Community

All hail new taxi plans (September 2005)

Some drivers still think it is Ok to drink and drive despite all the anti drink driving promotional material.

Back into the fray, chaps (August 2005)

North Ryde resident and former Prisoner of War Joyce Bradbury heads to China to celebrate 60 years since her 1945 liberatation.

Bank turns two (November 2005)

Turramurra Community Bank branch celebrates its second birthday.

Blue Gums here to stay (September 2005)

The Blue Gum High Forest Ecological Community has finally been listed as 'critically endangered' under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

Chalk the walk (November 2005)

A local artist is preparing to turn a functioning bridge into a work of art. The Observer speaks to one of the participants of the pavement art festival.

Commonly denominating (August 2005)

150 school students will take part in the Great Engineering Challenge at the University of New South Wales during Engineering Week.

Discrimination on four wheels (August 2005)

A new levy introduced by North Sydney Council is designed to keep off-road vehicles off the city roads.

GetUp for a change, voters (September 2005)

The seat of Bradfield may be the safest Liberal party seat in Australia — with a two party preferred vote of 73 per cent — but GetUp campaigner Toby Brennan thinks the month-old political movement still has a place on the North Shore.

Ita's grip on the little man (July 2005)

Hornsby and District Chamber of Commerce and Industry will host the Australia Post Small Business Awards Cocktail Party Launch with former publisher of the Australian Women's Weekly, Ita Buttrose.

Jazz kids finally get break (August 2005)

Australia's leading trumpet player James Morrison will visit Killara High School to assist Concert Band 1 in their rehearsals for an upcoming tour to Hawaii.

Keeping things in order (July 2005)

Lindfield scientists will head to Paris this September to represent Australia at the bi-annual committee meeting of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures.

Killara lads physics kings (September 2005)

Killara High School studnets win first place in the Great Engineering Challenge held at the University of New South Wales.

KYDS art show (December 2005)

Art exhibition raises funds for Ku-ring-gai Youth Development Service (KYDS).

Made in Eastwood (October 2005)

70,000 people are expected to turn up to the 20th Granny Smith Festival this month. We look at the history of Maria Smith's famous apple.

Mayor Malicki (October 2005)

Elaine Malicki secured the mayorship of Ku-ring-gai last month with a draw from the hat following a five all tie with the incumbent mayor Adrienne Ryan.

Ode to young wordsmiths (September 2005)

Entries for the this year's Dorothea MacKellar Poetry Awards have reached unprecedented numbers.

Perspectives in print (October 2005)

A new photography exhibition is giving children with cerebral palsy the opportunity to show us the world through their eyes.

Pokie allegation "a total beat-up" (November 2005)

Pokie machine operators in Ku-ring-gai and Hornsby have rejected claims by The Daily Telegraph that they tweak their machines to ensure the lowest payouts in the state.

Remove your bats (July 2005)

Gordon Bats are facing the threat of eviction after living in the area since the 1960s.

Resident groups, a resource not a problem (November 2005)

Mayor of Ku-ring-gai, Elaine Malicki opens Planning Committee meetings to the general public.

Respect through celluloid (August 2005)

Two groups of filmmakers from Killara High School have won prizes in the final of the Future Visions 4x5 Young Filmmakers Competition.

Secateurs at the ready (July 2005)

Ravenswood School for Girls is hosting the 36th Annual NSW Camellia Research Society Show.

Small business leaned on (July 2005)

Workers and union representatives demand Pymble developer Concord Constructions to pay almost $200,000 which is owed to Hopeshore, a small earthmoving family business.

Still no solution: UTS (November 2005)

After much publicity and controversy regarding the possible rezoning of the Ku-ring-gai campus, UTS says it is "in no rush to resolve this quickly."

The deals on the bus (September 2005)

More and more private bus companies are signing on to the State Government's controversial reform contracts.

The future: concrete trees (August 2005)

Most residents in St Ives, Turramurra, Gordon, Pymble, Roseville and Lindfield don't realise that their town centres are about to undergo significant transformation.

Therapeutic puppets (September 2005)

The students at Hornsby North Public School were treated to some special visitors of an unusual kind on August 25.

Treating mum's bums (August 2005)

Less than Six months after the Observer asked for volunteers, a local post-natal and ante-natal depression support group called POSIE has held its inaugural meeting.

Village Vs supermarket (November 2005)

Inadequate community consultation by Ku-ring-gai council has again led to bad planning, this time for Turramurra Town Centre, says Turramurra Uniting Church.

Waste not, water not (July 2005)

The State Government is allowing Ku-ring-gai Council to use residents' money to save its water by using recycled stormwater to irrigate 10 local ovals and two public gardens.

Watch your vans (July 2005)

Ku-ring-gai Police are warning residents to take extra precautions with the security of their work vehicles such as utilities, vans and four-wheel-drives when parking them overnight.

We haven't reached a verdict your Honour (December 2005)

Changes to the industrial relations legislation are likely to further erode the right to a fair trial according to the NSW Law Society.

We want a share of GST: councils (November 2005)

Research just released by Northern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (NSROC) forecasts population growth will damage the environment, cause traffic gridlock and spark demand for services and infrastructure which local councils cannot fund.

"Yes Councillor" (December 2005)

The British comedy "Yes, Minister" doesn't appear to be that far from the truth as the bureaucrats of Ku-ring-gai Council appear to outwit councillors at every turn in their planning for the development of their town centres.

The proof is in the polling (October 2005)

 

Are cops really tops? (May 2005)

The Australian Institute of Criminology last month released figures claiming that crime rates in Australia are on the decline, with significant drops in property offences and a reduction in a range of crimes from sexual assault to fraud.

Kids and elderly the new target of mobile madness (May 2005)

 

Why do you build me up? (May 2005)

 

Public and private surgery partnership (May 2005)

 

Ku-ring-gai Council: impregnable (April 2005)

 

Banking on the community (April 2005)

 

North Shore buses at the crossroads? (March 2005)

The collapse of Westbus has raised serious concerns that other private bus companies could soon follow suit, including the two main North Shore operators Forest Coachlines and Shorelink.

Lindfield Heights: remedied or risky? (February 2005)

 

No Horse Play: It's The Camels (September 2005)

 

Where's my damned encore? (August 2005)

 

Look ma, I'm on CCTV (August 2005)

 

Loose in the system (July 2005)

 

Council joins residents in fight for old bowling green (June 2005)

 

Which way to Budapest? (June 2005)

 

And please, try the duck (May 2005)

 

Youth in service (April 2005)

 

Reporting for duty (April 2005)

 

Eye on the overhead: power lines are here to stay (March 2005)

 

Roseville businesses are ignoring footpath trading policy (February 2006)

Ku-ring-gai Council and Roseville business owners are set to come to blows over the new "Outdoor Dining and Footpath Trading Policy" which council initiated last September.

Nelson's defence (February 2006)

For the 13 of the past 14 defence ministers the promotion was their very last. Will Brendan Nelson survive the curse?

Don the dutiful (February 2006)

 

Cool crisp designs (February 2006)

Almost one-third of the designs selected from New South Wales to be displayed as part of the Powerhouse Museum's DesignTECH exhibit are from schools in Sydney's North Shore.

Heritage ravaged (March 2006)

After the loss of another heritage item, short of throwing themselves in front of bulldozers, local residents are wondering what it will take to protect Ku-ring-gai’s history.

The bridge that saved the North now overlooked (March 2006)

 

Running for Roseville (March 2006)

What drives candidates to step into the ring of fire that is local politics? We talk to three of the brave four running for election in the upcoming Roseville by-election.

North Shore Olympians shine in Turin (March 2006)

 

Brilliant minds gather in West Lindfield (March 2006)

 

Natural Collection (March 2006)

 

The killer may be in your home (April 2006)

 

New wave of talent emerges (April 2006)

 

300 standing but no ovation (April 2006)

 

This aint no forgery (April 2006)

England kicked him out for his crimes as a forger but in Australia he created what one expert has called "the most beautiful illustrations of Australia ever produced". We investigate the life and tragic death of Joseph Lycett.

Weeding Wonderland (May 2006)

Ku-ring-gai may be positioned in between three National Parks and be regarded as a place of national significance, but will the tourists pay to weed? Amelia Pulsford investigates.

Unreal 'reality' TV (May 2006)

 

Crossing Conundrum (June 2006)

Recent accidents have revealed protection mechanisms for kids safety around schools have more pot-holes than your average suburban street. The blame game is being played and we look at an issue that has serious repercussions for all.

Turkeys attack (June 2006)

Brush Turkey numbers are on a steady increase in the area, could this be the end of Ku-ring-gai’s gardens? We scratch the surface to find out why the bird is moving into the suburbs and what threat it actually poses.

Nurses say "we can manage" (June 2006)

The Royal North Shore Hospital is trying to reduce the input nurses have in the management and the nurses wont have any of it.

This is Australia ... Miss Australia (July 2006)

According to 2006 Miss Australia, if you want to see what Australia is really about you have to go to Sydney’s inner west. We speak to Sabrina Houssami about how living in Bankstown has grounded her as a person.

Just blame it on the State Government (July 2006)

With the December 2006 deadline for Ku-ring-gai town centres fast approaching, we ask whether the State Government has become an all too convenient scapegoat for some councillors.

Sphinx of Ku-ring-gai (July 2006)

You are dehydrated and dazed on a hot summer’s day, don’t panic if you come across the pyramids of Egypt, you haven’t lost your mind you are in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park.

Chorus of locals sing the shopping centre blues (August 2006)

 

Local parks go to the dogs (August 2006)

 

From Turramurra to the Thames (August 2006)

 

Epping Road changes to appease angry motorists (August 2006)

 

Walk with me, talk with me (August 2006)

Less than 4 per cent of men choose to be stay-at-home fathers. We speak to two dads who are defying social conventions.

Local Pools (January 2007)

The proposed Aquatic Leisure Centre is at the heart of a passionate political debate, Richie Black investigates

Ode to Ku-ring-gai (January 2007)

What many people know as the Gordon Road and others as the Lane Cove Road [Pacific Highway] may be likened to the string which carries a necklace of gems; every one of the residential centres through which it runs has a character and attraction of its own… Ku-ring-gai real estate agent, 1919. by Kym Agius

All about tolerance (January 2007)

The efforts of Ryde Council to hold a learning tolerance seminar is one way of bringing together people that don’t usually meet.

Unlocking Creativity (January 2007)

St Ives Community Access Service moves closer to establishing Australia’s first performing arts centre for the disabled. By Kylie Field.

The more things change (January 2007)

Peter Reddy’s digital art breaks traditional boundaries, fusing Art, Music and Technology, yet his work continues to capture the serene, contemplative beauty of the natural world. By Claire Aird