Driving For Exercise🚨
Man fined $1k for driving to Woolloomooloo
Hey neighbour, Simon here, remembering the two men with my surname who died at Gallipoli in 1915. Looks like all our hard work staying home is paying off and lockdown restrictions may start to ease in coming weeks. Fingers crossed! Things were certainly worse in Woolloomooloo on this day 101 years ago, scroll down to find out why.
Quick reminder: this is a free newsletter serving Woolloomooloo. I’m hoping to make it collaborative and helpful, so email me if there’s something you want to know.
Today’s edition is 700 words, a 3-minute read.
Riley Street, this morning (1919). From NSW State Archives.
Where We’re At With COVID-19 😷
NSW has 2994 cases and 34 deaths, with seven new cases yesterday. Australia has 6689 cases and 80 deaths, with 5136 recoveries.
Our postcode (NSW 2011) has recorded between 20 and 29 cases, from 955 tests. Based on the national recovery rate of 77% there’s likely fewer than six cases in Woolloomooloo, Kings Cross, Elizabeth Bay and Rushcutters Bay. (The latest census says 21,119 people live in our postcode).
In comparison, New York City – the global epicentre – has had 20,159 deaths. Horrific. We really do live in The Lucky Country.
“Driving For Exercise” ⛽
Rebel of the week is the $459,000 McLaren supercar driver pulled over in Potts Point early on Monday morning. The 43-year-old Fairfield man told police he was driving to Woolloomooloo to get fuel. Fairfield is 33km away.
After the driver and his passenger were fined $1000 each for breaking coronavirus restrictions, he apparently told the officers that “driving is a form of exercise.”
According to 7News, he then allegedly said: “Do what you want mate, I don’t care. This $1,000 fine won’t hurt with my $15 million”.
What’s Open? What’s Closed? 🚫
Australia is on track for ‘cautious’ easing of restrictions in three weeks as new coronavirus cases continue to fall.
At present most of our cafes – and many restaurants – are open for takeaway, along with convenience stores, pharmacies and hairdressers/barbers.
I’ll aim for a comprehensive list of takeaway options in the next edition.
Sadly, all of Woolloomooloo’s pubs are likely to remain closed for a while, including my favourite, the East Sydney.
Without the pub to divert us, my dogs and I have been enjoying the Domain, which is much quieter than usual with the Art Gallery closed and no tourists around. Be warned, not all huffing and puffing joggers are socially distancing!
If you run a local business I’d love to speak with you and let our community know how you’re going. Please email simon@j-project.org, thanks!
What I’m Reading This Week 🗞️
I’m a journalist and read a lot of global media (while listening to a lot of podcasts). Three things I found fascinating this week…
Our Pandemic Summer in The Atlantic: when will things go back to normal? (Spoiler: no time soon).
The Body Collectors in The New Yorker: “The refrigerated trucks that hospitals were using to manage the overflow quickly grew disorganised, with bodies mixed together in piles on the floor.” Grim.
Scott Morrison has a good story to tell but the world isn't listening in the SMH: why ScoMo’s national cabinet “is his once-in-a-generation innovation”.
Coming Soon… 😋
I’m kicking off a regular series next week, interviewing the local heroes who make our little slice of Sydney so special. First up is the world’s best artisan baker, Flour & Stone supremo Nadine Ingram, who’ll share how her crew have been coping with corona.
Last But Not Least…
On this day in 1919 Sydney was in the grip of the last global pandemic, the so-called Spanish Flu, as “womenfolk” gathered for an Anzac Day service in the Domain, overlooking Woolloomooloo. According to a report in the SMH the next day: “masks were worn by the great majority of the gathering”.
6,487 people died in NSW from influenza in 1919, with more than 290,000 people infected in Sydney alone, 35% of the population. I’m thankful that – so far anyway – things aren’t anywhere near as bad in 2020.
Until next time, stay safe. Please email simon@j-project.org if you have stuff to share.