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Artist’s impression
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Equice Solstinox
Words James Hutton - Publisher
Welcome to the August 2025 edition of The Beast, the monthly magazine for Sydney’s frosty beaches of the east.
It’s been a chilly winter so far, but thankfully the days are already getting longer and it’s not long until the unofficial start of spring - the City2Surf on August 10. The shortest day of the year, also known as the winter solstice, was way back on June 21, so you won’t be arriving home from work in the dark for much longer.
Until recently, I thought solstices and equinoxes were the same thing, but they are in fact two different phenomena. Solstices occur when the sun’s position in the sky reaches its northernmost or southernmost extremes, resulting in the longest and shortest days of the year. Equinoxes, on the other hand,
are the two times each year when the sun crosses the equator, resulting in approximately equal periods of daylight and darkness for both hemispheres. I guess you learn something every day, although I’m sure you highly educated residents of the Eastern Suburbs would have been all over that stuff already.
Randwick artist Betsy Marks is the talent behind this month’s beautiful cover painting of the fishing boats down at Gordons Bay. You can see more of Betsy’s work on her Instagram page, @betsy_marks_artist, and you can also purchase her prints from NIK NAK in the Royal Randwick shopping centre.
The Beast is stoked to announce that we have a new mental health support service operating in our local area, and it’s free! YourCoachPlus provides a low intensity mental health coaching program for anyone aged 16 and over, drawing on practical strategies inspired by
cognitive behavioural therapy. Coaches will help you build confidence to deal with everyday stresses, strengthen emotional balance and build supportive habits for greater wellbeing. Up to ten sessions can be accessed by phone or video call, and you don’t even need a referral. If this sounds like something you could use, please visit pccs.org.au/ycp or call 9477 8700 to register. Cheers, James
The Beast
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The Beast's Monthly Mailbag
Words The Lovely People of the Eastern Beaches
Pearls Pyjamas
I read with glee the article on pyjama etiquette (Pearl’s Views on Pyjamas in Public, The Beast, July 2025) and just couldn’t wait to reply so I can finally get the comfort and confirmation out there on flannelette nighties and trousers. A bit of Sooshi Mango here together with Wog Boys.
I grew up with my dad, watching him wear drawstring flannelette blue, white and maroon striped pyjama trousers (the maroon colour always fascinated me). As I got older I was allowed to step into these warm comforting hugs.
My father told us that in Egypt when the teacher was late to class he could see that he was wearing pyjamas underneath his trousers. We all laughed.
I stepped in to my own flannelette nighties during winter as a new mum - some spots, some floral - and was always looking for the same design trousers, but nothing ever matched my dad’s design.
Sometimes I would roll out of bed with a dress on over the nightie to get the kids to school in my van, as it was quick and easy. One day, sans overdress, another mother asked if I could help her remove a delightful labrador chasing after her children. I apologised that I could not get out of the car and into the school car park to help as I was in my pyjamas. Another time in the school car park a gentleman needed a lift, and before I could
deny the request he just hopped into the back of my van and I had to drive, in my flannelettes, to where he wanted. He turned a blind eye to that.
Now everyone sees me around, sometimes wearing the flannelette ‘Egyptian’ squares design fabric under my dress when going for a walk around the block or to get a quick coffee from our nearby local. I’m partial to plain black flannelette to wear under a dress instead of leggings, but I’m yet to find them.
I’m never fully out there in flannelettes - there is always a coverage of some sort - but I’m still waiting for the day I find those comforting yet elusive blue, white and maroon striped pyjamas.
Vivienne Bondi Junction
Need for Defibrillators in Public Spaces
Hi James - I really enjoy your magazine. The fact that you give a forum to a wide range of views on local topics is very refreshing - and rare.
The topic of my letter is not a sexy one; it is defibrillators! A year ago my neighbour had reason to be extremely grateful for the existence of one at Heffron Park where her daughter was playing netball. Aged only 15, the girl collapsed with a cardiac arrest. She was saved only by the fact that there was a machine accessible nearby and also,
fortuitously, a couple of doctors. If she had not been resuscitated within 15 minutes she would not have survived.
Three days ago a young driver in Bondi Junction died of a cardiac arrest. The ambulance that came had no defibrillator - it seems the ambulance service is woefully under-resourced - but the police provided one. Apparently Office Works, which is near the scene of the incident, does have this machine, but one wonders how people would know.
Since the traumatic experience with her daughter, my neighbour has been on a mission to raise awareness of the need for defibrillator machines in all public spaces. Some eminent business owners such as Justin Hemmes have been quick to act by installing them in all of their venues. However, it seems that all too often my neighbour is met with a lack of interest, denial or just plain obfuscation. Surely sports grounds and councils, libraries, office and apartment blocks, schools, etc. should be required to have first aid equipment including defibrillators on the premises, available to be used in emergencies that can happen at any time?
My neighbour is so determined in her quest to help others avoid the ordeals that her family went through that she has, at her own expense, bought and installed a defibrillator machine on her front porch to be used by anyone who needs it. We both hope very much that readers of The Beast will be interested enough to spread the word. Any helpful suggestions would be welcome.
Judy Queens Park
Observation on Pocket Parks
I noticed that the recent ‘Meet your Councillors’ meeting for Randwick’s North Ward was held on the corner of Clovelly Road and Fern Street - not in the “incredibly popular pocket park” (according to some of
your Clovelly contributors) at the intersection of Clovelly and Carrington Roads.
Perhaps this was booked out with the usual collection of nymphs and troubadours that supposedly have made their home there (of course there was no one there, as usual).
Meanwhile at Burnie Street, other councillors were spruiking the “need” for another park to spend even more ratepayers’ money on these useless ventures. I assume that there will be no rate increase coming, as Randwick is awash with cash?
If it is yellow and bitter and looks like a lemon, then it is probably a pocket park.
Steve Coogee
Tree Planting
Dear Beast - I am writing about the massive tree planting in Centennial Park. Over 20,000 trees and shrubs have been planted so far.
The small seedlings have little chance of survival, and they are planted less than a metre apart. Wouldn’t it have been wiser to grow them a bit taller, then revegetate the whole of the Eastern Suburbs?!
Who paid for all this, and who will water them to ensure that this money spent on much-needed trees is not wasted?
Regards,
Helen Randwick
An Emerging Pattern
I learned this today... Waverley Council has allowed the Bondi Chamber of Commerce to access our taxpayer funded precious Community and Cultural Grants because - wait for it - they are a ‘not-for-profit’ organisation!
And, Council has agreed to fund a monument (with our taxpayer funds) to a refugee group from WW2. Oh wait, which councillor has a close relative from that particular area?
Council is also proposing a (taxpayer funded) monument to hostages from one particular country, when we live in a world of deaths and suffering. Oh wait, do certain councillors have strong ties to that particular country?
They want to put a (you guessed it - taxpayer funded) gravelled sport court in our precious Bondi Beach parkland. Wait, which councillor has a child in said sport?
And Council wants to go into massive amounts of debt to redo our old Bondi Road Council Chambers and give it over to a famous sporting group. Oh wait, which councillors wear their colours?
There seems to be a pattern emerging here.
Hyacinth Jones Bondi
Please send your letters to letters@thebeast.com.au (include your name and suburb).
Local Artist... Betsy Marks from Randwick
Local artist Betsy Marks is the talent behind this month’s cover painting of the fishing boats at Gordons Bay. Betsy shares her local favourites with The Beast...
How long have you lived here?
I’ve lived in Australia for 50 years, mostly in Randwick. I first moved to Randwick because I was going to uni at UNSW. I was happy here, so I stayed.
What's your favourite beach?
Coogee, no contest. I went there a lot in my late teens and 20s, and then later my son learned to swim in the rockpool at the southern end. We would often barbecue in Grant Reserve with friends and kids. More recently, I’ve painted various views there. I’ve had plans to do a ‘36 views of Wedding Cake Island’, inspired by Hokusai’s celebrated ‘36 views of Mount Fuji’ - painting it from all sorts of angles and vantages. Right now that stands at a grand total of two views, but I haven’t yet abandoned the idea!
What's your favourite eatery?
I love Lebanon and Beyond on Alison Road in Randwick - great food, great people, a fixture in Randwick.
Where do you like to have a drink? I’ve always enjoyed the
Royal Hotel at Randwick, especially the Indigenous art they have there.
Best thing about the Eastern Suburbs? We have everything here - neighbourhoods with great personalities, good cafés and restaurants, beautiful beaches and parks, fantastic cultural resources...
How would you describe your art? I seem to have turned into a landscape artist in recent years, although I love doing people and still lifes, mostly in acrylics and gouache. My style isn’t impressionistic but very informed by the art of the Impressionists and their colour theories.
Where can people see your work? I have an Instagram page, @betsy_marks_artist, and I sell prints through NIK NAK at Royal Randwick shopping centre. I put on a group show about once a year with friends at the gallery at 7 Clovelly Road, Randwick.
Who are your artistic inspirations? My inspirations are a range of artists, from Pissarro and Sisley to Bonnard, Hockney, Hokusai, Margaret Olley and Cressida Campbell.
What are you working on at the moment? I’m painting some seascapes of local beaches, as always, and working towards a large painting of a magnetic woman I saw in the Pompidou Centre a couple of years ago. I was drawn by her fantastic clothes, her incredibly serious demeanour and her intense gaze. I’ve made a small study but I’m not yet happy with it.
Do you have any exhibitions coming up? Yes, the first week of December at 7 Clovelly Road.
When did you discover you had a gift for your craft? I always drew and painted. I have no conscious memory of not expressing myself through drawing and painting.
Any other local artists to look out for? This area has great local artists - I love Alex Snellgrove, Aileen Anderson and Sonya Jackson, and I follow NSW artist Margie Baillie on Instagram - she does gorgeous works in gouache, mostly landscapes.
Did you study art? I took art all through school and also took weekend classes. I started a Bachelor of Fine Art in the United States but left after two years. I fully intended to return to it but, as with many plans, that just didn’t happen. I’ve always attended classes and workshops at various art schools, and in that way I have cobbled together my own art education.
Any words of wisdom for young aspiring artists? Just do your art. What held us all together during the pandemic? Art, in all its forms. So many people took art classes, painted, drew, played music, wrote and read, watched films and TV series - without artists we are nothing. It can mean hardship in terms of income, and it’s very hard work, but I wish I’d done it.
What do you get up to on the weekends? I see friends, go for walks, go out to eat and paint a lot. I also attend life drawing sessions, in person at a studio in Marrickville and online.
What do you do for work? I’m semi-retired but I still work part time at the university in equity, diversity and inclusion.
Do you have a favourite quote? Mark Twain said something pretty apt for today: “Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please.”
Any other words of wisdom for readers of The Beast? Buy art! Support all the artists in your community who pour their hearts and souls into their work and help them out by buying some beautiful work.
Interview James Hutton
Photo Rachelle Simonson
Happy just doing her art.
ECO-FRIENDLY TALKS, STALLS, WORKSHOPS: PICKLING AND FERMENTATION
NATURAL SKINCARE SUSTAINABLE GARDENING VINTAGE CLOTHING KINTSUGI - MENDING GARMENTS WITH GOLD THREADS LEARN TO DIY
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The
Social Elements of
Community:
What Are They, and Why Are They There?
Words Angus Henricks Photo Gavin Stevenson
Upon reflection since my previous article, I thought it would be worth taking a more in-depth look at the social elements of community and discussing how they manifest in real life examples.
I previously defined this concept as the “intangible, behaviourally social elements such as the people’s innate desire for community that exists, socialisation, engagement and collective effort that is made to grow and expand our social networks.” Or, put simply, the way in which we have a desire to socialise with one another, and how that desire comes from empathy and compassion.
An argument can certainly be made that compassion and empathy are a foundational pillar for the inception of community. I believe that we form communities as a result of not only our desire for togetherness through
socialisation, but also our desire to feel supported and appreciated. This support and appreciation cannot be achieved without compassion and empathy.
In this sociological equation, compassion provides the need for connection and understanding among one another, while empathy provides the tangible ability to understand, relate to, and thus more appropriately support those around us.
The end result is a group setting that is a collective of individuals brought together by a common interest - frequently the catalyst point of community creation - and the community’s continuation resulting from the aforementioned compassion and empathy.
This is where the manifestation of this concept becomes not only very interesting but also very different from other forms of social relationships.
Many social relationships are contingent on a mutual benefit between the parties involvedwhere someone has something to gain from the relationship. However, in a community space, that aforementioned desire for support and togetherness overtakes self-motivated interests. Although self-motivated interests are often the reason for the initial formation of the community, the togetherness based on empathy and compassion is often the cause for the maintenance of the community.
To view this concept in our own community, allow us to look at any Sunday during winter down at Bronte Beach. If weather permits, Sunday mornings at Bronte usually see the beach with dozens, if not hundreds (or sometimes even thousands), of occupants enjoying the beautiful space on offer and maximising their own respective social and physical activity. However, the group that has always stood out to me is the Bronte Splashers winter swimming club.
This group epitomises the togetherness of a community group. The inception of those joining can be attributed to a desire for physical activity (swimming) - a form of self-motivated interest - but I would argue that the togetherness of the club’s members is what sustains the community. I see the best version of this in the weekly ritual barbecues the group holds post-swim each week, and my consistent observation is that of a group that, whether consciously or subconsciously, supports and appreciates one another.
I hope that we all continue to enjoy the support and togetherness of our communities and groups, as the Splashers of Bronte Beach do every cold Sunday morning.
The Bronte Splashers have been around since 1921.
Backpacker Party to Continue, With Stricter Supervision
Words Anthony Maguire Photo Em de Yemay
Waverley Council is proactively preparing for the convergence of another backpacker horde at Bronte this Christmas.
Community feedback about the future of the Bronte Beach Christmas Day backpacker gathering indicates that a narrow majority supports the continuance of the unauthorised event.
However, it should only go ahead with stricter supervision by the council and police to ensure there won’t be a re-run of last year’s bad behaviour among the melee of young tourists. A lot of them didn’t show a great deal of respect for their current, and in most cases temporary, homeland - they left behind tonnes of rubbish, including a lot of broken glass.
Waverley floated four options for the future of the backpacker party on its ‘Have Your Say’ web page. The first option had no restrictions, the second proposed
continuing with the 2024 level of management, option three included additional management and provisions, and the fourth option involved organising a ticketed event.
There were 119 responses to the survey, with 56 per cent of respondents supporting option three. This option was also favoured at a subsequent meeting of various stakeholders at Bronte Surf Life Saving Club. And now steps are being taken to see that the ghosts of Christmases past do not materialise once again on the lawns above Bronte Beach.
“The additional resourcing Council will put in place seeks to balance the amenity of our residents while sufficiently managing anticipated crowds,” Waverley Mayor Will Nemesh told The Beast
“Council does not endorse nor promote any event at Bronte on Christmas, but we need to be
realistic about people wanting to come to Bronte and taking steps to manage it,” he explained.
“Measures being looked at include increased police and lifeguard presence, more sanitary facilities and event cleaners. I have been firm in my view that glassware must be minimised and I will be working with stakeholders to ensure this is enforced.”
“I have heard loud and clear from our residents about the impact this has on them, which is why I have taken additional proactive measures this year.”
Last year Bronte Park was trashed during the daytime gathering, with 15,000 backpackers leaving behind an estimated 15 tonnes of rubbish. The following day, council staff and volunteers, wearing heavy-duty gloves to protect against shards of glass, had to carry out a massive clean-up.
Also last year, a young Irish tradie sustained life-threatening head injuries after he hit concrete when he tried to plunge into the Bronte ocean pool from the rock ledge above (The Beast previously incorrectly reported that the young man had died in hospital). For the 2025 gathering, lifeguards will be positioned on the ledge to stop people diving and jumping into the pool.
More toilets will be available this year. Previously there have been such long queues at the toilets that many people, their bladders at bursting point, headed up the hill and used conveniences at the cafés on Bronte Road. For countless others, the ocean and gully was their urinal.
There will also be less space for the backpackers to revel due a substantial area of Bronte Park being fenced off for the rebuild of the surf club. Locals are hoping this will mean fewer attendees.
“Alternatively, it may lead to higher density if it does not deter attendance,” warned a report by council officers.
Bronte's backpacker party will be back, but hopefully with better behaviour and fewer revellers.
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Not All Businesses Stoked About Upgrade at The Spot
Words Anthony Maguire Photo Paul Perouse
Randwick City Council will spend $6.2 million on an upgrade of The Spot - but a number of local business owners are concerned about the proposed plan.
Widening of footpaths on both sides of St Pauls Street will mean the loss of 22 parking spaces. The council says this will be offset by the creation of angled parking around the corner in Coogee Bay Road.
It’s feared the move will reduce trade for many businesses.
“It’s just pandering to restaurants that can increase footpath seating,” said Janet Alexander, President of The Spot & Randwick Chambers of Commerce. “What about all the non-hospitality businesses that rely on customers being able to park nearby?”
Donna Harvie, owner of the Live This clothing and lifestyle shop in Perouse Road, said, “The loss of short-term parking in St Pauls Street will greatly affect businesses like mine. Some will probably be forced to close
down. I don’t think this has been properly thought out.”
Ms Harvie organised a petition on change.org headed ‘Save the Spot Parking in Randwick’ which had gathered more than 1,170 signatures as The Beast was going to press.
In addition to footpath widening, the upgrade involves tree plantings, improved pedestrian crossings and installation of ‘smart poles’ and underground powerlines.
Councillors were divided on the plan, with Liberals trying to get it deferred for a year pending community consultation.
“There hasn’t been the organised public consultation which we normally see for major projects,” Councillor Christie Hamilton said.
But the Libs’ deferral motion was defeated and the upgrade was approved. Work will be carried out in stages, starting with pedestrian safety and powerline works. Meanwhile, the council will hold talks with businesses to discuss parking.
Reducing the Wait to Go Under the Surgeon’s Knife in New South Wales
Words Anthony Maguire
Photo Serge Eri
Member for Coogee Dr Marjorie O’Neill has welcomed a budget commitment by the NSW Government to reduce waiting times for surgery.
In its 2025-26 budget, the Minns Labor Government has allocated $23 million to reduce the number of planned surgeries waiting longer than clinically recommended. This funding is expected to enable an additional 3,500 surgeries to be completed state-wide over the next year.
According to Dr O’Neill, the funding addresses a legacy of 14,000 overdue surgeries left by the previous state government.
“For 12 years, the Liberals neglected our health system, presiding over a record number of overdue surgeries,” Dr O’Neill says.
“We have seen significant progress in the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District in terms of emergency presentations. But we know there’s always more that we can do to improve the accessibility of planned surgeries, which is why we’ve made this significant commitment in the upcoming budget.”
Faster entry to operating theatres under the new budget.
Local business owner Janet is concerned about the changes.
Where There's a Will There's a Way
Waverley Mayor Will Nemesh has always been someone who prides himself on getting things done - and done well. The Beast sat down with Will as he notched up the nine month mark of his mayoralty to compile this list of his top achievements thus far.
1. Mayor Nemesh has initiated a Bondi Junction Masterplan to reimagine and reinvigorate Bondi Junction as a vibrant precinct that can accommodate a mix of uses including residential, commercial, civic and cultural. “This is the first Bondi Junction Masterplan in over 20 years,” he says.
2. Under Will’s watch, Waverley Council has become the first council in Australia to endorse and adopt a strategy to combat antisemitism. “The strategy was endorsed by Council after we co-hosted a Mayoral Roundtable on Social Cohesion attended by over 20 mayors and councils from across Sydney.”
3. Another notable achievement is the purchase of affordable housing. “We’ve had the largest
acquisition of housing stock by Waverley Council in two decades,” he explains. “Some of the homes will be for individuals fleeing family and domestic violence, and others will go to key essential workers like police and nurses.”
4. Financial management is another crucial area where the new mayor believes he has kicked some goals. “There’s renewed fiscal discipline to ensure the financial sustainability of Council and fund vital capital works projects. Under this back to basics approach, we’ve managed to reduce the use of our reserves and we’re one of only three councils in Sydney not to increase the domestic waste charge.”
5. Waverley recently became the first local council in NSW to form a historic agreement with e-bike operators. “This agreement will ensure that e-bikes will be managed through an open and transparent framework that will reduce clutter and improve safety in our local area,” Mayor Nemesh says.
6. After years of consultation and design work, Waverley has signed off on construction of a new Bronte Surf Life Saving Club building with integrated council facilities.
7. There’s been a fresh focus on tourism, entertainment and nightlife. “We’re bringing back fun with more events and festivals than ever before, including the return of New Year’s Eve celebrations at Bondi. Meanwhile we’re reinvigorating nightlife and supporting small business through extended trading hours and flexibility for more outdoor dining options.”
8. The future of the old council chambers site next to Waverley Park is being mapped out. Mayor Nemesh sees it as a perfect location for a recreational sports precinct. “The next step is to rezone the site - it’s currently zoned as office infrastructure - then we’ll come up with concept designs in consultation with the community.”
9. Mayor Nemesh is overseeing technology upgrades across a number of areas, starting with Council’s booking systems. “The current systems used to book council services and spaces are manually-based and time-consuming. We’re streamlining the process with new booking management systems.”
There have been numerous other achievements notched up by the 35-year-old mayor - for example, a community partnership deal with the Sydney Roosters and the opening-up of historic Bronte House to the public. Plus he has placed the removal of shark nets on the agenda. He’s been a very busy man since being elected last October and his enthusiasm for getting things done continues unabated.
“There are significant opportunities to deliver more for our community and ensure that Waverley remains a vibrant, well-connected and equitable local government area,” he says.
Words Anthony Maguire Photo Will Powers
Will's not mucking around.
Food, Glorious Food! Charity Food Pantry Opens at Maroubra Junction Church
Words
Anthony Maguire
Photo Hamilton Sandwich
A free food pantry has opened at Maroubra Junction in the grounds of the Hope Uniting Church.
Called the Blessing Pantry, the facility operates 24/7 from the front yard of the church. It’s being run by Diva Charity, which already organises once-a-month food distribution in Lexington Place, South Maroubra.
“People are welcome to help themselves to food on the shelves and in the fridge at any time of the day or night,” Diva Charity founder Christina Iskander told The Beast.
Aldi supermarkets at Eastgardens, Hilldale and Maroubra Junction are providing most of the pantry items, which are mainly a few days short of their ‘Best Before’ dates.
More than 150 members of the local community attended the pantry launch, where Pastor Hee Won Chang from Hope Uniting Church offered a special blessing.
“May those who come here find more than food - may they find respect, connection and community,” she told the crowd.
Christina Iskander at the launch of the Blessing Pantry.
Samera is a passionate children’s literacy advocate.
Coogee Kids’
Author
Samera
Wants to Help Reluctant Readers
Words Anthony Maguire
Photo
Heist Creative
Coogee author Samera Kamaleddine grew up an anxious child who found a refuge in the books at the school library.
Now she’s carving out a career writing for middle grade readers (8-12 year olds) - and helping today’s youngsters discover the joys of reading.
Ms Kamaleddine is under contract with publishing giant HarperCollins and her most recent book, The Sideways Orbit of Evie Hart, has been shortlisted for the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Awards, being announced on August 15.
Meanwhile, the 42-year-old is a passionate advocate for children’s literacy, giving talks at schools, council libraries and community events.
“Boys in the middle grade age group tend to be reluctant readers,” she says. “One reason for this is not wanting to be seen reading a ‘girlie’-looking book.”
Local kids can meet Ms Kamaleddine, and hopefully get reading more books, when she appears at an author showcase at Randwick City Library in September (date TBA).
For more information, please visit samerak.com.
Waverley Council to Dedicate New Parking Spots for E-bikes
Words Anthony Maguire
Photo Gavin Hanbridge
Waverley Council is installing 64 designated e-bike parking areas as part of a trailblazing agreement with operators Lime, Hello Ride and Ario.
Initially, there will be 24 parking bays in Bondi Junction, 38 at Bondi Beach and two at Bronte Beach. A report to Council says there is currently limited space at Bronte for e-bike parking.
Each parking area will take up to ten bikes. Around 60 per cent will be on or around footpaths, the others on kerbside sections of road where they won’t reduce existing parking or affect traffic safety.
Locations will be identified by white line markings in a rectangle shape, with a bike symbol and the words ‘Shared mobility parking.’
“In a first for any council in NSW, I am proud to have delivered a comprehensive framework that establishes how shared e-bikes are to be used and managed,” Mayor Will Nemesh said.
“This agreement, developed in consultation with share bike operators, ensures that community safety and community amenity comes first.”
Mayor Will Nemesh with Lime’s regional head Will Peters.
By Chris Pitman
Ninetyfive Theatre & Brink Productions
Big Government Must Stop Passing the Buck, Says Council
Words Anthony Maguire Photo Patrick Kite
Waverley Council wants the NSW and federal governments to contribute more funds to local services instead of shifting costs onto ratepayers.
A report tabled at a full meeting of Council detailed a rise in ‘cost shifting’ by both levels of big government - lumbering Waverley with more than $15 million worth of unwarranted charges per year.
“This works out as an average of almost $500 a year per ratepayer,” said Mayor Will Nemesh. “Other levels of government must stop passing the buck onto our ratepayers, who already contribute their share in taxes and rates.”
One area of concern is Council footing the bill for services being directly provided by the NSW Government - for example, user-pays policing and additional bus services for events like Festival of the Winds at Bondi Beach and the Christmas backpacker gathering in Bronte Park.
Meanwhile, the NSW Government has scaled back funding for libraries, pensioner rate rebates,
road safety and flood mitigation. For instance, the state paid for sea wall upgrades at Bondi, Bronte and Tamarama in the early 1990s, but hasn’t reached into its pocket since then for upgrades.
Although the council report identified the state government as the main offender, it detailed a number of instances where the federal government is shifting costs to Waverley ratepayers. One area of concern is Canberra’s failure to fund ongoing anti-terrorism measures such as hostile vehicle mitigation. Initially, the federal government provided funding for this through the Safer Communities program, which has not been recently renewed.
Also in dire need of more federal funding is management of ‘nationally significant sites’ such as Bondi Beach, the cost of which has spiralled due to Sydney’s population increase and tourism.
Councillors approved a motion calling for “a more sustainable and equitable funding model for federal/state responsibilities administered by councils.”
Friendly Store Is No More After Unfriendly Rent Hike
Words Anthony Maguire
Photo John Humphreys
Twenty-two years ago, a family started a grocery shop on Macpherson Street, Bronte.
The Friendly Store became a much-loved community hub, and Nazek and Mahmoud Assad, their daughters Susu and Sabrine, and Susu’s husband Mo have been a second family to countless customers.
But now The Friendly Store has closed. The family, who lived in an apartment at the back of the shop, has been forced out by a 50 per cent rent increase.
“It was just too much,” Mrs Assad said as they shut up shop in late June. “Now we’re starting a new business out west.”
For youngest daughter Sabrine, the move is particularly heart-wrenching.
“I was two when we came here and it’s the only home I’ve known.”
Long-time customer Helen Emery dropped in as the family were packing up the last of their stock. She gave them a gift of scented candles and tearfully embraced Mrs Assad.
“I’m going to miss them so much,” Ms Emery said.
Bronte’s friendliest family is moving on.
Gone with the wind: Waverley Council says ratepayer money is being blown on events like Festival of the Winds.
Solving Coogee’s Stormwater Problem
Words
Randwick City Council and the NSW Government will spend $7 million to clean up the water pollution problem at Coogee Beach.
Water quality at Coogee has been rated ‘poor’ since 2022 due to contaminants discharged from a huge stormwater drain at the northern end of the beach.
Now the Coogee Stormwater Diversion Project will see stormwater sent uphill and northwards by massive underground pumps. It will be piped under Dunningham Reserve, then discharged from an existing Sydney Water outlet at the base of the cliffs. Here it is expected to disperse safely instead of collecting in the bay - meaning consistently clean water for Coogee beachgoers.
“We are finally solving the Coogee stormwater problem that has plagued our community for generations,” Member for Coogee Dr Marjorie O’Neill said as she announced the project alongside NSW Water Minister Rose Jackson and Randwick Mayor Dylan Parker.
Works are due to commence in December and the project
has been welcomed by the local residents group.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Coogee Precinct spokesperson Mark England told The Beast.
“The stormwater problem has been a serious health issue. There’s no hospital data, but we’ve had anecdotal reports of people developing serious eye, ear and lung infections after taking a dip at Coogee at the wrong time.”
‘The wrong time’ usually means a day or two after heavy rain - but not always. Because the stormwater outlet has such a large catchment area, it continues to ooze out water, and the debris from flooded roads and sewers, for extended periods of time after heavy rain.
“The northern end of the beach has smaller waves, so a lot of families go there because they see it as safer,” said Coogee Surf Life Saving Club President Pat Garcia.
“They see what looks like this lovely little creek flowing into the bay and every weekend you see kids playing in this foul water. We’re really happy there’s an end in sight to the pollution problem.”
Lucy’s Amazing Aquatic Connection With Lifesaving Lung Donor
Words Anthony Maguire
Photo Sandy Toes
Lucy Brack believes she has a spiritual bond with an ocean-loving young woman who died suddenly 22 years ago.
The woman was an organ donor whose lungs saved the life of Ms Brack, who was on the brink of death from cystic fibrosis.
After her double lung transplant in 2003, she found herself magnetically drawn to the ocean.
“Growing up in the Eastern Suburbs, I’d been a regular beachgoer, but after the operation I felt this overwhelming urge to swim in the ocean and breathe the sea air,” she said.
“It was as though my new lungs were dragging me to the beach.”
She has since connected by letter with the father of her donor, who told her that his daughter loved the water.
The Woollahra resident is a daily beachgoer and Maroubra is her favourite destination. She told her story to The Beast to promote DonateLife Week, taking place from July 27 to August 3.
“The aim is to get more people on the Organ Donor Register,” she said.
For more information, email seslhd-nsworgandonation@ health.nsw.gov.au.
Lucy
Anthony Maguire Photo Joshua Hay
Dr Marjorie O’Neill, Water Minister Rose Jackson and Mayor Parker in front of the offending stormwater outlet.
loving Maroubra.
The latest from Randwick City Council about living in this great city
Randwick News
Everyone in Randwick City needs to be safe, heard, valued and connected, no matter their background, age, faith or circumstance. Over the past several months, we’ve been working with our community to strengthen Council’s work to ensure everyone feels at home in our City.
At The Hub at Lexington Place in Maroubra, we’re working with community organisations to help local residents experiencing disadvantage access a range of essential services – from free meals and assistance with housing, to legal advice and mental health support.
We’re expanding our work with young people to ensure they can lead safe, healthy and fulfilling lives. At our recent youth forum, we heard from more than 70 young people who told us they want better access to mental health support services and affordable housing, safer public spaces, and more opportunities to have their voices heard. We will be working with them on these matters and more.
Randwick City has a rich and unique Aboriginal cultural history. Together with the local Aboriginal community and other residents we’re developing Council’s first Reconciliation Action Plan. This is a crucial step in our journey to support Aboriginal people’s efforts to close the gap on disadvantage, build stronger local economies, and support culturally vibrant and healthy communities.
Lastly, a shout out to our volunteers. We recognised some of these unsung local heroes at our inaugural Volunteer Expo and Recognition Awards in July. Volunteering keeps our community strong, connected and resilient. I can’t thank all our volunteers enough!
What’s On
MAROUBRA BEACH MARKETS
SATURDAY 2 AUGUST
8am – 2pm
Broadarrow Reserve, Maroubra Beach
SPOT ON THURSDAY 7 AUGUST
THURSDAY 21 AUGUST
5.30pm – 9pm
St Pauls St, Randwick
SATURDAY CIRCLE SATURDAY 9 AUGUST 10am – 12pm 27 Munda St
Randwick Sustainability Hub
MATRAVILLE PRECINCT RESIDENTS MEETING
MONDAY 11 AUGUST 7pm
Matraville RSL
CLOVELLY PRECINCT RESIDENTS MEETING
MONDAY 11 AUGUST
7.30pm
Clovelly Surf Life Saving Club
SCAN FOR MORE RESIDENTS MEETINGS
Councillor Dylan Parker Mayor of Randwick
Randwick Mayor
Dylan Parker
The
Subject Autumn Sunset Location Bondi
Photographer E Bell
Subject Forager Location Coogee Photographer Kenneth Zhu @klix121
Subject End of Day Location Bondi Photographer Roland Pisani
Subject Pink Harbour Location Watsons Bay Photographer Béatrice Bathany
Subject Ghost Mushrooms Location Maroubra Photographer Martin Thomas
Subject Double Rainbow Location Coogee
Photographer Claudia Lovett
Subject First Day of Winter Location Bondi
Photographer Lisa Owen-Burke
Subject Columns Location Maroubra Photographer Klesio Alves
Subject Big Night Location Bondi Photographer Kim McCarthy
Subject Logjam Location Bondi Photographer Santiago Jiménez
War! What is it good for?
The Unreliable Guide to... War (What Is It Good For?)
Words Nat Shepherd Photo Holly Johnson
While The Unreliable Guide was watching funny cat reels on TikTok, the smarter corners of the internet have been whispering that we’re ankle-deep in World War Three. Definitely a bad move according to those great philosophers of the ’80s, Frankie Goes to Hollywood. “War! What is it good for? Absolutely nothing.”
But Frankie was wrong - war is f*cking fantastic, if you’re interested in shaking up the geopolitical snow globe, grabbing land, testing out your new drones and missiles or cashing in on your arms manufacturing portfolio. From oligarchs to opportunists, war is the original get-rich-quick scheme with a side helping of death, famine and existential dread. As Sartre said, “When the rich wage war, it’s the poor who die.” But if you, like me, are terrified by this current climate of chaos, here’s some tips and tricks to make sense of why war is so very 2025.
What Is a World War Anyway?
When The Unreliable Guide was a kid, our gang used to play
at being brave British spies parachuting into Germany to save the day and win World War Two. We took this game very seriously, running amok in our local scrap of London woods, scaring squirrels and shooting strangers with twiggy rifles. War seemed simple: when bad guys get greedy the good guys have to stop them. Bish, bash, bosh, and home in time for tea. But what does ‘world war’ mean these days? I’ve seen the old movies; people get uniforms, ration books, blackout curtains, air raid sirens and propaganda posters of the bad guys. If this is World War Three, it certainly doesn’t feel like it down here in the Land of Oz.
But former White House Russia adviser Fiona Hill argues that the Third World War has already started - we just don’t recognise it yet. We’ve got fighting in the Middle East, Europe, Africa, Asia, cyber attacks, destabilised democracies, tariff wars, and the slow, creeping death of international normssuch as Trump threatening to invade Greenland and Canada.
According to former US secretary of state Antony Blinken, the Trumpster’s happy-go-lucky indifference to alienating allies is an “act of vandalism” causing diplomats around the world to look at America and ask, “What the f*ck is going on?” Forget that old ‘Frankie says Relax’ t-shirt, I need me one that says, “WTF Donnie?”
Your Country Needs You
The power to convince millions of young men to voluntarily die for their country was lost in the trenches of Belgium, France and Gallipoli. Nowadays, you have to make them enlist. Russian General Apti Alaudinov posted on Telegram (because why not share military plans via group chat) that it’s time to call up “one million people” and “start preparing them for the fact that the war has already begun, which we already know is happening - World War Three.” And he could be right - war is so on trend right now. All over the world, analysts are using words like “escalation,” “mobilisation,” and “oh no.” New Statesman reckons the world “may sleepwalk its way into an engulfing conflict” because nothing says ‘preventable disaster’ like hitting the snooze button during an air raid. And we could be in for a nasty shock if we’re still counting on America’s nuclear deterrent to keep us safe. That 80-year-old global umbrella is starting to look suspiciously like it came from a $2 shop and turns inside out in a light breeze.
And finally, what can we do as the world order collapses like a badly erected IKEA shelf? The Unreliable Guide suggests we invest in tinned goods, learn to say “I come in peace” in several languages, and stock up on duct tape - it’s surprisingly versatile in the apocalypse.
Join us on the second Saturday of the month 10am - 12pm
Randwick Sustainability Hub 27 Munda Street, Randwick
Learn new skills to fix and reuse everyday items and regenerate and support our natural environment.
• Bike maintenance and donations
• Birding group
• Climate discussions
• Clothes and toy swaps
• Gardening groups
• Lego building
• Nature creativity
• Story telling
• Textiles mending
• Useful items library And lots more!
NATIONAL TREE DAY PLANT WITH US
Come join us and help green our City with native and indigenous vegetation. Sunday 27 July 8.30 – 10am 10.30am – 12pm Arthur Byrne Reserve Maroubra
Mystery at Bondi Junction
Have you sensed it? The mysterious atmosphere at Bondi Junction interchange during the recent morning commute?
A feeling, a sensation; difficult to describe but impossible to ignore.
An ambience so peculiar and subtle it is rarely mentioned for fear of ridicule.
This rare phenomenon coincides with the arrival of teenage boys clad in khaki, blue and gold. Every weekday morning they gather, normal in appearance but exuding an unexplainable air of distinction.
Suddenly, they vanish.
They charge en-masse with unbridled testosterone at the seemingly impenetrable doors and chassis and instantaneously absorb themselves into the bus, sitting 9¾ lengths from the entrance to the interchange.
Where do they go?
Nowhere us mere mortals can venture, so it is but ours to wonder. Wonder what ornate and opulent dwellings lie behind the guarded walls the boys pass though upon disgorging from the bus.
Creating yet more intrigue is the absence of these lads from Bondi Junction for six weeks a year. Their absence marked by kiosk shelves stacked full of sugary treats sporting exotic names and fantastical promises to the taste buds. Treats which nevertheless fail to leap from the package when you or I eat them. The same treats consumed in even greater rapture by boys who carry extra luggage and vanish into thin air for ten weeks at a time.
So, where do these boys go?
Residents speak in hushed tones of a grand edifice set on verdant fields. A mythical structure replete with gleaming polished timber, golden detailing and sparkling chandeliers, boasting enviable bucolic views of a stunning harbourside city through ample windows.
Rumours abound of walls housing beautifully-framed images of illustrious figures central to the mysterious institution’s undeniable prestige, so delicately portrayed their countenance appears to come to life. Tales abound of secretive
alcoves, columns and cloisters resembling the Tower of London, where many of Scotch descent have met a fate more torturous than Shakespearean analysis.
Upon these grounds, it is supposed, opponents face off in peculiar games which present great danger for the combatants as they fly above the earth for possession of an elusive ball. Games which evoke fierce tribalism among the witnesses and earn the victorious tribe a prized annual trophy.
Is it to that magical land that Harrys and Rons, and Mickeys not Minnies, are transported after dematerialising from Bondi Junction interchange?
Is it to a land reserved solely for those gifted privileged rights through birth?
Is it to a land blessed by exclusive visits from those who rule with an eternal and paternal mandate?
Is it to a small world within a world?
A world of magic and wonder where mystery and wizardry are to the fore.
Words Kieran Blake - kieranblakewriter.org
Photo Harry Potter
A world of magic and wonder.
discuss
Orange and Rosemary Chicken, With Potato and Olives
Words Dana Sims Instagram @stone_and_twine
If you can’t make it to the Med, you can always bring those vibes into your kitchen with a rustic bake that wouldn’t be out of place in a taverna in Greece.
The chicken is steeped in well-balanced aromats of orange, rosemary, garlic and chilli, with the subtle heat of the chilli really complementing the dish. The supporting act of potato, fennel and olives are a regular feature in Mediterranean cooking, as are the cucumbers and mint in the effortless refreshing salad. This recipe will serve 4-5 people.
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
10 boneless chicken thigh fillets, skin on
Juice of 1½ oranges
2 tbs rosemary, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1½ tsp red chilli flakes
1 tsp sea salt
¼ tsp cracked black pepper
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into eighths
½ bulb of fennel, outer layer, top and core removed, sliced thinly
1 cup pitted green olives, whole ½ cup extra virgin olive oil for frying
Salad
3 Lebanese cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthways and chopped
¼ cup fresh mint, leaves picked, roughly chopped and leave a few whole
Vinaigrette
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 tbs red wine vinegar
¼ tsp sea salt
Method
1. To marinate the chicken, place all ingredients for the marinade, except the chicken, in a large mixing bowl. Com-
bine well with a whisk. Add the pieces of chicken and coat well. Place covered in the fridge for 30 minutes.
2. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C fan forced.
3. On the stovetop, bring a pot of water to the boil and add the potatoes. Boil for 10 minutes, strain and set aside.
4. Remove the chicken from the fridge, strain the marinade and reserve for later.
5. On the stovetop, set to medium heat, add the olive oil to a large frypan. Fry the chicken in batches, skin side down for around 5 minutes (do not turn the chicken). Remove from the pan and set aside on a separate plate.
6. In a large heavy based pan that has a lid, add the fennel, potatoes and olives. Pour over the marinade that was reserved and then add in the pieces of chicken, skin side up, and pour the residual juices from the plate over the chicken.
7. Place the lid on the pan and cook in the oven for 30 minutes.
8. To prepare the salad, place the cucumber and mint in a bowl. Whisk the ingredients for the vinaigrette together, pour over the salad and toss well. Set aside.
9. Remove the pan from the oven and bring straight to the table. Spoon the pan juices over the chicken once you plate it.
10. Serve with the cucumber salad.
Dana Sims is a Sydneybased food and prop stylist who has grown up in the Eastern Suburbs and loves to create delicious food. She is inspired by the fresh produce we have access to in Sydney. For ideas, recipes and styling inspiration, check out her Instagram, @stone_and_twine.
By Jolyon James, based on the book ‘Imagine’ by Alison Lester Produced by Jolyon James & NCM
Not a great way to get noticed.
Nobody Really Cares About You That Much
Words Jeremy Ireland Photo Steve Jandal
A few years ago I laid down an experiment for anyone feeling pressure to follow a trend to fit in and be part of the tribe. The task was to get an odd pair of similar looking thongs made of rubber, but one had to be an expensive designer brand, and the other a cheap generic one. Then the subject would put one on each foot and walk along the promenade at Bondi to see who noticed the mismatch.
On reflection, I’ve come to realise the flaw in this challenge. For some people, despite wanting to give it a crack and walk proudly around in an odd pair of thongs, they really just can’t bring themselves to do it. Ultimately, for people like this, the fear of being noticed is so intense that they either avoid the situation altogether or, if they do go through with it, they feel as though the whole world is watching, reducing them to a blithering mess, overwhelmed with anxiety and deeply relieved when it’s finally over.
The psychological term for this is the ‘spotlight effect’. For those who get embarrassed easily or feel socially awkward when in the public eye, it can feel like a spotlight is squarely focused on them, revealing all their flaws and mistakes for the world to see. The spotlight is a very apt metaphor. Anyone who feels this spotlight shining on them in certain situations might feel as if they are under constant scrutiny when in a public or social situation, like giving a speech, presenting something to a group at work, or even tripping up the stairs or accidentally walking into a glass door.
But the truth is that the spotlight effect is a belief. We believe (or think) that people are paying more attention to us than they actually are. Research gives strong evidence that we tend to overestimate the number of people who actually notice what we think to be embarrassing, shameful
or even humiliating. This boils down to a natural cognitive bias called ‘egocentrism’ - the tendency for individuals to view themselves as the centre of their own universe. In other words, we feel the world is looking at our odd thongs, as that’s the centre of our current universe, but in reality the onlooker either hasn’t noticed or doesn’t care, as they are more preoccupied with what’s at the centre of their universe - like an argument they had with their spouse, or the parking cop who’s hovering around their expired meter.
There is something quite refreshing in knowing how little people actually care if we are a bit socially anxious or we have done something that we feel to be embarrassing or awkward. Of course people close to us do tend to care, but this is for different reasons. It is the public sphere we need to be less concerned with. This was well demonstrated by Mark Manson in his ‘chicken suit’ experiment. He managed to get someone suffering from social anxiety to be filmed walking around in public wearing a chicken suit. Much to the relief of the poor subject, hardly anyone noticed, let alone cared. Chicken man realised that it was his own personal perception distorting the reality regarding the awareness of the onlookers.
So, why don’t others really care? Well, maybe the best way to find this out is to start observing and watching other people. How do we think or feel about people we don’t really know? Where do they sit in our imagination? Are they not the very kind of stranger we may not pay too much attention to? If you see someone wearing a Borat-style mankini down at the beach, do you really care? Probably not so much. Generally, no one is going to place more importance on what someone wears or does than the person wearing or doing it.
Perhaps the reality is that we really don’t know what another person is thinking, and the inconvenient truth is that it’s probably not about us. If they are, it’s generally not in the catastrophic way we think it is. It’s difficult to overcome at first, but if being socially anxious is holding you back, start small and work your way up.
Next time you feel the spotlight shining on you, try and remember this quote from David Foster Wallace: “You will stop worrying so much what other people think about you when you realise how seldom they do.” The take home message? People aren’t usually concerned about your shit, only their shit!
Jeremy Ireland is a local psychotherapist. Have you got a question? You can get in touch with Jeremy by calling 0400 420 042.
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Midnight Mission
Words Lewis Kennedy-Hunt
Photo Perry O'Dontist
When it comes to chasing adventure and finding fish, there’s a tried and true formula that rarely disappoints - save up some coin, load up on fuel and jet down the highway for a few hours until there’s no one around. With a secluded camp and a less pressured fishery at your disposal, memorable captures and shenanigans are usually set to unfold.
But the luxury of time and money isn’t always as abundant as the thirst for a fishing adventure. This has been especially true for me lately, having taken on a weekend job at the marina in the lead-up to an overseas trip. But I wasn’t about to let that stop me from getting out there, it just meant that I needed to think outside the box to get my fix. And so the idea of a harbour camping and mulloway fishing trip was hatched, and it didn’t take much to convince my fellow fishing devotees Grayson and Jules to join.
With the boat waiting patiently in an empty berth at the marina, stocked with food, bait and beers, I set off after work with no time to waste. It felt odd beginning a fishing trip as the sun was setting, but there was an aura of adventure not usually felt on routine sessions in the harbour. I met the boys at the zone - a top secret DIY artificial reef known by very few and consisting of hundreds of weighted milk
crates deposited over the years by a mate of a mate - a questionably legal but highly clever venture. We assessed the drift, anchored up and fastened the two boats together to create the ultimate fishing platform. We could barely enjoy our first cold beers as we went about busily filling the bait tank with enough livies for the night. The bait was plentiful and easy to catch, and there was an overwhelming feeling of fishiness and a quiet confidence among our crew for the night ahead.
With a spread of live and fresh baits deployed on the heavier gear, it didn’t take long for Jules’ rod to buckle in the holder, leaving him jumping from one boat to another to grab it. It was right on the turn of the high tide and the fish was playing up, with some tell-tale head shakes and lunges casting an image of a big mulloway at the forefront of my mind. After playing it toward the surface, a big silver sheen appeared and we almost called it for the target species before we noticed some strange markings and features unlike anything you’d expect to catch in the harbour. A delicate scoop of the net and swift hoist over the side and we were all left puzzled as a metre-plus of gummy shark lay on the deck of the Haines.
Gummy sharks are most often caught in the temperate waters of South Australia and Victoria, with captures in NSW waters a lot less common and generally only occurring at deeper offshore zones. A cross-reference with harbour guru Ryan Doyle confirmed that this was an extremely rare catch and the only harbour gummy he had ever heard of. It was high-fives all round as we marvelled at the absurdity of the catch before the fish was quickly dispatched onto ice. These fish are known for their superb eating quality, often being used as ‘flake’ in higher end restaurants, favoured for their mild flavour and firm texture.
Eventually the tide started to swing and the fish started to shut down, so we pulled anchor and sent it further up the river for a last ditch effort before we set up camp. We savoured the calm water and lack of boat traffic as we cruised in the freezing windchill. The next spot was a deeper zone over an old shipwreck, and we anchored and quickly deployed some strip baits without expecting too much, as by then the phase of the tide wasn’t very favourable for your typical jewie hookup. To our surprise, within minutes my rod went off in its holder and I brought a picture-perfect little jewfish boatside. It wasn’t the size we had hoped for, but it was the target species and we appreciated the fish nonetheless, capturing a few snaps before releasing it into the dark.
We pulled in the lines and began the journey upriver to our camping spot. As we ventured up the system, the lights of civilization faded and the river developed into a winding creek. We cruised up in convoy at a gentle pace, with one eye on the sounder and the other on the maps, hoping we didn’t run into any submerged obstacles in the dark. It felt strangely remote and wild considering we were a stone’s throw from the CBD only hours ago. Eventually we found the spot we had in mind, a small sandy bank just big enough to beach the boats and set up our swags. We got a fire going and thawed our numb hands while enjoying a couple of beers. Turns out you don’t always have to go far to get a taste of adventure!
August 2025 Tide Chart
You'll meet some interesting characters in your local coffee shop.
Celebrating the Humble Café
Words Dr Marjorie O’Neill, Member for Coogee Photo Mal Martin
Not so long ago, eating outside the home was uncommon, and meeting with friends or relatives over refreshments almost always took place in someone’s own home. Coffees, which were inevitably of the instant variety, were appropriately reserved for private homes. The idea of going out alone or with others to purchase a cup of coffee was simply not envisaged. Our great grandparents drank tea and maybe chicory and coffee mixes, usually at home, but certainly did not buy cups of coffee in takeaway cups! An annual ritual, which was more frequent for the wealthier, required a visit to the City of Sydney, likely David Jones or the Woolworths Town Hall Cafeteria, for tea and sandwiches at Christmas.
Life in Sydney changed gradually from the end of the Second World War with an influx of migrants from Europe, particularly those from Italy, who introduced their knowledge and appreciation of coffee. By the 1970s, change was afoot. I know
from my own family that a good cappuccino could be purchased at UNSW by the early 1970s, although the idea of a takeaway was unthought of. A great memory in my family concerns the then department store Grace Bros and its café called the Copper Kettle. Not only could you buy a cup of coffee, but also a ‘Hawaiian delight’ consisting of grilled toast with ham, cheese and pineapple! As an aside, Easts Leagues Club was serving the amazing ‘chicken in a basket’.
Until the establishment of these cafés, hotels were the major venues for refreshment outside the home, and their patrons were mainly men - or women who were often criticised for their participation. Typically, as lunch was prepared in my great great grandmother’s home in Denison Street, Bondi Junction, the men of the family would bring in jugs from the local hotel. Put simply, this traditional social arrangement limited interactions outside the home, particularly for women.
In the last fifty years, but especially in recent decades, we see this amazing transformation of a society that once ate and drank within the walls of homes, except for those who enjoyed the hotels, to one that much more frequently patronises cafés and restaurants. Tens of thousands of coffees are sold every day in the East of Sydney. Many of these involve patrons sitting, enjoying and conversing with others. Yet the statistics suggest that at least 25 per cent of coffees sold are takeaways, although this percentage is much higher in some locations.
Coffee shops play a significant and multifaceted role in contemporary society, far beyond just serving coffee. Their role in generating and maintaining social connections must be acknowledged. Even in the context of a takeaway, the role of our cafés must never be understated. Consider my niece, who in her second year of study at UNSW expressed her desire to go early to classes and order a drink because the only person on campus who knew her name was the barista. Sad, but true.
Our cafés are important in our community and must be supported and valued. They provide safe spaces where people can gather, connect and communicate, and they are generally diverse friendly. For many locals they also provide work and study spaces, as evidenced by the use of laptops and meetings held. They can also be cultural hubs supporting arts, cultural identity, and even meeting places for political and community activism. They contribute to the economy by providing employment and ideally support other local businesses. They help to keep our neighbourhoods alive and safe.
I invite you to communicate with my office and let me know your favourite coffee shop and why. I appreciate their role in our society and would like to reward them.
FIXING COOGEE
The NSW Government has committed $7 million to divert stormwater off Coogee Beach, improving water quality.
Construction will begin on a new pump station and pressure mains later this year.
Dr Marjorie O’Neill MP Member
for Coogee
Protecting Our Oceans
Words Allegra Spender, Member for Wentworth Photo Tim Bauer
How lucky are we to live in Wentworth. With around 13 kilometres of coastline stretching from Watsons Bay to Coogee, the ocean is the backdrop to our daily lives. And right now, we’ve got front-row seats to the annual migration of majestic humpback whales cruising along the coast.
Some of my favourite childhood memories revolve around the ocean - going to the beach on Christmas morning, walking from Bondi to Bronte with my friends and relaxing by the harbourside ocean pools.
But despite growing up here in Wentworth, I was always a bit intimidated by the ocean.
I’d often want to swim across the bay at Bondi, but I was never quite sure I could. And - as we’re often reminded - I was afraid of the destructive power of the waves from a big swell.
Luckily, swimming with the Bondi Salties has helped cure that fear of the bay swim - and I enjoy nothing more than a run along our amazing coastline.
The ocean is an anchor for me - a place of energy, calm and connection. That’s true for many Australians and it’s a central part
of our culture and of who we are as a nation.
But the ocean is not just an Australian thing.
“After almost 100 years on the planet, I now understand the most important place on Earth is not on land, but at sea,” says Sir David Attenborough in the new feature-length documentary Ocean (streaming on Disney+).
The film is a powerful reminder of how vital healthy oceans are to life on our planet, and a call to protect them. Some scenes are truly confronting, particularly those showing the devastation caused by bottom trawling - a fishing method where boats drag heavy nets along the ocean floor to catch species like flathead and prawns, destroying coral and killing marine life along the way. It’s a practice still permitted in many countries, including Australia.
To be fair, Australia has made significant strides in ocean conservation, and I was proud to be part of efforts last term to stop the PEP-11 oil and gas project just off Sydney’s coast.
However, there’s more work to be done. While around half of Australia’s marine territory is
designated as marine protected areas (MPAs), this includes zones that allow damaging and industrial activities such as bottom trawling and mining. Only 24 per cent of Australia’s waters are in ‘highly protected’ sanctuaries which provide the conservation benefits - and many critical habitats remain under-protected.
It’s great that Australia has joined the global ‘30 by 30’ pledge to protect 30 per cent of our oceans by 2030, and has recently signed up to a major international agreement to protect marine life on the ‘High Seas’.
But now comes the hard part: reviewing Australia’s existing marine parks and deciding where that extra 6 per cent of true protection will come from.
As shown in Ocean, protecting overfished coastal zones doesn’t just restore marine ecosystems - it boosts fish populations, with spillover benefits for neighbouring areas. That’s good for the environment and for the fishing industry more broadly.
Plastic pollution is another major threat to our marine ecosystems. Last term, I was part of crossbench efforts to push for mandatory packaging targets and to ban certain particularly harmful packaging inputs like PFAS. The government has conducted a lengthy consultation on these reforms over the past nine months, but now what we really need to see is action.
All these challenges are before we even get to the existential threat that a warming planet poses to our marine life, with the Great Barrier Reef this year experiencing a sixth widespread coral bleaching event since 2016.
Wentworth is blessed with an incredible coastline, and I know so many of us are passionate about ocean protection. I’d love to hear your thoughts about what action you’d like to see. Together, we can make the next term of parliament a defining one for ocean protection.
Early mornings on the coast are hard to beat.
Priorities for protecting our oceans
We are so lucky that Wentworth is home to beautiful coastlines and beaches. Right now, we’ve even got front-row seats to the annual migration of humpbacks as they head to warmer breeding grounds!
It’s no secret our oceans are special, but there’s more work we need to do to protect them. I would love to hear what’s important to you and what action you’d like to see.
Please scan the QR code to fill out my online survey and let me know your priorities. Tell me your thoughts Oceans Survey
www.allegraspender.com.au Allegra.Spender.MP@aph.gov.au 02 9327 3988
Photo: Tim Bauer
The Beast Supercross
1. Until 1923, what was Istanbul called?
2. When was the first issue of Vogue published; 1892, 1960 or 1976?
3. What is the only continent with land in all four hemispheres?
Trivial Trivia
Words Lisa Anderson
4. What TV series included the phrase, “Go where no man has gone before,” in its title sequence?
5. Which astronomer is called out in Bohemian Rhapsody?
6. Some species of what animal breathes through its rear end?
ACROSS
1. Amazon founder (4,5)
7. Grind together (5)
8. Largest city in New Jersey (6)
9. A colourless, odorless alkane gas used as fuel (6)
10. Causing an irritating sensation (5)
11. Abbreviation for our tax office (1,1,1)
12. Make a mistake (3)
14. Semi erect primate without a tail (3)
16. A long narrow passage (5)
17. Cream used by surfers (4)
19. A gradual decline (3)
21. Domesticated llama (6)
23. Oblong
cream puff (6)
24. A very light brown (5)
DOWN
1. Rolling Stones frontman (6)
2. Soft plume of a bird (7)
3. One point score in AFL (6)
4. Idiosyncratic (4)
5. Southwestern township in Johannesburg (6)
6. Idolise (7)
10. Style of handwriting (6)
13. Fastener (6)
15. Light shade of blue (5)
18. Spanish sparkling wine (4)
20. Online journal (4)
22. Beer using warm fermentation process (3)
7. On average, which grows faster; fingernails or toenails?
8. What has an eye but cannot see?
9. True or false; jiffy is an actual unit of time?
10. In which country was Elon Musk born?
Subject Dawn Patrol Location Maroubra Photographer Klesio Alves
Lorde Virgin
Label Universal Music
Reviewer @aldothewriter
Rating
Good Lorde! It’s strange to see Lorde as an adult giving interviews where she speaks insightfully about growing up as a woman in the public eye. Virgin is very much about that journey, and while it is certainly overflowing with oestrogen, there are universal themes that even cojone carrying members of society can connect with, like exploring yourself and learning to deal with the disappointments of your twenties. Is this Lorde’s best album? I’m not sure, but it’s my favourite. She gets an extra half star for the Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers album cover shout out too.
Loyle Carner hopefully !
Label EMI Records
Reviewer @aldothewriter
Rating
Introspective rap has rarely been du jour - most people apparently prefer ‘WAP’ and petty beefs - so it is testament to Loyle Carner how well he has done for himself. Going from a side stage afternoon timeslot in Maitland to one of the top billers at Glastonbury without once being brash or offensive is no mean feat. Carner claims hopefully ! is his most positive album, but you’ll notice he didn’t actually say it is positive. Full of his usual melancholy musings, it may lack a banger or two, but it is certainly worth a listen by yourself with a cup of tea; he is English after all.
Haim I quit
Label Columbia Records
Reviewer @aldothewriter
Rating
I have always had a strangely negative physiological reaction to Haim, largely, I think, because the name reminds me of someone clearing their throat to cough up a golly. It’s a shame, because I like their music. I quit is a wonderful pop album that builds on previous work while exploring a labyrinth of other pop sounds. It’s like a whack-a-mole of ’80s and ’90s pop references. I can’t think of any synonyms for pop music. Pop! The lyrics are also joyfully cynical. I feel tremendously sorry for Molly in the back of the van in ‘Take me back’. We’ve all been there… haven’t we?
Star Signs
Visions Beardy from Hell
Libra Sep 24-Oct 23
The debilitating post-holiday depression you will experience is enough to make any winter getaway a waste of time and money.
Scorpio Oct 24-Nov 22
Paying $4.70 for two shitty unripe tomatoes will have you questioning whether you can afford to live here any more.
Sagittarius Nov 23-Dec 21
Something as simple as sitting around listening to music with your mates will be enough to lift you up onto a higher plane.
Capricorn Dec 22-Jan 20
Fully immerse yourself in the current phase of your life, rather than risk looking back later and regret not making the most of it.
Aquarius Jan 21-Feb 19
There’s never been a better time to invite your punishing in-laws over for a delicious homemade beef Wellington.
Pisces Feb 20-Mar 20
Thanks to the skyrocketing cost of groceries and electricity, it’s cheaper to eat Thai takeaway every night than cook at home.
Aries Mar 21-Apr 20
If you don’t take the opportunity to chuck out all your old junk this month, it will still be with you when you’re 100 years old.
Taurus Apr 21-May 21
In a world of cheap thrills and distractions, nothing will make you feel better than having heaps of money.
Gemini May 22-Jun 21
Now that it’s a new financial year, you get to spend the next 12 months slaving away to clear last year’s tax liability.
Cancer Jun 22-Jul 22
A mystery pubic hair will keep reappearing at inopportune times, until you actually set it on fire and destroy it forever.
Trivial Trivia Solutions
incredible showroom, made-to-order headboards & beds