Olive and Brian at the Aussiemaid Cafe 33 West Coast Drive in Watermans Bay c1975

The below story was entered with this photograph into the 2018 History and Heritage Awards:

Aussie Maid was, through shear hard work and long hours, becoming a success. I brought the lease on the news agency next door thinking, because of the location; it would be a great surf shop. So, a wet suit wholesaler was found, and a surf board maker came on board and we had the shop fitted out as a complete surf shop. I had a sign commissioned for the front of the shop, a big wave breaking on the shore and we called the shop 'The Bay Surf'. What a different learning experience this was. 'Surfies' would bring in old surf boards to sell and I, not knowing the flaws or re-sell price, was easily duped. Parents would bring in a child to try on a few wet suits in the changing rooms. Emerging with a shake of the head and saying no they would walk out of the shop. I soon realised, the empty hanger in the changing room meant they had walked out with the wet suit under the child's clothes. A few of the 'grommets' (junior surf riders) were pinching just the 'hell of it', stock was quickly disappearing. Friends, who were helping as staff, just couldn't keep up with the sneaky ways these kids were helping themselves. So, one day I just locked the 'grommet' in the shop and started crying. Horrified, because I reminded them of their mother, I sobbed about trying to pay my bills, and the hard work it entailed to provide them with a place to hang-out with their friends. Their attitude began to change and out they went to get everything back off the kids at the beach. Most of the stolen goods were returned, wet and sandy but the young grommets were now, for a little while, on my side.