Homepage Latest News Archives - Page 25 of 30

Maroubra Granted Priority Access to Pfizer for 16 to 49 Following Superspreader Event

Some parts of the Eastern Suburbs have been given priority access to the Pfizer vaccine for eligible individuals between the ages of 16 to 49 years old, following a superspreader event in Maroubra.

Health officials have grown concerned after a Maroubra party with about 60 guests on 14 Aug resulted in 20 positive cases who infected 61 more close contacts. To prevent a COVID-19 hotspot, NSW’s vaccine program has put Maroubra as a priority, as well as these Randwick local government areas: Chifley, Clovelly, Coogee, Kensington, Kingsford, La Perouse-Phillip Bay, Little Bay, Malabar, Matraville, Randwick, South Coogee.

Camden LGA and Bayside LGA are also on priority.

“We know there are several hundred thousand people in these LGAs who are unvaccinated in this age group, and this is a great opportunity for them to come forward and get their jab,” NSW Health Deputy Secretary Susan Pearce said.

Beginning Monday, 31 Aug 2021, Randwick City Council has urged all eligible residents to book a vaccination slot as a priority pop-up vaccination hub has been set up in Novotel Hotel at the corner of Grand Parade and Princess Street.

NSW has been administering 127,530 doses of Pfizer a week and will have more supplies by October 2021.

Meanwhile, the NSW Police announced the formation of Strike Force Travelstop, which will investigate the superspreader event in Maroubra.

“Each of these people who are going to these functions must understand that they run the risk of either having the virus and transmitting it or getting the virus and taking it home to their families and their communities,” Health Minister Brad Hazzard said.

“There is no time now to be selfish – it’s time to think of the broader community and your families. If you are actually spreading the virus, you could be responsible for peoples’ deaths.”

Aggressive contact tracing has taken place since the event but fines have not yet been issued by the authorities amidst the investigation.

Woolworths Partners With Uber Eats to Trial One-Hour Delivery in Maroubra Beach

Woolworths has launched a new initiative with Uber Eats to facilitate a one-hour delivery service in Maroubra Beach and 11 other Sydney and Melbourne sites.

Beginning Monday, 30 Aug 2021, customers may shop for 1,200 products from Woolworths Metro using their Uber Eats app. After the grocery staff has packed the purchases, the items will be delivered by Uber Eats drivers straight to the designated address from the app.

Justin Nolan, the general manager of Woolworths Metro, said that the initiative should satisfy their online customers’ last-minute shopping needs, especially for those looking for speed and reliability of service. Mr Nolan also said that it will also comply with their customers’ need to limit their time outside because of the risk of virus transmission.

Woolworths Metro products on the Uber Eats app include the most basic grocery staples, as well as a good selection of fresh fruits, vegetables, and ready-to-eat meals. The process and payments work the same way as when people order from restaurants through Uber Eats.

App users from Maroubra Beach, Bondi, Padstow, Park Sydney (Erskineville), Pyrmont, Randwick, Redfern, Rose Bay, and Rozelle in Sydney should be able to see the feature when it rolls out next week. The service will also be ready in Balaclava, Hadfield, and Hawthorn in Melbourne.

Woolworths has plans to introduce the service in the rest of its Metro outlets across Australia in 2022. It comes as the supermarket giant has an existing and broader partnership with Uber for larger online supermarket deliveries.

Meanwhile, Uber Eats ANZ regional manager Lucas Groeneveld said that their delivery service has increased in demand amidst the Sydney lockdowns, which has been extended until the end of September. Mr Groeneveld said that adding Woolworths Metro strengthens their platforms’ appeal for Australian households because because they may now be able to get anything from the app.

ADCO Wins Tender for Heffron Centre Construction in Maroubra

ADCO, one of Australia’s top construction companies for the past 50 years, has secured the tender for the $58-million Heffron Centre construction in Maroubra.

Following a competitive process, the company was appointed on 3 Aug 2021 as the builder and centre operator of the new state-of-the-art sports facility, which will house the professional rugby league club, South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Following the decision by Randwick Council, work on the Heffron Community High-Performance Centre will begin in late August with an anticipated completion in late 2022.

ADCO is also behind the ongoing Brookvale Oval Redevelopment in the Northern Beaches and the redevelopment of the Concord Oval in Canada Bay.

“The new sporting complex will feature an indoor sports centre, gymnastics centre and new home for the South Sydney Rabbitohs who will move their headquarters and Souths Cares community outreach work from their spiritual home of Redfern into their south-east supporter heartland of Randwick City by the end of 2022,” according to Randwick Mayor Danny Said.

“It is funded by Souths and all three levels of Government and has been seven years in the planning. It will deliver more than 200 jobs during construction and more than 60 ongoing jobs through the operation of the facility.”

Randwick Council also negotiated for Belgravia Health and Leisure Group to manage the Heffron Centre for a 10-year lease. A multi-awarded company, Belgravia currently operates 190 sports facilities around Australia and New Zealand with a pool of 4,000 staff.

According to Mayor Said, Randwick Council is confident of the appointment of the head builder and centre manager, which both extensively demonstrated experience in their fields.

“I’m confident the partnership will provide high quality and well-run community facilities that will deliver for our communities for decades to come.”

Meanwhile, once completed, the Heffron Centre will be operating seven days a week and will have gymnastics programs for all ages and abilities. The indoor sports centre, on the other hand, will be a space for sports various community activities like netball, basketball, badminton, volleyball, and futsal.

Young Man with Autism Launches Sweet and Successful Biz in Maroubra Amidst Lockdown

When Richard Habelrih, a 25-year-old man with autism, had to pause his speaking engagements due to the lockdown restrictions in Sydney, he cooked up an idea to launch his own snack food business from his home in Maroubra.

Richard came up with a recipe for Freckly Faces chocolates whilst experimenting in the kitchen because of the stay-at-home orders. His mother, Randa Habelrih, said that her son initially made small batches to fill up his time as he didn’t like being idle.

Randa decided to sell some of these batches on Autism MATES, a non-profit charity advocating for the social inclusion of young people in the autism spectrum. Soon, however, Richard was making 400 to 900 chocolates a day to fulfill orders from around Australia, New Zealand, and all the way to the U.S.

Highlights

Richard Habelrih, a young man with autism, launched the Freckly Faces chocolate business in Maroubra during the lockdown.
Orders have come flooding in from across the country, New Zealand and the U.S., making Richard a certified entrepreneur.
He’s been diagnosed in the spectrum at age 4 but has never let this defeat his drive to make significant accomplishments.

The mum said that the deluge of orders was unexpected. They thought that Freckly Faces will have a short run because Richard would soon resume his work as a public speaker.

However, Sydney was placed on another longer lockdown so Richard pressed on with Freckly Faces chocolates and has been fulfilling bulk orders.

@autismmates
I love my new business ##autism ##onthejob ##smallbusiness ##sydneylockdown ##cadbury ##australiapost ##smallbusinessowner ##tiktokforbusiness_anz ##fyp
♬ Fancy Like – Walker Hayes

Freckly Faces Autism Mates Richard — Photo Credit: Autism MATES

At 4 years old, Richard was officially diagnosed in the autism spectrum and his family was often told he will encounter many obstacles. The young man never allowed these obstacles to defeat him.

Amidst the bullying and exclusion he experienced in a mainstream school, Richard was able to finish Year 12. Because of his disability, Richard could not speak eloquently but he’s now a paid orator and has been an inspiration for those who have listened to his speeches, whether they are in the spectrum or not. His mother said that people listen to Richard because he speaks with authenticity.

Though aware that he could never have a 9 to 5 job, Richard has accomplished a lot at a young age by becoming a part-time teacher’s aide in Randwick, providing voiceovers for NDIS materials, amassing thousands of followers on social media, and creating his animated program, Timmy The Turtle.

Most of the people who helped Richard put the program together are from the spectrum. Now, he can add “entrepreneur” to his list of impressive accomplishments.

To order Freckly Faces, which come in 8cm and 11cm diameter, visit the online shop.

‘Tell A Scientist’ If You See Pygmy Blue Whales in Maroubra, Expert Urges

A wildlife scientist from Macquarie University is urging the public to say something on social media if they see pygmy blue whales off the coast of Maroubra.

The expert, Vanessa Pirotta, has launched a new study into the six verified sightings of the elusive marine animal in the last 18 years after drones tracked pygmy blue whales in Maroubra two times in 2020. These have been rare opportunities for a species classified as a poorly studied, “data deficient” animal.

Ms Pirotta said that the pygmy blue whales are quite a challenge to study because they are not as accessible compared to dolphins despite being the biggest animal in the world. Whilst scientists have devised many techniques to learn about these whales, the work, so far, has been limited and focused on small areas.

Highlights

Two rare sightings of pygmy blue whales happened in Maroubra in 2020 within two months.
This prompted scientist Vanessa Pirotta to conduct a new study as she urged the public to sound off if they see the whales on Maroubra’s coast.
Pygmy blue whales are the largest animals in the world but they are so elusive that scientists have a hard time gathering data.

“We don’t know much about pygmy blue whale presence in other parts of Australian waters, such as the east coast,” the scientist said. “The more information we know, the better we’re placed to assess their conservation needs. But focusing our efforts on species we know nothing about may require a conservative approach until we learn more.”

Pygmy blue whales are protected by the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act as a threatened species, and internationally by the International Whaling Commission and the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species. Ms Pirotta said they need more data to uphold these protections and safeguard the animals from threats, such as overfishing, ship collisions, climate change, and human activities in the water.

The scientist said that they still do not know the type of pygmy blue whales that were spotted in 2020.

“So, the next time you are by the sea, keep a look out and tell a scientist via social media if you see something interesting,” Ms Pirotta urged. “You just never know when the world’s biggest, or shiest, animal may turn up out of the blue.”

After Mobiles, Cameras Detecting Seatbelt Offences Tested in NSW

Cameras detecting illegal phone use among Sydney drivers, which were rolled out in 2020, will be testing the detection of seatbelt offences. About 45 of these devices, both portable and fixed, are installed across NSW, including the one on Anzac Parade in Moore Park.

In a statement, Transport for NSW said that it will continue to find ways to use new technology to make the roads safer. With the success of the Mobile Phone Detection Camera Program, the state now wants to look into seatbelt use.

“It makes sense to see if the same cameras can be used to tackle other high risk behaviours known to result in significant road trauma. The technology is now being tested to help assess if it can reliably identify potential offences and meet rigorous NSW Government performance requirements.”

Penalty for Seatbelt Offences

Currently, the penalty for seatbelt offences is $349 and three demerit points. Drivers with two or more unrestrained passengers will lose six demerit points and incur a fine between $697 to $1123.

“The outcomes of the testing will be considered by the NSW Government before any decisions are made about next steps.”

An average of 30 deaths and 90 injuries of drivers and passengers per year occur on NSW’s roads because they did not have their seatbelts strapped. These accidents are largely preventable with proper seatbelt use.

Mobile Phone Detection Camera Review

Consequently, NSW is also reviewing the Mobile Phone Detection Camera Program and its enforcement following a public consultation between 25 May to 9 July 2021.

Some of the key areas of these cameras are found in the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Prospect, Nowra and at Anzac Parade in Moore Park. The cameras’ locations may also be verified on the NSW Service site. Locals may also nominate a site for potential camera installation.

During the trial and warning period, 304 Maroubra residents had to keep their car in the garage to avoid committing a double penalty after the cameras caught the drivers with mobile phones in their hands.

Across Sydney, these are the suburbs with the most frequent offenders.

Merrylands – 385
St Clair – 382
Guildford – 316
Auburn – 313
Penrith – 312
Maroubra – 304
Mount Druitt – 272
Mascot – 263
Coogee – 249
Greenacre – 246

However, in late 2020, the warning signs to indicate that there are detection cameras nearby were removed. Three months later, the number of fines in relation to mobile phone use whilst driving tripled.

The penalty for mobile phone use whilst driving is $349 ($464 in a school zone) and five demerit points. Repeat offenders incur 10 demerit points.

Whilst the controversial decision to do away with the signs increased the state’s revenue because of the collected fines, angry drivers have tried to remove the road cameras with hammers and other tools to avoid paying the penalties. NSW Police Minister David Elliot said that he understood the anger but the public has to see that the rules and fines are implemented for their own safety.

The detection cameras have been developed by Alex Jannink of Acusensus who lost a friend in 2013 in a road crash caused by a distracted driver in the U.S.

COVID-19 Fragments Detected in Maroubra Sewage as New Exposure Site List Grows

On the same day that the lockdown in Greater Sydney, the Central Coast, the Blue Mountains, Wollongong, and Shellharbour was announced, a public health alert was issued for residents of Maroubra, Auburn, Lough Park, St Marys, West Camden and Ireland Park after fragments of COVID-19 were detected in their sewage network.

The NSW Health said that locals in these areas should be “vigilant for any symptoms that could signal COVID” and self-isolate as soon as possible if they are exhibiting cough, runny nose, sore throat and fever.

The Maroubra sewage network serves over 90,500 homes and establishments in the following Eastern Sydney suburbs, which have entered into a lockdown from 25 June to 9 July 2021, along with Greater Sydney:

Bondi Junction
Bronte
Centennial Park
Clovelly
Coogee
Daceyville
Eastlakes
Kensington
Kingsford
Maroubra
Matraville
Moore Park
Paddington
Pagewood
Queens Park
Randwick
Rosebery
South Coogee
Waverley
Woollahra

In addition to the sewage detection, health officials have also expanded the list of COVID-19 exposure sites.

⚠️PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER⚠️
👉 Stay at home orders extended to all of Greater Sydney, Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour.
👉 Restrictions apply to the rest of NSW
🔗 For more information, head to https://t.co/rH9BQjnpBk pic.twitter.com/rn4Kq0GRBF
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) June 26, 2021

Anyone who has been in these venues is considered a “close contact” and must get tested and isolate for 14 days regardless of their test results.

View the specific case locations

⚠️PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT – FURTHER VENUES⚠️

NSW Health has been notified of additional venues across Sydney visited by confirmed cases of #COVID19. pic.twitter.com/mtaWk5DpuY
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) June 26, 2021

If their symptoms progress, they may call 1800 943 553 or any of these agencies for assistance:

Lifeline Australia 13 11 14
Kids Helpline 1800 551 800
NSW Mental Health Line 1800 011 511

Sydneysiders are also urged to regularly check NSW Health for succeeding alerts and updates.

Your Feedback Needed for the Revised Heffron Park Plan of Management

A revised Plan of Management (PoM) for Heffron Park in Maroubra has been released for public exhibition. Residents affected by this change to the PoM, which had originally been adopted in 2009, may express their support or objection to the recategorisation by submitting a feedback form.

The execution of the revised PoM is in line with the requirements of the NSW Crown Land Management Act 2016 covering all community lands, such as Heffron Park. The PoM enables better planning and governance for the use of such a public place.

According to Randwick City Council, the previous PoM’s major projects have been completed thus the need for recategorisation to:

better protect small areas of planting that is now categorised as ‘natural area: bushland’;
identify an area near the remnant sand dune to be categorised as park as this better describes its appropriate use; and
apply the category of ‘community use’ on the Heffron Centre precinct which most appropriately reflects the intended future use of the facility.

Heffron Park is Randwick City Council’s largest sporting facility and has been used for various events and leisure activities. Formerly used as storage area for the Navy during World War II, the park was turned over for Council’s management as a public recreation site in 1959.

The new PoM comes following the approval of the construction of a new indoor sports centre for the South Sydney Rabbitoh in March 2021.

Printed copies of the PoM are may be seen at the following exhibition sites or online:

Des Renford Leisure Centre in Heffron Park
Randwick Council Customer Service Centre, 30 Frances St, Randwick
Lionel Bowen Library, 669-673 Anzac Parade, Maroubra
Margaret Martin Library, Royal Randwick Shopping Centre, Randwick
Malabar Community Library, 1203 Anzac Parade, Matraville

The community may lodge their submission at council@randwick.nsw.gov.au or through the online feedback form until 27 July 2021.

Cotton Buds Ban Pushed to Safeguard Malabar Wastewater Treatment Plant

Did you know that plastic cotton buds are a major cause of damage and deterioration of the Malabar Wastewater Treatment Plant? Unfortunately, many Sydney locals don’t dispose of this basic cosmetic item properly, resulting in a serious problem at the wastewater facility.

According to Malabar Wastewater Treatment Plant general manager, Maryanne Graham, used plastic cotton buds or Q-tips and tiny wet wipes flushed down the toilet end up in Sydney Water’s pipes and screening equipment, leading to clogs, damage and backflows.

These items are non-biodegradable and will remain solid for a number of years, which means that they can easily combine with other debris, such as oils and fats, flowing and filling up the pipelines.

Thus, New South Wales Environment Minister Matt Kean is advocating to ban plastic cotton buds permanently, alongside single-use lightweight bags, straws and stirrers.

“The single-use items we are phasing-out will stop an estimated 2.7 billion items of plastic litter from ending up in our environment and waterways over the next 20 years,” the minister said.

“We can’t keep sending our scraps to languish in landfill when there are huge opportunities to turn our trash into treasure.

“Under our plans, every household will have access to a separate bin for their food and organic waste for the first time in NSW. This will not only deliver on our commitment to achieve zero emissions from organics in landfill by 2030, but will also grow our economy by extracting more resources like biogas from our waste.”

A transition phase introducing new products as well as an education drive will be underway before the phase-outs are in effect. The State Government will invest $356 million in this campaign for the next five years, which will be divided across local councils.

“We want NSW to be a leader when it comes to reducing waste, maximising recycling and protecting our environment, but we want to do it in a way that drives job creation and innovation,” Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.

St Mary St Joseph Primary in Maroubra to Undergo a $10 Million Makeover

The St Mary St Joseph Primary School in Maroubra has been given the green light to undergo a $10-million renovation after a year of assessment with the planning panel.

In July 2020, the school lodged a development application (DA/259/2020) with the Randwick City Council, detailing plans to demolish three buildings and the existing playground area, create a new two-storey building block, and refurbish two other buildings with “Aspect classrooms.”

The development also includes additions or improvements to the playground, landscaping, pedestrian path, and other amenities. Once completed, the school community shall benefit from new state-of-the-art learning areas, a bigger library, a new basketball court, and improved rooms for the staff and teaching unit.

BEFORE the re-development
Photo Credit: Development Application

AFTER the re-development
Photo Credit: Development Application

The upgrade is the biggest development project in 10 years as the school’s population grows. Principal John Farrell expects the construction work to finish by 2024.

Prior to the approval of the development, members of the Sydney Eastern City Planning Panel visited and inspected the site in May 2021. Per the panel’s unanimous decision to approve the application:

“The Panel is satisfied the proposed development will provide improved facilities for the school and community while at the same time maintaining the number of students at 440 and 30 teachers. The Panel considers the application worthy of approval and it will not result in any unreasonable impacts.”

Founded in 1935 by the Brigidine Sisters, St Mary St Joseph Primary School in Maroubra proud to be a low-fee Catholic school that exemplifies the Brigidine tradition of “strength and gentleness.”