West Pittwater Rural Fire Brigade marked seven decades of community service at its 2026 AGM, welcoming Geoff Nimmo as Captain and paying tribute to Andrew Cutler after 13 years in the role.
On a beautiful, if chilly, Sunday morning, the Elvina Boat carried a special passenger across Pittwater to join West Pittwater Rural Fire Brigade for its 70th anniversary Annual General Meeting.
The Brigade’s fireboat is a hardworking operational appliance with few creature comforts, but Dr Sophie Scamps MP, Federal Independent Member for Mackellar, happily made the journey to the Elvina Bay Fire Shed for the occasion.
Her attendance was warmly appreciated by Brigade members. Dr Scamps spoke about the value of West Pittwater as a brigade and the important contribution its volunteers make to the resilience and safety of the western foreshore communities.
For a small, remote brigade, her decision to attend was itself regarded as a meaningful acknowledgement of the volunteers, past and present, who have protected the community for seven decades.
Dr Sophie Scamps MP, Federal Independent Member for Mackellar addresses AGM
The AGM was also attended by Superintendent Guy Baddock, Wes Brown, CISS Chaplain; Group Officers Sean McLoughlan and Kate Pinder; and Jim Boyle, Captain of Mackerel Beach Rural Fire Brigade.
Seventy years of community service
Opening his President’s report, Paddy Broughton reflected on the similarities and differences between the Brigade of 1956 and the organisation it has become today.
After reading the original minute books and talking to some of the Brigade’s “old timers”, Paddy concluded that one quality has remained constant: West Pittwater is still very much a community-driven organisation.
Brigade President Paddy Broughton opens proceedings
The Brigade began with residents wanting to protect themselves, their homes and their neighbours. Seventy years later, that same motivation remains at its heart.
What has changed is the growth of the wider NSW Rural Fire Service, which now provides the Brigade with training, equipment, resources, structure and specialist expertise.
“We provide the people power; the RFS provides the structure and expertise,” Paddy said.
He thanked members for the many different contributions that keep a volunteer brigade functioning—from responding to incidents and completing courses to doing the homework, maintaining equipment and washing up after fireshed dinners.
Paddy also recognised those who had taken on particular roles during the year, along with the Brigade’s strong group of Deputy Captains, many of whom have been trained and developed within West Pittwater.
The Brigade’s success and longevity, he said, are built on members continuing to turn up, take part and give their time.
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Mick at Mackerel
In June 2021 the Northern Beaches Council committed $3.2 million towards the wharves at Mackerel and Currawong beaches, and design for Church Point wharf. The upgrade for Mackerel Beach wharf was announced in the 2023/24 budget allocations as well.
The Great Mackerel Beach Wharf contract was awarded at the December 16 2025 council meeting to SMC Marine Pty Ltd for RFT 2025/001048 – Mackerel Beach Wharf Upgrade for the sum of $1,574,800 excluding GST. Works include extending the wharf by approximately 35m to approximately 105m total length to provide access at all tidal times for all users that complies with the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1992.
Key features of the proposed upgrade include:
- moving the wharf back to the area where it slopes to the wharf head
- extending the wharf by approximately 35m to approximately 105m total length to provide access at all tidal times for all users that complies with the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1992
- providing a dedicated bin storage area.
Week One August 2026: Issue 657 (Sunday August 2)
Profile of the Week William Harkin: On Pawfetchers - for those who like to keep their dogs safeWilliam Harkin, a 16-year old entrepreneur from Freshwater, recently spoke to the news service about a project he's developed for all who have a pet that likes to take itself off for walkies while they're at home worrying about where their dog or cat may be.
This is not just for those whose furry companion has that independent nature, it's also for those who may have a dog that can bolt when frightened by something.
Pawfetchers helps you to locate your furry loved one and bring them home where they will be safe. With so many dogs going missing across Australia each year, this is a practical and easy solution.
Pawfetchers is a Pittwater-based small business started to solve a real problem for dog owners — keeping pets safe with a waterproof, secure holder for AirTags and GPS trackers that attaches to any standard collar. Everything is designed for the Australian outdoors: fully waterproof, and available in 14 colours.
Available at: pawfetchers.com
Purchasers have said:
"Excellent product!. My dog is tiny but this fits him without being too bulky, the colour choices were good and the product is soft but sturdy. Their customer service was exceptional. I will be recommending this product to fellow pet owners as I’m very satisfied with their quality and service."
"Fast shipping, great packaging, and the product itself is exactly what I needed. Very happy."
This week, William explains where the idea came from and how it works.
North Palm Beach SLSC club is celebrating its 80th Anniversary this coming September and has put a call out to current and past members to attend. Details are:
We are celebrating 80 years of North Palmy SLSC!!
Park Bench Philosophers CEDA NSW State of the State Keynote Address: Given by The Hon. Chris Minns, Premier of NSW
Inbox News More than 80% of kids still using social media despite ban, new eSafety report finds, How can I check my offset account is collecting the savings it should?, Chasing unpaid wages is slow and expensive. Is a new Fair Work Court the answer?, Does regular exercise stop you getting sick in Winter?, Teens want more advice about navigating consent but teachers’ sex ed skills are falling short, New Kidney Care Centre opens at Prince of Wales Hospital, Wallerawang Power Station site set for major transformation, Callan Park dives into a new era in time for Summer, First Blue Plaque Trail commemorates the 1965 Freedom Ride, Misleading and high pressure unsolicited sales practices widespread: ACCC, More low-income Australians to benefit from low or no-fee bank accounts, Harvey Norman and Latitude ordered to pay combined $55 million penalties for misleading customers, Thinking of posting pictures of your child online? Ask these 4 questions first, Want to break free from big tech? ‘Self‑hosting’ could be the answer, South Sudan’s first election won’t be perfect – but another delay could be even riskier
Events Vietnam Veterans Day (Northern) 2026, North Palmy Surf Club Anniversary Celebrations Author Talks, PNHA Walks, Music at all compass points, Markets, Social Groups + more on!
Food Silver beet - Spinach
Silver beet and Spinach is in season now, and like all seasonal crops, rises to keep balance in all that may ail thee throughout every season of every year. High in Vitamin C as well as Vitamin A, this leafy green vegetable will support your immune system through the sniffle season and act as de-tox for all those other poisons that may arise during the last month of winter.
This Issue a range of silver beet and spinach recipes which you can serve as mains or side dishes. The classic Spanikopita is also delicious cold.
Community News Congratulations Charlie Verco!, Friends of Narrabeen Lagoon Catchment August Forum - AGM, SAREX Training Day at Whale Beach, Bayview Wharf and Tidal Pool - construction update, Notice of Works: Submarine Cable Installation Palm Beach to Umina Beach, NSW Rural Fire Service Support Sent to France, $120M in public support delivers benefits for RFS members, Tree vandalised at Balmoral, Get Ready Weekend 2026: 19-20 Sept., El Niño firmly established as tropical Pacific continues to warm, Victory in the Pacific Day Commemoration, Cybercrime Squad detectives charge nurse following investigation into alleged data breach: Frenchs Forest, Indigo at Narrabeen: Update, Man charged following alleged copper theft: Central Coast, Mixed-Use Development- 1294-1300 Pittwater Road & 2-4 Albert Street Narrabeen; change from approved 12m uplift to 32metres and 9 storeys now proposed, Woman charged over alleged 13 shoplifting offences in North Shore, 2027 NSW Women's Week Grants, Infrastructure Grants: sport and recreation, Grants now open to prevent gender-based violence, Instrument of Revocation for Mosman SSD, Project Swift to cut red tape for NSW road projects, Careel Head Road NCAT Hearing Update: fundraiser launched, $5.5 million to keep our surf clubs beach ready, Monika's Doggie Rescue Pets of the Week: Pepito + Milo, Wakehurst Parkway: August Works Notification, Help make Pittwater a Declared Community Improvement District: MP for Pittwater, Help Make Local Sports More Accessible for Women: Pittwater MP's Petition, Marine Rescue Broken Bay Trivia Night, Construction begins on new Sydney war memorial for contemporary veterans and their families, Discover Sailing Day Resources Now Available, SheSails Resources, Council seeks input on refreshed Better Together 2040 Strategy, Stop Lies in Political Advertising: NSW Parliament Petition, SNB Surf Sports Calendar for 2026-2027, Community Workshop: TouchPoints, Proposed road reserve closure adjoining 8 Aperta Place, Beacon Hill (Lot 7 DP 236335), Avalon Public School 75 Years, Vietnam Veterans Day (Northern) 2026, celebrating 80 years of North Palmy SLSC!!, Avalon Community Library Needs Volunteers, Griffin Encourages Local Organisations To Tap Into Grant Opportunity, Pittwater Residents Associations, Sports, Environment and Social Groups, Pittwater Offshore Newsletter, Local JP's, Report Wildlife
Environment NSW code Labelling native species 'invasive' responsible for loss of 3.2 million hectares of bushland, How retirees, beachcombers and communities help scientists track everything from threatened species to algal blooms, More than half of Earth’s migratory bird species are declining – here’s how we can still save them, Genetically diverse seeds to restore rare River Red Gum population, Have Your Say On: Barwon–Darling Floodplain Management + Gwydir Valley Floodplain Management Plan + Hunter Water operating licence review, Western Sydney’s newest National Park revealed: Gulguer National Park, National Parks protect Southern Right Whales with new ‘stay away’ distance of up to 500 metres, Scuba divers underestimate how much damage they do to coral reefs – we’ve watched hundreds to find out why, Falls in whale sightings, rare seabirds appearing – is something unusual happening in the Southern Ocean?, PNHA Activities 2026, Has the government failed to protect Torres Strait culture from rising seas? The full Federal Court is about to decide, Media coverage of environmental disasters doesn’t come with a content warning. It’s time for change, Scabies can kill animals like the beloved wombat. What’s the best way to diagnose it?, We revisited a forest experiment that lay forgotten for 30 years. What we found was astounding, Flash droughts pull ‘alarming’ amounts of moisture from the landscape and intensify wildfires: new research, What two centuries of Perth storm records tell us about future climate risk, Batteries are getting cheaper while gas gets pricier. Here’s why, The dangerous climate driving California’s wildfires — and a warning for Australia, ‘The fire has such power’: why the wildfires gripping France and Spain are off the charts, Can we alter ocean chemistry to absorb carbon? Here are the pros and cons, Fire can destroy peatlands. But in Australia, it can also help protect them, Australia hasn’t built an oil refinery in decades. But that could change, Mona Vale Dunes bushcare group: 2026, Bangalley Headland WPA Bushcare 2026, Sydney Wildlife Needs People for the Rescue Line, 2025-26 Seal Reveal underway, 622kg of Rubbish Collected from Local Beaches: Adopt your local beach program, This Tick Season: Freeze it - don't squeeze it, Protect wildlife: dispose of fishing gear responsibly, Notice of 1080 Poison Baiting, Volunteers for Barrenjoey Lighthouse Tours needed, Johnson Brothers Mitre 10 Recycling Batteries: at Mona Vale + Avalon Beach, Reporting Dogs Offleash - Dog Attacks to Council, Plastic Bread Ties For Wheelchairs, Stay Safe From Mosquitoes, Mountain Bike Incidents On Public Land, Report fox sightings, marine wildlife rescue group on the Central Coast, Possums In Your Roof?: do the right thing, Aviaries + Possum Release Sites Needed, Bushcare in Pittwater: where + when, Friends Of Narrabeen Lagoon Catchment Activities, Pittwater Gardens, Environment Groups and Organisations in Pittwater, Ringtail Posses, Pittwater Environment History insights + Walks, Birds +
Children Sunday Cartoon and Animations This week: Wallace & Gromit: Cracking Contraption Fails, Womens Racing Team Sets Sail for Inaugural New York Championship, 2026/27 Basil Sellers Scholars Announced: Congratulations Willa & Austin! - Free Cricket workshop coming up at Narrabeen, North Narrabeen to Palm Beach: Late 1960's to late 1970's, How Australia Built Cars: Inside a 1960s Automotive Factory, 2026 Premier's Reading Challenge, Book Returned to Kiama Library 150 Years after it was borrowed: Family History Month 2026, Curious Kids: Why are we ticklish? + What makes muscles contract? A physiologist explains how muscles move + How do we know what dinosaurs looked like?, Stories this week: This little piggy had Waffles! + 'A Bad Case of Stripes' read by Sean Astin, Local activities-clubs for you
Youth Congratulations Charlie Verco!, Womens Racing Team Sets Sail for Inaugural New York Championship, 2026/27 Basil Sellers Scholars Announced: Congratulations Willa & Austin!, Book Returned to Kiama Library 150 Years after it was borrowed: Family History Month 2026, North Narrabeen to Palm Beach: Late 1960's to late 1970's, Opportunities: Youth Ambassador Program Applications now open + Nature Writing Prize 2026 Now Open to Enter + Young Filmmakers Comp 2026 + New Theatre Group seeks Volunteers + Wings & Tins Dee Why: Bands wanted! + 2026 Premier's Reading Challenge, Financial help for young people, School Leavers Support, Word Of The Week: Whiting, Australian poetry classics: Oodgeroo Noonuccal’s A Song of Hope created a legacy to build on, Why bad health information can seem so convincing – and five ways to resist it, Bali’s traditional boats embody centuries of maritime tradition – but they’re quickly disappearing, Why does singing feel so good? And is it good for your health?, Want to break free from big tech? ‘Self‑hosting’ could be the answer, In Homer’s epic, a bold princess helps Odysseus home – but not in Nolan’s film. Who is Nausicaa?, An abandoned SpaceX rocket is about to crash into the Moon. The real problem comes next, Tiny crystals from a 17th‑century shipwreck hold secrets of a global supply chain at the dawn of capitalism, Local Services for you
Seniors The doctor with the dog: Zelda’s special role at NBH, it’s time for older Pittwater residents to train like athletes, National Carer Strategy Annual Report is now available, Celebrating Dr Robyn Hardiman’s dedication to discovery, diagnosis and care for over forty years, Nature Writing Prize 2026 Now Open to Enter, Easy access to public transport discounts for 800,000 seniors, NSW Seniors Festival to spread far and wide in 2027: Grants close August 12, Avalon Community Library Needs Volunteers, AvPals Term 3 2026 Schedule, Older people’s media literacy can be boosted in just 60 minutes – new study, Vietnam Veterans Day (Northern) 2026, Why does singing feel so good? And is it good for your health?, Governments have a financial vested interest not to reform gambling laws. Here’s why, Local groups, clubs, events and services for you
Aquatics World Champions and Rising Stars Named in 2026 Para Irukandjis Team: 2026 ISA World Para Surfing Championships + August Comp. at Mona Vale details - all welcome!
DIY Ideas DIY Fathers' Day ideas + August Garden Jobs
Pictures Mackerel Beach Wharf, Pittwater, Wharf Upgrade works + Dune Renewal: Pictorial Update
