COUNCIL is bringing the excitement of the Family Fun Day series to the St Clair community on Saturday, 5 August. This familyfriendly event will see a pop-up petting zoo, inflatable obstacle course, craft and sporting activities and more for a day of FREE fun at Peter Kearns Memorial Oval, St Clair.
The Family Fun Day program was developed in response to insights received from a survey on resident wellbeing undertaken by Council in November 2022. It showed a strong need for localised opportunities for people in neighbourhoods to connect outside of the city centre. The Family Fun Days address this feedback by offering local communities the opportunity to come together to connect with their neighbours, whilst at the same time enjoying engaging activities and entertainment.
Penrith Mayor Tricia Hitchen said that this event will be a great opportunity for residents in St Clair to connect and learn more about local services in an exciting, family-friendly environment.
“After a successful Family Fun Day in Glenmore Park in June, we’re turning our attention to St Clair and inviting residents in the east of the Penrith LGA to join in on the fun,” Cr Hitchen said.
“This Family Fun Day will provide something for everyone in the community with a fun-filled, safe place to meet, relax and get involved in creative activities.”
On Saturday, 5 August from 10am to 3pm,
residents are invited to bring their family and friends along with a picnic blanket to enjoy the ‘Family Fun Day’ event featuring craft workshops, entertainment, a petting zoo, food trucks, and activities for all ages.
The event is free, and no registration is required. Council encourages residents to walk or catch public transportation if possible as parking is limited.
In the event of wet weather, updates will be provided via Council’s social media.
Residents can learn more at penrithcity.nsw. gov.au/upcoming-events/st-clair-family-fun-day
Editor:
Sales Manager:
Sales:
Journalist:
Journalist:
Graphic Design:
Printer:
Letters to the Editor: Web:
Nepean News is not tossed onto your front lawn.
Collect your crisp copy FREE from local newsagents, service stations, libraries, Council and shopping centres.
Kerrie
Larry
Greg
Stacey
nepeannews@aol.com
issuu.com/nepeannews
PENRITH City Libraries’ Children’s Team welcomes 2-5 year olds and their parents and carers to Story Time!
Earlier this year, the Library introduced a range of bilingual stories and languages to their regular sessions celebrating the diversity of our City. They meet every week during term:
• St Marys on Tuesdays from 10:30-11:15am
• Penrith on Wednesdays from 10:30-11:15am
• St Clair on Thursdays from 10:30-11:15am
The sessions are free, and bookings are not required. For more information, please email Library’s Children’s Team at childrensteamlibrary@penrith.city or call 4732 7891.
Available services:
• Routine family practice, including
• Work cover, care-plans & immunizations
• Pathology
• All mental health issuesDepression, anxiety, bipolar, schizophrenia, relationship issues, marriage break up, under performing students (11 & 12 and post graduate and UNI) and CEOs
• Addiction control (smoking, alcoholism, marijuana, and substance abuse)
• Habit control - bedwetting, stuttering, obsessive, compulsive disorders
• Performance enhancement in sports arts and studies
• Counselling for various issues
• Health check
• And state of the art hypnosis for many psychosomatic conditions
• Easy appointments available “walk-ins” also accepted
AS part of their 5-year Library Services Strategy, Penrith City Libraries are expanding its programs for seniors with its first-ever ongoing fitness program, the Active Ageing Group.
The group meets once a week during the school term for gentle strengthening exercises, seniors’ yoga, cardio and opportunities for socialisation, with current members looking forward to seeing the group grow.
Penrith Mayor Tricia Hitchen expressed excitement at the Library’s evolving programs offered to the community.
“Libraries can be seen as a less intimidating space for older members of our community to exercise, and Penrith City Libraries has chosen to expand its programs for seniors to help facilitate this on a more ongoing basis with the Active Ageing Group,” Cr Hitchen said.
“The Library recently hosted the Geri-Fit program, a 12-week program held in partnership with Curtin University, which provided seniors with an opportunity to get active and meet new people in a safe space.
“Our Library staff work very hard throughout the year to diversify the range of programs offered at our branches, and I am thrilled to see their growth and positive impact on the community.
“The Library has heard nothing but praise for the weekly group, and I know that the participants are
excited for interested community members to join in on the weekly fun.”
The Active Ageing Group forms a part of Penrith City Council’s 5-year Library Services Strategy, which identified the opportunity to create and support accessible library programs such as the fitness group. The group is one of the Library’s many diverse programs that are free and available to the community.
The group meets every Tuesday during the school term from 11am-12pm at Penrith City Library, with the current school term’s last Tuesday being 19 September 2023.
Other ongoing programs available to seniors include knitting groups, Book Club, Tales and Tea, and the Library’s popular Home Library Service. Find out more at penrith.city/library
LIFEBLOOD has launched an urgent nationwide search for blood donors to help a South Australian mother-of-two with a blood type so rare[i] just one in 10,000 people may be a match.
37-year-old Amira is currently in an Adelaide hospital awaiting urgent open-heart surgery. She is expected to need more than 20 bags of blood prior to, during, and after the procedure.
Lifeblood Medical Director Dr James Daly said any O or A blood donor in Australia or internationally could be a match.
“Most people will be either O or A blood type, but Amira has a rare combination of other blood types that need to be matched, which means any donor with O or A blood type might prove to be a perfect match.
“We have identified a few suitable donors, but this mum will require a large number of units to see her through her surgery and finding as many donors as we can with the right blood type will ensure we can meet her transfusion needs both now and, in the future,” Dr Daly said.
He called on people in the community with O and A blood types to book a donation over the coming week. All donated blood will be tested to identify donations that will undergo further screening to find a suitable match.
“We’ve exhausted Australian supplies of this
rare blood type and we’re now working with international blood services to search for potential donors. We hope to receive a small number of units from overseas but for Amira’s surgery to proceed safely at least 15 donors with the same rare combination of blood types are still needed within the next few weeks.
Lifeblood, this mum, and her husband Ahmed thanked people who have already come forward to donate in the hope of being a match.
“We are so grateful to family, friends and the wonderful people in the community, many of whom we do not know, who have heard about Amira’s plight and have rolled up a sleeve to donate blood,” Ahmed said.
“I urge as many people as possible across the country with O and A blood to donate blood this week, so we can find more donors to help Amira.
“This is not a situation you ever expect to find yourself in. Any help or support is much appreciated.”
To be a match for Amira, a donor must meet the following criteria:
1. Must be blood type “O” or “A” (If a donor does not know their blood type, they should still donate to see if they are a possible match)
To join the search book a donation via lifeblood. com.au, call 13 14 95, or download the Donate Blood app.
STAR pupil and health trainee, Montayah Astruc has been named winner of the 2023 VET in School Student of the Year for the Western Sydney and Blue Mountains region.
Currently completing a Certificate III in Health Service Assistance through Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District’s Education and Training Service, Montayah was overjoyed to be named the top student in the region.
“Receiving such a high-ranking award came as a genuine shock and pleasant surprise to me,” says Montayah.
“My whole VET journey has been such a blessing in itself and I hadn’t expected so much more to come out of it. I am so grateful to have had my family, friends and teachers to have supported me throughout this experience.”
Her VET in School Nurse Educator, Colleen Butler, commended Montayah for her dedication to nursing as she excelled in both the classroom and workplace environments, continually receiving positive feedback from her classmates, peers and patients.
Montayah has spent the past two years plying her trade at Nepean Hospital and during that time she says what she has
found most enjoyable is the ability to learn surrounded by her classmates.
“I wouldn’t be here without their genuine support, encouragement and motivation. They pushed me to reach a further understanding of my study,” explains Montayah.
“My memories with these people have only emphasised my passion and love for learning. Being able to flourish alongside passionate, intelligent and like-minded individuals has only added to my drive to do more for others.”
The flexibility and versatility of VET courses are always worth considering if you are looking for a career pathway into health. It’s one of the many reasons Montayah considered the opportunity.
“Health care is one of the most rewarding industries to become involved with,” says Montayah.
“If you have natural caring tendencies, you should really look into the various occupations this field can provide. There is no pressure to pick the “correct” path or know exactly what you want to do at this point in your life, there are so many alternatives and bridging courses that can get you to where you want to be.”
MINISTER for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education Tim Crakanthorp today announced TAFE NSW local enrolments are now open, supporting new opportunities for locals to gain skills in finance, hospitality, and healthcare.
Member for Penrith, Karen McKeown OAM MP said, “We’ve seen massive growth in Sydney’s Greater West over the last five years across key industries, with the region’s health care and social assistance sector growing by 23,000 workers alone.”
“TAFE NSW is the top training body in our state, and qualifications from TAFE NSW are a game changer for school leavers, job seekers, people looking to upskill and those wanting to start new businesses and careers.”
“The Minns Government is dedicated to rebuilding TAFE NSW – starting by supporting locals to take up training opportunities at their local campuses.”
“We’ve seen massive growth in demand across key industries, now is the time for locals to seize
opportunities, with TAFE NSW delivering in demand skills training through courses in Accounting and Bookkeeping, Hospitality Management, and Nursing.”
Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education Tim Crakanthorp said the Minns Government was committed to helping every person in New South Wales build the skills they need in the modern economy.
“TAFE NSW has hundreds of courses to choose from across a range of modern industries to help you gain
a nationally recognised qualification in your area of interest,” Minister Crakanthorp said.
“With Semester 2 about to commence, there’s never been a better time to discover the range of opportunities at your local TAFE NSW campus. This includes the different study options to suit your needs, such as online and face-to-face study.”
TAFE NSW Penrith features floristry rooms, a hairdressing and beauty academy, nursing and dental training rooms, and sterilisation labs.
THE honourees of the 2023 Local Celebration Awards have been announced at Penrith City Council’s July Ordinary Meeting.
Now in its third year, the Local Celebration Awards recognise outstanding contributions made by people in the Penrith community across four categories.
Our 2023 Citizen of the Year, with an overwhelming number of nominations, is local legend Royce Simmons. The rugby league icon has raised millions for dementia research through his ‘Royce’s Big Walk’ fundraising, following his own diagnosis at the age of 61.
The Mayor’s Local Hero for 2023 is Andrew Paech, a community leader who works tirelessly to support local people who are experiencing crises. He is well known for his work at Westcare, in flood relief and as one of the organisers of mental healthcare initiative Penrith Men’s Walk and Talk.
Our 2023 Young Citizen of the Year is Reece Nuttall, a youth advocate and proud Gamilaraay man. Reece has an extraordinary work ethic which he applies to helping others, volunteering with the Rotary Club of Penrith, Penrith PCYC and as a committee member of the Deerubbin Local Aboriginal Land Council – all whilst in his final year of a law degree.
There are four recipients of the Making a Difference – Community Service Award. Margaret Collier is the co-founder of Caring Hearts Quilters, which handmakes quilts for people facing serious illness and in the wake of natural disasters; John Fenton has volunteered as the Wellbeing Officer with the Penrith RSL Sub-Branch for 22 years, assisting returned service people and their families; Kevin Canning is a founding member and one of
the driving forces behind Penrith Men’s Walk and Talk; and Susan Hunt is a tireless volunteer with humanitarian organisation the Lion’s Club, disability charity Sailability as well as Ronald McDonald House.
Penrith Mayor Tricia Hitchen said that the Local Celebration Awards have been embraced by the people of Penrith, becoming an important milestone in our local calendar.
“We had more nominations this year than any
year since the Awards began,” Cr Hitchen said.
“That shows that momentum is building; people want to recognise and uplift the unsung heroes of our community. The judging panel were bowled over by the acts of community service being carried out in Penrith City every day,” Cr Hitchen remarked.
Penrith’s 2023 Local Celebration Awards ceremony will be held on 17 August.
Learn more at penrith.city/local-celebrationawards
BY NOEL ROWSELL
LEGACY is celebrating 100 years of service, caring for the widows and families of service men and women who were killed in past wars.
The Legacy Centenary Torch had been lit earlier this year on the World War I battlefields of France, on ANZAC Day, then greeted by King Charles lll in London, before making its way to Australia, then to Penrith on Friday 21st July.
97-year old WWII veteran and Nepean News Legend of the Nepean David Trist was selected to walk the first leg along Tench Road, immediately following the ribboncutting ceremony with new Penrith State Member Karen Mckeon OAM MP.
David was assisted by his daughter Elizabeth and was followed by a military guard of honour, with drums. David subsequently lit the torch of the next torch bearer, for it to be carried over the M4 bridge across the Nepean River, then along River Road to the Yandhai Nepean footbridge.
The torch arrived at the river, immediately below the Nepean
Rowing Club, to a warm welcome from a crowd of onlookers, where the final walker had the honour of lighting the Legacy Centenary Cauldron.
Organisers of the Torch Relay are seeking to raise awareness of the fine work of Legacy across the nation, and hope to raise $10 million before
the torch completes its journey at Melbourne’s Shrine Of Remembrance in mid October. To donate visit www.legacy.org.au
BY NOEL ROWSELL
THE Rotary Club of Penrith held its annual Changeover Night on Monday 17th July, at the Lakeside Restaurant, with 50 Rotarians and friends in attendance.
The guest list included two Honorary Members, Senator Marise Payne and Stuart Ayres, a Paul Harris Fellow and three new club members Nadim Joukhadar, Reece Nuttal and Kayla Jenkins. Significantly, the latter pair are also aged under 30 and this hopefully signifies a renewed and growing interest in Rotary membership amongst younger generations.
“As the ongoing President of our esteemed Rotary club, I am delighted to present a summary of the remarkable achievements we have accomplished over the past year,” Jo Dickens said.
“Furthermore, I am filled with great pride as I look forward to leading our club once again in the year ahead.
“The past year has been an extraordinary journey, filled with compassion, resilience and unwavering spirit of service. I am pleased to share with you some of the notable achievements we have accomplished.
“Assisting flood victims in the Hawkesbury and Eugowra areas, supporting bus crash victims, aiding a young boy in the helicopter crash, support PCYC in their Ambassador Club, as well as The Haven and Penrith Community Kitchen.
“At the beginning of last year, we began our tri-club, working together with Nepean and Penrith Valley Rotary clubs to work on larger projects. We found this to be a great partnership, as separately we are all small clubs but together we can achieve much more for our community. This year, we shared the Australia Day barbecue at Panthers and the City of Penrith Festival. Also, along with St Marys Rotary, we organised the Police Officer of the Year awards for the Nepean Police Area Command and were able to donate $15,000 to Police Legacy. Most recently, we worked
together with Nepean Rotary to cook 8,000 sausages for the NAIDOC Day at Jamison Park, an amazing day.
“In this coming year, we will build upon our past successes and embark on new endeavours. We will continue to prioritise community service, fundraising for vital causes and strengthen our partnership with local organisations. Together, we will inspire change, foster hope, and improve the lives of those who depend upon us. The year ahead holds tremendous promise for our clubs.”
• They are searching for mates (let’s talk about desexing)
• They hear things on the other side of the fence
• They are bored and looking for something to do, or looking for you
• Some dogs can suffer from separation anxiety and find it frightening to be left alone in a yard. Unfortunately, they often associate the yard with anxiety, fear or loneliness.
It is important to understand why your dog is escaping to addressing this growing problem in our community.
BY KELLIE TICKNER, ORCHARD HILLS VETERINARY HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATOR
EVERY day on our community pages we see lost dogs searching for their owners. While it is understandable that some dogs have escaped for the first time, unfortunately we see many of the same pets wandering around looking for something more exciting than their own backyard. Dogs will escape and jump the fence for many different reasons, such as:
• They see an animal or something else that they feel compelled to chase
• They see a friendly person or dog they would like to meet
Make sure all of your dog’s physical, social and behavioural needs are being met. This includes daily physical activity to stimulate your dog’s senses. Environmental enrichment with treat games, toys, digging pits and pools can keep larger breed dogs entertained for hours. Also ensure that your pet is receiving enough daily attention and social company. If you find that your dog is not coping with being left alone for extended periods of time, try arranging a dog walker or neighbour to come in the middle of the day to break up the time left in the yard alone.
It is important to note that undesexed dogs are more likely to wander in order to find a mate to breed with so chat to us about desexing.
If your dog is digging or jumping their way out of
the yard it is worth modifying your fence to restrict their yard breaks. Using PVC plastic piping cut lengthwise down the centre and placing them along the top of your fence will make a curved, slippery surface that a dog cannot get a grip on to get over the top of the fence. Alternatively, place a small diameter PVC pipe inside a larger diameter pipe and hang these on a cable suspended above the fence to create a ‘roller bar’ which a dog’s paws cannot hold onto.
Finally, please make sure your pet is microchipped and details are kept up to date. This can be done online at www.petregistry.nsw.gov.au/. If your pet does escape and end up at a local pound or veterinary clinic they can only be collected by the registered owner. This often causes many problems for shelter and veterinary staff.
If your dog is an escapologist and you would like to make him more of a home body, please call us on 4736 2027.
THEY say nothing good happens after 2:00am, but for western Sydney man Jeremy Henry, an early morning organ donation has given the 41-year-old high-school teacher a new lease on life.
On Saturday, 4 February 2023, under the care of the Westmead Hospital A6 Renal Ward and Clinic, Jeremy received the gift of a donated kidney and a pancreas.
“Words can never express the gratitude I have for the person who donated their organs to me; I know someone had to die so that I could live,” reflected Jeremy.
Five months on, “life is returning to somewhat normal again” for Jeremy who returned to work in a reduced teaching load in May 2023.
However, the journey to get to this point was not an easy one and is a journey that is all too familiar for others waiting their turn to receive a life-changing organ donation.
One year after graduating from university, self-proclaimed introvert Jeremy leaped out of his comfort zone and applied to teach English in China. It was during the medical examination for his resident visa that he realised his kidneys were only functioning at 60 percent.
“The nephrologist said my reduced function was due to hypertension and my blood sugar levels being too high over a long period of time, but that I could still live a normal life at 60 percent function,” said Jeremy.
Jeremy was diagnosed with diabetes type 1 at age 13, so had experienced blood sugar level challenges for 28 years.
“One of the main causes of kidney failure in type 1 diabetics is high blood pressure and poorly managed blood sugar levels,” he explained.
With the green light from his doctor and insulin and blood pressure tablets packed into his luggage, Jeremy set off on a “life changing” adventure to China on 10 September 2017.
Jeremy said his two years abroad were “the best I’d ever had in my life” and gave him “lifelong friends from different countries”.
“I ticked off all my China bucket list items including The Great Wall of China and The Forbidden Palace, I spent Christmas 2018 in Vietnam and travelled
to South Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong, Mongolia, Vietnam, Japan and Hawaii,” he said.
During his time away from Australia, Jeremy said he noticed no further decline in his health, but in June 2019, unknowingly left China with his kidneys failing.
“When I returned home, my GP ran some general diabetes tests which led to further testing by the local nephrologist,” he explained.
“These tests showed that my kidney function was down to 25 percent and that I would sadly have to begin dialysis in the very near future.”
In December 2020, with just 12 percent kidney function, Jeremy started his first round of kidney dialysis and was placed on the transplant list for a donor kidney and pancreas.
As a full-time high school teacher, Jeremy was given the opportunity to do at home dialysis following 12 weeks of in-hospital training.
I live alone, so learning how to put two large needles into my arm every second day and problem solve the machine if something happened was a real challenge, but definitely more convenient than having to visit the hospital, especially in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Jeremy.
Every Tuesday and Thursday from 6:00pm to 11:00pm and Saturday and Sunday from 9:00am to 3:00pm, Jeremy sat and watched his blood be filtered.
“Life on dialysis was hard and dialysing every second day whilst trying to maintain a full-time teaching job took all my time and energy,” he reflected.
“I couldn’t go away for more than one day at a time, so I missed out on holidays and special events like Christmas; I was restricted to a small group of food and drink that were low in potassium and phosphate and I was constantly tired and I looked very sick and pale.
“I also really struggled with it mentally – at times I just didn’t want to be here anymore; life completely changed.”
On 24 January 2023 at 11am, Jeremy received the long-awaited phone call from the Westmead Hospital transplant team that he would receive a kidney and pancreas transplant within 24 hours.
“The phone call was a total surprise and was not expecting it,” said Jeremy.
I was at work at the time and was in shock, nervous, scared and was ready for it to happen.
Jeremy HenryJeremy said the drive home to pack his bag was the “longest most thought filled time of my life” with “tears filling my eyes out of both joy and terror as I didn’t know what was happening from here on”, he said.
Admitted into hospital and waiting to go into surgery, Jeremy received a devastating phone call from the transplant coordinator that the organs couldn’t be accepted, and he was sent home feeling “sad, shocked and upset”.
That same night around 10:30pm, Jeremy received another phone call to come back in, and was this time given a 50/50 chance of receiving a donation. Unfortunately, this transplant was not meant to be either.
“After a second time being sent home, I had so many mixed emotions and was feeling lost,” he reflected.
“I wasn’t sure when that next phone call would come, and the doctors said it was very rare to get a second call that quickly, so to not expect a third call to come for a month to three months, or maybe more.
“When the third phone call came only one week later, I was not expecting that call at all.”
It was third time’s a charm for Jeremy who finally received the life-changing surgery at Westmead Hospital on 4 February 2023.
“On the day I came into the hospital for the third time, I was afraid and at times had tears in my eyes because of the unknown, and my family couldn’t be there prior to my surgery, so I was alone,” said Jeremy.
“But the nurses there that night calmed my nerves and the doctors made me feel safe and that everything was going to be alright.”
Due to his lack of immune system post-surgery, Jeremy spent his first five days in an isolation room, and then was moved onto the ward for his last four days in hospital.
After his hospital stay, Jeremy returned to the Westmead Hospital A6 Renal Ward and Clinic every day for six weeks for blood tests, kidney and pancreas function monitoring, and to be administered any required IV
antibiotics, potassium, magnesium or saline for rehydration.
Once released from Westmead Hospital, Jeremy was transferred back to his specialists at Liverpool Hospital where he spent the next seven weeks having bi-weekly blood tests followed by doctor appointments to “get levels right to help my body have a fighting chance to keep the new organs for a long time”, he explained.
During these 13 weeks, Jeremy experienced complications such as fevers; a “mystery” infection which required a PET scan, CT scan, heart ultrasound and bone scans; spiked creatine levels which indicated potential kidney rejection, and a case of gastro.
“I’ve learnt to just take each day as it comes and live my new life which doesn’t involve being on a dialysis machine every second day or having to take insulin to balance my sugar levels,” said Jeremy.
“Transplantation surgery comes with its risks, and I’m now more prone to cancer due to tablets I must take for the rest of my life, but I finally have a future to look forward to again; soon I’ll be able to travel overseas, see friends and family outside of western Sydney and possibly move interstate now that I’m no longer locked to a hospital or a machine.
“To the doctors, nurses, specialist, transplant coordinators; you have changed my life forever.”
DonateLife Week 2023 is Sunday 23 July to Sunday 30 July.
Around 1,750 people are currently on the waitlist for an organ transplant and a further 14,000 on dialysis due to kidney failure.
“To the family who lost the person who donated the organs, the sadness I have for them often brings tears to my eyes, but because of this gift, I promise to look after the organs that were donated to me and forever hold the organ donor in my heart,” said Jeremy.
One person donating their organs means up to seven people can come off the wait list.
If you smoke, drink or have an unhealthy diet you can still register to be a donor. You don’t have to be in perfect health and age is not a barrier.
The entire process only takes one minute to sign up at donatelife.gov.au or just three taps in the Medicare app.
For more information visit: www. donatelife.gov.au/all-about-donation/ myths-about-organ-donation
JOHAN Frederick Coertzen de Kock a Dutch baronet and Netherlands Army N.C.O died at Nepean District Hospital in July 1946 from a broken neck accidentally received when an army jeep that he was driving came into contact with an electric light pole on the Western Road at St Marys on the same day. The district coroner Mr E F Rule held an inquest at Penrith Court House. The evidence indicated that Johan was trying to avoid a dog on the roadway. Lieutenant Wibo Lans represented the Royal Netherlands Indies Army. Mr Becker represented Johan’s wife. Sergeant Dew said that in response to a telephone message he went to the Great Western Road about 400 yards east of Sydney Street at St Marys where he saw a military jeep over an embankment about 3ft high off the roadway and it was extensively damaged. He said that on the eastern side of the vehicle he saw a man unconscious lying on the ground and in a serious state and wearing a Netherlands Indies Army uniform. About twenty-three yards west of where the vehicle had struck a pole there was a dead dog on the roadway that the jeep would normally have been on. At Nepean District Hospital Johan was identified by Lieutenant Lans who said he was twenty-two years of age and from Holland and at the time of his death he was a member of the Royal Netherlands Indies Army stationed at the North Ryde camp. The Sergeant Dew said that he was of the opinion that from the result of his inquiries and observations at the scene of the accident, Johan was driving the vehicle at not less than 40 mph when he noticed a dog running on the roadway and endeavouring to avoid the dog he swerved the vehicle and collided with the electric light pole. There was no smell of alcohol. Next Nello Chemello said that about 7.50pm he was working in a room at the front of his place on the Western Road when he heard a loud bang and went out to the gate and saw a car on fire a short distance up the road toward St Marys and he immediately went up and saw a jeep hard against a fence and the engine was running and with the assistance of Joseph Cook they put the fire out. He said that when he arrived at the vehicle he saw a man lying on the ground about six feet from the vehicle. The man was unconscious and appeared to be seriously injured and he was at the scene of the accident when the police arrived and helped to render assistance to the injured man. Lieutenant Lans who was attached to the R.N.I. Army at North Ryde said that Johan was a Sergeant attached to the same army unit and arrived in Australia about ten months ago on military duty. Next was Johan’s wife Lady Valerie Rene Coertzen de Kock who was living at No 14 Henrietta Street in Double Bay said she was the wife of Johan Frederick Coertzen de Kock and on 10th July she was staying at the Log Cabin Hotel in Penrith with her husband and on that day her husband left the hotel in a jeep intending to return to the military
camp in North Ryde. He was sober as he very rarely drank any liquor and they had only not long been married. The verdict was accidental death and his body was returned home. Johan was born in April 1924 in Den Helder, Noord-Holland, Netherlands to parents Baronet Hendrik Pieter Coertzen de Kock & Lady Digna Adrienne Van Teijlinger. The Royal Netherlands East Indies Army was the military force maintained by the Kingdom of the Netherlands in its colony of the Dutch East Indies in areas that are now part of Indonesia. Founded in September 1814 and remained active up until 26th July 1950. During early 1942 some personnel escaped to Australia and some indigenous personnel were interned in Australia under suspicion of sympathies with the Japanese. The remainder began a long process of re-grouping. Dutch airmen who escaped to Australia after the Japanese invasion of the Netherlands East Indies were brought together to form Dutch squadrons under the Royal Australian Air Force command. First among these special squadrons was the 18 Squadron, formed at Canberra on 4 April 1942. Although nominally made up of Dutch nationals, the Royal Australian Air Force supplied many co-pilots, air gunners, bombardiers, photographers and ground staff and the United States of America provided supplies and equipment. In late 1942 a failed attempt to land in East Timor to reinforce Australian commandos waging a guerrilla campaign ended with the loss of 60 Dutch personnel. A plaque was placed on the Federal Highway, RAAF Memorial Grove, Majura dedicated to the 2,609 Netherlands East Indies Army, RAAF Flying Units and commemorates the Dutch flying units established in Canberra during WW2. No. 18 Squadron RAAF with B25 Mitchell bombers formed on the 4th of April 1942, No. 120 Squadron RAAF with P40 Kittyhawk fighters flew aircraft types at Fairbairn until the wars end. Operating as Dutch units within the RAAF they flew Dutch owned aircraft and were commanded by Dutch officers partly manned by RAAF personnel and under RAAF operational control and the Personnel and Equipment Pool formed on 1st September 1943. The plaque recognises the commitment of all Dutch and Australian personnel who served in these units and honours those among them who died in the Pacific War. During 194345 the 18 Squadron flew from Batchelor and other northern airfields on reconnaissance, bombing and anti-shipping missions in and around the Timor and Arafura Seas. No. 120 Squadron operated mostly from Merauke in West New Guinea flying air defence, anti-shipping and ground attack missions. Their efforts helped establish vital allied air and maritime superiority in the region but the cost was high with combined losses of 119 men, both Dutch and Australian.
Sources: Nepean Times Thursday 18 July 1946, monumentaustralia. org.au (website), Wikipedia (website), Werelate.org (website).
Surprise 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.
TALENTED singer/songwriter and Katoomba resident Alina Caganoff (aka Alina Grace) has won the title of Best in the West, The Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre’s inaugural singer-songwriter competition hosted by Open Fridays.
Alina impressed the judges with a powerful performance of her original song, ‘The Man in the Painting’.
The competition, produced and hosted by Dale Morgan-Mawby, was designed to showcase the highly talented writers and musicians in the region, whilst offering an opportunity to develop their skills and demonstrate their abilities. It was held on one Friday every month from March to June with four to five performers every session. The best song from each round as voted by the audience progressed to the Grand Final where a panel of judges and industry professionals decided that Alina was the Best in the West!
Alina received a $2,500 prize package which includes an artist contract, rehearsal space at The Joan, professional development and more. As part of this package Alina will be giving a solo performance at Live and Local: Open Fridays on 6 October.
Alina has released three albums of original songs - the first when she was just 12 years old for a school project. This sparked her passion for song writing and she has been honing her skills ever since. Alina’s music can be found on all streaming platforms, under the name Alina Grace.
The remaining Best in the West finalists were: Russell and James Tredinnick, Martin Vella, Rainsford, Bree Love, Empty Fish Tank, Lemi Son and Ilana Danielle (winner of the ‘Fan Favourite’ prize)!
Friday July 28th 8pm
Friday August 4th 8pm
MVP 8pm
Saturday July 29th
Saturday August 5th 8pm
AS part of The Joan’s Salon Series, renowned composer and pianist Elena Kats-Chernin returns to Penrith for an exclusive solo performance inspired by family and fantasy. She will take you on a spellbinding journey from Paris to the Silk Road, performing classics such as the chart-topping Kismet, string quartet For Theodora, and some new, never-seen-before pieces.
With her music featuring in film, international sporting events, dance projects, symphony orchestras and television across Australia and around the world, do not miss this unique opportunity to get up close and be inspired by the musical marvel that is Elena Kats-Chernin.
Up Close With Elena Kats-Chernin is on at the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre on Friday 4 August at 7pm. Tickets: Standard $35, Concession $30 www.thejoan.com. au/events/up-close-withelena-kats-chernin/
PENRITH Regional Gallery, Home of The Lewers Bequest
is pleased to host The Artist’s Table, a one-of-a-kind immersive art & dining experience, and rare opportunity to dine as a guest of
Pakistani-born, Sydney-based international artist, Abdullah M. I. Syed and his wife Salma Ehsan Cheema.
The Artist’s Table is inspired by Abdullah’s current solo exhibition at
the Gallery, Rebellious Belly, which explores consumption, both literally and symbolically. The evening will include an aromatic five course meal with a bespoke menu created by Cafe at Lewers in collaboration with the artist and his wife, bringing together flavours from the exhibition along with contemporary Australian cuisine and delicacies from Abdullah and Salma’s home cities of Karachi and Lahore, Pakistan.
This very special evening will include a private tour of the exhibition and a live musical performance from Qawwal Party who will share their sacred and authentic Qawwali
devotional music. Guests will also take home an exclusive gift handmade by Abdullah M.I. Syed.
The menu will include mocktails and a selection of non-alcoholic beverages. Alcohol is available to purchase separately.
A not-to-be-missed experience that will be forever cherished by all those in attendance.
The Artist’s Table is on at Penrith Regional Gallery, Home of The Lewers Bequest on Saturday 12 August from 5:30pm – 9.30pm. Tickets are $180. Bookings close 4 Aug 5pm. www.penrithregionalgallery.com. au/events/the-artists-table/
BY NOEL ROWSELL
SYDNEY University has claimed both the Women’s and Men’s titles at the 2023 FISU Oceania Continental Qualifying Tournament, which was played in Auckland NZ over 21st-22nd July.
Penrith centre Meg Jefferson was a member of the victorious Sydney University Women’s team, which also contained Alexandra Kayrouz (Sydney City Comets), Carla Pitman and Holly Wilks (Norths Bears).
Sydney University was undefeated throughout the Women’s division, with victories over AUT NZ 21-10, Wollongong University 21-9 and Lincoln University NZ 21-18 in the preliminary rounds, then defeating Wollongong again 21-6 in the semifinals and Lincoln again 21-18 in the final.
The Sydney University Men’s team had an inconsistent run through the preliminary rounds, losing 18-17 to Victoria University, defeating New Caledonia 21-16, losing 2117 to Canterbury University NZ and 21-18 to Monash University.
The Sydney team’s fortunes changed for the better in the playoffs, with a 21-18 win over New Caledonia in the quarter finals, a 21-17 win over Canterbury in the semi-finals, then a 21-18 win over Monash in the final.
The Sydney University Men’s team comprised of Chandler Skelton and Matthew Wacher (Sydney City Comets), Mitchell Smith (Hills District Hornets) and Michael Yoong (Norths Bears).
Both Sydney teams will now represent Australia at the 2023 FISU 3x3 University World Cup, which is being held in October at a venue to be announced.
THE Penrith Panthers Women’s and Men’s teams lost all four games of a 2-day doubleheader weekend, in the final round (Round 20) of the 2023 Coles Express NBL1 East basketball competition.
The Penrith women fell 68-53 to the Central Coast Crusaders at home on Saturday night, then lost 57-47 to the Inner West Bulls at Ryde on Sunday. The men could not improve on those results, falling 95-77 to the Crusaders and 93-86 to the Bulls.
Both women’s teams threw up bricks for the early stages of Saturday’s game, with the Panthers taking 5 minutes to register their first points of the game. Playing without their twin towers of Meg Jefferson (University Oceania Tournament) and Chloe Bloom (injured), the Panthers lacked the offensive muscle to trouble the Crusaders, going extended periods in the first two quarters without troubling the scorers.
The Crusaders led 16-13 in the first term, 34-24 at half time and 48-40 at the end of the third term, before dawdling to a 68-53 win.
Rachel Maenpaa led the Crusaders with 17 points and 8 boards, whilst Nicole Hutchins had a gamehigh 14 rebounds to go with her 8 points. Emily Matthews led the Panthers with 15 points and 7 boards, ahead of Chloe Williams 9 points, 5 boards, 5 assists.
The Penrith men trailed the Crusaders 21-29 in the first term, 40-49 at half time and 61-70, always within striking distance but unable to bridge the early margin.
The Crusaders finally broke clear of the Panthers in the fourth term, winning 95-77. Five players hit double figures for the Crusaders, led by Aaron Lawton with 29 points and Luke Cassidy 18. Caleb Fetui-Fa’amoe led the Panthers with 27 points and
13 boards, ahead of Brodie Schwarzer 10 points and Jaedyn Fetui-Fa’amoe 10.
The Panthers men and women travelled to Ryde on Sunday to play the Inner West Bulls but could not end the season on a high, losing a low-scoring women’s game 57-47 and the men’s game 93-86.
Penrith’s point-scoring woes continued on Sunday in the women’s game, despite Emily Matthew’s haul of 24 points and 10 boards, ahead of Chloe Williams 10 points.
The Bulls led 18-12, 33-27 and 45-41 at the first three breaks, then broke away to finish as 10-point winners. Ai Matsumoto led the Bulls with 16 points, ahead of Jaydan Thomson 14 and Jade Yoemans with 11 boards.
The men’s game was a rout in the first half, with the Bulls leading 21-15 and 54-27 at the first two breaks. The Bulls starters enjoyed plenty of bench time in the second half and the Panthers took the opportunity to reverse the scoring trend, winning the second half 54-36. A great fightback but not enough to make up the deficit, as the Bulls finished as 7-point winners.
Bulls import Christopher Bryant was impressive with 23 points (in just 23 minutes of court time), whilst Tony Tolovae had 24 points and 13 boards. Brodie Schwarzer continued his late-season pointscoring exploits to lead the Panthers with 32 points, 6 boards and 6 assists, ahead of Caleb Fetui-Fa’amoe with 10 points.
Following the completion of the regular season, the top 8 women’s teams will now compete this weekend in Elimination Finals: #1 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles vs #8 Albury-Wodonga Bandits; #2 Newcastle Falcons vs #7 Sydney Comets; #3 Norths Bears vs #6 Maitland Mustangs; #4 Centre of Excellence vs #5 Sutherland Sharks.
The top 8 men’s teams Elimination Finals are: #1 Centre of Excellence vs #8 Newcastle Falcons; #2 Inner West Bulls vs #7 Maitland Mustangs; #3 Canberra Gunners vs #6 Hills District Hornets; #4 Norths Bears vs #5 Sutherland Sharks.
BY NOEL ROWSELL
OUND 1 of the 2023 Super Senior (Over 65’s) Pennant competition commenced on 24th July, with 5 local clubs competing in two non-ranked divisions.
Wallacia GC hosted Division 3 on Wednesday 26th July, with Antill Park defeating Springwood 5-3 and Camden (Studley Park) defeating Camden Lakeside 7-1. Campbelltown had a bye.
Castle Hill hosted Division 4 on Tuesday 25th July, with Stonecutters
RRidge defeating Cabramatta 5.5-2.5, Cumberland defeating Richmond 5-3 and Liverpool defeating Penrith 7-1.
This week’s rounds will see Lakeside Camden host Division 3 on Monday 31st July, with Wallacia vs Campbelltown at 10.00am and Camden (Studley Park) vs Springwood at 10.30am. Antill Park has a bye.
Division 4 will be hosted by Stonecutters Ridge, also on 31st July, with Richmond playing Penrith at 10am, Cabramatta vs Cumberland at 10.30am and Castle Hill vs Liverpool at 11am.
BY NOEL ROWSELLWYONG GC hosted the latest 2023 JNJG Under 12 Tour event on Sunday 23rd July, with Hunter McMillan (Twin Creeks GC) and Emma Norman (Richmond GC) both competing.
Hunter finished in a tie for 1st place in 10 Years & Under Boys Scratch, giving him his 2nd win of the season in the JNJG U12 Tour events. He also finished 5th in the Nett results for his age group, whilst Emma was 8th in both Scratch and Nett in 10 Years & Under Girls.
The next JNJG Junior Tour event is the Greg Chalmers Junior Masters, which is being held at Shelley Beach GC on 29th/30th July. Local juniors entered include Annoushka Maikap and Riley Cleminson (Stonecutters Ridge), Jake Thompson (Leonay) and Camilla Kim (Kellyville / The Australian).
** Stonecutters Ridge has maintained its share of the competition lead in Section 5 of the 2023 Eric Apperly Shield Pennant competition, recording a powerful 6-0 win over Killara, at Killara, on Sunday. Harrison Wilde won 5&4, Michelle Yang 4&3, Darcy Mackay 5&4, Ryan Cadle 3&2, Miguel Vella 1-up and Annoushka Maikap 3&1.
Richmond GC hosted Section 4, with Richmond falling 4.5-1.5 to Pymble, Penrith falling 6-0 to Bonnie Doon and The Australian (Red) defeating Cumberland 4.5-1.5.
The best for Richmond were Imogen Carter, who won 7&6 and Patrick Murphy, who tied his match. Brielle Mapanao (Quakers Hill) had a
3&1 win for The Australian.
Concord Blue had a 5-1 win over North Ryde, with Coby Carruthers (Jordan Springs) winning 8&7 and Chayse Thorpe (Richmond) 6&5. Ti Fox (Richmond) and Tyler Nesci (Leonay) both lost their matches in Concord Red’s 3.5-2.5 loss to Cromer, Connor Hamilton (Penrith) had a 2&1 win in Lynwood’s 3-3 draw with NSW and Camilla Kim (Kellyville) had a 2&1 win in The Australian Blue’s 5-1 win over Northbridge.
Section 4 will be at Pymble this Sunday, with Penrith playing Pymble at 7:00am, Richmond playing Cumberland at 7:21am and equal front-runners Bonnie Doon and The Australian playing at 7:42am, in a match which could decide the section winners.
Stonecutters Ridge will host Section 5 on Sunday, with Stonecutters playing Cronulla at 11:16am, Killara playing St Michael’s at 11:37am and Pennant Hills playing Royal Sydney at 11:58am.
** The TL Warren & W Gibson Pennant competitions also commenced on Sunday, with Wallacia, Leonay, Penrith, Twin Creeks, Richmond and Stonecutters Ridge all nominating teams in both competitions.
In TL Warren, Leonay won 3-0 over Lynwood, Stonecutters Ridge won 3-0 over Wallacia, Twin Creeks fell 2-1 to Muirfield and Penrith fell 3-0 to Rosnay. In W Gibson, Leonay drew 1.5-1.5 with Lynwood, Stonecutters won 2.5-0.5 over Wallacia, Twin Creeks lost 2-1 to Muirfield, Penrith lost 3-0 to Rosnay,
Penrith Panthers is delighted to announce the contract extension of representative forward Liam Martin until the end of the 2027 NRL season.
BY PANTHERS MEDIA
ALREADY contracted with the Panthers for next season, Martin has extended his deal with the club for a further three seasons.
Hailing from Temora, Martin joined the Panthers in 2015 and progressed from the club’s SG Ball team to a dual premiership winner and international representative.
Having made his NRL debut in 2019 for the Panthers, the 25-year-old forward has played 95 NRL games, nine State of Origin matches for NSW and five Tests for Australia.
“I’m really excited to stay at the club that gave me my first opportunity,” Martin said.
“I think the culture we’re building at the club is something special and
something I want to be a part of.”
Panthers coach Ivan Cleary was overjoyed by the re-signing of the two-time premiership winner.
“Marto is a quality player. He’s come through this system and he loves the Panthers – you can see that by the way he plays,” Cleary said.
“He’s getting better each and
every year. I think his work in the representative arenas has been really strong. He’s a really important player for us and it’s great to see him re-sign with the club.”
Panthers Rugby League CEO Matt Cameron said he was thrilled to see Martin commit his future to the club.
“Although Liam was already
contracted with the Panthers for the 2024 season, both he and the club saw the value of extending the deal for a further three seasons,” Cameron said.
“We are thrilled about his commitment to our club and look forward to his continued success in Panthers colours over the coming years.”
THE contract extension will see the 22-year-old forward remain at the Panthers until at least the end of the 2025 season.
Previously on an NRL development contract, the upgraded deal sees Geyer promoted to the Panthers NRL squad to complete the club’s top 30 for 2023.
A local junior, Geyer joined the club as a teenager and progressed from the club’s Harold Matthews and SG Ball sides to Jersey Flegg and NSW Cup – and has now secured an NRL top 30 contract.
“Re-signing with the club means everything to me. I’ve been here for the past two years training with the NRL squad and I’ve learnt so much
already – hopefully I can start playing some NRL soon,” Geyer said.
“This club means so much to me. I’ve lived two minutes from here my whole life. It’s where my dad played, it’s where my uncle played. This club is a second home to me, it’s like family.”
Panthers Rugby League CEO Matt Cameron congratulated Geyer on his new contract.
“It’s always pleasing to see a local junior commit his future to the club and we’re all excited to see Mav remain in Panthers colours for the next two seasons,” Cameron said.
“Not only is Mav a great footballer, but he’s also an impressive young man who emulates the values we share at the Panthers.”
$8,000
Penrith Panthers is pleased to announce that Mavrik Geyer has re-signed with the club for a further two seasons.
