Welcome to our week in review.
ANZAC Day Commemorated In Lane Cove
On Friday, 25 April 2025, the Lane Cove community marked ANZAC Day with a service hosted by Lane Cove Council and the Lane Cove RSL Sub-Branch in The Canopy. Even though it rained heavily the night before the service and many were away due to the Easter School Holidays, a crowd of around 1,000 people still came out to be part of the ANZAC Day service.
Veterans and their families, together with the Hon Anthony Roberts MP and local councillors, school and community groups, laid wreaths in remembrance of those killed in the Gallipoli campaign in 1915, as well as all those who served in subsequent wars, and those who continue to serve in the military today.
Those gathered heard Don Mills speak about his grandfather, Major Ernest Henry Whitford Mills MC and Bar who was born in Chatswood, served in WWI and WWII, and called Lane Cove home for almost 30 years. You can read Don’s speech in full here.
Thank you to local Kim Loane, who shared the following on Lane Cove Chat By ITC about a very special ANZAC Day Service attended by some of the 1st Tambourine Bay Sea Scouts.
“All Anzac Day Services are special and there’s a particularly special service that has been held every year since 1948. It’s conducted at a location named Splendour Rock in the heart of the Wild Dog Mountains within the Blue Mountains and honours the bushwalkers who fell during WWII.
The Tambourine Bay Sea Scouts have been hiking the difficult 30 km round trip since 2019 to attend this very unique service. This year, ten Scouts, Venturers and Leaders attended – some hiking overnight, arriving at dawn. Some the day prior.
To the many bushwalkers who reside in Lane Cove we hope you might consider attending one year.”
Federal Election 3 May 2025
ITC has compiled some important election information. The article includes our online candidate forum, unedited written responses from candidates that responded to In The Cove’s request to answer five key questions, and pre polling.
The article also includes where to vote in the Lane Cove Council area and where to get that demoracy snag (last federal election only one school had snags – this year you will find a snag and some lovely cakes at Mowbray Public School, Lane Cove West Public School and Lane Cove Public School).
Lane Cove Council April Meeting 2025
The Lane Cove Council Meeting was held on Thursday, 24th April, in front of a packed public forum. The two main agenda items the public wanted to discuss were:
Proposed Voluntary Planning Agreement for 2-10 Finlayson St – Post Consultation report
In the Cove recently published an article about the redevelopment of St Andrews Church (corner of Finlayson Street and Rosenthal Avenue Lane Cove) from a stand-alone church and hall into a mixed-use 8-story building. The development will include a new church, a 418-seat auditorium, 47 residential apartments, and retail space. You can read the article here.
The 47 residential apartments and two levels of basement parking and servicing areas will be accessed from Finlayson Street. The Auditorium will have a ground floor (274 seats) and a Mezzanine (144 seats).
During the public forum, plans were circulated that show the auditorium would fit up to 650 seats.
The main discussion by the councillors on the night was about Lane Cove Council entering into a voluntary planning agreement whereby they agreed to forgo a financial contribution of $1.144m that would ordinarily be payable by the developer in return for public access to the auditorium. On the night, several members of Lane Cove’s performing arts community mentioned the need for a large auditorium with proper acoustics in Lane Cove. Residents of Finlayson Street also spoke about the impact the development would have on the local area and in particular The Canopy.
After a lengthy debate, the following Motion put forward by Councillor Bennison (with subsequent amendments by Councillor Flood and Bryla) was adopted unanimously:
RESOLVED on the motion moved by Councillor Bennison and seconded by Councillor Roenfeldt that Council:
1. Reject the VPA on the grounds that it is not a good deal for Lane Cove,
2. Authorise the acting General Manager to speak with the applicant asking for a better deal that would include: 50% of total available times for Thursday, Friday and Saturday; that the parking allocated to the auditorium be consistent with the requirements of Council’s Development Control Plan; that there be an option of a shuttle bus to and from the performance space; and that Council determine the nature of performances and community group access during Council’s time,
3. That as part of the discussion, the acting General Manager offers our Synergy venue to accommodate Youth Group on Saturdays, and suggests that band practice be moved to Tuesday; and
4. That the acting General Manager report back to the June 2025 Council meeting on the success or otherwise in relation to the negotiations.
The Lane Cove Council is not the authority responsible for deciding the Development Application. There was no discussion about the developer’s request for the height limits to be increased, as this will be decided by the Sydney North Planning Panel.
Planning Proposal 41 – 177-183 Greenwich Road, Greenwich Recommendation
Developers of 177 – 183 Greenwich Road Greenwich are seeking to build a residential flat building of 5 storeys fronting Greenwich Road and potentially 8 storeys at the rear of the site.
Several residents living near this development commented that the building would be higher than any other building in Greenwich. They also noted that council was being offered a parcel of bushland that would be extremely hard to maintain and would have an ongoing costs for council.
The following resolution was passed:
RESOLVED on the motion moved by Councillor Bennison and seconded by Councillor Roenfeldt that having considered the advice of the Lane Cove Local Planning Panel meeting of 25 March 2025, Council:
- receive, note and endorse the advice provided by the Local Planning Panel;
- based on the advice, support the Planning Proposal only with the following amendments:
- a) reduce the height control from 21 metres to RL 48.85m; and
- b) reduce the floor space ratio from 1.7:1 to 1.68:1;
- forward the revised Proposal to the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure for a Gateway Determination;
- delegate authority to the General Manager for the Planning Proposal to finalise the amendments; and
5. use the letter of offer as the basis of a VPA which will be returned to Council
Local Independent News Association Campaign
Each year the Local and Independent News Association (LINA) has a week where it raises awareness of the funding issues that face local news. In The Cove (ITC) is proudly owned and run by founder Jacky Barker, and now employs four local staff on a permanent part time basis.
LINA is focused on supporting independent media providers across the country to continue to deliver stories that matter to their communities. It also works to maintain content diversity and equitable access to content across the media landscape.
ITC is proud to bring you news that impacts locals and share stories from our local community that otherwise may not be told. We are also committed to providing fee-free media, now and always. We can do this through advertising partnerships and direct support from our readers.
Last year during the Local News Awareness week our Lane Cove readers came out in financial support and helped us to stay afloat (yep we run on the smell of an oily rag and our number one expense is wages). But without the great team we have we could not bring you the local news and events.
Thank you to those who have already supported us.
The average contribution has been between $20 and $50.00 and we are THRILLED with every contribution.
Check out some of the things we have covered since starting in 2012.
The 2025 local awareness week goes from 28th April to 4 May. You can click here to support ITC.
Taronga Zoo Farewells Elephants, Convoy Passes Lane Cove
Did you see a police escorted truck convoy around lunchtime on Tuesday, 29th 2025? The trucks had two very special passengers, Taronga Zoo’s departing elephants.
ITC was lucky enough to see the beloved Asian Elephants, Tang Mo and Pak Boon leave the zoo. On the drive home we were surprised to be stopped by the police escort on the ramp from the Pacific Hwy to Epping Rd as the Elephants were heading down Epping Rd. They are enroute to their new home at Monarto Safari Park in South Australia
Check out our video of all the action.
From Taronga Zoo’s social media “While this is a bittersweet moment for our zoo community and guests, we are excited for Pak Boon and Tang Mo to join a larger herd at Monarto Safari Park, where they will play a vital role in the future of the elephant breeding program.”
Illegal Tree Clearing Fines – New Penalties Proposed
In a win for North Shore Councils (including Lane Cove Council) the NSW State Government has released an Explanation of Intended Effect (EIE) to help shape reforms to the urban tree clearing framework.
The EIE aims to protect the tree canopy by proposing more substantial penalties for illegal tree and vegetation clearing.
Under the proposed policy changes, additional enforcement powers would be given to councils and exemptions would be tightened for dead, dying and dangerous vegetation to close loopholes open to abuse.
The EIE responds to growing concerns among councils, the community and stakeholders that the current framework needs to be updated.
This move comes after illegal tree clearings on the lower north shore and two major incidents in Lane Cove. Read more here.
At the Lane Cove Council April 2025 Meeting, Mayor Merri Southwood noted the announcement of proposed legislative changes to increase penalties and fines for tree vandalism and to take other measures to preserve tree canopy.
She also acknowledged the ongoing efforts of Lane Cove Council staff to preserve the tree canopy in the Lane Cove LGA. She specifically mentioned the work undertaken by Councillor Bridget Kennedy to draw attention to the illegal tree-clearing issue.
Councillor Bennison asked if Lane Cove Council staff could give an update on the illegal clearing of over 100s of trees, shrubs and plants in Longueville in November 2023. Council staff advised that they had legal advice that they could not give an update to the public on any possible prosecution. Read more here about the illegal cleaning in November 2023.
The proposed fines are set out below:
This is only the first step in changing legislation. It is now over to the public and councils to make comments on the EIE.
To read the illegal tree and vegetation clearing EIE and make a submission, visit the Vegetation in non-rural areas web page.
The consultation period closes on 5 pm on Wednesday, 4 June 2025.
Launch Of Lane Cove Seed Library
On Tuesday 29 April 2025 the Lane Cove Seed Library was launched by Lane Cove Council and special guest speaker Indira Naidoo. The Seed Library is where locals can ‘borrow’ seeds to grow their plant, then ‘return’ harvested seeds to the library.
The initiative is part of a growing movement that addresses sustainability, biosecurity, biodiversity and food security.
Guests at the launch event heard Indira speak about her journey to creating her own edible garden on her balcony after she became more aware of the global issues affecting food security and diversity. She also stated that the “Indigenous knowledge that has been shared with me has been the most precious part of my travels”.
Mayor Merri Southwood spoke about how this project came about from community suggestions and grew from consultation with interested parties, including existing seed libraries and community nurseries. The Mayor also highlighted the sustainability initiatives built into the library’s ongoing operation. These included using recycled materials for the seed library shelving and old library books and magazines to create the seed packets, which were created by student volunteers.
Attendees were offered seedlings and some of the first packets of seeds from the new library.
One of the younger attendees was 9-year-old Cooper, a budding naturalist and an environmental leader at his school, who had this to say about the Seed Library: “I am really excited to add more plants to my edible garden at home. I just got my worm farm this week and I hope to have lots of fruit and vegetables soon to share with people.”
Locals can access the Seed Library at Lane Cove Library.
In photos: Giuliana Carlos, Coordinator Hughes Park, Lane Cove Mayor Merri Southwood, broadcaster and author Indira Naidoo; budding naturalist Cooper.
Questions Raised About Future Of Chatswood Metro Dive Site
The future of Chatswood’s Sydney Metro dive site remains unclear, with Willoughby City Mayor Tanya Taylor writing to the NSW Transport Minister for clarity. The site is on the corner of the Pacific Highway and Mowbray Road, opposite The Great Northern Hotel. The Lane Cove Local Government Area border is diagonally opposite the dive site.
The previous state government had called for expressions of interest for the site’s revitalisation and earmarked it for a new public primary school and public recreation space. In recent months, it seems these plans have been shelved.
In a letter to the Parliamentary Secretary for Transport, Willoughby City Mayor Tanya Taylor said she was deeply concerned that long-anticipated public benefits may no longer be part of the site’s future.
“This is one of very few parcels of land that can genuinely meet long-term community needs in a high-growth location,” Mayor Taylor said. “Our planning must keep pace to support these new homes, and the site should be used for a mix of community purposes, not just education, but also public recreation.”
While Metro has confirmed that remediation works are underway and the site’s future use is still under investigation, Council has not received any clear commitment regarding the final purpose of the land or how the community will be involved in the process.
Council has requested urgent clarification from the NSW Government on three key points:
- Whether public benefit outcomes, particularly a school and open space, remain part of the plan
- What role Council and the community will have in the planning and decision-making process
- The timeline for approvals and consultation.
With decisions about the site still to be made, Council is calling for a plan that meets the real needs of the growing Chatswood community.
“Chatswood is experiencing rapid growth, and we simply can’t afford to lose this rare opportunity to plan responsibly for our future,” Mayor Taylor said.
“We are urging the NSW Government to ensure infrastructure planning keeps pace with development, and to give Council and our community a seat at the table in shaping how this site delivers tangible benefits for our residents.”
Have Your Say: Social Inclusion Strategy
Lane Cove Council has released its Draft Social Inclusion Strategy for public feedback. The strategy aims to build a more inclusive, equitable community by ensuring everyone—regardless of background—can access services, participate in civic life, and feel valued.
Residents are invited to share their views before Friday 6 June 2025 by:
- Taking the online survey
- Emailing a written submission to [email protected] (quote SU10074)
- Posting to Lane Cove Council, PO Box 20, Lane Cove NSW 1595
Lane Cove Gift Cards Pop Up Stall
In the lead up to Mother’s Day on Sunday 11 May there will be pop up stalls selling the Lane Cove Gift Card. So you can spoil mum and support local businesses at the same time win-win!
The cards can be used for everything from shopping, beauty treatments, and cafes. You choose the value of the card.
What: Lane Cove Gift Card sales
Where: The Canopy
When: Friday 2nd, Saturday 3rd, Friday 9th and Saturday 10th May
Time: 10 am – 2 pm
A special offer from Lane Cove Council; all purchases over $100 will receive a free Lane Cove shopping cart.
You can also purchase gift cards any time of year from the Lane Cove Civic Centre, Iris & Lin, Spotted Orchid or Rain Bridalwear. Digital cards are also available. See here for more information.
Our photo is from the gift card pop up stall in December 2024.
Açaí Cove Opens
Acai Lane Cove
Lane Cove’s first dedicated soft serve açaí spot is finally here, and it’s got a cool twist. The kids of Curry Lane (yes, that Curry Lane, which has been around 20+ years) are sharing the space and bringing fresh, fruity vibes to the neighbourhood.
@acaicove_lanecove! has soft serve açaí bowls, strawberry cups, and much more to come. Keep an eye out on their social media to see what is coming.
They are located at Curry Lane/Acai Cove, 110 Longueville Rd, Lane Cove.
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Sayulita To Close
Sad news, Sayulita is closing and we will no longer have a Mexican restaurant in Lane Cove. ITC would like to thank Sayulita for supporting In the Cove from the day they first opened and also Miss ITC had a very lovely 21st birthday meal there.
The team made the announcement on their socials on Monday 28 April:
“Amigos, all good things come to an end, it’s time for us to say adios to Lane Cove 👋🏻 🧡
We have absolutely loved creating and bringing Sayulita to you, modern Mexican plates filled with deliciousness and love and handcrafted seasonal margaritas..
Thankyou Thankyou to all our beautiful local customers, we’ve loved serving you!
A huge thankyou to our incredible team of Chefs, Kitchen team, Managers, Front of house staff, suppliers (and all the mums & dads who picked up our juniors at night), Sayulita was made amazing because of you 🧡🧡
If you are craving Mexican, fear not!We would love to see you all at our sister venue Taqueria Cammeray anytime.
Thankyou for your support,
The Sayulita team x x”
Make sure you’re completely up to date with all Lane Cove’s business news by reading our Business Round Up.
Nic Corish Memorial Golf Day
The Nic Corish Memorial Golf Day will be held on 10th May 2025 at the Lane Cove Golf Course.
This is the sixth time the event will be held. Players compete for the Nic Corish Cup and other prizes.
The entry fee is $40.00 and includes a free BBQ. All proceeds go to the Nic Corish Trust.
To date, the Lane Cove golfing community has raised over $ 45,000 for the Nic Corish Trust, which supports young people’s mental health. The event is open to anyone who can play a bit of golf – you don’t need to be an expert and you will get a handicap. It’s a good way to meet some of the members of the Lane Cove Golf Club.
If you can’t attend the event you can donate to this cause via the Beyond Blue link in our article.
Nic’s Dad Andrew gives a lovely account of what his son meant to him and the way they connected over a game of golf. Read more here.
Coming Soon -The Shape of Things
The Lane Cove Theatre Company’s (TLCTC) second production of the year, The Shape of Things, will be staged at the new performance space at Pottery Lane.
The season runs from 14 to 25 May 2025.
TLCTC has built a reputation for delivering thought-provoking and high-quality productions, and The Shape of Things promises to be no exception. Find out more about the play here.
Under the direction of Kathryn Thomas (The Lieutenant of Inishmore, Holding the Man and Next to Normal), this intimate and powerful play will challenge and engage audiences in a way only great theatre can.
This production will also assist Stage 6 HSC Drama students for Topic 6: Black Comedy. Lane Cove Theatre Company has a long history of presenting plays that assist local HSC students.
Two Wednesday performances exclusively for school groups:
- Wednesday 14 May 11 am
- Wednesday 21 May 11 am
If you are studying Stage 6 HSC Drama, mention this opportunity to your school.
Lane Cove Swimmers Shine At Nationals
This year Lane Cove Swim Club (LCSC) had their biggest team go to National Age and Open Swimming Championships in their 62 year history. Held at the Chandler Aquatic Centre in Brisbane, 19 age national swimmers and one open multiclass swimmer, two coaches and parents travelled to Queensland to race with the best in Australian swimming. Combined these 20 swimmers swam over 50 races individually and in relays.
Some highlights of the event included:
- Eliza Damian being a top 10 finalist in 50m, 100m and 200m Breaststroke
- Adelle Ha in 50m and 100m Breaststroke
- Harrison Reid in 50m Freestyle
- Samantha Pratt in 50m, 100m, 200m MC Freestyle and 50m MC Backstroke.
Parents and supporters of LCSC had special shirts made and the team turned out to support every swimmer leading to a supportive and fun environment for all involved.
Congratulations on a great season everyone!
This season, the club had 354 members, many of whom train year-round. During the summer season members participate in Saturday morning Swim Club, as well as have the opportunity to compete in local, regional, state and national events. The LCSC has two streams swimmers can join; fitness pathway and competitive pathway, offering something for every swimmer out there.
The 2025/26 Summer season commences on 25 October 2025, however members can continue swimming throughout the year with three winter club events held indoors on Friday evenings – follow the LCSC’s socials for dates. Everyone is welcome.
Car Crashes Into Trendsetter Travel & Cruise Shopfront
On Monday April 28 2025 at around 8.30 am a car travelling along Northwood Road mounted the kerb and crashed into the Trendsetter Travel & Cruise shop front.
NSW Ambulance said they attended a low speed impact accident and that the driver was transported to hospital. An eyewitness saw the driver walk into the ambulance.
The office was not occupied at the time of the incident. Luckily, Adrienne from Trendsetter Travel & Cruise was due to arrive later in the day.
NSW Ambulance also reported that they attended an accident on Burns Bay Road the same morning around 6.30 am.
Break In Willandra Street Lane Cove North
Over the weekend, a person followed in a car, entering an apartment complex on Willandra Street. The person went through cars and storage units. Police have been notified and request that all reports of incidents like this be logged on their online minor crime portal – further information here.
North Shore Police Area Command – Warrant Wednesday
Today, 30th April 2025, the North Shore Police Area Command published the following on their Facebook site:
“*WARRANT WEDNESDAY*
Each individual has outstanding warrants for various offences, and they are all known to either reside in or frequent the North Shore area.
Nicholas, Thomas, Gurdave and Brittany, if you’re reading this, we’d be most grateful if each of you popped into your nearest Police Station to have your matters promptly dealt with. We’d be genuinely thrilled to see you!
North Shore Police Area Command April Report
Possess Prohibited Drug – Chatswood – 11/04/2025
A 16-year-old Killarney Heights boy has been charged with possessing a prohibited drug after being searched by police in Chatswood.
At 3:30pm on Friday the 11th of April 2025 police were conducting high visibility, proactive patrols of Chatswood CBD. While patrolling Chatswood Interchange, Police allegedly observed the boy enter a Tobacconist and purchase multiple clear resealable plastic bags.
As the boy walked out of the shop police stopped and spoke with the young person. Police had cause to search the boy and will allege that during the search, they located 19 grams of cannabis inside a bag he was carrying.
The Killarney Heights boy was arrested and conveyed to Chatswood Police Station. During a secondary search while in custody, police located a small resealable bag containing a white powder which police will allege was cocaine.
The boy was charged with two counts of “Possess Prohibited Drug” and will appear before Surry Hills Children’s Court on the 29th of May 2025.
Stealing – Chatswood – 11/04/2025
A 19-year-old Neutral Bay woman has been charged with “Goods in Personal Custody Suspected of being Stolen” and “Breach of Bail”.
At 5:45pm on Friday the 11th of April 2025 police were conducting high visibility, proactive patrols of Chatswood CBD. As part of these patrols, Police attended Chatswood Oval and walked past a group of females. While walking past the group, police could smell a strong scent of cannabis and also noticed that members of the group were consuming alcohol.
Police spoke with the group and had cause to search the Neutral Bay woman. Police will allege that during the search, police located five clothing items all with security tags still attached.
The 19-year-old was arrested and conveyed to Chatswood Police Station where she was charged by police.
She appeared before Parramatta Local Court where she entered a plea of guilty and was sentenced to a 9-month conditional release order.
Possess Prohibited Weapon – Crows Nest – 12/04/2025
At 10:25pm on Saturday the 12th of April 2025, police were patrolling Crows Nest when they stopped a Mazda BT-50 on Rocklands Road. Police spoke with the 22-year-old male driver who was unable to produce a current driver License. Checks by police allegedly revealed that his licence had been suspended since the 21st of February 2025 due to fine default.
Police had a further conversation with the male in which he allegedly told police that there was a small amount of cannabis and a knife in the vehicle. As a result, the vehicle was searched by police and in the glove box police will allege they located a vacuum sealed bag containing cannabis and in the centre console police will allege they located a ‘gambit’ style knife.
The man was issued with a Field Court Attendance Notice for “Possess Prohibited Drug” and “Custody of an Offensive Implement”. The man was also issued with a Suspension Notice Advice document.
The man is due before Manly Local Court in June.
Mid-Range Drink Driving – Lane Cove North – 19/04/2025
A 42-year-old Roseville man has been charged with “Drive with Middle Range PCA” and will face court in May.
About 1:45 am on Saturday 19th of April 2025, Police attached to North Shore Traffic and Highway Patrol were conducting stationary random breath testing on the Pacific Highway, Lane Cove North.
Police will allege that the Roseville man was driving a Black Lexus north on the Pacific Highway, Lane Cove North when police observed the vehicle sharply swerve and conduct a U-Turn at the intersection of Norton Lane. This was approximately 80 meters from the stationary RBT site.
Police stopped the vehicle a short time later and spoke with the 42-year-old Roseville man. He was submitted to a roadside breath test, which allegedly returned a positive reading. The man was arrested and conveyed to North Sydney Police Station.
At the station, the man undertook a breath analysis, which police will allege in court returned a mid-range reading of 0.127 grams of alcohol in 210 litres of breath.
The man was issued with a Field Court Attendance Notice and will appear before Hornsby Local Court on the 29th of May 2025. The man’s drivers licence was suspended until his court date.
The man was also issued with an infringement for performing a U-Turn at a set of traffic lights.
Week In Review Sponsor – BFT Lane Cove
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Meet The BFT Team that Lane Cove is talking about.
From left to right
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Help ITC to Keep Providing Free Local News in 2025 – LOCAL NEWS AWARENESS WEEK
The link to support us is here.
Thank You
Thank you to the In the Cove team, our advertisers, roving reporters and everyone who stops our founder, Jacky Barker, on the street and tells her how much In the Cove has helped them learn more about where they live.
The link to support us is here.
