March 29 - April 4, 2020: Issue 444



This Issue: full list in Contents page 

Front Page Issue 444 

Three COVID-19 Patients In NBH As Cases Continue To Rise Exponentially by Miranda Korzy

Aquatics NSW Inclusive Championships Second Year Success by Surf Life Saving NSW

Pictures Warm Fuzzy Cuddles: Mitch And M.J. - Wombats At Sydney Wildlife Waratah Park Talk To You- For Littlies (& Biggies Too) - Photos by Margaret Woods, Joan Reid and Lynleigh Grieg - '2 kangaroos' photo by Victoria Reid.

Park Bench Philosopher ‘Where No Counsel Is, The People Fall’: Why Parliaments Should Keep Functioning During The Coronavirus Crisis

DIY Ideas Autumn Vegepod Garden: Plant Now to Stay Healthy - The science is in! Horticultural therapy is proven to reduce stress and pain, alleviate the blues and increase focus. Gardening helps people connect to living things, nurture their own nature and relax. Johnson Brothers Mitre 10 stock these great do it yourself gardens at their Narrabeen, Mona Vale and Avalon stores and they have the potting mix and seedlings to plant out in them.

Pittwater COVID- 19 Restriction Responses: Take Away from Restaurants and Cafes and Grocers and Food Available From Local Outlets  Local food suppliers and cafes and restaurants are currently adapting to social-distancing requirements and the closure of public spaces to large gatherings. Listed this week are those that have food you can order for take away or delivery and also those who supplied these outlets who also have food available to purchase. As a community service, there is no charge to list your eatery here - you do need to email details: name, operating hours along with a menu if available, to pittwateronlinenews@live.com.au - we will keep adding them in as/when received.

The World at Your Fingertips Online: How to host conferences and Events, The Great Outdoors from Indoors, Arts and Culture sites allow a Tour Online, Zoos Live Streaming Animals, Books and Movies and Music for Children, Youth, and Seniors - these lists will be added into so worth revisiting by those self-isolating or in lockdown due to age or vulnerability 

Giving Our Dog A Bath -  a story made from Indoors this week for youngsters

Artists of the Month April 2020: Australia's Great Online Collections In State Art Galleries, Museums And Libraries With local and national galleries, museums and libraries, along with the great exhibitions they curate and then host closed at present an online tour of the great Art within these institutions is one way we can keep supporting and celebrating all they seek to share with Australians.  As many of these have invested in sharing their works online, all digitised, many are available for people to take a virtual tour of. This month a little about these with links to where you can spend happy hours dwelling in their wonderful collections. 

Bear in mind it's not just the city centres that host these wonderful online galleries - many a local history society in regional areas, as well as regional art galleries, have and are currently adding to their online digitised resources so those far from these places can feast their eyes.

You can even take virtual tours of overseas galleries - however, those that are run here are brimful of wonderful Australian works of the places we love. They are a great reminder of the many aspects and offerings these places seek to share with all and how much we have to be thankful for.

This Issue we run from NSW to the Tasmania and over to South Australia - revisit next Issue and the great offerings in Western Australia and Queensland, The National Library of Australia, National Museum of Australia and National Portrait Gallery will have been added in, along with some of those regional gems and a few secret places we find wonderful Pittwater and Australian Art and Imagery to share with you.

Profile #ViralKindness Northern Beaches Teams Up With #MyStreetSupport Northern Beaches
 MyStreetSupport a strategic ‘street by street’ social safety net initiative which has been rolling out throughout the Northern Beaches in Sydney, is available as a free national resource for people all over Australia to help them set up their own street support network during the coronavirus pandemic.

With many people being isolated, services are going to be stretched and #MyStreetSupport is a response that helps families and the elderly broaden out their support base by connecting and helping each other as neighbours in the same street. It has been designed to alleviate pressure on services as much as possible so that everyone is cared for and nobody is missed.

#MyStreetSupport provides the resource kit with instructions, support, posters and flyers to help set-up local groups. Street group members are also encouraged to exchange phone numbers just in case there is interruption to internet services and to provide support for those who do not use Facebook or the internet.

Each suburb is also encouraged to set up or join their #ViralKindness suburb or city group so that everyone in each suburb is connected to their community for updates and support. In this way a social ‘grid’ is built to provide a strong social safety network.

ViralKindness Northern Beaches is the local group for support to those living on the Northern Beaches who are in self isolation or are at high risk and unable to leave their home. The group provide updated information to help keep people informed, share uplifting messages or incidences of kindness but  their main focus is being there to assist those in our community who are unable to access general necessities.

Wendy Harper was inspired to set up #MyStreetSupport by the way communities prepared for and dealt with the bushfires.

"“I really felt the need to start a dedicated group for my local community in Terrey Hills just over a week ago, by getting a ‘street to street’ COVID-19 caring and support network going - in the spirit of what happens in my community in a bushfire emergency,” said Ms Harper. 

“I started this on March 13th, and was contacted by Maire O’Brien, who had just set up Covid19 Northern Beaches Sydney Facebook, so the #MyStreetSupport Start Up Pack were shared with this group…and it just keeps spreading!”

There are still a few gaps locally so find out how to start your own suburb's group this week and let's ensure that, if we need to,  everyone is cared for and nobody is missed.

History  Winnererremy Bay: Angus Gordon, the Sequel to Dorothy Hawkins - by John Illingsworth

A follow-on from John Illingsworth's film about  Dorothy Hawkins -  Dorothy Hawkins' family, father Joseph Homer, ran a dairy near Winnererremy Bay at Mona Vale from 1936.

Pittwater Offshore Newsletter Update: March 23rd, 2020

Click on Logo to access latest PON:  

To contact Julian:  editor@scotlandisland.org.au

Daylight Savings Ends

Daylight saving time 2019 in New South Wales began at 2:00 am on Sunday, 6 October
and ends at 3:00 am on Sunday, 5 April 2020
All times are in Eastern Australia Time.

Pittwater Online Autumn school holidays Break

Please note that Issue 446 will be published Easter Sunday, April 12th and that Issue 447 will be published April 26th, 2020. 

Notices and News for Issue 446 need to be in be 5pm Easter Saturday.

The Pittwater Online Facebook page will be kept updated during this break period with any Notices received.

Thank you very much.

Johnson Brothers Mitre 10 Update: We're Adapting!

Friday March 27, 2020

Intending to keep our customers and staff safe, we present some additional ways for both our retail and trade customers to do business with us.

Trade and Retail Pick Up

Express Pick up Mona Vale

- Call Johnson Bros Mitre 10 Mona Vale, and we will pick & pack your order and have it ready for you to pick up in 2 hours. (Stocked Lines Only)

- Drive into our undercover Trade Drive-Thru area at 73 Bassett St Mona Vale, and your order will be ready for pick-up.

- Our team members will help you with your load and finalise payment/paperwork

Express Pick up Avalon

- Call Johnson Bros Mitre 10 Avalon, and we will pick & pack your order and have it ready for you to pick up in 2 hours. (Stocked Lines Only)

- Drive into our back lane off Bellevue Avenue, and your order will be ready for pick-up.

- Our team members will help you with your load and finalise payment/paperwork

Online Retail Stores Go Live

We’ve launched two eCommerce sites offering 2hr pick up in-store and flat rate delivery options on the northern beaches*.

Jbhmv.com.au (Mona Vale)

Jbhav.com.au (Avalon – Site goes live tomorrow Sat 28th March)

With the ability to leave the product on your doorstep, this provides an option of an entirely contactless transaction.

*Flat rate delivery is not available to trade sales, building supplies and trade quantities

** The stock availability is updated nightly, which may mean the stock is unavailable when the order is placed

Trade Delivery to Site

Maybe not new, but certainly worth a mention again!

We can get almost anything delivered quickly onto site!

As always ring the trade desk direct on 9999 0333 and let them know what you need!

Final Thought

Like everyone, we have found ourselves in a new and uncertain environment, but we’re setting up (and digging in) for the long haul!

We want to acknowledge that the decision to retain over 120 staff and meet any future challenges head-on, could not have happened without the continued support you provide us as customers.

Thank you and stay safe,

The Johnson Family

NSW lowers age limit for pharmacy flu jabs

March 16, 2020
Families will have more access to influenza vaccinations with the NSW Government lowering the age pharmacists can administer flu jabs to children from 16 years to 10 years.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard said giving families more options to protect their children against flu is sensible, with the likely convergence of a COVID-19 pandemic with winter flu.

“Last year was the longest flu season on record and in 2017 more than 650 people in NSW died from flu-related conditions, and now we have COVID-19,” Mr Hazzard said.

“While the flu vaccine won’t combat COVID-19, it will help reduce the severity and spread of flu, which can lower a person’s immunity and make them susceptible to other illnesses.

“By allowing pharmacists to administer privately purchased flu vaccines to people aged 10 years and over, families now have more choice when booking-in for a flu jab”.

The NSW Government has invested approximately $130 million in the 2019-20 Immunisation Program budget, including Commonwealth and state vaccines.

NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said this year’s flu vaccine is expected to be available from mid-April and she urges everyone who can be vaccinated to do so.

“Each year in NSW, we have hundreds of flu-related deaths and many of those who die were infected by the people they know and love who weren’t vaccinated,” Dr Chant said.

“Not only do you risk your own life by not getting vaccinated against flu but you can potentially spread the infection to others more vulnerable, like children and the elderly.

“This year’s flu vaccine will be specifically tailored to the strains we expect will pose the greatest risk but as always, call ahead to ensure your GP or pharmacist has your dose.”

Last year, around 2.5 million doses of Government-funded flu vaccines were distributed across NSW. This year, it is expected more than 2.6 million doses will be made available.

People aged 65 and over, pregnant women, Aboriginal people and those with high-risk medical conditions can be vaccinated for free by GPs under the National Immunisation Program. The free NSW-funded vaccine is available to all children aged six months to five years.

Amendments to the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2008 to lower the age that pharmacists can supply and administer a private market influenza vaccine to include people aged 10 years and over, are expected to come into effect by mid-March.


Staged opening of the Warringah Road underpass

The NSW Government is upgrading the roads around the Northern Beaches Hospital to provide customers with a better travel experience, increased capacity on the road network and improved access through the area.

Warringah Road underpass
When fully operational the 1.3 kilometre long underpass will enable through traffic on Warringah Road to bypass three sets of traffic lights at Forest Way, Hilmer Street and Wakehurst Parkway.

FRENCHS FOREST TO FORESTVILLE Warringah Rd between Rodborough Rd and Fitzpatrick Ave East
CHANGED TRAFFIC CONDITIONS Warringah Rd underpass opening
Date: Sat 28 Mar 2020 - Fri 3 Apr 2020
Website: Northern Beaches Hospital Road Upgrade - MySydney
Advice: Allow extra travel time. Exercise caution
Other Info: The new 1.3km long Warringah Rd underpass through Frenchs Forest will open to traffic on Monday 30 March.
** The underpass was due to open on Sunday morning but was delayed due to wet weather.
Two lanes will be available in each direction allowing motorists travelling through the area to bypass the busy intersections of Forest Way, Hilmer St and Wakehurst Pkwy.

The speed limit will be 60km/h when the underpass opens while other works continue in the area.
Access to the Northern Beaches Hospital remains unchanged and is via the surface lanes. Motorists travelling to the hospital will be guided by the blue coloured service signs.

From Monday morning the underpass will open to westbound traffic at the entrance west of Allambie Road.

At this time:
  • the Warringah Road underpass on ramp at Wakehurst Parkway will be closed
  • Warringah Road westbound surface lanes on approach to Wakehurst Parkway will be reduced to two lanes
  • Warringah Road eastbound surface lanes on approach to Forest Way will be reduced to two lanes
  • motorists using the Forest Way slip lane to Warringah Road eastbound will enter Warringah Road in an added lane - no merge will be required at that point.
For more information see the Warringah Road underpass open to traffic project notification (PDF, 856Kb).

Saturday 4 April
From Saturday night 4 April, the intersection of Warringah Road and Wakehurst Parkway will be rearranged to its final configuration.
The Wakehurst Parkway intersection will include:
  • two right turn lanes from Wakehurst Parkway southbound into the underpass westbound and one right turn lane for road users who wish to continue on the surface lanes
  • two left turn lanes from Wakehurst Parkway northbound into the underpass westbound and one left turn lane for road users who wish to continue on the surface lanes
  • one right turn lane from Wakehurst Parkway northbound to Warringah Road eastbound.

Saturday 18 April
From Saturday night 18 April, the intersection of Warringah Road and Forest Way will be rearranged to its final configuration.
The Forest Way intersection will include:
  • three right turn lanes from Warringah Road westbound to Forest Way northbound
  • one through lane for Warringah Road westbound
Road users will not be able to enter the underpass from Forest Way.

General traffic information
Temporary lane closures will be in place during the opening of the underpass.
Delays may occur along Warringah Road, Wakehurst Parkway and Forest Way. Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead and allow extra travel time.

Temporary traffic changes are needed to ensure the safety of workers and road users and may affect travel times. Please keep to speed limits and follow the direction of traffic controllers and signs. For the latest traffic updates, you can call 132 701, visit the Live Traffic NSW website or download the Live Traffic NSW app.

Pedestrian access will be maintained at all time and bus routes will not be impacted.

Working towards completion
A number of construction activities can only take place after the underpass is open to traffic. This will take a few months to complete and we are on track to complete the project in mid‑2020, weather permitting.

Local Public Areas now closed

March 26, 2020: NBC -
In the interest of your health and safety, Council is now closing the following outdoor recreation areas:
• Playgrounds
• Skateparks
• Estuary, tidal and harbour pools
• Ocean and rockpools

Please note that public libraries were closed mid-week but council is ramping up their home delivery service for older and vulenrable people in the community who love a good read.

COVID 19 Update

COVID-19 (Coronavirus) statistics
As of 8pm March 27th, there are 85 confirmed cases of coronavirus in our area - up by 17 from the 68 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Northern Beaches area reported on March 25th, 2020. Our area is now recording the second highest incidences of this disease in Sydney - please STAY HOME, don't go the beaches, don't go communal areas.

The NSW Department of Health advises that:
As at 8pm, Friday 27 March 2020, an additional 212 cases of COVID-19 have been diagnosed, since 8pm 26 March, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in NSW to 1,617.

There are currently 147 COVID-19 cases being treated in NSW, including 22 cases in our Intensive Care Units and, of those, 11 require ventilators at this stage.

What these figures reveal is that testing for COVID-19 is occurring at a significant rate across the state and we urge everyone to follow NSW Health advice about social distancing, personal hygiene and staying at home wherever possible.

Sadly, a female patient in her 90s passed away in hospital this morning. This patient was a resident of the Dorothy Henderson Lodge.

NSW Health passes on our condolences to the family of this patient. Eight people have now died in NSW having tested positive to COVID-19.

Two international flights arrived in Sydney overnight and this morning with 245 passengers. Airport screening was immediately commenced, including symptom assessment and temperature, and no passengers were identified as being unwell.

These passengers include numerous doctors and nurses who had been attending a health convention on-board who had not been able to berth off the South American coast.

All passengers are subject to the requirement for 14 day isolation under Ministerial direction. This includes those who were able to safety return to their place of residence as well as around 150 people who are in quarantine in two Sydney hotels.

The passengers were from the Roald Amundsen and Scenic Eclipse cruises which were unable to berth in South America.

NSW Health will assist should there be any further need for COVID-19 testing or medical care requiring transport to hospital.

There are 171 confirmed cases diagnosed in NSW who were on board the Ruby Princess.

A school teacher working at Ashcroft High School is a confirmed case who attended school for one day while infectious, but did not teach classes. A small number of students and staff have been identified as close contacts and are being contacted by the Department of Education.

There are two confirmed cases at a Sydney childcare centre - a two-year-old child and a childcare worker.

A three-year-old child who is a household contact of an overseas case has confirmed COVID-19. The child is in self-isolation.

Two confirmed cases from a group of 100 Chilean navy personnel are self-isolating in hotels in Sydney. Investigations and contact tracing underway.

A fourth case has been confirmed at the Opal Bankstown residential aged care facility.

NSW Health is providing information to keep the community informed about COVID-19 while also protecting the privacy of patients. We will keep providing information to the people of NSW as it becomes available.

NSW Health is alerting passengers who were close contacts on flights to monitor for symptoms, and contact their GP, but call ahead first, or call healthdirect on 1800 022 222, or visit a NSW Health COVID-19 / Flu assessment clinic should they become unwell.


For information on social distancing see:

NSW Health also wants to remind the public about new regulations surrounding mass gatherings that can be found by visiting Public Health (COVID-19 Gatherings) Order 2020 under the Public Health Act 2010.

Current NSW Health advice is to only get tested for COVID-19 if you have a fever, cough, sore throat or shortness of breath AND EITHER been overseas in the past 14 days or been in contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19. Only people who meet this criteria will be tested and considering this advice you can save yourself an unnecessary trip to a testing centre. 
For the latest advice see https://bit.ly/3aTaRV8

The best way to protect yourself from COVID-19 is the same way you would protect yourself from catching the flu or any other respiratory illness:
  • - Clean your hands with soap and water or hand sanitiser.
  • - Cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze.
  • - Avoid close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms.
  • - Stay home if you are sick.

DoggieRescue.com

Pets of the Week


Crumpet


AGE/SEX: 5 years / M
BREED: American Staffy X
Crumpet is a strong friendly boy who gives you lots of kisses and always has his tail wagging. He loves his treats and enjoys his walks. He ignores cars but pulls to meet other dogs. Ideally he would love to run or jog with you. He is child tolerant but does not actively seek engagement with kids. Volunteers say "High energy, likes to run. Lovely temperament", "Gorgeous boy, well behaved", "Nice temperament, easy to walk. Sat for treats and took very gently. Sweetheart" He has a smooth coat and weighs 27kg. He comes desexed, C5 vaccinated, heartworm free and microchipped. Also included for the love and health of our dogs is a free Health and Wellness Voucher with our DR Vet. His adoption cost is $400


Cruz

Cruz is a very affectionate gentleman who ended up in the pound at 16 years old when we recently rescued him. He is the oldest cat we have. He was in poor condition suffering from Hyperthyroidism and very under weight at only 2.79kg. He has a medium length coat.

Cruz is looking for a special person to manage his condition and give him the best life during his final years. Cruz is located on the Northern Beaches and comes desexed, wormed, F3 vaccinated, FIV/FeLV tested and microchipped. His adoption fee is $220.

If you are interested in meeting him, please contact DoggieRescue on 9486 3133 or email cats@doggierescue.com. He is located at Ingleside.

Foster Carers Needed
Not everyone is in a position to adopt a dog, which is why DoggieRescue runs a foster program making it easy for caring dog lovers to make an immediate difference.

Meet our top ten doggies desperate for a foster home. These are most frequently doggies who have spent a long time in the shelter and are in urgent need of some quiet time in a loving home.

For further details or to meet all cats, rabbits and dogs at Doggie Rescue call  9486 3133 or email monika@DoggieRescue.com. Visit www.DoggieRescue.com to see all our dogs. www.facebook.com/doggierescue 
Rehoming Organisation No R251000024. 

Lucy Turnbull steps down from the Greater Sydney Commission

March 24, 2020
Premier Gladys Berejiklian has today thanked Lucy Turnbull AO for her leadership and vision as she steps down as Chief Commissioner of the Greater Sydney Commission.

After more than four years as the inaugural Chief Commissioner, Mrs Turnbull has spearheaded the transformation of Greater Sydney into a thriving and connected global city.

“Greater Sydney is well on its way to becoming a thriving metropolis of three cities and I thank Lucy for her outstanding service and leadership,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“Lucy brought an enormous amount of passion to this incredibly important project and I am certain her legacy will live on in the communities and residents of Greater Sydney.”

During her time as Chief Commissioner, Mrs Turnbull has overseen the development and release of the Greater Sydney Region Plan, the NSW Government’s 40-year vision for the growth and development of Greater Sydney and the development and release of five associated District Plans.

She has also championed a personal passion for Greater Sydney’s livability through local open spaces, walkability to promote health and community and a female-friendly focus on improving access for everyone.

Mr Geoff Roberts AM, the Commission’s Deputy Chief Commissioner has been appointed Chief Commissioner from 1 April 2020 until March 2021.

This arrangement will ensure strong continuity of leadership for the Commission.

Mr Roberts was first appointed to the Commission in late 2015 and was reappointed in September 2018.

ANZAC Day 2020 Services Cancelled

There will be no ANZAC Day Commemorative Services conducted by Palm Beach, Avalon Beach, Narrabeen and Pittwater RSL's this year. Some Sub-Branch members are speaking about whether it will be feasible to stream Dawn Services online - Pittwater Online will bring you updates as they come to hand.

There is a community groundswell for everyone to walk to the end of their driveways at 5.55am on the morning of April 25th and hold a light aloft to honour those who have served and continue to service our country in the Defence Forces of Australia.

Pittwater Community Groups: 


Sports (plus Social Members)

Gardens and Environment

Rural Fire Brigades
Services

Arts and Social

The purpose of  www.westpittwater.com.au  - is best defined by the vision of the West Pittwater Community Association.

To be a supportive community, encouraging and promoting civic pride, interest in community affairs and goodwill amongst residents.

To protect local fauna and flora and generally preserve West Pittwater and its environs.

To secure essential facilities including public wharves and reserves and to protect private and public property.

To speak with one voice and represent the interests of the Western Foreshore community when in discussion with Pittwater Council and other relevant government bodies. The WPCA website provides a forum for the better realisation of these objectives. Visit: www.westpittwater.com.au

New Season for Sailability Pittwater 

Sailability Pittwater is a volunteer organisation which provides sailing for people with a disability. 

Our main recreational sailing activities are at Rowland Reserve, Bayview, and we run competitive sailing for people with a disability out of RPAYC Newport. We are currently looking for new volunteers for our Saturday morning program at Rowland Reserve and Tuesdays at RPA. For more information at  www.sailability.org/au/pittwater or call John on 9982 5656

Bear Hunt in postcode 2101

Elanora Heights Community Preschool is asking our neighbourhood friends to visibly place a teddy bear in their window, so that children can ‘Go on a bear hunt’ in their car or as they walk along the footpath. We’re hoping this creates the ability for children in our community to develop positive and treasured memories during this difficult time.

We encourage you to share our group with local friends and families to help spread positivity and a sense of togetherness in our community. 

Details:
Our community has many young children with a new daily schedule to spend more time at home and we’re hoping our neighbours can help us in supporting young children through this experience by creating a new adventure in the community while also remaining at a physical distance. 

We’re asking our neighbourhood friends (2101) to visibly place a teddy bear in their window, so that children can ‘Go on a bear hunt’ in their car or as they walk along the footpath.  We’re hoping this creates the ability for children to develop positive and treasured memories during this time. 

FOR CHILDREN THE BEAR HUNT RULES ARE AS FOLLOWS: 
- Spot a bear whilst in the car or walking on the foot path. Take a picture and share your excitement with us in this group. If you have Instagram we’d also love you to tag us @elanorapreschool (Please don't knock on doors just look with your eyes.

- Practice safe physical distancing. If you spot another ‘bear hunter' remember to keep a safe distance (1.5 metres) from each other.

- Remember we can't go over it, we can't go under it! 

- Share the bears you’ve spotted throughout the neighbourhood and the street name, but not the house number. Please try to keep the exact bear location a surprise for other ‘bear hunters’

- Share our page with your neighbours or print out our flyer as a letterbox drop invitation to invite your neighbours to participate.

- Remember to have fun and stay safe.  We're not scared!

Your friends at Elanora Heights Community Preschool

Coffee Kindness

Although not in this area, I just wanted to say to whoever went in to Fuel in Brookvale this morning (March 25, 2020) and pre paid for 30 coffees for Fuel to give to those waiting in line for centrelink; Thank you for your kindness, it certainly didn’t go unappreciated but also thank you for supporting such a great small local business. You are the kind of person that will be the reason our community is able to survive after this.

Declan J.

Public Health (COVID-19 Self-Isolation) Order 2020

under the Public Health Act 2010
I, Brad Hazzard, the Minister for Health and Medical Research, under section 7 of the Public Health Act 2010, make the following Order.
Dated 25 March 2020.
BRAD HAZZARD, MP
Minister for Health and Medical Research

Explanatory note
The object of this Order is to deal with the public health risk of COVID-19 and its possible consequences by giving a Ministerial direction that a person diagnosed with COVID-19 must immediately travel to a residence or place that has been determined to be suitable for the person to reside in or to a hospital for assessment. On leaving or being discharged from the hospital, the diagnosed person must travel directly to a residence or place of that kind. The diagnosed person must, except in specified circumstances, remain at the residence or place and not permit any other person to enter the residence or place until medically cleared.

Section 10 of the Public Health Act 2010 creates an offence if an individual fails to comply with a direction with a maximum penalty of imprisonment for 6 months or a fine of up to $11,000 (or both) plus a further $5,500 fine each day the offence continues. Corporations that fail to comply with a direction are liable to a fine of $55,000 and $27,500 each day the offence continues.

NB: 7 - Repeal of Order - This Order is repealed on 23 June 2020.

Read the Government Public Health Order in full.

Mona Vale Hospital: COVID-19 

March 18, 2020: MVH Facebook posts
Mona Vale Hospital is asking patients and their families to limit visitors to one per patient in response to COVID-19. The requirement has been introduced in the interests of safety and wellbeing of patients, their families and staff. Each patient will need to nominate one person, such as their next of kin, who will be able to visit them during their stay, with other family and friends encouraged to use technology to check in with their loved ones. We know how important visitors are for the wellbeing of our patients, however, to ensure the safety of our patients and staff, we need to limit the number of visitors coming to our hospitals and services. 

Mona Vale Hospital has also temporarily suspended the attendance of volunteers and consumer representatives on site. Thank you for your understanding.

New Nurses for MVH

March 18, 2020
The first intake of graduate nurses for 2020 have started at Northern Sydney Local Health District recently. This year 182 trainee nurses will join our hospitals and medical services and will work in ICU, ED, general surgical, mental health and midwifery. Gathered at Royal North Shore for orientation last week, the graduates will then be welcomed at Hornsby ( 22), Mona Vale (5), Ryde (18), RNSH (89), Mental Health Drug and Alcohol (34), Medical Imaging (2), and Community Health (12).

Photo: Orientation at RNSH - NSLHD photo

Local Government Elections Postponed

Wednesday, March 25, 2020: Shelley Hancock – Minister for Local Government
The NSW Government has made the regrettable decision to postpone the September local government elections for 12 months in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The decision follows Parliament passing amendments to the Local Government Act to provide me with the power to postpone the elections.

The NSW Electoral Commissioner has also requested that the Government postpone the council elections.

NSW NPWS Close Campgrounds And High Visitation Areas

March 26, 2020
The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service has closed campgrounds, visitor centres, high-visitation areas, and historic sites from 26 March 2020, in response to the COVID-19 emergency.

The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) will temporarily close all campgrounds, high visitation areas and historic sites across NSW until further notice, in response to tighter Australian and NSW Government health directives on social distancing and non-essential travel to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 in the wider community.

National parks and reserves are special environmental, cultural and recreational places for the people of NSW and they will remain open to the community, but the health and safety of our visitors, staff and the wider community is our priority and these measures are important.

The following closures will take effect:
  • Campgrounds closed in line with the Government Public Health Order from 26 March 2020
  • Visitor centres, cafes and high visitation areas will be closed from 26 March 2020
  • Historic sites will be closed from 26 March 2020 (except for permanent residents)
  • All visitors with bookings impacted by the closures will be contacted to arrange full refunds.
For a full list of impacted High Visitation Areas please visit COVID-19 update page.

All roads through national parks remain open.

Most walking tracks and trails will also remain open and visitors should observe necessary social distancing with others while using pathways and other facilities to maximise their safety.

Parks that are already closed due to fire impacts remain closed. Please check our NPWS Alerts page for details.

NPWS staff and volunteer led tours and events have been cancelled with full refunds.

As this is a rapidly changing situation, we ask visitors to check our website regularly for COVID-19 updates.

We know how important our national parks and reserves are as areas for conservation and recreation and we are committed to reopen these areas as soon as possible in line with government and health advice.

NPWS staff will continue to undertake environmental protection and maintenance work in our parks and reserves, subject to all government and health advice, including in areas where important bushfire recovery action is underway. Other NPWS staff will work remotely to continue delivering conservation, research, visitor information and education services.

For more information about COVID-19 in NSW and how to protect yourself and the community, please visit the NSW Health website

Closed Areas: Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park - Visitor Precincts Closed

Applies from Friday March 27, 2020, 10.47am. 

Many high visitation areas and facilities within Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park are closed from Friday 27 March 2020. The closed areas include:
  • All large picnic shelters
  • All barbeque facilities
  • All playgrounds
  • Brooklyn Dam Campsites
Bobbin Head Information Centre is currently closed closed until further notice to protect the health and safety of our visitors and staff. You can still contact us by email or phone on 02 9472 8949.

If you are visiting the park, please bring a card to pay vehicle entry fees.

For more information regarding closures, contact the NPWS Contact Centre on 1300 072 757, the NPWS North Western Sydney area office on 02 8448 0400 or the NPWS Sydney North area office on 02 9451 3479.

Barrenjoey Lighthouse

Barrenjoey Lighthouse tours have been cancelled until further notice to protect the health and safety of our visitors and staff. Barrenjoey Lighthouse stands at Barrenjoey Head at Palm Beach on Sydney's northern beaches. Built in 1881, this heritage lighthouse is an iconic Sydney attraction.
Take a virtual tour of Barrenjoey Lighthouse captured with Google Street View Trekker



Forestville Office Is Closed Until Further Notice

Applies from Thu 02 Jan 2020, 3.27pm to Fri 01 Jan 2021, 1.00am. Last reviewed: Fri 27 Mar 2020, 9.28am.

Forestville office is closed until further notice to protect the health and safety of our visitors and staff. You can still contact us by phone or email for information.

Closed Areas: Collins Flat Beach Closed On Weekends

From Saturday 28 March 2020, Collins Flat Beach will be closed on weekends until further notice.

Affects 2 locations in this park: 
  • Fairfax lookout, North Head
  • North Head

Middle Head Office Closed Until Further Notice

Middle Head office is closed until further notice to protect the health and safety of our visitors and staff. You can still contact us by phone or email for information.

Affects 4 locations in this park: 
  • Middle Head
  • Middle Head
  • Fairfax lookout, North Head
  • North Head

Volunteer Beach Patrol Season Ends Early​

Friday March 27, 2020
Surf Life Saving NSW has announced that it is bringing forward the end of the patrol season by four weeks.

The Board of Surf Life Saving NSW (SLSNSW) says that effective immediately, all patrols by volunteer surf lifesavers on NSW beaches will be cancelled for the remainder of the season. The unprecedented decision was made to protect the safety and welfare of volunteer surf lifesavers from potential infection by the COVID-19 virus and to discourage large gatherings of people on popular beaches.

In place of beach patrols by surf lifesavers, enhanced Support Operations including jetskis and rescue boats will provide a roving presence, emergency callout teams will be on standby to response, complemented by surveillance patrols using drones.

“Our number one priority is ensuring the safety and welfare of our volunteer members. It was becoming increasingly difficult for us to continue beach patrols while at the same time implement the necessary social distancing measures to protect surf lifesavers from the risk of COVID-19 infection,” said SLSNSW President, George Shales.

“We have a duty as lifesavers to protect the lives of the public on our beaches and along the coastline and we have a proud tradition of doing just that. However, Surf Life Saving NSW also has a duty of care to its volunteers to protect and keep them safe. It’s with our members welfare in mind that the decision was made to cancel the remaining patrols this season - after careful consideration and consultation with key stakeholders,” said George Shales.

It is hoped the decision to withdraw patrols will also support Government attempts to reduce contact between people in order to stem the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

“With the Easter school holiday period approaching - and a large number of families expected to head to the coast - cancelling patrols has been an enormously difficult decision for the Board but one that we feel safeguards our members while sending a message to the public about the need for social distancing at this time,” said George Shales.

Surf Life Saving CEO, Steven Pearce, said that on average, between now and the end of April, at least five people drown on the NSW coast and another 650 are rescued.

“We are very concerned about the potential for increased drownings without our surf lifesavers on duty and I want to send a clear message to the public about the need for heightened vigilance and caution. We strongly warn that no one should swim at an unpatrolled location and exercise caution whilst recreating on the coastline,” said Steven Pearce.

“Please be careful - particularly during the school holiday period when more children are on the beach. Remember that our volunteer surf lifesavers will not be present on the beach to protect you and keep you safe as they normally are. We urge everyone to think twice before heading to the beach.

“With the cancellation of patrols, we’re urging members of the public to remain vigilant and to look out for each other and to call Triple Zero if they see someone in distress in the water,” Pearce said.

George Shales, President SLSNSW stressed that although beach patrols were cancelled, emergency response callout teams would remain on duty and could be tasked by Emergency Services to provide assistance.

“Our Support Operations teams will remain on duty along the NSW coastline and will continue to work alongside other emergency service organisations such as NSW Police, Ambulance and Marine Rescue if there’s an incident requiring our response,” said Shales.

Surf Life Saving NSW will also continue UAV (drone) surveillance operations, with UAV pilots monitoring beach conditions, marine creature activity and assisting with search and rescue operations. SLSNSW UAV operators are able to work alone, adhering to social distancing guidelines, while providing very effective beach and coastal surveillance.

Zoom Software

Zoom is a cloud-based video conferencing, group messaging, and online meetings solution for the educational, financial, health care, and government sectors. It is compatible with both PC and mobile devices. Users can incorporate HD videos and audio to meetings and make them interactive.
There is a FREE option (hosts up to 100 people)

Scammers Alert

March 24, 2020: Northern Beaches Police Area Command
They're professional scammers, they see an opportunity and will milk it for all they can.
Their eyes have lit up at opportunities they see with the Corona virus.

With government departments sending out emergency payments to many in the community, these people are frantically ringing phones at random:

"I'm from the government / Centrelink / Medicare / your bank," they say.

"We want to send your payment but first need to verify your Medicare / Centrelink / bank account details /passwords."

Please be aware:
Government departments already have your details.

Government departments don't ring people at random.

If you're one of the many who get these calls - just hang up.

If you've already had one and passed on personal information or passwords, before you do anything else, contact your bank or relevant government department and let them know.

Importantly, get the number from the bank or department's internet site.

Do not use a link or phone number given by someone else.

As well. report identity theft to ID Care: www.IDcare.org or call 1300 432 273.

Please share if you can.


Remote access scams

Also happening locally lately are Remote access scams, wherein they try to convince you that you have a computer or internet problem and that you need to buy new software to fix the problem.

How this scam works
The scammer will phone you and pretend to be a staff member from a large telecommunications or computer company, such as Telstra, the NBN or Microsoft. Alternatively they may claim to be from a technical support service provider.

They will tell you that your computer has been sending error messages or that it has a virus. They may mention problems with your internet connection or your phone line and say this has affected your computer's recent performance. They may claim that your broadband connection has been hacked.

The caller will request remote access to your computer to ‘find out what the problem is’.

The scammer may try to talk you into buying unnecessary software or a service to ‘fix’ the computer, or they may ask you for your personal details and your bank or credit card details.

The scammer may initially sound professional and knowledgeable—however they will be very persistent and may become abusive if you don't do what they ask.

You don't have to be a Telstra or Microsoft customer to be called by these scammers. You don’t even have to own a computer!

Warning signs
  • You receive a phone call out of the blue and the caller claims to be from a large telecommunications or computer company, or a technical support service provider.
  • They tell you that your computer is experiencing technical problems and they need remote access to sort out the problem.
  • They ask you to buy software or sign up to a service to fix the computer.
  • They ask for your personal details and your bank or credit card details.
  • The caller is very persistent and may become abusive.
Protect yourself
  • Never give an unsolicited caller remote access to your computer.
  • Never give your personal, credit card or online account details over the phone unless you made the call and the phone number came from a trusted source.
  • If you receive a phone call out of the blue about your computer and remote access is requested – hang up – even if they mention a well-known company such as Telstra. Telstra does not request credit card details over the phone to fix computer or telephone problems, and is not affiliated with any companies that do. See: Is it really Telstra contacting you?
Remember that you can still receive scam calls even if you have a private number or have listed your number on the Australian Government's Do Not Call Register. Scammers can obtain your number fraudulently.

Make sure your computer is protected with regularly updated anti-virus and anti-spyware software, and a good firewall. Research first and only purchase software from a source that you know and trust.
If you have fallen victim to a scam or you receive a lot of unsolicited emails and phone calls consider changing your email address and phone numbers.

Have you been scammed?
If you have given remote access to your computer, or you fear that your computer has been hacked, seek help or advice from a qualified and reputable computer technician.

If you think you have provided your account details to a scammer, contact your bank or financial institution immediately.

We encourage you to report scams to the ACCC via the report a scam page. This helps us to warn people about current scams, monitor trends and disrupt scams where possible.

The ACCC also provide guidance on protecting yourself from scams and where to get help.

Spread the word to your friends and family to protect them.

Rotary NSW Emergency Services Community Awards - RESCA

March 25, 2020
We are proud to officially announce the opening of the 2020 NSW Rotary Emergency Services Community Awards nominations.

Rotary Districts of NSW Emergency Services Community Awards (RESCA) is the only time all Emergency Services personnel, both paid and volunteer, are recognised in a combined awards program.

The Awards are open to all, Emergency Service Agency (ESA) Personnel stationed in NSW, serving in either a paid capacity or Volunteer in:
  • Fire and Rescue NSW
  • Marine Rescue NSW
  • Surf Life Saving NSW
  • NSW Ambulance Service
  • NSW Rural Fire Service
  • NSW State Emergency Service
  • NSW Volunteer Rescue Association
In keeping with the Rotary’s motto of “Service Above Self”, RESCA acknowledges and celebrates the selfless Community Service of Emergency Services Personnel whilst also supporting and funding two important Rotary initiatives:
  • Australian Rotary Health – PhD Research Scholarship investigating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Emergency Services Personnel
  • Emergency and Disaster Preparedness training by a competitively selected Vocational Training Team connected with a developing country in the Asia/Pacific Region
Emergency Service Personnel can be nominated by colleague, family and any members of the community. Panels of independent judges will then assess nominees on three (3) key criteria:
  • Community service over and above the call of normal duties which best exemplifies Rotary’s motto of Service Above Self (i.e. community involvement when they are not working in their normal roles).
  • Personal attributes
  • Contribution to their organisation
Given the past six months of devastation across the state we anticipate that there will be many worthy applicants for this year’s Rotary Districts of NSW Emergency Services Community Awards.

Applications will be open until 1 May 2020 and can be applied for on the RESCA website here - https://nsw.rescawards.org.au/nominations/

Please assist us by sharing this post within your own networks to officially launch the opening of nominations.

Should you have any questions please reach out to the team at Admire Events on resca@admireevents.com.au.

We look forward to seeing your submissions this year.

Dorothy L Hennessy OAM
Chair
Rotary Emergency Services Community Awards

Pittwater Place in accordance with the Australian Government 

As we continue to adapt to Covid-19 and our rapidly changing reality, we remain committed to keeping our community informed and continuing to provide a safe environment.

In accordance with the Australian Government directive issued on 22 March 2020, we have temporarily closed the kids’ play area and seating zones for our cafes at Pittwater Place.

Our restaurants and cafes remain open for takeaway, offering pick-up or home-delivery options. Further information on takeaway options is available here.

Pittwater Place remains otherwise open and trading, with significantly enhanced measures in place to stop the spread of the virus within our centre. We will continue to provide updates on store changes in real time. A full list of store updates is available below.

Coronavirus and store updates
We will continue to provide updates on store changes in real time.

Coles Community Hour 7am to 8am week days 
Tuesday & Thursday for emergency services and healthcare workers
Monday, Wednesday & Friday for elderly and people with a disability
Coles General Hours Monday to Friday – 8am to 8pm
Saturday – 7am to 6pm
Sunday – 9am to 6pm
Boost Juice Monday to Saturday – 8:30am to 4:30pm
Sunday – 9:30am to 4:30pm
All others closed until further Notice.

Keeping you safe as we navigate coronavirus together
At Pittwater Place, we have strengthened our already stringent cleaning processes by placing a heightened focus on sanitising high-touch points with high-grade disinfectant as well as increasing the number of cleaning rotations each day. We have positioned hand sanitation stations at key points throughout the centre, for our entire community to access. We have placed Australian Government-issued information posters in our bathrooms, which outline crucial information on how you can help stop the spread of Covid-19. We have also rolled out public hygiene advertisements across the centre to reinforce preventative measures that each of us should adopt.

To protect yourself and those around you, we ask every member of our community to adopt safe physical distancing measures while visiting the centre. This includes avoiding crowded areas and maintaining adequate space of at least two metres between yourself and others when queuing or moving through the centre.

We continue to work in close collaboration with our retailers to ensure that we are all doing our part to keep our shared environments clean and safe while keeping our team members up to date with new information and advice from the relevant authorities. 

We are closely monitoring public health updates and prepared to act quickly should advice change. It goes without saying that our community’s health and wellbeing comes first.

We ask for your support in making sure Pittwater Place continues to be a place of kindness and compassion for all our customers and staff throughout this unprecedented situation. We also encourage all customers commit to social distancing whilst visiting.

With all that said, we remain open for business and sincerely look forward to seeing you at Pittwater Place.

Community input on the future of plastics and waste in NSW

The NSW Government is seeking public input on its plan to tackle the use of plastics, reduce waste and pollution, and improve recycling across NSW.

The NSW Plastics Plan(external link) and 20-Year Waste Strategy(external link) will establish clear pathways on ways to reduce waste, maximise recycling and improve the protection of our environment.

The discussion paper will help establish ways the NSW Government can better manage resources and environmental factors.

The NSW Plastics Plan provides pathways to:
  • phase-out the use of plastics
  • triple the proportion of plastic recycling by 2030
  • reduce plastic litter items by 25% by 2025
  • make NSW a leader in plastics research and development.
The 20-Year Waste Strategy will provide long-term direction for NSW on ways to reduce waste, increase recycling and outline opportunities for future waste and recycling infrastructure.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Environmental Minister Matt Kean have asked for community feedback to help drive sustainable solutions across NSW.

“The community has high expectations that we need to make sure we put in place the best plans for the future. We know that we need to do a better job of dealing with our waste and delivering sustainable solutions,” Ms Berejiklian said.

Have your say on the NSW Plastics Plan and 20-Year Waste Strategy by 8 May 2020.

Make a submission to the NSW Bushfire Inquiry

Member for Manly James Griffin has welcomed the opening of submissions to the independent expert inquiry into the 2019-20 bushfire season, which will provide input to NSW ahead of the next bushfire season.

“The Inquiry is welcoming submissions from across the community, from bushfire-affected residents, emergency and support personnel, organisations and the general public,” Mr Griffin said. 

“In particular I encourage our local Rural Fire Service brigades and volunteers to share their expert knowledge to ensure we are best prepared for the next bushfire season.” 

The Inquiry will also be travelling to bushfire affected communities to meet with and hear directly from people who have been impacted. The Inquiry will inform local communities ahead of all visits to ensure it reaches as many people as possible. 

How to make a submission 

Your response and feedback will help to inform the Inquiry's report. Submissions are encouraged to refer to the Inquiry's Terms of Reference. 

Respondents can use the online form to make a submission. You can also provide your feedback by: 
  • Email: inquiries@bushfireinquiry.nsw.gov.au
  • Post: NSW Independent Bushfire Inquiry, GPO Box 5341, Sydney NSW 2001
  • Phone: If you have limited computer or internet access you can make a submission over the phone by calling the Bushfire Customer Care program on 13 77 88
  • In-person: at any Service NSW service centre or at a Mobile Service Centre
Submissions close Friday 27 March 2020.

 

Click on logo above to visit their website.

2020 Community Heritage Grants now open

Now in its 27th year, the Community Heritage Grants (CHG) program provides grants of up to $15,000 to community groups to help preserve and manage locally held but nationally significant cultural heritage collections.

Since the program began in 1994, more than $7.26 million has been allocated to 1,445 collection preservation and management projects. The program has had a significant impact on safeguarding local but nationally significant collections around the country, from inner cities to the most remote parts of Australia.

Dr Marie-Louise Ayres, Director-General of the National Library of Australia, said ‘the range of community groups receiving the grants has highlighted the incredible diversity of Australia’s people and stories. The grants help to preserve and manage these collections for future generations’.

In past years, projects ranging from preserving indigenous languages to caring for rare meteorological equipment have received assistance under the CHG program. Such support includes significance assessments, preservation needs assessments, conservation activities, collection management and training workshops. These ventures are provided to indigenous and multicultural groups, community organisations such as libraries, archives, museums, genealogical and historical societies.

The National Library manages the Community Heritage Grants Program—which is funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications—with the National Archives of Australia, the National Film and Sound Archive and the National Museum of Australia.

Applications close on Monday 4 May 2020.

To submit an application or find out more information visit nla.gov.au/chg.


Surf Life Saving New South Wales Seeking inspirational Womens' Stories

July 1 2020 marks the 40th anniversary of women's involvement in active surf lifesaving duties.
Surf Life Saving NSW is celebrating this important anniversary and the achievements of women over the past 40 years. They're asking for help to recognise our trailblazing women by sharing your stories, photographs and videos.

SLS NSW will showcase these inspirational stories throughout the 2020/21 season and create an archive for future generations. 

How you can help Celebrate
  • Email SLS NSW your stories about the women who inspired change in the Surf Life Saving movement
  • Send them your photos and videos here or via WeTransfer to memberservices@surflifesaving.com.au
  • Post photos on Facebook, lnstagram and Twitter using the hastag #WomenInSLS
  • Send photographs, film and newspaper articles to SLSNSW - PO Box 307, Belrose 2085 (they will digitise and return)
Four of the first official women to patrol our beaches were welcomed at Whale Beach SLSC in 1980. (Sara & Jill Peters, Marion Robb and Tina Gowing)

Please Register Wildlife Road Strikes

We need your help. Thank you for reporting wildlife road fatalities. There is so much wildlife on the move in our area at present due to various pressures. Although we have had pictures sent to us, many of these have no date or location.

There is a database that volunteers maintain but this needs three pieces of information:
  1. The position via GPS or road and suburb
  2. The date
  3. The animal
The details can be entered into the database directly by you at:

The RMS are using this information to plan mitigation. So please, if you can, add the information in directly.

 Gone Fishing Gallery at Waterfront Store Church Point

Open again TODAY in the top room Waterfront Store. Open mainly weekends as an addition to the waterfront cafe. Keep up to date on their Facebook page