ISSUE NO.12 : AUTUMN 2021 - Coal Coast Magazine by Coal Coast Magazine

INSIDE TH E I L L AWA R R A

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landscape|design studio @ e a st sc a p e .st ud i o 02 4229 6501

34 78

58 66

what's inside

10 lawrence hargrave, gentleman inventor 12 forever projects 20 from bali with love 24 tempeh penyet 26 what the fogo?! 28 fair food to the front 30 fish and chipperies 34 carving out a life 38 resin resonates 42 beyond the clouds 46 mental health matters 50 mother's day finds 54 hello roxee

58 66 70 74 78 82 84 86 89 90 92 94 96

go abroad, at home macramé masterpiece screen time to green time boost the bees back in the red V dreams to reality young talent time coal coast faves hey brew coal coast pops meet a neighbour what's on calendar the quiz

There is a QUIZ on page 96 and here are the answers: 1. Red Point; 2. France; 3. The Hunger Games; 4. True; 5. Indian Pale Ale; 6. Vincent Van Gogh; 7. Mercury; 8. Windsor; 9. Vodka, Cointreau, lime juice & cranberry juice; 10. Hazlenut; 11. Kittens; 12. 80 minutes; 13. Helium; 14. 2010; 15. Glass Animals; 16. None; 17. 1884; 18. For Emma, Forever Ago; 19. Wellington; 20. Drew Barrymore.

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We acknowledge the Dharawal People as the Traditional Custodians of the Illawarra region. We pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging. This issue marks three years of Coal Coast Magazine, and what a wonderful ride it’s been! We’re forever grateful to our rock star contributors, this community who share their stories with such heart, and our advertisers who trust us to promote their brands – supporting local is a no-brainer and we’re honoured to lead the charge! We’re surrounded by talented, inspiring, extraordinary people without whom none of this would be possible. This issue we celebrate the extraordinary, and chat to some special folk whose love of the Illawarra shines bright: musician Jodi Phillis (p42-44), who is motivated by the growing local creative scene; the guys from Resin Brewing (p38-40) building a gathering place for community; and restaurateur Juliana Mitry (p20-23), who serves up a little magic in the 'Gong. We also look back at the man whose name is synonymous with the winding road that curls around our coast… Lawrence Hargrave, the gentleman aviator, who flew his magnificent flying machine from Stanwell Park (p10-11). Pretty fitting then that when we asked local photographer Brad Chilby to take a snap of the namesake road for our autumn cover, he chartered a plane and flew high over our beloved escarpment to get ‘the shot’. Lawrence would be proud! And check out all that green… going bush never looked so good. For some bushwalk inspo, head to page 90 where you guys shared your favourite well-worn tracks. ENJOY ISSUE 12, AND CHEERS TO THREE YEARS!

Thank you xx www.coalcoastmagazine.com @coalcoastmag

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Coal Coast Magazine is published four times a year and has taken the utmost care to ensure content is accurate on the date of publication. Coal Coast Magazine does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the quality, accuracy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information, product or service represented within our magazine. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or part without the permission of the publisher. All rights reserved. Coal Coast Magazine PTY LTD. ABN 49 621 097 461

editor Dani Sherring

info@coalcoastmagazine.com

deputy editor Kate O'Mealley

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creative director Therese (tess) McIntosh

design@coalcoastmagazine.com

head of sales & marketing Tara Connor sales@coalcoastmagazine.com

sales & admin coordinator Hadassa (haddy) Rorke

admin@coalcoastmagazine.com

advertising designer Elyshia McKirdy

studio@coalcoastmagazine.com

interns Taylah Cutting Stella Evans Matilda Jesiolowski Alex Knight cover image Brad Chilby chilby.com.au our contributors Brad Chilby Emma Smith Amy Morrison Styling Stefan Posthuma Erin Huckle Tara Lee Photography Bear Hunt Photography Sarah King Tess Godkin Photography Roger Fitzhardinge Simon Nutt Penny Keogh Tom Opie Wesley Lonergan Judith Russo Mark Schodde Matt Castell D&A Photography Travis Marshall Brayden Standford Jo Failes Diana Ioppolo Ben Plunkett Jack Fitzranga Kath Gadd Birdblack Design

Coal Coast is a term which recognises a prominent rock found beneath our area's surface, while celebrating our glittering coastline.

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WARRAGUL 9

THE WAY WE WERE

lawrence hargrave, gentleman inventor AVIATION PIONEER LAWRENCE HARGRAVE MADE HISTORY WITH HIS FLIGHT ATTEMPTS AT STANWELL PARK Words Erin Huckle @chucklecommunications

Lawrence Hargrave is a name synonymous with Wollongong, but how many of us really know his story? You might have cursed his name as you’ve sat in the weekend traffic on Lawrence Hargrave Drive, the scenic road which links Thirroul with Wollongong’s most northern suburbs. Or perhaps you remember his face gracing the Australian $20 note, which is where it appeared from 1966 to 1994. You might’ve even stopped to take a look at the Lawrence Hargrave monument at Bald Hill while visiting Stanwell Park. Born in England in 1850, Lawrence Hargrave came to Australia when he was 15. It was a time of exploration and discovery, and young

THE WAY WE WERE

On that historic day, he rose 16 feet in the air, “ using an elaborate set-up with four box kites and a sling seat to carry him safely into the sky” He spent years experimenting with monoplanes, trying different wing shapes and configurations, and developing a three-cylinder rotary engine which was used in future aircraft for many years. Hargrave was keen to be involved. Not long after arriving in Sydney, he joined an expedition to circumnavigate Australia on the ship Ellesmere. Those months at sea, rather than at the books, are attributed with Hargrave’s failure to pass his matriculation exam when he returned. The voyage might have sunk his future plans as a lawyer, but it sparked in him a love of expeditions, research and discovery. After being apprenticed to the Australian Steam Navigation Company, where he learnt his engineering skills, Hargrave went on to be an engineer on six expeditions between 1872 and 1877. Exploring New Guinea and the Torres Strait: looking for gold, documenting wildlife, and even assessing the possibility of setting up a British pearl farm. In 1878 Hargrave took a job at the Sydney Observatory, where he observed the transit of Mercury, and the impact of the greatest volcanic eruption in history – Krakatoa in Indonesia in 1883. 1883 was also the year Hargrave decided to commit to his research and inventing full-time, enjoying a decent income from his father’s sensible investments. He became a ‘gentleman inventor’, thanks to this luxury. Throughout his years of travel and research, Hargrave developed a keen interest in the anatomy and movement of animals, and how this might be used to inform designs for man to fly.

But his biggest achievement took place on the beach at Stanwell Park. Hargrave had moved to Stanwell Park from Sydney with his wife and six children in 1893 – it turns out people were heading to Wollongong for its cheaper real estate and beautiful beaches even then! It was in November 1894 that Hargrave changed the course of history. He was the first person to create man-made wings which provided lift, safety and stability. On that historic day, he rose 16 feet in the air, using an elaborate set-up with four box kites and a sling seat to carry him safely into the sky. In a paper published by the Royal Society of New South Wales, Hargrave wrote: “... an extremely simple apparatus can be made, carried about, and flown by one man; and that a safe means of making an ascent with a flying machine, of trying the same without any risk of accident, and descending, is now at the service of any experimenter who wishes to use it.” Hargrave shared his information freely with the global aviation community, and American aviator Octave Chanute reported that the skies were soon “red with Hargrave Kites” and groups of US aviators dubbed themselves “Hargrave disciples”. In his later life, Lawrence Hargrave continued his research and discovered that a curved wing surface gives twice the lift of a flat one. He’s known today as one of aviation's early pioneers. ¡

He said: “It will appear further that the movements of the tail of the fish and the wing of the insect… can be readily imitated and reproduced. These facts ought to inspire the pioneer of an aerial navigation with confidence.”

SPOTLIGHT ON

forever projects Images Tara Lee Photography @taralee_photography; Bear Hunt Photography @bear_hunt_er; Sarah King @imthebluedo

When Mark and Anna Dombkins from Cordeaux Heights moved to Tanzania in 2010 with their two kids in tow and a dream to provide a home for children who didn't have one, they never imagined their story would become bigger than them. But it did… in brave and beautiful ways. The couple’s act of kindness and care was the catalyst for what would be Forever Projects – a not-for-profit foundation creating lasting change for families in Africa, backed by a community of generous and like-minded folk, simply giving ‘what’s in their hands’ to help in whatever ways they can.

day, we were walking at Belmore Basin and Anna just said, ‘What if we moved to Africa?’ It was the right question at the right time, and I immediately agreed.” “When our son Jackson was six months old, we were watching a doco about children being abandoned in China,” says Mark. “We were watching this and looking at our baby, who was warm, loved and fed, thinking, ‘This doesn’t sit right with us’. That was the first seed – Anna and I thought, ‘What can we do as family to help children who don’t have families?’”

So that’s what they did. They had a heart for Africa, and Tanzania was picked as it was safe, they could work there – Mark as a teacher, and Anna as a school counsellor – and importantly, if they were to become a part of the adoption process, the Tanzanian laws aligned with Australia’s, meaning they could immigrate home with their children if it eventuated.

That first seed sprouted into a years-long adoption journey. The couple started looking into options to help vulnerable children in Australia, but the notoriously complex process pushed them down the inter-country adoption path.

“The night we touched down to live for at least two years, it was pitch black. By then, we also had one-year-old Jemima, and Jackson was four, and for sure, we questioned our decision. You say yes to this story, but you don’t really know what you’re stepping into,” Mark remembers. “But it was amazing. There’s famine and war, yes, but there’s also a vibrant, rich culture and this indescribable atmosphere of hope. Life’s highs and lows are more accentuated. It’s an incredible place, and it grabbed us straightaway.”

“At that time, we were wrestling with our own story. I was working as a Maths teacher at TIGS, and we were plodding along – but this desire to open up our family, and add a little spice to the story, had taken hold,” says Mark. “One

SPOTLIGHT ON

SPOTLIGHT ON plaster the walls with real stories and images of African families, with dreams of a better future. They hoped this exhibition would connect the loved ones in their lives to the stories of Tanzania, and invite them to give what they could, without any pressure. Those 60 friends raised $16,000 in one night! And 100 per cent of that money went to teams in the field. The next year, they ran the event again, and this time the stories that hung from the walls were those of families who had been so kindly touched by the donations made the previous year. The couple immediately started investigating adoption organisations who were aligned with their values and believed in family preservation at the core – where kids were only placed in care if all other solutions to keep families together had been exhausted. They found Forever Angels and felt completely in tune with their focus. It was from here where Mark and Anna adopted their three children, Shay, Charlie and Jabari, and the Forever Projects story really started to take shape. After living and working in Tanzania for three years while the adoptions were finalised, the family of five returned home to the Illawarra in 2013 as a solid unit. But despite their story of hope, their eyes had been permanently prised opened to a heart-shattering truth: Tanzania is a country where 31 children can no longer be cared for by their family every day, and there are 3.1 million orphans living there. Where others may have, Anna and Mark refused to turn their back on this cruel reality. “We learned that about 20 women die every day during childbirth. We saw their children being left behind without access to milk,” says Mark. “We also met a woman named Lucia who was unable to lactate so her baby, Adamu, was malnourished. Forever Angels Baby Home were able to intervene, providing nutrition for Adamu and setting Lucia up in a business as a seamstress. So instead of that malnourishment becoming an issue and separating a family, she had dignity because she could care for her son. Ultimately, it kept them together. When we got back, we really started to think about what we could do to help more families like this before problems became too big.”

“There was a huge amount of trust because they’d seen our story unfold. Those early days really taught us about the powerful impact of storytelling,” says Mark. “And around those stories, a tribe began to form.” They continued to run these events, which were gaining traction, and in turn providing support to the Forever Angels Baby Home. But Mark and Anna realised that to effect the change they hoped to see, they needed to connect with a community bigger than their family and friends. After enlisting the talent of graphic designer Ben Hawkins, who travelled to Tanzania with Mark to capture footage of the place Mark’s family held so dear, Forever Projects was officially launched in 2015 with a banquet and 280-square metre replica of a Tanzanian market in the middle of Yours & Owls festival. “By bringing the sight, smells, sounds and stories of Tanzania to a different audience, we inspired a whole new group of people,” says Mark. “I’m forever grateful to the Yours & Owls boys, Adam, Bal and Ben, for gifting us that chance and trusting us to align with their brand and values.”

20 women die every day “ during childbirth. We saw their children being left behind without access to milk”

Mark and Anna decided to get some friends together at Wollongong’s beloved Lee & Me, who generously hosted the event without charge, and

SPOTLIGHT ON

100 per cent of public donations go directly to “ the work on the ground in East Africa” After the success of Yours & Owls and the growing interest in the narrative that was transpiring, Forever Projects set about implementing a business model that would support the team in Australia to keep supporting the team in Tanzania. They built a core community of 58 donors who fund 100 per cent of the foundation’s overheads in Australia, so 100 per cent of public donations go directly to the work on the ground in East Africa. With runway costs covered, this allowed the charity to do what they do best – telling the real stories of real families, both heart-breaking and hopeful, stories of change that grow from small acts of kindness, and inspiring the community to use what’s in their hands. Austinmer local Andrew ' Wadey' Wade was one person touched by this narrative. In 2018, he set out to climb Sublime Point 20 times in a week. Doing this achieves the equivalent

SPOTLIGHT ON elevation of Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. He did this to create a connection to the work of Forever Projects he was raising money for in Tanzania. The next year, Wadey was able to take his whole family to Tanzania. They could see where every single dollar of his supporters' generosity went. After seeing the life-changing impact firsthand, he had to do it again. This time he asked others to join him – 221 people did. Together, they climbed the equivalent of Mt Kilimanjaro 68 times, raising over $150,000! Eden Brewery’s Jacob from Mittagong, offered what he could by brewing a beer where 100 per cent of profits went to work in Tanzania. Good Ale was born and has now energised a whole community of people to enter into the conversation. “Bars, bottle shops and restaurants are being invited into a story where they use what they’re good at and passionate about to make a change in the world,” says Mark. And therein lies the absolute power and magic of Forever Projects, where small gestures are just as worthy as big ones – five-year-old Penelope donated her pocket money, Brendan did a sponsored 10km swim, Todd busks in the mall. What’s in your hands? “We believe that everyone in our community has something in their hands that they can use, whether it’s money, time or talent,” says Mark. “It might be $20 a month, it might be a community of runners getting together to do What’s Your Kilimanjaro? this October. We have the potential to strengthen community in the Illawarra by giving people the chance to do something that’s for the benefit of others together. I’d just encourage people to engage with our story and reach out.” This simple yet powerful tactic has made a tremendous impact since the not-for-profit first launched. When Mark and Anna adopted from Forever Angels in 2010, there were 65 children living there, and now there are consistently less than 30. There was also a malnourishment ward in the hospital that was always full, and now it’s empty. Systemic change is taking place. Instead of it getting to a point where a woman in crisis turns up with a malnourished child and is forced to make a choice about potentially

SPOTLIGHT ON

s in your hands “ Usingcanwhat’ have a forever impact

”

leaving her baby, intervention and assistance is offered early. Mothers now enrol in the project with the Forever Angels team and are given the opportunity to provide for their family with dignity. Forever Projects believes that when a family is self-sustaining they can control their future. It starts with the most immediate need – a malnourished newborn – but it continues to help women and their families thrive. “Every Tuesday, 60-70 women come and do some training in nutrition, health, and business, with some travelling over three hours to get there, but the most heartening thing is that it’s become like a mothers' group,” Mark says. “The friendships formed between these women who have experienced extreme loneliness and despair, has been the most surprising, yet positive thing to come out of it.”

Mark’s ultimate goal for the project is as brave and beautiful as his story. In trusting that the team on the ground has a vision of the future, his hope is that they can execute that vision with two eyes on the task, and not one eye on where the money's coming from. “We realise that as well as running big events, having a consistent stream of money each month creates big change,” says Mark. “We are currently working on a subscription program, like Netflix or Stan, for $20 a month in exchange for storytelling. We’ve worked out if we can grow our subscriber base to 1000 by the end of 2021, we’d completely meet the current costs in the four adoption homes we work with as they stand.” From one couple’s compassionate desire to help children less fortunate than their own, a community of change-makers has flourished – a tribe of energised people and inspired creatives, thoughtfully led by Mark, committed to connecting with families who are worlds away. “Using what’s in your hands can have a forever impact,” Mark says. ¡ To find out more, go to foreverprojects.org

LOCAL FOOD

from bali with love TRADITIONAL INDONESIAN CUISINE SERVED IN THE HEART OF WOLLONGONG – JULIANA MITRY’S BALINESE SPICE MAGIC TRANSPORTS DINERS TO THE TINY ISLAND LOVED BY MANY Words Stefan Posthuma Images Stefan Posthuma; Tess Godkin Photography 130 Keira St, Wollongong NSW 2500

Authentic Indonesian cuisine can be hard to come by. The number of Indo eateries in Australia pales in comparison to the abundance of Thai, Chinese and Viet restaurants that pervade the urban dining precincts of most of our cities. Rarer still is to find a place that specialises in traditional Balinese cuisine. So, it may come as a surprise to find that one of the most authentic and delicious offerings of Balinese food anywhere, is right in the heart of Wollongong. The creation of Bali-born Juliana Mitry, Balinese Spice Magic is a heart-on-the-sleeve kind of place, where powerful flavours are front and centre, unapologetically leaving sweat on the brows of a diverse crowd of lively patrons who return for the range of traditional Balinese dishes served with fiery sambals and exotic combinations of herbs and spices.

At the heart of the Balinese Spice Magic menu is traditional spices like fresh turmeric, white galangal, candlenut, and chilli, which Jules first scorches then grinds on her ulekan and cobek (Balinese mortar and pestle) to create aromatic flavour bases that bring the menu its distinctly Balinese palette. Like traditional Balinese music, the flavours here are an eclectic symphony of notes and rhythms. An audacious concoction of texture and spice that hits the tastebuds in a bold but harmonious crescendo. Vegan-friendly options abound on the Balinese Spice Magic menu, with an array of unique tempehs that Jules makes in-house. The vegan section sees dishes like lawar chickpea tempeh and edamame tossed in shallots, turmeric, ginger, garlic, chillies and roasted coconut, and the vegan nasi campur combo served with tofu curry, sweet and spicy tempeh lalah manis, steamed spiced vegetables and coconut sambal sing with fragrance and texture. Carnivores can expect rich Balinese satay, spiced pepes ayam chicken steamed in banana leaf, babi guling roasted pork or the meat version of the nasi campur mixed plate, served with beef rendang, spiced chicken sugar cane sticks and a hot bowl of soto ayam

LOCAL FOOD

chicken soup. Food at Balinese Spice Magic is as ethereal as it is authentic, transporting diners to the small island familiar to so many, and leaving them with the obvious question – “how did this place end up here?” To best understand the restaurant, and the food, we must first understand the woman behind it. Juliana grew up in Baturiti – a small farming village in the mountains of central Bali, known for its cool climate and production of vegetables, tofus and tempehs, which formed the bulk of her childhood diet. As a kid, Jules was inquisitive, constantly questioning her mother about what was being ground in the ulekan and cobek or tossed in the wok. A strong and independent dreamer, Jules always aspired to do something extraordinary – seemingly a challenge for a young girl from a small community in central Bali. But as fortune had it, an opportunity came at the age of 15, when an Australian family sponsored her to move to Australia. A determined young woman beginning a new life in the Illawarra, she studied hospitality management at TAFE then a business administration degree at Wollongong University. Despite doing all the right things for a career in hospitality, Jules never envisaged owning a restaurant. The decision to open Balinese Spice Magic was more a matter of happenstance than a best-laid plan. After working at the university for five years, the perpetual dreamer began a stall at the Coledale Markets, selling clothes she’d make with a group of friends. Under-stocked one week, Jules decided to make some Balinese sweets to fill the gap – and what began as a way to fill some space slowly grew into something more, with Jules preparing traditional Balinese dishes from surplus produce she and her husband, Will, grew in their garden. It wasn’t long until the stall shifted entirely from fashion to food. With Jules and Will enlisting the help of their friends to help chop onions and prepare spices for the fledgling business that was the Balinese Spice Magic market stall. The stall’s range expanded beyond Coledale, and so too did its audience, with patron’s asking: “When

are you opening a restaurant,” with increasing regularity. In true Jules fashion, she plucked the number 2014 from thin air and so began the journey toward the restaurant. After inspecting a few different sites, the location was settled and Balinese Spice Magic made its home on the bustling Keira Street food strip. Once Jules settled into the new space, the process of spreading the word and gathering

LOCAL FOOD support for the new venture came not through any strategy of advertising or social media, but rather via Jules’s natural inclination to support local businesses and develop a community of growers to provide the array of herbs and spices she needed to build her menu. Essentials like banana leaves, fresh turmeric, chilli and galangal were sourced from members of the local community, with new growers quickly spreading the word about the new Balinese joint in town. Word travelled fast amongst growers and in turn, the Wollongong community – who welcomed flavours reminiscent of the Seminyak streets, Jimbaran warungs or the Baturiti hillscape.

Flame Tree Co-op in Thirroul). For Jules, food is more than the meal. Food is healing, spirit, family, friendship and community. It’s a reason to gather and a way to show the people around you that you’re thinking about them and that you care. A necessity and a luxury, a need and a privilege, something to be respected and revered… maybe something just a little magic. ¡

After raising a family, and continuing to build the restaurant, Juliana Mitry is showing no signs of slowing down. She’s moved Balinese Spice Magic forward with catering, regular cooking classes, donations to food relief initiatives and the commercial production of tempeh under the label Tempeh Temple (sold exclusively at

RECIPE

tempeh penyet

spicy tomato and chilli salsa

A FLAVOURFUL VEGAN DISH FROM BALINESE SPICE MAGIC

RECIPE

Ingredients

Method

2 tbsp fresh lime juice 400g mung bean and hemp seeds tempeh

1. Marination

SPICY SALSA 4 cloves garlic 1 eschalot 1 medium tomato 1 cup oil, for frying 5 candle nuts 1 tbsp coriander seeds 1 tsp white peppercorns 2 tbsp sliced turmeric fresh Thai chilies, to your taste 1 tbsp sliced white galangal (or red galangal) 2 tbsp coconut sugar 1 tbsp salt 3 kaffir lime leaves TO SERVE cooked rice 1/2 bunch Vietnamese mint 1/4 fresh cabbage, chopped 3 long red chillies, sliced 2 cucumbers, sliced lime wedges

Equipment

mortar and pestle a food container or medium bowl wok or frying pan cooking spoon plate paper towel

In a bowl or container, add lime juice, salt and pepper. Whisk until well combined. Quarter the tempeh and add into the bowl or container ensuring the tempeh is covered with the marinade. Let it sit for 15- 30 minutes

2. Spicy salsa

Peel 4 cloves of garlic, 1 eschalot and square one tomato. Heat 1 cup of oil and add the peeled garlic and eschalot, candle nuts, coriander seeds, white peppercorn, sliced fresh turmeric, the squared tomato and chillies (to your taste). Fry until softened. Reserve the oil and transfer the fried spices into a mortar and pestle. Add white galangal or fresh red galangal, coconut sugar and salt with the spices and pound to a rough paste. Add kaffir lime leaves, mix well and set aside.

3. Cooking the tempeh

Reheat the oil left over from step 2. Shallow fry the tempeh for roughly 30 seconds - 1 minute, each side, and remove to a plate lined with a paper towel. Place the fried tempeh into the mortar and pestle with the salsa, and give it a little squeeze (this method is called “Penyet” purn-yet). Make sure it’s covered with the salsa.

4. Serving

Serve tempeh hot or at room temperature with rice, Vietnamese mint, sliced cabbage, sliced chilli, sliced cucumber and lime wedges.

LOCAL INITIATIVE

what the fogo?! THE NEW INITIATIVE FROM WOLLONGONG COUNCIL HOPING TO LESSEN OUR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT The contents of your FOGO caddy should be placed into your green-lidded bin every two to three days with all your garden organic waste, including grass clippings, leaves, small branches, shrubs and weeds, for a weekly kerbside collection. Residents were provided with a roll of compostable liners to be used with FOGO. Another roll of liners will be provided next financial year to residents, however they are optional, and if preferred, food waste can be left loose in the caddies, or even lined with newspaper. If you wish to buy additional liners, they must meet and be labelled with the AS4736 and seedling logo. Using plastic bags or biodegradable bags will contaminate FOGO and undo all your good work if placed into the green-lidded bin.

In November 2020, Wollongong City Council launched its weekly Food Organics Garden Organics (FOGO) collections across the city. FOGO caddies were dropped off at doorsteps of homes with an existing greenlidded organics bin across the Wollongong region. The arrival of these caddies means that around 80,000 homes are now able to add food scraps to their green waste. Residents with a FOGO caddy can add fruits and vegetables, meat, seafood, bones, tea bags and coffee grounds, as well as those unidentifiable things you’ve got sitting in the back of the fridge. As a rule of thumb – if it was ever edible, it’s good to FOGO.

So, where does the waste go and what is the hope of FOGO? By collecting FOGO waste from residents, audits have shown that around 150kg of food waste can be redirected from landfill per household per year. This reduction to landfill reduces the cost of waste disposal and reduces the amount of greenhouse gas generated. As a bonus, the food waste and green organic waste is being processed and recycled into compost that is able to be used in outdoor spaces and sporting fields across the Illawarra region. ¡ Items you might not have known that are accepted in your FOGO bin » Pizza boxes » Food-soiled paper towels » Paper bags » Shredded paper » Compostable liners

For further information on all things FOGO, visit www.wollongongwaste.com.au

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LOCAL FOOD

GREEN CONNECT FARM, WARRAWONG

fair food to the front HOW THE NEW FOOD FAIRNESS ILLAWARRA WEBSITE HOPES TO REVOLUTIONISE LOCAL FOOD CULTURE Words & images Stefan Posthuma

Fair food is food that’s good for the environment, good for the people who eat it, good for the people who grow it and good for the community. And local champions Food Fairness Illawarra are making it simple for residents of the Illawarra to get behind the fair food movement, last year launching one of their most important resources to date. Their new website is a platform that provides the community all the tools and info they need to participate in a local fair food system. Coordinated by Healthy Cities Illawarra health promotion officer Berbel Franse – the website hopes to bring a new energy to addressing a wide range of food issues.

Food Fairness Illawarra hopes to grow a vibrant local food culture that supports sustainable food practices and helps educate the public. They also work with food relief organisations who provide those in our community who are food insecure with access to nutritious, sustainable, and culturally appropriate food. There is a broad network of over 1000 individuals and organisations – all working together towards a fair food system. In regions like ours, it can be difficult to find info on local food producers, retailers or community food initiatives. If you want to donate food, volunteer, or find out where to source sustainable local food it can take some time to research. The new Food Fairness website brings this all to one place, so the community can easily learn, connect, and participate.

LOCAL FOOD

KIAMA FARMERS' MARKET

The Illawarra holds endless opportunities to participate in fair food, so this was central to the development of the website. “Sharing information is great but guiding people on how to get involved allows the community to make substantial change,” says Berbel. “On the website, you’ll find field guides, directories, info on donating food, volunteer opportunities, and there’s ample ways to connect with others or find out what’s going on in the community via the interactive fair food events calendar.” The Fair Food Directory makes it easy to find and support local producers and independent food retailers. You can search by which region of the Illawarra you’re in, and filter through things like grocers, fishmongers, butchers, farmers' markets, coffee roasters and bulkfood stores. If you’re looking for community food initiatives, you‘ll find community gardens, fair food advocates and educators, food relief organisations and places that accept donations. Each organisation listed has a profile with their details, info on what they do and links to their website. It’s easy to use and an amazing resource for anyone looking to buy local or support a fairer food system in the Illawarra.

BUENA VISTA FARM, GERRINGONG

As an educational tool, the Fair Food Field Guide is an interactive platform which provides information on things like growing your own, buying sustainably, minimising waste, shopping local and ensuring food security in our community. There are videos, podcasts, book recommendations articles and research as well as info on who is working in these spaces locally. The project was partly made possible by the NSW Government's Waste Less Recycle More, which allowed the initiative to bring local agencies VIVO Digital and Quicksand Food on board to help execute the project. “It was tonnes of work,” says Berbel. “But my team at Healthy Cities Illawarra, the FFI Coordination team and a crew of passionate volunteers and interns all worked so hard to bring it together. A real challenge but truly rewarding, and we’re so happy with the result. We hope the community engages with the new platform and it can bring fair food to the forefront here in the Illawarra.” ¡ For more info, visit www.foodfairnessillawarra.org.au or follow them of Facebook and Instagram.

REVIEWS

fish and chipperies THE PERFECT PARCEL OF CARBY GOODNESS MEETS OMEGA 3 Words Roger Fitzhardinge and Simon Nutt

Sharky’s, Coledale

This reviewer was skeptical. The beautiful bodies waiting outside Sharky’s, fresh off the beach, made us worry this could be a case of style over substance. Have no fear – we’ve been converted and we’ll be back. The fish tacos with guac and hot sauce were generous, with a great kick. Potato scallops were crunchy and awesome, the fish cocktails light and flaky. Sharky’s has the best crumbed calamari we’ve ever had. Thick, tender, lightly crumbed – it’s the goods. Recommend a walk past Coledale Fine Wines for craft beer on the way to eat on the grass at the beach.

Fishnets, Corrimal

Home to the “mammoth challenge” (Google it), Fishnets’ motto might be: If you can slice it, we can batter it. These guys have been satisfying post-surf appetites for years and it shows. Fish fillets were huge, perfectly cooked and the potato scallops’ crunch was on point. Tip for fish-avoiders: ask for your hash browns to be added onto your bacon and egg roll. Value for money: 10/10.

Harbourside Fish Market Cafe, North Wollongong OK, so it’s not quite “harbourside" but it’s five mins away and still has some of the freshest fish on offer! Harbourside is popular for a reason – wellpriced, good portion sizes and so many options to offer both your (chicken) salt of the Earth fish and chips fan, to your schmancy oysters Kilpatrick connoisseur. High fives to the homemade fish cakes and the $10 lunch special. If only I had more friends to attempt the hot and cold seafood platter. Delish.

The Galley, Port Kembla

Time travel is real and walking into this old gem gives you all the feels. The feeling you’ve stopped in to see your grandparents for lunch. You’ll appreciate the massive portions, the nautical touches of model ships dotted about, and fishing gear by the TV up on the wall. Soak up the ambiance while you wait for your order to be called. Fun fact: Nominated for best burger in 2019.

Santorini, Shellharbour

Sitting between two other fish shops (Harbour View with its astonishing assortment of Christmas displays, and Mr Grill – home to the most cursive menu in the land), Santorini is right on the beach at Sh’larba. Highlights were the fish cocktails with a nice thick batter. Chips were medium cut, on the yellow end of the spectrum, and the salt and pepper calamari was peppery! There’s a playground with tables within 50 metres, ideal for family beachside dining. Seagull aggression level: low.

Aish’s, Lake Illawarra

Aish's is the real deal, a legit seafood shop, right next to Port Kembla Sailing Club. There’s WA lobster, live pippies and mud crab in a tank inside the door, and a huge array of fresh fish available battered, grilled or crumbed. We had the battered Orange Roughy – exquisitely cooked, two big fillets. Potato scallops were hand-cut, with great crunch. Menu tip: try the homemade prawn roll with lettuce and seafood sauce. Plenty of parking and seating but (Covid-style) no tables. Pelican level: 1000! ¡

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LOCAL CREATIVE

carving out a life THE NATURAL MAJESTY OF WOOD HAS INSPIRED A LIFE’S WORK FOR FURNITURE MAKER AND COLEDALE LOCAL STUART MONTAGUE, WHO SHARES HIS PASSION WITH THE WORLD FROM HIS WORKSHOP Words Penny Keogh @oursliceofpie Images Tom Opie @t_opie

Walking into Stuart Montague’s Woonona workshop, you can’t help but feel life slows down. A sense of busy efficiency could be justified given the worldwide acclaim Stuart has received for his award-winning furniture. His pieces adorn some of Australia’s most prestigious buildings, including Sydney’s Government House, and hundreds of homes across the country. Stuart’s sophisticated artistry, honed over a lifetime learning his trade, finds its home in an unassuming and dated Woonona industrial shed tucked away along a dusty road off Memorial Drive. The location seems to reflect Stuart’s laidback personality, as a dad of three who you’ll often see out surfing, walking his dog along Sharkey's Beach or on a bushwalk admiring local tree life with wife Suzanne. Much like Stuart’s warm nature, the wide-open doors to his workshop welcomes you, where you then discover a treasure trove of elegant wooden wonders. There are no clocks in here. And Stuart likes it that way.

This sense of calm seems symbolic with how life has changed since Covid forced us all inside our homes. As our busy lives became much less busy it revealed a newfound respect for the simple pleasures. For Stuart, this has translated into more commissions for his furniture, especially locally. Many again see the joy that can come from indulging in quality furniture we touch and smell and live with every day of our lives. “People used to buy furniture for a lifetime,” reminisced Stuart. “Perhaps Covid has reminded us of this lovely relationship we can have with furniture. “With direct contact with our bodies, it offers comfort and a sense of beauty that can be really important to have in our life. “Quality furniture also favours a conservation mindset. Timber takes a long time to grow; it is a really special material that should not be so easily discarded,” said Stuart. This respect for his materials is reflected in a graceful balance of the timeless and the fashionable. “My work shares a mid-century influence from Danish designers Finn Juhl and Grete Jalk, as well as American designer George Nahashima who made famous the reintroduction of handmade furniture. I also have a strong interest in Japanese wood carving traditions and techniques.”

LOCAL CREATIVE

There is a trend toward Australian hardwoods, “ which are unlike any timbers in the world”

from our colonial inferiority complex and have become a little more Australian in a funny sort of way.

Far from imposing his own passions on his clients, however, Stuart takes a collaborative approach to his design process. Stuart visits each client in their homes to get a feel for how his pieces will complement their lives and discusses what they envisage for their new furniture. “There is a trend toward Australian hardwoods, which are unlike any timbers in the world,” commented Stuart. “An important Australian influence is Schulim Krimper, who brought the European modernist furniture design ideas to post-war Australia along with the use of Australian timbers.

“There is also a trend to reveal more of the original finish of the timber, almost respecting the origins a little more, where strong lacquer has been replaced with matte finishes of wax or oil,” said Stuart. Surprisingly, the price for pieces from furniture stores that are made for the masses overseas can still cost more than Stuart’s local quality crafted work. “Handmade doesn’t necessarily mean unattainable, but we’ve all become so used to mass produced retail that many often don’t realise we can own something really unique and special that will last a lot longer.”

“Where once I worked with American or European Ash, Oak and Walnut, now I work more with Blackbutt, Australian Blackwood and Spotted Gum.

A local love for learning more about handcrafted furniture and the world of wood has also found another outlet in Stuart’s Illawarra Woodwork School and the Illawarra Festival of Wood, which in 2019 attracted almost 10,000 people from across Australia.

“I also work with local arborists to mill timber that was once street timber, such as Silky Oak or Australian Cedar. It is as if we’ve moved away

“The ‘We Love Wood’ Experiences, which we started last year due to not being able to run the festival, have been very popular with everyone,”

LOCAL CREATIVE Stuart said. “I have people who have never made anything before who walk away from our classes proud to take home a piece of furniture as professional looking as any other and much better quality than anything they’ve sourced from a store. That sense of pride is priceless. It’s also not just furniture people make – we’re doing our first ever canoe-building workshop experience. “We are always exploring other unique ways for everyone to experience the exciting world of wood, whilst taking time out to connect and create. “It’s interesting to live and work in a threedimensional world, where most live around two-dimensional worlds on a screen. I love sharing this passion and seeing how people’s perspectives change and sense of themselves as they learn about tools and the timber and bring their ideas together.” ¡ See more at stuartmontague.com.au or woodworkschool.com or illawarrafestivalofwood.com

LOCAL DROP

resin resonates THE BREWPUB THAT TRANSFORMED A RUNDOWN RAILWAY GUESTHOUSE INTO A NEW COMMUNITY HUB FOR BULLI AND BEYOND Words Matilda Jesiolowski Images Wesley Lonergan @anchorandthesea

Brendan Dowd and Steve House met out in the surf at Stanwell Park before their first day of uni. Later that day they both arrived at their first lecture and coincidentally sat next to each other. The fateful encounter sparked a friendship and partnership that many years later, has led to the successful opening of Resin Brewing in Bulli – a microbrewery and pub that has already become an institution in the northern suburbs since its launch in March 2020. Guided by the hope of creating a gathering place not only for craft beer enthusiasts and foodies, but for the community as a whole, Resin has hit the mark. The modern, pristinely executed fit-out has given the heritage-listed building a worthy second life, with the 200-seat restaurant and inviting outdoor deck equally fit for sunny Sunday arvo beers with mates or midweek family celebrations. There’s a reason there’s been a steady flow of punters lined up at the brewery since it first invited the community in to pull up a bar stool – it’s an enjoyable place to be. The food, the beers, the atmosphere all thoughtfully curated by two mates with a great idea!

LOCAL DROP

Before the dream of opening their own brewery had even hit the radar, Brendan and Steve both worked as environmental scientists. Steve had his own consultancy business, and asked Brendan to work with him. “Being consultants is a grind and we both, especially Steve, put big hours, days, months and years into make the business what it was. It got to a point after a while where we started dreaming of greener pastures, and a way to find the love and passion once again,” says Brendan. After working alongside one another for 15 years, they starting brewing together about five years ago, but both had been avid home brewers for over 20 years. Enjoying their own product then led to visions of their own brewery, and with Brendan’s background in managing pubs in London, the goal was always to open as a brewpub. “I loved the ‘second loungeroom’ feel you get in the pubs there – they have a real sense of belonging. We felt we wanted to create a destination for the community, not just a product.” From there, the idea of Resin Brewing really started taking shape. Brendan and Steve, both being northern suburbs locals, knew they wanted to find a location for their brewery that was close to home and had a real sense of identity for the area. Their previous years of experience in environmental planning helped them to navigate the initial challenges of finding the right spot with the required zoning for a brewery. In the end, Brendan says the process was just down to sheer good luck and timing. The destination they eventually found was perfect – an old, heritage-listed station guesthouse alongside Bulli Train Station that dates back to 1887. “I drove past the old girl as we always did, daily, one day and said to my wife, ‘that would be a cool place for a brewpub’,” says Brendan. “That night I rang Steve and mentioned it, and he drove by with his wife. That afternoon he was literally making offers to the owners. We agreed not long after!” Transforming the heritage building into the incredible venue it is now, recently saw the pair awarded with the well-deserved National Trust

Termites, squatters, flooding, “asbest os, lack of electricity and power… the list goes on” Award for Adaptive Reuse, which both Steve and Brendan say was a shock, but “really special”. But despite the impressive end-product, the build certainly didn’t come without its challenges – when the pair took it over in 2017, the site was almost falling apart. “Termites, squatters, flooding, asbestos, lack of electricity and power… the list goes on. All part of the game, but we got there,” laughs Brendan. And got there they did – Resin has become a community hub, with a delicious food offering that is as much of a drawcard as the beers brewed on-site. This was important to the guys when creating their ideal space. “We wanted to make sure that Resin was a home for Bulli and beyond – somewhere comfortable and easy to meet. In doing that, we knew that we had to offer something for everyone, knowing that not everyone is into craft beers,” says Brendan.

LOCAL DROP

The handiwork of head chef Yon Miller, of Sandy Goodwich and Eat at Sandy’s fame, the menu started with Steve and Brendan’s idea of using smoked meats as a base, but with a modern flare. “We presented that theme to Yon and left the rest with him to do his thing, and we couldn't be happier,” says Brendan. “We now change the menu each season, so that the food changes like our ever-changing beer menu.” Like the food menu, the level of care that goes into the brewing of the beers is evident. Made with all-natural ingredients and handcrafted in small batches on site, the Resin line-up changes regularly with some drops like the Sandon Lager, Refraction Hazy Pale Ale and Resinate IPA, making regular starring appearances. When asked to pick his favourite, Brendan likens it to choosing a favourite child (“You can’t ask that!”), but says one of his top drop recommendations is the Olfaction – their juicy New England IPA. “It hits all the spots but is still drinkable enough that you're not done after one pint.” Despite opening in March last year, just days prior to the pandemic effectively shutting down the hospitality industry, the brewery has been so well received by the community, that’s it’s surprised the guys with its success. “We're surprised day after day, but also stoked that it’s everything we'd hoped and pushed so hard for,” says Brendan. “The way everyone still supported us through the hard Covid months was great. We had lineups out to the street from the bar just to fill up growlers on weekends!” So, what’s next for the local craft brewery that has gone from strength to strength in a time that was the opposite for so many? “The future of Resin is whatever the community makes it,” says Brendan. “We’re both driven to make Resin the biggest and best it can be, but we also want to make sure we enjoy it for what it is right now. There's a real joy in being in your own pub watching people enjoy your beers – it's a feeling I remember having back when I was 18 (16 shhh!), when my grandfather first taught me the ways of the yeast.” ¡

" BEAUTIFUL HOMES ARE MEANT TO BE USED BY FAMILIES MAKING MEMORIES "

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Tracey | 0478 686 358 tracey@henryandcointeriors.com www.henryandcointeriors.com @henryandcointeriors

LOCAL MUSIC

beyond the clouds FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE CLOUDS, SINGER-SONGWRITER JODI PHILLIS IS SET TO RELEASE HER NEW SOLO ALBUM Interview Alex Knight Images Judith Russo, creativeeventsphotography.com.au

First making her mark on the Aussie music scene as a founding member of influential alt-rock band, The Clouds, Jodi Phillis has gone on to record five solo albums, with her sixth, We Need To be Free, dropping this autumn. A musical chameleon, Jodi’s eclectic style and formidable talent have seen this Illawarra local build a solid career from her soulful singer-songwriting ability. On top of her success with The Clouds, with the band amassing cult-like status among the Aussie indie scene, Jodi is a screen composer and has composed music for two major orchestral works which premiered at Vivid and Sydney Festivals. She is also an artist-in-residence with Port Kembla not-for-profit Tender Funerals, does her own album artwork and contributes to the making of her video clips, currently working on some for her upcoming album. Jodi is an artist in every sense of the word and has been surrounded by creatives all her life.

LOCAL MUSIC

Born in Melbourne, Jodi moved to LA as a baby with her showbiz family – her dad was a cameraman in Hollywood and her mum and aunts, originally from LA, were in a professional, recording doo-wop singing group called The Starr Sisters. “I have very fond memories of my time in the US,” Jodi says. “Harmony singing and a kind of beautiful melancholy is a big part of the LA sound – it has greatly influenced me.” After returning to Australia and spending her childhood riding bikes through the bush, drawing and singing in a choir, she left school early to pursue her big dreams of making music… and has since spent most of her life performing on stages around Australia and the world. Now the powerful frontwoman has called the Illawarra home for 20 years, and feels blessed to be surrounded by, “so many wonderful, creative people,” she says. “There is a lot of collaboration going on here and it seems to be growing – there are so many film people, artists, dancers, musicians, writers, photographers moving to the area. We find each other and we make stuff happen!” Here, Jodi intimately shares what audiences can expect from We Need To be Free and why she’s addicted to making music… How would you describe your musical style? I can’t sum it up easily, but here goes… I’m a singer, songwriter and composer, who loves to make chamber-folk, bohemian rock, art-music, alt-country, vintage jazz-tinged, gothic dreampop, bastard classical, vocal, cinematic, intimate, emotional, dark, sweet, poetic tunes. What is your song writing process like? I write easily when I have a project in mind. I’ve never experienced writer’s block. The most natural thing for me to do is to write songs on my acoustic guitar and sing them with all my heart and soul. With other types of songs, I will sit around strumming my guitar and see what happens. I don’t do that as much as I did in The

Clouds, though. Sometimes I get so excited, I just start coming up with ideas way before I’m supposed to. Mostly now, melodies just pop into my head when I’m looking for them, same goes for composing for the screen and stage. Lyrics will pop into my head too, but they can take longer to finesse. I like a balance between raw, untamed ideas and polished-up perfection. You probably need the latter to create hits, but for me, some rawness is very appealing. Either that… or I’m lazy and it’s a good excuse. Tell us about your new album, We Need To be Free… It has a feeling of healing, with a kind of psychological unpacking of human behaviours as a general lyrical theme. I’ve looked at some of our destructive ways of thinking about ourselves and how we see the world from a conditioned perspective. I just want everyone to feel free within themselves, and on this album, I sing about that a lot. I think I’ve been singing about that forever! Even if I’m just getting some dark feelings out, it always feels like there is healing power in that. The first single, Summer of Fires, was inspired by the 2019/20 bushfires and is a direct call to action to the government to take climate change seriously and change Australia into a green zone, to protect our waters, our forests and give First Nations People power over their sacred lands. The destruction of their sacred sites for mining and profit is diabolical. We can make this place a paradise. We must. What have been some challenges in your career? Oh boy, that’s a big question. Just being a human is challenge enough! Then to be a creative, rebellious, impatient and highly sensitive human has made it a rocky road at times. I could easily complain about sexism in the music industry, or the lack of support for artists in our country, or the challenge of being a parent and an artist. These things are all true, but really, the biggest challenge has been believing in myself enough to boldly be who I have always dreamed of being. I have spent more years than I care to admit in a state of vague insecurity and anxiety and paranoia. I’ve struggled with depression and insomnia from years of constant touring and not looking after myself properly and comparing myself to others. I am very happy to say that I no longer struggle with those things. They still arise every now and then, but not in a way that leaves

LOCAL MUSIC

so hard. Music takes a really long time to make and people just don’t seem to want to pay for it. Plus, Covid has really changed the whole industry and rendered us unable to tour or work in groups. The best thing people can do as music lovers is to support artists by either donating to their practice and buying their music directly from their websites or through Bandcamp. They give most of the money to the artists. This stuff makes a huge difference to musicians. What is the best advice you've been given? A random person from an audience once came up to me and said, “Just because you can belt out a tune, doesn’t mean you should do that all the time”. I took that on board and started to play around with vocal dynamics a lot more. I’m still trying to figure it out.

me feeling powerless. I know these feelings will pass, so I let them enter and then watch them go. There is a truly liberating feeling that menopause brings too, plus the all-powerful cleansing power of grief. If you are broken open from losing people you love and need so much, there is a golden opportunity to grow strong and free inside once you get through the worst of the pain. This happened to me after I lost both of my parents to cancer when they were in their early 70s. If you could change anything in the music industry, what would it be? The most important thing that needs to change is to enforce music streaming companies to pay a greater cut of the profits to artists. It’s really hard to make a decent living from music. We have to diversify and get good at juggling lots of jobs, as well at networking and applying for grants. Songwriters, recording and touring artists and composers work

But really, the best advice is from all the spiritual wisdom in ancient texts that exist. Everything comes back to ‘living in the present moment’. I started meditating twice a day a few years ago, and it has totally changed my life for the better. The music biz is full of drugs and booze and egos, and it can really darken your days. Sure, it’s a lot of fun sometimes, but mostly I look after myself as well as I can. It’s much better for my mental health, and for my beautiful daughters and the people around me. How do you envisage the future? I want to continue making music. To create music and art has always been my dream and that is what I am doing, so I guess I’m on the right path. Eventually, when I am old and my voice is tired, I will turn to drawing and painting more and more. As for my dreams for the world? We need to change our ways big time. I hope we can stop destroying our beautiful planet real soon. I dream of a time when there is no more racism and we have moved beyond judging other people. We need to listen to the people who understand Country and let them lead the way. Each of us needs to take responsibility and become an activist. I know it’s exhausting and impossible to do everything right, but if we all do what we can, things will change for the better. I saw a great Instagram post saying, “What if everything turns out for the best?” I love that. ¡

Jodi’s album We Need To be Free is available for pre-order at Bandcamp.com For more information and music, please visit www.jodiphillis.com

REVIEWS

HEALTH

mental health matters NAVIGATING MENTAL HEALTH DURING LIFE’S UPS AND DOWNS Maintaining your mental health is challenging at the best of times, but the past year has truly upped the ante. The cumulative effect of bushfires, the pandemic, economic stress, lockdowns, isolation and loneliness – it’s understandable that one in six Australians are currently experiencing depression or anxiety, or both. In 2020, Lifeline South Coast took over 25,000 phone calls – a huge 40 per cent increase on the previous year. It’s a sobering statistic, confirming that a growing number of people in our community need help and are often suffering in silence. What can you do if you, or someone you know, need support to get back on track? Renee Green, CEO of Lifeline South Coast, says there are many resources available to support mental health and wellbeing, from simple strategies to telephone crisis support, or a mental health care plan via a medical professional. “I encourage everybody to look after themselves and that can be done in a whole range of different ways. Things like going for a walk, going for a coffee with a friend, reading a book, eating well, sleeping well. If you reach a point where you're not finding joy in those things, that's when it might be time to reach out for some help. Your GP is a great place to start,” says Renee.

We all play a role in supporting each other, normalising mental health conversations and preventing suicide. “Remember to look out for your mates. If you notice some changes, if they're becoming more withdrawn, maybe if they're drinking more than usual, if their moods are fluctuating, we'd really encourage having an honest conversation with them and to not be scared of saying ‘I'm really worried about you, are you thinking about suicide?” Renee says. “Research shows us that asking the question does not put the idea in somebody's head, instead it gives them the opportunity to actually respond and if the answer is no, that's great. Or if the answer is yes, ask ‘how can we keep you safe right now?’”

Go online

From fact sheets to online forums, there are many resources available online in the midst of a crisis. Practical advice on how to identify and manage mental health conditions, toolkits for carers who are supporting family members or friends, and training for businesses to better support their staff.

As the saying goes, a problem shared is a problem halved. If talking through your concerns with a friend or family member isn’t possible, helplines such as BeyondBlue, MensLine Australia or Lifeline are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“Lifeline’s website has a lot of helpful resources, plus information about community training. If people are interested in learning more about suicide prevention training, we run courses to learn how to recognise some of the warning signs, how to respond appropriately and how to refer them to appropriate support,” says Renee. ¡

“People can call us at any time if they're feeling stressed or distressed, or if they're worried about a friend or family member,” says Renee. “We're always here to listen and give you a safe place to tell your story. There's no judgement.

Want to support Lifeline?

Head along to the Big Book Fair, Illawarra Sports Stadium Berkeley on 19-21 March 2021.

“Reaching out for help can be a really challenging thing to do, but I think we need to see that as a real sign of strength.”

To become a Volunteer Crisis Supporter, visit lifelinesouthcoast.org.au or attend the information session on 8 April 2021 in Wollongong.

Pick up the phone

Have an honest conversation

Adrian Spear Anger & Stress Specialist

Mind Management & Counselling Level 1, 3B Raymond Rd, Thirroul NSW 2515

Phone: 0405 391 110

ADVERTORIAL

MOTHER'S DAY FINDS

! re ca ou y ch u m ow h t s ju Lush local buys to show Mum

Nest Emporium Give a gift she will remember long after the candle blows out. Nest Emporium has a wonderful range of delicious Royal Essence Candles that have a 100-hour burn time and every candle contains a 925 sterling silver gemstone ring, valued at between $90-$5,000! Open seven days and offers free gift wrapping with every purchase. 287 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Thirroul nestemporium.com.au

Dear Harlo is a women’s fashion and lifestyle boutique located at 5/244 Princes Hwy, Corrimal. They stock a range of ladies clothing and accessories, complimented by beauty, lifestyle and homewares products. New arrivals land in store weekly. Their style focuses on neutral tones and this is reflected by their gorgeous store front. You can shop in store six days a week (Monday to Saturday) or online at dearharlo.com.au. They even provide store collect and local delivery! @dearharlo

MOTHER'S DAY FINDS

Katherine Watson Yoga Spoil your mum this Mother's Day with a 10-class pass. Classes are in the Surf Club at Austinmer Beach or leafy Moore St Yoga Room. Kath teaches Vinyasa and Yin Yoga in flow with the seasons. Sunrise classes, mid morning and afternoon sessions. Find timetable and details: @katherinewatsonyoga katherinewatsonyoga.com

Pretty Eclectic A cool collection of furniture, fashion and lifestyle finds for the wild and free. Pretty Eclectic offers a carefully curated collection of furniture, clothing, homewares and accessories with a modern bohemian aesthetic for the style conscious, busy woman and her family. Shop 2/407 Princes Hwy, Woonona prettyeclectic.com.au

The Palm Springs-inspired, recently revamped and licensed restaurant is the perfect spot for celebrations and spoiling Mum on her special day. Enjoy brunch or lunch in a garden setting, and sample their famous open rye with smoked salmon, or house-made corn fritters. Plus, the spritzes and prosecco will be chilled and ready this Mother’s Day! For bookings: twomountainsmerchants@gmail.com or call 02 4286 0535 3/364-366 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Thirroul

MOTHER'S DAY FINDS

The Candle Kitchen Hand-poured, one-of-a-kind, soy and coconut candles made with love at the Timbermill Studios in Bulli. This heavenly black fig scent is sure to make Mum's day! 2-6 Molloy St, Bulli thecandlekitchen.com.au

Twig & Bo Nothing says Mother's Day more than beautiful blooms, bubbles and chocolates! Twig & Bo can help you create the perfect bunch, and deliver it straight to Mum's door. 2-6 Molloy Street, Bulli twigandboflorist.com.au 0433 273 202

The Living Hearth All things linen. Vintage-inspired clothing, pure linen bedding, kitchen, bath and table linens. A shop full of linen to adorn your loves, yourself and your home. Shop 5/ 264 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Thirroul missmolly.com.au 0412 295 048

If you would like to have a product featured next issue, please email hello@amymorrisonstyling.com.au to book in.

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WANDER INTO WINTER 2021 A U S T R A L I A N O W N E D & O P E R AT E D OZ DESIGN FURNITURE WOLLONGONG

LOCAL PEOPLE

hello roxee FROM TUPPERWARE PARTIES IN THE SUBURBS TO THE BRIGHT LIGHTS OF TV HOSTING AND CABARET SHOWS, ADAM LARKHAM AND HIS ALTER-EGO ROXEE HORROR REIGN AS WOLLONGONG’S MOST-LOVED DRAG QUEEN Images Mark Schodde

LOCAL PEOPLE “Unity held monthly events for the queer community at the Tennis Club in Wollongong – drinks, dancing and drag shows. Another Queen was working there and had noticed the MTV gig and they asked me to work at their events. The events started growing bit by bit and I then started hosting Backdoor Bingo at local RSL clubs.”

With a background in the performing arts and teaching drama, embracing a drag persona hasn't been too big a leap for Adam Larkham, or Roxee Horror as he is also known. In 2016, he adopted a drag persona for the first time while hosting suburban Tupperware parties – then as Crystal Clearmate, a name inspired by a well-loved Tupperware product – and proved to be a natural at balancing hosting duties while providing some cheeky laughs. “When I was doing Tupperware, an old friend invited me to audition for a theatre production in the Blue Mountains. I’d never done drag on stage before, but thought ‘let's give that a go’ and I loved it. We did a run of seven shows,” says Adam. Adam then entered – and won – a competition to become the face of MTV Pride 2017, going on to co-host a MTV segment with legendary Australian drag queen Courtney Act for the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. “I actually auditioned as myself. I put a little snippet in of my drag persona, but I didn't think they would want to use it. I won the competition as myself, but then halfway through filming they transitioned to my drag character. I changed my stage name to Crystal Queer – that was my first real drag name and it’s all grown from there,” Adam says. Although the drag name and styling has since changed, the high-profile hosting gig kicked off a new career, including hosting regular bingo and trivia nights, hen’s nights and corporate events. After filming the MTV segment, Adam decided to approach local businesses that might be interested in utilising drag for their events, with Unity, a not-for-profit organisation, the first to take on the newly-named Roxee Horror in April 2017.

The popularity of drag in Wollongong has helped Adam to grow from a once-a-month hobby to a full-time business. “It started as a fun hobby. At the beginning, I was only doing it month to month and I had my full-time job. I had one costume to organise, one song to prepare, one wig to style.” And as interest boomed, the opportunities for Roxee to perform came with it – Drag Time Storytime (in conjunction with Wollongong City Library), host of Speigeltent Wollongong, judge for the So You Think You Can Drag? talent show, and a return invitation from MTV to host her very own ‘12 Days of Christmas’ segment. In 2018, Merrigong Theatre approached Adam to develop a series of ‘one night only’ cabaret shows – Roxee Horror's Spring Fling and Roxee Horror's Drag Extravaganza – with both shows selling out at the Music Lounge. Given its success, Roxee and her eclectic bunch of local Queens have gone on to create and perform another two highly successful shows in the larger Wollongong Town Hall space, with other shows planned for 2021 at IPAC. “It’s a collaboration, the whole cast work with each other. I'll have the general idea of the songs I want to use and who might play a certain character, but then I ask, ‘Who knows this song? Who loves this song?’” says Adam. “From there, they help me form a story around the songs. I'm very mindful to try and, as much as I can be, be politically correct. You see a drag show to be

bit “Thebyeventbits andstarteId growing then started hosting Backdoor Bingo at local RSL clubs” 55

LOCAL PEOPLE shocked, but there's a right way to shock people and there's a wrong way to shock people.” But it hasn’t all been smooth sailing. As was the case for many local creatives, lockdown and venue restrictions meant that many pre-booked gigs were no longer. “I went from being fully booked to absolutely nothing. I had all this time and wanted to stay connected with my audience and keep myself out there,” says Adam. And so Roxee’s latest venture was born – a successful weekly YouTube series ‘Word Vomit’, with fellow drag queen Ellawarra. “It’s generally Ella and myself. We do challenges, although when we first started we didn't know what we were doing!” Adam laughs. “We sat down, did our make-up and just talked to the camera. Now we have guests come on who have something to do with drag, or we do a challenge like the Milk Challenge. That wasn’t easy – trying to drink four litres of milk without vomiting!”

Adam and Roxee have come a long way and counts the support of the local drag community as a key to his success. “Technically, it's all selftaught. I haven't done any classes but the Queens that I have met since I started have helped me phenomenally – where to put the make-up or how to block an eyebrow. I've learned something from everybody,” explains Adam. “I never thought drag was going to be my calling, but once I started I thought, ‘How was I so blinded my whole life to not realise I should be doing this?’” Adam laughs. “I still can't do beauty make-up but I can totally do drag make-up – there's such a big difference. I often get asked to do women’s make-up. If you want to look like a man dressed as a woman, I can do it!” ¡

See Roxee Horror’s latest show Musical Mayhem at the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre on Saturday 24 April. Tickets at www.merrigong.com.au

TRAVEL AT HOME

go abroad, at home FIVE PLACES NEARBY WHERE YOU CAN PRETEND YOU’RE OVERSEAS Words Matt Castell curatedtravel.com.au Images Brad Chilby; D&A Photography; Travis Marshall; Brayden Standford; Stefan Posthuma

It looks like overseas travel won’t be possible for at least another year. Whilst this is devastating for those who know the baristas at the airport by name, we have ample locations nearby to discover or revisit until it’s time to burn through our frequent flyer points again. There are a bunch of local spots that give international hot spots a run for their money. So, get your selfie stick, slap on a bum bag, and pretend like you’re abroad to get your fix until we’re free to fly again.

TRAVEL AT HOME

The Coast Track, Royal National Park Reminiscent of: The Camino Portuguese, Portugal/Spain This epic, multi-day hike starts in Bundeena and finishes in Otford, taking in stunning coastal scenes, which are dotted with a multitude of swimming spots along the way. The hike takes two days and stretches for 26km. You’ll need to bring all your camping gear, food and water for this adventure and keep an eye out for whales along the way. It’s a tough trek with plenty of time to enjoy your thoughts and soak in all mother nature has to offer – similar to the world-famous Camino Portuguese Pilgrimage in Europe.

Brad Chilby @chilby_photography

TRAVEL AT HOME

D&A Photography @daphotography_snapper

Southern Highlands Wine Region Reminiscent of: Regional France Get your belly full of delicious cheeses and quaffable wines only just over an hour from the Coal Coast. You can easily take in four cellar door tastings and a long lunch somewhere on a day trip from Wollongong, or stay overnight in cute and cosy accommodation offerings in Bowral, Berrima or Moss Vale to make the most of it. Take in gorgeous countryside vistas between tastings that could easily be placed in France’s Loire, Burgundy and Champagne regions. All that French flair… without the awkward language barriers.

TRAVEL AT HOME

Travis Marshall @travistyy

The Farm, Killalea National Park Reminiscent of: Waimea Bay, Hawaii Pack your snorkel, surfboard, a couple of Mai Tais and pretend you’re catching rays (or waves) with Hawaiian big wave surfers on the North Shore of Oahu. You can’t see any other land from this famous Illawarra beach, which gives the feeling of being a million miles from home on a tropical island. Kick up your pretend holiday a notch by picking up a couple Hawaiian pizzas on the way!

TRAVEL AT HOME

Macquarie Pass National Park Reminiscent of: The Amazon Jungle, South America Marvel at giant ferns, crystal clear creeks and towering eucalypts in this little stretch of rainforest on our spectacular escarpment. Literally dip your toes in the water on the 2km Cascades Walk, which follows a stream to a 20-metre cascade of water, or try heaps of longer trails for more experienced walkers where you’ll find an abundance of birdlife filling the forest with exotic sounds. Find your own little swimming hole, tuck into a good book and imagine you’re lost in the jungles of Colombia with nobody around for hundreds of kilometres.

Brayden Standford @braydenstanfordphoto

TRAVEL AT HOME

Stefan Posthuma @quicksandfood

Greenwell Point, Shoalhaven Reminiscent of: The Louisiana Bayou, USA If oysters are your thing and you haven’t been to Greenwell Point yet, then you better stop by on your next road trip south. This sleepy fishing village on the coast, just outside of Nowra, ticks boxes for seafood lovers – boasting two fish and chips shops, a pub, a servo and not much else, which is all part of its charm. After hanging a line off one of the many docks in the morning, rock up to Jim’s Wild Oyster with a cold bottle of wine and an appetite to devour stacks of shucked local oysters and prawns out behind the shed. Wave to fishermen as they pass on their tinnies bringing in their catch of the day – knowing the water isn’t brimming with alligators, like the Louisiana Bayou, but the fresh fare is just as fab. ¡

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LOCAL MAKER

macramé masterpiece MEET BRYDIE STEWART – MACRAMÉ ARTIST, VISUAL ARTS EDUCATOR AND THE CREATOR BEHIND THE INSTA-FAMOUS MARY MAKER STUDIO Words Jo Failes

LOCAL MAKER

Creative, calming and crafty – the art of macramé is back in a big way. For Kiama’s Brydie Stewart, she has affectionately become the go-to macramé master, teaching thousands of people how to create and enjoy the mindful art of knotting. From the moment you check out her oodles of coloured yarns, silks, ribbons, strings and ropes you might be inspired to create your very own macramé wall hanging or plant holder masterpiece, too. With its vast range of macramé cord supplies and materials, Mary Maker Studio is a welcoming space for arty folk to come together. Brydie cofounded the @macramemovement on Instagram and Facebook; a global community for 'knotters' to connect, and share helpful tips and advice. "The community just grew itself!" laughs Brydie. "I really just wanted a place for customers to connect. Instagram is where we share the work that they've created and we've got a community on Facebook with about 15,000 makers. We've got people from all over the world who are now best friends who bonded through this fibre. Brydie calls Kiama home and loves everything about living in this stunning coastal location – and her studio is a place where visitors to the region can take time out for a highly emotional and sensory experience. "Kiama is a great place to have a creative business," Brydie says. "In the past five years I've taught about 5000 people. There's a beautiful energy here, and my home studio is such an energetic space. People just walk in and touch everything. We as humans like to touch, but we're told not to, so for people to walk into my space and put their hands on the fibre – that is what I want! It's that release of energy, letting go of emotion, connecting back to what our body wants to do, and the instinct is to touch it!" Innovating the fibre world on a global scale, a visit to Mary Maker Studio online is where you’ll find every Pantone colour you can imagine. The latest collections to drop, Cloud 9 and Recycled Luxe,

are simply stunning with earthy hues you can mix and match – from duck-egg blue, terracotta, and the delectable-sounding toffee, caramel, pink lemonade, and peach, to gorgeous green muted tones of ivy, sage, peppermint and eucalyptus. "When I'm standing in front of my yarns I'm so proud of all of the products," Brydie says. "I design them all myself – I don't just import them from a manufacturer. Each colour is a chosen Pantone and is then matched to another Pantone; they're all corresponding to the different seasons. When I do a collection launch I cry. It means so much to me, so I have lots of pride from standing in front of these pictures!" laughs Brydie. The global pandemic has helped the studio to thrive, with curious crafters suddenly stuck at home with time on their hands to have a go at their first macramé creation. The past year has presented Brydie with challenges, especially with her new recycled luxe range and delays with shipping, but it also allowed her alreadyestablished online community and connections to grow in spades.

LOCAL MAKER

So many people turned to “ craft and so many people found

me, and because we were all in lockdown I had time to really connect with these people” "For me, the pandemic was incredible for so many reasons," Brydie reflects. "So many people turned to craft and so many people found me, and because we were all in lockdown I had time to really connect with these people. People wanted to hear a voice, a welcoming, calming voice, and I talked to them about how I got into macramé. "I was a school teacher and was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis," says Brydie. "And in that moment, it was a turning point... it was the catalyst to changing my life. I was in a secure career, in charge of four people, and I just went 'nope, not doing it' and I quit that job to just do this." Brydie’s infectious enthusiasm makes one want to immediately sign up for her workshops and learn the art of meditating through macramé. "Someone might purchase a $50 roll of cotton and out of that roll they will get two weeks of creative time, they will go on an internal journey, and will make one or two artworks that makes them feel really wonderful," says Brydie. "And then they will gift them to their friends, so it's just all positive. You've got people who have lost their job and now do macramé. It's a beautiful, mediative skill and the sense of community and connection just grows from there. I've got the best job in the world." Brydie plans to return to in-person macramé workshops soon and to delve into other creative areas too, including ceramics and painting, and will offer platters with fresh food from her garden. In the meantime, head to her online shop for all the inspo you need to start making, creating and healing as you delve into the sensory world of macramé. ¡ Check out her work at marymakerstudio.com.au

ceremonies that reflect your personality //

@jacquacelebrant 0411 015 434

COAL COAST KIDS

screen time to green time THE LAND’S EDGE FOUNDATION IS ON A MISSION TO GET KIDS OUTDOORS AND BUILD REAL CONNECTIONS WHILE LEARNING VALUABLE LIFE-LONG SKILLS ALONG THE WAY Words Diana Ioppolo @ignite_content Images Ben Plunkett; Jack Fitzranga

Are you struggling to get your kids off their screens? Wondering how you can get them spending more time out in nature? Or interested in building their resilience and problem-solving skills? The Land’s Edge Foundation is one of Australia’s leading notfor-profit organisers of outdoor education experiences for young people. For over 20 years, Land’s Edge has given young people the opportunity to learn new skills, gain new perspectives and make new friends, all while developing a deeper appreciation of the environment and their community. By engaging in challenging outdoor programs, Land’s Edge provides students a fun way to build their selfconfidence and develop physical and social skills in a safe environment. Faced with learning new skills without screens and in new outdoor environments, students form stronger connections with both nature and each other, and are encouraged to have real conversations, develop genuine connections and gain an appreciation for their true capabilities.

“One of the biggest outcomes of our programs is the increased feelings of confidence and selfbelief amongst our students,” says Land’s Edge CEO, Mark Stewart. “Through exposure to new experiences, students learn how to overcome challenges, problem solve with their peers and deal with stressful situations. “It’s resilience in action, allowing students to develop a strong sense of self-efficacy which they later transfer to all kinds of real-life situations.” With a focus on providing age-appropriate experiences that help expand a student’s comfort zone, participants are given the opportunity to progressively increase their level of challenge over the years.

Local programs Weekly outdoor program – Taking place in the Kiama/Berry area, these 90-minute sessions are designed to immerse your child in the great outdoors. They run once a week over eight weeks, with programs for Junior Active Kids (711 years) and Senior Active Kids (11-13 years). One-day school holiday experiences – Day programs are open to families, couples and kids. Choose from surf school and mountain biking in Gerroa, or stand-up paddle boarding, kayaking and snorkelling in Kiama.

COAL COAST KIDS

Land’s Edge is also looking at creating new programs throughout the year, including a threeweek expedition for school leavers at the end of 2021. Recognising the restrictions on end-of-year holidays and overseas gap year opportunities, the program will look to offer an alternative to experiencing key life experiences at different locations around NSW. With locations including the Illawarra, Sydney, Murramarang and Mt Kosciusko, programs are run on a mix of Land’s Edge properties, national parks and privately-owned locations. ¡ Activities vary from program to program and can include: • Bushwalking • Orienteering • Mountain biking • Kayaking • Canoeing • Rafting • Stand-up paddle boarding • Snorkelling • Surfing Interested in finding out more? Check out landsedge.com.au or contact the Foundation directly on (02) 4234 3278 or info@landsedge.com.au

CUSTOM CONCRETE POOLS - POOL RENOVATIONS LANDSCAPING WWW.ENDLESSLANDSCAPES.COM.AU FIND OUT MORE TODAY

LET'S TALK | 0403 916 290 Licence# 286580C

GARDENING

boost the bees TURN YOUR PATCH INTO A HIVE OF ACTIVITY AND BOLSTER LOCAL BEE POPULATIONS Words Kath Gadd, Mallee Design malleedesign.com.au

There is nothing that signifies a healthy, happy garden more than bees, busily buzzing about making the most of the blooms and feasting on pollen. Bees play a crucial role in our ecosystem and we rely heavily on them to pollinate our food crops and assist in regenerating our native bushland, not to mention supply us with delicious honey.

There are over 1500 native bee species in Australia, with a whole host of interesting shapes and forms. Bees feed on nectar nestled within flowers, provide pollen to raise their young, and play an absolutely vital role in pollinating plants as they hop from flowerbud to flowerbud. Sadly, native bees are declining and are gradually been displaced. This has led to a reduction in native flora pollination and an increase in the pollination of weeds. Whereas some pollinators only require nectar and/or pollen for part of their lives, bees need these honey ingredients throughout their adult and larval stages. To accumulate one kilogram of honey, bees will have pollinated a million individual flowers and flown over 50,000km. We can all do our bit to support these pollinators. Why not plant flowers rich in nectar, which will help bees find the food they need? The first thing to think about when creating an inviting habitat for bees is plants with different flowering seasons. This makes sure there's a constant source of nectar for nearby colonies and year-round bee activity. The colours of the flowers your planting in the garden are also important. Bees have a different range of colour vision to humans –

they can't see red but can see all the way into the ultraviolet spectrum and distinguish between individual flowers much more readily. Flowers which are violet, blue, purple, mauve, white and yellow are very attractive to them. Something that's not as often considered when creating bee habitats is their thirst – on a hot day, a colony of bees can drink over a litre of water between them. Bees will locate their water source by scent too, so it’s important to have organic matter in the water which will give off a fragrance. A bee bowl should be shallow and full of gravel, pebbles, sticks or leaves so that they can access the water easily and not drown. By planting some of these bee-attracting species below, you will be encouraging important pollinators to enter your garden. Bees really are an unsung hero, so consider incorporating some of these into your garden to help our local bee populations thrive. ¡ • • • • • • • • • •

Angophora Westringia Epacris Eucalyptus P hilotheca Acacia Leptospermum Banksia Viola Hebe

• • • • • • • • •

Eremophila Hardenbergia Lavender Rosemary Lomatia Grevillea Callistemon Salvia Bracteathna

Mallee Design

GARDENING

A Specialised Landscape Design Practice - Australian Native Landscape Design - Spun Copper Bird Baths, Water Bowls & Water Features - Sustainable Landscapes - Wildlife Habitat Gardens - Knowledge of Illawarra Local Species malleedesign.com.au birdbaths.malleedesign.com.au

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LOCAL SPORT

back in the red V AFTER RETURNING TO HIS HOMETOWN CLUB LAST YEAR, NRL STAR TRENT MERRIN IS PUMPED TO KICK OFF THE 2021 SEASON WITH THE MIGHTY DRAGONS Images NRL Imagery

LOCAL SPORT

Veteran rugby league star Trent Merrin has an impressive footy resume – after debuting for the St George Illawarra Dragons in 2009, he spent seven seasons with the club, where he amassed 133 NRL games, including the club's 2010 grand final victory. He then did a further three seasons at the Penrith Panthers, ventured abroad to captain the English Super League outfit Leeds Rhinos, and has played 13 Origins for NSW and seven Tests for Australia. Now the Shellharbour Sharks junior is back home, wearing the red and white, and he couldn’t be happier. We spoke to the 31-year-old lock ahead of the 2021 season about his idols, what he’s most proud of and the game he loves… Tell us about your journey into professional rugby league – when and why did you first start playing footy? I started in the Under-6s, with Dad as my coach – he always inspired me to pursue rugby league. He worked me really hard as a kid and instilled some good training ethics in me, but it was a constant challenge growing up, as I had to fight obesity and body weight challenges. Then I reached a certain age and found confidence in myself and everything started to fall in my favour. All the hard work started to pay off and I made the Illawarra Steelers SG Ball team first then kicked on to the Under-20s team for two years. Then super coach Wayne (Bennett) came on board in 2009 when I was still playing Under-20s, and I was fortunate enough to pursue my dream and don the red V for my debut. You've had an illustrious career – what sporting achievements are you most proud of? The biggest achievement for me was debuting. As a kid, I never thought I'd be able to live my dream to play in the NRL. To make that a dream come true and debut for the Dragons is what then put me in a place to earn the opportunity to wear a New South Wales Origin and Australian jersey.

Have you had any career lows? I've had plenty. But I wouldn't call them lows. I'd call them challenges. Obviously, you have injury setbacks, but leaving the club I loved so much in the Dragons was tough, even though I found a love for the Panthers. Then moving overseas with my family was challenging, but along the way I've learned great lessons. Who's a player you've always aspired to be like or been inspired by, and why? There's definitely been a few in my career. Even before I reached any lofty heights in rugby league, when I was a junior, Shane Webcke was my idol. When I eventually cracked first grade, I rubbed shoulders with some very inspirational players like Michael Weyman, Ben Creagh and Dean Young. They really took me under their wing and helped shape me as a person. I think even today there's players who teach you good lessons. Cameron McInnes is someone I look up to – he's definitely a leader on and off the field. He has such good morals that every individual

LOCAL SPORT

gameplay is totally different, plus, the pre-seasons and weather are different, too. It's been a big adjustment but I'm very happy I returned to Australia before Covid kicked off. My family is safe at home and I’m loving being back. When Covid threatened to end the 2020 season, how did you stay mentally and physically fit? It was a blessing in disguise. My fiancée and I welcomed a little boy just before the season was put on hold so it actually gave me some time to spend with the family and adjust to a newborn and fatherhood. In the footy sense, it was tough. We weren't allowed to leave the house or be around loved ones for a certain amount of time. Having no crowds and not playing at our home grounds was also hard, but in hindsight, we had it good compared to a lot of other people – to keep doing what we love to do was great.

can learn from. Learning doesn’t stop as you get older – there's always someone who can inspire you and point you in the right direction. What was it like coming home from the English Super League to play for the Dragons? I had goosebumps when I found out I had the opportunity to come home. I always wanted to come home and finish where it started. I'm now lucky enough to have it happen. England was definitely challenging – the standard and the

How do you spend your downtime? It's family time now, which I love. We have a 10-month-old, which is keeping us very busy, but I wouldn't change it for the world. It's definitely something I've wanted to happen for a long time and to have him now is a beautiful thing. It's something to play for, someone to come home to and enjoy my time with. What can fans expect from you and the team in 2021? They can expect a different team, to be honest. We have learnt a lot from last year – not only around our style of play, but our character and team mindset has definitely shifted, too. It’s going to be a great season. ¡

fast five favourites

Favourite coffee shop… Bean Roasted, Shellharbour Favourite beach… Shellharbour Favourite place to eat… Penny Whistlers, Kiama Favourite way to spend a weekend off… With the family Favourite footy memory with the Dragons?… 2010 premiership win – holding up that trophy was something special!

LOCAL STYLE

HARBOURFRONT SEAFOOD RESTAURANT Interior Design: Birdblack Design Joinery Manufacture: McGee Projects Photographer: Andrew Ratter Photography

LOCAL STYLE

dreams to reality WHY HIRING A PROFESSIONAL INTERIOR STYLIST WILL TAKE YOUR HOME TO NEW HEIGHTS Most often, when remodelling, building or redesigning a house, homeowners oscillate between styles, or opt for very traditional and classic designs when their heart’s desire is to branch out and incorporate something brash and magnificent. This is when hiring a professional stylist to fuse ideas and present options is worth its weight in gold. A home is a special place and deserves special treatment. A stylist can step in and present vivacious and showstopping designs, which truly wow. The Birdblack Design team share what the design process is like and explain how they create special moments in a space…

How do you go from ideas to final designs? First port of call is extrapolating from our client’s mind’s eye what they like in terms of styles, colours and layouts. Instagram or Pinterest are great platforms to collect inspiration. We find these collages are often a) all the same style. or b) an absolute mishmash that we navigate. From here we begin designing! We focus on functionality, layout and practicality. Apart from beautiful homes and fantastic commercial spaces, we really want our designs to be effective and efficient for our clients, who will be there day in and day out. How do your clients see what’s in Birdblack Design’s mind’s eye? We come to them with moodboards, flatlays and a plethora of samples that really begin to paint a picture of which direction we’d like to head aesthetically. We love to push the boundaries, so even if the colour palette is ‘reasonably’ safe, we will use gorgeous materials, textures or patterns to create something fabulous. Once clients see some of our combinations in front of them, they are often excited to take that leap with us into something really remarkable. How do strike the perfect balance in design? That really is why you hire the professionals, to be honest. Some pieces, fixtures, finishes should act as the background, whilst other elements will be layered beautifully, taking centrestage and basking in the spotlight. This could be the tiles or the light fittings. It could be pops of colour. It could be the pattern here, or the texture there. It really is about piecing the entire design together, layering it and creating an overall harmonious aesthetic. ¡ Visit www.birdblackdesign.com.au

ALBION RESIDENCE Powder Room Interior Design: Birdblack Design Build: Savvy Group Constructions Photographer: Samantha Mackie

LOCAL TALENT

ion we’ll bewaves our new sect , and in mer cal talentupcelebratingonloyou We loveg the making are who ng and-co s shinin light ZOE GELDER

young talent time Words Emma Smith

Zoe Gelder is doing more than the average teen! At just 17 years old, she’s turned her passion for art into a budding career, commissioning custom designs. While she dabbles in photography, drawing, and jewellery-making, it is her vibrant surfboard art that she’s best known for. Initially inspired by the board art on display at the annual Thirroul Seaside & Arts Festival and her love for surfing, Zoe now creates art for DP Surf Shop in Thirroul. Right now, Zoe is working on completing five black and white surf portrait sketches for her HSC major artwork, titled ‘Children of the Sea.’ And when she finishes school, she hopes to pursue a professional career as an artist. You’re best known for your amazing surfboard art! What inspired you to start? I remember Mum taking me to see the artworks on display at the Thirroul Seaside & Arts Festival. For a few years running, there was a display in the surf club that was devoted to wooden surfboards and a lot of them were decorated with art, either painted or blackened with tools that would burn the design into the timber. They were so cool. I’d also become more serious about surfing around this time and wanted to personalise my own surfboard, so I started out small, just doing some mandalas using special paint pens on the fibreglass. To practise, Dad let me paint his surfboards and it’s grown from there.

LOCAL TALENT Talk us through the process... I’ll sketch out some ideas for the layout on paper or use my iPad before I begin. Whether it’s mandalas, a tree or a whale, it’s good to know roughly where everything will be positioned on the board. Once I’m happy with the design, I will sketch the outline onto the surfboard with lead pencil. The paint is applied through a paint pen. I usually start with the outline and then work on the detail. Depending on how detailed the design is, an artwork can take between five and 20 hours to complete. Once it’s finished, the board needs to be sealed with a Protec coating to lock it in and make it waterproof – I leave that part for the professionals to take care of! You’ve created some board artwork for DP Surf Shop in Thirroul! How did this partnership come about? I’ve been surfing with the Scarborough Boardriders Club for a few years now, and DP is one of their major sponsors. I’ve gotten to know the owner, Dylan Perese, over the years as a customer and through the club, and a while ago I took a folder with some of my artworks into the shop hoping to inspire some of his customers. Recently, Dylan has given me the opportunity to test my skills further with a few different customer requests, which I am grateful for. Tell us about your trip to The Maldives and hanging out with Aussie surfing legend Barton Lynch? Every year Barton Lynch holds a surf comp on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, called the BL Blast Off. All the groms competing would get a bag with a T-shirt, a drink bottle and other bits of promotion. There was a flyer encouraging people to join Barton and his wife, Holly, on a surf trip in The Maldives the following year. So I went along. At 14, it was an amazing experience to share with my dad. Bart is just a big grom at heart, full of enthusiasm and loved to give out tips on how to improve my surfing. He also loved the art I’d done on my boards. What kind of things do you like to do outside of art that influence your style? I love to surf, snowboard, hang with my friends and chill out to old music. When Dad and I get the chance, we take off in the van looking for new surf breaks, but when the waves aren’t breaking, I love to get out the snorkel or the

camera and just take pictures of what is around me. From the escarpment, to the plants, to the rockpools, there is always some element I can incorporate into my art. You also create incredible drawings, paintings and have dabbled in photography. What is your favourite medium to work on? There is so much I don’t know about photography and getting the right quality in the picture is something I need to learn more about. But I love the ease of swimming with my camera, filming my friends in the surf to create mini movies and the chance to capture something unusual. My drawings are a completely different medium. I love to work on the detail to get that photographic quality in a sketch, but a small section can take a few hours to achieve, so there is a lot of time that goes into just one work. My paintings are different again because they’re bright and colourful, more simplistic in style and are just fun to work on. Is there an art-related experience that stands out as being the most memorable? In 2019, I submitted an artwork for the Scarborough Art Show, held at Scarborough Public School in October each year. The artwork was an ocean-inspired design, brightly coloured and framed using an old glass door. It sold! It was such a buzz to know that a stranger who had never seen any of my other work on surfboards liked my art enough to pay for it and would now have my artwork hanging in their house. It was a surreal moment. Are you working toward a new goal right now? My goal this year is to complete a series of five large, black and white surf-inspired portrait sketches as part of the body of work I am required to submit for the HSC.The images will be of surfers of all ages, looking at the tradition, the explorer, the mind, the water and the sand. It’s going to be a lot of work but something I will keep forever. What do you hope to do once you finish school? I can’t wait to finish school! I’m a bit of a hippie at heart and would love to travel and surf and have more time to spend on all of my art. It would be a dream come true to make a career from selling my art. ¡

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COFFEE CHAT

so every ee loverserhereor ,bari We’re we’a llbunchacht ofto coff e own cup. sta issue what makes athecafperf ect about

hey brew MEET SIMMY AND JULIE FROM CANTIK PLACE 9 Johnson St, Kiama Downs

How was Cantik Place born? And why the name? Cantik Place was born in 2017 when one crazy risktaker friend (me, Simmy) said to one of her best friends, Julie, “Would you open a cafe with me?”. Julie’s response was... “Hell yeah!” And so we did! We love everything about Bali, so we decided to call it Cantik Place, which means ‘beautiful’ in Indonesian. What’s the inspiration behind your menu – how do you create it? Menu creation means a lot to me. My mum was a chef and was very big on homemade food. She was all about old-fashioned family favourites – the ones we all love, like marshmallow slice, jam drops, blueberry muffins, scones, banana bread and the best homemade sausage rolls ever! Sadly, Mum passed away eight months after we opened the cafe, but before she left us, she came every day and taught me how to make her favourites. Cantik would not be what it is today without

these recipes! I only have two things of Mum’s – one is her engagement ring, but the most precious thing I have is her handwritten recipes. Every day I see these in the cafe, and while it makes me sad, she’s the reason why I work so hard. She loved that Julie and I did this together. Three days before she died, she told me that she was so proud of the cafe and to never sell myself short. What brand of coffee do you serve and why? Delano. We are all about supporting locals, and Delano is produced in North Wollongong. We love everything about the brand and have built a great relationship with them since opening the cafe. Nothing is better than when people ask where the coffee is from and we tell them it’s made locally. That makes us proud! What’s the secret to a perfect brew? It has to be creamy, strong, with hints of caramel tones, and a barista that serves it with a big hello and a bigger smile! If you buy coffee from another spot in the Illawarra, where do you go? We both like Clay Coffee Collective in Gerringong. ¡

COAL COAST POPS

fave local bushwalk? Interviews Taylah Cutting

Vlad

Jesse

FROM GWYNNEVILLE

FROM CORDEAUX HEIGHTS

Kellys Falls, Stanwell Tops

Burning Palms Loop, Royal National Park

Talina

Keiran

Wodi Wodi track, Coalcliff

Maddens Falls, Darkes Forest

Emily

Sian

Cascades Walk, Macquarie Pass

Sublime Point walking track, Austinmer

FROM COLEDALE

FROM RUSSELL VALE

FROM CORDEAUX HEIGHTS

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FROM THIRROUL

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MEET A NEIGHBOUR

meet a neighbour

E lliot S tein Austinmer

How long have you lived in the Illawarra? Our family has been living in Thirroul for over 100 years now. I grew up on Arunta Drive. I remember spending countless long afternoons at my nana and pop’s house around the corner on Soudan Street. Pop, Jack Kiggins, who used to drive locomotives, kept rows of beehives and Nan was constantly feeding a small swarm of lorikeets in the backyard. Mum and I joke that we started school together – my first day of primary school was her first day studying teaching at UOW, a lifelong dream and the first in her family. She’s now an Associate Professor of Education. After many years of living away for work, I moved back home at the start of last year, finding a place in Austinmer. What brought you to the area? Like a lot of people, Covid made me realise what was really important. Coming back home, being close to family and having all the safety and beauty that comes from living here made it the easiest decision for me. I wouldn’t be anywhere else. Ideal start to the day? Most mornings I’m woken up by the cockatoos roaring down off the escarpment, so I’ll go out and top up the bird bath for them. After that, I can’t go past a stroll along Austi beach and grabbing some fresh bread and a coffee from Moore Street General. ¡

PLUMBING DRAINAGE GAS FITTING

WHAT'S ON

what's on calendar

email us at info@coalcoastmagazine.com to include any future events

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WHILE WE’VE DONE OUR BEST TO ENSURE ALL TIMES AND EVENTS WERE CORRECT AT TIME OF PRINTING, DUE TO THE EVER-CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES BROUGHT ABOUT BY COVID, SOME OF THESE EVENTS MAY CHANGE. CHECK WITH VENUES.

March

Sculpture in the Garden, Wollongong Botanic Gardens, (Until 14th March) • 55 Parrots exhibition, Bulli (Until 2nd March) • Drop-In Writing Group, Coledale Community Hall, 10am (Every Monday)

03 04 05

C.W. Stoneking, The Heritage Hotel, Bulli, 6.30pm • Dekleyn w/ Special Guests, La La La's, Wollongong, 6.30pm Eat Street Wollongong, Crown Street CBD, 5pm9pm (Every Thursday)

Kiama Jazz and Blues Festival (Until 7th March)• Astrodeath 'Leviathan Rising' tour w/ Hy-test, La La La's, Wollongong, 6.30pm • 2021 Illawarra Outlook, Villa D’oro, Wollongong, 12pm • Writer in Residence Day, Coledale Community Hall, 9.30am (Every Friday until 28th May) • Foragers Market, Crown St Wollongong, 9am-2pm (Every Friday)

Super Saturday Native Plant Sale, Wollongong Botanic Gardens • Steel City Strings- The Composer is in the Room, Wollongong Town Hall, 7.30pm • Wollongong Splash, Wollongong Harbour & North Beach • Wildflowers, Pinot & Picasso Wollongong, 7pm • Dragon Boat Challenge, Oak Flats, 8am • Inflatable Fun, Albion Park Pool, 1pm

Dr Farquhar, La La La’s, Wollongong, 4.30pm • Dapto Showground Market, 7am-1pm, (Every Sunday) • Family Ride & Run, Shellharbour, 8am • Outrageous Mini Games, Shellharbour City Stadium, 1pm

08 10 13

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

Nebula (USA) w/ Special Guests, La La La’s, Wollongong, 7pm • Class Clowns 2021, Wollongong Town Hall, 7pm Great Illawarra Walk, Shellharbour to Austinmer • Wollongong MS 24 Hour Mega Swim, University of Wollongong, 12pm • Kabaret Dietrich, Wollongong Town Hall, 8pm • Oh Deer! Pinot & Picasso Wollongong, 11am • Shellharbour Game Fishing Tournament, Shellharbour Village, 7am (Until 14th March)• Shellharbour Relay for Life, Albion Park Showground, 9am • Inflatable Fun, Warilla Pool, 1pm

14 15 16 18

Wollongong 5km Colour Frenzy Run Music in the Morning – The Rodgers & Hammerstein Songbook, Wollongong Town Hall, 10am Thirroul Library Book Club, Thirroul Library, 1.30pm (third Tuesday of the month)

Daniel Champagne, Wollongong Town Hall, 8pm • FANGIRLS, Illawarra Performing Arts Centre, 6.30pm • Ocean Film Festival World Tour, University of Wollongong, 7pm

Chase The Sun, The Heritage Hotel, Bulli, 6pm. • Native Plant Sale, Wollongong Botanic Gardens (Third Friday of the month)• Dami Im, The Music Lounge, Wollongong, 6pm • Lifeline South Coast Big Book Fair, Illawarra Sports Stadium, Berkeley (Until 21st March) • L’Etape Australia by Tour de France, Kiama, 7am

Writing YA Fiction Workshop, Wollongong Library, 11am • The Villians, Waves, 7.30pm • A Taste of Ireland, WIN Entertainment Centre, 7.30pm • Beginner Freedive Course, Shellharbour, 7am (Until 21st March) • Bandaluzia Flamenco, The Music Lounge, Wollongong, 8pm • Inflatable Fun, Oak Flats Pool, 1pm

0 athan Cavaleri – “Demons” Album Tour, Heritage N Hotel, Bulli, 5pm • Karnivool ‘The Decade of Sound Awake’ National Tour, Waves, 7pm • Black Dog Ride, Wollongong Art Connect, Wollongong Art Gallery • The Morning Mood, La La La's, Wollongong, 6.30pm

26 27

Butterfingers ‘Bad News Tour’, La La La’s, Wollongong, 8.30pm

Always Bon Jovi, Anita's Theatre Thirroul 8pm • SCWC Poetry Award Night, Wollongong Art Gallery, 1pm • Shellharbour Body Mind Soul Expo, Shellharbour, 11am (Until 28th Sunday) • SummerSalt, North Wollongong, 12.30pm

Our Wedding Expo, University of Wollongong, 10am-2pm • Still Life Natives, Pinot & Picasso Wollongong, 1pm • Coledale Markets, Coledale Public School, 9am-3pm (Fourth Sunday of the month)

WHAT'S ON

April

02 03 04 05 10

GOOD FRIDAY Make Your Own Mid Century Chair, Woodwork School, Woonona (Until 6th April) EASTER SATURDAY Winter Wine Festival @ Crooked River Wines, Gerringong, 11am. (Until 4th April) EASTER SUNDAY EASTER MONDAY

Andrew Farriss (INXS), Heritage Hotel, Bulli, 6pm and 9pm • Hands Like Houses, University of Wollongong Unibar, 6pm • Spoon Carving with Brad Van Luyt, Woodwork School, Woonona (Until 11th April)

11 12 15 16 17

Tri The Gong triathlon, Wollongong

Create Your Own Canoe Workshop, Woodwork School, Woonona (Until 16th April) • SCWC Writing Workshops for Kids (Until 13th April) Delta Goodrem - Bridge Over Troubled Dreams Tour, WIN Entertainment Centre, 7.30pm

Jon Stevens: The Noiseworks & INXS Collection, Anita’s Theatre, Thirroul 8pm • Jeff Martin (The Tea Party) ‘Set in Stone’, Heritage Hotel, Bulli, 7pm Yours & Owls Festival, Stuart Park, Wollongong (Until 18th April) • The Lachy Doley Group, Heritage Hotel, Bulli, 8.30pm • Women’s Kiama Coast Walk, 8.30am • Zippertastic at The Tinkerage, Shell Cove, 10am-3pm • Gourmet Grazing Platter Workshop, Parfait Patisserie, Kiama, 6pm

18 20 24 25 26 30

Poetry By The Sea: Drawing Down the Muse, Kiama 10am The Wiggles - We're All Fruit Salad Tour, WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong, 10am

James Reyne: Boys Light Up 40th Anniversary Tour, Anita’s Theatre, Thirroul, 8pm • Roxee Horror's Musical Mayhem, Illawarra Performing Arts Centre, 8pm ANZAC DAY Music In The Morning – Salute to the ANZACS, Wollongong Town Hall, 10am Johnny Hunter - w/ Special Guests, La La La’s, Wollongong, 8pm

May

02 03 06 07 08 09 15 16 22 24 26

SHOP & GO Market, 'The Farm', Killalea State Park, 10am-3pm • Run Shellharbour, 7am • Queen Forever: Break Free Tour, Anita’s Theatre, 8pm Bloomin’ Art exhibition opening, Wollongong Art Gallery

UB40 40th Anniversary Tour, Waves, 7pm • ACO – Schubert’s Quintet, Wollongong Town Hall, 7.30pm 50 Shades! The Musical Parody, Anita’s Theatre, Thirroul, 6pm (Until 8th May) • Felicity Urquhart and Josh Cunningham, The Music Lounge, Wollongong, 8pm Choirboys - 6 Pack Springsteen Tour, Heritage Hotel, Bulli, 5.30pm • Big Country Festival, Berry Showgrounds, 10.30am MOTHER’S DAY

Bjorn Again, Anita’s Theatre, Thirroul, 8pm • Darren Jack Band, Heritage Hotel, Bulli, 9pm The Australian Bee Gees Show, Anita’s Theatre, Thirroul, 8pm • Women’s Kiama Coast Walk, 8.30am John Cashman, La La La’s, Wollongong, 6.30pm Music in the Morning – Kings of the High Cs, Wollongong Town Hall, 11am

Art Connect, Wollongong Art Gallery • Enchanté: The Songs of Tina Arena, WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong, 7.30pm

The Fabulous Caprettos: Daryl, Russell, Jack and Rai, Anita’s Theatre, Thirroul, 8pm • Dreams Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks Show, The Oaks Hotel, Albion Park Rail, 7.30pm

Wollongong Annual Wedding Expo 2021, Novotel Wollongong, 10am-3pm

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What nut is in the middle of a Ferrero Rocher?

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What does He stand for on the periodic table?

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Which band took out the number one spot in triple j’s 2021 Hottest 100, with their song Heat Waves?

16.

Complete the phrase, "Jack of all trades, master of..."?

17. The Sydney to Wollongong rail link was established in: 1884, 1991, 2000?

18. What was the name of Bon Iver’s first album?

19. What is the capital of New Zealand? 20. Which movie star is killed off in the opening scene of Scream?

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ISSUE NO.12 : AUTUMN 2021 - Coal Coast Magazine

Articles inside

macramé masterpiece

hello roxee

resin resonates

from bali with love

tempeh penyet

forever projects

lawrence hargrave, gentleman inventor