Western Weekender June 5 2025

+ The Flower Shop + Elton Chong + Theo’s Ro oftop Bar + Mr Watkins + Chechos

+ Pinot & Picass o + Henri Marc + Harry Hartog + Tins & Wo od + High St Dep ot + Berry on

Mother and son behind string of shopping centre break-ins

Amother and son are among a trio of people arrested for nearly 40 break-ins across western Sydney businesses, with damages believed to total $150,000.

Police yesterday had three people in custody after a covert operation was established to investigate 39 break-ins of small businesses in western Sydney between Tuesday, May 13 and Wednesday, June 4.

Officers attached to Nepean Police Area Command, with the assistance of staff attached to the North West Metropolitan Region, formed Strike Force Allanson on Monday, May 26 to investigate the offences.

“I would say at this stage, the investigation has been outstanding,” Nepean Police Area Commander Superintendent Trent King said.

“The work done by police in a very short period of time to identify and arrest people associated with these offences has been nothing short of remarkable and are linked to both covert and overt strategies in terms of our investigative process.”

Strike Force Allanson police arrested a 42-year-old woman and an 18-year-old man shortly after 3am yesterday, outside a supermarket in Whitecross Road in Winmalee.

Police will allege the man was armed with a hammer and was arrested after smashing the glass window multiple times. The woman was arrested in a car nearby.

Police will allege the 42-year-old woman coordinated the break, enter and steal campaign.

A second 18-year-old man was arrested yesterday at 10am at a home in Sorenson Crescent in Blackett.

Police will also allege the

and taken for further examination.

Of the 39 businesses believed to have been targeted by the trio was three food shops at Caddens Corner on Monday, May 19 including Paradise Charcoal Chicken.

Also believed to have been targeted by the trio were three food outlets at the St Clair Shopping Village on Tuesday, May 20 and four shops on Watergum Drive in Jordan Springs on Sunday, May 25.

“They had a very good idea of the locations that they were going to target and the times of day that they were going to target,” King

“All of the offences occurred between 3am and 5am in the morning, that was to provide them with some cover and opportunity…”

Police believe hammers were used to smash windows and doors by the 18-year-olds who then stole goods, cash and personal items from the stores, believed to total upwards of $150,000.

“It is estimated at this stage from the proceeds, as well as the damage caused to the local businesses that have been targeted, we’re talking damage in excess of $150,000 and for local businesses, that is a huge impact,” King said.

“I have personally spoken to a number of the people that are victims of this particular offending, and I do know the impact that it’s had on their livelihood.”

Nepean Police Area Commander Superintendent Trent King (file photo). Photo: Melinda Jane.

One of the businesses targeted at Caddens Corner. Photo: Melinda Jane.

One of the businesses targeted at Caddens Corner. Photo: Melinda Jane.

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From The Editor’s Desk

Troy Dodds

@troydodds

A train network

Chris Minns didn’t create the disaster that is Sydney’s train network, but he needs to find a way to fix it.

Short of blowing it all up and starting again, that may not be possible. If it was, one of the many State Governments of the past who have dealt with these issues would have done it, surely.

Indeed it is history long ago that would need to be altered to fix a network that relies so heavily on everything going smoothly on every line to not impact others.

But on the list of things holding Sydney back, I have no question that its train and transport network is right on top – even if nobody likes to admit it.

And it’s not just about getting people to and from work, though we will touch on that in a moment.

When we see a constant stream of announcements and press releases about ‘activating’ certain suburbs and about attracting major events, forgotten is that the success of such projects relies on a public transport network people can trust.

Take last Sunday for instance.

A beautiful day in Sydney.

If you wanted to take advantage of it and enjoy a day out at the footy at CommBank Stadium in Parramatta or perhaps take in Vivid, the trains were a no-go.

Trackwork meant catching buses for part of the way, an automatic turn-off for so many people.

Those desperate to go to the footy jumped in the car instead and battled the joys of parking in Parramatta because governments are intent on building stadiums with no major car parks next to them, despite public transport being so unreliable.

Now all of this may be a win for those trying to revitalise the outer suburbs because you’re certainly more likely to stay at home rather than go to the enormous efforts of risking the trains. Planning anything in advance is almost impossible because those plans are easily blown-up by a trackwork announcement or a major delay.

And these aren’t just rare occasions. They’re constant, and it just re-enforces how unreliable the whole system is.

Planning on doing something on the weekend of June 21 and 22?

Maybe catching one of the four NRL games on in Sydney that weekend, or the Giants taking on the Suns at ENGIE Stadium?

What about a day on the harbour, or a day trip to Manly?

On that weekend alone, there’s 10 separate trackwork alerts across the network, including buses replacing trains between Penrith and Granville in both directions all weekend.

I get it, this work has to happen at some stage, but are there many public transport systems in the world that simply shut down for several days, forcing you onto other equally unreliable modes of transport?

And of course this is all the planned stuff, not the unplanned delays that continue to cause chaos week in, week out.

“The only reason Sydneysiders aren’t screaming the joint down is because they’ve become so apathetic to it”

May 2025 was a proud anniversary for the folks at Sydney Trains.

It marked three years since the on-time running target of 92 per cent was met on the T1 line.

May 2022. A momentous month when 93.2 per cent of services ran on time.

Fast forward to May 2025 and just 69.7 per cent of services ran on time.

How do you possibly rely on this network to get to work on time?

To get to meetings across the day?

To get home in time to pick your kids up from daycare or after school care?

The answer is you don’t.

There wouldn’t be a train commuter in

Sydney who hasn’t had to let work know they’ll be coming in late, or have a back-up plan for picking up the kids.

That is not a system to be proud of.

No government has been able to fix it.

We have been stuck in the same cycle for years.

Things go OK for a while, then there’s a massive delay that all but shuts down the network.

We get over it, then there’s a strike or some sort of industrial action.

It gets solved, until next time.

Then, another delay.

Or maybe it rains and we all know what that means for the network.

Along the way the Opposition calls for a Transport Minister or two to quit, we get the odd fare free day and then fares go up as a little final insult.

Rinse and repeat.

Chris Minns would perhaps go down as the greatest Premier in New South Wales history if he found a way to fix all of this.

Last week the government announced an expert panel of three has been appointed to conduct a short review into the overhead wiring incident that caused disruption across the Sydney Trains network last month and take a system-wide look at maintenance and reliability.

A review sounds wonderful and perhaps it’s a good start, but I won’t be holding my breath that this means anything.

Either the wrong people are in charge of ensuring the reliability of the Sydney Trains network or it literally can’t be fixed.

What’s the point of a 92 per cent on-time running target if it is literally never met?

What’s the KPI for those in charge of meeting this target? What happens when they don’t?

The only reason Sydneysiders aren’t screaming the joint down about this is because they’ve become so apathetic to it. They know nothing will change so they just accept that if you live in Sydney, you live with an unreliable transport network where ‘allow extra travel time’ is mandatory, not occasional. And that, ultimately, is a failure we shouldn’t have to live with.

troy.dodds@westernweekender.com.au

Community Kitchen gears up for a busy, chilly winter period

As Penrith’s winter chill seems to navigate its way through the thread of our coats, the generosity of locals is vital for those without access to warm garments or hearty meals.

Fortunately, warmth is at hand, both physically and emotionally, at Penrith’s Community Kitchen for those most in need.

Standing at the back of the kitchen while volunteers prepared lunch, Penrith CBD Corp CEO Gai Hawthorn explained their role is to provide a nourishing meal in a relaxed environment.

“All these retirees – it’s their opportunity to not only give back, but also to make connections within community,” Hawthorn stated.

“We have around 45 volunteers, and we have some extra helpers that collect things and drop things at schools. It’s amazing how they come together in the spirit. They all get along so well, and we’re very grateful.”

The volunteers don’t stop at the PCYC kitchen.

“We help 11 local schools as well, and those requests have gone up recently because children are coming to school without breakfast or lunch,” Hawthorn explained.

“It costs $6,000 a month to feed the schools, and it costs $4,000 for the kitchen.”

Winter is usually a busy period, but economic challenges have made the need for the facility more consistent year-round.

“I had a lady phone me the other day,” Hawthorn started.

“She was pregnant with twins, living in her car, and had a four, a three and a one-yearold. She asked if there was any food for the children or a blanket.”

Between the CBD Corp and WestCare, the woman received help and temporary accom-

modation. And more is being done for others like her through the Penrith Winter Appeal.

“Our mantra for the kitchen is ‘No one goes hungry in Penrith’, so for the Winter Appeal, it’s about no one going hungry or cold,” Hawthorn stated.

“The warmth of our community is what is so important to us.

“When we’re sitting at home with our warm blankets and a roof over our heads, think of those that aren’t.”

Donations of warm clothing, blankets, and other winter necessities can be dropped off at Penrith Council, Penrith MP Karen McKeown’s office and Penrith RSL. Locals can also participate in the Creative Fringe’s ‘Tots’ Blanket Challenge to create more blankets for the homeless and in need. Find out more about the work of Penrith Community Kitchen online at https:// penrithcommunitykitchen.com.au.

Plating up at Penrith Community Kitchen. Photo: Melinda Jane.

Gai Hawthorn and Jeremy Bemtvelzen.

ALLY HALL

LAW and ORDER

COMPILED BY EMILY CHATE

Police Snapshot Legal Matters

Penrith: Man admits to nazi graffiti before attacking police

At 5.48pm on Friday, May 30 police were alerted to a large amount of graffiti outside an address on Derby Street, Penrith. Police attended and saw numerous swastika symbols spray painted on the fence, footpath and parking space of the address.

Police knocked on the front door of the house and spoke with the resident, a 51-yearold Penrith man. The man admitted to police that he had spray painted the swastikas. The man was arrested and taken to Penrith Police Station.

Once at the station, the man lunged at a police officer several times trying to punch him in the face. The man had to be physically restrained during which an officer was injured.

The man was bail refused and is undergoing a mental health assessment.

South Penrith: Party bus trip ends in a fight

On the evening of Friday, May 30 an 18-yearold Schofields woman was on a party bus with numerous people. Both the 18-year-old and the other people on the party bus were drinking alcohol.

At 11pm, the party bus stopped outside a fast-food restaurant in South Penrith to let the party goers use the bathroom. Once off the bus the 18-year-old and another woman began a physical fight where the other woman received a cut to her leg.

The woman told police that she had been stabbed in the leg with a piece of broken glass. She was taken to hospital due to her injuries.

The 18-year-old woman was arrested and taken to Penrith Police Station where she was charged with affray with further charges pending. She will appear in Penrith Local Court on Thursday, June 12.

St Marys: Man caught in backyard stealing copper

At 10.30am on Tuesday, May 27 a man was asleep at his house on White Parade in St Marys when he heard noises coming from his backyard. The man looked into his yard and saw a 27-year-old Lethbridge Park man before he called police.

Police arrived and saw the 27-year-old in the man’s backyard carrying several pieces of copper. As the man saw police he ran from the yard, jumped numerous fences and climbed onto the roof of a nearby house.

Police told the man to come down from the roof, which he did. Police arrested the man and took him to St Marys Police Station. The

man was charged and will appear in Penrith Local Court on Thursday, June 12.

Penrith: Teenager caught doing wheelies on stolen motorbike

On Thursday, May 1 a KTM motorbike was stolen from a residential address in Seven Hills.

On Friday, May 2 and Sunday, May 4 a 17-year-old Hebersham youth was depicted in high quality footage riding the stolen motorbike several times throughout the Mt Druitt Police Area Command.

At 1pm on Friday, May 30 the 17-year-old rode a Yamaha WR 450cc motorbike on High Street past Penrith Police Station, revving the motorbike loudly and repeatedly. The 17-year-old came back a short time later and did a wheelie driving past the station.

The 17-year-old was arrested a short time later at an address in Cambridge Park with the Yamaha motorbike still in his possession. Checks on the motorbike revealed that it was also stolen.

The 17-year-old was taken to Penrith Police Station where he was charged.

Penrith: Teenagers take police on a car pursuit that ends in arrest

Overnight on Saturday, May 31 a Toyota Yaris was stolen from an address in Penrith.

At 3.50pm on Sunday, June 1 police were conducting patrols of Kingswood after receiving reports of the stolen car travelling at high speeds in the area.

A short time later, police saw the car at Kingswood Railway Station. As police approached the car, several youths exited from the back of the car and ran away. Police attempted to intercept the car, but it rapidly accelerated with a 13-year-old Blaxland male driving and a 14-year-old Bidwill male in the front passenger seat. Police activated their warning lights and began to pursue the car through Kingswood before the pursuit was terminated.

At 5.50pm on the same day, police again saw the car travelling west on the M4, driving well above the speed limit. Police monitored the car from a distance with the assistance from PolAir. The car drove up to Lawson before performing a U-turn and travelling back down the M4 and into Penrith.

The 13-year-old and the 14-year-old abandoned the car in Kingswood and the driver was apprehended by police after a short foot pursuit. The passenger was seen running into nearby bushland and was apprehended with the assistance of a police dog after a short foot pursuit.

WITH DANIEL MCKINNON

I’VE SOLD MY HOUSE. WHAT CONDITION DO I NEED TO LEAVE IT IN WHEN I GO?

This article outlines a seller’s obligations if they sell their house with “vacant possession”, meaning empty, without tenants.

Present Condition: The standard NSW contract for sale generally requires the seller to deliver the property in the same condition as at the date of exchange, subject to fair wear and tear. Most contracts also include a “present condition” special condition that says that the property is sold “as is”.

Fixtures and Inclusions: All fixtures (e.g., built-in appliances, light fittings, benchtops) and inclusions listed in the contract must remain. Any chattels (personal property) not listed as inclusions must be removed by the seller before settlement.

Cleanliness: While the property does not need to be professionally cleaned, it should be left in a reasonably clean state. Disputes can arise if the property is left dirty or with rubbish, but minor debris or items that do not substantially interfere with the purchaser’s use may not constitute a breach. Best practice however is to leave it in as state you would like to receive it in if you were the buyer.

Repairs and Damage: The seller must not allow the property to deteriorate or be subjected to damage between exchange and settlement, except for fair wear and tear. Substantial damage may entitle the purchaser to delay settlement or, in some cases, seek a reduction of the purchase price, hold some of the purchase price back pending resolution of a claim, or even terminate the contract (although this is rare).

What does “vacant possession” mean?

“Vacant possession” is a contractual term (and is usually ticked on the front page of a

contract for sale) meaning that by the settlement date the property must be:

Unoccupied: No person (including tenants or the seller) is to be in occupation at settlement.

Free of Chattels: All personal belongings, furniture, and rubbish not included in the contract must be removed from the property.

Free of Rubbish and Debris: All rubbish and debris that is not listed as an inclusion in the contract should be removed – one of the most common disputes that arise on the settlement date involve sellers who have left things behind, like old bricks or tiles, debris under the house or behind the shed, old tins of paint and things of that nature. If you think the buyer might want materials like these (in case they need to replace a tile or do some patchwork painting down the track), you should get their agreement in writing to avoid any last-minute disputes.

If the property is sold “subject to existing tenancies,” the purchaser takes over the tenancy, and the seller is not required to provide vacant possession.

Final Inspection

Remember, the purchaser is entitled to a final inspection in the days before settlement (quite often on the morning of) to confirm the property is vacant and in the agreed or required condition.

Failing to meet your obligations (or flirting with what may or may not be acceptable) can result in:

• Delayed settlement;

• Legal arguments that cost the parties money in legal costs;

• Unnecessary stress.

MAN ASSAULTED WITH HAMMER

A man has been assaulted with a hammer during a violent home invasion earlier this week.

Three men – who remain on the run –allegedly entered a home on Boree Place at Werrington Downs just after 1.20am on Wednesday morning.

They were armed with a machete and a hammer.

They allegedly assaulted a 55-year-old man with the hammer and left the scene in a large SUV.

Police were called following the attack.

The man was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics before being taken to hospital for further treatment.

A crime scene was established and investigations commenced into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The three men remain on the run, with no description provided by police at this stage of the investigation.

Anyone with information about the incident or dashcam or CCTV footage in the area is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

News

Contact Us

Administration

Civic Centre, 601 High Street.

Queen Street Centre, 207-209 Queen Street.

8.30am-4pm. Mon-Fri. 4732 7777

PO Box 60, Penrith NSW 2751 council@penrith.city

Council’s services are accessible via the online portal at

Services 4732 7777

Contact the EPA hotline on 131 555 and ask for the RID Squad (Regional Illegal Dumping Squad).

Freecall 1800 022 182

Meeting Dates

Monday 23 June 2025 – 7pm (Policy Review Committee Meeting)

Monday 30 June 2025 – 7pm (Ordinary Meeting) Online via

penrith.city.council

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penrithcitycouncil

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Council Briefs

● Join us over the June long weekend for Winter Solstice happening from Friday 6 June to Monday 9 June at City Park, Penrith! City Park will be transformed into a winter wonderland with an ice-skating rink, snow machines, live music and roving performers!

There’s plenty of free family-friendly entertainment and activities for all to enjoy. You won’t want to miss this exciting event that marks the beginning of winter!

• Friday 6 June to Sunday 8 June: 4–9pm

• Monday 9 June: 10am–3pm

• Ice skating rink* Friday–Sunday: 12noon–9pm and Monday: 9am–4pm

* Tickets available at:

For more information, please visit

● There’s one week left to provide your feedback on our Penrith and St Marys 24-hour Economy Strategy 2025–2029. Your feedback will help us to make our city centres just as vibrant, productive and diverse in the night-time as they are throughout the day.

Community consultation closes at 11.59pm on Friday 13 June 2025. Have your say at:

● Are you a creative artist looking to build skills in working with communities? Join us at the Foundation of Community: Engaging Arts Workshop offered by CuriousWorks where you will be introduced to core principles and practices of community arts and working with the community.

Register now to reserve your FREE spot for the Foundations of Community-Engaged Arts Workshop in the Magnetic Places Artist Development Series. Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to enhance your artistic creativity!

When: Tuesday 10 June, 5–7pm

Where: St Marys Community Centre, Meeting Room 1 (access via Collins or Swanston Streets, St Marys)

Public Exhibitions

Council invites you to comment on a draft amendment to the Glenmore Park Stage 3 Development Contribution Plan 2022 (GP3 CP). The proposed amendment will include a charge for non-residential development in the GP3 precinct, being $879,840 per hectare of net developable area for nonresidential development. There will be no changes to charges for residential development.

The draft amendment will be on public exhibition from Thursday 5 June 2025 until Wednesday 2 July 2025 and can be viewed online at

Submissions must be received by 5pm on Wednesday 2 July 2025 and can be submitted by:

• Email:

• Post: General Manager (Attn: City Planning)

Penrith City Council, PO Box 60, Penrith NSW 2751

Please include the subject line ‘Draft Amendments to Glenmore Park Stage 3 Contributions Plan’ in your submission.

For all enquiries: Ian Stendara, Executive Planner on 4732 7681 or

Three Sites in St Marys

Council invites you to view and provide feedback on a Planning Proposal that seeks to amend Penrith Local Environmental Plan 2010 to reclassify three Council-owned sites from Community Land?to?Operational Land and remove the public reserve status for these properties.

The Planning Proposal relates to three Council-owned sites that

• Site 1 – 12A Champness Crescent, St Marys

• Site 2 – 32A Champness Crescent, St Marys

• Site 3 – 110A Dunheved Circuit, St Marys

The proposed amendments will enable Council to evaluate and activate the potential future uses for these sites and to assist Council to meet its strategic goals of urban revitalisation, economic development, and delivering housing supply and employment. Council at its Ordinary Meeting of Monday 3 March 2025 resolved to publicly exhibit the Planning Proposal.

In accordance with Section 29 of the Local Government Act 1993 and Practice Note PN 16-001, an independently chaired public hearing will be scheduled after the close of the public exhibition. Notice of the public hearing will be published in a further newspaper advertisement and on Council’s website.

The NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure is the local plan making authority under Section 3.36 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979

In accordance with Section 29 of the Local Government Act 1993 and Practice Note PN 16-001, an independently chaired public hearing will be scheduled after the close of the public exhibition. Notice of the public hearing will be published in a newspaper also be sent to nearby land owners and occupiers, and to individuals or organisations that submit feedback during the public exhibition period.

The Planning Proposal and supporting information are on public exhibition from Thursday 5 June 2025 to Monday 7 July 2025 and can be viewed:

• Online:

• Penrith Civic Centre, Penrith Library and St Marys Library

Written submissions must be received by 5pm, Monday 7 July 2025 via:

• Email:

• Post: The General Manager (Attn: City Planning)

Penrith City Council, PO Box 60, Penrith NSW 2751

Please include a subject line indicating ‘Planning Proposal –

For further enquiries: Owen Lay, Planner on 4732 7612 or WW56342

Burning issue for Penrith

The future of Penrith: How urban heat has become a huge challenge for our city

Penrith is known for its hot, dry summers and has quickly become ground zero for what is becoming known as the urban heat crisis in Australia.

The major moment of concern came on January 4, 2020, when Penrith recorded an unprecedented 48.9 degrees – making it the hottest place on Earth that day.

Western Sydney University Professor of Urban Planning and Management, Sebastian Pfautsch, found that the suburb of Penrith offers a unique window into the urban heat phenomenon that is continuing to intensify globally.

“Penrith is a very good case study; we always call it a playground where we can establish conditions and therefore also solutions for the future that other countries may experience in 20 years because it is so extreme already,” Pfautsch explained.

The urban heat effect occurs when built up suburbs absorb and trap heat often through dark and dense surfaces like asphalt, low vegetation and disrupted natural airflow, causing the trapped heat to increase temperatures, impact climate change and affect human health.

This phenomenon has been found to be occurring in Penrith as the previously untouched green pastures have been quickly

Public Exhibitions (cont.)

developed into dense suburbs to meet the needs of Sydney’s growing west, including the development of the new international airport.

“That process replaces pervious green surfaces with grey impervious hard surfaces and that means you change how much moisture is in the system and also how energy is stored and then re-emitted,” Pfautsch said.

“That’s the problem where we see those so-called Urban Heat Island effects, where

Draft Amendment to Penrith Development Control Plan 2014

Council invites you to view and provide feedback on a draft amendment to Penrith Development Control Plan (DCP) 2014 relating to:

• Part D Land Use Controls, Chapter D5 Other Land Uses, Section 5.2 Child Care Centres

The draft amendment to Section 5.2 Child Care Centres includes updates to provide improved clarity and support in the preparation and assessment of child care centre proposals.

• Part E Key Precincts, Chapters E7 Part C Glenmore Park Stage 3 and E17 Orchard Hills North

The draft amendment to Chapters E7 Glenmore Park Stage 3 and E17 Orchard Hills North are minor housekeeping matters, including an updated reference to a technical study and corrections to a duplicated control.

As its Ordinary Meeting of Monday 28 April 2025, Council resolved to publicly exhibit the draft amendment. The draft amendment to Penrith DCP 2014 is on public exhibition until Monday 16 June 2025 and can be viewed:

• Online: yoursaypenrith.com.au

• In person: Penrith Civic Centre, Penrith Library and St Marys Library

Written submissions may be made to Council by 5pm, Monday 16 June 2025 by:

• Email: city.planning@penrith.city

• Post: The General Manager (Attn: City Planning – Prudence Hudson) Penrith City Council PO Box 60, Penrith NSW 2751

during the daytime you have a lot of heating of the hard infrastructure and because it’s thermal mass is high compared to pastures and grass, it stores the heat very well and releases that during the night, that warms the air and that gives you the urban heat island effect.”

In his report Suburban Microclimate and How to Improve It, released in August 2024, Pfautsch and his team outlined how rapid

Please include a subject line indicating ‘Draft Amendment to 5.2 Child Care Centres and Minor Housekeeping’ in your submission and ATTN to City Planning – Prudence Hudson.

For further enquiries: Prudence Hudson, Senior Planner on 4732 7701 or prudence.hudson@penrith.city or Owen Lay, Planner on 4732 7612 or owen.lay@penrith.city

Planning Proposal –Employment Zones Review

Council invites you to view and provide feedback on a Planning Proposal that seeks to amend Penrith Local Environmental Plan (LEP 2010) to align with the outcomes of a review of its employment lands. The Planning Proposal responds to the relevant actions of Council’s adopted Employment Lands Strategy and Green Grid Strategy, addresses community submissions made to Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure’s (DPHI), and includes the outcomes from Council’s review of employment lands across the city.

Council at its Ordinary Meeting of Monday 3 March 2025 resolved to publicly exhibit the Planning Proposal.

Following the public exhibition, the outcomes of the exhibition will be reported to Council for consideration. The Planning Proposal and supporting information are on public exhibition until Monday 16 June 2025 and can be viewed:

• Online: yoursaypenrith.com.au

• In person: Penrith Civic Centre, Penrith Library and St Marys Library

urbanisation is making cities hotter and more dangerous.

“Today it is impossible to build cities that will not generate additional heat,” the report said.

“This is due to the conversion of open to capped spaces and associated changes in thermal mass, surface reflectivity, evaporative cooling and changes in airflows.”

The report came up with a series of recommendations that would reduce the impacts of urban heat including avoiding dark coloured surface materials, retaining established tree canopies, and designing suburb layouts to improve cool airflows.

Managing urban heat is now more about adaptation instead of prevention, says Pfautsch.

“There is to me an issue around recognising how much we actually can do, where are our limits, where we can influence what we call urban heat and urban overheating and where we just have to adapt,” he said.

“There is this discussion around mitigation and adaptation.

“Mitigation would have been good 20 or 30 years ago, but adaptation is what we need to do now because a lot of things were we thought we can mitigate extreme heat, we don’t have the means anymore. It’s too extreme.”

Watch our interview with Professor Pfautsch now at https://youtu.be/OOf__ JAa4EA.

Written submissions may be made to Council by 5pm, Monday 16 June 2025 via:

• Email: city.planning@penrith.city

• Post: The General Manager (Attn: City Planning – Owen Lay)

Penrith City Council PO Box 60, Penrith NSW 2751

Please include a subject line indicating ‘Planning Proposal – Employment Zones Review’ in your submission and ATTN to City Planning – Owen Lay. For further enquiries: Owen Lay, Planner on 4732 7612 or owen.lay@penrith.city

Development Application

The following Development Application has been received by Council:

• Kingswood Stafford Street Pty Ltd DA25/0352 55 Stafford Street, Kingswood Demolition of existing structures and construction of 2-storey and 130-place child care centre including basement car parking and associated site works

Contact: Sufyan Nguyen on 4732 8568

Closing Date: Sunday 22 June 2025.

Viewing of Development Applications

The above development application/s may be viewed on Council’s DA Tracker via penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/DATracker

will be able to assist with your enquiries.

Disclosure of Political Donations or Gifts

By law, reportable political donations or gifts must be disclosed by anyone lodging a planning application to Council. Call 4732 7649 or visit penrithcity.nsw.gov.au

Western Sydney University Professor of Urban Planning and Management Sebastian Pfautsch. Photo: Melinda Jane.

cupboard prize

Award-winning winery Marnong Estate has released its latest range of premium reds, just in time for the winter months.

The new Marnong Estate wines include a 2024 Sangiovese, Montepulciano and Pinot Noir in addition to a 2023 Shiraz from the Single Vineyard range, as well as a 2024 Pinot Noir from the Estate range.

Nestled within one of Victoria’s oldest wine districts, Marnong Estate’s unique location in the Sunbury region is renowned for producing exceptional cool climate styles. Marnong Estate

boasts a three-tier premium wine range –from the approachable Estate range to the super premium Single Vineyard collection and the luxurious Reserve options, with a drop to suit every palate and price point.

These sophisticated reds from Marnong Estate are a wine-lovers winter dream – ideal companions for the season’s most comforting cuisine, from slow-cooked hearty stews to succulent roast chicken with all the traditional accompaniments, or perfect for sipping in front of an open fire.

Marnong Estate’s latest vintage red wines are available from independent merchants nationally,

paceway winners lucky

Members of the Penrith Paceway in Penrith have the chance to win great prizes thanks to a special promotion involving the club and your favourite newspaper, The Western Weekender Club members can pick up a free specially numbered

bumper sticker from the Paceway or the Weekender office, and our spotters will be out and about in the community.

Three spotted bumper sticker numbers will be printed each week, with winners needing to report to the Pace-

at the Marnong Estate Cellar Door and online via the Marnong Estate website from RRP$25.00. To learn more about Marnong Estate wines and cellar door experiences, visit https://marnongestate.com.au.

The Weekender has a Marnong Estate gift pack to give away. For your chance to win one, send an email to competitions@westernweekender.com.au with ‘Wine’ in the subject line. Don’t forget to include your contact details. Entries close Friday, June 27 and the winners will be notified by email. Terms and conditions are available at westernweekender.com.au.

way to verify their bumper sticker number and collect their prize. Look out for new winners on this page every single week!

This week’s lucky winners are: 0668, 0554, 1000.

Tell us exactly where this week’s featured I Spy image is located in Penrith and you could win! Email competitions@ westernweekender.com.au with your answer for your chance to win two movie tickets. Our winner will be notified by email. Entries close each Wednesday at 5pm.

LAST WEEK’S ANSWER

Colonel Sanders’ famous bow tie is located inside Kentucky Fried Chicken at Emu Plains.

Penrith’s Nathan Brookfield has finished up at Simtronic / IPerium, a business he built from the ground up, after 21 years. Congratulations on such a wonderful stint.

Shining a light on importance of men’s health

ALLY HALL

Men’s Health Week runs from June 9 to 15 and spotlights the key health challenges faced by men and boys across Australia.

Western Sydney University (WSU) plays a large role in the awareness-raising week alongside Healthy Male with funding from the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.

“We work in partnership to coordinate Men’s Health Week in Australia, and we joined forces because we both share a very strong and aligned vision that we need to be doing more to support men’s health and encourage men to engage with health services,” said WSU Director of the Centre for Male Health, Emma George.

“The more we can normalise conversations about men engaging with their GP, engaging in preventative health checks, or talking about

things like their mental health, the better off everyone is going to be.

“We know that healthier men lead to healthier families and healthier communities.”

And there are some key areas of concern in western Sydney.

“In western Sydney we see quite high rates of different kinds of chronic diseases, particularly things like diabetes. We also know that rates of overweight and obesity are probably a bit higher than where we’d like to see them,” George explained.

“But we also know there are some complex barriers that people in western Sydney face when it comes to their health.

“We have a very culturally diverse population, we’ve got a lot of people whose first language is not English, so that brings additional barriers to engage with health services and understand how to navigate the health system.”

Mental health is another area of concern. Nepean Blue Mountains

Local Health District Medical

Director of Mental Health Kristof Mikes-Liu has some advice.

“In the Penrith area, we know that people struggle. We know that loneliness and social disconnection can sometimes be an issue, especially since COVID,” Mikes-Liu noted.

“There is stigma around saying things aren’t good, and for men, that kind of stigma can come out in different ways.

“If you think about the traditional roles of men as breadwinners or having to be strong, it can be hard to say they’re not doing OK. The counter to the stigma is to say that

showing vulnerability is an act of courage and strength.”

Fortunately for Penrith men, every Thursday is an opportunity to check in at the Men’s Walk and Talk which is overseen by local community service WestCare.

“We’ve now seen six years of positive outcomes,” WestCare Director Andrew Paech said.

“Many men have come to our walk in challenging personal seasons, and you see in a variety of ways how the walk has helped facilitate positivity during that.

“Some engage for a short time to

deal with the things that require attention, and others come and find a great social network.”

The Penrith Men’s Walk and Talk runs every Thursday night at 6pm, starting and finishing at the Nepean River Coffee Club. The weekly walk comes with free coffee and a friendly and non-judgmental environment. Find out more about Men’s Health Week online at www.westernsydney.edu.au/centre-for-malehealth/home. You can also find out more about the importance of seeing your GP at healthymale.org. au/see-your-gp.

Join a free Local Land Ser vices workshop with expert tips on weed control, revegetation and flood recove ry

Topics include:

• riverbank weed ID and management

•erosion control and fencing

•revegetation and recove ry strategies

•local support and fu nding.

What you’ll get:

•free native riverbank plants

•practical resources and fa ct sheets

•ongoing suppo rt for your project. A joint initiative of:

Saturday 21 Ju ne 2025 10 am – 3 pm

LLS Demonstration Farm 40 Edwards Road, Richmond Lowlands The Riverbank Rehabilitation Project is jointly funded by the Australian Government and NSW under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements

Kristof Mikes-Liu says breaking down mental health stigmas is crucial. Emma George.

Sizing up the perfect fit

Are you wearing the wrong bra size? Ally Hall discovers most women are

It’s the first thing women put on in the morning to support them throughout the day, and the last thing they take off at night – yet most of us wear the wrong size. A good bra needs to be a priority. That’s where INTIMO comes in.

INTIMO combines personalised bra fitting and styling consultations to curate a timeless and simplistic wardrobe for women.

I visited INTIMO at Defuse recently for a consultation with Tori Axisa, the owner of the Penrith studio. She greeted me with a warm welcome and guided me into the space with an offer of tea.

The room was decorated with neutral tones, and my eyes were drawn to the racks of neatly organised underwear lining the left wall.

In front of the racks was a cosy sitting area with cream couches separated by a marble side table. That’s where Tori and I began the first half of my consultation.

To start, Tori explained the importance of a well-fitting bra and a capsule wardrobe.

“It’s a matter of confidence and comfort and every woman has the right to feel that way,” Tori stated.

“As women, I think we tend to look after everybody else first before ourselves, so it’s about putting yourself first and making it simple.

“We have so many decisions that we make on a day-to-day basis, so if your wardrobe can be simple and comfortable, it’s one less thing that you have to worry about.”

To ensure the best results, Tori wanted to gain a better understanding of my lifestyle. What do I do for work? How do I spend my spare time? Am I very active?

Then, she wanted to know if I had any big events coming up. Would I be attending a wedding this year? Do I have any holidays planned?

Based on answers to those questions – along with the over-sharing that I do when I ramble – Tori had my style and garment needs figured

out. The second half of the consultation involved trying items on. We migrated to the back of the room where there sat an empty clothing rack, a floor-length mirror and a curtain.

That clothing rack didn’t stay empty for long as Tori built my capsule wardrobe after taking measurements for my band and bust size.

We tried numerous items of under and outerwear while Tori explained which garments complement my body shape and how to layer them.

The experience was enlightening. It’s something I wish I’d done much sooner, but I had no idea it existed.

“We’ve really tried to understand what women want and what’s going to help them in their day to day,” Tori said.

“We’ve worked out this beautiful formula of bras and underwear and married it with the clothing and the capsule

Not only is the cloth-

ing comfortable, but so is the styling experience. Within five minutes, talking to Tori felt like talking to a close friend.

So don’t mind me, I’m off to reconsider my wardrobe with a newfound knowledge of my body shape, personal style, and what’s comfortable. Book an appointment online at www. intimo.com.au. You can also reach out to Tori for more information via her Instagram at @ tori.axisa.

Ally Hall and Tori Axisa. Photo: Emily Chate.

Top half styled by Tori Axisa.

Defuse. Photo: Emily Chate.

The options are endless.

Finding the right fit is easier than you think. Photo: Ally Hall.

Ally Hall on the hunt for the perfect bra. Photo: Emily Chate.

ALLY HALL

Pride in helping

Lions Pride Holden Car Club continues to raise vital funds

What started as a love for Holden automobiles in 2000 transformed into an outlet for positive change in Penrith.

The Lions Pride Holden Car Club NSW Inc. has been fundraising for local charities since its establishment 25 years ago.

“A small group of car enthusiasts wanted to assist the Australian Paralympians cover the cost to participate in the 2000 Paralympics,” Club President Janet King began telling the Weekender

“They got together and thought they’d organise a small car show. From there, the Lions Pride Holden Car Club was born.

“From that very first car show held in St Marys in the year 2000, the club has grown and gone from strength to strength and has been raising funds for local charities ever since.”

It doesn’t take much to be part of the club – just a Holden, the enthusiasm to fundraise, and the desire to be an active member.

“We’ve got around 65 members now and we see all of our members on a very regular basis,” King explained.

“If it’s not a Wednesday meeting that’s held each month, it’s at one of the runs… We see all our members at least six times a year, and we know people’s names, faces, wives, kids, even dogs in some instances.”

Together, this tight-knit group has raised thousands of dollars to support their local community – and one of those charities is very dear to their hearts.

“We’ve been supporting the Prostate Cancer Foundation for

the last five years,” King said. “That came about when our club registrar passed away from prostate cancer after a long battle. We renamed our annual car show the Stephen Short Memorial Car Show.

“Initially we were supporting them by donating $5000 a year to fund training of a prostate cancer specialist nurse.”

The main criteria the group considers when selecting charities to support is that they must be local and the money can’t go into a pool, it has to go towards something.

A handful of examples include

$6,000 for the Nepean Mental Health Unit for a massage chair, indoor aquarium, board games and basketball hoops; $4,000 for Hawkesbury Animal Welfare League for food, blankets and a barbecue for their own fundraising events; and $2,000 to Hawkesbury Rural Fire Service for a training facility.

If your car has a Holden badge and you’re interested in joining the charitable motorheads, they meet on the first Wednesday of every month at 7.30pm at Henry Sports Club in Werrington County. Look them up on Facebook for more information.

KEY PARTNERSHIP FOR BRADFIELD

The Bradfield Development Authority has entered into a new partnership with Leading Japanese Automation company OMRON to promote manufacturing innovation across western Sydney.

Under the agreement, the Bradfield Development Authority ‘s Advanced Manufacturing Readiness Facility (AMRF) will work with OMRON’s global network of Proof-of-Concept Centres to boost technology exchange and make productivity improvements throughout western Sydney’s manufacturing sector.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was officially signed at Bradfield City Centre last week and marks a major milestone for Australia’s first city in 100 years.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Western Sydney Prue Car welcomed the partnership.

“Western Sydney is already a powerhouse of economic growth, and partnerships are critical in accelerating the region’s transformation into a hub for advanced manufacturing,” Car said.

“Our continued focus on the growth and development of Bradfield means more high-quality, highly skilled jobs for western Sydney residents, in their own backyard.”

OMRON is a global leader in industrial automation with a strong track record of supporting manufacturing innovation through robotics, AI and machine learning.

Motoring Heritage Day 2025. The club regularly fundraises at North and South Penrith Bunnings.

ALLY HALL

Henry Zhou, Motohiro Yamanishi, Jennifer Westacott and Ken Morrison.

Helping alleviate inflammation and pain

Satisfied customers are spreading the word about the effectiveness of Arborvitae Joint Health

Pensioner Glen Rampton’s worsening arthritis left him “virtually a cripple”. Nowin his mid70s, he had to relyonothers just to move about

“My hips and lowerback were so bad I regularly needed assistance,”herecalls. “I had gone from one walking stick, then two walking sticks, until Icouldn’t move without afour-wheel walker ”

Rampton’s arthritic fingers also left the onceprofessional musician unable to play his beloved piano.“My lifewas becoming a real misery,” headds.

After hearing of Arborvitae, Rampton decided to try the natural anti-inflammatory liquid supplement

“Within afour-hour period the acute pain –seven or eight out of 10 – had completely disappeared,’’ hesays. ‘‘I was left with avery manageable twoor three out of 10; justa dull ache ”

Rampton says his life changed for the better after a month of taking Arborvitae. “I am managing aproductive and full lifeagain. I can smile and enjoy my music and many other pastimes Iinvolvemyself with again.’’

Friends have also noticed his improved mobility and arenow taking theproduct and seeing benefits, too,Rampton says Arborvitae Joint Healthis manufactured locallybyAustralian- owned company Arborvitae Health and Wellbeing

The company’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant supplements can help manage

common health problems caused by inflammation, and support immunity

Arborvitae Joint Healthcontains pycnogenol, papain enzyme, aloe vera and honey and can help provide relief from symptoms of mild arthritis, joint pain, inflammation, soreness and stiffness

Theactive ingredient, pycnogenol,isan antioxidant plant extractfrom the barkof the French maritime pine tree

This barkextractis the main ingredient in Arborvitae’srangeofnatural antiinflammatory and antioxidant supplements.

Arborvitae Joint Health is backed by customer testimonials for helpingrelieve debilitating pain, and has also been highlighted in

Arborvitae’s main ingredient, pycnogenol, is also known for its potential to improve blood flow and performancefor athletes, headds. ‘‘Wehavea wide rangeof customers with .. . health conditions that unfortunatelyresult in pain, who takeArborvitae,’’ Howell says ‘‘If you can getyour pain under control,your sleep and quality of life improve immensely.’’

a clinical study published in the Journal of Orthopaedic s and Traumatology in 2020,indicating it “may be an effective supplementary management in controlling mildmoderate signs/symptoms associated with osteoarthritis”

After three months, study participants showed improved mobility, significantlyreduced arthritic symptoms and less need for rescue medications

Arborvitae director Brendan Howell says the supplement is used by arangeof customersfor its natural pain relief qualities, and “gym junkies and athletes whoget sore joints and experienceaches and pain are also taking Arborvitae with great success’’

O ther Arborvitaeproducts include the Arborvitae Health and Wellbeing Supplement, which helps support healthy blood glucose, cholesterol and the immune system, and the ArborvitaeCognitive Function, Memory and Eye Health supplement, which can helptoenhancecognitive performance, support mental function, and maintain healthy eye function

Supplements are sold via Arborvitae’s website and at over 2000 chemists and healthfood stores nationally.While thereare no side effects, anyone using warfarin should speak to their doctor first

The above information is general in nature. Please contac t your GPor other healthcare professional for advice that is specific to your health needs.

Arbor vitae Health and Wellbeing customer Glen Rampton, above, and director Brendan Howell.

Hair today, gone some time in July

ALLY HALL

With a mullet and a mission, 12-yearold Carter Slapp is using his hairdo to raise money for the Black Dog Institute.

The Leonay local was inspired to fundraise for the mental health organisation after his family lost a loved one to mental illness.

“We made some very dear friends through caravaning and going on trips,” explained Carter’s mum, Renee Slapp.

“We just pulled up next to these amazing people at South West Rocks and they became like family. We had several holidays together over Christmas and Easter.”

One member of that family was Caleb, who loved fishing and heading out for a day on the boat. He lost his life when he was 18.

“It impacted our family quite a lot I think, and Carter being the beautiful human that he is, he doesn’t want other families to hurt like

Caleb’s family does,” Renee said.

“So, he decided to grow his hair like Caleb, and we decided to fundraise and chop it off.”

Carter has set a fundraising goal of $10,000 for the Black Dog Institute and hopes to raise the money before his haircut on July 19.

“That was the company that helped them after he died, so we thought we’d fundraise for them,” Carter said.

The young man has raised just over $2,000 already with the tally climbing.

“We’ve just started and we’re really hoping the local community will get behind Carter,” Renee stated.

“Our local club Leonay has donated their function room for the event.

“Now we’re just hoping he can raise the funds for such a good cause.”

Caleb’s mother, father and sister will travel here from Queensland for the big chop, and Carter has asked Caleb’s father Gavin to do the honour of cutting his mop.

Renee said she was proud of her son’s connection to the cause.

“We are super proud of Carter. At such a young age, he’s so empathetic to people’s causes,” Renee gushed.

“He’s so kind and it’s amazing. If anyone could get behind the cause, that would be lovely.”

The family are also hoping to donate the hair to Wigs4Kids in a donation double whammy, depending on the length and quality at the time of the chop.

Donate to Carter’s fundraiser online at www. teamblackdog.org.au/fundraisers/shannonslapp.

Onsite crematorium

Carter Slapp is losing his locks for charity.

Photo: Melinda Jane.

Local set to pay the price for flood actions

EMILY CHATE

The residents of Londonderry are no strangers to flooding, in fact when there is rain on the forecast they begin to prepare for the worst.

Andrew (surname witheld) has lived on Spencer Road in Londonderry for over three decades. Two weeks ago during heavy rain, he took action to unblock a Penrith City Council drain on the road that was not letting stormwater through.

“I walked down in my gumboots, and the culvert entry was full of debris and dirt,” Andrew said.

“So, I jumped on the bobcat in a safe manner with all the hazard lights on and I spent eight minutes down there, cleared the debris from the culvert and immediately there was an impact. The water started flying straight down into it. That was that.”

Andrew says his actions stopped his neighbour’s house from flooding but unfortunately his own house wasn’t as lucky.

“Later that night the rain was getting heavier,” Andrew said.

“This area was flooded, and our

pipes were not coping, and the legal discharge point was overflowing, it was inundated by the stormwater, and it backed up and came all through our house, the entire bottom floor.

“We’ve lived here 36 years and have never been flooded.”

The next day, Andrew got a visit from a Council Officer, saying he would be getting a fine for removing the debris from the drain as well as the matter being referred to police.

“He said that he had put a call into the police to have me charged with operating a motor vehicle that’s unregistered on a public road, and they are going to send me a bill for the clean-up,” Andrew said.

“I haven’t heard anything since, the silence from Council is deafening. There’s been no response, in fact I think they are ducking for cover.”

Andrew believes he did the right thing to help his neighbours, and what he did was in a safe manner.

“Come out and deal with this, don’t run and hide,” Andrew said.

“That’s not the way we are going to resolve this. This isn’t anything against Council, I just want help.”

Penrith City Councillor Glenn Gardiner has long been an advocate for drainage issues in Penrith and moved a motion in Council last year to spend $7.1 million to fix rural drainage issues. The motion was ultimately voted against.

“I am told that there is an active and ongoing investigation into Andrew’s conduct and as such it would be inappropriate for me to comment on that,” Gardiner said.

“The big picture is that all of the rural north of Penrith has inadequate infrastructure. We’ve got risks to people’s properties.”

Council confirmed that the drains on Spencer Road were “responding as designed during rain events”.

“During recent heavy rains causing minor localised flooding in parts of Londonderry, Council was alerted to unauthorised works in the road reserve at Spencer Road,” a spokesperson for Council said.

“Any work within the road reserve requires approval from Council to ensure the road, property and essential utilities are not damaged; and that public safety is looked after.

“As a result of unauthorised works performed by a person in their private bobcat, a neighbour’s drive-

way was pulled out and a drain was excavated within the road reserve.

“Council crews attended the site and undertook temporary make safe works to the driveway to provide access to the impacted property allowing the owners to enter and exit their home and will be required to return and repair the damage to the drain and culvert.

“Council is aware of expected localised stormwater flows in the

area; however, the drains were responding as designed during rain events.

“Sheet flows through properties, along and across rural roads are expected in Londonderry during heavy or prolonged rain due to the flat topography.

“There is no evidence that the water on the road, caused by a storm event was impacting or threatening to impact homes.”

Londonderry resident Andrew looking at the culvert that flooded with Penrith City Councillor Glenn Gardiner. Photo: Melinda Jane.

Binet Homes: Celebrating 60 Year s

Binet Homes

Views mixed on train reliability

ALLY HALL

Commuting to work or embarking on a day trip using Sydney’s train network is an endeavour undertaken with bated breath.

Delays and disputes have caused widespread disruptions on the rails throughout the year, wreaking havoc on travellers’ schedules.

With this in mind, the Weekender beelined for the Penrith Train Station on Tuesday afternoon to find out how people feel about their transport network.

“The trains in Sydney are amazing,” said Jenny, a Melbourne woman who was

looking at the station map trying to figure out which side of the bridge she was on.

“I got off the plane, walked to a station, got on a train to Central, and it was clear as day which platform to change lines on. It was clean, it was quiet, it was smooth, it was excellent.”

Jenny’s opinion was shared by Penrith local Aaliyah, who returned home from a trip to Parramatta as afternoon turned to evening.

“I don’t think there’s a problem with it at the moment.

When everything goes horribly wrong, it seems a bit disorganised, but things happen,” Aaliyah said.

“I actually enjoy taking the train once in a

while, it’s really beautiful, especially coming back at this time.”

A Kingswood local described the trains as “alright”, after sliding down the handrail to reach the bottom of the stairs.

“I’d like it if they were a bit faster,” Caleb explained.

“You have to wait about an hour for a train. That’s standard, and sometimes it’s because of delays.”

These delays are problematic for regular commuters like Cheyenne from Fairfield, who catches the train to visit her friend.

“Usually they’re OK, but I was going to see her the other week, and the trains

weren’t really working so I didn’t even bother,” Cheyenne stated.

Cheyenne noted the trains are reliable for the most part, but trackwork can be a nuisance.

“It’s

been 40 years since we’ve seen a decent system out

here”

“There needs to be better timing,” Cheyenne said.

“It’s inconvenient when it does happen, but obviously they’re doing the best they can.”

Meanwhile, Michael from

Lithgow was about to embark on the second half of his fivehour travel day – courtesy of the aforementioned trackworks.

“We have a lot of railway works at the moment and we had to catch buses to get to Mount Vic and then swap over to trains to get down to Penrith today,” Michael recounted.

“When we go back home now, we’ll be swapping over at Mount Vic again to get on a bus to get back to Lithgow.”

He described the process as tedious.

“The buses aren’t linking with the trains the way you think they would,” Michael explained.

Mayor’s News

The

weekly views of Penrith’s Mayor

Scope of work on show

Penrith City Council’s innovation and leadership will be on show at the 2025 NSW Local Government Excellence Awards this week.

This annual event recognises outstanding contributions made by local government professionals for their communities across the state.

Penrith has seven projects and initiatives nominated this year, and what I love is that they are all in different categories, speaking to the breadth of Council’s work.

One is the hugely popular Gipps Street Recreation Precinct, where an unused waste facility has been transformed into a dynamic sport and recreation destination. Council and the community’s vision for this special place is now a reality, drawing thousands of visitors each week.

The Cranebrook Bush Food Trail is also up for an award. Here we have collaborated with Nepean Community and Neighbourhood Services, and local Aboriginal organisation Muru-Mittigar, to enhance planting and provide a culturally educa-

“Sometimes the trains are just leaving, so you have to wait, or you have to wait because they’re not there yet.”

The mismatched train and bus schedules are a major concern for local man Bob.

“The buses used to meet the trains. Nowadays between the train network and the bus network, it doesn’t work,” Bob stated.

“The city has a wonderful network of light rail, bus services, and the internal rail network – it’s brilliant and it works pretty well.

“The western suburbs –you’ve got to be kidding me. It’s been 40 years since we’ve seen a decent system out here.”

Another initiative you’ll all be aware of is Council’s introduction of the Food Organics, Garden Organics (FOGO) green-lidded bin waste stream to multi-unit dwellings. As a result of our community’s remarkable take-up of this service, Penrith is one of the first councils in the state to roll out FOGO to all households.

Other projects on show include mentoring and creating pathways for local students; improving workplace wellness; further encouraging inclusivity in Penrith; and streamlining online application and payment processes.

Thank you to our community, our local partners, and other levels of government for your collaboration as we continue to deliver on the shared vision for Penrith. Read about our other award-winning projects and initiatives at www.penrith. city/awards.

CR TODD CARNEY Mayor of Penrith

LOOKING FOR A PAPER?

Did you know there’s a number of ways to get your hands on a copy of the Western Weekender each week?

Head to www.westernweekender.com.au/ getapaper to find out how you can make sure you never miss out.

tional experience along the Great West Walk.

Jenny. Photo: Melinda Jane. Michael. Photo: Melinda Jane. Bob. Photo: Melinda Jane. Caleb.

Photo: Melinda Jane. Aaliyah. Photo: Melinda Jane. Cheyenne. Photo: Melinda Jane.

Micro Suction Ear Wax Removal

Ear wax plays an extremely important role in keeping our ears healthy. Ear wax has antibacterial properties which keeps our ears clean and the thickness stops debris or foreign bodies f rom entering further into our ear

However, having excess ear wax can be quite problemat ic. You may experience an itchy or blocked feeling in your ears. is may also mean that you are not hearing as well as you used to, sometimes ringing in your ears. Hearing aid users are prone to ear wax build-up. A build-up of ear wax in hearing aid user can cause hearing aid feedback, can cause further hearing loss and reduce the e ectiveness of the hearing aid by blocking sounds. If that’s the case, you may need to consult a hearing professional or GP for ear wax removal.

Wax removal can be carried out through the use of instruments, suctioning, irrigation or a combination of all three is procedure can only be perfo rmed by trained Hearing professionals and ENT Surgeons. It is a minimally invasive, gentle procedure aided by microscopic technolog y and suction instrumentation, allowing clients to experience maximum bene t.

It is important to be aware that traditional methods of ear wax removal, particularly syringing, poses a risk of ear infections, balance issues and eardrum perforation

Our wax removal ser vices available at our Penrith clinic. e removal of your wax blockage can improve your hearing, reduce discomfort in the ears.

Book your appointment for Ear Wax Removal

No referrals required

Call us today on 4742 3636 or visit us www.hear-clear.com.au

Located at Suite 2, 20-24 Castlereagh Stre et, Penrith

YOUR HEARING MATTERS OUR SERVICES

Hearing loss can be isolating for many and tricky to navigate. At Hear Clear Australia, we are with you along ever y step of your hearing journey.

• Adult and Children Diagnostic Hearing Assessment

• Hearing Aids Fitting and Rehabilitation

• Micro Suction Wax Removal

• Fully subsidised Hearing Aids for eligible Pensioners and Veterans

MEET OUR FRIENDLY CLINICIANS

Katie Rahman Principle Clinician

Jennifer Blenman Clinical Audiologist

EMBRACE LIFE WITH CONFIDENCE

Δ Popular cafe closes: Nourishmint Cafe in Emu Plains has closed its doors. The family behind the business made the announcement on social media, saying it was getting harder for small businesses to survive. The cafe was located in the Lennox Centre.

Δ Search for Squishmallows comes to Macca’s: Happy Meals are about to get even happier as collectors can find one of 14 Squishmallows characters with expressions exclusive to Macca’s – including the debut of Halley, the Intergalactic Axolotl to the Squishmallows Squad, as well as Avery, the green and brown mallard duck and Theotto, the Cthulhu monster with dragon wings who you can find in Australia and New Zealand only. From Rossi, the purple cheetah with pink

spots to Charles, the winking green pickle with a moustache, there’s a Squishmallow for everyone. Squishmallows Happy Meal also comes with a choice of three or six-piece Chicken McNuggets, a Hamburger, Cheeseburger or Grilled Chicken Snack Wrap, paired with Apple Slices or Small Fries and a Small Drink, served up in a Squishmallows Happy Meal box. Available now.

Δ Churros gets an upgrade: Gluten-free just got a delicious makeover. Simply Wize, a trusted Aussie name in gluten-free products, is serving up a game-changing dessert with its brand-new Gluten Free Churros. Hitting the shelves this June in Woolworths stores nationwide, these certified gluten-free churros, suitable for those with coeliac disease, deliver the classic flavour and texture you crave, so no one will know it’s gluten-free! Available from June 10.

Δ The vodka you didn’t know you needed: Summer Land Camels has dropped a world-first spirit called Camel Milk Vodka. Crafted from camel milk whey and matured on French oak, it has rich notes of caramel, toasted oak and malted cream and is exceptionally smooth with a warming finish. Head over to https://summerlandcamels.com.au for more information or to buy.

Δ Got some Source? We want you to spill the tea on new business openings, closings, new menus, new products and more! Email news@ westernweekender.com.au.

BIMBIIGANG!

Δ Say Ola to Mexican: Ola Mexican Grill has officially opened at HomeCo Glenmore Park. Special guests at last weekend’s Grand Opening included the Lindsay MP Melissa McIntosh (pictured below).

This photograph from April 22, 1958 shows 10th anniversary celebrations of Penrith Library on Castlereagh Street and the official opening of the new adult room.

Left to right is Margaret Trask, previous Chief Librarian, Mr McGreal the Secretary of the NSW Library Board, Mr Ross the Town Clerk, Mayor Alderman Leo Spies, Mayoress Mrs Spies, and Alderman Essie Price. The library at Castlereagh Street opened in the School of Arts Building in 1948. It moved to Henry Street in 1960.

(Photo thanks to Penrith City Library)

LET’S RENOVATE

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RENOVATE

In May 2024, Mark decided to roll up his sleeves, grab his tools, and set out to help his local community with his handyman skills.

One year down the track, Mark’s Handy Home Services has reached hundreds of happy clients across Penrith and the Blue Mountains.

Handy by nature and a mechanic by trade, he has a great understanding of how things work around a home, and how they can be improved. With this exper tise, Mark offers a helping hand with a can-do attitude to match.

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RENOVATE

Don’t move out, move up! Big boom in second storey additions

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Family owned and operated since 1964, O’Mara Constructions specialises in second storey extensions and custom home additions across Sydney. As land prices rise, homeowners are looking up—not out—and we’ve seen significant growth in first floor additions

Second storey extensions are the best value for money home renovation, when designed correctly. It’s cheaper than moving and less disruptive than a ground floor extension. No need to move out during construction. Owners can select any materials, from any suppliers. Council approval is simpler also

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adding up and the house can be safer, take advantage of any possible views and improve privacy or winter sun.

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Hobbs Group’s commitment to quality stands tall in the west

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Rubbish Removers

BIG CAT BATTLE

THE PANTHERS MEET THE TIGERS TO DECIDE WHO IS KING OF THE JUNGLE MATCH PREVIEW: PAGES 34-35

Brian To’o.

Photo: NRL Photos.

the finalword

I’m not exactly sure how Jarome Luai will be feeling heading into Sunday afternoon’s clash between the Wests Tigers and his former club, the Penrith Panthers.

Some will bill it as Luai’s chance to prove a point – that he is capable of running a football team, doesn’t have to play second fiddle to anyone and is worth the price tag that comes with such a skillset.

But Luai’s departure from Penrith was not one of animosity or anger. He took an opportunity, and aside from a couple of speed bumps along the way he generally left with the best wishes of coach Ivan Cleary and the senior players. He’s still friends with plenty of them.

So the hype around his first meeting against his former club is likely just that, hype. Doesn’t make him want to win any less, however.

The Tigers have been up and down this year and have had to deal with plenty of off-field drama, but by and large their fans must at least be pleased to be seeing a few green shoots coming out of Concord.

They probably could have beaten the Cowboys in Townsville last weekend had ill-discipline not cost them 20 minutes with 12 men; and their comeback late in the game certainly showed they can score points quickly when they get on a roll.

The Tigers’ ability to throw the ball around and Luai’s unstructured play should be a chief concern for Penrith, whose usually stoic defence has been rattled often this season.

That said, we did start to see a little bit of the Penrith of old against Parramatta last Sunday. The Panthers kept inviting the Eels into the contest but then responded with some really impressive goal-line defence. Still, 33 missed tackles is way too many – and the Panthers will need to tighten that up against the Tigers on Sunday.

Yet again we saw the importance of Nathan Cleary against the Eels. With the game somewhat evenly poised late in the second half, he produces a perfectly timed 40/20 that ultimately helped Penrith build enough of a buffer

to secure the two critical competition points. Not only that, but he landed three difficult conversions just a few days after his boot went a little wayward for NSW in State of Origin.

Much of Penrith’s success of the last four years has been built on those little Cleary moments. He steps up when he’s needed most and he did it again against Parramatta – and it was great to see him running the ball too.

A few times this season we’ve convinced ourselves that Penrith were back following impressive wins only for it to be a false dawn. But with time now running out, the room for error is getting smaller. Penrith can’t miss the opportunity of securing another two competition points before the bye – a fortnight that could see them knocking on the door of the top eight given how close the competition is this year.

The return of Isaiah Papali’i and Luke Garner will provide a big boost for the Panthers, who have struggled to field a full-stength side all year thanks to injuries, suspensions and unfor-

tunate mishaps – such as Garner, who suffered a concussion at training that saw him miss two matches.

We’ve always talked about State of Origin being a curse for the Panthers, but this year it may be a blessing – especially with the Blues doing well. Does it play some of Penrith’s key men back into form, or at least get them used to winning big games again – an enthusiasm that could be infectious around the rest of the Penrith camp?

It’s still impossible to tip Penrith with any certainty, but they should be too good for the Tigers here. I think Benji Marshall’s side will try hard, especially Luai under the circumstances, but in the end if Penrith can remain calm, complete well and control the momentum of the game, they should get home.

Invite the Tigers in like they did against the Eels last week though, and things could turn real quick. A danger game, but one Penrith must rise to the occasion for.

Tip: Panthers by 8.

Graphic by Zoe Merrick.

panther rumblings

ICONIC SIGN HAS NEW HOME

! Iconic Panther moved: The huge Panthers sign that has adorned the top of the Western Grandstand at Penrith Park for the last decade or so has been carefully removed from the construction site. As part of the stadium redevelopment, the sign was craned out and has been taken to Accor Stadium. So why is it at Accor? Is it about to be on display to recognise Penrith’s incredible run of titles at the venue? Perhaps a permanent tribute alongside a mural of the Matildas that commemorates them coming fourth in the 2023 World Cup? No such luck – it’s got a new home in a storage shed, for safe keeping. At least this piece of history is legitimately in storage. When Phil Gould said the iconic Panther scoreboard was in storage, what he meant was a skip bin.

! Preserving history: The Panthers sign (which in reality was a relatively new addition to Penrith Park) isn’t the only piece of history being preserved. A concrete slab from the main tunnel was cut out and transported over to the Panthers Academy. It’s nice to see these touches of history being acknowledged as part of the project.

! 1967 Panther passes: Penrith’s first ever local junior to play top grade rugby league for the Panthers has passed away. John Stapley, who made his first grade debut with Penrith in 1967, died aged 80 last week. He will be farewelled at a funeral service today. The St Marys junior made his first grade debut in Penrith’s Round 9 loss to Souths in 1967, coming off the bench. He played a handful of games in 1971. In a quirky stat, Stapley never experienced a victory in his six matches wearing Penrith colours. Our thoughts are with his family and friends. Stapley is credited as Panther #24.

! Cleary union rumours: The crazy rumours that Penrith champion Nathan Cleary

is considering a switch to the 15-a-side game won’t go away. While most of the speculation is coming out of rugby union corners and journos desperate for a headline, I can’t find anyone who says there’s any sort of serious consideration that Cleary could switch codes. However, every month that goes by without Cleary extending his current deal with Penrith beyond 2027 will make both Panthers officials and those at the NRL nervous.

! Squeezing customers: We all accept these days that food and drink prices are high at sporting events. But can Venues NSW do something about the 60 cents they whack you for a tomato sauce? Especially given they’re now in terrible new packets they should be paying you to put up with, not the other way around.

! Girls get social: The Panthers have launched a separate Facebook account for their women’s program. Penrith Panthers Women launched last week, attracting 3,000 followers so far. It’ll follow the women’s program and current teams, ahead of a likely NRLW side entering the competition in the coming years.

! Ayres joins the punters: Former Penrith MP and Sports Minister Stuart Ayres’ pas sion for the Panthers was always genuine. He’s bought himself a membership for the

2025 season and is watching home games with the punters in the Eastern Grandstand at CommBank Stadium. He must constantly ponder what could have been – Ayres was of course pushing for the Panthers to stay in Penrith in 2025 and 2026 while a brand new stadium was built on the grounds of the Penrith Showground.

! Member check-in: The Panthers have been ringing 2025 members to get their take on the season so far in terms of the move to CommBank Stadium. It’s not a job for the faint-hearted – we know plenty are vocal about the CommBank experience so far. Credit to the club for getting on the front foot, but I’m not sure many of the issues being raised – from food prices to travel delays – can be solved.

are presented at stadiums. Nine was the final hold-out when it came to a consistent approach across the board, and finally made the switch quietly just before State of Origin.

! Spotted: Panthers halfback Nathan Cleary and Eels winger Zac Lomax catching up postgame last Sunday – having shared success together with the New South Wales Origin team only a few days earlier. Only one could be victorious this time around.

! Fox Origin push: I’m told that new Fox Sports owners DAZN are very keen to ensure Fox has the rights to State of Origin and the Grand Final in the next broadcast deal. Fox is the game’s biggest broadcaster in terms of matches shown but doesn’t have the opportunity to broadcast the four biggest games of the year live. That may change with the new deal,

BANTER, RESPECT AHEAD OF BIG CLASH

Panthers centre Izack Tago says he’s still in contact with ex-teammates Jarome Luai and Sunia Turuva – even catching up in person with the flying Fijian for coffee on a regular basis.

Luai and Turuva moved to the Wests Tigers this year on rich multi-year contracts. While the pair said privately they never wanted to leave the Panthers, the money on offer to switch clubs was far too good for them to pass up.

Speaking ahead of this Sunday’s Battle of the Cats at CommBank Stadium, Tago said it’ll be exciting to play against the duo for the first time.

“Romey is a big personality – he was like that here too, so it will be interesting to see what he’s like on the weekend,” Tago said.

Along with a big financial boost to his bank account, Luai was also keen on a new club so he could prove to himself, his former coaches and the rugby league world that he could lead a team to glory without the great Nathan Cleary as his halves partner.

So far, the Tigers are sitting above the Panthers on the premiership ladder with one more win to their name. Tago said Luai has nothing to prove to anyone as his resume speaks for itself.

“His career is polished… I don’t really think he has anything to prove,” Tago said.

“He’s a great player and he was that for us too. We’re all expecting him to be at his best.”

At Wests Tigers training on Wednesday morning, former Panther Sunia Turuva revealed that

fellow winger Brian To’o sledged him as soon as he exited the field following Penrith’s 18-10 win over the Eels last Sunday.

“He’s been messaging me each day,”

“He’s already trying to play mind games, trying to send photos from last year of me in the Panthers jersey. He’s trying to tell me not to forget where I came from.

“Yesterday, he said if they score on me, he’s going to bring me into their celebration. Hopefully Jeral (Skelton) can score on him, and I can bring him into ours.”

While it’s all just playful banter right now, on the field will be a very different story.

The Panthers are desperate to get on a roll to save their season, while the Tigers are equally as desperate to avoid a fourth straight wooden

“I think earlier this year we had a slow start, but the boys never really lost confidence… maybe on the field we did a bit, but there was still always that faith that we could come back and turn it around,” Tago said.

“I think little by little we are starting to do that. It’s just about finding consistency now.”

Izack Tago. Photo: Melinda Jane.

NATHAN TAYLOR

TIME TO EXTEND THAT WINNING FEELING

Penrith supporters had a spring in their step on their way home from CommBank Stadium last Sunday evening following their side’s first victory at their temporary home ground this season.

With Penrith Park out of action until 2027, the Panthers have played four home games at the Parramatta venue in 2025.

Prior to last weekend’s 18-10 victory over the Parramatta Eels, the Panthers had lost their three previous contests at CommBank Stadium.

Speaking with Extra Time on Wednesday, Penrith forward Lindsay Smith said it was good to get one up on the Eels on what is traditionally their home turf.

“It was definitely a good feeling to get the win. It was a big game obviously – Battle of the West – and their traditional home ground. It was a good win,” the 25-year-old said.

“It was a huge effort for our Origin guys to back up just days later. I can’t put into words how much it meant to the side. It was pretty cool to watch them back up and be some of the best players on the field.”

More than 21,000 fans piled into the stadium last Sunday afternoon, which would have been pleasing for Penrith officials who have been struggling to sell tickets to home games for much of the year.

“Obviously, there’s no real feeling like running out at Penrith Park in front of a full stadium, but it’s still been good,” Smith said.

“Especially on the weekend you could hear the Panthers supporters there. It’s a cool stadium, it’s very loud and when you get the fans to travel, it’s quite a good feeling.

“I can’t wait until the new stadium is built and

we can get back home, but it’s been cool [at CommBank].”

The eight-point victory saw the Panthers lift themselves from the bottom of the ladder and into 14th place heading into this Sunday’s clash against the Wests Tigers.

Smith said it’s hugely important to back up last weekend’s win with another victory this Sunday.

“It’s been a little bit disappointing that we haven’t been able to back up some good wins this year but there’s no time like the present to

do that,” he said.

“It’s about resetting now and focusing on this week. You can’t fall in love with yourself after last week, that’s for sure.

“It’s about getting back to training, doing the work and getting ready to go this weekend.”

This Sunday afternoon’s match against last year’s wooden spooners will have some added spice thanks to some former teammates.

For the first time in their careers, Tigers halfback Jarome Luai and winger Sunia Turuva will play against their old club.

Smith said after experiencing premiership success with both Luai and Turuva at the Panthers, he’s looking forward to going up against them on Sunday.

“I’m looking forward to it! I can’t wait and I’m sure they can’t either,” he said.

“When you see them around you speak to them – we did win a couple of comps together –so definitely off the field there’s that friendship there and that camaraderie, but on the field, it will be a different beast on the weekend for sure.”

Panthers prop Lindsay Smith had a strong performance against the Eels last weekend. Photo: NRL Images.

The Panthers crowd celebrates on Sunday. NATHAN TAYLOR

Tries: C McLean, T Jenkins, B To’o Goals: N Cleary 3/3 Tries: J Attard 2, B Phillips, T Toelau, R Price, D Fale, V Tapa’atoutai Goals: P Alamoti 7/7

S Russell, J Addo-Carr Goals: Z Lomax 1/2

A Nanva 2, J Tago, J Lussick, M Doorey Goals: R Volkman 4/5

M Alameddine 3, T Palu 2, W Lewis 2, A Faitala-Mariner Goals: J Lynn 2/8

H Armstrong, J Tuaoi, J Ruxton Goals: J Liddiard 2/3

player of the year

panther memories

This photograph shows former Penrith captain Craig Gower being clapped off the field by Warriors players after his final game for the Panthers in 2007.

The Warriors had won the match 24-20 at Penrith Park, with the Panthers left to finish with the wooden spoon. But the night was all about Gower, who after first pulling on a first grade jumper in 1996, ended his run with the Panthers at 238 appearances.

After some time overseas, Gower would return to the NRL in 2013 to play six matches with the Newcastle Knights.

While his departure from Penrith in 2007 was controversial, he remains remembered fondly as one of the club’s greatest ever players, and captain of its 2003 Premiership-winning team.

(Photo thanks to NRL Photos)

MID-SEASON REPORT CARD 2025 analysis

lang on league

with Peter Lang

Well, it’s report card time again. In my Quarter-Season report card the Panthers scored a ‘D’ overall and while there’s still loads of improvement left in the side, the last seven weeks have shown that the side is definitely on an upwards trajectory, but has the team improved enough to lift above the low-ranking it received last time?

Now in the spirit of full disclosure, the seven games the team is being judged on includes one bye. It covers games between Round 7 and 13.

OK that’s enough gibber-jabber, let’s get this report underway.

Attack: The Panthers’ attack continues to splutter at times mainly due to the constant change in personnel each week.

In saying that, it has also shown glimpses of brilliance like the scintillating sweeping backline movements which caused opposition sides plenty of problems over the last five years.

At times, the attack has racked up some pretty-big numbers, 40 points against the Roosters, 32 versus the Broncos and 30 was put on the Cowboys. However, the attack can also struggle with the team scoring as little as one try for the whole game.

GRADE: B-

Defence: When the Panthers get their defence right, they’re almost perfect. In three games they kept the opposition to 12 points or less (Roosters 12, Broncos 8 and Eels 10).

Their scrambling defence against Parramatta was excellent and the players showed some real steel as they repelled repeat attacking sets.

However, against Manly the side conceded 26 points, 30 against the Cowboys and 24 points

were leaked in one half against the Knights. So, while there’s still work to be done, Penrith has shown enough to suggest their defence is improving.

GRADE: B-

Player performances: Overall the performance of most players has lifted over the last seven weeks especially the form of the five NSW Origin players in Nathan Cleary, Brian To’o, Isaah Yeo, Liam Martin and Dylan Edwards. I still think there’s another gear these guys can go to and the team can’t win without them, so they need to stay healthy if the side has any hope of making the Top 8.

Other players including Mitch Kenny, Scott Sorensen, Luke Garner and Isaiah Papali’i have not had the impact they should have due to injury and suspension. They just need to stay on the paddock more to make a difference.

GRADE: B+

Who needs to lift: Lindsay Smith continues to look like he’s struggling even though his numbers don’t always suggest that. He sometimes looks slow and cumbersome and is just not having the same impact he did last season. Meanwhile, Paul Alamoti also needs to find his form again but I’m not sure he’s going to do that if he’s continually picked on the wing in first grade.

Players to watch: This one is easy. Luron Patea had a whale of a game against the Eels last Sunday and will only improve the more first grade he plays. Thomas Jenkins must be in line for a contract extension, and Casey McLean, after a six-week horror stretch, is on the improve.

I also like the way

Coaching: Ivan has shown that when it comes to player management, he knows what he’s doing, despite what us punters may think. He knows when a player needs to be dropped and which ones to bring up. I’m still not convinced that he’s fully adapted his coaching to match the change in personnel, but time will tell.

GRADE: B+

OVERALL GRADE: B

Blaize Talagi is starting to play outside of Cleary.

Peter Lang is delivering his report card.

SEA EAGLES STORM DOLPHINS SHARKS

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SEA EAGLES STORM DOLPHINS SHARKS

BRONCOS RAIDERS PANTHERS BULLDOGS

BRONCOS RAIDERS PANTHERS BULLDOGS

BRONCOS RAIDERS PANTHERS BULLDOGS

BRONCOS RAIDERS PANTHERS BULLDOGS

BRONCOS RABBITOHS TIGERS BULLDOGS

SEA EAGLES COWBOYS DRAGONS WARRIORS TITANS RABBITOHS PANTHERS EELS

SEA EAGLES STORM DOLPHINS SHARKS

SEA EAGLES STORM DOLPHINS SHARKS

SEA EAGLES STORM DOLPHINS WARRIORS

SEA EAGLES STORM DOLPHINS WARRIORS

SEA EAGLES STORM DRAGONS WARRIORS

BRONCOS RAIDERS PANTHERS BULLDOGS

BRONCOS RAIDERS PANTHERS BULLDOGS

BRONCOS RAIDERS PANTHERS BULLDOGS

BRONCOS RAIDERS PANTHERS BULLDOGS

BRONCOS RAIDERS PANTHERS BULLDOGS

SEA EAGLES STORM DRAGONS WARRIORS BRONCOS RAIDERS PANTHERS BULLDOGS

SEA EAGLES STORM DRAGONS SHARKS

BRONCOS RAIDERS PANTHERS BULLDOGS

SEA

SEA EAGLES STORM DOLPHINS SHARKS

SEA EAGLES STORM DOLPHINS WARRIORS BRONCOS RAIDERS PANTHERS BULLDOGS

SEA EAGLES COWBOYS DRAGONS WARRIORS TITANS RABBITOHS PANTHERS EELS

DOLPHINS SHARKS

BRONCOS RAIDERS PANTHERS BULLDOGS

SEA EAGLES COWBOYS DRAGONS WARRIORS TITANS RABBITOHS PANTHERS EELS

SEA EAGLES COWBOYS DRAGONS WARRIORS TITANS RABBITOHS PANTHERS EELS

SEA EAGLES STORM DRAGONS WARRIORS BRONCOS RAIDERS PANTHERS BULLDOGS

SEA EAGLES STORM DOLPHINS SHARKS BRONCOS RAIDERS PANTHERS BULLDOGS

SEA EAGLES STORM DRAGONS SHARKS

BRONCOS RAIDERS PANTHERS BULLDOGS

SEA EAGLES STORM DOLPHINS SHARKS BRONCOS RAIDERS PANTHERS BULLDOGS

SEA EAGLES STORM DOLPHINS WARRIORS BRONCOS RABBITOHS PANTHERS BULLDOGS

POWER OF SMALL BUSINESS BUSINESS

Small businesses are more than just shopfronts – they are the heart of local communities.

Whether it’s a family-run bakery, a local craft store or a home based business, small businesses play a crucial role in shaping the culture, economy and identity of the areas they serve.

One of the most significant impacts of small business is job creation.

According to various economic studies, small businesses employ a large share of the workforce. They often offer opportunities to people who might not find roles in larger corporations, including young people, career changers and those seeking flexible or part-time work. These jobs not only help individuals provide for their families, but they also strengthen community ties by keeping talent and income within the local area.

Small businesses also keep money circulating locally. When you shop at

a small business, a larger percentage of your dollar stays in the community compared to purchases made at large, national chains. This supports local suppliers, tradespeople and service providers, creating a ripple effect that benefits everyone. It’s a cycle of reinvestment that builds a more resilient and self-sustaining local economy.

Beyond the economic impact, small businesses bring character and uniqueness to a community. They offer handcrafted, locally inspired, and culturally meaningful products and services that reflect the people who live there. From artisan candles to bespoke clothing or unique food experiences, small businesses add colour, diversity and creativity to everyday

ALEX HAWKINS

Western Sydney Business Centre 4721 5011

Most importantly, small business owners are often the first to give back. They sponsor local events, contribute to fundraisers, and support causes that matter to their neighbours. Their success is deeply rooted in community support and, in turn, they actively contribute to the community’s well-being.

Supporting small businesses isn’t just good economics – it’s about building vibrant, connected and thriving communities. Every purchase, every recommendation and every kind word helps fuel a dream and strengthen the place we all call home.

C addens

C addens News (C addens Corner)

Woolworths

C ambridge Gardens

Coles

McDonald's

Overlander Hotel

C ambridge Park

C ambridge Park Newsagency

Cellarbations

Friendly Grocer

C astlereagh

Ampol Ser vice Station

Claremont Meadows

Iga Claremont Meadows

Coly ton

Coly ton Centre Pharmacy

Coly ton Friendly Grocer

Coly ton Hotel

Coly ton Newsagency

Dan Murphy's

Hewitt Street Takeaway

Cranebrook

Aldi Cranebrook

Cranebrook Community Health

Cranebrook Village

McDonald's

Mother Earth Nurser y Plus Pharmacy

Woolworths Cranebrook

Emu Plains

Chambers Cellars

Lennox Centre Newsagency

McDonald's

Penrith Regional Galler y Woolworths Lennox Village

7/ 11 Emu Plains (Gre at Western Highway)

7/ 11 Emu Plains (Old Bathurst Rd)

Emu Height s

Super Save Compounding Chemis t

Erskine Park

Ashcroft’s Iga

Erskine Park Ctc

G lenmore Park

Coles

Mags News

McDonald's

Medi Advice Pharmacy

Woolworths

J amisontown

Abcoe

Atmosphere Fitness Signature Gym

B att Street Take Away

Grey Gums Hotel

Har vey Norman

New On York Takeaway

Parrabey Gourmet Kitchen

(Penrith Homemaker)

Patt y’s Place

S alt C afé (Penrith Homemaker)

S hell Ser vice Station

The Coffee Club Nepean River

Three Sugars C afé

We stern Weekender

York Takeaway

Zoo Fitness

7/ 11 Jamisontow n

Jordan Springs

Brooks Tavern

Jordan Springs Newsagency

Woolworths

Kemps Creek

C altex Ser vice Station

Kemps Creek Bowling Club

Kingswood

B arista Bar Coff ee Shop

(Nepean Private Hospital)

Countr y Brewer

Hallani’s

Kingswood Hotel

Kingswood Newsagency

Kingswood Sports Club

Penrith Gaels Club

Volunteers Desk Nepean Hospital

7/ 11 Kingswood

Leonay

Emu Sports Club

Grow C afé (formerly Willow Tree C afé)

Llandilo IGA

Londonderr y Londonderr y Liquor Store

S hell X Roads

Luddenham

Au stralia Pos t IGA Luddenham

Minchinbur y McDonald's

Minchinbur y Fruit Market

Mulgoa

Glenmore Heritage Golf Club

Mulgoa Newsagency

Mulgoa Pharmacy

Nor th St Mar ys

Boronia House (Retirement Community)

Little Bottler

MFC Food Stores

Old Mt Druitt

RM Newsagency

Orchard Hills

Flower Power

Oxley Park

Morris C are & Advice Pharmacy

Penrith

Aldi

Ampol Coreen Avenue

Astina

Atmosphere Gym

Au stralian Arms

Brisket Boys

Ca fé Fre d

Coles Penrith (Nepean Village)

Coles ( We stfield Penrith)

Crescent Mini Mar t

High Street Pies

Hogs Bre ath C afe

Hoyt s Westfield

Joan Sutherland Arts Centre

Liquor Stax Pe achtree

McDonald's High Street

McDonald's Panthers Le agues

McDonald's Pe achtree

Mercure Hotel

Museum Of Fire

Nepean Aquatic Centre

Nepean Motor Group C afé

Nepean Rowing Club

Nepean Village Coffee Club

Nepean Village Newsagency

Nextra Westfield

O ffice of Karen McKeown MP

One Point Health

Panthers Le agues Club

Pe achtree Hotel

Penrith Bowling Club

Penrith CBD Corporation

Penrith City Council

Penrith City Librar y

Penrith Golf Club

Penrith Hotel

Penrith Paceway

Penrith RSL

Penrith Senior Citizens’ Centre

Pioneer Tavern

RE/MAX

Sittano s Restaurant

Ta s tify

Tattersalls Hotel

The Heritage Terrace C afé

The Log C abin

We stfield

World Gym

7/ 11 Henr y Street

Regentville

7/ 11 Regentville

Ropes Crossing

Coles

Ropes Crossing Newsagency

Silverdale

CHOICE Pharmacy

Mobil Ser vice Station

S outh Penrith

Budget Ser vice Station

Fish Fish

Friendly Grocer

Grose’s Pharmacy

Southlands Newsagency

Borec Road Takeaway (Valley C afé)

Lemongrove Community Health Centre

South Penrith Neighbourhood Centre

Woolworths

St Clair Blue C attle Dog Hotel

Foodworks

St Clair Librar y

St Clair Shopping Centre

7/ 11 St Clair

St Mar ys

Andrew s Corner Store

Ampol Foodar y Astley Pharmacy

C assand ra’s On Queen

Cr ystal C afé

Guido s Hair C are

Jayam Supermarket

Monfar ville Corner Store

Queen St Newsagency

St Mar ys Band Club

St . Mar ys Diggers

St

McDonald's St Mar ys South

ENTERTAINMENT

MOVIES, TELEVISION, MUSIC AND MORE – PENRITH’S LEADING ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE

SNAP UP YOUR TICKETS!

Peter Powers’ 11-year-old brother was the test dummy when the world-renowned hypnotist began practicing the skill at 12-years-old.

The pair had watched a blackand-white movie about a hypnotist and cheekily decided to re-enact the scene.

“My father had a pocket watch he used to wear for church on Sundays, and I’m laughing as I say this because he wouldn’t approve of his church watch being used for hypnotism,” Powers reminisced.

“I didn’t believe it would work. I thought hypnotism was like magic carpets – make believe – but we still went through the motions of ‘look at the watch, your eyelids are getting heavy’, that kind of stuff.

“My brother dutifully closed his eyes, and he sat back in the armchair, and there was something about his face that looked different.”

It turns out there are certain muscles in the face that humans can’t voluntarily relax – unless they’ve been hypnotised.

To bring his brother back, the young Powers clapped his hands, causing his sibling to wake with a jolt.

“He was a bit disorientated, a bit emotional, and I knew that something had happened, and it started an obsession for me,” Powers recounted.

“The next day I went down to my local library and borrowed a book called Hypnotism Revealed

“I read that, and I practiced on my brother again, and then I got another book, and eventually I was practicing on kids at school. I got into a bit of trouble for that.”

He wasn’t afraid of failure and continued to

practice even though he was unable to hypno tise most people.

“That ratio eventually changed to 50/50 and then 60/40 and so on as I tweaked my tech nique and realised different people suit dif ferent forms of hypnosis,” Powers stated. Powers just needed to broaden his hyp notic vocabulary.

“If I was to try and hypnotise 10 people, a few of those people would respond to an entirely different technique than the others,” Powers stated.

“When I’m trying to do it quickly on the stage, I only really use one tech nique, and that gets about 70 per cent of people.

“With a one-on-one situation, if it was for therapeutic purposes, I’m confident that I would get everybody under.”

The skill is an applied psychology, not a magical ability even though it may feel that way at a Peter Powers show.

“It’s mischief and comedy from the start,” Powers explained his performance.

“I don’t compel or choose people to come on the stage; I just ask for volunteers.

“Thankfully that has never been a problem in Australia; Aussies have that adventurous, give-it-ago spirit which has always done well for me.”

Prepare for onstage antics and hilarity when the UK comedy hypnotist visits Penrith Panthers Leagues Club on July 18. Book a ticket online at penrith. panthers.com.au.

ALLY HALL

THINGS TO DO

Winter arrives in Penrith

This June Long Weekend, City Park will transform into a winter wonderland with an ice-staking rink, snow machine and roving performers! There will be street food, live music at High Street restaurants, free family-friendly entertainment and activities for all to enjoy. Rug up and embrace the cool Penrith evenings at Winter Solstice!

BARGAIN BUYS

Op Shop at Kingswood

Thursdays and Fridays, 9am to 3.30pm. Kingswood Anglican Church, corner of Bringelly Road and Second Avenue, Kingswood. Morning tea every Friday morning.

BUSINESS

Penrith Valley Chamber of Commerce

For more information about membership and upcoming events, visit www.penrithchamber.org.au.

CLASSES AND FUN

Free weekly Tai Chi & Qiqong Saturdays 4.30pm, WSU Kingswood Campus. Outside the Food Hub. Guan 0422 120 738.

COMMUNITY GROUPS

Jordan Springs Probus Club

Fourth Tuesday of the month at 10am, Jordan Springs Hub. 0414 766 763.

Nepean Riverlands Probus Club

Meets on the second Wednesday of the month at Nepean Rowing Club from 10am. New members are always welcome.

Kingswood-Caddens Probus Club

Meets on the fourth Monday of the

Panthers Winter Carnival

Panthers Leagues Club is marking the June Long Weekend with a Winter Carnival. Prepare for a day of excitement as The Backyard transforms into a hub of festivities, including carnival rides, a petting zoo, fireworks, a DJ, and more. Meanwhile in the Basement, you can catch the NRL live and loud on the new super-sized screen.

month at Kingswood Sports Club at 10.30am. All new members welcome.

Probus Club of Nepean

First Wednesday of the month at Emu Sports Club, Leonay from 10.30am. Visitors and new members welcome. Contact Faye on 0417 267 866 for more information.

Ropes Crossing Probus Club

Meets on the third Monday of the month at Ropes Crossing Community Hub at 10am.

South Creek Probus Club

Meets on the third Wednesday of the month at St Marys D&B Club. Email southcreekprobusclub@gmail.com.

Penrith Lions Club

Second and fourth Monday of the month. Penrith Bowling Club. 4736 1546 for more information.

Penrith Hospital Auxiliary

Craft stall at Nepean Hospital on the first Tuesday of each month from 9am2pm. Volunteers needed. Call Trish on 0421 414 012.

Red Cross Penrith

Meetings held the second Thursday of the month for lunch. Members and

It’s the ultimate family day at Penrith Paceway on June 9, as well as an unforgettable race day! Whether you’re a racing enthusiast or just looking for a fun-filled family day out, the Paceway has got something for everyone. Experience the thrill of live harness racing, browse unique market stalls, and treat the kids to exciting activities.

volunteers knit teddies for trauma victims. Call 0438 244 414.

Penrith NASHOS

Monthly meeting on the third Sunday of the month at Penrith RSL from 10am. Call 0448 983 399 for details.

Nepean Evening VIEW Club

Meets the third Monday of the month at Panthers from 7pm, with dinner and interesting speakers. Call 0411 306 150.

COMMUNITY SERVICES

Nepean Food Services

Delivered meals available to purchase for those over 65 or with a disability. Call 4733 7200 for details or visit www.nepeanfoodservices.org.au.

EVENTS

Nepean Family History Society

Michele Corin talk on Lapstone. Saturday, June 7 at 1.30pm

Old School Residence, Great Western Highway at Emu Plains.

MUSEUMS

Nepean Naval Museum

Open Sundays 11am-3pm. 40-42

Bruce Neale Drive. 0411 138 700 for more details.

Arms of Australia Inn

Monday and Wednesday 10am-1pm, 4735 4394. 127 Gardenia Avenue, Emu Plains.

SUPPORT GROUPS

Penrith Stroke Recovery Group

Third Thursday of the month at 10am, Panthers. 1300 650 594.

Penrith Carer Support Group

First Thursday of the month. Headspace. 8880 8160.

Penrith Men’s Walk and Talk Thursdays from 5.30pm. Meet at Coffee Club Nepean River.

Penrith Women’s Health Centre Domestic violence support services. 4721 2499.

Penrith Autism Community Network Carers support group. Meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 6.30pm at Maze Cafe, Penrith RSL. Phillip on 0420 209 015 for more details.

Prostate Cancer Support Group

Meets third Monday of the month at Emu Sports Club from 6.30pm. Call 1300 13 38 78 for more information.

Long Weekend Family Raceday

At the movies...

The live action reimagining of ‘Lilo & Stitch’ had some good elements and pulled my heartstrings to the point of tears, so it took me some time to figure out why I felt disappointed when I left the theatre.

It follows the story of Lilo (Maia Kealoha) and her older sister Nani (Sydney Agudong) after the loss of their parents. Despite practically being a kid herself, the teenage Nani does everything she can to keep custody of six-year-old Lilo.

As we know from the 2002 film, things start going wrong when an alien being hunted by the United Galactic Federation moves in with the family as their pet.

Lilo names him Stitch.

Stitch looks great in the live action adaptation. I can’t fault the special effects team at all. In fact, at some points throughout the film, I could see more emotion on the CGI alien’s face than I could on the humans. Although, while we’re on the topic of CGI aliens, Jumba (Zach Galifianakis) and Pleakley (Billy Magnussen) didn’t hit the spot for me.

Jumba was the villain of the film, which was a disappointment. In the original movie, the antagonist was Captain Gantu, the muscle man for the Galactic Federation tasked with capturing Experiment 626 (Stitch).

The removal of Captain Gantu for the live action adaptation meant audiences didn’t get to see Jumba’s character development.

However, the spotlight on Nani’s journey and the deeper look at foster care counteracted this a bit.

The acting by Agudong was my

favourite part of the film. She captured the emotional turmoil of a big sister trying to be a parent while keeping herself afloat at the same time.

Regardless, fans of the original may notice some missing emotional depth in this film, along with no spaceship chases and minimal Elvis Presley. I can’t in good conscience recommend the film to die-hard fans of the original, but for those looking for a nice movie with no preconceived expectations, go grab a ticket. – Ally Hall

www.hoyts.com.au

TV Guide: June 6 – 12

Your guide to the week’s television viewing

7:00

8:30

1:30

(PG) 6:00

Homes And

Of Wellness (PG) 9:30

“Where The Crawdads Sing” (M s,v) (’22) Stars: Daisy Edgar-Jones 12:05 Nurses (PG) 1:05 Harry’s

(PG) 2:00

Stars (PG) 2:00 The Car Club (PG) 2:30 Desert Collectors (PG) 3:30 STIHL Timbersports (PG) 4:00 Carnage (PG) 5:00 American Restoration (PG) 5:30 Storage Wars (PG) 6:00 American Pickers (PG) 7:00 AFL: Friday Night Countdown

1:30 Travel

6:00 Today 9:00 Today Extra (PG) 11:30 NINE News Morning 12:00 Movie: “Steal Your Heart” (PG) (’23) Stars: Kylee Benson 2:00 Pointless (PG) 3:00 Tipping Point (PG) 4:00 NINE News Afternoon 5:00 Tipping Point Australia (PG) 6:00 NINE News 7:00 A Current Affair (PG) 7:30 NRL: Dolphins v Dragons *Live* From Suncorp Stadium 9:55 NRL: Golden Point 10:45 Movie: “Sicario” (MA15+) (’15) Stars: Emily Blunt 1:00 Young Sheldon (PG) 1:30 Home Shopping 9:00 Lingo (PG) 10:00 Entertainment Tonight 10:20 MasterChef Australia (PG) 11:30 Judge Judy (PG)

12:00 The Resident (M) 3:00 The Goldbergs (PG) 3:30 Jabba’s Movies School Holiday Special (PG) 4:00 Frogger (PG) 5:00 America’s Got Talent (PG) 7:00 Movie: “The Next Karate Kid” (PG) (’94) Stars: Hilary Swank 9:15 Movie: “Love Again” (PG)

3:55 The Mysterious Cities Of Gold (PG) 4:35 Waabiny Time 5:00 Harlem Globetrotters: Play It Forward (PG) 5:35 NITV News: Nula 6:00 Bamay 6:40 Waterworld Africa (PG) 7:30 Movie: “The Ant Bully” (G) (’06) Stars: Bruce Campbell

Gourmet With Justine Schofield 6:00

Wareing:

Provence 6:30

7:00

Cook Up With Adam Liaw 7:30 Gary Barlow’s Food & Wine: Australia 8:30 Kitchen Glow Up 9:00 Malaysia Gourmet With Justine Schofield

(PG) 6:00 Seven News 7:00 Border SecurityAustralia’s Front Line (PG) 7:30 AFL: Round 13: GWS v Port Adelaide *Live* 10:30 Movie: “Battleship” (M v) (’14) 12:00 Destination

1:30 The Great Australian Doorstep (PG)

2:00 Rides Down Under (PG) 3:00 Offshore Superboats 4:00 Storage Wars (PG) 5:00 Counting Cars (PG) 6:00 Pawn Stars (PG) 7:00 The Americas (PG) 8:00 Movie: “Jurassic World” (PG) (’15) Stars: Chris Pratt

1:40 Zumbo’s Just Desserts (PG) 3:00 Starstruck (PG) 4:30 Dodger (PG) 5:30 Movie: “Playmobil: The Movie” (G) (’19) Stars: Anya Taylor-Joy 7:30 Movie: “Robin Hood” (M s,v) (’10) Stars: Cate Blanchett

4:05 A Bite To Eat With Alice 4:40 MythBusters (PG) 5:30 George Clarke’s Old House New Home (PG) 6:15 Phil Spencer: Secret Agent 7:05 Hard Quiz (PG)

3:10 First Australians (PG) 4:30 Strait To The Plate (PG) 5:05 Pacific Island Food Revolution (PG) 6:00 Moko (PG) 6:40 The Other Side (PG) 7:30 Alone Australia (M) 9:30 Movie: “Se7en” (MA15+) (’95) Stars: Morgan Freeman

5:30 Toast The Host: How To Entertain At Home 6:00 Marion Grasby’s Flavours: Heart And Home 6:30 Ainsley’s Taste Of Malta 7:30 Roux Down The River 8:30 Rick Stein’s Cornwall 9:30 Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown

6:00 rage (PG) 7:00 Weekend Breakfast 9:00 Insiders 10:00 Offsiders 10:30 The World This Week 11:00 Compass 11:30 Songs Of Praise 12:00 ABC News 12:30 Landline 1:30 Gardening Australia 2:30 The Piano (PG) 3:30 Grand Designs (PG) 4:40 Walking With Dinosaurs 5:30 Antiques Roadshow 6:30 Compass (PG) 7:00 ABC News 7:30 The Piano (PG) 8:30 Bergerac (M l,v) 9:25 Reunion (M l,v) 10:25 Partisan (MA15+) 12:00 Take 5 With Zan Rowe (M l) 6:00 NBC Today 7:00 Weekend Sunrise 10:00 The Morning Show - Weekend (PG) 12:00 Sunday Footy Feast 2:30 Farmer Wants A Wife (PG) 4:00 Better Homes And Gardens 5:00 Seven News At 5 5:30 Sydney Weekender 6:00 Seven News 7:00 The 1% Club UK (PG) 8:00 7News Spotlight (PG) 9:00 24 Hours In Police Custody (M l) 10:00 Crime Investigation Australia (MA15+) 11:20 Repco

9:30 Jake And The Fatman (PG) 10:30 Numb3rs (PG) 11:30 JAG (PG) 1:30 FBI (M v) 2:30 Numb3rs (PG) 3:30 Jake And The Fatman (PG) 4:30 Numb3rs (PG) 5:30 JAG (PG) 7:30 NCIS (M v) 10:20 In The Dark (M v)

2:00 Becker (PG) 2:30 Frasier (PG) 3:30 Rules Of Engagement (PG) 4:00 Good Chef Bad Chef 4:30 The King Of Queens (PG) 5:00 Becker (PG) 5:30 Frasier (PG) 6:30 Friends (PG) 7:30 Movie: “Good Will Hunting” (M l,v) (’97) Stars:

ABC World News Tonight With David Muir 4:20 PBS News Hour 5:15 Forged In Fire (PG) 6:05 If You Are The One (PG) (In Mandarin) 7:05 Jeopardy! 7:30 NITV News Update 7:35 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown (M l,s) 2:00 The Golden Girls (PG) 2:30 The Nanny (PG) 3:30 Seinfeld (PG) 4:30 The Addams Family 5:00 Bewitched 5:30 I Dream Of Jeannie 6:00 The Golden Girls (PG) 6:30 The Nanny (PG) 7:30 Movie: “Batman” (PG)

10:30 Navigating The World 12:30 Judge Judy (PG) 1:00 MasterChef Australia (PG) 2:10 Jake And The Fatman: Nightmare (PG) 3:00 JAG (PG) 5:00 Escape Fishing With ET (PG) 5:30 JAG (PG) 7:30 NCIS (M) 10:20 FBI: International (M) 11:00 Good Chef Bad Chef 11:30 Deal Or No Deal 12:00 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (PG) 2:00 Ridiculousness (PG) 3:00 Frasier (PG) 4:00 Friends (PG) 6:30 The Big Bang Theory (PG) 10:00 Frasier (PG)

4:00 PBS News Hour 5:00 Over The Black Dot 5:30 Mastermind 10:30 Australia’s Health Revolution (M) 11:35 Spinal Destination (M l) 12:35 Movie: “Attica” (M) (’21) Stars: Henry Darrow 2:40 NHK World English News

3:00 Young Sheldon (PG) 3:30 Movie: “Hating Alison Ashley” (PG) (’05) Stars: Saskia Burmeister 5:30 Movie: “Monster Family 2” (PG) (’21) Stars: Emily Carey 7:30 Movie: “Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban” (PG) (’04)

2:30 Building Alaska (PG) 3:30 My Lottery Dream Home 4:00 Farmhouse Fixer 5:00

2:45 Movie: “Call Of The Wild” (PG) (’72) Stars: Charlton Heston 4:50 Movie: “Sitting Bull” (PG) (’54) Stars: Dale Robertson 7:00 Rugby Union: Super Rugby Pacific: Quarter Final: Teams TBA *Live* 9:30 Rugby Union: Post-Match 9:45 TBA

(Very) Badly (PG) 7:30 Law & Order: Criminal Intent (M) 8:30 Law & Order: SVU (M s,v) 4:20 The Point 5:20 Stompem Ground 6:30 Great Lakes Wild (PG) 7:30 Our Medicine (PG) 8:35 Movie: “Listen Up: The Lives Of Quincy Jones” (M l,v) (’90) Stars: Clarence Avant 10:35 Movie: “Krush Groove” (M l,s,v) (’85) Stars: Kurtis Blow 10:00 Pat Callinan’s 4X4 Adventures 11:00 Escape Fishing With ET 11:30 I Fish 12:00 Pooches At Play (PG) 12:30 Navigating The World 2:30 MasterChef Australia (PG) 3:40 JAG (PG) 7:30 NCIS (M v) 10:20 Elsbeth (M v) 6:00 Deal Or No Deal 8:00 Frasier (PG) 10:00 Ridiculousness (PG) 11:00 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (PG) 2:00

Jeopardy! 4:55 ABC World News Tonight With David Muir 5:25 PBS Washington Week With The Atlantic 5:50 Lost Gold Of The Aztecs (PG) 6:40 The Abandoned Engineering (PG) 8:30 Great Australian Concerts (M l)

3:05 Movie: “Courage Mountain” (PG) (’90) Stars: Juliette Caton 5:00 Young Sheldon (PG) 5:30 Movie: “The War With Grandpa” (PG) (’20) Stars: Robert De Niro 7:30 Movie: “Elvis” (M l) (’22) Stars: Tom Hanks

Classifications: (G) General, (PG) Parental Guidance, (M) Mature Audiences, (MA15+) Mature Audience Over 15 Years Consumer Advice: (d) drug references, (s) sexual references or sex scenes (h) horror, (l) language, (mp) medical procedures, (n) nudity, (v) violence

2:30 Movie: “Southwest Passage” (PG) (’54) Stars: Joanne Dru 4:00 Movie: “Attack On The Iron Coast” (PG) (’68) Stars: Sue Lloyd 6:00 Dad’s Army (PG) 6:30 M*A*S*H (PG) 8:30 Movie: “Stargate” (PG) (’94) Stars: Kurt Russell

Get Macca’s® delivered.

4:00 Medical Emergency (PG) 4:30 Better Homes And Gardens 5:30

5:00 Peppa Pig 5:35 Peter Rabbit 6:10 Super Monsters 6:30 The Adventures Of Paddington 7:00 Supertato 7:35 Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures 3:00 ABC News Afternoons 4:00 Afternoon Briefing 5:00 ABC News With Joe O’Brien

5:30 Frasier (PG) 6:30 Neighbours (PG) 7:00 Friends (PG)

5:00 Peppa Pig 5:35 Peter Rabbit 6:00 Octonauts 6:30 The Adventures Of Paddington 7:05 Dino Dex 7:35 Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures 3:00 ABC News Afternoons 4:00 Afternoon Briefing 5:00 ABC News With Joe O’Brien 6:00 ABC News Hour 7:00 ABC National News 7:30 7:30 4:40 MythBusters (PG) 5:30 George Clarke’s Old House New Home (PG) 6:15 Phil Spencer: Secret Agent 7:05 Hard Quiz (PG) 7:35 QI (PG)

(PG) 5:30 JAG (PG) 7:30 NCIS (M v) 10:20 Seal Team (MA15+)

8:30 Movie: “Space Cowboys” (M) (’00) Stars: Clint Eastwood 11:10 Seinfeld (PG)

4:00 Good Chef Bad Chef 4:30 The King Of Queens (PG) 5:00 Becker (PG) 5:30 Frasier (PG) 6:30 Neighbours (PG) 7:00 Friends (PG) 4:00 Home Inspector Joe 5:00 Chateau DIY 6:00 House Hunters International 6:30 House Hunters USA 7:30 Home Town (PG) 8:30 Good Bones

5:30 The Travelling Auctioneers 6:30 Antiques Roadshow 7:30 Yes Prime Minister 8:40 Midsomer Murders (M s,v) 12:00 ABC News 1:00 The One That Got Away (M l) 2:00 Restoration Australia (PG) 3:00 Claire Hooper’s House Of Games 3:25 Anh’s Brush With Fame 3:55 Love Your Garden 4:45 Long Lost Family (PG) 5:30 Antiques Roadshow 6:30 Claire Hooper’s House Of Games 7:00 ABC News 7:30 7.30 (PG) 8:00 Grand Designs (M l) 12:00 Seven Noon News 1:00 Movie: “A

Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly (PG) 8:30 Britain’s Got Talent (PG) 11:00 Inside Detroit (PG) 12:30 Raines (M h,v) 11:30 Swimming: Australian Trials: Day 4 *Live* 2:00 Pointless

Nathan Taylor

TV NEWS

Since bursting onto scene during the pandemic, online sensations and former tradies

The Inspired Unemployed have gone from strength to strength.

Not only are they still at the top of their game in creating exceptionally funny content for social media, the lifelong mates – Jack, Falcon, Dom and Liam – have also been making inroads in the wild world of streaming and commercial television.

In 2023, their first television series ‘The Inspired Unemployed (Impractical) Jokers’ debuted on Paramount+ and 10 to rave reviews.

It had been years since Aussies had a hidden camera-style show in their lives, and viewers couldn’t get enough of seeing the boys dive head-first into jaw-dropping pranks, outrageous challenges and next-level punishments.

The first season was such a success that it was commissioned for two more – which is quite a rare feat in the fickle TV industry.

After making people laugh out loud in Australia as well as in overseas markets like the UK on Comedy Central and the US on HBO Max, ‘The Inspired Unemployed (Impractical) Jokers’ will officially return for a third season this Monday, June 9 on 10 and on Paramount+.

Speaking with Chatter on the Box , star Liam Moore said he’s been blown away by the reaction to the series, which is based on a US format.

“We get messages all the time from people who say this is the first time they’ve sat around the living room with their family to

The incomparable Alison Moyet performed in Australia this past weekend, what an incredible talent she is. Starting in the duo Yazoo, they found success with incredible tunes like ‘Only You’ and ‘Don’t Go’, before she branched off and had a successful solo career, especially with the massive album, ‘Alf’.

She’s an interesting character. A few years back she destroyed all her memorabilia from the ‘Alf’ album. She was proud of the success the album had, but she hated that it showcased a version of herself that no longer existed, a version of herself she no longer liked. While she has started singing songs like ‘All Cried Out’ and ‘Love Resurrection’ again, she refuses to sing ‘Invisible’, my own personal favourite Alison song, as she doesn’t like what the song says about her. I still like to listen to it though.

watch, or seen their dad laugh for a while, which is really cool to read,” he said.

“When we first started it we didn’t know how it was going to go. But I guess we’ve noticed the more we just have fun on set, it

getting in disguise to ambush strangers with some playful and outrageous pranks in some very random locations. Whether it be at a Forty Winks, Mitre 10 or Hungry Jacks, the results are beyond hilarious.

shows on the camera. It’s just important for us when we are filming that we are having the best time and that we keep taking the piss.”

The series often sees The Inspired Unemployed team

WAYNE’S W RLD

I didn’t get to see her this time, but I was lucky enough to be front row at her Enmore Theatre show about six years ago, possibly more. It was a wonderful show and her

voice is so incredibly rich and distinctive. I was reading her online journal after each show and was happy she loved our audience, after she had bagged out the Brisbane audience before ours because they were too quiet. I love a good diva. So I was happy she appreciated all our cheering, maybe everyone, like me, had read her journal.

It was one of those shows where I wasn’t sure if I should go, but decided to attend and wow I’m glad I did. Some artists disappoint you when they perform live, but not Alison, it made my admiration grow stronger. Though in true diva style, my favourite moment was when she started the first number, sang a line and said, ‘Stop, I wasn’t happy with that, let’s go again’, and restarted the show. She knew what she wanted and she delivered. If you ever get a chance, go see the wonderful Alison Moyet.

With the boys (and series) growing in popularity, Liam said it’s getting harder to stay undercover when filming the show.

“We actually filmed the third season before the second season was released to avoid getting

COUNTRY CORNER

Bless her country heart Golden Guitar winner Max Jackson (pictured above) returns with her most personal single yet – ‘A Country Heart Can’.

“I come from a long line of deep rooted love, love with grit, love that has survived the toughest of days on the land and still woken up with excitement for every sunrise and what it will bring,” Jackson said.

“Learning from my grandparents, parent, those I grew up around and now from my own relationship, I wanted to write a country love song that was less about the diamonds, gold, flowers and superficial things and more about the kind that gets its hands dirty building a life.”

The heartfelt new song is out now.

Ferris delivers classic sound Golden Guitar nominee Abbie Ferris (right) is back with ‘Bad for Business’, the lead single of her forthcoming EP and a raunchy slice of ‘90s country-rock.

Written in Nashville with Brian White (Jason Aldean) and Jason Sever (Luke

recognised… but it’s definitely getting a bit harder,” Liam admitted.

“Our disguises, like the one at Hungry Jacks in our uniforms can be so believable, that some people say that they’ve watched the show and still didn’t pick up that it was one of us behind the till.

“I guess when you have a bit of a disguise on and you’re just in some random location, people just don’t put two and two together.”

But what happens when someone does recognise them during a shoot?

“You can almost pick up on body language when we think someone knows,” Liam said.

“We just say, let’s move onto the next one as quickly as possible because it’s important for the show to have authentic reactions. You don’t want people faking it.”

As the seasons continue to rack up for the boys, the creative juices begin flowing again, with Liam revealing that the prank and challenge concepts are a “big collaboration” between the cast and producers.

Liam said if the series is greenlit for a fourth season by Paramount+ and 10, the boys would love to take it abroad to be even more undetectable.

“We’ve been talking about it a lot lately. It would be amazing to be able to travel and do an overseas version of this show,” he said.

“America and the UK would be ideal locations as we have a similar sense of humour, and we could do something really fun over there. But we all feel we still have so much left to give.”

Bryan) and recorded between Nashville and Australia with longtime producer Michael Carpenter, the sexy, hard-driving track was inspired by Ferris’ love of Brooks & Dunn’s classic hits.

It was only natural that she recruited the legendary Brent Mason, whose guitar hooks and solos powered every ‘90s country hit from Brooks & Dunn to Alan Jackson to Shania Twain and many more.

“I’ve been obsessed with ‘90s and early ‘00s country” she said.

“Early Miranda, Brooks & Dunn, that sound where the guitars are loud and rowdy and you feel the humans making it, and you want to go to the gig and hear it live. That’s the vibe I brought into the writing session with Brian and Jason and what we’ve captured on the track”.

The song is accompanied by a tongue-incheek video shot at Sydney’s hottest honkytonk, Jolene’s, where Thomas Rhett and Wyatt Flores recently hung out while touring Australia, and where Ferris has played a popular residency show for the past year.

The song is out now on all streaming services.

BINET DOES IT AGAIN: BREATHTAKING RESULT

Binet Homes has once again cemented its reputation as one of Australia’s premier luxury home builders, taking out the prestigious 2025 HIA–CSR Australian Housing Award for Australian Spec Home of the Year.

With over five decades of unwavering commitment to quality, innovation and architectural excellence, Binet Homes continues to shape the landscape of high-end residential living in Sydney and beyond.

This year’s winning residence is a breathtaking farmhouse-inspired masterpiece that seamlessly blends rural charm with modern sophistication.

Designed for multi-generational living, the home captures the essence of spacious luxury through a well-considered layout that includes soaring raked ceilings, expansive hallways, and a series of generous open-plan

spaces.

At the heart of the home lies a showpiece kitchen, complete with an oversized Caesarstone island, premium European appliances and a fully equipped butler’s pantry – ideal for both day-to-day functionality and large-scale entertaining.

“WE ARE INCREDIBLY PROUD TO BE RECOGNISED”

Complementing the home’s interiors are lavish bathrooms, a private home theatre and seamless indoor-outdoor integration that promotes year-round enjoyment. Externally, the design doesn’t compromise.

The sprawling covered alfresco area overlooks a designer pool and full-size tennis court, offering a resort-style living experience within the privacy of the home. Every property element has been curated to reflect luxury, comfort

and enduring quality – hallmarks of the Binet Homes legacy.

“We are incredibly proud to be recognised nationally by HIA,” said Rodney Binet, Sales and Marketing Director,

“This award reflects our team’s dedication, our client’s vision, and our ongoing pursuit of building beautiful homes built to last.”

With an emphasis on bespoke construction, heritage sensitivity, and design-led innovation, Binet Homes continues to raise the benchmark for custom residential buildings in Greater Sydney. As the market evolves, so does Binet Homes – honouring its 59-year heritage while embracing new technologies and lifestyle trends to deliver residences that inspire and endure.

Founded in 1965, Binet Homes is a family-owned and operated building company specialising in luxury custom homes across Greater Sydney, the Central Coast and the Lower Blue Mountains. Known for architectural integrity, personalised service and uncompromising quality, Binet Homes offers a full-service approach – from design to construction, landscaping, and beyond.

Western Property

TAKE UP PRIME POSITION!

What’s so great about this property?

Ground floor 290sqm suite with street frontage, rear parking, disabled access and flexible layout. Zoned E2 and ready to occupy – ideal for investors or professionals seeking premium exposure.

Who does this property suit?

Perfect for medical, legal, government or corporate use.

Suits owner-occupiers or investors wanting a professional space with strong visibility and proximity to Penrith’s major services. Tell us about the suburb the property is in?

Located in Penrith’s CBD near transport, Westfield and Nepean Hospital. A growing hub with strong commercial appeal, just 20 minutes from the future Western Sydney Airport.

• Expert Planning Advice

• Comprehensive Development &

• Tailored Scoping & Planning Proposals

• Land & Environment Appeals Support

• Efficient Development Applications

• Specialized Consultant Reports & Statements

• Thorough Building Code Assessments

• Construction Certificate for both Commercial & Residential Projects

• Complying Development Certificates for

Ma rian’s Mana is a pre stig iou s maste r-plan ne d pre ci nct offer i ng prem iu m land lots and a rchite ct ural ly des ig ne d res idence s i n one of South-West S yd ney’s faste st-g rowi ng com mu nities.

PR ICES START FROM $554, 50 0

FE AT URES MANICURED GARDENS AND GREEN SPAC ES , ALL MAIN TA INED UNDER A CO MMUNIT Y TITLE SCHEME

WELL PO SITIONED NE AR THE RA PI DLY EX PA NDING OR AN PA RK TO WN CENTRE

Located near Oran Park ’s most popular amenities and shopping precinct, Marian’s Mana invites you to enjoy an addres s that blends nature with urban conveniences. It ’s a place you’ll want to call ho me

RESTAURANT SITES WAIT FOR NEXT CHAPTER

Penrith’s hospitality scene is forever changing, and there’s a few iconic spots empty right now. What’s next for these beauties?

562 High Street, Penrith

Most recently housing Elk Bar and High Street Social, this spot on High Street has housed many restaurants over the years.

Many would remember it as the home to famous Penrith pizza joint Danny’s On High, followed by Avoca and a burger restaurant. It was once home to the Eastern Inn Chinese Restaurant.

Elk Bar closed in January 2025, and the site is currently vacant.

80 Henry Street, Penrith

Most recently the home of Big Daddy’s Burger Bar, the site at 80 Henry Street in Penrith has been vacant since last year.

It has housed a string of restaurants over the years – including Hux Grill, Stone Grill, Madison’s Steakhouse and a number of others.

74 Henry Street, Penrith

Recently vacated by Henry’s Bar and Restaurant, 74 Henry Street is one of Penrith’s more iconic restaurant sites.

For years it housed King Henry’s Court, and at one stage became The Village.

It was an Old Methodist Church long before becoming a restaurant, and would seem the perfect spot for a dining joint to capitalise on court crowds.

The site is currently for sale at $2.25 million.

542 High Street, Penrith

The Union restaurant traded at this location (pictured below) for more than a decade before closing in August last year. It has remained vacant ever since and Union signage remains.

A little quirky, as entrance was via Union Lane despite having High Street frontage – though

access from High Street was available at different times over the years.

This site once housed the famous La Boudeuse French Restaurant in the 1980s.

“IT

HAS HOUSED A STRING OF RESTAURANTS OVER THE YEARS“

439 High Street, Penrith

Most recently the home of Duck Duck Goose, 439 High Street in Penrith is currently on the market as a rental.

There was talk of the site becoming a sports bar, but it’s currently available for someone to take a shot at their hospitality dreams.

Prior to becoming a restaurant, it housed retail outlets including Radio Rentals.

Listings for all these sites are online now.

Penrith 1/25 Robert Street

WHEN LOCATION COUNTS

This spacious, well-presented townhouse is set in a quiet complex of just four, offering privacy and comfort across two levels. Upstairs features three generous bedrooms, main with ensuite, built-ins to two, a functional bathroom, and separate toilet. Downstairs includes open-plan living and dining, a functional kitchen, study, inter nal laundry with third toilet, and single garage.

Step outside to a private, fully fenced courtyard with a covered entertaining area and open-air deck-perfect for relaxing or hosting guests. Located just 1.5km from Penrith Station, Penrith Plaza, schools, parks, and cafés, this is a smart choice for first home buyers or investors.

AUCTION: Saturday 21 June at 3:00pm Open Home Saturday 2:00pm – 2:30pm

For further information please call Tony Liras 0425 269 611 or Peter Stanford 0417 333 322

2/314 High Street, Penrith

Penrith 1/32 Doonmore Street

Cranebrook 6 Holmegate Crescent

OLD WORLD CHARM WHERE PEACE AND TRANQUILLITY MEETS THE PERFECT FAMILY RETREAT!

Matthew O’Farrell from LJ Hooker Penrith proudly presents 1/32 Doonmore Street, Penrith. This charming 2-bedroom home, with a versatile third room perfect for a study or hobby space, offers immense potential.Ideally located near Penrith CBD and the medical precinct, it’s perfect for first-time buyers, investors, or medical professionals. Zoned R4 High Density Residential, the property boasts future development possibilities. Inside, enjoy a welcoming lounge with a fireplace, high ceilings, and air conditioning. Outdoors, discover ample entertaining space and street parking.With Penrith’s booming infrastructure and proximity to schools, transport, and entertainment, this is an excellent investment. Don’t miss this opportunity – call today for a private inspection!

Private Inspections Only

For more details contact

Matthew O’Farrell 0415 115 415

2/314 High Street, Penrith

Discover this stunning 6-bedroom, tri-level home in Cranebrook, perfectly designed for large families seeking space and comfort. Boasting three modern bathrooms, two expansive living areas, and a dedicated rumpus room, there’s ample room for everyone. The master features a built-in robe and huge ensuite, while five of the six generous bedrooms have built-in robes. A standout feature is the potential teenage or in-law retreat with separate access, ideal for multi-generational living. Enjoy low-maintenance timber floating floors, fresh carpet in bedrooms, an updated exterior, and revamped gardens. A spacious balcony off the dining/kitchen area overlooks the low-maintenance backyard and garden shed. The massive double garage includes a secure workshop. Ducted air conditioning and abundant storage ensure year-round comfort. Located in a sought-after neighbourhood near schools, parks, and shops, this flexible home offers the ultimate family lifestyle. Move in and enjoy!

$1,130,000 - $1,150,000 Open Home Saturday 11:00pm – 11:30pm

For more details contact Matthew O’Farrell 0415 115 415 2/314 High Street, Penrith

Castlereagh 152-166 Sheredan Road

Welcome to 152-166 Sheredan Road, Castlereagh – a picturesque and flood-free 5-acre property offering idyllic acreage living just a 10-minute drive to Penrith. All reasonable offers will be considered.

This impeccably presented solid brick homestead is set back from the road and boasts three generously sized bedrooms plus an office in the master. Recently renovated, the home features fresh paint, new flooring, a new country-style kitchen with stainless steel appliances and stone benchtops, and a fresh bathroom with floor-to-ceiling tiles – leaving nothing to do but move in! Enjoy a large living area with a bar and slow combustion fire, a separate dining space, and stunning rural outlooks from every window, complemented by wraparound verandahs and mountain views. Additional features include a detached double garage and carport, plus a second storage shed or large workshop, providing ample options for any buyer Properties like this are rare, so don’t miss your chance to secure this exceptional rural retreat!

Private Inspections Only

For more details contact Matthew O’Farrell 0415 115 415 2/314 High Street, Penrith

Experts

AGE SHALL NOT WEARY THEM! A BEAUTIFUL SOLUTION

As we age, many of us notice changes in our bodies stiffness, reduced mobility, or even pain in everyday movements. It’s easy to assume that these changes are simply a natural part of getting older. However, at OnePointHealth, we believe that losing function is not inevitable, and there’s much you can do to maintain strength, flexibility, and independence well into your later years.

A common misconception as we age is that it’s normal to slow down and accept a decline in physical ability. While some age-related changes are natural, the decline in function we often experience is not a necessary part of getting older. In fact, research has shown that with the right interventions, older adults can maintain and even improve their physical function, mobility and overall quality of life.

At OnePointHealth, we work closely with clients to help them stay active,

Experts

strong, and mobile through personalised physiotherapy programs. Many of the physical changes we experience as we age like muscle weakness, poor posture and joint stiffness are preventable and can often be reversed. With the right exercises and treatments, we can keep these issues at bay, ensuring you stay as functional and independent as possible. Strength training, for example, has proven benefits for older adults. It helps maintain muscle mass, which naturally declines with age, and improves balance, coordination, and bone density, reducing the risk of falls and fractures. In addition, regular flexibility

and mobility exercises, such as stretching or joint mobilisations, help prevent stiffness and improve your range of motion. These activities allow you to continue doing the things you love, pain-free. If you’re noticing a decline in your physical function or experiencing more aches and pains, don’t accept it as just a part of aging.

At OnePointHealth, our physiotherapists can create a customised plan to help you stay active, pain-free, and independent no matter your age. Declining function doesn’t have to be a given as you age. Take control of your health today and let us help you maintain your mobility for years to come.

When it comes to restoring a damaged or missing part of a front tooth, patients often want a solution that is both minimally invasive and highly aesthetic. Composite bonding is one of the most effective ways to achieve that balance.

Aesthetic composite bonding involves applying a tooth-coloured resin directly

to the tooth surface to repair chips, fill small gaps, reshape teeth, or replace missing tooth structure. It’s ideal for front teeth because it can be sculpted with incredible precision and matched perfectly to the surrounding teeth for a seamless, natural look.

One of the biggest advantages of composite bonding is that it preserves your natural tooth structure. Unlike crowns or veneers, bonding typically requires little to no drilling. This makes the procedure not only quicker and more affordable but also reversible in some cases.

Patients appreciate that bonding can be completed in a single visit,

often without the need for anaesthetic. It’s a fantastic option for those seeking an immediate improvement in their smile – whether due to trauma, wear or cosmetic concerns.

At Sydney Smile Doctor, we use advanced techniques and premium materials to ensure long-lasting, beautiful results. With proper care, composite bonding can last many years, helping patients smile with confidence every day.

If you’re looking to enhance your front teeth without major dental work, aesthetic bonding offers a simple, elegant solution. A small change can make a big difference.

The Experts

KELLIE TICKNER

WHY THAT SPLASH COULD MAKE YOUR PET SICK

It doesn’t matter how old we are – there’s something undeniably fun about splashing in puddles. Our pets seem to think so too! But those muddy pools of water can be more than just messy – they can pose serious health risks to our furry companions.

Puddles are nature’s communal water bowl – and if we’re honest, it’s nature’s public bathroom too. Wildlife and other dogs drink from, walk through, and urinate in puddles. The water and surrounding mud can harbour far more bacteria, viruses and parasites than the communal water bowl at your local dog park. One of the most common parasites we see after heavy rainfall is Giardia, a microscopic protozoan that lives in the intestines.

Dogs usually contract Giardia by drinking contaminated water from puddles, drains or shared bowls. Symptoms include diarrhoea, vomiting, weight loss and lethargy. Because Giardia is shed intermittently, multiple stool

tests may be needed for diagnosis. Thankfully, treatment with anti-parasitic medication and antibiotics is typically effective, especially in healthy dogs.

commonly rodents such as rats and mice, but also raccoons, foxes and deer. Your dog doesn’t need to be bitten or eat something gross – just drinking from

But Giardia isn’t the only concern.

Leptospirosis is another serious condition caused by Leptospira bacteria, which thrive in wet environments. These bacteria are often shed through the urine of infected animals – most

or walking through contaminated water is enough to become infected. Leptospirosis is highly contagious among dogs and poses a zoonotic risk to humans, meaning you or your family could also be affected.

Then there’s Cryptosporidium,

another microscopic parasite that causes cryptosporidiosis. Like Giardia, it’s spread through contaminated water, especially where faeces from infected animals is present. The resulting diarrhoea and dehydration can be especially severe in puppies, senior dogs, or pets with compromised immune systems. People with weakened immunity should take extra precautions to avoid exposure.

And let’s not forget – while most dogs won’t poop in a communal water bowl, plenty will pee in it. So, whether it’s a puddle in the park or a bowl left out too long, the risks are real.

Prevention is key. Avoid letting your dog drink from puddles or standing water. Bring fresh water on walks and clean bowls regularly. If your dog is showing signs of illness – especially gastrointestinal symptoms – get in touch with your vet promptly.

For advice or testing, contact the friendly team at Orchard Hills Veterinary Hospital on 4736 2027.

TRANSFERRING VHS VIDEOS

My in-laws are downsizing and moving into a retirement village. They found our long-lost VHS copy of my wedding video. That got me thinking of how best to convert this video to a digital format. Some years ago, I had previously bought an August VGB100 Video capture adapter. After checking both eBay and Amazon, the product is still available for approx-

The video adapter is a compact and affordable device designed to convert analogue video signals, such as those from VHS players, camcorders or retro gaming consoles, into digital formats. It connects via a standard USB 2.0 port and includes RCA and S-Video inputs, making it compatible with a wide range of legacy AV equipment. Or in my case, capturing and transferring an ancient VHS tape of my wedding into a digital format. Once digitised, I could store it on a computer or transfer it to a

DVD or Blu-ray disc as additional backup and storage.

The device captures video in MPEG-2 format, which is suitable for DVD creation and general video archiving. It supports both NTSC and PAL video standards, making it versatile for users across different regions.

Setting up the VGB100 is relatively straightforward.

The package includes a USB video capture stick, RCA cables, a CD (or downloadable drivers and software), and an installation guide.

To download the drivers and software, I visited the August website directly to ensure I had the latest versions.

To install, I had to install the drivers before plugging in the device, which helps avoid common USB recognition issues. The drivers are compatible with Windows 7 through Windows 11, and the installation process was smooth.

The VGB100 originally came bundled with ArcSoft Showbiz software, allowing me to preview and capture video in real-time, edit clips by trimming, adding text or combining segments, and burn videos to DVD or save them as digital files. In terms of usability, the software is user-friendly. The interface is intuitive, with clear options for capturing, editing and exporting video. However, it does have limitations: It primarily supports MPEG-2 output, which may not be ideal for users seeking higher-quality or more flexible formats, and it has no advanced editing features.

Relax & Unwind

JOANNE

MADELINE MOORE

Boho Astro

@JoMadelineMoore

© Joanne Madeline Moore 2025

AQUARIUS

JANUARY 21 TO FEBRUARY 19

This week Jupiter (planet of good fortune) jumps into your work and wellbeing zone, which is positive news for health matters and job satisfaction over the coming year. Try to devise a fitness routine that is sustainable and fun. Then the Full Moon fires up your networking and peer group zone on Wednesday. But be extra careful and cautious on Sunday, when the unpredictable Mars/Uranus square could stir up your restless, reckless, accident-prone side.

TAURUS

APRIL 21 TO MAY 21

With Venus (your patron planet) visiting your sign (until July 4) you’re at your charismatic and romantic best. So make the most of it as you turn on the Taurus charm, dazzle the doubters and call in a few old favours! This week Jupiter jumps into your neighbourhood zone so – over the coming year – you’ll make some exciting new connections within your local community. Short trips (especially interstate) are also likely in the months ahead.

LEO

JULY 23 TO AUGUST 23

It’s a good time to gradually introduce regular relaxation, meditation, prayer and/or contemplation into your daily routine, as philosophical Jupiter jumps into your spirituality zone. And this weekend is the ideal time to start! On Sunday, hasty Mars (in your sign) squares impulsive Uranus, so expect to feel restless and maybe even reckless. Impulsive Lions could jump from the frying pan into the fire … whereas clever Cats will calm down and recalibrate.

SCORPIO

OCTOBER 24 TO NOVEMBER 22

With Jupiter (planet of expansion and exploration) transiting into your travel zone, foreign shores beckon over the next 12 months. So start planning your itinerary now – and make sure you keep up to date with your international contacts. Wednesday’s Full Moon highlights business, financial matters and self-esteem. Be inspired by birthday great Judy Garland, “Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.”

PISCES

FEBRUARY 20 TO MARCH 20

The next 12 months is a lucky time to sell shares or real estate, enter a competition, buy a lottery ticket, win at the casino or launch a lucrative creative project, as Jupiter transits through your speculation and good fortune zone. Wednesday’s Full Moon fires up your career zone so it’s a good week to set professional goals, complete a major project, apply for a job or seal a business deal. But avoid being naïve and gullible, especially on Monday and Tuesday.

GEMINI

MAY 22 TO JUNE 21

Finances and luck are linked over the coming year, as Jupiter (planet of prosperity and good fortune) transits through your money zone. So expect a boost to your bank balance via a pay rise, bonus, gift or extra business coming your way. Any windfall won’t last long if you don’t manage it wisely though, through smart budgeting and mindful living. Wednesday’s Full Moon fires up your relationship and joint ventures zone, but don’t believe everything you hear.

VIRGO

AUGUST 24 TO SEPTEMBER 23

The week starts with Mercury (your ruling planet) linking up with Jupiter and Saturn. So you’ll find a combination of optimism and discipline will take you far. Then Jupiter jumps into your hopes and wishes zone until June 2026. So it’s time to set goals for the future and make long-term plans. And don’t make them too safe and sensible Virgo! Go for gold, as generous Jupiter helps you envision ambitious dreams and inspiring schemes over the coming year.

SAGITTARIUS

NOVEMBER 23 TO DECEMBER 21

Finances and luck are linked over the coming year, as your ruler Jupiter (planet of good fortune) transits through your money-from-others zone. Some lucky Sagittarians can look forward to a boosted bank balance via a pay rise, bonus, better job, bumper tax return, superannuation payout or extra business. Don’t fritter it away with shopaholic tendencies though. Wednesday’s fiery Full Moon is in your sign, so you’ll feel fired up and ready for action and adventure!

HOROSCOPES

ARIES

MARCH 21 TO APRIL 20

The week starts with a bang when prosperity planet Jupiter transits into your domestic zone. So – sometime over the next 12 months – you could redecorate, renovate, build an extension, sell property, buy a new home, relocate or start a home-based business. Good fortune could also come via a loved one, distant relative or family friend. Wednesday’s Full Moon shines a spotlight on education or travel plans, and you’ll feel restless and impatient on Sunday.

22 TO JULY 22

With prosperous Jupiter transiting into your sign (and conscientious Saturn visiting your career zone) make sure you have done all the hard work that’s required, so you can take advantage of good luck when it comes along. Your motto for the coming year is ‘Preparation + Opportunity = Success.’ The Full Moon fires up your wellbeing zone so focus on your physical health and mental wellbeing via regular exercise, a nutritious diet and regular relaxation.

LIBRA

S EPTEMBER 24 TO OCTOBER 23

Jupiter jumps into your career zone, so – over the coming year – Lady Luck could send a fabulous new work opportunity in your direction! Then the Full Moon fires up your learning and local environment zone. So it’s time to set ambitious goals, attract mentors, and expand your world in exciting new directions. Study, observe, listen and learn! Your motto is from birthday great, writer William Butler Yeats, “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.”

CAPRICORN

DECEMBER 22 TO JANUARY 20

Jupiter starts its transit through your love zone. Which is good news for relationships over the coming year, as you show more generosity and understanding towards loved ones. Wednesday’s fiery Full Moon highlights your humanitarian side, so being of service to others (with kindness and compassion) brings joy and satisfaction. Plus take the time to savour and enjoy the simple things in your everyday life – like a kiss from a child or a walk in the park.

Relax & Unwind

DESTINATION

CMC Rocks QLD WORDS

Lorretta Sultana

IMAGES Supplied

MORE INFO

MUSIC, FRIENDS AND SO

Country music has the power to speak to the soul, the mind, and the heart of the individual. This provides a plat form for people to choose their story through the power of music.

“There is a story with every song,” South Australian based country music lover Tom says as he cracks open another cold beer in the mid-afternoon Queensland sun.

Although it is only 25 degrees celsius, the sun blisters down like a bird on its prey. On the outskirts of Ipswich, Southeast Queens land, the bushland is full of loud live music, the smell of stale sweat lingering through

“THERE IS A STORY WITH EVERY SONG”

the crowd of smiling faces under big, brimmed hats. An event this large, consisting of three stages, artist meet and greets, markets, food stands, and a live sports bar, is a national event treasured by the true-blue country music fans travelling from all ends of Australia.

This is the event of the three-day interna tional country music festival, running in March each year.

The Australian arts landscape has shifted with the promotion and support for regional live tourism, in supporting and strengthening rural and regional events. Nothing encompasses this more than the three-day international country music festival of CMC Rocks, held in Ipswich, Southeast Queensland.

A country music festival for all ages, filled with live music, flowing drinks, and the Aussie sun belting down through the thick

CMC Rocks brings the country music community together.

There’s plenty of fun to be had at the annual country music event.

MUCH MORE AT CMC ROCKS

gum leaves. A range of artist fill the event line up at the most recent installment, from Queensland based rising country star Lane Pittman, to US country artist Jon Pardi, this three-day packed festival is nothing short of a wild time.

With its roots of old dirt roads and rural home life, country music has grown to resonate in the hearts of many.

“There is a song for every mood to make you feel good,” says Kristian K, from South Australia, as she sits fanning herself in the March Queensland heat. Listening to the music echo throughout the bar, her mate Glenn, from Sunnybank, Queensland, seconds this. “Party or depressing, it all depends on where your head is at when listening to country music,” Glenn says as he hums to the tunes of US country music duo Brooks & Dunn steaming from the bar’s speakers.

With such a large audience expressing their connection to country music, whether they are a city folk or from the outback, the Queensland Government has taken this event into their stride in providing this iconic Queensland event.

The Queensland’s sector of Arts provides funding for festival streams, with CMC Rocks being a priority in ensure their spot is secured within the Queensland sector for Tourism and Sport, supported by Queensland Minister for Tourism Michael Healy.

“We fought hard against a southern poaching raid to keep this event in Queensland; it injects $14 million into the local economy

and contributes to the state’s mega events calendar worth $850 million” Healy said, empathising the importance of keeping regional tourism alive. Other states have also demonstrated this, with events such as the Tamworth Country Music Festival based in Tamworth, New South Wales and Mundi Mundi Bash in Broken Hill, New South Wales, becoming a pivotal point in keeping regional Australian tourism alive.

“IT INJECTS

$14 MILLION INTO THE LOCAL ECONOMY”

CMC Rocks requires exceptional organisation to ensure its success, with Queensland journalist for the Courier Mail , Ayla Connolly expressing this.

When asked about CMC Rocks’ growth throughout the past years she says, “there is a similar amount of people, but it is more set out every year, with merch being more organised and an overall better layout.”

With this, CMC Rocks has also received more support as Alya states, “CMC now has more food choices, a sports bar, and brand support from YETI, which has brought in so

Journalist Ayla Connolly says CMC Rocks has grown over the years.

... Bergman

7. Posterior

8. Bustle

9.

38. Aromatic burning stick

40. Perch

41. Denmark natives

42. Packs of cards

43. Ponds

44. Severe (illness)

47. Amasses

51. Cross-country walk

52. Fidget

53. Brief turbulent storm

54. Idiom

58. Kit out

59. Insecticide (1,1,1)

61. Diner

63. Black pool-ball number

64. Smudges

65. Taller

66. Provide (with)

68. Courage

71. Abrasive paper

72. Lounge about 74. Bare

76. Curves

78. Recording reel

80. Excellent (1-1,1)

83. Favourite

For many strategies, hints and tips, visit www.sudokuwiki.org

If you like Str8ts check out our books, iPhone/iPad Apps and much more on our store.

Word Search

Find all the words listed hidden in the grid of letters. They can be found in straight lines up, down, forwards, backwards or even diagonally.

THEME: SQUIRRELS

ARBOREAL

BURROWS

BUSHY TAIL

CHICKAREES

DIURNAL

FLYING

FORAGING FOREPAWS

FOX SQUIRREL

GIANT

GRAY GROUND

HAIRY TAIL

HIBERNATE

HINDLIMBS

LEAP

PRAIRIE DOG

PYGMY

SHARP CLAWS

STRONG LEGS

TUFTED-EAR

VEGETARIAN

WOODCHUCK

Last week’s solution

Trivia Quiz

Test your knowledge about The Brady Bunch in this week’s special trivia quiz...

1. Who was the youngest daughter in ‘The Brady Bunch’?

2. What was Mike Brady’s occupation?

3. In what year did ‘The Brady Bunch’ first premiere on television?

4. Who played the role of Mike Brady for the entire run of ‘The Brady Bunch’?

5. In which episode of ‘The Brady Bunch’ does Jan’s middlechild popularity identity crisis begin?

6. Which famous singer guest starred as himself in a hugely popular episode?

7. Which actor guest starred as himself in the episode ‘Mail Order Hero’?

can repeat in any row or column. But... rows and columns are divided by black squares into compartments. These need to be filled in with numbers that complete a ‘straight’. A straight is a set of numbers with no gaps but can be in any order, eg [4,2,3,5].

Toyota reveals what motorists can expect from its all-new RAV4

medium SUV Building on proud legacy

Toyota has unveiled its all-new RAV4 medium SUV, which builds on the legacy of its popular predecessors while introducing pioneering safety and multimedia technologies, a new-look exterior and interior design and advanced hybrid powertrain solutions.

The sixth-generation RAV4 will become the first Toyota offered in Australia with a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain, offering the choice of powerful 2WD or AWD arrangements and targeting up to 100km of electric-only driving range.

Toyota will also offer its first ever GR Sport version of the RAV4 with the powerful and efficient PHEV AWD powertrain providing a more dynamic expression of the RAV4’s handling characteristics and design cues.

The new RAV4 PHEV line-up and GR Sport will be complemented by an extensive hybrid 2WD and AWD range that delivers improved

The new-generation RAV4 is designed to support the active and adventurous lifestyles of customers with improved interior amenity and greater driver engagement in a range of driving scenarios.

Toyota Australia Vice President Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations, Sean Hanley, said the

forebears.

“When it first arrived in Australia in 1994, the RAV4 appealed to Australian customers with its family-friendly utility, bold design and signature Toyota dependability and has since attracted more than 500,000 sales,” he said.

“The all-new sixth-generation

introducing exciting new Toyota-first technologies like plug-in hybrid powertrains and next-generation software.

“Since the 2001 launch of Toyota’s first hybrid electric vehicle in Australia, we have led the development of hybrid technology that is refined, powerful and efficient,

With the launch of our first plug-in hybrid, we are taking that broad customer appeal in a diversified powertrain landscape to a whole new level.”

More information on the all-new RAV4 including confirming local specification and grade line-up will be made available closer to its

NATHAN TAYLOR

The all-new RAV4 will be available next year.

New technology gives the RAV4 a boost.

“After finishing fourth overall last year, our goal is to win it this year,” Stinson said.

“We go in as one of the favourites based on last year’s result and our speed. Last year we were either the first or second fastest car at all the races.

“Anything less than winning the Championship wouldn’t be enough for us. I think we can do it. It’s not going to be easy… but we showed last year that we can make the car quick, so there’s no reason on paper that we should be able to do it.”

To prepare himself for the upcoming five-round season, Stinson is spending most of his weekends at the track with his father and two buddies Aaron Grech and Brayden Taylor.

“As far as running the car goes, it’s myself and Dad. We do all the mechanical and preparation work,” Stinson said.

“Then at the track, my good friends Aaron and Brayden come to help, which I very much appreciate.”

The 2025 GR Cup will kick off in Townsville next month.

Ignored in the west

Giants will not play a single AFLW game in western Sydney

NATHAN TAYLOR

The GWS Giants will kick-off their 10th AFLW season with their firstever clash against Essendon down in Canberra.

The teams will meet for the first time in the expanded 12-round home-and-away season, having never been scheduled to clash since the Bombers joined the competition in 2022.

Canberra’s Manuka Oval and Marrickville’s Henson Park

– both venues not situated in western Sydney – will play host to the Giants’ home games this season, with the orange and charcoal enjoying four matches at the Inner West venue and two in the nation’s capital.

The Giants hit the road in Round 2 for a match-up with last year’s wooden spooners Collingwood at Victoria Park, their first meeting since the COVID-interrupted 2022 season.

Round 3 sees the Giants’ first home game in Sydney, taking on perennial contenders the Adelaide Crows at Henson Park

during the AFL pre-Finals bye round.

The AFLW rendition of the Expansion Cup takes place in Round 4, with the Giants travelling north to take on the Suns at People First Stadium, before returning to Canberra for a

twilight encounter with old foes the Western Bulldogs in Round 5. Sydney football fans will have Round 6 circled on their calendars, with the Giants taking on the Swans in the fourth AFLW Sydney Derby.

The Giants head west to take on the Eagles in Round 7, before coming home to Henson Park for an October long weekend clash with the Saints in Round 8.

Round 9 sees the Giants travelling again, heading down to Geelong for a stadium match-up at the Cattery.

The Dockers await in Round 10, as the Giants return home to host Fremantle at Henson Park before their final confirmed match, away against the Blues at Ikon Park in Round 11.

The final round of the season will once again be a floating fixture, with dates and times to be locked in ahead of a Henson Park home game against Port Adelaide who loom as a top four contender this year.

With the 2025 squad now locked in and aware of who stands between them and the Giants’ first Finals appearance since 2020, the squad will continue their pre-season preparations, looking to start the season with a win against the Bombers in August.

Tickets for the upcoming AFLW season will go on sale on July 15.

The GWS Giants will kick off their season on August 16.

Brock Stinson on the track.

SPORT

Move over Brian, there’s a new To’o in this town!

Jannine To’o will pack her bags next month and travel to Berlin, Germany, where she’ll represent Australia at the 17th IDBF World Dragon Boat Racing Championships.

The local mother, who is a member of the Pendragons Dragon Boat Club, will compete in the over 50s category against some of the best dragon boat athletes in the world.

It’ll be To’o’s second time representing her country after donning the green and gold and winning a swag of medals in Thailand in 2023.

“I fly out on July 8 and I have never been to Germany before,” To’o said.

“I’ll be going up against ex-rowers and Olympians in the mixed and women’s events over varying distances including 200m, 500m and 2km.

“This World Championships is expected to be the biggest one yet in terms of international entries.”

Before she took up dragon boating in 2018, To’o studied and taught Muay Thai. However, a desire to compete more led her to the fun world of dragon boating.

“I did Muay Thai for about 10 years.

I had two fights in my 40s and I used to teach the sport as well,” To’o said.

“I just felt like I wanted to do

something I could compete in, and I discovered dragon boating on a Meetup app and thought it would be something different.

“On my very first Come & Try Day, one of the ladies on the back of the boat said she could tell I was going to

be really good and that I should keep on doing it.”

To’o dabbled in both Muay Thai and dragon boating for a while before she was advised to pick between the two if she wanted to further herself on the water.

“The coach said I needed to focus on one or the other, so I gave up Muay Thai and ended up representing NSW six times in dragon boating,” she said.

“As a member of the NSW Senior B team, we came away with three gold medals earlier this year at the Australian Dragon Boat Championships.”

To’o won’t be the only Pendragons athlete representing Australia in Brandenburg, with Madeleine Jacques also making the trip as a member of the Senior A team.

With the upcoming tour to Germany entirely self-funded, To’o is currently fundraising to help with the immense costs associated with the one-in-a-lifetime trip.

If you’re able to help out, visit https://asf.org.au/projects/janninetoo/road-to-germany-to-represent-australia to donate.

The 17th IDBF World Dragon Boat Racing Championships will run from July 14-20.

Pendragons Madeleine Jacques and Jannine To’o will represent Australia in Germany.

NATHAN TAYLOR

Jannine To’o in action.

Sensational Summer

Local teenager with bright future smashes goals in three separate sports

Jamisontown teenager Summer Knowles has grown up around the sport of hockey, but that never prevented her from pursuing her other passions as well.

While hockey has always been at the forefront of Summer’s sporting schedule, she’s also made a name for herself in netball, OzTag and most recently rugby league.

With the Knowles surname well-known in local hockey circles, Summer began playing when she was four-years-old before trying her hand at netball a couple of years later.

“Dad plays hockey and Mum plays netball, and then OzTag was my own little thing,” the 16-year-old told the Weekender

“This season I started playing rugby league with St Marys and I’m enjoying that too!”

The Year 11 student at Caroline Chisholm College has represented her State multiple times in indoor and outdoor hockey and most recently was selected in the 24-person Australian squad – one of her favourite achievements so far.

“Making this Australian squad I’m in right now opens up a range of opportunities for training and developing my hockey skills,” Summer said.

“My goal is to make the next cut of 18, where a possible trip to Malaysia is on the line at the end of October.”

While Summer has a goal of making the 2032 Brisbane Olympics for hockey, she’s also keen on pursing further opportunities in OzTag. Summer has been playing OzTag since the age of nine and has not only represented the local region many times in the past, but she’s also represented the British OzTag team and Australian OzTag team.

“One of my favourite achievements is being part of the Australian squad for OzTag,” Summer said.

“Next month I go away to Perth for NSW Hockey for U18s Nationals, and then in August, I play at Coffs Harbour for Australian OzTag.”

In between her hockey and OzTag pursuits, Summer is also a talented fullback in rugby league – a sport that could also take her places like the NRLW.

“This is my first year of proper rugby league with St Marys and I’m finding that my experience in OzTag is helping a lot with my footy,” Summer said.

“We’re winning games, I’m scoring a few tries and I don’t have to tackle too much.” Summer’s incredible year in sport has seen her earn the latest Penrith Valley Sports Foundation Junior Sports Star Award, all thanks to sponsor St Marys Leagues Club.

Junior Sports Star of the Month winners take home a cool $350 each for their efforts. Nomination forms are available at www. pvsf.org.au.

NATHAN TAYLOR

Summer Knowles is the latest PVSF Junior Sports Star. Photo: Melinda Jane.

SPORTS SHORTS

FOOTBALL: A massive congratulations to Glenmore Park’s Patrick Beach, who was crowned an A-League Champion for the first time last weekend. Beach played goalkeeper in Melbourne City’s thrilling 1-0 victory over crosstown rivals Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park last Saturday night. It’s been a stunning debut season for Beach, who played every single minute of every single game. He also had the least number of goals scored against him all season with 26 and finished the year with an eye-watering 13 clean sheets. “It’s a very proud moment for myself, my family and my loved ones,” Beach said after the game. Shortly after his maiden A-League Grand Final win, the talented 21-year-old was on a plane to South Korea where he’ll captain the Australian U23 Men’s team in a series of friendlies.

BASKETBALL: The Penrith Panthers men’s and women’s teams have had a largely disappointing weekend in Round 9 of the NBL1 East competition. Up against the Bankstown Bruins at home last Friday, Penrith’s men’s team suffered a tight 81-77 loss. Zeke Evans racked up another double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Penrith’s women’s team also went down to the Bruins 90-76. Jordan Vasquez was on fire, scoring a team-high 27 points and 14 rebounds in the defeat. The next day, the Panthers would hit the road to battle the Central Coast Crusaders at Breakers Indoor Stadium. Penrith’s men’s team were thrashed 98-77, while Penrith’s women’s team enjoyed a

solid 73-58 victory. Once again, Vasquez led the way with 20 points and 17 rebounds. Penrith will enjoy this weekend off due to the King’s Birthday holiday before they return on June 14 to take on the Hornsby Ku-ring Gai Spiders at home.

GOLF: In a world where good news too often takes a back seat, the Penrith Gaels Club has once again reminded us of the power of community, compassion, and generosity. Following another successful St Patrick’s Charity Golf Day, the club has proudly donated proceeds to Ronald McDonald House Charities Greater Western Sydney – an organisation that offers vital support to families with seriously ill children. This is not the first time the Gaels Club have stepped up for a cause greater than themselves, and it surely won’t be the last. For the last 17 years their Charity Golf Day brings together locals, sponsors, and sports enthusiasts for more than just a day on the green. It brings them together for purpose. In that time, they have raised over $137,000 for local charities. Ronald McDonald House, known for providing a home away from home for families during their most challenging times, relies on community support to continue its mission. The contribution from Penrith Gaels Club will help ensure that families can stay close to their hospitalised children without the added burden of accommodation costs. What makes this gesture even more commendable is that it reflects the enduring spirit of the Irish-Australian community in Penrith – one rooted in solidarity, generosity and service. It’s a reminder that sport and social clubs, often seen as places for leisure, also hold the potential to drive meaningful change. Penrith Gaels Club’s commitment to charity, community engagement and making a tangible difference is what turns local clubs into pillars of society.

NETBALL: Giants Netball continue to struggle in the Super Netball, with their latest

loss coming against the Melbourne Vixens last Sunday 71-61. The Giants put up a spirited performance at home but remain on the bottom of the ladder with just one win for the season. The Giants will hit the road this Sunday when they battle the Adelaide Thunderbirds at Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

NETBALL: Panthers Netball have had a mixed night of results in Round 12 of the Netball NSW Premier League competition. Up against North Shore United, the Panthers Opens team were demolished 55-33. It was better news for the undefeated Panthers U23s team, prevailing 59-50. Panthers will return to Netball Central in Round 13 to take on the UTS Randwick Sparks.

AFL: The Giants have announced that rising star Darcy Jones has signed a new two-year contract extension with the club, locking in the electric small forward until at least the end of the 2028 AFL season. Still just 21-years-old, Jones has quickly emerged as one of the competition’s most exciting young talents following a brilliant debut season last year. Drafted by the Giants with pick 21 in the 2022 AFL Draft, fans had to wait patiently to see Jones in action after his AFL debut was delayed through a season-ending ACL injury early in the 2023 season. The wait was more than worth it however, with the excitement machine bursting onto the scene with a blistering AFL debut in Round 7 2024, with his eye-catching speed, agility, and goal sense quickly gaining the attention of the AFL world. The West Australian’s impact was immediate and impressive, with the slightly built youngster playing 14 games and earning the Giants’ Rising Star award for his brilliant debut campaign. Jones’ breakout year was highlighted by a stunning performance against Carlton in Round 17, earning him an AFL Telstra Rising Star nomination and solidifying his status as a young star on the rise. Jones has taken his game to even greater heights in his follow-up campaign in 2025 and continues to emerge as one of the league’s most exciting

small forwards. Giants Executive General Manager of Football, Jason McCartney, said Jones’ re-signing was significant for the club. “Darcy is the kind of player that excites fans and energises a team,” he said. “To come back from a serious knee injury and have the impact he did in his debut season speaks volumes about his character, work ethic, and natural talent, and we’re thrilled to have him locked in for at least the next three seasons.” Jones’ signature comes off the back of several other recent key re-signings for GWS, with the club locking away stars such as Toby Bedford, Finn Callaghan and Connor Idun earlier this year.

AFL: Callum Ward’s AFL career appears to be over after the Giants veteran injured his right knee in the club’s stunning 80-77 win over the Richmond Tigers last weekend at ENGIE Stadium. The Giants trailed by 28 points at the last change but – inspired by a team talk from Ward – finished over the top of the Tigers to win by three last Saturday. Ward had little impact on the contest after being forced out of the game in the opening term with what appears to be a career-threatening ACL injury until giving a team-lifting speech before the Giants surged home. GWS have risen to seventh on the AFL ladder and will play Port Adelaide this Saturday night in chilly Canberra.

AFL: The Penrith Rams have continued their winning ways, defeating the UTS Bats 68-50 in Round 8 of the AFL Sydney Men’s Division 2 competition. Played at Waverley Oval, the competition-leading Rams led at the end of every quarter. Mitch Stevens kicked four goals in the victory. Penrith will enjoy this weekend off before returning on June 14 to play the North Shore Bombers. Meanwhile, the Penrith Ramettes are proving to be a force this season also, smashing the St George Dragons 52-12 in Round 8 of the AFL Sydney Women’s Division 2 competition. The Ramettes will tackle the North Shore Bombers in Round 9 at home

RUGBY UNION: The Penrith Emus have been walloped by Merrylands 55-8 in Round 5 of the Meldrum Cup. The Emus’ lone try came via Brad Tunnicliffe. Penrith will take on North Cronulla at Nepean Rugby Park on June 14.

RUGBY LEAGUE: In Round 10 of the Ron Massey Cup, St Marys took care of the Glebe Dirty Reds 34-12, while Penrith Brothers went down hard to Mounties 40-6. In Round 10 of the Sydney Shield, St Marys lost to Glebe 36-30, while Penrith Brothers failed to get past Mounties 46-24.

Local footballer Patrick Beach celebrates.

Penrith Gaels Club delivers on Golf Day.

Callum Ward has suffered an ACL injury.

SPORT

Ahead of the new GR Cup season kicking off in July, Mulgoa racing car driver Brock Stinson has revealed he’s turned to tennis to help improve on the track.

The 21-year-old has been racing Toyota Gazoo 86 cars for the past two years, finishing an impressive fourth in the Championship last season.

Now, with his third season in the hotly contested GR Cup looming, Stinson has revealed what he has been doing in the recent off-season to prepare himself for ultimate glory.

“On top of doing lots of sim racing, which helps with my decision making and race craft, I’ve been playing tennis to also help with my decision making and competitiveness,” Stinson told the Weekender

“So much of racing is mental stamina and that ability to make very good decisions in a hot environment under a lot of pressure and stress while things are happening

very quickly. Working on that particular skill is what sim racing and tennis is very good with.

“In tennis, although very different to racing, you have a ball flying at you, and you have to decide which shot to make. Yes, it’s very different, but there’s a few mental similarities which I think I’ve improved a lot on since last season.”

Growing up, Stinson would often watch his dad Mark – a race car driver himself –build and drive his own race cars.

That alone inspired the then nine-yearold to beg his dad for a go-kart, so he too could race around the track.

More than a decade later, this father and son duo continue to take their passion for motorsport to new heights by running their very own race team known as Stinson Family Racing.

With Stinson now firmly in the driver’s seat, all eyes are on the talented Mechanical Engineering university student ahead of the first race in Townsville next month.

Story continues on » p. 76

NATHAN TAYLOR

Brock Stinson (pink cap) and the Stinson Family Racing Team.