For information directly relating to bushfires please call the Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737 or visit the NSW Rural Fire Service Website here. [external link] We responded to over 150,000 incidents in 2023-24 The incidents displayed below are note-worthy incidents that have been published as media releases or tweets Details about incidents may change and should not be used as emergency information and/or advice North Parramatta | The fire at Dunlop Street, North Parramatta has been contained but is expected to smoulder through the morning. Because there may be smoke in the area, residents and businesses in the vicinity are advised to keep doors, windows, and vents closed. View on X [external link] Fire and Rescue NSW acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land and acknowledges and pays respect to their Elders This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page This is probably not the page you’re looking for Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time A man and woman have walked away unscathed after a light plane on a training flight crashed near a primary school in Sydney’s west with a witness rushing to their aid and the pilot praised for potentially saving the lives of nearby students Emergency services were called to Garnet Street in Bossley Park about 2.30pm on Thursday The Piper Cherokee aircraft carrying 340 litres of fuel crashed into trees on the boundary of Terone Park near Mary Immaculate Catholic Primary School No students on the nearby oval at the time were injured Sam Elias said he heard the crash and ran over to help I came out to see what happened and I saw an aeroplane.. [and] moved the second guy,” he told Nine News A flight tracker shows the plane left Bankstown Airport five minutes before the crash.Credit: flightaware.com “It would [have been a disaster] if any kids were there departed Bankstown Airport at 2.23pm and was last seen in the air at 2.28pm after travelling about 13km got an engine failure just next to Prospect .. NSW Ambulance officers assessed the occupants at the scene They declined to be taken to hospital and did not suffer any major injuries A light plane has crashed near a primary school in Sydney’s west.Credit: Nine News Fire and Rescue NSW said the plane was on a training flight when the pilot made a crash landing “The young pilot shut down a series of onboard systems and made the emergency landing The pilot and his passenger suffered minor injuries but have refused treatment by ambulance paramedics,” a spokesman said Firefighters have established a 100-metre fire protection zone and are monitoring the area for fuel leaks Police closed off a nearby street as onlookers gathered and children walked past the crash site Witness and parent Marisa Morlin praised the pilot telling Seven News she believed they had protected nearby families by crashing into the trees “I honestly think that the pilot saved a bigger accident than what’s actually happened.” Logs show the plane has made several short return trips from Bankstown Airport this month Piper Cherokees are two-seat or four-seat light planes designed for flight training and personal use The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has launched an investigation “The ATSB has been notified of an accident near Bankstown and is gathering further information to inform an investigation decision,” a bureau spokesman said Get alerts on significant breaking news as happens. Sign up for our Breaking News Alert A man and woman have walked away unscathed after a light plane on a training flight crashed near a primary school in Sydney\\u2019s west [and] moved the second guy,\\u201D he told Nine News \\u201CThe first [man] we took out was good \\u201CIt would [have been a disaster] if any kids were there \\u201CThe young pilot shut down a series of onboard systems and made the emergency landing The pilot and his passenger suffered minor injuries but have refused treatment by ambulance paramedics,\\u201D a spokesman said \\u201CI honestly think that the pilot saved a bigger accident than what\\u2019s actually happened.\\u201D \\u201CThe ATSB has been notified of an accident near Bankstown and is gathering further information to inform an investigation decision,\\u201D a bureau spokesman said Get alerts on significant breaking news as happens An angel sent down from heaven to look after her mum has now returned home too soon That’s how the heartbroken parents of 12-year-old Charlotte the Santa Sabina student who took her own life earlier this month Hundreds of mourners packed into the Mary Immaculate Catholic Church in Bossley Park carried her coffin decorated in butterflies and purple flowers paying tribute to their “soulmate” who was “wise beyond her years” “I will always grieve the life you never had I won’t just miss you on special occasions like your birthday I’ll miss you every day that ends with Y,” Kelly said through tears Parents Kelly and Mat say farewell to Charlotte outside the Mary Immaculate Catholic Church in Bossley Park.Credit: Janie Barrett “You used to tell me when you were a child you were an angel watching me from heaven Kelly shared memories of Charlotte as a generous girl who was like a “little mummy” to her baby brother and loved holidays She would go out of her way to help her mum such as cleaning the kitchen while Kelly slept “I couldn’t wait to go to sleep so I could see you in the morning I can’t wait to go to sleep so I can see you in my dreams,” she said The order of service for the funeral of Santa Sabina student Charlotte and pictures of her and her family Kelly said she would try her best to live on and fulfil Charlotte’s dreams like holidaying in New York and Disneyland Mat thanked Charlotte for letting him into her life when he first met Kelly and giving her stamp of approval “Thank you for giving me the greatest honour – of being your dad,” he said Mat read from the last Father’s Day card he would receive from Charlotte The Santa Sabina student struggled with what her parents described as “friendship issues” at the school and cried almost every day on her way to class Charlotte described the bullying she endured at the Strathfield private school and told them her life was too difficult to continue Experts say suicide is complex and is rarely attributable to a single factor Common risk factors for youth suicide are a mental health condition or a physical disability family problems and grief are also risk factors Charlotte’s death has shone a spotlight on how schools handle cases of bullying among students Her parents say they raised issues of bullying multiple times with Santa Sabina and were disappointed with the response Charlotte’s parents were taking her to therapy and were in the process of moving her to a different school when she died In response to claims from Kelly and Mat that they raised Charlotte’s bullying with the school a spokesperson for Santa Sabina said the allegations were new or inconsistent with their records The school has called in counsellors, mental health experts from headspace and chaplains. Santa Sabina’s bullying policy was updated in March 2023 Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter That\\u2019s how the heartbroken parents of 12-year-old Charlotte along with Charlotte\\u2019s aunties and uncles paying tribute to their \\u201Csoulmate\\u201D who was \\u201Cwise beyond her years\\u201D \\u201CI will always grieve the life you never had I won\\u2019t just miss you on special occasions like your birthday I\\u2019ll miss you every day that ends with Y,\\u201D Kelly said through tears \\u201CYou used to tell me when you were a child you were an angel watching me from heaven \\u201CI don\\u2019t know why you went home baby Kelly shared memories of Charlotte as a generous girl who was like a \\u201Clittle mummy\\u201D to her baby brother and loved holidays \\u201CI couldn\\u2019t wait to go to sleep so I could see you in the morning I can\\u2019t wait to go to sleep so I can see you in my dreams,\\u201D she said Kelly said she would try her best to live on and fulfil Charlotte\\u2019s dreams \\u201CThank you for giving me the greatest honour \\u2013 of being your dad,\\u201D he said Mat read from the last Father\\u2019s Day card he would receive from Charlotte where she described him as her \\u201Ccaptain\\u201D The Santa Sabina student struggled with what her parents described as \\u201Cfriendship issues\\u201D at the school Charlotte\\u2019s death has shone a spotlight on how schools handle cases of bullying among students Charlotte\\u2019s parents were taking her to therapy and were in the process of moving her to a different school when she died In response to claims from Kelly and Mat that they raised Charlotte\\u2019s bullying with the school mental health experts from headspace and chaplains Support is available through on 1800 55 1800 Start the day with a summary of the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. An angel sent down from heaven to look after her mum has now returned home too soon. That\\u2019s how the heartbroken parents of 12-year-old Charlotte, the Santa Sabina student who took her own life earlier this month, have remembered her. Hundreds of mourners packed into the Mary Immaculate Catholic Church in Bossley Park, many wearing touches of pink, to say goodbye to Charlotte. Her mother Kelly and her father Mat, along with Charlotte\\u2019s aunties and uncles, carried her coffin decorated in butterflies and purple flowers. Kelly and Mat delivered the eulogy, paying tribute to their \\u201Csoulmate\\u201D who was \\u201Cwise beyond her years\\u201D. \\u201CI will always grieve the life you never had. I won\\u2019t just miss you on special occasions like your birthday, I\\u2019ll miss you every day that ends with Y,\\u201D Kelly said through tears. \\u201CYou used to tell me when you were a child you were an angel watching me from heaven. You saw I needed you, so you popped into my belly. \\u201CI don\\u2019t know why you went home baby, because I still need you.\\u201D Kelly shared memories of Charlotte as a generous girl who was like a \\u201Clittle mummy\\u201D to her baby brother and loved holidays. She would go out of her way to help her mum, such as cleaning the kitchen while Kelly slept. \\u201CI couldn\\u2019t wait to go to sleep so I could see you in the morning. Now, my angel, I can\\u2019t wait to go to sleep so I can see you in my dreams,\\u201D she said. Kelly said she would try her best to live on and fulfil Charlotte\\u2019s dreams, like holidaying in New York and Disneyland. Mat thanked Charlotte for letting him into her life when he first met Kelly and giving her stamp of approval. \\u201CThank you for giving me the greatest honour \\u2013 of being your dad,\\u201D he said. Mat read from the last Father\\u2019s Day card he would receive from Charlotte, where she described him as her \\u201Ccaptain\\u201D. The Santa Sabina student struggled with what her parents described as \\u201Cfriendship issues\\u201D at the school, and cried almost every day on her way to class. In a letter left for her parents, Charlotte described the bullying she endured at the Strathfield private school, and told them her life was too difficult to continue. Experts say suicide is complex and is rarely attributable to a single factor. Common risk factors for youth suicide are a mental health condition or a physical disability, but bullying, family problems and grief are also risk factors. Charlotte\\u2019s death has shone a spotlight on how schools handle cases of bullying among students. Her parents say they raised issues of bullying multiple times with Santa Sabina and were disappointed with the response. Charlotte\\u2019s parents were taking her to therapy and were in the process of moving her to a different school when she died. In response to claims from Kelly and Mat that they raised Charlotte\\u2019s bullying with the school, a spokesperson for Santa Sabina said the allegations were new or inconsistent with their records. The school has called in counsellors, mental health experts from headspace and chaplains. was updated in March 2023. Support is available through on 1800 55 1800, on 1300 224 636, on 13 11 14, on 1800 187 263, and on 0488 881 033. Start the day with a summary of the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. . CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) The Light Up Christmas Competition is on now and Facebook entries are open To enter simply take a photo of your Christmas-decorated home, inbox the photo to Council's Facebook page along with your address full name and contact number by 12pm on Tuesday 10 December 2024 Council will post all entries on their Facebook page as a gallery for the public to vote for their favourite house between Tuesday 10 December from 12pm onwards to Monday 16 December on Facebook Winners will be selected based on the number of likes their home receives on social media and will be announced via Facebook on Monday 16 December 2024 The 10 entries with the most "Likes" will win a Christmas hamper valued up to $150!  The Light Up Christmas Competition closes 12pm on Tuesday 10 December 2024, so get decorating and follow Council on Facebook to enter and stay up to date on all our latest announcements Council thanks everyone who entered in our Christmas lights competition in 2023 Houses voted with the best Christmas lights were: Fairfield City Council is giving away 10 Christmas hampers (value of $150 each) to 10 winners Residents who get notified as winners can then collect the hampers at Council's Administration Centre between Monday 16 and Friday 20 December 2024  Tuesday 12 November 2024 to 12pm on Tuesday 10 December 2024 Winners will be selected based on the number of likes their home receives on social media and announced via Facebook on Monday 16 December 2024 The winners will be the occupants of the homes pictured Local residents are invited to take a photo of their Christmas-decorated house in the Fairfield Local Government Area and direct message their photo full name and address to the Fairfield City Council Facebook page Fairfield City Council will compile an album of the tagged photos and the 10 houses with the most likes as of Monday 16 December 2024 will win a hamper By entering into Fairfield City Council’s (‘Promoter’) competition you are agreeing to the following Terms and Conditions: 10 winners will be selected from eligible entries based on the most amount of ‘likes’ on Fairfield City Council’s Facebook page The winners will be announced on the Fairfield City Council’s Facebook page on Monday 16 December 2024 Entries not completed in accordance with these Terms and Conditions will not be considered valid The Promoter reserves the right to request that the winner provide proof of identity and proof of age in order to claim the prize residency and entry considered suitable for verification is at the discretion of the Promoter In the event that the winner cannot provide suitable proof the winner will forfeit the prize in whole and no substitute will be offered Decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into The Promoter reserves the right (in its sole discretion) to disqualify any entry that contains inappropriate material or those that were submitted in an inappropriate manner breach of copyright or other intellectual property rights and actions that breach any relevant laws 10 winners will be selected based on the number of likes their image received for the Christmas hampers (worth $150 each) The winners will be able to collect the prize pack from Council’s Administration Building The winners must collect the prize between Monday 16 and Friday 20 December 2024 within business hours (8.30am to 4.30pm) If the winner for whatever reason is unable to participate in the prize then the winner will forfeit that element of the prize The prize is not transferable or exchangeable Cash will not be awarded in lieu of the prize or element thereof The Promoter may cancel the promotion and not award the prize(s) where circumstances beyond the Promoter’s reasonable control prevent the Promoter from providing the prize(s)        Advertise that the Promotion has been cancelled by placing a notice on the Fairfield City Council website       Promptly destroy all entries received; and      Not use the personal information you have provided on the entry form All entries become the property of the Promoter All entries will be entered into a database and the entrants’ addresses (excluding house numbers) may be used for future promotional The personal information you have provided to us will only be used for the purpose of administering the Promotion to contact you if you are the winner of the Promotion advising the public of the winner of the Promotion This may be by any means of communication including social media If the information requested is not provided you may not be eligible to enter the Promotion comments or complaints about the promotion must be directed to the Promoter (media@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au) and not to any social media platform used in conjunction with this promotion (including Entrants understand that they are providing their information to the Promoter and not to any social media platform (including An entrant also agrees that the Promoter may publish or cause to be published the entrant’s address (excluding house numbers) in any media or social media platform The Promoter is Fairfield City Council ABN 83 140 439 239 We acknowledge the Cabrogal of the Darug Nation who are the Traditional Custodians of this Land We also pay our respect to the Elders both past Error: no decision tree source folder detected The NSW Police Force and NSW Government have announced a $500,000 reward for information into the disappearance of Jessica Zrinski was last seen in the Bossley Park area about 10pm on Sunday 27 November 2022 Police were alerted of her disappearance on Friday 3 December 2022 when family members could not locate or contact her Officers from Fairfield City Police Area Command conducted extensive inquiries at the time before detectives from State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad took carriage of the investigation under Strike Force Keder Inquiries revealed Jessica was in the carpark of a hotel on Mimosa Road at Greenfield Park about 10pm on Monday 28 November 2022 before leaving in a blue Holden Commodore station wagon about 10 minutes later The vehicle is believed to have travelled west on the M4 motorway and Great Western Highway towards the Blue Mountains As part of this most recent appeal for information police have released CCTV of Jessica in the blue Holden Commodore seen travelling through Horsley Park about 10.15pm that evening and Mount Victoria the next morning (Tuesday 29 November 2022) about 8.50am police are appealing for any additional witnesses who may have seen the car in those vicinities at those times Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley said she hopes the $500,000 reward will encourage anyone with information to come forward while Jessica’s disappearance is still so fresh in people’s minds “What happened a year ago would still feel like yesterday for Jessica’s family and the people who loved her,” Minister Catley said “As police continue their quest for truth I ask anyone who has information about this case to come forward and assist police – before they come knocking on your door.” Homicide Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty said investigators will leave no stone unturned in their search for answers “We believe there are still people out there who have vital information about Jessica’s movements on the day she was last seen her whereabouts; information that could help solve this case,” Det Supt Doherty said “We want to speak to those people to enable detectives to provide some much-needed answers for Jessica’s loved ones.” said she will never stop missing or looking for her daughter “Living life without my baby girl Jess has been the most difficult pain I’ve ever had to endure “I’ve loved her for her whole life and I’ll miss her for the rest of mine,” Ms Barton said “All I can hope is there is someone out there who can help us find Jess so we – her family and friends – can lay her to rest and say our goodbyes.” Anyone with information that may assist investigators is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au Information is treated in strict confidence The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages Horsley Park is on the market for $2.9m to $2.99m A SUBURB in southwest Sydney has established itself as Fairfield’s most tightly held and expensive spot with a median house price of $1.83 million The latest CoreLogic data reveals only 10 houses sold in Horsley Park in the 12 months to November which saw 123 sales in that time frame but its median is a more affordable $825,000 An older home on about 2.02ha on Wallgrove Rd fetched $2.7 million in November is attracting out-of-area buyers as well as those from nearby regions and the appeal comes down to its semi-rural vibe according to LJ Hooker Horsley Park agent Sargon David Liverpool and even Parramatta,” Mr David said “The suburb has a lot of big houses and people are looking to buy here and stay for a long time.” A grand residence in Koala Way has just hit the market with a price guide of $2.9 million to $2.99 million The latest listing in Horsley Park is only 10 years old The six-bedder at No. 109-115 is on 1.01ha and spans two storeys featuring marble bathrooms and large living areas with heated floors Downstairs is a guest wing with its own kitchen The property also has an entertainment area “It’s one of the better homes in the area and is only about 10 years old,” Mr David said The vendors are looking to downsize in the area while interested parties are from suburbs such as Cecil Hills third parties have written and supplied the content and we are not responsible for it completeness or reliability of the information nor do we accept any liability or responsibility arising in any way from omissions or errors contained in the content We do not recommend sponsored lenders or loan products and we cannot introduce you to sponsored lenders We strongly recommend that you obtain independent advice before you act on the content realestate.com.au is owned and operated by ASX-listed REA Group Ltd (REA:ASX) © REA Group Ltd. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to our Terms of Use. NSW Police are investigating whether the fatal shooting of a man in a Sydney park in broad daylight is gang related was shot in the head and killed on Friday afternoon while children played nearby in the popular Lizard Log park in western Sydney His 18-year-old companion Ronaldo Odisho was shot in the chest and taken to Liverpool hospital where he remains in a stable condition Fairfield Police Superintendent Peter Lennon said police were investigating whether the targeted attack was linked to a drug dispute Police cordon off the entrance to Lizard Log Park Wetherill Park following the shootings.Credit: James Alcock "These two that were shot are well known to police well known to local police and well known to state crime command," he said "I think it's a gutless attack by these people we've got people who at Christmas time are enjoying themselves with their family in a parkland and this sort of thing goes on." A NSW Police spokeswoman said gang links were a "line of inquiry" Speaking just outside the crime scene on Saturday morning NSW Labor's police spokesman Guy Zangari called on the government to step in to protect residents in the area by resourcing extra officers "I am here today as a result of the escalating gangland violence in south-west Sydney," he said a daylight murder has occurred in a park," he said "I feel for the families who had to witness this just before Christmas Can you imagine children having to witness a murder in front of them who walks his Labrador Bailey in the park every day said the area had become more dangerous over the past 6 months "There's been a few shootings in the area," he said "It's getting worse and worse." so I wonder how [the victims] family feels There are a lot of young families in the area so I'd hate if there was a stray bullet." Superintendent Lennon said the car believed to be carrying the shooters fled the scene in Wetherill Park On Friday police had no description of the car or the individuals involved A spokeswoman confirmed there had been no further developments identifying the perpetrators on Saturday morning An extensive crime scene has been established in the park which is being examined by specialist forensic officers Superintendent Lennon said Strike Force Jacoby had been formed to investigate the shootings \\\"These two that were shot are well known to police well known to local police and well known to state crime command,\\\" he said \\\"I think it's a gutless attack by these people we've got people who at Christmas time are enjoying themselves with their family in a parkland and this sort of thing goes on.\\\" A NSW Police spokeswoman said gang links were a \\\"line of inquiry\\\" NSW Labor's police spokesman Guy Zangari called on the government to step in to protect residents in the area by resourcing extra officers \\\"I am here today as a result of the escalating gangland violence in south-west Sydney,\\\" he said a daylight murder has occurred in a park,\\\" he said \\\"I feel for the families who had to witness this just before Christmas \\\"There's been a few shootings in the area,\\\" he said so I'd hate if there was a stray bullet.\\\" Fairfield City Council provides 36 sportfields across the City a significant asset and annual investment in sports and recreation for the community Local schools rely upon the City’s sportfields for local students Two athletics fields at Makepeace Park in Fairfield and Rosford Park in Smithfield provide the City’s children and young people an opportunity to keep fit Two sportsfields are located on sites with a dual recreation/stormwater detention basin: Stockdale Park Edensor Park.The sportsfields in these parks are subject to being affected by flooding in periods of high rainfall and more disruption  Special consideration is given to hire fees with this dual use as sportfields When you breakdown the seasonal hiring fees a club of 50 members hiring a sportsfield with all week access for 26 weeks: While rain unfortunately disrupts use and enjoyment of the City’s sportsfields the rain doesn’t reduce the maintenance cost maintenance costs increase particularly when damage has been done to playing fields Rainy seasons disrupt the income stream for many clubs particularly reduced takings from canteen sales While the request for discounts due to adverse weather is understood the significant subsidy by the community already offers value for money compared to the cost of providing facilities Council relies on the season fees to help offset the cost of maintaining sportfields and associated infrastructure.   Bookings are now open for the 2024 Winter season please ensure you have your insurance details with you You will need to upload a scanned copy of your Certificate of Currency with your application WINTER SEASON SPORTSFIELD APPLICATION Includes amenities building, car park, playground, cricket pitch & more. Includes amenities building, accessible toilet, car park, playground, cricket pitch. Located between Elizabeth Drive and Simpson Road, Aplin Park includes three mini fields, a kids' playground, a creek and a car park. Includes amenities building, car park, playground, cricket pitch. Includes amenities building, car park, playground, outdoor gym equipment, cricket pitch. The playground is accessible from Moorhouse Crescent. Includes amenities building, car park, playground, outdoor gym equipment, cricket pitch. Six tennis courts available for hire. Includes amenities building, car park, outdoor gym equipment, cricket pitch. Six tennis courts available for hire. Includes amenities building, car park, cricket pitch. We acknowledge the Cabrogal of the Darug Nation who are the Traditional Custodians of this Land. We also pay our respect to the Elders both past, present and emerging of the Darug Nation. Remove items from your saved list to add more Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime ShareTaste of Italy: Silvia Colloca at Quattro Stagioni Deli Cafe in Mona Vale.Louise KennerleyFour egg-cellent recipes from Silvia Colloca's new cookbook Italian Home Cook"They're just really soft cookbook author goes to a paradisiacal place when she's describing her mother's meatballs Colloca is a fan of the tonnarelli cacio e pepe at Marta in Rushcutters Bay.Dominic LorrimerAdvertisement"She does this trick where she soaks crustless bread in milk long enough for the milk to be absorbed then she adds this wet pulp into the meatball mixture which also has parmesan cheese and parsley and all of the things." Colloca recalls a "sad and depressing" winter's afternoon during the first lockdown when she discovered the last of her mum's prized veal and pork meatballs you know – three kids – I got distracted and burnt them I was honestly crying meatball-sized tears I managed to scrape the bits that had caught and salvage them." We're sipping a rounded and robust coffee surrounded by shelves of pasta and Italian tinned tomatoes at Quattro Stagioni Deli Cafe in Mona Vale on Sydney's Northern Beaches not far from where Colloca lives with her husband "I found this place when I needed experts who knew how to slice prosciutto and mortadella the Italian way – you know – really thin," Colloca says but it really helps me feel connected to my culture." The importance of slicing deli meats "the Italian way" perfectly summarises the cuisine's reverence for superior ingredients brought to life with a deft combination of tradition who exudes Milanese style – with Disney Princess brown locks and skin that could only be the product of bathing in a tub of cold-pressed olive oil each night – is lightning-fast to quash any ideas of being a poster girl for Italian cooking "And so that's what I did." Casual pizza nights at La Disfida in Haberfield fill Colloca's old-school Italian cup.Brook MitchellThe always-humble Colloca attributes the success of her earlier recipes which were launched on a blog that would soon catch the discerning eye of major book publishers and then TV networks to writing as an immigrant rather than a chef "I was writing about the disconnection [I felt] with my own culture and how to reconnect with it Those experiences I was sharing resonated with people – not just [people] necessarily from an Italian background." She describes Italian food culture as an "endless pot of gold" made up of multiple sub-cuisines Colloca heads to Marta Osteria in Rushcutters Bay.Dominic Lorrimer"For a country that's so tiny the subdivision between regions and the fierce regional pride that drives them means that each and every one of them have their own culinary identity." culture and identity are entangled like a bowl of spaghetti Cooking played a significant role in her earlier life (she's inherited her nonno's love of the smooth-shelled penne lisce and her mum taught her early on about the transformational powers of a stock cube) but it wasn't until moving to Sydney in 2009 that she followed her mum's advice and began to lean on food as a way to remain connected with her culture "I think what happens in Italian food culture is that it's so important to us for our cultural identity so when things are redone in fancy new ways and there's a vegan carbonara on someone's menu – I just feel like saying You just don't understand – you're hurting us!'" House-made tagliolini with lobster at Bert's.Brook MitchellAdvertisementColloca is shaking off the last dregs of jet lag after returning from her first trip to Italy in three years a wait she calls "heartbreaking" and one that produced many a meatball-sized tear but I always thought that if anything happens and I have to go back She split her time there between Milan and her mother's village in the mountains of Abruzzo underdeveloped region famous for its rustic cucina povera Colloca loves Paddington's Cipri Italian.Supplied"I really felt my heart melding back together after only being back there a couple of weeks – that sort of anxiety or background noise that I had was gone." new friends and a career in Australia with a toddler in tow were understandably challenging ones for Colloca and to seek out local cultural touchpoints it doesn't matter where you come from – you just have to find your immigrants." buttermilk and sesame cracker at Ragazzi.Jennifer SooSilvia Colloca's Italian hit listFor sourcing lesser-known cheeses like an intensely flavoured ricotta salata which she likes to shave over her pasta norma (pasta with eggplant) Colloca visits Quattro Formaggi Deli in Brookvale "They've got a sensational variety of cheeses Jennifer SooWhen it comes to buying fresh produce unusual pasta shapes like the tubular paccheri or aforementioned penne lisce and 1kg drums of pre-grated parmesan or grana cheese she heads to the supermarket-sized Forestway Fresh in Terrey Hills "Whenever we're running low on parmesan either Richard or I will go and pick up a few tins It's nice to know that we're never going to run out!" Colloca recommends heading there on Thursdays when they also make a batch of fresh gnocchi an Italian ritual that's a hangover from a time when fasting was observed on Fridays in some parts of the country "It's proper Italian gnocchi – light beautiful food." The gnocchi takes her right back to one of her favourite restaurants in Milan "The special on [the menu] that day was gnocchi with saffron and seafood For Italian produce south of the Spit Bridge Colloca finds her happy place at Raineri's Continental Delicatessen in Five Dock "I remember the first time I was in Sydney in 2005 or 2006 – back then you couldn't find things like burrata easily Even the smell – I could have been anywhere in Italy Pete and Serena – if I could take them home with me She buys sliced prosciutto and asiago cheese here and says if you're lucky Pete will even throw together a sandwich for you while you wait for your order to be packed "They're so generous – they do it with love and so they've got this village of customers from all generations who keep returning." a local mum friend put her onto Bossley Park General Store and Deli for their range of homemade Italian biscuits (her favourite tea-dunkers are the amaretti) and soft Italian flours biscuits and cakes such as her famous fruit-studded ciambella (Italy's answer to bundt cake) might take you around the back for a little espresso shot and if Franca is there she'll give you a shot of grappa." When her eldest son can help with babysitting, Colloca and her husband head to Bert's Bar and Brasserie in Newport to catch up over a plate of market-fresh crudo or pizza fritte – the salty fried dough arriving straddled by oily anchovies and we're both big lovers of anchovies." If the whole family is in tow, they make for Marta Osteria in Rushcutters Bay for their Italian fix focaccia and their sfogliatelle [flaky shell-shaped pastry] is like you would have in Naples." Colloca loves Paddington's Cipri Italian where "tables of families dress in their Sunday best for each other" while casual pizza nights at La Disfida in Haberfield fills their old-school Italian cup "I go to these places for the whole experience I need that sometimes – I need my Italians." Bert's Bar and Brasserie Marta Osteria Two other prominent Italians about town share their local loves Chef Federico Zanellato.Jessica HromasCHEF FEDERICO ZANELLATO "I love what the guys at Totti's are doing – it's very simple and very delicious Ragazzi also does a very good job with their pasta and classic Italian entrees I usually order them all and ask for whatever pasta is on special and I love Pino's Vino e Cucina in Alexandria I usually get the crudo and any filled pasta on the menu." Pizza marinara with Ortiz anchovies at Bella Brutta "I have a pizza oven at home that I love to use but when I go out I like Pizza Madre and Bella Brutta from the LP's Meats guys." All the cheeses are kept at the right temperature and [owner] Carmello matures all the stuff there He probably has the best selection of Italian cheeses in Sydney." "Emilio's is run by two of my good friends who used to work for Feather and Bone I also love a lot of the stuff from CopperTree Farms – they do a lot of classic Italian cuts which I always get for cooking and using on bread." "Godot Wines only specialises in small producers from all around Italy Chef Orazio D'Elia.Daniel MunozCHEF ORAZIO D'ELIA "I love Pilu – I'm a big fan of Sardinian cuisine and the dining room by the water is beautiful I always try to have a meal at a restaurant that is not Italian "Lucio and I grew up together in Napoli – we went to the same school He is one of the most respected pizzaioli in Sydney." D'Elia gets the scoop from Mapo.Rein PhotographyAdvertisementFor gelato "I really love the guys from Mapo Gelato They've got a couple of shops – one in Bondi They do a pretty good artisanal Italian gelato." "I love my wine – especially robust reds from Puglia There's a good Italian bottle shop in Leichhardt called Amato that focuses on very good Italian wines." news and the hottest openings served to your inbox