In partnership with the NSW Government Department of Planning and Environment we are creating two new off leash dog parks at Heber Park Hebersham and Paterson Reserve Quakers Hill Dog parks can provide many benefits for dogs including rules and information about the use of the park Our 'Have Your Say' platform was open for community comments about the proposed new off leash dog parks from 30 August to 28 September 2018 Based on this feedback we will now proceed to plan for the construction of the proposed off leash dog parks Construction is anticipated to occur in April 2019 We acknowledge the Dharug people as the original custodians of the land on which Blacktown City is built We pay our respects to Elders past and present and acknowledge the Aboriginal people for their custodianship of this land We will work together for a united City that respects this land and values the contribution to our community and culture of all people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage.  Hebersham Public School recently welcomed renowned Australian cook Stephanie Alexander and celebrity chef Kylie Kwong to mark the launch of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation’s Blacktown project supported by Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD) Hebersham Public School established their Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program in 2011 which has grown from strength to strength under the leadership of Principal The Program provides students with pleasurable food education through cross-curricular activities in the garden and kitchen.   Stephanie and Kylie were given a warm welcome by enthusiastic Year 3 and 4 students who proudly showcased their thriving garden including beautiful fresh produce and chickens they prepared a delicious meal made with produce from the garden The shared lunch was enjoyed by students and other guests including Tom Moth (Director of Educational Leadership for the Department of Education Mt Druitt Principals Network) Claire Simmonds (Coordinator Community Development Cathy Wilkinson (Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation CEO) and Michelle Nolan (Director Health Promotion at Western Sydney Local Health District).  WSLHD’s Health Promotion team is actively supporting the Blacktown project which aligns with their efforts to encourage schools to create healthy food environments through the NSW Health Live Life Well @ School program Michelle Nolan expressed her enthusiasm for the project: “Thanks to the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation more Western Sydney schools will be able to provide their students with the opportunity to experience delicious fresh food and build important life skills.”  “Students participating in the Kitchen Garden Program are eager to try new fruits and vegetables with young adults who participated in the Program in primary school continuing to demonstrate an improvement in cooking skills and behaviours and overall health,” added Rose Tilbury Western Sydney Local Health District is committed to delivering world class healthcare to support the health and wellbeing of our community We aim to work together to make our community the healthiest in NSW Photos must be high resolution and include correctly spelled captions with names from left to right Read the Disclaimers, Privacy and Copyright notice The charges related to an incident at Heber Park in Hebersham. (ABC News: Simon Amery) Officers were called to Heber Park in Hebersham about 5:45pm on Monday following reports a man was threatening people with a knife in the area. The man, 24, allegedly pulled out a "box cutter-type knife" and "slashed" one man in his 20s across the neck, Detective Chief Inspector Paul Tickner said. He said the man then allegedly chased several people at the park with the knife. Children were playing in the park at the time. Chief Inspector Tickner said bystanders then detained the alleged offender and he was arrested by police officers when they arrived. The victim sustained head and neck injuries and was taken to Nepean Hospital in a stable condition. Chief Inspector Tickner said the wound to the man's neck was "significant" and required stitches. He has since been discharged from hospital. The suspect was also taken to Nepean Hospital under police guard. He was then taken to Mount Druitt Police Station and charged with two counts of stalk or intimidate intend fear physical harm, common assault and wound person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.  Detective Chief Inspector Paul Tickner said the man was known to police and mental health was being looked at as a possible factor in the stabbing. He added that the man "doesn't come from Hebersham" but was "familiar with the Mount Druitt area" and was homeless. He was refused bail and is expected to appear at Mount Druitt Local Court on Tuesday. Detective Chief Inspector Tickner has finished speaking. We'll have more details in our story. Copy link30 Apr 2024, 3:19amTue 30 Apr 2024 at 3:19amAlleged offender 'well known' to policeThe alleged offender is "well known" to police and mental health has not been ruled out as a factor in the incident. Detective Chief Inspector Tickner said the man is not from the Hebersham area but is "familiar with the Mount Druitt area". Copy link30 Apr 2024, 3:15amTue 30 Apr 2024 at 3:15amAlleged victim released from hospital after 'significant wound'"The wound is significant on his neck, it's a number of centimetres long and was fairly deep," Detective Chief Inspector Tickner said. "He was released from hospital last night. He's fine. But it was across the neck, and it was fairly significant." 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 is probably not the page you’re looking for A man who bundled the body of his stepdaughter into a suitcase before setting her on fire and burying her charred corpse has been released on parole Daily Mail Australia can reveal Robert Smith, 43, walked out of Junee Correction Centre in the central west of NSW just after midnight on Friday morning after serving his minimum 12-year sentence for manslaughter and being an accessory to the murder of six-year-old Kiesha Abrahams in 2010 who was convicted of murder and jailed for at least 16 years Kiesha died in her bed at their home in Hebersham, western Sydney, after being knocked unconscious by her mother when she refused to put her pyjamas on. The couple did not seek medical help after Kiesha was beaten and instead put her in the shower and then to bed, where she died. Despite the brutal crime, Smith is now out of jail, much to the dismay of Alison Anderson, who has led the calls to keep Smith behind bars. In a statement to Daily Mail Australia on Thursday, Ms Anderson, once a devoted supporter of Kristi Abrahams turned one of the most vocal in the fight for justice, vowed to 'keep on fighting' for Kiesha. 'How can the parole people sleep at night knowing they have let him out?' she asked. 'I just keep on fighting until we get it (justice) for our gorgeous beautiful angel girl and all the other little angels that have been taken so soon.'  His release comes after the State Parole Authority (SPA) formed an 'intention to grant parole'.  At his parole hearing in March, the court heard the victim's family had not objected to Smith's release but asked for him to be prohibited from entering Blacktown or Penrith in western Sydney. The court heard Smith was a model inmate in prison who participated in multiple programs and employment, with Judge Bellew granting him parole. A document from the SPA stated that throughout his time behind bars Smith 'behaved in a generally positive manner, to the point where having entered custody with a maximum-security classification, he progressed to a minimum classification in April 2022'. The chairperson of the Serious Offenders Review Council, which provides advice on which offenders should be considered for parole, recommended Smith's release, a recommendation the SPA adopted. The council stated he had completed several appropriate therapeutic programs and had no serious mental health issues of concern. It also said he only had two institutional infringements in 12 years in custody and the most recent was almost five years ago. A parole determination stated Smith originally lacked insight into the impact of his crime but had 'responded positively to interventions' and had since expressed remorse and accepted the gravity of his offending. Judge Bellew said Smith had been assessed as being a medium risk of re-offending and therefore a plan was made to mitigate the risk of his transition into the community. A spokesperson for the SPA told Daily Mail Australia Smith's plan had been formulated to mitigate any possible risk to the community. 'Post release plans are formulated for each individual offender by Community Corrections which is also responsible for supervising and managing parolees in the community. Community Corrections is a division of Corrective Services NSW,' they said. Upon release Smith will receive ongoing supervision, have 'appropriate specialist medical referrals', engage in remedial programs and reside a 'considerable distance' from where the offending occurred and the location of the victim. 'All of these factors support a conclusion that the offender’s post-release plans are appropriate, particularly as they incorporate several interventions in which he is willing to engage,' Smith's parole determination states. 'The Authority is satisfied that it is in the interests of the safety of the community that the offender be released. 'The Authority considers that the risk to the safety of members of the community posed by the offender’s release can be properly addressed by the supervision plan which is proposed.' It also noted there was no indication he posed a threat to anyone's safety or acted in an antisocial way when carrying out work within a community setting during his time in custody. 'Given that the offender has now spent 12 years in custody, the Authority considers that his supervised release over the next four years is more conducive to maintaining community safety than release with a shorter period of parole, or release at the expiration of his sentence,' the SPA document states. Upon release Smith will adhere to stringent conditions. They include a Community Corrections officer having the legal right to visit Smith at any time and Smith being unable to leave NSW without permission from a Community Corrections manager or to leave Australia without permission. He also must not contact, communicate with, watch, stalk, harass or intimidate the victim’s family or visit the Blacktown or Penrith local government areas. Smith is expected to be placed on the NSW Child Protection Register. Kiesha's case became well-known after she was reported missing by Abrahams and Smith in August, 2010. Abrahams initially said she had put Kiesha to bed in their Hebersham home at about 9.30pm but had disappeared by the following morning. She then called police to tell them her daughter was missing, sparking an extensive search in Sydney's western suburbs that caught nationwide attention. Abrahams and Smith made emotional pleas at the time and gained an outpouring of support from Australians after appearing on TV several times. But it didn't take long for police to suspect them, and Abrahams eventually made a tearful confession to an undercover cop. Abrahams claimed she just gave her daughter 'a little nudge' and she fell over and hit her head on the floor, but forensic evidence disproved this and pointed to forceful blows to the head. Smith hid Kiesha's body in a suitcase inside a wardrobe for five days before taking it to bushland at Shalvey, not far from their home. He then doused her body in petrol and set it alight before burying the charred remains. Eight months after Kiesha was reported missing, police arrested Abrahams and Smith on April 11, 2011 when they went to where she was buried on what would have been Kiesha's seventh birthday. Abrahams was subsequently charged with murder. Though Kiesha's body was burned after her death, a post-mortem found 10 separate injuries to her head, jaw, and body, including teeth fractures. The little girl was relentlessly abused by her mother, who was unable to care for her due to abuse she suffered as a child. Abrahams also hated how Kiesha resembled her ex-partner Christopher Weippeart, the girl's biological father. When a case worker spoke to Kiesha in 2007, when she was three, she pointed to a burn mark and said 'mum did that' and 'mum hit there'. Major terror attack 'was just HOURS away' before it was foiled by the special forces and police:... Victim of acid attack 'plotted by his ex-partner who teamed up with a gang' dies in hospital six... 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Why man who helped cover up stepdaughter's murder was granted paroleCommenting on this article has endedNewest{{#isModerationStatus}}{{moderationStatus}} A grandmother has died in a tragic accident after she was allegedly knocked down in her driveway by her friend's car Lilia Dizon, 69, suffered fatal head injuries during the fall at her home in Hebersham, in Sydney's west just after 5am on Friday Police allege her lifelong friend and colleague had pulled into the driveway when she accidentally began to reverse with the passenger door open which knocked Ms Dizon over as she tried to get inside She hit her head on the ground and died at the scene The 61 year-old driver - Ms Dizon's friend and co-worker - has since been charged by police over the incident Ms Dizon's son John described in gut-wrenching detail the final seconds before his mother died He ran out of the family home when he heard shouting 'She was actually grasping my hand, communicating. [I said] ''mum are you feeling alright?'' The last time I saw her was when she looked in my eye, I was like "ma, you're gonna be fine",' he told Nine News. 'I think it's something people should do: tell your mum and dad that you love them, make sure that they know that you love them because you're not sure when life will just end.' Ms Dizon was married to her husband William for 42 years and is a Filipina immigrant from Zambales in the Luzon province.  Emergency services including police arrived at the home in Hazeldean Avenue at about 5.30am on Friday.  Ambulance workers treated Ms Dizon for head and facial injuries at the scene but she was unable to be saved. A police statement said the vehicle was travelling backwards at low speed when it hit the grandmother. Ms Dizon's friend was charged with negligent driving occasioning death, and by negligent act causing grievous bodily harm. She was granted bail to appear at Mt Druitt Local Court on November 23. She and Ms Dizon worked alongside each other at the Tridon Automotive factory in Silverwater.  The woman's death sent the tight-knit Filipino community in western Sydney into mourning.  Shocked family and friends paid tribute to Ms Dizon on social media on Friday evening. 'Condolence to my best friend,' one man wrote.  'We'll see each other again Auntie,' one woman wrote.  Old Bar and the Sydney suburb of Hebersham Photo: NSW Police Force.An investigation into an alleged drug supply syndicate in the Manning saw the arrests of six people at properties in Taree All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueIn July 2018 investigators attached to Manning Great Lakes Police District Special Operations Team began inquiries into the supply of methylamphetamine in the Taree area Manning Great Lakes Police District officers with assistance from Mid North Coast Police District executed search warrants at two homes in Taree and a property at Old Bar Police located and seized methylamphetamine were arrested and taken to Forster Police Station was charged with supplying a prohibited drug (commercial quantity) cultivating a prohibited plant and contributing to criminal activity with a criminal group was charged with three counts of supplying a prohibited drug (indictable quantity) and contributing to criminal activity with a criminal group Police located and seized methylamphetamine was charged with supplying a prohibited drug (commercial quantity), cultivating a prohibited plant three counts of possessing a prohibited drug and contributing to criminal activity with a criminal group was charged with two counts of supplying a prohibited drug (indictable quantity) was charged with four counts of supplying a prohibited drug (small quantity) two counts of supplying a prohibited drug (indictable quantity) supplying a prohibited drug on an ongoing basis, deal with property proceeds of crime and possession or use of a prohibited weapon without a permit.  They were all refused bail to appear at Forster Local Court on Thursday a search warrant was executed at a unit in the Sydney suburb of Hebersham at about 1.30pm on November 7 police located 11 cannabis plants and hydroponic equipment A 52-year-old man was arrested at the unit and was taken to Riverstone Police Station.  He was charged with supplying a prohibited drug (commercial quantity) possessing a prohibited drug and deal with proceeds of crime The man was refused bail and appeared in Mt Druitt Local Court on Wednesday He was refused bail again to reappear in court on Wednesday Manning Great Lakes Police District Commander Superintendent Shane Cribb said the arrests are the culmination of several months of dedicated investigative work by officers “The results of this operation are a testament to the work of officers and part of our continued effort to target the drug supply chain “We see the devastating impact drugs have in our community and we will continue to work closely with other police districts to dismantle drug syndicates “At this stage we’re confident we’ve got everyone we want. There’s still a number of investigations taking place in relation to this matter,” Supt Cribb said Supt Cribb said the supply of prohibited drugs is a community issue “It’s something that we do not tolerate and we will continue to conduct those investigations into those people in the community who think they can make a living out of supplying prohibited drugs,” Supt Cribb said. “It’s only a matter of time before we knock on your door.” Today's top stories curated by our news team Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs Your digital replica of Today's Paper Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over A woman who fought to keep a man locked up after he stuffed his stepdaughter's dead body in a suitcase and set it on fire has broken down outside court as he was granted parole Robert Smith was sentenced to a minimum 12 years jail for manslaughter and for being an accessory to the murder of six-year-old Kiesha Weippeart in 2010 who was convicted of murder and jailed for 22 years Smith appeared in Parramatta District Court on Tuesday where Judge Geoffrey Bellew revealed the NSW State Parole Authority decision to grant him parole. Alison Anderson, once a devoted supporter of Kristi Abrahams who became one of the most vocal campaigners in the fight for justice, wept outside court after learning of the decision. 'It seems like we've failed our little angel,' Ms Anderson said. 'They gave him parole and I don't understand why. 'He took her body into the bush and set her alight and they put him in the community.' Kiesha died in her bed at the family's home in Hebersham, in Sydney's west, after she was knocked unconscious by her mother when she refused to put her pyjamas on. The couple did not seek medical help and instead put Kiesha in the shower and then to bed, where she died. Despite the brutal nature of the crime, the parole board formed an 'intention to grant parole' with a plan to release Smith as early as April 21. Smith appeared via video link in his prison greens on Tuesday with his long greying hair slicked back into a low ponytail. He was devoid of expression as he learned his fate. The court heard the victim's family had not objected to Smith's release but asked for him to be prohibited from entering Blacktown or Penrith. The parole board stated Smith had shown remorse and said he was sorry for what he had done. It went on to say he had been a model inmate, participating in several programs was well as employment. Judge Bellew granted him parole, meaning Smith will serve the last four years of his sentence under strict supervision in the community. 'The authority determines that the offender should be released,' Judge Bellow said. 'The authority is satisfied that it is in the interest of the community that the offender be released.'  Smith will be released as soon as April 21, the day before what would have been Kiesha's 19th birthday. When the parole authority first stated its intention to grant Smith parole, protesters led by Ms Anderson took to the streets to demand he stay locked up. Congregating outside the home of Smith's mother in Bidwill, the vocal crowd insisted he should remain behind bars. Ms Anderson told Daily Mail Australia the sentences imposed on Smith and Abrahams were not harsh enough and said Smith should never be released no matter how much rehabilitation he had undertaken. 'It should be life for a life, I don't care how much so-called rehabilitation it takes, his papers should have been stamped never to be released,' she said. 'They should never be released, he has taken a life and he needs to rot in hell in there.' Many locals applauded Ms Anderson's protests for justice for Kiesha, calling her 'a champion' and 'the voice for Keisha'. On the street where Smith will live with his mother, local Tash Taylor told Daily Mail Australia that the community needs to stop taking their anger out on her. 'Our courts are far too lenient but it's not his mother's fault,' she said. 'It's horrible she's the centre of this for something she didn't do.' Smith and Abrahams were arrested in 2011, a short walk from where the little girl's body was found in dense bushland. On April 11 that year, which would have been Keisha's seventh birthday, they went to check out the Shalvey park where she was buried. But police were waiting for the pair to exit the park and place them under arrest. Locals told Daily Mail Australia they still recall the night of the arrest and can't believe it has been over a decade. One man, who has lived on the street for two decades, said the area had always been a hotspot for police, with late-night arrests a relatively frequent occurrence. The local, who wanted to remain anonymous, said he remember cops lining the street as they wait for Smith and Abrahams to exit the park. 'I remember waking up to it was just like, wow, what is happening,' he said. 'I can't believe it was that long ago but police being here isn't unusual, so it wasn't like we realised how big that arrest was at the time.' However, the man said he was glad Smith was set to be released as he 'deserves a second chance'. 'It's good that he's going to be getting out, he's done his time and deserves a second chance and all that,' he said. 'It is time for him and others to get on with their lives.' Just a few houses up the street, a woman said she believed Smith should have been given a sentence to reflect the years he 'stole from that little girl'. 'I am surprised he only received a 16-year sentence and is being released after only 12,' she said. 'That girl would be 18 years old now and I believe the punishment should reflect at least the years he took from her, so it should have been more like 80.' The parole authority is obliged to begin assessing if an inmate is suitable for release 60 days before the date they are eligible and must make a final parole decision no later than three weeks before the inmate's eligible release date. When the five members of the NSW State Parole Authority met to discuss Smith's potential release, they came to the consensus he should be released into the community. The matter will now go to a public review hearing on April 4 which will be held in open court. Victims and the state will be allowed to have their say before the ultimate decision to release Smith is made. 'A final parole decision will not be made until the Authority considers all the available information before it, including any submissions that may be made at the review hearing,' the SPA said. Kiesha was reported missing by Abrahams and Smith in August, 2010. Abrahams initially said she had put Kiesha to bed in their Hebersham home at about 9.30pm but she had disappeared by the following morning. That sparked an extensive search in Sydney's western suburbs that garnered nationwide attention. Abrahams and Smith made emotional pleas at the time, and gained an outpouring of support from Australians after appearing on television several times. But it didn't take long for police to suspect them, and Abrahams eventually made a tearful confession to an undercover cop. Abrahams claimed she just gave her daughter 'a little nudge' and she fell over and hit her head on the floor, but forensic evidence disproved this and pointed to forceful blows to the head.  The little girl was relentlessly abused by her mother, who was unable to care for her due to abuse she herself suffered as a child.  Abrahams also hated how Kiesha resembled her ex-partner Christopher Weippeart, the girl's biological father. Though Kiesha's body was burned after her death, a post-mortem found 10 separate injuries to her head, jaw, and body, including teeth fractures.  Hero activist sobs as 'animal' stepdad of Kiesha Weippeart is paroledCommenting on this article has endedNewest{{#isModerationStatus}}{{moderationStatus}}