The Glebe Rag Edition 5

Good morning, neighbours. On Wednesday night I went to Michael Pollan’s Journey into Consciousness and learned that we don’t all think the same way. Some of us (me included) hear an inner voice narrating our thoughts, while others think in pictures or patterns. Which is a long way of saying I’m curious what’s going on in your heads, starting with what you’d like more of in The Rag.

As promised last week, the poll is at the bottom. Your votes will steer what I chase next, and I’ll share the results next week :)

I also received a couple of lovely letters this week including from Simon (see below). And if you need an excuse to get out tomorrow, there’s a free festival at USYD (and the jacarandas are out).

Sincerely,

Dru

The University of Sydney opens its Camperdown campus for a free Community Festival tomorrow (Saturday 7 November) 11am to 4pm. Expect live entertainment, talks, hands-on workshops, guided tours and plenty for kids. At noon the Quadrangle's front lawns host an opening celebration and a gathering of graduates to mark half a million alumni. Oh and if you need a new phone background, the iconic jacarandas are out in bloom and hard to beat! (Source: USYD Festival Event Page)

Starting high school is a big leap, and at Glebe Public School, Aunty Wendy helps kids get ready for it. As an Elder in the Glebe community, her bond with students helps steer them from primary school into Year 7. The NSW Department of Education featured her in a recent piece on supporting Aboriginal students heading to high school, and it's worth a watch (wholesome too). (Source: Glebe Public School FB Page)

The NSW Government issued share bike regulations in August and asked councils to prepare local Operator Conditions for the companies. Lord Mayor Clover Moore says the state rules “don’t go far enough” and give councils no practical power to remove bikes or fine people for poor parking. The City hopes its conditions, plus hundreds of new parking bays, will bring tidier parking and more reasonable fleet caps. Transport for NSW says it expects the full scheme to be running by March 2027.

Whether that means fewer bikes taking a swim in Blackwattle Bay remains to be seen. (Source: Lord Mayor Clover Moore FB Page, NSW Government)

If The Rag is the chat over the back fence, the Glebe Society's Bulletin is the longer sit-down with a pot of tea. The November issue (PDF) is ready for you to explore and speaks to the incredible work the society does to protect our heritage and encourage a sense of community. One article is on the late Nick O’Neill, who as Leichhardt’s Deputy Mayor worked with locals to turn Glebe’s old industrial waterfront into Bicentennial and Blackwattle Bay Parks. Worth a read. (P.S. Max Solling, someone mentioned I should interview you. I'll be in touch!)

Last week I promised a poll on what you’d like to see more of, so here it is. Your votes will steer what I go looking for over the next few months, and I’ll share the results next week :)

4th November 2026

Editor's note: Thank you Simon, Michael’s going on my list, and thanks to everyone else who's added a suggestion. Real conversations coming soon.