🔵 A local childcare centre given the boot?
Plus: Where do data centres get their energy from, cheap Hornsby eats, and a history of Howard
Huw Bradshaw
March 11, 2026
⏱️ The 87th edition of our newsletter is a five-minute read.
🌅 Morning all,
It seems that many resonated with our video on the Mandarin Centre.
While to some it might seem like a severely dated mall well overdue for a reno, to people who grew up running around it’s dark bowling alleys, broken escalators and brightly lit asian grocers the centre is a place of intense nostalgia.
You can watch the video below.
Unsurprisingly, many also lamented the potential loss of one of the best food courts in the North Shore. Others shared memories of two dollar schooners at the Gordon Rugby Club. This is a little before my time, admittedly.
While we don’t know for certain yet whether the redevelopment will go ahead, I’m glad our page can be a place to mourn, as well as provide a shared sense of belonging to a generation who grew up in the area.
One more thing: This week I have been working on a story about folks making the jump to electric vehicles. It seems, amid larger global events, cars that don’t rely so heavily on fragile international trade networks are looking quite attractive.
If you’re someone who has recently switched to an EV, is thinking about it, or even a long-time EV driver, reach out to us by replying to this email. We’d love to hear about your perspective and what’s influencing you to make the switch.
🗞️ Now, let’s get into the news.
HEARD THIS WEEK👂
🚸 Iconic Kelly’s Place Children’s Centre given the boot by North Sydney Council
Speaking of childhood memories…
For local parents Ben Worrall and Aoife Gannon, choosing a daycare for their firstborn was a big decision. While other centres might have had a fresher coat of paint, Kelly’s Place, in Crows Nest, was a no brainer for them.
“When you get in there and meet the educators, meet the kids, it's such a happy, positive place … we haven’t looked back”, Worrall told the Lorikeet. Their son has now just begun his 2nd year at Kelly’s Place.
But last week the couple received devastating news: the longstanding childcare centre will soon have its lease terminated so that the area can be redeveloped.
What happened: For years, the future of the 38-year-old childcare centre has hung in the balance.
According to Director Katie Newton, the centre has always been aware of council’s plans to redevelop the Hume Street area of Crows Nest into a park, and were happy to work collaboratively to relocate the centre.
Plans for the expansion of Hume Street Park into a larger pedestrian area have been in motion since 2012.
But with the lure of state government funding for the redevelopment on the table, the North Shore council now wants the ball rolling and the childcare centre out. In a meeting in late February, they told the centre’s committee that the council-subsidised lease would be terminated before the end of the year.
The lease was previously extended by 12 months, with the hope that a suitable alternative location could be found. In that time, Newton claims the council failed to show them any suitable options.
“The sites [we were shown] would need significant renovation and DA approval — we know that can take up to 2 years,” said Newton.
Read the full story here, or watch our interview with the centre director below.
🔋 Should we make data centres build their own energy?
Concerns raised by North Shore locals about data centres have been echoed by national industry and environmental groups, who are now calling for strong federal guardrails on the data centre boom.
What happened: Across Australia, there are now more than 250 data centres. Many of these can be seen in urban areas like the North Shore in areas like Gore Hill, Macquarie Park and North Sydney, with more on the way.
Locals have raised issues with new data centres being built, such as those in Lane Cove and North Ryde, citing concerns over water and energy usage, as well as impacts on nature.
Why the rush? The data centre boom is largely attributed to the rise in AI computing. This technology requires a lot of infrastructure, power and cooling.
What now: The concerns of North Shore residents have now been reflected in a proposal put on the desk of federal Industry Minister Tim Ayres, written by a coalition of industry, union, environmental and community groups.
Alexander Hoysted, the convenor of these groups, told the Lorikeet that while data centre investment can be a boon to our economy, strong federal guidelines are needed to prevent “a race to the bottom, to see who can just open their arms to the most industry”.
Read the full piece below.
🍗 The best cheap eats in Hornsby
The title says it all. We went ahead and compiled some of the best and cheapest places to get a feed in the upper North Shore area.
LOOKING NATIONALLY 👀
🥥 How did John Howard stay Prime Minister for 11 years?
He won four elections, served 11 years as Prime Minister, and changed Australia forever, but was John Howard the man who saved the country, or the man who ruined it?
Howard changed the face of Australia significantly, the repercussions of which are still being felt today in areas like the housing market.
Today, he remains an incredibly polarising figure - 19 years after leaving centre stage - the very mention of this 86-year-old’s name can trigger emotional responses.
The National Account's Archie Milligan has the rundown on Howard's rise to power, the tragedies, the policies and what eventually led to his downfall:
That’s all from me.
Got a story tip? An unsolved mystery? A notable local? Hit reply or reach out at [email protected].
Cheers,