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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 people 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, 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 is published monthly (except January) by Sydney Community Services (trading as Lane Cove Community Aid Foundation) • Distribution occurs at the beginning of the month • Readers are invited to submit articles for consideration.
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:
EDITOR'S LETTER
Thank you for picking up the November edition of TVO.
Exciting news for this month as TVO expands into Chatswood for the first time! We have always been distributed in the Willoughby LGA, but our new spot outside Woolworths on Smith Street is a great opportunity for us to spread the word about our owner, the non-profit charity Sydney Community Services and all the fantastic things it offers, while finding new ways to sustain a print title (not easy these days, we can tell you!).
As we focus on our expanded distribution across the five LGAs (Lane Cove, Hunters Hill, Ryde, North Sydney and Willoughby), ever more interesting stories are coming to light. For example, North Sydney Council has published an online exhibition about the Chinese contribution to North Sydney as a metro hub in the late 1800s. It's fantastic. More information can be found on our news pages. We were equally excited to see the new opening of the Boronia Park Sports Facility in Hunters Hill – its benefits to the community are endless.
This month we spoke to Madeleine Steel, the CEO of a local organisation called Empowering Parents in Crisis. Parenting teenagers is a struggle at the best of times, so when things get really tough it is good to know that there is a supportive community out there to turn to. Find out more inside these pages.
We won’t mention that we are working on the December issue now and Christmas is only around the corner. Instead of focusing too much on the ‘most wonderful time of the year’, we will be filling our pages with getaway information, and distraction ideas. Not one Christmas recipe will be in sight, we promise.
TVO is distributed in five LGAs. You can find out which Mayor is yours from the list below.
Last month, TVO was unable to publish the names of the new Mayors because, at time of press, some of the voting was yet to take place. Plus, and TVO is unsure why, the Electoral Commission failed to include these people as definite election winners. Perhaps someone ‘in the know’ can shed some light on this?
HUNTERS HILL
Mayor: (returning)
Zac Miles
Cr Miles previously served as Mayor in the last term of Council, and as a Councillor in the two terms prior. He said he was incredibly humbled to be re-elected as Mayor alongside a group of dedicated Councillors. "The opportunity to serve our municipality once again is a great responsibility which I know all councillors will enjoy over the coming four-year term," he said.
Mayor Miles said first orders of business will include opening the new Bedlam Bay swim site, delivering a state-of-the-art multi-purpose facility at Gladesville Reserve and introducing AFL games at Buffalo Creek.
LANE COVE
Mayor: Merri Southwood
Cr Southwood has previously served as a Councillor.
Mayor Southwood said: “Our Council does amazing work. On top of that, I hope that we can tap into the skills, experience and enthusiasm of many in the community, so this local area can thrive as a connected, inclusive and sustainable community. I know our Deputy Mayor Councillor Bridget Kennedy, my fellow Councillors, our Council Executive Team and staff all want the best for Lane Cove. I look forward to working with you all to achieve this objective.”
NORTH SYDNEY
Mayor: (returning)
Zoe Baker
Cr Zoë Baker has been re-elected as the Mayor of North Sydney Council.
Mayor Baker said, “Thank you for your good faith and trust in me. Thank you for the honour and privilege to serve as Mayor and to continue to work collaboratively with this new Council to serve our exceptional North Sydney community. This recent election marks a turning point, a turning of the page towards a new era. I am really excited that this Council has an opportunity to reset – to work constructively and collaboratively with each other, Council staff and our community, to grab the opportunities before us.”
RYDE
Mayor: (returning)
Trenton Brown
Mayor Brown has been a highly qualified financial adviser for more than 20 years and worked as a governance and risk management adviser. He is passionate about stopping overdevelopment in Ryde and preserving open recreational space such as the TG Millner Fields and the early heritage homes of the local area. He is working to achieve stronger economic management, advocating for greater transparency in decision-making and supporting local business and community organisations.
WILLOUGHBY
Mayor: (returning)
Tanya Taylor
“I am deeply honoured to be re-elected as Mayor of Willoughby,” Mayor Taylor said.
“Our community's strength lies in its diversity, creativity, and shared commitment to sustainability. I will continue to advocate fiercely for our local priorities – appropriate infrastructure that supports development, protecting our built and natural environments, improving tree canopy and supporting small business.
“Together, with the newly elected Councillors, our General Manager, Directors and their committed teams, I want to ensure Willoughby remains a connected, sustainable and vibrant place to live, work and play, where everyone can thrive.”
Boronia Park takes on new lease of life
The newly built Boronia Park Sports and Community Facility opened its doors last month.
The new facility is set to become the crown jewel of a significant sports and community precinct. Boronia Park is home to the Hunters Hill Rugby Union Football Club, the Ryde Hunters Hill Cricket Club and the Ravens and Halos Netball Clubs. It’s also used by local schools and community groups with activities such as pickleball taking place on the new multi-purpose courts.
Located in the centre of the Boronia Park Ovals, the state-of-the-art accessible facility has a range of features including:
• A community function room on the upper level with a huge 163-inch videowall, and panoramic views of Boronia Park.
• Terrace area with breathtaking views of the surrounding bushland and harbour foreshore.
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• Kitchen, catering servery, barbeque and canteen facilities.
• Public toilets on the ground level which are accessible to all park users.
The multi-million-dollar facility was jointly funded by the Federal Government, NSW Government, Hunter’s Hill Council and local sporting groups.
Hunter’s Hill Council Mayor Zac Miles said projects like this underscore Council’s vision for a vibrant and inclusive community.
“This facility is designed to enhance community wellbeing and encourage social connection. It will support the myriad sport and recreational activities undertaken by our local clubs, community groups and schools in the parkland every day,” Cr Miles said.
CULTURE AND CREATIVITY:
the Eisteddfod team as we plan the 2025 season and beyond. Especially needed: Convenors, Organisers & Assistants
Contact: Suzanne Maslen 9874 2809 secretary@rydeeisteddfod.org www.re.org.au Ryde Eisteddfod: established for over 30 years
1st Tambourine Bay Scout Group Christmas Tree Fundraiser
It’s a long held tradition in Lane Cove to purchase your Christmas tree from 1st Tambourine Bay Scouts, who are making it even easier for you to buy a beautiful fresh Christmas tree by ordering online for pick-up or delivery (www.1sttambo.com.au)
The scouts will deliver pre-ordered Christmas trees on Saturday November 30, and Saturday December 7.
Medium tree: $110 + $20 for delivery//Large tree: $145 + $20 for delivery//Christmas tree stand: $45
Want to select your tree? Come in person on Nov 30 or Dec 7 and select your tree at St Michael’s Primary School. Arrive early from 7am to avoid missing out.
Willoughby marks 100th anniversary of Northbridge Baths
Willoughby City Council has marked the 100th anniversary of the opening of Northbridge Baths, celebrating a century of enjoyment for the local community and one of Sydney’s most iconic leisure spots.
The Northbridge Baths 100th Anniversary celebration concluded this year’s Emerge Festival and delivered a memorable occasion for local residents and swimmers along with a celebration and activities for visitors and attendees.
The occasion began with an acknowledgement of the timeless Aboriginal history of the Baths, marked by a Welcome to Country by Auntie Jean Moran. Attendees were then taken back in time as a 1920s swing band played tunes from the Bath’s early era.
Mayor Tanya Taylor officially opened the event with reflections on the Baths’ rich history and enduring significance to the community.
Commemorating the contribution of the Chinese community in North Sydney
North Sydney Council has launched a new online exhibition to commemorate the area’s past contributions of the Chinese community.
Chinese Market Gardeners and Storekeepers in North Sydney 1870-1932 draws on Council archives, immigration records and contemporary press to bring stories to life.
It aims to write the Chinese community back into the area’s history and ‘enrich the broader story of Sydney’ – delving into the personal accounts of gardeners and shopkeepers, and how they worked and lived.
Most of the businesses were found to have been located in a central hub around the modern day Crows Nest area, running down into North Sydney and out into Neutral Bay.
Curated by historian and author Dr Ian Hoskins, the website’s curation was mainly inspired by North Sydney Council’s property ledgers, Valuation and Rate Books – of which a complete original set of these books from 1867 to 1940 still exists.
The exhibition can be found at www.chineseinnorthsydney.com.au.
Gladesville animal adoption centre seeks help and donations
The World League for Protection of Animals (WLPA) has been working for the rights and wellbeing of all animals, both native and non-native since 1935. The World League is committed to promoting the needs, rights and care of companion animals. Each year hundreds of thousands of homeless and unwanted companion animals are euthanized in Australian pounds and shelters.
WLPA has been affected by the current economic climate that has made it difficult to accommodate rising numbers of abandoned and surrendered animals. WLPA have cats and rabbits that need loving homes, permanent or temporary (fostering).
The adoption centre in Gladesville is primarily staffed by volunteers who feed, clean and socialise animals at the centre. We are always looking for volunteers if you have time to spare.
You might like to consider sponsoring one of our resident animals or making a donation by contacting us on 9817 4892 or email admin@wlpa. org.au . A yearly membership is also available and all donations over $2 are tax deductible.
The Centre is open to visitors by appointment.
Sage advice to my younger self
by Liz Foster
A book came out at the end of 2019 collating Letters To My Younger Self, by a hundred inspiring people, all international megawatt personalities talking about key moments that shaped their lives, overcoming resilience and things they wish they’d known.
I’ve got no idea how well this book did - the pre-apocalyptic publication timing probably didn’t help it – but the tome offers everything from sage advice from Paul McCartney on how he found inspiration to Arianna Huffington on knowing your motivations.
These are all well and good, but I can’t imagine any advice from the likes of Buzz Aldrin is going to be useful (‘make sure you’re the first person to step outside the spaceship’). I haven’t read it, but I’m reasonably sure my own observations in the rear-view mirror will be more practical and less grandiose than a celebrity laundry list.
Dear Liz,
1. Magnifying mirrors. For years you will wonder what if anything their purpose is. You will think they are some sort of weird practical joke that beauticians in Myer play on you. I know it’s hard (impossible) to imagine, but one day, your eyesight will deteriorate, and if you don’t employ said mirror to put on your makeup you will look like Alice Cooper henceforth.
2. Alcohol. Look, I’m not going to preach. Some of the best fun nights you’ll ever have will involve a bevvy or two. But there will be plenty of others where you’ll miss half your weekend with a horrible hangover. Just have one less drink every time you go out, you can’t say fairer than that.
3. Try not to care what people might think/say about you. A good way to do this is to hang around with people way outside your usual social comfort zone. Change tribes as it were – become a Trekkie, or go hiking with the Scouts, or hang out in arcades with early gamers. You’ll stop being so secretly judgy and might even grow to think they’re kind of cool.
4. Remember all that rote learning – the periodic table, kings and queens of England, actors who’ve appeared in Neighbours in chronological order? One day you'll be able to talk to a tiny rectangle in your pocket that knows almost everything.
5. Ditto map reading. I know your spatial awareness isn’t as flash as it could be and marking several pages in the Gregorys just for a day trip the Blue Mountains is right up there with trips to the dentist but be patient. The pocket rectangle will cure all your navigational woes. (Side note –keep your Gregorys in the car in case the rectangle runs out
ILLUSTRATION BY GRACE KOPSIAFTIS
of battery life, or the satellite connection drops out – no I’m not making this up.)
6. You know those eighties clothes your big sister loved, the ones you spent years howling derisively at the pics? Hang on to her bell bottoms and heated hair rollers – they’ll come round a couple more times before you reach old age. (There’s no guaranteeing the jeans will fit forever though).
7. Remember that time in year six on a school trip to Wales, when all the kids got off the bus and there was a huge gust of wind and your skirt blew up around your ears and the first you knew it was caught on tape was during the home movie screening en masse to the whole school plus parents? You think you’ll never get over the embarrassment, but you’ll eventually see the funny side and realise it’s actually a minor miracle it was captured on film at all back then.
8. Not everyone on telly is a nice person in real life.
9. The ancient family photo album with the curly plastic spine and terrible black and white pictures of mostly trees will one day become a much-treasured piece of family history. This is because your future self will have over ten thousand photographs saved in the pocket rectangle, so there’s no need to print any.
10. Things you can eat now until the cows come home won’t be on the menu in your later years. It’s very disappointing, I know, but sadly your digestive enzymes get wrinkles too, just on the inside so you can’t see them. Make the most of cheese now, that’s all I can say.
Oh, and last but not least – remember this. You don’t know what it’s like to be old, but old people know what it’s like to be young.
Take care, see you in thirty years.
Liz Foster is a local writer. Her debut fiction novel, The Good Woman’s Guide to Making Better Choices, is out now with Affirm Press.
You can reach her by scanning this QR code to subscribe to her monthly light bites and lifestyle newsletter, or emailing liz@lizfoster.com.au.
ASPECTS
A local resident, Abigail Zhao reached out to us this month and said: "An older lady in the Lane Cove Village Woolies lift suggested I send some photos of my 3-year-old son reading The Village Observer in his pram this morning. I’ve been very thankful for TVO as a reliable resource to occupy him on shopping errands, as well as something I can read while he reads his books next to me."
Thank you Abigail and Isaac. It's a pleasure to feature you in the pages of TVO.
Q&A
Melanie Steel
EPIC is a local non-profit organisation that helps and supports parents in crisis (it is literally short for ‘empowering parents in crisis’). The organisation was founded by a group of people, including its CEO, North Shore local Melanie Steel
Melanie explains that EPIC provides connection, knowledge, skills, hindsight and confidence to parents and carers of young people. It collaborates with schools, police, hospitals, family support organisations and the community to demystify pathways to support and create awareness regarding youth mental health.
In the past year, EPIC has connected with 1112 parents via peer phone support, walk/coffee events, forums, meetings, parent programs and training sessions. It has provided 480 phone support calls, hosted 24 walk/coffee events and 45 meetings/ forums/trainings.
Here Melanie answers some North Shore-flavoured questions, and more…
Which part of the North Shore do you call home? I live in South Turramurra, close to the Lane Cove Valley bushland.
Before creating EPIC, what did you do?
We all wear so many hats. I became a parent in 2004, so I’d say that has taken precedence as my most important role. I’ve had a colourful tapestry of occupations…. travel consultant, North Queensland roadhouse owner, traveller, landscaper, garden designer, teacher, horticulturist.
What drew you to peer support?
It was the power of community found in a parent support group. I’ve had several adverse situations in my life. My tendency is to put on a mask and soldier on. It felt different when I found myself desperate to help my son. I was desperate and sought any and every ounce of information and organisation. The emotional support and hindsight I gained from other parents was a turning point in my ability to put on my oxygen mask to support my young people.
I hear Lane Cove National Park is where EPIC’s inaugural walk was. Why did you choose it?
Lane Cove NP is beautiful. It’s accessible, central to EPIC members in the northern Sydney region and bursting with wildlife…and of course you can get a good coffee at the cafe.
How did you come up with the name for EPIC? It was a group effort. The five original founders, tossing ideas around via email. We knew we had it when we landed on EPIC.
Your work will undoubtedly have its challenges. Do you have any hacks to help you recover from difficult days?
I close my eyes and concentrate on the sensation in my feet. It’s odd but it works! A momentary pause for my monkey brain.
You travel a lot around Northern Sydney for inperson meetings with parents in crisis. Please tell us where have you experienced the friendliest service, the best cup of coffee, and the yummiest cakes and baked treats this year?
I can’t pass on mentioning the super friendly service we get at Lane Cove National Park Café. It’s a place I visit regularly, and I’m always met with a smile no matter how busy they are. The new café at the Coal Loader in Waverton offers fabulous coffee, while the Incinerator Café in Willoughby has brilliant selection of juices and smoothies if coffee isn’t your thing. Pottery Green Bakers at Lane Cove has awesome baked treats; you’re spoilt for choice there. Everything is super yummy.
What’s your favourite local spot?
The bushland near home. I dip into the bush most days. It always grounds me and amazes me.
If an out-of-town friend visits for 24 hours. What are the top three local spots you’d take them to? And why?
Balmoral, for a relaxing walk and great food. It never disappoints on a clear day.
Walk the Harbour bridge, a coffee at the cafe at the MCA and return by ferry. It’s accessible, beautiful and a lovely way to spend a day!
Always a bush walk! Often Lane Cove National Park or the Lane Cove Valley close to home if we are bringing a fur friend. I like to share the fortune of Sydney’s natural bushland with everyone. We are truly blessed to have a wildlife corridor that extends from Sydney all the way to Newcastle and beyond.
I hear you’re a keen photographer. Can you please share a couple of your favourite local locations for beautiful landscape snaps and some photography tips?
I have basic photography skills. I photograph anything and everything. For landscapes and natural habitat, anywhere in Sydney is impressive. We are lucky in that respect. A real photographer will look at my tips and laugh but here goes. Lines, repetition, reflection, perspective, composition, light…. ok, I could go on and on. The thing I love about photography is it is an escape. It’s not my job so I’m not overly fussed about the end product. I love the process and the escape through a lens.
What word of advice would you give to your teenage self?
You do you. You do it so well. Trust your gut and back yourself.
Visit www.empoweringparentsincrisis.com for more information.
Time for a home loan health check!
A gift in your will can give kids more time
The arrival of a new baby brings parents, relatives and friends joy, excitement and love. For some parents there is also the unexpected when their new little one receives a diagnosis that swings the pendulum from happiness to confusion, concern and sometimes fear.
For parents, Lara and Brendan, the pendulum moved in the wrong direction for their newborn son Lachie.
“He wasn’t gaining any weight even though I was feeding him constantly. I could see how hungry he was, but every time he fed, the food would just go through him,’ explained Lara.
In the first few weeks alone, little Lachie lost 500 grams. Lara went searching for answers, determined to find out what was happening to her little boy and just days later, she received a voicemail she would never forget. It was a message from the hospital asking her to call back. Lara received the devastating news – her baby boy had cystic fibrosis.
The very next day, Lachie had his first appointment at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead. Then at just five weeks old, little Lachie began his lifelong treatment plan.
Cystic fibrosis is the most common life-threatening genetic disease affecting Australian children. It severely affects the lungs, digestive system and sometimes the reproductive system, causing an abnormal build-up of sticky mucus that can make it difficult to breathe. Advances in treatment have seen improved quality of life and life expectancy for those with cystic fibrosis, but currently, there is no known cure.
“When he’s well, Lachie’s regular treatment includes oral medication – around 20 tablets a day, vitamins, a nebulizer in the morning, physiotherapy and another nebulizer
in the evening. When he’s unwell, it’s a whole different story”.
Fifty years ago, children with the most common and most serious forms of cystic fibrosis rarely lived past the age of five. Today, there are adults with cystic fibrosis who are having their own children.
Lachie is now thriving, and Lara puts this success down to the incredible team that surrounds them including doctors, nurses, dietitians, physiotherapists and more.
Leaving a gift in your Will to Sydney Children's Hospitals Foundation (SCHF) could help kids like Lachie to live with cystic fibrosis.
By leaving a gift in your Will to SCHF, you can help fund groundbreaking research, purchase vital cutting-edge equipment, and enable SCHF to continue world-class healthcare for sick kids.
Leaving a gift, as little as 5% can help shift the pendulum in the right direction and give sick kids more time to be kids, experience life and enjoy growing up.
If you would like to learn more about leaving a gift in your Will, call 1800 770 122 or email plannedgiving@schf.org.au
The art of stressless travel
As I near the end of a three month around the world trip, comprising a mix of escorting groups, hosting cruises, attending conferences, and researching river cruises and resorts for 2026 and 2027 travel, I’ve picked up a lot of useful information along the way.
Firstly, that the world outside of Australia is expensive and not just because our dollar does not go far in either Europe or the USA. My benchmark, a flat white or cappuccino which averages $4 in Sydney converts to $7-10 depending on the establishment. And a good 4-star hotel in a major city seldom sells for less than $500 a night. Similarly, a plate of pasta in a decent (not Michelin rated restaurant) will cost EUR20 – 30, and steak in a good chain outlet as much as USD60. Before sides and tips.
While this doesn’t mean that you can’t get better value for your dollar, you do have to search harder for it. Thus, one way you can stretch the budget is by booking at least part of your holiday on an all-inclusive, prepaid basis. Not only does this eliminate some of the bill shock and exchange rate fluctuations but it will also generally be more economical.
It is for this reason that coach tours, and in the last two decades cruising, have enjoyed such a rapid rise in popularity. Research shows that by the time you factor in every cost – bottles of water, coffee and tea, rail tickets or car hire or sector airline tickets, accommodation, meals and sightseeing – you can buy similar for less with the bonus of less stress. Let someone else do the thinking, the planning and the execution of your journey for some or all of it.
Speaking of trip planning, airports and railway stations are noticeably busier than pre-Covid and it can feel like all the world is on the move. In addition, some airports despite their modernity, have insufficient gates at peak times, and you might still be bussed to or from the aircraft. Dubai, Athens, and Sydney are prime examples so you must take note of gate location, boarding times, and allow enough time for connection if your luggage is not interlined.
Gates can change at the last minute so make sure your contact details are in the airline booking and you have your phone on and are alert to receive any notifications. Missing your flight can result in subsequent flights being cancelled, with reinstatement difficult or expensive.
Some airports are simply huge. I flew from London to Chicago in May and from arrival gate to immigration was a brisk 15-minute walk even with moving walkways. If you have walking difficulties don’t be too proud to request assistance before you check in.
This can also be useful on arrival. Colleagues attending a Vegas conference with me reported waiting in line for over an hour at Customs & Immigration. I experienced similar in Morocco, where the desultory, predominantly male, staff behaviour and attitude was in dire need of efficiency training. I wished for a walking stick so that I might be whisked through sooner!
So check in online where possible and get to the airport in plenty of time – 2 hours for domestic, 3 hours minimum for international – to save yourself a lot of stress. If you are carrying extra luggage as we were with golf clubs, book early and look at the business class option. On a domestic sector fare, it might be as little as $100 more but again save stress. In Nice, we witnessed the police called to attend to a passenger who, after standing in the stationary-for-30-minute economy class line, marched up to the counter and remonstrated with staff to move it along. She didn’t whisper either.
It’s a mad world out there. Actively focus on how best to manage possible stress points prior to departure and leave time for a settling beverage of choice once you’re all checked in and ready to board. It’s the nicest way to start your voyage or flight.
The Trendsetter Team can offer a wealth of professional travel advice and support when you travel. Email for an appointment if we can help you.
Why are the violins the biggest section in the orchestra?
WORDS BY: LAURA CASE Lecturer in Musicology, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, University of Sydney
As the largest section of the orchestra, sitting front and centre of the stage performing memorable melodies, it’s easy for violinists to steal the limelight. Ask any violinist why there are so many in an orchestra, and we’ll often reply, tongue-in-cheek: “obviously it’s because we’re the best”.
The real answer is a bit more complex, and combines reasons both logistical and historical.
How we got the modern orchestra
During the Baroque period between around 1600 and 1750, the composition of the orchestra was not standardised, and often used instruments based on availability. Monteverdi’s opera L'Orfeo, which premiered in 1607, is one of the earliest examples of a composer specifying the desired instrumentation.
The size of the orchestra also varied. Johann Sebastian Bach wrote for and worked with ensembles of up to 18 players in Germany. At Palazzo Pamphili in Rome, Corelli directed ensembles of 50–80 musicians – and, on one notable occasion to celebrate the coronation of Pope Innocent XII, an ensemble of 150 string players.
The modern-day violin was also developed around this time, and eventually replaced the instruments of the viol family. The violin has remained a staple member of the orchestra ever since.
Music of this period was created on a smaller scale than much of the repertoire we hear today, and often placed a strong focus on string instruments. As the orchestra became more standardised, members of the woodwind family appeared, including the oboe, bassoon, recorder and transverse flute.
During the classical period from around 1730 to 1820, orchestral performances moved from the royal courts into the public domain, and their size continued to grow. Instruments were organised into sections, and bowed strings formed the majority.
Composers began to use a wider range of instruments and techniques. Beethoven wrote parts for the early double bassoon, piccolo flute, trombone (which was largely confined to church music beforehand), and individual double bass parts (where previously they had often doubled the cello part).
During the romantic period of the 19th century, composer Hector Berlioz, author of a Treatise on Instrumentation and Modern Orchestration (1841), further developed the symphony orchestra by adding instruments such as the tuba, cor anglais and bass clarinet.
By the end of the 19th century, many orchestras reached the size and proportions we recognise today, with works that require more than 100 musicians, such as Wagner’s Ring Cycle.
What’s size got to do with it?
As increasing numbers of performers and instruments became standard in orchestral repertoire, ensembles became louder, and more string players were needed to balance the sound. The violin is a comparatively quiet instrument, and a solo player cannot be heard over the power of the brass.
Having violinists at the front of the stage also helps the sound reach the audience’s ears without competing to be heard over the louder instruments.
Ku-ring-gai Philhamonic Orhcestra
The typical layout of the orchestra has not always been standard. First violinists (who often carry the melody) and second violinists (who typically play a supportive role) used to sit opposite each other on stage.
US conductor Leopold Stokowski rearranged the position of the first and second violinists during the 1920s so they sat next to each other on the left of the stage. This change meant the voices of each string section were arranged from high to low across the stage.
This change was widely adopted and has become a standard setup for the modern orchestra.
Stokowski is known for experimenting with the layout of the orchestra. He once placed the entire woodwind section at the front of the orchestra ahead of the strings, receiving widespread criticism from the audience and musicians. The board of the Philadelphia Orchestra allegedly said the winds “weren’t busy enough to put on a good show”.
Sound, texture and timbre
String players do not need to worry about lung capacity or breaking for air. As such, violinists can perform long melodic passages with fast finger work, and our bows allow for seemingly endless sustain. Melodies written for strings are innumerable, and often memorable.
Having several violinists play together creates a specific sound and texture that is distinct from a solo string player and the other sections of the orchestra. Not only is the sound of every violin slightly different, the rate of each string’s vibration and the movement of each player’s bow varies. The result is a rich and full texture that creates a lush effect.
Today, symphony orchestras are expected to perform an incredibly diverse range of repertoire from classical to romantic, film scores to newly commissioned works. Determining the number of violinists who will appear in any given piece is a question of balance that will change
depending on the repertoire.
A Mozart symphony might require fewer than ten wind or brass players, who would be drowned out by a full string section. However, a Mahler symphony requires more than 30 non-string players – meaning far more string players are needed to balance out this sound.
Room for experimentation
Notable exceptions to the orchestra’s standard setup include Charles Ives’ 1908 The Unanswered Question for string orchestra, solo trumpet and wind quartet spread around the room; Stockhausen’s 1958 Gruppen, pour trois orchestres, in which three separate orchestras perform in a horseshoe shape around the audience; and Pierre Boulz’s 1981 Répons featuring 24 performers on a stage surrounded by the audience, who are in turn surrounded by six soloists.
Despite experimentation, the placement and number of instruments in an orchestra has remained relatively standard since the 19th century.
Many aspects of the traditional orchestra’s setup make sense. However, many of the orchestra’s habits come down to tradition and perhaps unconscious alignment with “just the way things are done”.
Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic Orchestra (KPO) will complete its stellar 2024 season with a delicious, not-to-be missed concert from 3pm on 17 November at the Concourse, Chatswood.
Featuring Rimsky-Korsakov’s sensuous Scheherazade, Gershwin’s spectacular Rhapsody in Blue (in its centenary year) and Peter Sculthorpe’s iconic Australian masterpiece Kakadu,
KPO artistic director Paul Terracini leads the orchestra in this fabulous, climactic concert that spotlights popular international Aussie star Simon Tedeschi at the piano.
Bookings www.kpo.org.au
Jiashan Wang
Teresa Yang
Teresa Yang
Lara Dowdeswell
Luxurious Boutique Environment. Excellence in Care. Aged Care Reimagined.
Welcome to Pathways Longueville
Opening in March 2025, Pathways Longueville redefines aged care with a luxurious boutique residence at 4 Northwood Road, Longueville. Surrounded by breathtaking harbour and city
views, Pathways Longueville redefines aged care with a focus on harmony, trust, and respect, creating a warm, welcoming environment for residents and families.
Premium Services and Support
Care & Support
Registered Nurses 24/7
Extensive Lifestyle Program
Respite & Palliative Care
Hope U Care Program
Advanced Integrated Care Technology
Allied Health Practitioners
Amenities & Lifestyle
Beautiful landscaped gardens Café
Hair and beauty salon
Fully equipped gym & pool
State-of-the-art cinema
Health and Wellness hub
Exceptional dining experiences
Guided by our values of excellence, compassion, and wellbeing, we provide personalised care that fosters independence and dignity for every resident. Suites available from $950,000 Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD).
Secure your suite today—contact us at (02) 8437 1700 or email mohara@pathways.com.au
Careers at Pathways Longueville
At Pathways Residences, we are committed to providing exceptional care that is tailored to meet the individual needs and preferences of our residents. Our experienced teams are dedicated to supporting residents’ independence and wellbeing, ensuring they live the best life they can. You can expect to work in a harmonious environment, be treated with respect at all times and be trusted on what you do.
Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of others we have opportunities including:
Leadership and Management
Nursing and Personal Care
Allied Health
Lifestyle & Wellbeing
Administration
Maintenance
Catering
Housekeeping
Benefits of Joining Our Pathways Team
Extensive Induction & Training Programs: We provide comprehensive training to ensure you’re equipped with the knowledge and resources needed for success.
Career Growth Opportunities: We promote from within, supporting you as you progress on your career path.
Scholarship Programs: We offer scholarships for further studies, recognising and supporting those who aspire to advance in their fields.
Technologically Innovative Environment: Pathways Longueville is a brand new, state-of-the-art aged care facility equipped with advanced technology designed to enhance resident care and provide a supportive work environment.
To register interest and learn about opportunities at Pathways Longueville, please scan the QR code.
The Ride of My Life
WORDS:
JANE GILLESPIE
I hate rollercoasters! They give you whiplash and make you sick. But 30 years ago, I was forced to board a metaphorical roller coaster when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I was unprepared for what a traumatising experience this would be or that I would unwillingly go on the wildest emotional ride of my life.
I lived in Canberra and was divorced with my youngest child still at home. My mother and two other older children tried to help, but I felt I needed to protect them from knowing just how terrified I was. The other patients in the chemo clinic never talked about being frightened, angry, despairing, whatever. I felt isolated and lonelier than I had ever been in my life. I attended a breast cancer support group, but everyone was so ‘jolly’ that I was afraid to say how I felt, and I never went back.
After my treatment finished, I decided to take a year off work to recover. But I could no longer hide from my feelings, and I fell apart. I sent my daughter to live with her father and moved to Sydney to focus on my recovery.
Of course, my tumultuous feelings came with me, and I suffered constant panic attacks and anxiety. My new oncologist referred me to a psychiatrist and through him I learned that many cancer survivors feel the same as I
did. Both my oncologist (a patron of the Life Force Cancer Foundation) and the psychiatrist recommended that I attend a Life Force support group.
This was the medicine I needed. I was given permission to be a mess by others who understood exactly how catastrophic it was to lose one’s life while still being alive. Surviving survival isn’t simply a matter of getting on with things. It was like wading through a swamp but with the support of the other group members I eventually did get through and out the other side.
My experience of how transformative group work can be led me to train as a counsellor and I have been facilitating Life Force support groups since 1998.
There is one group for patients and survivors and a separate group for carers and the bereaved. We have run these online ever since Covid, so anyone can join regardless of where they live.
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Mayoral Update November 2024
Meet your new Mayor, Merri Southwood
I am honoured to have been elected as the Mayor of Lane Cove by my fellow Councillors. As a Councillor of East Ward since 2021, I have thoroughly enjoyed representing my community and look forward to continuing this as Mayor.
As councillors, we have a responsibility to make informed, transparent decisions that prioritise our community. Our residents are our greatest asset, and I pledge to engage community consistently to harness your insights and contributions.
I will continue to prioritise what our community values. I am passionate
Greenwich Library 60th Anniversary
We are celebrating a big birthday at Greenwich Library with a Kids Mini Art Show during November 2024. Visit the recently renovated library and see the beautiful art from young local creatives!
Did you know the Greenwich Library was opened by Her Worship the Mayor, Mrs M. G. Propsting, the first female Mayor on the North Shore? Following her death in April 1972, the Greenwich Library was name in her honour, recognising her contribution to Local Government in the Municipality of Lane Cove.
about maintaining our open spaces and safeguarding our beloved bushland and waterways.
Moreover, I will consider the impacts of our decisions on future generations, prioritising sustainability in every choice we make. Together, we’ll enhance active transport links and create a connected, vibrant community.
Thank you for this incredible opportunity. I look forward to working alongside Deputy Mayor, Bridget Kennedy, my fellow Councillors, and each of you, as we continue to build a bright future for Lane Cove.
Remembrance Day in the Plaza
You’re invited to join us for a special Remembrance Day Service in the Plaza from 10:30am as we pay tribute to and remember all those who sacrificed their lives in service to their country.
Here at Lane Cove, we honour those locals who lost their lives in World War I with an Honour Roll at the Lane Cove Council Civic Centre.
Planting Resilience
Do you live in an apartment and would like to start a community garden with your neighbours?
Council is looking for an apartment complex to participate in a community garden trial program, where a facilitator will host two workshops on developing and maintaining an edible garden, along with all resources being supplied. Learn more are lanecove.nsw.gov.au/planting-resilience
To nominate your complex, email sustainability@lanecove.nsw.gov.au
Proposed "No Trucks Over 3t" for Tambourine Bay Road and Coxs Lane
We’re proposing to implement a “No Trucks Over 3t” on Tambourine Bay Road and Cox Ln from River Road to Epping Road. The proposal intends to discourage trucks using these roads as a short-cut between River Road and Epping Road.
Learn more and share your feedback at our online engagement website Have Your Say Lane Cove: haveyoursay.lanecove.nsw.gov.au
Council Meeting
The next Council meeting will be held on Thursday 21 November followed by the final meeting for 2024 on Thursday 5 December. Members of the public can register to address Council by using the online form no later than midnight, on the day prior to the meeting.
www.lanecove.nsw.gov. au/meetings
Countdown to Christmas
We have a huge Christmas program coming up in December. Click the QR code to visit our Christmas 2024 page to check out events for the whole family.
Trees of Joy
Every year you will see Trees of Joy at various Council facilities. This program helps us share Christmas joy with those who are less fortunate. You can get involved by donating an unwrapped gift and take a tag off the tree to write a note of well wishes to go with their gift.
Gifts are accepted from when the trees go up on Wednesday 13 November and will be distributed after Friday 6 December to local families who really appreciate a helping hand. Delvena Women and Children's Refuge and Catholic Care help us to distribute the kind donations.
Drop off locations: Civic Centre, Lane Cove Library, and St Leonards Library
Bluey Live Christmas Experience
Friday 1 December, 3 shows at 4:00pm, 5:00pm and 6:00pm, The Canopy | Free Wackadoo! Bluey and her little sister Bingo are coming to Lane Cove - For Real Life! Get ready to play Verandah Santa, Keepy Uppy and more.
No booking required but we recommend you arrive early to grab a spot on the grass.
The Perfect Christmas Gift
Help support your favourite local businesses this Christmas by purchasing a Lane Cove Gift Card that can be redeemed at more than 75 local stores and restaurants.
What’s on Lane Cove November 2024
We’re harnessing technology to engage with the community and illuminate Lane Cove
Got a request?
Council is listening!
Are you out and about in Lane Cove and notice something that needs Council’s attention? You can head to Council’s website on your phone and instantly lodge your request on our Online Services platform.
On our website, you can select from a range of common service requests, with a step-by-step process to provide us with the information we need, including photos and sharing the address we need to attend to.
Your request is then automatically directed to the right team here at Council and you receive a tracking number to help us provide you with updates based on the contact details you’ve provided.
Explore our Online Services for more information and to lodge your requests www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/onlineservices
Smart bulbs light up Lane Cove
Close to 100% of Lane Cove’s street lights are run on energy efficient LED bulbs, after Council recently upgraded 639 street lights on our main roads. Local roads were upgraded in 2022, and Council will upgrade pedestrian crossings in the final stage of the project in early 2025.
Lane Cove Council is one of more than 30 NSW Councils partnering with Augsrid to deliver what could be the largest and most advanced smart street lighting upgrade in Australia.
These upgrades make up part of Council’s strategy to use energy more efficiently and reduce emissions. The upgrade program adds smart controls to the lights on main roads to help detect faults, optimise maintenance, measure energy use, and facilitate offpeak dimming in the future. The lights would also be able to accommodate future smart city censors.
LED lamps not only use a fraction of the energy compared to older street lights but are more cost effective, longer lasting, and easier to maintain.
What’s on Lane Cove November 2024
Mangroves and Mud
– Bush Kids
Thursday, 7 November 9:45am – 11:15am
Blackman Park
Join us for some muddy fun and nature craft. Activity for 2 to 5 years.
Bookings: www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/bushkids
English Conversation @ St Leonards
Thursday, 7 and 14 November 10:00am - 11:30am
St Leonards Library
Join a free, small and friendly English class.
Free event. No bookings required.
Riverview Spotlight Walk
Friday 8 November 7:30pm – 9:00pm
Tambourine Bay Reserve
Enjoy an evening walk along the river looking for nocturnal creatures. See what wildlife comes out at night! Bring a torch and wear sturdy shoes. Suitable for ages 8 years and up.
Bookings: www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/ bushcareevents
Saturday Sounds
Saturday 9 November, 10:00am to 12:00pm Lane Cove Plaza
Grab a coffee and enjoy the sounds of Joe Trueman! With over 30 years in Australia’s music scene, Joe blends reggae, folk, blues, and soul, inspired by legends like Bob Marley and Bob Dylan.
Free event. No bookings required.
Meet the Changemaker - Film Screening
Saturday 9 November 6:00pm – 8:30pm. The Canopy
Bring your picnic rug for a special screening of Rising Up followed with Q&A with the filmmaker Kal Glanzing. This Aussie filmmaker’s journey around the world is bringing stories of hope for the climate crisis to the big screen.
This is a free event, register online: www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/risingup
Possum Magic – Bush Kids
Tuesday 12 and Wednesday 20 November
9:45am – 11:15am
Tambourine Bay Park
Join us to learn about the different possums we have in Australia, go on a bushwalk and do some nature craft.
Activity for 2 to 5 years, tickets at www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/bushkids
In Conversation with Stephen Dando-Collins – The Buna Shots
Wednesday 13 November, 2:00pm. Lane Cove Library
Join Stephen Collins, a prolific author of history, as he discusses his 48th book The Buna Shots: The Amazing Story Behind Two Photographs that Changed the Course of World War Two.
Free event. Bookings essential at lanecove.nsw.gov.au/stephencollins
Makers Market
Sunday 17 November
9:00am - 3:00pm
Lane Cove Plaza & The Canopy
Explore the stalls and find something new at the monthly markets held on the third Sunday of each month.
INXS KICK at the Canopy
Saturday 23 November 6:00pm - 9:00pm. The Canopy
Join us at The Canopy for a celebration of one of Australia's most iconic bands. Get ready for a night of nostalgia you'll never forget!
Tickets are $12: www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/INXS
Tech Topics: Introduction to AI: Artificial Intelligence
Thursday 28 November. 11:00am –12:00pm. Lane Cove Library
With an extensive background in business and IT, Murali Dharan will join us at Lane Cove Library to discuss new technologies. This November he will introduce us to the basics of artificial intelligence. The session will include opportunities for discussion and hands-on investigation. No prior knowledge is needed. Bookings essential.
Book Online: www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/library
‘Shop Your Wardrobe’ Styling Workshop
Saturday 30 November 2:00pm to 5:00pm Cove Room, Lane Cove Civic Centre
Avoid the Black Friday craziness and have fun with what you already own! Join ‘Questioning Fashion’ podcast hosts Ali Dibley and Jo Gambale for a fun-filled session showing that fashion is more than just shopping. Tickets are $5: lanecove.nsw.gov.au/ shopyourwardrobe.
See who is coming out of the Lane Cove Swamp this November!
LANE COVE THEATRE COMPANY
PRESENTS:
Shrek the Musical Jnr
Directed by Catherine Walmsley-Timmins and Daniel Timmins
Shrek The Musical Jr.—a whimsical and delightful musical adventure that takes us back to the swampy world of our favourite ogre! In this irreverently fun show, Shrek leads a cast of fairytale misfits on an epic quest to rescue Princess Fiona and find true acceptance. Part romance, part twisted fairy tale, and all-around entertaining, Shrek Jr. delivers a powerful message for the whole family.
Directors Catherine and Daniel: “It’s never been harder to just ‘be yourself’ in this digital age. Shrek, Fiona, Donkey, and the Fairy Tale Creatures learn to embrace their differences, believe in themselves and be loved for the wonderful, unique people they are…We hope you’ll be inspired to find ‘What makes you special’ and fly your ‘Freak Flag’ high!”
With catchy songs, dazzling choreography, and a talented cast of young performers, Shrek Jr is a must-see show that will leave you laughing, singing, and cheering for the underdog!
Licensed exclusively by Music Theatre International (Australasia). All performance materials supplied by Hal Leonard Australia.
• 8-24 November 2024 at The Performance Space @ St Aidan's, 1 Christina Street, Longueville
I knew I was looking forward to The Fallen Woman, but it superseded my expectations. I love this novel.
I’ve been a fan of Fiona McIntosh’s since 2013 when I happened upon The Lavender Keeper. I’ve always been a historical fiction reader, but the people! The romance! The locations!! She really has a way of putting you in the story…I think I’ve read at least one Fiona McIntosh a year ever since. I adore them.
Through these novels I’ve been to world wars, I’ve worked at chocolate shops, sweet shops, train stations, lavender fields, a tea plantation, a Champagne vineyard, a diamond mine...they are all so evocative and beautiful.
I’ve found friends and fallen in love countless times through a Fiona McIntosh novel. It is never tacky or over the top but there is definitely romance in the air, and I am there for it!
The Fallen Woman is my most favourite yet. When we first meet Jane Saville we instantly empathise - her mother and sister are horrible! Guy Attwood, friend of king and Winston Churchill is in the midst of apple hunting and it would be wrong of me not to admit to love at first sight.
We watch Jane battle societal judgment at being a fallen woman, Guy, as he comes to terms with his own place in society, but along the way we also learn so much about apples, colour and meet the loveliest little boy in Jane’s son Harry. This is such a great saga of a novel.
I am yet to visit Britain, but I very much feel I’ve just some back from the most wonderful trip. This is a novel that reads as a love letter to the beautiful moors, beaches, architecture and rivers of Britain. I could taste the apples, cake and tea!
Jane, Guy and Harry are all head strong, determined characters, and I really feel that it made for such an enjoyable reading experience. Fiona McIntosh has created real people here. I feel I know them all.
The Fallen Woman is out now, in all good bookshops and I have no hesitation in recommending it! I hope you love it!
What I am excited for in November
Pictures of You Emma Grey Leave the Girls Behind Jacqueline Bublitz All the Beautiful Things Katrina Nannestad Legend of Albert Jacka Peter Fitzsimmons www.readabook.com.au
Review by: Anna Loder. Anna is the founder of www.readabook.com.au and the podcast of the same name. She is a book fanatic and owns a second-hand bookshop and café in Cronulla. www.readabook.com.au
Destination Africa and South Africa!
After multiple trips to Africa, nothing compares to sharing your breakfast with a giraffe! Trekking to see the mountain Gorilla’s in Rwanda and witnessing the migration safari in Kenya.
Debbi and her husband Rob have been fortunate enough to travel to Africa on many occasions and have booked their next adventure for September 2025.
They have travelled to South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Rwanda. Every Country offering a very different and unique experience.
There were so many amazing highlights however the three
South Africa is a destination very close to Courtney’s heart with her husband’s family being South African. She has enjoyed several trips to Cape Town, Johannesburg and greater South Africa to visit family and to experience the rugged beauty of the country. She has thoroughly enjoyed;
• Exploring the picturesque Stellenbosch wine region – with rolling hills and the most incredible views, this is a MUST for any avid wine enthusiast. Courtney stayed at Spier Wine Farm surrounded by top wine and great food – the list is endless for beautiful wineries to hop between.
standouts for Debbi was Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda. The journey through dense foliage and up steep climbs is rewarded with the lifetime experience of viewing mountain gorillas metres away.
The second standout was witnessing the crossing of the Mara River where the Wildebeest and Zebra herds cross the River battling with crocodiles lying in wait, or lions and other predators that the herds attract. To see the migration crossing a river is the ultimate game watching experience.
The third standout was staying just out of Nairobi at the famous Giraffe Manor. This is the only place in the
• Chapman’s Peak coastal drive, a stretch of road hugging the cliffs of Chapman’s Peak overlooking the Atlantic coast between Hout Bay and Noordhoek.
• The Twelve Apostles mountain peaks drive that runs along Cape Peninsula, breaking up the scenic drive high tea with high tea at the 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa in Camps Bay
• The quaint village of Simonstown is home to a large colony of African penguins that huddle in the sheltered inlet of Boulders Beach. It’s also a nice spot to grab a bite for lunch.
• A cable car trip up to Table Mountain where the views are like no other and as far as the eye can see, you can take in views of False Bay, the Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean.
• A long lunch at the V&A Waterfront Cape Town followed by local shopping and uninterrupted views of Table Mountain – the seals sunbaking in the harbour topped off the day
• If you have a transit for a day in Johannesburg, organise a private guide to visit the shanty town of
world where guests can enjoy the experience of feeding giraffes over the breakfast table, or poking their heads through your hotel room for a feed, or just to say hello. This is one of the Number One places in the world to stay.
Soweto where Nelson Mandela once lived and the Apartheid Museum, one of the most profound experiences showcasing South Africa’s history Courtney has been fortunate enough to experience several of the South African game parks – Inyati Game Lodge in the Sabi Sand Nature Reserve, Earth Lodge in the Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve and the top pick – Kings Camp located in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve. Start with a morning game drive, enjoy the lodges facilities during the day laying by the pool or reading a book before heading out for your afternoon drive. You can’t beat a G&T out in the wild at sunset!
This experience is a photographer and animal lovers’ dream, with animals coming right up to your chalet’s fence or a walking safari, top it all off with an incredible 3 course meal and 5 star service.
Australia's original and most trusted Africa travel specialist, where passion meets expertise, culminating in seamless safari adventures. With over 55 years’ experience, and centuries of collective Africa knowledge, we take pride in curating exceptional tailormade and small group journeys with thrilling wildlife adventures and immersive cultural experiences.
DELUXE SOUTH AFRICA
SAVE UP TO $2,190 13 Days from $9,660 per person
Expertly curated as an introduction to South Africa, this tailormade journey is ideal for the first time safari-goer. Starting from Cape Town, journey through the most scenic areas in South Africa: Cape Town – consistently voted most beautiful city in the world, Franschhoek –arguably one of earth’s best winelands, and the famous Greater Kruger for its abundance of Big Five wildlife.
ACCOMMODATION: 4 nights Mount Nelson, 3 nights Franschhoek Country House and 5 nights Garonga Safari Camp.
INCLUSIONS: 12 nights accommodation across boutique hotels and luxury tented camp. 12 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 5 dinners. Local drinks on safari. Game drives and nature walks. Sleep-out experience. Bush bath and Yoga session. Cape Town City and Cape Peninsula tours. Return Cape Winelands transfers and airport transfers.
EXPLORE KENYA
12 days from $9,990 per person Departs 03 Jun & 13 Nov 2025
LADIES ONLY ESCORTED TOUR NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT & OWN ROOM
This exclusive Ladies Only escorted tour is an immersive escape over twelve days, incorporating wildlife, culture and adventure, welcoming women of all ages! Witness the ochre-red elephants of Tsavo East, the iconic Mt Kilimanjaro backdrop of Amboseli, the incredible Lake Nakuru and the world famous Masai Mara Game Reserve.
ACCOMMODATION: 1 night Crowne Plaza, 2 nights Satao Camp, 1 night Severin Camp, 2 nights Elerai Camp, 2 nights Lake Naivasha Sopa Lodge, 2 nights Sarova Mara Game Camp, 1 night Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge.
INCLUSIONS: English-speaking female guide. 11 nights accommodation across hotels, game lodges and tented camps. Most meals and local drinks on safari. 4x4 game drives and game walks. First Class train journey. Return airport transfers. Cooking class and beadwork lesson with Maasai ladies.
BOTSWANA ODYSSEY
7 days from $9,390 per person Stay 6 night, Pay 4
Embark on an unforgettable safari through Botswana's diverse landscapes, immersing yourself in its untamed wilderness. From the expansive Makgadikgadi Pan, teeming with life during seasonal floods including flocks of elegant flamingos and the remarkable migration of wildebeest and zebras, to the Okavango Delta UNESCO World Heritage Site. Each destination offers a unique glimpse into Botswana's wildlife, promising an unforgettable adventure in one of Africa's last true wildernesses.
ACCOMMODATION: 2 nights Meno A Kwena (Makgadikgadi), 2 nights Hyena Pan (Khwai) and 2 nights Molokwane Camp (Okavango)
INCLUSIONS: 6 nights in tented camps. All meals and local drinks. Helicopter and Light aircraft transfers. Game drives and game walks. Mokoro ride. Road transfers. Park fees. Laundry.
HIGHLIGHTS OF EAST AFRICA
13 days from $11,160 per person TOP SELLER
Experience Kenya and Tanzania’s highlights on this all-encompassing small group adventure. No East Africa tour is complete without the spectacular Serengeti and its incredible game viewing, or the world famous Masai Mara with unmatched biodiversity. Wonder at the breathtaking Ngorongoro Crater and see Amboseli National Park standing in the shadow of Mt Kilimanjaro – Africa’s tallest mountain. Enjoy 13 days of wildlife and culture on this small group tour, with a maximum of just seven like-minded travellers.
ACCOMMODATION: 1 night Four Points by Sheraton, 2 nights Ngorongoro Farmhouse, 2 nights Serengeti Khuama, 1 night Kirurumu Manyara Lodge, 2 nights Elerai Camp, 1 night Lake Naivasha Sopa Lodge, 2 nights Sarova Mara Game Camp, 1 night Sarova Lion Hill
INCLUSIONS: 12 nights in 4-star safari camps and lodges. All meals on safari. Return airport transfers. 4X4 safari vehicle. English-speaking guide. Game drives. Park fees
HUNTERS HILL THEATRE
Mother and Son, the stage production – Hunters Hill Theatre’s final show for 2024
Voted “Best Australian TV Series Ever” this beloved iconic comedy, written by Geoffrey Atherden, sees beloved Maggie being cared for by her youngest son Arthur.
But when Arthur falls in love, can he convince Robert, his older brother and Liz, his brother’s wife, to step up and take care of Maggie so he can propose to Anita?
From amongst the familial chaos comes a story of warmth and love surrounding their loved one as they confront Dementia and the changes it brings.
Said Brenton Aimes who plays Arthur Beare: “What can audiences look forward to when they come see the show? Poignancy. Relatable family drama. Some great laughs with characters that people have known and loved for many years. And if they’ve not met the Beare family yet, they’re in for a treat!”
And from Maggie Beare, played by Christine Rule, “I hope that all the time, commitment and hard work of the whole cast and crew, will bring a powerful production to not only our regular subscription audience, but also to people who may be new to live theatre. I hope they all go away with an eager intention of coming back for more. I hope they continue to support community theatre at its best”.
And from the Director Jasper Kyle: “Mother and Son is going to end the 2024 season on a real bang, and so far, the excitement that has been expressed by our existing audience base has been overwhelmingly exuberant. I can't wait to get going on this production and working with my performers and crew to pull together something which I believe will be truly special and memorable”.
Hunters Hill Theatre will be performing Mother and Son from 22 November – 8 December at Club Ryde Ex. ickets available via www.huntershilltheatre.com.au or call the Box Office on 0478 097 525.
The Theatre will also be launching its 2025 Season on 26 October so look forward to more thrills, comedy and whodunit throughout next year.
FREE PUBLIC CONCERTS
Christmas at Home Concert
Tuesday, 10 December, 6:30pm Living and Learning Centre, 180 Longueville Road, Lane Cove
When people sing together, their heartbeats become in sync. Thus combined, we make a unique kind of music through the sheer love of singing as one. It’s never too early (or too late) to join a choir, improve your health, your brain and your memory, and make new friends and have fun!
LaVoce Community Choir rehearses every Tuesday during school terms from 6.15 to 8.00pm at the Living and Learning Centre, 180 Longueville, Road, Lane Cove. There is no audition or requirement to read music. We sing popular songs selected by the choir members for the joy of it.
These two concerts are the last of our free public concerts provided for everyone’s enjoyment in 2024. Bookings on the Lane Cove Library website are essential for the Christmas Concert in the Library on 12 December. Also, if you are planning to attend the At Home Concert at The Living and Learning Centre on 10 December, it would be helpful to let us know at the Enquiries email address shown below. Come and sing with us in our home so you can see how wonderful it can be.
Christmas Concert Thursday, 12 December, 6:30pm Lane Cove Library Library Walk, Lane Cove
Cast of Mother and Son with Director Jasper Kyle (back row centre)
Tida Dhanommitrapap (Anita), Christine Rule (Maggie) and Brenton Amies (Arthur)
Joan Rodd (Monica) and Christine Rule (Maggie)
100 WORDS
The Chilli Boys had vandalised subway trains and city walls for decades, pickpocketing Times Square tourists and shoplifting from local bodegas. Although greatly feared, they seemed untouchable.
One Halloween night, they struck the upmarket suburb of Brooklyn Heights, spray painting skulls and crossbones on the residents’ doors and pelting passersby with eggs.
Their rampage concluded with a celebratory pizza. They clearly never learned about Omertà and bragged a little too loudly.
The biggest scare of the night however, wasn’t a vampire bat, but Biaggio’s sudden arrival, with a hot fresh pie in one hand and a baseball bat in the other.
Perihan Bozkurt, Lane Cove
Eiffel Tower and Harbour Bridge are made of iron.
Both are representative icons of a country (The Eiffel Tower is for France, the Harbour is for Australia).
Both are places where we can see beautiful fireworks (Eiffel on Bastille Day, Harbour on January 1)
From both we can see beautiful water flow of the Seine and Sydney Harbour.
On the second floor of the Eiffel Tower, I think of Maupassant, and as I pass the Harbour, I feel like running
In front of these two beautiful monuments, I am a little stranger, and as a stranger, I love them both
Jay, Lane Cove
GraveTalk
Most of us would rather die than think or talk about death, but experts in the death-care industry say it's important to develop death literacy, meaning the knowledge and skills that make it possible to access and understand end-of-life options.
For many, death is their greatest fear. So much left behind. So many mysteries. It doesn’t help that so many of us are cut off from nature in the modern developed world. We have so many amenities and conveniences and so much sheltering that we rarely encounter the natural phenomenon of death all around us –from the animal and plant kingdoms to the birth and death of galaxies and stars.
Death and dying can be a tough and painful topic, especially if we’ve lost those close to us or faced grave illnesses ourselves or among loved ones. Conceptually, we know death is inevitable. But that doesn’t make it easier to face.
Enter “memento mori” (Latin for “remember that you will die”), an ancient practice of reflecting on our mortality to help us live better. The concept of memento mori has been a recurring theme in various cultures, civilizations, and religions throughout human history. In ancient Rome, acknowledging death as an inescapable reality of human existence was seen as a means of promoting humility and wisdom. The Stoics of ancient Greece and Rome encouraged people to contemplate their mortality, because they believed that doing so would lead to a more virtuous and meaningful life. This isn’t only a curious (if morbid) inheritance from the ancients. It’s also an intriguing and important finding from modern science—and a deep conviction of those who have had brushes with mortality.
GraveTalk is a café space hosted by Lane Cove Community Chaplaincy. At GraveTalk people, often strangers, gather to eat cake, drink tea and discuss death. Our objective is to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their lives. It is a discussion group rather than a grief support or counselling session.
Over the Four-Week series we’ll be speaking to people whose life's work is helping us to better understand death, with opportunities to reflect on our own mortality and what might lie ahead.
Rather than getting morbid, GraveTalk keeps spirits light while exploring the deep meaning which can be found in talking about death and dying. Book into one, some or all of the sessions in the GraveTalk Series which runs on Friday evenings throughout November. Book into one, some or all of the sessions in the GraveTalk Series.
For more information and to book your spot, see: trybooking.com/CWQOF
Nurturing one another is just one of the things we do. Want to know more? Come and join the conversation where all are welcome, and all means ALL.
DO YOU HAVE A 100 WORD STORY?
Email: editor@thevillageobserver. com.au
Liam McKenna
Lane Cove Community Chaplain
P: 0404 596 592
E: lanecovechaplain@gmail.com www.lanecovecc.com
Supported by Lane Cove Uniting Church
Lung cancer
One of my favourite movies is The King’s Speech starring Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush. It is a historical drama set in the 1930s, featuring the future King George VI. Suffering from a terrible verbal stammer (never ideal when needing to deliver inspiring war speeches to the masses), King George desperately sees an Australian speech and language therapist for treatment where all else had previously failed. As it would turn out, his doctors at the time had recommended cigarette smoking to treat his condition. Suffice to say, it didn’t work.
Even before then and to combat growing anxieties about smoking and its negative health effects, tobacco companies tried to align their brands with doctors using bribery and ludicrous health claims, including using advertisements to marry doctors and cigarettes in the consumer’s mind (‘More doctors smoke Camels than another cigarette (brand)!’ was an infamous US advertisement, 1946)
How times and modern medicine have since changed. The link between cigarette smoking and significant health diseases is well known, and maybe intuitively, smoking’s link to lung cancer - the topic of this month’s article. Unfortunately, lung cancer often first presents at an advanced stage where cure is not possible. November is lung cancer awareness month.
Lung cancer is estimated to be the fifth most commonly diagnosed cancer in 2024 and is the most common cause of cancer-related death in Australia in both men and women. Significantly, of these five most-commonest cancers, it has the lowest 5-year survival rate of 26%, compared with an average survival rate of 73% from all other cancers in Australia. In 2023, there were over 14,000 new lung cancer diagnoses, and more than 8000 lung cancer-related deaths. Survival differs by age, with 5-year survival at 94% for 20-24 year-olds, dropping to 9.1% for those aged 85 and over. But unlike its better-publicised cancer rivals (breast, prostate, melanoma, bowel) who have their own screening programs, lung cancer has not had its own screening program. Until now.
In mid 2025, the Australian National Lung cancer screening program will launch. Backed up from data from international studies, it will be available to current or ex-smokers aged 50 to 70 years who meet eligibility criteria, via a low-dose CT scan of the chest every two years. Through early detection in these high-risk individuals, the program hopes to reduce lung cancer deaths by 12,000 within the first 10 years.
Apart from early lung cancer detection, other screening benefits may include opportunities for quitting smoking through highlighted health awareness, and incidental other findings found on the CT scan, including emphysema and coronary artery calcifications. Potential screening benefits
must also be weighed against potential harms including CT radiation exposure, and detection of non-cancerous lesions (‘false positives’) leading to patient psychological distress and unnecessary further investigations or procedures. More information on this program will come to light over the next year.
But what if you are not eligible for this upcoming screening program? Under 50 or over 70 years? What if you have never smoked? There are things you can still watch out for and actions you can take.
Tobacco smoking - current or former – is the greatest risk factor. It is linked to 90% of lung cancer cases in men and 65% of lung cancer cases in women in Australia. The risk is greatest for people who begin smoking early in life, smoke for longer and smoke more often. This also includes exposure to second-hand smoke (passive smoking). Bottom line - it is never too late to quit! Significant lung cancer risk reductions have been shown by as little as five years continued smoking cessation, and the younger you quit, the stronger the risk reduction. There are many ways to quit smoking - see your GP for further support if you are struggling or call Quitline (13 QUIT).
Whilst smoking is by far the biggest it is not the only risk factor. In fact, all causes of lung cancer are not fully understood. Around 1 in 10 men and 1 in 3 women who are diagnosed with lung cancer, have no history of smoking. Other risk factors include: asbestos exposure, air pollution exposure, occupational exposures (diesel, steel, arsenic, radioactive gas), a family history of lung cancer, having other lung diseases such as chronic bronchitis or emphysema, and older age (above 60).
Lung cancer still can occur at any age, so it pays to watch out for the symptoms. These include: coughing up blood, a persistent or changed cough, chest/shoulder pain or discomfort especially if worsened by coughing or deep breathing, breathing difficulties, hoarse voice, weight loss, loss of appetite, and chest infections that don’t go away. Many conditions though can mimic these symptoms, not just lung cancer. The take-home message is to not ignore these symptoms, and to talk to your doctor about them. Hopefully within a few more years, and with this new screening program underway, the future of lung cancer early detection will be brighter.
Dr Carl Wong is a Lane Cove-based GP and sits on the board of Sydney Community Services.
Pepper
The spice that changed the world.
Most of us have heard the tongue twister published around 1813 where a gentleman called Pierre Poivre (Peter Piper) “picked a peck of pickled pepper.”
Peter was a French horticulturist who was looking at growing pepper in the Seychelles for the government of the Mauritius. He goes down in history for breaking the Dutch monopoly of the clove and nutmeg trade, then stealing the pepper plants to grow them in the Seychelles. Pepper, though, has played a more important role in the history of food and commerce than our scallywag Peter has.
Peppercorns come from a tropical vine/ climber that originated in India, and they are normally wound around taller trees to make it simpler for harvesting. In Malaysia and Sumatra where pepper is cultivated in large tracts of land, it is grown on stakes or racks that hold the climbing vines.
There are many species of the Piperacae plant but the important ones are the vines that give us the ordinary pepper, cubeb pepper and the long pepper.
Pepper grows in shiny globules, green to begin with, turning yellow and turning a coral pink when completely ripe. Green, white and black peppers all come from the same vine - they are merely processed differently.
Peppercorns can be harvested at any of these stages: green peppercorns have a fresh hot bite to them like green chilli and when dried they still retain their subtle flavour, moreso than the
black piper nigrum, the white or pink pepper tastes.
You may find two other types of pepper in specialist spice shops. Cubeb peppers are closely related to black pepper but have a hotter flavour with interesting notes of citrus and clove. Long peppers taste hot, spicy and leave a lingering flavour on the tongue.
The processing of the pepper is important to understanding what to look for when shopping. Peppercorns contain an enzyme in the outer skin, the pericarp, which is controlled during the drying or brining processes to create green, white and black peppers. Black peppers are harvested six months after flowering while still ripening, then dried in the sun on mats for a few weeks while the outer skin oxidizes to black and a volatile oil is brought to the surface giving it fragrance and flavour.
White pepper is produced by removing the enzyme that turns the berry black, (called decorticating), where the skin is rubbed off mechanically. In Indonesia, the ripening berries are packed into sacks and soaked in running water for two to three weeks until the outer skin softens, leaving a creamy white berry. With no enzyme to turn them black when dried in the sun, the white pepper becomes more pungent than black peppers, although not as fragrant. Asian recipes often call for white pepper.
Pink peppercorns are merely brined to keep their colour.
Ayervedic recipe for a cough:
You may want to try a simple Indian treatment for a persistent or a dry cough used by Ayurveda medicine exponents for centuries. I have used it many times and found it most effective, but you must follow the recipe closely to get the best results. It is harmless.
Take ¼ cup of black pepper berries, roast in a frypan with 1 teaspoon of ghee or butter until it smells aromatic. Cool the mixture and grind in a coffee grinder until it is very fine.
Pass the mixture through a very fine sieve to get the finest grains through.
Add a heated teaspoon of honey and mix well to make a thickish mixture that can be formed into pea sized balls with the fingers. Decant into a little jar with a cover. Keep it cool, do not freeze.
When you next start coughing, take a flat wooden palate knife or a clean flat paddle pop stick and place a pea-sized amount of the mixture on the back of your tongue. Do not swallow, but allow it to dribble down your throat slowly. Your cough will abate, at least temporarily.
Nobody Wants This
(Netflix)
Nobody Wants This is a clever romcom about a newly single rabbi and an agnostic sex podcaster, whose love is tested by their differences and meddling families. This well-written comedy explores intimacy and honesty in relationships. It’s witty and has just the right balance of heart and humour. The writing is sharp, the chemistry spot-on, and the characters are so endearing you genuinely hope they make it. A delightful take on the genre, it avoids clichés while staying real and relatable. Roll on Season 2.
★★★★½
Why you should watch it: You’ll be hooked right from the start.
Sweetpea follows Rhiannon Lewis, an unassuming character who becomes a force to be reckoned with when pushed to her limit. Ella Purnell shines as the cunning lead in this darkly humorous revenge fantasy that combines playful wit with sinister themes. The series is tightly crafted, offering sharp writing and engaging storytelling throughout its six concise episodes. With a blend of comedy and darkness, Sweetpea captivates and entertains, leaving viewers eager for more of its thrilling twists and Rhiannon’s compelling journey.
Why you should watch it: It’s slick and stylish and well worth your time.
What I watched on TV…
Stephen Miller delivers his expert TV recommendations, introducing you to the latest and greatest shows. Whether you’re in the mood for a thrilling drama, a lighthearted comedy, or a hidden gem, Stephen’s curated picks never disappoint. Dive in and explore the best of what’s on TV!
The Old Man – Season 1 (SBS OnDemand and Disney+)
In The Old Man, former CIA agent Dan Chase is forced to confront his past after an assassin tracks him down. FBI agent Harold Harper, with a complicated history involving Chase, is tasked with capturing him, but Chase proves more elusive than expected. A highly trained contractor is also called in to pursue him. Though the pacing can be slow at times, Jeff Bridges’ compelling performance and the welldeveloped characters make this spy thriller a captivating watch for fans of the genre. Series 2 is also available on Disney+.
★★★½
Why you should watch it: Great performances by Jeff Bridges and John Lithgow.
In its latest season, Heartstopper delights with its signature warmth while showcasing the growth of its young characters. The series shines by portraying queerness authentically, making it a central and genuine part of the narrative. Season 3 strikes a balance between addressing serious issues and maintaining an uplifting tone. Viewers will navigate the ups and downs of teenage life, experiencing both laughter and heartfelt moments. By the end, you’re left with a sense of joy, despite the emotional challenges presented throughout the season.
★★★★★
Why you should watch it: It’s so wholesome in the best way possible.
Máxima (SBS OnDemand)
Máxima is a Dutch biographical series adapted from Marcia Luyten’s 2022 novel Patria, los primeros años de Máxima Zorreguieta. It focuses on the early life of Queen Máxima of the Netherlands and her relationship with Willem-Alexander. The show follows Máxima as she steps into the royal spotlight, with her past resurfacing when Willem-Alexander proposes. While it mirrors The Crown in style, its portrayal of a perhaps this lesserknown royal family, certainly has potential for multiple seasons. ★★★½
Why you should watch it:
If you’re a fan of The Crown you’ll enjoy this.
Shaun Micallef’s Origin Odyssey – (SBS OnDemand)
In Shaun Micallef’s Origin Odyssey, the beloved comedian leads six fellow Australian comedians—Aaron Chen, Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli, Lizzy Hoo, Dilruk Jayasinha, Nina Oyama, and Arj Barker— on transformative adventures worldwide. This heartwarming series combines Micallef’s trademark humour with the comedians’ explorations of their cultural identities, uncovering fascinating aspects of their heritage. With its clever blend of entertainment and insight, the show offers a fresh and witty twist on the Who Do You Think You Are? format.
★★★★
Why you should watch it: Travel and humour reveal unexpected insights from our travellers.
Sweetpea (Binge)
Heartstopper – Season 3 (Netflix)
The Storm
A SHORT STORY
BY JENNY ENGLAND
It was eerily still and quiet. Foreboding storm clouds had been gathering for sometime. I watched and waited in readiness for the first bolt of lightning to ignite the sky and thunderclap to break the silence. It didn’t take long. Within minutes the torrential rain began, tramping my rainforest undergrowth and turning what were once walking trails into muddy river-lets streaming down to my lagoon, taking with them anything in their path.
Strong wind gusts lifted anything unsecured into the air, randomly depositing them back to the ground onto piles of debris from earlier storms. My once pristine shoreline did not escape the developing onslaught either. Powerful sea swells combined with the wind gusts rhythmically pounded my rocky shore, and then retreated to pound and retreat, over and over again.
There was little I could do but hold on tight and wait patiently until the storm passed and tranquillity restored. It always did. The cycle of storm and calm had been going on for as long as I could remember but it had become more frequent over the last hundred years and each storm more destructive than the one before. There was not enough time between these regular assaults for any recovery and regeneration. My rainforest, lagoon, and coastline once flourished with life but I was no longer a safe habitat.
I used to listen, fascinated, to the sounds coming from my rainforest, especially at night. Small animals would scurry around in search of night time snacks or to meet up with their mates. Insects would buzz and chatter in high-pitched crackles and frogs would join in the chorus with their own special songs. But their numbers had gradually diminished over time. Birds once nested on my cliff tops but with local food sources declining from raised sea temperature. Now only a few hardy ones would bother settling here.
My lagoon used to be a marvellous place for all kinds of aquatic activities and teem with marine life too. Many local and exotic fish, turtles and aquatic greenery had called it home for centuries, proving a food source for other life here, but the gradual encroachment of sea water and the constant
attack by storms made it a difficult place for them to thrive. The humans that had called me home for centuries were eventually forced to leave and find higher ground and a more stable environment to live and raise their families. As well as the demise of their small scale tourist ventures and the decline in availability of local food sources, fresh water too had become a scarce resource due to the increased salinity of ground water.
Every day I miss them. I miss the regular pace of their daily lives. I used to enjoy watching them fishing on the reef and bringing their catches back; children frolicking on the beach, dipping in and out of the waves on very hot days; the aromas coming from campfire cook-ups when families got together to share a meal and take pleasure in each others company. There was always something to enjoy about their presence here. I needed to get used to the idea I had now been deprived of all that energy and delight. It made me sad.
Forever etched in my memory are scenes of the days the last groups of humans left in a flotilla of boats. For good. Tears ran down the faces of children clinging tightly to their mothers who it appeared were trying to show a stoic acceptance of their fate. Most of the men had already left to set up new homes for their families and find work elsewhere. It was an overwhelming sight.
I had always enjoyed visitors, chuffed that they found me a place they wanted to explore. This always made me feel special. But the only visitors that have arrived regularly recently were groups of scientists and environmentalists measuring changes in the shoreline; assessing wildlife varieties, counting their numbers and testing waters. It bothers me to think that they believed they will be able to do anything about the issues their investigations reveal. But deep down, I hope they can.
Eventually the rain, sea swell and the wind began to ease and the dark clouds started to dissipate. It was then time to survey the damage they left in their wake: a task I dreaded every time. However, the hours after a storm passed was often also a magical time as cracks of sunlight peeping through created glistening effects on wet leaves and small signs of the remaining life began to emerge. And if the atmospheric conditions were just right, a multi-coloured rainbow would appear to brighten up the sky. As I started to relax after this last tempest, I really hoped one would.
Roll up! Roll up! All the fun of the fair
The Lane Cove Rotary Club would like to thank all the community for your great support on Sunday 13th for our annual fair. It was a marvellous day and we’re so grateful. Your positive feedback was equally valuable. Thank you to our generous sponsors – we couldn’t have done it without all of you. Lane Cove Rotary and Sustainability Fair is a major fund raising activity for our Club – your support means we can continue to support causes, local and international, which make a real difference to people’s lives. THANKYOU
A MESSAGE FROM BRANKA IVKOVIC, CEO
Embracing Tolerance and Inclusion: A Path to Better Mental Health
In 1996, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed November 16 as International Day for Tolerance. This day serves as a crucial reminder of the importance of respecting and appreciating the rich diversity inherent in our world’s cultures. Tolerance is defined as recognising and accepting the universal human rights and fundamental freedoms of others, allowing for the coexistence of various perspectives, beliefs, and identities. In an increasingly diverse global landscape, tolerance is not merely a virtue; it is essential for the survival and flourishing of mixed communities everywhere.
Earlier this year, Sydney Community Services (SCS) made significant strides by launching our inaugural Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and Action Plan. Australia is celebrated as one of the world’s most successful multicultural nations, with an ever-expanding tapestry of diversity reflected in religion, spirituality, sexuality, culture, socio-economic backgrounds, geographic distribution, and personal experiences. Our strategy seeks to create an inclusive environment that not only celebrates this diversity but also acknowledges the unique backgrounds and characteristics of every individual.
At SCS, we recognise that fostering a culture of tolerance and inclusion transcends mere policies and strategies; it involves practical applications that directly impact the mental health and well-being of our consumers, volunteers, and staff. As part of our commitment, we joined ACON’s Welcome Here project and provided staff with training that deepened our understanding of LGBTQIA+ communities. Our aim is to ensure that individuals from all walks of life are welcomed and celebrated within our organisation.
Mental health issues often arise in environments where individuals feel marginalised or excluded. Acceptance and respect are crucial for mental well-being, whereas a lack of tolerance can result in feelings of isolation, anxiety, and depression. Research consistently shows that inclusive environments positively influence mental health outcomes. When individuals feel accepted and valued, they are more likely to engage in social activities, seek help when needed, and develop a stronger sense of belonging. This sense of community is vital for mental well-being, as it offers social support and encourages open dialogue about mental health challenges.
Fostering a sense of community through volunteering opportunities significantly benefits the mental health of individuals and the community as a whole. Engaging in service allows us to connect with others, promoting feelings of belonging and purpose. Sydney Community Services provides various volunteer engagement opportunities, and we are always on the lookout for new volunteers. Research tells us that volunteering boosts self-esteem and life satisfaction as volunteers see the positive impact of their efforts on others.
In the workplace, inclusion is particularly important. An inclusive work environment enhances employee satisfaction and drives productivity and innovation. When employees feel respected and included, they are more likely to contribute fully, creating a more dynamic and successful organisation. We encourage every member of our community to engage in conversations about diversity and advocate for an environment where everyone feels they belong. Together, we can cultivate a society where respect and appreciation for diversity are paramount, paving the way for a brighter future for all and a mentally healthy community.
Join Sydney Community Services and become a Designated Driver/ Aged Care and Disability Support Worker
We are looking for a skilled and motivated Designated Driver/Aged Care and Disability Support Worker who will be responsible for providing quality transport and capacity building support services to clients and participants to increase their independence, social inclusion, recreations skills and participation. If you’re passionate about community services and want to make a difference in our community, we’d love to hear from you! Read more, the job description, and why you should join our team.
Visit our website. www.sydneycs.org/join-the-sydney-community-services-team/ FOR QUESTIONS PLEASE CONTACT: P 9427 6425 E support@sydneycs.org
New Growth Funding for Sydney Community Services
Sydney Community Services is excited to announce we have received a substantial amount of Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) Growth Funding. It is the largest growth funding grant our organisation has ever received.
The CHSP provides growth funding to expand entry-level aged care services for older people in Australia. This allocated funding will allow us to:
• Expand our Domestic Assistance Home Cleaning Service and our Home Maintenance Service.
• Meet demonstrated needs and identified gaps in service delivery as we have had to place many potential consumers on waiting lists up until now. We have employed new staff members to support our
The Memory Centre
A place to meet for people with dementia, family and friends.
Meet others living with dementia, and their carers, in similar circumstances. Talk. Share. Laugh. Enjoy.
Our café is a monthly meeting place for those living with dementia, and their family carers. It provides an opportunity to socialise, relax, share and discover ways to live well with dementia.
WHEN: Starts Wednesday 20th November 2024. Then every 3rd Wednesday of the month.
TIME: 10am to 12noon
WHERE: The Meeting House Hub, 23a Stokes Street, Lane Cove North.
growth and are actively working on the roll out of these expanded services.
Contact us if you would like to know more about both these services. We are looking forward to connecting with more older people in our local community as we grow and help you live safely and independently at home for longer.
P 9427 6425 E support@sydneycs.org
Come and join us at Sydney Community Services for a friendly game of Mah Jong.
We are running a NEW SESSION on a Tuesday, 9.30am - 11.30am.
Experienced players welcome and tuition available for beginners.
CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION: P: 9427 6425 E: support@sydneycs.org
WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2024
Book Club
1.30pm - 2.30pm
Monday 18 November
Cost: $5 including book/afternoon tea.
Movement Matters
• Monday, 10.30am - 11.30am
• Tuesday, 12pm - 1pm and 1.15pm - 2.15pm.
• Wednesdays, 11.15am - 12.15pm.
• Fridays, 9.30am - 10.30am and 10.45am - 11.45am
Contact us for further details and registration.
Seniors Hub
Daytime, inclusive and supportive space for general seniors’ groups, dementia friendly groups, ladies and men’s groups.
All-day tailored seniors program from Monday to Friday. Includes excursions, picnics, and wellness activities. Door-to-door transport and nutritious meals catering for all dietary requirements.
Contact us for a monthly program and the cost involved.
E: support@sydneycs.org
Seniors Shopping Bus
Tuesdays and Thursdays
Return trip from your home to Lane Cove shops. We can also assist and carry your shopping into your home. Cost: $15
P: 9003 1399
E: support@sydneycs.org
HOURS OF OPERATION: 8.30am - 4.00pm Mon - Fri www.sydneycs.org
Mah Jong
Tuesdays, 9.30am - 11.30am. Experienced players and tuition available for beginners.
Wednesdays, 1.00 - 3.45pm
Cost: $5 including morning/afternoon
New players please contact us: E: support@sydneycs.org
Scrabble
Thursdays, 10am - 12noon
Cost: $5 incl. morning tea.
Seniors Social Support
Afghan, Chinese, Iranian, Italian, and Spanish seniors groups. 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. Contact us for a monthly program.
E: tliu@sydneycs.org
CHESS CLUB
EVERY MONDAY
Chess group - Mondays at 1pm. The group is friendly and sociable, and all abilities are welcome.
COST: $5pp, includes afternoon tea.
VENUE: The Meeting House, 23a Stokes Street, Lane Cove North TIME: 1pm - 2.30pm
Are you interested in joining social bridge, play casually with the view to possibly becoming permanent. Join us for a fun, relaxed afternoon.
Contact us to register and for more information.
Thursdays, 12.30pm - 3.30pm
Cost: $5 incl. afternoon tea.
The Velveteens 2nd Monday 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. Contact us for more information.
E: support@sydneycs.org
Early Christmas Shopping Trip
Monday 18th November
Come along for a bus ride to Macquarie Centre and make a start on your Christmas shopping.
Cost: $27 (Transport only)
Time: 9am-1pm P: 9427 6425
E: support@sydneycs.org
Movie and Morning Tea Quartet
Wednesday 27 November
Time: 9.30am - 12.30pm
Cost: $15 P: 9003 1399
E: support@sydneycs.org
Social Tennis Group
Join us every Thursday at Lane Cove Tennis Club, Central Park, Kenneth St, Longueville.
Cost $5. Every Thursday 9-11am All players must register prior to playing – please call Julie 9427 6425. We look forward to seeing you on the court!
Table Tennis
Fridays, 12.00 - 4.00pm
Cost: $5
BOOMers Mens Group
BOOMers for senior independently mobile men who enjoy an opportunity to socialise and visit interesting places in the company of other men.
Contact us for the full program.
When: Fridays Departs: 10.00am from Lane Cove Hub, Pottery Lane Returns: 2.00pm
Contact us for the monthly program and the cost involved.
E: hheggie@sydneycs.org
Social Bus Outings
Join us every Tuesday when we venture to new destinations and meet other local seniors. These trips are weekly and either half or full-day outings.
Time: 9.00am - 4.00pm
Cost: Contact us for the monthly program and the cost involved.
Women's Wellness Class - Tuesdays
A weekly program based on a holistic view of health, taking into consideration physical and social needs. The classes incorporate strength and balance exercises. Contact us for more information about cost and term times.
Christmas Luncheon
Plus a Christmas performance from Birrahlee Preschool
support@sydneycs.org
Meet local parents & children of a similar age Join Andrew Fisher, an expert facilitator, for a series of functional fitness classes.
WHEN: Every Monday, 10.45am - 11.45am.
COST: First class free, then pay by the term: 9 week term $108 ($12 per class)
VENUE: Meeting House Hub, 23a Stokes St, Lane Cove North. CONTACT: P: 9427 6425 E: support@sydneycs.org
Enjoy a complimentary GLASS OF BUBBLES on arrival
Join us for a delicious three-course meal, indulge in the holiday spirit, and enjoy a complimentary glass of bubbles. COST: $40
• Monday 2nd December 2024
• Sydney Community Services, Parkview Room, 1 Pottery Lane, Lane Cove
Join Sinead Costello, an experienced yoga/ wellbeing specialist, in our new yoga class.
• Wednesday 9.30am to 10.30am.
• 10-week term at $12 per session, or $17 per casual visit.
• Sydney Community Services, Park View Room, 1 Pottery Lane, Lane Cove FOR MORE INFO PLEASE CONTACT: P: 9427 6425 E: support@sydneycs.org
THE MEMORY CENTRE
A place to meet for people with dementia, their family and friends
Meet others living with dementia, and their carers. Talk. Share. Laugh. Enjoy. Join us on Wednesday 20th November, 10am to 12noon, at The Meeting House Hub, 23a Stokes Street, Lane Cove North.
BOOKINGS AND ENQUIRIES: P: 9427 6425 E: support@sydneycs.org
CLR TRENTON BROWN CITY OF RYDE MAYOR
P: 9952 8222
E: mayor@ryde.nsw.gov.au
New Council term begins
It was an honour to have been voted City of Ryde’s first popularly elected Mayor at the NSW Local Government Elections in September.
During the swearing-in ceremony held at Council’s 15 October Extraordinary Meeting, it was clear how impressive the new Council body – including six new Councillors – is with greater diversity on Council than ever before.
That diversity is reflected by different ages, cultural and religious background, and gender.
In particular, I’m pleased to say that we have ‘smashed the glass ceiling’ with half of the elected body of (six of twelve) Councillors being women. I think this augers well for our Council being genuinely representative of our thriving and vibrant community.
Our new Councillors are Tina Kordrostami (Central Ward), Lyndal Howison (Central Ward), Keanu Arya (East Ward), Kathy Tracey (West Ward), Cameron Last (West Ward), and Felix Lo (West Ward).
They join re-elected Councillors Shweta Deshpande (Central Ward), Daniel Han (Central Ward), Sophie LaraWatson (East Ward), Penny Pedersen (East Ward), Roy Maggio (East Ward), and Justin Li (West Ward).
Clr Sophie Lara-Watson was elected Deputy Mayor at that same meeting, and I know she will do a tremendous job during her 12-month term.
During this term, I’ll be focussing on a policy agenda of keeping Council rates low, preserving vital open space, and getting on with building critical infrastructure.
I’m looking forward to working collaboratively with all the Councillors on a range of policy challenges and securing the best outcomes for our wonderful community.
Ryde History Hub
The story of the City of Ryde is being told like never before with the introduction of the Ryde History Hub, an online collection of resources about the history and heritage of this vibrant, diverse area, its people, places, and events.
Initiated by City of Ryde Libraries, the Ryde History Hub will not only provide new ways for the community to research and connect with the libraries’ history collections but will also enable the ongoing digital preservation of historical items, articles, and oral histories.
The community can participate in the enrichment of this important online resource by uploading digitised images or documents, adding tags to images to improve searches, providing suggested edits to improve the historical accuracy of the records, and adding personal recollections.
ANTHONY ROBERTS MP
P: 9817 4757
E: lanecove@parliament.nsw.gov.au
What a month we have had. October saw our Electorate enjoying several important community events and local festivals.
The Lane Cove Rotary Fair and Sustainability Lane once again saw the Lane Cove Plaza, the Canopy and Longueville Rd transformed by so many wonderful street stalls. Shops and cafes were bustling with families and friend groups, everyone enjoying a beautiful day in the sun and a ‘market’ atmosphere.
I would like to thank The Rotary Club of Lane Cove for organising the Fair, their flagship event of the year, and for ensuring things ran so smoothly.
It was truly wonderful to see the Fair attract so many attendees, and to, once again, continue to grow and expand, as it goes from success to success, year after year. It was a busy day, and it was fantastic to be able to catch up with so many locals and to receive such encouraging feedback. With the many issues facing communities today, such as cost of living and the increasing issues with our public transportation system, it is important that I use the feedback I receive at such events, so I can continue represent your interests on Macquarie Street.
I would also like to thank you for the Feedback received regarding my recent mailout of the History of the Lane Cove Electorate. For those who said they wanted extra copies for friends or for school students, please do not hesitate to contact my office.
Over in Hunters Hill the fantastic Moocooboola Festival at Boronia Park was once again a great success also. Likewise, many community-minded volunteers and many hard-working Council staff had poured time and care into this year’s Festival.
Boronia Park saw myself, the Mayor Zac Miles, and my Parliamentary colleague Ron Hoenig, Minister for Local Government join many members of the community and sporting groups to officially open the splendid Sporting and Recreation Facility at Boronia Park. The festive nature of Moocooboola only added to the enjoyment and civic pride that the community felt.
The new facility is the largest piece of local infrastructure build in Hunters Hill for decades, and I am proud to have helped provide the $1 million in government funding that seeded this project, and to have helped with further funding of $1.3 million as it progressed.
Another impressive event held last month, with the French Markets at the Woolwich Dock enjoying its second month of operating. The sight of so many wonderful stalls in the historical precinct on the Harbour is just brilliant, and I would like to commend Hunters Hill Council on working so hard to return the tradition of public markets to Hunters Hill.
As Spring turns to Summer, I hope our Lane Cove Electorate communities can continue to enjoy local sporting and civic events that bind us closer, the upcoming Festival of the River and the 30th Birthday Bash at Stringybark Creek providing great opportunities.
To explore the Ryde History Hub, go to: https:// historyhub.ryde.nsw.gov.au/ The Village Observer assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content provided on these pages. Views and opinions expressed are the author's own.
TIM JAMES MP
P: 9439 4199
E: willoughby@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Sydney's rental market is facing unprecedented challenges, with renters being pushed further away from their jobs, forced into lower-quality homes, or sharing accommodation just to cope with soaring rent prices.
According to the latest data from Domain’s Rent Report, the median asking rent for houses in Sydney has reached a record $775 per week, marking a 7.6% increase over the past year.
This has created a situation where more and more renters are finding it difficult, if not impossible, to maintain a stable living situation close to work, family and essential services.
At the heart of this crisis is the issue of supply.
Housing approvals are currently at a 12-year low, and with a vacancy rate sitting at a mere 1.1%, there is no clear plan from the Government on how to increase housing stock and provide relief for renters.
Unfortunately, the Government's current approach to rental reform does nothing to address this core issue.
Rather than creating policies that encourage investment in new housing developments or incentivise property ownership, their measures discourage property owners from entering the market, further stifling growth.
Sydney's rental market needs a plan that focuses on boosting supply to meet demand.
Affordability pressures are mounting, with the gap between rent increases and wage growth widening every year.
Families and individuals who were previously able to rent homes close to work or in areas with strong community support networks are now being forced into unsustainable living arrangements.
What is required now is strong leadership and decisive action.
Sydney needs a comprehensive plan to significantly increase housing approvals and encourage property investment.
By creating policies that make it easier for developers to build and for investors to enter the market, we can begin to ease the pressure on renters.
Without a clear, targeted approach that focuses on supply-side solutions, Sydney’s rental market will remain a burden on families, particularly those who are already struggling with the cost of living.
The Government must act now to tackle this issue head-on. Without swift and meaningful reforms, we risk pushing even more Sydney families into housing insecurity and making our city even less affordable for those who need it most.
The time for action is now, and the key solution is in increasing the supply of rental properties across the city.
Art on show
ZAC MILES HUNTERS HILL MAYOR
P: 9879 9400
E: mayor@huntershill.nsw.gov.au
Once again the Hunters Hill Art Exhibition is back on in the Town Hall! With over 280 pieces on display, selected from more than 520 entries, this year’s exhibition showcases an exceptional range of works.
We have had great community interest at the opening evening and the exhibition remains open. If you haven’t already, make sure you stop by the Town Hall this week to see the Art Exhibition, before it closes on Sunday, 3 November. All artworks are for sale and available for purchase through Council’s online gallery at www. huntershill.nsw.gov.au/gallery.
The art season will continue with our student-aged exhibition, Young in Art. Made up of submissions from all eight local schools in the Hunters Hill local government area, Young in Art is a free-entry event that celebrates the creativity and hard work of both students and their teachers.
I am always impressed by the level of talent demonstrated by our young artists and I have no doubt this year’s exhibition will bring enjoyment to all our visitors once again.
Make sure to save the date to show your support for our young artists. Young in Art will be open to the public from Thursday 21 November until Sunday 24 November at the Town Hall.
Citizen of the Year Awards
Hunters Hill has an incredibly passionate community full of amazing local residents, many of whom share their talents to contribute to the well-being and culture of our area.
The Hunters Hill Citizen of the Year Awards is a great way of acknowledging the efforts of individuals and groups that go the extra mile for our community.
This year we will be recognising a Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year, Outstanding Sporting Achievement, Community Excellence and Environmental Excellence.
I encourage you all to nominate a local legend and celebrate their efforts in making our community a much better place.
Nominations can be made until Monday 18 November 2024 at www.huntershill.nsw.gov.au/Citizen-of-the-Year.
The Village Observer assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content provided on these pages. Views and opinions expressed are the author's own.
Improve your health Expand your mind Make new friends
From bus outings to bingo to bollywood music, there’s plenty on offer at the Crows Nest Centre.
Services and activities for older people, people with a disability, migrants, parents and those who are homeless or at risk.
Phone: 9439 5122
Connecting Our Community crowsnestcentre.org.au
Crows Nest Centre
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
Pizza + Movie Nights, Longueville
UC Hall, 47A Kenneth St, Longueville
TIME : 6.30pm. Pizza; 7.15pm Movie
5 November – Red Joan (2018) British spy drama about a widow living quietly in retirement who is arrested by the British Secret Service. As she is interrogated she relives the dramatic events that shaped her life & beliefs – her student days at Cambridge, her affair with a dashing political radical and the devastation of WWII. Starring Judi Dench, Sophie Cookson and Tom Hughes.
3 December – Charade (1963) – Romantic comedy/mystery. Expect the unexpected in this cinema classic tale of cat and mouse, starring Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn,Walter Matthau and James Coburn.
Bookings essential on: 9428 4287 or 9427 4740. Cost $12 – the best value pizza/movie combo! BYO drinks.
Time 4U
Every Wednesday @ 10am till Noon @ Longueville Uniting Church Hall, 47A Kenneth St, Longueville
Friendly and relaxed mornings with home-made morning tea, discussion, documentaries and board games in Longueville UC Hall, 47A Kenneth St, Longueville. All are welcome to come and join us. Transport can be arranged.
Cost $5 Enquiries: Chris on 9428 4287
SYDNEY MALE CHOIR
with
Musical Director James Paul and Accompanist Reika Suzuki-Macklin.
TUESDAY 26th NOVEMBER 2024 at 7.30 p.m.
Venue: LCM ST. ANDREW’S ANGLICAN CHURCH 19 ROSENTHAL AVENUE, LANE COVE behind the Post Office and opposite the entry to the Canopy Carpark.
Sydney Male Choir will present an evening of memorable and varied repertoire with “something for everyone” from Billy Joel, Joe Cocker, John Farnham, to Broadway musicals, spirituals, opera through to the classics. An unforgettable evening of musical joy!
Bookings open on 5th November 2024 via our website www.lanecovemusic.org.au
Limited admission at the door on the night, online bookings preferred. Adults $30, Students $10.
Enquiries welcome at 9428 4287.
2025 dates for your diary when Lane Cove Music will celebrate its 80th Year with six wonderful concerts: 11 March; 13 May; 17 June; 12 August 14 October, 25 November.
Landmark home of quality and distinction
• Multiple living areas, gourmet marble island kitchen, executive office
• Up to five bedrooms incl versatile separate studio/guest retreat
• BBQ courtyard, in-ground trampoline, heated swimming pool and spa
Simon Harrison 0433 100 150 E: simon.harrison@belleproperty.com
Kim Walters 0499 014 886 E: kim.walters@belleproperty.com
Federation charm meets contemporary luxury
• Three generous bedrooms with built-in robes and elegant finishes
• Spacious family, living, and dining spaces with opulent highlights
• Manicured English gardens and spacious entertaining and dining terrace
Simon Harrison 0433 100 150 E: simon.harrison@belleproperty.com
