The Beast - June 2023

BEAST

June 2023

Stop the Planes!

Words James Hutton, Publisher

Welcome to the June 2023 edition of The Beast, the monthly magazine for Sydney’s frozen beaches of the east. Luckily the sea temperature is still hovering around the 20 degree mark so there’s still some incentive to leave the house and go for a quick dip.

Bondi artist Ann Cahill is the talent behind this month’s epic cover painting. Ann had her paintings in Randwick Art Society’s annual exhibition last month and was awarded Best in Exhibition! We’re stoked to be able to feature her work here.

This month’s mag is packed with a fair bit of content, with more of our local news stories than previous editions and all the regular columnists, but you’ll notice that Pearl is absent. Unfortunately Pearly’s been crook so we had to give her a month off, but she’ll be back with her Pearls of Wisdom next time.

Here’s my poorly researched and quite possibly ill-informed political ponderings for the month... I hear two things mentioned by people and pollies more than anything else at the moment, and that is climate change and cost of living. The one thing that negatively affects both of these issues more than anything else is overpopulation, yet Australia’s net migration is forecast to be 400,000 in 2022/23. This will increase competition for housing, putting upward pressure on real estate prices and rents, and it will put downward pressure on wages as more people compete for the same jobs. While this is great for big business and the people at the very top of the economic pile, it’s not good at all for the people in the middle, and it’s bloody terrible for the people at the bottom.

I understand the need to import some skilled labour to fill specialised job vacancies, and I’m a big supporter of increasing our piddly refugee intake, but this notion that constantly increasing the number of people in Australia is somehow

making us all better off seems to me to be complete nonsense, especially when the richest one per cent grabbed nearly two-thirds of all new wealth created since 2020 - almost twice as much money as the bottom 99 per cent - according to a recent Oxfam report.

It’s about time Australia had a good look at the effects of population and formulated an appropriate policy to benefit everyone.

Cheers, James

The Beast

The Beast Pty Ltd

ABN 32 143 796 801

www.thebeast.com.au

Editor

james@thebeast.com.au

Advertising Enquiries

advertising@thebeast.com.au

Rates and Specs

thebeast.com.au/advertise

Circulation

60,000 copies are delivered every month; 58,000 in mailboxes and 2,000 in shops.

Simon has been the ‘major sponsor’ of the Tamarama Surf Lifesaving Club since 2008

mcgrath.com.au

Simon Exleton 0414 549 966

McGrath - Double Bay 20 Years at McGrath

Joe Shanahan 0422 231 980

McGrath - Double Bay

“Selling Beachside Real Estate for Twenty Years”

Coogee Mornings, by Sharlene Butler.

The Beast's Monthly Mailbag

Words The Informed People of the Eastern Beaches

Save South Bondi

From Greedy Developers

The Beast is a fantastic community resource so we can find out what’s going on in our neighbourhood. I’ve lived here for nearly 30 years on Francis Street, South Bondi, and find, to my horror, that a couple of ‘community minded’ creative types want to ruin South Bondi and fill it with expensive apartments and a six-storey building on Campbell Parade close to another development (Noah’s Backpackers) that sold for a mere 67 million dollars.

With their hands all over Bondi, it seems the developers want to turn Bondi Beach into the Gold Coast, with no consideration for the authentic, iconic nature of South Bondi or the fact that thousands of us live here and don’t want to lose our gardens, shade, light and view.

Do we need more cashed up residents in an area that prides itself on diversity and local community activity? The DA is a five-story concrete bunker with a lift well and a basement that makes it six-storeys and, like in Hall Street, which they’re familiar with, will cause shifts in the foundations of the buildings erected next door as we’re all living on sand.

Let’s stand up for our beautiful community!

Vivien Altman

South Bondi

Toilet Training

I returned to Sydney on Friday, April 29, from a two-week holiday in Japan. We certainly have a lot to learn when we compare our culture to theirs. While this will be the subject of a later and much longer essay, I wish to address a simple and stark difference between what I observed in Japan and my

little enclave here in Bondi. That distinction relates to our public toileting facilities.

Whether I was in Tokyo or smaller centres, I noticed there was no shortage of these facilities. That’s one point. But the more salient point is the general cleanliness of these toilets. In Japan, they were always spotless; no puddles on the floor, no paper strewn therein and, particularly, no graffiti.

When I returned and embarked on my morning walk along the promenade at the beach, I had a need to visit the toilets just beside the North Bondi Surf Club. As usual, they were in a sorry state of attention. One of the three urinals was clear, but of the other two, one had pieces of chewing gum and the other had a large wad of toilet tissue partially blocking the drain. It’s now Monday, May 8 - ten days later - and nothing has changed. I even noticed, today, one of the council workers walk in as I left. I made a point of returning an hour later after my walk to see if the problem had been attended to. Nothing.

Quite frankly, this is not only an embarrassment but an issue of public health. Surely Sydney’s showpiece of Bondi Beach deserves better. I’m forwarding this to Waverley Council and will eagerly await a response. But it simply shouldn’t come to this.

Ken Brandon Bondi

Coogee Bay Hotel Amended DA

The amended Development Application for the large site around the Coogee Bay Hotel is still very objectionable and risks destroying the centre of Coogee as we know it.

It proposes a five-storey building along a frontage which is now a mixture of two- and three-storey

buildings, while those opposite are only one- or two-storeys.

It hints that setting back the upper two floors will prevent their being seen from below - only by someone immediately below on the same side.

It claims boldly that the five-storey boutique hotel at 9 Vicar Street reflects the desired future character of Coogee. That was approved aberrantly in 1996, and there hasn’t been another since.

It then proposes a building 2.35 metres higher than the boutique hotel, with more than twice the floor area above the height limit (an extra 993m2.).

It says that if the proposal is not approved, the gross floor area will need to be redistributed to lower levels, compromising various planned baubles and trinkets such as an “eat street precinct” (a lane of 11 cafes and restaurants). No economic data or analysis about the prospects of this.

It makes spurious claims such as that the excess height will ensure adequate retail and commercial services for households, and ensure that “the range of employment uses on the site including the Coogee Bay Hotel can continue to operate in a successful and responsible manner.”

If this proposal is approved, others will use the same technique of claiming that it reflects the “desired future character” of Coogee to broaden the five-storey mass to the whole of the Coogee centre.

Janet Coogee

Royally Wrong

First up, a huge thank you to The Beast and its readers. The Monthly Mailbag is a highlight and I always learn something. Unfortunately, in February it was the horrific news that Royal Sydney Golf Club (RSGC) will be allowed to kill 595 mature trees early next year as part of a course makeover. Or, as the club is selling it, “a native landscape restoration program.”

I’m grateful to all those who’ve fought so hard so far to save the trees, the habitat they sustain (some of it endangered) and the canopy and carbon capture they provide. I also understand the sense of resignation and defeat as the ‘big end of town’ wins yet again. But we still have seven

More Information: Credit criteria, fees and charges apply. RAMS home loans are not available for foreign borrowers residing outside Australia. Offer is current as at 1 March 2023 and may be varied or withdrawn at any time. For new refinance applications received between 1 March 2023 and 31 August 2023. Settle by 30 November 2023. Min Loan $250k per property refinanced. Offer available on the Essential Home Loan, Full Feature and Fixed rate home loan products (excludes Line of Credit) Owner Occupier with Principal and Interest repayments and Investment Loans. Only 1 rebate per settled application with the predominant purpose is refinance will be paid regardless of the number of loans involved. This offer is not available in conjunction with the New Purchase Buyer $1,000 Rebate. Excludes Line of Credit Loans, switches and refinances of home loans within the Westpac Group which include St. George, Westpac, Bank of Melbourne, BankSA. Offer not available for Owner Occupier Interest Only loans or residential lending originated under family or company trusts. Not available to company and trust borrowers. The offer is limited to one rebate per eligible application. Split loans are counted as one settled home loan regardless of the number of splits. Rebate will be automatically deposited into the home loan account within 60 days after settlement. If the home loan has a fixed interest rate, the rebate will count towards the prepayment threshold. Tax consequences may arise from this promotion for investors and customers should seek independent advice on any taxation matters.

We are proud to provide the community with outstanding care and customer service for all your eyecare needs.

months to stop this. And we have the facts on our side for a strong public campaign. This is not ‘just’ a local story. To quote UN Chief Antonio Guterres, “Our world needs climate action on all fronts - everything, everywhere, all at once.”

Considering what a textbook David and Goliath battle this has been, and one that fell under the radar for many, the numbers aren’t great for the club. Of 117 submissions to Woollahra Council commenting on RSGC’s amended DA, only 38 were in favour. And only 1,400 (significantly less than a third) of the club’s members voted for the plan at the extraordinary general meeting. Nearly as many people - 1,227 - signed a petition opposing the tree kill.

Hectares of irreplaceable canopy will be destroyed and tree hollows (crucial denning sites) that can take 100 years to develop will be lost forever. As Eliana Leopold, in her capacity as the WIRES Eastern Suburbs Branch Chair, said to Council, “Rose Bay is home to 50 different species of Australian fauna - reptiles, birds, possums. Where exactly do they go? Some of these species are territorial and we will see a rapid increase in rescues, starvation and exposure.” If this killing proceeds, those of us living in the densely built surrounds of RSGC will no longer wake to our precious bird chorus every morning.

We all know those tiny shrubs and short-lived tree species “currently being grown in various nurseries” can’t replace what will be chopped down. Don’t be fooled by the carefully composed and no doubt expensively workshopped rhetoric (the club claimed $2.8 million in JobKeeper payments in 2020 leading to an after tax surplus of $3.5 million). The RSGC is making a links course (for non-golfers, that’s a course devoid of trees) and calling it “natural coastal heath”. Google ‘links golf’, look at the Wikipedia image and you’ll get an idea of RSGC’s real plan.

Club President Chris Chapman spins this ecological disaster as beneficial to the environment, a return to some “natural order” (where rich white men are never questioned, maybe?). The fact is, trees were never part of the equa-

tion, no matter what the patronising bullies of this ethically derelict monument to privilege would have us believe. As professional golfer and supporter of the RSGC makeover Mike Clayton wrote to Council, “There is a universal acceptance among knowledgeable critics, players and architects … that trees have a limited role to play in golf.”

Karin Vesk Rose Bay

Holy Crepe!

Hi James - Just wanted to give a shout out and merci to the fine folk at Crepes Aubras on Campbell Parade. Not only did they feed me and my kids delicious crepes, but they tracked me down after I left my wallet behind in the cafe. Do yourself a favour everyone and stop in for a crepe next time you’re passing by.

Ron Randwick

Whinge!

Dear James - I had occasion to go to Westfield Bondi Junction yesterday. I wanted to buy some salads and approached the Kibbutz shop counter. A lady in front of me ordered three salads and, just as she was to settle the account, she was told there was a 15 per cent surcharge because it was a public holiday (Easter Monday).

The attendant then suddenly hauled out a sign stating the surcharge was to be enforced. Both of us were outraged - I have not seen this happen before at a take away.

From what the two of us purchased, it came to almost $100. I understand the boss might have to pay penalty rates, but I could only see two employees and this is a very busy little shop.

We were both appalled at the greed! I don’t know if this whinge is worth publishing in The Beast, but I think it is.

Harry Merkur Bondi Junction

Attention: Maggie Beer

Dear Maggie - How are you? Just wondering why your chicken stock costs more than a free range Macro chicken? $8 to simmer chicken bones? I do wonder. Hope you’re enjoying a wondrous life in the barossa.

KK Bondi Beach

Local Poetry The Maltese Falcon

The man we know as Falcon, is Mario Fenech. Even though he has dementia, he is not in a panic. He goes to the gym, four to five days a week. He is easy-going, with a smile on his face as I now speak.

He’s just getting on with his life, staying very positive. What’s the point feeling run down, and being negative?

I salute you, Mario, and thank you for the conversation.

Looking at you, you’re just a normal person.

You wouldn’t think you had a condition, as it hasn’t worsened. You’re strong and brave, being able to take this head on, As each day comes, live life to the fullest as you’re a Falcon. You’re a great legend to the game, with guts and also glory.

There were passion and pride for the Souths club, you could easily write a story. You always played your best, with plenty of heart. Well done, Mario, a one-eyed Souths man, who displayed and played his part.

Graeme Bogan

Bondi Junction

Human-Powered Transport: The Bat Which Fits With Neither Birds Nor Animals For those of you Who righteously threw At bicyclists the words

“You should be on the road!”: Let’s cross the swords.

I move at ten kilometres per hour, Same as any runner does. It leaves me neither sad nor sour, Since my bag is heavy on racks.

For my momentum you may be afraid,

But stable I am with good deceleration:

About me it cannot rightfully be said

That I injure any population.

So do not jump, or run off-course

When you see me, my light, or hear my approach: I will brake, dismount even, run or walk, For I prefer to be, when possible, beyond reproach.

I understand your fears, your concerns, your consternation, For my lights are weak, and ghosts are not a welcome sight, But please extend to me equivalent consideration Even when I have to travel back at night.

Just like pedestrians, who walk or run, Wear neither lights nor bright reflective coats, So do my lights at night pale In comparison with those of cars on roads.

Just like momentum carries me On bicycle swiftly forward, So do cars whistle right by me Whenever I venture on road.

Bicyclists hit have been by car And carried to hospital injured. Helmet does not injuries bar And victim may leave memoriless.

So do not onto road me push, I am just like you defenceless. I do not with width you ram, Unlike trucks on road merciless.

It has long ago been processed and said,

I am not sure you heard it right, That bicyclists are altruistic parade And would rather crash than collide.

In most cases, a bicyclist can quickly stop, Or around you path weave, Just do not to ground in path drop Or with jumps them aggrieve.

I know, I am of many but one, I cannot for all cyclists speak, But please keep in mind truth one: Pushing humans onto road is sick.

So please, advocate, for yourself and for us, To have cycling paths built, So that you are not aggravated by us And we are not by you bullied.

I am not even visibly ill, Why don’t I race on the road? Besides being slow up the hill, I have not my eyes on board. I am near-sighted, have always been,

It’s not from the books or computer screen; I lack depth of vision, and when I strain,

I see two of each lamp post, bus and train.

My cycling is not done on a whim, You cannot just send me to a “safe” gym, I commute, to work and back, every day, And on times of sunset I have no say. So please, slow down, look and think:

Not every wheel does highway bring. Even if it does not look like a toy or wheelchair, Still pushing the human onto road is not always fair. OAT Randwick ¢

Please send your feedback to letters@thebeast.com.au and include your name and suburb. We try and publish as many as possible, but nothing too crazy please.

Local Artist... Ann Cahill from Bondi Beach

Bondi artist Ann Cahill is the talent behind this month’s epic cover painting. Ann shares her local favourites with The Beast...

How long have you lived here?

Most of my life! After growing up in country NSW, and a short while working in London, I moved to Bondi with my husband. I was 21 years old and no one has been able to induce me to leave.

Why do you live here? I love where I live. I’m close to beaches, cafes, the harbour, the city and friends. When you’ve lived here for a while you realise there is a strong, core community.

What's your favourite beach?

Speaking as an artist, I would have to say Bronte is my favourite. I have been doing the Bondi to Bronte coastal walk for years and the morning light on the water and swimmers is probably my favourite subject.

What's your favourite eatery?

There are many good places to eat here and I prefer to eat local. Two Forks on Hall Street is my

favourite place to have coffee, breakfast or lunch. The food is fresh and delicious, and Sophie and her team are always friendly and give excellent service.

Where do you like to have a drink? Not being much of a drinker, if I meet friends for an afternoon drink I like to go to the Icebergs Club where I can enjoy the wonderful view.

Best thing about the Eastern Suburbs? The proximity to all the essentials - beaches, parks, the harbour, the city, theatres, the airport, hospitals...

Worst thing about the Eastern Suburbs? The ever-increasing traffic and the parking difficulties. The excessive overdevelopment is making things worse.

How would you describe your art? I work in oils and I would describe my art as representational, leaning towards impressionism. I like to invoke an emotional response in the viewer.

Where can people see your work? Currently, Randwick Art Society’s website (randwick artsocietyinc.com), local art exhibitions and my Instagram, @cahill5603.

Who are your artistic inspirations? When I started painting I was inspired by Martine Emdur’s early work, the way she painted water and figures. Now I’m studying the old masters. I especially like the Russian Impressionists who can capture light brilliantly. Arthur Streeton’s brushwork (among other things) is amazing.

What are you working on at the moment? I am working on a Bondi to Bronte series, with the view to having a solo exhibition or participating in a group exhibition.

Do you have any exhibitions coming up? I had some paintings in Randwick Art Society’s annual exhibition at Little Bay, where I

was awarded Best in Exhibition, and at the Pyrmont Food, Wine and Art Festival last month. I’ll be featuring in some more exhibitions later this year.

When did you discover you had a gift for your craft? Even as a young child I loved to draw, and I studied art as an elective subject at high school, despite arguments with my parents about my choice.

Any other local artists to look out for? Another member of Randwick Art Society, Aileen Anderson, who shares my love of light on water, is emerging as a successful artist.

Did you study art? After quitting work, for many years I attended Charles Sturt University art schools. Sadly, COVID put an end to that. Now I am in my final year of a four year comprehensive fine art online course, Virtual Art Academy, which teaches traditional art principles. As Picasso said, “Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.” That’s what I am trying to do.

Any words of wisdom for young aspiring artists? Just do it! Study the old masters, visit galleries, identify what type of art you like and study it. Paint, draw and sculpt, whatever your medium is. Do it now!

Who is your favourite person? My hubby! Followed closely by my daughter, son and two gorgeous grandchildren.

What do you do for work? I had a long career in the travel and airline industry, which I loved. I only gave it up so I would have time to paint. I am still passionate about traveling.

Any other words of wisdom for our readers? Recently I heard an old song I had forgotten about, Dream the Impossible Dream. Listen to it, it inspires hope.

Interview James Hutton

Photo Katy Ferguson

Armed and ready to paint.

A l l o u r s t a f f a r e a n i n t e g r a l p a r t o f t h e t e a m h e r e a t B r o n t e M e d i c a l , a n d t h a t i n c l u d e s o u r a m a z i n g

A d m i n T e a m !

D e b i s o u r A d m i n i s t r a t i o n C o o r d i n a t o r , a n d h a s b e e n w i t h B r o n t e M e d i c a l f o r t h e p a s t 8 y e a r s D e b g r e w u p i n a W A f a r m i n g f a m i l y , s p e n d i n g h e r y o u t h r i d i n g p o n i e s t o m u s t e r s h e e p a n d c a t t l e , t h e n p r o g r e s s i n g t o s h o w j u m p i n g a n d d r e s s a g e . S h e n o w h a s a k e e n p a s s i o n f o r r a c i n g

D e b i s n o w m a r r i e d w i t h t h r e e a d u l t k i d s , a n d r e c e n t l y b e c a m e a f i r s t t i m e N a n a t o B o d h i

D e b l o v e s t h e f r i e n d s s h e h a s m a d e w i t h i n t h e

B r o n t e c o m m u n i t y - n e x t t i m e y o u ' r e n e a r t h e c l i n i c , m a k e s u r e t o s a y h i !

Unpopular 'International Beach Festival' Plan Gets Dumped

Words Anthony Maguire

Photo Alec Smart

Waverley Council did not warm to a proposal for a 17-day ‘International Beach Festival’ next February that would have made the recent beach gazebo invasion look like a Sunday picnic.

Plan to Create Diving Haven by Sinking Ship Off Coogee

Randwick Council is considering supporting the creation of an artificial reef off Coogee by scuttling and sinking an ex-Navy ship.

Mayor Dylan Parker is all for the plan put forward by Gordons Bay Scuba Diving Club. He tabled a mayoral minute proposing that Council writes to the State Government formally supporting the project. The minute said there would be substantial community benefits including recreational opportunities for scuba divers and snorkelers plus increased marine biodiversity.

The Mayor’s fellow councillors agreed - by a narrow majority - to write a letter supporting the proposal. But that was soon scuttled by a rescission motion from three Greens councillors concerned about environmental damage from the multi-million dollar project. Councillors have now agreed to investigate both the pros and cons of the reef plan before deciding whether to write a letter of support.

The artificial reef would be funded by the NSW Government and located four

kilometres off Coogee. Gordons Bay Scuba Diving Club has been working on the proposal for several years and has organised a 14,000-signature petition supporting the project. The petition includes 4,000-plus signatures from Randwick City residents.

The club’s founder, marine scientist John Rowe, said there are six other artificial reefs around the Australian coast that have been created by scuttling and sinking former Navy ships. The most recently created dive wreck is the ex-HMAS Adelaide off Avoca Beach on the Central Coast.

“It was approved by the NSW Administrative Appeals Tribunal, which ruled that it complied with the law and that there was no risk to human health or the environment,” Mr Rowe told The Beast

Since the Adelaide was scuttled in 2011, an endangered species of cauliflower coral, previously only recorded in Port Stephens, has colonised the site.

“That underlines the fact that these wrecks increase marine biodiversity,” Mr Rowe said.

The sands of Bondi would have been covered with not only dozens of cabanas, umbrellas and sun lounges, but a stage, modified shipping container, generator, water tank, demountable toilet block, fenced children’s play area and three 1,100 litre skip bins.

After the Council flagged substantial community opposition, the proposal - which came from the same company that has previously tried to commandeer a section of Bondi for a beach club - was withdrawn.

Waverley Mayor Paula Masselos said, “Alienating the beach through commercialisation for a prolonged length of time goes against the egalitarian values of our community and this Council, values that are uniquely Australian and are great attractors to people from around the world.”

Words Anthony Maguire Photo Dee Compress

Randwick Council may support dive wreck plan.

Paula does not want our sacred sands sullied by tacky activities.

Tales From the Crypt: Waverley Cemetery's Dead Brought Back to Life

There are a wealth of stories in Waverley Cemetery - 50,000 stories, in fact. That’s how many bodies have been interred there since the graveyard opened in 1877.

Some of those tales are now being told in podcasts put together by local audio producer Nicole Steinke, so people can use Spotify and other platforms to hear entertaining and informative insights into the lives of some of the cemetery’s most famous residents.

Nicole is a former ABC producer who now teaches audio production. One day, while walking through the 17 hectare graveyard, she started thinking about telling stories of people interred there. Waverley Council, which manages the cemetery, helped out with a $5,000 grant, making for supe-

rior production values. There are voiceovers by professional actors, blended with sound effects and music.

The series is called Famous and Forgotten - Stories from Waverley Cemetery. There are six episodes, starting off with an eight minute look at writer Henry Lawson, where listeners hear how Lawson was an alcoholic who was in and out of the asylum (yet he was honoured with a state funeral when he passed away, aged 55, in 1922).

Many of Lawson’s stories and poems were published in The Bulletin, and the second podcast is about that publication’s founder, Jules Archibald, whose magazine was launched in 1880 and had the masthead slogan “Australia for the White Man.” The podcast explains how Mr Archibald was not a big fan of

Aboriginal, Chinese or Japanese people. More progressively, however, the publisher had an appreciation of the arts that saw the establishment of the annual portraiture contest, the Archibald Prize.

The third story in the series is about Fanny Durack, Australia’s first female Olympic swimming gold medallist. She had to battle a sexist sporting establishment to compete in the 1912 Stockholm Olympics. The fourth podcast introduces Nosey Bob, the longest serving hangman in NSW. He acquired his nickname after being kicked in the face by a horse, depriving him of all but a small remnant of his nose.

After hearing Nosey Bob’s story, First Fleet lovers Esther Abrahams and George Johnston are discussed. Esther was a convict on a transport ship and George served on board as an officer of the Marines. The two lived as man and wife after their arrival in Sydney. George led the military in the 1808 ‘Rum Rebellion’ coup against Governor Bligh and Esther ran the family farm in Annandale. Following George’s death, an abusive son had her declared insane and she spent her final years in an attic. She then moved to premium accommodation - Esther and George occupy one of the largest vaults in Waverley Cemetery. The final podcast is about Dame Constance Darcy, an obstetrician who worked tirelessly to lower the death rate among expectant mothers. She also fought for other women’s rights including equal pay.

These stories are just a taste of the rich heritage of Waverley Cemetery, dedicated to the dead yet alive with the histories of those whose final resting place is the sprawling stretch of land above the spectacular cliffs of Bronte.

Words and Photo Anthony Maguire

Telling stories of celebrated cemetery occupants.

Aircraft Noise Over Coogee Getting "Much Worse"

Words Anthony Maguire

Randwick resident Keiran Wallington has lived in the same street for 25 years and has been philosophical about aircraft noise. But he says volume and frequency have soared recently, as well as a change in the direction of aircraft take-offs.

Bitter-Sweet Victory in Tamarama Rent Revolt

A tenant who won a tribunal challenge to an excessive rent increase says he’s happy with the outcome but unhappy about the ongoing issue of tenants in rental properties having very few rights.

“It was a victory, and of course I feel validated, but the bigger issue of renters not being properly protected still exists,” 30-year-old Harry Reid told The Beast.

“Fighting this battle has brought home the fact that, as a renter, I will always be facing an uncertain future.”

The bar manager has lived in his two bedroom flat for almost five years now. It is one of a block of nine units in Carlisle Street, Tamarama. Recently he was told by the letting agent that the rent was going up a whopping 64 per cent, from $670 a week to $1,100. Other tenants in the building were hit with similarly steep increases.

Harry took the case to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal, which ruled that the

proposed rent hike was over the top. There will still be an increase, but it will be 22.5 per cent, taking Harry’s weekly rent to $820 on a new lease. Plus the landlord will have to fix a mould infestation and address other maintenance issues in the flat.

His fellow tenants have also lodged claims with the tribunal, which is expected to be sympathetic to their plights following Harry’s ‘test case’.

The building is owned by property developer Denis Sinilov, who lets out the units through Double Bay property managers Cohen Farquharson.

A media statement put out by Cohen Farquharson explained that, “Ultimately, it is the landlord’s decision as to what rental increases are passed on to the tenant. Even in this rental market, large rental increases are atypical, so when you do see them it is often because tenants have not received regular year-on-year increases for an extended period of time.”

“Post COVID plane traffic over Coogee has increased due to directional changes of flights, with the volume of planes overhead having significantly increased since before COVID,” Mr Wallington told The Beast.

“Prior to COVID, planes would land from an easterly direction, flying over Coogee Beach. What we are experiencing now is a combination of planes landing and taking off over Coogee and Maroubra Beaches. The take-off direction is a new development.”

“I’ve reached out to our federal and state representatives and look forward to their continued support.”

Airservices Australia told The Beast that Sydney Airport was seeing 4,000 fewer aircraft movements than before COVID and that altitudes had not changed. There had recently been wind conditions that led to more traffic over Coogee - but only over a two day period.

“Coogee is overflown when aircraft land to the eastern end of the airport’s east/west runway (Runway 25),” a spokesperson said.

“Such aircraft movements have been infrequent this year, until April 8 and 9 when strong westerly winds exceeding 50km/h for long periods on both days required sole operational use of Runway 25, due to safety requirements.”

Words and Photo Anthony Maguire

Harry Reid outside his unit block, Pacific View.

The

PHONE

Jillian

Swapping Tales of Risky Business at Dover Heights High School

Words Anthony Maguire

Photo Christina Rofe

Local Margarita Mix Tycoons

Spice Up an Old Favourite

What’s sweet, salty, spicy, limey and packed with umami? The Oomargarita, of course! The well-worn spicy margarita has been taken to new heights in this collaboration between local businesses Oomami and LISTO.

Joe Hedley’s Oomami began as a small kitchen project in 2021 with the aim of making simple things taste great. Since then he has gained a cult-like following in Sydney with his decadent chilli oils.

LISTO is run by long-time margarita shakers and drinkers, Beck and Steve. They’ve spent the last few years bringing Tommy’s margaritas to the masses with their easy as, authentic mix.

The Oomargarita is a heatpacked spin on the Tommy’s margarita, borrowing qualities from the seven elements of taste (sour, sweet, bitter, salt, heat, fat and umami) for a culinary, textural and visual sensation.

The cocktail begins with a pure Tommy’s margaritaAustralian lime juice (sour) and Mexican agave nectar (sweet) shaken with reposado tequila

and ice. It’s poured into a glass rimmed with a seasoned salt (bitter and salty) and then brought to life with a few drops of a potent chilli oil elixir (heat, fat and umami).

A reposado tequila (literally translated to a ‘rested’ tequila) has been aged in oak for between 2-12 months, giving the Oomarg a slightly savoury taste with hints of vanilla, citrus and a really good kick.

The best part of this Oomargarita pack is that, even after your glass is empty, the oil and salt live on. Drizzle the umami-packed chilli oil over anything and everything (beware, it packs a punch). Use the salt to rim a Chelada beer or sprinkle over freshly cut seasonal fruit for a true taste of Mexico.

The ingredients of the Oomargarita are sold in a pack containing LISTO margarita mix, seasoned salt and chilli oil - just BYO tequila. You can find the packs online, at Bondi Farmers Market on a Saturday or flowing freely at the Robin Hood Hotel for the next month or so.

It was the year Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean climbed to the top of the charts. At the cinema, Tom Cruise was prancing around in a pair of white underpants. And there was a milestone here in Sydney, with the graduation of the final year class at Dover Heights High School.

Now the class of 1983 is having a reunion where they’ll swap memories from four decades ago - like puffing on ciggies around the side of the school, or the fear instilled by Deputy Principal ‘Miss Allen’.

“She was about 70 years old and quite a strict disciplinarian,” recounts Christina Rofe (née Premetis), who is organising the event at Coogee Legion Club. “People were always warning each other, ‘Allen’s coming!’”

Around 100 students graduated from the Class of 1983. Their families and friends are welcome to the 40-year reunion on Saturday, November 11 in the Pier Function Room at the Coogee Legion Club. Teachers are welcome too. Tickets to the dinner are $40 a head, and you can book your place by emailing doverreunion40@gmail.com.

Words Marg Arita Photo Beck Delaney

These things are insane.

Reunion on Remembrance Day for the Class of '83.

FOGO's a Gogo... But There Is More We Can Be Doing

Words and Photo Ella Cottee

Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) recycling is already under way in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, available to residents in Randwick City and Woollahra Councils and soon to be trialed by Waverley Council in 2024. Nonetheless, this should not be the first step of waste disposal, with the emphasis needing to be placed on prevention, reuse and - not to forget - composting!

The demand for FOGO has been high as residents aspire to reduce the impact of their food and organic waste, equipped with the knowledge that food waste makes up approximately one third of household bin waste in NSW. What is most significant about food and organics waste is not only its environmental impact, with methane - a particularly harmful greenhouse gas - produced in the process of decomposition, but also the potential of this waste to be avoided and reused as a valuable resource.

While FOGO has had a meaningful impact on reducing food waste going to landfill (Randwick City Council already diverts an average of 1,200 tonnes of organic waste from landfill per month), there are some challenging aspects of FOGO. These include emissions and costs associated with the transportation and processing of the waste, contamination of FOGO with plastics and a lack of processing facilities available, which has delayed a broader FOGO rollout. Here are some simple steps available right now to better manage food waste...

Prevent It!

The best way to avoid food waste is to stop creating it in the first place. All it takes is a little bit of planning. Make a list of what you already have at

home, only buy what you need, plan your meals in advance and be mindful of the use by dates to determine what foods to consume first.

Once you have purchased your food items, you can extend the life and freshness of the produce through adopting proper storage techniques. As an example, there are some great YouTube videos on how to make strawberries stay fresh for two weeks. Storage and refrigeration are also important, and pickling can be a great way to extend the life of produce too.

Reuse It!

Made too much of your favourite pasta? Perhaps you bought too many bananas in the last shop and they have all turned brown? It’s time to get creative! Perhaps you could learn a new recipe, consider freezing your leftovers or sharing them with your colleagues, friends, family or neighbours. Providing meals to others is a great way to offer support or to show you care, especially if it’s tasty!

Compost It!

Finally, when it comes time to dispose of your food waste, don’t forget to compost. Composting and worm farming let you close the loop on the food you grow, eat and dispose of. It is empowering and provides a rich fertiliser that your plants and garden will love, boosting soil health and returning valuable nutrients to our sandy Eastern Suburbs soils.

A range of subsidised composting and worm farming products are available to Eastern Suburbs residents through the Compost Revolution Program, founded right here by Waverley, Woollahra and Randwick City Councils. Alongside several trusty favourites including the family sized Worm Café and the 150 and 220 litre Gedye compost bins, other new and exciting products have recently been added with different sizes and types to suit every need and household type.

● Not much open soil space in the garden? Try either the 180 or 245 litre tumbling composter with dual chambers, allowing higher volumes of food waste to be turned into healthy soil.

● Apartment dweller? Have a look at the Cube, an enclosed worm farming system perfect for smaller spaces like balcony gardens and terraces that can even be kept inside.

● Thinking of creating a veggie patch? Get the trendy, in ground SubPod, which is pest resistant and doubles as a seat.

For more information, please head to the Eastern Suburbs page of the Compost Revolution website at compostrevolution.com.au/easternsuburbs and type in your address, complete the online tutorial and quiz and have these Council subsidised products delivered straight to your door. Make haste with food waste and follow the easy steps to prevent, reuse and compost it before you gogo with FOGO!

Local residents are encouraged to join the COMPOST REVOLUTION.

Bits and Pieces From Around The Beaches

Words Brad Whelan

The

Power

of the

Pen Nominations

for

the 2023 Mark & Evette Moran Nib Literary Award are now open. Australian authors and their publishers are invited to nominate recently published literary works of any subject matter and genre to be judged against the specific award criteria of excellence in research, high literary merit, readability and value to the community. Winners will be decided by an independent panel of three judges, each of whom brings a wealth of experience from across the literary world.

There are over $50,000 in total prizes on offer this year! To submit a nomination as the author or publisher of a work, please visit www.waverley.nsw.gov.au and type ‘Nominations now open’ in the search field. Hopefully the right page will pop up near the top somewhere!

Help Parvez Bring His Family to Australia

Since becoming an Australian citizen ten years ago, Bronte Kiosk

Chef Parvez has made annual visits to his homeland of Bangladesh, meeting and marrying his wife Ria there in 2017. Since then, Ria has followed a long and frustrating immigration journey to try to join him here in Australia. Her initial 2018 application was rejected, and they have now waited over four years for a review. Parvez and Ria welcomed their beautiful baby Anayza to the world four months ago, but he has not yet held her in his arms.

Bronte Surf Club is supporting Parvez, Ria and Anayza in their upcoming immigration application review, and we know that many in our community would also like to help. Any amount of money will go directly to help pay for legal costs, associated expenses and their eventual relocation. In the meantime, it will give Parvez an opportunity to travel to Bangladesh to meet his baby daughter for

the first time. If you’d like to help, please visit www.gofundme.com and search ‘Help Parvez’.

Lapérouse’s Anchor Gets a New Home

After more than 50 years in storage and more than 200 years since its discovery on the ocean floor, the original ship anchor from Admiral Lapérouse’s voyage to Australia in 1788 was unveiled in a much-anticipated ceremony at the La Perouse Museum.

The anchor was used by the French Naval officer and explorer, who docked his ship, the Astrolabe, in Kamay (Botany Bay) on January 24, 1788. On that visit he encountered Captain Arthur Philip and his crew, who were sent to establish the penal colony of New South Wales.

After a six week stay, replenishing supplies and recouping before another long journey, Lapérouse and his crew sailed away, never to be seen again. It wasn’t until decades later in 1826 that a merchant discovered the wreckage off a reef in the Solomon Islands. The anchor rested there on the ocean floor until 1959 when it was salvaged. The French Navy gifted the anchor to the French community of Sydney in 1964.

For some time, the anchor was on display on the headland at La Perouse, until it was vandalised and put in storage in the 1970s. Recently, Randwick City Council undertook work to conserve the anchor, working with International Conservation Services who have stabilised the deterioration of the anchor and conserved it for ongoing display in the La Perouse Museum courtyard.

Highly Addictive Reading

If you’re looking for some addictive reading material, Clovelly author Stuart Black has just released another bloody good page-turner. The Signatory weaves a gripping narrative that

explores the lengths people will go to in order to protect their fortune, and the high-stakes world of corporate crime that is most often hidden from view. With its intricate plot and pulse-pounding action, Black’s second novel takes readers from Sydney to Chicago and back again, following millions of missing dollars, a perilous investigation, calculated corruption and ultimately murder.

“It happens at a global level, as well as at a local level,” the author told The Beast. “We notice it when it’s in the news - like when there’s a war going on between countries - but when it happens in the corporate world, or at a local level in our community, we often feel like there’s nothing we can do about it. So, we let it go, without intervention, sometimes without even commenting. And the result is people suffer, while others make their fortune.”

You can get your hands on a copy at all decent book stores and online reading platforms.

Choirlie's at Wylie's Wylie’s Winter Events presents Choirlie’s at Wylie’s - Sydney’s best-loved choirs from 6-8pm every second Friday in May and June at Coogee’s most spectacular location, Wylie’s Baths.

Coogee Choir Director (and Wylie’s regular) Stuart Davis joined forces with the Wylie’s Baths events team to create this unique event, bringing his passions for singing and saltwater together to make this glorious space more accessible to the broader community.

Mouthtrap and Bondi Sings will be performing on Friday, May 26; Voices from the Vacant Lot and Harmoni will be singing on Friday, June 9; and Soulfood and Isingonthecake will do their thing on Friday, June 23. Saltwater Popup Choir will also follow the main acts each night.

Hot soup and sliders will be available to purchase, and everyone over 18 is welcome to BYO booze (no glass please). Tickets are only $15 and can be purchased from www.eventbrite.com by searching ‘Choirlie’s’. Oh, and don’t forget to rug up!

Crime News

Police Hunt Jessica Simpson

Meet Jessica Simpson. Not the American singer-actress, but a local namesake who police are seeking on outstanding warrants for theft and fraud. The 31-yearold is known to frequent the Maroubra area. If anyone has any information, please phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Woman Jailed for Coogee Murder

A woman who battered an elderly neighbour to death with a frying pan has been jailed for 24 years by a Supreme Court judge. The court heard that Narelle Smith, 48, and Peter McCarthy lived in the same block of South Coogee units and had become friends. On the night of the murder, she cooked dinner in his unit, before launching her lethal attack on the 77-year-old retiree. She ransacked his flat and made off with his ATM card and other valuables. Mr McCarthy’s body was found two days later by his estranged wife, who had become concerned that he wasn‘t answering her messages.

Bondi ‘Spy’ Arrest

Australian Federal Police swooped on a Bondi address to arrest a 55-year-old man on spying charges.

Alexander Csergo is alleged to have sold defence and other

security-sensitive information to a pair of Chinese government agents calling themselves Ken and Evelyn.

Csergo, who has been working for a tech company in China, has been charged with reckless foreign interference, an offence carrying a jail penalty of up to 15 years. He appeared in Downing Centre Local Court, where he was denied bail because he could be a flight risk.

Sebastian’s Battle With Neighbour Collapses in Court Charges brought by singer Guy Sebastian against elderly neighbour Phillip Hanslow collapsed like a deck of cards after a high-profile lawyer entered the fray.

Sebastian had alleged he’d been threatened by the older man after the pair got into a stoush about the condition of a brick fence bordering their houses in Maroubra. The former Australian Idol winner claimed Hanslow threatened to kill him. He called in police, who charged Hanslow with stalking and property damage.

The 66-year-old then made a series of appearances at Waverley Court to answer the charges. At one of these, he met solicitor Brian Wrench, who was representing a client in another case. Wrench, a criminal law specialist with a penchant for double breasted suits, offered to act for the pensioner on a pro bono basis, and it was then that the claims being made by Sebastian started to fray around the edges.

The lawyer took the former Australian Idol winner to task for failing to come up with what might have been crucial video evidence from a ‘faulty’ video camera outside the extensively-renovated, fortress-like home where he lives with wife Jules. He also criticised Sebastian for talking to the media about the case. The charges against Hanslow ended up being withdrawn and a four month

Apprehended Violence Order (AVO) put in place.

Under the AVO, Hanslow is prohibited from talking to Sebastian, but the pensioner seemed happy about that situation when he spoke to reporters outside court, saying he and his wife Carol were moving to another property where the neighbours will be more neighbourly.

Maroubra Man Charged After NRL Pitch Invasion

A 19-year-old from Maroubra has been charged after a pitch invasion at Allianz Stadium in the final minutes of a Dragons vs Roosters game on Anzac Day.

The shirtless teenager ran onto the playing field and hugged Dragons centre Zac Lomax. He has been charged with assault and slapped with a two year ban from Allianz Stadium.

‘AbStacker’ Found Guilty of Affray

Bondi fitness influencer Ben Handsaker got into a fight with another man outside McDonalds on Campbell Parade late one night, a court heard.

Waverley Court was told the 38-year-old took his shirt off and flexed his muscles before sending the man crashing to the footpath with a ‘leg sweep’. His victim hit his head on the concrete and was rendered unconscious.

Handsaker, who calls himself ‘The AbStacker’ and has 38,000 Instagram followers, was convicted of affray. He was sentenced to a two year community corrections order and fined $1,100.

Words Gary Larson

Photos Penny Jahat

Wanted for theft and fraud.

Leg sweep extraordinaire.

Photographer

Photographer Tony Davis @panoroamer

Subject God's Gift Location Waverley

Photographer Jo Pausey

Subject Boredom Location Clovelly

Photographer Sam Daniels @dam_saniels

The Beast Magazine wants your local photos!

Subject Sunrise Celebration Location Coogee

Sarah Flynn

Subject Sunset Rider Location Waverley

Subject Unruly Location Maroubra Photographer Andrew Worssam

Subject Velodrome Location Bondi

Photographer Mahsa Hashemi

Subject Smoke Ceremony Location Bondi

Photographer Quentin Theron

Subject Morning Paddles Location Coogee

Photographer Alan Wang

Subject Daybreak Location Bronte

Photographer Neil Grace

Subject Boom Location Bondi

Photographer Kim McCarthy

The Unreliable Guide To... Being a Worry Guts

Back in 1988, long before we were worried about pandemics or Trump or global warming, Bobby McFerrin had a smash hit with his a cappella song, Don’t Worry, Be Happy. It’s good advice, but hard to follow - our brains are actually designed to worry.

Back in cave dwelling times we had a better chance of staying alive if we worried about predators. The chilledout caveman singing away like Bobby probably got munched like a KitKat. But while the worry-guts caveman could sharpen his flint axe in readiness for the lion, that type of thing doesn’t go down well at the office.

Excessive worrying puts our minds and bodies into anxiety overdrive as we constantly think about negative potential futures, potentially triggering a range of physical and mental health problems. If that makes you worry even more, never fear! The Unreliable Guide is here with some tricks and tips to help us chill the f*ck out.

Fear of the Future

In The Happiness Advantage, Harvard researcher Shawn Achor suggests, “Adversities, no matter what they are, simply don’t hit us as hard as we think they will. Our fear of consequences is always worse than the consequences themselves.”

In other words, nothing is ever as bad as our imagination. When the “what ifs” take over our mind, we can find ourselves suffering almost as badly as if these imagined outcomes had really happened. Worry is a way of writing a story of the future in order to help us to control the future. But this is bullshit. We aren’t controlling anything. All we’re doing is worrying. Worse still, we experience these imagined worst-case scenarios as if they’re really happening to us.

Writer Lisa Crohn’s book Wired for Story reveals that we exhibit very similar brain patterns when we hear a story about an event to the brain patterns of someone experi-

encing that event first hand. In essence, as far as your biological self is concerned, if you constantly worry about something awful happening it really is happening, right now. No fun.

How to Break the Cycle

The usual suspects all come up here, you know the drill. Eat well, exercise regularly, don’t drink too much coffee or booze, etc. But I’ve found out a few other tricks that people reckon can successfully chill us out. Meditation has long been recognised as a brilliant way to reduce stress, largely because it teaches us to stop trying to control everything. The meditation gurus at Headspace advise, “When we let go of what we can’t control, we can focus on what’s actually in front of us.” Yeah man! If that seems too hippy dippy for you, try wearing a rubber band on your wrist. If you slip into “worry mode” you can pop it to remind you to stop dwelling on your worries.

Other people find it useful to schedule 20 minutes every morning or evening as official “worry time”. Apparently, if we can learn how to limit anxious thoughts to a set time, we not only feel more in control but we also have the rest of the day free for productive thinking. I find it useful to write down my worries. Seeing them on paper often makes them look less powerful. At the very least it forces me to consider if my worrying is helping the situation (it never is).

Finally, The Unreliable Guide suggests we remember that most of the time our worries don’t pan out. Worse still, worrying about tomorrow robs today of its joy. To quote Keith Casserta, “Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.”

Words Nat Shepherd Image Con Cerned

Don't worry, be happy.

Waverley Council Update

Mayor's Message

Waverley says Yes

Waverley Council would like to thank members of the community for attending our Voice to Parliament Community Forum on 10 May at Bondi Pavilion Theatre The forum was an opportunity to learn about the upcoming Voice to Parliament Referendum, slated for October, from our esteemed panelists First Nations lawyer and Biennale Sydney board member, Ruby Langton-Batty; human rights activist, NSW Australian of the year 2023 and former Socceroo, Craig Foster; former Director General of the NSW Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Executive Officer to the Referendum Council, Geoff Scott, and Inner Sydney Empowered Communities Chief Executive Officer, Michael Ingrey. I represent a commu nity that overwhelmingly supports an Aboriginal voice in the constitution, and Waverley Council resolved to support the Yes campaign which we will champion right up to the referedum Our constitution still doesn’t recognise our first Australians and it’s time that it did. Australia was not Terra Nullius when it was discovered by the Europeans and as such, this needs redressing For more information, please vis it the new

Uluru Statement From the Heart page on our website. Here, you’ll be able to find details about our free Walking Together Workshops being held at the end of May and beginning of June. These interactive workshops immerse participants in what it takes to walk together using the Uluru Statement from the Heart as an educational framework. The workshops facilitate knowledge, understanding, and a sense of purpose for non-Indigenous Australia to walk together with First Nations people. You can also register to receive information about events and activities taking place to raise awareness around the Voice to Parliament at haveyoursay.waverley.nsw.gov.au.

Clifftop Walkway upgrade

We have begun upgrading sections of the boardwalk along the Clifftop Walkway at Dover Heights and Vaucluse. This upgrade will improve safety for the millions of visitors and residents who use this beautiful public space whilst ensuring the new structures and materials can better withstand the harsh coastal conditions. First, we’ll be upgrading the Diamond Bay Boardwalk and these works are expected to take seven months to complete, weather permitting. Construction along Eastern Reserve, Vaucluse will start in the next financial year. The upgrade includes improved viewing decks and lookout spaces, new staircases in Eastern Reserve, main entry upgrades and stormwater upgrades at George Street. The project is being co-funded through the NSW Government’s Public Spaces Legacy

Ph: 9083 8000 | waverley.nsw.gov.au

Stay in touch: waverley.nsw.gov.au/subscribe

Bondi Festival

Waverley Council is proud to announce that Bondi Festival makes its triumphant return to Bondi Pavilion on 30 June to 16 July with award-winning comedy, five-star theatre, international guests, local artists, installations, interactive performances and free events for the whole family to see, do and experience. Tickets go on sale Thursday 18 May so be sure to sign-up to the Bondi Festival e-newsletter to get your hands on Early Bird discounted tickets. We look forward to seeing you at the festival!

Make Music Day

Waverley Council is planning some fantastic events for Make Music Day on Wednesday 21 June including pop-up musicians in Bondi Junction and a free lunchtime Classic Hits concert at Bondi Pavilion. Make Music Day is an international celebration of music in all its forms, encouraging both amateur and professional music-making. The Council holds Make Music Day events each year and supports homegrown musical talent through other initiatives such as the Bondi WAVE youth band song-writing program and our Sunshine Singers group. For updates, visit the What’s On page on our website, follow us on socials or sign-up to our Waverley Weekly e-newsletter.

Paula Masselos Mayor of Waverley

Program and Waverley Council.

Woollahra Says No!

Woollahra residents are fighting desperately to prevent greater recognition of a marginalised and misunderstood group of Australian society.

Locals and business owners have joined fellow Aussies in an attempt to stop authorities from improving services for this group, and are citing societal division, expense, safety and loss of valuable land to justify their stance.

A small, well-financed and vocal coalition is saying NO to the Oxford Street East Cycleway, after labelling cycling a “divisive form of transport.” The coalition of the unwilling argues that cyclists will receive preferential treatment not

afforded to other Australians, and that valuable land will be surrendered to the minority if the proposal is approved.

“Dividing people in this way is dangerous,” stated a recent social media post from Stay in Your Lane, the group created to maintain the status quo.

“Everyone will be much safer if everything stays as it is. Cyclists already have a place to cycle, it’s called the road. Plus, even when you spend millions of dollars to give these people something good, they never use it.”

Critics also claim the new path will destroy local businesses and the economy, as it will remove parking spaces outside shops.

“These people just want to be different, and they still expect handouts from the government. If cyclists got off their bikes and drove cars like the rest of us, we wouldn’t lose our parking spaces.”

Australia is famous for rejecting such progressive change and is at odds with many of the world’s more advanced nations. Woollahra Council itself recently dumped plans to build a cycle path from Rushcutters Bay to Centennial Park when residents raised fears over privacy, while also implying that the people for whom the plan was designed posed a threat to their personal safety.

Opponents of the cycleway have thrown their support, and their wealth, behind leaders with unfulfilled political ambitions and a talent for amplifying the populist voice. These leaders have issued the familiar cry for greater consultation and detail, while supporters claim the naysayers have failed to listen to facts and evidence or details of the project.

Meanwhile, Woollahra Council and Transport for NSW both expressed their desire to improve often squalid and dangerous conditions faced by cyclists, and to unify the region through this important development.

“We promised to paint the cycleway teal, as this would complement the climate action stickers on people’s bins,” revealed a spokesperson.

“However, it’s clear that teal only appeals to Eastern Suburbs residents once every four years,” before conceding, “perhaps we should paint it in the colour of the rainbow.”

The coming months will determine whether residents of the Eastern Suburbs attempt to cycle backwards while the world’s great cities move forward.

The latest from Randwick City Council about living in this great city

Randwick News

There's never a dull moment across our community with plenty happening in our Council area. Here are a few things you might be interested in:

THE ORIGINAL ANCHOR IS NOW ON PUBLIC DISPLAY

Two hundred and thirty five years after Lapérouse disappeared, the original anchor is now on display at the last place the French explorer was seen alive, before he sailed through the heads of Kamay (Botany Bay) in 1788. Learn more about the exploration, scientific prowess, loss, and discovery at the La Perouse Museum.

CORAL SEA PARK SYNTHETIC FIELD ALMOST COMPLETE

The synthetic sports field at Coral Sea Park in Maroubra is almost complete and should be ready for use by the middle of June. This is a great asset for the local sporting community and will allow play to occur through all weather conditions.

What’s On

SPLASH PARK UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Looking for new and exciting ways to cool off during the warmer months? Construction has begun on a brand new splash park at DRLC, which will hopefully open before the summer.

HEFFRON CENTRE GRAND OPENING DAY

The Heffron Centre grand opening day will take place on Saturday 1 July for the entire community to enjoy. The much-loved South Sydney Rabbitohs will be there so come on down and say hi!

ON NOW TEA PARTY IN THE MAYORAL GARDEN

By Ruth Downes

On until Sunday 30 July

Lionel Bowen Library

SATURDAY 3 JUNE –

MONDAY 5 JUNE

WINTER BOOK SALE

Times vary, see website

Margaret Martin Library

SATURDAY 3 JUNE

A MUSICAL SOIREE

2 – 3pm

Macquarie Watchtower, La Perouse Headland

TUESDAY 13 JUNE

TAI CHI

10am – 11am

Lionel Bowen Library

SATURDAY 17 JUNE

OFFICIAL OPENING

MEEKS ST PLAZA

4-8pm

Meeks St, Kingsford

SATURDAY 1 JULY

OFFICIAL OPENING

Dylan Parker Mayor of Randwick

HEFFRON CENTRE

Heffron Park, Maroubra

1300 722 542 randwick.nsw.gov.au

Councillor

Randwick Mayor Dylan Parker

The Worstest Word

Words are quite important. Without them, things might be difficult, awkward and a bit quiet.

There is one worst word in the English language, just one. It’s the darndest, most worstest word going round. It has no dignity and no goodness. It has no other competition except for ‘heebie-jeebies’.

The worstest word in the English language, or in any other language; the unscrupulous little bastard; the antithesis of everything green and lush in the world; the ringleader for the influx of recently introduced un-colloquialised nonsense words - is ‘vibe’.

I believe the catalyst for the vibe phenomena was the great lawyer Dennis Denuto from The Castle, who in his brilliant court defence stated, “It’s the vibe of the thing,” when comparing the injustices of another court case to his own. I still laugh when I think about this. The word vibe

coming out of Dennis’ mouth was succulent and beautiful and right.

But this once pure word has been castrated. For a while then, vibe was used only by hipsters, airy-fairy types, alternative crowds and Melbournians from the suburbs feigning a weird affluent vagrancy. But now it’s used by everyone from all walks of life. The suits say it just as much as the girls with huge, obnoxiously deliberate ‘George W’s’ under their arms.

Vibe has progressively become more annoying the more loosely, brazenly and obscurely it’s used. Observe the following descent into madness based on true events...

“Omgerd Summer vibes!”yes, okay, I can clearly picture what you mean.

“Omgerd sunscreen smell vibes!” - I suppose I understand, but slightly hazier.

“Omgerd hot concrete vibes!” - you’re losing me here.

“Omgerd dry mouth vibes!”the worstest.

However, the thing that actually makes vibe the worstest word, apart from how annoying it is when people say it, is that it is completely irreplaceable. Its necessity to the English language gives it immunity from ever being dispensed with.

There is no other word like vibe. Try thinking of one. Atmosphere? Yucky and silly. Imagine saying, “This place is so not an atmosphere.” Feel? That doesn’t work either, it’s not definitive or strong enough. Aura? No, aura sounds evil and villainous. Energy? Too scientific, don’t be a science nerd.

While personally - because of my distaste of vibe - I would use one of these synonyms and risk sounding like a moron because it’s completely the wrong word, it appears for now we are stuck with vibe. We can’t very well never use it because there are times when it’s absolutely the right and only word to use.

So I despise the word vibe, but I also acknowledge its necessity. I cringe when I hear it and I cringe if it accidentally slips out of my mouth, yet the very fact this occurs means vibe does have a genuine place in our lexicon. What’s the point? Am I providing a solution? Is there even a solution? Truthfully, I don’t know. I am searching for answers. What else can one man on a noble vindicative mission do when faced with the vibe mob?

Maybe if we used the word with a little more care it would slowly enter back into the promised land of good words. Maybe if we didn’t slap it on everything we aren’t bothered to describe properly, that might help too.

If you’re forced to say vibe, let everyone know you’re about to be a cop out. Slowly but surely, vibe might come good again. Give it time and delicacy, sensibility, tenderness and care. To do any different would not be an atmosphere.

Words Jay Houhlias Photo Dale Kerrigan

It's the constitution, it's Mabo, it's justice, it's law, it's the vibe...

Just Keep Talking

In the previous edition of The Beast I discussed the importance of how listening, rather than just hearing, promotes greater understanding. But what happens when you really have something personal to discuss that falls on deaf ears, or when the person you’re talking to is not terribly interested or they start piling on advice? “Well if I was you I’d do this...” This is where a dilemma can arise. Despite the person having good intentions, the problem here is that they are not you, and unless they have truly listened they will never really fully understand the problem or indeed the situation you face.

We know that sharing and discussing issues by conversing is usually the best way to solve a problem, but the real question might be whether that conversation is actually genuine. If it’s not, the reason is generally because the person you’re talking to is not paying attention and most likely not listening. If your conversation goes something like, “Are the Rabbits better than the Roosters?” then you’re moving into territory that’s more of a debate. That’s the type of conversation that would revolve around some facts but is mostly opinion, depending on which team you follow. But if you’re having a conversation with a close friend or family member about a stressful and anxiety inducing personal issue, only to discover that they are not actually listening, what should we do?

Before I answer that, I’d like to touch on why it might be hard to share information with people close to you if you are in some deep level of emotional distress. The metaphor of an onion with five layers is useful to help illustrate how a person discloses information. The outer layer represents information which is usually safe, polite and openly shared; the next layer is information that might be shared in a social or work situation; the third layer usually is sensitive personal information that may be shared with a trusted person; the fourth is information that may be risky to share; and at the onion’s centre lies private information that is never shared with others. In my experience, it’s the fourth layer and the centre of the onion that can be the hardest to navigate. If your stress, anxiety and perhaps depression is embedded within these parts of the onion, then who do we talk to for help? To peel away these layers we need trust, empathy and a degree of unconditional positive regard. Only by talking to someone who offers these attributes can we fully disclose our information and get to the heart of the matter when we are in the midst of a crisis.

If you’re in this position and feel normal channels of talking aren’t working, seeking help from a therapist is highly useful. Therapy is confidential and offers a space to self-disclose information relevant to your situation. Trust is paramount and builds through this disclosure process. Effective therapy is only achieved once a good relationship is established between the client and the therapist. I have mentioned this before but I haven’t mentioned that if you are seeking therapy it’s quite common and totally okay to move around a bit until you find someone that fits; who you click with and feel comfortable around.

Getting stuff off your chest is highly therapeutic, even more so with the knowledge that what you disclose stays within the walls of the office. A therapist will help you recognise and validate your emotions in a non-judgemental way that doesn’t always happen with friends and family, if you are lucky enough to have them.

Therapists don’t give advice - apart from the odd nugget where it’s appropriate - they listen attentively and encourage you to keep talking. And, if you talk enough, often you will come up with your own answers and solutions to your problems. So, if you ask your therapist the Rabbits vs Roosters question, they’ll probably reply, “What do you think?!”

Fennec foxes make excellent therapists.

Jeremy Ireland is a local psychotherapist. Have you got a question? You can get in touch with Jeremy by calling 0400 420 042.

The First Steps Towards Saving Our Public Transport

Words Dr Marjorie O’Neill, Member for Coogee

Have you been wondering why your buses continue to be cancelled right across the East and beyond? Thousands of Sydney buses have been cancelled under contracts signed by the former state government to meet ‘on time’ targets. That’s right. It’s ridiculous. Sydney’s private bus contractors are earning bonuses by cancelling thousands of services to meet ‘on time’ targets. Under the old government’s contracts, when the bus companies cancel a bus, they are not penalised, nor do they count as ‘late’, unless they surpass a certain number each month.

As a result, as many here in the East and across Sydney have found out the hard way, we know that numerous passengers in our community have been left on the side of the road waiting for a bus that never turns up. These buses have been referred to as ‘ghost buses’. Data has shown us that in August last year alone 28,000 services were cancelled. Based off this data we can calculate that over a million people have been abandoned at bus stops across Sydney each month.

To make matters worse, it has been well documented in recent days that in areas across metropolitan Sydney, the former NSW Liberal-National Government secretly - in its dying days - signed the state up to more long-term privatised bus contracts, with no information provided to the community and zero consultation. This is a system that without doubt has been failing our community and people across Sydney, especially in places that rely so heavily on buses

as the primary form of public transport, like right here in the Eastern Suburbs, for example.

Just as we committed to the people of NSW, we are seeking immediate legal advice as to what can be done to address these unsatisfactory contracts signed by the former government. We are also committed to establishing a new Bus Industry Taskforce that will address the plethora of issues that we are now facing as a result of the privatisation of our buses.

The new taskforce will bring together bus operators, industry experts, the workforce and community representatives. It will help determine the priorities that will deliver a more effective and reliable bus service that puts passengers at the centre of service delivery and makes operators more responsive to the needs of our local communities. It is an honour that I have been appointed as the new Parliamentary Secretary for Transport. In this role, I will be chairing the passenger reference group contributing to the taskforce’s work.

Our buses are critical to our community and play an integral role in the mobility of people in our area. Our buses connect people to their jobs, education, family, friends, healthcare and other essential services. We rely on our public transport to take us where we need to go safely and in a reliable manner, ensuring the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in our community, who often have limited alternative ways to get around, can get to where they need to be.

Fixing and improving our buses is a key priority for NSW Labor across our city and state, as well as for me as your representative in our local electorate. I am also passionate about improving our active transport links, in particular making our area more walkable and cyclable. In order to do this, we need to prioritise pedestrian and cyclist safety and ensure that our streets have the infrastructure investments they need to make them enticing for those of us on foot or on two wheels!

Lastly for this month, a fast fact... Did you know that every weekday in metropolitan Sydney people make around seven million journeys shorter than two kilometres? More than three million of these short journeys are walk-only trips. A further three million are travelled by car, adding to the congestion on our roads. We know that many short car trips could be replaced by walking. It is critical that we work to address the barriers to more walking and less driving, as the number of trips less than two kilometres is projected to increase by more than 20 per cent in the next 20 years. As always, I would love to hear your suggestions.

Photo Ian Lynas

The old 329 in Clovelly circa 1972.

will save money on their fuel bills and have access to a wider range of cheaper, lower emissions cars and EVs.

We’re not stopping there. I will continue to push for stronger climate action and a minimum 75 per cent emissions reduction target by 2035. I’m also fighting to protect Sydney's iconic coastline from new oil and gas exploration at PEP-11, to put an end to ocean plastic pollution and to significantly strengthen our environmental laws and protect our native forests.

A Fairer Economy

WentworthIt’s Been a Year!

It’s been a year since I was elected to represent this community in Canberra, and I’m really excited to report back on what we have achieved by working across the parliament and the community. As an independent, I’m only accountable to you - not to any political party, lobby group or special interest. Here’s a rundown of our wins to date, and how independent politicians are changing politics for the better.

Caring for Our Planet

Stronger climate action is one of Wentworth’s top priorities, and we have already delivered far more than Labor promised. We passed the Climate Change Act to legislate our climate targets, and I secured important changes to better hold government to account. More recently, I’ve worked to significantly improve the Safeguard Mechanism, a key piece of climate legislation. Following the deal agreed with the crossbench, the Safeguard Mechanism includes the hard cap on emissions that I championed and will drive down pollution from our biggest emitters.

After months of lobbying, we’ve also secured a commitment to introduce vehicle fuel efficiency standards and to invest in EV charging. This means Australians

With high inflation and increasing mortgage payments and power bills, I know it is a really difficult time for many people in our community. Action on power bills has been one of my top priorities. I successfully lobbied for a reduction in gas and coal prices to protect Australian families, and we have also secured funding in the budget to help families to electrify their homes by replacing expensive gas appliances with cleaner alternatives and increased solar. This was a key focus of Wentworth’s first ever Climate Summit in November 2022, and I’ll continue to push for policy that meets the needs of high-density areas like ours.

Housing shortages and rental stress are one of the biggest issues in our community. My focus has been on how to increase housing supply across the country, and Commonwealth Rent Assistance in the short-term. Businesses have told me how difficult they are finding current conditions. So, we have worked to secure amendments to the government’s industrial relations reforms, as well as advocated for improvements to the migration system.

The major parties have put tax in the too hard basket for too long, so I’m leading efforts for comprehensive tax reform. In March, I hosted a high profile parliamentary roundtable with eminent economists and tax experts, ahead of a Green Paper to be published later this year. We’ve also surveyed over 1,000 members of our community on proposed reforms to superannuation and taken your feedback directly to the Treasurer.

Fostering a Safer, More Inclusive and More Vibrant Community Wentworth asked for a kinder, more inclusive society. I’m proud to have successfully supported an increase in paid parental leave to 26 weeks, including a ‘use it or lose it’ provision to ensure leave is shared between parents. We’ve also successfully lobbied the government to deliver a pathway to permanency for nearly 30,000 refugees who were subject to a decade living in limbo and worked closely with Equality Australia to push the government to extend stronger workplace protections to our LGBTQIA+ community.

We have also been campaigning strongly for Australia to say ‘Yes’ in the proposed referendum on a Voice to Parliament. We established ‘Wentworth for the Voice’, a group for people in our community who want to get more involved. Combatting antisemitism has also been a priority, and now five universities have adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance antisemitism definition to help reduce discrimination on campus. I’ve also successfully lobbied the government to increase support for the arts and to clamp down on vaping.

Keeping Canberra Honest

Another promise I made to you was to bring integrity back into politics. That’s why I worked closely with the Attorney General and legal experts to legislate the National Anti-Corruption Commission - a huge win for everyone who has fought so hard for integrity in government.

This Is the Power of Independents

My job is to put you first and to do politics differently. My team and I are here to help. So far we have responded to nearly 6,000 community queries. We have reunited loved ones separated by delayed visas, helped constituents access the NDIS, supported businesses when government bureaucracy got in the way and much more!

Help me make your voice heard in Canberra. Please get in touch with me about the issues you care about, either by emailing me at Allegra.Spender.MP@aph.gov.au or scanning the QR code. Thanks for being wonderful Wentworth, let’s keep doing politics differently!

Words Allegra Spender, Member for Wentworth Photo Teale Vanner

How time flies.

Please take a few minutes to fill out our survey.

It is very important to me that I represent our community as accurately as possible.

I want to understand what is important to you so I can better prioritise the issues I take to Canberra.

Competishin Fishin

For some, the idea of a fishing competition might seem as ludicrous as the North American Wife Carrying Championship or the International Cherry Pit-Spitting Championship, but I can assure you that all three of these events - especially fishing competitions - are legit and very much thriving. Recently, I entered Australia’s largest annual fishing competition, the Pirtek Fishing Challenge, hosted by Michael Guest. Last year’s competition saw over 11,000 participants earning the competition a world record for the world’s largest fishing competition. This year there was a prize pool over $280,000 in value with over 10,000 eager participants. The challenge is also a non-for-profit initiative, with over $1,400,000 having been donated to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA) and the Peter Duncan Neurosciences Research Unit over the past 14 years.

The competition format gives participants in each state a list of target species that they are able to fish for between sunrise and sunset over the chosen weekend in April. Once caught, you must photograph your fish on the provided regulation measuring mats before uploading the picture to the website. This year the target species in NSW were tailor, bream, luderick and whiting. Admittedly, this is a bag of fish that I wouldn’t normally target in Sydney Harbour, with my attention usually set on the more elusive species like kings,

jews and snapper. With the pleasure of being invited out on my mate Cam’s five metre centre console for the day, we left the ramp at first light with a bucket of freshly pumped live nippers from Pittwater and enough food, water, bait and caffeine to keep us going for the day. We spent the waking hours catching a tank full of small yakkas that we intended to exchange for a big tailor later that morning. Soon after, we followed the rising tide back up the system to a discrete mud bottom sand-flat where we live baited nippers on ultra light gear for a big whiting. It wasn’t long before Cam’s 7-year-old son Cooper hooked a good fish that had him running around the bow of the boat. He played it out for a short while on the 4lb gear before we netted a 40cm whiting - a genuine elbow slapper. He ended up placing second in the junior division for the whiting category with this capture. The whiting soon spooked off the flats and accordingly we ventured further upstream to throw some nippers around the boat hulls and rocky edges. On my very first cast I hooked a solid fish that initially came running at the boat before peeling off down to the depths. I eventually landed a 38cm fish, which ended up being a painful 3mm off the ‘mystery length’ bream.

After battling through the undersized snapper and burning through more nippers than we’d planned to, we decided it was time to retreat back towards the mouth of the system and anchor up for some tailor. These are a fish that aren’t particularly hard to catch, but often prove very difficult to specifically target, usually coming as bycatch when fishing for other species. We anchored over one of Cam’s spot X’s, which had the sounder lighting up. I wasted no time in sending a butterflied yakka out on a lightly weighted circle hook to waft in the current and we also deployed two more heavily weighted liveys right below us. It wasn’t long before a livey got smashed by a 48.5cm tailor, with Cooper fighting it to the surface and earning himself the second largest tailor in the junior category. Soon after, my butterflied yakka started peeling line and I landed a decent tailor around 50cm, which unfortunately was still miles off the 75cm winning fish. After a short quiet spell, one of the livey rods buckled again and I pulled a fish to the surface that I never expected to lay eyes on in Sydney Harbour - a Maori cod! With the majority of numbers being caught off Queensland in more tropical waters, it was a unique catch to say the least and a real testament to the diversity and productivity of Sydney Harbour. Having successfully captured good sized models of each species we set out to target, we pulled the pin and left weary-eyed and satisfied from a good day of competishin fishin.

Words and Photo Lewis Kennedy-Hunt

Another eventful day on the harbour.

June 2023 Tide Chart

Chorizo and Leek Mac and Cheese

Mac and cheese can be referred to as the ultimate comfort food. The macaroni is well coated in a cheesy bechamel sauce, while the chorizo and leek are a welcome change to the classic, adding generously to the flavour of this satisfying bowl. The combination of grated cheeses give the dish more depth and a perfect, golden crispness on top as it comes out of the oven. For a hit of freshness amongst all that comfort, add a simple green salad on the side.

Ingredients

300gm dried macaroni

2 chorizo, finely chopped

2 leeks, finely chopped (white part only)

2 tsp Dijon mustard

200gm Manchego cheese, finely grated

200gm vintage cheddar, finely grated

Sea salt and cracked black pepper

Bechamel

25gm butter

½ cup plain flour

3 cups whole milk

100gm parmesan, finely grated

Method

1. In a large pot of boiling water, add the macaroni and cook for 15 minutes or until al dente. Remove from the pot and strain, then set aside.

2. In a frypan set to medium heat, add the chorizo and cook for 5 mins, stirring occasionally. Remove the chorizo from the

pan and set aside. Return the frypan to the heat and add half of the chopped leek. Sautee for 4 minutes until softened. Remove from the pan and add to the chorizo.

3. In a separate saucepan set to medium heat, make the bechamel sauce by adding in the butter. When melted, add the remaining leek and stir well, ensuring it does not burn. When softened, add the flour and continue to stir until the flour is dissolved into the leeks (this will be a dry mixture). Gradually add the milk to the mixture while whisking to ensure there are no lumps and the mixture thickens slowly on the heat. When all of the milk has been added and the sauce thickened, add the parmesan and stir to combine. Remove from the heat and set aside.

4. In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked macaroni, leek, chorizo and Dijon mustard. Stir to combine.

5. Add the bechamel, season well with salt and pepper and add half the Manchego and cheddar cheeses. Mix well to combine.

6. Transfer the macaroni mixture to a baking dish in an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining Manchego and cheddar over the top.

7. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve hot with a green salad on the side.

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.

The Beast Supercross

ACROSS

1. US Vice President’s Christian name (6)

6. Only suitable for adults (1,5)

7. Smartphone made by Apple (6)

9. A quiet, gentle song (7)

10. Breed of hunting dog (5)

12. Submit to authority (4)

14. Opposed to (4)

15. Administrative divisions of large cities (8)

17. 7th letter in the Greek alphabet (3)

19. Delicious Indian bread (4)

23. Clarified butter (4)

24. Body modification using ink (6)

25. National police service of Ireland (5)

Trivial Trivia

1. Which land mammal has the longest tail?

2. What does the Swahili expression ‘hakuna matata’ mean in English?

3. Which director tells the semi-autobiographical story of his life in the movie The Fabelmans?

4. Ergophobia is the irrational fear of chairs, work or smoke?

5. Which city hosts the US Tennis Open?

6. Vodka and coffee liqueur make which delicious cocktail?

7. What Indian spice that grows in pods is used to make chai?

DOWN

1. Nicole Kidman hubby (5,5)

2. A person who tends to an elephant (6)

3. A jump in figure skating (4)

4. Roosters lock’s surname (6)

5. Cedar flag country (7)

8. Short-sighted (6)

11. Food associated with police (5)

13. Sound reflected off a surface (4)

16. Poke fun at someone (5)

18. Pre-1917 Russian emperor (4)

20. An agency of the United Nations (1,1,1)

21. Turnbull energy policy (1,1,1)

22. First name of Ryan Gosling’s wife (3)

23. Opposite of stop (2)

8. Which French designer was the heir to a fertilizer fortune?

9. What three letter word that means ‘small opening’ is also the name of a clothing company?

10. What gets wetter and wetter the more it dries?

Sunset Aeroplane.

Words Lisa Anderson Photo Tony Davis Instagram @panoroamer

My Neighbor Adolf

Genre

Drama Comedy

Reviewer Linda Heller-Salvador

Russian-Israeli director Leon Prudovsky’s second feature film (following the success of his debut, Five Hours from Paris), titled My Neighbor Adolf, utilises a true story with a disturbingly dark subject matter and embellishes it with a good dose of absurd silliness along with bittersweet musings of overcoming long-held prejudices.

Mr Polsky (David Hayman) is a grouchy and reclusive Holocaust survivor who has his secluded life in the Colombian countryside turned upside down when a mysterious man, Mr Herzog (Udo Kier), moves in next door. Convinced the stranger is not who he appears to be, Polsky sets out to reveal his true identity by employing outlandish tactics that can only be viewed as foolhardy stalking.

A muted colour palette enhances the sombre storyline, which has been described by Hayman as Grumpy Old Men meets Rear Window. Imbued with angst yet tinged with humour, My Neighbor Adolf is a whimsical feel-good story about relationships, compassion, tolerance and redemption.

THE NATIONAL First Two Pages of Frankenstein

Label 4AD

Reviewer @aldothewriter

Rating 

I’ve been patiently waiting for this, like a tired old man waiting for a bus. How would the famous over-thinker, Matt Berninger, have handled the isolation of the pandemic? Not well, judging by the lyrics, but there is a silver lining and that has come in the form of The National’s finest work since High Violet. Unsurprisingly, this is best listened to at home, in solitude, or with only the closest of family. Just be warned, Taylor Swift features, so there is a jarring moment of emotional confusion around the middle point. I am sure she is a robot.

REDHOOK Postcard From A Living Hell

Label Red Hook Recordings

Reviewer @aldothewriter

Rating 

If you need a bit of energy in your life, this rock’n’roll rocket from local crew RedHook will put some beans in your boots. Is pop-metal a recognised genre? It should be. Every track makes me wish I was a teenager again; the song with Sly Withers (‘Soju’) in particular, which could have been the anthem of my seventeen-year-old self. If you’re a slightly awkward gangly kid with a knack for a beer bong, get around it. It’s not an album for baking muffins with grandpa, unless he is covered in tatts and has a Prince Albert piercing.

FRUIT BATS

A River Running to Your Heart

Label Merge Records

Reviewer @aldothewriter

Rating 

Fancy a picnic in a city park, with sunlight flashing through trees and quirkily attractive people riding bikes and falling in love on pedalboats? Well, this is the soundtrack for you. Fruit Bats have that dreamy, folksy style of music that The Shins did so well. Many years ago it was very much en vogue, but now you rarely hear it. Amazingly, this is their tenth album, yet they sound like a young group on the up. Effortless is a word I loathe to use - I’m sure a lot of effort went into this - but it does feel like you’re floating downstream in a very comfortable canoe.

Star Signs

Visions Beardy from Hell

Leo Jul 23-Aug 22

As another financial year comes to an end, you’ll be left wondering what the hell happened to all of your money.

Virgo Aug 23-Sep 23

Try agreeing with some of the complete nonsense your partner spouts and you’ll see how much easier they can be to manage.

Libra Sep 24-Oct 23

It’s time to cut loose all of the clingers who are constantly draining the life out of you if you ever want to get ahead.

Scorpio Oct 24-Nov 22

Invest in a fancy new kitchen appliance so you can use it once and then bury it deep in the cupboard forever.

Sagittarius Nov 23-Dec 21

Take care on the road this month; there are currently more shit drivers in the Eastern Suburbs than anywhere else in Australia.

Looking for a different VIEW on Life?

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

Capricorn Dec 22-Jan 20

Embrace your friends; all the fun things you do in your life are pretty pointless if you have no one to share the memories with.

Aquarius Jan 21-Feb 19

Read back through the previous day’s thread in your group chat before posing a stupid question about what’s been going on.

Pisces Feb 20-Mar 20

Trying to maintain anything over twenty mates is a pointless exercise - get rid of all the mugs and focus on quality over quantity.

Aries Mar 21-Apr 20

Keep a close eye on your partner. Someone close to both of you is making subtle strategic moves while you’re looking elsewhere.

Taurus Apr 21-May 21

Looking good is more important than being healthy, so just let yourself go, then get surgery when you’re too far gone.

Trivial Trivia Solutions

1. Giraffe 2. No worries 3. Steven Spielberg

4. Work 5. New York 6. Black Russian

7. Cardamon 8. Christian Dior

9. Gap 10. A towel