Straight out of school, Hal Cumpston was set on entering the world of comedy. He had an interest in acting and even considered doing stand-up, but he knew it would take more than just being funny to stand out from the cr...

Sometimes there’s really nothing better than a refreshing dip in the ocean, especially when you need to give yourself a break from sweating profusely in the sweltering summer heat. From keen-bean surfers and muscle-bou...

Maroubra’s Ali Gripper has just released her first book, The Barefoot Surgeon, the inspirational story of eye surgeon Dr Sanduk Ruit. She shares her local favourites with The Beast… How long have you lived here? Almo...

Barking bloody dogs I love dogs as much as anyone, but I’m sick of the selfish owners around Boundary, Arden and Pacific Streets, Clovelly. Who lets their dogs start barking from 6.30am? This then causes a domino effec...

On March 23, 2019 the voters of New South Wales headed to the polls to elect their state government. Despite the Liberal Party holding onto power for a third successive term, Labor’s candidate for the seat of Cooge...

With my pasty white skin, green eyes and pitiful lack of style, you would never pick it, but the truth is I’ve actually got a fair bit of Italian blood flowing through my veins. Given my roots, I just had to check out ...

Over the past few weeks it would have been difficult not to have experienced the changing of the seasons. It felt like the longest, hottest and driest summer ever came to an almost brutal end. As March came to a close, o...

Years ago, the superb fairy wren was a common sight in our gardens. Now, only if you’re lucky can you catch a glimpse of these little blue beauties in the shrubs along our coast. Sadly this is the case for many native ...

Australia, land of the “Where-the-bloody-hell-are-you” tourism campaign, was once a great swearing nation. When I first arrived here in 1996 I heard a session from parliament where one angry pollie stated, “Mr Spea...

Recently I was sitting on the couch watching TV with my son and our dog. Although he’s still a cute puppy he can cut the cheese with such potency that anyone in the strike zone is left gasping and reeling for cover. On...