2515 December 2020

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DECEMBER 2020

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READY FOR ANYTHING MEET THE CREW AT THIRROUL FIRE & RESCUE

Clifton | Scarborough | Wombarra | Coledale | Austinmer | Thirroul | Bulli

MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS DR JULIE BLAZE graduated from Newcastle University in 1986 and worked as a General Practitioner in Sydney until she took over Bulli Medical Practice from the late Dr William Feneley in 1999. She has a special interest in Chronic Disease Management, Travel Medicine, Women’s Health, Weight Management and Aged Care. Julie supervises medical students from the University of Wollongong and General Practice Registrars from GP Synergy. In her spare time Julie enjoys family life, cooking, yoga, reading, exercising, walking her dog and travelling.

ANNETTE JONES first moved to Wollongong in the 70s when she attended UOW. Such was the pull of the Illawarra that she returned in the 90s to live at Thirroul. She is an active member of the Thirroul Village Committee (TVC) and is part of the Development subcommittee. Annette is not antidevelopment but is opposed to rampant and insensitive development. She regularly checks the Development Application listings for compliance. Annette is passionate about the area.

BEN WOLLEN is the director of Wollen Architecture, an architecture studio with a focus on sustainable design. “Only build what you need to” is one of his driving mantras. He feels deeply his accountability, as an architect and environmental scientist, to work towards a sustainable future. When he’s not working, Ben’s enjoying the natural wonders of the Illawarra escarpment with his wife and kids.

JANICE CREENAUNE is a retired English teacher of 35 years, who has lived and worked in the Illawarra, and completed three year-long overseas teacher exchanges. A wife and mother of three, she sees the life of a retiree as an evolution, something to be cherished, enjoyed. Janice is a volunteer for PKD Australia and her interests include travel, Letters-to-the Editor SMH, letterpress printing and film study.

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EARLY CUT-OFF AHEAD! Book ads for January by Dec 11

EDITORS Gen Swart, Marcus Craft CONTACT editor@2515mag.com.au. Ph: 0432 612 168 2515mag. PO Box 248, Helensburgh, 2508.

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NEXT DEADLINE December 11 COVER Thirroul Fire & Rescue, photo by Anthony Warry 2515 is published by The Word Bureau, ABN 31 692 723 477.

Disclaimer: All content and images remain the property of 2515 Coast News unless otherwise supplied. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission. Views expressed do not reflect those of the publishers.

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SOUTH COASTER BOOK ON SALE DECEMBER

south coaster Sharing local knowledge

Discover the bush, the beach & the villages in between rrp $19.99 Buy your copy at: Collins Booksellers Thirroul Helensburgh Post Office Southern Gateway Visitor Information Centre Order direct at editor@2515mag.com.au All proceeds from this book will go towards funding independent local news

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CHRISTMAS GUIDE 2020

By Cath Hill

This year Christmas will take on even greater significance after a tough 2020.

Some northern Illawarra traditions will move online due to covid restrictions but there are still many ways to celebrate and support your local community and businesses on the way.

SPAT presents Blank and the Blank improv panto.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

It’s time to come together (at a social distance!) after a year of lockdowns and isolation.

Christmas Family Show at Burgh Healthy Hub: Local circus girl Charlie Truscott teams up with her international circus buddies Corey and Emma for a Christmas show for the whole family, Circus By Candlelight. 18 & 19 December 6pm, 90min show + Interval. Buy your tickets via their website at burgh.com.au – limited tickets available at the door.

Northern Illawarra Neighbourhood Aid (NINA) Clients Christmas Lunch: Thursday, 3 December or Thursday 10 December. Lunch $25, transport $5. Book via NINA, 4294 1900 or reception@nina.org.au.

Stanwell Park Arts Theatre The annual Christmas panto is going to be an improvised show where the audience gets to suggest places and things for the play. Loosely based around Jack and the Beanstalk, Blank and the Blank is going to be a very funny evening out. Shows on December 4, 5, 6 and 11, 12 & 13. Buy tickets at www.spat.org.au

CAROLS GO ONLINE

Austinmer & Thirroul Anglican Churches won’t be holding the usual Carols by the Sea at Austinmer Beach.

Instead there’s a Nativity Play on Christmas Eve with details at www.austianglicanchurch.org.au Carols in the Burgh livestream Saturday, 12 December.

Time to be confirmed. Unfortunately, the annual Carols in the Burgh won’t be going ahead in its traditional form, however, you can livestream the carols online and watch it together in your home.

Carols in Corrimal via Facebook Live Friday, 4 December at 6pm. Log on to Carols in Corrimal’s Facebook page to watch amazing community performers and hear from some very special guests.

Carols by the Beach (Thirroul) will not be going ahead this year, however, the C3 Church music team will be performing Christmas carols at each service leading up to Christmas and on Christmas Day.

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Christmas Family Show at Burgh Healthy Hub

Horizon window display

CHRISTMAS MARKETS

It has never been a more important time to support our local makers and small businesses. Find some unique and homemade gifts at the markets!

Lulu Ceramics Mini Christmas Markets: Sunday 13th December; 10am to 2pm; Stanwell Park Anglican Church, Stanwell Avenue.

Foragers Market, Bulli Showground: Sunday 20th December, Grevillea Park Road, Bulli.

Coledale Twilight Market, Coledale Public School: Tuesday, 22 December, 2-8pm, 699 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Coledale.

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS AND DECORATIONS

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Window show: Horizon Credit Union (277A Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Thirroul) will again have their special annual Christmas display.

This is the 11th year that Santa’s Village has magically appeared at the Thirroul branch of Horizon Bank. 2020 has been extraordinarily rough so this year more than ever Horizon Bank is thrilled to host the village, bringing joy to our community.

Girl Guides Christmas Trees: Buy your real Christmas tree on Friday, 4th December (2pm-8:30pm) and Saturday, 5th December (8am until sold out).

Cash only. Helensburgh Girl Guides Hall, 4 Chippendale Place. All proceeds support Helensburgh Girl Guides.

Lights up: If you enjoy a Christmas lights hunt, check out this useful Facebook group: “Christmas Light Displays in the Illawarra”.

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Christmas Lights Bus Tour and Dinner: NINA’s (Northern Illawarra Neighbourhood Aid) Commonwealth Home Support Program clients and adults in the community are welcome to join. Any children must have an accompanying adult and be old enough for a regular bus seat. Thursday 3rd December or Tuesday, 8th December; Pick up from 4pm; Transport $10 and Dinner $20. Limited spots and bookings essential through NINA (02) 4294 1900 or reception@nina.org.au Good cheer: Local artists have created colourful art installations for Christmas in Crown Street Mall, Wollongong. While you are there, check out the Grateful Portrait Project exhibition where 32 teenagers offer their own reasons to be thankful.

SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN

Santa photos in Helensburgh Kids, dogs and families can get photos with Santa at Alcara Café (5/115 Parkes St, Helensburgh) every Saturday and Sunday in December leading up to Christmas from 9-11am. Cost is $10. See Kristy Mitchell at Alcara.

Santa Fire Truck Run Saturday, 19 December. This wonderful Helensburgh tradition continues. Santa will deliver lollies and joy from the fire truck around Helensburgh, Stanwell Tops and Bald Hill.

CHRISTMAS WITH THE LIBRARY

Thirroul library is also getting Christmassy with fun activities for kids!

Christmas Storytime Thirroul: Wednesday 9th of December at 10.30am.

Location: Excelsior Hall, Thirroul Library and Community Centre.

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Need a Feed Christmas puddings: For every three puddings sold (@$19.95 each) Need a Feed can feed a family this Christmas. Email shaz@ needafeed.org for pre-orders. Puddings can be picked up from Manic Organic at 1/409 Princes Highway, Woonona from 2 December.

Illawarra Salvos are seeking donations: Non-perishable food items or new toys can be donated at Salvos' Wollongong centre. 11-13 Burelli Street, weekdays between 9am and 3pm. If you’re in need this Christmas, call The Salvos on 4227 2994.

A Little Ray of Giving: Ray White Helensburgh (1/131 Parkes Street) is collecting donations of new toys for local families in need. Drop by their office to pop your donation under the tree.

Lions Christmas Cakes: Support the Lions Club by buying a Christmas cake at Helensburgh Butchery (51 Walker Street) or the Illawarra Credit Union (114 Parkes Street). Lions Christmas Cake 1kg $13 Make Your Own Gingerbread House or Lions Mini Cake 80gm $2.

Thirroul: Monday, 7th December – 4.30-5.30pm OR Wednesday, 9th December – 3.30pm-4.30pm.

City of Wollongong’s Giving Tree: You can donate online Location: Thirroul Library. Limited availability. to the Giving Tree Appeal to reduce the number of Bookings essential via www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au physical gifts due to COVID-19 restrictions. Visit donate.anglicare.org.au/tnt and my.fundraise.

A TIME OF GIVING vinniesnsw.org.au/fundraise-your-way/vinniesMany charities have been hit hard this year with and-wollongong-lord-mayor-s-giving-tree more people reaching out for assistance. Please add The Bikers Toy Run: Will be in six pop-up locations a charity to your Christmas list by donating food, around Wollongong to accept gifts and toy gifts, vouchers, money or your time. donations. www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au 2515 Crown Street Mall.

Photo: Wollongong City Council

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DON’T LEAVE SHOPPING TOO LATE!

Are you that person who leaves your Xmas shopping until Xmas Eve? Collins Booksellers Thirroul is extending trading hours to encourage customers to get in early. Starting 1st Dec, Xmas trading: Sat & Sun 8.30-5pm, Mon-Fri 8.30-6pm, and on Thur & Fri evenings, from 6-8pm, enjoy a glass of wine during our special Adult Only shopping time.

Our shelves are fully stocked and there’s still time to order some titles if needed. We have gifts for all tastes and budgets, starting under $10 and all the way up to a magnificent $1500 limited edition seven-volume box set, “Brett Whiteley Catalogue Raisonn”: 1955-1992.

From all of us at Collins Booksellers Thirroul, we wish you a safe, joyful Christmas, and the very best for 2021. 2515

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Our professionally designed gift vouchers will make a memorable gift. All our gift vouchers include inflight photos of the flight, free of charge (usually $45).

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THE ART OF TEA TOWELS Small school Scarborough Public is saving its Art Education one Tea Towel at a Time!

Scarborough Public School P&C’s Michelle McCosker reports.

The Scarborough Art Show has been a highlight of the Northern Illawarra events calendar for more than 20 years, attracting visitors and artists from the local region and across the state. Traditionally held on the beautiful grounds of Scarborough Public School in October, and organised entirely by Scarborough P&C volunteers, the Art Show acts as our vital and sole fundraising activity.

Fundraising profits from the Art Show have been used by the school’s P&C to provide generations of Scarborough PS students with unique learning and extra-curricular experiences.

In 2020 the P&C funded an ambitious wholeschool Art Education program, established and driven by acclaimed local artist, educator and parent Gabrielle Adamik. It is rare for public school students in NSW to receive such extensive Art Education and so the P&C have been delighted to be able to offer the kids this wonderful opportunity.

The universal positivity and enthusiasm from the students for this program has proved the high value of creative art in education and our student work will be on display at Thirroul Library later this month.

Social distancing restrictions during the Covid-19 outbreak have, unfortunately, meant we could not run our Art Show in 2020 and generate the funds needed to ensure the future of our

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ground-breaking Art Education program. So the P&C has come up with a solution it hopes will save the day…

LIMITED EDITION ORIGINAL ARTWORK TEA TOWELS! Along with our very own Scarborough student artists, local artists Tanya Stubbles, Frank Nowlan, Alannah Dreise, Anthea Stead, Ash Leslie, Fraggle and Karen Yello have all kindly donated one special image of their original artwork to our 2020 fundraising initiative.

These beautiful images will be printed on high quality, certified organic cotton tea towels, with 10 different limited edition designs available. These unique tea towels will be available from midNovember, ready for you to bring a little bit of the Scarborough Art Show spirit into your home, or the homes of those you love, in time for Christmas!

All profits from this initiative will be used by the Scarborough P&C to support the future of the School’s Art Education program – literally saving our Art Education one Tea Towel at a time!

Buy your towel online today at https:// scarboroughart2020.wixsite.com/teatowels or find them to take home in person in local shops and cafes in Woonona, Bulli, Austinmer, Coledale, Stanwell Park and Helensburgh! You can follow the project on Facebook and Instagram. 2515

DECORATE ON A BUDGET

By Imogen Ross, co-founder of Austinmer’s Creative Corners project For many of us, the next few weeks means dusting off the old box of Christmas Tree decorations, hanging a wreath on the door and thinking about ways to add festive cheer around the house. After the year we have all had, festive cheer on a budget is uppermost in my mind!

I always like to make Christmas Tree decorations with the kids, and slowly, every year, our tree gets fuller and heavier. My sister prefers a sparser more ‘architectural’ tree, whereas my neighbour likes to set a new colour scheme each year.

Whatever your style preference, there are loads of clever environmentally-conscious ideas for decorations using common household objects.

Christmas can become a circular economy in all ways – we all just need to think before we buy things. Here are a couple of ideas to get your Christmas ball rolling...

IDEA #1: Dried Oranges make eco-friendly tree, candle and wreath decorations.

• Cut oranges crosswise into 5mm slices (any thicker and you will need to cook for twice as long!).

• Pat dry on paper towel. Place slices on paperlined trays. Dry in low oven at 120°C. Bake for 3 - 4 hours or until dried. Turn slices over half way to ensure even drying.

• On sunny days I dry slices on an outdoor table

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under a mosquito net to deter fruit fly and possums. [You can dry tomatoes and apples this way too.]

• Once dry, poke a small hole in top and tie twine/ natural string/thin wire to create a tie.

• A cute option is to sew or glue a button either side of the orange’s centre. I also glue on dried flowers, star anise or cinnamon sticks for spice aromas.

• I make my wreaths from the hedge trimmings, weedy vines and long grasses along my street.

Simply wrap into a circle and entwine the ends into the wrap.

IDEA #2: Icecream lids, thin cardboard and the foil covers from dips and butters make shapes to hang from tree.

• Cut star shapes from foil and wrap a larger star around a smaller star to firm the edges up.

Tape/staple a loop of string to the back.

• Cut thin cardboard from cereal packets (or similar) into Christmas-themed shapes (trees, stars, balls, candy canes) and wrap in foil.

Decorate with textas.

• Glue a foil patty case (think mince pies) to a cardboard circle on both sides and wrap the edge in ribbon – Voila! A silver bauble! Plastic bottle lids can be glued as decoration to centres.

• Circular ice-cream lids make an instant frame for smaller objects and drawings. 2515

Aerial photos and video

Fine Art and Corporate images

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LHD before the road realignment and sandstone wall. The part of the wall that has been saved.

HISTORIC SANDSTONE WALL SAVED

By Annette Jones

For those of us fortunate to live in or around Thirroul there is an appreciation of how wonderful the village is. There are a number of magnificent old buildings that remain, for example the buildings on Thirroul Railway Station and the neighbouring TRIPS (Thirroul Railway Institute Preservation Society) Hall. It is important to recognise that community action has helped retain these significant buildings.

Driving north towards the railway overpass in Thirroul, visitors and locals are greeted by a high dry sandstone wall. The sandstone wall was built as part of the road realignment in the 1940s.

Notification of this wall at the time states: “The Main Roads Board proposes to erect a wall for about eight feet ... at a cost of £30. It was recommended this be carried out.” This sandstone wall once bordered the houses all the way from 336 to 348 Lawrence Hargrave Drive (LHD); ending at

what is now the Thirroul Community Centre and Library. In recent years the height of the sandstone wall at 346-348 LHD was reduced as part of the development on that site.

A Development Application (DA) was recently before Council for construction of 3 townhouses on 342-344 LHD, the site locally known as ‘The Gables’. Local residents did not want to see any further reduction in height or appearance in what remained of the historical sandstone wall and sent written submissions to Council to this effect.

Presentations were also made before the independent Wollongong Local Planning Panel (WLPP) about the importance of the wall.

As a result of this, a condition was added to the DA for 342-344 LHD that “the existing front dry sandstone wall shall be retained in its original height and form except where the new pedestrian and driveway openings are located”. This is definitely a win for the local neighbourhood.

Although The Gables building could not be saved at least the historic wall could. By acknowledging the sandstone wall not only has a piece of local history been retained, but so too the streetscape. It also shows that community action can make a difference. 2515

160-MILLION-YEAR-OLD DROP STONES EXPOSED In the November 2020 2515 issue Dr Rip gave an explanation about the moving sands on our beaches in the recent stormy weather.

Where we live at Sharkey’s Beach we recently saw the loss of a lot of sand on our beach, particularly at the southern end of the beach, exposing the rock platforms. Walking our dog on the beach every day we also saw some interesting ‘rock holes’ exposed with the loss of the sand and wondered about their story.

We reached out to a friend, an Austi local, a geologist now living overseas. He looked at these photos and gave the following explanation: “These are drop stones. Believe it or not, apparently during the glaciation period ice sheets covered many areas. As the ice melted, stones stuck in the ice dropped to the sea or lake floor and got

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stuck in the mud. Over time the stones dissolved and the hole was left. Some rocks became loose over time and moved around over long periods of time to make deeper and perfectly round holes.

There are also some at Sandon Point where the rounded boulders are still in place. These at Sharkey are from the Permian period, some 160 million years ago.”

– Lucy Arundell, a letter via email 2515

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Below: The pink and yellow Bracteantha are a host plant for the Painted Lady butterfly. Right: Native daisies - Brachyscomes - are great because they’re flat for butterflies to land on and prolific flowering and brightly coloured so they can see them easily.

ALL AFLUTTER

How to attract butterflies to your garden. By landscape designer Verity Snaith, of Sydney Wildflower Nursery Butterflies are one of a garden’s most beautiful insects, fluttering around the flowers from October to May. They’re valuable for the pleasure they give us as alone we watch them flit from flower to flower, and they’re a rare find in suburban gardens.

But they also play an important role as pollinators and are a good indicator of a healthy ecosystem, providing food for many small birds, lizards and other animals If you’ve spotted a butterfly or two around your garden you might wonder how you can encourage more. The good news is it’s relatively easy… but there are a few important things to keep in mind when creating a butterfly habitat at home.

LOCATION Butterflies love a sunny spot in the garden. They need protection from strong winds and enjoy sun-baking on flat, sheltered rocks. They also need lots of nectar-rich, colourful flowers, a food source for their larvae and shallow mud puddles – full of essential salts – for them to drink from. You can make your own butterfly feeder by filling a shallow terracotta dish with sand or compost, a few small flat rocks and water to create a mud puddle.

Remember to keep it moist and keep an eye on it in heavy rain – you may need to tip some water out!

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LIFE CYCLE If you want butterflies in your garden, you’re also going to have accept caterpillars. Don’t let that pesky introduced white cabbage butterfly turn you off – local species will much prefer native plants, not your edibles! You will need to plant a mix of host and nectar plants and each butterfly will have its preferred species. Two easy, local butterflies to start with are the Common Brown and William Kershaw’s Painted Lady – their larvae feed on native grasses such as Poa poiformis and Themeda triandra, and flowering ground covers such as Chrysocephalum apiculatum and Bracteantha bracteata. Planting these species en-masse in your garden will help guide butterflies to your home.

COMMUNITY Attracting butterflies to your garden can be addictive and it’s great to get your neighbours involved. Researching which butterflies can be found in your area, and encouraging your neighbours to participate by planting their preferred species, is a great way to build community and help your local environment. 2515

DECEMBER / 2515 / 19

PLAY BLUEGRASS

Janice Creenaune meets Mark Ballesi, a local community icon in the bluegrass music industry. A part-time support worker and disability service worker at Greenacres, Mark transforms into a musician, organiser and now a promoter of local and overseas talent in Thirroul. Photos by Katelyn Slyer and Mark Ballesi.

At 58, Mark Ballesi stands tall in the local bluegrass community. His world is filled with music and with the aid of wife, Shooshi, and another bluegrass music talent, Bruce Fumini, they bring the world of bluegrass to Thirroul.

The Railway Institute is amazingly transformed from Labor’s past to bluegrass pick. It is an amazing cycle of camaraderie and hard work.

Mark began as a musician in regional Wagga Wagga, busking at markets and joining art-school bands. Beginning with an acoustic guitar, he then developed a passion for the electric guitar.

“I learned on the job in pubs and Wagga was a great place to start because it was a smaller pond and offered great opportunities from the university audiences. Ska was actually my preferred sound at the time, but bluegrass has become my passion.”

Mark still displays the youthful enthusiasm and an enormous charm that goes with a lifetime of performance art.

In 1986 Mark came to Austinmer, after travelling overseas. “I recorded in a Port Kembla studio and continued to perform in various bands and at folk festivals. I met Quentin Fraser and entered the multi-instrumental genre and the dobro slide guitar, and continued to play blues and jazz. It was here I moved into the wider bluegrass community, even

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making instruments with Bruce Fumini and Ray Marshall. We mentored each other really, but I am very proud to admit that some of those instruments I made are still in use by other musicians. The craftsmanship of the instruments is an important study for me too.

“My focus has changed over the years, I am still learning about bluegrass, that will remain a lifetime passion, I’m sure, learning new skills and new tunes, enjoying singing and harmonies and feeling the magic of those vocal harmonies. I also really enjoy the energising force as audiences respond as well.”

Mark says the changes are important. “It is a small community and many of us reconfigure into different groups, and bands come and go over time, but relationships continue and at various blue-grass festivals we meet up from all over the country.”

Mark works with John Gallagher, a Sydney promoter of overseas touring groups, mainly from the US and Thirroul becomes part of those tours.

“The Thirroul Pick began in 2006 at The Illawarra Folk Festival and a short jam has morphed into a regular community jam with regulars and ‘joiners’.

It was an idea waiting to happen. We are very pleased with the growing support we are receiving.”

It all began with a magnificent pick with Mike Compton, an American bluegrass mandolin player

and former protégé of Bill Munroe, often known as “the Father of Bluegrass” at Anita’s Theatre, but the Railway Institute has become the base. Featured bands include The Butcher Boys, The Company, The Flats and Sharps from Cornwall, The Western Flyers, and The Sonoran Dogs, to name a few.

“The Railway Institute is a wonderful location and has offered a measure of success for us.

“The hard work of Bruce and Shooshi and others all pays off on the night of performance and the jams often explode the small venue with classic bluegrass pick. We hope to restart as soon as possible when COVID restrictions ease.”

Mark may be a reluctant promoter but he does enjoy every experience, and appreciates the audiences.

“The playing of bluegrass, the harmonies, the camaraderie and relationships developed are all wonderful but it is the audiences who react with such enthusiasm and complete joy that is an honour in my work for the community. They really are joyous occasions for us all.”

Hopefully, the bluegrass community will resurrect in performance with or without the overseas drawcards. There is certainly enough talent to display at The Railway Institute in our own local community for us all to enjoy.

Writer Janice Creenaune is a volunteer for the PKD (Polycystic Kidney Disease) Foundation Australia.

Email janicecreenaune@gmail.com 2515

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NSW Property Tax Proposal The NSW Government announced some long-awaited proposed changes to property taxes in the state budget recently. This could be a once in a generation change of giving home buyers the choice to pay either stamp duty and land tax (where applicable) or a new smaller annual property tax. Stamp duty is one of the biggest financial barriers to home ownership. If implemented, the basic numbers show Sydney’s median house price would attract stamp duty of $48,000 but would only draw an annual tax of about $2,232 for owner occupiers.

This could rise to $3,300 per year in two decades depending on how the land tax is indexed. There would be four different rates proposed based on the property type – residential owner-occupied; residential investment; primary production and commercial. For more details or to provide your feedback to the government please visit the NSW Treasury website (https://www.treasury.nsw.gov. au). Submissions close 15 March 2021.

DECEMBER / 2515 / 21

FUN WAY TO TAKE CARE OF WEEDS

By Green Connect farm manager Cal Champagne

Anyone who has visited the Green Connect farm will know that the market garden, where our veggies come from, only takes up about one quarter of our land. Another quarter is dedicated to native biodiversity belts: to rehabilitate the land and water, provide us with the benefits of biodiversity, shelter from wind, and to sequester carbon. The other half of the farm is dedicated to fruit and nut trees.

Fruit and nuts are a slow burn. It will typically take seven years for a fruit tree to begin to produce a commercial quantity of fruit or nuts. This can create a bit of an issue, where farmers can’t make any income from these crops, but are required to maintain the health of the tree, the fertility of the soil it is growing in, and, most significantly, to control the grass and weeds that grow around the tree and threaten to out-compete it.

Not having the resources to carry out this maintenance on our tree areas, we’ve had to get creative. And this is where we have integrated animals into these systems to help us out. Sheep, goats and pigs are animals that turn problematic weeds into valuable fertiliser, saving time and energy on weed-management, and improving the soil in the process!

The herd of miniature goats that we introduced

at the beginning of the year have been a huge success. They hang out with the sheep and compliment them well. The sheep will typically mow the grass down, while the goats will go straight for the woody and vine weeds that grow around shoulder height. This breed of goat (the Australian Miniature) has specifically been bred to be great pets. They are smaller than other goats, and incredibly friendly.

This spring they have been kidding (having babies) and so the farm is full of the sights and sounds of baby goats bounding around, making the farm a fun place to be at this time of year.

Next farm tours are on December 5th. Bookings essential via https://green-connect.com.au/visit/ farm-tours/ 2515

PREP TIME: 10 minutes SERVINGS: 6

PERILLA PESTO

The challenge – each month Green Connect will pick fruit or vegetable in season and then Stephanie Meades, of Thirroul’s Life Wellness Co, will use it in a dish!

First up, something unusual – perilla.

You can make this pesto with any number of green herbs, but I find using perilla makes a particularly delicious, unique and zesty pesto that teams well with zucchini noodles and a squeeze of lemon juice for a light and delicious meal.

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INGREDIENTS: 2 cups of perilla leaves (or substitute for basil or parsley if you don’t have the full 2 cups) ½ cup pine nuts ½ cup extra virgin olive oil 3 cloves garlic 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice Zest from 1 lemon 1 tsp of Himalayan salt METHOD: 1. Wash and dry the perilla leaves, then chop roughly.

2. Lightly toast pine nuts for 4-5 minutes in a dry skillet over medium heat.

3. Place all ingredients in a blender or mini food processor and blend to make a fine paste. Taste and add more salt or a little white pepper for seasoning if desired. 2515

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DECEMBER / 2515 / 23

Left: Caper white.

This image: small white. Photos: Wikimedia Commons

BEETLING ABOUT With Helensburgh entomologist Dr Chris Reid.

There always seem to be white butterflies about.

Their whiteness stands out against the dull hues of the roadside bush. Almost all white and yellow butterflies in Australia belong to the one family, helpfully called the ‘whites and yellows’, or Pieridae to be technical. The very name ‘butter-fly’ comes from the colour of a UK species.

Conspicuousness is, of course, a warning – anything that says “look at me” like this is going to be pretty nasty to eat. Here in Helensburgh I’ve seen young innocent sparrows (if sparrows can ever be innocent) snapping up white butterflies and instantly spitting them out.

It seems that the poison is on the wings. Poisons vary slightly between species and one south-east Asian species in this group uses the same poison as the infamous cone snails.

The white that flops around your garden and along the road throughout most of the year is not native. It’s the ‘small white’ of the UK, here called the cabbage white (Pieris rapae), a major pest of brassica and mustards, which also tucks into nasturtiums.

The small white has only been with us since 1929 (Melbourne) and did not reach Sydney until 1943, but now it seems to be ubiquitous. The thin green caterpillar makes large irregular holes in leaves and

24­ / 2515­/ DECEMBER

eats developing buds. Our broccoli always gets clobbered by them. The adults are attracted to badminton, or at least lofted shuttlecocks – to chase off a giant intruder or to mate with a giant partner?

Roadsides are highly disturbed habitats, plagued with weeds, so the whites you see there may actually be useful.

In the last month or so another, native, white butterfly has been around the Illawarra in huge numbers. This is the caper white (Belenois java), differing from the small white by black edging to the wings, with some yellow mixed in underneath.

I said native, but it’s not really a native around here, just a ‘migrant’, sporadically undergoing large movements south from its breeding grounds in western Queensland and north-western NSW. They die out here as the foodplants (native capers) are not available.

Why do caper whites commit mass suicide like this? No one really knows, but perhaps they are like lemmings or locusts, even humans, needing to move on after eating themselves out of home. And as our climate changes this mass movement strategy will help them (as a species) stay ahead of the game.

Have a great Christmas holiday break everyone and let’s hope 2021 is an improvement.

For general insect enquiries, email the Australian Museum’s Search And Discover team at sand@austmus.gov.au.

Have a question specifically for Dr Chris?

Email editor@2515mag.com.au 2515

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MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM DARKES From our family to yours – we wish you all an amazing festive season, writes Jo Fahey.

Photos: ‘Suzanne Was Here’ Photography

To our sensational community – we wish you all an amazing festive season. We hope you are able to spend time face to face with friends and relatives in celebration.

After such a challenging year, everyone deserves to be able to sit with friends and just enjoy each other’s company!

We have a saying at Darkes: “Agriculture makes life possible but … horticulture makes it worthwhile!”

So celebrate with a cider, dress a salad with a cider vinegar, sink your teeth into a juicy peach or slurp on a nectarine smoothie!

Just a few ideas to enjoy your holidays with our truly local cider and fruits from ‘the Forest’, Darkes Forest!

Visit www.darkes.com.au 2515

DECEMBER / 2515 / 25

GALA LAUNCH AT WRITERS CENTRE Live jazz, talks and books – opening night party at Coledale Community Hall is on Saturday, December 5, writes South Coast Writers Centre director Sarah Nicholson.

Have you got your tickets yet? Our stage is newly draped in red velvet, the stage lights are up and our mics are ready to go!

The first of our Coledale events is the South Coast Writers Centre gala launch. On Saturday, 5th December we’ll be unveiling our 2021 first-quarter program. You can meet our new director Sarah Nicholson (me), and hear from the award-winning writers guiding our Young Writers, Poetry, and Ngana Barangarai (Black Wallaby) Indigenous Literary programs: Helena Fox and Judi Morison, Jack Oats and Dell Brand.

The event will also offer a tribute to the work of one of our founding members, South Coast poet Ron Pretty AO, from Create NSW’s Sam Wild and poet Brook Emery.

You can hear the best of the Illawarra’s emerging writers with readings from Rhys Lorenc, Gracie Delaney, Jamilla Dempsey, Nina Adams, Laura Charlton and Jamil Badi.

The night will also feature SCWC’s big Xmas book sale, during which you will be able to dine on Sri Lankan curry, drink wine, and listen to musical entertainment from Coledale jazz pianist Kelvin Haisman.

We close the year on the 19th December with

Make sure you wear your flora crown to the Midsummer Eve event on December 19. Artwork by Tim Donnelly

26­ / 2515­/ DECEMBER

Midsummer Eve, the first of our ‘Say It, Sing It’ events. MC’d by founding father of Wollongong comedy and our resident Irishman, Martin Henchion the night will feature Room for improvement, Wollongong’s premier Improv troupe, acoustic duo Rare Birdz, spoken-word performances and more to come! Make sure to wear your floral crown for this summer-solsticeadjacent performance night.

This year is racing towards the Summer holidays and we are excited to be hosting our first School Holidays program for young writers when we return from a well-earned break on Thursday, 14th January.

For primary schoolers we have Minecrafting a Story with Australian Children’s Book Council notable author Sandy Fussell.

Then we have two writing workshops led by Victorian Premier Award winner Young Adult author Helena Fox. What a Wonderful World! for Ages 10-13 takes young writers through world-building and inventing exciting places for your characters and Who Are You? for Ages 14-18 examines the cornerstones of any story: characters.

Don’t miss out on tickets! https:// southcoastwriters.org/upcomingevents More information: www.southcoastwriters.org.au 2515

The average weight loss achieved by our patients over the 12-week program is 8.64kg. Other reported benefits include lowered cholesterol levels, lowered blood pressure, increased exercise, and improved wellbeing. There are many success stories and patients especially value the accountability of regular visits, the openness of staff and the support provided with maintenance.

TOO MUCH FESTIVE CHEER

By Dr Julie Blaze

Whether it’s work parties, family gatherings, drinks with friends, chocolates or wine you’ve received as gifts, it’s hard not to over-indulge during the festive season. Some days you may find you’re tempted to eat a lot more than needed. When possible, plan to choose smaller portions, skip morning or afternoon tea before a function and strive to do more exercise.

The warmer weather and longer days are good motivation to start walking. Try to get at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise most days of the week. The New Year also brings an opportunity to renew your energy and efforts for a healthy lifestyle.

WEIGHT MANAGEMENT PROGRAM An increasing number of Australians struggle to maintain a healthy weight range and find a realistic approach to weight loss. The Weight Management Program at Bulli Medical Practice has delivered results for patients for more than six years.

It includes: • An initial 12-week program tailored to your goals • Weekly visits with practice nurse • Monthly reviews with your doctor • Referral to allied health partners • Education on topics such as meal planning, eating out, reading food labels, healthy snacks and recipe adaptation • Meal replacement intervention (see information later in this feature) • Medications to enable weight loss (if appropriate) • Assessment for surgery (if indicated) • Ongoing maintenance tailored to your individual circumstances.

MEAL REPLACEMENT INTERVENTIONS One option for short-term weight loss is a meal replacement-intervention. This process involves a very low-calorie meal replacement over an initial three-month period. The intervention should be medically supervised, particularly if there are other health issues, such as high blood pressure or diabetes.

Bulli Medical Practice is accredited to supervise Opti-Fast, where all meals can be substituted with a meal replacement shake, soup or bar. This induces an altered metabolic state where fat is burnt more quickly. This results in initial rapid weight loss which can bolster confidence to make the sustained dietary and exercise changes that are needed for long term weight management.

For more information, or to join the Bulli Medical Practice Weight Management Program, please contact reception on 4284 4622. 2515

Book online* via our website: bullimedicalpractice.com.au or call 4284 4622 *if you have respiratory symptoms please call for an appointment

Monday to Friday: 8am-6pm Saturday: 8am-12 noon 74 Park Road, Bulli

QUALITY PERSONAL HEALTHCARE AND TRAVEL MEDICINE DECEMBER / 2515 / 27

THIRROUL FIRE & RESCUE The work that Fire and Rescue NSW officers do can be dangerous, but the rewards include a deep sense of purpose only those who risk their lives in the service of others may know. 2515 reports.

The retained firefighters of Fire and Rescue NSW Station 461 Thirroul are an easy-going mob. There’s a casual jocularity between them as they greet each other and interact during our photo-shoot for this month’s cover feature. But it’s easy to see that they’re able to switch on at the drop of a hat for their high-risk work. After all, they’re employed in what can be a very dangerous job: running into unpredictable, truly volatile emergency situations that may have the potential to destroy property or, worse still, lives.

“Retained Firefighters are not rostered on duty at the station but employed to respond to emergency incidents when notified by pager or mobile phone call”, FRNSW states, so generally there’s enough flexibility built into their other job to free them up to have some weekday daytime availability to respond to emergency calls.

Applicants must also reside near their fire station to be considered for employment.

COVER FEATURE

Some of the Fire & Rescue NSW crew at Station 461 Thirroul (front, from left to right): Captain Hedley Privett (43 years with FRNSW) and Ian Hamilton, who retired in October after 45 years as a retained firefighter; (back, from left to right) Dane Henderson (retained firefighter, one year), David Brown (engine keeper, three years), Michael Hooten (retained firefighter two years), Shane Jones (retained firefighter 30 years), Riley Buchan (retained firefighter, one year), Sian Crinis (retained firefighter, three years), and Elliot Spencer (retained firefighter, two years).

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FRNSW officers have to deal with a wide variety of emergencies – car accidents, chemical spills and natural disasters, among others – as well as help to educate the public on how they can best deal with an emergency themselves.

FRNSW is “one of the world’s largest urban fire and rescue services” according to the organisation itself. It has a long, proud history of service and its officers have a deep sense of camaraderie forged, sometimes literally, in fire.

Two of Thirroul station’s longest-serving firefighters can attest to that because they’ve known each other for much of their four decades with FRNSW: Captain Hedley Privett, has 43 years in the job and Ian Hamilton clocked up 45 years as a retained firefighter before he decided to retire in October this year.

FRNSW officials were scheduled to present Ian with a certificate of service on December 5.

Hedley and Ian kindly took time out of their busy weekend to answer 2515’s questions.

You’ve both been fighting fires for a long time, you must have a stack of stories about mateship.

Hedley: In the early days, a lot of people didn’t move, they didn’t change jobs – and up until recently, the last few years, the crew was roughly the same. You went to calls together, you turned out together, you went away together on task force [different teams with specialist skills] and things like that.

So, camaraderie is really strong in Fire and Rescue ... and Ian’s always been a troublemaker?

Hedley: Never! [laughs] If there was a call down the coast on the tanker during the fire season … anywhere the tanker would go, Ian would be off on it. Down the coast for the day or for a few hours.

So you two blokes have known each other for years?

Hedley: Ian joined two years in front of me: he joined in ’75 and I joined in 1977.

So, it’s been a few years.

Ian: Things were different then: there’s a phone out the front here, and people could turn up and call in a fire.

Things have changed.

Ian: Now, it’s tele-printers and pagers and mobile phone calls.

Now you have iPads and ...

Hedley: The MDTs [mobile data terminals] in the trucks, thermal imaging cameras – that’s all remarkable stuff.

Ian: Aim a thermal imaging camera up into somebody’s ceiling and check if there’s any hotspots.

Does all the high-tech gear make the job easier?

Hedley: It’s another tool in making sure the fire is out.

Why do the job? Do you just like serving the community?

Hedley: It’s a community thing.

Ian: Yeah, surf club and fire brigade. I’ve been in the surf club all my life too.

Does any one call-out or fire stand out over the years?

Hedley: The variety of fires… well, Thirroul Leagues Club, the old leagues club, it was a massive fire, also there were fires in a couple of furniture places in Wollongong.

There have been other fires [that stand out] like the Bulli high school fire.

Ian: That was one of my first big ones, Bulli high school, in ’75.

Hedley: But there have been really good times: demos, Ian used to be in the demo team as well, so you go away and compete against other brigades, using different skills, doing different events.

Ian: There have been some very interesting Photos: Anthony Warry Photography

DECEMBER / 2515 / 29

Ian Hamilton (left) and Captain Hedley Privett.

times. To start with, we just put fires out, but then it came to rescues.

Hedley: Well, that’s what it says on the side of the truck: protect the environment, hazmat [hazardous materials], natural disasters, wind damage, floods – we do the whole lot! That’s why it’s now called ‘fire plus rescue’ – it’s everything.

We do rescues – parrots in trees, for example.

There was a $25,000 Macaw stuck up a tree one day, up near Thirroul school. We got the hose and just kept wetting it and finally it fell out of the tree and it never hurt itself – it was quite high in this tree – and the owner got his bird back. [laughs] What have been the most beneficial changes to FRNSW? Hedley: Equipment, probably. But clothing, as I said earlier: it’s heavier and it’s hotter but it protects you more.

So, improvements to the brigade in the way you put fires out, technology, how [fire] trucks are designed, everything’s changed, and for the better.

You’ve got to keep on top of things all the time.

It keeps you keen and keeps people interested and your knowledge improves all the time.

As technology improves, your knowledge is improving and what you can do and how you can put fires out.

It’s a tough job. What are some of your happiest memories?

Hedley: The fact you can put a fire out quickly and you’re saving someone’s property or the house is

30­ / 2515­/ DECEMBER

not as badly burnt as it could have been. It could be a car or a kitchen or a house or whatever.

Or you’ve gone and taken a tree off someone’s house in a wind storm. Or in a flood you’ve gone in and helped them carry all this stuff out to save it from getting ruined.

As I said, with the amount of stuff we do these days, with the different types of fires and incidents, we do basically everything.

Ian, you retired in October. Do you miss the job?

Ian: Yeah, definitely, I miss it. There’s highs and lows. There’s a lot of adrenaline as you’re approaching a situation.

On the other hand, we were down at west Nowra, up the Shoalhaven River, Arthur Boyd had a big gallery up there, there were millions of dollars worth of paintings stored up there and we were tasked to protect them. The fire was expected to jump the river, and we were down there for a couple of days. The fire didn’t get to us, so we just sat back and waited and had a look at all his paintings [laughs].

Hedley: Yeah, sometimes you just have to sit around and wait, and that’s the disappointing part of it [the job] is you’re sitting around and you’re waiting for these things that are expected to happen. The good side of it is they don’t happen.

Fire and Rescue NSW Station 461 Thirroul: phone (02) 4267 2222, follow @frnsw461thirroul on Facebook. 2515

An art deco gem in Berry.

Photo: Belairberry,

SWEET DREAMS

its relatively intact architectural form has placed it on Shoalhaven Council’s heritage register. Among the Victorian and Federation-era cottages of the Looking for a super summer getaway down the quaint town of Berry, this building really stands South Coast? Architect Ben Wollen picks the best out. Now simpled titled Belairberry, it really is architect-designed holiday rentals designed for parties with its large built-in bar and window seating, outdoor terraces and lush landscaping. Originally built by local veterinarian 1 MURCUTT – MAGNEY HOUSE, BINGIE 18 years before Glenn Murcutt won the world’s top George Borys in the 1950s, its retro charm will gong for architects, the Pritzker Prize, he designed have you doing the swing and getting down like a neat little three-bedroom house for a remote farm Elvis. Visit www.belairberry.com on the South Coast. A fairly straightforward steel portal frame structure from the outside, but to 4 DODDS & ZUCCON – OCEAN FARM, GERRINGONG quote Mies Van der Rohe, “God is in the detail”.

The Gerringong coastline has seen a number of The carefully executed steel detailing on this house amazing architecturally designed homes, but most would even give Mies Van der Rohe heart are privately owned and inaccessible unless you’re palpitations. Once upon a time, the architect would good friends with billionaires. There are a couple pore over details like carved stone architraves available for rent but my pick would be the Ocean around doorways and window frames. Modernism Farm, originally built in 1983 and designed by eschewed such fancies for streamlines and Sydney architect Espie Dodds. Whilst its exterior is structural gymnastics. in a more traditional architectural approach, the Book a week – you’ll need it to sketch all the interiors, art collection and the infinity pool make careful steel details! Visit www.airbnb.com.au this house uber-special. Well appointed with a level of Vogue Living chic, the house still feels comfortable and lived in. Visit oceanfarm.com.au 2 SEIDLER – BERMAN HOUSE, SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS Speaking of the modernist movement, Harry Seidler was one of its greatest early pundits in 5 JAMES BARNET – MONTAGUE ISLAND LIGHTSTATION, Australia. Unless you have a fair whack of spare MONTAGUE ISLAND coin to drop, you won’t be sneaking a peak at the Not keen on modern architecture? Stay at an Bermann House. One of the most dramatic 19th-century lighthouse station with the only locations for a house, it rivals Fallingwater by access by boat. The Montague Island Lighthouse, Frank Lloyd Wright, by being perched over a steep the Head Lighthouse Keeper’s Cottage and rocky canyon. While its stark white wave-like Assistant Lighthouse Keeper’s Cottage were forms contrast to the surrounding landscape, designed by colonial architect James Barnet. the pool and gardens integrate into the rocky Typical of colonial architecture, the two dwellings terrain to anchor it firmly to the canyon top. Drive have a central entry via deep verandahs and a your Aston Martin (or hire one) to get the full symmetrical front elevation. It’s more than a little James Bond effect. Visit www.stayz.com.au bit spooky here – the isolation being a key factor in that – but it also has incredible wildlife watching 3 UNKNOWN DESIGNER – BEL-AIR, BERRY and star-gazing.

While the designer of this Art Deco, Visit www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au 2515 mid-20th-century gem (pictured) is unknown,

DECEMBER / 2515 / 31

Below: Ian Hamilton (far right) with his Thirroul brigade and (at right) with his wife, Dianne, who he thanks for supporting him through four decades of service in Fire & Rescue.

‘BURNT OUT’ AFTER 45 YEARS OF SERVICE Thirroul’s Ian Hamilton recently retired after more than four decades on call as part of the Thirroul Fire & Rescue team.

In 1975, when Ian Hamilton started out as a retained firefighter with NSW Fire Brigade, he was issued a helmet, an axe and a spanner.

“It was just a plain white helmet that didn’t give you much protection at all. We used to carry an axe on our belt and a spanner, for undoing the old brass couplings they used to join the hoses with.”

No such luxury as radio-equipped helmets back then; communication in a fire was via whistle.

“One blow on the whistle for water on, two for water off,” Ian said. “You used to have to wrestle with a 70 millimeter hose, it was very heavy it took three fellas to pull it around.”

Ian’s first introduction to fire fighting was during the October 1968 bushfires that ravaged the Illawarra Escarpment and destroyed many homes.

As a member of Thirroul Surf Life Saving Club, Ian answered a call for volunteers.

“They issued us with hessian bags and we had to go and put out spot fires at the back of houses built near the bush.

“I used to work in Wollongong, at a hardware store, the atmosphere there in the middle of the day, it was like night-time, red smoke everywhere.”

No local fire has been as bad as this one, he says.

Fires do, however, seem to be more intense these days. “Look at what happened last Christmas. Greg Mullins used to be our fire brigade commissioner, he’s now a climate change activist – and he definitely says it’s all to do with the climate. He’s probably right.

“It’s been an interesting 45 years. Good fun as well as a lot of traumatic times.”

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FROM CHEMICAL SPILLS TO CATS Ian – who came up with the headline for this story – has managed to retain a healthy sense of humour over the course of a long career.

He was born in Bulli in 1944. His family – including Mary Corbett Hamilton, after whom three Thirroul streets are named – were early pioneers of the area. “My grandfather had the stagecoach that used to run from Clifton to Wollongong, he lived over in Railway Parade, had his stables there.”

Ian joined Thirroul Fire Brigade (now Fire & Rescue) in July 1975 after the passing of respected member Jim Crompton. His first major fire was Bulli High School, not long after joining.

In the decades after, he was called to all kinds of incidents, including oil and chemical spills, car accidents, train fatalities, ship fires and harbour blazes, including when the ethanol storage tanks at Port Kembla caught alight.

He’s even attended the classic firefighter call-out: cat stuck up a tree.

“A lady called us; she was in tears because her cat wouldn’t come down, and someone said: ‘Have you ever seen a cat skeleton in a tree?’

“She didn’t see the funny side.”

Ian has also rescued several kookaburras. Once he had to empty rain from a tree hollow, using the station’s tallest ladder, then return two babies to the nest. Another time a baby kookaburra got lodged in a chimney in Austinmer and he had to take the fireplace apart. “We released the baby and as it flew back there were about a dozen kookaburras waiting

Above: Ian with his son Scott as a baby. Scott (right) grew up to become a brigade member who served side by side with his dad. At right: the Hamiltons, Scott, Dianne, Ian and Davina, pictured outside Thirroul Fire Station.

Photos supplied

for it. They all started the cheer and laugh to welcome it, that was wonderful.”

RED ALERT: STOLEN FIRE TRUCK It’s thanks to an unsolved heist in Thirroul that NSW fire stations now have locked doors.

On 1 September 1980, about 11.30pm, Ian and his wife, Dianne, were returning from a night out when they noticed water on the road at the bottom of Bulli Pass, resembling the distinctive spillage from the brigade pumper.

“We went to the fire station to find our pumper missing and the doors open. I rang Wollongong Control to ask where the pumper had been sent, they replied saying there had been no call and the pumper should be there.

“A few days later it was found abandoned behind a disused service station in Balmain. It was the first fire truck to be stolen in NSW. After that, all fire stations in NSW had locks fitted to all doors.”

A shuttle car slid off its track and hit a 1000-volt cable: “This ignited the gas coming off the coal face. It was all alight in seconds. I jumped off the machine I was driving, grabbed a fire extinguisher, and put the fire out. That was a hairy situation.”

MATESHIP WAS A HIGHLIGHT Ian has most enjoyed the tremendous sense of mateship, the camaraderie of working as a team.

“I was a member of Thirroul Fire Brigade Demonstration competition team for many years and enjoyed the many trips away competing and meeting members from other brigades.”

A proud moment was when his son Scott turned 18 and joined Thirroul Fire Brigade, where he served for several years before moving to 210 Balgownie Brigade.

Serving beside his young son was “at times, very scary – but he was a very competent fire fighter”.

Ian says: “I remember the 1998 floods in Thirroul, we were side by side. Up around George Street and the bottom of the pass had about 2m of LIFE SAVING TRAINING In 2014, Ian, along with Les Herbert, was honoured water over it and there was no access north or south. We were trying to help evacuate people.” for saving the life of a friend, Ken Joy, who had a Ian’s daughter, Davina, has also served the heart attack at Nelson Bay Bowling Club. MP Ryan Park told NSW Parliament: “Without the expertise community – she works with the SES in and quick action of Mr Hamilton and Mr Herbert, Wollongong. Now a grandfather of five, Ian finally hung up his firefighter hat mid 2020.

Mr Joy would not have survived. This highlights “I’m not going to miss the phone call in the the importance of learning CPR.” middle of the night, but general mateship I’ll miss.

Ian’s Fire & Rescue experience also helped him “A big thanks to my wife Dianne for putting up save his own life. “I worked at West Cliff Colliery with all the middle-of-the-night fire alarms and for 22 years, as an underground coal miner. That fire brigade training came in very handy one time.” the missed appointments due to fire calls.” 2515

DECEMBER / 2515 / 33

A cicada works its way out of its hard outer shell to emerge as an adult.

BACKYARD ZOOLOGY With Amanda De George

I think we can all agree that this year has been strange. But as we hurtle towards the end of 2020, some things remain as they always have with the days getting hotter and the Cicadas starting to emerge and call, loudly, for a mate.

If there is one thing you make time for over the crazy Christmas period, can I suggest that it’s this: heading out into the warm night, a couple of hours after sunset when it’s that crisp sort of darkness.

You don’t have to go far, into your yard or the local park is fine and let the torch’s beam sweep across any vertical surface – a tree trunk, a fence, a wall.

It can take a bit of searching but if you’re lucky, you might get to watch as a dirt-encrusted hard-shelled cicada nymph burrows its way up and out of the ground and makes its way upwards to find the best position in which to cling on tightly and break free of this hard outer shell and emerge as an adult.

Around here, the Cicadas seem to really like our deck and letterbox to hold onto, frozen in this

34­ / 2515­/ DECEMBER

position for around half an hour before a small split appears on the shell. After a series of almost invisible pulsations and vibrations this split widens and the first glimpse of fresh skin appears. And this is when it gets really exciting, or, if you’re that way inclined, a tad gruesome and either way totally reminiscent of the chest-busting scene from Alien, as the Cicada slowly, very slowly pulls out of its old exoskeleton and leans right back before finally doing a sit up like move and freeing its abdomen.

The cicada pumps fluid into its wings and the little wing buds unfurl gently until the animal is starting to look more like its finished self. By this point, an hour or two has passed and there’s still drying of the wings and hardening of the skin and darkening and changing of the insect’s colour. This whole process takes time, so ensure you have a comfy seat and/or a glass of wine or two, or a coffee at least. But that’s okay. If there’s anything this year has taught us, it’s how to slow down.

Follow Amanda’s Facebook blog @BackyardZoology 2515

THIRROUL VILLAGE – PARADISE LOST An opinion piece by Rob Knight

Considering the tumultuous times in which we find ourselves, it is not surprising that even Thirroul has not been spared. Our home has always remained a bastion of old-town values, unprecedented lineage and a deep love of the land and ocean shared by multiple generations of all of Australia’s people.

Together with Mt Kembla we have the enviable designation of being called a village, the character of which is protected under DCP chapter D12, formulated by those who came before us and revered the same land before we did.

We have remained within reach of Sydney and access corridors designed to make our lives easier are now serving as a portal that signals our demise.

With them come state-directed planning controls formulated by those who know very little of our Eden’s unique geographical challenges. Denied a local decision making process, our heritage, community and history is not prioritised and we now face a formidable threat to the ethos of our village. Unfortunately, much like Milton’s masterpiece, Paradise Lost, our destruction has come from within.

I refer of course to DA 2020/363 for the current Thirroul Plaza site. Succinctly, the proposed 82 units and 361 car bays come at a gross acquisition and build cost of $60 million and potential profit in excess of $40 million. The development will accelerate the maximum operating threshold capacity of Lawrence Hargrave Drive (LHD) by 10 years with 2031 traffic numbers realised by the end of 2021. The 600 cars per hour will necessitate traffic lights that do nothing to alleviate the congestion on LHD but exist solely to service the site. All of this comes at a devastating cost to local pedestrian traffic, on-street parking and direct access to our medical precinct for the local elderly residents. The economic costs to our local commercial interests will be devastating with national commercial behemoths taking residence in the modernised and larger commercial spaces touted as an upgraded plaza which is the Trojan horse for the multistorey blue chip properties well out of reach of those who require affordable living.

Current appraisal of the minimally-revised second proposal indicates that there is little or no formal acknowledgement of real community concerns. These include heritage compliance and live music/ performance venues within earshot of future residences. The proposal has the same dogged ectopic contemporary design that obscures our escarpment views save a small westerly

A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION

The charming character of Thirroul village has inspired many artists over the years. Pictured here is “Yellow Vespa”, a painting by Donald Keys, capturing a street view of Thirroul Library where the annual Thirroul Arts Festival is held.

“For a long time Thirroul has been where many famous visual artists call home,” Donald writes. “The South Coast’s beaches attract fun-loving people and artists like ants to sugar, yet there are still many who believe Wollongong is a dirty steel town – that’s why there’s an element of pride when I paint a beautiful local scene, and personal enjoyment from producing images that dispel the dirty-town myth.”

Visit donaldkeys.com.au

stairwell glimpse. Rainfall last month highlighted the hydrological concerns in the Plaza’s medium risk flood plain with expert reports making no reference to ground water or geotechnical issues that have caused multiple local landslides and derailments since the early 20th century.

It will take the people of Thirroul to save our village. We do it for those who came before us, those whom we now raise in hopes that they too will grow up in paradise and for our future generations who will thank us. Milton said it best “Awake, arise or be forever fall’n!”

Follow the campaign to Save Thirroul Village on social media and, for the latest news, visit savethirroulvillage.com 2515

DECEMBER / 2515 / 35

Use the CoastSnap app to capture changes on your local beach.

Photo: Mitch Harley

DR RIP’S SCIENCE OF THE SURF

By Prof Rob Brander. This month – Shorelines of Change.

One of the biggest concerns amongst coastal scientists and coastal managers alike is how our beaches will respond to future sea level rise. If you love beaches, you should also be concerned.

Sea level has always fluctuated up and down in relation to the volume of water in the oceans, which is intrinsically linked to the amount of ice on the planet, which in turn is linked to air and sea temperatures, both of which are presently increasing. We know that in the last 100 years or so, sea level has risen by about 20cm. What’s going to happen in the next 100 years is not as clear.

A recent study published in the prestigious scientific journal Nature Climate Change used various techniques to state that by the end of this century, sea level rise could result in the near disappearance of almost half of the world’s sandy beaches. This is a pretty gloomy finding!

But a group of coastal scientists wrote a reply refuting those findings based on how beaches fundamentally behave. Any natural beach and dune system faced with sea level rise will do what they’ve always done: they’ll just migrate landward.

The beach and dune won’t disappear; they’ll just shift in position. Great! The problem is that in so many places, we’ve built roads and houses too close to the shoreline, which may not allow for that natural migration to happen.

What’s important is that we need to understand

36­ / 2515­/ DECEMBER

more about how our shorelines change over time – and now you can help! A colleague of mine, Dr Mitch Harley, is a coastal engineer at UNSW Sydney and came up with the CoastSnap program – a series of stations at selected beaches where you can insert your phone, take a picture, upload it to the internet where image analysis works out beach behaviour and shoreline change over time from all the pictures.

There’s now a free app so that anyone can do it by taking pictures of their local beach. Basically you find a location that overlooks a beach, preferably with a bit of elevation to get in as much of the beach as possible, and take pictures from the exact same spot as often as you can.

Try and find a fixed point that you can rest your phone on each time, like a handrail or a fence post.

It helps to take pictures around low tide although it’s okay if you don’t.

It’s a great example of citizen science. I’m doing it at Coalcliff Beach (but the more the merrier) so why not choose your local beach and get involved?

It’s easy to do.

Simply go to Apple’s App Store or Google Play and search for “CoastSnap”. You can also follow ‘CoastSnap’ on Facebook or Instagram.

Have a question for Dr Rip? Email rbrander@unsw.edu.au 2515

2020 BOARDRIDERS PRESENTATION

By Ian Pepper.

Thanks to those who came along to our annual presentation on Saturday 14 November.

Congratulations to all our winners and a special thanks to Scarborough Wombarra Bowling Club for the great venue – it turned out a treat.

Thanks to the committee and the groms committee for organising all year and for the parents for supporting the kids.

And a special thanks to DP Surfboards and Finbox for the boards and Carve for the surf gear and all our other sponsors who supported us throughout the year. A full list of the award winners is here.

SENIOR CLUB PERSON: Luke Campbell JUNIOR CLUB PERSON: Sean Ritter MOST IMPROVED MALE: Cooper Smoley MOST IMPROVED FEMALE: Macey Jolley MICRO MANAGERS AWARD: Maggie Hill OPEN A GRADE: Fin McLaren Will Clarke Joshua Pepper B GRADE: Sean Watson Dane Montague Isaac Soper

OVER 55:

Nick McLaren David Kemp Peter Coleman OVER 45: Dave Fitz Ian Pepper Nigel Parkin OVER 35: Shaun Warren Jay Monagle Glen Cahill 18 & UNDER: Kasey Hargreaves Yaan Bergmann Kyan Kelly 14 & UNDER: Mannix Squiers Lenny Golding Charlie Tiromoana Kelly 12 & UNDER: Tom Cartwright Mitchell Burroughs Ashton Mekisic SENIOR GIRLS: Talina Wilson Zoe Gelder Shaye Shipton JUNIOR GIRLS: Shyla Short Zahlia Short Charlotte Agnew 2515

Opens winner Fin McLaren.

Photo: Nick McLaren.

DECEMBER / 2515 / 37

WHAT’S ON

An art show, a baby expo and a concert

FRIENDS TEAM UP FOR CLIFTON ART SHOW Tess McMaugh and Emma Medwell are two ex-pat, South Coast-based, visual artists.

Originally from Zimbabwe, Tess moved to Australia in 1984, and has been an active member of the local community ever since. Tess is a passionate contributor to the Thirroul Seaside Festival, and is heavily involved in land care.

Emma left her homeland of England back in 1987, before finding her way to Woonona back in 2000, where she made a home with her husband and their cats. Here, surrounded by Australiana on her bush walks, she found herself collecting natural materials that soon went on to inspire her art.

Emma has studied sculpture, jewellery, textiles, and ceramics, first at East Sydney Technical College, then further at UNSW. Tess first began working with stained glass over 35 years ago, and while this has been a focus of her art, she has diversified her practice to include multiple disciplines, such as wood carving – a skill which both artists have been honing with the Five Islands Secondary College in Port Kembla.

Now a retired science teacher, any given day could find Tess being active around the local area – be it jogging, golfing, walking, swimming down at Austinmer pool, or something with her family.

Tess is the mother of two, and granny to a 15-month-old granddaughter, a role which keeps her busier than her past career.

Equally busy with the outside world, Emma continues to work as a Registered Nurse across several fields, including disability services, Wollongong Hospital, and local GP practices.

Somehow, the two women also manage to find time for a regular round of golf at the Russell Vale Golf Club, in addition to working on their art.

These artists share a common bond, approaching the local landscape with the appreciative eyes of a foreigner, inspired by the beauty of the natural world of the Illawarra and South Coast region.

Together, they have curated a showcase of their art

38­ / 2515­/ DECEMBER

which is a celebration of the home they have found, and the setting which surrounds it.

Tess McMaugh and Emma Medwell, joint art show at Clifton School of Arts, 338 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, 18-20 December. Friday 2-8pm; Saturday 10am-4pm.

Sunday: 10am-4pm.

PREGNANCY & BABY EXPO Coal Coast Pregnancy & Baby Expo is a quality boutique event for expectant and new families, and the only event of its kind in the Illawarra. With a hand-picked selection of local boutique retailers and professional service providers to help make parenthood easier, you’ll find everything you need under one roof.

9.30am-4pm, Saturday, 12 December, University of Wollongong.Tickets are $20 on the door or FREE if you book in advance at www.ccpbexpo.com.au STEEL CITY STRINGS RETURNS LIVE – THANKS TO YOU

By Lyndall Fowler We are back LIVE thanks to the financial support and encouragement we received from the community that helped us through changes necessary for survival during COVID restrictions.

We have undergone a digital transformation, initially with the orchestra playing Music from Home, broadcasting from our archive and then the SCS Quartet recorded live in our Isolation Strings campaign. Our website has been updated and we have also launched a podcast as well a Digital Season.

The changes needed for online performance and social media communication have also led to changes in our operations with the appointment of Jeremy Boulton as Manager and Yve Repin stepping down to an administrative role focusing on financial management.

Jeremy is also a musician, an operatic baritone known to local audiences, with much better skills in social media than Steel City Strings volunteers.

He is balancing his new role, which he took up

Steel City Strings new manager Jeremy Boulton

HELLO FISH

With Duncan Leadbitter.

This month: the Wreck of the Bombo.

working remotely, with full time study at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

Jeremy is a former recipient of the Opera Australia Student Scholarship, graduate of the Talent Development Project and has featured as a concert soloist for the Opera Australia Benevolent Fund, Sydney Conservatorium of Music (Early Music Ensemble), Argyle Orchestra (Hobart, Australia), Opera Projects Sydney, con voci Chamber Choir (Wollongong, Australia) and Fiori Musicali (Armidale, Australia).

Jeremy has also been engaged professionally by Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, Gondwana Choirs, and period instrument specialists The Muffat Collective. He has won a number of scholarships and received artist assistance from the Sidney Myer fund. He is a Member of the Music Arrangers’ Guild of Australia and an Ambassador for independent music promoter ClassikON. In his spare time, Jeremy enjoys attending the symphony, opera, chamber music recitals, jazz, and straight theatre. He is a cricket tragic in summer, a political junkie and fancies the work of Michael Leunig.

Steel City Strings’ Digital Season is still available, with three concerts ending in December. Digital Concert sessions have been recorded in Berry School of Arts, The Wollongong Conservatorium of Music and in players’ homes.

THE RETURN: STEEL CITY STRINGS LIVE! If you have missed live music come along to our COVID Safe concert with reduced ticket prices ($10-$30) – Group of 4 or more $15 per person A program that is short and sweet promises two old favourites, Antonio Vivaldi’s ’Concerto for Two Cellos’ and Peter Warlock’s popular ’Capriol Suite’. Wollongong Town Hall 7.30pm, Saturday, 5 December.

Bookings essential via merrigong.com.au 2515

The Illawarra region has had a strong link with shipping over many decades. In the early days of white settlement, ships were the only means of connecting with Sydney and latterly, Port Kembla Harbour is our connection to the world for both imports and exports.

Not surprisingly, every so often something goes wrong and a ship sinks or runs onto a reef.

The April 2018 issue of 2508 and the associated YouTube video had a small introduction to the shipwreck heritage of our coast.

This month, we visit the wreck of the Bombo, which is too deep for snorkeling and located in the shipping channel at the entrance to Port Kembla Harbour so diving requires a bit of coordination with ship scheduling.

The Bombo was built in Scotland in 1929 and then sailed to Australia to carry blue metal from Kiama to Sydney. During World War II it was refitted as a mine sweeper and spent several years in northern Australia. The Bombo sank on 2 February, 1949 after a load of blue metal shifted on its way to Sydney in big seas. Only two of the 14 crew survived and those that survived the sinking drifted so far north that lifesavers from Thirroul, Austinmer and Coledale were used in the search.

Discovered in 1983 the wreck lies upsidedown in 30m of water. It attracts a lot of fish and in the video you will see lots of nannygai (redfish), bullseyes and mado. On the sand is a Sergeant major, grey morwong, old wife and a red rock cod (look carefully). Growing on the wreck itself are lot of sea tulips, a few gorgonian corals and sponges. The wreck is slowly deteriorating as it rusts and gets pounded by the occasional big swell.

Check out Duncan’s new YouTube channel ‘Illawarra Underwater’ for informative footage of this dive, plus others in our region. Illawarra Underwater is a unique local resource for undersea explorers. 2515

Photo from Wikipedia commons

DECEMBER / 2515 / 39

ON BOARD WITH SURFRIDER

By Coledale’s Susie Crick, head of the Plastic Research program at Surfrider Australia Heading to the beach at any time of year is one of our nation’s favourite pastimes, and our South Coast beaches are amongst the best in the world! The variety on offer along this stretch of NSW provides a wonderful playground for swimmers, surfers, families exploring rockpools, fishermen and hikers.

To top it off we have the majesty of the escarpment as a backdrop.

The thing that really stands out about this special strip of coastline is the friendliness of the people and the sense of community pride and belonging.

Our region’s beaches are renowned for their general cleanliness and great public amenities, therefore making us a magnet for day trippers and those seeking a gentler pace.

Nature is amazingly resilient, however, she needs our help in maintaining our pristine environment into the future. Whenever you venture to the beach remember to take only memories and leave only footprints. When single-use plastics and unsustainable packaging are phased out, we won’t have to worry, but until then we can choose to refuse, or ensure that the remnants of your picnics and packed snacks are disposed of correctly in the bins provided.

On those crowded weekends when the bins are overflowing, there is a great app called SNAP SEND SOLVE that identifies and resolves issues of waste removal. Simply snap a photo of the problem

on your phone, and a report that includes the geolocation is immediately sent to the appropriate authority.

The plastic pollution problem in our oceans is real and requires us to make changes to the way we do things. Refusing unnecessary plastic packaging is a great way to start. Too often we throw up our hands thinking that we can’t make a difference, when in fact we can, because our wallets speak volumes to manufacturers. After all, we are buying the product not the packaging, so when we start making clever choices, industry will change their ways.

Every bit of plastic ever made is still in existence, either in landfill, heading downstream or in our oceans. Decades of convenience have created one hot mess for the planet and for future generations.

There is no place to safely bury, burn or drown single-use plastic.

When each individual makes small changes that regenerate nature rather than polluting it, then the collective change will be great.

The solution is simple, just turn off the plastic tap and stop it at the source because we all live downstream. 2515 Become a member and get involved! For more info: www.surfrider.org.au

Note for summer: remember we all live downstream. Photo thanks to @stellacrick

40­ / 2515­/ DECEMBER

PETER JAMES STEIN 1957-2020 An abridged version of the eulogy Elliot Stein delivered at St Michael’s in Thirroul last month.

For a bunch of Catholics my family is a bit hippy.

We believe in symbols and signs.

We believe that happenstance means a little more than random chance.

And we believe that when they are gone – our nearest loved ones look down on us and look after us.

I’ve been thinking this last week how little we really know about Dad’s illness.

We know it was fast and sudden.

We know the type of secondary cancer he had.

Still, not the primary.

It’s just something that happened.

In my family, when we see lorikeets, we think of Lucy Kiggins. Bees make us think of Jack Kiggins.

St Michael’s means a lot of us – it’s where everything happens.

Jack and Lucy married here, Mum and Dad married here.

It’s where we welcome people in and where we say goodbye to them too.

When Mum and Dad moved back to Thirroul a few years ago Dad was overjoyed.

He was really proud, truly happy, to – as he said – be bringing Mum back home.

So Dad, once of North Sydney, said he was really happy to be bringing mum back here to this place.

In March I came back here too. On my first day

out of quarantine, he and I walked down Bath Street to Thirroul Beach just the two of us. And as we passed the swings and the swimming pool, he asked me if being back in Thirroul ‘felt like home’.

And I realised this place wasn’t just special to him cause it meant something to mum, but that because it meant something to him too.

So it means so much to us to have you here with us, in this place, this special place.

I remember Dad telling the story of the first time he met Jack and Lucy – Mum’s parents up at Soudan Street.

Out the back Lucy would feed more Lorikeets than you can every imagine. The lawn would be covered with them. And beyond those Jack raised bees. Hives and hives of them.

As Dad rounded the corner to meet the parents for the first time, Jack gruffly yelled out “Where is he? I’m going set the bees on him!”

Well, I said we believed in symbols and signs.

Last week the trees outside Dad’s window at the Hospital were just filled with Lorikeets. Just filled.

And sitting on the window was a single bee.

So, we know when it was time to go Dad was welcomed warmly into whatever comes next by those who he loved and who loved him.

We know that they were looking out onto us as well.

And for whatever that can bring to us, it brings something. 2515

DECEMBER / 2515 / 41

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FR 1800 1.19

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2020 PORT KEMBLA TIDAL CHART 2020

8 0.14 0.35 0.11 0.32 0.17 1.44 1600 1.38 1600 1.26 6U 1608 1420 1.481747 1456 1.51 TU 1711 WE 1652 TH 1752 MO 1626 MO WE 1740 TH 1249 FR 1814 MO 1.44 WE 0.59 SU 1.44 TU 1.56 5 1.69 0.44 2312 1.34 2248 1.20 2351 1.24 1842 1.31 0.45 2234 0.49 9 2313 2131 2224 0.44 1.30 2251 2151 0.34 PORT KEMBLA – NEW SOUTH WALES

SA 1313 0.56 1854 1.18

0444 0.43 0.24 0412 0.54 0.43 0513 0.52 0.29 4 0.16 1.14 0.47 0.40 0040 0.50 0014 0514Local 1.24 Time 0508 1.32 0023 1 0523 0346 0404 1.120027 0414DECEMBER 1.290049 2020 18 3 18 3 27 12 27 12 2 24 24 1115 1.899 1.47 1045 1.72 1.48 1145 1.81 1.69 27 0717 1.56 0 1.809 0.64 1030 1.64 1.28 0632 0653 1054 0.71 1116 0.70 1 1048 0904 0.710640 0955 0.630716 DECEMBER BER SEPTEMBER

LAT 34° 29ʼ S LONG 150° 55ʼ E Times and Heights of High and Low Waters OCTOBER NOVEMBER

Local Time DECEMBER

0.16 1734 0.33 1842 0.24 2 0.12 0.36 1700 1230 0.33 1.34 1701 1.21 9O 1715 1530 1.48 1603 WE m1808 TH FR TU 1705 FR TU TH Time SA 1320 TH MO 1.52 WE Time Time1.48 m 1335 Time m Time m 0.48 m 0.42 Time m SU 1359 Time 1227 m TU 0.59 Time0.52 m 1.18 8 1.59 2231 1.24 1837 1915 1943 2335 2318 0.50 1 Time 0.38 2244 0.32 m 2304 Time m 02182332 Time m 0112 0.12 0312 0.26 0334 0300 0.48 0153 1836 0.28 0.31 1.60 03051.30 0.39 TIME 1.44 M0.180.45 0150 TIME M 1925 TIME M 1.42 TIME0.411.19 M

1 0748 1.30 16 0713 1.38

1 0755 1.41 16 0830 1.62

1 0926 1.60 16 0938 1.91

1 0931 1.71 16 1009 1.95

0.20 1615 0.10 1613 0.33 WE 1701 0.12 1325 0.45 WE 1256 0.34 FR 14340452 SU 1548 0.36 MO 0312 0.26 TU 0334 0.41 0300 0.48 0010 1.250.41 0.57 1.20 TU0.29 7 0.24 0.34 0437 0.52 0.38 0118 0059 0111 0600 1.32TH 1349 0555 1.40 4 0006 0450 1.21 0510 1918 1.84 20441.41 1.75 0123 2215 1.43 2259 1.280.50 2207 1.23 1951 0104 1.70 2001 1.55 0.20 21450.43 1.35 0044 0938 1.91 1009 1.95 0931 1.71 0533 0.52 1126 1.69 0602 0.59 7 1.82 1106 1.62 0750 1.55 0756 0616 1.24 0717 1.36 0718 1.61 0743 1.81 1157 0.64 0 1020 0.65 0357 0.34 0334 0.51 0423 0.461.63 0227 0.27 0153 0.110.65 0219 0.32 1108 03000.55 0.11 03341219 0.43 17 17 1440 21747 170.53 2 0826 17FR 2FR 1026 1.93 1007 1.72MO 1058 1.900.41 0824 1.33 0756 1.48 1.45 0.30 09151818 1.73 1416 09580.45 1.63 1615 0.10 1701 0.12 1613 0.33 1206 1.80 0.34 1231 1.69 20.22 8 0.14 0.39 1314 1329 1419 1754 1.32 1800 1.19 5U 1151 1638 1.51 1710 1.46 MO TU WE TH SA WEWE SA WE FR SU WE TU 0.54 TH 1652 0.32 TH 1752 0.17 1404 0.43 TH 1345 0.25 SA 1528 0.14 MO 1626 0.35 TU 1711 0.11 2215 1.43 2346 2259 1.28 2207 1.23 1907FR 1426 0.240.39 0.32 WE1.39 3 1.45 1.62 1.18 1.44 2027 1931 2013 1 1812 2325 0.31 2334 2312 1.34 2248 1.20 2351 1.241.20 2028 1918 1.68 2005 1.87 2035 1.51 1.60 21350.29 1.69 200622241.29 1.30 1930

16 10 4 28 25 19 13 36 10 4 281 25 19 13 0259 0.29

0235 0.08

0247 0.34

0344 0.16

28

0444 0.43

0404 0.47

0412 0.54

0513 0.52

180.37 18 10000020 3 10300.44 0357 0.34 3 0334 0.51 0423 0.46 0110 1.181.49 0.19 1.15 0136 1.18 30.32 1 0053 0.35 0.24 0513 0.58 1115 1.89 1045 1.72 18 0156 1145 1.810.50 0858 0137 1.36 0840 1.56 1.80 0155 1.64 18 0143 0159 0544 1.33 0014 0.443 0857 0602 1.55 0000 0.50 1734 0.33 FR 1842 0.24 1442 0.43 FR 1437 0.20 SU 1622 0.12 TU 1705 0.36 WE 1808 0.16 1026 1.93 TH 1007 1.72 1058 1.90 0627 0.610.39 0.61 0.65 TH1.90 7 1.81 1.37 1145 1.59 1.43 0804 0833 1.70 5 0702 1129 0.55 0640 1.40SA 1502 1217 0.44 0638 1.48 0831 2332 1.18 2102 0751 1.64 2053 1.84 2109 1.46 1.75 22280537 1.59 0824 23041.62 1.24 0655 1711 0.11 1652 0.32 1752 0.17 1259 1.69 1.65 1.56 0.15 8 0.20 0.42 1249 1425 1515 4 1248 1740 1.56 0.59 1814 1.44 1313 0.56 TU WE1355 TH 0415 FR0.09 SA 1210 SU 1318 TH 1833 TH SA SU MO WE WE 0.42 FR 0010 1.25 0452 0.57TU 1519 0044 1.200.35 0330 0.31TH 0.47 0317 0.37 0.20 0.24 1456 04370.39 0.52 191.43 19 0427 4SA 0533 0.52 1126 1.69 19 2109 0602 0.591.20 1.37 0926 1.63 10471907 1.82 2046 11061.28 1.62 19 2312 1.70 1.34 4 0931 1957 2248 1.20 2351 1.24 2007 0.321.51 1.57 0.36 2017 0.39 41.36 2026 2110 1904 1842 1.314 1029 1854 1.18 1206 1.80 1818 0.34 1231 1.69 1520 0.44 1530 0.19 1640 0.40 1718 0.14 1747 0.39

17 11 5 29 26 20 14 47 11 5 292 26 20 14 FR

2136 1.57

SA

2143 1.74

SU

2245 1.39

MO

2323 1.45

WE

2346 1.18

TH

1907 0.24

29

FR

SA

1930 0.32

0444 0.43 0034 0412 0.54 0214 0513 0.5205110113 1.140.42 0.21 1.14 0230 1.18 0.36 1 1.32 0.16 1.13 0.36 0208 0227 0227 0.45 0246 0234 0.50 0 0136 0014 0.24 0049 0.43 0443 0023 0.29 0040 0.50 0110 1.18 0020 1.15 0136 1.18 0359 0.35 0400 0.16 0.35 0.58 201.50 20 11370630 5 0513 1115 1.89 5 1045 1.72 1145 1.81 0627 0.61 0537 0.61 20 0911 0655 0.651.75 1005 0823 1.39 1013 1.67 1.81 0858 11451.67 1.59 20 0726 0.681.52 1.85 0.64 0751 0.70 51.95 9 0.46 1.50 0554 0.64 0850 0920 8 0746 0632 1.47 0716 1.485 1101 0653 1.69 0717 1.56 1210 1.65 SU 1318 1.56 1559 0.46 SU 1626 0.21 0.42 TU 1818 0.20 MO 1720 TH 1833 0.42 FR 1259 1.69 1808 0.16 1734 0.33 1842 0.24 1355 1.57 1.60 1.44 SA0.11 9H 1341 1.74 1229 1.55 1520 1609 1230 0.42 1335 0.52 1320 0.331534 1359 0.48 WE TH1433 FR SA1.60 SU 1258 MO 1407 FR SA FR SU MO TU 0.32 TH 0.30 FR 0.42 SA SU 0.35 2007 1907 0.36WE 1558 2017 0.390.30 2210 1.49 2234 2322 1.31 0.13 2332 1.18 2106 0.390.48 1.51 0.37 0.44 1.32 3 0.27 1.75 0.45 1.42 2120 2205 2149 4 1954 1837 1927 1.60 1925 1.30 0513 1915 1.42 1943 1.19 0214 1.14 0113 1.14 0230 1.181.21 0428 2033 0.39 0443 0.26 00212000 1.32 2126 00341.26 1.13 2104

18 12 6 30 27 21 15 58 12 6 303 27 21 15 6 1040 1.40 21 1102 1.68

6 1137 1.52 21 0559 0.46

0530 0.50 1158 1.40 TU 1815 0.58

0048 0624 TH 1259 1947

1639 0.50 1726 0.27 1.74 MO0.37 WE 12290211 1.25 SU 0452 0.57 0044 1.20 4 1.20 0059 0130 1.09 0318 1.140.46 0111 0123 0.43TU 1803 8 0010 0.20 2245 0236 1.40 2330 1.44 19230.29 0.27 0.52 0645 1126 1.69 0602 0.59 1 0.58 0718 0.69 0730 0832 0.73 0855 1.55 0750 1.55 6 0533 1.61 0743 1.81 0458 0.44 0529 0.38 0002 1.23 0124 1.20 220.39 7 0545 22 1.80 1818 0.34 1231 1.69 1116 1.40 1155 0.54 1419 06511353 0.58 5 1.65 1319 1.51 1456 1.46 1416 0.45 3 1206 0.30 0.22 TH FR1511 SA MO SA 7 SU1.65 SA SA FR 1329 SU 1723 0.54 TU 1831 0.34 WE 1215 1.49 TH 1325 1.65 0.24 MO 1930 0.3220322056 2 0.34 1931 2027 0.46 1.39 0.430.50 2013 2006 2201 1.29 4 1907 1.60 1.39 2325 2109 1.30 1851 0.34

9 13 7 314 28 22 19 13 7 0031 0618 WE 1252 1945

1.27 0.50 1.60 0.40

1.15 0.61 1.46 0.54

0236 0752 FR 1429 2143

1.12 0.67 1.56 0.39

30

6 0554 0.64 21 0726 0.68

6 0630 0.64 21 0751 0.70

0235 0748 SU 1420 2131

0314 0839 TU 1456 2151

1.60 MO 1407 1.44 1.55 SA 1355 1.57 FR 12290118 1.16 1.21 SU 1258 0314 0.50 2106 0.39 2000 0.37 2104 0.440.50 1927 0.45 0324 0.67 0855 0.73 0949 1.78 0756 1.63 0211 1.16 0130 1.09 0318 1.14 0324 1.21 7 06451440 22 1637 0.69 0832 0.73 0855 0.730.27 1.55 1500 1.34 7 0730 0.67TH 0.41 TU22 MO 1353 1.55 1319 1.51 1456 1.46 1500 1.34 SA SU 0.36 0.48 MO 2056 0.36 TU 2231 1.20 20272027 0.46 2149 2201 0.43 2149 0.481.22

28 22 1.08 0.72 1.48 0.44

0420 0945 MO 1600 2251

1.18 0.73 1.38 0.45

31

0110 1.18 8 1.15 0420 1.18 230155 23 0314 8 0156 23 1.18 0159 1.12 0143 1.08 0.448 0136 0.50 1.25 8 0.19 0020 0.32 1.21 06273Australia 5Bureau 20 0655 8 0235 23 8 0839 23 0417 29 14 0804 14 0831 2019, of Meteorology 0627 0.61 0537 0.61 0.65 0.67 0748 0.72 0824 0.67 0833 0945 0.73 1005 1.62 1.70 0.74 1.75 1.90 29

LES

2020

1.21 0.67 1.51 0.34

1.25 23 0417 1005 0.74 WE 1600 1.26 2234 0.49

1259 1.69 1210 1.65 1318 1.56 9 1.56 1.48 1.51 1600 1.38 1.26 0414 1.29 0.39 0.35 7Astronomical 0.20 1515 0.15 FR SA1.20 SU 0145 MO1.15 WE 1600 SU 1420 TU 1456 SU 1456 TU 1519 SA 1425 MO 0010 1.08 1.11 1.12 0514 1.24 0508 1.32 0143 Tide 242046 24 0354 9 0346 0609 0.57 09062151 0.71 09042109 0.71 24 1054 0.71 0717 0.60 0.32 9 1907 0.36 2017 0.39 3 2007 0.39 2026 2131 0.44 0.34 2251 0.450.67 2110 2234 0.49 9 0955 0.63 24 1116 0.70 1.289 0712 1.20 1.57 1.36

1.42 SA 1539 1.49 1.34 WE 1245 FR 1352 time MO 1530 1.48 TU 1700 WE 1603 1.48 TH 1701 1.21 TH 1358 1.55 e (UTC +10:00) or1.38 daylight savings (UTC +11:00) when in effect 1915 0.62 2055 0.55 2248 0.41 2231 0.38 2335 0.45 2244 0.32 2318 0.50 2105 0.43 1.14 0346 0113 1.14 0230 1.18 0514 1.24 0508 1.32 4 1.11 0227 1.12 0414 1.29 6 0214 0.21 0227 0.45 0246 0.36 0234 0.50 0502 1.14 Full0450 1.21 0600 1.32 0510Last 1.41 0555 1.40 0106 1.11 0306 1.09Quarter 0255 1.05 Moon ew Moon First Quarter 25 10220955 250858 10 0.68 10 0630 0.64 0751 0.70 1054 0.710.71 1116 0.7010 1108 0.55 25 1219 0.64 6 0.71 0850 0904 0.71 0.63 0.70 10 10200911 0.65 25 1157 0.65 0656 0.63 0829 0.65 0816 0 0726 1.85 1.67 0920 1.95 1.75 Local Time

1 15 9 6 30 24 21 15 9

30 24

2 16 10 7 1 25 22 16 10

31 25

3 17 11 8 2 26 23 17 11

26

4 18 12 9 3 27 24 18 12

27

5 19 13 10 4 28 25 19 13

28

6 20 14 11 5 29 26 20 14

29

7 21 15 12 6 30 27 21 15

30

1754 1.32 1.46 FR 1800 1.19 1339 1.38 FR 1510 1.53 1.41 SU 1648 1.45 TU 1638 1.51 WE SA 1457 1.57 1258 1.60 1407 1.44 1700 1.34 1.21 TH 1710 9 1.49 1530 1.48 1.48 2 1355 0.13 0.35 0.11 0.30 SA SU0.63 MO TU0.42 TH 1701 MO TH WE SU 1520 MO 1534 TU WE 23431603 0.41 23251558 0.31 2334 0.29 2029 2218 2208 0.52 1609 VEMBER 0.39 2231 2000 0.37DECEMBER 2335 2104 0.45 0.4405572244 2318 0.50 0602 1.55 8 0.41 2120 0.38 2126 0.32 2 2106 1.51 1.32 1.21 1.21 05442149 1.33 0014 0.44 0000 0.50 0216 1.05 0424 1.111.26 0415 1.06 2205 26 1130 m 0.65 11 1129 0.55 26 0640 1.40 11 1217 0.44 26 0638 1.48 0757 0.67 26 0943 0.65 11 0.71 Time Time11 m Time m 0934 m 17470510 1.44 1740 1.56 TH 1249 0.59 1814 1.44 SA 1313 0.56 1443 1.39 1620 1.53 1608 1.44 1.21 MO WE FR FR SA SU 0211 1.16 0318 1.14 0324 0600 1.32 0555 1.40 2 1.14 0450 1.21 1.41 7 0314 0.50 2318 0.39 1842 1.31 1854 1.18 2145 0.59 2313 0.44 0.26 0730 0300 0.48 0855 0.41 0.55 0949 1219 39 0832 0.67 0.73 1020 0.7300271108 1157 0.65 0334 0.64 0023 0.29 2 0.70 0312 0.65 0523 5 1.78 0049 0.43 0040 0.50 0339 1.05 1.17 0523 1.14 0.40 0014 0.24 0938 1.91 0931 1.71 1009 1.95 60 27 1049 12 1048 27TH 1353 1.55 1500 1754 1.320.64 1.34 1800 1.1912 0653 1.69 27 0717 1.56 8 1.45 1.46 1638 1.51 1.46 0716 1.48 0908 06401710 1.28 12 06321637 1.47 9 1456 0.27 MO0.67 SU TU WE0.61 FR27 TU12 TH 1549 1.45 SU 1719 1.55 0.33 1.52 1701 0.59 MO 1715 TU 12272334 TH 1230 0.42 FR 1335 0.52 SA 1320 0.33 SU 1359 0.48 0.10 1613 0.12 36 2201 2056 0.36 0.43 SA 2149 0.48 MO 1615 TU WE 3 0.41 2325 0.31 0.29 9 2231 1.22 1925 1.30 1943 1.19 2251 0.50 1836 1.44 1837 1.60 1915 1.42 2215 1.43 2207 1.23 2259 1.28 35 0449 1.10 0.36 0.38 0059 0.20 0123 0.43 0.29 0118 0.50 0314 1.21 0417 7 0420 1.21 1.18 13 0544 1.33 0014 0.440.34 1.55 0000 0.5013 0111 28 0006 13 0006 28 0104 1015 0.62 0609 1.24 0616 1.24 1.25 07170602 1.36 13 0718 1.61 28 0750 1.55 0743 1.81 28 0756 1.63 1649 1.54 0.55 0.54 0423 0.53 1416 0.45 MO 1145 TU 1151 WE 13141217 FR 1329 0.30 SA SU 1419 0.22 MO 1440 0.41 0.34 0334 0.51 0.46 0945 0.73 SU 0839 0.67 1005 0.74 of043Meteorology 0.65 0357 1129 0.55 0640 1.40 0.44 0638 1.48 2344 0.39 1807 1.57 1812 1.62 1918 1.44 1931 1.60 2006 1.29 2013 1.39 2027 1.20 1.93 1007 1.72 1.90 1.44 SA 1313 0.56 63 1600 1.38 1.51 1600 1.26 7 1.44 1026 1.56 0045 1249 0.590.24 1058 1814 MO TU 1456 WE 0053 WE 1740 TH0.33 FR 0137 0.37 0143 0.19 0155 0.44 0159 0.32 0156 HEIGHTS 0.50 0544 1.18 TIMES AND 1711 0.11 1652 0.32 1752 0.17 35 2251 29 14 29 14 29 14 29 14 0.45 2151 0.34 2234 0.49 TU TH 1842 0702 1.31 1.18 0831 1.90 0751 1.43 0804 1.75 1854 0824 1.62 0833 1.70 1113 0.54 WE 0647 1.30 1.37 13551.24 0.47 1425 0.20 SU 1456 0.39 1515 0.15 1519 0.35 1743 1.65 TU 1230 0.49 1.20 1248 0.42 2351 TH SA MO TU MO WE OF HIGH AND LOW 2312 1.34 2248 30 ht savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effect 1957 1.43 2026 1.57 2046 1.28 2110 1.36 2109 1.20 1849 1.58 1904 1.70 7 0514 0.40 1.24 0014 0414 0.24 1.29 0049 0508 0.43 1.32 0023 0.29 0040 0.50 WATERS 0029 0.28 0119 0.31 0.16 0.36Last0227 0.21 0227 0.45 0246 0.36 0234 0.50 Moon rst Quarter Quarter 0444 0.43 0412 0.54 0.52 47 1054 0.71 15 0955 0.63 1116 0.70 0 1.28 0632 1.47 0716 1.481.50 0513 1.69 0717 1.5615 0920 1.95 30 30Full 15 0136 30 0208 0630 1.28 0722 1.36 0746 08230653 1.50 15 0850 1.85 30 0858 1.67 1.75 LAT0911 340 29’ 1205 0.44 0.44 0.30 1145 0.42 1534 0.35 WE 1312 TH 1341 FR 14331320 SU 1520 0.13 MO TU 1609 0.11 WE 1558 0.30 1.89 1045 1.72 1.81 64 1700 1.34 1603 1.48 1701 1.21 7 0.59 1115 1230 0.42 1335 0.52 0.33 1359 0.48 TU WE TH TH TU FR SA SU 1830 1.76 1927 1.57 1954 1.75 2033 1.42 2120 1.51 2126 1.26 2205 1.32 2149 01.21 55’ LONG 150 0.16 2244 0.33 2318 0.24 1.42 36 2335 0.45 1837 0.32 1925 0.5002361915 WE 1808 TH 1734 FR 1842 6 1.44 1.60 1.30 1943 1.19 0.50 2332 1.18 24 31 0855 0.37 31 0314 1.55 0949 1.78 0.39 SA 15110111 TH 1637 0.27 0.43 1.40 0118 0.50 4 0600 0.38 1.32 0059 0510 0.20 1.41 0123 0555 0.29 2109 1.39 2231 1.22 1.25 1108 0.57 1219 1.20 1.81 52 1157 0.65 0718 0.64 0743 0.55 0750 1.55 0044 0756 1.63 7 1.36 0010 1.61 0452 0533 0.52 1126 1.69 0602 0.59 62 1754 1.32 1800 1.19 1710 1.46 1416 0.45 1440 0.41 4 0.53 1329 0.30 1419 0.22 of Australia 2019,SU Bureau of MeteorologyMO WE FR TH Commonwealth SA FR © Copyright 1.80 of 2334 0.34 1.69 1.39 39 1.44 Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide 2013 0.29 TH 1206 Datum FR 1818 SA 1231 2006 1.29 2027 1.20 8 1931 1.60 or daylight 1907 Times 0.24are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) 1930 0.32 savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effect 18 Moon Phase Symbols New Moon First Quarter Full Moon Last Quarter 7 0014 0.37 0.44 0143 0602 0.19 1.55 0155 0000 0.44 0.50 0159 0.32 0156 0.50 1.18 1217 0020 1.15 0638 0136 1.18 1.90 58 0640 1.40 The 1.48 0.44 1 1.43 0110 0804 1.75 0824 1.62 0831 0833 1.70 Bureau of Meteorology gives no warranty of any kind whether express, implied, statutory or otherwise in respect to the availability, accuracy, currency, completeness, 0.61 0.61 0655 0.65 59 1249 0.59 1313 0.56 1814 1.44 5 0.47 0627 1425 0.20of the0537 0.39 0.15purposeTU TH FR SA quality SU 1456 MO or reliability information orSA that the information will be fit1515 for any particular or will1519 not infringe 0.35 any third party Intellectual Property rights.

1.69 1210damage, 1.65 1.56 42 1842 1.31 The 1.18 FR 1259 SA SU 1318 7 1.43 2026 1.28 2110 2109is entirely 1.20excluded.

Bureau’s 1.57 liability for any loss, 2046 cost1854 or expense resulting from use of, or1.36 reliance on, the information 2007 0.32 1907 0.36 2017 0.39 0.29 0227 0040 8 0049 0.36 0.43 46­ 0227 0.21 0.45 0.50 0246 0.36 0234 0.50 / 2515­0023 / DECEMBER 1.14 0653 1.14 0717 1.18 1.95 13 0716 1.48 0850 1.56 0920 1.69 0858 3 1.50 0214 1.85 0113 1.67 0230 0911 1.75 0.68 0.64 0.70 0.11 WE 1558 0.30 64 1335 0.52 0.48 0.33 3 0.42 0726 0.13 0630 0.35 0751 FR SU 1359 SA 1320 SU 1520 MO 1534 TU 1609 1.57 1915 1.60 1943 1.44 1.32 55 1925 1.30 2120 1.19 2205 1.42 2126 SA 1355 SU 1258 MO 1407 3 1.42 1.51 1.26 2149 1.21 2106 0.39 2000 0.37 2104 0.44 45 0111 0.29 0118 0.50 6 0123 0.37 0.43 0314 0.50

Day 1 of the Bronze Medallion course at Scarborough Wombarra SLSC in November.

NEW VOLUNTEERS JOIN BRONZE MEDALLION COURSE Great news from Scarborough Wombarra Surf Life Saving Club.

In November’s cover story, 2515 Coast News reported on how Scarborough Wombarra Surf Life Saving Club started the 2020/21 season with just 17 patrolling members and had to call on Surf Life Saving Illawarra for help to cover one full Sunday patrol a month.

Following this, four new volunteers have come forward and joined other club members on a Bronze Medallion course held at Scarborough Wombarra Surf Life Saving Club last month.

“We had existing members progressing from Surf Rescue Certificate through to the Bronze Medallion, plus some new members as a result of the 2515 article and the letterbox drop we did,” club president Ant Ritter said.

“We are still taking people if anyone is interested, but this was a great outcome for the club and hopefully goes a long way in making Scarborough Wombarra SLSC a sustainable surf life saving club for next three to five years.”

Scarborough Wombarra club membership is free in the 2020/21 season.

If you are interested in getting your bronze, helping out the club and patrolling the beach, contact club president Ant Ritter.

Phone 0466 592 014; visit www.scarboroughwombarraslsc.org 2515

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