Surry Hills institution Porteño has once again been ranked among the world’s best steak restaurants. More on Surry Hills Local favourite Porteño has once again put Sydney, and Surry Hills, on the global food map, with the iconic Holt St restaurant ranked #20 in the World’s 101 Best Steak Restaurants list for 2025/2026 - continuing a long run of international acclaim for the fire-driven institution. Known for its unmistakable Argentinian-style asado cooking, Porteño has built its reputation on simplicity done exceptionally well: premium cuts of beef, dry-aged to perfection and cooked over an open parrilla grill. While the latest ranking has again drawn international attention, it’s far from the restaurant’s first moment on the global stage. Porteño has consistently featured on prestigious international lists celebrating the world’s leading steak destinations, reinforcing its status as one of Australia’s most respected dining experiences. Behind the venue are chefs and owners Joe Valore, Elvis Abrahanowicz and Ben Milgate, who helped reinvigorate Sydney’s steak scene when Porteño first opened. Their approach leans into tradition rather than trend - slow cooking, wood fire and a deep respect for quality produce. Inside, the mood is unmistakably Porteño: low-lit, lively and centred around the open grill, where smoke, flame and scent do most of the storytelling. It’s a dining experience that has remained largely unchanged over the years - and that, perhaps, is exactly the point. For locals and visitors alike, this latest recognition is less about a single ranking and more a reminder that Porteño continues to hold its place among the world’s most celebrated steak restaurants. Porteño Surry Hills 50 Holt St, Surry Hills (02) 8399 1440 | porteno.com.au

After moving from New York to Sydney, mural artist Stacey Keating found fresh inspiration in Australia’s street art scene, native wildlife and vibrant inner-city communities. More on Surry Hills Stacey Keating moved from New York City to Surry Hills 13 years ago; her husband, Shane, had been offered a position in UNSW mathematics department. Stacey was excited about the move, but was unprepared for the way it would affect her career. For more than 20 years, Stacey has been creating large murals and scenic art for public spaces and private homes — her artworks can be found in major cities around the world. In New York, she had built a very successful business and reputation. “When I first moved here I got nervous because there was not a lot going on with street art. I thought: ‘oh no, I've moved to the wrong city!’” says Stacey about her initial impression. “But, it's gone gangbusters in the last few years, so I'm so grateful to be here for this little revival or whatever is happening.” Sydney Embracing Outdoor Art Sydney certainly has embraced large-scale outdoor art, with murals appearing on the sides of houses, old industrial structures and retention walls — virtually anywhere there’s a blank space. “I love what everybody is doing. I think there are so many unique different styles going on…we're getting more in Darlinghurst and Surry Hills, like that great one on Foveaux Street [Adam Goodes]…that's a gorgeous mural… I would love to see more of that around Surry Hills and Darlinghurst,” says Stacey, who has already scoped much of Sydney’s street art. Stacey came to this art form by chance. She’d actually studied illustration at art school but suspected it would be too monotonous as a career choice. As luck would have it, her first job out of college was with a theatre, painting backdrops and scenery. “It turned my whole world around, because then I started immediately painting big, fell absolutely in love with it, and never did an illustration again. Never did anything small ever again.” Large-scale art provided Stacey with variety, both in subject and mediums, but she also had to learn techniques on the go. One such skill was translating an image the size of an A4 page into one considerably bigger. Evolving with modern tech She began by using the ancient grid system, then moved on to a projector that projected the full-sized image onto the wall. Now she’s even more high-tech. “The newest thing that I just bought a couple of months ago is a VR headset, and it is kind of life-changing,” Stacey explains. “You just put the image that you're planning to draw in an app beforehand, and it puts it in the headset. You rock up to the wall, and using the app, scale it up as large as you want, and then trace from there.” Artistic skill is till very much required for the ultimate rendering. During COVID, when Stacey, like the rest of the planet, was forced indoors, she started focusing on canvases. The works she produced were inspired by Australian flora and fauna. “We are — my husband, myself, the children — are obsessed with the Australian bush,” says Stacey. “I’ve always loved birds, but there's nothing like the bird life here. Like, it's out of this world. The colours, the shapes, the sounds. You just can't ignore them, and I love that. And that's such a big part of what my work is about, is being bold and colourful and happy [...] And likewise, with the flowers. I think that so much of the flora here is so utterly unique.” Stacey painted a series called the “Bushoisie”, suggesting an air of aristocracy around the featured birds, and giving the works titles such as Priscilla in the drawing room, and Benny, in the conservatory. Stacey exclusively painted canvases from around 2020 to 2024 but has returned to doing murals as well, when the opportunity presents itself. She has an exciting project in the offing, so keep an eye out. Meanwhile, there’s no hint of homesickness. Stacey, Shane and their two young boys seem to have settled in very nicely. “We’ve been in the same exact place since the minute we moved here; we just got really lucky with a place that we loved.” She likens Darlinghurst to Brooklyn, but better. “It's got these big terraces. You're really close to the CBD. You're kind of close to everything and everything is walkable […] we love our neighbourhood. We live on a place that has a locked laneway…we walk out our back door into the laneway, and there is inevitably somebody out there having a glass of wine who welcomes you over, and you sit and have a glass of wine with them. The kids play outside, because, again, it's locked, so it's safe from the rest of the street… everybody knows each other, everybody helps each other out, and it's just adorable.” Balancing Art & Family Having two energetic young boys, Stacey loves the proximity of Surry Hills and Kings Cross libraries and the myriad little parks throughout the precinct. And of course, Centennial Park is a short and pleasant bike ride away and perfect for a picnic. For adult entertainment, Stacey and her husband enjoy the great little speakeasy bars and jazz venues that are nearby. Food favourites include Piano (perfect for a drink before picking up the kids at school across the road); Paripé for Spanish tapas; Ezra Middle Eastern in Potts Point; and The Waratah for great pub fare. The kids have sophisticated palates and like sushi, so occasionally the family goes to Zushi Japanese. They also like love Betty’s Burgers. As far as retail shopping goes, Stacey is an op shop fan and feels pretty spoiled for choice with options such as Vinnies, Red Cross, Salvos, and Anglicare just to name a few. If you’re keen to see Stacey’s art, she has images on her website and the gorgeous Australian bird and wildflower canvases for sale. Stacey is also available for commissions. “If somebody's got a naked wall, I'm happy to fill it.” www.staceykeatingart.com

Sydney’s Fashion District Was Sewn Together In Surry Hills Through History By Tim Ritchie More on Surry Hills Before cafés and creative studios, Surry Hills was Sydney’s industrial heart, powered by migrant workers, garment factories and the iconic rag trade. Sophia Street in the centre of the rag trade area, frontage one side is Foveaux St, the other side is Kippax St. There’s a version of Surry Hills that no longer exists, but still lingers beneath the surface. It was a suburb of factory whistles and sewing machines, where crowded workshops near Central Station saw bolts of fabric move quicker than the city streets outside. What remains today are the outlines of that past: narrow terraces, converted warehouses, and laneways that still carry the imprint of industry. A suburb in motion In the 1790s, Major Joseph Foveaux was granted land in what would become Surry Hills. He named it Surry Hills Farm, after Surrey in England. For decades, the area remained on the city’s edge - considered remote, uneven, and difficult to settle. By the 1820s, however, villas began appearing on the ridgelines, followed by denser working-class housing as Sydney expanded outward. Wealth and poverty sat side by side, with larger homes overlooking tightly packed streets filled with labourers, tradespeople and early industry. By the late 19th century, Surry Hills had become one of Sydney’s most densely populated working-class districts. Roads were carved through the landscape, including what is now Devonshire Street, which ran alongside the Devonshire Street Cemetery. In 1901, the cemetery was cleared and relocated to make way for Central Station, marking a major reshaping of the area’s physical and social landscape. By the early 1900s, an industrial identity had firmly taken hold. The Rag Trade Era From the early 20th century through to the 1960s, Surry Hills became the heart of Sydney’s clothing and hat manufacturing industry. Rag trade workers' cottages on Devonshire St Small factories filled terrace houses and converted buildings, producing ready-to-wear garments for a rapidly growing population. The work was repetitive, skilled, and driven by sewing machines, cutting tables and pressing irons operating in constant rhythm. The workforce was largely made up of migrants. Jewish communities played a significant role in the early decades, later joined by Southern European workers. Women formed a large part of this labour force, shaping both production and the daily rhythm of the suburb. Workshops often operated like extended families. Owners lived nearby, workers shared tightly packed spaces, and cultural differences were navigated through necessity and proximity. The result was a highly interconnected local economy, where work, home and community overlapped. The rag trade was supported by a wider industrial ecosystem. Tanneries supplied leather for trims and hats, local mills produced materials, and nearby bakeries and small suppliers sustained the workforce. Everything was close — deliberately so. Surry Hills functioned as a self-contained industrial network, where production, housing and supply chains existed within walking distance. Change and Legacy Famous hidden dog leg where inebriated gents would be greeted with a bop on the head and have their pockets emptied. By the late 1970s, manufacturing began to decline as production moved offshore. The suburb shifted again, transitioning from production to distribution, and later into creative, commercial and hospitality uses. Many of the buildings remain, but their purpose has changed. Factories became studios. Workshops became offices. Streets once shaped by industrial rhythm now move to a different kind of pace. To walk through Surry Hills today is to move through overlapping histories - colonial land grants, industrial expansion, migrant labour and reinvention - all stitched into the fabric of the suburb itself.

The Social Outfit is not your typical high quality clothing manufacturer, they are socially conscience outfitters. More on Newtown By Alec Smart Their humble store and creative space at 188 King St Newtown is a beacon of social enterprise and community support. The fashion label was founded, admirably, with a “goal to manufacture and sell ethical and sustainable quality products that help to financially empower people from refugee and new migrant backgrounds..” 100% of the profits from The Social Outfit’s clothing sales go towards supporting training and employment programs in retail, manufacturing and design for women who arrive here seeking sanctuary or social stability. Their sustainability-focused clothing collections use remnant fabrics donated by partners in the fashion industry. To date they’ve saved over 7.5 tonnes of fabric from ending up in landfill waste sites. They also retail unique and wonderful items of clothing, jewellery, accessories, stationery and even colourful face masks. 2042 magazine caught up with The Social Outfit’s CEO, Camilla Schippa, to find out more.. * How did the concept for The Social Outfit enterprise come about? It developed out of a desire to support refugee women in Australia to have a more positive settlement experience. We were not interested in fashion per se, we were interested in empowering those women who had already been through so much. The data shows that female humanitarian migrants face some of the highest barriers to employment in Australia. And a job is key to a successful path to integration. So we wanted to create a welcoming and supportive environment for them to thrive. Given so many of our migrant women know how to sew, we thought to start a fashion label, so they could build on their skills. It helps when not everything is new. They already have to learn English, Australian workplace practices, and build their confidence. They bring their great skills and awesome creativity! * How did you initially begin meeting new arrivals, and finding women from refugee communities who were interested in developing a career in clothing production, retail, design and marketing? Initially we relied on the refugee settlement agencies. Entities like SSI, MRC or the Asylum Seekers Centre here in Newtown. They would refer their clients to us. Now we are so well known that the women find us themselves! Often they start by joining one of our free classes. Women who like to sew, or have experience in sewing find us, word of mouth works wonders! * Do the women trained by The Social Outfit have backgrounds in clothes design or retail in their countries of origin? Yes, they often do, but not always. Some of our sewers have decades of experience sewing in their country of origin, places like Syria, Burma and China. Others have no prior experience but may have joined one of our free classes and showed both passion and talent, so we hire them and train them up. As concerns retail, our Retail Training Program focuses on young new migrants who often come with us with no work experience. * How long does your Retail Training Program run? It runs for 3 months. Our wonderful Retail Trainer, Nat, teaches them everything they need to know about retail and after 3 months they are ready for their next job! We support our retail trainees to secure ongoing employment elsewhere. Most of them end up getting another job, and not always in retail. But having had the training and the experience, gives them the confidence they need to move forward. * Your Earn & Learn collaboration with Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, during which six women were engaged to manufacture maxi tote bags with leftover fabric from a Powerhouse Museum exhibition backdrop – how did this idea come into fruition? When we visited the Step Into Paradise exhibition at MAAS we couldn’t help but notice the stunning colourful backdrops. So we simply asked what would happen to them once the exhibition was over… and MAAS were kind enough to agree to donate them to us! * Are there any similar Earn & Learn projects in the pipeline? We’ve ran other Earn & Learns in the past, we’ve collaborated with Ginger and Smart on the production of a bag sold in their stores, and with the fabulous Nikita Majajas from Doodad & Fandango on a series of one of a kind appliqué dresses. As soon as lockdown lifts, we plan to start another Earn & Learn. We have plenty of ideas and know where to find the women who wish to be paid while being unskilled, so stay tuned! * Your ‘Quick Mends Lockdown Series’ of video tutorials giving advice on clothing repair, like darning, sewing on buttons and decorative mending with patches, is a great initiative for people stuck indoors under Covid-19 restrictions. What has been the response and what mending advice will you be offering in future videos? It started as a series of classes aimed for our community of women from refugee and new migrant backgrounds while in lockdown and then we thought, why not offer it to everyone else? If we want to reduce fashion waste we need to encourage everyone to love their clothes and make them last. In the future, we will offer slightly more complex classes to teach how to apply zippers, make pockets etc. * How do you see The Social Outfit going into the future, in terms of outreach and creative ideas? We are hoping to continue to expand our activities and be able to run training programs and Earn & Learns in Western Sydney. Last financial year we employed 19 refugee women, a record for us, and we want to keep up the momentum! We can only do this, however, if customers keep supporting us by purchasing our clothes. * Anything you wish to add? Covid hasn’t made things easier for us or our community. We hope that those who believe in what we do also understand the power of their choices, and that choosing to shop with us enables us to continue doing this work. We are currently developing new styles that will be Made to Order using fabrics diverted from landfill. There is not much point in filling up a store with clothes that nobody can try on. So we will only make a sample and then manufacture the sizes that are sold. Ethical fashion doesn’t get any better than this, empowering women in need while producing zero waste! The Social Outfit 188 King St, Newtown FB: facebook.com/TheSocialOutfit Insta: @thesocialoutfit Ph: 9550 3691 E: Link Web: www.thesocialoutfit.org

Unraveling the mystery of the Tiger Shark that regurgitated an arm and the fatal murder in Gunnamatta Bay it unveiled. More on Cronulla By Elliot Lindsay The Coogee Aquarium & Baths were full of young families and children on Anzac Day in 1935. The grand attraction was a fifteen-foot tiger shark caught alive in Gunnamatta Bay a few days earlier. Too big for the aquarium, they placed it in the 25-metre lap pool for viewing. A dozen mesmerized children watched the shark glide effortlessly around the large pool. Then, suddenly, the shark began violently thrashing as though it was having a seizure. The frightened people watched as the shark then started regurgitating the contents of its belly into the pool. Once finished, the shark swam away, leaving the severed arm of a man floating in its wake. Coogee Aquarium and Baths, 1935 Detectives were called to investigate. At first, they presumed a swimmer had been taken by the shark, but there was no such report. Then they suspected it was a suicide victim eaten after jumping off a cliff. Usually, it would be challenging to identify an arm without a body attached. However, this arm was illustrated with a distinct tattoo of two men boxing. Identity Photos of the tattoo were published in the press. Almost immediately, the arm was identified. James "Jimmy" Smith was a lightweight boxer who operated billiard saloons before working for a famous boat builder as a general all-rounder. Approximately three weeks before Anzac Day, Jimmy told his family he was taking a friend named Mr Vaughn out on a fishing party. He would be back in a few days. But, unfortunately, his family never saw him again. When Jimmy's brother saw the tattooed arm in the press, he knew it belonged to Jimmy. Incredibly, even though the arm had likely been swallowed by the shark several days before it was regurgitated, it remained undigested, and was probably stuck in the shark's throat. Thus, detectives could successfully match a fingerprint on the hand with those of Jimmy's found in their records. Jimmy's friends and family were interviewed to gather clues on his movements leading to his disappearance. No one knew anything. Even Mr Vaughn said there was no such fishing trip. Finally, a friend came forward and said he received a call from Jimmy on April 7. Jimmy told him he was playing cards at the Hotel Cecil (formerly located at 20 Gerrale Street, Cronulla – now a high-rise block of luxury beachside apartments) with a mutual friend. The police identified the mutual friend and descended on a beachfront cottage at Taloombi Street, Cronulla, where he was known to frequent. However, the suspect was not there, although they finally found him in a house in Kirribilli, whereupon he was brought in for questioning. Patrick Brady was a known cheque forger and long-time friend of Jimmy Smith's. It was Brady with whom Smith was last seen at the Hotel Cecil. Police photo of the actual part-digested arm, showing the remains of a boxer tattoo Arrested developments Police decided to charge Brady with murdering Jimmy Smith. The Shark Arm Case was the most sensational Australian news story in many years and was reported around the world. The prosecution team gathered more than fifty witnesses. The chief witness was the boat builder, Reginald William Holmes, who employed Jimmy Smith at his successful family-run business in Lavender Bay. When Brady was arrested, he implicated Holmes in crimes linked to the murder. Then a few days later, Holmes, after surviving a gunshot wound to his head, took water police on a speedboat chase for several hours around the harbour before he was finally intercepted and detained. One theory behind this dramatic event is that he attempted suicide after being implicated in the murder. Another is that some underworld associates tried to have him assassinated. Once in Police custody, detectives threatened to charge Holmes as an accessory to the murder if he didn't testify against Brady. He agreed to the deal and told them his version of what happened to Jimmy Smith. According to Holmes, Brady did indeed kill Smith. He alleged that Brady then came to him with the severed arm to intimidate him and demanded money. With Holmes as a witness, the case against Brady was robust. However, that was about to change. On the morning of June 12, several hours before Brady was due to stand before the inquiry, Reginald Holmes, the chief witness in the case, was found shot dead in his car. Police found it parked under the new Harbour Bridge at Dawes Point. No gun was found at the scene, so suicide was ruled out. With Holmes now dead, the prosecution's case was doomed. Brady was still formally charged with murder and faced a trial; however, the evidence against him was not strong enough to prove his guilt. Finally, in September, the jury acquitted Patrick Brady of the charges, and he walked free. So, what is believed to have actually happened to Jimmy Smith? Lavender Bay. Holmes' boatyard was in the foreground below the trees. Photo: Alec Smart Hand of Law Reginald Holmes was more than just a boat builder; it was revealed that this operation provided a cover for his many underworld activities. He, Smith and Brady were associates engaged in insurance fraud, cheque fraud, cocaine running and extortion. Holmes provided a fleet of speed boats that collected cocaine from passing freighters. Smith was the stand-over man. Patrick Brady was a highly skilled forger of cheques. However, Holmes and Smith had a falling out over an insurance fraud operation where a high-end yacht known as Pathfinder was sunk near Terrigal to claim the insurance money. However, it is believed Smith may have become a police informant by this point and shared information with them about the fraud, which resulted in Holmes not getting his pay-out. Holmes and Brady then conspired to kill Smith in revenge. Brady was the hatchet man and did so by luring Smith to the cottage in Cronulla before shooting him. He then carved up Smith’s body and placed it in a metal chest, which he later dumped in Gunnamatta Bay. The tattooed arm was kept by Brady and given to Holmes as proof that the hit was a success. Holmes then threw Smith’s arm into Sydney Harbour, where the unsuspecting tiger shark swallowed it. This is one of the most fascinating murder cases ever to have occurred. The chain of events leading to the apprehension of Patrick Brady and the murder of Reginald Holmes is beyond belief. Had they been written in a crime fiction novel they would have been dismissed as too far-fetched. However, sometimes truth truly is stranger than fiction… Coogee Aquarium and Baths, present day. Photo: Alec Smart -------------------------- Elliot Lindsay hosts Murders Most Foul, Sydney’s True Crime Walking Tours. https://murdersmostfoul.com/ Insta: https://www.instagram.com/murdersmostfoul/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100070235298375 =======================================

The Northern Beaches is arguably one of Sydney's most picturesque localities, and a favourite destination for avid picnic-goers. More on Dee Why By ALEC SMART This is our list of the top picnic spots on the Northern Beaches, in alphabetical order. We recommends these gorgeous (mainly) free picnic spots in the Northern Beaches region where you can unfurl a blanket, open an esky and relax with friends and family. Swamp Wallaby, The Basin, Pittwater. Photo: Alec Smart Apex Park, Mona Vale Seabeach Ave, Mona Vale Facilities: toilets, electric BBQs, shaded kids playground, tidal rock pool, picnic tables, limited shelter, freshwater tap, free on-street parking. Attractions: adjacent to Mona Vale Beach and ocean pool. Dee Why seafront. Photo: Alec Smart The Basin Picnic Area Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park Accessible via ferry from Palm Beach Entrance fee required Facilities: toilets, electric BBQs, shaded kids playground, off-leash dog area, netted harbour pool, tidal rock pool, picnic tables, shelter, showers, freshwater tap, fishing, bushwalking paths, overnight camping (booking necessary). Attractions: situated in a sheltered cove surrounded by bush, with swamp wallabies roaming picnic areas and a tidal lagoon in which it’s safe for children to swim. Aboriginal carvings can be seen on a 2.8km bush trek up towards West Head Balmoral Beach Playground The Esplanade, Balmoral Facilities: toilets, kids playground, netted harbour pool, picnic tables, limited shelter, showers, cafés, freshwater tap, fishing, cycle + walking paths, basketball court, on-street parking. Attractions: extensive parklands, range of diners & cafes, safe harbour swimming, sporting facilities at Balmoral Oval, short walk to Rocky Point Island (connected to shore). Deep Creek, Narrabeen. Photo: Alec Smart Berry Reserve, Narrabeen 1395-1417 Pittwater Rd, Narrabeen Lagoon (east side) Facilities: toilets, electric BBQs, kids playground, off-leash dog area, shallow tidal lagoon swimming, picnic tables, café, freshwater tap, cycle + walking paths, kayak/SUP hire, on-street parking. Attractions: situated along the foreshore of Narrabeen Lagoon, this waterside rest and recreation spot is a close walk to Narrabeen shops and public transport, and hosts a market every third Sunday. Best enjoyed at sunset. Bilarong Reserve, North Narrabeen Wakehurst Parkway, Narrabeen Lagoon (north side) Facilities: toilets, electric BBQs, kids playground, shallow tidal lagoon swimming, picnic tables, limited shelter, freshwater tap, cycle + walking paths, ticketed parking. Attractions: on the northern foreshore of Narrabeen Lagoon, this pretty spot with a wooden bridge and sandstone sculptures features dual play areas for smaller and larger kids. Also a popular point to launch kayaks, stand-up paddle-boards or small water craft. Manly Reservoir and Dam, Allambie Heights. Photo: Alec Smart Clareville Beach Reserve Delecta Ave, Clareville Facilities: toilets, electric BBQs, netted harbour pool, picnic tables, café, freshwater tap, on-street parking. Attractions: a shallow, calm beach on the Pittwater side of Avalon with nearby netted wharf swimming and views of the bushland across Pittwater. Clifton Gardens Reserve Morella Rd, Mosman Facilities: toilets, electric BBQs, shaded kids playground, off-leash dog area, netted harbour pool, picnic tables, limited shelter, café, freshwater tap, fishing, cycle paths, ticketed parking, free on-street parking at top of hill. Attractions: large grassy area with trees for shade, cycle tracks, basketball hoop, safe swimming and a jetty for fishing. McCarrs Creek, Church Point. Photo: Alec Smart Clontarf Reserve Sandy Bay Rd, Clontarf Facilities: toilets, electric BBQs, shaded kids playground, leashed dogs allowed (dedicated dog beach nearby), netted harbour pool, picnic tables, limited shelter, showers, café, freshwater tap, fishing, cycle paths, ticketed car park, free on-street parking. Benefits: safe netted pool suitable for small children, views of Spit Bridge opposite, small sandy beach, Clontarf Marina nearby. Collaroy Beach Birdwood Ave, Collaroy Facilities: toilets, electric BBQs, shaded kids playground, ocean rockpool, picnic tables, limited shelter, showers, café, freshwater tap, walking paths, ticketed car park, ticketed parking. Benefits: the modern playground is popular for parents with young children, and many of the rides are accessible to kids with mobility issues. Collaroy Beach playground. Photo: Alec Smart Davidson Park, Roseville Bridge Healey Way, Garigal National Park, Forestville Facilities: toilets, electric BBQs, picnic tables, limited shelter, boat ramp, freshwater tap, fishing, bushwalking paths, canoe hire, ticketed parking. $8 vehicle entry fee Attractions: located beneath the Roseville Bridge, which looms high above on concrete columns, the beautiful forested environs of Middle Harbour Creek are enjoyable to explore on light water craft. Dee Why Beach The Strand, Dee Why Facilities: toilets, electric BBQs, shaded kids playground, off-leash dog area, tidal rock pool, picnic tables, shelter, showers, cafés, freshwater tap, cycle + walking paths, on-street parking + ticketed car park. Attractions: the enclosed Michaela Howie playground at the southern end of Dee Why Beach features modern equipment including a spider climbing web, and alongside that is an all-weather ping pong table. Nearby is an ocean rockpool, and further north, adjacent to Dee Why Lagoon, James Meehan Reserve is an off-leash dog walking area. Deep Creek Reserve Wakehurst Parkway, North Narrabeen Facilities: toilets, off-leash dog area, picnic tables, limited shelter, freshwater tap, fishing, cycle + walking paths, parking. Attractions; a foreshore reserve on the north bank of Deep Creek, which feeds into Narrabeen Lagoon, this forested parkland is popular among kayakers as well as dog walkers. Apex Park, Mona Vale. Photo: Alec Smart Fairlight + Delwood Beaches Kay-Ye-My Point, Fairlight Facilities: toilets, ocean pool, showers, freshwater tap, walking paths, limited parking (access by bus). Attractions: situated on either side of Kay-ye-my Point and connected by a walkway, Fairlight Beach features an ocean rockpool whilst Delwood Beach, with a view out over Manly Cove, is a small sandy beach good for snorkelling and surrounded by pine trees and rocks. It is popular among locals and wedding parties because it is remote from Manly’s touristy areas, primarily because it requires parking some distance away. Manly Warringah Memorial Park Manly Reservoir, King St, Allambie Heights Facilities: toilets, electric + woodfired BBQs, shaded kids playground, freshwater swimming, picnic tables, limited shelter, boat ramp, café, freshwater tap, fishing, mountain bicycle + walking paths, ticketed parking. Attractions: popular with water skiers and kayakers as well as off-road cyclists, this picturesque spot (with a dam wall that can be traversed) also hosts annual Remembrance and Anzac Day ceremonies. Little Manly Beach, Little Manly. Photo: Alec Smart Little Manly Beach Stuart St, Manly Facilities: toilets, electric BBQs, shaded kids playground, netted harbour pool, picnic tables, limited shelter, showers, boat ramp, café, freshwater tap, fishing, on-street parking + small carpark. Attractions: this small cove with views out over Manly Cove is popular with families with young kids, because they can swim in the netted pool, enjoy the playground or make castles in the sand. McCarrs Creek Reserve McCarrs Creek Rd, Church Point Facilities: toilets, woodfired BBQs, off-leash dog area (weekdays), shallow tidal inlet, picnic tables, limited shelter, boat ramp, freshwater tap, fishing, on-street parking. Attractions: a pretty bushland spot with a large grassed area shaded by trees, a small jetty from which to fish and a shallow tidal inlet at Cicada Glen Creek that kids can splash in. Sirius Cove, Mosman. Photo: Alec Smart Middle Creek Reserve Wakehurst Parkway, Narrabeen Lagoon (west side) Facilities: toilets, electric BBQs, shaded kids playground, leashed dog area, shallow tidal lagoon swimming, picnic tables, limited shelter, freshwater tap, fishing, cycle + walking paths, ticketed parking. Attractions: another popular kayaking spot along the cycle/walking track that circumnavigates Narrabeen Lagoon. North Harbour Reserve Condamine St South, Balgowlah Facilities: toilets, electric BBQs, shaded kids playground, off-leash dog area, not recommended for swimming, picnic tables, limited shelter, café, freshwater tap, fishing, walking path, on-street parking. Attractions: with a large grassy reserve for unleashing dogs, a basketball court and children’s play area, this family-friendly recreation ground is a great spot to relax and enjoy the harbour view. Shelly Beach, Manly. Photo: Alec Smart Rosherville Reserve, Chinaman’s Beach McLean Crescent, Mosman Facilities: toilets, shaded kids playground, small sandy beach, picnic tables, limited shelter, freshwater tap, fishing, on-street parking. Attractions: extensive grasslands with shady trees, small white sand beach, pleasant area for kayaking, close to The Spit. Shelly Beach, Manly Bower St, Manly Facilities: toilets, electric BBQs, kids playground, cove beach, picnic tables, limited shelter, showers, café, freshwater tap, ticketed parking. Attractions: ideal for snorkelling and light water craft, the waveless Cabbage Tree Bay is safe for younger children who also enjoy gathering shells on the aptly-named Shelly Beach. Winnererremy Bay, Mona Vale. Photo: Alec Smart Sirius Cove Reserve Sirius Cove Rd, Mosman Facilities: public toilet, electric BBQs, kids playground, off-leash dog area, picnic tables, limited shelter, freshwater tap, fishing, on-street parking. Attractions: views of Sydney Harbour, seafront bush walks, short trek to Taronga Zoo, sheltered cove for kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding, original campsite of famous 1890s artists’ colony established by Arthur Streeton. Winnererremy Bay Foreshore Reserve Mona St, Mona Vale Facilities: toilets, electric BBQs, shaded kids playground, shallow bay swimming, picnic tables, shelter, café, freshwater tap, cycle paths, on-street parking + small car park. Attractions: located at the southern end of Pittwater, the water is shallow enough for kids to paddle and the all-ages playground includes a flying fox ride. Also ideal for kayaking or stand-up paddle boarding. Davidson Park, Forestville. Photo: Alec Smart Information on parking, costs, facilities, etc., associated with picnics and barbecues along the Northern Beaches. https://www.northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au/ ==================================

By ALEC SMART More on Cronulla Here's a list of the nicest family picnic spots in Sutherland Shire to enjoy the great outdoors, with the facilities available at each. Whale sculpture, Sutherland Point, Kamay-Botany National Park, Kurnell. Photo: Alec Smart Free Picnic Spots in Sutherland Shire Note, this is a list of free picnic spots for families in Sutherland Shire, but there is sometimes a ferry ride required that is not free, or parking. We have listed any of these costs per picnic site. Audley Village Audley Rd, Royal National Park $12 vehicle entrance fee to Royal National Park. In Audley Village, where a weir bridge divides the village and separates the tidal Hacking River from its freshwater source, there are at least six dedicated picnic areas in close proximity, plus another four within walking distance. Those closest to the weir include Allambie Flat, Boatshed, Ironbark and Currawong, with Reids Flat the furthest downstream and Wattle Forest the furthest upriver. Facilities: toilets, electric/gas BBQs, freshwater + tidal seawater swimming, picnic tables, limited shelter, café, freshwater tap, cycle + walking paths, wildlife watching, fishing, good for kayaking/SUP, kayak hire, free on-street parking. Attractions: great for kayaking adventures either side of the weir. Bonna Point Reserve - Free Picnic Spot Prince Charles Parade, Kurnell Facilities: toilets, electric/gas BBQs, seawater swimming, picnic tables, limited shelter, cafés, freshwater tap, cycle + walking paths, good for kayaking/SUP, fishing, boat ramp, free on-street parking. Attractions: popular with plane watchers and dog walkers, the latter due to the dedicated off-leash dog beach alongside at the western end of Silver Beach, accessible 24-hours a day. Also a modern kids play area with “the biggest slide in Sutherland.” Woronora River, Woronora. Photo: Alec Smart Bonnie Vale Picnic Grounds, Simpsons Bay Sea Breeze Lane, Bundeena (1.5km walk from Bundeena Ferry Wharf) Ferry fare from Cronulla or $12 vehicle entrance fee to Royal National Park. Facilities: toilets, electric/gas BBQs, beach or sheltered lagoon swimming, picnic tables, limited shelter, showers (for campers), freshwater tap, cycle + walking paths, tennis courts, wildlife watching, fishing, boat ramp, good for kayaking/SUP, kayak hire, overnight camping (booking necessary). Attractions: The picnic ground, adjacent to Bundeena Campsites, is a short walk to Cabbage Tree Basin, a shallow tidal estuary with safe swimming and crossed by a footbridge. Bonnet Bay Reserve 197 Washington Drive, Bonnet Bay Facilities: toilets, picnic tables, limited shelter, freshwater tap, good for kayaking/SUP, sports oval, wildlife watching, fishing, boat ramp, free on-street parking. Attractions: Great for kayaking along Woronora River. Bundeena Reserve and Horderns Beach Brighton St, Bundeena Ferry fare from Cronulla or $12 vehicle entrance fee to Royal National Park. Facilities: toilets, electric/gas BBQs, shaded kids playground, off-leash dog area (4.30pm-8.30am, April-Sept), beach swimming, picnic tables, limited shelter, cafés, freshwater tap, cycle + walking paths, fishing, boat ramp, good for kayaking/SUP. Attractions: Close proximity to a range of shops in Bundeena and a variety of bushwalks. A 2km trek east along Gunyah and Jibbon Beaches leads to ancient Indigenous rock engravings on Jibbon Head. Hacking River, Audley Village, Royal National Park. Photo: Alec Smart Burnum Burnum Sanctuary 6 Prince Edward Park Rd, Woronora Facilities: toilets, gas/electric BBQs, shaded kids playground, picnic tables, limited shelter, freshwater tap, cycle + walking paths, bushwalking paths, good for kayaking/SUP, wildlife watching, fishing, boat ramp, free on-street parking. Attractions: The playground was upgraded in 2021 and is geared towards kids aged 2-10, with a climbing net, carousel, tube slides and in-ground trampolines. Burraneer Park 74 Dominic St, Burraneer Facilities: toilets, gas/electric BBQs, kids playground, off-leash dog area, shallow tidal bay swimming, picnic tables, limited shelter, freshwater tap, mountain bicycle + bushwalking paths, good for kayaking/SUP, wildlife watching, fishing, boat ramp (nearby at Water St), free on-street parking. Attractions: Bush tracks for off-leash walking dogs. Boat ramp is extension of the bitumen road to water’s edge, not requiring a 4-wheel-drive vehicle. Horderns Beach, Bundeena. Photo: Alec Smart Commemoration Flat 21 Cape Solander Drive, Kurnell Peninsula Ticketed parking or $8 vehicle entry fee to Kamay-Botany Bay National Park. Facilities: toilets, gas/electric BBQs, sea swimming at nearby Silver Beach, picnic tables, limited shelter, cafés (on Polo St), freshwater tap, cycle + walking paths, bushwalking paths, wildlife watching, fishing. Open 7am-7.30pm Aug-May (7am-5.30pm June-July). Attractions: Burrawang Walk, a 1.2km paved and wheelchair-accessible sculpture trail, leads to Captain Cook’s landing place and the Kurnell Visitor Centre, passing sculptures acknowledging the Indigenous Gweagal peoples (including two bronze humpback whales). Como Pleasure Grounds 2a Cremona Rd, Como Facilities: toilets, gas/electric BBQs, kids playground, boat ramp, freshwater + netted harbour pools, picnic tables, limited shelter, cafés, freshwater tap, cycle + walking paths, fishing, fishing boat hire, good for kayaking/SUP, free on-street parking. Attractions: Free seasonal freshwater pool (open Oct 1 - March 31 except public holidays) with a shark-netted harbour pool below, panoramic views of Georges River, self-drive motorised dinghies and pontoons available to hire, dogs on leash permitted, popular for weddings. Boating on Woronora River near Burnum Burnum Sanctuary, Woronora. Photo: Alec Smart Cronulla Park, South Cronulla Beach 20 Gerrale St, Cronulla Facilities: toilets, gas/electric BBQs, kids playground, on-leash dogs permitted (but not within 10 metres of kids play area), ocean rockpool, picnic tables, limited shelter, showers, cafés, freshwater tap, cycle + walking paths, free on-street parking. Attractions: Cronulla Beach is the only beach patrolled all year round by lifesavers, both professionals from Sutherland Shire Council and volunteers from Cronulla Surf Life Saving Club. Darook Park, Gunnamatta Bay 43 Darook Park Rd, Cronulla Facilities: toilets, on-leash dog walking, shallow tidal bay swimming, picnic tables, limited shelter, freshwater tap, walking paths (coastal track to Darook Park South), good for kayaking/SUP, free on-street parking (limited space). Attractions: Very popular for children due to clear shallow water and no waves – ideal for young snorkellers. Dunningham Park and North Cronulla Beach Elouera Rd and Kingsway, Cronulla Facilities: toilets, kids playground, on-leash dog area, 2 tidal rock pools (not patrolled by surf lifesavers), picnic tables, limited shelter, cafés, freshwater tap, cycle + walking paths, free on-street parking. Attractions: Adjacent to North Cronulla Beach and North Cronulla Surf Lifesavers. South Cronulla Beach. Photo: Alec Smart Garie Beach Garie Rd, Royal National Park Facilities: toilets, ocean beach swimming, picnic tables, showers, café, freshwater tap, bushwalking paths, wildlife watching, fishing, free on-street parking, overnight camping (booking necessary), $12 vehicle entrance fee to Royal National Park. Attractions: Close to the North Era campsite (check in after 2pm, check out before 10am with 1 night maximum stay), which is BYO tent and portable stove. The beach is patrolled by lifesavers on weekends and public holidays. Gunnamatta Park, Gunnamatta Bay 39 Nicholson Pde, Cronulla Facilities: toilets, gas/electric BBQs, kids playground, off-leash dog area, netted harbour pool, picnic tables, limited shelter, showers, freshwater tap, cycle + walking paths, good for kayaking/SUP, SUP hire, wildlife watching, fishing, free on-street parking. Attractions: Close to Cronulla Station and Cronulla Wharf, the calm water of the inner bay makes it ideal for young children or stand-up paddleboarders. Gymea Baths, Gymea Bay. Photo: Alec Smart Gymea Bay Baths Ellesmere Rd, Gymea Bay Facilities: toilets, netted harbour pool, freshwater tap, walking paths, good for kayaking/SUP, wildlife watching, fishing, free on-street parking. Attractions: Accessible by a steep walkway from Ellesmere Rd, the netted tidal pool has a boardwalk extending across the seafront that is popular for fishing. Also plenty of birdlife in this forested cove. Hungry Point Reserve 202 Nicholson Parade, Cronulla Facilities: toilets Attractions: Open 6am-6pm (8pm in Summer), only some of the Reserve is currently open to the public; there are three grassed areas in the northern part of the Reserve adjacent to Nicholson Parade that are available for public use. The car park gate is automatically locked each evening at closing time Current plans are to extend the Esplanade to link Salmon Haul Reserve to Darook Park along the foreshore of Hungry Point Reserve. Lakewood City Reserve 5 Coolidge Crescent, Bonnet Bay Facilities: toilets, gas/electric BBQs, kids playground, picnic tables, limited shelter, freshwater tap, tennis courts, sports oval, cycle + walking paths, good for kayaking/SUP, fishing, free on-street parking. Attractions: Large grassed area for the kids to run around, short walk to sports facilities or Woronora River for fishing or kayaking/SUP. Lakewood City Reserve kids play area, Bonnet Bay. Photo: Alec Smart Lilli Pilli Baths Lilli Pilli Point Rd, Lilli Pilli Facilities: toilets, netted harbour pool, showers, freshwater tap, walking paths, good for kayaking/SUP, wildlife watching, fishing, free on-street parking. Attractions: The netted, tidal ocean baths feature a wooden jetty along one side. Following a track around the peninsula brings you to Lilli Pilli Reserve, a grassy, tree-lined area with views of Port Hacking. Limited on-street parking, but bus stops are close. Oak Park Beach 156 Ewos Parade, Cronulla Facilities: toilets, gas/electric BBQs, kids playground, tidal rock pool, picnic tables, limited shelter, showers, cafés, freshwater tap, walking paths, fishing, free on-street parking. Attractions: The tidal rockpool was originally built in the early 1900s. On-leash dogs are allowed along the grassed parts of the seafront promenade. A paved footpath currently extends from South Cronulla Beach around the Cronulla peninsula to Hungry Point, with plans afoot to extend it. Cabbage Tree Basin, Bundeena (near Bonnie Vale). Photo: Alec Smart Prince Edward Park 118 Prince Edward Park Rd, Woronora Facilities: toilets, gas/electric BBQs, kids playground, shallow tidal rock pool, picnic tables, limited shelter, café, freshwater tap, bushwalking paths, sports oval, good for kayaking/SUP, kayak/SUP hire, wildlife watching, fishing, fishing boat hire, boat ramp, free on-street parking, ticketed parking, overnight camping (booking necessary). Attractions: Spacious parkland with lots of kids facilities, a boat ramp, cricket pitch and a footbridge crossing the Woronora River. Excellent kayaking area with canoe hire available. Shelly Park, Shelly Beach 70 Ewos Parade, South Cronulla Facilities: toilets, gas/electric BBQs, kids playground, on-leash dogs permitted, ocean rockpool, picnic tables, limited shelter, showers, cafés, freshwater tap, cycle + walking paths, free on-street parking. Attractions: There are baby change facilities and the children’s play area has a Liberty Swing for wheelchair-bound people. The naturally formed rockpool north of Shelly Beach is known as The Nuns Pool, because, historically, nuns from a convent above swam in it. The 1930s-built Shelly Beach rockpool, to the south, has a ramp leading down to it from The Esplanade. Yena Picnic Area Cape Solander Drive, Kamay-Botany Bay National Park, Kurnell Ticketed parking or $8 vehicle entry fee to Kamay-Botany Bay National Park. Facilities: picnic tables, cycle + walking paths, bushwalking paths, wildlife watching, fishing. Open 7am-7.30pm Aug-May (7am-5.30pm June-July). Attractions: No BBQ facilities, shelter or public toilets but great seaside spot for whale-watching during cetacean migration season (May-Nov). Ferry across Port Hacking between Cronulla and Bundeena. Photo: Alec Smart For family picnic spots elsewere in Sydney, here is our article on picnic spots in Northern Beaches. =================

Are you looking for a furry friend to join your family? Have you set your heart on a particular designer breed? Maybe you should think again about pedigrees. And if you are looking to adopt, here are some Cronulla pet rescue sites. More on Cronulla Did you know researchers at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, revealed that a dog’s environment influenced their aggression levels and overall behaviour more than their breed’s reputation? Each dog is a sentient being and although they may be a textbook example of their breed, they could be the polar opposite! Yes, your designer Cavoodle could inflict as much damage as a 5-year-old rescue Staffy! Pet Rescue Centres in Cronulla uce iIn light of this, we encourage our readers to consider ADOPTING - not SHOPPING. If you are interested in adding a furry friend to your family, why not drop in to one of the rescue centres below to meet the residents? And if you’re not looking to adopt, there are still lots of ways you can get involved! Sutherland Shire Animal Shelter This local, low-kill shelter houses dogs and cats that have been found stray or abandoned, or were seized. If animals cannot be returned to their owners, the shelter seeks new homes for them. Prior to rehoming, dogs and cats are desexed, lifetime registered, vaccinated and microchipped. The shelter has a wide range of dogs and cats for sale, including puppies and kittens, as well as mature pets. All are temperament tested prior to being put up for adoption. 8 Production Road, Taren Point - 9710 0401 RSCPA NSW RSPCA is Australia’s largest rescue organisation - with various locations right across Australia. The NSW Branch offers a range of different services, from animal adoption, to volunteer programs - they are also an animal welfare enforcement agency. If you believe there is an animal being treated sub-par, you can contact the RSPCA to make a report. Adoptions can be facilitated online, or at their Welfare Shelter in Yagoona. 201 Rookwood Rd, Yagoona - 9770 7555 - www.rspca.org.au Animal Welfare League A registered charity that has been operating for over 60 years, providing expert care to surrendered, neglected and abandoned animals. If you are looking to adopt an animal, you can find their Animal Shelter in Kemps Creek, NSW. They also offer extensive volunteer programs, which usually include assistance with socialising animals, as well as cleaning and other care duties. You can also report cruelty cases to the AWL. 1605 Elizabeth Drive, Kemps Creek - 8777 4445 - www.awlnsw.org.au

More on Cronulla Shire local, co-founder and managing director of Greater Glass in Kirrawee, Deb Deeth, speaks about adding value to your home with glass. Whether you’re sprucing up to sell, preparing to host Christmas gatherings or just looking to liven up your home - there’s no need to bend over backwards on a full home renovation this Summer. With an extensive array of modernised designs and flexible options, glass is the low-cost and high-impact solution to updating your outdated decor and leaving a lasting impression. If you still need convincing from the experts, here are five reasons glass is the missing piece your home needs to amaze and impress. Provide an instant “wow” factor Particularly in old homes, it’s common to find an outdated decorative panel of glass next to the front door (the old amber coloured glass was a 70’s favourite). By adding modern frosted or decorative patterns to your front entry or façade, you can instantly give your home the contemporary refresh it’s been needing. As they say, first impressions are the key to selling your home - so the front entrance is your time to shine. Feel comfortable in your home Glass has come a long way in terms of technology. Energy-efficient glass can help you stay in control of your household temperature, reducing your energy consumption. Keep your old window frames and just replace the glass with low-E coated glass for an extraordinary impact. Low-E coated glass is designed to reduce glare, furniture fade and solar heat gain by up to 30%, which means you can feel comfortable in your home this Summer. Create bathroom bliss on a budget Bathroom glass designs can be customised to match the look and feel of your space, enabling you to modernise your bathroom for a price that won’t break the bank. Shower glass designs have flexible pricing options that suit most budgets, which means you can give your bathroom a luxurious makeover without the hassle and cost of a complete bathroom renovation. So, whether you’re looking to simply throw in a new mirror or change the dated pattern glass in the window with a modern frosted safety product, a touch of glass will instantly make your bathroom feel luxurious. Tailor to your taste While glass splashbacks remain a go-to for modernising a kitchen, they are now also a common choice for home bars, barbecue areas and inside showers. Glass splashbacks are easy to clean (which means you can say goodbye to scrubbing grout) and the colour choices are limitless to suit any decor. While it’s common to stick to versatile colours like blacks, whites and primary colours, ‘mirror’ has become a recent best seller to give the illusion of a bigger space and reflect a fabulous view. Plus, you can be as creative as you like by reproducing photographic images. For example, Greater Glass offers a brand new matte glass option that looks like stone but costs less! Glass can help protect your furniture It’s no doubt that glass can give your space the next-level ‘wow’ factor it’s been missing. Even better however, it also serves as your golden tool to protect the expensive furniture around your home. Glass tabletops are perfect to place on top of your antique dressing tables, timber dining table or office desk. As I’m sure you can imagine, during lockdown it came as no surprise that Greater Glass had a surge of glass orders for desks to stop kids drawing on the table with texter! -- If you’re looking for bespoke made-to-measure grade A safety glass, manufactured in Australia and sourced right here in the Sutherland Shire, call Deb on 9521 7298 or visit greaterglass.com.au.

More on Surry Hills Looking for artistic inspiration? Look no further. When it comes to artistic inspiration, postcode 2010 is a hub of creativity. To get you inspired we've put together a small collection of art galleries in Surry Hills worth a visit. The Pick of Art Galleries in Surry Hills .M Contemporary Art Gallery A: 8/15-19 Boundary St, Darlinghurst NSW 2010 W: www.mcontemp.com .M Contemporary is a gallery space that aims to create a cross-cultural conversation through exhibiting and supporting emerging and established artists from around the world. Stanley Street Gallery A: 1/52-54 Stanley St, Darlinghurst NSW 2010 W: www.stanleystreetgallery.com.au The gallery hosts a continually changing exhibition calendar and showcases the work of both established and emerging artists. Exhibitions include painting, photography, sculpture, wearable art, ceramics, video, and performance. The Artery A: The Westbury, Shop 2/221 Darlinghurst Rd, Darlinghurst NSW 2010 W: https://www.artery.com.au A dynamic gallery showcasing original, contemporary paintings by Aboriginal artists. Brett Whiteley Studio A: 2 Raper St, Surry Hills NSW 2010 W: www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/visit/brett-whiteley-studio Art museum & former home of avant-garde artist Brett Whiteley, featuring large, unfinished works. TAP Gallery A: Level 1/259 Riley St, Surry Hills NSW 2010 W: www.tapgallery.org.au/ The Tap Gallery is an art gallery, exhibition centre, and arts and drama venue. Aside from hosting art exhibitions, it is also known for hosting plays and drawing classes.

Glebe photographer Tom Psomotragos has a diverse and interesting portfolio of images, ranging from commercial – weddings and events – to photodocumentary, to a series of informal portraits of Glebe residents taken with his creative partner Eulalie Moore. More on Glebe By ALEC SMART Born in Karpasi, on the island of Lemnos, Greece, in 1953, Tom arrived in Australia in 1955 and grew up in the close Limnian community in Melbourne. A qualified TAFE and secondary school teacher, Tom developed his photography from high school experimentation and also moved into cinematography. After establishing a commercial photography studio in Glebe he created the first digital photographic books in Australia. In 1988 he began a long-term photographic study of an Eastern Arrernte Indigenous family group around Alice Springs. Then, in 2009, he initiated Glebe 150, a series of portraits of Glebe characters and personalities (in conjunction with Glebe Chamber of Commerce), which involved a month-long exhibition in various outdoor and indoor locations around the suburb. “We are a team, Eulalie Moore and myself,” Tom said. “We are doing profile pieces on people’s personal lives where they are comfortable. There are some great stories behind the photos..” Tom’s portraits, the majority in black & white, are informal but engaging, capturing people at work or rest, some looking at the camera, others caught in a moment. “One of my major projects is Welcome to Glebe,” Tom revealed, “a 13-year community art-based project organised and co-ordinated by Eulalie, who is also documenting the project. It is an intimate portrayal of a disparate and unique community that originally attracted me to living here... A community and home that I have not grown tired of and which regularly astounds me. “Eulalie and I both have a long history with Glebe,” Tom continued, “and having photographed and documented over 600 individual portraits, we are capturing its history. We hope, through working with the community, to help preserve as much as possible of the foundation that has created such a place. “We have noticed that pace of change is accelerating and unless a better understanding of the social and political changes that are being forced onto Glebe are carefully worked through and balanced with the existing social fabric, we will lose a disparate, living, thriving community to monocultural gentrification. “In many ways this is both of our mission statement. To put up a mirror to you and say: ‘We have lost Millers Point, Pyrmont and now we may very well lose Glebe’. “As distinct from my Eastern Arrernte series, which was a purely photojournalistic approach, Welcome to Glebe is a portrait-based project to capture my intimate community, those people that make up the social fabric of such a vibrant and rarely-glimpsed world, from street people to businesses, social housing to the exclusive end of Glebe and to the homeless groups in Wentworth Park.” Wentworth Park Arches community Tom’s Homeless series of images documents the street sleepers of Sydney, primarily the dwellers beneath the viaduct arches in Glebe’s Wentworth Park. How did that come about? “When, in 2008-9, Eulalie and I started the Glebe project, a group of six homeless men moved in together under the arches of Wentworth Park,” Tom explained. “They formed a small, tight community, which I befriended and grew to know and photographed... “The openness and warmth they extended to me continued over a period of seven years as other groups formed and were also included in the process, even after being re-housed. This series is that story but it is still the heart of the Glebe project…” Tom also specialises in wedding photography and photo-documentary. Many of his wedding photos are not staged but beautiful and tender moments captured off-guard, with a natural feel, like reportage. Was it a conscious choice to apply his observational/journalistic style to recording weddings, or a happy accident? “It’s capturing the emotional and unselfconsciously lived moments that I love in this work - unsentimental, and real... As in most commercial or commissioned work, I have taken into account my subjects, to capture and render them as tenderly and positively as possible, even at times glamorously… “I use my drama college studies to help marry this commercial work and my artistic approach… My passion is for photography as an expressive medium for what I would describe as embracing and extolling the human spirit. It’s a tall order and I expect to fail, but it’s at the core of my art practice.” In Tom’s Landscapes series, there are a lot of close-ups of tree trunks, showcasing the distinction and diversity among Australia’s arboreal flora. What attracts him to photographing trees? “The snow gums – eucalyptus pauciflora – embraced me like torsos,” Tom explained. “Reaching out with invisible arms that captured the feeling of those long bush walks and cross-country ski trips with a close friend...” Tom’s series of photos of Karpasi, the town of his birth on the island of Lemnos, Greece, reveal a rural simplicity, with glassless windows, old crumbling dwellings and even a tethered donkey used by an elderly woman to carry goods. “The Greek series is my trip back to the Greece I left in 1955,” Tom revealed. “The old stone houses held together by mud and lime, no running water, no electricity, no plumbing, no toilets! A true rural village, with the last of the villagers who were alive back then. These images are the ghosts of that Greece that I left – each time I go back there are more ghosts. As with my other art projects – my landscapes, international street photography series, bunker series [shot in WWII bunkers around Malabar, La Perouse, Middle Harbour and West Head] - there is a complex interweaving of personal and what I call transpersonal experience. Certain themes and symbolic representations reappear, which only make sense in a synchronistic embrace of these works...” Tom Psomotragos Web: https://www.tompsomotragos.com/ Insta: https://www.instagram.com/tompsomo/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/tompsomotragosphotography/ ======================================

St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney, has taken out 2 awards at the Business NSW 2021 Business Awards. The annual awards, this year sponsored by the City of Sydney, have 13 different categories recognising growth, entrepreneurship and business success. The Darlinghurst hospital’s Covid-19 response saw it win the most Outstanding Community or Cultural Organisation category among a field of high achievers, including sustainable homewares designers, photographers and eye specialists. And St Vincent’s innovative program promoting better health outcomes for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities saw it claim its second award for Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion. The latter initiative, a flexi-clinic called St Vincent’s Stay'n In, Stay’n Deadly Project, was founded to promote a safe and welcoming space for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients. St Vincent’s Hospital, Darlinghurst. Photo: Clytemnestra/Wikimedia Commons The flexi-clinic means that soon after arrival, patients are seen by a staff specialist or ‘flexi-doctor’, significantly reducing waiting, testing and diagnosis times. At the same time, Aboriginal Health Unit team members are on hand to support the patient throughout their treatment and follow-up care. The team at St Vincent’s was overjoyed to have been externally recognised at the Business NSW 2021 Awards for their efforts over the past 18 months. St Vincent’s CEO Associate Professor, Anthony Scembri, said the awards were particularly special this year. “At the heart of everything we do at St Vincent’s is our longstanding mission to serve our community – particularly the poor and vulnerable. These 2 awards represent important validation that we continue to remain true to this mission, particularly in the face of some of our greatest health challenges.” Business NSW CEO Daniel Hunter said the awards recognise business success and resilience from sectors across the state. “In 2021, every industry, from health care to hospitality, retail to recruitment, was forced to pivot and innovate in order to deal with fallout from the pandemic,” he said. “These awards showcase the businesses that shone brightest in very dark times.” “It’s important too that we also recognise the local chambers that provided leadership and vision throughout these unchartered waters, which is why we’re delighted to be able honour the outstanding commitment from the Darlinghurst Business Partnership.” Other winners in the 14 categories at the Business NSW 2021 Business Awards included: Neil Sharma of Eye and Retina, an independently-owned ophthalmology practice in Green Square; Lion & Cub Photography, a boutique photographic portrait studio in St Peters; Hivery retail planners, which combine artificial intelligence, operations research and design for vending, trade promotion and category management systems; and Outstanding Employee Vicky Lee of Ovira, which design and make devices to relieve menstruation cramps. Details of the award winners at Business NSW: https://www.businessnsw.com/members/business-awards/sydney-city St Vincent’s Hospital: https://www.svhs.org.au/ Stay’n Deadly, Stay’n In program: https://www.svhs.org.au/newsroom/announcements/stayn-in-stayn-deadly ===============================================