Marking its 10th anniversary, national road Safety Week is on until May 21, and serves to remind all road users of the devastating impact road trauma has on individuals, families, and communities.
according to the australian road Deaths Database, road crashes are one of the leading causes of death and injury in australia, with 1,187 people killed and over 40,000 seriously injured in road crashes in 2022 alone.
Penrith Mayor Tricia Hitchen said the statistics were quite confronting and underscores the need for everyone to take responsibility for their actions and make safer choices on the roads.
“Penrith City Council is committed to improving road safety and reducing the number of deaths and injuries on our roads,’ Cr Hitchen said.
“all levels of government are investing in road infrastructure, education, and enforcement to make our roads safer for everyone, however we need all road users to take responsibility for their actions on our roads.”
This year’s national road Safety Week is calling on all Australians to reflect on the ways we can make our roads safer and to take action to prevent road trauma.
“We all have a role to play in reducing road trauma and making our roads safer. Whether we are drivers, passengers, bike riders, or pedestrians, we must all take responsibility for our actions and make safer choices on our roads,” Cr Hitchen said.
During national road Safety Week, the community is encouraged to remember those who
have lost their lives on our roads, to reflect on how we can make our roads safer, and to take action to make a difference.
“Together, we can make a real difference and save lives on our roads. Let us all commit to being safer road users and working towards a future with zero road fatalities,” Cr Hitchen added.
The week-long event aims to raise awareness about the importance of road safety and encourage all australians to play their part in making our roads safer.
For more information about national road Safety Week, go to: https://roadsafetyweek.com.au/
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Last week we celebrated International Nurses Day and International Day of the Midwife.
after an incredible 47-year nursing career, and just over two years as Director of Nursing and Midwifery at BMDH, Marie Baxter is retiring. she looks forward to going back to visit her UK homeland in the coming months and spending more time with her daughter and grandchildren.
“When I was 13, I had to stay in a hospital for 10 days that was two hours from home, so I spent much of the time alone. there was this nurse who was absolutely gorgeous – her hair, her hat; she was kind, and she knew that I didn’t have family with me all the time, so she made a point of spending extra time with me,” Marie said.
“When I came home, I said to my mum, “I think I want to be a nurse”
“One year on Christmas Eve, a gentleman came in for emergency surgery for the removal of his bowel. I spent Christmas day with him and his wife, and I helped to make his Christmas as comfortable as possible. I moved jobs a fair bit during my time
in Perth, but he would always find me and bring me a Christmas present, no matter which hospital I worked at as an ongoing thank you.
“another gentleman I looked after had a daughter who was soon getting married. It was a complex case and he was really sick and didn’t think he could make it down the aisle. I said to him, “you have to do it, your daughter can’t walk down the aisle without you”. It took us six weeks to get him to walk down the full length of the corridor so we knew he could walk the aisle; but he did it!
“I believe what makes a good nurse is honesty, openness, having adaptability to any situation, and being able to listen, even when it’s a difficult conversation. You need to be able to hear what the person in your care is saying so you can help them.
“as a nurse, it’s important to remember that you’re not doing it on your own. some days are really hard both physically and emotionally, but you’re part of a team and you’re all there to support each other.
“I’m really going to miss the people at Blacktown Mount Druitt Hospital (BMDH); the friendships and the daily interactions I have at work.
“I’ve really had the best job in the world.”
After years of restoration works and anticipation, the historic Zig Zag railway in the NSW town of Lithgow will reopen to the public on the weekend of Saturday 27th May and 28th May.
Dozens of volunteers and staff have been working tirelessly to remodel and repaint train carriages, renovate the station building, install an on-site cafe and carry out safety checks to ensure the railway is ready to welcome back families and rail enthusiasts alike.
Zig Zag railway Acting CeO Daniel Zolfel said the rebirth of the railway would not be possible without the volunteers behind it, along with the support of the local community and all levels of government.
“It’s an honour and a privilege to lead the Zig Zag railway into the next chapter as a national icon,” said Mr Zolfel.
“Some of my earliest and fondest memories are of Zig Zag and one of the driving forces behind me getting involved initially as a volunteer was so that I could leave it behind for my own children,” he added.
Zig Zag railway Chairman Lee Burton said it’s an
exciting time for everyone involved.
“I’m immensely proud of the work all of our volunteers, the senior leadership team and our small number of staff have executed on behalf of the Zig Zag railway board,” said Mr Burton.
“I can’t wait to once again share our historic railway with not only the people of Lithgow and NSW but from all over Australia and beyond,” he added.
The Railway first opened in the 1860s as the first rail link between Sydney and Western NSW, but closed in 1910 following a deviation of the main line to by-pass the inefficient ‘zig zag’. It was resurrected in the 1970s by volunteers who banded together to create the not-for-profit Zig Zag Railway Co-Op before closing in 2012.
Despite setbacks, including a horror run with bushfires in 2013 and 2019, coupled with floods, vandalism and recent storm damage, volunteers have been working tirelessly to return the railway to passenger services by restoring locomotives, carriages and kilometres of track. It’s now full steam ahead for Australia’s most iconic tourist railway.
“Passengers will be able to take in the experience onboard steam locomotive AC16 218, affectionately known as ‘The Yank’. Weighing in at 54,000 kilograms, it is one of two of the surviving class of
20 imported to Australia from the U.S. as part of the war effort in 1943,” said Mr Zolfel.
“We’ll be running three trips on Saturdays and Sundays every fortnight, with passengers taking the 90 minute journey which traverses the seven-and-ahalf kilometre track, travelling through tunnels and over the viaducts with two stops along the way,” he said.
“Passengers will get to see first-hand how locomotives used to operate during Australia’s steam train era, as a volunteer fireman shovels coal into the train’s red-hot firebox.”
Ticket prices will be $45 for adults, $27.50 for children (3- 12 yrs) and concession card holders, or $120 for a family of four.
the Zig Zag railway is staffed by dozens of active volunteers who have all received extensive professional training as part of the railway’s completely revamped safety management systeman industry best-practice model that sees the Zig Zag return as one of the safest railways of its type in the world.
Zig Zag would like to thank all of its community and government partners for their support and funding over the years as we reopen.
for more information visit the Zig Zag railway https://zigzagrailway.au
Western sydney International Airport
(WsI) is connecting universities and our tech leaders to drive innovation and create future jobs in Western sydney.
Under a new partnership with Western sydney University, students from the University’s school of Computer, Data and Mathematical sciences are working on a capstone project with WsI.
WsI CeO simon Hickey said that emerging technologies and smart ways to use data at sydney’s new airport will revolutionise the travel experience for first time flyers.
“It’s exciting for us to be able to draw on the skills and creativity of Western sydney’s bright young minds to deliver a great airport experience,” said Mr Hickey.
“Aspiring tech researchers will capture vital data to help us inform airport operations and deliver a superior customer experience at sydney’s newest gateway.”
WsI’s technology partner, DXC technology, is key to enabling this fresh approach to problem solving, enabling WsI to leverage young talent whilst helping Cyber security and networked systems Major students develop industry-based, jobready skills.
top mentors from DXC technology are taking the students through an agile software development process and working on new bespoke Majors with Western sydney University
to upskill students for tomorrow’s jobs.
the student’s mentors also include tech startup company founders supported through the University’s Launch Pad technology Business Incubator to drive innovation in solving problems and creating solutions.
speaking at the CanterburyBankstown Business Chamber Business After 5 event, Mr Hickey announced the initiative and told around 500 guests that WsI has opened the door to exciting new possibilities in Western sydney for everyone.
“The airport will redefine and reshape our region, pulling the centre of economic gravity toward the west, bringing with it not just more jobs, but higher-quality, higher paying
Are you a local not-for-profit organisation or charity that works on projects that address specific community welfare and social services, community development, health services and employment assistant activities?
Penrith ClubGrAnts’ application period closes Friday 19 May 2023!
each year, registered Clubs across nsW provide support to tens of thousands of local community organisations and charities that make a difference in their local area. the Penrith ClubGrAnts Cat. 1 Funding round enables the delivery of various projects across the community.
to be eligible, applicants must:
• be a not-for-profit organisation
• have projects that address specific community welfare and social services, community development, health services and employment assistant activities
• also have projects that are aimed at improving the living standards of low income and disadvantaged people.
the application is online. Find out more and apply at www.penrithcity.nsw.gov. au/community-library/community/ grants#quick-link-5
the application period closes Friday 19 May 2023.
jobs,” he said.
“People will no longer have to travel to the east to be a software engineer, a university lecturer or even a CeO. the transformation underway means these jobs are coming to sydney’s West. “
Western sydney University said the innovative partnership is bringing together talented students from the University and connecting them with industry leaders to innovate around the future airport.
the partnership’s proactive approach is already seeing a new WsI internship-based Major, enterprise systems and Architectures, spearheaded by the Information and Communications technology Director of Academic Program at the University, Dr tomas trescak.
Don Wright, executive Director,
enterprise at Western sydney University, said the airport is driving once-in-a-lifetime investment and opportunity in sydney’s West.
“In partnering with Western sydney International Airport and DXC technology, we can provide students with the opportunity to gain hands on experience within this exciting project,” said Mr Wright.
“As part of the collaborative partnership, the group of students has developed an innovative, datadriven solution to a real-world brief, contributing their skills and network building as part of the immersive experience.”
The first project will be completed in June this year, with the intention to increase student participation and expand it across other professions at WsI.
AMULtI-MILLIOn dollar upgrade is set to transform regatta Park at the nepean river into the new focal point for nature, leisure and recreation.
Work is underway to transform Penrith’s regatta Park into a focal point for nature, leisure and recreation in Western sydney. You can find out the latest project news below.
this project is being jointly funded by the Australian and new south Wales Governments and Penrith City Council under the Western sydney City Deal Liveability Program to create a community space that will be a destination for people across the region.
It will increase the appeal of this picturesque location by improving access, formalising recreation spaces and creating more opportunities for locals and visitors to experience and enjoy the area.
the eastern side of the park, from river road to the river foreshore, will feature:
• a 112-metre pavilion
• undercover water play
• kiosk
• a new amenities building
• an accessible pathway to the river foreshore, and
• several over-water viewing platforms.
the western side of the park, on the opposite side of river road, will feature:
• an adventure playspace
• outdoor gym
• a cricket oval
• landscaping, and
• a centralised car park.
An additional 400 trees are set to be planted throughout the precinct to increase Penrith’s green grid, provide natural shade as well as create a shaded link from Penrith’s City Centre to the nepean river. Find out more at: penrith.city/regattapark
We’ve got some amazing performers joining us at St Marys Lights
Up this Saturday 20 May!
From gravity-defying acrobats, stilt walkers, colourful hula hoopers, and spellbinding magicians, they certainly know how to entertain.
Live music performances on Coachmans Park stage by local artists ebony and Ivory and Olivia Dustmann will provide the perfect backdrop as you enjoy some delicious dinner and snacks.
Keep an eye out for our roving entertainment that is sure to surprise!
St Marys Lights Up
Saturday 20 May 4pm-9pm
Queen Street, St Marys
For more information go to www.penrith.city/events
As well as acting on the conveyance of property in NSW, we also act for NSW residents who wish to purchase or sell property in Victoria, ACT and Queensland
“We actually applied for these jobs together, our interviews were a day apart, and we did our training together.”
the Office of the General Manager and Taliyah is based in emergency, they still find time to catch up and discuss their busy days.
Sydney Zoo is heartbroken to announce the death of Maik, a beloved member of the zoo’s chimpanzee family.
The 33-year-old male passed away unexpectedly on Saturday afternoon due to acute heart failure. Heart failure is a major cause of death for great apes and is particularly a problem among ageing males.
“Maik was known for his playful
and curious nature, and his presence will be deeply missed by all who knew him. Our animal care team are grieving for Maik who brought so much hope for his endangered species,” a spokesperson from Sydney Zoo stated.
Members and guests are encouraged to leave messages of condolences and support for the team on the Sydney Zoo Facebook page.
Introducing Jacqueline Behrens and her daughter Taliyah from Blacktown and Mount druitt Hospitals!
Jacqueline has worked with WSLHd collectively for over 10 years and returned to the district, with her daughter joining her, about a year and a half ago.
The pair love working at BMdH together as administrative staff, and said that while Jacqueline works in
“It helps that we can debrief with each other because we understand what the other person is going through. Having worked in similar settings, I can appreciate the many emotions of the job,” Jacqueline said.
This is Taliyah’s first job in health, and she is balancing work, an internship and study while she is in her third year of a psychology degree.
“I definitely see myself staying in health for quite a long time.”
Suicide is the leading cause of death in Australia for anyone under the age of 44 years. Nepean Blue Mountains Primary Health Network (NBMPHN) is taking a communitywide approach to suicide prevention in our region, which includes supporting various free training opportunities in suicide prevention for health professionals and the community.
The first of this training starts in May and is delivered by LivingWorks Australia and funded by NSW Health. The training is available to anyone aged 15 years or older living in the Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury, Lithgow and Penrith areas.
“We know that friends and family are well-placed to help prevent suicide, however research shows that they often lack knowledge and confidence in their ability to intervene. This training will help equip both community members and health professionals with the skills and knowledge to have safe conversations with people about suicide, and to learn how to refer them to appropriate support when needed,” a spokesperson from NBMPHN said.
CPD points for Teachers, Counsellors, Community Workers and Social Workers are available.
LivingWorks upcoming training in May-July includes:
• SafeTALK
Anyone 15 years plus can attend this half-day workshop that will prepare you to become a suicide-alert helper. SafeTALK-trained helpers can recognise the signs of those at risk of suicide and take action by connecting them with life-saving intervention resources, such as caregivers trained in ASiST.
• SafeTALK LGBTQIA+
This half-day SafeTalk workshop has been tailored specifically for LGBTQIA+ people, families, and communities with LGBTQIA+ safe intervention resources.
• ASIST (Assisted Suicide Intervention Skills Training)
Anyone 16 years plus can attend this two-day interactive workshop regardless of prior experience or training. You will learn suicide first-aid through powerful audio-visual learning aids, group discussions, skills practice and development through trainer-facilitated workgroups.
• I-ASIST (Indigenous - ASIST)
This three-day ASiST workshop was designed with indigenous leadership and consultation to develop suicide intervention training specifically for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
NBMPHN encourage you to register for any of these upcoming opportunities via our events page and to share these opportunities with your networks.
Wednesday 24 May, 12pm
Face-to-face
SafeTALK LGBTQIA+
Learn to recognise when people have thoughts of suicide and how to respond in ways that link them with further suicide intervention. Tailored specifically for LGBTQIA+ people, families, and communities. Held at Springwood Sports Club.
Read more go to:
https://livingworks.com.au/programs/safetalk
Thursday 25-26 May, 9am-5pm
Face-to-face
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) Learn an evidence-based intervention model to intervene and help prevent the immediate risk of suicide. Held at St Marys Band Club.
Read more go to: https://livingworks.com.au/programs/asist/
Saturday 3 June, 9am-1pm
Face-to-face
SafeTALK
Learn to recognise when people have thoughts of suicide and how to respond in ways that link them with further suicide intervention. Held at St Marys Rugby League Club.
Read more go to:
https://nbmphn.com.au/events/safetalk
Across our Local Health District volunteers in a variety of roles make an enormous difference to quality of care.
From hospital-based roles to caring for people in the community, volunteering is an essential part of healthcare in Australia. It benefits all of us – from patients and families to healthcare staff, as well as the volunteers themselves, who give their time for the invaluable reward of helping others.
Join us this week in thanking all of our amazing volunteers across
the District and read the stories ofjust a few in the gallery of images below. For general information, including about how to volunteer, check out our website: www.nsw.gov.au/health/ nbmlhd/get-involved/volunteering# :~:text=Contact%2520the%2520vo lunteer%2520office%2520on,launc h%252C%2520available%2520free %2520to%2520volunteers
Volunteer roles at Nepean Hospital include hospital guides and assistants in our shop, on the wards and in the archives, and as part of our fundraising team.
“Ijustlovecominginahelpingpeople,” says Estelle, one of our volunteers at Nepean Hospital.
“It’s the people that make it special –the visitors, the staff and the patients, as well as the other volunteers.”
If you are interested in volunteering at Nepean Hospital, please contact the volunteer office on (02) 4734 3683, open Monday to Friday 8am to 2ppm, to register your interest.
The Nepean cancer and Wellness centre is supported by a team of wonderful volunteers, including Margaret, Alex and Bev.
Margaret: “There’s a lot of information and supports that patients and carers often don’t know about, and we can help provide that information.”
Alex: “I make sure people are comfortable, and it’s not all serious
work. There’s a lot of beautiful moments where you find joy and can give joy to the patients and families.”
Bev: “We don’t have to talk about cancer, people often just like a chat, and there’s a lot of single people who come in and have no one else at home.”
Natalia (volunteer coordinator): “It’s having a familiar face that’s often important. These beautiful volunteers can often make all the difference when someone comes into the cancer centre”. For further information contact NBMLHD-Volunteers@health.nsw. gov.au or through our external partner the cancer council, by emailing Natalia.arnas@nswcc.org.au
To coincide with National Volunteer Week, 17 Year 11 students from Penrith Anglican college were presented with their Certificate I in Active Volunteering (cHc14015) attained during 2022. This Certificate is a vocational course and nationally recognised qualification.
Mrs Fiona Wright, Director of students 10-12 said: “Year 10 students at the college are given the opportunity to enrol in the course and complete five units of work across the year.
- Be an Effective Volunteer
- communicate in the Workplace
- Work with Diverse People
- Use digital technology for simple workplace tasks
- Participate in Work Health and safety students participate in set days (Incursions) for each unit of work and, also, complete at least 20 hours of volunteer work over the year.”
student Ava Toland completed all the components of the course and received her Certificate 1 with 16 of her fellow students.
“Throughout the year we participated in practical activities such as role-playing situations we might face as volunteers and how to deal with them.
“Whilst the course was aimed at teaching us how to be good volunteers, a lot of the content crossed over with the how to be good employees. Every student took something from the course that they will use throughout their lives.
“The college provided many ways for students to achieve their 20 hours of volunteer work. I chose to complete my twenty hours outside of school. I helped coached a netball team outside of school hours for a whole netball season. It was heaps of fun and helped me develop many new skills such as organisation, and time management.”
Mrs Wright said: “serving others is something which we believe strongly in at the college. We want to extend our students beyond academics and offer ways in which they can develop their character and go into the community to make a difference for christ.”
Since 1937 camp Yarramundi has been providing outdoor education, camping and community engagement programs to groups across nSW, but over the last 10 years it is one camp in particular that has made one of the biggest impacts on both participants and outdoor instructors alike – that is Recovery camp.
Recovery camp is an innovative five-day mental health camp that changes lives through combining clinical placement students with people living with mental health issues, to offer an empowering and recovery-oriented experience.
The program, created by Professor Lorna Moxham and Dr Christopher Patterson from the University of Wollongong, focuses on building connection and community to provide opportunities for attendees to learn from one another.
“each Recovery camp is designed to be a collaborative program where health students and people living with mental health issues contribute in equal measure to the experience,” explained Dr Christopher Patterson from Recovery camp.
“Since 2013, Recovery camps have had a profound impact on the wellbeing and recovery experience of people living with mental health issues. We now have a family of over 900 people who have attended camp for their own mental health recovery. At the same time, Recovery camp has provided over 1,300 health students with over 108,000 hours of mental health clinical experience placement as well as insight into working with consumers with serious mental health conditions,” continued Dr Patterson.
This month marks Recovery camp’s 10th anniversary with camp Yarramundi hosting the very first camp in 2013. As the unofficial home of Recovery camp, the Y nSW and camp Yarramundi are proud to celebrate this incredible milestone.
nick Payne is the camp Yarramundi camping Manager and has been part
of the program since its inception a decade ago.
“One of the core values of the Y nSW is undertaking meaningful work and the Recovery camp program has always been strongly aligned to this value. To be working with Recovery camp for the last 10 years, to help change lives and shape the future of mental health care is a collaboration of which my team and i are particularly proud of,” explained Nick.
“Outdoor education is so much more than just having fun on an abseil, it’s about connection, collaboration and empowerment and Recovery camp at its core understands and leverages the true advantages of outdoor education and the therapeutic links to mental health,” he added.
Kaylene has attended all 35 Recovery camps over the past 10 years. The impact of these experiences on her personal and health journey has been lifechanging.
“Recovery camp has had a positive impact on my mental health. When I first attended, I had extreme social
anxiety and depression which had a significant impact on the way I communicated. After attending camps over time, I have built up confidence and skills to move through my social barriers that were preventing me from participating in activities and life in general,” said Kaylene.
“i realise now i’m not alone in my journey of recovery. camp has given me the strength to keep fighting to stay alive and out of hospital. i know now it is ok to fight this black hole and try to remember to take a little light to see my way back,” she continued.
Located on the heritage listed Grose River in the beautiful Hawkesbury Valley, YMcA camp Yarramundi prides itself on collaborating with Recovery camp to ensure the program meets the needs of participants and remains beneficial.
“Aside from getting to build strong relationships with our regular camp attendees, one of the best aspects of Recovery camp is the measurable impact that comes from the program,” added nick Payne from camp
Yarramundi.
“Over 30 peer reviewed journal articles have come from students at Recovery camp recording the improvements of mental health in participants as a direct result of the program. We don’t often get the chance to see the benefits of a camp once someone has left, but with Recovery camp not only do we get to watch participants flourish over the years but there is data to prove its impact.
“For us to have such a longstanding relationship with Recovery camp means the program is having its desired impact and continues to be a huge success in the mental health space. The benefits are also extended to our own team in their knowledge and confidence in offering inclusive outdoor education to people from all walks of life,” he concluded.
For more information on Recovery camp visit recoverycamp.com au. For more information on camp Yarramundi visit yarramundi. ymcansw.org.au/
cOUnciL will celebrate NAIDOC Week 2023 with a program of community activities and events taking place across the city from Sunday 2 to Sunday 9 July 2023. NAIDOC Week is an opportunity to celebrate the significance of our Aboriginal heritage and the important contribution Penrith’s Aboriginal population make in our community and across our vibrant city.
Don’t miss Council’s main NAIDOC event at Jamison Park on Friday, 7 July, between 10am and 3pm. This free community event will feature performances from First nations artists, market stalls, workshops, a free BBQ lunch and more. come along and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander culture, history and heritage!
Penrith NAIDOC 2023
Sunday 2 to Sunday 9 July 2023
Various locations
Find out more at https://fal.cn/3ygIh
additional calories. Carrying around extra kilos can affect your pets’ joints and mobility.
Exercise and play: Keep your pet warm and healthy during winter and prevent any extra kilos creeping on with plenty of exercise and fun games.
Regular Health Checks: Don’t forget to take your furry friend to the vet for a winter health check-up. Older pets in particular are susceptible to chilly temperatures and you may notice them start to slow down over the next few months.
As temperatures begin to drop, we find ourselves rugging up with warm jackets, scarves and extra blankets on our beds to keep us warm at night. But what about our pets, how can we keep them warm and cosy during the winter?
It is sometimes forgotten that our pets are just as accustomed to the warm weather and shelter of our indoor homes as we are. It is important to consider your pet’s wellbeing during the cooler months and the many things that you can do to keep your family pet warm and safe this winter.
We have some great and simple tips
on keeping your pet warm and healthy during the cooler months.
Warm and Comfy Bedding: Now is the time to reconsider where to house your pet overnight. Elevate your pet’s bed off the floor to make it more comfortable for them to rise from their bedding. If your dog sleeps outside ensure that it is protected from the elements and contains warm comfortable bedding.
Dress to Impress: Dog coats and vests are not just a fashion statement. They provide your dog with comfort and relief from the winter chill, just as a jumper does for us.
Maintain Grooming Regime: Don’t forget your pet still needs to be groomed during the winter months as well as the summer ones. Many pet parents leave their dogs and cats coats to grow long over winter in an attempt to keep them warm but this can lead to some skin problems, matting and long hours of brushing and trying to get those knots out. Ensure that your pet is comfortable and continue to get them clipped to a manageable length.
Diet: Avoid overfeeding your fur baby over the winter months as they may not be able to burn off the
Fresh Water: Pets still require plenty of fresh water in winter especially when they are spending time indoors as the heating can dehydrate them quickly. If you live in a particularly cold area, be sure to check your pet’s water bowl regularly to make sure that it has not iced over.
Love and Care: Lastly, a good belly rub or cuddle session never hurts. They love you unconditionally, so return the favour with extra love and care.
For more information on keeping your pets warm this Winter, contact the team at Orchard Hills Veterinary Hospital 4736 2027.
FrIENDs of Hawkesbury Companion Animal shelter seek the “extras” for the dogs and cats in care at Hawkesbury Pound. They also visit the pound each week and take photographs and temperament tests of the animals to post online and promote the animals. They upload their images and opinions of
these animals to Facebook, Twitter and Petrescue. To follow them, look them up on facebook and twitter.
For any inquires related to these animals at Hawkesbury Pound, please contact them directly on (02) 4560 4644.
radar is an older well behaved boy who will be just happy to spend his time with you. He is a very relaxed older boy who is really just looking for a family to give a lovely home to retire in. If you feel you can give radar the caring home that he deserves please come to the shelter to meet him.
Cost: $49.00 Age: 10 years
Type: Dog Breed: American staffy sex: Male
All prices include microchipping, lifetime council registration, desexing and 1st Vaccination. R251000145
Daisy is a typical puppy with a happy go lucky nature. she is bouncy, friendly and so much fun to be around. Daisy likes going for a walk but is still learning the lead and will blossom in her new home with some basic training and love.
You can meet Daisy anytime during open hours..
Cost: $424.65 Age: 14 weeks
Type: Dog Breed: staffy x sex: Female
All prices include microchipping, lifetime council registration, desexing and 1st Vaccination. R251000145
Bethany is a sweet little girl who loves lots of attention, so if you have been looking for a loving kitten to join your family please come to the shelter to meet Bethany.
Cost: $29.00 Age: 5 years
Type: Cat Breed: Domestic short Hair sex: Female
All prices include microchipping, lifetime council registration and 1st Vaccination. R251000145
Arenowned hospitality identity is heading up the recently renovated contemporary cafe at richmond Club, and operating richmond Club’s four relaunched function rooms available to hire for free for all richmond Club members.
richmond Club has partnered with Alpha Global Catering who bring more than 20 years experience in boutique service environments to the club, and the strength and professionalism of a team of more than 100 dedicated and meticulously trained staff, to relaunch cafes and spaces at the heart of the Hawkesbury community, the richmond Club.
Alpha Global Catering are the foodies behind the much loved olive & oak at east Leagues at Bondi, Bella Pasta and Co in Casula, The Sawmill in Pymble, and Henry’s Bar and restaurant in Penrith, as well as menus at Kingswood Sports Club, Sydney roosters headquarters and Sydney olympic Park.
The revamped enigma function rooms offer a continually evolving menu of Australian cuisine that complements seasonal produce, aligns with food trends and surprises with new and exciting flavours.
“we’re committed to keeping things fresh, while continuing to
provide unwavering service and exceptional amenities at the heart of every community celebration. From christenings to 18th birthday parties, 60th wedding anniversaries and memorial celebrations of life, conferences, and functions at the downstairs function rooms… the richmond Club should be your first thought for your next event,” richmond Club chief executive Kimberley Talbot said.
The enigma function rooms are available to hire free of charge and with no set-up fees for all richmond Club members and Hawkesburybased community groups. with three of the four rooms boasting a seating capacity of 460, and all housing newly updated audio and visual equipment, the richmond Club ensures your 21st birthday party, reunion or wedding
runs without a hitch.
“A suite of new electronic whiteboards and projectors to make hosting your next conference a breeze, there’s a function room to suit every need,” Ms Talbot said.
“Bookings are now open for the enigma function rooms. Call reception to speak directly with our passionate functions coordinator, dedicated to bringing your unique event to life.
“we are proud to launch Abby’s Cafe in conjunction with Alpha Global Catering. Abby’s offers a unique menu from classic sandwiches to higher end Australian cuisine,” Ms Talbot said. The contemporary Hamptons style cafe provides a beautiful place to relax and catch up with friends and family whilst the kids play. From cheap and cheerful toasties to specialised meals, the new menu proudly joins the known
and loved Villaggio in the culinary delight stakes at the richmond Club. Six lounge spaces allow locals to relax, work, study or enjoy the peace and quiet whilst fueling up on the Abby’s Cafe menu.
To celebrate the reinvigorated spaces, the richmond Club is offering discounted membership for all new members before the end of this financial year. Membership privileges include discounts on all regular food and beverage prices, a free meal in Villaggio Bistro during your birthday month, the chance to win up to $10,000 in membership draws, discounts on coastal resort stays in Urunga, Fingal Bay and Sussex Inlet, free door-to-door courtesy bus access to various areas in the Hawkesbury and reward points every time you spend at the richmond Club’s great venues and events including Villaggio Bistro, Cafe Villaggio, bars, bingo, raffles, functions and even when you BPAY your utility bills.
“The richmond Club is passionate about pursuing its vision to provide affordable, accessible family restaurants and high quality function centres. our new enigma functions rooms and rejuvenated dining options is another step in achieving this goal for our valued members and guests,” Ms Talbot concluded.
Penrith City Choir will present its next concert at Glenbrook Baptist Church on Sunday 21 May at 2pm.
Director Lucy McAlary has compiled an All American program of music ranging from Modern Sacred, Folk, native American, Spirituals and Blues to a medley of famous Sinatra songs.
the concert will open with “Festival Gloria” by
contemporary American composer, Craig Courtney. Accompanied by Jane Andino on piano and local young percussionist, nick McMaster, the work will provide a rousing start to this widely varied program.
the Sinatra medley that includes some of his iconic songs set in beautiful four part harmonies by Alan Simmons will provide a nostalgic finale.
A special feature of the concert will be
performances by Penrith City Children’s Choir and Youth Choir presenting hauntingly beautiful native American chants.
Complimentary afternoon tea will be served following the performance.
Bookings can be made on 0400 516 630, or admission at the door for $20, $15 concession, $5 for one child under 15 (additional children free).
Fresh from their sold-out workshop at sydney Opera house, join shyamla, the boss of the all-female BINDI BOsses for 2 hours of south Indian drumming, dancing and fusion fun! experience the joy of Parai Attam, a Tamil folk dance set to the beat of the oldest drum in Indian history, to express ancient rhythms through your hands, feet, voice and body.
The session will also include signature moves and grooves from south Asian and fusion dance styles including Kollywood (Tamil cinema), Bollywood (hindi cinema) and hip hop. Packed with pelvic thrusts and hip shakes, participants will learn how
to transform stories and rhythms into smoking hot dance moves. No previous dance experience required – just a willingness to shimmy, sweat and smile!
BINDI BOsses is a Matriarchal Movement: a self-funded south Asian Fusion Arts company based in Warrang (sydney) that seamlessly blends
Traditional Indian Classical and Folk dances with influences from South Asian cinema and street dances from around the world. BINDI BOsses provides a platform for diverse artists to collaborate and create through dance, costume design, henna art, graphic design, styling, photography, videography and more. BINDI BOsses reclaims and celebrates
its diverse south Asian heritage by providing a safe space to experiment with and express multifaceted identities.
BINDI BOSSES Drum & Dance Workshop is FREE and on at the Joan sutherland Performing Arts Centre on Tuesday 30 May from 4pm – 6pm. Tickets: www.thejoan.com.au/events/bindibosses-drum-dance-workshop/
The workshop is suitable for families and children over 8 years old. Families are encouraged to come and dance together. Participants will be asked to dance barefoot should wear comfortable clothes and bring a water bottle
RemembeR lockdown?
People coped in different ways whether that be baking sourdough bread, exercising, reorganising the house, bingeing shows on TV or tapping into their creative side. Well, in his five months of isolation, comedian Sam Kissajukian created 300 paintings! Imagine being in lockdown and entering an altered mental state, which would ultimately lead to the creation of 300 paintings. This was the reality for Sam Kissajukian, an awardwinning comedian with over a decade of experience on stage.
The culmination of this experience is a unique performance installation offering, where live comedy meets visual art exhibition, and audiences are invited to experience this insight into the brain and experience of Sam, and a comedian’s take on art, the artistic process, mental health and its ties to creativity.
‘300 Paintings’ was the winner of the 2022 Sydney Fringe Festival Award for ‘best Comedy’ and ‘Directors Choice Award’. It was also nominated for five other awards at the 2022 Sydney Fringe Festival, including ‘best Spoken Word’ and four touring awards.
Sam has been working professionally as a stand-up comedian for 10 years.
He has toured globally in the USA, UK, europe and all around Australia. Recently, he had a breakout year as a visual artist. Within three months of going public with his art, he had numerous acquisitions by international collectors, received extensive media coverage about his art, exhibitions at 107 Projects and a solo exhibition in Perth where 25 of his works were later acquired by City of Perth to display on LCD screens for the month of August.
Friday nights, The Joan’s borland Lounge comes to life. Pop in for a drink, some nibbles and some easy entertainment. From local musicians, to art classes, community projects, cabaret and theatre, trivia and games; there’s a great mix of fun on offer. The bar opens from 5pm. Open Fridays: ‘300 Paintings’ by Sam Kissajukian is on at the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre on Friday 26 may 2023, 6pm. Tickets: Standard $16. www.thejoan.com.au/events/300paintings/
Asmoulder that probably would have developed into a big fire was discovered on Saturday night (30th July 1920) in a shop in High Street Penrith where George Michael had conducted a general drapery business for the last few months. The outcome was that George was arrested the next day and was given bail on a charge of maliciously setting fire to the shop. While several of the “Diggers” were playing billiards in the Soldiers’ Club that night, they noticed smoke coming into their room and going out onto the balcony they found that it was coming from George’s shop. They went at once to the rescue, and by means of an axe forced an entrance by the front door at about the same time that Percy Taber who had a bakery business next door when Roland Price appeared on the scene for the same purpose. On entering the shop, they found the fumes so strong that they had to retire, but resorted to placing damp handkerchiefs over their mouths so they were able to get to the source of the trouble and with the application of a few buckets of water they extinguished the fire. No great damage had been done by the flames, merely the destruction of a few towels etc, but the smoke had a damaging effect on much of the stock. The fire brigade had been told of the danger, but the trouble was over when the firemen arrived. George lived at Coogee and usually went home on the weekends, and he was told about the fire, and on his arrival at Penrith by train on Sunday afternoon he was arrested. Next morning, he was brought before the Court and was charged with maliciously setting fire to a shop in High Street with intent to defraud the Guardian Assurance Company Ltd of Sydney. He was remanded and allowed bail being £100 for him and two sureties of £50 each. At the coroner’s inquiry into the fire in August, Sergeant Williamson said that a little after 10 pm he went to premises in High Street where George Michael conducted a drapery business. On his arrival he saw the captain of the local fire brigade and one of his assistants with Constable Sweeting and he could see that the fire had broken out near the north-eastern corner of the shop where some shelving and a quantity of drapery had been burnt, but the fire had been extinguished before he arrived. Three doors were locked, the passage street door, the back door and the outer door leading to the backyard. The panels of the two latter doors had been broken in. The door to the main entrance had also been broken open. The following morning, in company with Captain Walsh of the fire brigade and Constable Sweeting they made a detailed examination of the premises. At 3 pm on the Sunday, Constable Sweeting came along with him when they went to see the occupant George Michael arrive at Penrith from a Sydney train and he said to him that there had been a fire at his shop and asked him if he had any insurance. George said yes and he handed him a card for “The Guardian Assurance Co., 72 Pitt Street, Sydney. He then asked George how much he was insured for, and he said £700. He then went with him to his shop and on arrival there, he pointed out to George the positions of the various articles that have been exhibited in court. He showed him the doors and drew his attention to the fact that they were locked and showed him the position of material that covered both windows in the shop. There was a thin muslin covering on the western shop window, and over that a piece of cretonne, a print wrapper and a waterproof cape spread out with one or two other articles hanging up. On the eastern window a pyjama coat was hanging up, a piece of towel, a piece of cretonne and a motor dustcoat (spread out) and a waterproof overcoat also hanging there. After cautioning George and pointing to the schnapps bottle containing kerosene, he asked him if it
was his property and he replied yes. He then asked him if the bottle was in here and George replied no it was in the kitchen and he didn’t know how it got there. He asked if anybody else had access to the premises and George answered no and said there could be someone else doing it, and at this time the Constable arrested George on suspicion, even though he said he didn’t do it and knew nothing whatever about it. The Constable then said that he could not understand why George should have several candles on the premises when he had a kerosene lamp and electric light. He understood that Percy Taber and Roland Price were the first to enter the shop, and George told him that the material hanging on the inside of the windows was not hanging in the same position where he left them and when he arrested him, he said something to the effect that he had no reason to do that sort of thing and he wasn’t pushed for money. The Constable then said that he believed from the documents he had seen in George’s possession that he was financially sound, but in his opinion the business there was slack. Percy Taber said that he was at his brothers place adjacent to George’s shop and he was about to go to bed when he saw smoke coming from the shop. He went to the shop and put his shoulder to the door but found that it would not yield so he got an axe and knocked out the upper panel and entered the shop with another man named Clemens and they threw buckets of water to put it out and shortly after the fire brigade arrived rubbish in bags were found underneath and behind the counters, and the way the place was locked up the fire could be burning for hours before anyone would have noticed from the outside. After all the evidence was presented, the coroner said he had very carefully gone over the evidence to see if there is anything in George Michael’s favour and he can’t come to any other conclusion than to send the case along to the Attorney-General to consider, and with that George was committed for trial at Parramatta Quarter Sessions. Photo shows the Penrith Fire Brigade (1905) in High Street courtesy of Penrith Library.
Source: Nepean Times, Coroners Inquiry, Trove.
Surprise
Kingswood
Photo shows the Penrith Fire Brigade (1905) in High Street courtesy of Penrith Library
your special someone with romantic flowers & gifts from Kingswood Florist.
Don’t forget to add a cuddly soft toy and delicious box of chocolates to your order for the ultimate wow factor.
We can deliver your flowers and gift to Kingswood, NSW or nationwide.
Florist, Creative Balloons, Penrith Florist and St Marys Florist
Both Penrith Panthers senior basketball teams suffered losses to the Bankstown Bruins on Saturday afternoon at the Penrith Valley Regional Sports Centre, Cambridge Park, in Round 9 of the 2023 Coles Express NBL1 East competition.
Round 9 celebrated and acknowledged all Australian women and men affected by breast cancer in the theme of ‘Pink’ Round.
the Penrith men led off the action on the day and trailed the Bruins throughout, with the visitors leading 22-17, 47-41 and 67-58 at the first three breaks in play, before eventually winning 85-76.
hayden Blankley (Bruins) had a day out against the Panthers, finishing with 35 points, 9 boards and 5 assists, ahead of Jonah Pares 13 points, Dragan Elkaz 11 and thomas Daus 10. Caleb FetuiFa’amoe led the Panthers with 17 points, ahead of Pranaya Sakya 15, Noman Massimino 10 and Jaedyn Fetui-Fa’amoe 10.
the Penrith women also trailed throughout their clash with the Lady Bruins, with the visitors leading 2014, 37-19 and 54-33 at the first three breaks. Both coaches ran their bench players for extended periods in the fourth quarter, as the Bruins powered away for an 80-49 win.
“Saturday proved to be a very difficult game for us,” said Panthers women’s head coach Bernie Slattery. “the physical nature of the Bankstown defence was allowed to dominate the game from start to finish, and the fact that we (only) scored 49 points is testament to this fact.
“the young Panthers were just overpowered by the physical contact that was allowed during the game and the biggest lesson has to be, the need to improve our ability to play through the physical contact that is permitted in the modern game.
“We did not handle this aspect of Saturday’s game and the impact was that we took more bad shots than we would like. We were intimidated by their level of contact, and we lost focus on the technical aspect of the game. Evidence can be seen easily in the half time score (Panthers had 19 points at the half).
“the Bruins came with a game plan to stop Meg Jefferson, who had
scored 33 points in our previous game, and it certainly had the desired effect.
“With some tough match-ups in coming weeks, the young Panthers have a tremendous challenge ahead to stay on task and become a stronger tighter unit - a challenge we look forward to.”
Violet Morrow led the Bruins with 22 points, 10 boards, 5 assists and 3 steals, ahead of Brittney Wright 14 points, 9 boards and 5 steals. Meg Jefferson led the Panthers with 14 points, ahead of Chloe Williams 13.
Both Penrith teams are at home again this Saturday night, taking on the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (women at 5.30pm and men at 7.30pm).
the Sea Eagles women are currently in 1st spot on the competition ladder, boasting an impressive 10-1 win-loss record this season. the Sea Eagles struggled to get past the Panthers in their first meeting this year, at Warriewood, but certainly impressed with their most recent win, which was a 74-39 drubbing of the hills District hornets, at hills.
the Sea Eagles men are currently in 15th spot, just 2 below the Panthers, with an unimpressive 1-10 win-loss record this season. their most recent game was a 79-68 loss to the hornets, at Hills. The Panthers won the first encounter against the Sea Eagles 9071, at Warriewood.
By Noel Rowsell
thE 2023 Golf NSW Men’s Master Pennant competition teed off on Sunday, with 7 games from the opening round played locally in western Sydney.
In the home matches, Leonay crushed Antill Park 7.5-0.5, Richmond won 7-1 over Bexley, Wallacia won 5-3 over Fox hills, Stonecutters Ridge won 5-3 over Liverpool, twin Creeks drew 4-4 with Muirfield, Dunheved fell 3-5 to Pennant hills and Penrith fell 0.5-7.5 to Kogarah.
In the two away games, oatlands defeated Springwood 5-3 and Camden (Studleigh Park) crushed Glenmore heritage Valley 8-0.
All teams will meet the same opponent again this Sunday, at the alternate venue.
the NSW Srixon Mid Amateur Championship is being held on 21st23rd May at both Byron Bay and ocean Shores golf clubs.
the championship is open to amateurs who are aged 30 years and over, as at 21st May, with a GA handicap of 12.4 and under for men, and 20.4 and under for women. It is stroke play tournament, played over three rounds of 18-holes.
there will be a cut after 36 holes, with the final (3rd) round to be played at Byron Bay GC.
Western Sydney has 8 male and 2 female players attending the event, including Allan Ison, Sean hartmann and Mark Cadle (Stonecutters Ridge GC), Casey Lee, hyun ho, Chris Par, Myoungjoon Kang and Stella Yoo (twin Creeks GC), Jared Wild (Glenmore heritage Valley GC) and Shaun Sheridan (Dunheved GC).
Windsor Polo Club (WPC) members played all over nsW over the previous weekend, with some great results.
in scone: The Pines (with WPC members John Prendiville and Tommy Martin) won the prestigious Piesley Cup.
in Goulburn, at their 100th Anniversary tournament, Bannaby Angus Polo with WPC member olivia de Govrik, were runners up in the A Grade 8 Goal and the Windsor team, with Adam Meally, Kim Mcdougall, Tim Garner and Tim
Berry won the zero goal.
At Killarney, ray Bruce, Pete Handbury and Teneille Murray (Bellevue Polo) cleaned up, as did Fran Townend, Adam Buchert, Piper Trickett and Archer Buchert (stone real Estate).
The Autumn polo season at Windsor concludes this weekend and features the Alec Macleod Trophy. The Countess of dudley Cup was initially scheduled for the weekend but has been postponed until next season.
“Unfortunately the Countess of dudley Cup has been cancelled this weekend and will be played for in the spring,” said spokesperson Kirrily smith.
“We are disappointed that we have had to defer
this prestigious tournament, as we have had an incredible Autumn series and had hoped to cap it off with a hard fought club tournament. sadly, we have had a number of teams struggle with horses and injuries, so we will instead play for the Alec Macleod Trophy at a 4-6 goal team level 4 chukkas.”
There will be 12 teams in total competing this weekend, including 6 teams competing in the Alec Macleod Trophy (6-goal level). There will also be another 6 teams competing in the lower goal levels. There’s free entry for anyone wanting to come along to watch.
The weekend’s draw will be available at www.facebook.com/wpcwindsorpoloclub
The Nepean h ockey Association (NhA) will have two women’s teams (Over 34’s and Over 50’s) representing the association at the upcoming Great Barrier Reef Masters Games (GBRMG), which will run from 25-28th May in Cairns, QLD.
The tournament was first held in Cairns in 2013 and has since been held every second year. The 2021 Games were amazingly the biggest and best yet, despite the global pandemic, and the organisers are now looking forward to the sixth installment, to be held at the end of the month.
Participants from across Australia and Oceania come to compete at the GBRMG in their own age group, with no qualifying standards in their
chosen sports. There are currently 23 sports signed-up and more still to come – so there will be something for
By Noel Rowsell
IN junior hockey news, Coady Stone (Orchard hills) has been chosen to represent NSW Blues at the upcoming hockey Australian U18 National Championships, which will be held at the Tasmanian hockey Centre, hobart from 1st-9th July.
Coady was chosen in the State Blues team following his performances with Sydney east in the recent NSW championships, which finished the tournament in 6th position.
At the Masters level, Chantal Knowles has returned home from a successful tour with the Australian Over 45 Women’s Masters team, which recorded a 2-1 win-loss record against NZ in the Trans-Tasman Challenge.
Australia lost the first game of the series 1-0 but recovered strongly, winning game 2 by 3-0 then thumping the Kiwis 6-1 in the decider.
everyone.
Players from all hockey clubs within the NhA will be represented,
with some players playing in mixed teams along with players from several states and associations.
Panthers is excited to launch the 2023 Indigenous Jersey Auction, in support of Panthers Indigenous program
‘Sticks to Stadium’ and other community initiatives run by the club.
By Panthers MediaThere will be 17 individually signed jerseys up for grabs from Thursday’s Indigenous round opener against the Broncos, with the match-worn or match-issued jerseys signed by the respective Panthers players.
In addition, a team signed and framed 2023 Panthers Indigenous Jersey is available as part of the auction.
The jerseys are accompanied by a signed Certificate of Authenticity.
All of the auctions will end on Wednesday 24 May, 2023 and are exclusively available via the Panther Shop.
KEY FEATURES ON THE 2023 INDIGENOUS JERSEY
• Fruit bat and ring-tailed possum representing the men and women of the Darug Nation
• Colours of the Australian Aboriginal Flag and Torres Strait Island Flag replacing the colours of the tri stripe sleeve
• Handprints representing gender equality and the role males and females play in rugby league on and off the field
• The back of the jersey sees the inclusion of a new totem, a black swan or ‘Mulgo’, which represents the Mulgoa clan
• Also on the bottom back four reaching hands embody belonging and respect to the club and land on which we unite
• Emblazoned on the top back of the jersey is the word ‘Warami’ meaning Welcome
