Western Weekender August 8

weekenderthe western

PROUDLY INDEPENDENTPrinted on 100% recycled paper

Many questions to be answeredPages 3 and 5

All aboard as new look is confi rmed p.13

Stationupgrade

Kingswood burns

Gold for Penrith at Games p.40

BusinessAdvice, tips and profi les on the best local businesses p.30-31

FRI 8 AUG 2014 • Issue 1165

Fernhill of the future

T he future of Fernhill Estate now rests in the hands of Penrith City Council. The Weekender can reveal that on Monday a revised master plan for the historic site at

Mulgoa was submitted to Council after the origi-nal plans were withdrawn earlier this year.

Fernhill is presently controlled by Angas Secu-rities, as mortgagee in possession, which has managed the Estate since 2012 after it was placed in receivership in 2010.

Angas entered into a joint venture with Simon and Brenda Tripp to consolidate the core part of the Estate and develop two peripheral precincts to secure the estate and remove it from the receivers.

“Fernhill faces a number of conservation and management issues such as the cost of maintain-ing the property and preserving the heritage buildings,” Brenda Tripp said.

“Without a viable plan there will be pressure to break up the Estate and we are concerned that the main building and outlying buildings will again fall into disrepair.

“The applications lodged with Council present the opportunity to determine a significant herit-age outcome that guarantees conservation and protection of the Estate into perpetuity. This is particularly significant as pressure builds over time for development in greater western Sydney.”

Elements of the new master plan include guar-anteed funding for conservation of heritage items under a Voluntary Planning Agreement and Trust Fund, a new Conservation Management Plan, and Biobanking of 66 per cent of the Estate. Story continues on » p. 8

Mulgoa icon’s future in Council’s hands after master plan submitted

Brenda Tripp looks over the plans for Fernhill’s future on Wednesday. Photo: Melinda Jane

CASSANDRA O’CONNOR @cassandra_o

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C hoking, black smoke smothered Penrith’s skyline last Friday afternoon as a grassfire on Cope-land Street quickly escalated into

a full scale emergency. At 12.44pm Fire and Rescue NSW

received reports that a grassfire had started near the business precinct.

Fire and Rescue NSW Commissioner Greg Mullins said that the situation escalated quickly, requiring over 100 fire fighters to attend the incident.

“We sent two local units down, while they were on their way we received numerous ‘000’ calls saying that build-ings were at threat,” he said.

“When the first fire crews arrived, they confirmed that and called for additional back up.”

Michael Bewley from Armour Automo-tive was one of the first residents to see the threatening blaze.

“Me and [another] bloke went around to Cox Avenue there to get some parts and we were coming back and saw smoke down the bottom end [of the street],” he said.

“We saw the wind shifting it up here and me and the owner of the place next door went right up the back and tried to get a

hose going but the water pressure was gone and that’s when the trucks and the sheds went up [in flames].”

Fuelled by dry grass, automotive parts and chemicals, as well as 30km/h northwesterly winds, the fire threatened neighbouring businesses and destroyed a panel beating shop.

Mark of Mark’s Auto Repairs stood help-less as fire fighters worked tirelessly to try and protect his business.

“All I can say is that I was in the workshop about 20 minutes ago and all of a sudden I could see and smell the smoke,” he said.

“My business is in the back but I really feel sorry for the guys who have busi-nesses in behind me, I think they are even closer to the flames.”

Fire crews remained at the scene for some hours after the fire was contained, but the incident has thrown into question the response times of fire fighters.

Fire Brigade Employees Union (FBEU) NSW Secretary Jim Casey said that the State Government was playing ‘Russian Roulette’ with community safety after a Penrith appliance was relocated to Rich-mond that same day.

“NSW fire fighters have opposed budget cuts that impact community safety from the moment they were announced, because of exactly this concern,” he said.

Penrith truck moved to Richmond at time of devastating Kingswood blaze

KINGSWOOD FIRE

Fire raises staffi ng question

A fire fighter attacks the blaze from above. Photo: Cassandra O’Connor


“The Penrith fire appliance could have been on the fire ground quicker than any other unit responding [that day], that is unarguable.

“This is a grass fire in winter, imagine when stations are closed in summer? The Government needs to re-think these cuts before someone gets hurt.”

A spokesperson from Fire and Rescue NSW said that the response times of units

to the Kingswood fire were acceptable. “The first arriving crew, from Regent-

ville, was on scene within 10 minutes of the first call, which is the FRNSW target response time in metropolitan areas,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson confirmed that at the time of the fire, the crew and ladder truck from Penrith had been temporarily moved to Richmond Fire Station.

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EDITOR'S DESK [email protected]

State Government is right, but the sales pitch must be improvedSo we reach week three of a mini-series of columns about the big stadium strategy in rugby league and after talking about the fans and the corporate side, we move on to the political side of the fence. If you think sport and politics don’t mix, you would be horribly wrong.

Whether it be the local sporting field where your kids play on a Saturday morning, or big time professional sport, it’s highly likely the influence of governments at all levels is there somewhere.

When it comes to the major sporting codes and the venues they play out of, government assis-tance has always been part of the story.

But back in 2012, the first indications that a big change was ahead came when a report commis-sioned by the NSW Government suggested fund-ing to suburban stadiums should cease.

It’s all gained momentum over the last couple of years and we find ourselves in 2014 with the real-ity that the State Government will direct funding into three major stadiums – ANZ Stadium, Allianz Stadium and a new stadium in western Sydney.

The argument made by Penrith MP and NSW Sports Minister, Stuart Ayres is that Sydney’s nine NRL clubs can only survive in a cramped market by generating more revenue from higher memberships and use of bigger venues.

Mr Ayres claims that the biggest impact on Sydney crowds is the poor state of facilities and the accessibility of these facilities (Sunday Telegraph, July 13, 2014).

He says people have been turning away from small suburban grounds because they don’t offer the experience you get at home watching on television.

Personally, I have trouble accepting this is the real political reason behind the desire to move away from funding smaller suburban stadiums.

I mix with a lot of footy fans who support many different teams and come from all walks of life, and an extremely low percentage of them say

they don’t go to games because of the facilities or accessibility. In fact, I know plenty who would deliberately steer away from attending ANZ Stadium matches.

Take last Friday night for instance – a top four battle between Penrith and the Bulldogs, played at ANZ Stadium. The crowd was 11,832.

Big stadium football on show.If the argument is legitimately that the Govern-

ment is heading in this direction because the fans want it, I can assure you that the Government has got it horribly wrong.

In fact, I could produce a bunch of home crowd averages to prove that fans are in no way turning away from suburban grounds, but that’s not the point here. You see the real point that fans need to understand from the political side of the argu-ment is that it is increasingly unaffordable for clubs to maintain their suburban venues.

This means that clubs will keep turning to governments and putting their hands out – and at some point, those governments simply have to cut them off. Fans need to understand that the State Government has a responsibility to look after the city’s jewel in the crown stadiums like ANZ and Allianz, because they will drive economic growth in the future through major events, tourism and the like.

You see, I believe that the State Government’s strategy makes sense. What I don’t agree with is trying to sell it to fans as if the government is delivering on something they’ve been crying out for. That’s simply not true, and I can assure you that the big challenge ahead will be overcoming the distinct lack of support for the big stadium strategy among the general rugby league fanbase. Build it and they will come? A risky plan.

But nobody can blame the government here. It’s sensible economic management of major multi-use facilities. It’s simply not sensible to keep funding suburban sporting grounds.

I know plenty who steer away from ANZ Stadium

TROY DODDS@troydodds

the western weekender

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P enrith Councillor Bernard Bratusa is calling on Penrith Council to take action against the owner of the site where a

devastating grass fire started last Friday. About 12.44pm the fire started on a

poorly maintained block behind the industrial complex on Copeland Street, Kingswood and quickly spread.

Cr Bratusa said that after inspecting the damage caused by the fire, which claimed a panel beating business and impacted upon three other businesses, he was very unimpressed with the state in which the vacant block of land had been kept.

“I visited the site on the weekend and it is an accident waiting to happen with overgrown grass and trees adding to the old trucks and combustible fuels on the land,” he said.

“It’s in close proximity to homes, St Dominics College, Penrith Gaels Club and other businesses and so requires an immediate clean up order – to be issued by Council to the owners of the site.”

He has called for an urgent report to be delivered to Councillors at the next possible Council meeting.

Councillor calls for clean up order to be issued to land owner

KINGSWOOD FIRE

Site condition a concern

The fire burns in Kingswood last Friday. Inset: Bernard Bratusa

CASSANDRA O’CONNOR @cassandra_o local news

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Member for Mulgoa

Phone: (02) 9833 2913Address: Shop 1/159 Queen St, St Marys 2760Email: [email protected]: PO Box 138, St Marys NSW 1790

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A 70-year-old man was arrested last week after a police raid on a Castlereagh property led to the seizure of weapons and

ammunition, a carpet python as well as a stolen car.

Officers attached to the Gang Squad’s Strike Force Raptor – an operation target-ing outlaw motorcycle gangs and associ-ated criminal activities – were joined by officers from the Dog Unit, Air Services Branch as well as staff from the RSPCA, to execute a search warrant at a property on Castlereagh Road shortly after 7am on Thursday, July 31.

During the search, police located and seized six firearms, including one semi-automatic assault rifle, a 0.22 semi-automatic rifle, a pump-action shotgun and three bolt-action rifles, as well as more than 600 rounds of ammunition.

Police also seized more than 40 grams of illicit drugs, one vial of steroids, a carpet python, a boat that police believe to be stolen and a stolen Nissan Pulsar.

A police spokesperson said a man is now facing multiple charges.

“A 70-year-old resident of the property was subsequently arrested and taken

to Penrith Police Station where he was charged with a total of 23 firearms offences. Inquiries into the matter are continuing,” the spokesperson said.

The 70-year-old was granted condi-tional bail and will appear before Penrith Local Court on September 8.

More police news: Page 7

70-year-old man charged after police swoop at Castlereagh

POLICE

Weapons, snake seized

This carpet python was seized during a police raid at Castlereagh last week

KATHERINE TWEED @ktweed_

Train assault

Witnesses needed

A 45-year-old Macquarie Fields man has been charged with two assault-related offences after an incident on a train earlier this week.

Police allege that at about 7.30pm on Sunday, August 3, a 34-year-old man was approached by the offender on an eastbound train between Emu Plains and Penrith.

The offender attempted to strike up a conversation before the 45-year-old punched the 34-year-old in the face caus-ing his nose to bleed.

The offender was arrested at Penrith Station when the train stopped and the victim was treated by paramedics.

The victim will make a full recovery from his injuries.

Police are appealing for witnesses to an early-morning car fire in Penrith last week to come forward and offer information to assist in investigations.

At about 2am on Wednesday, July 30, two cars were damaged after a pile of lounges and garbage were set alight on a nature strip on Haynes Street, Penrith.

Anyone who saw any suspicious behav-iour around that night should contact Penrith Police.

Meanwhile, extensive damage was caused to a house following a fire at Glen-more Park on Monday morning.

Fire crews were called to the house on Camelia Avenue at around 7.30am.

Nobody was injured and investigations into the cause are continuing.

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Teenager goes on crime spreeA man has been charged over a spate of

break and enters across a number of local suburbs. At about 6.30am on Thursday, July 31, police allege a man broke into a home on Thornflat Road, Cranebrook, stealing keys, some property and a Toyota Hilux ute. The following day, the ute was involved in a colli-sion on Dunheved Road, Werrington but the driver ran from the scene. At about 6.30am on Friday, August 1, a woman was inside her house at Susanne Place, Cambridge Park when she discovered the house had been broken into. When she went outside, she saw a man sitting in her ute, attempting to start the car. She confronted the man and was allegedly punched in the face a number of times before the man again ran off with some of her property. Police allege that the same man broke into a house on William Street, Cambridge Park later that morning, while the elderly occupants were home. The 77-year-old man and 81-year-old woman exited their home after they discovered it had been broken into and were confronted by the man who allegedly kicked the 77-year-old in the stomach. Police were contacted when the man was seen standing on the roof of a house in Sutton Road. It is alleged that he ran through a number of properties before entering the rear yard of a house on Campton Avenue, Cambridge Park, where the occupants confronted him. The 23-year-old and 51-year-old occupants of the home were allegedly assaulted however, managed to restrain the man until police arrived. St Marys police officers arrived at the scene and arrested the 19-year-old man.

Man charged after assaulting railway station staff

Police have arrested and charged a man after he allegedly assaulted two Penrith Railway Station staff members last week. The 26-year-old from Katoomba was causing trouble at the railway station, verbally abusing members of the public on the evening of Wednesday, July 30. When station staff went to offer him assistance at about 8pm, he allegedly hit one of the staff members a number of times before leaving the scene. 15 minutes later, a second station staff member was allegedly assaulted by the man on Station Street, while he was return-ing to work from a break. Police allege that after a verbal interaction the victim was hit, causing him to fall to the ground, where he was kneed and hit repeatedly until he was knocked out. Bystanders located security officers at a local hotel, who detained the man until police arrived. The offender was charged with two assault offences.

Couple caught breaking into cars in High Street car park

A couple have been charged after they were allegedly caught breaking into cars in a shopping centre car park last week. On Friday, August 1, at about 3.30pm, the couple were observed breaking into two cars and stealing property in the shopping centre car park on High Street, Penrith. They were detained by security and police were called, who arrested the pair upon arrival. The 33-year-old male and 22-year-old female will front court over the incidents in the near future.

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Changes aheadStory continued from » p. 1

The plan also consolidates Fernhill’s land titles to form a single Central Precinct after subdivision of peripheral lands.

Mrs Tripp said Fernhill had entered into two Biobanking agreements with the NSW Government covering desig-nated areas of the Estate. This process has required the owners to make part payments to the Biobanking Trust Fund in the amount of $1.653 million.

Additionally, $1.7 million has already been spent on maintenance of the property.

Mrs Tripp said that some major changes have been made in the revised master plan to reflect community concerns.

“Key differences in the current appli-cation are in response to us hearing, listening to and addressing community concerns raised since the previous application,” she said.

“The main addition is the Conserva-tion Management Plan (CMP) and Voluntary Planning Agreement, which is vital in implementing an ongoing maintenance schedule for the preser-vation of the Estate, which currently doesn’t exist.”

Mrs Tripp said the CMP includes an annual schedule of required works to ensure the heritage values are retained and maintained. If approved the master plan would allow for the Tripps to pursue their equestrian business but a noticeable exclusion is Fernhill’s operations as a function centre.

“While we have very successfully run a number of events – weddings, christenings, corporate meetings – under the temporary use Development Application (DA) granted in March, without any of the concerns raised by neighbours regarding noise or traffic issues, we’ve reconsidered the viability of events at Fernhill,” Mrs Tripp said.

“We are naturally very disappointed with this outcome as it has always been our belief that Fernhill should be opened up to the public to share.

“The current application has the annual Picnic Race as the only regular event. It is through this signature event for Penrith that we hope the public will still get the opportunity to share and enjoy Fernhill too.”

There have also been revisions to the proposed subdivision of the Western Precinct of the Estate.

“The current application provides two options – one DA compliant with the Local Environmental Plan for 10 hectare lots; the other a Plan-ning Proposal for a smaller footprint containing two hectare lots similar in size to other properties along Fairlight Road still enabling larger areas of Biobanking and preservation of the natural biodiversity,” Mrs Tripp said.

In relation to the Eastern Precinct subdivision, Mrs Tripp said extensive work has been done to further maintain views to and from the main homestead, creating large ‘view corridors’ to and from Mulgoa Road.

“The number of lots has been reduced and set back from the road and detailed development controls included to ensure the ‘look and feel’ is rural and in keeping with surrounding areas.”

The full set of application documents will be made public on Penrith Coun-cil’s website.

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PUBLIC NOTICES Community Access Bus and Home & Community Care Bus (Wheelchair access)Applications are now being called for the use of the Community access buses in Penrith City for the period 1 October – 31 December 2014.

Applications must be received no later than Friday, 29 August 2014.

These applications will be assessed by Council and applicants will be notified of the outcome.

For further information regarding fees, application forms and conditions of hire, please call 4732 7837. Prices are GST Inclusive

Day Evening

Access Bus (20 seater) $110 $86

Wheelchair Bus (14 seater) $100 $76

Road Name Pursuant to Clause 7 of the Roads Regulation 2008, notice is hereby given that an application has been received for the naming of the following road/s.

Proposed New Name LocationMunro Place Jordan Springs

Juliana Street Jordan Springs

Neptune Street Jordan Springs

Atlantic Avenue Jordan Springs

Matilda Road Jordan Springs

Admiral Avenue Jordan Springs

Guardian Way Jordan Springs

Barrington Way Jordan Springs

Bowen Close Jordan Springs

Britannia Road Jordan Springs

Armstrong Street Jordan Springs

Written submissions on the proposed name/s may be made to Penrith City Council by 25 August 2014. For further information please contact Mrs Cindye Russell on 4732 7617.

DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONSThe following Development Applications have been received by Council:

Parsons Brinckerhoff Australia Pty Ltd DA14/0902

92 Mulgoa Road, Jamisontown

Remediation of groundwater in accordance with voluntary management proposal

Contact: Mathew Rawson on 4732 7522

Closing Date: 10 September 2014

St Marys League Club c/o Urbis Sydney DA14/0932

Lot 11 DP 1192443, St Marys Rugby League Club Boronia Road, North St Marys

Proposed alterations and additions to St Marys Rugby League Club to expand the club with associated car parking and landscaping works

Contact: Mahbub Alam on 4732 7693

Closing Date: 25 August 2014.

In accordance with Section 23G of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act, 1979, the development application will be referred to the Joint Regional Planning Panel (JRPP) for the Sydney Metro West Region for determination.

DEVELOPMENT CONSENT/S DETERMINEDPursuant to Section 101 of the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act, the schedule below lists applications recently determined by Penrith City Council.

Details of these determinations are available for public inspection free-of-charge during Council’s normal business hours at the Civic Centre, 601 High Street, Penrith.

Approved Development Applications

Pretech Pty Ltd DA13/0487

Lot 5 DP 1089192, Lot 4 DP 654389, Lot 6 DP 219187, Lot 7 DP 219187

Demolition of existing dwellings and structures and 2-stage construction of multi-unit housing containing 22 x 3-bedroom attic-style villas

The above development determination/s may be inspected between 8.30am and 4pm Mondays to Fridays (except Public Holidays) at Council’s Civic Centre, 601 High Street, Penrith. Officers of Council’s Development Services Department will be able to assist with your enquiries.

INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT Penrith City Council has received a Development Application in respect of the subject property. The consent authority for the development application is Penrith City Council.

St Marys Land Ltd DA14/0935

Lot 3997 DP 1179646 (Lot 3997) Greenwood Parkway, Jordan Springs

Subdivision – Creation of 271 x residential lots, 1 x residue lot, 1 x lot (future open space) and associated road construction, drainage, earthworks and landscaping works

The proposal is Nominated Integrated Development. The application seeks approval from the NSW Rural Fire Service – Rural Fires Act 1997 and NSW Office of Water – Water Management Act 2000 Section 89, 90 and 91.

The Development Application referred to in this notice and supporting documentation accompanying the subject application may be inspected at the locations listed below at any time during ordinary office hours, in the period from 11 August 2014 to 10 September 2014.

Any person may, during the exhibition period, make a submission in writing to Penrith City Council, in relation to the Development Application. Where a submission is made by way of an objection, the grounds of objection are to be specified in the submission. The submission is to include Council’s reference number DA14/0935.

For any queries relating to the proposal, please contact Aimee Lee on 4732 7429.

Disclosure of Political Donations or GiftsDevelopment Applications are displayed at the Penrith Civic Centre. By law, reportable political donations or gifts must be disclosed by anyone lodging a planning application to Council. Call 4732 7649 or visit www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au

Viewing of Development ApplicationsThe above development determination/s may be inspected between 8.30am and 4pm Mondays to Fridays (except Public Holidays) at Council’s Civic Centre, 601 High Street, Penrith. Officers of Council’s Development Services Department will be able to assist with your enquiries.

penrithcity.nsw.gov.au penrithishere.com.au

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CONTACT US

ADMINISTRATION

Penrith Offi ce Civic Centre, 601 High Street. Opening Hours: 8.30am–4pm. Mon–Fri.

St Marys Offi ce Queen Street Centre, 207–209 Queen Street. Opening Hours: 8.30am–4pm. Mon–Fri.

Switchboard Open: 8.30am–5pm. Mon–Fri.

P: (02) 4732 7777

F: (02) 4732 7958

Write to: PO Box 60, Penrith NSW 2751.

E: [email protected]

SERVICES

Waste Hotline: Freecall 1800 734 735

Illegal Dumping: Contact the EPA hotline on 131 555 and ask for the RID Squad (Regional Illegal Dumping Squad).

Graffi ti Hotline: Freecall 1800 022 182

MEETING DATES

Council Meetings

11 August 2014 – 7pm (Policy Review Committee)

25 August 2014 – 7.30pm (Ordinary Meeting)

penrithcity.nsw.gov.aupenrithishere.com.au

NEWS

PENRITH

COUNCIL BRIEFS Penrith Progression is calling on residents, workers and businesses to tell their story.

We are keen to hear your stories about CBD redevelopment and revitalisation projects that you have experienced or seen in other cities and that have made signifi cant changes for industry, business, communities and individuals.

It could be the design of the cityscape, the way you interacted in the city or what you believe needs to be brought to Penrith’s city centre...it’s your story, you tell us.

Add your story to our online forum using words, images and video...share your story today. Go to the story tab at ourfuture.com.au/penrith-progression Penrith City Library, as part of the National Family History Month celebrations, present the 1949 Charles Chauvel classic movie ‘Sons of Matthew’ on Friday, 15 August at 10am.

Starring Michael Pate and Jimmy White – a local boy from Orchard Hills ‘Sons of Matthew’ is a legendary fi lm in the history of Australian cinema and was an extremely personal fi lm for Chauvel. It was about the people he grew up with – the descendants of the dogged settlers who opened up south-east Queensland to farming in the 19th century.

Tickets for this screening are available at Penrith Library: please call 4732 7891. Light refreshments will be provided and there will also be a historical address by Lorraine Stacker, Information Services Librarian and author of Penrith: The Makings of a City.

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (EOI) Penrith City Council Access Committee Community MembersPenrith City Council invites community members to submit an EOI for appointment to Council’s Access Committee for a term of two years. Nominees should either be local residents or individuals who work in the Penrith Local Government Area.

The Access Committee includes Councillors, and up to six community members who meet up to six times a year and report directly to Council. The Access Committee aspires to the provision of the highest possible standard of access and social inclusion throughout the Penrith Local Government Area for people with disability.

The Committee provides advice to Council about access issues and promotes the inclusion of people with a disability as full members of the community. The committee also assisted Council with monitoring the progress of implementation of the Penrith Inclusion Plan – People with Disability 2009–2013.

Penrith City Council was recognised in the 2013 National Disability Awards receiving the award for Excellence in Improving Social Participation for its efforts to break down social barriers and enable emerging and established artists with disability to participate in art making and creative activities.

In order to enable participation by interested members of the community, Council is committed to providing the following assistance:

make a written application due to their disability) via Council’s Disability Services Offi cer, Robyn Brookes, on 4732 7918.

People with a disability and carers are encouraged to apply including people from a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) background.

To obtain a copy of the information kit including the Selection Criteria for community members please contact Celia Bishop on 4732 7838 or download from www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au Applications close 1 September 2014.

For further information please contact Robyn Brookes, Council’s Disability Services Offi cer on 4732 7918 or go to http://penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/Our-Community/Access/Access-Committee

TENDERProvision of Bush Regeneration and Associated Services in CranebrookReference 14/15-07Penrith City Council invites Tenders from suitably qualifi ed and experienced contractors for the Provision of Bush Regeneration and Associated Services in Cranebrook.

Pre-Tender Briefi ng: 10am Tuesday, 19 August 2014.

http://www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/Our-Council/Tenders/ to register and download tender documents free of charge. Alternatively a hard copy is available for a non-refundable fee of $75 (inc GST) by arrangement.

For queries please contact Jake Evans on 4732 7663 or [email protected] All submissions should be lodged on the forms provided in accordance with the lodgement instructions contained in the documents no later than 11am Wednesday, 3 September 2014 (‘the Closing Date’).Tenders received after will not be considered.

PENRITH CITY COUNCIL ONLINEFind us at:

www.facebook.com/penrith.city.council

twitter.com/penrithcouncil

instagram.com/penrithcitycouncil

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www. penrithcity.nsw.gov.au

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A traineeship with Council is a great way to earn an income while you develop valuable

Our award winning traineeship program has helped many people get their

Applications are now open for traineeships in:

• Business Administration

• Child Care, and

• Information Technology (IT)

Come along to an information

• Business Administration and IT - 19 August 2014, 6 - 7pm

• Childcare: 21 August 2014,

The sessions will be held at the Civic Centre, 601 High

For more information, eligibility and how to apply, call 4732 8212 or go to penrithcity.nsw.gov.au

P enrith Councillor Greg Davies is calling for the merits of a bridge from Penrith Lakes to Emu Plains to be investigated as the

Lakes Scheme draws to an end. “I think that a bridge would open up

some of the development opportunities surrounding Penrith Lakes,” he said.

“A bridge could also act as a flood evacuation route, particularly given the increasing traffic pressures placed on Jane Street. Another evacuation route would certainly benefit the residents of Emu Plains and Emu Heights.”

Cr Davies also has the future of the already busy Castlereagh Road in mind.

“The traffic pressures on Castlereagh Road are also only going to increase as our population expands, again warrant-ing an investigation of what benefits a bridge would bring,” he said.

The Penrith Lakes Development Corpo-ration has already indicated that mining at the site is coming to an end, and has submitted plans to Penrith Council for subdivision of several land parcels that could one day accommodate housing.

“I don’t think a bridge is going to happen in the next two years or so, but it

is important that Council has a stance on what could be a key piece of infrastruc-ture as the final stages of planning take place,” Cr Davies added.

“It should definitely be on Council’s agenda.”

What do you think? Email us at [email protected].

Councillor says plan for the future must be on the table

COUNCIL

Davies calls for bridge

Councillor Greg Davies at the Penrith Lakes site. Photo: Melinda Jane


USB recall

Train delays

NSW Fair Trading Minister Matthew Mason-Cox is urging consumers to check their USB chargers following a national voluntary product recall of USB chargers previously sold by Officeworks.

The affected USB chargers were sold at Officeworks stores and on the company’s website between July 19, 2013 and August 2, 2014.

“This is a voluntary recall undertaken by Officeworks following a recent incident where a USB charging device overheated, causing the casing to melt,” Mr Mason-Cox said.

“Consumers who have purchased these devices are urged to stop using them immediately and return the goods to Officeworks for a full refund.”

Train commuters were left facing long delays on Wednesday when overhead wiring needed to be urgently repaired at St Marys.

The delays started at around 11am and lasted several hours.

The Transport Management Centre was advising people travelling between Penrith and Blacktown to delay their jour-neys or make alternative travel arrange-ments.

Buses were called in to replace services between Blacktown and Penrith, with train tickets valid on Busways services.

Blue Mountains Line services towards Central were forced to terminate at Penrith. The problems were fixed before the afternoon peak period.

Mayor’s NewsThe weekly viewsof Penrith’s Mayor

National Broadband NetworkThe National Broadband Network

(NBN) is being rolled out in parts of the Penrith local government area.

When the NBN fibre install is com-pleted in your area, NBN Co will notify you.

Most existing landline phone, ADSL Internet and cable services will be per-manently disconnected and replaced by the NBN about 18 months after the NBN installation is completed in your area.

That means if you want to continue using landline phone and Internet ser-vices, you’ll need to move to the NBN well ahead of the disconnection date.

Don’t risk leaving it to the last minute.Moving to the NBN is not automatic.

Call your preferred phone company or Internet service provider so you can discuss all your requirements before ordering your services and booking an installation.

Go to http://nbnco.com.au/connect-home-or-business/check-your-address.html to find out if the NBN is available at your home or business address yet.

If you have any questions, call NBN Co on 1800 687 626.

ROSS FOWLER OAMMayor of Penrith

The Reserve Bank of Australia has left interest rates on hold at 2.5 per cent following its monthly meeting.

“Today’s announcement would have failed to shock industry pundits given that the latest data to come out of the Australian market shows the economy is tracking along quite nicely,” Mortgage Choice spokesperson Jessica Darnbrough said on Tuesday.

“According to the latest data from the Westpac Melbourne Institute of Consumer Sentiment, confidence improved last month, climbing 1.9 per cent in July.”

The news was welcome relief to mort-gage holders, who have been spared any rate rises this year.

Most are predicting that rates will also stay on hold next month.

Relief as rates are left on hold

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P enrith Railway Station is set to get a share of $150 million in major upgrades, including the construc-tion of new stairs, lifts, a new

concourse and bus interchange. “Customers tell us that they don’t just

want safe and reliable rail services, they also want better accessibility at our railway stations,” said Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian, who made the announcement in Penrith last week.

“It is about not only providing safer, reliable, more frequent services but also making accessibility in and around our railway stations much easier for custom-ers, through better lifts, ramps, health points, lighting – things that matter to customers and the customer experience.”

Five other stations in western Sydney will also receive “face-lifts”, each tipped by the NSW Government to boost the convenience of the public transport system for local customers.

“Quite simply western Sydney is a winner under the Baird Government when it comes to transport. We’ve already seen a significant increase in the amount of trains running on the Western Line, we’ve seen a significant increase in the number

State Government reveals plans for new-look Penrith Railway Station

TRANSPORT

Station set for major overhaul

What the new Penrith Railway Station is set to look like

of trains that are air-conditioned,” said State Member for Penrith, Stuart Ayres.

“We’re following this up with major upgrades to stations like Penrith. This is a huge game changer for what happens here; one of the major stations on the Western Line.”

Construction at Penrith is due to begin next year.

“Obviously we’ll work as fast as we can. We’ve got the money, we’ve got the plans

and now it is just up to us to work as hard as we can,” Ms Berejiklian said.

It was also announced that the Opal card will be rolled out on 75 additional buses in Penrith and the Blue Mountains, with the majority contracted to the Blue Mountains Bus Company, from next week.

“If you are catching trains or buses to the Blue Mountains, and a lot of those services come down to Penrith and Emu Plains, you’ll be able to access the Opal card on

trains and buses,” Ms Berejiklian said. Accessibility of the Opal system has been

criticised recently but the Minister says teething issues are being addressed.

“We will be having vending machines in the future but we are still looking at where they will go. I want to assure our customers that we are providing the great-est accessibility that we can – at Penrith Station there is an Opal retailer just a few metres away,” Ms Berejiklian said.

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P enrith’s largest ever apartment block development is set to spring up right next to Penrith Train Station.

Minister for Planning Pru Goward has announced that the St Hilliers Group has partnered with First Point Projects to purchase several development sites in Thornton, North Penrith, and deliver 450 residential apartments as well as a new shopping precinct.

“At Thornton, UrbanGrowth NSW is transforming 40 hectares of land immedi-ately adjacent to Penrith Station and CBD that will become a thriving urban village with more than 1,000 dwellings, includ-ing medium-density housing, apartment buildings and commercial spaces,” Ms Goward said.

“A development such as this increasingly makes Penrith a major regional centre.”

Included in the development is 10 resi-dential buildings, each between three and eight storeys high, as well as a new retail centre including a 2,500 square metre supermarket and space for restaurants, a medical centre, gymnasium and childcare facility.

St Hilliers Executive Chairman, Tim

we believe the market is ready for this type of housing product and amenity in this location,” Mr Casey said.

“It will offer choice, character and convenience for residents and for those who live and work in the Penrith area.

“It is a hub of inner city living, brimming with excitement and great places to eat and shop, all located within one of western Sydney’s growth areas, Penrith.”

Penrith Mayor Ross Fowler said the development is in line with what Penrith Council has been advocating for.

“Council and the Penrith Business Alli-ance through the Penrith Progression have consistently advocated for this type of investment and development to the City centre,” he said.

“We are pleased that St Hilliers and First Point have grabbed that idea and are running with it.

“Some $3 billion of investment capital was already mobilised in development projects and the new development at Thornton will add an exciting new dimen-sion to the City’s future.”

Penrith MP Stuart Ayres welcomed the developers to “the trail blazing group” and Federal MP Fiona Scott said she looked forward to all levels of government cooperating to make the community of Thornton a reality.

Residential apartment living in Penrith’s city centre a step closer to reality

“Unprecedented” property plan

Planning Minister Pru Goward and Penrith MP Stuart Ayres look over the plans

Casey said the St Hilliers First Point Projects partnership combines St Hilliers’ proven track record in delivering excel-lence in residential design and First Point

Projects’ retail and commercial experi-ence in western Sydney.

“Residential apartment living in Penrith’s city centre is unprecedented; but


L ast week the Health Services Union launched a campaign against parking fees at Nepean Hospital, only to discover this

week that parking prices will be increas-ing further.

A spokesperson for Nepean Hospital this week confirmed that from August 18, car parking charges on the Hospital campus will be increasing in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

“The change is in accordance with NSW Health’s Hospital Car Parking fees policy, which sets fees linked to CPI for all hospital campuses within metropolitan NSW that have undergone car parking development,” the spokesperson said.

“A rate of 2.8 per cent CPI applied to all hourly charges means the largest increase will be 50 cents, which applies to the maximum daily rate ($18.00 increased to $18.50).”

Hourly rates determined by NSW Health have been applied at Nepean Hospital campus since the opening of the 650 space, multi-storey car park in August 2013.

Phil Kessey, Deputy Manager of Public Health for the union said that the fee structure is “getting out of control”.

“The issue for staff is that if you go to a place such as Westfield you get three hours of parking free, and you have a

choice to park there longer. Staff don’t have a choice, they are essentially paying to come to work,” he said.

“I frequently hear of staff who turn up early to work just so they can park on the street and avoid those additional costs.

“And for those who do pay the $21 per week fee, they must pay it even if they are on holidays or miss out on a spot.”

Mr Kessey added that patients are also being penalised.

“Just the other day I met a man, a pensioner, who would turn up some-times three hours early to hospital because he needed free parking,” he said.

HEALTH

Fees at hospital car park to increase

Health union members are not happy with parking costs


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P roving to be the region’s most successful resource to fight graffiti, Penrith Council’s Graf-fiti Hotline has just taken its

25,000th call. In 2013/14 the amount of graffiti

removed from Council buildings and assets was at its lowest level since the commencement of the Hotline in 2007.

Council’s Hotline was the most used resource for local residents reporting vandalism, with 1,475 phone calls made in the year to June 30, 2014.

A further 374 incidents were reported to Council via their website and just 41 reports were received through the NSW Government’s Hotline.

“The amount of graffiti removed from private property, accessible from public spaces, decreased by 15 per cent in 2013/14 when compared to 2012/13 figures,” a Council spokesperson added.

Although a number of apps exist such as VandalTrak to also help residents report and help collect data on graffiti vandalism, Penrith residents are yet to take up the new technology with only a handful of reports made via apps.

The hotline is 1800 022 182.

Hotline helps Council win the war on graffiti

Council’s graff iti team cleaning up an amenities block in South Penrith on Monday


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Tuesday 19 August 2014 Presentation: 3 - 4:30pm • Networking: 4:30 - 5pm

Tattersalls Function Centre, 510 High St, Penrith

Free, but bookings essential

We’re bringing together experts to discuss:

• why go green? Benefits to your business.• quick wins and long term opportunities to boost your business• how to access state government programs including BinTrim and Energy Saver

programs, and• training opportunities available for you and your staff.

The session will be followed by light refreshments and time to connect with other local business owners.

For more information about this and other initiatives on making a difference to your environment, or to book your place, contact Council’s Sustainability Education Officer: [email protected] or 4732 7983.

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Battle of the sexesKay Hughes says in her letter

(Dear Weekender, Western Weekender August 1) we see not enough men teaching and women are doing a fantastic job holding the fort. What has that got to do with cutbacks? On that subject, finding a male teacher these days is like finding men in banks, building societies, insurance companies, health insurance, RTA, Telstra etc and all government counter service. Is this because the women’s movement has won? Are all the human resources managers women? Are men being discriminated against or is it because women run a couple of degrees colder than men and have the air-cons set too hot? Perhaps adopting a 40 per cent loading for men for teaching vacancies like the Labor party has for pre-selecting their female political candidates is the answer?

PETER TOWNSEND, SOUTH PENRITH

Love thy neighbourI think it is high time that not

only Catholic teachers speak out against enterprise bargaining, but also that the Catholic Church

does. Why should there be competition in the teaching profession? What happened to ‘Love thy neighbour’?

JOHN PRINCE, VIA EMAIL

We’ve become so callusNow the Federal politicians are

demonising people who are out of work. On our TV screens we have seen a smug and highly arrogant minister, berating those who are on unemployment benefits. Obviously the Abbott government see them as living the high life. No doubt, Tony still believes that one can feed the five thousand people on just five loaves and two fish. Only someone who is completely delusional would choose to live on the dole. Even the minimum wage pays over $20,000 per year more than the single unemploy-ment benefit, and many of those who are now out of work were paying more than the benefit in tax each and every year. If you are unfortunate enough to lose your job, don’t expect any help or support in the form of training or updating your skills. As for the government funded employment agencies, the general consensus is that they are there to re-enforce

government policy, not to actually find you work. Well, it’s hard work finding people nonexistent jobs! Only a government hack or a complete idiot actually believes the unemployment rate is about five per cent. How did our society become so callus? I believe it began when we abandoned our ethics and principles and started to ruthlessly exploit cheap overseas labour. We are now a dog eat dog society where workplace bullying and intimida-tion are common place and our suicide rate is a national disgrace.

SUE JOYCE, PENRITH

Important issueCongratulations for the excellent

article in your West Life edition about the enduring work done by the charity CMP. Almost from the start I was partly involved with Abe Akkary in his feeding and care of the needy, having known Abe for 35 years, and having also flown up with him to Wewak in PNG on another of his outreaches to needy humanity. And currently I keep in touch with him where he builds structures and brings communities together in the Eastern Highlands of PNG. I

also vouch for the great heart of Pastor Marty Beckett in heading up the work of CMP. Lastly, I appreciate your mention of the free financial service of Christians Against Poverty – they are a lifesaver for many people in dire financial situations.

CLIVE JACOBSEN, KINGSWOOD

Near miss on bridgeOn Monday afternoon at about

4.20pm, I was driving home across Victoria Bridge. 10 metres ahead, travelling in the same direction I noticed a cyclist start to wobble slightly on her bike, I started to slow down as I feared she would lose control. Within seconds she had, falling with her entire upper body on the road in front of me! I braked hard, skidding my car slightly sideways and avoided her by centimetres. If I had not noticed that first wobble, or a larger vehicle in front was obstructing my view, I would have run directly over her head and torso, killing her! As I write this I am still stressed by the pure luck that the worst was avoided. We stopped to see if she was okay, she said she was, but I suspect

she was in shock! To the lady on the bike, I do hope you were really okay, and I am glad that it was me driving near you when it happened! People stop whinging about what this new bridge looks like, whose river views will be diff erent! A lady came very close to death on Monday evening – get this new bridge built.

VANESSA GRAYDON, MT RIVERVIEW

Penrith station upgradeI’ve used the train plenty of

times during peak times and my input would be put toilets on both sides of the platforms and clearly mark them so they can be easily spotted. I think it’s woeful that a person in a wheelchair has to ring ahead and get assistance to get onto a train. They should be able to get on and off the same as an able bodied person without assistance – so from this perspective I say fix it and stop alienating people in wheelchairs. Stairs aren’t useful to passengers with work bags or holidayers with suitcases. Think and look at the people who use this and plan for their ease.

NERREL LOADER

email: [email protected]: Suite 2, 42-44 Abel Street, Jamisontown 2750

The Western Weekender reserves the right to edit letters for the sake of accuracy and space.For more information, see our public notices section.

dear weekender...

Penrith Council is in receipt of a development application from St Marys Rugby League Club (SMRLC). Part of the SMRLC long term vision is the creation of a new feature entrance and foyer to the existing club as well as delivering new facilities and a function centre to expand the Club’s offerings to the community. In their $25 million proposal, the Club wants to create a new club entry, build a new internal driveway and extend the current western foyer of the club to include a lobby with management offices. In the extension, there would also be function rooms, a new TAB, extension to an outdoor gaming terrace, as well as a new first floor above the lobby that would include a convention facility. The club is also still awaiting approval for a new two-storey fitness centre and motel.

There are plans underway for a new unit block in Werrington. Council has received an application to knock down the existing structures at 12 and 13 Railway Street, Werrington. In their place would be built a new two-storey residential flat building comprising 18 units.

Do you have a long lost relative or friend that had a connection to the Gallipoli campaign? Penrith Regional

Gallery and The Lewers Bequest is on the hunt for personal mementos such as letters, photos, mouth accordions, pens, pocket knives, pipes, hats, or games. These personal effects will be on display alongside large scale drawings of the intimate spaces and circumstances soldiers lived in such as the trenches, fox holes and tents by acclaimed artist Catherine O’Donnell. The Gallery is curating an exhibition for its 2015 Gallipoli Home Front exhibition on show on from April 4 to May 24 next year. The exhibition aims to provide an intimate insight into the lives of the soldiers and describe the tension of being at the war ‘front’ yet keeping a small piece of ‘home’ and identity with them – hence the title ‘Home Front’. For further information call 4735 1100.

Do you have an idea for transform-ing a place in your neighbourhood? Why not apply for Council’s Magnetic Places Neighbourhood Renewal Community Cultural Grants Program. Applications are open until Septem-ber 2. An information session on the grants will be held at Penrith library this morning, Friday, August 8, at 10.30am. For more information call Council on 4732 8098 or visit www.facebook.com/MagneticPlaces. You can also visit Council’s website.

COUNCIL SNAPSHOT

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2014 PENRITH

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Do it Yourself HYDROBATHCoin or token operated. BYO towel

2&3/117 Coreen Ave PENRITHwww.cavets.com.au 4731 3055

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T he National Health Performance Authority (NHPA) has released its first report on child and maternal health and has discovered that

mothers and children in the local area are receiving the best antenatal care in the country.

The report has studied the health of expectant mothers, infants and children, focusing on the incidence of mothers smoking during pregnancy as well as infant death rates.

It was found that the Nepean Blue Moun-tains Medicare Local (NBMML) catchment has a lower child death rate, sitting at 3.3 deaths per 1,000 live births, compared to wealthier areas like North West Melbourne and the Australian Capital Territory.

The report suggests that in some commu-nities an average of one in three women smoke during pregnancy but around one in seven women in the local area, or 14.8 per cent, smoke during pregnancy.

“Local-level reporting is important. National or state-level figures can camouflage high rates of child deaths and how many pregnant smokers there are in some communities. This report will assist health professionals to better target

Report provides a snapshot of the health of expectant mums, infants and children

HEALTH

West is best for healthy bubs

Children in the local area are getting a healthy start to life

KATHERINE TWEED @ktweed_ improvements for mothers and babies within their local communities,” NHPA Executive Director, Dr Martin McNamara said.

The report linked antenatal care commencing within the first trimester of a pregnancy with positive child health outcomes and confirmed that antenatal visits in the local area are common, with 85.5 per cent of women having at least one visit during their first trimester. This percentage is almost double that of other areas in the country.

Impressively, 80.5 per cent of local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in the Nepean area have at least one antenatal visit during this period, which is the highest percentage across the country.

Dr Shiva Prakash, NBMML Board Chair, says the report shows the Nepean region is punching above its weight.

“The excellent results are a direct result of the antenatal share care arrangements that have been in place across the area for many years,” he said.

He said it is a testament to the long standing commitment of GPs in the area and the close and effective working rela-tionship between local doctors, Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District and various other services.

News in Numbers

NSW Police have been raising awareness about people who are missing this week, via Missing Persons Week 2014.

An average of 227 missing person reports are made each week, and 60 per cent of people reported missing are

under 18-years-old. 10 per cent are over 60-years-old.

Assistant Commissioner Peter Barrie said uncertainty about the whereabouts

and safety of a loved one can be a trau-matic experience.

“No one can estimate the impact on loved ones when someone goes miss-ing – and it extends beyond the family to friends, colleagues and even the com-munity,” he said.

“In 2013, almost 12,000 people were reported missing in NSW, and while most of them were located in a short period of time, 36 still remain missing.

“That’s the purpose of Missing Persons Week – to recognise missing people who are found, remember those who are still lost and gather information to help bring them home.”

In New South Wales, there are almost 700 people who are considered missing long-term.

NSW Fair Trading has joined forces with Kidsafe NSW to raise awareness of the danger posed by blind cords, with the distribution of 10,000 blind cord safety device kits underway.

According to the Australian Competi-tion & Consumer Commission one to two Australian children die from blind or curtain cords each year.

“Any death of a child from a blind or curtain cord is one too many,’’ said NSW Fair Trading Minister Matthew Mason-Cox.

“This NSW Fair Trading initiative is aimed at reminding parents and carers to check their blind cords are safe for children and to advise consumers on what they can do to remove potential

hazards in the home. Always insist on safety features when purchasing made-to-measure blinds or curtains.”

Mr Mason-Cox advised locals to talk to their local supplier about installing the right type of blind cord safety device for your home and to check your blinds and cords have suitable warning labels and advice.

227weekly cases

10,000safety kits

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Shoppers amazed as ‘Flash Mob’ breaks out during Thursday night shopping

COMMUNITY

Birthday arrived in a Flash

K aty Perry’s ‘Birthday’ was blasted through Westfield Penrith last week as local performing arts students performed a dance

routine for unsuspecting shoppers, ‘Flash Mob’ style.

Almost 40 students from local studios, Move Performing Arts and A-live Perform-ing Arts, performed a dance and acrobatic routine in Centre Court at about 5.30pm on Thursday, July 31, as a surprise gift for Teresa Godsmark, who was celebrating her 40th birthday.

The performance, though choreo-graphed by the local studios, was organ-ised by Ms Godsmark’s sister, Christine Vella.

“I am just feeling so blessed at the moment. I can’t believe it! I don’t know how she pulled this off – she’s amazing. I have the greatest friends and family ever. It was amazing,” Ms Godsmark told the Weekender as she hugged and thanked family and friends who had turned up to watch.

Ms Vella had spent months sneaking around to organise the event for her sister, right up until the final hour.

“I was watching a ‘Modern Family’ episode and they had a Flash Mob on one of their shows. I thought; that would be the perfect present for my sister – she’d have no idea, she wouldn’t even think of it,” she said.

“There was lots of secrecy – I don’t know how many lies I have told to my sister, I lost track of all the lies, and I’m not a lying person at all – it was so stressful,” she laughed.

Ms Godsmark joked that she’ll be under

The ‘Flash Mob’ at Westfield Penrith last Thursday. Photo: Melinda Jane

a lot of pressure to organise a birthday surprise when Ms Vella turns 40 in a couple of years.

For the performing arts students, this was an opportunity to get out of their

comfort zones and perform in front of a big crowd. They got through it despite some nerves in the lead-up.

“The kids are great performers. Most people wouldn’t realise how hard it can

actually be, performing in an area where they reside, and also in a shopping mall, so therefore all the kids involved should be proud,” said Move Performing Arts Owner and Director, Natasha Smith.


R opes Crossing local, Kim Chan-cellier has been crowned ‘Mrs Global United’ at an international pageant hosted in America last

month. Earlier this year, the 28-year-old was

crowned ‘Mrs Australia Charity Queen’ in the Mrs, Ms, Miss Australia Quest [MAQuest] pageant series, when her fundraising and awareness campaigns for ovarian cancer were recognised by the organisation.

She was then sent to America to compete for the Global United title.

Mrs Chancellier said she took raising awareness about health issues very seri-ously.

“Not only is it important to create aware-ness in regards to childhood and ovarian cancers but all type of cancers,” she said.

“We need to be familiar with and recog-nise changes within our body.”

As a mother of two young daughters

COMMUNITY

Local crowned Mrs Global United in USA

Ropes Crossing resident Kim Chancellier celebrates her win

herself, advocating for cancer awareness is important to Mrs Chancellier, as is being a positive role model.

“I have the desire to get back out there and show women that even after having children you can still accomplish your dreams and be a great role model to your children,” she said.

“Through the MAQuest and Global United Pageants, I will be able to use my titles to continue supporting these great causes and spread the word in regards to ovarian cancer and childhood cancers.”

Over the next 12 months Mrs Chancel-lier will be promoting children’s cancer awareness and ovarian cancer awareness through MAQuest’s Charity, Teal Wings of Hope and through a community program she initiated as part of MAQuest, Future Faces, which is a not for profit children’s semi-glitz beauty pageant.

Mrs Chancellier is keen to keep building on her charity work.

“My motto is; If you cannot do great things then do small things in a great way,” she said.


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L ocal residents are being urged to host a ‘Cuppa for HeartKids’ in a bid to make a difference in the fight against childhood

heart disease. The Cuppa for HeartKids morning tea initiative aims to raise awareness of the incidence of childhood heart disease, which is the biggest cause of death and hospitalisation of children under the age of one, as well as raise funds to support the national charity.

Businesses, community groups,

schools and individuals can all host their own morning tea.

“Cuppa is a great excuse to get together with friends, family or work colleagues and raise funds for some very special children,” Jann Kingston, CEO of Heart-Kids Australia said.

“All you need to do is register online, host your own tea party in August or September, and encourage your guests to make a donation.”

An average of six Australian babies are born with a heart defect every day.

To get involved, visit cuppaforheart-kids.org.au and register.

COMMUNITY

Cuppa for a cause: Help kids in need

Locals are being urged to host a ‘Cuppa for HeartKids’ during August


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1300 036 615www.womenwithaltitude.com.au

Networking Event - OzHarvest began when Ronnie Kahn decided that she was not prepared to be part of the waster cycle that is the natural out-come of the hospitality industry so she spent time researching options for dealing with the excess food. There was no organi-sation in Sydney that could collect the food on a regular basis so Ronni decided to set up a food rescue charity herself. Ronni will join us for breakfast to share her remarkable journey. ALL WelcomeLocation: ‘The White Room’ Tattersalls Function Centre Penrith - Bookings essential.Activate, Advance Members $65, Non Members $85, Absolute Members: Complimentary

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60 REGENTVILLE ROAD, PENRITH

Ph: 4731 1266

WW11501

E steem Hair Beauty Spa has part-nered with the Penrith Cancer Council to take the Nepean Wig Library into an exciting new age.

Martin Lazare, owner of the High Street salon, said that the idea started a few months ago when he was looking to help out a charity.

“We wanted to help a charity that was important on both a local and national level, and then I found out that the Cancer Council had an office here in Penrith,” he said.

“I didn’t just want to give a cheque over each month, I really wanted to be involved with the community and that’s when discussions about the Nepean Wig Library started to happen.”

The Nepean Wig Library has been running since 1991 with the help of volun-teers from the Nepean Cancer Care Centre and NSW Cancer Council.

For any cancer patient undergoing chemotherapy, the reality of losing their hair can be traumatic.

Whilst many patients choose to have a wig fitted to minimise self-consciousness, this solution can often be quite a confront-ing and costly exercise.

Esteem team will help the patient pick the perfect wig, turban or hat to suit their natural features and lifestyle choices.

Esteem’s Nepean Wig Library will house a wide range of wigs to choose from in contemporary colours and styles, with new wigs to be regularly added.

“We deal with people’s hair every day, so we will be able to bring a new sense of professionalism to the Wig Library,” Mr Lazare said.

“As a team, we’re really humbled to be able to support such a worthwhile initia-tive. Beyond the wig service facility, our expertise can add guidance and support in regards to wig colour and styles. For us, it’s all about making an often confronting experience a more enjoyable one.”

Rodney Titovs, Community Programs Coordinator at Cancer Council NSW’s Penrith office is equally excited about Esteem coming on board as a dedicated partner.

“Offering the wig library in partnership with a local business provider is an excit-ing real first for us,” he said.

“Cancer Council NSW is very confident that the experienced team at Esteem Hair Beauty Spa are in a great position to take this on, and we look forward to letting patients in the area know that this profes-sional service is now available to them.”

Cancer Council welcomes local business’ support in housing important project

COMMUNITY

Wig library eases tough time

The team at Esteem Hair Beauty Spa in Penrith are supporting the wig library

Cancer patients are able to visit the library and try out and borrow wigs, hats and other hair accessories.

As of last week, cancer patients who are

losing their hair as a result of treatment will be invited to visit a private consulta-tion room at Esteem Hair Beauty Spa, where a specially trained member of the


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P r o u d l y P r e s e n t s

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Schools urged to nominate students for once-in-a-lifetime opportunity

There are 100 places at the 2015 Gallipoli Dawn Service reserved for NSW high school students, who will have the honour of representing the state to mark the 100-year anniversary of the landing of the first ANZACs.

But it is up to local schools to ensure their students have every opportunity to be selected, after it was announced that schools would need to enter a ballot that, when drawn later in the year, will name just 25 schools as eligible to nominate a selection of students to take part.

“The NSW Government is proud to offer 100 students in Years 10, 11 and 12 a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel to Turkey to be part of this historic occasion,” Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Victor Dominello said.

“I encourage all government, inde-pendent and Catholic high schools to nominate to be part of a ballot which is open from today through the NSW Centenary of ANZAC website.”

Schools can enter individually, or in groups of up to four.

“Schools which are drawn in the ballot will conduct a local selection process. Students who will be enrolled in Years 10 to 12 in 2015 will be invited to submit a written or visual piece of work on a theme or topic related to the Centenary of ANZAC,” Mr Dominello said.

“Shortlisted students will then present their work to a panel of school and community representatives and will be assessed on their suitability to represent NSW on the tour.

“The panel of five will be chaired by the school principal who will invite a local RSL Sub-Branch representative, the local State MP and an appropriate member of the community to participate in the selection process.”

Expressions of interest can be submit-ted at the NSW Centenary of ANZAC website: veterans.nsw.gov.au/centenary/gallipoli-2015-school-tour.

Victor Dominello made the announcement at Hurlstone Agricultural High School, Glenfield which has a strong Australian Defence Force connection

DoseDorin

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If you are in need of a family friendly and caring childcare centre, look no further than Sweetpeas Kindergarten and Long Day Care Centre.

Sweetpeas is a family owned centre in Cranebrook that by all accounts has the friendliest, happiest, fully qualified staff in Penrith.

Owner, Gina Douglass, said that when it comes to providing care for your child, there isn’t a more loving and educational environment.

“As much as we all would love to care for our children full time, the reality for many of us is that working is a neces-sity,” she said.

“At Sweetpeas we pride ourselves on having a centre that is nurturing and caring – the perfect place for your young child to learn and grow.

“We treat each child as if they were our own, meaning only the best educational practices and programs are given to your child.”

Sweetpeas cater for children from two years to six years of age, and are open from 7.30am to 5.30pm to provide parents with flexibility in hours.

Importantly, the centre accommodates for allergies and is fully accredited with CCB (Child Care Benefit) available. Sweetpeas is a centre like no other, with staff that have a passion for educating children to develop into the best they can be and focus on providing a neat and tidy envi-ronment.

“If you would like to see our centre for yourself, you are more than welcome to call us and organise a time to drop by,” Gina said.

Sweetpeas24 Laycock Street, Cranebrook

4730 4600

Sweet place for your kids!

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With flexible hours and high quality care, look no further than Sweetpeas Kindergarten and Long Day Care Centre in Cranebrook

BUSINESS OF THE WEEKb

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Sweetpeas Kindy is located on Laycock Street in CranebrookContact us on 4730 4600 for enquiries

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Do you want your child to be cared for by family orientated educators in a small family run centre?Do you want a fun and challenging school program?Do you want your child to develop social skills, confi dence,problem solving skills and feel supported?If you replied yes to any of the above, then our Sweetpeas is the kindy for you!

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BUSINESS TIPS

MICHELLE GRICEFounder of Shel Design

MICHAEL TODDSmall Biz Connect Advisor Penrith Valley BEC

Good employers are those who make good employees become better people, equipping their teams for success in life.

But employers can often get too caught up in day to day duties and new technol-ogy that they forget to do the basics. This can lead to staff underperformance.

Once staff become complacent and realise they aren’t being held account-able it can be very detrimental to a business.

Dealing with underperformance can be challenging and confronting, but it does need to be addressed. Managers need clear procedures, organisational support and the courage and willing-ness to manage the issue.

To avoid underperformance, it is important to have a clear system. Best practice employers are aware that ineffective performance management can dramatically reduce the level of performance in a workplace. Addition-ally, employees that perform well can lose motivation if they have to carry the burden of poor performing colleagues.

The thing is, employees want to be informed. They want their opinions to

matter, be involved in creating changes and improvements, and want to be acknowledged for their efforts.

Here are some tips for managing underperformance:

• Use progressive discipline. Help employees understand that their performance is not up to standard through regular feedback.

• Keep records of your informal and formal discussions, so you have evidence of your attempts to improve the situation.

• Issue appropriate warnings. It may be difficult to prove that an employee is underperforming if they have been doing the same job for a long time without criticism or warning.

• Provide opportunities to improve. Keep your employees’ skills fresh and up to date by providing appro-priate training and support.

• Assess your management style. Any good manager audits their own performance. Ask yourself, ‘Am I managing performance in the right way?’

How best to manage underperforming staff

Have you heard the saying ‘it takes a village to raise a child’?

It is a concept that believes children need the influence, nurture and support from a wider group of people beyond their immediate family.

When it is said today, more often than not it is because someone is lamenting the loss of that ‘village’ concept.

In today’s society, most of us live in large communities, extended families are distant and we live a more individualistic lifestyle than in previous decades and centuries.

Most of us do not experience that ‘village’ lifestyle where we are intimately involved in each other’s lives. There are some who are wondering how we can reclaim some of the benefits of that lifestyle.

Many local businesses seem to have been going through a similar thought process. There is a definite focus amongst many locally owned and operated busi-nesses to highlight and promote the fact that they are local, and use that as a positive point of difference to large corporations.

The flip side of this though, is that for these businesses to succeed, the local community has to embrace the idea of supporting local business.

Anecdotally, I have been encouraged by the shift I have seen over the past few years.

My own business has seen a dramatic rise in local clients who are keen to support local business.

Supporting local business helps your community economically, generates more local jobs, reduces environmental impact.

It also has many benefits for the buyer, such as often knowing the source of your product (or the person who has created it), better service and increased community interaction.

So let’s claim the ‘village’ concept for our local businesses.

In order for a local business to thrive, it takes a village to raise it: so support local business and encourage those around you to do the same.

Tell us how you support local busi-nesses: email [email protected] or call 4722 2998.

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Australia’s allocation of 40 of the 1,000 limited edition 25th Anniversary Mazda MX-5s are arriving in the country within days.

Since being unveiled at the New York International Auto Show in April, there has been a great deal of interest around the globe, with the car selling out in just a few minutes in the USA and Japan.

Australian MX-5 fans have been just as keen with local Mazda dealers having already reserved 13 cars for customers.

Mazda Australia anticipates a rush for the remaining limited edition models, which will be offered first to those that have registered their interest in the car.

Australia’s allocation of 40 limited edition 25th Anniversary MX-5s is made up of 24 with manual transmission and 16 with automatic.

In addition, each car comes with a limited edition MX-5 branded his and hers Tourneau commemorative watch set. Each Tourneau watch is made of surgical quality stainless steel, and has a genuine sapphire crystal face and a black leather strap with red stitching.

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Just 40 of the 25th Anniversary MAZDA MX-5s will land in Australia, and there’s huge demand

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LAST WEEKEND saw history made within NSW when instead of a green or club being closed Blacktown Workers opened their new green with a host of local Club Board Members and Politicians attending. Neil Workman, President NDBA congratulated the Workers Board for their ongoing recognition of their bowling club mem-bers as they will also be building them a club house adjoining the new green in the future. Penrith Men’s Bowling Club held their AGM last Sunday with most of the committee being retained with a few new members being added to the Commit-tee. Ernie Ness and Albert Mathews were recognised for their commitment to the club. On completion of the meeting I had the pleasure of presenting the two winning

District teams their badges and the Zone badges to the victorious No 2 Grade and unfurling the three flags. We wish them all the best at the State Playoffs at Port Macquarie.Gerard Short (Austral) defeated Glenn Chandler (Penrith) in the Final of the Cham-pion of Club Champion Singles played at Glenbrook Panthers. Gerard defeated Luke Millican (Wisemans Ferry) in one semi and Glenn defeated Paul Faorlin (Blacktown Workers) by a shot in the other Semi.The 4 Rivers / 4 Creeks competition was re-cently held at Temora in Zone 8. The over-all winners were Zone 8 and the 4 Creeks competition was won by the Zone 5 under 21 team comprising of Z Corr-Johnson, B Bradtke, D Schultz and J Suffolk.

ON A reasonably balmy winters night Pen-rith Paceway conducted a programof nine exciting Harness Races. Jokers to the Right ($1.80) driven by Tod McCarthy carried on from his win the previous week with a good win after working around the field early to sit outside the leader Its Ollies Excuse and then beat fast finishing runner up Christian Sloy.Race two saw Highest Mountain ($11.30) get home after Jarrod Alchin gave him a perfect drive.Present for Pa ($3.40) improved on his sec-ond last week and gave Tod McCarthy his second win in the third. He went straight to the lead and was able to hold off the only challenger King Of Swing. In the fourth Snap To It ($2.10) rated a fast 1.56 mile rate and won his third in four

starts. He led all the way but just managed to hold off Clock on Do Lombo who had the sit behind him in the run.The fifth brought up an upset when Got-thaveattitude ($24.50) Nathan Giles was able to get off an awkward inside spot close to the line and beat the short priced favourite Jolly Dryden in a driving finish.Nepeans Next Bird ($5.70) showed tough-ness racing most of the journey outside the leader and runner up Essaquira and give Glen McElhinney the first of a double of winners in race six.Glen carried on in the seventh with Sap-phire Stride ($10.90). In the eighth William Peter ($4.10) won while the lucky last was lucky for Sumatran Tiger ($18.50) taking out his first win after 50 starts. Driver Blake Fitzpatrick produced a great drive.

BOWLS // Mick Gilfoyle

HARNESS RACING // Lorraine Pozza

FUTSAL

C ranebrook futsal sensation Brayden Brennon set off to the football capital of the world on Monday as a member of the

Australian Futsal Association (AFA).The 15-year-old goalkeeper said he was

honoured to represent Australia on the Brazilian Tour and that he couldn’t wait to learn more about futsal in the Carnival country.

“I am very surprised that I was selected to represent Australia because I was the youngest player in my age group at the 2013 AFA National Titles,” Brayden said.

“I hope my experiences in Brazil will improve my knowledge of futsal and enhance my playing ability. I’m looking forward to expanding my experience by touring Brazil where the sport is so evolved and widely spread.”

Brayden believed his selection in the national team was an even bigger achieve-ment due to the fact there were only a limited number of spots available for play-ers in his position.

“It’s hard to be selected as a goalkeeper

Brazil beckons for Brayden

Brayden Brennon at Penrith Valley Regional Sports Centre last October. Photo: Damian Briggs Photography

Cranebrook teenager to represent Australia on major international tour

because there are fewer positions available for keepers than court players,” he said.

“I believe I stood out during the competi-tive AFA National Titles because I am a strong team player, I am very experienced so I communicate well with my team-mates.”

AFA’s elite competitions and tours provide players with an opportunity to tackle a new level of competition so that they may enhance their confidence and playing ability.

AFA International Tour Manager Juliana Oliveira said Brayden was chosen to repre-sent AFA on a tour of Brazil because he demonstrated an eagerness to learn.

“It takes more than excellent playing ability to be selected for the AFA Brazil Tour,” he said.

“Players have to demonstrate that they have the right attitude to represent AFA.”

Mr Oliveira said the tour will be a huge learning experience for Brayden and put him in a good position for even bigger success in the future.

“The AFA Brazil Tour is a wonderful opportunity for Brayden because he’s eager to enhance his abilities and willing-ness to learn,” he said.


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EXCLUSIVE

I magine you’re watching a movie trailer for the next big blockbuster film and the preview’s voiceover sounds a bit like this…

“From the school that brought you rugby league legends in Craig Gower and Brad Fittler comes a new breed of talent ready to take the international sporting world by storm…”

Sounds like a must-see flick, doesn’t it?Well, it’s not the next action blockbuster,

but it is a true story. The Weekender can today reveal the

extraordinary story of McCarthy Catholic College and its tremendous sporting results.

The Emu Plains-based school isn’t a specialised sporting school, but you’d be forgiven in thinking it was with the amount of Australian representative athletes enrolled.

McCarthy Catholic College boasts almost a class-full of Australian reps across a wide range of sports including ice hockey, martial arts, dancing, Irish dancing, hip hop dancing, rugby, touch football, golf, rowing, futsal and baseball.

Sports Coordinator Craig Beacroft believes McCarthy has become a breed-ing ground for sporting talent because of the opportunities and support the school offers its students.

“Our students get given the opportunity to perform in all the different sports that they like. We don’t railroad them and make them play just rugby league or soccer for instance,” he said.

“We support our students and allow them the freedom to play their chosen sport as well as provide them with any work they may miss out on in school. That way they don’t feel pressured to do one or the other.”

Mr Beacroft added that while his students are very talented on the sporting stage, you’ll never hear at peep out of them due to their modest nature and impressive upbringing.

School of sporting champs

McCarthy’s talented bunch of Aussie athletes. Photo: Melinda Jane

The local school that has a remarkable knack for producing talented sports stars

“You’ll find that with a lot of the higher level kids you wouldn’t know they performed at that level unless you specially went and asked them. They don’t often freely come and tell you that they’ve performed at that level,” he said.

“Penrith is such a strong sporting area that every school is bound to have a number of elite athletes but I think for a school that doesn’t go out and target kids we tend to get a fairly high representa-tion.”

From futsal star Nick Bransdon to rising rowing star Erik Ford and Irish dancing duo Annie and Maggie Devine, the school continues to produce extraordinary talent.

But it isn’t just the students who are making names for themselves in the

sporting world, McCarthy’s teachers are also doing some great things as top level coaches of various sports.

The school currently has teachers involved in a number of sports including representative netball, rugby league, futsal, touch football and even boasts three ex-professional rugby league players in Graeme Atkins, Chris Levy and Paul O’Brien.

“Why everyone comes here, I don’t exactly know but we are certainly very proud of what they do,” Mr Beacroft said.

Clearly, there’s something in the water at McCarthy Catholic College.

Do you have a story like this you’d like to share? Email [email protected] or call 4722 2998.


MCCARTHY’S TALENTED CLASS

Annie Devine – Irish DancingMaggie Devine – Irish DancingLuke Zvonicek – Ice HockeyHarmony Jones – Brazilian Jiu JitsuEmily Woodhouse – DancingMadison Higgins-Ashby – RugbyRhiana Moreton – Hip Hop DancingNick Bransdon – FutsalMichael Barton – GolfErik Ford – RowingShanai Allison – Hip Hop DancingJorge Hormovas – Brazilian Jui JitsuRobert Bird – Touch FootballJacob Donaldson – Softball

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CANOE SLALOM

A fter a few months off living it up in Europe without competition, Leonay’s Jessica Fox returned to the water in red hot form last

weekend scoring gold at the fourth ICF canoe slalom World Cup in Spain.

Fox and fellow paddler and friend Rosalyn Lawrence continued Australia’s stranglehold of the C1W event finishing first and third respectively.

The victory was Fox’s second of the series following her triumph in Tacen, while for Lawrence it was her second podium after winning gold in Prague.

Fox said she knew that she had her work cut out for her.

“I knew I had to lay down a good run and improve from the semi because I heard that Ros and then Nuria (Vilarrubla) had put down good times,” Fox said.

“I just tried to focus on using the water well which I managed to do and then hold it together on the bottom section which is the hardest part when the arms are tired.

“In the end it all went to plan so I am pleased.”

Jessica shines in Spain

Jessica Fox and Rosalyn Lawrence on the C1W podium. Photo: Balint Vekassy (ICF)

Fox claims gold but misses double success after horror run at World Cup event

Fellow Penrith canoeist Alison Borrows also featured in the C1W final at La Seu d’Urgell finishing 10th.

Although Australia failed to win a medal in the remainder of the events there were a number of season best performances – a clear sign the squad is building with just one World Cup remaining before the World Championships.

Fox also competed in the always tricky K1W event on Sunday.

The 20-year-old Olympic silver medallist was on track to complete the double gold after she recorded the fastest semi-final run of 106.39.

However, Fox came unstuck on the lower section of the course picking up 52 seconds in penalties for a gate miss on 17 and a touch on 20 relegating her to ninth overall.

The host nation continued their excellent weekend of racing with London Olympic bronze medallist Maialen Chourraut winning the gold in 103.36, 0.66 seconds ahead of Austrian Corinna Kuhnle.

The fifth and final ICF World Cup will take place in Augsburg, Germany from August 15 to 17. We’ll have updates on our social media websites.


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W hile valiant in defeat most weeks, it is probably best to forget what the GWS Giants are doing on the field for the

time being and shift some attention to what they’re doing off the field.

While they’re statistically having their best season since coming into the AFL competition in 2012, the Giants are also making significant inroads into the Penrith community through various education and community engagement programs.

GWS’ hardworking Community Engage-ment team, lead by manager Ali Faraj and his sidekick Emad Elkheir, are the two men behind the Penrith push.

The pair run a number of community education programs throughout the year visiting everywhere from local high schools and universities to juvenile justice centres.

“The Giants are committed to what’s happening on the field but also off it by supporting and nurturing young people and giving opportunities to various

AUSSIE RULES

Making Giant leaps in Penrith

Ali Faraj with GWS Giants star Curtly Hampton and Emad Elkheir

They’re struggling on the field, but GWS is thriving in the local community

community groups,” Mr Faraj told the Weekender.

“Obviously not everyone will become an elite AFL player but there is no reason

why you can’t support as a fan, member, administrator, development officer or sponsor. Sometimes people forget the other side of the business.”

A number of the successful programs the Giants run include a Bridges to Higher Education program with the University of Western Sydney, which is designed to encourage kids to take up tertiary educa-tion or traineeships.

The Giants have also teamed up with PCYC Penrith where the club facilitates sessions about goal setting and dedication to success with young Indigenous groups.

“During the multicultural round a few weeks back we took this group from PCYC Penrith to watch a game,” Mr Faraj said.

Another worthy initiative sees the Giants run a 12-week Indigenous mentoring program at Cranebrook High School while another program sees them visit Cobham Juvenile Justice Centre in St Marys on a weekly basis.

The Giants’ mark in Penrith isn’t just about convincing people to switch codes, it’s about something much bigger than football.

“I grew up in western Sydney supporting rugby league all my life,” he said.

“It’s all about generational change. We’re not silly or naïve about people jumping on the bandwagon, we are pretty switched on in relation to that.”



RUGBY LEAGUE

A local rugby league side made up of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal teenage girls from Penrith has come from

nowhere to take out the second annual Nations of Origin tournament in Dubbo last month.

The popular three day event, which featured 36 boys and 36 girls U16 teams from around NSW, was designed to promote reconciliation within the community by teaming up Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people through the game of modified rugby league.

Penrith fielded two teams in the tournament who went by the local Aboriginal tribal name of Darug. Both sides performed brilliantly with the girls taking out the female tournament while the boys finished semi-finalists.

“The Nations of Origin was a knockout style tournament with our girls not losing once. They ended up winning the grand final by four tries,” Team Manager Glen Liddiard said.

“The girls lost in the semi-finals last year but this year I was very surprised at how well they did. They are dead set champions.”

Teams competing in the Nations of Origin are comprised of 12 players with each team including three non-Aborig-inal players in the side. Games are then played over seven minute halves.

“The format allows non-Aboriginal

kids the opportunity to learn more about Aboriginal culture and hopefully they can pass that on to family and friends,” Liddiard said.

Coach Rob Taylor, who also mentors the St Clair U16 girls rugby league team, said he felt confident throughout the entire tournament despite some very close calls.

“We had a few tight games where we got away with a couple but the rest we were too good,” he said.

“They were a good bunch of girls who were very skilful. They listened, were switched on and wanted to learn.

“At times they giggle and carry on about boys and what not but you’ve just got to keep them focused on the job at hand.”

The success of last year’s tournament saw many girls go on to sign with local rugby league clubs within the Penrith District.

Girls take home title

Penrith’s tournament-winning Nations of Origin team

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Summer 2014/2015RegistrationsTuesday Evenings - MIXEDThursday Evenings - MENS

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BASKETBALL: The Penrith Panthers men’s and women’s Waratah Championship League sides return to action this weekend with both teams needing two wins from their final three games to secure a spot in the Playoffs. Penrith’s girls will play a double-header this weekend against Norths Bears and Sydney Comets while the men will also play a double-header against the same teams. All four games will take place at Penrith Sports Stadium.

BASKETBALL: The Penrith Basketball Association will hold the Junior Representa-tive Presentation on Sunday, September 14 at 3pm at Penrith Sports Stadium. The presentation of representative medals will take place plus individual team awards and Association perpetual awards. All team members and their families are invited to attend.

AFL: The Penrith Rams have enjoyed a rare win defeating Macquarie University 57-49.James Devlin was outstanding for Penrith notching up five goals in the eight point win.Meanwhile, the Penrith Ramettes also got home smashing Manly Warringah 59-16.This weekend the Rams take on the UNSW/ES Bulldogs while the Ramettes will wrap up their season taking on the Gosford Wildcats.

ICE HOCKEY: The Penrith Phantoms and Phantom Menace battled it out on the ice last Sunday with the Phantoms winning 6-0.

Meanwhile in the Phantoms’ other game, the league’s number one team defeated the Sydney Bears 7-2. This weekend the Phantoms take on the Norwest Emperors while the Phantom Menance meet the Sydney Bears. The Phantoms now hold an eight point lead atop of the Division 2 standings with the Menance anchoring the competition in last.

RUGBY: The Penrith Emus will celebrate the 2014 season with their annual presentation to be held tonight, Friday, August 8 at the Uncle Bucks Hotel in Mt Druitt. Some of the top awards on offer include best back and forward of the year, player of the year and many more. The Weekender will have full details of all winners in next week’s paper. The Shute Shield finals start this weekend, but the Emus did not qualify.

BASEBALL: Greater Western Baseball Association have announced a Level 2 coaching course to be held on Sunday, August 31 at Monfarville Reserve in St Marys from 8.30am to 5pm. Anyone interested will need to register online at the Baseball NSW website.

If you would like your sporting results, club event or anything sports related mentioned in ‘Around the Grounds’ next week please email nathan.taylor@westernweekender or call 4722 2998. You can also Tweet scores to us at @wwpenrith.

AROUND THE GROUNDS

SOCCER

T he Western Sydney Wander-ers and hundreds of their biggest fans were out in force on Wednesday to celebrate the

unveiling of the club’s official Nike home and away jerseys ahead of the 2014/15 A-League season.

More than 200 Wanderers supporters, decked out in their game day best, stood alongside their heroes for a special team photo along the bank of the Parramatta River between the iconic cranes of Newington Armory.

Nike has been the official apparel spon-sors of the Wanderers since their incep-tion in 2012. This season’s jerseys have a few subtle differences from seasons past

including thinner hoops, rounded collars and the Nike and A-League logos have swapped positions.

The biggest overall change is to the club’s away jersey which now features white and grey hoops as opposed to the previous red and white.

Fans have been very supportive of the changes and no doubt the jerseys will be big sellers.

New look Wanderers

Wanderers players and fans came together on Wednesday to launch the club’s new look jerseys. Photo: Daniel Boud

Western Sydney launches new home and away jerseys


Wanderers win

Kite cleared

Nikolai Topor-Stanley’s early goal was the difference against APIA Leichhardt in a pre-season trial on Tuesday night, with the Wanderers getting home 1-0.

The win wraps-up the club’s preparations before the FFA Cup debut against Adelaide City next week.

It was a fast start to the match on Tuesday night with Shannon Cole’s corner perfectly finding the head of Topor-Stanley who timed his run well to knock the ball past APIA’s keeper.

The Wanderers have won all of their pre-season matches, with fans leaving Leich-hardt Oval on Tuesday confident that the side is ready for success in the very busy year ahead.

Penrith Panthers prop Brent Kite was on Wednesday told he doesn’t need surgery after he injured his pectoral muscle against the Bulldogs last Friday night.

The Weekender broke the news first on social media.

Kite will require a few weeks to recover but will be back on deck in time for the finals, which begin next month.

It’s some good news for the Panthers during an injury crisis that has claimed Bryce Cartwright, Peter Wallace, Elijah Taylor, Tyrone Peachey and Isaac John for the season.

More NRL: See today’s Extra Time

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Friday 8 August 2014

N o one knew who Shelley Watts was just a week ago but now she’s the name on everyone’s lips after being crowned Australia’s first female

Commonwealth Games boxing champ.The 26-year-old, who trains out of Penrith’s

Jabout boxing gym, won gold in the Women’s Light (57-60kg) final on Saturday night after defeating experienced Indian boxer Laishram Devi three rounds to one.

Watts’ remarkable victory was made even more special due to the fact female boxing was making its Commonwealth Games debut in Glasgow.

Owner of Jabout, Mark Grech, said he wasn’t at all surprised at how well Watts did on the international stage.

“We had expectations of her medalling, that was the goal before Shelley went off to the Australian Institute of Sport,” he told the Weekender this week.

“She definitely had the ability to achieve at least bronze but to get the gold was obviously a bonus and I’m absolutely thrilled.”

Watts, who originally hails from Laurelton

Watt a win for Shelley!

Shelley Watts after winning gold in Glasgow

Penrith celebrates our newest Commonwealth Games champion

near Port Macquarie, has been training with Grech in and around the Penrith area since 2009, not long after she took up the sport.

Grech said whenever Watts isn’t training with national coaches at the AIS in Canberra, she can be found sparring away at the Coombes Drive facility.

NATHAN TAYLOR @natetaylor87 “Her and I used to train out of St Marys RSL

then we went over to PCYC Penrith before I bought Jabout and she followed me there,” he said.

“Shelley boards at a house in Kingswood. Leading up to major domestic events she’ll come train with us and live down here.”

The next major event for Watts is the Boxing World Championships in November. Follow-ing that she’ll be on a strict training regimen to be fit and firing for a tilt at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

Grech believed Watts’ gold medal in Glas-gow will give her the world of confidence going forward.

“She’s definitely up there… she’s already fought in a world championship before the Commonwealth Games. She would now believe she’s at that level,” he said.

“Before the Comm Games she may have had some doubts being a relative newcomer to the sport but now she would definitely believe both physically and mentally that she’s up to the task.”

Watts was flooded with messages of support and congratulations on social media following her victory, and said she was over-whelmed with the response.

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