From bookstores to photographers and childcare centres, Weston Creek has a variety of businesses sharing their skills in the community. This week “CityNews” speaks with some of them.

WESTON Creek was named in honour of Capt George Edward Weston, a former officer of the East India Company who arrived in Australia in 1829, and was superintendent of the Hyde Park Convict Barracks in Sydney. 

In 1841, Weston was granted land that, by the 1960s, was established as a residential district as an offshoot of Canberra’s first satellite city in the adjacent Woden Valley. 

Construction of Weston Creek’s eight suburbs started with Waramanga and Fisher in 1968, and was followed by Weston and Rivett in 1969, Duffy and Holder in 1970, and Chapman and Stirling in 1972. Each suburb has its own local shops, and they all share the larger district centre of Cooleman Court situated in Weston. 

Each suburb is named after a notable Australian and the street names in each suburb follow a specific theme such as Australian rivers, native flowers, or names of surveyors.

Weston Creek, which is now home to more than 22,000 people, has developed a strong sense of community and is also home to many friendly traders and service providers. Here are some of the best… 

Duffy cafe serves ‘world class’ coffee

CAFE Niugini Arabica, in Duffy, sells a “world best” single blend coffee from Australia’s own doorstep – Papua New Guinea, says one of its owners, Theo Levantis.

Organically grown in village farming communities in the highlands before it’s brought to Canberra and locally roasted in Duffy, Theo says it’s the best product because it’s pure. 

“The reality is, when you blend coffee with coffee grown elsewhere you ruin the coffee,” he says. 

“It is like blending a quality red wine with an ordinary red wine — it will never be as good as it was,” Theo says. 

“Our product is a single-origin coffee from only one area in Papua New Guinea.”

Theo and the cafe’s other owners – Charles and Satish – were inspired to open up their cafe when working together in Papua New Guinea. 

“Our name ‘Niugini Arabica’ derives from the way the locals refer to their country (spelt phonetically),” Theo says. 

The coffee beans are grown in the fertile highlands, near the town of Goroka, at elevations above 2000m. 

“It’s here that some of the best coffee on the globe is grown,” he says. 

“In Australia, we have a massive coffee culture, yet the world-best coffee next door is unnoticed. 

“The beans end up in Europe and, for some reason, Australia hasn’t caught on yet.”

Niugini Arabica, Shop 4, Duffy Place, Duffy, Canberra. Call 0431 816090 or visit niuginiarabica.com.au

Trusted team puts care into funerals

THE family-owned and locally operated business, Toscan Dinn Funerals, has been bringing an honest, caring and professional approach to funeral services in Weston Creek since 2005, says lead funeral director Peter Dinn. 

Toscan Dinn Funerals, which are members of the Australian Institute of Embalming, are committed to offering simple choices, dignified care and a personal service, says Peter. 

“We get to know all of our families very well and establish relationships with them,” he says.

“Our funerals are tailored to reflect the life of the special loved one that we have been entrusted to care for.” 

And, Peter says the team at Toscan Dinn Funerals pledge to provide quality care and informed choices to families in the region when they say goodbye to a loved one. 

“We take pride in providing you with our time, knowledge, attention to detail and support when you need it most,” he says. 

“We are available to speak to you 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”

Toscan Dinn Funerals, 10 Liardet Street, Weston. Call 6287 3466 or visit toscandinn.com.au

Pete captures lasting moments

WITH a passion for people and a love for photography, Pete Dawn established Fifth Lane Photography about six years ago to give families everlasting memories and help businesses stand out. 

He moved his business to Trenerry Street, Weston Creek, almost two years ago, and it’s there that he plans his unique photos, which are tailored to each client. 

“We offer a very customised experience from start to finish, including a planning appointment through to delivering finished products on our clients’ walls,” Pete says.

Pete, who specialises in family photography, says he gets to meet so many wonderful families and kids through his work.

“We concentrate on the relationships that families have together and bring their natural expressions and environment out while making it a fun experience,” he says.

“Life flies by so fast and professional photos last the test of time.

“Everything is archival printed so it really is guaranteed to last a lifetime.”

Fifth Lane Photography also does a lot of commercial photography and has previously shot jobs for many local businesses in areas such as personal training, clothing and architecture.

“In a challenging economic climate, having professional photos helps them stand out from the competitors,” he says.

Overall Pete says he makes it an easy and simple process for clients.

“We do all the heavy lifting, they just have to show up,” he says. 

Fifth Lane Photography, Shop 1, 20-24 Trenerry Street, Weston. Call 0437 384171, email hello@fifthlane.com.au or visit fifthlane.com.au

Get to pain before it’s chronic

CONVENIENTLY located in the Weston Creek town centre, Weston Creek Chiropractic Centre is a patient-focused practice dedicated to getting patients to their optimal health, says Dr Sam Teoh. 

Its three friendly chiropractors, Sam, Dr Michael Badham and Dr Linda Tarran, are dedicated in providing their patients with the best possible chiropractic care, according to Sam. 

Between the three, the centre provides a variety of chiropractic services and often sees patients with issues such as neck pain, back pain, headaches and sports injuries, and also provides services for pregnant women as well as children and babies. 

Sam personally sees a lot of patients who are either too sedentary or on the other end, have pushed their body beyond its limits.

“We do use our bodies a lot and some people tend to overuse it and push themselves while injured,” she says.

“The other extreme is people who are too sedentary. 

“Bodies are like cars. You can replace the parts but not the body. If you leave pain for too long it can turn into chronic injury and it takes longer to heal, so it’s important to see a chiropractor before it gets to that point.” 

The chiropractors at Weston Creek Chiropractic treat all their patients as individuals, says Sam.

“We do a thorough examination and look at their full history for new patients,” she says. 

Weston Creek Chiropractic Centre, Level 1, 43 Brierly Street, Weston Creek. Call 6288 6711 or visit hello@fifthlane.com.au

Village with villas to call home

LOCATED only 500m from Cooleman Court, Adria Village in Stirling is close to everything that people need, says general manager Iva Vujica. 

Nestled in a landscaped environment with mature trees and gardens, Adria Village provides a home-like environment and high-quality aged care for up to 42 residents and 36 independent living villas. 

Iva says the villas are all two-bedroom and residents enjoy a shared community room for activities and social events.

“There are weekly outings organised using our private bus and we have a nurse on site, available around the clock should residents need medical attention,” Iva says. 

As well as organised social programs, the village provides multilingual staff, regular mass, an on-site chapel, a psychologist, podiatrist, chemist, hairdresser and pharmacist.

On November 24, Adria Village will host its annual Christmas picnic. Held on its grounds, with a barbecue lunch, carols and a mass service, anyone interested in seeing Adria Village is welcome to join residents, staff and families from 12pm to 3pm.    

Adria Village, 89 Fremantle Drive, Stirling. Call 6288 0198, email admin@adria.org.au or visit adria.org.au

Popular program’s taking on new kids

ENROLMENTS for 2020 are now open for Noah’s Ark in Rivett, which has proudly been delivering quality early childhood programs to Canberra families for 45 years, says director Nea Woods. 

Located in the old Rivett school grounds, the not-for-profit organisation, Noah’s Ark, offers a long day care program for children aged six weeks old to five years old, a popular playschool program for children aged three and four, and playgroups. 

“The playschool program is a play based program for children before they attend preschool,” Nea says.

“It helps develop their self-help skills and socialisation.

“We also teach the children sign language and they love it!”

Nea began her work at Noah’s Ark about 15 years ago and says the team she works with, which has a strong focus on building relationships with families and connecting with the community, has also been at the centre for many years. 

“In an industry which generally has a high turnover of staff, we have had a stable number of educators who have been with us for a number of years,” she says. 

Nea says Noah’s Ark also boasts a great outdoor space, with three playgrounds for the children’s age groups and access to the Rivett oval for physical skills programs. 

Noah’s Ark, Bangalay Crescent, Rivett. Call  6287 1117 or visit noahsarkact.com.au

Centre takes the worry from parents

WESTON Creek Children’s Centre is celebrating 20 years of providing a warm, nurturing service to children and their families, says director Emma Morton. 

“We are committed to what we do and in turn that makes a centre a special place for little ones,” says Emma, who is providing parents with a place where they genuinely don’t have to worry or feel anxious about their children when they go to work. 

Long established in the community, Emma says Weston Creek Children’s Centre is well known for its quality care.

“In my experience parents are looking for a place that is a settled environment for their children,” says Emma. 

“I have invested a lot of my life at the centre and am passionate about making it the best place it can be.”

Emma says Weston Creek Children’s Centre offers a higher staff to children ratio than other centres and has six programs for different age groups, ranging from babies to preschoolers. 

The purpose-built centre has recently had a huge playground upgrade, too, and Emma says the rooms flow into the outdoor space, making it more enjoyable for children to play both inside and out.

Families considering child care for 2021 can join the online waitlist on the Weston Creek Children’s Centre website or visit the centre to fill in a form.  

Weston Creek Children’s Centre, 8 Parkinson Street, Weston. Visit westoncreekchildrenscentre.com or call 6288 5380. 

David revamps longstanding carpet company

BURSTING with the latest modern flooring options, Creme Carpets and Flooring’s boutique store and showroom has a revamped look, says its new owner David Morgan.

But even though the name, Creme Carpets and Flooring, and the look of the place is new, David says the store has a long history as J and M Floorcoverings, which was owned by his father John for more than a decade. 

With John still providing his extensive product knowledge and expertise, David says the service remains warm and friendly, with a large range and lots of samples. 

With a renewed product range, David says Creme Carpets and Flooring has any type of carpet or flooring to suit any need or budget. 

The latest trend in carpets is a chunky loop style carpet in either nylon or traditional wool, according to David, who says there have been improvements in the type of soft nylon carpets available. 

As for wool carpets, David says they have natural stain resistance and perform well over time. 

In terms of hard floorings, David says the hybrid vinyl plank is a popular choice for those wanting a wood-like look and is easy to install by fitting together without the need for glue. 

“Changing your carpets or flooring improves your home like nothing else,” he says.

“It creates a great lift and changes the mood of your home dramatically.” 

Creme Carpets and Flooring, 27–31 Brierly Street, Weston. Visit cremecarpets.com.au or call 6287 1345. 

Club teaches life-long skills

FOR about 40 years, Woden Valley Gymnastics Club has been teaching fundamental movements that can be used throughout a student’s life, says the club’s director, Naomi Nye. 

“Gymnastics is a foundation sport. You will build strength, improve flexibility, fine tune coordination, develop discipline and enhance your self-esteem, no matter your age or ability,” says Naomi who offers a vast range of classes for all ages, including their award-winning Kindergym program.  

“Our club prides itself on embracing the needs of all its members and strives to remove boundaries so that anyone who would like to participate in gymnastics can find a program that suits them.”

Based at Holder, Naomi says Woden Valley Gymnastics Club is fitted with high quality equipment and a carefully designed foam pit, which is always a big hit. The club also has a trampoline facility at the Tuggeranong Archery Centre. 

Woden Valley Gymnastics Club is the most awarded Club in Canberra and in 2019 achieved state, national and international results that place it at the top of the sport in the region, says Naomi.

“Our coaching team is the biggest in Canberra and consists of coaches with the highest qualifications and international experience,” she says. 

“We are so proud of our achievements – not just our results, but all of the personal growth, goals achieved and fears conquered from our gymnasts. “Watching people learn and grow is one of the most rewarding things about working at Woden Valley Gymnastics Club.” 

Woden Valley Gymnastics Club, 27 Mulley Street, Holder. Call 6287 4121, email office@wodenvalley.net or visit wodenvalleygymnastics.net 

Beyond an ordinary bookshop

BEYOND Q is more than just a bookshop, according to owner Simon Maddox, who says it’s a place everyone needs to visit. 

With upside down tables and an Alice in Wonderland styled theme, Simon says his shop in Weston Creek has just finished extensions to become something “really quirky”.

“We are a bookshop primarily but also a cafe and a venue, which seats 140 downstairs and 60 upstairs,” he says.

“And we are also about to become liquor licensed.” 

With plans to open on November 11, the renovations will bring the service of alcohol, along with the official opening of the al fresco cafe offering a menu with literary influences.

Along its 4km of shelf space, Simon says customers will be able to sip on a coffee or bubbles and enjoy gourmet foods, while browsing recent titles to old works dating back to 1580.

Simon believes lovers of the written word can find something for every taste, from fiction genres of sci-fi, fantasy, horror and crime fiction, to an array of poetry and Shakespeare classics.

And the selection of non-fiction works comprises most of the store catalogue, covering topics such as history, archaeology, politics, philosophy, religion and myths.  

But it’s not just books in store and Simon says Beyond Q has more than 186,000 items including books, records and DVDs. 

And he says it’s very community orientated and often holds community meetings. 

Beyond Q, 7/11 Brierly Street, Weston. Call 6162 3999 or visit beyondq.com.au

Gym gets women exercising for better health

CURVES Weston has been helping women in the Weston Creek area exercise their way towards a better wellbeing for more than 11 years, says Kristin Davis, who was a member for six years before becoming its owner almost a year ago. 

“I loved the supporting environment and want it to continue to be a comfortable and nurturing place for any woman in Weston Creek,” Kristin says. 

The women’s only gym offers a machine-based, strength circuit with recovery balls, which Kristin says incorporates cardio and flexibility and has many benefits such as building muscle, helping with balance, maintaining bone density, reducing risks of heart disease, reducing high blood pressure and is good for mental health. 

“When I first started at Curves Weston it was to lose weight but in the long term it’s been all of the other benefits that outweigh weight loss,” she says.

“It’s about being healthy overall and we want to focus on wellness rather than weight loss. 

“The focus is on improving someone’s entire health and for everyone it’s different.

“We hear so many amazing stories of women overcoming health issues by exercising at Curves Weston.” 

And to help women stick to their journey to a better wellbeing, Kristin says Curves Weston has a coach there all the time to make sure members are using the machines right to avoid injury and get the most out of their workouts. 

Curves Weston, Brierly Street, T3, Cooleman Court Shopping Centre, Weston. Call 6288 8333 or visit curves.com.au