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Lightning Strikes Twice For Redfern Family

Luck must run in the family of this Redfern man who recently gained an unexpected $100,000 windfall, two decades after another family member received a similarly unexpected blessing!

Twenty years ago, the Redfern man watched with joy as another family member also gained a surprise windfall. He said it’s been mind-blowing to think that it has happened in their family again.

“I’m lost for words!” the winner said. “I had to check my ticket five times before I accepted the fact that I’d won $100,000.”

The Redfern man played the Lucky Lotteries Super Jackpot and his numbers were drawn on Friday 8 July 2022. He bought his winning entry from the Redfern Newsagency at 130 Redfern St.

The staff at Redfern Newsagency has been over the moon after learning that their outlet sold a major prize-winning ticket. They wished the winner all the best for the future.

That future will likely involve a home renovation, as the winner said he has thought of where the money should go. He’s been saving for the upgrade for some time but now he has the extra funds to finally get his renovation plans off the ground.

He’s also planning to take his family on a holiday in Italy.

“I love playing, but this time I went away from my usual strategy,” he said.

“If I hadn’t done that, who knows, you might be calling someone else with this incredible news.

“Thank you so much! This just goes to show anyone can win.”

Per The Lott, the current Mega Jackpot prize is now at $12.05 million and the Super Mega Jackpot prize is at $17.96 million.

Some 127 first prize winners have won since 2021 across Australia. Winners draw numbers unique to them so there is no chance of sharing prizes.

New Facility For Space Industry Start-ups Opens In Waterloo

Waterloo is now home to the Wolfpack Space Hub, a new facility which will provide incubation, training, and support for space industry start-ups.

Read: Inside Waterloo’s ‘Mastery,’ Australia’s First Japanese-themed Residential Community

The specialist hub at Wellington Street is for those building space tech manufacturing companies in the space industry focused on incubation, training, and support.

Created by space services provider Saber Aeronautics in collaboration with start-up developer TCG Group, the facility has a manufacturing laboratory for space startups to rapidly prototype and experiment with flight hardware products, allowing them to quickly and safely iterate new designs for spacecraft, robotics, and satellite components, according to an announcement.

According to Saber Astronautics, Australia has been a breeding ground for new startups since 2016. Since then, the country has been producing around 30 new ventures every year, often outpacing nations overseas.

Saber Astronautics CEO Dr Jason Held said Australia used to import $4 billion each year on overseas space tech.

Wolfgang Space Hub’s official opening in June 2022 (Photo credit: saberastro.com)

“Now with such strong local growth the nation saw a tremendous opportunity to build locally. This was a major contributing factor in the birth of the nation’s Space Agency,” Dr Held said.

The company’s mission is the democratisation of space, reducing barriers to space flight, and making space as easy as driving a car.

“We wanted an incubator that was by space companies for space companies, and that means a higher risk profile and familiarity with how people buy and sell in space,” explains Dr Held.

“Being a space startup in a sea of fintech and web can be a lonely experience, and having mentors that value the space industry is vital. The good news is, if we can show success, traditional investors will take notice, and there is plenty of validation to help them along the way.”

The new facility in Waterloo was made possible through commercial investors in 2021 and a $500,000 incubators grant from Entrepreneurs Australia.

At present, startup companies in the first Wolfpack Space Hub cohort include Spiral Blue, Sperospace, and Dandelion.

Inside Waterloo’s ‘Mastery,’ Australia’s First Japanese-themed Residential Community

From a former industrial precinct, Waterloo will soon transform into a vibrant culinary and cultural destination through new developments, including a highly anticipated $500 million precinct, which is set to become Australia’s first Japanese-themed residential community.

Read: Proposal To Privatise Public Housing At Waterloo South Draws Ire Of Locals

Dubbed as ‘Mastery’ by the Crown Group, the project incorporates 368 luxury apartments and penthouses across five buildings, ranging from six to 20 storeys.

modern apartments — Photo credit: masterybycrowngroup.com.au

With an emphasis on modern and sophisticated urban lifestyle, the new luxury community includes a cantilevered infinity-edge rooftop pool, gym and community room.

Each of the buildings boast generous green spaces, and are bound by a highly considered offering of restaurants, retailers and refined amenities.

One of its unique features is the ‘vertical urban forest’ designed by renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, who’s also the brains behind the designs of the 2020 Olympic Stadium Tokyo and the V&A museum in Dundee, Scotland.

japanese themed — Photo credit: masterybycrowngroup.com.au

Kuma said the plant-filled, green exterior is designed to emulate a stacked forest. He added the element to give a warm and a natural atmosphere to the community.

Aside from Kuma, Koichi Takada Architects and Sydney-based Silvester Fuller also helped in conceptualising plans for the Waterloo precinct.

mastery tower — Photo credit: masterybycrowngroup.com.au

Crown Group is looking forward to turn O’Dea Avenue in Waterloo as Sydney’s first Japanese eat street by offering an authentic dining experience, inspired by the sprawling streets of Tokyo’s Shibuya and Shinjuku special wards, replete with bustling Izakaya, sushi trains and ramen restaurants, to the more formal and reverential tea house that serve Cha-kaiseki.

“At Crown Group, we do not just sell a luxury residence, but the opportunity to enjoy an appealing lifestyle, with luxurious apartments, vibrant dining and shopping experiences, at your doorstep,” Prisca Edwards, project director for Mastery.

The developers revealed they have a wide range of buyers who are looking to secure an affordable home but not miss out on the luxury and convenience of residing in a well-serviced community.

“From what we’ve seen of Mastery by Crown Group, we have reason to believe that this trend will continue over the next few years and buying into off-the-plan as a wise and viable option for first-home-buyers, upsizers, downsizers and investors alike,” says Ms Edwards.

Construction for Mastery is anticipated to be complete by 2022.

Proposal To Privatise Public Housing At Waterloo South Draws Ire Of Locals

Over two thousand locals in Sydney’s inner-city have signed a petition against plans to privatise huge areas of public housing land for Waterloo South Estate’s redevelopment.

Read: Your Next Spicy-Hot Chicken Adventure Should Be at Super Nash Brothers in Waterloo

Leading the campaign, Action For Public Housing managed to submit over 2,700 objections to the privatisation of Waterloo South during the statutory public exhibition for the project in April 2022.

“This development would evict hundreds of public housing tenants from their homes for little to no public benefit – fewer than 100 hundred additional social housing units in a state with more than 50,000 households on the waiting list,” Action For Public Housing stated.

Based on NSW Land and Housing Corporation’s plans, the redevelopment would entail the privatisation of around 70 percent of public housing at Waterloo South Estate, with an aim to “help deliver new social housing, affordable housing, and private homes with access to improved community facilities, shops and transport.”

According to Action for Public Housing, the 847 social housing units proposed for Waterloo South is far too low for a site of this size and development of this scale.

“This is an addition of only 98 social homes, while there are more than 1000 households on the waiting list for public housing in the inner city allocation zone,”

“These are the people who need public housing right now; by the time the development is complete, there will be many more. Any development of public land should prioritise public housing.”

The group believes the NSW Government and Commonwealth Government should instead fund the construction and acquisition of new public housing and the proper repair, maintenance and refurbishment of existing public housing.

The proposed redevelopment of Waterloo Estate has been around since 2015, with earlier plans stating that only 30 percent of new housing would be social housing, which is 57 fewer than promised.

Residents who signed the petition agreed it was a “cunning attempt to sneak in an extra several hundred units for private sale and is a further betrayal of the promised 30 percent social housing.”

With regard to the issue, Lord Mayor Clover Moore said during a Council meeting that they will write to Minister for Planning and Homes Anthony John Roberts reaffirming the City’s call for significant increases in social and affordable housing in Waterloo, and for the state government to establish clear targets for social and affordable housing in the City.

First In-Store Vertical Farm in Australia Launches in Erskineville

Woolworths shoppers in Erskineville may now enjoy shopping for the freshest of herbs at their very first in-store vertical farm, where sustainable plants are cultivated right in the middle of the supermarket.

Dubbed “The Urban Garden,” the in-store vertical farm currently offers pesticide-free herbs like basil, coriander, mint, and parsley. The initiative has been launched by Woolworths in partnership with InvertiGro, an AgTech company based in Sydney.

The herbs are partially grown on a farm in Rosebery before it’s transported to the Woolworths Metro Park Sydney Village in Erskineville, where it’s transplanted on a shelf full of framing walls. Herbs sold from these walls cost $3 per bunch that customers may continue to transplant and grow in their own home garden.

Woolworths metro director Justin Nolan said that “The Urban Garden” also offers customers products farmed locally and enjoy the provenance of the produce.

“Metro Park Sydney shoppers will notice InvertiGro takes up a small amount of space in-store and is a great non-waste initiative for our customers. We look forward to our shoppers using the hyper-local fresh herbs available at the Urban Garden to garnish and add flavour to home-cooked meals,” Mr Nolan added.

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A post shared by InvertiGro Indoor Farming (@invertigro)

InvertiGro Co-Founder Ben Lee said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Australia’s Fresh Food People to deliver a hyper-local, nutritious and flavoursome herb range whilst also introducing shoppers to the benefits of indoor vertical farming for both consumers and our planet.”

“As indoor-farming technology providers, our solutions have applications from on-farm fodder production and crop diversification to in-store applications that can address urban and regional food deserts, supply chain and sustainability issues. Indoor vertical farming has the potential to help communities become more self-sufficient and sustainable in their food production and we are proud to be leading the way in Australian AgTech innovations with global applications.” InvertiGro Co-Founder Paul Millett added.

The second Urban Garden has also launched in Double Bay.

Indigenous Leaders Split Over Planned Redfern Post Office Aboriginal Cultural Hub

Photo Credit: City of Sydney / cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

A plan to convert the Redfern Post Office into a local Aboriginal knowledge and culture hub has been met with differing opinions from indigenous leaders.

The City of Sydney has concluded its round of consultations with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to determine the best use for the Redfern Post Office.

Council envisions the heritage-listed building as a cultural hub that will be a major component of the Eora Journey – City of Sydney’s series of long-term projects aimed to “celebrate the living cultures of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.”

The building, purchased by Council in 2018, was chosen with the assistance of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander advisory panel who inspected the property and provided advice on its potential uses to the benefit of the community.

Apparently, the site is ideal for the planned use as it is situated in the heart of Redfern which was at the centre of Indigenous activism for rights and self-determination in the 1970s.

Ground floor plan | Photo Credit: City of Sydney / cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

First floor plan | Photo Credit: City of Sydney / cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

The Metropolitan Aboriginal Land Council, however, has chosen not to participate in any of the planned cultural hub’s future activities, specifically because of its history of racial segregation in the early 1900s. The Land Council Chief Executive Officer Nathan Moran also said that they were not consulted regarding the proposal.

Councillor Yvonne Weldon, who was recently named 2022 NSW Aboriginal Woman of the Year, has also expressed the same sentiment and called on the Council to find a more appropriate site for the proposal.

Meanwhile, Archibald Prize winner, Blak Douglas, has a different take on the matter and chooses to look beyond the site’s past. The indigenous artist said he’d likely agree to display his work in it if ever he receives an invitation.

Built in 1992, the Redfern Post Office is situated at 113 Redfern Street. Designed by the Colonial Architect’s Office under James Barnet, one corner of the two-storey building features a four-and-a-half-storey clock tower.

Inside Redfern Post Office — Photo Credit: City of Sydney / cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

The building was acquired by the City of Sydney in November 2018 for $5.3 million. A year later, tenants vacated the building and minor works to improve accessibility at the site commenced.

Council said that they have received a number of suggestions from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members and will continue to work with them to ensure that they get the best possible opportunities for use of the site.

Sydney Unveils Precinct Activation Grants to Boost Redfern Street Party

Some $3 million have been set aside as funds for Precinct Activation Grants to boost the Redfern Street Party and 13 other programs, in an effort to revive participation in activities previously affected by Covid lockdowns.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said that these grants were designed to also help local businesses forge long-term relationships with the community. The programs were developed following consultations with stakeholders, local business chambers, and the Nightlife and Creative Sector Advisory Panel.

In February, over 40 programs applied for the grants and 14 were chosen to receive the funding. Some of these programs include the following:

Redfern Street Party – A celebration of all things Redfern including a community engagement program, festival and month-long exhibition program – $288,172
Art in the Heart of Haymarket – Combining the contemporary and traditional Asian cultures of Chinatown, this public art activation in Haymarket will unite the community and audiences – $300,000 and $3,132 value-in-kind
The Hollywood Precinct – A 6-week activation in Darlinghurst and Surry Hills involving local bars and restaurants to showcase art, music and culture – $292,000
Secrets on Stanley Street – Stanley Street in Darlinghurst will host a festival of food, drinks and music over six weekends – $100,000
Quay Quarter Live – Monthly growers and producers markets at Circular Quay and quarterly art and music events, including digital art and light installations throughout the year – $294,905 and $6,400 value-in-kind
Kensington Street Festival – A festival activating Kensington Street in Chippendale with cultural and creative programming to coincide with Sydney Festival – $100,000
Neon Playground by Chinatown – A 2-month activation featuring contemporary art, light installations and music – $300,000 and $2,900 value-in-kind
Sound Out the Street – Six months of Friday night programming of music, sound installations and workshops in Erskineville, culminating with a 3-day festival – $299,300 and $5,068 value-in-kind

These activities are set to take place from 1 June 2022 to 30 June 2023. Additional fees and applicable services for the event hire will also be waived for these programs.

Redfern Street Party — Photo Credit: Saowanee Sapphet/Facebook

“The past two years have been incredibly challenging for all of us, particularly our city centre as venues were capped, people began working from home and domestic and international travel ground to a halt,” the mayor said.

“But we’re starting to see the city buzz once again, and our new precinct activation program will help drive that recovery further.

“This innovative grant program was designed to encourage businesses, creatives and communities to collaborate and bring cultural activity to precincts and local neighbourhoods.

“That means we’ll not only see great events taking place right across the city, we’ll also see neighbouring businesses and communities working together, building relationships and capacity to ensure such events and collaboration continue long term.

“From Circular Quay to Surry Hills, Redfern to Haymarket, we have so many wonderful events in the works that will give you a chance to support local businesses and rediscover all the city has to offer.”

Hijinx Hotel, the World’s First Challenge Room Hotel, to Open in Alexandria

If you enjoy challenge rooms or escape rooms, you’re going to love the Hijinx Hotel in Alexandria. It will be the world’s first hotel with 15 immersive challenge rooms for people who are up to the task of figuring a way out of a difficult situation!

From Funlab, the team behind recreational sites like Strike, Holey Moley, Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq, and B Lucky and Sons, Hijinx Hotel was not built to accommodate guests but to give them a unique experience. Guests will have no need to pack a suitcase but they will need to sharpen their mental and physical agility to play in the rooms.

The challenge rooms are grouped in sets with five different interactive areas, which the guests are expected to complete in the allotted time. Each room may accommodate a party of six.

While there are no ocean views at this hotel, the rooms carry interesting themes that include a throwback to well-loved childhood games like The Floor is Lava, Twister, Tetris, or Pinball. Another room is like a tribute to the Titanic and some rooms are designed like a bowl of cereals, giant blocks of letters, or a giant piano. Everything looks chaotic but all in the name of fun!

When guests arrive at Hijinx Hotel, they will be greeted by the concierge and staff at the hotel lobby and will be given their room keys. Before or after they start with the challenge, they may also sit down and unwind at the hotel bars, which are also designed with familiar elements from “Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory” or “The Grand Budapest Hotel.”

Guests may also warm up or cool down with a game of golf at Holey Moley, which is also inside the hotel. The hotel will also cater to group events for a party of 30 people. The challenge rooms are ideally suited for guests as young as 5 years old.

Hijinx Hotel will officially open on 17 June 2022. Bookings are now accepted online.

The Toll House Health & Wellness Centre in Moore Park Now Open

Following years of planning and redevelopment, The Toll House Health & Wellness Centre has finally opened its doors to fitness buffs in Moore Park.

On 4 May 2022, Suellen Fitzgerald, the Chief Executive at Greater Sydney Parklands, led the official ribbon cutting of The Toll House Health & Wellness Centre, where some invited guests also tried the various fitness classes.

This project has been in the works since 2018, after the approval of the Moore Park Master Plan 2040. Over $4 million was invested into the heritage site’s restoration years after it has been unused space.

What to Expect in the New Fitness Centre

The fitness classes at The Toll House are managed by ClubLinks. Though the health and wellness centre is on a heritage site, its gym facilities inside are state-of-the-art.

Members have options to try Reformer Pilates, yoga, spin, HIIT, boxing and mobility.

The new fitness site also provides:

a boutique environment
Allied Health – physiotherapy and exercise physiology
state of the art gym facilities
small group training classes
personal training
tailored fitness programming

Brief History of The Toll House

The Toll House is the lone surviving metropolitan toll house in New South Wales. Constructed in 1860, this building was used as a toll house until 1890, when road use collection declined.

The Toll House in 1962
Photo Credit: Centennial Parklands

Its Victorian gothic-style architecture and sandstone form have been retained all these decades, when The Toll House was transformed into the clubhouse for Moore Park Golf until the 1920s.

Over the years, The Toll House had many different uses, including as office space for the NSW Public Works until 1999.

It was listed in the NSW Heritage Listing in 2000.

The Settlement In Redfern Marks 130th Year With Special Fundraising Event

The Settlement in Redfern, the oldest neighbourhood centre in NSW, will be celebrating its 130th anniversary in 2022 with a special fundraising event.

Read: Here’s What’s New At The Woolpack Hotel In Redfern

It will be an evening full of learning, wisdom, and stories, with cultural performances, guest speakers, and a Q&A panel discussion. Guests can also have fun through live music, drinks and canapes, and silent auctions and raffles.

The Settlement marked its 130th anniversary in 2021, however, plans were postponed because of Covid-19 restrictions.

Hosted by the Settlement Youth Leaders, all ticket proceeds and silent auction items will directly go into supporting The Settlement’s Children and Youth Programs and help the foundation to reinvigorate the Edward Street Fair community celebration at the end of 2022.

About the Settlement

The Settlement is known for its long-standing ties to the Sydney University. It was founded by the Sydney University Women’s Society in 1891.

It’s a long established trusted service that has been in the community for 130 years. It is not only a safe place for children, but also for young people, families and the community as a whole, providing essential services for children, youth and their families in the Redfern and Waterloo community.

redfern — Photo credit: https://www.thesettlement.org.au/

The concept was based on the Settlement Movement founded by Samuel and Henrietta Barnett in London, U.K in 1884, which believes that the conditions of the poor would not improve until educated people were prepared to live and work among them; to befriend them, assist them and learn from them; abandoning the security and comfort of their leafy neighbourhoods.

Save the Date

What	The Settlement Anniversary Fundraiser
Where	Women’s College, Sybil Centre, The University of Sydney
When	May 19, 2022, 5:15-7:30 p.m.

Today, the organisation provides support in the form of space for community events, a food bank (an important support for many during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns) and internet access. It also runs activity programs for children and teenagers.

For tickets and more information about The Settlement’s 130th year celebration, visit eventbrite.com.au.