urbanvillage.com.au | December 2017 - January 2018
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Contents
Issue #03 Dec 2017 / Jan 2018
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Neighbourhood icon Meg Hewitt returns to Surry Hills after years abroad
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Local design firm walterwakefield reflects on the evolution of Surry Hills
22
A local take on the Christmas Festival at A Very Surry Hills Christmas
40
Q&A with David Bushby, founder of online legal network Lexoo
24
Australia says YES! How the same sex marriage vote has impacted real couples
48
Community Shopfront project set to revitalise the Northcott Estate
Editor Lachlan Colquhoun Words & Images Tess Scholfield-Peters, Leigh Harris, Dean Bentick, Luca Ward, Tim Ritchie, Peter English, Fiona McIntosh, Roisin McGee, Andrew Mackinnon, Walter Maurice, Stephen Godfrey, John Tsiavis, Jonno Revanche, Chris Loutfy, Jordan Munns. Design & Layout walterwakefield Publisher Leigh Harris Cover Liam Barrett and Glen Hare Cover Photo by Dean Bendict All Enquiries Tel: 02 8218 2163 Email: info@urbanvillage.com.au Office: Ground Floor, 483 Riley Street Surry Hills NSW 2010 ISSN 2208-6242
Urban Village is published under licence and with the support of the Surry Hills Creative Precinct to foster communcation, innovation and networking between the business community and residents in Surry Hills, Redfern and the surrounding neighbourhoods of inner Sydney.
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natural fibres, handcrafting and sustainability. with pieces from australian and international makers. a core collection of planet’s own designs in solid australian hardwood, handwoven carpets and soft furnishings made with textiles from around the world, as well as ceramics, daily essentials and paintings from ernabella. 114 commonwealth street, surry hills 02 9211 5959 planetfurniture.com.au monday - friday 10:00 to 5:30 saturday 10:00 to 5:00 sunday 11:00 4:00 Urbanto Village | 3
painting: ngayuku ngura by michelle lewis 2017
finding yourself at home...
Heads Up
Your guide to Surry Hills this month
A Very Surry Hills Christmas
Shannon Reserve, Corner of Crown and Foveaux Streets, Saturday 16 December 9 am to 5 pm Photo credit: Jeff McCann
Also look out for...
Hyde Park’s Spiegeltent Briefs: Close Encounters, ‘boylesque’ with a seductive mix of contortion, aerial acrobatics, raunchy comedy, and RIOT an all-Irish variety show starring famed drag queen Panti Bliss.
sydneyfestival.org.au
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Surry Hills Markets First Saturday of each month; corner of Crown & Collins Streets. The markets are open regardless of the weather, and over Christmas and New Year the normal schedule is maintained.
shnc.org/events/ surry-hills-markets
The Sydney Festival 6 Jan – 28 Jan Sydney Festival returns to transform the city delivering the highest quality art and big ideas. The program spans theatre, dance, circus, visual art and music.
sydneyfestival.org.au
Lucky Golden Age Cinema 28 Dec – 12 Jan For fans of Harry Dean Stanton’s work, Lucky is full of references to his filmography. David Lynch got movie-gold out of Stanton and their real-life friendship is manifested on-screen. So bittersweet. ourgoldenage.com.au
Queer Stories Series 8 Dec & 19 Jan Join some of Sydney’s best storytellers reflecting on their lives and battles. December 8 and January 19 at Giant Dwarf Theatre.
giantdwarf.com.au
Urban Village | 5
Local Review
HUNTER'S CORNER 89 Pitt St, Redfern hunterscorner.com.au
Exterior shot of Abbott Mural – painted by Scottie Marsh. Photo credit: Tess Scholfield-Peters.
From the statement mural to community workshops, inclusivity is the message for this Redfern cafe. By Tess Scholfield-Peters
T
he old Victorian building, on the corner of Pitt and Redfern streets, used to be the local convenience store before it was reincarnated into a café. Owners Belle Clarke and Pej Zidei began trade on the corner in February of this year as Bean and Berry, and became Hunter’s Corner in May.
The building’s old world character speaks through the narrow corridors, exposed pipes and bumpy walls. It feels well worn and familiar, perhaps owing to the truly genuine staff, the peppering of homely trinkets and native flora and the airy, natural light that seems to fill the place from the inside out.
Belle and Pej live just thirty seconds away from Hunter’s Corner. Cafés have been part of the couple’s lives for decades. They met at one in Newtown and have owned and worked in cafes around Sydney for the past twenty years.
The café is now the home of Sydney artist Scott Marsh’s newest mural, which depicts Tony Abbott marrying himself. The pro same-sex marriage statement has been met with resounding support from café goers and passers-by.
While the definition of “locally sourced” can be cloudy at times, Hunter’s Corner get all their fresh produce from local legend Mickey’s Fruit and Veg across the road, and endeavour to make as much as they can from scratch.
“We’ve had people come and get engaged in front of it and take wedding photos next to it. We’re all about inclusivity and we’re very proud to wear such a beautiful and important art work.”
The café runs regular coffee tastings and workshops including a free fitness session, run by a local customer and PT, every Friday afternoon at Redfern Park.
Sadly, in the wake of the triumphant Yes vote, an outbreak of mural defacing has occurred around Sydney. Scott Marsh’s newest mural on the Botany View Hotel in Newtown has been defaced, as well as the mural of much-loved icon George Michael in Erskineville.
“Inside you’ll find stuff from vintage shops in England, family hand-me-downs from my mum and grandmother, stuff from Mexico, Vanuatu, the Philippines and Japan,” explains self-proclaimed collectomaniac Belle.
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The mural at Hunter’s Corner remains untouched by the defacers – let’s hope it stays that way.
SURRY STATS
65.4%
1,200 GIVING BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY
20%
$1,690K
of our fee earned from the sale or management* of your property will go to a charity or community group of your choice from our selected shortlist. *Calculated on the management fee earned for the first 12 months
9157 9888
The auction clearance rate was 65.4% in September* *CoreLogic
There are 1,200 visits to an online listing compared to 829 for the rest of Sydney* *Real Estate
The median price of a house is $1,690,000* *CoreLogic
The median price of a unit is $822,500*
$822K
*CoreLogic
Call us and say that you’ve seen our ad in Urban Village. Surry Hills Redfern Alexandria
Rebecca Tubridy
Brigitte Blackman
Head of Property Management
Licensed Sales Agent & Director Read more about Brigitte in this issue’s cover story
ch.com.au Urban Village | 7
Local Review
ZEUS STREET GREEK 2/69-81 Foveaux St, Surry Hills zeusstreetgreek.com.au
Peter Diles at Zeus Greek Street Foveaux Steet Photo credit: Dean Bendict
Before owning Zeus Street Greek in Surry Hills, Peter Diles was a sound engineer who worked at electronic music festivals around the world. By Tess Scholfield-Peters
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n May of this year Peter and his wife Jaclyn, with his brother and sister-in-law, opened Zeus on Foveaux Street. The owners are proud of their Greek heritage and closely associate food with who they are. “We see Zeus as a modern harmony of traditional Greek food with the best of Australian produce,” explains Peter. Zeus’s challenge is to transform the Australian perception of souvlaki as a greasy hangover cure into a healthy, flavoursome meal. Unlike their food franchise counterparts, Zeus is passionate about using fresh, locally sourced produce. “We will only partner with people like us, families who value quality, sustainability and integrity.” The first Zeus Street Greek opened in Drummoyne in 2014. There are now eighteen stores across NSW, ACT, QLD, VIC and WA.
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Zeus’s Take Give initiative has seen the business foster relationships with charities and local community groups, including Weave Youth and Community Services, Father Chris Riley’s Youth Off The Streets and the Refugee Council of Australia. The Zeus mobile app launched on November 1 and rewards Zeus customers for their loyalty through their mobile device. For every $1 spent, customers receive 1 Zeus point, which they can then spend of various offers. Another perk is the delivery service, which allows customers to order remotely via the app. “We are keen to keep growing and embed ourselves in the Surry Hills community, collaborate with artists, DJs and musicians and have them play in store,” says Peter. “One of the most exciting elements for us is the opportunity to build relationships with our customers. They become familiar faces, we get to chat and share a laugh. It’s nice.”
Urban Village | 9
Local Review
KAWA CAFE Kawa Café has withstood seventeen years in its shady Crown Street nook, a rare achievement for any business in this ever-changing suburb.
348 Crown St, Surry Hills
By Tess Scholfield-Peters
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awa’s longevity is owing to its honest menu, European style on-street dining and its worn in charm that comes only from a place that has lived the history of the suburb.
the fruit and veg on display in the glass cabinet. The famous organic chicken ball sandwich has been on the menu for years, a staple of the café as much as Tina’s home cooked vegan desserts.
In its seventeen years Kawa has had only two different owners. Until last year Meg Hewitt ran the café. Meg, a successful artist and photographer, was and continues to be well known among Surry Hill’s locals and oldtimers. In its past life, Kawa was a meeting place for artists and creatives of the area, giving the cafe a unique and quintessentially Crown Street character from its inception.
The challenge for Tina and Bill is to maintain a legacy that has been around for so long, while simultaneously establishing their own character. They find themselves at an intersection between old and new but find this exciting, not daunting.
Wishing to pursue her career in photography, Meg sold the café to new owners Tina and Bill. The couple had visited the café many times and were drawn to its charm.
“What you see is what you get,” says Bill, who sites Kawa’s alfresco seating area and fresh, organic produce as key to its success, “There’s no pretension here. That’s what Meg wanted to impart and what we will continue.”
Bill’s hospitality background paired with Tina’s in fashion and jewellery making seems a good fit for Kawa. They have plans to create new all organic and vegan options on the menu that, for the most part, has remained relatively unchanged. “The message [Meg] gave to us when we started, was that people come back because they know nothing’s changed,” explains Bill, “we want to continue that, as well as introduce new things.” Everything in the café is home made, from the baked beans to the juices and smoothies made fresh from 10 | Urban Village
Image credit: Walter Maurice.
Urban Village | 11
Local Review
MAD ABOUT SPUDS 479 Crown St, Surry Hills madspuds.com.au
The menu is a starch contrast to your typical Surry Hills fare. By Tess Scholfield-Peters
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here’s a lot more to the humble spud than you’ve probably ever imagined. It can be safely assumed that not many have imagined a spud’s various incarnations more than Mad Spuds café owner Lou Pagano. Mad Spuds has been in Surry Hills for over seven years now. “Our original vision was to create a healthy alternative to standard café fare,” explains owner Lou, “spuds can be baked, fried, mashed, boiled, chipped – they are healthy and versatile.” The Crown Street café has peeled away the preconception that spuds are unhealthy and embraced wholeheartedly the unsung hero of the vegetable family. The spud-centric menu also features organic, locally sourced produce, house-made preserves and pickles and the café’s take on Irish classics, like the Boxty, a traditional Irish potato pancake. Aside from being the stand out of any roast, potatoes are full of potassium, vitamin C and fibre, and are fat, gluten and sodium free. Mad Spud’s spuds are sourced from the Southern Highlands of NSW, aka the “home of the big spud.” They’re grown in rich volcanic soil and watered by natural springs throughout the highland region of Robertson, giving them a unique taste.
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Owner Lou Pagano outside his Crown Street Cafe. Image credit: Walter Maurice
“We use a few different varieties of potatoes, like King Edwards, Sebago, Spunta, Desire and Pink Fir,” explains Lou. Lou sites the light rail construction as a current challenge for the café, but sees great potential for the area once it’s complete. “When [the light rail] is complete the area will be buzzing with out-of-towners.” From the Baked Spud menu, try the Spud Power – two baked spuds with falafel, beetroot relish, avocado, sour cream, organic sprouts and olive oil.
Urban Village | 13
Get It Sorted founder Hamilton Kings. Photo credit: Walter Maurice.
GET IT SORTED From restaurant bookings to physio, this new app has it sorted. By Tess Scholfield-Peters
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amilton Kings is the man behind the new app Get It Sorted, a pocket concierge that connects Sydney-based consumers to service providers when and where they need them. “We provide professional services, health services, beauty, trade and hospitality services,” explains Hamilton, “the idea is that we want the customer to use us every week.” The free app allows customers to select which service they require, when and where, and provides a list of businesses that meet their criteria and constraints. Hamilton began a career in stockbroking before moving into hospitality with the goal of starting his own business. For the past twelve years he’s owned restaurants in Bondi, Surry Hills and the city and a catering business on Buckingham Street. He currently owns and runs Pizza Autentico on Brisbane Street.
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Photo credit: Walter Maurice.
It’s taken five years for the app to come to fruition. What began as a web-based business in Canberra is now the first iteration of a mobile app, launched on November 1, servicing the Potts Point, Darlinghurst and Surry Hills areas. Hamilton has realized a hole in the market for connecting small to medium trade services with the relevant customers in an affordable, curated manner. Get It Sorted looks set to revolutionize how businesses advertise, and how customers search for and locate what they need, when they need it. More information on all initiatives can be found at www.getitsorted.com
Urban Village | 15
Belvoir Downstairs opens for new artists Many independent artists have used the Belvoir Downstairs to showcase their work. Now they have the opportunity to use it again.
T
he Belvoir is reopening its Downstairs Theatre to independent artists and is calling for expressions of interest.
The Downstairs Theatre was traditionally a venue for independent artists and companies, but in recent years the Belvoir has reserved it for its own exclusive use.
Artistic director Eamon Flack announced the initiative at the annual Philip Parsons Memorial lecture in November, and gave details of a new program of independent theatre to be called 25A.
The Downstairs news came as the Belvoir announced that Emme Hoy had been awarded the 2017 Philip Parsons Fellowship for Emerging Playwrights. Hoy will receive a $15,000 commission to develop a new work under the guidance of the Belvoir.
“Belvoir has always been a home for artists, established and new, and we’ve always been the place where the artists of the future have cut their teeth,” said Flack. “After the recent blow to the small to medium sector and the shrinkage of spaces available to independent artists, this time feels right for us to open up new opportunities. “We’d like to think these new programs are a big deal for emerging artists.” Artists will be able to use the Downstairs Theatre for free under the program, and applications are invited for the program to be launched in January 2018. Registrations of interest for 25A are at twentyfivea.com.au
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The Belvoir has also announced the inaugural Andrew Cameron Fellowship for 2018, in honour of the former chair of the company. The fellowship will create a new Associate Artist position at Belvoir to support an emerging artistic leader. Also announced was a ticket program, offering artists $20 tickets for selected performance of all shows in the 2018 season. More information on all initiatives can be found at www.belvoir.com.au
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Urban Village | 17
Meg Hewitt at her exhibition opening. Photo credit: Stephen Godfrey.
SURRY HILLS IDENTITY SURRY HILLS ICON:
Meg Hewitt Neighbourhood icon Meg Hewitt returns to Surry Hills after years abroad for her exhibition Tokyo Is Yours at Flinders Street Gallery. The exhibition showcases her photography series created in Japan over two years. By Tess Scholfield-Peters
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eg was inspired by the Great East earthquake and tsunami in Japan in 2011 and wanted to truly understand what it felt like to live in Tokyo, only 120km from the Daichi power plant. The series draws on manga, surrealism and film noir. “Initially I was fascinated by the apparent inability to evacuate Tokyo in the case of a major disaster. I was inspired by a culture that still surprises me in its traditions, and in its innovations and how they co-exist in this inescapable bubble,” explains Meg. But Meg’s story starts on Crown Street, where before she owned highly-successful Kawa café, she attended art school nearby and frequented what was then Mali café. “That was back before there were outdoor seating licenses,” recalls Meg. “People used to sit all over the foot path on milk crates. It was illegal and a lot of fun.” In Meg’s Surry Hills, Brett Whiteley could be spotted at the local Laundromat, Max Sharam played at Kinselas every Sunday afternoon, and painter Colin Lanceley lived around the corner. “There was an amazing atmosphere in Surry Hills in the nineties. Artists could afford to live in warehouses. We had crazy parties all the time and live music and art galleries were everywhere.” Meg began studying sculpture, painting and temporal media at art school, acquiring skills that continue to inform her thoughts and photographic eye. In 2010 she decided to pursue photography, which until then had been a creative hobby to help her wind down after work. “I think my love for photography came from my father, he was always taking pictures. I also did some short courses at the Australian Centre of Photography which really ignited my passion.”
Top to bottom: Legs (after Daido) Tokyo 2015 Yoko in Spring, 2016 Underwater, Fukushima Province, 2016
After she sold Kawa, Meg travelled to Denmark and undertook an internship with Magnum photographer Jacob Aue Sobol in Copenhagen. Her book Tokyo Is Yours was printed in Denmark in July of last year. Urban Village | 19
Since the book was published, the series has been exhibited in renowned photography festival Recontres d’Arles in the south of France, where it was selected as one of the top five shows of the festival. This year, part of her series was exhibited in Ballarat at the International Foto Biennale where it won fringe artist of the year. “It was great to see the work culminate into a book which people have really embraced. The exhibition gives more meaning [to the work] as the installation is layered and plays with the narrative.” Despite worldwide success and acclaim, for Meg Surry Hills will always be home. “I love its old buildings and small laneways, and Crown Street has always been a vital backbone of the community. I hope that affordable housing options remain to allow creative renters to keep living in the area.” Meg’s photography series Tokyo Is Yours runs until December 9 at Flinders Street Gallery, 91 Flinders Street. In 2018, the series will be exhibited at famous Bar Kodoji in Shinjuku, Japan. For more information about Meg and her book Tokyo Is Yours, visit https://meg-hewitt.com/
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Yoko, Tokyo 2015
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Photo credit: Jeff McCann
A Very Surry Hills
Christmas 22 | Urban Village
The December 16 event in Shannon Reserve promises a very local take on the Christmas Festival.
L
ooking for some distinctive decorations for your Christmas Tree?
Do you like the idea of wrapping the presents you have bought from local retailers in a distinctive wrapping paper designed just for Surry Hills? Well, if the answer to either of these questions is remotely “yes,” or if you are just in the mood for a bit of community Christmas celebration, then swing by Shannon Reserve on Saturday December 16.
For those into DIY, there will be a Christmas decoration workshop in addition to cookie and gingerbread making. There will be face painting with a difference in McCann’s distinctive style, while Shannon Reserve will also boast two McCann designed Christmas trees. A local Surry Hills Santa will be on hand for free photos, and there will be a DJ pumping out tunes and beats to keep the party moving along.
Sponsored by the City of Sydney, a Very Surry Hills Christmas is a community based event to celebrate Christmas in local style, in addition to fostering a “shop local” engagement for retailers.
Christmas gifts purchased from Surry Hills retailers can also be gift wrapped, free of charge, in distinctive McCann designed paper created specifically for the event.
Sydney artist Jeff McCann has taken the design lead for the event, and is creating a range of bespoke works – from wrapping paper to wreaths and Christmas Trees.
“Local retailers are part of what makes Surry Hills so special and unique – this event is about boosting our support for those local businesses, residents and people who spend time in the area,” Lord Mayor Clover Moore said.
“This is a Christmas event which speaks to the type of person who lives in Surry Hills,” explains McCann. “It’s Christmas-esque, but in a Surry Hills way, and people will have the opportunity and the materials to create their own customised Christmas. “So its Christmas, but with a different design style which I think reflects the local area.”
“A Very Surry Hills Christmas will invigorate the village and I hope as many residents and businesses as possible come together for this celebration.”
A Very Surry Hills Christmas, Shannon Reserve, Corner of Crown and Foveaux Streets, Saturday 16 December 9 am to 5 pm
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I do believe that this is going to lie down and pass. They are not going to get rid of us and it will come through and it will happen. - Sarah Greenaway
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LOVE IS LOVE IN SURRY HILLS Australia has voted. Yes has triumphed over No in the Marriage Equality Plebiscite, 61 percent to 38, clearing the way to legalise same sex marriage even maybe this year. Urban Village talked to two local couples impacted by the result.
B
efore they were lovers and partners, Liam Barrett was Glen Hare’s personal trainer. “He did a promotion for his business The Camp Fitness and I was looking to meet people in a fitness environment, so I went along and I thought he was a bit of alright,” says Hare, who operates his own financial planning business Fox and Hare Wealth, in Riley Street.
“We were put in the same team, and got on very well,” says Greenaway. “I quite liked Brigitte and I guess I pushed her a bit. She had not long come out of another relationship but I pursued her and here we are.” Today, Greenaway and Blackman no longer play baseball. They made their own home run and have just about everything a married couple could have, apart from the certificate.
“So we started doing training sessions, and after about six months of us hanging out then one day we kissed and there was no going back.
They have lived together in the same house for around ten years, and now have two children together.
“That was three years ago, and no I don’t train with him anymore, but we do live together.”
“For us, we feel married anyway,” says Blackman, who is a partner in the Cobden & Hayson real estate agency in Crown Street.
Liam and Glen’s story is not too dissimilar to that of Sarah Greenaway and Brigitte Blackman. The two met when friends persuaded them to join the Sydney Women’s Baseball League around 11 years ago.
“We have everything any other couple could have so marriage wouldn’t change that much for us, and it’s something we never considered could be possible until now.”
Urban Village | 25
Both couples emphasise that even when they are legally able to marry, they won’t be necessarily rushing to run down the aisle immediately.
“I think we’ll put it to the kids when they are a bit older, and ask if they would like us too,” says Greenaway.
The issue, they say, has always been about their right to do so if they want.
“If it is something that would be important to them, then we would get married.”
“Anyway, I haven’t proposed yet, but I definitely want the opportunity to,” says Glen Hare.
Another point of agreement between the couples is their fatigue at the marriage equality debate.
“But we have talked about getting married. Everything from venues to location to what the rings are going to look like.
The protracted campaign and the politicking has shone an unwelcome light onto people who simply want to go on living their own lives, but with the same legal rights as the rest of the population.
"The whole thing is about being equal. We don’t want anything special, just to be the same. “It’s about equality. At one of the rallies I met up with my business partner, and her boyfriend is form the Dominican Republic, and it wasn’t so long ago that they couldn’t get married because he is black. That really put it in context for me.” For Sarah and Brigitte, it’s all about their children.
“I was losing a lot of sleep over it,” says Liam Barrett. “I was signing into Facebook and just scrolling through articles and I’d be sucked into the comments, the stupid things people were saying. “I’d replay them in my head and I’d still be awake, lying in bed at 3 a.m. going through it all.”
I was losing a lot of sleep over it. I was signing into Facebook and just scrolling through articles and I’d be sucked into the comments, the stupid things people were saying. – Liam Barrett
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The whole thing is about being equal. We don’t want anything special, just to be the same.
Urban Village | 27
Sarah Greenaway says the debate was “derailing our everyday life.” “We are workers, parents, law abiding people and we are not interested in prolonging this,” she says. “I don’t get involved in other people’s agendas, is not my right to do that and step on other people. “But I do believe that this is going to lie down and pass. They are not going to get rid of us and it will come through and it will happen.” While it has been an exhausting process, both couples have been heartened by the support of friends and family during the plebiscite campaign. They extend sympathy to people isolated by geography or through other factors which have meant they have faced the issues alone. “We’ve had such great support, and that has extended to all of our straight friends who are right behind this,” says Greenaway. “Family members have been having discussions with their friends, and saying that because they have a daughter who is effected by this can they vote Yes as gesture of support.” Glen Hare says he was gratified to see one of his old high school friends post a pro Yes post on Facebook. “He is straight, but he posted that it was really important for people to vote Yes,” says Hare. “He is in a different network to me, and is not exposed to the issue all the time but he still understood how important this is and I was really appreciative of someone like him who doesn’t live in the ‘bubble’. “I felt that it was more powerful coming from him.”
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We have everything any other couple could have so marriage wouldn’t change that much for us, and it’s something we never considered could be possible until now - Brigitte Blackman
How Same Sex Marriage can rescue the Institution of Marriage
Marriage
by Numbers L
ooked at simply in terms of numbers, the institution of marriage in Australia is flagging and needs same sex couples to revitalise it. In 1971, for example, there were over 117,000 marriages registered. This represented a rate of 9.2 marriages per estimated 1000 head of population. Fast forward to 2015, the most recent year for ABS statistics, and there were just over 121,000 marriages. This might be numerically more, but the marriage rate was 4.8, or around half of the rate for 1971. The 2015 results were also down 6.3 percent on the raw number of marriages registered in 2014. According to the 2016 Census, there are 46,800 same sex couples living in Australia, all of whom will soon have the opportunity to marry. The figure in the 2011 Census was 33,700, itself a 32 percent increase on 1996, when the Census first started collecting this data.
So same sex marriage could not only bolster marriage numbers, but it could be good
news for an Australian economy struggling for growth.
ANZ economist Cherelle Murphy says that based on the 2016 Census figures marriage equality could contribute more than $650 million a year to the national economy as weddings drive spending. Murphy cited the example of the ACT in 2013, where same-sex marriage was legalised for 35 days before the ruling was reversed by the High Court. In that time period, 31 same-sex couples registered to get married which represented 12 percent of the total. This was, of course, “pent up” demand, but the same could happen on a national basis in the aftermath of any legislative change.
In 1971,
In 2015,
9.2
4.8
MARRIAGES PER 1000 PEOPLE
MARRIAGES PER 1000 PEOPLE
As of 2016 Census
46,800 SAME SEX COUPLES LIVING IN AUSTRALIA
Urban Village | 29
Local Review
L FLORA BOUTIQUE FLORIST Shop 5, 418A Elizabeth St, Surry Hills lflora.com.au
Owners Lauren and Jade at their Elizabeth Street store. Image credit: Transport for NSW
From a garage start-up to Surry Hills floral boutique, all for the love of flowers.
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or two years Lauren and Jade have been bringing colour and joy to the people in Surry Hills at their florist L Flora. The sisters started on their floral journey in 2014 when they decided to pursue a more creative career. “We decided to turn our love of flowers into a wedding business and started L Flora from our garage. As our client base grew we decided we needed a professional front for our business and Surry Hills seemed like the perfect location. Having a shop we naturally thought we would give retail a go as well as doing weddings.” To make the flowers at L Flora just that little bit more magical, all the bouquets are custom made on the spot with customers able to choose the flowers, the colour palette and the wrapping they want. “We love that flowers make people happy and we get to be apart of making someone’s day that little bit brighter.” For Lauren and Jade Surry Hills has been a great area, not just for their business but for lifestyle as well. “There are so many great places to eat and drink on and around Devonshire street, Ouroborous café is our go to for breakfast every morning. Sharon’s hairdresser does the best blow wave in Sydney and Sushi bar is a great, quick and easy lunch option.”
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Surry Hills Children’s Services
Surry Hills Children’s Services
provided by
Surry Hills Neighbourhood Centre
proudly serving the community for over 40 years.
A small family-oriented Long Day Care and Preschool located in a state-of-the-art purpose-built facility accommodating up to a maximum of 25 children. Opening hours 8am - 4.30pm Visit our website or call us on 9331 8409 to book a visit childrenservices.shnc.org
02 9331 8409 Urban Village | 31
Shop Local
HEAD TO SURRY HILLS The Surry Hills Creative Precint Initiative
Richard Campbell of Eloura Lifestyle – Head To Surry Hills participating business. Photo credit: Andrew Mackinnon.
HEAD TO SURRY HILLS SHOP LOCAL PROMOTION A WIN FOR ALL
A
round 6000 people entered the twelve week Head To Surry Hills Program, with entrants snapping up $100 vouchers every day to shop at their choice of over 60 local businesses. Under the program, people could enter online to win a $100 voucher to shop on Devonshire Street as part of a promotion to assist businesses experiencing challenging trading periods during the light rail construction. The feedback from many of the businesses was that the program, instigated by Surry Hills Creative Precinct, with support from Transport for NSW, was a major boost to their trade. “We were so happy yesterday when we had a customer in who told us they found us through the Devonshire Street Precinct Program,” says Verity Kizek, managing partner at one of the participating businesses, Atolyia Homewares. “She said she had never seen us before, and would not have found us otherwise.
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“She spent $450 and said she would be back again next for more. What a great response!” At Cullachange, owner Rosemary Wright said the program was creating “great conversations” with customers on what articles they planned to have dyed if they won vouchers. Many consumers were also delighted with the program. One winner who spent her $100 voucher at the Sustainable Salon said she “had been sick for a week and this made my day!” The program reached over 300,000 people through social media each month, bringing valuable marketing attaention to the area, with just under 6000 entries over the twelve weeks and 91 winners. The largest demographic participating in the program were 25 to 34 year olds, who comprised 37 percent of the followers on the SHCP Facebook page, with 35 to 44 year olds next with 29 percent.
The program is a significant example of a successful supported “shop local� program which partners business and government. Each day, $100 was given away to spent at any of the more than 60 participating businesses. All entrants had to do was go to www.devonshirestreetprecinct.com.au and enter their email and select where they would like to spend their winnings. Beyond the competition, the website and Facebook page acted as a promotion for all participating businesses, with all retailers profiled, from convenience stories to homewares to bars and restaurant and more.
Yuki Ishikawa of Jazushi. Photo credit: Andrew Mackinnon.
The website also includes handy maps and suggestions to help people who may not know the area navigate their way around. The campaign was developed in partnership with the Surry Hills Creative Precinct (SHCP), a non-profit organization established to promote Surry Hills as a retail cluster and cultural hub. The SCHP is a rich collective comprised of like minded local businesses committed to helping the area flourish, with the aim of having Surry Hills recognized as an international destination for outstanding design. Geoff Bracken of Acme Framing. Photo credit: Andrew Mackinnon.
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1,022 new fb followers
5,977 entries
303,334 people reached
Source: SHCPInc Facebook page Insights reports
Top 10 Businesses by Number of Entries 172
Bourke Street Bakery
137
Devon Café
129
Mamas Buoi
122
Izakaya Fujiyama
117
Jazushi
110
Suzuya Restaurant
107
The Devonshire Restaurant
85
Brooklyn Depot
84
Dove and Olive
63
Fouratefive
WORD ON THE STREET “What a lovely surprise this morning when we received our first Shop Local winner. We have printed a copy of the voucher to give her when she arrives! The $100 offer creates great conversation about what articles customers want to colour if they win!” Rosemary Wright – Owner and Dyer, Cullachange
Wowwwww thank you so much! I'm so happy, so excited. I really need a haircut and I've been sick for a week... this made my day thank you so much!!!!! Klara – Winner of $100 Voucher for The Sustainable Salon
“We were so happy yesterday when we had a customer in that told us they found us through the Devonshire St Precinct campaign. She said she had never seen us before, and would not have found us otherwise. She spent $450 and said she would be back again next week for more! What a great response! Thank you so much!” Verity Kizek - Managing Partner, Atolyia Homewares
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200 DEVONSHIRE STREET, SURRY HILLS 2010 (02) 93196883 - info@shakespearehotel.com.au www.shakespearehotel.com.au #shakespearehotel
Urban Village | 35
Surry Hills & Valleys Telling the Stories of People in Our Community
Hannah Schwartz. Photo credit: Tim Ritchie
Hannah Schwartz: Digital early adopter, mum, photographer, meditator and lover of dancing
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e were living in New York on 9/11, and my Australian partner said to me “I think it’s time we returned to Australia” and it’s fortunate that she owned a house in Surry Hills. I’ve been in Surry Hills for 10 years. While it’s an old neighbourhood there’s new seeds being planted. There are so many young families and children. I get such joy seeing them in Shannon Park, seeing them run around. That’s all positive. These old buildings are getting second lives. People are renovating their homes. Buildings are getting rewired. There are start up businesses and digital businesses. On the other hand, there is a growing population so we’ve seen new transport being built which mean trees need to be chopped down. That’s just heartbreaking. I love the old trees in Surry Hills. Gentrification has changed the price of entry. It’s more expensive to get in. We have lost a lot of the “mom and pop” shops. When we moved in 10 years ago there
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was a wonderful Lebanese shop run by a husband and wife on Crown Street. He’d sit out front and she’d work inside. But they’re gone now. What worries me is that we may have an imbalance of people. I love council housing and the diversity of people, it brings challenges but it’s more real and reflective of life. I’m afraid we will become whitewashed and gentrified. On our street we know most of the people. I make it a point to introduce myself when new people move in. We take care of each other’s pets and we come together on issues that affect us. We do quite a bit of work in responding to development proposals. We have written petitions about noise and garbage. We socialise too. Unforeseen sense of community comes from owning a dog. We had just rescued Jack. I remember running into another poodle owner and I said hello. He said, “Is this Jack? We know all about Jack.” There was a
. e
sense of community there because we had a mutual neighbourhood friend who told him about Jack. There is a woman who lives on Riley Street who knits and she makes beautiful jumpers for dogs. She made one for Jack! I often know the dogs’ names but not the owners! There is an immediate reason to have a chat. People love talking about their dogs. More recently I got involved with the community centre and started taking Tai Chi classes. I can meet new friends that way. That gets me out of my comfort zone. In my late twenties I had to look at myself and had to be true to myself. And I came out. That was a big step because there were no role models on TV. This was before Ellen come out on her sitcom. I remember telling my parents and my mother crying. I asked her why she was crying and she said she didn’t want me to be alone. So it was her love and concern for me. I knew in my heart that I wouldn’t be alone. But I still had to go out in the world and find my way. I was lucky that 23 years ago in NYC a cute, sweet “backpacker who had lost her way” (an Aussie girl) smiled at me. We have been together ever since. It’s a life-long journey. Coming out is something you do but everyone around you has to do it too. My parents had to deal with it, my child, every new work situation. I don’t want to hide it. It’s really about your own journey. It’s a continuum. I admire people who are true to themselves because I
think that’s how you find happiness. People know when you are not yourself. I worked in a business where I had a manager who said to me “I feel like you are a flower that’s waiting to bloom.” So he could see that. I was waiting to be true to myself. The well being of my family is important. Being a parent is a hard job. It’s the hardest thing I’ve done. When I think about children they are a reflection. You see things about yourself that you never knew. In some cases it’s not pretty and you have to own it and then choose to do something about it. I have grown and changed for the better because of that truthfulness. I have learned, with a teenager, what you don’t say is just as important as what you do say. On a global level, I believe there is a growing collective consciousness. I do believe we are more connected. There is an awareness that we are reliant on each other. Understanding and having compassion for living things is important. We need each other to survive. We need to understand our differences. Love is important. The other day I was coming down the street and a young girl in her twenties was throwing up. So I got her some water and a banana from my house, and asked “Are you ok? How are you going to get home?” I just think helping people is important. I hope someone would do the same for me or members of my family.
About www.surryhillsandvalleys.com We are four storytellers whether through art, photography or written word, who want to create a space for giving voice to the stories of the inhabitants of Surry Hills. Surry Hills has a history of storytelling. We hope that the stories that are told will bring about community in our neighbourhood especially during this time where Surry Hills is going through so much change. We want to represent the diversity of the people in our community so we can increase learning from and respect of each other. To read more profiles, visit www.surryhillsandvalleys.com
Urban Village | 37
Local Business
walterwakefield 9/96 Albion Street, Surry Hills walterwakefield.com.au
Jaimy Walter (left) and Adrian Kotik (right), on the rooftop of their Albion Street studio. Photo credit: Inlighten Photography.
Urban Village visited co-founder and creative director Jaimy Walter and digital designer and business partner Adrian Kotik at their office on Albion Street, and talked about the evolution of the design industry and the changing suburb they find themselves in. By Tess Scholfield-Peters
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n the seventeen years that walterwakefield has been around, it has never left Surry Hills. In 2000, Jaimy Walter and Robyn Wakefield set up shop in an old warehouse on Reservoir Street, opposite an abandoned petrol station. At that time there was only one restaurant in the area. “When we moved here there was an amazing mash of culture and creativity with a colourful underbelly. It was bizarre but very exciting,” says Jaimy, “I’ve seen it
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turn into this sort of gentrified mecca. It’s still a great place for creatives, just safer at night.” Now, in their airy studio office, walterwakefield specialises in highly conceptual strategic design. “We turn often complex subject matter into simple, engaging communication,” explains Adrian, who has been with the business for eight years. “What we do is very user focused.”
walterwakefield has provided their services to major Australian companies such as WorleyParsons, Commonwealth Bank, AGL, Virgin Australia and Suncorp, an impressive client base for a boutique design company. “Years ago if you wanted to create an enterprise website for a big business, you couldn’t. I remember when we started, if you wanted to create a video you had to go to a video studio with dark rooms and expensive computer systems, and animation was something unachievable,” recalls Jaimy, “now you can do it all from your personal computer.”
Upcycle & refresh ... your favourite clothes
Stepping into their open plan office, walterwakefield has the palpable energy of a start up. Whether the client requires video, print or web design, the team has a broad skill set and experience to match any project. The ever-expanding digital realm situates the graphic design industry in a state of constant change. “When I started this [work] I knew it would be a life of basically being a student,” says Adrian. “You have to constantly be thinking about how to build and apply your visual arsenal. You have to live it all the time.” walterwakefield has aspirations to expand their team and branch out into the retail space. From virtual shop fronts to big corporates, the variety of projects, changing nature of the industry and growing relationships with clients excites the firm as it moves into the future.
Jeans before dyeing
Dye .... don’t buy!
walterwakefield 9/96 Albion Street, Surry Hills walterwakefield.com.au
Jeans after dyeing
02 9310 7766 walterwakefield's Albion Street studio. Photo credit: Inlighten Photography.
216 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills 2010 www.cullachange.com.au Urban Village | 39
Q&A with
David Bushby Lexoo is a highly curated network of lawyers that offers an alternative model to the traditional law firm.
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ith no archaic overheads or pretence, and with a vision more akin to Air BnB than any big firm, Lexoo could well be the future of the industry. Meet David Bushby, managing director of Lexoo Australia with fifteen years experience in law and startups. For David, Lexoo combines his three passions: law, technology and entrepreneurial spark. Where did the idea come from? It began back in the UK in 2014, when I met Lexoo’s UK CEO, Daniel van Binsbergen who’d recently quit is job at a large law firm to start ‘a business’ – his first attempt was selling ‘big clocks’ on Amazon! But a lot of people were asking Daniel for lawyer recommendations, so he started to keep a list of lawyers he knew and trusted. He thought: here’s a business idea, let’s turn this into a platform. He teamed up with Chris O’Sullivan as CTO and I joined as COO and after a couple years returned to Australia in 2016 to launch the business here.
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How does it work? We now have over 80 sole practitioner lawyers in the network in Australia. But unlike most sole practitioners (who tend to be generalists) these solos are specialists in their field. Most have come from big, top-tier firms after being dissatisfied with the lifestyle, but have never had to fend for themselves when it comes to marketing or business development. That’s where I come in. I do the business development, find out what businesses need and I make the match with the business requiring legal work. Then the lawyer does the work and I take a fee from the lawyer once they’re paid. How is Lexoo different to a big firm? Lexoo isn’t a law firm, we provide lawyers in the network with qualify client opportunities, then it’s up to the lawyer to directly engage with the client and make sure it’s the right fit. It’s a bit like Air BnB.
Air BnB has created this market of hoteliers out of people utilising their assets. There’s a significant layer of people sitting in law firms that might no longer aspire to be a law firm partner, but have the knowledge and a bit of entrepreneurial spark. Lexoo is bringing that layer into a new market, where they can live a more flexible and fulfilling lifestyle and be the master of their own domain. What are the benefits? If a business needs legal work done, typically they would go to a big firm, which costs a lot of money. A Lexoo lawyer generally would have come from a big firm, be incredibly specialised and experienced. They’ll charge the client a similar rate to what they would get from a junior lawyer in a big firm, but they’ll get the same deep expertise of a law firm partner. We’ve got lawyers that work from all sorts of locations that provide a great lifestyle. Their overheads are minimal – all you need to be a lawyer is that experience, which they’ve had, a good brain, and an Internet connection.
OFFICES + WORK STATIONS AVAILABLE 5 OFFICES 483 Riley St, Surry Hills 418A Elizabeth St, Surry Hills 66 Goulburn St, Sydney 20A Danks St, Waterloo
How do you see workplaces in the future? With more and more solos and freelancers coming out across all industries, not just law, it’s important to have platforms like Lexoo in place, as well infrastructure, like working spaces. This co-working space in Surry Hills, for example, is far more relaxed than any corporate office. You don’t need to suit up and there are no security checks. This remote, freelance style of working is definitely an upward trend.
For any enquiries, please call 0401 905 805 or email edwina@idealspace.com.au
483 Riley Street, Surry Hills
www.idealspace.com.au
321 Kent St, Sydney Coming Soon
lexoo.com.au Urban Village | 41
The seer of Surry Hills
Paris Debono's Crown Street premises. Photo credit: Tess Scholfield-Peters.
By Tess Scholfield-Peters
I
f you’ve ever walked down Crown Street, you would have walked past number 321 and seen a red poster of a palm and the words The Fortune Teller written above it. If you’re like me, you probably wouldn’t have given it a second thought. Or, you might have mused briefly on the idea before filing it away under “scam” or “very expensive piece of real estate for someone that claims they can see the future.” I decided to leave my sceptic hat at home for a day and pay a visit to Paris Debono, aka the Fortune Teller. After all, no one can deny that for as long as we’ve had questions, humans have looked to other realms for answers. I also cannot deny that I sometimes flip to the back page of a magazine to check my horoscope – you know, just in case. Paris has been a professional fortune-teller for over twenty-five years and specialises in divination, which is any material method used to divine the past, present or future: tarot and other types of cards, numerology, astrology and palmistry.
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His strict Catholic family considered divination the devil’s work. “When I started I was very conflicted. At first my family thought I was joking. But when I started doing readings for friends and family members they realised it wasn’t a joke. And when what I said started to come true, that’s when they started taking me seriously.” Paris studied tarot for three years as well as astrology and other facets of divination, teaches his own classes and appears regularly on Psychic TV. He was originally mentored by the woman who introduced him to the world of fortune telling. He was nineteen and studying art at university at the time. “I asked her about my career, and she said ‘you will do what you love, but you haven’t found it yet.’ I was annoyed because I knew I wanted to be an artist. I decided to find out what the cards meant myself. I rang the fortune-teller up and asked if she taught, and she did. And I said, ‘I want to learn.’ And she replied, ‘I think you’ve just found it.’”
Most of Paris’s friends aren’t in the fortune telling community. “I’ve been doing it for so long, for them it’s not unusual. It’s like, brush my teeth, change my shirt, do a reading, have a glass of water. My friends are very respectful of what I do, but they’re not that into it.” Sculptures of ancient mythological creatures perch on magenta covered shelves and tables of Paris’s shop, ornate cards sit in piles or fanned out showing the card designs he created himself and, sitting quietly on a shelf, is his crystal ball. When I ask about the crystal ball Paris says he only occasionally uses it. “It’s too noisy here. To use it you need total silence and full concentration. In this shop there’s too much stuff happening.” Of course, I think to myself, Crown Street’s conditions are hardly perfect for crystal ball use. How could I be so naïve? Preconceptions aside, there is a sincerity about Paris that I didn’t expect. As we speak it becomes clear that while our beliefs are (literally) worlds apart, he has a genuine desire to help people. I am also struck by his insistence not to speak negatively about others in his profession, even though he admits that some who claim to have the gift are very often delusional.
“There are different readers for different clients. Some clients like being told that they were Queen of Sheba in a past life and there are readers for that. Some clients want meat and potato readings: yes or no, you will get the job or you won’t, and there are readers for that, too. Most people that do this work are trying to help. Are there liars? Yes, but that’s in every industry.” Whether it’s predicting that I will be single for the next twelve months (thanks Paris, but I think I could have told myself that one), asking to the cards if Trump will be impeached soon, or helping someone through a difficult part of their life, Paris the Fortune Teller’s intentions are not I what immediately assumed. “I tell my students that they are going to be dealing with humanity, and there is a beautiful side to humanity and also a dark side. I tell them to take it seriously, to always have integrity, to never lie – if they can’t see anything, to be honest. You want to be authentic all the time.” While divination is still, for a cynic like myself, a pretty difficult concept to digest, it’s a form of human connection focussed on helping, not hurting. Instead of immediately judging, perhaps a better approach is to have a respectful conversation. Who knows, you might even learn something.
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Fashion’s newest females. From left: Gina Snodgrass, Jessica Guzman, Sarah Lim in UTS sewing room. Photo credit: Lily Xu.
In October the students of the UTS Fashion Honours program had their final collection showcase. Urban Village sat down with Jessica Guzman, Gina Snodgrass and Sarah Lim, three of Sydney’s most exciting emerging designers.
What’s makes your designs unique? Sarah: I guess my stuff is pretty intuitive. That’s how I work. It’s a mix between drawing and physical draping. Gina: I’ve realised that I’m not that intuitive as a designer. My designs are more about pattern making and the making process, with lots of tailoring elements. Jess: My designs are very shape oriented and easy to understand. What’s the concept behind each of your collections? Sarah: Initially I wanted to deconstruct and subvert the suit, a symbol of western cultural imperialism, making it empowering for marginalised bodies. Then I decided to use deconstruction as a design tool, as it’s pretty hard to communicate that idea through a garment. Gina: My collection explores how gender is established through fashion. I looked at dress codes for masculinity and femininity, like trench coats and tailored pants for men, and embroidery, lace and beading for women, and subverted them. Jess: Moral Panic [my collection] looked at the tension between class cultures in the UK, and the symbols that each class uses to assert their own identity. Moral Panic campaign by Jessica Guzman. Photo credit: Jordan Munns 44 | Urban Village
What have you learnt from this process? Sarah: It’s so easy to base your success on external validation, but at the end of the day, if you like what you’ve made that’s what counts. Gina: Designing is a balance between committing to an idea, but also being open minded because human error happens so you need to be adaptable. Jess: The new philosophy is if you’ve had a bad day, it could be worse so get over it. How do you feel now that it’s all done? Jess: I kind of feel like I have PTSD. I wake up and feel like I should be panicked. I don’t actually think I’ve felt calm since it finished, even though I’m not doing anything. What’s the next step? Gina: I’d like to do something really exciting next year, but I’m not sure what. I want to become more skilled and gain experience, but I don’t want to be taken advantage of in a free internship. Jess: I’m moving to Berlin in April, so I’ll just be working and saving for that. Ideally I would love a job in design, but realistically it’ll probably be graphics or production. Sarah: I might apply for Masters in New York or Antwerp. Endless campaign by Sarah Lim. Photo credit: Jonno Revanche
What does the Australian fashion industry look like to a young designer? Gina: Insular. Sarah: Bleak. So many people leave because there’s nothing here. Some designers come back and give back, but most of the time young designers just say ‘I’m outta here’ and it stays the same. Why is fashion relevant? Sarah: I think it’s very easy to dismiss it, but nobody is walking around naked. Gina: I can’t imagine how you could put on a piece of clothing for no reason. We work in a space where clothing is very intentional and you’re sending a message if you know it or not. Jess: There are so many symbols and meanings behind why people choose to wear what they wear. It’s an interesting medium between sociology and art. For a closer look at the designers and their collections, head to: sarahlim.work jessguzman.com ginasnodgrass.com
The Dandy Boys campaign by Gina Snodgrass. Photo credit: Chris Loutfy. Urban Village | 45
Left: Insight host Naomi Tosic, Right: artist Del Kathryn Barton Image: Supplied
Partner Content
Insight by The Office Space Business Heroes and their Stories
I
nsight by The Office Space is a monthly talk series hosted at the Golden Age Cinema within Paramount House in Surry Hills. Innovative business people work collaboratively and with an open source mindset. The Office Space actively creates an opportunity for the exchange of their ideas – through both our physical shared work environment and our program of events and activities. Each month, we select and invite three successful and inspiring entrepreneurs across various fields including commerce, design and technology to discuss the evolution of their business strategies and brand, under a common theme. Over the past 12 years of providing exceptional shared office environments, The Office Space have actively
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supported over 500 small business enterprises and sole traders across many industries. We have witnessed brilliant ideas grow into fully-fledged, positive and successful ventures, so Insight is our way of sharing these and the broader business community’s remarkable stories. Insight by The Office Space is a monthly talk series, now completing its second full-year program, that brings together innovative entrepreneurs and business leaders to share their stories relating to a particular theme at the Golden Age Cinema in Surry Hills. Insight is held on the last Monday of each month, commencing at 5:30pm for drinks and canapÊs in the Golden Age Bar (providing a chance for speakers to mingle with guests) for a 6pm -7.15 pm discussion in the adjoining Golden Age Cinema.
EAT. DRINK. STAY Madison Hotel • Gt’s Hotel Royal Exhibition Hotel madisonhotel.com.au • royalexhibition.com.au • gtshotel.com.au Urban Village | 47
Northcott Shopfront opens for community FACS is in the midst of an exciting new project, in partnership with both government and non-government groups.
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n initiative of the Northcott Estate, the Surry Hills Shopfront will be a place where services and systems are accessible, flexible and responsive to both individual and community need. In 2016, Family and Community Services (FACS) conducted an in-depth study of the Northcott community, which involved gathering surveys from social housing residents, local businesses, service providers and passers-by. From this study, the Northcott Estate Collaboration Implementation Plan was developed. The main aim of the two-year plan is to work towards a more vibrant, diverse, safe and healthy community through collaborative efforts between both government and non-government agencies. One of the key aims of the Plan was to establish a health and wellbeing Shopfront hub. The Shopfront will bring together service providers to create a more connected, safe and secure community. It will be located at 40 Belvoir Street - the street front access will be open to a range of clients, both inside and outside of the Northcott community. This is fundamentally a community minded project, so participation from the community and its diverse groups and service providers is key to its success.
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Urban Village, along with thirty-one other representatives from service providers around the area, attended an information session on October 17 at Northcott, focused on the aims and strategies behind the Shopfront initiative. The government agencies South East Sydney Local Health District, St Vincent Health Australia, Legal Aid, Police, Transport for NSW, City of Sydney and FACS were all in attendance, as well as non-government agencies like St Vincent de Paul, Mission Australia, Anglicare, Salvation Army, Inner Sydney Voice, Surry Hills Creative Precinct, and the Surry Hills Neighbourhood Centre. The session concluded that the priorities for the Shopfront moving forward are to designate a coordinator position, responsible for running the Shopfront, establish government mechanisms, both strategic and operational, connect and engage with the surrounding community and address work health and safety factors to meet the requirements of the service providers. The Shopfront is set to open at the start of 2018. The Northcott Estate Senior Officers Group (SOG) asks that any willing participants or service providers to the shop front register their interest with Lindy Brown, Senior Project Officer at Family and Community Services: lindy-jane.brown@facss.nsw.gov.au.
CROWS NEST & SURRY HILLS
DINE WITH FOUR OR MORE PEOPLE AND MENTION THIS AD TO RECIEVE A COMPLIMENTARY BOTTLE OF MAMA’S BUOI WINE! *RED OR WHITE WINE, T&C’S APPLY WWW.MAMASBUOI.COM.AU Urban Village | 49
Surry Hills
HISTORY
A selection of trophies won on Moore Park by Urban Village Editor, Lachlan Colquhoun Photo credit: Jack Colquoun
The Princes of Moore Park History is being repeated every weekend on the playing fields of Surry Hills. Lachlan Colquhoun reminisces.
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ricket season is upon us, or at least upon some of us who watch and play the eccentric game which some have described as the Anglo Saxon Tai Chi. But even if cricket is not your thing, next time you drive down South Dowling Street on a Saturday, or go down Anzac Parade and see the Flannelled Fools at Play, just spare a thought for what you are actually seeing. It’s cricket history in action. The Moore Park Cricket Association is Australia’s oldest park cricket association, and dates from 1897. Today’s beer swilling cricket yobs have serious pedigree. Back in those days, the SCG was the epicentre of cricket in NSW but the game spilled out onto the grounds in the vicinity, with the showcase oval being opposite the Bat & Ball Hotel on the corner of Cleveland and South Dowling. All the big games were there. The game was much more fluid in those days, and such legendary players as Victor Trumper (1877 to 1915) and “Tiger” Bill O’Reilly (1902 to 1992) graced the Moore
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Park Association with their skills, playing against much lesser mortals. The Moore Park history also has death and tragedy. In the 1930s, one of the Moreton Bay figs opposite the Bat & Ball was struck by lightning, and two cricketers were killed. I played in the Park for several seasons in the 1990s, when I was living in Fitzroy Street, appropriately next to the Cricketers’ Arms Hotels. It was like living in a Cricket Paradise. You’d roll down to the ground opposite the Bat & Ball, play all afternoon, and then repair back to the pub (which also sponsored the team), to discuss the day’s heroics, and then just roll home. Many of my team mates, and even opponents, lived and worked in the area and you’d bump into them during the week to discuss how the competition was progressing.
In my own small way, I can also claim to have been a Prince of the Park. I played the best cricket of my life on Moore Park, winning the association batting average and aggregate trophies two years in a row. I don’t often get the opportunity to boast, but this seems an appropriate moment.
Where the fields across from the Bat & Ball used to host at least games on a Saturday, today there are none. Because of space, the ovals overlapped so you could be fielding at fine leg in your game, but be next to someone at Third Man in an adjacent context. It made for chaos.
My legendary 120 against Coogee on the Moore Park was my highest score ever (even though we lost the game) but it did all end in tears. We were thrashed in the Grand Final by the Woolpack Hotel from Redfern, leaving psychological scars which linger to this day.
Under today’s OH&S rules there must be 50 metres between the games, and while that has made it safer, it’s taken out the craziness and also left Moore Park largely empty of cricketers on the weekend.
Now, of course, I am older, larger and suffering from poor eyesight, so I am happily retired. But every time I drive down South Dowling Street and see people in white chasing red leather I look upon them as my Brothers in Cricket, and allow myself to reminisce just a little bit. Today, the Moore Park comp has changed radically. The Association merged in the mid 1990s with a couple of other associations to create the Moore Park & South East District Cricket Association (MPSECA) and most of the games are played in Pagewood and Matraville.
Also, where there used to be 40 teams in the 1990s, today there are 20, with around 1200 registered players. As Paul Brien, the MPSECA President puts it: “In my day when summer came you either played cricket or went swimming. Not any more.” Paul would know. He’s been involved with Moore Park cricket for 40 years, and been president of the association for decades. Like Victor Trumper, Bill O’Reilly and me, he is also a Prince of Moore Park. And we are not the only ones.
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SURRY HILLS ICON
Wheels & Dollbaby Surry Hills has said goodbye to a longstanding icon as the landmark Wheels & Doll baby store on Crown Street closes its doors. By Lachlan Colquhoun
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or thirty years the boutique has been a leader not just in Surry Hills fashion, but in taking Surry Hills fashion and distinctive style to the world.
The shop originally opened in the late 80s in Perth, before relocating to the Crown Street address which it made famous.
The rollcall of who has worn the iconic brand is a who’s who of the global rock and entertainment industries, in addition to the tens of thousands and perhaps more of us Sydney-siders who have also purchased Melanie Greensmith’s clothes.
Sydney’s loss would appear to be Perth’s gain, with Melanie set to spend more time there with her equestrian activities.
If you’ve worn Wheels & Dollbaby, you are in a club which also includes Courtney Love, Kate Moss, Chrissie Hynde, Debbie Harry, Dita von Teese and we could go on at length. If you’ve seen the Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV series then there’s a good chance Sarah Michelle Gellar could have been wearing W&DB, while any Los Angeles fashionista worthy of the name would have been aware of the label, and that it was available also in Tinsel Town. The origins of the label have been well documented. The name comes from a 1967 Get Smart episode, and Melanie had the inspiration for the name when she was living in Melbourne.
If you follow the W&DB instagram, you might have seen Melanie hanging with Chrissie Hynde and some gorgeous horseflesh at her Casuarina estate. So, what else is there to say about a brand which will forever be identified with a whole era of Surry Hills and Darlinghurst? Thankyou is probably the best we can manage at this point, as we wish Melanie well and will watch the space at 259 Crown Street with great interest. Whoever moves in there has iconic shoes to fill, and we hope they do. For leasing enquiries contact the agents: Alberto Da Grava: 0416 919 423 Anthony Tsapicounis: 0422 473 077 www.gunningre.com.au
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THE ART SCENE IN SURRY HILLS Gallerist Michael Reid has been influential in the art world for over 20 years as an art writer, educator, researcher and dealer. He has represented artists and sold their works since the early 2000’s, initially in Elizabeth Bay then in Berlin and Murrundi (regional NSW) and now in Surry Hills and increasingly, online. By Fiona McIntosh
T
he gallery’s recent move to Surry Hills offers a much larger space to present artworks, with the ubiquitous expansive white walls and high ceilings but more importantly to Reid, the opportunity to shift the dynamic of routine exhibition turnover and connect with a new community. Says fellow Director Will Sturrock “We are delighted to be sharing this beautiful building (Standard House) with other creatives who are receptive to art as an integral part of daily life and with whom we’re keen to find new ways to work.” Step inside the ground floor Standard House space and you’ll find quality contemporary art which is diverse in concept, media and technique, and which is a good representation of what is happening currently in Australian art. There is no fixed Gallery look. It is a broad church in its approach, with an overarching commitment to quality and access.
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On now, is the second solo exhibition by photographer Luke Shadboldt who seeks to capture a close –up image of grandiose gesture or moment. This show was launched at Photo London earlier this year, then exhibited in the Berlin gallery before coming to Australia. Not a standard practice for many Sydney commercial galleries, but typifies the international reach increasingly characteristic of Reid’s approach. Sturrock says, “We’re open to new and different opportunities to present and promote our artists, beyond these walls.” For gallery artist Joan Ross, who has had a stellar year winning two major prizes, the opportunity was a collaboration between the Gallery and the Bank of America, which resulted in a solo exhibition and series of artist talks in its Sydney CBD offices.
Joan Ross We curtsy, 2015 hand painted pigment on cotton rag paper 95 x 79 cm edition of 5 + 2AP
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Luke Shadbolt Acquiesce 3, 2017 Giclée digital print on archival fine art paper 100 x 150 cm edition of 8 + 2AP
Other artists of note represented by Michael Reid Contemporary Art include Dr Christian Thompson who works with performance, video and photography to explore his Indigenous culture and identity. His accolades and awards are many. Most recently he was awarded the inaugural Mordant Family Virtual Reality Commission, to complete a major work for the Australian Centre for Moving Image in Melbourne. Look for the intensely detailed and colour saturated photographs of Joseph McLennon, or the bold flat shapes of New Zealand artist Wayne Youle’s portraits. Visit the Gallery because there is no substitute for experiencing these artworks other than in the flesh. And then - for something completely different: The Cocktail Hour from Trevor Smith, who crochets household items and exotic food platters into the most delightful soft sculptures. As the final show for what has been a big year for the Michael Reid enterprise, this could be read as a lovely acknowledgement to the history of the building and its owners – Standard Knit Fabrics. Definitely something for the Christmas stocking. It opens 6 December, but is online now.
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Connect with the gallery on social media in all its versions and you’ll get a good sense of the scope and activities of the Michael Reid gallery and its foray into the Surry Hills Creative Precinct. Check out their new membership program “Art Signifikant” with bespoke events to inform and expand your knowledge of contemporary art.
www.michaelreid.com.au +61 2 8353 3500 info@michaelreid.com.au Standard House, 105 Kippax Street, Surry Hills, NSW 2010, Australia Enter from Waterloo Street - please note there are seven stairs from the ground floor entrance into the gallery. Fiona McIntosh Art advisor, consultant , commentator and advocate www.fionamcintoshart.com.au
Street view, Michael Reid Sydney Standard House, 105 Kippax Street, Surry Hills
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DECEMBER/JANUARY NEIGHBOURHOOD LISTINGS
FOOD Mr Perfect Meetup BBQ, December 3 11am-1pm, Prince Alfred Park End of Year Dinner, December 5 at The Eveleigh Hotel Din Dins at CHIN CHIN!, December 7 at Chin Chin Surry Hills New Year’s Ever 3 Course Set Menu, December 31 at The Winery
Passage by Luke Crouch, November 16 – December 9 at Flinders St Gallery The Beach, from November 24 at Brett Whiteley Gallery, 2 Raper St Surry Hills. Twenty/20 Exhibition, November 30 at Vandal Gallery Redfern Futureman Party, December 2 at Tap Gallery. ‘The Cocktail Hour’ Trevor Smith Exhibition Opening, December 9 at Michael Reid Gallery
DRINK
107 Object Makers Market, December 16 at 107 Projects
Wine De Jour, December 2 at Cake Wines Cellar Door
Gustav Klimt’s Golden Tears – Painting in the Park, December 23 at Tap Gallery
Sunshine Sunday Sound System, December 3 at Rosie Campbell’s Noble Hops Quizmas Trivia, December 5 at The Noble Hops Sydney Start Ups Xmas Party, December 8 at AEONA, 1-9 Buckingham St, Surry Hills Wine and Women’s Rights, December 11 at Cake Wines Cellar Door Albert Christmas Party, December 14 at The Royal Albert Hotel Locals Christmas Party, December 18 at The Carrington
ART Close Distance limited edition art prints, November 7 – December 7 at Hub Furniture, 66-72 Reservoir St, Surry Hills Jordan Richardsonnew work, and Asquiesce the front by Luke Shadbolt, November 15-December 2 at Michael Reid Gallery, 105 Kippax St Surry Hills Tokyo Is Yours by Meg Hewitt, November 16 – December 9 at Flinders Street Gallery
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Aboriginal Art Workshop, January 19 at Old Redfern RSL
MUSIC Mirium Waks CD Launch, December 2 at Venue 505 The Vampires with Ben Hauptmann, December 7 at Venue 505 Hannah Cameron LIVE on the Golden Stage, December 7 at Golden Age Cinema & Bar Project Collective Ska, December 8 at Venue 505 Stu Larsen ‘Resolute’ Album Tour, December 9 at Venue 505 Tom Vincent Trio (Sunday show), December 10 at Venue 505 End of Year Folk Bash, December 10 at The Gaelic Club The Jim Mitchels LIVE on the Golden Stage, December 14 Golden Age Cinema & Bar Merry X-Mas Ya Filthy Animals, December 14 at The Soda Factory Girlatones with Shrapnel, December 16 at Golden Age Cinema and Bar
Send us your event lists for the next edition and online to info@surryhills.org
THEATRE Barbara and the Camp Dogs, December 2-23 at Belvoir St Theatre Queer Stories: Chosen Family Christmas, December 8 at Giant Dwarf Theatre Generation Women Comes to Sydney, December 11 at Giant Dwarf Theatre A Séance at Giant Dwarf, December 13 at Giant Dwarf Theatre Filthy Casuals Podcast – LIVE Sydney Show, December 16 at Cake Wines Cellar Door King Baby’s Respectful Christmas Jamboree, December 21 at Giant Dwarf Theatre Kid’s Party Confidential, January 17-18 at Giant Dwarf Theatre Queer Stories – January, January 19 at Giant Dwarf Theatre
Sydney X-Mas Special #AussieTWERKSHOP, December 19 at Connection Studios Sydney Crystal Pop Up Shop, January 13 at blank-space Gallery. Sydney Festival, January 6-January 28 at various Sydney locations.
WEEKNIGHTS FOR LOCALS Mondays: Free Pool at The Clock Hotel Tuesdays: Dirty Thunder Music Trivia at Royal Albert Hotel Wednesdays: $12 steaks and Trivia at The Norfolk Hotel Thursdays: Shuffle Jazz and Cards Night at Venue 505 Fridays: 5pm-7pm Happy Hour and local DJs at The Cricketers Arms
MISC EVENTS Bachata for the Lovers, October 11-December 20, Connection Studios, 103 Foveaux Street, Surry Hills American Express Open Air Cinema, November 29-December 20 at Cadigal Green. Surry Hills Christmas Concert, December 3 at Prince Alfred Park Philosophy Salon: Sartre, December 6 at Cake Wines Cellar Door Knowledge, Belief and Expectation, December 8 6pm-9pm at Club Redfern Community Tennis Christmas Party, December 10 at Jensen’s Tennis Create Your Own Life: Vision Board Workshop, December 16 at The Neighbourhood Centre.
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Expert Advice Locally Leaving good company: employee restrictions after employment
H
ow many times have we been asked: “What restrictions can an employer impose on a former employee once they have left the business?” The questions come from both employers and employees. Employees typically have obligations to their employer while they are employed (such as obligations not to compete or damage the business, and to keep information confidential), and in many cases those obligations will continue after the person has left employment. Employees often have access to business information which would be extremely valuable in the hands of a competitor, including customer lists, business plans, and the internal workings of the business. They may be worried about the extent to which they can use their knowledge about their former business in a new role, whether they can work with former clients take a portfolio of work with them, or entice former colleagues to join them at a new company. Each of these scenarios may be affected by a post-employment restraint. It’s important for employers to understand the extent to which they can restrict a former employee’s ability to use that information and for employees to understand the extent to which the proposed restrictions are legal. In the context of employee/employer relationships, a “restraint” is a condition placed on an employee or former employee that prevents them from engaging in certain conduct. Restraints are typically governed by an employment contract, but in some circumstances other legal principles may also apply. Effective restraints can prevent or restrict a former employee from using confidential information, soliciting customers or employees, or from engaging in competitive activity for a period of time. Usually, a restraint of trade will be void unless it is justified, reasonable and not contrary to the public interest. What is reasonable will always depend on the circumstances of the case.
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Some of the factors that affect whether a restraint is reasonable, include: • what interests it protects • duration • the activities restricted • geographic extent; and • how senior the role is. To be enforceable, restraint of trade clauses in employment contracts must be carefully drafted, clearly setting out what interests the restraint is designed to protect, and be only broad enough to protect those specific interests. Similar provisions apply to contracting agreements. A common drafting technique is to use ‘cascading’ restraints in relation to place and duration, which allows a restraint to be ‘read down’ to a narrower extent if a broader or longer restraint would be found by a court to be unenforceable. In New South Wales, a restraint will be considered valid provided it is not contrary to public policy, and the Restraints of Trade Act 1976 (NSW) gives the Court power to vary the extent to which a restraint is valid. Nonetheless, the Court will consider the above factors when determining whether a particular restraint is contrary to public policy, in relation to a specific alleged breach. If you are concerned that a former employee has breached a condition of a restraint, or if your employer has accused you of breaching a restraint you should seek advice from a lawyer who is experienced in employment law.
Peter English is the director and founding partner of Surry Partners Lawyers www.surrypartners.com.au
Bespoke picture framing; creative, innovative, collaborative, custom design.
525b Crown Street Surry Hills NSW 2010 02 9698 7731
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A VERY SURRY HILLS CHRISTMAS Saturday 16 December 9am to 5pm
Shannon Reserve corner Crown and Foveaux Streets Surry Hills • Complimentary gift wrapping, with paper designed by artist Jeff McCann* • Free photo with Surry Hills Santa and face painting for the kids SYDNEYCHRISTMAS.COM.AU D | Urban Village
• Christmas decoration workshops • Live entertainment and more. * Gift wrapping is for purchases made in the Surry Hills Village on Saturday 16 December from 9am to 5pm. Proof of purchase is required.
#sydxmas Charity Partner