Welcome to our week in review.
Home Invasion Wollstonecraft
A man was assaulted by a group of five individuals armed with weapons following a unit invasion on Milner Crescent, Wollstonecraft, at 3.00 am Saturday, 9 August 2025.
Police and paramedics arrived on the scene at around 3.30 am and treated a 54-year-old man, who was later transported to Royal North Shore Hospital in a stable condition. A woman was also inside the unit at the time of the invasion but was uninjured.
The invaders stole a motorcycle before fleeing the scene and are still at large.
Police established a crime scene, with inquiries still ongoing.
Vale Lane Cove’s Jazz Pioneer Judy Bailey OAM
Lane Cove local legend, Dr Judy Bailey, passed away peacefully, aged 89, on 8 August 2025.
Her two children Lisette De Gray and Chris De Gray were by her side. Chris said, “Both Lisette and I were privileged to have been with her and holding her right to her last breath. We are so sad right now, but happy that she is free of her suffering”.
Judy Bailey had an extraordinarily full career in Australian music: classical musician; jazz pianist, composer and arranger; television and recording session musician; teacher at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music; jazz educator in the schools; cultural ambassador for Australia on overseas tours; composer of children’s music for ABC Radio; member of the Music Board of the Australia Council.
ITC will be publishing an article highlighting the remarkable career of this Lane Cove Local and Jazz Pioneer next week.
St Leonards To Light Up With New Lunar Laneways Festival
Lane Cove Council has secured a $331,500 grant from the NSW Government’s Open Streets Program to launch St Leonards Lunar Laneways — a vibrant new cultural festival set to debut in 2026.
The event plans transform laneways beneath Wadanggari Park into a celebration of Asian culture, featuring lantern installations, K-pop flash mobs, traditional music, food stalls, night flower markets and family-friendly workshops.
Developed in partnership with organisations like the Korean Culture Centre and SBS Vietnamese Radio, the festival is designed to activate underused public spaces, support local businesses, and bring the community together.
Mayor Merri Southwood says the project aligns with the Council’s Liveable Lane Cove 2035 vision and will help turn St Leonards into a more inclusive and dynamic precinct.
Read more about Liveable Lane Cove 2035 here.
More details will be announced closer to the festival launch.
Council Installs New Dismount Zone Signage
On Wednesday, 13th August 2025, new bollard signage was installed at the entry points to the Lane Cove Plaza, including from the shared zone on Birdwood Lane. The signage reminds people that these areas of Lane Cove are dismount zones and cyclists and e-scooter riders should dismount their vehicles through these areas.
With the increase in delivery riders in Lane Cove, this area has become busier with bikes. Hopefully, the new signage will lead to increased pedestrian awareness in these areas.
ITC noticed a delivery driver take note of the signs and stop to photograph them.
Lane Cove in the News
On 6th August 2025, The Daily Telegraph published a list of schools planned for the next five years. A new primary school was listed as being intended for St Leonards.
The Daily Telegraph’s information was sourced from the NSW Schools Infrastructure Site.
A new school in St Leonards has been requested by residents, state politicians and local councils. In April 2025, Tim James, Member for Willoughby, launched a community petition after the State Government decided to cancel two new public schools that were to be built in Chatswood and St Leonards. A link to the petition is here.
So if the plans to build a new school in St Leonards were scrapped why is the primary school listed on the NSW Schools Infrastructure website?
ITC asked NSW Schools Infrastructure to provide an update on their plans for a school in St Leonards. A Department of Education spokesperson told ITC the following:
“Planning is continuing for a potential future school at St Leonards. The Department of Education is working closely with the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure to ensure growth is catered for in the area around the Crows Nest Transport Oriented Development, and the community will be kept updated as this work continues.
Currently, there is sufficient capacity at existing primary schools in the St Leonards area and surrounds. Over the past decade, more than 10 public schools in the Chatswood, St Leonards, Willoughby and North Sydney area have been upgraded, which have added capacity for 6,700 more students.”
What does “planning” mean? Is it a firm commitment or still in the incubation stage, how long does a school project stay in the planning phase?
A Department of Education spokesperson told ITC the following:
“School infrastructure requires careful planning, including consideration of demographic trends to calculate the size and type of infrastructure needed to meet the current and future educational demands of the local community. Demand has to be assessed on a relative-need basis across the whole state.
The department considers other public schools located nearby and their capacity to inform what size and type of school infrastructure is required to best service the educational needs of the local community, and when that new infrastructure would be needed to meet enrolment demand.”
In other words, a new school in St Leonards is in the discussion stage and there is no time frame.d
Business Alert – IGA Coming To Pathways Aged Care Development Northwood (opp The Diddy)
Lane Cove Council has received a development application (DA 85/2025) for one of the commercial tenancies at the new Pathways development on the corner of Longueville and Northwood roads.
The application proposes an IGA store including a liquor license on the ground floor of the building. The IGA will operate seven days a week, from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm.
To review the development plans and submit any comments you may have click here.
Business Alert – The Foot Group Celebrates 25 years in Lane Cove
The Foot Group is celebrating 25 years in Lane Cove this September. The Foot Group told ITC:
“We are so proud to be part of this wonderful community for a quarter of a decade! We are grateful to our loyal patients, many of whom have been with us from the beginning. Our involvement with Lane Cove Public School, the Lane Cove Fun Run, Lane Cove Netball Club and Lane Cove Football Club has helped deepen our ties and commitment here, helping us become a Lane Cove success story.
Starting out in the Central Arcade as Lane Cove Foot Clinic, Andrew worked by himself until we moved to bigger premises at 90 Longueville Road.
In 2010, when we opened a clinic in Brookvale, we changed our name to The Foot Group.
We moved to our current location at 152-154 Longueville Road in 2018 and plan to be here for many years to come.
To commemorate this milestone, we are participating in Gather for Good, an initiative to provide critical relief and comfort for families rebuilding from domestic abuse.
Organised by Women and Children First, a charity committed to ending gender-based violence and supporting families through trauma. They run Delvena Women’s Refuge in Lane Cove and another refuge on the Northern Beaches, Women and Children First have 50 years of experience providing the safety, support, and care that women and children need to heal and move forward.
Over August and September we will be collecting essential items needed by families in refuges and transitional housing. For every item donated, we will match it.
Items that are needed are:
- Gift cards and vouchers
- Pantry staples
- Toiletries and household essentials
Giving back to our local community is important to us and we hope our patients can join us in making a positive difference to those who really need it.”
To assist with this initiativ,e please drop off donated items to
The Foot Group – Lane Cove
Shop 3, 152-154 Longueville Road
Lane Cove NSW 2066
Have Your Say – Lane Cove Sustainability Action Plan
Lane Cove Council is reviewing the 2022 – 2025 Sustainability Action Plan and setting the vision for the next plan. As part of the review, residents are invited to share their opinions and ideas, which will be incorporated into the revised plan.
Residents can contribute by attending a workshop and/or providing feedback via a survey.
Workshop Details
- Monday 8th September 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
- Thursday 11th September 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Register to attend via Eventbrite
Survey
The feedback period closes Friday, 19 September 2025.
NSW Health Alert: Flu Still Spreading – Protect Yourself Today
NSW Health is reminding the community that flu season isn’t over yet. Influenza cases remain high, with over 8,200 reported in just one week (ending 2 August).
Now is the time to get vaccinated. The flu can cause serious illness—even in healthy people—and vaccination is the best way to protect yourself and others.
The flu vaccine is free for those at greater risk, including:
- Children aged 6 months to under 5 years
- Pregnant women
- Aboriginal people aged 6 months and older
- People aged 65+
- Individuals with chronic health conditions
Vaccinations are available at GPs, pharmacies, and Aboriginal Medical Services. Children under 2 should get their vaccine at a GP.
Even though winter is nearly over, it’s not too late to act. Book your flu shot today and help stop the spread.
For more information see NSW Health or call Healthdirect on 1800 022 222 for 24/7 health advice.
Film Screening: Voices for the Valley
The Nature Conservation Council of NSW, Lane Cove Bushland and Conservation Society and Lane Cove Coal and Gas Watch are showing a free screening of the documentary “Voices for the Valley”, a powerful short documentary created by 19 year old award winning filmmaker Jess Nipperess.
Where: Lane Cove Library meeting room
When: Thursday 14 August
Time: 6.30 pm – 8 pm
How: Bookings required. All the details here.
Secondhand Saturday Is THIS Saturday
This Saturday 16 August explore Lane Cove like never before and find a secondhand treasure.
Secondhand Saturday is a new community event where you hold the garage sale and Lane Cove Council promotes it through a FREE on-line listing of garage sales being held across Lane Cove on the same day. More details on the event here.
Registrations close 5pm Thursday 14 August.
From vintage clothes to furniture, books, toys, art and more — garage sales all over Lane Cove will be full of pre-loved gems waiting to be re-homed.
The map of registered garage sales is available here.
Lane Cove Community Bands Concert
Meeting House Playgroup
The Meeting House Playgroups are perfect for children aged 0–5 years – and a great way for parents and carers to connect too. Join in arts, craft, music and story time. Meet local families and be supported by trained staff with early childhood expertise.
When: Tuesdays & Thursdays during term time
Time: 9.30 am – 11.30 am
Where: Meeting House Hub, 23a Stokes St, Lane Cove North
Cost: $10 casual / $60 per term for one session a week / $100 per term for multiple sessions
How: Meeting House Playgroup details here.
Did you know In The Cove publishes a Playgroups guide? Check it out here.
Second Masala Paint & Chai Event Added
The first Lane Cove event is already sold out, so Masala Kitchen Lane Cove has added a new date, 11 October 2025!
Join the Masala team for Diwali Paint and Chai, a fun filled Diwali celebration for adults, kids and families from all communities. You will create an Indian inspired painting and indulge in chai, snacks, Bollywood dancing, gifts and prizes to be won!
Where: Masala Kitchen, Eat Street at The Canopy
When: 11 October 2025
Time: 3 pm – 5 pm
How: Details and booking link here
Junior Rugby Union Players Persist In Rough Conditions
Congratulations to Lane Cove Junior Rugby Union Club players Oscar (left) and Toby (right, with Coach Hobbs) on being awarded players of the match in their respective games over the weekend.
Oscar, who plays for the Under 13s side, was singled out for his “courageous defence at full back in a tough game against Manly Savers in pretty awful conditions.”
Toby plays for Under 10s and didn’t miss a tackle in his game – even more impressive given the extremely muddy conditions!
Second Man Charged Over Suspicious Boat Fire in Taren Point
A second person has been charged in connection with a suspicious boat fire in Sydney’s south earlier this year.
The fire broke out on Saturday 19 April at a marina on Mangrove Lane in Taren Point, after two men allegedly boarded a commercial vessel which later caught alight.
Detectives from Sutherland Shire Police Area Command formed Strike Force Fierasfer to investigate the blaze, which caused over $5,000 in damage.
On 19 June, officers arrested a 39-year-old man at a property on Burns Bay Road, Lane Cove. He was charged and remains before the courts.
Following further inquiries, a second man, aged 43, was arrested at Granville Police Station earlier today (Monday 11 August). He has been charged with two offences related to the fire and was refused bail. He was due to appear at Parramatta Local Court on Tuesday 12 August.
Week in Review Sponsor – Leanne Johnstone Lane Cove Mortgage Choice Franchisee/Owner
Leanne is a Lane Cove local and has been a Mortgage Choice franchisee for over 22 years.
Many Lane Cove locals have pursued their dreams of purchasing a first home, a larger home, or an investment property with Leanne Johnstone’s assistance.
Leanne’s background is different to most Mortgage Brokers. She started her career as an accountant (which is why she is so good with numbers), then moved on to a career in human resources before studying to become a mortgage broker and finally a Mortgage Choice franchisee. Having this varied career means Leanne can put her many skills to use when helping you through the finance journey.
Leanne’s not afraid to work hard and get the best deals for her clients. You will find Leanne in her office six days a week. She ensures she works with a client from start to finish.
It helps that she is backed up by a team that is as passionate as she is, and that is why she prides herself on providing you with a seamless service.
This hard work has paid off with Leanne being a finalist in the FBAA Broker of the Year (Independent & Franchise) award at the 2022 Australian Mortgage Awards.
Other Awards
🏅 Australian Mortgage Awards 2023/Brokerage Of The Year Finalist (1-5 staff)
🏅 Australian Mortgage Awards 2022/Broker Of The Year Finalist
Mortgage Choice Lane Cove Contact Details
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