The Village Observer December 2019

OBSERVER

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas Soon the bells will start And the thing that will make 'em ring is the carol that you sing Right within your heart Proceeds from The Village Observer support residents in need from Lane Cove, Hunters Hill, Ryde, Willoughby and North Sydney areas, through Sydney Community Services.

ISSUE 291 I DECEMBER 2019 I

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

Local Support for Local People

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SCS provides services to the aged and people living with a disability including social activities, gardening, home nursing, podiatry, Community Care Advisory, clean sheets and towels, home delivered meals, home modifications and maintenance, flexible respite, carers support, shopping services, community and engagement programs, medical transport and assistance in daily life.

is a community of Northern Sydney residents interested in staying up to date with health issues and sharing their opinions experiences on the health services in the region.

The Village Observer is published monthly (except January)

by Lane Cove Community Aid Foundation. • Distribution is at the beginning of the month.

• Readers are invited to submit articles for consideration. • Articles and items for community events should be emailed to the Editor with any accompanying images by the 15th of each month, for inclusion in the next month’s issue.

• Advertising enquiries should be directed to advertising@thevillageobserver.com.au • If mailing material and you would like it returned, please include a stamped, self-addressed envelope. All care, but no responsibility will be taken for this material. © Copyright 2015.

Original advertisements and editorial in this publication are copyright and remain the exclusive property of The Village Observer. No part of this publication may be reproduced and/ or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written consent of the Publisher. DISCLAIMER: The content of editorial and advertisements in The Village Observer has been provided by a number of independent sources. Any opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Editor and Publisher of The Village Observer, and no responsibility is taken for the accuracy of the information, or any factual errors contained within any items CARE printed. Readers should make their own enquiries directly to any organisations or businesses prior to making any plans or taking any action.

THE VILLAGE OBSERVER: 1 Pottery Lane, Lane Cove NSW 2066.

PUBLISHER: Gillian Batt P: 02 9427 6425 gbatt@sydneycs.org EDITOR: Nicola Riches P: 0405 661 570 editor@thevillageobserver.com.au ADVERTISING: Scott Parkes P: 0408 813 154 advertising@thevillageobserver.com.au GRAPHIC DESIGN: Sharon Curby P: 0450 370 575 sharon.tvo@gmail.com PRINTED BY: Spotpress DISTRIBUTION BY: GDR

TVO IS DISTRIBUTED TO: Greenwich. Gore Hill. Hunters Hill. Lane Cove. Lane Cove West. Lane Cove North. Linley Point. Longueville. Northwood. Osborne Park. Riverview.

St Leonards. Stringy Bark Creek. Tarban Creek. Woolwich. 20000 COPIES PRINTED MONTHLY.

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INSIDE 12

Christmas Cooking - a lunchtime lamb dish recipe

14-15

Interview with LC Council Manager of Community Services, Cate Sinclair

16-17

Local shops present their wares in our Christmas gift guide

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14

18-19

Tribute to the late conservationist Douglas Stuart

20-21

Lane Cove's link to the Great Air Race

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Christmas gifts for bush fundraising

23

Trendsetter Travel: An African sojourn

28

Profile: writer, producer, director Felicity Pickering

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18

32

Gardening: Summer Garden Hacks

34

Arts & Culture: Lane Cove Theatre Company celebrates 25 years

plus 22

Picture special: Lane Cove's Food and Wine

By The River festival

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27

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YOUR LOCAL NEWS

10 YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY 27 YOUR WELLBEING 31 YOUR SUSTAINABILITY 34 ART AND CULTURE 38 YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT 40 YOUR LOCAL WHAT'S ON 46 YOUR LOCAL BUSINESS DIRECTORY

FROM THE EDITOR

Dearest readers – this is an excerpt from the Riches family Christmas letter: Hope your 2019 went as planned and that any surprises were welcome surprises. Our year, fortunately, has been relatively uneventful. That’s how we like them.

The kids are their usual energetic selves and I regret signing them up for drumming lessons. Nathan has found some likeminded friends at school who love Star Wars as much as he does, however, pretending to be a Jedi Knight in class is starting to wear thin. James loves pretending to fix the car and has also taken to practising hairdressing by using a toy dinosaur as a hairbrush - that would be OK, but the dinosaur has a mechanical mouth with sharp teeth which isn’t too kind on my scalp. Ian’s still working hard (probably too hard) and looking forward to the holidays and the test matches. Parramatta’s rugby league team didn’t get the wooden spoon this year, so he’s confident they will win the league in 2020. You can’t fault his optimism. I took on a new freelance editing job putting together a community magazine. Makes a change from my usual business journalism - turns out the real heroes are right here in our communities, but I’m not telling you anything you don’t know already. You’ve probably heard about the bushfires, even if it you’re not in Australia. We’re all devastated by them. Something needs to change, but you know how politics goes – lots of arguments and agendas at play. My one Christmas wish is for Australian politicians to do away with their ideologies and get pragmatic. Perhaps 2020 will be the year for that. We’ll be celebrating Christmas day with Ian’s sister’s family and his mum. Ian’s brother-in-law is a foodie, so it’s unlikely we’ll get a traditional turkey roast. I’ll sneak in a few roast potatoes for those who aren’t so keen on his tomato gazpacho. Ian’s mum struggles with the idea of cold soup. As usual, I’ll say I’m going to rise above the consumerism of Christmas and then spoil the kids a bit too much.

Ian will get silly socks, as he always does. Bless him for acting surprised every year. At the end of Christmas day, when the kids are finally in bed, I’ll sit down with a quiet moment to myself, count my many blessings and think of those near and far.

With much love to you all,

Nicola, Ian, Nathan & James PS: See you for our first 2020 edition in February.

NICOLA RICHES EDITOR editor@thevillageobserver.com.au

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YOUR LOCAL NEWS

COUNCIL OBJECTS TO GREENWICH HOSPITAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN PROPOSALS Community invited to make submissions.

LOVE YOUR LIFE WITH SPECIAL SENIORS MONTH EVENTS Come along next February for some local mind, body and soul boosting events.

Lane Cove and Hunters Hill will be the centre of a fabulous program of events designed to celebrate next February’s Seniors Month, which is themed ‘Love Your Life’.

Taking place at either the Park View Room/Terrace Room in Lane Cove’s Community Hub on Pottery Lane, or Hunters Hill Town Hall, there are already five very special events locked into the diary for local seniors.

To launch Seniors Month the beautiful Park View Room will be the setting for the spectacular ‘Seniors Luncheon’ (Mon 10th Feb 12noon-2pm) where you will be greeted with a glass of bubbles and treated to a delicious three-course lunch, as well as lucky door prizes. All friends and groups are welcome. This event is $15.

Love a ‘Sound Bath Meditation’ led by mindfulness and yoga teachers Emily Wilks and Nico Rodrigues Santos who will use Tibetan healing bowls to take you into a state of deep relaxation and healing (Tuesday 11th Feb 1.30-2.30pm Terrace Room) Love Living Your Life to the Full - Brains and Bodies Working Well Together’ - join Sally Castell with other health professionals as they explore simple ways to challenge you to keep your brain and body as active as possible (Friday 14th Feb 9.30 - 11.30am The Terrace Room). Both events are free.

Meanwhile, if you love singing Abba songs and the movie Mamma Mia, as well as popcorn and ice cream, then don’t miss the free ‘Love our Singalong Movie Afternoon: Mamma Mia’ (Weds 26th Feb 1-4pm Park View Room ). If Line Dancing and Bush Care appeals to you then come along to the ‘Bush Dance Bush Care’ event at Hunters Hill Town Hall (Tuesday 18th Feb 10.00am12noon). Morning tea will be served, another free event!

Bookings for all these special events are essential and limited local pick-ups are available. Contact: Sydney Community Services Julie Faigen 9427 6425 jfaigen@sydneycs.org

Lane Cove Council will be making a submission to the Department of Planning, objecting to several proposals laid out within the Greenwich Hospital redevelopment plans.

Council is calling for a reduction in the scale of development, including deletion of the proposed seniors living villas; increased health care facilities, including a new respite care facility; greater setbacks and transitions in height of building envelopes along the boundaries of the site; increased tree retention and landscaping; a reconfiguration of the layout to protect the heritage curtilage of Pallister House; and revised staging to deliver the new hospital in the first stage.

The Department of Planning’s Greenwich Hospital exhibition period has been extended until 18 December 2019 and submissions continue to be welcomed until then.

Hammond Care, owners of Greenwich Hospital, lodged its concept proposal in March this year. It included new health care and allied health facilities, residential aged care and seniors housing. The concept is designed to replace out-dated health and hospital facilities, together with a residential aged care village and independent living units.

To make a submission online, create a user account on the Department’s Major Projects website at www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/ major-projects. To create a user account, click the ‘Sign In’ icon in the top right of the homepage or under the ‘Services’ tab and then click the ‘Have Your Say’ link.

When you are logged in, find the project you want to have your say on, and click the 'Make a Submission' icon.

HTTPS://THEVILLAGEOBSERVER.DIGITALEDITIONS.COM.AU DECEMBER

ASPECTS

Time: 11am

Date: Sunday November 3rd

Place: Tambourine Bay Reserve

Lane Cove’s Town Crier opens the Food and Wine By The River event, where growers and wine makers showcased the cool climate wine growing region of Orange.

Every picture tells a story… We welcome contributions to our ‘Aspects’ page.

It can be pictures of anything at all – even the most ordinary of scenes can be captivating.

Please email us your contribution to editor@thevillageobserver.com.au. Note all images must be hi-resolution, so they are good enough for print. Include a short description together with details of the time and place it was taken.

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YOUR LOCAL NEWS

AWARDED: LANE COVE HISTORY PRIZE 2019 This year’s Lane Cove History Society Prize was awarded for the first time to two entrants: Susan Ingham and Jill Curtin.

Susan Ingham’s essay was inspired by the award-winning house at 30 Mary Street, Longueville. Built in the early 1960s, its architect, Neville Gruzman, was highly-regarded and the house was placed on the NSW Heritage Register in 1987 because of its distinctive character. The house offered both charms and challenges, because over years of occupation by its various owners, it required amendments and changes. The history of its “evolution” offers an interesting account of suburban life in Lane Cove.

The two essays from these Lane Cove residents provide different perspectives on the history of the suburb. The prize was again generously sponsored by Hyecorp Property Group.

L-R: Mayor Clr Pam Palmer, Jill Curtin, Susan Ingham, Prof. Frances Christie

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he subject of Jill Curtin’s essay was Charles Henry Rosman, a Ferrymaster on Sydney’s waterways who first gained his Ferrymaster “ticket” in 1916. In 1938, Rosman and his ferry the “Rodney” were involved in a tragic accident on the harbour, leading

to many deaths. The event badly affected Rosman, though he was absolved of criminal neglect, and he went on to serve for many more years on the Lane Cove River. He was a much-loved figure to his many

The Lane Cove History Society Lane Cove History Prize competition will again run in 2020.

Enquiries may be directed to Frances Christie: fchr3976@bigpond.net.au www.lanecovehistoricalsociety. com.au/lane-cove-history-prize

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YOUR LOCAL NEWS

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LANE COVE AND HH LOCALS RECOGNISED AT NORTH SYDNEY COMMUNITY AWARDS

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he fourth North Sydney Community Awards took place on 21 November 2019 to acknowledge and thank those people in our community who give their time so generously to help others and make our neighbourhood a better place.

A very big congratulations goes to the Special Olympics Dance Group that won the overall North Sydney Community Group Award. The group does outstanding work by providing children and young adults with an intellectual disability the opportunity to dance.

Other winners included Jennifer Horrigan, who received the North Sydney Community Award, Oliver White for the North Sydney Sporting Achievement Award and Stephen Jones who received the North Sydney Older Person Award.

Awards were also given to Mark Brown for his work with the Lane Cove Youth Orchestra, Julie Faigen for her work with Sydney Community Services, James Gribble for his work in making golf more accessible through Empower Golf, Carolyn McGregor for her work with the Lane Cove Scout Group, Alex Whitehead for his work with the Lane Cove Music and Cultural Association, Arnie Selvarajah and Allan Murray for their contribution to the Northern Suburbs Basketball Association, Sean Leonard for his work with the North Sydney Junior Baseball Club and Peter Kelly for his years of dedicated support to many community groups in Hunters Hill.

From left: Cr Ben Collins, Sebastian Robertson, Oliver White, Stephen Jones, Cr Gail Giles-Gidney, Special Olympics Dance Group, Cr Jill Gibson, Cr Mark Bennett, Cr Pam Palmer, Trent Zimmerman MP

Local community groups that received awards also included All Saints’ and St Mark’s Playgroups, the Happy Hens, Hunters Hill SES, Lane Cove Theatre Company and the Pink Ladies at the Royal North Shore Hospital.

John Devine received an award for his long service as the Chair of Sydney Community Services. A special thank you went to Sebastian Robertson, Chair and Co-Founder of batyr and CEO and Co-Founder of BIRDI who spoke at the event.

Your Real Estate Questions answered by Hazel McNamara Senior Sales Agent/JP I Tel: 0402 913 537 I

Email: hazelm@lanecove.rh.com.au

What is the best time of year to sell my home?

There is no right or wrong season in the year to sell your home. Each season has merits and pitfalls for you to consider. Here are some tips to guide you.

Summer - If you’re thinking of selling in Summer and your air conditioning is struggling, it may be time to repair it first. If the house lacks air conditioning, hold your inspections in the morning or in the late afternoon and air out the house before potential buyers arrive. Being summer, potential buyers are likely to pay attention to your outdoor entertaining area. Be sure to clean up the backyard, make it look presentable and ready for a great family barbecue.

Thinking of selling, call me today: Hazel McNamara

0402 913 537 E: hazelm@lanecove.rh.com.au W: raineandhorne.com.au

Autumn - We all like fresh and bright colours in autumn. Put a fresh coat of paint on the walls and brighten up the colours. Just the feeling of a bright white living room will brighten up the mood and set the scene. Another thing not to forget is to clean the front and backyard from all those extra fallen leaves. Most potential buyers do not want to buy a house that looks like it needs vigorous maintenance throughout the year.

Winter – It’s important to create a feeling of warmth and coziness so open the blinds to let in the light and don’t forget to crank up that fireplace, or heating. If the house is prone to mould throughout the season, make sure to get that cleaned up before you open your house for inspection. The benefits of selling in winter is that are usually less homes on the market so you are not competing with lots of other properties.

Spring – Typically the time when most home owners think of selling so you will likely be competing with other homes on the market. Everyone loves the feeling of freshness, and spring is the season to take extra care in how you present your home. Give the walls a fresh coat of paint to give your home a fresh, new feel and make sure you garden is full of colour.

Regardless of what time of year you sell, declutter and create a feeling of space in every room.

HTTPS://THEVILLAGEOBSERVER.DIGITALEDITIONS.COM.AU DECEMBER

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YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY

LOCAL DENTIST WINS PHOTOGRAPHY PRIZE Dr Andrew See, dentist in Hunters Hill, has received an honourable mention in the top 100 of the 2019 Australian Photography Awards, making it into the open/ illustrative category. His ‘as-shot’, no filter photograph entitled ‘Dentist Sweats the Small Stuff’ captured the attention of the judges. Dr See combines his passion for photography and his advanced dental education to highlight best practice techniques where the art and science of dentistry intersect. “Being a dentist is all about the details. We combine artistic flare, knowledge of science and love of using our hands to help people,” says Dr See.

Burns Bay Bookery operators with Resident Prize winner Alison Stewart

LANE COVE LITERARY AWARDS The winning entries for the Lane Cove Literary Awards were announced at an Awards Ceremony on 14 November. The winners were: Short Story Prize - Death by Prawning by Marian McGuinness; Travel Story Prize - On First Seeing Antarctica by Marian McGuinness; Poetry Prize - (Mer)man-made Tide by Dave Drayton; The Burns Bay Bookery Resident Prize - Snails in the Mist by Alison Stewart; Len Wallis Audio Youth Prize (16 - 24 years) Feeling with Fingertips by Jessie Pearson; The Baytree

by Ardency Senior Prize (65+ years) - Moss Poem by Janice Dean. More than 80 people attend the awards presentation night at the library, while 530 entries came in from across Australian states and territories.

Dr See’s prize winning photograph

Lane Cove locals proudly working with the Lane Cove community.

Michael and Renee Stevens each have over 20 years’ legal experience gained in national and international law firms.

We provide affordable, straightforward legal services for both your business and individual needs.

• C onveyancing and property-related issues (eg. transfers between related parties, caveats, easements, consolidation of by-laws) • D rafting and updating of wills, powers of attorney and appointment of enduring guardian documents • E state administration (obtaining grants of Probate and assisting executors to administer a deceased estate) • Commercial and retail leasing • Business sales and purchases • D rafting and updating of business documents such as terms and conditions of trade, guarantees, contractor and employment agreements • Debt recovery and dispute resolution • Notary Public services

Scott Chartered Accountants S

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PLAN TO PLAN Please call us for an obligation free chat Level 1, 102 Longueville Road, Lane Cove (with lift access) 9188 9631 I renees@srmlawyers.com.au

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HTTPS://THEVILLAGEOBSERVER.DIGITALEDITIONS.COM.AU DECEMBER

Happy Holidays and a Merry Christmas from all of us at Scott Chartered Accountants LOCATED UPSTAIRS: Village Shopping Centre, Suite 8, 43-45 Burns Bay Road. P: 9418 6669 EMAIL office@scottca.com.au

YOUR LOCAL NEWS

Find something local this Christmas.

Premium boutique Florist in Hunters Hill creating gorgeous floral arrangements for all occasions. www.villageflorist.com.au

Piccolina Hunters Hill serves delicious fare and premium Allpress coffee from 6:30am daily. Led by local sister act Montana and Madisson Agostino, the family run business aims to bring a little magic into your everyday from our table to yours, buon appetite!

Life isn’t flawless – but your skin could be. We’re a one-stop shop for all your beauty and skin care needs, with a wide range of treatments and products.

Cosmetic Tattoo Eyebrow treatments artistically created using microblading and traditional machine shading techniques.

www.flawlessyou.com.au

www.lushness.com.au

Bespoke Scalp Tattoo (SMP) treatments for concealing male pattern baldness and thinning in males and females. www.novoscalp.com.au

Brows Eyedeal Eyebrow Boutique specialises in bespoke eyebrows. Shape, rejuvenate and maintain naturally.

www.thebeingagency.com www.beingconsulting.com

@browseyedeal

www.milanohair.com.au

Wishbone Sydney is a design-focused store where you’re sure to fi nd a gift for every age and occasion (plus a little something for yourself).

Stix Patisserie and Boulangerie – high-end French cakes and pastries, artisan breads, quality coffee and amazing customer service. www.stixcatering.com.au

Movement Collective is not just about Pilates, but also community. We’re a collective, with a fully equipped boutique studio and programs tailored to your individual needs. www.movementcollective.com.au

Designed by Being Agency

Helping your child’s physical, cognitive and social development. www.leapfrogtherapy.com.au

www.wishbonesydney.com Milano Hair Studio is a team of hair stylists and colourist experts, working together to create an outstanding experience for their clients – whatever their requirements may be.

Relax Travel and Cruise delivers a high quality and complete travel service to our clients including fl ights, tours, cruises and hotels throughout the world. www.relaxtravelandcruise.com.au

www.piccolinahuntershill.com.au

Being Group comprises multidisciplinary creative services agency Being Agency and specialist consultancy Being Consulting.

We’re your strategy, branding, website, video, photography and communications experts.

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International Sydney-based Wedding Studio #LikeNoOther. @emiliobphotography www.emiliob.com.au

Find us all at 37 Alexandra St, Hunters Hill NSW 2110

HTTPS://THEVILLAGEOBSERVER.DIGITALEDITIONS.COM.AU DECEMBER

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YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY

Christmas Cooking LAMB RUMP, BROAD BEANS, GARLIC CREAM AND MILK SKIN This dish takes a traditional lamb roast and modernizes it for smaller lunches, where a full roast lamb is not needed. A rich and delicious dish, it matches well with other Christmas style food such as roasted vegetables, as well as red wine.

Explained here by Little Red Robin Head Chef Alberto Ranalli, it also happens to be the restaurant owner Michelle’s favourite.

Try it at home this festive season to impress friends, or make a booking at this wonderful local eatery. If you do try it at home, why not send us a picture? editor@thevillageobserver.com.au

INGREDIENTS - FOR TWO SERVINGS For the lamb: •1 dry aged lamb rump cap on (250g approx.)

• 100 g unsalted butter • 5 springs of thyme For the garlic cream: • 50g unsalted butter • 400g brown onions • 450g full cream milk • 100g garlic • 200g heavy cream •1 00g white chicken stock • 4 sprigs of thyme • salt to taste

For the milk skin: • 1L full cream milk For the broad beans: • 100g broad beans (podded) For the garnish: • saltbush • nasturtium leaves

METHOD: Sweat off thinly sliced onions with the butter until soft and translucent for about 30 minutes, making sure they do not get any colour. Separate the milk in three different parts: pour one third of the milk into a pot with the thinly sliced garlic and bring to boil. As soon as it reaches boiling point take it off the heat and strain the milk. Put the garlic back into the pot with a fresh batch of milk and repeat the same process twice. Add the garlic in the pot with the onions alongside the cream, chicken stock and thyme. Stir frequently on a low heat, reduce the mix to two-thirds of it, remove heat and discard thyme sprigs, then pour into a blender and blitz it into a smooth cream. Season with salt to your liking.

Bring some salted water to boil and drop the podded broad beans in for 20 seconds. Strain the water and refresh the broad beans in iced water. Once cool, pod and split the broad beans.

HTTPS://THEVILLAGEOBSERVER.DIGITALEDITIONS.COM.AU DECEMBER

YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY

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Into a large pan bring the milk to a simmer and turn the heat off, leaving the milk to rest for 30 minutes. Gently place a lightly greased piece of baking paper on top of the milk, the skin that formed on top of it will stick to the baking paper. Place the milk skin on a tray and then leave it at room temperature for 4 hours (until dry). Once dried, place the skin in the oven at 200°C for one minute. Remove the skin from the oven and once cooled break it into more suitable pieces.

Heat up a skillet pan until very hot and place the lamb rump in it skin side down. Render some fat down and give a nice colour to the skin, proceed then to sear all the other sides of the lamb and keep flipping the lamb often until it reaches an internal temperature of 55°C. Leave to rest for at least 10 minutes. Re-heat the same pan and place the lamb back in with butter and thyme, let the butter foam and with the help of a spoon keep basting the lamb with the foamy butter until it heats up completely (four minutes approx.).

To plate up, place some of the garlic cream in the centre of the plate and place the broad beans on top. Place one half of the lamb next to the garlic cream and broad beans, then a piece of the milk skin leaning on the lamb. Garnish the dish with saltbush and nasturtium leaves.

littleredrobin.net.au ENTRY VIA 4/85 LONGUEVILLE ROAD, BIRDWOOD LANE T: 9418 9529

HTTPS://THEVILLAGEOBSERVER.DIGITALEDITIONS.COM.AU DECEMBER

INTERVIEW

Cate Sinclair In the course of TVO’s travels we have frequently heard Cate Sinclair’s praises sung by local people and community groups. As Lane Cove Council’s Manager of Community Services she has been the spark and engine behind many local projects.

Cate soon retires and is heading off for a well-deserved life travelling.

But, before leaving our community for good, we stole 20 minutes of her time over a cup of tea to ask a few questions…

At 22, you started working with people with disabilities in a hands-on role, and later as a Special Education teacher. What learnings from those days have you carried with you?

How complicated and embroiled our lives can be – my experience of the people I worked with was that they have integrity with no hidden agendas, the relationships are clean and honest.

Following these roles, where did your working life take you?

After teaching I lived in Cambridge in the UK and worked in a hostel for people with intellectual disabilities and mental health issues. It was very a challenging environment. I learnt the importance of good team work. Back in Australia I worked doing in-home respite for children with disabilities and then worked in a couple of day centres with adults before becoming a behaviour specialist.

What led to you accepting a position at Lane Cove Council 11 years ago?

I had learnt as much as I was going to in my previous job, had just completed a Masters in Gerontology and wanted to work somewhere where I could use that and be challenged by doing new and different things.

My first role was Community Development Officer, Seniors and Disability Services and in 2012, I became Manager, Community Services.

What has been your biggest learning, and your biggest challenge?

Time management and staying calm due to competing priorities

You work across several groups - regional networks, domestic violence, children and families and multiculturalism. Is there a project among those that you are particularly proud of?

You are retiring from paid employment this year and plan to travel to India with your husband.

Why there and what has captured your heart about it?

The Domestic Violence work is closest to my heart. I developed materials to help people recognise that they are in a domestic violence situation – it’s not just physical, its financial, psychological, emotional as well. Often people don’t recognise they are in a DV situation, it can happen slowly and over time so that you get used to it and don’t realise what is happening, except that you don’t feel OK.

From when I was a child and realised there were other countries in the world that you could travel to I wanted to go to India – I have no idea why. I first went to India when I was 24, a few days after I was dumped by my boyfriend of five years. I was in a mess and on my first day found myself on a platform at the New Delhi Railway station where a body had been laid out on blocks of ice, surrounded by flower petals and incense – I realised then how different the world could be. India is a vast and challenging country with experiences that challenge your thinking and emotions in every way at high intensity every day.

It was within all of this that I ‘found myself’ and I have been going back ever since.

You have been instrumental in the founding of Lane Cove's La Voce choir. Tell us why this has a special place in your heart...

It’s very simple: singing makes you feel good. Watch a little child, they sing all the time as they play. People naturally sing when they are happy. I think we forget this. I sang in the choir too and I always remember walking down the street afterwards feeling so happy inside I felt like I had a guilty secret, but really I’d only been singing. Singing is one of the proven things that helps improve mental health, its good for us and its fun - another important thing!

If you could change one thing about how we operate community services, what would it be?

More staff and funding to do more in the community to reach the people who are isolated and for whom life is tough.

What will you miss about your role?

The people I work with – we have a great team and I really enjoy coming to work every day. I love doing what I do, so I’ll miss that too.

What does "community" mean to you?

A place where people feel comfortable and included and where people are kind to each other.

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YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY

Local Christmas Gift Guide Lane Cove is a treasure trove of beautiful gifts for friends and family.

Here’s a selection of the some of the finest wares available.

TVO is glad to support local businesses and encourages our readers to shop local.

The OceanEarth Mandala is super soft, with ethical and sustainable design. Yarn dyed with non azo dyes, woven and hand finished. $95.00 The Fair Trade Cove (in store only) 126 Longueville Road

Toys $10 - $30. Much more in-store.

Cove Craft (in store only) 24 Rosenthal Avenue

Aboriginal art at Stuart Leal Gallery (prices on request - 0414 551 956) New location: Shop1/43-45 Burns Bay Road instagram.com/stuart_leal_gallery/

Noa Noa Danish design blouse. $229 Denim Life (in-store only) 42 Burns Bay Road

Isola Off Shoulder Dress pictured in Jade, also comes in Indigo and Salt. $99.99 Iris & Lin Shop 1/73 Longueville Road irisandlin.com

Appliqued Tea Towels $17 Cove Craft (in store only) 24 Rosenthal Avenue

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A selection of wares from Burns Bay Bookery 50-54 Burns Bay Road (in store only)

YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY

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Leather clutch $59.95 Found Gifts and Homewares (in store only) Shop 3/115 Longueville Road

To Market Bass Bag (brand BASE) Made from 100% sustainable and washable paper. $44.95 The Hunted (in store only) 3/12 Burns Bay Road

Arlington MILNE Alexis Zip Purse in Tan/Leopard. Fits perfectly into clutches and smaller crossbody bags. $89.95 The Hunted (in store only) 3/12 Burns Bay Road

Bopo Women Self-Love Body Oil, nourishing blend of natural ingredients including geranium, bergamot, mandarin & neroli essential oils. $36.00 Be.U Lane Cove Shop 10, 115-119 Longueville Road https://be-u.co/ Urns full of colourful Succulents, from $49 Ivy Alley Passy Ave, Hunters Hill ivyalley.com.au

Beautiful Echeveria potted in an antique pot, from $49 Ivy Alley Passy Ave, Hunters Hill ivyalley.com.au

Olga De Polga Australian design linen skirt. $189 Denim Life (in store only) 42 Burns Bay Road

4ocean bracelets are made from recycled materials. Every bracelet purchased funds the removal of half a kilo of trash from the ocean and coastlines. $39.95 Be.U Lane Cove Shop 10, 115-119 Longueville Road. https://be-u.co/

Batch Ceramics - individually created tableware made from locally sourced earthenware clay. Non-toxic and dishwasher proof. (various prices) Found Gifts and Homewares (in store only) Shop 3/115 Longueville Road

Succulents potted in a shoe. $39 Ivy Alley Passy Ave, Hunters Hill ivyalley.com.au

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YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY

A TRIBUTE TO

Douglas Stuart

Bushland and Urban Conservationist Doug Stuart was a powerful advocate for the natural world and the built environment – a man whose influence has left a permanent and tangible legacy to his local community.

Doug Stuart

Towards the end of the 1980s, Lane Cove began to feel the warmth of developer interest. This was a time of big expansion. Small shopping centres were targeted by supermarket giants, commercial and retail developers and even retirement living operators.

Stuart’s long experience as a commercial architect was a boon to community groups who could not read complex architectural drawings. His ability and his generosity to explain them simply and clearly enabled lay people to understand the scope and consequence of proposed development.

In 1998 he helped found RASAD, a community group that replaced an earlier group advocating for appropriate development in the Lane Cove Village. He served first as Deputy Convener and then Convener until his death in September.

B

orn in Western Australia to parents who roamed the State working in mining and construction during and after the Great Depression, Doug might have done the same had his father not suggested architecture as a better career path.

After he graduated, Stuart and his wife Norma travelled extensively, but in 1960 they settled in Sydney and he joined the architectural firm where he worked for 30 years and became a partner - Hely Horne Stuart and Perry. In 1970 the Stuart family moved into the home Stuart built in Lane Cove on Sydney’s lower North Shore.

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His philosophy that development should complement and improve the local built environment, sit easily in the natural world and provide real public benefit, informed a community. In big numbers people spoke out against a series of inappropriate proposals, demanded change in others and refused to accept developers’ proposals that would have turned Lane Cove’s art deco village into concrete and steel.

Stuart’s concern for urban bushland and the natural world went back further. His first venture into bushland protection was prompted by news in 1970 that the local golf course wanted to double its size by annexing bushland, some of it at the bottom of his garden.

Community anger at the potential harm this would cause to local flora and fauna prompted a public meeting and the foundation of the Lane Cove Bushland and Conservation Society (LCB&CS) in March 1971. Stuart was a founding Executive Member and served as President (10 years) and

YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY

Secretary (12 years). He remained a member of the Executive for the rest of his life.

Urban bushland was entering the spotlight and LCB&CS was a sign of the times. In the summer of 1971-72 Doug organised a large team of volunteers to survey the state of all Lane Cove’s bushland to identify sites suitable for regeneration. He drew maps of each site, checked ownership and created the first cohesive document the local council had ever had. This sparked an awareness of the value of local bushland and Council responded to the call to maintain and protect it.

Doug never stopped working for protection, regeneration and best practice management of the local bushland resource.

He never stopped working for protection, regeneration and best practice management of the local bushland resource. He also supported programs to educate the community, especially children, about the joy of bush walking and nature observation. He was a contributor to at least one edition of Bushwalks Around Lane Cove, a guide that has had at least six new editions since its first publication in 1982.

Stuart was an Executive member of the Lane Cove Tunnel Action Group between 2000 and 2009 and

19

Council’s Village Advisory Committee (2003). His contribution to the community was recognised by a Citizenship Award in 1997, Lane Cove Citizen of the Year in 2002 and a North Sydney Community Award in 2013.

Despite giving so much of his time to the local community, his bedrock was his family. With his wife, Norma, and three children, he travelled far and wide.

When the children were young and money hard to come by, holidays were road trips camping and experiencing the challenge and beauty they found off the beaten track. He taught his children to sail in the hope that they would share his passion, one he continued to indulge into his ninth decade. When his own children left the nest, he and Norma continued the outdoor life, leading local bushwalks for the LCB&CS. Doug enjoyed walking tours in Europe and in 2009, in his late 70s he completed the Great Ocean Walk in southern Victoria.

Doug Stuart will be remembered for his integrity and the generosity with which he shared his time, energy and great expertise, not just with family and friends, but widely for the benefit of the community he loved.

He is survived by his wife, Norma, children Joanne, Tony and Michael their partners, Paul, Polly and Jillian and grandchildren Nick, Jeremy, Joel, Kiah, Lachlan and Henry.

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YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY

The Vickers Vimy and crew; Ross Smith, Keith Smith, James Bennett and Walter Shiers, flying into Sydney, 14 February 1920.

(Courtesy State Library of South Australia PRG18/7/59)

Lane Cove’s link to the Great Air Race December marks the 100th anniversary of the first England to Australia Air Race.

It was a milestone event in Australian aviation history. The winning flight was led

by Captain Ross Smith and landed in Darwin on 10 December 1919.

A

ustralia is a land marked by huge distances and the introduction of aviation would go on to provide ‘a mantle of safety’ for people on remote properties and would see Perth become a mere fivehours flying time from Sydney by the end of the 20th century.

Australian Prime Minister William ‘Billy’ Hughes experienced flying for the first time while in Europe during WWI and was very impressed by the potential for aviation in Australia.

Four months after the war ended the Commonwealth Government offered a prize of £10,000 ($792,000 in 2018) for the first successful flight to Australia from Great Britain in under 30 days and completed by 31 December 1920. The pilots and crew had to be Australian nationals and the aircraft and component parts had to be made in the British Empire.

At the time flying was relatively new, so public opinion was low, believing it could not be achieved. Would any aircraft be capable of a flight halfway across the globe in less than 30

days? The route would cover 18,000 kilometres, land-hopping between rough air strips and irregular refuelling locations.

Australia did not have its own air force in WWI so it was attached to the British Royal Flying Corps / Royal Air Force formations. The men in these squadrons became pilots, mechanics and ground crew, learning new skills that would bring the aviation industry home to Australia.

At the end of the war many of these men were still in England awaiting repatriation. From these men, six teams were formed and would pay the £100 entry fee to join the air race.

The entry led by Adelaide-born Captain Ross Macpherson Smith was thought to have the greatest chance of success. Ross enlisted as a Private in the 3rd Light Horse (AIF).

He arrived in Egypt before landing at Gallipoli in May 1915. He was later invalided to England, and re-joined his brigade seeing action at the Battle of Romani in August 1916.

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Captain Ross Smith in his flight gear, circa 1920. (Courtesy State Library of South Australia PRG18/7/59)

In July 1917 he responded to a call for volunteers to join the Australian Flying Corps and soon became a highly decorated pilot. Flying in combat, during 1917 and 1918 his exploits gained him hero status and he was also the regular pilot for T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia).

YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY

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The Ross Smith team included Ross’ brother, Keith Macpherson Smith as co-pilot and navigator, and two mechanics, Walter Shiers and James Bennett. They flew a newly developed Vimy heavy bomber aircraft. Extensive planning went into establishing a route with landing fields and fuel depots.

They departed a snow-covered Hounslow Airfield, England at 9.05a.m. on 12 November 1919.

Their route would take them through Lyon, Rome, Cairo, Damascus, Basra, Karachi, Delhi, Calcutta, Akyab (Burma), Rangoon, Singora, Singapore, Batavia and Surabaya before they would finally reached Darwin.

“This is one of the greatest flights, if not the greatest, in the history of aviation”.

Members of the 1919 race crew (left to right: Sir Keith Smith, Sir Ross MacPherson Smith, Sergeants Jim Bennett and Wally Shiers) in front of their Vickers Vimy aircraft, circa 1919. (Courtesy Australia War Memorial C106074)

The Vimy had an open cockpit and they struggled with the changing weather conditions. A radio was not carried due to its weight and a handheld compass was the only equipment used to guide the journey.

Shiers and Bennett were constantly ‘patching up’ the aircraft so they remained on schedule throughout their journey. Nine additional unscheduled stops were made before they finally reached Darwin.

After 28 days and 135 flying hours Smith and his team landed at Fannie Bay Airfield in Darwin at 4.12p.m. on 10 December. Almost the entire Darwin population turned out to cheer them on. Melbourne newspaper The Age reported, “This is one of the greatest flights, if not the greatest, in the history of aviation”. Both Ross and Keith Smith were awarded knighthoods by King George V on 1 January 1920 and Shiers and Bennett were made honorary Lieutenants and awarded bars to their existing air force medals.

In 1922 Sir Ross Smith published an account of the flight, entitled 14,000 Miles Through the Air. His account has recently been republished under the title, Flight to Fame:

Subdivision plan for the Parklands Estate featuring streets named for pilots from 1919 The Great Air Race.

Victory in 1919 Great Air Race, England to Australia.

The three newly-formed streets were named Ross Smith Parade, Mathews and Howell Avenues.

On 12 January 1920 Lane Cove Council approved the subdivision of the Parkwood Estate between Burns Bay Road and Bridge Street, creating 122 new Torrens title residential lots for sale. The three

newly-formed streets were named Ross Smith Parade, Mathews and Howell Avenues. The other streets were named after Captain George Mathews and Captain Cedric Howell who also led race crews. These streets directly link Lane Cove to this significant event in world aviation history.

Words by

Naomi Bassford, Manager Local Studies and Archives, Lane Cove Library

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YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY

CHRISTMAS FUNDRAISING OPTIONS FOR DROUGHT-STRICKEN REGIONS Here are a few ways to help those battling tough conditions in the bush .

Lane Cove Council is showing its support for Lane Cove sister towns Gunnedah and Cobar. To help people in these communities, Lane Cove Gift Cards are now functionable in their local shops. Show your support by purchasing a gift card and dropping it into a wishing wells at Lane Cove Civic Centre and Lane Cove Library

by Thursday 12 December 5:00pm.

Alternatively, you can give an IGA supermarket gift card, available from IGA Greenwich, 87-89 Greenwich Road.

Speak to staff in-store.

Australians in regional Australia continue to battle conditions brought about by the three-year drought currently being experienced.

Meanwhile, Council will distribute Mastercard and Visa pre-paid gift cards to Gunnedah and Cobar Councils, which will give the cards to local charities for residents and families in need. These cards are available for purchase at Australia Post and other outlets.

This Christmas, our hearts and minds are with those who are struggling. As a result, several Christmas fundraising opportunities have been launched, making it easier for those of us in more fortunate urban areas to contribute.

Instead of giving money, perhaps consider buying Christmas presents from regional makers and country stores. One of the best ways you can support regional communities in NSW is to Buy Regional this Christmas.

WISDOM

IN

PHOTOGRAPHY

NSW has incredible and unique products.

You’ll find country stores, fine food, fresh produce and wine, original fashion and jewellery design, and beautiful things for kids, from across the state. There’s cute kids clothes from Broken Hill, silver craft from White Cliffs, wine from Orange, curated homewares from Coonamble and even healthy treats from Inverell.

Visit: www.nsw.gov.au/improvingnsw/regional-nsw/buy-regionalthis-christmas/ or www. gocountryforchristmas.com.au Finally, you can also donate eligible drink bottles through Return and Earn Reverse Vending Machine where every 10c will go towards drought and bushfire relief.

FOCUS

EXH IBITION

Photographers of all abilities are encouraged to submit photos of people over the age of 55.

This is an opportunity for photographers to capture older people’s stories and experiences in a positive way.

For more information or to submit an entry before the closing date of Monday 13 January 2020 visit www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/seniors

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YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY

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African Sojourn

It was the smell of the air that brought me back when I recently arrived in Africa. Warm, a hint of rain, the landscape vivid with jacarandas, the acacias and the scent of the African bush, even in our suburban Johannesburg hotel. By Adrienne Witteman, Managing Director Trendsetter Travel & Cruise Centre.

I’ve just enjoyed a holiday in Africa, with the Johannesburg interlude a tasty appetiser to first-time visits to Zambia and Botswana. And a complete contrast to my previous visits centred on South Africa and Kenya.

optimal – and the poaching of both rhino and elephant. Endangered rhino are being moved to Botswana as it promises safer refuge than many other countries. The large elephant population supports this theory.

Like Australia, Africa is in drought. Large areas of the continent are permanently dry but now that dry has spread to where once the rains were predictable and the land green. I thought we were risking a wet holiday however only once did we experience one of those magnificently colourful thunder and lightning storms.

And it was far too brief to do much good.

Sadly.

So was it all doom and gloom? Definitely not! Africa is still magical and I loved that we got to see not just the big five but all manner of animals and birds. Every game drive we saw “some thing” new, and on our last evening drive happened upon a pack of wild dogs, which hadn’t been seen in the Moremi Reserve for several weeks.

A great finale.

Both Zambia and Botswana rely on the rains which fall in the Angolan highlands and take four months to flow down and through to their catchments. To my surprise the Zambian side of Victoria Falls was completely dry – while there was water in the Zambezi River alongside our hotel, it is not enough now, and for the next few months, to produce other than a dripping tap effect. We ended up walking across the bridge to Zimbabwe (an educational experience in itself) and enjoyed great views and no camera splash. I’m now a Vic Falls expert!

Apart from the lack of water, the other big issues are the unsustainable numbers of elephants – Botswana now supports 130,000 when around 70,000 is viewed as

sunsets. Hippos honking and grunting as they jostled for space, and the loud chomping as they fed on grassy riverbanks.

The birdsong. The roar of the elephants.

The chatter of the monkeys and baboons.

Africa thrills the soul! Certainly I had forgotten just how magical it is and my few words paint an inadequate picture.

Go see for yourself and enjoy. My team and I would love to plan you a similarly wonderful journey.

I loved our Chobe River lodge for the opportunities it provided us to get up close to hippo both in the river and on land. And seeing the herds of elephant waterside, some so tiny that they needed family support to cross the river.

I loved our bush camps for the giraffes that would glide gracefully from behind a tree to nibble at the succulent top leaves. The warthogs that knelt to root in the ground around our tent for delicious shoots. And the baboons – big granddaddies and tiny babies abreast their mums - which cavorted on our deck and slurped from our plunge pool the minute we closed our balcony door.

I loved the noises we heard, and didn’t hear. The absolute silence during magical

Lane Cove Shopping Plaza and 3 Northwood Road, Longueville Phone: (02) 9428 5900

www.trendsettertravel.com.au

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YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY

Lane Cove's Food and Wine By The River festival took place on the first week of November at Tambourine Bay Reserve.

A wonderful day was had by all.

Summer Giveaway

Pet Photo with Santa

Get a FREE picnic rug when you purchase $150 or more from 1–24 December.

Receive an outdoor picnic rug when you make a purchase of $150 or more in one day *This promotion is valid from 1 – 24 December 2019.

See website for terms & conditions.

Date:

Decorate your own Gingerbread Cookie

7 – 22 December Saturday & Sunday Time: 10.00AM – 3.00PM Location: Lower Ground Floor

Date: 7 & 14 December Time: 10.00AM – 2.00PM Location: Lower Ground Floor

*See website for booking details.

Cost: Gold coin donation for Royal North Shore Hospital.

1 Frederick Street, Artarmon | (02) 9438 1001 | www.homehq.com.au

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What’s On at

YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY

25

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YOUR WELLBEING

PROFILE

Felicity Pickering WRITER, PRODUCER AND DIRECTOR FELICITY PICKERING GREW UP IN HUNTERS HILL AND ATTENDED HUNTERS HILL PRIMARY SCHOOL. HERE SHE TALKS ABOUT HER LATEST AUSTRALIAN FILM 'TONI FITZGERALD’S CULT FOLLOWING’.

When did you first realise that film was your calling?

When I was 15 I decided I wanted to be a playwright.

I loved creative writing and drama. I read as many plays as I could and got into some Australian Theatre for Young People programs. I transitioned into film at 23, attracted by the new opportunities.

Growing up in Hunters Hill, do you feel as though your home has affected your output and style of writing?

I am currently writing a feature, ‘Dredmen Deadman’, which is very Hunters Hill specific. It’s influenced by my childhood in the early 00s. In a magical world I’d love to shoot it in HH one day.

Two years ago, you relocated to LA. Did you leave family in Hunters Hill behind?

We moved to HH in ‘97 and have been living in the same house since. My parents, Jennifer and Ralph Pickering, still live there.

When you're overseas, what do you miss most?

Good coffee, fat Sydney rain (on a hot summer day) and taking the ferry. Moving to LA made me realise how lucky I was to have long standing relationships: family friends, the arts community and people who I had started out with.

Have you been pleased with the reception for your latest film?

Your husband, Josh Zammit, is also a director, writer and producer. Are you worried he's going to nick your ideas?

I have been very pleased with its reception. It debuted at the Women’s Comedy Festival in Atlanta, where it was nominated for Best Comedy, and then went on to the Detroit SheTown Film Festival. The film festival run is far from over, so, fingers crossed.

Both Josh and I are very lucky in that we can bounce ideas off each other. We have very different ‘voices’, he’s more horror, sci fi, and I’m more comedy and drama. Since we both want to do the same thing, there’s a lot of respect for idea ownership.

How did this film get off the ground, and how did you manage to fund it?

Any chance you will return here soon, or at least split your time between here and LA?

Making ‘Toni Fitzgerald’s Cult Following’ was a labour of love. I felt it was important to establish myself as a director, not just a writer/producer. It was a selffunded film, paid by bartending and working in admin roles at Playwriting Australia and Screen Australia.

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My philosophy is ‘go where the opportunity is’, but there’s nothing like where you grew up.

YOUR WELLBEING

Managing Christmas blues and pressures

27

on the negative events. This can lead to anxiety and affect self-esteem in a negative way. However, there are strategies and tactics we can employ to help us battle sadness, loneliness and low self-esteem.

Deal with family conflict

Lane Cove Psychologist Ben Ebert explains some strategies that can help us cope at what can be a difficult time of year.

● Set realistic expectations and put life into perspective. Christmas might not be the fabulous family reunion you hoped for but you can still enjoy your time with them. ● Avoid known triggers. If your family has a history of arguing over a certain topic, don’t bring it up.

Managing loneliness and low self-esteem ● Connect with friends and family.

Stay in touch online or by phone. ● Seek opportunities to volunteer and share time with community groups. ● Give yourself positive re-enforcement for your accomplishments and good deeds. ● Write down five of your strengths.

C

hristmas is painted as the festive season when families come together in harmony, share stories and give presents to each other. However, for some people it can be the opposite. It’s a time that can often bring to mind the passing of relatives and friends.

Other individuals may experience

loneliness around Christmas as families live interstate or overseas.

Others may be alienated from their family due to unresolved conflict or coping with split families.

Christmas can also be stressful due to financial pressures. Some people reflect at Christmas about the year that has been and focus

Self-care ● Recognising and changing behaviours that contribute to stress will help you get through Christmas, for example, try to reduce procrastination by setting goals. ● Remember to stay healthy - eat well, exercise and try to get enough sleep.

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Most hearing aid brands and prices.

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YOUR WELLBEING

Having a bad day?

Many of us are longing for the Christmas break to begin, having been beset, as is often the case, by some tough days.

Here Narelle Gilles gives us six tips on how to conquer them.

1. ACKNOWLEDGE: Simply saying to yourself “I feel really sad right now” or “I’m just having a bad day” can help to reduce emotional reactivity by normalising the feelings as if they are nothing out of the ordinary.

2. ACCEPTANCE: Once you have acknowledged how you are feeling, try saying to yourself “I’m having a bad day and that is okay” or “Hard times are a normal part of life, this will pass.” This helps to remove any judgement around the situation and will begin to relax the nervous system.

3. EXPERIENCE: Don’t be afraid to listen to sad music or watch a

sad movie. Allow feelings to come to the surface, even having a good cry can provide relief. Research suggests that emotional tears excrete stress hormones from the body and crying can stimulate the production of endorphins, the feel-good hormones and our body’s natural pain killer.

4. IMAGINE: Through images or expressive writing, get creative and think of scenarios that make you feel good. This could be a holiday you are looking forward to, an outing or purchase that you are working towards. Positive possibilities for the future give the brain a goal, otherwise known as a ‘preferred outcome’ which can help to alleviate feelings of sadness or despair.

5. GET OUTSIDE: Nature is a wonderful cure for a low mood.

Notice the things you can see, smell and hear. If possible, take your shoes off and feel the ground beneath your feet. A simple walk around the block can be very therapeutic, smile and say hello to a stranger even if you don’t feel like it. Animals can also be great for alleviating feelings of sadness or stress. Pets give us unconditional love and are wonderful listeners.

6. KEEP IT SIMPLE: ‘Back to basics’ is the message here. Drink water, breathe deeply, speak slowly, rest if needed and most importantly, be kind to yourself. Telling others “I’m just not feeling myself at the moment” is a perfectly acceptable reason to decline an invitation.

A low mood is not the time to be overcommitted, overly social or making major decisions.

Words by

Narelle Gillies

Counsellor and Psychotherapist www.perspectivetherapies.com narellegillies@bigpond.com

BURNS BAY PHYSIOTHERAPY

Physiotherapy cost effectiveness There have been multiple studies in the last few years comparing the effectiveness of modern physiotherapy treatment to areas such as backs, knees, hips and shoulders compared to injections, surgery, rest and medications.

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High quality Physiotherapy care has been shown to have superior outcomes and is cheaper when compared to knee replacement surgery. It is now recommended people undergo physiotherapy including specific exercises before contemplating knee replacement, irrespective of what is seen on X-ray or MRI. In a study of over 1000 people with severe knee pain, 59% of those who felt they needed surgery reported they no longer felt they needed surgery following a course of Physiotherapy care of exercise and pain management.

Other studies show 40% of people continue to report knee pain 3 years after knee replacement surgery and 15% report this pain as severe.

Comparing high quality Physiotherapy care, including exercises for lateral hip pain, to cortisone injections and to rest, showed superior results from the physiotherapy group compared to the other groups for pain and functional ability at 1 and 12 month follow-up.

At Burns Bay Physiotherapy we continually update our knowledge and provide high quality care guided by the latest research to help you regain control over your pain and abilities.

Ann

Jill

Kirsty

Andrew

BURNS BAY PHYSIOTHERAPY 161 Burns Bay Rd, Lane Cove 9427 8333 E: info@burnsbayphysiotherapy.com.au www.burnsbayphysiotherapy.com.au

YOUR WELLBEING

Treat yourself to a healthy posture

29

Karen Paull

COMMUNITY CHAPLAIN

Creative Christmas Creativity comes alive at Christmas-time! The season births new songs, decorations, foods, crafts and events. This year, for the first time, Lane Cove Community Chaplaincy offers its own creative Christmas event. We will combine the ancient, aboriginal practice of Dadirri with our love of the environment, food, family craft, carols, sensory engagement, remembrance of others and the real Christmas story. I hope you are as excited as we are!

A Brief Guide to Massage and Postural Correction by Aidan Garvey

L

et me guess, when you think of a massage treatment, it’s something you would only do once in a blue moon to treat yourself? Perhaps as a reward or an act of self-care, when you really need it? And I'll be totally honest, I used to have the same attitude before learning about the long-term benefits of regular massage therapy treatments and postural correction.

You may be sitting at home right now after a long day of work, and, if you're anything like me, you probably aren't considering your posture. You may be leaning heavily to one side at your dining room table with your legs crossed in the opposite direction, or slouched into the couch with no support for your lower back. Maybe you're hunched over with your neck and shoulders pulled forward, and that posture feels normal for you, because that's how you spend most of the day. Often, 9-to-5 desk workers have this problem as a result of poor workplace ergonomics.

You might not even be aware of the strain this is putting on your body in the long term, or maybe you only feel the tension from time to time, such as first thing in the morning, or right around 2:00pm when you need another coffee fix. If you're feeling a bit called out, don't worry! You're not alone. And there is a long-term solution!

CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

There are two parts and you can come to one or both. First is a sensory, guided bush walk where we will collect some items to make into Christmas decorations during our celebration. The pace will be slow and the terrain mostly flat, suitable for most able-bodied people, young and older. From the walk we transition into our Bush Christmas Celebration with some refreshments. It’s intended for all-ages, with no church background necessary.

Christmas marks an amazing creative act of God! It celebrates the birth of Jesus – the gift of God’s own being taking our human shape and experience.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

From: The Bible, John 3:16 (NIV) Jesus gave us an example of how to live well, which has brought hope and transformation to many people across most cultures and places. It’s a hope for many things: for abiding, internal peace; for transformed relationships with other people; for resilience; for a community that prefers to give than receive; for a restored cosmos; for an eternity reconciled with God. But hope on its own is not enough. God calls for our creative participation in order to make it happen.

What contribution can you make to care for the people and environment around you? Make this Christmas a time to lovingly participate afresh.

Come and join our creative Christmas celebration on Sunday 15 December 4-6pm. See page 37 or our website for more details.

Contact details: Karen Paull 0400 299 751 lanecovechaplain@gmail.com www.lanecovecc.com www.lanecovecc.com/blog www.lanecovecc.com/blog

Lane Cove Community Chaplaincy

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SUPPORTED BY LANE COVE UNITING CHURCH

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YOUR WELLBEING

without having to make major changes to the structure of your day. Small adjustments to workplace and home-life habits can make a huge difference in the long run.

These include viewing screens (including your phone) at eye level, taking regular breaks from your desk to stretch, as well as ensuring that your feet are flat on the floor and your weight is evenly distributed between your hips, when seated.

Aidan Garvey

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29

Remedial massage therapists can assess areas of tension and weakness in the body...

Remedial massage therapists like myself can assess areas of tension and weakness in the body that are caused by poor posture. We can help your body on the path to better health, by meeting you where you are, and guiding your steps towards improving your posture. Long-term benefits can be seen over the course

of even just a handful of sessions with a trained professional and working with a remedial massage therapist once or twice a month can make a significant difference to the quality of your daily life.

Postural assessment and a few daily activities can help to strengthen your core and adjust your posture,

Good posture is just one way to help enhance your quality of life! If you are interested in more tips, or experiencing the long-term benefits of massage therapy, Remedial Massage Therapist Aidan Garvey is available at Health Space Clinics in Lane Cove on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

Words by

Aidan Garvey Remedial Massage Therapist Health Space Clinic

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YOUR SUSTAINABILITY

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How many litres of water does it take to make one coffee cup?

Lane Cove Sustainability Action Group has the answer, says group member Ros Noone.

Scheme, introduced the idea of Responsible Cafes to local businesses and initiated a local Boomerang Bags group. We facilitated the special recycling bins to both Coles and Woolworths and continue to maintain these. If you are interested in joining our small but active group, we would love to hear from you.

LANE COVE SUSTAINABILITY ACTION GROUP www.lanecovesustainability.org

T

he answer to this and many other questions could be found at the LCSAG stall at the Rotary Fair ‘Sustainability Lane’ recently. We showcased simple and fun ways that can reduce our carbon footprint and end our reliance on plastic. As Australia moves to ban the export of recyclable waste, this is a priority. Our giant coffee cup highlighted the need for reusable coffee cups. Our veggie bags, made from recycled net curtains, are ideal when buying loose vegetables. And for those of you who entered our competition to guess the number of harmful disposable plastic straws in the tube…the answer was 129.

LCSAG members noticed milk crates being thrown away and not recycled.

Armed with imagination and creativity they repurposed them as planter boxes and seats – a popular item at the event.

Takeaway food containers are a growing source of plastic recycling and landfill. To alleviate this problem Lane Cove Council has introduced a new single-use plastic bag reduction program nick-named ‘The Plastic Bag Diet’. After a trial involving 24 local food outlets, who were provided with 400 durable paper or corn starch bags to replace single use plastic, a third have decided to continue to use these replacement bags. Look out for these sustainable businesses when you are out and about in Lane Cove, however, bringing your own bag is always the best option.

LCSAG instigates and supports local sustainable initiatives in our area and lobbies Council and Government for change. We introduced and maintain Bag Share in Lane Cove, assisting in the successful campaign for the introduction of a Container Deposit

HOW TO MAKE PLANTER BOXES FROM MILK CRATES: • L ine the crate with hessian or jute (hessian coffee roaster bags good, jute coffee roaster bags preferred) • Cut to fit, as jute difficult to sew.

• F ill with your preferred potting mix on a base of cardboard/ scraps of sacking or maybe coffee husks • Add your plants e.g. herbs.

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YOUR SUSTAINABILITY

Summer Garden Hacks– December is the time to cut corners. Here are the best cheats to get you garden looking great – fast.

Feeding – use half-strength liquid feed twice as often to fast track your flowers and up the ante on green foliage. Try a fertiliser like Thrive for flowers and fruit on any potted colour, flowering shrubs, roses and even your fruiting plants like tomatoes, capsicums and the passionfruit vine. For the lawn, hedges and pot plants, chuck on some Seasol and go crazy.

Watering – in can be hard to keep the watering up over summer – especially if you’re away! Don’t let plants dry out when temperatures spike. Add mini reservoirs by upturning bottles of water in your pot plants and even put some saucers under particularly thirsty plants like hydrangeas and ferns.

Use some Drought shield, which is like sunblock for your garden, to help plants cope with the heat.

Colour in the garden - what? Did you forget to mass plant annuals six weeks ago and the garden’s looking a little drab? Instantly brighten up the place with a ready grown selection, or fill in gaps with some of super advanced seedlings.

Weeds - they can easily get on top of you over summer, so smother them with fresh mulch. Many will die off quickly if they don’t get sunshine, and those that remain in the driveway or footpaths you might want to just take to with a boiling kettle full of hot water one morning with your cuppa! It doesn’t get easier than that! If you have weeds in the lawn, make

sure you have the catcher on your mower and drop the height down for a quick trim – it should catch many of the flowering heads and stop them from going to seed.

Look for organic weedicide options for those of you that want to avoid glyphosate.

Pruning – it can be a bit like ‘day of the triffids’ in summer, especially after a storm when your neatly trimmed hedge can suddenly take off, or those well maintained climbers start growing like liana in Borneo or a day in the Amazon!

Avoid pruning (or mowing) on really hot days as you can give your garden sunburn, instead, trim on a milder day.

Bushfire Preparation - if you haven’t yet readied you’re place for bushfires, best get cracking.

Clean your gutters, cut back any overhanging branches and make sure gardens next to houses are kept trim. Stay on top of any debris

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too. Make sure all your hoses and fittings work too. Have a box ready of gear you’ll need too. A USB with important documents scanned onto it, water bottles, leather gloves, cloth hats and so on will be essential if you need to get out fast.

Meredith kindly contributes via her role at Eden Gardens. As part of our arrangement, may we suggest some of the excellent Christmasflavoured and colourful plants Eden has in-store right now: traditional poinsettias, bedding begonias, fuchsias (so dainty they’ll delight everyone), Chinese bell flowers and potted bromeliads.

All make great gifts!

Words by

Meredith Kirton Journalist, author and horticulturalist

YOUR SUSTAINABILITY

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Public sculpture doesn’t get much better than Anish Kapoor’s Cloudgate, a magnet for tourists and locals in Millenium Park, Chicago. Along with Jaume Plensa’s nearby Crown Fountain with its duelling faces, this is prime selfie territory but still has the right ingredients to attract casual personal engagement.

Micro catalysts for urban engagement Loneliness is a growing social problem and the living environment often depletes the potential to really mix with each other. On a recent US and Europe trip, Jon Johannsen was encouraged by seeing smaller scale catalysts for urban change, and as Lane Cove village changes, notes that it is critical we don’t overlook similar chances to mix and socialise at a local level.

P

laces where we can pause and relax and talk person to person can occur with urban art, shops spilling onto pavements, pop-up bars or landscape elements that offer an informal place to rest. Casual ‘bump’ spaces can be low walls, public benches or pocket parks where impromptu meetings occur between people on two feet or wheels, rather than in vehicles.

San Francisco showed a growing US social and economic divide and lack of affordable housing was evident with street camps and rough sleeping. A lot of effort seems to be going into making equitable and accessible public space, but there were often physical or psychological barriers that suggested otherwise.

In New York the ‘stoops’ connecting front doors to the footpath and street create excellent bridges between public, communal and private space for community interaction. In mixed-use precincts street life was enriched by the ground level shops and cultural uses that add to pedestrian experience and amenity – until gentrification occurs.

London showed a well healed public realm - at least in the inner urban areas - with urban art and generous concourse areas for the daily commute encouraging interaction (except on the Tube!). Kings Cross station had spatial vibrancy with active edges offering many food and beverage outlets, and while projects like the Gasholders Apartments and Battersea Power Station showed obvious gentrification, they enriched the public domain.

Bike and pedestrian-friendly Hamburg and Copenhagen have smaller populations and are streets ahead of many larger cities. Shorter distances, shared roads and excellent public transport took pressure off the need to drive and created numerous fine grain experiences in both their old cities and new harbour districts woven around working harbours.

The Elbphilarmonie in Hamburg, a new cultural venue with a public promenade around its podium perimeter, had wonderful views over the city and harbour, and the nearby Elbpromenade was a popular casual meeting place along the river edge. A fascinating tour of inner Copenhagen’s bike paths included the Bjarke Ingel’s Group Superkilen in the Norrebro district, and there were many innovative and inclusive small-scale interventions that could only be appreciated on two wheels or by foot.

At the completion of The Canopy project in mid-2020, it would be great to see similar results at a smaller scale. With a renewed Birdwood Lane and hopefully rejuvenation of various arcades linking to Longueville Road perhaps the Council might review the dominance of our local streets by vehicles, encourage more appreciation of the pedestrian and bicycle environment around our village, and the potential for more micro-scale places for us to meet.

Words by J on Johannsen Local Lane Cove resident, architect and urban designer

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ART AND CULTURE

LANE COVE THEATRE COMPANY READIES 2020 25TH ANNIVERSARY SHOWS Lane Cove Theatre Company (LCTC) will enjoy 25 years of bringing wonderful entertainment to the lower North Shore in 2020 and has a truly special season lined up to celebrate.

The year opens with the Summer Season production of the hilarious farce The Complete Works of William Shakespeare by Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield. The production will be directed by Jess Davis who directed the 2018 production of The Female of the Species.

Image: Kirtika Kain, 5, Silkscreened Pigment and Parrafin Wax on Japanese Rice Paper, 2017

“Shakespeare as written by Readers Digest, acted

by Monty Python, and performed at the speed of the minute waltz” said the Los Angeles Herald.

“Stupendous, anchorless joy!” said The Times, London.

Former Lloyd Rees Prize winner holds exhibition

The hilarious attempt will see LCTC perform all of Shakespeare’s 37 plays in 97 minutes. Fast-paced, witty and physical, it’s an evening of belly laughter for lovers and haters of Shakespeare alike.

Kirtika Kain, recipient of the 2017 Lloyd Rees Youth Memorial Award, will be on show at Gallery Lane Cove from December 6 until January 18 with her exhibition ‘Uppercase’.

Kirtika uses the transformation of material to examine themes of caste stigma, ancestral memory and the language of power and reclamation. She will present a series of new prints and collages curated by Gallery Lane Cove manager and curator Rachael Kiang. Kirtika’s interesting mixed media practice, grounded in printmaking, has gone from strength to strength. She has recently been signed on by one of Sydney’s leading commercial art galleries, Roslyn Oxley9, and secured the prestigious residency with Parramatta Artist Studios.

Most works will be available for sale.

The Autumn Season brings to the stage the touching, funny and very moving Steel Magnolias

by Robert Harling. “The funniest play ever to make you cry” follows the lives of six southern women who meet at Truvy’s beauty parlor, where all the ladies who are “anybody” meet to have their hair done. Set in Chinquapin, Louisiana, they discuss the trials and tribulations of the day. Steel Magnolias is directed by Lane Cove local Trent Gardiner.

Tennessee William’s classic A Streetcar Named Desire will be the jewel of the Winter season. One of the modern world’s most stirring dramas, it will be directed by Kathryn Thomas who directed LCTC’s acclaimed productions of Holding The Man, Next to Normal and Bare. The play dramatises the life of Blanche DuBois, a Southern belle who, after encountering a series of personal losses, leaves her aristocratic background to seek refuge with her sister and brother-in-law in a dilapidated New Orleans apartment building.

To celebrate its 25th birthday, LCTC will also return to the tradition that sets it apart from other local theatre companies – pantomime. The Spring children’s musical Hercules promises to be frolicking fun for the entire family.

Help LCTC celebrate another 25 years and book your advance subscription tickets (only $80.00 each!) before the end of January to take advantage of this special ticket offer. www.trybooking.com/BFWXA HTTPS://THEVILLAGEOBSERVER.DIGITALEDITIONS.COM.AU DECEMBER

Small ‘save the date’ diary reminder that Gallery Lane Cove will open the 2019 Lloyd Rees Memorial Youth Art Award exhibition on Friday 6 December, 6-8pm. The show runs until January 18.

ART AND CULTURE

Penelope Lee art objects. Credit: Photo by Julie Percy

Art Society Dates for the Diary Lane Cove’s Art Society will meet for the first time in 2020 on Thursday 27 February. John Perkins, well known artist and teacher of oil painting, will be guest artist. John is renowned for his marine paintings, streetscapes and still life’s and will give an insightful demonstration.

All interested in art are welcome.

At the October 2019 meeting, Penelope Lee, graphic designer, lecturer and printmaker, gave members an insight into books as an object of art, from mediaeval times to today’s digital world. She displayed books she had made from a variety of materials.

Info: Diana Hallowes, Lane Cove Art Society 0458 198 700 diana.hallowes@bigpond.com

Gallery Lane Cove will be hosting more than 30 art and craft workshops for kids over the following days: 19-20 December, 13-17 January and 20-24 January 2020. It’s also offering several brand new adult painting and drawing classes with new teachers, alongside introductory courses in textiles and printmaking and additional pottery courses in Term 1 2020. More information can be found here: www.gallerylanecove.com.au

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Le Petit Ballet arrives in Lane Cove Laura McCormack, owner and teacher with Le Petit Ballet is extending her Northbridge and Castlecrag business to Lane Cove and residents are invited to attend an open day December 8 from 10:30am at 565 Mowbray Road, Lane Cove North. More information can be found here: www.trybooking. com/BGKOP

WALK & WONDER BUSH CHRISTMAS Come and join our creative Christmas celebration - Sunday 15 December 4-6pm Walk & Wonder 3.45pm for 4pm A guided, appreciative walk through Tambourine Bay reserve returning to Central Park before 5pm.

Bush Christmas Celebration 5pm at Central Park with music and refreshments. A celebration of Creation and Christmas through listening, singing, craft making and Dadirri-style contemplation. Jess Morthorpe from Uniting Earth is our guest speaker.

Free. A donation to Uniting Earth projects would be appreciated.

Enquiries and RSVP to Karen lanecovechaplain@gmail.com or 0400 299 751 Wet weather: Celebration held at The Diddy

This Christmas, Ray White Lane Cove will continue our popular tradition This Christmas, Ray White Lane Cove will continue our popular This Christmas, Ray White Lane Cove will continue ourinspiring popular tradition tradition of giving with the return of ‘A Little Ray of Giving’ .

This This Christmas, Ray White Lane Cove will continue our popular tradition of giving the of ‘A Little Ray of .. This inspiring of giving with with the return return of ‘Aour Little Raypartner of Giving’ Giving’ This inspiring Christmas campaign will see office with Wesley Mission to of giving with the return of ‘A Little Ray of Giving’ .

This inspiring Christmas campaign will see our office partner with Wesley Mission to Christmas campaign will see our office partner with extra Wesley Mission to help underprivileged children who may need a little light in the Christmas campaign will see our office partner with extra Wesley Mission to help underprivileged children who may need a little light in the help underprivileged children who may need a little extra light in the festive season. help underprivileged children who may need a little extra light in the festive season. season. festive festive season.

All you need to do is organise a wrapped gift and drop it in our office at All to is a gift drop it our office All you you need need to do do isoforganise organise a wrapped wrapped gift and and drop it in in our office at at reception from 1st December.

We’ll make sure it gets to a deserving All you need to do is organise a wrapped gift and drop it in our office at reception from 1st of December.

We’ll make sure it gets to a deserving reception from 1st of December. We’ll make sure it gets to a deserving family in our community. reception from 1st of December. We’ll make sure it gets to a deserving family in our community. family in our community. family in our community.

Please donate donate by by the the 18th 18th of of December.

December.

Please Please Please donate donate by by the the 18th 18th of of December.

December.

Ray White Lane Cove Ray White Cove Ray White Lane Lane Cove 162 Longueville Road, Lane Lane Cove || 9428 9428 4100 4100 RayLongueville White Lane Cove 162 Road, Cove 162 Longueville raywhitelanecove.com.au 162 Longueville Road, Road, Lane Lane Cove Cove || 9428 9428 4100 4100 raywhitelanecove.com.au raywhitelanecove.com.au raywhitelanecove.com.au

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ART AND CULTURE

C E L E B R AT I N G C H R I S T M A S Gloria, Hosanna In Excelsis!

Carol singing and Christmas events in Lane Cove and beyond…

•C arols in the Lane Cove Plaza – All Lane Cove churches combined • Sunday December 8 (6.30-8pm) • Featuring the Lane Cove Concert Band, A ‘Capella group ‘Quadratonic’ and more • Santa will be there!

Walk & Wonder - Bush Christmas Celebration SUNDAY DECEMBER 15 (4-6PM) Gather at 3.45pm for 4pm, walk through Tambourine Bay reserve with special guest guide Jim Casimir, Bushcare Coordinator for Lane Cove Council. It will take an appreciative walk in a loop from Central Park returning before 5pm. Bush Christmas Celebration begins at 5pm with some music and refreshments. Including family talk from Jess Morthorpe from Uniting Earth, Christmas carols, craft, Dadirri - a guided, indigenous, contemplative practice. Both events are free. There will be an opportunity to give to the work of Uniting Earth during the celebration.

Email lanecovechaplain@gmail.com

La Voce Christmas Carol Concert ANNUAL CAROL CONCERT AT LC LIBRARY THURSDAY DECEMBER 12 (6.30-7.30PM) You are invited by community choir La Voce and the Lane Cove Library to join in and get into a festive mood.

The choir will sing some old favourites such as the Carol of the Birds, also a selection of carols from around the world in Spanish, French and German.

Carols 20 1 9

IN THE PLAZA

Christmas at Sydney Town Hall TUESDAY DECEMBER 17 (8PM ONWARDS) A night of Christmas magic for the whole family.

Wonderful music ranging from thrilling community carols led by massed choir, brass and the Grand Organ and lively renditions by the NSW Police Band to quiet moments from the harp and the Waitara Public School Choir and Tone Chime Ensemble. Much-loved Christmas music including Silent Night, Once in Royal David’s City and O Holy Night interspersed with the Christmas story, poems and a funny story about smelly donkeys. As in past years, the final carol, The First Noel, will certainly raise the Town Hall’s roof. https://whatson.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/events/ christmas-at-sydney-town-hall

A Choral Christmas Celebration ST MARY’S CATHEDRAL, SYDNEY CBD FRIDAY DECEMBER 13 (11AM ONWARDS) Year after year sell-out crowds have been delighted by this traditional Christmas experience which sees the worldfamous St Mary’s Cathedral Choir and celebrity readers offer glorious music and verse sure to fill every heart with Christmas cheer. www.stmaryscathedral.org.au/event/a-choralchristmas-celebration-matinee/

8 DECEMBER | FROM 6.30PM HOSTED BY THE COMBINED CHURCHES OF L ANE COVE FEATURING A’S T N SA ING! L A N E C O V E C O N C E R T B A N D, Q U A D R AT O N I C A C A P P E L L A Q U A R T E T M O HTTPS://THEVILLAGEOBSERVER.DIGITALEDITIONS.COM.AU DECEMBER C

We wish you Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

ART AND CULTURE

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A Book Lover’s Review

By Jacqui Serafim

' RICH PATTERN

BY LIZ FOSTER Dear Marley It’s Sid, your four-legged cousin from Sydney. I hope you’re surviving the English winter and your bones don’t ache too much. We Seniors have to keep active.

Over here it’s boiling but luckily we’ve got a pool for those refreshing dips. I’m not allowed in there by myself, but I happen to know the latch is loose, so I nip in when no-one’s home. There’s the added bonus of chasing lizards across the tiles, in case the gate actually latches closed behind me which it did the other day. When Mum got home she couldn’t understand how I’d got in, but I never reveal my sources.

You are so lucky being able to sleep on the furniture. Over time I’ve employed what Mum terms ‘the creep’, which starts with my chin, then front paws, and finally my whole body onto Mum’s lap. I’m careful to leave at least one claw on the floor so I’m not actually on the couch. I am allowed on the outdoor couch, but only if someone’s already on it, which seems counterproductive to me as there’s less space to stretch. Also it becomes too tempting to jump back on the indoor couch.

Dad caught me the other day and his face turned red and he started shouting noises I didn’t like so I ran outside to bark at the neighbour’s chickens.

Let me tell you about my fantastic day last week. I was running along the side of the creek with Mum when the most incredible perfume assailed my nose. Its siren call was like nothing I’ve ever encountered. Quick as a flash I set off in pursuit of its source, which turned out to be on the opposite bank. It was quite steep, but I picked my way closer through the dense dry undergrowth.

And there it was. A shallow indentation covered in bones and skin and other bits, and lots of crawling white insects popping in and out of the delicious ooze. Well I tell you Marley, I was in clover. First I dropped my left shoulder, then my right, then I rolled all the way from side to side until I was nice and covered in the seeping stickiness. Mum stayed on the other side of the creek yelling her excitement at my find but I couldn’t hear her properly.

It was so delightful, I just couldn’t stop, so in the end Mum waded across the stream to pull me away and put my lead on.

I didn’t mind as by now the sludge was nicely rubbed into my fur and harness.

So I was a bit disappointed to get washed as soon as we got home. I was happy to see Dad, but he didn’t seem happy to see me and went outside to spray something in mum’s car.

Mum tells me you don’t really roll in stuff, but I can highly recommend it, better than chasing bush turkeys (or squirrels) any day.

Laters, your cousin Sid xx

THE TESTAMENTS

BY MARGARET ATWOOD When The Testaments was released it went straight to my Books to Review list. The long-awaited sequel came with a hurdle for me, though, as I had never read Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. Don’t misunderstand me – I love Margaret Atwood’s work. Atwood’s perfect prose in The Blind Assassin, Cat’s Eye and Alias Grace held me captive.

But I assiduously avoided the dark, terrifying dystopian world of The Handmaid’s Tale (both the novel and the TV series) despite all the rave reviews. I was frightened of entering a world where women and girls are reduced solely to the roles they play in the lives of men: Wives, Handmaids, Marthas and Aunts. In Gilead, a woman’s freedom and survival is wholly dependent on the whim of the male-dominated totalitarian regime. It is too frightening and too close to the lives of women in too many societies where women are considered disposable chattels, performing only their assigned role to populate and perpetuate their world.

The Testaments takes up the story of the The Handmaids Tale’s ‘Republic of Gilead’ some 15 years after Offred’s ambiguous departure from her Commander’s home. In The Handmaids Tale, the Republic’s totalitarian regime rises to power, while in The Testaments we observe its fall.

The Testaments focuses on three characters who become instrumental in Gilead’s downfall: Agnes, Nicole and Lydia.

Agnes is stolen from her mother during the rise of the Gilead Republic and raised in a wealthy Gilead family to become a Wife in her own time. Nicole is smuggled out of Gilead as a baby and has been raised by adoptive parents working with the underground resistance in Canada. Aunt Lydia is one of the women selected by the Commanders to oversee the enforcement of Gilead’s rules for women. Through Aunt Lydia, Atwood explores how people become morally compromised by being offered a choice which is no choice at all. During the rise of Gilead, Lydia quickly sees that she can cooperate with the regime and become complicit in enforcing Gilead’s subjugation of women or die like so many of her colleagues. She decides to survive and to earn the trust of those in power for her own purposes. Lydia works within Gilead’s leadership, using her power and privilege to secretly support the resistance. She uses Nicole and Agnes to expose its corruption and ultimately bring about a collapse of the regime.

In both novels, Atwood’s worldbuilding is faultless – the construction of the Republic of Gilead is evocative, detailed and convincing. The suspenseful plot replete with intrigue and double agency is juxtaposed against the excruciating dullness of the women’s lives. Through the complex mix of characters, Atwood displays a diverse yet inevitable set of human responses to the dehumanising world of the novel: obedience, suffering, repression, spite and rebellion.

The Testaments, like The Handmaid’s Tale, held me spellbound. It is the 2019 Man Booker Prize Winner and Amazon’s 2019 Book of the Year and, like The Handmaid’s Tale before it, is set to become a classic.

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YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Councillor Pam Palmer, Mayor of Lane Cove P: 0431 959 980

DECEMBER 2019

DECEMBER

E: mayor@lanecove.nsw.gov.au

Best wishes for the summer break! I’ve been overwhelmed with the support for Council’s drought fundraiser. I’m sure it’s heart-warming for those regional communities to realise that others know and care about the desperate conditions they face.

I’m excited to say that car parking at The Canopy will be open before Christmas, as promised! Meanwhile, the final building phase - the retail fitout and the landscaping for the park on top - is all running to schedule for completion by mid2020.

Council recently announced the creation of two new parks: one on Mowbray Rd and another at the entry to the Lane Cove Village, on the corner of Epping Rd and Longueville Rd. Phase II works continue at Mindarie Park in Lane Cove North.

These sites all create more open space for residents and are important additions to the tree canopy in Lane Cove.

Likewise, the build of our new outdoor pool is progressing well. The indoor pool at the Aquatic Centre is still open of course and Greenwich Baths is also a happy place for families to cool down over summer.

To begin festivities, I hope you’ll join me for the Lighting of the Christmas Tree in the Plaza on 6 December, 3:30 – 8:00pm.

You are also invited to celebrate Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights, on 19 December. Enjoy free children’s activities, live music and a donut giveaway on the day! Best wishes to everyone.

You can contact me at mayor@lanecove.nsw.gov.au. Council remains open over summer on 9911 3555 at all hours.

Local News & Information

Mobile MakerSpace is here

Christmas Drought Fundraiser

Mayor of Lane Cove, Clr Pam Palmer officially launched the new Mobile MakerSpace at the Library on Tuesday 19 November. This Shorelink Libraries project was made possible thanks to a $50,000 Metropolitan Public Library Grant from the state government to provide access to fun and innovative learning activities in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics for all ages. The Library will host regular events and workshops with these kits on topics such as humanoid robots, Ozobots and podcasting.

Council has launched an initiative to help support two communities in the grips of drought; Gunnedah, Lane Cove’s sister city; and Cobar, in central western NSW. We are inviting Lane Cove residents to donate a gift card which families and residents in need can use in their local town to buy essentials for themselves and also support the local economy.

In November, Council pledged to make a donation of $2500 (total of $5000) to each community. Visit Council’s website for more information. Donate at Council’s Civic Centre, Lane Cove Library or Greenwich Library.

Did you know? February is the perfect time to try something new at next year’s Lane Cove Seniors Festival! Many activities in the festival are free, and the remainder are reasonably priced, tailored specifically for those over 55.

Latest Works •

Out & About in Lane Cove Literary Awards

New Street Libraries in Lane Cove

The winners of the Lane Cove Literary Awards were announced at an award ceremony on Thursday 14 November.

There were more than 530 entries from across the country. Congratulations to the winners (pictured right):

Keep an eye out for the new additions to Council’s Street Library collection.

Short Story Prize: Marian McGuinness Travel Story Prize: Marian McGuinness Poetry Prize: Dave Drayton The Burns Bay Bookery Resident Prize: Alison Stewart Len Wallis Audio Youth Prize (16-24 years): Jessie Pearson The Baytree by Ardency Senior Prize (65+ years): Janice Dean

‘Wonderland’ by Natalie Tso and Birrahlee Preschool students is located at Birrahlee Reserve on Burns Bay Road.

Lane Cove Montessori Long Day Care have decorated the Street Library located near the corner of Gay Street and Roslyn Street in Lane Cove North.

Find out more about Lane Cove’s Street Library collection: www. lanecove.nsw.gov.au/streetsidegallery

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Batten Reserve: Nest boxes for gliders, microbats, kingfishers and other wildlife were installed along Stringybark Creek just prior to Spring as part of the habitat works of the Environmental Trust grant project in Batten Reserve, Lane Cove North. Recent bush regeneration works including planting of native seedlings at the reserve have reduced weed infestation.

Grandstand construction has commenced: Work has begun on the new grandstand, part of Lane Cove’s new 50m pool and grandstand project scheduled for completion in summer 2020/21.

What’s On: Lane Cove DECEMBER Book online: www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/events PLAZA EVENTS Lighting of the Christmas Tree: Friday 6 December, 3:30pm - 8:00pm. Featuring free kids’ activities, live music, roving entertainment, a special acrobatic Christmas show, an interactive Christmas wonderland and of course, Santa!

Saturday Sounds: Saturday 14 December, 10:00am 12:00pm. Enjoy a free, laid-back set of Christmas classics on your Saturday morning in the Plaza.

Hanukkah: Thursday 19 December, 3:30pm - 6:00pm.

Celebrate Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, with free kids activities, live music and a donut giveaway.

LANE COVE LIBRARY All events are free. Visit www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/library or call 9911 3634 to book.

Summer Reading Club: 28 November - 31 January. Keep track of your reading over the summer holidays and hand in book reviews to go into the draw to receive prizes. Sign up at Lane Cove Library or Greenwich Library and view your reading logs on the Beanstack app.

Junior Library Christmas Card Making: Tuesday 3 December, 3:30pm - 4:30pm. Decorate your own Christmas cards and gift tags for your friends and family.

Book Chat - Historical Tales: Tuesday 3 December, 6:00pm - 8:00pm. Join us to discuss historical fiction and non-fiction books.

Christmas Craft for Adults: Thursday 5 December, 6:00pm - 8:00pm. Enjoy making Christmas themed craft.

History Talk - Australians in the Western Desert in WWII: Tuesday 10 December, 6:15pm - 7:30pm. Hear Rod Cooke discuss the Western Desert campaign. This session will focus on Australian engagements in the Western Desert in 19411942 and include Bardia, Tobruk and El Alamein.

Poets in Residence: Wednesday 18 December, 6:00pm - 7:30pm. Join our Lane Cove Poets in Residence group to discuss your writing and share poetry.

For more details on these events visit www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au or call Lane Cove Council on 9911 3555.

Christmas Storytime: Wednesday 18 December, 6:00pm - 7:00pm. Join us for an evening of Christmas stories, songs and a visit from Santa.

Writers in Residence: Thursday 19 December, 6:00pm 7:30pm. A group for writers who meet monthly to share stories, discuss ideas and writing methods.

ROAD SAFETY Free Child Car Seat Safety Check: Saturday 7 December, 9:00am - 1:00pm, Lane Cove Council Car Park, 48 Longueville Road, Lane Cove. Have your car seats, harnesses and booster seats checked for safety and fit from an authorised restraint fitter. Bookings essential. Call Council’s Road Safety Officer on 9911 3576 to book.

BUSH KIDS River Life: Friday 6 December, 9:45am - 11:00am, Blackman Park. Celebrate life on the river with a bushwalk.

Christmas Party: Tuesday 17 December, 9:45am - 11:00am, Blackman Park. Join us for a bush Christmas party.

COMMUNITY Lane Cove Choristers Concert: Tuesday 10 December, 11:00am - 12:00pm, Living and Learning Centre, 180 Longueville Road, Lane Cove. Come and sing along with the all women’s choir, have fun and meet new people. Enjoy morning tea followed by the concert.

Synergy End of Year Party: Wednesday 18 December, 3:00pm - 7:00pm, Synergy Youth Centre. Celebrate the end of the school term with a BBQ and games.

SAVE THE DATE Sunset in the Village: January - February. Take advantage of the warmer months and enjoy free film screenings, live music, local bushwalks, creative workshops, public art, a virtual reality adventure and more! This program also includes our popular annual Lunar New Year celebration on Friday 7 February and the Sunset Artists Market on Friday 21 February. Visit: www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/festivals

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YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Anthony Roberts, MP

Trent Zimmerman, MP

MAYOR OF HUNTERS HILL

MEMBER FOR LANE COVE

MEMBER FOR NORTH SYDNEY

P: 9879 9415 E: markbennett@huntershill.nsw.gov.au

P: 9817 4757 E: lanecove@parliament.nsw.gov.au

P: 9929 9822 E: trent.zimmerman.mp@aph.gov.au

Councillor Mark A. Bennett

Season’s Greetings 2019. The Councillors and Staff of Hunters Hill Council would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year!

It’s a time to consider those in our community for whom Christmas may be difficult and may need our support.

Please take care if you’re travelling, and we look forward to seeing you all in the New Year.

Wishing Tree. This year we are setting up a wishing tree to send some love to the bush. For a list of items to donate see: www.huntershill.nsw.gov.au New Years’ Eve Road Closures.

Hunters Hill will have changed traffic conditions from the Church Street overpass for New Years’ Eve. For more details regarding the closures and access to Clarkes Point please refer to www.huntershill.nsw.gov.au Profile ID. Creating a picture of who we are and how we live is helping Council, business and the community revitalise our area and deliver a range of initiatives to ensure a thriving, sustainable future.

The Community Profile is based on Census of Population and Housing results. It enables analysis of population characteristics and includes historical data to show how they have changed over time. The Community Profile will help us by providing a basis for making decisions about how to provide services for the community as it changes. profile. id.com.au/hunters-hill Moocooboola Computer Club for Seniors. Are you a senior and would like to learn more about computer technology in a social, relaxed and supportive environment?

The Moocooboola Computer Club for Seniors is one of the Hunters Hill Community Services, which Council supports.

Members identify what they want to learn and are helped by the trainers to achieve their goals, while socialising over a cuppa.

Sessions are held on Monday & Thursday mornings 10am – 12 noon; Tuesday & Thursday afternoons 1-3 pm at 44 Gladesville Road, Hunters Hill. Enquires Jo 9816-5293 or club room 9879-4588 when sessions are being held.

December is upon us and with it comes the hustle and bustle of Christmas.

We’re bombarded with advertising encouraging us to spend lots of money so we can fully embrace the spirit of Christmas. However, there are millions of Australians who understand Christmas for the special time that it is.

A time for people of all faiths, colours and creeds to come together and enjoy the warm embrace of community.

A huge amount is going on locally over this period. As things quieten down, it is an excellent opportunity to enjoy our natural spaces. Lane Cove National Park has a beginner’s riverside walking track, a great way to burn off Christmas pudding! Time suggested is 2-3 hours and a day’s parking fee is $8.

The Greenwich and Woolwich baths are open for those looking to escape the heat. Both are netted and have amenities. Entry to Greenwich is under $4, and Woolwich is free.

You can take your four legged friends down to Blackmans Park. A brand new off-leash area was opened this year, adjacent to two playing fields so you can take the whole crew along and enjoy a day’s fun.

Another underutilised activity within the electorate is our many bowling clubs. Order yourself a few jugs of lemon-lime bitters and play a few rounds of barefoot bowls.

Finally, buy some Australian cheese and biscuits and enjoy a picnic in one of our many harbourside parks: Clarkes Point, Bedlam Bay and Tambourine Bay Reserve.

The Christmas period can exacerbate feelings of loneliness within our community. I implore people to reach out to anyone you think may be feeling unvalued. Similarly, if you are feeling down this holiday season, reach out to those around you. Always remember there is a friendly individual at Lifeline on 13 11 14 who is happy to talk and be of assistance.

So on that note, there’s nothing left to do but wish you all a very Merry Christmas and lots of love from the Roberts family!

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School Presentations The end of the year is always a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the talents and achievements of our young people.

Whether it be finishing primary or high school or excelling academically, in sport or through community service it is always a great honour to take part in each school presentation and so inspiring to see the amazing energy, commitment and talent of our young people.

I also want to acknowledge the dedication of all those involved in our schools and those who work with young people in our area.

Congratulations to everyone and well done!

Supporting those in need at Christmas This year drought affected farmers and communities are doing it particularly tough. While the government is providing wide ranging and substantial support everyone can play a part in helping to lift the spirits of our fellow Australians in the bush.

I encourage everyone to try to buy a present or two from country businesses this Christmas.

There are number of initiatives where you can find a practical way to help regional Australia including Go Country for Christmas. Other ways that you can assist are to donate to charities who are supporting people in the bush such as the Salvation Army, buy Australian made and grown products or even take a weekend away in a regional town.

While Christmas can be a wonderful time for many, for those who are struggling or alone it can be a very tough time indeed. I also encourage everyone to support organisations such as Rotary and other charities who do so much good work in our community.

Alternatively if you know someone that could do with a little bit of support please reach out them and let them know that they are special.

From all my team in the North Sydney electorate office, Merry Christmas and best wishes for the New Year!

YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY

A MESSAGE FROM THE CEO GILLIAN BATT

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9427 6425 www.sydneycs.org

A SHOCKING TALE OF NEGLECT The Interim Report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, was published on 31 October 2019.

The first year of the Commission concentrated on residential aged care.

I

t should be noted here that Sydney Community Services does not provide residential aged care but provides care to support older people to continue to live in their own homes.

We were audited by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission in May this year and were approved as having met all the Home Care Standards.

The Interim Report of the Royal Commission explained that the aged care system in Australia needs fundamental reform and redesign. It identified systemic problems in aged care with a system that: • i s designed around transactions, not relationships or care •m inimises the voices of people receiving care and their loved ones • i s hard to navigate and does not provide information people need to make informed choices about their care • relies on a regulatory model that does not provide transparency or an incentive to improve, and

• has a workforce that is under pressure and under-appreciated and that lacks key skills.

Below is a lightly condensed extract from the foreward to the report.

funding mechanisms, processes and procedures. This, too, must change.

“ It’s not easy growing old. We avoid thinking and talking about it. As we age, we progressively shift our focus from work to the other things that give us purpose and joy…The Australian community generally accepts that older people have earned the chance to enjoy their later years, after many decades of contribution and hard work. Yet the language of public discourse is not respectful towards older people. Rather, it is about burden, encumbrance, obligation and whether taxpayers can afford to pay for the dependence of older people.

Our public hearings, roundtable discussions with experts, and community forums have revealed behaviour by aged care service providers that, when brought to public attention, has attracted criticism and, in some cases, condemnation. Many of the cases of deficiencies or outright failings in aged care were known to both the providers concerned and the regulators before coming to public attention. Why has so little been done to address these deficiencies?

We are left to conclude that a sectorwide focus on the need to increase funding, a culture of apathy about care essentials, and a lack of curiosity about the potential of aged care to provide restorative and loving care—all of which is underpinned by an ageist mindset— has enabled the aged care system to hide from the spotlight. This must also change.

As a nation, Australia has drifted into an ageist mindset that undervalues older people and limits their possibilities. Sadly, this failure to properly value and engage with older people as equal partners in our future has extended to our apparent indifference towards aged care services. Left out of sight and out of mind, these important services are floundering. They are fragmented, unsupported and underfunded. With some admirable exceptions, they are poorly managed…This must change.

We have uncovered an aged care system that is characterised by an absence of innovation and by rigid conformity. The system lacks transparency in communication, reporting and accountability. It is not built around the people it is supposed to help and support, but around

This cruel and harmful system must be changed…Older people deserve so much more.

We have found that the aged care system fails to meet the needs of our older, often very vulnerable, citizens.

It does not deliver uniformly safe and quality care for older people.

It is unkind and uncaring towards them. In too many instances, it simply neglects them”.

For more information go to www. agedcare.royalcommission.gov.au

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YOUR LOCAL WHAT'S ON

What's on in December 2019 MONDAY

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TUESDAY

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F.O.C.A.S. Group Meeting 9.30-12noon

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THURSDAY

WEDNESDAY

FRIDAY

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Shopping Bus 9am-11.45am Mah Jong 1pm-4pm

Social Bridge Chess / Solo 1pm-3.30pm Volunteers Christmas Party 5pm-7pm

Boomers XMAS 9.45am-2pm Table Tennis 12.30 or 2.30pm Coles Phone Shopping 9am-11.30am Scrabble 9.30-12noon

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12

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Shopping Bus 9am-11.45am Mah Jong 1pm-3.30pm

Social Bridge Chess / Solo 1pm-3.30pm

Table Tennis 12.30 or 2.30pm Coles Phone Shopping 9am-11.30am Scrabble 9.30-12noon

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Shopping Bus 9am-11.45am Mah Jong 1pm-3.30pm

Social Bridge Chess / Solo 1pm-3.30pm

Table Tennis 12.30 or 2.30pm

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Coles Phone Shopping 9am-11.30am

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28 29 STOP PRESS!!

MERRY Parkview CafeCHRISTMAS Mindfulness Shopping Bus 1.15-2.15pm 9am-11.45am We wish you Christmas Lunch Mah Jong $5 (volunteers free) and your family 12-2pm - $20 1pm-3.30pm Lucky door prizes a safe and happy Afternoon Movie Not to 1.45pm be missed Christmas

Table Tennis Shuffleboard 12.30 or 2.30pm 9.45am – 11.45am SENIORS MONTH Coles Phone Social Bridge FEBRUARY 2020 Shopping Chess / Solo 9am-11.30am 1pm-3.30pm

Watch for details on our exciting Seniors Month

BOOKINGS /ENQUIRIES CONTACT: PHONE: 9427 6425 EMAIL: support@sydneycs.org 1 Pottery Lane, Lane Cove, 2066 www.sydneycs.org HTTPS://THEVILLAGEOBSERVER.DIGITALEDITIONS.COM.AU DECEMBER

YOUR LOCAL WHAT'S ON

PARK VIEW CAFÉ: Join us for a wonderful three-course meal for just $15. Bus pick up just $5 return– Bookings essential. !!!!

RESUMES – Monday 10th February Special Seniors Luncheon!

SHUFFLEBOARD: Join us the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month for this fun, fast paced indoor game! 9.45 – 11.45am $5 includes morning tea. Guaranteed fun!!!!

RESUMES – Thursday 23rd January SOCIAL BRIDGE/ CHESS/SOLO: Meets every Thursday afternoon 1pm - 3.30pm, in our Parkview Room at 1 Pottery Lane, Lane Cove. $5 includes afternoon tea. All welcome. Please call Julie for details.

9427 6425 RESUMES – Thursday 9th January BOOK CLUB: Meets 3rd Monday of the month. Cost $4 includes borrowing the book and afternoon tea.

RESUMES – Monday 20th January MAH-JONG: Every Wednesday now at the Seniors Hub, 1 Pottery Lane in the Park View Room. $5 includes afternoon tea. All welcome. For enquiries please call Vanessa 9428 2972 or Julie 9427 6425 RESUMES – Wednesday 8th January SCRABBLE: Fortnightly on Fridays – see calendar for dates. $5 includes morning tea.

RESUMES – Friday 17th January 9427 6425 VILLAGE (SHOPPING) BUS: Weekly door to door service, Wednesday mornings, with 2 hours in Lane Cove Village. Friendly drivers and volunteers bring any shopping up from WOOLWORTHS to the bus and will carry any parcels to the kitchen bench on your return. $7 single or $10 per couple.

Bookings essential 9427 6425 PHONE SHOPPING: Weekly service, Fridays 9:15am – 11.30am. Phone our office and speak to our friendly Volunteers, who take down your shopping order on-line to be delivered a day of your choosing). There is no charge for the phone-in service; COLES charge a small delivery fee.

NO service on 27 December TABLE TENNIS: Two sessions every Friday.

12.30 or 2.30pm - $5.00.

RESUMES – Friday 3rd January BOOMERS: An informal social group for older men who are independently mobile; sticks & walkers are welcome. Outings are typically three hours in duration & include destinations such as cafés, parks, galleries, museums, historic houses and other places of interest. Join our last Boomers for the year on our Christmas outing 6th December. ($15 per person) Bookings essential 9427 6425 F.O.C.A.S : 1st Monday of the month, morning tea is provided. We knit, sew, crochet all sorts of articles and make handmade calico therapy dolls for children in hospital. We look forward to meeting you at 1 Pottery Lane, Lane cove – Park View room 9.30am-12noon.

Resumes Monday 3rd February

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VOLUNTEERS NEEDED With a team of nearly 400 volunteers, Sydney Community Services provides a range of services to support over 500 older residents and people living with a disability living in our local community.

We are currently looking for volunteers in the following areas:

LINEN SERVICE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED If you can spare a few hours, twice a month on a Monday morning, you can make a huge difference in an older person’s life.

We currently have openings in our Linen Service Team. Volunteers can work two Monday mornings a month, or offer back up volunteering as needed.

VOLUNTEER GARDENERS Join our morning gardening team and have fun working outdoors and helping in the community at the same time.

COMMUNITY VISITOR VOLUNTEERS WANTED

Sydney Community Services A local not-for-profit organisation that helps residents to live a quality and independent life in their own home and in their community.

Can you spare a few hours to relieve the isolation of a local resident living in a nursing home?

ONLINE SHOPPING VOLUNTEERS WANTED We require volunteers to take telephone shopping orders using Coles online website.

Friday mornings at our office, 9.15 – 11.30

You can make a big difference in someone’s life.

For further information on volunteering, please contact Yvonne, the volunteer coordinator, Sydney Community Services:

02 9427 6425

email: yhughes@sydneycs.org

HTTPS://THEVILLAGEOBSERVER.DIGITALEDITIONS.COM.AU DECEMBER

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YOUR LOCAL WHAT'S ON

Your local WHAT'S ON directory Keep in touch with what's going on in your local area.

Enquiries: editor@thevillageobserver.com.au Please note: listings to be approx 20 words per group.

1ST LANE COVE SCOUT GROUP Joeys 6-8yrs (register interest); Cubs 8-11yrs (Wed 7pm); Scouts 11-15yrs (Fri 7.30pm); Venturers 15-18yrs (Thur 7pm). 9428 4061 www.lanecovescouts.com.

ALL AGE SUNDAY SCHOOL Classes 9am Sunday, morning tea provided.

Metropolitan Baptist Church, 223 Burns Bay Rd, Lane Cove West.

0434 432 175 www.metropolitanbaptist.net.au ANC MIXED SOCIAL GOLF CLUB Looking for new members to join social golf club, playing alternate Sundays on the North Shore.

0411 559 909.

AQUALUNA CHOIR Fun SATB acapella; pop, gospel, world, sacred music.

Wed 7.30pm, St Andrews Church Hall, Longueville.

0402 839 499 / paula@lul.com.au BON APPETIT TOASTMASTERS Meet over dinner on 2nd Wednesday evening monthly, in a supportive and social environment. 0404 049 565 / www. batm.org.au BNI BUSINESS EXPRESS LANE COVE Professional business networking organisation - exchange qualified business referrals.

9418 9031 / adminlc@ chiropracticcentral.com.au CARISBROOK HISTORIC HOUSE WEEKEND NOVEMBER 16 & 17 The LCHS volunteers are ready to serve you Devonshire teas or coffee and cake in the courtyard.

Calm in the courtyard, history in the house — 10am to 4pm. www.carisbrookhouse.com CARER SUPPORT Free telephone information/support service specifically for/about carers providing information, support and referrals.

1800 242 636, M-F, 9-5pm.

CLAN MACLEOD PIPE BAND Always wanted to learn to play bagpipes or drums? Monday nights, St Leonards Park, North Sydney. www.clanmacleodpipeband.com COMMUNITY CHAPLAIN br ings spiritual insight to your life individually or in groups. Offers activities enabling locals to connect: local bush walks and games days, discussion groups, reflective activities and more. Most are free 0400 299 751 www.lanecovecc.com COVE INVESTORS Monthly evening meeting at Lane Cove Library, discuss and broaden investment skills. Contact Julian julianradom31@hotmail.com C3 CHURCH LANE COVE Sunday services; 9am and 10am. Lane Cove Public School Hall. Homebase Youth 7.15pm Friday nights. Monthly ACE conversation evenings. 9418 9211 www.c3lanecove.com.au DRAMA SPOT Classes for 5-15yrs help to build strong and confident kids.

Currambena, LCPS & LCM Church.

0402 342 986 / info@dramaspot.com.au ENGLISH CONVERSATION CLASS Fridays 10am-12 noon. Improve your conversation English with trained facilitators. $3/ week. 9427 1163 www.lcmchurches.org.au EVANGEL BIBLE CHURCH

ESL Classes - Meadowbank Free English conversation Classes starter to advance for anyone interested in learning or improving in their English communication Skill.

Table Tennis Game - Putney (free) Every Sat from 1-3pm, All welcome.

Please contact Andy 043 3119 083 FOODFAITH COMMUNITY GARDEN ​ Free individual plots for growing your own veggies, fruit and herbs still available. info@foodfaith.com.au FRIENDS OF LANE COVE NATIONAL PARK Bush care volunteers needed at Point Reserve, Lane Cove National Park, Mon 8.30-11.30am and 2nd and 4th Sat. 9 - 11am. mam11739@tpg. com.au / 0456 062 637 / www.friendsoflanecovenationalpark. org.au GREENWICH ANGLICAN CHURCH Sunday Service, 9am every week. 1st & 3rd Sundays - Morning Prayer. 2nd & 4th Sundays - Holy Communion.

Sunday School also available.

GREENWICH SAILING CLUB Kids Learn to Sail. New members of any age are always welcome. gsc.org.au/gsc-training@gsc.org.au GREENWICH TENNIS CLUB INC Friendly local tennis club. New members welcome. Social competition Sat & Sun. www.greenwichtennis.com.au admin@greenwichtennis.com.au HALLAM AVENUE TENNIS CLUB 58 Hallam Ave, Lane Cove West.

New members welcome. Hire courts from $10 per hour. 0424 229 259 hatc.hire@gmail.com HEALTHY LIFESTYLE Strength Training - weights and body weight exercises to improve muscle strength.

Tuesdays 2.35 - 3.35pm. $110/$88 (concession). 8877 5300.

HUMMINGSONG COMMUNITY CHOIRS A network of women’s a cappella choirs. Chatswood choir ‘Alkira' is open to new members. Meets Monday nights in school terms from 7.30pm - 9.30pm. www.hummingsong.com.au HUNTERS HILL BRIDGE CLUB Keep mentally fit, have fun and make friends? Hunters Hill Bridge Club, Crown St, Henley. 0438 619 780 or sheldrakecarol@gmail.com HUNTERS HILL CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH Our main gathering is Sundays at 10am and weekly in various homes in our community. Cnr Ferdinand & Alexandra Street.

9817 2282 or www.hhcc.org.au HUNTERS HILL CROQUET CLUB Open Day Saturday 28 September.

1 Matthew Street. New members welcome. Contact us and arrange to come and try the game. Contact 0490494965 or huntershillcroquet@gmail.com HUNTERS HILL MUSEUM Open Tues to Frid, 10am - 12 noon at Hunters Hill Town Hall, Alexandra Street. Regular exhibitions and events. www.huntershillmuseum.org.au HUNTERS HILL WOMEN'S BOWLING CLUB Seeking new members.

Tuesday mornings. Free Enjoy the friendship. 0419 258 662 or 0408 110 082.

HUNTERS HILL SENIORS’ CHESS

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GROUP Weekly social games – no expertise needed. Every Wed 2-5pm, Ironwood Company Coffee House, 102 Woolwich Rd, Woolwich. Register: Sydney Community Services 9817 0101 / ssmall@sydneycs.org HUNTERS HILL SAILING CLUB Kids, tweens, teens and adult learn to sail programs, coaching, racing weekly at the 2018 NSW Sailing Club of the Year. info@huntershillsailingclub.org.au / www.huntershillsailingclub.org.au HUNTERS HILL THEATRE Play On! by Rick Abbot, directed by Margaret Olive.

June 7-16. Fri & Sat7:30pm, Matinees: Sat & Sun 2pm $28 - $30 discounts for seniors, students 9879 7765 www.huntershilltheatre.com.au Hunters Hill Town Hall 22 Alexandra Street Hunters Hill JAZZ BAND Rehearses Monday nights, vacancies available. Jazz, Swing, Blues, Latin, R&B and Funk.

Performs throughout the year. davidcbraybrook@bigpond.com 0410 566 953.

KEYSTROKES CHOIR Have you had a stroke or Aphasia and are looking for fun ways to improve your speech? Our choir helps recovery by sharing song and friendship 10-11am Mondays.

Northside Baptist Churc, 63 Willoughby Rd, Crows Nest. $100 per school term.1300 650 594 or info@keystrokensw.org.au LANE COVE BOWLING CLUB Play lawn bowls. Social or competition.

Fun and exercise.

Free coaching. 151 Burns Bay Road.

9428 4325 / 9420 5793 info@lawnbowls.com.au LANE COVE BUSH KIDS Nature activities for 2 to 5 years (term time) and 2 to 10 years (school holidays). www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/bushkids LANE COVE BUSHLAND & CONSERVATION SOCIETY Meets at 7.30 pm on the 2nd Tuesday monthly, Lane Cove Tennis Club, top of Kenneth Street, Longueville.

New members very welcome.

Ron, 9427 1125; Helen, 9427 4845.

LANE COVE CREATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY Meets fortnightly at 8.00pm on Thursday evenings.

9428 4834 / 9873 6315.

LANE COVE CHORISTERS Senior ladies' choir welcomes new members.

Rehearsals on Tuesday afternoons at St. Aidan's Church, Longueville.

0419 680 910.

LANE COVE CONCERT BAND Local, friendly musical organisation.

Six ensembles; beginner to advanced concert bands, two jazz bands and a woodwind ensemble. 0407 124 600 www.lccb.org.au LANE COVE HISTORICAL SOCIETY Tuesday oct 22: celebrate with us the LCHS Lane Cove History Prize award night as one winner will receive a $2,000 cheque and present their work to us. Join us for a glass of wine and nibbles 7pm with the award ceremony beginning 7.30Pm. All welcome LANE COVE MASTERS SWIMMING Meets Tuesday 6.30-7.30pm, Lane Cove Aquatic Centre. Swimming Coach caters to all levels of swimming LANE COVE MUSIC AND CULTURAL CENTRE Not-for-profit organisation offering music tuition for children and adult learners. Suzuki and traditional methods. 9427 8027.

LANE COVE RESIDENTS FOR RECONCILIATION (LCRR) Local group of Aboriginal/non-Aboriginal community members working together to advance the process of

Reconciliation .

9428 1197 /9 428 120 www.nswreconciliation.org.au LANE COVE SCRABBLE CLUB Meeting fortnightly on Thursdays from 6pm in Lane Cove West 0414 560 536 scrabblensw.org.au/lanecove LANE COVE UNITING CHURCH Worship in the chapel, Sundays 9.30am, cnr Figtree St/ Centennial Ave. Weekly Christian Meditation 9428 2240 or lanecoveuniting@bigpond.com LANE COVE YOUTH ORCHESTRA Calling young musicians to play in a symphony orchestra? Come and try out in our rehearsals. Scholarships offered.

0411 413 335 mcn114@bigpond.net.au www.lanecoveyouthorchestra.org.au LANE COVE RSL SUB-BRANCH Meets first Thursday of each month at the Lane Cove Library at 10am. Keep up-to-date with RSL matters, DVA and community services. 9906 5934.

LANE COVE TOASTMASTERS Become a confident public speaker supported by a friendly group. Meets 23A Stokes Street, Lane Cove. 0403 392 122. www.meetup.com/Speak-Lead-InspireLane-Cove-Toastmasters/ LANE COVE SUSTAINABILITY ACTION GROUP Meets on third Thursday of every odd month (Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Sept, Nov) at the Lane Cove Library, 7-8.30pm. 9428 3553/0421 442 840.

LANE COVE WEST TENNIS CLUB Courts for hire day or night at Blackman Park, Lloyd Rees Drive.Amenities and children's playground. 0417 667 020 www.lcwtennis.com.au LAUGHTER MELODY YOGA Join one hour laughter yoga sessions to help you feel good, boost health and happiness.

403 392 122. www. meetup.com/Laughter-Melody-Yoga/ LAVOCE, A LANE COVE COMMUNITY CHOIR, is celebrating new members. With four concerts to go in 2019, readers are invited sing with us each Tuesday. http://lavocelanecove.com/index or adrianlee2@mac.com or 0424507321 LONGUEVILLE ST AIDAN'S ANGLICAN CHURCH Sunday morning services.

Friendship Services. Healing services. Youth group. Playgroup for toddlers & carers. Craft Circle. Corner Christina/Arabella St. www.staidans.com.au LONGUEVILLE UNITING CHURCH Pizza + Movie nights Oliver Twist (2005), one of the best adaptation of one of Dickens’ great novels starring Ben Kingsley as Fagin and Barney Clark as Oliver, $10 Tuesday 3 December 6.30pm pizza, 7.15pm movie 47A Kenneth St, Longueville Bookings : 9427 4740 /9428 4287 BYO drinks LCM ANGLICAN CHURCH Playtime: Wednesday mornings @ 9.45am - 12 noon (Junior Jivers 10 10.30am). A range of activities for children 0-5 and their carers.

19 Rosenthal Ave, Lane Cove.

LOWER NORTH SHORE MULTIPLE BIRTH ASSOC Volunteer parents of multiples (twins, triplets etc) supporting and assisting other parents. @lnsmba.amba.org.au www.lnsmba.amba.org.au MAHJONG Wednesday afternoons from 1 - 4pm at Sydney Community Services, 1 Pottery Lane. Lessons available in April and October. 9428 2972 or 0407 246 666.

MEALS ON WHEELS HUNTERS HILL Volunteers deliver healthy, affordable meals to client's homes on a daily or weekly basis.

9817 0101 MEETING HOUSE COMMUNITY CENTRE A not-for-profit organisation for all ages; playgroups, Community Café, community garden, yoga, craft, seniors outings and shopping trips. 23a Stokes Street, Lane Cove North, 9427 1841.

YOUR LOCAL WHAT'S ON

MEETING HOUSE KINDERGARTEN Children aged 3 - 5 yrs. Experienced qualified staff offering a preschool program Mon-Fri 8.30am-3.30pm.

47 Burns Bay Rd, 9008 5549 www.meetinghouse.org.au MEN'S SHED Looking for new members, drop in for a cuppa & chat. St Columba Retirement Centre, 15 Figtree St. Mon, Tues and Thurs, 10am3pm. 0428 024 208 lanecove@mensshed.net MINDFULNESS MEDITATION FOR SENIORS Bringing peace and joy into your life. 178 Longueville Rd, on 3rd Sunday of month, 11am-12pm. livinginharmony.com.au/meditation 0428 569 373.

NORTH SHORE BRAIN TUMOUR SUPPORT GROUP Provides patients and families with education and emotional support. Facilitated by health care professionals. North Shore Private Hospital. snog@snog.org.au / www.snog.org.au NORTH SHORE PROSTATE CANCER SUPPORT Monthly Meeting, hursday 21th; November, at North Shore Hospital, 5:00 PM. Women attend with their Partners. Speaker is Professor Warick Delprado, Pathologist, on Developments in Pathology for Prostate Cancer. Q&A. LAST MEETING FOR THE YEAR. OUR FIRST meeting will be on Thursday 20th February 2020. Info. call Convenor John Fullagar 9498 1984. or www.prostatecancer-support-sydneynorth.org NORTHSIDE FORUM Closing the Gap or Widening the Chasm: What's changed for First Australians? Free discussion progress or otherwise of indigenous since walk for reconciliation on S.H Bridge 20 yrs ago. Aug 10, Union Hotel, 271 Pacific Highway, Nth Sydney, 10th August, 12-2pm www.northsideforum.org.au OSBORNE PARK TENNIS Play tennis in beautiful bush setting with club house & children’s play area. Community-run courts at reasonable rates. See oppa.tennis@gmail.com 8003 3316 PROBUS CLUBS Fellowship meetings for retirees. Guest speakers, excursions, refreshments and lunches.

Judy Carroll President 0414785745 Crows Nest Combined Crows Nest Centre, 2 Ernest Place, 10.00am third Thursday monthly. 9439 3455 Lane Cove Combined Lane Cove Bowling Club, Burns Bay Road 10am, second Monday monthly.

Lane Cove Ladies Lane Cove Library at 10am, second Wednesday monthly.

9427 5891.

Lane Cove North Probus For fun, friendship and fellowship in retirement.

Meets 3rd Thursday each month at Lane Cove Community Hub, 1 Pottery Lane. Lane Cove. 1300 630 488 Willoughby Combined Chatswood Bowling Club, Gordon Ave, Chatswood at 9.45am, third Tuesday monthly.

9428 3357.

Hunters Hill Combined Hunters Hill Club at 9.30am, first Tuesday monthly.

9816 2374.

Hunters Hill Ladies Probus Club Inc Hunters Hill Club, 12-20 Madeline St at 10am, fourth Monday monthly.

9816 5116.

Waverton Combined Lane Cove Country Club, 180 River Road, Northwood 10.15am , third Monday 9955 5126.

ROTARY CLUB OF LANE COVE All welcome, weekly meetings 6.15-8.15pm, dinner $20 per head.

Tuesdays, Lane Cove Golf Club, 180 River Rd. Information 0407 216 552 or www.langecoverotary.org SAHAJA YOGA MEDITATION Experience meditation and state of thoughtless awareness. Awaken the innate energy inside to experience a sense of inner peace, balance and wellbeing. Lane Cove Library, Tues 7-8.30pm. 0422 798 498.

SHINNYO-EN BUDDHIST TEMPLE Feast of Buddha's Enlightenment.

Join us to celebrate our enlightening moments found in our daily life.

Service transmitted live from Japan.

Sun, December 8 @1230pm-2pm, 231 Longueville Road, Lane Cove. Details 9418 6688 info@shinnyo.org.au or www.shinnyo.org.au SPIRIT OF LIFE UNITARIAN FELLOWSHIP Kirribilli Neighbourhood Centre. Inquiries 9599 1180, Sydney Unitarians – Spirit of Life www.sydneyunitarians.org/ ST ANDREWS UC HALL Pizza & movie - 6.30pm Pizza, 7.15pm Movie $10 BYO Drinks, St Andrew’s UC Hall, 47A Kenneth St, Longueville Bookings 9427 4740 ST MARK'S HUNTERS HILL PLAYGROUP Meets on Wednesday mornings during school terms, resumes 8 May 9.30-11.30 am in St. Mark’s Hall, Figtree Road, Hunters Hill.

0409327087, 9816 5159

pamela_alvarez@bigpond.com THE LOCAL VOCALS’ COMMUNITY CHOIR Performing contemporary and traditional songs, this unique choir will be participating in community events and activities. 0452 006 693.

U3A UNIVERSITY OF THIRD AGE Offers an extensive variety of events and intellectually stimulating daytime courses in an informal, friendly atmosphere. Ph 9262 2702 or www.sydneyu3a.org WAIG - WOMEN'S ACTION AND INFO GROUP Stimulating speakers, discussions and book reviews for

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women. Monday 10.30am-12.30pm at Lane Cove Library. $8 m/$10 nm per session. waigwomen@gmail.com facebook.com/waigwomen/ WOM:NI - WILLOUGHBY OLDER MEN: NEW IDEAS "Meet a friend - Make a friend - Be a friend." For men over 55.

Club Willoughby, Crabbes St, Willoughby every 2nd and 4th Wednesday. Contact: 9417 3715 ZUMBA CLASSES IN LANE COVE Get fit, sweat, make friends and have fun!

Classes suitable for everyone. Dianne on 0406 765 827 www.zumba4u.com.au

TIME 4 YOU

Lane Cove Historical Society presents

DEC 2019, ALL WELCOME, $3

An Afternoon Tea

10am-12noon home-made morning tea St Andrew’s Uniting Church Hall, Christina Street, Longueville.

with Cavalcade of Fashion's

Bustles to Bias Brides

Vintage costume 1880-1940 2.30pm Sunday Feb 9 at Lane Cove Golf Club

Wed 6 - Scrabble Wed 4 - Scrabble Th 5 – Games

180 River Rd Northwood

Wed 11 - Scrabble

Bookings: https://www.trybooking.com/BFDHW Details: www.lanecovehistoricalsociety.com.au 0427 701 140

Th 12 – Christmas Party !

INFO: Frank 9427 3215

Devonshire Teas Coffee & Cake House Tours

VOLUNTEER NOW

Calm in the courtyard History in the house

Open 10am-4pm every third weekend during 2020 www.carisbrookhouse.com

Carisbrook Historic House

An interesting way to make a difference www.carisbrookhouse.com/society www.lanecovehistoricalsociety.com.au 0418 276 365

As Christmas Approaches A Service to remember those we have lost Christmas is a time of great joy and celebration. However, for some it can also bring sadness, as we are reminded of family and friends who are no longer with us.

Each year, St Aidan’s Anglican Longueville, holds a special “Service to Remember” which is specifically designed to remember and give thanks for the people who are greatly missed during this Christmas season.

It is a quiet reflection and thanksgiving in what is a very busy season

Date: Sunday 8th December 2019 Time: 6pm Location: St Aidan’s Anglican Church, 1 Christina St, Longueville Christmas Pageant Sunday Dec 22 at 9am Christmas Eve Carols and Cocktails 9pm Christmas Day Service is at 9am For more information go to www.staidans.com.au

HTTPS://THEVILLAGEOBSERVER.DIGITALEDITIONS.COM.AU DECEMBER

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YOUR LOCAL BUSINESS DIRECTORY

ACCOUNTANT

HOME MAINTENANCE & BUILDERS

HOME CARPENTER

RETURNS Business Trust & SMSF

HG Accounting & Taxation Services 9427 8774 0425 238 510

LOCAL AVAILABLE FOR: Home repairs, Decks + pergolas Window + door repairs Restorations + renovations

CALL TOM : 0418 280 176 FOR A FREE QUOTE

www.hgats.com.au COMPUTERS

WHOLISTIC

Glass repairs, showerscreens, mirrors and more...

CALL OR EMAIL NOW 9882 3648 sales@willoughbyglass.com.au

Shutters • Curtains Blinds • Awnings Home Automation

L YOUR LOCA INDS

SUITE 4, 98 LONGUEVILLE ROAD

LOCAL BUILDER • All building projects • Extensions and renovations

HEALTH / FITNESS

SHUTTERS & BL

CALL TODAY

FREE DESIGN CONSULTATION

1300 925 463 4/6 Chaplin Dr Lane Cove West SHOWROOM BY APPOINTMENT

TAI CHI FOR OVER 50'S

For balance & relaxation Each Thursday, 10 - 11am Pay by the class At Lane Cove West Bowling Club 151 Burns Bay Road Call Lynette 9420 9421 or enrol at class

ZUMBA

®

• Restoration work • Fully insured

www.blindinspiration.com.au

Call David McRae

0418 110 093 COMPUTERS NEED HELP? NO CALLOUT FEE • PC Repairs • Sales/ Upgrades • Email and Internet • Virus removal • Networking including wireless • Home & Small Business

KEN FOSTER

0414 256 535 METRO 1

COMPUTER SERVICES

KIDS & TEENS www.balletstuff.com.au Affordable Dancewear Jazz, tap, ballet, gymnastics, costumes Ballet shoes $20, Leotards $14 Shop 2, 91 Longueville Rd Enter from Birdwood Lane Carpark

Zumba® GOLD in Lane Cove Perfect for active older adults who are looking for a modified Zumba®class at a lower-intensity.

Check the class schedule on:

david@mcrae constructions.com.au

Local Lane Cove

Electrician

$ 0 CALL OUT FEE

• Small family owned/run business • Seniors discount

100%

GUARANTEED

CALL BLAKE ON

0488 843 546

CAFE

www.zumba4u.com.au or Call Diana 0406765827

DRESSMAKER

LANE COVE, NSW

SERVICED OFFICES

LANE COVE SERVICED OFFICES Location and convenience Suite 7, 43-45 Burns Bay Road, Lane Cove

WEBSITE coming soon

in the heart of Lane Cove

Bella Bacio Café 94208088 HTTPS://THEVILLAGEOBSERVER.DIGITALEDITIONS.COM.AU DECEMBER

FULLY FURNISHED EXECUTIVE SUITES. PHONE : 9418 6056 / 0419 485 492 e: baoffice@tpg.com.au

TUITION

PRIVATE TUITION Improve academically.

Feel supported.

Improve exam technique / learn to answer the question and link effectively to key words.

Help with organisation, study technique, stress and time management.

Practice exams corrected

by HSC markers.

Margaret Wall: 0414 609 769

www.lwctutors.com.au

To advertise in YOUR LOCAL BUSINESS DIRECTORY, please contact: Scott Parkes - 0408 813 154 during office hours or email advertising@ thevillageobserver.com.au

PROPERTIES OF THE MONTH

SOLD AT AUCTION $2.220M

SOLD AT AUCTION $2.415M

75 Wood Street, Lane Cove

5 bed 3 bath 2 car 1 pool

This character-filled home had a successful marketing campaign, 42 contracts issued, 145 inspections and 15 registered bidders at auction. If you would like similar results for your property, contact:

Pearl Todd 0410 470 107 E: pearl.todd@raywhite.com Greg Nazarian 0402 551 213 E: greg.nazarian@raywhite.com

Ray White Lane Cove 9428 4100

3 bed 2 bath 2 car 1 pool

This beautiful home sold at auction for a street record! We had 39 contracts issued, 137 inspections and 10 registered bidders at auction.

If you would like similar results for your property, contact

Paul Nees 0432 995 847 E: paul.nees@raywhite.com Pearl Todd 0410 470 107 E: pearl.todd@raywhite.com

lanecove.nsw@raywhite.com raywhitelanecove.com.au

162 Longueville Road, Lane Cove

S

16 Angus Avenue, Lane Cove

D L O

S

VIEW: Saturday & Wednesday 11.30 – 12.00

D L O

VIEW: Saturday & Wednesday 2 – 2.45 & Wed 6 – 6.30

AUCTION: SAT 16 NOVEMBER AT 3.00PM ON SITE

AUCTION SAT 9 NOVEMBER AT 3.00PM

• A Flawless retreat for the executive family • No expense has been spared in renovating this flawless home

• Tightly held landmark estate, approx. 1757sqm of park-like gardens

12 Aminya Place, Riverview

5 bed 3 bath 2 car

Simon Harrison 0433 100 150 E: simon.harrison@belleproperty.com Kim Walters 0499 014 886 E: kim.walters@belleproperty.com

44 The Point Road, Woolwich

5 bed 4 bath 4 car

Simon Harrison 0433 100 150 E: simon.harrison@belleproperty.com Joshua Jarvis 0468 899 443 E: joshus.jarvis@belleproperty.com Kim Walters 0499 014 886 E: kim.walters@belleproperty.com

belle property hunters hill 3/52-56 gladesville road, hunters hill 9817 7729 belle property lane cove 158 longueville road, lane cove 9087 3333

australian boutique network of the year

winner 2013 2014

AUCTION

FOR SALE

18 Murralah Place, Lane Cove 2 bed 1 bath 1 car Ideal opportunity to renovate or re-build in quiet cul de-sac.

507/9 Birdwood Avenue, Lane Cove 3 bed 2 bath 2 car Ideally located opposite ‘The Canopy’ within walking distance to transport and amenities.

Hazel McNamara 0402 913 537 E: hazelm@lanecove.rh.com.au 0402 913 537

I

hazelm@lanecove.rh.com.au

I

Hazel McNamara 0402 913 537 E: hazelm@lanecove.rh.com.au

www.raineandhorne.com.au

AUCTION 41 MURRAY Street, Lane Cove 5 bed 3 bed 2 car Originally built in c1925 and retaining its classic character façade, this immaculately renovated family home has AUCTION been elegantly crafted on imposing sandstone foundations 41 to Murray Lane Covelifestyle 5 bedover 3 bed car suit aStreet, modern family two2stylish levels.

FOR SALE 126 Riverview Street, Riverview 4 bed 2 bed 2 car Designed by leading architect Anna Maria Stillone with the modern-day family in mind and superbly crafted for FOR SALE entertaining, this multi-level family home offers designer 126 Riverview Street, Riverview 4 bed 2 bed 2 car finishes with easy indoor/outdoor living.

Designed by leading FORFOR SALE SALE architect Anna Maria Stillone with the modernMARK SWIFT 0450 188crafted for entertaining, this multi-level day family in mind and 744 superbly on imposing sandstone foundations to suit a modern family lifestyle E: two glenn.foster@standengroup.com.au E: mark.swift@standengroup.com.au family home offersStreet, designer finishes with easy indoor/outdoor living. over stylish levels.

MURRAY Street, Lane Cove 3 bed 2 car Riverview Riverview 4 bed 2 bed 2 car 41 MURRAY Street, Lane Cove 5 bed 5 bed 3 bed 2 car 126 126 Riverview Street, Riverview 4 bed 2 bed 2 car Glenn Foster 0450 744 188 E: glenn.foster@standengroup.com.au Mark Swift 0450 744 188 E: mark.swift@standengroup.com.au

This immaculately renovated family home has been elegantly crafted AUCTION AUCTION GLENN FOSTER 0450 744 188

41 Originally builtbuilt in c1925 andand retaining its classic character by leading architect Anna Maria Stillone withwith the the Originally in c1925 retaining its classic character Designed Designed by leading architect Anna Maria Stillone Standen Estate Agents 1300 799family 617 façade, thisthis immaculately renovated home hashas modern-day family in mind andand superbly crafted for for façade, immaculately renovated family home modern-day family in mind superbly crafted 2 Kenneth St,crafted Longueville NSW 2066 been elegantly crafted on imposing sandstone foundations thisthis multi-level family home offers designer been elegantly on imposing sandstone foundationsentertaining, entertaining, multi-level family home offers designer to suit a modern family lifestyle over twotwo stylish levels. finishes withwith easy indoor/outdoor living. to suit a modern family lifestyle over stylish levels. finishes easy indoor/outdoor living.

GLENN FOSTER 0450 744744 188188 GLENN FOSTER 0450

MARK SWIFT 0450 744744 188188 MARK SWIFT 0450

Ray White Lane Cove

achieve records for their clients

Considering selling? Like the best possible price for your property?

Our sales experts provide targeted marketing strategies and methods that achieve record sales for our clients.

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Our property managers have the expertise and market insight to make sure you’re maximising your return on investment.

Thinking of making a move or switching in the New Year?

Chat with our leading team of experts today on 9428 4100.

Ray White Lane Cove | 162 Longueville Road, Lane Cove | raywhitelanecove.com.au