COVER PROPERTY

PYRMONT 236/3 DARLING ISLAND ROAD $1.7 million+

All change for light rail

THE O'Farrell government will soon be asked to sign off on a sweeping overhaul of Sydney's central business district, including plans for light rail down George Street and significant changes to bus routes.

You need perfect pitch to play second fiddle

For Ponting from Spurgeon the 19th century preacher ("Ponting passes on the baton but stays to play second fiddle", March 30). "It takes more grace than I can tell to play the second fiddle well."

Four die in paddock plane crash

FOUR people died and two others were seriously injured when a light plane crashed near a caravan park while attempting to land in northern NSW last night.

April

Enjoy some light relief at the Comedy Festival, bid farewell to daylight saving and have your say on the Archibald.

the treatment

The new facial: Lumavescence

i cook a family lunch

What's for lunch? Felix's Lauren Murdoch serves up simple, delicious fare for her sister's family.

When the Lights Come Up

When the Lights Come Up Sam Shinazzi

In defence of game show flop

I WATCHED a lot of game shows this week and I'm prepared to admit that the flashing lights, noisy applause and nerve-racking dynamite timers threatening to explode might have done something to my brain, because I've been quite enjoying Million Dollar Drop (Mondays, 8.30pm on Nine).

Cabinet to resign

DAMASCUS. The Syrian government was expected to resign last night and a new cabinet will see the light within 24 hours, a high-ranking official in Damascus said.

Ponting hands on the baton but stays to play second fiddle

DRESSED in a charcoal suit, Ricky Ponting sat on a stage swathed in black but said the last rites had been stayed. The (c) was gone from his name but he would bat on into the evening light.

Vivid displays light up city's creative side

FIREBALL blasts on The Rocks foreshore, 3D projections on the Opera House and Customs House and dozens of interactive light sculptures will signal the arrival of the Vivid Sydney festival which hopes to display the city as the creative capital of the Asia-Pacific.

Chance to reignite the light on the hill

Defeat is an opportunity for Labor to change, writes Chris Osborne.

Burning issue

It pays to consider other options before reaching for the olive oil, writes Mary O'Brien.

A slice of heaven

The quest for the best chocolate cake was not a light undertaking, writes Richard Cornish.

Congratulations, now clean up this awful mess

The phrase "a fresh start" is harmless since most starts are fresh. It is during the journey that things tend to get stale ("NSW: a fresh start", March 28).

YOUR LETTERS

ALREADY those failed ALP politicians in our area are starting to point the finger of blame for their loss at Macquarie Street and the party machine.

New light to be shed on East Timor invasion

THE veil of secrecy obscuring what Australia knew about Indonesia's 1975 invasion of East Timor has been pulled back a little, with a successful court challenge revealing never-before-seen details of secret intelligence briefings.

LETTERS

Taking the nanny state to the limit

Credit where it's due - they just didn't see him coming

No one - with the exception of full-time writer and occasional prophet Bob Ellis - falsely anticipated the result of last Saturday's NSW election. Even so, many commentators misread the campaign and now have misunderstood its outcome. It is now appropriate to consider the 2011 election myths in the light of available empirical evidence.

Fault in factory blamed for blackout

AN electrical fault inside a factory at Hexham yesterday was blamed for an outage that affected nearby businesses and blacked out traffic lights at Hexham Bridge.

Result a great plug for the Hunter

THE Hunter registered its largest participation in Earth Hour this year, resulting in a 17 per cent drop in energy use across the region.

Millions see the light and turn it off

MILLIONS of people in a record number of countries have taken part in Earth Hour this year, with more than 4000 cities now embracing the initiative.

Earth Hour message loses none of its power

MILLIONS of people in a record number of countries have taken part in Earth Hour this year, with more than 4000 cities now embracing the initiative.

Bravely enter the night for future of our planet

AS SYDNEY plunged into darkness last night, billions saw the light around the world.

Ponting needs to work out how and when to walk

FEW Australian captains have chosen dignified endings. Steve Waugh raged against the dying light of his career for two summers and his farewell tour, at home against India, became a travelling circus that unsettled the team.

Travel tip

Let your light shine forth

Steppe into the void

Nigel Richardson goes off the map to the geological freak shows and dinosaur boneyards of the southern Gobi Desert.

Young Cats back in the Hunt

GEELONG has not been the easiest team to break into over the past few years. Taylor Hunt was only 19 and in just his second season at the club last year but there were times when he wondered if he would see, as he put it, "the light at the end of the tunnel".

Well Dunn, Response

STAR jockey Dwayne Dunn teamed up with Victorian mare Response yesterday to notch a career milestone win at Morphettville in the group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes.

Tiny feet, tiny carbon footprints

Catherine Lee, the People's Choice winner in the Earth Hour awards, writes about the children learning to tread lightly on the planet.

Handmade heaven

Jane Faulkner finds luxury in a simple log cabin, lovingly restored and furnished. 1860 Luxury Accommodation Address 4 Surrey Lane, Beechworth

LETTERS

Time to bring back waratah, ta muchly

GLOBAL SWITCH

Millions of people will turn their lights off tonight for Earth Hour from 8.30.

Developers miss chance to give State Theatre a Wurl

An overhaul in Market Street may do nothing for the 1920s theatre, writes Wendy Frew.

A calm pocket of charm

$690,000 - $750,000 YARRAVILLE 92 Pentland Parade Auction 10am, April 9 Agent Compton & Green, 9397 1600 Melway 42 B8

Fuel for thought as lights go off

It has been estimated that if everyone in Australia went meat free for one day a week it would save the equivalent in green house gas emissions of 7 million plane trips between Brisbane and Perth. So in addition to turning my lights off for this year's Earth Hour, I've also pledged this year to adopt meat-free Mondays. Together we can make a huge difference for the planet. I urge others to join me. If all Aussies went meat-free for just one day a week wouldn't that be real people power?

GALLERIES

WHAT Lisa Young: big world

LUNCH WITH . . . BRIAN NANKERVIS

BRIAN NANKERVIS shares rhyme, reasoning and the odd bit of seasoning with a vocally compliant Jo Roberts.

On your game

STEVE MANFREDI takes a walk on the wild side with hearty autumn fare.

Vets to check Waterhouse mare for Cup

RACING NSW veterinarians will inspect Gai Waterhouse's AJC Australian Oaks winner Once Were Wild, which has a cut in its head that required stitches, before today's NE Manion Cup at Rosehill.

Shedding new light on history

$900,000-plus ST KILDA WEST 2/368 Beaconsfield Parade Agent Biggin & Scott, 9534 0241 Auction 2pm, April 2 Melway 2N J5

Tonight, the whole world in our hands

AT 8.30 tonight the children of Newcastle East Public School will join residents and business across the Hunter and Australia in switching off non-essential lighting for Earth Hour, the international symbol of environmental sustainability.

Red-light measures

THE first of five new RTA safety cameras for the Hunter has been installed at Kotara and will go on line from May in a rollout of the technology in the region.

PHARAONIC FEVER

Bigger than a U2 stadium show, older than the Rolling Stones, the pin-up boy of the ancient world is coming to town. He's old, he's gold and he has been mummified for millenniums. King Tut is about to enchant Melbourne and generate a thirst for all things Egyptian.

Political spectrum changing its colours

TONIGHT two quite different types of political action coincide. As Sydney turns out its lights between 8.30 and 9.30 to mark Earth Hour and symbolise its concern for global warming, the state will also be learning the outcome of a state election. Voters, it is reasonable to predict, will also have flicked the switch on Labor, consigning it to darkness for a minimum of four years - and quite possibly much longer. The coincidence may well mark the end of several eras.

Offshore out, bet on shore

OFFSHORE fishing has been pretty patchy this week and the weekend weather forecast suggests you'll be better off staying inshore.

LETTERS

Barry, welcome to the sisterhood

A chance to shine

We had become obsessed with our own small worlds and settled for pragmatic politics, writes David Humphries. But Earth Hour taps into a resurgent desire to tackle global crises.

ASK THE EXPERTS

I recently had my four-year-old Passat TDI station wagon serviced. Despite the service book stipulating that the timing belt needed to be changed at 120,000 kilometres, the service manager suggested it needed to be changed, at considerable cost, despite the fact that the car had done only 27,000 kilometres. The service came to $2200, which is about 10 per cent of the value of the car. Inspection of the invoice showed the DSG (twin-clutch automatic transmission) fluid needed replacing ��� six litres at $50 a litre. That seemed over-the-top. Have I been overcharged?

Sutton faces court then Eels

JOHN SUTTON will appear in court this morning, hours before attempting to help Souths to their first win of the season. The five-eighth is listed to appear in Waverley Local Court for a driving offence in Maroubra last year, but Souths chief executive Shane Richardson believes it will not affect his performance against Parramatta at ANZ Stadium tonight. The alleged offence relates to a car crash, and is on the low end of the scale; failing to give way at a traffic light, and failing to give his particulars to police on May 19 last year. Richardson said Sutton had an accident but didn't realise he was obliged to report it to police, although he had paid for all the damage to the other vehicle. The Rabbitohs will be hoping Sutton, who is off contract at the end of the year, can rediscover the form that led to talk about his State of Origin prospects last year. Sutton had only held his driver's licence for two weeks before the accident, and was told by police about the court appearance six weeks ago. "From our point of view, this is another little obstacle," Richardson said. "I don't think John will be affected by it."

Shoot for the stars to power the towers

Demand is rising for green office blocks as owners and tenants seek to cut costs, writes Ben Cubby.

Uni assaults a concern

MORE than a third of female students have been sexually harassed and one in 10 have experienced sexual violence during their university days, a National Union of Students survey shows.

We can unite, we must act

Four years ago, standing anxiously by Sydney Harbour waiting for the lights to go off for the first Earth Hour, we could not have dreamt this simple idea would grow to the global event it is today.

Tiny footprint in the corridor

Benjamin Grimshaw had been working at the Hilton Hotel in Sydney for only a few months before he began trying to change things. His efforts were so successful, he has been nominated for a WWF Earth Hour award.

Earth Hour shows our resolve to make a difference: PM

MELBOURNE will be lit this weekend for the Australian Grand Prix and the opening round of the 2011 AFL season, but at 8.30pm on Saturday, the city will lose some of that gloss for the fifth annual Earth Hour.

Earth Hour

Save the planet with a healthy glow, writes Susan Redman.

National tours

* Tickets are now on sale for Creamfields 2011 at Sydney's Hordern Pavilion on April 30. Headlining will be Deadmau5 with Martin Solveig, Skrillex, Chuckie, Simon Patterson, Gabriel & Dresden and a crowd of others. Deadmau5 is one of the biggest acts in the world and has been stunning audiences with its live light and video show. See www.ticketek.com.au and www.moshtix.com.au.

The bright fantastic

With unusual materials and trailblazing techniques, these artists are discovering new forms, writes Judy Barouch.

Turn off lights on Saturday

IN A warehouse made from recycled straw, heated by solar panels and cooled by rainwater tanks, Claire Gordon patiently collects second-hand books about saving the world.

Nature take its course, then nurture is the key

I commend Amy Corderoy for her honest and thought-provoking piece on donor sperm ("True fatherhood is not about biology", March 22). As the mother of a 10-week-old daughter born as a result of donor sperm, it is deeply pleasing to see Amy shedding light on this often-taboo method of conception. My partner and I have chosen to speak openly regarding our daughter's conception and as such field a litany of questions regarding how she came to exist.

Traffic control for school

FLASHING school-zone lights are now operating on Park Avenue, Adamstown, at St Pius X High School to reduce traffic speed during school start and finish times. The lights are part of the latest round of 75 sets installed at schools across the state. Member for Charlestown Matthew Morris said flashing lights were an effective tool to slow motorists.

Gidley taking injury slowly

KNIGHTS skipper Kurt Gidley resumed light training yesterday but admitted he was no certainty to return for Sunday's clash with Manly at Brookvale Oval.

Deft players in a seriously funny situation

AS The Foreigner shows, the funniest of comedies sometimes have the most serious of subjects. It also helps to have a cast, as in this production, who can make light of darkness and keep the laughs coming.

Making a difference

Currently in its fifth year, Earth Hour's theme for this year is 'Go Beyond The Hour For Earth Hour 2011.'

Switch to better habits

Do your bit for the planet by taking part in Earth Hour writes KYLIE MATTHEWS.

Mercedes GP

Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher lowered his colours in his comeback season last year to impressive youngster Nico Rosberg, although neither really reached the cashed-up squad's high expectations with just three third-place finishes between them in 2010. This year is also off to a rocky start with a distinct lack of speed in early testing at Jerez, although Rosberg hinted at a major new development for the MGP W02 chassis before the season kicks off in Melbourne. The team has certainly completed plenty of testing kilometres, and any squad headed by championship-winning former Ferrari and Brawn GP mastermind Ross Brawn is never to be taken lightly. With new Pirelli tyres, new wings and a new iteration of the KERS hybrid system creating a technical minefield for teams this year, the Mercedes factory squad could steal a win or two if the others stumble.Season 2011

Where will you be when lights go out?

FOUR days before Earth Hour takes place, the event has already surpassed records for the number of nations and cities taking part.

More plan to flick the switch

FOUR days before Earth Hour takes place, the event has already surpassed earlier records for the number of nations taking part.

Get some culture into you

For a feel-good food that's as versatile as it is delicious, look no further than full-cream yoghurt.

COVER PROPERTIES

LEICHHARDT 19 BEESON STREET $645,000 to $1,175,000

Greens want to curb junk food ads

COMPANIES that make junk food should be banned from advertising in schools, say the NSW Greens, who are also calling for stricter food labelling laws to combat obesity and diet-related illness.

House-cured salmon on sourdough, $9

KEEP walking down Chapel Street towards the river to stumble across NorthSouth Eatery and check out the very approachable menu. A light lunch or snack is satisfied with this textural feast of cured salmon on sourdough. The salmon is cured in-house in rock salt, coriander seed, fresh coriander, cracked pepper, cumin seed, brown sugar, lemon zest and chilli, then placed on top of Noisette sourdough smeared with dill-infused mayonnaise. It offers a little respite on this strip of Chapel that is getting busier and busier as apartment developments and new businesses pop up everywhere.

Possibilities and high standards enthral international audience

YOUTUBE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, March 20 Reviewed by Harriet Cunningham

Short Black

+ Le Sands Pavilion at Brighton-Le-Sands has joined the ranks of the NSW Food Authority's Name and Shame list, fined $880 for failing "to take all practicable measures to eradicate and prevent the harbourage of pests".

CRONULLA SOUTH PUBLIC SCHOOL

At Cronulla South Public School in Sydney, Earth Hour is celebrated a couple of hours before the city lights go out. Stalls sell home-made cupcakes, families eat dinner on picnic rugs and the raffle prizes are all environmentally friendly.

Make a difference

With so many cities switching off on March 26, a real point is being made, writes Louise Schwartzkoff.

Time for change, but don't rule out a cliffhanger

It's time. Enough is enough. Stop the rot. Change for the better. The guilty party. Turn on the lights. Memories.

Moody targets four group 1s

VICTORIA'S leading trainer Peter Moody will be the everywhere man next weekend with his sights set on four group 1 races across three states.

No time to press our luck

Decisions made now will affect generations to come, writes Imogen Wadlow.

In the dark

When the lights go out, what will get you through the night? Since 2007 people have been turning off their lights for one hour to take a stand against climate change. Now a global event, Earth Hour is organised by the WWF and made its debut in Sydney four years ago, when 2.2 million individuals and 2000 businesses took part. By 2010 the event had secured its status as a global sustainability movement, with 128 countries getting involved and iconic landmarks such as Rome's Colosseum, New York's Empire State Building and the Sydney Harbour Bridge falling to darkness as a symbol of hope and change.

SOUND & LIGHT

SOUND & LIGHT

The beauty of Bled

Tim Richards discovers why Slovenia's enchanting lake is made for bleeding hearts. I'm standing in the light rain, holding an umbrella above the head of an artist as he paints a silhouette on the back of a painting for my wife. What's the subject? Well, it's a depiction of me holding an umbrella over him, with my wife Narrelle standing nearby.

MCO sheds new light on Mozart's art

THE ART OF MOZART Rating: 3/5 Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, Melbourne Recital Centre, March 17 and 20

Mediaeval mindset, minus the screws

'A bugger of a day at the office," sighed Cardinal Pazzo, sinking heavily into a chair. His mistress, the principessa, fussed around him, proffering a peck on the cheek and plumping

Veteran joker lifts spirits at Melbourne

Troy Thompson keeps it light, writes Stathi Paxinos.

Shark bites

THE IMPROVERS

TOKYO, pop. 36 million, and falling...

TOKYO, neon city, is fumbling around in the dark.

COLUMN 8

Our discussion of the flashing rates of car indicator lights brings a warning on making assumptions about the reliability of data. "Perhaps Mike is basing his assumption on the fact that his interior indicators (and audible click) are not flashing at the same rate as a similar car in front," writes Brian Robson, of intersections unknown. "The question needs to be asked: how does he know that his interior indicators are flashing at the same rate as his exterior indicators?"

He ran but can't hide

MCLAREN boss Ron Dennis won't be driving his new MP4-12C supercar any time soon after losing his licence. The 63-year-old has copped a six-month driving ban after accruing too many demerit points.

What should you tell a learner?

The standard rule of defensive driving, young reader, is to assume every person on the road is trying to kill you.

STAY IN TOUCH . . .

THE world is not yet done for but the journey's end is nigh for 14 Americans who visited Sydney this week. Today it is written (on their plane tickets) that they will head home after spending seven days warning anyone who would listen that Judgment Day has been locked in for

COVER PROPERTY

POTTS POINT 218/81 MACLEAY STREET $800,000+

LETTERS

We must consider the alternatives

KITCHEN CADETS

Ask any child about their favourite foods, and capsicum will probably not be on the list. For 11-year-old Ben, it's something he can take or leave. Eggs, however, are another story. "I could eat 12 eggs a week," he enthuses. "I like them any way. Every way!" Flipping the tortilla-backed egg, Ben is pleased with this new item in his eggy repertoire.

Letters

NATIONAL PARKS

Small miracles amid the carnage

Despite a rapidly rising death toll and worsening nuclear emergencies, Japan's stoic population have been delighted by a precious few survival stories. John Garnaut reports.

Oil and trouble

Olive oil steals all the glory, but is it the best option for cooking? Mary O'Brien reports.

Tallinn tales of tucking in

Cameron Rogers bites the bullet to make himself take time over a memorable meal.

The unbearable lightness of seeing fresh landscapes

IT WILL take you a couple of rooms into the exhibition to spot it but once you see the photograph of Colonel Phillips, you won't soon forget it.