The Beast - May 2026

BEAST

May 2026

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Human Values

Words James Hutton - Publisher

Welcome to the May 2026 edition of The Beast, the monthly magazine for Sydney’s peaceful beaches of the east. Yes, the world is in a bit of a mess at the moment, but we are blessed in our little corner of the globe with a moderate majority of peaceful people who value all life equally, regardless of race or religion.

Despite our continued failure to properly recognise First Nations people and ‘close the gap’, Australia is arguably the most successful society in the world today. An important reason for our success as a nation is that everyone here is equal before the law, regardless of background, wealth or status, and, despite relatively insignificant political and cultural differences, we all share essentially the same values - equality of opportunity,

freedom, democracy, respect and kindness, rule of law (including international humanitarian law), egalitarianism, mateship and the recognition of Australia as a diverse society with a commitment to equality for all.

These are often referred to as ‘Australian values’, but really they’re just human values; values that the majority of people around the world also share, values that Australia has adopted. The big difference here is that we actually get to experience and live these values day-to-day, whereas a lot of people in many other countries would find it much more difficult to do so.

It is more important now than ever for us all to continue to focus on these main points of similarity and resist the influence of anyone who chooses to focus on our differences to try and divide us.

A big thanks to Coogee artist Vanessa Billy for this month’s beautiful cover painting of Coogee Surf Club. Vanessa moved to

Australia from France 13 years ago and settled in Coogee after living for a few months in Bondi. You can see more of Vanessa’s artwork on her Instagram, @brushesbythesea.

My beautiful brother Dan, who cofounded this publication with me, would have turned 45 on May 15 this year. Happy birthday Dan, we miss you so much. Cheers, James

The Beast

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How to Negotiate a Nutjob Neighbour

Words Pearl Bullivant Photo Matt Groening

Stressed and Uncomfortable

Dear Pearl - I need your advice about my troublesome neighbours, a retired couple. They sit on the front balcony all day drinking, monitoring my whereabouts and making snide remarks to my visitors. They use my driveway for their own visitors, and the husband uses my front garden as a urinal when he has too many beers.

On Christmas Day, after I complained about their visitors parking in my driveway, they threw food into my backyard - weird things like taco shells, Nutri-Grain and trifle - and they placed a bird feeder on my side of the fence to use as target practice with champagne corks.

The other neighbours have issues with them too, but I cop the worst of it as I’m single and look like I don’t I belong in Bronte (I don’t own a fancy car

or spend my free time gurneying my driveway).

Although I’m at work most of the time, I feel stressed and uncomfortable in my home environment. What do you think I should do? I don’t think I can hang out until they expire.

Judi

Bronte

Neighbours Are Neighbours

Dear Judi - As the world waits in vain for the ‘expiration’ of the lunatic U.S. president, you have a more personal vigil - waiting for the expiry of your seemingly lunatic neighbours. It is sad to will the demise of a fellow human that beleaguers one’s life, but your frustration is totally understandable. The situation sounds appalling and, with the housing market the way it is, it’s not easy to pack up and buy or rent elsewhere.

To an outsider, the Eastern Suburbs is a big happy village of affluent people, celebrities and influencers. Instead of derelict cars in overgrown grass, we have expensive SUVs parked on shiny concrete. But neighbours are neighbours, no matter how wealthy the locale, and there will always be things that irk us like barking dogs, fence disputes, overhanging trees and parties - all annoying, but not psychologically threatening.

The closest Pearl has come to your experience was when I was living in Rozelle back in the day and my neighbour would deliberately throw her husband’s diabetic cat into my front yard in the hope it would run onto Darling Street and become roadkill. At the time I considered it bizarre, but recently I have been privy to issues that my friends have experienced and realise neighbourly disputes have morphed well beyond fences and overhanging trees. Much of the behaviour is quite disturbing - dead possums placed in mailboxes, lawns poisoned with glyphosate, dogs deliberately walked at 10pm to defecate on neighbouring gardens... some genuinely crazy behaviour.

Pearl is not a psychologist, but perhaps your neighbours are Bronte stalwarts, holding onto their little corner of the world, and their behaviour comes from insecurity. Perhaps there is also some paranoia on your part - is it possible that the food was dropped there by the birds they were shooting with corks? Regardless, urinating in your yard is perverted and I urge you to install CCTV cameras as soon as possible. As a peace offering, I would bake the taco shells, Nutri-Grain and trifle into a cake and pair it with a bottle of Passion Pop.

Pearl Clovelly

The Beast's Monthly Mailbag

Words The Wonderful People of the Eastern Beaches

No Parking Meters in the East

Hi James - It is important your readers are informed that Randwick City Council has decided to install parking meters. Clovelly to Maroubra will be awash with inspectors fining residents and their families. This madness must be stopped.

Readers unite and get involved! Form protest cells, write letters and phone up your local councillor. It’s not too late to smash this idea on the rocks. We did this before with Murray Matson’s attempt some years back, and we must do it again.

John Clovelly

No Parking Meters in Clovelly

Dear Editor - I am writing about the beach visitor parking proposal for Clovelly Beach, where my family has lived for over 30 years.

We, the residents and the Clovelly community, didn’t request this. We have opposed parking meters twice before and we have accommodated to parking at Clovelly Beach forever and a day. We do not consider that we have a parking problem.

The council has a revenue problem, because looking after the beach is pricey - $23 million a year according to the financial geniuses at the council. But in 2024 the state government gave it approval to raise rates by 11.6 per cent. In 2024, according to its annual report, Randwick Council had $242 million revenue and a $34 million surplus, yet they still cannot find enough money for the

beaches. You would have to ask them to look at the books again, at least before drilling meters into our pavements.

Tradies, carers, construction crews, delivery drivers, boarders and family members, etc. are going to have pay for parking to visit uscold comfort for a plumber fixing a leak to get a $130 parking fine.

The survey that was handed out looks like Council has already decided on the meters but they want to know if you would pay for resident’s permit or need a carer’s permit as well. It’s a dishonest, railroading, push polling exercise that says, “We don’t really want to know what you think - we’re telling you they are coming.”

I thought Labor or Greens policy was focused on public transport or on making beaches wonderful cultural icons, not cash cows for a financially heavy-handed council. Let them charge visitor parking in their own car parks, but not outside our homes (our castles) - it’s ‘the vibe’ of it all. Randwick Council needs to listen to residents, not push us around.

Steven Clovelly

Randwick Council’s Manipulative Parking Proposal

Dear Editor - I’m writing to raise my grave concerns with the information materials that Randwick Council has published in relation to its ‘Visitor Pay Parking Proposal’, a.k.a. the plan to install timed parking meters at all public beaches (and perhaps elsewhere). These materials are

at best severely incomplete and at worst deliberately misleading, in what appears to be a disingenuous attempt to pass off a marketing campaign to sell an already-decided upon plan as a community consultation process. Presumably the council hopes that a sufficient number of people will be deceived into believing the plan is merely to ‘free up’ parks for locals on a Saturday morning (it won’t), rather than a revenue-raising exercise that will introduce additional costs and complexity for residents.

In any event, as it currently stands, the ‘consultation’ is so inadequate that it likely constitutes a breach of procedural fairness, invalidating the biased survey results that the council obviously hopes to rely on as supposed evidence of community support. In order to correct these deficiencies, here are some questions that the council must immediately answer:

• What data or other evidence is the council relying on to support the claim that the proposed system will reduce visitor vehicles?

• What evidence does the council have that non-permit holders will not simply park in surrounding residential streets?

• What evidence does the council have about the potential impact on local businesses?

• In the published information materials, the council makes the headline claim that residents will not have to pay under the scheme - why then is it proposing to charge households for additional permits?

• How much will these additional permits cost?

• Under the proposed digital permit system, will it be possible to swap a permit between vehicles, i.e. so that a family could non-concurrently use a single permit for two vehicles?

• What will happen to residents in a share house on separate leases, i.e. will each person be entitled to a permit?

• Will a resident’s permit be valid at all pay parking zones within Randwick LGA, or only in the zone(s) near their residence?

• In the information materials, do the reported percentages of ‘visitors’ relate to people who parked in the zones where the meters will be installed, or are they merely just visitors to the beach?

• Is there any data as to how many of the ‘visitors’ were in fact friends or families of local residents?

• Is the projected yearly revenue of $6 million gross or net of running and enforcement costs? If it is gross, what are the ongoing yearly costs expected to be?

• Will there be specific and ongoing funding commitments tied to the additional revenue?

• How does the council justify describing a system that privileges beach access to those who can afford to pay expensive parking fees as ‘equitable’? Isn’t this in fact the opposite of equitable?

Sam Hatfield Maroubra

The Beach Tax

Dear residents - Regarding the proposed visitor pay parking (beach tax) and Randwick Council’s propaganda to try and sell the idea that residents of other LGAs will be footing the bill, we really need to consider a few things.

First, if this is the case, then logically this should mean a rate reduction for residents, because if we are still paying the same rates, then what is the benefit to us financially?

Second, residents with vehicles need to park in the suburbs they live in every single day. Quoting percentage statistics of beach visitors is a major misrepresentation. Percentage figures for weekly hours parked would be well over 90 per cent residents compared to visitors.

Third, only one permit per household?! Where is Council’s research into the number of vehicles owned per household?

Fourth, currently most of the areas identified for meters have one- or two-hour limits in place already, so parking turnover is unlikely to increase. People will likely just top up the meter rather than move their vehicle.

Fifth, people looking for non-meter parking will oversaturate residential streets just outside the metered areas - an indisputable fact.

Sixth, rangers will focus their attention in metered areas only, meaning the oversaturated residential streets will not only have an increase in people looking for non-metered parking, but will likely also have a reduction in rangers patrolling these areas.

Hopefully residents are not hoodwinked by the ‘have your say’ consultation process, which is accompanied by a propaganda leaflet suggesting a fairer system being implemented.

This is simply a beach tax to add to the numerous other taxes faced by households in a cost of living crisis.

Dan Coogee

Randwick Beaches 'Visitor Paid Car Parking' is Elitist

Dear Councillors and The Beast - The proposal to install meters to make visitors pay for visiting our beaches by car is extremely unfair and against the Australian egalitarian spirit. Our beaches are free to access and beachside car parking should be too. Unlike in the USA!

We’ve lived in the area for over 40 years raising children and grandchildren. With free car parking, people from lower socioeconomic areas have been able to come to the beach and have a day away from their often cramped homes with access to limited open space. If this were to happen, a day at the beach, bringing food, seats, shade, etc. could cost them around $100 in car parking. Even a nippers visit could cost around $30! This could make learning to swim in the ocean impossible for many.

We are lucky and privileged to be able to live by the ocean. Our properties are expensive, reflecting that. The streets are commonly owned property across the Sydney and NSW communities. We must not be elitist and should share our

good fortune. Council receives massive rateable income from us and other sources and should work within its means to maintain the beaches’ safety, cleanliness and amenities.

Apart from disenfranchising our less fortunate citizens with paid beach car parking, our streets will be clogged with cars searching for free car parking until they land on free zones in the extremities.

It is best to leave the situation alone and manage as we do giving everyone a fair go.

Stephen Bargwanna Coogee

NO to Paid Parking Meters

Dear editor - Once again Randwick Council wants to put paid parking at our beaches. Over the last decade they have proposed 4-hour limits, 2-hour limits, more timed parking, and now parking meters - and every time we have said NO!

The carrot this time is ‘free’ permits for residents, but free for how long? Give it three years or so before that changes to a ‘small fee’, which will be raised every year after. Randwick Council’s motto should be, ‘Paved paradise, put up a parking lot’!

Colleen Maroubra

What Happened to the Aboriginal Flag?

Dear The Beast - Why is there no longer an Australian Aboriginal flag flying at Coogee Surf Lifesaving Club? Ever since Australia Day it’s been down. Not the best look for our community.

Tim Phillipson Randwick

The Bronte Times Square

I totally agree with Ingrid’s mighty whinge (A Mighty Whinge (and more to come), Monthly Mailbag, The Beast, April 2026) about the massive bright digital TV screen bus shelter at Bronte Beach. How is this acceptable?

Bronte Beach and park is a beloved, beautiful, natural space. I just can’t work out how anyone

could allow such horrible in-yourface advertising to be placed here. It totally kills the vibe of sunrise walks to the beach. Council, please explain.

Peter Bronte

Charing Cross Downgrade

What a mess. Still not finished, trip hazards everywhere, power poles still there with signs on them saying they’d be removed by the end of 2025, street furniture in nonsensical locations, shops flooding when it rains, unnecessarily wide footpaths, two new pedestrian crossings which are unsafe as pedestrians are obscured by queuing traffic, shops closed down, parking spots removed...

A huge risk for drivers and passengers trying to exit doors roadside - you have to squeeze in and out being careful not to get hit by the passing cars, buses and trucks. It’s only a matter of time, if it hasn’t happened already.

So, yeah, all I see is one big pot of money down the drain and a high risk of serious injury to the public. Waverley Council, I hope you’re happy with your mess, and please feel free to pay for over budget costs out of your pretty pockets. What a waste of money!

Denise Bronte

The Charing Cross streetscape upgrade began under the pre vious Council term, and I fully appreciate the frustration that local businesses and residents have experienced throughout the works. This is precisely why Council decided not to proceed with an additional $3 million in further upgrades, which would have required removing the Bron te Road slipway and significantly extended the construction period. Ausgrid has confirmed that the remaining poles will be removed and final works completed by the end of April. I look forward to seeing this long‑awaited project finished and the community able to enjoy the improved streetscape.

Waverley Mayor Will Nemesh

Cliff's Random Act of Kindness

12.50pm, Sunday, March 29, Ampol Service Station, Coogee Bay Road... Thanks to the gentleman named Cliff (a complete stranger) who just paid for my petrol.

He overheard that I’d purchased a new iPhone and realised upon paying that my credit cards weren’t linked. I was about to drive home to grab my credit card when he stepped in and paid, saying it was his ‘act of kindness’ for the day. I almost cried.

Cliff, a tall man wearing navy shorts and a cap, with a hint of an Irish accent, said he’d lived here for 25 years. Thank you, Cliff, I’m so grateful. Your act of kindness and generosity has made my week.

Sarah Coogee

Teenage Dirtbag

Hi, ‘Teenager’s Parent’ from Queens Park (Please Explain, Monthly Mailbag, The Beast, April 2026). You questioned ‘Peter from Randwick’ regarding the behaviour of groups of teenagers in Centennial Park. Last weekend I visited the park and was shocked to see a group of teenagers on e-bikes throwing toilet rolls soaked in water at cars travelling past the Jewish School in your neighbourhood; would you consider this to be sufficiently offensive?

Adam Waverley

Motorcycles in Queens Park

I wrote to your magazine in December, highlighting the dangerous and offensive behaviour of some children riding electric motorcycles in Queens Park and Centennial Park. ‘Teenager’s Parent’ of Queens Park asked me to enlighten them on how this behaviour is offensive, so I’ll attempt to do so.

Firstly, let’s be clear, riding off-road on any form of cycle, including both electric bikes and normal pedal cycles, is contrary to the rules of Centennial Park and Queens Park. They may only lawfully be ridden on bike paths, but not on any ‘grassed area’.

Secondly, the electric motorcycles that are throttle-driven and either don’t have pedals or can accelerate without using the pedals are motor vehicles, not bicycles. As such, they are unregistered, uninsured motor vehicles ridden by unlicensed riders.

The behaviour that is offensive is a long list, including the following, which I have witnessed or personally encountered recently:

• Being verbally abused and insulted by teenagers when I’ve told them that they are only allowed to ride their bikes on the paths, and subsequently being followed and further harassed by those teenagers until I’ve called the police.

• Riders accelerating their bikes while holding the front brakes to dig up the grass.

• Riders on electric motorcycles riding at high speed in the wrong direction in Centennial Park.

• Riders on electric motorcycles spitting and throwing objects such as water ballons at cyclists in Centennial Park.

• Riders on electric motorcycles riding at high speeds across Queens Park, endangering walkers and dogs in the park.

The list could go on. So, if you are a parent who has bought one of these bikes for their teenaged sons, then perhaps you are ignorant of what actually goes on in our parks and how these bikes are being used.

Because these electric motorcycles are fast, these teenagers are learning that they can be as offensive as they want, and endanger others and then get away with no consequences. What an awful lesson to teach them.

Peter Berckelman Randwick

Ill-Mannered Brats

If I may be of some assistance to the ‘Teenager’s Parent’ writing in questioning ‘Peter from Randwick’ about some of the ill-mannered behaviour, which is sadly becoming more frequent with teenagers hooning around on what was once a safe place to go for a walk in beautiful Centennial Park.

I walk the outer pedestrian path on a daily basis and have witnessed teenagers on their e-bikes speeding on what is clearly a pedestrian-only path, where little kids walk with their parents plus mothers with their babies in strollers, who are now at risk of serious injury because of this new menace on our walkways.

If you dare pull them up you get the middle finger accompanied by language that would make a coal miner blush, generally beginning with the letter F. Out on the roadway, you have the lycra-clad clique who seem to think it’s quite okay to race around, in some cases at twice the speed limit of 30km/h.

Maybe - quite possibly - some proper parenting would be in order before purchasing these new menaces on our roads, before the teenagers are let loose on our roads and walkways, whether it be shared use or pedestrian-only. Just a thought, mind you.

Jimbo Coogee

Pillion Riders on E-Bikes

Dear James - Under existing motor bike licensing rules a rider has to hold a full licence or have had a provisional licence for a year, and a single pillion passenger must be over eight years of age.

What then should be the situation with the large e-bikes, which are, for all intents and purposes, a motor bike but are frequently seen carrying a pillion (or two). I’ve heard no discussion of this issue in the convoluted debate on what should be done about the growing problem of these heavy motorised vehicles on footpaths, roads, in parks and on beaches, often ridden by young children.

Firstly, there should be a minimum age limit of at least 16 years for the use of these machines. And to my mind the problem of inappropriate use would be reduced if these bikes were required to be ridden only on the road and banned from footpaths and any area where motor vehicles are not allowed. This is regardless of whether the bike was bought legal-

ly at one time. We change the rules for what or where we can do or go all the time. Take for instance when we close a road to traffic.

This restriction would make it easier to police inappropriate use. No need for checks on what wattage the individual bike is capable of. Simple rules would apply - riding on the footpath or carrying a pillion passenger would incur a fine or confiscation.

For those who say we should not limit the use of these bikes because they give freedom to young riders, I would say if they are too young to ride a motor bike or be riding on the road then they are already too young to be riding these pseudo motor bikes.

I recently saw an e-scooter being ridden on the road by a ten-year-old with a six-year-old passenger. Now that’s another story.

Simon Bartlett Coogee

Inconsistency

Dear James - If you or your passenger are not wearing a seatbelt properly you get fined $423 and lose three points. However, day after day I see cyclists without helmets and I am left wondering what the police are doing about this serious potentially fatal practice!

Kevin North Bondi

Randwick BarracksSold to the Highest Bidder, Remediated by the Lowest Local Federal MP Matt Thistlethwaite provided constituents with an update on the plans to sell a large section of the Randwick Barracks through a letter drop in February. Of particular concern was a brief line that ‘As some of the land is contaminated the land will be remediated with contaminants removed in accordance with safety and environmental laws before any development can take place’ - no mention of who in fact would be responsible for this removal and remediation and whether it would be done pre-sale by the Commonwealth.

Once in private hands, remediation works will be outsourced to contractors on a lowest cost basis, increasing the risk that contamination is managed to minimum compliance rather than best practice. This would transfer long-term environmental and health risks to future residents and the surrounding community, while limiting public oversight and accountability.

The Randwick community, including users of the adjacent Environmental Park and child care centre, deserves assurance that this site will be made genuinely safe before redevelopment proceeds. That assurance can only be provided through a comprehensive contamination assessment, a transparent and independently reviewed remediation strategy, and completion of rectification works prior to any sale or transfer of the land.

Brendan Randwick

Waverley Cemetery Staff

Hi, I’m Hazel. I’m a short-haired border collie and I love to walk each morning through Waverley Cemetery with my human. Every time I see the staff in their little wagon or going about their chores they greet me with a wave or a hello. I am so grateful to them that they love dogs and are so kind. It makes my day. Thank you to kind people. That’s all.

Hazel Good Dog Waverley

That Buzzing Sound

Hi The Beast - That loud buzzing sound around Bondi Beach is back, and this time it has migrated to the middle of the Hall Street, Bondi Beach residential area, near Grill’d. It has been like this for many weeks.

When I open the second floor window at 3-4am when there is zero background noise from cars, etc. the sound is clearly louder. I can hear it thoughout the day, even with the street background noise and it’s low grade piercing.

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Add a little something special to your Saturday by joining us at Waverley’s parks from 10am to 12pm for free coffee, gelato, face painting, and cuddly farm animals!

Join us on the following Saturdays, between 10 am and 12 pm: 9 May, Varna Park, Clovelly 16 May, Bronte Park, Bronte Beach 23 May, Barracluff Park, Bondi 6 June, Bondi Pavilion Courtyard, Bondi Beach 13 June, Kimberley Reserve, Vaucluse

Does anyone know what mystery this is? I have contacted Waverley Council, who usually won’t reply anything useful back until The Beast contacts them for comment.

AA Bondi Beach

Patron Saint of Greed

I attempted to shop sustainably this week and discovered another Australian brand fallen victim to price gouging: Vinnies. Having shopped there since I moved to Bronte four years ago, I was distraught. There was not a t-shirt in the store for less than $15, which may not seem excessive, but a brand new men’s t-shirt can be purchased from $10 (Cotton on, Kmart) to $35 (Industrie).

Vinnies gets all its clothing donated, so why are they reselling some t-shirts for $40? “It’s a nice brand,” the lady at the counter explained when queried. That’s okay, right - Vinnies is a charity! They support Australians! But this is where it gets worse.

The publicly available numbers are not great (noting not all year’s financial documents are public). In the 2022/23 financial year Vinnies received $62.3 million from the government in revenue (grants, funding). The same document reveals Vinnies NSW profited $78 million in the same financial year from shop sales. Here’s the kick in the guts - in the 2022/23 financial year, Vinnies NSW provided $13.7 million dollars in total assistance (clothes, donations, food). Ouch!

Here’s an idea if Waverley Council is ever bored: why not run a community secondhand shop where all items are a flat $5? Personally, I would rather buy new or from Depop then keep supporting performative activism disguising potential fraud.

Molly Bronte

Away With the Birds

How about a big shout-out to Councillor Dov Frazer and the Lumberjack Faction in Waverley Council? Despite facing fire from

ecological nutbags, they have hacked manfully and diligently into the nuisance vegetation along the Dover Heights clifftop.

In so doing they have not only reduced visual blight endured by local people (i.e. trees), but have also stilled the noise pollution emanating from the small bird population that resided there.

Where once there was the nitwit chirruping of grey fantails, silvereyes and willy wagtails, or the cretinous keening of koels, now, thanks to the chainsaw’s grinding rhythm, there is mostly blessed silence.

Where those birds went is a mystery, but if they persist on the planet, at least they’re someone else’s problem.

It’s true that the odd raven or magpie still lurks, and I did hear the pathetic twitter of one of those hideous little blue wrens the other day, hopefully saying its farewells. But let’s thank our councillors for what they’ve achieved and encourage them to finish the job - let’s away with the rest of those eyesore trees off the clifftops, along with the inferior species that infest them.

And to further purify the view, why not lay some clean, tidy concrete?

Michael Tamarama

Where Are the Birds?

Hi, Kim McCarthy (Where Are the Birds? Monthly Mailbag, The Beast, April 2026). They have all migrated to Maroubra.

Frank Maroubra

A Positive Step for Housing Diversity

The proposed development in Bronte has been described as a “monstrosity”, but it may in fact represent a healthy and necessary evolution in how we think about housing in the Eastern Suburbs. There is a significant shortage of quality apartment living options in this area, particularly for older residents who are living in large family homes but have few attrac-

tive downsizing choices nearby. Many stay in houses that no longer suit their needs simply because there are limited modern, wellbuilt alternatives within their own community. Developments like this provide an opportunity for relocation without displacement, allowing long-term residents to downsize locally, remain connected to friends, services and support networks, and free up larger homes for young families.

Housing diversity is essential if communities are to remain balanced and vibrant. Apartments are not a sign of decline; when thoughtfully designed, they provide safe, low-maintenance living that suits retirees, professionals and essential workers alike. Without projects like this, the Eastern Suburbs risks becoming increasingly inaccessible to anyone other than those who can afford large freestanding homes.

If governments are serious about strengthening communities they should also consider reviewing short-term rental policies in major cities. The unchecked expansion of short-term holiday letting reduces long-term rental supply, drives up prices, and weakens local community ties. Encouraging stable, long-term rentals helps sustain school enrolments, sporting clubs and small businesses, and also ensures essential workers can afford to live near where they work. It also reduces pressure on regional towns that lack the infrastructure to absorb population shifts driven purely by affordability.

Growth, when well-managed, is not something to fear. It is how cities adapt, renew and remain inclusive. Rather than framing new housing as a threat, we should see it as an opportunity to create a more balanced and sustainable future for our community.

Diane Randwick

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

Showing up and getting to it.

Local Artist... Vanessa Billy from Coogee

Coogee artist Vanessa Billy is the talent behind this month’s beautiful cover painting of Coogee Surf Club. Vanessa shares her local favourites with The Beast...

How long have you lived here? I came here from France 13 years ago and moved to beautiful Coogee after a few months in Bondi. Coogee can get crowded, but it’s still a small village where everyone knows each other.

What's your favourite beach? I love all the ocean pools in Coogee, but I will never tire of the white sands, perfect waves and majestic beauty of Bondi.

What's your favourite eatery? Gelbison in Bondi makes the best pizza in the East. Whenever I have something a bit special to celebrate (like being on the cover of The Beast) I head to Sugarcane or Louie in Coogee.

Where do you like to have a drink? For a drink with a view, I love the North Bondi RSL and the Coogee Pavilion. There is more and more live music around now, and listening to Voli K at Little Jack Horner in Coogee is a radical antidote to the Sunday blues.

Best thing about the Eastern Suburbs? Bringing anything you have

on your mind with you on a walk by the ocean or an early morning swim and walking away at peace and with a solution.

Worst thing about the Eastern Suburbs? I find it hard sometimes to see the amount of rubbish that makes its way onto the beach.

How would you describe your art? I paint mostly seascapes and landscapes of pictures I take when I’m in nature. I try not to just replicate a scene, but to translate the feeling behind it, like the optimism of a sunrise, the quiet reflection of a sunset or the drama of breaking waves.

Where can people see your work? The best place is on my Instagram, @brushesbythesea.

Who are your artistic inspirations? I used to spend school holidays at my grandmother’s in Paris and she would take me to all the galleries and exhibitions. We spent the most time at the Orsay Museum’s impressionist galleries, so I think Monet, Van Gogh and Pissaro made a strong impression (literally) on me from a very young age. I also keep going back to Constable’s clouds and Australian artist Dora Meeson’s trees.

Do you have any exhibitions coming up? I just completed a joint exhibition with the super talented Gail Reingold called Landscapes and Seascapes of the East at Maroubra library. I’ll be exhibiting again soon - you’ll be invited!

When did you discover you had a gift for your craft? I didn’t ever discover I had a gift. I have painted for as long as I can remember, but in a very erratic way. Over the past three years I have turned to painting as a calming practice during challenging times, like a daily meditation. If you paint every day, you get better at it.

Any other local artists to look out for? So many - just look at your covers! I really like the paintings

and sketches of Alex Snellgrove, and of course Gail Reingold.

Did you study art? I took drawing and painting classes growing up in France and at the Waverley Art School when I arrived in Australia. During COVID I did an amazing online course that started my daily habit of painting.

Any words of wisdom for young aspiring artists? Keep practising and don’t be afraid of messing up, because that’s when things get interesting on the canvas. More importantly, keep having fun while you’re doing it. If a piece of work becomes too serious, step away, do something fun and light, then go back to it with a cheerful mood.

Do you have a favourite sporting team? The Randwick Junior Cricket Club Girls Under 11 Sixers are having a fabulous season.

Who is your favourite person?

My ten-year old daughter Willow is my absolute favourite person in the world. Through her eyes I get to see the world in a different way, rediscovering the beauty and fun in small things around us. She also has a wicked sense of humour courtesy of her dad (who is also my favourite person).

What do you get up to on the weekends? I try to welcome the weekends with a coffee at Gusto and a long walk by the beach and a swim. The weekend is also where I can squeeze in longer painting sessions. I love to cook and have friends over for dinner. And, I wish I was a bit braver and finally tried surfing for real.

Do you have a favourite quote?

Nelson Mandela said, “Everything always seems impossible until it’s done.”

Any other words of wisdom for readers of The Beast? Say “I love you” one more time, laugh for an extra ten seconds, give that hug, make that call, hold that hand. Do it now.

All 482 visas may now apply for PR, including cooks, café managers, hairdressers, marketing staff, etc. The qualifying period has also been reduced to two years Please call Brendan to discuss further

Brendan Muldoon

Reg. Migration Agent # 0742052

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

Attendees at a public meeting in Clovelly gave a unanimous thumbs-down to the beach parking plan.

Council Plan for Paid Visitor Parking Based on ‘Flawed’ Data, Says Local Precinct

Words and Photo Anthony Maguire

Randwick City Council is assessing the results of resident feedback on a proposal for paid beach parking for visitors from other Local Government Areas.

In early March, the council letter-dropped residents a glossy, four-page brochure outlining the plan. The document claimed up to 84 per cent of beach users were visitors who didn’t have to share the burden of maintenance costs like rubbish collection.

“As a result, Randwick City Council thinks it is now necessary to have a serious conversation about introducing paid visitor parking,” stated Mayor Dylan Parker in an accompanying letter.

The letter-dropped material included a ‘Have Your Say’ questionnaire (also available online) with questions on issues like parking meters and resident parking permits. The closing date for this feedback was April 15.

With the closing date looming, Clovelly Precinct called a special meeting to discuss the paid visitor parking proposal. Around 40 people attended the gathering at

Clovelly Surf Life Saving Cluband they voiced a lot of negative views about a council survey of beach users which was selectively quoted in its brochure.

“It’s a flawed survey which produces flawed data that supports the council’s narrative,” said Ocean Street, Clovelly resident Anthony Duffy.

Sally Wilson, who lives in Northumberland Street, Clovelly, agreed. “The stats they gave were based on three of the busiest Saturdays of the year,” she said.

Another attendee at the meeting, Ocean Street resident Bobbie Waterman, handed out a printed ‘Action Plan’ document urging residents to lodge objections with councillors. The document said meters would most likely “push parking into nearby streets” and that resident permits would be “limited and may become costly.”

“The one free parking permit promised to each household will only entitle you to park in a metered bay for a limited time, i.e. you’ll get one hour free in a one-hour spot,” Ms Waterman explained. “After that you’ll

have to move on or cop a finethere was no mention of this in the survey!”

The meeting passed motions opposing “paid visitor parking in the streets and carparks of Clovelly” and the Mayor’s assertion that it would be “a fairer way to fund our beaches.”

In addition, there was a motion objecting to the wording in the letter-dropped documents, which contained “flawed” data that was “skewed towards supporting the proposal.” There should be a review of the statistics by an independent adjudicator.

Another public meeting about the beach parking issue took place the following evening at the Southend Hotel in Maroubra. This gathering, attended by around 30 people, voiced unanimous opposition to beach parking meters and was organised by Richard Walsh, OAM, owner of Walsh’s Village Pharmacy and President of the Maroubra Chamber of Commerce.

Mr Walsh said, “Meters are always a disaster for small business.” He said Randwick Council had previously raised the idea of beach parking meters 20 years ago, when there was massive opposition.

“There was a big protest on Coogee Beach, it was covered in the media and the planned policy was then voted out by Council,” he said.

Coogee Chamber of Commerce is also strongly opposed to parking meters.

“It would hit businesses in the pocket very quickly,” Chamber president Vandana Reddy told The Beast.

Maurice Lombardo, owner of the iconic La Spiaggia restaurant on Coogee Bay Road, slammed the visitor beach parking plan as “elitist and discriminatory.” He told The Beast, “The beaches belong to everybody, not just the people who live around this area.”

AUTO-TUNE

a re:group performance collective production

1–2 May

Banging songs, live video captions, a regret-filled love letter to millennial culture

Bondi Pavilion’s 2026 Artistic Program is supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW.

pensioner Peter have formed a close bond under the INTEGRITY Trial.

‘Grandfriend’ Program Is Bridging the Generations

Words and Photo Anthony Maguire

Peter Spencer, 70, is reading a story to Sophie, a four-year-old attendee at Clovelly Child Care Centre. He asks her about one of the pictures in the book in front of them, Grandpa’s Farm: A Spring Day.

“What’s he looking at?” Mr Spencer asks.

“Animals,” answers Sophie.

“Yes, there are lots and lots of animals on this farm,” says the retired project manager. “Now, one fine Spring day, young Matt goes to the country to visit his grandfather…”

Mr Spencer and Sophie are participants in an intergenerational program called the INTEGRITY Trial. Run by medical research organisation The George Institute and UNSW, the project brings together older adults and preschoolers two hours each week for joyful, play-based sessions aimed at fostering wellbeing and community connection.

“Structured intergenerational programs like this can help reduce frailty in older adults and support children’s development,” says Rachelle Scott, Senior Early Childhood Education Program Officer with the George Institute. “Peter and Sophie have formed a strong

bond which is beneficial to both of them. It’s not a grandparent-child friendship, it’s a mutually-respectful, equal relationship.”

Sophie’s mother Michela says, “We didn’t know quite what to expect from the program, but it’s had very positive results. Sophie has matured a lot and Peter has become such an important part of her life.”

The George Institute, based in Randwick, is seeking more local participants for the INTEGRITY Trial. Results of the study will be analysed and documented, adding to a growing store of worldwide knowledge about the benefits of intergenerational interaction.

There are a number of selection criteria for both sides. Preschoolers must be aged between three and four, be fully toilet trained and be attending the preschool at the study site or affiliated preschool. For ‘grandfriends,’ criteria include having a valid Working With Children Check, up-to-date vaccination status and a Cognitive Assessment Score of 19-plus (this is determined over the phone).

To get involved, please call 8052 4365 or email integrity -study@georgeinstitute.org.au.

Endometriosis Advocate Wins Young Woman of the Year Award

Words Anthony Maguire

Photo Women NSW

A young Randwick lawyer who has become a champion for women living with endometriosis has been named NSW Young Woman of the Year.

Milli Weaver, 27, started the Australian Endometriosis Foundation two and a half years ago after recovering from fertility preservation treatment necessitated by endometriosis. Now the non-profit organisation is helping 2,000 Australian endometriosis patients through community programs and education initiatives.

Ms Weaver won the Young Woman of the Year accolade in a March 5 ceremony in Sydney, stepping onto the stage of the International Convention Centre to receive the award from state government group Women NSW.

A media lawyer with national firm Thomson Geer, she says that despite affecting approximately one in nine Australian women, endometriosis has been underfunded and under-researched. Why? “A big reason is probably that it affects just one gender,” Ms Weaver said with a smile.

To access programs, hospital care packs and other resources, visit ausendofoundation.org.au.

A voice for Australian women living with endometriosis.

Come along to your local resident Precinct Meeting

Precincts are meetings of residents who get together regularly to discuss local matters or issues of concern in their neighbourhood. Waverley is split into 13 Precincts and meetings are open to any person living within the Precinct boundaries.

Visit waverley.nsw.gov.au/precinct or scan the QR Code to find out which Precinct you belong to and when they are meeting next.

Waverley Council proudly supports resident run Precinct meetings.

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Patricia is resisting overtures from developer Fortis to sell her home.

Local Pensioner Says Developer Is Pressuring Her to Move

Words and Photos Anthony Maguire

Patricia Rosenbrock has lived in her Bronte townhouse for 29 years. It was where Christmas and other family celebrations were held, and where she nursed her late husband through a terminal illness.

Now the 82-year-old says she is being pressured to move out by developer Fortis, which is planning a towering, 120-unit development on the site next door to her block of townhouses in Hewlett Street.

Fortis, which wants to expand the area of its site at 122-128 Hewlett Street, has been trying to acquire all nine townhouses alongside at 118-120.

It’s understood that seven owners are in negotiations with Fortis to sell. But in a real-life echo of The Castle, Ms Rosenbrock and another owner - also an elderly woman - are refusing to budge.

“I’m not going anywhere,” says Ms Rosenbrock. “I feel safe in my home and I want to live here the rest of my life. If I am forced to move, where will I go?”

She has hired a solicitor to deal with the unwelcome overtures from a Fortis acquisitions officer. Meanwhile, despite the jackhammering and other noise from the site next door, she’s doing her best to peacefully live out her final years alongside her beloved pet Bodhi, a six-year-old Cavoodle.

The good news is that Ms Rosenbrock, along with other locals affected by the Fortis development plans, now has some powerful community support.

A newly-formed residents association is trying to scale back the development - and to act as an advocacy body involving any future projects that could have an adverse impact on the community.

Bronte Community Association (BCA) has been making presentations and recruiting members at local precinct meetings, most recently the March meeting of Bronte Beach Precinct. Coogee MP Dr Marjorie O’Neill has had a representative at the meetings, one of which was also attended by an official from Waverley Council who shared mock-up images of what the nine-storey Hewlett Street development would look like. BCA also met with Mayor Will Nemesh, who expressed similar concerns to BCA regarding the development.

BCA’s website defines the group’s charter as “Evidence-based advocacy for density done well in Bronte.” The site says the Hewlett Street development bypasses Waverley Council as a consent authority after being declared a State Significant Development by the NSW government’s Housing Delivery Authority.

The website says, “BCA supports appropriate development in Bronte. We do not oppose density in principle.” However, the Hewlett Street project “raises serious questions about scale, character, amenity, and process.”

BCA has tapped into the professional skills of Bronte locals and its membership - 250 and growing as The Beast went to press - includes lawyers, marketing experts and real estate executives. Its president is Hewlett Street resident D’Leanne Lewis, owner of Laing & Simmons Double Bay and a director of Laing & Simmons National Corporation.

“If the Hewlett Street project goes ahead under the present plans, it could set a precedent and open the door for further unsuitable developments in this area,” Ms Lewis told The Beast

“We do not believe that consideration was given to fundamental issues like traffic, overshadowing and view. Hewlett Street is narrow and landlocked. It’s impossible to understand how the Housing Delivery Authority gave the green light to such a huge project in this location.”

The Housing Delivery Authority is a panel within the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure set up to fast-track major housing projects.

A spokesperson for the Department told The Beast that the Hewlett Street proposal still has to go through a number of stages which will allow for council and community consultation.

“All proposals that are declared and proceed to a development application go through a full merit assessment,” the spokesperson said. “This merit assessment includes public exhibition and consultation with council to ensure high-quality outcomes for communities.”

Flood of Complaints About Thomas Hogan Reserve Proposal

Words Anthony Maguire Photo Tomo Atkins

There’s been a swell of community opposition to proposed flood mitigation works at Thomas Hogan Reserve - a low-lying patch of remnant rainforest off Francis Street, Bondi.

A flood risk report commissioned by Waverley Council identified the reserve, regularly used by an under-fives playgroup, as one of a dozen flooding problem areas in the Waverley LGA.

Author of the report, civil engineering consultancy KBR, floated the idea of $3.9 million being spent on an 80 metre long, open stormwater channel plus a retaining wall. These works would involve the removal of a playground and community hall, along with a number of trees.

There was strong opposition to this idea when Waverley put the KBR-authored Flood Risk Management Study and Plan on public exhibition at the end of last year.

At the latest full meeting of Waverley Council in March, the scale of community concern was revealed as the council adopted the Flood Risk Management Study and Plan. The meeting heard that out of 85 submissions suggesting changes to the document, 75 expressed concerns about the Thomas Hogan Reserve proposals.

Bondi Beach Playgroups, which runs sessions at the reserve and in the community hall, has been a vocal opponent of the flood mitigation proposals for the 1.2 hectare site.

“We’re supportive of any measures to deal with flooding and make the park more user-friendly,” says Bondi Beach Playgroups organiser Tamera Lang. “But it’s a magic part of Bondi and it would be a tragedy if this playgroup site was lost to the community.”

Waverley Council says it has not made any decisions on the Thomas Hogan Reserve flood mitigation works. A spokesperson explained that the reserve “sits within a natural gully and already floods, serving as a space where stormwater is temporarily detained. The proposed flood management option would build on this natural function by increasing the amount of water that can be safely captured, better managing flood events and increasing protection for hundreds of homes downstream. There are several ways this could be achieved while still maintaining the reserve’s core recreation and ecological values.”

The next step is a feasibility study that will include further community engagement and environmental impact assessment.

The Not-so Grave Side of the Australian Funeral Industry

Words Anthony Maguire

Photo Cass Ketts

Solemn-faced mourners at Waverley Cemetery burst into laughter when a funeral director tripped at the edge of a grave and fell in. He suffered minor injuries and was later given a medical certificate stating ‘Injuries consistent with falling into a grave.’

That’s one of many light-hearted anecdotes about the funeral industry recounted by Richard Gosling in his book, After the Worst Has Happened.

Mr Gosling, now Operations Manager at Walter Carter Funerals in Charing Cross, worked for a state government department until 12 years ago, when he decided on a career change after his daughter suffered a near-fatal health crisis.

“I felt that helping people through difficult times would be more meaningful than processing invoices.”

Being an author, it’s no surprise he’s an avid reader - outside the Bronte Road business he has installed a street library that usually has 100 or more titles provided by Waverley locals.

“Having written a book, I love having the free library there. Books are a wonderful comfort” he says.

Richard shares the lighter side of death in After the Worst Has Happened.

Quinn Darragh Never Gives Up

Quinn Darragh looked like a member of some strange cult as he stood on the edge of the boat ramp on the northern headland of Bondi Beach.

His body and limbs were painted white from a mixture of zinc cream and lanolin to protect him from the cold and prevent chafing during the swim he was about to undertake.

Turning to his wife Sheree and three children, he said, “I love you,” then plunged from the edge of the sandstone ramp into the surf.

Over the next 13 hours the Bondi Rescue star swam 64 laps of the bay, a non-stop feat made even more remarkable by the fact that he’d undergone a liver transplant less than a year earlier. The operation was necessary because of an auto-immune condition stemming from childhood Crohn’s disease.

After the operation, he’d started planning the Bondi ultra-marathon swim.

“I saw it as a goal that would help me focus on getting better as a quickly as possible,” the 48-year-old told The Beast. With kayakers and board riders on either side to guide him,

Quinn set off at 8am on March 24, swimming between two buoys set 800 metres apart. It was inside the shark-netted area and one of the kayaks trailed the cable of a shark shield. As it turned out, sharks were not a problem. However, there were issues with another creature.

“During the last few laps, I got stung on my face, back and arms by blue bottles,” Quinn said.

Meanwhile, he was suffering from terrible nausea and wasn’t able to hold down the energy drinks that had been handed to him every half hour, drinking through a shaker bottle as he swam.

But what really got to him was the cold. In the early stages of hypothermia, he was stopped by his support crew a bit before 9pm, having broken his previous longest recorded swim, the English Channel, by four hours.

Quinn’s swim was supported by a number of sponsors, with funds going to the charity Ocean Heroes, which enriches the lives of young autistic people through surfing sessions. Donations are still welcome and can be made at www.givenow.com.au/quinnos24hr-swim-across-bondi.

Size Does Matter When It Comes to Street Parking, Says Waverley Council

Words Anthony Maguire

Photo Iva Biggun

Waverley residents with large vehicles may have to pay more for street parking permits. That’s one of the ideas being considered under a review of the council’s Resident Parking Scheme (RPS).

A meeting of Council on March 24 was told that consideration was being given to a new pricing structure.

“This may include a pricing that is reflective of vehicle size,” according to RPS Review Committee minutes tabled at the meeting.

RPS strategies under review are based on results of community consultation in 2025 that heard about issues and frustrations residents have when it comes to parking as well as approaches taken by comparable LGAs. The council stresses that no changes will be made without further analysis and community consultation.

Waverley Mayor Will Nemesh told The Beast the aim is to establish a parking framework that is “fair, equitable and sustainable.” He said, “Council has not undertaken a comprehensive review of its parking framework since 2017. We are well overdue.”

Should you pay more for parking if you drive a big vehicle?

Waverley Council Update

Mayor's Message

Ahmed Al Ahmed’s courage honoured

I was proud to award Ahmed Al Ahmed a Key to the City at a special ceremony last month, in recognition of his extraordinary bravery and selflessness during the Bondi attack.

It was a token of the everlasting gratitude that Council and the entire Waverley community have for his incredible display of heroism, humanity and courage on 14 December.

As attendees at the Chanukah by the Sea event were being targeted, Ahmed single-handedly tackled and disarmed one of alleged shooters, slowing down the attack and saving countless lives

In the process, Ahmed himself was shot several times and sustained serious injuries

When evil came to Bondi Beach, Ahmed and many other ordinary heroes did not hesitate to confront it

His instinctive courage, his willingness to put others first, and his quiet bravery will never be forgotten.

Remembering Bondi Junction

Waverley has endured two profound and deeply challenging events recently, which have challenged us in ways we never imagined.

On Monday 13 April, we marked two years since the tragic events in Bondi Junction that claimed six innocent lives.

Our community continues to remember and honour the victims and their families, those injured, the first responders who raced towards danger, and everyone impacted on that terrible day. What has inspired me is the extraordinary resilience, compassion and quiet resolve shown by our community.

Time and again, we have reached out to one another, stood side by side, and shown what it truly means to be united.

In these difficult times, the way we have supported each other speaks volumes about who we are. We refuse to be divided and let us never forget our compassion and empathy for one another.

Expanding crisis accommodation

Council will allocate two more affordable housing units to serve as long-term accommodation for women and families escaping violence.

Safe and stable housing plays a vital role in helping victims and survivors rebuild their lives, and I am proud of Council’s continued focus on supporting our community’s most vulnerable. The move follows a significant expansion of Council’s affordable housing stock, which has increased by 50 per cent in just a year.

We are currently renovating and refurbishing a block of six units in Queens Park for affordable housing, and last year we made our largest acquisition of affordable housing in 20 years, by adding a Bondi Beach unit block to our portfolio

We are committed to contributing practical solutions to the issues affecting our community and providing our most vulnerable residents with dedicated support

Help plan Waverley’s future

Are you passionate about the future of Waverley?

We’re looking for community representatives to join the Waverley Local Planning Panel, which is responsible for assessing and determining a range of development applications as required under legislation Members of the panel are remunerated for their attendance at panel meetings. Submit your expression of interest by 29 April via Council’s website

William Nemesh Mayor of Waverley

Cooper Overcomes Injuries to Be Signed by Queensland Reds

Words Anthony Maguire Photo Michael Jones

Clovelly footy player Cooper Stewart has kept orthopaedic surgeons in good work - he has broken a shoulder, both thumbs, his left hand, his right foot and an eye socket. He’s also suffered three concussions on the field.

But after each injury, ‘Coops’ has rebounded to notch up further achievements on the AFL and rugby fields. After being fortunate to represent the Swans Academy from U12 to final selection in Swans U18, he had to make a choice which code to focus on. He decided on rugby with his school mates at Waverley College, and at Randwick, where they won last year’s U18 State Championships.

The 18-year-old half back has now been signed by the Queensland Reds Academy and is in the selection pool to play against teams like the NSW Waratahs. His parents Jade and

Luke have helped set him up in a Brisbane apartment.

“I’m very grateful to my Mum and Dad for everything they’ve done to get me to where I am,” he says. “I also owe a big thank you to my personal coach/mentor Chris Delooze.”

Cooper is philosophical about his injury tally, which he puts down to bad luck.

“I just love playing footy and the team camaraderie - I’ve been playing rugby since I was six and AFL since I was ten. It would take a lot more than the odd injury to tear me away from the sport.”

A positive attitude has helped get him through injury recoveries.

“The way I look at it is, if you injure your leg, it’s an opportunity to train your upper body, and if you injure your upper body, it’s an opportunity to work on leg strength.”

Full Moon Walk Aims to Foster Personal, Communal and World Peace

Words Anthony Maguire

Photo Roland Walker

Imagine yourself walking across Coogee Bay early evening under the light of a full moon, surrounded by others who, like you, want to live in a safer, happier and more harmonious world.

You are invited to join the Coogee Buddhist Centre at 5pm on Saturday, May 2 for its Full Moon Walk, aimed at fostering personal, communal and world peace. Chair of Coogee Buddhist Centre, Dhammalata, says, “Peace begins within and then ripples outwards to one’s community and the wider world.”

Approved by The NSW Buddhist Council, Randwick Council and NSW Police, the walk starts at the southern end of Grant Reserve, moves across the beachfront esplanade and finishes on the northern headland, where there’ll be a communal celebration.

The Coogee Buddhist Centre has been around for over one and a half decades and has won a number of community service awards during that time. To register for the walk, please scan the QR code on page 51 or email coogeemeditation@gmail.com.

Creating ripples of peace: Dhammalata from The Coogee Buddhist Centre.

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

Randwick News

Randwick City Council’s 2026-27 draft Operational Plan and Budget will be open for community feedback throughout May.

The plan sets out the work we propose to deliver across the City over the next 12 months. It is guided by our 2025–29 Delivery Program, developed with the community, and supports the long-term vision of our 10-year Community Strategic Plan.

More than $40 million has been proposed for projects such as upgrading local roads and footpaths, improving parks and public spaces, and caring for our unique coastal environment.

You can share your feedback on the draft plan and budget at yoursay.randwick.nsw.gov.au.

Please also keep an eye out for a flyer in your letterboxes outlining the specific upgrades proposed for your suburb.

Councillors will meet in June to consider community feedback and adopt the final plan and budget, which come into effect on 1 July 2026.

I look forward to hearing your feedback and thank you for helping to shape Randwick City’s future.

What’s On

MAROUBRA BEACH MARKETS

SATURDAY 2 MAY 8 am – 2 pm Broadarrow Reserve

SATURDAY CIRCLE

SATURDAY 9 MAY 10 am – 12 pm Randwick Sustainability Hub

PLANT WITH US

SUNDAY 10 MAY

8.30 – 10 am 10.30 am – 12 pm Heffron Park, Maroubra

HEFFRON PARK MARKETS

SUNDAY 17 MAY 8 am – 2 pm

Undercover Netball Stadium

KOOJAY CORROBOREE

FRIDAY 29 MAY 10 am – 2 pm Coogee Beach Rainbow Walkway

Councillor Dylan Parker Mayor of Randwick

Crime News

Bondi Man Was Chinese Spy

Bondi businessman Alexander Csergo faces up to 15 years in prison after being found guilty of spying for China while working in Shanghai.

A court heard that Csergo, 59, supplied information on sensitive Australian defence and economic topics to a pair of shadowy operatives in exchange for cash.

After being arrested on his return to Australia in 2023, he told police he’d felt compelled to work with his contacts, who he only knew by the names “Ken and Evelyn,” because he’d been under Chinese government surveillance and could not leave the country because of COVID lockdowns.

His defence counsel, Iain Todd, told the NSW District Court that all of the information supplied by his client had been material easily available through internet searches.

After the jury found him guilty of reckless foreign interference, Csergo was taken into custody and as this edition of The Beast went to press, his sentencing hearing had yet to take place.

Antisemitic Firebomber Sent to Cooler

A thug who organised two Eastern Suburbs antisemitic firebombings in early 2025 has been jailed for five years.

Nicholas Alexander orchestrated the torching of a Maroubra childcare centre plus two cars parked outside the former Dover Heights home of a prominent Jewish leader, Downing Centre Local Court was told. The outside walls of the childcare centre were daubed with vile antisemitic graffiti.

Alexander, 32, recruited a pair of low-level goons to carry out the actual dirty work, which also included graffiti and a fire outside a Newtown synagogue.

But the court heard that Alexander was just a middleman, acting for a shadowy, unnamed overseas criminal group. Magistrate Jennifer Atkinson said his offences were “a deliberate tactic to divide the Arab and Jewish communities to further the aims of the large criminal group overseas.”

Big Drug Haul

Police say they found a very large stash of illegal drugs when they raided a unit in Maroubra.

Officers seized 9 kilograms of 1,4-butanediol (also known as ‘bute’ or ‘fantasy’), 150 grams of MDMA tablets, 60 grams of ketamine, 54 LSD tabs, 29 grams of cocaine, 10 grams of cannabis, 7 grams of meth and one gram of heroin. The evidence haul also included $95,425 cash plus two illegal air guns.

A 37-year-old man was arrested and charged with 16 offences. He was refused bail.

Chef Was Four Times Over

A prominent Bondi chef has been convicted of driving with four times the legal alcohol limit in his system.

The head chef of Hotel Ravesis’ Alzado restaurant, Marjon

Olguera, had a blood alcohol reading of .204 when police breathalysed him at 1am one night in Paddington, Waverley Local Court was told.

Olguera, a former protégé of celebrity chef Luke Mangan, was fined $1,200 and won’t be able to get behind the wheel again until July. His car must have an interlock device fitted for seven months to ensure he doesn’t reoffend.

Boy fired Air Gun at Fellow Student - Police

Police swarmed Rose Bay Secondary College in Dover Heights after reports a 15-yearold boy had fired an air gun at a classmate, hitting him in the back with a BB pellet.

The teenager was arrested and charged with a string of offences including discharging a firearm in or near a public place and intimidating with intent to cause fear of physical harm. Police say no injuries were reported from the incident.

Police Hunt Rose Tattoo Woman

Have you seen the person pictured below? Hayley Brines, 25, is wanted on outstanding warrants for domestic violence offences. She is known to frequent the Bondi area and is identifiable by a tattoo of a red rose on each shoulder.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Self-sabotage is primarily driven by fear.

Cutting Yourself Off at the Knees

Words Jeremy Ireland Photo Aryna Sabotager

One of the more puzzling aspects of being human is when we do something that goes against our own best interests. It may be unconscious or subconscious, but often it’s conscious - possibly even intentional and deliberate. If you’ve ever found yourself procrastinating, avoiding something important, stalling on a tough decision, neglecting responsibility, rejecting something good or engaging in negative self-talk or self-destruction, its fair to say that such behaviour falls under the banner of ‘self-sabotage’.

Self-sabotage is considered to be harmful behaviour that can negatively impact any aspect of one’s life. Obvious examples include careers, health and relationships. The driving forces behind these harmful behaviours is quite complex, but at its core is fear - fear of failure or even success.

High on the list of self-sabotaging behaviour is procrastination. When we have to do something that invokes some kind of stress or anxiety we procrastinate. By putting something off we can alleviate these negative emotions, even at the expense of happiness or fulfilment. Two of the big reasons we procrastinate is due to feeling overwhelmed and having a low sense of self-worth. Being overwhelmed can be quite destabilising; when something seems just too large or impossible to tackle we seek relief by putting it off, but over time it keeps building and can lead to a sense of hopelessness. Hopelessness can leave us frozen, locking us into the pain of the present moment, and if we have low self-worth, which is common with self-sabotaging, we tend to act in ways that confirm negative self-belief, ultimately turning the fear of failing into a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Consider this example... You want to apply for a job that you feel is a step up from your current position. The deadline is looming, you desperately want to apply, but you’re feeling anxious and deep

down you fear not being good enough for the role and you might fear not even being considered. It’s now the night before and the procrastination is killing you, so you self-sabotage by going out and having a bender. You miss the deadline and you miss your chance, saying to yourself the next day that you were never going to get the job anyway.

The above scenario is also a good old-fashioned example of ‘cognitive dissonance’, where we can hold two conflicting ideas at the same time. In other words, our actions run counter to what we believe. If you were a smoker and wanted to stop, you know it’s bad but you do it anyway, perhaps hating yourself for it in the process. The same might be said for romantic relationships, though it’s far more nuanced. Imagine you’re in a relationship that’s progressed to the point of some permanency. A deep relationship means being vulnerable, and for some this can lead to insecurity about the potential loss of the relationship, feelings of low self-worth and low self-esteem, ultimately bringing on a fear of being abandoned. The way out might be to self-sabotage the relationship, cut it off to avoid emotional pain and protect yourself from the potential and future hurt.

Why we might self-sabotage a romantic relationship is bluntly yet brilliantly summed up by British author Alain de Botton. The first line in his School of Life video about why we reject love as adults is bone chillingly direct. “When people have a bad childhood they grow up to reject love as adults.” In particular, if we have not favourably experienced love or support from our caregivers as children we won’t feel comfortable with love when it comes along as adults later in life. Here is the cognitive dissonance screaming at us - as adults we want to believe in, experience and even pursue love at its best, but the version we experienced as kids has taught us otherwise. We might gravitate towards partners who show the same type of love that we experienced as children because it is familiar to us. This is the cruel paradox - if the love feels too good to be true, there must be a catch, so we launch into self-protection and self-sabotaging behaviours, gravitating towards what we were taught about love as children.

Whether it be sabotaging our own success, our relationships, or even procrastination, ultimately the behaviour is exhaustive. This is where empathy and understanding by significant others is critical for the one who does self-sabotage. Yes, it’s a protective measure, but ultimately no one enjoys self-sabotaging. If this resonates, professional help is recommended.

Jeremy Ireland is a local psychotherapist. If you have any questions you can get in touch with Jeremy by calling 0400 420 042.

The Unreliable Guide to... Travelling Light

Words Nat Shepherd Photo Kerry Packer

At the time of writing, The Un reliable Guide is just about to set off on a big Europe trip and the Orange Invasion Monkey has got us all worried about the imminence of World War IIIthe sequel no one asked for.

It’s not an ideal time to travel, but everything is booked and paid for so I’m praying to all the well-known gods in the hope that this will be just another holiday and not the adventure of a lifetime.

To cope with the stress, I’ve been asserting the little control I do still have by obsessing over… my luggage. In the belief that it’s a good idea to be able to run fast if things go sideways, I’m taking only hand luggage. This would be fine if I was going to Thailand, but we’re travelling from Singapore to the UK via Turkey, Latvia and Denmark - a journey of sweat, snow, and

uncertainty. But, I think I’ve nailed it.

If you too want to travel light in these heavy times, The Unreliable Guide is here with some tips and tricks on how to cram your world into a 40 litre roll-on.

Don’t Recant - Decant

If you’re still packing full size bottles of sun cream, shampoo and body lotion - you’re a fool. Get the little bottles from the pharmacy and decant what you need. And remember, you don’t need everything. Unless you are heading to the Arctic Circle, you’ll find a shop selling toothpaste. It might be green tea flavour, but what is travel without new experiences?

Weigh Everything

It normally doesn’t matter if your empty suitcase weighs

3kgs or 5kgs unless you plan on lugging it up a mountain on your back. But when you’re only allowed a carry-on total of 7kgs (economy class, the great equaliser) the bag you choose can make the difference between a pleasant holiday and being famous for wearing the same shirt for two weeks.

I don’t usually promote products, but Kathmandu has a wheeled carry-on that weighs just 1.6kgs, which is about the equivalent of four regular shampoo bottles. It’s a miracle. But don’t waste that advantage by packing the wrong things. I’ve been weighing everything - T-shirts, jackets, hats, jeans, shoes and even socks, which can vary from 15gms to 130gms!

I sound unhinged, I know, but I’ve only got 5.4kgs and it’s snowing in Latvia. Packing light means choosing a version of ourselves that requires less stuff… and developing an unexpected enthusiasm for ultralight undies.

The Secret Weapon

Many airlines make a huge fuss about the weight of our carry-on but mysteriously forget to check our ‘personal item’ - a handbag or similar that fits under the seat.

This is where we stash the heavy small stuff like iPads, phones, power banks and toiletries. My suitcase weighs 6.95kgs, but my cute little handbag has the density of a supermassive black hole. Relax, check-in staff, nothing to see here.

Right now, I have no idea if we’ll actually leave, or if we do, that we’ll ever make it back. The world feels too big, but in the small, zippered universe of my suitcase, everything has its place. And until we can make travel great again, that will have to do.

How to Find Accommodation in the Eastern Suburbs

Words

Kieran Blake - kieranblakewriter.org Photo David Schwimmer

Finding accommodation in the Eastern Suburbs is almost impossible. Prices have sky-rocketed and demand has increased due to short-term rentals and portfolio pimps, both foreign and domestic.

Proximity to beautiful beaches and the CBD combine with enviable dining and entertainment possibilities to force most millennials out of the local market. And, unlike the school sports carnivals on which these millennials were raised, only one person wins a real estate prize.

Desperados join endless queues snaking around local footpaths every weekend in the hope of securing a dwelling in our patch of paradise. But do not despair. The Beast has put together this helpful guide on how to secure a rental in the Eastern Suburbs.

Be Young

The property market is supposedly the domain of Boomers who bought properties with their lunch money, but that is not entirely true (except the bit about lunch money). In reality,

youthful profile photos on Facebook accommodation pages are far more likely to catch the eye of tenants or landlords looking for renters. Inform potential landlords or housemates that you are ‘super easy-going’ and make a ‘great housemate’, and be sure to mention you’re ‘clean, quiet, respectful’ and ‘interested in wellbeing and Sydney’s vibrant social scene’.

Also, remember this is an extremely competitive market, so don’t forget to mention that you’re ‘willing to share a bed if necessary’ with the other cute young female in your profile photos.

Be Female

Surely young females are disadvantaged in a world still dragging itself out of the pit of patriarchy. Not always. Photos of young women in their Sunday best attract far more clicks from potential landlords and housemates. So, list your desired weekly price point and emphasise your youth and gender, but remember that this may not be enough.

Be Attractive

Attractive young females dominate local Facebook accommodation sites and they are your competition. In Bondi, properties are appraised by hotness per square metre, so flood your profile with selfies in your little black number, your bikini or the latest active wear, and learn how to pose like an influencer.

Be Exotic

Whether it’s the tyranny of distance or Australia’s lingering cultural cringe, European heritage carries the allure of grandeur for Aussies who can visit the old world vicariously through their new housemate, or those who can relive the highlights of their gap year.

Be Prepared

Be young, attractive, exotic and female, and be prepared for an avalanche of responses containing myriad euphemisms such as ‘an arrangement’, especially if you’ve offered to share a bed. If you’re not young, attractive, exotic or female with a strong social media brand? Join the back of the queue.

Pain at the Pump?

Perhaps It's Time to Ditch the Car

Words Dr Marjorie O’Neill, State Member for Coogee Photo Cal Tex

Let’s be honest - when you see those digits ticking over at the petrol pump it’s hard not to mutter a few choice words. Fuel prices are through the roof again, and for many of us around the Eastern Beaches it’s another punch in the wallet. But while this fuel crisis might feel like yet another headache, it is also an ideal time to adjust how we get around and make some changes for the better.

Cast your mind back to 2020 - masks, daily case counts, empty streets... a strange time, sure, but one thing that actually *worked* was the boom in bikes. The NSW Government rolled out pop-up cycleways almost overnight and suddenly people were pedalling everywhere.

And it proved something simple; when the infrastruc-

ture is there, people will use it. Safe, separated bike lanes made riding feel doable, even for those of us who hadn’t been on a bike since the last time we had training wheels, and popup bike lanes have now become permanent infrastructure of our city.

Now, as fuel prices soar again and traffic continues to crawl, maybe it’s time for another rethink. We can’t control global oil markets, but we can control how we move around our own neighbourhoods. Public transport, cycling, walking... these aren’t just ‘green alternatives’ - they’re smart, healthy, and often faster ways to get where you’re going. They are also more economic and generally provide social benefits as well.

Here’s the kicker - only about 30 per cent of Australian

adults meet the recommended physical activity guidelines each week, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. That means most of us aren’t getting enough movement - and it’s costing us, in more ways than one. Choosing active transport is the easiest gym membership you’ll never have to pay for. Walking the kids to school, hopping on a bike or catching the bus instead of driving - it all adds up to better health, clearer air and quieter streets.

But this transition won’t happen by magic. It will take proper investment and local leadership. The pop-up lanes of the COVID era showed that things can change quickly when needed, so let’s demand that same energy again. Perma nent cycleways, well-planned footpaths, safe crossings and reliable buses aren’t luxuries - they’re essentials if we want to make active and public transport a real choice.

Here’s where you come in. If you know a route that desperately needs a safe connection - maybe a missing link between Clovelly and Randwick, a path along Arden Street or a link to the CBD that could use some TLC - speak up. Send your suggestions to your council, write to your MP or drop a note to The Beast. We locals know our streets best, and if we don’t share what’s needed, someone else will decide for us.

So, next time you drive past the servo and grimace at the prices, take it as a sign. Maybe it’s time to dust off the bike, give your Opal card some exercise or simply stretch your legs a bit more around this beautiful patch we call home. The fuel crisis won’t last forever, but the changes we make now could help our community move better, breathe easier and feel healthier for years to come.

SENIORS SERVICES AWARENESS DAY

1 May (10AM - 2PM) Easts, Bondi Junction

Seminars, stalls, and resources from local groups (incl. NSW Police, NSW Fire & Rescue and Clovelly Community Bank).

Rewarding Hard Work Once Again

Words Allegra Spender, Federal Member for Wentworth

Jack Whitepaper

A couple of months ago a young woman came over to my pop-up office in Kings Cross. She’d been watching from across the street, pushing a pram with twins. Let’s call her Anna.

Anna is a doctor at a local hospital. She’d started as a nurse and retrained. Her husband had retrained too - from police officer to lawyer. They’d paid off their HECS debts, they’d saved, but they still couldn’t afford to buy a home.

“I have a good job,” she told me. “I thought I made all the right choices, but we just can’t afford it. I think about it literally every day.”

I think about Anna a lot, because she isn’t alone. Across Wentworth - at pop-up offices, community events and on street corners - I keep hearing the same thing. Right now, the balance of our tax system just doesn’t feel right. And that feeling is backed up by the data.

If you earn $100,000 from wages - and most younger Australians do depend on working for their income - you pay around $23,000 in tax. Earn the same income as a capital gain on an investment property and you pay around $7,000. Split it through a trust with your spouse and you pay $13,000. Earn it through superannuation as a retiree and you pay no tax at all.

There are some reasons for these rates, but the current settings make it hard to get ahead just through working. And that cuts against something fundamental - the promise Australia has always made that if you work hard you can build a decent life for yourself, regardless of where you started.

That’s why I’ve been consulting with economists, business owners and community members

for the last three years on how we can fix our tax system to make it fairer for more Australians. It’s why I published my Tax Green Paper in 2024 to lay out the challenges - and why this year I’m releasing a series of White Papers with costed proposals for what we can actually do about it.

My first White Paper, released last month, focuses on the personal tax system. Specifically, how can we rebalance the system to lower taxes on income from wages and balance that change by reducing some of the tax concessions on income from assets.

My proposal is budget neutral, so every dollar raised goes back to Australians through lower taxes on work. Nothing is added to the deficit or the national debt.

I’ve been heartened by the response. We’ve had so many emails, calls and messages, thousands of people emailing their MPs demanding action through a website we set up (taxreformnow.com. au) and great questions and conversations at community events right across Wentworth.

I’ve heard from so many people struggling to get ahead despite doing everything right. And I’ve heard from people who know they’d pay more tax under my proposal but support it anyway, because they think it’s the right thing for our country.

I’ve also heard real concerns - questions about what my changes would mean for people retiring with superannuation, and proposals for alternative approaches like increasing the tax-free threshold.

I’m taking those suggestions seriously. This is a proposal, not a final answer, and I want it challenged and improved. I’ve already taken the community’s views directly to the treasurer and will keep the pressure on as the May budget approaches.

We cannot let this moment pass. The government has left the door open to tax reform and this budget is a genuine chance for ambitious change. We owe it to Australians across this country who have worked hard, made good decisions and are frustrated by a system that isn’t allowing them to achieve the milestones that previous generations took for granted.

If you would like to read the proposal or have your say, please visit allegraspender.com.au/tax. You can read more about my proposal, download a digital copy of my Personal Tax White Paper and sign up to the newsletter to hear when the next papers are released later this year.

And if you want to make a difference, please encourage your family and friends to head to taxreformnow.com.au and write to their local MP, senator or the prime minister.

Life on the LedgeA Cautionary Tale

Words and Photo Lewis Kennedy-Hunt

Although Sydney is best known for its clean, postcard-perfect beaches, most of its coastline tells a different story. Hawkesbury sandstone cliffs run for kilometres, carved over time into sheer drops and jagged ledges - a dramatic spectacle from the water and a hair-raising one from on top. To catch a fish from the shore, you are naturally less versatile than with a boat. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still land trophy fish. With the easy-access spots often crowded or fished out, the more adventurous fisho tends to gravitate towards zones a little further off the beaten track. Often these spots demand ropes, sketchy climbs and careful navigation along the cliffs. Emerging from this reality is a quiet subculture of divers and rock fishos who largely keep to themselves. To the uninitiated it looks reckless, but to those who understand the reward, risk quickly becomes routine.

There is one such place close to my home in Bondi, a ledge at the base of the cliffs that has been fished since at least the 1880s. It’s a regular spot for my mates and I, and it has produced fish for generations. One brisk autumn morning, my friend Ed and I arrived at the top of the climb for sunrise, ready for a dive. A few fishos were already live-baiting below and the conditions looked promising. The track narrows as you descend, cutting

across the cliff face before tightening into a pinch point where it drops vertically for five metres. That is where everything slows down. Your gear goes first, then you follow down the rope - no harness, just strong arms and careful footing. We had done it since we were kids, so it felt automatic.

I reached the bottom first and began untying the gear, quietly enjoying the morning calm. Then, in an instant, the moment fractured. A short yell followed by a hard ‘crack’ that reverberated through the rock and into my being. For a split second my brain stalled. Then I looked up to see the rope coiled on the ground and Ed lying beside it rolling in agony.

The unthinkable had just happened before me. He’d fallen from the top, taking the rope with him. I tried to ask if he was alright, but it quickly became apparent this was not something you could walk off. Knowing he was still conscious, I sprinted to the nearby fishermen, shouting for someone to call an ambulance. Confused looks met me at first. Then local fisho Luiz stepped forward, offering his phone and rushing over to my friend as I explained what had happened. I called triple-zero, forcing words out as coherently as I could while adrenaline spiked and panic churned beneath the surface. After that, all we could do was wait.

We sat on the ledge together, his face and foot coated in red, adrenalin drowning his pain for now. Keeping the conversation became essential, my only way to assess his condition. Each passing minute felt endless. Then, finally, movement appeared above. Paramedics and police peered down from the cliff edge, assessing the scene from a distance. Moments later, police rescue began abseiling down. The first officer hurried the others along after seeing the injury up close and pushing the process along. Soon after, a paramedic followed, providing initial treatment and wrapping the wound in a temporary dressing.

I was instructed to stash our dive gear under the cliff and cover my eyes as a helicopter descended. Each beat of its blades drummed through the air, shaking dust and spray around us. Another paramedic was dropped in to continue care. Then I was told to climb out, taking all of our gear with me.

At the top, police, ambulance crews, cars and even a curious journalist waited. The scene was chaotic and surreal. We watched Ed slowly ascend towards the chopper, silhouetted by the morning sun, in some sort of real-life Hollywood moment.

Thankfully, Ed will make a slow recovery after two surgeries and a few nights in hospital. I pen this story not to glorify risking your life for fish, but rather to proffer a cautionary tale. If you do this stuff enough, accidents will inevitably happen, and a leisurely morning dive can quickly evolve into something far more serious than you ever imagined. Please, be safe and know your limits.

RACE

Rosemary Crumbed Pork Cutlets

With Lemon Caper Butter and Roasted Autumn Vegetables

Words Dana Sims Instagram @stone_and_twine

The word ‘crumbed’ in a recipe always excites, so in order to end autumn on a high, I’ve taken tender pork cutlets and coated them in a homemade bread crumb infused with rosemary, combined with a flavourbomb sauce and delicious roasted autumn vegetables.

We often turn to comfort when considering recipes for the cooler weather, and this delicious combination is no exception. It’s simple enough to whip up during the week and will also sit well on a weekend menu when you have visitors.

Take the time to balance the sauce and get the perfect golden crumb on the pork and you will be blown away. It’s a little bit indulgent and simply delicious!

Ingredients

Pork cutlets

4 large pork cutlets, flattened a little with a meat mallet

2 cups fresh homemade sourdough breadcrumbs

2 eggs, beaten

¾ cup plain flour

2 large sprigs rosemary, chopped

2½ cups extra virgin olive oil for frying

Lemon Caper Butter

50gm unsalted butter, cut into cubes

3 tbs lemon juice

1 tbs capers in brine, drained

1 tbs fresh parsley, finely chopped

¼ cup white wine (optional)

Roasted Autumn Vegetables

1 fennel bulb, stems and end removed, cut into large chunks

500gm potatoes, peeled and quartered

1 red onion, quartered

2 green apples, skin and core removed, quartered

6 sprigs fresh thyme

½ tsp sea salt

¼ tsp cracked black pepper

2 tbs extra virgin olive oil

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200⁰C.

2. In a pot of water on the stove top set to medium heat, boil the

potatoes until just tender. Strain and set aside to cool a little.

3. In a large roasting tray, add the fennel, red onion, apple and potatoes. Add the olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper and toss to coat. Roast in the oven for 1 hour, occasionally tossing to brown the vegetables.

4. While the vegetables are roasting, crumb the pork cutlets. You need 3 bowls - one for the flour, beaten egg and the sourdough breadcrumbs. Coat the pork in that order, pressing the breadcrumbs into the pork so they stick well. Set aside in the fridge for 20 minutes.

5. Remove the pork from the fridge and in a large fry pan set to medium heat on the stovetop, fry the pork cutlets. If the crumb is browning too quickly, turn the heat down a little. Cook for 4 minutes on each side, adjusting time to the size and thickness of your pork. Remove from the pan and set aside on paper towel. Keep covered.

6. To make the sauce, heat a saucepan on the stovetop to medium heat. Add in the white wine and reduce by half. Stir in the lemon juice and then reduce the heat to low. Gradually add the cubes of butter and when melted and combined the sauce will thicken a little. Add in the capers and mix through. Remove from the heat. Add in the fresh parsley, stir and set aside.

7. Remove the roasted vegetables from the oven.

8. To plate, place a pork cutlet on each plate, add some roasted vegetables and spoon over the lemon caper butter sauce.

Dana Sims is a Sydney based 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 Ins tagram, @stone_and_twine.

LIVE WIRE ELECTRICAL

HYAMS BEACH HEAVEN

The Boathouses at Hyams Beach offer the perfect place to escape busy Sydney and recharge your batteries. Just an easy three-hour drive from the Eastern Suburbs, The Boathouses offer separate two-bedroom properties, available to be booked individually or together. For more information or to book, please call 4411 7000 or email bookings@holidayscollection.com.au

MAILBOX DELIVERERS NEEDED

The Beast magazine is looking for a couple of reliable local residents to help with our monthly mailbox drop. You'll need to be available for four or five days around the 18th to the 23rd of each month and have a reasonable level of fitness. You'll also need a half decent vehicle. Locals over 50 years of age are preferred for this work, as the last 20 years has shown us that this is the demographic that really knows how to knuckle down and get a job done properly from start to finish. If this sounds like something you'd be interested in, please email james@thebeast.com.au.

The Beast Supercross

ACROSS

1. 2026 Grammy Awards best new artist (6,4)

7. Oblong cream puff (6)

8. Overflow of water (5)

9. Not correct (5)

11. Chemical symbol for Zinc (2)

12. Organ that enables hearing (3)

16. Large city in north-west England (9)

17. Yes, in Spanish (2)

18. Dark shade of maroon (7)

19. Slender rod used by a magician (4)

21. Rice cooked with broth (7)

22. Hallucinogenic drug (1,1,1)

Trivial Trivia

Words

Lisa Anderson

DOWN

1. Wedding Crashers actor (4,6)

2. Eskimo’s abode (5)

3. Flavoured sugar topping used to coat cakes (5)

4. Small and delicate (5)

5. Loop formed in a rope (5)

6. Drink made from juice pressed from apples (5)

10. Unnecessary (8)

13. A criminal who illegally sets fire to property (8)

14. Newly grown buds (7)

15. Soft, warm light (4)

20. A container with rigid sides and a lid (3)

1. ‘Trichotillomania’ is a compulsive urge to (a) run a triathlon, (b) pull out your own hair, or (c) count in threes?

2. In which country is the world’s largest pyramid (by volume)?

3. What synthetic stone is abbreviated as CZ?

4. Which Australian state capital shares its name with a Scottish city?

5. A ‘half hitch’ and ‘sheet bend’ are both types of what?

6. Mozart’s final opera was called (a) The Magic Timpani, (b) The Magic Oboe, or (c) The Magic Flute?

7. A ‘Marimba’ is an (a) musical instrument, (b) fruit, or (c) fish?

8. Kiwifruit originated in which country?

9. What name is given to a female fox?

10. Which NRL player now plays at the Western Force?

The Sheep Detectives

Genre Comedy Mystery

Reviewer

Linda Heller-Salvador

Animation director Kyle Balda (Despicable Me 3) makes a confident leap into live-action with The Sheep Detectives, a charming, family-friendly whodunit and a much-needed dose of uncomplicated fun. Adapted from Leonie Swann’s popular novel Three Bags Full, and with a playful script by Craig Mazin (The Last of Us), the film eagerly embraces its quirky premise: sheep being far smarter than their shepherd ever realised.

That shepherd is George (Hugh Jackman), a gentle soul who treats his flock like family. Each night, he reads them detective stories, unaware they’re hanging on his every word. When George dies under mysterious circumstances, the sheep, curious, opinionated and unexpectedly sharp, set out to solve the case themselves.

Balda keeps things light, favouring warmth and visual charm over heavy plotting. The result is an old-school crowd-pleaser told from a sheep’s-eye-view with scenic backdrops, a fun soundtrack and woolly scene-stealers bouncing with personality. The Sheep Detectives is light-hearted escapism with a mischievous streak. By the time its playful twist arrives, you’ll find yourself smiling and may never look at sheep the same way again.

Pacific Avenue

Lovesick Sentimental

Label BMG Rights Management

Reviewer @aldothewriter

Rating

I find it hard not to imagine the drummer of this band frolicking in the surf dressed as a mermaid (ahem, merman!) whenever I listen to their music. Now, hear me out, that’s not a weird fetish, he actually does it. It’s his weird fetish I guess. Apart from that strange aside, their music has always been perfectly pleasant and continues to be so on Lovesick Sentimental. Put it on when you are surrounded by grey nomads, tired parents and vile children in a caravan park, and want to listen to something innocuous while leaning heavily into day drinking.

War Child Records HELP(2)

Label Beggars Banquet

Reviewer @aldothewriter

Rating

There’s no sugar coating it, charity albums are usually rubbish (I’m looking at you, Geldof). HELP(2) bucks the trend with a top collection of artists from a variety of lands and genres. Sure, a few of them are clearly phoning it in (I’m looking at you, King Krule), but there are enough highlights to cull accordingly and come up with a decent playlist. Fontaines and Ezra Collective certainly don’t disappoint and the opener by Arctic Monkeys is their best in a while. Chances are, if you like the band already you’ll like their contribution. If you don’t? Skip it.

The Sophs GOLDSTAR

Label Rough Trade Records

Reviewer @aldothewriter

Rating

Technology is ruining our lives, as drones drop bombs while our phones numb our brains with content provided by scantily clad lip-syncers and anti-social narcissists, but occasionally the algorithm gets it right. Enter The Sophs into my ‘Recommended For You’ playlist and thus, my life. Smart alt-rock, which bounces around from Elliott Smith hooks to booming Muse-esque guitars - no mean feat, but surprisingly it works. There is a fine line between sounding clever or like a wanker, and I’m not sure The Sophs have found it yet, but then again, I’m not sure I have either.

Star Signs

Visions Beardy from Hell

Cancer Jun 22-Jul 22

Your unmatched ability to steer every conversation towards topics of your choosing makes you a ‘conversational narcissist’.

Leo Jul 23-Aug 22

Now that it’s getting darker earlier, make the most of snuggling up to your partner, because you never know where it might lead.

Virgo Aug 23-Sep 23

The reason you’re so argumentative is because you feel insecure and use confrontation as a defense mechanism.

Libra Sep 24-Oct 23

‘Breadcrumbing’ your ex is a good way to maintain the comfort of a relationship without the responsibility it usually entails.

Scorpio Oct 24-Nov 22

Achieving greater personal financial success means nothing if your mates succeed as well - it’s all comparative.

Sagittarius Nov 23-Dec 21

Your emophilial tendencies are driven by a need for validation rather than a desire for connection or emotional intensity.

Capricorn Dec 22-Jan 20

No amount of anxiety makes any difference to what is going to actually happen, but burdening others can help lighten the load.

Aquarius Jan 21-Feb 19

The only time you’ll get to really relax this month is while you’re waiting hours for a tradie that never turns up.

Pisces Feb 20-Mar 20

Everyone has a mate who occasionally gets them into a bit of trouble, but yours is particularly dangerous.

Aries Mar 21-Apr 20

Your selfishness is nothing more than an evolutionary survival instinct, so you can ignore anyone who criticises you for that.

Trivial Trivia Solutions

www. coogeebuddhistcentre.com www. coogeebuddhistcentre.com coogeebuddhistcentre.com