In this sponsored post, “CityNews” heads to Gungahlin to meet the businesses who make the area great.  

AS one of Australia’s fastest growing regions, Gungahlin is expected to keep changing with new businesses continuously joining the well-established ones to call the region their home.

In 1991, the town of Gungahlin, which is an Aboriginal word meaning “little rocky hill”, was launched as Canberra’s fourth “town” with a population of 389 residents. In 2016, the district as a whole, according to the census, had a population of 70,871, an increase from 46,971 in the 2011 census. 

This figure is expected to hit 83,167 by 2020, according to the ACT government report “ACT Population Projections 2017 to 2020”. 

To keep up with the growing region, “CityNews” headed out to Gungahlin to speak with some of its new and old experts in the region… 

Hair to feel amazing about

A FRIENDLY, welcoming attitude and a passion for making clients look and feel amazing is important to Renee Pound, owner of Meki Hair.

“I absolutely love our clients, they’re a fabulous, loyal bunch,” she says. 

Renee has been in the industry for 23 years and started Meki Hair in 2008 at Bruce, before relocating to Franklin three years ago.

Renee says the salon offers all forms of colouring services, including foils, creative colour and balayage, and says they also love to do bridal styling.

“We currently have a staff of four senior stylists and two emerging stylists, and we all enjoy working with clients to achieve colour results they love,” she says. 

Another important focus for the salon is being eco-friendly. 

“We are a member of ‘Sustainable Salons’, and we recycle 95 per cent of our salon waste,” she says. 

“We had an award last year in recognition from De Lorenzo hair care for our sustainable practices. 

“We’re also a gold member of the Australian Hairdressing Council, which promotes professional business practices in the hairdressing industry and we have a green select membership, which acknowledges our sustainable practices through the Australian Hairdressing Council (AHC).”

Meki Hair, 128/1 Clare Burton Crescent, Franklin. Call 6251 1011 or visit mekihair.com.au

Enrolments open for new early learning centre

NEWLY opened Little Penguins Early Learning Centre, located in the heart of Ngunnawal with seven rooms, catering for 115 children aged six weeks to six years, is now taking enrolments, says director Belle Agresta-Sylvester.

“We have a team of amazing, professional and passionate educators skilled in a wide range of qualifications and experience,” says Belle, who’s worked in the childcare industry for 26 years, holds an advanced diploma and is a mum of four.

What Belle loves about the Little Penguins Early Learning Centre is its close ties to the local community.
“We regularly host excursions to the local shops, schools, nursing homes and the park, as well as centre incursions including monthly visits from performers Wiradjuri Echoes,” she says. 

At Little Penguins, Belle says children will also participate in a dynamic program that caters to each child’s individual needs, abilities and interests.

“We engage and extend our learning with indoor and outdoor classroom environments, cooking classes with our centre chef, the opportunity to engage in language, culture and developing future sustainability warriors with our garden and recycling projects,” she says.

The daily fees are $125 for birth to three years and $122 for three years to school age, which includes all meals, nappies and a bucket hat. A sibling discount is available too, Belle says. 

Little Penguins Early Learning Centre, 56 Yarrawonga Street, Ngunnawal. Call 6241 0075, email director.ng@littlepenguins.net.au or visit facebook.com/lpngunnawal

Family brings popular Burmese food to Casey

BURMESE restaurant Myanmar Corner in Casey is the latest culinary adventure for chef and manager team, Ko and Aye, who previously ran Sukothai in Yarralumla and the Red Hill Tea House.

“We wanted to bring more of our native dishes to Canberra, so we opened Myanmar Corner in October,” says Aye.

Along with chef Ko, Aye says the whole family helps out at the restaurant. 

She says that Burmese food is a unique fusion of its many ethnic populations, with Indian, Thai and Chinese cuisines all having an influence.

With soups, stir-fries, curries and Myanmar’s spin on salads, Aye says their cuisine is like an adventure to the market food stalls of Yangon, Mandalay and Mawlamyine. 

“One of the dishes we love and are proud to serve is mohinga, a traditional rice noodle and fish chowder from Myanmar which is an essential part of Burmese cuisine,” Aye says. 

“It’s considered by many to be the national dish of Myanmar and it’s often sold by street hawkers and roadside stalls.”

Another popular dish is Nan Gyi Thoke, a Burmese salad made with thick round rice noodles mixed with a special chicken curry, Aye says. 

“The dish is garnished with fish cake, toasted chickpea flour, sliced onions, roasted chilli powder, crispy noodles, slices of hard-boiled egg, chopped coriander and lime or lemon zest,” she says. 

“There are a lot of other dishes we want to create and we will be changing the menu every few months to keep it interesting and maintain the quality that we pride ourselves on.”

Myanmar Corner, 38/68 Dalkin Crescent, Casey. Call 6241 2526, email myanmarcornercanberra@gmail.com or visit myanmar-corner.com

Jake gets cars back on the road

CAR Service Canberra provides quality car servicing and mechanical repairs to the wider Mitchell community and surrounding areas, says owner Jake Hickenbotham. 

With 13 years’ experience as a mechanic, Jake and his wife Monique Ravenswood took over the business a year ago. 

Offering mechanical repairs, log book services, battery checks and replacements, engine diagnostics, cooling system service, brake and clutch service, Jake says he finds the work rewarding. 

“It’s satisfying to start on a car that’s not working and to get it going,” Jake says.  

The Repco-authorised service centre does auto-electrical work, manufacturer’s log book service, engine diagnostics, commercial van and light truck servicing, campervan and caravan service and trailer safety check and service. 

Jake says they have a team of fully qualified mechanics who are always up to date.

“I like what I do,” Jake says. “We enjoy helping people and I find it rewarding to be able to get them back on the road after an accident or something going wrong with their car.”

Car Service Canberra, 7 Baillieu Court, Mitchell. Call 6241 3011 or visit carservicecanberra.com.au

Celebrating Christmas with free family event

FUSION City Church is celebrating Christmas with its free family event full of carols, games and food on Sunday, December 15. 

The church was pioneered by pastors Matt and Gill McGaw in 2008 with a vision to build a contemporary, legacy-building church that would help people know and enjoy God, discover their purpose and make a difference.

“Our expression is vibrant and contemporary and you will love the warm, family atmosphere, sense of community and diverse age range,” says senior pastor Matt.

On Sundays Fusion City Church hosts a 10am service at its Fusion City Church Hub in Mitchell with a FusionKIDS check-in at 9.45am.

Fusion City Church. Call 6156 2497, email admin@fusioncitychurch.com.au or visit fusioncitychurch.com.au