Jodie McGregor Flowers

We offer a warm (if belated) welcome to our new florist Jodie McGregor. Jodie McGregor Flowers, which has been operating in Annandale for some time, expanded ‘across the Bridge’, in 2007 to open a second shop here in The Quadrangle shopping centre at Castlecrag. Jodie and her team comprising Narelle (a Castlecrag local) and Stephanie (a new recruit from Roseville) are thrilled with the feedback and welcome they are receiving. When not at the Castlecrag store Jodie can be found at the Annandale shop or spending time with her three children (all under 5!)

Jodie McGregor Flowers was the official florist for the 2000 Olympic Arts Festival and won the Sydney Flower Market award for Florist of the Year in 2003 and 2005. The business also won the florist category in the Champion of Champions at the 2005 Small Business Awards. Jodie handles the florist side of the businesswhile her husband and business partner Stu White looks after the administration and purchasing side of the business, visiting the Flemington flower markets at 5am four times a week to personally shop for their stock. You can check out more about the business at: www.jodie.com.au

MOMO Art Gallery and Oven Fairy

As reported in The Crag 161 (October 2006), Rosemary Macey operates a small art gallery at her business premises at 79 Edinburgh Road. The gallery showcases an individual artist in a sole exhibition each month and this month’s artist is Cecilia Coote. Rosemary or Peter are keen to her from any local artist who is interested in exhibiting at the gallery. All different styles and media are covered, including various forms of two-dimensional art works, sculpture and ceramics. Please call in and view the various artists’ work.

Rosemary reports that the Oven Fairy business, which provides exclusive residential oven and barbecue cleaning services, has been an outstanding success. Oven Fairy is now expanding with new franchises in the Sydney metropolitan area under an arrangement where the home office provides ongoing support in every aspects of the business. Rosemary is seeking new franchisees to expand the business and she exhibited at the Franchising Expo at Darling Harbour from 28-30 March. Both Oven Fairy and the MOMO Art Gallery were finalists in the 2007 Tru Local Business Awards and our congratulations are extended to Rosemary and her staff for these achievements.

New Middle Harbour Walking Tracks

Thanks to Richard Newton, a Department of Planning announcement in November 2007 has been brought to our attention. This advised that a $115,000 grant had been made to Willoughby City Council under the Sharing Sydney Harbour Access Program (SSHAP) to assist the development of two new walking tracks along the Middle Harbour foreshore. The grant will assist to establish more than 1.5 kilometres of new walking tracks in Castlecrag and Castle Cove. The first track will provide access from Sailors Bay Park to the Haven Amphitheatre while the second track will go from H D Robb Reserve linking Willowie Road to the ‘painter’s rock’ lookout at Castle Cove.

These walking tracks will bridge missing links in the walking track network along the Middle Harbour foreshore. SSHAP grants are awarded to councils and other organisations on a dollar-for-dollar basis.

Burley’s Restaurant

Malcolm and Janet McLune have expanded the scope of Burley’s Restaurant in The Quadrangle (The Crag 163, p.2). The business is now fully licensed with a good selection of wines, beer and spirits and operates from 8am to 9.30pm 7-days a week. Day-time chef Dean Forbes has introduced a new menu with lunch-time specials. From 5.30pm the business operates as the family-friendly ‘Pizzas in The Quadrangle’ with an Italian chef preparing a range of quality pizzas and other menu items.

Gourmet Source

Gourmet Source, the local delicatessen and cafe of Castlecrag, has recently changed hands after 9 years. The new owners Chris and Melinda Sims are looking forward to joining the Castlecrag community and building the business further.

Chris and Melinda currently reside in St Ives and have both grown up on the North Shore. They have three young children and are looking forward to the challenges ahead improving and growing the Gourmet Source business. Both have very strong business backgrounds and are looking forward to combining their skills in the retail environment. Look out for new stock lines and changes in the decor over the next year!

A number of long serving Gourmet Source staff have remained with the business, whilst a number of new faces have also joined the team since the change in ownership. All of the staff look forward to continuing to provide high quality food and ingredients and friendly customer service to the residents of Castlecrag.

‘Since taking over in November, the Castlecrag community has made us feel very welcome and we look forward to meeting more of you over the coming months.’ Melinda Sims.

New Playgroup

The Warners Park Centre, at the end of The Outpost, is a local Playgroup location for residents of both Castlecrag and Northbridge. A member of Playgroup NSW, it is managed by a group of volunteer parents and offers weekly play-sessions for children aged 0-5 and their parents. Children can play with new toys, try a craft activity, play music, learn songs, dress-up, play with sand, generally have fun with other children in a safe environment under parental supervision. Special Easter and Christmas parties are also held each year.

Sessions are offered on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am until midday. Fees are modest, at $25 per family per term with a yearly membership fee of $32. Vacancies are limited; phone the co-ordinator Donna Morris on 0410-689288 for information and come along for a visit. For information please ring Donna Morris on 9967-9918 or 0410689288.

Sally’s Bookshop

An anticipate sale of Sally’s Bookshop did not proceed at the last minute, so Sally is examining several options and we expect to bring a further update in the next issue.