November 2024

Meet Our Contributors

Caroline Baum is a journalist, author and the ambassador for the Older Womens’ Network (OWN) in NSW. She lives in the Northern Illawarra and is the artistic director of Coledale’s annual True Story Festival.

Edward Birt is a committed and enthusiastic cyclist. As the Bicycle Mayor of Wollongong and the President of the Illawarra Bicycle Users Group, Ed volunteers his time to get more bums on saddles and improved cycling infrastructure and conditions for everyone.

Duncan Leadbitter is a director of fisheries and natural resource consulting company, Fish Matter. Most of his work is in Asia. He is a Visiting Fellow at the Australian Centre for Ocean Resources and Security at UOW. A keen scuba diver, snorkeller, spearfisherman and photographer, Duncan lives in Stanwell Park.

Dr Hayley Glasson has worked as a GP in the Illawarra for over seven years. Hayley has a special interest in women’s health and paediatrics. She is accredited in Neurodevelopmental (NDC) Care and provides support in the areas of breastfeeding, infant sleep, and parental well-being Outside of work, Hayley enjoys exploring the Illawarra with her young family.

Jeremy Lasek began his career in the Illawarra with the Lake Times, ABC Radio and WIN-TV. He was executive director of ACT Government Communications, Events, Arts, Heritage and Protocol for many years. Before returning to Wollongong, Jeremy was CEO of the National Australia Day Council and head of communications for the Australian Federal Police.

Tyneesha Williams is a UOW journalism graduate. Born and raised in Central West NSW, Tyneesha fell in love with the Illawarra’s stunning scenery and local community. She runs her own business, Neesh Photography, and in her spare time enjoys taking pictures, attending gigs and going to the beach.

Ruth Barbato is a portrait photographer in Wollongong. She is passionate about capturing people’s stories, individual and collective. Her aim is to celebrate the rich diversity around us and to inspire curiosity, empathy and a sense of kinship with others. She also loves a salty ocean swim and to dance like nobody’s watching.

NEXT DEADLINE 18 Nov for Dec edition

EDITORS Genevieve Swart, Marcus Craft

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DEADLINE 18 Nov. Contributions welcome.

COVER Gina Chick. Photo: Mark Roper

THE ILLAWARRA FLAME is published by a family business, The Word Bureau, ABN 31 692 723 477

DISCLAIMER: All content and images remain the property of The Illawarra Flame unless otherwise supplied. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission. Views expressed do not reflect those of the publishers.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: The publishers acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and their cultural and spiritual connection to this land. Their stories are written in the land and hold great significance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, from the mountains to the sea.

THE ILLAWARRA

KANE DOWNIE

Electrify 2515 pilot launches

By Jeremy Lasek

“When a community’s all-in, I want to be all-in to help that community.” With those few words federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen last month announced a groundbreaking pilot to electrify 500 homes in northern Illawarra.

It follows a two-year grassroots campaign from the Electrify 2515 team of volunteers who are championing the rapid electrification of their community.

The launch of the Electrify 2515 community pilot was held in suburban Thirroul at the family home of Laura Scalafiotti, a passionate supporter and volunteer for the project.

“This community is very environmentally conscious, we’ve done our research, and we believe in the investment,” Laura said.

After a tour of her home, she told the minister and Member for Cunningham Alison Byrnes it simply made sense to decarbonise her home.

“It is creating really tangible benefits including helping with cost-of-living pressures, action on climate change and re-skilling for new jobs,” Laura said.

The pilot involves an $11.8 million partnership between Rewiring Australia, Brighte and Endeavour Energy with $5.4 million in federal funding through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).

Minister Bowen said the pilot would provide real-world data on the concentrated electrification of a community, measuring behaviour, attitudes and energy bill savings. “This is a good day for 2515 and it’s a good day for renewable energy.”

When asked, why postcode 2515? “This is the community that put together the most advanced and considered plan which was approved by ARENA for the pilot,” the minister said.

For local resident Dr Saul Griffith, co-founder of Rewiring Australia, who suggested creating the world’s first electric community several years ago, this was a red-letter day. “It’s a lighthouse project and I couldn’t be more proud,” he said.

Local MP Alison Byrnes said she hopes the local pilot will lead to the roll-out of the electrification of millions more homes across the nation.

Under the pilot, residents of the 2515 postcode can apply for subsidies of up to $1000 off electric water systems, reverse-cycle air conditioners, induction cooktops and up to $1500 off home batteries. Each household will also have a free smart energy device installed to optimise their energy use, and switchboard upgrades to support the new appliances. Additional incentives will be available for lower income households.

The pilot will run until 2027.

Thirroul participant Laura Scalafiotti said 1200 of the 4000 homes in the postcode had expressed interest. She is already feeling the benefits.

“I get a kick out of baking a cake on a Sunday afternoon knowing it’s entirely produced by solar.”

Invitation to Community Pilot launch

On Sunday, 10 November from 4-5:30pm at Thirroul’s Anita’s Theatre, hear more about the plan to create an electric future today. Hear from Rewiring Australia, including co-founder Dr Saul Griffith, as well as pilot partners Brighte and Endeavour Energy and Electrify 2515 team members. Find out how the pilot will work including timing, appliance subsidies, participant eligibility and responsibilities. The event won’t be live-streamed but it will be recorded and available on the Electrify 2515 website after the launch.

RSVP at events.humanitix.com/electrify2515

The Electrify 2515 team.

Photo: Jeremy Park

The Fathering Project takes off

By Helensburgh Public School teacher Nina Sampson

This year, we’ve introduced an exciting new initiative in collaboration with The Fathering Project, designed to engage fathers, parents, grandparents, and carers of Helensburgh Public School (HPS) students in various events throughout the year. Our inaugural event in June, ‘Sports and Snags,’ was a tremendous success, filling our oval with lively activities and laughter.

In September, we hosted our second event, ‘Picnic ‘n’ Planes,’ which saw around 80-100 participants, including our wonderful students and their siblings. It was a delightful afternoon where everyone tested their paper plane designs and throwing skills. Despite occasional wind gusts, participants honed their skills and enjoyed multiple attempts to achieve new heights and distances with each throw.

Both events featured a sausage sizzle provided by the school. A special thanks to our HPS Fathers Group for their planning and organisation efforts, and to Coles Helensburgh for their generous gift card donation, which funded prizes for our plane winners!

Keep an eye out for our final event later in Term 4.

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 30

10AM - 2PM

Pictured: Ollie & Josh with dad Andrew at Picnic ‘n’ Planes; the Helensburgh Public School Fathers Group and, below, planes in motion!

VOLUNTEER FOR NINA TODAY!

Northern Illawarra Neighbour Aid (NINA) are searching for enthusiastic volunteer drivers to be a part of our dedicated team.

As a NINA volunteer, you will be a part of a like minded group of people who help make a difference by connecting individuals with their local community, and allow them to remain social and independent.

IF YOU ARE A PERSON WHO:

- Has a desire to help people remain social and independent at home and within their community

- Wants to be a part of something bigger

- Owns their own car, or is a competent driver

- Lives within the Wollongong LGA (Helensburgh - Wollongong)

NINA NEEDS YOU!

If this sounds like you, and you have any time to spare, NINA and it's clients could really use your invaluable help!

Reach out today to hear how you can give back and help those who need it most. You can be the difference.

NINA will reimburse 88c/km for petrol if volunteer drivers use their own car. We also offer an allowance for refreshments for volunteering over 4 hours.

Phone: 4294 1900

Address: 18 Walker Street, Helensburgh

Bulli Quilters raise $14,000 for charity

By Tyneesha Williams

Bulli Corner Quilters have raised more than $14,000 for charity while celebrating their 20-year anniversary at the 2024 Quilt and Flower Show.

This year’s show at Bulli’s Northern Illawarra Uniting Church on October 11 and 12 set a new fundraising record. Money will be donated to Angel Flight, Royal Flying Doctor Service, bowel research at Wollongong Hospital, Bulli Men’s Shed, Need a Feed and Bulli Uniting Church, and others.

Bev Burton has been a leader of Bulli Corner Quilters since 2002, and celebrated the club’s emerald year by wearing green.

“The quilting group started because one of our ladies was very, very ill and we quickly made her a quilt while she was in hospital, just to give her comfort,” Bev says.

“People said, ‘If you can make a quilt in that short time, you can teach it’. So we started teaching,

“Now we have a group of 40 to 50 women who come from all over – down past the other side of the lake, Campbelltown area, Moss Vale and the Southern Highlands, the Shire, all over.”

This year’s show included more than 75 quilts for sale and about 85 quilts on exhibition. The group also made 58 vases of flowers to display and welcomed 485 guests over two days.

“On average, the quilts take about two or three months to make,” Bev says. “You can do a little one in a weekend though. Another one that’s a bit more difficult might take you six or 12 months.

“Really it takes as long as you want it to. For this year, personally, I’m on my 323rd quilt.”

Retailers My Sewing Supplies, Picton Patchwork, The Stitchers Cupboard and Thirroul Custom Quilting have supported the group for years and show goers browsed a range of goods, from sewing supplies to gifts, such as Bluey-themed dolls.

Bev says quilting “started for necessity of warmth in the 1700s”.

“Then in Queen Victoria’s day, the quilting was what they call ‘crazy quilting’, which was all slapped together and they did a lot of embroidery, because women were supposed to be decorative and not have much of a brain. Nowadays, you need a mathematical brain to work out the amount of material you need, the size of the squares and things to make them all fit neatly.”

Quilters display their work from the past year at the annual show.

At the 20th anniversary event, judges awarded Best in Show to Kerrie Metcalfe and Best Use of Colour to Christine Walker.

The judges also picked Kerrie Metcalfe as the winner of 2024’s Large Quilt category, while Irene Winter took first prize in the Small Quilt category. There were also Viewer’s Choice Awards and a Small Quilt Challenge, with the theme ‘Bulli’. Judges awarded the challenge’s top prize to Christine Johnson.

Bulli Corner Quilters meet on the fourth Wednesday of every month from 9am at the Northern Illawarra Uniting Church.

For more info, visit www.niuchurch.org.au.

BREE GROSE

Joins Purpose!

Bree is a fourth generation Thirroul local on both sides of her family, so you may recognise the last name! She has available appointments throughout the week at both our Thirroul and Woonona locations.

Bree has a special interest in treating clients with lower back pain, sciatic symptoms and chronic neck discomfort caused by surfing the local waves!

• 371 Princes Highway Woonona • 6/309 Lawrence Hargrave Dr,

Explore Thirroul’s garden

By Tyneesha Williams

Thirroul Community Garden will show off its thriving green space as part of the Illawarra Edible Garden Trail this November.

The garden at the corner of Lawrence Hargrave Drive and High Street will be open from 10am3pm on Sunday, November 10.

“We’re here to demonstrate sustainable gardening. We don’t use any chemicals, pesticides, or artificial fertilisers,” says Jill Chapman, a regular volunteer for the past seven years.

“We make our own compost, use worm farms, and make weed tea from our green waste to fertilise and improve the soil.

“That keeps everything pretty healthy, and if we need to spray for cabbage moth or anything like that, we use a natural-based spray.”

Run by volunteers, the garden has more than 100 members. It hosts educational visits and workshops, and aims to assist in food security, reduce food waste and protect flora and fauna.

“It’s a very positive space – we get people of all ages. Children visit with their parents, and occasionally a children’s centre will visit with their staff. It’s an opportunity to explore the space, discover insects, birds and lizards,” Jill says.

The garden recently ran a workshop on water bugs. Participants analysed creek water at the site and learned about natural ecosystems. They’ve also hosted workshops on weaving with natural materials and herbal oil making.

“We have gardening working bees twice a week. On Wednesdays, people come from 3pm to 6pm in the winter, and from 4 to 7 in the summer. On Sundays, we say 9am to 12,” Jill says.

“Gardening is a social event too. People attend regularly and we have fun and support each other. For those who love gardening, or want to learn more, it’s a joyous place to visit!”

Council allowed a small shed on site to provide shelter and storage. The group also enjoys their

wood-fire pizza oven, a structure built from mud, clay, straw and sand.

“The Wollongong Council has been very supportive. When we had a problem with our compost, their staff member who specialises in that came and advised us,” Jill says.

Thirroul Community Garden is grateful for the support that they receive from the local area.

“We’ve had grants from the council, from Horizon Bank, from flood recovery, and different places. With that funding, we’ve been able to repair things after the floods,” Jill says.

“We recycle surplus unused vegetables from one of the fruit and vegetable shops in Thirroul. Instead of it going to green waste, they don’t have to dispose of it, and we use it to make our compost.”

The group strives to handle challenges in an environmentally conscious way and have installed solar panels to supply power when needed.

“This soil was very degraded when we first came here. It’s taken about 12 years, but now the soil has worms in it and you can see that it’s not as dependent on getting its load of compost all the time to grow good stuff,” Jill says.

“We’re trying to grow more native things like saltbush, native finger limes, and native plum trees. The advantage is that they’re high in healthy things like vitamin C and antioxidants, and they’re well-suited to this climate.”

The garden is looking forward to welcoming guests to its free open day on November 10.

“We’ll have live music, games for the kids, a market stall with food for sale, and people can have a cup of tea,” Jill says. “It’s a very peaceful environment. Once you’re here, especially if you’re up the back, you just kind of get absorbed in nature because we have so many birds.”

Visit www.thirroulgardeners.wordpress.com

Q&A with the Glow Girls founder

By Genevieve Swart

First Helensburgh local Sammy Mahler changed her own life, now she’s changing others’.

“After many years in fashion, where I honed my skills in creativity and communication, I realised my true calling lay in supporting young people,” Sammy says.

“My journey from the fashion industry to youth advocacy was inspired by my own trauma as a teenager, and I’m dedicated to making a positive impact in the lives of young girls.”

A mum of two, Sammy is well known locally for her generous support of local charities, including organising fundraisers at Tradies for domestic violence services and sharing styling advice at ‘Op Shop for a Cause’ nights at 2508 Salvos.

A couple of years ago, Sammy started studying again. She has now completed her youth work training and begun developing a mental health and wellness program for teenage girls.

“I am dedicated to empowering young people, particularly teen girls, helping them navigate challenges and build resilience through various programs and mentorship initiatives,” she says.

Sammy is also a career counsellor and youth mentor with the Multicultural Communities Council of Illawarra (MCCI), helping refugees and their families find work and education support.

This year, amid growing concerns by everyone from parents to government about the effects of social media on young minds, Sammy launched an ambitious new project.

What is your latest project?

My latest project, Glow Girls, provides a welcoming environment for young adolescent girls to enhance their well-being, build meaningful relationships, and develop essential skills. As the program facilitator, I focus on real-life tasks that encourage relationship-building and skill development.

My goal is to promote social cohesion and create a safe, supportive learning space where participants can acquire practical life skills and empower themselves to take charge of their well-being.

Who can take part?

Glow Girls is tailored for girls transitioning to Year 7 and Year 8. I also run Glow Girls mentoring sessions for girls in Years 7, 8, and 9, helping them navigate their transition into high school.

Why is it needed?

In today’s society, programs like Glow Girls are essential due to the overwhelming pressures that young girls face from social media, high levels of

bullying, and the pervasive need to appear perfect. These challenges can significantly impact their mental health and self-esteem, leading to feelings of isolation and anxiety. Glow Girls provides a supportive space where participants can openly discuss these issues, learn coping strategies, and develop resilience.

By fostering a sense of community and empowering girls to embrace their authentic selves, the program helps counteract the negative influences of social media and bullying, ultimately promoting a healthier mindset and well-being.

How are you helping girls gain confidence?

Through the diverse content of my course. We cover a range of important topics, including self-esteem, anxiety, relationship awareness, gaslighting, recognising red flags and the impact of social media, among others. By addressing these critical areas, we aim to equip them with the tools they need to thrive in today’s complex world.

When and where can girls join in?

Currently, I’m fully booked until the end of the year, but I will be opening my schedule for 2025. The course runs on Thursday or Friday afternoons from 4:30 to 6pm and spans 10 weeks. If participants enjoy the course, they can continue on to the mentorship program, which takes place bi-weekly on Thursdays. I’m currently running the program in Helensburgh and looking to expand to the Coal Coast as well.

Contact @afountainofyouth2021 on Instagram or Facebook, or sammahle@bigpond.com

An extraordinary history

By Jeremy Lasek

It’s exactly 140 years since coal was first discovered at Helensburgh and the remarkable history of Wollongong’s northernmost community was celebrated on the last Saturday in September when an open day was held at the base of the Helensburgh and District Historical Society.

One of Helensburgh’s best-known characters, the president of the historical society, Jim Powell, reported a great turn-out at the Old Mine Surgery, the home of the society in Parkes Street.

It’s fair to say what Jim doesn’t know about Helensburgh really isn’t worth knowing.

During an open-day preview Jim shared stories of the old Metropolitan mine, which remains the longest-running active coal mine in Australia. At its peak it employed nearly 3000 miners.

“The mine opened and started producing coal in July 1888, but the rail line didn’t arrive until October that year, meaning the first coal was stored on-site,” Jim said. “It had a reputation for producing the best steaming coal in Australia.”

Helensburgh and the 1919 Spanish Flu

Inside the old mine surgery, which was funded by the mine and operated by a local legend from early last century, Dr Frederick Cox, is an amazing collection of photographs, books and memorabilia.

The story of Dr Cox single-handedly working to save local lives during the 1919 ‘Spanish Flu’ pandemic is astonishing. As the only doctor in the district, he treated all the patients and at one stage 100 workers at the mine were off work with the flu. Nine of the 10 lives lost in Helensburgh during the pandemic were mine workers. On 12 September 1919, as the epidemic came to an end, the Illawarra Mercury reported that “the local Masonic Lodge entertained the volunteers in recognition of the splendid services performed by them in the epidemic”. For his heroic efforts, Dr Cox was presented with a pair of gold cufflinks by Rev Smee. The museum also traces sporting history. The

local cricket club was the first sports team to take the field in the 1880s, Jim says, “and Helensburgh is one of the oldest soccer clubs in the Illawarra”.

Having played coronet and trumpet, Jim has a soft spot for the town’s brass band, which was created in 1895 and was originally made up mainly of men working in the mine. The band hall was built in 1915 but lost to an electrical fire in 2000.

A lifetime fighting fires

As a member of the local Fire and Rescue service for more than 40 years, Jim recalls all the big fires that hit the region. “The first fire I fought was back in 1952 when I was a seven-year-old. Dad had me up the ladder putting water in the gutters.”

Many years later, in 1975 Jim joined the Fire and Rescue service and was on the job until 2016 when he retired, after six years as brigade captain.

“I remember 2001 was the last big fire and that was on Christmas Day. The town was cut off and we helped with evacuations from the Stanwell Tops conference centre. We took shelter there as the fire front came through. Then we headed back to Helensburgh to save a house my father helped build. We were fighting that fire for 13 days that summer and at its peak we only got six hours sleep in 48 hours.”

Jim Powell has received many awards and accolades over the years but the one that gives him greatest pride was being awarded Wollongong’s Senior Citizen of the Year in 2017.

He’s in the process of putting the finishing touches on a new pictorial history book. “It’s called My Town, The Town and its People and it focuses mainly on the people who’ve shaped the town.”

Jim’s partner, Jenny Donohoe, the society’s principal researcher, is working on a book of her own. “The book will be called Murders and Misdemeanours … It used to be like a wild west town; it was unruly, and a foot policeman was the only thing to keep the town in check.”

ANBA branch buzzes to life

By Amanda De George

Any doubt that the Illawarra was full of native bee enthusiasts was put to rest after October 12’s sold-out stingless bee workshop with entomologist Dr Tim Heard and the successful launch of the Illawarra Branch of the Native Bee Association.

More than 50 people attended the event in Thirroul and it was all thanks to the hard work of local stingless beekeeper Christie Peters, who said: “It was a booked-out event. It was like a rock concert. People were contacting me at all hours of the night saying, ‘Can I get a ticket?’”

There are 2000 species of native bees in Australia. “If you compare that to birds, there’s only 800 [bird] species in Australia,” said Tim, a former CSIRO research scientist who has written the book, literally, on stingless bees.

The Australian Native Bee Book covers keeping stingless bees, from their anatomy and life cycle to the hierarchy of the hive, and Tim touched on these topics during the workshop.

Christie, who added a hive of stingless bees to

her menagerie just over a year ago, had spent almost as long going back and forth with Tim, convincing him to travel down from his home in Queensland, where he keeps more than 500 hives and runs Sugarbag Bees.

The Sugarbag Bee (Tetragonula carbonaria), as cute as the name sounds delicious, is a sub-tropical species that occurs naturally from North Queensland down to around Bega. While they are a relatively easy species to keep, Tim said of having a hive in the Illawarra, “You are getting close to the margins and everything works a little slower here.”

That means that while small amounts of honey are created in a stingless bee hive, it may not be advisable to take it for your toast, as the bees will likely need most of it. It also meant that to prevent stress on the bees, the planned demonstration of splitting Christie’s hive had to be postponed as the day was overcast and chilly.

A motion was passed to create the Illawarra’s own branch of the Australian Native Bee Association (ANBA) and an executive voted in, creating a space where locals can learn from each other, attend workshops and create a bit of a, ahem, buzz.

“I found that when I did get my hive, there wasn’t a lot of people in the area I could contact and I thought that if we formed a group down here people that are having struggling hives or have lost a hive, we could band together and help each other so that our hives do survive,” Christie said.

“I’d like to see more hives get out to schools and into parks and just have a lot more awareness down here about our beautiful native stingless bees.”

More info: www.australiannativebee.org.au or call Christie on 0412 497 312

Dr Tim Heard and Christie Peters at the Thirroul workshop. Photos: Amanda De George

Men search for new Shed

By Bob Pymm of Helensburgh Men’s Shed

Yes, the Helensburgh Men’s Shed is looking to move from its current premises (pictured). There has been a fair amount of discussion over the years about the long-term future of the Shed, with a desire to get council support for a purposebuilt facility. The recent change in ownership of our existing building has galvanised us to more actively pursue what is seen as the long-term solution to our accommodation needs.

As a not-for-profit community facility, the Shed offers a supportive environment aimed at creating a safe and welcoming space for members. Such support can be of particular importance for older men, who may find themselves a bit adrift as roles and social networks change over the years.

By providing the opportunity for socialising, working on personal and community projects, acquiring new skills and at the same time benefitting from regular presentations on health issues relevant to an older cohort, the Shed has become a real community asset. And in recent times, this has not been limited just to men, with women’s days now a regular feature in the Shed.

For years, the Shed has paid a commercial rent for the space it occupies (no government subsidies for us) while keeping membership fees at a level so that they won’t deter anyone from joining. We have

Tree of the Month

By Kieran Tapsell, of Banksia Bushcare

Trema tomentosa (Native Peach)

Trema can grow into a small shrub or tree, and grows right throughout the Illawarra area, within rainforest and on the coastal plain. When small it is easily confused with lantana because of the similar serrated shape and colour of the leaf. However, Trema’s leaf is more elongated and has a slightly lighter shade of green. Lantana’s leaves are opposite each other, but Trema’s are alternate. Trema’s leaves are tri-veined, whereas Lantana’s leaves are single veined. Trema grows into a tree, whereas Lantana is a scrambler, but it is difficult to tell the difference when they are small. Trema is an important food source for small birds and butterfly caterpillars.

been lucky with obtaining local sponsorship – a big thank you to these sponsors and if there is anyone else out there who would like to support us in some way please get in touch!

We are also supported in a modest way with funding from the Australian Government Department of Health under the National Shed Development Programme.

Inevitably though, paying the rent poses its challenges and the council has acknowledged this.

After a meeting in mid-October with council and other interested parties, we will embark upon community consultation to begin the lengthy process of identifying an appropriate site and dealing with town planning and zoning and development applications. Our aim is to create a permanent community facility that will add considerably to our town’s social infrastructure.

Two sites have been identified and we would like your feedback. This is an informal informationgathering process but any feedback would be most welcome and help in developing our ideas and, longer term, the proposal.

Email feedback directly to the Council and/or to the Men’s Shed at info@helensburghmensshed.org. au. This will be a long-term project which we hope will lead to the creation of a community facility that will add to the social fabric of Helensburgh and surrounding area.

We welcome your input.

Visit Helensburgh Men’s Shed at 199A Parkes Street any Monday or Tuesday, 9am to 3pm to join or find out more

At left: Native Peach and inset at right, the invasive weed Lantana camara

5 Factors That Influence Your Home’s Value

By Ian Pepper of Ray White Helensburgh

Ever wonder what factors influence the value of your home? Here are a few key elements that can have a significant impact:

1. Location: Proximity to beaches, schools, parks, public transport, and amenities.

2. Views: Ocean, Escarpment, Treetop, Bushland and District.

3. Condition: The state of your home, including recent renovations and overall maintenance.

4. Market Conditions: The current supply and demand in the local real estate market.

5. Size and Layout: Land size, home square meterage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and the overall flow of the home.

Understanding these factors can help you make informed decisions about potential improvements and the best timing for your sale.

Would you be interested in having a quick chat about what we’ve been seeing recently to help you best prepare?

Our commitment is to be there for you, every step of the sale. Call us today so we can sell your property at the best price and with the least amount of hassle.

Ian Pepper 0403 570 041 | ian.pepper@raywhite.com Josh Pepper 0437 790 052 | joshua.pepper@raywhite.com ianpepperraywhite @peppersrealestate

L to R: Box kites high over Stanwell Park, a Peter Mulder painting owned by the Lawrence Hargrave Society; Natasha Deacon takes off.

Photos: Damian Lloyd/Sea Salt Studios

How Hargrave flew into history

By Rob Deacon, president of the Lawrence Hargrave Society

As I sit here on Stanwell Park Beach and watch another massive airliner heading towards Sydney airport to deliver hundreds of passengers from some far-flung place on the planet, I am reminded of the fact that this was not always so. For thousands of years, human flight was just a dream. It took centuries to unlock the secrets of human flight, but one man did probably more than any other person to unlock these secrets and he did much of his work here in Stanwell Park and most famously on this beach. He was Lawrence Hargrave.

The 12th of November 2024 marks the 130th anniversary of the famous Lawrence Hargrave box-kite experiment at Stanwell Park Beach. It was one of the most significant breakthroughs in the development of the flying machine or airplane.

On that day Lawrence Hargrave was raised up 16 feet while tethered to four box kites, which were strung out in a line in the air behind him. It was the first time in human history that a heavier-than-air stable lift-off and landing had been achieved.

Hargrave’s aircraft, the box-kite, was his invention. He had constructed the kites that he flew that day in a workshop that was located on the northern deck of his home, ‘Hillcrest’, at Stanwell Park. Hillcrest still stands today.

The box-kite allowed for stable lift-off, stable flight and stable landing. Prior to the 12th of November 1894, so many experimenters in Europe and America had been experimenting with human flight, often with tragic outcomes, because they could not develop an aircraft that could lift off, fly, and land with stability. Hargrave’s box-kite, therefore, was the great breakthrough. If you look

at the first aircraft built and flown by the Wright brothers and Europeans such as Santos-Dumont, you can clearly see that they are a series of box-kites strung together to form an aircraft, which is powered by a rotary engine. Hargrave was rarely credited for his work because he didn’t believe in patents. He shared his ideas freely with the world via journal articles for scientific societies.

The rotary engine was Hargrave’s invention as well. This was the engine that powered aircraft well into the 20th century. There is some dispute about who invented the rotary engine but during a recent visit to the ‘Powerhouse Museum’ at Castle Hill, I spoke to the curators of the Lawrence Hargrave Collection, and they confirmed it was Hargrave. He also contributed to the development of the leading thickened wing edge or aerofoil, which can still be seen today on modern aircraft.

These inventions took years of thought, experimentation and development. Hargrave was an amazing man who achieved all of this while living in the relative isolation of Australia at the time, with limited resources to support his dream.

You can see the immense contribution that he made to the development of the early flying machine. When at the Powerhouse Museum, viewing the aircraft engines that he had developed, his kites, gliders, souring machines and his journals, the members of the Lawrence Hargrave Society had a sense that they were surrounded by genius. The copperplate writing, the intricate working of the metal and wood in the engines and gliders revealed a meticulous mind, exquisite craftmanship, determination and resilience.

Hargrave is a great Australian, who we can all be proud of, and he achieved so much of his success while a resident in Stanwell Park. The box-kite experiment of 12 November 1894 is an event of local, national and international significance.

Here, in Hargrave’s words, is a description of what happened on that day as he and his caretaker, James Swain, took the box-kites from ‘Hillcrest’ down to Stanwell Park Beach. “On the 12th a southerly buster came in at 11.00am of what appeared to be the right strength. Swain and I carried five kites and the gear to the beach.”

The kites were laid out on the beach in a line behind Hargrave and in front of him the rope was tied to sandbags that would prevent him from being carried off over Bald Hill.

“Toggled on the sling seat and got onboard with anemometer and clinometer. Swain slacked away the tackle fall to the end. I was then forty two feet from the sand bags and dancing round in an arc of forty two degrees on my toes … after quarter of an hour or so the wind freshened and I went up, wind reaching 18.6mph … the wind fell lighter and I came down. Wind rather puffy, went up several times not long enough to take a wind reading. A long and strong puff then sent me up like a shot and I got a wind reading of 21 mph. Swain read the spring balance 214 lb. Angle of the kite string with the horizontal about 60 degrees, my height above

ground, 16 feet. Wind fell lighter and I came down and with purchase just able to haul myself and the kites to the mooring. Swain and I hauled down the kites with some difficulty.”

And with that Hargrave had flown into history.

(Extracts from Lawrence Hargrave-Aviation Pioneer, Inventor and Explorer, W. Hudson Shaw & Olaf Ruhen, University of Queensland Press, 1977.)

Save the date for Hargrave Celebrations

• 12 November On Tuesday 12th at 11am, the Lawrence Hargrave Society will attempt to re-enact the box-kite flight on Stanwell Park Beach using full-sized replicas of the kites that Hargrave used in 1894. Who will be brave enough to take to the air if the wind is strong enough on the day?

• 12 November The Historical Aircraft Restoration Society will stage the ‘Lawrence Hargrave-Eric Waite Memorial Flyover’ at Stanwell Park at 11am on the 12th with three historic aircraft flying.

• 17 November On Sunday 17th Hargrave’s home ‘Hillcrest’ will be open to the public for a Community Celebration from 11am to 3pm. This will include a tour of Hillcrest where you will learn more about Lawrence Hargrave, his life and achievements, enjoy the stunning views of Stanwell Park and perhaps set yourself up for a picnic lunch on the lawns, or buy a sausage sandwich while listening to music from the local musos.

Thanks to MasterChef’s Gill Dinh

By Shaz Harrison, founder of local charity Need a Feed

In an exciting collaboration, I’m teaming up with Gill Dinh, a 2024 Top 10 MasterChef Australia contestant, to raise awareness for hunger relief in the Illawarra.

Together, we’re not only cooking up a special feast but personally delivering it to those who need it most – bringing food, compassion and connection directly to the community, not only feeding the body but nourishing the soul.

Mission to combat hunger and inspire hope Over the past decade, Need a Feed has fed thousands of people. But I understand that food isn’t just about filling bellies – it’s about connection, love and care. That’s why, at Need a Feed, we do more than just feed people; we reach out and make sure they know they’re not alone.

Thanks to Gill, I am taking this mission one step further. We will not only prepare a special meal together but will also personally deliver the meals to those in need in Wollongong – meeting people where they are, offering food, conversation and a sense of community.

“It’s more than just cooking,” says Gill. “It’s about showing up for people, offering them not only great food but letting them know someone cares.”

“Teaming up with Shaz and Need a Feed lets me bring my love of cooking into something much bigger – helping people who need it most.”

K.Malu in Keira Street, have generously offered their kitchen space for cooking, and the T-shirt

L to R: Volunteer coordinator KP, Gill and Shaz

Workshop have provided the custom T-shirts for this event. This campaign also drives our long-term vision of launching a mobile food truck to extend our reach even further.

‘Hearts to Hands’ is an essential part of the Need a Feed campaign. It highlights the vital role we play by not only providing food but also offering care, support, and connection. You can help by donating, following Need a Feed’s socials or simply spreading the word about the important work being done in the community.

Together, we can make sure no one goes to bed hungry or feels forgotten.

Visit www.needafeed.org or contact shaz@needafeed.org

Chapel in need of repairs

Northern Illawarra Uniting Church congregants have launched a major fundraising campaign to restore Bulli’s historic ‘Chapel on the Hill’, which is nearly 160 years old.

“The purpose of this restoration is to really give help and hope to people in the community,” said church minister and campaign spokesperson Reverend Josh McPaul. “We want it to be an outreach for the whole community.”

By Zachary Houtenville

Since it opened on May 7, 1865, Bulli’s Wesleyan chapel has been a cornerstone of the community. It has hosted funerals, baptisms and weddings for people from all walks of life, and even rang its bell to celebrate the end of World War I.

It has needed only a few repairs through the decades, however, the west wall has slowly drifted

apart, evident by the crack in the front facade. The committee would like to restain the windows, restore the bell tower and repoint the bricks.

“The goal is not to change the facade – it’s going to look just as it has for 165 years,” Josh said.

The restoration project is tipped to cost $650,000, but the church has already raised $100,000 in community donations. The chapel is on the National Trust Register, so all donations are tax-deductible and directly support the restoration. If you’d like to contribute, email chapel@niuchurch.org.au

To make a direct deposit via EFT to: Bulli Chapel restoration, BSB: 634634 Account number: 100088436.

Gail Cannell is a member of the Thirroul Quilters group. Photos: Janice Creenaune

Time to stitch

Janice Creenaune meets Gail Cannell, a member of the Thirroul Quilters group. Gail trained and worked as a nurse and in diversional therapy for the elderly; now she’s working on perfecting the skills needed for patchwork and quilting

Gail Cannell may be closer to 80 years than 70, but she is still bringing beautiful hand-made projects to life, thanks to a lifetime’s skill in patchwork, quilting other stitch crafts.

“Occasionally I may use a machine for some work, but most often I work by hand, stitch by stitch, piece by piece to create the complications within a quilt pattern,” Gail says. “Patchwork and quilting is certainly a time-intensive process where patience and accuracy is paramount. Both are essential in both the cutting and stitching to ensure the pieces all fit together neatly.”

Gail grew up in Adelaide, but in 1970 she moved to Nowra with her husband (a navy pilot) and young family. She later joined a patchwork group and has lived in various places, including Perth, Darwin, Canberra and, in 1991, Karratha in WA, where a small expat community was looking for a teacher of the needlework arts.

“I taught the interested ladies and organised workshops and quilt and craft shows for us all on various weekends that proved very successful over the years,” Gails says. “Patchwork applique and embroidery was our focus.

“It brought us all together as all the families would be there. Unfortunately, changes mean today’s FIFO workers are denied the same lifestyle.”

Gail eventually moved back to Nowra. In 2001 she moved to Wollongong and joined Thirroul Quilters, a sub-group of the Illawarra group.

“We are a diverse group who have been meeting for over 20 years. We started at the old Thirroul Community Centre, later moving to the Thirroul Library Complex and now we are lucky enough to meet at the Thirroul Bowling Club. There is

enormous camaraderie within the group and though we all work on different projects and skills we encourage and assist each other to keep going.

“Though many of us are quilters, not all members are. Some sew, others knit or crochet, some chat. It is all part of being there and enjoying the camaraderie as well as the development of skills with like-minded people.”

While Gail’s mother encouraged her to learn sewing crafts, she says, “I feel I inherited my craft genes from my grandmother and I was taught the basics of stitch-work at school.

“I followed the courses all the way through my school training and I found I was particularly good at it, but it wasn’t until later in Karratha, where my interest was totally sparked. I have not stopped. I always have a needle and a project at hand.

“Sometimes I have six projects going at once, depending on how I feel at that time.

“Firstly, I find a pattern, make templates for the pieces in the pattern (in templastic) and work out the materials needed. I have a good selection in my garage and cupboards to choose from.

“Buying materials is always a delight when I find a shop. Unfortunately many have now closed and are long gone.”

Gail and her local group in Thirroul maintain and pass on their skills – the question is always, for how long? The members ensure companionship and skill development is ranked high in their lives. It is a credit to them all.

Janice Creenaune is a volunteer for Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation Australia. Email janicecreenaune@gmail.com

Refuge For Domestic Violence Survivors

SAHSSI has opened new crisis accommodation for women and children

SAHSSI, the leading domestic violence accommodation provider in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven, has proudly opened a state of the art 8-unit apartment complex for women and children escaping domestic violence. This new facility offers a secure, fully gated environment equipped with back-to-base alarms, CCTV monitoring and self-contained units featuring private kitchens, bathrooms, balconies and parking. Shared facilities include laundry, outdoor play areas, meeting rooms and communal spaces.

Funded by the Australian Government’s Safe Places Emergency Accommodation Program, the complex ensures safety and dignity for survivors during their recovery. SAHSSI CEO Penny Dordoy highlighted the critical need for this housing: “This accommodation provides a safe place for women and children to recover and rebuild their lives, offering the privacy and security they need.”

For over 20 years, SAHSSI has led efforts to provide safety and housing for women and children in the region. The new complex marks

PARTNER CONTENT

an essential step in addressing the domestic and family violence crisis in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven, as SAHSSI continues to advocate for safe, long-term housing solutions.

Domestic violence is a community problem, and it requires a community solution. To get involved, please contact SAHSSI: Supported Accommodation and Homelessness Services Shoalhaven Illawarra at (02) 4229 8523 or visit: www.sahssi.org.au

CWA would love new members

By Jan Johnston of the Stanwell Park CWA

This month I would like to share with you a couple of activities where the CWA has participated or promoted fund-raising. Our cake stall at the local elections was a great success. We would like to thank the community for their great support especially at a time with so many cost-ofliving pressures.

We raised over $900 and this will be directed to a cause very much in the CWA focus: domestic and family violence. Our contacts and research has enabled us to direct 100% of the money raised to the benefit of those in need of assistance. Many organisations are finding it harder to

attract new members and Stanwell Park CWA is no exception. This is probably due to many demands on our time between caring for elderly parents and supporting our children with care of the grandchildren. While both of these endeavours are greatly rewarding, being involved in a voluntary organisation and carving out a time slot for yourself has so many personal benefits. There is the social connection that being part of an active group provides and a sense of relevance and achievement from our fundraising and advocacy work.

Our latest escapade was catering for a very successful SPAT 50 year anniversary. We had so much fun as a group and being part of a community event. Not to mention the baking!

We would love to have some new members.

If you are interested please call Robyn on 0402 468 197 to find out more or just turn up at our next meeting. You will be made very welcome.

The group will next meet at 10am, Tuesday 5 November at the Stanwell Park CWA hall

What’s On

More events at theillawarraflame.com.au

Thirroul Public School

Xmas Market

Sat, 30 Nov 10am-3pm. With Market stalls, food trucks, live music, skate ramp and more!

At Thirroul Public School –entry via Roxburgh Ave. Gold coin donation (card option available). ALL welcome! Bring: Card/cash, a picnic blanket and Xmas spirit. No pets, please. This is a fundraising event, proudly presented by the TPS P&C.

Illawarra Choral Society concert

23 Nov 2pm, ‘Stella Natalis by Karl Jenkins’ at St Francis Xavier Cathedral. Conveying the Xmas message of peace, goodwill, compassion and a new beginning, Stella Natalis (‘star of birth’) draws on a varied palette of inspiration, including the Old Testament, Zulu text and reference to Hindu gods. Tickets: events.humanitix.com/stella-natalis

Remembrance Day Services

Mon, 11 Nov Commencing at 10:40am, Woodward Park, Thirroul, hosted by Austinmer Thirroul RSL Sub-Branch. All welcome to pay homage to defence force personnel. Helensburgh RSL Sub-Branch will host a service at the War Memorial at Charles Harper Park, arrive 10:30am.

South Coast Writers Centre

15-17 Nov True Story festival at Coledale Hall

30 Nov Poetry readings at The Servo in Port Kembla, 2-5pm. With readings from the latest SCWC poetry anthology, poets Sandra Renew, Elanna Herbert, and David Stavanger, music, food, book sales, and more. Free entry, RSVP.

15 Dec Cut-off for applications for the 2025 SCWC Emerging & Established Writers Group Retreat in Bundanon. Visit southcoastwriters.org Toastmasters

Helensburgh: 7pm 2nd and 4th Mondays. Northern Illawarra: 7:30pm 1st and 3rd Tuesday. Wollongong Toastmasters: FortnightlyWednesdays, 7:15 pm.

@ Thirroul Library – bookings essential Thu 21 Nov Stories in the Park – Glastonbury Gardens, Austinmer, 10-10:45am

Fri 22 Nov Let’s Try Line Dancing, 6-7pm @ Helensburgh Library

13 Nov Ukulele evening, Rob Cleary 5:30-6:30pm

Special Storytimes at the Library

Tue 5 Nov Billy Backpack – Thirroul 10-10:45am

Fri 8 Nov Billy Backpack – Helensburgh, 10:30-11:15am

Tue 26 Nov Surf Safety at Thirroul 10-10:45am

Fri 6 Dec Surf Safety, Helensburgh 10:30-11:15am

Get Ready! for school at Thirroul Library

Prepare your child for a healthy transition to kindergarten, 10.30-11.30am on Nov 19, 20, 26 & 27. Free, bookings essential, phone 4227 8191. Sculpture in the Garden 2025 11 Nov is the cut-off for artists wanting to apply for the 2025 exhibition, with more than $40,000 in prizes. More info: wollongong.nsw.gov.au Helensburgh Guides Christmas Tree Sale 29-30 Nov Christmas is fast approaching and the Helensburgh Girl Guides will once again be selling real Christmas Trees (and Stands)! From Friday 29th 5pm-8pm & Saturday 30th from 9am at Helensburgh Guide Hall, 4 Chippendale Place. Trees $100 & Stands $45 cash only. (Please consider our neighbours and DO NOT park across driveways or line up before 3.30pm.) Tree sales help us raise much needed funds to provide our Girl Guides with amazing programs and opportunities, so please come and purchase a beautiful tree and help support a local organisation. Help Helensburgh Landcare Clean Up

17 Nov Merilyn House invites you to join Landcare members for a clean-up on Sunday 17th, 1pm as part of Wollongong Council’s Rise and Shine initiative. We will be removing rubbish from the creeks and bushland around Vera Street and Tunnel Road, and the road to the station. Please wear long pants and a long-sleeved top, covered in shoes and a hat. Bring gloves and water. Meet at the Glowworm Tunnel. Contact: merilyn@ helensburghlandcare.org.au, 0414 819 742

Stanwell Park Uni of the Third Age (U3A)

4 Nov South Africa Part 2, Patrick Heaven

11 Nov Liberalism is No longer Working Now, John Ryan

18 Nov Fremantle to Broome, David Christian

25 Nov From Industrialists to Philanthropists in Portugal’, KerrieAnne Christian Monday talks start 9.30am. All welcome, at Hillcrest House. Jenny, 0406 350 025.

U3A Wednesday Talks Program at Thirroul

6 Nov Emma Rooksby: Landcare Illawarra and Illawarra Woodlands and Rainforest Project

13 Nov Maurie Mulheron, More on the Music of Pete Seeger

20 Nov, Anne Snedden: Bundle: The King of Wollongong

27 Nov End-of-Year Christmas Party

U3A Northern Illawarra Film Appreciation

6 Nov The Scarlet And The Black, Italy/US, 1983

13 Nov The Conversation, US, 1974

20 Nov Blazing Saddles, US, 1974

Visit www.northernillawarra.u3anet.org.au

Carols in MacCabe Park

Thursday 12 December 7 - 8.30pm

Wollongong CBD

Enjoy carols, roving entertainment, festive face painting, a visit from Santa and more!

Proudly presented by Wollongong City Council

Musical Theatre grand finale

By Music and Tea concert organiser Felicity Woodhill

Music and Tea at the Wollongong Art Gallery will end the year with ‘Being Alive’, a concert on December 5 featuring songs from musical theatre starring Molly Margaret Stewart (pictured).

Molly is a 23-year-old NIDA graduate passionate about musical theatre and voice acting. In her teenage years, she was described as the ‘Woonona songbird’. She is now a Sydney-based performer undertaking a Bachelor of Music Performance (Music Theatre) at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

Molly will be accompanied by Joanna Li, a collaborative pianist who is completing her master’s at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

The event will begin with a Prelude by song duo Sydney Parker and Jagger Leith, who captivated our audience in 2023 with their performance flair

and musical collaboration. They are two exceptional young Wollongong singers who also focus on musical theatre. We are delighted to have them open our final concert in 2024.

I first heard Molly sing at a studio concert at the Wollongong Conservatorium of Music in 2010 –she sang ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ and accompanied herself on the piano. It was a beautiful performance combining a quiet but beguiling confidence for one so young. This is not surprising given that, as Molly writes, “I have been learning and growing as a performer since I was four years old and am constantly pushing myself out of my comfort zone, both in my professional and personal life.”

In Wollongong, singing coach Karen Cummings and local theatre companies, including the Arcadians and So Popera, fostered and encouraged Molly’s talent. She recently made her Hayes Theatre Company debut in A Little Night Music and joined the ensemble for An Evening With. Her multiple theatre credits include Mamma Mia! (pictured, photo thanks to Tracey Leigh).

What a celebration!

By SPAT president Sonia Westwood

SPAT (Stanwell Park Arts Theatre) marked their 50th anniversary with a spectacular weekend of short performances, music, dancing, singing, food, laughter and friendship. Surrounded by nostalgia and memories in the SPAT Museum, our extraordinary history was on display for all.

The Tableaux Vivant, based on photos from previous productions, was a huge hit while the band just kept on playing the fabulous songs from 1974.

A huge thank you to the many people involved in making this weekend so memorable. From the 1970s party to the Champagne Brunch with its stories and celebration, it was a wonderful reminder of the camaraderie and joy brought by live community theatre.

But now we return to rehearsals for our upcoming Christmas pantomime in December. Watch out for details about Santa’s Secret and we look forward to seeing you there.

Congratulations to all, and what a way to end SPAT’s 50th year!

Fertility problems? See your GP

By Dr Hayley Glasson of Bulli Medical Practice

Discovering that it is not easy to fall pregnant can be stressful and concerning, but it is a common experience. About one in six Australian couples have fertility difficulties. Seeking help from a trusted GP is an important first step in finding any underlying medical explanations, getting emotional support and considering medical assistance.

Infertility can be due to:

• female factors, such as endometriosis or PCOS (30% of cases)

• male factors, such as low sperm count or quality (30% of cases)

• combined factors (30% of cases)

• no found cause or ‘unexplained’ infertility (10% of cases).

To maximise your chances of falling pregnant, either naturally or through assisted reproduction, it is helpful to eat a balanced diet, reduce or eliminate alcohol or drug intake (including caffeine), quit smoking, exercise regularly, get enough sleep, and manage stress.

Open Monday to Friday: 8am - 6pm Saturday: 8am - 12 noon

Full range of general practice services including women’s and men’s health, child and adolescent health, older adult health and nursing home visits, and specialised clinics including:

y Travel medicine - accredited Yellow Fever vaccination centre

y Skin cancer checks

If you and your partner are younger than 35 and tried to conceive for over 12 months, or over 35 and tried to conceive for 6 months, or if you have known infertility (including social), it is time to see your GP. Your GP will take a comprehensive history, including menstrual history, timing of intercourse, obstetric and gynaecological history, lifestyle and family history. They may perform a physical examination before ordering initial investigations, which include genetic testing, hormone levels, semen analysis, STI testing or imaging.

Your GP may then refer you to a fertility specialist. We are fortunate in the Illawarra to have several highly skilled fertility doctors and teams. Your specialist will guide you through further investigations and a range of assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs). ARTs are rapidly advancing and improving, but still depend largely on the age of the female partner.

As you embark on this journey, it is important to ensure you feel supported psychologically. Your GP or fertility specialist can direct you towards professional counselling services.

Book online* via the website: www.bullimedicalpractice.com.au or scan QR code:

*Please call 4284 4622 for an appointment if you have any respiratory symptoms 74 Park Road, Bulli 4284 4622

Venturers take on canoe challenge

By Paul Rustomji of 1st Austinmer Scout Group

What did you get up to on your October long weekend? Austinmer Venturer Scout Daniel led an adventurous journey with five other Venturer Scouts paddling canoes 95km down the Hawkesbury River from Cattai Campground to the Hawkesbury River Bridge across four days. The patrol was challenged by wind, tides, long days and a lot of long weekend boat traffic.

Daniel said: “I learnt a lot more skills about canoeing that I didn’t know before this, and I learnt a lot of things about planning a trip of this scale.”

Austinmer Scout Group kicks off term four with a solid program across all our age groups from Joey’s at five years old up to our Venturers in their teens. Even our five- to seven-year-old Joeys are going rock-climbing and kayaking on their afternoon sessions.

Meetings are scheduled for Mondays and Wednesdays depending on the age group.

To try Scouts with 1st Austinmer, contact the Group Leader on 0409 695 575.

NIRAG/NF3 Report

By secretary Ross Dearden

The Northern Illawarra Residents Action Group (NIRAG) supports preservation of open space and the retention and enhancement of our natural environment, European and Indigenous heritage. Since 2020 Neighbourhood Forum 3 (Woonona, Bulli, Thirroul and Austinmer) has not had a convenor and residents have attended NIRAG quarterly meetings to discuss and contribute to local community issues.

In August, NIRAG celebrated 40 years of community action which began in 1984 with the campaign to prevent 40m-high coal bins at Sandon Point. A collection of archival records was presented to the Lord Mayor for the Wollongong Council Local Studies Library. These are being used by NIRAG member John Corker, who is writing a book about the demonstrations at Sandon Point, and last month was runner-up in the prestigious Local History Prize competition for his entry, The Valentine’s Day Blockade Bulli, New South Wales Thursday 14 February 2002: A Historical Account. The paper was a compelling narrative of active, but peaceful community resistance, and can be read on the Council’s Library website (Local History Prize).

Since the Council elections in September, we welcome three new Ward One councillors, Cr Dan Hayes, Cr Ryan Morris and Cr Jess Whittaker. Cr Richard Martin was re-elected, and we appreciate that he was a consistent participant at our meetings in previous years. Having this regular opportunity for our elected representatives to communicate with local community issues is great. We invite the new Councillors to regularly attend our quarterly meeting.

A special agenda item at this meeting will be a presentation by Council on how to be involved in the Community Strategic Plan (CSP) process, which will be on exhibition until 18th November.

The next quarterly meeting will be on Wednesday, 13th November 2024 at 7pm at the Bulli Community Centre (in the upstairs meeting room). All welcome.

The minutes of the August quarterly meeting are on the Illawarra Flame website.

For additional information or to add new items to the agenda contact Ross Dearden by email: nirag@bigpond.com

How to date an architect

By Ben Wollen

No, I don’t mean in a romantic relationship! That’s not to say you shouldn’t date an architect. I mean, many of us make great partners and can show you how to pack a dishwasher like an obsessive-compulsive pro! Jokes aside – how do you find the right architect that suits you and your design aspirations? I’ve often thought there needs to be some sort of Tinder app that allows potential clients to court their architect by inputting a series of ‘must-have’, ‘good to have’ and ‘deal-breaker’ characteristics into their profile and they are then provided a list of possibles that best match all of the inputs. But, as most people know, this is no guarantee to finding a partner or an architect.

As there isn’t an architect dating app just yet, I asked ChatGPT to see if a bit of AI could offer some advice. After various prompts, I present the list below. (Note: I only used the listed items, not the text that accompanied them. I pledge to be the sole author of my articles unless otherwise noted.)

No. 1 – Define your needs & vision

Essentially, this should be ‘write your brief’. This is probably the most important bit of advice I would give as well. Unfortunately, many of us just jump in and work things out along the way. Whilst this can work, it’s always better to start with the vision.

No. 2 – Research

This banner covered a bunch of items such as check credentials (are they registered, if so, who with?) Review past work, i.e. check their portfolio and ask for references to past clients and builders they’ve worked with. Also, ask for certificates of professional indemnity insurance and confirm qualifications. Meet with them. An in-person meeting is a great way to check if there will be a rapport between yourself and the architect.

No. 3 – Money

This is generally where a lot of people start and stop. How much are the fees, are they fixed, percentage-based or hourly rate? Do you need full services all the way up to lock up or just a napkin sketch? What kind of contract or agreement will you work under and is it an industry standard?

No. 4 – Evaluate and Consider

Given the above, what best matches your criteria for your given budget? Time to put those spreadsheet skills to the test or create a matrix. To get back to the dating analogy, this is the proposal point. Do I want to spend the rest of my life with this person? Architecturally speaking – can I entrust this person/firm to deliver my design aspirations? This last point is probably the trickiest one, but if you’ve done all your homework in the previous points, then at least you will be making the most informed decision you can. If you’re at loggerheads, I have known clients to ask for a concept sketch from their short-list and paid each architect a nominal fee for the privilege.

Just like dating, even with in-depth homework/ research, things can still go awry, but at least you’ve given yourself your best chance at a good working relationship and hopefully a home to love.

Designing a future

By Philipa Tlaskal

Fresh from the opening of his ‘Kurunpa Kunpu’ (Strong Spirit) exhibition as part of September’s London Design Festival, furniture designer Dr Trent Jansen hears voices.

The collectible furniture he creates with First Nations artists are ‘storytelling vessels’ that tell of the indigenous response to climate change.

With four works in the National Gallery of Victoria, Trent now appears to be passing on his talent. Today his young daughter is selling gum nuts and Venetian glass fragments on the driveway scrawled with her own chalk artwork.

A dad-designed swing made of rippled leather, crafted with saddler Johnny Nargoodah, swings in a gum tree in the front yard of his Thirroul home. Last year, the family returned from Venice where Trent (43) received the prestigious Venice Design Biennial internship. Trent now lectures in art and design at the University of NSW, describing himself as a ‘design anthropologist’.

His Thirroul studio – open last month as part of the Illawarra Festival of Architecture and Design – is in a secluded cul de sac, made of salvaged materials, its tin roof studded with solar panels.

Trent is part of Electrify 2515, the groundbreaking pilot project supported by Dr Saul Griffith that recently received funding to transform 500 homes in northern Illawarra.

“I don’t feel at peace in cities anymore,” Trent says. “I love working here and we have the most beautiful community. This electrification project reflects all our values.

“Architects are the main creatives in Thirroul and through Electrify 2515 we’re educating locals to make the houses more sustainable.”

just as the South Coast was once known as the Coal Coast. Trent’s backyard is still littered with chunks of it. Then there is the ‘Manta Pilti’; a wooden cabinet towering 2m high, composed of a jigsaw of wooden panels channelling the droughtcracked earth of South Australia’s Indulkana, the country of his collaborator, Minyma Anangu woman Tanya Singer. “I did Indigenous Studies for the HSC but not woodwork,” Trent says, smiling He’s the kind of designer the world needs right now. As Australia braces for another simmering summer, Trent has developed a course for the UNSW College of Fine Arts (COFA) called ‘Adaptive Design’, which focuses on emergency response design for flood, fire or cyclone. “My teaching work for UNSW COFA is an important strand of weaving my activist values with my work and response to climate change and it is a way to bring students on country to Thirroul,” he says.

Trent and his partner, Amy, met working in remote communities in Fitzroy Crossing and Hermannsburg. “Indigenous elders took us to special sites, storytelling the whole way. They have tales to warn children not to go into the forest.

"And we need to deeply listen.”

Inside his studio is a sculptural couch, like a leathery Uluru, and models for two extraordinary cabinets. One is the ‘Magistrato Al Sal Nero,’ a tribute to the black salt that built Venice’s wealth,

HURRY!

Good Neighbours become good friends

By Genevieve Swart

A retired coal miner and a young mum with a background in the creative arts have cemented an unlikely friendship after starring in an episode of Good Neighbours, hosted by Ryan Moloney (aka ‘Toadie’ in Neighbours).

Darryl Best and Ali Gerritsen were both part of the local Good for the Gong group but had never met when they were invited to appear in an episode of the New Joneses’ film series.

“We started bouncing texts back and forth – for me that was a way to assuage my nerves!” Ali says.

Darryl agrees: “It is really nerve wracking doing something like that. It isn’t just the fact that you are getting asked a lot of questions while having a camera pointed at you, but also you want to try and get your answers to be meaningful, coherent and factual.”

Ali says, “It was great to meet Toadie and Tamara (who runs the show) – I was a Neighbours fan growing up – so I made sure to tell him that, hoping he’d go easy on me!”

Darryl: “The New Joneses crew were great … Ryan was excellent at making you feel relaxed and was really interesting to talk to. I didn’t have the heart to tell him the only episode of Neighbours that I had seen was when Kylie was married.

“It was also good to be one of the five stories from different places. It helps to feel that we are part of something big and great.”

The series follows Ryan as he hits the road to learn about Australia’s shift to solar and wind energy in the regional communities making it happen – the Latrobe Valley and Horsham in Victoria and Goulburn, Crookwell and Wollongong in NSW. RE-Alliance, Community Power Agency and Yes2Renewables lodged a joint submission to the recent Australian Senate’s Select

Committee Inquiry on Energy Planning and Regulation, urging the committee to consider the stories highlighted by the films.

Ali said she was glad to have the chance to speak up publicly in favour of clean energy.

“I have been deeply worried about the future for my kids and we know that climate change is the biggest threat to nature. We live in a beautiful place here on Dharawal Country, I want to protect it.”

Ali described wind power as an “incredible opportunity” that could bring savings and investment to our region. “You’re looking at reduced energy bills, investment in schools, roads, public amenities, and funds to regenerate our beautiful green escarpment and creeks – simply put, a better quality of life.”

Supporting each other through stage fright led to a friendship across the generations. Now Darryl and Ali have found themselves working together on actor Yael Stone’s charity, Hi Neighbour, which helps Illawarra locals to upskill for renewable jobs via scholarships funded by local solar projects.

Darryl is on the Hi Neighbour board and Ali recently became its scholarship coordinator.

“I started my career with a degree in Art Therapy and have worked in varied roles since, now I want to switch to clean energy,” she says.

“Darryl is also a real role model to me, he is continually sticking his neck out to get such an important message across and it holds so much weight knowing he has come from a career in coal – he’s seen how it works first-hand.”

Darryl: “Whether you are a young mum or an older (much) dad, you are still a parent. This means you never stop worrying about your children’s future. After a lifetime proudly working in an industry that shaped Australia and the world, I realise that same industry is a major contributor to the destruction of our environment and the chaos that is now our climate.

“We are both working towards the same goal, reversing the catastrophic effects of climate change.”

Ali and Darryl are currently supporting a push for the federal government to fund independent Local Energy Hubs. These hubs would be drop-in information and advisory centres, Ali explains, staffed by trusted locals (“more jobs yay!”).

This interview was abridged for print, scan the QR code for the full story and to watch Ali and Darryl in ‘Good Neighbours’

Watt about Horsepower

Part 10 in Peter Aubourg’s Diary of an EV Driver

Like today, back in the 1780s there was a change in the way machines were being powered. Then it was from horse power to steam power, for driving pumps to take water out of mines.

Young James Watt had trouble convincing industrialists that his steam engines could save them money. So he set about doing experiments to work out how much power a horse could produce.

He decided that a fair figure for a “Brewery Horse” was to lift a 550 lb weight 1 foot every second. This got rounded off to 33,000 foot pounds per minute. So, the “Horsepower” was born. Don’t you love the imperial system? We have been stuck with the Horsepower ever since.

Watt sold his steam engines by quoting how many Horsepower the engines would produce and so how many horses the machine would replace.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the English Channel, revolution was afoot. Aristocrats were having their heads guillotined off and new forms of government were being tried. Out with the old and in with the new!

French scientists had been beavering away for 100 years or so on a rational system for length, weight and volume based on 10s and now seemed a good time to slip the idea in front of some ranting revolutionaries. In 1799 a decimal system based on the kilogram and the metre was officially introduced. Then thrown out … Then reintroduced. After the 3rd revolution it was still a going concern. However, the French tendency to man barricades has never faded.

Back on the English side of the channel, scientists could see the sense in this metric lark and thought that they should get some naming rights.

The units should be named after famous scientists. There was the Amp (Ampere, French Scientist) and the Volt (Volta, Italian Scientist), but the power needed to push an Amp through a potential of a Volt was up for grabs. The British Association for the Advancement of Science thought that Watt should be the unit, and so it was. Now Watt was actually Scottish, but at least he was on the right side of the channel.

Now the metric system has been adopted all over the world, except for three countries: Liberia and Myanmar, and the USA. I say nothing.

So what the hell has all this got to do with EVs? Well, in EVs, the mechanical power and electrical power are defined in the same units. Watts. 1 Watt is quite a small amount of power, so we generally see power measured in 1000 Watt chunks, or Kilowatts (kW). If your home charger is filling your EV at 7kW for an hour, then your battery is going

to get 7 Kilowatt-Hours (kWh) of extra energy. Mechanical power and electrical power are measured in the same units (kW). The maximum mechanical power produced by the motor in our MG4 is 125 kw. That’s about 167 Horsepower in the old money. I know Watts is a much more rational metric until, but James Watt’s marketing gimmick lives on when I think of my car being pulled by 167 horses snorting, stamping and farting their way up Bulli Pass. That’s serious grunt!

imperial horsepower lifts 550 pounds (250kg) by 1 foot (30cm) in 1 second. Image: WikiCommons

NF1 Report

By Neighbourhood Forum 1 (2508 area) convenor Warwick Erwin

New

Helensburgh Community Centre and Library

Council staff provided an update and started their very limited “engagement with the community”, which feels more like a tick-the-box exercise than a real engagement on the biggest council project in the 2508 area possibly ever. It is a project that should have a life of over 50 years. It is not a project to be rushed as Council is trying to do.

The Walker St location is what the community came out loud and clear in saying though the engagement on the Plan of Management for the Crown Reserves of Charles Harper Park, Pool and Sportsgrounds when Council indicated it was planning to build the new Community Centre and Library in front of the swimming pool.

Back in 2017 when Council conducted engagement on a new Library (library replacement only), including multiple workshops, the community indicated we wanted a combined Community Centre and Library (report never released by Council) and the Library replacement project died and funding disappeared.

At a Helensburgh Town Centre Plan community engagement in early 2019, including two workshops, it was clear that the community wanted the combined Community Centre and Library. Covid-19 restriction prevented face-to-face engagement and only 29 people completed Council’s survey about the Community Centre.

Where are we at now?

Council has finally (after a delay of more than two years) agreed with the Community that the combined centre should be in Walker Street.

Council wants to build the new centre on the vacant blocks it bought for $3.6 million (originally offered to Council for $3.2m six months earlier) and sell the two blocks the current library is on.

Council intends to use a design-and-construct contract to “speed up” the construction. This means that the community may not have the option to review and comment on the design.

Council’s presentation to NF1 showed a library double the size of the existing library but community centre facilities smaller than at the existing centre. No details on the amount of parking. An engagement period of less than 28 days ended on 28 October 2024.

The community wants a larger modern library with capacity for future technologies and a community centre at least the size/capacity of the current centre – not smaller. Parking has to service the new combined centre and the town’s main street. Council wants to do a rush job and that never gives what the community needs and wants.

Have your say: Email comments to new Lord Mayor Tania Brown and Ward One Councillors Richard Martin, Dan Hayes, Ryan Morris, Jess Whittaker via council@wollongong.nsw.gov.au

Ward Councillors

Cr Richard Martin, Cr Dan Hayes, Cr Ryan Morris, and Cr Jess Whittaker were elected as Ward One councillors and Cr Richard Martin, Cr Dan Hayes, and Cr Ryan Morris attended the October meeting of NF1. Cr Tania Brown was elected as Lord Mayor.

Stormwater issues

Numerous properties have reported stormwater issues, mainly with concentrated follows from Councils roadworks causing erosion on their properties – this is being referred to Council’s Director of Works and Infrastructure.

Helensburgh Cemetery Portico consultation No report from Council yet but indications are that majority of feedback supported removing the portico and a new front entrance to the cemetery.

NF1 next meets 7pm, 13 Nov at Otford Hall

No.1 author returns

By Jane Pretty, president of the Friends of Wollongong City Libraries

Friends of Wollongong City Libraries are delighted to welcome back Alexander McCall Smith as the guest for their final event of 2024. Alexander is one of the world’s most prolific and best-loved authors. With the publication of The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series he has become a household name. In 2024, he was honoured as Knight Bachelor by His Majesty King Charles III for services to literature, academia and charity. Alexander has been a popular speaker at earlier events and we look forward to welcoming him back for a literary dinner at 6pm on December 5. It will be at a new venue for us – The Loft Room at Wollongong Master Builders’ Club. Book via Eventbrite.

Yes book planned

By Jeremy Lasek, a prominent Illawarra YES campaigner

To mark the first anniversary of the failed referendum for a First Nations Voice to Parliament, last month dozens of Yes campaign supporters walked in solidarity from Coalcliff to Thirroul.

Decked out in Yes t-shirts, the impromptu 11km walk attracted about 30 participants.

Our sights are now focused on a project to record the local narrative of the bitter-sweet-bitter campaign in book form. Jaymee Beveridge, the inspiring Aboriginal leader at the University of Wollongong’s Woolyungah Indigenous Centre, said the idea of a book came from the National Allyship Summit that her team hosted in August.

“One of the leading YES campaigners, Thomas Mayo, told delegates at the summit that traditionally after a battle it’s the victors who create the narrative and write the history. He challenged us to write our own history, and that’s what we plan to do. Through our book we want to capture our version of events during the local referendum campaign, so in 2050 and 2060 when our grandkids and great grandkids look back at what happened they get a more balanced perspective.”

The plan is ambitious – reaching out to the many hundreds of active YES campaigners in the Illawarra. We want the book to capture it all – the good, the bad and the ugly. Our campaign was grassroots, there were so many special events at beaches and in theatres, a Windang Bridge Walk, a city-wide education campaign in shopping centres, at railway stations and via door knocking. While there will be many negatives – especially given the final result – and we must capture the truth of what happened, we also want to provide all of those inspiring, uplifting moments and experiences that we all shared.

We expect our Illawarra-based book project will become a treasured, historic document.

Contributions are being sought by the end of November – contact wic-events@uow.edu.au.

We aim to launch the book in October 2025.

Join Xmas fundraiser

With the team at Collins Booksellers Thirroul Young & old are invited to join our Xmas Fundraising Project. We’ll give you a plain paper carry bag to take home and decorate using pencils, ink, crayon, textas, paint or collage. Bring your titivated bag back to the shop … then come Xmas shopping time, buy one of the beautiful hand-made bags to transport your gifts, and the money raised will go to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.

Our 2024 Events Program ends this month and we’re going out with a bang: the rescheduled Courtney Collins event with Sarah Nicholson (BIRD); Jacqueline Bublitz with Mitch Jennings (Leave the Girls Behind); and the latest art book from Amber Creswell Bell, About Face, with a panel of artists: Paul Ryan, Jonathon Dalton, Caroline Zilinski. Lastly the launch of Flight, Shady Cosgrove’s beautiful poetry book. Book via collinsbooksthirroul.com.au or 4267 1408.

collins BOOKSELLERS thirroul

Shop 5/264 Lawrence Hargrave Drive

www.collinsbooksthirroul.com.au

@collinsbooksellersthirroul

Team HELNO ready the rally car

By Tyneesha Williams

John Hine from Helensburgh Car Services will join the Shitbox Rally, driving from Perth to Dawin to raise funds for Cancer Council in June 2025.

Joined by his co-driver and sister-in-law Nicole Howe, team HELNO are preparing their rally car and fundraising in their local community.

“This will be my 8th or 9th rally. We hope to raise at least $10,000. Last time, I raised $26,000.” John says.

Shitbox Rally challenges participants to travel across remote Australian terrain in a car worth $1500 or less. Participants must raise a minimum of $5000 to go toward cancer research.

“We’re starting our fundraising a bit earlier this time, because Covid interfered with one of them and we didn’t get the chance to do as much as we

would have liked,” John said.

“The rally is the thank you for the fundraising –so the fundraising is the part that takes you ages to do. But it’s all for a good cause to go to the Cancer Council.”

In its 15th year, Shitbox Rally aims to raise $2million for Cancer Council in 2025. Since 2009, Shitbox Rally has raised more than $45 million and is the largest funder for Cancer Council Australia. John and Nicole will be raising funds alongside 500 other participants for the Winter 2025 rally.

“You get to meet up with all the other participants the night before the rally.

“Getting to know them is really cool because they’re all there for a good reason, raising good money for cancer.” John says.

You can apply to sponsor team HELNO in return for branding displayed on their rally car and websites. The team would also appreciate donations in the form of goods or services.

Donations over $2 are tax deductible, go to winter2025.shitboxrally.com.au/helno The team at Transitus Legal is dedicated to helping you navigate your legal journey. We offer assistance in the following areas:

Wedded

to real consent

By local authorised marriage celebrant Jacqueline Dee

From 12 June 2024, all authorised marriage celebrants have been required under the Marriage Act 1961 (the Marriage Act) to meet with each party to the marriage separately and in person before they solemnise the marriage.

This applies to all legal marriages and all authorised celebrants.

Real consent is the cornerstone of the Marriage Act and while it has always been the case that celebrants must be satisfied that each party is providing real consent, new requirements from the Attorney-General’s Department require celebrants to hold separate meetings with each party to determine real consent before the marriage. A court may find a marriage to be void where the consent of either of the parties is not real consent.

Contact our office today Office: 32 Walker Street, Helensburgh Phone: 02 4294 9980 Email: hello@transituslegal.com.au www.transituslegal.com.au

I have designed a simple checklist of questions that I am using to determine real consent with each party. The feedback from couples has been very positive, I think it helps each party reflect that little bit more about the legal nature of marriage and I see this being only positive.

Visit jacquelinedeecelebrant.com

Gem of a gift idea

By Jeremy Lasek

As we count down the days to the festive season, how many of us are struggling to come up with a one-of-a-kind Christmas gift which has style, purpose and practicality? Why not consider giving your someone special a unique creative experience, in which they’ll walk away with a piece of jewellery with extra special meaning.

These hands-on practical workshops are led by Yvette de Mestre, a fully qualified and experienced jeweller based in her own home studio in Tarrawanna.

In the past, Yvette’s jewellery creations have been sold in London and Sydney. Now she’s focusing her efforts closer to home and offering small group sessions (up to five people) or private sessions for adults and children. Yvette is a certified Creative Kids provider and beginners and all skill levels are made very welcome in a fun environment.

“I’ve always loved creating a piece of art and transforming a two-dimensional drawing into a mini sculpture that is wearable,” Yvette said.

“When people book into a workshop, I start by doing some demonstrations and helping people to get confidence about the process. Everyone will make a silver ring or pendant and walk away from the day with their own finished piece of jewellery.

“These days a lot of young people are inquisitive about jewellery making but it is really something for all ages.”

The workshops are usually held on weekends between 10am-4.30pm. All materials and light snacks are provided, and it ends with a glass of bubbles to celebrate what’s been created.

Kloe Millet, from Woonona, enjoyed her workshop giving her mother a class as a gift they could share together.

“Mum loved it. I created earrings and she brought along one of her mother’s silver thimbles and turned it into a lovely pendant,” Kloe said.

Yvette also loves working closely with clients on commissions to create an original, personalised piece.

“One of my clients came with his wife’s ashes and he wanted a special piece of jewellery created with her ashes in it.

“We also do couples workshops. An engaged couple came along to make each other’s wedding rings; she made his and he made hers.”

Yvette also carries out jewellery repairs and remodelling, giving old worn-out pieces a shiny new life.

Visit www.ydjewellerydesigns.com or phone 0422 090 413

Give the gift of creativity this Christmas with an exclusive jewellery design workshop from a leading local artisan.

studio

commissions also available

Yvette de Mestre

Creativity at work: Kloe Millet (right) at work watched by Yvette de Mestre with Cherie Sweeney at left. Photos: Jeremy Lasek

RFS well prepared for hot, wet summer

By Jeremy Lasek

With the forecast of a long hot summer ahead, the man entrusted with overseeing the Illawarra’s response to any serious bushfire risk remains cautiously optimistic.

Rural Fire Service District Manager

Superintendent Martin Surrey says that while the Bureau of Meteorology is predicting one of the hottest summers on record across Australia “they’re also saying it could be a wet season as well.”

“That’s really the unknown. It’s likely we’re going to see the return of hot days and storms in the evening,” Supt Surrey said. He’s hoping those wet evenings will dampen the risk of any serious bushfire outbreaks across the region.

“Of course, it only takes two to three days of warm, blustery weather and the bush can dry out pretty quickly.”

Supt Surrey said the local RFS brigades were all appropriately resourced and ready to respond if and when required. He also hasn’t ruled out more hazard reduction burns in the weeks ahead “if weather conditions are suitable.”

The RFS District Manager downplayed any concerns that the region’s key planning document, the Illawarra Bushfire Management Plan 2015-

You Ready for

The risk of losing your home can be reduced with the Rainmaker Bushfire Sprinkler System, which cools the area around your home and helps to extinguish flying hot embers. Engineered to be water efficient, low maintenance and easy to use, it is the extra help you need if you plan to stay and defend your property. If you intend to leave early, don’t just rely on your insurance, our system can defend your home for several hours unmanned.

2020 appears to be four years out of date,

Under the Rural Fire Act 1997 every regional bushfire management plan must be reviewed and updated within each successive five-year period. The aim of the Bushfire Management Plan (BFMP) is “to minimise the risk of adverse impact of bushfires on life, property and the environment.”

Supt Surrey said the Illawarra had received time extensions in updating the regional plan and the delay was partly due to a new methodology in which crucial scientific information is being plugged into a big data base at Melbourne University.

He confirmed that the Illawarra’s BFMP is into its third and final stage before being signed off and “the majority of areas rated as being at extreme risk in the current plan have been confirmed for the updated plan. A couple of other areas have come back as being at a higher risk than in the current plan,” Supt Surrey added.

There’s more to this story –scan the QR to continue reading on our website

Treat yourself to a Lions Christmas Cake

By Helensburgh Lions Club publicity officer Fran Peppernell

It has certainly been a busy year and we still have activities on the go. Our famous 1kg Christmas Cakes and Puddings will be available at Jason's Helensburgh Butchery and also when Lions have a BBQ outside Coles Helensburgh. Cost is $16 per cake or pudding – tasty choices to enjoy!

When you buy a Lions Christmas Cake or pudding, you're making a real impact, Every delicious bite helps fuel projects that keep our communities thriving, help in disaster relief, cancer research and more. Helensburgh Lions Club are always looking for community-minded people to join us to provide such an important service. Email info.helensburghlions@gmail.com

Thirroul Village Committee Update

By TVC secretary Annette Jones

On Sunday, September 22 the TVC held a general meeting. Issues discussed included the results of the Big Ideas Community Survey about the redevelopment of the Thirroul Plaza site, a summary of which was provided in the October edition of The Illawarra Flame. Present at the meeting was the Member for Heathcote, Maryanne Stuart, who provided updates on issues of interest.

Bulli Bypass

Maryanne reported that TfNSW is completing a Strategic Business Case (SBC) for a bypass of Bulli. This is a more detailed activity than a feasibility study. Investigations and assessment are underway and are expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2025. The SBC (Stage 2) will include analysis and shortlisting of options, including economic appraisal by mid-2025. The final business case will commence after the SBC has been independently reviewed and assured by Infrastructure for NSW. If the project is supported to proceed, the final business case (Stage 3) would likely commence around the second quarter of 2025 and be completed around late 2026.

Intersection of Lawrence Hargrave Drive (LHD) and Raymond Road

Maryanne said $2.43 million has been committed to raising the intersection of LHD and Raymond Road under the Towards Zero Safer Roads Program as a means to improve pedestrian safety at this location. Funding has been allocated over the 2024-25 and 2025-26 financial years, with the first year dedicated to consultation and planning. Construction is scheduled for the following year.

TfNSW will consult with nearby businesses, schools and residents during the planning phase this financial year to understand any challenges or concerns related to implementing the raised safety platform treatment. TfNSW will also prepare visualisations to demonstrate what it might look like once completed. Flooding challenges are a primary focus. TfNSW will be working closely with WCC to understand current flood challenges and how this project may affect the movement of water.

E-Bikes and E-Scooters

There is an enquiry by the Upper House into the use of E-Bikes, E-Scooters and related mobility options. The terms of reference include making this mode of transportation safer for the riders and the community; the impact they have in relieving congestion and addressing social disadvantage; the role of all levels of government in enabling and

encouraging safe electrified active transport options. Submissions closed on 18 August and a public hearing on the matter was set to begin on October 29 at Parliament House, Sydney.

Creating Safer Connections

Changes are proposed at local railway stations, including Thirroul, Bulli, Stanwell Park, Austinmer, Corrimal, Helensburgh and Coniston, as part of the Creating Safer Connections to Train Stations projects. What is proposed at Thirroul is:

• Building a new footpath across the traffic island near Railway Parade

• Bus stop upgrades including the extension of kerb outside the station entrance

• Installing 5 new light poles in the Thirroul Train Station south carpark – on the south-eastern side of the train line near Thomas Gibson Park. The TVC made a submission to Council about the proposal and now awaits the next stage.

Next TVC meeting: 4pm, Sunday, November 24 at TRIPS Hall, Railway Parade Thirroul, thirroulvillagecommittee@gmail.com

feature Cover BarefootBOHO QUEEN

By Caroline Baum

Gina Chick will be in conversation with True Story director Caroline Baum on November 17. Photo: Mark Roper

Even people who did not watch Alone Australia on SBS know Gina Chick – she’s become one of those rare figures who transcends the television show that propelled her into the public sphere. That’s down to her off-the-scale charisma, a degree of luminosity that is 100 percent natural, a dramatic phenomenon like a live volcano, or a magical snowstorm.

Somehow, the source of her energy is never depleted, even by a punishing promotional schedule for her first book, We Are the Stars, as well as appearances at the Logies (barefoot, of course, her trademark).

“My degree of neurodiversity means that I just can’t do small talk,” she says to me on the phone, in a short gap between events. “I go straight to the nub of the conversation. I made a vow of veracity on Alone, of not editing anything of myself, of sharing my grief storm (over the loss of her daughter Blaise at the age of three to cancer). Thing is, once you have shown your innards, people launch right in.

“What I have discovered is that my introversion is nourished by this amazing experience of meeting so many people. I’m good at setting boundaries, for starters: I’m either totally available or I take myself away for a bit, so that what is public is profound and deep. It does require courage, but I have the capacity and it’s such a privilege.”

It seems only right for Gina to bring her magic to True Story 2024, the third festival of creative non-fiction at Coledale Community Hall, as hers is such a remarkable combination of grief, loss, recovery, superior survival skills, and New Age goddess wisdom. Besides, she’s also almost local, a South Coaster who lives near Jervis Bay.

Gina’s earthy, practical and, yes, slightly woo-woo vibe jumped off the screen in the first episode of Alone Australia, as she danced for joy on her little patch of bleak Tasmanian wilderness in her possum fur cloak, made under the instruction of a regular True Story guest, Dr Jodi Edwards. No other contestant was able to make the wilderness feel like home the way she did – even going so far as to thatch a door out of local grasses to keep the warmth of her fire in her hut.

Since then, she’s spent more time in hotel rooms around the world than at home. There’s also been a spontaneous pilgrimage to the island of Hydra, where her grandmother Charmian Clift (whom True Story honours with a doco as part of the program) lived in a bohemian crowd that included Leonard Cohen.

“I never chased up her story as I didn’t want her voice in my head. I had not read a word of her. Honestly. And then I went there and I just could not find her, not any real trace. Until the last day, when I found the taverna where she hung out with Leonard and the others and it was like being struck by lightning and I sang there, I wept there and hung on to that feeling to channel it into the book.”

The genetic imprint is undeniable: those cheekbones, those lips. But also that sense of freedom, that curiosity, that open-hearted expansive embrace of the natural and the human, wherever and however they collide.

Trust Gina to reject the convention and to write her memoir as if it were fiction, including dialogue.

“I have synaesthesia, so when I write it’s a multi-sensorial experience and I just fall into it and live it, so it’s written in the present tense.”

A second book is underway, and there is a cascade of others, including for children, in that gorgeous busy brain of hers.

She admits that the current schedule of planes, airports and hotels is unfamiliar, along with the degree of attention and interest. “The most distracting part of it is social media,” she confesses. “I want to share, but don’t want it all to be about me, and navigating that is a balancing act I am still learning.”

Seemingly fearless, she admits there are two things that scare her. “The first is any kind of improv, like Theatresports, that’s my idea of hell.

“The other is the messiness of the body failing in death. Like my dad, I don’t feel pain, I am really just scar tissue held together with willpower, but the primal grasping at life when it is failing is another matter…”

A veteran of Mardi Gras, with more than her fair share of sequins in her wardrobe, she is enjoying the transformational dress-up aspect of photo shoots, “not just because it allows me to drag out my vintage couture to become Cinderella,” she says, “but because I can insist on not being photo-shopped or airbrushed. This platform gives me the opportunity for connection and to show what it looks like to be a 55-year-old woman with leg fat.”

Just don’t ask her to wear shoes.

Gina Chick will be in conversation with Caroline Baum at True Story festival at 2.30pm on Sunday, Nov 17 at Coledale Community Hall. Tickets at southcoastwriters.org

TRUE STORY.

The State of Us

True Story Festival will showcase of some of the best creative non-fiction writing in Australia today at Coledale Community Hall

Artistic

Biographer Jo Oliver

True Story is three this year and we are growing up fast! Our theme, The State of Us, recognises what a complex and at times bruising year we’ve had. It made us want to curate a series of conversations that would prompt us to examine what we have in common rather than what divides us. Come and have your sense of who we are renewed and stimulated, challenged and energised, by this talented and generous bunch of writers. All festival events will be held at Coledale Community Hall. To book tickets, scan the QR code above or visit southcoastwriters.org

Friday 15 November

WRITING WORKSHOPS

Take a masterclass in research, writing and style

RESEARCHING AND WRITING

BIOGRAPHY (WORKSHOP)

Fri 15 Nov 10am-2:30pm

Do you love reading about other people’s lives? Thinking about or started writing a biography? This workshop by biographer Jo Oliver gives you the opportunity to develop ideas, learn research skills and find sources. You will receive tips on planning and organising your work, applying for fellowships and grants and finding publishers. There will be practice writing an engaging narrative and a chance to share work with other writers.

ATTENTION AND DEVOTION (WORKSHOP)

Fri 15 Nov 10am-1pm

Super-observer and memoirist Ailsa Piper (Sinning Across Spain, The Attachment, For Life) invites participants to expand their writerly observational skills, and to explore the selections and the magnification of details that can become markers for character, place and even plot. How can the micro transform, or even become, the macro? How can a miniature hold a world? How can a detail become an entry point, a beginning, or a satisfying resolution?

Whether you work in prose, poetry, fiction, non-fiction, drama or lyrics, the right detail in the right place can do more work, and carry more weight than pages of exposition or dialogue. Participants are invited to attend with pen, paper, one small but very familiar object, and wide-open eyes.

FILM NIGHT

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY

(FILM SCREENING + Q&A)

Fri 15 Nov 6:30-8:30pm

In a documentary rich with archival material and interviews with her friends, Life Burns High captures the charisma and appeal of journalist Charmian Clift, who lived a bohemian life in Greece before returning to Australia with her husband George Johnston. What was it about this outspoken unconventional free spirit that made readers adore the weekly column she wrote for the Sydney Morning Herald? Following the screening, director Rachel Lane and co-producer Sue Milliken joins definitive Clift biographer Nadia Wheatley to discuss her enduring relevance.

Director Caroline Baum

Workshop host Ailsa Piper

Saturday 16 November

WELCOME TO COUNTRY

Sat 16 Nov 2-2:10pm with Dr Jodi Edwards

EXCLUSIVE OPENING ADDRESS

Sat 16 Nov 2:10-3:10pm

With Mean Streak, his new investigation of how Robodebt was allowed to create a suicidal wave of despair, Rick Morton proves once again that he has an unflinching instinct for social analysis, combining journalistic rigour with an outspoken sense of justice. Rick will reflect on the painful truths he has learned while investigating brutal policies that ruin lives. But don’t expect a litany of gloom: he has a wicked and irreverent sense of humour, so anything is possible.

AUTHOR TALKS

ALL THE PRETTY SEAHORSES

Sat 16 Nov 3:35-4:35pm

Memoirist Ailsa Piper (Sinning Across Spain, The Attachment) describes her latest offering, For Life, as a tale of living, dying and flying, but it is also about swimming, noticing, favourite words, friendship, and finding a home. In conversation with celebrant and award-winning author of Eulogy Dr Jackie Bailey, she discusses ritual, belonging and the joys of dictionary definitions.

SINGING OUR STORIES

Sat 16 Nov 5-6pm

Why do some songs catch the imagination of a nation and become anthems? Midnight Oil’s Jim Moginie, author of music memoir The Silver River, explores the elusive qualities that make some lyrics resonate to express bigger truths about who we are with rock journalist Glen Humphries, author of Aussie Rock Anthems, and Tanya Ali.

OFF A DUCK’S BACK

Sat 16 Nov 7-8pm

What does it take to disrupt Australia’s history and stand by your views when they are attacked? The answer is: a lot.

After the controversy surrounding his bestselling book Dark Emu, First Nations writer Bruce Pascoe was bruised but unbowed. Black Duck, a Year at Yumburra is his personal account of his healing on his farm. He tells Margaret Throsby what it took to rebuild a life, a marriage, and how custodianship of land renewed his sense of purpose.

Sunday 17 November

HERE’S HOPING

Sun 17 Nov 10-11am

Family violence prevention campaigner and 2015 Australian of the Year Rosie Batty won the sympathy and respect of a nation in the face of the most terrible violence. But what next? How do you move forward and restore your faith in human nature? What does Hope (the title of her new book) mean in the aftermath of tragedy? Rosie Batty shares her remarkable capacity for optimism with Jeremy Lasek.

THE OTHER BOOK THIEF

Sun 17 Nov11:30am-12:30pm

The desecration of one of the world’s rarest books leads Sydney journalist Michael Visontay across the globe in search of the missing pages of a sacred volume. But how do his adventures as a literary detective tie in with the story of his own family? He tells Sue Turnbull how Noble Fragments sent him on an obsessive quest searching for clues.

WHALE WRITER

Sun 17 Nov 1:30-2pm

A proud Yuin woman with Dharawal kinship, author Jodi Edwards has been teaching us the Dharawal language at the festival. Now she is also researching the relationship of coastal First Nations people to the whales that migrate past our beaches. Don’t miss the story of her groundbreaking work.

ALONE TOGETHER

Sun 17 Nov 2:30-3:30pm

When Gina Chick won the first Australian season of Alone, she captured the hearts of millions. Now, in We Are the Stars, she has written an exuberant, roaring affirmation of life. Join Gina in conversation with Caroline Baum.

TICKETS

Tickets for individual events at Coledale hall on sale from November 1. Book at southcoastwriters.org/true-story-program

True Story festival is presented by Caroline Baum, the South Coast Writers Centre and the Illawarra Flame

Lilly Pilly Studio opens for Art Trail

Pateena Donnelly is one of 13 local artists welcoming visitors on November 2 and 3

Pateena Donnelly welcomes visitors to her studio in Stanwell Park.

As a multi-disciplined artist, Pateena loves to create richly layered works to form emotional and thought-provoking responses from the viewer through the use of immersive colour and imagery. Pateena captures diverse subjects in her paintings – including portraiture, landscape, still life, wildlife, and pet portraits. She employs a rich painterly  impressionistic style, which she also likes to channel when creating sculptures and writing Haiku and Waku poetry.

We are Kin

By photographer Ruth Barbato

My new photography exhibition, We are Kin, will be on display at the Wollongong Art Gallery throughout November. It explores how the simple act of starting a conversation with a stranger can foster a sense of connection and kinship.

Post-lockdown, I noticed an increased sense of disconnection present in society. Wanting to do something about it, I went out into the local community to capture portraits, listen to people’s stories and most importantly connect. I discovered people were keen to talk.

The exhibition We are Kin grew out of these interactions. The exhibition includes life-size portraits of some of the people I met accompanied by audio of a shared conversation. The audio is an integral part of the exhibition as it allows the viewer to connect with the person in the portrait by listening to their story.

Some of the stories include a farmer who has been struck by lightning, a Wollongong local who covered his car in astro turf and a woman who established the first breakdancing school in the

”I am always in search of capturing the elusive spiritual connections in my artworks,” Pateena says. “Art is a bridge which creates a language to describe what lies beyond the material tangible reality.”

Pateena works out of her home studio/ gallery in Stanwell Park, where she creates her beautiful artworks, teaches and runs workshops.

Her Lilly Pilly Studio/Gallery is open whenever the sign is placed out at 7 Station Street, Stanwell Park, and will be open on November 2 and 3, from 10am-3pm as part of the Northern Illawarra Art Trail

If you are looking for a gift for Christmas or some wonderful artwork for your wall, you won’t be disappointed, Pateena will be offering gift vouchers for portraiture, pet portraits and commissions.

Use the QR code to visit the trail’s website at www.niarttrail.com and follow its social media pages.

Note: The MS City to Gong Bike Ride is on Sunday, 3 November, with road closures on Lawrence Hargrave Drive

Illawarra. All audio stories can be accessed at the exhibition or online at any time.

The exhibition’s aim is to celebrate the diversity of the local community and to show how we are surrounded by a rich river of stories. It hopes to inspire people to get curious about those around them and start a conversation. As a community, if we start to connect more deeply with each other it may just help heal the disconnection many people feel and replace it with a sense of kinship.

We are Kin is at Wollongong Art Gallery, Level 4, Nov 1-Dec 1. All welcome to the opening on Saturday, 2 November from 1-2:30pm

Extra murals

Sarah Rowan has left her mark on the 2508 district, writes Genevieve Swart

Artist Sarah Rowan shot to fame locally after she painted a mural of Olympic gold medallist Saya Sakakibara and her brother Kai with their BMX bikes. The artwork – which brightens up the Short Street exterior of Helensburgh’s pet food store –featured in many media reports after Saya’s triumphant win in Paris. But did you know that the Helensburgh muralist – who also claims to be Australia’s first keynote speaker/speed painter – is behind seven other murals around town? And she might not be done yet!

“I think we could immortalise a few more local heroes like Darren Coggan and his daughter Olivia, they’re country [music] stars,” Sarah said. “I would love to create murals over on those big blocks of concrete in the soccer field area. I think every area can be brightened up.”

Sarah Rowan will open her studio as part of the Northern Illawarra Art Trail on 2 & 3 November. Why not add on your own informal Mural Trail?

Left column, top to bottom: Sarah’s soccer mural at the Thistle clubhouse across from Tradies Helensburgh; Frida Kahlo mural at Uluwatu Blue cafe in Stanwell Park; deer mural at Otford Public School Library.

Right column, from top: The library at Helensburgh Public School (HPS); Saya and Kai Sakakibara on Short Street in Helensburgh; HPS student design by Charlotte; bright florals liven up Helensburgh Netball Club. Also at HPS but not pictured here is a Glowworm Tunnel mural by the class of 2021.

For the birds

Genevieve Swart reports on why offshore wind research should be shared

How many birds are on the Five Islands?

“Ah,” says University of Wollongong scientist Dr Bethany Hoye, “that’s a tricky one.”

Wollongong’s Five Islands are famously home to a large colony of silver gulls, but the nature reserve is also an avian meeting place where land and ocean foragers come to breed.

“Historically, there were estimates around 30 to 50,000 pairs of silver gulls breeding out there,” Bethany says. “But there aren’t, to my knowledge, good numbers for the other species.

“There’s – on again, off again – white-faced storm petrels, short-tail and wedge-tail shearwaters, ibis, little penguins, pelicans, and probably two species of terns.”

The prospect of wind turbines 20km off the Illawarra coast has really shone a light on how little we know about what lies beneath or flies above our ocean. “It’s a zone that we’ve never had the opportunity to look at,” Bethany says. “And now it’s absolutely critically important.”

Rumours fill the void

Bethany has seen “wildly inaccurate” information bandied about, from concerned birdwatchers who haven’t been able to quantify risks to leading climate scientists who haven’t taken into account key differences between seabirds in northern and southern hemisphere wind zones.

“Essentially, in high winds their birds flap near the surface, our birds soar on the wind,” she says.

Existing research focuses on gulls and terns in the North Sea, which fly by flapping their wings, while in the Pacific Ocean off the Illawarra we have albatross and petrels. “They fly by ‘dynamic soaring’ – where they use the wind over waves to

lift themselves high above the ocean, then use this height, and the higher wind speeds at these elevations, to glide long distances.

“This way of flying means that the seabirds foraging in the Illawarra could be at greater risk of collisions with turbine blades and/or displacement from the area than flapping species, because flapping species are more capable of adjusting their trajectories to avoid installations.”

North versus south

Skill and serendipity have combined in Bethany’s career to give her crucial knowledge to contribute to offshore wind discussions.

A senior lecturer in animal physiology, Bethany is an ARC DECRA Fellow in the Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences at UOW. She grew up in Orange, studied and did her honours at UOW in moult physiology (how much energy birds used to change the feathers), which was when she had her first up-close encounter with an albatross, thanks to the citizen scientists at Unanderra charity Southern Oceans Seabird Study Association (SOSSA).

Bethany then did her PhD in the Netherlands on migratory ducks, geese and swans and their interactions with the influenza virus, and worked on multiple parasites in frogs in Colorado before returning to Australia to study migratory shorebirds, including the 36 species that use the ‘East Asian-Australasian Flyway’. Now back at UOW, she has spent seven seasons working with silver gulls on the Five Islands, tracking their movements to understand how they forage and come into contact with human pathogens.

Decades of experience have given Bethany the authority to point out “stark biological differences” between Europe and Australia that mean knowledge is not necessarily transferable.

“In the northern hemisphere, you’ve got a lot of land,” she says. “And in the southern hemisphere, you’ve got a lot of ocean, which fundamentally changes how the seabirds in those spaces move.

“The Southern Ocean’s really dominated by species that are using this dynamic soaring … they need a lot of height, but we just know next to nothing about how high they go.”

Bethany questions if pausing turbines during “migration season” would work in the Illawarra, as at least nine species of albatross are present in any given month. Her view is we can’t make a decision on the risks until the research is done. She’d love to take the heat out of the debate so we can focus on obtaining that research. “I’m for more information so that we can make an evidence-based decision. Anybody saying we should definitely do this, or we definitely shouldn’t, is operating from a naive space because there’s a void of data.”

Big-picture thinking

Seabirds show why research needs a bigpicture approach. An albatross might travel 120,000km in between breeding seasons, for example. Short-tail shearwaters also cover vast distances, foraging from Alaska to Antarctica.

“So they’re really linking both poles every year,” Bethany says. “They migrate a lot further than the whales.”

Seabirds’ migrations happen mostly out of sight but are immensely valuable, acting as biological pumps, fertilising offshore islands and enriching our waters with nutrients from the Antarctic. We could learn a lot from radar and GPS tracking but research must cover bigger areas, Bethany says.

“There’s no point in knowing just the proposed area because you need to know, what does it mean in context?

In Victoria’s 15,000km² Gippsland offshore wind zone – Australia’s first to be declared in 2022 – the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) has granted 12 feasibility licences to companies including Denmark’s Ørsted.

“The problem is,” says Bethany, “they’re each gathering the same information, which from an ethical standpoint is completely flawed. It also means that that data isn’t publicly available. It’s gathered and the only vetting of it is DCCEEW.

“It’s not peer reviewed. That’s problematic because that information is fundamental biological information that doesn’t exist, which is why each of those operators is gathering it, but they’ve just got to gather it to the point to satisfy the department – without any transparency, which is really problematic for public trust, and the ethics of each of them handling and tracking hundreds of birds.

“Whereas if you had that as a collective arrangement, which is something that we’ve been asking for, for a while, then you can capture much more robust data.”

Hoping to help

UOW scientists are founding members of the new Australian Centre for Offshore Wind Energy (ACOWE). Launched in August, ACOWE would like to assist with robust, transparent, shared research associated with offshore wind.

“That doesn’t mean that companies don’t pay for it,” Bethany said. “In Denmark they operate it where part of their licence fee goes into a consortium that is then tasked with doing robust research that’s publicly available. The industries and the governments sit, as sort of board members, to discuss what should be researched, but it is collective research rather than tiny little pockets of commercial in-confidence research.”

At time of writing, the Australian Government was not funding ACOWE.

Yet transparency is vital to keep the public trust.

“It’s not worth burning that,” Bethany says. “Expediency thinking – oh, we’ve just got to get this through – can then make decades of trouble for people not trusting science. And that’s really problematic.

“I would hate for it to be scuttled just because of an information void. It’s probably selling the future of humanity short.”

This report is part of an environmental series proudly supported by the Local and Independent News Association. To read the full story, simply scan the QR

Bethany with a short-tailed shearwater chick. Photos: Margaret Bennett, Dr Bethany Hoye

Swimming

Learn

FORNIXWHEELS@GMAIL.COM

WWW.FORNIXWHEELS.COM.AU 0423 489 432

BEACH

Bushwalk: Mt Keira Ring Track

By Geoff Whale, author of Northern Illawarra Beachwalks (bcw.grwpub.info)

DISTANCE 6km to 11km, climb 250 to 500m.

DIFFICULTY Moderate to hard (summit).

SUMMARY Classic track with variations.

HAZARDS Stinging trees, leeches after rain.

TRANSPORT Park at Byarong Park or at .

The track can be traversed in the easier clockwise direction or anticlockwise as described; the profile shows where the steep sections occur. Can extend to Robertson’s Lookout (2.5km return) or to the summit (experienced walkers only, 2.4km return).

From Byarong Park follow the signs to the ring track , turn right for anticlockwise. Take care crossing the road, drop a little and rejoin the road at Geordies Flat. Ascend on formed steps then through rocks to a wide amphitheatre. Turn sharply right downhill to a long, level section. Watch out for giant stinging trees (Dendrocnide excelsa). They have large heart-shaped leaves, often perforated by insects, and covered in hairs that deliver an intense and long-lasting sting.

Pass the marked Mount Pleasant Track and ascend many steep steps to another flat section.

Drop through rainforest and cross a stream before reaching the road again. Avoiding any traffic, descend steel steps to a T junction. Right is the (optional) lookout track, beginning with a steep and moist rocky path, then mostly flat. Return the same way.

The main track descends steadily back to the start. Dave Walsh’s Track to the summit is a highlight though it’s rated hard. It begins on the south side of the road but becomes indistinct at as you pick your way through large boulders. At the top there’s an unfenced lookout and a group of indigenous sculptures near Five Islands Lookout, undercut by a rockfall in 2012 and now closed. Geera (the mountain) and her 5 sisters, the islands offshore, are daughters of the West Wind. If you skip the tricky climb, afterwards drive to the summit and take the 0.7km loop track via lookout to view the artworks.

On the Bentang Jawa, a 1500km unsupported cycling race across Java. Photos: Edward Birt

Cyclist safety: Aus v Indonesia

By Edward Birt, president of the Illawarra Bicycle Users Group & Bicycle Mayor of Wollongong

“Was it much more dangerous than Australia?” asked a friend, one of many people to enquire about the road safety of riding a bicycle in Indonesia.

Having just competed in the Bentang Jawa, a 1500km unsupported cycling race across Java, I can report back that Indonesia feels much safer for cycling than Australia. Why? There are a number of key reasons.

Slower speeds and smaller vehicles

In towns across Java people are moving more slowly with 30 to 50km/h perfectly adequate. While narrow, the streets are very lively – it’s where it all happens, with people walking, riding bicycles (often very slowly), doing business selling things off their scooters, chatting, stopping and starting, pushing carts.

All of this means that scooters, cars and trucks need to take care and are used to doing so. Also vehicles are smaller on the whole with very few monster trucks and a distinct preference for scooters.

Driving to conditions (not speed limits)

In Indonesia there are very few posted speed limit signs. This implies: drive responsibly and to the conditions! Australians interpret speed limits as speed requirements, expecting that everyone should be driving right on the speed limit and getting cranky if anyone is driving even a few kilometres per hour slower. This attitude creates a hazard for cyclists and pedestrians.

Going with the flow:

In Indonesia there is an organic flow of traffic moving to adapt to the conditions and less

obsession with orderly queueing like we have here. This is a good way to ensure the most efficient movement of people with the smallest vehicles, like grains of sand, slipping through small cracks to keep the flow if there is a break-down, road works or other obstruction while larger vehicles also wiggling through as best they can and this is acceptable and functional.

Assertive communication:

Flashing lights and beeping horns are not sounds of aggression and fury as we tend to associate them here in Australia, but rather they mean “Hey, I’m coming through”, “Here I am” and signal intent and presence. There is a lot more eye contact and gesturing from road users in Indonesia and people can see one another as most people are on scooters and not inside vehicles.

Riding my bicycle home from Sydney airport it was all on again with drivers honking at me to get off the road and several close passing. Unfortunately, in Australia many drivers give no quarter to slower vehicles, hence the need for costly separated infrastructure here as it’s just far too dangerous to ride on most roads.

I can thoroughly recommend cycling in Java and Bali and I believe we need more of the Indonesian attitude of sharing and making allowances for others on the roads – it is a more communal, caring and sharing approach, conducive to a healthy society where any citizen can confidently venture outside and access their community.

For more information, visit bentangjawa.cc and follow Eddie B’s Bentang Jawa adventures on YouTube

Big month for Boardriders

By Ian Pepper of the Scarborough Boardriders

Firstly 16 of our juniors, eight boys and eight girls, made their way up to Queensland for the annual Junior Boys Kirra Teams Challenge and Women’s Kirra Teams Challenge.

The three-day event is the biggest of its kind in the world with 24 club teams from all over Australia competing. It’s always a great long weekend away for our members to develop their surfing, learn how to compete outside the club environment and build team camaraderie. Well done to all our team that attended and thank you for putting in their best efforts.

On September 28th was the event we had all been waiting for, the Scarborough Boardriders 40th Celebration at Headlands Hotel Austinmer Beach.

Around 120 guests ascended up to the stunning Ocean View Function Room with panoramic views of the coast North, East and South. A busy small committee worked tirelessly all year to set up loads of old memorabilia, club trophies won over the years, a slide show, guest speakers from the clubs past and commissioned a special piece of artwork to commemorate the occasion.

On the night Club President Christian De Clouett ran through the clubs history from humble beginnings with founder Bettina Huckle seeing an opportunity to run a few events with the Scarborough surfing crew. John Skipp, founder of Skipp Surfboards was present and spoke about his

involvement providing prizes for the competitions and sponsoring a lot of the surfers at the time.

We then had Nick McLaren interview a panel of ex-presidents (Casey Van Leu, Geoff Iddles, and Ray Smith) along with previous Girls Coordinator Raylee Golding. Then a vibrant live auction was run by Ian Pepper, Dave Hyslop and Dylan Pearse utilising the new artwork commissioned for the night. And to finish some dancing to covers band Tongue and Groove. All up a very memorable and fitting night that we all won’t forget anytime soon.

Finally, a make-up pointscore was held on Sunday, 20 October at Coalcliff Beach in a building south swell. It was challenging for the juniors early on but those that braved the conditions did well, in particular negotiating the notorious Coalcliff shore dump. The afternoon saw the swell peak and the Open Women and Men take on the larger waves well offshore.

Well done to our Open champs Mannix Squires winning on a count back with equal scores to Joshua Pepper and Zhalia Short narrowly edging out Talina Wilson.

Reminder – future dates for your diary

Last pointscore for the year is on Sunday, November 3.

Presentation night will be on Saturday, November 23 at Wombarra Bowling Club.

Thirroul Thunder FC prepares for 2025 soccer season

By First Grade coach John Cropper

After a hugely successful 2024 season in which Thirroul Thunder Senior Men’s teams were the only club in Football South Coast competitions to qualify for finals football in all three grades, the club will commence preparation for the coming year by holding two open games nights for all interested players.

These will be held on Thursday, November 28 and Thursday, December 5.

All interested players are requested to arrive at Thomas Gibson Park at 6.15 for a 6.30 start. The trials will involve all grades including Under-20.

Thirroul is one of only a handful of clubs who do not pay players and have built success on developing their own junior players over several decades.

As the head coach, I am hoping that the club can win trophies in first grade after an impressive 4th place finish last season. Results included a win and a draw against first place Oak Flats and grand-final winners Fernhill.

First grade averaged three goals per game this year, which made for great entertainment for the club’s loyal supporters.

We have established a really solid foundation. The club has a wonderful supportive culture and all players wanting to be part of something special are welcome to come and join us.

Visit www.thirroulfootball.com.au

First grade

Joshua

James

Club dives in

By Brigid Collaery of Coalcliff SLSC

Coalcliff Surf Life Saving Club has launched the 2024/25 season of its ocean swim club proudly sponsored by Equilibrium Healthcare.

Our monthly swims are focused on helping members to improve their ocean swimming skills around a regular course from Coalcliff Beach. The sessions – meeting at 10.30 for an 11am swim –will include practice getting in and out through the surf break and ocean swimming techniques.

Coalcliff is a non-competitive, fun and inclusive swim club that aims to give community members the opportunity to engage in ocean swimming in a friendly environment supported by the surf club

during the patrolling season (October to April). The joining fee is $50, and you’ll receive a lovely bright swim cap to wear during the swims.

Free membership offer

This year the club is offering patrolling members free membership! As a patrolling member, you will receive the latest First Aid training. You can do the Surf Rescue Certificate and Bronze Medallion, learn how to crew and drive inflatable boats, acquire radio communication skills, how to recognise rips, read the weather and more.

Visit www.coalcliffslsc.com.au.

2024. Back row: Rick Latini (manager) Jack Cotterill, Seamus Macken-Walsh, Jake Matiuscenko, Oscar Pruks, Nicholas Harris, Stuart Ferguson, Tyler Ball, Stuart Forbes, John Cropper (coach). Front row: Jonty Westbrook, Lucas Allen, Dean Morosin, Todd Davidson (co captain), Daniel Bond (co captain)

Williams,

Conway. Missing: Ryan Sutcliffe, Arlo Crowley, Brad Strudwick

Free swim lessons for refugees are back

By Tyneesha Williams

Scarborough-Wombarra lifesaver Peter Rafferty is giving free swim lessons for refugees and asylum seekers again this year, with ocean pool classes starting in October.

Peter has been teaching refugees to swim for four years and has received NSW government recognition for his contribution to the community.

“One was a seniors community award, another was a sort of ‘nice bloke’ award,” Peter says, laughing. “The state member came down and presented them to me at home, and one of them was read out in parliament!”

Peter starts by teaching swim-safety essentials. Participants are taught how to float, spot a rip and stay calm in the water.

“Most people that come here as immigrants are from places where there’s no surf. The only water they’re exposed to is still water,” he says.

“One of the key things I do is teach about surf safety … I am AUSTSWIM qualified, so I teach the AUSTSWIM method and it works – that’s the key to it. I keep my licence valid.”

As a surf lifesaver, Peter has his Bronze Medallion, renews his First Aid and CPR certification, and keeps a current Working with Children Check.

The local community has provided incredible support, Peter says. “The department of sport and rec sent me a whole lot of stuff to help – goggles and swimming caps and other things.”

Peter’s cycling mates even chipped in to hire a bus and driver, providing transport from

Bird Watch

By Ewan Auld

Wollongong to Scarborough for families learning to swim last year. “It was really cool, I couldn’t believe it when they did that, it was so sweet, really thoughtful blokes,” he says.

Last season, Peter also had a helper, a newly qualified AUSTSWIM teacher who was keen to gain practical experience. “A girl that I run with – her daughter was doing swimming stuff and I offered her some experience. So she’d teach the little ones and I’d teach the older ones,” he says.

“Having someone helping me was really cool. Culturally as well, it is good for people from some countries to have a woman with me.

“My daughter and wife come with me sometimes if they know I’ve got new people coming. Or my grandson will come along sometimes, he’s only four and he’ll be in his Wahu vest kicking along saying, ‘Grandpa, is this what you want them to do?’ So that breaks the ice a bit.”

MCCI refers beginners to Peter, but he also welcomes new students to call him on 0424 199 299

The bird of the month for November is a shorebird species that inhabits rock shelves and rocky beaches and is found along almost all coastal areas of Australia. They can typically be seen in the Illawarra foraging on crustaceans and molluscs along the rock platforms that border many local beaches. They prefer the quieter beaches as they are sensitive to disturbance and can be deterred by unaware beachgoers or off-leash dogs that enter their habitat. Given that they are listed as vulnerable in NSW, be sure to look out for the oystercatchers and be mindful to give them plenty of space so we can continue to enjoy these unique birds.

I photographed this bird at some distance as it came in to land at the rock platform at Wombarra Beach as the tide came in. Beaches between Scarborough and Coledale offer a nice haven for these birds with their extensive rock platforms and smaller crowds.

Sooty Oystercatcher (Haematopus fuliginosus)

Shark detections for 2023/24

By Duncan Leadbitter

Last year I wrote four articles about the shark notifications sent by our detection station located about 900m (distance measured by drone) off Stanwell Park beach. I also did a radio interview with Lindsay McDougall from ABC Illawarra (scan the QR code to listen to this).

I have now analysed the data for the 23/24 ‘season’ and will do a couple of articles comparing the two years and also reveal the much awaited ‘frequent visitor’ awards. This year there will be a new category, for the individual shark(s) that have turned up both years.

The sampling year covers June to May. The total number of detections (see September 2023 edition for how this is determined) was higher in 2023/24 compared to 22/23 at 65 versus 53 due to more detections of great whites. These showed a very noticeable increase in detections during the winter period (see chart). Great whites dominate the shark numbers caught by the drumlines being about 62% of captures for the 21/22 and 22/23 sampling periods.

The reasons for this could be many. There are likely more tagged sharks about and if we look at when the sharks were first tagged, the vast majority

(14 out of 18 individual sharks detected) have only been tagged for a year or less. It could also be that there are more whales or fish around. There may be more great whites in general. Who knows. It’s also interesting that the drumlines in the Illawarra did not catch any target sharks during 22/23 so all of our visitors have been caught elsewhere.

For the bull sharks the number of detections was the same as last year and, as was the case last year, they turn up in the late summer and autumn when the water is warmest (see chart below). Unlike the great whites most bull sharks (8 out of 11 detected) have been tagged for 5 years or more. There could be a variety of reasons for this related to the relatively low numbers tagged (compared to great whites and tigers), age of animals tagged (which influences habitat preferences), interannual factors like currents, food availability and more.

As I said last year this is a very small dataset both in terms of numbers of listening stations I check and years of data so it pays not to get too focused on trying to interpret things at this stage.

Listen to Duncan’s ABC interview at www. theillawarraflame.com.au/news/hello-fish

The shark detector off Stanwell Park Beach. Photo: Duncan Leadbitter. At right: Images from SharkSmart app

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resulting from use of, or reliance on, the information is entirely excluded. Scan the QR to download a fresh Tide Chart each month

© Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2023, Bureau of Meteorology. Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide. Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effect. The Bureau of Meteorology gives no warranty of any kind whether express, implied, statutory or otherwise in respect to the availability, accuracy, currency, completeness, quality or reliability of the information or that the information will be fit for any particular purpose or will not infringe any third party Intellectual Property rights. The Bureau’s liability for any loss,

Helensburgh Sunday Social Golf Club

Golf news

Robert ‘Indy’ Jones reports Boomerang Golf Course on October 6th where the weather was fine and HSSGC members played stableford and, to confuse the masses, Irish 4 Ball.

The day witnessed four groups striving for the Irish prize and host of newcomers including Alex, Jack, Brett, the returning Craig, along with quite a number of new handicappers and regulars.

Driving and putting to reach the BBQ and drinks at the 19th and, despite what were called cored greens, I personally never saw an apple for 18 holes. Without further delay, the Irish 4 Ball went to an illustrious gang of four – Ben Clarke, Ben Gersback, Scott Gersback and Chris Pike – with a combined total of 42 points, runners-up scoring 40, 38 and 30 points respectively.

Stableford results saw Chris Pike finish top with 43 points followed by three lucky losers – Scott Gersback, Ryan “the Son of Hollywood” Carter and Tony Gersback – all on 40 points. On course the spoils were shared by Tony G., Craig N., Peter G., Scott G (known as “Hank”?… please help me), Chuckie, and Frank M.

Next events: November 3rd TT – 08:20am, and December 8th – TT 09:00am, rounds off 2024. Thanks to the BBQ guys on the day, and our sponsors Christian’s Premium Meats and the Helensburgh Golf Range.

Contact Tony, 0418 863 100, for all membership info and remember to register your attendance and cart requirements on the Tuesday ahead of the date of our next event. Join us to enjoy a game of golf, the great outdoors and good company. Details of our end-of-year extravaganza to come.

Indy signing off … Remember; nothing goes down slower than a golf handicap.

Tradies Social Golf

Barry Thompson reports Boomerang was slightly wet underfoot due to the previous night’s storm, but conditions were good enough to allow some impressive scoring across the Stableford event.

Gavin Sinclair won the Helensburgh Butchery prize with 43 points off a 19 handicap. Mick Carroll took the Gallardo’s Pizzeria voucher with 41 off 27.

Craig Murphy took third place with 40 off 27.

Jerry Riley collected the Helensburgh Driving Range Bucket of Balls prize, although perhaps it should have gone to Gary Overton who finished cold, motherless last to take the Bradman.

Ian Birss declined to accept a forfeit against Dave

Tipping in the grand final of the Match-Play Championship. Dave went down with Covid, so the engravers are on standby for the result when the cup is contested during our next tournament.

Our next festival of swing, the third round of the Club Championship, is on Sat, 2nd November.

On Sat, 16th November, the mighty Down Towners oppose the Up Towners to return the Cup to its rightful position. Your fearless correspondent will give an unbiased account of the event.

Saturday, 14th of December is our Loud Shirt Charity event. There is a buzz of excitement due to rumours that Terry Maney’s Birdy King may return to set the pace for this prestigious event.

These three events will all be held at Boomerang with 7am tee-offs – please arrive early.

The fruits of our labours will be distributed at our Presentation Night on Saturday, 7th December at Tradies. Names required by next round.

Hope to see you there.

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