Western Weekender November 18 2022

In a bid to ease the burden on the struggling health care system, the NSW Government is granting pharmacists prescribing powers.

The proposed reform will expand the number of vaccinations pharmacists can administer along with a pilot for trained phar macists to prescribe medications for a range of conditions.

Giving more scope to pharmacists will relieve pressure on emergency departments and wait times to see a GP, according to Premier Dominic Perrottet.

“We are stepping up to provide yet another innovative policy to improve the lives of people by offering more support for primary care,” Mr Perrottet said.

“The Federal Government should be providing more support for GPs and a greater amount of free bulk-billing services but we can’t sit around and wait for them to catch-up and meet the growing demand.”

A 12 month trial will be funded to evaluate allowing pharmacists to prescribe medication for urinary tract infections and the state wide pilot will allow them to treat conditions such as ear infections, skin ailments and hormonal contraception.

With the industry stepping up for the COVID-19 response, Pharmacist at Colyton

showed how underutilised we were before,” Ms Nou said.

“People are struggling to get into doctors in western Sydney so prescribing is essentially triaging and dealing with minor things that can be dealt with quickly and easily to avoid ing waiting days for a GP or being referred to emergency.”

The NSW Pharmacy Guild welcomed the announcement, with recent research showing that nine out 10 NSW voters support pharma cists increasing their scope of work.

However, there has been some backlash as The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners President, Adjunct Professor Karen Price, urged the Government to “stop the madness before it’s too late”.

“Healthcare is about more than just writing prescriptions and sending people out the door on their way,” she said.

“This alarming NSW scheme promises to be little more than a dangerous script writing service that puts patient safety in jeopardy.”

Despite the criticism, Ms Nou said it has the potential to improve care for the community.

“It is important for people to know that it won’t start immediately but there will be extensive training and it is mirroring a successful trial in Queensland to make sure we get the details right,” she said.

Do you support the move? We want to hear your thoughts! Email us at news@western weekender.com.au.

Centre Pharmacy and Morris Care and Advice Pharmacy in Oxley Park, Veronica Nou said the expansion makes sense and she supported the move.

“I’m so proud of the work pharmacists have done during the pandemic and the way community pharmacy responded when there was a need for people to get vaccinated

Pharmacist Veronica Nou speaks with a patient this week. Photo: Melinda Jane.

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Troy Dodds

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For many years, around this time, the Christmas season would officially kick off at the Weekender.

Not because Christmas carols started blaring through the office or our plastic tree that has seen better days was brought out of storage, but because Barry Leavett-Brown would bound into the office with his Lions Christmas Cakes.

With his infectious community spirit and cheeky smile, Barry would have scored himself a story in the paper and sold about 15 cakes by the time he left the office.

And of course, he left behind a printed out press release (with some hand-written notes as additions) and a developed photo. No USB stick or email in sight.

Sadly, Barry passed away in late 2019, leav ing behind a remarkable legacy of commit ment to the community that spanned some five decades.

On Monday, I had the great honour of attending and speaking at a special cere mony where a bench seat and plaque was unveiled in Barry’s memory at Jamison Park.

Fittingly, locals can now sit and reflect on Barry’s legacy amongst the very trees he helped plant at the park.

The plaque reads: “Barry Leavett-Brown made a significant contribution to the Penrith Local Government Area through his dedication to charity work with the Penrith Lions, advocating for youth opportunities and supporting health and education for over 35 years.”

Over the years, Barry and I developed a special relationship that went beyond Christmas cakes and whatever the latest community initiative he was involved with was.

He’d speak so fondly of Joyce, and it was clear listening to those who also spoke on Monday that while Barry’s commitment to the community was enormous, he always made time for his family.

A floor layer by trade, Barry and Joyce met when they were 16-years-old. They were married at 20, and would remain together for the next 59 years until Barry’s passing almost three years ago.

So often Barry’s visits to the Weekender would be about drawing more members to the Lions Club.

While Barry was a ‘glass half full’ guy in the way he lived his life, he was also a realist, knowing that people like him were few and far between.

It is no secret that the majority of the members of clubs like Lions are older, taking the opportunity now to give back to the community that gave so much to them over the years, whether it be personally or profes sionally.

But as generational shift occurs and society evolves with technology, one does fear that giving back through clubs like Lions won’t happen as often as it should in the years and decades to come.

After all, Barry joined the Lions when he was in his 40s. With the speed of life these days, it’s hard to imagine too many people out there in their 40s now putting their hand up to join service clubs.

The Western Weekender is bound by the Standards of Practice of the Australian Press Council. If you believe the Standards may have been breached, you may approach the newspaper itself or contact the Council by email (info@presscouncil.org.au) or by phone ([02] 92611930).

For further information see www.presscouncil.org.au.

Staying Safe

It goes on: “Barry made a major impact to improving many open space areas by coordinating the planting of more than 2,450 trees in Jamison Park and South Penrith, working in partnership with Penrith City Council. He was a champion for a sustaina ble environment and was a leading advocate for the Banool Avenue Sustainability Group and establishing the garden on Greenhills Avenue.”

I only knew Barry for a short chapter of his remarkable life, but I was very humbled that his wife Joyce asked me to speak in tribute to one of the most passionate people I’ve ever met in this job.

For half a century they lived in their South Penrith home together, entrenched in the community they both gave so much back to.

But the more people like Barry get around the community, the more infectious their volunteering spirit becomes. There is no question that Barry LeavettBrown made a special impact on the Penrith community.

It’s wonderful that we now have a perma nent reminder of his commitment to Penrith and passion for volunteering.

Index

We all have the right to feel and be safe whether at home, the workplace, or travelling. Psalms 91 tells us that when we turn to God we “can find safety under his wings” and that we “shall not fear” no matter what our circumstance. Mary Baker Eddy the author of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures found this to be true in her life. She wrote, “Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need.”

Gulf Western Oil is looking for an Afternoon Shift Storeman / Truck Driver

Gulf Western Oil is seeking a capable and experienced afternoon shift Storeman / Driver to work out of our St Marys Manufacturing and Distribution Warehouse.

• The position is full-time with regular overtime as required

• Standard hours are 2.30pm until 11.00pm

• Five days a week (with some Saturday work available)

The successful candidate will work in a small team picking orders, supporting production in picking up and delivering raw materials and making customer deliveries when required. Applicants must have a minimum MR licence with RMS printout and valid forklift ticket. Offering a great package for the right person including shift allowance.

Email your CV to scott@gulfwestern.com.au

Barry Leavett-Brown’s family with Mayor Tricia Hitchen at Jamison Park this week.

as

EMILY FESZCZUK

The Local Health District is seeking an external operator to manage Somerset Cottage, but staff are worried about their future at the childcare centre on the grounds of Nepean Hospital.

First opened in 1991 with services provided directly by Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District (NBMLHD), a new purposebuilt centre was officially opened in 2020 as part of the $550 million Stage 1 redevelopment of the hospital.

Chairperson of Penrith Valley Community Unions Peter Mason told the Weekender that staff of the centre contacted him after they were informed of a new management plan.

“The staff were told that a tender has gone out for the centre to be privatised and while they could be kept on there is no guarantee so the only offer at the moment is to go through the redundancy process,” Mr Mason said.

“They wanted to speak out but are unable to due to the confidentiality clauses within their employment, so they have reached out to me.”

Providing advice to some staff members, Mr Mason expressed their uncertainty about their employment status.

“I have talked to people who said they are disappointed and also angry as they believe it may be due to financial trouble and they

think selling it off in a sense isn’t the answer,” he said.

“They told me that the tender closes on Janu ary 2 so they have to go through the holiday

looks

issues or redundancy packages were involved but he did confirm that it was seeking expres sions of interests from operators in childcare services.

“We recognise professional early childhood services, onsite and those off campus, are essential for many of our staff to balance work and parenting responsibilities,” Mr Williams said.

“By having early childhood education services conducted by an experienced exter nal provider, NBMLHD can redirect resources to its core business of healthcare.”

Mr Williams said parents are being updated on the process and support is being provided to staff.

“All children currently enrolled, or on the waiting list, will not lose their place,” he said.

“When an alternate provider is selected, we will ensure services are not disrupted during the changeover.”

Mr Mason said he hopes a resolution is found to ensure that a vital community service is not lost.

“This is a unique childcare which operates from 6am to 6.30pm because it meets the needs of what hospital staff need on a day-today basis,” he said.

period and take care of the children while wondering if they will still have a job.”

NBMLHD Director Hospital Services, Brett Williams did not comment on if financial

“If a company reduces the services or if they even close the centre then they lose the drawcard for staff with children which effects the healthcare system even more.”

Peter Mason and George Asciak at Somerset Cottage. Photo: Melinda Jane.

One in three people diagnosed with lung cancer have never smoked before Diagnosed when too late

CASSIDY PEARCE

Despite being the fifth most common cancer diagnosed in Australia, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths, and is in the top four leading causes of death in Australia for both males and females.

This Lung Cancer Awareness Month, experts are calling out for people to learn the symptoms of the illness, to allow for early intervention.

According to Medical Oncology Staff Specialist for the Nepean Cancer and Well ness Centre at Nepean Hospital, Dr Pei Ding, this lack of awareness is the root of the high death rates.

“People are not aware of lung cancer, so it’s usually diagnosed really late, in Stage 4, when the cancer has spread, and it cannot be cured anymore,” she said.

“If people can be more aware of the symp toms and get help early, more lives can be saved.”

Unlike other cancers, lung cancer has no screening process currently available in Australia.

“It’s a work in progress. People are now start ing to understand how deadly and common lung cancer is, but it’s very underfunded compared to other cancers, like breast cancer, so the research in this area is less,” she said.

It’s because of this that it’s more important than ever to keep an eye out for symptoms.

“Specifically for lung cancer, a cough is quite common, breathlessness that can’t be explained by anything else, new pain that doesn’t go away, weight loss, and coughing up blood,” she said.

These symptoms should be particularly front of mind for high-risk patients.

“Age and smoking are the two main risk factors for lung cancer. Family history of cancer, not that much, but if you do have a family history of cancer, people do have a higher risk of getting cancer, though it may not be lung cancer,” she said.

“Other risks include exposure to contamina tion or air pollution, working in an area where there’s a lot of smoke, be it in a factory setting or even being a housewife who does a lot of gas cooking and is exposed to fumes. Exposure to asbestos is also a risk factor for lung cancer.”

It’s because of these other risk factors that lung cancer cannot always be directly associ ated with smoking.

“We know that one in three lung cancer patients have never smoked in their life, so even if you’ve never smoked and you have a cough that doesn’t go away, you could still have lung cancer, and you should still get it checked out,” she said.

As for what you should do if you come across these symptoms, Dr Ding recommends head ing straight to your GP.

Dr Pei Ding is encouraging local residents to take lung cancer symptoms seriously.

Falling flat:

EMILY FESZCZUK

Alocal granny flat builder is under fire with a growing list of customer complaints and serious questions being raised about its operations.

A1 Granny Flats in Penrith advertises ‘12-week projects’ but the Weekender has spoken to multiple customers that are claim ing their builds have been dragged out or not been completed at all with minimal commu nication.

A Facebook group called ‘A1 Granny Flat Reviews’ has over 250 members who have shared their experiences dealing with repeated issues with the business.

Eryn Hall, who signed a contract on behalf of her mother in September 2020 so she could move back from Tasmania after Ms Hall’s father died suddenly, is one of the frustrated customers.

“My Mum and Dad moved to Tasmania but just two years later he passed away so we said Mum could sell their house and live on our block in Lawson,” Ms Hall said.

“The build didn’t start until May 2021, and they got the slab and frame up quickly but around June to October we started experienc ing more issues and realised we may have a problem.”

Quoted to cost $150,000 and having already handed over close to $200,000, Ms Hall said it has been an exhausting and expensive process.

“You have to chase them for everything, but they blame it on COVID or material shortages, yet I have downpipes that have been sitting here since June last year that haven’t been installed,” she said.

“The rain has been another excuse yet none of the inside works have been finished. The quality is disgusting, the kitchen has chips all through it and the flooring is scratched.”

Now dealing with the NSW Civil and Admin istrative Tribunal (NCAT) as she is unable to contact the company, Ms Hall said she just wants to warn others to avoid using what she describes as the company’s “horrid” services.

“There is no storm water drainage so every time it rains it is a mud pit and they told us we need a retaining wall which was never built,” she said.

“My Mum has been a complete mess and we cannot get the occupational certificate as it isn’t finished… all they care about is money and they just need to be shut down.”

A spokesperson from the Department of

Communities and Justice said that NCAT hears and determines disputes between parties but is unable to comment on individ ual cases.

The Complaints Register lists businesses that have had 10 or more complaints lodged with NSW Fair Trading against them in one calendar month. A1 Granny Flats currently has 12 recorded complaints.

Acknowledging that she is one of the “lucky” ones with an almost completed build, Julie Sultana said it has been an “absolute night mare” dealing with A1.

“I had a 100-day contract, but it has been a full 12 months since they stepped foot on the property and about 18 months since signing the contract,” she said.

“I’ve discovered the termite collars were not installed before the slab was poured so we are

quite A1

continues to grow

phone calls are redirected to a voicemail, but the Weekender understands that the business is still operating out of a residential address.

And while the business boasts plenty of five star Google reviews on its website, with a 4.5 star average based on 47 reviews, the reality is very different.

On Google itself, there are 76 reviews with an average of three stars. Most of the recent reviews are negative, detailing poor experi ences with the business.

Managing Director of Cubitt’s Granny Flats and Home Extensions in Emu Plains, Kate Cubitt said the actions of A1 is tarnishing the reputation of others in the industry.

“Cubitt’s have experienced zero delays in build times due to COVID, weather, materials delays and labour shortages as evidenced by our Home Owners Warranty records and satisfied customers,” Ms Cubitt said.

“We sincerely hope that some resolution comes to the distressed customers awaiting news about their outstanding contracts and builds.”

The Weekender has repeatedly tried to reach A1 Granny Flats for comment, largely unsuccessfully. A promised phone call on Wednesday did not eventuate.

unable to certify the building and only two out of six inspections were done.

“The gas isn’t connected, there are lots of defects from poor quality work and I even had to have the bricklayer kicked out because he was drinking on site the whole time.”

Ignoring customers correspondence also seems to be a common approach from the company.

“All we want is for our build to be completed and certified since we paid lots of money, but we have been ghosted while they live expen sive lifestyles,” she said.

“I have basically had to beg and plead to get any details. My Mum has been taken to hospi tal twice with suspected heart attacks which we think is from this.”

A1’s office, located in Lambridge Place, Penrith appears to be closed to the public and

Lawson resident Eryn Hall is one of A1 Granny Flats’ angry customers. Photo: Melinda Jane.

Eryn Hall’s property at Lawson.

Administration

Penrith Office

Civic Centre, 601 High Street.

St Marys Office

Queen Street Centre, 207-209 Queen Street.

Contact Centre Open 8.30am-4pm. Mon-Fri. 4732 7777 PO Box 60, Penrith NSW 2751 council@penrith.city

Council’s services are accessible via the online portal at my.penrith.city

Services

Waste Services 4732 7777

Illegal Dumping

Contact the EPA hotline on 131 555 and ask for the RID Squad (Regional Illegal Dumping Squad.

Graffiti Hotline Freecall 1800 022 182

Meeting Dates

28 November – 7pm Online via penrith.city (Ordinary Meeting)

penrith.city.council

penrithcouncil penrithcitycouncil penrithcitycouncil penrith.city visitpenrith.com.au

Council Briefs

● Council is developing a new Community Safety Plan that will respond to our community’s insights, needs and concerns from across the Penrith Local Government Area.

We would like to hear from you. Together we can identify Penrith’s current safety issues and develop suitable actions to enhance safety in our community and at home.

Residents are invited to answer a survey at yoursaypenrith. com.au until Friday, 2 December 2022, or attend a community engagement pop-up at several locations.

All information can be found at: yoursaypenrith.com.au/community-safety-plan

● Get that spring feeling at our free open-air St Marys Cinema on Saturday, 19 November 2022 at Coachmans Park, St Marys!

Join us from 6pm as we watch ‘The Croods: A New Age’, a movie the whole family can enjoy. Be sure to get in quick, there is free popcorn for the first 200 people and free face painting for the kids. As the weather warms up, enjoy relaxing in our outdoor cinema with family and friends. Feel like a sweet treat during the movie? There will be dessert trucks on hand with tasty treats available for purchase.

Spring is in the air, so why not join us for a fun night at the movies! Find out more at penrith.city/events

● Celebrate Christmas in the City with two fun nights to get you into the festive spirit!

Join us at our Twilight Markets on Friday, 2 December 2022 from 6–10pm, a perfect chance to get some unique gifts for family and friends from local makers while enjoying a relaxed night out of live music, free face painting, a Santa visit and delicious food.

On Saturday, 10 December from 5pm you’re invited to join us at our Christmas in the City Cinema as we enjoy the beloved Christmas classics, ‘The Grinch’ (2018) and ‘The Santa Clause’ (1994). Dress up in festive costume – there will be free face painting to help complete the look! With free popcorn for the first 200 people and dessert trucks with sweet treats available for purchase, it promises to be a great night for the whole family. For more information go to penrith.city/events

Public Exhibition

Planning Proposal for Affordable Rental Housing Contributions for Glenmore Park Stage

3 and Orchard Hills North

Council invites you to view and provide feedback on a Planning Proposal to amend Penrith Local Environmental Plan 2010 (LEP 2010) to enable Penrith City Council to collect contributions for the delivery of affordable rental housing. The Planning Proposal applies to future residential development within the proposed urban release areas of Glenmore Park Stage 3 and Orchard Hills North.

The objective of the proposed amendment is to increase affordable rental housing within Penrith Local Government Area. The NSW Department of Planning and Environment has authorised Council to exercise delegation to make this plan.

Viewing the exhibition and making a submission

The Planning Proposal, and supporting information are on public exhibition from Thursday 17 November 2022 to Monday 19 December 2022. The documents can be viewed online at yoursaypenrith.com.au, at Council’s Civic Centre and at Penrith and St Marys Libraries.

You are invited to provide feedback by making a written submission to Council by Monday 19 December 2022 by:

• Email: cityplanning@penrith.city

• Post: The General Manager (Attention: Kathryn Sprang) Penrith City Council, PO Box 60, Penrith NSW 2751

• Online: planningportal.nsw.gov.au/ppr

Please include a subject line indicating ‘Affordable Rental Housing Contribution’ in emails and letters.

For further enquiries please contact Kathryn Sprang, Senior Planner on 4732 7834 or email cityplanning@penrith.city

Public Notices

Public Meeting – Penrith Local Planning Panel

The Penrith Local Planning Panel will meet to determine the following:

• DA22/0075

73 Swallow Drive, Erskine Park

Torrens title subdivision into 5 lots, tree removal and associated civil works at Cnr Swallow Drive and Regulus Street

• DA22/0417

158-164 Old Bathurst Road, Emu Plains NSW 2750

Demolition of existing buildings, structures and hardstand areas and remediation works

• DA Number: DA22/0806

4 Punt Road, Emu Plains NSW 2750

Erection of coffee kiosk and construction of inclusive playground

When: Wednesday, 23 November 2022 commencing at 11.30am

Where: Online Meeting

To enable access into the online meeting please contact the Development Services Department on 4732 7637 or email localpanel@penrith.city by 4pm on Monday, 21 November 2022. A meeting invitation with log in details will be provided upon request. Please also confirm if you wish to register to speak.

Any person joining the online meeting are informed that the meeting will be audio recorded, and a copy of that recording will be made publicly available following the meeting.

Relevant documents will be available on Penrith Council’s website penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/Local-Planning-Panel/

Public Notices (cont.)

Section 47A of the Local Government Act 1993 – Proposed Licence on Community Land

Under Section 47A of the Local Government Act 1993, notice is hereby given that Penrith City Council intends to grant a Licence located at Part of Lot 1 Factory Road, Regentville as detailed below:

Applicant: Bennett Cruising Pty Ltd

Proposed Use: Mooring, Slipway and Access. Term: Five years

Description of Land: Part of Lot 1 Factory Road, Regentville, known as Lot 1 DP 566392 (Area 2)

Development Application

The following Development Applications has been received by Council:

• NF Billyard Pty Ltd DA22/1032

82–84 Stafford Street, Kingswood Demolition of existing structures and construction of 10 x 3-storey townhouses pursuant to State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021 Contact: Wendy Connell on 4732 7908 Closing Date: Monday, 5 December 2022

Development Consent/s Determined

Pursuant to Section 4.59 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 the schedule below lists applications recently determined by Penrith City Council.

Approved Development Applications

• Outback Pools Pty Ltd DA22/0879 Lot 2 DP 1268506, 48 Bonner Road, Agnes Banks Swimming pool

• Stimson Urban & Regional Planning DA21/0308 Lot 2 DP 787827, 2115–2131 Castlereagh Road, Penrith

The Development Application referred to in this notice and supporting documentation accompanying the subject application may be inspected at the locations listed below at any time during ordinary office hours, in the period from Monday, 21 November 2022 to Monday, 5 December 2022.

Any person may, during the exhibition period, make a submission in writing to Penrith City Council, in relation to the Development Application. Where a submission is made by way of an objection, the grounds of objection are to be specified in the submission. The submission is to include Council’s reference number DA22/1047.

For any queries relating to the proposal, please contact Lucy Goldstein on 4732 8136.

• The Trustee for Legpro 74 Unit Trust DA22/1041 Lot 37 DP 1044732, 89–115 OConnell Street, Caddens

Community title subdivision involving 39 x residential lots with a single dwelling on each lot and associated works

The proposal is an Integrated Development. The application seeks approval from the NSW Rural Fire Service.

All affected parties are hereby invited to make submissions concerning the proposal. Submissions must be received in writing addressed to the General Manager, Penrith City Council to PO Box 60, Penrith NSW 2751 or council@penrith.city, within 28 days of the date of this notice, being Friday, 16 December 2022.

For all enquiries, please contact Kate McBride on 4732 7777 or property@penrith.city

Section 154 of the Roads Act 1993 –Proposed Lease on Unused Road

Under Section 154 of the Roads Act 1993, notice is hereby given that Penrith City Council intends to lease a portion of unused road reserve located adjacent to 2257–2265 Castlereagh Road, Penrith as detailed below.

Applicant: Bega Dairy and Drink Pty Ltd (004 486 631)

Proposed Use: Carpark and access Term: Five years

Description of Land: Unused road reserve adjacent Lot 10 Deposited Plan 607528 known as 2257–2265 Castlereagh Road, Penrith

Industrial Re-Development Involving alterations and additions to existing industrial buildings (including demolition) and construction of 4 industrial buildings, 1 multi-deck carpark and associated works

• Cory Webb Design DA22/0719 Lot 28 DP 205502, 137 Nepean Street South, Leonay Alterations and additions to existing dwelling including an attached carport, fence and swimming pool

• Shane Richard Domenico Fameli DA22/0945 Lot 2 DP 228600, 36 Old Bathurst Road, Emu Heights Secondary dwelling and retaining wall

• BJD Design Pty Ltd DA22/0794 Lot 299 DP 270417, 15 Humewood Place, Luddenham Construction of cabana, gym, in-ground swimming pool and shed

• Lendlease Communities Mod22/0151 (Werrington) Pty Ltd Lot 1013 DP 1272641, 19 Spinifex Road, Werrington

Section 4.55 Modification to amend front and rear setbacks

• Sharon Jones Accomplished Design DA22/0618 Lot 10 DP 1097496, 46 Russell Street, Emu Plains

Alterations and additions to existing dwelling and attached garage

Integrated Developments

Penrith City Council have received Development Applications in respect of the subject properties. The consent authority for these development applications is Penrith City Council.

• Boss Design Pty Ltd DA22/1047 Lot 17 DP 240825, 187–193 East Wilchard Road, Castlereagh

The Development Application referred to in this notice and supporting documentation accompanying the subject application may be inspected at the locations listed below at any time during ordinary office hours, in the period from Monday, 21 November 2022 to Monday, 5 December 2022.

Any person may, during the exhibition period, make a submission in writing to Penrith City Council, in relation to the Development Application. Where a submission is made by way of an objection, the grounds of objection are to be specified in the submission. The submission is to include Council’s reference number DA22/1041.

For any queries relating to the proposal, please contact James Heathcote on (02) 4732 8378.

• The Trustee for AE Property DA22/1052 Lot 14 DP 1195110, 1 Charlotte Street, Jordan Springs Torrens title subdivision of 1 x lot into 23 x lots with associated stormwater facilities, landscaping, pedestrian footpaths works and public road

The proposal is an Integrated Development. The application seeks approval from the Department of Planning & Environment – Water.

The Development Application referred to in this notice and supporting documentation accompanying the subject application may be inspected at the locations listed below at any time during ordinary office hours, in the period from from Monday, 21 November 2022 to Monday, 5 December 2022.

Any person may, during the exhibition period, make a submission in writing to Penrith City Council, in relation to the Development Application. Where a submission is made by way of an objection, the grounds of objection are to be specified in the submission. The submission is to include Council’s reference number DA22/1052.

For any queries relating to the proposal, please contact James Heathcote on 4732 8378.

Viewing of Development Applications

All affected parties are hereby invited to make submissions concerning the proposal. Submissions must be received in writing addressed to the General Manager, Penrith City Council to PO Box 60, Penrith NSW 2751 or council@penrith.city, within 28 days of the date of this notice, being Friday, 16 December 2022.

For all enquiries, please contact Kate McBride on 4732 7777 or property@penrith.city

Alterations and additions to an existing dwelling for use as a child care centre for x 106 children ages 0–12 including a care takers residence and associated parking, on-site sewage management, tree removal and landscaping works

The proposal is an Integrated Development. The application seeks approval from the NSW Rural Fire Service

The above development application/s may be viewed on Council’s DA Tracker via penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/DATracker

Officers of Council’s Development Services Department will be able to assist with your enquiries.

Disclosure of Political Donations or Gifts

By law, reportable political donations or gifts must be disclosed by anyone lodging a planning application to Council. Call 4732 7649 or visit penrithcity.nsw.gov.au

cupboard prize

Monnet

Cognac, a globally renowned cognac

crafted in Cognac, France, has officially launched in Australia. Monnet is one of the most historical signatures of the Cognac region, and since its founding in 1838, has become known around the world for its ‘art de vivre’ (bringing people together through the art of living).

It is commonly referred to as the ‘sunny side of cognac’ as it sets itself apart by the liquid’s radiant glow and brightness. As well as being an iconic signature of Cognac, Monnet Cognac has become famous through Leon etti Capiello’s poster, ‘Sunshine in a glass’, which was illustrated for Monnet in the 1920s.

Made with fine grain French oak, Monnet Cognac offers a fruity eau-de-vie and floral flavour profile with great aromatic richness, and is the result of secular tradition and generations of cellar masters

who have turned the cognac into a drink of refinement and pleasure. Monnet’s makers use Ugnic Blanc grape variety to create six sweet signatures with low levels of sugar and acidity, that burst with aromas of apri

cots, peaches, stone fruits, and white flowers to embody the perfect sunny beverage.

True to tradition, Monnet uses a copper pot still double distillation to produce its cognacs. Aged for a minimum

of two years to achieve a greater aromatic richness and finesse, Monnet distils with the lees, a method that reveals the sunny aromas associated with this beloved signature.

With six Monnet Cognacs now available in Australia, there truly is a style to suit every palate and occasion. Get yours from Dan Murphy’s.

The Weekender has a bottle of Monnet Cognac to give away. For your chance to win, send an email to competitions@ westernweekender.com.au with ‘Cognac’ in the subject line. Don’t forget to include your contact details. Entries close Friday, December 23 and the winners will be notified by email. Terms and condi tions are available at www. westernweekender.com.au or Weekender reception.

paceway winners lucky

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ISPY

Tell us exactly where this week’s featured I Spy image is located in Penrith and you could win! Email ispy@west ernweekender.com.au with your answer for your chance to win two movie tickets. Our winner will be notified by email. Entries close each Wednesday at 5pm.

WEEK’S ANSWER The mural of the workers is situated on the A Team Kitchens and Joinery building, located at 99 Batt Street, Penrith.

way to verify their bumper sticker number and collect their prize. Look out for new winners on this page every single week!

This week’s lucky winners are: 0635, 0787, 0365.

Do you know where this picture was taken?

Members of the Penrith Paceway in Penrith have the chance to win great prizes thanks to a special promo tion involving the club and your favourite newspaper, The Western Weekender Club members can pick up a free specially numbered

sticker from the Paceway or the Weekender office, and our spotters will be out and about in the community.

spotted bumper sticker numbers will be printed each week, with winners needing to report to the Pace

Δ New in town: Owners Sylvester and Katrina Arraiza (pictured) officially opened their new venture Art n.b in Penrith last Friday night. Located at 2/552 High Street, the concept offers the perfect location to explore your creativity and express yourself. Check out www.artandb. com.au for more details.

Δ New places to eat: Westfield Penrith has announced the impend ing arrival of a number of new eater ies. They include Smiling Dumplings and Noodles, Thai Thae and No 1 Malatang. The new eateries come as Coles opened its new supermarket in Westfield on Wednesday. Korean and Asian grocery store Hanaromart will also open in the coming weeks.

Δ ROAM around Penrith: The tastes, sounds and sights of Penrith will come alive on Saturday, Novem ber 26 and Sunday, November 27 when ROAM Penrith hits High Street. Saturday’s activities will commence at 5pm and run through to 10pm with food trucks, performances, and exciting art installations, while Sunday will kick off at 11am with workshop activities, a panther hunt, a secret garden, local performers and a whole lot more. Make your way from Masters Place Car Park and Woodriff Street through the City Centre to Triangle Park, where a showcase of local and international food will tempt your tastebuds. Add

to the garden wall by participating in workshops that will help you create magical flowers where nothing is what it seems.

you is three new Jelly Belly Bursties flavours: Watermelon, Grape, and Blueberry. Enjoy each of the three flavours on their own or opt for the Jelly Belly Fruit Bowl Bursties, an experience that combines all three gourmet flavours for a magical taste of summer. To further enhance the taste sensation and take locals on a sensory adventure, Hungry Jack’s is adding a new Frozen Drink flavour to their line-up… the Sour Fizz Tingle Frozen Drink. The fun doesn’t stop there, Hungry Jack’s is also bringing back one of their fan favourite Frozen Drink flavours, Bubblegum!

Δ Sushi delight: Sapporo Sushi Bar (pictured above) has officially opened at St Clair Shopping Centre. Pop in and check out some of the delicious food on offer.

Δ Knockout deals: Knockout Nutrition has opened a new store at Nepean Village. They’re located outside the centre, next to About Me Organics.

Δ What a combo! Hungry Jack’s has collaborated with world-famous candy brand Jelly Belly to create a limited-edition range of their iconic Bursties and Frozen Drinks, set to make a splash this summer. Coming to a Hungry Jack’s near

Δ Get ready to Rum Ball: It’s never too early to stock up for the festive season – especially when it comes to the limited-edition Bundaberg Rum Ball Liqueur. This masterfully crafted liqueur has notes of warming rum, sweet spice, biscuit, vanilla, cocoa and coconut, all the flavours of your favourite Christmas treat! Available now from Bundaberg’s webstore.

Δ New High Street bar: The Flower Shop is expected to open its doors in December.

Δ Got some source? We want to hear about new shop openings, closings, restaurant arrivals, special offers and more! Let us know what’s happening by emailing details to news@westernweekender.com.au.

YOU’RE INVITED TO ROAM PENRITH AS HIGH STREET COMES ALIVE WITH THE SIGHTS, SOUNDS AND TASTES OF THE CITY.

This fantastic two day event will be fun for all the family, with entertainment from local performers, art installation workshops, a secret garden and even a panther hunt.

To find out more, visit penrith.city/events

LAW and ORDER

Police Snapshot Legal Matters

with Daniel McKinnon

Penrith: Duo charged after spray painting wall of unit block

Two men have been charged after they were caught graffitiing and possessing prohibited drugs in Penrith.

About 1.40am on Wednesday, November 9, police were called to Lethbridge Street, Penrith after reports of people spray painting the wall of a unit block.

Police arrested two men – a 21-year-old and a 20-year-old – from Penrith.

Both men were searched, and cans of spray paint and cannabis were allegedly located in their bags.

The men also had fresh paint on their hands and they were charged.

They will appear in Penrith Local Court at a later date.

Mulgoa: Multiple injuries after crash on Fairlight Road

An investigation continues after nuns coming from Mount Schoenstatt in Mulgoa crashed into a tree last week.

About 8.45pm on Wednesday, November 9, emergency services were called to a property in Fairlight Road, Mulgoa and found the five occupants of the vehicle suffering injuries.

The driver, a 46-year-old woman, was taken to Nepean Hospital in a stable condition while an 83-year-old woman was airlifted to Westmead Hospital in a critical condition.

Another passenger, a 100-year-old woman, was taken to Liverpool Hospital in a serious condition.

The final two women, an 82 and 88-yearold, were both taken to Nepean in stable conditions.

Police established a crime scene and are investigating the circumstances surround ing the crash.

St Marys: Woman charged over crash that killed beloved grandmother

A woman has been charged following a fatal crash in St Marys last month that killed a beloved grandmother.

Just after 5.20am on Saturday, October 8, emergency services were called to a home on Monfarville Street, St Marys, after reports a car had crashed into it.

An occupant of the home – 62-year-old Robyn Figg – was treated by police and NSW Ambulance paramedics, however died at the scene.

The three other occupants of the home were uninjured.

A woman and baby were stopped by police

nearby shortly after the crash occurred. They were uninjured, and the woman was arrested and taken to Nepean Hospital for mandatory testing.

Following extensive inquiries, the 29-yearold woman attended Penrith Police Station about 11am on Friday, November 11.

She has since been charged with ‘Aggra vated dangerous driving occasioning death – speed more than 45 over limit’, ‘Dangerous driving occasioning death – drive speed dangerous’, ‘Fail to stop and assist after vehicle impact causing death’, and Negligent driving (occasioning death) – first offence’.

The Colyton woman was refused bail and appeared at Penrith Local Court that day, where she was granted conditional bail to appear at the same court on Friday, January 27, 2023.

Cambridge Gardens: Drunk driver involved in scuffle with police

A man has been charged after he was caught drink driving whilst also disqualified from driving.

About 10.30pm on Saturday, November 12, police were patrolling Richmond Road, Cambridge Gardens when they sighted a motor vehicle travel up to the rear of another vehicle and brake heavily.

The vehicle then turned into Boomerang Place and was stopped by police in a nearby car park at the location.

When the driver, a 28-year-old Lennox Head man was asked to produce his licence, he allegedly stated that he did not have one.

It is alleged when asked if he had consumed any alcohol, the man replied “no”.

As the man exited the vehicle, allegedly to get his identification, he swung his arm and pushed an officer out of the way.

He attempted to run, which was unsuccess ful as he was tackled to the ground.

While on the ground he continued to violently struggle to get free, but members of the public assisted officers and the man was handcuffed.

The man was arrested and subjected to a breath test, that proved positive.

He was taken to Penrith Police Station, where he underwent a breath analysis that returned a positive reading of 0.137.

Checks confirmed that the man’s license was disqualified, and he was charged with ‘Hinder or resist police officer in the execu tion of duty’, ‘Drive motor vehicle during disqualification period – second offence’ and ‘Drive with middle range PCA – first offence’.

YOU CAN SETTLE BEFORE CHRISTMAS!

We are a mere four weeks away from the world going to sleep for a couple of weeks for the Christmas break.

Christmas is a notoriously difficult time to get things done, because lots of businesses close down for at least a couple of weeks and most law firms, mortgage brokers, banks and other professional services and businesses are no different. Even if a business closes down just for the public holidays it will usually put them out of action for at least a week.

In conveyancing transactions, it is almost impossible for settlements to occur between the last day of trade in December and the first or second week of January after New Year’s.

Most property transaction Contracts that are entered into now will either need to be fast-tracked and settled before Christmas or put over until the second or third week of January.

If all of the parties have their ducks in a row, have completed their bank loan documents and/or loan discharge document and locked into a Contract, it is possible to settle your transaction in the next four weeks. Most Contracts have a six week settlement period however, so the next best option is to settle in January.

If you are looking to sell your home before the end of the year you need to list it now. This will give you a four week run into Christmas where there is usually a hive of buyer activity

before everything slows down. January is typically a sluggish month for property transactions as people are still in holiday mode, so if you miss the boat in December you might find that it takes a little longer to sell your property in the new year.

The same applies if you are thinking about buying. New listings will be limited coming into the final weeks of December and most of January, so if there is any urgency make sure you hit the open home circuit in the next couple of weeks.

If you are selling, take advantage of this fantastic weather and get you yard looking great. Tidy up, declutter, and organise a Council pickup so your home is ready to be inspected by potential buyers.

If you are buying now or in the new year, sit down with a mortgage broker and get a pre-approval in place as soon as possible so you are not delayed if something comes up in the new year.

A pre-approval usually lasts about three months, and in some circumstances can be extended to six months. This means if you get your pre-approval by mid to late December, it will remain current until about March – so plenty of time in the new year to start looking.

If you have any questions about buying or selling property, feel free to get in touch with us via the phone and one of our solicitors will answer your questions free of charge.

CHARGES OVER ASSAULT, KIDNAPPING

Detectives have arrested four men follow ing an investigation into an alleged home invasion and kidnapping.

About 9.20pm on Monday, September 26, two men allegedly forced entry to the second-storey bedroom of a home in Caddens, where they threatened a 29-yearold man with a handgun.

The man was able to free himself before he ran from the property and the two men left in a grey hatchback with another two men.

About 1.20pm on Wednesday, October 12, the same man was approached by four males – one of which was armed with a handgun –in a car park on Morrison Road, Ryde.

He was assaulted and taken in a vehicle to an unknown location, where he was threat ened and assaulted further.

The man has since recovered from his injuries.

On Wednesday, police executed 11 search warrants in Revesby, Lidcombe, Strathfield, Girraween, Villawood, Botany, North Ryde, and Homebush.

Four men – aged 32, 31, 29, and a 17-yearold boy – were arrested at homes in Revesby, Lidcombe and Strathfield.

They have all been taken to Bankstown and Burwood Police Stations, where they were expected to be charged.

Penrith pauses to reflect

Day

Members of the Penrith community came together last Friday to pay tribute to those who have lost their lives in war and conflict.

Penrith RSL Sub-Branch held its first full Remembrance Day service at Memory Park since 2019, led by John Felton – the Sub-Branch Wellbeing Officer.

With no restrictions on attendance, the service was joined by veterans, dignitaries, and members of the community alike, who all came together to pay tribute.

Guest speaker Captain Victor Pilicic CSC RAN delivered the commemorative Remem brance Day address, in which he spoke to the significance of the uniforms that service personnel wear, and the responsibility that comes along with it, as everyone remembered those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation.

“More than 100,000 names now appear on the Australian War Memorial’s Roll of Honour,” he said.

“We remember them, we remember their sacrifice, and we remember that they did not die in vain.”

Following the recital of poem In Flanders Fields by Commander David Hellier RAN, and a Prayer for Peace by Chaplain Tevita Vula RAN, floral tributes were laid by Penrith

RSL Sub-Branch President Brian Cartwright, followed by representatives from organ isations and community groups such as Penrith RSL Auxiliary, Penrith Chamber of Commerce, Nepean Blue Mountains Naval Association, and the National Servicemen’s Association’s Nepean Sub-Branch.

The Australian National Anthem was then sung by a student from Winmalee High School.

Mr Cartwright said that he was glad to see the attendance of the commemorative service back to pre-COVID numbers.

“Today was one of those things where we weren’t sure how many people were going to turn up, being a Friday and not a public holiday, but you’ve just got to take a chance,” he said.

“It was a good turnout; it was nice to see.” Outside of the service, the Penrith commu nity continued to pay their respects, with musicians from High Street Music playing the ‘Last Post’ out the front of the store, and a commemorative service held by the St Marys RSL Sub-Branch, honouring the 100-year-old war memorial pavilion in Victoria Park.

With events now back to full capacity, Mr Cartwright is now looking to 2023, eager to see the local community continuing to support the Penrith RSL Sub-Branch in their future services.

“We’re already preparing for next year’s ANZAC services,” he said.

“We’ll bring back the ANZAC Sunday march, and it will be the first time in five years that we’ve actually had the ANZAC Sunday service, so we’re looking forward to that, and we’re hoping the community will come out and support it.”

Solemn service held at Memory Park to commemorate Remembrance

There was a strong attendance at the service. Photo: Melinda Jane. Penrith’s Remembrance Day service last Friday. Photo: Melinda Jane.

STAYING SWIM SAFE

WITH JULIE SHELDRAKE NEPEAN AQUATIC CENTRE & EVA BORY’S SWIM SCHOOL • 4730 8900

What a strange week it’s been, with flooding in some parts of NSW, whilst other parts enjoyed beau tiful sunny weather. I would hate to have to predict what this summer might look like, which is why it’s just as well I don’t work at the Bureau of Meteorology (formerly known as the BOM). They predict that, “We may not have extreme heat days compared to some recent years”, but “heat waves may last longer, be

warmer overnight, and be more humid, especially in the south”. I think we all remember January 4 2020, when Penrith was for a brief period of time the hottest place on the planet, hitting 48.9 degrees and breaking a tempera ture record that had been stand ing since 1939.

In addition, heat research commissioned by Penrith City Council found that on that day the mercury rose to 52 degrees in the suburb of Berkshire Park, 51.5 in Agnes Banks, and 50.1 in Badgerys Creek.

My point is, we are all going to need to cool off this summer, and the best way to do so (unless you enjoy sitting indoors in the air conditioning all summer), is in the water. The only safe way to cool off in the water is to keep the water safety messages at top of mind.

The swim safety messages are presented slightly differently from one organisation to the other when looking at Royal Lifesaving Australia, Laurie Lawrence’s “Kids Alive, Do The 5”, ASSA and Swim Australia, but they remain consistent regarding the layers of protection needed.

Fence the pool, keep all gates closed and make sure they are self-latching, and teach your children to swim as a priority from a young age (Swim Australia recommends starting all children from four to six months of age). Ensure full supervision of chil dren at all times, and keep under five’s at arm’s reach, both in the pool and at the beach. Learn CPR in the case of emergency, and have a phone available at all times near water (without succumbing to the temptation of scrolling through Facebook).

It is very important that water safety at home is a priority at all times. Home pools and spas are obvious drowning hazards, but

there are many other items and areas which present a significant drowning threat to young chil dren in and around the home, such as buckets, bathtubs, eskies, fountains, fishponds, lakes, drains, inflatable pools, and even pet bowls. It is crucial that these are emptied, covered, put away and not left where they can fill up with water. Most toddler drown ing deaths occur when parents are distracted, by other siblings, preparing meals, phone calls or any other number of parental duties. We all have moments when we are distracted, but unfortunately moments are all it takes for a child to drown, which is why the layers of protection are so important.

Royal Life Saving has developed a home pool safety checklist home owners can use to mini mise the risks. You can find the checklist at: https://www.royal lifesaving.com.au/programs/ home-pool-safety/home-poolsafety-checklist.

When it is a scorching summer day, we often see images of people by the beach, however heatwaves are responsible for more deaths than all other environmental disasters combined.

Community organisation Sweltering Citi zens is campaigning for western Sydney resi dents who can face temperatures 10 degrees higher than people who live in cooler coastal suburbs.

On January 4 2020, Penrith was the hottest place on Earth when the mercury rose to 48.9 degrees and is facing more extreme heat days each year.

Sweltering Cities Executive Director Emma Bacon said there is a range of people who can become vulnerable in the heat.

“Vulnerability to heat related diseases relates to how well our bodies can regulate temperature to cool ourselves and on whether people can access cool spaces at home or in public,” Ms Bacon said.

“Older people, people with disabilities and chronic illnesses, little kids and pregnant people, people on medications that can change the way we cope with heat, and lots of others can be at risk. Living in a hot home is one of the most dangerous factors.”

While it might seem like a beautiful day,

heatwaves can impact both physical and mental health.

“We can get dehydrated or experience heat exhaustion or even heat stroke. People with existing heart or respiratory illnesses will struggle. We know that mental health issues

and hospital visits go up on hot days,” Ms Bacon said.

“Heatwaves can also put people under financial pressures as they worry whether turning on the air con now will lead to a huge power bill later.”

Simple things such as wearing light coloured loose clothes and preparing your home for the heat can help.

“On hot days, make sure you’re staying hydrated and don’t spend unnecessary time in the sun. If you’re feeling unwell, rest some where cool and drink water,” she said.

“It’s really important that we check in on our vulnerable family and friends who might be struggling in the heat. Strong community connection is one of the most important factors in people keeping safe during heat waves.”

Dealing with climate change will help lessen the health impacts along with making cities more liveable and sustainable.

“If we don’t reduce carbon emissions to stop catastrophic climate change then areas like Penrith will have an average of two weeks over 40 degrees by 2090,” she said.

“If we do reduce our carbon emissions to stop the globe heating more than 1.5 degrees then our suburbs will stay closer to the current climate, though we’re definitely going to have hotter summers.

“Taking climate action is a win-win because we’ll avoid the extreme deadly heatwaves, and we’ll have suburbs and cities that are safer and more comfortable to live in.”

Penrith is preparing for another hot summer.

It’s time to get your skates on!

CASSIDY PEARCE

Penrith Skatel is bringing a new hobby out west, with roller dance classes for all ages.

If when you hear the term ‘roller dance’ you think of the mirrorball and disco lights, you’re not entirely on the wrong track. But, coach Esther Ambrus-Davis assures it’s come a long way.

“Roller dance is kind of like roller disco – in America I know it’s called jam skating – and it has roots from roller disco, but it’s far from that in a way, because now when you look at people doing it, a lot of them are heavily influenced by break dancing, some of them modern dance, artistic skating, so it has evolved from that,” she said.

When Penrith Skatel’s yoga studio became vacant a few months ago, the team decided to give roller dance a go. With roller skating’s popularity surging in the past few years, the classes couldn’t have come at a better time.

“We thought this could be really good, just to get people enthusiastic, and I know a lot of people bought skates in lockdown, so there’s a lot of people out there who kind of just shuffle around out anywhere, and I think now they’ve got something else to look forward to,” she said.

Though it may seem trivial, the hobby boasts a number of benefits, ranging from physical, to mental and social.

“It teaches the skaters to have really good basic balance on their skates, because you’re pretty much in a station ary position, but you’re moving your feet in certain directions, and you’re also moving your weight from forward to back, so you’re using your core a lot, and your quads, and your knees, so it’s helping you coordinate all of that.

“For people who are doing it, I think it helps them get out of their shell a little bit, and helps with their confidence. You’re in that nice situation with other people who are liking the same thing, so no one’s judging you, it’s just you, having fun with the music, and getting out there and trying new skills.”

The first classes, held earlier this month, drew ex-skaters, current skaters, kids, and total beginners to the Skatel to have a crack. Now, Ms Ambrus-Davis is encour aging even more people to try it out.

“I think everyone should give it a go,” she said.

“Anyone who likes to dance, or anyone who likes to skate, so when you hopefully merge the two together, I think there’ll be a lot of fun had.”

For more information about the classes, head to penrithskatel.com.

Collectors unite: Toy, hobby and pop culture fair coming to town

CASSIDY PEARCE

Move over Oz Comic-Con and Super nova – the next big convention is coming, and it’s right here in Penrith.

Penrith local Paul Kleynjan has been playing ‘Dungeons and Dragons’ since the 80s, driven by his love of telling stories.

“It’s collective storytelling,” he said.

“As the Dungeon Master, I give them the story, and they each have a character that they’ve built, and they tell me what they want to do, and I tell them what they have to roll to succeed. People make up their own charac ters nowadays, they make up their own stories – it’s just completely changed from when I did it.”

But, Mr Kleynjan assures that this change has been a good thing, seeing the inclusivity the game promotes boosted since joining Collector Con, heading the D&D Overlord desk.

Collector Con is a toy, hobby and pop culture fair for the young and young at heart.

Though it began in 2019 as a small event, Collector Con has since grown to fill all three halls of Penrith Valley Regional Sports Centre, completing its first full run of five events this year.

Owner, Amy Chandler, said that Collector Con feels right at home in the west.

“I don’t know what’s happened, there’s just been so much excitement around pop culture in western Sydney – pop culture as in so many

different fandoms, no matter if it’s action figures, or wrestling, or D&D, cosplay, there’s just been this excitement around it, which is great,” she said.

“‘Dungeons and Dragons’ for example, at our first event we had one table, and at our next event, we’ll have 16.”

For Mr Kleynjan, it’s been additionally rewarding being able to give back to his local area through the convention, cultivating a supportive community within it.

“This seems to be a Penrith thing – people from Penrith want to get involved in ‘Dungeons and Dragons’, and they want to get involved in collectables. It just seems to be building here,” he said.

“I think it’s because of the acceptance side of it. There’s a lot of micro-communities here that aren’t accepted in the mainstream, and they all seem to flock to Collector Con.”

Collector Con is returning to Penrith Valley Regional Sports Centre on Sunday, November 27, with 350 tables of traders, swordplay demonstrations, and cosplayers galore, and Mr Kleynjan assures that everyone is welcome.

“If I have people who have never played before come up timidly to my table, I’m like, ‘You’re the person I’m looking for. Come and sit down!’,” he said.

Collector Con will be on at Penrith Valley Regional Sports Centre on Sunday, November 27 from 8.30am. Entry is free for children under 12, with tickets starting at $7.50 for adults. For more information, visit collector con.com.au.

Esther Ambrus-Davis.

Photo: Melinda Jane.

Collector Con is returning to Penrith later this month.

Nepean Regional Security from Penrith has been named Champion Services at the inaugural Australian Women’s Small Business Champion Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony, held on Saturday, 12th November at The Star Sydney, with over 1,000 guests in attendance.

For the first time, Precedent Productions is delighted to shine a dedicated spotlight on the high standard of excellence women in small business demonstrate across the nation.

“Excitedly, we’re seeing more and more women create, and take up leadership positions throughout the small business community,” said Steve Loe, Managing Director of Precedent Productions, and founder of the awards. “The time has come to accelerate visibility of the incredible entrepreneurial spirit that so many women in small business display. As such, an annual standalone program has been created to truly provide the recognition deserved.

Representatives of Nepean Regional Security received an award statuette, certificate and gained national recognition as an industry leader. In addition, having their passion, dedication, commitment, and hard work celebrated amongst their peers was an experience they will treasure for many years to come.

Small businesses from across Australia delivered a diverse and inspiring array of entries, with winners representing a broad cross section of industries from all states and territories.

The Awards are presented by the Commonwealth Bank, and supported by Awards Partners, Nine Plus, NOVA Employment, CUB - Club of United Busi ness, Xcllusive Business Sales, Castaway Forecasting and Big Clean.

The Australian Women’s Small Business Champion Awards has been proudly created and managed by Precedent Productions, a small business in its own right since their inception in 1991.

Gina Field, Nepean Regional Security

World Prematurity Day highlights common issues for new parents

EMILY FESZCZUK

While one in 10 babies worldwide are born too early, Kiara and Michael Gatt could have never predicted that both their daughters would be born prematurely.

With World Prematurity Day being observed on November 17, the Cranebrook couple wants to spread awareness about the range of potential medical issues that can impact more than 27,000 babies in Australia each year.

The Weekender first covered the family’s story in 2020 of how now three-year-old Amelia was born at just 25 weeks (‘Be prepared for anything’, November 13).

Weighing 610 grams and spending 120 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Amelia had a rough start to life with multiple surgeries, eye issues, chronic lung disease and a brain bleed but she has beaten the odds.

“She's doing remarkably well given everything she's endured and is such a cheeky little girl who just brightens up the room,” Ms Gatt said.

“She has occupational therapy once a week and she needs some speech therapy but she was recently diagnosed with global devel opment delay, which honestly has been a blessing in disguise because it led to therapies she needed so she is thriving now.”

“I

With the warmer weather and the holiday season just around the corner, take care to keep your pets safe.

• •

•

your pet with their favourite treats whenever chocolate is around.

• With the weather warming up it’s important to look after your pet. Make sure to provide extra water sources for your pet and shelter so they get away from direct sunlight. Heatstroke can be a life threatening emergency- always see a vet.

for

another C-section,” she said.

“Georgia was born at just 1.2 kilograms at

29 weeks gestation and spent 63 days in the NICU.

“She had a much less intense NICU stay compared to her big sister but did have a few complications due to being born so early.”

With Georgia’s health issues not as severe as her sister’s, it was a different albeit still difficult period.

“It was so hard juggling being in the hospital for Georgia and trying to be there for Amelia who really needs her Mum and Dad, plus we had just bought a business which my husband was dealing with,” she said.

“Having two kids and keeping your house up and running just has you all over the place which is a struggle.”

All the tough times have been made worth it according to Ms Gatt as the family is settling into life as a family of four.

“Georgia came home a few weeks ago and I was a bit worried about Amelia as she can be a bit rough, but she has been the best big sister,” she said.

“Amelia has been amazing. She is so gentle and caring and you can tell she loves her sister so much.”

World Prematurity Day is a globally cele brated awareness day to increase awareness of preterm births as well as the deaths and disabilities due to prematurity and the simple, proven, cost-effective measures that could prevent them.

Suffering from Pre-eclampsia during her second pregnancy this year, Ms Gatt was doing all she could to prevent giving birth early but only managed an extra month.

was on medication and going in weekly

checks and at one of my appointments my blood pressure skyrocketed so I was trans ferred to Westmead for

Kiara and Michael Gatt with their daughters Amelia and Georgia. Photo: Melinda Jane.

Driven to succeed: Community transport provider’s big honour

EMILY FESZCZUK

Acommunity organisation’s commitment has been recognised when it took out the top spot for a state-wide award.

Active Care Network, which is based out of Kingswood, won the Community Transport Provider of the Year at a recent ceremony in Kiama.

The team of 87 staff and volun teers provide transport, home and garden maintenance and repair and community connection to almost 4000 people in the Penrith, Blue Mountains, and Blacktown Local Government Areas.

With 10 nominees and a thor ough judging criteria, Active Care Network CEO Ben Jackson told the Weekender he was surprised about the win.

“Community Transport Organisa tion is the peak body for community transport providers in NSW and this was the first annual conference and awards in two years because of COVID so everyone was in on the action,” Mr Jackson said.

“It was genuinely a shock because

there were some big providers in the mix, but it is an acknowledgment of the extra mile all our staff and volunteers go to when delivering our services, and keeping our clients connected.”

Innovation was a focus for the criteria, which the team engaged with more during lockdowns.

“When we weren’t allowed to drive people to the places they needed to go we took our spare drivers and provided as much service as we safely could for our clients in their homes,” he said.

“Our driving team turned to welfare. They called people, became part time gardeners and

supported the community in lots of different ways we wouldn’t have done because we would have been busy driving.”

The newly developed Home Support Services commercial home and garden maintenance and repair arm enables them to channel 100 per cent of the profits from this

business back into community connection programs that support older, marginalised and vulnerable people.

Active Care Network also got to provide services for younger clients than it usually does as a part of its adaptive business model.

“There was a school that wasn’t digitally delivering work, so they were sending hardcopy papers to students using couriers, so we decided to help,” he said.

“We know how to schedule trips efficiently so 60 to 70 kids got their weekly education through our buses which was really heart-warming stuff.”

With the team working to help its clients achieve independence and wellbeing, Mr Jackson said the award is dedicated to many people involved with the local organisa tion.

“We are in the process of organis ing a road trip for the award because it isn’t just for the people in head office,” he said.

“This award is for all our drivers, the people in the different depots, the clients that we love and strive for and our partners in service.”

DEAR WEEKENDER

NEWS@WESTERNWEEKENDER.COM.AU SUITE 2, 42-44 ABEL STREET, JAMISONTOWN 2750

Farcical renovations

In one of your comments some time ago, you wrote glowingly of the wonderful events that were going to make Tench Reserve a star attraction for our community! Have you been over the Victoria Bridge recently to see the horrible ongoing nightmare that once was our lovely River Road? Dirty big tarpau lins front the Great Western Highway and hide the eyesore that was once our lovely Regatta Park! This non-event has been going on for years and, only God knows when it will be restored to its former glory. Could you possibly intervene and use your wonderful Weekender to help with the closure?

JIM CLARKE, EMU PLAINS

Lions on the loose

The escape of five lions from their enclo sure at Taronga Zoo recently could easily have ended in tragedy, with dozens of people camping at the zoo being forced to run for their lives. Lions have evolved over millions of years yearning to be free, to roam large areas of savannahs and grasslands in their prides. But using lions for entertainment denies animals everything that makes their lives worth living. Animals born in captivity still have the innate desire to roam freely and to engage in behaviours that aren’t possible in confinement. Genetic imperatives don’t somehow disappear just because an animal isn’t where he or she is supposed to be. With today’s incredible technology, virtual field trips and wildlife documentaries are a far better way to teach children about the wonders of the animal kingdom than visiting bored animals held in captivity. We urge everyone who genuinely cares about

lions and all the other animals serving life sentences in shady animal exhibitor facili ties to recognise these institutions for what they are – prisons with living exhibits.

MIMI BEKHECHI, PETA

Stadium petition raises questions

In response to a recent Paceway petition that Stuart Ayres, our representative for the local community of Penrith, has started about the “overdevelopment” of the Penrith Paceway site. Can Stuart Ayres please answer the following questions. What other site in Penrith has Stuart Ayres spoken out about overdevelopment in Penrith? Would a fair price be paid to purchase the Paceway site by the NSW State Liberal Government? Why does the stadium need to move to the Paceway site? On the opposite side of Mulgoa Road to the Penrith Paceway, devel opment has been completed, tenants are living within the development. Did Stuart Ayres object to this development? The resi dents of Kingswood have repeatedly asked Stuart Ayres to stop the overdevelopment of Kingswood with boarding houses before too much destruction to this community is done, but as yet we have had no luck. Since 2018 I have requested the Council, Stuart Ayres, and the NSW Liberal Government undertake research to see that these board ing houses are meeting the accommodation requirements needed in this area, but as yet no luck. There would be 40 or more boarding houses approved in Kingswood. No care for “inappropriate overdevelopment” has been showed by Stuart Ayres during his term as a representative of Penrith.

WENDY SPINKS, VIA WEBSITE

The Western Weekender reserves the right to edit letters for the sake of accuracy and space. For more information, see our public notices section.

Active Care Network has been named Community Transport Provider of the Year. Photo: Melinda Jane.

It’s time to get McHappy

EMILY FESZCZUK

Locals are being encouraged to enjoy a bite to help give back to a good cause on McHappy Day this Saturday, November 19.

As the largest annual fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), McHappy Day raises vital funds to ensure that families can stay together and close to hospital while their sick child is undergoing treatment.

Licensee Ian Garton looks after nine restau rants – Penrith, St Marys Village, Werrington, Westfield Penrith, Richmond, Bligh Park, Penrith Leagues, Glenmore Park, and Wind sor – and hopes to see locals showing their support once again.

“For over three decades, McHappy Day has helped raise over $61 million to keep fami lies with seriously ill and injured children together,” Mr Garton said.

“We couldn’t have done this without the support of local communities and customers across Australia.

“Aussies can get involved in McHappy Day again this year to raise vital funds and make a real difference to the lives of these children and their families.”

Getting involved is as easy as buying a Big Mac this Saturday, with $2 from every sale of the iconic burger going directly to RMHC.

supports

“The funds raised will go towards contin uing to support families when they need it most, including providing a home away from home when their seriously ill or injured child is receiving treatment.”

RMHC currently has 18 Ronald McDonald Houses throughout Australia and accommo dated over 9,000 families in 2021.

Other programs are the Ronald McDonald Family Rooms, including the one at Nepean Hospital, which provides a relaxing haven within hospitals giving families a break from the stress of many hours spent by their child’s bedside.

The Ronald McDonald Learning Program also helps children catch up on missed schooling following a serious illness and provided tuition to over 950 students in 2021.

Donations can also be made online at rmhc. org.au/give.

your city and stimulate your senses for a weekend adventure that the whole family make up our vibrant and modern city. It’s a chance to support our local businesses

with food and drinks, entertainment and

what our CBD has to offer with fami ly-friendly entertainment and activities. You might even discover a wonderful new business, just in time for Christmas shopping.

I would encourage everyone to come along and join in this celebration of our community, supporting local businesses and joining together for a day of fun and adventure as we ROAM through our streets, parks and arcades to experience everything that makes the city of Penrith great.

ROAM Penrith will be held between Masters Place Car Park near Woodriff Street and Triangle Park from 5pm-10pm Saturday, November 26 and 11am-9pm Sunday, November 27.

For more information visit penrith.city/ events.

no different. Get together with family and friends and be part of our secret garden –

I look forward to seeing you there.

CR TRICIA HITCHEN Mayor of Penrith

LOOKING FOR A COPY OF THE PAPER?

Did you know there’s a number of ways to get your hands on a copy of the Western Weekender each week?

We have some 130 distribution pick-up points. You can also secure home delivery

by signing up for a paid subscription from as low as $20 per month.

Head to www.westernweekender.com.au/ getapaper to find out how you can make sure you never miss out.

You can also pick up a pair of $5 Silly Socks or Helping Hands for $2, $10 or $50 from Macca’s restaurants or via McDelivery.

Chief Executive of RMHC, Barbara Ryan said they are beyond grateful to those who have already shown their support and donated to this year’s McHappy Day.

“Ronald McDonald House Charities

over 46,000 seriously ill or injured children and their families every year,” Ms Ryan said.

Popular, long-running fundraiser to be held at local Macca’s stores this Saturday

Helping Hands are part of the fundraising initiatives at McDonald’s this weekend.

Why not get a pair of silly socks?

This photo shows a Penrith City Library branch, with patrons using stand alone computers, in the 1980s.

A computer catalogue was available to help people with their research and tracking down the books they wanted to borrow.

We don’t know what we like best – the 80’s hairstyles, the fashion or those very large and bulky computers!

(Photo thanks to Penrith City Library)

Wayne Tunks 7-10am

Don’t miss the huge Cubitt’s Granny Flats and Home Extensions open day on Saturday, November 26!

Cubitt’s are celebrating being at home by inviting you into theirs this open day. With three of the most popular full sized 60m2 granny flats on display, each showing a different level of inclusions, you can wander through the full styled displays and truly get a feel for what it would be like to live in a spacious and modern granny flat built by Cubitt’s.

The open day is a massive special event with free coffee from a local coffee cart and loads of prizes – including a major prize draw of a Heston Blumenthal BBQ. There will be giveaways for everyone who books a free site inspection on the day and, most importantly, there will be expertise on hand to answer any questions.

Come in and sit down with someone to see which granny flat design will fit nicely on your property or speak to our experts about a home extension that suits you. When you book a free site inspection with one of the Cubitt’s Design Consultants an expert will come out to your property at a convenient time to get complete feasibility and cost for the granny flat of your choice, on your own property.

If you’re in the Emu Plains area make sure to pop in to 152 Russell Street and check out the exciting display of granny flats!

To find out more go to www.cubitts.com.au or contact the team on 1300 721 150.

BUSINESS

REBECCA DI NOIA

Are you a networking naysayer?

Earlier this month I had an opportu nity to be interviewed on a live radio show.

Although this was my third time doing a radio interview – the first one was over the phone pre-recorded, the second one was during lockdown online from my home office; this time it was on a professional radio station live, so there is no margin for error.

Both during the journey of my business and business advisor career, I have had many PR opportunities and I have been asked by others how I landed these oppor tunities – did I use a PR agency? Did I use a media proposal? Or did I know the right person? And so on.

Yes, I do know the right people, but it came through networking.

Yes, networking. You heard that right.

The theme for NSW Small Business month this November is – Connect with Success, with a focus on helping small business owners to obtain knowledge and skills that will help grow their businesses, as well as connecting and collaborating with other business owners.

When I first started my business, I found the idea of networking bizarre. I mean, a bunch of people gathering together just to chat, and worst of all – I had to pay for it?

However, I kept hearing from others, in workshops and events, the benefits of networking and how it helped their business.

At first, I made all the mistakes that every

one starting out makes and probably still makes – you know, just turning up, telling everyone and anyone you can find about your business only, handing them your business card one by one in the line as you leave the meeting. No communication and no follow-up.

It did not take me long to realise that this method was getting me nowhere and was not just a waste of my time, but my money as well. Then one day, I decided to do the opposite – to stop talking about myself and my business but ask as many questions as possible about the other person and their business.

To my surprise, after about 10 minutes, those people would ask what I do, ask about my business, and invite me to talk about it further. From then on, close to 50 per cent of people would ask for a second follow-up meeting to discuss matters further.

At the second meeting, if I could secure an order, great, but if not, I would ask them whether they knew anyone else I could connect with. Most of the time, I would have a referral to connect with someone else they knew, as well as potential orders.

People will do business with someone whom they trust and like.

Networking is not a silver bullet that will fix your marketing issues in an instant but once you have done it properly, you will reap its benefits immensely.

Why not give it a try?

You’re probably not doing it right!

FESTIVE JOY AT RIVERSIDE

When the idea arose for Ste fanie Caccamo to be a part of ‘Christmas Actually’, she said it was an easy decision to make.

“I was working on ‘Beautiful: The Carole King Musical’ back in 2018 with Naomi Price, and she mentioned she was writing this Christmas show with her writing partner Adam Brunes, and it just sounded amazing,” she said.

“‘Love Actually’ is one of my favourite Christ mas movies, and to do the music from it – the music’s iconic! It was a no-brainer, working with my friends, and then singing some of the best music from my fave Christmas movie.”

‘Christmas Actually’ sees the world’s most beloved movie soundtrack come to life on stage, complete with an all-star cast, endless fun, and more than a few nativity lobsters.

Stefanie performed in both the 2018 and 2019 seasons of the show. Though she hasn’t been able to join the cast for the past two years due to COVID, she remembers her last shows like it was yesterday.

“It went off, I couldn’t believe it,” she said.

“I was surprised but not surprised, because it’s one of those Christmas films that most people put on every single year because it’s got amazing actors in it, and we can all really relate to all of the different storylines.”

It’s for this reason that she couldn’t be more excited to return to the stage alongside Mat Verevis, Joshua Robson, and Libby O’Dono

van at Parramatta’s Riverside Theatre later this month.

“It’s honestly one of my favourite shows to perform in, because the music’s great, I love the film, and it’s just fun performing with your friends, and performing for people who are just there to have such a great time,” she said.

“It’s super relaxed and fun, there’s not a lot of pressure, so I’m over the moon to be doing it again.”

Something Stefanie has learned along the way is that the “crazy, fun, ridiculous show” she’s performing in has meaning beyond the obvious, with everyone in every audience finding a storyline to connect to.

“I think people were surprised, because it’s a lot of fun, and the music’s great, but towards the end of the show, it’s actually really beau

tiful and sometimes heartbreaking,” she said.

“A lot of us are away from our families some times at Christmas, we live in different places, and there’s this really beautiful moment in the show where we do that part in the film where it’s the cards and Keira Knightly’s reading, and I remember people finding it quite hard-hit ting and emotional.”

With all the best and worst elements of Christmas wrapped up in one show, Stefanie said ‘Christmas Actually’ is the best possible way to enter the silly season.

‘Christmas Actually’ will be on at Riverside Theatre in Parramatta on Thursday, Novem ber 24 and Friday, November 25 at 7.30pm. Tickets start at $51. For more information, visit riversideparramatta.com.au or call (02) 8839 3399.

CASSIDY PEARCE

THINGS TO DO

Engaging exhibition comes to an end

This weekend, Artspace will be wrapping up their highly suc cessful ‘52 Actions’ national tour at Penrith Regional Gallery. Witness the artists’ actions as they engage with and respond to cues from the local community and speak to critical global concerns including systemic discrimination, climate change, forced migration and colonial legacies. Finishes Sunday.

BARGAIN BUYS

Op Shop at Kingswood

Thursdays and Fridays, 9am to 3.30pm. Kingswood Anglican Church, corner of Bringelly Road and Second Avenue, Kingswood.

Morning tea every Friday morning.

Penrith Markets

Wednesdays. Penrith Showground.

BUSINESS

Penrith Valley Chamber of Commerce Regular events.

For more information about membership and upcoming events, visit www.penrithchamber.org.au.

CLASSES AND FUN

Sunset Station Singers

Mondays 7pm, St Marys RSL. Rhonda 0408 218 965.

The Sunset Station Singers entertain residents mainly in nursing homes. The song list is over 130 songs, ranging from their old time favourites to more current songs.

Free weekly Tai Chi classes

Saturdays 4.30pm, WSU Kingswood Campus. Guan 0422 120 738.

Tai chi and qiqong exercise.

This Friday, November 18, the world’s funniest hypnotist will be taking to the EVAN Theatre stage. Known for his work on ‘The Footy Show’, and from his own series, ‘Mesmerised’, Peter Powers has been recognised as one of the best in the business, delighting in the antics of his hapless volunteers almost as much as his audiences do. Head to penrith.panthers.com.au.

COMMUNITY GROUPS

Penrith Rotary Club

Mondays 6.30pm. 0416 157 668.

New members welcome. The Rotary Club generally meets at Penrith Bowling Club.

Penrith Lions Club

Second and fourth Monday of the month. Penrith Bowling Club. 4736 1546. For more information about membership and upcoming events, visit the Lions on Facebook.

Cambridge Park Lions Club

Second and fourth Tuesday of the month. Henry Sports Club. Call 0484 003 571 for details.

Jordan Springs Probus Club

Fourth Tuesday of the month at 10am, Jordan Springs Hub. 0402 699 611.

Penrith Hospital Auxiliary Craft stall at Nepean Hospital on the second Tuesday of each month from 9am-2pm. Volunteers needed. Call Helen on 4572 5244.

COMMUNITY SERVICES

JP Service

Tuesday and Thursday 9am-5pm. 7/458-470 High Street, Penrith.

JP Service

Victor Glanville – 0416 157 668.

Nepean Food Services

Huge wrestling event at the Gaels Club

Calling all wrestling enthusiasts! On Sunday, November 20, the Wrestle Strong Dojo will be celebrating their three year anni versary with a spectacular wrestling event held at the Penrith Gaels club at 3pm. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see award-winning international wrestling superstars. To purchase tickets, book through Moshtix by visiting wsdojo.com.au.

Penrith Stroke Recovery Group

Third Thursday of the month at 10am, Panthers. 1300 650 594.

Delivered meals available to purchase for those over 65 or with a disability. Call 4733 7200 for details or visit www.nepeanfoodservices.org.au.

MUSEUMS

Penrith Museum of Printing Sundays from 10am. Penrith Paceway. 0415 625 573 for more information.

Nepean Naval Museum Open Sundays 11am-3pm. 40-42 Bruce Neale Drive. 0411 138 700.

The Nepean Naval Museum opened in 2014 and is the area’s first museum dedicated to the naval forces. The Museum houses a collection of Naval forces memorabilia.

Arms of Australia Inn Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 10am-1pm, 4735 4394. 127 Gardenia Avenue, Emu Plains. A great place to discover the local history of Penrith

SUPPORT GROUPS

Alcoholics Anonymous Mondays 6pm. 1300 222 222.

Gamblers Anonymous Mondays 7.30pm. 0433 018 484.

Penrith Carer Support Group

First Thursday of the month. Headspace. 8880 8160.

Penrith Men’s Walk and Talk Thursdays from 5.30pm. Meet at Coffee Club Nepean River.

Nepean Puffers & Wheezers 1800 654 301.

Penrith Women’s Health Centre Domestic violence support services. 4721 2499.

Relationships Australia Counselling for individuals, couples and families. Domestic violence support group also available. 4728 4800. 340 High Street, Penrith.

Crisis Sexual Assault Service 24/7 support available for any sexual assault that has occurred in the last seven days. 4734 2000.

Lifeline: 13 11 14.

Peter Powers live in Penrith

The Acting Factory Inc in Conjunction with The Henry Lawson Theatre will be bringing back the infamous ‘rag and bone’ father and son team from the 60’s and 70’s for six shows of ‘Steptoe & Son’, opening at The Henry Lawson Club later this month.

‘Steptoe and Son’, written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, was a classic BBC comedy sitcom that ran from 1962 to 1965, followed by a second run from 1970 to 1974.

The show follows father and son duo Albert and Howard, who are caught in an unresolv able love/hate relationship as they peddle their junk trade around Shepherd’s Bush in West London.

The Acting Factory Inc will be reuniting leading cast members Robin Royce Queree, who also takes on the role of director, and Scott Clarke from the 2016 and 2017 performances, ably supported by industry veterans Graham Fairbrother and John Bell to fill the cast.

“We get great enjoyment performing stage adaptations of classic British sitcoms and we are confident we can pull it off again,” Mr Bell said.

“From costumes to set, the audience will be transported to 24 Oil Drum Lane, Shep herds Bush”.

‘Steptoe and Son’ will be on at The Henry Lawson Club in Werrington from Friday, November 25. Tickets start at $20. To purchase tickets, head to trybooking.com/ CCFXW.

The best in burlesque are making their way west this weekend, when ‘Hot Mess Burlesque’ takes on The Joan in Penrith.

‘Hot Mess Burlesque’ is a cabaret show like no other. The event will be headlined by 21st Century Burlesque Top 50 internationally ranked burlesque star, Gina Stirling.

Coming all the way from Melbourne, the adult-only show will be Gina’s first visit to Sydney, after performing internationally in cabaret and burlesque for over a decade.

The show also features a diverse cast of

Whether you’re a keen burlesque enthusiast, or someone wanting to see a burlesque show for the very first time, ‘Hot Mess Burlesque’ is the opportunity of a lifetime, and not one to be missed.

‘Hot Mess Burlesque’ will be on at The Joan on Saturday, November 19 at 8pm. Tickets are $40 concession, $45 standard, or $55 for front row centre. For more information or to book, head to thejoan.com.au, or call 4723 7600.

burlesque stars, including Canberra’s Sian Brigid, Blue Mountains local, Porcelain Doll, and western Sydney star Debbie Does, to showcase the beauty of the art form that is burlesque.

CASSIDY PEARCE

CASSIDY PEARCE

In 2018, the release of ‘Black Panther’ was revolutionary for Marvel, as well as for cine ma as a whole, earning itself three Academy Awards – being the first superhero film to re ceive a Best Picture nomination, and the first MCU film to win several categories.

After the sudden and devastating passing of titular character actor Chadwick Boseman from colon cancer just two years later, many had reservations about the sequel, ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’. But, it more than stepped up to the plate.

In the new film, T’Challa’s mother, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), has taken the throne, with a strong team of women behind her, including her daughter Shuri (Letitia Wright) and a young scientist, soon to be in troduced as Ironheart (Dominique Thorne), left to fight for Wakanda in the midst of a

grief-ridden period for all.

Instead of backing away from the inevita ble somber undertones, the film leans into the grief experienced by the characters, ac tors, and audience members alike, to create a sense of emotional depth, unlike any Marvel film before it.

With a storyline keeping audience members on the edge of their seats for the lengthy film, coupled with a beautiful score and visuals, the film created a cinema experience which many Marvel fans will only find reminiscent of last year’s blockbuster, ‘Spiderman: No Way Home’.

‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ is not only a stunning tribute to the life and lega cy of Chadwick Boseman, but a thrilling and unique addition to the MCU.

– Cassidy Pearce

movie at...

www.hoyts.com.au

Ê John Bradley, Golden Globe winner and three-time EMMY award nominee Joanne Froggatt, Kirsty Sturgess, Dan Spielman, Rob Carlto and Matt Passmore headline ‘North Shore’, the six-part crime thriller that is coming to Channel 10. Set on and around Sydney Harbour, ‘North Shore’ follows the clash of cultures when British and Austral ian detectives team up to solve a complex murder mystery and uncover a conspiracy with international political consequences. The show will air next year and has recently started filming in Sydney.

Ê Channel Nine will soon announce just who will replace Tracy Grimshaw on ‘A Cur rent Affair’. ‘Today’ co-host Allison Langdon remains the favourite, but the big talk is that Deborah Knight could leave her 2GB after noons program and front the prime time TV slot. That would give 2GB a completely fresh afternoon roster from next year, with Chris O’Keefe announced as Jim Wilson’s replace ment on Drive.

Ê SBS will air a new daily show ‘World Cup Daily’ during the upcoming FIFA World Cup. It will air at 5.30pm each day from Tuesday, November 22.

PEPSI, WHERE’S MY JET?, NETFLIX

Ê Netflix has just premiered a documentary focused on the remarkable story of a 1996 American competition entrant, who took on soft drink giant Pepsi over a joke that 7,000,000 “Pepsi points” could be traded for a fighter jet. ‘Pepsi, Where’s My Jet’ follows college student John Leonard, who called Pepsi’s bluff at the height of the cola wars and hatched a plan to earn enough points to get the jet – something Pepsi thought impos sible. The documentary is now showing on Netflix.

Ê Directed and produced by Australian Nick Sweeney, ‘Santa Camp’ follows one organisa tion’s journey to incorporate more diversity in the Santa industry. The documentary film premieres Friday, November 25 at 9.30pm on Foxtel. Nick Sweeney, director and producer said: “This film was a joy to make. I learned that being Santa is not easy, especially when you’re not a cookie-cutter Claus. Docu menting the inspiring way our protagonists overcame the challenges thrown their way proved to me that being Santa is about what’s

in

Ê A brand new period drama is landing on Foxtel next week. ‘Marie Antoinette’ tells the story of the incredibly modern and avant-garde young queen, played by Emilia Schüle. The eight-episode series will be avail able to watch on Tuesday, November 22 from 4.00pm on Foxtel.

Ê The long-awaited brand new season of ‘Yellowstone’ has landed on streaming ser vice Stan this week. The fifth season of the acclaimed SAG and PGA nominated series sees John Dutton (Oscar winner Kevin Cost ner) take office as the Governor of Montana, with the Dutton family fighting a war from all sides. Power has a price. What are the Duttons willing to pay? New episodes drop at 9pm each Monday, fast-tracked from the United States.

Ê Nathan Taylor is on leave.

your heart, and that there’s room for everyone in one of the world’s most popular traditions.”

NORTH SHORE, CHANNEL 10

Troy Dodds

5:00 The Flamin’ Thongs 5:25 Kung Fu Panda: Legends Of Awesomeness (PG) 6:00 So Awkward 6:30 Operation Ouch! 7:00 Horrible Histories (PG) 7:40 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: In Dreams (PG) 8:00 The Penguins Of Madagascar

Saturday 19 November 1:30 Master Build (PG) 4:30 TBA 5:00 Horse Racing *Live* 6:00 TBA 6:30 The Yorkshire Vet (PG) 8:30 Escape To The Country 10:30 I Escaped To The Country 11:30 Alan Carr’s Adventures With Agatha Christie (PG)

TV Guide: November 18–24

Your

6:00 Sunrise 9:00 The Morning Show 11:30 Seven Morning News 12:00 Movie: “Fugitive At 17” (M) (’12) Stars: Marie Avgeropoulos 2:00 House Of Wellness (PG) 3:00 The Chase UK (PG) 4:00 Seven News At 4 5:00 TBA 6:00 Seven News 7:00 Better Homes And Gardens 8:30 Movie: “Pretty Woman” (M l) (’90) Stars: Julia Roberts 11:05 TBA 1:00 Home Shopping

3:00 STIHL Timber sports (PG) 3:30

Cricket: WBBL: Adelaide v Hobart *Live* 7:00

Cricket: WBBL: Sydney Sixers v Sydney Thunder *Live* 10:00 Movie: “Godzilla: King Of The Monsters” (M l,v) (’19) Stars: Kyle Chandler

3:00

6:00 rage (PG) 7:00 Weekend Breakfast 9:00 rage (PG) 10:30 rage Guest Programmer (PG) 12:00 ABC News 12:30 Vera: Natural Selection (PG) 2:00 Midsomer Murders: Murder By Magic (PG) 3:30 Stuff The British Stole (PG) 3:55 Spicks And Specks (PG) 4:45 Landline 5:10 Dubboo: Life Of A Songman 6:10 Secrets Of The Museum 7:00 ABC News 7:30 Doc Martin (PG) 8:20 Shetland (M l) 9:20 Significant Others (M d,l) 10:10 Des (M l)

5:30 Hardball 5:55 The Inbestigators 6:35 Built To Survive 7:00 Secrets Of Skin (PG) 7:40 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (PG) 8:00 The Penguins Of Madagascar 8:25 Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs (PG) 8:45 Danger Mouse 9:00 Find Me In Paris

3:00

6:00 Today 9:00 Today Extra 11:30 NINE’s Morning News 12:00 Movie: “Just For The Summer” (PG) (’20) Stars: Brant Daugherty 1:50 Garden Gurus Moments 2:00 Pointless (PG) 3:00 Tipping Point (PG) 4:00 NINE’s

Afternoon News 5:00 Millionaire Hot Seat 6:00 NINE News 7:00 A Current Affair (PG) 7:30 Taronga: Who’s Who In The Zoo (PG) 8:30 Movie: “Bridget Jones’s Baby” (M l,s) (’16) Stars: Renée Zellweger 10:30 Movie: “Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past” (M s) (’09)

3:00 The Simpsons (PG) 4:05 Movie: “Gremlins 2: The New Batch” (PG) (’90) Stars: Phoebe Cates Kline 6:20 Movie: “Pixels” (PG) (’15) Stars: Kevin James 8:30 Movie: “We Bought A Zoo” (PG) (’11) Stars: Matt Damon

4:35 Spartakus And The Sun Beneath The Sea 5:00 Our Stories 5:30 NITV News: Nula 6:00 Bamay (PG) 6:40 Land Of Primates (PG) 7:30 Barrumbi Kids (PG) 8:00 Movie: “The Silver Brumby” (PG) (’93) Stars: Caroline Goodall

5:30 Hugh’s Three Hungry Boys 6:30 Gourmet Farmer 7:00 The Cook Up With Adam Liaw 7:30 Rick Stein’s Cornwall 8:00 Cook Like An Italian With Silvia Colloca 8:30 Curtis Stone’s Travel, Cook, Repeat 9:30 Come Dine With Me UK

12:00 NCIS: Los Angeles (PG) 1:00 NCIS: New Orleans (PG) 2:00 Bull (PG) 3:00 Bondi Rescue (PG) 3:30 The Love Boat (PG) 4:30 Star Trek: The Next Generation (PG) 5:30 MacGyver (PG) 7:30 NCIS (M) 8:30 NCIS: Los Angeles (PG)

4:15 PBS Newshour 5:15 Shortland (PG) 5:45 The Joy Of Painting With Bob Ross 6:15 Forged In Fire (PG) 7:05 Jeopardy! (PG) 7:30 NITV News Update 7:35 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown (M l,s) 8:30 Hoarders (M l)

6:00 Home Shopping 7:00 Weekend Sunrise 10:00 The Morning Show Weekend 12:00 Seven’s Horse Racing: Kembla Grange/ Ballarat/ Sunshine Coast *Live* 5:00 Seven News At 5 5:30 Border Security - Australia’s Front Line (PG) 6:00 Seven News 7:00 Border Security Australia’s Front Line (PG) 7:30 Movie: “Aquaman” (M) (’18) Stars: Jason Momoa 10:20 Movie: “Anna” (MA15+) (’19) Stars: Sasha Luss 1:00 Home Shopping

10:00 Today Extra Saturday 12:00 Our State On A Plate 12:30 Cross Court 1:00 Drive TV 1:30 My Way 2:00 The 56th

Annual Country Music Association Awards 4:00 Destination Australia 4:30 The Garden Gurus 5:00 NINE News: First At Five 5:30 Getaway (PG) 6:00 NINE News Saturday 7:00 A Current Affair (PG) 7:30 Movie: “The Bourne Identity” (M l,v) (’02) Stars: Adewale Akinnuoye Agbaje 9:45 Movie: “The Bourne Supremacy” (M l,v) (’04) Stars: Brian Cox

2:55 Movie: “Gremlins 2: The New Batch” (PG) (’90) Stars: Phoebe Cates Kline 5:10 Movie: “Surf’s Up” (G) (’07) Stars: James Woods 7:00 Movie: “Enchanted” (G) (’07) Stars: Amy Adams 9:10 Movie: “Willow” (PG) (’88)

5:30 Power To The People (PG) 6:00 Pacific Island Food Revolution 6:50 NITV News Update 7:00 On Country Kitchen (PG) 7:35 Bears: The Ultimate Survivors (PG) 8:30 Movie: “Narrow Margin” (M) (’90) Stars: Gene Hackman

4:30 Weekend Breaks With Gregg Wallace 5:30 Spaghetti And Noodles 6:30 Ainsley’s Good Mood Food 7:30 Destination Flavour Japan 8:30 Jamie’s American Road Trip 9:30 Eat Me: Or Try Not To 10:30 Anthony Bourdain

6:00 rage (PG) 7:00 Weekend Breakfast 9:00 Insiders 10:00 Offsiders 10:30 The World This Week 11:00 Compass 11:30 Songs Of Praise 12:00 ABC News 12:30 Landline 1:30 Gardening Australia 2:30 Question Everything 3:00 Magda’s Big National Health Check 4:10 The Pacific - In The Wake Of Captain Cook With Sam Neill 4:55 Art Works 5:25 Antiques Roadshow 6:25 Frankly (PG) 7:00 ABC News Sunday 7:30 Death In Paradise (PG) 6:00 Home Shopping 7:00 Weekend Sunrise 10:00 The Morning ShowWeekend (PG) 12:00 House Of Wellness (PG) 1:00 Border Security International (PG) 1:30 Cricket: WBBL: Sydney Sixers v Hobart *Live* 5:00 Seven News At 5 5:30 Sydney Weekender 6:00 Seven News 7:00 Kath & Kim: Our Effluent Life (PG) 8:10 Australia’s Got Talent (PG) 9:40 Greatest ABBA Covers Versions Ever (PG) 11:00 The Front Bar (M) 12:00 World’s Deadliest (M) 10:00 Sports Sunday

(PG)

5:00 Worldwatch 9:05 Peer To Peer (PG) 10:05 Living With The Boss (M) 11:05 Good With Wood (PG) 12:00 Worldwatch 2:00 The Day Kennedy Died (PG) 3:00 NITV News: Nula 3:40 The Cook Up With Adam Liaw (PG) 4:10 Tony Robinson’s World By Rail: Russia (PG) 5:05 Jeopardy! (PG) 5:30 Letters And Numbers 6:00 Mastermind (PG) 6:30 SBS World News 7:35 Tutankhamun The Last Exhibition (M) 9:05 Good With Wood (PG) 10:00 Raiders Of The Lost Art

11:30 The King Of Queens (PG) 12:30 Frasier (PG) 1:30 Seinfeld (PG) 3:00 The King Of Queens (PG) 4:00 Becker (PG) 5:00 Frasier (PG) 6:00 Friends (PG) 8:00 The Big Bang Theory (PG) 9:30 Mom (M d,s) 11:00 Frasier (PG)

4:00 That 70’s Show (PG) 4:30 Everybody Loves Raymond (PG) 5:30 Movie: “The Pink Panther” (PG) (’06) Stars: Steve Martin 7:30 Movie: “Pitch Perfect 3” (PG) (’17) Stars: Anna Kendrick 9:25 Movie: “Step Up” (PG) (’06)

9:00 Australia By Design 9:30 Studio 10: Saturday 12:00 The Living Room (PG) 1:00

My Market Kitchen 1:30 Healthy Homes Australia 2:00 Well Traveller 2:30 Cook With Luke 3:00 What’s Up Down Under 3:30

Everyday Gourmet 4:00 Farm To Fork 4:30

Taste Of Australia 5:00 10 News First 6:00

Bondi Rescue (PG) 7:00 Jamie’s One-Pan Wonders 7:30 Blue Bloods (M) 8:30 CSI: Vegas (M v) 9:30 NCIS (M) 10:30 My Life Is Murder (M) 11:30 The Cheap Seats (M)

2:00 A-Leagues All Access (PG) 2:30 Roads Less Travelled 3:00 MacGyver (M) 5:00 Reel Action 5:30 I Fish 6:00 Waltzing Jimeoin (M) 6:30 Scorpion (PG) 7:30 NCIS (M) 8:30 NCIS: Los Angeles (PG) 10:20 MacGyver (M)

4:30 Mastermind Australia 5:30 Vs. Arashi 6:25 Speed With Guy Martin (PG) 7:30 Impossible Engineering (PG) 8:30 Mad Max Fans: Beyond The Wasteland (M) 10:20 Kids Raising Kids (M d,l) 11:25 Vikings (MA15+)

3:40 Movie: “Dentist On The Job” (PG) (’61)

Stars: Bob Monkhouse 5:30 Murder, She Wrote (PG) 6:30 Antiques Roadshow 7:30 Antiques Downunder (PG) 8:00 Antiques Roadshow Detectives (PG) 8:40 Movie: “Tears Of The Sun” (M l,v) (’03)

5:00 Worldwatch 9:00 Britain’s Great Outdoors 10:00 The World From Above (PG) 11:00 Paul O’Grady For The Love Of Dogs (PG) 12:00 Worldwatch 2:00

Motorsport: Superbike World Championship Indonesia 3:00 Figure Skating: ISU Grand Prix UK 4:30 Judo 4:35 Raffles: Remaking An Icon (PG) 5:30 Trains At War (PG) (In English/ French) 6:30 SBS World News 7:35 Michael Palin - Travels Of A Lifetime (PG) 8:30 Secrets Of The Royal Palaces (PG)

9:00 Becker (PG) 10:00 Friends (PG) 12:00 The King Of Queens (PG) 1:00 The Real Love Boat Australia (PG) 3:30 TBA 4:30 TBA 5:30 Friends (PG) 6:00 The Big Bang Theory (PG) 10:15 Friends (PG) 12:15 Home Shopping 1:45 Mom (M)

3:10 Movie: “100% Wolf” (PG) (’20) Stars: Loren Gray 5:10 Movie: “Babe” (G) (’95) Stars: James Cromwell 7:00 Movie: “Nanny McPhee” (PG) (’05) Stars: Emma Thompson 9:00 Movie: “Parenthood” (M s) (’89) Stars: Steve Martin

3:20 Movie: “Against The Wind” (PG) (’48)

4:30 Medical Emergency (PG) 5:00 RSPCA Animal Rescue (PG) 5:30 TBA 6:30 Bargain Hunt 7:30 Doc Martin (PG) 8:30 A Touch Of Frost (PG)

12:00 Movie: “Black Hearted Killer” (AKA ‘Fatal Flatline’) (M v) (’20) Stars: Adam Rockoff 2:00 World’s Deadliest (PG) 3:00 The Chase UK (PG) 4:00 Seven News At 4 5:00 The Chase Australia (PG) 6:00 Seven News 7:00 Home And Away (PG) 7:30 Kath & Kim (PG) 8:30 Mrs. Brown’s Boys (M) 10:45 The Latest Seven News

6:00 American Pickers (PG) 7:00 Pawn Stars (PG) 7:30 American Pickers (PG) 8:30 Movie: “Avengers: Endgame” (PG) (’19) Stars: Robert Downey Jr.

6:00 Today 9:00 Today Extra 11:30 NINE’s Morning News 12:00 Lego Masters

Bricksmas Special (PG) 2:00 Pointless (PG) 3:00 Tipping Point (PG) 4:00 NINE’s Afternoon News 5:00 Millionaire Hot Seat 6:00 NINE News 7:00 A Current Affair (PG) 7:30 My Mum, Your Dad (PG) 9:10 TBA 10:10 Suburban Gangsters (M)

6:30 The Simpsons (PG) 7:30 Family Guy (M s) 8:00 American Dad (M) 8:30 Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares (MA15+) 11:30 Say Yes To The Dress

7:00 Odd Squad 7:30 Universe With Brian Cox 8:30 Long Lost Family (PG) 9:20 George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces 10:10 Nude Next Door

5:30 APTN National News 6:00 Bamay 6:45 NITV News Update 6:55 Arctic Secrets (PG) 7:45

Lycett And Wallis (PG) 8:30 Karla Grant Presents (PG)

7:00 The Cook Up With Adam Liaw 7:30 Rick Stein’s Cornwall 8:00 Girls Guide To Hunting Fishing Wild Cooking. 8:30 Jamie & Jimmy’s Food Fight Club

12:00 Dr Phil (M) 1:00 TBA 2:00

Entertainment Tonight 2:30 Good Chef 3:00 Judge Judy (PG) 3:30 My Kitchen 4:00 Farm To Fork 4:30 The Bold And The Beautiful (PG) 5:00 10 News First 6:30 The Project (PG) 7:30 The Challenge Australia (M) 8:30 Ghosts (M) 9:00 FBI: Most Wanted (M) 11:00 The Project (PG)

3:30 The Love Boat (PG) 4:30 Star Trek: The Next Generation (PG) 5:30 MacGyver (PG) 7:30 NCIS (M) 10:20 The Code (M) 11:15 Formula 1 Abu Dhabi

6:15 Forged In Fire (PG) 7:05 Jeopardy! (PG) 7:30 NITV News Update 7:35 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown (M l,s) 8:30 Taskmaster (PG)

6:00 Today 9:00 Today Extra 11:30 NINE’s Morning News 12:00 My Mum, Your Dad (PG) 1:30 My Way (PG) 2:00 Pointless (PG) 3:00 Tipping Point (PG) 4:00 NINE’s Afternoon News 5:00 Millionaire Hot Seat 6:00 NINE News 7:00 A Current Affair (PG) 7:30 My Mum, Your Dad (PG) 9:10 Travel Guides (PG) 10:10 Botched (MA15+)

Robinson’s World By Rail (PG) 5:00 Jeopardy! (PG) 5:30 Letters And Numbers 6:00 Mastermind (PG) 6:30 SBS World News 7:30 Celebrity Letters And Numbers (M) 8:30 Scotland’s Extreme Medics (M l)

2:00 Friends (PG) 3:00 The King Of Queens (PG) 4:00 Becker (PG) 5:00 Frasier (PG) 6:00 Friends (PG) 8:00 The Big Bang Theory (PG) 9:30 Seinfeld (M)

6:00 3rd Rock From The Sun (PG) 6:30 That 70’s Show (PG) 7:00 Young Sheldon (PG) 7:30 The Weakest Link USA (PG) 8:30 Love Island Australia (M)

12:00 Dr Phil (M) 1:00 TBA 2:00 Entertainment Tonight 2:30 Good Chef Bad Chef 3:00 Judge Judy (PG) 3:30 My Market Kitchen 4:00 Farm To Fork 4:30 The Bold And The Beautiful (PG) 5:00 10 News First 6:30 The Project (PG) 7:30 The Challenge Australia (M) 8:30 NCIS: (M v) 10:30 NCIS: Hawaii (M v) 11:30 The Project (PG)

5:00 Good Bones (PG) 6:00 House Hunters International 7:00 House Hunters USA 8:30 No Demo Reno 9:30 Steal This House 10:30 Hot Properties

5:30 Murder, She Wrote (PG) 6:30 Antiques Roadshow 7:30 Death In Paradise (PG) 8:40 The Brokenwood Mysteries (M)

2:30 Football: Group B: England v Iran *Replay* 5:30 Football: FIFA World Cup 2022 Daily World Cup Show 6:00 Football: FIFA World Cup 2022 Preview Show 6:30 SBS World News 7:30 Who Do You Think You Are? (PG) 8:30 Football: Group C: Argentina v Saudi Arabia *Live* 11:30 Football: Group D: Denmark v Tunisia *Live*

(PG) 6:00 Friends (PG) 8:00 The Big Bang Theory (PG) 9:30 Mom (M d,s)

To

7:00 Odd Squad 7:30 Spicks And Specks (PG) 8:00 Would I Lie

7:00 The Cook Up With Adam Liaw 7:30 Rick Stein’s Cornwall 8:00 All Up In My Grill 8:30 BBQ Brawl 9:30 Come Dine With Me UK 10:00 Bizarre Foods

7:00 Football: FIFA World Cup Preview Show 7:30 NITV News Update 7:35 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown (M l,s) 8:30 Alone (M)

7:00 Young Sheldon (PG) 7:30 Botched (M) 8:30 Love Island Australia (M) 9:30 Movie: “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues” (M l,s,v) (’13)

5:30 Murder, She Wrote (PG) 6:30 Antiques Roadshow 7:30 New Tricks (PG) 8:40 The Closer (M) 9:40 Rizzoli & Isles (M v) 10:40 Law & Order: SVU

(MA15+)

Bargain Hunt

Wednesday 23 November 4:30 Medical Emergency (PG) 5:00 RSPCA Animal Rescue 5:30 TBA 6:30

12:00 My Mum, Your Dad (PG) 1:30 Getaway (PG) 2:00 Pointless (PG) 3:00 Tipping Point (PG) 4:00 NINE’s Afternoon News 5:00 Millionaire Hot Seat 6:00 NINE News 7:00 A Current Affair (PG) 8:00 Country Home Rescue With Shaynna Blaze (PG) 9:00 Dream Listings Byron Bay (PG) 10:00 Escape To The Chateau (PG)

6:00 Modern Family (PG) 6:30 The Simpsons (PG) 7:30 Movie: “Night At The Museum: Secret Of The Tomb” (PG) (’14) Stars: Ben Stiller

6:50 NITV News Update 7:00 Arctic Secrets (PG) 7:50 Peckham’s Finest (M) 8:40 High Arctic Haulers (PG) 9:30 To The Ends Of The Earth

12:00 Dr Phil (M) 2:00 Entertainment Tonight 2:30 Good Chef Bad Chef 3:00 Judge Judy (PG) 3:30 My Market Kitchen 4:00 Farm To Fork 4:30 The Bold And The Beautiful (PG) 5:00 10 News First 6:30 The Project (PG) 7:30 Claremont - A Killer Among Us (M) 9:00 My Life Is Murder (M) 10:00 Bull (M) 11:00 The Project (PG)

5:30 MacGyver (PG) 6:30 Bondi Rescue (PG) 7:00 Football: Everton FC v Western Sydney Wanderers *Live* 10:00 Hawaii Five-0 (M)

3:00 The King Of Queens (PG) 4:00 Becker (PG) 5:00 Frasier (PG) 6:00 Friends (PG) 8:00 The Big Bang Theory (M) 9:20 Two And A Half Men (PG)

7:00 The Cook Up With Adam Liaw 7:30 Rick Stein’s Cornwall 8:00 Long Weekend In... With Rory O’Connell 8:30 Gino’s Italian Coastal Escape 12:00 ABC News 1:00 Hard Quiz (PG) 1:30 Question Everything (PG) 2:00 Parliament Question Time 3:00 Gardening Australia 4:10 Long Lost Family (PG) 5:00 Back Roads (PG) 5:30 Hard Quiz (PG) 6:00 The Drum 7:00 ABC News 7:30 7.30 8:00 You Can’t Ask That: Firefighters (M l) 8:35 Q+A 9:40 Baby Surgeons (M)

7:00 Horrible Histories (PG) 7:40 Viv’s Silly Mango (PG) 8:05 The Penguins Of Madagascar 8:30 Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 6:00 ABC Evening News 7:00 ABC National News 7:30 7.30 8:00 ABC News Tonight 8:45 The Business 9:00 ABC Nightly News

7:00 Football: FIFA World Cup Preview Show 7:30 NITV News Update 7:35 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown (M l,s) 8:30 Land Of The Giants 12:00 Movie: “The Lover In The Attic: A True Story” (M) (’18) Stars: Molly Burnett 2:00 Kochie’s Business Builders 2:30 Border Security International (PG) 3:00 The Chase UK (PG) 4:00 Seven News At 4 5:00 The Chase Australia (PG) 6:00 Seven News 7:00 Home And Away (PG) 8:30 The Front Bar (M) 9:30 Kitchen Nightmares Australia

6:00 3rd Rock From The Sun (PG) 6:30 That 70’s Show (PG) 7:00 Young Sheldon (PG) 8:30 Love Island Australia (M) 9:30 Movie: “American Reunion” (M) (’12) 12:00 The Mystery Of Michelle (PG) 1:45 Garden Gurus Moments 2:00 Pointless (PG) 3:00 Tipping Point (PG) 4:00 NINE’s Afternoon News 5:00 Millionaire Hot Seat 6:00 NINE News 7:00 A Current Affair (PG) 7:30 ARIA Awards *Live* (PG) 9:15 TBA 10:15 NINE News Late 10:45 Emergency Call (M) 11:35 Pure Genius (M)

5:30 Murder, She Wrote (PG) 6:30 Antiques Roadshow 7:30 As Time Goes By (PG) 8:50 Midsomer Murders (M) 10:50 Chicago PD (MA15+) 12:00 Dr Phil (M) 1:00 TBA 2:30 Entertainment Tonight 3:00 Judge Judy (PG) 3:30 My Market Kitchen 4:00 Farm To Fork 4:30 The Bold And The Beautiful (PG) 5:00 10 News First 6:30 The Project (PG) 7:30 Claremont - A Killer Among Us (M) 9:00 Law & Order: SVU (M) 10:00 Blue Bloods (M) 11:00 The Project (PG)

6:00 American Pickers (PG) 7:00 Cricket: WBBL: Finals: The Challenger: Teams TBA *Live* 10:30 Movie: “Alex Cross” (M) (’12) Stars: Tyler Perry

6:00 ABC Evening News 7:00 ABC National News 7:30 7.30 8:00 ABC News Tonight 8:45 The Business 9:00 ABC Nightly News

7:30 Movie: “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story” (M l,s) (’04) Stars: Ben Stiller 9:30 Movie: “National Lampoon’s Loaded Weapon 1” (PG) (’93)

5:30 The 77 Percent 6:00 Bamay 6:30 NITV News Update 6:40 Arctic Secrets (PG) 7:30 Going Places With Ernie Dingo (PG) 8:30 Tribal (M d,l,v)

4:30 Star Trek: The Next Generation (PG) 5:30 MacGyver (PG) 6:30 Bondi Rescue (PG) 7:30 NCIS (M) 8:30 Bull (PG) 10:30 The Code (M)

3:00 The King Of Queens (PG) 4:00 Becker (PG) 5:00 Frasier (PG) 6:00 Friends (PG) 8:00 The Big Bang Theory (PG) 9:30 Seinfeld (PG)

2:30 Football: Group E: Germany v Japan *Replay* 5:30 Football: FIFA World Cup 2022 Daily World Cup Show 6:00 Football: FIFA World Cup 2022 Preview Show 6:30 SBS World News 7:30 Arctic Sinkholes (PG) 8:30 Football: Group G: Switzerland v Cameroon *Live* 11:30 Football: Group H: Uruguay v Korea *Live* Thursday 24 November 4:30 Medical Emergency (PG) 5:00 RSPCA Animal Rescue 5:30 TBA 6:30 Bargain Hunt 7:30 Father Brown (M) 8:30 Kavanagh QC (M v)

5:00 House Hunters Renovation 6:00 House Hunters International 7:00 House Hunters USA 7:30 House Hunters International 8:30 Buy It Or Build It 7:00 Horrible Histories (PG) 7:40 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 8:00 The Penguins Of Madagascar 8:25 Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs

7:00 Odd Squad 7:30 Spicks And Specks (PG) 8:30 Would I Lie To You? (PG) 9:00 Starstruck (M l,s) 9:45 Question Everything (PG)

7:00 The Cook Up With Adam Liaw 7:30 Rick Stein’s Cornwall 8:00 Plat Du Tour 8:30 Nadiya’s Fast Flavours 9:00 Gok Wan’s Easy Asian

6:05 Jeopardy! (PG) 6:30 Football: FIFA World Cup 2022 Daily World Cup Show 7:00 Football: FIFA World Cup Preview Show 7:30 NITV News Update

6:00 3rd Rock From The Sun (PG) 6:30 That 70’s Show (PG) 7:00 Young Sheldon (PG) 7:30 Survivor (PG) 8:30 Love Island Australia (M) 9:30 Naked Attraction (M)

5:00 Antiques Roadshow 5:30 Murder, She Wrote (PG) 6:30 Antiques Roadshow 7:30 Grantchester (M) 8:40 Poirot (PG) 10:50 Snapped (M) Programming information correct at time of going to press, changes are at the network’s discretion Prepared by National Typesetting Services

delivered. « the western weekender 41 Friday, November 18, 2022

‘Back To The Future:

Marty and Doc travel from 1985 to what year in the future?

What is the name of the second ‘Harry Potter’ movie?

In ‘National Lampoon’s Euro pean Vacation’, what is the game show called in which the Griswold family win a trip to Europe?

On what special occasion is ‘Die Hard II’ set?

WESTERN SYDNEY PASS

TEST YOUR BRAIN

How to beat Str8ts -

Like Sudoku, no single number can repeat in any row or column. But... rows and columns are divided by black squares into compartments These need to be filled in with numbers that complete a ‘straight’. A straight is a set of numbers with no gaps but can be in any order, e.g. [4,2,3,5]. Clues in black cells remove that number as an option in that row and column, and are not part of any straight. Glance at the solution to see how ‘straights’ are formed.

You can find more help and strategies at www.str8ts.com along with more puzzles, Apple apps and books.

Hexwords

Name the Movie

Kip Moore’s Sydney show

Kip Moore (pictured) has confirmed he’s returning to Australia to perform a headline show in Sydney.

It comes hot on the heels of news that he will perform at the CMC Rocks Festival in Queensland in March.

Kip will be joined at his Hordern Pavilion show on March 16 next year by Randy Houser. Tickets are on sale from 9am on Monday, November 21.

CMA Awards held in Nashville Look away now if you don’t want to know who won the big awards at the CMA Awards in the United States last week. Channel Nine will air the awards this Saturday, November 19 at 2pm.

Luke Combs took out Enter tainer of the Year after another stunning 12 months of music, while Chris Stapleton took out Male Vocalist of the Year.

The big surprise of the night was in the Female Vocalist of the Year category, won by Lainey Wilson who took home the gong ahead of the likes of Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert.

Lainey Wilson also won New Artist of the Year.

Old Dominion took out Vocal Group of the Year, while Brothers Osborne won Duo of the Year.

Luke Combs’ ‘Growin’ Up’ won Album of the Year.

‘The Bobby Bones Show’, which is available in Australia via podcast, won the coveted Broad cast Personality of the Year.

Are you a Western Sydney-based attraction, tourism activity or restaurant and want to be part of the Western Sydney Pass?

Str8ts & Wheel Words brought to you by Western Sydney Pass | info@westernsydneypass.com.au

AQUARIUS

Do you know where you’re heading? With the New Moon highlighting your hopes and wishes zone, you need to make some creative adjustments that will improve your life in 2023. Have the courage to listen to your intuition and follow your dreams. The stars also favour friendships, socialising, entertaining and networking as you mix and mingle with a wide range of people. And the Sun/Jupiter trine is terrific for professional projects and financial matters.

Have you been feeling like a listless and lonely Fish? This week’s stars provide a welcome energy boost that will banish procrastination and fire up your aspirations. The New Moon ignites your ambition, and the Sun/ Jupiter trine stirs your restless wan derlust. So it’s time to expand your mind, spread your wings and plan an adventurous trip. Your motto is from writer George Eliot (who was born on November 22, 1819), “Go forward with a joyful confidence.”

The Sun, Jupiter and the fiery New Moon encourage you to focus on your hopes and dreams for the future. The more ambitious your aspirations, the better! You’ll also shun superficial encounters with other people, pre ferring philosophical conversations with family, friends and colleagues. But remember that mighty Mars (your patron planet) is in retrograde mode until January 12. So smart Rams will try extra hard to be prudent, patient and persistent.

This week Mercury, Venus and the New Moon shine a spotlight on per sonal and shared finances, plus pow er and trust issues. You are pragmatic and have a good business brain – just make sure you’re using it! Ignorance is no excuse. Do all you can to improve your financial literacy ASAP. The Sun/ Jupiter trine is good news for a roman tic relationship, a group project or helping a charitable cause. You’ll find creativity, compassion and kindness will take you far.

VIRGO

Prepare for a relationship renais sance as Mercury (your power plan et), Venus and the New Moon kickstart your love life. Attached Twins will shift into a new phase of an estab lished partnership. Unhappily single? You could meet someone special and go on a first date. But remember Mars is reversing through your sign until January 12. So make sure you eat well, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, and do all you can to conserve energy and boost vitality.

With Mercury, Venus and the New Moon activating your wellbeing zone, it’s time to improve your diet and get your body moving via a gym member ship, a new exercise program or a vig orous workout in the great outdoors. Spend some quality time savouring the splendour of the natural world as you go walking, hiking or biking in the local parks, bush, mountains or open plains. As entertainer (and birthday great) Bjork observes. “Nature is our chapel.”

The New Moon encourages you to tap into your inner muse and be the talented Cat you were born to be. As Madonna (a fellow Lion) sings, “Ex press Yourself”. But don’t let imagina tive daydreams turn into escapist de lusions, as Mars reverses through your hopes and wishes zone. With help from the buoyant Sun/Jupiter trine, it’s time to cast off creative blocks and confusing misconceptions. Express the authentic you and shine your Leo light for the world to see!

With proactive Mars reversing through your career zone, a profes sional relationship could end up in a confusing mess if you misread each other’s words, actions or motives. So avoid jumping to conclusions and (when in doubt) don’t hesitate to ask for clarification. The Mercury/Venus conjunction and the New Moon (in your domestic zone) favour social ising with family members and en joying the simple pleasures of home sweet home.

The fiery New Moon signals a fresh start involving a neighbour or a fam ily member. Mercury and Venus also encourage you to hold out the olive branch of peace as you crank up your diplomatic skills, sympathise and compromise. Creative communica tion and smart negotiation are the secrets to smooth partnerships, as you take the time to talk things through. You could also make plans to study, teach, travel or undertake community service in 2023.

The New Moon stimulates your money and self-esteem zone. So take a long look at your bank balance, basic values, life philosophy and future as pirations. And how much do you tru ly value your authentic self, Scorpio? Remember, there is just no substitute for healthy core self-esteem. Draw in spiration from actress Goldie Hawn (who celebrates her 77th birthday on Monday). “I want to dig deep and ask – Who am I? What do I have to offer? What do I have to learn?”

With the Sun/Jupiter trine and the New Moon in your sign, shake off the shackles of other people’s expecta tions and instead, be the authentically real you. Draw inspiration from birth day great Goldie Hawn, “The only thing that will make you happy is be ing happy with who you are.” But Mars is reversing through your love zone, so expect some relationship setbacks along the way. Smart Sagittarians will amp up the diplomacy and tone down the drama.

Courtesy of the positive Sun/Jupiter connection, you’re at your powerful and persuasive best as you make a presentation or influence your peer group in an inspiring way. But don’t let negative self-talk sabotage your plans (and confidence) over the next few days. You could also be surround ed by intrigue and gossip, as secrets that were previously hidden rise to the surface. Make sure you handle any sensitive information with Capricorn style and discretion.

Pyometra: Serious and avoidable

Pyometra is a serious infection of the uterus that results in the accumulation of pus within the cavity of the uterus. It is generally seen in older female cats and dogs who have not been desexed. Unfortunately, many of our pets have not been desexed during the previous year’s COVID lockdown periods and we have seen an increased number of female dogs presenting with this condition that often requires emergency surgery.

Pyometras can become life threat ening especially if the uterus ruptures inside the body. Untreated pyometra can cause dehydration, kidney failure and eventual death from infection and toxin accumulation.

What causes a pyometra? Each time a dog has a season (generally twice a year), she undergoes hormonal changes. These changes affect the uterus and cervix and make infection more likely. Infection is usually caused by a very common organism called E. Coli. The disease usually becomes apparent several weeks or months following heat.

What are the signs of pyometra? Pyometra is obviously only seen in females and can occur at any age but more commonly occurs in dogs over the age of six. Early signs can be subtle and could just include increased licking around the back end or just being a bit

tired and not as hungry as usual. In the advanced stages you may notice that she drinks lots of water and sometimes you may even find a reddish-brown discharge coming from the back end. Some dogs will have a distended abdo men and become very depressed and tired.

How is pyometra diagnosed? A good history is generally suggestive of pyometra but x-rays/ultrasound and blood tests are generally needed to confirm the diagnosis and assess how sick the dog is. Once the diagnosis has been confirmed, the best treatment option is surgical removal of the ovaries and uterus as soon as possible. Some animals are too sick for an anaesthetic and need to be stabilised prior to surgery.

Can it be prevented? Yes! The only way to prevent this condition is by having your dog desexed. If you are not intending to breed your dog, then she should be desexed at any time from six months of age. Not only does desexing prevent pyometra and cancers of the reproductive tract, but if you get your female dog desexed before her first season then this reduces the chance of breast cancer developing later in life by 90 percent.

If you have any questions about desex ing your pet, please contact your vet.

Pet of the Week

Dealing with a common pain issue

Some of us may have experi enced or even heard of a pain and tenderness along the tendons at the base of the thumb that can travel up the forearm. Pain will be felt when performing certain actions with our thumb and wrist like lifting a saucepan, chopping food on a board with a kitchen knife, hammering or even using your thumbs to text on your phone etc.

What is that condition called and caused by?

This description is known as ‘De Quervains Tenosynovitis’ which is a repetitive strain injury to the two tendons of the wrist muscles that move our thumb to the hand and away from the hand like you do when texting on your phone. Over use of those muscles from activities like mentioned above will cause irritation and inflammation to the sheaths that cover the tendons. Some noticeable swelling may even be present at the base of the thumb. How your massage therapist can help you

Massage techniques such as lymphatic drainage can help to drain the swelling and inflamma tion that is trapped in the tendons.

Removing the inflammatory

mediators (chemicals that bring on the inflammatory response) can alleviate pain. Circulatory massage can increase blood flow to promote healing. Deep tissue techniques can soften and release the connective tissue around the injury site to help take pressure off the tendons and as well as breaking down the scar tissue that may have formed in that area.

Other methods to help it

Applying ice to the injury from when the pain flares up, advice on activity modification in the work place as well as wrist stretches are some self-care recommendations that can be suggested.

If the issue is not responding well to massage treatment, then reme dies such as anti-inflammatory medication or even surgery can be options that can be discussed with your doctor.

TALKING TECH

Storing your memories in the cloud

With the increasing number of videos, photos and documents that different family members create, I am often asked how we can store all of this information. Last week I looked at a Network Attached Storage (NAS) solution at home. This week I will look at some of the benefits and advantages of cloud options. This article looks primar ily at home solutions, but all of the solutions also have small business or enterprise solutions. The below solutions offer free and paid plans. While there are many solutions, I will limit this to the most popular and well-known solutions. Things the solutions all have in common include:

• Allowing family members to keep all their files in a central storage area, accessible from anywhere on any device;

• All the solutions discussed below take security seriously and have 256bit encryption to ensure the safety of your data;

• If you have an Internet connec tion, you can access the data;

• All can be linked with your mobile devices to upload your files and photos automatically.

Dropbox – is one of the leaders in

file storage and collaboration. The free plan is 2GB for a single user only. The family plan costs $330 a year with 2GB of storage and up to

six users. It makes it one of the more expensive solutions.

Microsoft Onedrive – integrates and works flawlessly with Windows.

Also, it supports iOS, Mac and Android. The individual plan offers 5GB of storage for free. The family plan costs just over $129 a year with

6GB of Storage and up to six users. The family plan includes Word, Excel, Powerpoint and Outlook applications for all six users.

Google Drive / Photos – The indi vidual plan offers 15GB of storage for free and is used throughout the whole Google platform, including Drive and Photos. It can be shared with up to five additional users. Upgrades to additional data are low cost and range from $25 for 100GB to $315 for 5TB annually.

iCloud – Aimed at Apple users but can be accessed from Windows. Collaboration and sharing work best with users who have Apple IDs. It has 5GB free, 50GB for $1 a month and 2TB for $10 a month.

What you choose is individually up to you.

Google and Apple are the most cost-effective. If you don’t have a lot of data, then the Microsoft solution that includes Office is also great. Personally, I have a NAS box at home for my storage solution (see last week), but I also use Google Drive / Photos with the 100GB data option. It allows the family to have their phones upload photos and videos to Google automatically, protecting against data loss from the loss of the phone.

BATHURST

Words: Scott McRae | Photos: Scott McRae | More Info: www.thetravellingguy.com

Does Bathurst suffer from the middle child syndrome? You know the feeling – over-shadowed by the media and tourism attention that seems to be directed towards fellow central west sibling Orange, or the attention Mudgee is attracting?

In a way I believe it does and that’s probably, partly our fault. I have friends that have made the Bathurst region home and they often talk up many diverse and interesting reasons for me to visit and write a story, because as they protested, “there’s more to Bathurst than bloody Mount Panorama you know!”.

Being a persuasively easy drive from many surrounding big cities it made complete sense that I venture over the mountains to see if I too had not given Bathurst a fair go as a holiday destination.

Not knowing a great deal about Australia’s oldest inland city, I thought it best that I engage the services of someone who did, and Bathurst Tours (www.bathursttours.com. au) had been recommended as the perfect provider of a diverse range of experiences that would give me the ultimate complete overview.

When hosting my travel shows I have dealt with many touring companies of varying styles and on most occasions have found them to be well connected to their product, knowledgeable on the subject matter and for me the most important element, engaging and fun to be with. Bathurst Tours certainly ticked all the boxes and even though they are a fairly young operation the passion and knowledge that exuded for their region was contagious.

An extension of Bathurst Community Trans

port has blossomed into the current venture Bathurst Tours and Kathryn, Domino and the team certainly have embraced the diversifica tion of the business. From what I experienced it seems like it as a natural progression.

I was blessed to participate in a few of their offerings and each tour was not only an insight into a different slice of the Bathurst persona, but also an opportunity to discover its many hidden gems and delightfully rich history.

Wine and more

Yes, we all know about those above-men tioned siblings and yes with good reason. Bathurst however has some special vineyards of its own in the region and the best way to enjoy a tasting without the fear of blowing the bag is with Bathurst Tours.

Not only does it visit some of the area’s wineries, Bathurst is like many locations around the country embracing the art of distilling and part of our adventure included a very educational and palate pleasing visit to Bathurst Grange Distillery where some pleas ing gins and whiskies are being procured.

Our tasting and luncheon platter escapade at Vale Creek Wines was not only a taste sensation, our host and owner of the property Gerard Woods was such an engaging host that I really could have spent more time there. A man with a background in the Sydney corpo rate world combined with a first-grade rugby union past oozed likeability and you can tell that he is right at home with his piece of Terra Firma and his Italian style variables. One not to be missed.

Garden delights Garden tours might not be on the top of many lists but a private tour of the majestic Mayfield Gardens is a definite must do. This parcel of Bathurst country is really something to behold and when you visit with the team you get into some of the hidden treasures that the general public never get to see and if I was more of a green thumb or an aficionado of the plant world I could express myself more succinctly here. I will just say flora lover or not, you will be appreciative of a visit here.

History galore

Being the oldest inland city in the country it’s only natural that it encompasses an abun dance of historical brilliance, and luckily for lovers of historic architecture Bathurst has embraced and preserved much of theirs.

With our driver and guide and his amazing knowledge of the area, buildings and general history, it was a feast for the mind and the eyes alike. Such a terrific experience and one that will give an understanding of the rich history that embodies the city. A standout for me was Abercrombie House.

Stay

There are an abundance of accommodation choices available in the Bathurst region, rang

ing from easy going pub rooms to farm stays, motels and more.

But if you feel the urge to spoil yourself in 5-star style while experiencing Aussie history and New York vibes then The Wool Store (pictured left) is certainly one to consider.

Originally built in 1875 The Wool Store has been transformed into breathtaking 5-star New York style industrial feel accommodation house that oozes cool and comfort. Third generation sheep farmer Hamish Keith and his wife Mez have created a real slice of bril liance here and with pure determination and hard work the results are that which I would personally love you to experience.

There is a four-bedroom penthouse and loft, five apartments – a mix of one and two-bed

room units and studios, so you will definitely find one to suit your needs.

Getting there

Just ove three hours from Sydney, Canberra and Wollongong and a little over two from Penrith, it really should be a location that you give a little extra thought to.

A weekend stay sounds perfect. A midweek stay even more appealing as accommodation rates are always more alluring and Bathurst Tours can get access to many operators any day of the week.

Next time you are thinking about the Central West, make sure you give Bathurst a little love too.

It is indeed more than the location of a famous car race.

MATTERS

Divorce and self-managed super

Self-managed superannuation funds (SMSF) have a lot of complexities that are often overlooked when established. One such area that is virtually never consid ered upfront is, what happens to the SMSF in the event of divorce?

For most SMSFs, the husband and wife are both members of the fund. The trustees are usually either the husband and wife, or a corporate trustee with husband and wife as the directors. The end result of this is that, in order to operate the SMSF, both husband and wife are required to authorise all actions of the fund.

This can make operation of the SMSF difficult in the event of divorce. Even more so if the divorcing couple is not co-operating with each other, which is natural in a highly emotive time.

It is unlikely that, in the event of divorce,

If the SMSF pools assets, it means that the fund itself owns the assets, not any one member. This is necessary if the fund holds single large assets such a property. As no member owns any particular assets, the trus tees (i.e. the divorcing couple) must agree on how these assets will be treated.

Both members may wish to retain a particu lar asset in their own super fund post split, or one member might like to sell an asset the other would like to retain. If the couple would like financial advice in relation to the fund, the financial advisor must provide advice to the individual as well as the trustees of the fund on the impact of the advice. That would require both partners having to agree to advice in relation to each other individually.

The insurance can be even more compli cated. Given that it is compulsory to have an insurance strategy for an SMSF, it is typical for the SMSF to own insurance on the lives of the members. In the event that the SMSF is wound

ance. In this scenario we hope they we are able to transfer the ownership and retain the cover. This is not always possible; depending on the cover, it may be necessary to cancel the

There are two situations where this is problematic; if the client won’t be able to be underwritten at standard rates due to a change in their medical history or, if they have level premium cover which has locked in

Despite the name, Kando’s Barber is more than just that.

The fresh new business on High Street is a full-service barbershop, offering everything from your traditional skin fades and colours to hot towel steams with facial exfoliation and, from next week, laser hair removal.

Though all of this means you’re guaran teed to leave looking like a king, at Kando’s you’ll be feeling like one too, even before your service has begun.

The store has collaborations with Rusty Penny Brewing to offer of age clients a free beer on arrival, with soft drinks and other beverages also available. Plus, owner Scott

Hunstman said his customers are more than just a number, promising unmatched time and care from his barbers to go along with their superior services, all for a reasonable price.

Behind the scenes, Kando’s represents the soul of the Penrith community, giving back in a number of ways. Earlier this year, the store participated in Pink Up Penrith, focusing on the rarely spoken about issue of men’s breast cancer awareness. They also provided a free barber for their Cancer Council Day, for anyone to cut their hair for charity.

For a fresh look with meaning, you can’t go wrong with Kando’s.

CADDENS

CADDENS NEWS (CADDENS CORNER)

CLEMENTINE’S CAFÉ

WOOLWORTHS

CAMBRIDGE GARDENS

COLES

M c DONALD’S

OVERLANDER HOTEL

CAMBRIDGE PARK

CAMBRIDGE PARK NEWSAGENCY

CELLARBATIONS

FRIENDLY GROCER

CASTLEREAGH

AMPOL SERVICE STATION

CLAREMONT MEADOWS

IGA CLAREMONT MEADOWS

COLYTON

COLYTON CENTRE PHARMACY

COLYTON FRIENDLY GROCER

COLYTON HOTEL

COLYTON NEWSAGENCY

HEWITT STREET TAKEAWAY

CRANEBROOK

ALDI CRANEBROOK

CRANEBROOK COMMUNITY HEALTH

CRANEBROOK VILLAGE

M cDONALD’S

MOTHER EARTH NURSERY PLUS PHARMACY

WOOLWORTHS CRANEBROOK

EMU PLAINS

CHAMBERS CELLARS

LENNOX CENTRE NEWSAGENCY

M c DONALD’S

PENRITH REGIONAL GALLERY

WOOLWORTHS LENNOX VILLAGE

7/11 EMU PLAINS (GREAT WESTERN HIGHWAY)

7/11 EMU PLAINS (OLD BATHURST RD)

EMU HEIGHTS

SUPER SAVE COMPOUNDING CHEMIST

ERSKINE PARK

ASHCROFT’S IGA

ERSKINE PARK CTC

GLENMORE PARK COLES

MAGS NEWS

M c DONALD’S

MEDI ADVICE PHARMACY

WOOLWORTHS

JAMISONTOWN

ABCOE

ABEL STREET EATERY (HAPPY HARRYS)

BATT STREET TAKE AWAY

GREY GUMS HOTEL

NEW ON YORK TAKEAWAY

PARRABEY GOURMET KITCHEN (PENRITH HOMEMAKER)

SALT CAFE (PENRITH HOMEMAKER)

SHELL SERVICE STATION

THE COFFEE CLUB NEPEAN RIVER

THREE SUGARS CAFÉ

WESTERN WEEKENDER

YORK TAKEAWAY

ZOO FITNESS

7/11 JAMISONTOWN

JORDAN SPRINGS

JORDAN SPRINGS NEWSAGENCY

WOOLWORTHS

KEMPS CREEK

CALTEX SERVICE STATION

KEMPS CREEK BOWLING CLUB

KINGSWOOD

BARISTA BAR COFFEE SHOP (NEPEAN PRIVATE HOSPITAL)

COUNTRY BREWER

HALLANI’S

KINGSWOOD HOTEL

KINGSWOOD NEWSAGENCY

KINGSWOOD SMASH REPAIRS

KINGSWOOD SPORTS CLUB

PENRITH GAELS CLUB

RADHE INDIAN GROCERY STORE

VOLUNTEERS DESK NEPEAN HOSPITAL

7/11 KINGSWOOD

LEONAY

EMU SPORTS CLUB WILLOW TREE CAFÉ

LLANDILO

IGA

LONDONDERRY

LONDONDERRY LIQUOR STORE SHELL X ROADS

LUDDENHAM

AMPOL

AUSTRALIA POST IGA LUDDENHAM

MINCHINBURY

McDONALD’S

MINCHINBURY FRUIT MARKET MOUNT DRUITT WESTFIELD MOUNT DRUITT

MULGOA

GLENMORE HERITAGE GOLF CLUB MULGOA NEWSAGENCY MULGOA PHARMACY

NORTH ST MARYS

LUCKY AUSTRALIAN HOTEL MFC FOOD STORES

ORCHARD HILLS

FLOWER POWER OXLEY PARK

UC STORE

PENRITH ALDI

ASTINA

ATMOSPHERE GYM

AUSTRALIAN ARMS

BOREC ROAD TAKEAWAY (VALLEY CAFÉ)

BRISKET BOYS

CALTEX COREEN AVENUE

COLES PENRITH (NEPEAN VILLAGE)

CRESCENT MINI MART

HIGH STREET PIES

HOYTS WESTFIELD

JOAN SUTHERLAND ARTS CENTRE

LIQUOR STAX PEACHTREE

M cDONALD’S HIGH STREET

M cDONALD’S PANTHERS LEAGUES

M cDONALD’S PEACHTREE

MERCURE HOTEL

MUSEUM OF FIRE

NEPEAN AQUATIC CENTRE

NEPEAN MOTOR GROUP CAFÉ

NEPEAN ROWING CLUB

NEPEAN VILLAGE COFFEE CLUB

NEPEAN VILLAGE NEWSAGENCY

NEXTRA WESTFIELD

ONE POINT HEALTH

PANTHERS LEAGUES CLUB

PEACHTREE HOTEL

PENRITH BOWLING CLUB

PENRITH CBD CORPORATION

PENRITH CITY COUNCIL

PENRITH CITY LIBRARY

PENRITH GOLF CLUB

PENRITH HOTEL

PENRITH PACEWAY

PENRITH RSL

PENRITH SENIOR CITIZENS CENTRE

PIONEER TAVERN RE/MAX SITTANO’S RESTAURANT TATTERSALLS HOTEL

THE CHICKEN RUN

THE HERITAGE TERRACE CAFÉ

THE LOG CABIN WESTFIELD

WORLD GYM 7/11 HENRY STREET

REGENTVILLE 7/11 REGENTVILLE

ROPES CROSSING

COLES

ROPES CROSSING NEWSAGENCY

SILVERDALE IGA

THE CHEMIST SHOP

SOUTH PENRITH BUDGET SERVICE STATION FISH FISH

FRIENDLY GROCER GROSE’S PHARMACY SOUTHLANDS NEWSAGENCY SOUTHLANDS TAKEAWAY WOOLWORTHS

ST CLAIR BLUE CATTLE DOG HOTEL

FOODWORKS MELVILLE ROAD TAKEAWAY ST CLAIR LIBRARY ST CLAIR SHOPPING CENTRE 7/11 ST CLAIR

ST MARYS

AMPOL FOODARY ASTLEY PHARMACY CASSANDRA’S ON QUEEN GUIDO’S HAIR CARE JAYAM SUPERMARKET M cDONALD’S ST MARYS SOUTH MONFARVILLE CORNER STORE QUEEN ST NEWSAGENCY

ST MARYS BAND CLUB

ST MARYS FISH MARKET

ST MARYS LEAGUES CLUB ST MARYS LIBRARY ST MARYS PHARMACY QUEEN ST ST MARYS PIZZA HUT ST MARYS RSL ST MARYS VILLAGE

WAGON WHEEL HOTEL WALTER’S NEWSAGENCY

THORNTON PETRAMART THORNTON COMMUNITY CENTRE

WALLACIA WALLACIA GOLF CLUB

WALLACIA HOTEL

WALLACIA POST OFFICE WALLACIA TAKEAWAY

WARRAGAMBA WARRAGAMBA SPORTS CLUB

WERRINGTON

COLONIAL HOTEL

CROSSROADS CONVENIENCE STORE

DIRANI’S MFC

GEORGE’S CHARCOAL CHICKEN HENRY SPORTS CLUB

M c DONALD’S SUPA IGA

THE FOODARY WERRINGTON NEWSAGENCY

Toyota announces raft of upgrades

Toyota has updated its popular Corolla hatch and sedan ranges with a raft of upgrades, introducing Toyota Connected Services functionality, a new multimedia system and the latest-gen eration hybrid powertrain.

Arriving in local showrooms this month, the refreshed Corolla range is priced from $28,130 plus on-road costs for the petrol Ascent Sport as both hatch and sedan.

With the introduction of the upgraded fifth-generation hybrid powertrain, perfor mance has been further improved, with 13kW increase in peak power to maximum combined output of 103kW for hybrid vari ants.

The upgraded hybrid system teams a 1.8-litre petrol engine with a newly developed high-output motor generator, power control unit and downsized hybrid transaxle, offering improved performance.

The front axle-mounted drive motor has been enhanced by doubling the number of magnets per pole inside the rotor, while the newly developed lithium-ion battery reduces weight by 14 per cent while increas ing both input and output power.

The upgraded Corolla range ushers in a

range of new safety features, starting with Toyota Connected Services to provide remote functionality and assistance in the event of an emergency.

Headlining the range of new features is Toyota’s latest generation multimedia system.

Featuring an 8.0-inch touchscreen display, it offers improved definition and usability with a new screen layout featuring a series of shortcut buttons on the driver’s side and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compati bility.

DAB+ digital radio is now standard across the range, while a USB-C port has been added below the multimedia screen for improved convenience.

As part of the upgrade, Toyota has also revised the colour palette, with Sunstone Orange and Lunar Blue replacing the exist ing Peacock Black and Eclectic Blue, and joining Glacier White, Frosted White, Silver Pearl, Graphite, Eclipse Black and Jasper Red on hatch variants.

For Corolla sedan models, Dark Grey and Eclipse Black replace Ink and Lunar Blue, bringing the total number of options to eight.

SPORT

MAKE THAT FOUR

Alyce wins again. p61.

journey to a threepeat

pre-season competition in February and we are also working towards a dedicated window of International Rugby League in October,” NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said.

Penrith will kick-off their quest for an unprecedented NRL threepeat on Friday, March 3 next year with an opening round blockbuster against Brisbane scheduled at BlueBet Stadium.

The defending Premiers will spend the first two weeks of the season at home with a Round 2 clash against Souths scheduled for BlueBet on Thursday, March 9.

The full NRL draw for the 2023 season was released last week.

“We have a lot to look forward to in season 2023. More matches, more rounds and more rivalries. It all starts with a new 18 team

“The 2023 Telstra Premiership will have more local rivalry matches than ever before with the introduction of the Dolphins. We are also excited to be taking the NRL Telstra Premiership to even more regional locations across both Australia and New Zealand.

“The athleticism and heroics of our NRL superstars is matched only by the levels of support of rugby league fans and their abso lute passion for the game.”

The World Club Challenge has been confirmed as part of Penrith’s pre-season campaign with the clash against St Helens to

take place on Saturday, February 18 at BlueBet Stadium. A week earlier, BlueBet will also be the venue for Penrith’s traditional pre-season clash against Parramatta.

Other intriguing factors of Penrith’s sched ule include:

• The highly anticipated Grand Final re-match against Parramatta comes in Round 4 at CommBank Stadium. The 2022 Grand Finalists meet again in Round 26. Both matches have been scheduled for Thursday nights.

• The home game against Wests Tigers will be taken on the road to Bathurst, with the match returning to a night-time kick-off on Saturday, April 29 at 7.35pm.

• The Panthers have been drawn to meet

the Warriors in the NRL’s Magic Round in the Saturday 3pm timeslot at Suncorp Stadium

• The highly anticipated home game against the Roosters comes up on Friday, May 12 at 8pm. The 20th anniversary of Penrith’s 2003 Premiership will be celebrated.

• Penrith’s first ever game against the Dolphins comes in Round 20 on Sunday, July 16 at Moreton Daily Stadium in Redcliffe

• Five of Penrith’s last seven games are at home, providing a strong run into the Finals. With the future of BlueBet Stadium unknown, there’s every possibility that the Round 27 clash against North Queensland on Saturday, September 2 at 5.30pm could become a farewell party for the iconic stadium.

fans

season following the release of the NRL Draw. Photo: NRL Images.

Career goals on track, but Adrian and Dylan are following different paths Brothers chase AFL dreams

Glenmore Park brothers Adrian and Dylan Jones are kicking goals on the AFL field, in more ways than one.

Encouraged by their Dad, the two were brought up through Auskick. Now, they’re following their own paths.

Dylan was selected in the GWS GIANTS Junior Development Squad for U/13s, and has continued to make his way through the club’s teams until making the Academy for U/15s. The now Year 10 student is determined to pursue AFL as a career.

Earlier this year, he was selected as part of the U/16s World Team, an opportunity which saw him flown to Melbourne to meet people from all around Australia, and learn about culture and leadership.

“When I got selected, it was a good feeling, because there was only two people from New South Wales that got selected to play on the World Team, so I thought it was a pretty good opportunity,” he said.

Outside of his family, Dylan looks to his favourite team, Richmond

Tigers, for inspiration on the field.

“Dustin Martin is probably some one I look up to. He’s a good player that a lot of people look up to, and he’s a good bloke,” he said.

“I haven’t met him before, but I would love to meet him if I can.”

But, for Adrian, playing was never the goal, instead turning to umpir ing.

“I kept getting injured playing AFL, I kept doing the ligaments in my shoulder, multiple times,” he said.

“But then, when I got into umpir ing, just the group of people that are there, it’s encouraging, it’s good fitness, it’s enjoyable, and with the different levels I get to do, it’s a different experience.”

With his running skills behind

him, Adrian has been able to umpire across multiple competitions in the AFL over the past five years, making his VFL debut in June for the Sydney Swans vs Williamstown Seagulls game at Blacktown International Sports Park.

Despite the recent Penola Catholic College graduate hoping to pursue sport and exercise science at university next year, he assures that umpiring will remain one of his top priorities.

Though they admit there will always be some rivalry between them, the two have grown to work together off the field.

“We’re brothers, everything’s a competition,” Adrian laughed.

“I train with him sometimes, and I coach athletics as well, so I coach him through running.”

The two boys have set their sights high, hoping to be on the field together some day.

“I umpire games [Dylan] plays in at the moment,” Adrian said.

“I’m the local umpire coach for junior AFL here, and I umpire a lot of the under 17s games. I can’t be biased, but it’s always a challenge when your sibling’s playing in the games.”

CASSIDY PEARCE

Dylan and Adrian Jones. Photo: Melinda Jane.

Parker’s slice of history

Giant achievement: 22-year-old claims fourth consecutive Gabrielle Trainor Medal

Alyce Parker has continued to re-write the record books at the GIANTS as she claimed her fourth consecutive Gabrielle Trainor Medal.

The 22-year-old led the vote count from start to finish to claim her fourth club champion award – the first player in GIANTS history, male or female, to do so.

The courageous midfielder finished the 10-round season on 99 votes and marked a new era for the club as emerging stars Georgia Garnett and Tarni Evans rounded out the top three. Garnett (69 votes) claimed second place in a tight finish ahead of Evans (68), with the top three all under the age of 22.

Parker averaged 23.3 disposals, 5.6 clear ances, 10.3 handballs and 3.9 marks from 10 games this season, leading by example in her first season as vice-captain. She has also been named in the All-Australian squad, looking to claim her third selection in the All-Australian team.

The GIANTS Academy graduate debuted in 2019, receiving the club’s Rising Star award in her first season and has taken out the Gabri elle Trainor Medal every season since.

Head Coach Cam Bernasconi congratulated Parker on her momentous achievement.

“Alyce is a phenomenal player, and she deserves every bit of recognition she receives tonight,” Bernasconi said.

“It takes a special player to continue to perform at the elite level week-in week-out

Members of the Pendragons Dragon Boat Club from Penrith have experienced a stunning few days at the 2022 Pan Pacific Masters Games on the Gold Coast.

Nine representatives of the club attended the Games from November 4 to 13.

Joining with a number of other paddlers from various clubs in NSW and paddling as Team Sudu, Lysa Peters, Jannine T’oo, Lucy Richardson, Jane Howard, Kim Stein, Brenda Jones, Suzy Hadlow, Dave Jones and Brad Stein, competed over three days in 500m, 200m and 5k Races in Mixed, Women’s and Opens Crews.

From a field of tough competition, with around 20 different teams from New Zealand, Singapore, Queensland, Tasmania, and NSW; Team Sudu with our Pendragons medalled in seven of the 10 events entered.

It was a massive success for Team Sudu, who had trained hard over the last few months preparing towards this event and this certainly paid off.

Suzy Hadlow from Pendragons Dragon Boat Club also entered the Indoor Rowing Competition earlier in the week, again with great success medalling in all events entered.

Pendragons Dragon Boat Club are holding an Open Weekend on November 26 and 27.

For more information visit www.face book.com/pendragonDBC or contact Jane Howard 0419987196 or janehow2@hotmail. com.

Choice Award at the event held at the Ivy Ballroom last Friday night.

A new-look role for Jodie Hicks saw her best finish in a Gabrielle Trainor Medal (47 votes) in fourth place, with Katherine Smith (43) rounding out the top five.

Smith capped off her best season to date in the orange and charcoal, receiving the Coaches Award, Mark of the Year (against the Suns in round 10) and a new award, the Defensive Moment of the Year for a big hit against Adelaide in round five.

Madison Brazendale topped off a stellar debut season, taking out the Rising Star Award. The 19-year-old from Tasmania debuted in round one against the Western Bulldogs and played every game of the season, showcasing her potential across the 10 games.

Tanya Hetherington was recognised on stage after announcing her retirement before the final game of the season following 46 games across six seasons.

Staunton and captain Alicia Eva were also inducted as Life Members for their achievements and service to the club, the first members of the AFLW program to receive the honour.

Chairman Tony Shepherd congratulated the duo on their Life Membership.

“It’s wonderful to induct Alicia and Cora as life members of our club tonight. They are

and to do that across four consecutive seasons is truly a remarkable achievement.

“She continues to set the standard in our squad and works tirelessly on her own game but also to help make others around her better.

“She is a fantastic player, an incredible person and an important leader for us – and at just 22-years-old, I continue to be excited by her continued development over the coming seasons.”

Parker

also received her fourth Members

Gabrielle Trainor, Alyce Parker and Tony Shepherd.

Photo: GWS GIANTS.

Barton climbs to new heights

CASSIDY PEARCE

Emu Plains local Hayden Barton is hitting new heights in the rock climb ing sphere.

Barton, who turns 19 today, has been rock climbing for nine years, competitively for four. When he first started, he was inspired by his love of climbing trees, and his parents’ desire to get him into a summer sport.

However, Barton admits the path hasn’t always been easy.

“My first state competition was a bouldering competition. Bouldering is on a small wall, no ropes, and is over high jump mats. It’s a very technical and athletic form of climbing, and I got absolutely destroyed!” he said.

Now, his results speak for themselves, with Barton this year taking out second at the NSW Junior Speed Climbing Championships, third in the State Open Speed Finals, and second at the Junior National Speed Climbing Champi onships.

For Barton, these results come down to battling his mental hurdles, more so than the physical ones.

“With the climbing that I do now, speed climbing, the main challenge that I’ve had to overcome is the mentality of it,” he said.

“Similar to sprinting and other racing sports, there’s all this build-up at the start, so you get quite anxious and overwhelmed, so getting

my mentality into that mode of performing has been one of the main challenges that I’ve faced.”

Most recently, the Penrith Valley Sports Foundation Senior Sports Star Award recip ient travelled to Dallas, Texas to represent Australia at the Speed Climbing World Cham pionships, where he finished in 20th place, and posted a PB.

“It was a really great experience. It was fantastic to go and represent Australia,” he said.

“It was also amazing to post a new personal best. It wasn’t much of an improvement from Youth Nationals, it was only by .03, but any PB is a good PB for me!”

Though he’s now working towards complet ing a Bachelor of Science (Zoology) at Western Sydney University, Barton assures that rock climbing will remain a priority.

“My goal now is to just stick out speed climbing for a little bit, I hope to make the Australian Open Team next year. There’s only a few months until that, so I’m hard at training working for it,” he said.

Nominated by his father Craig, Hayden Barton’s Senior Sports Star Award is all thanks to sponsor Penrith Panthers Leagues Club.

If you or someone you know has achieved in their chosen sport, send in your nomination to Penrith Valley Sports Foundation. Nomination forms are available at www. pvsf.org.au.

Around The Grounds

CRICKET: Penrith are in a strong position heading into day two of their Round 5 clash against Randwick Petersham in the Belvidere Cup. Playing in a Two Day match at Coogee Oval, the opposition won the toss and elected to bowl. The Penrith side put up an exceptional innings with the bat, declaring on 8/359 after 89 overs. Randwick Petersham will be up to bat with just 20 runs under their belt after five overs when play resumes on Saturday at 10am.

CRICKET: Sunday saw Penrith take a strong win in the Women’s First Grade competition, playing in a T20 match against Campbelltown Camden. Despite winning the toss and electing to bat, Campbelltown Camden were only able to clock up 64 runs before being bowled out, led by a stellar performance by Ananaya Sharma, who took five wickets. The Penrith side were able to take the win in just under 11 overs, and will look to back it up when they take on Gordon at Howell Oval this Sunday.

CRICKET: Results were mixed for the Panthers Cricket Club teams in this week’s round of the Nepean District Cricket Association (NDCA) Competition. The first grade side continued their unbeaten start with a 46-run win over Glenmore Park. Panthers’ top order gave the team the perfect start to reach 5/176, and the bowlers all chipped in to dismiss Glenmore Park 10/130. However, in seventh grade, it was a case of too many dropped catches and failing to bowl out the tail that cost Panthers any chance of a win over Emu Plains. Emu Plains 9/202, Panthers 8/172.

BASEBALL: Despite scoring their first win of the season in Round 5, it seems Greater Western were unable to back it up

in Round 6, taking two losses to Macarthur Orioles. Wednesday’s game saw the local team defeated 6-4, with an 8-4 loss on Sunday. The Warriors will be taking on Manly Eagles in Round 7.

GRIDIRON: The Nepean Ducks Colts side tasted defeat to UTS Gators at Neptune Park on Saturday, losing 42-14. The men’s side, however, was forced to forfeit their game against Sydney Uni Lions, due to having insufficient players.

RUGBY UNION: Penrith’s Madison Ashby has re-signed with the Australian Women’s Rugby Sevens team for a further two years. Ashby made her debut in 2018 as a teenager, and went on to compete with the squad at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo. The youngster from Penrith played a critical role in the Women’s Sevens all-conquering season, in which the squad won the Rugby World Cup, Commonwealth Games gold medal, and the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series. Ashby’s consistently outstanding form this year saw her picked in World Rugby’s Dream Team for the World Series. “After winning the Triple Crown last year, the team is so excited by the prospect of the 2024 Olympics in Paris,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to continuing my work with the team – it’s such an amazing group of girls and we feel that there’s a great rapport between us and the coaching staff.” Sariah Paki and Alysia Lefau-Fakaosilea have also signed new deals.

To make a submission to Around The Grounds, email cassidy.pearce@western weekender.com.au. You can also private message us on Facebook at www.facebook. com/westernweekender, or Tweet us @ wwpenrith.

Hayden Barton shows off his rock climbing skills.

! Martin chases big cash: Liam Martin will finalise his short-term future when he returns to Australia from the World Cup, but he remains intent on securing a big money contract when it comes to the years ahead. Martin has agreed to a oneyear extension with Penrith that will see him remain at the foot of the Mountains until the end of the 2024 season. Both parties were hoping for a longer deal, but it’s emerged that they were too far apart on money. With Test duties now on his resume, should Martin remain an Origin player next year and continue to deliver for Penrith, he could well be worth plenty on the open market come next November.

! Thursday night Panthers: One intriguing factor out of Penrith’s draw for next season is the number of Thursday night games. The Pan thers have been scheduled to play on Thursday night six times during the year. It’s a win for sponsors given the Thursday game is shown on freeto-air TV via Channel Nine, but the club would be unhappy that home matches against the Rabbitohs and Eels have been given the Thursday slot, given they’d traditionally draw sell-out crowds and deliver a flowon impact to sales at the Leagues Club if scheduled on a Friday night.

! Commentary choice: I’m hear ing that Channel Nine is considering giving viewers the opportunity to se lect different commentary for some matches next year. Likely to be made available via 9NOW, viewers would be able to watch Nine’s pictures but hear the commentary of the Contin uous Call Team over on 2GB.

! Push for Scotty: It can’t be de nied that there’s a push from some sections of Penrith’s fan base to have Scott McRae return to the club as ground announcer from next sea son. After two decades behind the microphone, McRae was replaced by Zac Bailey at the end of the 2019 season. As I reported some weeks ago, it’s unlikely Bailey will be back at BlueBet Stadium next year. He has a year-to-year deal with the club and his commitments at Channel Nine may end up making him unavailable

for the Panthers. A final call is yet to be made, but while the club was keen to move on from McRae, it was interesting and perhaps telling that they called on him to MC an event in Grand Final Week. It also can’t be denied that many of those wanting McRae back are some of Penrith’s most loyal members. A number of McRae’s critics within Panthers are no longer involved with the club, only adding to the potential of a return.

! Crichton’s clouded future: World Cup hero Stephen Crichton has achieved plenty at the age of 22 and there’s no doubt his bank account will reflect his resume in the coming years. ‘Critter’ is off-con tract at the end of next season and the rumour mill is in overdrive that he won’t be at Penrith. There’s talk of big money being offered at Canterbury. One thing is for sure –Penrith will not get themselves into salary cap mess by paying overs for

anybody, which means players like Crichton will likely be lost along the way. Watch this space, this could well be sorted before Christmas once Crichton returns from the World Cup.

! Pressure on Cleary: There’s no doubt the weight of the world is

on

Despite having two Premierships under his belt, some still

doubt Cleary’s ability in big matches and there’s no doubt he’ll get a fair portion of the blame should the Kangaroos fail to fire on Sunday morning. World Cup glory would certainly be the perfect cherry on top of Cleary’s birthday week – he turned 25 on Monday.

! Son of a gun: Brad Drew was a tenacious hooker who played 62 first grade games with Penrith before stints at a host of other clubs. Now, it’s his son Jed making waves in the sporting world. Drew plays for Macarthur FC in the A-League and last week pinched a 95th minute injury time goal to help the Bulls to a 3-2 victory over Central Coast.

! World Club Challenge: With the showdown between Penrith and St Helens now locked in, attention will undoubtedly turn to ticket sales. The match will be NRL controlled and therefore won’t be included for members in their packages.

Nathan Cleary (pictured below) this weekend as he looks to guide Australia to World Cup glory over Samoa. Ironically, he’ll face-off against his good mate Jarome Luai –a mouth-watering battle, no doubt.

Liam Martin. Photo: Megan Dunn.

Sydney is red and black and the Wanderers have bragging rights over their biggest rivals after a 1-0 Sydney Derby win at Allianz Stadium last weekend.

Sydney FC were favourites to win the hotly anticipated match-up at their new home, but it wasn’t to be, with Kusini Yengi ending a 70-minute stalemate with the game’s lone goal deep into the second half.

Miloš Ninkovic delivered the assist for Yengi, a moment that gave him the last laugh after a week of drama leading up to the match following his defection from Sydney FC at the end of last season.

“It’s exactly why we brought him to the club,” coach Marko Rudan said.

“He won us the game I thought because of the way he started. Every one of his team mates knew what was going on this week and if he had put his head down and was hiding when the game started or his touches weren’t there, or he wasn’t fighting without the ball, the players would have seen that.

“The fact he did the exact opposite is why we won the game. I thought he was superb and everybody followed him.”

The 1-0 win was the perfect way to bounce back from a shock 3-0 loss to Central Coast last weekend, putting what has been a solid start to the season back on track.

Sydney FC coach Steve Corica said Yengi’s goal was the obvious difference.

“I think it was tight throughout the whole game,” he said.

“They had a couple of good chances, and they took their one chance. Yengi took his goal well and we had a couple of chances which we could have done better with towards the end.”

Rudan said he was pushing ahead with his plan to make the team passionate about the area they represent.

“Our expectation is to understand the culture, the environment and be relentless with that,” he said.

“There’s been a huge amount of change. It’s been a good start.”

The World Cup break means the Wanderers don’t play again until December 10 against Wellington.

TROY DODDS

Kusini Yengi scored the key goal for the Wanderers against Sydney FC.