Georges River Council Community Magazine

GEORGES RIVER COUNCIL

COMMUNITY SUMMER EDITION 2021 - 2022

Georges River Art Prize

WWW.GEORGESRIVER.NSW.GOV.AU

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R E M M U S EETS R T S

Christmas Markets | Forest Road, Hurstville | Thu 9 Dec 2021 | 4pm-10pm Circus School | Belgrave Street, Kogarah | Sat 18 & Sun 19 Dec 2021 | 10am-3pm Pop-up Park | Palm Court car park, Hurstville | Fri 14 - Sun 16 Jan 2022 | 10am-4pm Night Markets | Belgrave Street, Kogarah | Fri 21 Jan 2022 | 4pm-10pm georgesriver.nsw.gov.au G e ú k

GEORGES RIVER COUNCIL

CONTENTS 4. COMMUNITY 4. Residents in need get a Crateful of Goodness 5. The Bibby Street Neighbourhood Project 6. Disability and Inclusion Action Plan 8. ENVIRONMENT 8. Greening Georges River 9. Energy saving in Summer 10. From trash to treasure 11. The global face-mask waste epidemic 11. Find your bin collection dates at any time 12. BUSINESS

Georges River Council acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land in which the Georges River local government area is situated - the Biddegal people of the Eora nation.

Image on cover: Potluck Party (Jajan Pasar Street Sweet Delicacies) by Jayanto Tan - Georges River Art Prize 2021 Sculpture winner

12. Bubble show 13. The Simple Sustainable Store 14.

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ART AND CULTURE Georges River Art Prize Gallery at home We Are Georges River Festive Flicks LOCAL HISTORY Follow that cab A Nurseryman's notes

24. WHAT'S ON 24. In Good Taste

COMMUNITY MAGAZINE IS MAKING SOME CHANGES We will continue to have the Community Magazine available at all our Libraries and our Home Library Service, Museum and Gallery, Early Learning Centres and Customer Service Centres. Copies will also be placed at our community facilities, including the Hurstville Entertainment Centre, and provided to reference and community groups.

To ensure you can enjoy our magazine, we have made it easier to access. Now, moving into new digital platforms.

This magazine is just one way to receive information from Council and we encourage you to sign up for our fortnightly Community E-news and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or view our YouTube channel.

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Be involved in important projects that shape the future of the Georges River area. Your feedback matters. Register via Council’s website at yoursay.georgesriver.nsw.gov.au.

To subscribe, visit www.georgesriver.nsw.gov.au and sign up via the eNewsletter form located at the bottom of the home page.

COMMUNITY | SUMMER EDITION 2021-2022 | 3

COMMUNITY

Residents in need get a Crateful of Goodness

Georges River Council supported volunteer-run food rescue organisation, The Crateful Group, to assist in the sorting and packaging of nutritious food to help those in need during the COVID-19 crisis.

Council opened its doors to the Crateful Group, providing access to the Oatley Community Hall for the purpose of packaging up hampers before their distribution.

The organisation rescues food items that would otherwise be thrown out, diverting a staggering 3.3 tonnes of fresh food from landfill each week.

Volunteers at Crateful pack and distribute up to 1,200 hampers of fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy and bakery items each month to those in need, taking a weight off the shoulders of many during these challenging times.

Fresh and perishable food items are collected from supermarkets and bakeries that have reached their

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display life, but are still safe for consumption within best before or use-by dates.

Some community members who have lost their jobs or have been stood down during the COVID-19 crisis are struggling to make ends meet. The Crateful Group provides fresh food hampers to enable people to eat well during this crisis and alleviate a small part of the financial stress people are experiencing.

We encourage people to join the Crateful Group’s Facebook community, to find out when hampers are available.

A $3 contribution per hamper to assist the organisation with running costs is the only associated cost.

Contact The Crateful Group by email cratefulgroup@ gmail.com or join the group on Facebook: www.facebook. com/thecratefulgroup

A CRYING GAME 2020 WITH THE HELP OF OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUP MEN’S SHED

GEORGES RIVER COUNCIL

LANTS, HERBS AND TREES READY FOR PLANTING UNE/JULY 2021

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The Bibby Street Neighbourhood Project Ima Strkljevic - a Carlton resident is set out to rekindle her neighbourhood love as part of Council’s Doing It Differently grants program.

Ima set up the Bibby Street Neighbourhood Project, bringing more than 100 community members together for street parties, fitness groups, a driveway Anzac Day service, set up two street libraries and assisted residents to plant verge gardens with citrus trees.

Partnerships were also a focus of the project: residents created a Community Cookbook in collaboration with Kogarah Community Services, and connections were made with community organisations and businesses including the local Officeworks, Men’s Shed, churches, cafés and schools.

Drawing on the strengths within the community, Bibby Street Neighbourhood Project benefitted from the

expertise of resident librarians, older people, gardeners and yoga instructors.

“I liked being able to volunteer and promote activities which are health-oriented, community-building and community asset-based among community members,” said Project Leader of the Bibby Street Neighbourhood Project, Ima Strkljevic.

This connected community project lives on beyond the initial grant funding – residents of Bibby Street and surrounds have plans for a walking group, a dog walking group, a book club, a dance group and a picnic in the park.

Bibby Street Neighbourhood Project was funded

by Council’s Doing It Differently grants program in partnership with South Eastern Sydney Local Health District and Calvary Health Care Kogarah.

COMMUNITY | SUMMER EDITION 2021-2022 | 5

COMMUNITY

Disability Inclusion Action Plan Council’s Disability and Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP) is currently being reviewed and updated for the next four years. The DIAP guides Council’s strategic direction for making services, facilities, activities and information accessible for all.

To ensure we understand the needs of people with a disability and their carers, and to make sure the DIAP (2022-2026) is relevant and meaningful, we have been consulting with community groups, organisations and service providers as well as individuals in our community.

The DIAP (2022-2026) survey was open to the public for 6 months (April-October 2021) on Council’s Your Say platform, and Council has run six consultation sessions with disability service providers, Council staff and community members.

The current DIAP (2017-2021) has driven many wonderful projects and improvements in the last four years. These include:

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Council’s Access and Inclusion Reference Group, which provides feedback and advice on Council’s strategies and action plans, as well as professional knowledge and insight on accessibility and inclusiveness of local businesses. We are currently recruiting new members to join the Access and Inclusion Reference Group 2022-2023 and encourage people with a disability, their family members and carers to apply.

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Council events now undertake an accessibility assessment, to support accessibility for both performers and audiences.

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Council is working in partnership with Nova Employment - a disability employment agency and local schools’ support units to offer work experience placements to students across the organisation, including the Libraries, Museum and Gallery, Customer Service and Children’s Services.

GEORGES RIVER COUNCIL

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Over 27 projects focused on disability were funded through Council’s Community Grants Program including Jubilee Community Services’ autism education and management workshops, Learning Links’ assessment tools to support children with learning difficulties and disabilities, and Cerebral Palsy Alliance’s accessible gym equipment for people with disability.

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Creating Mobility Maps for all Georges River shopping precincts. Currently there are six available on Council's website for Kogarah, Hurstville, Mortdale, Beverly Hills, Penshurst and Oatley.

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Council staff participating in Disability Awareness Training and Easy Read translation training so we can provide more accessible documents to our community.

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Council is replacing the tactile ground surface indicator systems at Gate A and Gate D at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, which are the two largest and most heavily used ingress gates during stadium events, following a comprehensive access audit of the Netstrata Jubilee Stadium in March 2020.

For more information about Council’s DIAP or Access and Inclusion Reference Group, please contact Council’s Community Capacity Building team on 9330 6400 or by email: communitydevelopment@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

COMMUNITY | SUMMER EDITION 2021-2022 | 7

ENVIRONMENT

Greening Georges River November was filled with a lot of tree planting! Council started to plant the first of 1,000 trees through our Carlton Canopy Corridor, a project funded by the NSW Government through the Greening our City program.

The trees will help create cooler paths and spaces for pedestrians travelling between schools, parks and public transport.

You will see informative posters on one in every five trees which include children’s artwork and short descriptions on the many benefits of urban trees.

Still want more trees? No problem! The NSW Government is giving away free trees, through their

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Everyone Plant One campaign. You can visit their website to register for a free tree. This latest give away includes citrus, bottlebrush, myrtle and tea trees.

If you see one of our healthy new trees in the streets of Carlton or Beverley Park, send Council’s Environment team a photo of you and your family next to one of the new trees and hashtags #urbancanopy #DiscoverGeorgesRiver through our Facebook or email mail@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au. We will include your photo in our future Community magazine editions.

GEORGES RIVER COUNCIL

Energy saving in Summer 6,349 (18.5% of) Georges River homes now have solar.

These residents are doing their bit for the environment, saving 3 tonnes of Co2-e on average per family each year. They’re also reaping the financial benefit, The NSW State Governments ‘Energy Saver” program calculates the average Sydney household with a 4kW solar system installed on their roof can save up to $900 a year, paying itself off in less than 5 years.

• In most cases installing solar is an exempt development and doesn’t require a Development Application with Council, unless you live in a heritage home. Your installer should tell you if a development application is required.

A solar for low-income households offer is available for the Georges River area. If you’re a pensioner, you may be eligible for a free 3 kW solar system. Review the NSW Government ‘Energy Saver’ website for more information.

With the cost of solar becoming more affordable and electricity bills on the rise, now is the time to consider solar.

There are many easy and cheap ways for you to keep your home cool in summer, reducing your reliance on the air conditioner:

If you would like to do your bit for the environment and start reaping the financial benefits of installing solar, here are some solar facts to get you started.

• If there is a breeze, open windows on opposite sides of the house. Cool breezes work best in narrow or open plan layouts.

• It is important to use a Clean Energy Council Accredited Installer to install your system. The Clean Energy Council is the peak body for the clean energy industry in Australia and manages the accreditation process for Australian installers.

You can use their website to find local installers, consider seeking 3 quotes to compare quality and value.

• Consider window awnings, shutters, pergolas or even planting a few trees, as shading can block up to 90% of the heat from direct sunlight.

• The efficiency of solar panels has improved dramatically in the last 10 years, you may not need as many panels and they no longer all need to all face north.

• Keep internal doors shut and only cool the room/s you are using.

• Your solar system should be sized specifically to your household’s energy usage. When seeking a quote ask the installer how they calculated the system size.

• The solar installer should come and view your home before you accept a quote, this is so they can confirm if any additional costs are expected, before you commit.

• Insulation is critical to passive cooling, you could consider adding additional insulation to your home.

• In Sydney air conditioning use can be reduced by up to 75% with ceiling fans

• Set your air-conditioner to the warmest setting that still achieves comfort – each degree cooler will increase your energy needs by 10%. In general, summer temperatures should be set between 25°C and 27°C. If possible consider solar for you home.

• If you install solar, you’re eligible for a Government rebate called “small scale technology certificates”. Your retailer will manage these for you and the quote provided will most likely already include the saving.

COMMUNITY | SUMMER EDITION 2021-2022 | 9

ENVIRONMENT

From trash to treasure Instead of sitting idly unused, old mobile phones, laptops and tablets can now be passed onto new homes across the city, , thanks to a partnership formed by the Georges River Council and a community led environmental project aiming to reconnect people in need.

Two convenient recycling stations located at Hurstville Library and Clive James Library Kogarah will mean residents can turn their trash to others’ treasure, instead of waiting for Council’s e-waste drop-off days to come around.

Partnering with the Reconnect Project – an award winning environmentally positive vision and repair

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workshop in Penshurst, anyone can drop in and donate their unwanted electronic device for a new life.

In their first 12 months of operation, it has been a successful run for the Reconnect Project, rescuing 252 phones, 23 tablets and 26 laptops to rehome them to people in need.

Council can link customers to the repair shop, to hand in old devices to receive a complete overhaul before they are passed onto someone else.

Having the recycling station in the two largest Council libraries allows for a high volume of foot traffic, which will assist the project in generating more donations.

The Reconnect Project won the 2021 Westfield Local Heroes recognition and awards program and received $10,000 in prize money. Founder Annette Mayne is one of the 2021 Westfield Hurstville Local Heroes.

GEORGES RIVER COUNCIL

The global face-mask waste epidemic According to new research, every minute of the day, 3,000,000 disposable facemasks are thrown away across the world.

Face masks littered at the top of our catchment can end up in the Georges River or Cooks River waterways, contributing to ugly masses of floating debris and harming our wildlife.

To help prevent this, Council’s Environmental Sustainability and Waste team is encouraging the community to: • Buy reusable, not disposable masks, or, • If you choose to continue using disposable facemasks, please remember to snip the straps!

Snipping the straps before disposing correctly will stop precious wildlife being tangled.

Find your bin collection dates at any time

JANUARY 2022

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WASTE CALENDAR 2022 FRIDAY

Recycling Bin Garden Waste Bin

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Visit the waste page on Council’s website and input your address to find your bin collection dates and available recycling services. From January 2022, residents will receive a printed waste calendar only if requested. This is to support Council’s Waste Strategy and reduce our environmental and carbon footprint.

If you would like to request a printed calendar, use the Log It / Fix It tool on Council’s website and search ‘calendar’ or contact our Customer Experience Team on 02 9330 6400 or at mail@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au.

COMMUNITY | SUMMER EDITION 2021-2022 | 11

BUSINESS

Bubble Show

Bubble artist Tanya Kovalchuk

Georges River is home to the Sydney Bubble Show owned by bubble-ologist Tanya (Tetyana) Kovalchuk.

Bubble-ologist’s are also known as “bubble artists”.

mystery, amazement and fun to Australians, using a secret bubble show mixture to create some of the most amazing bubbles that you have ever seen’.

Originally from the Ukraine, Tanya was the owner of a mobile amusement park before migrating to Australia eight years ago. Her love and passion for the entertainment industry inspired her decision to start a business that would bring joy to so many and so, the Sydney Bubble Show was born.

Tanya completed years of training as a bubble artist during the time she operated her mobile amusement park. The skills she learned from other bubble-ologists has served her well in starting a new life in Australia.

The Bubble Show and Bubble Show Workshop party options cater for schools, pre-schools, kindergartens and vacation care and are a great way to teach kids about the basics of physics and chemistry. Tanya and her Bubble Show have entertained a wide variety of audiences performing at weddings, birthday parties, corporate events, shopping centres, markets, festivals and cultural events, leaving the audience energised and smiling. The Bubble Show has performed at libraries, nursing homes and in centres for disabled people, bestowing fun and relaxation.

Tanya has created her very own enjoyable and engaging bubble show and workshops loved by both adults and children.

You can find The Bubble Show in the Georges River Business online directory. Simply visit GeorgesRiverBusiness.com.au

Fun, interactive, entertaining and totally unique. Tanya says, “I use my unique bubble shows to bring happiness,

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GEORGES RIVER COUNCIL

The Simple Sustainable Store

Amy, Rachel and Erin from the Sustainable Store.

The Simple Sustainable Store is a one-stop online store where you can find a huge range of eco-friendly, zero waste and sustainable products.

suggestions of living sustainably. We want to change that for people by doing the research for them and sharing our knowledge along the way.”

Amy, Rachel and Erin are three sisters who are based in Georges River and are passionate about protecting our planet through simple and sustainable lifestyle changes. In 2019, they founded The Simple Sustainable Store.

The Simple Sustainable Store aims to make sustainable living as simple as possible, and offers a curated product range including bamboo toothbrushes, beeswax wraps, silicone baking mats, shampoo and conditioner bars, stainless steel pegs and more.

The girls shared their journey towards opening their online store: “In recent years we’ve become acutely aware of the damage that 'single use' culture is having on the environment. We initially started searching for ways to reduce our own impact on the earth, and quickly discovered that there are a LOT of varying opinions and standards with respect to living a sustainable lifestyle. It's no wonder that we constantly hear the responses "it's too hard" and "I don't know where to start" when it comes to

You can visit their online store at www.thesimplesustainablestore.com.au.

You can also sign up to their newsletter and follow their social media pages for frequent tips on simple changes and swaps you can make to live more sustainably.

COMMUNITY | SUMMER EDITION 2021-2022 | 13

ART AND CULTURE

GEORGES RIVER COUNCIL

Georges River Art Prize Despite the difficulties for many working in creative practices due to the ongoing impact of COVID-19, we were pleased to see a renewed and strong interest in this year’s Georges River Art Prize, having received over 350 submissions across the different categories.

This saw an increase of more than 50 entries since our last Art Prize held in 2019. The entries were of a high standard and were from all around the nation including New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and the ACT. This increase in entries demonstrates that the Georges River Art Prize is an important platform for all Australian artists to showcase their diverse artistic talents and foster their endeavours. There is a strong sense of resilience, inner strength and optimism in the works of these artists. The ability to create provides all artists with the prospect of not only looking inward but externally, commenting on past and present experiences both personal and on a more national level. This Prize has given all artists a creative outlet and opportunity – one we can say we are proud to be a part of and very timely when so many exhibition schedules, routines and lives have been turned upside down.

The judges for the Georges River Art Prize included Alison Clark, curatorial and arts management specialist, Simon Chan, Director Art Atrium, and figurative painter, Steve Lopes. Our panel of judges this year provided positive feedback in reference to the pre selection process.

“Firstly, I would like to acknowledge all the artists who entered this year’s art prize as the standard was very high. The selected works certainly vary in terms of style, subject matter and size which will make for an interesting and diverse exhibition. Congratulations to the selected artists and I am very much looking forward to seeing the exhibition at Hurstville Museum and Gallery.”

- Alison Clark

“It was great to see such vibrancy and reflective qualities in the works submitted for the Georges River Art Prize. It’s been such a difficult year, but there was a sense of engaging urgency and contemplation in a lot of the works we chose as finalists. Hopefully we have selected an interesting show that speaks engagingly about what’s on artists’ minds at the moment and is culturally worthwhile.” - Steve Lopes The Georges River Art Prize is an important cultural event for the community, and it demonstrates Council’s commitment to providing opportunities for artists to share their work within the local community.

The winning artworks of both the Georges River Art Prize, Stuart Watters and the Local Art Prize, Noor Shadood will be accessioned into the Hurstville Museum & Gallery’s collection. Noor was also awarded a solo exhibition which will take place at Hurstville Museum & Gallery, later in 2022.

The Georges River Art Prize, Local Artist and Sculpture Prize are on exhibition at Hurstville Museum & Gallery, and the Georges River Youth Prize and Little Artist Prize are on show at Clive James Library and Service Centre, Kogarah.

All visitors to the Georges River Art Prize exhibition are encouraged to vote for their favourite artists. Those with the most votes will then be awarded the Georges River People’s Choice Prize and Favourite Young Artist Prize which will be announced online on Monday 10 January 2021.

The Georges River Art Prize will be on show at both Hurstville and Kogarah from Saturday 13 November 2021 to Thursday 20 January 2022.

Image on opposite page: A blissful moment in a chaotic world by Noor Shadood COMMUNITY | SUMMER EDITION 2021-2022 | 15

ART AND CULTURE

Images (above): GRAP 2021 Sculpture winner Jayanto Tan with his artwork Potluck Party (Jajan Pasar Street Sweet Delicacies) (Below): GRAP 2021 winner Stuart Watter with his artwork Cruel Summer

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GEORGES RIVER COUNCIL

Gallery at home Two visual arts educational resources have been developed to accompany the 2021 Georges River Art Prize exhibition, one focusing on the Painting and Sculpture Prize finalists and the other focusing on the Youth and Little Artist Prize finalists.

Visit the exhibition on display at Hurstville Museum and Gallery from 13 November 2021 and Clive James Library and Service Centre, Kogarah from 15 November 2021 – 20 January 2022, or download and use the resources at home or school.

Georges River Art Prize 2021 - Art making Young children and their families are invited to enjoy free art making activities with Hurstville Museum and Gallery staff and explore the Little Artist and Youth Prizes at Clive James Library and Service Centre, Kogarah. Drop in during the times below.

Thursday 16 December 2021 or Thursday 13 January 2022 10.00am – 12.00pm Clive James Library and Service Centre, Kogarah Free. For ages 3+ years.

Georges River Art Prize 2021 - Baby explorers Parents and carers are invited to join a tour of the exhibition with their little one. Be guided through the fascinating artworks, meet other parents, and take time for you and your baby to play in the sensory pit containing soft and textured materials, interesting sounds, colours and shapes. pit up to 40 minutes after the end of the tour.

Suitable for babies up to the age of 12 months, however children must be accompanied by an adult with a ratio of one adult to one child. No siblings please. Change facilities and pram parking available.

8 December 2021 or 12 January 2022 10.15am – 11.30am $4.50 per adult participant. Babies are free.

Bookings essential. Limited capacity.

Programs can be booked and resources downloaded online at www.georgesriver.nsw.gov.au/GRAP or visit us at the Museum & Gallery service desk.

COMMUNITY | SUMMER EDITION 2021-2022 | 17

ART AND CULTURE

We Are George River exhibition at Oatley Memorial Gardens, Oatley

We Are Georges River

Georges River connects us all. It has grown out of the experiences and achievements of all those who have come before us. Our own stories continue to shape and develop our community. We Are Georges River drew a connection between our contemporary experience and the diverse stories of our past, fostering understanding and harmony.

We Are Georges River was an outdoor exhibition that toured multiple sites across our area. It featured iconic photographs from our past as well as community collected images, the permanent online exhibition celebrates the stories that make life in Georges River unique.

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We also want to hear your stories, so we can collect them and share them with the community. You will be able to submit local stories online, so start to think about what you can share about your family history, raising a family, running a small business, migrating to the area from overseas, your experience during the COVID pandemic and more.

To learn more or the permanent exhibition and to share your story, please scan this QR code.

GEORGES RIVER COUNCIL

Festive Flicks A free Christmas outdoor cinema is coming to Sydney’s south, as balmy Summer days are drawing closer with the festive season just around the corner.

Georges River will sparkle this Christmas, with a much anticipated and extra magical evening picnic style cinema.

Sunday 5 December 2021 Carwar Ave, Carss Park 4.00pm film 1 – The Polar Express 5.30pm film 2 – Elf Get there early to grab one of the bean bags available to movie goers. Enjoy your snacks from Norma’s Burger Bar or delicious summer treats by Sydney Ice Cream Vans.

The event will adhere NSW Public Health Order, with COVID – Safety plan, QR code check-in, hand sanitiser, beanbags that will be socially distant using markers.

For more details, please visit: www.georgesriver.nsw.gov.au/Community/Events/CouncilCOVID-19-Safe-Events/Christmas-in-Georges-River

COMMUNITY | SUMMER EDITION 2021-2022 | 19

LOCAL HISTORY

Follow That Cab It’s Race Day at Moorefield race-course, and cabs throng the stand in front of Kogarah Station, waiting for a fare.

One writer to the St George Call newspaper described the scene as ‘like a miniature Derby Day’, as arriving trains brought hundreds of race-goers to the suburb.

Residents protested about the clouds of dust raised by the cabs as they hurtled to and from the course, not to mention the damage they caused to the badly-rutted roads.

In March 1918, the Kogarah Mayor spoke indignantly about the behaviour of the cabbies: “Cabs and buses, the former especially, are being driven at breakneck speed without apparent regard for the traffic regulations. Not the local cabmen – their behaviour is

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exemplary – but incomers for the day. Both drivers and passengers appear intoxicated, behaving like howling maniacs. I object to Kogarah being turned into a bear garden.” One cab, he complained, had collided with a bus in front of the Council Chambers and the wreck was still sitting there – a fine advertisement for the municipality!

Being a cab driver would not have been the easiest of jobs – out in all weathers, in the heat of the sun and the chill of the rain, six days a week, when there was not even a proper cabman’s shelter at either Hurstville or Kogarah stations. Perhaps the horse was a brokenkneed knacker, or a young pony needing to be broken-in to its routine. Capsizes and runaways were not unusual.

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Henry Peel, a retired Kogarah cabman, recalled in 1936 that at the end of a day it was a common thing for the cabbies to get drunk and let their horses bring them safely home. In the mid-1920s, like most other cabbies, he made the switch to buying a car, but he could never drive it properly: “When approaching a corner I would lean back on the wheel and call out ‘Whoa!’”

“Sometimes I would be invited into the homes of my clients for refreshment – and when I came out, I would find that my nag had departed with the cab without me – and I had to make my way home as best I could.” Bob bought a motor-cab in 1926, and gave up the last horsedrawn cab at the Hurstville Railway Station stance.

Bob Milliken, aged 82, was interviewed by the Hurstville Propeller in 1937. Bob had driven a cab in Hurstville from 1886 to 1930, finally retiring at the age of 75. He recalled taking passengers home in the dead of night, along unlighted tracks – both street-lighting and streets being non-existent – but no matter how dark or bad the bush track was, he always delivered his fare safely.

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LOCAL HISTORY

A Nurseryman’s Notes Beginning in 1922, the Hurstville Propeller newspaper published a weekly column of ‘Gardening Notes’ by a local nurseryman, who went under the pseudonym ‘Acacia’. The column invariably appeared next to an advert for Mr A E Offord’s Rutherglen Nursery at Oatley, and after a couple of years, the pretence at anonymity was dropped and Offord’s name accompanied the articles. His column ran for the next quarter of a century, and totalled well over a thousand weekly articles.

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WWI photo of Cpl Offord.

Albert Edward Offord was born in Hammersmith, England in 1884, son of Alfred and Mary Offord. The family came to Australia in 1886. Albert began work as a nurseryman in the 1900s. In 1905 he married Grace James, and they came to live at Oatley.

Despite being married, and with a heart murmur possibly brought on by an earlier bout of rheumatic fever, Albert enlisted in 1915, aged 31, and proceeded to France with

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the 17th Battalion AIF. He was promoted to Corporal, but after two months’ front-line service, heart problems in late 1916 led to hospitalisation in England. He was returned to Australia and invalided out of the Army in March 1918.

While invalided in England, he had had the opportunity to visit many of the English nurseries picking up ideas.

Three months after his return to Australia he opened his nursery at Blanche Street, Oatley. A feature of the nursery was the bush-house, in which Offord grew ferns and palms for sale. He specialised in roses, fruit trees and rockery plants, but also did good business with flower and vegetable seeds. Although he was competing with several established nurseries in the area, his expertise ensured him a supply of regular customers.

His wife died in 1933. Despite worsening health and extended recuperation in nursing homes, he continued to contribute his Gardening Notes up to 1944. For health reasons, he then moved from Oatley to a property at Heathcote, and with the easing of paper restrictions, he restarted his column in 1946. A bushfire threatened properties in Heathcote in November 1948, and while absent from home helping others fight the flames, his own house and garden were burned to the ground.

He lost everything, including military pension papers, typewriter, a lifetime’s mementoes, and his pet dog. It was a blow too many. He died in 1950.

From Propeller, November 1924: “Let me tell you of a backyard garden at a local Bank. On two sides of the yard the asphalt has been cut away in a strip about one foot wide. Nearest the fence is a row of sweet peas and a row of epicure beans. In front of these are plants of geraniums. On the third side of the yard two courses of bricks make a pocket on top of the asphalt.

In this made bed chrysanthemums are growing. On the fourth side of the yard two courses of bricks are laid on top of the asphalt. This pocket is filled with rich soil.

Tomato plants are set into this bed, and at the present time the plants are laden with large fruits and just about to ripen. Besides the above there is a large box filled with good soil and holes bored in the side of the box.

Young strawberry plants were inserted into these holes and at present the owner is picking decent strawberries.

In another corner of this yard a smaller box is filled with red verbena. The plants are trailing over the sides of the box. As the plants are in full bloom the box makes a very effective display.”

Accompanying photos: aerial view of Blanche Street, Oatley (AER007); WWI photo of Cpl Offord.

1937 aerial view of Blanche Street, Oatley, Rutherglen Nursery in centre of photo

The much loved In Good Taste festival will return with a bang on Friday 28 January 2022 to welcome the Lunar New Year of the Tiger. From sizzling dishes and live, cultural performances, all the way to discussions with movers and shakers, the month-long festival will celebrate food, culture and ideas in a spectacular style.

Visit us in Hurstville every Friday night throughout February, and we’ll take your tastebuds on a tantalising journey from sunset to under the starlight.

If you fancy yourself as a bit of a home cook, stay tuned for more details on how to get involved with our In Good Taste cookbook, where family recipes will be shared with foodies around town and future generations to come.

After-hours Customer Service available at:

Phone: 9330 6400 24 hours, 7 days a week www.georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

Hurstville Library Monday to Friday 9.00am – 8.00pm Saturday and Sunday 10.00am – 4.00pm

georgesrivercouncil f grcouncil i Georges River Council y mail@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au &

Council Libraries opening hours:

Georges River Civic Centre Corner MacMahon and Dora Streets, Hurstville Monday to Friday 8.30am - 5.00pm Clive James Library and Service Centre Kogarah Town Square, Belgrave Street Monday to Friday 9.00am – 6.00pm Saturday 10.00am – 4.00pm Sunday 10.00am – 1.00pm

Clive James Library Kogarah Kogarah Town Square, Belgrave Street, Kogarah Monday to Friday 9.00am – 6.00pm Saturday 10.00am – 4.00pm Sunday 10.00am – 1.00pm Clive James Council Service Centre Kogarah Monday to Friday 9.00am – 5.00pm Saturday Closed Sunday Closed

Please note: Face-to-face services are currently unavailable due to the NSW Public Health Order.

Penshurst Library 630 Forest Road, Penshurst Monday to Friday 10am – 5pm Saturday 10.00am – 1.00pm Hurstville Library Corner Queens Road and Dora Street, Hurstville Monday to Friday 9.00am – 8.00pm Saturday and Sunday 10.00am – 4.00pm Oatley Library 26 Letitia Street, Oatley Monday to Friday 11am – 5pm Saturday 10.00am – 1.00pm Sunday Closed South Hurstville Library Corner of Short and Allen Streets, South Hurstville Monday to Friday 11am – 5pm Saturday 10.00am – 1.00pm Sunday Closed