Sydney Observer welcomes you to our October issue! With the weather warming up, we thought we would warm things up too.
We have a jam-packed seniors special with a profile feature of modern pop superstar Mimi Webb – talk about contrast making fire! And Mimi Webb has been on fire, taking the world by storm in 2020 during the pandemic with her hit ‘Before I Go’, and continuing her run of success with ‘House On Fire’ and her most recent single, ‘Ghost of You’. Sydney Observer spoke with Mimi about her songs, success, the modern music industry, and how she represents a rarity of musicians who are inspired by the classics yet thrive in the fast-paced pop environment.
We explore a murder mystery in St Ives with the Ku-ring-gai Historical Society, an interview with Hermione Granger (yes, really), the impact of heat stress on plants, and of course, everything seniors. Jay’s Adventures finds yours truly across the other side of the country, journeying in spectacular fashion on the Indian Pacific train from Sydney to Perth.
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OCTOBER 2022 | SYDNEYOBSERVER.COM.AU4 Enjoy our October issue!
SYDNEY OBSERVER is distributed to all Ku-ring-gai plus selected adjacent areas of Hornsby, Lane Cove and Willoughby. Additional copies are available from local libraries, selected retail outlets and council offices. We personally deliver to businesses in most suburban shopping areas in order to remain community-focused and personal.
Chatswood
East Killara East Lindfield Gordon Killara
Lindfield North Turramurra North Wahroonga Pymble Roseville
Roseville Chase South Turramurra St Ives St Ives Chase Turramurra
Wahroonga Waitara Warrawee West Pymble Willoughby
Frank Fieber
Greens NSW Upper House MP Sue Higginson has given notice of a bill to ban fossil fuel advertising in New South Wales. The Public Health and Safety (Fossil Fuel Advertising) Bill 2022 aims to introduce a tobacco-style ban for fossil fuel companies.
The bill cites public health concern as the key reason the ban. Support for the campaign has been tabled in local councils across the state, with the City of Sydney Council just recently passing a motion.
NSW residents are being urged to prepare for the risk of flooding following the declaration of a La Nina event by the Bureau of Meteorology. NSW State Emergency Service commissioner Carlene York said while the agency is well-prepared for another busy period, it is critically important for people to take responsibility and be prepared.
“There is already wet soil, high rivers and full dams right across our state, and with more rain on the horizon comes the very real possibility of flooding.”
“If you live in a flood-prone area, I urge you to take steps to prepare now. Make sure you know your risk, have an up-todate emergency plan and emergency kit. Preparing early will save you vital time during an emergency,” she said.
The NSW SES recorded its busiest 12-month period on record between 1 July 2021 and 30 June 2022. More information about the new warning system is available at www.ses.nsw.gov.au/warnings
Mass plantings of spring flowers are on show in Kochia Lane Lindfield and Philip Mall West Pymble. The Lindfield display was installed on Friday 16 September, and the Philip Mall display on Saturday 17 September.
The celebration was started by the Council as a way of lifting residents’ spirits and encouraging them to shop locally.
Both displays will be in place for up to six weeks, and it’s the fourth time Kuring-gai streets have been brightened by the Spring Flowers Celebration.
Residents can share images of the Spring Flower Celebration on social media using the hashtag #kcspringflowers.
The new community group Electrifying Bradfield is organising a musical concert at St Andrews Church, South Turramurra on Friday 14 October from 7pm.
Electrifying Bradfield was formed by Ku-ring-gai and Hornsby residents who want to make a difference with practical solutions to climate change. For more information contact Janine Kitson on 0428 860 623.
The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA) has announced the artists to exhibit in Primavera 2022: Young Australian artists - Sundari Carmody (SA), Angela Goh (NSW), Julia Gutman (NSW), Amrita Hepi (VIC), Jazz Money (NSW), and Katie West (VIC WA).
Opening on Friday 4 November 2022 until Sunday 12 February 2023, the Primavera presents work by a new generation of artists. Primavera is the MCA’s annual exhibition of emerging artists living and working in Australia, aged 35 years and under.
Robert Pymble Park in West Pymble will be closed for around four months while major work takes place. The upgrade will see a new playground ready for the summer holidays.
There will also be accessible toilets, new landscaping and drainage, and powerlines installed underground around the park’s perimetre. The new playground design is themed around the area’s former use as a fruit farm. Hence, the playground equipment will include a tractor, a farm-inspired climbing frame and fruit shaped rockers.
Other highlights of the new playground are seating, picnic areas and cycle parking, plus a circuit track for younger children to ride scooters and bikes. Mayor Jeff Pettett said that weather permitting, the playground at Robert Pymble Park would reopen in time for Christmas.
Travelling in the Chatswood and Willoughby area is set to improve due to the Future Transport Strategy unveiled by the NSW Government. The strategy includes a vision to create connected 30 minute cities and convenient 15 minute neighbourhoods, where important places and services can be accessed within 15 minutes of home. Chatswood is our North Shore’s local hub, and it is a vital area for commercial and recreational activities. For further information visit future.transport.nsw.gov.au
On Saturday 17 September 2022, Australia’s oldest man Frank Mawer passed away aged 110. Mr Mawer took the title of Australia’s oldest man in July last year after the passing of Queensland man Dexter Kruger.
Mr Mawer was weakened by a bout of COVID-19, however, he passed peacefully. Mr Mawer’s son Barry said, “He went to have his afternoon nap on Saturday afternoon and never woke up.”
Frank Mawer at his 109th birthday party in 2021.
Courtesy of Julia Gutman and Sullivan + Strumpf
Simon Hewson /
OCTOBER 2022 | SYDNEYOBSERVER.COM.AU 7 Local News Snippets Julia Gutman, Once More with Feeling, 2022, donated textiles, embroidery and metal chain.
Everyone struggles with confidence. Some people struggle more so than others, and they feel its negative pull more severely than others too. Conventional remedies for this can be daunting; medications, seeing a doctor, psychologists, psychiatrists, therapy sessions – all can come with stigmas which people may find intimidating.
In aid of this, local leadership educator, executive coach and facilitator, Kristyn Haywood (one of five founding members) began ExpandNow. The enterprise is a NFP with the aim to ‘radically lift the confidence of people who want to make a positive difference in the world.’
ExpandNow was birthed right here, in our very own Ku-ring-gai area. Sydney Observer spoke with Kristyn, president of ExpandNow.
“I am a coach and an educator. I teach people how to find their unique gifts, how to find their voice, how to speak up, how to be flawed and be ok with it. People think they have to be perfect before they speak up…It’s not true. You can speak up at any time.”
“Unless we have change makers in the world who speak up against our flawed systems, or climate change or social injustice, I don’t like where we are heading.”
ExpandNow ’s upcoming event is a 3-day EXPAND gathering running from the 18-20 November. Tickets cost $495 and
they include the 3-day gathering as well as a one-year membership to attend 12 monthly circles with people who want to lift each other up. ExpandNow also runs keynote speaking engagements, monthly community meetups, blogs, podcasts, and confidence-building social media campaigns.
“We want a non-competitive space to be ourselves. Our egos so often are at work, and we have lost focus on what we are there to do. We are wired to win. When we don’t win, we get upset, we sulk, we go home… Every child gets the message that there are winners and losers. What does that do? It tells all of us that we are comparable to each other in certain things.”
Kristyn believes we all have nuanced gifts, and that many of us grow up without knowing what our gifts are. Daniela Von Hieber, the very first member of the program had this to say:
“I liked the idea of ExpandNow from the first time I heard about it. A community of like-minded people interested in supporting each other in becoming the best version of themselves. Not the best version of what society/ friends/ bosses/ [fill in the gap] … want us to become. It is not a cult or a religion and you can be part of it no matter what or who you believe in! It is a community, all about discovering, exploring and developing OUR unique gifts and talents and building up the confidence to show them to the world.”
To book in for the 3-day event or for more information, visit https://expandnow.org
According to NSW Health, over 8,500 people experience cardiac arrest in NSW every year. Only 12% of them will survive if they are not in hospital, and their chance of survival decreases every minute after cardiac arrest.
Ku-ring-gai Council has installed defibrillators in 22 public facilities to assist the public in dealing with any sudden cardiac emergencies. An automated external defibrillator (AED) is a life-saving device to assist the public in dealing with cardiac arrest while waiting for paramedics. This must be done in conjunction with CPR.
Each AED is a small portable device designed to deliver a controlled electrical shock to restart the heart’s normal rhythm.
AEDs have been installed in an array of local facilities like community halls, libraries, golf courses at Gordon and North Turramurra, and others. A full list of the locations are available on the Council’s website, with the 22 locations selected through a detailed risk management process.
Mayor Jeff Pettett hopes none of the AEDs will ever be needed, but this is just an example of the Council’s commitment to keeping the public safe in its facilities.
For details on the defibrillator locations visit krg.nsw.gov.au/aed
The five founding members of ExpandNow.
In a recent case, a husband and a wife had been married for nearly thirty years with four children. The husband owned a panel beating business and a range of commercial interests including the operation of tow trucks and considerable property holdings, all of which made him wealthy. The man died. His will left the entire $22 million estate to one of his sons. Nothing was left to his wife or other children. The beneficiary son obtained probate.
Eight years after the man’s death the wife sued in the Supreme Court claiming that the will was invalid, and that probate should be overturned. She asserted that she, and the beneficiary son, had drafted the will and that her husband was unaware of the document’s details. The wife gave evidence that her daughter had forged the man’s signature on the will a few weeks after his death. The man’s brother gave crucial evidence that he signed the will as a witness a month after the man’s death and only in the wife’s presence.
The beneficiary son denied these claims. He relied on evidence from a handwriting expert claiming that the signature was in fact
his father’s. The son also claimed that one of his uncles had witnessed his father sign the will and his father was therefore aware of the contents of the will before dying.
The Court found that the beneficiary son and the husband had been estranged when the man supposedly signed the will. Furthermore, the Court found that a different handwriting expert’s evidence proved that the man had not signed the will and that the man was unlikely to have approved of the contents of his will.
The Court decided that the will was invalid, and that estate should be distributed as if
the father had died without a will. Under the law, this meant that the estate went substantially to the wife.
It is not known whether anyone involved in the matter faced criminal charges!
Fox & Staniland Lawyers have a team of lawyers with extensive experience in making notional estate claims on behalf of claimants, defending notional estate claims on behalf of estates, and acting for clients in all aspects of contested estate litigation.
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*Parking available at the Gordon Centre and Ku-ring-gai Council on Dumaresq Street.
Wal AbramowiczResearch shows that the more people are prepared for a disaster, the faster they recover. To help prepare you for emergencies, Hornsby Shire Council is encouraging residents to download and complete an emergency plan on the Get Prepared app. The app helps residents connect with key support people, accomplish simple tasks to make loved ones safer, and protect the things that matter most to them.
Get Prepared is a free and easy app to to use. Residents can establish a quick and easy network of support with three key contacts, review the risks relevant to where they live, create checklists of actions to make an emergency plan, save the emergency plan as a PDF to be printed and shared with others.
Hornsby Shire Mayor Philip Ruddock said, “The past few years have seen us experience a series of acute emergencies, and this year’s devastating floods have been unprecedented. As we continue to recover from the most recent events, it’s time to plan and prepare for what could be around the corner – be it floods, storms, bushfires or extreme heat.”
“You can take practical steps like preparing an emergency kit, with what you need for an emergency, and creating a plan using the Get Prepared App, to keep it close to hand.”
To find out more and to download the app visit www.hornsby.nsw.gov.au/ community/services/emergencies
Our local community is set to benefit with the restoration of a direct bus service from Chatswood to Royal North Shore Hospital. The new bus route, 113, will commence on 7 November 2022 and operate hourly Monday to Friday 9am to 3pm. The new route will provide critical transportation for the those in need and provide reliable access to hospitals when required.
Member for Willoughby Tim James said, “So many in our community are reliant on public transport for travel and it is of particular importance to the elderly and sick to have a direct service to the major hospital in our area.”
“Thank you to all who have provided feedback about our local buses, it assists in achieving these wins for the community. I
The finalist works of the 2022 Hornsby Art Prize will be on exhibition at Wallarobba Arts and Cultural Centre and Hornsby Central Library from 19 - 30 October.
Winners of the Hornsby Art Prize, including the Hornsby Shire Emerging Artist and the Wallarobba Outstanding Local Artist Awards, will be announced at an award ceremony on Saturday 22 October. Registrations to attend are essential.
The Hornsby Art Prize Finalists’ exhibition will be delivered over two locations: Wallarobba Arts and Cultural Centre and Hornsby Central Library. For more information and to register to attend the events, go to hornsby.nsw.gov.au/artprize.
Wallarobba Arts and Cultural Centre, 25 Edgeworth David Ave, Hornsby
Open Wednesday to Sunday, 10am-4pm daily
On exhibition: Painting, printmaking, drawing and 3D works
Hornsby Central Library, 28-44 George St, Hornsby
Open Monday to Friday, 10am-9pm; Saturday, 9.30am-5pm, Sunday, 2pm-5pm
On exhibition: Digital art – stills
continue to welcome the community’s feedback and inputs on bus routes and will continue advocating for the enhancement of our local bus services.”
Anne Welch's Sweet Temptation, 2022.Member for Davidson, Jonathan O’Dea, will not recontest his seat at the March 2023 NSW election. Since 2007, Mr O’Dea has delivered infrastructure investments in health, education, transport, and public recreation. He has represented NSW on the international executive of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.
He stated, “It has been an enormous privilege to represent the people of NSW alongside my parliamentary colleagues. I will now seek new opportunities in moving to the next phase of my working life.”
Mr O’Dea has overseen the running of the parliamentary precinct during the pandemic, which was (and continues still) to be a challenging time. He has advocated for reform to modernise Parliament’s infrastructure and systems, increase public education and engagement, and lift professional standards.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said that Mr O’Dea was “a vital contributor to the state, with a particular legacy of effectively managing COVID-19 restrictions in the Parliament during the pandemic. I thank Jonathan
for his outstanding contribution and dedication.”
Sydney Observer would like to wish Mr O’Dea good luck in his future endeavours.
K u-ring-gai Council has approved a new initiative to highlight issues affecting women in our local community.
MAY 2020
At the Council’s August meeting, Councillors voted on introducing a Women’s Forum. The forum will take place twice a year and discuss solutions to common problems faced by women of all ages and backgrounds. It will aim to implement strategies for creating more gender equity at home and in the workplace, as well as identify positive role models for future young female leaders. Each forum will be headlined by a keynote speaker.
Thanks to all the doctors, nurses and other essential workers for their valuable contributions. Working on the frontline in a health emergency is demanding and difficult. The Northern Sydney Local Health District has been a great support to our community, including with assistance during power blackouts and the COVID-19 crisis.
Mayor Jeff Pettett said: “There are some critical challenges currently facing Australian women. These include combatting gender inequality at a time when women have never been more needed in the workforce.
Regardless of political beliefs and views, whatever they may be, it is important to recognise and respect individuals who have worked to contribute to our local Davidson electorate.
As your local member in the New South Wales Parliament, it is my pleasure to serve you and our community.
As your local State Member I can:
• Represent you in the NSW Parliament
As your local member in the New South Wales Parliament, it is my pleasure to serve you and our community.
Direct your concerns to the appropriate NSW Minister for a response
Dear Residents, 2020 is proving to be a very challenging year. Added to a catastrophic bushfire season and the ravages of drought, NSW has been in the grip of a major health emergency. The COVID-19 pandemic has been difficult for everyone as we navigate social and economic disruption.
We will be inviting high profile speakers to participate in the forums who are role models for women wishing to break through in sectors traditionally dominated by men.
We would particularly like to see young women and men attend, as they are the future change agents in the workplace and at home.”
Advocate for more local services and infrastructure
Refer you to relevant government services
The community has rallied to help vulnerable people during the health crisis, reflecting the essential goodness of humanity. Please continue to respect the rules and medical advice to keep everyone safe. The NSW and Federal governments have responded strongly. There are measures to assist individuals and businesses.
If you contact me with a NSW Government related concern, I will do my best to assist you. If your matter is not a responsibility of the NSW Government, I can advise you where to seek assistance.
2020 is proving to be a very challenging year. Added to a catastrophic season and the ravages of drought, NSW has been in the grip of a major emergency. The COVID-19 pandemic has been difficult for everyone social and economic disruption.
Organise congratulatory messages eg. 50th or 60th wedding anniversary, as well as 80th or 100th birthday
Please email Davidson@parliament.nsw.gov.au if you want to bring something to my attention.
The best way to contact me to bring anything to my attention is to email Davidson@parliament.nsw.gov.au
The health system (including mental health) has been bolstered and there are numerous credible government information sources including: www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19 and www.australia.gov.au
Thanks to all the doctors, nurses and other essential workers for their valuable contributions. Working on the frontline in a health emergency is demanding and difficult. The Northern Sydney Local Health District has been a great support to our community, including with assistance during power blackouts and the COVID-19 crisis.
Sign up for my digital newsletter to keep up-to-date about local announcements: https://bit.ly/2yj1Ebq
I have enclosed a flyer with health information and government support details. The Ku-ring-gai, Northern Beaches and Willoughby Council websites have local community information.
The NSW Government has high testing capacity and now wants anyone with even mild symptoms to get tested.
The first forum is scheduled to be held by November this year. Keep updated with forum news and further details at krg.nsw.gov.au
Downloading the COVIDSafe phone app means people exposed to COVID-19 can be quickly traced and contacted. I have it active on my phone.
While it is hard for everyone, Governments are receiving and acting on expert medical advice. Results indicate the strategies are working.
The community has rallied to help vulnerable people during the health the essential goodness of humanity. Please continue to respect the rules advice to keep everyone safe. The NSW and Federal governments have strongly. There are measures to assist individuals and businesses.
The health system (including mental health) has been bolstered and there numerous credible government information sources including: www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19 and www.australia.gov.au
I have enclosed a flyer with health information and government support The Ku-ring-gai, Northern Beaches and Willoughby Council websites community information.
Phone: 9880 7400 Fax: 9880 7488
The NSW Government has high testing capacity and now wants anyone with even mild symptoms to get tested.
Represent you in the NSW Parliament
Downloading the COVIDSafe phone app means people exposed to COVID-19 can be quickly traced and contacted. I have it active on my phone.
OCTOBER 2022 | SYDNEYOBSERVER.COM.AU 11 Local News Email: davidson@parliament.nsw.gov.au www.jonathanodea.com.au
Direct your concerns to the appropriate NSW Minister for a response
While it is hard for everyone, Governments are receiving and acting on expert medical advice. Results indicate the strategies are working.
Mimi Webb is a musician culminating various styles and time periods. The 22-year-old singer songwriter grew up in the midst of vast technological changes in music, particularly the advent of social media and online sites like YouTube and Spotify, where the artist has free reign over their branding, communications, advertising, and of course, their art. Studying music and listening to jazz legends like Nat King Cole and Ella Fitzgerald, Mimi is a rarity; someone inspired by the classics, yet someone hip and new age, with her finger on the pulse of contemporary culture. Speaking with Mimi was fun, natural and easy. You really got the sense she’s just happy to be here.
Mimi rose to stardom in 2020 during the pandemic with her hit ‘Before I Go’ and has been on the up ever since, amassing more than 2.2 billion video views. She has just wrapped up her first Australian tour, playing shows in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. “It’s all so crazy, this last year has been amazing. We’ve been to some amazing places and done some amazing things.”
Mimi’s success is something that seems very natural to her. Whilst others in her position previously would have struggled, she adopts the attitude of, “I think you just take it in your stride and take it day by day, but I’m loving it!”
She says she is learning so much about the industry she is now a part of. However, her focus is always on the music. “There is so much that goes into it. You’ve got your team to protect you and make sure you’re focusing on your things. For me, I love my music. I love writing and performing and meeting people and going round the world – that is my home in the industry.”
We moved on to discussing performing. It was fascinating to note that performances are not only spectacles where artists jump about on stage and belt out our favourite tunes, rather, they are carefully curated displays full of technical nuance.
Jay Houhlias
Grant Spanier
Mimi likes to respect this, telling Sydney Observer : “My songs are so high, so I like to be able to really perform…I like to try and stand up and be present because it’s hard to sing theses notes, you’ve got to make sure your whole diaphragm is in a certain position.”
“I’m starting to get used to it. I do like to make sure I’m focusing on that [vocal technicalities]. You want to make sure that your vocals are healthy and that you’re doing it in a healthy way. It’s so easy to strain your voice, especially when you’re doing long tours and singing so much. So, making sure you’re singing properly is massive for me.”
One of Mimi’s hits is a satirical song called ‘House on Fire’ (Over 6 million views on YouTube as of October 2022). Sydney Observer asked Mimi about over the top ideas like that.
“You have such emotional stories behind your songs, but then when you make them upbeat and fun, it’s really cool. When songs are made sad though, being able to switch the energy is such a big thing as a performer. It means I can really connect with that song to make sure it comes across with the audience. But then when the song is super fun and upbeat, I’m like, right, let’s get the sass out!”
Sydney Observer asked Mimi about song writing.
“Sometimes I find myself in a position where I really want to write about something; there is something going on that’s really upsetting me. I just want to write something good about it to get it off my chest. Sometimes for me, when you write something about someone, you want them to hear it; this is how I’m feeling… this is what you did to me, this is how you made me feel.”
“When you’re in the studio, you’re running with two or three ideas… There are some days where you just don’t
get any of the ideas, so you’ll just start another idea. If it doesn’t feel right and it doesn’t melodically connect, you might have to just sit on it and come back to it…It’s good to be able to sit on songs and not be frightened of it. You want the best song at the end of the day, and if you start rushing into things, it can mess it up.”
Mimi says that while her musical inspirations guide her, they do not necessarily drive her to create songs like them or foster a desire to emulate them.
“When I started, everyone was saying – Mimi, find your sound. Mimi, who do you love, ok, you love them, find your sound through that. I think that your sound is what lies within you…I can listen to Nat King Cole and all these really incredible artists from back in the day, and I think wow I just want to listen to that. But when I actually get in the studio, I don’t really want to write that kind of thing.”
She continued, “I am also a 2000 baby, so it’s all been about pop. I’ve grown up in this generation, and I’ve obviously taken a lot of influence from the music I love. But I like being able to create something that is you…I think you’ve got to be able to separate the two in a healthy way, your artist and then you, otherwise you’ll end up failing trying to be someone you’re not.”
Mimi’s passion for music gives one the feeling that we will be listening to her on the radio for years to come; an artist in it for the long run, a healthy and successful career. A part of me hopes that she finds a nice stable partner to love, yet the other half of me doesn’t as we will be devoid of more heartbreak bangers. It would really be quite selfish of her to deprive us all of that, wouldn’t it?
Mimi’s new track ‘Ghost Of You’ is out 7 October. Head to her Instagram @mimiiiwebb to stay up to date with all things Mimi Webb.
“It’s good to be able to sit on songs and not be frightened of it. You want the best song at the end of the day, and if you start rushing into things, it can mess it up.”Frank Fieber Grant Spanier
Making the most of our memory takes effort; it’s an active process! The right skills, time and practice ensure successful memorisation.
A clean, uncluttered environment where distractions are minimised or
1. Start General, Then Learn Specifics. Read widely and generally about the topic, and then talk about it or watch a video on it. This begins to embed key concepts, facts and figures, such as significant people, places, events and dates into your memory. Building on from this, with specifics later, means the material is more familiar.
• When we know information lies within a broader category, it’s easier to access (recall) the specifics later.
• Ensure you understand what it is you’re trying to learn.
2. Organise Material, Link It. Group similar concepts together as information is organised in memory in related clusters. Relate new material to information you already know to create meaningful categories.
3. Recite Aloud. To yourself or tell/teach/explain it to someone else, until you don’t need to refer to notes – this requires practice and repetition.
• Rhyme, rhythm and song also helps with memorisation.
• Seeing it, saying it and hearing it helps with remembering it!
• Acrostics: useful for memorising the order, such as ‘My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nachos’ (for memorising the planets in order!).
• Chunking: remembering large numbers in smaller chunks, for example a bank account or mobile phone number. It’s easier remember a 10-12 digit number in 3 or 4 chunks and remembering the chunks as discrete groups.
eliminated makes for a great start. This includes turning phones to silent or leaving them in another room if warranted! Your favourite playlist may help to set the right mood for study and may also serve to quieten intrusive mental chatter and distracting thoughts. Studying in silence doesn’t work for everyone.
During early September, over 1,000 childcare centres across Australia closed their doors to children as educators protested for better pay. Helen Gibbons, director of early education, United Workers Union says, “Educators have had enough… The new Federal Government must urgently take concrete steps to address the workforce crisis in early education and reform the sector”.
• Acronyms (my favourite at university!): can be real or made up words where each letter of the word denotes the starting word of a sentence which needs to be memorised.
• Flash Cards/Mind Maps: on coloured posters are good for specific facts or topics that have to be memorised separately.
5.Practice Papers. Practice writing answers –do as many as possible. Applying your knowledge to a question ensures that you understand what you’ve learned.
• Writing and rewriting notes is active revision and is proven to improve storage into longterm memory.
6. Memory Palace, Method of Loci. Uses linking and association. Use your bedroom, for instance, and associate the items, lists, and digits you want to remember with objects located in the room. When you want to retrieve the information, you visualise that familiar space (your memory palace) and retrieve the information pinned to the objects located in your room.
7. Studying Material Over a Number of Sessions. Repeated learning exposures with a greater length of time between exposures is proven to be effective for memorisation.
8. Visual Cues. Images, graphics, and making colourful drawings alongside notes all can improve memorisation.
Finally and most importantly, exercise, eat and sleep well – take naps if you need to! Research shows that having a snooze after you learn something new can help you learn faster and remember better!
According to the Aussie Childcare Network, a support worker in a childcare centre earns a minimum hourly rate of $21.75, while educators with a diploma earn approximately $27.
Advertisements on Seek promote childcare educators with a salary starting at $50,000. This is considerably low paying for a vital and demanding job, and it is overwhelming the industry. It means less people are entering the profession and current educators are overworking. Mrs Gibbons said that “99% [of educators] say that workload and staffing issues are making educators feel burnt out and undervalued.”
In NSW, a rally took place at Martin Place, where hundreds marched the streets of Sydney. Other rallies also took place in Newcastle, Orange and Griffith. Protestors at the march held placards stating, ‘I can’t pay my bills’ and ‘Give us a reason to stay. It’s time for better pay!’.
An early childhood educator in Tasmania, Maddison Calcradt said, “The early childhood education sector is in crisis. Every day I see colleagues taking work home, purchasing resources from their own pockets and exhausting themselves to try to give quality education and care. The system is failing all of us.”
Early education centres are having to turn away children as there is not enough staff to accommodate them. The protest serves as a stark reminder that members from the United Workers Union are fighting for better conditions and pay.
Maddison says, “United Workers Union members are calling for the Government to work with educators to urgently outline a plan and timeline to deliver on 3 key priorities: Give us a reason to stay and pay us what we are worth, value early learning as part of the education system just as important as schools, and put children before profit.”
Sarah Wainwright, BSc (Psychology), Postgraduate Diploma (Psychology). Writer, mentor-tutor, wife and mother of 4. Sarah is a Sydney-based parenting expert and shares her experience and observations on Instagram @_parentingtips_ Sarah WainwrightAround 400 years ago, Loreto foundress Mary Ward stated, “women in time to come will do much.”
At the time, this was a controversial, even dangerous, point of view. However, today, one of Sydney’s leading independent Catholic girls’ schools, Loreto Normanhurst, continues to fulfil this vision through a commitment to innovation in girls’ education.
It is no secret there is an ongoing debate between single-sex and co-educational schools. Which is more effective? Which is more conducive to learning? What are the pros and cons of each? These are common questions. Loreto Normanhurst Principal, Ms Marina Ugonotti, has provided some key insights into some misconceptions about girls’ education. She makes three clear points.
“We are not princess factories.” The stereotype that many girls schools are princess factories is something commonly faced. Ms Ugonotti states, “Girls develop a strength of gentle feminism, self-confidence, and active participation in the community.”
“We provide the tools and confidence for girls to take a seat at the table, even if it is not offered.”
Building on the attributes nurtured within the girl’s school environment, Ms Ugonotti acknowledges the impact this has on their education but also as they enter the postschool environment.
“We offer an opportunity for girls to participate in every role and leadership position.” The statistics about women in positions of power have long been taken aim against. Whilst there is debate about the reasons for this disparity, it is unquestionable – results are confronting, stark, and can be demotivating for many girls with high aspirations.
“Girls’ schools help to shape identity, selfworth, and confidence in adolescent years to encourage girls to pursue roles of leadership. In a single-sex environment, girls are not required to split leadership positions 50/50 with their male peers, providing greater access to leadership opportunities during this critical developmental phase,” said Ms Ugonotti.
So, which is more preferable, single-sex or co-education? This question becomes even trickier when one factors in what metric they are using to determine success – the overall health and wellbeing of students, or their academic performance and grades? One could say that a healthier student overall is more likely to perform better academically, but this is not always the case. A 2017 study from the Australian Council for Education Research found students in single-sex schools outperformed co-ed schools in Naplan scores (numeracy and reading). These scores were from grades 3 and 7. However, the caveat to this is that these higher scores did not increase over the years, rather, they either remained stagnant or even declined slightly.
Whichever you choose for your child’s schooling, education is a privilege, and it should be treated as such.
Fri, 14th Oct - 7:00 pm
Sat, 15th Oct - 2:00 pm & 6:00 pm
Sun, 16th Oct - 11:00 am & 2:00 pm
Wed, 19th Oct - 7:00 pm
Thurs, 20th Oct - 7:00 pm
Fri, 21st Oct - 7:00 pm
Sat, 22nd Oct - 2:00 pm & 6:00 pm
Sun, 23rd Oct - 11 am & 2:00 pm
Wed, 26th Oct - 7:00 pm
Thurs, 27th Oct - 7:00 pm
Fri, 28th Oct - 7:00 pm
Sat, 29th Oct - 2:00 pm & 6:00 pm
Sun, 30th Oct -11:00 am & 2:00 pm
Wed, 2nd Nov - 7:00 pm
Thurs, 3rd Nov - 7:00 pm
Fri, 4th Nov - 7:00 pm
Sat, 5th Nov - 2:00 pm & 6:00 pm
Sun, 6th Nov - 11:00 am & 2:00 pm
Wed, 9th Nov - 7:00 pm
Thurs, 10th Nov - 7:00 pm
Fri, 11th Nov - 7:00 pm
Sat, 12th Nov - 2:00 pm & 6:00 pm
Sun, 13th Nov - 11:00 am & 2:00 pm
Principal of Loreto Normanhurst, Ms Marina Ugonotti.Perhaps the most successful book and film franchise ever made – there aren’t many who haven’t heard of the Harry Potter series. Loved by audiences young and old, the reimagined production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the perfect school holiday treat for families visiting Melbourne.
Originally a two-part event, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is now a one-part play, and it is set nineteen years after the final instalment of the original series – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows The Cursed Child is based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, and it is the first Harry Potter story to be presented on stage.
Earlier this year the show broke the record for most tickets sold of any stage play in Australia, selling over one million tickets. An estimated 326,500 people saw the show in its first year, topping any previous record set by a stage play in the history of Australian theatre. Over half of these attendees were first-time theatregoers!
Sydney Observer spoke to Paula Arundell, the actress bringing to life Hermione Granger in the play.
Can you describe your relationship with the Potter world?
I actually haven’t seen the movies – I’ve only seen the first. I think there is something about working on a play; it’s my experience with the story. I wanted to experience the theatre producers’ visions. But I always wanted to have my experience, and the books are my
experience. I came to the book after I came to this production. I was a late starter in the Potter universe, but it ropes you into this incredible world. The kids are smart, and sassy, and courageous. By the third book I had tears in places!
What’s it like to swing a wand around stage? Does it feel powerful?
In acting, it’s so much about endowment. You endower props with a kind of force. To hold it and look at it, it becomes powerful. The props on our set are just beautiful craftsmanship. You become the magic with the prop. It’s like when a child holds a wand, they infuse it with their faith, they put their power into it. So it works.
How is it playing such an iconic character in Hermione Granger?
It feels incredible. I don’t know how else to say it. I really do mean it when I say I’m having the time of my life. Hermione has all these instincts, but she backs them up with research, and knowledge – she knows what she is doing... She is capable of seeing things that are wrong in the world, and she fights against it. It is quite something to sit with the story of Hermione.
How do you think people are responding to the show? The show goes with the world and current events - I think that’s what great literature does. You can view the world differently. There are certain things we’ve gone through production wise that when you go away, you come back with a different mindset. Audiences are so much more receptive to this. Particularly the past few years, I think it’s a wonderful thing for people to be able to congregate. You can feel their wanting to be in a room together.
And the show is for everyone, it’s all things. You have little kids standing there wide eyed wanting an autograph, and then you have a 38-year-old man who told me, “I’ve seen the show five times!” because he was such a fan.
The play holds a record 60 major honours, with nine Laurence Olivier awards. Melbourne’s Princess Theatre is the home of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in Australia. Ticket prices start at $56.90 and can be purchased at premier.ticketek.com.au
John Tsiavis Jay HouhliasI always wanted to have my experience, and the books are my experience (...) I was a late starter in the Potter universe, but it ropes you into this incredible world.Paula Arundell as Hermione Granger. Paula Arundell, Michael Whalley, Gareth Reeves, Lucy Goleby and Lachlan Woods. Michelle Grace Hunder
Tim James MP, Member for Willoughby, recently released a statement regarding selective schools. The statement was in response to concerns over recent changes to the selection process for opportunity classes and selective high schools. The main concern is that current standards may be lowered, and thus, eligible students may miss out.
Mr James stated, “The Equity Placement Model is part of a 2018 review of Selective Education Access aimed at increasing the equity of the state's selective schools and opportunity classes. I'm advised that these changes bring NSW in to line with other systems such as universities admissions and some other jurisdictions.”
“The new placement model that will take effect for enrolments in 2023 onwards would reserve up to 20 percent of places in NSW opportunity classes and selective high schools for those students from one of four equity groups: low socioeconomic background; Indigenous background; the disabled; or residents of a rural or remote area.”
“I have been advised that the estimated effect of the policy will be that the four equity groups will take up less than 10 per cent of places. We all want to see our children succeed and enjoy the best start in life. No one opposes giving the disadvantaged in our society a helping hand. However, we should be seeking to lift these students up, addressing the root causes of disadvantage and giving everyone equal opportunity to flourish, instead of lowering standards for some.”
Selective schools in Willoughby have a strong reputation, and the community expects a certain standard to be maintained.
Mr James went on, “We must continue to see growth in selective schools and OC places across the state and this would help alleviate concerns…I have sought assurances that no presently eligible students will miss out and continue to advocate on behalf of the Willoughby community.”
Termites are the bane of many woodenthusiasts’ existence. However, while many people think of termites merely as manic infesters of their timber walls and roofs, these are only a small subset of the species.
Termites are one of the only species that can get nutrition from wood, and some termites even help ecosystems recycle plant material. Wood decomposition from microbial decay is key to forest ecosystem function. Termites in natural forests are vital wood decomposers, but they are rarely researched as they don’t exist in many seasonally cold parts of the world. There is new evidence that termites are more sensitive to temperature than previously thought.
An international study by the University of Miami with UNSW Sydney found that termites’ appetite for wood increases with temperature. This is already well known, however, researchers were stunned by just how much it could affect wood decay rates. “Wood-eating termite activity increases with temperature more than we thought previously,” says Associate Professor Will Cornwell from UNSW Science. “With the climate warming very fast, the major implication is this activity will likely increase in certain parts of the world.”
“There’s about as much biomass of termites on earth as there are humans. Most of that is in the tropics, where they can eat up to half of the deadwood in forests. So, they’re much more important than you might initially think,” A/ Prof. Cornwell says.
For the study, the decay rate of pinus radiata (a pine local to Mexico and the central coast
of California) wood blocks were observed at 133 sites across six continents. Researchers then compared how fast termites and microbes decompose deadwood in different environments. They found the presence of termites and their wood decaying consumption rates increased by 6.8 times for every 10°C. “Microbes are globally important when it comes to deadwood decay, but we have largely overlooked the role of termites in this process. This means we aren’t accounting for the massive effect these insects could pose for future carbon cycling and interactions with climate change,” says the lead author of the study Professor Amy Zanne (University of Miami).
According to the study, termites had their most significant impacts in tropical forests and subtropical deserts. With increased shifts to more tropical climates worldwide, researchers predict the zone of high termite activity will likely expand away from the equator as the earth becomes warmer.
So, not only will termite activity increase in existing habitats, but termites may also spread to new areas as the tropics expand with warming temperatures.
“The tropical region is only going to expand as the climate gets warmer, so more attention on the critical role termites play is vital,” A/Prof. Cornwell says. “While we don’t know whether that will impact more buildings and populated areas, we do know that termites like it hot, and it’s going to get hotter everywhere.”
The study findings could be used to produce more realistic forecasts for climate change effects on wood carbon pools. More research on termite activity will help better represent
the role termites play in global carbon models used to predict climate change. This, in addition, will help researchers understand and maintain the global carbon balance for future terrestrial ecosystems.
“There should also be more attention on termite activity, particularly in places like the northern parts of Australia, to monitor their behaviour more closely as the climate continues to warm,” A/Prof. Cornwell says.
Despite their crucial function for environmental ecosystems, termites are pesky, inconvenient things when found in and around your home. If you would like to mitigate some of their deleterious effects, consider keeping problem areas in your home and garden cooler. This can be done with shading, air conditioning (if indoors) and keeping spaces open. As we have just learnt, termites like it hot. If you don’t want them to thrive, keep them cold.
As the year progresses, we leave the colder months behind us and welcome the warmth – yippee! However, these changes in temperature can have some deleterious effects on your plants. Heat stress on plants can be minimised if you maintain your plants properly.
Some plants, like succulents, are designed to handle higher temperatures by conserving water in their leaves. But most plants do not possess this ability. There are a few common symptoms of heat stress in plants: wilting, cupping, folding or rolling leaves and leaf dropping.
1. Wilting: Wilting will occur in plants that are suffering from low moisture and inadequate hydration or water pressure inside the plant. If wilting is ignored, it will continue to worsen, with leaves shrivelling and drying up further until they crust over completely.
2. Cupping, Folding or Rolling Leaves: In response to heat, many plants will decrease their surface area by rolling or folding their leaves. This means that the pores of the plant are closed, and moisture can be maintained within the plant.
3. Leaf dropping: When temperatures get too severe, some plants will shed some of their foliage to minimise water loss. Fruit trees and other vegetable plants will often drop buds or flowers so the plant can conserve resources.
The first and most obvious is to up the amount of water given to your plants. As the days get warmer, your plant’s water needs increase. Most gardening experts agree that morning watering is most ideal during hotter days. Another thing to note is that shallow rooted plants are more susceptible to heat stress as they dry out quicker.
Another way to minimise heat stress is to use mulch. Mulch conserves moisture in plants by slowing the rate at which water is evaporated. It also helps to keep the soil temperature stable.
Using shade is another easy way to conserve water. You can also use shade or cloth to decrease the plant’s exposure to the sun. It is recommended that you cover plants at risk of heat stress during the hottest part of the day (middle of the day) and let them get natural sunlight at the start and toward of the day.
Avoiding pruning or trimming during warmer temperatures ensures that your plant remains safe from sunburn. Pruning a plant or tree will expose different parts of it which were previously shaded or protected. Stressed plants are more likely to attract insects which can further impact the health of the plant.
On Monday 29 August, the highly anticipated time for residents commenced as they made their move into Kokoda Residences in Waitara. Here, their brand-new homes truly represent the theme of ‘Your Time. Your Place’, and now, ‘Your Home’.
Launched in early 2020, Kokoda Residences’ 117 apartment development has proved itself to be a shining example of an innovative retirement community which truly resonates with a very diverse range of residents that have chosen this as their new home.
Consisting of a range of one, two and three bedroom apartments and penthouses with expansive balconies, premium finishes and secure carparking, this gorgeous new place has appealed to those local and familiar with the area, to those returning to the area, or to those moving to be closer to family and grandchildren.
Over the last two years the community spirit at Kokoda Residences has been flourishing. This was well before residents even moved in, with
regular coffee catch ups held to build connections and friendships that are bound to grow even stronger now with residents settling in.
What better 'endorsement' could you ask for than the 'salesperson' being so much sold on what is on offer that she herself has selected an apartment!
Maureen Malouf, who has been involved in promoting and selling the apartments since the very beginning, along with her husband Joseph, also decided to make the move. Maureen and Joseph are thrilled to be amongst the first groups moving in – a real case of believing in what you sell.
With no need to worry about home and garden maintenance and having so much more than 'just' a fabulous apartment to enjoy, there is much excitement happening in Waitara Avenue. With an extensive range of beautiful community spaces to enjoy, including a resident’s lounge and bar, lush terrace garden, gym, hair salon, cinema, and the eagerly awaited 7-day café, George's, everyday living is set to become so much easier.
Graham Hooper, CEO of Vasey Communities, operator and not-forprofit developer of Kokoda Residences, is understandably proud of reaching this monumental milestone. He stated, "I am absolutely delighted to welcome our residents this week and over the next few months.”
“The design and quality of the building has even exceeded my high expectations – and to have so many people moving in is an exciting and rewarding time for everyone involved. It's the community that is so important to me – and our team are so thrilled to see this all come to fruition. I truly believe Kokoda Residences will provide all of the residents with an active and meaningful lifestyle, which will enable them to enjoy their retirement years to the fullest (even though many of our residents would never consider themselves as ever retiring!).”
For more information or inquiries, call Maureen or Jodie at Kokoda Residences on 02 9299 3953 or visit www.kokodaresidences.com.au
Irecently spotted this pressed-steel ride-on toy horse outside a bookshop in Macquarie Centre. It’s called a Mobo Bronco. When the rider pushed down on the metal stirrups, internal springs made the front legs shoot forward and the hind legs move back. 'Magic steering' enabled the rider to steer the Bronco depending on which stirrup was used. Partly hidden wheels in his hollow hoofs aided forward propulsion and locking devices stopped you rolling backward.
The horse was first sold in 1947, developed in England by D. Sebel & Co. Ltd, operated by David Sebel and his son, Harry. They ran a London metalwork company and during WWII made tank parts and air raid shelter bunks. After the war, the Sebels moved to the old Vickers gun works in Kent and diversified into metal furniture and toys. The Mobo name came from the term 'mobile toys'.
The Sebel family moved to Sydney and by 1953 had set up a branch factory on Canterbury Road, Bankstown. Mobo Bronco components were still made in Kent but assembled and painted here before distribution around Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and Singapore.
No doubt most Australians will have ridden a Mobo toy or at least sat on one of Sebel’s metal or moulded plastic chairs. Perhaps it was the pedal-powered Pony Express, Mobo motorbike, Ranch Rocker, Merry-go-round or toddler chair and desk with blackboard. Sebel’s “Stack-A-Bye” chairs with tubular steel frames and pressed metal seats were in every school, community hall, club, and hotel.
Harry Sebel became a household name in Australia after opening the Sebel Town House at Elizabeth Bay in 1963, which accommodated visiting rock acts from Springsteen to Abba. He pioneered moulded plastic furniture in Australia in 1977 with the Integra chair and continued to make furniture until selling out in 1982.
Stunning apartments with quality European appliances, generous balconies and secure car parking.
Plus enjoy the beautiful community spaces, including café, lounge, bar, gym, cinema, hair salon and lush terrace garden.
Retirement apartments from $599,000.* Call 9299 3953 to find out more.
kokodaresidences.com.au
'Magic steering' enabled the rider to steer the Mobo Bronco depending on which stirrup was used
Your time. Your place.
Mattering involves feeling significant, that what you do matters, and the sense that you matter to others. As one researcher Isaac Prilleltensky describes it, mattering is about feeling valued and adding value. Feeling valued means feeling worthy, acknowledged, and appreciated. Adding value means making a meaningful contribution, to yourself and to others.
Research suggests that when we feel marginalised, excluded, or neglected, we feel like we don't matter. This is associated with feeling lonely and like we don’t belong, low self-esteem, helplessness, depression, or anger. Ageism, empty nest, retirement, and death of friends and family can all decrease our opportunities to feel valued and included, thus decreasing feelings that we are contributing to society. Community responses to the pandemic have also sometimes made older adults feel like they are expendable, as have many of the experiences of older adults in our inadequate aged care system.
Making sure we find ways to contribute to our family, friends and community, however small our efforts, is important. We also need to make conscious efforts to make others aware that we value them, value the things they do for us and for others, and that we would miss them if they were gone. This also makes us feel like we matter.
I love Dr Isaac Prilleltensky’s conclusion, “By showing that we care about other people, other species, the planet, and future generations, we will hopefully find a sense of meaning and mattering in our own lives”.
A
BC Friends was established in 1976 in response to funding cuts to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation made by the then Federal Government. Its purpose is to lobby on behalf of people who listen to, watch, read and interact with the ABC. Their newsletter is released every three months.
The Northern Suburbs of Sydney (NSoS) Branch of ABC Friends’ latest newsletter highlighted the retirement of Margaret Reynolds (ABC Friends inaugural national president), the passing of Caroline Jones (renowned ABC journalist), the appointment of Justin Stevens as the new director of ABC News, how the ABC children’s program ‘Bluey’ has won yet another award, job losses for ABC librarians and archivists, and much more.
NSoS Branch of ABC Friends covers northern suburbs including the electorates of North Sydney, Bradfield and Berowra.
NSoS meeting:
When: Thursday, 13 October, from 2pm – 3pm
Where: Roseville Club, 64 Pacific Hwy, Roseville
More: Optional lunch at Roseville Club 1-2pm.
ABC Friends Fundraising Concert:
What: Rachel Collis & Band performance
When: Saturday 5 November 2022 at 7pm
Where: Humph Hall, 85 Allambie Heights Limited seating, bookings essential. Contatcts on wayne@humphhall.org or 0400 803 804
Dr Sue Ferguson is an Honorary Associate Lecturer in the Department of Psychology at Macquarie University. Northern Suburbs of Sydney Branch of ABC Friends enjoy reading their latest ABC Friends newsletter. Left to Right: Diana Tyne, Jenny Forster, Gordon Elkington, Tina Cooper, Janine Kitson.
A walking stick in the hands of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II caught the attention of many. A walking stick is probably the first mobility aid many will use to maintain stability and to prevent an unwanted fall. There are lots of options to choose from while selecting a walking stick. The type of the base or tip, shape of handle, colour, style etc.
Mary was advised to get a walker to assist with her mobility. Although she realised the need for a walking aid to improve her mobility, she put off the decision as she could not find a suitable one. That is when she found a carbon fibre walker with a seat, back rest, and bag, weighing no more than five kilos! Functionality and aesthetics combined in one. Mary needed no convincing. Whether it is a stick, or a walker will depend more on your personal situations.
Spring is a great season to resume some of the good habits we left behind, like going for a walk. It’s not too hot, not too cold. Mobility is such an important aspect of our everyday life. Mobility promotes not only our social and emotional wellbeing, but it also plays a vital role in our physical wellbeing and functioning of our critical internal organs.
Take time to think about your more long-term mobility needs. Are you going to surrender your independence because of the loss of your driver’s licence or your inability to drive due to a physical condition? Being mobile is one sure way of retaining your independence. A mobility scooter is a great option. Come and discover, as Mary did, a range of fashionable, trendy, and functional solutions for independence, dignity and mobility at www.comfortdiscovered.com.
Stepping into the period of senior living means you may have some spare time on your hands. If you have the desire to do something bigger than yourself and for the greater good, this spare time is the chance to do it.
Your help is integral to the function of the community and will help keep community spirit alive. The Ku-ring-gai Hornsby service is great place to start or expand your volunteering journey. The volunteer service welcomes people with all skills and interests. The service recognises your abilities and places you in a role where you can perform with confidence.
Meals on Wheels, Easy care Gardening, Ku-ring-gai Neighbourhood Centre in St Ives Shopping Village, Lifeline, and Harbour to Hawkesbury are some of the services and places you can join to give back to the community.
If you’re looking to volunteer for groups focused on helping older Australians, consider the Association of Independent Retirees or the Council on the Ageing NSW (COTA).
Volunteering in your community or other organisations provides vital support to people in need, which is in turn rewarding for you. If you want to start volunteering with the Ku-ring-gai Hornsby unit, contact 9424 0970 or email volunteers@kmc.nsw.gov.au .
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To access our under cover street level car park, you MUST turn into Jersey St NORTH from Bridge Road, then into the car park entrance at the end of the building.
– Free
Home Care Beds, Rise Recliners, Mobility Scooters, Wheel Chairs, Walkers, Day Chairs, Toilet, Bathroom and Daily Living Aids.
Registered Provider for My Aged Care, NDIS, DVA and Insurance cos.
Easy Parking
showroom and toilet
There are some great ways the NSW Government assists many older people. These include council rate rebates, free spectacles, free car rego, free driver’s licences, as well as rebates on electricity, gas and water bills. If eligible, you could save hundreds of dollars a year.
There are more than 70 discounts and rebates available through the Savings Finder program, with many aiming to help pensioners. Go to the Service NSW website https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/services/ concessions-rebates-and-assistance. You can make an appointment with a savings specialist at a Service NSW centre, or call 13 77 88.
If you enjoy nature, you could enjoy free entry to National Parks. Pensioners can also receive vouchers for free and discounted train travel around NSW. Another popular benefit is the Gold Seniors Opal card, which provides Seniors Card holders with unlimited public transport travel for no more than $2.50 a day across Sydney and nearby regions. Further, pensioners will be able to access up to $750 a year in toll relief from January 2023.
The NSW Seniors Card has been an outstanding success, with 1.6 million members. There are now over 7,400 businesses state-wide offering around 9,000 discounts and reciprocal deals in other states. The Government also has NSW Senior Savers for older people working more than 20 hours a week.
The 2022-23 NSW Budget includes the $128 million Energy Bill Buster program to help eligible households install solar or replace appliances with more energy efficient ones.
Appliances available in the package include energy efficient fridges, dryers, airconditioners and hot water systems as well as upgrades such as window shading and draught sealing valued at up to $4,000.
Eligible households include pensioners and Department of Veterans Affairs Gold Card holders receiving the Low-Income Household Rebate, who can receive 10 years’ worth of rebates upfront to put towards solar or appliance upgrades. For more information about the Energy Bill Buster program visit https://www.energy.nsw.gov.au/rebate-swap
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homes Hunters Hill Sutherland ShireCustomer research indicates personal service is more valued than ever…
Post COVID, people are valuing personal service more than ever. This research contradicts the theory that during COVID, people being forced to use new technologies to communicate remotely would lead to a boom in the up-take of this technology.
However, people want relationships. They want face to face and human contact; personal service is what they seek and appreciate.
At AUDiOHEALTH we remain open and connected to our clients. We understand the value in that rare, old-fashioned service. Personal service with the latest technology has been our family’s recipe for success for three generations in hearing healthcare.
We’ve extended that to offer people hearing services in the convenience, comfort, and safety of their own home. There is no compromise on quality. In fact, there is also the advantage of experiencing improved hearing in familiar surroundings. With
our offer of free home service visits, free installation of TV connector device, and competitive pricing, there are great savings as well.
Hearing is fragile and precious. With decades of experience, we understand the needs of our clients. They want the best outcome. It is not about the product. Hearing is health; physical, emotional, and mental. Optimising hearing does not just help you to hear more clearly, but it helps you stay connected to people. It improves well-being, alleviates stress, increases social activity, reactivates neural pathways
Noticed a change in your hearing? Or current hearing aids not working as well as you need? AUDiOHEALTH are now offering stress-free hearing services & testing in the convenience, comfort and safety of your own home.
in the brain, and decreases dementia scores. Above all, the ear is the avenue to the heart.
Helen Keller being both blind and deaf valued her hearing above vision. She commented that vision connects you to things, but hearing connects you to people.
So, if you feel your hearing could be improved or your current hearing devices are not doing the job, let us help you find the best solution. You’ll have a huge choice of products, services and solutions. Experience the difference for yourself.
Aaron Magee HAASA Joanna Magee HAASA HWYSeptember 8, 2022. It is 6:30am. I reached over to hit snooze on my alarm, but I noticed an unusual number of notifications on my phone.
Queen Elizabeth II has passed away peacefully.
My jaw slowly drops as I read the reports. I am shocked but not surprised, I knew this day would come. We all did, but when it happened it felt surreal. Up until that very moment, I, like everyone who is younger than 70, have never known a world without the Queen.
She has ubiquitously been part of our lives, and an unquestioned woman in power for seven decades. Her devotion to the monarch and to a life of duty is beyond honourable.
Queen Elizabeth’s state funeral in Westminster Abbey saw a gathering of nearly a million people in the streets of London. On the internet, multiple news platforms streamed the event live with an estimate of over a million views.
The funeral saw the Queen’s casket held in a 123-year-old State Gun Carriage –the same carriage where her father, King George VI was held. Guarded with royal navy sailors and a marching band, the world said goodbye to Her Majesty.
Civilians threw flowers, clapped and bowed their heads to pay their respects as the coffin was driven through the streets of London.
“Three cheers for Her Majesty. Hip hip,” yelled a crowd member, and hundreds echoed, “Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!”
The Royal Household, including Anne Princess Royal, King Charles, and sons Prince William and Prince Harry, marched at the funeral service.
Queen Camilia Consort, Princess of Wales, Duchess of Sussex and Countess of Wessex were in procession cars following the Queen’s coffin. Prince George and Princesses Charlotte, the children of Prince William were in attendance, so too were Prince Andrew’s daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.
A dominate symbol of matriarchy, Queen Elizabeth has stood as a familiar face who comforted Britain during its post war times and COVID-19 lockdown.
Long live the Queen.
Experience
Pamela Rontziokos
Australia’s population continues to age, with 1 in 6 Australians aged 65 or over. Australians are also living on average 30 years longer than a hundred years ago. There is a growing demand for at-home care.
The James Dyson Award celebrates the next generation of design engineers who think differently and have the desire to create more effective products. This year’s James Dyson Award winners are Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University students - Fergus Davidson, Maireid Carrigg and Maneet Singh.
They are the designers of the AirLift, a pneumatic patient transfer device to help at-home healthcare workers. The trio found that at-home healthcare workers were often left to independently reposition patients. This subjected carer’s bodies to high levels of stress and strain. While there are other products on the market to address this, they are often expensive, bulky, or require multiple healthcare workers to utilise the product.
Fergus Davidson, co-inventor of AirLift, stated, “A spike in demand for at-home care, alongside an under-resourced and rapidly ageing workforce is making community healthcare work increasingly dangerous. The design came to us during a camping trip when inflating a dry bag. Realising the potential, we modified an inflatable lounge so that it could comfortably reposition a human, which served as our initial proof of concept.”
The AirLift device provides a safe and inexpensive way for individual healthcare workers to reposition patients. Once tucked under the patient, AirLift can be inflated using a remote-control pump, which fills the inner bladder with air and lifts the patient off the bed.
Placing a layer of air between the patient and the bed reduces the force required for reposition. AirLift can switch between three key patient movements - sit up, roll over, and translate. These can all be controlled using the remote control. A removable cover can be replaced to meet hygiene requirements.
As winners of the James Dyson Award, the AirLift inventors secure $9,000 in funding to take the idea to the next stage of its development. The team plan is to manufacture a functional prototype, as well as assess and improve the sustainability of the design.
Maireid Carrigg, Fergus Davidson, and Maneet Singh.
During the beginning of this month, the Sleep Health Foundation hosted the inaugural Australasian Sleep Week. The week’s aim was to emphasise the importance of sleep and to provide educational resources about the role sleep plays in our health.
Cycling is a great way to stay active and healthy. Unlike many other exercise routines, cycling can be integrated easily into your life without you even realising it. This can be done by using cycling for transport – work, grocery runs, gatherings. In fact, you might even save time with the amount of Sydney car traffic these days!
Local Willoughby cyclists will be able to take part in a fun challenge as part of Willoughby City Council’s Biketober campaign. The Willoughby City Council launched Biketober on 1 October with a free Bike Repair Café workshop session at Artarmon Reserve, near the lower carpark area from 9am to 11am. So, you not only get your very own bike, but a caffeine fix as well!
This event will be an opportunity to get a free bike tune-up and a free coffee while in the company of like-minded cycling enthusiasts. The Council aims to see 500 new cyclists register for Biketober for this month.
“This is an ambitious target, but an achievable one given the broad health, social and environmental benefits of cycling,” Mayor Taylor said.
“Riding a bike is a great way to increase your cardio fitness during weekdays and to have fun riding with your family or friends on the weekends…It’s also an environmentally sustainable mode of transport and will help our local community achieve our goal of net zero emissions by 2040.”
Artarmon Reserve is close to multiple cycling tracks, so cyclists can discover some hidden bike routes they never knew existed.
As part of Biketober, cyclists are being encouraged to register to compete against other individuals, groups, social clubs and workplaces. Individuals or teams which complete the most kilometres will win prizes including gift vouchers and new bikes.
Over the last two years, 33 workplaces and 677 people from Willoughby have taken part in Biketober, and during this pedalled more than 1.3 million kilometres.
Cyclists are required to register for the event at www. willoughby.nsw.gov.au/Eventbrite/Biketober-Bike-RepairCafe-416488066017.
Get your health back on wheels and back on track!
With daylight savings kicking in on 2 October, sleep cycles are of critical importance and require extra attention. Some of the things discussed at Sleep Week included:
Encouraging workplaces and schools to set aside a 20-minute period for a communal break. In this break they could have a cup of tea or coffee, have a break from devices, or take a power nap. The break time allowed them to do this guilt free.
A winding-down period to prepare your body for sleep. Exercising, computer use, television use, and any other handheld device can run the risk of disturbing sleep if done too close to bedtime, or too intense.
Improving sleep to reduce the severity of mental health problems. Getting better sleep is great for helping prevent mental health problems from developing. They discussed evidence-based ways to improve sleep and how these should be part of treatment plans to help mental health – it’s essential to treat sleep problems and mental health problems at the same time.
How sleep is vital for optimal importance. If sleep is prioritised, productivity improves. Individuals who have healthy sleep are less likely to become unwell and are likely to be happier, with the benefits of this including having better staff retention and a more thriving workplace.
Taking sleep, and the ramifications of lack of sleep, seriously, is vital to addressing our overall health.
• More than half of adult Australians are suffering from at least one chronic sleep symptom that is affecting their ability to live a healthy and happy life.
• Fatigue is four times more likely to contribute to impairment than drugs and alcohol.
• Extended periods of poor sleep can increase the risk of chronic health conditions like diabetes and heart disease.
• According to the World Health Organisation 2022, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a severe impact on the mental health and wellbeing of people around the world. Sleep and mental health appear to be strongly bound together.
The CEO of the Sleep Health Foundation, Dr Moira Junge, stated; “So many people are experiencing the burden of irregular hours and shift work, which routinely causes disrupted body clocks and inadequate sleep, leading to reduced physical and mental health, increased risk of errors and accidents, and high levels of burnout and fatigue.”
Locals Mary Ann Irvin, Wendy Jannings, Douglas Irvin and Peter Baudich getting ready for Biketober.
Children are often anxious in the dental surgery. Whether it is just a little bit of anxiety, a genuine fear or a true phobia, the end result is similar. The child is afraid and will require some extra tender loving care to help them to get through the appointment.
Dental anxiety affects people of all ages, and it is believed 25% of children suffer dental anxiety. The apprehension in a child usually stems from a sense that something awful is going to happen during the dental treatment.
One of the best ways to avoid dental anxiety is to try and help a child from developing negative thoughts in the first place. Parents are in the best position to begin this, well before a child sets foot inside a dental practice.
Generally, some of the best ways to avoid dental fear in young children are the most obvious:
• Talk about what a dentist is and how they look after teeth.
• Read children’s books on topics like “A trip to the dentist.”
• Practice being a dentist while using a toothbrush.
• Use a bathroom mirror to count your child’s teeth, getting them used to the idea of someone else looking at their teeth.
• Emphasise the importance of strong and healthy teeth.
A child’s first dental appointment will involve a ‘tell-show-do’ approach. The child is told what we are going to do, “we
are going to clean your teeth,” the child is shown what we are going to use, “this is my electric toothbrush that we will be using to clean your teeth”. This may involve running a polishing cup around the child’s finger. Finally, the child will then have the opportunity to watch their teeth being looked at or cleaned in a mirror.
Good rapport is vital between the dentist and the child. Engaging the child in conversation about things they like, their pets, their school or preschool friends are good sources of distraction and provide a valuable icebreaker.
Parental presence during treatment has been shown to help establish effective communication between the dentist and the child. However, if the parents suffer anxiety themselves, their presence may influence the child’s perception of the procedure in a negative way. Likewise, older “unhelpful” siblings should be separated if there is any concern as they may taint a younger sibling’s dental experience.
It is clear that children’s dental anxiety increased when they had experienced tooth decay or extraction. Helping to
minimise a child’s risk of dental decay may potentially reduce the risk of your child suffering adverse anxiety levels about dental visits.
Should your child suffer from dental anxiety, postponing a visit may not be the best answer. Decay in children’s teeth moves very rapidly, and decay can become quite large very quickly. If the unfortunate does occur and an anxious child requires some dental intervention, there are many methods of treatment that can help. Happy gas or nitrous oxide is a wonderful way to help reduce anxiety levels in a co-operative, yet scared child. If the child is too young or anxious to benefit from happy gas, the option for them to have a quick “sleep” under general anaesthetic in a local hospital is always there.
Should you have any concerns about your child’s teeth, please do not delay seeking help. When it comes to teeth there are two things to remember. Without x-rays (at an appropriate age), no one can see what is happening inside the teeth, secondly, if something does not look right, it probably is not.
At Northside Dental & Implant Centre we are committed to providing compassionate and empathetic care to all patients in our purpose-built facility. We have wheelchair access and a hoist on site. Our staff are highly trained and experienced in treating senior patients, patients with special needs and patients with complex medical conditions. www.northsidedental.com.au
Monday to Friday: 9:30am to 5:15pm Saturday: 10am to
Dr Ian Sweeney is a dental surgeon at Northside Dental & Implant Centre, Turramurra.
Semi Hard - Mont Priscilla
Ashow stopping centre piece need not be daunting. In fact, it’s all about layering and the right ingredients. So, pour yourself a glass of wine and join me in creating a wonderful diversity of deliciousness.
The devil is now in the details! What to choose and where to buy it from - choosing Australian made produce is a brilliant start. Often when we think gourmet cheese and charcuterie, France and Italy are the front runners, however, sampling some exquisite creations made on home soil is an experience in and of itself.
To create your masterpiece, we suggest the following:
• Three choices of cheese (hard, soft, blue)
• Three choices of meat (simple, fancy, spicy)
• Two choices of crackers (simple, colourful)
• Six choices of accompaniments (pickled, olives, sweet)
• Two choices of dip
• Crusty bread
• Nuts
• Fresh fruit
Beginning with your cheese, use a blunt knife to break your hard cheese into bite sized pieces. Selecting a soft cheese in an impressive size allows you to leave it whole or purchase two and lean them together in the centre of your board. Blue is impressive with its colour alone. Leave it in a wedge and aim to create a triangle with your cheeses with enough space between them for other goodies.
Be playful with your charcuterie, fan it out flat or take each piece and push them together like a bouquet of florals. Pop colourful accents of these around your cheeses.
Lay your crackers, letting them domino around as they please. Next, fill in the spaces with your accompaniments of choice either right on the board, or in little bowls. And remember, take your time creating, it’s art!
With pride, we present our picks for your next fancy affair:
A semi-soft cheese distinguishable by the line of ash running through its centre. Its yellow-ivory paste is buttery, sweet and smooth with hints of fresh hay.
Soft - Monte Rosso (Taleggio)
A semi-soft cheese with a sweet, buttery paste that has hints of fruit and a lingering lactic finish. The velvety paste is balanced by a thin aromatic, orange rind.
Blue - Riverine Buffalo Blue
With a relatively mild blue taste, a long creamy finish and a unique lactic flavour from fresh buffalo milk, this award-winning cheese is an absolute delight to eat.
Nduja: A hot, spreadable Italian salami. Free-range Australian pork and pork fat, chilli, salt and olive oil are filled into a natural casing. It’s then coldsmoked for eight hours and hung for fermentation.
Pork Lonza: Salted, cured, and dried pork loin which has been seasoned with herbs and spices. The production process takes approximately three months.
Tartufo Sopressa: A decadent salami made with Australian pork and laden with black truffle shavings.
City Larder Pork and Pistachio Terrine.
• Honeycomb: a whole lovely square from your best local hive.
• Pickled baby figs.
• Arbequina olives.
• Confit garlic.
• Caperberries.
• Cascabella peppers.
• Guindillas: A traditional green pepper of the Basque region. Picked early and pickled in white wine vinegar, guindillas add a sweet and slightly spicy kick to tapas and antipasto dishes.
Hard - Traditional cloth matured cheddar
Pyengana’s signature cheese. Bold flavours with earthy characteristics. Delectable salty protein crystals.
Hollie is a proud mother of two and has owned and managed cafes and restaurants for over ten years. Find out more about her recipes at: Instagram @hollie_and_lola
Hollie Jones
Many of us are on autopilot when we go to the grocery store. We pick up our basket, or we jump behind a trolley, and we just go. Aisle after aisle, grabbing our usual list without putting much thought into it. We might have a look at the specials, but usually, that’s about as far as we spice things up (pun intended).
If your food is beginning to become boring, you don’t need to reinvent your diet. You can still enjoy those same foods - but we recommend adding a little flare to your meals. Here are some herbs and spices we bet you’ve never heard of.
Whilst some of you might be familiar with the name, many of you might not be familiar with what chia seeds actually are and what they taste like. Chia seeds have a subtle nutty flavour and are often added raw to cuisines. They are small, black (or dark) in colour, and derive from the mint family of plants. They are popular now in acai bowls and yogurts as they can provide thickness and substance. They are rich in fibre and other nutrients, which is why they are favoured by health food places like salad and smoothie bars.
Delving into Indian cuisine, saffron is used to colour and flavour. However, it is also commonly used in Italian and Spanish pasta/rice dishes. Its bright red and orange aesthetic can bring almost any meal to life. It has often had a sweet, honey-like taste attributed to it. To get the most flavour out of saffron, it is recommended to soak it thoroughly in hot water before adding it to meals.
Originating from the Middle East, this spice is a blend of a bunch of different herbs which vary depending on how the blend is made. Typically, things like sumac, thyme, and oregano are mixed in with sesame seeds and salt. The result is a wonderful explosion of flavours which can turn common foods like pita bread, eggs, salad or roasted vegetables into salivatory dishes.
As the name suggests, lemongrass is a herb with a citrus flavour. They resemble spring onions and have a sweet rather than bitter lemon smell. They are used heavily in Thai cuisines – particularly noodle dishes such as pad thai or pad see ew.
Caraway Seeds.
Even though they are referred to as seeds, caraway seeds are actually a dried fruit which is native to Europe and North Africa. They are often used in savoury foods like bread and baked goods, and they add a delicious, peppery, sweet aroma. They are also common on cheeseboards and anything desert like which needs some rich, strong flavouring.
So, get cooking with some herbs and spices. It might go horribly wrong, and you might discover how much you dislike the taste something on this list. However, you could also have just found a whole new flavour and the newest addition to your grocery staples.
Take a self-guided street art walk through Newtown and Darlington as you discover street art by some of Sydney's best female street artists, as well as works that celebrate important women. The walk takes around 2 hours and starts at Redfern train station, covering approximately 4.5 km. You'll finish close to Newtown train station.
When: Whenever you want.
Where: Lawson St Eveleigh NSW 2015.
Cost: Free, more information at localsaucetours.com.au/female-street-art-selfguided-walk.
The Spring Twilight Concert is returning to Wahroonga Park. The concert will kick off at 5pm with Jellybean Jam covering favourite disco, retro and pop tunes to start the evening followed by the main act Rocket Man V Piano Man where we will relive Elton John & Billy Joel's greatest hits from the 1970s and ‘80s. Concert goers are invited to arrive early at the park so they can get a good seat close to the action.
Either picnic in the park or buy dinner and support the food stalls at the event. Public transport to the concert is
Interested in learning improvised comedy? This one-hour class is perfect for beginners who are keen to learn and have fun. Each week, different elements of improvised comedy are explored. No experience is necessary. After the class, there is a 30-minute break followed by a free improv comedy show. This comedy show is free for all who attend the class.
When: Monday, 17 October, 6pm - 9:15pm. Where: 87-91 Abercrombie St Chippendale NSW 2008.
Cost: $20.
Contact: Improv Comedy Cagefight, 0438 579 356, www.improvcomedycagefight.com.au/ tickets/p/classandshow
of Attorney
Wills and Probate
Aged Care Law
recommended as there is limited parking near the venue. Wahroonga train station is a 2-minute walk from the park.
When: Saturday, 15 October, 5pm – 8pm. Where: Wahroonga Park, Cnr of Illoura & Millewa Ave, Wahroonga 2072.
Telephone 9144 1102 at Turramurra or 9449 4422 at Pymble Office 1269 Pacific Hwy, Turramurra. 2074 Email: richardfischer@bigpond.com
Cost: Free. Contact: Ku-ring-gai Council, 9424 0980, 9424 0758, events@krg.nsw.gov.au.
Term starts 15th October Beginners welcome.
Shannon Crees (@shannoncrees), George Rose (@george_rose) and Oli Ruskidd (@ruskidd) street art.Calling all big kids and littlies!The Big Bounce, the largest inflatable theme park in the entire world, is back on and in our neighbourhood until 9 October. Guinness Record-certified, the new tour features an enormous inflatable playground including the record-holding ‘World’s Largest Jumping Castle’ as well as a 300 metre-long inflatable obstacle course, racing slides, ball pits, mazes and climbing walls. From family friendly to adults-only sessions, bop over to St Ives showground these school holidays to wear those teenyboppers out. More detail on thebigbounceaustralia.com.au
When: Until Sunday, 9 October, 9am - 5pm.
Where: St. Ives Showground, 450 Mona Vale Rd, St Ives. Cost: $35 to $59.
Enjoy the live music on the rotunda stage and taste over 130 wines from 30 wineries and enjoy an array of local produce and a huge selection of gourmet food stalls offering a variety of international and Australian cuisines. Branded festival wine tasting glasses and tasting ticket packages are available starting at $30 for 1 branded festival glass and 5 tasting tickets (5 x 50ml wine tastings). Tasting tickets can be purchased from the Tasting Ticket Marquee on the day.
When: Sunday, 30 October, 11am – 5pm.
Where: Wahroonga Park, Coonanbarra Road, Wahroonga. Cost: Free.
Contact: Margot Natoli 0410 338 331, manager@eventproject.com.au.
Don't let the rain go down the drain! Learn everything you need to know about installing a rainwater tank. You will learn about what size tank is best for you, installation requirements, how to maintain water quality and how the RFS can use it to fight a fire or connect it to a bushfire sprinkler system.
When: Thursday, 20 October, 7pm - 8pm. Where: Online event, Council Chambers, 818 Pacific Highway, Gordon 2072.
Cost: Free.
Contact: The Sustainability Team 02 9424 0893, sustainability@krg.nsw.gov.au.
New and recycled fashion and accessories, emerging local fashion designers, home and gift wares, arts and craft, jewellery, plants, gourmet foods, and lots more can be found at these markets. Live entertainment, fabulous food and harbour views are also on offer. The event is organised by Kirribilli Neighbourhood Centre and hosted by North Sydney Council.
When: Saturday, 22 October, 8:30am – 3pm. Where: Burton Street Tunnel and Bradfield Park Bowling Green (Milsons Point train station). Cost: Free. Contact: Kirribilli Neighbourhood Centre on 9922 4428, or markets@kirribilli.org.au.
When on family holidays, a younger Jay used to complain about everything – especially how long the drives were. Every time I piped up about it, my mother would say, in that voice that all mothers use when they are trying to drive a point home to their children, ‘It’s about the journey not the destination.’
Legend has it that this adage came from the historic Indian Pacific. Slicing seamlessly through our red country, I got the feeling that my mother really was onto something all those years ago. My journey from Sydney to Perth on the Indian Pacific train spanned over 4000 kms and encompassed off-train adventures in Broken Hill, South Australia, and the Nullarbor, with drinks and meals included.
The first step in my voyage was becoming familiar with my room. The cabin consisted of a lounge which turned into a bed by night, ensuite, radio, and the crowning feature, a window. This window was your entertainment, and it was all the entertainment you ever needed. It was your book, your radio, your television screen, your phone, and your catharsis all in one. When I first sat down inside my cabin, I thought to myself, ‘one could really get to know themselves in this room.’ You could position yourself perfectly so that you lay on your back, feet rested against the window and head titled upward, watching Australia go by between your toes. It was marvellous.
Our first stop was Broken Hill. The quiet orange town, once a mining and workers hub, had a charming and colloquial feel. We took a guided walk around the town and stopped at the main attractions along the way. The community at Broken Hill is a passionate one, proud of their town and its history.
Back on board, our meals were perfectly timed throughout the day and consisted of classy, healthy cuisine. My favourite was the
lamb shanks – the meat slid off the bone like rolling up a shirt sleeve. The staff got to know and understand my bottomless appetite, and they always went to great lengths to make sure I was taken care of. At the conclusion of each meal, they would come to my table and ask me, subliminally and using only facial expressions, ‘was that enough?’ I became known as the ‘unique boy’, which was code translating to, ‘the boy that eats four times more than anyone else on board’.
At every meal, the staff would seat you with someone different. This was brilliant way for you to get to know your fellow travellers. Many times, you conversed and got to know each other, but other times you just watched those windows, enjoying that communal aspect of dining together – something so often neglected in our day to day lives.
As soon as we passed into South Australia, I noticed a change in the landscape. It is a surprisingly verdant outback of mud-red dirt littered over with green shrubs. The closer you get into the city, the more verdant it becomes, and then you begin passing the rolling hills and vineyards.
We visited the famous Barossa Valley where we got a tour of Seppeltsfield Winery
The symbolic and sentimental winery is respected and revered by all the passionate staff. It was a real pleasure to listen to them speak with such pride about their estate. I was treated with a dinner of the best beef I have ever tasted. Head chef Owen told me the secret to how he cooks it, and there is absolutely no way in the world I am sharing it with anyone else. Apologies fellow beef lovers, but I am not as generous as Owen.
Just before we crossed over into Western Australia, we stopped at Cook, an outpost town that looks like something you might see in a zombie apocalypse film. In its heyday, it had approximately 30 people living there. Now, there are just a few employees who are contracted to manage the place, refuelling tanks and performing maintenance tasks.
On our final eve we stopped at Rawlinna for some drinks, a fire, and live music. Despite the older demographic of passengers, there was some fantastic dancing – definitely some moves that my body, in all its relative youth, wouldn’t be able to perform. It’s amazing what sheer enjoyment can bring out of you. It’s also amazing what alcohol can bring out, but I’m sure that this was only a minor contribution.
As I watched the evenings’ proceedings, I was struck with a realisation. I knew these people, all of them. In a few short days, they had gone from a group of unfamiliar faces to a group of people you’d be thrilled to sit down and dine with again. The staff knew this, the other passengers knew this, and I knew it too.
As we exited the train in Perth, it didn’t quite feel like I was getting off a train. It felt like the finishing of a holiday, like stepping out onto home soil after being out of country. It felt like an adventure. So, it wasn’t just a slogan after all. It was indeed about the journey. Right, I thought, Perth to Sydney anyone?
To book your Indian Pacific adventure, or to find more information on other trips, visit: www.journeybeyondrail.com.au/journeys/ indian-pacific
Jay Houhlias
