In this feature CityNews speaks with people and businesses who have established themselves in Weston Creek.

To Canberra’s west lies Weston Creek, a district with a strong sense of community and a variety of friendly businesses.

Weston Creek was named after Capt George Edward Weston, a former officer of the East India company, who came to Australia in 1829 and was granted land in the Weston Creek area in 1841.

Today, the area is made up of eight suburbs: Waramanga, Fisher, Weston, Rivett, Duffy, Holder, Chapman and Stirling. 

Winning Raffy lifts the bar… while Charlie celebrates

Car Mechanical Services is the champion in the automotive services category at the 2024 Australian Women’s Small Business Champion Awards. 

The judging criteria includes entrant’s strategies, growth plans, financial performance, eco-friendliness, innovation, customer service quality and community support, so it’s no surprise that co-owner of Car Mechanical Services, Raffy Sgroi, received the prestigious award.

Raffy also received a bronze Stevie award for the Sustainability Leadership Award in Asia, Australia and NZ at the 21st International Business Awards.

Raffy says sustainability is incredibly important to her, and while she embraces the shift to electric vehicles, she also acknowledges the mechanical industry needs to do their best to “clean up.”

“When we’re talking about sustainability, we think it’s all EV vehicles,” Raffy says.

“Obviously we’re supportive of that but there are about 286 motor vehicle repairers in the ACT.

“So for us, the main focus now is, we’re transitioning to e-vehicles, but the reality is we’re going to have another 20 years of combustion cars on the roads, so how can we actually make our industry greener, and cut off some emissions and pollution out of that?”

Raffy’s commitment to cleaning up the industry is not just empty words, with Car Mechanical Services being one of the first automobile companies in Canberra to win a sustainable small business of the year award, in 2023.

She says they focus on proper recycling, using less chemicals and encouraging more regular maintenance of vehicles, as that way there is less associated waste. 

Car Mechanical Services is also focused on providing training programs, as there is always a training shortage in the automobile industry, Raffy says.

This includes the My Career Portfolio, which has been an ongoing program that blends mentorship, practical experience and hands-on learning. 

Raffy’s dedication to changing the industry also extends to encouraging more female participation.

“I always want to include more females in the industry,” she says. 

“We achieved a 40 per cent rate of trainees being female in the last 18 years, which is a positive result, but it’s still not enough because we’ve still only got one per cent of females in the [overall] industry.

“We’re leading by example, and when you’ve got an inclusive workplace, there is harmony.”

Raffy’s commitment to inclusion in the industry was recently recognised at the 2024 Beam Awards, where she was awarded Silver in the Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion category.

Car Mechanical Services, 82 Kalgoorlie Crescent, Fisher. Call 6162 4111 or visit carmechanicalservices.com.au

This year marks 45 years since Car Mechanical Services co-owner Charlie Sgroi has had “spanners in his hands” and started his apprenticeship, says co-owner Raffy Sgroi.

She says he has stuck with it continuously, never changing jobs and having stayed servicing the Weston Creek community for much of that time, too.

“Everybody knows him, and his integrity speaks volumes,” says Raffy.

“And he’s really good with the new generation, he really wants to pass on that legacy to any young people that are wanting to get into the industry.”

Raffy says it is easy for “old school” people to become frustrated with newer generations and industry changes, but that she is constantly amazed by Charlie’s embrace of it all.

“Usually you lose passion as you’re getting older in your job, but he’s still got that spark,” she says.

“He wants to see kids getting passionate about motors and how mechanical engineering works.

“He’s also really pleased, and I can see the twinkle in his eye, that young girls are coming around and having a go. Giving that possibility to everyone, it was a high priority.

“He had always decided to focus on the purpose of his business more than the profit.”

Raffy says Charlie’s enthusiasm for the job also extends to the rapidly changing world of electric vehicles.

“Even if you don’t want to go and modify your shop completely for e-vehicles yet, you still need to be getting into training and upskilling yourself, so he’s been embracing that marvellously,” she says.

“For someone that could say, ‘oh, I’ve only got a few years left in the industry,’ it always strikes me how he is still embracing that.”

Raffy says this willingness to upskill and seek knowledge about innovation in the industry by Charlie is what has allowed them to keep running for such a long time, and it is his commitment to inclusion that has allowed them to focus so much on the community.

It’s not just Raffy who sees his dedication either, with the two of them, through Car Mechanical Services, being named the winner of a gold Stevie award in the Best Entrepreneur – Automotive & Transport Equipment category at the 21st International Business Awards.

Car Mechanical Services, 82 Kalgoorlie Crescent, Fisher. Call 6162 4111 or visit carmechanicalservices.com.au

Pizzeria’s new name, but same enthusiasm

Manoosh Pizzeria’s rebrand to Ooshman marks a fresh start while retaining the essence of its beloved offerings and the same good food, says founder Charlie Hoyek.

Starting as a single pizzeria in Enmore, Manoosh is now a thriving business with 18 locations across NSW and the ACT, and Samir Patel, owner of the Weston store, invites Canberra to find out why it is so popular. 

Charlie says the name change comes from the word Manoosh becoming increasingly common among independent bakeries, prompting him to seek a distinctive identity for the future.

“The rebranding effort was guided by customers’ involvement, with Ooshman emerging as the top choice from a poll,” he says. 

“This not only reflects a clever twist on the original name but also resonates deeply with the brand’s history and community engagement.”

Charlie says Ooshman’s new logo and look introduces a vibrant colour scheme, focusing on green, symbolising the cedar tree, which is a nod to Lebanon’s heritage. 

“This rebrand is more than just a change of name; it represents a revitalisation that brings fresh ideas and innovation,” he says.

Charlie says his vision for Ooshman is not only to honour the past, but to embrace the future with enthusiasm and a commitment to providing the same great food that defines the brand. 

“Join us on this exciting journey as we continue to serve the delicious dishes you love. Ooshman, here we are,” says Charlie. 

Ooshman, Shop 1/19-27 Trenerry Street, Weston. Call 6189 8979, or visit ooshman.au

Services focusing on the child and supporting the family

Sanctuary Aus is a not-for-profit family support service based in Holder that is purpose-built for Canberra, says Kim Hefren-Webb, executive director.  

“Our major focus is in providing behaviour support services to children and young people up to the age of 25 years,” says Kim.

“We provide holistic services, focusing on the child and including the family in our work.

“We have been providing behaviour support to Canberra’s children and young people for over five years and are proud of the individualised and personal service we provide, rather than producing high turnovers of one-size-fits-all services and assessments.

“At Sanctuary Aus, we have two goals, the first is to provide professional child and family services for vulnerable families. The second is to build community.”

A lot of families parent in isolation in Canberra and have difficulty building community because it is such a mobile city, says Kim, which is why Sanctuary Aus aims to help build connected communities.

“We provide Circle of Security training, which is an attachment-based training program for families,” she says.

Kim says Sanctuary Aus tries to help the families who can’t access the current Circle of Security programs in Canberra, as many of them take place during business hours.

Kim says they also run two children’s support groups: one is Cool Kids with ASD, which supports children with autism to manage their anxiety and learn coping skills. 

They also have Club Mojo, which teaches children between seven and 11 how to understand their emotions or others’ emotions.

Sanctuary Aus. Call 0431 449 822, visit sanctuaryaus.org.au or email info@sanctuaryaus.org.au

Preventative, cosmetic and emergency dentistry

“Good oral health is important for good general health,” says Dr Abi Nathan, Weston Creek Dental Care practice owner and dental surgeon.

Dr Nathan has more than 30 years of experience, with a particular focus on preventative care.

She says the practice, which first opened in 1978, always aims to help patients achieve optimal oral health. They now have a specialist orthodontist available to fit braces.

Children can have treatments bulk-billed to Medicare, but some conditions apply. 

Dr Nathan says they have a new patient offer that includes a comprehensive examination, professional scale, clean and polish, fluoride treatment if clinically indicated and routine X-rays (not including OPGs and CBT scans) for $239.

Other services available at Weston Creek Dental Care include cosmetic dentistry, teeth whitening, veneers, crowns and bridges, fillings, dental implants and emergency dentistry and general dentistry. 

They have recently relocated to a new space at Cooleman Court Family Dental Services, she says. 

Weston Creek Dental Care, 8/14 Brierly St, Weston Creek. Call 6288 3734 or visit westoncreekdentalcare.com.au