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The Guardian
4 days ago
- The Guardian
‘Everything's slow in Callan Park': despite ambitious plans, Sydney's hidden treasure remains in limbo
On the banks of Iron Cove in Sydney's inner west is one the city's unsung treasures: 61 hectares of rolling lawns, bushland and sandstone buildings that was once home to Rozelle hospital – originally Callan Park hospital for the insane. For those who dream big, it could be Sydney's next Centennial Park, a vibrant parkland attracting visitors from around Sydney. Years of disagreements over the site's future, bureaucratic inertia and a highly restrictive Callan Park Act – which prevents any commercial activities, even restaurants and cafes – have left it in stasis. But change could finally be on its way, for better or worse, as the state government considers changing the Act – described by the planning minister, Paul Scully, as imposing 'the most restrictions of any of our public spaces'. 'Communities have come to expect a degree of activation in their public spaces these days, and while we are committed to protecting Callan Park, that doesn't mean it should be locked away from the public who want to enjoy a cup of coffee in a beautiful inner-city park,' Scully told Guardian Australia this week. Until 2019, the beautiful 19th-century sandstone buildings that formed the original asylum, many designed by the colonial architect James Barnet, were home to the Sydney College of the Arts. But since its departure, the site has been used only sporadically by film companies. The park itself is used primarily by dog walkers, joggers and local sporting clubs who have access to playing fields on the waterfront. The site encompasses more than 100 other smaller buildings that were previously part of the hospital. Most are of much more recent vintage than the main buildings (known as the Kirkbride precinct), almost all are boarded up and some are becoming increasingly dilapidated. The site is jointly owned by the NSW health department and Greater Sydney Parklands Trust, while a small sliver of waterfront is under the control of the transport department. In a few weeks, the NSW government will release a draft plan of management for the enormous site that will need to grapple with these challenges – as well as how to find millions of dollars needed just to stop further deterioration. It will complement the landscape structure plan that was completed in 2021 and called for 'strategies to make Callan Park safe and accessible with a network of pathways and more open space along the waterfront,' as well as the demolition of many of the 'intrusive' buildings of no heritage value. 'My expectations for the new Callan Park plan of management are very low,' says the Inner West mayor, Darcy Byrne. 'With an extraordinarily bureaucratic agency like Sydney Parklands writing it, inertia is the likely outcome. Yet another plan for a plan.' The vocal community group Friends of Callan Park wants to see the park continue more or less as it is – with heritage buildings restored for use by not-for-profit organisations and the parkland free from commercial activity. Sign up: AU Breaking News email Hall Greenland, a stalwart of the group for decades, says 'the preferred option is to expand its use for NGOs'. 'There are some 1990s cottage wards on the outskirts of Callan Park which would be ideal for step-down facilities in mental health and so on. The RSL are interested in one set of them for mental health services for veterans,' he says. 'So that's welcome, but you know, everything's absolutely slow in Callan Park.' There have been small steps forward. The former Coalition planning minister Rob Stokes spent $14m demolishing buildings and revamping the waterfront, but it is hardly bustling. There are plans for tidal baths funded by Inner West council and the NSW government, but approval for the plan from Greater Sydney Parklands Trust is taking time. The 2025-26 state budget included $4.8m to knock down nine condemned buildings dating from the 1940s and 50s in the heart of the park over the next two years. This would free up 1.6 hectares of land for recreation, and on this there seems to be agreement. But like all things involving development in Sydney, there is no shortage of controversy. The Kirkbride complex, completed in 1885, was home to the Sydney College of the Arts until 2019, when it moved to the main University of Sydney campus. Its departure meant that the Laneway festival, run under the aegis of the arts school, also had to find a new home, because there was no longer a not-for-profit organisation to lodge an application for approval of the festival. The festival, which was already facing some hostility from local residents as it grew in popularity, moved to the Domain, much to Byrne's chagrin. 'We've had to fight every year against NIMBY opposition & to cut through red tape to get this outstanding event approved,' he posted on Facebook at the time. 'Sadly the fun police have won out over music lovers this time.' And don't get Byrne started on the saga of the playing fields down by the water's edge, primarily used by the Balmain community football club. Inner West council wants to install two all-weather playing fields to replace the grass fields, arguing it will ensure much greater usage. It is also trying to help the club revamp a heritage club house. 'We are seeking to invest more than $10m in sport and recreation facilities in Callan Park, but getting approval for these desperately needed improvements is like pulling teeth,' Byrne says. The field upgrade needs approval from the Parklands Trust and the Heritage Council and is not supported by the Friends of Callan Park. 'The Heritage Council approvals committee has already said they're not very happy with the idea of plastic grass,' Greenland says. Byrne is unimpressed. 'Local people continually tell me that they are tired of Friends of Callan Park blocking new sport and recreation facilities in Callan Park,' he says. 'They're a tiny and ageing group of activists who really don't speak for local families but they continue to be the self-appointed proprietors of Callan Park. The combination of the Parklands Agency's red tape and Friends of Callan Park's preference for wrapping the whole site in gladwrap for preservation means it's extraordinarily difficult to make good things happen in there.' Greater Sydney Parklands did not respond to a request for comment. Whether the plan of management will have to work within the confines of the Callan Park Act may determine the park's future. Using any of the site for housing – as was floated after the failure of the state government's plan to build on Rosehill racecourse – appears to be out of the question. The current commercial restrictions seem to also rule out wedding venues, overnight accommodation or even restaurants and cafes, which raises the question of how to fund the part that everyone does agree on: preserving the high-value heritage buildings. So does the Minns government have the appetite for a political fight that would undoubtedly erupt if it seeks to change the Callan Park Act and the Greater Sydney Parklands' mandate? Will it use the release of the plan of managment as the springboard for a debate? And would it stand any chance of getting it through the upper house, where minor parties and the Greens hold the balance of power? A NSW joint parliamentary inquiry quietly tabled its report three weeks ago calling for significant changes both to the Greater Sydney Parklands Trust and to the Callan Park Act. It received almost no publicity, but appears to lay the groundwork. 'We heard that limited funding impacts maintenance and repairs, as well as the delivery of new infrastructure and projects in the parklands,' the committee said. 'We support a balanced approach, with appropriate commercial opportunities providing revenue for the parklands while not being relied on as the only way to achieve financial sustainability.' It recommended additional and sustained funding for the Trust and amending the act to include 'financial sustainability as a function of the Greater Sydney Parklands Trust'. It also proposed changing the Callan Park Act to remove provisions that limit development to not-for-profit purposes. 'The committee supported allowing for-profit development in Callan Park. While the committee notes that some stakeholders were concerned about commercialisation of Callan Park and the impact on its unique values, we consider that removing the restriction on for-profit development provides opportunities to raise much-needed revenue,' the committee said. 'New revenue streams could fund maintenance and improvements while also supporting heritage conservation. Appropriate guidance through the park's plan of management and community input on the types of leases that are appropriate, can achieve overall positive outcomes for Callan Park.' The Greens MP for Balmain, Kobi Shetty, has already come out swinging. 'The whole point of the Callan Park Act was to save the park from privatisation and to ensure it is never again proposed as a site for profit-driven development. 'Any moves to wind back the act's protections are of grave concern. The review committee has absolutely got it wrong on this,' she said. It's a taste of what's to come if the government tries to legislate, but Scully's comments suggest it may be up for the fight. 'Callan Park's legislation imposes the most restrictions of any of our public spaces,' he said. 'It allows even less activations than the world-heritage listed Parramatta Park. He described Shetty's comments as 'outlandish', ridiculing any suggestion that allowing a cafe in the park could be a trojan horse. 'For what? Some banana bread and a flat white?'
Daily Mail
08-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Heartbreaking moment former Australian of the Year 'struggles' with speech due to brain tumour as he accepts major honour
Globally-renowned pathologist Professor Richard Scolyer struggled to accept an award due to his ongoing battle with an aggressive brain tumour. Prof Scolyer shared a series of photos on Tuesday after receiving the 2025 Inner West Citizen of the Year award in Sydney in late May. In his post, Prof Scolyer said he was honoured to receive the award from the Inner West Council but was unable to properly thank the community at the time. 'Due to my challenges around this time related to my brain tumour, at times I struggled during my speech,' Prof Scolyer wrote. 'Nevertheless, from the kindness and support of many amazing people, I felt very overwhelmed and grateful. 'The special community of the Inner West has been Katie and I's home for over 25 years and we have made many wonderful connections with people in and around our community!' The 2024 Australian of the year was diagnosed with 'incurable' grade four brain cancer in June 2023. He underwent treatments based on melanoma research he developed alongside his joint Australian of the Year recipient, Professor Georgia Long. The father-of-three had no sign of cancer recurrence for almost two years before a scan in March revealed a glioblastoma on the left side of his brain. 'Unfortunately, there is a larger volume of quickly growing brain cancer in my left brain. The prognosis is poor,' he said at the time. In May, Prof Scolyer revealed his glioblastoma was becoming 'tougher to treat'. 'A recent MRI scan showed, in the left side of my brain, further progress of my glioblastoma (IDH wild-type, etc.) and related adjacent reactive change,' he wrote. 'Whilst this may not be the best direction to be heading with my changes, amazingly to me, I still seem keen to keep living, loving and having fun, whenever possible. 'I feel like there are quite a few people on my team, including my family and friends, and they make me happy and proud!' Prof Scolyer and his colleague Professor Long were named Australians of the Year in 2024 for the thousands of lives they saved in pioneering new treatments for melanoma using immunotherapy. He is a prolific author, having penned more than 700 publications and book chapters on melanoma pathology, which garnered him a reputation as one of the world's leading experts in the field. The melanoma expert has been praised for his openness and bravery in documenting his cancer journey. However, Prof Scolyer remains philosophical about his journey, stating that he 'just wants to make a difference'. In an emotional interview with Ally Langdon on A Current Affair in March, Prof Scolyer said he was 'not ready to go yet'. 'It's not fair, but there's a lesson for everyone… make the most of every day because you don't know what's around the corner,' he said.
Daily Mail
30-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Bizarre twist as Good Samaritan who bravely helped free passengers from the crumpled wreckage of an SUV after horror crash is ARRESTED by cops moments later
Two men have been charged after a high-speed crash that was captured on CCTV injured a family of five in Sydney. A 28-year-old allegedly crashed his black MG SUV into a Mercedes on King Street in Newtown, in the city's Inner West, about 7pm on Monday. In a shocking twist, a 20-year-old man who rescued the driver from the wreckage was seen moments later topless before being pushed face down into the concrete by police and arrested at the scene. Security footage from businesses along King Street - which had been packed with the dinner crowd - showed the black MG careened down the wrong side of the road before clipping a silver car and smashing head-on into the Mercedes. The family in the Mercedes SUV, a 43-year-old male driver, and his passengers – a 67-year-old woman, 42-year-old woman, 12-year-old boy and nine-year-old girl – were all taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital with minor injuries. Three other drivers who had been hit by the MG – a 65-year-old man in a grey BYD sedan, a 26-year-old woman in a white Toyota Corolla and a 26-year-old woman in a silver Toyota Yaris – were not injured. Paramedics treated the 28-year-old MG SUV driver at the scene before he was taken to St Vincent's Hospital for further assessment and mandatory testing. He was charged later on Monday evening with driving in a dangerous manner and his licence was suspended. He was issued a court attendance notice to appear at Newtown Local Court on the Monday 4 August 2025. One witness told Nine News the crash sounded 'like a bomb'. The 20-year-old man who had stepped in to pull the driver from his vehicle was subsequently arrested after police alleged he attempted to interfere with their investigations. He has also been accused of the assault of a female constable. Footage shows him helping the driver from the car and waiting near the wreckage as paramedics assess him before he is then seen being restrained by an officer on the ground. It is understood he was a passenger in the MG. The 20-year-old was taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital for treatment, where he allegedly assaulted a male constable and security staff while under police guard. He was released from the hospital before he was taken to Newtown Police Station where he was charged with hindering or resisting a police officer in the execution of duty. The man was also charged with assaulting a police officer in execution of duty without aggravated bodily harm and assaulting a frontline emergency worker – no actual bodily harm.
ABC News
24-06-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Sydney's inner-west nightlife needs more than a late-night 'shot in the arm', say venue owners
Venue owners say more needs to be done to bring back Sydney's nightlife than just extending opening hours, after a local council approved a proposal aimed at revitalising hospitality in the inner west. Bars, pubs and music venues in specified zones in Marrickville, Balmain, Rozelle, Dulwich Hill and Leichhardt will be able to open until 2am on Friday, Saturday and the night before public holidays as part of six new special entertainment precincts approved by Inner West Council last week. Outdoor trading and dining until midnight will also be on the cards, with the precincts the latest addition to a state policy introduced in October 2024 that is aimed at creating "high-quality, diverse districts which support live performance", according to the NSW government. The regulations also allow small live performances without development applications, opening up live music and art shows to more venues. The proposal is aimed at giving artists and hospitality in the area "a big shot in the arm", Mayor Darcy Byrne said on Tuesday. "While other councils are shutting down entertainment, we are doing the opposite and want to attract more venues and performers to our main streets," he said. The new precincts mirror the rules governing the Enmore Road district — which has been operating since September 2022 as a special entertainment zone and is set to be expanded — and will require state government rubber-stamping before licences can be granted. The director and owner of Titus Jones bar in Marrickville, Merrick Webb, said that, although opening for more hours was appealing, it didn't address the core issues affecting hospitality. Mr Webb listed infrastructure as a key issue, with Marrickville station closed until next year due to Metro works. The outdoor seating proposal was "very attractive", he said, and could increase capacity by 15 per cent, but he also noted the cost of security and the need for more lighting in the area to make the proposal viable for his business. Craig Pietersen, the owner of Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville, said extended licences were not the key to fixing hospitality issues in Sydney. "I think they're looking down the wrong pond," he said, and listed the cost of living as a main issue in bringing people out to eat and drink. His business already has a licence to open until 3am on Friday and Saturday nights and Mr Pietersen said they struggled to keep the venue busy after 1am. Others like Caroline Buckingham, owner of Butchers Brew Bar, Dulwich Hill, said she was happy to see Inner West Council "going in to bat" for small venues. "We probably wouldn't be open until 2am every Friday and Saturday, but it would be good to have it there if there's call for it," she said. Cr Byrne said the council would ask the state government to approve the new precincts as soon as possible to kickstart what he called the "genuine renaissance of Sydney's nightlife" based in the inner west.
Associated Press
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Karelina Clarke Cast as Autistic Older Sister in New Film 'Quiet Things'
Karelina Clarke stars as the autistic older sister in Quiet Things, a short film exploring survival, sibling bonds, and domestic violence. SYDNEY, NSW, AUSTRALIA, June 19, 2025 / / -- Acclaimed Sydney-based production company Cut 10 has announced the casting of Australian actor Karelina Clarke in the lead role of Frankie, the older sister, in the upcoming short film Quiet Things. The powerful drama is currently in pre-production and set to film later this year in Sydney's Inner West. Quiet Things follows two young sisters who have fled an abusive home, with the story unfolding through the eyes of the younger sibling. At its centre is Frankie — a 13-year-old girl who is autistic, fiercely intelligent, and carrying a quiet resilience as she guides her sister through a fragile new reality. Karelina Clarke, whose work spans screen and stage, brings a layered sensitivity to the role. She is best known for her performance in The Messenger, where she portrayed a child of domestic violence with striking emotional depth. She has also appeared in a number of short films and theatrical works focused on youth and trauma. 'Karelina brings stillness and truth to every moment in her previous roles — her portrayal of Frankie is bound to be both intimate and unforgettable,' said the film's producer. 'She allows us to see the world through a neurodivergent character without ever simplifying it. It's brave work.' Developed in collaboration with Sanctuary Housing, a leading service for women and children escaping family violence, Quiet Things is also informed by input from autism specialists and youth mental health professionals. The result is a film that aims to be both truthful and transformative. Quiet Things is scheduled to premiere at Australian and international festivals in 2026. Known for championing social impact storytelling, Cut 10 continues to support underrepresented voices and emerging talent on screen. For interviews, media kits, or press inquiries, please contact: [email protected] Cut 10 Pictures CUT 10 Pictures +61 408 792 792 email us here Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
