SHARK The
SEPTEMBER 2026 | FREE
YOUR LOCAL SUTHERLAND SHIRE MAGAZINE
Free Exhibitions Art Classes for all ages RIGHT ON YOUR DOORSTEP
Hazelhurst Arts Centre 782 Kingsway Gymea T 0285365700 hazelhurst.com.au Image: Vision Splendid: Highlights from the University of Wollongong Art Collection (installation view), 2023. Photograph by Flore Vallery-Radot.
Shire Matters | Sponsored Content
with Simon Kennedy Federal Member for Cook
Every week I meet the volunteers, clubs, schools and charities that are the heart of the Sutherland Shire. Backing them is one of the best parts of my job. This year, that meant: • $ 66,000+ in Volunteer Grants for local organisations • $ 10,000 from Sydney Airport and The Tradies supporting 10 local groups • $ 90,000+ raised for local charities through the Cook Community Awards and Raffle Want to get involved? Get in touch with my office.
Simon with Aaron Blackwell from Marine Rescue Botany Port Hacking
Cook Community Volunteer Awards
STANDING UP FOR THE SHIRE
Scan the QR code to find out more
Some of the issues I'm fighting for: • Over-Development • Clean Up Gymea Bay Baths • Keep Jannali Post Office Open • Withdraw the $5,000 cap on Healthcare for Veterans • Keep vital Multiple Sclerosis medications on the PBS
Cronulla RSL Sub Branch
Simon with local constituent Ashleigh, discussing MS medications
Gymea Bay Baths
HAVE YOUR SAY. Scan the QR code to complete my 30-second community survey and tell me what’s important to you. It’s a privilege to represent our community. Simon Kennedy MP
Sutherland Shire Netball Association
COOK GRANT RECIPIENTS • St John NSW - Sutherland Division • Volunteer Marine Rescue Botany Port Hacking • Hopefield Services • Community65 • Miranda Congregational Church • Gymea Anglican Church • St George & Sutherland Medical Research Foundation • Port Hacking District Cubs & Scouts • Sutherland Shire Netball Association • One Meal Sutherland Shire
9523 0339 or Simon.Kennedy.MP@aph.gov.au. Issue 1 • Sep 2026 • The Shark • 3
Community Health | Sponsored Content
Emergency Medical Clinic Opens in Caringbah A new option for urgent care in the Sutherland Shire.
A child hurts an arm at Saturday sport. A cut needs urgent treatment. A fever worsens after dinner. An early pregnancy concern or sudden abdominal pain leaves you wondering whether to wait for a GP appointment or attend a hospital emergency department. But there’s a new option.
Opening soon at 31 Koonya Crescent, Caringbah, WiSE Specialist Emergency Clinic will offer walk-in care for urgent illnesses and injuries that may not require admission to hospital. No appointment is required. Patients will be assessed by specialist emergency physicians and emergency nurses—the same types of clinicians who work in Australian hospital emergency departments. When might you visit WiSE? • Suspected fractures, broken bones, sports injuries, wounds, burns or eye injuries • Asthma, breathing difficulties, allergic reactions, migraines or severe headaches • Abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, fever, infections or respiratory illness • Early pregnancy concerns, skin infections, rashes or workplace injuries What makes WiSE different? WiSE is not a general practice. It is a walk-in clinic staffed by Specialist Emergency doctors and combines specialist assessment with CT scan, X-ray, ultrasound and pathology collection on site, so patients can be assessed, investigated and treated in one location. The clinic will be open extended hours from 10am – 10pm every day including weekends and all public holidays. Outpatient diagnostic services will also be available seven days a week and will be bulk-billed with a valid referral. If hospital admission or more complex inpatient care is required, WiSE can coordinate ongoing care through established hospital pathways. More services under one roof The Caringbah clinic will also include WiSE Emergency Dental, a dedicated Fracture Clinic, a daily Infusion Clinic and WiSE Physiotherapy. 31 Koonya Crescent, Caringbah 10am – 10pm every day including weekends and all public holidays. 4 • The Shark • Sep 2026 • Issue 1
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Letter from the Editor
Hello Shire, G’day and welcome to the inaugural edition of The Shark, your new, free Sutherland Shire magazine dedicated to showcasing the people, places and events that make the Shire legendary and unique, while occasionally venturing beyond it. Putting together our first issue has been a wonderful journey of discovery. We’ve spoken with young musicians, emerging elite athletes and inspiring locals, and heard from people whose work has helped shape the character of the Shire. Inside, you’ll meet Australian rock icon Diesel and hear about his latest tour, his enduring career and his time on the Cape Baily trail. We also speak with Shire local and Cronulla NRLW prop Stephanie Faulkner about her trailblazing journey into high-performance sport, and with Cronulla High School principal Tony Ibrahim about why the small things matter — like shoes.
Meet furry friends, see colourful works by young Shire artists, discover a few of the area’s finest fishing spots and, most importantly, find the answer to the question on everybody’s lips: what’s going on with the Cronulla Clock Tower? A special thank you to our local cover artist of the month, Helen Dubrovich, an award-winning painter based in Engadine, for her magnificent work, Cronulla. Thanks for picking up our first issue. We had fun creating The Shark — we hope you enjoy the read. And if there’s a story happening in your corner of the Shire, or beyond, we’d love to hear about it.
Daniel Alex Editor, The Shark
THE
SHARK
ADVERTISE WITH US
MAGAZINE
Published by McCord Media Pty Ltd ABN: 37 678 170 477 www.sharkmag.com.au Suite 1, 11-13 Ocean Grove Avenue Cronulla NSW 2230
SHARK ER 2026
| FREE
SEPTEMB
EDITOR editor@sharkmag.com.au ADVERTISING advertising@sharkmag.com.au CIRCULATION 70,000 copies delivered monthly; 4,200 to shops/businesses and 65,800 in mailboxes FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM @thesharkmagazine Front Cover: Helen Dubrovich ‘Cronulla’ www.helendubrovichart.com 6 • The Shark • Sep 2026 • Issue 1
The
ERLAND
L SUTH
LOCA YOUR
SHIRE
E
MAGAZIN
70,000
copies delivered across the Sutherland Shire every month
To discuss advertising opportunities, call Conan on 0419 609 727 or email advertising@sharkmag.com.au Finished artwork and editorial deadline for the October issue: 7 October 2026
Contents 6
Letter from the Editor
8
What’s On in the Shire
10
Top 5 Family Eat-Outs
32 Sport Sam Short on setbacks, Glasgow gold and the road ahead
12 Local History Cronulla’s Clock comes home
34 Sport Stephanie Faulkner on forging a pathway to the NRLW
14 Budget Business What the NSW and Federal budgets mean for the Shire
35 Fitness Pippa Smyth shares six tips for sustainable fitness
16 Little Artists of the Shire A bright little gallery of young local creatives
36 Community Two families unite to advance the fight against NEC
18 Education Tony Ibrahim on the philosophy behind Cronulla High School 20 Shark Pack Shire dogs of the month 22 Life Hack Meet the local mum making Shire sport easier 24 Beauty Six ways to reset your hair for spring 26 Music After four decades, Diesel is still listening
26
30
42 Local Legend Rodney Evans on 40 years of aviation rescue, firefighting and mentorship 44 Fishing Christian Payne on his favourite Shire fishing spots
32
46 Brain Games, Comic, Books & Astrology 48 Relationships How to Rebuild Self-Esteem
30 Local Music Meet the next generation of Shire musicians
44
Got something to say? At The Shark, we’re all about community. Got something to say or a great Shire moment to share? We’d love to hear from you — and you could be featured in next month’s Letters to the Editor. Email: hello@sharkmag.com.au Issue 1 • Sep 2026 • The Shark • 7
THE WHAT’S ON INSHIRE
LOCAL LIBRARY EVENTS
Spring has arrived in the Sutherland Shire, bringing a packed calendar of events.
ENGADINE LIBRARY
S E PT E M B E R 2 0 2 6
TRIO: PETER NORTHCOTE, BRYDON STACE & ALLY FRIENDSHIP
Fri 4 Sep
Brass Monkey, Cronulla WONNIE SHOWCASE
Sat 5 Sep
Woronora RSL, 7-11pm NRL: CRONULLA SHARKS V MELBOURNE STORM
Sat 5 Sep
Kick-off 7.35pm at Shark Park A TASTE OF IRELAND
Wed 9 Sep
7.30pm. Irish music and dance. The Pavilion Sutherland
WORONORA SPOTLIGHTING WALK
Wed 16 Sep
SUTHERLAND SHIRE AGED CARE EXPO
CRONULLA LIBRARY
Thu 17 Sep
10am-1pm, Tradies Gymea. Free event connecting older Australians, families and carers with local providers
PSEUDO ECHO — TAKE ME TO FUNKY TOWN TOUR
Sat 12 Sep
8pm. Caringbah Hotel. ONE NIGHT ONLY – THE BEE GEES SHOW
Sat 12 Sep
8pm Club Central Menai
Sat 19 Sep
BELL SHAKESPEARE MACBETH
Thu 24 Sep
7pm. The Pavilion Sutherland
MIRANDA LIBRARY
First Thursday of the month, 3-7pm Puzzle swap
First Thursday of the month, 1-2pm SUTHERLAND LIBRARY
First Monday of the month, 10.30am-12pm Living with Dementia. For people living with dementia, carers and partners. CARINGBAH LIBRARY
Thursdays, 11am
Rhymetime (ages 0-2)
MOTEL CALIFORNIA
Fri 25 Sep
Eagles tribute. Brass Monkey, Cronulla. CRONULLA FESTIVAL
Fri 25-Sun 27 Sep
10am-3pm, Don Lucas Reserve, Mitchell Road, Cronulla
HOUSEHOLD CHEMICAL CLEANOUT
Sat 26-Sun 27 Sep
8 • The Shark • Sep 2026 • Issue 1
Knitting and Crochet
Crossword and Chat
Cronulla Park, South Cronulla. Food trucks, rides, market stalls and family fun
We’d love to see pics of you having fun around the Shire - send to hello@sharkmag.com.au
Wednesdays, 1-3pm
Brass Monkey, Cronulla
Fri 18 & Sat 19 Sep
DOGS DAY OUT
Sun 13 Sep
Mahjong
SYLVANIA LIBRARY
9am-6pm, Kirrawee Library. Author talks, panels and workshops. Tickets at humanitix.com
4pm-9pm. 158 Menai Road, Menai
Tuesdays, 1-3pm
ALEX LLOYD — 25 YEARS OF WATCHING ANGELS MEND
8pm. The Pavilion Sutherland
Fri 11 Sep
Film Group
MENAI LIBRARY
JIMEOIN
MENAI FOODIES NIGHT MARKET
9.30-11.30am, Third Tuesday each month
5.30-8pm. Guided native-animal walk. See Sutherland Shire Council Bushcare Facebook page
WRITERS UNLEASHED 2026
Fri 11 Sep
See Sutherland Shire Libraries online for more information.
9am-3.30pm, Bellingara Netball Court car park, 99 Bellingara Road, Miranda. See Sutherland Shire Council website.
The Butcher at the Sutherland Shire Farmers Market
REGULAR EVENTS
WORTH THE TRIP OVER THE BRIDGE
SUTHERLAND SHIRE FARMERS MARKET
HAPPY MONDAYS
SUZANNE VEGA
Enmore Theatre, Newtown
Sydney Opera House Concert Hall
8am-1pm, every Saturday Flora Street car park, Sutherland
GYMEA NATURE WALK
8.30-10.15am every Friday From Sutherland Tennis Courts. Details: kaimiacommunity.org.au THE MAN WALK
6am every Sunday
Sat 5 Sep
Fri 18 Sep
BJÖRN AGAIN – ABBA FOREVER TOUR
JASON DERULO
State Theatre, Sydney
Afterpay Arena, Sydney Olympic Park
Sat 5 Sep
HOUSEWORK
Sep 5 – Oct 17
Drama Theatre, Sydney Theatre Company
Sat 19 Sep
SHINEDOWN & BUSH
Wed 23 Sep
Hordern Pavilion, Moore Park ECLIPSE: PINK FLOYD ORCHESTRATED
Leaving Cronulla Surf Club, 2 Marine Esp. A supportive space for men to walk and talk. www.themanwalk.com.au
ELECTRIC CALLBOY
OPEN MIC NIGHT
VIOLENT SOHO, WITH BEDDY RAYS AND TEENAGE JOANS
ICEHOUSE, WITH LITTLE QUIRKS
Enmore Theatre, Newtown
Fleet Steps, Mrs Macquaries Point
6.30pm every Tuesday Gymea Hotel
Thu 10 Sep
Afterpay Arena, Sydney Olympic Park
Fri 11 & Sat 12 Sep
Sat 26 Sep
Sydney Opera House Concert Hall
Wed 30 Sep
Issue 1 • Sep 2026 • The Shark • 9
Family Dining
TOP 5 Family-friendly Eat Outs
Words Alhana, Mums of the Shire @mums_of_the_shire
Finding somewhere that keeps both kids and parents happy isn't always easy. These are my favourite spots around the Shire. 1
THE PRINCE, KIRRAWEE A polished, family-friendly venue with an undercover play area, basketball hoops and plenty of space for a relaxed weekend meal. ALHANA’S PICK Book a table near the play area to keep an eye on the kids.
2
LANEWAY CAFÉ, CARINGBAH
A relaxed breakfast or brunch option with a rear courtyard and Castelnau Park close by. ALHANA’S PICK Courtyard breakfast, then a trip to the park.
3
TRADIES CARINGBAH A dependable lunch or dinner option with easy parking, a relaxed atmosphere and supervised play for younger children. ALHANA’S PICK Garlic sizzling prawns & coconut margarita.
4
FOR KIDS Unsupervised undercover play area $ PRICE
Free kids' activities Sundays 12–2pm BEST FOR Sunny weekend mornings FOR KIDS Nearby access to Castelnau Park
$ PRICE
Standard café menu pricing BEST FOR Lunch or dinner, especially in winter FOR KIDS Supervised Playspace for ages 3+
$ PRICE
$5 per child for members; extra session $3 BEST FOR Sunny weekend lunch
TAREN POINT HOTEL A casual, open venue with plenty of onsite parking and an outdoor play area that works well for family lunches. ALHANA’S PICK Lunch outside with a cocktail while the kids play.
5
BEST FOR Weekend lunch
CLUB CENTRAL MENAI A strong indoor option with supervised activities that give parents time to enjoy a proper lunch or dinner. ALHANA’S PICK Settle in while the kids enjoy gaming and movies.
10 • The Shark • Sep 2026 • Issue 1
FOR KIDS Outdoor play area & kids’ activities $ PRICE
Activities vary - check the schedule
Kids having fun at Taren Point Hotel. Photo supplied. BEST FOR Rainy days, winter and longer meals FOR KIDS Supervised Kids Central, ages 4–12 $ PRICE
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Local History
Cronulla’s Clock Comes Home Words Marisa Giannopoulos
Known for its expansive coastline and bustling pedestrian precinct, Cronulla also has a rich local history. Among its most recognisable landmarks is the Cronulla Clock Tower, which famously houses the oldest public clock in Australia. Built in England in 1770 by clockmaker John Jullion, the clock originally stood at Stanwell Place, near Heathrow.
For generations of locals, the Cronulla Clock Tower has been the unofficial meeting place in the heart of Cronulla Plaza. Credit: Bundit Minramum.
Its journey to Australia began after Readymix Concrete acquired the Stanwell Place site. Norman Davis, an Australian director of Readymix Concrete UK, later discussed the clock with his old Canterbury Boys High School friend Harry Babbage during a visit to the Captain Cook museum at Kurnell. The clock’s 1770 date — the same year Captain Cook landed at Kurnell — made it a fitting candidate for a new home near the historic site. Once its age had been established, Babbage, then a director of Caltex Australia Limited, arranged for the clock to be transported to Australia. It was then restored 12 • The Shark • Sep 2026 • Issue 1
by horologist Douglas Minty. When the National Parks and Wildlife Service declined a proposal to install the clock at Captain Cook’s Landing Place, Kurnell, it eventually found a new home in Cronulla Plaza in 1989, as part of the plaza’s official opening. In a short time, the Clock Tower became a local icon – serving as both a navigational marker and a central meeting spot for residents and beachgoers alike. Now, the clock’s hiatus from its Cronulla home is nearing an end. After a small break from the spotlight, Sutherland Shire Council has confirmed its journey on Cronulla soil is far from over.
Former Sutherland Shire Council infrastructure project planning coordinator Elveena Tahir confirmed that the historic timepiece is here to stay and will be preserved and housed within the new façade of the Cronulla Central building. Sutherland Historical Society president and local historian Bruce Watt was disappointed with the original design of the Clock Tower because it concealed the clock’s original mechanism. Tahir also confirmed that the new design will “celebrate its architectural beauty”, replacing the original concrete enclosure with a design that showcases the clock’s intricate mechanisms. Earthmoving company Effortless Excavations demolished the Clock Tower in 2025. Effortless Excavations co-director Andrew Thompson told Trade Earthmovers there had been some community pushback over the Clock Tower’s demolition. More than a piece of public infrastructure, the clock has become an old and reliable friend to many who, from childhood, have associated the grand landmark with the sweet sea breeze and blue waters of Cronulla.
Sutherland Pavilion
Budget Explainer
Budget Business: what’s in it for the Shire? Words Ethan Westwood
The 2026–27 NSW and Federal budgets include tax changes, infrastructure funding and cost-of-living measures affecting households across the Sutherland Shire. Here’s what you need to know:
NSW Budget MINNS NSW LABOR GOVERNMENT The NSW State Government has prioritised cost-of-living relief while continuing to invest in long-term infrastructure and essential services. $100 off vehicle registration $50 weekly toll cap Opal fares frozen for 12 months Up to $15,000 in interest-free home energy loans IN THE SHIRE Woronora Heights $1.8m for wildlife corridors and koala habitat. Engadine Fire Station $9.9m for a replacement station behind Engadine KFC. Heathcote Road $33m towards duplication works and a westbound overtaking lane. Schools Upgrades at Heathcote High, Cronulla High and Sutherland Public. Cronulla wastewater plant Upgrade remains funded and underway.
Maryanne Stuart MP, Member for Heathcote, with Fire and Rescue NSW’s Engadine D Platoon and representatives of the Fire Brigade Employees’ Union, celebrating the $9.9 million secured for a new Engadine fire station.
Federal Budget ALBANESE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT The federal budget was also focused on costof-living relief, alongside major structural reforms in housing and taxation. Work expenses: $1,000 automatic deduction Income tax: Lowest rate falls to 15%, and further to 14% from 1 July 2027 Hospitals: Extra $52b in funding over five years NDIS: $37.8b reduction in project spending through fraud-control reforms and tightened eligibility Small business: Fixed $20,000 asset write-off Housing tax: Capital gains and negativegearing reforms from 1 July 2027 IN THE SHIRE Gannons Road $1.461m for a cycleway and missing footpath in Burraneer and Caringbah South. Council funding Continued support through financial assistance grants and Roads to Recovery.
DEFICIT
S U R P LUS
DEFICIT
BA L A N C E
$2.3b
$1.1b
$31.5b
2034–35 return to balance
in 2026–27
forecast 2027–28
14 • The Shark • Sep 2026 • Issue 1
in 2026–27
Life Was Never Ordinary. WHY SHOULD THE FAREWELL BE?
Every life tells a different story. Some farewells are quiet and traditional. Others are filled with music, laughter, stories and personal touches. At Olsens Farewells, we've proudly supported families across the Sutherland Shire for generations, providing compassionate guidance when it's needed most. We understand our local community because we've been privileged to care for the people who make it so special. Whether you're honouring a lifetime of memories or celebrating a life in a unique way, we'll help create a farewell that feels authentic, meaningful and true to the person you're remembering.
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Issue 1 • Sep 2026 • The Shark • 15
LITTLE ARTISTS ire
A bright little gallery of young local creatives - dream homes, ocean worlds, firetrucks, turtles, portraits and one magnificently feral rat.
of the Sh
ACE, 7 · Untitled A bright, spotted creature with dinosaur energy, big colour and a very good sense of movement.
ASHTON, 7 · Dog Portrait A wonderfully expressive pencil portrait with big eyes, big character and plenty of personality.
BEN JAMIN , 4 Firetruck Parked Outside the Cafe Inspired by rescue vehicles and the firefighters often seen grabbing coffee at Backstreet Brew.
ISABELLE, 9 World Turtle Day A gentle turtle sketch from a young artist newly discovering her love of drawing.
Send your artwork with name and age to hello@sharkmag.com.au 16 • The Shark • Sep 2026 • Issue 1
HARPER, 11 · My Dream Ocean
HARPER, 12 · Designed to Dream
A beautiful underwater scene full of ocean life, pattern, movement and imagination.
A polished dream home with strong lines, warm colour and a sharp eye for detail.
ZAYNE, 13 · Feral Rat
STELLA, 7 · Self Portrait
Scratchy, wild and full of attitude exactly the kind of rat you would not want in your pantry.
A colourful, confident portrait full of shape, personality and bold little choices.
Congratulations to our Little Artists of the Month! Each featured artist will receive a beautifully illustrated colouring book showcasing iconic landmarks and locations across the Sutherland Shire, courtesy of Local Lines. @local_lines_colouring Issue 1 • Sep 2026 • The Shark • 17
Education
The Little Things That Build a School Words Daniel Alex
In 2006, on Tony Ibrahim’s first day as principal of Cronulla High School, he inherited 692 students and a rough reputation. Today, enrolment stands at almost 1,200. But the school’s transformation didn’t start with sweeping reform. It began with uniform, including students’ shoes.
Cronulla High School principal says seeing former students return to work alongside him is one of the most rewarding parts of the job. Photo supplied.
Three seniors turned up in the wrong shoes on day one. Ibrahim met them at the gate and sent them home. “They were back with them in five minutes because they had the right shoes in the car,” he said. “They just thought they’d try me on.” For Ibrahim, small acts matter — they set expectations, shape culture and attitude, and help students understand what it means to belong. “It’s rising to the occasion,” he said. Like a pebble striking water, that philosophy creates a rippling effect. Turning up to school with the right attitude and the correct uniform becomes a lesson in how to turn up for life beyond the school gates. Ibrahim and his staff nurture their students’ ability to meet the standards they set. “It’s working with them to meet those expectations,” he said, recognising that “they’re not just a number or a bum on a seat. It’s also a team effort and the staff have played an important role in improving our reputation and results”. 18 • The Shark • Sep 2026 • Issue 1
For Ibrahim, leadership is built through presence. A familiar face at morning assemblies, lunchtime and sporting events, he remembers the sports and extracurricular activities his students take part in and makes a point of asking them about their weekends. “Kids love it when I ask how they went at football on the weekend, or in cricket, netball or soccer,” he said, “because they’re aware I know they play those sports.” Whether it’s insisting on the right shoes, remembering a student’s weekend sport or bending down to pick up litter, Ibrahim’s approach has remained remarkably consistent throughout his two decades as principal of Cronulla High. Those everyday interactions, he believes, compound over time. “At some stage down the track,” he said, “you might call upon an interaction you had with them.” He also reads every student’s report. “That gives me one-on-one time with them,” he said. Ibrahim maintains an open-door policy, encourages honest communication with staff and believes consistency should underpin every relationship with the school community. Former students now return as teachers, something Ibrahim regards as one of the most rewarding parts of the job. “I get a lot of joy out of watching them wanting to come back and work here,” he said, “they’ve already bought into the culture and expectations of the school as students, so they make great role models and teachers.” Cronulla High School continues to evolve by listening to students and the wider community. This has led to initiatives such as additional VET pathways and iSTEM electives that better reflect students’ interests. For Ibrahim, these outcomes were not accidental. They grew from thousands of small, consistent decisions made every day – and above all, treating every student as someone worth knowing.
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Issue 1 • Sep 2026 • The Shark • 19
THE SHARK PACK The Shark Pack is our monthly roll call of local pets with big personalities. For September, meet six Shire dogs with beach habits, food opinions and serious locallegend energy. SEPTEMBER DOG OF THE MONTH
Mack
Send pet pics and stories to hello@sharkmag.com.au
American Pocket Bully × French Bulldog 2 years old · Miranda
ER W I N N★ ★★
Miranda’s Mack is a comeback kid with a champion appetite. After a serious health scare and surgery, he is still affectionate, friendly and up for every snack going. His best mate is a Siamese cat who keeps him humble, and his fear of his own farts is pure comedy. OWNER Stevie-Lee LOCAL LOVES Como Bridge Walk; doggy ice cream or, frankly, any food going.
20 • The Shark • Sep 2026 • Issue 1
Bailey
B E ST H E R OO P H OT
Labrador · 2.5 · Cronulla · Owner: Tara
Cronulla’s Bailey has a beach-postcard face and a loyalty clause that follows Tara everywhere unless food appears. Greenhills Beach is his happy place, peanut butter is his weakness, and he greets everyone like an old mate.
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Border Collie · 8 Menai · Bel & Steve
Cronulla rescue Milo, aka Nesquik, has mysterybreed charm and traffic-stopping ears. He loves local walks, bush adventures and swimming in any water he can find. His signature move is rolling over for tummy scratches from strangers. Smart dog.
Menai’s Bentley is affectionate, loyal and deeply invested in neighbourhood security. He loves Wonny River, The Ridge, chicken, cheese and keeping couriers honest. When soccer is on up The Ridge, he is often there with brother Kobi.
Hugo
Murphy
Jack Russell · 4 Caringbah · Syroni & Lorna
Caringbah’s Hugo is charming, chaotic and hard to stay annoyed with. He loves Kurnell, Greenhills and grass-fed steak. At night, he sleeps diagonally across the bed like he pays the mortgage. Tiny legs, huge confidence.
Jack Russell · 4 Bangor · Anneliese
Bangor’s Murphy froths the beach and has expensive taste: steak, or anything in hand. He is funny, kind, cuddly and proud of his strut. His party trick is sitting pretty anywhere he wants attention pillow, couch, TV zone, wherever. Issue 1 • Sep 2026 • The Shark • 21
Life Hack
The Local Mum Making Shire Sport Easier Words Daniel Alex
After struggling to keep track of registrations for her three children’s activities, local mum Laura Richards created a free online directory bringing hundreds of junior sports and activities together in one place.
Local mum Laura Richards, creator of Local Sports 4 Kids
Laura knows firsthand how complicated junior sport can become. Her three children participate in soccer, gymnastics, musical theatre, swimming and boxing. Keeping track of registrations once meant following countless Facebook pages, websites and email lists. “I found that exhausting,” she said. When her son missed out on an Oztag season because she had not realised registrations had opened, Laura decided there had to be a better way. Speaking with other parents, she found they shared the same frustration. “I wish everything was in one spot,” she remembers saying. That conversation became the seed for Local Sports 4 Kids, a free Shire-wide online directory bringing local sports clubs, activities and registration information together in one place. 22 • The Shark • Sep 2026 • Issue 1
Since launching on March 27, 2026, the website has grown to almost 500 listings and around 2,558 active users, with soccer, Oztag and dancing among its most-searched activities. “The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive,” Laura said. “Parents are busy. They don’t want to search through dozens of websites, social pages and email chains. Most people are saying, ‘Thank you, this is really helpful.’” Building the website required a significant personal investment. Laura funded the project herself using proceeds from the sale of an investment property, while continuing to work full-time as an audiometrist. Much of the site’s maintenance still happens on Thursdays and Fridays away from the clinic.
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Sport gives children a controlled environment to experience strong emotions and learn life lessons
Her motivation extends beyond helping parents stay organised. “When they’re young, losing can be difficult, but learning how to handle it is important,” she said. “Sport gives children a controlled environment to experience strong emotions and learn life lessons.” Designed to remain free for clubs and families, Local Sports 4 Kids aims to make community sport easier to discover without excluding smaller organisations that may not have the budget to advertise. Asked what she would say to parents feeling overwhelmed by registration and activity options, Laura smiled. “Just look at the website, because you’re likely to find something much faster and more easily than searching through scattered pages yourself.”
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Call 02 9824 8761 shire@talkabouttherapy.com.au or scan the QR code to book Issue 1 • Sep 2026 • The Shark • 23
Beauty
Spring Hair, Sorted Words Daniel Alex Cronulla hairdresser Krystal, owner of Maganda Hair, and winner of the 2026 Sutherland Shire Local Business Award for Outstanding Hairdresser, shares the cuts, care habits and realistic routines that will keep Shire hair frizz-free through warmer weather, salt air and rising humidity.
Maganda Hair Salon team, from left: Mia, Charlotte, Krystal, Jemima. Photo supplied.
Six ways to reset your hair for spring 1. BOBS ARE BACK
3. HEAT NEEDS PREPARATION
From a blunt bob to a layered or long bob, shorter shapes are returning for spring. Krystal says the appeal is a fresh, polished style that does not have to be high-maintenance. Long hair remains timeless, but the bob is the salon’s strongest current trend.
Straighteners, curlers and hairdryers can weaken or burn hair when it is not properly prepared. Apply heat protection every time you style and avoid repeatedly running very hot tools over the same section.
2. THREE PRODUCTS ARE ENOUGH
Salt water, wind, humidity, swimming and an outdoor lifestyle can leave hair dry, frizzy or harder to manage. Regular trims, conditioning and the right home products may be enough. Some clients benefit from a professional smoothing treatment. The answer depends on the hair.
You do not need six bottles on the bathroom shelf. Krystal’s core kit is a good shampoo, a good conditioner and a heat-protection product. Add a weekly treatment to replace moisture and help maintain the hair’s integrity.
4. COASTAL FRIZZ IS REAL
5. USE PHOTOS AS INSPIRATION Social media images often show extensions, dense hair, heavy styling or a completely different natural texture. A stylist can explain what is realistic now, what may take several appointments and what will require daily styling at home.
6. HEALTHY HAIR BEATS EVERY TREND Krystal’s favourite look is simply healthy, well-cut hair. Consistent washing, moisture, careful heat styling and regular maintenance matter more than chasing every trend. The style she would happily retire? The mullet.
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“ There is definitely part of me that knows I need to keep challenging myself ”
26 • The Shark • Sep 2026 • Issue 1
DIESEL
Words Daniel Alex
Music
After Four Decades, Diesel is Still Listening Before we spoke about the tour, Mark Lizotte — The format has sent Diesel back through his 17-album catalogue, rediscovering songs he never better known as Diesel — wanted to talk about expected to revisit while revealing which ones the Shire. have endured most deeply with audiences. “It’s like He had flown over Kurnell countless times, he told me, looking down at that strange edge checking in,” he says, “like doing inventory.” of Sydney where the city gives way to scrub, That inventory is not small. Across four sandstone, and sea. decades, Diesel has released 17 albums, topped Recently, he had walked the Cape Baily track the charts, and collected multiple ARIA Awards, himself. “It’s like the land that time forgot,” he says. including three consecutive Best Male Artist titles For an artist who has spent four decades touring in 1993, 1994 and 1995. Australia, that feeling seemed to matter. There is quiet confidence in the format. Few The Shire, he said, has that rare quality of musicians could walk on stage alone, hand part feeling removed from Sydney while of the setlist to the crowd, and trust sitting right beside it. “It’s like you that forty years of songs — and the leave Sydney when you go over records that shaped them — would that bridge.” carry the night. It’s like you leave That instinct — to notice where But the tour feels like more than Sydney when he is, to listen before performing an exercise in nostalgia — instead, you go over that — runs through Diesel By Request it’s a conversation between artist and bridge. ’26, an intimate tour that hands the audience, a chance to celebrate, as setlist back to the audience. Diesel puts it, “all who have graced He has learned that “when an artist makes a me with this longevity.” setlist, they’re second-guessing what people want He describes the tour as both a challenge to to hear most of the time.” Instead, fans build each himself and an act of care for the audience. night’s show from a menu spanning more than Taking on Hendrix alone with an electric guitar four decades of music. is not exactly a comfortable evening at work, but Alongside staples like Tip of My Tongue, Crying “a big fuzz pedal helps,” he laughs. Shame, and Man Alive sit unexpected choices: It’s clear that comfort, for Diesel, is not the The Verve, Elmore James, Jimi Hendrix and even point. But he admits, “there is definitely part of me traditional jazz-ballads, such as Moon River. that knows I need to keep challenging myself.”
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Diesel (Mark Lizotte) during his By Request tour at The Street Theatre, Canberra, 10 April 2026. Photo supplied.
Diesel, 26, circa 1992. Photo supplied. Issue 1 • Sep 2026 • The Shark • 27
Surprises have come from the audience too. On the last tour, one of the most requested covers was The Verve’s 1997 song The Drugs Don’t Work, from Urban Hymns. It’s a melancholic folklament whose popularity surprised him. He included it almost as a litmus test — a private favourite placed among the options to see whether it would land. It did. In the process, he had discovered something about his audience: “We probably have a lot of the same records in our collection.” That is the charm of the format. Alongside his own catalogue, Diesel gets to bring out what he calls his closet favourites – songs he might otherwise only perform at a friend’s birthday or wedding. “It’s funny how a song can live in you,” he says, smiling. “You go, ‘Wow, I didn’t think I knew that song, but it lives in me somewhere.’” But memory is imperfect. There are still moments, he laughs, “where you need someone to come quickly towards you with an iPad.”
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It’s funny how a song can live in you
But some memories remain exact. Diesel remembers exactly what it felt like to sit
Diesel performs at the Sydney Opera House Forecourt, 19 December 2025. Photo: Jarrad Seng. 28 • The Shark • Sep 2026 • Issue 1
cross-legged on the floor in Massachusetts — before the family moved to Albury — his headphones on, listening with complete attention. “I always listened to music quite intensely as a child,” he says, almost to himself. Today, software can isolate individual instruments at the click of a button. As a boy, Diesel did it in his head. He would, as he puts it, “mentally stem separate” songs, focusing entirely on the bass, keyboard, or drums to understand what each instrument was contributing. “When you go in and listen to that one section,” he explains, “you go, whoa! I never realised that.” And long before lyrics were available online, Diesel describes poring over album liner notes. He studied every credit and lyric printed inside the album sleeve, always trying to understand the details that made the whole work. Even then, he understood the romance of the instrument. After being given a ukulele as a boy, he tried to play along to Joni Mitchell, then turned his attention to the cardboard box it came in. With leftover red velvet fabric from his mother’s sewing room, he lined the inside. “It was really important the ukulele had a proper case,” he said fondly. That instinct for aesthetics would later appear, in another form, on the cover of his 1989 debut, featuring a young Diesel, hair slicked back like a 1950s greaser, oil on his face — a nod to his first job pumping petrol.But looking back, the habit never disappeared. “That’s how intensely I would get immersed in music,” he says. “There’s part of me that’s still that way. I don’t get to sit and listen to records like I used to, but I’ve flipped it. Now I make music pretty much all the time.” Now, he’s drawn back to old songs, new audiences, and a tour built around a simple question: what do you still want to hear? For tickets to Diesel’s By Request Tour scan the QR code
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info@highpointtrees.com.au www.highpointtrees.com.au Issue 1 • Sep 2026 • The Shark • 29
Music
The Next Generation Words Daniel Alex
In the Banksia section, Seraphim Haryanto won first prize for Cat in Chroma. The performance competition was won by clarinettist Edwin Vo, ahead of violinist Gabrielle Thai and trombonist Emmaline Xu third.
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Organisations like the Sutherland Music Club are at the heart of our local creative community – Cr Jack Boyd, Mayor
Gabrielle Thai, 15, performs during the 2026 Sutherland Music Club Youth Music Awards. Photo: Simon Tseng.
At 7pm on Friday, 26 June, young musicians, proud families and community members filled the Sutherland Arts Theatre for the 34th Sutherland Music Club Youth Music Awards. Inside the theatre, conversations faded, the lights dimmed and the master of ceremonies, Ross Hayes, impeccably dressed in a black tuxedo, welcomed the audience. Sutherland Shire Mayor Cr Jack Boyd began his Acknowledgement of Country before Siri chimed in from someone’s phone, drawing laughter throughout the room. Boyd described the awards as an opportunity to “inspire the next generation of musicians to pursue their passion and reach their potential”, adding that “organisations like the Sutherland Music Club are at the heart of our local creative community.” As finalists received commemorative medallions from Heather Causley, deputy principal of Gymea Bay Public 30 • The Shark • Sep 2026 • Issue 1
School and a long-time Schools Spectacular contributor, the gentle murmur of proud parents and grandparents gave way to sustained applause. This year’s Waratah Award celebrated musical landscapes, with finalists drawing inspiration from Tuscany, ancient Babylon and Chinese folk traditions. Judges Wendy Hiscocks and Andrew Ford congratulated the finalists through prerecorded messages before the major awards were announced. Edmund Huang claimed first prize with Bei Variations, inspired by Chinese culture, family and the melodies his mother hummed throughout his childhood. Tayla Buttaro Curtis placed second with Hydrology, while Orin Kim Narushima received third for Hanging Gardens.
As a recording of Bei Variations echoed through the theatre, pentatonic melodies gave way to soaring strings, delicate harp, brass and timpani. The room erupted in applause as Huang placed a hand over his heart and bowed. While the performers were teenagers and young adults, much of the audience consisted of parents, grandparents and long-time music lovers celebrating each performance as though it belonged to the whole community. The Youth Music Awards offered a glimpse of the Shire’s musical future. Justin Boschetti, director of The Pavilion Performing Arts Centre Sutherland, said the evening demonstrated the importance of giving young musicians opportunities to perform. “I’m blown away, honestly”, he said.
For latest news: www. sutherlandmusicclub.org.au
Issue 1 • Sep 2026 • The Shark • 31
Sport
From Setbacks to Gold Words Dave Holden | Photo ZUMA Press Wire
Sam Short has capped a dominant Commonwealth Games campaign in Glasgow with four gold medals, winning the 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyle events, as well as the 4x200m freestyle relay. The 22-year-old led an Australian clean sweep in both the 400m and the inaugural Commonwealth Games 800m, recording times of 3:41.25 and 7:39.81 respectively. He then defended the 1500m title he won in Birmingham, touching the wall in 14:42.11. Short was also part of Australia’s Games-record victory in the 4x200m relay. The results marked an emphatic return for Short after injuries and illness repeatedly interrupted his progress. At the Australian Swimming Trials in Sydney, which doubled as selection trials for Glasgow and the Pan Pacs, he had already signalled what was coming. Short grew up in a sporting household. “My dad was a champion surf lifesaver for Maroochydore SLSC, and Mum was a netballer and swimmer. I wanted to be like my sister, Summer, who was competitive and talented at swimming and surf lifesaving. I was in the water before I could even walk and doing well at agegroup meets from six years old.” Despite winning numerous national age titles, it took international success to convince Short he could truly excel. “The eye-opening moment was winning the 1500m freestyle at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham when I was 18.” Winning a gold medal at 18 was special. Winning it just five weeks after a melanoma diagnosis was remarkable. “I received a melanoma diagnosis at my first world championships, had it removed in Budapest and competed in Birmingham with 20 stitches in my back,” he said. Short was later struck down by gastroenteritis at the 2024 Paris Olympics. “2024 was the hardest year of my life. The Olympics were a horrendous experience, and I promised myself I would never let it go down like that again. 32 • The Shark • Sep 2026 • Issue 1
Sam Short celebrates after winning the gold medal during the Men’s 400m Freestyle Final on day two of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
I never wanted to give up. It only served as motivation for my goals.” Speaking before Glasgow, Short was refusing to look too far ahead. “I want to be the best, but I’m not looking to the Olympics yet. It’s one meet at a time. The next goal is Glasgow.” That goal has now been emphatically achieved, but his ultimate ambition remains unchanged. “The dream is an Olympic gold medal, but I have other things I want to achieve before then. Winning and seeing your time improve is addictive,” Short said.
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The dream is an Olympic gold medal
Short credits his parents with supporting him through every setback. “They have been in my corner my whole life, through the ups and, more importantly, the downs” he said. “If there is anyone in the world I want to make proud, it’s them. They have sacrificed a lot to allow me to be where I am today.” At 22, Short intends to swim beyond the Brisbane 2032 Olympics. “I’ve always wanted to represent my country and follow in the footsteps of Australian legends like Ian Thorpe and Grant Hackett,” he said. “To have my Dolphins number, 832, listed alongside theirs is a dream come true.” With four Glasgow gold medals now added to his name, there are many more dreams that could yet come true for Sam Short.
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Issue 1 • Sep 2026 • The Shark • 33
Sport
The Path She Never Had Words Daniel Alex
Stephanie Faulkner grew up loving footy. The problem was that every player she watched was a boy. “I was always annoyed that it was only boys that I was watching. I never could see it as an option because there wasn’t that option. I only saw men, so I just thought, ‘Oh, I can’t do that.’” Faulkner was always passionate about the game. She loved its physicality. “My favourite part about footy is the tackling,” she said, “putting your body on the line for the person next to you.” Now 21, Faulkner is the first player through the Cronulla Sharks’ female pathway into the NRLW and the 2025 Rookie of the Year. She has become the role model she never had. For Faulkner, football offered something different to the individual sports she played growing up, including shot put. Drawn not to individual performance but to teamwork, she found a game where camaraderie and trust were key, especially during State of Origin. “I loved that whole Queensland versus New South Wales, ‘mate against mate’ rivalry. I thought that was great.” As a young girl, Faulkner didn’t lack passion she lacked a pathway. She remembers thinking, “oh, there’s no girls.” A Path Opens Today, the rise of the NRLW and Cronulla Sharks’ female pathway means young girls can pursue a future in the game. Faulkner’s dream opportunity arrived suddenly. In Round 1 of the 2025 season, a season-ending ACL injury to another Sharks player opened the door for a replacement to join the full-time squad. “We were in our team meeting — I thought it was going to be somebody else,” she said. By Round 2, she had made her NRLW debut. What could have been a brief opportunity became a full rookie season. Faulkner played out the year and won the Sharks’ Rookie of the Year award. 34 • The Shark • Sep 2026 • Issue 1
Stephanie Faulkner in Cronulla’s Round 7 clash with the Gold Coast Titans at Sharks Stadium on 16 August 2025. Photo: Matt King/Getty Images.
But the speed of it all brought another challenge. She had gone from reserve grade to NRLW prop almost overnight, stepping into the elite environment she dreamed of as a kid while still learning to believe she belonged. For Faulkner, the transition to the NRLW brought periods of imposter syndrome — the feeling that everyone belonged except her. At times, she found herself asking: “Do I deserve to be in this position?” Working with a sports psychologist became part of her development, helping her understand that confidence at the elite level is rarely something players arrive with fully formed. Today, her answer comes quickly.
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It’s such a privilege to be in this position where young girls can look up to me
Now, young girls wearing Sharks jerseys have something Faulkner never did growing up: players like them. Somewhere on the sidelines, another little girl is watching the game with the same fascination Stephanie once did. This time, she doesn’t have to wonder whether there’s a place for her.
Fitness
Pippa Smyth PSPT @pippasmythpt
Spring into Strength Words Daniel Alex
Former GWS Giants AFLW player and Cronulla personal trainer Pippa Smyth shares six tips for building sustainable exercise habits this spring.
1. Start small
4. Train for the life you have
Healthy exercise habits and physical change develop over time. Find a routine you can enjoy and maintain, particularly if you work full-time, have children or already have a busy schedule. Pippa recommends choosing “a few days when you know you can complete a half-hour session”, then supporting them by maintaining your step count.
Pippa gets to know her clients and what is happening in their lives. This helps her adjust their training when necessary. If someone is going through a difficult period, their program should account for their physical and mental capacity. Reducing the intensity is sometimes better than abandoning the habit altogether.
2. Consistency beats motivation
Find a trainer you connect with and whose approach suits your ability and circumstances. A good trainer can plan your sessions, prevent you from doing too much too soon and provide accountability. As Pippa says: “Let your trainer do the hard work. All you have to do is show up.”
Whatever your goal, progress depends on continuing to show up. There will be days when motivation is absent, but Pippa says to ‘trust the process’. Eventually, you’ll be grateful that you continued through the difficult days.
3. Expect some soreness
Anyone beginning exercise or trying a different training style may experience soreness at first. This can frighten people into stopping, but the body may need two or three weeks to adapt. The initial discomfort should ease — although persistent or severe pain should not be ignored.
5. Find a trainer you trust
6. Train your whole body
A common misconception, particularly among women, is that lifting weights will make them bulky. Pippa says strength training helps develop a strong, resilient and functional body, and can be particularly valuable for women going through menopause.
Whether it’s playing with your kids, lifting something heavy or getting yourself back up after a fall, strength training prepares your body for the things life throws at you.
Pippa Smyth leads an outdoor training session. Photo: Michael Sutton. Issue 1 • Sep 2026 • The Shark • 35
Community
Everyone’s Going to Know Your Name Words Daniel Alex
while raising money for neonatal research. Aaron and Emma had never heard of the disease until just before it claimed Maddie’s life. Rather than establish a new charity, they joined the Madison Capaldi Research Fund, supporting a family that had already spent two decades raising over $1 million dollars in neonatal research and equipment.
“ Volunteers serve supporters at the Bunnings Kirrawee fundraiser for the Madison Capaldi Research Fund, raising money for neonatal research and awareness of NEC. Photo: Daniel Alex.
After losing their six-day-old daughter Maddie to necrotising enterocolitis, Aaron and Emma Xuereb made her a promise: everyone would know her name. At a Bunnings Kirrawee sausage sizzle, two bereaved families and a community united to advance the fight against NEC. Beneath the broad green banner of Bunnings Kirrawee, two plastic picnic tables had been pushed together under the pergolas. On top sat a pyramid of white bread, slowly disappearing one loaf at a time. A boy fresh from Saturday sport swished a Minecraft sword through the air while a parent followed behind pushing a trolley stacked with bags of lawn mix. Aaron greeted me with a sweaty hug, the smell of raw onion lingering on him. As he returned to the chopping board, I asked whether it had been this busy all morning. “A lot of people had come down just for today,” he said. Every loaf of bread, heap of onion, folded note and gold coin was helping honour Maddie. After her death, Aaron and Emma discovered The Madison Capaldi Research Fund was established by Joe and Danielle Capaldi after their daughter Madison died from the same disease more than 20 years earlier. On this clear-skied winter afternoon, the two families stood side by side behind the barbecue, serving friends, family, and passers-by, 36 • The Shark • Sep 2026 • Issue 1
I want that stigma gone because we need support – Aaron Xuereb
Aware of the stigma surrounding infant death, Aaron and Emma’s determination in the face of tragedy is striking. Meeting Maddie Born at 34 weeks, Maddie Xuereb was, in Aaron’s words, a “big, chubby thing” in a “really small little package.” She had dark eyes, almost black, and
Aaron Xuereb (right) and Madison Capaldi Research Fund founder Joe Capaldi (left) prepare onions during the Bunnings Kirrawee fundraiser. Photo: Daniel Alex.
a calmness that surprised her parents. After her first cry, Aaron and Emma said she barely cried again during her six days. Instead, Aaron remembered her giving what he called “killer dirty looks” whenever other babies in the nursery cried. Maddie stopped crying the moment she heard her father’s voice. Not knowing what to expect as a first-time father, Aaron recalled the moment he realised: “Holy shit, you know who I am.” Emma said Maddie seemed to love music. At night, while Aaron and Emma lay talking in bed, she would kick “up a storm” in the womb. While she was still in the womb, Emma remembered feeling Maddie jolt when the Bulldogs crowd erupted after a try - the same strong startle reflex they later saw after Maddie was born. “They’ve known you for longer than you’ve known them because they’ve been able to hear you,” Emma said. Aaron said Maddie responded to his voice almost immediately. One of Aaron’s clearest memories is from the special care nursery the morning after she was born. After barely sleeping, he woke suddenly rushed to see her. “She was just fast asleep with the sun coming through the window on her face,” he said, “just looking absolutely beautiful.”
“
They’ve known you for longer than you’ve known them because they’ve been able to hear you – Emma Xuereb
Something Was Wrong Then, after a bath, Aaron noticed Maddie “didn’t look quite alright.” Nurses were busy transferring another newborn to intensive care, and Aaron and Emma were initially reassured she was okay. Soon after, around 7pm, a paediatrician arrived specifically to assess Maddie. His first words caught Aaron off guard. “Your baby’s being naughty.” Taken aback, Aaron replied: “What the hell does that mean?” The paediatrician explained that Maddie was seriously unwell. Her heart rate had unexpectedly risen sharply, though doctors did not yet know why. For the next six hours, Aaron and Emma received intermittent updates. At one point, doctors suggested they not visit Maddie, but Aaron went anyway. “She was the same Maddie, the same strong little girl,” he said. “It was the first time she looked sick.” Staff placed Maddie on oxygen while preparing her for transfer to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Royal Hospital for Women in Randwick. “That was the first time I saw her as a different baby,” Aaron said. “We’d seen her all week and she was a different baby from that time on.” Doctors initially suspected a heart problem, while specialist paramedics from the Newborn and Paediatric Emergency Transport Service (NETS) believed the cause was in her stomach.
Maddie Xuereb shortly after birth at the St George Private Hospital. Aaron remembers her as "a big, chubby thing in a really small package."
WHAT IS NEC? Necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) is a serious bowel disease that primarily affects premature babies. It causes inflammation and damage to the intestine and can progress rapidly, sometimes requiring emergency surgery. “Despite advances in neonatal care, NEC remains one of the most serious gastrointestinal emergencies in newborn babies.” - Dr Tim Schindler - Neonatologist, The Royal Hospital for Women The hospital treats around one or two babies with NEC each month. Care can involve intensive treatment, intravenous nutrition, antibiotics and surgery, followed by a prolonged recovery. Dr Schindler said research was essential to understanding why NEC develops, identifying babies at risk and improving prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Issue 1 • Sep 2026 • The Shark • 37
Before showing any signs of necrotising enterocolitis (NEC), Maddie receives blue-light therapy for jaundice at St George Private Hospital while Emma takes a brief break from intensive care. It is the first time Aaron, Emma and Maddie are together as a family. Photo supplied.
“We were pretty confident, not even knowing these NETS guys, that they were probably on the right track,” Aaron said. Aaron travelled with Maddie to Randwick in the ambulance. “Lights and sirens,” he said. “Time didn’t exist at that point. I was just trying to talk to Maddie.” At Randwick, doctors worked to stabilise Maddie, while ordering ultrasounds and other scans to determine what was wrong. Everything Changed Aaron stopped talking. “Sorry… just give me a second,” his voice quivered. I reassured him we could stop if he needed to. “No,” he said, “this is important.” A surgeon named Natalie entered the room, already scrubbed up. “Look, I need to speak to you in the other room.” Aaron immediately sensed something was wrong. “Why do you look like you’re about to do surgery?” he asked. Natalie explained doctors had exhausted every test available. They would not know what was happening unless they operated. “It could be one of a few things,” she said. That was when Aaron first heard the words necrotising enterocolitis. After the first surgery, doctors told Aaron they had removed a large section of Maddie’s colon. Parts of her intestine were already beginning to deteriorate. Because Maddie had been through a “hell of a lot,” the plan was to keep her stable and operate again if necessary. Aaron asked if he could 38 • The Shark • Sep 2026 • Issue 1
see her. “They said, ‘Yeah, you can. We just need to stitch her up.’” He was told it would take five minutes. “I waited there for hours,” Aaron said. Doctors eventually returned with devastating news. Maddie had never been stitched up. They had been forced straight into a second operation as her digestive system continued to necrotise. “We really just kept her alive until Sunday,” Aaron said. “It was very quick.” Doctors later showed Aaron and Emma Maddie’s charts. “Normal, normal, normal,” Aaron said. “Then, within half an hour, her heart rate had shot up.” Aaron said doctors explained NEC was uncommon in babies born after 30 weeks’ gestation, though it can rarely occur in fullterm babies. In Maddie’s case, the disease had progressed with unusual aggression. “She started showing signs of distress during what should have been a routine 15-to-30-minute observation,” Aaron said. By Sunday night, Aaron and Emma had made the heartbreaking decision to turn off Maddie’s life support. After recounting Maddie’s final hours, Aaron and Emma both fell silent. The Zoom call was quiet for several seconds.
“
This is the start of you, baby girl – Aaron Xuereb
Then Aaron told me about the promise he made Maddie as he realised they were losing her. “Everyone’s going to know your name,” he whispered. “This is the start of you, baby girl.” After Maddie died, doctors asked Aaron and Emma whether they wanted an autopsy. Still in the earliest hours of grief, Aaron said they already knew one thing. “We knew we would do something,” he said. “Whether it was research or awareness.” The following morning, while Emma was still admitted, the surgeon and hospital staff returned
From left: Noah and Joe Capaldi with Aaron and Emma Xuereb at the Bunnings Kirrawee fundraiser supporting the Madison Capaldi Research Fund. Photo: Daniel Alex.
to answer questions. Aaron had only one. “Where can we put money to this?” Doctors explained there was still so much unknown about NEC, including what causes it. “We need to change this,” Aaron said. The Madison Capaldi Research Fund That question eventually led them to the Madison Capaldi Research Fund. Searching online, Emma found a Royal Hospital for Women video about NEC research. At the end, she saw the Madison Capaldi Research Fund logo. “It just kind of struck me because I was like, ‘Oh, Madison,” she said. She soon learnt about Joe and Danielle Capaldi, who had lost their own daughter Madison to NEC more than 20 years earlier and had since raised over $1 million for neonatal research and care. Aaron’s response was simple. “Why reinvent the wheel?” They contacted the Capaldis with one question: “Can we work together?” And so, beneath two weathered green pergolas at Bunnings Kirrawee, two families brought together by unimaginable loss served sausage sandwiches, greeted locals and raised money to help spare other families the same grief. More volunteers came than Aaron had expected. They had prepared for 60 loaves of bread, but the queue rarely stopped. Aaron’s father moved between the barbecue and the volunteers, making sure everyone had a cold drink. One man arrived after seeing the fundraiser on Facebook, handed Emma $200 and quietly walked away without taking anything. Families dropped off gifts for the fairy garden
Aaron and Emma keep for Maddie, while a young girl patiently waited to hand Emma a handwritten card. When I asked Aaron what had struck him most about the day, his answer came without hesitation. “The generosity of people.” Later he added: “I’ve never felt this community hug like I do at the moment.” Joe said what struck him most was seeing another family carry the work forward. “Aaron and Emma are continuing what we started,” he said. “They’re reaching their friends and family, so hopefully more people find out about it, and we have a greater chance of raising those funds.”
“
We’re in the business of saving babies - they’re our future – Joe Capaldi
For Aaron and Emma, the fundraiser is only the beginning. They hope to continue raising money for the Madison Capaldi Research Fund, increase awareness of NEC and help remove the stigma that often surrounds infant loss. Emma hopes people remember something simple. “It is so important to parents that people talk about their baby, acknowledge them and say their name,” she said. “It goes such a long way.” Aaron hopes Maddie’s legacy reaches far beyond fundraising. “She didn’t die for nothing,” he said. “We’re going to find out what her mission is.” After a pause, he described the thought that continues to drive him. “One day we’re going to see her again,” he said. “I want to be able to say to her, ‘Look what we’ve done.’” Help Continue Maddie’s Legacy The Madison Capaldi Research Fund supports research into necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) and neonatal care through the Royal Hospital for Women Foundation. To donate or learn more about the fund, scan the QR code or visit: madisoncapaldiresearchfund.com.au Issue 1 • Sep 2026 • The Shark • 39
Green Living | Sponsored Content Sponsored Content A SHIRE HOMEOWNER’ S GUIDE TO SOLAR A SHIRE HOMEOWNER’ S GUIDE TO SOLAR
A Shire Homeowners Guide to Solar
How solar and battery systems help you save on your bill. How solar and battery systems help you save on your bill Power prices in New South Wales have Power prices in New South Wales have climbed almost every year for a decade, climbed almost every year for a decade, and Shire households feel it worst when and Shire households feel it worst when the the quarterly quarterly bill bill lands. lands. Here Here is is aa plain plain explanation of how a solar and explanation of how a solar and battery battery system system actually actually brings brings that that number number down. down.
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YOU PAY PER YOU PAY PER KILOWATT HOUR KILOWATT HOUR Buying power from Buying power from your retailer, typically your retailer, typically 25 to 35 cents. 25 to 35 cents.
WHY PRICES KEEP RISING WHY PRICES KEEP RISING Most homes buy electricity from Most homes buy electricity from a retailer such as AGL, Origin or a retailer such as AGL, Origin or EnergyAustralia. Those retailers EnergyAustralia. Those retailers do not generate it. They buy it do not generate it. They buy it wholesale, move it along high wholesale, move it along high voltage lines and local poles and voltage lines and local poles and wires, then add a margin. wires, then add a margin. Every step in that chain takes a Every step in that chain takes a cut, which is why the price keeps cut, which is why the price keeps climbing however carefully you use climbing however carefully you use it. Almost every dollar solar saves it. Almost every dollar solar saves comes out of the gap between the comes out of the gap between the two numbers above. two numbers above. MEET THE TE AM MEET THE TE AM
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YOUR LOCAL SOLAR INSTALLER SPECIALISTS YOUR LOCAL SOLAR INSTALLER SPECIALISTS YOU ARE PAID FOR YOU ARE PAID FOR SPARE SOLAR SPARE SOLAR Most feed in tari!s now sit Most feed in tariffs now sit between 5 and 10 cents. between 5 and 10 cents.
WHAT PANELS CHANGE WHAT PANELS CHANGE Panels turn daylight into electricity, Panels turn daylight into electricity, and your home uses that supply and your home uses that supply first, before it touches the grid. Run first, before it touches the grid. Run the dishwasher at midday and the the dishwasher at midday and the sun pays for it. sun pays for it. Whatever the house does not use Whatever the house does not use flows back to the grid, credited at flows back to the grid, credited at the feed in tari!. That is the catch: the feed in tariff. That is the catch: you sell at 8 cents in the afternoon you sell at 8 cents in the afternoon and buy the same energy back at and buy the same energy back at 30 that night. The aim is not to sell 30 that night. The aim is not to sell power. It is to use your own. power. It is to use your own.
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THE VALUE A THE VALUE A BATTERY UNLOCKS BATTERY UNLOCKS Using your own stored Using your own stored power instead of selling power instead of selling it and buying it back. it and buying it back.
WHAT A BATTERY CHANGES WHAT A BATTERY CHANGES A battery holds your daylight surplus A battery holds your daylight surplus rather than selling it cheaply. On a rather than selling it cheaply. On a typical 20 kilowatt hour day, the spare typical 20 kilowatt hour day, the spare power from a 6.6 kilowatt system is power from a 6.6 kilowatt system is worth about $1.28 exported, or about worth about $1.28 exported, or about $4.80 stored and used that evening. $4.80 stored and used that evening. Same sunshine, four times the Same sunshine, four times the value. We install batteries like the value. We install batteries like the FoxESS CQ7, Tesla Powerwall 3 and FoxESS CQ7, Tesla Powerwall 3 and Sigenergy SigenStor, and a federal Sigenergy SigenStor, and a federal rebate currently cuts their upfront rebate currently cuts their upfront cost through approved installers. We cost through approved installers. We handle that paperwork for you. handle that paperwork for you.
S U T H E RLA N D S H I R E AN D GR E ATE R SY D N E Y S U T H E RLA N D S H I R E AN D GR E ATE R SY D N E Y
From left: Alex receiving the FoxESS Installer of the Year award, 2025; our licensed electricians wire and From left: Alex receiving the FoxESS Installer of the Year award, 2025; our licensed electricians wire and commission every job themselves; the crew with a customer after commissioning their home battery. commission every job themselves; the crew with a customer after commissioning their home battery. ABOUT SOLID SOLAR SER VICES ABOUT SOLID SOLAR SER VICES We started in Cabramatta, built by two business partners, Alex We started in Cabramatta, built by two business partners, Alex and Trung, around one unglamorous idea: do the job properly, and Trung, around one unglamorous idea: do the job properly, stand behind it, and still answer the phone in ten years time. stand behind it, and still answer the phone in ten years time. We now work across the Sutherland Shire and greater Sydney, We now work across the Sutherland Shire and greater Sydney, on family homes and commercial sites. Every install is carried on family homes and commercial sites. Every install is carried out by licensed electricians on our own team, backed by a 10 out by licensed electricians on our own team, backed by a 10 year workmanship warranty and CEC accreditation. We fit year workmanship warranty and CEC accreditation. We fit established brands including FoxESS, Sigenergy and Tesla. established brands including FoxESS, Sigenergy and Tesla. 40 • The Shark • Sep 2026 • Issue 1
Book a free assessment at your home. Book a free assessment at your home.
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Local Legend
Ready for the Call Interview Daniel Alex
Earlier this year, Rodney Evans was awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal on the King’s Birthday Honours. We sat down with the former Loftus Bushfire Brigade captain and life member to reflect on a lifetime of mentorship and his enduring contribution to community safety.
What makes aviation firefighting different from other forms of firefighting? Time pressure. After a crash, if there is a fire outside the craft, there may be only about three minutes before it breaches the fuselage and begins affecting the people inside. We have a mandated three-minute response time from when the crash alarm sounds to when we must be at the scene, applying foam anywhere on the airport. We’re trained in structural firefighting, but aviation firefighting is our speciality. What has changed most significantly in firefighter safety during your career? The development and use of breathing apparatus is a game changer. When I joined, firefighters were not always encouraged to wear breathing apparatus during a rapid entry. At times, people were taught to take a deep breath, run inside, have a look and then run back out. That would be completely unacceptable today, and thankfully so. There’s a high incidence of cancer among firefighters. Hopefully, modern safety practices and improved protective equipment mean the next generation won’t experience the same exposure to hazardous materials that firefighters did 30 or 40 years ago. What new technology is changing aviation firefighting today?
Rodney Evans receives the Australian Fire Service Medal. Photo supplied.
You’ve spent 40 years in aviation rescue and firefighting. What has kept you in the job? I’m one of the lucky people for whom that old saying — “Love your job and you’ll never work a day in your life” — really applies. Working for a national service has also allowed me to move around the country, which kept me fresh with new challenges. 42 • The Shark • Sep 2026 • Issue 1
The new Aviation Rescue Fire Fighting station at Western Sydney Airport has introduced vehicles fitted with high-reach extendable turrets. Our existing vehicles generally have a fixed roof-mounted monitor that discharges foam. New turrets are mounted on telescopic booms, meaning they can reach forward, upward and sideways. They also have a skin-piercing device—essentially a hollow spike about a metre long that can be pushed through the side of an aircraft. Water or foam can then be discharged directly into the cabin without firefighters having to physically enter the aircraft. Thermal-imaging cameras can locate hotspots through the aircraft’s skin. Hopefully, firefighters climbing ladders into aircraft and dragging hose lines will become a thing of the past. After four decades, what makes you most proud? The impact I’ve had on other people in the job, particularly through mentoring and developing them. When I look around the organisation today, I see many people in senior roles whom I’ve personally mentored or helped during their careers. That is incredibly satisfying. What advice do you give future leaders? Don’t take conflict personally. Usually, people are voicing their opinions to improve the service. As a leader, you need to listen to those perspectives, process them and respond accordingly, rather than treating disagreement as a personal attack.
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Fishing
Reel Talk Words Daniel Alex
Veteran angler Christian Payne first cast a line at five years old in the waterways around Forster, beginning a lifelong passion for fishing. Back then, fishing meant handlines, flathead and bream, and countless hours learning the sport from his old man and mum. The best thing about flathead fishing, he says, is “eating them”. They’re accessible and generally give you a decent fillet — around 40 to 50 centimetres is perfect.” These days, Christian can be found pursuing larger species such as kingfish and mahi-mahi, or fishing around the Ballast Heap on the southern side of Port Hacking, where anglers can target whiting, bream and dusky flathead. For anglers dropping a line this September, Christian recommends targeting flathead around the sandbanks of Sans Souci’s Flatty Beach during a run-out tide. Live bait and soft plastics can both be effective along the sandy stretch near St George Sailing Club. “You don’t have to visit the tackle shop every time you go fishing,” he says. “Once you have your gear, you can collect pipis, pump yabbies, or catch live bait like slimy mackerel. Just remember to clean your yabby pump afterwards.” Under NSW rules, pipis may be collected only for bait and cannot be taken more than 50 metres from the mean high-water mark. Poddy mullet can be enticed with bread and caught using a light handline. Christian recommends soft plastics in colours such as pumpkinseed or the 44 • The Shark • Sep 2026 • Issue 1
A modest dusky flathead on the waters outside St George Sailing Club. Photo supplied.
unmistakable pink-and-green “nuclear chicken”, both of which attract flathead. His favourite piece of equipment is a versatile 3500size Shimano spinning reel. It can accommodate 20- to 30-pound braid, 10-pound monofilament and handle most species encountered around the Shire. As anglers return to the water this spring, Christian stresses the importance of taking rubbish home, preventing pollution and releasing undersized fish. “If you catch one of the big breeding fish, take a photograph and slip it back into the water,” Christian says.
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Issue 1 • Sep 2026 • The Shark • 45
Brain Games Find-A-Word: How Shire Are You? Find the 20 Shire-themed names, landmarks and cultural references hidden below. Words may appear forwards, backwards, horizontally, vertically or diagonally.
Q V WF O B D Z Q L Y K N R L H D N Z X P X T S Q C S T WS O J A K R U P D V V Z R X J D T Z L B Y S Y F Y Z J V O F K P H M K U W R A L K S O G O N A S X Z V S K N N P G F P B Y G B P A F D F WA N D A D U N E S Q G V C X D V D N G Q A L A G A E WG F M F D N K Q A Y H V O B D D I G Q D D D R WP C T C A S F P E L G N I B A R A L N I O S U Q E J V J L S T S T H T S R U H L E Z A H B K I Y E X U L T A P F T R A M WA Y M U S E U M K V G H E I X I T M P L M K B S F T Z R A J D B N B E N H G N J C L A WA R A H D T V G A S O M N G V M O C C U M E N T A R Y Y P G I W V K C S WL A P O N N K T A H V B B D S T P O G R H WO Q D A O N R I E WY E L D U A I H B H A Y K Z M A R K O C C H I L U P O X Q I Y B U P M L WG C H B B G K A T E WD B C H Z L S T K M A T T C O R B Y X D S T R M I U G Z E F O R O O H S C Y I I Q R F WT D Z K D O N N A H A Y S F C WI D J WY N J E G E D V H U G J I H Z B D E R P G I WE C D Y G T Q H H E O G P S T P D L N R E F A N U Z Answers on next page
46 • The Shark • Sep 2026 • Issue 1
By Miranda Fair
WORD LIST Shire identities KATHY LETTE, MARK OCCHILUPO, MATT CORBY, LARA BINGLE, ADAM HILLS, DONNA HAY, ETTINGSHAUSEN Pop culture and sport PUBERTY BLUES, OCCUMENTARY, SHARK PARK, WANDA DUNES Landmarks and institutions HAZELHURST, TRAMWAY MUSEUM, AUDLEY WEIR, CAPTAIN COOK BRIDGE, CRONULLA RAILWAY History and culture DHARAWAL, GWEAGAL, JIBBON, ENDEAVOUR
September Star Sign Forecast
Book Picks
Words Candice Louise | Psychic Medium
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♈︎ Aries 21 Mar – 19 Apr
♎︎ Libra 23 Sep – 22 Oct
Fresh starts bring exciting opportunities. Honest conversations strengthen relationships, while bold career moves create positive momentum.
Seek balance and release what no longer serves you. Healthy boundaries and teamwork bring positive results.
♉︎ Taurus 20 Apr – 20 May Focus on balance, wellbeing and building secure foundations. Patience in relationships and practical financial decisions bring lasting rewards.
♊︎ Gemini 21 May – 20 Jun Communication is your strength this month. New connections, fresh ideas and collaboration open doors in both love and career.
♋︎ Cancer 21 Jun – 22 Jul Emotional healing helps you move forward. Trust your intuition in relationships and stay committed to your goals at work.
♌︎ Leo 23 Jul – 22 Aug Confidence shines brightly. Express yourself, embrace opportunities and let appreciation strengthen your closest relationships.
♍︎ Virgo 23 Aug – 22 Sep Happy Birthday! A fresh chapter begins. Organise your priorities, communicate openly and trust your practical approach to success.
♏︎ Scorpio 23 Oct – 21 Nov Transformation continues. Trust your intuition, deepen important relationships and make strategic choices for future success.
♐︎ Sagittarius 22 Nov – 21 Dec
Growth and adventure await. Say yes to new opportunities, share your vision and embrace career expansion. ︎ Capricorn 22 Dec – 19 Jan Plan for the future with confidence. Emotional honesty strengthens relationships, while persistence brings professional rewards. ︎ Aquarius 20 Jan – 18 Feb Embrace change and trust your unique ideas. Authentic relationships and innovative thinking create exciting new opportunities. ︎ Pisces 19 Feb – 20 Mar Follow your intuition and welcome fresh inspiration. Compassion strengthens relationships, while creativity leads to progress.
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Children’s Favourite: Kid by Peter Carnavas (Hardcover: $22.99) This is the story of a brave, small goat called Kid who longs to find his parents. But he must escape the chook yard where he lives with Audrey the Hen. What happens when one day he discovers he is big enough to jump the fence? New in Crime and Thriller: She Lied First by Dinuka McKenzie ($34.99) Local Shire author and award-winning writer Dinuka McKenzie tells the gripping story about two sisters living by the beach in Cronulla in what seems to be an idyllic life, except they are both keeping terrible secrets. Rock Pools of Sydney By Vincent Rommelaere and Amanda Woods ($59.99) ‘Rock Pools of Sydney’ is filled with stunning photographs from more than 30 unique ocean pools across Sydney, including Cronulla’s own Oak Park and Shelley Beach. A wonderful coffee table book or gift showcasing the beauty of ocean swimming. Issue 1 • Sep 2026 • The Shark • 47
Relationships
A Practical Framework for Rebuilding Self-Esteem By The Love Scout
Scout Smith-O’Leary, MA, is a PACFAregistered relationship counsellor and psychotherapist, author, and educator with over 5,000 clinical hours and 50+ published articles. There are many reasons people struggle with low self-esteem. Perhaps your childhood wasn’t the best, maybe school felt like a war zone, or perhaps consumer culture has encouraged a sense of inadequacy to sell you something. Regardless of the cause, the million-dollar question is: how do I get it back?
“
If your value is kindness, make an active effort to be kind to those around you. 7. Andrew Ettingshausen
8. Sydney Tramway Museum 9. Matt Corby
Find-a-Word Answers
10. Lara Worthington
48 • The Shark • Sep 2026 • Issue 1
Here is a simple daily routine you can start today to rebuild your self-esteem. DETERMINE YOUR VALUES Search for a list of core values and choose ten. Then narrow it down to five. These will help shape your code of conduct. Refer to this list when making decisions. Selfrespect grows when your actions align with your values. DO ESTIMABLE ACTS Act in ways that reflect your values and practise this daily. If you value kindness, make an active effort to be kind to those around you — even the guy who cuts you off in traffic! AFFIRM YOUR ACTIONS Journal, voice-record, do an inventory, meditate or call a friend before bed. Reflect on how you lived up to your values that day. Collect evidence that reflects the truth of your experience. This can be especially helpful for people struggling with negative thought patterns or destructive self-beliefs. CONSCIOUSLY RECEIVE PRAISE Without deflecting with humour, rejecting, minimising or avoiding, allow people to praise or commend your estimable acts. When something positive is said, don’t speak. Look them in the eyes. Take a breath. Say thank you. Nothing more! (Very difficult in real life.) SET AND RECONFIRM BOUNDARIES Setting boundaries is about protection and preservation — your physical and mental health can depend on it. To develop self-respect, you may need to establish appropriate boundaries with some people to stay safe and act in accordance with your values. When setting boundaries, the other person may be confused, shocked, upset or disgruntled. Stay calm and hold your ground. If necessary, state a consequence. If needed, follow through with it. You must follow through, otherwise the boundary becomes meaningless and the person may learn that it can be ignored. Remember, boundaries allow you to engage with people more safely and without building resentment.
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50 • The Shark • Sep 2026 • Issue 1
TIME ONLY!
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