Nepeannews 19january2017

FREE ODONOGHUES _EMUPLAINS ODONOGHUES.COM.AU

99 GREAT WESTERN HIGHWAY, EMU PLAINS

Thursday, 19 January 2017

ISSUE 192

CHECK OUT OUR NEW WEBSITE www.wsnewsgroup.com

LET’S CELEBRATE

Happy Australia Day to our readers, columnist and sponsors

Stolen medals returned

By Keegan Thomson

2017 HAS started off on an extremely good note for a local family who thought they’d lost 3 precious World War II war medals forever.

On October 18, 2016, between 11am and 2.45pm a home in the lower Blue Mountains, was broken into and 3 war medals were stolen, along with a sum of electrical appliances.

Through the help of the community the war medals were turned in at Penrith Police Station and were handed back to the family.

A tearful Sue Summers, the widow of the late William Summers, was at Penrith station to collect her husbands medals.

“Penrith station rang me and I burst out crying when I was told they were found. I feel fantastic,” Mrs Summers said.

The three medals, an Australian Service Medal from 1939 to 1945, World War II medal 1949 to 1945 and a Pacific Star medal, held a special place in the Summers household.

William Summers served time in the Pacific and fought in Borneo during World War II, with

- Carpentry (All Types) - Flatpack Furniture Assembly - Kitchen Installation - Tiles replaced and laid - General Repairs - Gutter/General Cleaning - Painting - Lawn Mowing - Much More!

3

ABN: 61488147279

Luke Vanderburg | Mobile: 0411 174 247 Email: luke_van88@hotmail.com

Mrs Summers saying his medals reflected his time at war.

“The medals relate to all the stories my husband told us, even when he was in Borneo and that medal is here,” she said.

Penrith duty officer Chief Inspector Tracy Stone said the medals had been returned anonymously in disrepair but with help from the local community and local businesses they were restored to original quality and presented in a new wooden case.

So far there have been no arrests in relation to the theft but police are appealing for anyone with information on the break-in to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Nepean News 19 January 2017 Issue 192

localnews local

MAINTENANCE SERVICES SERVICES

Prue Car MP Member for Londonderry

Ph: 9833 1122 12/82 Victoria St Werrington Mail: PO Box 4001 Werrington NSW 2747 londonderry@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Giving Hope Today Sunday Worship 10:00 AM Boy’s and Girl’s SAGALA (Similar to Scouts) 6:00 PM Monday Women’s Meeting 10:30 AM Thursday Street Dreams (Dance Group) 4:00 PM Thursday Kid’s Club 4:00 PM Friday (Dedications, Wedding or Funerals by appointment) 48 Luttrell St Glenmore Park P: 02 47331133 W: www.salvos.org.au/penrith E: salvospenrith@gmail.com

VIC’S MAXI TRANSPORT HIRE US FOR ALL YOUR BUS NEEDS!

Phone

4732 2195 Victor & Cathy Glanville

Mob: 0416

157 668

14/14-18 Preston St, Penrith enquiry@vicsmaxitransport.com.au

www.vicsmaxitransport.com.au

4 Nepean News 19 January 2017 Issue 192

From the Assistant Editors Desk

by Keegan Thomson

203 BANKS DRIVE, ST CLAIR OFFICE: (02) 9834 5579 Editor: Sales Manager: Journalist: Journalist: Sports Journalist: Sports Journalist: Graphic Design: Photographer: Photographer: Printer: Letters to the Editor: Web:

Kerrie Davies 0422 067 644 Korena Hale 0403 045 880 Keegan Thomson 0421 382 560 Garion Thain 0430 424 101 Conner Lowe 0404 419 346 Stewart Moses 0417 680 533 Stacey Fortescue 0420 319 893 Tom Carey 0425 803 180 Kennedi Geyer 0452 455 844 Pegasus Print Group, Blacktown nepeannews@aol.com www.wsnewsgroup.com

Nepean News is not tossed onto your front lawn. Collect your crisp copy FREE from local newsagents, service stations, libraries, Council and shopping centres.

Call 9834 5579 to find out your nearest outlet.

IF you ask me what is one of the main characteristics and ethics that define what is Australia I’d have to say it would be hard work.

From the get go all our northern hemisphere convict ancestors were told to go and dig this and built that and plant this and it was all in the heat of Summer. It must have been a bit of a shock to the system coming from Mother England where a hot Summer day’s temperature would be around a balmy 26 degrees, but they got on with the job.

In the first three weeks of 2017 we’ve already seen 3 heatwaves declared across western Sydney and I can only imagine there will be at least one more heatwave declared before the end of the season.

I’m no expert on global weather but it seems like this Summer might be the hottest on record, which makes me even more impressed when I see people working hard throughout the heat and the relentless Summer conditions.

One job that constantly impresses me is the work of the humble postie. The postie needs to deliver on foot or on bike no matter if it is 40-plus-degrees with 95 per cent humidity or whether it is 18 degrees and blowing a gale with sideways rain.

Say what you want about posties because I’ll defend them black and blue!

Maybe we need a new national holiday for the posties, ‘Thank A Postie Day’ or something like that?

I’m writing this from the comfort of the air-con, which has been running since 9:30 this morning, as I watch in awe of the tradies working in the 42 degree heat across the road.

They’re working hard to make a new apartment building and even though it is Friday, it is now 43 degrees and it is nearly beer o’clock, they’re working relentlessly.

On a day like today, when the temperature is so high you can fry an egg on the pavement, I salute the tradies, the posties, the roofers, the builders, the landscapers who’re all outside working hard and putting up with this heat. In fact I’ll take my hat off to anyone who has to work outside on a day like this no matter what job you’re doing.

Keep cool and keep up the hard work Westies! Don’t forget to slip, slop, slap!

Check www.nepeannews.com.au for complete list of distribution outlets

Listen to our very own Keegan Thomson with News Hour - Monday mornings from 9am to 10am Also on WOW is Music Memories with Isobel Impell on Wednesday - Midday to 2pm

www.wowfm1007.com.au 363 HIGH ST, PENRITH

Ph: 47 321 767 47 323 786

www.pantherspizza.com.au

Open everyday of the year Home Delivery or Pick-up Wide range of other foods available* You can also order online www.eatnow.com.au

No problems here

SOLD BY 9834 1044 NEPEAN DISTRICT

By Keegan Thomson

NEPEAN Hospital says it’s business as usual despite the federal member for Lindsay and the Health Services Union NSW saying the hospital was forced to go ‘off line’ and divert patients early Monday morning.

According to a statement from member for Lindsay, Emma Husar, ambulances carrying sick and injured patients were diverted to other hospitals in the early hours of Monday morning after Nepean Hospital’s emergency department reached critical capacity.

Both the member for Lindsay and the HSU say the hospital was taken “off the matrix” meaning all ambulances would have been diverted to other hospitals, however Nepean Hospital has hit back debunking these claims.

Kay Hyman, the Chief Executive of Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District, was adamant that these alleged incidents did not happen.

“Let me make this clear, not a single patient was diverted away from Nepean Hospital, not a single ambulance,” she said.

“At no stage was Nepean Hospital on what is being referred to as a ‘bypass’ or, ‘off the matrix’,” she added.

In a statement from the Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District, Ms Hyman said the hospital had received a “high number of patients arriving through the emergency department” and to help with the flow of patients, the hospital “immediately enacted contingency planning to ensure it was protected in the event the surge continued past expected levels.”

At no point on Sunday night or Monday morning did the surge pass the expected levels.

She pointed out that the ambulance matrix provides ambulances with multiple hospitals as options for dropping off patients.

Ms Hyman even said that despite the high number of patients on Sunday night, the staff at the hospital were able to offload 95 per cent of patients from ambulances into the emergency department within 30 minutes, which is above the state target of 90 per cent.

The NSW state government last year committed $550 million to the upgrade of Nepean Hospital.

This redevelopment will include upgrades to the emergency department, at least 12 new operating theatres, 200 overnight beds and a new helipad.

Stuart Ayres

MP

Member for Penrith

Phone: 4722 8660 Email: penrith@parliament.nsw.gov.au Shop 23, Tattersalls Centre, 510-534 High Street, Penrith

5 Nepean News 19 January 2017 Issue 192

localnews local

Local family appeals for justice

By Keegan Thomson

BOBBY THE BRAVE’s family, will head back to court to appeal the sentence given to Bobby’s attacker Andrew Nolan.

In December, Andrew Nolan was handed a gaol sentence of 12 years and six-months with a non-parole period of eight-years and sixmonths with time already served, meaning Mr Nolan will be eligible for parole in six-years.

The Webber family announced they’d be appealing the sentence in a post to their supporters on the Bobby the Brave facebook.

They thanked the community for its support.

“Hopefully this time we get justice for Bobby and make it known that our amazing community will not tolerate this happening anymore,” the post said.

On the day of the sentencing the Webber family said they were disappointed with the “light sentence” and said they’d be looking into the appeals process.

Nicole Galea, Bobby’s godmother, said as soon as the sentence was handed their legal team knew they’d be fighting it.

“As soon as we came out of the sentencing our legal team came up to the family and said they were going to appeal the sentence,” Ms Galea said.

“They knew right from the time the sentence was handed down that there were grounds to appeal,” she said.

In 2014 Andrew Nolan, then 30 years old,

like this shows he is a very dangerous person and it is scary to think that in six and a half years he could be walking around with other children.”

Even with the appeal process offering some hope to the Webber family, the longevity of the ongoing case is taking it’s toll on the family, particularly on Elise Webber, Bobby’s mother.

“They’re happy to be appealing but it is still dragging the ordeal on for the whole family,” Ms Galea said. “Elise was exhausted at the end of the case but this is only dragging it out for her.”

“It is hard for the family, but the Crown Prosecutor wouldn’t be appealing if there wasn’t a substantial chance of an increased sentence, so everyone is quietly confident.”

No matter what the outcome is for the appeal, it is clear the Webber family wants to keep fighting so people like Andrew Nolan aren’t let out with light sentences.

“There needs to be tougher parole conditions for people like him [Andrew Nolan] and we need tougher punishments for people who bash and assault children,” Ms Galea said.

To help with the parole process the family has set up a change.org petition. They aimed to have 5,000 signatures but reached that goal within 24-hours of it being set up. You can find the petition on our facebook page or the Bobby the brave facebook page.

The Webber family

attacked seven-month-old Bobby Webber when he was in charge of babysitting him. The assault left Bobby with debilitating, life threatening and life long injuries and brain damage.

Ms Galea says from the get-go the family always wanted to push for the maximum sentencing due to the catastrophic results of the attack.

“We’re going to be fighting for the maximum sentence of 25 years which is what grievous bodily harm can carry,” she said.

“Andrew Nolan is a dangerous person,” Ms Galea said. “He was not on drugs, he had no prior mental health issue and for him to do something

Perfect conditions for grass fires

By Keegan Thomson

ALREADY in 2017 we’ve seen a spate of grass fires rage across western Sydney due to the ongoing hot and dry conditions, but RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons is warning the conditions are perfect for more grass fires to come.

The above average rainfall across the state last year has mixed with some of the hottest weather on record to produce near perfect conditions for grass fires, NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said.

“After a wet and warm 2016, increased vegetation growth has dried out and that is now causing real concern,” Commissioner Fitzsimmons said.

“Grass and crop fires can be especially dangerous because they start easily and spread rapidly. They can destroy not only homes and stock, but also lives and livelihoods,” he added.

Around 80 per cent of NSW is covered in grass lands with much of the western Sydney area being made up of grass lands and bush, making this warning extra prevalent to the people of the west.

Across the last few weeks a number of large grass fires across the state and around western Sydney have burnt out over 5500 hectares of grass land, burning around $650,000 worth of crops and killing 300 heads of sheep.

RFS crews fighting a fire in Mulgoa.

Commissioner Fitzsimmons has warned of the dangerous and deceptive speeds of grass fires saying they can move much faster than bushfires.

“Grass fires can move more than three times as fast as a bushfire,” he said. “As we’ve seen, they can take hold rapidly and lead to much devastation.”

Commissioner Fitzsimmons said there are couple of steps people can take now to prepare for the increased risk in grass fire activity.

“Farmers can help protect their properties by establishing firebreaks around paddocks, homes and other valuable assets like sheds and equipment.

“We’re also asking motorists and those travelling to avoid driving through or stopping in long grass,

even if it’s just for a few minutes, as the heat from a car’s exhaust can be enough to start a fire,” he said.

People living near over grown grassy areas shouldn’t get complacent simply because they don’t live near the bush, Commissioner Fitzsimmons said. Residents living in those grass fire prone areas should also have bushfire survival plan ready to enact.

“People living in areas near crops and grass growth should have a plan for what they will do if there is a fire. Make a bush fire survival plan and discuss it with your family,” he said.

If you come across an unattended fire of any type it is important to report it to Triple Zero (000) as soon as possible.

7 Nepean News 19 January 2017 Issue 192

localnews local

8

localnews local

Nepean News 19 January 2017 Issue 192

GETTING TO KNOW....

Penrith to host veterans cricket championships

Aussie Joe

By Keegan Thomson

By Keegan Thomson

We searched high and low to find the most Aussie bloke around and we found him in western Sydney.

What was your first paid job?

Workin’ at me mates hot chip shop. It was hot as buggery during summer though.

What is your guilty pleasure?

Knocking back a few cold tinnies and relaxing in me pool on a hot Friday arvo after work.

What is your biggest fear/ phobia?

Spiders! Like if you’ve got a dirty big huntsman chasing ya through the kitchen because you threw your thong at it, you’d bloody be scared too.

What is your worst habit?

Probably over eatin’. I love my lamb chops just as much as the next fella.

Best advice you’ve ever been given?

Aussie poet, Jimmy Barns once said, “Life’s too short for burning bridges, take one day at a time.” He sang that in Working Class Man. That song should be our national anthem, I’m serious.

If you only have $50 left in the bank how would you spend it?

Probably on a six pack of VB, a sausage sandwich, a Barnsie CD because that man can get you out of any tight places and a few scratchies.

Favourite holiday destination?

Bonnie Doon. Nah just kidding. Anywhere along the coast really, give me the beach any day.

Do you have a favourite sporting team?

Anyone who can beat the Kiwis in rugby and the poms in cricket really.

Name one reason why you love western Sydney.

Everyone is so fair dinkum here.

Suspicious car fire POLICE are investigating after three vehicles were set alight under a residential unit block in Penrith on Tuesday morning.

Police and fire fighters were called to a unit block, on Derby street, at around 2:20 am where they found the cars alight.

More than 25 residents were evacuated from the building as the blaze was extinguished.

Fire crews found the cars locked in a garage and were forced to use power saws to cut through the garage doors to reach the burning cars.

Luckily there were no injuries, however the building suffered some smoke damage.

A crime scene has been established with police from Penrith Local Area Command are conducting inquiries into the incident. A specialised forensic unit was called in to collect evidence and examine the scene.

The police have put out an appeal urging any witnesses to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

PENRITH is set to host two major cricket events across the next two years with the New South Wales Veterans Cricket Championship taking place in 2017 and the Australian Veterans Cricket Championship running in 2018.

The NSW veterans event will take place from October 14 to 19 and will be the eighth contest of its kind.

Penrith was also lucky enough to score the 2018 Australian Veterans Cricket Championship which will run in November next year.

John Rennie, the Chairman of the Championships organising committee, said he was very pleased to hear that Penrith had been chosen to host the events.

“I put forward Penrith as a suitable site to host the two events,” he said. “It was pleasing to learn that Penrith had the most to offer and was selected as the host city.”

Other cities in the running to host the events included Campbelltown, Newcastle and Armidale.

According to Mr Rennie, there is expected to be hundreds of tourists, players and families come into the Penrith region especially for the events.

“For the NSW Championships in October 2017 we expect approximately 18 teams that will equate to about 350

players, wives and supporters,” he said.

He said there will be around 800 people come to compete, watch and run the Australian Championships in 2018.

With the championships set to bring in hundreds of visitors to the region, Mr Rennie said it will be a great opportunity for local businesses to get involved and to reap the rewards of having so many outside tourists.

The unique event has attracted support from all areas of government and local business.

Mr Rennie said he recently met with the Minister for Sport, and the Penrith MP, Stuart Ayres where he pledged his support to both events.

“My committee recently met with the NSW Minister for Sport, Stuart Ayres who has guaranteed his and the State Government’s support for both Championships,” he said.

“Also supporting the events are Penrith City Council, Cricket Australia, Cricket NSW, Panthers, Emu Sports Club, and Penrith Grade Cricket Club.”

Mr Rennie said the local community is also getting behind the event.

“Our organising committee is we feel, heading in the right direction. Local business and volunteers have also put their hands up to support both events,” he said.

For more information the event you can contact John Rennie on 4735 1527.

Big win for commuters

Deputy Mayor Hitchen and Mayor Thain at the new car park.

By Keegan Thomson

PENRITH council has announced more than 200 new car parks for Penrith commuters.

About 240 temporary car park spaces will be made available to commuters by February thanks to a joint effort from Penrith council and the State government.

Council has already began the construction of a temporary car park on an UrbanGrowth NSW site at Thornton, east of the existing multistory commuter parking tower.

Penrith Mayor John Thain said

the project could not have proceeded without assistance from UrbanGrowth NSW and St Hilliers (who will take ownership of the site later this year).

“We are pleased that all parties have worked together to provide more parking to Penrith commuters while the State government constructs the new multi-deck car park,” Cr Thain said.

The 240 car park space will only be temporary and is being put in place until the second multi-deck car park in Thornton is complete.

In December a further 200 parking spaces were provided in Thornton when Penrith council temporarily

removed the 4-hour and 2-hour parking restrictions. These spots on both sides of Lord Sheffield Circuit and on the southern side of Thornton Drive from Combewood Avenue are now all-day parking, to help ease the parking woes around the Penrith CBD. It was confirmed the removal of the 4-hour and 2-hour parking restrictions will be left in place until further notice.

State MP for Penrith, Stuart Ayres said the yet to be completed multideck car park will be a big win for Penrith commuters.

“At the completion of the new multideck car park there will be around 430 new car spaces available at Penrith Station,” said Member for Penrith, Stuart Ayres MP. He said the new 240 space car park will offer some relief for Penrith residents.

“This temporary carpark will provide much needed relief during the construction phase and I thank all parties for working together to get a win for Penrith commuters,” he said.

Currently Penrith train station is receiving a major overhaul with new pedestrian bridges, an upgraded concourse, new accessible amenities and updated lifts and stairs.

The construction of the new 430 space deck car park is expected to take approximately 10 months and could be open before the end of the year.

10

localnews local

Nepean News 19 January 2017 Issue 192

Rossco driving more charity

By Keegan Thomson

LIFE for Nepean residents with disabilities is about to get a lot easier thanks to the miracle charity work of Rev. Ross ‘Rossco’ Hutchison.

Rossco has done the leg work and put in the man hours so that Penrith can have a new carer car.

Carer cars are specially designed, community vehicles that have ramp access for wheelchair users in the back of the car, and are used throughout the community so disabled people without access to a car can make it to their meetings and appointments.

Rossco said he was very happy to be able to bring the new carer car to Penrith.

“This is the latest edition to the Ross Hutchison Foundation carer cars,” he said proudly.

“A wheelchair gets driven up the ramp at the back, or pushed up, and secured into the car. There is room for three people plus the driver so it can be used for a multiplicity of uses,” he said.

The carer car became available through a family who had no further use for it. Being a keen eyed, community minded fellow, Rossco followed up and was able to get his hands on it and make it available to the people of the Nepean.

Mayor, Cr John Thain, and Deputy Mayor, Cr Tricia Hitchen, were at the launch of the carer car and they both agreed this was a positive acquisition for the community.

“This is a great new addition for the people of our city to get around,” Mayor Thain said.

Deputy Mayor Hitchen, whose son is in a

(From the left) Cr Hitchen, Cr Thain and Rosco. Photo: Keegan Thomson

wheelchair, said the new carer car will have many positive impacts and will help so many families across the Nepean.

“Even if you buy a second hand car it will still cost around $30,000 to convert it into something like this, and there are plenty of people around here who need access to something like this but they simply can’t afford the conversion,” she said.

The Mayor also praised Rossco’s efforts in bring the carer car to the city.

“It is a really honourable thing that Rossco is doing for the community,” he said. “Rossco has a lot of dedication for his community.”

For the last eight years Rossco has been bringing carer cars to the Nepean area, through his charity the Ross Hutchison Foundation, with this new addition being the third carer car in his organisation.

TURTLE NURSERY

AND LANDSCAPE SUPPLIES

All materials available in small bags Specialising in 1 tonne Bulka-Bags

DELIVERIES 7 DAYS OPEN 7 DAYS t %FDPSBUJWF (SBWFMT t /FQFBO 3JWFS t (SJGýUI 3FE t $PXSB 8IJUF (PME t $IBSDPBM t $SVTIFE 5JMF t "VTTJF #SPXO t 4DPSJB 3FE 8IJUF t #MVF .FUBM t 3PBE #BTF t 4BOE 5ZQFT

t 3FDZDMFE "HHSFHBUFT t #VTI 3PDL t 4BOETUPOF 'MBHHJOH t $FNFOUT t 4PGUGBMM 1MBZ (SPVOE

t 1JOF #BSL t $PMPVSFE 8PPE $IJQ t &VDBMZQUVT .VMDI t )BSEXPPE $IJQ t 4PGUXPPE $IJQ t -FBG .VMDI

t $ZQSFTT 8PPE $IJQ t 5PQ 4PJM t 0SHBOJD (BSEFO .JY t 1SFNJVN (BSEFO .JY t 5PQ %SFTTJOH t 0SHBOJD 5PQ %SFTTJOH t 'JMMJOH 4BOE t 5VSG 6OEFSMBZ t .VTISPPN $PNQPTU t 5SFBUFE 1JOF 4MFFQFST

Cnr Windsor & Rouse Rds

Cnr Racecourse & Blacktown Rds

ROUSE HILL Phone: 9629 2299

SOUTH WINDSOR Phone: 4574 3299

www.turtlenursery.com.au

ailable v A w o N e rag Battery Sto

TO FIND OUT HOW A LOCAL SOLAR EXPERT CAN HELP YOU, CALL 4760 0809

The smart energy choice for your home

Pound death during heatwave

By Keegan Thomson

FLUFFY, cute and cuddly is how many have described Bear, the poor chow chow dog who tragically died inside Hawkesbury pound on a hot 40 degree day.

According to the Penrith Area Lost and Found Animals page on facebook, Bear was found on December 29, last year, and was taken to Hawkesbury pound. There he was put into a cage where it was alleged he had no fan or air conditioning during the heatwave which hit the region on the subsequent days after.

On December 31 it was announced on the Penrith Area Lost and Found Animals facebook page that Bear had died in the pound of heat exhaustion.

Numerous members of the facebook page had planned to take portable air conditioning units and fans over to the pound during the 40 degree weather, but it is not known whether or not any of those fans or air-cons made it to the Hawkesbury pound.

Some other members of the facebook page even offered to come in and shave Bear so he might have some

Bear, a chow chow, died of heat exhaustion during a heatwave.

Photo: Facebook

form of relief from the heat, however it is understood that even shaving a chow chow wouldn’t have helped.

Hawkesbury pound is in the Hawkesbury LGA and is maintained by the Hawkesbury council however both the Blacktown and Penrith city councils send stray animals there.

Mayor of Penrith, Cr John Thain

has vowed to investigate the matters further.

“I’ve requested a report from council as to what happened at the pound,” he said. “Even though it isn’t located in the Penrith LGA we send stray animals there as well so we need to take some responsibility for it.”

Cr Thain is a well-known animal lover who has previously fought for the improvement of local pounds across the Penrith LGA. “We need to find out how and why something like this happened because we can’t let it happen again particularly with all of the ongoing hot weather,” he said.

Cr Thain said he had received more emails on this issue than any other during his tenure as Mayor.

“I must have received around 60 emails from the community about this issue over the last few weeks,” he said.

In a video posted on the Hawkesbury pound’s facebook page it’s said Bear’s owners knew he was housed at the pound yet they’d not come to pick him up yet.

According to the NSW animal welfare code of practice, ‘animals must be protected from extremes of temperature and the environmental temperature controlled to minimise distress to animals’.

More heatwaves are predicted this summer and with the conditions inside the pounds expected to reach over 40 degrees there has never been a more important time to take note of what is happening to our four legged and fluffy friends.

11 Nepean News 19 January 2017 Issue 192

localnews local

12

localnews local

Nepean News 19 January 2017 Issue 192

How could this happen?

By Keegan Thomson

SUMMER is supposed to be a time of relaxation with friends and family.

One of the best ways to spend the long, hot and humid days is relaxing in the pool or around water, however this summer has left at least 22 people dead across the state due to accidents around water.

In western Sydney there has been at least four families who’ve been impacted due to drownings in the last four weeks.

One of the most tragic incidents was at Kellyville Ridge where two 23-month-old twins were pulled unconscious from their backyard pool just days before Christmas.

Sadly both toddlers died only a day apart from each other.

According to Royal Life Saving NSW, 280 people drowned in Australia in 2016 with 96 of those being in New South Wales’ pools, beaches and backyards.

The sharp increase in drowning incidents across the state prompted Surf Life Saving NSW to issue a holiday period warning.

Surf Life Saving NSW Lifesaving Manager, Andy Kent, said the life saving team is prepared for a busy few days across NSW. “Hot weather and school holidays are sure to mean more people will head to the beach or other waterways to try and cool off,” said Mr Kent.

He gave a special warning for people who’re heading out on boats.

“As always we urge everyone to swim at patrolled locations and to look out for each other on the beach. If you’re going boating or heading offshore in a kayak or other small watercraft, please wear a lifejacket,” he said.

Mr Kent admitted lifesavers across the state would be put under a lot of pressure over the next few weeks due to the excess number of people in the water.

“This could put pressure on lifeguards who are on patrol weekdays across the state and our volunteer

lifesavers as we move into the weekend.

“Lifeguards and lifesavers have been extremely busy over the last few weeks and we are urging the public to do what they can to help lessen the load by taking some responsibility for their own safety,” he said.

Of course drownings don’t only happen in open water, on rivers and in public pools, they also occur silently in the backyard pool, with one of the biggest hidden dangers coming from small inflatable pools.

Alison Mahony, a Senior Researcher at Royal

LARGEST GRANNY FLAT L BUILDER IN NSW CALL US TO FIND OUT ABOUT OUR GRANNY FLAT INFORMATION SEMINAR ADVANTAGES OF A GRANNY FLAT?

Licence Number: 66902C

• A Granny flat will pay itself off in 5-7 years • A Granny Flat will make money using dead yard space • A Granny flat will maximise your rental return • A Granny flat can be council approved in 10 days

• • • •

A Granny Flat provides a steady income once paid off A Granny Flat will Increase the value of your property immensely A Granny Flat can be a great tool for negative gearing A Granny flat is a Long term investment

FOR A FREE FEASIBILITY STUDY ON YOUR PROPERTY:

Visit our Exhibition Centre at 152

Russell Street, Emu Plains

CONTACT US ON

1300 721 150

www.grannyflatsandstudios.com.au

TIPS FOR MAKING SURE CHILDREN ARE SAFE IN THE WATER THIS SUMMER

Life Saving Australia, said an unsupervised child can drown in any small amount of water.

“Some inflatable paddling pools can hold more than 30 centimetres of water, which is more than enough water to cause a child to drown,” Ms Mahony said.

“Something people don’t know is that if their pool holds more than 30 centimetres of water they may have to have it fenced off,” she said.

Penrith council’s regulations say any pool holding more than 30 centimetre of water must be fenced off and a self locking gate must be included in the fence.

Any pool owner who fails to meet these conditions could face a fine of $550.

Owners of backyard swimming pools and spas are also legally required to register their swimming pool or spa on the NSW swimming pool register, this includes inflatable pools holding 30cm or more of water. Failure to register could incur a $220 fine.

With more awareness and safety precautions around swimming pools we can surely manage to curb the number of drowning deaths in New South Wales.

ALISON Mahony, from Royal Life Saving Australia, gave five straight forward tips to keep children safe around backyard pools.

1. Supervise “Supervision is the number one strategy to stop children from drowning,” Ms Mahony said.

“Children are naturally curious and because of that they’re attracted to water. So we ask that children be supervised all of the time,” she said.

It is important to have the children’s parents supervising because according to Ms Mahony, anyone else might not be able to accept the responsibility.

“Parents should supervise their children; not an older sibling because for some the responsibility is too much,” she said.

2. Restrict access Fencing off your pool isn’t just an important safety requirement, it is a legal requirement.

“A fence is the next line of defence,” Ms Mahony said. “That means having a fence that meets legal requirements, which includes a gate that closes and locks itself.”

“We also want to make sure people aren’t leaving furniture near the fence because children can climb onto the furniture and over the pool fence,” she added.

3. Water awareness Teaching children to respect the water is also an important step in curbing the number of drownings.

“Teach children basic safety rules,” Ms Mahony said. “It needs to be tailored to the age of the children but a good start is basic safety rules like don’t go into the pool without mum and dad.”

4. Avoid distractions Part of being a supervisor of children around the pool is being present in the moment, this means switching off from all distractions.

“In the modern era it is hard to stop distractions and it is very easy to become distracted, but it is really important to have parents focused and ignoring distractions,” Ms Mahony said.

“Each year we see a number of drownings happening because a parent is distracted by something,” she said. “If a parent needs to leave the poolside then we suggest the child should jump out of the pool with them.”

5. Resuscitate Prevention is important but if there is a drowning then it is important to know what to do.

“We’d like all people to learn CPT but especially people with a backyard pool,” Ms Mahony said.

“In any case of a drowning it is about knowing what to do and how to do it quickly,” she said.

“Prevention is better than treatment but in the circumstances it is important to do something and it is important to know how to do it right,” she said.

13 Nepean News 19 January 2017 Issue 192

localnews local

MAXIMUM SERVICE...

MINIMUM FUSS...

• AIRPORT TRANSFERS • CRUISE SHIP TRANSFERS • WEDDINGS • HENS & BUCKS PARTIES • CORPORATE FUNCTIONS • GOLF/BOYS DAY OUT • GIRLS NIGHT OUT • CHRISTMAS FUNCTIONS

LET US BE YOUR PLAN B

www.maxibuses.com E: ellen@maxibuses.com P: 4729 0666

14

localnews local

Nepean News 19 January 2017 Issue 192

Firework Phobias

COMING up to Australia Day we thought it would be wise to discuss noise phobias in dogs – especially fireworks. A fear of fireworks is a fairly common phobia in dogs and may also mean that your dog could have other noise phobias. Dogs often find the unpredictable noise and display of lights very frightening. Even a dog that is very relaxed and not scared of thunder can become very stressed and scared during fireworks. Fireworks are closer to the ground than thunder and are accompanied by sudden booms, flashes and burning smells. This can trigger all of a dog’s senses and make them anxious and afraid.

Luckily there are a few things you can do to help keep your dog calm during fireworks. Prevention is always better than cure. The best way to prepare your dog for fireworks is to try and make them comfortable with the sound in advance. This is referred to as desensitisation and is very effective although it does take some time and commitment from the owners. This involves finding a video or recording of fireworks and playing it at the lowest possible volume. While this is happening, give your dog

lots of attention and treats so they learn to associate fireworks with a positive experience. A treat should follow each firework sound on the recording, so the sound is the cue for a reward. Over weeks to months, slowly begin to raise the volume of the recording.

Repeat this several times a day until your dog can hear the sounds at a high volume without becoming fearful. Also play these sounds at dinner time, so the firework noises will be like a bell ringing for dinner and give a happy/excited emotional response, rather than fear.

If your pet has already developed anxiety, then the use of medication to help them cope with their firework phobia is also beneficial.

For long term success, medications should be used in conjunction with desensitisation.

Medications alone rarely “fix” the fear. Your veterinarian can prescribe anti-anxiety and sedative medication to help keep your pet calm. These medications need to be used at least 1-2 hours before the fireworks are expected. As with many medications, the doses can vary so it is important to have a ‘trial run’ with the medications well before fireworks occur to find a dose that is suitable for your pet.

If you need any help with your pets behaviour or advice about noise phobias, please contact us on 4731 3055.

Coreen Avenue Veterinary Clinic Units 2 & 3/117 Coreen Ave, Penrith NSW 2750

POLICE FILES OFFICER DRAGGED BY CAR - ST MARYS A man has been charged after a police officer was allegedly dragged 20m by a car at St Marys on Friday night.

At around 6.30pm on Friday, January 13, officers attached to the St Marys Proactive Team stopped a sedan in Monfarville Street, St Marys.

They arrested the male driver, who was asked to get out of the car, and were speaking with the passenger when he allegedly moved into the vacant driver’s seat and tried to drive off.

An officer attempted to stop the car from leaving the scene but was dragged by the car.

The police officer sustained grazing and bruising to his left arm and leg after being dragged about 20m by the car. Luckily he did not need medical attention.

The vehicle was recovered a short time later in a nearby street.

About 11.40pm a 21-year-old man attended St Marys Police Station where he was arrested. He has been charged with using an offensive weapon to avoid detention, and driving whilst disqualified.

He was refused bail to appeared in Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday, January 14.

MAN STABBED – KINGSWOOD Police are appealing for public assistance after a man was stabbed in Sydney’s west on Friday, January 13.

Emergency services were called to Wainwright Lane, Kingswood just before 10.30pm on Friday night following reports that a man had been stabbed.

Police have been told that an argument occurred before a man was allegedly stabbed in the throat by another person.

A 34-year-old man was treated by NSW Ambulance Paramedics for a stab wound to his neck. He was taken to Nepean Hospital in a serious but stable condition.

Officers from St Marys Local Area Command attended and a crime scene has been established which will be examined by forensic officers.

Police are urging anyone with information in relation to this incident to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Phone 47 313 055

Changes to Australia Day

PENRITH council has changed their annual Australia Day event and festivities.

Australia Day means different things to different people but in essence it’s about reflecting on and celebrating who we are, what has shaped us and the wonderfully unique and diverse country we live in.

This year we will celebrate our pioneers and our rich and colourful heritage by making everything that’s old, new again and bringing the country to our City.

The event will be held at Jamison Park, in the heart of the Penrith CBD, and will be a family fun day, bringing families and the community together to celebrate our diversity and traditions.

It will be a unique experience with fun, free activities for all ages. There will be traditional activities and games including

Pavlova decorating, cow milking, butter churning, tug of war and ring toss as well as interactive and historical displays, and a bush band.

We will also have some more modern Penrith traditions like bubble soccer and face painting, and a performance by Shaun the Sheep.

There will be a wide variety of food stalls and of course, the traditional Aussie BBQ. The new venue, Jamison Park, is close to public transport and parking, so getting to the event will be easier than ever.

Grab the kids and come down to Jamison Park to enjoy five hours of free family fun!

Event details are available on our website: www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/ ausday

A day in the life of... A dentist

By Keegan Thomson

NEPEAN Hospital dentist, Tara Kumbhari, never expected to end up in dentistry, she simply fell into the career after putting it second after medicine.

“I can’t imagine there are many people out there who grow up saying, ‘I want to be a dentist’,” she said. “I tried out for medicine and dentistry was second on the list so I sort of fell into it, in the end.”

Ms Kumbhari has been serving and treating patients with a whole number of different oral and dental ailments for the past nine years and she said the one thing that keeps bringing her back to work each day, above everything else, is her team.

“We have great equipment, we’ve got a great team and I love that we’re always looking for new ways to make things more accessible and more affordable for the community,” Ms Kumbhari said.

“We want to give patients a greater choice of treatment and we want them to feel good about the level of treatment they’re getting,” she said.

Being a hospital dentist isn’t like

your general practitioner dentist, who you’ll usually go and see once a year to get a check up, instead she’ll see any large number of emergencies, inpatients and general practice.

“The bulk of the practice is spent seeing patients,” she said. “Mostly we’re seeing patients who are having lots of pain. We also see patients who require general dental treatment, who might not be in pain but have other medical concerns.

“Some of our other patients are dental emergencies, we call them a code one.

“They’re people who have swelling in the face, have had trauma to the teeth, jaw or face. Usually those kinds

of patients have been in a car accident or have broken their front teeth in some other accident, with a large majority of them being children,” she said.

Dealing with the patients who’ve been involved in the heavy trauma accidents is one of the hardest parts of her job, Ms Kumbhari said.

“Calming down and helping people in pain can be a struggle,” she said.

“People who’re in pain feel like noone is there to help them and until you can make them feel comfortable they’ll often be hard to deal with.”

“It is also hard because we’re a public hospital there is a lot of criticism because people feel, being

a government service, it should be better. There is a lot more expectation on our hospital,” she said.

When it comes to dealing with the more blood and guts aspects of her job, Ms Kumbhari said she never really thinks about it as gore but instead looks at it on a more scientific level.

“I don’t think about blood as gore.

I don’t think about big abscess as gore but I’ll think about it on a purely scientific level,” she said.

“Pus is good, it means I’m getting something out and we’re cleaning something,” she joked.

Ms Kumbhari offered up some advice for anyone looking at getting into the profession as a dentist in a clinic or a hospital.

“You’ll need to be someone who is prepared to work hard. You need to be ready to forego breaks and you’ll be expected to be a part of a team.

“You should be able to take criticism on the chin and you should be happy to have your performance reviewed and critiqued all the time,” she said.

The dental unit is located on Nepean Hospital grounds and houses a staff of around 22 dentists.

Fox up for more gold SPORT NSW has announced the finalists for the 2016 NSW Sports Awards with local Olympian, Jessica Fox getting a nod.

Australian men’s cricket captain Steve Smith, four-time Paralympic gold medal winning swimmer Maddison Elliott, Olympic silver and bronze medal winning canoeist Jessica Fox and Rio Olympic gold medal winning sailor Tom Burton are amongst the big names vying for the top awards which will be announced at a gala dinner in Sydney on Thursday, 23 February 2017.

Now in its 22nd year, the prestigious NSW Sports Awards celebrate the finest achievements by NSW athletes, teams, coaches, administrators and organisations in 2016.

An all-embracing event, the NSW Sports Awards acknowledge the breadth of sporting activity and achievement across the state each year with categories for able-bodied and disabled athletes, young athletes and masters athletes. Awards are also presented for the best event of the year, official of the year and the all important distinguished long service awards for those that have given exceptional longtime service to their sport.

The awards are conducted by Sport NSW and Chief Executive Officer Darren Simpson said the ceremony in

February is a unique opportunity to celebrate NSW sporting achievements of 2016.

“The NSW Sports Awards provide us the platform to recognise the outstanding accomplishments in so many different areas of sport in NSW. It is truly a night for the sporting community to unite and to celebrate

everything about sport that we value so dearly, from volunteering through to the highest level of achievement,” Mr Simpson said.

NSW-based sporting organisations were invited to nominate athletes, teams, coaches, officials, leaders and events with a judging panel then convening to determine the finalists

and winners.

The awards ceremony will be held at Navarra Venue’s Curzon Hall in Marsfield on Thursday 23 February 2017.

Tickets are now on sale for the dinner, with all details, including the full list of finalists, available on the Sport NSW website at www.sportnsw.com.au.

15 Nepean News 19 January 2017 Issue 192

localnews local

localnews local

16 Nepean News 19 January 2017 Issue 192

THE G SPOT

IS it just me or have people noticed the (Jaws music please) the New Year’s Resolution walkers!?

Run for your lives, they are taking up our streets, roads, footpaths and even parks, they are everywhere, don’t feed after dark or add water.

Yes folks these are the people that you never see all year round, they are like hermit crabs all year and then suddenly......

The one thing I also notice is all the different types of walkers out there.

Mixed Matched walker - The mixed match walker is a person who has never bought fitness gear in their life and it appears that they have replaced an engine block prior to the walk.

The determined walker - This is a person that has the look of pain on their face, like they are passing a large object, however they’re walking slower than a snail. There’s a lot of arm pumping going on but not much distance happening.

The I don’t give a rat’s bum walker - This is a walker that proceeds to kick every stone up along the path and meander like they are heading to work or something.

The sweaty walker - This is a walker that looks

With Gina Field, Nepean Regional Security

like they have swum 10 laps and then jumped out of the pool for the evening walk. The sweat beads are pouring out and the t-shirt looks like the last scene of Rocky when he is yelling out for his wife, Adrian!

The male bum crack walker - This is a walker that feels the need to wear shorts with no elastic.

Their pants are constantly sliding down and they are presenting a crack bigger than a plumber’s.

The Harry High Pants - This is a walker who wears their shorts so high it looks like they need an operation to get them off.

Colour co-ordinated walker - Thank god for these ladies, with matching shoes, socks, tops and of course the Lycra pants, with, yes folks, the matching thin colour stripe down the side of the pants. (I hear the angels sing).

Super model walker - This is a walker who attends the beautician to have their hair and makeup done simply for their daily walks. These people don’t care if they are getting fit as long as they get 20 thousand car horns beep, they’re happy.

Now I know you’re asking what has all of this crap got to do with security, but alas my dear readers

it has a lot, because I am going to give you walking security tips. So just keep ya knickers on!

Firstly, tell people where you are walking, so when you are not back in 48 hours they know where to come looking. They can also cash in on your life insurance as well.

Secondly, we know how much you love Dolly Parton, but having her screaming at 70 thousand decibels in ear phones is not really good, considering you won’t hear anything or anyone around you.

Thirdly, walk in groups, so society not only has to put up with one of you on the street but 15. (Yippee) Fourthly, don’t keep checking facebook. Taking selfies on every street corner is not really needed, because to be quite frank we don’t really care that you have decided to walk for two weeks only into the New Year, and it also takes your attention away from what you are actually doing.

So there you have it the NYRW ( New Year’s Resolution Walker) not for the feint-hearted folks, this is a trend that you must approach with fear and caution as it only happens at 12.01 on the 01/01 of the New Year - miss the boat and you have to wait another 12 months!

KEEPING BUSINESS LOCAL

1300 SECURITY ML No. 405714685

6 MONTHS FREE

BACK TO BASE MONITORING*

www.nepeanregionalsecurity.com.au

* new connections

Innovation Roof Restoration ARE YOU HAPPY WITH THE LOOK OF YOUR ROOF?

BEST RATES IN TOWN! Mention this ad to redeem the offer

Licence No. 251151c

Call Kurtis on

SENIOR DISCOUNTS

0475 555 000 for a FREE QUOTE

BEFORE

AFTER

All work comes with a 5 year guarantee

18

E N T E R T A I N M E N T

Nepean News 19 January 2017 Issue 192

A new breed of night markets GET YOUR TASTE BUDS ready because Penrith is about to get a new weekly night market and food truck bonanza.

Launching on February 1, the Aussie NightMarkets will bring a new breed of markets to the Nepean, which will include around 80 stalls selling different foods and cultural dishes from all around Sydney and the world.

The venture is the brain work of a very creative and ambitious wife and husband duo, Sam and Phaly Adams, who’re launching the new weekly event in Penrith after they had monstrous success with a similar event at the Regatta Centre last year.

“Late last year we had an event at the Regatta Centre in Penrith,” Sam Adams said. “We didn’t know what to expect because 10,000 people said they’d come to the event on facebook but then suddenly had around 15,000 people at our actual event and we were instantly blown away.”

“We had people tell us they’d travel for at least an hour, from the top of the Blue Mountains, to come to our markets,” Phaly Adams added.

After the pair received such an overwhelming response they instantly knew they needed to set up a more

long term night market somewhere in Penrith.

The Aussie NightMarkets all started in the second half of 2016 when the pair started negotiations with Blacktown council about the prospect of running night markets in Blacktown. After working out the redtape the Blacktown arm of the Aussie NightMarkets was launched with a run of 6 weeks.

“On our first night in Blacktown some of the council came to us and said, ‘We usually only get around 1,500 people at our events so don’t feel bad if you don’t get that many,’ but on the night we had over 8,000 people attend,” Mrs Adams said.

“After that response the council asked us back to set up a more permanent markets.”

“After we saw that we thought we need to do more, we need to bring this to more people,” she said.

According to the Mr Adams there has been a positive knock on affect across Penrith since last years event.

He says there has been more high class burger restaurants cropping up, and even some of the local businesses are lining up to host pop-up venues at the Aussie NightMarkets.

“We’ve seen a whole bunch of new places open up around the Penrith CBD and we think it is in reaction to the Aussie NightMarkets,” he said.

“We’ve even had a few businesses approach us and ask us if they can get involved in our markets.”

Penrith is known as being a bit of a western Sydney retail hub and in the future the Aussie NightMarkets want to capitalise and reflect on this.

“After we launch in Penrith we’d like to eventually bring some smaller retailers in with the markets,” Mrs Adams said. “We could have a few little shop stalls and we’d like to have a bit of a kids zone as well.”

After receiving feedback from the community, the Penrith wing of the Aussie NightMarkets will relaunch on February 1 at Penrith Panthers, near the pavilion.

SPONSORED BY AMA EVENT MANAGEMENT

02 4736 4647 • THEPIONEERTAVERN.COM.AU CNR MAXWELL ST & THE NORTHERN RD, PENRITH NSW 2750

We promote the responsible service of gaming and alcohol. All our advertising and promotions are not implicitly or explicitly directed at minors, excluded persons, or vulnerable or disadvantaged groups.

INTERNATIONALLY acclaimed dance troop, The Young Americans will be in western Sydney at St Paul’s Grammar School giving a very special performing arts workshop (including singing, dancing, acting) from January 16 to 20.

A showcase concert will follow up the last day of the workshop.

A cast of 33 dancers, actors and choreographers will take part in a 4 month world tour which has them continuing to Singapore, South Africa, Hong Kong and Alaska.

While they are some of the most gifted and talented young professional people from all over the world, they all take part on a 100% volunteer basis.

This is a workshop like no other – it’s so much more than singing, dancing and acting: it’s a whole energy experience that literally changes lives.

Even if your child has never studied anything to do with the performing arts, they can benefit enormously from this experience.

They inspire the talented and gifted students to reach further and uplift those who are in need of finding hope in their lives. Young people all over the world need this today more than ever.

Sussane Towers, the director of the Australian School for Vocal Performance said the event offers so many unique elements. Her son was a part of Young Americans for a number of year.

“Each young American is fully trained as a teacher as well as a performer in their College based in California,” she said in a statement.

“Their focus is to build confidence, create a passion for life through each student’sindividual unique skills and personality.

“Rather than a focus on being the best, there is a focus on being the best you can be; if everyone strives to be the best they can be in everything they do, magic can happen,” she said.

Ms Tower’s son was a member of the group from 2010, and she says it inspired her to become involved in the group.

“My son, Matthew Avery was a Young American for two and a half years until 2013 which explains, in

19 Nepean News 19 January 2017 Issue 192

E N T E R T A I N M E N T The Young Americans have arrived

part, my passion for the impact this group has on young people,” she said.

“He’ll be performing with the group while they’re here,” she added.

The final showcase performance will be held at St Paul’s Grammar School.

Tickets for the concert on the 20th January will be available each day of the workshop at the beginning and end of the day. $12 Adults/$8 Children & concession.

02 4736 4647 • THEPIONEERTAVERN.COM.AU CNR MAXWELL ST & THE NORTHERN RD, PENRITH NSW 2750

We promote the responsible service of gaming and alcohol. All our advertising and promotions are not implicitly or explicitly directed at minors, excluded persons, or vulnerable or disadvantaged groups.

20

E N T E R T A I N M E N T

Nepean News 19 January 2017 Issue 192

Joan and Lewer’s big offering in Jan ACROSS Summer there are lots of fun activities and entertaining shows on at The Joan and Penrith Regional Gallery.

Morning Melodies kicks off this year which marks the programs 27th continuous year.

First cab off the rank is Down Memory Lane, performed by PJ Lane, the son of TV legend Don Lane. Along with Donna Lee who performs a Doris Day line-up, this show is bound to fill audiences with feeling nostalgic.

Down Memory Lane kicks off on Wednesday January 25, 10 am for morning tea with the show starting at 11.

In 2017 Morning Melodies offers treats and legends aplenty from the incredible Tom Burlinson with his Simply Sinatra show, to a Gilbert & Sullivan showcase featuring television personality Andrew O’Keefe. Familiar favourites the NSW Police Band will return by popular demand to perform another great showcase.

January sees the 2017 main season launch with sounds from Fleetwood Mac as Catherine Alcorn portrays Christine McVie in Go Your Own Way, January 20 at 7:30pm. Whether you remember the much loved band from the mid 70s or you simply love

the bluesy, folkie bohemian influenced rock n roll, you’ll enjoy the special one off performance of Go Your Own Way starring Catherine Alcorn. Before the performance don’t forget to check out Night Lights, the Joan’s very own popup lounge bar.

In January there is a special program

set up for kids on school holidays.

Let their imaginations soar with a trip to miniFEST, January 24 to 28. miniFEST offers a fun filled three hours of film, theatre and music. No need to stay for all sessions, pop in and out as you like. For the budding artists there is a workshop at the Penrith

Regional Gallery which will have the kids up close and personal with nature.

At the Penrith Regional Gallery, all through January, musicians perform free every Friday evening from 5pm at Sips and Sounds. It is a relaxing evening providing the perfect sundowner location.

World’s best sausage sizzle ... Serves 12 The sausage sizzle is a craft not a dish. It is an art form served with sophistication and class which can only be truly appreciated by those who posses a highly tuned palate. This sausage sizzle is a work of such fine culinary skill that it has taken this cook decades to master. They say only tastebuds which are subject to the harsh climates of Australia can truly understand the depth and tastes involved in the sausage sizzle, which is why the sausage sizzle is truly Australia’s national delicacy.

SOLUTION: 22nd December

INSTRUCTIONS Fill the grid so that every column, every row and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9 with no duplicates

INGREDIENTS: A dozen pack of sausages (no matter what flavour or price your sausages are they will still taste the same) 3 large onions 1 loaf of white bread High class liquor (a 70 year of Scotch will do) A bottle of high class truffle oil Tomato sauce fresh from the bottle (to serve) METHOD: Start by perfectly pre-heating the barbecue to a temperature that is not too hot and not too cold. To have the perfect sizzle on your sausages you’ll need a slow heat burning otherwise the proteins within the sausages will cook too fast become chewy. Once you’ve achieved the perfect temperature the sizzle can begin.

Drizzle some truffle oil onto the barbecue and let it heat up. Separate the sausages and place them with care on the barbecue, you want to be very careful not to place the sausages too hard onto the barbecue otherwise you will upset the balance within the meat. With tongs slowly and carefully

turn the sausages as they cook. Do not be tempted to burst the sausage skins because that will let out all the flavours and juices from within.

Take your onions, halve them and slice those halves. Each slice of onion has to be measured to around three to five millimetres thick, this will produce the best flavours from your onions and will help with the cooking processes. On the barbecue make sure the sausages aren’t burning, move them to the side of the heat if they appear to be cooked. Once onions sliced with procession add them to the barbecue with a healthy drizzle of truffle oil.

Stir the onions as they fry and add a healthy sloshing of high class liquor to the onions as they cook. This will provide an exquisite and unique flavour. Let it cook on the barbecue but be careful not to let it burn. Inspect the sausages by turning them and once they’re cooked take them off the heat.

Take your slice of white bread and lay a sausage across it on a diagonal fashion. Place a helping of onions on the top of the sausage and drizzle with fresh tomato sauce from a bottle. Serve.

Club

21 Nepean News 19 January 2017 Issue 192

SUDOKU: HARD

E N T E R T A I N M E N T Keegan’s Kitchen

Kurrajong North Richmond Inc.

nepeanhistory nepean

22 Nepean News 19 January 2017 Issue 192

Walers of WW1

By John Kelaher, NDHS member

A

T a society meeting we were entertained by guest speaker Shirley Seale with a brief history of Waler horses who went to war.

These horses were originally called horses from N.S.W. and later shortened to New South Walers and again later shortened to simply Walers. The term eventually was used by Australia, and indeed the rest of the world, to refer to all horses exported from Australia.

Horses were brought to Australia with the First Fleet- on the Lady Penrhyn. By 1802, William Cox was reputed to have the best horses and the colony had a total of 203. Within ten years the total had grown to over 2,000. The crossing of the Blue Mountains was only possible because of the Waler horses used, especially as they were able to survive on poor feed for days on end. During the 1800s, the early colony was exporting horses to India and New Zealand and elsewhere. The official term Walers came into common usage after 1846.

During WWI Australia had a population of five million people - and two-and-a-half million horses! Remember, horses were the main means of transport for the world up till then. Men enlisting often enlisted their horse as well, and the horse was tested and if found acceptable was rebranded as a government horse and paid for by the army. (Did you know that originally, only Queenslanders were given permission to wear emu feathers on the left-hand side of their hat, but later this was allowed to all enlisting. The Diggers called them “kangaroo feathers” to poke fun at non-Australians).

In the first convoy there were 30,000 men and 12,000 horses. Only 3% of the horses were ever lost at sea. Walers were trained to go from a walk to a canter and carry up to 140kg of rider plus gear while English horses were trained to go from a walk to a trot and this caused more bounce and not good for all the weight.

Horses normally drink around 30L of water a day and eat 3kg of barley. Camels were originally used to carry water for the horses but they could not keep up with the Walers.

The Light Horse were in fact not cavalry but infantry - the Waler horses were simply used to carry the infantry from one engagement to the next. During battle, horse handlers would look after five or six horses. A “remount” was a replacement horse for a soldier’s horse which was killed and was not usually as well broken in.

At the end of WWI, the army had 13,000 horses left - it was regarded as too expensive to return them home and also a danger to Australian wildlife.

The army planned on selling them to the locals for work horses or they were to be “put down” but the Australian soldiers were often too attached to their mounts to see this happen and there were many reported incidents of the Light Horse infantry riding a mate’s horse and having to “destroy it after it fell, treading in a hole” in the desert.

Shirley reminded us that over 80% of these diggers were farmers or tradesmen and many wrote poetry and yarns for the “Kia Ora CooEe” magazine which sold for 2d on the battle fields. (for an extra 1/2d you could buy an envelope and send it home).

realestate real

Nepean News 19 January 2017 Issue 192

THE SMART LINE with Steve Roddick Get over the post-Christmas financial blues THERE’s no time of year more exciting than Christmas – but the truth is that once it ends, it’s common to feel a little blue. The gifts, the meals, the special time with friends and family – they’re all over until next December.

And also, there’s usually a financial crunch that comes with wrapping up the holiday season.

If you’re like most people, you probably spent beyond your budget in December. All the presents, meals and travel expenses added up, and now that it’s January, you’re probably dealing with a bit of a spending hangover.

So what’s the cure? If you’re hoping 2017 can be a year of making strong investing decisions, how can you make moves in January to get back on track?

Cutting your January spending If you’re thinking of taking out a home loan and making a serious commitment to buying property in 2017, the first step is to get yourself back on the path to responsible spending.

In December, you probably overextended yourself financially. It’s time to correct that error in January, making reasonable choices that will keep your finances in good shape.

For example, you can cook cheap, healthy meals at home instead of eating out. Instead of seeing a movie in the theater, you can rent one more affordably. These little changes in your habits can help you right the ship.

Rebuilding your credit right away

For anyone who’s considering property investment loans this year, having good credit is a prerequisite.

If you added to your credit card debt in December, it’s time to pay off those debts and get more responsible now, according to The Globe and Mail.

If you’re able to be smart about debt in the early part of 2017, you may be able to quickly rebuild your credit and make yourself look much better on your next loan application.

Planning your investing future Are you getting ready to invest in property soon? If so, you probably have all sorts of questions. How much can I borrow? When can I borrow it?

The list goes on.

The last thing you want to do is

m 0420 289 381 f 02 4786 1242 e sroddick@smartline.com.au

www.smartline.com.au/ sroddick

23

complicate that conversation by piling up excessive debt after the holidays.

Talk to the experts at Smartline right away, and we can give you the guidance you need to restore your financial health.

You can contact me on 0420 289 381 for more mortgage advice.

• Home Loans • Commercial Loans • Business Finance • Investing • Insurance • Car Finance

CROSSWORD ACROSS 6. Recuperate (7) 7. Rehabilitation (5) 9. Hairdo (4) 10. Make legal (10) 11. Those without seats (8) 13. Influx (6) 15. Kind of bean (4) 17. Coming and _____ (5) 18. Orange pekoe (4) 19. Gap (6) 20. Described (8) 23. Dispense (10) 26. Classify (4) 27. Audacity (5) 28. Our language (7)

solution 22/12/16

DOWN 1. Bookkeeper (10) 2. Slender (6) 3. Naval jail (4) 4. Squirming (8) 5. Leveling wedge (4) 6. Fit out again (5) 8. Rocket launcher (7) 12. Bake in a shallow dish (5) 14. What some science fiction is (10) 16. Belief (7) 17. Rumormonger (8) 21. Promise (6) 22. Our planet (5) 24. Feces (4) 25. Utilized (4)

WALKING DISTANCE TO NEPEAN HOSPITAL

AVERAGE PRICE $515,000 Call Marie Grima for a price list on 0433 788 820

STYLE AND ELEGANCE 4

2

2

650sqm

9 Knox Street, Glenmore Park $939,000 - $969,000 Call Sharon Mudiman now to book an inspection on 0413 757 998

02 4737 9977 | 33 Town Terrace, Glenmore Park | glenmorefirstnational.com.au

YOUR HOME IS CALLING – XL BEDROOMS 4 2 2 353sqm 4 Stawell Street, Ropes Crossing $669,000 - $699,000 Call Sharon Mudiman now to book an inspection on 0413 757 998

IMPRESSIVE FAMILY HOME 4

2

2

403sqm

9 Lakeview Drive, Cranebrook $859,000 - $899,000 Call Stephanie Radcliffe now to book an inspection on 0450 231 113

LOCATION SHOT

LOCATION SHOT

GREAT BLACKTOWN LOCATION DON’T MISS OUT 2

1

2

59 Paul Street, Blacktown Make An Offer Call Marie Grima now to book an inspection on 0433 788 820

02 4737 9977 | 33 Town Terrace, Glenmore Park | glenmorefirstnational.com.au

26

penrith panthers

Nepean News 19 January 2017 Issue 192

Leota upbeat despite intense competition

By Stewart Moses @TheRiffMarn

PANTHERS prop, Moses Leota is hoping to celebrate his recent two-year deal with the club by securing a spot in the first grade squad in 2017.

Making his NRL debut against Manly last season has according to Leota, given him the confidence that he can handle himself in the top grade.

But the 2015 Holden Cup Player of the Year also says the fight for the front row spots is more intense than ever, despite the departures of Jeremy Latimore, Suaia Matagi and Chris Grevsmuhl, the latter two whom Leota credits for getting him NRL ready.

“As a young kid I aspired to play first grade and to finally get a crack and make my debut last year was a thrill,” Leota said.

“It gives me a lot of confidence that if I do get a chance this year I think I can do a fantastic job for the team and I’ll give it my all.

“Losing Chris was sad. He’s a good bloke and he was a massive help for me and for my game.

“Suaia was a big help as well. He taught me the ropes and showed how to survive at this level and it’s a big loss for me (not having him here) but in the long run it will make me stronger too.

“And I need to be stronger as there’s a lot of front rowers here at the moment.

“All I can do right now is train hard and hope that hard work pays off.”

With James Tamou and Tim Browne added to the roster, while Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Sam McKendry return from season-ending injuries, it would be easy to assume that Leota would be put off by such competition.

But rather than being deterred, the 21-year old prop, is instead excited by the prospect of playing alongside the likes of Tamou.

“It’s unreal having James here,” Leota declared.

Moses Leota charges into the Manly defence. Credit: 77 Media.

“He’s a big inspiration as I looked up to him as a young kid and it’s given me a big boost for the season ahead confidence-wise.”

Despite the challenges that lay ahead for Leota to add to his four NRL appearances to date, the St Marys junior isn’t adverse to hard work and sacrifice, having made the ultimate decision to leave his family in New Zealand as a 13-year old to live in Australia.

And it’s his family that Leota credits for giving him the inspiration to persevere and overcome the hurdles he encountered in the journey to becoming a NRL footballer, especially the formative years where he juggled football and work commitments.

“My family is everything to me and they give me the support that I need in order to move forward in life,” Moses exclaimed.

“They’re my motivation. They’ve played a big part of what I’ve done.

“The journey has been a massive climb for me.

“I started off as a brickie’s labourer and did that for three years.

“Juggling the two, footy and work, it was hard for me.

“But I got through it and it paid off in the end when I got to make my (NRL) debut.”

GOLDEN POINTS WITH STEW MOSES

@THERIFFMARN

PANTHERS DENY BEING IN THE HUNT FOR BRONCO BEN Speculation was rife last week that Penrith were in the hunt (pardon the pun) to snare Broncos halfback, Ben Hunt.

Hunt, who comes off contract at the end of the season, is said to have already attracted a million dollar a season offer from a St GeorgeIllawarra side desperate to find a halves partner for Gareth Widdop.

An interview on the Big Sports Breakfast last Wednesday, saw coach Anthony Griffin deny interest in reuniting with his former player, stating he was backing Nathan Cleary and Te Maire Martin, but that didn’t deter media reports that broke later that night suggesting the Panthers were indeed interested in securing the halfback.

The club responded with a media statement last Friday denying such interest, but the media instead suggested that it was Hunt and not the club that wasn’t interested.

However whilst told that there was initial interest, that interest ended when it became apparent the dollars required to secure Hunt’s value were beyond Penrith’s means.

Penrith’s means with Hunt favoured to head to St George-Illawarra unless the Broncos go close to matching their offer.

Sticking with the Broncos, they could yet spark another round of pre-season player transfers, if reports coming out of the Newcastle media are correct - and it could involve an ex-Panther.

Korbin Sims is said to want out of the Knights with Brisbane his preferred club, which could allow the Knights to make a play for the recently released Panther forward, Chris Grevsmuhl.

Grevsmuhl is also said to be attracting interest from St GeorgeIllawarra and the Gold Coast Titans, but whatever club signs the

Will Chris Grevsmuhl become a Knight in 2017? Credit: 77 Media.

former Panther, it will be subject to final clearance from the NRL (if not already given that is).

But despite Grevsmuhl’s departure creating salary cap space for Penrith, Panthers Executive General Manager, Phil Gould AM, took to social media to deny reports that the club was set to sign forwards Anthony Tupou and Nathan Green.

Expect negotiations to ramp up in coming weeks between the club and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, with the Kiwi international expected to sign off on a new two-year deal that was first offered pre-Christmas, which would take the number of players contracted beyond 2018 to 16.

In lower grades news, Penrith have made a further addition to their ISP

squad, with former Parramatta and Wests Tigers Holden Cup outside back Mason Cerruto joining the ranks.

Penrith), are also yet to be finalised, but are expected to be released within the next week.

With the future of 2003 World Cup Challenge opponents, Bradford Bulls, far from resolved, former Penrith lower grades fullback, Kieran Moss has signed with UK Championship rivals, Hull Kingston Rovers for 2017.

Hull KR has a real Panthers feel about them, with Panthers legend Tim Sheens at the helm as coach, while ex-Panthers Mitch Clark, Andrew Heffernan, Jake ButlerFleming and now Moss amongst their playing ranks.

Congratulations to Moses Leota and partner Stella Funaki, who welcomed into the world baby daughter, Aiva Teresa, last Saturday afternoon.

It must be pleasing for coach Anthony Griffin to have his Four Nations participants Matt Moylan, Trent Merrin, Te Maire Martin, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and James FisherHarris back at training.

On the injury front, only Josh Mansour (knee) remains in rehab, while Tim Browne, Sam McKendry and Peta Hiku have yet to return to full training, but are expected to be ready for the trials.

In further good news for the club, Dean Whare has re-commenced full training.

Confirmation came preChristmas that ex-Panthers coach, Steve Georgallis will coach the Bulldogs in the Intrust Super Premiership for 2018.

Speaking of the Intrust Super Premiership, it’s now mid-January and the competition draw, along with that of the Ron Massey Cup and Sydney Shield are still to be released, with kick-off less than two months away.

Junior rep draws, along with that of the newly formed Tarsha Gale Cup for Under 18’s women (which includes

27 Nepean News 19 January 2017 Issue 192

penrith panthers

With less than three weeks to go before the Auckland Nines (Feb 4-5) take place, the club is not expected to release their squad until at least next week.

Good news for members with Penrith announcing an open training session and free sausage sizzle at the Academy next Tuesday 24th January between 1:15pm and 2:15pm.

This follows up this week’s trip to Port Macquarie for a pre-season training camp that includes a number of public appearances.

Having arrived yesterday, the Panthers will today conduct a junior coaching clinic at Port Macquarie Regional Stadium (the scene of their 2012 trial versus Newcastle) before hosting a signing session at Port Macquarie Panthers (which opened a merchandise store just before Christmas), before finishing up with a Sportsman’s Lunch tomorrow.

No sooner had we caught up for a chat with retired Panther, Nigel Plum comes news that the former hard-hitting forward has resigned from the bank and will move his family back to the country to call Griffith home, where he will take up a welfare role with the Clontarf Foundation, working closely with Griffith High School. Good luck Plummy!

See you at a game. #PantherPride

24 HOURS

Powersmart ELECTRICAL

The Best In The West DOMESTIC | INDUSTRIAL COMMERCIAL

9673 6766 | 0415 982 093

28 Nepean News 19 January 2017 Issue 192

THUNDER To say the sixth instalment of the Big Bash League has been a rollercoaster ride for both the defending champion Sydney Thunder teams is an understatement to say the least.

The Men’s team couldn’t have gotten off to a worse start.

A crushing nine-wicket loss at home to cross-town rivals, the Sydney Sixers, was quickly followed by a 49 run loss away to the Renegades.

A much-needed victory at home over the Brisbane who were at one point 6/63 chasing 161, was then snatched away by a combination of insane power-hitting by Chris “Lynnsanity” Lynn and multiple Thunder blunders in the outfield.

And one could have been excused for thinking the Thunder were suffering a New Year’s Eve hangover losing by 50 runs in Perth at the hands of the Scorchers.

Cue Game 5 of the season at Spotless Stadium against the star-studded Stars, featuring the likes of Kevin Pietersen, Glenn Maxwell, James Faulkner, David Hussey, Adam Zampa and Ben Hilfenhaus.

Early on the Stars were set to score 200 plus with “KP,” yet again having the bowling attack at his mercy especially

when out-of-form star import Andre Russell succumbed to a season-ending hamstring injury.

But playing for their season, the Thunder rallied when Shane Watson, who just a week earlier dropped a catch you’d expect a junior cricketer to take, redeemed himself with a brilliant catch off his own bowling to dismiss Pietersen.

While Eion Morgan’s last-ball six earned much of the plaudits for resuscitating the Thunder’s title defence, truth be known had the Thunder bowlers not restricted the Stars to 5/20 in the closing five overs, Morgan would not have had a reachable target to chase down.

Game Six saw the much needed injection of replacement imports James Vince and Carlos Braithwaite as the Thunder looked to defeat bogey team,

Hobart for the first time in six attempts.

Having restricted the Hurricanes to a modest score, the Thunder shrugged off the mantle of being the worst team in the batting power-plays thanks largely to Vince before skipper Shane Watson blasted his way back into form with the bat to lead his side to an empathic win.

Cue the second instalment of the Sydney Smash, this time on the hallowed turf of the SCG in front of 40,000 fans.

A win for the Sixers would secure their place in the finals but the Thunder, minus Pat Cummins, had other ideas.

Fawar Ahmed and “dabbing” enthusiast Carlos Braithwaite took seven wickets between them to destroy the much-vaunted Sixers batting lineup in a five-over period that saw them collapse from 2/52 to 8/67.

It was game over in just ten overs as

the Thunder again smashed their way to a win and in the process, continued to bring their net run rate and their season back from the brink.

The scenario now for finals qualification is simple.

Defeat the Adelaide Strikers at home on Wednesday night.

Then hope the Brisbane Heat and Melbourne Stars can defeat the Melbourne Renegades and Sixers respectively, the latter having an inferior net run rate courtesy of the carnage inflicted by the Thunder last Saturday.

No matter what happens from here, should the Thunder make the finals, it will arguably rank as an even greater achievement then winning the title last season.

Unlike last year when the side won off the back of the likes of Mike Hussey, Jacques Kallis, Usman Khawaja, this season has been and still is a challenge.

Hussey and Kallis retired, Khawaja hasn’t been available, Watson’s season (with the bat) came to life only in Game Six after injury and an early form slump plagued his opening matches, Andre Russell’s

Nepean News TRADES & SERVICES PHONE 9834 5579 TO PLACE YOUR TRADE SERVICE AD PRINTERS

PAINTERS

APPLIANCES

GT’s Penrith Valley Painting Service findgarth@hotmail.com

0430 106 399 ABN 5411 933 9171 Licence 265238c

BINS

TRANSPORT

PARTY DECORATIONS

VIC’S MAXI TRANSPORT

Party Decoration

HIRE US FOR ALL YOUR BUS NEEDS!

Phone

4732 2195

Wedding & Events Management

✆ 0409 184 852 Unit 7/54-60 Links Rd, St Marys 2760 info@partydecoration.com.au

DRIVING SCHOOL

SAFE-TO DRIVE Driving Instructor

✆ 0409

184 852

PATIOS

Victor & Cathy Glanville

Mob: 0416

157 668

14/14-18 Preston St, Penrith enquiry@vicsmaxitransport.com.au

www.vicsmaxitransport.com.au

TREE SERVICES

lack of form and fitness and now the loss of legitimate all-rounder Pat Cummins to the Australian one-day side.

Even now there is talk that replacement import Carlos Braithwaite will miss the finals and instead return home should the Thunder qualify.

In their place, the lesser-names have stood up to be counted.

Ryan Gibson, Kurtis Patterson and Ben Rohrer with the bat and Chris Green and Fawar Ahmed with the ball have all made major contributions. Even Jay Lenton has been a revelation as the Thunder’s third-choice wicketkeeper.

The women’s team despite the addition of Indian star import Harmanpreet Kaur to an otherwise largely unchanged squad, haven’t been able to string a consistent run of wins together.

The main issue has been the over reliance on the likes of Stafanie Taylor, Alex Blackwell and Kaur to fire with the bat, often resulting in low scores when they don’t.

Further complicating matters has been the washout against Adelaide and

WITH STEW MOSES @THERIFFMARN

Photo Credits: Sydney Thunder except Mikayla Hinkley (supplied by Christian Triffitt).

the loss of a point due to slow over rates in defeating Brisbane.

All this means the Thunder must win their final two games against secondplaced Perth Scorchers and hope other results go their way.

From a Penrith perspective there’s never been more involvement in this latest BBL season.

Five men’s (Pat Cummins, Ryan Gibson – Thunder; Sam Billings, Jordan Silk – Sixers and Josh Lalor – Heat) and three women’s players (Mikayla Hinkley, Naomi Stalenberg, Stefanie Taylor Thunder) currently play or have played for the Penrith Cricket Club.

Their fortunes this season are mixed.

Ryan Gibson made a fifty on

debut but hasn’t had many chances with the bat since.

Pat Cummins, has surprised with the bat but despite taking wickets has been expensive at times, before international duties prematurely ended his BBL season.

Sam Billings made several contributions with the bat for the Sixers before departing to fulfil commitments with the English oneday squad in India.

Jordan Silk, has gone from being one of the stars of BBL04, to making limited appearances with the Sixers.

Finally Josh Lalor’s side-strain injury has precluded him from playing but could feature in the Brisbane Heat’s last game before the finals.

For the women, Stefanie Taylor has had her moments but her batting has lacked the consistency shown last season.

Naomi Stalenberg has struggled to find the batting form that saw her selected for the Southern Stars a year ago.

Finally, Mikayla Hinkley, despite her Sydney Grade Cricket T20 form has yet to capitalise on her limited opportunities provided to date.

29 Nepean News 19 January 2017 Issue 192

RUMBLINGS

sport

Should the Sydney Thunder sell out their last home game against the Adelaide Strikers (and there’s every indication that they will) it will represent the first time in the Thunder’s history that all home games have been sold out.

On a lighter note, there’s been plenty of great post-match press conference quotes, but none better than Sydney Thunder coach Paddy Upton, who had this to say when asked whether Andre Russell should ditch the controversial black bat.

“I think it’s appropriate that Andre Russell has a big black bat.” #ThunderNation

Sports Scenes

(With Thanks to 77 Media)

This week, the lenses of 77 Media captured the dramatic conclusion to the two-day game between Penrith and Fairfield-Liverpool.

Coach Steve Small takes his entourage on a lap around Howell Oval to settle the nerves......

As Small, stops for a chat with boundary rider Ryan “Bomber” Smith

As a surprise Sydney Thunder omission, Gurinder Sandhu laughs along.

But isn’t laughing when the “Deniliquin Demon” unleashes hell to trap Sandhu plum in-front LBW for a third-ball duck.

Meanwhile the Penrith bowlers provide the “Chin Music” required for the Fairfield batsmen to do the Limbo.

Bombs Away as Smith strikes again, whipping Halse, Cummins and co into frenzied delight.

30

sport

Nepean News 19 January 2017 Issue 192

Blue Sox look to gain momentum

THE Sydney Blue Sox have had varying results throughout the 2016/17 Australian Baseball League (ABL) season. Currently sitting at 11 wins, 18 losses, the Blue Sox are still only two games from playoff contention.

Despite a solid start to the season, the Blue Sox have had challenges playing away from home, with two wins in twelve attempts. Sydney Blue Sox Manager and Penrith local, Jason Pospishil, knows that trend needs to reverse if the Club is any chance of the playoffs.

“Consistency is definitely the key for the second half of the season,” Pospishil said.

“We’ve been so close in lots of matches this season, we’ve got to find a way to win those games.”

Although the scoreboard might indicate otherwise, the Blue Sox have seen strong performances from the squad and seven of the roster were selected to play in the ABL All-star Game in December.

Overseas stars Malik Collymore (19 Runs Batted In and 11 Stolen Bases) and Stone Garrett (six homeruns) have been lighting up the League and leading the Blue Sox on offense.

Garrett, a prospect of the Miami Marlins organisation, has been enjoying his time in Australia.

“The experience has been great, it’s a good schedule for playing baseball and seeing the country,” Garrett stated.

“My goals for the remainder of the season are to

St Clair Junior Rugby League Club PLAYERS REQUIRED Under 6’s (can start playing when they turn 4 years old) up to A Grade

have quality at-bats and hit the ball to all parts of the field.”

German pitcher, and Los Angeles Dodgers prospect, Sven Schueller is confident the Blue Sox will find that winning feeling soon.

“We went to Brisbane aiming to claim a win on the road,” Schueller said.

“We need to now take momentum into our next home series against Canberra.”

The Blue Sox take on the Canberra Cavalry in their final home series at Blue Sox Stadium, Friday January 20th – Sunday January 22nd.

For more information and to book your tickets visit www.sydneybluesox.com.au

NORMAN’S SCRAP METALS CASH FOR SCRAP

NOW AVAILABLE 30 Ton Weighbridge at our Penrith site

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

Free Call 1800 225 235

ALSO LOOKING TO FIELD GIRLS SIDES FROM UNDER 6’s UPWARDS INCLUDING GIRLS OPEN 2017 REGISTRATION INFORMATION DAYS Saturday Players ONLY pick up your gear at Peppertree Reserve (Cnr Peppertree & Swallow Drive Erskine Park) Saturday 4th, Sunday 5th Feb and Sunday 19th Feb 10.00am to 3.00pm

ALL REGISTRATIONS AND PAYMENTS ARE NOW ON LINE. VISIT OUR WEB PAGE AND FOLLOW THE LINKS or go to playnrl.com/register and press Play Training starts the week of 6th Feb. All players welcome.

See web page for times and details.

VIC’S MAXI TRANSPORT HIRE US FOR ALL YOUR BUS NEEDS!

For Further Enquiries please contact: Registrar: Michael Zammit : Mobile 0412 531 935 Email – mzammo@clubtelco.com Secretary: Bill Borg : Mobile 0425 226 683 Email - bill@stclairjrlc.org.au more details on the web page

www.stclaircomets.com.au All NEW players will be require a Birth Certificate or Passport.

FREE SHORTS, SOCKS & POLO SHIRT WHEN REGISTRATION FEES PAID

A Grade and C Grade training on Tuesday and Thursday 6.30pm at Solander Drive St Clair

Phone

4732 2195 Victor & Cathy Glanville

Mob: 0416

157 668

14/14-18 Preston St, Penrith enquiry@vicsmaxitransport.com.au

www.vicsmaxitransport.com.au

BEHIND THE STUMPS

WITH STEW MOSES @THERIFFMARN

PENRITH’S FINALS INTENTIONS ARE LOUDON CLEAR WITH BACK-TO-BACK WINS In AW Green Shield action, Penrith have put the prePenrith’s Under 16 side has Christmas disappointment of a qualified in 7th position and will comprehensive one-day loss at the take on St George this Sunday in hands of Bankstown, to open their the quarter finals.

2017 account with back-to-back The Black Cats overcame a slow wins over competition strugglers, start to their campaign, recording Campbelltown-Camden and four wins from their last five Fairfield-Liverpool. matches and will be looking for The five-wicket win over the revenge against a St George side Ghosts in a one-day fixture at Raby that dismissed Penrith for just 68 Oval, followed up by a dramatic runs back in Round Five. five-run win over the Lions in a seesawing affair at home last SaturdayAfter initial fears that a side-strain Sunday, sees Penrith (eighth) just injury suffered by bowler, Josh one point out of the top six.

Lalor in the Sunshine Coast Smash And with a two-day game at Jake Wholohan, see here bowling, held the innings together late on Day One, scoring a career high 60*. Credit: 77 Media. pre-season games against Hobart, Howell Oval against seventeenthwould not only rule him out for the placed St George coming up over the next two Saturdays, the Black Cats could find of Penrith’s younger players stepped up, a point not entire Big Bash League season but would also result in themselves inside the top six with another win, despite lost on coach Steve Small as he looks ahead to the two- a delayed return to the Black Cats, the Penrith quick has returned to training and is set to return tomorrow coming up against the likes of Trent Copeland and day game against St George.

“It’s very pleasing that some of our young guys for the Heat’s clash with the Renegades. possibly Kurtis Patterson.

First up was the decisive one-day over winless stood up this game and that all goes well in our future In further good news for the Black Cats, allCampbelltown-Camden, achieved in less than 72 in this competition,” Small declared.

“Things didn’t look that great here this afternoon. rounder Mick Castle (ruptured disc) is set to resume overs of play, earning a bonus point in the process.

Batting first, the home side were dismissed for 124 But young Loudon broke the game open for us late training this week and has targeted the Round 12 with skipper Matthew Halse tripling his grade output and Smith helped as well (taking three wickets for the local derby with Hawkesbury, where he will play as game). a batsman for the remainder of the season. (excluding T20 games) with a four-wicket haul.

“This win keeps our season alive and we’ve got St Penrith did the job in just the 28th over, with Sydney An imposing 90 from skipper Mikayla Hinkley Sixer and one-time regular Jordan Silk, making a George next and despite their position, there’s no easy last Sunday week has been the highlight of a mixed cameo appearance with the bat, remaining unbeaten games.”

“St George are a history team, a history club and fortnight for Penrith’s two T20 teams. on 25 after Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s improved form we’ve got to stand up to them if we want to keep our Hinkley’s innings which featured seven fours and continued with a near run-a-ball 46. four sixes, wasn’t enough as St George chased down Then last weekend, it was a game of firsts for many season alive.”

Penrith Black’s total of 6/120. within the Penrith side, when they hosted FairfieldWhile first grade have recorded back-to-back The following week saw the two Penrith teams go Liverpool.

Batting first against a fired-up Gurinder Sandhu, wins, the club’s lower grades weren’t so lucky, head-to-head and it was Penrith White, backing up who was surprisingly left out of the Thunder’s 13-man with one-day losses in seconds, thirds and fifths from the week before’s win over Northern Districts squad for their clash with the Sydney Sixers that same to Fairfield last Saturday, hampering Penrith’s that took the honours.

But with four rounds remaining both Penrith Black day, Penrith managed to scrape together 9/284 with aspirations in retaining its club championship title, Ryan Hackney (62) top scoring with his maiden fifty with the club in second position, 69 points behind (eleventh) and White (tenth) teams are unlikely to Northern Districts. feature in the T20 Grand Final. in the top grade.

But all grades are either in or within the top six Not to be outdone, Jake Wholohan (60 not out) also In representative news, three female Penrith scored his maiden fifty while Jonathan Sammut’s form with seconds currently in 8th position, thirds (2nd), particularly at Howell Oval continued, scoring 54 fourths (3rd), and fifths (2nd). In fact fifths have cricketers; Lisa Griffith, Amy Edgar and Laura while Sandhu responded positively to his omission, surrendered top spot having not won since Round Avard represented NSW Country in the recent 7 in early December, on the back of two of their last Australian Country Championships in Wollongong. taking 6/92.

Although beaten by Victoria Country in the semiFairfield enjoyed the better of the outfield conditions three games washed out. final, Griffith, who captained the side was later and looked set to romp home to victory having reached Good news for Penrith’s Poidevin-Gray side, whose named in the Australian Country XI. 5/252.

But the rookie fast bowler from Deniliquin, unbeaten runs extended to five matches, after defeating Off the field and while Penrith are yet to confirm Brenton Loudon had other ideas. Handed the new ball Fairfield-Liverpool last Sunday week.

Captain Cameron Weir continued his sublime form, their annual Captains’ Luncheon, the club can confirm responsibilities in his maiden bowling effort in the top grade, Loudon destroyed the Lions middle and lower scoring his third consecutive century to lead the Black that a Trivia Night will be held at Howell Oval on order taking four of the last five wickets to fall to hand Cats to third place and be all but qualified for the Saturday February 4, with friends, family and sponsors quarter finals, with one match remaining to be played all welcome to attend.

Penrith an improbable yet important victory. #LoveTheCats Loudon’s performance capped a game where many this Sunday away to Western Suburbs.

OFFER ENDS 28TH FEBRUARY 2017

Offer ends 28/2/2017. See in Store for Terms and Conditions.

31 Nepean News 19 January 2017 Issue 192

sport

sport

Thursday, 19 January 2017

Loudon: Penrith’s man of the hour

By Stewart Moses @TheRiffMarn

PENRITH has heralded the arrival of quick bowler, Brenton Loudon, whose devastating four-wicket spell with the second new-ball saw the home side earn a dramatic five-run win last Sunday.

Fairfield were seemingly coasting to victory at 5/252 and needing just 33 runs for victory.

But Loudon, who took 4/60 for the match including just 4/13 in his match-winning spell, says he still can’t believe he took one wicket let alone four, before adding that although surprised to be given the responsibility of taking the second new ball, he was determined to back himself.

“It was unrealistic at the time (to be thinking four wickets) to be honest,” Loudon explained.

“But I backed myself (once given the new ball) without putting too much pressure.

“I kept going, stuck to what I normally do with the ball and just tried

Brenton Loudon in full flight during his match-winning spell. Credit: 77 Media.

to keep the dots up and try not to let too may runs through.

“But I didn’t think I would actually take one wicket the way it was looking, but I was pretty excited to take four wickets especially that last one that won us the match.”

The four wicket haul for the game was even more remarkable given Loudon, who hails from Deniliquin, had never previously bowled in the top grade despite having made his first grade debut as an un-used batsman back in Round 7 against Gordon.

In fact Loudon could have lost to the game altogether had he gone done the AFL path, having been a part of the GWS Giants development system as an eighteen-year old, a fact not lost on

Penrith’s latest bowling sensation who says he wants to fully focus on cricket now.

“I played a lot of AFL since I was 12,” Loudon said.

“I’ve played every season since and I even went through their (GWS Giants) academies and did all the under 18’s with them but I was more interested in cricket and didn’t go down that path as a result.

“I travel back home to Deniliquin to play AFL in the off-season, but I don’t think I’ll play this off-season.

Loudon equally could have been lost to the Sydney Grade Cricket having joined Penrith two seasons back only to return home for personal reasons last season.

But having returned to start this season in third grade, the short period of time it has taken for Loudon to achieve his season’s goal of playing in the top grade has come as a surprise even for the fast bowler himself.

“I started in third grade, so it’s been some rise as I wasn’t expecting it (to play first grade) to be honest,” Loudon declared.

“A couple of weeks ago when I got told I was playing first grade I couldn’t believe it and pretty excited as it’s been my goal this year to try and play first grade.

Loudon’s efforts with the ball drew plenty of praise from first grade coach Steve Small, who added that the best is yet to come from the Deniliquin product.

“Things didn’t look that great here this afternoon but young Loudon broke the game open for us late,” Small said.

“He’s only slight but has fast hand action and if we can build him up a little bit we would probably get another 1-2 yards out of him in pace given that he has a lot of potential.”

WHO CAN YOU TRUST? REDBACK AUTOMOTIVES HAS BEEN A TRUSTED PART OF PENRITH FOR OVER 10 YEARS

www.redbackautomotives.com

You can trust Redback Automotive to do it right the first time You can trust our prices and our service is second to none

E C I R P FIXED ICE SERV cted)

y prote warrant

(

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Cnr Castlereagh Rd & Luggard St

PENRITH

Senior discounts apply Blue and Pink Slips incl. L.P.G Loan car available Wheel Alignments All mechanical repairs Experienced in all local & European made vehicles

LOG BOOK SERV

ICE

With every SERVICE receive FREE 6 months national ROADSIDE assistance

WE DON’T BITE!

Ph: 4731

1110