Pittwater Online News

World Oceans Day 2025 at Bongin Bongin Bay Mona Vale: The Janice Mason Memorial Swim + Family-Friendly Activities

Mona Vale SLSC is bringing back its Winter Solstice Swim, as the Janice Mason Memorial Swim, a 1km ocean swim in celebration of the United Nations World Oceans Day.

In partnership with Friends of Bongin Bongin Bay, this event supports their mission to establish a marine sanctuary zone for the bay by 2027 and will include family-friendly activities and the FoBBB sharing insights into Bongin Bongin Bay's environment.

The Mona Vale SLSC's Winter Solstice swim is named to honour the memory of Janice Mason, a much-loved P.E teacher, clubbie and a Dawnbuster swimmer, known as a phenomenal athlete by her peers, who succeeded at whatever sport she turned her hand to.  

A legend of Mona Vale Surf Life Saving Club, where she had been a member since 1989, moving through the ranks from nippers to senior club, taking on the roles of chief instructor and race secretary, Janice won multiple medals at branch, state and Aussies level. 

Sadly, in May of 2020, Janice passed away during her daily morning swim ritual with the Dawnbusters across the Mona Vale basin.

Ms Mason’s husband Alan, a past Mona Vale SLSC president and life member, said “it is truly lovely that they have named the event after her.” 

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for her memory to live on and remember all the things she did at the surf club.” 

The Mona Vale Dawnbusters swim at Mona Vale Basin at 6.30am weekdays and 7.30 on weekends.

The 'Friends of Bongin Bongin Bay’ evolved in February 2023 from a group of swimmers who traverse the bay each morning taking in the wonders of nature. The group is currently seeking to mobilise the community, seeking its support in having the area declared by the NSW Government as a ‘no take’ aquatic reserve. The primary objective of aquatic reserves in NSW is to conserve the biodiversity of fish and marine vegetation.

The FoBBB state they are not anti-fishing, explaining;

''Marine sanctuaries provide a refuge for fish from being caught, allowing them to aggregate freely, grow large, and reproduce. Sanctuaries are an important tool not just to halt biodiversity loss and to create climate resilience, but to ensure food security. As fish and invertebrates grow larger they produce exponentially more eggs; the bigger the fish, the more babies they produce.

We believe that establishing areas where larger fish can proliferate free from extractive pressures is of great value to areas adjacent that are open to fishing.''

You can find out more about the Friends of Bongin Bongin Bay at: www.bonginbonginbay.org.au

The 2025 edition of the Janice Mason Memorial Swim features four race divisions with prizes:

• Male and Female categories
• Regular and ‘Skins & Fins’ divisions

The famous post-swim soup is back too! This year, your $40 entry includes a souvenir FoBBB 'Ned the Octopus' ceramic mug—a keepsake for a great cause. Online entries close Saturday June 7 at 3pm, sign up here: oceanswims.com/event/the-janice-mason-memorial-swim

The race starts at 10 AM, but the fun begins early.

The WOD festival includes the Bongin Bongin Ukulele Band, the Department of Primary Industries ’Bluey’ kids activities trailer, and Aboriginal displays and activities.

Although the Winter Solstice will not officially be celebrated until June 25 2025, this is a great way to celebrate World Oceans Day 2025 - which has a theme of  "Wonder: Sustaining what sustains us"  to emphasise the ocean's importance as a source of life and its role in supporting all life on Earth - and the first full week of Winter in the best place in Sydney; Pittwater.

The theme of the inaugural observance of World Oceans Day by the United Nations in 2009 was ‘Our Oceans, Our Responsibility’.

MORE HERE

Swimmers at The Basin or Bongin Bongin Bay (Mona Vale Beach) just after dawn. Photo: Joe Mills (Turimetta Moods)  

Receivers appointed to Healthscope parent companies: short-term partial rent deferral agreement - EOI received

On Monday 26 May 2025 Healthscope announced it’s parent entities have entered receivership, with its lenders appointing  McGrathNicol Restructuring to work with Healthscope management to complete an orderly sale of the business. 

The operational business, which runs the hospitals, is not in receivership.

Healthscope stated the Group’s 37 hospitals all remain open and operating on a business-as-usual basis with no impact on staff, doctors or patient care.

Healthscope’s management team, led by CEO Tino La Spina, will continue to lead the business and operations.

Healthscope CEO, Tino La Spina stated:

“All 37 of our hospitals continue to operate as normal and today’s appointment of receivers, including the additional funding, ensures a stable path to a sale, with no impacts on any hospitals, staff or patients.

“There is no interruption to the outstanding care we provide. Our incredible teams are all working as normal, providing the high standard of care they always have. The additional funding, while we do not anticipate it being required, provides additional support.

“The receivers and management share the same goal of maintaining our market leading standards of patient care and protecting the business, the hospitals and our amazing people.”

The Healthscope Board has appointed partners from KordaMentha as administrators to the same non-operating entities. The receivers will assist the administrators as required to fulfil their statutory role.

McGrathNicol have been provided with a new $100 million funding package by Commonwealth Bank of Australia to support operations during the sale process.

This is in addition to Healthscope’s current cash balance of $110 million, and substantial additional asset backing across the group. Healthscope’s existing working capital financier is also providing support.

Key supplier relationships will remain unaffected, with payment terms maintained.

McGrathNicol’s intention is to transition all hospitals to new ownership, with no plans for hospital closures or redundancies. They will undertake an immediate review of the sale process to date, with a view to re-engaging with interested parties in the coming weeks.

McGrathNicol partner and appointed receiver, Keith Crawford said:

“We want to make it clear that the subsidiaries that own and operate Healthscope’s network of hospitals are not affected by our appointment to the shareholding companies."

“Our immediate focus is to engage constructively with all key stakeholders to ensure uninterrupted operation of Healthscope hospitals and continuity of best practice standards of patient care.”

“We will also work closely with Healthscope management to support any operational funding requirements via access to $100 million of new funding from Commonwealth Bank while we pursue an orderly transition of ownership of Healthscope’s hospitals.”

The lender group has appointed Keith Crawford, Jason Ireland, Kathy Sozou and Matthew Caddy from McGrathNicol as Receivers & Managers (Receivers) of ANZ Hospitals Pty Ltd and Healthscope Newco Pty Ltd, the non-operating shareholding entities within the broader Healthscope Group.

On Friday, May 30, HealthCo Healthcare & Wellness REIT (ASX: HCW) and the Unlisted Healthcare Fund (UHF)announced they have entered into a short-term partial rent deferral agreement with Healthscope and its Receivers. 

Under this agreement all outstanding rent arrears for March and April 2025 and 85% of rent for May 2025 will be paid immediately and HCW and UHF (Landlords) will receive 85% of the rent due for the period June-August 2025.

The remaining 15% deferred rent for the May-August 2025 period is due in September 2025.

'This agreement supports the continuity of essential services at each of 11 Healthscope private hospitals owned by the Landlords.' the announcement states

MORE HERE

RPAYC's Gwen Slade Regatta 2025 + Upcoming Inaugural Kay Cottee Women's Development Regatta - June 29 

The 2025 Gwen Slade Women’s Regatta was sailed on Sunday May 25 2025 in a light nor’wester, with seven Etchells on the  start line. The fleet included a mix of experienced and new skippers, and the racing was tight across all three races.

Returning champions Bayley Taylor and Alice Lydement were joined by first-time skippers Emily McCutcheon and Simone Wood-Hanson, as well as returning competitors Jenny Danks, Liz Charles, and Ellie Hobbs.

The Gwen Slade Etchells Regatta is a cherished event at the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC), celebrating women’s sailing and honouring the memory of Gwen Slade. Established in 1981 by Life Member and esteemed sailor William Russell Slade to honour his wife, the regatta was created to encourage and promote female participation in competitive sailing.

Russell Slade was a prominent face of sailing in the 1960s, having competed in the Olympics and being a strong competitor in 16ft Skiffs and 5.5m class boats he was also the first person to build a Fibreglass yacht in Australia, Janzoon II.

Russell Slade, as described by his son Paul Slade, was a passionate man who believed sailing should be a family-involved sport, based on fun rather than purely on winning. His love for one-design racing led to the choice of boat and the development of the Gwen Slade Regatta. The Etchells class was selected because it was a growing fleet at the time, and its simplicity made it ideal for both advanced and beginner sailors to race competitively. With a little media help from the Packer family, Russell successfully launched the first Gwen Slade Ladies Regatta in 1981, ensuring it would be a strong platform for female sailors for generations to come.

From its inception, the Gwen Slade Etchells Regatta has been distinctive in its format: a one-design Etchells class competition with women at the helm of each yacht. This structure not only ensures a level playing field, highlighting skill and strategy, but also empowers women to take leadership roles on the water.

More in: RPAYC's Gwen Slade Regatta 2025 + Upcoming Inaugural Kay Cottee Women's Development Regatta - June 29

Avalon Computer Pals turns 25

Avalon Computer Pals for Seniors (Avpals) has marked 25 years teaching local seniors how to use computers and related technology.

Community interest in learning to use computers resulted in a meeting at Avalon Recreation Centre on 19 January 2000 organised by Nan Bosler, a founder of a similar club at Narrabeen. The meeting appointed a steering committee of volunteers, and premises at Maria Regina (Catholic) Church Hall were obtained. 

The first public meeting was chaired by David Bennett on 15 April. It elected a committee, and eleven trainers joined up. Lessons commenced on 1 May 2000. Originally 58 students were enrolled, and by 3 July there were 86. Financial support was provided by Pittwater Council and Avalon RSL

The aim of the club was written up by Judith Morrissey in “Information for Members”. It is relevant today. “Senior citizens have many reasons for wanting to be computer literate. Computers are used widely in today’s society. We can communicate with members of our family travelling anywhere in the world by email. We can manage our finances on computer, write our life histories and participate with our grandchildren who are using computers. The list is endless. Our aim is to assist seniors by removing barriers and de-mystifying this area of modern life.” 

When Avpals began, two students at a time sat in front of a club computer with a trainer for an hour’s weekly lesson. There were no smartphones or tablets and few laptops. Even the internet was in its infancy. Today, the club continues to teach students at the Avalon Catholic Church for weekly lessons one-on-one. Nearly all students bring their own devices, and trainers tailor the lesson content to the students’ particular needs. 

In 2012, Avpals broadened its activities to provide lectures and small-group workshops at the Newport Community Centre one afternoon a week during school terms. These have proved very popular and cover topics such as iPhones, photography, internet security, travelling with technology, and many others. 

Fees are very affordable, at $50 for a ten-week term one-on-one and $10 or $15 for Newport workshops. Some lectures are free. 

Avpals president Jim Carmichael said, “Minutes from a meeting in 2007 suggested that Avpals may be dying, with student numbers in steady decline. But since then, with new technologies, new applications, worries about security and curiosity about AI, our numbers have recovered, and both the Avalon and Newport activities are thriving. It looks like Avpals will be around for a while yet.” 

Avpals is always looking for new students and trainers.  

Details are available at the website avpals.com and on the club’s Facebook page. There is a weekly newsletter for people on the mailing list.

Week Five May 2025 - Week One June 2025 (May 26 - June 1): Issue 643

Profile of the Week A Celebration of Jack McCoy

July 31, 1948 - May 26, 2025

Our community is in mourning on hearing of the passing of one of our own and extends love to Jack's wife Kelly, children Cooper and Indiana, and grandchildren Makoha, Kalani, Cloudy, and Isabel.

Jack passed peacefully at home on Monday.

His family stated on Thursday, May 29:

The last couple of days have been a blur however the pain has been eased by the outpouring of tributes and stories being shared. It’s a testament to the amazing life he created and a reminder of how much he touched, moved and inspired so many people from every corner of the world. We thank you all from the bottom of our hearts.

In true Jack McCoy style, we’ll be organising a couple of celebrations in the coming months to allow those from far and wide to join us and pay their respects, beginning with a small paddle out at Scotts Head this Saturday for the local community and friends nearby.

The main ceremony / paddle out will be held at Avalon Beach on July 5th, and then we will return to Hawaii later this year to spread his ashes.

We invite all friends, family, the wider community and beyond to come and respectfully celebrate his amazing life.

Dress: Wear your favourite aloha shirt.

It’s been literally impossible to keep up with the sheer volume of posts and stories that have been shared - if you could please send any special pics and videos you may have to jackmccoyaloha@outlook.com so we can compose something special for the celebrations and our family at this time and forever.

Love, the McCoy ohana

Jack McCoy, who wrapped up two months of touring Blue Horizon for the 20th Anniversary of this award winning film on Saturday May 24th, reminded surf fans that it was he who fed Mark Foo the famous line, 'Eddie Would Go', and closed with a plea to go easy in the lineup, share the waves, and love your brothers and sisters - your brothers and sisters who are everywhere and present in everyone.

History  Avalon Beach Camping Ground Gave a Lot of Legends to the Pittwater Community

A few weeks ago the news service was fortunate to run a few insights from Beverlie Farrelly on her husband Bernard, known as 'Midget', the first World Surfing Champion.

Beverlie shared that her first home in Pittwater was when her family lived in Avalon Camping Ground after Wold War Two.  

This prompted a few inquiries from younger readers and new arrivals to Pittwater who were not be aware that the green area behind Avalon Beach dunes was once a vey popular camping ground from the late 1920's to 1930's on, until Warringah Shire Council closed it in 1953.

Although the closure in 1953 could be attributed to flooding that occurred in May that year, with two severe rain events within two days washing campers and their possessions along the Careel Creek into Careel Bay - and may wonder about the wisdom of allowing a camping area in what was known to be a flood zone to begin with - during the few decades it existed it provided not only a place to live for those impacted by the 1930's economic depression - when many took to canvas and caves to provide a roof for loved ones, and headed beachwards where they could fish for food - and persisted in post World War Two shortages - it also brought people to our area who stayed and not only went on to build community and serve in its volunteer organisations - such as the surf club - they helped establish the 'there's no them and us, it's just us and us looking after us' mien of the Barrenjoey community that persists today.

Food Late Autumn Tonic Soup

The family coming home from work, school or in from the surf chilled to the bone needs a big hot bowl of something scrumptious and good for them to chase out those chills and top them to the brim with seasonal goodness. The ‘tonic’ part of this ‘adapt to suit self’ recipe lies in the base cold chaser outerers of ginger, garlic, lemon, and lemongrass. This meal takes around a half hour to do from scratch and has become a firm favourite in this household. It’s very simple but very effective for warming cold people and boosting immunity. It’s also a great way to enjoy the vegetables in season as you can adapt it to suit what’s at peak freshness. The slight lean towards a touch of Asian hot-sour-sweetness simply reflects the lighter smaller dishes we prefer ingesting at the end of day.

Community News Vale Jack McCoy, Mona Vale Golf Course Has reopened, VW State Classic 2025 - NSW High School State Titles: Results, Celebrating 50 Years of Friendly at the Avalon Bulldogs, Fishing on Commuter Wharf: Church Point, Renewing the water main in Old Barrenjoey Road: Update, Avalon Beach Historical Society June 2025 Meeting, Marine Area Command - NSW Police Force News, More places available in innovative jobs program for women, Net-Set-Go at Avalon: Peninsula Netball Club, Monika's Doggie Rescue Pets of the Week: Pixie  +  Stormy, GrooveAble Disco for Adults + Teens with a Disability, Cremorne Point Ferry Wharf Closure, Bilgola Beach Carpark Accessible parking upgrade: Feedback Invited, Parliamentary Committee to examine early childhood education and care sector in NSW, Proposed Laneway Closure and sale of land: 20-28 Montauban Avenue, Seaforth, More funding available for war memorials in NSW, Pittwater  Sports, Social, Environment, Residents Associations and Groups

Environment Dust storm over Pittwater, Elanora Dragon Rescue, Labor approves Woodside's North West Shelf extension: 'a prelude to approval for Woodside's Browse Project carbon bomb', Green light for gas: North West Shelf gas plant cleared to run until 2070, As record floods raged NSW Government quietly approved fifth coal mine expansion, Minns Government approves sixth coal mine expansion as NSW communities start cleanup after latest climate disaster, Pilliga Update: NSW Labor Backs Santos to drill 850 wells in Forest Of Gomeroi Country; First Nations' land rights extinguished by Court in favour of multinational’s right to mine gas - Unions vow to back fight ‘whatever the cost’, Mid North Coast Floods: “We are in a new climate reality – the Government must act”, Report: Heavy rain in May 2025 New South Wales  floods locally intensified by human-driven climate change, Fifth anniversary of Juukan Gorge disaster, Surfrider: Local June 2025 Events, 'Warringah and Pittwater Garden Heritage' Event, Whale Census Day 2025: June 29, Have your say on council's climate change policy, Council's Draft Land Dealings Policy: Have your Say, Council's Proposed Amendments to Development Control Plans (DCPs) For Low and Mid-Rise Housing: Have Your Say, Weed of the Week: Blue Spur Flower - please get it out of your garden, First Strategy to protect NSW heritage released, Sydney Water sewage licences reviews open for public consultation: Warriewood + Manly, Sydney Water Management Regulation 2025: have your say, WIRES 2025 Grants Applications Now Open, Feedback invited until June 3 on proposed shorter-term WaterNSW prices, First NSW Waste and Circular Infrastructure Plan released, Solar for apartment residents: Funding, Have your say: NSW Sustainable Program - Support to minimise the socio-economic impacts of the Restoring Our Rivers 450 GL target, Yiraaldiya National Park: Have your say - Draft Plan of Management, Conservation of inter-generational assets: Have your say, Batemans Bay Dredging: Have your say, Mine safety cost recovery regulation: have your say, NSW Government’s call to action on illegal tree clearing, First strategy to protect NSW heritage released, Dorrigo Arc Rainforest Centre environmental review available: Have your say, Earth is heading for 2.7°C warming this century. We may avoid the worst climate scenarios – but the outlook is still dire, As Australia’s carbon offset industry grapples with integrity concerns how can companies genuinely tackle climate change?, UNESCO expresses ‘utmost concern’ at the state of the Great Barrier Reef, Antarctica’s sea ice is changing, and so is a vital part of the marine food web that lives within it, Australia’s conservation efforts ignore climate risks – here are 3 fixes, Earth’s seasonal rhythms are changing; putting species and ecosystems at risk, From surprise platypus to wandering cane toads; here’s what we found hiding in NSW estuaries, This rare alpine frog is fighting against a lethal fungus – by breeding faster and faster, Faces you hear? Dolphin ‘signature whistles’ may transmit more than just identity information, Raining one week, dusty the next – how did a dust storm make it all the way to rainy Sydney?, For many island species the next tropical cyclone may be their last, Anti-environmentalism is on the rise but it’s full of contradictions, ‘1080 pest management’, Volunteers for Barrenjoey Lighthouse Tours needed, Johnson Brothers Mitre 10 Recycling Batteries: at Mona Vale + Avalon Beach, Reporting Dogs Offleash - Dog Attacks to Council, Plastic Bread Ties For Wheelchairs, Stay Safe From Mosquitoes, Mountain Bike Incidents On Public Land, Report fox sightings, Marine wildlife rescue group Central Coast, Watch out - shorebirds about, Possums In Your Roof?: do the right thing, Aviaries + Possum Release Sites Needed, Bushcare in Pittwater: where + when, Friends Of Narrabeen Lagoon Catchment Activities, Gardens and Environment Groups and Organisations in Pittwater, Ringtail Posses, Pittwater Reserves: histories + Walks, Birds, + 

Aquatics RPAYC's Gwen Slade Regatta 2025 + Upcoming Inaugural Kay Cottee Women's Development Regatta - June 29

Children Sunday Cartoons: Summit, Net-Set-Go at Avalon: Peninsula Netball Club, 2025 Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards entries are now open, Long Steven - Rain, Curious Kids: How and why do magnets stick together? + Why do we have tonsils????? + are humans going to evolve again? + How do we smell?, Stories this week: Nobody Hugs a Cactus + 'The Three Questions' read by Meryl Streep, fun and more for you

Youth VW State Classic 2025 - NSW High School State Titles: Results, Empowering voices: youth have their say, Fishing on Commuter Wharf: Church Point, Inaugural NSW School Sport Games, 2025 Environment Art & Design Prize Finalists announced, Opportunities: Surfrider Foundation's local June 2025 Events + Kay Cottee Women's Development Regatta at RPAYC + More places available in innovative jobs program for women + 2025 Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards entries are now open + Big Brother Movement's Scholarships Now open for All Young Australians + Clash of the Bands at Palmy: Round 1 crews +  Inaugural Murcutt Symposium 2025, 11-13 September 2025, Financial help for young people, School Leavers Support, Word Of The Week: Gravitas, Gen Z stand to be the biggest winners from the new $3 million super tax, X-rays have revealed a mysterious cosmic object never before seen in our galaxy, Friday essay: I’m an Aboriginal farmer. But a romanticised idea of agriculture writes Black people out of the farming story, Oscar Wilde’s The Ballad of Reading Gaol is a work of art activism beloved by Banksy, Sports hernias can cause severe pain in the groin region – and footballers may be at greatest risk, Faces you hear? Dolphin ‘signature whistles’ may transmit more than just identity information, A 1980s cost-of-living crisis gave Australia a thriving arts program – could we do it again?, Friday essay: ‘the Boy-Girl’, a crime journalist and a Black activist – meet the radical ratbags of 19th-century Melbourne,  local groups and services for you

Seniors Vale Jack McCoy, Avalon Computer Pals turns 25 - Term 2 2025 classes, New research reveals ageist assumptions that “bleep” off older people, The Avon Lady, Avalon Beach Historical Society June 2025 Meeting, Letters to home care recipients to prepare for Support at Home, Celebrating 50 Years of Friendly at the Avalon Bulldogs, There’s a new COVID variant driving up infections. A virologist explains what to know about NB.1.8.1, New Australian data shows most of us have PFAS in our blood. How worried should we be?, Can your cat recognise you by scent? New study shows it’s likely, Google is going ‘all in’ on AI. It’s part of a troubling trend in big tech, ‘Not a saint’: Florence Nightingale, heroic founder of modern nursing, is humanised in a new novel,  Local services and groups for you

DIY Ideas Dealing With Dampness Inside The Home