Western Weekender May 22 2025

weekender the western

Thursday, May 22, 2025

The Voice of Penrith

FOR FLORENCE

ALLY HALL

At the start of 2024, the Di Giglio family received earth-shattering news: their two-year-old daughter had a brain tumour.

Florence has a genetic disorder called Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), which didn’t rear its head until just before her third birthday.

As Florence’s health battles continue, the family have launched the Florence Foundation in an effort to help other families in similar situations.

It will hold a fundraiser next month to kick-off support for Red Kite and the Cancer Council.

The Di Giglio family know the enormous impact the devastating news of a cancer diagnosis can have. They remember vididly how it all started with Florence.

“She showed some strange signs of not being able to walk and seemed wobbly,” said her mother, Amanda.

“We were concerned, and we couldn’t figure out what was happening. We kept taking her back to the GP and it just wasn’t clear what was going on.”

The family were referred to specialists, but long waiting lists and the Christmas period prolonged the investigation process, forcing the Di Giglio’s to go to the emergency department.

“Within a couple of days, we had an MRI, and they found a brain tumour,” Amanda recounted.

“It was the size of a small avocado seed or a large walnut and they said it was blocking the fluid from flowing through her brain and spine, which was causing the neurological problems.

“They had to do surgery within a few days to try to reduce the size, but they couldn’t remove it fully.”

That was the beginning of Florence’s journey with NF1, which has come with complications.

“She had a bleed on the brain during surgery which caused complete left-side weakness,” the Mulgoa mother explained.

“At first, she couldn’t move her left side, but then she slowly began regaining strength.

“She had her 3rd birthday in ICU and had to learn to eat, talk, walk, and move her left arm – she had to learn everything again.”

Florence was on chemotherapy for about six weeks, but it affected her badly and she has switched to another treatment, called an MEK inhibitor.

Story continues on » p. 19

The Di Giglio family.

+ 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 High

Pretty Fly for Penrith!

Rock band The Offspring makes a surprise visit

One of the wildest stories you’ll read this year happened in Penrith this month, with one of the biggest rock bands in the world making a surprise visit.

Panthers Tri Club is celebrating its 40th year in 2025, and in those four decades, The Offspring’s Dexter Holland would definitely be up there as one of their most famous competitors.

The band’s lead singer recently swapped his microphone and a stadium stage for a swim, bike and run at the Panthers Tri Club (PTC) local triathlon event at the Sydney International Regatta Centre.

PTC volunteers were surprised when Dexter, accompanied by his assistant, arrived to check-in at the registration desk on Saturday, May 10.

The 59-year-old frontman and guitarist is known for his diverse interests and accomplishments, including being a licensed pilot, holding a PhD in molecular biology and more recently, competing in triathlons.

“They kept it under wraps a bit so it was rather surreal for the volunteers when he checked in,” PTC Club President, Mark Thomas said.

“Dexter is training for an upcoming 70.3 event and even though he is on tour, his coach is still sending him training programs to adhere to. It just so happened, our local club race coincided with them being in town, and his training schedule.

“Our volunteers tried to make him feel like he was just another competitor, and if it wasn’t for the rest of the band turning up to cheer him over the finish line, most people in attendance would not have known he was there.”

While Dexter completed the 750m swim, the 20km bike course and 5km run, his fellow bandmates arrived to surprise him at the finish line.

“Apparently he had no idea the band was going to be there, so it was a nice, unexpected sight for him when he ran under the Panthers Tri Club finish line arch,” Thomas said.

The American band, who are responsible for mega hits ‘Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)’, ‘Come Out and Play’ and ‘Original Prankster’, were in Sydney last weekend for

their Supercharged Worldwide in ’25 Australian tour at Qudos Bank Arena. Panthers Triathlon Club host

regular triathlon and duathlon events, and are always looking for new members, volunteers and now rock gods, to be part of the club.

For more information on their upcoming 40-year celebrations, visit facebook.com/PanthersTriathlonClub.

The Offspring made a surprise visit to Penrith to support Dexter Holland (second from left).

NATHAN TAYLOR

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From The Editor’s Desk

Troy Dodds

Around

A broken Coalition

On Tuesday morning 2GB breakfast presenter Ben Fordham declared a split between the Nationals and the Liberals just wouldn’t happen, dismissive like everyone else of such a notion.

Not six hours later and the federal Coalition had broken up for the first time in 38 years, as the fallout from this month’s election continues.

It felt like something of an amicable divorce. Even in his press conference announcing the shock decision, Nationals leader David Littleproud said he believed Liberal leader Sussan Ley would be the next Prime Minister.

So what is this all about?

There is almost no doubt the Nationals and Liberals will be back in bed with each other before the next election.

There’s a bit of knock down and re-build about this.

Indeed it feels like both parties are off to counselling rather than filing divorce papers.

The Nationals say a breakdown over support for policies that had been backed in the previous Coalition agreement was to blame for the move.

Amongst the chaos will likely come some good.

We know the Liberals are on a journey of rediscovery and need to figure out what kind of party they want to be moving forward, if they are to ever recapture the imagination of the Australian public.

Part of that will be working out exactly what the broader community expects conservative politics to look like in Australia.

Doing that re-build with the Nationals in the way, for better or worse, is a headache Sussan Ley doesn’t need.

The Nationals and Liberals will find their way back together eventually. They just need to go on their own paths to get there.

We must act on small crime now

You’ll note on page five this week a story about a series of break-ins at shops attached to the Caddens Corner centre on Tuesday.

This happens to be my local shopping centre, so things like that make you a little

angrier when you see small business owners forced not only to clean up the mess, but count their losses.

The fact these incidents happened are of course no surprise, especially if you’ve had your eyes open lately.

Smaller crimes, for want of a better term, are becoming more and more commonplace across our area.

And while the police are investigating the incident at Caddens to determine who is responsible, there is no doubt youth crime is a significant issue.

This has been a problem in regional New South Wales for some time and it’s now creeping into the metropolitan suburbs.

We all want High Street to be a vibrant part of Penrith but right now nobody can deny it

“We must come down hard on youth crime if we’re to ensure things get better, not worse, moving forward”

can be a pretty scary, or at least uncomfortable, walk – despite the best efforts of those working to invigorate it.

We can’t let this get worse.

Businesses have enough to deal with without worrying about crime.

Solutions are indeed difficult to find and there’s numerous challenges at play, but the longer we fail to act, the bigger the problem will likely become.

We must do better in this space, and come down hard on youth crime if we’re to ensure things get better, not worse, moving forward.

Origin media bans? Oh, please

If Spencer Leniu is big enough to confront Johnathan Thurston about various griev-

ances after a Friday night game at Allianz Stadium then he should be man enough to front up and talk about it with the media.

The fact that Leniu and fellow Blues player Latrell Mitchell have placed media bans on themselves for this Origin series is amateur hour from New South Wales and the two men themselves.

It would have been an opportunity for Leniu to clear the air with the media and put on a professional display in front of the cameras to win over an uncertain public given his controversial last couple of years.

As for Mitchell, his lack of media presence this year – including for South Sydney – is understandable to an extent given his desire to focus solely on his football and avoid distractions, but it can’t go on forever.

And when it comes to Origin, which is the biggest spectacle the game has and brings in such a broad audience, Mitchell should be available to talk.

This is a serious misstep from New South Wales officials to allow this to happen in both cases.

Front up, boys. The media is your vehicle to the fans who pay your wages.

PNG expansion fraught with danger

The NRL has got the first step of its expansion plan so right with the inclusion of the Perth Bears into the competition from 2027. But am I the only one who can’t get excited about the Papua New Guinea franchise, scheduled to enter a year later?

Rugby league is flying at the moment in terms of crowds, television ratings and corporate support.

And Peter V’landys is the man responsible for a lot of that. He’s someone who gets things done, and achieves some of the more wilder dreams.

But is this one a step too far?

It’s surely not rugby league’s place to get involved in politics and international relations, which is a big part of the Papua New Guinea deal.

So much will have to be done to make a team there work that it will ultimately threaten the integrity of the game.

The NRL must proceed with caution.

troy.dodds@westernweekender.com.au

@troydodds

Business owners left to count cost of break-ins

Acollection of shops in Caddens have been broken into, leaving business owners with thousands of dollars’ worth of damage.

In the early hours of Monday morning a group of young people allegedly broke into at three shops at Caddens Corner, including Paradise Charcoal Chicken, Falak Indian Cuisine and Taste Baguette.

“Between 1am and 2am in the morning about four young boys with their faces covered and wearing gloves got into four different businesses,” Paradise Charcoal Chicken owner Saayed Gamal said.

“They’ve broken in through the windows, taken money from the till, even took a till with them as well.

“The front entry door of my shop has been broken, and they’ve taken the till with the cable still attached and I had a little bit of money in it as well.”

It was a morning like any other for Gamal before a phone call from his father broke the news to him.

“My father normally comes early before anyone else and he’s the one who called me to say someone has broken into the shop, come quick,”

Gamal said.

“By the time I came police forensics were here getting fingerprints and stuff.”

The alleged break in has hit these businesses at a tough economic time, but Gamal said if the offenders had asked for help, they would have got it.

“I’m feeling very sad to be honest.

Business has been quiet and now we’ve been hit with $3,000 worth of damages. We’re already struggling with everything, and this is just the icing on the cake,” Gamal said.

“I feel very sad with these young criminals, not offenders, if they needed money and came during the daytime I would have given them

money.

“If they didn’t have money, then I would have given them a job so they can understand the value of working and making money in the right way, not the wrong way.”

NSW Police confirmed to the Weekender they attended the scene at 2am on Monday morning.

“Officers attached to Nepean Police Area Command attended and found three shops had been broken into, with cash stolen from all locations,” a spokesperson said.

“Two of the shop fronts were damaged.

“Police established a crime scene and commenced inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

“Inquiries are ongoing.”

Gamal, who has since re-opened his chicken shop for business, wants to see those responsible brought to justice.

“I definitely want to press charges to teach them a lesson because if we don’t do that, they will keep doing this to a lot of different businesses,” Gamal said.

“Maybe some businesses are not as well off as me and they can’t afford the repairs. It could set them back a couple of weeks.”

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The damage inside Taste Baguette. Photo: Melinda Jane.

The broken window at Paradise Charcoal Chicken.

LAW and ORDER

COMPILED BY EMILY CHATE

Police Snapshot Legal Matters

Jordan Springs: Woman caught driving drunk with child in the car

At 3.40pm on Tuesday, May 13 a 36-yearold Jordan Springs woman was driving with her six-year-old child in the car. While the woman was driving on Armoury Road in Jordan Springs, she overcorrected and collided with a parked trailer and boat.

When police arrived at the scene the woman was still sitting in the driver seat. As police asked the woman to get out of the car, they could smell a strong presence of alcohol from her breath.

The woman was breath tested, which proved positive.

She was arrested and taken to Penrith Police Station where she underwent a further breath analysis that returned a positive reading of 0.234. The woman’s driver’s licence was suspended on the spot, and she will appear in Penrith Local Court on Thursday, June 12.

Kingswood: Man attempts to strangle acquaintance

At 3pm on Thursday, May 15, a 29-year-old South Penrith man went to a unit of a man in Kingswood. The man was not home at the time, but someone else has let the 29-year-old into the unit.

Once inside, the 29-year-old began to argue about money and threw a glass cup against the wall, smashing it and a glass picture frame. The witness was able to calm the 29-year-old down at the time.

At 6pm a man returned home to the unit and began to argue with the 29-year-old. During the argument, the 29-year-old grabbed an extension cord and attempted to wrap it around the man’s neck. The man was trying to push the 29-year-old away, but the cord got looped around his neck and pulled before it was released.

The man managed to run from the unit as the 29-year-old chased him. The 29-year-old caught up with the man and began to assault him before returning to the unit.

Police attended and spoke with the witness. Police then found the 29-year-old hiding in the bathroom of the unit, refusing to come out. Police forced entry into the bathroom and began attempting to arrest the 29-yearold. At this time police found a knife and cannabis on the man.

As police were attempting to handcuff the 29-year-old, he twisted his body and began to violently resist arrest. The 29-year-old was forcefully taken to the ground and handcuffed. He was taken to Penrith Police Station where he was formally charged. The man was bail refused.

Kingswood: Car stop reveals drugs, duo to front court

At 8.30pm on Sunday, May 18 police were patrolling along the Great Western Highway in Kingswood. Police checked the registration of a Toyota that was travelling in front of them. Checks revealed that the driver of the car was potentially disqualified.

Police stopped the car and spoke with the driver, a 33-year-old Fairfield woman. Police asked the woman for her licence, and she did not have it with her. Further checks revealed the woman was wanted on two outstanding warrants. The woman was arrested and told police she had GHB in her handbag which they located.

Also in the car was a 40-year-old Doonside woman. In this woman’s handbag police found Endone and an amount of cash all in $50 notes. As police arrested the 40-year-old woman she became irate and began to argue. As the woman was searched, she told police that she had nothing else on her. Police asked the woman to remove her jumper as she had a shirt on underneath, but the woman refused. A female officer removed the jumper as the 40-year-old woman resisted. After the jumper was removed, police found five clear, resealable plastic bags containing methamphetamine.

Both women were taken to Penrith Police Station. The 33-year-old was bail refused and will appear in Penrith Local Court at a later date. The 40-year-old woman was charged and will appear in Penrith Local Court on Monday, June 16.

Werrington: Suspended learner driver arrested after police pursuit

At 9.30pm on Saturday, May 17 police were patrolling Dunheved Road in Werrington where they saw a Holden Commodore on the incorrect side of the road.

The car accelerated harshly away from police, who then initiated a pursuit. Police pursued the car onto Richmond Road and numerous other roads around Cambridge Park. Police continued to pursue the car as it reached speeds of over 100km/h in a 60km/h zone. The car continued into the suburb of Penrith where it was pursued onto the Great Western Highway and Richmond Road.

The driver suddenly stopped the car a short distance away from the police car. Police removed the driver and two passengers from the car. Police made checks on the driver, an 18-year-old Quakers Hill man, which showed that he was the holder of a Class C Learners Permit that was currently suspended.

The driver was arrested and charged.

WITH DANIEL MCKINNON

WHAT’S A COOLING OFF PERIOD? BUYING RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY IN NSW

A cooling off period in NSW property purchases is a short window of time after you sign a contract to buy a residential property, where you can change your mind and back out of the deal – no questions asked.

Here’s how it works:

How long is it?

Usually, it’s five business days from when you exchange contracts.

Often this gets extended to 10 days to give you enough time to do things like get a pest and building report and get your loan approval.

If you’re buying “off the plan” (like an apartment that hasn’t been built yet), it’s 10 business days.

Who has the right to withdraw from the purchase during the cooling off period?

Only the buyer gets this right. The seller is locked in as soon as contracts are exchanged, even if someone offers them more money.

What’s the catch?

You’ll have to pay a 0.25 per cent deposit when you sign your contract.

If you pull out of the deal during the cooling off period, you lose the 0.25 per cent of the purchase price (so, $2,500 on a $1 million property).

In one sense, you are essentially paying to take the property off the market. The 0.25 per cent is refundable in some limited circumstances, for example if the seller has not made the necessary disclosures in the contract.

When doesn’t a cooling period apply?

• If you buy at auction or under auction conditions.

• If the property is rural land over 2.5 hectares.

• If it’s not a residential property (like commercial or industrial).

• If there are more than two dwellings on the land.

Can you skip it?

Yes. If you want to be locked in straight away, your lawyer or conveyancer can sign a “Section 66W Certificate” to waive the cooling off period.

Why is it useful?

It gives buyers time to:

• Get building and pest inspections.

• Finalise finance approval (i.e. unconditional/formal approval – not pre-approval).

• Have a lawyer check the contract and provide you with advice.

• Finalise any necessary changes to the contract.

Can it be extended?

Yes, but only if the seller agrees.

If you have a legitimate reason for needing to extend the cooling off period (for example if you are waiting to receiving your unconditional/formal loan approval) and can ask the seller for an extension of the cooling off period, but they don’t have to say “Yes”.

In short

The cooling off period is a safety net for buyers, letting them do their homework and back out if they need to, with only a small financial loss.

As always, if you are buying or selling, make sure you speak to our team and we’ll make the process a smooth one.

ASTHMA SUFFERERS WANTED FOR STUDY

Winter weather and wood heaters are a match made in heaven, unless you have asthma.

The NSW Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water has flagged Penrith as a problem area for people with respiratory issues in the colder months.

Through a partnership with the University of Canberra, they hope to find a solution.

Researchers plan to improve indoor air quality in houses across the region to assess if there’s an improvement for asthma-affected residents.

The university and government agency are on the lookout for asthmatic volunteers over 12-years-old in Penrith and plan to analyse results from 20 homes – 10 with wood heaters, and 10 with electric heaters.

“We’re trying to understand if residents with wood heaters indoors are more exposed to air pollution than those who have pollution coming inside through cracks in the building or through open windows and doors,” said Senior Research Fellow in Air Quality and Health Dr Nigel Goodman

Details are available on the University of Canberra website.

WINTER SOLSTICE

Friday 6 June 4pm to 9pm

Saturday 7 June 4pm to 9pm

Sunday 8 June 4pm to 9pm

Monday 9 June 10am to 3pm

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

26 May 2025 – 7pm (Ordinary Meeting) Online via

penrith.city.council

penrithcouncil

penrithcitycouncil

penrithcitycouncil

penrith.city visitpenrith.com.au

Council Briefs

● Are you a creative artist looking to build skills in working with communities? Join us for a series of workshops in the Magnetic Places Artist Development Series!

During the month of June, we’ll be delivering workshops where you will learn community engaged arts best practices, understand how to work with the community and craft compelling project proposals from a range of industry experts.

When: Tuesday 3, 10 & 17 June, 5–7pm

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

Register now to reserve your FREE spot at one or all three of the Magnetic Places Artist Development Series Workshops. Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to enhance your artistic creativity!

● 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 (bookings requied) Friday–Sunday: 12noon–9pm and Monday: 9am–4pm

For more information, please visit

● Have your say 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.

Complete the survey to go into the draw for a chance to win one of 10 vouchers to a Penrith or St Marys restaurant valued at $50 each. (T&Cs apply).

Community consultation closes at 11.59pm on Friday 13 June 2025.

Find out more at:

● Come along to Village Café to meet your neighbours and chat in a friendly and relaxed environment over a free barista-made coffee. Take the opportunity to connect with local support services to gain free advice on a range of topics including health and wellbeing.

Village Café is held monthly from 9.30–11.30am on the second Thursday of every month at Wainwright Park, Kingswood; the third Thursday at Wattle Park, North St Marys; and the fourth Thursday at Wilson Park, Llandilo. See you at Village Café!

For more information visit

Public Notice

The Penrith Local Planning Panel will meet to determine the following:

• DA24/0729

Integrated Development for demolition of existing structures, tree removal and construction of a childcare facility for 100 children with at-grade parking, signage and associated works

• DA24/0754

Demolition of existing structures, tree removal and construction of a childcare facility for 185 children with basement parking and associated works, including an on-site drop-off area and new landscaping

When: Wednesday 28 May 2025 commencing at 2pm

Where: The Penrith Local Planning Panel meeting will be conducted in a hybrid environment with opportunity to attend the meeting in person or connect online via zoom.

To attend the meeting or for an opportunity to address the Panel, please register via the Online Form at Penrith Council’s website by 4pm on Monday 26 May 2025.

For any person intending to access the meeting remotely, a meeting invitation with log in details will be provided to those who have registered via the online form 28–48 hours before the scheduled meeting date.

Any person joining the online meeting are informed that the meeting will be audio recorded, and a copy of that recording will be made publicly available following the meeting.

Relevant documents will be available on Penrith Council’s website

For further assistance please contact the Panel Management

Development Application

The following Development Application has been received by Council:

• Joseph Zeait

DA25/0287

Demolition of all existing structures and the construction of a multi-dwelling housing development comprising 5 x 2-storey multi-dwelling houses with associated landscaping, parking, and Strata title subdivision

Contact: Natalie Piggott on 4732 7607

Closing Date: Sunday 8 June 2025

Carter court case delayed until September in latest pushback

There has been yet another delay in the case of a Penrith accountant facing fraud charges.

38-year-old tax agent Benjamin Carter was arrested at his Silverdale home in July of 2023 by NSW Raptor Squad detectives, and the case lingers almost two years later.

He had been under investigation since June of 2023 when Raptor Squad officers –with assistance from the Tax Practitioners Board – commenced an investigation into reports of fraudulent misconduct by Carter and his firm.

Carter was subsequently charged with 16 offences including 14 counts of ‘dishonestly obtain financial advantage etc by deception’, ‘knowingly deal with proceeds of crime’ and ‘possess prohibited drug’.

Police allege Carter defrauded at least eight accounting clients to the value of $26 million in a bid to fund his lavish lifestyle and gambling habit, but his lawyer later argued the $26 million figure was closer to $6 million with $20 million relating to gambling institutions.

Among the accusations is that Carter, in his capacity as a tax agent, accountant and Chief Financial Officer of Drink West, falsely purported to facilitate the purchase of shares in Drink West by Adam Fraser to the tune of $440,000.

There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by Drink West, and Carter has not been involved with the company for some time.

At the time of his arrest Carter was refused bail and remanded to Long Bay Correctional Centre in protective custody but has since been granted bail under strict conditions

including that he must reside with his retired mother in Kingswood, report daily to police and wear an electronic tracking bracelet.

He is also prohibited from leaving greater Sydney and is only allowed to leave home for a number of reasons identified by the court.

Arrested at the same time as Carter was a then 25-year-old receptionist, now known to be Carter’s partner Amy Steele, at the Carter’s Tax Advisory office in the Penrith CBD. She was charged with ‘recklessly deal with proceeds of crime > $5,000’.

Police will allege Steele knowingly attempted to conceal Carter’s misconduct and benefited from the proceeds of his crime.

Steele’s case currently remains before the court subject to lengthy adjournments as it is linked with Carter’s case. Her case will return to Penrith Local Court in early September.

After his arrest the Tax Practitioners Board formally terminated the registration of Carter in September 2023 and handed him a five-year ban before he can reapply to the Board for Registration.

Since Carter was first arrested in July of 2023 the case has been before the NSW Local Court system at least a dozen times.

The matter has been perpetually adjourned given the magnitude of the evidence collected, including an extensive forensic accounting report.

Last Friday, May 16 Magistrate Fiona Toose again adjourned the matter until September after both the prosecution and the defence agreed on the lengthy adjournment.

Carter will return to Penrith Local Court in early September, where the case will continue its long journey.

Public Exhibitions

Draft Planning Agreement for Stage 1 and 2 of Legacy Property development in Orchard Hills North Penrith City Council is publicly notifying a draft Voluntary Planning Agreement (VPA) between Council and LegPro Pty Ltd (known as Legacy Property).

The draft VPA has been prepared in connection with approved Development Applications DA23/0969 and DA24/0041. The development is located within the Orchard Hills North Precinct, fronting Caddens Road and is subject to Penrith Local Environmental Plan 2010 (Amendment No. 29) which took effect on 1 October 2023.

The draft VPA sets out mechanisms for the timing and delivery of road works, North Development Contributions Plan. The draft VPA also includes a mechanism for the consideration of contribution offsets and credits and the provision of the

A copy of the draft VPA and explanatory note can be viewed on Council's YourSay

For further enquiries: Natalie Stanowski, City Planning Coordinator on 4732 7403 or natalie.stanowski@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.

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

• Online: yoursaypenrith.com.au

• In person:

• Email: city.planning@penrith.city

• Post: (Attention City Planning – Owen Lay) Penrith City Council

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

Draft Amendment to Penrith Development Control Plan 2014

Council invites you to view and provide feedback on a draft amendment to

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

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.

draft amendment. The draft amendment to Penrith DCP 2014 is on public exhibition

• Online: yoursaypenrith.com.au

• In person:

• Email: city.planning@penrith.city

• Post:

Penrith City Council

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

Ben Carter remains before the courts.

Ben Carter was arrested at his Silverdale home in July of 2023.

EMILY CHATE

Send your jokes to

cupboard prize

The Sydney Swans have welcomed global Korean food brand bibigo to the red and white family as an official supplier, marking bibigo’s first sporting collaboration in Australia.

To celebrate this exciting partnership, we’re giving away four $50 Woolworths gift cards, giving you the chance to enjoy bibigo’s delicious Korean flavours from the comfort of your own home. From juicy Mandu (Korean dumplings) to flavour-packed sauces and ready-to-heat meals, bibigo makes it easy to bring authentic Korean food to your table.

As part of the collaboration, Swans fans will also be treated to complimentary Mandu and other snack samples at both AFL and AFLW home matches throughout the season — a celebration of

food and footy that brings people together.

bibigo is part of CJ Foods, the global leader in authentic Korean food for over 60 years. Known for connecting cultures through food, bibigo is expanding its presence Down Under and helping more Aussie households discover the rich taste and culture of Korea. Enter now for your chance to win and enjoy a Korean-inspired feast with bibigo!

The Weekender has four $50 Woolworths vouchers to give away. For your chance to win one, send an email to competitions@ westernweekender.com.au with ‘bibigo’ in the subject line. Don’t forget to include your contact details. Entries close Friday, May 30 and the winners will be notified by email. Terms and conditions are available at www. westernweekender.com.au.

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-

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: 0444, 0658, 0854.

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

The brick wall is part of Woodriff Gardens in Penrith, near the tennis courts on Castlereagh Road. Woodriff Gardens dates back to 1966.

Thumbs down to the ridiculous train delays earlier this week. While issues will always occur, the length of time it takes the system to recover from such drama is not acceptable.

Thumbs up to all the businesses in Penrith who have been nominated for gongs at the Local Business Awards this year. Look out for our special feature in coming weeks.

Smash hit musical phenomenon ‘Cats’ is back in Australia, opening at the Theatre Royal in Sydney next month.

Audience favourite Todd McKenney will play the dual roles of Bustopher Jones and Gus the Theatre Cat. Most recently seen as The Wizard in ‘Wicked’ and as Felix Unger opposite Shane Jacobson in ‘The Odd Couple’, McKenney played Tumblebrutus in the original Melbourne season of ‘Cats’ from 1987 to 1988, very early in his stage career, and is thrilled to revisit the show some four decades later.

Classical performer Mark Vincent returns to the musical theatre world as Old Deuteronomy, the wise and beloved patriarch of the Jellicle tribe. One of Australia’s most celebrated classical crossover artists, his career spans 10 albums, multiple international tours, and performances at some of the world’s most prestigious venues. This will be his third musical following his roles as Billy Kostecki in the Australian tour of ‘Dirty Dancing’ and Freddy Eynsford-Hill in the Dame Julie Andrews-directed ‘My Fair Lady’.

Also returning to ‘Cats’ after many years will be Leigh Archer, who will play the kind, motherly character Jennyanydots, also known among the tribe as the “Gumbie Cat”.

The musical tells the story of the Jellicle cat tribe. On just one special night of the year, all Jellicle cats meet at the Jellicle Ball where Old Deuteronomy, their wise and benevolent leader, makes the Jelli-

cle choice and announces which of them will go up to “The Heaviside Layer” and be reborn into a whole new Jellicle life. Visit www.catsthemusical.com. au for tickets and information.

The Weekender has two double passes to Cats on Tuesday, June 17 at 7pm to give away. For your chance to win one, send an email to competitions@westernweekender.com.au with ‘Cats’ in the subject line. Don’t forget to include your contact details. Entries close Friday, May 30 and the winners will be notified by email. Terms and conditions are available on our website.

MORE HEADACHES ON MULGOA ROAD

There will be more closures on Mulgoa Road in the coming weeks as roadworks continue.

The M4 eastbound and westbound exit ramps to Mulgoa Road, and one northbound lane on Mulgoa Road will be closed from 5am on Monday, May 26 to 5am on Wednesday, May 28.

The M4 westbound on-ramp will be closed overnight from 8pm to 5am on May 19, 20 and 22, while the M4 eastbound off-ramp will be closed from 8pm to 5am on Thursday, May 29.

Drivers are advised a detour route will be in place via the Russell Street or the Northern Road ramps to access the M4 during the closures.

Traffic control will be in place to assist road users and pedestrians through the work area if required.

The exit out of Blaikie Road onto Mulgoa Road will be closed from 5am on Monday, May 26 to 5am on Wednesday, May 28.

The entrance into Blaikie Road will be closed overnight from 7pm and 7am.

Blaikie Road will be fully closed from 10pm to 5am.

During these closures drivers are advised to detour through Jamison Road.

-Emily Chate

Asha’s new role

Penrith funeral director takes on critical industry position

The Australian Funeral Directors Association (AFDA) has announced the appointment of a Penrith Funeral Director as its new President.

Asha Dooley, one half of the father-daughter duo who own and operate Grace Funerals, has been chosen to lead the AFDA into a new era of transparency and will advocate for consistent, high-quality care across the industry.

The cost of funerals is a critical consideration for families as recent data indicates that the average expenses for a funeral in Australia can range from $4,000 to $15,000 varying based on level of service and location.

Dooley, current Managing Director and Funeral Director at Grace Funerals, steps into the role previously held by Kelly Scott who was best known for her impactful leadership which fostered strong community connections and delivered valuable resources for the industry.

Building on what was implemented by Scott, Dooley’s Presidency will be centred on “revitalisation and innovation”,

with a sharp focus on bolstering the industry’s integrity.

“I am acutely aware of the financial burden funerals can

place on families and the importance of clear, upfront information,” Dooley said following her appointment.

“My focus, and that of the AFDA, is to ensure that our members not only adhere to the most rigorous professional standards but also champion transparency in pricing and services, giving families peace of mind during a vulnerable time.

“We will be strengthening our advocacy to promote these standards across the entire industry.”

The AFDA Code of Ethics, Code of Conduct and mandatory Premises, Vehicle and Equipment inspections are fundamental to the expected high standards of the industry and under the leadership of Dooley AFDA will reinforce its commitment to these crucial frameworks.

Dooley will also work to actively advocate for these rigorous standards to be adopted more broadly, aiming for greater consistency and accountability across the entire Australian funeral industry.

Asha Dooley is the new President of the AFDA.

Mulgoa Road works continue.

EMILY CHATE

Modern classrooms to replace demountables at Kingswood

Students at Kingswood Public School will get more play space and new modern, permanent classrooms as part of a major upgrade.

A new building featuring eight classrooms and two common learning spaces will replace 10 ageing demountables at the school, some of which have been at the site for close to a decade.

Renders showing the new building were released this week, following up from a commitment made during the last State Election.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said the upgrades at the school will boost the students’ capacity to thrive in a learning environment.

“This upgrade at Kingswood Public School means students will finally move out of ageing demountables and into permanent, modern classrooms – giving them the space

and facilities to learn and thrive,” Car said.

“Investing in our schools is investing in our future, and the Minns Labor Government is providing record investment in western Sydney to provide new school facilities the community needs.

“Our Government is committed to addressing the neglect of schools across western Sydney by the former Liberal National Government, who continued to stack demountable after demountable on valuable, open space.”

Additional works will include new walkways, landscaping and upgrades to 15 existing classrooms, including two in the school’s heritage building.

These internal works include upgrading to new LED lighting, painting the ceilings, upgrading air conditioning, and refurbishing timber surfaces.

Designs were developed in close consultation with a project reference group made up of community members and education leaders.

Building contractor Belmadar has

been awarded the contract to deliver the upgrade, and a timeline for when construction will commence will be soon confirmed.

The community is invited to an information session on Thursday, May 22 at the Kingswood Public School Library (46-54 Second Avenue, Kingswood) from 3.30pm to 6.30pm to view the designs and learn more about the project.

State Member for Penrith Karen McKeown is encouraging Kingswood community members to attend the information session to learn more about the upgrades.

“Kingswood Public School is an integral part of our community, and this promised upgrade will allow students to thrive in a modern learning environment that caters to a range of needs,” McKeown said.

“It is disappointing the former Liberal National Government failed to properly invest in our schools and allowed demountables to take up space at Kingswood Public School for more than a decade.

“I encourage all families to come along to the upcoming information session to learn more about these exciting upgrades.”

• Brand new masterplanned community in Western Sydney with future new

ting fields and

• 2km to future Orchard Hills Metro and 14km to Western Sydney International Airpor t.

• Land sized from 300 to 600sqm (select your own builder ) or choose a home and land package by one of our par tner builders.

A render of what the new building will look like.

A render of what the new building will look like. EMILY CHATE

Come to the bark side

How you can help Assistance Dogs of the future enjoy their time off the clock

ALLY

Heroes come in all shapes and sizes –and the cutest of them all need your help before they don their capes.

Assistance Dogs Australia (ADA) is search ing for volunteers to care for dogs-in-training over weekends from Friday afternoons through to Monday mornings.

National Welfare Manager for ADA Maggie Armistead explained there are no minimum commitments for volunteers; the furry companions just need a loving home where they can rest and play after clocking off.

“We train dogs to help people with unique needs in Australia. Each of our dogs cost approximately $60,000 for the organisation to develop and train and we rely heavily on our volunteer network to achieve our goals,” Armistead stated.

“Our weekend care program is about repli cating a home environment and giving our

dogs a wonderful break for the weekends.”

All food and accessories are provided, and all different kinds of homes are suitable. From apartments to houses, from pet-free homes to hobby farms, and from toddlers to teenage children – all you need is an open heart and safe environment.

“The model we have here with our kennel facility does miss a lot of that home piece during development,” explained Chris Debenjak, the NSW Team Leader.

“The weekend program gives us a little bit of insight into what the dogs are like in a

home environment when they’re not actively working.”

After that, they go on to do incredible things.

“ADA has been operating since 1997 and we started with mobility dogs, so physical dogs for people in wheelchairs or with Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, or any kind of physical condition that limited what they could do on a day-to-day basis,” Debenjak said.

“Roughly 10 to 12 years ago, we started to look at autism and PTSD, and we also have an education support dog program.”

But until they’re ready, the pups in

New book tackles ADHD in a new, more positive light

ALLY HALL

Anew children’s book is challenging negative stereotypes about ADHD – a neurodevelopmental condition that impacts the ability to focus and causes hyperactivity.

Local author Dani Vee and her partner James Layton have published My SUPERCHARGED ADHD Brain to change the way it’s perceived.

“We were late diagnosed ADHD – only in the last two years – and we were thinking about all the negative things we’ve been told about having ADHD: ‘You’re fickle, you’re vague, you’re too much, you’re too loud.’ We were laughing about them and saying

we celebrate that stuff now,” Vee explained.

That’s when the idea for a book arose.

“I wish I had that book when I was growing up because I always felt like I didn’t quite fit in all the time,” Vee explained.

“You’ve always got such a busy brain, and I wanted to celebrate that you can do lots of things –that you are a good friend, that you like to take risks, that you like to have fun.”

But the authors don’t neglect the negatives.

“If you read the book, the character does forget her project, she does run late, she does need time alone,” Vee stated.

“It’s not pushing those things aside, but we’ve all heard the negative things about ADHD over and over again, so we wanted to flip it.”

While writing the book, Vee had her daughter in mind.

“I’d love kids to not feel so weird or different or bad about themselves. If people do criticise them and tell them they’re too loud or too much, then kids can say ‘That’s my awesome brain’,” she said.

The book has already sold around 5,000 copies before its release in stores on June 4.

Advanced Training need to practice their house manners away from the training facility in Orchard Hills.

“It’s great company over the weekends, and we specifically breed our dogs to love cuddles,” Armistead convinced.

“It’s also a way to give back to your community because these dogs are going to make a life-altering impact to clients in need later on down the path and volunteers are going to help us get there.”

Find more information online at https:// www.assistancedogs.org.au.

POEM SUBMISSION

Western Weekender reader Jillian Roberts has submitted the following poem, in dedication to her late mother.

Before and after

On the day she slips away you realise you actually live two lives. The one before and the one after. Left to learn, like a child again, how to continue. You were there to teach me the first time. But, I’m not a child anymore, who felt safe because you were my shadow. Always guiding me. Without you for the first time since waking up in this world. It dawns, what I have lost. Now sorrow I feel, realising my child has shared in my sadness and he will endure until I too become a memory of the life he lived with his mother, before. And the life he continues without me, After.

Slip away like water.

Creating the before and after. Into the fray.

Without you again today.

Plagued by memories, mostly mine. Memories, from days unkind.

At night, the Demons come.

Reminding me of things I Ieft undone. The first one to cradle me.

But in the end, your body had to set you free. From events that cannot be undone. My life has now become. Memories from before. And the ones made after.

Maggie and Chris with some of the dogs in training. Photo: Melinda Jane.

Too cute to refuse. Photo: Melinda Jane.

HALL

Dani Vee. Photo: Melinda Jane.

More than an escape room

We sentence you to test your investigative skills at Prison Island in Penrith

If jail wardens are anything like the friendly staff at Prison Island on Penrith’s High Street, sentence me now.

The indoor adventure destination in the heart of the city contains 30 cells, each with their own unique challenges – some physical and some mental.

I went in with a team of journalists – people who are qualified for their analytical and investigative skills – and we finished our mission with the sound of each other’s laugh ter forever engraved in our brains, a thorough understanding of how each person acts under pressure, and the new-found knowledge that we aren’t as clever as we thought we were.

The experience started with a video briefing while standing in what looked like a dreary grey prison hall. We were brought into the room by our warden, who committed to their role in the most polite and entertaining way possible.

After we were briefed, our team of four

entered through double doors and were faced with a winding hallway peppered with doors where our challenges awaited.

I won’t lie, some of these challenges were quite difficult to figure out. But, if you ever need help understanding what to do, your guards have got your back.

I don’t want to give anything away because you need to try this experience yourself, but I’ll give a vague recap on some of the cells we attempted.

One of the rooms had a floor-is-lava vibe, one had a reimagined whack-a-mole challenge, one made us dance until we (almost)

dropped, one had vomit bags in case of motion sickness, one required some geography skills (and I can barely tell left from right), and another required hand-eye coordination. That’s only a brief snapshot of the cells we attempted in the 45 minutes we spent weaving in and out of them.

Every room was so unique, and each time I walked through a new door, I felt taken-aback by what they were able to create with the space.

An important note for our bespectacled friends out there though, any ball-related game may result in an authentic Velma from Scooby Doo moment. Our political reporter Emily had to hit the deck a couple of times to pat the floor for her specs – all she needed was an orange turtleneck to complete the look!

Overall, Prison Island is just the antidote for those who’ve done one-too-many escape rooms and are ready to try something new.

And just like an escape room, time moves quickly, so prepare to race the clock if you want to top the scoreboard and conquer as many cells as you can.

Scram Escape Rooms is located at 1/535 High Street, Penrith above El Jannah.

The Weekender ’s team of journalists who took on the challenge.

Prison Island in Penrith.

One of the challenges that awaits you.

One of the Prison Island cells.

A Prison Island cell.

ALLY HALL

It’s time to stop just hoping for the best Guest Columnist

Dick pics. You’d be forgiven for thinking this was a Tinder rant, but no, I’m talking about western Sydney, and more specifically, voting in Lindsay. Why, because I think that western Sydney gets a crappy deal. I’d use other words, but they won’t let me publish those.

This all started after reading Troy Dodds’ article in the Weekender last week. It felt like he blamed us, the readers, for the election result, our standing as a community, and yes, the dick pics. It feels to me he gives a free pass to our local MP, Melissa McIntosh, and then implies it’s not her fault she delivers very little; it’s the Labor Party and yours.

Western Sydney is stronger and more vital than we think. I’ve lived here for over 20 years now, and I’ve always been a little dismayed at how locals are just happy to put up with being treated terribly as an area. I

lived in the eastern suburbs briefly during uni, and let me tell you, they don’t cop what we do. They demand; we just hope for the best.

Some western Sydney facts worth shouting:

– 2.12 million residents, that’s 47 per cent of Sydney’s population.

– We generate seven to 10 per cent of the NATION’S GDP.

– We make over half of Sydney’s goods and services.

– But we earn, on average, $20,000 less than other Sydney suburbs. – Our kids are less likely to go to uni.

–

And we’re about to cop 24/7 aircraft noise, something the eastern suburbs shut down 30 years ago.

My mate drew a dick on his ballot this year. He grew up in Mount Druitt. Before you judge, this guy runs a multimillion-dollar western Sydney business. When I asked on

socials why people draw dicks on ballots, he replied: “No one was worth a sensible vote.” He’s not dumb. He sees value, and he’s not seeing it in our political parties.

“Western Sydney is the engine that drives Sydney, but we aren’t holding the wheel”

“Politics is show business for ugly people,” or so the saying goes. Once upon a time, parties picked candidates from local teachers, tradies, or small business owners. Now? If you haven’t worked in a pollie’s office

or don’t have a big Insta following, good luck. A “communications executive” is your likely next MP and currently is.

I disagree with Troy; I think it is reasonable to question why pollies only seem to be around for photo opportunities. Yes, I want them to give us a buzz every now and then. Yes, I want them to door knock! Or at the very least, not pop in for a photo op and then disappear. In years gone by, David Bradbury set up mobile offices in parks around the local area and advertised for locals to come down and chat to him and his team about the stuff that mattered to them. More recently, I want to give credit to Stuart Ayres, who was omnipresent at the early stages of his career.

Melissa McIntosh dropped 6.6 per cent in primary vote, and it didn’t go to Labor’s Hollie McLean.

Nearly four per cent of the elector-

ate went informal. Dick pics. Blank papers. Angry scribbles. That’s not apathy. That’s disillusionment.

Another friend wrote, “None of you are any good”. That’s the real message coming out of Lindsay, and political parties still aren’t hearing it.

Western Sydney is the engine that drives Sydney, but we aren’t holding the wheel.

“I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve,” said a Japanese admiral after Pearl Harbor. Political parties might want to keep that in mind, because western Sydney’s getting restless.

“Penrith is the Paddington of the West,” a mate once told me. In 2019, the real Paddington ditched the Libs after 74 years and voted for an independent. Maybe they got tired of being taken for granted.

Maybe we should, too.

THE NUMBER YOU NEED TO SAVE IN YOUR PHONE AS WINTER ILLNESSES HIT

With an increase in winter illnesses expected over the coming months, people across NSW are being reminded free and instant health advice and treatment is available 24/7 by calling Healthdirect on 1800 022 222. A new campaign, launched by NSW Health

this week, is encouraging all NSW residents to save 1800 022 222 in their phone, to be ready for when illness strikes over winter.

An increasing number of people are turning to the service to get the advice and reassurance they need to recover quickly.

“If you or someone you care about needs health advice, treatment or care Healthdirect should be your first call,” Health Minister Ryan Park said.

“Whether it’s a tumble in the playground or a bad bug keeping you up through the night –

free, instant health advice is only a phone call away. Have the number handy for those times when you need professional and reassuring health advice.

“Don’t wait, save the Healthdirect number 1800 022 222 today.”

Clubs serve up foodie delights

Perfect Plate awards Courtney Roulston said there are no limits to the quality and decadence of club dishes.

Penrith clubs are throwing their chef’s hat into the ring to have a dish named the 2025 Perfect Plate.

ClubsNSW are back with their annual Your Local Club Perfect Plate Awards, which aims to highlight the quality and diversity of food on offer in the state’s registered clubs and is judged entirely by diners.

Panthers Penrith have entered three dishes in the running, a Mortadella & Burrata Pizza from Alexander’s and a Warm Sumac Lamb Salad and Coffee infused Pannacotta from Kelly’s Bar + Kitchen.

St Marys Rugby League Club have entered their Fisherman’s Creamy Chowder, a customer favourite heading into the cooler months.

“We set out to create a dish that was not only hearty and wholesome, but one that felt like a true family favourite,” St Marys Rugby League Club Marketing Manager Giulia Barron said.

“Crafted using fresh, locally caught seafood and quality produce, this rich, comforting chowder delivers warmth in every spoonful.

“It’s a substantial, soul-satisfying dish that quickly becomes a crowd pleaser – the kind of meal that brings people together.”

Celebrity chef and ambassador for the

“Last year the food was a step up from the year before and I have no doubt this year the clubs are really going to step it up again – you can get anything in clubs these days,” Roulston said.

The 2025 competition sees the introduction of a brand-new category, Perfect Pizza, as well as Best Dessert.

ClubsNSW CEO Rebecca Riant said that a lot of the state’s best restaurants are now found inside registered clubs and the competition for this year’s Perfect Plate will be hotly contested.

“Whether it’s dry aged steak, a hearty seafood risotto, a gourmet woodfired pizza or indulgences for those with a sweet tooth, clubs are renowned for the quality of their food at affordable prices, all served up in comfortable surrounds,” Riant said.

Until Sunday, June 15 patrons are encouraged to visit participating club eateries to taste the Perfect Plate dishes on offer and score them out of five by scanning each eatery’s unique QR code or filling out a paper voting form.

A $100 voucher will be drawn each day of the competition, and the two diners who vote for the most Perfect Plate dishes will win a ‘foodie escape’ for two valued at up to $3,500.

SCHOOL CANTEEN TENDER James Erskine Public School

Tenders are called for the licence of the school canteen for the school year commencing on 14 July 2025 for a term of 3 years with an option to renew for 2 years. Annual school enrolments will be approximately 482.

General enquiries and requests for a Tender Information Package should be referred to:

Mrs Mandy Anderson Business Manager

02 9834 3009

E: jameserski-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Tenders must be sent electronically and noted in the subject line “Commercial in Confidence – School Canteen Tender” and sent to:

Ms Rose Kingi Principal

E: jameserski-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Tenders close at 3:00pm on 30 May 2025

A tender visit and briefing session is planned to be held on 21 May 2025 at 9:00am

Mandatory Criteria: All employees must hold a current working with children check.

St Marys Rugby Leagues Club’s Fisherman’s Creamy Chowder.

Breaking all the rules

Kate Blackman, aka Onya Bones, brings her unique show to Penrith

ALLY HALL

It’ll be dinner and a show at Mr Watkins on May 30 as dancer Onya Bones proudly presents the Bones Brigade Burlesque.

The Weekender sat down with Onya Bones, who is known as Kate Blackman by day, and grew up dancing locally.

“They used to say I needed to stop being so aggressive and I needed to do what everybody else was doing, but now I’ve found a kind of dance where I can do whatever I want, and if I decide to do the wrong thing or something different, I can go for it,” Blackman explained.

“I can break the rules a little bit – or a lot.”

For the dancer, that’s what burlesque is all about.

“Breaking the rules, breaking boundaries,” Blackman started.

“There is the element of looking beautiful and feeling fantastic, but you can also bring humour and stories into it. It’s an art form.”

Blackman has been doing burlesque for around seven years and has run shows before, but this one is special.

“This one is my baby and I’m doing it all by myself. I feel very liberated and

empowered,” Blackman exclaimed.

The show will be MC’d by Jamie Horror and will feature other dancers including Vera Masquerade, Salvador Darling, Sinn Flor Escence, Forrest Green, and of course, the Bones Brigade.

“I’m really excited to bring my own thing into Penrith where I live and where I’m from,” Blackman said.

“We don’t have enough of this out here, and the calibre of performers that I’m going to have will be incredible.

“With the Bones Brigade Burlesque and Mr Watkins, it’s a collaboration of local people bringing arts to Penrith.”

Not only will the show add to the Penrith art scene, but also to local body positivity.

“Being able to come to a show and experience women of all different body types and different backgrounds – it makes people who watch the show or hear about it realise they’re incredible as they are in their own body,” Blackman explained.

“We’ve always lived in a time where certain looks have been forced upon us, and I want to encourage everyone to feel beautiful in their own skin.”

Search for the Bones Brigade Burlesque on Facebook and Instagram to find out more and book a ticket.

New bar coming to Penrith CBD

EMILY CHATE

Aluxury hotel in the heart of Penrith is getting a new bar and café, set to give a boost to the night life experience of the area.

The Astina Hotel on Woodriff Street lodged plans with Penrith City Council to fit out their empty ground floor space into a café and bar in July of 2023, and those plans have just been given the green light to go ahead.

The approved $198,000 Astina Lobby Café and Bar will have a liquor licence, space for over 100 patrons and both indoor and outdoor seating.

“This application seeks… the fit out and use of the vacant tenancy as a general bar venue with a maximum capacity of 150 people,” the Statement of Environmental Effects (SEE) attached to the Development Application (DA) said.

“The development is proposed to provide a contemporary night-time venue within the Penrith CBD, complementing the existing Astina offering on the site.”

Astina already boasts a contemporary rooftop cocktail bar, Theos, open from Wednesday to Sunday while the newly approved Astina Lobby Bar will operate Sunday to Wednesday from 6.30am to midnight and Thursday to Saturdays from 6.30am until 2am.

A render of what the pub will look like.

The SEE predicts there will be no negative social or economic impacts from the new development, instead saying it will bolster Penrith

City Council’s vision for a vibrant nighttime economy within Penrith.

“The proposed development would create additional employ-

Fundraiser to support families in tough times

Story continued from » p. 1

Despite all the setbacks in her short life, Florence has been described as a superstar.

“She’s charismatic, happy, intelligent – she’s the warmest little girl and she’s very funny, just like her dad,” Amanda described, referring to husband, Chris.

While Florence is improving, Amanda and Chris have launched the Florence Foundation to help other families in the same situation.

They have organised a fundraiser on June 7 at Mulgoa Preschool to raise money for Red Kite and the Cancer Council.

ment opportunities which is a positive outcome,” the SEE said.

“It also contributes to Council’s vision for a night-time economy within the Penrith CBD, which provides additional destination opportunities for the community and visitors to the City.”

There are no predicted parking issues given the proximity of the Judges Place Car Park and street parking to Astina.

“The proposed use is not likely to adversely impact upon traffic and parking within the local road network given that it is anticipated that patronage would be higher in the evenings where the demand for car parking in the wider area would be less,” the SEE said.

“We’ve got Burger Head, Brisket Boys burgers, unicorn ponies for kids to pat and feed, and a raffle with the first prize being a family holiday to Bali,” Amanda said.

That’s just a snapshot of the fun on offer at the school fete, and the beginning of the Florence Foundation’s philanthropic work. If you want to get involved, you can make a donation online at https://bit.ly/ florence-found.

Florence.

Onya Bones, aka Kate Blackman, will take centre stage in Penrith. Photo: Melinda Jane.

Have a cuppa for a cause

It would be a hard task to find someone who has not been affected by cancer, and that’s why the Penrith community gathers every year for the Cancer Council’s Biggest Morning Tea.

The community-based annual fundraising event is hosted by community members to raise money for cancer research, prevention and support services.

Two events in Penrith this year will be run by Penrith CBD Corp today (May 22) and Craft Circle on May 30.

“We’ve been working with Cancer Council through Pink Up Penrith with McGrath Foundation for many years,” said Penrith CBD Corp CEO Gai Hawthorn.

Tickets to the event at WOTSO on Station Street are $15 and include a cuppa, morning tea, and networking opportunities. There will also be a raffle.

“We cook up a little storm and we buy local because we support all our local businesses,” Hawthorn stated.

“My88 will be our music for the morning, and we have local business owner and survivor Linda Kemp from Complete Recruitment Solutions as our keynote speaker.

“It’s about everyone coming together, supporting a great cause, networking, and enjoying the morning.”

One week later, Craft Circle will be hosting a similar event at Penrith Baptist Church in Caddens.

“We’re having a speaker from the Cancer Council and there’s lots of prizes, lots of fun, and we’re getting more people each year,” said Shirley Jenkins, leader of Craft Circle.

The event will run from 10am to 12pm and entry is $5. It includes a lucky door prize, guessing games, a silent auction, a bring-andbuy stall, and a teapot competition.

“We’ll have people bring their teapots along and we’ll line them all up with jars in front of them and people can go around and put money into the one they like the best; the one that raises the most gets a prize,” Jenkins explained.

The local grandmother has had cancer twice, and she’s not the only member of the group to experience the disease.

“We have three members at the moment who have been told that they will die from

Mayor’s News

The weekly views of Penrith’s Mayor

Shining a light on our 24-hour economy

Changes are happening in and around town – and Penrith City Council wants to hear ideas for our 24-hour economy from residents and businesses, as we continue to plan for our prosperous future.

Until June 13, community members can provide feedback on OPEN: Penrith and St Marys 24-hour Economy Strategy 20252029, which details actions to build a safer, more diverse and thriving economy in our City’s two key strategic centres.

Just like you, I love an opportunity to go out for dinner and explore, trying new things with my family. We want to provide greater options for people of all ages to enjoy and bring lights, laughs and activities to Penrith and St Marys.

This Strategy outlines our plan to generate more jobs close to home, more revenue for businesses, and provide more reasons for people to stay out late and appreciate everything our City centres have to offer.

This Strategy will help us to deliver on the community and Council’s shared aspirations for a vibrant heart in Penrith

their cancers, but they’re on treatment which is keeping them going which is good,” Jenkins said.

“We love our ladies, and we don’t want them dying from cancer.

“My mother and both my brothers died from cancers, so we’re very passionate about doing something to raise money.”

Find out more or donate to the Cancer Council’s Biggest Morning Tea online at https:// www.biggestmorningtea.com.au.

as well as St Marys – something I have always been passionate about and long advocated for.

These plans coincide with, and maximise, the immense opportunities coming our way, with rapid and significant change spurred by major projects including the Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport and the Sydney Metro –Western Sydney Airport rail line.

These projects will propel visitation to our City centres by day and night, which will help build confidence for local businesses.

I encourage you to have your say on the strategy, to help us see our City centres continue to thrive and become more vibrant, productive and diverse at all hours. For more information, and to provide your feedback online, visit yoursaypenrith. com.au/24houreconomystrategy.

Council will also hold a pop-up feedback session in person during our Winter Solstice event, from Friday, June 6 to Monday, June 9, at City Park, Penrith.

CR TODD CARNEY

Mayor of Penrith

Penrith CBD Corp’s 2024 Biggest Morning Tea. Craft Circle Biggest Morning Tea.

ALLY HALL

PENRITH’S BELOVED MUSIC HUB SEEKS NEW OWNER TO CARRY THE TUNE READ ALL ABOUT US

For 25 years, High Street Music in Penrith has been a cornerstone of the community, o ering expert guidance on musical instruments, ampli cation, and print music. With an on-site tuition school nurturing musicians of all ages and a dedicated repair ser vice ensuring beloved instruments continue to be played for years to come, the store has built a reputation for excellence and trust.

Spread across two levels, the ground oor hous es guitars, amps, keyboards, print music, and repairs, while the rst oor boasts an expansive drum showroom—a drummer’s paradise for testing acoustic and electronic kits,

cymbals, and percussion.

Complementing the in-store experience is a comprehensive online store, making research and purchases seamless.

Located in the heart of Penrith’s main business

district, High Street Music enjoys a prime position with convenient parking nearby.

Now, founder Peter Boyd is ready to pass the reins to a new, passionate owner someone w ho understands

rofound impact of music n wellbeing and the joy of ting it. With a team of highly experienced sta and vering customer trust, re opportunity o ers ued growth and success he next chapter of High et Music.

s is a exciting opportunity wn a well-established sic store with a strong unity presence. If you’re ready to take the next step, contact us today to discuss this exciting business venture Expressions of interest can be emailed to: info@ highstreetmusic.com.au

Address: 491 High Street, Penrith NSW 2750

Δ

Two Aussie icons: Domino’s and Four’N Twenty are teaming up to create a gameday masterpiece that’s going to blow your tastebuds into extra time: Meat Pie Crust Pizza (pictured above). Yep, you read right –this is the ultimate Aussie mashup. Dropping just as footy season heats up, the indulgent crust upgrade will made its debut this week and is set to be an instant half-time hit! From just a $3 upgrade to any pizza, Aussies can transform their Domino’s pizza into a legendary celebration of Aussie footy culture – one mini Four’N Twenty pie at a time. Each pie is packed with 100 per cent Aussie beef, wrapped in flaky pastry, all encased in Domino’s Classic dough. Customers can add a tangy, nostalgic twist by drizzling on classic tomato sauce themselves. Customers can order in-store, through the Domino’s app, or online at www.dominos.com.au.

Δ IKEA turns 50: To celebrate 50 years of IKEA Down Under, IKEA is saying thanks to

its Aussie customers with the launch of the world’s first-ever flat-packed flip flops. The hyper-limited IKEA FLIP FLÖPS are the first flat-pack fashion accessory of its kind, requiring a simple three-step assembly. The footwear is the perfect way for IKEA to celebrate this milestone, blending design innovation and Scandinavian style with quintessential Aussie culture. To get your hands on the limited-edition IKEA FLIP FLÖPS, visit www.ikea. com.au and enter the giveaway.

lifestyles where health, and convenience are top priorities. With growing awareness of the importance of sleep for overall well-being, our product aligns perfectly with current trends in wellness and travel. Visit www. sleepkeeper.com.au for more info.

Δ A travel essential: The Weekender team has been testing out SleepKeeper pillow carriers (pictured above), an innovative travel essential designed to bring the comfort of home wherever life takes you. Whether you are jetting off on holiday, planning a weekend getaway, or kids are going on school camp, SleepKeeper offers the perfect solution for those who love to travel with their pillow. We all know the value of a good night’s sleep, yet pillows are often overlooked in travel. SleepKeeper pillow carriers are compact, lightweight, and designed to protect your favourite pillow from dirt and damage, making it easy to pack for any trip. SleepKeeper resonates with modern

Δ Twist on a classic: Woolworths has dropped an incredible twist on an Australian classic: the new limited edition finger bun inspired Filled Buns, arriving in stores this week. Where finger buns traditionally only have the icing on the top of the bun, the soft, slightly sweet brioche-style bun, is now filled with the delicious pink icing inside for extra flavour. The bun is finished with a delicate sprinkle of toasted coconut. The new

Limited Edition Finger Bun Inspired Filled Buns will be available in a four-pack (360g) for $5.50 at Woolworths stores nationwide.

Δ OAK and Rolo join forces: Flavoured milk brand OAK has dropped a new collaboration with Rolo. OAK inspired by Rolo will envelop you in a glorious, gooey sensation, with no escape in sight. Hungrythirsty is about to become a sticky mess with its indulgent richness of gooey fudge and sweet, buttery caramel flavour, adding to OAK’s winning flavour lineup. Available now at all supermarkets.

Here’s a shot of Victoria Bridge in October 1980, looking east.

Originally completed in 1855, the original Victoria Bridge was washed away by floods just two years later.

Floods continued to be an issue for several years, before the bridge we see today –which is heritage listed – was completed.

Legend has it that remains of earlier bridges are likely still embedded in the riverbed of the Nepean, as well as relics of the construction

TURNING BACK TIME

If you’re running a small or medium-sized business here in Sydney and you’re busy crafting new products, improving your services, or testing out better ways to manufacture, there’s a government support program you really should know about: the Research and Development (R&D) Tax Incentive.

Put simply, this incentive can help you claim back up to 43.5 per cent of your eligible innovation expenses, helping to make innovation more affordable and less of a financial strain.

Now, we know what you might be thinking — “That sounds like something only high-tech labs or scientists would qualify for.”

But that’s not the case. If your business is doing practical experimentation, solving technical problems, or trying to improve the way things are done, your business could qualify for this support.

Here’s a quick breakdown of how it works:

• Your business needs to be a registered company.

• You must be conducting eligible R&D activities — things like testing new processes, experimenting with different materials, or developing something entirely new.

• You’ll need to register your project with AusIndustry — this helps confirm it qualifies.

• Then, when you lodge your tax return with the ATO, you include a special R&D schedule detailing your activities and costs.

The beauty of this incentive is that it reduces the risk

of innovating and instead of shouldering all the cost yourself, the government shares the load, freeing up resources so you can reinvest in new ideas, improve your offerings, and strengthen your position in the market.

To sum up, if your business is having a go at doing something new or better, don’t let this opportunity pass you by. The R&D Tax Incentive is a brilliant way for hardworking business owners to get a little help in turning their clever ideas into real-world success, with the support of the government to enhance your business’s growth and sustainability.

ARK BUDGET

BACK BATHURST

PANTHERS COACH IVAN CLEARY TAKES HIS SIDE TO BATHURST TO KICK-OFF AN ORIGIN PERIOD THAT COULD DEFINE THE SEASON. FIRST UP: THE TROUBLED NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS. MATCH PREVIEW: PAGES 30-31. INSIDE: SEE HOW

Pthe finalword

enrith head back to Bathurst this Saturday without a string of top-line stars, taking on a Newcastle side that is slipping deeper and deeper into the rugby league abyss every week.

The Panthers will be without Dylan Edwards, Brian To’o, Nathan Cleary, Liam Martin and Isaah Yeo for Saturday evening’s clash, and while Ivan Cleary has had to navigate such representative pressures before, he’s traditionally done so with a few more competition points in the bank than he has now.

If Cleary can guide Penrith through this Origin period unscathed and have them finish higher on the ladder than where they are as you read this (13th), then it will be among his greatest regular season achievements.

The Knights are also slightly impacted by Origin with captain Kalyn Ponga unavailable this week due to Maroons selection. Newcastle

will miss his effort, but it has to be said he’s been below his best this year – despite trying his backside off every week.

Newcastle come into this match in 15th spot with just three wins this season and the worst attacking record in the competition. They aren’t in a good spot at the moment, and Ponga and coach Adam O’Brien admitted as much in the post-match press conference last week following their loss to Parramatta.

And with O’Brien tinkering with the team’s halves again (an issue throughout the 2024 season), it’s questionable if things will get better for Newcastle any time soon. Las Vegas and Dylan Brown can’t come quickly enough.

But they’d give themselves a shot this Saturday given the amount of cattle Penrith have missing.

The Panthers are already suffering in terms of depth and inexperience, and it will be

amplified on Saturday. But this is certainly the opportunity for this young squad to step up and stamp their authority – to show that they’re not the also-rans of this era, but valuable contributors.

And while most of those called up this week have started to build their experience and confidence, perhaps it’s been a little intimidating to do it with the club’s stars largely still there.

In other words, filling in here or there when a player is out is vastly different to a collective group coming together for a mission all at once, and that could work in the side’s favour.

Penrith need a game where they can tighten up their defence. They’re still leaking way too many points, exemplified by the 30 they conceded against the Cowboys a fortnight ago.

Penrith conceding 30 points at any point over the last five years would have been extraordinary, now it’s happening regularly.

With all due respect to the Knights, this is a good opportunity to fix some of those issues. The Knights hardly set the world on fire in attack so it’s a chance to put up the brick wall and get some confidence.

It goes without saying that some of Penrith’s more experienced players need to step up into leadership roles this weekend. The likes of Mitch Kenny and Moses Leota. Those guys need to lead the way and then those called in for back-up can ease into the match.

Ultimately this Origin period will make or break Penrith’s season. It is not as comfortable as it once was. But with challenge comes opportunity, and if the Panthers can get through this – who knows what might be next.

The result here could be more about Newcastle’s story than that of Penrith. They’re in a world of pain and I can’t see things turning.

Tip: Panthers by 20.

BELINDA SHARPE | BUNKER: ASHLEY KLEIN

Graphic by Zoe Merrick.

panther rumblings

NSW IN THE BLUES MOUNTAINS

! Blues head to Mountains: The New South Wales Origin side is back in the Blue Mountains as they replicate much of the training set-up from last year’s series win. Our cameras captured Penrith superstar Nathan Cleary as he arrived for training at Blue Mountains Grammar School yesterday. The Blues will train there again over coming days. Laurie Daley has his side travelling to Brisbane on Sunday ahead of next Wednesday’s series opener. There’s plenty of media opportunities, but one player you won’t be hearing from is former Panther Spencer Leniu. He’s on a media ban following his recent confrontation with Queensland great Johnathan Thurston.

! Stadium naming rights: Work has commenced on finding a naming rights partner for the new Penrith Stadium for once it opens in 2027. BlueBet, which sponsored the stadium most recently, won’t return. In fact you’d doubt heavily the State Government would do a deal with any gambling company now that it owns the venue – it’s just not a good look. It’d be awesome for a company with deep Penrith connections to nab the naming rights, but given the hefty price tag it’s likely to be a national or international name.

! Careful, Kamper: We’ve noticed the constant comments from Sports Minister Steve Kamper about the new Penrith Stadium being “more than just a stadium”, pushing the fact the venue will be something of a community hub and home of entertainment. All that is well and good, but Kamper and the State Government need to be mindful of their approach here. You’re building a stadium that will primarily be used as the home of a football team that this community loves and cherishes, and has done so for more than half a century. It’s OK to be parochial about that –and proud that you’re building the new home of the Panthers. The last thing you want to do is alienate Penrith fans from their own venue and feel it’s not the home of their footy club. If that happens, they may stay away more often than you’d like.

! Stadium progress: Still on the stadium and progress is starting to be made on tearing down the iconic Western Grandstand. Over the last couple of weeks, all of the remaining famous red seats have been removed while the old Chairman’s Lounge has been gutted, along with the media boxes.

! Boys take a break: Ivan Cleary gave his players some much needed relaxation time over the bye weekend, ahead of what will be an ‘all hands on deck’ Origin period for those

with the task of holding down the fort while the likes of Isaah

Nathan

Brian To’o, Liam Martin and Dylan Edwards are away. Mitch Kenny and Izack Tago took the opportunity to head to the Northern Territory

– getting up close and personal with crocodiles in the process.

! Vossy’s Chinese odyssey: Fox League broadcaster Andrew Voss is off to Bathurst this Saturday to call the Panthers v Knights clash. He’ll be heading home after the game but not before he tracks down a Chinese feed. He’s been using his breakfast radio show on SEN this week to take votes on the best Chinese restaurant in Bathurst.

! Spotted: ABC broadcaster John Gibbs hobbling into Campbelltown Stadium for last Sunday’s game between the Tigers and Rabbitohs after taking a tumble in the car park. He got on with the job as you’d expect.

! A bit rich: Which NRL club – and it’s not the Panthers – is pushing performance clauses into sponsorship contracts, aimed at getting more money out of corporate partners if the team makes the Finals or has a successful season? Not surprisingly, there’s no discount if the team fails to make the top eight or makes poor administration decisions off the field that tarnishes the club and its perceived value.

! Indigenous jersey revealed: The Panthers have revealed this year’s Indigenous jersey, which they’ll wear for the Round 24 clash against Melbourne at CommBank Stadium. The vibrant jersey sees a black base adorned by striking Indigenous artwork and symbolism in the Panthers colourway. There’s a couple of really cool inclusions too – including the handprints of Indigenous player Daine Laurie

and Indigenous Panthers staff member Taylah Murray featuring on the back.

! Love does funny things: Nathan Cleary’s partner Mary Fowler is ready to support the Blues this year, swapping her allegiances with Queensland for the upcoming Origin series. Cleary revealed this week that Fowler has requested a New South Wales jersey. No doubt he’ll be popping down to Australia Post pronto.

! Gus unblocks Editor: Former Panthers boss Phil Gould blocked Weekender Editor Troy Dodds on Twitter yonks ago, along with the Weekender itself. While the paper is apparently still in the bad books with Gus, he’s granted Dodds a reprieve. They’re pals again.

Yeo,

Cleary,

Nathan Cleary. Photo: Melinda Jane.

THE PANTHERS ARE FEELING BLUE

Panthers and Kangaroos captain Isaah Yeo has added yet another job to his ever-growing résumé, named the new skipper of the NSW Blues.

The 30-year-old four-time premiership winner will become the 22nd captain of the Blues when NSW battle Queensland in the State of Origin series opener at Suncorp Stadium next Wednesday night.

Speaking with the media on Monday afternoon, Yeo revealed that he was enjoying Penrith’s bye week with family in Mudgee when Blues coach Laurie Daley phoned him with the good news.

“Laurie just gave me a call and let me know. I’m incredibly proud and really privileged to be in this role in such a wonderful side,” he said.

“I was lucky enough to tell my family there on the day and we kept it pretty hush hush for a couple of days until they announced the team.

I couldn’t be more thankful he’s entrusted me with this role.”

It’s not Yeo’s first leadership role with the Blues, he was vice-captain to then skipper Jake Trbojevic during last year’s series victory.

The proud Dubbo product praised

Trbojevic – who wasn’t selected in the team for Origin I due to concussion protocols – and the job he did last year.

“You never like seeing someone get injured in the NRL, but I just felt like the way he performed in this role last year… the way he led both on and off the field is such big shoes to fill.

That’s the role I have to try and take, I guess,” Yeo said.

“Jake did such a wonderful job, and we wouldn’t have had the success we had last year if he wasn’t our leader.

That’s up to me to try and make sure I’m doing my best and try and lead this successful campaign.”

Including the proud new skipper, the Panthers will have five players representing the NSW Blues next Wednesday night in Brisbane.

Penrith co-captain Nathan Cleary will make his return to the Origin arena after missing the entire series last year due to injury. He’ll be joined in the team by fullback Dylan Edwards, who will line-up in his third consecutive Origin game; winger

Brian To’o, who will play in his 13th Origin game; and backrower Liam Martin, who will also take on the Maroons for the 13th time.

“I’m absolutely pumped to be back in Camp… I’ve missed the last five [Origin] games [due to injury], so I’m super grateful to be back in this camp. Even putting on the gear is just a mad feeling. I’m really happy!”

Cleary told ‘NRL 360’ on Tuesday.

The two-time Clive Churchill Medallist will partner Parramatta’s Mitchell Moses in the halves for

the very first time. Cleary said he’s excited to help “bring out the best” in Moses, who helped guide the Blues last year.

“I’ve been a big admirer of Mitch for a long time now and understand the way he plays,” he said.

“The beauty of this combination is we both understand the game quite well. It’s about bringing out the best in my ‘6’ and that’s what I like to do – unlocking them so they can play their best game. I’m looking forward to doing that with Mitch.”

The Blues train in the Blue Mountains on Wednesday. Photo: Melinda Jane.

NATHAN TAYLOR

PROOF LURON HAS ‘MADE IT’

Young Panthers wrecking ball Luron

Patea got his first taste of unwanted fame recently when a bizarre rumour about his love life appeared on social media.

While the rumour was so far-fetched that it was 100 per cent fabricated, in a strange way it was a sign – albeit an odd one – that the 20-year-old had finally made it onto the rugby league scene.

Prior to his breakout game against the Broncos at Magic Round – a game in which he scored his first try – not many NRL supporters outside of the Penrith bubble knew the name Luron Patea.

But now more and more people are getting to

support of his more experienced teammates by his side.

“The boys talk to you about it… being on socials or being on your phone too much,” he said.

“It’s good having the boys around, having them talk you through it and talk about what they’ve been through. Taking what the boys are saying away has really helped me.”

Following the club’s first bye of the season last weekend, the Panthers will return to the paddock this Saturday evening when they face off with the struggling Newcastle Knights at chilly Carrington Park in Bathurst.

Penrith will go into the match as favourites despite having five players missing due to Origin commitments and several others sidelined due to injury and suspension.

know the former rugby union star and it’s not because of his fake off-field romance with a 78-year-old American billionaire heiress.

Speaking with Extra Time on Monday, Patea said he’s learning very quickly the positives and negatives of social media.

“I’m trying my best to not be on my phone, on socials, seeing all the comments and stuff. It’s hard to nowadays because everyone is on their phone and posting on socials, but I try not to be on my phone too much,” he admitted.

Like most rugby league players, the Panthers cop their fair share of good and bad on social media. The more famous and successful you get, the more a target you become.

Patea said he’s very grateful to have the

Patea said the bye came at a “good time” for the club following their disappointing draw against the North Queensland Cowboys in Round 10.

“Leading into Origin, it’s a good time to regroup and reset,” he said.

“It allows us to go over what we need to and what’s happened over the last couple of months – what we can take away and what we can use to put us in better positions to win games.”

Winning is of the utmost importance for the Panthers as they launch in to the second third of the season sitting in 13th place with three wins to their name.

Patea said it’s vital this week’s inexperienced outfit continue to keep the Panthers afloat

while their senior players are representing their State.

“Obviously it’s a big loss losing our senior players, especially our leaders in Yeoy and Clez, but we have that next man up mentality, and we just have to all back ourselves and come together like we did against Brisbane,” he said.

“There’s a lot of young boys in our team and when we get the opportunity from Coach it gives us confidence and it’s a good chance for us to go out there and showcase what we have individually and what we can do for the team.”

This Saturday’s match against the Knights is expected to be close to a sell out as the club’s beloved supporters out west make their annual pilgrimage to Carring ton Park.

Patea said he’s excited to play his first game in Bathurst, where the tempera ture at kick-off is expected to be below 10 degrees Celsius.

“I’ve never been to Bathurst, so I’m keen to see how many fans we have out there,” he said.

“Some fans out there can’t make it to every game, so that will fuel us to play better for our fans there. Hopefully we can get the job done.”

Luron Patea chatting with journalist Nathan Taylor. Photo: Melinda Jane.

Luron Patea in action against North Queensland. Photo: NRL Photos.

Luron Patea. Photo: Melinda Jane. NATHAN TAYLOR

panther memories

You can almost smell and feel Penrith Park of the 1990s in this photo. It was taken towards the end of the 1999 season, at Greg Alexander’s final home game against the Raiders.

A huge crowd has packed into the eastern stand – some with signs in tribute to ‘Brandy’, one of the club’s favourite sons.

One reads: “Thanks for all the years of excellent football. You have made Penrith and Australia proud”. Wouldn’t it be amazing to document the Panther-supporting journey of every fan captured in this shot?

(Photo thanks to NRL Photos)

footy club

The next time the Panthers team list comes out on Tuesday, make sure you take a careful look at the players listed 18-22 each week on the team sheet. I promise you’ll find some neat ‘easter eggs’ in each list.

For those who don’t know an ‘easter egg’ is an expression which means a ‘hidden surprise’. There is so much to see and discover in

this group of players. There are both experienced players and young players who are next in line listed and if you look carefully, you might even find the next big thing. Players on the extended bench are picked because they can be used at any time and rotated into the starting 17 at a moment’s

especially at training and can be inserted into the starting 17 at any time throughout the week.

Then, there is my favourite type of player, the ultimate ‘easter egg’, yes I’m talking about ‘the next big thing’.

the cusp of making his first-grade debut, his name is Billy Scott.

For those who don’t know Billy Scott is a talented hooker who is already signed until the end of 2027, such is the faith and expectation the club has on his potential.

If we look at some of the players selected on the extended bench during the first 10 games we can find examples of all the above examples.

The experienced player, Daine Laurie and Matt Eisenhuth lead this group as well as Brad Schnieder. They are usually first ‘cab off the rank’ when a player in the backline or forwards is injured or suspended.

You need experience in the team to steady the ship and not rock the boat.

The next wave coming through are players with some first grade experience but who also have the potential to become a regular first grader. Talent like Mavrik Geyer, Luke Sommerton and just recently Luron Patea and Casey McLean.

Then there’s my favourite type of player, the boom rookie. The rookie takes the form of a player who may not yet be ready for first grade but the club see he’s a potential first grade player and maybe even a star of the future.

Over the last 10 rounds one name stands out as a player who is on

He is seen by many in the club as Mitch Kenny’s understudy and the player who may eventually be his successor.

You see the ‘extended bench’ is more than just a list of names to be glanced over and ignored because most of the players get cut well before game day.

The extended bench represents a group of players who work their backside off every week to be ready to play first grade at a moment’s notice.

It represents a field of dreams for the next big thing and It rewards the player waiting for their next chance to play one more first grade game. While for Billy Scott, it means he is one more step closer to realising his dream of making his first-grade debut.

That’s right at Penrith you must ‘earn’ your starting 17 spot, it’s not just something which is given to you because like former Panthers player David Applebee once famously said;

“To be a Panther is an honour, a privilege… we don’t just let anyone bastard in.”

Matt Eisenhuth has proved a reliable back-up at Penrith.

with Peter Lang

ENTERTAINMENT

VIENS AU THEATRE

Do me a favour – when you read the quotes in this article, imagine they’re being said in an exaggerated French accent.

Tom Clarke spoke to the Weekender as Denis, one of the five characters in upcoming play, ‘The Trojan War’.

“What is your name, my darling?” Denis asked after introducing himself.

Upon saying my name – Ally – I got a good idea of the flamboyant character’s personality and how the rest of the interview would go.

“Gosh! Like an alleyway of desire or beauty.

I can tell your voice is warm and your heart is kind,” Denis flirted.

The show was created by a New Zealand company called A Slightly Isolated Dog – but my interviewee maintained his character.

“I’m part of a very famous very French theatre company – VERY famous, VERY French – and we are dedicated to creating a big sexy party on stage and trying to give everyone the best night of their lives,” Denis explained.

“I’m part of a group of five, so there are four other gorgeous, wonderful people – Sylvie, Julie, Ginger and Philippe – and we scurry about the stage trying to tell you the story of the Trojan War.”

The flirty Frenchman said the story has tran-

scended generations.

“There’s love, lust, gods, fate, and a little bit of naughtiness,” Denis stated.

“We try to capture everything on stage, and what we do is get the audience to help us tell the story, which involves crazy props.”

But it’s also okay if audience members would prefer to relax and watch the show from a distance.

“You can bring a date, or you can come and find one in the audience,” Denis began.

“Maybe you’ll get lucky if you come. It is a story about deep-seated romance after all, as well as untold tragedy.”

The comedic style of the show has been described as a mash-up of ‘Monty Python’ meets

‘Mighty Boosh’ – two obscenely popular British comedy groups.

“The Monty Python guys might have been on to something, but we are the next origin – the next evolution of them perhaps,” Denis compared.

“We are very silly, very slapstick, we’re often tripping each other up and giving each other fantastic jokes. It’s a wonderful show.”

Leave your inhibitions at the door as you enter the show where you’ll uncover the story of the tragic fall of Troy through theatrical magic, twisted pop songs, and explosive wit.

‘The Trojan War’ is at Riverside Theatres on May 30 and 31. Book online at https:// riversideparramatta.com.au.

ALLY HALL

THINGS TO DO

Infamous comes to Penrith

See a combination of sexy circus acts, raunchy dancing and cheeky comedy at ‘Infamous’! The show promises an intimate setting within the Spiegeltent that transports audiences to a bygone era of elegance and charm. View the spectacle at the Paceway from May 23 to June 21. Tickets start at $62.50 and can be purchased online at https://www.infamous.net.au.

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.

Penrith CBD Corporation

Regular meetings and networking for Penrith CBD businesses. Visit www. penrithcbdcorp.com.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

Holding the Man at Glenbrook Theatre

‘Holding the Man’ is an Australian play that draws the audience into the deeply personal story of enduring love between John Caleo and Timothy Conigrave. Their relationship develops over 15 years of complex challenges. See the tender and tragic performance by the Glenbrook Players at Glenbrook Theatre on May 23, May 24, May 30, May 31 and June 1.

from 10am. New members are always welcome.

Kingswood-Caddens Probus Club

Meets on the fourth Monday of the 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.

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

Dogs in the Park

Attend a fun-filled event where French Bulldogs take centre stage in an adorable breed showcase. Visitors can meet the cutest Frenchies in the state, cheer on pups in the fashion parade, and compete for fantastic prizes. All dog breeds are welcome at the Luddenham Showground on May 25 and entry is free.

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.

Free food shop

9am-11am every Tuesday at 51 Henry Street, Penrith.

MUSEUMS

Penrith Museum of Printing Sundays from 10am. Penrith Paceway. 0415 625 573 for more information.

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.

At the movies...

One year after her sister disappeared, Clover (Ella Rubin) and her friends set out to find her, but they instead find themselves stuck in a horrific time loop.

The only solution is to survive until morning.

The horror film is derived

Each night, the group are stalked by a masked killer and face terrifying threats that kill them one by one –and each time, they wake up and start the night over again.

from a 2015 video game by the same name. It’s set in the same universe but expands on the game’s mythology.

The movie has been described as an “R-rated love letter to the horror genre”.

College student Stefani Reyes (Kaitlyn Santa Juana) is plagued by recurring nightmares of a tower collapse that occurred in the 1960s.

She discovers these nightmares are a premonition inherited from her grandmother, who predicted the collapse of the building and saved a group of people from death.

But death doesn’t like to be cheated and is now coming to claim the family’s bloodline because they never should have existed.

The teenager returns home to find the one person who can break the cycle and save her family

from the

inevitably awaits them in true grizzly ‘Final Destination’ fashion.

WAYNE’S W RLD

with Wayne Tunks

WAYNE TUNKS CAN BE HEARD WEEKDAYS, 7AM-10AM ON MY88 – AN IHEART STATION

I had the pleasure recently of seeing the incomparable Wendy Matthews at Club Central Menai. I’d seen her perform once before, when she performed a Paul Simon tribute show with Grace Knight at Panthers, so it was a good chance to finally see her perform her own tunes. It was an intimate venue, but was very full of excited and receptive fans.

The show began with her ARIA winning tune, ‘Friday’s Child’, and it was evident just how strong her voice is. She is a wonderful performer and her stories in between songs were funny and heartwarming. She sang a lot of tracks from her first couple of albums, ‘Emirge’ and ‘Lily’, and some tracks from her most recent albums. While I would have loved to hear more from the middle of her career, especially ‘Beloved’, and Aussie Top 50 hit, I enjoyed every

song she performed. There were a number of highlights. The double hit of ‘Standing Strong’ and ‘Let’s Kiss (Like Angels Do)’ was a

big crowd pleaser, as was her 1990 smash, ‘Token Angels’, a song that is simply beautiful and paints such a stunning picture. The track that had everyone rivetted was her 1992 number two single, ‘The Day You Went Away’. The rest of the band took a break and left Wendy with her keyboardist. She sat on the corner of the drum rise and belted out the tune with pure heart. It was beautiful and moving. This song is an Aussie classic and really did deserve to get that one place higher to reach one. The other big pleaser was her final song, ‘I Don’t Want To Be With Nobody But You’, her track with Absent Friends. This had the crowd singing along and was the perfect finish to a great show. I say this often, see artists you loved as a teen when you can, you will never regret it. And this night is one I truly adored.

COUNTRY CORNER

It’s finally here!

Morgan Wallen’s highly-anticipated fourth studio album, ‘I’m The Problem’, which has already notched up a list of number one singles in America, is finally out.

Spanning 37 tracks, ‘I’m The Problem’ combines Wallen’s country, cross and dirt-rock influences, and

he’s headed – and not shying away from the past.

The album opens with the title track, ‘I’m The Problem’, a cutting double-edged confession that reveals the complexities of a relationship at its lowest point. It concludes with ‘I’m A Little Crazy’, a quiet, self-reflective song that looks inward while examining the world outside. As with

features collaborations with pop superstars Post Malone and Tate McRae, plus close friends Eric Church, ERNEST and HARDY.

Having spent nearly a year writing and refining the tracklist from his farm just outside of Nashville with core collaborators, including producers Joey Moi and Charlie Handsome, the process was reflective for Wallen, taking inventory of where he’s been and where

Wallen’s other albums, his eclectic taste in music creeps into his songs.

But with this album, he’s really honed his ability to integrate those influences, drawing on guitar sounds of Indie bands like The War On Drugs, country greats like Keith Whitley and hip-hop drum tracks. Between all of that, Wallen also reaches listeners on a granular level.

“There were three styles on the last album that I had

in my head, and I went with that same approach with this album,” Wallen reflects on the process of interpolating different sounds.

“We had straight up country songs, which I always do, and then we had more of an alternative-indie approach on a few of them. Those songs end up being a little bit countrified, just because that’s who we are and that’s how we do them. And then the more cross-genre approach might end up on a multi-genre radio station, just because of all the influences that I’ve had throughout my life, listening to every single type of music. I think I’ve stuck to that approach with ‘I’m The Problem’, getting an anchor song for each style and once we have those anchor songs dialled in, we fill up those buckets.

“We recorded around 50 songs for this album and ended up cutting 13,” he added.

“I feel like we accomplished what I had in mind, and a huge shoutout to my close collaborators on this too. They came in ready and fired up every single day, and they inspire me as much as anything else.”

Ê One of Australia’s favourite quiz shows, ‘Spicks & Specks’, is returning to the ABC on Sunday, June 15 at 7.30pm. The original trio of Adam Hills, Myf Warhurst and Alan Brough will return to the panel as will fan fave games Know Your Product, Substitute and Sir Mix N Matchalot. Joining the crew this season will be Megan Washington, Marcia Hines, Kram, Lucy Durack and Robert Forster plus Julia Morris, Tom Ballard, Dave O’Neil and Sara Pascoe. It’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years since this humble show hit our screens.

Ê Nine has announced exclusive broadcast rights to the upcoming Men’s and Women’s Rugby World Cups. The deal kicks off with the upcoming British & Irish Lions Tour. Nine platforms will screen the upcoming Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, followed by the Men’s Rugby World Cup in 2027, and the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2029. Stan Sport will deliver every match from all three tournaments live and on-demand, while all games – including Wallabies and Wallaroos games – will be live on the 9Network and 9Now.

Ê Upcoming reality series ‘Stranded on Honeymoon Island’ will finally premiere on Channel Seven and 7plus in June. Narrated by Jackie O, the series takes 12 unlucky-inlove singles on a wild romantic

journey. After a speed dating event, couples will be matched and marry, before they are dramatically stranded on a deserted island for 21 days in nothing but their wedding attire.

Ê Tough one for the kids, with Foxtel axing two long-running channels. Cartoon Network, which launched in 1995, and Boomerang, which launched in 2004, have both now closed. The content can now be found on streamer Max. This leaves the Dreamworks channel as the sole dedicated kids subscription channel on Foxtel.

Ê UK crime drama ‘This City is Ours’, which recently became the BBC’s most-watched new drama, will make its way to Stan on Wednesday, June 4. Set and filmed in Liverpool, with additional filming in Spain, ‘This City is Ours’ is the story of Michael, a man who for all of his adult life has been involved in organised crime… but for the first time in his life, Michael is in love. Now he sees a future: something to win and something to lose – Diana. The series stars legendary English actor Sean Bean.

Ê ‘Suits: LA’ was over-hyped when it first launched a few months ago, but it underdelivered in the ratings big time, with the ‘Suits’ spin-off officially axed after just one season. Meanwhile, legendary crime procedurals ‘Law & Order’ and ‘Law & Order: SVU’ have been renewed by NBC in the US.

Ê One of my favourite series’ of 2025, ‘Four Seasons’, will return for another season. Netflix has greenlit the Tina Fey comedy-drama for a second season. The first season, which spent many weeks as Netflix’s #1 show, follows three couples comprising a long-time friend group that’s upended when one of the couples breaks up. It’s funny, heartwarming, relatable and one of the shows of the year!

Ê Netflix has renewed popular series ‘Bridgerton’ for a fifth and sixth season. Season four will premiere next year focusing on Benedict (Luke Thompson), the bohemian second son.

Ê Finally, Max users will soon see a slight change to their app, with the new streaming service rebranding to HBO Max from July.

Nathan

TV Guide: May 23 – 29

Your guide to the week’s television viewing

12:00 ABC News 1:00 Bay Of Fires (M l,v) 2:00 Restoration Australia (PG) 3:00 Claire Hooper’s House Of Games 3:30 Grand Designs - House Of The Year 4:15 Long Lost Family - What Happened Next (PG) 5:00 A Bite To Eat With Alice 5:30 Antiques Roadshow 6:30 Claire Hooper’s House Of Games 7:00 ABC News 7:30 Gardening Australia 8:30 The One That Got Away (M l) 9:25 Gruen 10:00 The Weekly With Charlie Pickering (PG) 10:30 Big Boys (MA15+) 6:00 Sunrise 9:00 The Morning

(PG) 12:00 Seven Noon

1:00

Gardens 2:00 House Of Wellness (PG) 3:00

Chase

(PG) 4:00 Seven News At 4 5:00

Chase Australia (PG) 6:00 Seven News 7:00 Better Homes And Gardens 8:30 House Of Wellness (PG) 9:30 Movie: “Under The Tuscan Sun” (PG) (’03) Stars: Diane Lane 11:50 Farmer Wants A Wife (PG) 1:30 Travel Oz (PG) 2:00 Home Shopping 4:00 Million Dollar Minute 6:00 Today 9:00 Today Extra (PG) 11:30 NINE News Morning 12:00 Movie: “Temptation Under The Sun” (M v) (’22) Stars: Annika Foster 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: Eels v Sea Eagles *Live* 9:55 NRL: Golden Point 10:45 Movie: “Sleepless” (MA15+) (’17) Stars: Jamie Foxx 12:35 Tipping Point (PG) 1:30 Home Shopping 12:00 Good Chef Bad Chef 12:30 Family Feud (PG) 1:00 10 News First: Lunchtime 2:00 Wheel Of Fortune 2:30 Lingo (PG)

(PG) 2:30 Desert Collectors (PG) 3:30 STIHL Timbersports (PG) 4:00 Cities Of The Underworld (PG) 5:00 American Restoration (PG) 5:30 Storage Wars (PG) 6:00 American Pickers (PG) 7:00 AFL: Friday Night Countdown

10:30 House Rules (PG) 12:00 Code Black (M) 3:00 Ed And Karen’s Recipes For Success 4:00 The Goldbergs (PG) 4:30 Frogger (PG) 5:30 The Amazing Race (PG) 7:00 Movie: “The Karate Kid II” (PG) (’86) Stars: Danny Kamekona

6:00 rage (PG) 7:00 Weekend Breakfast 9:00 rage (PG) 10:30 rage Guest Programmer (PG) 12:00 ABC News 12:30 Call The Midwife (M) 2:30 MSO Beethoven’s Ninth 3:40 Spicks And Specks (PG) 4:10 The Piano (PG) 5:10 Landline 5:40 Australian Story 6:10 Father Brown (PG) 7:00 ABC News 7:30 Call The Midwife (M) 8:30 Midsomer Murders (M v) 10:00 Bergerac (M l,v) 10:45 Reunion (MA15+) 11:45 rage Guest Programmer (MA15+) 6:00 NBC Today 7:00

12:00 Escape To The Country 3:00 Better Homes And Gardens

4:00 Escape To The Country

6:00 Dog Patrol (PG) 6:30 Bondi Vet (PG) 7:30 The Yorkshire Vet (PG) 8:30 Escape To The Country 11:30 The Yorkshire Vet (PG)

3:00 Play School 3:30 Octonauts 4:10 Odd Squad 4:35 Little J And Big Cuz 5:00 Peppa Pig 5:40 Peter Rabbit 6:10 Super Monsters 6:30 The Adventures Of Paddington 7:05 Rocket Club 7:30 Kids Baking

3:55 The Mysterious Cities Of Gold (PG) 4:35 Waabiny Time 5:00 Harlem Globetrotters: Play It Forward (PG) 5:30 NITV News: Nula 6:00 Bamay 6:40 Undiscovered Vistas 7:30 Movie: “Free Willy” (G) (’93) Stars: Jason James Richter

8:30 Have You Been Paying Attention? (M l,s) 9:30 The Graham Norton Show (M s) 10:30 10’s Late News 10:55 The Project (PG) 8:00 Worldwatch 10:10

8:00 Camper Deals 8:30 Tough Tested 9:30 Jake And The Fatman (PG) 10:30 JAG (PG) 12:30 In The Dark (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)

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

Sunrise 10:00 The Morning Show - Weekend 12:00 Motorway Patrol (PG) 12:30 AFL: Round 11: Carlton v GWS *Live* 3:30 Seven’s Horse Racing: Randwick/ Sandown/ Doomben *Live* 5:00 Seven News At 5 5:30 Border Security - Australia’s Front Line (PG) 6:00 Seven News 7:00 The Americas: The Caribbean (PG) 8:00 Movie: “The Lost World: Jurassic Park” (PG) (’97) Stars: Jeff Goldblum 10:35 Movie: “Con Air” (M) (’97) 7:00

1:30 Australia Rediscovered 2:00 Rides Down Under (PG) 3:00 NDRC Top Doorslammer 4:00 Storage Wars (PG) 5:00 Counting Cars (PG) 6:00 Pawn Stars (PG) 7:00 Storage Wars (PG) 7:30 Aussie Salvage Squad (PG)

ABC National News

With David Muir 4:30 PBS News Hour 5:30 Forged In Fire (PG) 6:20 If You Are The One (PG) (In Mandarin) 7:20 Jeopardy! 7:45 NITV News Update 7:50 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown (M l,s) 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: “Wonder Woman 1984” (M v) (’20) Stars: Gal Gadot 2:00 Are You Being Served? (PG) 3:00 Antiques Roadshow 3:30 Movie: “Alive And Kicking” (G) (’58) Stars: Richard Harris 5:30 The Travelling Auctioneers 6:30 Antiques Roadshow 7:30 Find My Country House Australia

Detour

(PG) 2:00

(M l,v) (’12) Stars: Daniel Craig

12:00 Dream Home (PG) 1:55 Zumbo’s Just Desserts (PG) 2:55 Starstruck (PG) 4:25 Dodger (PG) 5:25 Movie: “A Dog’s Purpose” (PG) (’17) Stars: Josh Gad 7:30 Movie: “Pitch Perfect” (M l,s) (’12) Stars: Anna Kendrick

2:15 ER (PG) 3:00 Doctor Who (PG) 3:55 Penn And Teller: Fool Us (PG) 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)

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) 4:20 First Nation Farmers 4:40 The Kimberley 5:30 Antiques Roadshow 6:30 Compass (PG) 7:00 ABC News 7:30 The Piano (PG) 8:30 Bergerac (M l,v) 9:20 Reunion (M l,v) 10:15 Strangerland (MA15+) 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) 4:10 Surveillance Oz (PG) 4:30 Highway Cops (PG) 5:00 Seven News At 5 5:30 Sydney Weekender 6:00 Seven News 7:00 Home And Away (PG) 7:30 Farmer Wants A

Matt Damon

3:50 Something Of The Times (PG) 4:35 Tradition On A Plate (PG) 5:05 Wild Kitchen With Clayton Donovan 5:30 The Barber (PG) 6:00 Moko: Modern Revival (PG) 6:40 The Other Side (PG) 7:30 Alone Australia (M l)

5:30 Dishing It Up 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 Far Eastern Odyssey 9:40 Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown 10:35 David Rocco’s Dolce Tuscany

1:00 Numb3rs (PG) 3:00 JAG (PG) 5:00 Escape Fishing With ET (PG) 5:30 Bondi Rescue (PG) 6:00 JAG (PG) 7:30 Football: Isuzu Ute A-League: SemiFinal 2: Melbourne City v Western United *Live* 10:00 NCIS (M v)

4:05 PBS News Hour 5:05 Over The Black Dot 5:35 Mastermind (PG) 6:35 Impossible Engineering (PG) 8:25 The Day The Rock Star Died: Elvis Presley (PG) 8:50 Cycling: Stage 14: Giro d’Italia *Live* 1:35 Sirius (MA15+)

10:00 Ridiculousness (PG) 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 (M)

2:20 Hunting Hitler: The Final Chapter (PG) 4:00 Jeopardy! (UK) (PG) 5:00 Young Sheldon (PG) 5:30 Movie: “Practical Magic” (PG) (’98) Stars: Sandra Bullock 7:30 Movie: “Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets” (PG) (’02) Stars: Emma Watson

1:30 Movie: “The Magic Box” (G) (’51) Stars: Robert Donat 3:45 Movie: “Hawaii” (PG) (’66) Stars: Julie Andrews 7:00 Rugby Union: Super Rugby Pacific: Force v Waratahs *Live* 9:30 Rugby Union: PostMatch

12:00 Zumbo’s Just Desserts (PG) 1:00 Starstruck (PG) 2:30 Home And Away (PG) 4:30 Baking It (PG) 5:30 Dr Harry’s Animal Encounters (PG) 6:30 Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly (PG) 7:30 Law & Order: Criminal Intent (M) 4:00 Black As (PG) 4:20 Soh Presents: Generations And Dynasties 6:00 Queer & Here (PG) 6:40 Wildlife Rescue New Zealand (PG) 7:30 Tree Kangaroos - Ghosts Of The Forest 8:30 Movie: “Namatjira Project” (M l) (’17)

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 Exploring Off The Grid (PG) 1:30 MasterChef Australia (PG) 2:40 Numb3rs (PG) 3:35 JAG (PG) 7:30 NCIS (M v)

ABC World News Tonight With David Muir 5:00 PBS Washington Week With The Atlantic 5:25 The Abandoned Engineering (PG) 7:15 Cycling: Stage 15: Giro d’Italia *Live* From Italy 1:35 Letterkenny (M l,s)

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 Ridiculousness (PG) 3:00 Frasier (PG) 4:00 Friends (PG)

2:40 Jeopardy! (UK) (PG) 3:40 Movie: “The Pink Panther Strikes Again” (PG) (’76) Stars: Peter Sellers 5:40 Movie: “The Pink Panther 2” (PG) (’09) Stars: Steve Martin 7:30 Movie: “Jupiter Ascending” (M v) (’15) Stars: Channing Tatum

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

2:20 Movie: “Contraband Spain” (PG) (’55) Stars: Richard Greene 4:05 Movie: “Comanche” (PG) (’56) Stars: Henry Brandon 6:00 M*A*S*H (PG) 6:30 Tennis: Roland Garros: Pre Show 7:00 Tennis: Roland Garros: Day 1 *Live*

Get Macca’s® delivered.

4:00 Medical Emergency (PG) 4:30 Better Homes And Gardens 5:30 Escape To The Country 6:30

5:00 Peppa Pig 5:35 Peter Rabbit

School (PG) 5:05 Make You Laugh Out Loud (PG) 6:00 Bondi Vet (PG) 7:00 Judge Judy (PG) 7:30 Law & Order: Criminal Intent (M v) 5:00 Harlem Globetrotters: Play It Forward (PG) 5:30 The 77 Percent 6:00 Bamay 6:40 Undiscovered Vistas 7:30 Who Do You Think You Are? (PG)

4:30 The Bold & The Beautiful 5:00 10 News First 6:00 Deal (PG) 6:30 The Project (PG) 7:30 MasterChef Australia (PG) 8:40 Have You Been Paying Attention? (M l,s) 9:40 Taskmaster Australia (M l,s) (PG) With Michael Portillo 8:25

10:30 JAG (PG) 12:30 In The Dark (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) 4:30 The King Of Queens (PG) 5:00 Becker (PG) 5:30 Frasier (PG) 6:30 Neighbours (PG) 7:00 Friends (PG) 8:00 The Big Bang Theory (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

(PG) 5:30

(PG) 6:00

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 6:15 Phil Spencer: Secret Agent 7:05 Hard Quiz (PG) 7:35 QI (PG) 5:30 Everyday Gourmet With Justine Schofield 6:00 Marcus Wareing: Simply Provence 6:30 Oliver’s Twist 7:00 The Cook Up With Adam Liaw 7:30 Nadiya Bakes 6:05 Movie: “Finding Satoshi” (PG) (’22) Stars: Willem Dafoe 7:15 Jeopardy! 7:40 NITV News Update 7:45 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown (M l,s)

In The Dark (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) 4:30 The King Of Queens (PG) 5:00 Becker (PG) 5:30 Frasier (PG) 6:30 Neighbours (PG) 7:00 Friends (PG) 8:00 The Big Bang Theory (PG) 4:00 Married To Real Estate 5:00 Chateau DIY 6:00

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 Seinfeld (PG) 4:30 The Travelling Auctioneers 5:30 Antiques Roadshow 6:30 Tennis: Roland Garros: Pre Show 7:00 Tennis: Roland Garros: Day 4 *Live*

2:00 Restoration Australia (PG) 3:00 Claire Hooper’s House Of Games 3:30 Love Your Garden 4:15 Long Lost Family (PG) 5:00 A Bite To Eat With Alice 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) 8:50 Martin ClunesIslands Of The Atlantic (PG) 6:00 Sunrise 9:00 The Morning Show (PG) 12:00 Seven Noon News 1:00 Movie: “Abduction Runs In The Family” (AKA ‘A Mother’s Terror’) (PG) (’21) Stars: Jessica Morris 3:00 The Chase UK (PG) 4:00 Seven News At 4 5:00 The Chase Australia (PG) 6:00 Seven News 7:00 Home And Away (PG) 7:30 Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly (PG) 12:00 Movie: “Trapped In The Farmhouse” (M v) (’23) Stars: Jenna Michno 2:00 Pointless (PG) 3:00 Tipping Point (PG) 4:00 NINE News Afternoon 5:00 Tipping Point Australia (PG) 5:30 WIN News 6:00 NINE News 7:00 A Current Affair (PG) 7:30 NRL: Women’s State Of Origin: Blues v Maroons *Live* 9:35 NRL: Post-Match 2:00 Wheel Of Fortune 2:30 Lingo (PG) 3:30

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

RELIEF FOR MORTGAGE HOLDERS AS RATES CUT

All four major banks, CBA, Westpac, NAB and ANZ, have stepped up to the plate, announcing they will pass on the RBA’s 0.25 percentage point cut to variable mortgage customers.

While CBA, NAB and ANZ home loan rate cuts will take effect on May 30, Westpac’s home loan changes will kick in on June 3. Canstar.com.au’s data insights director, Sally Tindall said Australians with variable home loans can breathe a sigh of relief knowing a second rate cut of the year is here.

“While two standard RBA cuts seems tiny compared to 13 hikes over the past three years, it’s a welcome step down from a mountain of pressure and a sign the worst of the cost-of-living crisis is in the rearview

“All four big banks have announced they’ll be passing the cut on in full, which is terrific news. The banks know just how tough it’s been for many of their customers and they’ve made the right decision..

“However, it’s important to realise that some banks won’t lower your direct debit automatically even if you are paying the minimum, including CBA, NAB and ANZ, so if you do need this extra cash in your bank account, rather than your mortgage, make sure you let your bank know.

“While for many borrowers this extra cash will go straight to paying the bills, for those who have managed to keep their head above water, today’s RBA decision also represents a golden opportunity.

“If you’ve got a $600,000

minimum monthly repayments are likely to fall by around $91. However, if you’ve managed to keep up with higher repayments through the rate hikes, consider keeping them the same.

“IT’S A WELCOME STEP DOWN FROM A MOUNTAIN OF PRESSURE”

“If we see a total of four cuts this year, including the ones in February and May, and someone with a $600,000 mortgage with 25 years remaining keeps their monthly repayments exactly the same, they could stand to kick

years early and shave more than $89,000 from the total interest bill, provided they keep up these extra repayments for the remainder of their loan.

“But don’t stop there. Canstar estimates that once lenders pass on this cash rate cut there could be at least 30 lenders offering variable rates under 5.50 per cent. If your new mortgage rate isn’t at this mark as an owner-occupier, it could be time to make the switch.”

The RBA announced it was cutting the official cash rate to 3.85 per cent on Tuesday.

The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) and National Retail Association (NRA) said although the interest rate cuts are occurring later than hoped, the relief for Australian households should have a positive impact on trading conditions in the coming

“While [the] decision has been on the cards, we hope it nudges business and consumer confidence in the right direction,” said ARA CEO, Chris Rodwell.

“A lower cash rate should have a positive flow-on effect to retail businesses, many of which are highly dependent on discretionary spending. That’s why we urge the RBA to stay vigilant to opportunities to provide further relief.

“Retailers – particularly small businesses - are the backbone of the Australian economy and play a vital role in job creation and supporting local communities. Retail contributes $430 billion to our economy and employs one in ten Australians – a recovery is critical to our economic well-being. We’re keen to see continued rate cuts by the RBA to

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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

WHY YOU CAN TRUST US

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HELPING TO AVOID SURGERY

At OnePointHealth, we understand that joint pain, particularly in the hips, knees, and shoulders, can significantly impact daily life. While joint replacement surgery is often seen as the ultimate solution for severe pain or loss of function, physiotherapy can play a pivotal role in preventing or delaying the need for such invasive procedures.

Research has shown that physiotherapy is highly effective in managing joint pain and improving function without resorting to surgery. At OnePointHealth, our physiotherapists focus on strengthening the muscles around the affected joint, enhancing mobility, and reducing inflammation. These treatments help alleviate stress on the joint, which can slow the progression of joint degeneration. A key approach we use is strengthening exercises. By focusing on building the muscles surrounding the joint, we can help provide

better support and reduce strain on the joint. We also utilise manual therapy to improve joint mobility and flexibility, as well as educate our patients on proper joint protection techniques. With regular physiotherapy, many patients experience significant pain relief and improved function, often avoiding surgery for much longer, if not indefinitely. For those who are in the early stages of joint degeneration, our team at OnePointHealth can offer personalised treatment plans to address muscle imbalances, joint stiffness, and alignment issues. This proactive approach aims to prevent further damage and delay the need for joint replacement. Many of our patients report better outcomes when they focus on physiotherapy before

considering surgery.

At OnePointHealth, we also emphasise the importance of post-surgical rehabilitation. For those who do eventually require joint replacement, physiotherapy plays a crucial role in recovery, helping patients regain strength and mobility faster and with better long-term outcomes.

If you’re experiencing joint pain or discomfort, don’t wait for surgery to become your only option. Book an appointment with one of our experienced physiotherapists today at OnePointHealth and let us help you explore non-surgical solutions to manage your pain and improve your quality of life.

At Sydney Smile Doctor, I see firsthand the benefits of regular dental checkups – and the consequences of delaying them. One of the most valuable things you can do for your oral and overall health is to see your dentist every six to 12 months. These appointments aren’t just about checking for cavities – they’re an essential part of maintaining your health and preventing bigger problems down the track.

Many dental issues – like decay, gum disease, and even early signs of oral cancer – can develop silently, without any pain or visible symptoms. By the time discomfort appears, the condition may already be advanced, potentially requiring more complex and costly treatment. Routine checkups allow us to detect problems early, often before you’re even aware of them, which means easier, quicker, and less invasive care.

These visits also include professional cleaning to

remove built-up plaque and tartar that daily brushing and flossing simply can’t eliminate. This not only keeps your teeth looking and feeling great but also helps prevent periodontal disease – a condition linked to systemic issues like heart disease, diabetes, and even dementia.

For patients with crowns, implants, or past fillings, we use these appointments to ensure everything is stable and functioning well. It’s also a great time to discuss cosmetic options, concerns, or future treatment plans in a relaxed, preventative setting.

Beyond the clinical benefits, regular checkups help reduce dental anxiety. When you visit the dentist consistently, you’re more familiar

Sydney Smile Doctor sydneysmiledoctor.com.au

with the environment, and small issues are managed before they become major problems – making the experience far less daunting. We also take time during these appointments to educate you on better home care practices. Every mouth is different, and personalised advice tailored to your needs can significantly improve your oral hygiene habits at home. Think of your regular checkup as an investment in yourself. It’s a small time commitment that can lead to better long-term outcomes, reduced dental costs, and most importantly, peace of mind. Prevention truly is better than cure.

With Windows 10 end-of-life occurring on October 14, 2025, what steps must you take to upgrade to Windows 11? This requires planning and preparation. The first thing you need to do is see if your computer meets the minimum hardware requirements.

Check requirements

Windows 11 has higher minimum specs than Windows 10. But the main thing stopping you from upgrading is a missing Trusted Platform Module (TPM). This security chip stores encryption keys and protects your computer from unauthorised access. Downloading the Windows PC Health Check Tool is the best way to check if your PC is compatible. After installation, this will advise you if your computer can be upgraded. It can be downloaded from https://aka.ms/ GetPCHealthCheckApp.

Backup Your Data

The next step is to back up your data. The best way to do this is to turn on OneDrive backup. Once backed up, you can go to any computer and log in to OneDrive, and all your data is there and will synchronise to your computer. You can, of course, go old fashion and copy everything to a USB drive.

Uninstall any non-Microsoft Security and Antivirus software that may interfere with the upgrade. Also, ensure that your Windows 10 is fully patched before kicking off the Windows 11 Upgrade process.

Download Windows 11:

Go to settings  Update and security  Windows Update. Check for updates. Windows 11 Update should be displayed. This is the easiest and safest way to upgrade. You can also download the installation media and run it via a USB installation.

Install Windows 11

Follow the onscreen

The Experts

instructions. You will be guided through the upgrade in a step-by-step process. It’s not complicated; read each page carefully during the upgrade process. It will require you to enter your Microsoft credentials. This will also allow Microsoft to ensure your backup OneDrive data is resynced. Apply security updates Go to the Windows Update page and apply any updates. Reinstall your Antivirus and update any other applications to ensure Windows 11 Compatibility. If you are uncomfortable with the upgrade process, your local computer support company can do this for you.

Dr Peterson is an internationally renowned dentist. With a Masters in Aesthetic Dentistry from Kings College London, he provides world class services here in Penrith.

us: 196 Derby Street, Penrith Phone: 1300 645 680 Email: enquiries@sydneysmiledoctor.com.au www.sydneysmiledoctor.com.au

The Experts

KELLIE TICKNER

Orchard Hills Veterinary Hospital 4736 2027

EMBRACING RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP

From May 19, 2025, changes to tenancy laws in New South Wales have made it significantly easier for renters to keep pets in their homes. These reforms acknowledge what so many already believe – pets are not just animals; they are cherished family members. For tenants, this marks a major step forward in being able to live with their furry companions without unnecessary barriers.

Under the updated laws, tenants still need to seek permission from their landlord before keeping a pet.

However, there’s now a clear and fair process in place. Landlords must respond to a written pet request within 21 days. If they fail to respond in that time, consent is automatically granted. Importantly, landlords can only refuse consent for specific reasons – such as if the property lacks secure fencing, has insufficient space, or if it would be inhumane to keep a pet there. They are no longer allowed to impose

blanket bans or advertise rental properties as “no pets”.

Landlords can place reasonable conditions on pet ownership, this may include carpets being professionally cleaned at the end of the tenancy, or that the tenant repairs any pet-related damage. Open communication between landlords and tenants is key, and conditions must be fair and proportionate to the pet and property in question.

While the law now makes it easier to have pets in rental homes, it also reinforces the importance of responsible pet

ownership. Under the Companion Animals Act 1998, all cats and dogs in NSW must be identified and registered. This includes microchipping your pet by 12 weeks of age and registering them by six months. Microchipping is not only a legal requirement – it is essential for reuniting lost pets with their owners.

Desexing is also highly encouraged and often required for full lifetime registration. It helps reduce unwanted litters, improves health outcomes, and decreases the number of animals entering shelters each year.

Tenants must ensure their pets are well cared for and do not create problems for neighbours or the property. This includes

managing noise, preventing property damage, and cleaning up pet waste. It also means providing proper food, clean water, exercise, mental stimulation, and access to veterinary care.

It’s also important to note that tenants with recognised assistance animals do not need to seek permission to keep their animal under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. However, landlords should still be informed of the animal’s presence and provided with any accreditation if available.

These new laws are a welcome recognition of the value pets bring to our lives. With the right balance of compassion, communication, and responsibility, we can ensure that pets remain an important part of our homes and communities – whether we rent or own. Pets are family, and these new laws reflect that – while also reminding us that keeping pets is a shared responsibility between tenants and landlords.

Relax & Unwind

JOANNE

MADELINE MOORE

Boho Astro

@JoMadelineMoore

© Joanne Madeline Moore 2025

AQUARIUS

JANUARY 21 TO FEBRUARY 19

Prepare for some long-term changes in your local community, as serious Saturn moves through your neighbourhood zone for the next three years. Work out ways that you can make a meaningful contribution. This week, as the sparky New Moon lights up your creativity zone, you’re in the mood for avant-garde adventures and bohemian friendships. But remember there’s a fine line between being spontaneously successful and being hastily foolhardy.

TAURUS

APRIL 21 TO MAY 21

Saturn is now transiting through your self-reflection zone. So, over the next three years, do your best to consolidate your strengths and work on your weaknesses. As Saturn and Neptune deepen your humanitarian and spiritual perspectives, some Bulls will become involved with volunteer work while others embrace yoga, meditation, religion or metaphysical study. This week’s New Moon signals a fresh approach to money, financial planning and business.

LEO

JULY 23 TO AUGUST 23

Stop being a listless Lion and get cracking Cats! This week proactive Mars is in Leo, ambitious Saturn transits through your aspirations zone, and the New Moon stimulates your hopes and wishes zone. So it’s time to be confident, creative and determined, as you dream big dreams for the future. Draw inspiration from birthday great Stevie Nicks (who turns 77 on Monday), “My life is a testament to believing that if you want something, you can make it happen.”

SCORPIO

OCTOBER 24 TO NOVEMBER 22

Have you been feeling run-down and lacking energy? The next three years is the time to focus on your physical fitness and mental health, as Saturn transits through your well-being zone. Discipline, determination, patience and gradual progress will get you there. This week’s New Moon lights up your mystery and manifestation zone, so it’s the perfect time to dream, imagine, contemplate and create. But be careful with secrets from the past and issues involving trust.

PISCES

FEBRUARY 20 TO MARCH 20

With penny-pinching Saturn now transiting through your money zone, expect extra expenses and financial responsibilities over the next three years. Which will teach you some valuable lessons about being financially organised, responsible and frugal. So spontaneous spending sprees are definitely not recommended! This week’s New Moon highlights your home zone, so it’s time to spruce up your living space via cleaning, tidying and de-cluttering.

GEMINI

MAY 22 TO JUNE 21

With Saturn visiting your hopes and wishes zone for the next three years, you need to get serious about your future plans. Dream an ambitious dream … and then put in the hard work and discipline required to make it happen. Plus be patient and resilient! This week’s New Moon is in Gemini, so it’s the perfect time for an updated look via a different hairstyle, a hot new outfit or a positive new attitude. Friday favours communication, conversation and education.

VIRGO

AUGUST 24 TO SEPTEMBER 23

Serious Saturn is transiting through your intrigue and secrets zone, which is good for all types of study, research and detailed detective work. And this week you’ve also got four planets (the Sun, New Moon, lucky Jupiter and your ruler Mercury) moving through your career zone. So don’t be shy and overly modest Virgo - it’s your time to shine! Be inspired by Hollywood legend (and birthday great) Marilyn Monroe “We are all stars and deserve the right to twinkle.”

SAGITTARIUS

NOVEMBER 23 TO DECEMBER 21

Saturn is transiting through your love, romance, children and friendship zone. So – over the next three years – these relationships should strengthen and solidify, but there could also be some challenges and extra responsibilities placed on your broad Sagittarian shoulders. This week’s New Moon activates your relationship zone and boosts your natural inclination to reach out and help others. If you put other people first, then you’ll be rewarded in satisfying ways.

HOROSCOPES

ARIES

MARCH 21 TO APRIL 20

For the first time since 1999, Saturn is transiting through your sign (for the next three years). Which could bring more stability into your life – and more challenges. The more disciplined, responsible and self-reliant you are, the smoother the transition will be. This week’s New Moon highlights a fresh start involving travel or education, plus talk of an exciting new project in your local community. A welcome daytrip or weekend getaway is also on the cards.

CANCER

JUNE 22 TO JULY 22

Saturn is now in your career zone, so get serious about your professional ambitions. Venus and Neptune are also there, which bodes well for a promotion, better job or professional break over the next three years. Just make sure you are patient, persistent and thoroughly prepared. Be inspired by birthday great Kylie Minogue (who’s had a successful career for over 40 years), “I didn’t want to fizzle out. I had to keep going, like a little Shetland pony.”

LIBRA

S EPTEMBER 24 TO OCTOBER 23

Saturn is now in your partnership zone, so – sometime over the next three years – you could end a relationship that’s no longer working. With Venus and Neptune also in your partnership zone, aim to be more generous towards loved ones, and try to view a troubled relationship from a more compassionate perspective. Are you looking for love? You could be attracted to someone much older, or a long-term friendship could gradually develop into a grand romance.

CAPRICORN

DECEMBER 22 TO JANUARY 20

Saturn is transiting through your domestic zone, for the first time since 1999. So there are plenty of professional and DIY jobs that need to be done around the home as things wear out (or break down) and need to be fixed. This week the focus is also on physical and mental health as the New Moon stimulates your well-being zone. It’s time to shake up your daily routine, improve your diet, and find fun ways to boost your fitness levels and relax your worried mind.

32.

38. Photographing

52. Cone-shaped

53. Spanish Mrs

54. Muddle

58. Abundant

59. Brewery barrel

61. Wedding March route

63. Organise feast

64. Become extinct (3,3)

65. Model, ... Christensen

66. Coniferous tree

68. Sacrificial block

71. Lion handler

72. Rascals

74. Half-open

76. Sound (horn)

78. Single thing

80. Nonsense! 83. Sphere

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: CAR WORDS

CHILDCARE

MACARONI

SCARCE

VICAR

Last week’s solution

Trivia Quiz

Test your knowledge about celebrities we have lost in 2025 in this week’s special trivia quiz...

1. George Wendt passed away this week. What is the legendary show he was part of?

2. Who co-wrote the screenplay for ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ and won a Best Director Oscar for ‘Kramer vs. Kramer’?

4. Which iconic rock band was Clem Burke part of?

5. Jay North was the star of which famous sitcom?

6. Which legendary actor, who appeared in ‘Top Gun’ and ‘Batman Forever’ died after a battle with cancer?

3. Which country variety performer, known for her performances on the iconic ‘Hee Haw’ in the United States, died in April at the age of 78?

Blondie

‘Dennis The

Menace’ 6. Val Kilmer

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]. Clues in black cells remove that number as an option in that row and column, and are not part of any straight. Glance at the solution to see how ‘straights’ are formed.

Does your pet deserve the best?

Paringa Pet Foods is here to help

Since 1986 Paringa

Pet Foods has been manufacturing a range of high quality raw and cooked pet foods, they are the experts on quality pet food.

At Paringa Pet Foods they are dedicated to making pet food fresh, convenient and clean to ensure all pet owners will experience a difference in their animal.

It is Paringa Pet Foods’ mission to make it simple to feed pets the highest quality food without the mess.

While animals can devour anything, including your shoes… eating a diet made up mainly of raw meats offers many health benefits. Paringa Pet Foods develop many of their products with the help from pet nutrition ists, making products full of protein and low in carbohy drates. Raw meat is easy for animals to digest and great for their ongoing gut health. Give your pup an immune system boost thanks to the natural enzymes and nutri ents contained in uncooked meat. Owners should expect to see improvements in the

ets Warehouse Penrith is your local pet shop that has everything you need to keep your pets happy.

As a local team of pet lovers nothing makes them smile more than getting to know their customers and their pets.

The family-run pet shop, located at 89 Batt Street, cater to all pets including dogs, cats, birds, fish, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, and Pets Warehouse Penrith specialise in reptiles unlike anywhere else in town and have snakes, bearded dragons, turtles, geckos and blue-tongued lizards available!

If you are new to owning a pet, they can help with that too, and can guide you through feeding, grooming and worming. They also offer cat adoption and aim to give their cats new and loving homes.

Their wealth of knowledge means that they

can offer you friendly and honest advice on the best food, bedding or flea treatment for your pets.

Pets Warehouse Penrith was established in 2013 and since then has been servicing the local community to provide the very best in pet care.

From pet accessories and pet shampoo to animal cages, terrariums, cat and dog toys, and even a DIY Dog Wash, they’ve grown into a company that you can trust to put your pet first.

So, what are you waiting for? Leash up your four-legged friend and pop into Pets Warehouse today!

Pets Warehouse is open seven days a week and is located at Shop 4, 89 Batt Street, Penrith. For more information, call 4733 8133 or visit www.petswarehousepenrith. com.au.

Cummins confirmed for NSW as squad takes shape

Penrith Cricket Club junior and Australian Test captain Pat Cummins has officially been confirmed in the NSW Men’s squad for the 2025/26 summer.

The squad, which was announced on Wednesday, is made up of 18-full contract players and four players on a rookie contract.

A further seven NSW players – Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Sam Konstas, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc and Adam Zampa – earned Cricket Australia contracts for 2025/26 and form part of the broader Blues group.

Riley Kingsell from Bankstown and Jake Scott from Campbelltown-Camden have earned rookie contracts and will sit on the rookie list alongside Northern District’s Charlie Anderson and Mosman’s Ryan Hicks.

Manly Warringah’s Joel Davis, Northern District’s Lachlan Shaw and Sydney University’s Will Salzmann have been promoted from the rookie list and earned a full contract.

Moises Henriques stepped away from Sheffield Shield cricket in 2024/25 and is a notable absentee from the contract list, while Daniel Hughes had a very disrupted 2024/25 due to injury is another notable admission from the contracted list.

Jackson Bird has elected to return to

Tasmania for family reasons and will instead represent The Apple Isle.

CNSW Chief of Cricket Performance Greg Mail paid tribute to Henriques and Hughes for their long-standing service.

“Moises and Daniel have been outstanding contributors to the Blues for over a decade,” Mail said.

“The contracting environment at domestic level continues to evolve and now is not the time to reflect on their impact to cricket in this state.

“We hope that both Moises and Daniel make a contribution to our NSW teams this summer.”

With change comes opportunity, and Mail said he is excited by the progression of several young players within the system.

“Joel (Davie), Lachie (Shaw) and Will (Salzmann) have all made significant strides in their development and are very deserving of elevation to full contracts,” he said.

“One of the most rewarding aspects of our program is seeing homegrown talent progress through the system. All three represent the future of NSW cricket, and we’re thrilled to have them take the next step in their careers.

“It’s equally pleasing to welcome Riley Kingsell and Jake Scott onto their first rookie contracts. Both have shown strong progression through our pathways and Premier Cricket, and this is a great opportunity for

ment.”

them to develop in a professional environ-

Despite strong summers from several

Penrith Premier Cricket players including

bowler Liam Doddrell, Cummins was the only local player selected in the team. The Blues will return to training at Cricket Central in June.

NATHAN TAYLOR

Penrith Cricket junior Pat Cummins will once again be a member of the Blues this season.

Making a splash

Teenager claims silver medal at National Open Water champs

Teenager Delinda Thompson enjoys nothing more than swimming in the open water.

While she’s a very strong swimmer in the pool too, the open water is what she loves the most.

Earlier this year, the 14-year-old was competing at the National Open Water Championships in Busselton, Western Australia.

Representing the Nepean Aquatic Centre Swimming Club, Delinda had the performance of her life – collecting a silver medal in the 5km Open Water event.

“That was pretty cool,” she proudly told the Weekender Delinda began swimming at the tender age of six but didn’t start her competitive journey in the sport until she was nine.

“I used to do school swimming, and I wanted to get better like the other girls, so I asked Mum and Dad to put me in squad training,” she said.

It wouldn’t take long before Delinda started improving immensely in the water, qualify-

ing for State level within a couple of years.

At the NSW Long Course State Championships in December 2024, Delinda qualified for and competed in a total of 11 individual events and raced in 17 events over the week-long meet, competing in both heats and finals.

Delinda was crowned State Champion in three events including the 13 Girls 200m Butterfly, 200m Freestyle and 1500m Freestyle.

The western Sydney local also achieved two silver medals in the 13 Girls 100m Freestyle and 400m Freestyle. Plus she was a State Finalist in the 13 Girls 800m Freestyle (fourth), 400m IM (sixth) and 100m Freestyle (seventh).

It’s for this reason that Delinda is the latest recipient of the Penrith Valley Sports Foundation Junior Sports Star Award. When Delinda isn’t training in the pool or in the gym, she’s showing off her talents in water

polo. Playing alongside her close friend, Delinda competes at both a State and National level.

“I went to Nationals and State last year,” the Year 9 student said.

“I remember my friend and I really wanted to try water polo one day and we just got into it together. It’s really fun and a lot tougher than swimming.”

As for what’s next? Delinda has no major long-term goals or Olympic dreams, she’s just happy to keep improving and having fun.

“I’m not exactly sure what the future holds, I’m just going to see where it takes me,” she admitted.

Nominated by her proud coach Sarah-Jane Weir, Delinda’s PVSF Junior Sports Star Award is all thanks to sponsor St Marys Leagues Club.

PVSF Junior Sports Star of the Month winners take home a cool $350 each for their efforts.

If you know someone who has achieved in their chosen sport, send in your nomination to Penrith Valley Sports Foundation.

Nomination forms are available at www.pvsf.org.au.

More than 250 powerlifters from all over Australia competed at the four-day event, which is held once a year in a new location.

“This was definitely one of the biggest so far. It’s essentially the only pathway towards international competition,” McCloy said.

“Because we all performed so well, each of us qualified for the next stage of competition, which was a World or Regional Championship.”

Before their next major event, the team at Adonis Athletics Penrith will be hosting a Bench Press competition at their Jamisontown gym on August 24. Anyone can enter the upcoming competition, all they need to do is sign up and bring their muscles with them!

Delinda Thompson is a recipient of the Junior Sports Star Award.

The successful athletes.

NATHAN TAYLOR

A dream fulfilled, next chapter now awaits

One of western Sydney’s brightest young stars is off to Scotland after the Wanderers agreed to a club-record transfer fee for forward Nicolas Milanovic.

The 23-year-old, who was born in Penrith and attended St Dominic’s College, will depart the club immediately to join Scottish Premiership side Aberdeen FC.

A lifelong Wanderers fan, Milanovic not only fulfilled his childhood dream of representing the Red & Black but also left a lasting mark on the club.

A standout 2024/25 season saw Milanovic claim the Wanderers Golden Boot and play a key role in the club’s record-breaking goal tally, while his consistent excellence was recognised with a suite of accolades including the Wanderers Medal for Player of the Year, Media Player of the Year, and Members Player of the Year across the past two-and-a-half seasons.

While his departure represents a major transition, the club said they

are happy to see him embark on the next chapter of his professional journey abroad.

Wanderers CEO Scott Hudson said he was proud to see Milanovic seize this new opportunity in his career.

“We are incredibly proud of Nicolas and everything he has achieved during his time with the Wanderers. His journey from local fan to one of the league’s standout performers is a testament to his character, commitment but most of all, his talent,” he said.

“At the Wanderers we are committed to developing players who can make an impact not just in the A-Leagues, but on the global stage. Nicolas is a shining example of that vision, and we’re excited to see him embrace this new challenge in Aberdeen.

“Nicolas will always be part of the Wanderers family. He has left a legacy at our club, and we look forward to welcoming him back whenever he returns home.”

Milanovic, who made his A-League debut at Western United before moving to the Wanderers in 2023, expressed his gratitude to the club and fans.

“This club has changed my life. Thank you to my teammates, the coaching staff, the backroom staff and most importantly, the passionate Wanderers members and fans – your support has meant the world to me,” he said.

“As I begin this new chapter and take on the challenge of playing in Europe, I know I wouldn’t be here without the belief and opportunity

I was given at my hometown club.

The Red & Black will always be part of me, and one day, I will be back.”

It has been an incredible rise to the top for Milanovic, who always dreamed of playing with the Wanderers. In an interview with the Weekender back in 2020, the then 18-year-old, who was a member of Western United at the time, said his lifelong goal was to always play in

the A-League with his local club.

“I was with the Wanderers for four or five years, I was playing with their NPL team and doing well there,” he said.

“One of my ambitions was to play A-League with them but sometimes chances come from elsewhere and you can’t just stick around and hope for nothing… you have to go search for better opportunities.”

The biggest events.

house.

NATHAN TAYLOR

Nicolas Milanovic was a fan-favourite at Western Sydney.

SPORTS SHORTS

WITH NATHAN TAYLOR

Motorheads unite at Eastern Creek

MOTORSPORT: If you grew up driving a Nissan like yours truly, you’re going to love the GT-R Festival, which will be held this weekend at Eastern Creek. Set against the backdrop of Sydney Dragway, the upcoming GT-R Festival offers an array of attractions, making the event an unforgettable experience for all attendees. GT-R Festival is the world’s largest dedicated festival for Nissan GT-Rs, uniting enthusiasts, owners and fans of all generations and models. From prized collector’s items and drag machines with huge horsepower to stunning showpieces – GT-R Festival embraces every facet of GT-R culture. More than just drag racing, the event is a family-friendly celebration, catering to enthusiasts of all ages and interests, both on and off the track. What to expect over the two days: Drag Racing, Show & Shine, Roll Racing, Motorkhana, Drifting, Burnout Demos, Workshops, Nismo Meet, Dyno Comp, GT-R Elite Showcase, Kids Zone, VIP Area, Merchandise, Fireworks and plenty more! The family-friendly GT-R Festival will be held at Sydney Dragway this Saturday and Sunday. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.gtrfestival.com.au.

NETBALL: The NSW Swifts have extended their unbeaten run to six straight games, overpowering cross-town rivals the Giants 82-69 in a fiery NSW Derby. Despite a tightly contested first quarter, the game got away from the Giants in the third as they remain anchored to the bottom of the table with just one win to their name. Reflecting on the result, Giants coach Julie Fitzgerald said she saw plenty of positives in her team’s performance despite the loss. “First, second and fourth quarter, I

thought there was some really good stuff,” she said. “It was just that third quarter really let us down. There’s a lot of positives to take out of tonight. We played some really good netball and there were some really long patches where it went goal-for-goal.” The Giants will return to Ken Rosewall Arena this Saturday as they host the West Coast Fever at 7pm.

NETBALL: Panthers Netball have had a mixed night of results in Round 10 of the Netball NSW Premier League competition. Up against the South Coast Blaze, the Panthers Opens team went down 58-46. Meanwhile, the Panthers U23s team continued their unbeaten run with a strong 63-38 victory over the Blaze. Panthers will return to Netball Central in Round West Mounties

BASKETBALL: The Penrith Panthers men’s and women’s have had a mixed weekend in Round 7 of the NBL1 East competition. Up against the Inner West Bulls at Penrith Valley Regional Sports Centre, the Penrith’s men’s team celebrated an impressive 86-71 victory. Jonah Pares top scored with 21 points and 19 rebounds. Unfortunately, the news wasn’t so good for Penrith’s women’s team, with the Panthers crushed by the Bulls 103-69. Jordan Vasquez once again led the way with 17 points and six rebounds for her team. Penrith will hit the road this Saturday when they face-off with the Maitland Mustangs at Maitland Federation Centre.

RUGBY UNION: Last weekend’s match between the Penrith Emus and Sydney Harbour has been postponed until Saturday, July 26 at Woollahra Oval. The Emus also won’t play this weekend and will instead return to the paddock on Saturday, May 31 when they face off with Merrylands at Holroyd Sports Ground. The Emus are currently in seventh on the Meldrum Cup standings.

AFL: The Penrith Rams have continued their winning ways, defeating the Manly Warringah Wolves 62-51 in Round 6 of the AFL Sydney Men’s Division 2 competition. Played at Greygums Oval, the Rams were down by 19 points at half-time before storming home to win by 11. Mitch Stevens kicked five goals in the comeback victory. Penrith will play Sydney University this Saturday afternoon. Meanwhile, the Penrith Ramettes were too good for the Inner West Magpies 101-7 in Round 6 of the AFL Sydney Women’s Division 2 competition. The Ramettes will tackle the East Coast Eagles this Saturday morning at Greygums Oval.

AFL: The GWS Giants have failed to win back-to-back games, beaten by the Fremantle Dockers 95-61 at ENGIE Stadium last weekend. The Dockers strangled the Giants’ ball movement but took time to put the hosts away until a six-goal blitz in the second half set up a breakthrough victory. The Giants found it hard to get their run and gun game style going as the Dockers stifled their ball movement out of the back half and locked down on their prime movers in the midfield. A trio of consolation goals ensured GWS were not held to their lowest score at their home ground in the 100th match at the venue, but concerns remain over how they can move the ball forward to boot bigger scores. The eighth-placed Giants will hit the road this Saturday for Toby Greene’s 250th game when they battle Carlton at Marvel Stadium.

TENNIS: Four Nepean Tennis representative players travelled to Bathurst to compete in the 2nd Regional Matchplay Series event last weekend. Malakhai Tumia and Talei Ensor competed in the UTR graded combined event (U12, 14, 16, & Opens), while Kimi Yiheng Zhu and Malia Ensor competed in the U10 Green Ball Competition. There was a great display of tennis by all competitors until the rain called off the final matches. Luckily, winners could be determined, with Talei Ensor winning her band in the UTR Combined Event. This week is Nepean Tennis is recognising National Volunteer Week. “It is important to recognise and celebrate the significant contribution of volunteers because quite simply, many junior sporting organisations would not be able to run,” Nepean Tennis President Mick Ensor said. “I would like to thank the committee of Nepean Tennis and also every other member who has volunteered their time to ensure the club functions as well as it does.” This weekend Nepean Tennis is hosting the 2025 OC Tennis Country Series Event. With 170 players registered, some good quality tennis will be on display.

GET IN TOUCH: To make a submission to ‘Sports Shorts’, email Nathan@westernweekender.com.au. You can also private message me on Facebook or @wwpenrith on X.

The 2024 Show & Shine winner.

Nissan GT-Rs will be on display.

The GWS Giants fall to eighth position.

Telei Ensor with her trophy.

The Panthers score another win.

FPOWERFUL STATEMENT

our members from Adonis Athlet ics Penrith have returned from the Australian Powerlifting Associa tion 2025 Mega Nationals Championships with some bling around their neck.

Evan McCloy and Jordan Bingham from Emu Plains, Alex Tomasko from Mulgoa Rise and Renay Ferguson from Kingswood competed against the best of the best in Camperdown earlier this month.

Three Adonis powerlifters finished with gold, while one walked away with silver in what was a memorable day for

national records.

Ferguson set a new national record in Squat (157.5kg), Bench Press (90kg) and Deadlift (160kg) for a record overall total of 407.5kg.

Evan McCloy, who was attending his sixth Nationals, also picked up Gold in the under 93kg class after completing a 260kg Squat, 240kg Bench Press (national record) and 225kg Deadlift for a total of 725kg. Coming in second to McCloy was Alex

fully completed a 260kg Squat, 160kg Bench Press and 240kg Deadlift for a total of 660kg.

Last but not least was Jordan Bingham, who was also making his national debut. Despite being relatively new to the scene, Bingham won Gold in the under 120kg class.

Bingham completed a 260kg Squat, 195kg Bench Press and 260kg Deadlift for a total of 715kg.

Speaking with , McCloy said he was proud of his teammates for not only coming away with medals but new records as well.

“I’m absolutely proud! Everybody at the gym is a real community and we all enjoy seeing one another succeed,” he said.

“Incredibly we all walked away with a medal, but part of us all believe we could’ve done more. That only fuels the fire to come back to the next one.”

Story continues on » p. 69

NATHAN TAYLOR