Welcome to our week in review.
Major Water Outage In Lane Cove West
Lane Cove West residents endured a significant water outage on Saturday, 1st March 2025, triggered by a burst water main on Burns Bay Road.
The Sydney Water Crews worked outside 278 Burns Bay Road Lane Cove West (outside the Carol Chisholm Nursing Home). Sydney Water worked to arrange for an alternative water supply for the nursing home.
Residents in the following streets were impacted: Waterview Drive, Cope Street, Burns Bay Road between the Waterview Drive and Penrose Street intersection, Caroline Chisholm Lane, and the Caroline Chisholm Aged Care Facility.
Sydney Water’s website noted that 94 properties were impacted (this refers to connections rather than customers). However, this area of Lane Cove has numerous apartment blocks. There can be one connection to an apartment block, but numerous customers (for example 280 to 288 Burns Bay Road has 86 apartments), so the number of customers affected was far more than 94 properties.
ITC was advised that 278, 280, 292 and 300ABC Burns Bay Road and units in Caroline Chisholm Lane were among the properties that lost water. Some other properties in Waterview Drive had low water pressure.
Water was turned off at 2:00 a.m., and it was restored in stages along Burns Bay Road. By around 7:00 p.m., all residents had water again.
The Sydney Water crew worked hard in hot conditions to fix the issue. A Sydney Water advocate was onsite to assist locals.
Water was delivered to impacted residents by staff from Anthony Roberts office, a member of the ITC team and Thomas Shanahan co-ordinated assistance for Waterview Drive. It was obvious from the comments on ITC that the community was looking out for each other and assisting neighbours where they could.
As in the past, there was criticism of Sydney Water’s corporate communication and the information displayed on their website. When locals rang the Sydney Water hotline, they received a recorded message and were not able to speak directly with a customer service operator. Read more here.
Dumping Cleaned Up – OTR/Shell Service Station
Lane Cove Chat by ITC readers have been concerned about the dumping next to “charity/collection bins” near the OTR/Shell service station on the corner of Burns Bay Road and Penrose St.
The pile of dumped goods continued to grow over weeks. As the dumping is on private land, the Lane Cove Council must notify the owner and request that they take remedial action. The Council was taking steps to identify the owner and serve the notices.
On Friday, 21st February 2025, ITC obtained a title search for the property and identified who owned it (there was some debate that the land was not part of the service station). It is owned by an OTR subsidiary (Viva Energy now owns the OTR service stations).
ITC sent the digital marketing team the following email:
“I am writing to request that you forward this media inquiry to your media relations team.
Attached is a photograph documenting a significant amount of rubbish dumped on OTR property in Lane Cove. A title search confirms that the land is owned by an OTR subsidiary and is under OTR’s possession and control.
The image shows two bins on the property surrounded by a large pile of refuse. This situation poses a serious health risk due to the potential for attracting vermin.
Would your media team mind answering the following:
- What immediate steps will OTR take to clean up the dumped rubbish?
- What measures will OTR implement to prevent future dumping on this property, including the removal of the two bins currently located there?
Media Deadline Close of Business (COB) on February 25, 2024.
Thank you for your time and attention to this urgent matter.”
On Friday, 28th February 2025, ITC was advised by roving reporters that the dumping had been removed and the charity bins boarded up.
The collection bins have no identifying information, making their origin and purpose unclear.
Photo below on the Left – Taken 21 February 2025
Photo below on the Right – Taken 28 February 2025
If you see any issues on this site again, please get in touch with Viva Energy at vaenergy.com.au/contact
Lane Covians Clean Up Our Part of Australia
Many Lane Covians were out in force collecting rubbish on Sunday, 2 March 2025, as part of Clean Up Australia Day events.
The Stringybark Creek Residents Association once again staged their event from Johnston Crescent in Lane Cove North. Participants included local Scouts and Guides, Lane Cove Mayor Merri Southwood, Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek and Jerome Laxale, Member for Bennelong. They covered areas including Hands Quarry and Batten Reserves up to Mindarie Park.
A record 128 volunteers, aged from 3 to 84, helped with the clean-up.
The volunteers collected 900kg of assorted rubbish, down from past years—but that is a good sign!
It was mostly general rubbish. There were six bags of recyclable bottles and cans, much fewer than before, mainly due to the earn-and-return initiative.
Two surprising items recovered were a kitchen sink and a large iron staff. The number one best outcome for attendees was cleaner bushland. Number two was the delicious sausage sandwich after all the hard work.
Lane Cove Rotary was busy cleaning up around the Lane Cove Village with some help from locals.
On Now: NSW Seniors Festival
The NSW Seniors Festival officially began on Monday 3 March 2025. The festival aims to recognise the significant contributions of older adults to the community and promote a vibrant and inclusive environment for seniors.
Lane Cove is gearing up to celebrate with a range of events. The big one is on 12 March 2025; Blackman Park will host a Garden Party with food and a band – and it’s FREE!
The NSW Seniors Festival, the largest celebration for individuals over 60 in the southern hemisphere, will run until 16 March 2025.
This year’s theme, “Time to Shine,” encourages seniors to embrace new experiences, reconnect with friends, and showcase their talents.
Read all about what’s on offer in our article.
Curtains Up! Lane Cove Celebrates the New Pottery Lane Performing Arts Space
Lane Cove culture lovers rejoice: The Pottery Lane Performance Space (PLPS) officially opened last week after over thirty years of advocacy.
Numerous members and representatives of the Lane Cove creative community attended PLPS’s grand opening on Wednesday, 26 February 2025, to see a first glimpse of Lane Cove’s new culture hub for performances.
The PLPS is at the Lane Cove Community Hub, 1 Pottery Lane, Lane Cove. The Lane Cove Community Hub is also known as the Little Street Car Park Building, and is located across the road from the Lane Cove Aquatic Centre.
This space will be a vibrant addition to Lane Cove and aims to foster creativity, collaboration, and cultural enrichment for the community.
Read more about the performance space here.
Stay up to date with upcoming events at the PLPS, as well as others around Lane Cove, by checking out ITC’s What’s on/Event Calendar.
New Opportunity For Local Early Childhood Education Trainees
Lane Cove Council has teamed up with Y Careers to provide incredible opportunities for young people in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). This new partnership will help shape the future workforce, giving young trainees the chance to gain hands-on experience and earn a nationally recognised qualification.
Merri Southwood, mayor of Lane Cove, said of the partnership, “Lane Cove Council is proud to invest in the next generation, ensuring they have the skills and support to thrive. Through this partnership, we’re not only helping young trainees build their futures but also strengthening our early childhood education workforce.”
As part of this initiative, two young trainees have started 18-month Early Learning and Childhood Education traineeships at Kindy Cove Child Care Centre. They’ll gain real-world experience, industry training, and the support of a Y Careers Coach—empowering them to make a meaningful impact on the lives of young children.
Merri Southwood, Mayor of Lane Cove; Tegan Bate, Career Coach at Y Careers
This partnership is part of a growing trend, with local councils using traineeships as an innovative way to build the skilled workforce we need for the future.
“We’re excited to welcome Lane Cove Council as our newest partner! This collaboration shows how local employers can create meaningful opportunities for young people while addressing workforce needs in the care industry.” said Amaresh Devanesen, Executive Director of Y Careers:
Y Careers is an innovative social enterprise subsidiary of The Y (formerly YMCA) aiming to create 30,000 job placements for up to 15,000 young Australians in the education and care sectors over the next five years. is dedicated to empowering young people with life-changing career opportunities.
Good Luck Lauren
You may have seen our recent article about the Special Winter Olympics Australian team welcoming its newest representative, Lane Cove local Lauren Kerjan.
The Games will be held in Turin, Italy, from March 8, 2025. 37 Australian athletes with intellectual abilities will make the trip.
The 31-year-old will compete in both the Giant Slalom and Alpine Skiing and is the only woman on the NSW team.
Lauren will be leaving for Turin very shortly. Before she left Australia, she popped into @thebeautician to get her nails painted green and gold.
Zena (who owns The Beautician, located in the Figtree Shops) is so proud of Lauren and can’t wait to hear about her adventures when she returns.
Read all about Lauren here.
New Public Art Officially Unveiled
On Saturday, 1 March, two new sculptures were unveiled in Greenwich and Riverview.
The works are part of Lane Cove Council’s ongoing public art program.
Both sculptures are by local sculptor Francoise Coquelin. Mystery Key can be found at York’s Corner. The Dreamer and The Bird outside Greenwich Public School’s Greenwich Road campus. See our cover photo and image below.
Mayor Merri Southwood with ‘Mystery Key ‘sculptor Francoise Coquelin, Yorks Corner
Last Chance To Have Your Say on Liveable Lane Cove 2035
Lane Cove Council is reviewing the 10-year Community Strategic Plan (CSP), Liveable Lane Cove 2035. Submissions from the public as part of this review close Friday, March 7, 2025.
Read about the plan, and how to submit your feedback on it here.
Proposed Speed Cushions For Dorritt Street
Lane Cove Council is seeking feedback on a proposal to install speed cushions at two locations on Dorritt Street, which would improve safety for motorists and pedestrians in the area.
Dorritt Street Source: Lane Cove Council
Lane Cove Council plans to install speed bumps similar to those on Rosenthal Avenue approaching the roundabout at The Canopy car park entrance.
Recent traffic surveys by Lane Cove Council on Dorritt Street revealed that 243 vehicles travelled faster than 50 km/h, with 25 exceeding 60 km/h for one week. Additionally, many vehicles fail to stop or slow down adequately at the Stop sign.
The submission deadline is Sunday, March 16th, 2025. Read more and provide feedback here.
Volunteer Opportunity
Looking for a rewarding volunteer opportunity? Lane Cove Public School needs Ethics Volunteers!
If you’re passionate about children’s education and developing critical thinking skills, this is the perfect chance to get involved. No prior experience required – full training provided by Primary Ethics, a not-for-profit organisation.
What: Help teach children how to think logically, disagree respectfully and support their arguments with evidence. Topics include fairness, treating living things and how to respectfully disagree
When: You will need to be available at 9:00 am on Wednesdays (weekly during school terms)
How: If you’re interested in making a meaningful contribution to LCPS, visit the Primary Ethics website or reach out to LCPC Ethics Coordinator Louisa.
Business Alerts
It looks like a new Sushi Restaurant will be going into the old ANZ Bank in the Lane Cove Plaza. This information was provided to ITC by the team working on the fit-out. We reached out to the person leasing the premises but they did not return our call.
Ladies Of The 80’S – Coz Girls Just Want To Have Fun
Ladies of the 80s is coming to The Canopy this Saturday 8 March.
The high-energy live show is packed with the hits of Madonna, Whitney Houston, Pointer Sisters, Cyndi Lauper, Donna Summer, Tina Turner and more. No decade has ever displayed the power of female singers like the 80s did.
Dance the night away to songs like Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, Holiday, I’m So Excited, Let’s Hear It for the Boy, Hey Mickey, Walking on Sunshine, She Works Hard for the Money and so many more.
Featuring powerful female vocalists supported by a fantastic band that does these songs justice, you’ll be singing and dancing from the first beat to the last. There will be 80s videos shown on the big screen pre-show and during intermission.
It’s Simply The Best, so get ready to bust out the fluro, shoulder pads, leg warmers and maybe a perm!!
Lane Cove Council’s Autumn Harmony Festival
The Autumn Harmony Festival celebrates diversity and inclusion in Lane Cove. Lane Cove Council has created a program that includes various events, including marking International Women’s Day.
A highlight will be Kaleidoscope of Lane Cove on Friday 14 March 2025 at Lane Cove Plaza, featuring live music, workshops and interactive stalls from 3:30pm to 5:30pm.
Check out the full program here.
Crime
A number of incidents have been reported to In the Cove directly and through Lane Cove Chat by ITC this week. As always we thank our readers for sharing this information and warning others to be alert. In The Cove encourages people to report (non-emergency) incidents and suspicious activity to Chatswood Police as they can then have a clearer indication of the activity happening in our area. You can also report crime online via the NSW Police Force Portal read more here.
In an emergency dial 000.
Update on BMW Stolen from Central Lane Cove 21 February 2025
Last week we reported that a BMW had been stolen from a street in central Lane Cove.
A 24-year-old man has been arrested after a police chase and multi-car crash in Sydney’s northwest this morning, (Wednesday 5 March 2025).
About 8.15am today (Wednesday 5 March 2025), officers attached to Ryde Police Area Command were patrolling Evans Road, Telopea, when they located a grey 2011 X3 BMW sedan, believed to be stolen from Lane Cove on Friday 21 February 2025.
When police tried to stop the car, one person ran away, and the driver sped off. Police chased the car, but stopped the pursuit due to safety concerns.
Shortly after, the same BMW was involved in a crash on Kissing Point Road in Dundas. The driver had hit several cars before running away. A 17-year-old girl in one of the other cars was treated for injuries at the scene. Luckily, no one else was hurt.
Police found the abandoned BMW and are now examining it for evidence. They later arrested the driver in Ermington. He’s been charged with several offences, including:
- Stealing a car
- Dangerous driving during a police pursuit
- Driving while his licence was suspended
- Breaking learner driver rules
- Negligent driving
He’s been refused bail and will appear in court tomorrow.
Police are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact Crime Stoppers.
Townhouse Broken Into – Lane Cove North 4.30 pm 26 February 2025
A reader advised us of the following:
“One of our townhouses in Lane Cove North was broken into at 4.30pm last Wednesday.”
Motorbike Stolen from Riverview
A motorbike was stolen from Riverview on 1 March 2025
Lock Your Cars
A reader who lives on Mowbray Road told us the following:
“Someone went through our car on Saturday night [ 1 March 2025] and it looked like they’d done the same to other cars in our block. They didn’t take anything but we didn’t have anything valuable in our car either”
Two Expensive Bikes were Stolen from Austin Street Lane Cove ( Friday 28 February 2025 or Saturday 1 March 2025)
A reader told us thieves cut through the chain locks attached to the bikes stored in a garage.
Suspicious activity at Lane Cove North property Tuesday, 4 March 2025
ITC was contacted by a Lane Cove North local. We were advised that she drove out of her driveway (which is a long driveway – with the garage located at the back of the property and not visible from the street) and left her garage door open.
Five minutes later, a Hilux dual cabin ute with a silver box on the side reversed up her driveway and parked in front of her garage. A man got out of the car and approached her garage.
What the Hilux driver did not know was that her husband was at home (he has mobility issues), and he tapped on the window to warn the driver off. The driver got into the ute and drove off. Her husband did not have a view of the entire ute or number plate.
Locals are reminded to always lock their garages and vehicles, even if someone is at home.
Suspicious Activity Around Bins On Private Property
In The Cove has received a few reports of people rummaging through bins—not the usual bottle and can collectors (who normally wear rubber gloves), but individuals tearing open plastic bin bags and dressed in work/corporate wear. The bins are located in apartment blocks on Burns Bay Road and also Lane Cove North. The person rummaging through the bins may be looking for information to assist them with identity theft.
Be sure to shred items with identifying information, such as communications from financial institutions containing account information and medical records containing your name and date of birth.
Accidents
Another Accident Near 428 Mowbray Road Lane Cove North
Last week we reported that the Lane Cove Council is taking steps to upgrade the Notorious Mowbray Road Bend
A local posted on Lane Cove Chat by ITC Tuesday 4 March 2025:
“Driving home along Mowbray Road with two cars in front of me and a truck, taking the deadly corner turns, loses control and spins to the other side of the road in front of us.
Missing the first of three cars by only two metres or so. Thankfully they were stopped by the gutter and not the parked car mere centimetres away. First sign of rain and the road is slippery. I have three young kids, I don’t want to be the next casualty on this road.
The driver and his passenger were shaken, I checked they were ok but didn’t stay long next to them. I was just waiting for the next car to swing around and hit me. The driver tried to move the Ute and hit the telegraph pole twice, obviously highly distressed.”
Accident on Centennial Road Lane Cove West
Around 6.30 am on 5 March 2024 traffic was impacted when a car ended up on its roof – our roving reporters advised us that the driver of the car managed to get out of the car and was seen walking around the accident site.
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