Joel Muddle.Springwood Bowling Club has been hosting a group of Winmalee High School students for their selected sport each Wednesday and doing their best to break down not just the age barrier “They are just beginning their bowls’ experience and if any wish to continue to learn the game then over time with commitment and skill development there may well be a champion from Winmalee,” club spokesman Bob Hahn said Student Joel Muddle has the rare genetic disease Ataxia-Telangiectasia but is able to get around the bowling green in his wheelchair “This experience allows him to enjoy inclusiveness within a sport that his able bodied friends find easy,” Mr Hahn said “He is being mentored by a very special bowler Phillip Plackett who is the current NSW and Australia Open Multi Disability Pairs Champion and has recently been nominated by Bowls NSW for the 2017 Disability Bowler of the Year Award.” he added Mr Plackett volunteered to come from his Penrith home each Wednesday to support Joel a household name in Australia for his outstanding achievements as a disability wheel chair athlete recently called for Australia to embrace inclusion of all people with disabilities,” said Mr Hahn.  “Phillip joins him in his call and his offer to mentor Joel is an example of his generosity of spirit and time as well as providing a wonderful example of how these barriers can be removed.” Springwood Bowling Club hopes to establish a junior squad in the near future. For more details contact club secretary Bob Harris on 0418 292 820 Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy applied to NASA to be part of the exciting ARISS program - Amateur Radio on the International Space Station ARISS enables students around the world to speak live to an astronaut on board the station as it orbits Earth thanks to amateur radio enthusiasts who work with NASA to facilitate the contacts Mrs Broderick got the good news: We have lift-off Within a few weeks (NASA has yet to confirm the exact date) the students of Winmalee Public will speak to astronauts via a radio telebridge unit in the school hall as the space station orbits 430 kilometres above the earth travelling at 27,000km/h The link between Earth and space will be supported by Shane Lynd The students entered the "Ask an Astronaut a Question" competition and eight lucky winners were selected to speak directly to one of the crew on board Their date will be some time in the early evening between April 20 and 23 Students and parents will come to the school about an hour beforehand and mission control in Houson will call about 30 minutes before the station is in the right place to connect "All students in years K-6 have been studying Earth and space sciences this term with a particular focus on the International Space Station and are super-excited about the upcoming event," Mrs Broderick said Erin (10): What is the best way to describe the feeling of microgravity Indiana (6): How long does it take to travel to the Space Station from Earth Valentino (8): Have you ever seen a meteor pass through Earth's atmosphere from the ISS Ivy (7): What experiments do you do at the International Space Station Ayva (9): Has anything ever gone wrong or required you to take emergency action while you have been on board the International Space Station Alberto (5): What happens if space junk hits the International Space Station Asher (11): What personal items would you take into space if allowed .. Charlotte (8): How many times a year do you get supplies delivered to the ISS Mrs Broderick will also ask: "Many of my students have talked about their dream to become astronauts What would be your greatest advice for them?" with Winmalee Neighbourhood Centre's manager Morna Colbran centre management committee chair Kim Cowper and state Deputy Opposition Leader Linda Burney at the centre's dilapidated access ramp which Labor has committed to restoring if it wins the March election.Winmalee Neighbourhood Centre will receive a long-awaited disability access ramp if Labor wins the March state election State Deputy Opposition Leader Linda Burney made the $50,000 commitment when she visited the centre last week The centre's current access ramp has been boarded up for the past 18 months because it is deemed unsafe and non-compliant with OH and S requirements Centre manager Morna Colbran said she's been trying to secure funding for the access ramp for years from government and council to no avail Although the centre has an access ramp at the front of the building this can only be used when staff are around It means there is no disabled access or access for parents with prams for users of the meeting rooms in the back of the centre in the late afternoon or evenings The upgrade would include a long winding ramp and concrete path for ease of access The centre management committee chairwoman said if it wasn't for Labor candidate for Blue Mountains Trish Doyle's support of the service the ramp would remain in its current state Ms Burney concurred."Trish has not stopped pursuing this issue and today's announcement is a sign of the kind of local member she will be - Trish will tirelessly fight for the Blue Mountains community," she said Ms Doyle said the neighbourhood centre had been a key community resource in times of need which was why it was so important the upgrade occurred Vicki Grace (food technology) and principal Katrina Middlebrook at a special morning tea on December 17 Kate was also the dux at Ellison Public School in 2008 Photo: Shane Desiatnik.All smiles: Winmalee High School HSC students Madeleine Antrum and Kristen McDermott after finding out their ATARs were 95.1 and 94.65 last Thursday morning.Contagious smiles and gigantic hugs kept coming at Winmalee High School last Thursday morning when many of the school's 19 students who made the HSC honour roll - earning a score of at least 90 in one or more subjects - filed in for a special morning tea with their teachers It was a moment to reflect and share on their journeys of achievement and a highlight was when teachers of dux of the school who six years ago was dux at Ellison Public School earned an Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) of 99.0 and made the HSC Honour Roll's all-rounders list by scoring a mark of 90 or more in five different subjects Kate finished equal fourth in the state in food technology (scoring 98) equal 10th in hospitality (95) and equal 12th in general maths (97) and said her aim had been to get an ATAR somewhere in the low 90s "So I'm really happy to get 99 - it's definitely a good feeling," she said Kate mentioned being able to keep disciplined but she also paid tribute to the supportive atmosphere at her school and to all her teachers - "especially Ms Grace who taught my favourite subject "I think it was just consistency and keeping in a routine maintaining focus and practicing exams a lot," Kate said "But I still kept up playing basketball each Tuesday night described Kate as a hard-working student who deserved to be dux "Kate worked her pants off," Ms Middlebrook said "She did practice essay after practice essay and took notice of feedback from her teachers often going back to rewrite practice tests." Kate is unsure which university course she will put down as her first preference but said it will probably be in the fields of sports science so I will take my time to decide," she said "I know I want to do something that helps people." School captain Madelaine Antrum and Kristin McDermott were the school's next highest ranked students earning ATARs of 95.1 and 94.65 respectively "because the arts/law course at Sydney University I want to get in required an ATAR of 95 Both girls praised their teachers and supportive classmates "We had the kind of teachers that you could text during the study break [prior to the HSC exams] and they would get back to you with advice straightaway," Kristen said Kirstin said she would like to study business or law Ms Middlebrook said 45 credits (marks of 90 or more for a subject) earned by 19 of the school's Year 12 students was well-deserved "They've shown such resilience," Ms Middlebrook said "The concern for me was how well they'd cope because they started their HSC courses when the bushfires hit "They are all good young people who have caring hearts View +1 PhotosJoined by Blue Mountains mayor Mark Greenhill more than 100 students planted trees at the new biofilter construction site at the park are specially designed garden beds that absorb and filter stormwater runoff from roads They help to protect our waterways from stormwater pollutants The day's program included a safety briefing and an expert talk on biofilters The students then took part in activities including tree planting "The benefits to children from regular connection with nature include health and happiness outcomes," said Cr Greenhill purpose-driven learning experiences in nature fosters genuine care and respect for our environment "These children are the future stewards of our Blue Mountains and the nature literacy skills they learn today will help protect our precious World Heritage wilderness in the years to come." 'Connect with Nature' is a hands-on environmental learning program developed by council and run in partnership with local schools and early years learning centres 'Connect with Nature' aims to inspire the next generation by connecting children with the distinct Blue Mountains environment and fostering their natural love of nature Council works with local schools to provide experiential learning in the Blue Mountains bushland setting Programs are developed with teachers in line with the curriculum Council staff use their expertise in stormwater water quality and their local ecology to bring the wonder of the Blue Mountains environment to students To learn more about the 'Connect with Nature' program visit bmcc.nsw.gov.au/schools-program Young Trophy which is awarded to the most successful high school on the sporting field in the Sydney west area Winmalee High School sporting Blue recipients Mark Isichei and Sam Nangle.More than 50 high schools from Parramatta to Katoomba are eligible for the trophy regional and state level determines the winning school including the number of students selected in Sydney west teams and Combined High Schools (CHS) Sports Association state teams Winmalee High School won the CHS state 12x50metre freestyle relay at this year's state carnival for the third year in a row in record time Four Winmalee High School students also received Blue awards for outstanding achievement from the Sydney West Secondary School Sport Association Mark Isichei was awarded a Blue for basketball Jack Kemp received his for swimming while Joshua Watkins and Sam Nangle were awarded Blues for water polo Mark Isichei also won the region's Premier's Sporting Challenge Trophy as the most outstanding sportsman in the Sydney west area "Mark is a dedicated and quiet achiever who has shone as an all-round sportsman His sportsmanship and belief in fair play makes him a role model for younger students," his Blue citation stated which seems to touch those crossing his path." The Sydney West Secondary School Sport Association awards ceremony was held on December 9 We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy. A NSW Rural Fire Service firefighter keeps an eye on a fire in bushland near Winmalee Link copiedShareShare articleA provisional $18 million court settlement is very much in the interests of residents affected by the devastating 2013 Blue Mountains bushfires Winmalee resident Sean Johnston launched a NSW Supreme Court class action against Endeavour Energy claiming it failed to take action to remove a rotting tree that fell onto power lines and sparked the fire that razed 196 homes In granting provisional approval for the proposed settlement Justice Clifton Hoeben concluded that the lawsuit against Endeavour would have had poor prospects of success and it was unlikely Mr Johnston would have been able to establish liability by the company About 700 residents were involved in the class action against the company The fire is believed to have started in Linsview Road The residents alleged the fire was started by a tree that had fallen on a power line and that the company should have taken steps before the fire to remove the tree The class action claimed that Endeavour was negligent in failing to clear dangerous trees Endeavour has denied there was any vegetation within 1.5 metres of its power lines Chief Justice Clifton Hoeben said the origin and cause of the fire remained in dispute The provisional approval for the proposed settlement was given last month with Justice Hoeben handing down the reasons for his decision this morning He said the most compelling reason was that the plaintiffs had poor prospects of proving Endeavour was liable NSW RFS firefighters battle a bushfire burning close to homes on in the Blue Mountains in October "It was common ground that Endeavour engaged contractors to carry out an inspection of vegetation near power lines throughout its large area of responsibility which included the power lines on Linksview Road," he said "At no time did Endeavour or any of its contractors detect the fact that the tree was rotten and therefore at substantially increased risk of failing and falling onto the power lines." Justice Hoeben also cited evidence the tree had internal rot which could not have been seen looking at the tree and would have required more testing "There was considerable disagreement amongst the experts as to the existence prominence and significance of the signs [if any] which were present," he said If approved a Settlement Distribution Scheme to pay the plaintiffs will be established The settlement is listed to be finalised on the September 26 The provisional order said Endeavour Energy should pay the settlement and they were allowed to do so without an admission of liability A NSW Rural Fire Service firefighter assesses a fire burning in Springwood in October 2013 A scheme of distribution for the funds has also been set out A chief investigator told a coronial inquiry into the fires in 2015 that the blaze was an act of God Last year, a Winmalee schoolteacher who lost everything when the bushfire ripped through his suburb, said he was appalled to hear Endeavour Energy has underspent on its maintenance budget. A hearing into the matter was held in the NSW Supreme Court over 10 weeks last year. In his opening remarks before the hearing, the barrister representing the residents, Tim Tobin SC, described how the Blue Mountains was in a state of "high vulnerability" on that October day, with high temperatures, gusting winds and low humidity. The fire went on to burn for close to month, destroying more than 3,500 hectares, Mr Tobin said. Disasters, Accidents and Emergency Incidents 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) View +4 PhotosHospitality teacher Megan Renwick started the Caffeine Lab at the school in 2015 inspired by another school selling coffees from a broom cupboard year 12 VET (vocational education and training) hospitality students would open the cafe of a Friday morning for breakfast and drinks They were pumping out about 120 breakfasts 100 coffees and 100 drinks such as smoothies or juices The students were expected to run the cafe as a business and were responsible for balancing the books promoting it and making everything from scratch "They will look at what's on trend at the moment and what other cafes are doing," Ms Renwick said "Some of their edgier menus have done really well." When marriage equality was achieved in 2017 the students made rainbow bagels with rainbow cream cheese filling and rainbow cheese toasties which were snapped up by the school community "We're not just your ham and cheese croissant type of place It's all about how do you take something and manipulate it so it's that bit different so people want to try it," Ms Renwick said With a background in forensic chemistry and forensic archaeology Ms Renwick has encouraged the students to create food without a recipe "I want them to understand the science behind the food," she said Watching the students grow in confidence as they learn practical skills "They work out how to do things on their own 'cause they have that confidence .. gaining the confidence in the kitchen reflects in their HSC results," Ms Renwick said The school's hospital program has gone from strength to strength In one year course enrolments grew from 41 to 149 students Relieving principal Voula Facas said they were "very proud of the recognition Megan has received for her leadership in this field." "Megan is very a passionate teacher and her students love being in her class," she said "The breadth and depth of experience the students gain in running a cafe is invaluable for our students students and special guests to the school has also been wonderful Some of the best breakfasts I've had are in the Caffeine Lab cafe." Ms Renwick was humbled to receive the award and seeing my students get real life employment skills is great." Member of the Legislative Council and Blue Mountains resident Shayne Mallard congratulated Ms Renwick on receiving the prestigious award saying she was an inspiration to anyone thinking of pursuing a fulfilling and rewarding career through VET The NSW Training Awards are conducted annually by the NSW Department of Education in recognition of outstanding achievements in VET Ms Renwick is in the running for a national award was put on a six month good behaviour bond in Penrith Local Court today was charged with cultivating a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug and two counts of possessing a prohibited drug after police removed 107 cannabis plants from his rented home on December 8 last year The charges were found proven but dismissed and no conviction was recorded a coffee technician trainer, announced an intention to plead not guilty “on the grounds of medical necessity” but he reversed those pleas to guilty on June 12 when police also removed a charge of possessing a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug the former chair of the Australian Republican Movement and adviser to Julian Assange and Wikileaks, Greg Barns and solicitor Sally McPherson have been representing Mr Taylor for free during the court case Mr Barns provided extensive medical evidence from two doctors to confirm Mr Taylor’s seriously ill daughters had benefited from the juiced cannabis Mr Taylor spent more than five years watching daughters Morgan, 21 suffer from the chronic auto-immune condition Crohn's Disease before after thorough research by his wife Karen, he decided to grow cannabis in his backyard to help them.  Mr Taylor said his daughters were repeatedly hospitalised with their condition and had serious side effects from pharmaceutical drugs.  One of the daughters Morgan is now on a free three month trial of medicinal cannabis – the drug normally costs $1000 monthly Penrith Local Court Magistrate Stephen Corry took into consideration the substantive medical evidence on the beneficial effects of the juiced cannabis on the daughters’ condition including from the police’s own consultant forensic pharmacologist Mr Taylor’s daughters hugged the police prosecutor outside the court The court heard had the case gone to the district court Mr Taylor could have faced 10 years in jail Solicitor Sally McPherson said outside the court “the law can’t continue to operate in a vacuum to what the community wants and needs which is lawful access to cannabis” Mr Taylor said they were relieved the case was over “I couldn’t put my girls through any more.” chairwoman of the Winmalee Neighbourhood Centre's management committee outside the crumbling disabled ramp at the rear of the centre.Winmalee Neighbourhood Centre has helped hundreds of people since the bushfires So it was with some dismay that the staff and volunteers learnt last week that their application for grants under the bushfire recovery program had been only partly successful While they received funds for a re-greening project and a small grant to help home businesses affected by the fires they missed out on what they needed most: funding for a new staff member Chairwoman of the centre's management committee said existing staff were so stretched they would struggle to take on any further work "We've got people who were retired and face starting again in their 70s - they can't believe they're back on struggle street so many people still needing help," she said a widow in her late 60s who lost everything in Buena Vista Road They gave me basically everything I needed," she said "When I didn't have enough money for tyres to register my car who lost her Emma Parade home in the fires has also been a regular visitor to the centre "I know firsthand the extraordinary lengths the team have been going to The decision not to fund an additional project officer is a real kick in the guts for the neighbourhood centre and for Winmalee residents," she said The centre also lost promised funds to restore a disabled access ramp after the change in federal government in 2013 Ms Cowper said the double blow - missing out on the grant they wanted and losing the ramp money - had left the centre "feeling a little bit unloved and unsupported" There was $704,000 handed out in the joint state-federal grants to both business and community groups The biggest recipient was the Blue Mountains Economic Enterprise which received $105,000 to run a conference and expo on building in bushfire prone areas and a further $80,000 to develop the Mountains as a quality food destination Other grants went to Catholiccare Social Services at Parramatta with $39,000 for a bushfire financial support worker $50,000 to council to develop a Yellow Rock community space $33,000 to Springwood Neighbourhood Centre to fund community art-based programs and $50,000 to Blackheath Area Neighbourhood Centre to work with locals and particularly the Mt Victoria community which was affected by the fires The Winmalee centre received $27,273 for a re-greening project where the community will help propagate and look after plants until bushfire-affected residents are ready to re-plant their gardens and $7,710 to help the large number of people who run home businesses and were affected by the fires Applications are now open for a second round of grants Blue Mountains MP Roza Sage said she would encourage the centre to apply again She'd been principal for one year and three months when the October 2013 fires destroyed the homes of 46 of the school's students As 2019 draws to a close and Ms Middlebrook steps down for a year's sabbatical before official retirement at age 60 the Blue Mountains is again on edge as bushfires encroach Winmalee High was in lockdown for five hours when the fires began none of the students whose homes were destroyed paid any costs associated with their education for a full year and the school was quick to provide counselling for staff and students "It was about finding out how that sort of trauma impacts on the community and staff and students in the school," Ms Middlebrook recalled how I can support these kids and create a framework for the school which is positive psychology principles designed to help build build students' resilience "What we recognised after the fires was we were not just a learning environment it's about building the whole child," Ms Middlebrook said She also set about developing gratitude amongst the students and recognising students' academic and self-development achievements at excellence breakfasts the school has marked Spirit Week - celebrating the spirit of the Winmalee community encouraging connection with others and kindness Ms Middlebrook said she understood how important a school was within a small community "It's a lovely school and the kids are a reflection of a lovely community I've worked hard to maintain that reflection," she said "I have a strong belief in school culture and advocating for each other and standing up for what's good The school has also celebrated Wear it Purple Day a national event showing support and acceptance of sexuality and gender diversity since 2013 which ties in nicely with the school's motto "Be who you want to be at Winmalee." regardless of your difference," Ms Middlebrook said where more than 100 kids are helped with any barrier to learning Ms Middlebrook is looking forward to caravanning around Australia with her wife Flo Maitre "That will be cutting all ties and letting go of 36 years of being tied to work," Ms Middlebrook said who has been deputy principal to Ms Middlebrook for the majority of her term will be relieving principal for the 2020 school year Winmalee High School has had just two other principals since it began operation in 1985 only the third to take the reins since the school opened in 1985 Katrina Middlebrook arrived at Winmalee from Greystanes High School at the beginning of this term and has “hit the ground running” “I knew it was a great school,” she told the Gazette “It’s got staff that absolutely love this school and are open about saying it “I said to the kids at assembly a school like this does not just happen that only happens because of a lot of good will to staff who give a lot of time out of school hours “I am a believer in the development of the whole child and I think that’s the strength of this school.” Ms Middlebrook rounds out the last principal’s appointment at the three major Lower Mountains public high schools with females now in the top job at Winmalee And while she is the first female principal for Winmalee High School Ms Middlebrook said she didn’t feel under extra pressure due to her gender “There’s only ever been two principals before me Laurie Lawless from 1994 to 2011 and the other gentleman before him from 1985 to 1994,” she said I don’t think ability as a principal is determined by your gender My pressure is to work with the staff who have not undergone change for a long time They have had stability and the same way of operating for 17 years and a natural fear for people is that I bring change and the uncertainty that comes with change I will be asking opinions of what they think are the three most important issues of the school and and parents were also very supportive of the school polite and respectful,” Ms Middlebrook said Ms Middlebrook is a self-confessed “country girl” who said she understood living in a small community “I understand living in a rural area and understand the importance of relationships in rural communities and the importance of feeling a principal is doing the right thing by the school and the community,” she said “I know I am living in a very good community and that’s reassuring to a principal.” volunteer driver Paul Colbran; (centre) James Garness Denise Clark; (front) store manager Robert Bowker Winmalee Neighbourhood Centre manager Morna Colbran Cassie Gough and Samantha Vandall.A food project between Winmalee Neighbourhood Centre Winmalee Coles and the charity SecondBite is going great guns the project was named third in the state for food collection distributing a whopping 1629kg of food throughout the Mountains that month narrowly behind larger players REAP in Port Macquarie with Coles and Salvation Army Liverpool with Casula Coles More than 90 residents have signed up to the Winmalee Community Food Cupboard project where they can purchase subsidised food from the Winmalee Neighbourhood Centre on a fortnightly basis The food is collected from Coles Winmalee by volunteer Paul Colbran and delivered in the neighbourhood centre's new Toyota Hi-Ace van to some preschools and other support services throughout the Mountains such as Blue Mountains Family Support and Gateway It is facilitated by just four people at the centre and more than 350 people per month benefit An industrial fridge and freezer has now been installed in the van Coles Winmalee store manger Robert Bowker said when neighbourhood centre manager Morna Colbran had asked if Coles would like to join this project "It's our community and we are part of the community and it's nice to give back and help out in a good way and not have it go to landfill," Mr Bowker said Mr Bowker has retrained staff around what is actually still suitable for human consumption and therefore okay to be included in the food project "And customers like to hear it's going to a good cause People here are more concerned about wastage," he said Ms Colbran said there were many vulnerable individuals and families who face financial stress on an ongoing basis "We work closely with the community and understand that sometimes all that is required is a 'hand up' This project complements our existing emergency relief programs which provides a one stop service for many people Implementing a project that is based on dignity and reciprocity is demonstrating that food security can be a possibility." She hopes the success of the Food Cupboard will encourage other communities and organisations to consider taking on similar projects the first child of police officer Brett Thomson and his teacher wife Leila arrived on October 10 and will take up residence when their new home rises from the ashes at number 30 early next year "We were blessed to be able to afford to rebuild," Mr Thomson said.The population of Emma Parade dramatically decreased one year ago but one thing is now certain a brand new resident will be moving in soon the first child of police officer Brett Thomson and his high school teacher wife Leila arrived at Hawkesbury Hospital on October 10 and will take up residence when their new home rises from the ashes at number 30 early next year The 3.35kg bundle came six days early and almost a year to the date when bushfire ravaged their first home in Winmalee "When we found out Isaac was due on the 16th of October it made us feel like it's something nice and new happening," Mrs Thomson said remembered waiting out the fire at her parents home in Baulkham Hills who was "between night shifts at Auburn station" recalled himself to duty at the evacuation centre at Coles and worked through the night with other off duty police "I had seen on the RFS website that fire had broken out at Springwood," Mrs Thomson said 22 were from Emma Parade and unfortunately for that small community a good proportion of residents have chosen not to return who had only just moved in a few months earlier "After the fire we did think about it [whether to go] because I'm still a bit worried about [another] fire but we just decided that we really loved living here and loved the community and we wouldn't get that anywhere else," Mrs Thomson said "At the end of the day what happened was really upsetting and it's been very stressful but it's still material things and we can rebuild "We really got along well with the people around us and after the fire obviously it made people closer," she said some of the people who didn't lose their houses organised it," Mr Thomson said "It was a nice opportunity to catch up and build relationships," he added The couple is currently living in a granny flat in Valley Heights provided by friends from Winmalee Anglican Church "It's good to see our little community returning For others there is still a long way to go." Mrs Thomson hopes that eventually every block will get a new home and some new friends for Isaac might even move in too "But I think it's going to take a while," she said Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time Jocelyn and Alan Seaman finally spent a night in their own home in the Blue Mountains town of Winmalee Never mind that the gas is yet to be connected so the 74-year-olds will have to "go dirty" for a day or two And forget the risk of accidents as they pick their way through a house and garden that remain largely a worksite "I'm just determined to stay tonight," Jocelyn told Fairfax Media during a visit this week "I need to be here before Saturday." Saturday marks the second anniversary of a devastating bushfire that swept through Winmalee destroying almost 200 homes – including the Seamans' – and damaging a similar number Alan and Jocelyn Seaman prepare for their first night in their new home in Winmalee.Credit: Nick Moir This week found many Winmalee residents still settling back into new homes that have been constructed to be more fire-resistant – often at considerable extra cost – in efforts to withstand another blaze or embers raining down from the resurgent woodlands nearby Most of the burned-out blocks have been rebuilt and occupied by the same residents in a sign of the community's resilience from the trauma of the so-called Red October fires While fire risks this spring in the Blue Mountains and most other parts of NSW remain lower than during the extreme conditions in 2013 fire authorities warn the recent sudden surge in temperatures could quickly elevate the threat Lessons learned from Winmalee and other towns hit by those fires are being used to fine-tune preparations across the state and elsewhere where this year's fire dangers potentially loom larger Dick Hurst in front of his new home almost two years after a bushfire destroyed many of the houses in Winmalee.Credit: Nick Moir commissioner of the NSW Rural Fire Service says local conditions aren't yet as bad as two years ago but the intensifying El Nino in the Pacific points to drier and hotter than usual weather in coming months for most of eastern Australia Sydney is in the midst of its hottest start to October on record Sydney's average maximum for the first week of October was almost 13 degrees warmer than the last week of September the most rapid shift for the period since 1970 Evangeline Love in front of her new house in Winmalee two years after a major bushfire destroyed many homes on her street.Credit: Nick Moir A string of four days of 30 degrees or warmer weather "had a pretty profound effect of starting to dry out NSW" "The landscape can turn from moist and green to brown and dry very quickly." A wet start to winter has also meant fire authorities completed only about 70 per cent of the planned hazard-reduction burns aimed at reducing fuel The onset of summer-like conditions has largely snuffed out this year's program Evangeline Love is comforted by friends after her home was destroyed two years ago academics and the affected residents have been sifting through the 2013 findings to reduce the risk for Winmalee and other fire zone regions Given the sudden ignition of the blaze – allegedly because of sparking power lines nearby – and its remarkable ferocity and number of home destroyed authorities "would have expected a death toll of more than 10" daughter Alanah and their cat Moo-Moo – which survived the 2013 bushfire – at their new home in Winmalee.Credit: Nick Moir Surveys after the fires found fewer than 50 per cent of respondents had a plan and only 10-15 per cent of those had written it down a bushfire expert at the University of Melbourne says many of those who have plans also change them when fire erupts the fire's arrival on an early Thursday afternoon was fortuitous A firefighter directs water on a hotspot during the Winmalee/Springwood bushfire in 2013 in which almost 200 homes were destroyed "It would have been a tragedy if it had been an hour later," Penman says noting many school students would have been at home "The preparation starts with the idea you'll be home at the time," he said "People haven't been good at preparing for a range of scenarios A common sight after the October 2013 bushfire swept through parts of Winmalee.Credit: Dallas Kilponen Winmalee resident Evangeline Love was as ready as anybody could be she was knew to clear gutters of dry leaves ensure plants or other flammable material were not close to her house and had readied prize possessions such as photos of her beloved husband who had died just six months earlier Love was away for lunch and unable to return in time to collect those crucial belongings "I took my dog for a walk in the morning," Love says "I didn't know it would be the last time I'd see him." Penman commiserates with her loss but says police have no choice but to stop people returning home during a fire "You're facing a much higher risk than if you started from home," he says fallen trees and accidents mean people in cars are almost as at risk of perishing in fires as if they were walking People should consider taking precious documents with them to work during high fire-danger days and should seek alternative homes for pets if practicable New methods to model the risk from fires will be tested in Victoria and NSW this year with the aim of providing more precise information to the public Instead of a blanket warning based on weather conditions such as temperature and wind speeds the new model can provide almost real-time changes down to a resolution of as little as five kilometre grids and its proximity to homes or other assets "People want to know: It's a fire danger but a fire danger to what?" says Ross Bradstock director of the Centre for Environmental Risk Management of Bushfires at the University of Wollongong one of the model developers along with Penman "It incorporates the probability of a fire starting and spreading and it reaching property," Bradstock says "The warning system can be tailored to parts of towns or even suburbs," he said adding it may be available within a few years if testing succeeds Jocelyn and Alan Seaman are confident the new home they are building with son Craig can resist ember and flame attack for an hour or longer with its battery-powered window shutters and fire-resistant cladding While Jocelyn entertained thoughts of not returning to Buena Vista Road "The community drags you back more than the fires," she says "There aren't many streets where you can walk along and talk to everybody." so the 74-year-olds will have to \\\"go dirty\\\" for a day or two \\\"I'm just determined to stay tonight,\\\" Jocelyn told Fairfax Media during a visit this week \\\"I need to be here before Saturday.\\\" destroying almost 200 homes \\u2013 including the Seamans' \\u2013 and damaging a similar number This week found many Winmalee residents still settling back into new homes that have been constructed to be more fire-resistant \\u2013 often at considerable extra cost \\u2013 in efforts to withstand another blaze or embers raining down from the resurgent woodlands nearby in a sign of the community's resilience from the trauma of the so-called Red October fires where this year's fire dangers potentially loom larger says local conditions aren't yet as bad as two years ago but the intensifying El Nino in the Pacific points to drier and hotter than usual weather in coming months for most of eastern Australia Sydney's average maximum for the first week of October was almost 13 degrees warmer than the last week of September A string of four days of 30 degrees or warmer weather \\\"had a pretty profound effect of starting to dry out NSW\\\" \\\"The landscape can turn from moist and green to brown and dry very quickly.\\\" The onset of summer-like conditions has largely snuffed out this year's program Given the sudden ignition of the blaze \\u2013 allegedly because of sparking power lines nearby \\u2013 and its remarkable ferocity and number of home destroyed authorities \\\"would have expected a death toll of more than 10\\\" the fire's arrival on an early Thursday afternoon was fortuitous \\\"It would have been a tragedy if it had been an hour later,\\\" Penman says \\\"The preparation starts with the idea you'll be home at the time,\\\" he said \\\"People haven't been good at preparing for a range of scenarios \\\"I took my dog for a walk in the morning,\\\" Love says \\\"I didn't know it would be the last time I'd see him.\\\" \\\"You're facing a much higher risk than if you started from home,\\\" he says \\\"People want to know: It's a fire danger but a fire danger to what?\\\" says Ross Bradstock \\\"It incorporates the probability of a fire starting and spreading and it reaching property,\\\" Bradstock says \\\"The warning system can be tailored to parts of towns or even suburbs,\\\" he said \\\"The community drags you back more than the fires,\\\" she says \\\"There aren't many streets where you can walk along and talk to everybody.\\\" a bunch of students and teachers from Winmalee High School were in remarkably good spirits They’d achieved what they’d set out to do — walk from Katoomba to Winmalee High School in a fundraiser for fire-affected students — and raised more than $35,000 in the process.  they got huge cheers and applause as they walked down the long school corridor at the end of the walk School captain for 2014 Sam Glazebrook said: “It’s been a great experience for our school and our community to really see us bond together The fires devastated the Blue Mountains but we’ve all come together with this “Everywhere we went the support was fantastic We had people pulling over on the side of the road and giving us $100 notes.”  He said the rain was no deterrent: “That’s not going to stop us That cause was a Winmalee Community of Schools Fund set up by Winmalee High for fire-affected students of Winmalee High Ellison Public and Springwood High schools The fund aims to cover education costs for the fire-affected students for the remainder of this year and 2014.  the head teacher of PDHPE at Winmalee High said eight fire-affected students completed the walk and grew emotionally as the walk progressed “They grew in confidence going through the trip,” she said “At the start their eyes were down and they were quieter but by the end they were smiling and laughing in front of the school groups we were visiting.” Ms DalSanto said the highlight of the walk was nearing the end when they walking down Hawkesbury Rd picking up other school students and walking into Winmalee High “That journey down Hawkesbury Rd was a real celebration of what we’d achieved,” she said “The whole school was out when we arrived and they were so proud of every single person that did the walk.” Western Sydney’s own AFL side The GWS Giants was on a promotional push through the Blue Mountains last week visiting St Finbars Primary at Glenbrook on Monday Winmalee Public and High school on Tuesday morning and then Wycliffe Christian School in the afternoon They also squeezed in visits to after school Auskick programs at Blaxland East Public and Glenbrook Park in their two-day visit Winmalee Public School’s relieving principal Frances Campbell said 320 students from Years Two to Six met with defender Stephen Gilham and AFL clinic trainee Michael Collins in their school hall A signed AFL ball now has pride of place in the glass trophy cabinet in the front office “They did look like giants amongst little munchkins,” Mrs Campbell said laughing “They [the children] were really engaged and asked lots of questions like When did you start to play AFL and What’s your favourite colour Mrs Campbell has been acting in the job this term Principal Mark Myles is on leave following personal business dramas involving a childcare centre in Penrith It’s alleged he failed to pay the bills last month at the Bollygum Childcare Centre that he owns which culminated in the power being turned off leaving children cold and in the dark Repeated attempts to contact Mr Myles have failed Late last month the Education Department spokesman said he had visited the centre and “he (the owner Mark Myles) was issued with a show cause notice under the regulations” “If the conditions of the show cause are not met within 30 days the approved provider may be suspended and the service closed The department is satisfied that the children are safe and sufficiently well cared for at this time and is monitoring the situation.” Mrs Campbell wouldn’t be drawn into the controversy saying “all I can tell you is he has taken leave which he’s entitled to do The Education Department spokesman further confirmed Mr Myles was “on leave to attend to personal matters that have no relation to his role as principal” Giants players visited more than 100 schools and 25 community clubs across NSW and the ACT over the two days taking part in Q and A sessions and skills clinics The team has endured a 12-week long losing streak after finishing wooden spooners in their first season in 2012 Corporate Affairs general manager Nick Johnston said the schools program was all about building stronger ties in the community getting to know local communities,” Mr Johnston said we’re a young side but our players are very resilient The players really enjoy getting out into schools talking to the kids about a range of things including winning and losing,” he added Winmalee Public will get behind AFL in earnest next term with games planned with nearby primary schools every Friday afternoon at Summerhayes Park everything they had — others are just trying to support their close friends and still concentrate on finishing their HSC examinations Winmalee High School principal Katrina Middlebrook calls them “troopers” “The stress of losing their home and sometimes animals is distressing for them,” Ms Middlebrook said “There’s no expectation if they’re not emotionally capable of sitting an exam that they would be expected to and there’s no way the Board [of Studies] expects that either,” she told media last week Last week’s worsening fire conditions caused closures to all Mountains schools on Wednesday with those HSC students sitting exams all over NSW School captain Daniel Squires evacuated with his family on Wednesday and sat his exams in Glenwood in Sydney’s north-west “Everyone was kind of looking at me strangely when I walked in,” Daniel who sat the exam in his Winmalee High uniform but four of his mates who turned up to meet with The Gazette on Friday for these photos have despite finding it “incredibly difficult to concentrate” while so many of his friends are suffering Emily Colman lived in Buena Vista Rd at Winmalee but this week will move into a rental house in Mt Riverview with her family Lucas Magennis’ family has found a place in Warragamba but he wants to stay in the Mountains He is couch surfing and Sarah Thompson is doing the same Sarah still has her notes and a laptop but cannot concentrate told the Gazette last week “and we are still worried about everyone else” Winmalee High has applied to the NSW Board of Studies for misadventure forms for the entire HSC group of 120 — at least a dozen have lost their homes.  Year 12 co-ordinator Greg Dutton said “even the best kids have really struggled to maintain a great focus,” with some experiencing survivor guilt “They are obviously not okay,” Mr Dutton said we’ve got one girl who lives near a row of 10 houses in Yellow Rock that have all gone that’s what she sees when she looks out the window.” He said the group were carrying each other through the tragedy “It’s definitely brought the year group closer firmed up the friendships – they’ve had to hang in there for each other but its been very disrupting for their preparations Most are still asking ‘why did it happen?’” warning that 20 properties are under threat on the western side of the NSW Blue Mountains The NSW bushfires have left one man dead and an assessment of the Springwood and Winmalee areas in the Blue Mountains shows 193 properties have been destroyed.View of Winmalee fire 12 min readPublished 19 October 2013 9:16am ShareGet SBS News daily and direct to your InboxSign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.Your email address *Morning (Mon–Fri) Dr Anthony VialDr Anthony Vial’s practice will move to new premises at 100 White Cross Road at the end of July Office manager Sharon Connor said the phone number would not change and the same services would be provided. Dr Vial felt better able to continue bulk-billing and his personalised family approach in a single-doctor practice Denmark's Crown Prince Frederick and Princess Mary greet a crowd of residents during a visit to the Winmalee fire station in Western Sydney. October 27, 2013. (AAP. Rob Griffith) Link copiedShareShare articleHundreds of people from the Winmalee community devastated by the recent bushfires have turned out to welcome Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark to the Blue Mountains. Winmalee, west of Sydney, was the area hit hardest by the recent bushfires with about 190 homes lost. The royal couple headed straight for the crowds, accepting flowers and talking to locals who lost their homes. They also greeted Rural Fire Service volunteers and were given a tour of the brigade. Locals say the visit has lifted morale and brought smiles to the faces of those affected by the fires. "I saw my daughter-in-law smile for the first time since she lost everything. She was over the moon," said one woman. A local man who only just moved to Winmalee says he took his two daughters out to see Princess Mary, who he says is setting an excellent example. "We have had a baptism of fire. We have only been here a month and it has been tough," he said. "I've got two little girls who love princesses. They got dressed up this morning to come and see what a real princess looks like." Fires continue to burn in the Blue Mountains this afternoon, with a watch-and-act alert in place for the State Mine fire near Lithgow that has so far burnt more than 520 square kilometres. Firefighters say heavy smoke from back-burning operations in the Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury areas will continue to drift across parts of Sydney and the Illawarra this afternoon. Alex Chesser from the Rural Fire Service says the drier and cooler conditions today are ideal for back-burning operations. "Firefighters will continue to use every available opportunity, such as today, to undertake this important work so we can get some containment on these fires which have been burning for well over a week," he said. Meanwhile, the New South Wales Government is urging volunteer groups helping with the bushfire recovery to apply for grants to help fund their efforts. The assistance scheme was announced in the wake of the recent bushfire emergencies, and grants will be considered on a case-by-case basis. "We're encouraging all volunteer groups to apply, to get on the ground and come and help those victims of the bushfires get back on their feet," said NSW Treasurer Mike Baird. Last month, the volunteer group BlazeAid was awarded $162,000 to help locals affected by fires at Winmalee, the Hawkesbury and at Castlereagh. BlazeAid used the funding to set up temporary camps for volunteers to help rebuild hundreds of kilometres of fencing. "In the past, it's been ad-hoc funding and support. What we're saying is let's make it permanent," said Mr Baird. "This remains open-ended, for natural disasters now and into the future." The NSW Government is also refunding fire victims for the registration charges of destroyed vehicles and the fees to replace documents lost in the fires, such as birth certificates and drivers licences. "People who have lost their homes and vehicles in this bush fire crisis have enough on their minds without having to worry about vehicle registration charges," said Premier Barry Mr O'Farrell. "At times like this, it is crucial the NSW Government assists people wherever we can and that's exactly what we're doing." The Federal Government is under mounting pressure to provide broader disaster relief payments for fire-affected residents in the Blue Mountains. Under Labor, disaster relief payments for the Tasmanian bushfires and Tropical Cyclone Oswald extended to people cut off from their homes. But the Coalition is only offering the payment to people whose homes have been lost or damaged in the fires. It was Josh's first year in the Rookie class after moving up from Cadets at the beginning of the year View +3 PhotosAt his home track of Lithgow won five of the seven rounds to take out the Combined Districts Kart Club championship in his class for the second year in a row Josh finished second in round 3 of the NSW state titles losing by just a second to two-time national champion Ryan Tomsett Following his successes throughout the year a perpetual trophy awarded to a single karter each year by the president of the Combined Districts club Joshua came home third in the Wollongong Club championship Further west at the Orange Karting Raceway Josh placed second at the South Pacific Titles and at round four of the Southern Stars racing series from his 16 starts in 2019 at three different circuits Joshua earned a top-3 podium finish at 13 events Competition karting is running strongly in NSW this year under a new governing body with thousands of competitors aged from seven to seventy competing in their precision machines at over twenty kart racing clubs across the state The Rookie class for 10 to 12-year-olds is one of the most competitive classes with the young drivers learning their craft at speeds of up to 90km/h and making plenty of friends along the way Racing recommences at Lithgow in February 2020 An aerial image of the aftermath of the devastating bushfires over Buena Vista Road in Winmalee on October 25 Allan and Jocelyn Seaman's home was one of seven consecutive houses which burned down Link copiedShareShare articleMore than 40 homes in one Blue Mountains cul-de-sac were razed by bushfire in October 2013 Now — a touch over two years later — most of the homeowners who decided to stay and rebuild have completed their reconstruction The fires — described as the worst natural disaster in Blue Mountains history — led the New South Wales government to declare a state of emergency the fires burned on three fronts: Linksview Road For retired builder Allan Seaman and his wife Jocelyn it is the second time they have built a home on their block in Buena Vista Road in Winmalee in 42 years But this time they had help from their son "I'm basically ground crew these days. My son does the elevated stuff," Mr Seaman told 702 ABC Sydney Mornings program with Linda Mottram The fire, which swept through their street, completely destroyed their home and back shed. After some time had passed, Mr Seaman was able to see the bright side to the destruction. "I had been told I needed to clean the shed out before I died. It got done in one day," Mr Seaman laughed. The only thing that has stopped Mr Seaman and his wife from moving in to their rebuilt home is the gas company. "We are waiting for the bureaucracy at the moment. We are just waiting for the gas to get put in," he said. Allan and Jocelyn Seaman in their half-built home one year after the fire. (702 ABC Sydney: Matthew Bevan) The house they have built this time differs significantly from the one which was lost. "We didn't build a conventional house. We built one to allow us to get around if one of us ends up in a wheelchair," Mr Seaman said. But he is certainly not wheelchair bound yet — during construction Mr Seaman was doing 10 hour days, seven days a week. "We also built an atrium inside which will be a glasshouse-like thing. The main reason we built that is because no other bugger in the street has got one," he said. "My wife's a stickybeak so we put the kitchen in the front." The new home is also more resistant to fire than the previous one. The new Seaman home just awaiting landscaping (Supplied: Seaman family) Mr Seaman said could become a safe haven for other residents of Buena Vista Road if bushfires returned to their neighbourhood. "If the fire comes across the road everybody's going to head to my place because mine is built differently," he said. "We put a lot more effort into the flame zone requirements. "We have put flame-resistant panels in which should last a few hours if a fire comes through." Many of the people who lost their homes in the 2013 fires decided against rebuilding. "We have got new neighbours coming in, but I'd say 60 per cent of the old neighbours are still here," Mr Seaman said. "My neighbour over the road is building a massive, big house and we have christened them The Robinsons, because when they move into the house they will be Lost in Space." Mr Seaman has been highly critical of the State Government's response to the 2013 fire crisis. "If it wasn't for the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the neighbourhood centres and the local churches people would still be stuck," he said. "Not one person from the Government has come to talk to us. "We did have [NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner] Shane Fitzsimmons come to our place once on the 12 month anniversary. "I think he was expecting bouquets, but unfortunately he got brickbats." He has been named GP Synergy Supervisor of the Year for the Nepean Western and Northern Sydney training region Dr de Vries and some of his peers decided in the 1990s they needed to be part of training and teaching junior doctors to help foster the next generation "I am still enthusiastic about the teaching aspect of general practice which after 38 years in Winmalee I still find very rewarding," Dr de Vries said Commitment to excellence: Dr Michael de Vries of Winmalee Medical Centre has been recognised for his outstanding contribution to training the next generation of GPs "I enjoy GP registrars' enthusiasm and knowledge and enjoy utilising it to help them become great primary care physicians "Four of our current GPs are doctors that we had some input into their training and now they continue to contribute to training GPs He said the award "should really go to the entire practice as the teaching and enjoyable surroundings is also due to the other doctors and nurses" who leads twice weekly whole of practice meetings where they take turns to present topics and cases - contributing to the ongoing learning environment of the practice CEO of local general practice education and training provider GP Synergy said GP supervisors and general practice staff are an essential part of training the next generation of GPs "GP supervisors play a crucial role in ensuring these GP registrars develop the skills and knowledge needed to understand and meet local population health care needs there are more than 360 accredited GP supervisors the annual Supervisor of the Year award provides an opportunity to reflect and call attention to the significant contribution and dedication of all of our GP supervisors She said GP Synergy was delighted to present this year's award to Dr de Vries in recognition of his commitment to excellence in general practice education and training after signing a contract with a professional Portuguese club Braeden Andreotti is 17 years old and currently taking his HSC at Winmalee High School A prodigious soccer talent who has been playing since the age of three he was recently plucked from the Lower Mountains to sign a one-year contract with Lisbon-based club Casa Pia who compete in Portugal's second division Andreotti will play for the club's under-19 team View +2 PhotosAs a child Andreotti started out with Springwood United before playing with the AC Milan Academy at Homebush Sydney Olympic and Western Sydney Wanderers he was one of three Australians selected to train and play with the academy at German Bundesliga club And like many young and ambitious sporting talents is still going on today," Andreotti told the Gazette "It has been a very hard and demanding journey such as not being able to socialise with friends after school as we were constantly driving to training from 3pm on most days and getting back home at 9pm." who played at a high level in Italy himself has been pivotal in the development of his career which played a key role in his son's soccer journey The move to Portugal came about after Andreotti was approached by consultants the Joga Bonito Football Academy who requested a CV and video highlights reel Within 48 hours a deal was on the table and Andreotti was signed up to the one-year contract with Casa Pia "I have decided to accept their offer and further my football development overseas and head off in October to hopefully one day land a professional contract in Europe," he said my dream of becoming a professional footballer is looking brighter every day "This was not an easy journey for me at times as I felt on many occasions that it wouldn't lead to anything and others believed in me and pushed me to get to where I am today." Andreotti plays as a right wing or wingback and is a fan of both AS Roma in Italy's Serie A and Manchester City in the English Premier League include Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo and Italy's Francesco Totti "My love and passion for the game has been a part of me for many years," he added "and I'm looking forward to the next chapter playing abroad." making the Winmalee store rank in the top 10 fundraising stores in the state With Coles matching every donation dollar-for-dollar during August and September customers around Australia helped to raise more than $7.1 million for the CWA to help drought-affected communities with household and family expenses CWA member Robyn Scheinflug at Coles Winmalee with some of the store's staff.In addition Coles pledged $5 million in grants or interest-free loans from the Coles Nurture Fund for farmers who have a project which will help them to combat drought in the future The Country Women’s Association of NSW CEO Danica Leys said the generosity of Coles will ensure that the CWA can keep progressing with its work of providing assistance with household bills for those affected by drought “This donation is sincerely and humbly appreciated We’d like to thank Coles and their generous customers for their kindness at this time,” she said but the money will help in meaningful and practical ways like helping with phone bills and they don’t stop for farmers in drought affected areas.” Coles State General Manager Emma Bridges said Coles is overwhelmed by the generosity of local shoppers across NSW who have shown their support for Australian farming communities by donating at Coles checkouts Peter and Janet Furnell.Peter and Janet Furnell have run Winmalee Newsagency for so long they've seen the old Bi-Lo supermarket become Coles and are now serving the children and grandchildren of their first customers But they could face closure due to a decision late last year by Coles Group - which manages Winmalee Village shopping centre - not to renew their lease "We've watched children [customers] grow up into adults and remember them when they were just little bumps in their mum's tummy," Mrs Furnell said "We were from Eden and looked for a business opportunity Peter found this newsagency and we moved up here to run it in January "Peter knows nearly everyone in Winmalee - he's a walking encyclopaedia when it comes to people's names - and all our customers have been fabulous and their support has been great "We've had a few big lotto and scratchies winners over the years - you'd have to take them around the back of the shop and resuscitate them A letter from Coles Group Property Developments on November 13 notified the Furnells they would not be offered a renewal or extension of their shop lease and instructed them "to ensure the premises were vacated" by September 4 The letter invited the Furnells to contact centre management only if they had "any queries concerning the make good requirements" - a reference to leaving the retail space in its original condition "That's what really got to me - we were just devastated when we read that letter," Mrs Furnell said "It's very sad because we've been a part of Winmalee for so long we're going to lose the business and we haven't done anything wrong "They did not give us any reason but the only one I can think of is lotto tickets - the moratorium [that prohibits Tatts lottery products being sold in supermarkets in NSW] winds up in April." Mr Furnell said it was only after he raised the matter on Fairfax radio station 2UE that three representatives from Coles and centre management came to the counter and "told us we read the letter wrong and now they want to talk to us about it "They don't need to offer us a lease - we know that - but when I got that letter it just smelt like a rat," Mr Furnell said said the Furnells "are Winmalee icons and deserve a lot better treatment than this" A Coles spokesperson told the Gazette last Thursday "Coles can confirm that we have a scheduled discussion with the lessee and do not feel it appropriate to pre-empt the outcome of these discussions in the media" "We currently do not have any plans to sell lottery products," the Coles spokesperson said Joel Muddle.Springwood Bowling Club has been hosting a group of Winmalee High School students for their selected sport each Wednesday They are just beginning their bowls experience and if any wish to continue to learn the game then over time with commitment and skill development there may well be a champion from Winmalee This experience allows him to enjoy inclusiveness within a sport that his able bodied friends find easy He is being mentored by a very special bowler Phillip Plackett who is the current NSW and Australia Open Multi Disability Pairs Champion and has recently been nominated by Bowls NSW for the 2017 Disability Bowler of the Year Award Mr Plackett volunteered to come from his Penrith home each Wednesday to support Joel recently called for Australia to embrace inclusion of all people with disabilities Phillip joins him in his call and his offer to mentor Joel is an example of his generosity of spirit and time as well as providing a wonderful example of how these barriers can be removed Springwood Bowling Club hopes to establish a junior squad in the near future For more details contact club secretary Bob Harris on 0418 292 820 3 min readPublished 27 October 2013 12:44pm Eight students from Winmalee Public School talked to an astronaut on the International Space Station on Tuesday April 20 as it orbited 430km above the earth travelling at 27,000km/h The space station was in radio range for just 11 minutes before it dipped below the horizon after the school was contacted by NASA's mission control in Houston Texas at 5.40pm to prepare for the 6.30pm contact NASA astronaut Victor Glover shared details about the space station's mission before offering advice on becoming an astronaut life-long learners as well as to be good teammates - "and you'll achieve success no matter your dreams are" He had one final piece of unprompted advice: "Always listen to Mrs B" It was Mrs B - Winmalee Public's science teacher Alison Broderick - who applied to NASA and ARISS International (Amateur Radio on the ISS) almost two years ago to be part of an amateur radio operators' program that enables students around the globe to speak to an astronaut The students entered the school's 'Ask an Astronaut a Question' competition and eight were chosen to speak directly to one member of crew 64 Principal Kate Ford said all of the students were very excited about the event "All of our students have been studying a unit on space this term in science with a focus on the International Space Station so they were in a great position to ask to some excellent questions," she said "It's hard to imagine anything more inspiring in science than to be able talk live to an astronaut while they're in space I'm sure the enthusiasm this exercise has generated will stay with many of our students for a long time." The school community packed the school hall on Tuesday for the event Erin DeBono (10): What is the best way to describe the feeling of microgravity Indiana Bartush (6): What do you do up there for fun Valentino di Battista (8): Have you ever seen a meteor pass through Earth's atmosphere from the ISS Ivy Cooper (7): What experiments do you do at the International Space Station Ayva Dacey (9): Has anything ever gone wrong or required you to take emergency action while you have been on board the International Space Station Alberto Campos-Wagner (5): What happens if space junk hits the International Space Station Asher Renwick (11): What personal items would you take into space if allowed .. Charlotte Webster (8): How many times a year do you get supplies delivered to the ISS ABC News News HomeChristmas a tough time for fire-affected Blue Mountains residents support services aim to bring cheerShare Christmas a tough time for fire-affected Blue Mountains residents support services aim to bring cheerBy Sue DanielTopic:Bushfires A NSW Rural Fire Service firefighter keeps an eye on a fire in bushland in the Blue Mountains town of Winmalee, west of Sydney, on September 10, 2013. (Audience submitted: Kerry Herger) Link copiedShareShare articleChristmas in the Blue Mountains will be especially poignant and painful for residents who lost their homes in October's devastating bushfires, and local support services have swung into gear to help. More than 200 homes were lost in the region, west of Sydney, and many residents have had to move outside the area because of a lack of rental accommodation as they decide whether to rebuild their homes and where. The Blue Mountains City Council estimates that between 50 and 60 per cent of those affected will rebuild. More than 370 jobs have been lost since the fires and tourism seriously affected as visitors cancel holidays. President of the Lions Club in Winmalee, John Donohue, says his home burnt to the ground and he intends to rebuild. Christmas is a time when normally you're at home reflecting on what it means to be a family, and those four walls that encase your family for some are gone and also for other people, they've had to be relocated outside the community. He says some people are coping better than others, as some find it hard to ask for help. But he believes the efforts of local council, the Rural Fire Service (RFS), churches and the recovery team are really important in what will be a long-term effort, and especially at this time of year. "You can't stand around grieving for too long. You've got to get on and do things," he said. "We're going through that process of suffering a loss. The number of times we have a laugh about it, someone says, 'I've got such and such' and you say, 'I've got - no, I had such and such' and those kind of comparisons. "We have those memories because we're alive and we share those memories because we share the joy of having them at the time, with our friends and family and partners, so we're extremely blessed in this recent incident by not losing any lives at all, people are just shaking their head with wonder at that." Blue Mountains Mayor Mark Greenhill says Christmas is a particularly hard time for people who lost their homes, especially when many know that any rebuilding is still a long way off. "We're very conscious, both the council and the recovery committee of the time of year," he said. "Christmas is a time when normally you're at home reflecting on what it means to be a family and those four walls that encase your family for some are gone, and also for other people they've had to be relocated outside the community." He says local meetings are being held on a regular basis and a concert was also organised, all with the aim of bringing people together. The Lions and Rotary Clubs have been holding street BBQs, with mobile BBQ trucks for anyone who requests one. RFS volunteers dressed as Santa have been out and about in Winmalee, delivering parcels to children and adults. Rotary club volunteers set up a mobile BBQ truck at Winmalee for a community gathering. (Marilyn Kenney) Councillor Greenhill, alongside bushfire recovery coordinator Phil Koperburg, has delivered Christmas packages to residents who lost their homes. "The kids worry me a lot," Councillor Greenhill said. "I worry about children in particular at this time of year and with Phil Koperburg - not just for the kids but the adults too - we're doing some work with Beyond Blue to deal with how this is impacting people. "The reconstruction effort is one thing but the reconstructing of lives and the support for people is another and you can't ignore it." Margaret and Richard Bell lost their home in Singles Ridge Road in Springwood, staying on their property to protect it right up until they were ordered to leave by the RFS. The fire got so close they could not get their cars out of the driveway and had to make a run for it. Amazingly, their restored 1927 "red rattler" railway carriage, which was about 30 metres away from the house, survived the blaze. The carriage, with a wooden floor and wooden sleepers underneath, was even closer to trees than the house, but was miraculously bypassed by the flames. Councillor Greenhill says experience from the Kinglake fires in Victoria and at Coonabarabran in NSW show that the recovery process can take a long time, and there is a need for ongoing support for as long as it takes. He says people whose homes were destroyed have found that there is a gap between the rebuild costs and insurance cover, and because of new building codes the cost of fire-proofing homes has risen significantly - which may mean some people cannot afford to rebuild in the Blue Mountains at all. In the meantime he is calling for a more coordinated approach by the federal and New South Wales governments to the tourism problem, saying visitors believe the Blue Mountains is damaged and the area needs help to restore its brand. "What we need is a more coordinated strategy and I think we need the engagement of tourism authorities in New South Wales and also the national body to overturn what has been a dramatic impact to the tourism economy," he said. "Grants in dribs and dribs are fine but where's the coordination, where's the strategy around rebuilding our brand." Margaret Bell at her Blue Mountains property. (Colin Kenney) Resident Sean Butler and his son Jade fought the fire with five other residents at the historic township Newnes Junction north of Lithgow, October 17, 2013. (AAP/Dean Lewins) Link copiedShareShare articleResidents in the path of bushfires ravaging New South Wales have spoken to the ABC about the ordeal. Thousands of residents have been forced to flee their homes and spent Thursday night in evacuation centres. One Yellow Rock resident says she and her neighbours were forced to put out spot fires with wet towels as firefighters struggled to reach the town. Resident Sean Butler stands in front of his 1958 bus after fighting a fire with five other residents at the historic township Newnes Junction, north of Lithgow. (AAP: Dean Lewins) Dozens of people spent the afternoon at Springwood Country Club, which is acting as a makeshift evacuation centre. The club's captain, Bob Blakemore, says the local community is pulling together. We know that several of our members and other residents have lost their homes. We don't know how many. It's really, really taken off and caused a lot of devastation to the residents of the mountains. I've just had a phone call from the Rotary Club of Springwood, who've volunteered their services. They've got a barbecue trailer and that sort of thing. Now they're willing to put their hands up and I'm sure there's others out there doing other things within other organisations. But we've got the facilities here at the club at Springwood where we can feed these people if need be and we're progressing along those lines. Christine Curtis has been helping run the makeshift evacuation centre at Springwood Golf Club. She says people have been frantically trying to find out where their children are after local schools went in to lockdown. There's a lady out on the veranda who's very upset. Her daughter's house has just burnt down. We're just trying to accommodate people as best we can to keep them calm and keep them safe until the road reopens and they can go back to their houses. We're hoping that the authorities will let us know when the road reopens because there are a lot of people in here who want to get back to their houses and can't. There's people who are separated from their children. Their children are in lockdown at Winmalee High School and Ellison Road Public School. I understand that the children have been evacuated from the two Catholic schools nearby and they went to the shops. I've had people ringing me here, looking for pre-schoolers from the Rainbow Preschool and I can't give them any information because we haven't had large groups coming in. Yellow Rock resident Steve says he and about 40 residents were trapped by the bushfire, which was across the road from his house. He said they were all moving to an area of land which had recently been burnt out. There are fires across the road from my house. The residents are all self-evacuating down to where the fire was a couple of weeks ago because we figure that is the safest place to be because we can't get out. Unfortunately with Yellow Rock there is only one road in and one road out and at the moment we can't get out. There was a fire there about a two weeks ago at the Blue Mountains and that is where everybody is going. Yellow Rock resident Meagan said congested roads meant firefighters could not make it through to help fight the bushfire threatening homes in the area. She said residents are putting out spot fires with wet towels. We are at the top of Yellow Rock Road, which is basically the start of the suburban houses. We have no water, no power. There is fire in the bush behind Yellow Rock, so basically on our back fences. At the moment we are putting out spot fires and grass fires with wet towels and doing the best we can. I believe there are houses that have gone up a couple houses down the road so probably about five houses down the road, they have lost a few houses. The [water] is all off for the firies to take it. We don't have any water at all - no water pressure and thankfully we filled out bathtub with water beforehand and we've been bucketing water out to spot the fires. My kids were evacuated from Ellison Public School this afternoon so I've got two kids who are at a friend's place and I have a two-year-old in the house with me. The only thing I would suggest to people in the area is for people to stay off the road because the firefighters cannot get to us. We've been defending this fire for probably two hours now and the firies are just coming through because they cannot get through. [The fire] is right behind our back fence right now. Diana Bernardi, emergency services manager for the Red Cross, says her staff have been in and out of nine evacuation centres so far this evening. People have been caught very much on the run with this bushfire event. It started very quickly. Schools were evacuated so we have families who are arriving with young children with no clothing at all. And with bushfire conditions, there are a lot of people presenting with smoke-related health issues, so there are the immediate needs that have been attended to in these evacuation centres. Bargo publican Charlie Fenton said police and the RFS had done an excellent job as they evacuated residents the path of the fire. Mate, it's all sort of gone a bit pear-shaped over the past couple of hours. We thought the fire was going south but the fire has jumped the highway I'm led to believe. The clouds were very high and Elvis or Elvis's sister has been here and a couple of other choppers dumping water. [Bargo] has a population of 4,000 people and a fair proportion of those 4,000 are over the other side of the tracks from the hotel. At this stage I am led to believe there is no loss of life, thankfully, and I am not sure as to whether any houses have been lost. The police and the RFS, who I have got to say have done an outstanding job today, are evacuating people the other side of the tracks ... to the west side of the pub. I think just very concerned in relation to the fire that had started initially at Balmoral. If worse comes to worst, we've got plenty of kegs so we'll have a go at putting it out with that. Genevieve, from Caves Beach, fled with her partner and his elderly parents to the evacuation centre that has been established at the Swansea RSL. She says people were in tears after having to abandon their homes. We saw it first on the RFS twitter feed and we decided to heed [the advice] straight away, especially seeing the smoke and having my partner's [parents] with us. The evacuation point doesn't seem that busy yet - there is maybe 30 or 40 people about. Winmalee resident Jordie Cox says the emergency earlier today was frightening, but is relieved to have heard that her house is undamaged. We're feeling good now that we know that our house is OK, but it was a little scary today when we were at work and not knowing whether the house was going to be OK and had friends that had lost theirs. I've lived in Winmalee since I was four, and my parents always said to us during fire season that our house would be safe because we were surrounded by other houses so others would have to burn down before it got to us. But today we were pretty much the last house standing - all the houses around us burnt down.  Our shed caught fire and had it gotten any closer, we would've lost ours too. He says the astro turf courts would be the only ones in the area.If Max Andreotti has his way Winmalee will have two new beaut astro turf courts for six-a-side football while doubling as training courts for football and netball if regular grounds are out of action Mr Andreotti has applied to Blue Mountains City Council to lease two of the four Winmalee Tennis Club courts He plans to completely revamp the courts with astro turf he hopes to have it operational by September He said there were no other courts like it in the Blue Mountains but it was popular in several Sydney suburbs and many bowling greens had been converted to astro turf The synthetic grass was a softer landing than the timber floors where many Futsal games were currently played in the Mountains “There are a lot of injuries on timber floors through people falling over,” Mr Andreotti said Mr Andreotti runs the Sydney Boys and Girls Football Academy He says Winmalee could be the breeding ground for up and coming talent but not without regular training and lots of hard work and prides himself on the discipline students learn at his clinics Having lived and played football in Italy for many years Mr Andreotti is an Italian football scout.  “It’s about giving kids the same chance that a child has in Sydney but they need to be guided by someone with experience,” he said Mr Andreotti is running a six-a-side football gala day weekend for children aged six to 11 on March 12-13 and for 12 to 16-year-olds on March 19-20 To register and for more information visit: www.sydneyboysfootballacademy.com ABC News News HomeBlue Mountains bushfires inquiry: Springwood fire an act of God investigator saysShare Blue Mountains bushfires inquiry: Springwood fire an act of God investigator saysBy Ben Worsley and staffTopic:Bushfires The inquiry will look at what caused the severity of the fires which destroyed 196 homes in the Blue Mountains Link copiedShareShare articleThe chief investigator of one of the 2013 Blue Mountains fires has told an inquiry the blaze was an act of God will look at what caused the severity of the fires which destroyed 196 homes in Springwood Yellow Rock and Mount Victoria and significantly damaged 132 others The areas were declared a natural disaster zone by the State Government and the Blue Mountains City Council described the bushfires as the "worst disaster in Blue Mountains history" Chief investigator of the Springwood fire for NSW Police was one of the first at the scene and lived within 200 metres of where the blaze started Detective Sergeant Baylis said he believed the fire began when a tree fell on power lines on Links View Road But he said the tree was rotten and would have fallen whether the electricity company responsible for the lines had trimmed its branches or not asked him if he believed the fire "was an act of God?" Detective Sergeant Baylis relied "yes" Mr McInerney continued: "So you believe Endeavour Energy was in no way at fault?" Detective Sergeant Baylis replied: "Correct" Residents who lost homes were among those at the Katoomba Court House as well as lawyers representing the Rural Fire Service The inquiry has received evidence that the fires were caused by fallen trees on power lines but no final determination has been made on the issue Answering that question will be the main focus of the inquiry It will also consider recommendations on whether power lines in bushfire prone areas should be better insulated the feasibility of putting electricity cables underground and the procedures to be followed in shutting down power lines during a fire event Mount Victoria resident Allan Kessing lost his home in the fire and said he wanted Endeavour Energy held to account "As far as everybody knows and the witnesses [have said] that the fire [was] started by downed power lines belonging to Endeavour Energy at Mount York which then devastated St George's Parade in Mount Victoria and Darling Causeway which is my place," he said "And the hope is that having established their culpability then I will have some action against Endeavour." The Blue Mountains Council estimated that $100 million of revenue was lost because of the decline in tourism in the wake of the fires The Mayor of the Blue Mountains said the inquest into the devastating fires of 2013 will be "cathartic" if it gets to the truth behind the causes Mayor Mark Greenhill said an open and honest investigation would help people who are still recovering from the trauma "Learning the lessons that will prevent this happening again to the extent that it happened - because you will always have fires - is very valuable to my community but also knowing what happened," he said knowing what happened just helps people understand what they went through." The Australian Defence Force has already admitted responsibility for one of the fires which destroyed two homes. It said a demolition training activity was the cause. With her stage name Cassidy Joan she will head to Tamworth next month after being accepted into the senior class of 2022's prestigious Academy of Country Music program She'll stay on and busk on Peel Street with other hopefuls at the Tamworth Country Music Festival The Winmalee High Year 12 student survived a challenging two years of COVID-lockdowns while finishing her HSC and feels lucky to able to follow her passion to develop her country music talents in Tamworth with the Country Music Association of Australia Cassidy was also chosen for The Byrnes' Family Indigenous Scholarship to attend The Academy-X Program She attended online courses this year with the Academy and will continue to be tutored by Golden Guitar winning artists "I started singing lessons when I was nine," she told the Gazette "I have been singing pretty much my whole life I grew up listening to country so I guess it just worked out." Along the way she has also been recognised for her outstanding contribution to Aboriginal education in NSW public schools at the 16th annual Nanga Mai Awards as she completed her final year at Winmalee High Her award for Outstanding Achievement in Creative/Performing/Visual Arts was presented on December 1 said her Indigenous heritage is a "massive part of who I am" and added she was "just ecstatic to even be nominated" She said it had all been done in secret by her Indigenous teacher and her drama teacher Cassidy took part in school drama productions and musicals and had a lead role in The Wizard of Oz at the school in June playing the wicked witch said Cassidy had "embraced every opportunity available to her from day one of her high school career" "We are so proud of the way in which she is so authentically herself as she shares her talent and her culture as a young female Aboriginal leader She deserves every recognition for her achievements in the performing arts We look forward to welcoming her back [to] mentor our younger Aboriginal students next year." Bound for Tamworth again: Outside the Golden Guitar a few years ago and right following her country dream.She was also a member of the school's vocal ensemble sang the national anthem at the old Parramatta Speedway twice and as well as juggling the demands of the HSC managed to complete a Certificate III of Beauty and Make Up at TAFE All bound for TamworthWinmalee High student Cassidy Roberts Cassidy in primary schoolAll bound for TamworthNSW Department of Education Georgina Harrisson said the Nanga Mai awards recognised students staff and community members demonstrating excellence across all areas of education from academic achievement Ms Harrisson said despite the challenging year there had been a doubling of nominations for the awards but it only took a matter of seconds for their spirits to soar during a surprise “morale-boosting” visit by The Wiggles last Wednesday The arrival of the band loved by millions of children around the world generated an instant roar and sea of smiles in the school hall — their on-stage energy proving infectious during an hour-long show that got everyone up and wiggling The Wiggles donated a new hand-made guitar to Mr Rosato to replace the treasured one he’d lost when his home was destroyed in the bushfire on October 17 11 other staff and students at the school also lost their homes Mr Rosato said the children were “absolutely thrilled” by The Wiggles’ visit “It’s a real morale booster for the community and the parish because there’s still a lot of angst as what happened sinks in,” he said there’s the people whose homes burnt but there are also the children who are living next door — and some have a sense of guilt about these neighbours’ and friends’ homes not being there anymore “This is a kind of resetting (process) for them that shows a hard thing has happened The Wiggles arrived in Australia just two days before from a show in Dubai and were due to tour New Zealand within 48 hours but made it a priority to fit in the visit to the school which lead Wiggle Anthony Field has a family connection to.  the band had already packed and sent their best uniforms and stage equipment over to New Zealand but their media officer told the Gazette she’d luckily kept some spare Wiggles skivvies for them to use “My sister Maria is part of the Blue Mountains community — her kids went to this school — and she told me about what happened here so we decided to come,” Mr Field said it is good [for the children] to go back to some fun — it’s a kind of comfort.” Red Wiggle Simon Pryce said “we just wanted to put a smile on their faces” delivered the news that Winmalee Public School had received the Secretary's School Achievement Award for Whole School Achievement Glenbrook Public School has also been recognised after receiving the Secretary's School Achievement Award for Quality Teaching Coordinator staff and community and think that receiving this award is great recognition for the relentless focus we have on student learning," said Winmalee Public School principal Kate Ford whole school achievement is having both short-term and long-term student-centered goals that are applied to all students not just to selected cohorts When making decisions about what is going to be best for our students we look at not only the academic gains but also the well-being gains and ensure that the impact spans all students K-6 Whole school achievement is the foundation for the strong positive learning culture at Winmalee." said that the award for Quality Teaching Coordinator "is validation for the outstanding work and dedication that our teachers demonstrate everyday to improve the learning outcomes of our students We could not be more proud to receive this award." Quality Teaching Coordinator refers to a teaching role developed within the school led by support staff Amanda Kenny in collaboration with teachers The initiative is designed to align student performance with the professional development of teachers "The award acknowledges that the school is engaging in quality best-practice to support differentiation high expectations and explicit teaching in all classrooms," added Mrs Campbell both schools have had to contend with a challenging learning landscape in recent months with lockdown throwing many teaching initiatives and learning modes into disarray "This has been a very long lockdown for us all," said Mrs Ford "The support of our community has been outstanding We have a strong focus on wellbeing and making sure that families really take a break from remote learning when needed It has been great teamwork between the school and the community." 1 min readPublished 19 October 2013 9:47am Residents comfort each other after returning to their burnt-out home at Winmalee. (ABC News: Grant Wignall) Link copiedShareShare articleThe man who led the recovery efforts after last October's devastating bushfires in the New South Wales Blue Mountains says there are lessons to be learnt from how the State Government responded to the disaster. Former Rural Fire Service commissioner Phil Koperberg was appointed as the recovery coordinator the day after the worst of the fires struck on October 18, 2013. "There were insurance issues, there were clearing issues, there were asbestos issues, there were health issues, there were logistical issues," he said. Mr Koperberg's report to the New South Wales Government is yet to be made public, but on the eve of the one year anniversary of the bushfires he has revealed some of his recommendations to the ABC. "In every such instance since time immemorial there are lessons to be learnt," he said. "You never do anything perfectly. There's no such thing as a perfect outcome. "That's not a fault, it's a learning process. They are working very hard to ensure that the next time." Mr Koperberg said there needed to be one not several registration databases for bushfire survivors. "If you walk into a recovery centre where there are numerous government agencies all working very hard to assist you with your trauma, you don't want to fill in 20 forms every time you go to a different desk," he said. "There ought to be one form electronically compiled and electronically shared with the consent of the person supplying the information amongst all those agencies. "So that when you move to the next desk they press a button and up you pop." The report is also expected to recommend insurance companies address the problem of underinsurance. This house on Buena Vista Rd, Winmalee was destroyed by fires that tore through the area on Thursday, October 17, 2013. (ABC: Pat McGrath) Some families found themselves up to $200,000 underinsured when it came time to rebuilding their homes because of expensive new building regulations. "The critical thing here is that we've been taught a lesson back in October of 2013 and it's important that we heed that lesson," Mr Koperberg said. "That's why I urge people to talk to their insurers and I urge the insurers to speak to their policy holders to ensure that there isn't a repetition of this massive shortfall which in some cases means that people can't rebuild." One frustration for residents was the delay in returning to their homes because of the danger of falling trees and asbestos. "It precluded people from going back onto their blocks of land in the hope of finding some memorabilia that may have escaped the fire," Mr Koperberg said. "That was exacerbated further by the presence of asbestos on a large number of those blocks. "So the asbestos had to be made safe and that was done through a process of spraying a high viscosity gel across an entire block." that descends into surrounding bush gullies every house from number 20 to number 40 was gutted by the firestorm that raged up the western gully school teacher Bruce Fox stands on the street shaking his head at the charred skeleton of what has been his family home for the past 18 years Barely a country block away in Buena Vista Parade Catherine Hubbard looks at the charred wreckage of her family home and says: "What now Almost 200 homes have been razed along these streets of Winmalee The NSW Rural Fire Service said on Saturday that 193 homes have been destroyed and 109 more damaged in the Springwood and Winmalee area The hamlet of Yellow Rock alone counted 48 homes among the casualties calmer conditions on Saturday delivered what the Rural Fire Service called a "pause" in the fight against the 83 fires burning across NSW The states' six major fires have all been downgraded with higher temperatures and increasing winds forecast by Sunday "We have more than 500km of fire perimeter at the moment," said RFS deputy commissioner Rob Rogers "We're by no means out of the woods." Prime Minister Tony Abbott and NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell announced on Saturday disaster assistance for residents in 19 local council areas, some of which remain under threat. the Premier stands before another three razed houses and concurs with Mr Fox's sentiments when he reports what he has just seen from a helicopter: "You scratch your head as to why certain houses have been lost and others haven't." RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons describes the epic scale of these fires: 86,000 hectares burnt; fire perimeters stretching 400 to 500 kilometres; 94 fires still burning at 2.20pm 27 uncontained and two with emergency warnings Winmalee and the surrounding suburbs of Springwood and Yellow Rock are the epicentre of the devastating fires that have gripped the state There we find Evangeline Love and her boys Tarro picking through the smoking ruins of their home at number 26 A distressed Tarro explains he has just found his father's camera "all broken" They cannot find their two-year-old ridgeback Andy's own father died of liver cancer the same day "Andy had taken a lot of comfort from the dog," says his brother Reuben go and give Mika a hug.' '' they find Mika's remains under the ashes of what was the kitchen table Home alone when the inferno swept through Emma Parade about 2pm on Thursday "she must have been cowering under the table," says Reuben Tarro's despair at this news is unbearable "It's too much for her," says her mother-in-law Their loss is just one of many in the neighbourhood where similar stories are burnt in the landscape And with temperatures forecast to soar in coming days "four of us in this street who lost their homes are volunteers with the community fire unit Only on Sunday did they hold their last drill with the fire hose at the bottom of the street in the cul de sac where yet another house burnt to the ground on Thursday Evangeline Love was among the volunteers at that meeting The flames leapt the street in line with No 38 and consumed 39 and 37 and another two homes on the blocks behind them where Kim Bartush seems remarkably accepting of her fate She is with her son Patrick and daughter-in-law Kate They were not allowed to return to find out but have heard only four houses still stand in their street All the wedding gifts had been stored at his parents' home had to get out yesterday afternoon with the dog." Their cat was left behind but someone posted its image on Facebook and now it is recovering at the vet's she hears another cat meowing in the drain beneath our feet which belongs to next-door neighbour George Kozumplik who has arrived with his wife and two teenage daughters to find their home reduced to rubble "I've found our photos," Mr Kozumplik says It's an attempt at humour as he lifts a charred computer hard drive Their photos – and whatever else was stored on that drive – are gone Back across the road are the ruins of the home of Susan Templeman who was the Labor candidate for the local federal seat of Macquarie spent Thursday night saving other homes in his street On ABC radio he says of the fire: "Its speed was extraordinary little remains but the Romanesque statues in the front garden Prime Minister Tony Abbott arrives at Winmalee Fire Brigade for briefings on the three main fires threatening the Blue Mountains and beyond towards Lithgow dry season for the past three months," he says then warns: "It's projected that over the next three months most parts of NSW will have above-average temperatures and below-average rainfalls." He thanks employers for allowing volunteers time off work but implores them to be patient in the coming fire season Mr Abbott says the federal government will pick up half the costs of rebuilding He says disaster relief support will apply in NSW and the government will be "picking up at least 50 per cent of the tab" An Al-Jazeera reporter notes that Australia seems to fight these disasters with less loss of life than other countries to which Mr Abbott says: "We have had a long long experience of bushfires in this country … almost as long as European settlement and before Europeans arrived Aboriginal people were practising a form of fire management that in some respects was more successful than that which has been practised since But we do have a very long experience of dealing with fires." Mr Abbott pays tribute to the ordinary people driven to heroic feats on days like these Commissioner Fitzsimmons says he has never guaranteed enough warning time when the elements turn as quickly as they did on Thursday Nor can he guarantee that bodies will not be found when some of the hundreds of razed houses are searched He says they can only meet this challenge "fire by fire A ridgeback has greeted the Premier to his news conference there was no mistake around the corner in Emma Parade Catherine Hubbard looks at the charred wreckage of her family home and says: \\\"What now calmer conditions on Saturday delivered what the Rural Fire Service called a \\\"pause\\\" in the fight against the 83 fires burning across NSW The states' six major fires have all been downgraded \\\"We have more than 500km of fire perimeter at the moment,\\\" said RFS deputy commissioner Rob Rogers \\\"We're by no means out of the woods.\\\" Prime Minister Tony Abbott and NSW Premier Barry O\\u2019Farrell announced on Saturday disaster assistance for residents in 19 local council areas the Premier stands before another three razed houses and concurs with Mr Fox's sentiments when he reports what he has just seen from a helicopter: \\\"You scratch your head as to why certain houses have been lost and others haven't.\\\" A distressed Tarro explains he has just found his father's camera \\\"all broken\\\" Andy's own father died of liver cancer the same day \\\"Andy had taken a lot of comfort from the dog,\\\" says his brother Reuben they find Mika's remains under the ashes of what was the kitchen table \\\"she must have been cowering under the table,\\\" says Reuben Tarro's despair at this news is unbearable \\\"It's too much for her,\\\" says her mother-in-law \\\"four of us in this street who lost their homes are volunteers with the community fire unit All the wedding gifts had been stored at his parents' home had to get out yesterday afternoon with the dog.\\\" Their cat was left behind but someone posted its image on Facebook and now it is recovering at the vet's \\\"I've found our photos,\\\" Mr Kozumplik says It's an attempt at humour as he lifts a charred computer hard drive Their photos \\u2013 and whatever else was stored on that drive \\u2013 are gone On ABC radio he says of the fire: \\\"Its speed was extraordinary dry season for the past three months,\\\" he says then warns: \\\"It's projected that over the next three months most parts of NSW will have above-average temperatures and below-average rainfalls.\\\" He says disaster relief support will apply in NSW and the government will be \\\"picking up at least 50 per cent of the tab\\\" to which Mr Abbott says: \\\"We have had a long long experience of bushfires in this country \\u2026 almost as long as European settlement But we do have a very long experience of dealing with fires.\\\" He says they can only meet this challenge \\\"fire by fire Students in years 3 and 4 read from their chosen text whilst years 5 and 6 write and deliver their own topical speeches This year year's Zoom event involved nine schools and 36 students teachers from some of the participating schools took on the role of adjudicating from their own school connecting to other adjudicators across the Mountains in Zoom breakout rooms Despite a massive thunderstorm in the middle of the event the technology did not let the organisers down The day ran smoothly with the collaboration of many teachers across the schools Participants weren't without an audience as students from each school watched the event in their own classrooms - providing a larger student audience than usual through the connection of the nine schools simultaneously Winners of the oral reading competition were Annika from Wentworth Falls Public (Year 3) and Maggie from Glenbrook Public School (Year 4) Winners of the public speaking competition were Taylor Harris from Warrimoo Public School (Year 5) and Jeremiah Hill from Faulconbridge Public School (Year 6) The adjudicators were all impressed by the quality of the speeches and the confidence with which the young people were able to address an audience but Winmalee High School student Adisen Wright is already well on his way to a career in the finance industry The Year 11 student works as an equity analyst for Sydney firm Hill Capital and was one of 40 high school students from across NSW who attended a prestigious UBS Finance Academy in July “I'm finance-mad is the best way to describe it,” he said Adisen landed his paid equity analyst role after doing work experience with Hill Capital last year and now spends much of his school holidays commuting between the Roseville-based firm and his Winmalee home Hill Capital director Matt Christensen said while the firm has employed university students before it was  “incredibly strange to hire a high school student” But he said Adisen’s market insights belied his young years He’s got very good instincts and he’s always trying to further himself and his understanding (of the industry),” he said he brings his own gleans of information that is quite unique There’s lot things I can do that he can’t do but there’s lots of things You wouldn’t expect that from someone of his age.” Being selected to take part in the UBS Finance Academy this year was icing on the cake for Adisen students gained a first-hand insight into financial markets They met key industry players as well as gained a practical and working knowledge of financial markets via workshops, “day in the life of” presentations But the highlight for Adisen was a visit to UBS’s Chifley Plaza trading floor one of the largest in the southern hemisphere Another highlight was doing a ‘mock’ live cross at the Sydney studios of news-finance channel President of the NSW Secondary School Principals’ Council Chris Presland said the UBS Finance Academy is a “wonderful opportunity for bright young deserving students to gain a rare insight into the world of finance” “The academy highlights the breadth and depth of career paths available in the financial services industry UBS’s commitment and dedication to supporting secondary school students is commendable.” Adisen plans to study a commerce degree when he completes his HSC before settling into a financial career “It’s been set in stone for a while for me,” he said When Adisen’s dad suggested he select commerce as an elective in Year 8 his first thought was it would be “boring” “But about a week in I absolutely loved it It was the one lesson where I’d wake up and go ‘I’ve got commerce today I’d get out of bed with a spring in my step,” he said Losing your home to a bushfire is a dreadful experience I lost my Winmalee home in the 2013 Blue Mountains bushfires But what’s worse than losing your home to a bushfire is being told afterwards that you’re under-insured a few days after the fire swept through the lower Blue Mountains I stood in a packed room with hundreds of people whose houses were destroyed The Insurance Council of Australia spokesperson informed us that the majority of us were under-insured We didn’t realise what that meant at the time because we all believed we’d insured our homes appropriately And we had just received cheques from our insurers paying out our policies and therefore had several hundred thousand dollars in the bank which we were confident we could use to rebuild our homes But insurance companies knew we didn’t have enough money to rebuild I’m disgusted that the experience of the Blue Mountains is being repeated six years later in the current fire season which has destroyed 680 homes in NSW on the Rural Fire Service's latest count the Insurance Council of Australia told media that under-insurance would be high The Insurance Council’s Campbell Fuller was quoted saying "about 80 per cent of insured property owners are probably under-insured" This figure is frightening because it means hundreds of home owners will have the experience we had in the Blue Mountains – the agonising decision of whether to try and rebuild your home on the old block You’d wonder how so many people could be unintentionally under-insured the market price of the home is your guide to home insurance the market price you paid 20 or 30 years ago doesn’t cover the myriad protections that are required in a new house construction The ratings system – known as BAL (Bushfire Attack Level) – came in after the devastating 2003 Canberra bushfire It might not look any different to the house across the street but it will have extra layers of protection in the Colourbond roof glass that costs thousands of dollars per square metre Very few of us in the Blue Mountains had any idea how significant those extra costs of rebuilding would be insurers assessed our properties but told most of us they weren’t going to rebuild the houses they would pay us out and we could do our own reconstruction It was only when we gathered in that meeting in Springwood and spoke with builders that we realised how expensive replacing our homes would be Many of us combined our contents and home insurance payouts simply to cover the house construction; others borrowed more money to rebuild increasing mortgages that were close to having been paid off As a result of unintentional under-insurance I have vacant blocks either side of my rebuilt home My guesstimate is that about a third of home-owners found the extra costs too heavy a burden bought an older home in the same or nearby suburb and only about a third of us rebuilt on the same block Keep in mind that these huge decisions are being made while you are still in a state of shock you have lost every single possession you ever had In between are stories of bravery and danger and an event that marks everything in your life as “before the fire” or “after the fire” The trauma of under-insurance continues today as the direct result of a lack of action by both the federal government and insurance industries I acknowledge some attempts to improve insurance sales practices since 2013: the industry’s online insurance calculator is more likely to give a closer estimate of the actual costs today But not enough is being done to educate consumers about their bushfire under-insurance until after a disaster hits It needs strong action and a comprehensive campaign backed by government to get home owners’ awareness raised I didn’t understand the need until it happened to me Susan Templeman is the Labor federal member for Macquarie But what\\u2019s worse than losing your home to a bushfire is being told afterwards that you\\u2019re under-insured We didn\\u2019t realise what that meant at the time because we all believed we\\u2019d insured our homes appropriately But insurance companies knew we didn\\u2019t have enough money to rebuild I\\u2019m disgusted that the experience of the Blue Mountains is being repeated six years later in the current fire season which has destroyed 680 homes in NSW on the Rural Fire Service's latest count The Insurance Council\\u2019s Campbell Fuller was quoted saying \\\"about 80 per cent of insured property owners are probably under-insured\\\" This figure is frightening because it means hundreds of home owners will have the experience we had in the Blue Mountains \\u2013 the agonising decision of whether to try and rebuild your home on the old block You\\u2019d wonder how so many people could be unintentionally under-insured the market price you paid 20 or 30 years ago doesn\\u2019t cover the myriad protections that are required in a new house construction The ratings system \\u2013 known as BAL (Bushfire Attack Level) \\u2013 came in after the devastating 2003 Canberra bushfire insurers assessed our properties but told most of us they weren\\u2019t going to rebuild the houses and an event that marks everything in your life as \\u201Cbefore the fire\\u201D or \\u201Cafter the fire\\u201D I acknowledge some attempts to improve insurance sales practices since 2013: the industry\\u2019s online insurance calculator is more likely to give a closer estimate of the actual costs today It needs strong action and a comprehensive campaign backed by government to get home owners\\u2019 awareness raised I didn\\u2019t understand the need until it happened to me The visual arts head teacher at Winmalee High School witnessed just such a miracle this term when the school introduced a groundbreaking aerosol art program to its curriculum “To hear a pin drop when you’re on a double period of theory is amazing..   The Year 10 students were taking part in a pilot program — believed to be the first of its kind in Australia — which studied all aspects of aerosol art from its history to the latest legislation surrounding illegal graffiti the project’s organisers hope it could eventually be adopted throughout the state “Graffiti management is a complex issue and it deserves more than a one dimensional response,” said Jarrod Wheatley of Mountains Youth Service Team “What we have here is a holistic response which draws a clear distinction between aerosol art and illegal graffiti which is vandalism,” he said Bringing home this point was Senior Constable Michelle Jancso youth liaison officer with Blue Mountains Police who spoke to the students about the state government’s latest anti-graffiti legislation “We’re committed to linking up with the schools and other community groups to get the message out there in the hope it’s going to reduce crime as well as give them that education [about the latest laws],” she said Artists from the Blue Mountains Street Art Collaborative also took part in the 10-week course a former Winmalee High School student who recently worked on the bushfire thank you mural in Springwood said he enjoyed sharing his knowledge with the current crop of students.   “I think they can relate to someone who’s a bit younger,” he said With aerosol art and graffiti still a hot political issue it took many meetings before the course was given the green light but it has proved an unqualified success with staff and students It is far from a ‘soft’ course either with assessable tasks and exams like any other part of the curriculum “There’s no reason why any teacher in any school [in the state] couldn’t pick this up and deliver it to their students,” said Ms Rowston Although the project’s funding was only for the pilot program she would love to see it return to Winmalee High School in 2014 “We’d like to do it every year — and we have the model now to do it,” she said View +4 Photos The Winmalee man left on April 1 to walk 2654km to Cairns as a fundraiser for MS (multiple sclerosis) Without a support crew for the majority of the trip he's been pulling all his gear in a cart which has needed replacement tyres and a new rear axle Mr Chidgey now tows the cart through a waist belt The modifications to the cart have added weight Most nights he pitches a tent and crawls into a sleeping bag after eating tuna pasta for dinner When people learn he's on a $50,000 fundraising mission the trip of a lifetime - meeting people and talking with people and people helping me out and being very friendly I've been meeting people with MS in Proserpine and Walgett meeting them all over the place," Mr Chidgey said When the Gazette spoke to Mr Chidgey on June 19 he was about 60km north of Bowen in Queensland with an estimated mid-July arrival in Cairns might even make an appearance when he walks into the city Due to a persistent heel injury which has extended to knee pain and produces a limp Mr Chidgey has reduced the number of kilometres he walks a day - aiming for 15 to 20 He's had a number of massages along the way and seen physiotherapists for his injuries "People are encouraging me on Messenger and Facebook that keeps you going and that's good," the 64-year-old said you can zone out and things don't worry you." "It's been quite the journey in all respects The cart has been a pain in the butt; falling over a bent axle and I have had two collapsed wheel bearings But I haven't had to pay for any of the modifications," Mr Chidgey said He had considered walking from Sydney to Melbourne but that didn't seem long enough and the road would be too busy so he decided to walk from Springwood to Cairns instead He'd originally anticipated the trip would take 2.5 months Follow Mr Chidgey's journey on Facebook at The Big Walk, or to donate, visit: www.doitforms.org.au/campaign/CairnsWalk held over the Easter weekend at Circuit Mark Webber in Canberra The newly extended 1.1km race track saw karts reaching speeds of more than 100km/h as they negotiate the 18 turns of the complex track The meeting was attended by more than 100 junior and senior karters travelling from all over NSW and the ACT with 13 others competing with Joshua in the Junior Light class for 12- to 15-year olds Competition took place across three heats and a final The Year 7 Winmalee High student began karting at the age of eight progressing though the novice and rookie classes before moving up to the larger and more powerful junior kart this year Joshua managed a clean sweep at the titles over the long weekend winning every heat and the final to take the win and the 'blue plate' awarded to the victors in each racing class Joshua managed a clean sweep at the titles coached by former Australian karting champions Troy Hunt and Cody Brewczynski and is sponsored by Stones Kartsport of Mulgoa and Lean & Bennett Toyota of Lithgow Federal Member for Macquarie Susan Templeman Winmalee High school captain Lauren Bailey Senator Penny Wong and prefect Hanna Brandenberg Addressing about 30 students from years 7 to 11 Senator Wong discussed Australia's place in the world Federal Member for Macquarie Susan Templeman was also in attendance "The Q&A session was not only articulate and well-informed but ranged from global issues like climate change to personal challenges Penny has faced in her career," Ms Templeman said "It was a great discussion that focused on Labor's concerns for respectful debate both inside and outside parliament and the challenges of bringing people together on important issues to achieve real change "I would like to thank the students and their teachers Senator Wong also met with 2021 school captain Lauren is the recipient of the school's inaugural Young Empowered Woman Award Ms Templeman said: "The award is presented to a female student who possesses vision with the ultimate goal being to promote equality and act as a role model for young female students "The award is open to all the school's female students from years 7 to 12 and I am very pleased that Lauren herself was the very first recipient." you have paved the way for many young women to walk confidently in your footsteps for many years to come." From leasing opportunities at a major shopping centre to a KFC that everyone can’t get enough of a wide range of commercial properties captured people’s attention this week Here are the top five most-viewed NSW properties for the week on Realcommercial Winmalee Village, 14-28 White Cross Road, Winmalee Locals clearly can’t wait for the Blue Mountains’ revamped shopping centre Winmalee Village (above) The leasing campaign to find tenants for the centre’s new and re-mixed retail spaces has seen a deluge of interest as the centre readies to return to full operation As the largest indoor shopping centre in the Blue Mountains the property is anchored by a Coles supermarket and Target and will have a further 22 specialty stores once fully-leased 498 New Canterbury Road, Dulwich Hill The KFC at Dulwich Hill in Sydney was one of NSW’s most viewed properties last week Having featured in our most-viewed properties last week the KFC at Dulwich Hill was again a big hit which has been leased to KFC for more than 40 years and will stay that way until at least 2029 was most-viewed NSW property and the second most-viewed property nationally on Realcommercial Currently returning $135,000 per annum plus GST the fast food restaurant’s auction is rapidly closing in with it to be put on the block on March 19 9 & 11 Beattie Street, Balmain The former pet shop and vet clinic in Balmain It might have once been a pet shop up front and a vet clinic down back but this Balmain property looks set to become a developer’s dream The vacant building sits on a desirable 550sqm block in popular Balmain ggiving developers the potential to do much more with the property with agents suggesting it has favourable planning controls 1 Gillespie Avenue, Alexandria When it comes to industrial property the secret is well and truly out which explains why this significant factory and office asset at Alexandria in Sydney’s south in capturing plenty of attention Offering a strong tenancy to Intermain and with potential upside as the lease will soon be up for a market review the property sits within a major South Sydney industrial hub and features a traditional high clearance standalone warehouse converted to a high-end commercial head office through an extensive tenant fitout The property is for sale via expressions of interest through Savills 255-257 Stanmore Road, Stanmore The property at 255-257 Stanmore Rd, Stanmore. The ‘blank canvas’ potential of this Stanmore retail property and apartment is luring potential purchasers. Presenting as a two-level commercial building on a 441sqm block and currently configured as two retail shops and a two-bedroom apartment, the building could suit an owner-occupier seeking a shop to make their own, or an investor looking to reposition it as an asset with multiple income streams. With a price guide of $1.5 million-plus, it will be auctioned through Belle Commercial on Tuesday, March 10. realcommercial.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. From leasing opportunities at a major shopping centre to a KFC that everyone can’t get enough of a wide range of commercial properties captured people’s attention this week Winmalee Village, 14-28 White Cross Road, Winmalee Locals clearly can’t wait for the Blue Mountains’ revamped shopping centre Winmalee Village (above) The leasing campaign to find tenants for the centre’s new and re-mixed retail spaces has seen a deluge of interest as the centre readies to return to full operation 498 New Canterbury Road, Dulwich Hill The KFC at Dulwich Hill in Sydney was one of NSW’s most viewed properties last week the fast food restaurant’s auction is rapidly closing in 9 & 11 Beattie Street, Balmain but this Balmain property looks set to become a developer’s dream 1 Gillespie Avenue, Alexandria which explains why this significant factory and office asset at Alexandria in Sydney’s south in capturing plenty of attention 255-257 Stanmore Road, Stanmore The ‘blank canvas’ potential of this Stanmore retail property and apartment is luring potential purchasers. Mark Roberts is told there is a storm cell heading towards the area from Bathurst. (ABC News: Alex McDonald) Link copiedShareShare articleA band of volunteer firefighters say they are ready to defend each and every property in the tight-knit community of Faulconbridge. Almost 200 houses were destroyed when a firestorm swept through the region in the Blue Mountains last Thursday. Mark Roberts is one of more than 100 volunteer firefighters working to contain the blaze, between Springwood and Faulconbridge. He says he has never seen anything like it in his 20 years as a volunteer with Faulconbridge Fire Brigade. "It was really horrific," the Faulconbridge Brigade captain said. Personally, every single house in Faulconbridge is a concern for me. I don't want to see any of them go. "It was moving fast, it was unpredictable. "It was very, very tough conditions to be a firefighter in." The fire which destroyed Winmalee is still burning in surrounding bushland. Mr Roberts says he and his colleagues will defend each and every property as the fire draws nearer. "Personally, every single house in Faulconbridge is a concern for me," he said. "I don't want to see any of them go, and we're doing our utmost to see that happen." The firefighters are working eight-hour shifts and the fatigue is starting to show. "After almost a week, it is very tiring," Mr Roberts said. "It takes it out of you and has an impact on family and work commitments, obviously." A bushfire roars towards a house at Winmalee. Audience member Tim Cooling took this photo moments before his mother's house was destroyed. (Audience submitted: Tim Cooling) As always, the concern for crews is the weather. A storm cell bringing 70 kilometre per hour winds was expected to reach the area at some point. Whether it will make conditions worse is difficult to gauge, Mr Roberts said. But on Tuesday Faulconbridge remained eerily quiet. It was really horrific. It was moving fast, it was unpredictable. "You've just got to adjust your plan," he said. "Obviously the conditions tomorrow are meant to be very bad." Until then, the RFS continues to back-burn in the valley below the Norman Lindsay Gallery. The gallery's art works have been removed and put in trucks as a precaution, as residents wait for further instructions. Further up the hill, Springwood High School – which remains closed – is shrouded in smoke. Despite the calmer conditions, the risks for firefighters remain. This morning a local RFS volunteer succumbed to heat stress while fighting the Linksview Road fire. He began vomiting and hyperventilating and was taken to hospital. Six days on and the fire threat remains, although some light rain and last-minute back-burning have finally given these firefighters some hope of getting this blaze under control. The burnt-out remains of a car and houses at Winmalee in the Blue Mountains. (Reuters: David Gray) Topic:Disasters, Accidents and Emergency Incidents