RPAYC Commodore Julia Hornsby. Photo: RPAYC
Retiring RPAYC Commodore Rob McClelland hands over to incoming RPAYC Commodore Julia Hornsby. Photo: RPAYC
An active RPAYC member for more than two decades, Hornsby has served as Vice Commodore from 2023 to 2026, Director, Rear Commodore Activities from 2018 to 2021 and Chair of the Alfred’s Community Sailing Program. She brings deep experience in governance, sailing, volunteer leadership and community engagement.
“I am incredibly honoured to be elected as the first female Commodore of the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club,” Julia Hornsby said. “I look forward to working alongside our talented members and staff to continue the Club’s tradition of brilliance, embrace the opportunities ahead and help lead RPAYC towards its 160th anniversary in October 2027.”
Hornsby’s election follows sustained service across the Club, including the Heritage, Maintenance and Development, and Race Management, and leadership of Alfred’s Community Sailing, which introduces people from the wider community to the sport.
As Chair of the Organising Authority for the 2025 International Hansa Class Association World and Para World Championships, Hornsby led RPAYC and its partner organisations in delivering an inclusive championship for more than 200 sailors from 18 countries.
Her contribution was recognised in 2025 when she was named Australian Sailing’s national and NSW/ACT Volunteer of the Year and RPAYC Volunteer of the Year. Julia has also received a Northern Beaches Community Service Award and was the RPAYC's Clubman of the Year (2016-17).
An active sailor across the Club’s weekday, twilight, inshore, estuary and feature racing events, Julia Hornsby also brings senior professional experience in clinical immunology, molecular diagnostics and regulatory affairs, together with formal director and sailing qualifications.
This Issue's Profile of the Week shares a few insights from Commodore Hornsby on why volunteerism and “The Alfreds” is so important to her.
Pelé, the Pelican came out of the Taronga Zoo Wildlife hospital on Tuesday August 18 and was released back to his home fishing grounds, Narrabeen Lagoon. The young people and parents and grandparents who had helped rescue him gathered to welcome him home and watch him return to the water.
Pelé had spent around a month at the Sydney Taronga Wildlife Hospital after the above youngsters and their parents and one grandmother helped rescue him, with the help of Sydney Wildlife volunteers Jacqui Marlowe and Joseph and Eira Battaglia.
See report from earlier this month: Pelé the Pelican – discarded Fish hooks and Lines caused this local Narrabeen Lagoon Seabird to ask for help: rescued by community members + Sydney Wildlife - Turtle + Penguin also in care due to fishing tackle - please don't leave your hooks and lines where wildlife lives
Taronga’s two Wildlife Hospitals, at Taronga Zoo Sydney and Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo, are responsible for maintaining the health of close to 1,500 wildlife cases every year, and are the largest provider of wildlife veterinary services in NSW.
They conduct around 200 surgeries per month, have helped save 7 native species form extinction, and have released over 50,000 animals back into the wild.
The aim of the Wildlife Hospitals is to rehabilitate as many native animals as possible for release back to the wild. The variety of animals treated is enormous, ranging from stranded seals and orphaned baby bats, to pelicans tangled in fishing line. All these animals need professional care and attention during the treatment and rehabilitation process to ensure they can be returned to their natural environment.
When an animal is brought to one of the two hospitals, the encounter details are recorded to ensure the animal is returned to its habitat. Whenever possible the rescuer is involved in the eventual release of the animal.
The expertise of the Taronga team, comprising of Veterinarians, Vet Nurses, Veterinary Pathologists and Zoo Nutritionists, have decades of experience, allowing the Taronga Wildlife Hospitals to deliver first-class care to a wide range of Australian and exotic animals.
Libby Hall, Manager at the Taronga Wildlife Hospital, who has been working in this area for forty years and credits the young children who helped rescue Pelé as those who saved him, shared insights into his treatment.
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Libby Hall, Manager at the Taronga Wildlife Hospital, with Pelé's rescuers
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Libby Hall with Sydney Wildlife volunteers Eira Battaglia and Jacqui Marlowe
Into the water he goes:
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Into the sky he goes;
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On Sunday August 16 a combined service of the local Sub-Branches to honour the courage, service and sacrifice of Australians who served during the Vietnam War and commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan, one of the most significant engagements in Australia's military history, was held at Palm Beach RSL.
On 18 August 1966, soldiers from D Company, 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, faced overwhelming odds and engaged a much larger Viet Cong and North Vietnamese force in a rubber plantation near Long Tan, in Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam.
After three hours of intense fighting in difficult conditions, 18 Australians were killed and 24 were wounded.
The Battle of Long Tan has become an enduring part of Australia's military history and remains a defining moment for those who served in the Vietnam War.
Sixty years later, the legacy of Long Tan continues to resonate across generations. Vietnam Veterans' Day provides an opportunity to recognise not only those who served on the battlefield, but also the families, loved ones and communities who supported them during and after the conflict.
Around 80 representatives and Vietnam Veterans mustered at the corner of Iluka and Barrenjoey roads Palm Beach to march, led by the Knox Old Boys Pipe Band and Pittwater House Cadets, to the Palm Beach RSL Cenotaph.
The marchers were welcomed by Mark Ferguson OAM, President of the Sub-Branch and a Vietnam Veteran, with the Commemorative Service MC’d by Sub-Branch member David Good.
Doug McGrath, President of the 9 RAR Association, gave the Commemorative Address:
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Doug McGrath, President of the 9 RAR Association
Honoured guests, serving and former ADF members, your families, ladies and gentlemen. I'm deeply honoured to represent all Vietnam Veterans at our service here today on the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan. In this presentation I will offer an insight into the life of an infantry combat soldier, particularly that of a National Serviceman.
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On Friday 21 August 2026 Australian Sailing announced the finalists in the 2026 NSW & ACT Sailing Awards. The NSW & ACT Sailing Awards celebrate the outstanding achievements, dedication and contributions of sailors, clubs, coaches, officials, volunteers and industry leaders from across our sailing community. Congratulations to all finalists recognised this year for their excellence both on and off the water!
Among those locals nominated are the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club's Lyndall Patterson in the Female Sailor of the Year category.
Dr Lyndall Patterson grew up on Sydney’s north shore and began sailing with her younger brother, Michael Coxon, an accomplished sailor and Sydney-to Hobart racer, at the Hunters Hill junior sailing club. At age 11, she won her first Australian title in a sabot dinghy at Gosford in 1966. In 1977, she won the inaugural World Women’s Sailing Championship.
Lyndall was Australian Yachtswoman of the Year in 2010-2011 and was also the winner of the 2010 Laser Grand Master Worlds sailed at Hayling Island, UK.
The wins have kept coming including at the 2026 ILCA 6 Masters World Championship in Athens, Greece, securing podium finishes against some of the world’s best masters sailors. Hosted by the Nautical Club of Kalamaki from 30 May to 7 June, the championship attracted more than 400 competitors from around 40 nations, racing on the waters of the Saronic Gulf.
Lyndall Patterson produced an exceptional series in the highly competitive Great Grand Masters division (65–74 years), finishing as the first female Great Grand Master and placing 13th overall in a fleet of 51 sailors. Her result earned her the Great Grand Masters Women’s world title and a place on the championship podium.
Finalists for Female Sailor of the Year alongside Dr. Patterson include Sarah Lee and Zoe Dransfield of the Manly 16ft Skiff Sailing Club.
At Manly 16ft Skiff Club, a record number of females are entering the various classes on the back of the path paved by some of Australia’s finest women sailors. The likes of former Flying 11s national champion Zoe Dransfield and an Australian 16ft champion skipper, Sarah Lee, are inspiring the next generation with their deeds and actions. Zoe is part of an exciting young crop of female sailors emerging - or having already arrived - on the 16s circuit.
That brings us to the finalists among the She Sails awards which sees Pittwater’s RPAYC named as a finalist for the club’s Women's Sailing Courses. The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club just elected its first female Commodore in Julia Hornsby, who runs as Profile this week, underlining the club’s culture is firmly embedded in supporting female sailing.
SheSails is an Australian Sailing initiative to recognise all of the amazing female contributors to the sport, and to encourage women of all ages to enjoy sailing. It is all about enjoying your sailing adventure in a fun, friendly and safe environment. Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club is committed to recognising and supporting females through sail training, club events and volunteering opportunities.
Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club has introduced SheSails regattas to its annual sailing program. The SheSails Open Regatta is a fantastic opportunity for female sailors to participate in one-design race training onboard the RPAYC fleet of Elliott 7 keelboats, with a focus on having fun, developing skills, and meeting new people. Together with these regattas the club also hosts its Women’s Tuesday Twilight Series during daylight savings and runs regular Adult Learn to Sail courses for women to enjoy sailing together.
The Bayview Yacht Racing Association (BYRA) has been named as a finalist in the Innovation Award category this year for the BYRA Boatbuilding Program, which is finishing up next Sunday, August 30. This program sold out, ran from May 17, and included; Workshop Induction & Safety Training, Hull & Structural Assembly, Fairing & Reinforcement, Foils, Fittings & Rigging, Painting & Finishing, and will include a Launch Day and Milestone Celebrations as well as a Transition Into Sailing Pathway.
Delivered by experienced BYRA mentors and supervisors, the BYRA Boatbuilding Program has shared knowledge on workshop safety procedures, PPE requirements and safe tool systems, and has been an inclusive and supportive learning environment for those who took part.
The Saltwater Veterans Sailing Project has five nominations, with Scotty Reynolds and wife Jen and their great team taking it to the water all over the state, creating connections and joy for Veterans in a program that was tested right here, on Pittwater.
Profile of the Week Julia Hornsby: First Female Commodore of the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, PittwaterJulia Hornsby has earned a University of Sydney Master of Science (Immunology) 1982-1988, holds a University of Technology Sydney Bachelor of Science (Biochemistry) 1970-1975, studied at UNSW (Drug Development) 2008, and the Western Sydney University (Management) 1997.
However, it is her volunteer work as a member of the Warriewood Residents Association, the Zonta Club of the Northern Beaches - being President 2021-2022, as Assistant Secretary to the Australasian College of Biomedical Scientists, of which she is also a Fellow, and her years as a Member of the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, that Julia has become known for. In 2025 Julia was presented with a New South Wales Parliament Community Recognition from Pittwater MP Jacqui Scruby. This was followed by being named the NSW/ ACT and Australian Sailing's 'Volunteer of the Year'.
At the Annual General Meeting on Thursday 23 July 2026, history was made again when members elected Julia Hornsby as their next Commodore, making her the first female to hold the office in the Club’s history. Julia officially commenced the honour at the close of the Annual General Meeting.
This week, a chat with the new RPAYC Commodore as the club heads into its 159th Season and towards its 160th Anniversary.
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A mate of Pelé the Pelican feeding at Narrabeen Lagoon - Tuesday August 18 2026
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Profile of the Week Brian Heal of Mona Vale: WWII Veteran + Australian Hydro Schemes Engineer, on his 101st BirthdayNeale 'Brian' Heal is a British WWII veteran who later migrated to Australia and worked on major hydro-electricity construction projects in Tasmania and New South Wales, including the historic Snowy Mountains Scheme.
Sub/LT Neale ‘Brian’ Heal is 101 years old today, August 16, and served on a mine sweeper with the Royal Navy, during World War Two, including during the D-Day landings.
During the week leading up to his 100th birthday, Brian received congratulation cards and letters from King Charles III and Queen Camilla; Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister of Australia; Samantha Mostyn AC, Governor General of Australia; Mayor Sue Heins and the offices of Dr Sophie Scamps MP and Jacqui Scruby MP. Brian thanked the Pittwater RSL Sub-Branch for organising his congratulation cards. Brian joined the RSL in December 1956.
This Issue, a few insights into a long and fruitful life.
Independent MP for Pittwater, Jacqui Scruby at Mona Vale West site
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Pelé the Pelican, of Narrabeen Lagoon, asking for help. Photo supplied
Last week Anne Olbach and her son noticed a Pelican at the Coastal Environment Centre that looked like he was asking for help.
His legs were bound together with fishing line and there were numerous hooks and sinkers attached to him.
Fiona Demas-Herd and her grandchildren got on the phone and rang the Bird and exotic specialist Vet at Narrabeen.
They rang Sydney Wildlife who sent out a team to rescue the Pelican.
Eduardo Salgado and his son, Lucas Caetano Salgado, kept supplying Pelé with prawns so the team could catch him.
It was a group effort by the Members of public and the SYDNEY WILDLIFE team.
''We eventually tackled the Pelican and he was taken to Taronga Zoo wildlife clinic, '' Sydney Wildlife bird rescuer Jacqui Marlowe said
''He is still in care and has had numerous operations to repair the damage to his joints where the hooks had penetrated.
Hopefully he will make it and the Pelican Rescue group will release him.''
''Could people please ensure they do not leave fishing line lying around especially with hooks?'' Jacqui said
If you find injured Wildlife please contact SYDNEY WILDLIFE On 9413 4300 - available 24 hours your day seven days a week.
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fishing lure, hook and line on Pelé the Pelican. Photo supplied
Late this week Pelé is still not out of the woods. He doesn’t appear to fly and they are worried his wing is injured, as well as the ongoing impacts of his injuries from the fishing hooks.
Libby Hall, of Taronga Zoo, states he cost the Zoo a fortune to feed as he is so big.
Libby currently has three animals in care due to fishing hooks and lines not being properly disposed of –a penguin from Manly and a turtle has lost a flipper.
Residents are asking for more regular cleans of the area around Narrabeen Lagoon where hooks are frequently left and fishing line, caught in trees, is cut and left there where it will then impact on local wildlife.
A Sydney Wildlife spokesperson said the council's Cleansing Team have agreed to meet with the Sutherland Seabird Rescue group to see how to remove fishing line from trees this coming week. The local rescuers are also going to discuss a regular cleansing pattern for the worst discarded fishing rubbish in the Lagoon.
A few years back the council joined the growing cohort of communities across Australia to install fishing tackle bins at popular fishing spots so recreational fishers have somewhere to place broken lines and hooks, where they will be recycled.
See January 2025 report: Council Rolls Out Fishing Tackle Bins at Ten high use Spots
these signs have been placed near the site
Profile of the Week Narrabeen JRLFC's Brilliant 2026 Season: Two A-Grade Open Teams lead by ExampleOn Saturday August 8 Narrabeen's second A Grade Open Team playing in the Bronze Open Comp, Narrabeen White, won their last game for their scheduled game Rounds at Lake Park, home ground for Narrabeen's JRLFC, meaning the 'Reggies' advance to the Semi-finals.
Today, Sunday August 9, their other A Grade team - Narrabeen Black, competing in the Gold Open Comp, play their Round 15 game at Harbord Park, meeting the Harbord United A Grade team for 2026.
Presently sitting in the top 4 teams of the Gold Ladder, that team may advance to Semi-finals too, underlining what this Junior Rugby League Football Club has been all about throughout its 94th Season; building fitness in players and a cohesive team that perseveres when it counts because they know they haven't won until the last round has been played and the final whistle sounded.
Formed on March 7 1932, the Narrabeen Junior Rugby League Football Club is among the first clubs of the Manly-Warringah District Junior Rugby League, which itself was founded on February 11, 1932. The original six A-Grade foundation clubs competing in the inaugural local competition were Brookvale, Dee Why, Freshwater, Manly, Narrabeen, and North Curl Curl.
These local clubs bring families, fans, and players together every weekend to create a welcoming home and a powerful sense of belonging. The game welcomes players of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds, uniting diverse groups under a common passion – playing or watching footy and community.
This Issue, a few insights into Narrabeen's A Grade Teams 2026 Season.
North Palm Beach SLSC club is celebrating its 80th Anniversary this coming September and has put a call out to current and past members to attend. Details are:
We are celebrating 80 years of North Palmy SLSC!!
The Gold Open ladder top 4 teams, as we go to press, is Mona Vale, Avalon, Cromer and Narrabeen. Forestville, which Avalon plays today, Sunday August 9 for their Round 15 and final game in the schedule, sits at 5 on the ladder. This will be the third game between these two clubs in the 2026 Season, with one win each in prior match ups.
The Round 14 game on Sunday August 2 for the 2026 Open Gold A-Grade teams was the first time Avalon and Narrabeen met across the 2026 Season after their first scheduled game for Lake Park was a washout at the end of May.
This time, it was Avalon's turn to host, with Hitchcock Park and the Bulldogs lit it up for their 2026 Old Boys Day - a chance for past players to gather and catch up under brilliant Winter sunshine - and in celebration of Jacko’s (Jackson Lloyd) 300 games.
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This was a great afternoon of community footy with both teams representing their clubs with great skills and a great attitude. They teach the youngsters who turn up to cheer them on how the game develops a sense of belonging and the feeling of being a valued member of a community bigger than just themselves. The game fosters fitness, teamwork and life skills, having a positive social impact.
This extends across the community – they all know each other and would step up for each other when needed – spreading the brotherhood and sisterhood through footy across the whole community.
Team members are supported by dedicated coaches, managers, trainers, drinks runners, club presidents, sideline and ground keepers and officials, the canteen helpers, BBQers, line markers, referees, and a score of volunteers across committees and teams who keep clubs running purely out of love for the game and their local area. Club’s fan clubs members range from the young to the elderly, from those still in school to those holding down full time jobs – it’s democracy on the local village green – your Lake Park, Newport Oval and Hitchcock Park, from the knee high to the grown tall, everyone is in.
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The clubs in and the Manly Warringah Junior Rugby League have done it again this year. If you want your youngster to be surrounded by caring people who will encourage and help them to grow up, not just grow tall, see if they want to have a run with one of our local sports clubs or surf clubs over Summer or Winter.
Local clubs bring families, fans, and players together to create a welcoming home and a powerful sense of belonging. The game brings together players of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds, uniting diverse groups under a common passion – footy and community - making everyone a winner.
For the last fully Footy pictorial for 2026's Season, a few pictures from Avalon hosting old mates Narrabeen to celebrate, album here for extras for your own family albums, report RUNS HERE
West Pittwater Rural Fire Brigade marked seven decades of community service at its 2026 AGM, welcoming Geoff Nimmo as Captain and paying tribute to Andrew Cutler after 13 years in the role.
On a beautiful, if chilly, Sunday morning, the Elvina Boat carried a special passenger across Pittwater to join West Pittwater Rural Fire Brigade for its 70th anniversary Annual General Meeting.
The Brigade’s fireboat is a hardworking operational appliance with few creature comforts, but Dr Sophie Scamps MP, Federal Independent Member for Mackellar, happily made the journey to the Elvina Bay Fire Shed for the occasion.
Her attendance was warmly appreciated by Brigade members. Dr Scamps spoke about the value of West Pittwater as a brigade and the important contribution its volunteers make to the resilience and safety of the western foreshore communities.
For a small, remote brigade, her decision to attend was itself regarded as a meaningful acknowledgement of the volunteers, past and present, who have protected the community for seven decades.
Dr Sophie Scamps MP, Federal Independent Member for Mackellar addresses AGM
The AGM was also attended by Superintendent Guy Baddock, Wes Brown, CISS Chaplain; Group Officers Sean McLoughlan and Kate Pinder; and Jim Boyle, Captain of Mackerel Beach Rural Fire Brigade.
Seventy years of community service
Opening his President’s report, Paddy Broughton reflected on the similarities and differences between the Brigade of 1956 and the organisation it has become today.
After reading the original minute books and talking to some of the Brigade’s “old timers”, Paddy concluded that one quality has remained constant: West Pittwater is still very much a community-driven organisation.
Brigade President Paddy Broughton opens proceedings
The Brigade began with residents wanting to protect themselves, their homes and their neighbours. Seventy years later, that same motivation remains at its heart.
What has changed is the growth of the wider NSW Rural Fire Service, which now provides the Brigade with training, equipment, resources, structure and specialist expertise.
“We provide the people power; the RFS provides the structure and expertise,” Paddy said.
He thanked members for the many different contributions that keep a volunteer brigade functioning—from responding to incidents and completing courses to doing the homework, maintaining equipment and washing up after fireshed dinners.
Paddy also recognised those who had taken on particular roles during the year, along with the Brigade’s strong group of Deputy Captains, many of whom have been trained and developed within West Pittwater.
The Brigade’s success and longevity, he said, are built on members continuing to turn up, take part and give their time.
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Mick at Mackerel
In June 2021 the Northern Beaches Council committed $3.2 million towards the wharves at Mackerel and Currawong beaches, and design for Church Point wharf. The upgrade for Mackerel Beach wharf was announced in the 2023/24 budget allocations as well.
The Great Mackerel Beach Wharf contract was awarded at the December 16 2025 council meeting to SMC Marine Pty Ltd for RFT 2025/001048 – Mackerel Beach Wharf Upgrade for the sum of $1,574,800 excluding GST. Works include extending the wharf by approximately 35m to approximately 105m total length to provide access at all tidal times for all users that complies with the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1992.
Key features of the proposed upgrade include:
- moving the wharf back to the area where it slopes to the wharf head
- extending the wharf by approximately 35m to approximately 105m total length to provide access at all tidal times for all users that complies with the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1992
- providing a dedicated bin storage area.
Profile of the Week William Harkin: On Pawfetchers - for those who like to keep their dogs safeWilliam Harkin, a 16-year old entrepreneur from Freshwater, recently spoke to the news service about a project he's developed for all who have a pet that likes to take itself off for walkies while they're at home worrying about where their dog or cat may be.
This is not just for those whose furry companion has that independent nature, it's also for those who may have a dog that can bolt when frightened by something.
Pawfetchers helps you to locate your furry loved one and bring them home where they will be safe. With so many dogs going missing across Australia each year, this is a practical and easy solution.
Pawfetchers is a Pittwater-based small business started to solve a real problem for dog owners — keeping pets safe with a waterproof, secure holder for AirTags and GPS trackers that attaches to any standard collar. Everything is designed for the Australian outdoors: fully waterproof, and available in 14 colours.
Available at: pawfetchers.com
Purchasers have said:
"Excellent product!. My dog is tiny but this fits him without being too bulky, the colour choices were good and the product is soft but sturdy. Their customer service was exceptional. I will be recommending this product to fellow pet owners as I’m very satisfied with their quality and service."
"Fast shipping, great packaging, and the product itself is exactly what I needed. Very happy."
This week, William explains where the idea came from and how it works.
North Palm Beach SLSC club is celebrating its 80th Anniversary this coming September and has put a call out to current and past members to attend. Details are:
We are celebrating 80 years of North Palmy SLSC!!
