Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate a girl missing from Sydney's south west about 3.30pm yesterday (Friday 18 April 2025) When she could not be located or contacted officers from Cumberland Police Area Command were notified and commenced inquiries into her whereabouts Concerns are held for Tyisha's welfare due to her age Tyisha is described as being of Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander appearance She was last seen wearing a black jumper and black pants Tyisha is known to frequent the Harris Park Inquiries have established that she may have been in the Erskineville area about 7.30pm (Friday 18 April 2025) Anyone who sites Tyisha or has information into her whereabouts is urged to contact Granville Police Station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au Information is managed on a confidential basis The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages Council endorsed writing to relevant health authorities Standards Australia and the Australian Building Codes Board seeking formal advice on whether certified gas appliances installed in accordance with Australian standards represent any credible health risk under Australian conditions All responses received to these letters are to be included in the report due back to Council in relation to the petition regarding reticulated gas in new subdivisions NOM-1 NOTICE OF MOTION – GAS APPLIANCES IN HOMES AND HEALTH CLAIMS Council approved a Development Application (DA24/0496) for the demolition of the existing attached carport and smaller shed and use of existing shed at 34 Condon Avenue RP-1   EXISTING ATTACHED CARPORT AND SMALLER SHED AND USE OF EXISTING SHED - 34 CONDON AVENUE In principle support for Disc Golf proposal Council agreed to provide in principle support for the establishment of a community accessible disc golf course in Wagga Wagga The proposed location for the course is Rawlings Park Reserve where players complete each hole by throwing a disc into a basket in as few throws as possible Honour Roll and Eternal Flame Memorial decision deferred Council has resolved to defer the acceptance of the grant until the next Council Meeting to ensure the works proposed are consistent with the long-term conservation of the memorial RP-3   ACCEPTANCE OF FUNDING - SALUTING THEIR SERVICE COMMEMORATIVE GRANTS PROGRAM Variation to funding agreement for Harris Park amenities project Council endorsed authorising the General Manager or their delegate to enter into a funding agreement with NSW Office of Sport and Wagga Rugby League for $955,000 in grant funding for the reconstruction of the Harris Park amenities Council also authorised entering into a contract with Wagga Rugby League for Stage 1 of the Harris Park Amenities upgrade in the lump sum amount of $1,273,790 funded through the $955,000 from the NSW Government and $318,790 from Council’s Community Amenities General Purpose Revenue fund It is proposed construction of the amenities will start later this year and be completed in the first half of 2026 RP-4   HARRIS PARK AMENITIES CONSTRUCTION PROJECT - VARIATION TO FUNDING AGREEMENT Request to transfer a Crown Road to Council Council endorsed authorising the General Manager or their delegate to request the transfer of the whole of the road between the Sturt Highway and Gumly Road from the Department of Crown Lands to Council The Crown Road is currently undeveloped with the exception of an informal access track extending from the Sturt Highway through to Gumly Road RP-5   REQUEST TO TRANSFER CROWN ROAD TO COUNCIL CONTROL - BAKERS LANE NORTH Proposed licence of land from Essential Energy Council endorsed authorising the General Manager or their delegate to negotiate entry into an agreement with Essential Energy over land located at 565B Kooringal Road This agreement would formalise the current arrangement where Council has built a gravel access driveway across the Essential Energy land to provide access to both 565 & 565A Kooringal Road Wagga Wagga (being Kooringal Casual Child Care Centre and O’Halloran Hall respectively) RP-6   PROPOSED LICENCE OF LAND FROM ESSENTIAL ENERGY – PART LOT 1 DPT 1088209 ATP Stage 3 Exhibition Centre North Link construction Council endorsed accepting the tender of Ladex Construction Group Pty Ltd for the Active Travel Plan Stage 3 Exhibition Centre North Link Construction for the lump sum price of $881,582.74 excluding GST This link will provide a 728-metre-long path inclusive of a pedestrian bridge over Marshalls Creek on Kooringal Road Council has previously considered the establishment of a pedestrian link between the Exhibition Centre and Hammond Avenue due to the safety issue of pedestrians who are currently using the vehicle travel lanes on Kooringal Road over the Marshalls Creek bridge CONF-1  RFT CT2025062 ACTIVE TRAVEL PLAN STAGE 3 EXHIBITION CENTRE NORTH LINK CONSTRUCTION Extension to sublease and sublicense agreements at the Airport Council agreed to delegate authority to the General Manager or their delegate to negotiate entry into sublease and sublicence agreements at the Wagga Wagga Airport Council currently has 34 subleases and sublicences agreements within the Wagga Wagga Airport which have either expired or are due to expire on 29 June 2025 (being the day before the expiration date of the original headlease) CONF-2 EXTENSION TO SUBLEASE / SUBLICENCE AGREEMENTS AT WAGGA WAGGA AIRPORT Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time At his Chill ‘N’ Grill restaurant in Harris Park’s Little India precinct the Indian-Australian has catered to the area’s growing number of night-time visitors seeking a takeaway meal by serving cheap panipuri and steamed momos from a mobile food van in the small garden at the front of his restaurant Raj Sagwal and business partner Garry Bajaj in front of their Chill ‘N’ Grill Indian Restaurant in Wigram Street But after the City of Parramatta began cracking down on vendors in the area who operated past 7pm – contravening zoning rules – Sagwal has decided his only option is to shut up the cart Although many of the houses have since become restaurants and stores The state government’s zoning laws say food carts in a residential area without a new development application must cease business by 7pm such as the one just one block across from the Chill ‘N’ Grill similar carts operate late into the evening A spokesperson for the council said it was “legally obliged to undertake regulatory action to address non-compliances of unauthorised activity” But City of Parramatta staff said they were forced to act after receiving more than 200 complaints from residents “relating to the adverse impacts on residential amenity caused by the quantity of mobile food trucks/carts and their trading hours in the residential Heritage Conservation Area of Harris Park” “Concerns were also raised in relation to excess rubbish, hooning by vehicles, frequent traffic and pedestrian congestion,” staff wrote in council papers the council found many vendors had breached development rules by undertaking unauthorised alterations and additions to heritage items or properties without lodging a development application One Harris Park home currently on the market advertises that its backyard is leased to a food truck company until 2028 Harris Park Residents Group founder Teresa Llewellyn-Evans said the suburb’s takeaway economy had caused huge amounts of litter particularly from Indian “sweets on a stick” “We have so many businesses in three little streets in Harris Park and that creates [a large] number of people,” she said criticising the council for promoting Little India in Harris Park as a tourism destination on its website and local signage Other carts such as this one operate late into the night as they are in mixed-use zones.Credit: Dean Sewell but in our community we’ve got Indians who think it’s terrible,” she said referring to the influx of diners at the makeshift restaurants “Our friends who are Indians say [they] came to Australia to escape that When they go out to a restaurant they want to eat inside said the business owners who first complained about the crackdown to the council did not live in the area “They go home presumably to a quiet neighbourhood where they don’t suffer the effects that we’re left with here the consequences of their business,” he said a number of souped-up cars do circuits for at least 45 minutes to an hour.” the City of Parramatta held community information sessions around the area to inform local owners of their responsibilities NSW Night-time Economy Minister John Graham – who has boasted about  Little India’s success in the past – referred questions to Planning Minister Paul Scully who said he was “happy” to discuss possible zoning changes with the council Sagwal closed his cart completely before he copped a fine But he said the late night cheap eats previously on offer in Harris Park will be missed amid cost-of-living pressures “There are no residents living on Wigram Street restaurants … It’s one of the popular streets now,” he said 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 At his Chill \\u2018N\\u2019 Grill restaurant in Harris Park\\u2019s Little India precinct the Indian-Australian has catered to the area\\u2019s growing number of night-time visitors seeking a takeaway meal by serving cheap panipuri and steamed momos from a mobile food van in the small garden at the front of his restaurant But after the City of Parramatta began cracking down on vendors in the area who operated past 7pm \\u2013 contravening zoning rules \\u2013 Sagwal has decided his only option is to shut up the cart \\u201CIn Harris Park the dinner time is 8.30pm The state government\\u2019s zoning laws say food carts in a residential area without a new development application must cease business by 7pm such as the one just one block across from the Chill \\u2018N\\u2019 Grill A spokesperson for the council said it was \\u201Clegally obliged to undertake regulatory action to address non-compliances of unauthorised activity\\u201D But City of Parramatta staff said they were forced to act after receiving more than 200 complaints from residents \\u201Crelating to the adverse impacts on residential amenity caused by the quantity of mobile food trucks/carts and their trading hours in the residential Heritage Conservation Area of Harris Park\\u201D \\u201CConcerns were also raised in relation to excess rubbish frequent traffic and pedestrian congestion,\\u201D said the suburb\\u2019s takeaway economy had caused huge amounts of litter particularly from Indian \\u201Csweets on a stick\\u201D \\u201CWe have so many businesses in three little streets in Harris Park and that creates [a large] number of people,\\u201D she said \\u201CWe\\u2019ve got nothing against Indians but in our community we\\u2019ve got Indians who think it\\u2019s terrible,\\u201D she said \\u201COur friends who are Indians say [they] came to Australia to escape that \\u201CThey go home presumably to a quiet neighbourhood where they don\\u2019t suffer the effects that we\\u2019re left with here the consequences of their business,\\u201D he said \\u201CYou can almost set your watch to it a number of souped-up cars do circuits for at least 45 minutes to an hour.\\u201D NSW Night-time Economy Minister John Graham \\u2013 who has in the past \\u2013 referred questions to Planning Minister Paul Scully who said he was \\u201Chappy\\u201D to discuss possible zoning changes with the council \\u201CThere are no residents living on Wigram Street restaurants \\u2026 It\\u2019s one of the popular streets now,\\u201D he said Start the day with a summary of the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories Extreme rental rises over recent years have created pockets of Sydney where owning a home is now cheaper than renting one Exclusive new research showed there were eight Sydney suburbs where the repayments on a home purchased at current prices were up to $162 a month cheaper than average rents This rare occurrence of tenants paying more than mortgage holders was emerging in apartment development hotspots in Sydney’s west These areas tended to have a higher concentration of properties available for purchase This had meant that rent increases had eclipsed property price rises over many years creating an unusual opportunity for tenants to become first-home buyers and actually save money Renters are now worse off in terms of expenses than homeowners in some areas MORE: Shock thing Aussies are ditching to buy homes The suburbs included Harris Park and Rosehill according to the Compare the Market analysis of CoreLogic data Other suburbs where owning a home was cheaper than renting included Liverpool and neighbouring suburb Warwick Farm Homeowners got the biggest savings in Mascot with a typical unit bought at the current median price requiring $4,027 a month if paying with a 20 per cent deposit MORE: Don’t bother: home reno that’s a waste of time High-rise development has slowed sales price growth in some areas MORE: Weekend property auctions cancelled as Alfred closes in This assumed the homeowner paid an average interest rate of 5.99 per cent on a 30-year mortgage The analysis excluded additional homeownership costs such as council rates and insurance With interest rates expected to continue dropping later this year experts revealed there could be more city areas where renters were better off ditching their landlords and becoming homeowners “Interest costs are expected to decline in 2025 with the RBA weighing up potential cash rate cuts as inflation trends lower,” said CoreLogic head of research Eliza Owen “This might tip more markets in favour of buying over renting and understanding the market trends and being prepared to act when the time is right can make all the difference.” Many of the suburbs were near the Parramatta CBD Ms Owen said mortgages remained more expensive than rents in most areas “It’s been a tough few years for renters … despite this rising purchase values and a high interest rate environment still mean mortgages are generally more expensive “This research highlights the rare pockets where individuals might have an easier time serving a mortgage and reaping the benefits of owning provided they have the 20 per cent deposit.” Compare the Market property expert and host of TV show Selling Houses Australia said there was an opportunity for unit buyers to capitalise “If owning a home is part of your long-term plan you might find it’s worth paying a bit more to have a little slice of Australia to call your own.” Selling Houses Australia host Andrew Winter said those with a deposit ready had an advantage Renters Yatha Jain and Izabella Antoniou said the fact that rents were higher than new repayments was disheartening “A big barrier to owning a home is that initial deposit,” Ms Jain said “It’s great in theory that a mortgage payment is lower but in reality there’s a lot of people who can’t even consider that because they can’t pay that initial payment.” Ms Antoniou said landlords may be the real winners of the situation “Payments being lower for a mortgage is the perfect example of how a rental is set up to benefit the investor and not the people who are trying to live in the home,” Ms Antoniou said HOW MUCH YOU SAVE MONTHLY PAYING OFF A LOAN INSTEAD OF RENTING (units) third parties have written and supplied the content and we are not responsible for it completeness or reliability of the information nor do we accept any liability or responsibility arising in any way from omissions or errors contained in the content We do not recommend sponsored lenders or loan products and we cannot introduce you to sponsored lenders We strongly recommend that you obtain independent advice before you act on the content realestate.com.au is owned and operated by ASX-listed REA Group Ltd (REA:ASX) © REA Group Ltd. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to our Terms of Use. Australian cricket superstar Nathan Lyon was mobbed by local players and fans after making a surprise visit to Harris Park Cricket Club earlier this month Harris Park Cricket Club hosted a special community event to mark the launch of NRMA Insurance’s community cricket grant program Taking place at Mays Hill Oval in Parramatta the event saw dozens of local cricket players come together for a fun afternoon of cricket activities and more But it was the 36-year-old spin bowler’s surprise appearance that really got everyone at the club talking Nathan Lyon would’ve thought he’d just rocked up in India fresh off the plane and the parents were just as excited as the young ones,” Harris Park Cricket Club President “The whole event NRMA Insurance put on was excellent and the kids and adults absolutely loved it.” With the summer of cricket just getting underway here in Australia Pednekar said the event was a great way to bring the local cricket community together as well as promote the club itself which he started with a bunch of his mates back in 2020 “It’s set to be a huge summer with Pakistan currently playing Australia at the moment and India on their way to our shores,” Pednekar said “Harris Park is the heart of the subcontinental community in Parramatta and it was great to bring everyone together all in the spirit of cricket.” NRMA Insurance is helping to bring more people together by offering 12 grants valued at $5,000 to local cricket clubs to host events like this to celebrate the contribution local cricket clubs make in bringing people together and creating strong community connection this event was an amazing opportunity to not only put on a show for the members of our club but also for the parents to make sure that we’re front of mind when they are signing up their kids to play sport next year,” Pednekar two summer adult teams and we had about six winter teams We also have an all-girls teams and a women’s team enjoying their first season together this year.” Harris Park Cricket Club was formed in 2020 by three mates – all with Indian backgrounds – following the COVID lockdowns Cricket is Harris Park Cricket Club’s foundation but the primary goal of the club is to foster friendships cultural understanding and community support To apply for a NRMA Insurance grant, visit http://www.nrma.com.au/cricket Nathan Taylor is Parra News' sports journalist He also compiles the weekly Chatter on the Box TV column who has worked in western Sydney media for more than a decade but this time she’s telling a different story Remove items from your saved list to add more Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime ShareKylie Kwong’s next chapter begins in the western Sydney suburb of Harris Park where the acclaimed Australian-Chinese chef will co-host a series of six bi-monthly dinners to showcase the “deeply delicious” diversity of Indian cuisine It’s her first culinary project since calling time on a 24-year career as a restaurateur with the closure of South Eveleigh’s Lucky Kwong in June Kylie Kwong with Chatkazz owner-chef Suraj Panchal and Bhavna Kalra at Chatkazz restaurant in Harris Park.Louise KennerleyThe Little India dinner series is presented by Powerhouse Museum which brought Kwong on board as an associate for its food department in August Kwong is eating her way through western Sydney’s restaurants; uncovering its stories to ensure the community feels a sense of ownership and belonging when the $915 million Powerhouse Parramatta opens mid-2026 “The most unifying force is food … [and] we want to create a safe space for people to share their rich Powerhouse Parramatta is set to become the largest museum in NSW with an extensive food program including rooftop gardens and farmers’ markets plus demonstration kitchens and apartments for international chef residencies Kylie Kwong will tell the stories of western Sydney restaurants like Chatkazz as part of her new role with Powerhouse Parramatta.Louise Kennerley“It’s a natural next step for me,” Kwong says “because it allows me to continue to use food as a catalyst for positive social impact and cultural exchange.” author and restaurateur Kwong established herself as a pioneering figure in Australian hospitality She was among the first to champion contemporary Australian-Chinese cooking and integrate native ingredients into the professional kitchen she has become one of the first prominent Sydney chefs to turn her attention westward Kwong admits it’s a “whole new environment” for her, having grown up in Sydney’s north-west and spent much of her working life in the central and eastern suburbs. But with the help of locals including social media influencer Kevin La (known as “Sydney Food Boy” on Instagram) and owner of The Modern Desi cooking school Bhavna Kalra Shivalkar western Sydney has Kwong “bouncing off the walls with excitement” An artist’s depiction of the Powerhouse Parramatta when it opens on the banks of the Parramatta River in 2026 Now what fulfils me is amplifying and sharing other people’s stories,” she says “I walk into these places and they are filled with not only the most beautiful “These are long-standing family restaurants some [of which] have been around for more than 40 years In such a hard industry … that is a story that deserves the spotlight.” For the first of her three projects with Powerhouse Kwong has partnered with Shivalkar to curate and host six dinners at Harris Park restaurants Chatkazz achari gobi tikka (red) and masala soda drink at IndoChainese restaurant.Louise KennerleyEach meal will explore a different regional Indian cuisine from the roadside eateries of northern Punjab to the hearty spiced biryani of Hyderabad in India’s central-south Diners can also expect cultural performances such as spoken word poetry by musician Anisha Krishnasamy and traditional chai tasting with Fatema Khanbhai Each guest will also receive a one-off recipe for an Indo-Chinese dish who will speak about the art of recipe writing Shivalkar is a self-professed “Indian cooking evangelist”: a cook and food tour guide who has worked for years to overcome stereotypes of Indian cuisine But she says it’s been difficult to show Australians there’s “so much more to Indian food than butter chicken” while working alone “Now with Kylie coming on board and seeing the cuisine through my eyes I suddenly feel like I have a bigger platform and a bigger voice,” Shivalkar says Powerhouse Food: Little India will begin with its first dinner at Chatkazz Harris Park on February 19. Visit powerhouse.com.au/program/powerhouse-food-little-india for further information and tickets Al Shami’s new dining room in Merrylands.Jennifer SooAl Shami Home-style Syrian and Lebanese food located opposite Merrylands station with hard-to-find dishes such as shakeria (spiced lamb 102/106 Railway Terrace, Merrylands, alshamirestaurant.com.au Gursha Ethiopian restaurant in Blacktown.Jennifer SooGursha Ethiopian Husband and wife Yibeltal Tsegaw and Rahel Woldearegay opened their restaurant in 2017, and East African families regularly gather here for platters of injera lentil stew and the yedoro wot featuring boiled eggs and long-simmered chicken legs 3/115 Main Street, Blacktown, gurshaethiopian.au Laksa Singapura with prawn and chicken and mixed noodles.Steven SiewertTemasek A traditional Singaporean restaurant serving “genuinely thrilling” curry laksa nasi goreng or Hainanese chicken rice since 1992 71 George Street, Parramatta, temasekrestaurant.com Deep-fried crispy pork casings at Battambang II.Jennifer SooAdvertisementBattambang II The second outpost of Battambang, a Cambodian standby for Khmer cooking run by Soc Kieng Hua and her chef brother Khieng Hua Houch where crowds of all ages flock for crisp chicken served on sweet-sour sauce and delicate Phnom Penh noodles (dry or in broth) loaded with prawn Shop 16, 70 John Street,Cabramatta, facebook.com/p/Battambang-Restaurant-II-100058599198171/ Munwar Hussain at his IndoChainese restaurant holding a Gongura chicken biryani IndoChainese is a local Indian restaurant specialising in authentic Hyderabadi cuisine It was opened in 2023 by a group of young chefs 46 Marion Street, Harris Park, indochaineseonline.com.au news and the hottest openings served to your inbox Celebrate the Harvest Festival 2025 at Little India Precinct experience the joy of the first harvest of the season and the vibrant traditions of the Indian community and festivities will highlight India’s rich cultural diversity Indian Link empowers and elevates the South Asian community in Australia by telling their stories and unpacking their experiences in a nuanced and unbiased manner Small business owners in Little India are urging Parramatta Council to support food carts and stalls staying open for longer after thousands of dollars in fines were dished out to those caught operating after 7pm Wigram Street in Harris Park has been described as Sydney’s epicentre of Indian food but come 7pm food carts and stalls are being forced to close or risk copping a hefty fine Little India Harris Park Business Association (LIHPBA) President Sanjay Deshwal said food cart operators have been issued fines ranging from $3,000 to $6,000 Council officers started visiting the food kiosks and the food stalls and without any warning they just said ‘you people have to close at 7pm’,” he told Parra News “Majority of the people agree that [food stalls] bring a certain charm and vibrancy to the area and most of the people who we talk to say they’re drawn to the Little India precinct by these food kiosks and food shops and the restaurants “Only Wigram Street is being targeted and not the businesses on Marion Street and Station Street which makes the shop people very unhappy.” The fines are the result of Wigram Street being zoned residential – meaning the food stalls and carts can only operate between 7am and 7pm under the NSW State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) But Deshwal said the demographic of Wigram Street has changed significantly over the last ten years and it should no longer be considered residential – especially since it’s now known as Sydney’s ‘Little India’ “Between Parkes Street and the Marion Street roundabout there are not even three or four houses – 98 per cent are businesses over there,” he added “How can people complain over there that they’re getting noise?” Fighting against the current operating hours a petition started by LIHPBA is urging Parramatta Council to freeze the fines and take the necessary action to declare Wigram Street a ‘business street’ which would permit food carts and stalls to operate until 10pm The petition was tabled at the latest Parramatta Council meeting “My first request is that these fines should be waved off and a proper warning [given] – as they say in Australia ‘a fair go’,” Deshwal said “They cannot kill the businesses by telling them to close at 7pm But City of Parramatta said it’s not up to them to extend the operating hours of food carts on Wigram Street “The City of Parramatta is proud of its diverse food scene and encourages activities that add to our lively street culture like food trucks businesses must operate within the law,” a City of Parramatta spokesperson said “Mobile food vendors on Wigram Street are operating under NSW Government legislation (SEPP) which restricts the operating hours of food trucks in residential areas to 7pm “Council has no power to change this legislation or the operating hours for food trucks and carts under this legislation.” The spokesperson said Council has also been working with mobile food vendors and residents in the Harris Park area since 2023 to raise awareness of food safety and operating obligations “[That includes] running drop-in education sessions and providing a three-month enforcement amnesty between December 2023 and March 2024 to allow time for vendors to comply with the legislation,” the spokesperson added Ellie Busby is a news reporter for Western Sydney Publishing Group A graduate of the University of Hertfordshire and Western Sydney University The Cova Project and for a range of other organisations Ellie was named Young Writer of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards SaveLog in, register or subscribe to save recipes for later.You have reached your maximum number of saved items ShareChatkazz specialises in Indian street food Parramatta’s vibrant neighbourhood Harris Park has long been called “Little India” It’s a fair call given the growing number of restaurants and food stalls hawking tandoori and jalebi on the suburb’s fairy light covered main street perennially-busy Chatkazz is arguably the most consistent spot for Mumbai-style roadside specials (don’t miss vada pav bread rolls fat with deep fried potato) and crunchy green chilli pakora fritters ready to swipe through yoghurt and sweet-sour chutneys Highlights from the sprawling vegetarian-only menu include bhindi do pyaza – caramelised okra onion and spice – and paneer mutter featuring the comforting cheese simmered with peas in a buttery tomato gravy lunch or dinner is always brought to your table on time ShareLicense this articleMore: surrounding significant local heritage buildings have been significantly reduced – but the community still remains cautious The developer for 2A Gregory Place in Harris Park has revealed the first look at revised plans following community backlash and a petition from the local Federal Member 483 dwellings will be slashed to approximately 320 terraces and apartments It would see around 640 to 800 people living at the complex Building heights will be reduced throughout the project including along the site’s boundaries where it connects with Hambledon Cottage and Experiment Farm Reserve along with lower built form adjacent to Our Lady of Lebanon Co-Cathedral the development was expected to reach as high as eight stories tall It also features a new unobstructed view corridor from Hambledon Cottage to the Our Lady of Lebanon Co-Cathedral and increased parking for residents and visitors The plans have been shared with the public via a new website ahead of submission to the Department of Planning The website said the constructive feedback received from the community has been “instrumental” in shaping the updated concept plan “The updated concept plan continues our commitment to providing affordable housing which makes-up 50 per cent of the project,” it states “The build-to-rent complex includes a mix of apartments and terraces It is designed to support a long-term rental community where residents have the option to downsize or upsize within the same complex as their needs change.” The changes come after Federal Member for Parramatta Dr Andrew Charlton launched a petition calling for the development to be stopped saying it would mean “no more blue skies” for the Maronite community at Our Lady of Lebanon Co-Cathedral and Hambledon Cottage Although he said he is supportive of the changes that have been made to the plans Charlton still voiced fears it would affect the historic value of Hambledon Cottage “These positive changes reflect the community campaign that we have been working on,” he said I remain concerned about the impact of the development on the historic properties around the site and the impact on traffic and amenity.” Hambledon Cottage and Experiment Farm have all collectively been added to the National Heritage Finalised Priority Assessment List for community consultation “While National Heritage Listing is a good step forward the decision on this development will be made by the State Government,” Charlton added To find out more about the revised plans, go to http://www.2agregoryplace.com.au Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran creates fantastical and imaginative sculptures inspired by all sorts of global representations of idols He’s particularly interested in South Asian forms and imagery and you’ve likely seen his artwork on display at the Art Gallery of New South Wales Carriageworks (including at the recent Sydney Contemporary) and incorporated into festivals like Dark Mofo which was his first international solo exhibition And it’s also the first time the prolific artist has cast his own face in one of his sculptures “My face was buried under a pile of alginate,” he tells Broadsheet “Accusations of narcissism are sure to follow.” The Self Portrait and the Masks takes over both levels of Sullivan & Strumpf’s Zetland gallery Sri Lankan Yakka masks and various shapeshifting mythologies travel spots and more – curated by those who know art is his whole life (there isn’t room for hobbies) but when he is in town he is “pretty food driven” Here’s how he likes to spend his time when he’s not making art The Self Portrait and the Masks is on at Sullivan & Strumpf Zetland from September 12 to October 12 @ramesh__mario “My Sydney” is a regular column discovering the places and spaces that captivate and entice Sydney’s well-known residents My Sydney: Actor-Director Zindzi Okenyo on a Potts Point Cafe My Sydney: Cheek Media’s Hannah Ferguson on a “Gold Star” Cafe My Sydney: Comedian Jennifer Wong on Korean Noodles My Sydney: The Arts-Matter Founders Share a Love of Beachside Dining and Rich Cultural Experiences Tamworth and Sydney suburb Harris Park have topped a list of surprising NSW locations that property experts claim will outperform the rest of the market this year flagged by property market analyst Hotspotting The research measured investment potential by affordability housing demand and infrastructure development Hotspotting director Terry Ryder said the best buys for next year includes locations with plenty of long-term growth potential excluding spots that “are already hot and frenzied regional areas.” Sydney home prices fall for third straight month Huge change for Aussie home prices “[People] wait until they hear reports that a location is hot and decide they want a piece of the action “Prices are already inflated and it is reaching the peak of its price growth.” MORE: Troubled teen model’s $12m blow What your home will be worth in 2029 The analysis evaluates regions nationwide for capital growth potential “Those who followed the tips in our report a year ago could have made close to $100,000 in capital gains spending as little as $400,000,” Mr Ryder said Hotspotting general manager Tim Graham predicts a resurgence in certain markets that have been quiet for the past few years MORE: Home-flipping celebs share their secrets “These ‘second-wind markets’ will reignite in 2025,” he said “These are regions that experienced significant price growth from 2022 to 2024 and are now gearing up for another round of growth.” Mr Ryder said it was important to find places with strong fundamentals investments in infrastructure and markets for job creation people should not overlook the potential of units and townhouses,” he said “More and more people are opting for units The Albury-Wodonga region is a critical area for several major businesses making it a prime market to grow in the future the spot is within driving distance of both while still being able to reach states such as Queensland “It’s got a wonderful location – lots of big businesses have major distribution centres there,” Mr Ryder said The area will also be connected to the $31 billion Inland Rail project under construction connecting freight trains from Victoria to Queensland “That’s another factor in favour of Albury-Wodonga as an affordable city with great growth prospects,” Mr Ryder said Albury’s median house price is currently $865,000 while a unit is $450,500 Lavington unit in the Albury / Wodonga region for $290,000 several suburbs are sometimes given the term ‘second-wind market’: areas that have previously shown strong growth with the market starting to rise again as more people flee the major cities “We’ve got people moving to the regions for an affordable lifestyle,” Mr Ryder said adding NSW had the largest affordability crisis in the country Places like Tamworth have major investments such as Tamworth Global Gateway Park to grow their industry along with energy developments worth over $10 billion it’s got a lot of infrastructure investment happening,” Mr Ryder said has had an annual average growth of 9 per cent per year over the past five years Mr Ryder said the suburb was “an example of what Tamworth has to offer” East Tamworth home for sale with price guide of $649,000 For people looking for something closer to Sydney Mr Ryder said people should not overlook Harris Park “A lot of people would turn their nose up at it but people buy where they can afford in places with a lot of infrastructure,” he said While the median house price in the area is $1.393 million the median unit price in Harris Park currently sits at $482,000 with rents rising by 14 per cent during that same time “There are not many places in Sydney where you can buy places in the 400,000s,” Mr Ryder said The suburb also has strong economic potential with the Parramatta Council planning to invest about $195 million in capital works during the 2025 financial year With additional reporting by Nicholas Finch SaveLog in, register or subscribe to save recipes for later.You have reached your maximum number of saved items Remove items from your saved list to add more. Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Share1 / 3Chulho’s steamed Nepalese momos.Jennifer Soo2 / 3The exterior. Jennifer Soo 3 / 3The dining room. Jennifer SooPrevious SlideNext SlideNepalese$$$$ Turn onto Wigram Street, and you’ll spot Chulho, one of a handful of locals specialising in Nepalese cuisine. Momos, the juicy Nepali dumplings, are the order of the day, filled with chicken, vegetables or buffalo meat, neatly pleated and steamed or fried, then either served floating in tomato-based jhol or with achar for dipping. You’ll also find Nepalese thali, noodles and imported beers if you’re planning to make it a meal. 10 years ago this Sydney suburb was dead. Now it’s brimming with brilliant Indian eateriesRestaurant reviews ShareLicense this articleMore: Parramatta Councillors will now urge the State Government to amend legislation to allow food trucks and stalls in Little India to stay open until 10pm A debate over the regulation of mobile food vendors on Wigram Street has turned fiery at the latest Parramatta Council meeting with one Councillor warning the small business owners to “stop bitching” about fines Councillor Paul Noack’s successful motion requested the Council advocate to the NSW Government for a change in legislation to enable mobile food trucks and food stalls on Marion Station and Wigram Street to operate until 10pm under the NSW State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) mobile food vendors on Wigram Street can only operate until 7pm – a result of the street being zoned residential “If we’re fair dinkum about supporting Little India we need to make sure the vendors can have that operation with their trucks until 10 o’clock at night let’s get behind these great businesses here tonight.” City of Parramatta said it has been working with mobile food vendors and residents in Harris Park area since 2023 to raise awareness of operating obligations It included a three-month enforcement amnesty between December 2023 and March 2024 to allow time for vendors to comply with the legislation Councillor Sameer Pandey acknowledged the work Council has done but said they have a responsibility to support the small local businesses during the current cost of living crisis “I do want us to engage with the businesses so that we can support the businesses ensure that the area is safe and also ensure that the character of Harris Park is protected,” he said “We want to make sure that the businesses not just survive But not all the Councillors were on board with the food trucks in Little India Councillor Patricia Prociv said Harris Park residents are unhappy with the level of rubbish being created by the mobile food businesses what has happened with the food trucks is that it is now a not-very-clean vibrant eating area because of the takeaway containers that are all over the street,” she said “A new resident said to me they were appalled about the disrespect shown by people who come to the food trucks in Harris Park where they throw their rubbish all over the ground it gets thrown into people’s front yards.” Council’s CEO Gail Connolly confirmed they have received approximately 200 complaints from businesses and residents in Harris Park since the start of the year about noise light pollution and illegal alterations to heritage items The Council also revealed it costs $154,000 extra per year to clean Harris Park compared to other suburbs in the area Saying she’s “not a fan of food trucks,” Councillor Lorraine Wearne warned the mobile food operators in Harris Park not to complain to her about receiving fines “If in fact there was a six-month amnesty and people were given a warning about fines then they shouldn’t be bitching about fines now because they should have known they were going to get them,” she said don’t anybody come grizzle to me about fines when they are doing something that’s not legal and they’ve been warned was started online to call on the Council to support food carts and stalls staying open for longer 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 affordable Sydney gemGoogle has revealed the 5 Aussie restaurants that have racked up the most reviews over the past 20 years – with a small Indian joint in Harris Park taking the crown There was a time when choosing where to eat was a clueless gamble: you rock up to your local pub, the newest restaurant in town or the Chinese joint around the corner and hope for the best deciding where to eat is like a mathematical equation that starts with sorting through your pinned locations on Google Maps comparing star ratings and deep diving into the trusty (and oftentimes amusing) customer reviews then you’ll likely be interested in this latest ranking from Google.  To celebrate 20 years of Google Maps its team has curated a list of Australia’s most talked-about restaurants They determined the top five based on those restaurants with the highest number of customer reviews three of Australia’s five most-reviewed restaurants are right here in Sydney racking up more than 14,600 Google reviews and an average 4.6-star rating Hundreds of customer reviews mentioned the Indo-Chinese restaurant chain’s mysterious ‘chicken 65 biryani’ which features chilli-sauce-smothered fried chicken reminiscent of old-school Chinese diners Their mega ‘70mm dosas’ were also popular with reviewers Our favourite part is that almost every dish on the menu at Dosa Hut is under $20 Harris Park is clearly a foodie hotspot in Australia. It’s also home to Chatkazz the second most-reviewed restaurant in the country This vegetarian street food eatery’s Western Sydney location boasts more than 12,900 reviews on Google it seems the wait is well worth it for a taste of Chatkazz’s crowd-pleasing pani puri despite having almost no social media presence Melbourne’s Pho A Gogo in Southbank ranked as the third most-reviewed restaurant in Australia it holds the highest average out of the top five Pho A Gogo also has 11,700 reviews and counting with every bowl of pho costing less than $20 what locals love the most are the free mandarins the owners often give customers after enjoying their Vietnamese noodle soup.)  The fourth most-reviewed eatery in Australia was Ziyka Restaurant, a popular Pakistani and Indian spot in the Melbourne suburb of Carlton, which is best known for its barbecue kebab platter and chicken shinwari. Meanwhile, Sydney’s iconic Opera Bar rounded out the top five ‘sunset’ and ‘seafood platter’ popping up regularly in the 10,000-plus reviews Want to discover more of the best dining spots in the Harbour City? Check out Time Out’s ultimate guide to the best restaurants in Sydney.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 SaveLog in, register or subscribe to save recipes for later.You have reached your maximum number of saved items ShareLicense this articleMore: some of the best places to invest are in places you might not expect Property market analyst Hotspotting has released research into the markets to watch in 2025 judging investor potential by locations with high affordability and housing demand Many of the best spots are reported to be regional locations with potential from Tamworth to the Albury-Wodonga region markets near the closest city at an affordable price are still in demand Director of property market analyst Hotspotting said home buyers needed to look for markets that had signs of future growth in order to find the best places to invest Hotspotting director Terry Ryder said exciting new investment opportunities often passed by before people noticed the trends here are some of the country’s best investment locations for 2025: The area is one known as a ‘second-wind market’ which already had a boom and is going through a resurgence NSW – Tamworth This location is one of the few near Sydney where people can still buy units for affordable prices NSW – Harris Park Prices in this area have gone down over the past year Victoria – Ballarat Ballarat’s role as a major regional centre makes it a big housing market in Victoria With a 10 per cent drop in median house price (now at $565,000) Mr Ryder said this gave investors a chance to swoop in while things were cheap “The fact that prices have dropped means there’s an opportunity to buy at an affordable price there,” he said adding several suburbs in Ballarat have housing prices in the $400,000 range “That’s not easy to find anymore in major centres,” he said the fast rail service to Melbourne and the $655 million redevelopment of Ballarat Base Hospital are also factors contributing to the area’s potential rise in demand The Albury-Wodonga region is a big area for major businesses and their distribution centres Victoria – Wodonga Wodonga – and the larger Albury-Wodonga region – is a critical area for a several major businesses Mr Ryder believed the new hospital in development would increase demand in the regional suburbs of Bundaberg Queensland – Bundaberg The regional city of Bundaberg already has a well-known history – but in real estate it continues to be a promising market for new buyers Median house prices in Bundaberg Central have seen a big jump to $382,000 while vacancy rates remain incredibly low at 0.4 per cent Mr Ryder said housing demand was expected to rise across Bundaberg with new jobs being created from more infrastructure being developed across the location “We’re always looking for markets that have something special in the mix,” he said such as Bundaberg’s $1.2 billion dollar hospital “The impact of that … in terms of creating demand for real estate This regional location is near developments in the energy sector and is significantly cheaper than homes in the Sunshine Coast to the east Queensland – Kingaroy Kingaroy’s affordable house prices make it an attractive opportunity for investors to jump on “Kingaroy is a place that people might not normally consider,” Mr Ryder said The town’s median house price sits at around $410,000 Median asking rents went up by 10 per cent “Kingaroy’s property market is extremely affordable those in Brisbane and on the Sunshine Coast,” Mr Ryder said “That makes it an enticing prospect for first- home buyers and young families as well as investors attracted by very low vacancies The local economy has invested in the renewable energy sector and has other employment opportunities with transport and logistics divisions nearby Mount Gambier is one of South Australia’s largest regional locations South Australia – Mount Gambier While South Australia’s population isn’t huge outside of Adelaide areas like Mount Gambier represent larger regional locations that still have reasonable access to the city and also investors looking there because it’s affordable,” Mr Ryder said Mt Gambier’s median house price has increased by a whopping 20 per cent over the past year Buyer demand continues to increase in the area with Adelaide overall experiencing a surge in popularity on the housing market “Adelaide’s had a lot of price growth in the last two years: an affordable city underpinned by that strong economy,” Mr Ryder said He added that the ability for more workers to operate remotely could also factor in to the rise in the location’s popularity and that Mount Gambier was known for a more relaxed lifestyle than Adelaide proper This suburb is considered as a more affordable alternative to others in the Adelaide Hills South Australia – Mount Barker When it comes to enviable lifestyle hotspots in South Australia noting prices for homes were often in the millions Mount Barker offers an alternative while remaining in the area That price is after an 11 per cent increase in the past 12 months with rents having risen up by 10 per cent and vacancies at one per cent “The market is seen as an affordable investment alternative to expensive Adelaide Hills suburbs,” Mr Ryder said which is expected to grow over the next 15 years Tasmania – Burnie While Mr Ryder noted regional Tasmania’s market had been poor in the last two years its recent flatlining meant it could be a good time to look to important and growing areas where the median house price went up 22 per cent in the past 12 months and an important regional centre,” Mr Ryder said noting its port was Tasmania’s largest seaport expected to expand to accommodate larger ships in the next 15 years He added that regional Tasmania had seen the strongest price growth throughout all of Australia across the past 20 years Tasmania – Brighton Some suburbs near Hobart are considered on the outer edge where there’s debate about whether or not they’re classified as being part of greater Hobart providing an accessible alternative to the city itself “Hobart used to be the most affordable capital city in Australia,” Mr Ryder said “[Brighton] offers that relative affordability Its median house price sits at around $586,000 with investor yields of about 4.6 per cent This gives investors a chance to jump on affordable homes in the area as buyers and renters look to live further and further out of the growing city Other Tasmania hotspots include New Norfolk Election day is nearing as both presidential nominees ramp up their campaign activities.  (ABC News) Link copiedShareShare articleGood afternoon and welcome back to another day on the presidential campaign trail. This is our daily wrap, making sure you're caught up on the latest election developments. In Tuesday's wrap, we take a look at rising political violence, Donald Trump's North Carolina appearance, and new controversy involving the Central Park Five.  The charged atmosphere in the lead up to election day is creating a “highly volatile” situation, experts say.  “It’s very clear that … Donald Trump is spiralling down, unhinged. What worries me about these comments, some of these are just so strange that they’re hard to imagine [but there] are dangerous ones in the middle of that. ‘The enemy from within’ and some of that.” — Tim Walz, appearing on The View talk show.  Recently in Pennsylvania, a man accosted a group of supporters rallying for Vice President Kamala Harris, punching a 74-year-old man in the head and calling another man a “n***** supporter” as he fled.  In Michigan, a man enraged by his hatred of Donald Trump used an all-terrain vehicle to run over an 81-year-old putting up a yard sign supporting the Republican nominee.  There have been at least 300 cases of political violence in the US since January 6, 2021, according to Reuters, with 51 of them occurring this year.  Americans are starting to see violence as “part of the way politics happens”, according to Nealin Parker, head of non-profit Common Ground USA. The Trump campaign, when asked about the steady rise of political violence and the recent attacks against Harris and Trump supporters, provided a statement attacking Ms Harris on immigration and criminal justice reform. The five Black and Hispanic teenagers wrongfully convicted for the 1989 rape of a white jogger are suing Donald Trump for defamation. A new Netflix miniseries revives the controversy around Donald Trump's infamous death penalty ad during the 1989 "Central Park Jogger" case. The Central Park Five, who each spent between five and 13 years in prison before being cleared, say recent comments by Mr Trump "intentionally inflicted emotional distress". During the presidential debate on September 10, Mr Trump claimed the group had "killed a person" and admitted guilt. During the 1989 case, Mr Trump paid for a full-page ad in multiple newspapers calling for the reinstatement of the death penalty. The group are now seeking unknown damages. "[They] never pled guilty to any crime and were subsequently cleared of all wrongdoing," the lawsuit filing says. "Further, the victims of the Central Park assaults were not killed." A spokesperson for the Trump campaign called the case "just another frivolous, election interference lawsuit, filed by desperate left-wing activists". People react as Donald Trump attends a rally at Williams Arena in Greenville, North Carolina. (Reuters: Brian Snyder) Donald Trump’s supporters started arriving at his Greenville, North Carolina rally as much as 10 hours ahead of his scheduled appearance.  North Carolina is one of the key battleground states.  “Under the Trump administration, we are going to take back what is ours,” Mr Trump said during his speech. “We will end the looting, ransacking, raping and pillaging of North Carolina and frankly every other state in the union.”  As election day nears, roughly eight in 10 voters are already locked in on their presidential pick, according to the Pew Research Centre.  The research organisation says a majority of voters surveyed say they're certain about their choice.  Another 8 per cent say they have a preference, but could change their mind, while 5 per cent have not picked but are leaning towards a candidate. 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) This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page They’re the hidden Sydney suburbs where buying a desirable home on a shoestring is both attainable and a passport to wealth creation An exclusive property report has revealed home seekers with savings as low as $50,000 can still bag properties in high-growth suburbs where values are set to rise exponentially These areas typically have property prices that are well below other parts of Sydney, but are located close to big job hubs, excellent transport links and rich amenities Improving infrastructure in these suburbs was also expected to push up home values at a faster rate than most of the rest of the market according to the Deposit Stars report from comparison group Canstar MORE: Aussie suburbs where home prices are set to crash recently bought a home in St Marys – one of Sydney’s top growth areas powered with data from researcher Hotspotting indicated high growth suburbs attainable for those with $50,000 deposits were Liverpool and Wiley Park in the southwest Other well-located suburbs offering units attainable with the same deposit were Jamisontown Median prices in all five suburbs were under $500,000 – or about 39-46 per cent below the norm in Greater Sydney This meant first-home buyers were eligible for a raft of government support schemes such as a full exception on stamp duty Those with a budget of $100,000 were advised to target houses in western suburbs St Marys and Campbelltown MORE: 20yo OnlyFans twins’ bizarre $6m demand A unit in this Harris Park block recently sold for $520,000 Hotspotting director Terry Ryder said it was a myth that buying a home was unattainable for households earning less than $150,000 a year “All the sentiment about the Aussie dream being dead in Sydney is not the full story,” he said “There are lot of opportunities to get into reasonably affordable markets in Sydney but you need to think out of left field scored well as a market for lower budget buyers because of the “mini CBD” university campuses one of Sydney’s transport interchanges and excellent rail links to the CBD,” he said MORE: ‘Stop blame game’: Kochie slams younger homebuyers “There is also a shortage of properties in the area and it’s unlikely developers will be able to add new units in at least the next five years so there is a lot of upside for prices.” Units in Newtown scored highly as a choice for new buyers because they were nearly $1m cheaper than houses in the area adding that Newtown remained one of the most popular places to live in Sydney St Marys was considered a good market to buy into because of the coming rail link to Sydney’s second airport at Badgerys Creek “There will be a massive jobs node around it,” Mr Ryder said Ray White principal Peter Diamantidis said St Marys was becoming a lot more popular because of the better value on offer Agent Peter Diamanditis of Ray White-St Marys said the suburb was nearly unrecognisable from 10 years ago “If you asked a lot of people if they wanted to live in St Marys then they would have said ‘no’,” he said “What’s changed is that it’s become a lot better connected Mustansar Nazir recently bought a townhouse in the suburb and said it had better opportunities to buy newer housing catered to larger families “We found in a lot of other areas the rooms were a bit squishy or the houses were just really old,” Mr Nazir said “We liked that in St Marys you didn’t have to spend as much to get a bit of space but still be close to the action.” The Nazir family are looking forward to moving into their new St Marys home Canstar money expert Effie Zahos said home seekers who were keen to purchase in the highlighted suburbs should line their ducks in a row before they start looking “There is a lot of competition at the bottom end of the market,” she said “There tend to be more buyers at the more affordable end of the market and those who have done thorough preparation have an advantage.” MORE: Security pulled as Royals’ $57m feud explodes The best of Australia straight to your inbox Sign up for our email to enjoy your city without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush) Australia Long gone are the days when you’d simply rock up to your local Chinese joint for a fried rice feast with sweet and sour pork which features chilli sauce-smothered fried chicken reminiscent of old-school Chinese diners Harris Park is clearly a foodie hotspot in Australia, as it’s also home to Chatkazz Despite having almost no social media presence what locals love the most are the free mandarins the owners often give customers after enjoying their Vietnamese noodle soup.  Want to discover more of the best dining spots in Australia? Check out Time Out’s ultimate guide to the top restaurants across the country.  Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Australia newsletter for more news tiktokfacebookAbout us Contact us IT SEEMS THE PAGE YOU'RE LOOKING FOR HAS GONE ASTRAY GO BACK TO THE HOME PAGE Beyond its vibrant cultural tapestry and delectable culinary delights Harris Park also serves up a tempting platter of real estate opportunities for investors Situated approximately 23 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and located in the City of Parramatta multicultural hub” and known for its blend of cultures and large Indian population — earning the suburb its unofficial name If you check the box above before you log in you won’t have to log back into the website next time you return even if you close your browser and come back later This diversity in culture is also seen in the streetscape of Harris Park and Station Street being home to dozens of eateries featuring cuisines from around the world as well as an array of subcontinental specialty stores Harris Park was bestowed the title of “Little India” on 23 May by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as the leader welcomed his Indian counterpart at a community event at the Qudos Bank Arena the two leaders jointly laid the foundation stone of the “Little India” gateway to be built in Harris Park as a symbol of the friendship between the two nations and to recognise the diaspora’s immense contribution to the relationship between the two countries PM Modi thanked PM Albanese for the special gesture the mayor and deputy mayor of the City of Parramatta and councillors for this special honour,” he stated But this western suburb is not so little when it comes to its investment offerings as Harris Park dishes out the perfect blend of affordability prime location and potential for strong returns the suburb outperformed the national average with a median home price increase of 1.93 per cent with the median price of dwellings in Harris Park currently sitting at $449,500 Although Harris Park experienced a modest decrease in long-term capital gains investors can still expect a rental income of $390 based on current median home prices It’s important to note that properties in Harris Park may take some time to sell with an average listing duration of 72.9 days But despite a weaker performance compared to other Australian suburbs in terms of property value appreciation Harris Park ranks number one on the list of best-yielding suburbs for rental properties in NSW the suburb boasts a major advantage with its close proximity to Parramatta making it an attractive choice for residents and investors Being within walking distance to Sydney’s thriving second CBD Harris Park residents have easy access to a wide range of amenities These include popular attractions like Parramatta Park educational institutions like Western Sydney University and convenient shopping options at Westfield Shopping Centre Harris Park railway station serves as a well-equipped transportation hub facilitating smooth commuting for residents to various parts of the city For buyers who have liveability on top of their checklist the suburb features a town centre that has recently been upgraded to include stunning public art and additional greenery while the surrounding area is home to several heritage-listed buildings one of the oldest remaining homes in Australia residents can also enjoy quality time at the James Ruse Reserve Water Playground located at the border of Parramatta and Harris Park which offers an array of outdoor activities which has been recognised for its safe and vibrant nightlife with the prestigious Purple Flag designation which signifies that a city or town has been recognised for its safe Harris Park residents can also enjoy the benefits of this dynamic environment From trendy bars and bustling restaurants to exciting entertainment venues the vibrant nightlife of Parramatta is easily accessible making Harris Park an ideal residential choice for those seeking a lively and enjoyable night out Copyright © 2007-2025 Smart Property Investment A surging number of Indians have moved to Australia, enticed by the prospects of lucrative employment, top-tier education, and a more laid-back lifestyle The Australian government has largely welcomed the influx with open arms as it eyes closer trade relations with a 1.4 billion-strong consumer market As of June 2022, there were 753,520 people born in India living in Australia which is more than double the number recorded a decade earlier the Indian-born population is now second-largest migrant community in Down Under Daily Mail Australia spoke to Indian migrants in Harris Park and Parramatta with many confessing to using Australia's student visa route to secure permanent residency this avenue has become tougher after the Albanese government tightened student visa rules in March it has reduced the number of student visa approvals in a bid to stop the widespread rorting of the international education system It also has enhanced powers to suspend high-risk education providers from recruiting international students who intend to leverage their student visas to stay in the country as low-skilled workers Known as 'ghost colleges' and 'visa factories' the providers can be issued with warning notices and given six months to improve their practices the providers will be suspended from recruiting international students However, the government remains keen on attracting highly skilled Indian migrants, with Anthony Albanese and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi signing a migration (MOU) pact in 2023 - a year after the two nations also penned a lucrative free trade agreement Australia exported about $19.3billion in goods to India in the 2022 financial year Just one year after the FTA was signed that figure soared to $33billion With diplomatic relations becoming increasingly cosy, the MOU allows Indian graduates from Australian universities who are on a student visa to work and advance professionally for up to eight years without needing visa sponsorship a new pilot program known as MATES will make it easier for young professionals and graduates from India to work in Australia The programme will give Indian university graduates and early career professionals the opportunity to live and work in Australia for up to two years Eligible fields will include renewable energy, mining, engineering, information and communication technology, artificial intelligence So what does Australia's fastest-growing migrant group think about their new life Down Under? Diksha Verma is studying for a Master of Applied Information Technology at Victoria University she has been working part-time at a grocery store while looking for a full-time role in IT 'I'm very happy,' she told Daily Mail Australia 'I'm getting many opportunities that I wouldn't have gotten in my home country I would definitely love to gain more experience here.' Ms Verma and her husband are currently sharing an apartment with another Indian family she said it was easy to find a place to live 'It was a bit easy because there are many agencies and we can go online and find houses on Gumtree,' she said yummy food' is what she misses most from back home and has concerns about the the Australian government's plan to crack down on visas 'The news is that the government is going somewhat against international students 'If the government is going against the international students and they're taking strict action Ms Verma said life in Australia and India are very different 'Every person is just heading from home to work and work to home She has some advice for other Indians looking at moving to Australia I wish I could have known that as strong as you are Deep Sanghavi moved to Brisbane in 2019 to begin a master's degree in accounting but later found himself a job as a wedding planner The main piece of advice Mr Sanghavi would give new Indian migrants looking at making the move would be to focus on their studies and doing what they need to get permanent residency if you're not focused on that there's no point in coming to Australia,' he said 'An Indian kid might pay around $60,000 to $90,000 just in fees to come to Australia If you're paying the money you should be thinking about getting the residency otherwise it's a waste 'The international students pay around four or five times what the Australian kids pay.. While Mr Sanghavi loves living in Australia he said 'it's not everyone's cup of tea' and each individual should weigh up whether the move is right for them He said he is in the process of applying for permanent residency but I'm not working into that field so I'm going to do something related which helps me out for my residency.' Mr Sanghavi supports more migration to Australia saying international student help stimulates the economy and keeps the country running The major contributors to the Australian economy are the international students,' he said He explained many Indian migrants are wooed by the pay Because if you do the same kind of work back home you don't get paid good money Himanshu Raikar first came to Sydney as a student in 2018 and quickly realised he wanted to stay. With more than five years of work experience already behind him, he quickly found a job with a government department. He said the work-life balance and 'relaxed' culture has been a huge benefit and given him more time to spend with his wife and son. 'In India, you will see that people are much more focused on skills, and they need to be more focused on your personal growth and development,' he said. 'Here it's quite different. Employers give you time to grow within the role and within the company, and focus on your hobbies and passions so you get that good balance.' Despite missing the festivals and his family back home, Mr Raikar said moving to Australia was the best decision of his life. 'There is no downside to this decision at all, everything is uphill,' he said. 'No country is perfect, every country has some things that they can improve on but as far as I can see individually, this country has a lot to offer.' One of the biggest challenges Mr Raikar has faced is securing housing. 'I'm actually in that phase of purchasing a property now, but we're finding that a bit of a struggle, even though my wife and I are both what I like to call good professionals,' he said. 'Because of the spike that we've seen in the housing market, we were not able to shortlist our expected property and we had to settle for a lower-quality house. 'It's not the best way to start out buying a property here, but we had to start somewhere and it's better than renting.' While Mr Raikar isn't too politically minded, he said he supports more migration because of its overall positive impact. 'In every country, I feel that migration boosts their economy,' he explained. 'If there are more students, they pay more educational institutions… of course, I'm in favour of that.' Nishant Udani moved from Mumbai to study a Bachelor of Community Services in Brisbane, after finishing high school in 2019. 'In India the education is really very good but there's a lot of competition to get into the better universities. It's so hard,' he said.  'The other way is to go outside the country. That's what made me decide to come to Australia, so I can go to a good university and get my desired degree.'   Mr Udani said he's still unsure whether he will stay in Australia after he finishes his studies because he has such a big family back home, but for now he's loving life.  'I'm happy with my decision to come to Australia,' he said. 'I started working. It's been very good, I've worked in different industries and I've learned about different things.  'At first I only had a little bit idea about a particular thing but once I started working in it my brain expanded and I came to know about more things I can do.'  Mr Udani has been renting the apartment in south-east Queensland since 2020, but a lot of his friends are still struggling to secure housing.  'I've been living in same unit for the last four years and like I like it,' he said.  'At that time was market was not like this. The market was very stable and it was very easy to secure housing. 'At the moment my friends are looking for housing and I know they're struggling because it's way too expensive, and on top of that it's hard to find a place to live.'   Mr Udani said new Indian migrants should know how that 'life is hard here compared to India'. 'Back home you have family and friends to support you but over here you're one man army and you are to do everything by yourself,' he explained. 'If you're ready to be a self-dependent person, then you should come to Australia and study and get a future over here.'  On the government's plan to reduce immigration levels, Mr Udani said they said the Prime Minister has bigger issues to focus on. He said targeting the billion-dollar industry would not be good for the economy and may even lead to labor shortages down the track.  'There's plenty of work but there are less people, and and to get to get economy running you need more people,' he said.  'Migration is not the only problem, there are other problems as well. Instead of focusing on one factor you should look after all the factors. 'Instead of focusing on migration, I would suggest he focusses on the housing crisis. 'I feel that Brisbane is getting congested and the city doesn't have enough infrastructure and housing to accommodate this big population.'  Shame Mani moved to Sydney last year for a better lifestyle. 'I left India seven years ago. I have worked in Singapore and Dubai as well. So overall, in Asian countries, work can be hectic, but here it's more of a relaxed lifestyle,' he explained.  After coming out alone, he said one of the biggest challenges has been finding a new social circle as an introvert. 'There's fresh air and less noise pollution, and overall, it's a better lifestyle here. But people coming from far places, they lose their social circle, their friends and family, so it's a trade-off,' Mr Mani said. 'Over there, there is a very symbiotic social circle where friends and neighbors try to help each other in difficult situations, but over here, I don't have that big social circle. 'Human beings are social animals, so we need that social circle. And people like me do try to make friendships but it's not long lasting, it's transient. 'But I have friends who are very extroverted and make friends wherever they go, so for them, life is easy. I have friends who have been living here for the last nine years and have had no problems with loneliness and depression and missing home.' He said securing housing was a 'nightmare', but he recently found a property in Sydney. 'I lived in Middle East, so finding a house over there was not that difficult,' he said. 'I appreciate there's a systematic process here... but if you go for any inspection, there is always a long queue. There's a rigorous criteria or process to get a house. 'Some owners even check your weekly income and where you work.' Mr Mani's top tip for new potential migrants is 'come with some work experience'. 'If you're looking for a work in IT or accounting or whatever your domain is, come with a work experience from your home country because just ending up in a fancy job here is going to be bit difficult without strong references and connections,' he said. 'Most of the people coming here from India are students, so their journey is different. I am a professional so it's a bit different.' Mr Mani told Daily Mail Australia that he has now got enough 'points' to apply for permanent residency, which is a 'big status symbol' within the Indian community. 'I see Australia as a very beautiful country,' he said. 'I love history and architecture and all that, so in that sense I enjoy being here. But in the long-term I see Australia as a good place to work if I have a social circle.' In terms of the crackdown on student visas, Mr Mani said: 'Countries like Canada and Australia need people from outside'. 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Indian migrants reveal what they really think about AustraliaCommenting on this article has endedNewest{{#isModerationStatus}}{{moderationStatus}} Australia announces changes to citizenship test and English language program for migrants 'Goodbye Australia': Displaced temporary visa holders shift their immigration dream to Canada International students stuck in India will not be returning to Australia anytime soon: Barry O’Farrell Play Duration: 6 minutes 11 seconds6m Presented by Indian voters in almost 60 constituencies are heading to the polls tomorrow for the second-last phase of voting.The Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his BJP party are likely to win a third term, despite claims from his opponents the government is becoming more autocratic and persecuting minorities.Here in Australia, members of the Indian diaspora are following the election. Featured: Mitul, Harris Park shopperDinesh, Harris Park shopperAnita, Harris Park shopperSanjay Deshwal, Little India Harris Park Business AssociationSurjeet Dhanji, University of Melbourne Declan Gooch: Harris Park in Western Sydney is home to one of Australia's most vibrant Indian communities. And out in front of its restaurants and cafes, Narendra Modi has many supporters, like Mitul from Gujarat, the same state as the Indian Prime Minister. Many people in your circles talking about the election? Mitul: Not really, because everybody, especially where we come from, we're all Gujaratis here, so we know he's going to win. He's predicted 400 plus seats, I think he's going to get it. Dinesh: In my circle, 90% of the people are saying yes, he's one of the best, and he'll come back. Declan Gooch: Dinesh says the leader of the ruling BJP party is proven, and not beholden to any special interests. Dinesh: First of all, he's the most honest person in Indian politics. He hasn't got any family behind him, and he's not a person who is looking after his brothers or sisters. Whatever he's doing, he's doing for the nation. He'll do anything and everything, whatever he has, for the nation. Declan Gooch: India is nearing the end of its national elections, a process with several stages lasting six weeks. Voting is carried out progressively by region, and the sixth and second last poll will be held tomorrow. Here in Harris Park, Anita is impressed by Narendra Modi's ability to connect with ordinary people. Declan Gooch: It's very hard to find someone here who's critical of Narendra Modi. People say his rule has made life more comfortable for those back home. Mitul says Indians have little to worry about, and low-level corruption has reduced. Mitul: For example, if I need a police certificate to go overseas, before there used to be a lot of dramas, you go to a police station, you bribe some policeman. They've made that process so simple, everyday, day-to-day life. There is no bribe. I mean, policemen are afraid of getting, even if you ask them, they say no. So that is a huge impact. It's just on a ground level, day-to-day. Sanjay Deshwal: That is not acceptable. With great power comes great responsibility. And India is a country which has made not only Hindus, we are the majority over there, I'm a Hindu, but I like to respect, see respect for our Muslim, Sikhs and Christians. India is made up of a large number of people from all faiths. So I would definitely like him to be more restrained, or more, what do you call it, open to all the religions. Declan Gooch: Others have no concerns about the BJP's Hindu nationalist policies or Narendra Modi's attitudes to minority groups. Dinesh: He's talking general things and people are putting him as if he is talking about other communities. He's against other communities, only about Hindus. Naturally, he's a Hindu nation, he talks about Hinduism, and he's a Hindu guy. So I think it's not a bad thing. In any other countries of the world, they are Christians or Buddhists or whatever they are. So why can't he talk about Hinduism? Declan Gooch: While there are plenty of Indian Australians with political views, they won't be able to vote. Mitul is frustrated Indians living overseas can't take part unless they return home. Mitul: That can change a lot of things for government being in power in India because we look at it a different perspective compared to what Indians look at it. And there's a very big majority of young generation living overseas. They want to go into politics, they want to understand what's happening and what can Indian government do better for their future generations. Surjeet Dhanji: They can buy land, they can build businesses, they can do everything else except vote. Declan Gooch: That's Surjeet Dhanji, an academic fellow at the Australia India Institute at Melbourne University. She says members of the global Indian diaspora have never been allowed to vote from overseas. Surjeet Dhanji: In Australia the diaspora is a very small number, it's only 4%. So it wouldn't make a huge impact. But if you look at the global Indian diaspora, yes for sure it would have an impact. It could swing the world one way or the other. Declan Gooch: Dr Dhanji says the diaspora is polarised between those who believe Narendra Modi is good for India and those concerned about a drift away from democracy. And she says the range of views among Indian Australians is diverse. Surjeet Dhanji: By and large in Australia it's not only the Muslims who feel that what's going on in India is not right. It's a large part of the Hindu population as well, who are progressive, who feel that it goes against the philosophy of Hinduism. Samantha Donovan: Dr Surjeet Dhanji from the University of Melbourne. That report from Declan Gooch. Download the ABC listen app to hear more of your favourite podcasts Proposed boundary changes between Parramatta and Harris Park are set to return to Parramatta Council A Sydney developer is continuing to push for a “small” boundary change in western Sydney three years since plans were rejected ALAND’s proposal to realign a section of the boundary between Harris Park and Parramatta are set to return to Parramatta Council after recently being deferred which would see properties north of Parkes St in Harris Park fall under Parramatta were initially refused by the council in 2020 The affected area includes ALAND’s Paramount on Parkes a 46-storey mixed-use development at 14-20 Parkes St which would change from Harris Park to Parramatta if the change is approved The proposed boundary change indicated by red line The median sale price of units in Parramatta over the past 12 months is more than $150,000 higher than in Harris Park The median unit sale price in Harris Park is $432,500 compared to $600,000 in Parramatta ALAND says that Paramount on Parkes is close to selling out with the push for the boundary change driven by the confusion and impacts of the “outdated” boundary in the community ALAND head of development Ryan Lane said his team was able to make contact with 16 out of the 19 affected lot owners who were supportive of the proposal ALAND’s Paramount on Parkes development is close to selling out we heard that there is a lot of confusion for visitors as they are more likely to disembark from trains at Harris Park station instead of the much closer Parramatta station,” Mr Lane said “The affected sites are only 350m from Parramatta Station whereas they are 635m from Harris Park station which means that visitors are walking an extra 285m unnecessarily “We also heard that visitors have a hard time finding the affected lots via navigation apps understandably getting confused as the buildings are within Parramatta CBD but not the suburb.” the next step is a review and approval through the Geographical Names Board (GNB) “As our project has been substantially selling and construction is well underway we’ve pursued this collectively with the affected landowners at our cost because we strongly believe this is the correct long-term outcome for the site and the broader Parramatta and Harris Park communities,” Mr Lane said ALAND says the portion of the suburb boundary proposed to be adjusted was located in the northwest corner of Harris Park with the current boundary appearing in a zigzag line Mr Lane said the plans give council an opportunity to update the boundary to address the current needs of the community along with the changes in the Parramatta CBD since the boundary was established It creates confusion and follows no logical pathway which is required by the GNB guidelines,” he said “What we’re proposing will result in aligning high-density lots being within Parramatta and lower-density lots being within Harris Park consistent with each suburb’s distinct urban character This would make identifying the suburb boundary by the community significantly easier.” Council initially recommended the change be refused in March however councillors voted to defer the matter for a further workshop MORE: Massive sale breaks beachside record House with 3 homes reveals buying secrets Bizarre room in Kyle Sandilands $100m+ wedding mansion Harris Park Fan Precinct revamped for Repco Bathurst 100019 Sep 2022Fans headed to Bathurst are in for a whole new experience4 mins by James PaveyPeter Brock2022Supercars...Fans headed to this year’s Repco Bathurst 1000 are in for a whole new experience with a revamped Harris Park precinct unveiled today Just over three weeks’ out from this year’s Great Race Supercars in conjunction with naming rights partner Repco have unveiled the new-look precinct near the start-finish line From the moment fans enter the circuit via the main gates they will be met with a completely new layout of the area which will include large interactive LED screens entertainment precinct and for the first time – the Bathurst Public House A centrepiece to the fan experience will be the interactive Peter Brock display that commemorates 50 years since the original King of the Mountain won his first Bathurst crown The display will feature some of Bathurst’s most famous Supercars including a tribute to the Holden Torana XU-1 Brock won the Great Race in in 1972 for the Holden Dealer Team Spectators can also watch the Peter Brock ’72 Win documentary and a podium where fans can get a photo holding the coveted Peter Brock Trophy Fans will also be greeted with the ultimate 'Selfie Opportunity' with a giant Bathurst 1000 sign erected near the main gate the Harvey Norman SuperKids Zone will be at the 2022 Repco Bathurst 1000 The SuperKids Zone is an engaging area with activities designed for kids from three years and over to test their racing abilities with a chill out space for parents to relax The setup includes an inflatable racetrack with bikes a speed reaction game and tabletop activities focusing on patience and skills of steering All the fan-favourite merchandise shops including the Repco Trackside Store team and sponsor stores and hands on activations for fans will be placed behind the grandstands along the main straight The Repco Garage will feature in Harris Park providing amazing views for fans of Murray’s Corner There will be a unique pedal-powered slot car track at the Repco Garage as well as the Pitstop Challenge A giant Armed Forces Display will return including an EC135A Helicopter Team Army Transporter and Team Army vehicles will also be on hand Supercars CEO Shane Howard said: "This newly revamped Harris Park precinct has had a makeover that I think all fans coming to the Repco Bathurst 1000 will enjoy "This has been made possible through the support and vision of our friends at Repco "We’ve worked hard on this project together to ensure we honour the amazing history of this event as well as providing more entertainment and enhancing the overall fan-experience "Whether it’s a fans first Bathurst 1000 or 50th we are sure there is something for everyone." Repco CEO Wayne Bryant said: "It has been an absolute pleasure working with Supercars to reinvigorate the Harris Park precinct "We really want to deliver the best experience possible for the race fans so it is fitting that we will be sharing our motorsport history with the best fans in the world "In addition to all the fantastic activities in Harris Park we have also worked with the Bathurst Regional Council on a very special once in a lifetime display in the National Motor Racing Museum "This exhibition celebrates the rich motorsport history of Repco will see several of the vehicles that are being displayed hit the track on Sunday morning." Gema Group Managing Director said: "We are thrilled to embrace this project it ensures that the Food and Beverage overlay corresponds with the innovations in fan experience." Repco have also confirmed that in addition the ‘Trackside’ Store in Harris Park campers on top of the mountain will have the convenience of a ‘Mountainside’ store Trackside and Grandstand tickets are available for this year’s Repco Bathurst 1000 which runs 6-9 October at Mount Panorama through Supercars.com and Ticketek A new campaign headed by the City of Parramatta will see three Harris Park streets – Marion Street Wigram Street and Station Street East – officially branded as “Little India” for at least six months Almost 45 per cent of residents in the western Sydney suburb claim Indian ancestry The three streets are known for their high concentration of small businesses dealing in Indian cuisine traditional Indian trinkets and saris; it’s unofficially gone by the Little India moniker for years “With more than 20 eateries and shops selling everything from colourful saris and glittering arm bangles to Indian spices that will transport you straight to Mumbai Harris Park is a little slice of India in western Sydney,” said City of Parramatta lord mayor Bob Dwyer in a statement Dwyer says the aim of the campaign is to celebrate the local community and encourage people from outside the area to experience it The rebrand will initially run for six months with no word on what will change beyond that period It comes after the council surveyed local businesses and residents to gauge interest in establishing the precinct Eighty per cent of respondents supported the initiative “The City of Parramatta is home to the largest population of people of Indian descent in Australia,” said Dwyer “We are proud to support and celebrate the Indian community’s contributions to our wonderful city through this initiative which will provide a boost to businesses and the local economy.” Check out Broadsheet’s guide to Little India Creeks and Natural Pools in Western Sydney Sydney Hospo Giant Takes Over Three Public Hospitality Venues Swillhouse Appoints Ex-Solotel CEO and a “Culture and Transformation” Consultant After Criticism “Gut-Wrenching”: Top Hospo Names Respond to the State of the Industry (and Ask What We Can Do Now) Thrift stores offer affordable and unique clothing items If you were just as likely to follow Hannah Ferguson’s Cheek Media  for political analysis.. Trigger warning: This story discusses sexual assault and rape Consider this your essential guide to dining through the light rail disruption Canberra’s culinary scene is getting hotter than a chef’s temper.. A premier pickleball and padel facility has opened in Fyshwick to bring a new way.. It’s that time of year when Canberra transforms into the dance capital of Australia Quietly launching this morning at Majura Park the signature farmers-market style shopping experience will offer Canberra an abundance of fresh fruit and veggies – including locally grown and organic options – plus a café The store will also be home to an extensive quality seafood and meat offering with a cut-to-order Harris Farm butchery and dry-aged meat fridges And we haven’t even mentioned the cheese yet because along with a gourmet grocery section of boutique local products an extensive deli and offering of more than 500 cheeses (yep – 500) a bakery section with the best breads such as sourdough and brioche There’s no need to guess where we’ll be this weekend And that’s not all. Officially holding the grand opening on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 June across the two days there will be creative kids’ workshops a little birdie told us that there will also special offers and discounts available so if you’re going to stock up on organic produce you better get ready run to Harris Farm Markets Who knew we’d be so excited about a gourmet grocery destination It started as a simple idea: helping people who dream of outdoor adventure but don’t… Motherhood is supposed to be a time of joy Sign up HerCanberra acknowledges Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities as the traditional custodians of the land we work on and pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging. Always was, always will be Aboriginal land. As an inclusive organisation we also strive to celebrate people of all backgrounds, genders, sexualities, cultures, bodies and abilities. The rise of Bhangra: Crossing musical and cultural boundaries Plans to transform a Harris Park cottage into a ‘Spice Alley’ style restaurant precinct – inclusive of a rooftop garden and five food outlets – have been revealed The famous Wigram Street Indian restaurant-strip could soon see even more food options come to ‘Little India’ If a Development Application (DA) gets the tick of approval from City of Parramatta The plans intend to transform the existing building at 63 Wigram Street into a restaurant with an outdoor dining area featuring a range of mixed street food operators The existing driveway would become an accessible thoroughfare between Wigram Street and Gordon McKinnon Lane with a new carpark to be constructed at the rear of the building The new dining space is expected to operate between 10am and 10pm with a maximum of eighteen to twenty staff members to be on-site at any given time The restaurant will have space for a maximum of 90 people and 35 people at the food outlets The Harris Park building is one of three single-storey cottages on Wigram Street which make up a locally listed heritage item The DA said the proposed design will respect the existing character of the surrounding neighbourhood “The design will respect existing setbacks height controls and architectural language by fitting into the overall character of the heritage item and the wider Heritage Conservation Area,” the document said “There will be no physical impact to the neighbouring cottages heritage items in the vicinity and the Harris Park West Conservation Area.” Located just 290m from Harris Park Train Station the proposed development site is located in one of the most popular streets in the Parramatta Local Government Area Australian independent food retailer Harris Farm Markets has unveiled its newest store at Majura Park this store features local brands and Harris Farm’s signature offerings The official opening takes place on 7 June over the long weekend with a Fresh Fest event taking place at Majura Park Harris Farm Majura Park will showcase an extensive fresh range of fresh fruit and vegetables the store will offer Harris Farm’s wallet-friendly and farmer-friendly fruit and vegetable range The new store will include local Three Mills Bakery operating as Harris Farm Markets’ ACT in-house bakery Proper Meat butcher offering quality old-fashioned cuts and Salumi from the Byron Hinterlands with their natural charcuterie “We are thrilled to announce the long-awaited opening of our new Harris Farm Markets store in Canberra Our new store aims to meet all our customers’ needs under one roof we celebrate what’s in-season and in abundance bringing our Values with Values offering to Canberra,” says Harris Farm Markets co-CEO Luke Harris “From our renowned fresh fruit and vegetable range to an extensive selection of cheeses hand-picked grocery and our very own Harris Farm Heroes (referring to our in-house labels in every aisle such as our yoghurts quality seafood from Fish in the Family and a traditional butcher offering quality cuts from our Proper Meat butchers We envision this store as a cornerstone of the Canberra community providing a one-stop-shop for all food occasions,” he said is running a sign-up competition to win various offerings There will also be additional prizes to be won and special offers from Harris Farm and respective partners Take a walk-through Harris Farm Markets Majura Park store here The suburb of Harris Park in Sydney's West is home to Little India a neighbourhood where Indian businesses thrive and cater for their local clientele Restaurants are located in converted houses and serve up incredibly tasty Indian food at very reasonable prices It is also the location where we decide to do a little movable feast A few times a year my sometime vegetarian friend Laura and I catch up It always involves an adventure usually to somewhere a bit further out because we both love travelling for food who is now a vegetarian that eats fish and chicken and she picked me up from my place in her cute little striped Mini car and it was off to Harris Park "God it's a bit far away," she said looking at the GPS. "But it will be worth it," we both agreed at the same time. She had never been to Harris Park, the suburb right next to Parramatta but I have fond memories of walking down Wigram Road and eating from the fairy light strewn restaurants set up in houses "We're almost there! There's the Hooters!" says Laura excitedly and then in the middle of what looks to be a very residential area is the famous Little India area of Harris Park shops and eateries span across a few streets that fan out from the train station There is no reason to leave Harris Park-in one street there are two medical centres We get a park and spot a restaurant called Honest "We have to eat here!" we say to each other We had originally planned to go to one restaurant but seeing how many interesting places there were we decide to have a movable feast and try canapes mains and desserts at different restaurants it looks like a regular restaurant but outside is where the action is Like most of the restaurants in Harris Park they're housed in converted houses and this house's garden is where they're selling pani poori You take a bowl and they place a thin semi translucent shell made of flour There are two buckets: a spicy salty liquid and a sweet one They stuff some spiced potato in there and pour the liquid over You have approximately 10 seconds to scoff the whole thing before the shell disintegrates sweet ones and then ones with both sweet and salty water They're all delicious and it's hard to choose a favourite The salty one has a nice chilli punch to it but the sweet one also appeals When we have eaten our fill we ask for the bill It's like the pani poori but without the liquid You've got to love a grocery store that also does facials as well as mani pedis and we browse the aisles of a grocery store buying chips drinks and biscuits and marvelling at the range of copper bowls Then we stop at another grocery store where we order a freshly pressed sugar cane juice with ginger and mint to share "I gave you two instead," says the friendly store owner handing us our juices We have really been made to feel so welcome here Eggzone isn't very busy this evening but we're intrigued by an egg based menu "Is it ok if we share something?" we ask as this is counting as our entree after our panipuri canapes "What is your most popular dish?" we ask and they point us to the Chilli Boiled Eggs which we order along with a cheese and garlic naan garlic and chilli with sliced boiled eggs and masala spices this is so much more than a sum of its parts It's fantastic and I want to remake this at home and serve it for breakfast on a slice of sourdough toast it's that good "I don't want to stop eating this," I moan but I know that we have our mains next We take it away not wanting it to go to waste We pass a butcher shop-shops here are open til late catering for people that work Our next stop is ChatKazz just opposite the station They also have a sweet shop at the corner which we pop our head into that closes at 10pm so we make note of all of the colourful sweets and make plans to come back here after dinner for dessert Chatkazz means spicy and delicious and this 100% vegetarian and hipstery designed restaurant is very busy with a pretty much entirely Indian customer base Service is friendly and we are given a menu and a piece of paper to write down our choices The menu however is huge and full of things that we are unfamiliar with so we ask for some assistance which they are happy to give us The first is a vada pav cheese butter masala a potato cake in a bun and two dipping sauces The sauces are sweet and herby and the potato cake is soft as is the bun and the whole thing is topped with grated cheese and makes for a filling snack But the other two items are the real prizes. The chana masala or chickpea curry comes in a rich, creamy and spicy gravy with two enormous puffy bhatoora bread. We pull off pieces of the piping hot bhatoora, our fingers dancing with the heat and scoop up some of the creamy gravy and chickpeas Then there's the Jini Dosa which is a dosa (thin crispy crepe) filled with shredded beetroot, cabbage, cheese and onions served standing up. This is fantastic and I can really see why Indian food is known for its vegetarian offerings as I'd be totally happy with these and not even miss the meat. There are sauces and a soup on the side making this a complete meal "Will you fill out this feedback form?" our waitress asks and we fill it out in great detail before leaving We can't finish our meals but I know that Mr NQN will love them the next day when I am away It's 10:02pm," says Laura and sure enough the sweets shop is shut It looks as though we may miss out on dessert "Don't worry there's that other sweet shop," I remember but alas that too is shuttered up "Let's do a drive around in the car and see what's open," suggests Laura which is a good idea so we bundle our purchases and takeaway into the car and drive around "Let's try the coconut cookies we bought," says Laura and we break the pneumatic packaging on them to reveal...stale cookies "We can't end our night on this!" says Laura determinedly and turns the car sharply around "We're going back to Chatkazz!" she says driving into their tight carpark and then finding a park Our waitresses look at us puzzled and we smile brightly Can we get some dessert takeaway?" we ask noting that the chairs are going up The jelabi which I love so much are no longer available but we try a Golas and gulab jamun The golas ice tower is very interesting-it comes in three flavour Kalakhatta (Cola) Orange and Kachi Keri which is like a menthol flavour sticky glistening layer of syrup coating it and underneath is a shaved ice and syrup layer-it's deeply refreshing in this heat And the hot gulab jamun are divine-super soft and not as overly sweet as some I find them hard to resist They show us the cakes that they are unboxing. It's the restaurant's fourth birthday and they have a chocolate cake and a vanilla and mango sheet cake "Will you take a photo?" they ask and I happily oblige and promise to send the photos to them "And in a few minutes you'll have a piece of cake!" they say please you're staying for cake," which is pretty much the most magical words you can hear ever We stand back and take photos and snack on our ice tower "Are you friends with the owners?" one man says He lives in Randwick and travels here 3-4 times a week and has done so for 4 years but our first visit was earlier tonight!" I add do you enjoy food adventures or do you prefer to stay at one restaurant Dear Readers, come on an actual tour with me to Peru but a proper one where I actually know what I'm doing! I think we'll have just as much fun but my Peru tour is much more organised! Take a peek at our itinerary here Chuski Parlour is an Indian sweets shop that specialises in paan and chuskis Indian Ices or chuskis are a popular shaved iced treat They come in flavours like kacha aan (green mango) don't look up what Chuski means," says Saagar A little earlier we had dined at an Indian restaurant (Itihaas in neighbouring Parramatta) and when it came to dessert Saagar leaned in and said "Are you interested in trying another Indian place for dessert?" My life motto is to try everything food-wise and we hopped into our cars for the short drive to Harris Park Chuski (pronounces Chooski) is a colloquial and somewhat derogatory word for sucking something or licking it and it's usually used in "casual" conversation so you're unlikely to use it with your parents in the room if you know what I mean ;) Chuski Parlour is located on busy Marion Street in Harris Park aka Little India health shots of jamun or black plum juice and kulfi ice creams Paan is a betel leaf post dinner snack that comes with a variety of fillings a sweet pan is probably the best way to start on it as the betel nut is bitter addictive and strong in flavour especially with slaked lime (chuna) paste Paan is most commonly eaten after dinner and can be a bit of an acquired taste With the chuskis or ices you can get a couple of flavours in each one and Saagar explains what each one is Some of them have names in English while for others we need a bit of explaining eg Falsa (blackcurrant) "Nimbu masala is lime and masala - although we call both lime and lemon nimbu one is cheaper than the other and so used more often and that would be lime Lemon is relatively more expensive in India and is mostly a more upmarket thing poorer families and poorer juice stalls use lime and the upmarket ones use lemon." We choose a variety of them with combinations of raw or green mango and lime; mango and blackberry; kala katta (which means black sour that tastes like Cola) while Ahana orders a Paan kulfi On top of the ices they sprinkle some chaat masala which is a fragrant spicy and sour topping designed to enhance the sweetness of food and is a common topping on fruit Chaat masala's main flavour is from amchoor (dried mango powder) along with spices like cumin ginger and pepper as well as a sulfuric asafoetida or hing On this warm day we sit and scoop our ices and cool down when someone tells you not to look something up The City of Parramatta Council is currently consulting with the community on a proposal about rebranding Harris Park as ‘Little India’ Many already consider the multicultural hub the go-to suburb for all things Indian This is where the city’s Indian community heads for its authentic Indian groceries Marion and Station Streets in Harris Park host dozens of Indian eateries and shops that resemble those back in India and cater to the needs of the community here The Little India Australia community on Facebook has proposed an action plan that will promote ‘Little India’ as a tourist attraction celebrating vibrant Indian culture and festivals while also developing the existing business network The move follows the promotion of other districts in the city as cultural precincts of Chinese Such demarcation has advantages for visitors promising attractive and unique experiences while also balancing the needs of the local community at the same time Melbourne has such a district in Dandenong it is promoted as the city’s “longest-standing and most authentic cluster of Indian and subcontinental culture and commerce.” Wyndham and Tarneit are other districts in Melbourne for which Little India precincts have been considered Hong Kong are some of the world cities that have well-established ‘Little India’ districts the mainstream media has already taken to calling Harris Park’s commercial centre ‘Little India’ The City of Parramatta’s ‘Little India’ project page and survey are now live and ready for the broader community to view and provide feedback The official engagement period closes on Monday 22 March at 4 pm Many have already provided their support and opinions on the matter Visit https://participate.cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au/little-india and complete the short survey Indian Link News website: Save our website as a bookmark Indian Link E-Newsletter: Subscribe to our weekly e-newsletter Indian Link Newspaper: Click here to read our e-paper Indian Link app: Download our app from Apple’s App Store or Google Play and subscribe to the alerts Facebook: facebook.com/IndianLinkAustralia Twitter: @indian_link Instagram: @indianlink LinkedIn: linkedin.com/IndianLinkMediaGroup A Sydney suburb is set to be renamed in recognition of the South Asian migrants who have made it their own A portion of a Sydney suburb is to be officially renamed Little India to reflect the enormous cultural and demographic features of the area and in the hope it will attract more visitors to the area Harris Park, adjoining Parramatta in Sydney’s west of which almost half of the suburb’s population is Indian-born A further 6 per cent of residents are of Nepalese descent It is a suburb where an enormous 71 per cent of households are renters and more than half of residents are aged between 20 and 40 Although no official announcement has been made SBS reported that at least three streets in Harris Park will be officially renamed as Little India Parramatta City councillor Paul Noack told media he expects it to be ratified by the end of this year The move towards the name change had gathered steam in recent weeks as the imminent arrival of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Australia finally eventuated Speculation has been mounting that Mr Modi would visit Harris Park where around 90 per cent of local businesses are Indian-owned The Federal Government last year granted $3.5 million for the development of Little India Little India Harris Park Business Association said it took many years to realise the dream of Little India they won’t just want to see the Opera House and Harbour Bridge they will want to make sure they come to Little India and spend a day,” he said “The Australian government has assured us of their commitment towards making migration for Indians smoother and ensuring a good life in Australian as they realise the great potential of young Indians settling in Australia,” Mr Deshwal said “Australia extends a great opportunity and scope to flourish for Indian students and skilled personnel.” In a further show of the Indian influence in the area Councillor Sameer Pandey was on Monday night (22 May) elected as the new Lord Mayor making history as the first person of Indian origin to hold this position Sydney’s CBD is already home to Chinatown but this is not an officially gazetted designation Australian Property Investor Magazine is one of 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