Link copiedShareShare resultsBy chief election analyst Antony Green posted Fri at 2:00pmFriday 2 May 2025 at 2:00pmFri 2 May 2025 at 2:00pm Updated 2m ago2 minutes agoMon 5 May 2025 at 12:05pm updated 5h ago5 hours agoMon 5 May 2025 at 6:50am | Michelle Rowland (Labor) since 2010. Minister for Communications. Greenway covers 90 square kilometres in Sydney's west and north-western suburbs running north from the main western rail line in Blacktown between Old Windsor and Richmond Roads to Tallawong and then across Windsor Road to include Rouse Hill. The electorate takes in parts of Blacktown and Quakers Hill along with Lalor Park, Kings Park, Glenwood, Parklea, Stanhope Gardens, Kellyville Ridge, The Ponds and Rouse Hill. Greenway loses Labor voting suburbs south of the western rail line and Abbott Road to McMahon and Parramatta. For the first time in decades, the electorate now extends north of Windsor Road into Liberal voting territory around Rouse Hill. The areas removed voted 63.7% Labor in 2022, the areas added voting 62.4% Liberal. Together they result in the Labor margin being cut from 11.5% to an estimated 8.0%. See polling place result map below for detail of the boundary change. (Victories by a party of government are indicated by thick coloured underlining.) Was originally named as a One Nation candidate for this seat. Rex is a former NSW Police officer and former Australian Army Reserve soldier. He committed almost 20 years of national service to his country. In the past 10 years he has created a successful security and Investigations business, providing specialised and boutique services throughout Australia. Subramanian has called western Sydney home for more than a decade. He is a technical architect with two decades of IT experience and he states a deep commitment to grassroots organising and community volunteering. Originally from India, Virk settled in Australia 18 years ago and works as an occupational therapist and rehabilitation consultant. 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) We transformed a section of the Moonee Ponds Creek into a more natural and enjoyable community space Melbourne Water led the delivery of the project on behalf of the Chain of Ponds Collaboration Group and in partnership with Merri-bek City Council and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation Read how the project was developed  We transformed a 360-metre section of the concrete-lined Moonee Ponds Creek in Strathmore and Oak Park into a more natural The re-naturalisation works have resulted in: A Wurundjeri-led experiential trail - called the Wilami Wunmabil Trail in Woi-wurrung language - was also created along this section of creek The unique trail highlights the cultural and natural values of the waterway and celebrates Moonee Ponds Creek as a place owned lived in and celebrated by Wurundjeri people. Using a mix of signage the cultural elements invite the community and trail users to learn from Elders and knowledge holders about aspects of Wurundjeri culture and history and encourages people to become better connected and care for Country. The trail is proudly supported by the Victorian Government’s Port Phillip Bay Fund that supports self-determination for Traditional Owners We’re pleased to announce that the project area is now open and ready for you to enjoy cormorants and other wildlife enjoying the space and making their home here we upgraded the Moonee Ponds Creek Trail which was widened and replaced with concrete We created a gravel path next to the creek for people who like to wander at a slower pace and enjoy the sights and sounds of the flowing creek.  We’ll be back in the Autumn and Winter months of 2025 to do some more revegetation to fill in the gaps We invite you to explore the stepping stone crossing to hop over to the other side of the creek and perhaps spot some insects wider bridge to venture to the other side.  Take a walk across the boardwalk on the Oak Park side of the creek meet up with friends and family at the amphitheatre It's an exciting space and we can't wait for you to explore it!  We’ll be back in the Autumn and Winter months of 2025 to do more planting when weather and ground conditions are more favourable This will include a combination of native trees Plantings in the terracing space and boardwalk area will help to blend the rockwork and infrastructure in with the natural surroundings Keeping the area clean is important for protecting the delicate ecosystems and making it enjoyable for everyone Please be sure to keep to the designated paths and stepping stones These paths allow you to explore safely without disturbing the plants and animals.  Please remember to pick up after your dog and dispose of waste responsibly please keep your dog on a leash while enjoying the new space The Reimagining Moonee Ponds Creek Project Team would like to thank you for your patience understanding and cooperation through the impacts of construction as we ‘reimagined’ this space.  the Moonee Ponds Creek from Strathmore to Flemington Road was highly modified realigned and concreted by the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) to carry flood water away from properties in the most efficient manner possible – which was considered best practice at the time Waterway management and drainage approaches have evolved over time to better recognise the environmental and social value of natural waterways and for these values to be managed in harmony with the drainage services they also provide Current thinking now better recognises the value that restoring previously engineered stormwater channels to more natural systems (creek naturalisation) contributes to liveable communities and waterway health The Reimagining Moonee Ponds Creek project covers a 360-metre section of the most northerly concreted section of the creek in Oak Park and Strathmore Through community feedback that informed the Chain of Ponds Strategic Plan in 2018 this particular section of the creek was identified as a priority area as it was the last section of the creek to be concreted and represents the most upstream section of concrete channel The naturalisation of large concrete channels like Moonee Ponds Creek can unfortunately be very costly This is primarily due to the significant excavation required to remove the concrete and reshape the waterway to recreate a more natural form making strong delivery partnerships essential in the delivery of large naturalisation projects This project was also a pilot to demonstrate how Moonee Ponds Creek could be naturalised more cost-effectively in the future Due to low levels of PFAS in the soil beneath the concrete base of the creek channel (something we discovered during preliminary investigations for the project in 2021) a decision was made to leave the concrete base in place This decision was mainly based on the high additional costs associated with the transport and disposal of contaminated soil off site at a designated waste management facility and making the best use of the funds we had By installing rockwork on top of the concrete base a similar ‘naturalised’ look was still achieved The concrete was taken to a recycling facility where it was crushed and went through a process called ‘thermal desorption’ The resultant clean concrete was then able to be re-purposed and used for other projects that needed concrete it was revealed that soil in the project area contained fragments of non-friable asbestos Non-friable asbestos is lower risk compared to other types of asbestos as it is more difficult to become airborne In line with contamination handling guidelines a licenced contractor wearing recommended safety equipment will undertake the removal to ensure that the risk remains negligible Melbourne Water will take a conservative approach and engage a health and safety consultant to monitor air quality in the area to ensure that it remains at safe levels to the public The Collaboration has developed a prospectus identifying a number of priorities for advocacy and delivery. Working groups have been established around these priorities determining ways to deliver projects using a catchment-wide approach More information on key projects that are currently underway can be found here: https://chainofponds.org/ It was envisaged that if the Reimagining Moonee Ponds Creek project was successfully delivered and showed a good return on investment with strong community support that this would help to leverage funding for naturalising other sections of the creek in the future We’re excited to announce that there will be a second stage to transform a further section of the creek down to Lebanon Reserve This is thanks to a $11.4 million investment from the State Government into Melbourne Water’s Reimagining Your Creek Program and $5 million from the Federal Government’s Urban Rivers and Catchments Program Early planning and investigations work for this next stage is already underway with delivery expected to take place in 2027-28 Melbourne Water’s Reimagining Your Creek Program works collaboratively with councils Traditional Owners and local residents to transform stormwater drains and concrete channels into natural waterways and desirable open spaces The program has seen the transformation of sections of Taralla Creek in Croydon Arnolds Creek in Melton West, and Blind Creek in Boronia Comprehensive flood modelling is always undertaken to ensure that there will be no increased flooding risk to the local community or downstream users as a result of these projects If you have questions or feedback on the project please get in touch with the project team:  1800 952 911  [email protected] We use reCAPTCHA to protect our website from spam, for more information about the data we collect see our privacy website statement Melbourne Water respectfully acknowledges the Bunurong Wadawurrung and Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung peoples as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land and water on which we rely and operate We pay our deepest respects to their Elders past Are these Australia’s most stubborn neighbours A stubborn yet savvy Aussie family that repeatedly said no to selling their much-loved family home to developers for mega bucks is having the last laugh A year ago the Zammit family from Quakers Hill in Sydney’s north west caught world wide attention when they declined to sell their 20,000 sqm parcel of land to developers who had purchased all the land around them The family had received offers of up to $50m to sell their home to complete the new development named The Ponds You can always hold out for a better price Instead the development went ahead all around them while their property remained intact However that hasn’t deterred some developers who continue to reach out to the family with offers reportedly to now be close to $60m meaning the family have possibly earned another $10m or 20 per cent over the past year According to PropTrack, home prices in Quakers Hill have risen 8,5 per cent over the past 12 months which would have earned the Zammits at least another $4.25m The family had actually considered selling as far back as 2015 when they would have received a fraction of that potential $60m the median home price in Quakers Hill hovered at around $700,000 A rise of more than two-thirds or 67 per cent MORE: Insane amount of cash Kyle Sandilands dropped in LA It’s good to have a bit of space between you and neighbours And that is without their seemingly already faultless whip hand Last year, one of the property’s owners, Diane Zammit, 50, told news.com.au said the neighbourhood used to be “farmland dotted with little red brick homes and cottages” where space was aplenty “Every home was unique and there was so much space – but not any more The property boasts a lush green lawn in stark contrast to all the sites around it and also a huge 200 metre driveway But just metres away are rows and rows of carbon copy grey houses crammed into tight blocks as part of a major development MORE: Secret war to transform Sydney’s favourite pubs I’m off to the neighbours to get some sugar The high-density neighbouring homes are built right up to the fence of the property and neighbours reportedly don’t want the owners to sell as they like living in a cul-de-sac It’s estimated 50 houses could fit on the block of land if they followed the same style as other developer homes in the area A local real estate agent previously praised the Zammit family for staying put despite the big payouts they have likely been offered “The fact that most people sold out years and years ago All credit to them,” Ray White Quakers Hill agent Taylor Bredin told 7News MORE: Abandoned TikTok mansion in $8m deal “Depending on how far you push the development plan you’d be able to push anywhere from 40 to 50 properties on something like this a 300 square metre block would get a million dollars.” 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. and industry partners are creating a series of new ponds so the two parts of the Kooragang bell frog population can meet up on the island within the Hunter Wetlands National Park “The green and golden bell frogs of Ash Island need our help to find each other and to start rebuilding their numbers in the north,” said Erica Goldsmith “The construction of new ‘pathways’ – or frog ponds – across the island is vital to enable this endangered species of frog to meet up and it wouldn’t be happening without our funders the ponds will provide refuges in dry periods and breeding habitat to help rebuild frog numbers The ponds came about after the University of Newcastle (UoN) worked with the NSW Government’s Saving our Species Program and industry partners to monitor green and golden bell frogs across the NPWS and industry-managed wetlands UoN realised there was very little movement between the smaller northern bell frog subpopulation and the larger southern subpopulation so recommended placing a series of artificial ‘cluster ponds’ across the island to help the frogs mingle 1.5 metre deep circular tank-pond to permanently provide fresh water as a refuge during dry periods or when wetlands become hypersaline; and a shallow three-chamber trough to provide preferred breeding habitat Frogs can enter the lower ponds for a quick dip-and-meet or hop up rock-basket ramps to jump into the large tank for a deep dive with fellow amphibians The wired-together rock ramps also provide hidey holes in cracks and crevices in which the frogs can heat-up from the sun-warmed rocks Heat can help frogs shed the deadly chytrid fungus which emerged worldwide 25 years ago – and is one of their biggest threats – with the rocks acting similarly to the famous ‘frog saunas’ that went viral this year The ponds are also raised above ground-level introduced tadpole and egg-eating fish called Gambusia from washing into them after heavy rain Following the success of the first prototype pond that was set up in mid-2023 a further seven cluster ponds were installed in June this year and are now being planted out There is potential to build up to 20 more ponds over the next four years Each of the eight cluster ponds is like a mini retreat The design builds on trial ponds first constructed by Port Waratah Coal Services and supplements the artificial pond features incorporated by Hunter and Central Coast Development Corporation as part of remediating and managing the former Kooragang Island Waste Emplacement Facility Monitoring by UoN and the Saving our Species program in 2023-24 found low numbers of green and golden bell frogs on Ash Island including in the Hunter Wetlands National Park probably due to lower than predicted rainfall during the breeding season The information helped the team understand that artificial sources of freshwater regularly spaced across the island could likely help frogs survive dry years plus allow them to move more easily across the island the UoN and community volunteers to continue building artificial habitat ponds at strategic locations across Ash Island and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time Shade is in short supply and the playground is under threat of disappearing as more demountables are trucked in to cope with the surging number of students when air-conditioning and the internet are used at the same time Built a decade ago to cater for the growing number of children in Sydney’s north-west, the school and its neighbour, Riverbank Public, are two of the city’s super-sized public schools housing more than 2000 students each Lunchtime at The Ponds High School.Credit: Dion Georgopoulos the two schools have been a political flashpoint over the failure of the previous state government to provide adequate infrastructure in growing parts of the city Despite the failure to cater for the growing number of students in that respect both schools have proven popular with students and parents and have a reputation for academic excellence permanent facilities can accommodate 800 of the school’s 2113 students permanent facilities can fit 1060 of the school’s 2209 students Now the government has announced the two schools will have their demountables taken away to free up playground space A master-plan for both schools will convert an adjoining 3000 square metres of land owned by Blacktown Council into a playground The alley of demountables at The Ponds High School which has over 2000 students.Credit: Dion Georgopoulos “We are committed to breaking the backlog of critical school infrastructure in western Sydney after more than a decade of neglect by the Liberals and Nationals,” Education Minister Prue Car said The cost of upgrading both schools is $104 million and the high school section is due to be completed by 2026 The primary school will have its demountables removed and new buildings completed by 2027 The school has a staggered lunchtime to allow enough space to play That’s what parents value in this area,” principal Jeanie Brown said Lunchtime at Riverbank Public School is staggered.Credit: Dion Georgopoulos The Ponds High School principal Jenny Weal said the large school size means they can offer a large variety of electives including robotics “We have a great elective program – [parents] believe they’ll get academic success from their children being here,” she said Walking around the school when the Herald visited on Tuesday Weal said she did not hate the demountables as they were new had air-conditioning and were comfortable for students Riverbank Public has high expectations and strong teaching which is highly valued by parents.Credit: Dion Georgopoulos As part of the infrastructure improvements there will be an upgrade to the electricity substation at the school long-time president of the school’s parents and citizens group who retired from the post last year did not share Weal’s charitable view of the school’s alley of demountables “Kids don’t like demountables – it is like they’ve been separated from the school community It gives the feeling of an overcrowded campus “It is almost a contradiction: despite the fact they’re overcrowded they’re excellent schools and they’re very well run.” 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. Shade is in short supply and the playground is under threat of disappearing as more demountables are trucked in to cope with the surging number of students. In summer, when air-conditioning and the internet are used at the same time, the power overloads, cutting it off entirely. Welcome to The Ponds High School. Built a decade ago to cater for the growing number of children in Sydney\\u2019s north-west, the school and its neighbour, housing more than 2000 students each, with 106 demountables between them. For years, the two schools have been a political flashpoint over the failure of the previous state government to provide adequate infrastructure in growing parts of the city. Despite the failure to cater for the growing number of students in that respect, both schools have proven popular with students and parents and have a reputation for academic excellence. At Riverbank Public School, permanent facilities can accommodate 800 of the school\\u2019s 2113 students. At The Ponds High School, permanent facilities can fit 1060 of the school\\u2019s 2209 students. Now the government has announced the two schools will have their demountables taken away to free up playground space. A master-plan for both schools will convert an adjoining 3000 square metres of land owned by Blacktown Council into a playground. \\u201CWe are committed to breaking the backlog of critical school infrastructure in western Sydney after more than a decade of neglect by the Liberals and Nationals,\\u201D Education Minister Prue Car said. The cost of upgrading both schools is $104 million, and the high school section is due to be completed by 2026. The primary school will have its demountables removed and new buildings completed by 2027. Meanwhile, demountables at Riverbank Public, located in what once was a car park, have taken on an air of permanence, surrounded by large potted plants. The school has a staggered lunchtime to allow enough space to play. \\u201CWe have high academic standards. We have high expectations, strong teaching. That\\u2019s what parents value in this area,\\u201D principal Jeanie Brown said. The Ponds High School principal Jenny Weal said the large school size means they can offer a large variety of electives including robotics, app design, sports physiology and history\\u2019s mysteries. \\u201CWe have a great elective program \\u2013 [parents] believe they\\u2019ll get academic success from their children being here,\\u201D she said. Walking around the school when the Herald visited on Tuesday, Weal said she did not hate the demountables as they were new, had air-conditioning and were comfortable for students. But they had their drawbacks. \\u201COur biggest thing is the load. Sometimes, they all lose power, they all lose the internet, because there\\u2019s too much load,\\u201D she said. As part of the infrastructure improvements, there will be an upgrade to the electricity substation at the school. Roland Du Pree, long-time president of the school\\u2019s parents and citizens group who retired from the post last year, did not share Weal\\u2019s charitable view of the school\\u2019s alley of demountables. \\u201CKids don\\u2019t like demountables \\u2013 it is like they\\u2019ve been separated from the school community. The demountables take away playground. It gives the feeling of an overcrowded campus. \\u201CIt is almost a contradiction: despite the fact they\\u2019re overcrowded, they\\u2019re excellent schools and they\\u2019re very well run.\\u201D Start the day with a summary of the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. . Hampstead Heath Ladies' Pond is maintaining its inclusive policy for transgender people despite a recent Supreme Court ruling that trans women are not legally female The women-only bathing spot has become a flashpoint in the debate over trans rights since the City of London Corporation adopted a self-ID policy in 2019 The London authority confirmed its current policy would "remain in effect at this time" while it considers the implications of the court judgment which oversees the neighbouring Hampstead Heath men's and mixed ponds is maintaining its self-ID policy despite the court ruling The decision has drawn sharp criticism from feminist campaigners A spokesman for the City of London Corporation told The Telegraph: "These accusations are completely false The City Corporation is compliant with existing UK law." The authority said it is "carefully considering the judgment" while awaiting statutory guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission Prominent barrister Sarah Vine KC warned that continuing to label the ponds as "men's" and "ladies'" could expose the corporation to legal challenge She said that if the City of London Corporation wishes to maintain its gender self-ID stance it "should not describe the ponds as anything other than mixed sex" She added that women's "overall need for safety and privacy is generally higher than that of men" said she was "not surprised" by the local authority's response Allan was the first woman banned from the Kenwood Ladies' Pond Association after objecting to biological men being granted access She explained that women "need women's spaces for our safety she participated in a "Let Women Swim" protest against the gender self-ID policy The pond is the UK's sole women-only natural bathing pool She urged immediate action following the Supreme Court decision which she said "makes the inclusion of men in designated women's spaces untenable" "Each day the City of London and other local authorities delay aligning their policies on women's spaces with the law is one more day at serious risk of legal action," she told The Telegraph The City of London Corporation spokesman emphasised they "remain committed to providing a safe environment for all" He added that "a carefully considered decision.. will be taken in due course" after reviewing the judgment The pond is the UK's sole women-only natural bathing pool The groundwater system in western Victoria and south-east South Australia has begun to show signs of collapse threatening the water security of SA’s second biggest city Some of the best-quality groundwater in Australia underlies the upper and lower south-east of South Australia and parts of south-western Victoria But almost 200 years of drawdown for agriculture farming and domestic use has changed the surface drainage Underground water in some areas has collapsed and water quality is deteriorating putting at risk not only a fragile natural ecosystem but a $5bn regional economy Some of the biggest declines are close to commercial forestry plantations, particularly blue gum plantations, where monitoring by the SA Department of Environment and Water shows water table declines of several metres Sign up to receive Guardian Australia’s fortnightly Rural Network email newsletter The latest alarm sounded in 2023 when a big algal bloom polluted Piccaninnie Ponds in South Australia probably caused by low water levels and high nutrient loads known for its crystal-clear waters and aquatic plants is a Ramsar-declared wetland of international significance a conservation park and a rare Australian example of a karst rising-spring wetland Discharge of water from the rising-spring system used for stock watering or remain as a surface wetland In 2022 the discharge was the lowest on record The SA lieutenant governor and cave diver Dr Richard Harris described what he saw after a dive at Piccaninnie as “dreadful” and said he feared for the future of the ponds Ewens Ponds, another renowned dive spot nearby, closed this year because of a reported 50cm plunge in water levels. Both Piccaninne and Ewens ponds remain closed. Signs of aquifer stress have been reported for decades but the unusually dry year has reinforced the urgency. Fourteen years ago a lower limestone coast taskforce reported drops in the water table over the “past five to 10 years” and warned the region could be “reaching the limits of sustainable water use”. blue gum plantations have been blamed for a 6-metre decline in underground water levels Big falls present another threat: increased salinity and the Coonawarra wine region rely on underground water as do countless other small towns and farms said few aspects of the ponds hydrology were monitored “As site managers the NPWS has limited ability to manage the issues around water quality and quantity at Piccaninnie Ponds that are likely caused by landscape-scale pressures,” she said after the ponds’ closure Ewens Ponds a series of spring-fed limestone sinkholes in South Australia was closed in June 2024 due to a reported 50cm drop in water levels improved pasture operations and forestry surround the ponds Harding said all these industries occurred at a higher elevation to the ponds with groundwater flow in the direction of the ponds “I am not aware of any systematic monitoring of agricultural pollutants The SA Department of Environment and Water said it believed reduced inflows and high nutrient levels had “partially” caused the bloom and it would “undertake further investigation”. SA’s Environment Protection Agency, responsible for nutrient testing, did not respond to questions. Over the next three years, Landscape South Australia (Limestone Coast) is revising its 2013 water allocation plan. 2:01Officials challenged to drink town water where millions of fish died in Australian river – videoIts planning and development manager, Liz Perkins, said while the impact of continued water taking was accepted, declines in groundwater “are not an acceptable impact”. Acceptable effects were yet to be refined, she said. Perkins said the effects of long-term use of groundwater could be “irreversible”. “In places where groundwater levels have declined and recharge reduced, recovery may not be possible,” she said. Wetlands once covered 44% of the south-east. Drainage of agricultural properties – there are about 2,500km of drains in the region – and land clearing reduced wetlands to just 6% of the surface. In the process, a clay lining – the natural seal that retained water recharge and maintained levels – was broken. Read moreThe Green Triangle, the highly productive area that covers south-west Victoria and south-east South Australia contains 17% of Australia’s forestry plantations covering about 328,000 hectares as of 2020 faces changes in how SA regulates water allocations using a framework that guides adjustments to achieve the necessary outcomes At public information sessions for the water allocation plan review questions were asked about how forestry and other industries with permanent plantings would handle lower water allocations if that is what the framework recommends South Australian Forest Products Association wants water drained to the sea returned to the land said their plantation estates “have shrunk over the past decade with around 30,000 hectares lost due to environmental and water policy that has stopped the replanting of trees in core forestry areas” It wants to ensure every tree harvested is replanted so plantations can increase Frances Thompson lives atop the aquifer in south-west Victoria Sign up for the Rural Network email newsletter The dates displayed for an article provide information on when various publication milestones were reached at the journal that has published the article activities on preceding journals at which the article was previously under consideration are not shown (for instance submission All content on this site: Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. Aerial time lapses show the dramatic shift in the land surrounding the Zammit properties An Australian family who refused to sell their land to developers only to watch their property become boxed in by Sydney’s ongoing urban sprawl is at the centre of another social media furore when they would have received a fraction of that potential $60 million developers snapped up every other piece of land around them to construct the new The Ponds suburb Social media posts from late last year continue to be flooded with comments from people around the world supporting the stubborn family’s refusal to give in to developers and big corporations MORE: ‘Guy is paranoid’: Aussie stars in neighbour wars The Zammit family remain unmoved in their quest to refuse developers offers for their land MORE: Inside celebrity multimillion-dollar break-ups Two posts in November have attracted a combined 1500 comments Some people have started questioning whether the family will eventually be forced to backflip on their decision to stay put Commenters on Facebook believe authorities will slowly put the squeeze on the Zammit family by raising the cost of rates to a point the family will no longer be able to afford their home “If they don’t sell out in time the adjusted council rates will get them out in the end,” Ken Lewis commented then apply higher rates accordingly until they squeeze them out financially,” Warren Muir said “Many people I know had their hand forced to sell their dream home in the end due to increases in council rates,” Carolyn Anne said MORE: Star wins neighbour dispute over sunroom in $7.7m home The Zammit family home looks tiny at the end of the 200m-long driveway hundreds of other people have continued to show support for the Zammit family and their stance why should developers get rich,” Leo Dobjansky said Don’t bow down to greedy big corp,” Jim Robinson said The social media support comes at the same time as another post on Facebook showcased a time lapse video of the property The video shows the Zammit property when all other surrounding properties were still farmland before slowly progressing to its current state at The Ponds The video post quotes local Ray White Quakers Hill real estate agent Taylor Bredin as joining the chorus of support for the Zammits The surging Sydney property market of the last decade means offers to the Zammit family have grown exponentially over time home prices in Quakers Hill rose about 8.5 per cent through 2024 which would have earned the Zammits at least another $4.25m on top of previous offers the neighbourhood used to be “farmland dotted with little red brick homes and cottages” where space was aplenty Reports indicate the Zammit family could have pocketed a staggering $60 million if they sold up The Zammit property boasts a lush green lawn in stark contrast to all the sites around it and also a huge 200m driveway To demonstrate, he’s actually renovating a pond at Rose Bay Public School, restoring the 20-year-old feature that has slowly been swamped by a forest of overgrowth. He’s already cleared the site and saved a few of the existing water plants.  The safe recommended depth for a pond like this is 30cm, and Costa has lined the hole with a rubber membrane. Four students have volunteered to help, first lining the base and edges with rocks.  While the pond fills, the students start planting out some shrubs, grasses and small trees to provide habitat next to the pond area. When that is done, they return to the full pond and choose some plants to go in the water.  A shallow area at one end will be the bog zone or wet soil zone. Costa has set this a bit apart from the rest of the pond in the hope that the reeds and rushes planted here won’t take over the rest of the pond, as happened before! He keeps the plants in their pots for now – they will spread out of the pots via their roots but be easier to keep contained this way. He also replants a clump of rushes salvaged from the old pond. In the deeper water section, they plant aquatics such as milfoil; you only need to secure a section of this with roots between some rocks and it will grow.  A Colocasia can also be left in its container and simply placed in a corner of the deep water.  As the students reflect on their day with Costa, he reveals that he actually went to this primary school himself, and is thrilled to be back making more memories – and ponds. * Check before planting: this may be an environmental weed in your area Filmed on Gadigal & Birrabirragal Country | Rose Bay, NSW Costa is making a simple pond in a small space.  and credible horticultural and gardening advice inspiring and entertaining all Australian gardeners around the nation The development has not turned out as expected An artist’s impression of a new development in Sydney’s outer suburbs looks like every home buyer’s dream Large sandstone blocks line a beautifully manicured garden as two women stroll down a path under the shade of leafy trees But a staggering side-by-side comparison of the proposed facade and the end result of the major housing project in Box Hill the only vegetation in sight is dead grass lining the footpath and the only barrier between neighbouring properties is a thin brick wall short enough to peep over An artist’s impression of Sydney-based developer The delivery of the project was a far cry from what was actually promised MORE: ‘Rezone’: Aus most stubborn neighbours cause stir The masterpiece is the latest project from Sydney construction behemoth You may be familiar with some of their other work in Marsden Park Schofields or any number of other Western Sydney suburbs which was rezoned for medium density housing subdivision by the local council in 2019 now houses 67 townhouses – mostly four bedrooms – on plots that range in size from 160 to 315 square metres The development is part of Bathla’s three-stage masterplan that was lodged and approved by the Hills Shire Council over the last few years Planning documents suggested the project would “fit into its build setting without dominating the streetscape and broader landscape” “A masterplan that draws the surrounding green environment through the perimeter of the site locals were quick to point out the stark difference between its vision and end product The development is part of a three stage plan lodged with the Hills Shire council in 2019 The third stage of the development is having finishing touches applied before residents move in Principal architect and founder of Hill Thalis Phillip Thallis took to X to express his disappointment in the stark difference between the vision and delivery “The gap between the promise of the planning application … & the dismal disappointment of delivery,” he said “Australia we have huge problems on the design environmental performance & cost of our housing The post was accompanied by a flurry of comments ranging from shock to concern about the lack of accountability for developers who stray from their original plans What is with all the dark colours that were not in the original picture,” one wrote “This is really jarring on the environment.” Another said: “Wow looks so much like a correctional facility.” But it wasn’t just social media users who abhor this new trend emerging across new developments in Western Sydney Residents were similarly displeased with their new outlook over a sea of tiny townhouses with more construction set to come in the coming years whose property will soon be surrounded by Bathla-built townhouses claimed there was little communication between neighbours and the council about the plans to develop the land around them “I was never contacted by the council about the development they’re planning up the road,” she told news.com.au “I feel like there are too many houses in front of us now The site of the Box Hill development stretches over 5 hectares The resident revealed she also had difficulty enrolling her young child into the local school She claimed her street had been excluded from the catchment area of the newly-built Box Hill school because of the new development “If they include our street they have to include all of the other houses in front of us,” she said “So now we have to drive a fair way to Rouse Hill to drop our child off instead of the school just up the road.” The finishing touches are being applied to stage three of the development with a tradesman on-site saying tenants could be moving in as soon as work is finished in just over two weeks For other residents renting in the area the new Bathla builds were less of a concern maintaining they knew what they were getting into when they moved into the area “We started renting here around a year and a half ago and saw it go up but you know the entire suburb is a construction zone so we’re not really that worried,” one local said The scramble to meet state-mandated housing targets has seen growth corridors in Sydney’s west jammed full of cookie-cutter builds The introduction of a ‘state-significant development’ pathway implemented by the NSW government last year has seen local councils overridden on major housing projects which experts say sacrifices quality for quantity an urban management and planning expert from Western Sydney University said misleading drawings of new developments were nothing new “It’s just become the standard for developers seeking approval you use commercially available programs to paint a nice neighbourhood with people walking their dogs and beautiful green spaces,” he told news.com.au “But you never see the bleak outlook of the residential street where there’s a gap of 60cm between rooflines and no shade cover from trees “There’s nobody walking their dogs or using the playgrounds when it’s 45 degrees outside.” This isn’t the first time a Bathla development has caused outrage over social media with this photo from The Ponds going viral early last year Professor Pfautsch emphasised the need for stricter regulations especially through the new growth corridor in Sydney’s west “In these areas where projects are considered to be ‘state-significant developments’ councils are being overridden by state regulations which are essentially the lowest agreed denominator when it comes to standards,” he said “Obviously there is a lot of political pressure on state governments to meet housing approval targets and they are trying to look at quality but they’re not delivering on it yet.” With modelling showing temperatures set to soar in western Sydney suburbs over the next 10 to 20 years Professor Pfautsch argues these projects are not the type of supply Sydney needs sleek black roofs and open plan living which is lovely until you have to cool an entire house down when it’s 40 degrees outside,” he said ordinary Aussies are going to be slugged with huge bills to cool down houses that are unsuitable for high temperatures these houses are largely out of reach for most punters with RP data showing the majority of these houses are selling for $1.1 to $1.2 million a piece “It will meet the government’s targets but it’s not affordable housing,” Professor Pfautsch said Bathla was contacted for comment but had not responded at the time of publication Watching Sunday’s rugby league decider had a symphonic effect on Don Bain of Port Macquarie: “Panthers’ supporters and the Port Macquarie Sharks called; they’re wondering when they can expect their song None of us expected this response to the superhero discourse (C8): “The proper use of punctuation has denied Column 8 the privilege of receiving a missive from Trevor Lord of the Ponds,” laments Allen Dodd of Kirribilli “I had to read the item twice,” adds Caron Pearce of Miranda “But Lord of the Ponds sounds like a great superhero to me.” “Is Trevor really the Lord of the Ponds?” asks Richard French of McCullys Gap “Is this a section of the King’s birthday honours list that I missed?” Maurice Collins of Wollongbar and Ted Dixon of North Wollongong reckon that the humble Bankcard (C8) really came into its own in the winter months: “The best scrapers for removing frost from windscreens,” informs Maurice Nothing particularly revolutionary has come of Antoinette Farrow’s search for a more efficient way of introducing the kids’ in-laws (C8) there were a couple of calls suggesting she call them “the outlaws” (thanks very much Daniel Low of Pymble and Jacky McCarroll of Shoalhaven Heads) Perhaps the most curious approach came from John Ayre of Croydon who thought AI would know who “My daughter’s mother-in-law” was: “Copilot says the answer is Co-MIL; even my youngest didn’t know that!” Other suggestions are “Mumil and Dadil” from Andrew Brown of Bowling Alley Point and “Oma and Opa” from Gwen Fergus of Barrack Heights Jim Pollitt of Wahroonga concurs with Seppo Ranki on the shortcomings of the Datsun 180B but was saved during the test drive when “the muffler fell off.” Kerry Kyriacou of Strathfield remembers his wife getting around in a Datsun 120Y in the ’80s and adds that it was known as the 120WHY?“There is absolutely no truth in the theory that rust and oil leaks were factory options.” “The hour I gained with daylight saving (C8) I lost in setting the correct time on my robotic vacuum cleaner,” writes Jack Dikian of Mosman “But I told it I’d be taking a broom to it if I don’t get that hour back next April.” Watching Sunday\\u2019s rugby league decider had a symphonic effect on Don Bain of Port Macquarie: \\u201CPanthers\\u2019 supporters the reign is born \\u2026\\u2019\\u201D Very nice and the Port Macquarie Sharks called; they\\u2019re wondering when they can expect their song None of us expected this response to the superhero discourse (C8): \\u201CThe proper use of punctuation has denied Column 8 the privilege of receiving a missive from Trevor Lord of the Ponds,\\u201D laments Allen Dodd of Kirribilli \\u201CI had to read the item twice,\\u201D adds Caron Pearce of Miranda \\u201CBut Lord of the Ponds sounds like a great superhero to me.\\u201D \\u201CIs Trevor really the Lord of the Ponds?\\u201D asks Richard French of McCullys Gap \\u201CIs this a section of the King\\u2019s birthday honours list that I missed?\\u201D Maurice Collins of Wollongbar and Ted Dixon of North Wollongong reckon that the humble Bankcard (C8) really came into its own in the winter months: \\u201CThe best scrapers for removing frost from windscreens,\\u201D informs Maurice Nothing particularly revolutionary has come of Antoinette Farrow\\u2019s search for a more efficient way of introducing the kids\\u2019 in-laws (C8) there were a couple of calls suggesting she call them \\u201Cthe outlaws\\u201D (thanks very much who thought AI would know who \\u201CMy daughter\\u2019s mother-in-law\\u201D was: \\u201CCopilot says the answer is Co-MIL; even my youngest didn\\u2019t know that!\\u201D Other suggestions are \\u201CMumil and Dadil\\u201D from Andrew Brown of Bowling Alley Point and \\u201COma and Opa\\u201D from Gwen Fergus of Barrack Heights our sons\\u2019 in-laws are German.\\u201D Jim Pollitt of Wahroonga concurs with Seppo Ranki on the shortcomings of the Datsun 180B but was saved during the test drive when \\u201Cthe muffler fell off.\\u201D Kerry Kyriacou of Strathfield remembers his wife getting around in a Datsun 120Y in the \\u201980s and adds that it was known as the 120WHY?\\u201CThere is absolutely no truth in the theory that rust and oil leaks were factory options.\\u201D \\u201CThe hour I gained with daylight saving (C8) I lost in setting the correct time on my robotic vacuum cleaner,\\u201D writes Jack Dikian of Mosman \\u201CBut I told it I\\u2019d be taking a broom to it if I don\\u2019t get that hour back next April.\\u201D But behind the highly publicised homeowner-developer stand-offs is an often brutal reality: the little guy usually loses Experts said homeowners who reject multiple offers from developers wanting to make their land part of their new estates rarely get a fairytale ending and many may see their land lose value over time Ray White St Marys principal Peter Diamantidis said homeowners in rezoned areas needed to bear in mind that the type of development permitted on their land could change MORE: ‘Get them out’: Stubborn Aussies spark debate This Glenfield block recently sold $3.56m: experts said prices for the last development blocks were often similar for the first to sell once inflation was factored in MORE: Surprise way rate cut could backfire “What you can build there today might not be permissible in one year or in five years We’ve seen homeowners lose money overnight,” he said Mr Diamantidis has sold large blocks in around the coming rail precinct that will connect Western Sydney to the new airport at Badgerys Creek and said owners could “wait too long” He pointed to a 2018 change to council rules in the Penrith local government area in Western Sydney which increased the minimum size and frontage needed for townhouse development approval “Suddenly 98 per cent of the land in the area didn’t comply anymore,” Mr Diamanditis said Blocks that were selling for $1.1m were soon selling for $850,000 Everyone who had wanted to sell got stuck.” MORE: ‘Strategic’ reason banks are giving people $4000 Homeowners who turn down developers risk being boxed in One of the homeowners who has been in the global spotlight due to their refusal to cave to developer offers is the Zammit family in northwest Sydney The family have spent years knocking back offers from developers to purchase their 20,000 sqm parcel of land with some offers coming in at a staggering $50 million-$60 million Developers snapped up every other piece of land around them to construct the new The Ponds suburb with the family watching the property become boxed in by the new housing around them Urban Development Institute of Australia’s NSW director Stuart Ayres said these types of occurrences were “extremely rare” and in the majority of cases it did not work out well for the homeowners There was a risk in turning developers away MORE: Aussie neighbour disagreements: How they were settled adding that those who held off selling with the aim of getting more money down the line rarely got “as big a windfall as people think” “You have to consider the time value of money is not that different in today’s spending power than it would have been decades ago but the owners have had to put up with being next to a construction site in all that time the more risk there is that the development value of the land can diminish.” surrounded by smaller blocks of newly built houses can often become a target for new council infrastructure This could put the homeowners in a position where councils would be permitted to force a sale of land that no longer has as much value to developers Ray White St Marys principal Peter Diamantidis said some homeowners have lost money “overnight” after turning down developers “Any normal planning entity would look at that large parcel of land and it becomes the most obvious site for the provision of future services,” Mr Ayres said Housing Industry Association NSW director Brad Armitage said developers could lose interest in constructing new homes in many areas if their costs went up “The land is just one of many costs,” he said “The most significant cost is developing the site for housing “If you hold on too long you come to a point where the price of land passes the tipping point where the project is viable.” Mr Armitage pointed to a Productivity Commission report on housing challenges which revealed a typical medium rise apartment in Sydney was no longer feasible to deliver “You could have a really expensive block of land that becomes useless,” he said It’s often the first homeowners to sell that get the rewards This Castle Hill group sale of homeowners sold in 2015 for $20.5m shortly after the announcement of a new metro station and rezoning in the area developers and investors are looking for a certain level of return In Sydney we are already seeing developers turning to southeast Queensland “Investors aren’t just going to sit there waiting for the chance to develop your block They will go to where development is more friendly.” Mr Armitage said apartment development in areas that had previously been dominated by houses on large blocks could often drastically change areas The homeowners who sold early often got better rewards than those who held off many years and watched apartments develop around them but there is no guarantee you will get massive money if you wait longer “The reality is that a developer needs a certain level of land to get a precinct going your block may become too small for further apartments When the new principal at Barrenjoey High School was appointed to his role in early April the school was struggling with an urgent need to fill more than a dozen vacant teaching positions Fast-forward eight months and the public comprehensive school has managed to plug most staff shortages while achieving a remarkable rise in HSC results skyrocketing up the league tables by more than 220 places Barrenjoey High achieved double the number of top band results this year compared with 2023.Credit: Janie Barrett The northern beaches school doubled the number of students who scored in the top two bands compared with last year returning a higher success rate than 47 other schools with students from the same or more advantaged backgrounds Principal Brett Blaker said in the tense lead-up to winter trial exams teachers would oversee regular study sessions in the library before and after school and during the holiday breaks we realised there were kids who were missing out on top-band results We had maths teachers working with head staff at the nearby public high schools on building explicit teaching practices,” Blaker said The school ramped up the number of practice tests and assessments and also ran weekend mock HSC exams for year 12 students “Exposing students to test conditions is important for prep and we had teachers who gave up their time before and after school overseeing library study sessions,” he said Barrenjoey High also ran an initiative designed to increase top-band results in mathematics called the “Band Up Society” an opt-in program focused on exam techniques that ran outside the regular timetable and in school holidays The Herald’s rankings are based on schools that have at least 150 entries in HSC courses and are based on their success rate of getting band 6s The NSW government only releases information on that top band Blaker said Barrenjoey students this year recorded 240 band 5 results “When I was appointed earlier this year we were having challenges filling vacancies and staff travel from all over Sydney up to 90 minutes a day,” he said The school filled roles through targeted graduate programs “We are starting to get stability back and have filled 14 vacancies,” said Blaker who started at Barrenjoey after four years as head at Canobolas Rural Technology High in Orange Summer Campbell was one of 18 students at the school who on Wednesday received an ATAR over 90 It felt like they were there to help us with questions 24/7,” she said Blaker said his aim at the school is to continue to “drive high expectations and promote academic rigour” while also setting clear rules around behaviour management “There is a lot of choice for education outside these school gates so we need to control what we can inside and maximise student outcomes and build teacher capacity.” Other schools that climbed up the rankings included Randwick Boys High, which next year will merge with Randwick Girls The Ponds High, the largest public high school in Sydney leapt more than 100 places and returned its best result on record It outperformed 17 schools with students of the same or more advantaged backgrounds Newtown High School of the Performing Arts was the second-ranked comprehensive public school which runs dozens of extracurricular activities in dance has doubled its success rate in advanced maths since 2022 Principal Susan Green said the school’s maths faculty has dedicated a significant amount of time to analysing student data to target areas for improvement “The school doesn’t have that really competitive sense among the students; it’s more supportive and there is an energy among the cohort,” said Green “Our students put so much effort into practicing and that can aid in other subjects as they must manage their time so carefully.” Students at Newtown High School of the Performing Arts on Wednesday after receiving their ATARs.Credit: Steven Siewert Newtown student Alex Wienholt credits maths teacher Vicki Stewart for his results in maths extension 2 “I kind of lost interest a bit in years 8 and 9 but towards the end of year 10 I started to re-engage more,” he said “My HSC teacher created these workbooks for every single maths topic and they were so helpful to cover all parts of the syllabus.” Get the day’s breaking news, entertainment ideas and a long read to enjoy. Sign up to receive our Evening Edition newsletter here. We had maths teachers working with head staff at the nearby public high schools on building explicit teaching practices,\\u201D Blaker said \\u201CExposing students to test conditions is important for prep and we had teachers who gave up their time before and after school overseeing library study sessions,\\u201D he said Barrenjoey High also ran an initiative designed to increase top-band results in mathematics called the \\u201CBand Up Society\\u201D The Herald\\u2019s rankings are based on schools that have at least 150 entries in HSC courses \\u201CWhen I was appointed earlier this year we were having challenges filling vacancies and staff travel from all over Sydney up to 90 minutes a day,\\u201D he said \\u201CWe are starting to get stability back and have filled 14 vacancies,\\u201D said Blaker It felt like they were there to help us with questions 24/7,\\u201D she said Blaker said his aim at the school is to continue to \\u201Cdrive high expectations and promote academic rigour\\u201D \\u201CThere is a lot of choice for education outside these school gates so we need to control what we can inside and maximise student outcomes and build teacher capacity.\\u201D Other schools that climbed up the rankings included Randwick Boys High Principal Susan Green said the school\\u2019s maths faculty has dedicated a significant amount of time to analysing student data to target areas for improvement \\u201CThe school doesn\\u2019t have that really competitive sense among the students; it\\u2019s more supportive and there is an energy among the cohort,\\u201D said Green \\u201COur students put so much effort into practicing and that can aid in other subjects as they must manage their time so carefully.\\u201D \\u201CI kind of lost interest a bit in years 8 and 9 but towards the end of year 10 I started to re-engage more,\\u201D he said \\u201CMy HSC teacher created these workbooks for every single maths topic and they were so helpful to cover all parts of the syllabus.\\u201D entertainment ideas and a long read to enjoy Housing is an issue. And all the talk and fury is about how to provide more housing, affordably. Yet right now, the NSW government is proposing and contemplating changes that will lead to lower-quality less sustainable housing with worse amenities that will result in poorer health for occupants And the changes could quite possibly destroy the architecture profession in this state High-density housing at The Ponds in western Sydney Two major “reforms” are coinciding: amendments to building legislation and relaxation of design standards First, the Minns government vowed to introduce a single, consolidated building bill to simplify building legislation. So the Home Building Act 1989 (NSW) you can see the shift; it’s not about homes but the kicker is the registration system for architects will be integrated into the new Building Bill the Architects Act is fundamentally about consumer protection and the accountability of those designing our buildings by introducing registration requirements to most arms of the construction industry to enforce greater accountability It may look like it’s homogenising the construction design sector It will allow building designers to be licensed like architects but not bear the responsibility of architects Architects study for a minimum of five years show professional development throughout their practising career and Serious accountability to ensure consumers are protected a registration board can deregister or fine them particularly when there are few complaints or deregistrations it appears future students needn’t bother with architecture degrees and postgraduate training because they will be able to do a TAFE diploma to do the same job with less responsibility It is even possible NSW architects will not be able to practise in other states because their education and registration might not meet the competency standards of the national accreditation body the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia the government is quickly assessing a NSW Productivity Commission review of housing supply which wants to relax design requirements for apartments including the need for most to have some direct sunlight advocates such as the Committee for Sydney and the Australian Institute of Architects raised concerns about diminished design standards and as director of the UNSW Cities Institute Our job is to find better ways forward for our urban environments The blithe dismissal of a profession is serious business particularly when the profession has adapted its education model and thinking to encompass healthier and more sustainable living with consumer protection and satisfaction as its primary focus Lowering standards is an even more serious business While some of the commission’s recommendations are logical the lessening of standards for apartment design is unhealthy Sydney’s problem has not been over-development; it has been poor development The real problem of delivering affordable housing of an appropriate standard lies in the segmentation of services driven by a variety of contractual arrangements all designed to avoid responsibility for poor design and shoddy construction The proposed legislation aims to be a solution to this mess is not dumbing down the quality of housing or eliminating the few checks and balances we have It all feels particularly counterintuitive in a city still reeling from when a number of our new apartment blocks started cracking and listing a few Christmas Eves ago and some of the more worrying commission recommendations will encourage cheap design and harmful standards That definitely won’t make housing more affordable It will make housing of lower standards that is unable Peter Poulet is the director of the UNSW Cities Institute And all the talk and fury is about how to provide more housing the NSW government is proposing and contemplating that will lead to lower-quality Two major \\u201Creforms\\u201D are coinciding: amendments to building legislation and relaxation of design standards the Minns government vowed to introduce a single consolidated building bill to simplify building legislation you can see the shift; it\\u2019s not about homes It may look like it\\u2019s homogenising the construction design sector it appears future students needn\\u2019t bother with architecture degrees and postgraduate training because they will be able to do a TAFE diploma to do the same job with less responsibility While some of the commission\\u2019s recommendations are logical Sydney\\u2019s problem has not been over-development; it has been poor development That definitely won\\u2019t make housing more affordable a place for birds to rest and endless patterns of intersecting ripples on ponds are all part of an artwork celebrating stormwater recycling Water Falls is an integrated environmental artwork installation at Sydney Park in Alexandria stormwater is harvested from the surrounding streets and filtered in biofiltration swales throughout the wetlands before passing through a fan of 3 terracotta troughs At the entrance to the uppermost wetland pond a sculpture of 5 troughs is arranged in a zig-zagging to celebrate the recycling of water throughout the wetlands Water is pumped in a steady stream to the head of the sculpture it falls rhythmically from each trough to the one below splashing out from both ends in a carefully calibrated pattern as it travels towards the final trough The terracotta troughs are suspended over the water on simple black steel support structures that have become part of the wetland habitat the wild birds that take rest on the structure and the endless patterns of intersecting ripples on the ponds below all form part of this integrated water sculpture The artwork was commissioned by the City of Sydney as part of the Sydney Park stormwater harvesting project Jennifer Turpin and Michaelie Crawford are award-winning artists whose work focuses on the design and production of site-specific kinetic artworks in the public domain Their practice is based in Sydney where they have more than 18 years experience at the interface of art Turpin and Crawford’s works explore the rhythms of environmentally reactive movement and seek to heighten their audience’s awareness of being in time and in space Women's rights campaigners are plotting to take over the men's pond at Hampstead Heath in protest over bosses refusing to ban trans women from the ladies' pond following the Supreme Court ruling prominent campaigner Amy Desir called on protesters from 'Let Women Swim' to join her by gatecrashing a men's pond session on Monday Ms Desir and other female activists wearing fake beards were escorted away by police officers when they invaded the men's bathing pond in Hampstead, North London Their latest planned stunt comes after Hampstead Heath Ladies' Pond said trans women would be allowed to continue swimming there despite the landmark Supreme Court ruling stating the legal definition of a woman should be based on biological sex Kenwood Ladies' Pond said its inclusive gender policy will 'remain in effect at this time', despite the Equality and Human Rights Commission advising trans women should not use women's facilities in workplaces or public spaces. The UK's sole women-only natural bathing pool became a flashpoint in the trans debate after the City of London Corporation adopted a 'self-ID' policy in 2019, meaning trans women can use the female changing rooms and swim there. Gender-critical campaigners have been fighting to 'reclaim' the pond, which opened a century ago for women and girls, but they have been contested by trans activists, including trans broadcaster India Willoughby.  In the wake of the Supreme Court ruling, Ms Desir has vowed to continue the fight to reclaim women's-only spaces and called for protesters to join her at the men's pond on Bank Holiday Monday. In a speech to a crowd of women, the mother-of-two said: 'Women have spoken, the Supreme Court has spoken, but the fight is not over. 'If anyone fancies a Bank Holiday Man-Day down at the men's pond, I'll be there next Monday. 'Men's pond because they are still saying 'We'll think about it'. F*** that. The Supreme Court has spoken, we're taking back our spaces and we're proving it now.' Her speech was met with applause and cheers, with one shouting 'Bank Holiday Man-Day!' back.  But it was condemned by Ms Willoughby who shared the speech and wrote: 'Weirdo terfs [trans-exclusionary radical feminists]. Hampstead Heath and the ponds are stunning. I swim here in the summer.' Ms Willoughby, a trans newsreader who has been a vocal critic of gender-critical campaigners such as Ms Desir and JK Rowling, added: 'Really sad these lot hang around. The ponds committee has said it won’t be banning trans peeps - who have always used the Ladies Pond without incident for decades.' Ms Desir and other women previously disrupted a men's only bathing session at Hampstead Heath in 2018, which led to them being escorted away by police. The invasion was part of a nationwide campaign set up on Mumsnet called #ManFriday which encourages women to 'self-identify' as men for the day on Fridays in a protest against possible changes to gender laws.  Ms Desir also caused a storm when she attended a men-only swimming session at Dulwich Leisure Centre after telling staff she 'identified as male'. She and another woman, called Hannah, used the male changing rooms before joining men in the pool in 2018.  Ms Desir, who wore just trunks and a pink swimming cap, told the Mail at the time: 'We are doing it to highlight the ridiculous and dangerous move towards self-identification. We are clearly not men but by saying we are, we were allowed to join in men-only activities.'  The City of London Corporation confirmed earlier this week that it would keep its current gender policy in place while it considers the implications of the Supreme Court ruling. Prominent barrister Sarah Vine KC warned the ponds should now describe themselves as mixed sex and that the current labels could expose the corporation to legal challenge. She said: 'Any continued description of two of the ponds as 'men's' and 'ladies' will expose the Corporation to discrimination claims.' Venice Allan, 49, said female-only spaces were needed for 'safety, privacy and dignity'. 'It doesn't surprise me in the slightest that the Corporation is trying to fudge this,' she added. Ms Allan last year became the first woman to be banned from an historic association representing users of the North London pond after she objected to biological males being permitted entry. She was told in an email from the Kenwood Ladies' Pond Association (KLPA) in May that her membership had been revoked because of her views. Speaking at an AGM in March last year, Ms Allan said: 'When the inevitable happens as a result of your trans inclusive policy that the majority of women, and, so I am told, two men, have voted for today, and a man that you're so inclusive of attacks or rapes a girl, I want you to remember you voted for that. 'I hope that you wake up in the middle of the night and remember that you made that act of male violence in a sacred woman's space possible.' She told the Mail on Sunday afterwards: 'I'm not banned from the pond, but the ban means I can no longer vote on any of the rules. 'More importantly banning me sends a message – just a year before we celebrate a 100 years of this iconic women's space – that women who object to men using the pool are not welcome.' The KLPA is a voluntary organisation of women who 'care' about Hampstead Ladies' Pond and represent the view of its users to the City of London Corporation, who are in charge of administering the beauty spot. Last month, judges unanimously ruled a woman is defined by biological sex under equalities law. This mean that trans women, who are biologically male but identify as women, can be excluded from women-only spaces. Lord Hodge said: 'The unanimous decision of this court is that the terms woman and sex in the Equality Act 2010 refer to a biological woman and biological sex. 'But we counsel against reading this judgement as a triumph of one or more groups in our society at the expense of another, it is not.' Since then, the Equality and Human Rights Commission has released interim guidance on how organisations should interpret the ruling. The new guidance says that in places like hospitals, shops and restaurants, 'trans women (biological men) should not be permitted to use the women's facilities'. It also states that trans people should not be left without any facilities to use.  A spokesperson for the City of London Corporation said that its policy was not 'unlawful'. 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Where 'soft-touch' Britain's asylum seekers are REALLY coming from No one seems to have shared their thoughts on this topic yetLeave a comment so your voice will be heard first. {{message}} A stubborn family who have refused to sell their land for new-build homes are now living directly in the middle of a sprawling housing estate In scenes reminiscent of the Pixar film Up the Zammit family house in Sydney sticks out from the crowd with its sprawling unspoiled 200m lawn and huge exterior as row upon row of identical houses line up around it Developers are queueing up with huge cash offers to tempt the owners of the spectacular home to move out and let the bulldozers in - but they refuse to budge The imposing mansion in The Ponds, in Sydney's north-west sits on highly sought after land and could make millionaires out of the owners if they finally give in.  Experts put the price tag on the land at anywhere up to a breathtaking $60million (£30m) in Australia's booming property market, but the defiant family refuses to sell. The Windsor Castle-style driveway is 200m long, while the home also has a huge barn out the back and a triple-car garage.  It also boasts views across to the scenic Blue Mountains and is about a 40-minute drive to Sydney's central business district. The Zammits have already turned down offers from developers that are reportedly as high as $40million (£20m) - and every day brings new requests from real estate agents asking the family to call them in their relentless pursuit of the property. When MailOnline visited the home this week, business cards from prospective agents and buyers could be seen littering the front door, with handwritten pleas begging the family to get in touch. Among them was local real estate agency Cutcliffe who confirmed they were yet to speak to the Zammit's but were keen to discuss a potential sale. Aerial photographs show how the area around the home - once green fields on the city's extremity - has now been swallowed up by housing. Developers have simply built around them, and scores of families with barely enough space to kick a football now share a boundary fence with the massive block of land. But the neighbours living next door to the Zammits said they had no issue with the family refusing to sell. 'It doesn't really bother us,' one father said. 'It's their land, they can do what they want with it.' Another woman living over the other side had a similar opinion.  'If I had that property, I would do the same thing,' the mother said. The intensely private family have shrugged off all interest in their land, and mother Diane Zammit declined to speak when we visited her at home this week. Residents of the tight-knit community said the family were quiet and mostly kept to themselves, rarely seen enjoying their huge property beyond keeping the acres of lawn perfectly trimmed. Despite the massive valuation now put on the home, less than ten years ago it briefly popped up on the market for a bargain basement price.  Neighbouring blocks of land sold for up to $239/sqm in 2012 - which would have valued the Zammits' 20,000sqm property at around $4.78million 10 years ago.  But for seven days in November 2015, it was suddenly offered for sale with a price guide of just $858,000 to $945,000, real estate records on RP Data show.  In February, 2016, the house went up for sale again for the same price guide, but was taken off the market once more after just one week again. The Zammits have previously admitted the land is unrecognisable from when they moved in 16 years ago. Ms Zammit told Daily Mail Australia two years ago: 'It used to be farmland dotted with little red brick homes and cottages. 'Every home was unique, and there was so much space - but not any more. It's just not the same.' Other homes in the neighbouring development are selling for around $1.5million. The Zammit's property is believed to have more than five bedrooms and boasts a large garage for the family's cars - including a classic Ford Falcon XR6 - alongside a makeshift basketball court. A small enclosure for their two pet dogs could also be seen, but despite the vast amount of land, the property doesn't have luxuries like a pool or tennis court, or even a single tree or bush. Its massive but neatly-trimmed lawn takes around two-and-a-half-hours to mow, with the couple's young son regularly tasked with the epic job, say neighbours. The home is surrounded by around 750m of fencing to hold back the burgeoning and ongoing construction work erupting around them.  There is no clear indication of why the family have so far refused all offers to sell - but every day they hold out, the price tag increases. 'The land is probably worth around $60million if it was developed now,' said one local property analyst, who estimated 40 new homes could fit on the block. 'Even if someone paid them $40million for it, the developer stands to make at least $20million. 'And given the way Sydney home prices continue to soar, even a price tag of $60million would return the developer a substantial profit by the time the homes were finally approved, constructed and sold. 'They must really love that home to ignore that kind of money.'  {{message}} This gentle documentary wades through interviews and drone footage for a touching portrait of pond life especially in the winter when the heath is at its most beautiful and the water at its coldest This is Britain’s equivalent to Germany’s freikörperkultur I confess that I have sometimes ventured into the men’s ponds with my son who satirically says that the open-air changing area here is the nearest law-abiding Londoners will get to the prison yard – joking These are democratic places where there is a great levelling Nobody is wussy or evasive enough to use those bodysuits modelled by the former prime minister David Cameron the swimming culture is a liberation from the pornification of the human body: it is a place where unselfconsciousness rules Many of the swimmers interviewed in the film talk rather movingly about their own emotional crises their encounters with illness and bereavement and the role swimming has played in dealing with it all One interviewee talks about how the Russian term “living water” describes the experience of swimming there you'll need a consistent water source to rapidly fill it and maintain a relatively constant water level throughout the year Jodi Henke was the writer and host of the Successful Farming/Living the Country Life National Radio programs and producer of the Successful Farming podcasts Occasionally she writes an article and produces photography for Successful Farming magazine It takes 27,000 gallons to add one inch of water to a one-acre pond The Ponds 9-hole disc golf course located at the Clifton Nature Park for Mesa County Noxious Weed and Pest and Facilities to complete drill seeding with native grasses.  increase water retention and provide food for native birds and mammals.  We kindly ask individuals to avoid the disc golf course during this period to allow the seeds to grow and the area to revegetate.  We appreciate the public's cooperation in supporting the health and resilience of our ecosystems (WCIV) — Local authorities announced Tuesday night a homicide investigation in Summerville after Dorchester County Sheriff's deputies confirmed one person died in The Ponds neighborhood Dorchester County Sheriff's deputies responded to the 200 block of Oak View Way in The Pond neighborhood for a homicide local law enforcement confirmed one person was dead No word of an arrest was immediately made public and the identity of the deceased hasn't been released back when the American road trip had more pit stops and dads would routinely pull the family station wagon off the highway for a roadside picnic the Paris State Fish Hatchery was a popular attraction Located in between Big Rapids and Reed City a short distance from the route that brings most Michiganders up north (US-131) the fish hatchery once held thousands upon thousands of salmon and trout fingerlings ready to be picked up and stocked by train “A great place for families to stop on their travels,” said Jeff Abel “Get the kids out of the car for a while and experience the nice ponds and the park settings.” the Mecosta County Parks Commission acquired the hatchery — established in 1881 — and turned it into a public park the fish ponds hold more history than trout portions of the property are collapsed or closed and only two of the park’s five ponds currently hold water “Pulls at your heartstrings when you know what it was and then to see what it is now.” An anomaly among parks departments in Michigan Mecosta County Parks is not supported by a millage meaning the money required to reopen and repair the ponds must be sourced from somewhere else the people of Mecosta County formed a Save the Ponds committee collaborating with the Fremont Area Community Foundation the Mecosta County Park Commission and Mecosta County Development Corporation “I think the drive from the committee members — and even myself — is the memories that have been created,” Abel said the Save the Ponds committee plans to repair walls dams and the raceway connecting the five ponds allowing water to again flow freely between them While $250,000 is likely needed to reopen the ponds to the public Abel says more than $2 million may be needed for a total renovation “Can really speak to the culture of how [Paris] was even created It's the pride in the community and the centerpiece of what the town is.” the Mecosta County Board of Commissioners began the fundraising effort by donating $75,000 to the campaign The money came from the county’s excise tax on marijuana “There's definitely appreciation for the waterways,” Abel said “That's what Michigan is: a waterways state.” To donate to the Save the Ponds committee, click here Follow FOX 17: Facebook - X - Instagram - YouTube (WCIV) — Police have identified the victim from the Summerville shooting which took place late Tuesday night 17-year-old Deangelo M. Dover, Jr. shot and killed in The Ponds subdivision Neighbors heard the shots and hurried outside to learn what happened who did not want to be identified for safety reasons said they first saw Dover laying on the ground and could still smell the gunpowder in the air The couple said they heard what sounded like two different guns the first firing three shots and the second shooting only two and when they ran into the street where Dover was laying they found a gun near his body READ MORE | "Coroner IDs 17-year-old killed in Summerville shooting: DCCO" Pastor Thomas Dixon works frequently with communities impacted by gun violence "Somewhere along the way there'll be a new level of paranoia when they're outside that they've never experienced before," Dixon said "I would ask the community to come together and to understand that gun ownership requires responsibility and that they should take this incident to actually become advocates for responsible gun ownership." The Dorchester Country Sheriff's Office and the Dorchester County Coroner's Office are still investigating in shooting The body will under go an autopsy at MUSC Thursday For information directly relating to bushfires please call the Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737 or visit the NSW Rural Fire Service Website here. [external link] We responded to over 150,000 incidents in 2023-24 The incidents displayed below are note-worthy incidents that have been published as media releases or tweets Details about incidents may change and should not be used as emergency information and/or advice North Parramatta | The fire at Dunlop Street, North Parramatta has been contained but is expected to smoulder through the morning. Because there may be smoke in the area, residents and businesses in the vicinity are advised to keep doors, windows, and vents closed. View on X [external link] Fire and Rescue NSW acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land and acknowledges and pays respect to their Elders Can you see this plant growing on the water Salvinia is a fast growing and free-floating aquatic fern from South America It grows best in warm fresh water that is still or slow-flowing and that has high nutrient levels Salvinia forms dense mats that can double in size in less than three days It prevents native water plants from growing reduces food and habitat for fish and other aquatic animals and can reduce overall water quality With the support of a NSW Environmental Trust Grant Council is working to control this invasive weed The control program has included the introduction of the salvinia weevil (Cyrtobagous salviniae) into the wetlands The salvinia weevil feeds on the leaf tips and stems of the salvinia This causes the plant to break apart and sink into the water column where it decomposes Amphibians are the fastest declining group of animals on the planet Nearly one third of our amphibian species are listed as endangered or threatened Habitat loss is the leading cause of amphibian decline around the world Warriewood Wetlands is an important habitat for frogs and supports many species including the Striped Marsh Frog including pests that damage crops or spread disease Constructing habitat for frogs in your garden is a fantastic way to support our local amphibians to ensure they have a home in which to live and breed or a green corridor is a habitat area that connects wildlife populations separated by human activity and urban areas They play a valuable role in allowing animals to move safely through the urban environment The wetlands are part of an important wildlife corridor running from Ku-ring-gai National Park via Ingleside Escarpment By planting native plants and creating a wildlife-friendly garden we can improve these corridors that support our local native fauna We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians and their Country By these words we show our respect to all Aboriginal people present and emerging and the spirits and ancestors of the Clans that lived in this area Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInSUMMERVILLE (WCSC) - Dorchester School District Two is ready to start building a new elementary school but it doesn’t yet own the land where it will be built The school will be located within The Ponds of Summerville 40 acres of trees adjacent to the “Village Center” will eventually be clear cut to make room for the Pre-K through 5th grade school A nearly 20-year-old development agreement states Kolter Homes will donate the land to Dorchester County which will then deem it to the school district Kolter doesn’t have to turn the land over to the county until a specific amount of development is complete which they are approaching the final phases of “The sooner the better,” councilman Jay Byars said Byars says a school in this neighborhood is needed “That elementary school will relieve some overcrowding,” Byars said “A lot of the kids in this neighborhood go to Sandhill Elementary which is over near East Edisto and it’s already overcrowded they are adding trailers This school will be right here in the neighborhood where the kids can bike to school and it’ll be a lot easier for everybody.” Byars is hopeful that the county can get this land to DD2 in the next few months so they can get to work on this new school “There are so many children in The Ponds in general and not a ton of elementary schools in DD2 so I think adding one will lower class sizes which makes it easier for teachers and I definitely think it’s a need,” parent Hannah Litchfield said Hannah’s husband Josh says people moving to the Charleston area want their kids to be in this specific school district “They come here and the first thing they say is ‘Dorchester School District Two we’ve heard it’s great I wanna be here tell me about the schools’ so that is brining people here plus the people we already have so we desperately need this,” Josh Litchfield said DD2 officials confirmed a a traffic impact study has already been completed and they are still modifying plans to fit the site location 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) Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news 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 The Ponds is a bit like a parklands babushka doll – it’s got parks within parks within parks – and there are nature strips On the whole it serves as a green retreat for the residents of the purpose-built and meticulously planned suburb that surrounds it The implementation of the parklands saw over two million new trees planted (!) plus five ponds and a lake The sheer size (over 80 hectares) serves as a point of inspiration and a meeting place for the community Explore and pedal your way through four kilometres of winding cycle and walk ways fire up barbecue facilities (there are seven different sites) or exercise on the outdoor stationary gym The sustainable development is also a place of inspiration and play for adults and kids – kids can scramble climb and swing through a number of different playgrounds while grown ups can admire custom art installations A standout project is the functional art seating which was a collaboration between inmates of the Parklea Correctional Centre and artist Russell Anderson The seats were fabricated in metal workshops in which inmates welded their own individual designs and created mosaic designs for the tops Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! twitterinstagrampinterestAbout us Contact us This double storey home at The Ponds is positioned on a 332 sqm block They may be built on blocks as small as 256 sqm but homes in the masterplanned community of The Ponds continue to achieve high prices Latest figures from CoreLogic RP Data shows the suburb has recorded a number of sales since the New Year with results ranging from $940,000 to $1.375 million Agent Alex Chao Zhang from Seven Real Estate said while it was possible to still buy a freestanding home in the suburb for under $1 million He just sold 38 Braeside Crescent a double storey home on a 332 sqm block for $940,000 The property in Braeside Crescent has a modern kitchen and outdoor entertainment area which is within walking distance to Tallawong Station and primary school built just three years ago and had been rented for around $650 per week “For the buyer it is a good price but the owner it is still a good price,” Mr Zhang said “We had around 40 groups at open homes over four weeks and several offers – it was mostly families wanting to upgrade into the area.” Also selling was 2 Soho Street a four-bedroom double storey home on a 256 sqm block which fetched $955,000 through Starr Partners Bella Vista The new residence has multiple living areas including an upstairs rumpus while the master bedroom has a walk-in robe Agent Gary Thind said some buyers are not concerned about block size there is generally a preference for land size around 350 sqm to 450 sqm There are many parks located within The Ponds While The Ponds was once popular with investors with original buyers making substantial profit on their property it is now attracting mostly homeowners from nearby Blacktown and Quakers Hills “The high prices are also down to the lack of stock a few months ago there were lots of properties up for sale and it was a very different market,” Mr Thind said “We are getting big numbers at open homes – there were about 25 groups who came through this one and it didn’t take long to sell.” This property in Soho Street is positioned on a 256 sqm block Homes on larger blocks within the suburb are fetching a premium such as 52 Petal Parkway which sold earlier this month for $1.375 million the most expensive property in The Ponds is 20 Lomandra Crescent – set on 588 sqm – which fetched $1.825 million in May last year The Ponds was created by the State government’s land and property development organisation and became the fastest selling suburb in Australia It has around 4,000 homes and around 12,000 residents It is important to keep these birds away from the ponds. URL: www.bayside.vic.gov.au/services/trees-parks-and-beaches/chain-ponds-yalukit-willam-nature-reserveClient IP: 147.45.197.102Attack ID: 20000018Message ID: 000591753984 Please contact the administrator for additional information Council is proposing to construct a new 4 lane synthetic cricket practice facility at Jonas Bradley Park The Ponds Cricket Club is Blacktown's largest cricket club and play their matches at Jonas Bradley Park.  Currently Jonas Bradley Park does not have cricket practice facilities To view the proposed location and provide feedback to our short survey, please click here. Note: the above image is indicative of the cricket practice facility to be constructed 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.  NNE winds shifting to SSW at 10 to 15 mph. The entrance to The Ponds neighborhood on Wednesday A shooting killed one person on Oak View Way a suburban neighborhood road within The Ponds community One person is dead after a shooting in a suburban Summerville neighborhood on the evening of Feb Dorchester sheriff's deputies are investigating and state there is no threat to the public SUMMERVILLE — One teenager is dead after a shooting in a suburban neighborhood Feb Deputies responded to a home in The Ponds neighborhood spokesperson for the Dorchester County Sheriff's Office The Dorchester County coroner identified the victim on Feb There was no crime scene tape blocking off sections of the street when a reporter with The Post and Courier visited the morning of Feb Courtney Hamann told the newspaper that she lives across the street from where the shooting took place and she called 911 immediately after hearing the shots in her suburban neighborhood Hamann knew that there was a police officer who lived a couple of houses down from her That officer was on the scene well before emergency dispatch responded While Hamann said she didn't know much about the circumstances of the incident she described the community as free of violence and her neighbors as a "typical family." Hamann said she's still a bit on-edge after the ordeal so I've never really been around any type of violence Wright stated that there is no active threat to the public some sections growing and under heavy construction sits a Summerville YMCA and a Dorchester County Fire Rescue station The community is made up of several sprawling streets shaded by live oak trees The neighborhood is just under six miles southwest of downtown Summerville not far from where Dorchester Road dead-ends into U.S information about a potential suspect had not yet been released According to online inmate booking information there were no arrests made in Dorchester County for Feb 25 or 26 with charges relating to homicide This is the first homicide investigation carried out by the Dorchester County Sheriff's Office this year Authorities are urging anyone with additional information to contact the non-emergency line at 843-832-0300 News tips/online questions: newstips@postandcourier.com Delivery/subscription questions: subserve@postandcourier.com Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: A beloved family home in Sydney's west is the picture of defiance after years of its owners dismissing developers with the Aussie catchcry: 'Tell 'em they're dreamin'.' The home is slap bang in the middle of a new-build development in The Ponds area near Quakers Hill which has seen hundreds of high-density detached homes spring up But while all their old neighbours gradually sold up and moved out the Zammit family has held on and refused to sell Their beautiful home stands on 1.99 hectares and has a majestic 200m-long driveway cutting through the huge lawn to the front door It boasts breathtaking views across to the Blue Mountains with the spectacular Newnes Plateau visible in the distance The property slices through a huge block of the new development abruptly turning through-roads into cul-de-sacs with homes wedged up hard against the home's boundary fence The Zammits insist they are a very private family and refused to discuss the offers they've been made to move out But developers are believed to have offered the family multi-millions of dollars to hand the land over so construction work on the estate can finally be completed Neighbouring blocks of land sold for up to $239/sqm in 2012 - which would have valued the Zammits' five-acre property at around $4.75million 10 years ago but the land is worth $40million-plus to local developers Bathla who could squeeze 40 new $1million homes into the space But like the iconic 1997 Australian movie The Castle the family are not for selling - although they admit the area is no longer recognisable from when they first moved in 16 years ago 'It used to be farmland dotted with little red brick homes and cottages,' mother Diane Zammit 'Every home was unique and there was so much space - but not any more is believed to run a successful trucking company The property is believed to have more than five bedrooms and boasts a large triple garage for the family's cars Its massive but neatly-trimmed lawn takes around two and a half hours to mow with the couple's young son regularly tasked with the epic job but the rear is currently sealed off by hurricane fencing while the front gates are left open The home is surrounded by around 750m of fencing to hold back the burgeoning and ongoing construction work erupting around them Their very-many neighbours have almost all moved into the area within the past year and have had little to do with the reclusive family 'I will wave to them when I see them outside and they always wave back but I don't really speak to them,' admitted one whose home directly overlooks the property 'I'm very happy they've refused to sell - it means we have a cul-de-sac which is much safer for our kids - and their big lawn next to us makes it feel like we've got so much space 'Our neighbours don't get that because the other houses are so close together BY PADRAIG COLLINS AND STEPHEN JOHNSON FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA Sydney is the world's second-hardest city to buy a home in and Melbourne ranks fifth-worst due to high demand brought on by low interest rates and dangerous borrowing levels All five Australian mainland state capitals are among the 20 most expensive for housing in the world, with Adelaide 14th, Brisbane 17th and Perth 20th, the Demographia International Housing Affordability survey found Four of the five cheapest cities to buy property in are in the U.S First home buyers in Australia need more than 10 years just to save a 20 per cent deposit to own a home underlining worsening housing affordability The latest ANZ CoreLogic Housing Affordability report estimates that based on households saving 15 per cent of their gross annual income, it would take a record 10.8 years to save a deposit for a house and nine years for a unit.  Australian markets have a median multiple of eight, Demographia figures show - meaning it costs eight times the median household income before tax to buy a median-priced house - up from 6.9 in 2019.  The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, the banking regulator, classifies a debt-to-income ratio of six or more to be risky, meaning a borrower would struggle  to pay off a loan. With interest rate rises looming in 2022, many Australians are facing steep increases in mortgage repayments with 24.4 per cent of new borrowers (in the final quarter of 2021) taking on dangerous debt levels, APRA revealed this week. The least affordable market is Hong Kong, with a median debt-to-income ratio of 23.2, followed by Sydney at 15.3, Vancouver at 13.3, San Jose at 12.6 and Melbourne at 12.1. Median house prices in most of Australia's big cities last year climbed by a third, while national property values soared by 22.4 per cent - the fastest annual pace since 1989, CoreLogic data showed. Average capital city property prices soared by 23.7 per cent - the fastest annual pace in Australian Bureau of Statistics records going back to 2003. In Sydney, the median established house price last year surged by 32.9 per cent to an even more unaffordable $1.3 million and have since grown to $1.4million as of February. Brisbane's mid-point house rose by 31.6 per cent to $765,000, in Adelaide, house prices rose by 27.2 per cent to $647,300 as Melbourne values rose by 23 per cent to $995,000 and Perth's increased by 16.5 per cent to $560,000.  'All of five Australia's major housing markets have been severely unaffordable since the early 2000s,' the report said.    SYDNEY: Second least affordable in Demographia report with a debt-to-income ratio of 15.3 MELBOURNE: Fifth least affordable with a debt-to-income ratio of 12.1 ADELAIDE: Fourteenth least affordable with a debt-to-income ratio of 8 BRISBANE: Seventeenth least affordable with a debt-to-income ratio of 7.4 PERTH: Twentieth least affordable with a debt-to-income ratio of 7.1  Source: Demographia International Housing Affordability report  No market except for Hong Kong had ever previously reached Sydney's 15.3 level of unaffordability in the 18 years of Demographia reports.  'Since before the pandemic, Sydney median prices have risen 4.3 years of median household income,' it said.  The affordability range of housing in Australia has widened hugely from 2 median multiple points in 1981 to 8.2 in 2021. The range expanded substantially during the pandemic.  The pandemic effect on housing affordability was felt around the world, not just in Australia. 'There has been an unprecedented deterioration in housing affordability during the pandemic, the report read. 'The number of severely unaffordable markets rose 60 per cent in 2021 compared to 2019, the last pre-pandemic year.' In a shocking summary, Demographia found declining housing affordability was driving higher costs of living that threaten the future of the middle-class.  In Under Pressure: The Squeezed Middle-Class, the OECD agreed. It found the middle-class faced ever-increasing costs of living and rising owned house prices were the 'main driver of rising middle-class expenditure'. In New Zealand, the biggest city Auckland has a severely unaffordable median multiple of 11.2.  This is up from 8.6 in 2019, an increase of 2.6 times the annual median household income.  Auckland ranks as the eighth least affordable city for housing in the world, in the Demographia survey.   Housing in Ireland's capital, Dublin, has become severely unaffordable this year, with a median multiple of 5.7, Demographia reports.  This is up from 4.6 in 2019, an increase of 1.1 years of median household income.  The UK had a 5.1 median multiple in 2021. This is up from 4.6 in 2019, equal to a six month increase in median household income.  There are 11 severely unaffordable markets in the UK, up from eight in 2019.  London is the least affordable market in the country, with a median multiple of 8, ranking it 14th least affordable in the world.   The Demographia report also detailed the cheapest places to buy houses in the surveyed countries of Australia, Canada, China, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, the UK and the US. Four of the five cheapest cities to become a homeowner are in America - Pittsburgh, Oklahoma City, Rochester and St Louis - and one, Edmonton, is in Canada.  Most expensive cities in the world to get on the property ladder: 1 Hong Kong, China, with a debt-to-income ratio of 23.2 2 Sydney, Australia, with a debt-to-income ratio of 15.3 3 Vancouver, Canada, with a debt-to-income ratio of 13.3 4 San Jose, USA, with a debt-to-income ratio of 12.6 5 Melbourne, Australia, with a debt-to-income ratio of 12.1  Cheapest cities in the world to get on the property ladder:  1 Pittsburgh, USA, with a debt-to-income ratio of 2.7 = 2 Oklahoma City, USA, with a debt-to-income ratio of 3.3 = 2Rochester, USA, with a debt-to-income ratio of 3.3 = 4 St Louis, USA, with a debt-to-income ratio of 3.6 = 4 Edmonton, Canada, with a debt-to-income ratio of 3.6 This family snubbed MILLIONS to stay in their dream family homeCommenting on this article has endedNewest{{#isModerationStatus}}{{moderationStatus}} (WCSC) - The Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting Tuesday night in The Ponds neighborhood of Summerville Deputies responded to the 200 block of Oak View Way around 8:20 p.m. according to Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Steven Wright of Summerville was pronounced dead on the scene at 10:45 p.m. “Our criminal investigations unit is working on all of our leads at this time We would encourage anyone with information regarding this homicide to contact the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office We are dedicating all of our resources to find out who’s responsible for this heinous action tonight,” Wright said authorities had not released further details regarding the circumstances of the homicide or suspect information