The Beast - January 2026

BEAST

January 2026

Subject Sunset Soccer Location Bondi Photographer Mahsa Hashemi

Happy New Year!

Words James Hutton - Publisher

Welcome to the January 2026 edition of The Beast, the monthly magazine for Sydney’s bustling beaches of the east, where the years fly by faster than a Mitchell Starc inswinger.

A big thanks to local artist Lucinda Boden for this month’s cover painting, a beautiful watercolour of Bronte Beach. Lucinda’s art first appeared on the cover of The Beast during the COVID lockdowns back in July 2020. You can see more of Lucinda’s art on her Instagram and TikTok, @lucindaboden, and her website, lucindaboden.com. She’s also available for commissions, so give her a yell if you’d like some original local artwork for your wall.

Waverley Council’s plans for the future reinvigoration of Bondi Junction went to public consultation recently and received a whopping 80 per cent positive response from stakeholders

including residents and local businesses. The council’s proposal to knock down the old council chambers on Bondi Road also went down well, receiving 65 per cent support (only 5 per cent of respondents wanted the building to be retained as council chambers), so it looks like both of these plans will be going ahead.

The Bondi Tap Festival is a community arts organisation holding its first week-long event from January 12-16 in the heart of Bondi at the world famous Tap Dogs HQ. The week of dance classes and activities will have something for everyone, so check out www.bonditapfestival.com and follow @bonditapfestival on the ’Gram. The faculty and students will also be performing at Oxford Art Factory with a live jazz band on Friday, January 16.

Meanwhile in Clubland, Paddo RSL members delivered overwhelming support for an amalgamation with Coogee Diggers during the month, marking a defining moment for

the future of both clubs. In the official postal ballot, 84.5 per cent of participating Paddo RSL members voted ‘yes’, sending a clear message of unity and confidence in the shared direction of the two organisations. The proposed amalgamation aims to secure the long-term sustainability of Paddington RSL and enhance services for veterans, members and the broader Eastern Suburbs community.

Cheers, James

The Beast

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ಋ North Bondi Share Boards, rescuing and repairing damaged softboards for free use by the community.

ಋ Art for everyone at Waverley Woollhara Arts School, new equipment to support wheelchair users and inclusive art classes.

ಋ Puppy adoption playdates, for children aged four to 12 to learn about pet care through creative activities and community connection.

ಋ Pauline Menczer in Bronze, the launch of a life-sized bronze sculpture of local surfing legend to inspire future generations of female surfers.

ಋ Citizen science with Rose Bay High School, students will monitor local marine biodiversity whilst communicating results to the wider Bondi community.

The Beast's Monthly Mailbag

Words The Engaged People of the Eastern Beaches

Public Address - Response to The Beast’s Monthly Mailbag

I would like to respond - and provide some context - to the piece published in The Beast regarding our recent presentation night (Blatant Sexism in One of Bondi’s Oldest Sporting Clubs, Monthly Mailbag, The Beast, December 2025).

The evening began with a welcome from our MC. Unfortunately, our MC had not been given the information from the committee that our netball team had won the grand final, and therefore this important achievement was not announced at the start of the night.

Our retired president then spoke, reflecting on his 27 years of service to the club, before introducing our newly appointed president - who had only stepped into the role that same week.

We continued the evening with the presentation to our netball team, who had asked to be called up first due to HSC commitments and needing to leave early. Our other netball teams were attending the junior presentation the following day.

It was later pointed out that we had not begun the night by acknowledging that the girls were the only team in our club to win a grand final this year. I completely agree that this should have been done, and we acknowledge that we dropped the ball. However, at no time was anyone from the team - or their coaching staffbooed or disrespected.

As soon as there was a break in the formalities, our new president and others approached the coaching staff with a sincere apology. The team received their premiership hoodies and bags before heading off.

Bondi United Inc is incredibly proud of the women who are part of our club. Had the team been able to stay longer, they would have seen two important acknowledgements of women within our community - Kerry Mortimer receiving Life Membership and Tania Elmes receiving the Chloe Byron Award.

Women have always been an integral part of Bondi United Inc. In fact, we were the first club in the district to introduce female softball team, female tackle teams and female basketball teams.

It’s also worth remembering that our club has been run entirely by volunteers since 1946, and like any volunteer-run organisation, sometimes we make mistakes. But sexism is not - and has never been - part of our culture. Decades ago, when women across sport were routinely overlooked, Bondi United Inc awarded Life Membership to two extraordinary women, both named Joan, recognising their service at a time when women rarely received such acknowledgment. Their recognition reflects the club’s long-standing support for women, well before it became the norm.

On a personal note, I have been part of this great club since birth. As an ex-netballer, touch

football player, swimmer, coach and manager, I can confidently say that the letter’s claim of “blatant sexism” does not reflect the truth of who we are or what we stand for.

Bondi United Inc remains deeply committed to supporting, celebrating and advancing women and girls across all aspects of our club.

Kellie Bondi

Wine at Auction

A little word of warning: Be careful when buying alcohol at auction. Recently I purchased six bottles of sparkling wine through a leading auction house. Turns out they were all ‘past their best’ and the contents had to be poured down the sink.

I wrote an email to the manager of the auction house but it wasn’t even acknowledged. Robert Sharpe Disappointed Drinker

$$$ or Lives?

The new Bronte Surf Life Saving Club clubhouse scheme, driven by the club, to be primarily financed by a compliant council and authorised by our councillors, is planned to also house the professional council lifeguards but in a manifestly inferior location that will deprive them of the necessary commanding view of the proven death trap rip at the south end of the beach.

Customers at the club’s proposed commercial function centre will have a better view of drowning swimmers than will the lifeguards, who might not be able to see at all. The lifeguards will be housed even further away from the rip than they were in the old building, where they had a view so inadequate that CCTV of the beach had to be installed.

I suspect that those involved have focussed too much on the commercial aspirations of the club and that little real consideration was given to the surveillance facilities essential to

the lifeguards. I doubt that this shortcoming was made apparent to the mayor and councillors. Nor, perhaps, was the need for CCTV. Shame on all who would allow this public safety failure. Obviously, maximising the profitability of a club businesscompletely unrelated to actually saving lives - should not come at the cost of professional lifesaving effectiveness.

Mayor Will Nemesh and councillors should visit and admire the view, while it lasts, from the well elevated but regrettably temporary lifeguard room to be demolished after the build. Perhaps the mayor could inform readers whether he supports the intention to downgrade surveillance when the new edifice opens.

Thakfully, it is not too late to rectify this dangerous mess.

Greg Maidment Bronte

Thank you Greg, this is indeed very important and I appreciate you raising these concerns. In choosing the final location, Council considered beach hazards, incident history, maintaining line of sight for lifeguards, ability to access the sand quickly, avoiding conflict with pedestrians and equipment, and tides. Where we landed with the final location enables lifeguards a wide view of the beach and line of sight of the shoreline, rips and Bronte Pool as well as a clear path down purpose-built stairs directly onto the sand. The location also enables visibility between the lifeguard first aid room (at ground level for acces-

sibility) and the lifeguard observation room (at an elevated level for observation).

- Waverley Mayor Will Nemesh

Randwick Environment Dump

An enquiry was made to Randwick Council recently as to who owned the strip of land on the western edge of the Randwick Environment Park along the fence line of the Department of Defence land, and whether a better use could be made of this land. It is currently used as a dumping ground for old vehicles and caravans, some that look to be abandoned and some that might even be tenanted.

Questions asked included who owns the land, whether there is any prior approval or charge required to park there, and whether there is any system in place to ensure the removal of abandoned vehicles over time.

It is a sad and uninspiring backdrop to the Environment Park, which is Randwick Council’s environmental gem.

It was put to the council that it could be made a permanent overnight campervan site, similar to those found in many overseas countries. It appears the site is in fact owned by the Department of Defence, despite being outside of its fence without any kind of policy to manage it.

In light of the recent announcement that the Department of Defence is investigating what sites it can sell off, including possibly the Victoria Barracks, it seems that a little housekeeping closer to home might be a good idea. Might they consider gifting the land to Randwick Council since they are not using it? Currently it is an eyesore.

Simon Bartlett Coogee

Ssssssh, Don’t Tell Anyone!

James - It’s a big secret. To alleviate the housing crisis, the state government has inflicted its Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy on us, and all our elected represen-

tatives appear to be falling into line without a whimper. No one wants to talk about it; it’s development at any cost!

Now, large areas surrounding CBDs like Bondi Junction, which mainly consists of cottages in narrow congested streets, will be given over to eight-storey developments, even in Heritage Conservation Areas.

Waverley projects our population will increase by 11,500 to 80,000 by 2031 (15 per cent). So, the big question is, where are the plans for amenities like schools, hospitals, sewage and community facilities to cater for this growth? The NSW Minister for Education is not concerned; she says the type of development here will not be child-friendly.

Living, as we do, in areas planned before the advent of the motor car, and with Waverley being Australia’s second most densely populated municipality, one would think we would have been granted an exemption from the demands of the housing crisis or at least have plans to compensate for the already hectic pressures on our roads.

With at least one 900-apartment development being muted for the Bondi Junction CBD, can the roads there accommodate this type of expansion? And for critical access roads like New South Head, Old South Head and Bondi Roads, which are way past their capacity now, where are their plans for the future?

Is the real secret that our elected representatives appear to be planning for the demise of our already under pressure living standards?

Andrew Goldfinch Bondi Junction

Fairy Massacre on Earl Street

Dear Beast - I would like to let our local community know about a recent sad event regarding young twin girls and the Fairy Garden they recently established outside their property in Earl Street, Randwick.

The bird's-eye view from inside the temporary tower.

My friend’s twin girls had lovingly created a fairy garden against a tree on the nature strip out the front of their house. While it is understood that this is council land and not their property, the garden had become the focus of local community spirit in their street.

Children and adults alike who live in Earl Street or visit the local cafés often stopped to admire the garden and take photos. It has been admired for many months, with nothing taken or damaged. People have even added to the garden.

In a busy and often troubled world, this little garden was a symbol of kindness, hope and nostalgia. The garden had grown to include approximately 25 pieces including fairies, unicorns, elves, little houses, toadstools, etc.

In the last fortnight, Randwick Council contractors had been engaged to prune trees and undertake footpath reconstruction work outside their home. You can imagine their dismay when they returned home from an outing earlier this week to find the fairy garden completely gone. Just about all the pieces were missing, with a couple found lying in the gutter. The tree had been splattered with concrete, and it would appear in the clean-up of contractor works that the items were simply swept away and binned.

It might seem like a small thing, not property worth a great deal, but the lack of care shown to all the special pieces placed with love and consideration has really upset many of us, particularly these young children. We would like the people responsible for overseeing this work to understand the hurt and disappointment they have inflicted, not only to these beautiful children, but to the street and café community at large.

Their mother has written to Randwick Council about this issue seeking a written acknowledgment and apology for

Council’s inconsiderate actions in destroying this special Fairy Garden. The girls are learning that they need to take care of their neighbourhood and an acknowledgment from Council that its actions, while probably not wilful in intent, are not acceptable. Such response will impress upon them that the council cares about community spirit.

Rest assured it is our intention to rebuild the Fairy Garden, and trust that it will yet again inspire love and kindness throughout our local community.

Liz Gallagher Randwick

Fun Times in Waverley

Hi there - As the mother of two young kids in Waverley, I just want to give a massive shout-out to whoever is responsible for all the local events that have been happening this year. Life is so expensive these days, but there have been so many great events on that have cost me nothing to take the kids to.

Early this year we saw that great whale puppet at the Pavilion, then there were a whole bunch of local park parties with entertainment (and free ice cream!), we also enjoyed the Halloween event, and the Christmas Market at Bondi Junction was an absolute blast. Now we’re really looking forward to Carols by the Sea. Taking home tuckered out kids at the end of the day makes my life sooooo much happier, and not having to spend money takes so much of my stress away.

Thank you to whoever’s job it is to put all this together, and keep up the great work, it hasn’t

gone unnoticed. I’d really recommend signing up to Waverley Weekly - and reading The Beast! - so you know what’s on. And it’s not just for kids... there’s plenty of grown up stuff too!

Yours sincerely,

Harriet Super Grateful Parent

Thank You, Kind People

Dear James - Two weeks ago on a Saturday morning I ventured out to do a bit of banking with my left wonky leg and a fragile aluminium walker courtesy of the War Memorial Hospital where I had just spent a lovely three weeks recovering from a hip operation. While crossing Oxford Street between the two Westfield stores my walker hit an almost invisible bump, throwing me backwards and causing me to hit my head on the kerb.

I was immediately surrounded by a crowd of lovely, kind people. A lady doctor appeared, then a young nurse, both asking whether I could see them, if I knew where I was, etc. They were checking for concussion as the lump on my head was the size of an orange.

A wonderful, practical man took charge of directing traffic and quite a few passersby showed me such kindness I was overwhelmed. Then came a lovely policewoman and helpful iceman, then a Westfield security guard who brought me a wheelchair, and finally two handsome paramedics (is there any other sort?) - a tall blonde Viking and a gorgeous dark-haired Adonis.

I was so beautifully looked after by this Bondi Junction crowd that I want to thank them all through The Beast, just in case my dazed ‘No, I do not want to go to a hospital’ state didn’t allow me to thank them enough. So thank you, thank you, thank you! How lucky am I to live in such a kind and caring suburb.

Patricia Bondi Junction

P.S. I love your magazine, I send it to Poland every month.

The Earl Street Fairy Garden.

Just Trying to Explain

Hi James - Just a short story that I hope some of your readers might empathise with... We have a 3-year-old Beagle, a gentle and most loving dog who has been cared for and loved from the day we bought her at 9 weeks old. She relishes her time with other dogs on her dog park romps and boards when necessary without a hitch. She especially loves children and loves other dogs. What she doesn’t love, however, is meeting other dogs on daily walks when constrained by her leash. Her anxiety of being restrained on her lead results in her lurching at the oncoming dog and barking quite loudly and aggressively - the only times we have ever experienced aggressive behaviour. Were she not on the lead (‘leash reactivity’, I’m told) she would be the happiest and most playful of animals.

We have sought training and advice from many sources over the past couple of years, but nothing we have tried has worked.

I dread the sight of an oncoming dog on our neighbourhood walks. I cannot take her off her leash as the roads around our neighbourhood are busy and would pose unacceptable danger to her. I can well understand the annoyance of the owners of the dogs she lunges at, I really can, but my letter here is just to explain that dogs like ours that exhibit this behaviour are often suffering from leash anxiety and are, by and large, not dangerous. They would not harm your dog in any way if they were off their lead.

Please understand that as owners we are doing all we can to minimise these incidents (zig-zagging across roads continuously is one strategy). I apologise profusely when her lunging and barking surprises or upsets other owners and their dogs, and I wish this didn’t happen. Please, to those other people whose dogs do not have these issues, please

understand that we would never allow our dog (and others like her, I’m sure ) to harm your dog in any way.

Dawn Waverley

Bondi Golf Club Rock Carvings

Hi James - I read the article concerning the Bondi Golf Club rock carvings, with a re-etching about to be approved by Waverley Council. My grandfather, Mr Joseph Solomon, did the original work for the Waverley Council Centenary Celebrations back in 1959, as he was the draughtsman appointed for this exhibition cleaning. Merry Christmas.

Regards,

Grant Brown Clovelly

Print Perfection

Good morning - I picked up your magazine in Coogee last weekend and just wanted to let you know what a great publication it is - so much information, news and interesting articles.

As a visitor to Sydney at the moment I found it very helpful and informative. Keep up your great work and well done!

Regards,

Rose Hobart

Legal Vandalism

When residents chop down or poison trees that get in the way of their views, we get pretty pissed off, right? But what about when

your local council does the deednot under the cover of night, but rather under the cover of official legality? What then?

In the rarefied Heights of Dover, fingers are pointing at Waverley Council over its decision to remove scarce native and other trees, or what it calls “overgrowth,” that grows inconsiderately in the way of some people’s views from the clifftop and nearby streets.

Proponents say it’s all about restoring “historical view corridors” - I’m not sure exactly what that means, but it depends how historical you want to be. I’m sure the original Birrabirragal people might have an interesting take!

On the clifftops, the few pieces of remnant vegetation - even the scrappy dead bits - provide vital habitat for struggling local wildlife, especially small birds that need dense foliage to survive. These little creatures - blue wrens, grey fantails and silvereyes, for example - have been driven to a literal precipice of existence by development and the resultant influx of larger, more aggressive species like noisy miners.

As you read this the condemned trees may already have gone, and the tiny birds that they have sheltered and protected may then slide into local extinction. Is this what Waverley Council and locals want? Will Council replace the trees it destroys by erecting signs shaming itself as the perpetrator? What message does this legalised vandalism give to anyone who wants to get rid of inconveniently situated flora?

A leading advocate of the culling has said, rather breezily, that the birds can ‘go elsewhere’okay, no worries!

Council explains that the “adopted works simply introduce an additional management consideration which can be achieved without affecting the underlying environmental management objectives already in place.”

A newspaper clipping showing Mr Solomon cleaning the Bondi rock carvings back in 1959.

Right, all good - an “additional management consideration” is always reassuring, isn’t it?

Enjoy the views.

Michael Tamarama

Gimme Shelter

Dear Alan (New Bus Shelter, Monthly Mailbag, The Beast, December 2025) - Waverley Council does not own or maintain bus shelter infrastructure within the Waverley LGA - it rents them out to a media company.

Recently the council went out to tender for the long-term contract of the shelters. The incumbent media company lost out to another media company, who offered a lot more rent revenue for the council coffers. So, the new media company ripped out the existing bus shelters and installed their own, and it seems the council allowed them in the new contract to install the very large illuminated advertising screens on either side of the

shelters with no consideration that they obstruct people’s ability to see approaching buses from within the bus shelter.

It looks like they also didn’t stipulate that the bus timetables needed to be displayed. Of course, rate-paying residents had no say about the new shelter designs and the extra advertising panels.

Frank Bondi Junction

Mourning the Car Boot Sales

I am so sad that Waverley Primary School stopped their fantastic car boot sales. They used to hold one every term and I looked forward to them so much. There was great community spirit and everyone had a wonderful time. Why, oh why, have they stopped? I’m sure it must have been a great fundraiser. Please bring back the car boot sales, Waverley Primary.

Amanda Jane Bondi

Mooloolaba Model Solves Beach Parking Problem

Dear James - We are on holiday in Mooloolaba and we were worried about finding somewhere to park near the beach as it is very crowded, just like Bondi or Coogee.

To our delight, the local council solved this problem by building a multi-story car park 50 metres from the beach, just behind the main esplanade. The Mooloolaba Central ParknGo provides 700 car spaces with four hours’ free parking - plenty of time for a swim or surf and breakfast!

Why can’t our councils take note and be inspired by this brilliant initiative?

Regards,

Rob Randwick

Please send your letters to letters@thebeast.com.au (with your name and suburb).

High School OPEN NIGHT February 26th 2026 from 4.30-6.30pm

Families are invited to attend

Randwick High School’s Open Night 2026 in the School Hall - South (Rainbow Street entrance) on Thursday, February 26th from 4.30-6.30pm Please scan the QR Code for more information about our school

Randwick High School

Avoca Street, Randwick NSW 2031

Telephone 02 9314 9800

randwick-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au

randwick-h.schools.nsw.gov.au

North Bondi RSL at the Coalface of Australia's Veteran Welfare Crisis

Like other RSL clubs around the country, North Bondi RSL Club honours former service personnel in some obvious ways. As you pass through the reception area of the beachside club, you’ll see artefacts from various conflicts - everything from rocks brought home from WW2 trenches in North Africa by the club’s ‘Rats of Tobruk’ founders, to special canine booties worn in Iraq and Afghanistan by an Australian explosives-sniffing dog called Tripp.

At 6pm each evening, everyone stands for The Ode. Looking out over the crowd are the faces of the fallen, their poster-sized photos mounted high on the wall. Outside, the Australian flag flutters proudly in the breeze.

Meanwhile, behind the scenes, the club is going far beyond adherence to the status quo in its support of ex-military members and their families.

“We’re proud to maintain traditions, but our priorities are veterans in crisis and also support to veterans’ families - espe-

cially the families of those killed in service,” says North Bondi RSL chairman Josh Farquhar.

“There hasn’t been a single day in the last two years when we haven’t been responding to some type of suicide-related crisis,” says Mr Farquhar, “but most of our work is about pre-emptively building connections and community for veterans and their families, and integrating the wider community. Community is an essential element in welfare.”

The support the club delivers is different in every situation.

“We became aware of one veteran who’d spent six months living in a tent in a caravan park,” Mr Farquhar said. “We helped him obtain accommodation and entitlements.”

He tells of another veteran who felt compelled to continue to serve after leaving the ADF, applying his bomb-disposal skills with a humanitarian NGO operating in Ukraine. He was killed in an explosion and North Bondi RSL provided funds to bring his body home.

Around 700 of the club’s 20,000 members are ex-service personnel, with a substantial number of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans - including Mr Farquhar, 46, who served in both wars before transitioning to the Army Reserve as a major after 2015. He says many veterans are alienated after transitioning to civilian life.

“Too often people feel disconnected and isolated from community. RSL clubs can provide a critical function in addressing that.”

While most of the club’s ex-service personnel are younger - their average age is 36 - the club’s older vets are well supported, maintaining contact through regular social gatherings and outings. And again, the club reaches into its pocket to help.

“This morning we provided cab charges for an elderly veteran to attend some medical appointments,” said Mr Farquhar.

North Bondi RSL is working towards employing dedicated welfare professionals, but in the meantime it’s up to Mr Farquhar, fellow club volunteers like former president Rob de Graaf, and a small contingent of others to help ex-service personnel and their families who are facing challenges. It’s an urgent task, because despite strong progress from the recent Royal Commission into Veteran Suicide there remains an ongoing veteran welfare crisis in Australia, with three veterans a fortnight taking their own lives.

“Over the past couple of years we’ve had three fatalities from suicide,” Mr Farquhar says, “but this is just the tip of the iceberg - for every fatality there are many, many more veterans and family members in need.”

At the going down of the sun and in the morning. We will remember them.

Words and Photo Anthony Maguire

North Bondi RSL patrons honour the fallen as they stand for The Ode.

'Entertaining, Creative, Surprising' Line-up for Flickerfest 2026

It’s on again! Flickerfest, a 10-day celebration of filmmaking talent, takes place at Bondi Pavilion from January 23 to February 1.

Celebrating its 35th year and renowned as Australia’s only Oscar and BAFTA-qualifying Short Film Festival, Flickerfest has just announced a bumper crop of films - showcasing more than 200 from Australian and international filmmakers, culled from a record 3,600 entries. They’ll be screened in both the Pavilion theatre and under the stars in the iconic beachside building’s courtyard.

What makes Flickerfest different from the average film festival is that all the films are shorts, mostly less than 15 minutes in length. Among the 200 mini-masterpieces assembled for this year’s program are the cream of the latest Australian short filmmaking productions, such as Shelly, which runs for nine minutes and stars veteran TV actor Gary Sweet playing an old fisherman grieving the loss of his wife and finding it hard to let go.

“One day he catches a baby great white shark and feels an

indescribable urge that compels him to take it home with him,” says the film’s director, James Trevor Chappell.

Also watch out for the tragicomedy Help! Everything Is Fine, directed by Bellevue hill local Isaac Brown, where a young man’s unfortunate accident sees him seeking advice from his mother, and we are then treated to an unforgettable performance from Susie Porter (Welcome to Woop Woop, Puberty Blues, Wentworth Prison).

The Flickerfest program also includes a selection of foreign films, plus there are animated films, productions from under-18-year-olds in Flickerup, LGBTQI+ productions (Rainbow Shorts), rib-tickling comedies (Short Laughs) and a First Nations showcase of work from Indigenous filmmakers.

“All the films are entertaining, creative and surprising. Audiences will be blown away by the level of storytelling and talent they will discover,” Flickerfest director and founder Bronwyn Kidd told The Beast

For more information on Flickerfest, or for bookings, please visit flickerfest.com.au.

Words Anthony Maguire Photo Enzo Amato

The ultimate al fresco cinema experience.

Bondi Man Wins Gold After Marathon Windsurfing Feat

Bondi man Mal Rofe won a gold medal in the recent Windsurfing World Championships in Greece.

For almost two hours, and in winds of up to 25 knots, the 59-year-old clung to the boom of his LT Class windsurfer, navigating it through a crowded ten nautical mile course. There were almost 150 other competitors, and most of those in his division were a lot younger than Mal.

“It got off to a terrible start for me, because the course was so crowded that I started heading for one of the rubber dinghies that act as line markers,” Mal said. “There was nothing I could do, but at the last second I managed to avoid the dinghy, but snagged my centreboard on its anchor line.”

The last leg of the race was also challenging.

“I had four competitors from my division in front of me. Then two were blown out, and I passed the other two not far from the finishing line.”

Mal finished in 20th place overall, but top in the lightweight division - Mal’s a sprightly 65kg, which can come in handy when you’re standing atop a 15kg windsurfer!

And thus it came to pass that Mal stepped up to the winner’s podium of the Athens Nautical Club, about 20km outside the city at Artemis Beach, to be awarded gold for first place in the lightweight division.

The father of three, who works as program manager for a NSW government department, has been windsurfing since he was 15. He says he loves it because “it’s a great way to keep fit and there’s the opportunity to race with other people.”

He has previously won a number of other titles in course races, which at 30 minutes are much less gruelling events than the marathons.

“In Greece I was 5th overall in the lightweight division, my best result so far,” he said.

Local Surfing Hero Honoured

Words Anthony Maguire

Photo Bill Morris

A bronze statue of living surfing legend Pauline Menczer has been unveiled following a $160,000 crowdfunding campaign.

Ms Menczer was the 1993 World Surfing Champion and is the only Bondi surfer - male or female - to win a professional championship world title. But back in those sexist days, she was not given proper recognition. She missed out on the sponsorship given to male counterparts and the trophy she was awarded even had a broken top piece.

But now, more than three decades after her triumph in Hawaii, Ms Menczer has finally been given the recognition she deserves, with a bronze statue of her standing proud and holding a surfboard and skateboard being unveiled at South Bondi.

At the November 21 unveiling ceremony, Wentworth MP Allegra Spender said the statue will “ensure Pauline’s legacy will continue to live on in the dreams of the next generation of women surfers.”

Ms Menczer said the statue, made by artist Cathy Weiszmann, was dedicated to anyone who has “copped a few knocks but refused to give up.”

Pauline and her doppelganger.

Words Anthony Maguire Photos Spiros Windopoulos

Mal dominating from the front.

Alana from Mill Hill Precinct wants assurances that the Spotlight and Officeworks buildings will remain in Council hands.

Council-Owned Bondi Junction Buildings in the Spotlight

A residents group in Bondi Junction is getting nervous about the prospect of future development plans for the council-owned Spotlight and Officeworks buildings.

Mill Hill Precinct, which represents residents on the western side of the Junction, has raised the issue three times at its monthly meetings, most recently in September, but says Waverley Council is remaining tight-lipped about future plans for the sites.

The Spotlight and Officeworks premises are in Ebley Street. According to Mill Hill Precinct Convenor Alana Lessi, they should be included in the Bondi Junction Masterplan.

“The problem is, we won’t be getting a look at the Masterplan concept until well into next year,” she told The Beast. “Meanwhile, the leases on Spotlight and Officeworks could be running out.”

“We would like assurances from Council that the sites won’t be turned into high-rise developments, which will create traffic and overshadowing problems for residents in nearby streets. And we would like them to remain Council property so there is the

possibility of public and community use.”

While neither building is considered as having heritage value, the Spotlight building does have an interesting history. It began life in 1912 as the Centennial Skating Rink. In 1925, it was converted into a film studio by Australasian Films, relaunched as Cinesound Productions in 1931. Then in 1951 the building began yet another incarnation as a soft drink factory, before being turned back into a film (and TV) studio again in 1956.

Approached by The Beast for comment, Waverley Council indicated that the uses and zoning of the sites in question won’t be changing any time soon.

A spokesperson said, “The 1426 Ebley Street site is currently leased to Officeworks and the 65 Ebley Street site to Spotlight and Metro Storage. All leases will expire in mid-2027, with Officeworks having an option in their lease to extend beyond this period. The properties are included in the Bondi Junction Masterplan study area as part of Council’s overarching strategic plan for the future of Bondi Junction.”

Former Mayor Cries 'Shame!' as Councillors Support Planning Changes

Words Anthony Maguire

Photo Edwina Obeyed

Randwick Greens Councillor Philipa Veitch is disappointed that most of her colleagues didn’t support her stance against “appalling” state government environmental planning reforms recently approved by both houses of parliament.

The former mayor says amendments to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act will give councils and communities a muted voice in discussions on environmentally-dodgy developments.

“It’s an appalling piece of legislation,” said Councillor Veitch. “It centralises state government planning powers and gives councils and communities a significantly reduced role in assessing development applications.”

She moved a motion that Council opposes the legislative changes through letters to the relevant government ministers, local MPs and the Local Government Association. But when a vote was taken, her only supporters in the council chamber were fellow-Greens Clare Willington and Masoomeh Asgari.

“Shame!” thundered Councillor Veitch on Facebook after the meeting.

Cr Veitch protesting the changes outside state parliament.

Words and Photo Anthony Maguire

Story About Clash of Cultures on Famous Expedition Wins Award

In 1948, a team of 17 scientists, anthropologists and photographers set off for northern Australia on what has been described as the “last of the big expeditions.”

An account of the collision of cultures that took place during the expedition was announced as winner of the 2025 Mark & Evette Moran Nib Literary Award in a ceremony at Bondi Pavilion on November 6.

Clever Men by historian Martin Thomas is “a poignant examination of the collision between Western scientific hubris and Indigenous knowledge,” said a member of the judging panel, publisher-editor Julia Carlomagno.

Visitors to a remote Arnhem Land community severely depleted the local flora and fauna by taking 13,500 plant specimens and more than 30,000 animal specimens. The book “reveals how Indigenous communities, including the elders known as ‘clever men,’ dealt with the intrusion of these foreign

‘experts’,” according to publisher Allen & Unwin.

Mr Thomas won a cash prize of $40,000, while journalist Rick Morton won the $4,000 People’s Choice award with another non-fiction work, Mean Streak, about the federal government’s notorious Robodebt scheme, which ran from 2015 to 2019.

Established in 2002, the awards are presented by Waverley Council, with Eastern Suburbs retirement village owners and philanthropists Mark & Evette Moran providing the cash prizes. Gertrude & Alice Café Bookstore in Bondi is a community partner, stocking the award-winning titles.

If you’re a writer who has penned a magnum opus you think could be in the running for the 2026 awards, nominations open in April and close at the end of June. You must be Australian, you are allowed no more than one co-author and your work must have been published in the current financial year.

Extra Bondi Bus Services Will Help Passengers Keep Their Cool

Words Anthony Maguire

Photo Chris Minns

Good news for people travelling by bus to Bondi this summerthe state government is putting on extra services for Sydney’s busiest bus route, the 333.

From Monday, December 22 until the end of the school holidays, an extra 55 trips will operate each weekend, with more at busy times on weekdays. The additional services are expected to substantially reduce overcrowding on the 333, which runs between Circular Quay and North Bondi. There’ll be more frequent night services, and customers making daytime trips to the beach will be able to keep their cool instead of fuming at the bus stop about how long they’re having to wait.

“When it’s hot, no one wants to be sweltering at a bus stop waiting to get to the beach - now there are extra services to get you there,” says Member for Coogee and Parliamentary Secretary for Transport, Dr Marjorie O’Neill.

“These extra services and improved overnight frequencies will make a real difference for the thousands of passengers who use the 333 during the height of summer.”

Dr O’Neill has welcomed the increased 333 services.

Words Anthony Maguire Photo Grant Leslie

Award-winning writer Martin Thomas flanked by Mark & Evette Moran.

Waverley Council Update

Mayor’s Message

NYE Community Fund recipients

We are excited to reveal the grant recipients of Our Place Community Fund, which will invest nearly $50,000 into creative, grassroots projects.

Among the initiatives awarded were North Bondi Share Boards, which rescues and repurposes damaged surfboards for community use, along with the Silver Surfers, a free event offering body-boarding lessons for over 60s. The Bondi Junction Group of the Australian Breastfeeding association also received $5000 for hospital grade breast-pumps to support the mothers of premature and unwell newborns. Additionally, South Bondi’s newest resident, a life size bronze statue of Bondi’s first and only world champion surfer, Pauline Menczer, was also funded with a $5000 grant.

An investment made possible thanks to the return of New Years Eve celebrations at Bondi Beach, featuring the ticketed music festival elrow Bondi Beach XXL, alongside Locals Lawn, the family friendly celebration exclusively for Waverley residents.

2026 Arts and Culture Program

As avid supporters of the arts, Waverley Council is thrilled to unveil our Arts and Culture program for 2026. We have collated an extraordinary selection of talent, circus acts, cabaret, acrobatics and even a rock opera. There’s also film festivals, comedy and visual arts.

For free, family-friendly fun, catch WAVERIDER from January 8 to 18, a spectacular outdoor show performed on a giant inflatable wave which becomes a kids play zone after the show, plus roving puppet performances by the Deep Sea Divers on January 24 and 25.

Another highlight to catch is Tina, a Tropical Love Story, created and performed by First Nations drag artist Miss Ellaneous - (Ben Graetz) from February 12 to 14. The dazzling production intertwines personal stories from growing up in Darwin into a heartfelt tribute to Tina Turner.

There is something for everybody at the Pav, where culture meets the sea, a stone’s throw away from Bondi Beach.

Happy New Year!

Reflecting on 2025, I am enormously proud of the work done by our dedicated staff toward making Waverley a more connected, sustainable and lively place.

Ph: 90838000 | waverley.nsw.gov.au

Stay in touch: waverley.nsw.gov.au/subscribe

Looking ahead at the new year, Council will continue to build on the strong foundations laid in 2025.

We will forge ahead with the Bondi Junction Masterplan, by implementing detailed planning frameworks which to help us achieve our vision of Bondi Junction as a re-imagined, thriving civic and cultural hub.

Work will also continue in earnest on the Bronte Surf Club restorations, which will deliver a enhanced lifeguard facilities, public amenities and a new sea wall. We look forward to unveiling this state-of-the-art multi-purpose community hub in 2027.

We are also planning streetscape upgrades for the Rose Bay Shops North precinct, which will boost accessibility, local businesses and enhance the area’s overall village feel.

Throughout the year, we’ll continue community consultation on important upgrades, plans and projects. Your feedback is key to informing our decisions at Council, so head to haveyoursay. waverley.nsw.gov.au to ensure your voice is heard.

Finally, to stay informed with all upcoming events and news subscribe to our weekly e-newsletter Waverley Weekly. Here’s to another fabulous year in Waverley!

A Trio of Appy Chappies

Three workout-crazy Bondi lads have come up with a fitness app designed to increase the accessibility of professional level performance tracking metrics.

Eddie Mallett, Alex Anderson and Jack Hobbs call their app ‘Cutout’ and it has just been approved by Apple.

Jack, 22, describes Cutout as “an innovative approach to fitness training that gives the everyday athlete training with barbell weights the same metrics as top elite athletes.”

It was 25-year-old Eddie who originally came up with the idea for the app.

“I’d been working in the fitness industry and noticed how many people weren’t training correctly, and were constantly receiving incorrect feedback," he said. “That got me thinking about an app, then the idea moved forward when Jack and I had a beer with a coach from a First Grade AFL team. He told us that one of his biggest challenges was tracking player performance and fitness across all levels. He wanted to ensure improvement

and accountability from junior development players right up to the top one per cent.”

Eddie and Jack then started talking to their mate Alex, 24, who had studied IT at university and had the technical skills to create an app. And now they’re the proud architects of a product that does a long list of things.

“The most crucial metric is velocity - the speed the bar is moving,” says Alex. “Tracking it ensures athletes are training at the correct load, maximising muscle development and maintaining accountability.”

Then you’ve got time under tension, which shows how long each rep is taking to perform. Other important bits of info include depth of movement, balance, training load per muscle group, average intensity per session and your total effort score.

The app only costs $19.99 a month for the real-time package, which does all of the above and much more, and there’s also an entry-level version for $4.99 that doesn’t have interactive video capabilities.

Blue Tree to Help Those Feeling Blue

Words Anthony Maguire

Photo Rita Mu

A dead tree in a Maroubra park has been given a new lease of life as part of a mental health campaign.

The leafless radiata pine in Nagle Park is one of more than 1,500 trees across Australia that have been painted blue under the Blue Tree Project - a mental health charity started after 29-year-old Western Australian man Jayden Whyte took his own life in 2018.

Randwick Mayor Dylan Parker and Kingsford Smith MP Matt Thistlethwaite joined community members from The Man Walk to paint and officially dedicated the tree as a symbol of hope. Mayor Parker said the aim was to “encourage open, honest conversations about mental health in Randwick City.”

The Maroubra chapter of The Man Walk, a nationwide group whose credo is “it’s ok to not be ok,” approached Randwick Council about the idea of dedicating a blue tree earlier this year.

Now the council will install signage beside the painted tree giving information about where people can access mental health support.

Matt and Dylan painting the tree at the November 14 ceremony.

Words and Photos Anthony Maguire

Eddie, Alex and Jack say their app delivers elite training metrics to everyday athletes.

The latest from Randwick City Council about living in this great city

Randwick News

A new year brings fresh possibilities, and we have an exciting journey ahead!

Randwick City Council will continue delivering projects that strengthen our community and protect our beautiful coastal environment.

In 2026, we’re starting works to divert stormwater away from Coogee Beach and creating new opportunities for creativity and culture in Randwick with the transformation of Blenheim House into vibrant artist studios and exhibition spaces.

To support active lifestyles, we’re continuing to upgrade footpaths, cycleways, and playgrounds. We’re also building an outdoor gym at Coral Sea Park in Maroubra, and developing plans for Randwick City’s first BMX pump park in Malabar.

One of the most exciting initiatives will be completing the missing link of the Coastal Walkway between South Coogee and Lurline Bay, connecting more of our stunning coastline for everyone to enjoy.

As we step into the new year, I encourage everyone to enjoy our beaches and parks responsibly, look out for one another, and stay safe on the roads.

Wishing you a happy, healthy, and fulfilling 2026!

Councillor Dylan Parker Mayor of Randwick

Randwick Mayor

What’s On

COOGEE SPARKLES

WEDNESDAY 31 DECEMBER 9 pm

Goldstein Reserve, Coogee Beach

HEFFRON PARK MARKETS

SUNDAY 18 JANUARY

8 am – 2 pm

Heffron Park netball courts, Maroubra

MARINE AND COASTAL DISCOVERY PROGRAM

18-30 JANUARY

Scan the QR code for times and locations.

AUSTRALIA DAY COMMUNITY CELEBRATION

MONDAY 26 JANUARY

11 am – 2 pm

Kensington Park

CULTURE ON COUNTRY

MONDAY 26 JANUARY

5 – 8 pm

La Perouse headland

Dylan Parker

Crime News

Masseur Rapist Faces Justice

A high-profile Dover Heights masseur has been convicted of sexually violating a woman who’d heard about his skills on a radio program.

Appearing before the District Court, 67-year-old Steven Goldberg admitted to digitally penetrating the 32-year-old woman during the massage session at his studio but said it was consensual. However, a jury found him guilty of sexual intercourse and sexual touching without consent.

The woman had booked the appointment after hearing a glowing on-air endorsement about Goldberg’s massage skills from radio host Jackie ‘O’ Henderson (there is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by Ms Henderson or her KIIS FM co-host Kyle Sandilands).

After being doused in oil, Goldberg’s victim found herself frozen and in pain as he sexually assaulted her. The court heard that she tried to repel his advances by squeezing her legs together. Then in desperation, she faked an orgasm.

The court heard there’d been no mention of sexual services in Goldberg’s discussions with the

woman. And the police officers who whisked him off to the cop shop near-naked and draped in a sheet didn’t buy his initial story that the massage had been “sensual but not sexual.” Sentencing was deferred pending reports.

Man Charged With Murder of Partner in Glass Door Tragedy

Months after his distraught partner crashed through a glass door in a Randwick apartment to escape an argument, recruitment consultant Lee Loughlin has been charged with her murder.

Claire Austin, 38, suffered horrific injuries as she smashed through an interior sliding glass door between a bedroom and sunroom. She died three days later in St Vincent’s Hospital.

Loughlin, 44, was released without charge at the time and sent to a mental health facility. But since the peace of a Randwick Street was rent asunder by the sounds of shouts and breaking glass in the early morning hours of April 12, a police strike force had been putting together a case against him.

And on Thursday, November 6, they escorted him from a Little Bay studio flat and took him to Maroubra Police Station, where he was charged with murder and coercive control.

This is what police say happened in the lead-up to the tragedy: There’d been a pattern of domestic abuse going back to July 2024. Things had escalated just before the incident - police took out an Apprehended Violence Order against Loughlin on Ms Austin’s behalf just two days beforehand. On the night of Friday, April 11, Loughlin went drinking at the Coach and Horses Hotel in Randwick. He spent hours there. After he got home, neighbours heard him yelling, then a sickening crash, followed by the sound of Loughlin screaming.

If you are anyone you know is suffering domestic or sexual violence, support is available through 1800RESPECT - please phone 1800 737 732 or text 0458 737 732.

Mum and Daughter Recruited Money “Mules” - Police

A mother and daughter alleged to be players in a $70 million fraud racket were led from their Dover Heights home in handcuffs. And police left the Gilbert Street duplex with armloads of evidence, including luxury handbags, financial records, a $10,000 gold bar and $6,600 in casino chips.

NSW Police say self-described fortune teller Anya Phan, 53, convinced vulnerable people in the Vietnamese community to become “mules” in a scheme where they took out large loans and gave Phan a cut of $150,000 or more. Her daughter Thi Ta, 25, was a willing accomplice but it was Phan who ran the show - which was why Ta was allowed bail but Phan was remanded in custody when the pair made a brief court appearance.

Ta is charged with two counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception plus a charge of recklessly dealing with the proceeds of crime. Phan’s list of charges is much longer - 39 counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception plus one count of directing the activities of a criminal group.

Words Jimmy Fellon

Photo Richard Digits

This slippery character claimed his sexual penetration of a massage client was consensual.

‘Fortune teller’ Anya Phan didn’t see her arrest coming.



All 482 visas may now apply for PR, including cooks, café managers, hairdressers, marketing staff, etc. The qualifying period has also been reduced to two years

Please call Brendan to discuss further

Brendan Muldoon Reg. Migration Agent # 0742052

39 Gould Street, Bondi Beach Phone: 0404 552 322 brendan@bondimigration.com.au www.bondimigration.com.au

The

Subject Purple Rain Location Clovelly

Photographer Jules Rumpf

Subject Local Fisherman Location Maroubra Photographer Martin @mlthomasphotography

Subject Sunday Suntrap Location Clovelly Photographer Crissy Gilbert

Subject Cockatoo Moonrise Location Clovelly Photographer Michael Cummings

Subject Crystal Clear Location Coogee Photographer Claudia Lovett

Subject Rockhoppers Location Bondi Photographer Rosie Noke

Subject Local Tawnies Location Randwick Photographer Harry Goodwin

Subject Cracker Night Location Coogee Photographer Margie Sexton

Subject Rainbow Divebomber Location Bondi Photographer Graeme Bogan

Subject Farewell from the Hadleys Location Bronte Photographer Anitra Hadley

Tight Lines

Mango Season in Madagascar

You may have heard of the tailor run at Fraser Island, or perhaps even the spawn run at Eucumbene, but have you heard of the mango season in Madagascar?

Over the last three weeks, Charlotte and I travelled through the ancient island nation of Madagascar, exploring its otherworldly sights, animals and landscapes from the back of a 20-year-old Hilux. Piloted by our local guide, Tovo, we racked up more than 70 bumpy hours of seat time, giving us plenty of opportunity to watch Malagasy life roll by. From acrobatic lemurs and iridescent chameleons to eight-year-olds driving herds of zebu and bush mechanics rebuilding truck engines in the desert, we witnessed all sorts of roadside shenanigans.

As the landscape shifted from dense green rainforest to arid, mountainous plains, we began to notice the first of the mango trees. Their golden fruit shimmered in the sun

among the bright green leaves, and once we had our eye in, we started spotting them literally everywhere. A sucked pip on the blacktop told the story of a schoolchild’s snack as they walked home, or a farmer’s lunch as they sat under a tree in the midday heat. Entering a village, marked only by crude mud-brick houses and smiling, waving children, we’d find piles of mangoes lining the roadside. Every now and then a truck would arrive from the larger cities to load up big sacks in exchange for cash, which was shared among the locals.

For the Malagasy people, time isn’t marked so much by hours or days, but by the seasons, namely the wet and the dry. For them, the first fruit of the mango trees marked the transition from the dry season into the wet, perhaps mother nature’s small gift before the hard times ahead. In one region we passed through in the west, Tovo told us that annual cyclones were so severe that peo-

ple had to flee to the larger cities every year, often returning to find everything flattened. Yet without complaint they rebuilt their villages from scratch and continued to live off the land. It was a stark reminder for us of the relative meaninglessness of physical possessions.

After visiting the UNESCO World Heritage site the Big Tsingy, a ‘stone forest’ dreamscape formed by 50-metre-tall limestone pinnacles, we started heading south. Water scarcity was a real problem in this part of the island, and the start of the mango season served more as a signal of the better times expected with the coming wet. Here, kids no longer asked for sweets as we drove by, but instead asked for water, a jarring reminder of the harshness of life in this part of the country.

We visited the ‘Malagasy Grand Canyon’ and swam in secret desert waterholes before parking up on the coast for the remainder of the trip. Despite travelling to Madagascar to see the animals and landscapes that exist nowhere else in the world, we came away with a renewed appreciation for the people of Madagascar and for humanity in general, something we didn’t initially anticipate.

In the end, even with all that Madagascar had to offer, it was the mangoes that kept popping up, quietly reminding us that sometimes the best things in life are free.

Words and Photo Lewis Kennedy-Hunt

Charlotte and the Malagasy kids.

King Julien stealing mangoes.

The Unreliable Guide to... ASMR

The Unreliable Guide recently rewatched Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s classic 2001 movie Amélie at the Ritz Cinema in Randwick as part of its 35mm revival season (do go along for fab cinema, great films and tasty choc-tops). I imagined the theatre would be full of old nostalgics like me, but no, the audience was mainly Gen Z, and their commentary on tiny details in the film made me suspect that this whimsical French caper has been quietly moonlighting as an ASMR masterclass. Quite an achievement as it was made six years before anyone even coined the term. ‘But what the hell is ASMR?’ I hear some older readers cry. Well, never fear, because The Unreliable Guide is here with some tips and tricks to take you to the tingle by revealing the A to R of ASMR...

What is ASMR anyway?

Despite ASMR (fancy full name: Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) being the subject of scholarly discussions since 2007, I was this-many-yearsold when I found out that it’s

now a cultural phenomenon. If you’re as ignorant as I was, you might like to know that ASMR is defined as “a feeling of well-being combined with a tingling sensation in the scalp and down the back of the neck, as experienced by some people in response to a specific gentle stimulus.” These stimuli tend to be lower-pitched, complex sounds and slow, detail-focused visuals. Imagine, lips-onthe-microphone whispers, gentle tapping, paper tearing, brushing sounds, and a kind of focused human attention that mimics how we soothe babies. You may think that sounds weird, but ASMR’s many fans really believe in its benefits. They claim that it reduces anxiety, encourages better sleep and provides occasional moments of pure, inexplicable joy. If that sounds like your cup of G&T, be warned that it doesn’t work for everyone - estimates of the percentage of the population that experiences ASMR range from 20 to 70 per cent. Also, while some people swoon at the sound of whispering, others re-

lax by watching a hand dip into a pile of beans. But whatever flicks your sensory switches, Amélie delivers the full range, from a spoon cracking against crème brûlée, stones skimming across the Seine, to coins clinking on a café counter. Add to that the whispered monologues, Parisian street chatter, heartbeats and distant church bells and you’ve got the filmic equivalent of a warm hug. No wonder it’s still the highest grossing French language film in North American history.

Thirsting for the Tingle

Still think ASMR is nonsense? Well, if it is a fad it’s a bloody popular one. Thanks to this thirst for the tingle, ASMR videos are now a bona fide internet juggernaut. Millions of views, thousands of creators, tens of millions of videos - YouTube alone had 25 million by 2022. Live streams exist on Twitch, TikTok, Kick, Instagram and anywhere else our attention goes to hide. Way back in 2001, Jeunet probably had no clue his cute little film would become a runaway success and then, two decades later, a sensory cult. And Amélie isn’t the first text to sneak up on our senses. Way back in 1925, Virginia Woolf’s classic novel Mrs Dalloway appears to be describing an ASMR response - “Septimus heard her say “Kay Arr” close to his ear, deeply, softly…her voice… rasped his spine deliciously and sent running up into his brain waves of sound.” Take it to the tingle, Woolf!

Finally, whether ASMR ‘works’ scientifically or not, there’s definitely something delightful about noticing life’s small, beautiful, tactile moments. And we need those moments right now, because, to quote the script of Amélie, “Les temps sont durs pour les rêveurs.”

Words Nat Shepherd Photo Jean-Pierre Jeunet

An ASMR masterclass.

The lessons are in the journey.

Being Honest and Tolerant With Ourselves as We Head Into the New Year

Words Angus Henricks Photo Mohammed Tivata

Happy New Year everyone! 2025 has flown by, and it certainly was a hectic year. While I discussed in my previous article the benefits of debriefing after another year has passed, and how important our own choices and attitudes are to not only ourselves but the people around us, I wanted to continue to shift collective attention to the immediate future.

As the New Year arrives it is an inevitability that many of us will begin to plan our New Year’s resolutions and other varying choices of change that will lead us to be better versions of ourselves.

I am in no way disparaging that choice - for those of

us who do make New Year’s resolutions, all power to you, especially if you possess the discipline to see those resolutions through. Rather, I am addressing those of us who are, like me, chronically aspirational people who formulate mammoth New Year’s goals and resolutions every New Year but often fall short of achieving them.

This is not to say that nothing gets achieved. In fact, usually the opposite ends up taking place, and a new and perhaps more valuable lesson is learnt from the shortcomings and failures pertaining to the original objective.

I think there is something very beautiful in this. As humans, we are programmed

to fail and make mistakesyes, I know, such an original observation, well done Angus - but I think the whole thought process around resolutions can inadvertently lead us to lose sight of this.

When one makes a goal at the start of a calendar year, it is often made within rigid and demanding confines that expect non-negotiable results and success, dooming the resolution before it even has a chance to be achieved.

In my opinion, the beauty of achieving a goal comes more from pursuing it; the subjective idea of success and achievement evolves throughout the process of working towards the goal, and the lessons and growth that come along with that are far more valuable and rewarding than the actual achievement of the outcome initially envisaged.

Bearing this in mind, my approach to improvement and achieving my own goals in 2026 will be centred on the idea that failure is a lesson, and that chasing expedited results undermines both the importance of the goal and the entire process undertaken to achieve it.

I fully comprehend the difficulty in this - please do not for a second interpret this as an attempt on my behalf to provide life advice, as I am the first to admit that I am in no way qualified to do that. However, I challenge all of us (myself included) to be honest and tolerant with ourselves as we head into the New Year, and allow that honesty and tolerance to be relevant when setting goals and during the process of pursuing them.

That same tolerance and honesty that starts on an individual level allows us to be healthily realistic in our relationships and interactions with each other. Chasing perfection is absolutely redundant.

Massive Changes Planned for Long Bay Jail

Long Bay Correctional Centre will undergo a stunning renovation during the impending revitalisation of Little Bay.

The infamous institution will be gentrified alongside the remainder of the neglected suburb and will complement the transformation of the entire Eastern Suburbs.

Spearheading the salvation of Little Bay is a massive apartment complex to be built once the altruistic developer persuades authorities to share his vision.

“Renovating Long Bay Correctional Centre is vital for protecting the sensibilities of the residents whose apartments will overlook the facility,” began a statement from the developer and the government.

“The correctional centreand it pains us to say this - is also one of the few remaining properties in the region that can still be renovated.”

Ensuring Eastern Suburbs locals still have an outlet for their spare time and loose change will involve demolishing every housing commission dwelling

and dumping the tenants in Woollahra, saving the apartment residents from having to look down their noses at the current squalor.

Then the fun can begin. Members of the public can purchase cells, then rent them out to inmates, who can pay with their ill-gotten wealth or provide the labour to complete the renovation - thus repaying their debt to society.

Heritage-listed Long Bay will soon be unrecognisable to its former and current guests.

Walls will be knocked down and spaces opened up, just as they are during inmates’ daily therapy sessions. Builders will also go up to capture the views of the neglected beach, and penthouse suites will be available to wealthier inmates, whose families now have no excuse not to make the short commute for visitation.

Savvy investors are being lured with further incentives.

“An exciting opportunity exists for owners to access the short-term rental market, as expected rental restrictions will

not apply within the correctional facility. Furthermore, shortterm rentals suit the transient nature of prison occupation,” explained the developer.

But who would buy a property in a prison? Guests who are already used to being severely punished for not cleaning up after themselves, and anyone who believes the adage that prisons these days are nothing but luxury hotels. Local realtors also report enormous interest from wealthy Singaporeans, who fantasise about living in a suburb with four golf courses and are accustomed to strict adherence to rules.

“Inmates will comprise the body corporate, so we expect no deviance from strata guidelines, nor any towels hanging on the railings.”

Inmates will also be given free reign over the underground section of the prison. As every Eastern Suburbs resident knows, it’s not a real renovation unless you’re digging out the basement, and Long Bay residents have a natural affinity with the underworld.

Words Kieran Blake - kieranblakewriter.org

Photo Beatrice Hindbars

Crime real estate.

Enjoying Our Summer

Dr Marjorie O’Neill, Member for Coogee Photo Bodhi Border

By the time this edition of The Beast lands on your breakfast table - somewhere between your Vegemite toast and the dog eyeing off your bacon - we will be well and truly rolling into the silly season. For many of us, this is the moment we start counting down the days until we can finally exhale. It’s been a big year, a fast year and, for many, an exhausting year. I know I’m looking forward to a bit of much-needed rest, and I know that I’m not alone.

Whether you’re planning a staycation here in our beautiful Eastern Suburbs or sneaking away for a few days somewhere quieter or busier, hotter or colder, but a welcome change nonetheless, I would like to encourage you to take a moment to pause and reflect on the year that’s been. We are so often in go-go-go mode that we rarely stop to acknowledge what we’ve actually managed to achieve. Personal wins, community wins, family resilience...

whatever form our experiences have taken, they are worth celebrating. Take a moment to acknowledge the good things you have done this year, as well as the good deeds of others.

Amid the festivities, it is also important to recognise that Christmas can be a difficult time for many people. For some, this might be the first holiday season without someone they love. For others, it may be a reminder of isolation or hardship. One of the strongest markers of who we are as a community is how we show up for one another, especially at this time of year. So, please check in on your neighbours, your friends and the people in your street. A simple hello, an invitation for a cuppa or even a friendly wave can be more meaningful than we realise.

One trend I have absolutely loved witnessing over the past few years is the rise of neighbourhood gatherings and local street parties. These small, grassroots moments

with shared food and drinks on a trestle table, locals having a chat and children playing with a ball, quietly build and strengthen our community. They make our neighbourhoods safer, more connected and kinder. I would love to see even more of these events, not just during the festive season, but all year round. Community gatherings should not be limited to important calendar dates.

Finally, a very Eastern Suburbs reminder; please swim between the flags. Our lifeguards and surf lifesavers do an extraordinary job, but they can’t be everywhere at once. With crowds returning and warmer days ahead, our beaches will be pumping and our waters unpredictable. And, of course, don’t forget to slip, slop, slap. Be sun safe, look after your skin and look after each other.

I hope you all have a joyful, peaceful, community-filled festive season. Stay safe, rest well and I’ll see you around the East!

Words

Summer holiday fun.

WISHING

A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Stay safe on our beautiful beaches this summer. Make sure you Slip Slop Slap, only swim at patrolled beaches and swim between the flags.

We are here to help. If we can be of any assistance, email us at coogee@parliament.nsw.gov.au, call us on 02 9398 1822, or visit us at a mobile office.

Want updates from our office about local news and events straight to your inbox? Scan the QR Code to follow our newsletter.

r Marjorie O’Neill MP Member

for Coogee P: 02 9398 1822 : coogee@parliament nsw gov au

A Win for Nature and a Win for Our Community

Words Allegra Spender, Member for Wentworth Photo Vicky Lee

After wrapping up the final Parliamentary sitting weeks and looking forward to thoroughly enjoying our glorious neighbourhood in summer, I find myself reflecting on the year. And I keep returning to one thing; genuine gratitude to our community for helping secure a major environmental win.

Following years of advocacy in Wentworth and across the nation, long-overdue reforms to Australia’s broken national nature laws - the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act - have officially passed into law.

This victory didn’t start in Canberra. It began with you; in doorknocks, petitions, email campaigns and persistent community pressure for stronger environmental protections. Since my first campaign in 2022, strengthening our nature laws has been one of the loudest

priorities I’ve heard from the community, and this is why I’ve fought so hard for this change ever since. Australia is the extinction capital of the world, a devastating title that makes these reforms both urgent and essential.

There were concerns that the reforms, as first presented to the House by the Albanese Government, weren’t strong enough to protect nature. Crossbench amendments were not accepted by the government, but I’m grateful that the final deal negotiated with the Greens in the Senate incorporated some of these original proposals.

The final package represents the biggest tightening of Australia’s national environment laws in 25 years. It introduces overdue structural change; clearer national standards, an independent Environment Protection Agency, clearer

definitions of “unacceptable impacts” for threatened species and a more reliable, transparent pathway for clean-energy approvals.

Crucially, loopholes that have enabled widespread deforestation are finally being tightened and native forest logging will now face the same scrutiny as other major developments. It’s a long-awaited shift towards genuine protection.

At the same time, the legislation will help businesses get a faster ‘yes’ or a faster ‘no’ on projects, which is critical not only for the clean-energy transition but also for unlocking investment in housing and other infrastructure. This fast-tracking won’t apply to fossil-fuel projects. But the requirement to consider climate pollution in decision making, however, was rejected by the government.

Importantly, the reforms carry the endorsement of Professor Graeme Samuel, who led the independent review five years ago that highlighted just how ineffective and fragmented our nature laws had become.

The laws aren’t perfect, and I have concerns around the national interest test, environmental offsets and the detail of future standards and enforcement. Over the coming year I’ll be focused on how the reforms are implemented, the standards that are developed and what further changes will be needed as we see how the new laws work in practice.

Nature wins are never easy. For years our environmental laws have been too weak to protect the places we cherish and too slow to drive the clean-energy shift our future depends on. This bill lifts the bar and proves that complex reform is possible. The year ahead must build on this momentum to give nature the strong environmental protection it deserves.

Allegra with members of the Australian Conservation Foundation Eastern Sydney.

I hope you and your families enjoy a restful break and a very happy New Year.

Thank you for all your support and engagement this year. I’ve been so proud to work alongside our community on the issues that matter most.

I’m excited for the year ahead and want to hear what your priorities are.

Please

Can a Leopard Change Its Spots?

Have you ever been in an argument? It’s fair to say that all of us would have been at some stage. But chances are that we haven’t really considered why an argument can feel so personal. I’m not just talking about a minor disagreement; I’m talking about something much stronger, like when we have a completely different point of view to someone else, an argument that gets us entangled with emotions such as irritation, frustration, anger and perhaps rage. When we argue with someone and we’ve come out the other side going, ‘What the hell just happened?’ the last thing we’re inclined to think about is how one’s personality influences the outcome of a personal argument. The truth is that one’s personality will often determine whether the argument escalates, de-escalates, resolves or repeats.

In layman’s terms, personality characteristics are defined by individual differences in patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving that remain relatively stable over time and across different situations. These characteristics are both inherent within us and acquired over time - the classic nature versus nurture equation - and distinguish one person from another. In an argument, your personality shapes what you focus on, your style of communication, how you interpret the other person and your needs for resolution.

Personality has been broken down into five main personality traits - openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism. Arguing styles linked to these traits trend differently. People with ‘openness to experience’ have a more abstract, philosophical and curious style of arguing, tending to explore ideas rather than defending a single position. For ‘conscientiousness’ people, it’s more structured, logical and planned, often using

evidence or lists. People exhibiting ‘extraversion’ use arguing styles that are energetic, loud and enthusiastic, often ‘thinking out loud’. Those that have traits of ‘agreeableness’ are avoidant and gentle in how they argue, tending to focus on preserving harmony. Finally, people who exhibit traits of ‘neuroticism’ tend to argue in a reactive and emotional way and may catastrophise, leaning to a sensitive tone and perceived rejection. These people tend to seek reassurance, protection and emotional resolution.

Our personalities tend to have a combination of various traits at varying levels. As an example, for the more dominant and direct personalities - high extraversion and low agreeableness - the arguing style might be fast paced, opiniated and quick to escalate, placing a high value on truth. With those personalities that are more collaborative - high in agreeableness and empathy - the arguing style might be softer, more understanding and less likely to escalate. Imaginative or conceptual types, who tend to exhibit openness, might argue with analogies, use theories and focus more on meaning and interpretation.

Why people argue based on their personality-driven motives is also interesting. Conscientious types tend to argue to solve problems, as something feels incorrect. The sensitive types argue to feel understood and validated. For those low in agreeableness, it can be more about self-protection. Neurotics and extroverts argue to discharge emotion, regulate stress or express frustration.

Above all, the thing to understand is that correlation does not equal causation. So it does not mean, for example, that being reactive and emotional, or someone who catastrophises, implies that the individual is neurotic. It is just a correlation - a pattern, if you like.

Your personality will determine how you behave in a certain situation, whether good or bad. Two people with two different personalities will always have different reactions and interpretations and will behave differently in the same scenario. Personality is like an organism - it changes slowly and constantly over time, generally through perpetual interactions.

Despite the major foundations of personality being laid early in life, change is possible for those wanting to improve. By becoming aware of how we react and draw automatic negative conclusions about ourselves to something that’s happened, and by being conscious of how outside events beyond our control affect us on the inside, we can affect change. If we can modify such conclusions about ourselves, they will change the way we interpret information and thus the way we react to something, ultimately changing the way we behave, paving the way for a shift in personality.

Can a leopard change its spots? No, but a human can change theirs… slowly.

Jeremy Ireland is a local psychotherapist. If you have any questions you can get in touch with Jeremy by calling 0400 420 042.

Words Jeremy Ireland Photo Macan Tutul

Nature versus nurture.

January 2026 Tide Chart

Fragrant Beef & Soba Noodle Salad

Words Dana Sims Instagram @stone_and_twine

As we are fully immersed in summer, let’s dive into my Asian noodle salad. It’s satisfying, delicious and complex in flavour, and worth a little effort.

The recipe combines Japanese soba noodles served cold and a bunch of aromats, herbs and vegies that are typical of many modern Asian dishes.

The must-have flavour is the sesame, both in the seeds and the dressing - it’s nutty, warming and toasty, but a little goes a long way. The beef is tender and thinly sliced with a caramelisation on the outside. I’ve also pickled some pineapple to add another dimension.

This fragrant salad will surprise you as you work your way to the bottom of the bowl. It is best enjoyed with chopsticks and a cold ale if you’re in holiday mode. This recipe serves 3-4.

Ingredients

300gm beef - eye fillet (or skirt)

160gm soba noodles

1½ cups snowpeas, ends and

tough string on the side removed, cut into thirds

2 spring onions, finely sliced on the diagonal (white and green parts)

1 cup fresh mint, leaves roughly chopped

1 cup coriander, leaves picked 2 tbs sesame seeds, lightly toasted in a dry frypan for 2-3 mins

½ tsp sea salt (to season beef)

1 tbs extra virgin olive oil

1 lime cut into wedges (to serve)

Pickled pineapple

1 cup fresh pineapple

¼ cup white vinegar

½ cup water

1 tbs sugar

1 tbs sea salt

¼ tsp red chilli flakes

Dressing

1 tbs sesame oil

¼ tsp dried red chilli flakes

2½ tbs soy

2 tbs rice vinegar

½ clove garlic, minced

2 tsp ginger, finely grated

1 tsp caster sugar

Juice of a lime

Method

1. In advance, to pickle the pineapple, place vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan over a low heat and gently stir until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Allow to cool slightly and place in a sterilised glass jar with the fresh pineapple, the water and chilli and seal. Refrigerate for 2 hours (or longer if you wish).

2. Season the beef with the olive oil and sea salt. Set a frypan to high heat and, when searing hot, cook the beef for 2-3 minutes on each side (adjust according to your chosen cut of beef). Remove from the frypan and set aside to rest before carving.

3. For the soba noodles, bring a pot of water to the boil. Add the noodles and stir gently for a few seconds as they soften. Boil for 3 minutes, transfer to a colander, rinse the noodles under cold water and strain. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil to separate the noodles as they cool.

4. To make the dressing, add all ingredients to a small bowl and whisk well to combine.

5. In a large bowl, combine the snowpeas, spring onion, mint, coriander and sesame seeds.

6. Slice the rested beef into ½cm slices.

7. To the bowl, add the soba noodles, pickled pineapple and sliced beef (and the pan juices). Add the dressing and combine the salad gently and thorougly using tongs.

8. Transfer the salad to a serving platter and serve with wedges of fresh lime.

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.

Well worth a little effort.

LIVE WIRE ELECTRICAL

PUBLIC NOTICE

Proposed termination of Strata Scheme No. SP31173 being property situated at 140 CURLEWIS STREET, BONDI BEACH NSW 2026

Notice is given of an intention to apply to the Registrar General for an order terminating the above Strata Scheme and the consequent winding up of the Owners Corporation, pursuant to section 142 of the Strata Schemes Development Act 2015 (NSW). Any person having any claim against the Owners Corporation of the above Strata Scheme or any estate or interest in or claim against any of the lots comprised in the Strata Scheme is required, on or before the date that is 14 days after publication of this advertisement, to send particulars of the estate, interest or claim to Level 2, 10 Elizabeth Street, Paddington NSW 2021.

HYAMS BEACH HEAVEN

The Boathouses at Hyams Beach offer the perfect place to escape busy Sydney and recharge your batteries. Just an easy three-hour drive from the Eastern Suburbs, The Boathouses offer separate two-bedroom properties, available to be booked individually or together. For more information or to book, please call 4411 7000 or email bookings@holidayscollection.com.au

The Beast Supercross

ACROSS

1. Second fastest Ashes century scorer (6,4)

7. After zero (3)

8. These falls have the greatest flow rate in the world (7)

10. Evening prayer (6)

11. State of acute pain (5)

12. An officer of the court (7)

15. Versed in the collection of numerical data (7)

19. Small boat propelled by a paddle (5)

20. Great for ball rash (4)

21. Turkish steam bath (6)

23.Called out during a golf game (4)

24. Anti-anxiety drug (5)

Trivial Trivia

1. What is the capital city of Switzerland?

2. What type of grass makes up around 99 per cent of a panda’s diet?

3. Which colonial power ruled India before 1947?

4. What is the name of the infamous prison in the San Francisco Bay?

5. What is another name for a mouth organ?

6. What has many rings even though it has no fingers?

DOWN

1. Serengeti National Park is located here (8)

2. Female warrior (6)

3. Boot-shaped country (5)

4. Car with electric motor (1,1)

5. Small toothed whale (7)

6. Someone who inherits a title or office (4)

9. Large enclosure for confining birds (6)

13. Iron (2)

14. Lorraine’ s tart (6)

16. Cigar with light-colored wrapper (5)

17. Piece of poetry (5)

18. Colourless liquor (5)

19. Cajole (4)

22. One’s mother (2)

7. When was Netflix founded; 1997, 2001, 2009 or 2015?

8. What was Disney’s first film?

9. How many keys does a classical piano have; 66, 88 or 44?

10. Where will the Winter Olympics be held in 2026?

Subject Dad Stance Activated Location Bondi Photographer David Pounder

Words Lisa Anderson

Resurrection

Genre

Drama Sci-Fi

Reviewer Linda Heller-Salvador

‘What door can never be opened?’ ‘What can one person do, but two people can’t?’ These enigmatic questions set the tone for visionary filmmaker Bi Gan’s (Long Day’s Journey Into Night) boldly ambitious opus, Resurrection.

Gan creates an intricately mesmerising chameleon-like film, leading viewers on a phantasmagorical sensory odyssey that tells the story of an anomalous being (Jackson Yee) who can dream when no one else is able to.

The narrative drifts between fever-like dreams and a multifaceted reality, unfolding in six loosely connected chapters. Each employs distinct visual styles inspired by different cinematic eras while weaving in themes of mortality and the human condition.

It’s an overall impressive cast, but the multitalented artist Jackson Yee (Big World) is outstanding as he solidifies his versatility by taking on the mammoth task of portraying five diverse characters who journey through time. Baffling and stunning in equal measures, Resurrection is a reminder of the beauty of cinema and a cinephile’s dream, but for those who like traditionally plotted films, just let the visually sublime splendour wash over you.

The Smith Street Band

Once I Was Wild

Label Pool House Inc.

Reviewer @aldothewriter

Rating

I am convinced Wil Wagner is stalking me. I have seen the man in far too many random situations for it to be coincidence; Australia Zoo, the urinals at Brisbane Airport, standing on our nature strip burning a pair of my underpants in the rain. Okay, one of those is a lie; I’ve never been to Australia Zoo. Once I Was Wild is a band getting on a bit, but not entirely uncomfortable with it. They’re still driven by Wagner’s raw lyricism, paired with powerful guitars and catchy hooks, but there is something different now. Dare I say, they seem happy?

Florence + the Machine Everybody Scream

Label Polydor

Reviewer @aldothewriter

Rating

Grandiose vulnerability has always been Florence Welch’s thing, and neither has lessened throughout her career. Six albums in and she’s still got that dark, soaring energy that both hypnotises and inspires. Occasionally, when Everybody Scream feels like it’s about to drag, she hooks you back in with an arresting chorus or thumping bass hook. Lyrically it feels more cynical, and it took an online search to learn she wasn’t having a Lily Allen moment but was framing the music industry as a toxic partner after almost dying on tour - a handy piece of information.

Rosalía Lux

Label Columbia Records

Reviewer @aldothewriter

Rating

Mi no hablo español (even if Duolingo did previously say I was 13% fluent) but thankfully music is a universal language and the only barriers to enjoying Lux are broken speakers or a curmudgeons’ persona. It is epic, ambitious, orchestral and pairs very well with a nice Rioja and cheese platter. Just when I thought I had it all figured out as an operatic Evita type caper (a pop-era, if you will) enter ‘Berghain,’ and while I no longer desired to recommend it to my elderly neighbour, I did have the first Spanish speaking song on my personal playlist.

Pisces Feb 20-Mar 20

Your male friend’s short temper of late could be explained by a persistent case of pathological

Aries Mar 21-Apr 20

You always work first and then play with what piddly amount of time you’ve got left, and these priorities should to be switched.

Taurus Apr 21-May 21

Star Signs

Visions Beardy from Hell

You’re looking pretty good at the moment, so make the most of it while it lasts and wear as little as

Gemini May 22-Jun 21

No matter how much money enters your life, you will always find ridiculous ways to spend more than you’ve got.

Cancer Jun 22-Jul 22

Despite holding irrationally strong unhelpful beliefs about your possessions, none of them will ever bring you any lasting happiness.

Leo Jul 23-Aug 22

Everyone has a unique smell; yours is more of an acquired taste, but you’ll find someone who enjoys it eventually.

Virgo Aug 23-Sep 23

The real reason you hate your job is the dud management and general sense of disrespect from your incompetent colleagues.

Libra Sep 24-Oct 23

The best way to deal with drama in your life is to make it everyone else’s drama, so feel free to burden those around you.

Scorpio Oct 24-Nov 22

It is normal for a perfectionist like you to use self-deprecation as a way of holding yourself to an impossibly high standard.

Sagittarius Nov 23-Dec 21

The reason your partner argues about absolutely everything boils down to their general unhappiness and insecurity.

FOGO like a pro this summer

Hey Randwick City, you’ve done great!

By putting your food scraps in the green lid bin along with your garden waste you have prevented thousands of tonnes of waste from ending up in landfill.

This summer, here are four tips to keep flies, bugs and smells out of your FOGO bin and caddy.

1) Shut it. Keep your FOGO bin and caddy shut tightly.

2) Shade it. Place your FOGO bin in the shade if you can.

3) Freeze it. Freeze your meat and seafood scraps and put them in the bin the night before collection.

4) Wash it. Wash your bin and caddy regularly.

incredible showroom, made-to-order headboards & beds