How Louise Foster-Poletti mum helped make Darling Harbour

The passing of Louise Foster-Poletti has brought forth many tales from her pioneering career in real estate. But none more amazing than this.

Peter Foster with his late mother Louise Foster-Poletti.

THE passing of Louise Foster-Poletti, mother of high-profile conman Peter Foster, earlier this month has brought forth many tales from her pioneering career in real estate. One of them is about the pivotal role she played in helping Darling Harbour in Sydney get off the ground.

The story is told in the biography of property developer Tom Hayson, entitled Dare to Dream.

In it is the story of how Tom was trying to sell apartments in the Golden Gate building at the northern entrance to Surfers Paradise. Unable to move them as quickly as he liked, he pleaded with Louise to come out of retirement.

Eventually she relented, set to work and went on to sell the majority of them, including buying one for herself. The success of that was the catalyst for Tom to then start upon an ambitious plan to transform Long Cove into Darling Harbour, a massive area that included the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Former NSW premier Nick Greiner later declared that Sydney would not have won the bid to host the 2000 Olympic Games if Darling Harbour had not been in place.

LOCKDOWN LETS RSL ADD POLISH

WHEN life hands you lemons, make lemonade. The closure of pubs, clubs and eateries has been a financial disaster for many – and many will not recover. For the Currumbin RSL it

has been a chance to finish the renovations that were started last year. “We finished the first

stage just before Christmas and then commenced the next stage before the coronavirus hit,”

explained club marketing executive Marc Thompson. “In total it is a multi-million

dollar refurbishment that will see the downstairs level, which looks over Currumbin Creek,

emerge with a new a dining area, large central bar and a lounge area for live bands. We can’t

wait until we are able to open the doors and let our customers in to check out what we have

created.” Hopefully, soon.

Ariawan and Sandy Bell at Bali Children’s Foundation, Bali.

BALI BOY ON WAY THANKS TO SPONSOR

IF you need a good news story in these tough times, here it is. Four years ago Sandy Bell was

in Bali where, at a birthday party for a friend, she met Margaret Barry – the founder of Bali

Children Foundation. Sandy was asked if she would like to help and agreed to sponsor

Ariawan, a 13-year-old boy. “He came from impoverished circumstances and arrived to meet

me wearing his father’s thongs because he had no shoes of his own,” said Sandy. “He was

accepted into Mandara, a prestigious boarding school and has just graduated Year 12, which is

very rare for impoverished boys because they are needed to work in the village. This week I

received the most amazing news. Ariawan had been awarded a government scholarship to

study architecture at Udyana University. Then even more great news when another

scholarship was awarded, via the generosity of renowned Australian photographer Robert

Rosen, to help with his living expenses. It gives me so much joy to see one of children I have

sponsored grow so much and is now on the way to leading a wonderful life.” Truly inspiring.

Eliza Baker.

ELIZA HAS THE WHOLE PACKAGE

ELIZA Baker might now call Melbourne home but she will always be a Gold Coast girl. The

beautiful (and very tall) international model was raised here by her parents, Lachlan (he of the

soaring tenor voice) and Wendy. Clever girl that she is, Eliza has recently launched her own

lifestyle and jewellery range. The brand is Azile – the dyslexic among you will instantly

realise that it is Eliza spelt backwards – and features unique sterling silver jewellery as well

as beautiful lifestyle pieces. Brains and beauty combined.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks.

DANCING A FINE LINE IN A BRUSH WITH DI CAPRIO

IN a life filled with mistakes and wrong addresses, this sits atop the heap. It

was January 2003 and we were on holidays in Paris. Via a friend, Australian dancer Stuart

McGhee, it had been arranged for us to go to The Lido to do a story on some of the

Australians in the show. We pulled up on the Champs-Élysées outside The Lido, noticed a

large crowd and red carpet and presumed it must be for a special performance at The Lido.

Up we walked and because we were carrying a camera bag, we were ushered into a press pack. While trying to work out what was happening we heard a large roar and turned to see

Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks walking down the line-up of cameras and reporters.

What we didn’t know was that right next to The Lido was a cinema complex and we had

stumbled into the French premiere of their film Catch Me If You Can. Next thing you know

Leo – we’re now BFFs – was in front of me. I said “Hello’’ and he said “Aren’t you going to

ask me a question?’’ I quickly explained the mix-up and said we were in the wrong place. He

laughed out loud and said, “Well, enjoy the show.’’ And that was my night with Leo (and

Tom).

LOST DAME’S CRY FOR HELP

THERE is an unexpected consequence of lockdown. Let’s call it COVOID Confusion and it is

caused by not socialising, having no schedule, few pointers to a normal life. Let’s just say it

has hit one social dame particularly hard. Finally allowed to head out for dinner with friends,

she indulged a little too heavily in the shriek juice. When it was time to head home she

tottered out, jumped in a taxi and as they drove off the driver said, “Where to?” Dead silence.

She had completely forgotten her own address. A quick phone call to her friends and they

were soon on their way, but she is now thinking of having a laminated card tied around her

neck with a notification that reads “If found return to this address’’.