Come to Fairfield for a food tour showcasing some of the most best food businesses Fairfield has to offer a viral chicken wrap that deserves the hype and a colourful Middle Eastern dessert shop with a twist there is so much to make a whole day of your visit Bring along your bags and an empty stomach I've been to Fairfield twice both times for food reasons but this is Laura's first time But that hasn't stopped her from putting together a list of must have places we have to go to sunny spring afternoon and our first destination's name is unforgettable: Happiness Happiness and Middle Eastern Food Catering When you know you're going to a place called Happiness you get a spring in your step This small takeaway shop with just a few tables sells a very popular falafel sandwich that has people lining up outside the shop during lunchtime When we take a seat a couple of men walk in "No we just got here," I answer but we move our bags telling them that they can share our table The restaurant is full with families and the table next to us is a family of six where everyone has a wrap but a young teen girl is eating sushi rolls Laura goes up to the counter to order our falafel sandwich Apart from the sandwich there's also liver with curry powder coconut sweets and a couple of other snacks but by and large everyone orders the falafel sandwich which we have fried eggplant added to for an extra dollar We bring the sandwich to our table and the two men next to us have set down two plates: one with fried cauliflower eggplant and one with dip and fresh vegetables The man next to me lives in Fairfield while his friend opposite lives far away but they catch up at this restaurant passing an Iraqi bread to us and gesturing for us to try as much as we like He explains that the bread is made in a pizza oven on a stone I have heard many times that Iraqi people are the most hospitable and friendly and I think that is true We try our falafel sandwich also on this bread The Iraqi bread is boat shaped and split on the side and stuffed with salad The famous mango sauce sits on the table which is laced with plenty of turmeric to give it a lovely spicy flavour We wrap up the sandwich tightly in the paper and take a bite of this wonderful sandwich The falafels are some of the best with a crunchy exterior and moist interior and the mango sauce adds so much flavour to it $5 for this sandwich with $1 for the eggplant Happiness and Middle Eastern Food Catering: 9 Nelson St Around the corner we enter King of Pickles and the name checks out King of Pickles has been featured on Tiktok a lot so you can see that reflected in the mix of patrons And what customers do is grab a bucket or container and fill it up to their heart's content with pickles There are so many types from classic cauliflower to stuffed cucumber add some brine which will allow the pickles to keep for 1 month and then use a mallet to shut the lid tightly On the other side of the pickles is a range of olives that you can also add to your bucket There are grilled green olives and all sizes of green and black olives and my container was a steal at $6 while my bucket of pickles was $8 If you have a sweet tooth they also have a range of Turkish delight as well as dried fruit from lots of different rypes of dried apricots to dried peaches Colourful Turkish delight cubes comes rolled in coconut in various colours and there's also a walnut stuffed fruit leather held together like string I didn't love the Turkish delight as much as I wanted to and found some of the flavours were quite bland But I did love the olives and the pickles were fun Another item that I really recommend trying is buffalo cream a fluffy cream similar to goats cheese in texture They recommend trying this with flatbread and honey for breakfast or with dinner The buffalo cream spreads and looks just like a goat's cheese log (without the goats cheese aroma) and is absolutely delicious on the flatbread that we bought below and some honey Tip from a customer: when setting out your pickles drain the turmeric brine off because the drips will stain your table or tablecloth otherwise A few doors down from King of Pickles and Spice is New Sydney Bakery where they sell huge sheets of taftoon bread in packs of four This is a wonderful bread that is so soft and fresh and is fantastic for making wraps It's $4 for a bag of four huge sheets of bread and as Laura points out You don't want to get to Tenda Wrap too late in the day before they close because they have been known to sell out of their signature Tenda wrap This Dubai chicken wrap is filled with charcoal rotisserie chicken that you can see rotating and roasting as well as a special mayonnaise style sauce all wrapped up in Lebanese bread and toasted This is $13.99 by itself or in a meal with small chips and a drink it's $19.99 These prices aren't quite at the same level as Happiness but the wrap is delicious The wrap is slender but the focus here is on the delicious charcoal chicken and that smokey flavour The sauce is delicious and toasting the wrap gives each bite a crisp texture The fries (as requested) are piping hot and sprinkled with chicken salt Tip: there's plenty of seating with a few tables outside as well as a whole room with tables Tenda Wrap and Charcoal Chicken: 104 Ware St If you're looking for fresh fruit and vegetables Freshness for Less's prices are amazing and the produce is very fresh New season slender asparagus stalks were $3 a kilo while cucumbers (which are $2.39 each at Woolworths currently) end up costing me $2 for 4 here Beautiful firm eggplants are $1.25 each (compared to Woolworths at $3.17 each) so I buy up big on both A short walk away to Fairfield station is Mata This is a restaurant owned and run by 1 man with a huge menu of around 100 items I can imagine with his location next to the station people come in and ask him if he can make something and that's how items like chicken schnitzel and fish fingers end up on his primarily Assyrian and Syrian menu The avuncular owner is friendly and tells us "This is my top 100 but I have 200 more!" and if someone wants a specific Assyrian or Syrian dish he can make it for them We want to try some traditional Assyrian food and he helps us choose two dishes which he makes from scratch so you do need to wait a bit The first item he warns us "smells bad" but it's basically a yogurt soup made with chicken and lamb it just has a slightly sour aroma not unlike cheese It's served warm and the creamy soup is nourishing and wholesome and the chicken and lamb pieces melt in the mouth The chicken biryani is slightly different from Indian biryanis as there are less spices but it's no less delicious with plenty of peas and some chunks of chicken Tip: be prepared to wait as everything is cooked fresh to order Mata Middle Eastern Cuisine: 52-68 The Crescent Less than 5 minutes' drive away is Luxe Patisserie in Fairfield Heights which gives a whole different vibe as there are lots of people dressed up for a night out at one of the nearby function centres At Luxe you'll find a range of on trend cakes from the buttercream Marie Antoinette cakes to ones with mini jars of Nutella There's also a range of traditional Middle Eastern baklava and pastries One of them is the pistachio boat which is made of layers of crunchy filo and filled generously with pistachios and drizzled with syrup Another must have are the sugarcane drinks I absolutely love sugarcane juice with passion fruit it's my obsession but they have lots of different versions here Laura goes for the pomegranate lemon sugarcane juice which is very nice but I absolutely adore my pic called the "exotic" with passion fruit Tip: there is no seating but the service is very friendly and they let us try our food while standing at the coffee counter Luxe Patisserie Fairfield Heights: 253 The Boulevarde All of these meals were independently paid for Watch the FOGO service video in Arabic Watch the FOGO service video in Assyrian Watch the FOGO service video in Chinese Watch the FOGO service video in Vietnamese FOGO stands for Food Organics Garden Organics With FOGO you can place all your food scraps and stale food into your green FOGO bin along with your garden waste which is turned into quality compost that can be used in farms Want to know more about FOGO? Head to the NSW Environment Protection Authority for more resources and to see how organic waste is processed into compost What-is-FOGO-English(PDF, 189KB) What-is-FOGO-Arabic(PDF, 367KB) What-is-FOGO-Chinese(PDF, 395KB) What-is-FOGO-Khmer(PDF, 365KB) What-is-FOGO-Assyrian(PDF, 339KB) What-is-FOGO-Vietnamese(PDF, 438KB) For more information about other items that can go into your green FOGO bin and how to dispose of items that cannot go into the green FOGO bin, please visit our A-Z Waste sorting guide It’s best to keep your kitchen caddy handy as you prepare food and clean up after meals This could be on your kitchen bench or in a kitchen cupboard or drawer. Follow these three simple steps to help you sort your food scraps for composting Use Council-supplied certified AS 4736 compostable liners to line your kitchen caddy come in to our administration centre in Wakeley leisure centres or libraries to pick up some more Once your food and garden waste is collected it will be sent to a processing facility where it is turned into compost and is used in our parks gardens and sports fields. It’s important that we place the right items in this bin that can naturally break down to avoid contamination We’ve answered some common questions about the do’s and don’ts for FOGO Using 240L AS 4736 certified compostable bin liners is NOT recommended in the green FOGO bin as it prevents the bin vents from doing their job of drying out your organic waste By drying out moisture from your organic waste you prevent odours from being produced and reduce the likelihood of attracting insect pests Here are some other tips to keep your green FOGO bin in good order: Do not overfill your green FOGO bin and keep the lid closed A small opening from the lid is enough for insect pests to gain access to your waste An open bin can also attract larger pests such as white ibises and cats to go through your waste and leave a mess If you run out of Council-supplied certified compostable liners for your kitchen caddy come in to our administration centre at 86 Avoca Road leisure centres or libraries where you can pick up some more for free.  Multi-Unit Dwellings (MUDs) such as apartments; units and flats residential developments with 3 or more dwellings or complexes with shared bins on the same parcel of land will receive a green FOGO bin at a later stage Details will be outlined in Council’s next 4 year Delivery Program (2025/26 – 2028/29) Your current weekly red general waste bin and fortnightly yellow recycling bin collections remain the same The new fortnightly green FOGO bin is collected the week after your yellow recycling bin Put it out on the same day as your red general waste bin Check your waste calendar for the collection schedule on your street or visit our Find My Bin Collection Day webpage to find out your upcoming bin collection dates for each bin Using Council-supplied AS 4736 certified compostable liners will help reduce smells coming from your green FOGO bin Tying off your compostable liner before dropping it into your green FOGO bin will reduce the likelihood of odours Here are some other tips to minimise odours and pest attraction to your green FOGO bin: you can contribute to effective food recycling with minimal odour and pest issues associated with your green FOGO bin A kitchen caddy is a small 7L container for food waste Leave it in your kitchen so you can collect food scraps when you're preparing and cleaning up after meals Line your kitchen caddy with a Council-supplied AS 4736 certified compostable liner Tie the liner when it's full and drop it in the green FOGO bin Put a new liner in your kitchen caddy and start collecting food waste again It's important that you DO NOT USE plastic bags in the kitchen caddy or green FOGO bin Use either Council-supplied AS 4736 certified compostable liners or Australian certified (with the seedling logo AS 4736) compostable liners made from corn starch if you are purchasing from the store These break down with the food scraps in the composting process.  you can wrap your food scraps in newspaper or put them straight into your green FOGO bin Ordinary plastic bags and other types of ‘degradable’ or 'biodegradable' bags are not acceptable as they are not compostable Uncertified biodegradable plastic bags will break down into micro plastics which are harmful to the environment and our health plastic bags and ‘degradable’ or 'biodegradable' bags are NOT accepted by the FOGO processing facility and must be placed in your red bin but we can only keep domestic waste charges low if everyone does the right thing Placing garden and food organics in the green FOGO bin will free up space in the red bin which means Council pays less to the NSW Government in waste taxes passing these savings on to residents through a more affordable Domestic Waste Charge in your rates.  The annual Domestic Waste Charge includes collection The NSW Environmental Protection Agency applies a waste levy for every ton of material sent to landfill For the 2023/24 period it was $163.20 per ton As existing landfill capacity approaches zero the cost to dispose waste at another landfill facility is likely to be more significant than it is now All single-unit dwellings who pay a Domestic Waste Charge including: houses and townhouses are entitled to the FOGO service including a 240L green FOGO bin and 7L kitchen caddy We will be rolling out the FOGO service to multi-unit dwellings such as apartments You can place certain items into your green FOGO bin that some home composting systems can’t accept such as cooked foods Other biodegradable and compostable products are made from fibrous materials that need special conditions to be processed properly our FOGO composting facility does not accept these materials The dark-green lidded bin is used for general waste It is different to your FOGO bin which has a lime-green lid Continue to use your dark-green lidded bin as your general waste bin and the collection will remain the same New house developments are entitled to our 3-Bin Waste Services. Owners of the new house development can apply for their bins via our New Service Request Form Under the NSW Government’s Waste & Sustainable Materials Strategy 2041 all NSW councils must have a FOGO service to significantly reduce the amount of organic material entering landfill Around 80 councils in Australia are already doing FOGO with more in Sydney coming onboard soon The NSW Government has a role to play in regional facilities retaining sufficient capacity to meet Sydney’s growing demand – for residential commercial and construction waste to be tipped The Waste Levy provides an incentive to find a cheaper alternative to sending waste to landfill Food organics and garden organics (FOGO) are a beneficial resource if collected and processed appropriately.  Not tipping them at landfill extends the life of landfills and reduces their greenhouse gas generation it is turned into compost to be used in farms FOGO will have huge environmental benefits and help maintain our beautiful suburbs The key NSW Government requirement is to introduce a Food Organics Garden Organics weekly collection by 2030 Council manages its waste services to comply with NSW Government regulation including payment of the Waste Levy (or tax) for all waste material going to landfill try storing them in an air-tight container to prolong the shelf-life of your bags We suggest these unique storage guidelines since our bags are certified under the AS 4736 qualification meaning that they begin to deteriorate after 12 weeks and completely biodegrade after 6 months if left in moist and warm conditions We acknowledge the Cabrogal of the Darug Nation who are the Traditional Custodians of this Land We also pay our respect to the Elders both past Fairfield City Council provides residents living in single-unit dwellings such as houses Units will continue to operate with a 2-bin waste service with their weekly red general waste bin and fortnightly yellow recycling bin The green FOGO bin service will be rolled out to units at a later date Your 240L general waste bin has a red lid and a dark green body This bin is collected every week. Use this bin to dispose of all household waste that cannot be recycled Everything in this bin is sent to a landfill and nothing is recovered There are many environmental impacts of waste going to landfill and is the most expensive way to dispose of waste What-is-accepted-in-red-bin-Arabic(PDF, 68KB) What-is-accepted-in-red-bin-Assyrian(PDF, 80KB) What-is-accepted-in-red-bin-Chinese(PDF, 69KB) What-is-accepted-in-red-bin-Khmer(PDF, 66KB) What-is-accepted-in-red-bin-Vietnamese(PDF, 99KB) FOGO stands for "Food Organics and Garden Organics". Your 240L FOGO bin has a lime-green lid with a black body This bin is collected fortnightly. Use this bin to dispose of organic material like food and garden waste Everything in this bin is turned into compost at a processing facility and is used in our parks This is why we must place only organic material that naturally breaks down and avoid contamination to support our environment What-is-accepted-in-green-bin-Arabic(PDF, 109KB) What-is-accepted-in-green-bin-Assyrian(PDF, 112KB) What-is-accepted-in-green-bin-Chinese(PDF, 61KB) What-is-accepted-in-green-bin-Khmer(PDF, 107KB) What-is-accepted-in-green-bin-Vietnamese(PDF, 91KB) Your 240L recycling bin has a yellow lid and a dark green body This bin is collected fortnightly. Use this bin to dispose of approved recyclable items Everything in this bin is taken to a Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) where the contents from your bin are sorted and sent to other facilities where your waste can be made into new products Rinse all items and remove labels before placing them in the bin What-is-accepted-in-yellow-bin-Arabic(PDF, 72KB) What-is-accepted-in-yellow-bin-Assyrian(PDF, 85KB) What-is-accepted-in-yellow-bin-Chinese(PDF, 74KB) What-is-accepted-in-yellow-bin-Khmer(PDF, 71KB) What-is-accepted-in-yellow-bin-Vietnamese(PDF, 103KB) Not all household waste is accepted in our bins. Some items are considered hazardous and can cause fires in our garbage trucks, putting our community and workers at risk. To find out more on how to recycle these items responsibly, visit our A-Z Waste Sorting Guide page Not-accepted-in-any-bin-Arabic(PDF, 51KB) Not-accepted-in-any-bin-Assyrian(PDF, 49KB) Not-accepted-in-any-bin-Chinese(PDF, 42KB) Not-accepted-in-any-bin-Khmer(PDF, 45KB) Not-accepted-in-any-bin-Vietnamese(PDF, 74KB) Find out when by clicking the button below: FIND MY BIN COLLECTION DAY please complete the online form by clicking the button below or call customer service on 9725 0222 WASTE REQUEST FORM To apply for a New Service, Additional Service or request a Waste Service Cancellation, please complete this form and email it to mail@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au This form must be completed by the owner of the property New Service Request Form(PDF, 393KB) duplexes and townhouses have a set of three bins per Waste Service – a red General Waste bin you will have different sets of bins since you share your bins with neighbours Your red general waste bin is for general waste Your green FOGO bin will be for food organics and garden organics (FOGO) Your yellow recycling bin is for recyclable items If you are unsure which bin an item goes into, please visit our A-Z guide for more information Please do NOT put the following items in any of your bins: Your red general waste bin is collected weekly Your green FOGO bin will be collected fortnightly on the alternate week of your yellow-lidded bin Your yellow recycling bin is collected fortnightly You may check your collection days on our website. Every year you will receive a waste “Bin Collection Calendar” with your collection days attached with your Council Rates. If you would like to request a printed calendar, please contact us on 9725 0222 or email mail@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au Council offers a FREE Bin Repair and Replacement Service for residents. You may request this service through our website or by calling Council at (02) 9725 0222 To ensure a smooth and efficient waste collection process please ensure that you are placing the correct items in your three bins If the incorrect items are found during a collection we kindly request that all residents adhere to the following guidelines when placing your bins out for collection: Council offers a FREE Missed Collection Service for incomplete or missed waste collections. You may request this service through our website or by calling Council at (02) 9725 0222 To apply for a New Service, Additional Service or request a Waste Service Cancellation, please complete this form and email it to mail@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au each household receives two free book-in kerbside clean-up collections per financial year (1 July to 30 June) To book a kerbside clean-up, please visit our booking website or Council at (02) 9725 0222 One of my main priorities as Mayor has been to ensure local families can get out in the sunshine We have been working hard on some great new major recreational projects such as Avenel Park and Endeavour Sports Park for residents to use but also important are our everyday neighbourhood playgrounds to ensure play opportunities are within a short walk or drive of every household we have opened new playgrounds at Welcome Park I encourage you to get out with the kids and use these new playgrounds containing features such as slides In the coming few months we will open another 8 upgraded neighbourhood playgrounds at Macarthur Park Yennora; the young children’s playground at Fairfield Park: Bold Park In the next 12 months we will also be upgrading six more neighbourhood parks: Nelson Park Fairfield; Prout and Fiona parks in Mount Pritchard; Bowden Park We will also be installing new outdoor fitness equipment at Lalich Park We are a large City with suburbs stretching from Villawood to Horsley Park Given the scale of our refurbishment work across the City We are continually upgrading and installing new playgrounds across our City If a playground in your area has not yet had works completed To find a playground near you visit www.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/parks Cabramatta Moon Festival 2023 won Best Multicultural Show/Event at the 2024 Western Sydney Tourism Awards hosted by Western Sydney Tourism Taskforce NSW Inc was a night to remember as industry leaders government officials and tourism businesses came together to honour the best of the region's visitor economy Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for photos on Cabramatta Moon Festival Cabramatta is accessible by train, bus and car, but you should plan your trip in advance because there will be road closures and vehicle exclusion zones during the Cabramatta Moon Festival.Click here to find out how to get to Cabramatta.Event location: Fields marked as 'Required' must be completed Enter your email address or your friend's email addresses all separated by commas NSW police allege multiple shots were fired from a dark-coloured sedan at about 8.30am on Stella Street A man has died after being shot dead outside his home in what police believe was a targeted attack The 20-year-old man, who was known to New South Wales police, was found unresponsive on a footpath near his home in Sydney’s south-west on Tuesday. Paramedics tried to revive him but he died at the scene. Multiple shots were fired from a dark-coloured sedan before it left the area on Stella Street in Fairfield Heights about 8.30am, police said. Det Supt Michael McLean said the victim’s “history and other associations” would form part of the police investigation. He added that it was fortunate no one else was hit. “Any shooting that occurs on our streets is a concern for us but given the time of day clearly that heightens risk,” McLean told reporters. “We’re satisfied that the shooting is targeted and we’ll conduct our further inquiries in respect to any links to other crimes throughout the day.” Police are canvassing CCTV in an attempt to trace the dark sedan’s movements. The construction upgrade to Bareena Park and Fairfield Heights Park playgrounds is now complete thanks to a $4 million grant from the Public Spaces Legacy Program. Bareena Park features a one-of-a-kind large koi fish slide and climbing rope feature to go with the ‘water theme’ playground. Equipment includes five bay swings, carousels, spinners, rockers, seesaws, musical equipment, slides, toddler play with shade, large gym node, learn-to-ride circuit track, sheltered picnic areas and Exeloo toilet. Fairfield Heights Park’s ‘nature theme’ playground features a large treehouse piece with slide, in addition to accessible play equipment, toddler and kid's swings and play zone, flying fox, water play area, learn to ride track, gym node, bubbler, picnic areas and Exeloo toilet. View of Koi shaped play equipment and small bridge at Bareena Park Under cover benches and tables at Bareena Park Swings and other play equipment at Bareena Park Frog shaped spring rider in front of play fortress and slide View of Fairfield Heights Park with tricycle path, climbing fortress and slide Three story climbing fortress with spiral tube slide small slide in foreground and large spiral tube slide in background We acknowledge the Cabrogal of the Darug Nation who are the Traditional Custodians of this Land. We also pay our respect to the Elders both past, present and emerging of the Darug Nation. Three people have now been charged over alleged involvement in incidents outside Christ the Good Shepherd church in Wakeley A third person has been charged with rioting outside a Sydney church after the stabbing of bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel on Monday An estimated 2,000 people descended on the Wakeley church after the attack on Emmanuel damaging 94 police vehicles and leaving 26 officers injured New South Wales police said that about 7.20am on Saturday they arrested a man in Horningsea Park in Sydney’s west The 28-year-old was later charged with the offence of “ threaten violence cause fear” and he was expected to face Parramatta bail court on Saturday was arrested at a Fairfield Heights home and charged with rioting and threatening violence and causing fear over his alleged involvement in the wild scenes outside the Assyrian Christ the Good Shepherd church on Monday night Haddad fronted Parramatta bail court on Saturday and was granted bail on the condition he report to police every day and live at a specific address He was next due before Fairfield local court on Wednesday The Sydney bishop stabbed on livestream – videoA 16-year-old boy has been charged with committing a terrorist act in relation to the alleged stabbing which was seen on a livestream of Emmanuel’s service told a court on Friday that the boy had a history of receiving treatment for his mental health since he was five years old and had shown behaviour consistent with mental illness or intellectual disability Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup The charge comes with a potential sentence of life in prison. The first person arrested and charged for taking part in the riots was granted bail on Thursday after appearing at Blacktown local court. Dani Mansour, 19, was charged with riot, affray and destroying or damaging property as part of the mob that allegedly attacked police. Free daily newsletterOur Australian afternoon update breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what’s happening and why it matters Read moreMansour was granted bail on strict conditions He must present his phone to police once a week cannot contact anyone involved in the riot The court heard Mansour allegedly filmed himself smashing two police vehicles and taking part in the riot posting the footage to his personal Instagram page has said police needed help identifying the rioters some of whom wore masks during the violence The force established Strike Force Dribs to investigate the rioters “People in the community know who they are and we need to know who they are,” Webb said “We have some people that have jumped on multiple police cars One individual has a very distinctive tattoo on his torso Webb said 42 detectives were working to identify 50 people from the 2,000 that were present “The sooner they are identified [and] put before the court I’m excited to be opening the newest additions to our City’s super playground parks for families to enjoy together in the coming days I will be opening our $3.4 million Bareena Park playground at 12.30pm  The water-themed playground has something for everyone We have an iconic 8-metre-tall Koi fish rope climb and slide an amazing meandering learn-to-ride circuit track with stop and give way signs mini soccer pitches to kick a ball around and score goals outdoor exercise equipment for older children and adults to keep fit seesaws and plenty of shade and picnic areas too I will open the $3 million Fairfield Heights Park playground at 12.30pm This park has its own unique features and is based on a nature theme with an unmissable climbing treehouse and slide centrepiece The park is full of accessible play equipment with an ever-popular flying fox a water play area to splash and keep cool as the weather grows warmer The two new parks were made possible with joint funding from the NSW Government I invite you to come along to the openings enjoy the new playgrounds and a free sausage sizzle We continue to make our City a fun and active City for families to get out and about together Come join me and my Councillor colleagues at these openings to experience the play equipment for yourself and enjoy a sausage sandwich Find playgrounds near you Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time A man police believe is linked to organised crime has been shot dead outside a home at Fairfield Heights in Sydney’s south-west emergency services were called to Stella Street after reports of a shooting,” NSW Police said in a statement on Tuesday NSW Police attended the home and found a man unresponsive on the footpath.Credit: The Sydney Morning Herald “Officers attached to Fairfield City Police Area Command attended and located a man unresponsive on the footpath Police sources say the man was linked to organised crime A crime scene has been established as police investigate the circumstances surrounding the death A man police believe is linked to organised crime has been shot dead outside a home at Fairfield Heights in Sydney\\u2019s south-west after reports of a shooting,\\u201D NSW Police said in a statement on Tuesday \\u201COfficers attached to Fairfield City Police Area Command attended and located a man unresponsive on the footpath \\u201CNSW Ambulance paramedics treated the man Have you checked out all of our ‘super parks’ across Fairfield City and we want to give locals the chance to see what’s on offer That’s why we are hosting a series of fun days at our super parks from February to July We want families to explore all the local super parks not just the one closest to you but why not try out all the parks across the whole City an ice cream truck in the warmer months and other refreshments in the cooler months Sunday 18 February – Fairfield Adventure Park Sunday 17 March – Koonoona Park Villawood Sunday 21 April – Deerbush Park Smithfield Sunday 19 May – Fairfield Heights Park Sunday 16 June – Bareena Park Canley Vale Sunday 14 July – Bonnyrigg Town Centre Park  Our City is fast becoming known for its super parks and playgrounds that lead the way in innovation and accessibility In the past 12 months we have unveiled some state-of-the-art playgrounds such as the recently completed Fairfield Heights Park and Bareena Park in Canley Vale There are more scheduled major projects underway that will further provide excellent leisure and recreation opportunities for families in our City We want to come together as a community to enjoy the great outdoors and take a break from our busy lives You can ride your bike or walk down to the perfect family friendly event Save the dates and I look forward to seeing you down at one or all of Fairfield’s super parks We all want to take pride in a clean City – and make it a great place to live That’s why we provide many waste services to make it easy for us to work together to help keep our City tidy Did you know that you can now book in your free kerbside waste collection online at a time more convenient for you Every household gets two free collections per financial year so if you haven’t used one or both of your pick-ups this year now is the time to book to clear that clutter from the home you’ll be eligible for another two free pickups To book your kerbside waste collection simply go online at www.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/kerbsidecleanup and choose an available day that best suits you Our kerbside pick-up service is ideal for disposing of bulky items that don’t fit in your weekly red-lidded waste bin Even if you have used your two free pick-ups this financial year you can plan ahead and book now for a pick-up on a day after 30 June.   The book-in kerbside service is provided to residents to keep our houses and streets clean save you tip fees and prevent illegal dumping We also provide residents with free access to our Recycling Drop Off Centre every Saturday for you to dispose of waste that can be recycled. For more information on the Recycling Drop Off Centre and Council’s other waste services visit www.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/waste.  I encourage you to use all of our waste services and let’s continue to work together to keep our City clean.  graduate teachers at Fairfield Heights Public School attend a mentoring program The course runs for a year but for the first six months they only focus on one thing: behaviour management Deputy principal Tanya Benetel with year 6 school captains Anabella Aghostin and Yaco Lazer at Fairfield Heights Public School.Credit: Dion Georgopoulos “That is the most challenging thing facing a brand new teacher coming into any school,” says principal Susan Craig “You have to earn their respect by demonstrating your respect for the children That’s not taught at university so we actually have to teach the teachers how to do that.” Fairfield Heights Public School is one of 100 NSW schools identified by the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority as high achieving in this year’s NAPLAN results meaning students showed above-average literacy and numeracy results compared with pupils of similar socio-educational backgrounds Newington in Stanmore and Kambala in Rose Bay all performed better than similar schools in reading Earlwood Public and Cranebrook High are among the top-performing public schools in Sydney 70 per cent come from the lowest socio-economic background and 93 per cent don’t speak English at home children sit in rows and are assessed every five weeks on their progress in reading Similar to the education system in Singapore class teachers are given a program for the year detailing how the curriculum should be translated into lessons They also have a highly regimented timetable that prioritises reading and numeracy “We don’t have any discipline issues and that’s because programs are designed to be highly structured and engage the students,” Craig said Deputy principal Tanya Benetel said they were focused on explicit teaching because a lot of children arrived without having attended preschool and might never have picked up a book “It is just good old-fashioned teaching … we just teach them right from the start in a good Plumpton High near Mount Druitt in Sydney’s west also achieved NAPLAN scores exceeding those of similar schools It offers numerous extracurricular activities such as the Duke of Edinburgh award but principal Tim Lloyd is unapologetic about the focus on literacy and numeracy Head teacher of English Katherine Gonzaga at Plumpton High School.Credit: Dion Georgopoulos “If you can’t read and write and add up you’re going to be well and truly left behind,” he said Every student’s reading ability is assessed in year 7 and they are provided a significant number of books matching their reading ability as part of a program Upon its completion they sit a comprehension test and may move up a level “It’s taken our reading results from well below similar school groups basically to the equivalent of the NSW level There are also remedial classes for those who enter high school with the reading skills of a primary school-aged student Reading for 15 minutes is mandatory in years 7 8 and 9 for the first 15 minutes of every English and human and society and its environment lesson you have to practise,” says the school’s head of English who used to be the head coach of Gymnastics Australia employs elements of sports psychology from high-performance coaching like choice theory positive psychology and adopting a growth mindset “I am a believer that anything you’re going to master takes a lot of hours ‘if you couldn’t do it 10 consecutive times then it wasn’t where it needed to be’,” he said “Our role is educating kids that not everything is going to be fun and enticing … Doing the basics will enable our kids to see they’re going to have greater life success.” A major study of NAPLAN results in 2022 said there were only slight differences in scores between private and these differences disappeared once a student’s family background was considered A 2018 study by think tank the Grattan Institute found attending a public or private school had little impact on how fast a student progressed in NAPLAN Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter \\u201CThat is the most challenging thing facing a brand new teacher coming into any school,\\u201D says principal Susan Craig \\u201CYou have to earn their respect by demonstrating your respect for the children That\\u2019s not taught at university so we actually have to teach the teachers how to do that.\\u201D Assessment and Reporting Authority as high achieving in this year\\u2019s NAPLAN results 70 per cent come from the lowest socio-economic background and 93 per cent don\\u2019t speak English at home \\u201CWe don\\u2019t have any discipline issues and that\\u2019s because programs are designed to be highly structured and engage the students,\\u201D Craig said \\u201CIt is just good old-fashioned teaching \\u2026 we just teach them right from the start in a good Plumpton High near Mount Druitt in Sydney\\u2019s west also achieved NAPLAN scores exceeding those of similar schools \\u201CIf you can\\u2019t read and write and add up you\\u2019re going to be well and truly left behind,\\u201D he said Every student\\u2019s reading ability is assessed in year 7 \\u201CIt\\u2019s taken our reading results from well below similar school groups basically to the equivalent of the NSW level well above similar schools,\\u201D Lloyd said you have to practise,\\u201D says the school\\u2019s head of English \\u201CI am a believer that anything you\\u2019re going to master takes a lot of hours \\u2018if you couldn\\u2019t do it 10 consecutive times then it wasn\\u2019t where it needed to be\\u2019,\\u201D he said \\u201COur role is educating kids that not everything is going to be fun and enticing \\u2026 Doing the basics will enable our kids to see they\\u2019re going to have greater life success.\\u201D and these differences disappeared once a student\\u2019s family background was considered Start the day with a summary of the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories Welcome in the New Year at Fairfield City’s annual Illuminate New Year’s Eve event Celebrate with a picnic under the stars on Wednesday 31 December from 5:00pm -10:00pm at Fairfield Showground Four kids with neon face painting against neon backdrop Click here to watch Fairfield City Council's Illuminate NYE The Smithfield-Wetherill Park Industrial Estate is one of the largest in the Southern Hemisphere and makes a major contribution to the New South Wales and Australian economies It is strategically connected to national and international transport networks including the M4 and M7 motorways the new Western Sydney Airport and nearby intermodal terminal The industrial area is home to nearly 3,000 businesses and 20,000 jobs The sector shows great potential to increase its exporting capabilities and international trade opportunities Existing and well-established industry clusters and supply chains are optimally positioned to meet the needs of businesses in the Western Sydney Aerotropolis and beyond Fairfield is recognised as a sub-regional centre and includes a large variety of retail and commercial activities It contains major shopping complexes and main street retail which combined provide more than 160 specialty shops.  major name supermarkets and department stores Fairfield is a gem in Sydney’s west offering a range of international shopping opportunities a robust service industry and a healthy cultural life is wheelchair accessible and serves as the town’s front door Taxis and buses also service Fairfield and parking is readily available making it an easily accessible and well-serviced city centre Fairfield City Centre also provides a significant support service industry including a strong presence of medical The City Centre is experiencing significant development Council has approved multi-storey developments comprising of several hundred units and more developments are under consideration Cabramatta is less than an hour from Central Sydney and is Australia’s most multicultural suburb Being the most densely populated suburb in Fairfield City businesses have reaped the rewards of the hustle and bustle of people in the Town Centre every day of the year. The area boasts many restaurants and serves as a marketplace for authentic Asian restaurants right across Sydney The earlier European influence on Cabramatta lives on in delicatessens which offer a great diversity of European small goods and delicacies Competitive shopping has always been a major attraction of Cabramatta It is renowned for its excellent fabric shops Cabramatta is a popular tourist destination and enjoys many community and cultural celebrations throughout the year Bonnyrigg is a place of contrast and culture the well-serviced Bonnyrigg Town Centre is surrounded by temples and parkland Bonnyrigg has a successful retail mix that includes Bonnyrigg Plaza along with a range of commercial operations on Bonnyrigg Avenue and Smithfield Road Immediately opposite Bonnyrigg Plaza is the Transitway providing excellent and fast bus transport from Parramatta to Liverpool The area is also well serviced by community facilities Bonnyrigg is an inviting Town Centre for business providing ample facilities for employees as well as excellent public transport Bonnyrigg Town Centre is undergoing some exciting changes and expansion New spaces will be available in the near future for commercial and retail use Bonnyrigg’s mix of convenience and culture makes it an attractive investment option Bonnyrigg has extremely successful commercial and religious cultural resources including some of Sydney’s most significant clubs and religious venues There are a number of other smaller and attractive retail centres in Fairfield City including: Fairfield City’s Town Centres are dynamic and unique and are attractive options when considering investment They offer opportunities and choices.   An enormous range of businesses operate within Fairfield City whether they are for a product or for a service This means less time is required to find what you need and less travel time to buy your goods and services This is a significant advantage for business Fairfield City Council understands the benefits of attracting film and television productions - large and small - and aims to provide a welcoming environment As it takes time to assess the proposals, Council is grateful for as much lead-time as possible. For more information on filming within Council areas please refer to: Please contact Communications and Marketing on 9725 0222 for more information.  Error: no decision tree source folder detected Police and family members have today welcomed a $100,000 NSW Government reward for information about the fatal stabbing of Samer Kirnawi in Sydney’s south-west two years ago presented at Fairfield Hospital with a stab wound to the neck on Tuesday 19 August 2014 He underwent emergency surgery but died about 4.45pm Police are still trying to establish the circumstances surrounding Mr Kirnawi’s death but have been told he attended the intersection of Smithfield Road and Mistral Street Detectives from Fairfield Local Area Command established Strike Force Leeward to investigate Mr Kirnawi’s death and have continued to make extensive inquiries today welcomed the reward of $100,000 for information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for Mr Kirnawi’s death “This has been an extensive investigation over the past two years with detectives examining a number of different lines of inquiry but we need the community’s help to progress it further,” Supt Lennon said “We do hope that the $100,000 reward will be the incentive needed for someone to come forward and tell us what they know “It has been a long two years for Mr Kirnawi’s family and they deserve to see the person or people responsible for his death put before the court.” says his son’s death has rocked the family “There is someone out there that must know someone and I hope this reward is the push they need to contact police,” Mr Kirnawi said “We miss our son terribly and want to see justice served.” Police are urging anyone with information in relation to this incident to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au/ Information you provide will be treated in the strictest of confidence We remind people they should not report crime information via our Facebook and Twitter pages A teenager arrested during a crackdown on Assyrian organised crime has been accused of giving misleading information to a secret NSW Crime Commission hearing aimed at breaking down a wall of silence surrounding his friend's murder Korkis Sefo was one of 10 people charged last month over a drug supply ring in Sydney's south-west which police alleged had strong ties to the street gang DLASTHR At the helm of the lucrative syndicate was allegedly Alina Antal, a 29-year-old office worker who was working alongside her incarcerated lover Police allege Ms Antal recruited teenage boys to do the syndicate's drug running and packing out of safe houses in Fairfield and Cabramatta Police raid Korkis Sefo's house in Fairfield Heights in February The manager of the run was allegedly Antonio Hermiz a 20-year-old who was gunned down in Wetherill Park two days before Christmas His murder is being investigated by the NSW Homicide Squad which has worked in the wake of last month's drug crackdown to target some of those arrested A week after he was arrested and his Fairfield Heights home was raided was summoned to the NSW Crime Commission to face a grilling about Mr Hermiz's death was arrested in Cabramatta in Sydney's west.Credit: Facebook A number of people were in the Western Sydney Parklands on the day he was shot dead but detectives have been met by a wall of silence Mr Sefo was charged with knowingly giving false or misleading evidence to the commission A woman argues with police as her home is raided in Fairfield Heights.Credit: Nick Moir The NSW Crime Commission can compel people to give evidence during its hearings The powers are often called on by NSW Police to draw evidence from unwilling witnesses or suspects these powers have been the source of controversy and civil rights concerns was shot dead at Wetherill Park in December 2016.Credit: Facebook raised concerns about how his client's situation was handled being on his own without legal representation during the coercive hearing "The prosecution case is inherently flawed," he said "It is bordering on the absurd." Mr Karim refuted the commission's claim to his client that certain witnesses said Mr Sefo saw the murder unfold No witness named his client but referred to a "group of men" who pleaded not guilty to misleading the crime commission was granted bail on the conditions he report to police daily surrender his passport and post a $15,000 surety was also shot during the heated confrontation at Wetherill Park on December 23 but survived In a further twist, detectives are investigating links between Assyrian organised crime figures and the alleged murder of ex-bikie Adrian Buxton in Sydney's north-west was gunned down while taking out his bins at his home in Colyton in May A black Audi Q7 used in the shooting was suspected of being in Mr Hermiz's possession before he was killed Mr Sefo's case was adjourned to April 13 A teenager arrested during a crackdown on Assyrian organised crime has been accused of giving misleading information to a secret NSW Crime Commission hearing aimed at breaking down a wall of silence surrounding his friend's murder Korkis Sefo was one of 10 people charged last month over a drug supply ring in Sydney's south-west which police alleged had strong ties to the street gang DLASTHR At the helm of the lucrative syndicate was allegedly who was working alongside her incarcerated lover to do the syndicate's drug running and packing out of safe houses in Fairfield and Cabramatta which has worked in the wake of last month's drug crackdown to target some of those arrested was summoned to the NSW Crime Commission to face a grilling about Mr Hermiz's death raised concerns about how his client's situation was handled \\\"The prosecution case is inherently flawed,\\\" he said Mr Karim refuted the commission's claim to his client that certain witnesses said Mr Sefo saw the murder unfold No witness named his client but referred to a \\\"group of men\\\" detectives are investigating links between in Sydney's north-west A black Audi Q7 used in the shooting was suspected of being in Mr Hermiz's possession before he was killed but says there is still hope for the sector after buying a Woolworths-anchored neighbourhood centre in the city’s west for $23.8 million Tamim acquired the Fairfield Heights Woolworths from SURF 1 an unlisted retail property fund being wound up by ASX-listed SCA Property Group is expected to deliver an average distribution yield of 5.9 per cent over the next seven years to private investors in the Tamim Property Fund Tamim joint managing director Jeff Taitz said the wealth manager had acquired the Woolworths as “income play” for its yield-hungry investors “Woolworths green bonds are at 2.75 per cent This asset will return over 5.5 per cent [in the first year] with Woolworths as the tenant on a 13 year lease.” Mr Taitz said it was getting “harder and harder” for owners of retail property assets Mr Taitz said landlords needed to be more innovative and work with their tenants “You need to be more community focused and think about the immediate demograhic and how to bring them into the centre “There’s not been much money spent on these centres but they’ve really sucked the cream out of them leaving the new operators to reset The Fairfield Heights centre at 176-186 The Boulevarde is 91 per cent leased to Woolworths with the two smaller tenancies leased to a pharmacy and a kebab shop on seven and five year lease terms respectively He added that there was development upside on the site with the potential to build up to eight stories The price paid by Tamim was in line with its June 2019 book value JLL’s Sam Hatcher and Jacob Swan negotiated the sale SCA sold the Woolworths and the other assets in the SURF 1 fund – two Dan Murphy’s a Woolworths in Griffiths and a Big W in Inverell – for a combined $69.3 million a 13 per cent uplift on what it paid for them Sydney commercial real estate Melbourne commercial real estate Brisbane commercial real estate Adelaide commercial real estate Perth commercial real estate Canberra commercial real estate Darwin commercial real estate Hobart commercial real estate NSW properties for sale VIC properties for sale QLD properties for sale SA properties for sale WA properties for sale ACT properties for sale NT properties for sale TAS properties for sale NSW properties for lease VIC properties for lease QLD properties for lease SA properties for lease WA properties for lease ACT properties for lease NT properties for lease TAS properties for lease Rural & Farming for sale in NSW Rural & Farming for sale in VIC Rural & Farming for sale in QLD Rural & Farming for sale in SA Rural & Farming for sale in WA Rural & Farming for sale in NT Rural & Farming for sale in TAS Rural & Farming for sale in ACT Sydney Toowoomba City Surry Hills Melbourne Dandenong Brisbane Morton Vale Noosaville One of the most expensive properties to sell over the weekend in western Sydney was a six-bedroom five-bathroom home at 27 Yoogali St in Merrylands The large family home sits on a block of 777 sqm and features open plan formal and informal living areas It has two fully equipped modern kitchens with stainless steel appliances The backyard is totally private and leads onto a tiled entertainment area surrounding the in-ground swimming pool and cabana The entrance to 27 Yoogali St in Merrylands Riverbank Real Estate agent Hassan Derbas said 13 people registered for the auction “We had about 7 people actively bidding and it started with $50,000 bids then by the end of the auction the bids were going up in $10,000 increments,” he said “The sellers are staying in the area and the buyers are a family.” a four-bedroom corner block home at 1 Ann St the home is currently rented for $880 per week and is less than 200m to the Fairfield Heights shopping district Ray White agent David Perco said 15 people had registered to bid with the majority of the action taking place between six bidders until the price reached $1.3 million then went down to three competitive bidders A semi-detached brick three-bedroom home in Casula on 561 sqm sold at weekend auction for $105,000 over reserve to first-home buyers currently renting in Belmore The facade of 1/29 Leacocks Lane in Casula an updated bathroom with new freestanding bathtub and fresh carpet had a price guide of around $500,000 and 43 contracts issued prior to the auction McGrath agent Eva Frketic said 22 people registered to bid “Throughout the campaign we had almost 130 people through the home at inspection,” she said “We had 22 registrations to bid and the bidding opened up at $480,000 … Only five bidders were actively involved in the auction but towards the end it came down to two bidders against each other.” The home last sold in January 2014 for $424,500 third parties have written and supplied the content and we are not responsible for it completeness or reliability of the information nor do we accept any liability or responsibility arising in any way from omissions or errors contained in the content 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By accessing or using our platform, you agree to our Terms of Use. Australia is full steam ahead through the next phase of the property cycle, but supply issues continue to weigh heavy on the market The lack of available properties is a market-wide issue but there are some suburbs where homeowners are holding onto their properties for a record length of time in other areas properties appear to switch hands far quicker Realestate.com.au data reveals that buyers looking to get their foot in the door in Killarney Heights will have to wait the longest with the suburb holding claim to the longest holding period across the country Homeowners in that particular Sydney suburb hold onto their property for an average of 20.1 years “Most properties in Killarney Heights are large four or five-bedroom properties with swimming pools and plenty of outside space,” realestate.com.au said “Many of the residents would have moved there to raise a family have then liked it so much they have never left.” 18km south-east of Melbourne’s CBD is second on the list with an average 19.2-year holding period The majority of houses in Clarinda have four plus bedrooms and are well-sized family homes 6 are in NSW and the remaining 4 are located in Victoria And there is one regional suburb that makes it to number four has an average holding period of 18.3 years The median house price in this suburb is $1.29 million but there are many luxury properties costing three to four times that price Here’s the full list of Australia’s suburbs with the longest holding periods where property for sale could be difficult to come by Source: realestate.com.au But not all suburbs across Australia are as tightly held as the likes of those on the list above there are plenty of suburbs where properties are changing hands at a much quicker rate Coming in first place as the suburb with the lowest average holding period is one of our newest suburbs -  Denman Prospect in Canberra With a population of roughly 2,700 at the last Census all the properties have been built within the past five years in the Logan - Beaudesert region of Brisbane - which has an average hold period of 3.2 years the suburb only had 5,400 people living there the population had skyrocketed to over 10,000 has the fastest turnover period of 3.6 years in Victoria which was established as part of the Armstrong Creek Growth Area that was opened up for urban development in 2010 Houses in newly developed suburbs resell quickly as many are bought by investors to make a profit While new development suburbs often witness swift property turnover driven by investment activity this doesn't mean they won't evolve into tightly held suburbs over time these developing suburbs may one day rival the likes of Killarney Heights to become the most tightly held suburbs in Australia These suburbs with the longest and shortest holding periods aren’t necessarily the suburbs I would recommend investing in That’s because when it comes to property investment it's most important to look for an investment-grade property in the ‘right area’ rather than chasing ‘top hotspots’ or growth areas But even before looking for the right location make sure you have a Strategic Property Plan to steer you through the upcoming challenging times our property markets will encounter Things have to be done in the right order – and selecting the location and the right property in that location comes right at the end of the process the property you will eventually buy will be the result of a sequence of questions you will need to ask and answer and a series of decisions you’ll need to make before you even start looking at locations Long before we talk about a property or the right location with our clients at Metropole, we look at factors including their age, their timeframes, and the desired end results in other words, what do they want the properties to do – are they looking for cash flow, capital growth, or a combination of both And that’s because what makes a great investment property for me is not likely to be the same as what would suit your investment needs you're probably wondering what's the right thing to do at present You can trust the team at Metropole to provide you with direction Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced investor, at times like we are currently experiencing you need an advisor who takes a holistic approach to your wealth creation and that’s exactly what you get from the multi-award-winning team at Metropole protect and pass on their wealth through a range of services including: How much of your income should you spend on a mortgage Pre-settlement inspection guide: what to inspect The offer and acceptance process when buying a property How much you need for a house deposit in each Aussie city and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Brisbane Property Market Forecast [2025] – What’s Ahead & Where to Invest Melbourne property market forecast for 2025 | Is it a good time to invest in Melbourne Commercial Property — A Property Investor’s Guide 9 Steps to Getting Started in Property Investment House prices vs Inflation in Australia 2024 How to get into property development in Australia Top 15 Tax Deductions for Investment Properties in Australia