Monthly Mailbag 18 Local News 30 Crime News

The Beast's Monthly Mailbag

Words The Good People of the Eastern Beaches

Electricity Charges

Due to my administratively-challenged nature, my dear wife Kerry manages all our bill payments, and a few years back she mentioned that she was at her wits’ end dealing with our electricity provider, AGL.

We were normally billed around $150 a month, and on one occasion we received a huge bill of over $2,000. In back and forth dealings with the company over three months, they were absolutely intransigent in their refusal to properly re-examine the circumstance to the point where they were threatening to take recovery action.

Upon hearing of this, I was incensed and immediately thought, ‘ministerial complaint’ or ‘ombudsman’. But first I had an electrician come to examine our power usage to detect any leaks and he reported that we were using barely any power. Meanwhile, my wife collected our printed bill history.

I then phoned the NSW Energy and Water Ombudsman’s Office and spoke to a most methodical young man who promised to investigate, but with no promise of a satisfactory resolution for us. He was honest in not giving us false hope.

The next day he phoned us back to say that we would be contacted by AGL with a resolution in our favour. AGL told us it was a “meter reading error” and that our current bill would not require any payment.

This was despite our previous repeated representations to them, when they said they had investigated the account and that AGL’s billing was correct.

On another occasion, complaints to our local council about the ill-considered planting of, and request to remove, a tree right under power lines bore no fruit. A letter to the then Minister for Local Government, cc’d to the Council General Manager, resulted in the tree being removed two days later.

The moral of the story is not to muck around with minor functionaries, in whose interest it is to avoid work or save their businesses money they have attempted to misappropriate (for which they may even be promoted). At best, the reason is laziness, and at worst, it could be fraud.

Use the relevant ombudsman or the minister responsible to hold them accountable and resolve your issue. Many consumers just cave in and that just encourages suppliers’ repetition of such behaviour until it becomes the routine.

Marcus O'Dean Clovelly

Buses and Bondi Beach

Summer is coming and so is the seasonal nightmare for locals. I live near Bondi Road and last Saturday I was trying to catch a 333 bus to Circular Quay. As I was waiting, a neighbour came to the same bus stop and we watched in mounting frustration as seven full buses passed our stop. We waited over an hour, and luckily we were both aware of the potential nightmare and had come early, but it was still very annoying. I have asked if, on summer weekends, one bus in five could start the trip up the hill from the beach to allow locals a chance, but was told that whoever is waiting at the beach has the right to get on.

While I love the beach and understand the attraction, I have been a Bondi resident for over 50 years and would still like to be able to catch public transport in my suburb.

Can Waverley Council and the bus company do anything to help me and other residents? So many times in the past I have been too late getting to the city and have missed catching booked shows and meeting friends.

Bondi is so frequently advertised and promoted that other great beaches which are also serviced by public transport are often forgotten.

We also have the Sunday parade of very loud Maseratis and Lamborghinis amongst a traffic gridlock down Bondi Road. At least the clearways for Sculpture by the Sea are finished.

Pam Ellis Bondi

(Some) Dog Owners

After reading the latest Beast (December 2022), I have to take side with the readers who take great umbrage to the people who leave their dog shit behind. Not all dog owners are responsible for this behaviour, but some among us just don’t seem to care.

I am a dog owner and twice daily dog walker, and I am lucky enough to be able to walk through the Waverley and Woollahra areas on a daily basis, taking a different route each morning. I live in Rose Bay (Waverley) which shares a boundary with Woollahra.

I have to say that the amount of dog droppings that are on footpaths and nature strips is downright disgraceful. Some residents in the Dover Heights and Vaucluse areas have put up signs

to ask you to pick up your dog poo, likewise in Rose Bay North Shopping Centre and surrounding Vaucluse streets. Many houses also have security cameras.

Does it really matter that much that a person may be seen to be picking up after their dog? Are you really that worried that some may make you a social outcast because you have a poo bag with you? There are plenty of places to dispose of them. All you have to do is be patient until you pass a spot where disposal has been provided to you courtesy of your local council. Some even provide bags.

You will get respect for what you do if you pick up your dog’s poo. You will be seen to be making an effort in your community and showing respect for others.

In my opinion, it appears to be the same dog owners all the time doing this. Law enforcement seems to be at an all time low as well.

Finally, how would you feel if you walked out of your house every morning to a big pile of dog shit?

If you see someone with a dog and they don’t pick up, be diplomatic, don’t confront them, be nice, ask them if they would pick it up, and remind them that dogs must be on a leash in some areas.

Be the person your dog thinks you are!

Freddie Rose Bay

Bondi Pavilion

I have read the letter regarding the $50 million Bondi Pavilion and Waverley Council’s response. One cannot help notice that Council does not address the question of the source of funding - surprise, surprise. I can be sure that Council did not have a loose $50 million lying around

In relation to the project itself, it may well have some green credentials, but it is unbelievably difficult to work out how Council managed to spend that much money with such limited relative benefit. We continue to have a world class beach and an 1820s pavilion. Thanks Labor Council.

Max Bondi Beach Waverley Cemetery Is a Place for Dogs

Hi James - This is a response to Stephen Lightfoot’s letter about dogs in Waverley Cemetery from someone who lives very nearby and walks with our dog in the cemetery (Waverley Cemetery Is No Place for Dogs, Letters, The Beast, December 2022).

The cemetery is a rare, wonderful open space, which should be available to as many people as possible, with or without dogs. Dogs should only be banned if there are compelling reasons to do so. Despite Stephen’s argument, there are not.

Walking dogs there is not disrespectful. I’m old enough to know a good number of people buried there. I respect them, as I do everyone who is in Waverley Cemetery, as well as their families and friends. I’m quite sure that my old friends would prefer the place to be one for life, happiness and fun, as well as death, sadness and grieving. If I make it into that cemetery, I’d be happy to know that dogs are having fun nearby.

Dogs do defecate and urinate, but it’s only a fool who does not clean up after them - and will be told as much by other dog owners. Here, my main concern is respect for the living - it’s not fair on the gardeners to leave crap for them to discover with a whipper snipper. The council does a good job of providing bags and bins - there’s no excuse for not using them

To say that “at many times it is no longer possible to contemplate life and one’s departed friends in peace” is surely exaggerating. I rarely see people attending graves, but if I do I make sure the dog goes nowhere near them. It is a huge space with room for everyone.

“Impact on biodiversity” is a furphy. If there were native animals other than possums there I’d happily keep dogs out, but there aren’t. The main mammalian wildlife is foxes and rats - lots of them - which are more of a threat to birds than domestic dogs. Over eight years I’ve noticed no change in the wrens. You are very unlikely to see a sacred kingfisher in the cemetery. There are some in the area - a young one was blown by a gale through an open window into our house - but their home is not in the cemetery and they are not threatened by dogs there.

Why are we so quick to tell people what they should and shouldn’t do? Surely there is room for ‘live and let live’ - why not in a graveyard?

Best wishes,

David Dixon Clovelly

Duckheads and the $50 Million Question

I suspect that the word “duckheads” (Duckheads, Letters, The Beast, November 2022), is either misspelt or the writer’s invitation to readers to coin their own description. In any event, the spectacle of joggers persisting with their use of the Bondi to Bronte path despite the multitudes attempting to enjoy Sculpture by the Sea was interesting to say the least.

I observed zig-zagging singles, doubles, trebles and quadruples all intent on maintaining their preferred speed and causing obvious angst to those wishing to enjoy a leisurely examination of the exhibits. I find difficulty accepting that it was even slightly enjoyable for the joggers, let alone their potential victims. Oh well, such is life.

Another thing: Charles Hunter (The $50 Million Question: Bondi Pavilion, Sustainable Development and the Concrete Council, Letters, The Beast, December 2022), complains about “the miserable state of our (Waverley) parks”. Contrary to his opinion, it is my view that those employed by Waverley Council to maintain the Tamarama and Bronte Beach parks deserve the highest praise for their efforts and dedication.

Year in, year out, they keep those areas in excellent condition despite the on-going crowds, celebrations such as New Year’s Eve and Christmas, as well as Sculpture by the Sea and the ravages of weather and exceptionally high seas. They are a credit to the

council, which in turn deserves to be thanked for the continuing standard of maintenance.

Greg Madment Bronte

Duckheads

Dear Beast - It was nice to hear from ‘Annoyed of Bronte’ (Duckheads, Letters, The Beast, November 2022). I thought I was the only one to have similar feelings towards joggers. What a bunch of selfish pests they are. They are not interested in the beautiful coastline as us walkers are, just on their stopwatches.

I agree that something should be done. It would be such a nasty accident if one was tripped on their journey. I think they should think again about where they exercise, we don’t want blood on the coastal walks.

AP Bronte

Free the Horses

Dear Editor - Recently it has been proposed that a new Eastern Suburbs high school be built using the land currently occupied by the Waverley Bus Depot by Spender and Greenwich. There was a line in that proposal, quoted in the mainstream media: “‘Waverley Bus Depot and Edgecliff Commercial Centre should be considered as possible sites for a new high school’, Greenwich and Spender say, ‘with both locations near parks and public transport.’” Does anyone else see the irony in that quote?

Yes, Waverley Bus Depot is a place that is close to public transport, but using it for anything else but public transport would mean that another place would need to be found for those buses, further away and much less convenient.

I would suggest that the best available land for a new Eastern Suburbs school would be where the Randwick Racecourse is now situated. It would be a much more beneficial use of that land than what it is used for now. Free the horses, give the land back to the majority of people in the area and make parking easier for the locals.

The races are the modern day equivalent of Roman games; surely we can move past that now? If anyone still wants to have a bet then I am sure that local pubs and RSL clubs would love you throwing money at them.

Doug Richards Tamarama

Everywhere Is the Place for Dogs

Dog haters often begin by saying they are not, then demonstrate by the spurious reasons they give why dogs should be banned, that they indeed are. So it is with Stephen Lightfoot’s three reasons to ban dogs from Waverley cemetery, (Waverley Cemetery Is No Place for dogs, Letters, The Beast, December, 2022).

His first reason is respect for the dead. Who prescribes how respect is demonstated? In Korea I have danced on graves with relatives remembering their dead. In Russia I have drunk too much vodka with relatives for the same reason. In Chile I have attended protests against the Pinochet dictatorship in the central cemetery in Santiago (and been tear gassed for my trouble). At Botany Cemetery I regularly took my dog when I visited my mother’s grave. It didn’t help her but certainly helped me. None of these activities were disrespectful, except of course for the tear gassing. As for dog droppings, most are picked up and the few remaining blend with the much more plentiful bird, fox and rat droppings.

His second reason is that cemeteries are places of quiet reflection. Again, who prescribes this? In Korea, Russia and Chile that is certainly not the case. If dogs in cemeteries distract from quiet reflection, so do people walking there for pleasure or to birdwatch. In the 22 years I have walked through Waverley cemetery morning and evening only once have I seen any relatives at a grave and they were unaware of our presence.

As for the third reason about protecting biodiversity, that is not the purpose of cemeteries. Even if it were, the attribution of the disappearance of the fairy wren in the last year to the presence of dogs might be convincing if dogs first appeared there last year.

We live in a city, which means we need to share the space and not banish dogs (usually to the most unpleasant small patches) on spurious grounds. Dog owners pay rates, they are entitled to free space at least in proportion to their numbers, and considering the joy and health benefits they bring to dog owners and the joy to most non-dog owners (there isn’t a day that goes by without my dogs being admired and patted by strangers, something which oddly never happens to me), I would argue they merit a far greater proportion.

John Acton Bronte

Randwick and Yale

In the twisted imagination of the Liberal Party, this should not exist. Yet it does. For a very long time, the federal arm of the Liberal Party has systematically over-funded so-called ‘private’ schools with taxpayer money, camouflaging their failed educational policy through their ideology of the free market and hard work. Meanwhile, their ideologically motivated bedfellows at state level have thoroughly underfunded public schools like Randwick Boys High School - just a look at the building itself confirms that. Evil heretics call this socialism for the rich and capitalism for the poor!

Yet despite all this, three boys from Randwick Boys High - a public school, not a private one - won the national level of a prestigious championship in ‘higher order thinking’. Despite being deliberately disadvantaged by funding cuts, making their contest look like a boxing match against Mike Tyson with their arms tied behind their backs, they won!

Now, these three Randwick boys are attending the global championship at Yale University (USA) to compete in the World Scholar’s Cup against rafts of other nations. Randwick Boys High School is representing Australia!

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Perhaps overfunding private schools does not quite translate into creating the likes of Sigmund Freud, Albert Einstein, and Stephen Hawking, capable of higher order thinking. But good public education - even when systematically underfunded - does. Congratulations Randwick Boys High School. Well done!

Thomas Klikauer Coogee

Extra Colours are Offensive

Dear James - I wish to state my strong objection to the planned addition of extra LGBTQA+ flag colours to the current rainbow which is painted on the Coogee Beach steps. Coogee Beach is a public space, it is a space for all people of all genders, all nationalities and of all creeds.

Painting a rainbow is one thing, putting up a plaque which talks about representing the diversity of Coogee is one thing. Blatantly painting colours from flags which do not represent a majority of people in our community is not appropriate. It does not represent me - in actual fact it would be offensive to me and many others. Coogee is my home, the beach is a place of natural beauty and it’s a place for everyone.

What if a huge crucifix - that is, a cross with Jesus - was planted in the middle of Coogee Beach for all to see every time they went to the beach? People would not be happy. I would not expect them to be happy - it does not represent them and they shouldn’t have to have it in front of them in a public space. They’re not choosing to see it. Straight people don’t have a flag (could someone please design one!) and if they did I wouldn't expect it to be painted in a public space. In the same way, I do not wish or choose to have to look at the myriad of colours on LGBTQA+ flags every time I go for a jog or whenever I want to admire the stunning natural beauty of where we live.

This is not about being anti-gay or not inclusive or not accepting. As a practising Christian, my respect for every other fellow human being is the same way I respect and treat myself as a person. At the very least there should be community consultation regarding this plan for extra colours.

Liz Coogee

Uluru at Bondi Pavilion

Dear James - There has been a great deal of hype about the Pavilion, and most of what is there - already opened (lest patience is further tried) is incomplete, imperfect... but promising. Too many gestures though, and this one hit me in the eye.

I believe that Bondi Pavilion is a public place of great significance - an agora of sorts, and a major thoroughfare for locals and visitors of every kind. To have the Uluru Statement from the Heart presented in such a careless and demeaning fashion undermines the very moment itself. Whatever happens in future legal process, that document remains, and stands as a cornerstone in the quest for national identity. It deserves a scale and presentation that dignifies the great sentiment that it embodies.

Nicholas Pounder Bondi

Mailbag Response to Burrows Park Upgrade

Dear locals and Beast readers - I am writing to respond to objections by the ‘Concerned Residents’ to the proposed upgrade and increase size of the football field (Burrows Park ‘Upgrade’, Letters, The Beast, November 2022).

The comment, “This will completely change the quiet, local natural beachside area we all grew up with or moved to Clovelly to enjoy,” is clearly not correct at all. The objector also refers to the impact of crowds, traffic, noise, loss of natural views and quality of life and - the big one - property values. This comment reflects their lack of knowledge of current usage and the actual history of Burrows Park.

Burrows Park has in fact been a rugby league playing field since the early 1950s. At that time, with the efforts of surf and league club members, including Keith ‘Pops’ Goodsell, approval was granted to convert the windswept rocky sandy area just below the Clovelly Bowling Club, into a sorely needed home ground field. This provided facilities to play and train on a full-size rugby league playing field frequented by both locals, youth and weekend games.

Funding only allowed for a small changeroom/toilet amenity which barely facilitated the players and public when watching the weekend games. The playing field was used by all grades up until the early 1990s when the field size was reduced to suit only junior grades. It has been since that time a unique link with the Clovelly Rugby League Football Club, as well as the Clovelly Eagles Rugby Union Club.

The proposed development merely reinstates the original size fields and upgrades facilities to better address urgent current needs, especially for the burgeoning female Crocs rugby league teams and locals who want to play and train there. It is a vital asset to the community.

So, to say, “The field needs only a simple upgrade,” is simply not true, and it is elitist to not want to allow the public to enjoy the Clovelly environment.

Nic Carroll Clovelly Crocs Club Historian Bondi

Different Rules for Developers

Dear Beast - I am writing to you with what I perceive to be a worrying future trend for unit owners in the Waverley LGA.

We are the owners of a small unit in what is termed an ‘Inter-war block’, that is typical of many Bondi units in style. The block of eight units is now approaching its 100th year and, like all buildings of that age, needs some capitial works.

To finance this work, it was proposed by the stakeholders that the common areas of the building be sold by the strata to the individual owners and thus finance the works. It was my understanding that this was a common way for ratepayers to finance work in ageing buildings.

After architect’s plans and town planning reports were done, we, in good faith, submitted our Development Application and waited. After considerable expense and a good deal of waiting, we received a letter from Waverley Council informing us that the Area Planning Management at Council’s Internal Development and Building Unit Meeting will not support the development.

One of the reasons given was that the building next door would lose mid-winter sun. We could work with that, but the next sentence had me incensed. It quotes section D of the council’s development standard that requires “environmental amenity for neighbours to be preserved, and therefore any impact on neighbours is unacceptable, so this makes the Development Application fundamentally unsupportable.”

The other reason given was they “could not support significent alterations to roof form, bulk, and appearance of the existing building,” and that, “the existing roof should be retained.”

I am 61 years old and have lived in the area all my life, as did my parents and grandparents. I have watched with disgust and sadness as swathes of ‘Village Bondi’ has been wrecked!

In the same street, local residents fought a losing battle as an enormous development went through against their wishes. In the same street, at least a dozen Inter-war buildings have gone under the wrecking ball in one fell swoop to add to another large development in an already congested area. Hall Street Post Office, a landmark building of the same era as our block, now has a swathe of modern units heaped on top of it. How’s the “form, bulk and appearance” of the existing building going guys?

I know of at least half a dozen local residents who are fighting developers “to preserve the environmental amenity for neighbours” that the council seems to hold so dear, but has abandoned the residents I mention.

Now, here is the danger for the future of local residents who live in units, who do not have the resources of Mirvac, etc. - you will have to fund any capital works without the sale of common areas. “Can’t afford it?” they say, “Well, sell the block to a large, well-resourced developer.” They will get it through, and the handing over of Bondi to the developers continues.

Charlie Mac Bondi Beach

P.S. The residents in our block have been fighting a developer whose DA would have taken the sun from most of the backyard in our block. It is only because the house next door to this development collapsed due to dodgy excavating, and thus has stalled the development. ¢

Please send your feedback to letters@thebeast.com.au and include your name and suburb.

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Paul, Jordan, Simon and Pia in front of Jordan’s awesome artwork.

Coogee Wall Is New Showcase for Local Artists

Words Anthony Maguire Photo Jack Bennett Insta @jackowenbennett

Take a stroll down Alfreda Street in Coogee and you will now see vivid images jumping out at you from a corner wall next to a previously dull alleyway. A new mural by local Aboriginal artist Jordan Ardler, rich with ocean imagery, from the waving fronds of sea grasses at the base, to the whale floating atop the aqua sea, has breathed some life into the strip.

Jordan, 27, is a member of the La Perouse Aboriginal community and runs a youth haven there. Outside that day job, she has carved out a profile as an artist, and her work can be seen on the walls of local cafés and schools. She also holds art workshops in local schools.

Sea images are a favourite subject of Jordan’s. In the Coogee mural, there are culturally and spiritually significant mullet, a traditional staple food for the local Indigenous community. The sea imagery is combined with dot designs, plus Jordan’s own hand prints in the ‘Greetings from Koojay’ lettering (Koojay is the original Aboriginal name for the bay).

The aqua colour of the sea is inspired by a distinctive feature in Jordan’s family.

“Our eye colour changes from green to blue,” she said, “and I’ve got a twin brother who has one blue eye and the other eye is green.”

Previously, there was just a blank wall where the mural is. Then the recently arrived building lessor, creative agency Emotive, teamed up with Jordan to render the premiere work for an ongoing showcase called The Alfreda Street Project. The mural will remain on the Alfreda Street wall for six months before it is replaced with a work by another artist. Like Jordan’s work, it will feature on the cover of The Beast. Meanwhile, inside the Emotive offices, the artist’s work will be on display, showcasing it to the clients who come through the doors of the agency, which specialises in brand strategy and big ideas for blue chip clients. Current examples of Emotive’s work include an Audible campaign starring Josh Thomas and Miranda Tapsell, with guest appearances by Marc Fennell and Adam Liaw, and the We Worship Food campaign for premium restaurant delivery service Providoor. Emotive was established in 2015 and now employs 53 staff. Before replacing ProDive as long-term lessor of the Alfreda Street building, the company was in Tamarama.

“When Emotive moved to Coogee it wasn’t just so we could work by the beach,” explains Simon Joyce, CEO and founder. “The move connects us to a cultural energy and a freedom of expression that sets us apart from the predictable city workplace. And we believe being a part of a unique community should be a two-way street. So, for all that we get out of being here, we want to give something back. The Alfreda Street Project has been created to act as a beacon of creativity in Coogee, inspiring and attracting more creativity and creative businesses to the area.”

Simon said it felt right to start with an Indigenous artist as “a way to pay respects to the traditional custodians of the land we are fortunate enough to work on.”

Greetings from Koojay!

Back to its spiritual home.

Flickerfest Returns to the Pavilion With Dazzling Array of Short Films

Words Anthony Maguire Photo Brendan McKinnon

Flickerfest is returning to Bondi Beach from Friday, January 2029, screening 200 of the world’s best short films over ten days.

Now in its 32nd year, the short film festival is staged in partnership with Waverley Council and the venue for the event is the newly renovated Pavilion.

“It’s great to be returning to the Pavilion after holding Flickerfest in Bondi Park for the past two years,” Festival Director Bronwyn Kidd told The Beast.

Program highlights include The Overthrow, a 15 minute film by Sydney writer-director Phoebe Wolfe about two young women who set off on roller skates from Sydney to Canberra’s Parliament House in a protest against climate change.

Also watch out for The Fritz, from South Australian filmmaker Conor Mercury. It’s a comedy featuring a cast of First Nations actors. Audiences will also get a chuckle out of White Lies, featuring hilarious cameos from Channel 7 Morning Show favourites Kylie Gillies and Larry Emdur. And anyone who has ever had to queue up outside a snooty nightclub will identify with Too Many Ethnics, from Sydney writer-director Vonne Patiag.

Filmmakers are competing for a number of prestigious prizes including the Flickerfest Award for Best Australian Short Film, the Flickerfest Award for Best International Short Film, the Yoram Gross Award for Best International Animation and the Flickerfest Award for Best Documentary.

The festival program includes a number of special showcases such as FlickerUp, for junior filmmakers, and Rainbow Shorts, featuring LGBTQI films.

Flickerfest started out as a low-key event held at a school in Balmain but soon moved to Bondi, which has been its home for the last 28 years.

Following the Bondi event, a selection of films will go on tour to capital cities and regional centres around Australia. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit flickerfest.com.au.

Relieved Residents Celebrate Industrial Rubbish Incinerator Victory

Words Anthony Maguire Photo Glenn Duffus

The local community held a victory gathering following the scrapping of plans to build an industrial rubbish incinerator at Matraville that would have had dire consequences for the air quality of the entire Eastern Beaches.

Held in Purcell Park, near the site for the proposed incinerator stack, the event was hosted by Randwick City Council, which laid on barbecued sausages and soft drinks. Plus there was entertainment from musos Anthony Cianci and Lawson Doyle, and children’s fun with Yabadoo Kids Entertainment.

The event was attended by Federal Member for Kingsford Smith Matt Thistlethwaite, State MPs Marjorie O’Neill and Michael Daley, and Randwick Mayor Dylan Parker.

Mayor Parker told the crowd of 300, “Our community has sent a strong message that big industry can no longer ride roughshod over our community. This is a community victory. It’s a win for people power. To everyone who put up a poster, wore a T-shirt, wrote a letter, signed the petition, turned up to a rally, took part in a video or spread the word - thank you.”

People power.

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Strength and Resilience Highlighted at Business Awards

Words Anthony Maguire Photo Candice Epthorp

The outstanding services and products of local businesses were recognised at an awards ceremony in the newly-renovated Bondi Pavilion.

Eleven businesses were winners at the Waverley Brightest and Best Business Awards. The theme of the evening was the resilience of the business community in weathering a challenging few years. Waverley Mayor Paula Masselos told the gathering of 200 that commercial occupancy rates remained more than 90 per cent during this time. And the number of businesses in Waverley grew by 10 per cent between December 2020 and December 2021.

“Waverley business is really strong and it’s growing,” she said.

The event was staged by Waverley Council and supported by local sponsors. Each winner received a trophy plus a tangible prize. The prize pool included a night’s penthouse accommodation plus dinner and breakfast at The Blue Hotel in Bondi, a $2,000 advertising campaign on Eastside Radio and a six month desk at the WOTSO workspace in Bondi Junction.

And the winners were:

Sweetheart Florist won the General Retail category. Cathy Levins-Byres, MC at the awards ceremony, said this businesses had been “commended by the judges for exceptional customer service.”

Little Feet Early Learning and Childcare was winner in the Childcare Services & Education category, while new age barber shop and salon AC FLO took out the Beauty Services prize.

Winner in the Hospitality category was Gertrude & Alice Café Bookstore. The judges were particularly impressed by the “bibliotherapy sessions” the Bondi business has been conducting.

Another popular Bondi business, Hong Ha Red Roll, was winner in the Artisan Food and Beverages section. This category was sponsored by The Beast, which came in for an honourable mention from MC Cathy as “the only independently owned magazine in the Eastern Suburbs.”

The winner in the new Sustainability category was bRU Coffee in Bondi, which has declared war on throwaway cups, encouraging customers to bring their own or choose from the café’s second hand mug collection. Another new category at this year’s awards was Digital & Online, and here the winner was Music Health, an app being harnessed by carers to help people with dementia. Technology was also forefront in the Innovation category, where the winner was online grocery marketplace toget.com.au.

Two architectural firms won awards, with Lockhart-Krause Architects taking out the Creative Industries category and Archi-QS the Professional Services category.

And last, but not least, there was Let’s Go Surfing, which won the Health, Fitness & Wellness category. When this was announced, event guidelines were broken as a contingent of half a dozen Let’s Go Surfing staff got up to receive the trophy from the mayor and pose for pics, as opposed to the principals who had been receiving the awards up until then. Not that anyone minded. It was an entertaining end to a well-run ceremony.

Before and after the awards, guests mingled in the bar next to the theatre, serenaded by a jazz trio. Many strolled out onto the long balcony outside the bar to admire the 180 degree vista as they sipped their drinks and nibbled at tempura prawns and other tasty finger food.

Well done, Waverley Council, for organising a successful evening in the revamped Pavilion! And congratulations to our wonderful local businesses - not just those who won awards, but all businesses in the Waverley LGA that have emerged stronger than ever after a very challenging time.

General Retail

Sweetheart Florist

Winners 2022

Innovation Sustainability Beauty Services

Finalists 2022

Waverley Council would like to Congratulate our Brightest & Best finalists for 2022. After a competitive process, the first round of judging is now complete. The second round of judging is about to begin to find our winners announced at a glittering awards night on 21 November 2022 at Bondi Pavilion.

General Retail to GET Childcare Services & EducationbRU Coffee HospitalityAC FLO Sustainability

Professional Services

British Carpet Company Carology Smither Swimwear Sweetheart Florist Watertiger Baby Ballet Academy Bondi Kids Drama Expression Dance School Little Feet Early Learning and Childcare Set for School Flav Gertrude & Alice Café Bookstore SHUK Bakery That English Pub Up South Bondi

Creative Industries & Entertainment Digital & Online Artisan Food & Beverage Bru Coffee Lemon Spring Eco Clean Little Feet Events Venla Resell+Relove Salvage

Beauty Services Digital & Online Innovation Artisan Food & Beverage

Archi-QS

Hospitality

AC FLO Casa Soleil - Tan Safe Q-Tox Bondi Junction Sage Beauty The Whitening Clinic Believe Advertising & PR Contour Cube EUX Digital Agency Highchair Catchy Music Health SMATA Technologies Jeeves.Plus Shop Local and Online

Lockhart-Krause Architects Music Health Hong Ha Red Roll Shuk Bakery

Health, Fitness & Wellness

Hong Ha Red Roll

Childcare Services & Education

Creative Industries & Entertainment Professional Services Health, Fitness & Wellness

Gertrude & Alice Café Bookstore

100 Percent Dance Bert Jewellery Limelight Australia Lockhart-Krause Architects Stephen Evans Art Studio SponsorsWaverley Woollahra Art School Archi-QS Century 21 Armstrong-Smith Kwik Kopy Bondi Junction Sapphire Family Medical Practice LJ Hooker Bondi Beach / Bondi Junction

Aim 4 Health Chiropractic Fit n Able Supporting Fierce Warriors Let’s Go Surfing Immersia Freediving Leap Frogs Action Sports and Games Let’s Go Surfing Vrtus Bondi

Little Feet Early Learning & Childcare

Sponsors

Sisters Phoebe & Thea with Brew and a mouth-watering mixed board.

French Fare Pops up in Coogee

Words Anthony Maguire Photo Isabelle Saxton

25 years ago, a young Australian from Clovelly, Andrew ‘Brew’ Robinson, was hitch-hiking on the side of the road in the French Alps. Broke and jobless, a Countess in her silver Audi stopped to pick him up.

As fate would have it, the Countess and her husband were looking for someone to work in their mountain chalet. “A turning point for the next 12 years of my life,” Andrew told The Beast.

Working for the Count and Countess de Forges in Méribel, a ski haven in the heart of the Alps, Andrew learned about the simplicity of aperitif dining and how to pair wines to cured meats and cheeses. Now he is bringing this experience to Coogee diners with his pop-up Coogee Bay Road restaurant, Encore Bottles & Boards.

Encore runs out of the Courtyard Café on Friday and Saturday nights. Here you can enjoy a relaxing aperitif experience, nibbling at delights like French saucisson, produced in Queensland by a French family who have relocated from the Ardèche - the French birthplace of this type of cured pork - with their secret family recipe that is over a century old.

Another favourite is the Cognac chicken liver pâté, made by Andrew’s mother Jill from her own mother’s recipe, which is also coming up to a 100-year anniversary.

They offer a revolving selection of cheeses - Australian and international - from the Victorian Oak Blue cheese to truffle pecorino from Tuscany. The cheese and meat boards are perfectly paired with carefully selected grades of wine - Italian Prosecco, French Rosé, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir and Shiraz.

Encore Bottles and Boards is truly about sharing, reconnecting with friends and family over some wines and boards in a relaxed setting where communication is easy again. Andrew has chosen to simplify his menu by narrowing it down to a cheese board, meat board or mixed board with a few sides and great wines.

Bondi Dog Park Strongly Supported Despite Community Concerns

Words Anthony Maguire Photo Eastern Suburbs Mums

Waverley Council is deferring its decision on calls to make North Bondi’s Barracluff Park an official off-leash dog area. The proposal received overwhelming support in a recent Council survey, with more than 80 per cent of respondents agreeing that dogs should be allowed off-leash in the park.

However, there were also opponents to the idea. A report tabled at a meeting of Waverley’s Finance, Operations and Community Services Committee said it could have “significant impacts” on the adjacent synagogue. “Respondents noted it would impede access, be disrespectful to Jewish culture, and take away two open areas that are currently used to socialise before and after services.”

Another concern is attacks on small dogs by their larger unleashed brethren. One option investigated by the council has been two separate off-leash areas, for big and small dogs.

Councillors decided further discussion is needed, and agreed to hold a “councillor workshop” at a future date.

Release the hounds!

Vanessa and Talia with their camera rigs at Gordons Bay.

Our Underwater Wonderland

Words and Photo Anthony Maguire

Just north of Coogee, a blue dragon spreads its wings. The size of a 50 cent piece, it is a soft-bodied mollusc that drifts on the ocean surface in a bubble of air, living off jellyfish fragments. Nearby, a few metres below the surface, there is a flash of yellow-green as a moray eel bursts from its rock cave and snaps up a passing fish.

Welcome to the undersea world of the Eastern Suburbs. From the wave-lashed rock platforms of The Gap to the calmer waters of Malabar, Little Bay and La Perouse, local diving spots offer a wealth of spectacular sights. And increasing numbers of snorkelers and scuba divers are capturing magical moments through the camera lens.

Two leading local lights in underwater photography are Vanessa Torres Macho and Talia Greis. The two currently have an exhibition of their works at Bellagio Café in Bronte Road, Waverley. Spanish-born Vanessa has a shop on Bondi Road, Aquatic Imaging Australia, that sells underwater photography gear and she has won international recognition through prestigious awards and magazine spreads. Talia was raised in the Eastern Suburbs and was one of the winners in the Ocean Art underwater photography competition in 2019. This year she was placed as runner up Nature Photographer of the Year by the wildlife photography site Nature TTL.

The underwater photography exhibition is called Symbiosis. It features 32 works and runs until the end of January. Most of the pictures were taken locally and prints from the show are on sale from $110. The exhibition builds on the collaboration between Vanessa and Talia in creating their website Liquid Lens a year ago.

Liquid Lens is a showcase for women in underwater photography.

“It is a field which has traditionally been very male-dominated at the competition level,” said Vanessa, 43. “So we thought, why not start something that champions the cause of women who take pictures underwater.”

Works from a female photography competition run by Liquid Lens were recently shown at the OZTek dive conference in Sydney.

According to Talia, underwater photography can easily become a consuming passion.

“It now defines who I am,” said the 34-year-old, who started diving seven years ago and got her first underwater camera in 2019.

The starting price for a simple point-and-shoot underwater camera is around $1,000. But the elaborate rigs used by Talia and Vanessa have much higher price tags. There are wide angle zoom lenses, a pair of strobe lights for stills, plus a video light powered by a large rechargeable battery. On land, the gear is heavy, but in water it has neutral buoyancy thanks to four float chambers.

Armed with their professional gear, the two are able to capture sharp, vivid images of everything from very small creatures like the blue dragon to large ocean dwellers like the grey nurse sharks which are common off the rocks of Bondi and Maroubra.

Vanessa also accepts commissions for underwater portrait shots of people. And if you are interested in venturing into the ocean to take your own pics, she runs weekend underwater photography courses at local dive locations such as Clovelly.

Vanessa's blue dragon.

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Expert Eastern Suburbs property manager 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

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Protect your income.

No One Likes Paying Insurance

Words Rob Shears Photo Robyn Rihanna Fenty

Insurance is one of those things that you think you don’t need, until you do. Sadly, over 17 years, and having advised hundreds of clients, I have seen my fair share of insurance claims. Fortunately, after millions of dollars of payouts, we have put our clients in a good position due to having the right protection.

The crazy thing about insurance is that we all insure our $50,000 car for a few thousand dollars a year yet most don’t insure (or underinsure) their largest asset - the ability to produce income for the rest of our working lives.

The net cost of insuring your income is often not that much more than insuring your car as the insurance premiums are tax deductible. While car insurance may pay out a one-off $50,000, income protection can potentially pay double that each year for decades. It makes income protection look cheap in comparison. You can probably afford to buy a new car if you had to. Most can’t afford to be not working with no income.

If you have a decent mortgage and a few kids, then your insurance needs are likely substantial. It’s important that you get onto covering your family if something untoward happens.

There are four different types of insurance that can provide protection, depending on your specific circumstances. Death cover, total and permanent disability cover and income protection can be held through your superannuation if you have cash flow issues. This means that despite large mortgages, there are ways to afford insurance during these tough times of rising rates. Trauma insurance is the only one that can’t be held in your super and is to pay out for the nasties like cancer, heart attack or stroke.

It is important to get yourself covered early as it is either very difficult or very expensive after any medical issue to get insurance.

Rob Shears is an Authorised Representative of Valor Financial Group (AFSL 405452). This advice is general and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. You should consider whether the advice is suitable for you and your personal circumstances.

The Gym That Changes Lives

Words Anthony Maguire Photo Jim Nasium

At a gym in Bondi Junction, people with disabilities are going through life-changing exercise programs. Participants are gaining not only healthy bodies, but boosts to their confidence and social skills.

Located in Spring Street, Fit n Able is funded under the NDIS and has around one hundred clients going through its doors each week. Some have autism or intellectual disabilities such as Down Syndrome, while others have disorders like bipolar and PTSD.

Sessions are one on one by specially trained coaches and the positive changes are remarkable, according to managing director Jason Critelli.

“We have participants who are really shy and timid to start with, but they quickly come out of their shells,” he said. “One of the major benefits is the ability to focus on tasks for a long time.”

The gym recently had a visit from Coogee MP, Dr Marjorie O’Neill, who said, “A mainstream gym can be daunting to people with a disability. This provides a space where they can increase their fitness in a supportive, non-judgemental environment.”

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Predator Keith Simms.

Crime News

Words Gary Larson

Plastic Surgeon on Child Sex Charges

A top Eastern Suburbs plastic surgeon has been charged with child sex offences. Double Bay practitioner Dr Richard Sackelariou, a specialist in breast reconstructions and rhinoplasties, is alleged to have groomed girls as young as 13 for sex sessions in motel rooms.

Sackelariou, 68, of Vaucluse is charged with a string of child sex offences. Waverley Court was told four female witnesses will be giving prosecution evidence. He was refused bail, with his stonyfaced wife sitting at the back of the court refusing to make eye contact with him.

Serial Rapist Unmasked

A notorious serial rapist who preyed on multiple women in the Eastern Suburbs has been identified by police using the latest DNA technology. But the predator has escaped justice because he died from kidney failure aged 66 earlier this year.

Police say Keith Simms of La Perouse attacked at least 31 women in Bondi and nearby suburbs between 1985 and 2001. He broke into their homes or set upon them when they were out walking or jogging - Centennial Park was a favourite hunting ground and he also targeted women on the Bondi to Coogee coastal track. His victims ranged in age from 13 to 55.

Last Supper

Narelle Smith cooked her neighbour Peter McCarthy a meal in his Coogee home - then battered him to death with a frying pan.

Smith, 46, has been found guilty of murdering the 77-yearold retired lawyer after the Supreme Court was told her blood was found all around Mr McCarthy’s unit. Next to his body was a frying pan with its handle broken off. The court heard there had been a disagreement about borrowed money and CDs. Smith will be sentenced in February.

Suspicious Blaze at YouTuber’s Home

Police are investigating a suspected firebombing at the Bondi home of YouTube political commentator and satirist Jordan Shanks. The fierce blaze at the front of the house followed another suspicious fire at the same property six days earlier.

With almost 650,000 subscribers, the 33-year-old YouTuber has carved out a strong online profile through his friendlyjordies channel. In the process, he has made powerful enemies, with a number of his targets launching legal proceedings against him. His lawyer Mark Davis told reporters the list of suspects was “considerable”.

Trickster Jailed

A woman who tried to pass herself off as a teenage sex trafficking victim has been jailed for making false representations to police. Samantha Azzopardi spun her story to a Bondi Junction-based charity, then police and other authorities. Speaking in broken English, she claimed to be French.

She is a notorious trickster with mental health problems who has wasted the time of authorities many times before in both Australia and overseas with similar ruses. Appearing in Waverley Court via videolink, the 33-year-old was convicted of her 100th Australian offence and sentenced to 17 months jail.

Burglary Warning

There was a weekend rash of burglaries in affluent suburbs, with break-ins at two homes in Bellevue Hill and two others in Woollahra and Darling Point. All the burglaries took place between 2.30am and 3am on a single weekend.

In a Facebook posting, Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command urged householders to keep their homes secure and consider installing CCTV cameras that allow you to remote view. Another tip: “Don’t leave garage door remotes in your car if parked outside.”

Bronte Boofhead Stole Taxi - Police

A drunken Bronte businessman stole a taxi in the CBD, then abandoned the vehicle in Woollahra. That is the allegation of police, who would appear to have a strong case because the events were captured on CCTV.

Dressed in a business suit, the 42-year-old can be seen lurching up to the cab and pulling at its front passenger door handle so forcefully it broke off. He then fell backwards onto the footpath. As he got back up, the cabbie leapt out of the car and there was a discussion about the broken handle - before the man ran off.

Despite being drunk, he pelted down Hunter Street like Usain Bolt. He then reappeared beside the cab a few minutes later. It was unattended with the keys in the ignition. The security footage shows him getting in and driving away, with the cabbie running alongside trying to stop him.

The next morning, the cab was found abandoned in Woollahra. Five days later, the man gave himself up to police after a social media appeal. He was charged with taking a vehicle without consent, reckless driving and driving under the influence.

DIAMOND