The Village Observer April 2023

Proceeds from The Village Observer support residents in need from Lane Cove, Hunters Hill, Ryde, Willoughby and North Sydney areas, through Sydney Community Services.

Powering Our Community Proceeds from The Village Observer supports residents of Lane Cove, Hunters Hill, Ryde, Willoughby and North Sydney, via Sydney Community Services – a local not-for-profit organisation that helps residents to live a quality and independent life in their own home and in their community.

Local Support for Local People SCS provides services to seniors and people living with a disability including social activities, gardening, home nursing, podiatry, Community Care Advisory, linen, home delivered meals, home modifications and maintenance, flexible respite, carers support, shopping services, community and engagement programs, medical transport and assistance in daily life.

THE VILLAGE OBSERVER:

1 Pottery Lane, Lane Cove NSW 2066.

PUBLISHER: Gillian Batt

P: 02 9427 6425 E: gbatt@sydneycs.org

EDITOR: Nicola Riches

P: 0405 661 570

E: editor@thevillageobserver.com.au

DESIGN + ADVERTISING: Sharon Curby

P: 0450 370 575

E: design@thevillageobserver.com.au

ADVERTISING:

E: advertising@thevillageobserver.com.au

PRINTED BY: Spotpress

DISTRIBUTED: Monthly

Welcome to our March edition.

We’ve received some fantastic contributions this month and the magazine is filled with lots of interesting reads and useful information.

For the very first time, we are including the complete lowdown from The Lane Cove Poets who have been going for 14 years. In their midst are some prize-winning writers. They are holding an event at Carisbrook this month, so we have published their story and some of their beautiful works.

Our interviewee this month is jazz singer Gregg Arthur, who will be playing a show at Lane Cove Country Club to celebrate local broadcaster Bob Rogers OAM. His performance will see him cover the works of Tony Bennett. Not one to be missed!

Our local bushland campaigner and nature lover Sue Ingham has written a lovely article on the birds we see in our backyards, while photographer Miki Oka pays a reluctant tribute to brush turkeys.

• Distribution is at the beginning of the month.

The Village Observer is published monthly (except January) by Sydney Community Services (trading as Lane Cove Community Aid Foundation)

• Readers are invited to submit articles for consideration.

• Articles and items for community events should be emailed to the Editor with any accompanying images by the 15th of each month, for inclusion in the next month’s issue. • Advertising enquiries should be directed to advertising@thevillageobserver.com.au

• If mailing material and you would like it returned, please include a stamped, self-addressed envelope. All care, but no responsibility will be taken for this material. © Copyright 2021. Original advertisements and editorial in this publication are copyright and remain the exclusive property of The Village Observer. No part of this publication may be reproduced and/or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written consent of the Publisher.

DISCLAIMER: The content of editorial and advertisements in The Village Observer has been provided by a number of independent sources. Any opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Editor and Publisher of The Village Observer, and no responsibility is taken for the accuracy of the information, or any factual errors contained within any items printed. Readers should make their own enquiries directly to any organisations or businesses prior to making any plans or taking any action.

CONTACT US:

• editor@thevillageobserver.com.au

• design@thevillageobserver.com.au

• advertising@thevillageobserver.com.au

thank you

As a local, small publication, run by a not-for-profit charity, TVO relies on our advertisers and partners to come to life every month. We’d like to extend a big thank you to this month’s supporters:

We have a new column for aspiring writers from lecturer Nicole Lenoir Jourdan, book reviews from new contributor Elizabeth Allen and a hilarious take on where those new year resolutions went from local comedian and writer Carolyn Swindell.

Thank you to everyone who has made this issue such a great read. Take a moment out, sit, relax and enjoy!

Nicola and Sharon

We’re GOING PLACES - come with us

An update from Henley’s Happy Hens

The Happy Hens garden at Henley ended 2022 with a slot on Better Homes and Gardens, much to everyone’s delight. Presenter Graham Ross delved into the gardening and Chef, Presenter Ed Halmagyi made scones for the garden’s volunteers with our homegrown strawberries. They spent two days filming, so we are sure that our garden will pop up over the year. There are already some clips on our website: www. happyhens.org.au

Over the summer, the lovely gentlemen from Hunters Hill Ryde Mens’ Shed custom built us a mobile coffee cart to use as part of our Coffee Project. It fits all our coffee making

needs perfectly, plus more, so we are very grateful to them. It was also wonderful to get to know them and learn about the good work they do. Each Friday morning, we open the garden and invite anyone to come by for coffee. We call it our Coffee Project, as we also supply training and materials to people who want to learn barista skills. At the moment, we are working with the students at Riverside Girls High School, but we welcome anyone who would like to meet new people and learn a new skill.

We held some workshops last year for mental health month in October, one

of which was making fabric chickens with a lovely group at Henley. We also had a workshop on recycling and will be running a series of workshops in gut health and good mental health, so stay tuned for those in a few months!

Our garden is about to undergo some changes, so if anyone has been wondering about joining a community garden, now is a great time. We have a new hive of native bees which is exciting too! And of course, our happiest of hens have expanded to six with the birth of a couple more ladies who have just started producing eggs. A GREAT time to come and see us!

Emma Grimes, Michael Fitzgerald & Peter Louridas A family business, now in our 48th year in Lane Cove

The Happy Hens!

Graham Ross and members of the Henley team

Lane Cove AFL and Bowling Club strike up partnership

Two of Lane Coves key community clubs have struck a partnership to grow community sport and social activities in Lane Cove.

The Lane Cove AFL and Lane Cove Bowling Club will work together to see both clubs hosting club events at the Burns Bay Road Club Facilities, working closely with the local residents to create a community asset.

Lane Cove Bowling Club has a rich history and been located at the site for more than 70 years. It conducts barefoot, social and competitive bowls, and operates a licensed club. Lane Cove AFL is a highly awarded and fast-growing club delivering AFL for players from four to 18 years of age.

“The two sporting club cultures are very community focussed and complementary, by working together will be able to develop a stronger club environment, with broader community involvement which will continue to improve the site into the future,” said Bevan Piper, Chairman of Lane Cove Bowling Club.

“It takes a village to raise a child, or a junior AFL team, and the opportunity to build links between the members and generations is seen as a positive opportunity for both clubs.

“The combined membership will have diversity across all ages and by working together we can continue to see the club develop this wonderful community asset. We would love to see our youth players on the bowling green and the bowlers cheering on the teams at an afternoon AFL game. Forging connections in our community is the priority of this partnership,” he said.

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) has been signed by the two clubs acknowledging the first stage of a partnership which is expected to further develop through 2023.

Polling Stations for 2023 State Elections (Lane Cove State LGA)

Lane Cove West Public School, Avalon Avenue, Lane Cove

Lane Cove Bowling Club and Recreation Club, 151 Burns Bay Road, Lane Cove

St Michael's Catholic Primary School, 181 Longueville Road, Lane Cove

Greenwich Public School, 32 Kings Langley Road, Greenwich Greenwich Memorial Community Centre, 46-50 Greenwich Road, Greenwich

Lane Cove Council, The Cove Room, 48 Longueville Road, Lane Cove

The Meeting House, 23A Stokes Street, Lane Cove North Mowbray Public School, 635 Mowbray Road, Lane Cove

Boronia Park Public School, 113 Pittwater Road, Hunters Hill

St Marks Church Hall Hunters Hill, 15 Figtree Road, Hunters Hill

Henley Community Centre, 2 Crown Street, Henley Hunters Hill Public School, 17 Alexandra Street, Hunters Hill

Hunters Hill Town Hall, 22 Alexandra Street, Hunters Hill

St Ignatius College Junior School

Regis Hall Riverview, Riverview Street, Riverview

St Andrews Uniting Church Hall

Longueville, Christina Street, Longueville

Putney Public School, 193 Morrison Road, Putney

Tennyson Pre-school Kindergarten, 15A Stanbury Street, Gladesville

Gladesville Public School, Linsley Street, Gladesville

Truscott Street Public School, Ryrie Street, North Ryde

North Ryde Community Church, 2 Cutler Parade, North Ryde

Ryde East Public School, Badajoz Road, North Ryde

Ryde Secondary College, Forrest Road, Ryde

St Charles' Catholic Primary School, 582 Victoria Road, Ryde

Royal Rehab Ryde, 235 Morrison Road, Ryde

More information can be found at: elections.nsw.gov.au/district-profiles/lane-cove

Plans for a children's Halloween event at Carisbrook -

in July!

Why? The ghosts won't wait until October

WORDS: DR KAY LEIPER

We are hoping that next July we will summon up some spooky fun for children between 5 and 11 years with an outside tour of 'Halloween' Carisbrook that will allow them to peak through the windows to see (age appropriate) ghostly tableaux. With treats and a volunteer teen DJ playing monster music, it should be a fun experience for both visitors and ghouls.

Here's a little background on the real urban myths around a haunted Carisbrook:

We

A few months ago at a meeting with Council and heritage architects, we were discussing the architectural history of Carisbrook. Amongst the documentation was a fifty-odd-year-old letter from a Council employee reporting on the details of various restorations done in the courtyard and east wing of the house in the late 1960s. This of course is all useful information to add to our knowledge of how the house was changed or repaired, but it was a chance remark, made in jest, that provides evidence of something else.

The letterwriter said that he did not find 'the ghost of the little girl down the well'. When that was read out everyone laughed and looked at me, saying 'see, no ghost!' (They all knew that it's a story I have often wished to employ when we plan events at Carisbrook.) But, you see, let's not miss the point. This is historical evidence: in the late 1960s there existed an urban rumour about a little ghost girl in the underground tank at Carisbrook.

Possibly the origin is the tragic story of a little girl from Hunters Hill who fell from a jetty on the Carisbrook Estate and drowned. It was during a regatta on the river and everyone was busy cheering the rowers on. That was in the early 1900s and I think the local men dragged the river for

over a day before they found her. Locals would not forget a story like that and some on the jetty must have harboured regrets that they had not noticed the little one slowly slip beneath the water. Over time the tragedy has woven into myth.

Fact often merges into myth, but the supernatural at Carisbrook à-la 1950s were reported to the Woman's Day magazine by the McDougall family, owners of the house at the time. Apparently, the fire irons in the dining room moved without assistance and one member of the family kept laying an extra place at the table without the slightest consciousness of doing it. This little documented snippet was spectacularly added to by the winner of last year's LCHS Lane Cove History Prize. Ruth Benfield did a wonderful oral history of her 83-year-old mother's recollections of uncles Wes Eaton and Jim McDougall and their lives at Carisbrook. They were artistic, talented, created the beautiful terraced garden there and were apparently given to telling ghost stories. Leah recounts how she was told linen and towels would come flying out of Carisbrook's walk-in hall cupboard—all by themselves.

Now I can assure you that neither the caretaker at Carisbrook, nor any of the LCHS volunteers have ever seen, heard or felt any ghostly presence in the house—however, we are hoping that next July Carisbrook can put on her ghostly best atmosphere to give our local children some fun. So, to begin with, we need some enthusiastic early teens (and their parents) to help with the performance. If you are interested please message us on Facebook, or email your contacts so that we can send you the details.

lchs@carisbrookhouse.com

Lane Cove Historical Society/Carisbrook House are looking for some keen early teens (with a little help from their parents) to get out the fake blood and vampire teeth and 'outfit up' to play Carisbrook's ghosts.

will summon up some spooky fun for children between 5 and 11 years

Lane Cove Concert Band 60th anniversary gets underway with February band camp

WORDS: MICHELLE CASIGLIA

This year is the 60th anniversary of the Lane Cove Concert Band, in recognition of this milestone it has a number of exciting events planned, the first of which was ‘Band Camp,’ held from February 10-12.

Members from across the Lane Cove Concert Band organisation were invited to come along to camp, learn and rehearse with one of the three concert bands led by conductors Dan Williams, Megan Lipworth and Gavin Staines.

Each band was given the opportunity to rehearse intensively with their own members and conductors but most importantly they also received small group tutorial lessons from professional musicians from the Sydney area, including those from the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Australian Chamber Orchestra and the Opera Ballet Orchestra. The most exciting part of our weekend was watching members of the Karingal Concert Band, which was formed as an adult beginner band in 2021, immerse themselves in the opportunity to learn and grow as musicians. Upon our arrival on Friday night all members participated in a play-in and created a 90-piece band that was led through new music by the conductors. The combining of all players from beginner through to professional musicians created a great sense of camaraderie and ensured the weekend was off to a good start.

Over the weekend each band spent time working on some very special compositions which have been written for them by acclaimed

Australian composer Dr Ralph Hultgren in recognition of LCCB’s 60th year. These pieces will have their world premiere at the 60th Anniversary Concert in August but each band will also get the opportunity to workshop the pieces with Dr Hultgren when he attends rehearsals in mid-March, and again in August, just prior to the concert. The band also had the opportunity to participate in an African Drumming workshop that was run by Soul Drummer. Although members were all hot and a little tired after a long day of music on Saturday, it didn’t take long for their energy to return once they had djembes in front of them and the African drumming rhythms began. Sunday included some final rehearsal time and a low-key concert performed by each of the three bands and which featured some of the music they had been working on over the last two days. The Camp Committee was ably led by Lawrence Patrick who ensured that every last part of the program was well thought out and organised, providing everyone with a hassle-free and enjoyable weekend.

The Lane Cove Concert Band will be continuing their 60th anniversary celebrations later in the year when they hold their 60th Anniversary Concert at Shore Auditorium on the 20th of August, all are welcome to attend.

All attendees and conductors

Brass players

Turrumburra Concert Band with Meg Lipworth

90-piece band

Turrumburra Sax Players

No flies on us

by Liz Foster

We Aussies have such a plethora of dangerous creatures compared even to our near Kiwi neighbours, it all becomes a bit same old after a while.

Now La Nina has abated we can be thankful not just for the late summer sunshine, but for the end of a huge snake season. Three years of wet conditions have forced them outside of their normal habitat. Snakes have been turning up everywhere from vacuum cleaner innards to even inside pantries. Finding a five-metre carpet python coiled round the cookie jar would be a shock in anyone’s book. Between the local garden centre and Blackman Park, ‘Watch out for the Snake’ signs are two a penny.

Channel Nine even has a viewer contribution snake spotting section on their website, featuring the extremely useful advice to ‘contact a professional’ if you see a snake on your property.

I’ve walked my dog through the bush reserve behind my house almost daily for years and never spotted anything more dangerous than a lizard. With this in mind, I finally persuaded a timid friend to join us with her timid young dog.

‘She senses danger!’ my friend said, eyes wide and head swivelling as we set off. Her dog yapped incessantly while mine trotted along ignoring her. The yapping increased as we rounded the boardwalk and what do you know, there lay a very long very brown snake. Both ends were submerged in leaf litter, but about two metres were exposed.

The first and only time I’ve ever seen a snake there.

Another time my sister from England came to stay. I assured her she wouldn’t need insect repellent to walk to the local coffee shop via the school oval.

‘Will I need mozzie spray?’ she said, nervously poking her head round the door.

‘Oh no,’ I airily assured her. ‘Kids play here every day!’

She returned with a pillar of red welts up both calves you could see from space. I was not popular.

New Zealand is much friendlier in the dangerous wildlife stakes, much more like the British climate and landscape. No stingers, no sharks, no humidity, no spiders. Except for one thing.

Yes, it's the humble New Zealand blackfly, commonly known as the sandfly.

Sandflies drove explorers to distraction, South Island Māori knew all about them, and European settlers apparently

smothered themselves with rancid bacon fat as a deterrent. Even Captain Cook referred to them, as ‘mischievous animals’, causing pox-like ulcers in Dusky Sound in 1773. The only thing sandflies love more than human flesh is penguins. These blood thirsty critters saw at your skin causing indescribable itchiness, hives and a permanent desire to scream. It’s almost always too late by the time you spot them. After two days in the South Island my ankles resembled a plague outbreak, surrounded by a fetching pot pourri of purple bruises where I couldn’t stop scratching. Deterrents have limited effect - one home remedy involves a mix of Dettol and baby oil while others reckon garlic or Vegemite does the trick.

The only sure-fire way to avoid them is to carry a penguin as bait or just don’t cross the ditch. You might find a ten-foot reptile in your backyard woodpile but at least your skin will remain intact.

Liz Foster is a local writer. You can find her at lizfoster.com.au and www.facebook.com/lizfosterwriter, or email her at liz@lizfoster.com.au

Illustration by Grace Kopsiaftis

ASPECTS

Where: Batten Reserve, Lane Cove When: 2nd Feb 2023

I can feel the beauty of nature here – Miki Oka

interview: Gregg Arthur

Gregg Arthur talks about his forthcoming Lane Cove Country Club show honouring local radio star Bob Rogers OAM

WORDS: BRAD FORREST

Up to 150 fans are expected to pack the scenic Lane Cove Country Club on Saturday 18 March to be entertained by Gregg Arthur, possibly Australia's finest jazz singer in decades.

Arthur and his band, the Peter Locke Trio, with special guest Billy Burton, will play the music of the incomparable Tony Bennett to honour Sydney's legendary radio star of yesteryear, Bob Rogers OAM.

The significance of Bob Rogers and Tony Bennett on Gregg Arthur's career can't be overstated. Arthur, 58, began singing with groups at school and got his first break singing as a teen at Sydney's Bourbon and Beefsteak.

"I grew up listening to my grandmother playing piano and to my father's big album collection and I remember being influenced by the sounds of Miles Davis, Sarah Vaughan, Stan Getz and horn player and vocalist Chet Baker."

He was fortunate to be mentored by Australian musical greats like Tommy Tycho, Don Burrows and Julian Lee, and when his voice broke, Arthur took acting lessons to learn how to "own the stage."

He eventually ventured overseas to further his career, and he joined up with "incredible musicians" in Europe, where he performed for Princess Mary of Denmark, among others, before eventually getting a tap on the shoulder advising him to move to the big smoke of the US. "It was a great experience," he recalled.

His Dad would have been thrilled when his son played at Herb Albert's own club in Bel Air, Los Angeles, where Tom Jones would relax over a lamb chops dinner and listen to performers. And even more proud that Gregg’s warm tenor voice and style got the attention of Bennett back in 2007. Tony Bennett himself heaped praise on the Australian singer for his "beautiful phrasing" in song. "I had worked with Vinnie Falcone, Bennett's pianist and it was he who organised the introduction," recalled Arthur. With an endorsement from the legend himself, Gregg is the ideal man to present all the wonderful hit songs from Tony Bennett’s incredible lifetime of music.

He furthered his career singing alongside top musicians like Bob Rosario, pianist and arranger for Bobby Darin and the likes of Clayton Cameron, drummer for Sammy Davis Jr and Bennett.

Back in Sydney, Bob Rogers added Gregg Arthur to his extensive playlist on Radio 2CH.

"Bob interviewed me four times on 2CH and he really supported my career.

“And sometimes he'd surprise me by playing stars like Sinatra and Bennett and then me.

"I could hardly believe it."

Eric Myers of The Weekend Australian also praised Gregg, “... this exceptional singer, like Sinatra, delivers immortal melodies with impeccable phrasing”.

So, after performing all around the world, Gregg Arthur is pleased to be returning to Lane Cove Country Club, where he's played many times before with the Billy Burton Band, to pay tribute to Bob Rogers through the music of Tony Bennett.

"It's a lovely musical venue and I'm sure Bob is going to enjoy the night.

"With the genre of music, we have to respect the past... we're all riding on the shoulders of the greats."

In his show Gregg Arthur sings Tony Bennett, Gregg will perform songs written by legendary artists including Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Cole Porter, Antonio Carlos Jobim, and Michel Legrand, as well as Bennett’s theme song “I Left My Heart In San Francisco”

Gregg Arthur's latest in a long list of albums, Jazz and Cocktails, has already received rave reviews. He plays at The Foundry 616 on Saturday March 4, before his big concert style show on Saturday March 18 at the Lane Cove Country Club. Bookings for GREGG ARTHUR sings TONY BENNETT are online, via Eventbrite. Rogers, in his 90s and now retired, has indicated he will be in the audience. And Lane Cove's own 90-year-old trumpeter supreme, the legendary Billy Burton, will also make another club appearance.

Bob Rogers and the Beatles

An Introduction to Lane Cove Poets

Poetry can give insight into the heart of a community and foster the spirit in a way that shows a deep knowledge of human nature. The poetic tradition goes back to the Bards in many cultures, who sang stories of Homer and the Odyssey, the Celtic tales of Culhwch and Olwen, early King Arthur, the sprawling epics of India - and in Australia, the stories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples that have been passed down for over 60,000 years. Poetry taps into the fundamental need for storytelling and passing on stories through the music of nature and the word.

Lane Cove in Covid times has been disorientating as we live through disconnection from friends and family near and far. For the Lane Cove Poetsin-Residence, the music of poetry helped us give voice to our words and emotions and unite with each other. Magic lies in the poet conveying what is in our hearts and embracing the feelings of others. During the early pandemic, the Lane Cove Poets met online, but now we are back to meeting face to face and can enjoy companionship and shared experiences of human nature. Performing our poetry and music encompasses not only the joys of life but also the hard times and has particularly helped us to cope with the challenges of the pandemic.

The Lane Cove Poets-in-Residence group was founded in 2009 by Graeme Payne, who is still an active member, and Karen Mitchell from the Library, after realising that a thriving community like ours needed a voice for literary endeavours. Beginners and established poets were

encouraged to join. It is a tribute to the people of Lane Cove that 14 years later the poetry group is still meeting monthly in the library on the last Monday of each month. In turn, the library and its parent, the Lane Cove Council, support the group with guest speakers. Workshops and visiting poets encourage the growth of poetic ability. We are fortunate to have well-known poet, musician, and writer Paolo Totaro in our midst as a leading light, who can be called upon to give advice to our poets, whether budding or more experienced. From this beginning, the Lane Cove Library’s annual Literary Awards showcase the talent of our community. Members of the Poets-in-Residence are encouraged to enter their poetry in the awards, which have become a nationally recognised writing competition for writers of poetry and prose.

The poets’ group originally met every other month in one of Lane Cove Library’s study rooms. The idea was to have a group where poets could read their poems and have open discussion about them in a way that would be a safe and enjoyable experience for all. This style of meeting could facilitate the sharing and development of poetry knowledge and skill. Wanting to meet more often, the group met in the alternate month at members’ homes.

Now we meet once a month, discussing and creating poetry on themes such as nature, love, relationships, or experiment with forms of poetry such as sonnets and villanelles. Membership changes as poets come and go.

The music of poetry helped us give voice to our words and emotions and unite with each other

After 14 years, the Lane Cove Poets continue to meet monthly in the library on the last Monday of each month. The group is going from from strength to strength.

WORDS:

CATHERINE BRIGGS, POET AND WRITER, AND DR ROB ANDERSON, POET AND PHOTOGRAPHER.

Poetry & Pernod - Parisian Style

The Featuring

6.30pm Saturday

25 March

Lane Cove Plus Poets

OPEN MIC

Bookings: https://www.trybooking.com/1015498

Poetry & Pernod - Parisian Style

The Featuring

6.30pm Saturday

25 March

Lane Cove Plus Poets

OPEN MIC

Bookings: https://www.trybooking.com/1015498

Many have come along for a taste and then stay, which is wonderful. Having more poets encourages more poems and more discussion, which we all value. We have also had wellknown poet Judith Beveridge guide the poets for the literary awards and have gained much from her expertise. Our poems are also displayed on rotation in local cafes, ‘bringing poetry to the Mall’.

In November 2022, the group had its first exhibition of poems in the library, on the theme of Ebbs and Flows showcasing Lane Cove Council’s Festival of the River. 12 poets contributed two poems each, including guest poet Mark O’Connor, who is renowned in Australia and internationally for his poetry on the environment. We are fortunate to have photographers and artists among our members, so our works were enhanced by the photography of Mitchell Stirzaker, Dr Rob Anderson, and Paul Bennett, as well as photographs from the Lane Cove archives.

Librarian Karen Mitchell arranged a delightful celebration for family and friends, assisted by Bronwyn and Eric from the library staff. With the help of Dr Rob Anderson and Catherine Briggs, a booklet of the poetry was produced in record time for the occasion.

Photographs of a fairy wren and a powerful owl on the cover enhance the publication and emphasise the abundant birdlife which we are fortunate to enjoy in Lane Cove. This publication can be viewed in the library on request

Ebbs and flows

Life ebbs and flows: falling asleep for instance right now, would be an ebb of sorts: staying awake to experience flow as ghosts of times past glow, and I suppose I earn repose As a dream arises. Along this river I linger. A cut off meander is a billabong. As a child I loved the concept. Dawdling, I could trace the river and end up a perfect shape – forgotten but perfect. A delicious way to be inert, filled with fish and yabbies and visited by laughing birds. Mind you, if instead, I strode on overcoming natural reserve, I would find where the mouth of the river kisses the ocean. I could adopt wind and waves, run shrieking into the sea. Water, salt and fresh, would gush over my form, transform into mermaid, an Australian selkie. And then - I could embrace the wide world beyond the horizon. Wild girl, wild wind, and seaweed in my hair.

© Catherine Briggs, 8 October 2022

Entertainment, wine, cheese (and a Pernod) $35

Catherine Briggs

Who are the Lane Cove Poets?

Poetry is the passion which unites the Lane Cove Poetsin-Residence, and the variety of backgrounds adds to the rich mix and expertise of the group. Paul Bennett is a wellknown musician and artist around Lane Cove and beyond. He brings his poetry alive with beautiful illustrations. Jonathan Cant is a performance poet, writer and musician and has been longlisted and commended for awards. He enlightens the members with his knowledge of language and metre. Paris Rose is a performance poet, appearing at Sydney Fringe Festival and Australian Poetry Slam as well as being Writer-in-Residence for Westwords. Jo Lyons is an accomplished editor, poet, writer, and artist. She is a performance poet and has been published in several anthologies.

Vicki McDonald joined Lane Cove Poets in 2012 and thought she had found her creative niche. She loves poetry because it shows we are capable of great depths of understanding, which inspires her to write her story. Kerrie Jamison is an insightful psychiatrist and poet, bringing a discerning eye to the Lane Cove poets and Live Poets at Don Bank, winning their Short Fiction Cup. Adrienne McClymont, a 10-year member of Lane Cove Poets, was a teacher of adults and young people and loved teaching poetry; she brings vast knowledge to the poetry group, captures the ‘natural world in words’ and always travels with a notebook. Graeme Payne, upon retirement from directorship, founded Lane Cove Poets in 2009 and has since been convenor, and is a master of rhyme. He was a former President of the Lane Cove Historical Society and has given many maritime history talks at the library.

Aubade to home

Catherine Briggs (pictured on previous page) was a librarian, English teacher, and antique dealer. Now she edits student work, writes poetry and prose, and published Looking Back, Looking Forward during Covid. She is also a member of the Lane Cove Historical Society. Hae-Lyun Kang is a Korean Australian writer, artist and author living in Sydney. She has a BA from WSU and has been part of the poets’ group at Lane Cove Library since 2018. Dr Rob Anderson is a scientist and works in consulting and education. He brings his considerable talent to writing children’s books and poetry for children with nature photography. His photographs are seen at www.smileatnature.com Mitchell Stirzaker is a poet and philosopher based in Sydney. He seeks to express existential journeys and tensions, as well as visions of paths to harmony between people situated differently in the world, and between the human self and the more-than-human world.

Following the success of November’s exhibition, the poetry group are now working towards publishing an anthology of their poetry in 2023.

The Lane Cove Poets-in-Residence and other Sydney poets will perform at the wonderful Carisbrook House in Lane Cove on Saturday 25 March at 6.30pm. This event, curated by the Lane Cove Historical Society and MCed by Irish poet Daragh Byrne, is a collaboration between two Lane Cove organisations supported by Lane Cove Council. Tickets are available at: www.trybooking.com/1015498

I wake up to a river of poetry in my head, see my currawong swing into the pine tree. I saw it knock feathers off a rainbow lorikeet yesterday and keep flying. I have only three weeks left in this house; I sit on my perfect balcony, just the birds and me — drinking Irish tea out of my favourite green bird cup, Owly. To sleep, to dream, to keep the dream in reach, to quote Kae Tempest riffing on old Shakespeare. I don’t think I’ve woken up yet, even though I’ve had a whole lifetime to practise. Sun hits the pines, the currawong lets out a song. Crickets chirp up, thinking summer has come; they have another think coming — the rain will be back, and here to stay. Crickets don’t want to know, start in stereo. A plane rumbles overhead, they’re back again. Currawong zips in and snaps the loudest cricket in its beak — a moment’s silence from its peers as they decide what to do. After a beat they carry on, seem to have learnt nothing from experience. Another plane passes high overhead, the river still runs. We keep repeating the stuff from before but the old world is gone, the whole earth on borrowed time, yet we keep moving.

© Jo Lyons, October 2022

Africa, for me, is a land of possibilities.

You never know when the unexpected will happen but from the moment you exit the airport, you’re aware that your journey is full of magical promise.. By

Adrienne Witteman.

I’ve returned here for what is my 4th trip in as many decades but I’m not bothered that this time might be a repeat of some elements of the last. For it doesn’t matter. Africa is aweinspiring anytime. While you’ve seen lions or elephants or zebras before it’s as if each encounter is freshly new. This trip focusses solely on South Africa and our experiences will be many – time in each of the main cities, Johannesburg and Cape Town, 3 nights on the impeccable Pride of Africa operated by Rovos Rail, golfing along the spectacular Garden Route, a stay at The Palace of the Lost City, and finally 3 days on safari within the Kruger National Park.

Most of our group have never travelled to Africa before and their reactions are predictable. They recoil at newspaper headlines stating that 72 people a day are killed here, so out of control is the gun situation. They wonder how the citizens can enjoy life still when their homes are patrolled by 24 hour security as the razor topped fences are insufficient deterrent to keep away criminal elements.

Yet the potential for evil co-exists with much beauty and wonderment and the wish that Mandela’s dream to truly unite black and white, where all citizens have equal opportunity, may one day come true. The caddies

who attach themselves to us, without invitation, are all black South Africans, representing each of the tribes native to this country and fluent in each other’s tongues. They share their stories only when we ask and all of us are moved by their plight that the $50 we pay them to be with us is but a third, or even half of their weekly income. Like us, they seek a better life for their families and every scrap of work is meaningful in a country with nearly 30% unemployment. We are pleased to employ them.

This is my second luxury train experience, and my first impressions are that it is indeed special. Unlike the Orient Express, every room has its own bathroom shower and toilet. The 10M square rooms are so beautifully and cleverly designed I feel as if I’m in an ultra-luxury motor home on tracks. The food is excellent, the staff thoughtful and friendly and I can sense that it’s going to be a fabulous 3 day interlude. Thus far, we’ve also enjoyed a dusk safari in Pilanesberg National Park which last time I visited seemed devoid of animals (hard to believe I know) but this time had everything in abundance. Including game vehicles, for this is a public park and unlike the private park concessions there is no control on the number of vehicles that may enter. As we stopped to view the pride of lions

so did 20 other vehicles travelling in both directions - eventually someone had to get out and direct the impasse which caused some excitement among the lions. Is that dinner I smell? So far so good on my latest African sojourn and I’m looking forward to the next 2 weeks. Apart from being an always excellent place to visit, much of this is homework on behalf of clients with dreams to visit in 2024. Africa is on the hot list and I am currently handling several safari enquiries for multi-generational family groups keen for a special once-in-a-lifetime trip. And also in 2024, we’ll bring back another group to enjoy the same wonderful experiences that we’re enjoying now.

For despite its issues, its problems, its inequalities, you can never have enough Africa in your life. You know where I am when it’s your turn to visit The Rainbow Nation.

Birds in Lane Cove gardens

WORDS: SUE INGHAM

We are so lucky to have remnant bushland in Lane Cove and birds visiting our gardens, but is it ‘natural’? Have you ever stopped to consider how our presence has altered the balance of nature and even the relationship between birds?

I have lived in Lane Cove since 1978 and even my untrained eye has noticed a change in the bird life in our garden. Birdlife Australia conducted an ‘Aussie Bird Count’ in October last year and concluded that the birds that they illustrated on their poster were the most numerous. Top of the list were the Rainbow Lorikeets for the ninth year in a row but missing from that list were small birds, apart from the introduced Sparrow.

Back in the 1980s I remember seeing Silvereyes and Wrens, the Superb Blue Wren flitting in and out of the low bushes, the female a plain brown but the male with spectacular blue flashes that apparently become more intense in the mating season. Why do we see so many Rainbow Lorikeets and don’t see the Wrens?

The answer is us – what we have made of our gardens. There are the obvious problems when pesticides and herbicides are used, predation by cats and disruption caused by noise and lighting. Pesticides not only harm the birds, they kill the bugs and insects the birds feed on, interrupting the whole food chain. It is a totally counter-productive action as small birds like Silvereyes are very efficient in removing the pests themselves. But there are other disruptions of nature that are less obvious.

As Lynne McLoughlin wrote in her book, “The Natural Environment of Lane Cove,” birds “…are not often considered as part of a functioning ecosystem in the bushland and the impact of our settlement on the birdlife is rarely realised.” There is a subtle balance between what we grow in our gardens and its effect on local birdlife. Different birds thrive in different environments and not only does a change in their environment affect them but those birds that adapt or

benefit from that change may displace other birds.

In the early years of colonial Australia, gardens developed under the influence of European traditions that favoured flowering plants and swards of green lawns, but the latter can be like a desert to small birds. Birds like the Fairy Wren prefer thickets of shrubs and especially prickly plants that provide protection from predators and security for their nesting sites which are often no more than a meter or so off the ground.

We also introduced plants and weeds such as lantana, privet and camphor laurel that provided a food source for big birds such as the Currawongs. They have increased in number and they not only displace the smaller birds, they attack and eat their chicks. Similarly, the visiting Koel, a migratory cuckoo, also enjoys the berry-producing plants and has grown in numbers. Although you rarely see one, you can’t miss the call of a mating Koel at night with its whoopwhoop rising in intensity. The Koel appropriates the nest of other birds to lay their own eggs and once hatched, the Koel pushes the other chicks out in order for it to be fed by the host. Wattlebird nests are their favourite and when the Wattlebirds increased in number, it was of benefit to the Koel.

The Wattlebirds, like a number of other birds, prospered from a change in garden fashion to native plants, particularly flowering grevilleas, bottlebrush and gums that provided nectar. This also favoured the Noisy Minor which likes an open woodland with a limited understory in contrast to the bushes preferred by smaller birds. The Noisy Minors form large groups which so aggressively defend their territory, they are considered to have contributed to the decline of other

Lorrikeet

Noisy Minor

Bottlebrush

Wrens

native birds, such as Robins, Thornbills and smaller Honeyeaters.

The great nectar eaters are the Rainbow Lorikeets and like all nectivorous birds, they help with pollination. They hang up-side-down in the trees to reach the flowers and transfer pollen from flower to flower. They are cheeky, intelligent and longlived: up to thirty years; and because we love their brilliant colours and enjoy them, we put out trays of seeds for them. They too have benefitted from our choice of flowering natives and because they are gang-birds and territorial, they displace other

birds, especially in competition for nesting sites.

So because of our preferences in the garden, we end up with fewer Wrens and many Lorikeets.

Advice can be had to help with making gardens a more balanced and birdfriendly place. Lane Cove council runs a Backyard Habitat program: Backyard Habitat program and the Lane Cove Bushland & Conservation Society holds plant stalls in the Plaza twice a year. They provide advice and plants indigenous to Lane Cove: https://lanecovebushland.org.au/

Currawong

Wattlebird

Silvereyes

GumFlowers

A tribute to survival

WORDS: MIKI OKA

I am sure we are all sick of hearing about the backyard bandit also known as the Australian brush turkey but I thought I'd offer a different perspective. Don't get me wrong, I am no fan of the destructive bird. Anyone who has a property between Brisbane and Wollongong knows what it is like to have their gardens torn up, holes dug in their lawns and other native species scared away by the big, black bully.

Even the most conscientious resident who makes sure they don't build mounds by raking up leaf litter, prunes tree branches to limit shady areas and protects their soft landscaping with hard covers like rocks and pebbles will find themselves victim to foraging brush turkeys that decimate gardens, raid compost bins and steal pet food. They certainly earn their bad reputation with their actions, almost as vilified as the sulphur-crested cockatoo and in some cases more so due to their persistence.

Unfortunately, there is not much that can be done about them as they are a protected species and any action taken against either them, their chicks or mounds carry an $11,000 fine or sixmonth prison sentence.

In the 1930's during the Great Depression when jobs and food were hard to come by people used the birds for meat and eggs, almost causing them to become extinct. These days they are not endangered as the brush turkey population has made a comeback, but the protection order still exists.

This is where my different perspective comes in.

There are a multitude of factors mean that every brush turkey that survives to adulthood is a miracle.

Between August and March, the male brush turkey works tirelessly to make a mound out of leaf litter and other compostable materials that is about 1.5m high and 4m across and the decomposing material heats the leaf litter to 33-35 degrees.

He subsequently calls for females to come mate with him and lay their eggs in his mound.

Using a sensor in his beak he maintains the temperature of the mound by either adding more material to heat the mound up or removing it to cool it down. He maintains and protects his mound for 50 days.

A small difference in temperature, either too cool or too hot, is all it takes to mean that the eggs don't hatch. Often when he is off searching for food predators like snakes and large lizards will come and eat the eggs. After the chicks hatch, they not only have to break out of their shells but they also have to dig their way to the surface of the mound which takes two days. After all that effort they are given no time to rest because despite having spent an inordinate amount of time on nest building, protection and maintenance the father brush turkey does not recognise his own chicks and immediately scares them away from the mound.

The new chicks are then left to fend for themselves with no training against all the other predators. Despite being able to fly mere hours after they clear the mound it is estimated that only one chick in every 200 eggs laid survives.

It is no wonder it has taken 90 years for them to return from the brink of extinction.

You have to admire a species that came that close to ceasing to exist and managed to recover through sheer force of will.

So next time we're all grumbling about our neighbourhood pests maybe we should remember a couple of things: they were here first and they are just doing everything they can to survive. The NSW Dept. of Planning & Environment website has advice on how to live with brush turkeys and minimise the damage caused by them. Miki took the photos while bush walking in Batten Reserve in Lane Cove

9160 9212

3/35 Alexandra Street

Hunters Hill NSW 2110

SMS US ON: 0478 916 069

BOOK ONLINE: www.maisondental.com.au

www.maisondental.com.au

Building Community

It’s March already. The busyness and excitement of the holiday period is now just a memory of good times amongst crowds at the fireworks, beach, cricket and The Canopy. And yet not everyone in a crowd is necessarily happy. The late comedian Robin Williams is quoted as saying “I used to think that the worst thing in life was to end up alone. It’s not! The worst thing is to end up with people who make you feel alone’’.

Many people believe that loneliness can never happened to them but in reality it is part of life. Being lonely from time to time is OK but persistent loneliness is a concern.

Loneliness and social isolation had a significant impact on people in both Australia and globally during the COVID-19 pandemic. New research shows that the health and social consequences of the pandemic will be felt for many years to come so now is the time to act to accelerate social recovery and build the strength of community.

The Lane Cove Community Chaplaincy is a member of Ending Loneliness Together – an Australia-wide organisation which aspires to address loneliness through both research and action. It holds the Vision ‘’imagine a world where everyone feels a sense of connection and belonging’’. What a fantastic aspiration!

The impact of loneliness is not restricted to particular age groups, gender or vocation. Those who suffer from the sense of loneliness often do so in silence – there-by deepening their sense of despair.

Phil McAullife [www.thelonelydiplomat.com], suffers from a sense of loneliness. He observes ‘’people do not know how to respond to someone who says they are lonely – typically they offer platitudes and then adopt distancing behaviours’’. The activities of the Lane Cove Community Chaplaincy provide safe and supportive ways to offer friendship and connection. Community groups, especially those offering the involvement and engagement of volunteers, present an opportunity for the lonely person. However, joining a new group activity can be daunting and requires courage and persistence.

Let’s do all we can to look after one another. A friendly smile and greeting can be both therapeutic and maybe the start of a new relationship. Make a personal commitment to invite new people to your activity as together we strive to build and sustain a resilient, supportive and respectful community. To learn more about Ending Loneliness Together, or if you are looking for someone to chat with, make contact with the Chaplaincy team.

Peter and the Chaplaincy team

P: 0410 489 161 (Pastor Rick)

E: lanecovechaplain@gmail.com

www.lanecovecc.com

Supported by Lane Cove Uniting Church

Hunters Hill Citizens honoured on Australia Day

Hunter’s Hill Council recognised outstanding achievements and welcomed new citizens in a ceremony at Bedlam Bay (26 January). Individuals and groups nominated by the community received Australia Day Awards, while nine others took part in an Australian Citizenship Ceremony.

John Reading was named Hunters Hill Citizen of the Year. A senior leader in education, he is well-known for his more than 40 years’ association with St Joseph’s College, as a teacher, sports coach, referee and administrator in rugby and rowing, and as a boarding master. He is also a founding member of the Hunters Hill Good Guys cycling group.

“I’ve lived in Hunters Hill for almost 60 years and I know there are so many extraordinary, talented, kind and compassionate Hunters Hill residents, so to be singled out in that company is certainly a very great honour,” John said.

“I’m also very proud to accept the honour to represent the teaching profession and represent the many teachers who live or work in Hunters Hill.”

Rohan Stannage was named Young Citizen of the Year. A competitive sailor and qualified instructor who works and volunteers in the sailing program at Hunters Hill Sailing Club, he has been involved in rescues and recoveries to shore. While in year 12, Rohan volunteered in support of the Hunters Hill High School learn to sail programs, and has coached young competition sailing squads.

Rohan said that the honour was a surprise and he was happy to be a part of the awards.

Sam Newton was named Sportsperson of the Year. Sam is a home-grown talent whose sailing career has included winning seven 18-foot skiff world championships, back-to-back SailGP championships with the Australian SailGP team, and Sydney to Hobart line honours onboard

Black Jack in 2021, as well as an America’s Cup in 2013 with Oracle Team USA.

He is in training for his 2nd Etchells world championship and with his SailGP team is involved in environmental education with young sailors and students.

“I’m honoured to receive this award,” he said.

“I’m very proud of the achievements my teams and I have accomplished over the past year.

“I love living, working an being a part of the Hunters Hill community.”

Hunters Hill Rugby Union Football Club was named Community Group of the Year.

Formed in 1892 it caters for a playing group ranging in age from 6 to 60, for men, women, juniors and ‘golden oldies’, of all abilities, with skill levels ranging from novices to internationals

The club has a well-established referee training program, and has successfully promoted a strong supporter and volunteering base, contributing to numerous off-field community events and charity fundraisers.

“It’s a great recognition of the work that’s done by hundreds of volunteers, the thousands of hours that are put in each year,” the club’s Vice-President Peter McFarlane said.

A Citizenship Ceremony was also conducted as part of the Australia Day event.

Nine people, with origins in Iran, Brazil, New Zealand, South Africa, Morocco, Taiwan and Hong Kong, took a pledge of commitment to become Australia citizens.

Councillor Andrew Zbik, Mayor of Lane Cove

P 0411 894 788

MARCH 2023

E azbik@lanecove.nsw.gov.au

Did you see that Lane Cove Plaza was alive with rainbow colours to support WorldPride? Sydney (and Lane Cove) put its best foot forward welcoming tens of thousands of people from all over the world to celebrate inclusivity, diversity and human rights. We hosted several events on the WorldPride calendar.

There has been interest from our community about access to walking tracks along the foreshore at St Ignatius College, Riverview. The walking tracks are on the school’s land. Council staff and I met with the school’s Principal Dr Paul Hine in February and we have agreed to work together to maintain public access to the foreshore along the River as far as practicable. I will keep you updated with further details.

Recycled Picnic Bench

You’ll notice a flash new picnic bench at Portview Road Reserve. Made from recycled plastics, it’s sure to impress in this lovely shady spot. Perfect for a picnic and perfect to help reduce plastics going into landfill.

Blackman Park

Blackman Park’s LED lights are beaming bright with the turf for the dog park now laid after we suffered a sinkhole last year. Surfacing under the agility equipment has also been refurbished. The dog park reopens this month – weather permitting. Construction on the new skate park will begin soon following community consultation on the design last month.

Clean Up Australia Day

An event that I have participated in many times is Clean Up Australia Day. Get involved with Council’s Clean Up Australia Day on Sunday 5 March at Blackman Park from 10:00ammidday. We'll clean up local areas while enjoying a beautiful bushwalk. All ages welcome, low – moderate fitness required. Bags, gloves and litter pickers provided

Community representative needed!

Could you help us determine development applications?

We're looking for a community representative to join the Local Planning Panel. You must live in the Lane Cove local government area and be committed to procedural fairness in decision making. Find out more and apply on Council’s website before Friday 24 March.

Did you know?

Soft plastics recycling is back! Book a free Power Pickup and RecycleSmart will collect your soft plastics from your doorstep and transport it to a facility in Victoria for recycling. Find out more and book your Power Pickup: www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/recyclesmart

What’s on Lane Cove March 2023

For more information and to book, please visit www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/events

First Fridays

Friday 3 March, 3:15pm - 5:00pm, Lane Cove Plaza

Bring the kids down to Lane Cove Plaza and join Sayoko Burton as we celebrate Autumn Harmony with Japanese paper-folding craft.

Clean Up Australia Day

Sunday 5 March, 10:00am to 12:00pm, Blackman Park, Lane Cove West Get involved with our Clean Up Australia Day as we join countrywide efforts to remove litter. We'll clean up local areas while enjoying a beautiful bushwalk. All ages welcome, low – moderate fitness required. Bags, gloves and litter pickers provided.

Book online:

www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/events

Small Business Breakfast –International Women’s Day

Helping Learner Drivers Become Safer Drivers

Wednesday 1 March, 6:00pm-7:30pm, online

This free workshop will offer practical advice for parents and supervisors of learner drivers including current driving rules and requirements for L and P platers.

Book online: www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/events

Creating a Butterfly Garden

Thursday 2 March, 7:00pm – 8:00pm, online

Join Dr Suzi Bond from the Butterflies Australia Citizen Science Project to discover more about our local butterfly species and gain tips on how to create a butterfly garden.

Book online: www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/events

Sexual and Gender DiversityWebinar for parents and carers

Thursday 2 March, 7:00pm – 8:30pm, online

Being a parent, grandparent, or primary carer of a LGBTQIA+ young person can be wonderful and enriching but can also seem overwhelming and confusing at times.

Join us as we provide information that can make a difference to the young person in your life. Suitable for parents and carers of young people aged 10 – 24 years old.

Book online: www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/events

Guided Walk for Silver Rainbow

Friday 3 March, 9:30am - 11:30am, meet at Lane Cove Plaza

As part of Sydney WorldPride celebrations, Lane Cove Council will host a guided walk around the Lane Cove area exploring our diverse mix of high street cafes and bushland nature.

Book online: www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/events

Rainbow Families Storytime

Friday 3 March, 11:00am – 11:30am, Lane Cove Library

Celebrate Sydney WorldPride 2023 at a special Rainbow Families Storytime event with inclusive stories, songs and craft at Lane Cove Library. All welcome. No booking required.

Wednesday 8 March, 7:00am – 8:30am, Terrace Function Room, free event

We’re celebrating International Women’s Day with a Small Business Breakfast. Founder and owner of accessories, homewares and fashion brand Zjoosh, Kellie Rigney shares her journey of small business success, core life lessons and how to pick yourself up and keep going.

Book online:

www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/events

Military History Talk – Australian Army Nursing Sisters: Our Forgotten Heroes

Thursday 9 March, 6:15pm – 7:45pm, Lane Cove Library

Hear prominent Australian playwright John Misto, BA LL.B discuss the Australian Army Nurses captured by the Japanese in World War II.

Book online:

www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/events

What’s on Lane Cove March 2023

For more information and to book, please visit www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/events

a beautiful riverside location. No experience needed and all equipment and guidance provided by Council.

Book online: www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/events

Ben's Book Club: Ben Hobson – The Death of John Lacey

Tuesday 28 March, 7:30pm – 8:30pm, online

Join bestselling author Chris Hammer as he swaps seats with Ben Hobson to discuss Ben's new novel The Death of John Lacey.

The Canopy Music Concert: FABBA

Saturday 11 March, 6:00pm – 9:00pm, The Canopy Village Green

FABBA will take you on a fantastic journey from Eurovision to Mamma Mia and places even the Priscilla bus hasn't been! $10 (plus booking fee) per person. Proceeds donated to Ruff Sleepers.

Book online: www.thecanopylanecove.com.au

Make Night Digital Technology Open Night

Thursday 16 March, 5:30pm - 8:30pm, Lane Cove Library

Explore 3D printing, laser cutting, soldering or the Cricut maker at your own pace. Bring your own idea to life or try out one of our self-paced project kits for beginners. For adults. Cost $5.00.

Book online: www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/events

In Conversation with Marc Bineham – The Money Sandwich

Tuesday 21 March, 6:15pm – 7:30pm, Lane Cove Library

Join us to hear Marc Bineham, former financial advisor, now money coach and speaker, as he shares his knowledge about low cost solutions to money, family and financial freedom.

Book online: www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/events

Kaleidoscope of Lane Cove

Friday 24 March, 3:30pm – 5:30pm, Lane Cove Plaza

Celebrate our vibrant community at the 2023 Kaleidoscope of Lane Cove event with live music, workshops and interactive stalls for all to enjoy.

Child Car Seat Safety Checking Clinic

Saturday 25 March, 9:00am – 1:00pm, Lane Cove Council Car Park

Get your child car seat checked, adjusted or fully fitted for free by an Authorised Restraint Fitter. Free clinic but any parts will cost extra. To book, call 9911 3536 or email roadsafety@lanecove.nsw.gov.au.

Tree Planting Sun(fun)day

Sunday 26 March, various locations and times

Spend some time caring for nature by planting a variety of native seedlings at

Book online: www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/events

Moments in Music – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Wednesday 29 March, 10:00am – 12:00pm, Lane Cove Library

Local musician Graham Ball discusses the highly influential, popular and prolific composer, Mozart.

Book online: www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/events

Lighten Up and Learn to Solder!

Friday 31 March, 2.30pm – 4:30pm, Lane Cove Library

Join us as we introduce you to some soldering basics involving circuits. Then get some hands-on experience as you solder your own lighthouse kit. For adults. Cost $5.00.

Book online: www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/events

WIN $60

AND DO SOMETHING GOOD FOR THE PLANET

By switching to GreenPower you can win a $60 Lane Cove Gift Card to spend in more than 90 local businesses, with multiple prizes on offer.

Lane Cove Council wants to reward residents who switch to GreenPower. Contact your electricity provider to switch to a GreenPower plan and complete the survey to win.

COMPETITION CLOSES FRIDAY 30 JUNE 2023

Enter now via the QR code or visit www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/greenpower

Celebrate diversity and inclusion in Lane Cove and beyond

Download the full program today at www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/festivals

This year’s Autumn Harmony Festival program features live music, Sydney WorldPride celebrations, workshops, Bushcare experiences, a special International Women’s Day event and more!

SIGNATURE EVENT: KALEIDOSCOPE OF LANE COVE

Drop by and celebrate our vibrant community at the 2023 Kaleidoscope of Lane Cove event with live music, workshops and interactive stalls.

FRIDAY 24 MARCH 3:30PM – 5:30PM

LANE COVE PLAZA FREE EVENT

Talking Dentistry

This month we’re talking restorative dentistry with Dr Andrew See who combines passion, artistic flare and extensive knowledge of dentistry to answer any questions you may have. He has advanced training in aesthetic and implant dentistry.

Reader’s question:

“I’ve been told that I don’t have enough bone to have an implant, is there anything I can do?”

Dr See says: For those who have been told they cannot receive dental implants due to insufficient bone, it can be discouraging and make the thought of a complete and healthy smile seem impossible. Dentures are undesirable for many people as they are removable and retain excessive amounts of bacteria around remaining teeth leading to disease. However, with advanced techniques in bone grafting, it is now possible for even those with severe bone loss to receive dental implants and achieve the smile they’ve always wanted.

Dental implants are a popular and effective way to replace missing or damaged teeth, but they do require a certain amount of healthy jawbone to support the implant. When the jawbone has become thin or shrunken due to injury or trauma, gum disease, or prolonged tooth loss, it may not be possible to place an implant without first performing a bone graft. Bone grafting is a procedure in which a small amount of bone is added to the site of the missing tooth. The graft provides a solid foundation, and as the graft heals, the new bone integrates with the existing jawbone to create a strong, stable base for the implant. In some cases, implants can even be placed simultaneously at the time of grafting, speeding up the whole process.

Advanced techniques in bone grafting and soft tissue grafting have made the procedure more precise and effective. These techniques not only increase the success rate of the graft but also help with faster recovery and with less discomfort. With advanced techniques in dental implants and bone grafting, even those who were once told they could not receive implants can now achieve a complete and healthy smile. If you’ve been told you are not a candidate for dental implants, it is important to seek out a dentist who has experience in these advanced procedures and can provide you with the best possible outcome.

Let’s look at a case we completed recently: Shaun saw us because he was missing some front teeth from a freak accident being hit in the face with a golf ball. The subsequent infection and extraction were traumatic and caused severe bone loss. He had been told that he couldn’t have an implant so he had been coping with a denture, but as a young man, it was becoming limiting for his social life. We used specalised instruments to precisely analyse his clinical situation to make a proper diagnosis about which treatment was appropriate for him.

THE PROBLEMS

• Missing front teeth in the smile zone

• Teeth that have been missing for 20 years.

• Deficient bone and gums.

THE SOLUTION:

• Bone and Soft tissue grafting using Shaun’s own tissue to grow back the bone and gums, then subsequent implant treatment to replace the missing teeth.

** Any surgical or invasive procedure caries risk. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner **

9816 4885 dr.andrewsee advanceddentistrysydney.com.au

DR ANDREW SEE BDS Hons (Syd), FRACDS, MSc(Lond), PGDipDentImplantology, FCGDENT(UK), FICOI, MFDS RCSEng

HOW ARE WE DIFFERENT?

Dr Andrew See has dedicated the last 20 years to Aesthetic Dentistry and has unique qualifications in cosmetic dentistry and rehabilitation.

This includes a three year Masters in Aesthetic Dentistry from the prestigious King’s College London and a Postgraduate Diploma in Dental Implantology.

Dr See completed his Fellowship by primary and secondary examinations for The Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons (FRACDS). FRACDS is the mark of professional achievement in dentistry and demonstrates attainment of an advanced level and skill in Dentistry.

If you have any questions you have always wanted to know about aesthetic or implant dentistry write to us at:

info@advanceddentistry sydney.com.au

What you wanted to ask your doctor but were too shy to ask…

Whenever I am at a gathering with strangers, invariably someone will ask what I do for work. If I answer truthfully that I am a doctor, it is not uncommon for it to be immediately followed up with a barrage of health questions – for example, being asked to inspect their skin mole if it looks cancerous, or for an explanation as to the cause of their chronic abdominal pains!

WORDS: DR CARL WONG

Interestingly, the questions I am asked by patients at my medical practice are quite different to the ones I get asked by strangers in other social situations. These everyday health questions I find are very fulfilling to answer. Maybe one of these below questions has been on your mind:

Can I catch a cold from being caught in the wet or in Contrary to popular belief, you can’t. Common colds are caused by viruses. We catch them when our immune system is run down (not enough sleep, unhealthy lifestyle). Common colds, influenza, COVID - all are easily passed onto other persons. Winter is more common to get these infections –not because of the cold weather itself, but because more people are in enclosed spaces together to avoid the cold weather, and thus pass on their infections to unsuspecting others.

Does cranberry juice cure a urine tract infection (UTIs)?

There is no strong evidence that this significantly prevents UTIs to warrant long term use of.

Does sugar really make my child hyperactive?

As much as we would like to blame the confectionary makers on this one, the likely reason is that kids tend to eat sugary foods at times where they are likely to be excitable anyway (birthday parties, holidays, movie theatres).

Why do I cry when I cut onions?

Cutting onions releases chemicals into the air which irritates our eyes. Prevention options include: refrigerating onions beforehand, wearing goggles when cutting, or just ordering takeaway food.

Is drinking a daily glass of wine good for my health?

This is a tricky one to answer. There is inconsistent evidence that low levels of alcohol consumption can help your heart health, but the proof is not strong enough to be part of

standard health guidelines. We do know more certainly that high levels can lead to an increased risk of strokes, dementia and many cancers. Always drink in moderation and per recommended consumption guidelines.

On TV or in the movies, why does the Heart Monitor always show a ‘flat-line’ before the hero doctor uses the defibrillator to save the patient?

My favourite groan-at-the-medical-show moment. In real-life, a flat line (called asystole) means that a defibrillator will NOT work for that person. The flat-line just looks more impressive for the soap opera drama.

Is staring at an eclipse bad for my eyes?

Staring at the sun and also at an eclipse can lead to solar burns to the back of the eye (retina) which can lead to temporary or permanent vision loss. The same risk is looking through a camera/smartphone lens. Best to use specialised solar eclipse glasses or watch it later on TV.

Is taking fish oil good for me?

Fish oil is recommended for conditions including heart disease (heart failure, high triglycerides cholesterol, and joint disease like rheumatoid arthritis). The doses needed varies and high doses may be needed. The downside: you might develop a fishy breath!

Does doing crosswords ward off dementia?

Mental stimulation and learning new pursuits has been shown to help (eg reading, crossword puzzles, painting, learning a musical instrument). A healthy lifestyle and diet, plenty of sleep and avoiding head injuries are also very important.

How much sleep do I need?

Adults need on average 7-9 hours a night. This is compared to 14-17 hours for a newborn baby. Older adults’ (>65 years) sleep requirements are similar to when they are younger, but often spend more time in bed. This increased bed-time is

Dr Carl Wong is a Lane Cove-based GP and sits on the board of Sydney Community Services.

Some everyday health questions answered

Local Radio

due to poorer sleep quality, often from medical conditions or having to get up to urinate during the night.

Is my acne worse because I eat chocolate?

Whilst chocolate itself is not a direct cause, having an unhealthy diet/lifestyle does contribute to bad skin. Therefore pubescent teenagers + junk food is not a good mix.

2RRR is Your Local Sound principally covering Ryde, Hunters Hill and Lane Cove LGAs. We broadcast on the 88.5FM band, online through 2rrr.org.au and a myriad radio apps including iHeart, TuneIn and the newly released Community Radio Plus app, amongst others, we extend our local voice to across Australia and the even the World.

Does cracking my knuckles/fingers lead to arthritis?

No, to contrary common belief. That cracking noise is caused by the bursting of bubbles in the synovial fluid (the lubrication liquid) within our joints. So though whilst not unhealthy, many bystanders hate hearing the noise.

How do I treat a snake bite or red-back spider bite?

We started as a small community radio station operating on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and today we broadcast 24/7, mostly live. Our station premises are situated and have been for the last 35 years at the historic, if not also haunted, Henley Cottage in Gladesville.

Limbs bitten by snake bites should be immobilised with a tight bandage starting at the bite, wrapping towards the fingers/toes and then back up to the groin/shoulders (do not try and suck out the venom from the wound). Red-back spider bites should be treated with an ice pack. Call 000.

Can I use cotton buds to clean my ears?

2RRR cover many genres with an emphasis on classic rock, country, and jazz dominating an orderly program schedule. Additionally, our programming extends to 20th century nostalgia, informative lifestyle-wellbeing, local sport and multilingual programs.

Essentially, we are a Not-For-Profit organisation vested as a Co-operative and most welcoming of Members, Presenters and Volunteers, supported by a seven-member Board and station management Employees.

Gaining popularity is our youth drive-time hour Mondays to Thursdays featuring local high school students providing an insight into current musical trends such as hip-hop and electronica.

Never! It can push the wax further in the canal and further impacting it. There is also a risk of poking too far, perforating your ear drum and causing hearing loss. Instead, use wax-softening ear drops from your pharmacy or see your GP for an ear-cleaning.

If your own questions were not answered here, save them up, so you can ask the next doctor you meet at a party. Just please let them have something to eat and drink first!

We do pride ourselves on staying in touch with community groups and organisations to relay news and events as well community outreach such as presently with The Northern Centre (domestic violence & refugees) and StreetWork (kids at risk) working within our LGAs.

Imagine what you could do if you had less knee pain?

It’s important for you to know…knee pain is not something you have to “live with.” Take a moment, close your eyes and imagine what else you could do today…if you didn’t fear your knee hurting or limiting you.

ARE YOU FINDING IT HARD TO:

• Walk without pain?

• Bend your knee?

• Go up or down steps?

• Get up out of a chair?

If you’d like to know more about living with much less knee pain, then this FREE special report is perfect for you. It details solutions to help avoid surgery, maintain independence and get back to moving pain free.

FOR EXAMPLE:

• How to ease your throbbing knee pain

• Discover the little-known way to exercise - without increased knee pain.

• A simple remedy for easing knee pain that will cost you nothing - perfect to stay active and mobile

• The one thing that you can change today to dramatically improve your knee pain

We care to share a recent milestone of the 90th birthday of our Life Member, Bruce Flarrety, also celebrating 26 years on the air with Tuesday Midday Jazz, and here shown with our youngest member Chris Davis (from Lane Cove) presenting our gift to Bruce, replacing well-worn headsets with a modern pair.

For details on ways to listen, membership, program guide, volunteering, and more, please go to: 2rrr.org.au.

OR EMAIL: lanecove@weareswitch.com.au

• The safest and most effective movements to ease your knee pain

There are many options out there to treat knee pain. But, many of them require you to take pills, take dangerous injections to your knee and WORSE end up with surgery!!

If you have had enough of your knee pain and want to take control of your health and you want to get back to playing golf, walking with friends or get down to the local shops without pain, then contact us for your FREE copy of “How to stop knee pain - 5 simple secrets without having to take pain killers or see the GP”.

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www.burnsbayphysiotherapy.com.au

Harrison Brown James Becerra

A million hectares of kelp forests need planting by 2040, and scientists need your help

The first global initiative to protect kelp forests sets an ambitious target of restoring one million hectares of the species by 2040 to reverse their drastic decline.

Marine ecologists from UNSW Sydney working to regrow kelp seaweed are calling on the public to participate in a global challenge to restore a million hectares of lost underwater forest by 2040.

The researchers are terming it “The Kelp Forest Challenge” to raise awareness for kelp forests and challenge everyone to work together towards a unified target. Individuals and businesses can share their time, resources, and expertise to help meet the goal.

The target area of kelp – which equates to an area about a sixth of the size of Tasmania – needs to be regrown in the next two decades to reverse a decline that has seen up to 95 per cent of the canopy disappear

in places like Tasmania and California. The grassroots movement also aims to protect an additional three million hectares of existing kelp forests in the same timeframe.

While similar habitats like coral reefs often get more attention, kelp forests are one of the most unique and productive ecosystems on earth. These vibrant underwater jungles of brown algae live in shallow waters off a third of the world’s coastlines and are incredible hubs of biodiversity. But threats like climate change and pollution have brought some kelp forests to the brink of extinction.

“Terrestrial forests and coral reefs have often been the focus of muchneeded protection and restoration in recent years, but kelp forests are just

as vital and are disappearing by the minute,” says Dr Aaron Eger, Founder/ Program Director of the Kelp Forest Alliance (KFA) and a marine ecologist from the School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Science.

“On land, we have powerful high-level initiatives like the Bonn Challenge to restore deforested landscapes,” says Professor Adriana Vergés, a marine ecologist from UNSW Science and a KFA director. “The Kelp Forest Challenge represents an equivalent ambitious target to protect and revitalise our underwater forests.”

Dr Eger says while a pledge can be monetary, any positive contribution towards kelp forest conservation projects can count.

“This initiative aims to encourage

and facilitate positive actions and communities that can protect what is remaining and restore what has been lost with an ambitious shared vision for ensuring our kelp forests and the benefits they provide thrive into the future,” Dr Eger says. “We have media and marketing companies working to help promote kelp forests, dive companies loaning the needed equipment, and aquaculture groups helping produce seed stock.”

According to their best estimates, restoring 1 million hectares of lost kelp forest will require an initial investment of $40 billion but will produce tens of billions of dollars each year through a coastal restoration industry comprised of fisheries, blue carbon, and tourism.

“If we are successful, we can restore billions of dollars in ecosystem services, create hundreds of thousands of jobs, and rebalance the ocean to a place of abundance and beauty,” Dr Eger says.

While most restoration projects to date have taken place on less than a hectare, larger-scale restoration is becoming more viable. Twenty organisations have already made pledges, including a 30,000-hectare

restoration project in South Korea.

“We have seen an acceleration in the size of projects and scale of success above 100 hectares now,” Dr Eger says. “As methods like transplanting are refined, knowledge is shared, and economies of scale emerge, the feasibility of this work will increase, and this project will only help accelerate it.”

The Kelp Forest Challenge targets were developed from intensive consultation among experts and those living and working in kelp ecosystems worldwide. It is led by the Kelp Forest Alliance, a UNSW-supported, researchdriven not-for-profit founded by Dr Eger, that brings together 450 kelp forest experts from 25 countries to accelerate the protection and restoration of kelp forests worldwide. “We compiled the best available information on the known distribution of kelp, their past declines, the costs of restoration, and the technical capacity to do a restoration to propose this target value. We then considered how these scenarios fit in with other global initiatives to protect and restore ecosystems, like the UN Decade for Ecosystem Restoration,” Dr Eger says.

The targets also align with the newly announced Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework to protect and restore ecosystems. The potential for kelp to sequester carbon dioxide means that it may also contribute to commitments under the Paris Agreement.

“We would love to work with governments to achieve these targets and mobilise funding for restoration projects,” Dr Eger says. “But we do not have time to wait for an international collation to form and create a target, the need to act is too pressing.”

While we may be unable to entirely halt climate change by restoring a kelp forest, any progress towards their restoration is still a positive contribution.

“We further hope that the positive action we are putting forward helps shift the conversation to a more equitable and sustainable future, not just for kelp forests but all ecosystems under threat,” Dr Eger says. “Alone we might be a drop, but together, we are an ocean.”

Lane Cove’s Canopy and Market Place, Boronia Park’s Harris Farms, Gladesville Shopping Village, Coxes Road Shopping Mall, North Ryde, Garibaldi Square on the Hunters Hill peninsula, Crows Nest Woolworths, various newsagents and the head office of Sydney Community Services at 1 Pottery Lane, Lane Cove.

Good "Shoulds" for the month of March

Well that’s February done. The heat, humidity and rain we’ve come to expect. And now it’s March. And what do you have to show for 1/6th of a year since New Year’s Eve? Probably more than you think but not as much as you’d hoped.

WORDS: CAROLYN SWINDELL

No problems though. March gives us 31 full days to get some things done before we start talking about the year being a quarter over.

So here are some practical ideas for things you can, nay SHOULD, focus on achieving in March (don’t worry, I’m not going to suggest you scrub anything or clean out gutters –this is a list of GOOD shoulds).

1. Eat a Hot Cross Bun every single day of this month Toast it and add butter. Fruit, no fruit, take your pick. Just do it. See, although the retailers have these things on sale now before the tinsel is even packed away (eye-roll), good manners suggest that the month of March is really the only full month of the year we should be scarfing these delicious little suckers down. So DO NOT WASTE THIS OPPORTUNITY.

2. Vote. We all have to go to the polls on March 25th and that’s actually an enormous privilege. It’s also an enormously good chance to participate in that most-Australian of electoral traditions – the democracy sausage. These are usually made by volunteers from the local public school so you’re doing good by eating well. But it’s also about embracing our culture. And the more we do this, the more it is likely to spread. Like, did you notice that the Super Bowl advertising was referring to McDonald’s as Maccas? This adoption of a Down Underism is a great leap forward for a country that had previously nicknamed their famous export Mickeys D’s or Golden Arches (eye-roll). If we could get our American friends to embrace the democracy sausage next, maybe we could even get them to embrace democracy (again), universal health-care and sensible gun laws. We can do it Australia. Eat that sausage sandwich on March 25th, make the world a better place.

3. Swim in the ocean. Around Easter, the water starts to get cold again. And unless you’re one of those hardy winter

swimming types (eye-roll), it won’t be this good again until January. Do it now.

4. Track down Easter Eggs that your children won’t see being sold in the petrol station. I won’t go into the reasons here, in case they are reading this, but you know why. Start looking now.

5. Shop local. Try to buy everything you need for the month of March within a 1km radius of The Village Observer distribution points. We did that 5km thing during Covid, we can manage this.

6. Watch the netball on TV – especially if you never have before. Better yet, go to a game and cheer on a Sydney team - the Swifts or the Giants. Since Australia defeated New Zealand in the first ever international netball match in 1938 (yeah!), we’ve pretty much dominated the world rankings. Super Netball season is about to start and if you want to watch top quality sport played by athletes who won’t get themselves on the front page of newspaper for the wrong reasons, do yourself a favour.

7. Ride a bike – but please, please, please, wear a helmet Not wanting to be a drag, but this year marks 40 years since my school friend died at age 13 from an entirely-preventable head injury on her bike in her own quiet suburban street. Bike-riding is the bomb. Looking after your head is just using your head.

8. Book yourself a holiday. Even if it’s just blocking the time in your diary and starting to save, it’s time to start planning your next bit of R&R.

Now, go forth and start ticking things off your list. If you get all of that done in March, you’ll end the month a hero. Thank me later.

Gallery Lane Cove + Creative Studios presents two new exhibitions by women artists for International Women’s Day.

In celebration of International Women’s Day, Gallery Lane Cove + Creative Studios presents two new exhibitions featuring works from female-identifying artists, as part of their inaugural International Women’s Day Exhibition Program. During March, the gallery will be showing a solo exhibition by local artist Jane Bodnaruk titled ‘is it over yet?’, and the group exhibition ‘Edition Four’ curated by artist-run-initiative More Than Reproduction.

The two exhibitions will address themes of womanhood, identity, and place through experimental art making processes and materials. The International Women’s Day exhibition program seeks to provide a platform for women artists to share their work, and support emerging creatives in Sydney.

More Than Reproduction (MTR) is a Sydney-based artist-run printmaking initiative, dedicated to strengthening printmaking practices in Australia. They strive to build a sense of creative community and provide a platform for artists in the early stages of their careers - specifically women and gender diverse creatives.

Every March, coinciding with the anniversary of the collective’s founding and International Women’s Day, MTR holds an exhibition of women artists curated from their monthly artist profile program. Marking the fourth exhibition in the annual ‘Edition’ series, ‘Edition Four’ seeks to spotlight

experimentation as a methodology within what is considered to be traditional printmaking processes of etching, linocut, serigraphy, lithography and monoprinting. The selected works push the boundaries of conventional printmaking, shifting mediums rooted in tradition into a contemporary and experimental place.

Featuring 15 women artists from NSW and ACT, it includes prominent emerging and mid-career artists Danielle Crenaune (represented by Australian Galleries), Carolyn Mckenzie Craig (Head of Printmaking, National Art School), and Linda Sok who is currently based in New York and was a finalist of the coveted 2022 Churchie Emerging Art Prize.

Alongside this dynamic show, Gallery Lane Cove + Creative Studios will also be presenting is it over yet?, a solo exhibition by Sydney-based artist Jane Bodnaruk. Through a series of delicate and intimate works, Bodnaruk interrogates how actions of care both connect and contrast with the value we put on textiles today, and how art can express a woman’s (often invisible) commitment to nurturing in daily, domestic life. Extending from a recent exhibition titled That was Then This is Now, Jane’s new offering archives headlines, actions and thoughts gathered from the past 3 years through embroidered tray cloths (or doilies). This new exhibition repositions itself into our post-lockdown and post pandemic context, where as the artist explains, “we are shrouded in a

As part of the IWD Exhibition Program, Gallery Lane Cove + Creative Studios is hosting an extensive lineup of public programs including artist talks and a combination of textile and printmaking workshops. Details can be found on the gallery’s website.

The two exhibitions will be showing at Gallery Lane Cove + Creative Studios from Wednesday 1 March until Saturday 1 April. Opening hours Tuesday - Friday 10:00am - 4:30pm and Saturdays 10:00am - 2:30pm.

Public Program information available at www.gallerylanecove.com.au/events

‘COVID-fog’, forgetting what we did (and didn’t) do.”

Frontline Annabelle McCewen - Contoured Form Isolate

Charlotte Fetherstone MPP5

What I watched on TV…

While our esteemed reviewer Stephen Miller takes a well earned rest, the Editor gets settled on the sofa and gets a little too comfortable…

Nolly (Foxtel)

For two decades, the British soap opera Crossroads drew in 14 million viewers, and at the helm of the show was Meg Mortimer, played by Noele Gordon. This mini biopic, with Helena Bonham Carter (fresh from being Princess Margaret in The Crown) sublimely taking on the part of Nolly, is luminescent and poignant, played out against a backdrop of huge social change in the UK.

Why you should watch it:

If only to see HBC merge Received Pronunciation with a Brummy accent

Monty’s Don’s Adriatic Gardens (ABC iView)

Nothing quite calms the brain than a travel and gardening show combined. Add in the knowledge and gentle, enthusiastic delivery of Monty, and all is well in the world. Don hotfoots it from Venice, down the Dalmatian Coast to Dubrovnik, across to Athens and finally Hydra, visiting private and public gardens and national parks. It is achingly beautiful and educational, even for those whose thumbs aren’t green.

Why you should watch it:

To see the amazing footage of Plitvice Lakes National Park

Poker Face (Stan)

Surely now the TV actress of our time, Russian Doll’s Natasha Lyonne is once again incredible and magnetic. She plays Charlie, who has an extraordinary ability to determine when someone is lying. On the run from trouble herself, Charlie is an outsider with a good heart and a strong moral compass. Each weekly episode is a cover up waiting to be uncovered by bold, courageous Charlie.

Why you should watch it: If you like Glass Onion and Knives Out, it comes from the same creator

The Last of Us (Foxtel)

There’s a lot of noise about this postapocalyptic, post-pandemic, zombie show and rightly so. Although it moves in a genre that has almost been wrung out, it brings a fresh lens and an unexpected plot. The series follows Joel, a smuggler tasked with escorting the teenage Ellie across a postapocalyptic America. Based on a 2013 video game of the same name. Why you should watch it: Comedian and TV superstar Nick Offerman goes serious for this one

Your Place Or Mine (Netflix)

This one’s a movie. It could also mark the official return of the Rom Com (that could be a good or bad thing of course). It’s top notch glossy, staring Reese Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher - two long-distance best friends who swap homes for a week and start seeing each other in a new and romantic light. It’s written and directed by Aline Brosh McKenna (The Devil Wears Prada, 27 Dresses).

Why you should watch it:

It’s a whole load better than the Julia Roberts, George Clooney 2022 romcom attempt

The Oscars (Channel 7)

The Hollywood show is being shown locally on March 12. Not sure if we can expect a punch-up this year, but there are some serious contenders, plus there’s no safer Oscar-night bet than Cate Blanchett for Best Actress for her leading role in the film Tar. Definitely worth cheering on a local girl. Get the popcorn at the ready.

Why you should watch it: Well…it does go on for ages, so perhaps YouTube Ms Blachett’s acceptance speech

100 Words Contribution

So you want to be a writer? The Vomit Draft

Tony waited outside the gabinetto at Cafe DeFrancesco for 30 minutes and his patience was wearing thin. He was a nervous wreck, after receiving an invite to a sit down with Genco Abbandando, Consigliere of the Corleone family. The meeting could go either way. He could leave with a peaceful resolution, or in the trunk of a car. The conversation would be about money… always money.

Desperation eventually overtook reason, as Tony unleashed a tirade of Sicilian curses on the hapless, unknown occupant.

When the gabinetto door finally opened, he was met with the disapproving gaze of Don Vito Corleone.

Perihan Bozkurt, Lane Cove

Words: Nicole Lenoir-Jourdan, casual academic at Western Sydney University and Macquarie University

How do you write a novel? The advice espoused by all the greats from Hemingway to Allende is just to write. Neil Gaiman sums it up, “This is how you do it: you sit down at the keyboard and you put one word after another until it’s done. It’s that easy, and that hard.”

It is that hard. But the vomit draft method is here. It’s a way to burn those blank pages with words so you have something to edit. The genius is in the editing (but that’s another topic.) Once you give yourself the permission to write badly you are on your way to a draft.

So here are the vomit draft phases. The temptation phase

Temptation begins as a great idea. Adrenaline pumps from this notion of having a story and becoming a writer. Yet it’s not healthy for the idea just to eat away at your mind or go stale. Get your idea out and to the world.

And thus the prodomal or pre ejection phase of the vomit draft begins.

This is the stewing of the idea inside your brain. It simmers. It gets added to and soon it is ready for ejection.

The ejection phase

The anthropologist arrived on the remote Isle of Flores, Indonesia, to study the skeletal remains of a unique species of human, measuring only one metre in height. The bizarre discovery gained international media attention, as the now extinct inhabitants were nicknamed, “the Hobbits”.

On his first night, he camped near the excavation site. When the last embers of the fire dimmed, he was fast asleep.

Meanwhile, the nocturnal creatures awakened, with sounds of owls, bats, Komodo dragons and a strange scurrying noise in the dense vegetation. Emerging from the darkness, it slowly crept closer and closer, towards the sleeping giant.

Perihan Bozkurt, Lane Cove

The ejection phase is about expelling all your ideas on to paper or the computer. Don’t worry about what you write. Just get the story down. Don’t wait for that perfect sentence to come to you, it may never come and if it does, you may edit it out along with that darling chapter that you loved.

The feeling better phase

Once the story is down on paper, you can come up for air. Reward yourself. You now have the beginnings of a great novel. There are so many words of advice about becoming a writer and here is one to keep in mind when you are thinking about giving up. It’s from Richard Bach, “A professional writer is an amateur who didn't quit.”

TOP 4 BOOKS TO READ THIS MONTH

The Monster of Her Age

by Danielle Binks

Victory City by Salman Rushdie. Salman Rushdie at his very best – a magical realist tale with a message for us all –that power is fleeting but stories last for ever.

How to Kill a Client

by Joanna Jenkins

A fast paced and wickedly funny thriller about power and revenge from a debut Australian author.

“Keeps you gripped ... The perfect tonic for anyone who has had a difficult client”

Red Carpet Oscars

by Dijanna Mulhearn

An extensive and sumptuous look at the fashion on the most famous red carpet of them all spanning over 90 years.

Just William, William Again, More William and William the Outlaw all by Richard Crompton

Updated, fun new editions of these much loved children’s classics published to celebrate the 100th year anniversary of Just William. ‘William is as fresh and funny as ever” Chris Riddell.

WORDS: ELIZABETH ALLEN

Lovinger House, a gothic mansion in Hobart, has been home to generations of the Lovinger acting dynasty. It is here that seventeenyear-old Ellie Marsden gathers with other members of her complex family tree because her grandmother (and famous film star), Lottie Lovinger, is dying. As a child Ellie acted alongside Lottie in an indie horror film that later became a cult classic. The experience has left Ellie traumatised and estranged from Lottie and other family members, negatively defining her existence for years.

The source of Ellie’s trauma is gradually revealed in a way that builds a sickening suspense. The reader learns that the techniques used by the director of Blood  Jacaranda were deeply unethical and pushed Ellie beyond her limits to get her iconic performance as the film’s werewolf “monster”. It isn’t until Ellie meets a young woman, Riya, who is the founder of a feminist horror film collective that she starts to unravel her past and come to a point of understanding about what she has been through.

Binks is a champion of the #LoveOzYA movement which aims to provide exposure and community for Australian young adult authors in a market often swamped by their American counterparts. In 2015 Binks wrote an online article for Kill Your Darlings magazine in which she stated: “We need to celebrate the enormous talent within Australian Young Adult literature – founded by literary legends like Ruth Park, Robin Klein, Victor Kelleher, Nan Chauncy, Patricia Wrightson and so many more who helped shape our national identity.”

This young adult novel embodies inclusivity and diversity – in terms of sexuality, race, religion, and disability – but not in a way that is didactic or clunky. The varied makeup of the characters’ lives and the intersectionality they inhabit isn’t laboured over; it simply who they are. Binks is preoccupied with the capacity for Australian stories, in film or in print, to let us see ourselves. She imagines a fictional history of a flourishing Australian film industry which was all but non-existent for decades. She also explores the feminist implications of horror films and Final Girls (the female protagonists who endure and survive). As Riya puts it: “… horror is the one genre that puts women’s fears and insecurities under the spotlight, only to be overcome.” (p247) Ellie is a quintessential Final Girl and it was delightful and enriching to spend 253 pages with her.

Elizabeth will be reviewing all types of books – children’s, fiction, non-fiction, poetry and more. She is an accomplished writer and is the children’s literature specialist at Burns Bay Bookery. www.thepoetelizabethallen.com

Glimpses of another world - Yusuf and the sacrifice

1978. Guy Hallowes, as General Manager, together with a Production Manager and an Accountant were sent by South African Breweries (SAB) to Botswana to rescue a brewery business, started by a German company, which had run into all sorts of trouble. The business was owned 50/50 by The Botswana Government and SAB. Guy said, “I had no idea of some of the issues I would have to deal with.” Yusuf and the Sacrifice is just one story from his time there.

Yusuf, our very competent Jordanian engineer, had dedicated every possible moment of his last few years to the success of the operation. He lived in a house on the Brewery premises and often spent eighteen hours a day underneath some rotten piece of equipment.

From the very early days of our involvement, he used to pop into my office, often just for a chat, usually with some cotton waste and an offending and often broken piece of equipment in his hand. Thin, not very tall, wiry Yusuf, with his short greying locks, usually dressed in a greasy overall and always with a smile on his face.

Initially the business had used returnable bottles because much of the market in neighbouring South Africa used returnables. To save money, and not understanding the environment, the German management had installed cheap and wholly unsuitable bottle washers, which were quite incapable of washing the bottles properly once they had been returned to the brewery to be used again. Inevitably, a variety of foreign objects from the dry dusty country that is Botswana - mice, cockroaches, spiders to name but a fewfound refuge in the bottles.

The result was that many unhappy customers found that included in their beer or soft drink was some ghastly, unwanted foreign object.

The brewery business had a very high profile, since it was a part of the Government of Botswana’s modest attempt to rid themselves of dependence on neighbouring apartheid-driven South Africa.

Within weeks of the brewery marketing its first beers on the market, negative articles started to appear in the Botswana Daily News from various sources; one article featured a photograph of a Mr Molefe, who resided in Old Naledi, a shanty town situated on the southern border of Gaborone, the Capital City of Botswana. Mr Molefe was gazing unhappily at a Prinz-Brau beer with a small, obviously dead, mouse stuck in the throat of the bottle he was holding. Soon there were similar complaints from all over the Country from both the Company’s beer and soft drink products.

Inevitably, as we had warned them the Botswana Government asked us to ‘come and rescue’ the business.

As part of the changes we found necessary, two offending bottle washers were removed, but were still standing forlornly in the outer part of the brewery premises, waiting to be collected by a scrap dealer.

In the middle of helping to supervise the installation of a much larger and more robust washer, Yusuf popped over to see me saying: “Mr. Guy (he always called Mr Guy, despite my entreaties asking him to just refer to me as Guy), these old washers still have very bad evil spirits inside and we need to get rid of them.”

“Yusuf, what do you have in mind?”

“We must make sacrifice.”

“OK,” I said, wondering what I was letting myself in for; sacrifices were way out of my experience. “What do you suggest?”

“I will buy a big male goat.” He said. “We will then sacrifice goat on the top of washer, with all brewery people watching. They must all know the bad spirits have been chased away.” He then added, “We can all then eat goat at my house. Your wife and all the wives of management people can come and eat as well.”

So that is what we did. On a Friday afternoon timed so both the outgoing day shift and incoming night shift were present, Yusuf himself, with a firm grip on the unfortunate goat, stood on the top of one of the old bottle washing machines, muttering incantations which none of us understood. He expertly slaughtered said goat, with me and most of the workforce surrounding the offending bottle washer looking on in amazement.

The next evening, my wife and some of the other wives of brewery personnel sat in the kitchen with Yusuf’s wife, while we men were served goat meat in Yusuf’s small lounge. There was never ever again any hint of the presence of evil spirits in the business.

I suppose the lesson for all of us is to at least understand other people’s beliefs, whatever our own views might be.

ART WITH LOCAL ARTIST ROS GERVAY

Painting for beginners: How to get started

A new brand of artist has emerged: the "pandemic painter" - a fresh creative who took to the paints for the very first time during the covid lockdown. Many of those artists are still painting and some are even building their profiles as emerging artists. If that's you, hurrah!

But if you missed the boat, there's no time like the present to start your art adventure no matter how humble your creative dreams are Your 4-Step Guide to Getting Started with Painting

Determine your why. The key to success in any considered pursuit is knowing the reasons for starting your escapade. Why are you looking to create? Is it for the process and the visceral joy of making marks on a page? Is it for a challenge and a desire to expand and explore new realms? Is it for the buzz and pride of finishing an artwork?

Check your cupboards. Have a look to see what art supplies you already have on hand and yes, kids' art supplies are AOK at this early stage! So is a basic pencil or biro or tablet if you want to explore digital art. For extra supplies, take a visit to Art Scene or Officeworks or buy online through Art Shed Online or Art Supplies Australia.

Go wild! It's time to play and explore the basics. Brushstrokes! Colour mixing! Wet on wet painting technique! Now is your time to experiment without pressure on the outcome. Get to know your tools and your mediums.

Report back! I'd love to hear how you go so I can support you on your journey. Reach out via my Instagram @rosgervayart or my website www.rosgervayart.com - I adore cheering new creatives like you on!

And a quick tip: Choose self-kindness especially while you're new to art. Choose gentle growth. Choose to only compare yourself to who you were (and how you painted) yesterday. If you can do this, I can promise you that you’ll look back a year from now and be amazed at how far you’ve come! All you have to do is start.

www.rosgervayart.com

@rosgervayart

COOK WITH BERN THE CHEF

Let’s get the Fig outta here!

Fresh figs, baked figs, made into a jam, in a pudding, on a pizza, in my mouth I will cram. Every day, every way, in a crumble, in a pie, go look in the shops, Play eye spy! Choose the figs that are not too soft, have a little give, but definitely not squashed.

Weird looking on the outside, these inverted flowers have the glory on the inside - like me . They love almonds, walnuts, pistachio and hazelnuts, most cheese, rosemary, thyme, bacon, ham & duck. Citrus, warm spices, crunchy pastry, coffee & toffee.

Green skinned are firmer, sweeter and best for drying and desserts, their insides stay resistant longer, fantastic for dipping in caramel and serving with ice cream.

Black skinned figs are delicious smooshed onto ricotta toast and drizzled with honey. They love attending the cheese platter, blue, brie, mild feta and washed rind all love figs!

Diced and added to raspberries or pears, figs are magic covered with almond frangipane and baked for a delicious dessert.

• 100g butter, softened

• 100g caster sugar

• A pinch of sea salt

• 1 teaspoon of baking powder

• 2 eggs

• 140g ground almond meal

Add one or two of the following - 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, 1 teaspoon of grated fresh ginger, zest of one lime/orange or lemon/ ½ teaspoon of ground cardamom/cinnamon or nutmeg. 2 tablespoons of honey, Amaretto, Frangelico or Brandy.

Cream the butter and sugar together till light and fluffy- either in a mixer or by hand with a whisk. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each, fold in the sea salt, baking powder and almond meal and your chosen personality boosting ingredients.

Into a ceramic or glass baking dish, pour in your frangipane mixture, and top with diced fresh figs, pears and/or berries. Bake at 160 degrees for 20-25 minutes till golden brown and fruit is collapsed and jammy. Perfect with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream.

Figs as a savoury course love soft white cheese. If you’ve got a pizza addiction, try whipped feta, smeared onto a pizza base, include a couple of tablespoons of caramelised onions, shredded pancetta, add some halved figs, inside side up, drizzle with olive oil and bake. Balsamic syrup trickled over straight out of the oven with a handful of fresh rocket leaves is manna from heaven!

I love to grab some dried Iranian figs from OC Foods in Artarmon for a cheese platter accompaniment. Into a heavy based pot, I add 1 kilo of dried figs, 2 litres of tawny port, and 1 kilo of brown sugar. Plus a couple of cinnamon sticks, a couple of cloves and peel from one orange. Simmered till syrupy, these figs can be poured hot into sterilised jars, left to cool, these figs will keep in the fridge for all of winter. Delicious on the cheese board, also snuggled into an apple crumble for extra richness, or spooned along a slice of sticky date pudding. Figgen Great www.bernthechef.com.au

Are you searching for your village?

• Are you a new mumwithout a mum’sgroup?

CRICKET NEWS COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

Areyoulooking to make connections for you and your little one?

Doyouwanttoaskquestionsaboutmotherhoodandchilddevelopment withotherwomenanddiscuss together with a specialist –free of charge?

 MIXED SOCIAL GOLF

ANC golf established 1955 are looking for new members. Demographic 50+ WHERE: games are played at 6 different courses on the Lower North Shore. WHEN: every second Sunday. Feb - Nov.

COST: $50 pa ( to cover cost of prizes) plus prevailing green fee.

Gordon achieves a clean sweep

REQUIREMENTS: no handicap necessary. Understanding the basic rules and etiquette of the game required.

CONTACT: robertharrington141@gmail.com or petersmith55@aapt.net.au

a community of women who support other women & children. We invite you to a weekly morning tea where can meet other mothers, share your stories, learn something new and perhaps even find your village.

 Pizza + Movie Nights @ Longueville UC Hall, 47A Kenneth St, Longueville. TIME : 6.30pm Pizza; 7.15pm Movie

Tuesday 7 March : “Sometimes Always Never” – British comedy/drama of a stylish tailor who spends years looking for his missing son who stormed out over a game of scrabble....starring Bill NIghy, Sam Riley and Jenny Agutter.

Tuesdays for 4 weeks from March 14 –April 4th, 10 -11.30am

Tuesday 4 April : The Italian Job - British comedy about a gang of ex-cons attempting to steal gold bullion being transported through the city of Turin Italy, climaxing with the famous 3 MiniCooper car chase. Starring Michael Caine, Noel Coward, Benny Hill and Rossano Brazzi. Bookings essential on 9428 4287 or 9427 4740

Children up to the age of 2 are welcome to attend. There will be staff on hand, however childcare is not provided.

Cost : $10 – the best value pizza/movie combo anywhere ! BYO drinks

 Time4U - Every Wednesday @ 10am

Child&familyspecialist visits available questions, discuss concerns or chat to a professional support services also available on site

Friendly and fun mornings with home-made morning tea in St Andrew’s UC Hall, 47A Kenneth St, Longueville. We are revisiting rural towns with the fascinating ABC series “Backroads” and the new series, four seasons in “Scotland”. Enquiries : Frank on 9427 3215. Cost $5.00

Tuesday holiday programs available for older children more information

9428 4929 or 9971 4499Vicky.c@wacf.org.au

Women & Children First Nurturing Mother’s Group

Are you searching for your village?

www.womenandchildrenfirst.org.au

Are you a new mum without a mum’s group?

Are you looking to make connections for you and your little one?

Do you want to ask questions about motherhood and child development with other women and discuss together with a specialist – free of charge?

We are a community of women who support other women & their children. We invite you to a weekly morning tea where you can meet other mothers, share your stories, learn something new and perhaps even find your village.

Tuesdays for 4 weeks from March 14 – April 4th, 10 - 11.30am

 Children up to the age of 2 are welcome to attend. There will be staff on hand, however childcare is not provided.

 Child & family specialist visits available

 To ask questions, discuss concerns or chat to a professional

 Family support services also available on site - Every Tuesday

 School holiday programs available for older children

- Enquire for more information

9428 4929 or 9971 4499

Vicky.c@wacf.org.au

www.womenandchildrenfirst.org.au

Gordon Cricket Club (the Stags) completed an impressive clean sweep in NSW Premier Cricket winning their two-day fixtures in all grades against CampbelltownCamden (the Ghosts) in Round 12.

The first grade team bounced back into the winners’ circle declaring at 9/394 on the first day and then bowled their opposition out for 274. Most of the damage was done by young pace duo Callum Bladen 5/54 and Nick Toohey 3/67.

Second grade also had a convincing win by putting 279 on the board and then bowling the Ghosts out for 122. Leg spinner Smit Doshi had outstanding figures of 5/33 and was ably assisted by Luke Callanan with 3/36.

In third grade Kieran Krishnan scored an amazing 158*, after openers Thomas Siede (92) and Jayllen Naganayagam (97) compiled an opening stand of 147 runs. Declaring at 5/401, the Stags bowled Campbeltown-Camden out for 188 thanks to Jackson Saggers (5/35) and Thomas Siede (5/42) who combined to take the final 7 wickets for just 8 runs.

Fifth Grade also got the chocolates with an 87 run victory.

The best result of the weekend though was in a low scoring affair in fourth grade where the Gordon team achieved an outright victory. In the first innings Gordon bowled Campbelltown Camden out for 96 before being bowled out themselves for 131. In the second dig Gordon knocked over Campbeltown-Camden for just 40 runs and scored the 6 runs required for the loss of one wicket to achieve the outright. Charlie Gwynn was the star of the show with 5/35 in the first innings and 4/13 in the second. Nishanth Balaguruswamy also picked up an incredible 4/1.

There are three more games left in the season with three of the grades fighting for a finals berth.

A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO, GILL BATT

Lastmonth saw so many of you ‘Celebrate Together’ for the NSW Seniors Festival, gather with friends, meet new people, discover different activities, learn new skills all while helping to improve your health and well-being. It was fabulous to see so many of our local seniors enjoying all the events Sydney Community Services had on offer. This included the very practical and helpful Minimise Falls Workshop, our Celebrate Together Luncheon, the hugely popular High Tea at The Meeting House where our Community Advisor spoke about the advantages of registering with My Aged Care, the return of the Henley Garden Party, and finally the variety musical performance given by the Lane Cove Choristers.

So, ‘what now’ you may ask, after such a busy month? There is no reason we can not continue to celebrate seniors. The NSW Seniors Festival may be over for another year, but Sydney Community Services offers many local activities and services every month at various locations. There is something for everyone – different activities for different interests and abilities, with special events popping up each month.

At our Lane Cove Hub at 1 Pottery Lane, Lane Cove, there is an assortment of social activities for local seniors. We offer scrabble, social bridge, solo, Rummikub, Mah Jong, movement classes, book club, table tennis, and the Boomers Mens Group tailored for men who like to socialise and visit interesting places. And this month make sure you join us for our Winter Fashion Parade on 30th March. Have some fun, enjoy the morning tea and lucky door prizes, all while adding to your winter wardrobe!

You may not know, but The Meeting House at 23a Stokes Street, Lane Cove North also offers activities and outings for local seniors. Each month you can attend

trivia, movie days, morning teas, and lunches with live music. The Meeting House also provides social outings on Mondays and Wednesdays to a variety of venues each month. And if you require transport to the shops, The Meeting House, with their friendly helpful bus driver, can provide this on Tuesday and Thursday. Also, if you are looking for a book to read but do not want to venture to the shops, then visit the fabulous street library. It is out the front of The Meeting House for all the local neighbours to enjoy. The next trivia lunch is on Monday 27th March – make sure you reserve your place and test your general knowledge.

We also run other activities out of the Seniors Hub, Hunters Hill Hub, 46 Gladesville Rd, Hunters Hill. This Sydney Community Services Hub includes excursions, picnics, and wellness activities. Local seniors can take advantage of the door-to-door transport and the nutritious snacks and meals offered, as well as the many places of interest and beauty visited around Sydney. This Hub also provides a Social Support Program for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities. This is a caring and friendly service which encourages social inclusion of older people, or younger people with disability, from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

With so much to choose from there is no reason to not get involved. Sydney Community Services wants to continue celebrating and supporting active ageing of our local seniors no matter where you are on life’s journey. And if there is an activity or event not on offer, or you have questions about what is on, do not hesitate to reach out. We would love to discuss how we can further support community participation, boost health and well-being, develop skills, and enable independence.

Become an Aged Care and Disability Support Worker

Supporting people to live full and independent lives in a trustworthy, safe, enjoyable, and inclusive way.

Are you looking for a rewarding career where you can make a significant difference to the lives of seniors and those living with a disability, in a supportive, flexible, working environment?

If you enjoy helping others, are compassionate and sensitive, dedicated, patient, discrete, flexible, and are culturally aware, then this could be the role for you.

Why work with us? The Aged Care and Disability Support Worker will provide expert care and support services to clients and participants to increase their independence, social inclusion, and recreation skills.

You will require a car and a clean and current NSW driver’s licence, and in return for your passion and dedication, Sydney Community Services can offer a rewarding career with variety, a flexible work schedule, an above average SCHADS award level, ongoing supervision and training, as well as paid travel during shifts.

Find out more. If you would like to find out more then get in touch. We would love to hear from you and have you join the team.

P: 02 9427 6425 E: support@sydneycs.org

The full job description can be viewed here: (https://www.sydneycs.org/join-the-sydney-communityservices-team/)

WHAT’S ON MARCH 2023

Park View Cafe

Monday 13th March

12noon - 2pm

Lane Cove Hub Activities

HEAD OFFICE

1 Pottery Lane, Lane Cove

P: 9427 6425

Cost: $20 includes 3 course lunch

Limited local transport $5

Book Club

Monday 20th March

1.30-2.30pm

Cost: $5 inc book and afternoon tea

Movement Matters

Tuesdays and Wednesdays

Call for details

Mah Jong

Wednesdays 1.00-3.45pm

Cost: $5 inc afternoon tea NEW PLAYERS please call prior for registration.

Scrabble

Thursdays 9th and 23rd March. 10am - 12noon

Cost: $5 inc morning tea

Social Bridge / Solo / Rummikub

Thursdays 12.30-3.30pm

Cost: $5 inc afternoon tea

Table Tennis

Fridays 12.00-4.00pm

Cost: $5

Hunters Hill-Ryde Hub Activities

46 Gladesville Road, Hunters Hill

P: 8598 7051

Hunters Hill

Seniors Hub

All-day tailored program for seniors, from Monday to Friday. The program includes excursions, picnics, and wellness activities. Door-to-door transport and nutritious meals and snacks catering for all dietary requirements are included.

Cost: $35.00

Contact us for a monthly program.

E: rliu@sydneycs.org

Room available for Hire

@ The Meeting House Hub

23a Stokes St Lane Cove

Meeting House Hub Activities

23a Stokes Street

Lane Cove North

P: 9003 1399

• Large double room

• Outside area

• Plus kitchen

Cost: $55 per hour incl GST

For pricing and info

please contact:

P: 9003 1399

E: support@sydneycs.org

Seniors Social Support:

For Afghan, Chinese, Iranian, Italian, and Spanish seniors

Each group is supported by bilingual staff and volunteers to meet and share their cultural heritage and interests. Social inclusion activities such as excursions, cultural celebrations, English language conversation classes, wellness activities and information sessions are offered to all CALD communities in the Greater Sydney area.

E: tliu@sydneycs.org

Senior Services

Seniors Social Bus Outings

Mondays and Wednesdays

Contact us for details

Monthly trivia and lunch

Monday 27th March

10.30am - 1pm Cost: $30

E: jvenn@sydneycs.org

Seniors Shopping Bus

Tuesdays and Thursdays

Return trip from your home to Lane Cove shops. Cost: $12

E: jvenn@sydneycs.org

The Velveteens

2nd Tuesday each month

10am – 4pm

Join us for morning tea before heading off to a different venue each month.

If you are over 65, registered with My Aged Care, have a referral code for Social Support Group and are totally independent then contact us for more information.

Cost: $20 (does not include lunch/beverages)

E: rliu@sydneycs.org

Seniors Hub every Friday

Centre Based Service for over 65 year olds.

Providing a safe, warm and engaging environment for people who would like to spend more time with other seniors. The hub offers a tailored program providing a break for family carers.

For more details contact Rosemary

E: rliu@sydneycs.org

support@sydneycs.org

ENQUIRIES AND BOOKINGS FOR ACTIVITIES: 9427 6425

BOOMers Mens Group

BOOMers is for senior independently mobile men who enjoy an opportunity to socialise and visit interesting places in the company of other men.

When: Fridays

Departs: 10.00am from Lane Cove Hub, Pottery Lane

Returns: 2.00pm

Cost: $20 including morning tea and lunch

E: hheggie@sydneycs.org

Older Women

Exercise Class

Tuesdays

Strength and balance exercise

Time: 10.00 am – 11.00 am

Cost: $12.00

E: ccampion@sydneycs.org

Day Trips for Seniors

Tuesdays and Fridays

Weekly, full and half-day trips, Door-to-door transport. Visiting places of interest and beauty, around Sydney and its surrounds.

E: hheggie@sydneycs.org

Disability Supports

Group community access activities from Monday – Friday in centres and community.

Activities include drama ensemble, creative movement, full and halfday excursions, Sailablity, art groups and virtual meetups.

Cost: based on the NDIS pricing schedule. Individual support, including transport, daily living activities and community access available on request.

E: gstarkey@sydneycs.org or ccampion@sydneycs.org

Children’s Services - Playgroups

Cost: $10 casual visit, or $60 one session per term, or $100 per term for multiple sessions.

Tuesday Playgroups

Ages 0-5 with arts, craft, music and storytime.

Session: 9.30-11.30am

Thursday Playgroup

All inclusive, ages 0-5, with arts, craft, music and storytime. Plus free play with educational equipment.

Session: 9.30-11.30am

E: jvenn@sydneycs.org

HOURS OF OPERATION:

8.30am - 4.30pm I Monday - Friday

www.sydneycs.org

Winter Fashion Parade

Thursday 30 March 2023

10am-12.30pm

Complimentary mimosa on arrival.

Cost: $15. Includes our signature morning tea.

P: 9427 6425

E: support@sydneycs.org

Seniors Computer Club

Join the 'Moocooboola

Computer Club for Seniors' and learn new computer skills. Explore the internet, utilise online banking, plan holidays, edit digital photos, watch the share market, send and receive emails. Computers supplied. Contact us for times and more information.

P: 8598 7051

E: support@sydneycs.org

Trivia and lunch

Monday 27th March 2023

10.30am – 1pm

Light lunch served, $30 per person. Transport available. Come along, test your general knowledge, have fun, meet new people.

P: 9003 1399

E: support@sydneycs.org

ZAC MILES MAYOR OF HUNTERS HILL

P: 9879 9400

E: mayor@huntershill.nsw.gov.au

Garden competition comes to Hunters Hill

Hunters Hill has is proud of our long-standing title as Australia’s oldest garden suburb and of the horticultural history surrounding many beautiful heritage homes within the municipality.

Hunters Hill could not enjoy this unique character without our passionate community, who generously dedicate much of their time to preserving the beauty of their own gardens as well as sustaining our local environment.

In celebration of our role as Australia’s oldest garden suburb, Council is partnering with the local Rotary Club to bring back the too-long-absent Hunters Hill Spring Garden Competition.

Get planting and preparing your garden in time for this special event to be held in Spring 2023. There will be five major categories including:

- Overall best garden

- Best balcony/courtyard garden

- Best native garden

- Best streetscape garden

- Best maintained public space

The competition is designed to recognise the outstanding efforts of our residents in nurturing their own gardens but also our native habitats, streetscapes and public places. The funds raised by this competition will also contribute to the maintenance of the historic Hillman Orchard, located beside Vienna Cottage in Alexandra Street, Hunters Hill. So, keep an eye out for registrations opening in July to help celebrate your contribution to the enhancement of our environment.

For more information, visit www.huntershill.nsw.gov.au/garden.

Community meetings

As part of our ongoing community engagement, our Council will be holding a public meeting at Hunters Hill Town Hall on Wednesday, 15 March from 7pm, about the proposed review of the Local Environmental Plan (LEP) and Developmental Control Plan (DCP).

Please take the opportunity to come along and understand the process Council is undertaking to update these important documents. Registrations can be accessed via: www.huntershill.nsw.gov.au/participate.

Public attendance is also welcomed at Council meetings, the next of which is on Monday, 27 March at 6pm, in the Council Chambers at Town Hall. Meetings are also live streamed on our YouTube channel, with recordings available for viewing following the meeting. See our website for details: www.huntershill.nsw.gov.au/council-meetings.

ANTHONY ROBERTS MP

P: 9817 4757

E: lanecove@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Gong Hei Fat Choy

In late January I sponsored a fantastic group of performers in the Lane Cove Plaza celebrating the Luna New Year. This amazing event with assistance from Andy Yin from “Andy One on One Podcast” put together an amazing performance celebrating Chinese culture in Australia. NSW has one of the largest celebrations of the Luna New Year outside of Asia and it’s a privilege to have sponsored this celebration. Thank you all those who attended and watched on the day so amazing

As school has kicked back into gear families especially young families experience plenty of financial challenges.

The Premier’s back to school vouchers assists tens of thousands of families with these yearly expenses for their children’s education.

If there is anything you may have forgotten to purchase, or your children have suddenly grown a couple of inches make the most of these vouchers.

On March 25th NSW State Election will take place. If you find you will not be within the reach of an election booth on the day, there is the opportunity for yourself to vote via post.

Postal Vote applications have been mailed to every household within Lane Cove.

If you need an application and somehow did not receive one, please contact my Electorate Office, 9817 4757, 215 Victoria Rd Gladesville. We have spare application forms available if you need one and my staff are happy to answer any questions regarding the form if you need assistance.

If you find you will not be able to attend a voting booth on the day, but you are able to vote in person. Early voting locations open on the 18th of March. They are all open Mon- Wed and Friday: 8:30am - 5:30pm. Thursday: 8:30am – 8pm and Saturday: 9am – 5pm

The Early Voting locations are Lane Cove Council - The cove Room, St Anne’s Anglican Church Ryde and Hunters Hill Town Hall.

E: kylea.tink.mp@aph.gov.au

Australia’s soaring cost of living was a touchpoint throughout the year’s first parliamentary fortnight. In week one the Reserve Bank raised interest rates another 0.25 points, and during week two Reserve Bank Governor Phillip Lowe told Senate Estimates, borrowers should expect further rises this year.

With over half the mortgage holders in the electorate of North Sydney already under financial stress, this stress is set to grow. At the same time, the one-in-two people who rent in our community are under rental stress. Properties are hard to come by.

A constituent recently called my office in tears because she has been knocked back on more than 50 apartment rental applications. She wanted me to know how challenging the rental market is right now for everyday Australians.

On the floor of parliament, I urged all levels of government, Housing Australia, registered community housing providers and the private sector to work together to solve this complex problem because a house is more than a house, it is a home and a home is fundamental to our wellbeing.

Recognising End Youth Suicide Week, I called on the government to take a more nuanced approach to caring for the mental health of young Australians.

ABS data shows in the past year, an unprecedented two out of five young Australians has experienced a mental health disorder. The government has cut by half the number of psychology appointments young people can access under Medicare. It was the wrong decision and it should be reversed.

February has not been without joy. I felt palpable relief when the government announced it had finally acted to give permanency to refugees on Temporary Protection Visas and Save Haven Visas. My mind turned to the hundreds of people I’ve worked with over the years waking up to the wonderful news that they can finally begin the rest of their lives.

Another citizenship win for our office this week involved the curious case of Matthew Niall, whose citizenship was resumed after we petitioned the Immigration Minister on his behalf. Unbeknown to Matthew, he lost his citizenship years earlier through a quirk of law. His family is over the moon at the news. We are too.

BUSES AVAILABLE FOR HIRE

 21 seat Toyota Coaster Buses x2

 18 seat Toyota Coaster Bus x1 - with wheelchair hoist

 12 seat Toyota HiAce Vans x4

Our vehicles are fully maintained, sanitised, COVID-19 safe and available seven days a week. We have safe accredited drivers also available for hire.

PRICING AND INFO

PLEASE CONTACT:

P: 8598 7051

E: support@sydneycs.org

SATURDAY

CONCERT

“A Frolic with Gilbert and Sullivan”

“A Frolic with Gilbert and Sullivan”

Hear all your favourite solos, ensembles and choruses in this G&S concert spectacular!

DATE: Tuesday 14th March 2023 at 7.30pm.

Masters of wit and satire, G&S exposed the barmy absurdities and hypocrisies of Victorian England, as fresh and vital today as when they first stormed the stage.

Tuesday 14th March 2023 at 7.30pm.

venue

VENUE: LCM Anglican Church, 19 Rosenthal Avenue, Lane Cove behind the Post Office.

LCM Anglican Church, 19 Rosenthal Avenue, Lane Cove behind the Post Office.

Bookings with TryBooking accessed via our website from: Tuesday 21st February 2023: www.lanecovemusic.org.au

Bookings with TryBooking, accessed via our website from: Tuesday 21st February 2023: www.lanecovemusic.org.au

Adults $25, Students $10. Enquiries are welcome at 9428 4287

Limited admission at the door on the night, online bookings preferred. Adults $25, Students $10.

are welcome at 9428 4287.

TENELLA JAZZ

APRIL 30TH - WINE

Details: www.carisbrookhouse.com

Enquiries: 0418 276 365

EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

Bank Shuttle To Lane Cove Plaza Expressions of Interest

Banking is becoming more difficult for elderly members in the community. The last bank in Gladesville recently closed and there are no longer any bank branches in the Hunters Hill local government area. This means many elderly members of the community will need to travel to either Lane Cove or Ryde to access their bank. If a senior member of the community does not have access to a car, or experiences mobility issues, then options to visit a

bank branch on pension day become extremely limited.

The Honourable Anthony Roberts MP, member for Lane Cove, has been working closely with Sydney Community Services exploring how best to solve the issue of bank branch access that has been impacting many of the elderly in the Hunters Hill and Gladesville community.

We are seeking expressions of interest for a free bus shuttle service. This service will only be viable if there is a true need in the community, with ongoing use of the shuttle bus. Please review the service being proposed and let us know if you would utilise the shuttle bus each fortnight on pension day.

AUCTION 11 MARCH AT 9.45AM ON SITE

View Saturday & Wednesday 10.00am – 10.30am

• Formal living room flows to deck, generous media room

• Impeccable bedrooms, all have built-in/walk-in wardrobes

• Family room adjoins a granite/gas kitchen, stainless appliances

• Warm hardwood floorboards, quality new carpets and fresh paintwork

Simon Harrison 0433 100 150 E: simon.harrison@belleproperty.com

James Bennett 0403 504 724 E: james.bennett@belleproperty.com

AUCTION 11 MARCH AT 12.00PM ON SITE

View Saturday & Wednesday 2.00pm – 2.30pm

• Elegant full brick home, defined living, dining and family rooms

• Wraparound terrace, immaculate lawns and undercover deck

• Newly sanded hardwood floors, high ceilings and split air conditioning

• Privately set back, double undercover parking plus storage

Simon Harrison 0433 100 150 E: simon.harrison@belleproperty.com

Kim Walters 0499 014 886 E: kim.walters@belleproperty.com

AUCTION 18 MARCH AT 10.30AM ON SITE

View Saturday & Thursday 10.00am – 10.30am

• Formal/casual living zones, upstairs family room with balcony

• Generous bedrooms, all have built-in/walk-in wardrobes

• Stone kitchen fitted with Smeg cooktop/oven/Bosch dishwasher

• Air conditioning, gas fireplace, new carpet, driveway parking

Simon Harrison 0433 100 150 E: simon.harrison@belleproperty.com

Joshua Jarvis 0468 899 443 E: joshua.jarvis@belleproperty.com

AUCTION 11 MARCH AT 11.15AM ON SITE

View Saturday & Wednesday 1.00pm – 1.30pm

• Fabulous distinct living and dining rooms with timber ceiling

• North to rear aspect, alfresco terraces/balconies/bush views

• Private master wing, ensuite has heated Terrazzo floors and tub

• Study/new laundry/split system air conditioning/double garage

James Bennett 0403 504 724 E: james.bennett@belleproperty.com

Steven O’Neill 0499 693 665 E: steven.o'neill@belleproperty.com

Belle Property Hunters Hill 3/52-56 Gladesville Road, Hunters Hill 9817 7729

Belle Property Lane Cove 162 Longueville Road, Lane Cove 9087 3333

Points to consider when deciding if this service would benefit you:

 This will be a free service.

 The shuttle bus will be offered to those over the age of 65 years who do not drive, or usually catch public transport to Lane Cove and Top Ryde.

 The service will be run fortnightly, coinciding with pension days on Tuesday.

 There will be several shuttle bus pick up points:

- PICK-UP AND DROP-OFF POINTS

Gladesville

Huntley’s Point/ Blandville Court

Gladesville Public School

Hunters Hill

Boronia Park Uniting Church and Meyers Avenue

 A shuttle per day will be made available each pension day from each pickup point.

 The destination of the bus shuttle will be Lane Cove Plaza where all the following bank branches can be accessed:

- CBA

- NAB

- Westpac

- ANZ (Tellerless)

- Colonial

Expression of interest and feedback are welcome as we review this proposal.

Please contact Mr Roberts Office to let us know if this service would benefit you and be regularly used. Please submit your expression of interest by emailing: lanecove@parliament.nsw.gov.au or calling 9817 4757

2 bath 2 car

32 Crowther Avenue, Greenwich 5 bed 3 bath 2 car

31a Osborne Road, Lane Cove 5 bed 4 bath 2 car

With a relaxed and personal approach, Libby will create a sanctuary of beautiful spaces for your family.

Whether you want to refresh a single room, or you are doing a complete knock-down and rebuild, let Libby make the interior design process easy and stress-free by specifying everything down to the last detail and managing all trades.

Photographer Thomas Dalhoff -