Liverpool Life Autumn 2023

www.liverpool.nsw.gov.au

$80m facelift for Austral

Liverpool City Council has begun a long term rehabilitation of Austral earmarking upwards of $80m to improve road safety and upgrade parks, drainage and amenities to make the lives of residents more comfortable.

Council has already taken the first step by creating a special management task force to coordinate the improvement program.

A permanent crew will also be assigned to Austral working out of Devonshire Street.

“They’ll be dedicated to improving facilities, roads and parks,” said Jason Breton, Liverpool City Council Director of Operations, City Presentation. “They will be assigned to Austral and that will cut response time.”

Liverpool mayor Ned Mannoun said money for the upgrade would come from infrastructure levies

already collected by Council and from future land releases.

“We have around $80m in the contributions fund that was audited by the last council and set aside for use in Austral,” Mr Mannoun said.

“There’s no point in having it in the bank. It should be used. We also have money from the State Government to upgrade some roads in front of Trinity Grammar.”

Mr Mannoun said the upgrade would embrace areas that residents have complained about, including potholes, parks and facilities.

“The first issue is safety,” he said. There are roads out there that are simply not safe.

“Our initial focus needs to be on Fifteenth Avenue. It is a council road but it needs to be a state road.

State Government transport is in the process of upgrading it.

Along with my fellow councillors and directors of Liverpool City Council I took a significant bus ride last week.

We went to Austral to see first hand the problems we’d been told about by the 260 residents who responded to a council request for information about what needed to be done.

It was a first for Liverpool. No previous council has ever gone on a bus trip to look at community concerns.

What we found got our immediate attention, including serious concerns about road safety. We have now established a special task force in Austral to focus on roads, drainage, parks and facilities.

The initial funds for the upgrade will come from the $80m in the Council contribution fund from levies generated from previous land development in Austral and earmarked for use in the area.

The previous council kept it in the bank. We’re using it for its intended purpose – making Austral better.

The ongoing costs will be underwritten by an anticipated $30m a year in future contributions as around 1000 blocks of Austral land come on the market.

It is a sweeping challenge requiring dedication, commitment and persistence.

It will not happen overnight, but my goal is to make it happen as quickly as possible and ensure Austral gets the lifestyle it deserves.

Mayor Ned Mannoun

“It’s $300m to get it upgraded from Kingsford Smith Avenue to Devonshire Road and we don’t have that money.

“In the meantime we will investigate the intersections of Edmondson Avenue and see how we can make it safer. That goes for the north and south roads as well.“

Mr Mannoun said the centre piece of Council’s new approach to improving Austral was the creation of a dedicated management team to oversee the operation.

“Council has not proceeded as quickly as we’d hoped on correcting the issues at Austral but with a new CEO and new director things are moving more smoothly.”

Mr Mannoun said Council was also committing to delivering a park in Austral by either creating a new one or extensively upgrading the existing Craig Park.

Council workmen get started on upgrading Austral under the Council’s $80 million scheme to improve the area.

Record crowds for Most Blessed Nights

Liverpool mayor Ned Mannoun has promised an even more spectacular Most Blessed Nights celebration next year after record crowds of more than 200,000 packed Macquarie Mall for this year’s colourful spectacle.

Mayor Mannoun called the five weekends of Most Blessed Nights the most successful cultural promotion by any council in NSW and said next year would be even bigger and better.

“This year drew crowds from all over Sydney as well as the local community,” Mr Mannoun said.

“This celebration continues to grow. Next year will be even bigger and more spectacular with more stalls and more attractions.”

Most Blessed Nights started last year in Liverpool to immediate acclaim and has gathered momentum across the community, helped by its nonsectarian theme that coincides with other celebrations including Easter, Orthodox Easter, Passover and Ramadan.

Bigger and better next

Thousands of people packed the transformed mall during March and April relishing a riot of colour and excitement as they were transported to a Middle Eastern world of fabulous food, stunning coffee and entertainment.

Strategic lighting under a darkened night sky helped highlight the unique, Middle Eastern atmosphere.

“It is a feast for the senses,” Mayor Mannoun said.

The dazzling array of food featuring authentic middle eastern dishes alongside western and Asian cuisines along with cake stalls like Echo Café’s offering a rainbow of colours and textures made Most Blessed Nights an event to remember.

Even the cardboard camel used to promote a food stall looked to be having a good time.

Stallholders and local businesses are enthusiastic about the success of Most Blessed Nights and its potential.

“It’s been great to see the community come together and to see some lively happenings in Liverpool,” said Joe Haddad from Al Barakeh.

The proprietor of BBQ @ Sam’s (Fruits on Macquarie) in Macquarie Mall said people were travelling long distances to attend the celebration.

“One of our customers came from Canberra just for us,” he said.

“It’s amazing. People from all over the place have been coming. People are loving the setup. The atmosphere, the people, everything is great.”

year’

Mayor

Strategic lighting illuminates the night as record crowds flock to the Most Blessed Nights celebration at Macquarie Mall in search of a unique Middle Eastern experience.

Will that be one hump or two with your burger…

The food sets the mood at Most Blessed Nights.

Close your eyes and absorb the sounds, aromas and chatter and you are suddenly in a Middle East bazaar without leaving home.

For the uninitiated in exotic offerings there was no going past the curiosity of camel burgers.

Even at a celebration where the variety of food was so extensive

and so tempting the camel burgers took pride of place when it came to unexpected culinary delights.

The life size cut out image of a camel was a powerful lure to the thousands of passers by who packed into the mall for the five weekends of celebration.

So were the other food options that included chargrilled plates of succulent meats, mouth watering

knafeh and authentic Turkish coffee brewed on hot sand.

And don’t forget the array of cakes in all shapes, colours and sizes outside the Echo Café.

The celebration, proudly supported by Most Blessed Nights “Experience the World sponsor” Liverpool Plaza. will run on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights until 23 April.

Liverpool’s Anzac Day tribute to fallen

Liverpool will pay tribute to the heroes of all wars at its annual Anzac Day dawn service and march on 25 April.

Returned servicemen and their representatives will gather outside the John Edmondson club in George St Liverpool at 5am for a parade that starts at 5.15am.

Marchers will go along George Street, then left into Moore Street and into Bigge Park for the commemorative speeches and wreath laying.

The public are invited to attend the march and ceremonies.

Major Simon Statton will be MC for the proceedings.

What you see is what you get….A cardboard camel was a drawcard for the culinary delight of a camel burger

Getting the adrenalin pumping…Authentic Turkish coffee made the traditional way using hot sand was a big hit

A rainbow of delights….cakes of all shapes and sizes and colours to satisfy even the sweetest tooth

Beating on the rhythm….Drummers keep the beat before they eat

Keeping history alive with care

COUNCIL MEETINGS

Do you want to attend a Council meeting? For details on upcoming Council meetings, please visit: www.liverpool.nsw.gov.au/ council/council-meetings

COUNCIL CONTACTS

CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTRE Ground Floor, 33 Moore Street, Liverpool NSW 2170

Liverpool has a rich and diverse history and now people will have the chance to see some of that history come alive in the Keeping with Care exhibition.

Liverpool Regional Museum and Liverpool City Library collect and care for objects of National, State and Local significance to the community.

Over the years, the Museum has collected 29,000 objects, of which 39 are considered of National significance and 45 of state significance.

The Keeping with Care exhibition tells the story of Liverpool from the 1800s to the 1970s.

From an invitation from Governor Lachlan Macquarie to a Ball, to images of Liverpool Raceway in the 1960s there are

many items that paint a picture of life in Liverpool in past days.

One of the highlight objects on show is a dress worn by Charlotte Bartlett.

Charlotte Bartlett was born in Jersey Islands in the English Channel area and moved to Geelong in Victoria when she was two years old before moving to Liverpool with her husband John who had mining interests in the Blue Mountains and living in historic Collingwood House.

This dress was donated to the Museum by Charlotte’s great granddaughter Mrs Kay Beatton in 1990.

The Keeping with Care exhibition is at the Liverpool Regional Museum until 12 August.

Singing legends come to life

The Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre will continue its spectacular entertainment program with some of Australia’s most talented performers in the spotlight.

15 June, 11am: A celebration of Elvis and Roy with Mitch Capone portraying Elvis Presley and Roy Orbison. Tickets $30.

13 July, 11am: Holly Jolly Christmas in July featuring the songs we know and love. Tickets $30.

10 August, 11am: The Starliners. It’s girl power from the 1960s when female groups like Diana Ross and the Supremes made it a magical era. Tickets $28.

14 September, 11am: The Sinatra Show. The man who needs no introduction will have his career interpreted by Mitch Capone and a seven-piece band. Tickets $28.

26 October, 11am: Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and the Beach Boys. Tickets $28.

ALL CORRESPONDENCE TO Locked Bag 7064, Liverpool BC NSW 1871 CALL CENTRE 1300 36 2170

EMAIL lcc@liverpool.nsw.gov.au

WEB www.liverpool.nsw.gov.au

NRS 13 36 77

If you need this information translated call the interpreter service on 131 450 and ask them to contact Council on 1300 36 2170.

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PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS AND NOTICES

Council is streamlining community access to its public exhibition and notices pages. To keep up to date on matters before council, including development applications, scan the QR code.

www.liverpool.nsw.gov.au/development/ public-exhibitions-and-notices

SCAN HERE

Kay Beatton, the great granddaughter of Charlotte Bartlett who donated the dress (right) to the museum.