WELLBEING• SENIorS CorNEr• travEL • HoME & GarDEN • fooD & WINE • SportS APRIL 2013 - FREE takE a BrEak IN BaLI IS orGaNIC fooD Catherine WortH tHE CoSt? MySchool Data: WHat It Mack tELLS uS aBout oN LIfE & SuMMEr Bay NortH SHorE SCHooLS SCHooL HoLIDay BorEDoM 10 BuStErS For everything you need in your bathroom With an extensive range of bathroom furniture, fixtures and fittings from big name manufacturers like Methven, Phoenix and Roca, you’ll find everything you need in the one place at Bathroomware House. Our showrooms are staffed * by qualified bathroom designers who can help you make the perfect selection, Special: 20% off vanities and tapware and our already low prices are backed by a price match guarantee. To see for The best in bathrooms yourself how easy it can be to get everything you need in your bathroom, visit our showroom in Sydney, or our website at bathroomwarehouse.com.au Crows Nest – 188 Willoughby Rd, 02 9437 5001 Australia-wide: 1300 788 653 *In stores and online. Excludes some brands. Conditions apply. Trading hours: Mon–Fri: 8.30am–5.00pm, Sat: 9.00am–3.00pm bathroomwarehouse.com.au For everything you need in your bathroom With an extensive range of bathroom furniture, fixtures and fittings from big name manufacturers like Methven, Phoenix and Roca, you’ll find everything you need in the one place at Bathroomware House. Our showrooms are staffed * by qualified bathroom designers who can help you make the perfect selection, Special: 20% off vanities and tapware and our already low prices are backed by a price match guarantee. To see for The best in bathrooms yourself how easy it can be to get everything you need in your bathroom, visit our showroom in Sydney, or our website at bathroomwarehouse.com.au Crows Nest – 188 Willoughby Rd, 02 9437 5001 Australia-wide: 1300 788 653 *In stores and online. Excludes some brands. Conditions apply. Trading hours: Mon–Fri: 8.30am–5.00pm, Sat: 9.00am–3.00pm bathroomwarehouse.com.au CONTENTS LOCAL NEWS 6 - 15 FROM THE TEAM 40 CHILD SAFETY - Police urge parents to teach This month spirits have been high 00 children strategies to deal with “strangers” ............... 11 at the Sydney Observer. Not on- ARCHIBALD PRIZE - Roseville resident, Guy Morgan, ly have chocolate bunnies been reaches finals ............................................................................12 flowing through the office, we TERRACOTTA WARRIORS - Hornsby meet with have also been working on a delegates from friendship city Xi’an ..............................14 new look for the magazine. ON THE AGENDA 16 - 17 While experimenting with col- MY SCHOOL DATA - Schools on the North Shore out our and over indulging in choco- perform the NSW state average in NAPLAN .............16 late has been fun, we also found PROFILE 18 - 19 the time to touch on some more CATHERINE MACK - We chat with Home and Away serious issues. star about her Logie nomination .....................................18 We take an in depth look at EDUCATION 20 - 27 the latest MySchool data to de- ABC’S &1,2,3’S - When is the prime time to start termine how the North Shore’s teaching your child basic skills? .....................................20 public and private schools ESSAY PRIZE - Knox Grammar student wins national fare against each other, and 00 12 prize for Australian history essay .....................................25 schools in other parts of Sydney SCHOOL HOLIDAY SPECIAL - Fun things to do with (p. 16). 44 kids during the break ............................................................26 In preparation for the next set of school holidays we have also LIFESTYLE 28 - 45 00 put together a survival guide for Seniors Corner • Wellbeing parents and kids, to ensure fami- Home & Garden•Food & Wine • Travel lies make the most of their time off ANZAC SPECIAL - Major General Gordon Maitland (p. 26). discusses his decorated army career .......................30 So enjoy the holidays, en- SUN SAFETY - Adolescents keep tanning despite joy the magazine and let us the risk of skin cancer ..........................................................35 00 know what you think about our ROOM TRANSFORMATIONS - Fun ways to bring new new look! life into a room ........................................................................36 WELLBEING• SENIorS CorNEr• travEL • HoME & GarDEN • fooD & WINE • SportS MOTHer’s dAY IDEAS - Treat mum to a glamorous APRIL 2013 - FREE high tea this Mother’s Day .................................................40 DISCOVER BLISS IN BALI - Inspiration for your next island getaway ........................................................................44 SPORTS 46 - 47 TAKE A BREAK BOBBIN HEAD CLASSIC CYCLE - 1,700 cyclists gather IN BALI IS ORGANIC FOOD to raise funds for charity .......................................................46 Catherine WORTH THE COST? MySchool Data: WHAT IT Ma c k TELLS US ABOUT ON LIFE & SUMMER BAY NORTH SHORE WHAt’s ON, GIVEAWAYS & PUZZLES 48 - 51 SCHOOLS SCHOOL HOLIDAY 00 BO R E D O M 36 1 0 BUSTERS PUBLISHED BY: Kamdha Pty. Ltd. SYDNEY OBSERVER is a monthly magazine published DISTRIBUTION by PMP Distribution by Kamdha Pty Ltd (ABN 97 098 661 959). Sydney SENIOR JOURNALIST: Rose Moloney Observer magazine, its Publisher and Editor, hereby Sydney Observer is distributed to all Ku-ring-gai plus selected ([email protected]) expressly disclaim to the full extent permitted by the adjacent areas of Hornsby, Lane Cove and Willoughby. Additional CONTRIBUTORS: Mark Carter, Kaitlin Coleman, law, all and any liability arising from any negligence copies are available from local libraries, selected retail outlets and whatsoever of the Publishers including damage, council offices. We personally deliver to businesses in most suburban Jonathan O’Dea, Kieran Gair, Kate Lilly, Dugald shopping areas in order to remain community-focused and personal. Mackenzie, Elaine Malicki, Hugh Meyers, Patrick consequential damages, liability, expenses, costs to McAuley, Miranda Middleton & Ian Sweeney any person and/or business/company arising from HOME, COMMERCIAL AND BULK DELIVERY any action or inaction by any person in connection • Chatswood • North Wahroonga • Turramurra DESIGNER: Emily Fraser with any copy or arising from reliance on any copy • East Killara • Pymble • Wahroonga ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE: Kaye Willatt which is published or failed to be published by the • East Lindfield • Roseville • Waitara ([email protected]) Publishers. The copyright of all material published • Gordon • Roseville Chase • Warrawee in the Sydney Observer magazine is owned by the • Killara • South Turramurra • West Pymble SALES CONSULTANT: Melissa Borg and Ros Dodd Publisher, Kamdha Pty Ltd, and must not be used ([email protected]) • Lindfield • St Ives • Willoughby in any form without the written permission of the • North Turramurra • St Ives Chase BOOKING DEADLINE: 20th of the month publisher. This copyright includes all advertisements unless photo-ready material is provided by the P (02) 9884 8699 • F (02) 9884 8799 COMMERCIAL AND BULK DROP advertiser. • Beecroft • Normanhurst • Pennant Hills ADDRESS: PO Box 420, Killara NSW 2071 www.kamdha.com • Epping • North Epping • Thornleigh PRINTED BY: PMP • Hornsby • St Leonards • 4 SYDNEY OBSERVER |APRIL 2013 sydneyobserver.com o’hair Book Mum in for any treatment and get 15% off. GORDON LEBANESE CUISINE L’image Skin Care & WAXING 25-50% off Dermalogica Products GORDON MASSAGE UNION Treat Mum to a massage this Mother’s Day. HAMPSTEAD HOUSE A wide range of gift ideas for Mum with friendly and helpful service. COPPERFIELD ANTIQUES Beautiful Mother’s Day gifts. Special offer of 15% off all jewellery for the month of May. All items recently purchased in London. BAR FRESKO GORDON VILLAGE Open for breakfast & lunch FRUIT MARKET on Mother’s Day. Bookings essential. Ph: 9418 2099 NORTH SHORE TRAVEL THE FEBRUARY CAFE Spoil Mum with a trip away. SUSHI VILLAGE Celebrate Mother’s Day at Gordon Village Arcade Treat Mum to a delicious breakfast or spoil her with a beauty treatment or a trip away. The Gordon Village Arcade has everything for you to tell Mum how much you love her. 767 Pacific Hwy Gordon NSW 2072 | (02) 9491 8200 | www.gordoncentre.com.au AUSTRALIA POST BODY SENSE SOLUTIONS INTEGRITY COLOUR PHOTOS Gift vouchers available. LOCAL NEWS | OPINION (HAVE SOMETHING ON YOUR MIND? TELL US IN 300 WORDS AND SEND IT TO [email protected]) RIDE THE WAVE OF CHANGE by Cr Elaine Malicki* this modern new centre. While it has had made but do not get involved in the process continue to frustrate me. Notably has been Ku-ring-gai is going through very our Ward Summits the works at the mall exciting times and I want to share that its detractors, it was fascinating that at consultations which I attended supported with you. residents from other areas asking for similar thePhillip shopkeepers’ Mall at West ideas Pymble, for the changes.where many Though we may not appreciate the units improvements.were almost universally praised, with While we appreciate constructive We have purchased the old SUN building the consequential developer contributions havemushrooming resulted inalong new andthe refurbishedPaciic Highway, parks chambers. I have sat in council meetings whencriticism, a project isn’t it betteris completed? to get involved Council when has and ovals. at 828 Paciic Hwy Gordon for new council manyCouncil options is planning, for people rather to than become complaining involved We have a new state-of-the-art Council not too long ago the roof fell in during a in decision making. We have a great