 medical negligence plaintiff lawyers. Catherine Henry Lawyers is the only firm headquartered in Northern NSW and one of only two firms based outside of Sydney to make the list. “It is important for people to take a stand and hold doctors and local health professionals to account,” Catherine said. “Those who have had substandard medical treatment are entitled to compensation. Litigation is a powerful tool in forcing changes to health care practices. She said having an in-house registered nurse means that, unlike other firms, her team quickly get to the crux of the case. “We know what the clinical practice should be and the right questions to ask to establish the liability of the health care professional or health facility. We have a 100 per cent success rate with health and medical negligence cases.” Catherine said the firm’s, free, e-book to help women navigate the legal system has a large section on health law matters. Top left L–R: Tom Hunter-Leahy, Hayley O’Brien, Catherine Henry, Lucy Wilk, in-house nurse Alex Wilson, and Erin Woodward outside Newcastle Courthouse.

Our specialist health law team: • has decades of medical negligence experience • includes Doyle’s Guide recommended lawyers • includes an accredited specialist in personal injury law • has a 100% success rate in health and medical negligence cases taken on • includes inhouse nursing personnel • is the leading health law team in the Hunter and regional NSW.

Call 1800 874 949 info@catherinehenrylawyers.com.au

catherinehenrylawyers.com.au Health & Medical | Family & Relationships | Wills & Estates | Elder Law 42 | www.intouchmagazine.com.au

STAYING FIT

For A Long and Healthy LIFE WORDS JASPER HOLMES – Membership Consultant and Personal Trainer, Planet Fitness Lambton

Winter is here, and along with it comes a whole lot of changes in our bodies. During Winter, our bodies go through automatic physiological changes to adjust to the colder climate. These thermoregulation systems are what keep us in a homeostatic state, functioning and avoiding sickness. As we age these bodily functions slow down, making it harder for us to fend off some of the sickness and aches, which are present in these months. This results in an increase in the number of falls during the winter months, particularly for individuals over the age of 65 years old, where approximately 30% of adults over this age experience at least one fall per year. Not only is this number alarming, but Australia’s ageing population means this is set to grow, so we need an action plan! Fall risks for the elderly can be divided into two main categories: Health Based Risks – These are related to the physiological functions of the body slowing down, so problems with balance, vision, body weakness, the onset of chronic illnesses, and medication sideeffects all can have a considerable effect on your ability to stand up-right. These body weaknesses include a decrease in bone density and strength, and slower reaction times, which can be trained with elderly clients as a means to avoid such falls. Secondly, are environmental risks which are less likely to be directly controlled by the individual, and are more related to trip hazards in the home or outside, risky footwear or improper fitting or use of assistance device. Health risk prevention includes physical exercise, specifically balance training. To assess the level of risk an elderly person is currently at The Timed Up and Go Test, gives great feedback in relation to global steadiness, measuring the time taken for the person to rise from

a chair, walk three metres (with assisted device if needed), turn, return to the chair and sit. On average, taking 12 or more seconds to complete the test is an indicator of impaired functioning resulting in an increase in fall risk. This is a broad look at results, and will naturally vary from person to person, particularly with different assistance devices, but it is a great starting point and will pinpoint the specific areas that need to be worked on. Multiple studies have shown the extensive benefits there is too elderly individuals training. Ranging from improving overall immune function and therefore, prevention of common diseases, to strengthening bones and increasing bone density. Exercise routines that incorporate swimming, yoga, pilates, walking, and resistance training, paired with a healthy diet are best for strengthening the body, mind, and cognitive functioning which are all essential to avoid falls. Environmental Risks – These are things like trip hazards or the type of shoes prescribed. Trip hazards often come back to health risks, such as diminishing eyesight in elderly clients, so making sure we have our eyesight checked every six months, plus getting properly prescribed glasses. Planning smart around the home also helps putting things in easily accessible areas, wearing clothes that are not trip hazards, and increasing the amount of light in the house. Lastly, check your shoes! Slipping can also be caused by unsafe footwear such as loose slippers or shoes with narrow heels – a visit to the podiatrist may be helpful. Choose comfortable, broad, firm-fitted shoes with a low, broad heel and soles that grip, and avoid walking in slippers or socks. The Australian Podiatry Association can provide names of a podiatrist in your area. With 65 becoming the new 40, we need to do all we can to stay fit and healthy, including making sure we do everything possible to avoid falls and slips.

Mini Tummy Tucks Deliver Big Results For many women, the joy of giving birth and growing a family can come with the hefty price of major changes to the shape of their bodies. While it is a natural process, the results are often unwelcomed. Common and undesirable outcomes include an excess of stretched and scarred skin, which individually, or collectively, can lower self-confidence and raise body image insecurities. Many women are forced to reconsider aesthetic expectations, not to mention replacing the favourite bikini with the compulsory one-piece in an effort to hide bulges that just won’t budge – despite all the sensible eating and exercise routines. So, what are the options to help rectify such problems? High on the list is liposculpture, a technique for removing excess fat from under the skin by suction, which helps to get rid of excessive abdominal bulges. Unfortunately, the procedure is not the best choice for those with looser, more mobile skin. In these cases, no matter how skilful the surgeon or how smoothly the procedure is performed, the normal healing process will produce major scar tissue. This can anchor the looser skin to underlying muscles in a haphazard manner, producing an irregular appearance, and sometimes a "hail damaged" type effect. Another popular procedure is abdominoplasty, or a ‘tummy tuck’ as it is more commonly known, involving removing excess flesh from the abdomen. The technique is not for everyone because in some cases, such a major operation is too risky and not worth the extensive scar, significant downtime or discomfort that may be experienced. According to leading cosmetic surgeon, Dr Anoop Rastogi, this has left many women in a middle ground situation without a suitable go-to option, until now. Enter the mini tummy tuck – a smaller and far less invasive procedure when undertaken by highly experienced and skilled hands. “During a mini tummy tuck the loose skin is mobilised purely by liposculpture undermining which ensures the vital blood supply to the skin remains strong and removes excess fat at the same time,” Dr Rastogi explained. “The procedure also involves a very low incision which is made near the hairline, on much the same level as a caesarean scar, but about 5cm longer.

BEFORE Abdominoplasty

AFTER “The skin is then tightened, with some removed from a smile-shaped flap. The resulting scar usually lies wholly within the bikini line, and the belly button is not interfered with, which helps to maintain a very natural look.” When compared to a more involved procedure, Dr Rastogi says there is less recovery and downtime required, meaning patients can go home the same day or the next morning. As there is no involvement of the abdominal muscles lifting and exercise such as sit-ups are not restricted. However, patients are advised to avoid any overstretching. Dr Rastogi believes a mini tummy tuck has become a realistic alternative for many women who, after giving birth, believe the dream to reclaim their former body shape with a flat, firm tummy is impossible. “Following pregnancies, some women are incredibly disappointed with loose and floppy skin, and also very unhappy about thicker waist and fat deposits developing in other areas, including the buttocks, hips and thighs.” Dr Rastogi said. “The mini tummy tuck is so popular because it is a safe, simple and extremely effective solution when treating the ‘inbetween' patient." Dr Rastogi emphasised mini tummy tucks do not replace a traditional abdominoplasty and that the procedure is not suitable for patients with significant skin excess or when the abdominal muscles need repair. “It really is about choosing the most appropriate and effective cosmetic procedure that will best enhance one’s already natural beauty.”

Dr Rastogi Bella Face Cosmetic Surgery & Medi Spa is located at Honeysuckle. For more information about mini tummy tucks and other cosmetic procedures, visit www.bellaface.com.au www.intouchmagazine.com.au | 43

Enhancing your Natural Elegance Dr Rastogi BellaFACE Cosmetic Surgery & Medi Spa

Cosmetic tattooing - microblading, feathering, ombre, freckles Medical tattooing - scar camouflage, areola before

We specialise in a range of cosmetic procedures including: Anti-ageing & wrinkle treatments Injectables & dermal fillers Facial rejuvenation HCG for weight loss

Consultation services for - breast augmentation - liposculpture - facelifts & tummy tucks

after

Gordana Poljak

A 3a/5 Honeysuckle Dr, Newcastle NSW 2300 P 4929 7911 E info@bellaface.com.au

www.bellaface.com.au

School Holiday Super-fun activities for kids (big and small) to keep busy with this School Holidays!

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S.O.S! School Holidays are Here! WORDS MIA KYRIKOS

Important notice to parents; SCHOOL HOLIDAYS ARE COMING! Yes, you heard correctly. No longer will there be lunch-packing, uniform-ironing, homework-helping and the everyday drama that comes with school. A moment of reprieve. At least that’s what you thought. But, reality check, school holidays are here. This can mean only one thing - the kids are here too! Every waking minute of the day. And, did

we mention these July school holidays are a whole two weeks? What on earth do you do with your crazy bunch over this period? Don’t worry! We have you covered. We’ve rounded up all the activities you need to survive these school holidays. With a mixture of free and paid events for kids of all ages, you can be sure to keep your heavenly angels (or little terrors) busy without breaking the budget. Newcastle Region Libraries It’s no secret; holidays are tricky business. Even more so, trying to keep kids off the screens. Inspire a little cultural creativity with plenty happening across the region’s network of libraries. All activities are free, and for kids of all ages, you are sure to find holiday activities that won’t burn a hole in your pocket. Kick-off the school holidays with some serious fun at the Celebrate NIADOC Week Story Stomp. Free of charge, kids

ages 3-7 can enjoy a morning learning about our culture with stories, movement, songs, and art. Are you seeking the perfect way to get the kids reading more? Bring the teddies and get them to We’re going on a bear hunt… Story Stomp. Alternatively, join in some pirate fun at the Pirate mischief Story Stomp where kids can ah-ha me hearties all morning! The little ones will love reading one of some of their favourite stories. For those with budding movie directors, discover the epic world of film at Adventure in a box workshop. Learn how to create your very own adventure movie using the pizza box green screens. A fabulous way to get the kids off their screens and working on the screen instead. Or, inspire the adventurer within at the Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego? Workshop. Following clues to travel across the globe and around the library, kids will hone their detective skills in search of master thief Carmen Sandiego. If you have a legendary scientist in the making or a future pilot on your hands, make sure they head to the favourite Paper planes workshop! Enjoy some serious folding and fun, and of course, a little competition for those that are willing to put their flying capabilities to the test. Moreover, be sure to check out the Family maker lab to enjoy and explore the Makerspace with your tweens for some creative fun and inspiration. The hit event for all tweens, The Great Lego Challenge is also back this holidays. The sky’s the limit as kids get handson, delving into the world of simple circuits. Help them flex their creative muscles in a bid to be the new Lego Master. Bookings for all activities are essential. To find out what’s on near you and dates/times, check out www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au ►

Let your imagination run wild these holidays! Monday 8 Tissue Paper Painting – Art Workshop Newcastle Art Gallery 10.30am, 12noon, 2pm (1hr workshop) Ages 5-12 years • $12 Reptile Show Blackbutt Reserve 11.00am Story Stomp - Celebrate NAIDOC Week Mayfield library 11.00 – 11.45am Crafty Creatures Blackbutt Reserve 1.00 & 1.30pm Paper planes Wallsend Library 3.00 – 4.00pm The Great Lego® Challenge Newcastle Library 3.00 – 4.00pm Tuesday 9 The Great Lego® Challenge Wallsend Library 10.00 – 11.00am Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego? New Lambton Library 10.00 – 11.00am Tissue Paper Painting – Art Workshop Newcastle Art Gallery 10.30am, 12noon, 2pm (1hr workshop) Ages 5-12 years • $12 Reptile Show Blackbutt Reserve 11.00am

Story Stomp Celebrate NAIDOC Week Hamilton Library 11.00 – 11.45am Science Shows - Shake & Quake Newcastle Museum 11.15am, 12.15pm, 1.15pm All ages • Free Crafty Creatures Blackbutt Reserve 1.00 & 1.30pm Paper planes Newcastle Library 3.00 – 4.00pm Wednesday 10 The Great Lego® Challenge Mayfield Library 10.00 – 11.00am Detectives Table Newcastle Museum 10.30am - 1.30pm All ages • Free Tissue Paper Painting – Art Workshop Newcastle Art Gallery 10.30am, 12noon, 2pm (1hr workshop) Ages 5-12 years • $12 Reptile Show Blackbutt Reserve 11.00am Story Stomp Celebrate NAIDOC Week Adamstown Library, Newcastle Library, Wallsend Library 11.00 – 11.45am Crafty Creatures Blackbutt Reserve 1.00 & 1.30pm

46 | www.intouchmagazine.com.au

Thursday 11 Adventure in a box Wallsend Library 10.00 – 11.30am Tissue Paper Painting – Art Workshop Newcastle Art Gallery 10.30am, 12noon, 2pm (1hr workshop) Ages 5-12 years • $12 Story Stomp Celebrate NAIDOC Week New Lambton Library, Stockton Library 11.00 – 11.45am Science Shows - Shake & Quake Newcastle Museum 11.15am, 12.15pm, 1.15pm All ages • Free The Great Lego® Challenge Stockton Library 3.00 – 4.00pm Family Maker Lab Newcastle Library 3.00 – 4.30pm Friday 12 Tissue Paper Painting – Art Workshop Newcastle Art Gallery 10.30am, 12noon, 2pm (1hr workshop) Ages 5-12 years • $12 Reptile Show Blackbutt Reserve 11.00am Story Stomp Celebrate NAIDOC Week Beresfield Library 11.00 – 11.45am

Crafty Creatures Blackbutt Reserve 1.00 & 1.30pm Map making with Liz Anelli Newcastle Library 2.00 -3.00pm 8 -12 years Spooky Tales at night Wallsend library 6.00 – 6.45pm Monday 15 Sculpture Building – Art Workshop Newcastle Art Gallery 10.30am, 12noon, 2pm (1hr workshop) Ages 5-12 years • $12 Reptile Show Blackbutt Reserve 11.00am STEAM Story Stomp Mayfield Library 11.00 – 11.45am Map making with Liz Anelli Newcastle Library 11.00am – 12noon 8–12 years Crafty Creatures Blackbutt Reserve 1.00 & 1.30pm Spooky Tales at night Newcastle Library 6.00 – 6.45pm Tuesday 16 Paper planes New Lambton Library 10.00 – 11.00am

Sculpture Building – Art Workshop Newcastle Art Gallery 10.30am, 12noon, 2pm (1hr workshop) Ages 5-12 years • $12 Reptile Show Blackbutt Reserve 11.00am STEAM Story Stomp Hamilton Library 11.00 – 11.45am Science Shows Shake & Quake Newcastle Museum 11.15am, 12.15pm, 1.15pm All ages • Free Crafty Creatures Blackbutt Reserve 1.00 & 1.30pm The Great Lego® Challenge Hamilton Library 3.00 – 4.00pm Adventure in a box Newcastle Library 3.00 – 4.30pm Wednesday 17 Detectives Table Newcastle Museum 10.30am - 1.30pm All ages • Free Sculpture Building – Art Workshop Newcastle Art Gallery 10.30am, 12noon, 2pm (1hr workshop) Ages 5-12 years • $12 Reptile Show Blackbutt Reserve 11.00am

STEAM Story Stomp Newcastle Library 11.00 – 11.45am We’re going on a bear hunt … Story Stomp Adamstown Library 11.00 – 11.45am Pirate mischief Story Stomp Wallsend Library 11.00 – 11.45am Crafty Creatures Blackbutt Reserve 1.00 & 1.30pm Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego? Wallsend Library 3.00 – 4.00pm The Great Lego® Challenge Adamstown Library 3.00 – 4.00pm Thursday 18 Sculpture Building – Art Workshop Newcastle Art Gallery 10.30am, 12noon, 2pm (1hr workshop) Ages 5-12 years • $12 Reptile Show Blackbutt Reserve 11.00am We’re going on a bear hunt … Story Stomp New Lambton Library 11.00 – 11.45am Pirate mischief Story Stomp Stockton Library 11.00 – 11.45am

Full program at newcastle.nsw.gov.au Science Shows - Shake & Quake Newcastle Museum 11.15am, 12.15pm, 1.15pm All ages • Free Crafty Creatures Blackbutt Reserve 1.00 & 1.30pm Family Maker Lab Newcastle Library 3.00 – 4.30pm Friday 19 Sculpture Building – Art Workshop Newcastle Art Gallery 10.30am, 12noon, 2pm (1hr workshop) Ages 5-12 years • $12 Pirate mischief Story Stomp Beresfield Library 11.00 – 11.45am The Great Lego® Challenge Beresfield Library 3.00 – 4.00pm

Movie Mania Newcastle Library 6.00 – 7.30pm Every Saturday & Sunday Art Cart Newcastle Art Gallery 10.30am - 12.30pm All ages • Free

available across libraries, or join the awesome children’s Book Club: Go Wild at Morisset Library. Notably, the Wombat Stew Puppet Show & Storytime is the perfect way to enjoy a morning at Toronto Library with wombat songs and stories based on the Australian Classic. There will be plenty more activities on offer. Visit www.library.lakemac.com.au for more information, prices, dates, and to book your place.

Lake Macquarie Libraries Kids are sure to enjoy all that’s on offer these school holidays, delighting in a range of activities across the various Lake Macquarie Council libraries. Budding artists will love the Crafty Kids sessions where they can create their own Aussie animal collage. Additionally, they will also love the pop-up art workshops like the Crazy Critter Recycled Art class at Charlestown Library, or the Traditional Basket Weaving classes with Aboriginal artist, Michelle Napanangka Earle at Belmont Library. Back by popular demand, teens can head over to Toronto Library and journey back in time using virtual reality at the VR Awaba workshop. Also at Toronto Library, teens who love drawing can enjoy the Comic Us workshop to learn about progressive comic drawing challenges. For the bookworms, discover the various story times

Toboggan Hill Park ALL WEATHER FAMILY FUN! Toboggan Hill Park, located just off Salamander Way at Nelson Bay, has activities for the whole family with plenty of outdoor and indoor fun! Open every day through the school holidays from 10am.

Newcastle Museum Every day is a new opportunity to learn, and school holidays are no exception! Head to the museum and keep the little minds firing with a range of exciting exhibitions, shows, and workshops. Kids are invited to get their hands on and delve deeper into the secret life of a spy at the Detectives Table. Learning all the tricks of the trade and kids will become an official museum detective! Continuing the Inspector Gadget trend, your little one can explore special spy equipment and test their skills at codebreaking and reading invisible ink at the new family-friendly exhibition, SPY: Espionage in Australia. Qualifying as a mini Sherlock Holmes, kids can continue their spy journey throughout the museum. Help them as they find clues, read the stories and discover new and interesting things with the free SPY MISSION and SPY STORY adventure trails. For kids who are fascinated by all the wonders of the world, head to the new museum show, Shake & Quake! Discover why there is custard inside the Earth, learn about how rocks can fold, snap, melt and explode, and have some fun with liquid nitrogen as we explore volcanoes and earthquakes. With free daily sessions running Tuesday 9+16, Thursday 11+18, this is one not to miss!

Outside: kids big and small can enjoy the 1km toboggan ride, tractor train, giant maze, 19 hole mini golf & splashdown water balloon game. Inside:‘hot’ ice-skating, jumping castles, plaster painting, kiddy karz and rock-climbing wall, plus more! We also have a food kiosk and an outdoor picnic area, BBQ available for hire, and can cater for kids birthday parties or group events – visit our website or contact us for more information. DETAILS 16 Aquatic Close, Nelson Bay. PH 4984 1022. Email toboggan@tobogganhillpark.com www.tobogganhillpark.com

Be sure to book soon; spaces are limited. For more details and dates visit www.newcastlemuseum.com.au Newcastle Art Gallery Keep those creative minds buzzing when you head to Newcastle Art Gallery. Open every day of the school holidays, both kids and parents alike are sure to delight. Wander the gallery and discover incredible exhibitions, or book into one of the awesome workshops. Discover the creative genius within and explore the colour and vibrancy of the Virginia Cuppaidge exhibition. Kids will create their own colour-filled works of art at the Tissue Paper Painting workshop while learning about the Skyspace Series with gallery educators. The workshop will have three sessions daily from July 8–12. Be sure to book them into the incredible Sculpture Building workshop, for a hands-on experience. Drawing inspiration from the James Drinkwater exhibition, kids will create their very own sculptural works. Using pieces of cardboard and oil pastels, children will learn about James’ sculptural practice from gallery educators then create abstract sculptures that relate to important people and places in their own lives. Alternatively, if you are looking to keep costs at the minimum, then join in the fun of Art Cart. This is a free workshop led by gallery educators every weekend, where the kids can explore the exhibitions through discussion and art making! Both the Tissue Paper Painting and Sculpture Building workshops are suitable for children aged 5–12, at the cost of $12 per person, with bookings essential. For more details visit www.nag.org.au (Continued next page) ►

Hunter Ice Skating

Stadium ALL AGES, ALL ABILITIES Holiday Super Sessions are back! Skate as long as you like between 11am and 3pm on weekdays during the holidays. There are party games like limbo and pass the puck and a sectioned off area for beginners with skating frames available.

Non-skating spectators are admitted free – why not relax in the cafe while the kids skate! A great option in wet weather and also a great place to be when it's really hot outside. Rental Skate sizes range from a Kids 9 up to an Adults 14. Lockers are available for a small fee to secure your belongings whilst on the ice. DETAILS 230 Macquarie Road, Warners Bay. Prices are $16 for 6yrs or under, $20 for 7yrs or over, $18 seniors and $65 for a family (1 adult + 3 kids OR 2 adults + 2 kids). These prices include skate hire – with your own skates you will save $4. For more details and other session times please visit the website. Phone 4954 4499. www.hiss.com.au www.intouchmagazine.com.au | 47

(Continued) Blackbutt Reserve Looking for the perfect way to get outdoors and enjoy that beautiful winter sun? Get the family to Blackbutt Reserve for the perfect day out! Enjoy the Crafty Creatures workshop at the Wildlife Arena. With sessions running Monday to Friday ($3 per child), the kids will get creating their favourite clay creature to take home! While you are there be sure to enjoy an amazing reptile show at 11am daily ($3 per person) or let the kids blow some steam at the adventure playground at Richley Reserve. For more details visit www.newcastle.nsw. gov.au/Blackbutt-Reserve

L SPECIA EVENT

Get Out and About Come holiday time, most kids are itching to get out and about. Thankfully, there are plenty of activities to see and do to help them burn off that energy. Why not enrol your little fish into the Learn to Swim – Holiday Intensive program at West Wallsend Swim Centre, or head to the Toronto foreshore to enjoy all the Westlakes NAIDOC Celebrations on July 9. For more information visit www.lakemac.com.au Toronto Croquet Club will be holding a Junior Come & Try Croquet Day at 10am on Friday, July 19 at Ron Hill Oval, Short Drive, Toronto. Bring your lunch and stay as long as you like – it's free! ■

NEWCASTLE LIBRARY: Map Making with Liz Anelli Holiday Workshops

Attention kids! Try your hand at the exhibition treasure hunt before joining award-winning illustrator Liz Anelli to develop your very own city map, complete with model buildings. What will you add? More footy fields? A castle? A space station? Free for kids aged 8-12 on Friday 12 July and Monday 15 July. Bookings are essential at www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/ Library/Whats-On. The Streets of Our Town exhibition and Liz Anelli Big Map are on display in Newcastle Library Lovett Gallery until July 20.

Finite Gallery

Term 3

AGES 6 - 18 YEARS The kids are sure to be kept busy this school holidays with the fantastic range of 2-hour children's workshops at Finite Gallery.

At Art Mania

There are a wide range of workshops on offer – everything from creating in Clay to Tie Dyeing, Painting and Beading. All materials are included! Parents/Carers are also welcome to participate, so why not make it a fun family day?

What’s on at the Gardens this School Holidays

www.finitegallery.com/learn LOCATED 60 Caves Beach Rd, Caves Beach E info@finitegallery.com PH 0419 471 660

Everyday is a great day to fall in love with nature at the Hunter Region Botanic Gardens!

CHILDREN'S DISCOVERY DAY 9th JULY – Educational entertainment such as craft, biodiversity display, garden tours, botanical treasure hunt, tours and much more. 10am–2pm. Entry $3 adults, $5 p/child over 3. NATURE IS FUN 17th JULY – Explore, learn about nature and enjoy craft. To suit 4–12yrs, 10.30am– www.huntergardens.org.au 12.30pm. Entry $3 adults, $5 p/child over 3, bookings essential. 2100 Pacific Highway, Heatherbrae Bring a picnic or order food from the PH 4987 1655 E events@huntergardens.org.au Kookaburra Café. 48 | www.intouchmagazine.com.au

Studio

Creative Kids Vouchers Art Mania studio is a registered provider for the NSW Government's Creative Kids rebate. Revive $100 off their Kids and Teens After School Development programs held on Wednesdays and Thursday's. Term 3 Courses Art Mania Studio runs art and creative classes for adults, teenagers, and children on an ongoing basis. Some classes are offered as a ‘block’ or ‘course’ as students develop techniques as the classes progress. Others are available to attend on a weekly or ‘casual’ basis. Corporate Packages Tailored packages to suit the outcome that your organisation needs the most. Create better synergy between your team members.

Reward staff members with a fun day out. Create artwork crafted by everyone in the office, for the office or maybe give them something they can take home. Let us help you to improve the well being in your workplace through our variety of creative approaches. Check out the website for all options, dates, details and to book! DETAILS Art Mania Studio 12 Council Street Wallsend. PH 4955 0509 E hello@artmaniastudio.com.au www.artmaniastudio.com.au Wheel chair friendly. @artmaniastudio

SCHOLARSHIP AUDITION DAY SUN 11TH AUGUST

Become part of one of Australia’s leading, most successful training organisations.

CLASSICAL STREAM

CONTEMPORARY STREAM

COMMERCIAL / JAZZ STREAM

Suitable for students who wish to have a career in Classical Ballet. Our college has proven training techniques with industry leading teachers.

Suitable for students who wish to have a career in a contemporary company or a classically based contemporary finishing school.

Suitable for students who wish to have career on a cruise ship, entertainment park or in a commercial dance environment.

Newcastle’s favourite summer intensive with teachers.

Industry leading

NEWCASTLE SUMMER DANCE INTENSIVE

2020

JUNIORS (3-9YRS)

15-17 Jan SENIORS

(10+ TO PRE-PROF)

20-24 Jan

Early Bird discount available online. Contact us for a payment plan at karyn@nationalcollegeofdance.com

VENUE National College of Dance 151 Young Rd, Lambton

BOOK NOW! www.trybooking.com/BDFRI

BALLET

& CO N T E M P O R A R Y PLUS MORE

AquaStars

Swim School AGES 6 MONTHS – ADULT • All instructors are AustSwim/ Swim Australia accredited. • Low student to instructor ratio so your child gets the attention they deserve. • Learn to Swim and Private one on one classes for all ages (6 months to Adults) We don’t use flotation devices, so your child learns to swim to the best of their own ability. • We are the only Swim Survival provider in the Newcastle/Hunter region, These lessons will have your child able to survive in the water in WEEKS, not years. • Aqua Fitness & Acqua Pole classes for your low impact workout. • Children’s birthday parties. Open for Public use and hire. • Our purpose-built pool was designed for ease of access to all people. Heated to 30° in summer and 31° in winter, our pool is warm all year round. • Swim Australia and Healthy Swim recognised Aquatic Centre.

We are open 7 days a week, including school holidays (except public holidays and certain times over Easter and Christmas periods). First lesson free for new clients! DETAILS Unit 7/311 Hillsborough Road Warners Bay. PH 4954 9900 www.aquastars.com.au /aquastarswarnersbay @infantaquaticswarnersbay

Art House Studios

Find the timetable and book online – our workshops fill quickly. Warning – 6 hours passes very quickly when spent in a creative zone! YES! We accept the $100 Creative Kids Voucher for all holiday workshops.

Does your child love art? Art House Studios is a creative and fun school holiday destination that children and teens across the Hunter have been enjoying for the last 6 years. We offer fun and engaging workshops in painting, drawing, and more! What can your child look forward to? • Drawing, painting and learning new skills in a colourful, relaxed, creative space • Feeling at home in the well-equipped, toasty warm and spacious studio • Structured activities peppered with plenty of snack breaks (yummy lunch also included) • Meeting and making new friends – a whole day offline!

Art Parties We also host Kids Art Parties! These parties are the perfect solution for your creative son or daughter. Each party is designed to suit the age and interests of your child. A fun and unique way for your child 6 years+) to celebrate and create with friends! Our package has lots of inclusions, see our website for further details.

Workshops run 10am – 4pm, price includes all art materials, tuition and lunch. 50 | www.intouchmagazine.com.au

DETAILS Level 1, 268 Turton Road, New Lambton. PH 0478 116313. Visit www.arthousestudios.com.au or email priyajoy@arthousestudios.com.au

Brand New 4.5 Star Serviced Apartments in the Heart of East Maitland Centrally located in the historical suburb of East Maitland, this brand new property is your home away from home. Apartments for yourself! We offer Studio Apartments with kitchenette, One and Two-Bedroom Apartments with fully equipped kitchens, Free and unlimited WIFI and Free Parking. Each unit features a balcony with table and chairs to relax after a long day. Book now and experience the brand new East Maitland Executive Apartments for yourself!

Book direct for the best rates guaranteed!

Call 02 4062 7080