Life in Cammeray moves at a relaxed pace. Strolls along tree-lined streets showcase heritage homes and green pockets, while Miller Street hums with cafe-goers enjoying al fresco dining. On weekends, Tunks Park becomes the neighbourhood’s outdoor playground, where sports enthusiasts and boaters enjoy Middle Harbour. From grand Federation homes to modern architectural marvels, the suburb’s housing has plenty to boast about. Some homes even blur the lines between the two styles. “It’s a suburb framed by water, with many homes having water views or direct access to Middle Harbour,” explains Peter Chauncy of McGrath Crows Nest. “Upscale buyers love the space and serenity by the shore, while downsizers from Mosman and the eastern suburbs are drawn to the boutique apartments and townhouses offering amenity and convenience.” Cammeray’s desirability is reflected in its rising property prices. The median house price is now $2.67 million, up 45.5 per cent over the past five years, according to Domain’s latest House Price Report. “Families flock to Cammeray for its well-regarded public school, new high school, and proximity to some of the finest private schools on the lower north shore,” Chauncy adds. “They are willing to pay a premium to secure their children a top-tier education while reaping the luxury of staying connected to city life.” When inner-city Sydney families outgrow their space, suburbs like Cammeray often become the answer. Such was the case for Svetlana Thorpe, who relocated with her family in 2011 after their Pyrmont unit became too cramped. “We wanted to stay close to the city for my husband’s commute, but we also needed access to great schools, and Cammeray ticked every box,” Thorpe says. “After more than a decade here, it’s hard to imagine living anywhere else. From Maggio’s amazing cakes and pastries to the wonderful bushwalking trails of Tunks Park, there’s always something to fill the days.” The Sound House: This Canadian home was designed to be pitch-perfect Sunshine Beach: From high flyers to beach bums, everyone thrives in this coastal ‘burb 4 of the best luxury homes for sale across the country Svetlana has settled into the neighbourhood and is an active member of the community. Her children attended Cammeray Public School, where she served on the parent committee for the after-school care program. “The local schools have fantastic reputations, and the sense of camaraderie is second to none,” she adds. “I’ve met so many wonderful residents – I’m just one of many proud to call Cammeray home.” The information on this website is intended to be of a general nature only and doesn't consider your objectives, financial situation or needs. where we are privileged to live and operate Ausgrid has launched its sixth community battery under the federal government’s Community Batteries for Household Solar Program at Cammeray in New South Wales further expanding the electricity distributor’s Energy Storage as a Service (ESaaS) initiative ESaaS, offered in partnership with Origin Energy and EnergyAustralia allows eligible customers to gain the benefits of community battery storage without the upfront costs associated with installing a home battery system Related article: ARENA funds national community battery roll-out Ausgrid group executive distributed services Rob Amphlett Lewis said ESaaS could see eligible customers save hundreds of dollars a year on their power bills “Whether you have solar on your roof or not Energy Storage as a Service allows customers to benefit from community batteries as if they are their own,” Amphlett Lewis said “Through retailers Origin Energy and EnergyAustralia eligible customers could enjoy savings of over $200 per year “Community Batteries absorb solar generation during the day and then feed it back to the network during peak times in the evening putting downward pressure on energy prices “Community batteries are an example of the huge opportunity which sits in the existing network to drive a faster cheaper and more equitable energy transition.” Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen said the program was a win for consumers “Our Reliable Renewables Plan is bringing cleaner cheaper and reliable renewable energy to communities across the country including right here in North Sydney,” Bowen said but we always have water on tap because we store it for when we need it—batteries like the one in Cammeray will do the same thing with reliable and affordable renewable energy.” Related article: EnergyAustralia launches community battery plan in NSW The 200kW/284kWh community battery is Ausgrid’s 10th community battery operating in the network including Beacon Hill The battery’s artwork, Homecoming, has been created by Dharug woman and artist Hayley Pigram. It was sourced through the Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Co-operative—an organisation dedicated to helping emerging first nations artists tell their stories through their art Sign up to receive the latest Energy News emailed directly to your Inbox Click Here to Subscribe Integrity Sports Entertainment are offering a 15% discount on tickets with the code “SUN” Norths Cammeray will be electrified with wrestlemania for Integrity Wresting’s Born for Greatness Invitational Tournament led by owner and promoter Nathan Shortland is bringing professional wrestling to the North Shore for one night only for the first time in the organisation’s history who has been involved in wrestling since the late nineties aims to provide high-quality entertainment at affordable prices “We try to cater to a wide variety of audiences at the highest quality venues with the highest quality talent,” Shortland said Dissatisfied with how other promoters treat their talent Shortland started Integrity to ensure fair pay for wrestlers and to offer a more “upper market” experience than typical wrestling events Integrity Sports Entertainment has seen significant growth with their local shows at Mary’s increasing attendance from around 70 to over 200 people A recent highlight was bringing in former WWE star Cameron Grimes for two shows in November a move Shortland described as “a big gamble” that paid off Their upcoming show at Norths Cammeray came about after Shortland approached the venue and negotiated a partnership Shortland promises a highly entertaining show with “big time moves some great athletes” and a mix of comedy “Whether you’re a wrestling fan or not you’ll get something out of our show,” he said Notable wrestlers to watch include Integrity Heavyweight Champion Mad Maxx Ramirez Integrity focuses on family-friendly entertainment distinguishing itself from other leagues that may feature more hardcore matches but nothing that kids won’t understand isn’t real,” Shortland stated The company is seeing positive responses and growing ticket sales with 95% of attendees returning for future shows Shortland emphasizes keeping prices low for the community which he acknowledges is often seen as a “lower class environment.” Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" U704 6A Glen St Milsons PointNSW 2061 Australia 02 8208 6077 Copyright © 2023 Decisive Publishing Pty Ltd Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news Sign up for our email to enjoy Sydney without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush) By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Sydney driving across the city still leaves something to be desired – with privately-owned toll roads making traversing Sydney by car expensive And that’s exactly why the construction of the new Western Harbour Tunnel is big news for Sydneysiders – the stretch of tunnel will offer motorists a super-efficient route beneath Sydney Harbour with an opening date slated for 2028.  Running beneath the harbour from Rozelle to Cammeray three-lane tunnels are the first new crossing of the harbour in more than 30 years six-lane stretch of subterranean road will ultimately connect to the M8 motorway the new route is set to make driving across the city a whole lot more speedy – shaving 20 minutes off journey times between North Sydney and Sydney Olympic Park or Leichhardt The tunnel is also due to reduce journey time between North Sydney and Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport by up to 15 minutes.  Work on Western Harbour Tunnel began back in 2021 and construction has just reached a major milestone – with a 95-tonne road header machine breaking through the final centimetres of rock separating the Western Harbour Tunnel and the Warringah Freeway Upgrade (another major infrastructure project that saw road header machines cut through approximately 1,000,000 tonnes of rock (the equivalent weight of 200,000 school buses) means there’s actual light at the end of the tunnel that’s set to change the way we travel across Sydney As well as cutting journey times for people travelling north from Western Sydney and vice-versa the tunnel is set to ease traffic conditions across other routes – reducing traffic on the Western Distributor by 35 per cent the Harbour Tunnel by 20 per cent and the Harbour Bridge by 17 per cent. And in excellent news it’s remaining in public hands.The Warringah Freeway Upgrade is due to be complete in 2026 – easing congestion into the city with a dedicated bus lane streamlined lanes for motorists and four east-west cyclist and pedestrian transport connections via bridges over the Freeway between Neutral Bay and North Sydney/Cammeray the two projects will "transform the way people move across our city." At this stage, the Western Sydney Harbour Tunnel is set to open in 2028. You can learn more about the Western Sydney Harbour Tunnel project over here, and about the Warringah Freeway Upgrade here Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! twitterinstagrampinterestAbout us Contact us Nico Cammeray is a new Italian restaurant at Cammeray Square from Chef Nicola Ronconi His menu features house made pasta and must try dishes like a savoury cannoli or spaghetti with wild caught marron Nicola Ronconi was formerly the Corporate Executive Chef of Fratelli Fresh and hails from Italy He originally came to Australia with the idea to stay for 6 months Nico fell in love with the lifestyle in Sydney and Australia Whether you're a billionaire or you work a humble job everyone can visit a gorgeous beach like Bondi and enjoy it for free...there are so many wonderful things here that everyone can appreciate." "With my parents busy working most of the time I often found myself eating deli food or frozen meals My mum would prepare plain pasta the night before so I could reheat it after school the next day I remember experimenting with ingredients from the fridge to make the pasta taste better That's when my passion for cooking began," he explains His philosophy for cooking is 'less is more' and fermented chili - never more than five elements But we are undaunted as we are excited for our meal at Nico The restaurant is located at Cammeray Square so there's free parking in the evening The restaurant is warmly decked out and busy this rainy Thursday night puffy and with a crisp base and rich with olive oil and a generous amount of salt on top When I saw the menu online I was hoping that the cannoli would be on it and I'm happy to see that it is The cannoli shells are perfectly thin and filled with a lemony salmon mousse and flying fish roe with finely diced chives at each end The key to this is the textures of the thin and crisp cannoli shell and the light and delicious salmon filling The raw scallops are sliced and served in a shell and it's a fresh combination of flavours especially if you like ceviches or fresh flavours We also order the tiger prawn cigar that is wrapped in filo pastry with salsa rosa drizzled on top If there's one dish I urge you to order it's the house-made spaghetti paired with Western Australian Donnybrook wild caught marron with a saffron prawn and crab bisque They offer us the chilli oil which I recommend as it really makes this dish sing It's the sort of dish that you don't want to share I'd even suggest perhaps ordering one of these per person it's that good We have to ask about our cocktails which haven't appeared after a long time We see another table ask for their bottle of wine If there's one aspect that they're struggling with when you make eye contact they simply make eye contact back but don't come over But that's an easy fix really in the grand scheme of things Another must order is the pork cotoletta that comes with the drizzles of spicy Calabrian chilli and capsicum sauce and comes already sliced The free-range pork neck is juicy inside with a lovely tenderness to it and a crunchy golden shell 24-month-aged Parmigiano Reggiano and a squeeze of lemon are all this wonderful cut of pork needs The radicchio is the perfect foil for the rich cotoletta The radicchio has a light bitterness to it but this is tempered with a delicious balsamic and olive oil dressing as well as pomegranate arils and chives The lemon tiramisu has been on the menu since day 1 and I can see why "The breakthrough came when my parents-in-law introduced me to authentic Turkish homemade lemonade which combined with limoncello makes the right balance to soak the ladyfingers," he explains it's the snickers dessert that unexpectedly steals both our heart Mr NQN doesn't even like chocolate and peanut butter together but there's a tussle til the end of who finishes this off It's a chocolate mousse with peanut butter icecream caramel and honeycomb and a crispy tuile on top It's a pitch perfect blend of flavours but still keeps it light at the end of the meal do you share all of your dishes or are you not a sharer Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time North Sydney Council has been dealt a blow in its court fight against the NSW government over the compulsory acquisition of a lease of prized parkland after a judge ruled it was entitled to thousands of dollars in compensation and not the millions it sought But the council said it was “proud to have run the case … on behalf of its community” because it involved a novel question about compensation for Crown land that it manages but does not own to help facilitate construction of the Warringah Freeway upgrade and a map of the acquired sites.Credit: Nick Moir Transport for NSW compulsorily acquired a lease in 2021 of slices of a trio of parks managed by the council – Cammeray ANZAC and St Leonards parks – to facilitate construction of the multibillion-dollar Warringah Freeway upgrade and Western Harbour Tunnel between Rozelle and North Sydney The term of the lease is four years and 11 months The golf club leases the site from the council and received compensation The parks are on Crown land managed by the council. There are legal limits on compensation payable for compulsorily acquired Crown land the Valuer-General determined the amount of compensation Transport for NSW should pay the council was $35,003 including $1 for each parkland and $35,000 in disturbance costs The council challenged that determination in the NSW Land and Environment Court including $11.5 million for the reduction in open space and $27 million for disturbance including future reinstatement of the land Justice Sandra Duggan ultimately determined that compensation of $622,165 plus interest should be paid North Sydney Council claimed millions of dollars in compensation for the compulsory acquisition of leases in 2021 of slices of three parks The reinstatement costs cited by the council included replacing trees and infrastructure The council told the court that more than 200 trees were removed from Cammeray Park alone Duggan said Transport for NSW was obliged under the terms of its lease to restore the surface of the land to its condition at the start of the lease and make good any damage “[They] will not be costs incurred by the council and therefore do not arise as financial costs reasonably incurred as a direct and natural consequence of the acquisition” Hundreds of trees were cut down in Cammeray Park as part of the Warringah Freeway upgrade.Credit: Nick Moir The judge determined compensation of $481,813 was appropriate for loss of open space Transport for NSW noted in court that it was required upon completion of the project to provide a net increase in open space The judge said this was irrelevant to determining the appropriate compensation North Sydney Mayor Zoe Baker said in a statement to The Sydney Morning Herald: “This is an important decision It reaffirms that open space has value well beyond a single dollar A lack of open space is one of the greatest challenges we are faced with in North Sydney “It is disappointing that [Transport for NSW] a government agency tasked with public projects has forced costly and lengthy legal proceedings and incurred significant legal costs of its own that should have been provided to our community to mitigate the loss of hectares of open space during the construction of these major toll road projects.” The council said in the statement: “Given the negative impact that the Warringah Freeway upgrade has had on the North Sydney community and the compensation amount determined by the Valuer-General it was important for council [to] test the legal interpretation of the relevant legislation and seek additional compensation on behalf of our community This is because council is not the legal owner of the acquired land but the Crown land manager Council is proud to have run the case in the NSW Land and Environment Court on behalf of its community “Whilst the amount awarded was less than the amount contended by council council is pleased that the court ultimately agreed with council’s position that there was loss attributable to the reduction in public benefit from loss of public open space.” a Transport for NSW spokesperson acknowledged the decision and said: “While the decision largely upholds the position Transport took in this matter Transport will spend some time working through the judgment to understand its implications.” The state government has been at the centre of a series of court fights over compensation for land acquired for major infrastructure projects In March, Sydney Metro was ordered to pay $201 million to Parramatta City Council for a prime CBD spot for its planned underground station 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 But the council said it was \\u201Cproud to have run the case \\u2026 on behalf of its community\\u201D because it involved a novel question about compensation for Crown land that it manages but does not own Transport for NSW compulsorily acquired a lease in 2021 of slices of a trio of parks managed by the council \\u2013 Cammeray ANZAC and St Leonards parks \\u2013 to facilitate construction of the multibillion-dollar Warringah Freeway upgrade and Western Harbour Tunnel between Rozelle and North Sydney The parks are on Crown land managed by the council There are on compensation payable for compulsorily acquired Crown land Justice Sandra Duggan that compensation of $622,165 plus interest should be paid \\u201C[They] will not be costs incurred by the council and therefore do not arise as financial costs reasonably incurred as a direct and natural consequence of the acquisition\\u201D North Sydney Mayor Zoe Baker said in a statement to The Sydney Morning Herald: \\u201CThis is an important decision \\u201CIt is disappointing that [Transport for NSW] have been provided to our community to mitigate the loss of hectares of open space during the construction of these major toll road projects.\\u201D The council said in the statement: \\u201CGiven the negative impact that the Warringah Freeway upgrade has had on the North Sydney community and the compensation amount determined by the Valuer-General \\u201CWhilst the amount awarded was less than the amount contended by council council is pleased that the court ultimately agreed with council\\u2019s position that there was loss attributable to the reduction in public benefit from loss of public open space.\\u201D a Transport for NSW spokesperson acknowledged the decision and said: \\u201CWhile the decision largely upholds the position Transport took in this matter Transport will spend some time working through the judgment to understand its implications.\\u201D Sydney Metro was to Parramatta City Council for a prime CBD spot for its planned underground station Start the day with a summary of the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories This is probably not the page you’re looking for The relationship between an avid sailor and a brothel owner will form part of a police investigation after their mysterious deaths on board a yacht on Sydney’s north shore were found on the 47-foot yacht moored at Tunks Park in Cammeray on Wednesday night Police removed two bodies from the yacht on Thursday morning Police were told the pair had planned to stay on the 47-foot yacht Taloha on Monday night a friend became concerned when they hadn’t returned to land by Wednesday night and raised the alarm When Sydney Water Police officers boarded the yacht about 9pm Officers detected fumes on board and Fire and Rescue NSW were called to help Whether the pair were overcome by fumes will form one line of inquiry Peter Ray and Bondi brothel owner Lixin Wang were found dead onboard a luxury yacht at Cammeray on Wednesday night.Credit: Nine News Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) records show Bondi Junction brothel The Flamingo Club is registered to Wang who appears in online directories as a remedial massage therapist Detective Inspector Siobhan Munro said the bodies were found with no obvious indications of what caused their deaths but there were no signs of domestic violence and obviously all information will be taken on board Nothing is being discounted at this time,” she said Munro said the deaths were being treated as suspicious only because the cause of death was not yet clear onto stretchers at the boat ramp at 9.15am on Thursday Ray and Wang’s bodies were loaded into vans along with evidence boxes Two cars belonging to Ray and Wang were towed away from the boat ramp car park by police One resident who said she regularly came to the waterside park said A post-mortem examination will be conducted to determine the cause of death Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 The relationship between an avid sailor and a brothel owner will form part of a police investigation after their mysterious deaths on board a yacht on Sydney\\u2019s north shore a friend became concerned when they hadn\\u2019t returned to land by Wednesday night and raised the alarm Nothing is being discounted at this time,\\u201D she said Ray and Wang\\u2019s bodies were loaded into vans along with evidence boxes Cops are desperately searching for clues for the cause of death of a man and a woman found dead on board a luxury yacht on Sydney Harbour overnight The lifeless bodies of the couple - aged in their early 60s - were discovered on a bed inside the 15m-long Taloha when Water Police boarded at 9pm on Wednesday The family boat, previously owned by a couple from Church Point on the northern beaches, was moored at Tunks Park marina, Cammeray, on Sydney's north shore The couple are understood to have told friends they would be spending Monday night on board the boat but the alarm was raised when they failed to return New details are now emerging about the couple who arrived in two separate cars at the boat ramp which is adjacent to a busy park on Middle Harbour It's now feared they may have lain dead on board for days before their bodies were found Firefighters initially entered the yacht wearing breathing equipment over concerns of noxious gases on board the vessel rushed to the scene fearing the couple were his friends 'I have two friends who match that description who are doing renovations and were camping on board their yacht overnight,' the man said, the Daily Telegraph reported Police said at a media conference on Thursday the dead male was the owner of the boat but the cause of death was 'not obvious' ahead of post mortem examinations Detective Inspector Siobhan Munro said police are still probing if 'foul play was involved' in the 'hours-old' investigation 'Nothing has been discounted at this time,' she said Detectives know the identities of the dead couple who police said are from Sydney but not the immediate local area where the yacht was moored But they are yet to release the names while investigations continue and detectives canvass the neighbourhood and nearby north shore marinas Det Insp Munro added: 'We are speaking with family Obviously it's distressing for any family member.' The stunning yacht was a $300,000 luxury vessel which had raced competitively up Australia's east coast The boat features three cabins and an ensuite, mahogany fittings and a stone bench galley, and had raced competitively from Newport to Airlie Beach in Queensland It's believed to have last been sold in 2022 and the annual registration on the vessel was renewed only four weeks ago According to one boating expert with personal knowledge of Taloha the concern over fumes suggests either a gas leak from the galley's cooking equipment or carbon monoxide from the engine or a heater 'Each vessel requires a gas certificate which needs to be renewed every 10 years,' he said It has happened before and [especially] if the boat was completely closed up because it was cold A number of items identified on the boat were taken away by police for forensic examination as the two bodies were seen being stretchered off the vessel A post-mortem examination will be conducted in the coming days to confirm the identity of the man and woman and to determine the cause of death Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Major terror attack 'was just HOURS away' before it was foiled by the special forces and police:... Victim of acid attack 'plotted by his ex-partner who teamed up with a gang' dies in hospital six... We are trapped in unsellable newbuild homes after a £52m dual carriageway was built on our... Pub is forced to pay family £75,000 after wrongly accusing them of 'dine and dash' over £150... Horror as $4.5M influencer-laden yacht SINKS off Miami... after glam women made a rookie maritime... How Meghan's biggest cheerleader brokered Harry's disastrous BBC interview - three months after... Woman dead and three others including a child injured after car ploughed into pedestrians: Man, 49,... 'It's a rather giant f*** you.' Royal insider's furious reaction to Meghan's Instagram salvo as... Woman who was missing for more than 60 years is found 'alive and well' decades after vanishing... How can I see the Red Arrows' iconic flypast? Map reveals when and where planes will be visible over... American tourist suffers horrific fate while attempting to capture selfie at Rome's Colosseum King, Queen, William and Kate honour selfless devotion of Britain's wartime heroes as they lead... The towns being ruined by day-tripper invasions. Selfie-loving tourists cause traffic hell and the... Hamas hostage, 23, 'raped by personal trainer influencer in her own home after being released' How 'SAS swooped on Iran-backed terror cell': Special Forces troops joined police on UK streets to... Husband of British mother, 65, who was knifed to death in French village says her affair is a... Fears two bodies on luxury yacht on Sydney Harbour lay dead for daysCommenting on this article has endedNewest{{#isModerationStatus}}{{moderationStatus}} You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience New South Wales network operator Ausgrid has added another community battery to its portfolio powering up a 200 kW energy storage system in the Sydney suburb of Cammeray Ausgrid said the 200 kW / 284 kWh Cammeray community battery system will support local power supply quality and voltage by harnessing and storing locally generated solar while allowing residents to more effectively use their own solar systems Ausgrid said residents in the area will be able to access the battery via its Energy Storage as a Service (ESaaS) initiative that allows eligible customers to use community batteries in a similar way to a household battery but without the upfront costs The ESaaS retail plan is being offered in collaboration with retailers Energy Australia and Origin and is available to all eligible residential customers connected to any Ausgrid community battery on an opt-in basis cheaper and more equitable energy transition,” Ausgrid distributed services group executive Rob Amphlett Lewis said The Cammaray community battery is the latest to be delivered by Ausgrid as part of the federal government’s Community Batteries for Household Solar program that is investing $200 million (USD 125.7 million) to install 420 community batteries across Australia who attended the launch of the Cammeray battery said the program is designed to ensure all communities get the benefit of the energy transformation “Aussie homeowners know rooftop solar is a no-brainer when it comes to bringing down bills with one in three households embracing solar but only around one in 40 households have battery storage,” he said “Our Community Batteries for Household Solar program ensures households can share or use their excess rooftop solar energy locally and reap the economic benefits without having to buy their own battery.” More articles from David Carroll Why does the government allow Ausgrid to get away with this half-hearted attempt to discredit the benefits of a community battery A 200KW battery is maybe enough for 10 houses The NSW government is a 49% shareholder of AusGrid Please be mindful of our community standards and website in this browser for the next time I comment By submitting this form you agree to pv magazine using your data for the purposes of publishing your comment Your personal data will only be disclosed or otherwise transmitted to third parties for the purposes of spam filtering or if this is necessary for technical maintenance of the website Any other transfer to third parties will not take place unless this is justified on the basis of applicable data protection regulations or if pv magazine is legally obliged to do so You may revoke this consent at any time with effect for the future in which case your personal data will be deleted immediately your data will be deleted if pv magazine has processed your request or the purpose of data storage is fulfilled Further information on data privacy can be found in our Data Protection Policy By subscribing to our newsletter you’ll be eligible for a 10% discount on magazine subscriptions Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" pv magazine Australia offers bi-weekly updates of the latest photovoltaics news We also offer comprehensive global coverage of the most important solar markets worldwide up to date information delivered straight to your inbox Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value" This website uses cookies to anonymously count visitor numbers. To find out more, please see our Data Protection Policy. × The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this Close The bodies of a man and woman have been found inside a unit in Sydney's north The grisly discovery came after officers visited a home on Warwick Avenue in Cammeray in the city's lower north shore 'Officers from North Shore Police Area Command have established a crime scene and are awaiting the arrival of specialist police,' NSW Police said in a statement 'There is no ongoing risk to the community 'No further information is available at this stage.' Major terror attack 'was just HOURS away' before it was foiled by the special forces and police:.. Victim of acid attack 'plotted by his ex-partner who teamed up with a gang' dies in hospital six.. We are trapped in unsellable newbuild homes after a £52m dual carriageway was built on our.. Pub is forced to pay family £75,000 after wrongly accusing them of 'dine and dash' over £150.. Horror as $4.5M influencer-laden yacht SINKS off Miami.. How Meghan's biggest cheerleader brokered Harry's disastrous BBC interview - three months after.. Woman dead and three others including a child injured after car ploughed into pedestrians: Man 'It's a rather giant f*** you.' Royal insider's furious reaction to Meghan's Instagram salvo as.. Woman who was missing for more than 60 years is found 'alive and well' decades after vanishing.. How can I see the Red Arrows' iconic flypast Map reveals when and where planes will be visible over.. William and Kate honour selfless devotion of Britain's wartime heroes as they lead.. The towns being ruined by day-tripper invasions Selfie-loving tourists cause traffic hell and the.. 'raped by personal trainer influencer in her own home after being released' How 'SAS swooped on Iran-backed terror cell': Special Forces troops joined police on UK streets to.. who was knifed to death in French village says her affair is a.. The bodies of a man and a woman have been found on a boat moored on Sydney Harbour overnight Emergency services were called to a mooring at Tunks Park last night due to concerns for the welfare of two people believed to be on the 47ft yacht they found the bodies of a man and a woman Specialist assistance was sought from Fire and Rescue NSW due to concerns about fumes detected on board Police have been told the two people were spending Monday night on the boat with concerns raised when they didn’t return Detectives have established a crime scene and begun inquiries. A number of items have been identified at the scene and will be taken for forensic examination. A post-mortem examination will be conducted in the coming days to confirm the identity of the man and woman and to determine the cause of death. Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Horror as police find two dead bodies on a boat in Sydney HarbourCommenting on this article has endedNewest{{#isModerationStatus}}{{moderationStatus}} Bodies of a man and woman aged in their 50s or 60s found on 47ft yacht moored at Cammeray on Sydney’s north shore Police are still trying to determine how two people who were found in bed on a Sydney yacht died amid concerns fumes were detected on board The bodies of the man and woman were found on Wednesday night after emergency services conducted a welfare check at a mooring at Tunks Park Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup Det Insp Siobhan Munro said police were still investigating the incident so all evidence is being considered,” she said “We’re treating it as suspicious purely because the manner and cause of death is unknown But there is no indications at this stage that it was domestic violence related or anything like that.” Munro said there were no “obvious” signs as to how the two died but officers who attended the scene did smell “some type of gas or fume” they … thought they may have smelled some type of gas or fume so all precaution was taken with the fire brigade notified “There were no obvious signs when police attended as to what would have caused their death.” Free daily newsletterOur Australian morning briefing breaks down the key stories of the day telling you what’s happening and why it matters She said a friend raised the alarm after they didn’t return from the boat as planned after going sailing on Monday The detective said they had arrived in separate cars and that the 47ft yacht was owned by the male Ray Martin has purchased a new $4.25million pad on Sydney's north shore after selling his old family home of 35 years the new ultra-modern two-storey spread features four bedrooms and two bathrooms Martin bought the property at auction last August The 80-year-old, who won five Gold Logies three-bathroom mansion in nearby Waverton for a reported $8million Martin and his wife Dianne purchased the luxurious 1930s-era house in 1990 for $900,000 The former 60 Minutes star's new home is a 'downsize' for the famed journalist,  reports The Daily Telegraph the Cammeray property boasts an al fresco 'dining deck' and a spa pool including a combined living and dining area which features a fireplace and entertainment zone Highlights include a spacious Calacatta stone kitchen with butler's pantry There's also a private purpose-built study and a 'family' room which is ready to be converted into a fifth bedroom the enormous main bedroom occupies an entire corner of the first storey and features a skylight Martin made a huge profit after selling the family home he owned on Sydney's north shore for 35 years The beautiful property, known as Finisterre, sold for between $8million and $8.5million after being listed on January 1, reports The Daily Telegraph. Agents withheld the price of the sale, which went to a buyer who made the offer ahead of a scheduled auction on January 15. The gorgeous two-storey house features classic period stylings and luxurious interiors. It has grand scale living areas, a beautiful patio for entertaining and a glass-framed mosaic-tiled pool. A chef's kitchen boasts the latest appliances and a breakfast island. Other highlights include a 'formal' living room, a separate family room, a home office and an open-plan dining area that opens out to the backyard and patio. The upper level offers a large open terrace which features views of Sydney Harbour and the city skyline. Also included in the main dwelling is a loft which can be used as a fifth bedroom. Other luxury features on the estate also include a wine cellar, a second-floor study and landscaped gardens. Martin, who began his career in journalism at the ABC in 1965, shot to fame in the 1970s as one of the original team of reporters for Channel Nine's 60 Minutes. He then hosted the popular Midday Show on Nine between 1985 and 1993. Martin, who was known for his warm on-air style, won his first Gold Logie in 1987. He took home the coveted prize four years in a row between 1993 and 1996. The much-loved star made headlines after dramatically quitting his long-time 'TV home' at Nine in 2008 after budget cuts for the Sunday program. In 2024, he hosted Ray Martin: The Last Goodbye, which explored various taboos surrounding death. Martin, who has been married to wife Dianne for fifty years, said in a statement that statistically, he is only four years away from his own death. The series investigated various funeral trends and rituals and will address some deep questions, including why people choose certain ceremonies, songs and resting places. Last year, Martin insisted that he still has a lot of life left in him, as he grows older gracefully. 'I'm never going to retire. David Attenborough is in his 90s and he's my role model. He says you've got to keep doing what you love,' he told Woman's Day magazine. However, he has admitted his former workaholic lifestyle prevented him from enjoying the important things in life and he was now correcting that mistake. 'I lived in New York for 10 years as the ABC correspondent and I worked eight days a week. Yet I think of all the things I didn't do and should have done,' he said. 'You've got forever to sleep, you've got to have a go.' The esteemed TV host added that as he gets older he is more committed than ever to spending time with his children Jenna and Luke and two grandchildren. No one seems to have shared their thoughts on this topic yetLeave a comment so your voice will be heard first. {{message}} A millionaire brothel madam found dead alongside her lover onboard a luxury yacht may have been involved in sex trafficking and financial impropriety in the lead up to her death The lifeless bodies of Lixin Wang and her on-off boyfriend Peter Ray were found side-by-side on a bed in the cabin of his $250,000 yacht off Cammeray, on Sydney's lower north shore Police had been called to the scene by a worried friend who said they had been unable to reach the couple since they boarded the yacht for a night together on Monday Firefighters initially boarded the 47-foot vessel wearing breathing apparatuses amid concerns about a potential noxious gas leak on board Police then inspected the yacht and discovered the couple in the main cabin at the front of the vessel most recently including the Xanadu Heaven and the Flamingo Club Bondi which are both still registered to the same North Sydney address It is understood the 60-year-old had taken over running the Flamingo Club after its former owner who worked at the Flamingo for two years before quitting last November had brought a sinister tone to the business very dark and very dangerous,' the employee said 'She was owing girls huge amounts of money 'She basically trafficked another girl and refused to pay her 'She also refused to let me disclose to clients that a post-operative trans woman was working there.' Ms Wang also operated Lixin Wang Xanadu Massage for which the business registration was cancelled last August following her sale of Xanadu Massage's property address She had bought the five-bedroom, four-bathroom mansion with Middle Harbour water views for just under $10m a decade ago, and is believed to own multiple properties across Sydney The Flamingo Club's former owner had been forced to sell the brothel after being caught with almost 500g of methylamphetamine in a police sting The operation came after police established Strikeforce Maneela to investigate Nesbit’s drug business and were granted a telephone interception warrant Undercover officers surveilled the 38-year-old supplying a total of 33.75g of cocaine and 13.11g of methylamphetamine across a two week period in April 2022 He was arrested the following month after phone taps revealed he was planning a $50,000 drug deal in Canley Vale police arrested him with a plastic heat-sealed bag containing 496g of methylamphetamine with 78 per cent purity Nesbit was sentenced to three years and two months behind bars for commercial drug supply last year He was released from prison on February 24 but remains on parole until September 25 It is not the first time the Flamingo Club has made headlines for all the wrong reasons The brothel was linked to further tragedy earlier this year after another former employee revealed Bondi Junction shopping mall killer Joel Cauchi had applied to work there in the months before his murderous rampage.  She said she had been managing the now-closed brothel in August last year when she received a 'bizarre' application from a man called 'Joel'. 'Joel' had sent a picture of himself wearing a tight-fitting Manchester United football club jersey while straddling a chair with his arms folded, claiming he would be 'open to servicing both men and women'. 'I said to my friend, "obviously this kid is an amateur" because this is work, this is a business and if you want us to take you seriously, you need to present yourself as such,' she said. 'We did b***h about it because that's what we do. I said "look at this guy, oh my God, he's delusional" and my friend was like "who the f*** would pay for that?" 'I thought, what the hell, this isn't Green Street hooligans. Are you trying to sell sex using this picture? You're not endearing yourself to anybody.' Despite her immediate reaction, the staffer sent 'Joel' a polite response, telling him they did not accept men in the establishment but suggested they could reach a 'booking only' arrangement if there was interest in him. Detective Inspector Siobhan Munro said on Thursday that police were still investigating the deaths of Ms Wang and Mr Ray.  'Nothing has been discounted at this time,' she said. 'We don't know what has happened. We're still making inquiries.' It is understood the couple did not have any physical injuries, with a gas leak and drug overdose among the avenues of inquiry. Mr Ray, a registered plumber, was preparing to enter Taloha into Airlie Beach Race Week - starting next Thursday - and had spent the past 18 months renovating the boat as a 'love project' since purchasing it in 2022. The 56-year-old had been an avid sailor with the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, which hosts the annual Sydney to Hobart yacht race, and had previously owned a number of yachts, with names including TEAZ, The Plumbers, Big Teaz and Barely Legal.  His ex-wife, Andrea, remembered Mr Ray as a devoted father-of-three children aged 29, 27 and 19. She revealed he was planning to move up to Queensland next Wednesday to 'start afresh' and had prepped the boat for the trip. According to one boating expert with personal knowledge of Taloha, the concern over fumes suggests either a gas leak from the galley's cooking equipment, or carbon monoxide from the engine or a heater. 'Each vessel requires a gas certificate which needs to be renewed every 10 years,' he said. '(A gas leak) is not unheard of. It has happened before and [especially] if the boat was completely closed up because it was cold. What a terrible tragedy.' A number of items identified on the boat were taken away by police for forensic examination as the two bodies were seen being stretchered off the vessel. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Sex trafficking link to Sydney Harbour yacht death coupleCommenting on this article has endedNewest{{#isModerationStatus}}{{moderationStatus}} fresh pasta and a zesty take on tiramisu at new restaurant Nico Remove items from your saved list to add more Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime ShareAs featured in the November hit list. See all stories.1 / 11Amalfi-inspired restaurant Nico opens in Cammeray on Friday.Kera Wong2 / 11 Kera Wong3 / 11The dining room at Nico.Kera Wong4 / 11Gigli The modern Italian restaurant is the first independent venture from Nicola Ronconi former group executive chef of Sydney hospitality giant Urban Purveyor Group The group later acquired Neil Perry’s restaurants Ronconi says the restaurant was inspired by his time on the Amalfi Coast the seafood is plentiful and the frosted glasses of house-made limoncello are savoured beneath colourful umbrellas “I told my wife [Gozde Ronconi] that I want to create a restaurant that captures this feeling like when you’re on holiday and you forget about all of your worries “I want them to close their eyes and be transported to Italy.” Head chef and owner Nicola Ronconi.Kera WongIt took Ronconi more than a year to find a suitable space in a Cammeray Plaza shopfront that was subsequently gutted and built from scratch “North of the harbour is the future of hospitality,” he says “I used to think crossing the bridge was too far but it’s literally a five-minute drive from Wynyard.” Ronconi hopes it will tread the line of a casual fine diner equally suited to impromptu weeknight meals as celebratory dinners As head chef (“I’ll be in the kitchen 24/7”) inspired by his childhood in Vicenza (a 16th-century town outside of Venice) and his past 11 years in Australia There are snack plates to pick over during aperitivo hour in the courtyard savoury ricotta frittella (fritter) with anchovies and lime and Sicilian cannoli with salmon and flying fish roe The Amalfi Coast-inspired dining room.Kera WongAdvertisementAnd there is a lot of pasta to be made fresh each day at the restaurant Ronconi says the casarecce with lemon gin (“and a touch of ginger”) is a standout But the signature dish is a lemon tiramisu It’s a dessert Ronconi has been finessing since he was a child using lemons gathered from his father’s citrus grove Shop 18, 450 Miller Street, Cammeray, nicorestaurant.com.au Correction: A previous edition of this story named Nicola Ronconi as the former executive chef of Rockpool Bar & Grill. The copy has been updated to reflect that Ronconi was the executive chef of the hospitality group Urban Purveyor Group, which acquired Rockpool Bar & Grill and was renamed Rockpool Dining Group after his departure. The resurgence of North Sydney gathers steam with new Mexican-inspired bar and kitchenSay hola to Four Hundred, the latest restaurant to open in so-hot-right-now North Sydney. Inside the cult ramen shop Sydney cannot live withoutReady for another bowl of Sydney’s ‘most hectic’ tonkotsu? Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Gumshara’s comeback. Team behind Bistecca open casual and affordable steakhouse in Sydney’s ‘steakville’ districtForget the big bucks for super-expensive cuts. Alfie’s on Bligh Street champions the humble sirloin, serving up a more modestly priced $38 220-gram Riverine steak. news and the hottest openings served to your inbox 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 There’s one particular mood-altering substance everyone should take in winter, and that’s lemon. The tang and bitterness wake up the tastebuds, and the sunny colour lifts the mood in an instant. It’s why chefs use it so much, to add contrast, acidity and surprise. Which makes Nico in Cammeray a good place to hibernate this winter. Nico Ronconi has always worked in big Italian restaurants, previously heading Fratelli Fresh and Matteo’s Downtown, so he’s had plenty of time to work out what he’d like to do with his own, smaller, place. In many respects, Nico is just the sort of neighbourhood Italian you want in your own neighbourhood. But there’s a difference. Ronconi and business partner Ewa Witkowska have adopted the Amalfi Coast and all things bright, sunny and lemony to inform the menu. “We didn’t want to be just another Italian restaurant,” Ronconi says. From the very inviting Amalfi negroni ($21) of limoncello, Malfi lemon gin, vermouth bianco and Campari that opens the meal, to the lemon sorbet ($6) that could potentially finish it, flavours are bright and zesty. Hokkaido scallop carpaccio, pickled fennel, orange, finger lime.James BrickwoodIf it isn’t lemon, it’s tangy finger lime and pickled fennel that perks up a fat Hokkaido scallop ($11), sliced carpaccio-style as a starter. Another starter is deep-fried ricotta fritella ($6), the soft and springy oval striped with creamy (lemony) gremolata and a plump salted anchovy. Nico is one of five restaurants in and around Cammeray Plaza, and you enter from the plaza side opposite Harris Farm, rather than the street. “Buona sera,” calls Ronconi, from the dramatically dark and theatrical open kitchen. Giant Designs has created an interior of coastal blues and tans that still manages to feel warm, furnished with three long banquettes, wicker-backed chairs, solid bare wooden tables and a bottle-backed bar. Local couples and foursomes are drinking wine and checking out the menu of aperitivi, focaccia, seafood and house-made pasta. Calamarata with sun-dried cherry tomatoes, squid and white wine.James BrickwoodPasta is a real drawcard, and there’s a winter-friendly special on Tuesdays of selected pasta dishes with a glass of wine for $29 that pulls a crowd. But this isn’t Tuesday. Tonight, there’s gigli, a ruffled bell-shaped pasta served with a sausage ragu ($36), or spaghetti with WA’s Donnybrook marron (listed as “wild-caught” but later confirmed as farmed), saffron and basil ($55). My calamarata (so-called because it is shaped like cut sections of squid) is dressed with identical cut sections of South Australian squid ($37) in a wine-based sauce popping with sun-dried cherry tomatoes. I like that it’s not militantly al dente, and that the squid ends up curling up inside the pasta hollows, as if seeking family. Floor staff are lively and know their stuff, and wine is taken seriously. A glass of the 2021 Le Monde Chardonnay from Friuli ($18/$85) is fresh, intense and well-balanced. Pork cotoletta, Calabrian sauce.James BrickwoodIn spite of the Amalfi theme, Ronconi was born in the north, in Vicenza, so a few more wintry dishes have crept in as well. Smoked mafaldine (ruffled flat pasta lengths) comes with a creamy mushroom sauce ($35) capped with a taleggio fonduta (like cheese fondue). The mix of king, oyster, shimeji and enoki mushrooms works well, although I would love to see the promised wild mushrooms in there. A salad of radicchio with pomegranate and chives ($14) has a velvety dressing of balsamic vinegar, mustard and pomegranate molasses with a real bite to it. It adds interest to a main course of pork cotoletta ($39). Crisply crusted, sliced into fingers and striped with wiggles of Calabrian sauce (capsicum, tomato and chilli) it gets a bit same-same to eat, with not much give in the meat. Lemon tiramisu.James BrickwoodBut now it’s straight back to the Amalfi by private jet with Ronconi’s lighter, brighter tiramisu ($15). Sponge finger biscuits are soaked in limoncello syrup instead of coffee, and rich mascarpone cream is showered with grated white chocolate and lemon zest. Like Nico, it’s a fresh take on the familiar, injected with extra tang. Vibe: Upscale neighbourhood Italian with house-made pasta Go-to dish: Calamarata, squid, sun-dried tomatoes, white wine, $37 Drinks: Italian-leaning cocktails and a thoughtful wine list (with 50 per cent off bottled wine on Mondays) Icon review: Is a long lunch at Catalina still a great day out?When lunch calls for white linen napkins and good ol’ fashioned hospitality, this Sydney stayer nails the brief. ‘Ramen shop’ vibes, gooey croque monsieur and pour-over brews flow at this inner west coffee spotThe owner behind Ashfield Apothecary has created an intimate sun-drenched cafe with a special focus on coffee. Warm up with $5.90 noodles and lip-tingling dishes at this hot Chinatown spotSpicy Joint tackles the “good, fast, cheap” brief with impressive, dependable results. The Public in Cammeray is a pub on Miller Street in Cammeray While the location has had several iterations (a Belgian beer cafe one of them) it has new owners and offers a cut-above pub style food at reasonable prices with great burgers schnitzel and a divine beef cheek ragu rigatoni While in the past reviews have been mixed about the food at The Public it has new ownership and a new interior and menu the owners Harris and Arthur Stamos are friends with my friend Valentina but I was under no obligation to post or review anything and we paid for our meals in full Between the six of us we ordered 4 entrees and 5 mains to share Valentina and I go to the counter to order and when they tell us the total I almost do a double take at the prices as they're so reasonable - maybe I need to eat at pubs more often.. The jalapeno and corn fritters come four to a serve with a side of coriander yogurt hot and fresh and really tasty with a mild level of spice from the jalapeno and juicy corn inside While there are potato wedges and fries on the menu I cannot resist a potato scallop because they remind me of my childhood and you don't often see potato scallops on a menu They come dusted in rosemary salt with a generous amount of aioli and I'd order these again in a flash The batter is crisp on the outside and the potatoes have a good bitey texture inside The dips platter is generously sized with three types of dips: a hummus There's also delicious pickled onions and beetroot and grilled sourdough and flatbread on the side The capsicum dip is my favourite with a nice amount of chilli heat to it although the basil pesto with deep fried basil leaves is also good At first I think there's perhaps too much bread (and seriously you often have to ask for more) but it all ends up being eaten The only entree that I didn't overly go for were the whiskey smoked chicken wings They were fine but I didn't go for the flavour and prefer spicy hot wings At first Lutz isn't into sharing mains but acquiesces as long as he can get the schnitzel This is a solid version with tender chicken breast and a crunchy crumb with shoestring fries and a pot of dressed salad The squid ink tagliatelle is house-made and perhaps needs a bit of reworking as the pasta is quite thick and chewy and falls apart when eating The grilled prawns in a white wine and cherry tomato sauce are generous though and well cooked Everyone's favourite main is the braised beef cheek ragu rigatoni The beef is so flavoursome and soft in texture and the pasta is al dente and it comes with shaved pecorino and fried basil on top The steak comes out pre-sliced so it's easy to share although the slice that I got was a bit gristly There are a range of sauces available with the steak (mushroom peppercorn and garlic herb butter) and I always tend to go for the red wine jus We also tried the mushroom and peppercorn just for comparison ($2.50 each) I adored the red wine jus and I would have loved this with some creamy Paris mash as an option too especially once the weather gets colder Another favourite main apart from the schnitzel and beef ragu rigatoni is the beef burger It's a beef patty with smoked cheese sauce red onion and aioli on a milk bun and it's delicious and perfectly saucy There are two options for dessert: a chocolate brownie with ice cream and waffles with ice cream I had expected that we might have room for dessert but we are all completely stuffed And what food reminds you of your childhood The removal of hundreds of trees to upgrade a freeway has sparked outrage on Sydney’s north shore with a Liberal MP criticising the NSW government’s management of major road projects North Sydney Mayor Zoe Baker said residents had called her in “tears others in outrage and shock at the scale of the loss” of trees in Cammeray Park as part of work on the Warringah Freeway between North Sydney and Naremburn Hundreds of trees will be cut down in Cammeray Park as part of the Warringah Freeway upgrade.Credit: Nick Moir The work is part of an overall $1.1 billion upgrade that former Transport Minister Andrew Constance in 2021 said would “pave the way” for the future Western Harbour Tunnel and the yet-to-be-approved Beaches Link Baker said hundreds of mature trees with significant canopy and important habitat for native birds possums and other fauna had already been lost since the tree removal began in January Baker said most of the trees had been chopped down at night “and people are “They wake to find more trees gone and possums and birds dead and dying on local roads having fled the works zone,” she said Residents are outraged at the destruction of trees for the upgrade to the motorway Willoughby Environmental Protection Association committee member Kristina Dodds said the golf course in the park “looks like a bomb site” in a widely read Facebook post Community groups will hold a rally at Green Park in Cammeray on September 3 to protest against the removal of trees and urge the state government to reassess the tunnel project The backlash in the Liberal Party’s heartland comes as Willoughby MP Tim James raised concerns about the management of the road project “It’s clear that some aspects of these projects need to be done better,” he said “We have one chance to get this right and ensure the projects work for the local area.” A Transport for NSW spokesman said tree removal was a “sensitive community issue” but the freeway upgrade will lead to an increase in the local tree canopy.Credit: Nick Moir A Transport for NSW spokesman said the Warringah Freeway upgrade was a “critical project” that would help take more cars off local roads and “significantly boost capacity on our network” for future projected increases in traffic The spokesman said every major project undertaken by Transport underwent rigorous environmental assessment: “Tree removal is understandably a sensitive community issue we will be delivering an increase to the local tree canopy.” The controversy over the removal of trees comes amid rising concern over the sale of green spaces on Sydney’s north shore to developers Baker said North Sydney Council in June was told by Transport that 655 trees would be chopped down out of a total of 1330 trees on the golf course More than 480 trees will be removed to make way for the motorway upgrade with another 168 trees cut down to reconfigure the golf course “The trees that have been destroyed were predominantly melaleucas “Minutes to be destroyed and decades to replace the canopy and habitat lost.” The Cammeray Golf Club’s 2021 annual report reveals almost 40 per cent of the golf course had been compulsorily acquired by the state government: “While we knew the Tunnel Project would likely occur it hurt to know that our hopes of the project not proceeding had finally been squashed.” The approval of the motorway project required a new golf course be created in consultation with The Liberals suffered a 19 per cent swing against them and James only just beat independent candidate Larissa Penn in a byelection earlier this year for the seat formerly held by Gladys Berejiklian James said he was “acting to ensure” construction impacts from the tunnel projects were minimised no tree was removed unnecessarily and construction sites were fully rehabilitated but I’m confident real improvements to the project that address the concerns of the Willoughby community will be made with my advocacy,” he said He also supports the construction of a canopy over the Warringah Freeway to provide more public green space and increase the tree canopy Baker said the council expected more trees up to 50 years old will be cut down alongside the freeway “Land clearing is the preference of developers and contractors because it’s cheap and makes their task easier,” she said “A more careful process with real consultation with council officers would have significantly reduced the numbers of trees and vital urban habitat lost.” Baker said the council opposed the tunnel projects because of the “devastating environmental impacts” and the failure to demonstrate any business case for them “The North Sydney Local Government Area bears the enormous burden of these projects and there are no demonstrable benefits,” she said The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here. The removal of hundreds of trees to upgrade a freeway has sparked outrage on Sydney\\u2019s north shore with a Liberal MP criticising the NSW government\\u2019s management of major road projects. North Sydney Mayor Zoe Baker said residents had called her in \\u201Ctears, others in outrage and shock at the scale of the loss\\u201D of trees in Cammeray Park as part of work on the Warringah Freeway between North Sydney and Naremburn. The work is part of an overall $1.1 billion upgrade that former Transport Minister Andrew Constance in 2021 said would \\u201Cpave the way\\u201D for the future Western Harbour Tunnel and the yet-to-be-approved Beaches Link. Baker said hundreds of mature trees with significant canopy and important habitat for native birds, possums and other fauna had already been lost since the tree removal began in January. Baker said most of the trees had been chopped down at night \\u201Cand people are, rightly, cynical and angry about this\\u201D. \\u201CThey wake to find more trees gone and possums and birds dead and dying on local roads having fled the works zone,\\u201D she said. Willoughby Environmental Protection Association committee member Kristina Dodds said the golf course in the park \\u201Clooks like a bomb site\\u201D in a widely read Facebook post. Community groups will hold a rally at Green Park in Cammeray on September 3 to protest against the removal of trees and urge the state government to reassess the tunnel project. The backlash in the Liberal Party\\u2019s heartland comes as Willoughby MP Tim James raised concerns about the management of the road project. \\u201CIt\\u2019s clear that some aspects of these projects need to be done better,\\u201D he said. \\u201CWe have one chance to get this right and ensure the projects work for the local area.\\u201D A Transport for NSW spokesman said the Warringah Freeway upgrade was a \\u201Ccritical project\\u201D that would help take more cars off local roads and \\u201Csignificantly boost capacity on our network\\u201D for future projected increases in traffic. The spokesman said every major project undertaken by Transport underwent rigorous environmental assessment: \\u201CTree removal is understandably a sensitive community issue, which is why as part of this project, we will be delivering an increase to the local tree canopy.\\u201D The controversy over the removal of trees comes amid . Baker said North Sydney Council in June was told by Transport that 655 trees would be chopped down out of a total of 1330 trees on the golf course, which is located within Cammeray Park. More than 480 trees will be removed to make way for the motorway upgrade, with another 168 trees cut down to reconfigure the golf course. \\u201CThe trees that have been destroyed were predominantly melaleucas, angophoras and native figs, many 30 to 40 years old,\\u201D Baker said. \\u201CMinutes to be destroyed and decades to replace the canopy and habitat lost.\\u201D The Cammeray Golf Club\\u2019s reveals almost 40 per cent of the golf course had been compulsorily acquired by the state government: \\u201CWhile we knew the Tunnel Project would likely occur, it hurt to know that our hopes of the project not proceeding had finally been squashed.\\u201D The approval of the motorway project required a new golf course be created in consultation with, and at no cost to the club, whose current patron is James. and James only just beat independent candidate Larissa Penn in a byelection earlier this year for the seat formerly held by Gladys Berejiklian. James said he was \\u201Cacting to ensure\\u201D construction impacts from the tunnel projects were minimised, no tree was removed unnecessarily and construction sites were fully rehabilitated. \\u201CThere\\u2019s more to do, but I\\u2019m confident real improvements to the project that address the concerns of the Willoughby community will be made with my advocacy,\\u201D he said. He also supports the construction of a canopy over the Warringah Freeway to provide more public green space and increase the tree canopy. Baker said the council expected more trees up to 50 years old will be cut down alongside the freeway. \\u201CLand clearing is the preference of developers and contractors because it\\u2019s cheap and makes their task easier,\\u201D she said. \\u201CA more careful process with real consultation with council officers would have significantly reduced the numbers of trees and vital urban habitat lost.\\u201D Baker said the council opposed the tunnel projects because of the \\u201Cdevastating environmental impacts\\u201D and the failure to demonstrate any business case for them. \\u201CThe North Sydney Local Government Area bears the enormous burden of these projects and there are no demonstrable benefits,\\u201D she said. The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to 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) Since 1998, Maggio's Cafe in Sydney's Cammeray has been pumping out traditional Italian pastries and cakes to devout customers who keep coming back for more But while foodies know this as a destination to get some of the city's best cannoli few are keyed into Maggio's breakfast and lunch offerings is the perfect combination of Italian cooking's simplicity and Australia's particular style of brunch You get a couple of poached eggs served in a fresh tomato and basil sauce for just $15 Think of it like a shakshuka made by Nonna You can also go for a bacon and egg roll ($12.50) chilli scrambled eggs ($16.50) served with grilled broccolini and feta or the corn and halloumi fritters ($18.50) As this is known as a haven for sweet-toothed foodies you also have got to check out the pancakes ($15.50) topped with fluffy mascarpone cream these guys also smash out rustic pizzas ($19–22) and a revolving menu of pasta dishes — with homemade lasagne hitting the specials board every now and then you can simply grab a panini ($19 — made from its bakery's own bread) or some fresh salads ($15.50–18.50) to have a light bite in the arvo Either dine inside the Sydney café — getting served by the ever-friendly family members who run the show — or get any of the food options to take away Maggio's is one of the best cafes in Sydney thanks to its phenomenal pastry and cake options as well as brunch and lunch menus that champion traditional Italian cooking Information about working in or operating early childhood education services including outside school hours care information for parents including how to choose a service and supporting your child for their transition to school Skills NSW helps post high school students find courses in vocational training across a wide variety of industries and course providers The NSW Department of Education is committed to employing the best and brightest teachers who can teach and make a difference in NSW public schools NSW Department of Education's information on curriculum taught in NSW schools Aboriginal education and communities & personalised support Students at Cammeray Public School have celebrated Reconciliation Week with a ribbon-tying event Cammeray Public School became a sea of colours as more than 700 students tied red yellow and black ribbons and Torres Strait Islander flags to the school fence as part of Reconciliation Week celebrations Principal Kerry McConaghy said the ribbons and flags representing First Nations people were a way of recognising the contribution of Indigenous culture and histories while raising awareness about the importance of Reconciliation “All of our children and teachers tie a ribbon to the fence and our parents are welcome to participate “It’s a very visual way of acknowledging our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their connection to our school and community.” the school has invited local Aboriginal artist Aunty Bibi Barber to work on Indigenous projects and this week she addressed the school’s Reconciliation Week assembly she joined students in a ceremony to welcome people to the school and Cammeraygal land Aunty Bibi has helped introduce traditional language and culture through art and storytelling and worked closely with students to make Cammeray Public’s four house totems more inclusive “We received a petition from 180 children to change the totems which were previously only representative of our early colonial history,” Ms McConaghy said and the students to create a cultural narrative for the totems which also help explain the history and the past The new house totems have connections to land and sea and include a sea turtle ‘Gudugulung’ Ms McConaghy said the school had worked hard to improve awareness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and history among students “We’ve increased the texts in our quality literature corridor from First Nations authors and illustrators from three per cent up to 18 per cent,” she said “There’s also been a real focus on incorporating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and history into our lesson planning “We’ve embraced On Country experiences into our staff development and teachers have actively engaged with this learning.” We recognise the Ongoing Custodians of the lands and waterways where we work and live We pay respect to Elders past and present as ongoing teachers of knowledge We strive to ensure every Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander learner in NSW achieves their potential through education Cammeray is set for a new boutique apartment development The newly formed development firm ARCH is behind the plans for the four-storey apartment building at 18 Vale Street Dubbed Millervale, due to its location on the corner of Miller and Vale Street three-bedroom apartments across the striking building “We are very excited for our first project Millervale," ARCH's Marcus Hinzack told Urban "It ticks all our strategic goals of being in a great suburb with high levels of amenity, close to the local village and nature walks and very well connected to the rest of Sydney "ARCH are going to hang our hat on putting design both aesthetics and functionality above all else and we were very careful to select a like minded architect DKO who share our values," Hinzack added Perspective view looking north from Vale St "As a team we spent a lot of time researching Cammeray and taking a lot of the design cues and understanding the local vernacular of the surrounding homes to create a contemporary apartment building that also nods to the history of the suburb and sits very well in its context” Early in the design process, the landscape and built form character of Cammeray was analysed by ARCH and architecture firm DKO. From this a Cammeray character “kit of parts” was developed forming the basis of the architectural and landscape concepts ARCH noted in there development application a key driver for the project was to develop a strongly site-derived proposal which reflected the unique attributes of the area to strengthen local identity despite its continuing densification Millervale will replace the existing three-houses on the amalgamated 902 sqm site The scale of the building is in keeping with the older walk-up style apartment buildings in proximity to the site DKO Senior Associate Sonny Oh noted in the design statement submission that the role of DKO’s architecture is to mediate between the past present and future of the site and surrounds “The dwelling size and mix is in response to the demographics of the area and a market demand for larger apartments which offer an alternative to detached or semi-detached dwellings,” Oh wrote Perspective view of pedestrian entry on Vale Street the apartments have considered ventilation The landscaping is a key component of the design and has been sought to be integrated throughout the built form to contribute to the existing landscape character of the area as well as providing significant amenity to the future residents and neighbouring residents of the site Millervale will be part of the growing suburb of Cammeray Bus stops directly adjacent to the site along Miller street provide access to public transport to Chatswood, Crows Nest, North Sydney and onto the CBD while the surrounding context also has a range of open space and recreational amenity offering a diversity of passive and active spaces We're on a mission to radically improve the quality of Urban communities being developed across Australia We aim to showcase every development in Australia to help you find the perfect new home Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news If you’re a fan of Surry Hills’ colourful non-traditional Indian restaurant Don’t Tell Aunty Some of Don’t Tell Aunty’s greatest hits cheddar and spices; and crisp cauliflower with a house-made tomato chilli sauce – will all be making an appearance Indian-born co-owners and best mates Varan Deep and Jai Singh are excited to welcome guests into their new lower north shore digs Deep says: Both at Don’t Tell Aunty and our new venue we always strive to ensure that everyone leaves our door with a big smile and an experience to remember.” you can expect to find some fun takes on Indian classics at Don’t Tell Uncle Kick off your meal with Indian fried chicken; and ‘happy shots’ Other highlights on head chef Singh’s (ex Surjit’s Indian Restaurant in Annandale) menu include Australian lamb chops with Indian spices and pickled cabbage; tandoori tikka chicken with spices and mint sauce; palak paneer (cottage cheese) with spinach ginger and garlic; and soy makhani – Don’t Tell Uncle’s vegan take on butter chicken Don’t Tell Uncle is a great one for vegos and vegans with a lot of plant-based options to choose from but it has still managed to avoid the fast pace that has become a fact of life in many other inner-city suburbs It remains a lower north shore neighbourhood in the true sense of the word where community spirit is a palpable thing and strangers nod hello on the walking trails it has the requisite stunning water views with added boats and multimillion-dollar builds hugging the slopes on the water’s edge its tree-lined streets contain a housing mix of statement-making Federation homes semi-detached Edwardians and classic older-style apartments as the sort of place you head to rather than cut through it adds up to the recipe for a covetable address that doesn’t have to shout to be heard “What I love about it is that it’s very much a little village,” says Eddie Mansour, the Ray White selling agent for the boutique Riserva development on Cammeray’s Carter Street. “It’s so close to the CBD yet it feels a world away. There’s a tranquil feel yet you’re only 10 minutes from the city on the bus, which has a dedicated lane all the way in.” Just over 7000 people called Cammeray home in the 2016 census. They get to enjoy the views, the village feel and the cafes and specialty shops as part of day-to-day life. It’s the cafe culture that brought Kiki Zhou to Cammeray several years ago when she took over The Alchemist Espresso, a cute corner spot where colourful stools line the footpath and the baristas know the locals’ order by heart. “People around here really know their coffee,” says Zhou. “It’s a great neighbourhood. I found everyone so friendly and welcoming when I took over. I already knew Northbridge and Crows Nest but wasn’t that familiar with Cammeray. It won me over very quickly.” One of the great things about Cammeray, says Mansour, is that it’s sheltered from the bustle of the city and surrounding suburbs. A high-spec development of 18 apartments, Riserva – the name evoking the luxury of an Italian reserve wine list – has been designed to slot seamlessly into this established area. Unsurprisingly, it has also been designed to capitalise on its extravagant views. Perched at the peak of the crest between Carter Street and Cammeray Road, from the north it looks out to the Northbridge Golf Course and to the north-east there’s the mesmerising view of the parkland-fringed harbour, leading all the way out past Cremorne, Mosman and the Spit Bridge. “The windows have been designed to frame the views perfectly, like a work of art,” says Mansour. “The developer saw the potential of its unrivalled position. It’s one of the few properties that sits back and above the street. The view lines are just amazing.” Designed by DKO Architecture in an earthy palette of natural materials that will age gracefully amid its treescape of mature eucalypts, it makes sure no aspect goes to waste. Living areas in the open-plan apartments have floor-to-ceiling windows to bring the light flooding in, while the Riserva facade comprises a series of sculptural blades that both manage privacy and open out towards the view. The community feel of the surrounding suburb is studiously replicated within the development. A shared barbecue area and lawn, for instance, is calculated to bring together the mostly owner-occupier residents, while a wellness centre with a dedicated yoga area is already making waves. “One resident is very keen on yoga and she’s scoping out the possibility of hosting classes for residents there,” says Mansour. “It’s just one way the project has been designed to gently bring together a new community of people.” House prices in some of Sydney’s most expensive suburbs have had sharp falls amid the market downturn recording drops of more than $500,000 in some premium pockets Clovelly and Cammeray recorded some of the largest median price falls last year the Domain House Price Report for the December quarter shows Cremorne is among a string of premium suburbs which recorded sizeable drops in their median house price last year.Credit: Vaida Savickaite Domain chief of research and economics Dr Nicola Powell said suburbs that led the market boom had largely led the downswing — and were likely to see deeper falls “Not every suburb moves at the same time and rate … some suburbs are further along in the price cycle … and they do tend to be more premium areas and areas that previously saw greater price growth its median house price falling 23.6 per cent or more than $778,000 to $2.52 million It was followed by the comparatively more affordable Marsfield where the median dropped 20.5 per cent to $1.05 million then Clovelly (-17.6 per cent) and Cammeray (-16.3 per cent) where values fell about $785,000 and $511,000 respectively and Croydon recorded declines of more than 10 per cent Citywide, the median house price dropped 10.9 per cent last year— the steepest annual decline on Domain records — and units declined 6.5 per cent The largest unit price falls were in Little Bay and Woolloomooloo PRD chief economist Dr Diaswati Mardiasmo said buyers and sellers in suburbs with multi-million dollar price tags had been spooked by rising interest rates and were thinking twice about how much they wanted to spend and what repayments would be they would still be unattainable for most Australians The greater improvement for buyers would be in mid-range suburbs which could become more attainable for young professionals “A fall in middle or more affordable suburbs makes people think: ‘Hey maybe I can get in there now and broaden my search’,” she said Powell said prices in more affordable markets were largely holding better as rising interest rates capped buyer borrowing power and pushed house hunters to more affordable price points the rate of annual growth in such suburbs was slowing Median house price gains were largely recorded in more affordable outer suburbs The Central Coast suburb of Erina had the biggest house price increase at 31.6 per cent Gledswood Hills and Edmondson Park in the south-west Grantham Farm and Marsden Park in the west and Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains all recorded gains of more than 20 per cent The downturn has enabled Mary-Anne Lines to purchase a one-bedroom Pymble unit after 35 years of renting Lines started looking at properties 18 months ago and feared she may have missed her chance as she watched prices soar is delighted to have bought an apartment after more than three decades of renting.Credit: Brook Mitchell By the time the 61-year-old had saved her deposit however the suburb’s median unit price was still 6 per cent higher than in 2021 who is head of payroll services at a healthcare company started to notice prices coming down around April last year but I really needed to buy when I did,” she said She still had to cast her net wide and missed out on two properties “I couldn’t afford Neutral Bay [where I rent] but was looking everywhere else down the track and out to northern beaches The northern beaches was way out of my price range though.” said one-bedroom units in the area had sizeable price drops Bulla said the downturn was largely mirroring the market boom Areas that once had exponential growth like the northern beaches “On the average house there you’re saving $200,000 … that being said borrowers are still in the same spot really [due to less borrowing power].” she noted median sales value had also been affected by the quality of homes available as fewer A-grade properties — which held their value best — were listed for sale amid the downturn House prices in some of Sydney\\u2019s most expensive suburbs have had sharp falls amid the market downturn had largely led the downswing \\u2014 and were likely to see deeper falls \\u201CNot every suburb moves at the same time and rate \\u2026 some suburbs are further along in the price cycle \\u2026 and they do tend to be more premium areas eastern suburbs and northern beaches.\\u201D the median house price dropped 10.9 per cent last year\\u2014 \\u2014 and units declined 6.5 per cent \\u201CA fall in middle or more affordable suburbs makes people think: \\u2018Hey maybe I can get in there now and broaden my search\\u2019,\\u201D she said however the suburb\\u2019s median unit price was still 6 per cent higher than in 2021 that I wasn\\u2019t ready to buy [at the peak] but I really needed to buy when I did,\\u201D she said \\u201CI don\\u2019t want to be working forever.\\u201D \\u201CI couldn\\u2019t afford Neutral Bay [where I rent] but was looking everywhere else down the track and out to northern beaches The northern beaches was way out of my price range though.\\u201D \\u201COn the average house there you\\u2019re saving $200,000 \\u2026 that being said borrowers are still in the same spot really [due to less borrowing power].\\u201D as fewer A-grade properties \\u2014 which held their value best \\u2014 were listed for sale amid the downturn The Cammeray cottage owned Sophie Scott — who finished up as medical reporter at the ABC this week — has finally sold and her buyer’s agent son has given his view on the result The circa-1888 four-bedroom Lytton Cottage at 22 Lytton St hit the market last November with a $3.4m guide for a November 26 auction where it passed in and it’s sat on the market ever since It sold on Thursday for $3.1m but Billy Gleeson a buyer’s agent of Webb and Co on the lower north shore is forthright about the result: “The $3m-ish range has been very hard hit with the interest rate rises,” Gleeson said “Getting buyers through the door was difficult Chinese buyers ‘propping up market’ How I saved $60k on my home loan It has an open-plan living area opening to the back yard “But we very keen to find the right buyers the wife’s pregnant so this is a good ‘next chapter’.” Despite the home selling for less than original expectations, it was still a street record, the previous being $3m in March, 2021, for 3/11 Lytton St Records show Scott purchased the home for $715,000 from Justin Greiner now aged in their mid-20s who all grew up in the house and they did a major renovation in 2009 Scott told the Mosman Daily at the time the home hit the market: “It’s been a wonderful family house with so many amazing memories here,” she said She and Carey are looking to downsize in the Cammeray area Thursday was also Scott’s last day at the ABC She told her Instagram followers: “I am stepping away from my TV role as National Medical Reporter at the ABC to devote all my energy to you and my work in the mental health and communication space.” She will also be producing a regular show with the world’s leading experts in mental health and wellbeing Lytton Cottage is unique as it’s one of the only houses in Cammeray to retain historic features such as pressed metal walls and ceilings at the front of the house the house is a “rare example of a Victorian cottage of cultural and historic importance” 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 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By accessing or using our platform, you agree to our Terms of Use. ACCIONA has started excavating the second phase of the Western Harbour Tunnel The first roadheader working on the project has left the Cammeray construction site heading towards the Warringah Highway - creating a temporary access tunnel under the road reserve excavation of the twin mainline tunnels will begin continuing south under the highway towards Ridge Street ACCIONA will use a total of 10 roadheaders with a height of 5 meters a width of 4.5 meters and weighing over 100 tonnes to start tunnel excavation on the north side of the Harbour The construction of Sydney’s Western Harbour Tunnel is an important part of creating an integrated road and public transport network which aims to transform the mobility of people and goods to meet the growing needs of an ever-expanding city ACCIONA’s contribution to the innovative design of the Western Harbour Tunnel is based on a focus on finding more sustainable solutions in the design and construction of infrastructure which will continue during the tunnel’s excavation ACCIONA has designed and constructed more than 600 kilometres of urban road and rail tunnels worldwide Being part of the Western Harbour Tunnel project is not only momentous for the business in Australia but it will be globally recognised for an infrastructure solution that is technologically advanced improves the construction experience for local communities optimises environmental performance and delivers better value for the people of NSW ACCIONA was awarded the design and construction contract for the second phase of this project in December 2022 The total budget is AU$4.24 billion (€2.76 billion) and the construction period is approximately five years The section awarded to ACCIONA runs from Birchgrove –connecting to the Warringah Freeway near North Sydney The Western Harbour Tunnel will join other ACCIONA projects in Australia the Anzac Bridge and the WestConnex M4-M5 link tunnels I accept Information on data protection In compliance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 on Data Protection and with other Data Protection regulations in force you are hereby informed that your personal data shall be processed by Acciona whose identification data are as follows: Tax ID No (NIF): A08001851; Address: Avenida de la Gran Vía de Hortaleza No.: +34 91 663 28 50; email: protecciondedatos@acciona.com Your data shall be processed in order to send you information through the subscription to our Newsletter through electronic means activities and news pertinent to our activity sectors The consent given by the data subject by indicating that they have read and accept this data protection information comprises the lawfulness of processing the subscription Request cannot be satisfied We may also process your satisfaction or preferences Data shall be stored until the elimination is requested we may give access to your data to service providers (such as technology service providers) who assist us in fulfilling this purpose may be located outside of the European Economic Area in territories that do not offer a level of data protection that is comparable to that of the European Union we transfer User data with appropriate safeguards and always ensuring the security of the same The data subject can exercise their rights of access to or rectification and/or the restriction of or objection to the processing of such data by writing the Department of Data Protection located at Avenida de la Gran Vía de Hortaleza 28033 (Madrid) or by sending the form available in the link: FORM If we consider it necessary in order to be able to identify you, we may ask you for a copy of an identity document. Furthermore, at any time the data subject may withdraw the granted consent by contacting the aforementioned address and file a claim to the Supervisory Authority (Agencia Española de Protección de Datos www.aepd.es) You can also unsubscribe from the Newsletter communication For any further information you can visit the Privacy Police on the website https://www.acciona.com/privacy-policy/ The story below is an account of events written post Peaks Challenge 2019 from the perspective of the slowest Cammeray Roadies rider to accomplish the Peaks dream This is a follow-up to the Peaks preparation story from the Cammeray Roadies It was the day of Peaks Challenge Falls Creek 2018 that the dream started Lucy (aka Ingrid Gypsy Rose) and I had spent a good part of the ride next to each other By the end I’d be so delirious I would lose a bet months later as to whether we’d even met after a certain point on course (we had and we’d even ridden together for several more kilometres Gypsy Rose would finish in 10:34 that year met his personal goal for a cracking sub-9 finish in 2018 in the company of Peaks Challenge legend Ben It had been El Capitan’s target for some time he’d sacrificed it to help a teammate who’d crashed and limped up the last climb Seeing the photo of the two of them crossing the finish line with their arms up in the air inspired me to take on Peaks Challenge “Next year sub 10,” Gypsy Rose joked in 2018 generously donated to our club by Cyclist Australia/NZ Magazine We just didn’t know to what lengths he’d go and would ride the 2019 rendition with the aim of helping Gypsy Rose smash her sub-10 hour target He asked who else might be interested in that goal He was expecting a few people to hop on board from both the Cammeray Roadies and Manly Warringah Cycling Club learned to keep the hammer down on the flats and descents learned to keep a steady pace and conserve our energy on the climbs We practiced rolling turns (both clockwise and counterclockwise We practiced changing flat tubes and put a plan in place for who would stay behind with anyone who had a puncture “Sprinters” was the generous term given to pawns such as myself who couldn’t climb We all knew sprinting was useless for a ride like Peaks not expected to take very long turns on the front in the hopes we’d save our energy to hang on to the group on the climbs one dream!” a particularly bubbly newcomer to the group exclaimed when she heard of our elaborate plan at our Berry training camp There are no words that can adequately describe this experience - to understand this you have to do it twenty one of us lined up at the start line and there were seventeen in our sub-10 group and Brendan & Warwick would ride at their own pace As the slowest climber (and craziest descender) in the bunch the plan was for me to ride off the front of our group in the opening descent and let them catch up on Tawonga Gap A team mate nicknamed "The Weatherman" joined me and we quickly overtook the leaders of the 10-hour group and reached the mid-pack of the 9-hour group We’d reached the top of Tawonga Gap as a group thanks to the 2019 fad of beetroot/pickle juice I was counting on my ability to catch them on the descent What I didn’t count on though was a queue for the toilets I didn’t catch the Roadies and I reached the bottom of the mountain with not a familiar soul in sight I took a few turns dragging a largely unmotivated rabble of cyclists halfway to Harrietville until we were passed by a much more organised I caught their wheels and took a few turns I reached the water stop before the climb to Hotham weak And this is where all our team training paid off I saw our familiar splash of teal blue… my Roadies had not yet left Harrietville They were rather surprised to see that I’d been dropped and I got the feeling no one had noticed my absence I managed a water fill in a few seconds while El Capitan held my bike “One!” “Two!” “Three!” “Four!”… “Seventeen,” I was happy to report Turns out Darryl hadn’t bothered learning to descend and had gotten dropped down the other side of Tawonga every count without me had reached the expected seventeen which is why no one realised I’d gone missing Darryl and Garth slowed down to tow him back up the duo rejoined without Dangerous Dave; he was not feeling well Darryl and Garth were in pain from the effort they’d put in to rejoin the group I was on my limit and I began losing touch with the group “Seventeen!” I yelled from several dozen meters back I heard a faint cheer of approval from further up the road My power meter was showing steady power; the Roadies were just too fast Up the steep pinches on the last third of Hotham I reached the top of Hotham on my own once again my exasperated face a mere few inches away from his bewildered one you get some food.” “ROADIES ROLLING!” El Capitan bellowed some minutes later “Who are the Roadies?” “You rolling with the Roadies?” We heard a few other people around us ask each other The next several dozen kilometres were beautiful Our rolling turn practice came into its own and people joined the rotation at the front when they felt strong or joined the Sprinters at the back when they didn’t We were grateful when a few other cyclists from outside our club joined our rotation and helped share the load as well Someone had dropped without raising the alarm Looking over my shoulder along the straight flat course Too much of a gentleman to ask us to compromise our chances and ease up for him we did it with the usual haste with which we’d trained As we were about to roll out… we see Choi cresting a hill We held his bike while one of us filled his bottles We rolled out as one unit and stayed that way I was nearly dropped on the short climb out of Omeo but I made good on my Sprinter designation once I realised the Roadies were nearly out of earshot The next section to Anglers Rest saw us picking up several dozen other riders and packs so I was generally towards the back of the peloton which was increasing in size I could see a long train of cyclists ahead of me Sprinkled throughout were flashes of our teal kit our scattered Sprinters nestled in the bunch At the front was what I can only describe as a locomotive of teal "Attempting the Peaks Challenge is a daunting thought at best being able to complete this event (sub 10) was largely driven by the support of a great bunch of riders “You guys are bloody awesome.” I didn’t catch who said it “Sixteen!” I heard from somewhere up the front I took one last look at the Roadies as they disappeared up the hill led by the freakishly strong and skinny Gypsy Rose I gingerly hoisted my 83kgs of pudge up the mountain any attempt to stand or even shift my weight in the saddle resulted in a muscle or other seizing to stay with the Roadies as long as I could but I was grateful for the company and encouragement No use trying to give anything longer than one-word answers It’s amazing how efficiently an out-of-breath cyclist can communicate if you need any slower.” Even at those low speeds “Faster,” I surprised us both by responding resigned to walking as he’d done every year before began PUSHING Choi up one of the most feared climbs in Australia a climb that most people find near impossible simply supporting their own body weight He’d pedal on his own for as much as he could and El Capitan would push again when needed Choi found his legs again and El Capitan was relieved of duty… except he decided he wasn’t He’d yell at every single other cyclist he saw walking then she dropped us when she found her legs again I just kept putting one pedal in front of the other The awe-inspiring display was an effective distraction from the pain We found our team mate Miles at the Coke stop He’d been one of the madmen to race up WTF corner the entire lower half of his body having been taken over by cramps He planned on staying at the Coke stop for a long while to recover but of course El Capitan would have none of it the SAG wagon of the sub-10 Roadies hopefuls Two other cyclists joined us and helped take turns Not two minutes ever went by without a curse and a bloodcurling scream from him putting whatever power he could to his own pedals I could see it in his body language and hear it in his breathless voice he was as fresh and determined as he was when we’d started I alternated between that and giving a draft at the front It wasn’t much but the team effort kept me inspired and I hoped it would keep Miles going I looked at the remaining time we had to 10 hours I let Choi and Miles ride ahead as I coasted as much as I could even as it began raining and I slowed right down I couldn’t feel my fingers operating the brakes my carbon rim brakes decided cold/wet meant they got to go on vacation and I wasn’t about to risk a crash after so much work I was met at the finish line by 17 other Roadies cheering "My second Peaks Challenge done and dusted Those who know my goal will know what this jersey means to me Literally couldn't have gotten through the day without my amazing crew recovered soon after getting dropped and rode the entirety of the remainder of the ride completely solo I lied about being the last Roadie to cross the finish line in sub-10 hours El Capitan was actually the last one to do so My wife has asked me for a year off from the training for Peaks 2020 But I hear there’s another Roadies contingent planning on making an appearance “I think it was the best event I have ever done and probably best ever ride as well and even some tears at the end after having achieved such a hard event together It demonstrated the best that humans can do when they work and (lets be honest) play together” — Philippe Penel   Sign up now for Peaks Challenge 2020 and join Paul and the Roadies The Great Victorian Bike Ride is set to return in 2025 on 24–28 November offering an exciting new format while keeping the spirit of this beloved event alive Bicycle Network Memberships offer benefits to all kinds of riders The Peaks Challenge Ride2School fundraiser is on again for this year's epic event on Sunday 9 March The City of Adelaide will undertake a speed limit review to understand the need for reducing speeds to support business and residents and create a safer city environment Work on the much-anticipated $38.9 million Sydney Harbour Bridge ramp upgrade has begun the bike lane will link the country's most famous bridge to the bike network in Milsons Point we launched our Affiliate Membership program specially designed for cycling groups and clubs Orange in New South Wales is in line for a nice new stretch of bike path one that will expand the off-road network and improve access to schools Work has kicked off on a key Canberra bike route setting the wheels in motion for safer and more pleasant journeys through the city’s northern suburbs In a submission to the federal government’s draft National Urban Policy Bicycle Network and seven other Australian bicycle organisations have called for active transport infrastructure funding to be increased to 10% of federal transport investment Many of our best bike journeys are along coastlines or up and down the creeks and rivers that meet the sea But with rising sea levels some of this vital infrastructure is at threat of inundation erosion and from changes in groundwater chemistry.