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September 2026
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CONTENTS September 2026 Issue 260 6 Contents 8 Welcome Note 10 Pearls of Wisdom 12 Monthly Mailbag 16 Local Artist
18 Local News 32 Ad Feature 34 Crime News 36 Local Photos 38 Dana's Recipe
40 Unreliable Guide 41 Kieran's Satire 42 Marj's Musings 44 Allegra's View 46 Tight Lines
Subject Devotees Location Bronte Photographer Katrina Torrisi
47 Tide Chart 48 Brainteasers 49 Aldo's Albums 50 Beardy from Hell 50 Trivia Solutions
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Issue 260 September 2026 The Beast 7
Welcome Note
Home and Hosed Words James Hutton - Publisher
Welcome to the September 2026 edition of The Beast, the monthly magazine for Sydney’s buzzing beaches of the east. City2Surf marks the unofficial end of what thankfully hasn’t been too wicked a winter, so hopefully now we are home and hosed as far as the weather goes. Coogee’s Vicki Lemarseny is the creative talent behind this month’s cover painting of Wylie’s Baths. You can see more of Vicki’s beautiful work by popping into Humble Beginnings in Randwick, Piccolo Bar & Cafe in Little Bay, or by checking out her Instagram account, @vickilemoart. Australian feature film Storm Bird will be hitting the silver screen at the Ritz Cinema in Randwick on Thursday, August 27 at 6.30pm for a special Sydney premiere screening and live Q&A. Co-directed by Eastern Suburbs
filmmakers James Ivor and Eryk Lenartowicz, this epic film also features plenty of local talent. Tickets are available online at www.ritzcinemas.com.au. St Catherine’s School will be holding its 170th Magnolia Fair on Saturday, September 5 from 10am-3.30pm. The biannual fair is a community celebration of fun, food and springtime spirit, brought to you by Australia’s oldest independent Anglican girls’ day and boarding school. The family-friendly community event is free to attend and will feature classic fete favourites including rides, food and market stalls, student music and performances, and a chance to relax with a glass of champagne or some tea and scones. Entry is free and everyone is welcome to come along. For more information, please visit www.stcatherines.nsw.edu.au. Claremont College is proud to announce the opening of Wylie Cottage, an intentionally designed preparatory program for 4-5 year olds, located just across the lane
from the college’s main campus in Randwick. Wylie Cottage offers families a purposeful and nurturing bridge between preschool and kindergarten during the important year before formal schooling begins. Enrolments for 2027 are now open. For more information or to book a tour, please visit www.claremont.nsw.edu.au or contact the college via email at enrolments@claremont.nsw.edu.au. Cheers, James
The Beast
The Beast Pty Ltd ABN 32 143 796 801 www.thebeast.com.au Editor james@thebeast.com.au Advertising Enquiries advertising@thebeast.com.au Rates and Specs thebeast.com.au/advertise Circulation 60,000 copies delivered every month; 2,000 in shops and 58,000 in mailboxes.
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pillinger.com @simonexleton @pillinger_ 8 The Beast September 2026 Issue 260
What’s On 29–30 Aug
All In
DANCE
A Dance Makers Collective production
4–5 Sep
Shel We
DANCE
Created by Tupua Tigafua
8 Sep
Myf Warhurst
TALKS
in conversation with Yumi Stynes
30 Sep
Mick Fanning
TALKS
29 Oct TALKS
All Heart
Leigh Sales & Gwen Blake The Holiday Kitchen
Tickets: bondipavilion.com.au
Step into the rhythm of All In, a high-energy celebration of dance!
A delightfully offbeat and internationally acclaimed dance work by groundbreaking New Zealand Company.
A hilarious night of unapologetic truth-telling as Myf launches her brilliant book, Middle Rage.
Join us for the launch of All Heart – the definitive memoir of one of Australia’s greatest sporting heroes.
Two of Australia’s best-organised women share delicious recipes with tips on how minimise work and maximise taste and fun.
Pearls of Wisdom
Spanish anti-femicide protesters hold placards saying, “No more gender-based victims, we shout for those women who couldn't do it.”
Combatting the Epidemic of Male Violence Towards Women Words Pearl Bullivant Photo Con Troller A Cry for Help Dear Pearl - I’m writing in the hope that you can talk some sense into the powers that be, as well as the people resposible for voting them in. As I write this, four women have been killed in the last three days by male violence, yet all I’m hearing about is shark attacks and terrorism. An unimaginable figure of 227 women have been killed since January 2024 - more than all the fatalities from king hits, terrorism, shark attacks, stabbings, arson and soft drink vending machine accidents combined, but very little is being done. Why do you think this is happening? How did we get to this point, and what can be done about it? This can’t continue. Fleur Tamarama
Cull the Bastards Dear Fleur - I truly wish I possessed the power to talk sense into politicians on the issue of femicide. Unfortunately, I am not an influential lobbyist bearing political donations, and there is no money to be made by the private sector in stopping men from killing women. Male violence towards women is a personal issue for Pearl. In the January 2017 edition of The Beast, I expressed my dismay at Senator Michaelia Cash’s patronising attitude towards victims of domestic violence, which involved Perth’s wealthy elite donating their used Chanel handbags to women’s refuges. At the time, four women in my life had experienced male violence - one a close relative who suffered marital abuse for over fifty years.
10 The Beast September 2026 Issue 260
Cut to 2026 and another misguided conservative senator is weighing in on male violence towards women. Pauline Hanson isn’t offering up Gina Rinehart’s used Prada handbags. Instead she is telling women to “just leave” abusive relationships, while claiming that domestic violence is not “real” crime. In less than ten years the number of women in my life experiencing violence has risen to include friends who have experienced coercive control and DARVO (deny, attack, reverse victim and offender), an insidious tactic used by perpetrators to turn the tables on victims. What does it say about our society when we need to ask why men are abusing and killing women? Have we become so desensitised to violence? Have we not moved on from defunct gender roles and conditioning? I say we have not - we endorse violence on the playing field, single-sex schools still exist, and our government overtly values male-dominated industries over the caring industries dominated by women. Violence is a choice, and men must take ownership of their behaviour. But the government must demonstrate that they are listening to women and putting victims first. We need community (not adversarial) policing that treats DV as a real crime. We require adequate prison sentences and a fully funded support system that allows women to leave safely with access to social security, secure housing, childcare and counselling that is steeped in the psychology of coercion. If the government is unwilling and unable to guarantee the safety of its female citizens from male violence, I suggest we adopt Tony Abbott’s recent suggestion on combating shark attacks and “cull the bastards”. Pearl Clovelly
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Monthly Mailbag
The Beast's Monthly Mailbag Words The Good People of the Eastern Beaches The Scourge of Short-Term Rentals After reading The Beast’s article on short-term rentals (Calls for Tighter Short-Term Rental Caps in Bondi and Tamarama, The Beast, August 2026), I feel I must share my story on the scourge of Airbnb. It all started in mid-November 2025 after the property next to me (the adjoining half of our semi-detached building) decided to become an Airbnb. Literally overnight, a three-bedroom semi with a small attic room could suddenly sleep ten guests. The first weekend there was an all-night party. I made several complaints to Airbnb, the real estate agent and the owner of the property, but nothing was done. And it’s still running now, 40 days over the 180-day cap. Waverley Council does nothing about this, and now they’re claiming they want to make it a 90-day cap. The only person monitoring the bookings is the host - the same host running the property next door who has blatantly lied about this. Airbnb has caused myself and our surrounding neighbours so much grief. We’ve had five-night drug-fuelled benders, people checking in at midnight and checking out at 4am - this really needs to stop. Bondi Beach needs to get back to its community roots. I wish Waverley Council would wake up to what’s going on. And, by the way, this property makes over $3,000 a week in rent thanks to short-term rentals. Mandy Free Bondi Beach
Greedy Local Landlords Like many renters in Sydney's east, we accepted that rents were rising. What was harder to accept was an 18 per cent increase on a property that hadn’t been improved in any meaningful way. Then came the move-out. Over several weeks, we accommodated a revolving door of tradespeople quoting for works during business hours, forcing us to work around their schedules while working from home. In the end, none of the work was ever carried out. To top it off, we were asked to contribute around $800 for painting touch-ups that we believe amounted to nothing more than fair wear and tear. Owning an investment property comes with financial rewards, but it also comes with responsibilities. Treating every scuff mark as a revenue opportunity and every tenant as a source of additional income isn’t good property management, it’s greed. Most landlords do the right thing. Unfortunately, experiences like ours leave many renters wondering where the line between protecting an investment and exploiting tenants has gone. Oliver Gardiner Coogee Centennial Park Peloton In response to ‘Saddened Mum of Two Boys’ (Give the Boys a Break, Monthly Mailbag, The Beast, August 2026) - you do have a point that not all teenagers are terrorising our roads with e-bikes and antisocial behaviour, plus using language that one
12 The Beast September 2026 Issue 260
would hope a good chunk of laundry soap could be liberally applied to their potty mouths to cleanse them of this new form of communication towards adults. I too see very well-mannered and respectful teenagers, though I see this as a byproduct of good parenting. I couldn’t agree more with the fact that e-bike riding teenagers are being bullied by our dear and precious lycra-clad clique, who are using Centennial Park as if it were their own private velodrome. We must disagree though when you refer to these pests as professional riders - they are definitely not as they careen out of control around the park in groups as if it’s some kind of peloton, plus the fact the speed limit is supposed to be 30km/h, though I have watched these clowns ride around at double that speed pretending that they have just crossed the finishing line of the Tour de France. This disgraceful behaviour by so-called adults, and their own foul language spewed onto anyone who dares to get in their way, rubs off onto the teenagers, who parrot the peloton packs. I have witnessed young kids wander onto the path of the track our lycra set race around and only by luck have not been knocked down by this gross abuse of speeding cyclists. And as for the rangers doing anything about this road thuggery, well, they may as well be watching from the planet Mars for all the use they are. Jimbo Coogee Damaging Misinformation A leaflet from ‘Randwick Voices’ appeared in my letterbox this month, claiming that a ‘private backroom deal’ will hand the Randwick mayor’s seat over to the Greens in September. This is both ignorant and misleading. It is well known that the mayor’s seat alternates between Labor, the Greens and Liberal. The group behind the leaflet must know this, so why are they agitating the community?
Monthly Mailbag Who is behind this? Developers by any chance? They are spreading damaging misinformation. Truth and transparency are the foundation of a healthy democracy. Jane Woolley Randwick 'Randwick Voices' Astroturfing We hear and read about tangled webs of astroturf (that is, fake ‘grassroots’) political fronts being up to no good all the time, but rarely as close to home as the shenanigans now going on with ‘Randwick Voices Matter’, including in these pages. Their single issue is a problem with a perfectly normal power-sharing arrangement with Labor in which a Greens councillor shares the Randwick mayoralty for part of the term. According to their website, they are just “concerned residents of the Randwick LGA - no party, no developer money, no political donations. Just neighbours who want transparency about how our council is run.” In small print at the bottom of the page, however, we get the disclosure, “Supported and authorised by Minority Impact Coalition Ltd,” based in Queensland. They have the temerity to call themselves “a minority and refugee-led grassroots advocacy organisation,” but show no apparent advocacy other than trying to shut down any criticism of a certain foreign country, which includes opposing any Greens candidate anywhere, and for any reason possible - particularly one of our local Randwick councillors for raising what are obliquely described as “international motions” occurring somewhere else in the world. I invite any reader to look up articles by Wendy Bacon that delve into the tangled political web of benign-sounding political fronts with the same shared aim as Minority Impact Coalition (an easy Google search). Trust me, it is a more intriguing rabbit hole than your favourite true crime podcast.
What you will get to in the end is that a tendril of a powerful network, hiding behind astroturfed deception, has reached into Randwick to make an egregious assault on our local democratic process and representation. Not on any actual local issue (especially not mentioning the one at the heart of it) or with any named local support, but just because that is the fight that they fight. It should outrage us all. Oliver Maroubra Passing the Pub Test Hi James - Does it pass the pub test that the mayor of Waverley (who works for a developer) used his casting vote to push through the Bondi Junction Master Plan by one vote? Michael Unsworth Waverley Clarification: The mayor works for a family-run business that manages and leases its own commercial and retail assets across Australia. It has no assets in the Waverley local government area. The Master Plan vision for Bondi Junction was unanimously adopted by Council. The Beast welcomes any sensible initiative to revitalise and reinvigorate Bondi Junction. New Waverley Council Parking Scheme Hi James - I just wanted to let your readers know about an amazing new parking scheme called ‘Park Anywhere’, which is a new joint initiative from Waverley Council and the New South Wales Police force. You can now ignore all parking signs anywhere in the Waverley local government area between 9pm and 6am any day of the week with no risk of being booked. And it doesn’t just cover parking signs and time limits; it also includes parking across random people’s driveways, access ramps and anywhere where you would normally be booked outside of these hours.
How did I discover this amazing new scheme? Our driveway has a wonderful piece of pavement next to it just big enough for half a car, so you can guess where the other half of most cars parking in this signposted ‘No Parking’ area end up? That’s right, across our driveway. But when you ring the council after 9pm to get them booked you get the after hours service who tell us that the council rangers are not available between 9pm and 6am and we should call New South Wales Police. When you call New South Wales police, they tell you that they can’t police parking infringements because it’s not in their jurisdiction and we need to ring the council - a stalemate until 6am! So, next time you come home late from work or bleary-eyed after a good night out and can’t find a park in Waverley, just leave your car in the nearest No Stopping zone or across your neighbour’s driveway and set your alarm for 5.50am! Soll Anderson Bondi Community Beats Council Dear James - For the first time in a long time Waverley community had a win against Council and developers. The DA at 32 Campbell Parade, Bondi, for a six-storey apartment block with one affordable apartment and two double story penthouses had more than 780 objections yet the planning department at Waverley Council sided with the developer and recommended unanimous approval. This was then signed off at the highest level of Council. The last tick of approval was needed from the Independent Planning Panel, who were truly independent and refused the development on all the grounds that Council approved. The elephant in the room of course is Council’s planning staff who met with the developer on many occasions but wouldn’t go near concerned community
Issue 260 September 2026 The Beast 13
Monthly Mailbag members. Do they have the skills to be planners or are they conflicted? Finally, a big thank you to Cr Merton, who worked tirelessly with us from day one, and the Independent Planning Panel who, by refusing this DA, have saved the residents of the Astra Retirement Village and South Bondi from being bunkered in by a sea of 20-metre tall towers. Jackie Bondi Save South Bondi Thumbs Down Council, Thumbs Up WLPP Dear James - Thumbs up to Waverley Local Planning Panel for refusing the application for development at 32 Campbell Parade, next door to the Astra. Thumbs up also to Cr Margaret Merten, who came to see for herself the ‘devastating’ impact on elderly residents and spoke out strongly against the proposal. Thumbs up to Federal Member Allegra Spender, who conveyed our feelings to the mayor, who also popped in to see for himself. And thumbs up to the locals and beyond who sent in more than 700 objections to this proposal. Why then did Waverley planners recommend approval? The stress in fighting this Council-supported proposal has been such that an elder abuse complaint has been formally lodged. Thumbs down to all those who wanted this development to happen. Thumbs up to all those who helped prevent it. Len Bondi Beach Resident of the Astra Hi Jackie and Len - Thank you for your letters. This application was determined by the independent Waverley Local Planning Panel (WLPP) which is the ultimate consent authority. While Council is required to be involved in part of the process, it must offer an assessment against a very strict and narrow set of criteria determined by
State Government legislation and regulations. It is also really important that the community had their say as part of the process for the WLPP to consider. I welcome this outcome, which is good for the community and the Astra residents, and I thank everyone for sharing their feedback and being part of the process. Will Nemesh Waverley Mayor Bondi Is Alive To the Editor - I can’t help but notice a renewed energy around Bondi lately. From the success of Bondi Festival, which brought locals and visitors together during winter, to the growing sense that there’s always something happening, the area feels vibrant, welcoming and alive. Credit should go to Councillor Michelle Stephenson, who has been a strong advocate for creating a more active and enjoyable Bondi. It’s refreshing to see someone championing initiatives that make people want to spend more time in our public spaces and support local businesses. I mean, how good is that pop-up basketball court?! And with the half-court on the way, it’s really going to give our teens an extra place to play. It’s easy to focus on what needs fixing, but it’s equally important to acknowledge when things are moving in the right direction. Right now, Bondi feels like it’s thriving, and that’s something worth celebrating. Mark Bondi Junction Who Gets First Dibs on Parking in Waverley? Waverley Council is proposing introducing preferential resident parking to the entire local government area. That means that if you don’t have a permit your parking will be time restricted. They aim to have signs up and the system operating before the end of this year. Residents will get first dibs on permits and
14 The Beast September 2026 Issue 260
there will be a very small number set aside for non-profits and a limited range of essential workers. Council seems to believe that the residents of Waverley want to put themselves first and keep others out, the same attitude as certain residents of Watsons Bay and the council in Randwick. Making life difficult for workers, businesses and visitors promotes inefficiency, loss of profits, greater administrative burdens and additional cost. There is a lot of building going on and, given the requirement to increase density, there is going to be a lot more. Trades have to bring equipment and materials to site and therefore need to be able to park but there are not going to be permits available for them all. Workers such as teachers and health workers and business owners may need to drive to work, and businesses want their customers to be able to park. Council just spent millions upgrading the Charing Cross shopping precinct but what’s the point if new parking restrictions drive customers away? And there are all sorts of workers who need somewhere to park while they look after young children, the elderly and infirm, and there are teachers, nurses, social workers and hospital staff who will all be impacted by this. Given the limited number of permits available many of these people will be stuck with running out to check their vehicles. And, finally, visitors want to shop and go to the the beach and parks and see their friends but in future their visits will have to be brief. If the issue is boats, caravans or particular streets, address that specifically instead of taking this blunt approach that negatively impacts everyone. Penelope Bronte Please send your letters to letters@thebeast.com.au (preferably with your name and suburb included).
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Local Artist What's your favourite eatery? I really enjoy Barzura - they make great coffee and the Nasi Goreng is delicious - and Sugarcane for a fancy night out. Where do you like to have a drink? A cheeky margarita upstairs at Bathers Coogee really hits the spot. Best thing about the Eastern Suburbs? It still has a friendly local feel but with that upbeat holiday energy.
Striving to achieve her goals.
Local Artist... Vicki Lemarseny from Coogee Interview James Hutton Photo Chloe Leary Coogee’s Vicki Lemarseny is the creative talent behind this month’s cover painting of Wylie’s Baths. Vicki shares her local favourites with The Beast... How long have you lived here? I grew up and lived in Coogee, raised our kids in South Coogee, and have lived between the Eastern Suburbs and the Sunshine Coast for the past eight years. Why do you live here? We always return to Coogee Beach because it is so nostalgic for my husband and I. We’ve made many memories here - our first dance, Coogee Surf Club, St Brigid’s School, weddings and christenings at St Brigid’s Church - and we continue to make many more. What's your favourite beach? Definitely Coogee. Our son is a lifeguard here and our extended family are active members of Coogee SLSC. I personally love the coastal walks and the fact that artist Tom Roberts painted Coogee Beach in the 1800s.
Worst thing about the Eastern Suburbs? The parking can be a bit tricky, but Coogee is such a popular destination. How would you describe your art? My paintings have evolved over the past 30 years. I focus on all elements of water and I really enjoy painting Coogee Beach and all the ocean rock pools in the Eastern Suburbs in a loose painterly style. Where can people see your work? My work can be seen in Humble Beginnings in Randwick and Piccolo Bar & Cafe, Little Bay, as well as @vickilemoart on Instagram. On the Sunshine Coast, my work is in The Gallery Peregian Beach and Midmodoz. Who are your artistic inspirations? My grandchildren are my ‘why’ and my inspiration. I paint to show them how fulfilling a creative life can be. They are also my muses at times. What are you working on at the moment? I plan to steadily keep painting and selling, then I’ll concentrate on an exhibition at the end of 2027. When did you discover you had a gift for your craft? I always made things as a child, but it wasn’t until I was 40 that I made a New Year’s resolution to take art classes. I was tutored by the wonderful Rachel Adler at Stu-
16 The Beast September 2026 Issue 260
dio 70 in Rose Bay. Rachel was encouraging from day one and I can’t thank her enough. Any other local artists to look out for? Humble Beginnings showcases a bunch of local artists. We often paint the same themes but in different styles. Martine Emdur and Gabrielle Penfold are two Eastern Suburbs artists whom I admire so much. Any words of wisdom for young aspiring artists? Just make a start. Paint what you feel inside and what lights you up. Make a space for yourself to create - no matter how small - and leave it set up and ready to go, even if it’s only a small corner on the kitchen table. And, snatch time every day to paint, even it’s only for 15 minutes. You will improve, I promise. Do you have a favourite sporting team? South Sydney Rabbitohs all the way! We would decorate our whole house in red and green as kids when there were important games. What do you get up to on the weekends? Slow mornings, a walk to the café, then I usually bake to get my creative juices going and be ready to fill jars for the week, plus a delicious cake if anyone pops in. I also paint every day, even on weekends. What do you do for work? My art is my work - I’ve painted full time for nine years now. Prior to that, I helped design interiors for my husband’s building projects. What's your favourite thing about work? The satisfaction that comes from working continuously. Striving hard then achieving your personal goals is unbelievably fulfilling. Do you have a favourite quote? “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” - Walt Disney.
THE PUNCTUAL PLUMBERS
Issue 260 September 2026 The Beast 17
Local News
The master plan will deliver generational change.
Community Gets Vocal as Council Votes on Junction Master Plan Words Anthony Maguire Photo Skye Scraper Dozens of placard-waving demonstrators struck up a chant of “Save Bondi Junction!” before Waverley Council met to make a decision on the Bondi Junction Master Plan. Some of the placards offered humorous variations on the acronym NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) - an appellation which had been used by a number of media outlets to describe those campaigning against the master plan. The protest took place outside the Boot Factory in Spring Street, where councillors were about to hold a meeting chaired by Waverley Mayor Will Nemesh. The master plan is set to transform the Junction with 3,000 new homes and other developments. Once the chanting ceased, a man began another vocal refrain, “Shame, Shame, Will Nemesh!” but no-one else joined in, his voice faltered and his solo vocalising ended. That little performance was an interesting, and perhaps telling, prelude to what would follow in the council chamber. Master plan deliberations started with addresses by mem-
bers of the public, with each person being given three minutes to speak. First person behind the speaker podium was real estate agent D’Leanne Lewis, who has been spearheading the fight against a massive residential development in Bronte. But she came out firmly in support of the master plan. “It delivers more housing where it’s intended to be,” Ms Lewis told the meeting. Next to speak was Waverley businessman George Maatouk, who talked about the decline of the pedestrian mall on the eastern side of Oxford Street. “People no longer feel safe in Oxford Street Mall and surrounding areas,” he said. Mr Maatouk believed the master plan would give Oxford Street “a chance to thrive again like its glory days in the 1990s and early 2000s.” The next two speakers were also very pro-master plan, and it was only when speaker number five, architect Nicholas Solomon, got behind the lectern that criticisms of the plan started being voiced. He said that residents and stakeholders had only been
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given four days to review the amended master plan, which scales back building heights to reduce overshadowing. “Four full days to review hundreds of pages of documents is obscenely short,” said Mr Solomon. Concerns about overshadowing were expressed by Lawson Street resident Nathan McLaughlin, who told the meeting, “The amendments are welcome, but there is still more to be done.” He said the amended plan still meant that 70 per cent of Clementson Park would receive just two hours of sunlight in winter. However, detractors were very much in the minority. Most of the community members who spoke at the historic July 21 meeting (and there were lots of them - 32 in all!) spoke in glowing terms about the master plan, especially its potential to deliver affordable housing. The ratio of master plan supporters to critics was around 2:1. After the public submissions, councillors debated the master plan. Informed readers of The Beast will no doubt already know the outcome - the Liberals voted for the plan, Labor and the Greens opposed it, and Mayor Nemesh used his casting vote as chair to resolve the deadlock, setting Bondi Junction on a new course to drive generational change. “Developing and adopting the master plan is the first of many steps,” the mayor said after the meeting. “Work will now begin to amend the Waverley Local Environment Plan and Waverley Development Control Plan so this vision can be brought to life. This will involve detailed technical studies including traffic and transport analysis, three dimensional modelling, wind analysis and infrastructure funding arrangements. Council will continue to consult our community every step of the way.”
The Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize 2026 Celebrating 25 years
Stasis Symbol, Julie Rrap 2009 Finalist (Courtesy Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery)
2 October - 29 November woollahragallery.com.au 548 New South Head Road Double Bay | free admission open Wednesday - Sunday | accessible location
Local News
40 km/h Speed Limit Zones Set to Multiply in Waverley Words Anthony Maguire Photo Dino de Celerato
Nikki Poulos is one of the artists commissioned to paint new murals on the sea wall.
Bondi Sea Wall Bursts Into Bloom as Nikki Creates Her Mural Words Anthony Maguire Photo Muriel Paynter The decorated sea wall at Bondi Beach is a visual feast that changes year to year. There are multiple spaces where artists paint murals after getting approval from Waverley Council. But we’re not talking Sistine Chapel here - these massive ‘concrete canvases’ are on display for just six months - a year at the most - before the wall gets painted white and new murals are rendered. Only two works have been given long-term spots by the council - The Girl with Frangipani in Her Hair, dedicated to Bali bombing victim Chloe Byron, and an ANZAC commemorative mural. With the commencement of the new financial year, the council got out the white paint and prepared the wall for fresh adornments. Then artists like Nikki Poulos went to work.
We caught up with Ms Poulos as she was perched on a ladder starting her flower mural, called Love from Bondi. She told how she grew up in the east and was Bondi-based for many years before moving to Byron Bay. Her massive 3 metre high and 4.5 metre wide mural is located in a prime spot just near the skate park. “It’s an honour to be creating an artwork at such an iconic and famous location,” she said. Ms Poulos has a background as a fashion designer and says her Bondi mural was inspired by her signature floral fashion prints. The mural took her four days to paint and she says she was “blown away” by the support from the community. “I’ve had complete strangers come up and give me coffees and help me paint,” she said.
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Expect more 40km/h speed limits in the Waverley LGA as the council implements its new Walking Strategy. A discussion document tabled at the latest Strategic Planning and Development Committee meeting says a prime focus of the Walking Strategy is reducing speeds to improve pedestrian safety. “This includes 40km/h zones throughout the LGA,” the document states. As it is, vast stretches of the LGA are already 40km/h zones. In the middle of last year, the council introduced 40km/h limits across the southern half of the LGA. With the impending expansion of 40km/h zones, there will remain exceptions such as Syd Einfeld Drive and state roads such as Council Street and Bondi Road. As well as lowering the speed limit, the Walking Strategy paper proposes strategies to “reduce excessive vehicular traffic” on residential streets and near “town centres” such as Bondi Junction, Charing Cross and Bondi Beach.
We’ll be seeing more of these throughout Waverley.
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Issue 260 September 2026 The Beast 21
Local News
Mayor Nemesh hit the ground running and hasn't slowed down.
Will Reflects on an Eventful Term Words Anthony Maguire Photo Sarah O'Mare For the past two years, Waverley Mayor Will Nemesh has been working 6am-9pm most days as he juggles his mayoral duties with a professional career in the private sector. Late last year, Will’s strong work ethic and dedication to his civic duties really came to the fore following the Bondi terror attack. He knew a number of the dead and injured - members of his own Bondi Jewish community. But as he mourned, he found the strength to carry on. “It was important to show up every day as mayor to reassure the community, even if I didn’t have all the answers, and show strength and support for everyone impacted,” Mayor Nemesh told The Beast. He also saw it important to sow seeds of hope that such an atrocity should never happen again. Under his watch, Waverley Council has become the first council in Australia to endorse and adopt a local government strategy to combat anti-Semitism. The strategy was endorsed by council after it co-hosted a Mayoral Roundtable on Social Cohesion attended by over 20 mayors and councils from across Sydney. The Beast sat down with Mayor Nemesh as he prepared for the
possibility of handing his chains of office to a new mayor. On the evening of Tuesday, September 15, there will be a mayoral election, and it’s possible that there will be a re-run of two years ago, when a deadlocked vote led to the mayoralty being decided by the toss of a coin. The 36-year-old mayor was in a reflective mood as we reviewed his achievements, the most prominent of which has been putting together the Bondi Junction Master Plan and getting it through council. The finer details are now open for community consultation, but all agree that important decisions on the future of the Junction were long overdue. “This is the first Bondi Junction Master Plan in over 20 years,” he says. “It’s an opportunity to invigorate Bondi Junction as a vibrant precinct that can accommodate a mix of uses including residential, commercial, civic and cultural.” Another notable achievement during his mayoralty has been the purchase of affordable housing. “We’ve increased affordable housing stock by 50 per cent - the largest acquisition of housing stock by Waverley Council in two decades. Some of the homes will be for people fleeing family
22 The Beast September 2026 Issue 260
violence, others will go to key workers like police and nurses.” Financial management is another crucial area where the 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 were one of only three councils in Sydney not to increase the domestic waste charge.” Also worthy of note has been an historic agreement with e-bike operators, which Mayor Nemesh says has been “ensuring e-bikes do not clutter our footpaths and shared spaces.” Meanwhile, there have been important projects such as the Bronte Surf Life Saving Club redevelopment, the completion of streetscape upgrades such as Charing Cross and the reimagining of the old council chambers site on Bondi Road as a multi-purpose community centre. Last but by no means least, 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 and concerts at Bondi. Meanwhile we’re reinvigorating nightlife and supporting small business.” Mayor Nemesh acknowledges the “crucial support” he has received from Deputy Mayor Keri Spooner and other councillors, and he says he’s been “very fortunate” to have Emily Scott as general manager. “Emily has an incredible breadth of experience within the local government sector,” he says. What’s his wrap-up comment about the two past years at Waverley’s helm? “I came to the mayoralty with a bold vision on what Council should be delivering - and we’ve been able to deliver on those projects and initiatives and ensure a brighter and more sustainable future for our community.”
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Local News
The Belmore Road office opening.
Marjorie Cuts Ribbon to New Office - Then Ties the Knot! Words Anthony Maguire Photo Cheyne Howard, Johnny Huang Member for Coogee Dr Marjorie O’Neill has moved into a new office at 50 Belmore Road, Randwick. It’s lighter and more spacious than her old digs on Frenchmans Road, the walls are decorated with works by local artists and there’s an open invitation for constituents to drop in and chat. The opening ceremony outside the office on Friday, July 10 started with a Welcome to Country by Aboriginal elder Barbara Keeley, who called Dr O’Neill “a great woman.” Then there was a smoking ceremony from two loincloth-wearing Koorie men - Malakai Quinlan struck up a rhythm on a pair of clap sticks while Richie Chan-Hampton walked around with a coolamon of smouldering eucalyptus and tea tree leaves. Next, Father Pat Walsh from Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church in Randwick requested the intercession of Sir Thomas More, patron saint of politicians. “May this office always be a sanctuary for the vulnerable and a beacon of hope for Randwick,” he said. Father Pat then handed the microphone over to Rabbi Elazar Gestetner from Coogee Synagogue, who drew from the 23rd
Psalm as he told Dr O’Neill, “May your cup runneth over with goodness, graciousness and kindness.” Member for Kingsford Smith Matt Thistlethwaite was next to speak, and he predicted the new office would become an important community hub. “Some MPs don’t like meeting members of the community, but Marjorie’s the opposite,” he said. Other special guests included two players from the NSW Waratahs Women’s team, Emily Chancellor and Adiana Talakai. Dr O’Neill’s mother, Waverley Deputy Mayor Dr Keri Spooner, was also in attendance, rubbing shoulders with Randwick City Councillor Marea Wilson, former Randwick Mayor Paul Tracey OAM and Councillor Clare Raffan from Canterbury Bankstown, who grew up in Randwick. And looking on proudly was Dr O’Neill’s husband-to-be, army officer Colonel Warwick Young, Director of Army Sport and Executive Chairman of the Veterans Film Foundation. A fortnight after the office opening ceremony, Colonel Young and Dr O’Neill exchanged vows at Mary Immaculate Church in Waverley, followed by a reception at Victoria Barracks, where Colonel Young is based.
24 The Beast September 2026 Issue 260
Then after a brief honeymoon, they were both back at work. The couple met in May 2024 when Colonel Young was hosting a Q&A session following the screening of The Oarsmen, a film about Australian WWI veterans who won the coveted King’s Cup at the 1919 Henley Regatta. Colonel Young told The Beast how his “heart skipped a beat” as he locked eyes with a woman in the second row of the cinema who’d asked a question. After that, there was afternoon tea and they got talking, rudely ignoring everyone else in the room! Colonel Young has an interesting background. He’s a veteran of two tours to Iraq in the early 2000s and in tandem with his army career he has carved out a career as a filmmaker-actor. He’s one of the directors of the Red Poppy Film Festival, dedicated to films made by veterans, and his acting credits include roles in The Matrix, Mission: Impossible 2 and The Wolverine. A lot of people remember him as the anguished dad in a road safety TV commercial with the catchphrase ‘Go to bed Jessica’. “That ad seems to have done a lot of good,” he said. “I’ve had a number of people tell me it persuaded them not to drink and drive. One was a truckie who used to drive down the highway with a six-pack. When that was done he’d fish another six-pack out of the esky.” Dr O’Neill said she felt “incredibly lucky” to have met Colonel Young. “One of the reasons I love him is the service he gives to other people. I feel blessed to have him by my side!”
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Issue 260 September 2026 The Beast 25
Local News
Local School Students Paint Portraits of Service Veterans Words Anthony Maguire Photo Arthur Tistic
The crew from Proximity Plumbing, who took out last year's Trade Services category and the People's Choice Award.
Brightest & Best Finalists Selected Words Anthony Maguire Photo Enzo Amato Waverley Council has selected the finalists for the Brightest & Best Business Awards night coming up in October. The list of successful entrants - which can be viewed on the opposite page - will be ‘mystery shopped’ to determine the winners and runners-up. And the public also gets to have a say by voting for the winner of the People’s Choice Award, with voting for that accolade closing on Friday, September 11. There was a record-breaking 241 entries for this year’s awards, which will climax in the awards ceremony at Bondi Pavilion on the evening of Wednesday, October 14. “The overwhelming response demonstrates the resilience, ambition and passion of our local business community, with businesses from a wide range of industries showcasing the very best that Waverley has to offer,” Waverley Mayor Will Nemesh told The Beast. Mayor Nemesh will preside over the awards ceremony alongside MC Cathy Levins-Byers, with winners being presented with crafted wooden trophies and in-kind prizes from event sponsors. Drinks and canapes will be served in the bar and on
the balcony overlooking Australia’s most famous beach. Waverley Council runs the business awards to recognise the thousands of small businesses in the area, which contribute to almost $3 billion a year in revenue to the local economy. There are 15 awards specific to major business sectors such as hospitality and entertainment, tourism, health and medical and trade services. In addition, there are awards for Entrepreneur of the Year, Business Woman of the Year, Best New Business and Business of the Year, along with the People’s Choice Award. Contenders for the awards go through two rounds of judging, including a visit, phone call or web enquiry from a council-appointed mystery shopper. The mystery shopper will give a rating based on marketing and communications, community engagement and innovation. Sponsors for this year’s awards are Proximity Plumbing, Vision Personal Training, Westfield Bondi Junction, Eastside Radio, Bondi & Districts Chamber of Commerce, Richardson & Wrench, Second Nature, Vivid Built, Service NSW, Bondi Innovation and The Beast.
26 The Beast September 2026 Issue 260
It was a generation-bridging exercise as 11 local veterans had their portraits painted by students at South Sydney High School in Maroubra. Organised by the school’s art teacher Kate Mulheron with Maroubra and Botany RSL sub-branches, it was in response to a nationwide project called ‘Our Australian Soldier’ and a selection of works from around the country will be exhibited at the Australian War Memorial. Among the 11 vets who sat for portraits at South Sydney High School was Nora Fisher, 97, who tapped out crucial signals on a teletype machine while serving with the Australian Army during World War Two. She was painted by Christina Gabriel, 17, who says she’s now interested in pursuing a career in art. “Painting Nora’s portrait has made me want to continue with watercolours,” she said. “It would be good to sell prints out of a little shop.”
Army veteran Nora had her portrait painted by Christina.
FINALISTS 2026
Childcare & Education
Retail & E-Commerce
Beach Ballerinas
Butt Shoe Repairs
Early Start Australia
DOGUE
First Education Bondi
Lyons Raw
Little Feet Early Learning and Childcare
Mama Smoke SUKO Nordic Australia
Waverley Woollahra Art School
Sustainability Excellence
Professional Services
Trade Services
Healthcare & Medical
Business Tax & Money House
Calibre Electrical Group
Care Clinic
Guest Realty
JRConstructions
H2O Laundry and Dry Cleaning
Moving On
Seniors Fitness
Heatwave Accounts
Torino’s Plumbing
Vantage Point Physiotherapy & Sports Medicine
Beauty & Cosmetic Services
Fitness & Wellness
PropSearch
Pest2Kill
Lilly Pilly Counselling Tracton Optometrists
Psych Support Assessment Services Creative & Digital
Hospitality, Entertainment & Tourism
Earthletica
Bronte Local
Arte Bianca Bondi
JVC Energy Australia
EUX Digital
Luxury Escapes
Mama Smoke
Marzipan
Manga Sushi
Laser by Tom
Bondi Waverley Squash Club
Sage Beauty
Prismline Digital
Melt Nail Bar
Playball Kids
Solar After Care
Storylast
Nurish Cafe Bondi Junction
Sage Beauty
Soak Bathhouse
The Hideaway Bondi
The One Bondi
VRTUS
Ayurvedic Wellness Centre
38° The Bathhouse
Volume One Entrepreneur of the Year
Business Woman of the Year
Best New Business
Anna Mildon (Guest Realty)
Alana Yap (Waverley Woollahra Art School)
ApprovIQ
Bronte Campbell (Earthletica)
Carine Anceaux (WanderBuddies)
HR Seekers
Deborah Garcia Guedes (JVC Energy Australia)
Fay Thiess (HR Seekers)
Premier Audiology
Julia Crawford (Bondi Junction Veterinary Isabel Takamiya Kristoffersen (SUKO Nordic Hospital) Australia) Polly Wilkie (Care Clinic) Michael Puterflam (Storylast)
Michael Richmond (Prismline Digital)
Twisty Business WanderBuddies
Talia Novos (Balanced Nutrition)
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Local News
In Them We See Ourselves Sculpture Offers Hope for Healing Words Anthony Maguire Photo Daniel Kukec
A gull’s eye view of the new surf club project.
Bronte Surf Club Takes Shape as Sea Wall Construction Concludes Words Anthony Maguire Photo Drone Shark App Construction of the concrete and steel ‘skeleton’ of the new Bronte Surf Life Saving Club is well under way following completion of a new sea wall to protect the $32.3 million facilities from waves and sea level rises. The 5.8 metre high sea wall is currently covered in plastic and the builders still have to add a few final touches, but it marks a major milestone for the project. The wall is a vital piece of infrastructure. Before it was built, scale model testing was carried out by the UNSW Water Research Laboratory. In 2024, the lab built a 1:27 scale model and tested it with artificial waves that simulated very extreme conditions. The tests allowed for 0.66 metres of sea level rise between now and 2093. The university tests measured ‘overtopping’, where water flows over the top of the wall.
“We know how much overtopping a person can withstand before they’re knocked off their feet,” coastal engineer Ian Coghlan, project manager for the Water Research Laboratory simulations, told The Beast. “Of course, you could always build a really, really high wall to have zero overtopping during extreme storms, but the view loss wouldn’t be acceptable to the community.” Waverley Council owns the club site and is providing most of the money for the construction of the $23.6 million clubhouse and $8.7 million worth of public domain improvements. The project got under way a year ago following demolition of the old club building, which dated back to 1974, and construction of temporary facilities. Work is expected to be completed in early 2027.
28 The Beast September 2026 Issue 260
A sculpture marking the impact of the October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel has been unveiled by the Mayors of Waverley and Woollahra plus Jewish Board of Deputies CEO Michele Goldman. The work is called ‘In Them We See Ourselves’ and comprises inward-facing pieces of weathered Corten steel rising from the earth, with a stone seat where people can sit, gaze towards the ocean and perhaps think about the prospect of a peaceful future for our currently-troubled world. Waverley Mayor Will Nemesh said he hoped the installation will be a “place of healing, from which to both reflect and look forward.” Woollahra Mayor Sarah Dixson said the work “will serve as a permanent reminder of the need for all of us to be united in our opposition to hate and anti-Semitism.” The sculpture was jointly commissioned by Waverley and Woollahra Councils and its creator has chosen to remain anonymous. “By remaining anonymous, the artist allows the focus of the work to stay on the Jewish community,” states a plaque alongside the work.
Sarah Dixson, Will Nemesh and Michele Goldman alongside the memorial sculpture.
Local News
These decades-old creations must be saved.
Gordons Bay Mosaic Stairway Under Threat Words Anthony Maguire Photo Mohammed Zaik Leading down from Tower Street, Clovelly, to the northern side of Gordons Bay is an old flight of concrete stairs. As you descend, you do not notice anything unusual. But it’s a different story when you walk up the 47 steps. Mosaics made from shards of tile and porcelain have been created on the vertical faces of the steps. Also adhering to the concrete are sea shells and children’s figurines - for instance, on one panel there’s a little dog’s head and nearby is a camel. Most of the unauthorised artworks were created in the late 1990s by then-Tower Street residents James Llewellyn and his sister Kaye. “It’s nice that they’ve lasted as long as they have,” says Mr Llewellyn, 62, a retired surf blogger-artist. “I’ve been told they’re
one of the most photographed things on the Coastal Walk.” We tracked down Mr Llewellyn through an Instagram posting he’d made about the mosaics and sent him a message asking him to phone, which he did. He told how he and his older sibling collected most of the pieces for their mosaics from the shoreline at low tide. A number of things were also scavenged from the streets, footpaths and verges of Clovelly. “In those days, Clovelly wasn’t the genteel suburb it is now and there was rubbish all over the place,” recounts Mr Llewellyn. “I found interesting objects like toy soldiers and car emblems.” Working by stealth and under torchlight at night, the pair created the mosaics over the course of several months, attaching the pieces with tile adhesive.
30 The Beast September 2026 Issue 260
But now the future of the mosaics isn’t looking good. The steps are in poor condition, with bad cracks in many places. Randwick Council is planning to replace them with a new stairway. Clovelly Precinct is urging the council to investigate the feasibility of restoring the steps rather than demolishing them. “They’re part of the experience of the coastal walk,” says chairman Bill Brennan. And, as you might imagine, James Llewellyn isn’t keen on the idea of his work being converted to broken rubble. “It’s the council’s fault that the stairs have fallen into disrepair,” Mr Llewellyn says. “There’s a spillway beside the stairs and it’s badly cracked, so water flows underneath the stairs. Over time it has dug out much of the landfill underneath.” The council remains adamant about the steps being replaced, but recognises the significance of the mosaics. Officers are investigating whether they can be re-attached to the new steps. “The Tower Street staircase is in poor condition and has serious structural and drainage issues,” a spokesperson for Randwick City Council told The Beast. “Council staff investigated options to repair and retain the existing stairs, but ongoing erosion has significantly affected the structure. The damage is too extensive to repair safely, so we need to fully replace the staircase, including the steps, handrail and piers, and upgrade the drainage.” The council emphasised the importance of the mosaics to many people in the community and explained that options to preserve and incorporate them into the new staircase were being actively investigated. “We will continue working with the community as we progress the project and explore the best way to protect this unique local artwork.”
The latest from Randwick City Council about living in this great city
Randwick Mayor Dylan Parker
Randwick News With our gorgeous beaches, stunning wildlife and exemplary cultural events, we’re lucky to live in one of the very greatest parts of not just Australia, but the world. We’re always working to improve our city, improving our existing public amenities and community facilities. Just recently, we opened a brand new amenities block at the Heffron Park Netball Courts. Netball is the biggest sport in our area by headcount, and a state-of-the-art amenities block was sorely needed.
What’s On MALABAR BUSHCARE TUESDAY 1 SEPTEMBER 9 am – 12 pm 9 Bay Parade, Malabar
Council has also begun construction on a series of upgrades that will make the Maroubra Road corridor considerably safer. Two new roundabouts will be built, reducing traffic lanes from four to two and making it safer for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians alike.
MAROUBRA BEACH MARKETS SATURDAY 5 SEPTEMBER
We’re also progressing on our long-held vision of a continuous coastal walkway connecting Clovelly and La Perouse. Council is working to demolish a property in Cuzco Street South Coogee, which will open up a connection between South Coogee and Lurline Bay.
PLANT WITH US - FATHER’S DAY CELEBRATION SUNDAY 6 SEPTEMBER
Finally, this will be my last Mayoral column. Council will hold Mayoral elections on September 29 and as previously announced, I will not be seeking re-election. I will continue on as a Councillor and wish the incoming Mayor all the best.
8 am – 2 pm Broadarrow Reserve
8.30 am – 10 am Heffron Park, Maroubra
PERMABEEE – COMMUNITY GARDENING PROGRAM FRIDAY 25 SEPTEMBER
9 am - 12.30 pm Randwick Sustainability Hub
MOVE AND MEDITATE WITH SOPHIE TUESDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 10 am - 11 am Lionel Bowen Library
Councillor Dylan Parker Mayor of Randwick 1300 722 542 randwick.nsw.gov.au
Advertising Feature
Claremont’s brand new preparatory campus offers families a purposeful and nurturing bridge between preschool and kindergarten.
Wylie Cottage Preparatory Offering a Warm, Purposeful Start for 4-5 Year Olds Words Chloe Leary Photos Jordan Gilbert Claremont College is proud to announce the opening of Wylie Cottage, an intentionally designed preparatory program for 4-5 year olds, located just across the lane from the college’s main campus in Randwick. Wylie Cottage offers families a purposeful and nurturing bridge between preschool and kindergarten during the important year before formal schooling begins. Named in honour of Mina Wylie - a Claremont alumna and the first Australian woman to win an Olympic silver medal - Wylie Cottage celebrates courage, confidence and community. Mina’s legacy of determination and pioneering spirit continues to inspire a new generation of young learners at Claremont. Grounded in Claremont’s core values of collaboration, innovation and compassion, the
preparatory program combines structured teaching with meaningful, hands-on learning experiences. Children develop early literacy and numeracy skills while also growing socially, emotionally, physically and spiritually within a supportive Christian environment. Wylie Cottage supports children in building confidence, independence and strong foundations for lifelong learning within a caring and connected school environment. Principal Janelle Ford told The Beast that the program responds to a common question many local families face. “We regularly meet families who are unsure whether to keep their child in preschool or daycare for another year, or whether they are truly ready for school. Wylie Cottage provides clarity and confidence. It offers the warmth and play-based
32 The Beast September 2026 Issue 260
learning of early childhood, combined with the structured learning in literacy and numeracy, and support and community offered in a primary school.” Wylie Cottage students experience genuine integration into school life. They participate in school events, engage with specialist teachers and form meaningful connections through the buddy program, where they are paired with Year 5 mentors. With access to wellbeing support services, including a school counsellor and registered nurse, families can feel confident that care extends beyond the classroom. From 2027, Wylie Cottage will continue to offer a two, three and five-day program, providing consistency for families and ‘school-like’ routines for young learners. The program offers a seamless pathway into Claremont College kindergarten the following year. Families also have access to before and after school care. More than simply preparing children for school, Wylie Cottage welcomes families into a community that is 144 years strong, fostering belonging, connection and shared values from the very beginning. Enrolments for 2027 are now open. For further information or to book a tour, please visit www.claremont.nsw.edu.au or email enrolments@claremont. nsw.edu.au. The ideal environment for little children to thrive, discover and belong.
Crime News he needed hospital treatment. The alleged biter was taken to the cop shop and charged with assaulting a police officer.
Dakhlaoui was a no-show at his court hearing for coke dealing and other charges.
Crime News Words Jimmy Fellon Photo Grant Packet Actor Disappears Into Black Hole An arrest warrant has been issued for Tunisian-born actor Hafedh Dakhlaoui after he failed to appear in court on a charge of supplying more than half a kilo of cocaine from his Tamarama apartment plus a dozen other charges including possessing an unauthorised firearm. Dakhlaoui, 40, has featured in low-budget films such as spy thriller Maximum Impact and revenge potboiler Octopus Pot. Most recently, he played a character called The Emperor in sci-fi comedy Black Holes Suck, released earlier this year. Man Went Barking Mad and Bit Cop, Say Police Police on patrol in Campbell Parade, Bondi at around 9.30am one morning saw a man screaming at passing traffic and generally acting erratically. They stopped for a chat and decided he was a good candidate for a mental health assessment. An ambulance was called, but before it got there the 43-year-old tried to flee and was tackled to the ground. He violently struggled with officers and bit one of them on the leg. That’s the allegation from police, who say the bite suffered by the male sergeant was so severe
Man Stabbed in Apparent Case of Mistaken Identity José, 33, had just left his friend’s Bondi unit when, in the foyer of the building, he was confronted by a knife-wielding ground floor resident who was convinced José was the person who’d broken into his own unit a short time earlier - he lashed out with the knife, slashing José’s face and hand. Those allegations were made by police after taking Warners Avenue resident Riccardo Cazzato, 32, into custody with his hands wrapped in forensic bags. He was charged with reckless wounding and refused bail.
The accused knifeman was taken away with forensic bags on his hands.
Grooming Charges After ‘Sting’ by Teenagers A Queens Park gardener is accused of grooming, then assaulting, a 15-year-old girl. Peter Sussman, 57, is said to have been set up in an online ‘sting’ orchestrated by Northern Beaches teenagers. Police say he was lured to a meeting with a 15-year-old girl in the grounds of a Northern Beaches school. She warned him she was 15, but Sussman allegedly said, “I’m fine with that,” then proceeded to grope and clumsily kiss her. At that point, the 15-year-old boy who’d masterminded the ‘honey trap’ made his appearance. He was accompanied by other “members of the public,”
34 The Beast September 2026 Issue 260
according to a police document. A citizen’s arrest took place, then police were called and officers arrived soon thereafter. Sussman, who runs a business out of his parents’ Queens Park home called Happy Pete’s Gardens, is being held in custody as he faces charges of using a carriage service to groom a person under 16 and travelling to meet a groomed child aged 14-16 for sexual activity. Plus he’s been charged with common assault. Alleged Street Pest Several women around the Maroubra area had received unwelcome advances from a man in the street, posting about the scary encounters on their local Facebook pages and other social media. A number of victims had also made reports to police. Eastern Beaches Police pounced and arrested a 35-yearold man at a home in Maroubra. Police say that “between July 2025 and July 2026, the man approached a number of women on separate occasions while they were alone in the Maroubra area, causing them to fear for their personal safety.” He has been charged with four counts of Intimidation (Personal Violence) and the case is going through then courts. Theft Suspect Seen this bloke? Police want to talk to him about a stealing incident in Bondi Junction. If you have information, phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or Bondi Police on 9369 9899, quoting reference E18769540.
Police would like to have a yarn with this bloke.
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Issue 260 September 2026 The Beast 35
Subject White-Bellied Sea Eagle Location Maroubra Photographer Martin @mlthomasphotography
Subject Sunset at Bondi Location Bondi Photographer Marta Polo
Subject Pink Horizons Location Bronte Photographer George Hines
Subject Where Bluebirds Fly Location Coogee Photographer Liberty ‘Berty’ Randell
Please send your local photos to photos@thebeast.com.au
Subject Silhouettes Location Coogee Photographer Mechele Axford
Subject Fins Out Location Coogee Photographer Jimmy Purchas @jip.pics
Subject Ben Buckler Gold Location Bondi Photographer Barbara Lake
Subject Rising From the Dead Location Waverley Photographer Anthony Curren
All pics published will receive a $100 Picify gift voucher!
Subject Therapy Location Bondi Photographer Sagar Subedi
The pics on your phone, hung in your home.
Dana's Recipe 1½ tsp seeded mustard 1 long green chilli (with seeds), finely chopped ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil 1 tsp sea salt ½ tsp cracked black pepper
Glowing with goodness.
Spring Greens, Goats Cheese and Potato Salad, With Hazelnuts and a Lemon, Green Chilli Dressing Words Dana Sims Instagram @stone_and_twine Greens for spring? Groundbreaking! Yes, it’s obvious, and with good reason. With a new season and a hopeful burst of warmer weather, we gravitate to produce and meals that are fresh, vibrant and a little on the lighter side. Enter the salad - there are so many ways to get creative. I often start with an ingredient that is in season and looks appealing, then add what will pair well with it, both in flavour and with a contrast of textures. The asparagus was looking the best and this should continue throughout spring. The potatoes are cooked until perfectly tender (not too soft) and allowed to cool, the goats cheese is perfectly creamy and light and the hazelnuts bring the toasted crunch. As for the dressing, the importance of lemon and green chilli cannot be understated as it gives a punchy tang, acidity and heat,
as well as an overall brightness to this layered, refreshing spring salad. Ingredients (serves 4) 3 bunches green asparagus, woody ends snapped off, asparagus halved lengthways 3 large desiree potatoes, peeled and cut into eighths 1½ cups fresh snowpeas, string removed and sliced lengthways 6 radish, finely sliced with a mandolin 2 spring onion (green and white part), finely sliced 1 bunch fresh mint, leaves picked, roughly chopped (leave some whole) 250gm soft goats cheese (I use Meredith Dairy) 150gm raw hazelnuts Dressing ¼ cup fresh lemon juice 1½ tsp honey 1 tbs white wine vinegar
38 The Beast September 2026 Issue 260
Method 1. In a dry pan set to medium heat, toast the hazelnuts for 2-3 minutes, tossing occasionally and watching carefully not to burn. Remove from the heat and transfer to a tea towel and rub gently between the tea towel to remove most of the skins. 2. In a pot of boiling water on the stovetop, cook the potatoes for 10 minutes or until just tender with a fork. Drain well and set aside to cool. 3. In a pot of boiling water on the stovetop, blanch the asparagus for 2 minutes. Remove from the pot and transfer to a bowl of iced water to stop the cooking. Strain well. 4. To make the dressing, add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk well until emulsified. Taste to check seasoning. 5. To assemble the salad use a large platter. Layer the potato, asparagus, snowpeas, radish, spring onion and mint (reserve a few mint leaves for the end). Pour over the dressing generously and toss well to coat the salad. 6. Spoon pieces of the goats cheese over and around the salad, then add the reserved mint leaves and sprinkle the hazelnuts over the top and it’s ready to serve. 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.
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Member of the NAAA Issue 260 September 2026 The Beast 39
The Unreliable Guide reduces stress responses and increases feelings of wellbeing. So, don’t be a rude git, or you’ll be a miserable git too.
Mr. Miyagi says, "Don't be an ungrateful prick."
The Unreliable Guide to... Thanks Words Nat Shepherd Photo Daniel LaRusso The Unreliable Guide recently spent hours doing someone a favour. The kind that involves mind-numbing administrative labour usually assigned to unpaid interns and mythical figures condemned by the gods. When the Sisyphean task was completed, I sent them a message. They read it and then... nothing. No thumbs up. No ‘thanks’. No ‘you’re a legend’. Nothing. Rationally, I knew this wasn't a major problem. Nobody had died, the economy had not collapsed, society continued functioning. But I was ready to place this person on a watchlist. Days later, a brief ‘thank you’ finally appeared, immediately followed by several fresh requests for assistance. Too late, mate, too late. So if you, like me, value the timely application of a sincere thank you, The Unreliable Guide is here with some tips and tricks on the awesome power of appreciation. Thanks a Million When I’d calmed down, I started wondering why I’d been so pissed off for not being thanked. After all, a thank
you is not payment. It didn’t repay the favour, and certainly wouldn’t give me back my afternoon. But its absence made me feel remarkably unappreciated. That’s because a thank you performs a very specific social function. It says, ‘I noticed what you did, and it mattered.’ Without that acknowledgement, my help felt less like generosity and more like unpaid labour. And it’s not just me. Psychologists call appreciation ‘social glue’ because it strengthens relationships, increases trust and makes us more willing to help one another in the future. Researchers studying Wikipedia found that volunteer editors became more active after receiving simple expressions of thanks. Apparently, one of the secrets to maintaining the largest encyclopaedia in human history is remembering your manners (who knew Wiki and I had so much in common?). But appreciation goes deeper than social etiquette. Thanking people is actually good for us. Studies suggest that taking the time to thank someone activates reward pathways in our brain,
40 The Beast September 2026 Issue 260
Cheers, Arigatou The Japanese know all about the awesome power of appreciation. One of their many words for thank you, arigatou, connects to the Buddhist idea that kindness is a miraculous gift that should never be taken for granted. By contrast, we Aussies tend to thank each other with a more casual ‘cheers’ or ‘good on ya!’ Different methods, same message. But it can be tough to say thanks for something we never wanted. The Christmas gift that makes us wonder if the giver has confused us with another person entirely. The apricot and haloumi lasagne we didn’t enjoy or ask for. The uninvited advice that proved spectacularly wrong. Yet we thank people anyway, because a thank you is not an endorsement of the outcome - it’s a recognition of the attempt. We don’t thank Aunty Marge for the hideous ceramic duck she bought us, but for wandering around a shopping centre thinking, however mistakenly, that we might enjoy a ceramic duck. If we forget that distinction, we become the sort of people who believe every act of kindness must perfectly satisfy us before it deserves acknowledgement. And nobody enjoys being around those people. Finally, the Roman philosopher Cicero wrote that gratitude is “not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.” That may be pushing it, but it’s certainly an easy one to nail and costs almost nothing. So, send the text. Write the note. Say thank you. Preferably before you ask me for another favour. You’re welcome.
Kieran's Satire
The future looks grim.
Young Locals Can Now Get a Foot in the Door Words Kieran Blake - kieranblakewriter.org Photo Arthur Ficial Young people of the Eastern Suburbs are no longer locked out of the housing market thanks to the creation of virtual properties. Virtual properties exist entirely online and are well within reach of the average millennial. “This fantastic development is a long-awaited ray of hope for first home buyers in the Eastern Suburbs and the rest of Australia,” declared @ReelEstates, the startup behind the scheme. “Anyone can own a virtual property for the price of their mobile data and occupy it into eternity, so young people can finally afford to live in paradise.” @ReelEstates clarified that while youngsters will still reside
physically in the real world, they can escape into their online existence “…at any opportunity, as they already do.” First home buyers can acquire properties through popular search engines and social media, rather than real estate agents. They could, for example, buy a house through Instagram and pick up a weekender on Snapchat. They’ll find a few renovator’s dreams on Likee, but Chinese investors bought all the homes on TikTok. Caveat Emptor - all of the local councils in the Eastern Suburbs have banned the acquisition of properties through X, so as not to lower the tone of the region.
Owners can then furnish their abode without lifting a finger, as algorithms will automatically assign colour schemes and décor according to the cookies owners collect while scrolling Pinterest. “Looking for short-term accommodation? Hit me up on Tinder or slide into my DMs,” @ReelEstates offered, before explaining that affordability is not the only benefit of the scheme. “No more horrible housemates or interminable queues for rental inspections. No more dodgy tradies nor disputes over dividing fences. Plus, millennials will never have to host their parents and have them re-arrange the furniture, unless they find a property with olde-worlde charm on Facebook.” Furthermore, virtual properties are immune from rising damp, natural disasters and break-ins, but not from hacks to major telcos. “Of course, failure to pay the phone bill, or to find a USB port, will result in eviction from the luxurious Bondi penthouse, and owners will resort to sharing a two-bedroom dump in Sefton with seven other underemployed youth.” Sceptics of the scheme question its viability in a country with lagging internet, and claim it adds yet greater significance to the phrase ‘fibre to the home’. They also claim it will increase social isolation. “Don’t despair,” reassured @ReelEstates, “you can still host a virtual housewarming or dinner party, just as you rehearsed during COVID lockdowns.” Meanwhile, traditional bricks and mortar properties will continue to be bought and sold, but as @ReelEstates summarised, “The rich will buy through Domain, the rest will buy a domain.”
Issue 260 September 2026 The Beast 41
Marjorie's Musings
Life is about more than just money.
Getting the Basics Right Words Dr Marjorie O’Neill, State Member for Coogee Photo Ted Bear New South Wales politics has never been the most glamorous level of government. It rarely gets the fanfare or attention of our federal counterparts, so I wouldn’t blame you if the state budget, handed down on June 23, slipped under your radar. To be honest, even from a front-row seat, this budget isn’t flashy. But that’s the point. This year we’ve taken a back-to-basics approach - what some would call a fiscally conservative stance - focusing on the things that genuinely shape people’s day-today lives: transport costs, energy prices and the cost of living pressures that our community feels every single week. One of the most immediate changes is to provide toll relief. The weekly toll cap has been reduced to $50 and, importantly, the administration fee has been scrapped. That means less red tape and more money back in your pocket, without having to jump through hoops to get it. For public transport users like me, the weekly Opal cap remains at $50 - unchanged since 2024. It might not sound dramatic, but that kind of stability matters. It means you can plan your weekly budget with confidence, knowing your commuting costs won’t
suddenly spike. With global pressures threatening the price of petrol, it’s reassuring to know that our maximum public transport costs are capped. And if you’re anything like me - tired of noisy, diesel-heavy buses rattling through our streets - there’s more good news. The budget includes a $6.5 billion investment into electrifying our bus network. Locally, that matters. Region 9 - covering Waverley, Randwick and Botany - is right at the front of the queue. Those of us living on busy bus routes can look forward to a quieter and more environmentally friendly future. Now, I know what some of you will be thinking: why can’t the government move faster? Why not just buy electric buses and get on with it? The answer is that we’ve also made a deliberate choice to rebuild manufacturing capacity here in New South Wales. That means creating local jobs and investing in long-term industry, even if it takes a little longer to roll out. It’s a trade-off - speed versus sovereignty - and we’re backing local. As we consider the implications of AI for future jobs, it’s very important that we focus on fostering local manufacturing and jobs.
42 The Beast September 2026 Issue 260
One of the issues that comes up time and time again in our community is education. I hear from families who feel like they have to stretch themselves financially - remortgaging homes, taking on extra debt or even leaving the area - just to afford private schooling because they’ve lost confidence in the public system. That’s something that should concern all of us. Every child, no matter their background, deserves access to a high-quality education close to home. That’s why investment in public education is so critical. This budget continues that commitment, with a clear message: families should feel confident that a local public school can give their child a strong start in life. And then there’s the environment - another issue we’re constantly contacted about. In a community that cares deeply about conservation, particularly when it comes to iconic species like koalas, this budget makes a significant commitment. There’s $221 million allocated to a new era of threatened species protection. What’s different this time is the approach. Rather than focusing on individual species in isolation, we’re shifting to a whole-of-ecosystem model - protecting habitats and the broader natural systems that allow wildlife to survive and thrive. It’s a more holistic, and ultimately more effective, way of safeguarding our environment for future generations. This budget won’t grab headlines for being bold or flashy. It wasn’t designed to. It’s about steady, practical decisions that ease pressure on households, invest in essential services and lay the groundwork for a more sustainable future. Sometimes, the most important budgets aren’t the ones that make the most noise - they’re the ones that quietly get the basics right. I am interested to hear from you - what do you think of the NSW State Budget?
Authorised by Dr Marjorie O’Neill MP, 15/53-55 Frenchmans Road, Randwick. Funded using Parliamentary entitlements. August 2026.
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Allegra's View
Our diversity is our strength.
We Can All Make Australia a Better Place Words Allegra Spender, Federal Member for Wentworth Photo Woollahra Council I am the proud daughter of a migrant. When my mother first arrived in Australia and walked off the boat in Fremantle she didn’t speak any English. She navigated a new country, a new language, a new culture - and she went on to make a great contribution to this country. Her story is not unusual, and it is countless stories like hers that have made Australia what it is today. By almost every measure, Australian multiculturalism has been a remarkable success. We are one of the most diverse countries in the world, and we have remained - on the whole - peaceful, prosperous and welcoming. But the question now is not whether multiculturalism has worked, but what we need to do to make sure it continues to work for our future. Australians are rightly frustrated. Living standards are falling, and housing feels out of reach for a generation of young Australians. Out of that frustration, some politicians have chosen to point to migrants as the problem. That is not just wrong; it is a deliberate distraction from the real causes, and it is doing real harm.
I had a young woman come up to me recently at one of my pop-up offices. She was a migrant, working in healthcare, and she told me she had been feeling scared and vulnerable. That should concern all of us. But she also said something that has stayed with me since: in some countries, you can never truly contribute to the culture - it is fixed, it belongs to someone else - but in Australia it is the great variety of people that has built our country, and we can all add to what Australia is. That is the hopeful truth about this country, and it is a truth worth defending. The terrorist attack in Bondi was a reminder of the threats we face. We must be ruthless and tough on extremism - vigilant, well-resourced and unambiguous. There can be no half-measures. But we cannot let these attacks divide our country or be used to justify treating entire communities as suspects. That is precisely what extremists want. The real enemy we face is extremism. We need to be clear-eyed enough to fight that, rather than turning on each other.
44 The Beast September 2026 Issue 260
The government also needs to use its policy levers to build belonging, and right now it is not doing enough. That means getting migration settings right. We need to bring in the optimal number of permanent and temporary migrants, ensuring we are prioritising the skills our economy genuinely needs and making sure infrastructure keeps pace with population growth. It also means fixing what happens once people arrive. Research shows that working alongside someone as a colleague, on equal footing, is one of the most powerful forces we have against distrust yet 44 per cent of permanent migrants in Australia are working below their level of skill and qualification. We don’t invest enough in local initiatives to bring us together. We also need to do much more to build the foundations of a country where people have a future so grievance cannot take root - that means things like building more housing and lifting our productivity. Government must act, but government alone cannot build belonging. It also comes down to all of us committing to the promise Australia makes; regardless of where you come from, your ethnicity, your religion... if you abide by our institutions, share our values, respect our democracy and our rule of law, then you belong here. In practice that means an agreement to leave any disputes at the customs hall, to resolve conflicts in the courts without violence and to recognise we have all equal rights regardless of gender, sexuality, race or religion. In a country as diverse as ours where we will inevitably have some passionately different views, that promise requires more than just tolerance - it requires actively reaching outside our bubbles to get to know people whose lives look different from those of our own. That may be harder than it sounds, but it is what we owe each other and what we owe the good people who choose to make Australia their home.
What matters matters to to you? you? am so so proud proud to to represent representWentworth. Wentworth.What WhatI Ivalue valuemost mostisis II am offices, the conversations conversations II have havein inthe thecommunity community- -atatpop-up pop-upoffices, the at events, events, through through the the emails emailsand andletters lettersthat thatcome comeinto intoour our at office every every week. week. These Thesestories storiesshape shapewhat whatI Ido doininParliament. Parliament. office If you you have have anything anything on on your yourmind mind--whether whetherit’s it’ssomething something If you’re worried worried about about or or something somethingyou youthink thinkcould couldbe bedone done you’re better -- please please fill fill out out my mycommunity communitysurvey surveybelow. below. better
Scanthe the Scan QRcode codeto to QR fillout outmy my fill survey. survey.
How to contact contact my office
www.allegraspender.com.au www.allegraspender.com.au
Allegra.Spender.MP@aph.gov.au Allegra.Spender.MP@aph.gov.au 02 029327 93273988 3988
Authorised by Allegra Spender, 179-191, New South Head Road, Edgecliff, 2027 Authorised by Allegra Spender, 179-191, New South Head Road, Edgecliff, 2027
Tight Lines
Norfolk Island's improvised boat launching device.
Fishing for Data on Norfolk Island Words and Photo Lewis Kennedy-Hunt Down below, the Gatorade-blue ocean morphed into a turquoise lagoon specked with coral. Volcanic cliffs rose abruptly in the distance, crowned by the distinctive Norfolk pines that signalled our plane’s arrival. I’d heard whispers about Norfolk Island through the fishing scene, and I was finally about to see it for myself. But it wasn’t the fish or the surf that brought me here; it was data. Ollie and I, as part of the NSW Coastal and Regional Oceanography Lab, had travelled to service a research mooring. Positioned between Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia, Norfolk sits where major ocean currents converge, making it an ideal place to monitor the ocean. But despite the scientific focus of the trip, we still managed to squeeze some surfboards and dive gear into the growing pile of equipment. On the short drive to our apartment we quickly learnt two Norfolk Island customs - cows wandering the roadside have right of way, and every passing driver must get a subtle wave. Our apartment overlooked the lagoon through a gap in the pines, with a direct view of the reef below. The long-period lines were the first to catch our attention, as they marched in and detonated across the live coral reef in a series of peaks and wedges like a tropical appropriation of a Portuguese beach break. Naturally we suited up, copped a few floggings from waves considerably bigger than they appeared from shore, then rounded out the day with a Tooheys Old, fresh-caught trumpy and live music at the local pub. Following a suspected shark ‘bite-through’ during similar work at Lord Howe Island, we’d upgraded the replacement mooring with a steel-core line to reduce the chances of it happening again.
46 The Beast September 2026 Issue 260
After a late night programming instruments and carrying out final checks to the reinforced mooring, we rose at dawn to meet local operator Dave down at the pier. We’d already postponed the trip twice due to heavy seas, so the glassy conditions were well received. Launching boats on Norfolk is a spectacle in itself, with no conventional boat ramps on the island. Instead, a crane lowers boats into the water from the jetty. This one relied on a car towing a winch rope through a series of pulleys to hoist the boat from its trailer. Dave and his mate had the process dialled and we were swung into the water in no time. Loaded with 180kgs of steel and a mooring line blinging with expensive scientific instruments, we aimed at the horizon and hummed away from the jetty. The water turned an immediate deep cobalt blue as the island grew smaller behind us. Once we arrived at the mark, we released the old mooring from the bottom using an acoustic transducer and waited the anxious minutes while it floated to the surface. We grabbed the shark tracker off the old mooring and fixed it onto the replacement mooring before streaming it out behind the boat, attaching the weight and sending it overboard where it would remain for the next six months. The operation was smooth and we were glad to have successfully completed what we had come to the island for. With the day still young and the weather absolutely perfect, we headed back to the jetty to clean the instruments and, most importantly, retrieve the data. Once we’d triple-checked the download, we were fizzing to get in the water ourselves. Following Dave’s rough instructions, we scrambled down some old ropes to a rocky headland and slipped into water so clear it resembled an aquarium. Cartoon-coloured reef fish drifted through turquoise shallows before the reef dropped abruptly into a bottomless abyss. We breathed up on the edge before taking turns making fifteen-plus metre drops, all while trying not to think too much about the tiger sharks that populated the island’s shark research data. The kingfish never showed, but we climbed back onto the rocks unscathed and made it to Norfolk Island Brewery just in time for happy hour. We woke the following morning to perfect threefoot peaks peeling across the reef and surfed until the clock forced us ashore to pack our gear. On the way to the airport, we stopped at Dave’s place to leave equipment for the next deployment. His yard overflowed with boats, trucks and four-wheel drives, while inside his shed giant yellowfin tuna and marlin tails hung from the walls among decades of fishing gear. On the flight home, I couldn’t help wondering what it would be like to build a life on an island like Norfolk. I had a feeling it wouldn’t be my last time here.
Tide Chart
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Phone 9130 7064 September 2026 Tide Chart Numbers Bureau of Meteorology Tidal Centre Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
1 0429 0.37 1049 1.64 1659 0.46 2301 1.49
2 0507 0.44 1134 1.65 1755 0.51 2352 1.36
3 0550 0.52 1226 1.63 1900 0.55
4 0054 1.24 0644 0.60 1327 1.62 2021 0.57
5 0212 1.16 0751 0.65 1440 1.62 2147 0.53
6 0343 1.15 0911 0.65 1557 1.67 2300 0.44
7 0459 1.22 1027 0.59 1705 1.75 2358 0.35
8 0557 1.31 1131 0.50 1802 1.83
9 0046 0.27 0645 1.41 1228 0.41 1853 1.88
10 0129 0.22 0730 1.50 1318 0.35 1940 1.87
11 0208 0.22 0813 1.58 1407 0.32 2023 1.81
12 0245 0.25 0853 1.62 1454 0.33 2105 1.71
13 0318 0.31 0932 1.65 1540 0.37 2145 1.59
14 0350 0.38 1010 1.65 1625 0.43 2225 1.45
15 0420 0.47 1048 1.63 1711 0.51 2305 1.33
16 0451 0.56 1127 1.58 1800 0.58 2347 1.22
17 0525 0.64 1208 1.53 1856 0.64
18 0038 1.13 0608 0.71 1259 1.47 2002 0.68
19 0144 1.08 0708 0.76 1401 1.43 2117 0.68
20 0306 1.07 0826 0.78 1516 1.43 2226 0.63
21 0423 1.12 0942 0.75 1623 1.47 2318 0.56
22 0516 1.19 1045 0.69 1716 1.54
23 0000 0.49 0559 1.28 1135 0.61 1800 1.61
24 0035 0.42 0635 1.37 1219 0.52 1838 1.66
25 0106 0.36 0709 1.47 1300 0.45 1915 1.69
26 0137 0.31 0744 1.57 1342 0.38 1954 1.70
27 0209 0.29 0819 1.66 1425 0.34 2033 1.66
28 0242 0.30 0858 1.73 1511 0.32 2116 1.60
29 0317 0.34 0939 1.78 1600 0.32 2203 1.50
30 0357 0.40 1023 1.79 1653 0.36 2254 1.39
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Moon • New Quarter • First Full Moon • Last Quarter •
Issue 260 September 2026 The Beast 47
Beast Brainteasers
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ACROSS 1. First name of Queen’s lead singer (7) 6. Bachelor’s degree in art (1,1) 7. Body’s largest internal organ (5) 8. Curved trajectory of an object (5) 9. Advertisement (2) 10. Actor, Hugo ... (7) 13. Unit of weight for gemstones (6) 16. Rough, twisted knot (5) 17. Give to in marriage (7) 18. A son of your brother or sister (6) 19. Lymphatic throat tissue (7) 20. Satirical mimicry (6)
DOWN 1. The Statue of David is found in this city (8) 2. The joint between the forearm and upper arm (5) 3. Take away from (7) 4. Cure-all, panacea (6) 5. Adam’s missus (3) 6. Boob supporter (3) 11. Tissue death caused by a lack of blood flow (8) 12. Airfield without airport facilities (8) 14. One-piece garment (6) 15. Underground train system or pedestrian underpass (6) 18. Siesta (3)
Trivial Trivia Words Lisa Anderson 1. Which artificial canal is an anagram of a Greek god? 2. In the human body, what is the name of the small cavity from which hair grows?
3. What type of animal is a Lipizzaner; a horse, a fish or a bird? 4. What hardware item is a slang term for a prison officer? 5. Which country was formerly known as East Pakistan? 6. Pertussis is another name for which infectious disease?
7. Which planet is closest to the sun? 8. In ‘Hey Diddle Diddle’, what ran away with the spoon? 9. Which former Neighbours star recently declared herself “absolutely right wing”? 10. In what sport is the ball called the sliotar?
Subject Sunset Lookout Location Coogee Photographer Ellie Cromerwong 48 The Beast September 2026 Issue 260
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The Rolling Stones Foreign Tongues
Label Polydor Records Reviewer @aldothewriter Rating Mick Jagger is 83 years old and continues to release music and tour. He also has a nine-year-old son. Process that for a second. It’s hard to imagine him ever stopping. Even in death, I expect his pelvis will be grinding against the top of the coffin. Keith Richards, on the other hand, will never die; he’ll just disappear into nothing when the devil wants him back. Foreign Tongues is surprisingly energetic for a group of literal geriatrics. There is a Peter Pan feeling about it. Sure, they’re old, but they’re not looking back; they’re living now and still rocking out with their stockings out.
DICE I Thought The Altitude Would Make It Worth The View Label Tone City Records Reviewer @aldothewriter Rating These Perth lads are growing up before our eyes and I’m afraid it’s too late for the “I was into them before they were big” crowd to jump on now. DICE are here, they are big, and they are very bloody good. As you would hope from a band’s second album, they have morphed into a more mature and polished version of themselves. I Thought The Altitude Would Make It Worth The View might lack a bit of their earlier edge, but the sound that made us fall in love with them is still there, they’ve just gone and hocked a big golly on it and given it a red-hot shine.
Gracie Abrams
Daughter from Hell
Label Interscope Records Reviewer @aldothewriter Rating For a while there I was telling anyone who would listen how much I liked Taylor Swift’s new song. It wasn’t until I tried to find it at a hardcore Swiftie’s house party that I realised it was Gracie Abrams, not Tay Tay, that I was listening to. She doesn’t speak to me anymore. Daughter from Hell was my first attempt to listen to Gracie Abrams in bulk though, and what started like a pleasant stroll through fields of flowers quickly turned into a sweaty hike through drudgery. I felt like I was eating a bag full of jelly babies, but they were all the bloody white ones.
Issue 260 September 2026 The Beast 49
Beardy from Hell Scorpio Oct 24-Nov 22 The reason your conflicts end in blame-shifting, gaslighting and emotional immaturity is because you refuse to own your mistakes.
Aries Mar 21-Apr 20 Utilise the art of ‘social smoothing’ to reduce friction and awkwardness in daily interactions by just agreeing with everything.
Sagittarius Nov 23-Dec 21 Farting under the doona is not a recommended strategy if you’re trying to get your partner in the mood.
Taurus Apr 21-May 21 If you think work is doing your head in now, just wait until your painfully annoying colleague gets a promotion.
Visions Beardy from Hell
Capricorn Dec 22-Jan 20 Most relationships have an implicit trial stage, and sadly it seems your new friend has failed miserably.
Gemini May 22-Jun 21 Stop co-opting the aesthetic of working-class struggles as a novelty in order to look poor while retaining a safe financial cushion.
Virgo Aug 23-Sep 23 Looking at your expanding love handles in the mirror won’t make them go away. Get the joggers on and off you trot!
Aquarius Jan 21-Feb 19 Flattery isn’t anywhere near as effective when a low-status ingratiator (you) is firing at a high-status target.
Cancer Jun 22-Jul 22 Irrational cognitive blocks make your brain perceive routine actions as high-stakes hurdles rather than simple steps.
Libra Sep 24-Oct 23 S n eR No matter how poorRyou unfeel, if you can afford to live around here you are in the topS 1% h of opthe richest people on the planet.
Pisces Feb 20-Mar 20 If you just start getting a decent night’s sleep and stop eating so much rubbish all of your problems will magically disappear.
Leo Jul 23-Aug 22 The belief that your value comes from being useful, compliant or endlessly available makes a refusal feel like an identity threat.
Star Signs
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Trivial Trivia Solutions 1. Suez (Zeus) 2. Follicle 3. Horse 4. Screw 5. Bangladesh 6. Whooping cough 7. Mercury 8. The dish 9. Holly Valance 10. Hurling
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LONGER OPEN HOURS COLOURS
ENABLE OVER PRINT PREVIEW IN ADOBE ACROBAT TO PREVIEW CORRECTLY
Description: Runners Shop logo Scale: 100%. Size: See Artwork Date: 31/10/18 Client: The Runners Shop Die Line Reference: N/A
4 Colour process
imagination • vision • experience
S T U D I O , 47 B a y l i n e D r i v e , P o i n t C l a re N S W 2 2 5 0 , P h : 0 2 4 3 2 4 - 4 4 8 6
Odissey Ten’s artwork procedures are in place to ensure accuracy of final artwork. Final sign-off is responsibility of the client. Odissey Ten Pty Ltd cannot accept responsibility for incorrect artwork that has been approved by the client. Note that this artwork is a guide for colours. Please check the scale / measurements for correct sizes. Should you have any questions, telephone 02 4324 4486
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Telephone 9315 8711 50 The Beast September 2026 Issue 260
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