More than 30 major archaeological sites in Greece, which are considered to be vulnerable to fire have been protected.
Prior to the start of each fire season, several inspections and reports are conducted to ensure that corrective actions are taken to prevent fire from damaging the selected sites.
Fire closely located to the ancient site of Mycenae. Photo: RTE
In a joint project with the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, the sites are assessed based on several factors such as the sites registration with the UNESCO World Heritage List and the number of visitors received each year.
In 2022, sites such as Delphi, Ancient Olympia and Mycenae were protected, with an additional 16 new sites being added in 2023.
Greek-owned family business ‘Pump and Pool People’ has come a long way since it opened its first pool shop in 1997 at Yagoona in Sydney’s south-west.
The patriarch of the Katharios family, George, first decided to open the pool shop at Yagoona after realising there was a market for offering pool and spa services. He was supported by his wife Maria, who left her career as a school teacher to help establish the business. Her support and dedication helped the pool store flourish, and still continues to do so to this day.
Old team photo from Pump and Pool People.
“My dad has been in the industry for over 40 years,” George’s 25-year-old daughter, Anastasia Katharios, tells The Greek Herald.
From a young age, George was always interested in electrical type of work. When he finished Year 10, he enrolled in TAFE where he studied a course in electrical trade. As an apprentice, he worked as an electrical fitter mechanic in a company called GMF Electric Motors in Arncliffe.
After completing his course in 1984, George started a new job with a company called Blacktown Electric Motor Rewinds where he worked here for 11 years. During this time, he would work after hours building up his own business, repairing and rewinding pool pumps for other pool companies from his late father’s backyard garage.
In 1997, he took the opportunity to open up his own pool shop, and he was fortunate enough to convert his dad’s warehouse at Rookwood Road in Yagoona into a space for his dream business.
‘Pump and Pool People’ deliver quality pool expertise and knowledge in-store and on-site.
“When my pappou migrated to Australia he used to sell hand-cut chips and they used to manufacture them at the shop in Yagoona. It was called Bill’s Chips. The shop later became Bankstown Pump and Pool Supplies,” Anastasia explains.
From such humble beginnings, Pump and Pool People has since grown into a powerhouse in the pool retail and servicing industry
George and Maria grew the business and eventually opened a second pool shop at Liverpool in September 2009. Later, they closed both shops in July 2015 and decided to open a bigger warehouse at Chipping Norton in September 2015.
New warehouse at Chipping Norton.Pump and Pool People service Sydney’s west, south, south-west, and inner west.
Today, the Greek couple are supported at their Chipping Norton store by their children Anastasia and Vasili, as well as their son-in-law Dean Economos. This next generation are each providing their own individual skills and expertise to grow the pool store, and are determined to reach new goals for the success of the business. The trio have become part-owners of the pool shop, whilst George and Maria’s other daughter Eleni works in childcare.
George working with his son Vasili at the Pool and Pump People in Chipping Norton.Vasili servicing someone’s pool.
Pump and Pool People currently have 10 employees and are recognised for delivering quality pool expertise and knowledge in-store and on-site. They perform regular pool and spa cleaning and maintenance, equipment installation, pool plumbing and repairs, electrical work, and in-store equipment repairs and retail services for Sydney’s west, south, south-west, and inner west.
This year, Pump and Pool People has also been named ‘Business of the Decade’ at the Australian Small Business Champion Awards and winners in the ‘Service and Trade’ category for the Local Business Awards in the Liverpool Council area. In 2022, they also celebrated 25 years of the opening of their retail store.
Katharios family celebrating 25 years in 2022.Pump and Pool People won at the Australian Small Business Champion Awards.Photos supplied.
Anastasia says she’s incredibly proud to be continuing her parents’ legacy.
“It’s really fulfilling to carry on this legacy that my parents started back when I was pretty much born,” she says. “It just feels really great and I’m grateful to be a part of it.”
Sydney businessman and jewellery store owner, Paul Dracakis, has passed away at the age of 83.
Mr Dracakis, well known for his jewellery stores at Manly, Warringah Mall and Mosman, died peacefully at his Seaforth home, surrounded by his family.
A number of Mr Dracakis’ jewellery stores were all closed on Monday as a mark of respect for the man who emigrated to Australia aged 17, from the Greek island of Kythera in 1957.
The Dracakis family said on Facebook they were saddened by Mr Dracakis’ passing.
“As we mourn the loss of this extraordinary soul, let us also celebrate the beautiful life he led and the profound impact he made on each of us. Rest in peace, dear Paul. Your legacy of love and kindness will continue to shine brightly through the lives you touched,” the post read.
Mr Dracakis also served a term as an alderman on Manly Council from 1983-1987, and was a member of the local Liberal Party and a close supporter and friend of former Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
Mr Dracakis is survived by his wife, Helen, and his four children, Nick, Peter, Theo and Fotina, plus nine grandchildren.
Series six of My Greek Odysseywill be released in Australia this Sunday, August 13.
Featuring Peter Maneas as the charismatic host, for the last five years this travel documentary show takes viewers on an authentic and intimate journey through the Greek islands, and in series six Peter and his crew aboard Mia Zoi are heading into the islands of the Central Cycladic.
“This part of Greece is known mainly for the major tourist haunts of Naxos, Paros, Tinos and of course, Mykonos. But our plan is to show you that there are also several other fascinating destinations that are well worth leaving the beaten path to explore,” Peter says.
“We will be visiting spectacular beaches, walking amongst ancient ruins, meeting the locals, finding those hidden gems, and as always, getting some cooking lessons from chef Kyriako!”
Produced by The Rusty Cage and Directed by Alex Begetis, this latest instalment is the penultimate in what has been an inspiring and somewhat ambitious project that has seen the team attempt to be the first known travellers to step foot on all inhabited Greek islands, as well as many uninhabited ones.
For Director Alex, series six is the best yet.
“When we set about creating the show, Peter wanted to bring to life the lesser-known locations and unearth stories that hadn’t been told. Over the years we’ve refined the process and dug deeper to shine a light on the ‘untold’ Greece. For me, this series is particularly special,” Alex said.
Viewers can catch the show in Australia at 4pm August 13 on 7Two, with an encore airing at 6am on Monday, August 14,as well as being available for streaming via the 7Plus platform. For those overseas, each week a new episode from the series will uploaded to Vimeo where it can be streamed into your loungeroom from anywhere in the world.
The world lost one of its most beloved actors Robin Williams on August 11, 2014.
Williams was a passionate Philhellene and to mark the day of his death nine years ago, we take a look at what he once said about Greece and it’s people.
In an interview with Greek TV host George Satsidis back in 2011, the Oscar-winning actor and comedian expressed his appreciation for Greece.
“Greek history is something all mankind must, must bow to,” Williams said.
“Maybe your economy goes to hell, but that does not mean you’re helpless. Economic data is constantly changing in Europe and America for all.
Robin Williams. Photo: Sonya Sones/HBO.
“What is not changing is the legacy, your identity. The Parthenon does not leave Athens. It’s there to remind you that progress and prosperity may return.”
Williams also stressed that whilst he’s not interested in Buckingham Palace in the United Kingdom or the Berlin Wall in Germany, he can’t forget Greece’s archaeological sites.
“You can not ignore Delos, the Parthenon and Mycenae!” he concluded.
Williams died in his home in Northern California, the United States, at the age of 63. Williams starred in films such as Good Morning, Vietnam, Mrs. Doubtfire and Dead Poets Society.
The Lysicrates Foundation will hold the first Martin Children’s Walk on Wednesday, November 29 this year.
Friends of Lysicrates will know the famous James Martin episode, immortalised in the twin statutes in Martin Place and Parramatta, in which the 12-year-old Martin, determined to get the high school education unavailable at home in Parramatta, decided that, since his parents couldn’t afford the carriage fare, he would walk the distance to Sydney himself. Which he did.
The Martin Children’s Walk will re-enact and celebrate the boy’s bravery and love of learning.
A statue honouring Sir James Martin was unveiled by former NSW Treasurer, Dominic Perrottet, in Martin Place in November 2020.
Children from six schools will do the same walk, in five relays of about 5 kilometres each, starting at 6 am from Parramatta Square and ending at around 11.30 am in Martin Place.
The “baton” will be a copy of the Iliad, the prize given to the 14-year-old James Martin for excellence at school.
In Martin Place, the NSW Premier will welcome the children, and there will be some short festivities.
Best known for his composure and spectacular skills, Greek tennis player Stefanos Tsitispas is celebrating his 25th birthday today.
To celebrate, we look at three interesting facts about him.
Early Life:
Born in Athens on August 12th, Stefanos was born into a tennis family, with his mother Julia Apostoli playing profession tennis and his father Apostolos training as a tennis coach. He was first introduced to tennis when he was three years old and as a junior ranked number one in the world.
Style of play:
Stefanos is very well known for his excellent forehand and stylish one-handed backhands. He is recognised by many as having a similar playing style to Roger Federer and his one court style is seen as amongst the best in the world.
Stefanos Tsitsipas. Photo: The New Yorker
Personal Life:
In a relationship with Spanish tennis player Paula Badosa since May 2023, Stefanos’s hobbies include vlogging, where he post videos of his travels on his YouTube channel.
The first feature film by South Australian twins, Michael and Danny Philippou, has become the first horror movie to be featured on the video game Fortnite globally.
According to The Advertiser, the special ‘Talk to Me’ gaming event was launched on ‘Deadpines: Zombie Survival’ map last month where players are faced with a fight against a horde of endless zombies.
RackaRacka brothers Michael and Danny Philippou’s movie has been featured in popular video game Fortnite. Picture: Facebook.
The map features supernatural elements from the horror film, including an embalmed hand. The map is available for a short time only, with the takeover ending on August 13.
This history-making development came after the film finally hit theatres worldwide last month to critical acclaim. The film was banned in Kuwait because of the casting of transgender actress Zoe Terakes.
Restoration works have begun on the 16th century seminary-Madrasah found on the main castle of Mytilene.
With a budget of 1.5 million euros and financed by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan in Greece, the team aims to identify and repair the problems with the seminary’s structural foundations.
Part of the Mytilene castle. Photo: PHILEAS GUIDES
During the Ottoman period, the well preserved two storey building functioned as a place of prayer and teaching, with Muslim students learning the Arabic language, astronomy, and law.
In a visit to Mytilene by the previous Minister of Culture Linas Mendonis, she identified the structural foundations of the site as being precarious and in need of restoration.
Almost 130 years after sinking beneath the waters at Cape Sounion, a shipwreck has been identified as the Italian freighter ‘Taormina’.
In the early hours of September 11, 1891, the ship set off from Istanbul bound for Piraeus with a load of cargo and passengers on board. During its journey, the ship ended up colliding with a steamship fatally breaking part of its hull and sinking.
The ship has been found at a depth of 107 meters west of the island of Patroklos and is in very good condition considering the damage caused by the collision.
Part of the “Taormina” found underwater. Photo: Youtube
Researcher Kostas Thoktaridis said how unbelievable it was to see such a rare shipwreck be so well preserved considering the damage that had been caused.
