The Beast - July 2026

BEAST

July 2026

BONDI FESTIVAL 2026 PROGRAM IS OUT NOW! BONDI FESTIVAL 2026 PROGRAM IS

For three weeks, we’ve got an incredible roster of comedians, artists, musicians and performers taking to venues, stages and iconic spots around postcode 2-0-2-6 because this is quite literally Bondi’s year. Along with comedy, music and art shows, prepare to encounter mesmerising visual installations, mouth-watering food stalls, live performances from locals and other unexpected surprises all over our neighbourhood. In 2026, Bondi Festival is all about big energy, bold ideas, and a glorious celebration of this incredible community.

24 new machines New Bunker Room

Diggers Gym just got serious about strength. 24 brand new Hammer Strength and Life Fitness machines across two floors. Plus a new Bunker room, set up for glute and lower body work. Built for how Coogee locals train.

Coogee Diggers Gym · 2 Byron St, Coogee

Letters for Days

Words James Hutton - Publisher

Welcome to the July 2026 edition of The Beast, the monthly magazine for Sydney’s cetaceous beaches of the east. Yep, the whales are back, and thanks to the work of Captain Paul Watson and his committed Sea Shepherd marine conservation movement there are more and more of these beautiful creatures cruising past every year on their annual migration north.

A big thanks to North Bondi artist Marina Phitidis for this month’s awesome cover painting of a duck-diving surfer at Bondi. Marina is currently focussed on her HSC but thankfully still finds a bit of time to paint. You can see more of Marina’s artwork on her Instagram, @marinasfolio.

This little local magazine has been around for over 21 years now, and I really hope we can keep it alive for another 21. Since

inception we’ve faced plenty of challenges including COVID and the GFC, but most notably the emergence and market dominance of Meta (Facebook and Instagram), which has grown to become one of the biggest companies in the world with $1.74 billion in gross advertising revenue in Australia in 2025. Despite these crazy numbers, Meta paid just a shade over $61 million in taxes here in the same year.

With that said, despite a very limited budget we’ve somehow managed to steadily grow our readership over the years. Thanks also to the demise of just about every other form of local media in our area, I am currently receiving more letters to the editor than ever before. Sadly, this has made publishing them all an impossibility.

As it stands, if I receive multiple letters on the same topic I’ll always include what I deem to be the most relevant submissions, but letters covering

similar points may not always make it into print. This month I received a huge number of letters concerning the Bondi Junction Master Plan. I’ve tried to include as many as possible, but if your letter isn’t included, please accept my apologies. But please keep sending them in, because reading your letters each month is probably my favourite part of the job. Cheers, James

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Don't

Let Reality Get In the Way of a False Economy

Tapped Out

Dear Pearl - I am writing to you as an act of desperation. You see, earlier this year my school bus (the 618e) was cancelled because, “...trips with low student numbers will no longer operate...” I would just like to ask how they calculated the “low student numbers” when no one actually taps onto any school bus in the whole Eastern Suburbs. Using this methodology, all the buses in the Eastern Suburbs would have “low student numbers” and therefore every single one of them should be cancelled.

I know the solution to this problem was to tap on when getting on the bus back in 2025, but when I started high school in year 7 and I tapped on I would always get odd looks from the seniors, embarrassing me until it was too much and so I stopped.

During term one I have tried an assortment of alternatives, but as I am walking 20 minutes for a bus every day or crowding up the 375 and denying the public access as a result, I wonder whether this is all worth it?

When all the public buses are filled to the brim and I am walking to the nearest school to get their bus, I often wonder, out of all the hundreds of school buses in the Eastern Suburbs, why they cancelled my bus when no one taps onto any of them. Pearl, what do you think I should do?

Concerned Student

Maroubra

Regulatory Failure

Dear Concerned Student - It saddens Pearl to know that you were intimidated by senior students into not tapping on. The transition to high school is a vul-

nerable time, but I can tell from the thoughtful tone of your letter that you have emerged from year 7 confident and unscathed.

It is tempting to blame the older students for the cancellation of the 618e, but the real culprit of course is the NSW State Government, beginning with the Liberal’s privatisation of the bus network in 2022. The 618e is the victim of this folly and the government, which “continues to regulate all routes and timetables”, has been quietly chipping away at all school bus routes for the past four years. It seems crazy that the government would rely solely on student tap-on numbers to produce timetabling data, but why let reality get in the way of a false economy?

As for recommendations for action, this letter is a good start as it shines a light on the issue. I assume that numerous students are impacted by the cancellation, so Pearl would suggest organised action, although any form of ‘protest’ appears to result in police brutality these days. Likewise, flooding the NSW Transport Feedback Form with student complaints will have you deemed a ‘menace’.

The 618e is a worthy mission to fight for and hopefully you can get your school involved. Maroubra’s state MP is a Marcellin College Old Boy and Pearl dares him to visit your school and explain away the cancellation of the bus to his alma mater and the supposed ‘benefits’ of the contract with Transdev John Holland.

In the interim, view the situation as an opportunity for extra exercise and a sad lesson in late-stage capitalism. Spending taxpayer dollars on essential services, particularly those that benefit the young and the very old, is not a government priority - it gets in the way of colosseum building and lining the coffers of corporations, particularly foreign ones.

Pearl Clovelly

The Beast's Monthly Mailbag

Words The Creative People of the Eastern Beaches

Garbage Truck Chaos

Every weekday morning, families across our community are juggling the same race against the clock, getting themselves and their children ready for school and early morning extracurriculars, getting them to school or the bus stop, and then trying to make it to work on time. It’s a delicate routine, and one that doesn’t leave much room for unnecessary disruption. Yet increasingly poorly timed garbage collection is throwing that routine into chaos.

In many of our local streets, particularly Clovelly’s long, narrow and one-way roads, garbage trucks are arriving during peak morning hours. While waste collection is of course essential, the timing is creating a perfect storm of congestion, frustration and unintended consequences for residents.

Anyone who has been stuck behind a garbage truck in a tight street knows there is often no way around it. Entry and exit points become temporarily blocked, lines of cars build quickly, and what should be a short trip becomes a drawn-out, stressful delay. For parents and school-aged children, these delays are not minor inconveniences; they can mean missing school buses, arriving late to class or work and starting the day under pressure.

What makes this situation even more frustrating is that it is not unavoidable. In many other suburbs with similar street layouts, garbage collection is scheduled much earlier in the morning, often around 5am. While early collections may come with minor trade-offs, they significantly reduce conflict with peak hour traffic and allow residents to move freely to and from their homes during the most time-sensitive part of the day.

This is not about criticising waste services or the essential workers who carry them out; it is about improving coordination in a way that better reflects how people live, work and move within their communities. A simple shift in timing, particularly in known bottleneck streets, could make a measurable difference.

I’d encourage anyone who is increasingly frustrated with the chaos of garbage truck mornings to write into Randwick Council, as I have done, and push for change. Our morning commutes shouldn’t be at the mercy of poorly timed waste collection.

Tilly Clovelly

A State of Self-Absolution

Dear Editor - I feel for Greg’s issue with Marjorie O’Neill (Hewlett Street Horror, Monthly Mailbag, The Beast, June 2026). It’s all ‘ducks and drakes’. At a recent precinct meeting I asked her why the state government and Waverley Council had committed to increasing our population by 11,000 over five years (15 per cent) and had done absolutely nothing about providing supporting infrastructure. Her response was they had just opened a new children’s hospital in Randwick, which is not in Waverley and of course serves half of Sydney. A very typical response from our politicians these daysstep sideways and avoid the point! I wrote to The Beast about this twelve months ago. Our elected representatives (all of them) have decided to solve the housing crisis with as little debate as possible. And rather than taking a path of good planning and considering the pressures existing in Australia’s second most densely populated municipality, they have completely absolved themselves from liability.

The end result has to be a reduction of amenity to their voters and a lowering of our living standards.

To make matters worse, in Marjorie’s response, she “strongly” encourages everyone with “concerns” to contact the planning minister directly. When he refuses to respond to the Mayor of Woollahra, what chance have we got? But here again, in light of Marjorie’s suggestion, you need to be aware that her government has changed planning rules for submissions by halving the allowable time. It’s not a level playing field.

Greg, Hewlett Street is just one example of many. While they are now telling us this development is inappropriate, what is appropriate? One can predict that in six months they will come back to us claiming victory agreeing to only 60 or 80 apartments!

There is nothing good going on here. They haven’t even had the gall to pretend they are doing something about infrastructure.

Considering Waverley’s very high density and with services designed before the invention of the motor car, our elected representatives should have insisted on an exemption to the state’s housing policy!

Andrew Goldfinch Bondi Junction

Prince of Wales Angels

I have just unexpectedly spent over a month in the Prince of Wales Hospital - a brutal and confronting experience. It’s easy to care for people you know and love. I was blown away by the care, positivity and compassion shown by everyone involved. Nurses, doctors, cleaners, physios, nutritionists, catering, etc. You are all angels.

There’s a lot of talk about migrants at the moment. I’d guess over 60 per cent of the people who looked after this descendant of a convict started their lives in another country. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your wonderful contribution helping those in need. Big love, gratitude and much respect.

Andrew Bronte

A Step in the Right Direction

Dear Editor - As a Bondi resident, I spend plenty of time in the Junction, but like many locals, I’ve watched the area slowly lose some of its spark over the years.

That’s why the proposed Bondi Junction Master Plan is such an exciting opportunity. For too long, the area has been treated as little more than a shopping centre and transport interchange. This plan finally recognises its potential as the civic and cultural heart of the Eastern Suburbs, with new public spaces, greener streets and more housing close to public transport.

What stands out is that it’s not just about growth for growth’s sake. It’s about making Bondi Junction a place where people actually want to spend time, whether that’s enjoying a meal, taking the kids to a community event, meeting friends after work or simply walking through a safer, more attractive town centre. The vision for a revitalised Oxford Street Mall and stronger connection between transport, public spaces and local businesses is long overdue.

No plan will please everyone, and scrutiny is important. But doing nothing is not an option. The Eastern Suburbs deserves a town centre that matches the energy, ambition and lifestyle of the community it serves.

As a local parent, I want my kids to inherit a Bondi Junction that feels vibrant, welcoming and connected. This Master Plan is a strong step in that direction.

Mark Bondi

A Caution to Fellow Bondi Junction Users

Hi James - Thanks for all the work that you do in highlighting important local issues. I had an absolutely heart-stopping moment last week that I really want to warn other residents about.

I was coming back from the city on the train with my two young children to Bondi Junction. As we left the interchange on Grosvenor Street to head back to our car, my attention waned for a moment and my young son ran head-on into the path of a bus exiting the exchange. Thankfully, the alert driver managed to screech to a very rapid stop and my son was not hit, but it was frighteningly close.

I’ve never really given much thought to the way that buses and pedestrians cross paths at that spot but I can now see that it is absolutely treacherous, and something needs to change. I’ve been in contact with Waverley Council but

obviously it’s a big, big job to make changes. But they have told me that the Bondi Junction Master Plan is currently on exhibition, and one of the features of this plan is to improve this interchange. After my horrible experience this week I most definitely want to see this happen.

I’ve been to the Have Your Say page and left my remarks, and I’d encourage everyone who is concerned about pedestrian safety at Bondi Junction to do the same.

Thank you, James!

Harriet (mother of two)

Waverley

Bondi Junction's Moment Has Arrived - Let's Not Waste It

For too long, Bondi Junction has been Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs’ great underachiever. We have millions of annual visitors and a community hungry for more - yet after dark the shutters go down and the streets empty out. Waverley Council’s Bondi Junction Master Plan is our once-in-a-generation opportunity to finally change that.

The plan’s vision of an 18hour economy - extending the precinct’s life well beyond retail hours through dining, culture and genuine nightlife - is exactly what residents have been asking for. We live in one of the most vibrant corners of Australia. It’s time our town centre reflected that.

The recent opening of The Hideaway is proof the appetite is there. This after-dark restaurant, cocktail bar and live music venue takes its cues from New York’s late-night dining culture - and it’s precisely what Bondi Junction has been crying out for. We need the Master Plan to make venues like this become the rule and not the exception.

I urge the community to support the Bondi Junction Master Plan. Bondi Junction deserves to be as alive at midnight as it is at midday.

John Dover Heights

In Support of the Bondi Junction Master Plan

To The Beast - Hi, I just wanted to write in and say how pleased I am that Waverley Council is finally coming up with a plan for Bondi Junction. I go to Bondi Junction all the time to shop, for medical appointments and to catch the

train to the city. While it’s a useful place, it’s a real mess of random development that needs cohesive planning to bring everything together.

The Bondi Junction Master Plan is up on the council’s website now and it’s a big, ambitious plan - which is exactly what an iconic location in an international city like Sydney needs.

Change is never easy, but I applaud the Council for moving in the right direction on Bondi Junction.

Fiona Tait Maroubra

Critics Are Missing the Point

Dear

Editor

- Objections to the Bondi Junction Master Plan miss a simple point: the East is growing, and the choice is whether we plan for it sensibly or suffer the consequences of not planning at all.

Bondi Junction is already a major transport and commercial hub, and it is exactly where more homes and jobs belong. Saying no to well-located density doesn’t preserve character; it drives sprawl and worsens congestion everywhere else.

This plan is not reckless development. It’s structured, transit-oriented growth with the potential to improve public spaces and support local businesses.

At a time of acute housing pressure, rejecting proposals like this means rejecting practical solutions. If we want a more affordable Sydney, we should be saying yes to plans like this and getting on with making them as good as possible.

Kind regards,

Gustav Sorensen

Bondi Junction

Missed Opportunity

I’ve grown up in Bondi Junction my whole life, and it has never felt like a place people actually want to spend time in. It has always been somewhere to quickly run errands, buy essentials or pass through on the way to work. Despite being surrounded by so many young people and residents who live within walking distance, there is very little reason to stay, socialise or spend an evening there.

It feels like a huge missed opportunity. If the area were revitalised, made safer, and made more attractive, it could become a vibrant local hub where people

can meet friends, grab dinner and spend time together.

Bondi Junction already has the population and accessibility to support this. It just needs a more welcoming and enjoyable environment that encourages people to stay rather than pass through.

Willow Waverley

Special Entertainment District

I’m writing to express my excitement about the opening of ‘The Hideaway’ at Bondi Junction. I know it’s going to be expensive, but I’m so pleased that a glamorous venue is opening in Bondi Junction for special evenings.

When I was a girl, Bondi Junction used to be a place for a night out, but it’s become so drab in recent times. I’ve heard about plans for a Special Entertainment District in Bondi Junction, like they have in the Inner West. I love this idea as I wouldn’t have to travel far for a Martini and to kick my heels up. Bring it on, says this old girl who is still keen for a good time!

Barbara Bondi

Keeping Us in the Dark

Waverley Council has presented us with the Bondi Junction Master Plan, “a landmark project that will shape the future of one of Sydney’s most significant town centres.” Thrilling stuff. Until you look between the lines.

Please show us the shadow diagrams, please show us the before and after views up and down our streets, please show us accurate visualisations.

Waverley Council, you promise us a bright future, please keep us out of the dark.

Sonya Bondi Junction

Where Will All the Kids Go?

I am really concerned by the proposed Master Plan for Bondi Junction and how it puts our muchneeded childcare places at risk.

Waverley Council has historically run top class early education services, rated the highest level of ‘exceeding’ by government regulators. The council has also recently invested millions of dollars renovating facilities. The services are so good that families with over 200 kids (including mine) from all

across Waverley and beyond send their kids there.

However, the mayor’s proposed Master Plan has shocked many families by proposing to demolish Mill Hill Early Education Centre and Waverley Early Education Centre, among other community childcares, to make way for new high rise apartments. No serious alternatives have been proposed except for consolidation into much bigger building complexes alongside other council services and more residential.

This decision is hard to understand given there are already limited childcare places in the area and the mayor’s own plans to grow Bondi Junction by 3,000 more dwellings will require even more spots for kids. This will make getting access to affordable quality childcare even harder for those in Bondi Junction and all across Waverley.

The master plan now needs more time for a rethink if Waverley can remain a place where families can actually live and all our kids grow up with safe and caring education.

Simon Bondi Junction

Hi Simon - We are not getting rid of our excellent childcare services. The Master Plan is a long-term strategy to transform Bondi Junction’s amenity, liveability and housing options. If adopted, it is the first of several steps, all of which enhance and increase vital services - not take them away. An expanded Clemenston Park would consider the relocation of the childcare centre into new community infrastructure. All decisions stemming from the Master Plan would be made - and consulted on - with the needs of residents in mind, including access to childcare which could result in more and enhanced childcare services. Will

Nemesh Waverley Mayor

Double Vision

Waverley Liberal councillors have unanimously voted in favour of a plan called Bondi Junction Vision and Master Plan, which aligns with the State housing target of 3,000 new homes in our densely populated area. Three thousand mid-to-high rise units with a conservative estimate of three inhab-

itants per unit will nearly double the current population. The bulk appears to be in the Oxford Mall where three - possibly even four - 100-metre towers are set to be built, but then, how would we know for sure?

Where are the details regarding the restraints and challenges? There is no mention of floor space ratio (FSR), which indicates the bulk and scale of the buildings and determines how much sun the mall and surrounding streets will receive. There is ambiguous wording about protecting fine grain character, heritage facades, pedestrian safety and neighbouring conservation zones while simultaneously imposing large scale development around them. Illustrations on Council’s website show a handful of adults and children playing in open green spaces, while bulky buildings swamp these very tree-lined streets and open green spaces. It is illogical and contradictory. I can’t even tell what streets they are depicting.

There are no additional educational facilities planned, no redesign of the burgeoning interchange, no plans to upgrade the struggling underground services such as sewerage, electricity, water supply, drainage, and valuable Council-owned landholdings squandered.

There have been no warning bells from our Liberal councillors or from our mayor. There was token consultation with the broader community and a miserly extension for community feedback via the ‘Have Your Say’ survey designed to get the outcome they wanted. They predetermined our capacity for meaningful engagement, and in the end they told us what we wanted. While residents understand the need for local control over ad hoc state-driven development, is this vision truly practical?

The reality is that there is no defined, ordered, well-delivered, clearly financed or well-communicated plan. The document is dishonest in its attempt to portray a holistic approach, as community consultation has been slick, minimal and minimised. It is socially irresponsible because the library and childcare centre will be erased with vague and underdeveloped proposals for where they might be temporarily relocated.

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We need a Master Plan for Bondi Junction and it should be both ambitious and environmentally sustainable, but there is no credible structure in this project and it has been far from democratic. When a handful of councillors and a mayor vote on a monumental plan that teeters on eliminating residents’ voices, it’s developer-driven. And while the state continues to incentivise affordable housing, voluntary planning agreements and state significant developments that never quite deliver meaningful outcomes to the local community, how can this blurred vision be expected to succeed?

Gayle Bondi Junction

Hi Gayle - This is the final of four stages of consultation, which has been carried out over the past year. Many residents, businesses and stakeholders have helped shape the Vision and Master Plan. It plots an evidence-based approach to growth, concentrated near transport, stepping down in height to protect village centres, and surrounded by low density beyond. It ensures development that delivers open space, affordability and infrastructure.

It is a long-term strategy that begins the process of transformation. If adopted, a whole sequence of very detailed work will begin, including infrastructure planning, built form analysis, planning amendments, development standards and so on. Those would all be carefully considered - and consulted on - separately in the future. Locals will continue to have a strong say in the process.

Will Nemesh Waverley Mayor

Randwick and the World

In the most recent edition of The Beast magazine, a concerned Maroubra resident writes that a “deal” has been made between Labor and the Greens to “hand over” the mayoralty in Randwick (Change of Leadership at Randwick Council, Monthly Mailbag, The Beast, June 2026).

This is neither new, nor a first. Having an agreement on who is to be the mayor between two political parties goes back a long time. No surprise here and nothing to be concerned about. It is a rather

common practice in a democracy. It expresses the vote of locals.

The concerned resident is also concerned about “many motions brought about international issues.” Such motions are free of charge. They cost nothing and are, almost by definition, largely symbolic. This too is a normal practice.

Finally, the concerned resident suggested that Randwick Council should stick to “local issues including roads, rates and rubbish.” This is all well and good if the local issues could be neatly separated from the international ones. Just fill up at any petrol station in Randwick and you will find a 50 cents price hike since the orange monster in a white house decided to attack Iran.

If the concerned resident from Maroubra can make Trump’s MAHA (Make America Hated Again), the senseless war on Iran, and high petrol prices go away, I am all for “roads, rates and rubbish.”

Thomas Klikauer Sweet Coogee

Positive Shout-Out to Waverley Council

Dear Editor - Seven years ago I was diagnosed with a very annoying lung condition that resulted in uncontrollable coughing fits, which were very embarrassing and prevented me from going to the movies and theatre. My specialist suggested joining a choir, and I found out that Waverley Council funds a fabulous choir called the Sunshine Singers.

We meet on Mondays between 10am and 12pm at Bondi Pavilion and a brilliant woman called Cassy takes us through various voice exercises and my health has vastly improved. Thank you, Waverley Council, for this very special initiative.

Anne McKay Bronte

Funding Separated Cycleways in Randwick City

I totally agree with David of Coogee and Dr Marjorie O’Neill (Coogee Cycling Paths, Monthly Mailbag, The Beast, June 2026) that the Randwick LGA needs more separated cycleways for all the reasons pointed out in their letters. However, the state government must kick in more for

infrastructure funding if this is going to happen in the near-term.

Randwick City currently has only one partially finished separated cycleway that runs from Centennial Park, down Doncaster Avenue and then partway along Houston Road. The infrastructure funding came from Transport for NSW (TfNSW) and the Australian Government during COVID but ran out before the third section of the project could be completed.

Randwick City Council does apply for funding from the NSW Get Active Program (run by TfNSW) but mainly gets approved for cost of design and not construction. Note that construction is the pointy end where costs add up to millions rather than hundreds of thousands.

Since 2022, Randwick City Council has had design funding approved for the following separated cycleways: Anzac Parade (Fitzgerald Avenue to Sturt Street); Coogee to Randwick; South Coogee to Kingsford; Todman Avenue; Maroubra Road Cycleway (project subsequently cancelled by Liberal and Labor councillors); and section 3 of Kingsford to Centennial Park. However, there has been no TfNSW funding approval for construction of a separated cycleway.

Then why does the City of Sydney Council manage to build so many separated cycleways? My guess is they receive about $45 million/year in paid parking. As an alternative to state funding, Randwick City Council could always go down that route. “That’s cost shifting by stealth,” I hear you say! Quite possibly. All the above information is publicly available.

Michael Olive

Coogee

Went Berserk Over Beserk

In relation to your piece titled ‘Hospital Patient Went Berko’ in the Crime News last month, I believe that the spelling is ‘berserk’ and not ‘beserk’, as used in the piece. Let’s blame it on faulty autocorrection and be done with it.

Boaz Magal

Bronte

Please send your letters to letters@thebeast.com.au (preferably with your name and suburb included).

Local Artist... Marina Phitidis from North Bondi

North Bondi artist Marina Phitidis is the talent behind this month’s epic cover painting of a duck-diving surfer at Bondi. Marina shares her local favourites with The Beast

How long have you lived here? Altogether around seven years.

Why do you live here? It’s my parents’ choice, but I’d 100 per cent choose to live here myself. Being so close to the beach and the culture is pretty hard to beat.

What's your favourite beach? Bondi, but maybe I’m a bit biased. It has everything, from the water and waves to the rocks out the back. The atmosphere is unmatched, especially during summer when everyone is around enjoying the day. Also, being a clubby at North Bondi Surf Club, the community is as good as it gets.

What's your favourite eatery? Speedos, the food’s so good and the staff are always super friendly! I’d for sure recommend the gyros.

Where do you like to have a drink? Porch & Parlour is always good, especially after a morning swim or during patrol.

Best thing about the Eastern Suburbs? Definitely the coastline and community. You’ve got so many great beaches, all just headlands apart from each other.

Worst thing about the Eastern Suburbs? How densely populated it is. I wish there was more greenery and nature around us.

How would you describe your art? I reckon hyper-realistic, while capturing fleeting moments. The direction of my work shifts depending on what I feel like creating.

Where can people see your work? My art Instagram is @marinasfolio. There’s not heaps on it yet, but I’m hoping to create more after I finish school.

Who are your artistic inspirations? I’m inspired by artists who capture real, honest moments, especially anything to do with the ocean. I also get a lot of inspiration from photography and film.

What are you working on at the moment? My HSC major work. It’s three large-scale oil paintings. They’re all underwater perspectives, looking at surfing in a more immersive way, like the cover of this magazine!

Do you have any exhibitions coming up? Not at the moment, year 12 is a bit full-on.

When did you discover you had a gift for your craft? I don’t think there was a specific moment. I’ve always just created and over time I’ve improved. I usually only notice it when other people say something.

Any other local artists to look out for? There are honestly so many talented people around here that

I see out at the markets selling their works. Definitely go down on a Sunday and check some out.

Did you study art? Yeah, I’m doing Visual Arts for my HSC, which is both practical and art history.

Any words of wisdom for young aspiring artists? Just keep creating, even if you’re unsure. That’s how you get better.

Do you have a favourite sporting team? The Matildas. They are so inspirational, especially for young girls around Australia.

What music are you into at the moment? I like a mix of everything. Lately I’ve been listening to some Pink Floyd, Dope Lemon, Sublime, Fleetwood Mac, Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Doors.

What do you get up to on the weekends? In summer I’m always at the beach with my friends. Most Sundays I’ll normally have an early patrol, then just hang around until the end of the day. If I’m not there, I’m probably out exploring or working.

What do you do for work? I work at Brandy Melville as a sales associate.

What's your favourite thing about work? My co-workers. They are all like my older sisters and make work so fun. I also love chatting with customers and meeting all sorts of different people. You always learn something new, which is a highlight.

Do you have a favourite quote? “You can’t add days to your life, but you can add life to your days.”

Any other words of wisdom for readers of The Beast? Create more than you consume. Just put things out there, even if you don’t think they’re perfect.

Teammates Madora Barton and Malia Barron hold Poppy aloft after her winning heat

Poppy Wins at State Surfing Titles - And Eyes Future as ‘Surfluencer’

Words Anthony Maguire Photo Matt Dunbar

“In the Under 18 Girls, Poppy O’Reilly was the standout. The conditions threw everything at the field and O’Reilly handled it with a composure that set her apart. She committed when others hesitated, executed when others struggled, and came away with scores that reflected exactly that. Remember the name...”

That report by Surfing NSW about Bronte surfer Poppy O’Reilly’s performance in the VW State Classic in late May says it all - calm, committed and decisive, the 17-year-old won the NSW U18 girls title after scoring a nine in the last few seconds of her final heat.

Now ranked number two nationally among U18 girl surfers, Poppy is poised for bigger things in competitive surfing as she prepares for the national titles at Margaret River in November.

The Year 11 student still has another year and a half of school to ride out in tandem with all those waves, but has a clear idea of what she wants to do - and it’s not all about the competitive surfing circuit, nor studying for the HSC.

Poppy sees a good future engaging in what she calls “free surfing,” which consists of “just chasing good waves.” And she hopes to turn her TikTok channel, @poppyoreilly_, into a paying concern and has started off posting interviews with “other kids around the comp like Marley Adam and Talia Teb.” In the longer term she could be a kind of ‘surfluencer,’ backed by surfing brands and posting reports on where to catch the best waves.

“I’d love to get sponsored to surf good waves all the time and to travel,” Poppy told The Beast.

New Charging Infrastructure to Deliver Cleaner, Quieter Buses

Words Anthony Maguire

Photo Gary Busey

Transport for NSW is installing six new electric bus chargers at the Waverley Bus Depot as part of the NSW Government’s transition to a cleaner transport network.

Six new electric bus chargers have been approved for the depot on the corner of Oxford Street and York Road, with work beginning in June and expected to be completed some time in August.

The depot upgrade is part of the NSW Government’s phased transition away from diesel and gas buses, which will see the state’s 8,000-strong fleet progressively replaced over the next two decades.

Parliamentary Secretary for Transport and Member for Coogee Dr Marjorie O’Neill told The Beast, “Electric buses mean less noise on our streets, zero tailpipe emissions, and a more comfortable ride for passengers - the upgrade at Waverley helps make that possible.”

“This project is about supporting the rollout of more electric vehicles across the network and putting the infrastructure in place to deliver the next generation of buses.”

The depot upgrade paves the way for more electric buses on Eastern Suburbs routes.

Bondi Junction Master Plan

Proposes 3,000 New Dwellings

Words

Waverley Council’s much-anticipated Bondi Junction Master Plan has been released, paving the way for new residential, civic and commercial developments.

The Master Plan document calls for the construction of 3,000 new dwellings in tandem with infrastructure improvements such as the creation of a new town square at the south end of Oxford Street Mall.

Meanwhile, an “expanded and consolidated civic and cultural precinct” will be centred on Ebley Street, where the council-owned Officeworks building will be turned into a new civic centre. There’ll be a new “green link” connecting Waverley Park to Centennial Park and a recreation facility will be built under Syd Einfeld Drive.

New dwellings will be spread over five targeted areas, with the greatest concentration located on the fringes of Oxford Street Mall. Here, 1,250 dwellings in buildings up to 12 storeys high are proposed. High-rises of up

to 12 storeys will also be permitted on the west side of Bronte Road approaching the junction with Ebley Street, and at the end of Oxford Street opposite the bus depot.

Meanwhile, substantially taller buildings are also being contemplated, with the Master Plan noting the precedents set by Eastgate (22 stories), Meriton (25 stories) and Westfield (25 stories).

The document outlines strategies for ensuring that open spaces will not be thrown into permanent shadow as buildings reach for the skythere’s a stipulation for two hours of solar access to at least 50 per cent of open space areas between 11am and 2pm in midwinter. And the strategic growth will involve stepped building heights “to protect the character of surrounding neighbourhoods.”

Tenants of the new buildings won’t just be residents. The aim is for the transformed Junction to “attract high-skilled jobs

in technology, health innovation, design, and the creative industries,” the Master Plan document states.

High-rises are just one aspect of the council’s building vision for the Junction, which calls for “a diverse range of building types and housing,” including mid-rise “local villages.”

Bronte Road, for instance, will become “Bronte Road Village,” with mixed-use development of up to six storeys as well as taller buildings up to eight storeys high in the adjoining blocks bounded by Hollywood Avenue and Ebley Street.

The over-arching theme of the Master Plan is a “shift from a retail and transport hub to a cultural and social destination,” with bustling dining precincts and vibrant street life.

A key priority is giving the kiss of life to the lacklustre mall, and the vision for a mall makeover is covered at length in the document.

“Oxford Street Mall is transformed as a high-performance pedestrian spine weaving together retail, wellness, and culture,” the document states.

“By day, it serves as a daylight hub for boutique shopping and cafés; by night, it transforms into a lively promenade with extended trading hours for dining, live music, and major community events.”

Waverley council is keen to engage with landowners, businesses, residents and other stakeholders to develop plans for 18-hour a day trading in Oxford Street Mall and discuss the designation of Bondi Junction as a Special Entertainment Precinct.

“Bondi Junction has huge potential, and this Master Plan serves as a roadmap for making it the beating heart of Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs,” Waverley Mayor Will Nemesh told The Beast.

Brendan Muldoon

Reg. Migration Agent # 0742052

39 Gould Street, Bondi Beach Phone: 0404 552 322 brendan@bondimigration.com.au www.bondimigration.com.au

Rabbi Slavin and wife Laya put Waverley’s General Manager, Mayor and Deputy Mayor to work in the kitchen.

Cooking up Kindness for the Needy

Understanding the Multiple Health Hazards of Idling Engines

Words Anthony Maguire

Photo Eric Idle

Two local doctors are spearheading a campaign discouraging drivers from idling their engines when stopped at the curb.

Coogee residents Dr Anthony Hull and Dr Fiona Foo have implemented an education campaign called ‘Idle Off’ at their children’s school, St Anthony’s Primary School in Clovelly.

In a Bondi side street, an industrial-sized food preparation facility is cooking and sending out at least 1,000 meals for the needy each day.

Welcome to Our Big Kitchen, an outreach of kindness that was started 19 years ago by Rabbi Dr Dovid Slavin and his wife Laya.

“We were concerned about the way that in Australia, huge quantities of edible food are being thrown out each day,” Rabbi Slavin said. “It happens at every level, from the farm, to transport, then the supermarkets.”

So they decided to do something about it. A huge area was excavated underneath the Flood Street synagogue where Rabbi Slavin is spiritual leader, and a massive kitchen was built thanks to financial support from property developer Harry Triguboff.

And before too long, meals made from ingredients that were nearing their expiry dates - but were still perfectly good - were making their way to numerous charitable and community organisations including St Vincent de Paul, The Salvation Army, Jewish Care and Bondi Junction youth refuge Caretakers Cottage. Some of the food supplies are

perfectly fresh, as Rabbi Slavin showed The Beast after opening the door of a four by three metre fridge in Our Big Kitchen’s forecourt. He pointed down at a sack of rice the size of a well-stuffed pillow. “That contains 23 kilos of rice,” he said. “When rice is imported into Australia, customs officers slash open a random bag to check that it contains rice and not cocaine. This is one of those.”

Most of the food is sourced from supermarkets and other retailers such as Harris Farm and the Fruitologist on Bondi Road. Turning it into delicious meals are volunteers whose numbers are regularly supplemented through team-building exercises involving personnel from the corporate and government sectors.

Waverley Mayor Will Nemesh, Deputy Mayor Dr Keri Spooner and Waverley Council General Manager Emily Scott recently donned aprons for a two-hour team building experience alongside 16 other council staff and councillors.

“We’d like people to know about the good work this organisation is doing for people from diverse areas of the community, of all faiths,” said Dr Spooner.

The two co-chair Doctors for the Environment Australia NSW Committee and have launched a national clean air and Idle Off campaign with Parents for Climate.

They are working towards wider public awareness of the health effects of motor vehicle exhaust pollution. Nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter in exhaust fumes cost thousands of Australian lives each year and increase hospital admissions for heart and lung disease.

“The particles get into your bloodstream via the lungs and enter every organ of your body,” says Dr Hull, an anaesthetist.

Dr Foo, a cardiologist, says, “We’ve approached Randwick Council about having Idle Off zones outside every school. Children are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of motor vehicle air pollution.”

Please visit www.dea.org.au/ idle_off and www.parentsfor climate.org/idle_off.

People are being urged to turn off their engines.

Residents Channel Churchill as Beach Parking Fight Intensifies

We’ll fight them on the airwaves, we’ll fight them on the newspaper pages... and we’ll fight them on the beaches!

Randwick City Council, with its plan to install parking meters around Randwick’s beachesalbeit with a permit system for residents - is under immense pressure from local residents and business owners, who’ve been kicking up a massive stink about the proposal in the media, as well as a beach protest where ‘NO’ was emphatically spelled out on the sands of Maroubra by dozens of people and photographed by a drone.

The organiser of the beach protest was Coogee resident Anni Haque, who has also been vocal at a number of recent residents’ meetings protesting the council’s proposal for visitors from outside the LGA to be forced to pay for beach parking. Numerous local businesses have also come out strongly against the beach parking plan. The owners of Coogee’s Little Jack Horner, Brenton McHatton, and Courtyard Café, Dave Martin, appeared in a twopage Sun-Herald report titled ‘‘Beaches should be free’: Row erupts over Sydney council’s paid parking plan’. According to

Mr Martin, “this proposal looks more like a revenue-raising exercise than a solution to any real problem. Small businesses are already doing it tough, and parking meters will place additional pressure on local traders while hitting residents and visitors in the hip pocket.”

Other mainstream media coverage of the anti-meter sentiment has included reports on Channel 9’s Today and ABC Radio’s 702. Independent Randwick Councillor Noel D’Souza was the interview talent for the 702 segment, telling Sydney Breakfast presenter Craig Reucassel, “This is a socially unjust policy and it threatens to dismantle and destroy our community.”

At Walsh’s Village Pharmacy in South Maroubra, Richard Walsh OAM has collected more than 1,500 signatures for a petition against the meter plan. Three other petitions around the Randwick LGA have attracted a further 6,500 names, according to the pharmacist.

Amid all this dissent, Randwick Council has released the results of the community feedback it gathered through a questionnaire in March and April. And the figures announced by Council were surprising, given the

petitions, public meetings, beach protests and media campaigning against the paid beach parking proposal.

“Community has its say and majority supports Council’s fairer beach funding model,” the council announced in a May 18 press release. According to the council, out of the 12,039 survey responses, 54 per cent were supportive, 41 per cent opposed the plan and 5 per cent were neutral. A separate telephone survey involving 600 residents came up with an even higher percentage of people - 64 per cent - who said they were supportive of paid beach parking.

But now there’s been an interesting twist, with a market research expert being wheeled out by the community to assess both the questions used in the survey and the results that the survey yielded.

Chris Lonergan, founder and CEO of respected market research consultancy Lonergan Research, is a longtime business associate of Clovelly resident Joe Hancock, who works in advertising - and who is opposed to Randwick’s plan to charge visitors for parking because he sees it as a “cash grab.”

Working pro bono, Mr Lonergan reviewed the documents the council had sent out to households in early March. He reported that the survey responded to by post and online was “methodologically unsound” with a number of fundamental flaws. There’d been a “leading and assumptive question design,” with an absence of questions canvassing opposing views. The end result was “a question logic that traps respondents into appearing to support the proposal.”

As for the survey result of more than half of respondents giving a thumbs up to paid beach parking, Mr Lonergan says, “It shouldn’t be interpreted as representing the views of Randwick City Council residents.”

Nominations Now Open for 2026 Brightest & Best Business Awards

Words Anthony Maguire Photo Enzo Amato

Attention business owners in Waverley - imagine yourself stepping up to the front of the Bondi Pavilion theatre to receive a prestigious award recognising your company’s innovation, marketing skills and customer service.

Entries are now open for Waverley’s Brightest & Best Business Awards, a council-run event that climaxes in a glittering awards ceremony on Wednesday, October 14.

There are awards that are specific to major business sectors such as hospitality and entertainment, tourism and leisure, health and medical and trade services. In addition, there are awards for Entrepreneur of the Year, Business Woman of the Year, Best New Business and Business of the Year. Plus there’s the People’s Choice Award, where consumers vote for their favourite businesses. But don’t miss out - entries close when the clock hits midnight on Monday, July 20.

Entrants are assessed on the criteria of marketing and communication, customer service, community involvement, business achievements and commitment to excellence. A list of finalists is then drawn up, and those businesses are assessed by ‘mystery shoppers’ via a phone call, web enquiry or visit.

At the awards night, winners will receive crafted wooden trophies plus shopping vouchers and in-kind prizes from the event sponsors.

Sponsors for this year’s awards are Proximity Plumbing, Vision Personal Training, Scentre Group, Eastside Radio, Bondi & Districts Chamber of Commerce, Richardson & Wrench, Second Nature, Vivid Built, Service NSW, Bondi Innovation and The Beast.

Waverley Mayor Will Nemesh, who will preside over the awards ceremony, says, “The Brightest & Best Business Awards celebrate our local businesses and their fortitude, acumen, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit.”

“Ninety per cent of all businesses in Waverley are small businesses. That is a figure Council is immensely proud of and keen to support.”

“Being recognised as one of Waverley’s best businesses is more than just an accolade; it is a definitive reflection of a commitment to excellence, and it sends a message to the community that winning businesses are a go-to in their respective fields.”

To enter the awards, please visit www.waverley.nsw.gov.au/ business/resources_for_business /business_awards.

Planned Bus Lane Will Reduce Revenue, Say Businesses

Words Anthony Maguire

Photo Lois Lane

Businesses have submitted a petition opposing state government plans for a 6-10am bus lane along a stretch of Bondi Road.

Transport for NSW (TfNSW) wants to have the bus lane between Watson and Paul Streets. But local cafés and other businesses fear loss of parking during morning trading hours will eat into their profits.

“Early morning trade - particularly before 7am - is a peak revenue period,” the 35-signature petition states. The petition was first lodged with Vaucluse MP Kellie Sloane, who then referred it to Waverley Council.

At their June meeting, Waverley councillors agreed to pass on the petition to TfNSW. However, a council report tabled at the meeting was supportive of the bus lane proposal, saying it will reduce bus delays and result in less overcrowding. The report also noted that Bondi Road is a state road, meaning the council can only play an advocacy role in matters that are the responsibility of TfNSW.

The bus lane will reduce overcrowding on services, but local businesses say it will also reduce their income.

BRIGHTEST & BEST BUSINESS AWARDS 2026

ENTRIES NOW OPEN

Scan the QR code below to enter and view full details on all Award categories. Prizes for winners and runners-up, plus wide promotion across digital and media platforms.

Winners announced at the Awards Night on 14 October 2026 at Bondi Pavilion.

ENTER NOW

KEY

DATES:

Entries Open 23 June

Entries Close 20 July Finalists Announced 11 August Awards Night 14 October

WIN A $2000 ADVERTISING PACKAGE

All completed entries will automatically go into the draw to win an advertising package with Eastside Radio, valued at $2000.

Enter now via the QR code or for more details, email: business@waverley.nsw.gov.au

Sperm Donation is Fertile Ground for 'Biggest Ever' Bondi Festival

Words Anthony Maguire Photo Werner von Siemens

Darby clicks on a Facebook ad for sperm donation and sets sail across the seas of queer existential mayhem, discovering the absurdities of clinical procreation and considering his future as a potential gay parent...

Little Squirt, a 60-minute, one-man performance showcasing the comedic and musical talents of Darby James, is one of the many offerings at this year’s Bondi Festival, a threeweek arts and culture event that will be held from July 3-19. You can catch the award-winning show in Bondi Pavilion’s Seagull Room from Thursday, July 16 to Saturday, July 19.

Another standout show is Pigeon Fool presented by Counterpilot, an award-winning collective of interdisciplinary artists. Developed in collaboration with AI experts at Soulbotix, Pigeon Fool is all about the dreaded AI, blending cunning

algorithms and virtual beings into a gameshow format to put its audience to the test.

Bondi Festival will also offer immersive outdoor experiences, including an installation by artists Amigo & Amigo out in the Pavilion courtyard called Accordian. The installation is described as a “playful sensory public art experience.”

Then step out into Bondi Park to discover a vibrant hub of flavour, with Blue Sky Markets curating a diverse selection of stalls selling hot food, readyto-eat bites, artisan drinks and sweet treats. While you eat and drink, you’ll be serenaded by Music in the Park.

The ice rink will be returning this year for those of you wishing to unleash your inner Torville and Dean. Enjoy a 45-minute session on the ice, or ease into it with the ‘pushalong penguins.’

Also back for this year’s fest is the Bondi Vista Ferris Wheel, which takes passengers 250 metres above ground level for an amazing 360 degree view.

The festival will conclude with large-scale illuminated performances across Bondi Park and the beach by theatre company Curious Legends, promising to create “a magical underwater world” featuring large mobile installations of whales and other sea creatures.

Bondi Festival is proudly presented by Waverley Council, and Mayor Will Nemesh is proud of the contribution the event will be making to our local cultural fabric.

“Expect world-class performances, stunning local art, and exciting cultural celebrations sure to delight everyone,” he told The Beast. For tickets and information, visit www.bondifestival.com.au.

Waverley Council Update

Mayor's Message

Waverley Citizen of the Year Award

nounce way to honour outstanding members of our community. At our May meeting, we resolved to establish a Waverley Citizen of the Year Award, following a Mayoral Minute I put forward in February. This award, to be presented on Australia Day, will formally recognise and celebrate a positive local role model for their significant community contributions, through civic participation, leadership, mentoring, volunteering or service.

It is a wonderful opportunity for us to reward and celebrate local excellence

We will also present a Young Waverley Citizen of the Year Award.

Our Waverley community has a wealth of remarkable people who deserve formal celebration of their efforts, and I look forward to presenting the inaugural awards at next year’s Australia Day citizenship ceremony.

Bondi Festival is almost here

The beloved Bondi Festival is back with its biggest program ever

For three weeks in July, a jampacked roster of artists, comedians, musicians and performers will take over venues, stages and iconic spots across postcode 2-0-2-6.

That’s right – this is quite literally Bondi’s year

We have upped the ante to celebrate, with a world-class lineup of music, theatre, art, comedy and interactive performances.

Highlights include the Bondi Festival Comedy Gala, bringing two nights of side-splitting laughs and stellar acts on 3 and 4 July, plus the Bondi Festival food markets every weekend

Of course, the beachside iceskating rink and Bondi ferris wheel are back too, along with intriguing art installations, delectable food stalls and live music.

Bondi Festival runs from 3 to 19 July Tickets are selling fast, so head to bondifestival com au to grab yours.

Spotlighting Waverley’s best business

Do you run a business in Waverley and want to let everyone know how good it is?

Enter this year ’s Brightest & Best Business Awards.

These awards are about honoring Waverley ’s excellent local businesses and their entrepreneurial spirit, which help shape our community into such a dynamic and thriving place. There are 15 award categories, including the People’s Choice award. Entries close on 20 July. Head to Council’s website to enter.

Art Prize

The Waverley Art Prize is back for its 40th year, showcasing emerging and established artists. As well as uplifting talented local creatives, this prize also raises vital funds for the Waverley Woollahra Art School.

To celebrate this milestone, this year ’s entrants will be exhibited at The Bondi Pavillion Art Gallery from 3 July to 23 August. I look forward to announcing all our winners on the exhibition's opening night, with our People’s Choice Prize to be revealed on 24 August.

I would like to congratulate all our finalists for their bold, thoughtful and inspiring works, and thank our entrants for sharing their craft with us.

William Nemesh Mayor of Waverley

Ph: 9083 8000 | waverley.nsw.gov.au

Stay in touch: waverley.nsw.gov.au/subscribe

Bill Drew on Service Experience While Leading RSL Sub-Branch

For more than three decades, Bill Harrigan worked in law enforcement, initially as a railway detective, then with the Narcotics Bureau, and finally with the Australian Federal Police where he reached the rank of Detective Superintendent. During his time with the AFP, among other things, he helped the government wage war on drug traffickers and was sent overseas to join a peacekeeping force in Cyprus.

Then, after retiring from the AFP, he became secretary of Bondi Junction Waverley RSL Sub-Branch in 1996. The following year he was made a director. In 1999 he was elected president - and in that capacity he proceeded to throw himself into issues where his experience as a law officer and peacekeeper came to the fore.

He went into battle for club members who didn’t have a background in the services and increased their representation on the board, to the point where there was a 50:50 split of service and ordinary members, which continues today. The revised board structure involved

amendments to the Sub-Branch constitution.

Another issue arose in 2005 when the sub-branch found itself struggling to pay a renovation debt due to decreased poker machine revenue at its club (now known as Club Bondi Junction) on Bronte Road. Mr Harrigan convinced the board to sell a number of investment properties the Sub-Branch owned in the Byron Bay and Laurieton districts.

“As a result, from 2005 we have been debt-free,” he says.

Now, at the age of 88, Bronte resident Mr Harrigan is finally retiring - but he’s far from forgotten. His contributions were recently recognised with the presentation of a community recognition certificate by Kellie Sloane, Member for Vaucluse.

Presenting the certificate, Ms Sloane said, “Thank you Bill Harrigan for 30 years service in leadership roles in the Bondi Junction Waverley RSL SubBranch. It’s wonderful to be with Bill and his family and RSL SubBranch members this evening to acknowledge all of Bill’s work in our community and for our veterans and the legacy he leaves.”

Locals Star in Diva Charity's Sisterhood Fashion Show

Words Anthony Maguire

Photo Kate Moss

Housing Commission resident Zoe Willow has faced some tough challenges recently. She’s the solo mother of a toddler who was born deaf and underwent a Cochlear implant, but still struggles with his hearing.

Recently the young Maroubra mum’s spirits got a lift as she became one of the models in an event called the Sisterhood Fashion Show.

The event was organised by local group Diva Charity and took place at Hope Uniting Church in Maroubra. Ms Willow and seven other ladies, all social housing tenants, took to the fashion runway. They’d earlier been taken under the wing of professional model Jessica Grace for fashion runway tips after being outfitted courtesy of event sponsor Thread Together. Also sponsoring the event was Clovelly Community Bank, whose community partnerships manager Nicola Powell presented each participant with a $50 shopping voucher.

Diva Charity founder Christina Iskander told the models-forthe-day, “I’m so proud of you!”

The latest from Randwick City Council about living in this great city

Randwick News

With lots of community building projects either recently completed or progressing across our area, I thought you might like an update on a couple of exciting ones to keep an eye out for.

Bieler Park Playground in Randwick recently received a significant upgrade with new accessible play equipment so everyone can play. Exciting playground upgrades are also in the works right now across Les Bridge Park in Kensington, Hereward Reserve at Maroubra Beach and the South Maroubra Village Green playground.

We also know our community is netball obsessed, so we’re working hard to deliver for our largest local sport by player numbers and teams. Construction is ongoing on the new amenities block at Heffron Park netball courts which will deliver storage, bigger changing rooms and dedicated female bathrooms.

We’ve also got new toilet blocks opening soon at Alison Park in Randwick and Meeks Street Plaza in Kingsford.

Then there’s the construction which has just begun on a new amenities block at Malabar Ocean Pool. The pool has always been a local gem, much loved by locals and visitors alike. Soon, with the new upgrade on the way, the pool will become an even more pleasant place to enjoy the saltwater and the sun.

Chat soon,

What’s On

MAROUBRA BEACH MARKETS

SATURDAY 4 JULY

8 am – 2 pm

Broadarrow Reserve

WINTER BOOK SALE

SATURDAY 4 JULY –

MONDAY 6 JULY

9.30 am – 4 pm

Margaret Martin Library

HEFFRON PARK MARKETS

SUNDAY 19 JULY

8 am – 2 pm

Bunnerong Road, Maroubra

BEACH BREAKS

SUNDAY 20 JULY

11 am – 4 pm

Maroubra Beach Promenade

COOGEE WINTER NIGHTS

WEDNESDAY 22 JULY

5 – 9 pm

Coogee Bay Road

BARRETT HOUSE STUDIOS EXHIBITION

THURSDAY 23 JULY

6 – 8 pm

Barrett House Studios

Councillor Dylan Parker Mayor of Randwick

Crime News

Police Hunt Sneak Thief

Do you know who the bloke in the above photo is? He’s believed to be an opportunistic thief who walked into a Maroubra real estate office when the front desk was temporarily unattended and stole a back pack containing a wallet and keys. He then used a bank card to make a $90 purchase at nearby Pacific Square, after which his victim received a phone alert from the bank, which put a block on the card.

The thief was wearing a Waverley College sports cap, but there’s no suggestion he is an old boy of that venerable institution.

“No doubt it belonged to another victim,” said a manager at the real estate agency.

Dim-Witted Peeping Tom Shone Light at Woman

Late one night, 50-year-old Tom Kakios peered through the window of a Coogee hostel where a young woman was sleeping. To get a better look, he shone his phone torch into the room.

The 21-year-old woman woke up and yelled at him. Kakios made his exit. But the following night, he was at it again, looking into another window of the hostel, then fleeing through a neighbouring property after being confronted.

Five days later, the long arm of the law reached out for Kakios, who has previous form for other sex offences including groping a woman’s breasts at Gordon’s Bay. He recently faced Waverley Court charged with a number of offences including entering a building or land with the intent to commit the indictable offence of sexual touching. Magistrate Michael Barko jailed him for one year, with a nine-month non-parole period.

Rock-Throwing Rabbit

Smashed Surf Club Window

A thug wearing a Rabbitohs hoodie hurled a large rock through an upstairs window of South Maroubra SLSC at around 10.15pm on Monday, May 11.

If you have any information, please contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Men Brandished Pistols in Drug Deal Gone Wrong - Police

A brazen drug deal in a Rose Bay street somehow went wrong, with men involved in one side of the $80,000 transaction drawing pistols and trying to kidnap the other party, a 34-year-old man.

That’s what police are alleging after the disturbing events unfolded late one afternoon in Salisbury Avenue, a normally quiet street a couple of blocks from Woollahra Golf Course.

The 34-year-old, said to have

been the buyer in the intended transaction, was threatened by three men, two of whom pulled out pistols and pointed them at him. It’s alleged they attempted to bundle him into a car before he broke loose and ran off. The trio then fled in their hatchback. However, there were half a dozen witnesses and police were given the car’s registration.

And so it was that officers paid an early morning visit to a home in Fairfield West and dragged away two brothers, one of whom is alleged to have been the seller in the intended drug deal. At the same time, Eastern Suburbs police and tactical officers arrested a man at a hotel in Colyton.

Not surprisingly, cops have thrown the proverbial book at the trio. They have been charged with attempting to rob the man of $80,000, kidnapping and numerous other offences. Police allegations about what unfolded on the Rose Bay street were made in court as the three unsuccessfully applied for bail.

Car Chase Ends in Crash

A black SUV was stolen from a home in South Coogee late one night. Four days later, at around 3am, police tried to stop the vehicle on Rainbow Street in Kingsford.

The chase continued through several residential streets in Coogee and ended with the SUV crashing into trees at the end of Edgecumbe Avenue.

Two 15-year-old boys were in the car and were both uninjured. They were arrested and taken to the cop shop. The matter is going through the children’s court.

Coogee car chase didn’t end well for teenagers.

Subject Golden Armour Location Centennial Park

Photographer Mary Lin

Subject Don't Let Go Location Maroubra

Photographer David Psaila @davep314

The pics on your phone, hung in your home. All pics published will receive a $100

Spiced Salmon With Roasted Cauliflower, Currants and Yoghurt Sauce

Words Dana Sims Instagram @stone_and_twine

Super simple and easy to whip up as a mid-week meal, this Middle Eastern-inspired spiced salmon with roasted cauliflower, currants and yoghurt sauce is flavoursome enough to make a memorable meal.

The orange infusion pairs well with the spices, and the cauliflower, capsicum, chickpeas and currants really complement the salmon.

The creamy yoghurt sauce with lemon, coriander and mint is so cooling and refreshing and is the key to elevating each and every bite.

Ingredients

4 boneless salmon fillets

Spice mix

1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp ground ginger

½ tsp red chilli flakes

Zest and juice of 1 orange

1 tsp sea salt

½ tsp ground black pepper

4 tbs extra virgin olive oil

1 x 400gm can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 cauliflower, cut into small florets

1 red capsicum, core and seeds removed, cut into bite sized pieces

¼ cup currants

Yoghurt sauce

¾ cup Greek yoghurt

1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, very finely chopped

1/3 cup fresh coriander leaves, very finely chopped

Juice of ½ a lemon

To serve

Fresh coriander leaves

Lemon

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200˚C.

2. In a large bowl, combine the spices and olive oil and mix well.

3. On a large lined baking tray, place the cauliflower, capsicum and chickpeas and pour over half of the spice mix, tossing well to coat each piece.

4. Place the salmon fillets in the bowl with the remaining spice mix and coat them well. Set aside to marinate.

5. Roast the tray of vegetables and chickpeas in the oven for 2530 minutes, giving them a gentle toss once or twice to ensure they brown a little and soften well.

6. When the vegetables have been roasting for 20-25 minutes, place a large frypan set to medium heat on the stovetop. Add the 4 pieces of marinated salmon, skin side up and sear the flesh for 2 minutes to get some colour.

7. Remove the pan from the heat and set the salmon aside.

8. Add the currants to the vegetables and toss through.

9. Transfer the salmon fillets to the vegetables in the oven, placing them on top. Roast for a further 10-12 minutes, depending on the size of your salmon fillets and how you like them cooked (just cooked through with the flesh easily flaked is nice).

10. Combine the ingredients for the yoghurt sauce and set aside.

11. Remove the salmon and vegetables from the oven. Place a good serve of the vegetables and chickpeas onto each plate, a piece of salmon on top, a generous amount of the yoghurt sauce and fresh coriander and lemon to serve.

Dana Sims is a Sydneybased food and prop stylist who has grown up in the Eastern Suburbs and loves to create delicious food. She is inspired by the fresh produce we have access to in Sydney. For ideas, recipes and styling inspiration, check out her Instagram, @stone_and_twine.

The Unreliable Guide to... Stepping Out

The Unreliable Guide has been stepping out lately. Not dancing (although after about 15,000 steps my knees do click like maracas), but literally going out just to increase my daily step count. Every morning, the overpriced, fascist rectangle I’ve voluntarily strapped to my wrist wakes me with attitude.

“Try harder, human! You only achieved 74 per cent of your goal yesterday.”

Imagine putting up with that sort of feedback from your fridge or your toaster. I genuinely don’t know how this obsession took hold, because I’ve never been one for competitive exercise. I don’t ‘smash out reps’ or ‘crush cardio’, and I don’t even walk near gymsthey smell of rubber and regret.

But if you, like me, have become the sort of person who paces the hallway at 10.47pm because the app says you’re only 312 steps short of that magical 10,000, then The Unreliable Guide is here with some tips and tricks to help you pace yourself.

Stepping Up

Walking is, and has always been, great. We’re basically biologically identical to our

nomadic ancestors and they’d never even heard of Ikea sofas. They were on the go from sunrise to sunset, maybe with a brief sit down on a boulder while they chowed down some berries alla wildebeest.

Our bodies are made for walking; that’s why doctors bang on about it. Our skeletal structure, nervous system and muscle distribution are all custom designed for walking. Maybe that’s why taking a walk is one of the best drugs out there, improving mental health, alleviating back problems, lowering stress and boosting our cardiovascular fitness.

Most importantly, walking allows us to peep into other people’s gardens without technically committing a crime. Immersing ourselves in the physical world forces us to live in the moment like some kind of Zen guru. We smell rain on concrete, appreciate the hiss of waves on wet sand, and maybe even notice a sneaky development proposal that plans to destroy the local vibe.

We might even meet our neighbours, that old bloke who’s been washing the same Holden in his driveway since

1997, the weird couple who walk their identical black cats on leads, the swoopy magpie who’s finally accepted we’re part of its territory...

Stepping Down

But of course, we humans can’t leave a good thing alone. When Fitbit launched in 2009, wellness was gamified, and walking got serious. The apps rewarded our steps with badges, fireworks and vibrating congratulations.

No one captures this madness better than David Sedaris in his essay about Fitbit addiction. “I look back on the days I averaged only thirty thousand steps, and think, ‘Honestly, how lazy can you get?’”

Sedaris became so obsessed with walking that he regularly clocked up 60,000 steps (45kms!) a day, which is roughly three times as much as the average paleolithic nomad. Fitbit actively encourages obsession, and Sedaris admits he has an addictive personality. In earlier years it was alcohol and drugs, now it’s steps.

Maybe that’s healthier, but Professor Jordan Etkin from Duke University warns us, “Rather than merely drawing attention away from an enjoyable activity, measurement also draws attention towards output, which undermines motivation and overall happiness.” In other words, walking stops being about fresh air and birdsong and becomes yet another task on a bloody long list.

Finally… maybe we need to ditch the apps, Fitbits and Oura rings, and stop trying to measure every aspect of life. I’ll leave you with some advice from ancient Greek physician, philosopher and all-round smarty-pants, Hippocrates: “If you are in a bad mood, go for a walk. If you are still in a bad mood, go for another walk.”

Surely we can grow it here.

The Essential Product Costing

Eastern Suburbs Locals a Fortune

Words Kieran Blake - kieranblakewriter.org Photo Andre Bagassi

Eastern Suburbs residents are demanding action after learning that they pay extortionate prices for cocaine.

White party powder can cost four or five times as much here as it does overseas, and the hefty price tag does not even guarantee its purity. Locals have therefore presented authorities with a manifesto outlining strategies to mitigate price influences such as geographical isolation, low population density and strict border control.

“During a cost-of-living crisis, essential items such as groceries, fuel, housing and cocaine must be affordable,” read the manifesto.

“Eastern Suburbs residents have already been reduced to shopping at Aldi, buying E-Bikes and renting out their holiday homes, but should never have to forego cocaine.”

The manifesto calls upon Australians to get serious.

“Stop growing a few special herbs at your uncle’s plot on the Central Coast and create large-scale coca plantations in Australia’s vast untapped wilderness. The coca can then be processed at decommissioned coal mines to restore the nation’s proud manufacturing heritage and negate the tyranny of distance. We might not make Holdens anymore, but every snort of our home-grown prod-

uct will be an act of patriotism.”

GDP is then expected to grow exponentially as stockbrokers and financiers enjoy cocaine subjected to greater scrutiny. What’s more, the high-grade nutritional supplements will make our local football stars unbeatable, especially against our Trans-Tasman rivals who pay even more for a baggy.

The popular aperitif can then be transported internationally in the submarines that ScoMo secured through his AUKUS master plan, and we will relive the glory days when our British overlords were the world’s biggest drug traffickers.

Of course, we must also ensure the majority of our national resource remains in the country and remains affordable. A 25 per cent tax on exports?

Population density is another factor driving up prices. While this is already being addressed, it must be accelerated. Snooty snorters have ordered local authorities to tolerate, then ignore, residents action groups so that town planners can create more projects like the engorgement of Little Bay, the expansion of Bondi Junction and the construction of Lahra Downs around the new Woollahra train station. Property developers must also be freed from red tape so that they can contribute to the architectural legacy of our region. After all, if any occupation is motivated by cheaper cocaine…

What about strict border control? Management of our territorial waters will be transferred to the Bra Boys and they will be given license to select who steps foot on our shores. Border Force can then return to confiscating hiking shoes.

“Finally, our elected officials must alleviate the long-term suffering of their constituents and add cocaine to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.”

Less Can Often Be More

Words Dr Marjorie O’Neill, State Member for Coogee Photo Peter Russell-Clarke

There is something quietly satisfying about cooking in winter. As the weather cools down, the pace of life slows a little, the oven stays on a little longer, and meals become less about precision and more about comfort. Earlier this month, I celebrated my little brother’s housewarming the only way I know how - by turning up with a large freshly cooked frittata. It was warm, substantial, mysterious in its contents and widely applauded.

In my experience, most of us have some version of this dish tucked away in our weekly routine. It is less a recipe and more a habit and part of our regular Sunday clean up. You gather the odds and ends from the bottom of the fridge - a soft capsicum, half an onion, a handful of herbs on their last legs - and give them a second life with eggs, a bit of cheese, and whatever else feels right. It is never the same twice, and that is exactly the point.

Sharing this sacred recipe with my brother, who is settling into his own kitchen for the first

time, made me reflect on how these small rituals enhance the quality of our lives. Cooking at home in winter is not just about warmth or convenience; it is also where sustainability quietly lives. Not in grand gestures, but in the everyday decisions - using what we have, wasting less, and finding joy in making something out of almost nothing.

I think a lot about the meals I grew up with when the weather turns cold. My mum hates waste and learnt from her mother to be a massive fan of adding a bit of fried onion and bacon, and maybe some grated cheese, to pretty much anything in order to give it a second life. It was never framed as sustainability, but that is exactly what it was, cooking with what is available, stretching ingredients and letting simple, slow cooking work its magic.

When I was living in the UK, an Iranian friend introduced me to a similar philosophy, but with a different expression. Their version involved roasting ends of bits and bobs of vegetables

with warming spices - paprika, turmeric, sometimes cuminand serving them alongside a tangy yoghurt. Again, nothing complicated, just thoughtful use of what was on hand.

Winter cooking has a way of bringing us back to these kinds of meals. It encourages us to slow down, to make do, and to reconnect with the ingredients we already have - a kind of quiet creativity in opening the fridge and seeing the possibility rather than the limitations of what we have on hand.

So maybe that is the invitation this season, to lean into the hodgepodge, to embrace the imperfect combinations, and to find comfort and pride - not just in what we cook, but in how we cook it. A frittata made from scraps, a tray of roasted vegetables, a bowl of spiced yoghurt on the side - these are small acts, but they add up. They warm us, they nourish us, and in their own understated way, they help us care for the world around us too. What is your secret go-to recipe that you can share with us?

One Conversation at a Time

Last month, I watched something special unfold in a room full of Year 11 and 12 students.

Students from schools right across Wentworth - private and public, religious and nonreligious, single-sex and co-ed - sat together and just talked. Not about homework or sport, but about the big things: their honest hopes and fears, what excited them, what worried them, what they understood and didn’t understand about each other.

These weren’t always easy conversations. Students came in with different values, different backgrounds, different instincts about the world - and they didn’t always agree.

But they disagreed with curiosity rather than defensiveness. They didn’t just tolerate a different view - they genuinely tried to understand how someone else arrived at it. One student reflected, “I found that I don’t have a set opinion on things - things are complex.”

It was the third and final roundtable in a year-long process our office ran to help build social cohesion among young people across Wentworth. Listening to our students reflect, I was reminded of just how much work social

cohesion actually requires. It doesn’t maintain itself. And right now, the forces working against it are strong - populism is rising and social media rewards the most extreme take in the room.

What protects us is the quiet, constant work happening at the grassroots. Our surf clubs, sporting teams, school communities and local organisations build the networks of trust that hold us together when things get hard. In the last month alone I’ve seen it; primary school kids from different schools braiding friendship bread at Kids Breaking Bread, our community turning out for Pride Month and Refugee Week events to learn each other's histories. These all do the same essential thing - bring people into proximity with each other, which is where understanding always begins.

But understanding alone isn’t enough. We also need to get better at respectful disagreement - genuinely trying to grasp why someone else sees the world differently.

On a Wednesday night in May, so many in our community came to do exactly that at a workshop our office ran with the Brave Conversations project. People partnered with strangers and did

something genuinely difficult - they listened to perspectives that challenged their own, and examined how they’d each arrived at their views. That’s a skill, and it can be taught.

Of course, none of this happens without deliberate work, both from our communities and also our government. In my submission to the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion I’m pushing for more investment in creating spaces where people can learn from each other and disagree respectfully, alongside other measures such as funding community security.

Building a society out of people with vastly different backgrounds, histories, beliefs and stories - which is what Australia is attempting - is genuinely hard. There is no guarantee it works.

I’ve been thinking a lot about a book called The Great Experiment, which argues that diverse democracies are one of humanity’s most ambitious undertakings - and one of its most worthwhile. Australia is living proof of that experiment in action. It isn’t always easy, but it is exciting, and something I think we all agree is worth fighting for.

As the federal MP for Wentworth, I always want to hear from you. I host regular pop-up offices across the community as well as Politics in the Pub events. To stay up to date so you can come along, scan below to view the Events page on my website or join my email newsletter.

Scan to view the events page on my website. How to contact my office

Scan to sign up to receive my email newsletter.

From Resilience to Renewal: The Future of Bondi

We all love Bondi. It is not just our local community; it is the best of Australia on display.

We have seen the true strength and character of Bondi on display these past six months, as we have united to overcome Australia’s worst terrorist attack. Strangers and charities stepped up to help one another, local businesses donated funds to support the Jewish community, and our first responders have continued to show up every day.

As we continue to recover, my focus as your local state MP is on how best to support our community now, but also how to help to deliver your priorities for Bondi’s future.

Many of you have told me that what you love most about Bondi is that despite it being one of Australia’s most iconic locations, visited by thousands of tourists each year, it still manages to have the community heart of a small beachside town.

So often when I am chatting to locals, whether you are new to the area or have lived here for decades, I hear the same thing; you could never picture yourself living anywhere else. Young people, new to the area, tell me they want to put down roots, get involved in the community and hopefully raise a family locally. I want to make sure we have the policies to support you to do that.

My job is to make sure we preserve what we all love about Bondi, while also ensuring it continues to grow and thrive. In the past, hearing directly from locals has helped me to advocate for better bus services in Bondi, to provide support for businesses, and deliver grants for local surf clubs and schools, including $100,000 for new student toilets at Bondi Public School.

As we look ahead, it is important that we continue to support the infrastructure, services and local spaces that make Bondi

such a unique place to live.

We must continue to protect the sense of community connection that defines Bondi. It is this spirit that ensures Bondi remains not only one of Australia’s most iconic destinations, but also one of its most welcoming places to call home. Hearing directly from you on your priorities is the best way for me to do my job as your local MP. I don’t want to just guess how to make Bondi better, I want your input into how we do that.

I have created a Bondi Pulse community survey to get your feedback on the priorities, policies and projects you want me to focus on. You can scan the QR code to complete the survey, email my office directly at vaucluse@parliament.nsw.gov.au or phone 9326 1856.

If you see me out and about in Bondi, please stop and have a chat, I am always interested to hear your ideas.

A Secret Mountain Pool

Words and Photo Lewis Kennedy-Hunt

We traded buildings for big skies and gumtrees as our ears popped on the way up and out of the city. A free weekend and no surf meant we were headed ‘out bush’. Our plans weren’t that extravagant; just to go for a long walk and have a camp out, and get out of range for a night.

I’d been to these parts before, but it was Charlotte’s first time. It’s funny the renewed perspective you gain of a place when you take someone else there for the first time. It’s pretty much always better when you’re sharing a place. I suppose that’s why most secrets these days quickly turn into TikTok write-offs. Before you know it, the place is pinned on Google Maps and tagged in a hundred reels with a queue of people waiting their turn to take the exact same photo. You’ve got to pick the right people to show, I guess.

We packed light, just a tent between us, some frozen steaks ready to defrost for the night’s fire, plenty of water and some of Charlotte’s homemade trail bars to keep us going. Camping always has a way of simplifying your life and highlighting the difference between needs and wants, which is something that gets pretty blurred these days. Hike camping adds a whole level to that since you have to carry everything on your own back - a true antithesis to an age of convenience and decadence. But to be honest, we just go on these trips to see a cool bird, or walk along a stream and then drink from it. It just feels good.

After making the first steep descent we stopped at a big waterfall and I cracked into one of my boiled eggs, the perfect hike snack. Charlotte marvelled at the cascading backdrop and we

savoured that endorphin feeling you get after a couple hours of hiking. You always seem to have the best yarns when you hike with someone, probably a combination of this ‘hiker’s high’, the stimulating scenery and that heightened feeling that you are in the middle of nowhere at the mercy of your own devices. It always has me talking about bigger picture things, real shit that goes deeper than the surface level jibber you tend to have day-to-day.

After pounding out a few more hours, laden by our heavy packs and soaking in our own sweat, it seemed fitting to look for somewhere to swim. The track meandered along a river for the entire day and we had plenty of opportunity to look for the best spot to swim. Some areas were shallow and cleargood if you were in a rush, but we had time. Other spots were shaded and spooky. The feeling of a big freshwater eel below is enough to ruin a nice swim. We contemplated a handful of spots before we came to the realisation that the sun was about to disappear behind the mountains and our desire to cool off would disappear with it.

We rounded a few more bends and hopped over a couple of fallen trees as the river started to move further away from the track. Maybe we’d just swim somewhere in the morning. But a distant shimmer caught my eye and I noticed a fizzing trough of water down through the scrub. There was no track to it so we just slid through some bushes and shuffled down a rock as the sound of the water grew louder. It was perfect. Finally, time for a swim. The water had a breathless freshness to it and I grabbed a bright red crayfish on my way out. We pondered its edibility for a bit, but it wasn’t enough for a meal so we let it crawl home.

July 2026 Tide Chart

The Beast Supercross

ACROSS

1. NSW Opposition leader (6,6)

7. Train transport system (7)

8. Inca sun god (4)

9. Horse meatball shop (4)

10. Warm bed covering (7)

13. College treasurer (6)

17. Makes things white (6)

18. Bottomless gulf or pit (5)

20. Type of machine gun (3)

21. Extremely angry (5)

22. Latin ‘Note well’ (1,1)

23. Give the cold shoulder (4)

DOWN

1. Entertaining Aussie tennis

Trivial Trivia

1. What is the 2026 Australian of the Year’s profession; researcher, advocate or astronaut?

2. Which European country is famous for its egg custard tarts?

3. Which disease is most closely associated with the use of an iron lung?

star, Nick ... (7)

2. Linger aimlessly (6)

3. Corny US state (4)

4. Small refracting telescope (8)

5. Bulb that can make you cry (5)

6. Mandate (5)

11. Knockout (1,1)

12. Egg & bacon tart (6)

14. Angry dog disease (6)

15. Married woman (3)

16. Himalayan country (5)

17. Soft white cheese (4)

18. American rapper (1,1)

19. Swedish car (4)

20. Global industry standard for cables (1,1,1)

4. What is your star sign if you were born on Anzac Day?

5. Which mythological creature has the head of a woman and the body of a lion?

6. What is the oldest continuous sporting event in the United States; the Nascar rally, Superbowl, or the Kentucky Derby?

7. What colour are the G’s in the Google logo?

8. Which painter made Campbell’s soup cans famous?

9. What animal can live on for several days without its head?

10. What is the hardest substance in the human body?

The Invite

Genre Comedy Drama

Reviewer Linda Heller-Salvador

It’s no wonder Cesc Gay’s 2015 play Los Vecinos de Arriba has inspired six film adaptations. It is instantly relatable to anyone navigating the tricky realities of long-term relationships. The latest incarnation is The Invite, directed by Olivia Wilde, which offers a voyeuristically intense and darkly funny portrait of a relationship collapsing under the weight of familiarity and apathy.

Angela (Wilde) and Joe (Seth Rogen) are stuck in a marital stalemate. Constant nitpicking and bickering have left them disillusioned and reflecting on their unfulfilled ambitions. However, the energy inadvertently shifts when Angela invites their intriguingly free-spirited neighbours, Pia (Penélope Cruz) and Hawk (Edward Norton), over for dinner.

What starts as a semi-polite gathering quickly evolves into a fast-paced, chatty interaction of vastly differing personalities. Spiraling from their contrasting dynamics, the evening devolves into a series of highly amusing yet painfully honest revelations.

If you enjoyed the biting, conversational interplay of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? or Woody Allen’s Husbands and Wives, then this one should be right up your alley.

Ecca Vandal Looking for People to Unfollow

Label Loma Vista

Reviewer @aldothewriter

Rating

Strewth on a biscuit! This is absolutely bloody epic! There is a rage here that both excites and terrifies me. As Roy & HG would say, it’s a tale of two halves: Violent Soho then M.I.A. It works though, and everybody wins. As the album title would suggest, Ecca Vandal is a person with strong opinions, and I dare say she does not respond meekly to those who disagree. I would absolutely love a front row seat to a family gathering with her and her mildly alcoholic, extremely conservative and overly opinionated uncle. Popcorn would be dribbling down my shirtfront.

Genesis Owusu Redstar Wu & the Worldwide Scourge

Label OURNESS

Reviewer @aldothewriter

Rating

Unfortunately for Genesis, I don’t think he’ll be touring Stateside anytime soon. Not that he doesn’t deserve it - he’s one of the best artists this country has produced - but his unapologetic attack on a certain “orange man” and his “incel” followers might make customs an interesting experience. The kick is, if you read between the lines, his lyrics are inspiring unity more than anything. But who wants to do that these days? And that’s fine too. It’s still a rollicking ride. Fat beats, sharp lyrics, an unsettling obsession with UNO, and a swagger even “Hank Hill looking motherf*ckers” can’t deny.

The Jungle Giants Experiencing Feelings of Joy

Label Together We Can Work...

Reviewer @aldothewriter

Rating

The Jungle Giants have been a staple of the Aussie indie-pop festival scene for long enough to know what a commercially viable festival looks like, so it’s hard to imagine them as humans who have life challenges beyond incomprehensible inconsistencies in insurance policies, etc. But here we are, four albums in, with a ‘break-up album’. It’s a bit sad, and lacking the usual Jungle Giants upbeat lustre, but there is a sweetness that resonates throughout and makes it more meaningful than their other work. I wish that every sad dickhead who goes through a break-up could be this creative and kind about it.

Star Signs

Visions Beardy from Hell

Virgo Aug 23-Sep 23

Your current employment can be accurately summed up as a trail of stale breadcrumbs that lead to absolutely nowhere.

Libra Sep 24-Oct 23

Your need to express strong opinions about things you don’t really understand is more about belonging than the facts themselves.

Scorpio Oct 24-Nov 22

Pretty much everything you do is a subconscious effort to protect yourself in an environment where your worth is conditional.

Sagittarius Nov 23-Dec 21

The fact that your inside joke has survived this long is less a sign of comedic brilliance and more a testament to everyone’s patience.

Capricorn Dec 22-Jan 20

The love of your life is nearby, but so are several deeply unnecessary distractions that you will almost certainly entertain first.

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Aquarius Jan 21-Feb 19

Understand that your value is not intrinsic, but rather something that you need to earn through constant performance.

Pisces Feb 20-Mar 20

Someone quite strange has subconsciously integrated you into their long-term life and there’s nothing you can do about it.

Aries Mar 21-Apr 20

You mistake impulsivity for intuition when it’s really just a dopamine pickpocket wearing spiritual jewellery.

Taurus Apr 21-May 21

Despite your openness to other viewpoints, you do tend to experience every disagreement as a direct threat to your identity.

Gemini May 22-Jun 21

Your commitment to ‘protecting your peace’ looks suspiciously like total avoidance of any mildly uncomfortable conversation.

Trivial Trivia Solutions

Battery Recycling Drop-off Day

Sunday 28 June

7 am – 2.30 pm

Randwick Recycling Centre

72 Perry Street, Matraville

Let’s keep our community safe and sustainable.

Scan

What to bring

 Household and rechargeable batteries*

 Embedded batteries (items with built-in batteries such as small appliances)

 Car and marine batteries (AGM and lithium batteries)

Why recycle batteries?

• Protect the environment

• Stop battery fires in trucks and bins

• Recycle valuable materials

*Household quantities only. We cannot accept batteries generated from businesses, commercial operations, or organisations.