More on St Ives Residents on the North Shore are lucky to be within a stones throw of several St Ives weekly markets; farmers markets offering fresh produce - to the finest artisan products from all around Sydney. St Ives Showground Market Make the Saturday St Ives Showground Market part of your local shopping routine; meet other local shoppers and connect with like minded people whilst getting your weekly shopping done in the fresh air! These friendly community markets offer everything from fresh organic fruit and vegetables, gourmet and seasonal produce, artisan products. The team at Organic Food Markets takes pride in producing market places that offer both certified organic & conventional fruit and vegetable + a huge range of artisan products, there is a big focus on showcasing new local business startups and clever crafters alongside the healthy food offering. You can enjoy St Ives Showground Markets every Saturday morning between 8am and 2pm. ITt's an ideal place to spend a few hours doing your shopping, having a bite to eat while relaxing in the fresh air and enjoying time out with your family - and you can bring your dog too! Make sure to tag #stivesshowgroundfarmersmarket in your posts. If you’re interested in holding your own stall - all are welcome and rates start from $60 - reach out to office@organicfoodmarkets.com.au for more details. Held every Saturday - 8am - 2pm St Ives Showground 450 Mona Vale Rd, Terrey Hills Gordon Markets The Gordon Markets have been operating consecutively for more than 30 years, every 2nd Sunday, of every month. The Markets are nestled right next to Gordon Station on the 2nd Level of the Council Car Park. There are more than 50 specialist merchants and store holders - with proceeds going to charitable causes. The markets are run by Rotary Volunteers from both Ku-ring-gai and Turramurra Rotary Clubs. Stall bookings can be made online at gordonmarkets.com.au - on the ‘Stalls’ tab. 2nd Sunday of Every Month - 8:30am - 2pm Carpark - Level 2 1 Wade Lane, Gordon Hornsby Markets Held every Thursday, The Hornsby Market has become a hub for the local community with local residents making it a weekly ritual to come and explore the stalls, catch up with friends, and soak up the atmosphere. Hornsby's unique culture and diversity make the market a popular destination for tourists and locals alike. There’s a huge range of stalls including organic eggs, gluten free cuisine, bakeries, fresh fruit + more. Every Thursday - 8:30am - 2pm Hornsby Mall Florence & Hunter St, Hornsby Northside Produce Market On the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month, the tranquil Ted Mack Civic Park is home to the bustling Northside Produce Market (NPM) providing the best fresh produce straight from the farm, exceptional artisan food goods and delicious breakfast, brunch and lunch. NPM’s continued success since 1999, is thanks to the passionate stallholders and loyal shoppers (two legged and four legged) who come out in all weathers to support them. More than 70+ stallholders farm and produce in regional NSW including Orange, the Riverina, Central Tablelands, Brother Mountains, Crescent Head and the outskirts of Sydney. Keep up to date: northsydneycentre.com.au/events/39 and follow on Facebook (@Northside Produce Market) and Instagram (@nthsydmkts). 1st and 3rd Saturday every month 8am - 12pm Ted Mack Civic Park 220 Miller St, North Sydney

https://www.neighbourhoodmedia.com.au/suburbs/stives Jason Smith, artist and architecture enthusiast of St Ives. Approx 338 Mona Vale Rd, an early 20th-century cottage on Mona Vale Road. Sadly, it was demolished in the early 90s to make way for a development of villas. Jason Smith on Drawing Buildings For Jason Smith, sometimes the ugliest buildings can be the most compelling to draw. Smith, an artist who goes by Jasonic, grew up in St Ives and still pays tribute to the area that inspired his passion. “I love walking the older streets of St Ives, looking at the beautiful houses. I grew up in Cambourne Avenue so I have always loved venturing into the bush to the Cascades and even up the other side to Belrose. There are stunning caves and creeks down in the national park, so there are many excellent places to explore.” But it’s not the natural beauty that occupies most of his focus. As part of his 1000 House Drawings project, Smith lets loose on his inner “frustrated architect” and has made it his mission to “combine a love of sketching with a love of houses”. “My passion for architecture means a respect for all styles and eras of architecture, including those styles and eras that I don’t personally like,” he admits. “I’m not a utopian idealist; I recognise that many buildings and houses will be lost for various reasons, but I fear losing too many of the buildings that are a part of our architectural heritage. As I like to say, nobody’s building old homes anymore, so once they’re gone, they’re gone. So I made a commitment to myself to preserve homes by drawing them.” 108 Cambourne Ave - A house in the street where Jason grew up, the home was architecturally designed in the ‘Sydney bush’ style. His interest started young. Smith’s father and builder grandfather constructed his childhood home when he was three, which kindled a fascination with how they were designed. “As a child, my first memory of this was watching TV shows like The Brady Bunch and Happy Days wondering why the internal layout didn’t fit the outside of the house.” His mother would take him to display homes on weekends, with his interest further fuelled when his parents developed some property in the Snowy Mountains. “I spent my teenage years crawling over building sites in Jindabyne. It’s only natural that I would gravitate to drawing homes,” he says. “I do enjoy drawing other subjects like landscapes, streetscapes and people, however, I keep coming back to houses and built heritage.” While most drawing skills can be taught, it’s a passion that drives the motivation to continue to improve, he says. The other elements are being observant – “I notice tiny details about floor plans or buildings that capture my attention” – and patient. “I recently drew some 1930s office buildings in Melbourne that took me over 20 hours each. Without patience and a strong desire to complete the task, nothing would get finished.” Most works start as pencil on cartridge paper before he uses a fine line marker for the linework. Colour comes from either Copic markers or, rarely, watercolour. Some older buildings warrant a charcoal treatment for a “visually and metaphorically” darker appearance. 19 Walker St - 'A house built in 1972 by a well known local builder (the Zatta family) who built a few in this style in the area. The biggest challenge is often which house to draw next from the hundreds he’s documented by photograph over his neighbourhood wandering and travels, and even from historic records. (“I almost never draw a home/building in person,” he explains. “They usually take 2-3 hours per house minimum, so sitting out the front of someone’s house for that long would be a little weird.”) “Often I choose the ‘road less travelled’, the homes and buildings that most people wouldn’t want to draw. These might be the homes that are often overlooked like red brick homes from the 1960s, fibro houses from the 1940s or brown brick and orange tile homes of the 1980s. It probably describes my character: when everyone is heading in one direction, I’ll go the other way,” he says. “Sometimes it’s my mood. I’ll select the kind of house I feel like drawing. If I enjoy drawing it, I’m likely to draw it well.” Smith also takes commissions from people who want to preserve their home on paper. “As a lover of architecture, I’m thrilled to draw any type of home although there are some that I wouldn’t personally draw. Maybe their grandparents built it, or it was their childhood holiday home, or it was their family home and their parents have now passed away. Knowing these homes are emotional for people is what makes me passionate about drawing them. After all, homes are more than just bricks and mortar, they are part of our narrative.” 18 Kitchener St -A house built by Lucas Morris Wetzler in the late 70s. Can you help? Smith is looking to satisfy some childhood memories, which is where St Ives locals might be able to help. Do you have photos of any of these now-demolished buildings? Doctor’s surgery: “A brown brick cottage on Mona Vale Road between the Ampol service station and the shopping centre.” Two-storey house: “On the northern end of College Crescent there was a two-storey home which we always called the spooky house. It always looked dark and unoccupied and we used to imagine that it was haunted and inhabited by a scary old person. We would dare each other to go up and knock on the front door but I don’t think any of the local kids were game.” Pre-apartment houses on Mona Vale Road between Memorial Avenue and Sturt Place; “there were several beautiful homes that would have dated from the 1940s”. Children’s clothing store called Licorice: Formerly part of the Gillott’s garage building, now Pattisons Patisserie (corner of Stanley Street and Mona Vale Road). “My mum worked there in the 1970s. If I could find a photo of it from that time, I would love to draw it.” Scoop Supermarket on Mona Vale Road: Before Saturday and Sunday trading, “if you ran out of milk on Saturday, you had to wait until Monday. But you could always go to Scoop! It was located on the other side of the laneway from Chadwick Real Estate.” Farmhouse around number 340 Mona Vale Road, “there stood a two-storey farmhouse with Cape Cod windows. It was beautiful and sat proudly on acreage”. Stone home behind the high fence at 123a Mona Vale Road, plus 111, 136 and 142 Mona Vale Road. Primary school on Warrimoo Road near the tennis courts. 1000housedrawings.webnode.co.uk Instagram @1000housedrawings By Adeline Teoh

By Tahney Fosdike “I love all my crochet creations.” More on St Ives As a preteen, Emily Bayley, a student based in Sydney’s Upper North Shore, began to watch craft tutorials on YouTube to pass the time during a COVID-19 lockdown. Now a Year Nine student, she runs her own online crochet business Cosy Creations By Me. “I saw a video of a girl making a blanket from a finger crochet,” Emily recalls. “I thought, this was so cool! So, I made the blanket and found it enjoyable. After that, I taught myself to crochet with a hook and started making crochet plushies.” “I’ve also made a few tops and a tote bag for my friend’s birthday,” fourteen-year-old Emily explains, thinking about how her creativity extends beyond crocheting. “I enjoy sewing and embroidery. A goal I have is to teach myself to sew my own clothes.” As Emily continued to make her “plushies,” her family and friends encouraged her to begin selling them, prompting her to start looking into ways to turn her hobby into a business. “Research and planning are really important. When you start a business, you need to research your market, research all about what you're selling, research what your competitors are selling, and how much things cost.” The process hasn’t been without its challenges. “In Australia, we can’t get access to a lot of the materials I need. Shipping costs from overseas are so expensive!” But Emily, who calls herself “your average teenage grandma,” remains resourceful, constantly searching for new places to source her items from. As she overcomes hurdles, she’s also found joy in exploring marketing tools to share her creations. “Promotion on social media is so important!” she explains. “People aren’t going to purchase from you if they don’t know you exist. I actually find the social media stuff quite fun and creative too! I love thinking of ideas for my videos.” Today, her online shop features a small handful of adorable handmade plush toys, suitable as toys and decorations for multiple age groups, with plans to offer her customers new additions and varieties. “My favourite probably has to be the sheep. I am always looking for more crochet plushies to make and can’t wait to make something different. I recently made a sloth for someone in our local community. In the future, I plan to make an axolotl and start designing crochet patterns.” To support her creative journey, Emily suggests liking and following her Instagram page @cosy.creations.by.me and Etsy shop @CosyCreationsByMe where customers can also message her for a custom order.

Photographer: Mark Kennedy Mark Kennedy is a local photographer who grew up in Cherrybrook and then moved to the Northern Beaches when he was 21 with his mates and never looked back. They were seeking out the beach lifestyle and after suburb-surfing for a couple of years, finally settling in Belrose, which is now his own family home. By day, Mark is a software development manager, but his real passion is with the art of photography. This passion came about in parallel with his love for travel, so wherever he went he took his trusty camera with him. ”I love capturing moments in time,” Mark revealed, “and then being able to look back at them when they randomly appear on my phone, so I can remember all about it. I'd say that when I went to Tassie a few years ago was when I really started getting into my photography. As a location, it has been my favourite to photograph.” As you will see from Mark's Instagram feed, there are a number of bushland images, taken here in our beautiful bushland. He is a big fan of sunrise and sunset photos, although he admits he's not much of a morning person, so tends to lean more towards the sunset! Mark let us in on one of his favourite locations: “There is a magic spot not too far from where I live that looks over the Garigal National Park across to St Ives, and captures the perfect light as the sun is going down. I keep going back because no day is ever the same. Bushwalking in the late afternoon is awesome for capturing golden light.” We asked Mark what his top tips were for getting the perfect shot. He replied: 1. Always have a camera with you; 2. Be sure to get the perfect light; and 3. Always be on the lookout for sights or scenes around you. “I am often seen rushing back home to grab my gear when I see something cool happening,” he shared, “such as a unique sunset or something I don't want to forget.” If you want to check out Mark's work, go to his instagram page, @markkennedyimages, where he curates his favourite images of mostly NSW bushland and animals. He admits that his repertoire will continue to expand once he is allowed to travel again. We asked Mark what's next on his horizon? “I am keen to dabble in macrophotography. I have a new lens on the way and am super keen to give it a try. I see lots of inspirational macro shots online and have decided to give it a go myself. Outside of this, I love exploring the bush and the local area for anything that catches my eye.” If you would like to learn more, check out Mark's Instagram feed or send him a message. Mark Kennedy Instagram : @markkennedyimages

While Europe, particularly France and Norway, are aiming at having EVs (electric vehicles) and hybrids as the only new cars available by 2025, Australia seems reluctant to plug into the technology. By Rob Everett There may be some seemingly obvious reasons why EVs aren’t taking off in this country. They’re more expensive to purchase than their petrol equivalent (currently there is no government-funded subsidy in place to encourage the purchase of EVs here, unlike absolutely everywhere else) and EVs have famously short ranges, don’t they? Well, not necessarily. Battery technology is getting better by the day, as is fast charging, so EV “range anxiety” is becoming less of an issue. The Hyundai IONIQ is a great example: it takes a mere 25 minutes to charge to a very usable 80% (using a fast charger). That is the time it takes to sip a double-shot-decaf-extra hot-half ‘n’ half-latté. Also worth considering is the way we use our cars. The average commute by car in Sydney is 15.4 kms, and if we use our trusty Hyundai as our example, that’s a theoretical 12 days of commuting to and from work before you run out of “go”. This brings us neatly onto the issue of charging your futuristic steed; and although we’re not quite as organised as our European neighbours, our charging infrastructure is improving quickly. The NRMA currently has 42 sites throughout metropolitan NSW and they are free to both members and non members (for now). Companies like CHARGEFOX, who advertise 1400 charging sites across Australia (with a handy app), suggest the costs to recharge are as little as $0.40 per kWh. The alternative to public charging stations is to charge from home, and there are options of varying cost and speed available. The gold standard is a wall-mounted box that can be installed in your garage - manufacturers and the aftermarket can sell you one. However, the trusty three pin plug is also a (much slower) option. There are also some slightly less obvious benefits to driving an EV, the best being because there isn’t a loud, exploding engine up front; they are surprisingly peaceful things to tootle about in. Equally surprising is the way they can pick up speed. Unlike petrol engines, the power and torque delivery is instantaneous with an electric motor. This can make for some very spirited/amusing grand prix take offs at the traffic lights with models such as the Tesla Model 3 Performance boasting ludicrous speed (0-100 km/h in an hilarious 3.4 seconds). EVs also have the unique benefit of “one pedal driving”. Regenerative “braking” slows the car down as it recoups lost energy, putting charge back into the batteries as you drive. The level of ‘regen’ can often be adjusted, but effectively means in normal driving one rarely has to actually touch the brake as the “regen” can provide enough friction to slow the car down, often to a full stop in some cases*. EVs are a new way of driving, but one that is increasingly making sense to many people. As technology, range and the supporting infrastructure improves this will only grow. Save a polar bear, buy an EV. * Actual braking is also highly recommended.

By ALEC SMART St Ives Village Green and sporting facilities are in the midst of a redevelopment. So far, the pedestrian crossing in Village Green Parade has been relocated for better access, and the public toilets upgraded. The latest stage of improvements to the recreation precinct, primarily the skate park and children’s play area, has commenced and is expected to be completed by mid 2022. Consisting of 9.2 hectares of designated ‘community land’, St Ives Village Green is divided into 7 precincts, all conveniently adjacent to the St Ives Village Shopping Centre. These include: Youth (skate park, children’s playground, youth centre, community hall). St Ives Bowling Club (three greens, clubhouse and carpark). William Cowan Oval (upper level softball diamonds and amenities block). Lower Village Green (large grass area and cricket pitch). Forested Zone (Sydney Turpentine Ironbark Forest in the north-east). Hard Courts (four floodlit dual-purpose tennis/netball courts). The original Village Green was opened in stages throughout the 1950s (the first annual Village Fair was held in November 1951), and is being managed for the future in accordance with an adopted Plan of Management. In June 2011 Ku-Ring-Gai Council adopted a Plan of Management that merged several environmental and development strategies (St Ives Village Green Landscape Masterplan, Ku-ring-gai Local Environmental Plan, Ku-ring-gai Town Centres Public Domain Plan, and Ku- ring-gai Development Control Plan), all undertaken with community consultation. This was undertaken to provide a new vision for the Village Green and town centre area. According to the Plan of Management, “The redevelopment of the St Ives precinct will see a dramatic change in the intensity of use of the St Ives Village Green, and the integration of the park with adjacent land uses.” Ku-Ring-Gai Council’s website lists key features of the redevelopment project: A contemporary and challenging skate plaza and bowl areas for a range of skill levels. An inclusive children’s play area suitable for children of all ages and abilities. An adaptable performance space with a viewing lawn and stage for community events. Shaded areas and sunny terraces overlooking play and skate areas. Picnic facilities for children’s parties and family gatherings. Wide new pathways with accessible links to different areas of the precinct Coloured pavements for visual interest, reduced glare and wayfinding. New seating, shelters, bins and bubblers Lighting and possible CCTV. Retention of existing shade trees where possible. New shade tree planting and landscaping. For complete details of the St Ives Village Green upgrade, visit: www.krg.nsw.gov.au/Planning-and-development/Projects-and-current-works/St-Ives/St-Ives-Village-Green

In days not so long gone, a typical Aussie Christmas morning was made up of the shrill of cicadas, church bells ringing, and the laughter of kids in the street wobbling unsteadily on their shiny new bikes. The bicycle with a bow that often appears in cliched depictions of Christmas reveals how ubiquitous it used to be as a gift. Now a child’s present is more likely to be a small box whose contents invariably require a charger and wi-fi. Bicycles are a wonderful gift for any child, from the very young through to teens. Learning to ride a bike requires understanding balance, momentum, speed, turning. It’s a fun physics lesson that draws on natural instincts as well presenting new challenges and scientific discovery - albeit with some scrapes and grazes along the way. Most people will remember the first time they rode unaided by training wheels or an attentive adult hand - the feeling of freedom and independence and accomplishment. Kids are more likely to go outside and inadvertently exercise if it involves jumping on a bike and seeking out adventure or learning new tricks. It’s something they can enjoy doing alone or with a bunch of friends. In fact, one of the great things about cycling is that it’s an activity the whole family can share. Think about putting a bicycle on the Christmas list. It’s the kind of gift that helps create a childhood.

Hear how former high school teacher and St Ives local Kobie Bosch found her calling as an artist. More on St Ives St Ives resident, Kobie Bosch, never saw herself as a full-time artist. "It happened slowly, almost without me noticing." What started as a love for drawing and colour became a lifelong passion, shaped by every opportunity she had to attend art classes or exhibit her work. “Thirty years later, here I am - a full-time artist!” Kobie Bosch Her creative path was unexpected, given her early career as a high school maths and English teacher. With an honours degree in mathematics, she taught for years before realising that both subjects quietly influenced her art. "The patterns found in maths and the storytelling of English wove their way into my work." Her compositions, often from her imagination, blur the lines between home interiors and the natural world, merging personal space with the rich Australian and South African landscapes that inspire her. Opening night, 93x125cm, oil on canvas "I’m fascinated by the fringes of these worlds," she says. Her most recent work, depicting peahens perched on a mauve settee, reflects this, blending domestic life with nature’s beauty. A member of The Ku-Ring-Gai Art Society for many years, Kobie values the sense of connection and growth it offers. “It’s been a wonderful way to meet other artists, keep learning, and exhibit my work.” For someone who moved from South Africa 20 years ago, Kobie didn’t know anyone in Sydney, so this sense of community has been crucial. “St Ives has become my village. Just seeing familiar faces at the shops or walking in the neighbourhood gives me a sense of belonging.” Kobie working on her next project Her advice for aspiring artists is simple: "Know who you are and what your work is about. It may take time, but don’t give up." When she’s not painting, you might find her enjoying a peaceful walk on one of the various walking trails in St Ives, her favourite winds through the National Park, starting at the end of Warrimoo Avenue. Kobie’s art, like her life, blends the personal with the natural — a journey of creativity and community in the heart of St Ives. Local Favourites: Best Coffee: Somewhere North - Piccolo Best Meal: Karoo & Co - Ragu, followed by the Lemon Meringue!

Meet Ari Akbarian and the team at Asset Realty, a cornerstone of the North Shore real estate landscape for more than two decades. More on St Ives Ari Akbarian from Asset Realty For more than 25 years, Asset Realty has been a big player in the North Shore's real estate scene, helping shape the local market and building a very strong community presence along the way.  "Our business, Asset Realty, started with my mother, who was able to buy a Gordon real estate office and from that, built a multi-office company through sheer hard work and business acumen," reflects Ari, the current owner of Asset Realty. "We've been operating for over 25 years and hope to grow over the next 25 years through our industry-leading service, borne by hard work." Growing up in St Ives, Ari has a deep-rooted connection to the area. "I attended both St Ives Primary and St Ives High Schools from Kindergarten to Year 12. My first job at 14 was in a sports shop on the corner of Memorial and Mona Vale Road - this is where I honed my skills as a salesperson, understanding that product knowledge is key to realising value for any customer." Fast forward 20 years, and Asset Realty now occupies that same corner position for their St Ives Office - talk about going full circle. When we asked Ari what St Ives meant to him, he told us - "Whether it’s education or work, this suburb has given me the best childhood, created a platform to launch my career, and introduced me to a community that I hold dear. To me, St Ives is and always will be home." Notable Listings and Local Connections Having worked in the area for so many years, Ari reflected on some of his most notable sales. "15a Memorial Avenue, St Ives, was a great sale due to the premium we reached at auction in September 2023. There were specific risk factors that I had to mitigate to realise value, creating a platform to stage a successful auction." Ari Akbarian from Asset Realty Another memorable listing was 59 Hunter Avenue, St Ives. "This was special as it was listed by an Eastern Suburbs agent sharing the same brand as me," he explains. "The vendor, a school friend, had built one of the best homes in the area. Initially, the buyer was against moving to St Ives, preferring Wahroonga or Pymble along the train line.  “I utilised all my knowledge about St Ives to influence this buyer to inspect the property and eventually part with approximately $5,000,000. Promoting St Ives against neighbouring suburbs was easy, especially given its attributes such as the shopping centre, great schools, warm community, and lovely parks." Comparing St Ives with Neighbouring Suburbs Reflecting on the changes over the past two decades, Ari’s observations centre on the urbanisation of St Ives, with density changing the demographic landscape from 1985 to 2024. “We are seeing in recent years that St Ives is being seen by buyers as a desirable place to live, with many new homes and units obtaining premium prices as a result.” Sales Chart from Asset Realty He continued, "St Ives has performed in line with neighbouring suburbs with a median house price of $3,080,000 as of March 2024," he says. "Being in a downsizers’ hub, we have seen median prices for units soar to $1,020,000, the second highest below Pymble. All in all, St Ives is tracking above expectations, compared to neighbouring suburbs." Looking ahead, Asset predicts a buyer’s market for the remainder of 2024. "Qualified buyers have a choice for premium homes on the market," Ari explains. "With interest rates still on hold from post-COVID rate hikes, and cost-of-living pressures impacting household budgets, a lot of buyers are staying put. This leaves qualified buyers in a slight hand of power with reduced competition when negotiating to acquire their dream home." Selling Your Home: First Steps When it comes to selling your home, Asset advises, "Don’t ask a real estate agent to appraise your property immediately. Protect yourself from underselling by getting to know your home first. Understand your planning restrictions, the condition of your home, and make necessary updates. When you know your property and can gauge the buyer profile, then it’s time to invite the right agent to appraise." Ari Akbarian from Asset Realty Their extensive experience and commitment to understanding both the market and the needs of their clients have made Asset Realty a trusted name in St Ives and the greater North Shore area. As they continue to grow and adapt to the changing real estate landscape, their dedication to their community and industry-leading service remains steadfast. Asset Realty 200-204 Mona Vale Road St Ives NSW 2075 T: 9449 8228 F: 9418 2958 E: sales.stives@assetrealty.com.au

By ALEC SMART A new recycling hub repurposing waste plastics has opened in Belrose, run by community social enterprise Pittwater Eco Adventures. More on St Ives In addition to providing education on better waste management, useful items are made from refuse plastic. Neighbourhood Media chats with the Belrose Recycling Hub founder, Katie Brooks. We have council recycling bins, why set up a centre to repurpose waste plastics? On average only 9% of plastics are recycled globally. In Australia it’s a bit higher - sitting at 12%. - while paper, aluminium and glass have much higher recycling rates. The reasons for this: 1) Contamination - a little bit of contamination is ok, but once it reaches a certain threshold, contaminated waste gets sent to landfills. 2) Size - anything smaller than a credit card is too small for the industrial machinery. 3) No resin codes - it’s not a manufacturing requirement in Australia to label plastics. It’s best practice but lots of companies don’t bother. A polymer identification code is the recycling symbol with a number in it. If it’s not labelled it may not end up getting recycled. To make it even more confusing, recycling varies from place to place around the country. Eg. the soft plastics debacle. Can you tell us how the Belrose facility came about? It's like a community recycling hub, a place for reshaping waste, now that we're doing a lot more school workshops... We used to just operate as a mobile initiative, going to schools and driving into the playground to set up a recycling workshop, or setting up a stall at public events, but we’ve found we need to have a base. Now that we've got the Belrose warehouse, we can concentrate more on making stuff... and invite people to the hub for workshops as well. From here we can do a lot more community engagement. Does this involve educating people about which plastics can be repurposed? Yes, exactly. We work with polyethylene, which is the safest plastic to work with because it's got a really low melting temperature, so it's difficult to burn. There aren't many associated fumes either. A lot of councils won’t recycle plastic objects if they’re smaller than a credit card, they just goes straight to landfill. Their machinery is too big to deal with anything small. So we focus on little things like sushi fish sauce containers and bottle caps, because, A): they're easy to motivate the community into collecting, and, B): they can't be recycled in the yellow bins no matter where you live, because they're so small. The plastic is shredded and placed into moulds where it is melted into new products, is that correct? The machinery we have been working with previously is for benchtop use, mostly suitable for public festivals and visiting schools, so we are limited in what we can make in terms of size. When we're doing demonstrations, everybody gets to make a pen or a hair comb or something that they can keep that's basically pocket-sized. At the Belrose warehouse, we’re scaling that up, which will also enable us to keep up with bigger volumes of waste. We have different machinery to produce larger items - an injection machine, a big shredder, and a sheet press so we can make melted sheets of plastic. In the future, we’ll be getting a CNC router so we could potentially cut furniture, or all sorts of objects - the sky's the limit, really! Are people encouraged to take waste plastic items to your Belrose warehouse for recycling? That's definitely encouraged. But we’ll be working to set up collection bins, which will be stationed in a number of locations across the Northern Beaches and the North Shore. Volunteers within the community will collect the bins in their suburb, and ensure quality control. And then we can rely upon 10 people across both of those areas bringing the plastic waste to us, rather than 3000 community members rocking up on our doorstep… Community recycling is fraught with issues around contamination, it’s very labour intensive washing and sorting it all. We think we’ve come up with a solution to this bottleneck with installing the program in schools. These things are written into the curriculum at almost all stages of primary and high school education. Kids are sitting in classrooms learning about plastics and recycling, we figure they might as well be helping us do it! By collecting these items through schools, we have the means of controlling the quality of the donations we receive. Students are learning about plastics while sorting them by colour and type, and we’re coming into their schools to show them what we can do with it. We’ve even been working with engineers and designers to bring to market machinery for schools to do the recycling themselves. In the meantime…? We want to try, as much as possible, to do it through schools, because they've got the capacity to store the plastic waste, as well as clean and sort it for us. But community members will have local drop-off points they can go to, such as libraries or council chambers. The call to action at this point is to follow the project on Instagram and Facebook - Pittwater Eco Adventures and Reshaping Waste. Also, sign up for our newsletter! Who are Pittwater Eco Adventures? Run by dedicated environmentalists Katie Brooks and Bergia Kalmar is a multi-faceted operation. Based in the Pittwater YHA on the shores of Morning Bay in Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park, they host a range of environmentally-themed activities and workshops including youth camps and corporate retreats. These include half or full-day adventures involving bushwalking, kayaking, stand-up paddle-boarding and yoga. They also manage Duke of Edinburgh programs for Sydney schools and teach bush regeneration and Aboriginal stewardship of the land. Since June 2020, they’ve hosted regular community clean-ups at Manly Cove, in which waste plastics are sifted from the sand and shoreline and, where possible, ground up and recycled. In mid-2023 they launched a recycling project called Reshaping Waste, and regularly visit schools, markets and community festivals to encourage re-using waste plastics. In a 2023 interview Katie told me, “We bought some machinery and set up a little mobile workshop, which is a small van that we can drive into schools and down to the beach. “We host events in the Manly area. Basically, we rock up, run a beach clean-up, sort through all the different streams of waste that can be recycled, like sushi fish [soy sauce packets], straws and bottle caps, and then we’ll shred it all down. “And we’ll get the people at those events to recycle on the spot – turn the waste they find into products that they can take home… One of the reasons we run the events at Manly Cove is because it’s in the top five most polluted beaches in Australia for microplastics!” Pittwater Eco Adventures Website: www.pittwaterecoadventures.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/ecoadventurecrew Instagram: www.instagram.com/pittwater.eco.adventures Reshaping waste: www.pittwaterecoadventures.com/reshaping-waste Community Recycling Hub 8 Narabang Way Belrose ==============================================

More on St Ives Design for Hope Team Up with Shed Eleven to take on the mammoth task of breathing new life into this monumentally important community fixture. Kylie & Jane from Essence of Home, under their social impact brand Design for Hope have joined forces with Jemma from Shed Eleven to help bring a much-needed touch of love to one of the shelters operated by Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Women's Shelter. "We are thrilled to be part of this fabulous project. Our wish is that the women and children who come to stay at the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Women's Shelter find peace, worthiness, and a renewed sense of possibilities in their lives." - Jane, Essence of Home This is not the first time these local ladies have worked together. Last year Shed Eleven donated some gorgeous bespoke pieces (all upcycled of course) for Erin’s Place, a women's and children’s shelter Design for Hope were renovating. Inspired by the Erin’s Place project Jemma has pulled together this new project, ‘House to Home’. ‘The combination of a strong belief in the power of a beautiful environment, the knowledge that the community want to get involved, and my passion for upcycling items destined for potential landfill, put me in a unique position to assist the shelter in their House to Home project.’ – Jemma, Shed Eleven While the shelter currently provides a clean and safe environment, Design for Hope and Shed Eleven are determined to create a feeling of comfort, tranquillity, and support for its residents during their time of crisis. The aim of this project is to infuse the shelter with beautiful furniture and décor in soft calming colours and create an environment where women and their children can feel nurtured on their road to recovery. And all while reducing landfill. Many hands make light work and as with any significant project there are lots of welcomed volunteers: Design for Hope is consulting on the colour scheme and the use of Trauma Informed Design. Their expertise will contribute to creating balance throughout the house and giving it a calm, welcoming feel to promote recovery from trauma and help to rebuild the residents’ confidence and self-worth. Shed Eleven will upcycle good quality, donated furniture, artwork and décor for the shelter. Jemma is tackling the pressing issue of furniture waste (did you know that approximately 30,000 tonnes of furniture ends up in Australian landfills each year?) Jemma ran a workshop for some Ku-ring-gai Council staff members where they helped upcycle donated plant pots and art canvases. St Ives Rotary Club are generously funding the upcycling costs, highlighting their commitment to supporting initiatives that positively impact the local community. The response from the broader community has been truly heartwarming as well. With offers of donations of funds, time and many items for repurposing. And of course, the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Women’s Shelter team who are helping these women in crisis to create a better, happier future. To find out more about either business: www.essenceofhome.com.au/designforhope www.shedeleven.com.au

More on St Ives The Northside Montessori Parent and Toddler Program is a beautiful way for parents to bond with their young children while fostering a love of learning. The program provides toddlers with a safe and nurturing environment to explore and discover their world. With the guidance of a trained educator. Making friends in our Montessori toddler group can be a fun and exciting experience for both children and parents. Attending the Northside Montessori Schools toddler program is a great way to help your child build connections. Consistency can help your child feel more comfortable and familiar with the other children and the environment. It will also encourage your child to participate in group activities, like circle time or art projects, which is an excellent way for your child to interact with others and develop friendships. Finally, the Northside Montessori Toddler program encourages your child to be kind to others and allows them to make their own choices to develop their skills and abilities. With trained Montessori educators, parents can learn how to support their child's natural curiosity and encourage their development. From sensory exploration and language development to socialisation and independence, the Northside Montessori School Parent Toddler Program offers a wide range of activities and experiences tailored to each child's needs. Whether you are a first-time parent or an experienced caregiver, this program can help you build a strong foundation for your child's future success. Why Northside Montessori School? Northside children are inspired to learn, to share, to create, to help, to try new things, and to know more – foundational elements to any child’s development. The Northside campus in Pymble is a culturally diverse and non-denominational preschool, primary and secondary school – supporting children from their earliest stages of growth. Northside guides using Montessori approaches and engages your child’s natural desire to learn, delivering the NSW Educational Standards Authority (NESA) K-10 Curriculum as well as the outcomes of the Early Years Learning Framework Northside Montessori School is a supportive community and school environment that will provide inspiring opportunities for your child. To learn more about Northside Montessori School, head to our website www.northsidemontessori.nsw.edu.au or email Bec (Registrar) at enrol@northsidemontessori.nsw.edu.au