Why Marrickville’s craft microbreweries are redefining Sydney’s drinking culture. More on Marrickville Small, independent craft microbreweries are not only creating great new flavours, but also great new social hangouts throughout Marrickville and beyond. Although consumption overall has dropped slightly since the 1970s, beer is still one of this country’s favourite beverages. The way we drink it has changed a lot in the last few decades, and that is equally due to and accounts for the proliferation of boutique or craft breweries. Known generally as microbreweries, these privately owned, custom labelled brewers produce bespoke beers using mostly traditional techniques. The advantage these little brewers have is that they can experiment more with flavours and methods, therefore producing a huge range of styles and special brews. This means they can appeal to a much wider demographic. With competition for shelf space being pretty tough in major retail outlets, many microbreweries sell direct to buyers, and an ever-increasing number are setting up their own bars on premises, teaming up with food trucks and pop-up kitchens. The rustic, industrial environment of these venues, as well as the novelty of being surrounded by shiny metal vats and drinking unique brews, has made microbreweries a preferred choice for casual get-togethers, special celebrations, and even family dinner options. With the added advantage of not having pokies, betting facilities, and endlessly screened sports, microbrewery venues are rivalling pubs as the place to relax, have a nice meal, and enjoy a delicious cold beer.

Inner West Council’s new towing policy gives residents fast relief from blocked driveways, allowing offending cars to be towed free of charge. More on Marrickville Have you ever come home after a long day to find someone parked across your driveway? Now you can do something about it. Inner West Council has introduced a new policy to make sure residents and businesses don’t get stuck waiting for an inconsiderate parker to move. Vehicles that block driveways can now be towed free of charge for the affected resident or business owner, clearing access quickly and saving plenty of frustration. Here’s how it works: if your driveway is blocked, contact Council and a parking officer will respond. Once confirmed, the offending vehicle will be towed to a nearby street, and both local police and Council’s Customer Service team will be notified. The vehicle’s owner will be informed as soon as they return to find their car moved. This policy comes in response to growing complaints about illegal parking - in 2024 alone, Council received 4,393 reports of blocked driveways. Parking officers are already attending these incidents within three hours 91% of the time. Now, instead of just issuing a fine, they’ll also restore access straight away. To further discourage bad behaviour, fines for blocking a driveway have doubled to $660. Councillor Chloe Smith said the change is all about protecting residents: “There’s absolutely a need for tougher measures. Parking is tight, and being blocked in can mean missing childcare pickups or hospital visits. It’s incredibly frustrating.” The new towing policy aims to keep traffic flowing, free up driveways, and make Inner West streets just a little less stressful. You can reach Inner West Council on: 02 9392 5000

A $6 million federal investment will help upgrade and transform Marrickville Golf Club into a modern, accessible, and sustainable community hub for sport, culture, and connection. More on Marrickville The funding will secure the future of the club and its iconic clubhouse, ensuring it continues to serve as a hub for sport, recreation, and community life for decades to come. The Marrickville Golf Club is renowned not only for its public golf course — one of the most accessible in Australia — but also for its role as a gathering space for local residents and organisations. Its clubhouse hosts a wide variety of events, from community meetings to cultural festivals, yet the facility is in urgent need of renovation.  The Federal Government’s commitment will enable a full refurbishment, delivering modern, accessible amenities, enhanced indoor and outdoor spaces, and a more versatile venue for both sporting and social activities. Inner West Council's Contribution To Marrickville Golf Club Upgrade Inner West Council will partner with the club to commence the design process immediately. Council funding for the design phase has been fast-tracked to ensure that the project maintains momentum and that construction can begin as soon as possible. “Marrickville Golf Club is the people’s course — more accessible and affordable than any other golf facility in the country,” said Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne. “The clubhouse is in desperate need of renovation, and thanks to the Albanese Government, its future is now secure. We’re funding the design phase to make sure this upgrade delivers more opportunities for sport, recreation, and live entertainment for everyone in our community.” The planned renovation will modernise the clubhouse to meet contemporary standards, including improved accessibility, upgraded indoor amenities, and expanded function rooms for community use.   Outdoor areas will also be enhanced, providing greater space for social activities, pedestrian access, and bicycle connectivity to the surrounding precinct. Sustainability will be a core focus, with stormwater harvesting planned to irrigate the golf course and nearby sporting fields such as Mahoney Reserve and Beaman Park, while supporting the health of the Cooks River. The clubhouse upgrades are expected to significantly expand the venue’s capacity to host cultural, sporting, and entertainment activities. “This is a very exciting time for the club,” said Andrew Tighe, President of Marrickville Golf, Sporting and Community Club.  “This grant will enable us to undertake upgrades that reflect our community values and ambitions. We’ve always been a club that puts the community first — open access, cultural inclusivity, and environmental responsibility are at the core of what we do. This redevelopment ensures we can continue serving the Inner West for decades to come.” History of Marrickville Golf Club First opened in 1941, Marrickville Golf Club has a long and storied history. Initially a gathering place for returned service men and women of World War II, the club underwent a major remodel in 1947, with contributions from local community members. Today, it remains one of the few urban green spaces in Sydney where locals can enjoy golf, recreation, and social connection in a welcoming, community-focused environment. Following the announcement of the Federal Government grant, Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne moved to ensure the design phase was fully funded by the Council, demonstrating a strong commitment to keeping the project on track. Construction timelines are expected to follow in late 2025, with the upgraded facilities set to deliver a more inclusive and engaging experience for the community. Prime Minister and Member for Grayndler, Anthony Albanese, highlighted the significance of the investment for local residents. “I care deeply about my local community and understand how important this precinct is. Whether you play golf, walk your dog, or just want to catch up with friends and family, this will be a place the Inner West can take pride in,” he said. “This $6 million commitment demonstrates Labor’s plan to build Australia’s future.” The Marrickville Golf Club redevelopment represents a long-awaited upgrade for one of the Inner West’s most treasured community assets. By modernising the clubhouse, enhancing outdoor spaces, and improving accessibility and sustainability, the $6 million investment will secure the club’s future as a hub for sport, recreation, and social connection — ensuring that this much-loved precinct can continue to be enjoyed by the community for generations to come.

Before the galleries and fame, Tom Roberts lived in a tent at Mosman’s Curlew Camp, shaping Australian art history with bold brushstrokes and Bohemian grit. By Alec Smart More on Mosman Tom Roberts, acclaimed landscape and portrait painter, was a highly influential figure in Australian art history. He also lived for five years beneath a canvas sheet in the bush on the south-eastern shore of Little Sirius Cove, Mosman (below what is now Sydney Taronga Zoo ).  Mosman's Bay - 1894 by Tom Roberts Roberts was nicknamed ‘Bulldog’ by his friends due to his dogged determination and tenacity, and considering what he achieved in his life and the influence he had on Australian art, it was a well-earned moniker. Some of his better-known works have featured in important publications, and several generations of Australians grew up with reprints of his works on their school walls. Tom Roberts 1895 - Photo: Talma - State Library NSW Curlew Camp, Mosman The ramshackle bushland site on Little Sirius Cove where Roberts nurtured his talent (and encouraged fellow creatives), became famous as the Curlew Camp . Until his arrival, it consisted of a collection of tents on the rocky foreshore, established by city merchant Reuben Brasch and his brothers in 1890 for weekend recreation, like fishing and swimming. The Brasch families would row over from the City opposite. Brasch was a wealthy clothing manufacturer who owned Hyde Park Corner , a three-storey department store at the junction of Oxford St and Wentworth Ave, Surry Hills (opposite the southern corner of Hyde Park). He encouraged the itinerant artists who drifted into his weekend campsite and provided them with easels, paints, brushes and other art supplies.  The Camp, Sirius Cove - 1899 by Tom Roberts Tom Roberts, after initially camping on the Sirius Cove shoreline, set up base at Curlew in 1891 with his friend and Melbourne studio-mate Arthur Streeton , both of them having recently relocated to Sydney to seek new opportunities.  They resided there in the open-air with limited amenities, cohabiting with a Bohemian, transient bunch of artistic personalities. Between them they painted numerous seafront locations around the harbour, many of which have become world-famous (and contributed to Mosman and the surrounding foreshores being one of the most-painted suburbs in Australia).  Many of the Curlew crew chose this feral, rent-free lifestyle because of the financial constraints and widespread unemployment that were caused by the 1890s economic depression .  However, it was not all hardship - they reportedly set up a billiards table under one marquee, and the more established residents pooled their varying incomes to employ a camp cook plus a young lad to keep the premises clean. At Curlew Camp, Roberts and Streeton imparted their enthusiasm for painting landscapes from life, which they’d developed in artists’ camps in Box Hill and Victoria. The Artists' Camp at Box Hill - 1886 by Tom Roberts The pair were leading members of the  Heidelberg School , a late 19 th  century Australian arts’ coalition that was heavily inspired by ‘Impressionism’ and ‘Barbizon’, both avant-garde French art trends.  The ‘school’ was named after the Melbourne suburb of Heidelberg, 11km north-east of the city centre, where Australia’s burgeoning Impressionist arts movement developed.  Plein-Air Painti n g Through Roberts’ and Streeton’s zeal, many of the Curlew Camp occupants were inspired by what was termed Plein-Air Painting, an emerging style of painting natural, outdoor scenes whilst in-situ, largely influenced by Impressionism.  Between them, they developed a distinct Australian style that captured and celebrated hard work and harsh sunlight in rural environs that characterised the Curlew Camp’s creations.   Artist Arthur Streeton at the Curlew Camp at Sirius Cove, Mosman c1892-1893 - State Library NSW Artists’ Network describes Plein-Air Art as “leaving the four walls of your studio behind and experiencing painting and drawing in the landscape. The practice goes back for centuries but was truly made into an art form by the French Impressionists. “Their desire to paint light and its changing, ephemeral qualities, coupled with the creation of transportable paint tubes and the box easel … allowed artists the freedom to paint “en plein air,” which is the French expression for ‘in the open air’.” Impressionism is a 19 th  century art movement historically attributed to venerable French painters Claude Monet , Paul Cezanne , Edgar Degas , Auguste Renoir  and others, a network of independent artists who were based in Paris in the 1860s-70s. The term ‘Impressionism’   derives from the title of an 1872 Claude Monet oil painting,  Impression, Soleil Levant  ( Impression, Sunrise ). This progressive amalgam of French painters was initially mocked by the conservative arts establishment, such as the Académie des Beaux-Arts .  The latter preferred religious devotional work and formal portraits with precise brushstrokes over the unrestrained Impressionist pieces, in which bold colours often bled into each other, creating a blurry effect. Eventually, their artworks were hailed as revolutionary and Impressionism made a permanent impression on the world’s visual arts, music and literature. Even the likes of Vincent Van Gogh drew inspiration from the techniques. The Sunny South - 1887 by Tom Roberts The avant-garde medium transcended national boundaries and dispersed across the world to directly influence Tom Roberts and other key personalities at the Curlew Camp, such as Arthur Streeton , Sydney Long  and A. Henry Fullwood , as well as musicians and poets visiting there (and the other makeshift artists’ camps in Sydney and Melbourne at the latter end of the 19 th  Century). Another artist associated with the Curlew Camp was Bulletin  illustrator Frank P Mahony , who drew the book covers for renowned Australian authors Henry Lawson  and Ethel Pedley  -  While the Billy Boils  and  Dot and the Kangaroo , respectively. Euroka Balmoral Camp Curlew Camp, despite its importance to Australian art history – principally due to the presence of Roberts and Streeton – was neither the only nor the first artists’ colony in Sydney. According to the Dictionary of Sydney : “Artists' camps flourished around Sydney Harbour, mainly in the Mosman area, in the 1880s and 1890s, dying out after the first decade of the twentieth century…. They were modelled on the artists' colonies which grew up in France and parts of the British Isles. In them, free-spirited young men gathered to live cheaply together in the open air, trying to capture the beauty of their surroundings in paintings and drawings.  “Financial stringency during the depression of the 1890s made life in the camps even more attractive for Australian artists trying to establish themselves in a difficult market.” Curlew Campers. Photo: Mosman Council Another prominent artists’ encampment was ‘Euroka’ on the north Balmoral seafront by Edwards Beach. It evolved around a four-room marquee weekender erected by Bulletin  magazine cartoonist Livingston Hopkins  (Hop) in 1883 on a 50-acre allotment he leased.  The artists camped in what is now Balmoral Reserve, at the end of Awaba St, and drifted into the camp after a 3km trek from the ferry wharf in Mosman Bay, treble the distance of the Curlew Camp to the south-west, which was established seven years later.  Another artist associated with the Heidelberg School  in Melbourne, painter, teacher and first President of the Art Society of NSW, Julian Ashton , resided awhile at the Balmoral Euroka camp. In 1890 he founded the prestigious Julian Ashton Art School  academy in The Rocks. Robert Louis Stevenson , author of Treasure Island  and Kidnapped , is known to have spent a night camped at Euroka in March 1893.  Although many women were associated with the Mosman and Balmoral artists’ camps, none stayed overnight due to the prevailing moral standards of the time. However, several aspiring female artists that later distinguished themselves were regular visitors to Curlew, among them Hilda Rix Nicholas  and Ethel Carrick . Shearing the Rams - 1890 by Tom Roberts Who was Tom Roberts? Roberts, born in Dorchester, England, in 1856, arrived in Australia at the age of 13 with his family to stay with relatives, following the death of his father.  During his teenage years, he worked in a studio as a photographer’s assistant, then in 1871 he began part-time art classes under influential tutors, the Swiss Louis Buvelot  and Austrian Joseph Eugene von Guérard , both detailed landscape painters. In 1874, he took art classes at the National Gallery of Victoria School, taught by distinguished Impressionist artist and teacher Frederick McCubbin . In 1881, he returned to Britain and studied at the Royal Academy of Art in London, whilst undertaking foreign treks to France, Spain and Venice.  Tom Roberts. Photo by Elliot & Fry It was during this period that he transitioned stylistically into the creative promise of the Impressionists, and in 1885 he returned to Melbourne inspired and highly motivated.  In 1888, with his old mentor McCubbin, the duo established an artists’ camp in an idyllic location Roberts discovered in Box Hill, 20km from the city. A relatively recent rail extension and station had been constructed, making this beautiful region more accessible.  Visiting Sydney in 1888, Roberts met fellow Briton Charles Conder , who was also inspired by the Plein-Air movement then gathering momentum, and after painting a few seaside locations together, Roberts returned to Melbourne, with Conder following soon afterwards.  Roberts, Conder and Arthur Streeton established a shared studio together in the city, and often travelled together to remote regions to paint. Wood Splitters - 1886 by Tom Roberts Second and third artists’ encampments followed - in Heidelberg (where they adopted the name that will forever define them) and at Mentone Beach in Port Phillip Bay, attracting enthusiastic recruits who also pursued and honed their Plein-Air painting styles.  The trio came to be regarded as the core members leading the Heidelberg School movement.    After helping coordinate a major exhibition of contemporary Impressionist works in Melbourne in August 1889, titled  9 by 5 Impression Exhibition , Roberts - now aged 35 - and his 24-year-old accomplice Arthur Streeton, moved north to the Curlew Camp in Sydney. The rest, as they say, is history. Tom Roberts in a boat at Curlew Camp c1895 Roberts left the Curlew Camp in 1896 to marry his fiancé, Lillie Williamson, and they set up home together in Balmain where their son Caleb was born.  The duo moved to London in 1903, and Roberts later worked as a hospital orderly during the First World War. The British period of their life was relatively uninspiring for Roberts, with few artworks created. His wife Lillie was the main income earner.  In 1914, the couple returned to Australia and built a home in Kallista on the eastern outskirts of Melbourne. Lillie died in 1928, and Roberts succumbed to cancer in 1931, not long after remarrying. Some of Tom Roberts’ artworks have become classics and are venerated among iconic tableaus that encapsulate the pre- and post-1900 Federation era of Australian rural life. His most famous works include A Break Away!  (1891), Shearing The Rams  (1888-90), Coming South  (1885-86), In A Corner Of The Macintyre  (1895) and Bailed Up  (1895). Although reprints of his fading artworks seldom grace school walls as they once did, Roberts’ influence on Australian landscape painting is undeniable.  Bailed Up - 1895 by Tom Roberts Roberts’ 1895 composition, Bailed Up , featuring a passenger coach being halted at gunpoint by bushrangers, was sketched in Inverell, NSW, utilising a stagecoach mounted on a platform.  The driver, Silent Bob Bates, who provided advice on the composition, had genuinely been held up and robbed whilst transporting passengers three decades earlier by infamous bushranger Captain Thunderbolt .  The Mosman Art Trail  is a 10km trek via a series of 12 renowned artworks from 1885 – 2015, reproduced where they were originally created. The walk passes t hrough some of the most picturesque seafront locations in the 2088 postal district to view the pieces in situ.  As previously featured  on Neighbourhood Media , several of the Curlew Camp occupants’ works are among those on the route. More details at Mosman Art Gallery: www.mosmanartgallery.org.au Coming South - 1886 by Tom Roberts Curlew Camp Exhibition Mosman Art Gallery are hosting an exhibition of Curlew Camp artworks featuring paintings from the period (including Tom Roberts) and newly-commissioned pieces by artists influenced by the site, heritage and creative personalities living there. It’s on until 17 August 2025. Details: https://mosmanartgallery.org.au/exhibition/curlew-camp/   Artists playing cricket on Whiting Beach near Curlew Camp. Photo: Mosman Council =============================================================

I like Aeroplane Jelly,  Aeroplane jelly for me! By Matt Murphy Contact via Instagram @mattmurphy8 Did you know the man behind this iconic jingle lived in Marrickville, and worked just down the road in Newtown. And although most known for the Aeroplane Jelly Song, he wrote another which has a much more local appeal. His name was Albert Lenertz, born in Kelso, near Bathurst in 1891. He moved to 284 Victoria Street Marrickville sometime after the end of WWI, establishing a wholesale grocery and alcohol business in about 1923. In 1926 he joined Adolphus Appleroth’s jelly crystal making business, known as Traders Limited. Due to Appleroth’s fascination with aircraft, he named his main product Aeroplane Jelly.  Lenertz was made managing director in 1927 and in the same year the business moved from Sussex Street in the city to 41-49 Alice Street Newtown. Although the company name of Traders Limited remained, by the early 1930s, owing to the song’s success, and despite jelly only being one of its manufactures, the business was more commonly known as the Aeroplane Jelly Company. Always interested in songwriting, Lenertz originally wrote the now famous jingle with a different lyric which paid tribute to Prime Minister Billy Hughes. He rewrote the lyric in about 1929. The jingle first appeared in radio adverts in 1930, sung by a Sydney entertainer named Amy Rochelle imitating a child’s voice but the more commonly known version was recorded in 1938 by seven-year-old Joy King, who won a singing competition sponsored by the company.  Lenertz later worked as a radio announcer on 2KY then 2SM with the Aeroplane Jelly Song used as his signature tune. It is said that on some days the song’s opening line was heard over 100 times a day.  He died at his Marrickville home in 1943, aged 51, leaving a wife and four children. While the Aeroplane Jelly Song was by far his most popular, in total he published the sheet music for six, all in the 1920s. These include ‘Dear old Sydney’s the place for me’, ‘Dad learns to jazz’, ‘We keep to the open road’ and ‘Co-operation’; the latter being concerned with the rights of working class men.  The sixth song, published in 1923, was called ‘Newtown is an old town that I love’, the lyrics of which are as follows: I've roamed around its streets and lanes, I've heard both laughs and sighs, I've gazed on many scenes that brought the tears into my eyes, The way that sorrow turns to joy, like sunshine from above, Have changed it from a Newtown to an old town that I love. Chorus: There was a time when it was new, 'twas many years ago, When our great sunny land was young and free. But now it has grown old and in the years that have passed by, I've learned to love the place so tenderly, Such sweet old places, cheerful faces, hearts as warm as fire, In old time shacks a wealth of memory, Yes, Newtown is an old town, but I love it all the more, It's a spot that's good enough for me! Australia knows in many ways the fame of old Newtown, When folk strike trouble here's a place they say won't turn me down, Where pals know how to play the game, and sweethearts all love true, A thousand smiles to cheer me up if ever I feel blue. Repeat Chorus.

There are lots of dog-lovers in Marrickville and thankfully, lots of BYO pup pubs and cafes too. It might even be one of Sydney's most pet-friendly postcodes!  By Rita Bratovich Marrickville is known for its relaxed, welcoming vibe which extends to all creatures great and small. With a high density of eating and drinking establishments intersecting with a high ownership of pets, this is the perfect postcode to be in if you like to think of your fur-baby as one of the family.  Many, many venues are calling themselves pet-friendly now and allowing leashed, well-behaved dogs to hang out with their human friends. (Cats, unfortunately, have too much attitude to be allowed in mixed company. Generally, you’ll need to sit in an outdoor area although some pubs will let doggies in the bar and lounge. Lots of places are even including dog-specific treats on their menus.  Here’s a selection of pubs and cafes you can take your little four-legged companion to.  Gasoline Pony 115 Marrickville Road Grungy garage vibe with outdoor courtyard area, craft beers, good food and regular live music featuring locals and visitors. We would definitely recommend this venue as pet-friendly when there are more 'low key' events happening as dogs hearing Is extremely sensitive. White Rabbit 30 Llewellyn Street Half cafe, half bakery, situated on a quiet corner, this little shop serves up some mean pastries and offers an incredible all-day breakfast. There's a great outdoor seating area that provides the perfect spot to relax with your pooch. Kelby’s 293 Marrickville Road Familiar and much loved, Kelby’s has been serving delicious food and great coffee on Marrickville Road for the longest time. They accommodate dogs with outdoor covered seating and their own doggie menu.  Thirstville Bottleshop & Bar 300 Illawarra Road Selling and serving a wide range of craft beers as well as wine, cider and spirits. Sit in the ambient bar/ bottleshop downstairs with your tail-wagging buddy.  Where’s Nick 236 Marrickville Road This is a place for wine-lovers, offering new and unfamiliar labels from small sustainable producers — and Roo Chews for your doggy. Where’s Nick encourages you to extend your palate while sitting with your pooch by an indoor window or on the terrace. Miss Wolf 285 Marrickville Road A dog friendly bar run by a local and happy to showcase the talents of emerging artists, Miss Wolf is a quiet spot on a busy road where you can relax in the comfy lounge area with your pup.  Titus Jones 337 Illawarra Road Pet-friendly meets Mexico, and It's In Marrickville? Say no more. A cocktail bar with strong “Day of the Dead” vibes. Enjoy bespoke margaritas and tasty tacos while chilling to hip hop and soul with your bestie by your side.  The Henson 91 Illawarra Road Conveniently located a short walk from the leash-free area of Henson Park, The Henson is the perfect place for a pre or post dog/human workout. Its large, leafy beer garden is an extra bonus. Historically significant with a great menu, this is one for the whole family — feet and paws.

Meet the 22 year old budding photographer, a St Ives local for more than 18 years. Tell us about yourself; do you live in St Ives/work in St Ives - what is your connection? I am a 22 year old Psychology student who works as a part time photographer and math tutor. I have lived in St Ives since the age of 4 and am a Masada College graduate. How long have you been involved in the St ives community I’ve been part of this beautiful community for the last 18 years. You’ve just begun your photographic journey - what drew you to photography? I have always had an interest in the artform but I was pushed over the edge near the start of COVID lockdowns when I was looking for a hobby. I love the creativity involved, the challenge to learn, and the element of technology (which I have a particular interest in). St Ives is full of natural beauty, can you recommend any ‘hot spots’ for great shots? I love shooting in the Wildflower Garden and the Darlymple-Hay Reserve, but if you are willing to delve further into the bush there is no end to the gems you can find! What are your top 3 tips for amateur photographers? YouTube is your greatest learning tool, there are endless videos that go over infinite topics on every aspect of the art Always have a ‘subject’ whether that be a person, object, scene, or whatever – it helps to add depth and intrigue to your work that takes it from a photo to a story! Just have fun! Shoot what makes you happy. You can see David's images featured on the Front Cover of 2075 (St Ives) Issue #7 - read the full magazine online HERE.

If you’re a St Ives Local, or a regular to the St Ives Shopping Village, chances are you recognise Nancy! She has been a fixture at the Nextra Newsagents for over 45 years. She sat down with Neighbourhood Media to talk about her impressive career and life in St Ives. How long have you officially been at Nextra? I’ve been with the current owners for over 30 years, and I also worked for the two owners prior to that. All up, I’ve been at Nextra for about 45 years! What was your first role at the shop? Tell us about it. I started as a Store Clerk, mainly serving customers as well as keeping on top of stock levels/ordering new stock. I was also in charge of all of the card categories - a very important part of a newsagency! What is your favourite thing about being a part of the St Ives community? Everybody is just so friendly. It’s lovely to be part of such a warm and welcoming community and it really makes a difference to my day-to-day life. I’ve been a St Ives local my entire life and absolutely love to both live and work here. St Ives Shopping Village has changed a lot over the years. What are some of your favourite updates? I’ve seen plenty of changes in my time here, including the large expansion in the 90’s and the addition of some great new shops in recent years (Archie’s Cafe, Mrs Jones the Baker). I also enjoy catching up with friends and locals at the many cafes around the centre — my favourite is probably Milligram. I also really enjoy the shopping experience at St Ives Village, you’ll often spot me here on my days off. Can you think of any memorable moments over your years at Nextra? Celebrating the Shopping Centre’s 60th Birthday a few years ago. It was fantastic to catch up with many old and current retailers, management and centre staff. Nextra has a heap to offer, what would be your favourite product? We have a great gift range which I enjoy browsing for presents for friends and family. I particularly like our many gorgeous scented candles, diffusers and hand creams! Nextra Newsagency Shop 23 — St Ives Shopping Village 166 Mona Vale Rd, St Ives

From Australian botanicals to pet portraits, the Marrickville artist uses her drawings to evoke fond memories. By ADELINE TEOH There’s something oddly moving about seeing a resplendent Australian native bouquet arranged in a Vegemite jar. Whether it’s about finding comfort in the botanical or beauty in the everyday, evoking an emotional connection is what Marrickville-based artist Carmen Hui has carefully cultivated in her work over many years. “It brings me joy when someone sees my work and tells me how much it reminds them of their grandparents, their family gathering or something nostalgic from their past,” she says. Hui’s signature drawings feature works such as a waratah in a Tasmanian leatherwood honey tin, succulents in a peanut butter jar and sunflowers in a XXXX beer can. “I like pairing everyday objects that might otherwise be overlooked in an unexpected manner and I guess that's how my Australiana floral series was born,” she says. “I am also very much interested in the idea of home and memories, how everyday objects can play a significant role in the way we recall our past.” With coloured pencil as her medium – “I love colours, always have, and I love finding ways to combine palettes and make a synergy between my work” – she takes between a week to a month to complete a piece from inspiration to finished work. “I normally have a huge list of ideas to draw from and I usually start by seeing what grabs me at the time. Once I have an idea in my head, I spend a few days gathering visuals and planning the layout of the drawing to see if it'll work.” After planning she draws, though only for a couple of hours at a time to save her wrist. The rest of the time is spent on the business side. “There's a romantic idea that all we do is draw all day, but very often there is a lot of admin associated with having a career as an artist. You need to learn how to market yourself, how to run an online business, how to juggle multiple projects, how to keep on top of inventory,” she explains, noting it took “a fair amount of hard work, sweat and tears” to get to this point. Hui only took the step to become a full-time artist seven years ago, though “I have been drawing ever since I can remember,” she discloses. “Like many creative people with no understanding how art could be a career, I [first] opted for a career in graphic design. Fortunately, with the help of social media, a few opportunities presented themselves that saw me reach a wider audience and I was able to create a website to sell my work.” Today she gravitates towards the things that interest her most, namely nature – flora and fauna – which includes pet commissions. “I am constantly in awe of animal intelligence and our relationship with them, so drawing pet portraits seems like a natural progression,” Hui notes. “Drawing commissions for other people helped me to hone my style and grow technically as an artist.” The nature-lover is also a proud Inner Westie, and lives and works in a converted warehouse. If you want the best of Marrickville in a day, Hui says to start with a hearty breakfast – Kurumac is a current favourite – then “wander around the side streets to check out some of the neighbourhood cats, street art and old buildings,” she recommends. End it ”by visiting a few of our local breweries for a cheeky drink and a snack from a visiting food truck that brings a world of flavours to our doorstep.” The thing she loves most about the suburb? It’s “a diverse community built by many cultures and small businesses,” she says. “It is like a small organism that is constantly changing, you never know what will pop up around the corner, which I find very exciting.” Carmen Hui Web : https://www.carmenhui.com Insta : https://www.instagram.com/_carmenhui_/ =========================

Originally from London, since 2015 mixed-media artist Stuart Sale now operates from his studio in Faversham Lane, Marrickville. By ALEC SMART More on Marrickville It is here, in between running a busy painting and decorating business, that he creates bold and imaginative stencils, murals, collages, videos, geometric shapes and digital ‘crypto art’. Interview with Stuart Sale Offer to Paint a Mural on Anything! Stuart has just returned from what he described as “an impromptu road trip” that took him around Berry and inland to Kangaroo Valley, the lush and picturesque mountainous district north of Nowra. But he wasn’t sketching landscapes. Stuart was motivated after inquiring on a local community Facebook page whether anyone had a shed or barn in the region they wanted painting – for no fee. The feedback was fantastic: “I had over 50 responses,” he declared. “I was interviewed on ABC Illawarra radio and made the papers! I think they are doing a follow-up story too. It was so unexpected, as I was just looking for a rural project to do during a week I had booked off work.” And how many barns now feature his artwork? “I painted six works in six days of travelling around,” he revealed, “hatching projects off-the-cuff, day-by-day, from all the responses. I now have a huge amount of interest doing more rural paid gigs from this giveaway project. Funny, hey?” A few of Stuart's many murals decorating Faversham Lane in Marrickville. Photo: Alec Smart For an introduction to Stuart’s work (without having to drive 160km/four hours to Kangaroo Valley!), we recommend a stroll along the illustrated laneway of his Marrickville studio to appreciate the large murals he’s painted. They feature movers and shakers (and a few villains) from the world of music and movies, plus a magnificent lioness – the latter reportedly his favourite piece. How did he start redecorating the laneway? “After completing a large mural at Bondi beach consisting of 100+ iconic portraits I decided to paint a few of these portraits much larger in the lane. For fun. To test out my new projector also. “After painting 6-8-10 I started to question why I was taking my artwork out and about when I had a whole street right here? Right next to my studio, all my ladders, materials, power, lights, and the rest.” And all the fabulous artwork is Stuart’s? “I think barring one or two Graf pieces that I didn’t want to go over, the entire lane is my work,” Stuart confirmed. “All the portraits for sure. I think there are over 130… It started when I painted John Lennon on my own roller door on a Sunday morning… as a fun project for myself. This led to me getting obsessed with completing the whole lane in the same style (2/3 tone stencil).” Stuart’s large wall murals often feature personalities and characters from the world of music, film and the arts. Is he inspired by Pop Art, which, similarly, uses images from popular culture, often ironically? “Yes I have always loved pop art and it has been an influence,” he said. “I studied printing for a time, very similar to stencilling essentially, and am drawn to process-based art. I like to work an image, through apps, filters, tonal studies. “I often project larger murals [onto walls, prior to painting] to sort composition, then quickly complete them the following day. The choices of characters comes from my own personal influences amongst other iconic contributors to history.” Stuart’s June 2020 memorial to George Floyd, painted on a garage near Enmore Park, was a topical and moving reminder of an awful injustice. His painting of two Indigenous boys beneath an Aboriginal flag at half-mast (in Sydney St, Marrickville), is also poignant. Does he often venture into social and political subjects? “I need to feel very strongly about a subject in order to take part in the conversation, like I did with these two works,” he considered. “I’m not a social or political artist as such and only pipe up if I’m upset about something. “That said I don’t actually say much as I find it difficult to put my thoughts or feelings onto a page or say them, even. I communicate better visually, I guess, so a poignant artwork can say a thousand words like those two pieces do for obvious reasons.” As well as wall murals, what other art commissions and projects does he undertake? “I paint commissioned paintings to order, mostly portraits, and am currently working on various digital NFT projects with fellow artists at @futureartio and @knownoriginio.” NFT = non-fungible token; data added to a file that creates a unique signature marked with code to differentiate it from any digital replicas. “I have also started taking orders from rural customers to paint wildlife on large barns and sheds in regional NSW.” A beautiful lioness that graces Faversham Lane in Marrickville. Photo: Alec Smart Stuart was the creative mind behind the Love Art exhibition at Vivid Festival in May 2014, which began, curiously, with hearts appearing randomly all over Sydney. What inspired that and are there still stencilled hearts on walls around town? “Yes there are still a few hearts around if you know where to find them,” he affirmed. “The hearts were my first dip into making street art. It was basically an experiment on how far you can push vandalism. If you paint big love hearts around the place surely you can’t be arrested for that? Its doing a good thing right?! Cheering people up?! “I don’t know, but really it was a fun time and I did loads of them. I still sell prints of them as it goes. Everyone seems to like a love heart on a brick wall. Maybe I was onto something!” Stuart is a co-founder of Creative Circle Collective , which hosts art workshops at music festivals, events and public spaces, like the Bondi Beach Graffiti Wall. FB : https://www.facebook.com/Creative-Circle-1410296985897777/ Stuart Sale Insta : https://www.instagram.com/stuartsale/ Etsy : https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/Stuartsaleart Artworks for sale : https://knownorigin.io/stuart-sale Email: super@stu-art-sale.com Urban Ballerina - an example of Stuart's digital art. ===================================

It is no secret that Australia’s music industry has had some setbacks and challenges over the last three years. With the industry operating at four per cent in 2021 due to the pandemic, national organisations like music licensing body OneMusic Australia have been working on initiatives to create sustainable careers in the industry. From our favourite local venues like The Great Club to long-standing Lazybones with live music seven days a week, Marrickville is teeming with talent and musicians deserve the right foundations to continue performing, touring and making music. Audoo Audio Meter Launch In the spirit of coming together, local businesses will be working with OneMusic to launch the latest technology helping in this plight. Coming out of the UK, the Audoo Audio Meter is a brand new device, set to change how music played in venues and businesses will be identified. The Audoo Audio Meter is able to fingerprint music being played in venues to better reflect the royalties being paid to music creators. Tech company Audoo’s investors include some of the world’s most influential musicians such as ABBA’s Bjorn Ulvaeus. Beloved bar Miss Wolf on Marrickville Road is one of the first venues in the country to install the device. Passionate about music, business owner Gavin Andrews says: “I believe the arts and any form of entertainment should be supported properly.” Opening in 2019, Miss Wolf has regular events including drag shows twice a week. Drawing in a crowd from every corner, the shows often play a range of music including iconic Australian artists Kyle Minogue, Vanessa Amorosi and Tina Arena. 2022 ARIA Song of the Year Winner, Tones and I is just one of the many high-profile Australian artists to participate in the Audoo launch. The names of music creators will be displayed on a selection of devices to reflect the impact of the technology. As Spotify’s all-time most streamed female artist, Tones and I’s “Dance Monkey” has clocked over five billion streams, going quadruple platinum in the US and 11-times platinum in Australia. The launch has allocated close to 100 music creators with venues already including Casey Donovan, Client Liaison, Illy, John Foreman and Tash Sultana. First Data From Audoo Audio Meter Audoo Senior Vice President & General Manager, Asia Pacific, Matthew Fackrell says: “It is so pleasing to see in the first data back from the Audoo Audio Meter installs that some venues are huge fans of local music. A gym in Brisbane’s suburbs featured Ocean Alley, Pnau, Hermitude, Bag Raiders, Cosmo's Midnight, George Maple, Jungle Giants, Letters to Lions, Jack River, Lime Cordiale, Greta Stanley and Tash Sultana in their first plays, while a music store in Melbourne’s CBD featured KYE, Julia Jacklin, Sensient amongst others.” From around the country, businesses are showing a concerted effort to support the arts through this OneMusic initiative. These include restaurants, bars, dance studios and office spaces from Dead Ringer in Sydney’s Surry Hills to Brickhouse Gym in suburban Brisbane. Catherine Giuliano of OneMusic Australia says: “We are seeing an outpouring of support from businesses around the country and are optimistic at the very real impact the Audoo Audio Meter will have for our music creator members.” A OneMusic licence gives you legal access to the majority of the world's music and brings you into the music economy, allowing even more music to be created. Providing licences to thousands of businesses around Australia, they play a big role in musicians sustaining healthy and thriving careers. If you are a business interested in supporting this initiative please email audiometer@onemusic.com.au

Sara Haddad is a Lebanese-Australian writer and editor who has worked in publishing for over three decades. Her recently-released debut novel, The Sunbird, tells the story of Nabila Yasmeen, an elderly refugee from Palestine, who was driven out of her village in June 1948 along with her family, friends and compatriots during The Nakba. More on Marrickville The book, which esteemed writer Thomas Kenneally (Schindler’s List) complimented as ‘splendidly paced’, is described as “a modern parable which tells the story of millions who just want to go home.” Neighbourhood Media caught up with Sara Haddad to learn more. Sara Haddad The Sunbird is described as a parable for Palestine. What inspired you to write this book, and why did you choose the parable format to convey your message? Justice, freedom, and self-determination for Palestine and Palestinians is something I’ve supported for a long time. I’ve spent many years encountering people who are misinformed about Palestine, or simply not interested. It’s extremely frustrating because our collective response to Palestine is one of the greatest moral failures ever. I didn’t set out to write a parable, but I needed a word to describe what I had written. The sunbird as a symbol is quite evocative. Can you tell us more about the significance of the sunbird in the context of your story? There are many symbols of Palestinian culture and resistance in the story and the sunbird is one of them. One of the first things I wrote for the story was my main character, Nabila, lying in bed listening to bird song. I decided early on that Nabila had an affinity with birds, and Nabila herself is birdlike, physically and habitually. When I imagined her perching on the window ledge watching her teacher, I researched birds that are indigenous to Palestine and discovered that the Palestine Sunbird became the national bird in 2015, so Nabila quickly became the sunbird. The Sunbird You’ve previously said that you wrote The Sunbird to raise awareness and to educate. Which books and writers have you looked to for education? Many experts on Palestine – Ilan Pappé, Rosemary Saigh, Edward Said, and Noam Chomsky, for example. Norman Finkelstein is excellent too. How does your personal connection to Palestine influence your storytelling, and in what ways is The Sunbird a reflection of your own experiences or family history? I was brought up in an extended Lebanese family who first became engaged with the issue of Palestine in 1967, which was the year I was born. So I grew up learning about Palestine and being certain that the only position to have was one that supported Palestinian liberation and self-determination. I also grew up with stories of village life in the Levant and Arab migrants in Australia in the late 1940s. The character of Nabila is inspired by my father’s five sisters, three of whom I spent a lot of time with as I was growing up. Sara Haddad Parables often carry a universal message. What broader human experiences or emotions do you hope The Sunbird speaks to? Above all, I hope The Sunbird connects people with their humanity so that they realise we are all human, with the same insecurities and joys, hopes, and fears. The landscape and setting play a significant role in The Sunbird. How important was it for you to evoke a strong sense of place? Very, very important. It is essential that the reader is completely immersed in Nabila’s world, both the world of her present and the world of her past – her homeland – to understand what she has lost, and how that determines and shapes everything in her life. Were there any challenges you faced when distilling such a complex political and historical situation into a simplified, allegorical form? The biggest challenge was distilling the volume of information into something digestible. The situation is far less complex than it is made out to be. I found a great degree of overlap in the details of peoples’ personal anecdotes, which helped to create one story out of many. How do you think literature and storytelling can contribute to greater understanding and empathy for the Palestinian experience, especially for readers unfamiliar with the conflict? Sara Haddad Literature and storytelling are uniquely placed to engender empathy. Over many decades, the true story of Palestine has been hidden and manipulated to reframe Palestinians as somehow undeserving, less than human. Fiction is a safe space where it’s possible to confront the things you’re afraid of and still know you’ll be ok. You’re not only an author but an advocate for Palestine. How do you balance your roles as a storyteller and an activist, and how do the two intersect in your work? The Sunbird is first and foremost a work of activism because it aims to educate and raise awareness. But it’s also art because fiction is my medium. As I was writing the story, front of mind was Arundhati Roy’s call to ‘Use your art to fight’. So that’s what I’ve attempted to do with The Sunbird, to use my art to fight. Art and activism are completely interwoven in this book. Both come from a place of deep love. How hard was it to condense the story of so many lives into a book of less than 100 pages? In some ways, not very difficult at all. I read and listened to a lot of oral history, people talking about their experiences of the Nakba, the ‘catastrophe’, the ethnic cleansing that was carried out in Palestine from 1947 to 1949. There were so many similarities in the stories because of Plan Dalet, which contained the guidelines that determined how the Zionist militia expelled Palestinians from their villages. Can you tell me about some of your favourite books? One of my favourite books is Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy. Some favourite books over recent years include Tara June Winch’s The Yield, Bernadine Evaristo’s Girl, Woman, Other, and Damon Galgut’s The Promise. Are there any authors who have inspired you as a writer? With regard to inspirations for The Sunbird, Claire Keegan was a definite inspiration. Her writing is so spare but captures so much nuance. What are your hopes for the future of Palestine, and how do you envision the role of writers and artists in shaping that future? My hope is that Palestine receives the justice it deserves and has been denied for so long. I hope that all Palestinians, wherever they are, are able to return to Palestine and live in their country freely and without fear.