All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinue11 Ebbtide Way CorletteAuctionAgency: First National Port StephensAgent: Regan Blanch 12pm - 12.30pmView +8 PhotosSet in the highly desirable suburb of Corlette near-new single-level home offers the perfect balance of contemporary style and relaxed coastal living Regan Blanch from First National Port Stephens is the listing agent and she said this property will appeal to a broad range of buyers "The home is ideal for growing families looking to upgrade to a larger home with a pool as well as downsizers seeking the ease of single-level living in a light-filled With its open layout and seamless indoor-outdoor flow it's also perfect for those who love to entertain," said Regan modern and central to the home; it has ample bench space and a walk-in pantry Step outside to your very own slice of paradise Whether you're swimming laps or unwinding under the sun The expansive outdoor entertaining areas are perfect for hosting family and friends from lively summer barbecues to quiet evenings spent enjoying the fresh air Designed with comfort and enjoyment in mind these spaces offer the perfect setting for any occasion The spacious two-car garage provides ample storage and parking ensuring you have everything you need right at your fingertips "Combining modern living with the best of beachside relaxation this exceptional home is ideal for those seeking a peaceful yet vibrant lifestyle," said Regan this home offers the luxury of being moments away from sand and surf while a stunning natural outlook floods each room with light and tranquillity Corlette's location is great for convenient living It's just a short drive from Salamander Bay Shopping Centre along with various specialty stores and dining options It's also close to schools and recreational facilities Don't miss the opportunity to make this dream home yours Call Regan Blanch today to arrange an inspection Combining modern living with the best of beachside relaxation this exceptional home is ideal for those seeking a peaceful yet vibrant lifestyle Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy. as featured in a video by Clark Gormley and Catherine Knight musician and Mastermind Australia finalist Clark Gormley loves a quirky project All articles from our website & appThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxInteractive Crosswords Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueHe's performed in the Newcastle Fringe Festival every year often as one-half of the duo Nerds & Music alongside Wayne Thompson Gormley puts the spotlight on a Newy nuisance Gormley tells the tale in a video filmed by his partner Catherine Knight "The neat genial streets of Cooks Hill harbour each nesting season / A grievously infernal avian jerk / Lurking malicious perversely berserk / Bad bugger butcherbird butcher by nature / Diablo of Corlette they call it." Gormley not only sings and plays guitar in the video but also stars in it dressed in a sombrero and moustache disguise One might guess he's hiding from the notorious animal that he reckons has attacked at least 100 cyclists in the past few years "I got attacked by that bird in 2023," he says "I was actually going to The West Best Block Fest I ended up going there with blood all over me Picture suppliedHe's since found out loads of people have been attacked the butcherbird ranked number four on the Angry Birds list of 2024 on Magpie Alert a website that tracks swoops from dangerous birds (Magpies and butcherbirds are closely related.) This butcherbird only seems to do it during the nesting season between August and November depending on when its chicks are in the nest Gormley thinks it's a male because male butcherbirds are more aggressive "There are 20 injuries listed on the Magpie Alerts website and it's almost always on the nose," he says "I have seen a couple of injuries from attacks on the lower lip I spoke to a guy who lives on Corlette Street he put up a sign 'beware of the bird' and he got attacked in the right corner of his eye while putting it up." He'd been thinking about how he could turn everyone's negative experiences with the bird into a positive 'Let's do it in a spaghetti Western style that's kind of funny' It's pretty nerdy; everything there is true I spent most of my Christmas break doing it," Gormley says The video is not for the squeamish; it includes footage by cyclist Felipe Coelho who filmed himself being attacked Three weeks ago Gormley screened the three-minute music video at The Cricketers Arms Hotel in Cooks Hill "We got 50 or 60 people; the publican said to me 'You keep bringing people in like that every week and we'll have to pay you'," Gormley says You can watch the video on YouTube or visit Gormley's website: clarkgormley.com none of the injuries inflicted by the bird have been particularly damaging or life-threatening but his advice to all cyclists who must head down the street is to wear tight-fitting sunglasses for eye protection Nerds & Music are performing at the 2025 Newcastle Fringe Festival Gormley is also presenting The Throne: The Big Dump The original version of The Throne told the story of a sterling silver toilet that wound up on the Newcastle steelworks site to provide relief for Her Majesty on her Royal visit of 1954 The Throne - The Big Dump is the updated version Today's top stories curated by our news team. 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Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily! Share via...Gift this articleSubscribe to gift this article Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe The Australian Financial Review chats to a recent home buyer about where they bought and why We take a look at the practical details, such as how much the property cost, whether they got what they wanted, and just how hard (or easy) the process was to give readers a taste of what the property market is like SaveLog in or Subscribe to save articleShareCopy link Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe. Follow the topics, people and companies that matter to you. Since then, he has transformed the property from an unliveable three-bedroom home into an architecturally redesigned living space with the addition of a studio on top of the garage. Describing the house as a mess was an understatement, Corlette said. “A hose came out of the spa bath to the floor drains to try and empty the spa bath because there was basically nothing working. It [was] just disgusting. The toilets you wouldn’t want to go near – with any part of your body,” he said. A third of the ceiling was missing from one of the front rooms. “It was basically unliveable,” the 67-year-old said. To get started Corlette completed a course to become an owner-builder. With 30 years of experience in and around trades doing audiovisual installations, Corlette was comfortable with a set of tools. carrying the bricks … a number of trips to the tip to get rid of stuff.” Alves from MAP Architects submitted council applications to include a studio on top of the garage building is the more affordable option for these first-home buyers First-home dilemma: Start small and upsize later or buy your dream home now and there were five or six objections that [the] council overruled a great addition to the area,” Corlette said “I engaged a builder to do the studio and garage.” Being the sole person spearheading the project meant Corlette was free to make all the decisions He was bold and certain with his choices in colour and style The red on the door was repainted several times until it was eventually right The formula is now carefully written on the top of the paint tin A clear contrast to the white ceilings with careful cornices Choosing the right type of light fitting to go with the ceiling roses was one of the harder decisions But a unique feature of the terrace that was in perfect condition was the bust of Captain Cook While the gyprockers were putting newly moulded cornices into the ceiling (which cost $1800 to mould so it would match the original) Corlette couldn’t resist cabling surround sound in He also installed security cameras and remote-access locks The once-repulsive bathroom has been transformed into two modern sanctuaries with Thermotouch panels warming the floors and towel rails The first stage was renovating the main house and managing any hiccups along the way from having to rebuild entire parts of the home for structural purposes and the logistics of delivering heavy glass sliding doors and it can flow right through from the kitchen There was a square gutter which he did an eight-hour return trip for just so it would match exactly He then took some time off and focused on the studio “It’s like knocking off achievements,” Corlette said the studio surpassed everything I was expecting,” he said noting it cost $13,000 in council fees for its separate entrance Corlette has lived in the city his entire life His son and grandson are within three kilometres so it’s important for him to remain in the area he is “rattling around” on his own and seeking to downsize The property at 518 Cleveland Street is listed for sale with an advertised guide of $2.5 million. Selling agent Nick Gill from BresicWhitney Inner East said the property is a lovely integration of period detail and modern design, and the addition of the studio is especially attractive for buyers. “[The studio] provides a separate income, and as it’s north-facing, it gets lovely light.” 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 Ruth Wilson has been named Port Stephens Australia Day ambassador for January 26 All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueMs Wilson has spent more than half of her life up above the clouds and she will now share her inspiring journey as part of Port Stephens Council's Australia Day awards "I feel very proud and honoured," she said who has since hung up her ballooning gloves said her passion for ballooning began when she took a hot air balloon ride in New Zealand I couldn't wait to get behind the burner," she said I knew that I had found my destiny and within four months I had a sponsored balloon." Ms Wilson who has a fond interest for mountain flying and long distance flying said she has been blessed to fly in many countries across the world I've been privileged to experience Australia To flying her hot air balloon around Uluru to flying over the Great Barrier Reef Ms Wilson has seen all of Australia's beauties from above and said we are living in a country that is diverse and immense "I'm very proud that I am an Australian and I'm just a little bit excited that I have a chance to share my passion for our country and Port Stephens," she said Ms Wilson has competed in six world championships and at the age of 75 competed in the Gordon Bennett gas balloon race in Switzerland which consisted of 18 hours airborne and no sleep for 33 hours Ms Wilson made the move to Port Stephens ten years ago and said she made the move because she wanted to live near water "I've lived in many countries and many homes Member for Port Stephens Kate Washington said with local legend Ruth Wilson as Port Stephens Australia Day ambassador this year everyone who hears her story is set for an exciting ride "Ruth's extraordinary achievements as a pioneer in hot air ballooning are remarkable courage and resilience that we celebrate on Australia Day," she said Ms Wilson will address crowds at Riverside Park and Fly Point Park on Sunday and said she will speak about Port Stephens history as well as speak about her journey above the clouds "Australia Day is our national day to come together and share our stories," she said Laura Rumbel is a journalist who has always called Maitland home. She has been with the Maitland Mercury since 2022, and is passionate about all areas of local news. We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy Having cheered on his wife Carol in her first paddling regatta drive to “be his best” and his “love of racing” were a perfect match to this newly discovered sport representing Australia in the International Va’a Federation (IVF) World Distance Championships one for the individual (V1) 12 kilometre (km) event and one for the six-man (V6) 16 km event Seventy-year-old Tony is currently priming himself for the upcoming IVF World Sprint Championships which are being held in Hilo V6 and V12 events over a 500m sprint course and hopes to add more precious metal to his collection Tony expertly paddles his Tahitian designed rudderless va’a canoe with the swift and deft slice of his hybrid carbon fibre blade through glassy water whilst dodging bobbing boats and yellow buoys If Tony errs outside of the buoy lane markings during competition the va’a canoes are “so much more challenging to keep in a straight line” citing that “it feels great to be training with fellow paddlers creating friendships and bonds locally and internationally” Training also gives Tony the opportunity to “test himself against other international paddlers” Winning his first gold medal was “a big moment” and a welcome surprise to Tony who said he was “pretty rapt” and still learning the technique to keep the canoe gliding straight” Besides the obvious health benefits both physically and mentally Tony asserts that paddling is a relatively “a joint friendly sport being non-impact which allows older athletes to compete at their optimal even though they may have some wear and tear from contact sports in their earlier years” Tony encourages anyone wanting to give paddling a test drive to contact the Port Stephens Outrigger Club where both recreational and competing paddlers train together off local shorelines at Corlette and Shoal Bay up to six times a week Details can be found at www.portstephensoutriggers.com and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" 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, past, present and emerging. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. 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Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. was compiled by Property Credit and lists Anna Bay Salamander Bay and Corlette among suburbs that “offer a higher quality of living for homebuyers looking to spend below the Sydney median price of $1,345,000” “These suburbs provide excellent amenities making them attractive alternatives to Sydney’s expensive market,” Property Credit CEO Giordano Stepancic stated in the report “We’ve pinpointed some of the best suburbs across the country where homebuyers can get more value for their money without compromising on lifestyle “The Hunter Valley’s Port Stephens region is a paradise for homebuyers with the market conditions recently tilting slightly in favour of buyers due to a steady rise in listings.” Mr Stepancic said historically the Port Stephens area experienced significant market cycles driven by impulsive holiday home purchases today’s Port Stephens is much more diverse attracting not only retirees and weekenders but also a vibrant mix of industries and new residents “Many people selecting regions like Port Stephens and the Hunter are already familiar with the area it is much easier for a buyer to move out of Sydney without it being unfamiliar.” An increase in flexible work-from-home arrangements has also made a difference for buyers particularly with hybrid arrangements where workers can visit the office one or two times a week Drawbacks for buyers in the Port Stephens region usually relate to work or family “Retirees enjoy access to Sydney-based family members who can travel and ideally stay for weekends but for those younger families or individuals still working they will obviously need to retain their income either via a local job or a work-from-home arrangement,” he said the growth of the broader Hunter region’s jobs market supports a much larger number of people looking to move into the area than in years past. as an attractive option for those seeking a serene coastal lifestyle Anna Bay offers a peaceful environment with stunning beaches and natural beauty,” the report states “The suburb has sixteen properties currently for sale presenting ample opportunities for buyers to secure a home in this idyllic location “Anna Bay’s low socio-economic ranking indicates its affordability relative to other coastal regions making it an excellent choice for families and retirees alike.” praised for its “upscale homes and beautiful waterfront views” Corlette offers potential buyers a range of options to find their perfect home Port Stephens Council worked hard to get the new bridge installed over the culvert at Foreshore Drive however other works have continued to languish despite the community advocating for funded projects to be completed The popular walking track at Corlette Point was washed out in the storms The track features a set of concrete stairs leading from the Anchorage up onto a headland walk of around two kilometres linking the walk along the foreshore from the Tomaree Coastal Walk at Shoal Bay through to Nelson Bay around Salamander Bay and the Mambo Wanda Wetlands and on to Soldiers Point All of which can be traversed on dedicated walking or cycling tracks and through parklands and foreshore reserves with the landslip making it unsafe to traverse some of the stairways on the bush track are becoming overgrown due to a lack of foot traffic Port Stephens Council’s Asset Section Manager a landslip occurred on a small section of the informal walking track at Corlette Point “Council received funding from the first round of NSW State Government Disaster Recovery Funding to repair this landslip “Our capital works program prioritises road repairs rehabilitation and upgrades and the current program focuses on a number of important projects across the LGA that meet this priority Marine Drive at Fingal Bay and Teramby Road at Nelson Bay “The repair works of the Corlette Point walking track will be scheduled in our future capital works programming and will be completed before December 2024.” Locals are disappointed that this funded work is not already in the schedule of future capital works when it was impacted in March 2021 and funded in the first round of NSW State Government Disaster Recovery Funding For regular walkers this deadline for completion is somewhat of a blow – Council has committed to repairing the track within 45 months of the time when the damage occurred President of Business Port Stephens told News Of The Area “Much of our business community is reliant on the tourist trade and whilst some key areas impacted in the 2021 storms have been rectified it’s critical that we continue to push for all remedial work to be completed within reasonable timeframes form a crucial part of the attraction to our region for those who enjoy exploring nature and the vistas on these off-road treks “Maintaining walking tracks and their ease of navigation will continue to enhance our appeal to our target tourism markets,” she said Governor-General David Hurley awarded Wilson the OAM for her dedication and commitment to aviation Ms Wilson told News Of The Area she was humbled and proud to receive the award She also highlighted how dramatically the sport of ballooning had changed since she started in the sport “When I first stepped into a basket in 1975 I had a compass three gas tanks and a burner above my head and that was it,” Ms Wilson said “We were not even allowed to carry a radio in case we were in contact with the crew on the ground “So I have gone through that whole process of competing with a map and a compass to targets on the ground “In more recent years I am at the championships as an official and I watch the pilots now a mobile phone and a logger that tracks where they are “They have four electronic pieces in the basket and a pit crew that sends up the met and the weather WIth her feet on the ground more often these days “When I get to the end of my life I want to be able to say to myself: ‘Have you brought joy to others and have you found joy yourself?’ “All those years of sharing my basket and teaching people to fly the stories I have written and told I have brought joy As a founding member of the Australian Ballooning Federation (ABF) and has since held various positions including President (1997-1998) and Vice President In 2021 she again accepted the role of ABF Secretary Ms Wilson was invited to join with Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) personnel to educate other airspace users on the capability of balloons to operate as safe aircraft in controlled airspace This work led to the introduction of commercial balloon licensing with CASA and expanded the scope of ballooning in Australia The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) is an IOC-recognised organisation of more than 100 member countries who participate in air sports worldwide The FAI’s Australian representative is Air Sport Australia Confederation (ASAC) Ms Wilson continues to serve as ASAC Vice President and is one of the FAI Ballooning Commission’s Australian delegates She is also a current contributing member to the FAI Media/PR Committee It was Ms Wilson’s concept and management that saw the success of the unique 1988 Bicentennial Trans-Australia Balloon Challenge supported and funded by the Federal Government This unique aviation event attracted 78 teams from seventeen countries to compete across Australia over sixteen days The sport of ballooning gained both extensive national and international media coverage from the event Ms Wilson was Australia’s first hot air ballooning National Champion and has represented her country at six World Ballooning Championships Her last world championship event was in 2018 Ms Wilson launched at night in the hydrogen filled balloon ‘Bernadette’ from Bern she flew her balloon to 15,000 feet above the snow-covered Swiss Alps at night over the Italian Dolomites to land in an Italian vineyard after an eighteen hour non-stop flight With no sleep for 33 hours and water frozen due to the cold Ruth Wilson has been honoured also with the following awards: – 1979 ABF Inaugural National Champion Trophy – 2000 Awarded Australian Women’s Pilots Association Trophy for long distance gas balloon flight of 608km (1999 Gordon Bennett Race) – 2002 Inducted into Ballooning Hall-of-Fame – 2008 Awarded the William Deane Award for Excellence for contribution to Ballooning – 2017 FAI Hall of Fame Nominee and participating actively in the local community “I am planning to do some more author talks for Conquering Clouds,” she said this is my second book; I will do more writing but mainly travel writing and author talks “I will also continue to play croquet with the Nelson Bay Croquet Club where I have met some wonderful new friends.” NSW Fire and Rescue teams were in attendance whilst NSW Police cordoned off the street for safety and investigative purposes News Of The Area spoke to On Scene Commander Jim Murphy at the location “We were called to this address at 7:16am after a triple zero call this morning,” Jim said “We quickly isolated and extinguished the fire The incident was dealt with rapidly and professionally at a busy time of day when children are going to school The cause of the fire at this time is unknown Corlette has ended up again the eastern wall of The Anchorage Marina This has come about due to Council’s inaction over the past 30 years whereby the Hotel/Marina owners have completely ignored one of the major conditions of Development Consent to remove and replace this sand in the area from west to east via rubber-tyred trucks to the beach area at Conroy Park a previous Health Inspector with Port Stephens Council This condition of the approval was placed on the development to counteract the loss of the western tidal and wave influences to replace sand from west to east naturally The legacy we have now been left with is deep water where children could drown adjacent to the marina rock wall and ugly sandbags where a beach dune and large stabilising trees once stood Three years ago there was much community consultation and since then there has only been the sand bag remedy with more large trees left vulnerable and falling into the water This current legacy is now left for our ratepayers to continue to throw money at Conroy Park Beach area and should be financed by the State Government its their responsibility and they are receiving the lease payments from The Anchorage Hotel/Marina WHILE residents from around Port Stephens continue to be enraged at encroachment onto public foreshore land by private development works Council has issued a stop work order for works being conducted at Corlette locals claim the order was ignored and works were completed Residents have expressed major concerns about the perceived lack of involvement from Council environmental staff in decision making regarding these works The resident conducting works has property adjacent to the works and does not own the land on which the works are being conducted Sandstone blocks are now blocking access to the foreshore and making access for any but the fittest impossible There are no safety hand rails and there are now large steps preventing any disability access to the space Local walker Margaret Wilkinson told News Of The Area can no longer use this space for regular walking because of the perilous safety conditions along that stretch young Mums with prams have to negotiate cars parked on the side of Sandy Point Road,” she said It is understood that there is also interest from NSW Marine Parks (DPI) on the works Council has advised that the matter is under investigation At this stage Council does not have a plan or time frame for any remediation and refrained from making any further comment It’s good to see Council have finally fixed up the grass at this location it was sand with big holes in it after the last big storms we had They should look at fixing the other spots down which are damaged towards Conroy Park like this as well Corlette Design Group has announced the appointment of Clare Bailey (pictured above Bailey is a brand expert with 20 years of commercial experience in Australia and Europe. In her new role she will have overall responsibility for Corlette’s Sydney and Shanghai businesses.  Bailey joins Corlette with the business recently relocating to newly-renovated studios in Surry Hills and celebrating recent wayfinding and signage successes such as the completion of Corlette’s ninth W Hotel and winning the bid for M Gallery Sofitel’s boutique equine-themed Riverside Stables at Warwick Farm.  Corlette creative director Camille Corlette (pictured above centre) said: “It’s an exciting new chapter for Corlette with Clare on board, and I know that our clients and team will be inspired by the leadership she will bring to the organisation.  and significant new business wins, Corlette is poised for even greater heights We have an incredible team in place and our work is widely-recognised as the standard-bearer in the luxury lifestyle and hospitality design spheres.”  Bailey said: “The commercial value of great design is increasingly understood and sought-after As a result, Corlette are experiencing significant expansion.  “A truly design-led company, Corlette are a long-established That’s why I’m so thrilled to be joining Corlette Design Group as CEO.” NEWTON COUNTY – A Covington man faces a number of charges after he allegedly engaged in inappropriate conversations with his own niece 27 following an investigation from the Newton County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) regarding his text messages with his juvenile niece the juvenile’s mother noticed in July that her daughter had been getting text messages from someone by the name of “Lenox.” When the mother asked who Lenox was the daughter said it was “Uncle Olo,” a name that was used by Corlette While the messages were listed as “not alarming and friendly,” the mother opted to block the number while at a family gathering including Corlette the mother received a call from her husband with the man claiming that Corlette was sending inappropriate messages stating in which he said his daughter walked in the room and said that Corlette was “acting weird.” The husband and his brother-in-law continued to text Corlette from his daughter’s phone The husband and the brother-in-law then called the number on their personal phones in which they believed it was Corlette on the other end It is not clear what transpired in either phone call Corlette allegedly kept texting the juvenile’s phone asking for pictures of “cat” and “fish,” according to the narrative When the husband and brother-in-law responded with a picture of a fish tank Corlette allegedly asked to see the daughter’s genital area the brother-in-law said that Corlette continued to ask for genital pictures before allegedly sending a picture of his own genitals to the daughter’s phone The pictures were sent to investigators who then brought forth charges three months later Corlette is charged with one count of using a computer service to solicit lure or entice a child to commit illegal activity one count of distribution of material depicting nudity or sexual conduct and one count of child molestation CORLETTE Parks Reserves and Landcare Group have a general working bee planned at the Lorikeet Reserve Spinnaker Way Corlette at 9am Monday 3 April Or CLICK FOR ADVERT QUOTE This reserve is used regularly by locals walking or biking through With continued maintenance this area will eventually form part of a wildlife corridor to link Kingfisher Reserve and Mambo Wetlands to Lorikeet Reserve and Corlette Hill The Corlette Parks Reserves and Landcare Group is made up of local volunteers who help look after various parks The main focus of the group is to improve the presentation of parks and reserves and to undertake bush regeneration and habitat improvement projects The group’s goal on April 3 is to tidy and improve the area which has been planted with the enthusiastic help from our local community over the past two years A total of 2400 native trees and grasses have been planted in this area since November 2015 and all are coming along well The group invite any volunteers to come and work in the area regularly to tidy and keep the weeds down until the native plants are fully established “We hope we are able to encourage locals to join our friendly group of volunteers who are a 355c Committee operated under the Port Stephens Council,” Barb Stack Publicity and New Membership Officer told Bay News Of The Area “Interested helpers can meet us at 9am at the main entrance to Lorikeet Reserve on Spinnaker Way (adjacent to Windward Close) solid shoes are necessary with protective clothing and a hat,” Barb Stack added Morning tea will be provided afterwards on the lovely sandstone rocks put in by Urban Growth when the reserve was first established Contact the Works Co-ordinator Margaret Wilkinson on 4981 2881 or Barbara Stack New Membership Officer on 4919 1415 for more information CORLETTE’S Ruth Wilson has just completed a stint as juror at the Women’s World Hot Air Balloon Championship Ruth has just participated as one of three FAI approved Jurors to rule on protests at the fifth Women’s World Hot Air Ballooning Championship 30 teams from thirteen countries descended on the township of Northam to compete for the title of World Champion Ruth brings 42 years of competition experience to this role In 1981 Ruth was the first and only female to compete against male competitors at the World Hot Air Ballooning Championship held in Battle Creek The World Championship event is held every two years Ruth again was the sole female competitor at that event as she was in 1987 in Austria In 2014 the first female only World Championship was held in Poland World competition ballooning has undergone huge changes over the years For those first 30 years pilots were permitted to carry only a paper map and compass in their baskets as they worked to find wind directions at various altitudes to find the competition targets The thinking of officials was that using a radio was receiving help from the ground and considered cheating iPad for Balloon Live App and mobile phones,” Ruth Wilson told News Of The Area “The electronic world sits actively now in a balloon basket particularly in ballooning competitions,” she said Last year Ruth’s autobiography ‘Conquering Clouds’ was published You can find out more about this modern day trail blazing adventurer at www.ruthwilson.net ONE of Port Stephens’ most adventurous women has written a memoir of her time as a hot air balloonist Corlette resident Ruth Wilson began her 47-year flying career in 1975 with her first balloon flight in New Zealand She won the inaugural Australian Ballooning Championship in 1979 then represented Australia in a further five world championships and other international competitions Ruth was recently presented with the prestigious Swiss Federation Aéronautique Internationale Paul Tissandier Diploma for serving the cause of aviation by Ms Pip Spence Her memoir ‘Conquering Clouds’ was launched in March attracting positive reviews the ghost writer of the best-selling memoir Turia Pitt’s ‘Everything to Live For’ recently wrote that ‘Conquering Clouds’ is an “unputdownable memoir of a remarkable woman” This book has it all – from impoverished childhood failed romances and international fame as a balloonist Ruth proves she conquered far more than clouds “I have spent my life as a traveller with homes in USA Canada and throughout Australia – Byron Bay Brisbane and now I am living in Corlette.” Tomaree Library will host a launch of the book with a talk by Ruth on Monday 2 May from 3.30pm to 5.30pm At the launch Ruth will talk about the various clouds she has conquered throughout her life that led her to write her story “I have written Conquering Clouds to help me find my biological father to inspire others not to be swayed by age when deciding to embrace challenges and as a legacy for my grandchildren,” Ruth said You can find more on Ruth’s story at www.ruthwilson.net mobile phone and basic printer is what Mrs Moses of Corlette calls her office Committing 100 percent to the business and daily reflection of her decisions is what has helped keep her focussed and on track “There have been many obstacles which I have had to address but my determination to prove to myself ‘I can do this’ kept me going.” she had to change her packaging supplier as they did not meet her stringent quality control requirements she agreed with her agent’s recommendation to use another company she was then able to reach out to others who were experts in their field “I am feeling such nervous excitement about the product now being available; it has been a steep learning curve for me,” Mrs Moses said “I now know that I can dream up and create a new product I want to lead by example and show my own children they can do anything they put their minds to and not be held back by limiting beliefs.” Mrs Moses would like to encourage others who may be sitting on a great idea to take the plunge and do it and shares some insight – contact an Industrial Designer as your first contact For more information on this new product head to www.klipee.com SUELLEN Goyne of Corlette took out the Women’s over 50s category in the Australian Longboard Titles held at One Mile Beach over the weekend Goyne took out a title in the division in 202 making this win a back to back title for the Port Stephens local The NSW Longboard Titles and the NSW Australian SUP Titles make up the Port Stephens Surf Festival and decide the NSW teams for the upcoming Australian SUP Titles and the Australian Longboard Titles later in the year Surfing NSW said more than 170 competitors were expected to attend the combined six-day event at One Mile Beach and the SUP marathon event held in Shoal Bay “We love that our SUP and longboard State Titles attract competitors from the entire state as far north as Tweed Heads and Tomakin in the far south,” said Surfing NSW’s Event Manager Rohan Fell “We’re looking forward to having everyone returning to competition in 2022 and can’t wait to see defending champions as well as new talent join us in Port Stephens in April.” Port Stephens Mayor Cr Ryan Palmer said he was thrilled to once again welcome the state’s best stand-up paddlers and longboarders to the region “We’re incredibly excited to see some of the states’ most talented athletes arrive in Port Stephens for this six-day event,” Palmer said “This event will deliver a wonderful boost for our local region and forms part of a big program of events we have planned for 2022.” Wind the clock forward ten days and the Tomaree High School flash is standing on the podium at WA Athletics Stadium after the 100 metres final proudly donning her bronze medal in the Under 18 Girls category The medal achievement underlined Summah’s teak-tough character and fierce will-to-win as she overcame the odds to qualify fastest for the final with a heat time of 11.84 seconds It was a herculean effort by the seventeen year old schoolgirl who despite a disrupted preparation found her groove when it counted A determined Summah virtually climbed out of her sick bed to resume training and guided by leading coach Tim Eschebach rediscovered the form that earned her the tag of NSW’s most promising sprinter Through sheer hard work the gifted Harrison showed her champion qualities to grab a medal and become the third fastest schoolgirl sprinter in the nation Outstanding Western Australian sprinter Olivia Dodds claimed the gold medal in a sizzling time of 11.49 sec In the final Summah clocked 11.92 sec and was pipped for the silver medal by her former training partner Keira McGregor (11.90 sec) trained with Summah in Newcastle under the coaching of Gerrard Keating before following her mentor to Brisbane A jubilant Summah told News Of The Area that she was “absolutely stoked to win a medal at a national athletics championship event” “Initially I was a little disappointed (not to snare silver) but that’s just the competitor in me,” revealed Summah “It was a very close finish but I’m happy for Keira she deserved the silver and is a great friend of mine,” she reflected “We trained together in Newcastle and enjoy each other’s success “The COVID knocked me around but looking back at the circumstances I’m more than happy to have reached two finals and come away with bronze medals,” Summah added There is no doubt that the ‘Corlette Express’ is made of the right stuff Running into a stiff headwind as second leg sprinter Summah helped the NSW 4 x 100m Relay team secure bronze behind Western Australia and Tasmania The twin medals capped a memorable 2023 for the Port Stephens phenomenon on the athletics track Summah stamped herself one of the nation’s fastest sprinters with her superb gold medal victories in the NSW Under 18 NSW Combined High Schools and NSW All Schools 100 metre championships and being crowned the State’s Champion of Champions Sprinter With a view to 2024 she plans to compete at the NSW Country Athletics Championships in Wollongong (January 19-21) National Under 20 Track & Field Championships in Adelaide (April 11-19) and NSW State titles (March 14-17) Summah also hopes to obtain her coaching ticket with Port Stephens Athletics and post the qualifying time of 11.76 sec for the Junior World Under 20 Athletics Championships in Peru during August A CORLETTE dance teacher will appear in court today charged over the alleged sexual abuse of students in the Port Stephens area detectives from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District established Strike Force Wairakei to investigate reports of inappropriate behaviour by the dance teacher towards a number of students detectives arrested a 27-year-old man at Nelson Bay about 8.30am Wednesday 23 June 2021 He was taken to Raymond Terrace Police Station and charged with 12 offences including three counts of aggravated indecent assault- victim under authority of offender three counts of indecent assault person under 16 years of age aggravated sex assault- victim under the age of 16 years aggravated sex assault- victim under authority of offender sexual intercourse reckless as to consent (ACT not NSW) and sexual intercourse with person under care (aged between 17 and 18) sexually abused four students and a girl – aged between 12 and 17 – who were known to him between 2013 and 2019 was refused bail to appear at Raymond Terrace Local Court on Thursday 24 June 2021 As inquiries under Strike Force Wairakei continue anyone with information is urged to contact Port Stephens detectives or Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000 A NEW marine-themed playground unit has been installed at Corlette Community Hall Two years ago Port Stephens Council officer Di Mahanga reported that the previous play equipment was outdated and did not comply with today’s standards Sarah Rees and Jason Lantry from Port Stephens Council “There was very little disruption to our clients and tenants as the concreting and play equipment installation were carried out in stages,” Secretary/Treasurer Brian Watson-Will said The uneven pavers in the yard and path have been replaced with smooth concrete eliminating trip hazards sand from green ant nests and also updating and replacing the sewer inspection cover This component of $10,000 will be paid for out of the Hall’s funds “Our Hall Committee signed-off on a request for three quotes at the February AGM,” Mr Watson-Will said “We are to fund this cover to protect the investment and assist in keeping it clean.” “Port Stephens Council’s vision for our community is to provide such facilities to enable community groups to utilise these safe facilities at affordable prices,” he said CORLETTE’S very own Joy Flint understands more than most that bodybuilding isn’t simply a hobby Joy made the conscious decision to begin training to do more than just maintain her fitness and to start entering bodybuilding competitions Her competitive career may have begun in 2013 but five years later Joy won the 2018 Arnold Classic Australia Qualifier This was followed up with a second at the Arnold Classic 2018 Pro Show Finals in Melbourne in March Joy won the IFBB Professional League NSW State Championships and only last weekend finished second at the Australian National Championships in Melbourne “Only Joy and I know how far she has come and how much she has blossomed over the years and overcome personal battles along the way,” Joy’s husband Charlie told News Of The Area “I am very proud of her achievements and total dedication which has manifested in her becoming a better version of herself.” The total dedication that Charlie refers to includes a strict training regimen incorporating cardiovascular training alongside a rigorous weight training program with a meticulously planned diet where each meal is not only scheduled but also weighed in exact portions Close friend Karen Wells is very proud of her friend “This sport not only requires a huge physical endeavour but is also an extremely psychological endeavour,” Karen told News Of The Area “Joy has applied herself with extreme dedication to become the absolute best version of herself because she has an extremely hard work ethic that is also reflected in every other aspect of her life.” The success of Joy’s Taylors Beach business Joy opened PT Fitness in early 2017 to educate and share her knowledge commitment and passion for the fitness industry for the benefit of like minded individuals in the Port Stephens area Considering the successful year that Joy has enjoyed it is fair to say that Joy more than talks the talk It just goes to show what you can do when you really want it LEG spin wizard Shane Warne inspired generations of budding cricketers across the globe during an illustrious international career that spanned nearly two decades One of the prospective young bowlers he influenced was Corlette’s Tyler McInnes – a rising talent with the Stockton and Northern Districts club in the Newcastle District Cricket competition Fifteen-year-old Tyler recalls viewing a Shane Warne Masterclass video on a YouTube loop for countless hours in an attempt to learn the finer points of leg spin bowling “At the time I would have been eleven years old and sat transfixed as the great man delivered a clinic on my laptop screen,” the promising all rounder told News Of The Area “I studied Warne’s style intensively and practised for many hours in the backyard and local cricket nets modelling my action on the Australian Test great,” revealed Tyler “When I asked my coach if I could switch to bowling leg spin during a club match soon after he was a little apprehensive,” recalled Tyler the precocious spinner bowled with an unerring accuracy and cleaned up the opposition in a dazzling debut performance the gifted McInnes has been fast-tracked by Stockton on the Newcastle cricket scene and is now a fully-fledged all rounder in the Seagulls’ second grade X1 When he requires technical advice he turns to four of his cricket mentors in former Test leg spinner Stuart MacGill Sydney Thunder coach Mark McInnes (no relation) and Newcastle stalwarts Tommy Anderson and Nick Foster is the spin coach at Gordon Cricket Club where Tyler will pad up for the 2023-24 A.W Green Shield Under 16 campaign the Port Stephens junior cracked 88 off 56 balls before grabbing 3-5 with the ball and sharing an opening stand of 198 with centurion Finn O’Farrell (102 not out) Tyler played his early cricket with Nelson Bay and Newcastle junior representative teams and was training with the Seagulls by the age of eleven After turning twelve he was promoted to third grade and finished with an impressive haul of 23 wickets for the season – the second highest tally in the competition McInnes caught the eye of keen judges when he captured an incredible 77 wickets as a thirteen-year-old in both junior and senior formats before cementing his spot in second grade Tyler smashed 152 and 89 for his school side St Philip’s Christian College at Salamander Bay in the Wilburn Shield and once grabbed ten wickets in a day aged fourteen with hauls of 5-14 (Juniors) and 5-40 for the Seagulls Back in June he gained valuable experience on English wickets when he toured abroad with the Lyon Cricket Academy Under 21 squad – led by Test spinner Nathan Lyon’s brother Brendan – and helped the side win five of their fourteen matches Tyler was a promising AFL midfielder with Nelson Bay Marlins and State cross country runner before challenging his energies into cricket He will also represent Newcastle in this summer’s Bradman Cup Under 16 series along with Seagulls club mates Lucas Vincent and Tremayne Small to be staged in Kempsey and Illawarra region The leg-spinning ace can push his claims for NSW Metro Under 17 squad selection with strong performances at club and junior representative level in coming weeks Last Saturday he steered the Seagulls to a second grade limited overs victory over Wallsend at Lynn Oval – mesmerising the Tigers’ batsmen to snare 5-31 off eight overs and posted 26 runs ONE thing is sure Nanna Freda wasn’t expecting to celebrate her 100th birthday in lockdown But she is one of many that have had a very different birthday in 2020 Nanna Freda’s 100th Birthday Celebration went ahead in the carpark of her nursing home (Port Stephens Regis Aged Care in Corlette) “We had a big party planned for Nanna with as many relatives as possible coming from near & far “However due to COVID-19 we had to reduce the party and we had hoped we could use a function room in the Nursing Home this was still not possible as due to visitor restrictions “Hence we planned a smaller gathering at the local Lil Buddha Chinese Restaurant in Salamander Bay because at this time we could take Nanna out of the home “All of this quickly changed last Wednesday when the home went into lockdown due to the new COVID-19 cases detected in Port Stephens The new plan was to have it at the home with Nanna in a doorway & her guests (limited to 20 due to restrictions) outside The plans changed at least three times between Wednesday & Sunday due to the weather “In the end it was a beautiful celebration Nanna Freda received a letter from the Queen to commemorate reaching her century The team at the NOTA wish Nanna Freda the very best for the occasion has been appointed as a director of Probus South Pacific the governing body of Probus clubs for Australia “Now most of our good friends here are people we have met through Probus so I have experienced how much Probus has to offer,” he said “Nick has contributed much to our club over the years and we are sure that he has much to contribute to Probus South Pacific.” Probus South Pacific co-ordinates Probus clubs and provides them with material for club committees and with an insurance package for clubs’ protection It also publishes the “Active Retirees” magazine and offers travel insurance which solves some of the problems which retirees can face when seeking travel insurance Mr Zipper soon started asking questions when he heard that AFFF (Aqueous Film Forming Foam) perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) had both been linked to kidney cancer pregnancy-induced hypertension and medically diagnosed high cholesterol in humans These chemicals have been used to make firefighting foams in Australia for more than 50 years AFFF was regarded as the most effective method to fight fires as the foam blanketed and stuck to the fire The  chemicals contained in AFFF are not biodegradable and it has been found that they can move from soil to groundwater causing contamination These chemicals have a half-life in the human body of more than 20 years “I know many men who I worked alongside of who now have cancer or have lost their battles to similar cancers,” Geoff Zipper told Bay News Of The Area “We were previously told that Asbestos was a safe product and we later found out the dangers,” Mr Zipper said “My fear is that Aqueous fire fighting foam is the new ‘asbestos’ and that we will have to wait for more deaths to occur before the full truth comes out,” he said There are currently investigations being done all over the world including in the Port Stephens town of Williamtown after the contamination of groundwater from AFFF The Department of Defence has said the human health impacts by PFOS and PFOA are unknown “There are no globally accepted peer review studies showing that exposure to PFOS and PFOA affects human health,” a Defence spokesman said Mr Zipper’s concern isn’t about compensation but rather speaking out for the health and welfare of his former workmates the firemen who were exposed to these chemicals “It’s about doing right by the people who have been exposed to these chemicals and looking after them and their families,” Mr Zipper said Mrs Rhodes faces the awful prospect of crossing Bagnalls Beach Road to meet her son off the school bus along with her 3 year old and newborn baby on a daily basis cars come around the roundabout so quickly Mrs Rhodes fears it is only a matter of time before someone is seriously hurt “There are children going home from school on their pedal bikes and cars drive so fast around them, way more than the 50km zone along this road,” she said. “We have regulars, you can hear them way before you see them and each night at a certain time, we hear the duff duff music, then the wheel spins,” said Mrs Rhodes. We fear for not only the children’s safety, but we also have a large percentage of elderly people living in this area. Taking a walk along the road together with Mrs Rhodes and her two youngest children, you do not have to go far before skid marks are evident on both the roads leading to and on the roundabout. What is making matters worse is there are several homes being renovated along this road making walking with some degree of safety on the council strip impossible and forcing Mrs Rhodes and her young children onto the road. Mrs Rhodes would like Council to install speed humps along Bagnalls Beach Road, keeping in line with other surrounding roads and reduce the speed in which drivers can travel. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); said he was "chuffed" to be receiving an OAM Picture: Ellie-Marie WattsIt was for his work with veterans that Frank Duffy was made a deacon of the Anglican church and why he has been awarded an Order of Australia medal in this year’s Queen’s birthday honours All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueReverend Duffy said he was “chuffed” to receive an OAM for his service to veterans their families and community but was humble about the recognition saying “I just do what I do” “But it was suggested to me that it would be unfair to the people who did the hard work to put me up for it had a uncommon introduction to the Anglican church clergy He and wife Yvonne were raised in the church they attend All Saints Anglican in Nelson Bay It was soon after they moved from Coffs Harbour to the Bay in 2006 that Rev Duffy was asked by Bishop Brian Farran a deacon was seen as a stepping stone to becoming a priest View +4 PhotosReverend Frank Duffy has received an OAM in the 2017 Queen's birthday honours.Bishop Farran took the role of the deacon “back to its roots” when it had a distinct role – to provide a link between the church and the community “It fitted perfectly with the role of veteran visiting which incidentally I had been doing prior to being a deacon,” Rev Duffy said Rev Duffy has been part of the Returned and Services League of Australia (RSL) for 30 years He is one of four generations of Australian servicemen His father served in Papua New Guinea, he carried out compulsory national service from 1957 which saw him complete military training to be “at the ready” should conflict break out and his son and grandson are members of the Navy Rev Duffy joined the RSL in 1987 while living in Penrith He became a welfare officer and began visiting veterans when he lived in Coffs Harbour a service he continued when he moved to Nelson Bay Rev Duffy and John Collins form the Nelson Bay RSL Sub-Branch’s welfare team The men visit the 100 veterans on their books Picture: Ellie-Marie Watts“Our role is to visit veterans and to fulfil the principle role of the RSL movement which is to give volunteer service to veterans that are in need of oversight “We bus about the place visiting impaired and ill vets mostly just for a chat about anything and everything We refer any problems we find to the advocacy team to follow up on you don’t know how important this simple act of a visit is to feel like someone else values your life enough to spend a bit of their life with them “But knowing it does make a difference is the thing that gets you up and going “Sometimes it gets very hard but if you love what you’re doing Rev Duffy is the welfare chaplain for the Nelson Bay RSL Sub-Branch and the National Service and Combined Forces Association A journalist with 10 years experience, Ellie-Marie connects readers to the stories that matter in their communities. A Port Stephens-based news, sport and event writer and photographer with a passion for human interest features. pictured at Birubi Beach with the Stockton sand dunes behind her The nurse turned author has released her first book The Recipient.What started out as an interest in a story about a US man on death row fighting to donate his organs became a novel idea for nurse turned author Audrey Pflugrath All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinue“I read a news article about this guy from Oregon and he wanted to donate his organs,” Mrs Pflugrath a US native who now lives in Corlette “But it got me thinking abut what it would be like getting an organ from a serial killer.” That thinking blossomed into words on paper which has become Mrs Pflugrath’s first book – The Recipient The crime thriller was published under her pen name which is her maiden name, Audrey J. Cole where Mrs Pflugrath is originally from It follows the story of a detective hunting a serial killer whose MO is similar to another killer that had been executed for his crimes a year before This ties in with a woman who becomes concerned with her husband’s chilling behaviour after he receives a transplant Mrs Pflugrath moved to Port Stephens about four years ago with her husband Writing is not Mrs Pflugrath’s full-time ‘gig’ She is a registered nurse at John Hunter Hospital she began taking it more seriously in her mid-20s She also joined Port Stephens Fellowship of Australian Writers when she moved to the area Mrs Pflugrath has been writing more and is now working on her second novel While The Recipient took about four years to write and publish her second novel is coming along a lot quicker It will also have more of a Port Stephens and Hunter flavour to it Mrs Pflugrath is enjoying seeing her first novel on shelves “It’s really nice to finally get it out there; that’s it’s in the hands of readers,” she said The Recipient is currently available at Harry Hartog in Westfield Kotara McDonalds Booksellers and Stationers in Matiland Homebody gift shop in Nelson Bay and on Amazon Receive bi-weekly updates and analysis from  I’ve often longed for a name that could connect me to my family to a history I could share in and be proud of for myself and many other descendants of enslaved Americans isn’t a very strong connection to my ancestry or family My father is the only other person I know who shares it I can’t say I’m a part of the broader “Corlette family,” and it hasn’t taught me anything about my part in an extensive history or story.  While I celebrate Generational African American culture and identity I still mourn the loss of knowing my African ancestry understanding the full breakdown of my mixed ethnic background and knowing the stories of the family members who came before me many of which were stripped away by the brutal institution of slavery Some of America’s most prolific academics and greatest leaders once attended the very school I do now it was awe-inspiring to be able to say I was a part of this great history a legacy I could trace back much further than my own ancestry It is hard to feel a sense of belonging within this great history when it’s not one I can see my entire self in or be proud of enslaved people while publicly defending the institution I’m still living in a house honoring an enslaver This year, the Generational African American Students Association, in collaboration with Natives at Harvard College, began the movement to “Dename Winthrop,” petitioning the University to remove the name from the house While the movement gained widespread support As with many movements to end the reverence of America’s colonial history people complained that a removal would be an erasure of history Others felt that the name didn’t hold much significance and denaming Winthrop House would be too much hassle for minimal reward These arguments are incredibly harmful: A bit of trouble should not be too much to ask to increase students’ comfort particularly those who have been marginalized by the University in the past It is unexplainable that Harvard would expect students whose ancestors have faced such devastating trauma to live in a building that remembers and reveres those who perpetuated it The arguments’ shortcomings extend past their harm Harvard has a deep and well-documented history deeply intertwined with the history of colonialism and slavery: The removal of a building’s name would do little to erase it it would be nearly impossible for Harvard to rid itself of its role in this history But we must recognize that names do matter and historical names still affect our lives today I first learned of the power that names hold when I was in seventh grade. My school completed its construction of a new arts wing and I learned about both his life and his art I passed his work hung in the hallways and learned his values in the classroom I culminated my senior year with an individual research and art project on civil rights leaders combining his passion for social justice and art into my high school capstone project and present a project I completed with him as my inspiration His name meant something to me and my classmates that building altered the course of my artistic journey Now in college, I spend my time at the Institute of Politics in the Harvard Kennedy School, named after one of Winthrop House’s most well-known alumni I pass large red banners declaring “Ask what you can do,” a famous quote from President Kennedy’s inaugural address This phrase reminds me why I’m there and why I came to Harvard in the first place — to serve my community Kennedy’s influence extends beyond this daily reminder His legacy is a frequent topic of conversation with my classmates at the IOP and I have learned much more about him than I ever knew before even writing a final paper on his presidency for one of my classes at the Kennedy School.  The Kennedy name has already had an impact on my Harvard experience Kennedy has been enshrined at the IOP; his work inspires Harvard’s next generation of public servants he is certainly a worthy role model for many But he is still a prominent White man whose image reflects those of almost every other Harvard building namesake The university must begin to uphold other worthy role models ones that every student can see themselves in with a particular interest in local government I should be inspired to live in a house named after one of this country’s first governors and a respected lawyer Yet it is clear that I can’t look up to either of the John Winthrops If I am to approach my study of government “Asking what I can do” for my community I cannot be surrounded by people who had an utter lack of respect for my ancestors There are far better role models for me to look up to as I navigate my four years at Harvard. However, they are not represented in Harvard’s buildings. Every single undergraduate house is named after a White person being explicitly named after a woman (the rest are named after a couple or family).  each of these people in the university’s history has the potential to spark passion in today’s students Harvard has a long and well-documented history and if I am going to be a part of this history I hope it will be one where we honor legacies we can be proud of We do not need to cling to a past that does not serve us now but owning up to the role Harvard has played in America’s traumatic past We begin this process by uprooting the remnants of colonialism and replacing them with the stories of the people worth remembering in Harvard’s history They can serve as better models to cultivate Harvard’s contemporary values of knowledge and responsibility in its student body.  As someone who knows very little about their own name I may never get to learn more about where my ancestors came from; the erasure of their history is one of the ills that the John Winthrops helped perpetuate But now that I’m a part of the broader history of this institution I have the opportunity to learn from those who had the privilege to be remembered and who used that privilege to fight against injustice I will do it by following the path set out by those before me