Welcome to the February 2023 edition of The Beast, the monthly magazine for Sydney’s festive beaches of the east. The Eastern Suburbs has been absolutely pumping lately, the sunny weather and general global re-opening has finally brought the beaches back to life - I wish I owned a pub right now!
A big thanks to Bondi artist Camille Fox for this edition’s cool cover painting, titled Together Again. I think this artwork has captured the current mood around here to a tee. You can see more of Camille’s work on her Instagram, @camillefoxart, by visiting her Facebook page, Camille Fox Art, or at her new website, www.camillefoxart.com.
Some of the more observant readers of this little publication would have noticed that Camille has had her work featured on the cover of The Beast once
before, back in January 2021 (I can’t believe it’s been two years already) with her Bondi Beach summer scene, titled We're all in this Together. Not long after that edition of The Beast was distributed, a London-based reader purchased the original for a tidy sum and Camille donated every cent to the The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, where my brother Dan received amazing care during his cancer battle, and Dreams2Live4, a wonderful charity organisation that makes dreams come true for patients who are living with metastatic cancer (any cancer which has spread), relapsed lymphoma, relapsed leukaemia and high grade brain tumours, empowering these patients to dream and find purpose again, bringing joy, hope and dignity into their lives.
Dreams2Live4 is the only charity of its type in Australia for adult cancer patients and provided much appreciated support to Dan and his family in very tough times. You can learn more about Dreams2Live4 by visiting dreams2live4.org.au. If you’ve got
some spare coin to donate to a good cause, please give it to them. I honestly can’t recommend this organisation enough.
Camille has also informed me that she’s got a big exhibition coming up later this year in São Paulo, Brazil - yes, she’s gone global - so I’ll keep you posted on that too. And thanks for reading the magazine, I’m still loving it after all these years.
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If you get into trouble in the water, floating is your best chance of survival.
2023 is a time for renewal and spiritual growth, and Pearl intends to harness this cosmic energy through a series of columns designed to advise the people of the East how to live their best lives, taking advantage of everything on offer to achieve authenticity and self-fulfilment. This month, Pearl is going for the deep dive by advising readers on ‘how to be a property developer’, a ‘profession’ that truly takes advantage of everything on offer, achieving self-fulfilment through money, power and exploitation. And, if it’s not on offer, there is always coercion and ‘lobbying by donation’.
Developers make their living from subdivisions and selling off-the-plan. By ‘making a living’, Pearl means one that maintains a lifestyle of helicopters, private schooling, numer-
ous homes and luxury holidays. This lifestyle is not just taken for granted, it is a given, and when one’s lifestyle is impeded by NIMBYs, council regulations and building codes, a good developer knows how to achieve self-fulfilment of one’s profit goals while having governments eating out of their hands.
‘Finding’ crown land or compulsory acquired property is a boon to the developer but construction costs are the key. With 85 per cent of new developments containing faults, the masses have grown accustomed to defect-riddled buildings. And, with a reduction in the statutory warranty period and the NSW Building Commissioner now holding buyers responsible for dodgy work, the government has all but sanctioned defect-riddled homes.
As a developer, one must fight off any government initiative that impedes profit maximisation, and that includes housing affordability policies. Developers must be quick to remind governments that supply is the key to affordability and that the developer can remedy supply via government assistance and relaxation of regulations. It is also essential for the developer to have ‘mates’ installed in state and local government, allowing one to build whatever, wherever, with barely a nod to construction and environmental codes.
A smart developer will harness the media, ensuring their viewpoint is communicated with total bias. Nine Entertainment and News Corp are shareholders in real estate websites and Seven Group owns a tract of land that will benefit from the raising of the Warragamba Dam wall - these are the publicity whores used to quell dissent and they will always report on the woes of the developer and never the community. Developers will turn to the ‘big three’ when one needs to spread ‘Big Australia’ propaganda or communicate their disappointment with home buyers that shun apartments or demand fault-free homes.
Like a yummy mummy on her way to a 9am Pilates class, nothing will stop a property developer in their pursuit of wealth and power. According to Urban Taskforce, the think tank that represents Australia’s most prominent property developers, “Property developers are the engine of our economy,” and with Pearl’s words of wisdom you too can play your part in destroying the essence of our beautiful Eastern Suburbs.
I am absolutely disgusted by the behaviour of some people at Bronte Beach on New Year’s Eve. It's bad enough that we have to put up with the noise and disruption of the fireworks, but to come down to the beach the next morning and see it littered with rubbish is just unacceptable.
These selfish, thoughtless individuals have no regard for their community or the environment. They’ve left a mess for someone else to clean up, and that is just plain lazy and irresponsible.
It’s time for these people to grow up and start acting like responsible adults. How hard is it to simply dispose of your trash properly? It’s not rocket science, folks. But no, instead they just leave it all behind for someone else to deal with. It’s a disgrace and it needs to stop.
So, to all those who left rubbish at Bronte Beach on New Year’s Eve, I say this: clean up your act and show some respect for your community and the environment. It’s time to start taking responsibility for your actions.
Allan BronteGrab your hand-woven jute doglead and attach it to your dog’s neck. Your dog’s name is something like Starburst, because they haven’t yet indicated to you which gender they identify as. Starburst will have attended puppy classes
teaching him/her that when they need to urinate, they can either squat and/or cock a leg. All the dogs in the class received a prize, even though some technically failed.
But, back to the walk... When Starburst releases the contents of their bowels on the sidewalk, you will pick up their mess using two pieces of cardboard (from the recycling bin) and will place it in a brown paper bag. Double bagging is an option, but think how many trees died to make that paper bag. You will not be wearing plastic gloves. You will not be using a plastic bag.
You will then take the offending paper bag home with you, because by 2030 everyone will have realised that taking home your own dog’s excrement is the polite and civilised thing to do.
At home, you will place it in your wheelie bin, which by 2030 will just be a large cardboard box that you wheel out once a week by rolling it on two logs. Everyone will be in a constant state of self-satisfied bliss.
Coleen Bondi Beach
Evidence of ingrained anti-cyclist attitudes is so ubiquitous it is almost pointless in calling it out. But today (December 13, 2022) I had been to the bike shop on Oxford Street and was cycling down to the mall. A car with an elderly couple stopped behind me at the
Newland Street lights. The old woman passenger wound down the window to tell me I had to be on the cycle path. I told her that I had as much right as them to be on Oxford Street. If I had wanted to be on Spring Street I would have been there.
One felt sure that this pair are the type of people who would have complained about the installation of the cycleway but now believe that it is the only place a cyclist is allowed to ride - all other roads are for motor vehicles alone. Being elderly, I guess they are beyond changing their attitudes, but one can only hope for change in the next generation.
Cycleways provide safe cycling routes but are not the only places a cyclist is permitted to ride. I await the usual tirade of abuse from other correspondents.
Simon Bartlett CoogeeIn the latest edition of The Beast, Liberal Party candidate Kylie von Muenster tells us that “we need to preserve our environment for future generations” (Page 43, The Beast, January 2023). Some might say, this is a form ecopornography - also known as greenwashing.
Greenwashing occurs when politicians pretend to be environmentalists while never acting on their words; when suggesting small acts, while doing nothing on the most significant issue - global warming.
Over the last decade, her Liberal Party became the master of greenwashing. It told us “global warming is absolute crap” (Abbott) and electric cars will destroy our weekend (Scomo).
Worse, Australia carries the dishonourable badge of being the only country in the world that has eliminated the carbon tax (Abbott). We were - until recently - the pariah of any environmental conference. Abbott and Scomo spoke in empty conference rooms as the world had stopped listening to Australia. Our voice counted for nothing.
Even worse, after a decade of Abbott-Turnbull-Bishop-Cor-
i m b e r l e y i s a n e x p e r i e n c e d a n d c o m p a s s i o n a t e A c c r e d i t e d P r a c t i s i n g D i e t i t i a n f o c u s i n g o n t h e s u p p o r t o f a d u l t s w h o w o u l d l i k e t o i m p r o v e t h e i r r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h f o o d . S h e h a s a s p e c i a l i n t e r e s t i n b o d y i m a g e h e a l i n g , d i s o r d e r e d e a t i n g / e a t i n g d i s o r d e r s , g u t d i s o r d e r s , a n d c h r o n i c d i s e a s e m a n a g e m e n t K i m b e r l e y i s w e i g h ti n c l u s i v e a n d t a k e s a n o n - d i e t a p p r o a c h i n h e r w o r k .
mann-Scomo, Australia ranked 38th on Cambridge’s global sustainability index - even below Belarus, Serbia and Ukraine. Greenwashing gets us down - not up.
Thomas Klikauer Sweet CoogeeRoyal Sydney is RS
So, Royal Sydney Golf Club has won Land and Environment Court backing for its controversial course makeover. Bravo, chaps. But you have to wonder if Royal Sydney’s leaders have been living under a boulder these past few years, or are they just tone deaf? Don’t they realise the damage they have been doing to the sport they claim to love? Golf was already on the nose for its perceived elitism, and now…?
Shielded behind bunkers and big wire fences, Royal Sydney’s best brains have hatched “course improvement” plans that mean chopping down hundreds of mature native trees that will take decades to replace, if ever. They’ve won in court, but realistically, what do they expect other than public vitriol? Are they somehow ignorant of the growing push from citizens’ groups who areunderstandably - itching to take land from golf courses for public recreation and parkland?
But that sort of pressure affects only those little battler golf courses which rely on municipal leases and public goodwill so that anyone can roll up and play. Not Royal Sydney though, it’s powerful and private and remains smugly above all that.
It may be hard to believe, but for all its silliness, golf has a half decent story to tell. It has preserved a measure of nature and given our cities some “green lungs” that would otherwise have been clogged by factories, freeways and warehouses. Now though, the game is under siege and it needs all the friends that it can get. But you, the burghers of mighty RS, have stuffed things up right royally. Ready your chainsaws.
I am a golf tragic, for the record.
Michael Eastern SuburbsAfter learning of the decision to remove nearly 600 mature native trees from the Royal Sydney Golf Course, a decision that supposedly ‘ticked every box’, I was saddened to experience another issue - tree poisoning.
First it was just one tree, a magnificent banksia tree at Caffyn Park, Dover Heights. It looked so sick. Council confirmed my suspicion; the tree had been poisoned. Caffyn Park boasts one of the most beautiful views of the city and harbour, but the tree was in the way. What other reasons could there be to poison this tree?
And that was just the start of it, it seems. Another five trees on Hardy Street have been poisoned too, with drill marks at the base for the poison to be poured in, the trees seeping sap like they were crying. These are just some examples. There are many more.
I always thought trees complement and bring character to our city and harbour views. ‘It’s only one tree,’ some will say, others will say, ‘It’s only five trees.’ Oh, and the golf course says, ‘It’s only 595 trees.’ In an area with only 20 per cent tree canopy, this is all just perfectly fine.
Eliana Leopold Rose BayHow of earth did we - and when I say ‘we’, I mean Waverley Council - allow real estate sale boards to infiltrate our beautiful coastal walk? This might be a ‘win’ for William Manning and the owner of apartment 2, 11 Kenneth Street, but since when have we allowed the commercialisation of this beautiful land for the benefit of a small few, rather than - and at the expense of - the broader community? Let’s knock this on the head now, shall we?
Craig WaverleyWhat a timely and important article Pearl Bulivant has honoured The Beast magazine with. Her assessment goes to the heart of what
it could mean for us all to be truly caring and aware Australians.
We need to speak out whenever and wherever we can in support of our traditional Indigenous elders, whose world-view links us body, mind and soul, with the beauty and intelligence of the earth. They speak about the sacredness of this land for themselves, their communities, the people they live and work with, and ultimately all Australians.
“Listen carefully, careful and this spirit e come in your feeling
And you will feel it...anyone that.
I feel it...my body same as you. I telling you this because the land for us, never change.
Places for us, earth for us, star, moon, tree, animal, no-matter what sort of animal, bird or snake... all that animal same like us.
Our friend that”.
From Story About Feeling by Bill Neidjie, Australian Kakadu Elder, custodian of the land and last surviving speaker of the Gaagudji language, recorded 1982.
Annette Johnston North BondiI refer to Waverley Council’s Charing Cross Streetscape Upgrade (Waverley Mayor’s Column, Page 35, The Beast, January 2023) that appears to ignore some of the existing strengths of the area. It proposes changes that by any rational measure are unnecessary and may well prove to be counterproductive.
The suggestion that footpaths need widening is absurd. Pedestrian volumes do not warrant widening. Wider footpaths mean narrower traffic (and parking) lanes, which in turn means potential damage to the public transport system. Buses need wider lanes than cars. So, after some 140 years of success, Council could cause the transport system to abandon use of Bronte Road through Charing Cross. How is that positive for commerce? How does it assist sustainable transport outcomes
for local residents and visitors?
If the road is not wide enough for buses, they will have to be routed somewhere else, and they will be well and truly ‘routed’. Diverting buses up and down Carrington Road is a brainless idea, as anyone who has tried turning right from Macpherson Street to Carrington Road will attest.
Currently, buses serving Waverley, Randwick and points south transit Bronte Road at Charing Cross. There is no alternative viable route for Bronte in particular. Shifting buses from Bronte Road would affect transport for thousands of local school children, particularly St Catherine’s, Waverley College, Waverley Junior School, St Clare’s, St Margaret’s and Waverley Public. Council is committed to improving active travel and public transport patronage. Reducing easy bus movement through Charing Cross is contradictory and will instead reduce use through poor service levels.
One reason given by Council for proposing wider footpaths and a mid-block pedestrian crossing is traffic calming. Anyone who has driven along this section of Bronte Road knows that the traffic is already calm. Any narrowing of traffic lanes to facilitate wider footpaths here could impact on the wider bus system, so Charing Cross and surrounds could end up bus-less - the end of a long and proud history of well utilised public transport. Shops losing trade become derelict and the developers rush in. What an extraordinary failure of civic investment.
Doug Richards TamaramaBuses, the Beach and Bondi Road
Thanks to Pam Ellis (Buses and Bondi Beach, Letters, The Beast, January 2023) for writing my letter that I started and never quite finished. Trying to catch a bus to either the city or Bondi Junction from any bus stop along Bondi Road has become impossible in peak periods and when there are events on at Bondi Beach. As Pam suggests, the buses in peak periods should be monitored and
empty buses sent up Bondi Road to service the many people trying to catch a bus to the city or the Bondi Junction interchange and train station.
When I can actually get on a 333, I find that most people get off at the train station. Dare I raise the unpopular suggestion with locals again, to extend the train line to the beach? It won’t bring any more tourists to the beach as feared, as they are already catching the 333 to get to Bondi Beach. It would also take traffic off Bondi Road and leave the buses for locals to catch, rather than having to stand and wait as full buses continually pass them by. But, for a start, just send some empty buses every now and then up Bondi Road to collect the many people waiting for buses to take them to the city or Bondi Junction.
Peter James BondiBeach Wagons at Congwong are CongWrong
Dear Beast - I am writing to express my concern about the increasing use of beach wagons on our Eastern Suburbs beaches. As a frequent beachgoer, I have noticed that these wagons are causing significant damage to the sand and are also making it difficult for other beachgoers to enjoy the space.
The wheels of the wagons leave deep ruts in the sand, which not only destroys the natural beauty of the beach, but also makes it difficult for people to walk or engage in activities such as volleyball or frisbee. The ruts also create hazards for children and pets, who may trip and fall as they try to navigate around them.
In addition to the damage they cause to the beach itself, these wagons are also taking up valuable space and making it difficult for other beachgoers to find a place to spread out their towels and relax. This is particularly problematic on crowded days when there is already limited space available.
I understand that beach wagons can be convenient for transporting beach gear and supplies, but I believe that there are more
environmentally friendly and less disruptive alternatives that can be used. For example, beachgoers could opt to use a backpack or a tote bag to carry their items, or a beach cart with larger, more beach-friendly wheels.
I urge the Waverley and Randwick Councils to consider these issues and to take steps to address the negative impacts of beach wagons on our beaches.
It’s a couple of days into the New Year and I’m sitting at my computer trying to work out options of keeping a 4- and a 6-year-old amused during the school holidays. One option that isn’t available to me is taking them to the cinema - they simply won't go because they complain that it hurts their ears.
The first and only movie that the 4-year-old has been to see is The Minion Movie at The Ritz, and although he enjoyed it, he won’t go back. I did enquire through The Ritz website as t0 who sets the volume level for these films, and I did get a swift and very polite reply that they were required to play it at the volume of the film distributor’s instructions.
I am quite sure that lots of parents are in the same situation, but why should they be, just because the distributor wants to showcase their product in what they feel is the best light without any regard for the obvious effect on people’s hearing? Most of the adults that I speak to find cinema volumes too loud; how must the kids feel?
Surely there must be some type of regulatory body that can address this issue? I would like to hear what other readers think.
Lawrence Whitty Randwick ¢Please send your feedback to letters@thebeast.com.au and include your name and suburb.
Changes to Randwick City Council’s FOGO recycling scheme have been rubbished by numerous locals on the council’s Facebook page. They say a new set of restrictions on what gets thrown out under the FOGO program will lead to overflowing red and yellow-lid bins.
But the council says such an overload is not anticipated, with the changes involving just a five per cent reduction in the amount of material that can be disposed of in green bins.
The tighter FOGO regime has just been introduced by the Environment Protection Authority and the council is required by law to adhere to the regulations.
No longer are you allowed to use your green bin as a receptacle for things like greasy pizza boxes, compostable food packaging, used tissues and paper towels. And you won’t be able to dispose of your cat’s litter box contents or dog’s nox-
ious offerings in the green bin either. Instead, these must go in the red bin. Newspapers now go in the yellow bin.
“I fear my red bin will explode when I can’t FOGO as much anymore,” Maroubra radiographer Lucy Baum posted on Facebook.
Meanwhile, others were more concerned about overflowing yellow bins.
“I live in a block of units that fills these bins within days of their emptying due to online deliveries, tenants moving in/ out, etc. The fact that we will now have two almost-empty green bins and full-to-the-brim yellow ones is ridiculous,” Maroubra musician Lynette Smith posted on Facebook about the yellow bin situation.
Some of the Facebook postings about the FOGO changes were positive, however. A thoughtful perspective came from Angela Nashaat, a
community artist who lives in Randwick.
“I love that people are being educated to put correct waste into specific bins. I love the FOGO service. Most of society is so detached from the earth, they think the earth is somehow going to magically sort out every item they discard upon it. Personal responsibility,” she said.
FOGO, which stands for Food & Garden Organics, was launched by Randwick Council in March 2021 following the lead of neighbouring Woollahra Council. It has been lauded as a success, diverting more than 23,000 tonnes of food and garden waste from landfill. The FOGO waste is taken to a transfer station at Port Botany, and from there to a plant nursery at Terrey Hills for processing into compost.
However, not all the FOGO waste has been squeaky-clean and green.
“Research has found that excessive amounts of compostable packaging can affect the quality of FOGO compost and damage the environment,” said a spokesperson for Randwick City Council.
“In some cases, scientific studies have even found the toxic chemicals used in firefighting foam.”
The spokesperson said extra yellow bins are available to households or unit blocks on request. At this point, restoring weekly red bin services is not on the table. Red bin collections became fortnightly for freestanding homes when FOGO came in, but have remained weekly for apartments, which account for over half the LGA’s population.
You can see an updated A-Z list of what can and cannot go in FOGO on the Randwick City Council website by visiting randwick.nsw.gov.au/FOGO.
Our local area was invaded by a ‘tent army’ over the summer holidays. The golden sands from Bondi to Maroubra became a sea of gazebos and umbrellas as beachgoers sheltered from the sizzling summer rays.
The trend has been noticed at beaches all around the city and was highlighted in a recent Sydney Morning Herald article by Caitlin Fitzsimmons, headed ‘Why it’s getting harder to find your patch of sand on Sydney’s beaches.’
But locals and surf clubs that spoke to The Beast didn’t seem to mind the extra space being taken up by the shelters.
“It’s a big beach,” said Bondi resident Sarah Farley, speaking on the Bondi promenade. “These days people need more than hats and sunscreen if they’re spending the day at the beach.”
Bondi Surf Bathers Life Saving Club President Brent Jackson also gave the thumbs up to the sun shelters.
“Melanoma kills more people than gazebos or umbrellas.”
The shelters are very thick on the ground at North Bondi alongside the kids pool. They are being used by a lot of families. There are also solo beachgoers and couples using compact ‘CoolCabanas’, a kind of cross between a gazebo and an umbrella.
North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club President Andrew Christopher said the club has no issues with the shelters, providing they do not get in the way of surf rescue and patrol activities.
“We’re not keen on them being in front of our patrol tent, otherwise we see them as a good initiative in skin cancer prevention.”
Coogee SLSC agrees - in fact it uses tents and shade structures for a lot of its own activities. Club Captain Emily Miers said the shelters had an additional benefit on top of UV protection.
“They increase accessibility to the beach among people who might not be able to enjoy it otherwise - the elderly, children and disabled.”
Life has certainly dealt a winning hand to Bondi man Maurice Steinfeld. The great grandfather, who still enjoys playing bridge three times a week at Easts Leagues Club, recently celebrated his 100th birthday in style.
Born in south-eastern Poland, Maurice was one of eight brothers and sisters from an orthodox Jewish family. On the eve of the German invasion of Poland, Maurice travelled to Australia by himself at the age of 16, settling in Sydney where his older sisters had already found a refuge.
He was trained as a tailor and patternmaker before acquiring a clothing manufacturing business, Cappe Fashions, which made ladies suits and coats. In 1948 he met his wife-to-be, Lizzi, and the following year they married at the Great Synagogue, across from Hyde Park in Sydney’s CBD. The couple had three children together, and today there are also three grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Lizzi passed away in 2014.
So what is Maurice’s secret to a long life, The Beast asked the local centenarian? “Stay active, eat healthy and keep calm.”
Just before local toddler Bobby turned two, his parents, Vanessa Galleghan and Colin Halford, became worried by his tiredness and lack of appetite. Concern turned to fear as they contemplated the bruises on Bobby’s legs, which did not tally with any falls or other injuries. They took him to Sydney Children’s Hospital at Randwick, where he was quickly given a blood test. Then the diagnosis was delivered, a parent’s worst nightmare.
Bobby had leukemia. And he wouldn’t be leaving hospital any time soon. In fact, recounts Vanessa, “his white cell count was so off-the-dial that the doctors were surprised he was still standing.” Thus began little Bobby’s battle with the Big C.
The type of leukemia Bobby was suffering from, and continues to be plagued by today, at
the age of three, is T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. It is a type of blood cancer which is very aggressive, but has a high survival rate of over 75 per cent. It is a painful journey though. Bobby initially had to endure chemotherapy through a series of lumbar punctures. Then a few weeks into his treatment, complications set in.
“He started suffering mild seizures,” said Vanessa. “After X-rays and CTs the doctors told us he had a blood clot on the brain.” This was a side-effect of the chemotherapy. Bobby now urgently needed blood-thinning medication. The doctors prescribed a drug called Clexane. It was to be injected into his thigh twice-daily, and administered by Mum and Dad if Bobby was having one of his increasingly rare stays at home.
When Bobby is in the Children’s Hospital, one of his parents is never far from his bedside, while the other stays at home in Little Bay to look after the four other children in their blended family. Eventually this time commitment took its toll on Colin’s work and he lost his job. Now the family is surviving through crowdfunding donations.
“It’s been a rollercoaster ride,” said Colin. “We’re very grateful for all the support we’ve received and the medical staff at the Children’s Hospital have been fantastic.”
Then the big bearded man’s voice cracked and his eyes welled up, “We just want to bring Bobby home and for him to lead a normal life.”
A few weeks before this story was written, Bobby fractured his leg in two places. He’d just received the go-ahead to return to home in a wheelchair. Then a blood infection set in. He wouldn’t be coming home after all. But, as you can see in the hospital picture above, he remained in good spirits.
In the photo, Bobby is wearing his green fedora hat. In fact, he is always wearing his green fedora hat. “He even wears it into surgery,” said Vanessa.
When asked about the origins of Bobby’s fedora, Vanessa reveals that the almost totemic significance of the hat to Bobby inspired her to start designing and making a range of quality headgear as an enterprise to help the family finances. She’s designed fedoras, beanies and peaked caps for all ages, plus matching bags. They are branded ‘Bobby Ray’ (Ray is Bobby’s second name). Readers of The Beast who’d like to purchase a hat and help the family get through this incredibly challenging time can do so by visiting bobbyray.com.au.
Get well soon, Bobby.
Jillian Wills has just joined the team at Wills Property, a boutique real estate agency based in Bondi Junction. Jillian has managed countless properties in the Eastern Suburbs over a 30-year career, formerly at Wills Brothers. "Once you've lived in the East you tend to stay in the East. It has everything you need and the locals are great to work with. It's a pleasure to continue doing the job I enjoy, in the area I call home, with family again!" - Jillian
The Wills family have been working in property, offering personal client-based service in the Eastern Suburbs since 1934.
PHONE 02 9387 1700 EMAIL jillian@willsproperty.com.au
Gabe Tracton is just 17 but he is already a successful internet entrepreneur. While studying for his HSC last year at Emanuel School in Randwick, he started Sydney’s first specialist TikTok marketing agency, Web Scale Digital. He got so much work he had to hire ten content creators.
But his studies didn’t suffer. Gabe has such a strong work ethic and time management skills that he received a 95.85 Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR). Now he is about to start studying commerce at the University of NSW.
Gabe’s journey to entrepreneurship began in 2020 when he went to a ‘meet and greet’ function held by young TikTok influencer Fonzie Gomez at Westfield Bondi Junction. He managed to shoulder past hundreds of other fans to meet the influencer.
“I told him I could help him with TikTok content and asked for his number,” said Gabe. “He
was hesitant at first but I saw this as an amazing opportunity, so I persevered.”
Fonzie recognised his enthusiasm and handed over his phone number. Soon after that, Gabe began working with Fonzie on TikTok videos.
“Initially I worked for free, then as he gained more followers he started paying me.”
Early last year the Eastern Suburbs restaurant group Chargrill Charlies heard about his TikTok skills and got in touch with him.
“Chargrill Charlies reached out to me because they knew I was working with Fonzie.”
He went on to work his TikTok magic for the company and has helped it notch up more than four million views. He is now beginning to work with Guzman y Gomez and is happy to assist other businesses in the creation of TikTok content.
You can learn more by visiting webscaledigital.com.
Children’s charity Forever Johnno supplied a whopping 1,765 Christmas presents for sick kids and their families after its massive ‘wrapathon’ in the Coogee Bay Hotel’s Seaview Room on December 18.
Forever Johnno was founded by the father of nine-year-old John Anders Ward, who lost his battle with liver disease in 2008. Mal Ward resolved to help other children spending long spells in hospital and Forever Johnno was born. Since then, the organisation has raised more than $350,000.
Funds and in-kind donations go towards medical and recreational facilities at the Sydney Children’s Hospitals in Westmead and Randwick. And there’s a special drive at Christmas as Forever Johnno plays Santa to young hospital patients and their families.
Sponsors who helped supply the latest record haul of gifts include Laugh and Learn Randwick, Coogee Bay Hotel, Merlin Events, Santa by the Surf and Leeton Community Christmas Lunch. Chambers Russell Lawyers also contributed significantly to the cause, and around 70 volunteers helped with the present-wrapping on the day.
For more information, please visit foreverjohnno.com or the Forever Johnno Facebook page.
The gift that keeps on giving.
‘Get the job done quickly!’
That’s the message from Charing Cross traders worried about the impact of an impending streetscape upgrade on their businesses.
The facelift of the shopping strip is due to commence in winter after extensive consultations between Waverley Council, businesses and residents. It is going out to tender very soon.
Almost everyone agrees that the project is necessary and will breathe new life into the precinct in Bronte Road, Waverley. But there are concerns about how long it will take, and whether Council will stick to its plan to avoid complete disruption by carrying out the work in four successive stages
on different sides of the road.
“Overall, I welcome the project,” said Ben Kelly, owner of Frank’s Deli at the southern end of Bronte Road.
“We need an upgrade to make this a premium high street and attract new shops. However, I’m not confident the council will be able to get the builders to stick to schedule. Businesses may not be able to survive if the project takes too long or diverts from the plan to work on one area at a time.”
Vincenzo Gallifuoco, owner of Café Sorelle on the other side of the road, has similar concerns.
“I’ve been told my shopfront won’t have visibility for three months, but I assume it will be six months,” he told The Beast
“I think the plans look fantastic, but it would be great if I could just blink and it would happen.”
The upgrade project is an extensive one. Footpaths will be widened by 800 millimetres and electricity poles will go down, replaced by underground wiring. Mature trees will be planted and the area will be turned into a 40km/h zone, with a new pedestrian crossing. There will also be 32 so-called ‘smart poles’ providing WiFi and electric vehicle charging.
Waverley Council has been working on the project for a good few years and the project would have already been under way if not for COVID and La Niña. The plans have the backing of the Bondi Junction and District Chamber of Commerce plus the local precinct committee.
Mayor Paula Masselos, a business owner herself, held a number of on-site meetings with traders, residents and other stakeholders late last year to discuss the impact of the works. The Mayor committed Council to assisting business owners during the upgrade by promoting Charing Cross as “open for business” during construction.
“The Charing Cross streetscape is in urgent need of a comprehensive and aesthetic upgrade given it is old, tired and unappealing,” Mayor Masselos told The Beast.
“We look forward to an upgraded and more inviting Charing Cross streetscape. Our residents and businesses love the area and we want to make it more attractive, safer and more pedestrian-friendly. I also expect that this upgrade will further support the wonderful diversity of businesses and services that make up the Charing Cross strip by encouraging more people to shop locally at Charing Cross.”
If
a Female turning 13 or over in 2023,
Bondi United want to field the first ever female rugby league team(s) from the Eastern Suburbs, so if you dream of playing NRLW with Sydney Roosters and want to make history within the Eastern Suburbs, your opportunity is here with Bondi United.
Sydney Roosters Pathways Staff will assist in developing players and offer one on one feedback. If you would like to be a part of history, please register via the website above, call Kellie Lane on 0404087119 or email kellie@bondiunited.org.au.
Hospital waiting times in the East have soared, and Coogee MP Dr Marjorie O’Neill says the NSW Government is to blame for starving health budgets while funneling more funds into infrastructure projects such as toll roads.
“Our nurses are quitting hospital employment at an exponential rate,” Dr O’Neill told The Beast. “We need to increase
their pay before the situation becomes more critical than it already is.”
Latest Bureau of Health Information figures show a substantial spike in waiting times, along with walkouts by patients who haven’t been treated.
“At Prince of Wales, more than 1,000 patients - over seven per cent of the total patient intake - left without treatment between July and September 2022,” Dr O’Neill says.
“That compares to a figure of 644 during the same quarter in 2021. There is the same problem at Sydney Children’s Hospital, where more than six per cent of patients were untreated in the July to September quarter.”
She points an accusing finger at the State Government for under-funding health services, leading to acute staff shortages.
“This hasn’t happened overnight; it’s been going on for more than a decade. Mean-
while the Liberal Government has been showering funds on privately-owned toll roads and dubious projects like the light rail. There has to be a major injection of resources into our health system.”
The Labor MP’s views on the dire state of public health services are shared by the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA), which last year staged a series of hospital strikes over low pay and a lack of minimum and enforceable nurse-to-patient ratios.
NSWNMA Assistant General Secretary Michael Whaites told The Beast, “The unacceptable waiting times at Prince of Wales and Sydney Children’s Hospitals are part of a statewide problem caused by staffing shortfalls. Our emergency departments are at crisis point and we cannot expect the health workforce to continue shouldering the burden.”
Know who this bloke is? Police would like to talk to him about an incident in Randwick in the early hours of the morning. Two men got into a taxi on Cuthhill Street and asked to be taken to Kings Cross. “When the cabbie asked for prepayment for the fare, one of the men stole the driver’s mobile and fled on foot,” Eastern Beaches Police said in a Facebook posting. Anyone with information is urged to contact Maroubra Police on 9349 9299 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Prominent ear, nose and throat surgeon William Mooney was nabbed by police after buying a bag of cocaine on Blair Street, Bondi Beach.
The medico, a rhinoplasty specialist, was already in a bit of hot water - last April he was banned from practising for a year for a number of serious professional breaches, including using a bogus medical certificate to avoid mandatory drug testing for his cocaine use. Before his registration was suspended, he had a clinic in Bondi Junction.
Mooney, 56, appeared in Waverley Court where he pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited drug. He was represented by a senior counsel who claimed the cocaine was not for his personal use. In fact, the lawyer said, it was purchased for Mooney’s partner, who was celebrating her birthday.
Magistrate Jacqueline Milledge let the disgraced doctor off lightly, imposing a 12 month bond without conviction.
A $1 million reward has been posted by NSW Police in a bid to catch the terrorists who bombed the Hakoah Club in Bondi and the Israeli consulate in East Sydney four decades ago.
Previously, the reward stood at $100,000. It’s hoped the big increase will flush out the people responsible for the bombings on the afternoon of December 23, 1982. At around 2pm that day, a bomb went off near the fire exit of the Israeli consulate in Westfield Towers on William Street, injuring a number of people. Later in the afternoon, a second bomb exploded in the basement car park of the Hakoah Club in Hall Street, Bondi Beach. No one was injured in that second blast. A coroner’s enquiry has found the two bombings were the work of a now-defunct international terrorist group called May 15.
A number of shoplifters with Santa sack-sized hauls of stolen goods were arrested by police in the lead-up to Christmas.
A 27-year-old man was arrested at a store at Eastgardens for stealing $1,200 worth of baby formula. Also at Eastgardens, a 41-year-old woman
was nabbed for the theft of beauty products worth $1,100. Meanwhile in Bondi Junction, a 20-year-old woman was arrested for stealing perfume and clothes with a total price tag of $850. The arrests were part of a three day crackdown called Operation Light Fingers.
A man charged with touching a young child lost his bail application after a court heard there was a strong case against him.
Darren Tector, 57, is charged with common assault plus intentionally touching a child under the age of ten. In Waverley Court, his lawyer applied for bail so Tector could return to his Kingsford home and job on the gaming floor of a nearby club. But the court heard that Tector had previously served a prison sentence for child sex-related offences. The police prosecutor said he would face a long prison sentence if found guilty of the latest charges. The case against him was a strong one, the prosecutor told the court.
Magistrate Ross Hudson refused the bail application, saying the allegations were “very serious.”
Police arrested a Parramatta man for taking pictures of topless and bikini-clad women at Bronte and Bondi.
Ravi Pal, 42, was spotted by lifeguards at Bronte covertly taking pictures with his phone. Police were called and scrolled through the phone to find multiple still shots and videos taken that day at Bronte and a fortnight earlier at Bondi. There were close-ups of naked breasts and near-naked bottoms. The computer analyst was charged with intentionally recording intimate images without consent.
Subject Mahon Pool Glow Location Maroubra Photographer Theresia Hall @theresia.g.hall
If The Unreliable Guide is missing a virtue (clearly untrue, but I have to write about something and I am so bored of COVID, politics and data breaches) then it is patience, “the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious.” I am impatient. I want everything immediately - results, food, TV episodes, coffee, feedback, refunds, attention... and if I don’t get it, I’m furious. This is clearly a significant failing. Patience is one of the seven virtues for a reason; people need time, space and love to perform their best. Patient people are happier and have better health. So, if you too feel like you’ve been unhelpfully impatient over the busy holiday season, The Unreliable Guide has found some tricks and tips to help us chill out.
Most of us are impatient about ridiculous things - finding a park, waiting in a coffee line, trying to get a small child to hurry up. Impatient people don’t look good; we’re irritable,
distracting and unpleasant. We see these tiny ‘issues’ as more important than they are and there’s a biological reason for this: amygdalae, a set of nervous tissue in our brains. Amygdalae recognise threats and regulate our emotions, readying us for fight or flight. Trouble is, our brains were designed to deal with ferocious predators, and they can badly overact when faced with small irritations. That’s why many philosophers and all the major religions promote patience, most notably Buddhism, where ‘patience’ means not only enduring a difficult situation but making sure we don’t “return harm”. For Buddhists, there are three essential aspects of patience: gentle forbearance, calm endurance of hardship, and acceptance of the truth. In practice, this means: I accept the coffee shop is busy, I will wait calmly for my latté, which I don’t really need anyway, or, I can see that other driver is stressed, I can wait for someone else to let me cross this junction, another minute or two
won’t make any difference to my trip. That all sounds good in theory, but how can we ever hope to become so saintly?
Fortunately, scientists have been working on practical ways for us to learn to be more patient. While Krishnan and Sitaraman’s 2012 study showed internet users losing patience in just two seconds while waiting for their chosen video to start playing, a leading researcher on patience, Sarah A. Schnitker, from Baylor University, suggests we can train our minds to be more patient. She suggests we use “cognitive reappraisal”, which sounds fancy, but it just means thinking about situations differently. First, recognise what situations trigger your impatience, and what you’re telling yourself about that event. That forces you to take a step back and interrupt the stress response cycle - keeping you from fight-orflight mode. She also suggests we think about how crap we appear to others when we’re being impatient. Focusing on integrity and poise “will make it a whole lot easier to stick with practising patience on a daily basis”. But don’t expect results immediately. We have to “train, not try, for patience”. Like running a marathon, one sprint for the bus won’t help. And set achievable aims for your day. That way, a five-minute wait for the next bus won’t seem like a disaster.
Finally, The Unreliable Guide suggests that as the world gets faster and faster, and less and less tolerant, being patient enough to give each other a bit of time and space to function might be the only solution. And patience has its rewards, as Michelangelo allegedly said, “Genius is eternal patience.”
Sydney WorldPride
The countdown is on to Sydney WorldPride 2023 (17 Feb to 5 March), a once-in-alifetime global festival encompassing the much-loved annual events of Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras, plus many never seen before events. Sydney WorldPride, which has been branded as a state significant eve nt, will be the first to be held in the southern hemisphere and will celebrate our LGBTQIA+ community and showcase the beautiful diversity of Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. On Saturday 4 March, Bondi will be hosting one of the key Sydney WorldPride events, the Bondi Beach Party, from 3pm –10pm, with performances by Nicole Scherzinger and an allAustralian DJ line-up. Sydney WorldPride is working close ly with NSW Government, Waverley Council, NSW Police, Transport for NSW and other government stakeholders to deliver this event to minimise impacts on residents, businesses and road users.
Another local event is The Air is Electric photography exhibition – presented as part of Sydney WorldPride’s curated artistic program – in partnership with the Australian Queer Archives and Waverley Council at Bondi Pavilion Gallery from 10 February to 26 March. Waverley Council is presenting more performing arts and community events at the Pav and Waverley Library as part of Pride Amplified Details: sydneyworld pride.com
At time of print, we were busy planning the community opening celebration of the Bondi Junction Cycleway which links Oxford Street, Syd Enfield Drive and Bondi Road to Centennial Park. The final section of cycleway along Oxford Street, west of St James Road, became operational in December and up to 6000 trips are being made along the route each week. The Bondi Junction Cycleway and Streetscape Upgrade is a priority project of the Council’s Complete Streets plan to enhance the vibrancy of the Bondi Junction CBD,
making it a more beautiful place to live, visit and do business Details about the cycleway opening celebration will be announced soon online
We’re continuing to promote the Float to Survive message with Randwick City Council to help reduce drownings in Australia. Our Float to Survive pilot water safety campaign promotes floating as the best chance of survival for swimmers who get into trouble in the water and is being delivered in partnership with the University of NSW Beach Safety Research Group this summer See the beaches section of our website for an instructional video on how to Float to Survive. However, don’t forget to always swim between the flags.
The Pav continues to delight this summer with exciting live events and activities and the much-anticipated arrival of our ca fé and dining tenants Glory Days, Bondi Promenade and Surfish Find new events each week at the What’s On page at bondipavilion com au A reminder that the Bondi Pavilion Welcome Centre is open seven days a week.
Paula Masselos Mayor of Waverley
A colleague of mine recently went to one of those poké bowl places on the main strip of Bondi to buy some lunch. I was one in a group of six people doing a job in the area and it was decided that, rather than all of us going our own separate ways to get something to eat, we’d settle on one or two places close by and have someone do the lunch run for us. I didn’t get too involved as I’d brought my own feed, but upon my colleague’s return I’d learnt that this particular poké place had a long queue consisting mainly of scantily clad customers absorbed in posting selfies on Instagram. What really got my attention, however, was that this joint didn’t accept cash.
Before I go off on a rant showing my age, there is quite a bit to unpack in this little scenario. Did the quality of the food warrant the length of the queue? Was there something everyone in that queue knew that we didn’t? Was the pressure of FOMO so great that one felt compelled to join that queue? Most importantly, once you were at the front of the line, did you really think the guy at the counter gave two f*cks that you only had a $50 note on you?
Essentially, what it boils down to is choice and, perhaps more importantly, why we make that choice. It’s a major theme in Mark Manson’s book, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck. Yes, I’ve mentioned this book before, but as it has now been made into a movie, I’ve pulled it off the bookshelf and put it into my ‘read again’ pile.
So, what would you do if you have decided to get in line, only to find you couldn’t pay? Well, you might be inclined to get angry and have a go at the young kid behind the counter. You might think, “I’m trying to pay you, what is wrong with this place?” and indeed you may be right, but remember, it’s how we respond to the situation that is the key. Is there any point in shooting the messenger here? Despite the kid not really caring, they’re just following shop policy made by someone higher up the managerial chain. If we were to take a leaf out of Manson’s book, he would say we need to learn how to lose and let go; that a little disappointment is okay and even necessary. Instead of getting angry or perhaps worried that the scantily clad, Insta-obsessed millennial behind you might be rolling their eyes, if we were to care a little less and just walk away and not give so much of a f*ck, the sense of relief can be quite liberating.
Now, there’s a big difference between feeling liberated by caring a little less about things and not caring about anything or anyone at all. If we don’t care or give a shit about anything and become apathetic and indifferent about everything we run the risk of being emotionally dead, where everything means nothing. Learning to be comfortable with being different, rather than indifferent, is the key, and stops the risk of one becoming uninterested, uninspired and even cynical.
Ask yourself, “Does it really matter?” If we are getting caught up with caring too much about trivial stuff that inconveniences us, like having to buy regular milk because Harris Farm ran out of A2, that your partner put E10 in the Range Rover rather than 98 or, God forbid, you can’t have your poké bowl because you only have cash, then it might be time to reassess and care a little less.
If we care too much about what someone else says or does, remember it’s practically impossible to change them but it is possible to change ourselves. At the end of the day, we really only have the power to control what we do, not what we want others to do. If this means caring a little less than maybe that’s not such a bad thing.
So, instead of getting worked up over not being able have a poké bowl because you’ve only got a pineapple on you, may I suggest going to the joint next door and getting the sushi that’s made on site with love (not pre-made in a factory and scooped from a barrel). I’m sure they’ll be happy with the cash as well.
Jeremy Ireland is a local psychotherapist. Have you got a question? You can get in touch with Jeremy by calling 0400 420 042.
The latest from Randwick City Council about living in this great city
The New Year is well and truly upon us!
I hope everyone had a chance to enjoy the summer holidays and silly season with friends and family. As we settle into a new year, I wanted to take the opportunity to share some exciting projects in the pipeline for 2023.
First up, we began construction on the Matraville Youth and Cultural Hall in January, which will be a 14-month-long project. The rebuild project will transform the current underutilised hall into a space the community has asked for. The new facility will feature a community hall and an adjoining covered outdoor space, a new kitchen, accessible facilities and bicycle racks, as well as a number of new sustainability features like solar panels and rainwater tanks.
The plaza at Meeks Street, Kingsford is coming along and should be complete by mid-2023. The project will provide the area with a new streetscape upgrade, underground power, new landscaping, and a carpark upgrade. The opening of the Heffron Centre in Maroubra in the coming months will be a huge celebration for our community. The facilities include a new community sports centre and gymnastics centre as well as the new home for the South Sydney Rabbitohs. We are close to completing the amenities at Paine Reserve, Randwick. We’ve upgraded this building with new accessible amenities, a storage room for sporting clubs, and a changing room for players and referees. We’ve also been working on two outdoor gyms that feature new equipment catering to all fitness levels. The newly completed gyms are located at Barwon Park in Matraville and Snape Park, in Maroubra. These projects are just a snapshot of some of what’s on the cards for 2023.
EVERY FRIDAY YOUR SUSTAINABLE HOME
1.30pm-4pm Randwick Community Centre 27 Munda Street, Randwick
TUESDAY 7 FEBRUARY SMALL STEPS WORKSHOP: SUPPORT YOUR ANXIOUS CHILD TO RETURN TO SCHOOL Lionel Bowen Library 669-673 Anzac Parade, Maroubra
SATURDAY 11 FEBRUARY MARINE DREAM IN BOTANY BAY – SUE LIU EXHIBITION OPENS
The Bayview Gallery, La Perouse Museum 1542 Anzac Parade, La Perouse
SATURDAY 18 FEBRUARY RANDWICK PRIDE AT COOGEE BEACH 2023 2pm-6pm Coogee Beach Rainbow Walkway
1300 722 542 randwick.nsw.gov.au
Randwick Mayor Dylan Parker
Councillor Dylan Parker Mayor of Randwick
In this turbulent land of health and wellness we know as the East, it is critical you look the part. Eating raw liver, exercising and regularly injecting stuff into your butt are good places to start, but they pale in comparison to where the real work is done.
Now, not only can you track your exercise with Apple Watches and other fitness tracking devices, you can also share your exercise and fitness stats with other people! It’s terrific news for us consumers. We have spent too long in the dark ages, exercising ourselves to the bone while being silenced by injustice, not having a voice or platform, unable to express ourselves in a healthy way.
We can build digital communities around exercise to help commercialise something previously done as a mere personal practice for the betterment of one’s physical and mental health. These
communities’ sole purpose will be to advocate for health and wellness, and anyone suspicious of their spectacularism and superficiality will be deemed as attacking health and wellness itself. These communities will be spearheaded by responsible, well-rounded and far-from-midlife-crisis individuals with no monetary motives behind their actions and no desire for a leadership role in a fitness cult.
The basic principle that underlies this great movement can be surmised like this: If there is one thing more important than exercise, it’s letting people know you’ve exercised. Fitness trackers possess the magical ability to force the exerciser, post exercise, to first let someone know they’ve done their physical activity, and second to divulge to others that little screen with all their numbers on it. It’s just not good enough these days to track your own progress because that is a feeble enterprise for losers only wanting personal fulfilment. Always remember, the community will be depending on you to share, so don’t disappoint. I don’t know about you, but there is nothing more riveting than seeing a picture of a map with squiggly lines over it, tracking exactly where someone has run or swam, knowing their heart rate, their splits and how many times they stopped for a toilet break.
Science conducted by fitness tracking device companies show significant atrophy if a fitness tracker is not involved. Muscular atrophy, yes, but mainly reputation atrophy. If no one knows what you’re doing, you aren’t really doing it, and you suck too. All facets of your life must be on display at all times, especially exercise related ones.
Imagine going for a half marathon run and then forgetting to track it. Was the pain worth it? Did your muscles actually get a workout? Did it even happen? You may think it did because you lived it, but where is the zest when you tell your peers what you’ve accomplished? You’ll find there is none. The whole process is quite meaningless unless it has been tracked and shared, much like that picture of you and your best friend where you look amazing and your friend looks like a goblin and you always try to convince them they look great so you can keep sharing the photo, all the while knowing the truth that you look amazing and your friend really does look like a goblin.
Don’t risk it, people. Take control of your health and wellness. Get yourself a fitness tracking device. Be disciplined, record everything, digitally share everything and, above all, always remember to tell everyone every time you do anything exercise related. Your health depends on it.
Oh, yes, and don’t forget to exercise too. That’s probably important as well.
Dogs are more than pets. They’re companions, playmates and valued family members, and that’s why Eastern Suburbs councils have combined to create Sydney’s first Canine Carnivale. Canine Carnivale promises an eternity of inclusive family-friendly activities and endless tributes to our four-legged friends throughout the East. Keep an eye out for the following spectacular activities:
A fashion show with a twist. At Canine Carnivale, it is the puppy parents who take centre stage, strutting the catwalk in designer-label active wear, costly casual or Mr Business attire, with the following compulsory accoutrements: A Neckleash, designed for fashion not function (Neckleash is a registered trademark of Eastern Suburbs Canine Carnivale); an all-consuming smart phone or ear piece; a ruffle hem of doggy bags, which will never see the inside of a garbage bin; and, most importantly, an air of arrogance, condescension, entitlement and utter disregard for fellow citizens.
The Sydney Football Stadium will be demolished, again, and rebuilt, again, but not for the next NSW state election. This time it will return as a Roman Colosseum to host Doggy Deathmatch. The region’s most vicious dogs will be unleashed in gruesome fights to the death, and the last beast standing will face off against Thor. Thor is the reincarnation of Jai Arrow’s beloved Staffordshire terrier. While under the care of fellow Rabbitoh Liam Knight, Thor ripped the fur off a mini schnauzer at Bronte Beach, and later mauled a greyhound to death on the NSW Central Coast. Thor is short-priced favourite for Doggy Deathmatch, so after demolishing the last canine, he will entertain fans in bouts against passing joggers, young children and Paul Gallen.
The Wee Hours concert will take place on multiple random evenings throughout the year, and involves a suburb full of dogs barking ‘animandosi’ until the wee hours.
Pooch parents will attempt to set a new Guinness World Record for the most off-leash dogs crammed into a prohibited area with a fragile marine ecosystem. “This record simply must belong to the nation with the world’s highest rate of native mammal extinction,” stated event organisers.
Another twist on a classic. Barefoot competitors must navigate their way through a football field full of dog poo and bindis before attempting to score a try with a punctured football covered in saliva. Canine Carnivale also includes informative workshops on trend forecasting and literacy. Learn how to raise a gender-neutral dog, where to find the best dog massages, and how to use phrases such as “he’s just playing” and “he won’t hurt you”.
Canine Carnivale runs until every open space in the entire Eastern Suburbs is rendered totally inaccessible to the general public.
"They're justplaying."
There is no doubt that we live in a beautiful place here in the East and have easy access to beaches and parks for leisure and for exercise. Yet, there is a great deal of community dissatisfaction with what locals see as excessive and inappropriate developments resulting in traffic congestion, scarce parking, a sense of crowding, sometimes ugly constructions, loss of heritage and the distinguishing traditional features of neighbourhoods, as well as pressure on local amenities.
Often our local councils are blamed for allowing what is viewed as overdevelopment and the resulting decline in amenity and the attractiveness of area. However, the NSW Liberal-National State Government has passed laws removing from local councillors the authority to determine most development applications (DAs).
Local planning panels (LPPs) consisting of an independent expert to chair the panel, two other experts and a local representative, decide on DAs, and it must be referred to by councils for advice
on developments. LPPs make decisions on sensitive, complex and contentious DAs that come before councils, with council staff - not elected councillors - determining the more straightforward DAs.
The original stated rationale for these changes was to remove the potential for political corruption, to take the politics out of planning and to ensure expert decision-making. Interestingly, a number of members of planning panels across Greater Sydney are former politicians, and no doubt they believe they are doing their best in their respective roles, but has the objective of the LPPs been achieved, or has the community voice simply been silenced?
The NSW State Government is responsible for planning and development laws and there are important aspects of current planning and development processes that need to change. First and foremost, our community has a right to have its voice heard in matters impacting upon our environment. Elected councillors are expected to represent their communities and it makes little sense to assume that only elected staff - as opposed to appointed staff - might be ‘political’, hold particular biases or prejudices, or fall victim to lobbying or some form of corruption.
With appropriate checks and balances in place, local government councillors must have the chance to provide input into planning decisions impacting their communities.
It is also important that the community has complete confidence in the deliberations and decision-making of LPPs and that these are transparent and open. There is currently no requirement for a local planning panel to hold a public meeting to consider a planning proposal, and this needs to change. I also believe there should be increased community representation on these panels.
While complying development certificates are not considered by local planning panels, some complying developments are viewed as inappropriate eyesores,
while some are simply badly built, resulting in damage to the physical balance and attractiveness of localities and their environments. Many residents here in the East want to see development regulations improved to take account of their environmental concerns including reduction in open green space, increased water runoff into gutters and impacts on local heritage and community amenity.
When considering development we must take into account our access to public open green space and public services, including schools, public transport, hospital beds, etc.
Fueling the need for more development in the East is the NSW State Government’s Greater Sydney Region Plan, which specifies that the Coogee electorate, already with the second highest population density in NSW, must grow its population at many times the rate applying in areas with much lower population densities. While Randwick is expected to grow its population by 0.47 per cent annually, Woollahra is set for 0.25 per cent growth, and the good burghers of Mosman 0.07 per cent.
The NSW Liberal-National Government is the architect of our current planning and development laws. Here in the East we are already densely populated and yet we are required to significantly grow our population without adequate investment in our infrastructure. Our public schools are at capacity and not adequately funded, and we desperately need a new co-educational high school. Our public transport services have been cut. There is a lack of investment in critical care services at our local health facilities, resulting in all time high wait times. Furthermore, future development currently doesn’t include the provision of affordable housing for essential workers.
When it comes to our development and planning systems in NSW, as seen here in the East and across our city and State more broadly, the case for change in 2023 is very clear.
A summer swim at the beach is one of the enviable pleasures of coastal living or holidaying. It has been wonderful to see so many of our community down at the beach enjoying a swim, relaxing and recharging over the holiday period. However, swimming safely is something we should always be alert to.
Swimming between the flags at patrolled beaches is one of the key measures you can take to safeguard your own safety, as well as your family’s. Tragically, there were six drownings over the Christmas/New Year period. All of these occurred at unpatrolled beaches or outside of patrol times.
Our beaches were jampacked over the festive season, and our dedicated volunteer surf lifesavers and council lifeguards were repeatedly called on to keep
swimmers safe. Surf Life Saving NSW reported that across the 11-day holiday period there were 1,200 rescues and 56,470 preventative actions taken by lifesavers at patrolled beaches. These are actions that ensured swimmers avoided rips and other dangerous situations.
While I was on surf lifesaving patrol over the festive period, we had to keep reminding swimmers to keep between the flags and to stay close to shore. Most people at patrolled beaches will sensibly enter the water between the flags, but once in the water they may find themselves drifting outside the flags where they risk getting caught in a rip. Even if you enter the water between the flags, it is important to continually check your position to make sure you haven’t drifted too far out to
sea or out of the flags. If you feel you are out of your comfort zone or in difficulty, stay calm and raise one arm to signal for assistance.
This period has been a great opportunity to catch up with a lot of locals and discuss things that are worrying them ahead of the coming year. Many people I spoke to wished they could raise one arm to get rescued from the increasing cost-of-living pressures. The rapidly rising interest rates and inflation currently feel like we are in a fast-moving financial rip. However, making things easier for a lot of Coogee residents is the $7.2 billion cost of living support from the Perrottet Government.
There are more than 70 savings vouchers and rebates that are available through Service NSW, which can be accessed either through the app or by visiting the newly built customer-centric Service NSW Centre at Bondi Junction. To help you work out which savings you are eligible for, you can book an appointment with a Savings Finder Specialist who will assist you.
As I get my own three children ready for the school year, I am acutely aware of all the additional costs of getting kids back to school, and I am sure all families will be excited about the vouchers available to help families, such as the 3 x $50 (per child!) back-to-school vouchers, active and creative kids vouchers and first lap pre-schooler vouchers.
I hope everyone continues enjoying our last month of summer! Remember to swim at patrolled beaches during patrol times, with the knowledge that there is help available both on and off the beach. So, don’t hesitate to raise your arm when you need assistance, on the beach or in the community. We are here to help you.
VIEW Clubs is a national women’s organisation supporting The Smith Family.
Women join VIEW to form lasting friendships and to support children experiencing disadvantage to make the most of their education and create better futures for themselves.
Sydney Eastern Suburbs VIEW Club is looking to welcome new members to their monthly meetings held every fourth Wednesday from 11am at Coogee Diggers, 2 Byron St, Coogee - with guest speaker followed by lunch. Call Jan on 0422 922 095 Email nettiet@bigpond.com view.org.au
Kylie will use her local passion and professional experience to give Coogee a strong voice in our Parliament. She is someone who can get things done to deliver the services, schools, health care and cost of living support local residents and families deserve, and will fight to protect our community’s unique character for future generations.
Kylie and her husband love raising their three girls locally and want to ensure their children and other local families can enjoy the opportunities and character of our community. That’s why Kylie is standing as Coogee’s Liberal candidate.
With a doctorate in speech pathology, Kylie has worked in regional and city hospitals, and specialised in helping children with a hearing loss develop listening and communication skills. This experience inspired Kylie’s commitment to ensuring everybody has access to quality, affordable healthcare when they need it.
Kylie’s passion for our area has always inspired her to give back to her community, especially through local organisations, including as an active patroller and Board Member at the Bronte Surf Life Saving Club.
As a Coogee local and working mum, Kylie understands the opportunities and challenges for local families, especially the rising cost of living, the importance of good services and amenities, and the need to preserve our environment for future generations.
I recently returned from a two week adventure hooning around New Zealand’s North Island in a campervan with my girlfriend Charlotte. New Zealand’s reputation for fishing is world class and I knew I had to experience some of it while I was there, despite surfing being the main priority.
I had managed to line up a day out on the water with some family in the Coromandel Peninsula and I was as keen as ever to get offshore to target some snapper. The blue skies and Greek Island-esque waters were a welcome sight after having made a four-day slog through torrential rain and fog to get there.
The method we used while fishing was deep-dropping in about 50 metres with lures known as ‘sliders’, or ‘kabura’ by the Japanese. We were told that on many boats in New Zealand the traditional baited bottom bashing technique was more or less replaced with this slider method. The lure involves a heavy, rounded jig with eyes above a skirt of dangly rubber legs and a few stinger hooks.
The lure is able to impart lots of action with little movement and they are especially popular due to their ease of use and effectiveness.
Interestingly, choosing the spot involved no particular rhyme or reason and we picked a depth to stop at before starting a drift. Whether it is the sheer amount of fish in New Zealand or just the prevalence of fish-holding ground and structure in these inshore parts (or a combination) it sure seemed to do the trick and we were onto some fish pretty quickly.
After a run of smaller pan-sized snapper, an excited scream erupted from the front of the boat where Charlotte had just hooked up to what looked like a better fish. The sounder was showing 60 metres at this stage and I chuckled to myself as I knew she was in for a tiring fight. Following a 5 minute battle we landed a decent snapper around 5-7kg and Charlotte held up what was the biggest fish of her life. She also managed to catch a small John Dory, which I was
particularly excited about due to their superb eating quality. The day ended with two PBs for Charlotte, leaving me proud yet a touch jealous, looking forward to a few beers and fish tacos.
Back in Oz, the fishing seems to be firing. Perhaps one of the coolest recent captures I’ve seen is from Bronte surfer and fishing gun Jack Johnson, who got onto a black marlin out of his tinnie close in on the North Coast. Jack said the fishing was going off and the small marlin willingly smashed his live slimey on 15kg gear. I’ve been hearing of a lot of marlin reports close in recently, so it is definitely time to have a crack.
The first signs of dollies are showing, with the FADs providing the safest bet of finding them. I am very keen to get out there and catch a feed of the shiny green acrobats.
In other news, Hutto finally got onto his first jewie after 38 previous unsuccessful missions. He was fishing from a boat in a Sydney river with renowned jewie whisperer Ed Scott, throwing soft vibes over some likely ground when he got onto two smaller models. James definitely earned those fish after all of that persistence, and to catch them on lures makes it even more special.
Over in the harbour, these smaller model jewfish seem to be very prevalent, especially in the upper reaches, with reports of plague numbers. Off the rocks, ‘the bonnies are back’, and it’s only a matter of time before the masses get into the harbour and offer us some fun, mixed in with the regular salmon, tailor and kings.
That’s all from me, I need to go and finalise my gear for some bass fishing up the North Coast in the next few weeks. Cheers!
2 0023 0.68 0704 1.62 1400 0.54 1950 1.20
3 0112 0.65 0748 1.66 1438 0.48 2030 1.25
4 0155 0.60 0829 1.71 1513 0.44 2105 1.29
6 • 0311 0.53 0940 1.76 1615 0.39 2212 1.35
7 0346 0.51 1015 1.76 1646 0.39 2245 1.38
8 0424 0.51 1047 1.74 1716 0.40 2318 1.40
9 0502 0.53 1121 1.68 1747 0.41 2354 1.42
10 0543 0.56 1157 1.61 1818 0.45
11 0032 1.44 0628 0.60 1234 1.51 1852 0.49
12 0115 1.46 0718 0.64 1317 1.41 1930 0.54 13 0202 1.48 0818 0.67 1411 1.30 2015 0.60
14 • 0259 1.51 0933 0.67 1521 1.22 2115 0.64
15 0405 1.56 1058 0.62 1647 1.19 2228 0.65
16 0516 1.64 1215 0.51 1809 1.22 2342 0.61
17 0623 1.76 1319 0.38 1915 1.30
18 0047 0.53 0723 1.89 1414 0.26 2011 1.40
19 0145 0.43 0818 1.99 1502 0.17 2100 1.48 20 • 0240 0.35 0910 2.04 1548 0.13 2147 1.56
21 0332 0.30 1000 2.03 1632 0.14 2233 1.61
5 0234 0.56 0905 1.74 1545 0.41 2139 1.33 27 • 0230 1.54 0914 0.67 1459 1.15 2040 0.72
28 0329 1.50 1031 0.70 1617 1.09 2144 0.78
22 0425 0.30 1047 1.95 1715 0.20 2319 1.64
23 0516 0.33 1134 1.81 1754 0.29
• New Moon • First Quarter • Full Moon • Last Quarter
24 0005 1.64 0610 0.41 1220 1.64 1833 0.40 Tide Chart LOCAL HERO AWARDS 2023
25 0051 1.62 0705 0.50 1307 1.45 1911 0.52 Know a local hero? For more details email connected@waverley.nsw.gov.au
26 0138 1.59 0805 0.60 1358 1.28 1951 0.63 Moons Know someone who stands out because of their community work, generosity and commitment to others? Nominations open 13 February – 13 March 2023
My summer lamb pizza has all the ingredients needed to transport you to the Mediterranean. The hero is the juicy charred lamb, with salty, tangy, herb and citrus flavours and plenty of texture from the layers of lamb, potato and red onion on a crisp homemade pizza base.
It’s quite satisfying to make your own pizza dough and this can be achieved very simply.
Enjoy an impressive summer pizza that delivers, right from your own kitchen.
Pizza Dough
1¼ cups plain flour or bread flour
1 tsp dry yeast ½ tsp salt
Pinch castor sugar ¾ cup warm water 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing and brushing
Lamb Marinade
250gm lamb backstrap Juice of ½ lemon
1 tsp fresh oregano leaves
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tbs olive oil Pinch sea salt and ground black pepper
The Rest
1 small potato, sliced on a mandolin (or cut wafer thin) ¼ red onion, sliced thinly
2 tbs passata 120gm fresh mozzarella, sliced (or use grated mozzarella)
To serve 60gm Greek feta, crumbled
1 tbs tzatziki
1 tbs pine nuts (dry toasted in a pan for 1½ minutes)
1 tbs fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped ½ lemon, cut into wedges
1. For the pizza dough, mix the dry ingredients together until combined, then add ¾ of a cup of warm water and the olive oil and bring together to form a rough dough. Knead for about five minutes until the dough is soft and smooth, then transfer to a greased bowl and cover with a tea towel. Rest in a warm place for at least 30 minutes until the dough has doubled in size. Roll the dough out into a thin circle or oval and place on a large pizza or oven tray (that has been brushed with oil).
2. Mix the ingredients for the lamb marinade in a bowl, add the lamb and set aside for 15 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 200°C. 4. While the dough is resting, heat a fry pan on high. Cook the lamb for 2 minutes each side, remove from the pan and leave to rest for 10 minutes. Slice thinly and set aside.
5. Spoon the passata onto the base of the pizza, top with mozzarella, potato and red onion and cook in the oven for 8 minutes.
6. Add the sliced lamb to the pizza and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
7. Remove the pizza from the oven, transfer to a serving board, then top with the crumbled feta, splotches of tzatziki, pine nuts and parsley. Cut the pizza into slices and serve with lemon wedges.
Dana Sims is a Sydneybased food and prop stylist who has grown up in the Eastern Suburbs and loves to create delicious food for entertaining and family. She is inspired by the fresh produce we have access to in Sydney. For ideas, recipes and styling inspiration, check out her Instagram, @stone_and_twine.
1. Fashion designer who dressed The Sex Pistols, Vivienne ... (8)
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21. Cry noisily (3) 22. French ‘thank you ’ (5)
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3. Typically used as a command for a horse (4)
4. Musical drama based on a Charles Dickens novel (6)
5. Emperor who executed two men named Valentine on February 14 (8)
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1. Which Indian instrument was first popularised in western music by The Beatles?
Yellowcake is another name for which ore? 3. What phrase, coined by author Joseph Heller, means to be trapped in an inescapable dilemma?
Which band took its name from the nickname that aircraft pilots used for UFO’s?
Which cape was known as Cape Kennedy from 1963 to 1973?
Does a vexillographer design flags, dog outfits or computer games?
‘Bed & breakfast’, ‘bag of nails’ and ‘premature projection’ are terms in which throwing game?
French brandy Calvados is made from what fruit?
What country’s name starts with eight consonants?
Which city is the capital of Canada?
Swedish writer-director Ruben Östlund follows up his 2017 Palme d'Or winning film The Square with yet another d'Or winning film titled Triangle Of Sadness. Östlund’s modus operandi is amusingly scathing social satires that examine the hypocrisy of power dynamics and equal rights within relationships, as well as the assumed privilege of beauty and extreme wealth.
Social hierarchies are upended, and survival becomes the name of the game when a luxury yacht cruise containing a motley cast of the ship’s crew and uber-wealthy characters goes ridiculously awry.
If you’re after extravagantly eccentric scenarios and love delightfully cringe-worthy humour that goes way past being comfortable viewing, then you’re in for 147 minutes of giggles, gasps and squirming. This is a film that pushes the boundaries of outrageousness and will definitely divide the viewers into the love it or hate it camps.
Label Waterfront Records Reviewer @aldothewriter Rating
Did you know that a Northern Snapping Frog sounds like an old Irishman saying “Crapper”? Well, you do now. It was a lovely bit of news when I heard that Songs of Disappearance was number three on the ARIA charts. I simply had to listen to it. These days it can be hard to spend an hour alone in the rainforest immersed solely in the sounds of nature, but thankfully now you can put this on, turn the lights off, and transport yourself to a veritable frog orgy. Or you could just hide your speaker in a drainpipe and freak your neighbours out.
Label Top Dawg Reviewer @aldothewriter Rating
SZA is best known as the vocal hook in Kendrick Lamar’s ‘All The Stars’, but sheesh, with S.O.S she has proven she is far more than just a feature artist. With a heavy dose of Frank Ocean-style R&B and Kendrick-like verbal barbs she’s delivered an undeniably great album. “Can’t trust nobody you ain’t been broke with,” is also a wonderful line for my mental health, as it means I can trust everybody. I expect I will be hearing this a lot this year, mainly out of the windows of P-platers at traffic lights (the cool ones that is, not the KIIS 106.5 kooks).
Label Forever Living Originals
Reviewer @aldothewriter Rating
Little Simz has long threatened to break into my sad Saturday night playlists. The ones when everyone’s gone to bed, the headphones are on, and I’m getting lost in the lyrics while sobbing gently in my underpants. I reckon she’s finally cracked it! I always had high hopes for her, but we never quite clicked until now. She’s stripped back the production and has clearly decided to do whatever the hell she wants, with the industry suits firmly in her firing line. The only negative was I got too distracted listening to it and burnt my toast.
As with any addiction, it’s important to admit you have a problem early on, so people feel sorry for you and let you keep doing it.
By consciously attempting to iron out your character flaws, you risk erasing your entire personality.
Gemini May 22-Jun 21
There’s potential for you to stand out as a half-decent sort if you relocate to a small mining town in outback Queensland.
Despite your constant claims of being ‘blessed’, it’s time to ask yourself why your blessings always come disguised.
Starting the day bright and early is pointless when you can barely function after midday. You’re better off just sleeping in.
Don’t be ashamed of your failures; learn from them and don’t be stupid enough to try the same thing ever again.
Libra Sep 24-Oct 23
Blowing your savings on pointless rubbish is a reasonable short-term fix for the lack of meaning in your life.
There’s not much to be gained from talking about yourself. Your mates are always talking about you anyway.
You may not make the same mistakes twice, but you probably should have made most of them a decade or so earlier.
Capricorn Dec 22-Jan 20
With nutjob mates like yours, you’re better off keeping your mind as closed as possible so nothing too crazy can get in.
