The Bugle Newspaper 18 May 2024

HISTORIC SIGNA RETURNS TO KIAMA

Nobody died and the boat didn’t sink. But nonetheless, the return of the Signa to Kiama Harbour managed to create quite a stir, with locals braving drizzling weather to occupy vantage points along the foreshore.

Many people have memories of the Signa, and a significant number of them showed up in Kiama to commemorate its return after two years in dry dock at Albion Park.

After an estimated 12,000 hours of volunteer labour, the boat, originally launched in 1970, has been lovingly restored to its former glory.

Signa was one of the first dedicated game fishing boats ever seen in Australia. Those showing up to mark its rebirth included former charter operators and fishermen, even the children of the original builder of the boat, Bob Riddell.

Bob Riddell’s daughter, Jane Dove of Woy Woy, said: “Just to see the boat is fantastic, my father built

it and 50 years later, it is still going. We never got a trip on it. Our father would have loved to be here.”

The Riddell children might never have gone out to sea in the boat, but plenty of other people did, including, famously, actor Lee Marvin, along with Bob and Dolly Dyer of Pick-A-Box, a television program familiar to older Australians. For a time, the boat was owned by the famous Sydney restaurant Doyles.

A clearly delighted John Hansen, who funded the project, wants above all to pay tribute to the many people who helped restore the boat, including wife Sandra, who has been an enthusiastic supporter, Rex Jones, Richard Roman aka Don, Peter Rook, Lawrie Lovegrove, Graham Williams, Rob Hoffmeister and Geoffrey Farrer.

“It was ten times bigger than we thought,” he says.

“We were all retirees, they all played golf together. And once they started on

the boat it was a labour of love.”

The boat was rotting in the harbour and officially declared unseaworthy when Hansen took on the project.

“We realised when the boat was ours how complicated the project was,” he

recalls. “We have rebuilt the entire boat.”

As Sandra recalls: “It was a good boat, it just needed attention. The deck and the roof and parts of the floor inside were just rotted. We took out nearly two tonnes of rubbish.”

Signa is expected to stay at mooring in Kiama Harbour for several weeks as the timber boat adjusts to being back in the water and the new engines settle in.

Signa is a boat full of memories, as many of those in attendance were quick to recall.

Kevin Adams, who as a child went out on the boat with his father, said: “It is amazing what they have done with the refurbishment. They have done a great job.”

Wayne Hollingsworth, who used to hire out the boat for fishing trips, says: “Seeing it brings back a lot of memories. I used to see it in the harbour in recent years, it was just rotting away.”

One of the most obvious things about the freshly restored Signa is how

the original teak wood now looks. Retired carpenter Lawrie Lovegrove, when asked why he was prepared to spend so many hundreds of hours on the project, including countless hours sanding wood, just shrugs: “Silly old bastard.” Well, thanks to a lot of silly old duffers, Kiama now has a beautifully restored and intriguing part of Australia’s maritime history moored in pride of place.

John Stapleton

Sandra & John Hansen.

Photos by Brian Scott.

Heart Starters in Kiama:

Defib Rollout

As Heart Week (6-12 May) raises awareness of how to keep our tickers in check, Member of Parliament for Kiama, Gareth Ward, and Blue Haven Bonaira resident, Mike Newcombe, are lobbying for a similar cause to ensure heart starters are strategically placed and maintained within our community.

Mandatory Defibs

In 2023, Ward gave notice in Parliament of the Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) (Public Access) Bill, which would see defibrillators become mandatory in public buildings and transport. This bill would also aim to introduce mandatory registers of clearly marked and maintained defibrillators, as already stipulated in the United States, South Korea and 15 other European countries. The bill; however, lapsed in accordance with Standing Orders between Parliamentary sittings. A delay which could essentially be a matter of life and death.

“On average, 3,800 people in New South Wales die from an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest each year. More than 70 percent could have been saved if they had access to a defibrillator.

That figure is several times the national road toll. Put simply, this bill will save lives,” says Ward.

“Defibrillators last about seven years, with ultra-portable defibrillators lasting about one year. It is concerning that one-fifth of PADs are non-functional when tested, potentially wasting time and worsening outcomes in time-critical cardiac arrest management. The current lack of regulation is contributing to avoidable deaths.”

“South Australia has introduced similar measures, and I couldn’t think of a better time during Heart Week to give notice of this bill.”

Model village In the lead up to this year’s National Heart Week, Ward revived his intention to introduce the bill, which is yet to be debated or voted on in the Legislative Assembly. In the meantime, he has taken heart in visiting the model village Blue Haven Bonaira has become, with monumental efforts and fundraising made by Newcombe and fellow residents to roll out widespread state-of-the-art AEDs throughout every floor, and in other main thoroughfares within the retirement village.

It was Newcombe’s son and local Senior Staff Specialist in Emergency and Retrieval Medicine, Mark Newcombe, who got the wheels in motion for this potentially life-saving upgrade to the facility, hav-

ing queried the accessibility of AEDs when Newcombe, who has had a bypass himself, moved in approximately three years ago.

“I wasn’t sure what an AED even was to start with,” chuckles Newcombe, a former engineer.

“I checked with the committee that it was okay to look around, and there were none. There was one buried

above it, and all you have to do is crack it open and place two pads onto the person,” says Newcombe, holding one comfortably in the palm of his hand.

“The first step was then to decide how many we needed, keeping in mind they need to be placed in timely accessible locations. You have only got a very small window. Every minute

"On average, 3,800 people in New South Wales die from an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest each year"

in the nursing home, I believe. But that was too far away from us. There are 59 units here, and often a couple of people in each one, yet no AED available. I told the committee we needed to do something about that, but in those days the cost was out of our reach to do it properly. They were around $3,000 each.”

CellAED

What Newcombe soon discovered after conducting his own research was an Australian TGA-approved product to recently hit the market, CellAED. Much more affordable and easier to house, transport and utilise, this discovery made approximately one year ago suddenly allowed the dream to become reality.

“They are one-tenth of the cost, about $300-$400 roughly, and very simple to use. They just sit on a bracket on the wall with a sticker

that passes, the chance of recovery reduces. You have got to use it within the first five or so minutes otherwise you lose the patient.”

16 AEDs

Newcombe and his team calculated that 16 AEDs were required to cater for one on each of the four floors in all four buildings, along with additional installations in the garages, the café and the main hall. Having done the math on cost to install CellAED products in all required spaces, Newcombe took the figures and proposition to Kiama Council, as current owners of the premises.

“Council generously chipped in a couple of thousand dollars. The rest has been funded by residents, including ongoing maintenance,” explains Newcombe.

“Every AED is battery operated and must be serviced

every year – because if that battery goes flat, they are useless. Each of these devices has a green light that will flash every minute or so, which means it is operational. If it is red, it says the battery is getting low. The sim inside it will contact its base every month and tell them that it is operational. If it fails for some reason, it tells them there is a problem and they send a new one out.

Training

“The next step is now training, because AEDs are of no use if somebody doesn’t know what they are or what they do, or have confidence in using them.”

It certainly pays to have family in high and helpful places, with Necombe’s son sharing his medical knowhow by delivering a training session for residents to gain confidence around when and how to use AEDs.

“Lots of people have been worried about doing something wrong, but as soon as you put the pads on, it does an ECG first and then talks to you. It says ‘shock required’ and then does its thing. It determines how much shock is required – it will do shock one, and then two, and then three if necessary. It is very clever.”

“They are meant for sudden cardiac arrest, which is different from a heart attack. Many people don’t know the difference. A heart attack can be described as a really bad pain, like

somebody standing on your chest. Sudden cardiac arrest is when the heart just stops. The person drops to the ground and is unconscious. This could be called a heart starter. It shocks the heart back into its rhythm again.”

Fortunately, Blue Haven Bonaira residents haven’t had to use one of the CellAED devices yet, which Newcombe lightheartedly admits really would be, “the proof in the pudding.” However, this well-considered rollout provides peace of mind, particularly among an ageing demographic.

Although, as Newcombe reiterates, sudden cardiac arrest can strike anyone of any age and any health status.

“There are about 20,000 deaths in Australia every year from sudden cardiac arrest. There is no discriminatory age about it. It can even happen to infants, and a fair number of footballers have suddenly dropped on the field,” he cautions. Ward had advised Newcombe from the outset that if he was going to do this, he may as well do it properly - and Newcombe has gone above and beyond to do just that and more. Ward will be in attendance at the residential training on Friday 24 May, hopefully with a much anticipated update regarding the progress with his bill in Parliament.

Diana Timmins

‘Green

While the Kiama Council posted a $7.7m loss for 2022-23, there are green shoots rising through the ledger, as this is a $2.4m improvement compared to last financial year.

Yet, serious issues remain with council spending more than it earns, a continuing failure to verify some of its assets and accurately track the movement of monies in previous financial years, according to its newly released annual financial statement.

Blue Haven Terralong posted a $2.54m loss for the financial year.

Some of the achievements were:

• Progress towards accurate and complete financial reporting on fixed assets. Ninety percent of the total Infrastructure, Property, and Equipment balance has been verified and audited (value $521m), and

• Restricted and allocated cash movements were verified, except for the opening balances (previously disclaimed) of the Domestic Waste and Crown Land Reserve balances.

“The improvement is due to a focus to improve operating performance and financial sustainability,”

CEO Jane Stroud says.

“This drive will continue over the next few years, as Council seeks to reduce the loss position, produce a balanced budget and operating result, and meet the requirements of the NSW Government Performance Improvements Orders.

"Our finance team has worked diligently to prepare these statements following on from the significant challenges of presenting the 2020-21 and 2021-22 statements.

“That is a monumental achievement and one which finally gets Kiama Council back to real-time financial data, and a normal cycle of financial year end and audits,”

The statement flagged council was in negotiation

with a potential buyer for Blue Haven Bonaira which was, “expected to be finalised by June 2024”.

Ms Stroud says no new issues were raised by auditors and some key matters from the previous audits had been progressed or cleared.

Even so, Independent Auditor Michael Kharzoo had reservations about the accuracy of some figures.

“The disclaimer of opinion on the financial statements for the year ended 30 June 2022 affected my ability to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence on the opening balances at 1 July 2022.

“This is a limitation on the scope of my audit as I was unable to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence to determine the impact on ‘Depreciation, amortisation and impairment’ in the Income Statements of the Declared Business Activities,”

Mr Kharzoo could not assert the, “completeness, accuracy, valuation, existence or condition of the asset classes.”

Council stated it could not verify $56m of assets such as roads, land improvements, recreational assets and more, in the financial statements.

It also could not verify the movements of some balances for infrastructure, plant and equipment for the year ending 30 June 2023.

This lack of clarity on the council’s financial situation was why the Minister for Local Government, Wendy Tuckerman, issued an Performance Improvement Order in October 2022.

Minister Tuckerman was concerned about the council’s use of “funds other than the restricted purpose”, which may refer to council’s alleged access of resident’s deposits to build the $109m Blue Haven Bonaira facility.

The council statements can be found at: https:// www.kiama.nsw.gov.au/ Council/Your-say/FinancialStatements-2022-23.

King

Malcolm

The Kiama Council building.

Left to right: Councillors Kathy Rice, Jodi Keast, Stuart Larkins, Imogen Draisma, Mark Croxford, Mayor Neil Reilly, Matt Brown, Warren Steel and Karen Renkema-Lang.

THE VIEW

Should the Kiama Council apologise?

There have been calls from the community for Kiama Council’s Mayor Neil Reilly and CEO Jane Stroud to publicly apologise for their treatment and invalid censure of Councillor Karen Renkema-Lang. The censure took place at the Council meeting on 21 November 2023, following an interview that Councillor Renkemba-Lang gave to ABC Illawarra on 21 June, 2023.

The interview covered the impending sale of Blue Haven Bonaira. At the time, Councillor Renkema-Lang said that she had heard numerous concerns from the community regarding the information that had been provided by the Council detailing the sale.

In remarks to Kiama Community Radio on 5 December 2023, Mayor Reilly stated that he was responsible for instigating the investigation that eventually led to the now invalid censure. Mayor Reilly claimed that he also had heard from the community regarding Councillor Renkema-Lang’s comments and that young women had been left in tears. These concerns prompted him to begin the process of a Council-led investigation, which led to Councillor Renkema-Lang being censured in a confidential session at the November 2023 meeting.

At the time, CEO Jane Stroud said, “I hold specific concerns and worry about the worsening functionality of the Council, when in such uncertain times and unchartered territory, what is really required is cohesive and collective effort to correct the course of the organisation.”

As a result of the censure, Councillor Renkema-Lang filed proceedings in the Supreme Court of NSW seeking to set aside or invalidate the censure.

A direction hearing on 22 April revealed that Council had admitted that the censure was invalid.

Council has yet to provide comment on this situation, and the media release detailing the censure has now been taken down.

In addition, the formal and official minutes of the 21 November 2023 meeting have also been removed from the public record.

On or prior to 30 May, the Supreme Court of NSW will advise of its final determination of how the matter will be settled, and what actions Council must take.

Local Government elections will be held on Saturday 14 September, and there has been no formal confirmation from any Councillors as to whether they will be running for re-election.

Several key decisions of Council are supposed to be finalised by formal caretaker provisions commencing Friday 16 August, including finalisation of Council’s Communications and Growth and Housing Strategies. Given the controversy and complexities regarding housing, it is unlikely that the Growth and Housing Strategy will reach ‘draft status’ prior to Council shutdown.

The Bugle has been inundated with comments regarding this mistreatment, and the paper’s view is in line and supports the community’s call for a formal apology by Mayor Neil Reilly and CEO Jane Stroud for their treatment and invalid censure of Councillor Karen Renkema-Lang.

The Bugle Team

Wind Farm Wind Farm Backlash: the storm the storm

that won't that won't die

Government proposals to install hundreds of wind turbines off the coast of the Illawarra, impacting on everything from the annual whale migration to the price of real estate, have been met with widespread public opposition, no more so than in the Illawarra.

A tinkerer if you will, from the workshop underneath his house overlooking Lake Illawarra, retired truck driver come carpenter Pat Cummins, 78, has turned his talents to help the cause, creating plaques printed with the words: ‘Save Our Oceans’ and ‘No Offshore Turbines’.

In the centre of the plaques is a widely used symbol of wind farms, a whale, blue for the ocean, the shape of seagulls and a red line signifying: ‘No’.

The design has been circulated on car stickers, pamphlets, t-shirts and online.

As the global warming juggernaut hits the reality of massively expensive and environmentally destructive wind turbines, community opposition has risen around Australia.

Like many other locals, Pat is utterly opposed to the industrialisation of the coastline. “I have been a surfer all my life,” he says. “And once

they started talking about the wind farms, I did my due diligence. And I found they are not viable, they will not work. And they don’t realise the swells we get here.

“It is the very big end of town pushing it. Vanguard, BlackRock, they own the media. I enjoyed making the windfarm plaques. A mate gave me the sticker, and I copied the design from there.

“The turbines are so friggin’ high, it’s just going to ruin everything. It is going to affect people and their lifestyles. I am happy to be doing something to help the cause. Anyone who lives near the coast is against it.”

Meanwhile, the political and community opposition to windfarms remains strong, with a group calling itself Responsible Future distributing pamphlets across the south coast.

It claims achievements of the Illawarra community so far include an extension of the consultancy period with the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) and a record 14,200 submissions in the latter months of last year with the collection of 12,079 signatures on petitions opposing the project.

The group is urging con-

cerned

citizens to sign a petition to the NSW State Government before the end of this month. The group claims the huge investments in offshore wind projects makes leaders afraid to stop them, even knowing they’re a mistake.

A spokesman for Responsible Future, Alex O’Brien, said they were expecting the Illawarra Renewable Energy Zone to be announced shortly by the government.

“We haven’t heard from Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen, nor have we heard from our local Labor representatives,” Alex said.

“They are indifferent to community response. We want the government to undertake independent environmental impact studies before making the announcement. That stance has been echoed by environmental groups like Sea Shepherd, Bird Life Australia and our commercial fisheries.

“Our focus at the moment is to raise community awareness of the risks of floating offshore wind farms through further distributing pam-

phlets and flyers, further community sessions and consultation with our tourist and fishing industries.

“It is clear from the submissions that the Illawarra coastal region is a highly sensitive marine ecosystem and should be approached with extreme caution.

“There is no precedent in the world for this number of whales passing this number of wind turbines, and the result could be disastrous. There is a high risk of entanglement and sonar confusion.”

For further information go to:

Responsible Future: www. responsiblefuture.com.au

To purchase a plaque from Pat Cummins, email: motoguzzi_cummins@yahoo. com.au

Have your say, email The Bugle at: hello@thebuglenewspaper.com.au

John Stapleton

Australia Post and Beyond Blue mental health

Australia Post and Beyond Blue mental health campaign

Australia Post and Beyond Blue have launched an expanded campaign to support mental well-being, designed to reach over five million mailboxes across Australia, including rural areas.

Research indicates that nearly one in three Australians grapple with loneliness, especially in our remote and regional areas. This initiative, now in its fourth year, aims to combat loneliness and promote community connection.

The two-part ‘connection postcard’, featuring artwork by Australian artist Jocelyn Proust, includes mental health information and a pre-paid postcard for personalised notes. New South Wales will receive

1,047,000 of these postcards this May.

Beyond Blue ambassador, Brad McEwan, encourages participation, emphasising the impact of such small gestures.

Messages on the postcards prompt recipients to share thoughts, memories, and stories, fostering meaningful connections.

Beyond Blue Chief Executive Officer, Georgie Harman, underscores the importance of community support and accessible mental health resources.

Australia Post has an ongoing partnership with Beyond Blue that aims to provide vital mental health information and support to millions of Australians.

Brooke Pittman

Why Everyone is Talking About ‘Walking Pneumonia’ and

How it Could Impact Your Family

At parks, bus stops and anywhere that parents gather, the conversation quickly turns to one topic: sickness.

In addition to COVID-19, influenza and ‘RSV’, parents in the Illawarra are quickly becoming acquainted with this year’s most-talked about infection — Mycoplasma pneumoniae or ‘walking pneumonia.’

In January 2024, NSW Health issued an alert to warn that ‘cases of Mycoplasma pneumoniae, specifically among children of age 5 to 16 years, have been increasing.’ Symptoms may develop over one to three weeks and include fever, dry cough, headache, sore throat and malaise, according to NSW Health.

Globally, there has been an increase in cases of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in children in China, Taiwan, Philippines, South Korea, North America and Europe. This typically occurs every 3-7 years as population immunity wanes.

“We call it walking pneumonia because people can be outwardly well, or seem well, but have an ongoing, lower respiratory tract infection,” Dr Michael Bonning, President of the Australian Medical Association, told ABC News. “What we see with this is, it takes quite a long time to incubate and people can be infectious for quite a long period of time.”

According to The Centre for Disease Control and

Whether you’re buying, selling or downsizing, Carter Ferguson senior solicitor Steve Warwick brings a more human, caring and contemporary approach to your property law needs.

A proud Kiama local with deep experience in residential, rural, commercial and retirement villages, Steve provides the expert support, advice and representation you need to navigate the sale process from start to finish, ensuring you enjoy the best possible outcome. Steve specialises in property legal services, so for expert advice on all things property, get in touch or visit our Collins Street office in Kiama.

Exceptional at Law. Human at heart.

Prevention, people with Mycoplasma pneumoniae can be infectious for up to four weeks before showing symptoms.

Now, the spread is becoming apparent in Kiama and the surrounding areas. For the week ending 28 April 2024, Southern IML Pathology released a report that showed a sharp rise in the percentage of positive tests in the Illawarra, compared to 2019-2023.

“For me and my kids, it started with a sore throat and a chesty cough, then headaches, body aches, fever and fatigue,” a motherof-two from Kiama told The Bugle. After visiting their GP, and being diagnosed with Mycoplasma pneumo

niae, they faced a different challenge — accessing medication. “We had to visit three pharmacies to fulfill our scripts,” she says. “Luckily, once we could start a course of antibiotics, everyone started improving.”

Unsurprisingly, local parents are concerned but medical experts say it’s important to be aware but not alarmed. Mycoplasma pneumoniae generally resolves without serious complications, although a cough and lethargy may persist for

more than one month. In most cases, it is readily treated with antibiotics, however, as with all respiratory illnesses, it can be more dangerous for babies, vulnerable people and the elderly.

Doctor Tom Hilliar from Kiama Downs Medical Practice confirms there has been a significant increase in local cases. “GPs in our district have seen an enormous amount of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in children and adults this year,” he says.

“The hugely useful test, which is sometimes forgot-

ten in hospital or even with some GPs, is to do a ‘mycoplasma PCR throat swab’. Most cases can be treated safely at home after a doctor review.”

If you are concerned about the health of your or your child, Hilliar has this advice:

“Please see your GP or Ur gent Care Clinic if you are worried about this illness. If you can't get advice or be seen straight away, calling Health Direct on 1800 022 222 is really helpful.”

Amy Molloy

Photo : Southern Path Graph.

Stock photos.

Boral in crosshairs as Minnamurra mangroves die Boral in crosshairs as Minnamurra mangroves die

In a battle of rival aerial images, the Friends of Minnamurra River (FOMR) blame Boral’s 5B sand mine south of Dunmore House, for killing grey estuary mangroves. Boral claims the dieback started before the mining began. Locals first noticed the dieback near the mine site in early March 2024, as shown in FOMR’s drone photos. Sand mining began on the site on 30 October 2023.

FOMR spokesperson Will Chyra says the sand mine may have changed drainage patterns, which caused the mangroves to wither and die.

“Mangrove dieback has a number of common causes such as human intervention to local groundwater and drainage patterns, dredging for industrial

purposes or housing developments and physical disturbance from clearing riparian vegetation,” Will Chyra says.

“The estuary dieback areas also appear to extend from the larger area near the shore, along both sides of tidal channels fringed with dead and dying mangroves, to a number of smaller dieback areas closer to the main river.”

In mid-February 2024, Boral cleared all vegetation around the 5B dredging site, including a 400-yearold Bangalay sand forest and the rare Southeast Littoral Rainforest.

A Boral spokesperson says the images it supplied, taken in June and July 2022, show the start of environmental degradation - “a grey area” - before the construction of the 5B site.

“Boral notes that aerial images of the small area of mangrove referred to by FOMR show progressively reducing mangrove vitality before the establishment of the Stage 5B pond … and is not likely to be the result of Boral activities,” a Boral spokesperson says.

“An alternative explanation could be that the mangrove dieback was due to changes in sea and water levels.”

Yet, an enlarged Google Map dated July 2022, shows little observable damage to the mangroves south of Dunmore House.

FOMR has asked the Department of Planning and Environment, and the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to investigate.

Mangroves take carbon dioxide from the atmo-

sphere and bury it in their roots for thousands of years, which is released when they die.

The NSW Department of Primary Industries imposes a maximum penalty of $220,000 for a corporation, or $110,000 for an individual, found to have damaged a mangrove without a permit.

The dredge pit area will be left as a private lake at a depth of 27 metres, and will cover 7.5 hectares (18.5 acres), when Boral exhausts the sand supply in about 12 months.

The Dunmore Lakes Sand Mine project was approved by the New South Wales Independent Planning Commission in November 2020.

Malcolm King

Mangrove dieback from water course (Credit FOMR).

Aerial images supplied by Boral, June & July 2022 (Credit Nearmap).

Boral sand mine 5B on left and mangroves to the right, July 2022 (Credit: Google Maps).

Dead tree in Minnamurra estuary new Boral 5B sand mire (credit FOMR).

Hoons beware as noise cameras in frame

Sleepless Terralong Street residents want the state government to install new sound cameras next year, after enduring revving cars and motorbikes on the weekends.

The NSW Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and NSW Police are testing noise cameras in Wollongong and Bayside to detect the decibel level from passing cars and motorbikes.

While the success of Destination Kiama means more than 1.3 million visitors passed through the municipality in the last year, success has come at a cost.

Terralong Street resident Penny Montgomery says the noise from hoons revving their cars is staggering.

“This is the noisiest place I’ve ever lived in. Residents are consistently woken after midnight by idiots revving their cars and tearing up and down Terralong Street,” she says.

“They speed through Woolworths carpark and then belt past Blue Haven at 1:00 or 2:00 am. Noise cameras are a great idea. The sooner, the better.”

Lizzie Mion lives across the road from Woolworths on Terralong Street, and says the cars and motorbikes keep her up at night.

“They start at the round-

about (Havilah Place) and rev their engines on weekends until they scream. I don’t know why they do it. They must be from out of town.”

Environment Minister Penny Sharpe said in April, pending the completion of the tests, the government will install sound technology cameras in NSW.

“Car hoons are on notice.

The NSW Government has heard the community’s concerns about noisy vehicles and is committed to sourcing and testing the most effective methods to deter anti-social behaviour on our roads,” she said.

In New South Wales, the noise threshold from a car exhaust must not exceed 90 decibels and for motorbikes, 94 decibels.

“The EPA is working closely with local councils, NSW Police and Transport for NSW on the trial, which will establish whether noise cameras are an effective method for identifying noisy vehicles,” says a NSW EPA spokesperson.

The EPA can issue fines of $150 to $500 to individuals, while the police can issue a $206 fine for "operating a vehicle to produce unnecessary noise" – including performing a burnout or revving.

Fines can also be issued for altering an exhaust or air intake to increase noise levels, while drivers can receive two demerit points and a $150 fine for "causing an offensive noise to be emitted from a sound system.”

NSW police figures show the majority of drivers, who had their cars defected or impounded in the last three years, were young men aged 17-29.

A pilot study last year by Canadian psychologist, Dr Julie Aitken Schermer, published in Psychology Today, predicted young drivers with loud exhausts could be needy narcissists and sa-

dists.

“The results suggest individuals who make their vehicles loud may be doing so to deliberately hurt others by disturbing them.”

To find out more, including how to report ‘rev-heads’ and noisy exhausts, go to the NSW Environmental Protection

Agency website: www.epa. nsw.gov.au.

Malcolm King

Credit: Stock photos.

Bushcare Brings Families Together

When we explained to our children, aged 3, 5 and 7, that we were going to plant trees before our friend’s wedding, they were excited as it was an excuse to get muddy. A close friend, the presenter and environmental educator Laura Wells, was getting married and, as part of the celebration, she and her husband had partnered with Shellharbour City Council to plant over 3,000 trees with their wedding guests at Blackbutt Forest Reserve.

My husband works in the environmental sector and, in the early days of our relationship, we spent our weekends volunteering with Illawarra Intrepid Land-

care — a group of young volunteers who undertake conservation projects. Since becoming parents, we have let our commitment to ‘eco-volunteering’ ebb; however, on this rainy day in Shellharbour, I remembered why I was drawn to it.

According to a study by the Australian Health Promotion Association, environmental volunteering has a number of ‘co-benefits’ — meaning it benefits the planet and the people who are doing it. For volunteers, it can enhance mental, physical and social health, and strengthen their connection to the environment. It can reduce ‘eco anxiety’ and feelings of helplessness

around climate change. It’s also a fun, free activity for the entire family.

“It’s great to see families attend Bushcare sessions,” says Bronwyn Anderson, team coordinator for Bushland Management at Shellharbour City Council. “Parents get to see their children discover how to nurture nature, and they get to learn valuable information about weeds and natives that they can take home with them or share with friends.”

Currently, there are seven Bushcare and Landcare groups operating in Shellharbour, including Warilla Dunes Bushcare and Tullimbah Landcare, working to rehabilitate and preserve

native bushland. Although Kiama does not have an active Bushcare program, it does have multiple Landcare groups, stretching from Jamberoo to Foxground.

The main difference, according to the Illawarra Landcare website, is that Bushcare groups are supported by funding and resources from local Councils.

In May 2022, Shellharbour City Council’s Environment Team successfully secured $160,000 in grant funding, as part of the Flying-Fox Habitat Restoration Program. This funding will support the planting of 30,000 trees, including the ones my children dug into the ground.

young children and are interested in getting involved, I would say try it once,” says Anderson. “We want it to be a rewarding experience and not a task, so, there’s no commitment pressures. Every little bit counts towards helping the environment.”

Register your interest in planting trees on the Shellharbour City Council website: https://

letschatshellharbour.com/ tell-us-what-you-think-greyheaded-flying-foxes/plantingtrees-yes-please.

There you can also register for an event celebrating the National Tree day on 28 July.

For more information, visit shellharbour.nsw.gov.au or landcareillawarra.org.au.

Amy Molloy

For families, the commitment is not overwhelming. Most Landcare and Bushcare groups meet once a month, on a Saturday or Sunday, with projects that suit different capabilities. For children, they can learn by doing.

“If you are a parent with

Local emergency services commended for bravery and heroism

Kiama MP, Gareth Ward, has delivered a Private Members Statement in Parliament, acknowledging and commending the bravery and dedication of local emergency service personnel during the flooding that occurred in Kiama throughout the weekend of 6-7 April 2024.

With almost 2,000mm of rainfall in the community over an exceptionally short period, flash flooding was inevitable and with it came enormous damage to homes, roads

and infrastructure. Many locals were forced to flee their homes due to their floors, which saw sewage and stormwater entering homes and rendering them uninhabitable.

Ward expressed his gratitude to Kiama’s State Emergency Service (SES) unit when he visited Kiama SES unit volunteers following the events of the storm, and again in his Parliament address.

“I acknowledge Kiama unit commander Chris Warren, Shellharbour unit

commander Ray Merz, and local commander John Wall. I also acknowledge Nowra unit commander Jo Allen, and local commander Adam Carney."

“I acknowledge Shoalhaven SES headquarters in Nowra, the Jamberoo RFS and all other emergency responders that played a critical role in assisting with the latest natural disaster to beset my community,” said Ward.

Among the heroes recognised was Mitch Rosser, a local tradesman whose

quick thinking and bravery saved a life amidst the chaos of the floods. Rosser acted quickly and selflessly when he heard cries for help on his property on Saturday 6 April, successfully rescuing a man from flood waters with his pool scoop.

Read the full story on Mitch Rosser, "Flood Hero," in the April 20 - May 3 edition of The Bugle or online.

Ward commended Rosser’s courage and nominated him for a Premier’s Award.

Reflecting on the increas-

ing frequency of extreme weather events due to climate change, Ward has emphasised the importance of investing in preparedness and recovery efforts. He announced plans to introduce a bill imposing fines on those who recklessly drive through flood waters, proposing revenue is directed to support the SES volunteers risking their lives in rescue operations.

Acknowledging the challenges faced by the community in rebuilding after the disaster, Ward thanked

the NSW Reconstruction Authority and several government officials for their support in disaster recovery.

Despite the extensive damage the community experienced and the ongoing recovery left to be done, Ward has expressed optimism for the resilience and restoration of Kiama and its surrounding areas. Brooke Pittman

Author Dell Brand is ready

to get

back on the road Author Dell Brand is ready to get back on the road

Acclaimed author Dr Dell Brand started writing books, “by accident”. The former high school PE teacher was looking for a new challenge when her husband John found an advertisement for a freelance journalism course. Dell signed up, and before even finishing the course, landed her first freelance job; a travel piece in the Illawarra Mercury in 1999.

“It gave me a new passion,” says Dell, an avid adventurer who wrote about her biking, camping and caravanning holidays (including snow and cave camping) across Australia, Europe and the United States with her husband John.

On one of these adventures, Dell and John stumbled across a potter in Pilliga, a town west of Narrabri. Dell wrote a travel piece that changed the course of her career.

The steepest learning curve

“I said to John, ‘Who am I going to send this story to? So, we scanned the magazine racks in the local Pilliga newsagent and found the Australian Ceramics and Pottery magazine. They published it and wanted more stories.”

Over the next five years, Dell, who has three university degrees in education, including a PhD based on a longitudinal study into the impact of outdoor education on learning outcomes, wrote hundreds of pieces about pottery. To say, she stepped outside of her comfort zone is an understatement.

“It was a topic I knew nothing about,” she says. “It was the steepest learning curve, but what I was writing wasn’t technical, it was human interest.”

Curiosity and an interest in people, along with a love of reading and writing, led Dell on her next big adventure; an author of historical fiction. She was still teaching at Warilla High School but began future planning for her retirement in 2003.

Why not write a book?

“I realised pretty quickly that this new job as a freelance writer wasn't going to be a money maker,” laughs Dell. “But it was something I was passionate about and I wanted to pursue it. One day my daughter said to me ‘you’re always complaining about kids coming into Year 7 and not wanting to read books, why don’t you write one. So I did.”

Her first novel, a children's book called History’s a Mystery, published in

2002. The book was an “amazing success,” and won praise from the Children’s Book Council of Australia.

Dell began visiting schools and talking to students about the book and “found out very quickly that kids like a series.”

“There was never going to be a next one,” laughs Dell.

“I had used up all my good ideas in this first one. So I started asking the kids what they wanted and they came up with the most amazing ideas for the next three books.”

Call for illustrations

From chapters on topics as wide-ranging as Simpson’s Donkey to Jesus, Dell’s books covered all aspects of history, and her loyal readers loved it. The author even put the call out to students to submit illustrations, which are featured in her books.

“The number one mistake I made with the first book was not including pictures,” she says. “I wrote the book for reluctant readers, and what does a reluctant reader like? Illustrations.”

Dell reached out to her number one fans while doing speaking engagements at schools and asked them to send in their drawings for the next books in the series.

“I said to them ‘you’re not going to get paid, but if you want to get your name in print send me your illustrations.’ The kids really loved being a part of the process and all four books in the History is a Mystery series feature their work.”

Fast forward a few decades and the former Kiama resident (she now lives on a property in Calderwood) has 13 books under her belt, and is in the midst of writing number 14.

Her most recent published work, Wylde Oates, won the General Fiction prize at the London Book Fair.

Wylde Oates

It is also the pick of the month for the book club she runs in Kiama. The book begins in Lanark Mill, a cotton factory in Scotland, and follows the journey of a young man who is sentenced to prison in NSW.

“John and I visited the mill when we were in Scotland, and I like to write about places I’ve been to,” explains Dell. “That’s why I’m finding this new book difficult to write. I need to get over there.”

The “over there” Dell is referring to is Western Australia, specifically the south-western town of Busselton, where her new novel is set.

Dell and John were forced to put their travel on hold when John was diagnosed with a brain tumour, just about a year ago. His decline was fast, less than 10 months, and Dell was by his side every painful step of the way.

“Everything ground to a halt, first with COVID and then with John’s illness,” explains Dell.

“I’m just getting back on the horse.”

Write, explore and connect

The horse she is referring to is travel, a life-long passion she and John shared. Now she is adjusting to doing it without her soulmate. Dell has bought herself a new car and small caravan, and along with her best mate, her dog Max, she will get back to writing, exploring and creating connections.

“I’m hoping to get on with

life on my own, and to travel just like John and I did,” she says, blinking back tears.

“Max will be my companion on the road. It’s lonely without John, but I’m very fortunate to have family nearby.” She points out the window of her Calderwood property to her daughter’s house on the hill.

Dell is also looking forward to reconnecting with her caravanning family, travellers from around Australia and the world who have been her biggest supporters.

“People come up with the most amazing stories, based on things they have experienced or people they know and when I’m travelling and going around to caravan parks there’s always someone happy to have a chat,” she says.

Her caravanning family

Fellow caravanners are also Dell’s biggest fans, and during her decades on the road she has sold hundreds of her books to other travellers. Despite her success as an author, almost all her novels have won or been shortlisted for prestigious national and international awards, Dell has been unable to find a mainstream publisher in Australia willing to market and sell her books.

“It’s really frustrating,” she says. “There are only a few publishing houses in Australia that will even consider historical novels.”

Dell will continue to self-promote and sell her books when she hits the road again later this year to research her upcoming novel. When asked to choose her favourite book, Dell says that would be akin to choosing a favourite grandchild (she has five).

Christina. Dell spent years painstakingly poring over newspapers and diary entries to piece together Christina’s journey from Sweden to Australia when she was 14 and her family’s subsequent story.

“She had the most horrendous life,” says Dell. “She married at 16, had four children by 21. Then her husband died and she had no income, no support and four babies. It was a very hard book to write, I knew a lot about her but I had to fill in the gaps with best guesses.”

Key to good research

“John’s favourite was The Weif, set in Tasmania and South Australia,” says Dell.

“Botany Boys is loosely based on John’s great Uncle, the first soldier from Botany to die in WWI. He loved that one too.”

When pressed to pick, Dell settles on Darwin, a book which has a special place in her heart.

“Before I lost John, we would travel to Darwin every year and stay up there for four months,” she says. “I would write and John would fish. I think this is a fantastic book, set between WWI and Cyclone Tracy, and the impact of those years on the people of the Top End.”

The hardest book to write

The hardest book she has ever written is Stina, based on the life of her great-grandmother

Dell credits her time as a volunteer at the Kiama Family History Centre for more than 20 years (she and John lived near Jones Beach for three decades after they were married) for her impeccable research skills and her love of history. She began volunteering there while researching her own family’s background.

“When I'm doing my research, I always try to find original sources,” says Dell. “When I was writing about the gold rush in Cry to the Wind, I used diaries, newspaper clippings and journals written at the time. First-hand information is the key to good research and accurate writing of history.”

As is a lived experience, and Dell is itching to get back on the road. She knows it will be bittersweet without her beloved husband by her side. She also knows John would want her to get back to doing the thing they loved best, adventuring.

For more information, or to purchase Dell’s books visit her website: https://authordellbrand.com.au

Danielle Woolage

Dell Brand has published 13 books and is working on her 14th.

Dell Brand's latest book, Wylde Oates, wins accolades at the London Book Fair.

NanaCoburn 0488244631 nana.coburn@ccfn.com.au

SamLathbury 0412638708 andy.wharton@ccfn.com.au

KimVaux 0403204969 kim.vaux@ccfn.com.au

Kiama Surf Club shares in $5fundingmillion

Under the NSW Government’s Surf Club Facility Program, Kiama Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC) was recently announced as one of the 32 clubs to share in more than $5 million funding under the NSW Government’s Surf Club Facility Program. With a goal to develop SLSC facilities to subsequently foster community participation and safety, the NSW Government has assigned $16 million to the program over four years. A further $5 million was allocated in the 2023/24 NSW State Budget, as part of a $23 million-funding to Surf Life Saving NSW advocating to decrease dangers and drownings on our beaches.

Surf Life Saving President, Peter Agnew, puts this need into perspective, sharing that the recently completed patrol season, one of the busiest recorded, resulted in, “more than 20,000 active surf lifesavers performing over 4,600 rescues, 1 million preventative actions and almost 20,000 first aid treatments.”

Minister for Sport, Steve Kamper, considers NSW SLSC a world-class service that works hard to keep everyone safe at the beach. “Rain, hail or shine, surf lifesavers never waver in their commitment to protecting the community and likewise, the NSE Government will not waver in its support of these incredible volunteers. That’s why we are providing $21 million over four years to ensure our SLSC has modern, inclusive and accessible facilities.”

These are sentiments echoed by the Government Spokesperson for Kiama, Sarah Kaine. “Kiama surf lifesaving volunteers are the unsung heroes of our community, protecting locals and visitors in the water, as seen by the number of rescues last summer in Kiama by off-duty lifesavers, or those who have undertaken training with their local SLSC.

“This grant will contribute towards the development of a modern, fit-for-purpose facility that enables surf life savers to better protect the community and continue to deliver a world-class service.”

In the 2023/24 offerings, Kiama SLSC received $147,766 to redevelop the roof, damaged during December 2023 thunderstorms. The grant will allow for removal and replacement of the current roof, cladding and guttering. Additionally, a portion of funds will enable installation of new disabled toilet facilities, ensuring the club meets DDA requirements.

“The local community rallied around Kiama SLSC last year when their roof was damaged. I am pleased that through this grant, we are able to ensure that the club remains safe and accessible for the community,” says Kaine.

Further information on the Surf Club Facility Program can be found at: www.sport.nsw.gov. au/grants/surf-club-facility-program.

Diana Timmins

BLOW YOUR

Just a quick note

Just a quick note to say I think that the Bugle is becoming the local paper Kiama and surrounding towns deserve. You are doing a great job!

Jenny England Local Businesses & Parking

Hi, I am a long term business owner in Kiama (>20yrs), and am very concerned with the lack of interest that the council shows towards improving the parking situation in the CBD. I am located near the Akuna street car park, the last remaining substantial parking facility in town. With the proposed development taking over this space, we will have no parking-specific spaces left in the main CBD of town. There are approximately 60 businesses from the Torys corner to the Red Rooster corner, so even with a low estimate, thats 60 car spaces required for the workers, minimum, without even considering our customers/clients/patients/ tourists. Instead of focusing on builiding more housing estates and developments, our council needs to be held accountable and provide us with services to keep our town running.

Recently there was a social media post from a fellow long-term business pleading for customers to keep them running. This kind of post is extremely sad, but unfortunately will be repeated by

many businesses in town if we dont get more parking facilities. There are options, one significant option would be the construction of a large parking facility behind the "old firestation"/ambulance station. It is reasonably flat, and would provide access to the new park, as well as many of our CBD businesses.

I have approached the council in the past, with very little outcome. I think it is time for your wide reach and readership to get this ball rolling. Im not sure how it could be done, but would it be something that you guys would consider shining the spotlight on, before its too late?

Thanks for all you do for our great town, keep up the great work!

Name Supplied

A question to Mayor Reilly

How is the 'sale' of Blue Haven Bonaira going? You know, the place that your general manager advised had to be sold because it wasn't core Council business, and it was the only way out of the financial "mess" Council found itself in (of it's own making, I might add). Well let's see, after a process that started in September or October last year, Council gave the general manager 5 weeks to conclude the sale on Feb

or 'CONTACT' ON THE APP - 150 words

Note these are readers opinions and do not necessarily represent the Bugle View

1st this year. This was extended by a further 5 weeks, taking us into early April. More than a month later, still nothing! Why is it so?

Could it be that potential buyers have been frightened off by the building defects at Bonaira?? If so, the General Manager has had almost 3 years to address any issues in this domain. If this in fact has happened, then one can only assume negligence, or incompetence (or maybe a combination of both), with those charged with undertaking the sale process.

Care to comment Mayor Reilly?

Allan Holder

Request for Fundraising Assistance - North Nowra Girl Guides

Girl Guides support girls aged between 5-14 years in personal growth and development by providing access to a range of activities, experiences and State and National run events.

In 2025, we have the opportunity to take ten of our Guides and three leaders to the NSW Jamboree at Murwillumbah. Jamborees are an exciting experience where over 1200 girls and their leaders come together for a week of new experiences and activities.

The Jamboree and associated travel will cost approximately $1900 per girl, and we are planning several fundraising activities to help ease the costs to ensure all girls who would like to attend are able, re-

Café quest

gardless of family financial circumstances. Any funds received would be used directly to support the girls/ leaders with purchasing their tickets.

We are currently planning our next fundraising effort which is a 'Paint and Sip' event to be held in July 2024. We were wondering if your organisation would consider making a donation towards a lucky door prize to assist with our fundraising efforts?

Please feel free to contact me for further details you may need in considering our request.

We thank you for your consideration of our request and for your support, in anticipation.

Yours in Guiding, Jenna Tague District Manager North Nowra Girl Guides jenna.tague@girlguides-nswactnt.org.au

South Illawarra Older Women's Network

As a new community organisation, South Illawarra Older Women's Network (SIOWN) is extremely grateful for the support provided to date by The Bugle. We now have a Facebook page which will help our media partners and the general community stay informed about SIOWN's activities and events. Please access the page via https://www. facebook.com/SthIllawarra/ and follow us.

Julie McDonald

Last month, university students and best mates Fynn Cowen and Riley Nicholl, both 21, embarked on a mission to conquer Kiama's café scene by sipping their way through 30 cafés in just as many days.

What inspired such an ambitious undertaking? "We’ve always appreciated that Kiama has an abundance of cafés," they shared. "It got us thinking about how many there actually were and how long it would take to try them all."

Their venture was not just a pursuit for their next caffeine hit, but also an exploration of the town's culture and community.

"This was our chance to experience new places

and meet new people," they added.

Cowen and Nicholl meticulously evaluated each café based on two crucial criteria. The flavor of different types of caffeinated beverages and the ambience of the café itself.

"We focused on two main things: the taste of different coffees and the overall vibe, including customer service, at different times of the day," the pair explained. The friends chose a different style of coffee at each location, making every visit unique. From off-menu delights like the ‘Espresso Tim Tam Shake’ at Moist ‘N’ Glazed, to heartfelt conversations with a DJ at Bouquiniste on their final day.

Both found that each café offered its own memorable experience. Buskers outside Short Black Coffee Kiama raising money for a mental health charity while Burnetts On Barney's (Kiama’s Landscaping Hub) offered not only great coffee but also an inclusive and welcoming atmosphere.

Of course, no quest is without its challenges. Juggling their mission with busy schedules tested their commitment to the task.

"As uni students working jobs, preparing for each visit was a bit of a logistical challenge," confessed the duo. Sometimes having to try coffees as early as 6:30am or as late as 9:00 pm. However, they agreed that finding

cafés to visit wasn’t the hard part. “They're everywhere in Kiama!”

Reflecting on their 30-day journey, Cowen and Nicholl agreed that breaking away from the routine of visiting the same four or five spots repeatedly was a delightful change.

"Every new coffee brought a smile to our faces, and we’ve come to appreciate the local scene even more."

If you are interested in learning more about the friends' café quest, you can get in touch with them directly at: KiamaAustraliasCoffeeCapital@gmail.com.

Simonne Brownlow

Stock photo.

Paws, Puddles, and Pup Paws, Puddles, and Pup

The Joyous Adventure of Bringing Patsy to Tasmania

There's an instant connection for anyone who has brought home a puppy. It's akin to welcoming a human child into your life; a surge of emotion and love overwhelms you, and you solemnly vow to safeguard your furry companion with every fibre of your being.

This was precisely the experience my partner and I shared when we brought home our eight-week-old bundle of joy, "Patsy," from Worrigee in the Shoalhaven. Patsy, a spirited Dalmador, stole our hearts from the moment we saw her.

Like many new puppy parents, we had grand plans for Patsy. We envisioned enrolling her in puppy training classes and strolling proudly down streets like Kiama’s Terralong Street, with Patsy trotting beside

us, the essence of canine obedience. We even imagined it all in slow motion, with a cinematic soundtrack to boot.

But as life often does, it had other plans in store for us.

Within months, we found ourselves relocating to Tasmania, faced with the heart-wrenching decision of entrusting Patsy's care to my brother, who happened to have Patsy's brother. It was a tough adjustment, marked by endless video calls that never quite filled the void of her absence.

Who knew we'd miss the chaos of her constant licking and signature bed launches, as precise as a military operation?

Eventually, our fences were erected on our new property just outside

Hobart. The missing piece to complete our home was the pitter-patter of Patsy's paws echoing through the hallway. After much preparation and navigating the intricacies of the BioSecurity Tasmania website, Patsy was finally set to embark on her journey aboard the Spirit of Tasmania.

During my lunch breaks at The Bugle office, I would often stroll along Black Beach, marvelling at the serene ocean. Fast-forward to May 2024, and I found myself drawing upon all my low-level nautical skills to bring that same sense of tranquillity to the Bass Strait.

Boarding Patsy in the kennel on deck five was one of the most nerve-wracking experiences we've had during our mainland crossings,

surpassing the tumultuous swells that once tossed me out of my cabin bed. Our priorities and perspectives had shifted. While previous crossings were marked by excitement over the buffet offerings, this time, our minds were preoccupied with concern for Patsy amidst the ship's vibrations and noise.

As the vessel departed Geelong, its familiar rumblings filled the air. While other passengers chatted excitedly about the voyage, we remained sombre, our thoughts consumed by Patsy's well-being two levels below, perhaps wondering why we'd left her there.

The crossing felt endless, alleviated only by the illicit indulgence of mini-doughnuts, cheese and crackers.

Upon arrival in Geelong,

amidst the usual bleary-eyed passengers recounting their experiences, we made a beeline for the kennel, eager to reunite with Patsy and relieve her of the dim, dreary accommodations.

The subsequent threehour drive back to Hobart was peaceful. Patsy was mostly asleep in my lap, occasionally rousing to peer out the window in search of the mythical Tassie Tiger.

A week into our new life in Tasmania, constant rain transformed our yard into a muddy wasteland reminiscent of scenes from Mad Max. Our once pristine mudroom tiles now bore the imprint of dark pawprints, resembling a Dalmatian motif. Mud adorned our walls, couches were draped with protective coverings, and our new carpets bore

the marks of countless clay deposits.

The first day, we gave up mopping every few hours and accepted the fact that our home resembled the London workhouse from Oliver Twist, which coincidentally was set in the fictional town of Mudfog. We’re now waiting for the sun to return.

Would we change it? No. Nothing beats the love of cuddling our Patsy by the fire, looking out towards Kunanyi/Mt Wellington and planning our return trip to a certain seaside town, discussing what soundtrack to strut down Terralong Street with as we flash our pearly whites, all with the most well-behaved Dalmador ever in tow.

Steven White

To market!

A great day out which profits those in need

When asked to write about the Gerringong Rotary Markets I was intrigued, having in another life worked as the Manager and Assistant Manager of Sydney’s Rocks Market – by contrast a huge operation (150 plus stalls at the time – most ‘permanent’) and decidedly ‘for profit’.

Most casual visitors to the monthly Gerringong market would be unaware of its original raison d’etre, and ongoing clear focus, while they browse the eclectic range of stalls, bask in the relaxed coastal vibe, and sample its tasty food offerings.

In July 2007, a group of Gerringong Rotarians started the market to raise funds for local, national, and international charitable projects and programs. The market was founded by then Rotary President Sandra Hainsworth with the help of then Market Manager Neil Miller, and with strong support from the then Mayor of Kiama, Sandra McCarthy, OAM.

The market is staffed solely by a team of unpaid dedicated volunteers (mostly Gerringong Rotary members, with several ‘Friends of Rotary’), who also man the popular market barbecue – from which emanates enticing aromas of the legendary egg and bacon rolls and sausage sandwiches, to warmly welcome visitors. A range of talented local volunteer musicians generously provide music to add to the market’s ambience and support its aims.

Market committee member and regular volunteer duty manager, Christa

Wood, a retired University of Wollongong academic, expresses her appreciation of the local Gerringong community, who are “very supportive of all their community organisations.”

Wood wears many hats, including Gerringong Rotary Treasurer and Vice President Berry Writers Festival. She says she’s, “always amazed at the support and assistance we get from community members.”

Most sites cost $55 per day (with no price rise in about the last ten years), of which the market currently pays Kiama Council an $11 fee. All profits are donated to an extensive and diverse range of charities and charitable projects, which to date included programs and activities involving:

• at-risk youth;

• young people - to reach their full potential (such as leadership and career opportunities) including apprenticeships, exchange students, and an international school in Tanzania;

• refugees;

• medical charities providing assistance to developing countries (such as Interplast Australia & New Zealand, Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children and Operation Cleft);

• homeless and disadvantaged people - including SALT and Homestead of Hope;

• disaster areas, through direct donations or Shelterbox;

• locals living with dementia and their carers, such as Dementia Inclusive Dancing and the Alche-

my Chorus;

• local NFP organisations, such as the Rural Fire Service (RFS);

• local sporting clubs in need of funds;

• environmental projects, such as Adopt-a-Tree; and

• indigenous projects, including a sporting program for Aboriginal students, and an indigenous newspaper in Ngukurr.

Organisers reserve two (or more, if able) unpaid stall sites each month for local charities/not-for-profits, including the Gerringong Red Cross. Their popular Devonshire teas, served in the Town Hall, draw dedicated regular repeat fans, including a committed group of seniors from Uniting Gerringong.

With a quality, boutique feel and prioritising local and handcrafted goods, the market aims to be ‘more Paddington than Paddys,’ according to market committee member, volunteer duty manager (when I visited), and retired Gerringong vet, Andrejs Medenis – in a reference to well-known Sydney markets.

Trading with an average of 50-60 stalls (more in summer, less in winter and extreme weather), the all-weather market offers a wide range of products, including unique fashion items, quality second-hand clothes, bags, leather goods, jewellery (from costume to high end), handicrafts and small furniture pieces, skincare and cosmetic items, hair accessories, ceramics, homewares, baby/toddler items, toys, eco-friendly wares, pet products and plants. Tempting food

offerings include fresh local produce, honey, nuts, delicatessen items, cakes and pastries, pies/sausage rolls, Gozleme and dumplings.

Along with casual walk-in tourists passing through, the visitor demographic includes a strong local customer base – including from the Shoalhaven and Illawarra, and regular visitors from Greater Sydney staying in holiday homes and caravan parks. Many visitors come back regularly to pick up specific product favourites.

The market is also popular with families – kids can play safely in the onsite playground, while parents browse nearby stalls or relax and enjoy a sausage sandwich or other culinary delight.

Gerringong Rotary Markets is on the third Saturday of each month at the Old School Park and Gerringong Town Hall, in Fern Street.

Prospective stallholders are encouraged to make contact via an application form on the Gerringong Rotary website.

Renowned Rotary BBQ.

A couple enjoying the outside stalls.

Market photo.

Town Hall Indoor Stall.

Vibrant rosemary, sage, bay and cinnamon herbal space clearing sticks.

Popular market Entertainment the Southern Stompers. Inside stalls.

Bellinda Dunn

Kiama SES to compete in NSW Road Cr ash Rescue Challenge Crash

Seven incredible volunteers from Kiama State Emergency Service (SES) Unit will compete in the NSW Road Crash Rescue Challenge in Dubbo on 2426 May, 2024. The event involves activities such as a learning symposium with numerous topics of relevance, entrapment and time critical/controlled rescue scenarios, trauma challenge and CPR masterclass pits, workshops with industry experts, and industrial domestic rescue and firefighter down scenario pits.

The state event, developed and conducted collaboratively by NSW SES, Fire and Rescue NSW and the Firefighter

Championship Association, welcomes competitors from all road crash rescue providers, including NSW Police Force, NSW Ambulance, NSW Rural Fire Service and NSW Volunteer Rescue Association.

However, Kiama SES are in with a fighting chance of taking out a title or two, if last year’s event is anything to go by; having come in first place for controlled rescue, second for overall road crash rescue, and taken out the title of best team leader. And, their accolades don’t end there.

“Kiama SES also previously won the National Rescue Competition in

Canberra in 2015,” shares SES Kiama volunteer, Andrew McCullough.

“The team wanted to compete again this year to continually build skills and develop as operators and represent Kiama in the state event. There are also opportunities to continue on to interstate and overseas events.”

According to McCullough, the hardworking team of volunteers are committed to consistent training, undertaking a range of challenging scenarios and refining their skills that will be put to good use at the event.

“This involves sourcing damaged vehicles, build-

In

One evening, as I sat in a room with 26 people at a community meeting, a concerning scenario played vividly in my mind. Knowing that one in three people will require blood at some point in their lives, I looked around and it struck me: statistically, about nine people here might one day be in urgent need of a blood transfusion. Yet, considering only one in 30 people donate blood, it's highly likely that none of my fellow attendees were donors. This realisation wasn't just a fleeting thought; it distressed me profoundly. Here we were, gathered, potentially unable to help each other in a time of most desperate need. This stark reality brought home the critical importance of blood donation. It made me think about how, despite the many who need blood, so few of us step up to donate. This scenario isn't merely hypothetical—it underscores a critical and personal challenge that extends beyond this room to our wider community. It's a call to action for all of us to transform how we view blood donation, to elevate it from an act of charity to a community responsibility, a routine part of our lives.

ing scenarios involving motor vehicle accidents, such as a car on its roof against a railing, and then carefully removing parts of the vehicle using a range of tools to access a patient,” he explains.

“The team is also practicing their medic skills for the competition. This is particularly important when the NSW SES arrives as first on scene to an incident, prior to the arrival of an ambulance.”

One of those signing up for the challenge is Jake Cleal-Cook, a volunteer and team medic at Kiama SES. He considers competing in the event a wonderful opportunity to develop skills and practice

a range of rescue techniques.

“We regularly respond to incidents on the roads in Kiama, and competing in these events helps us refine our skills and work together as a team. What we learn at these competitions helps us to continually build on and grow our skills for jobs on the road back in Kiama,” he says.

“Whilst it will be a big few days, I am looking forward to working together and tackling some challenging crash scenarios. There will always be tough rescue situations for us to try and solve within the time limit, but I’m confident we’ve put the training in to do Kiama Unit and

the NSW SES proud.” Cleal-Cook says that volunteering with NSW SES has changed his direction in life, inspiring him to now work in a professional rescue role alongside his volunteering. In addition to learning new technical rescue skills, volunteering with SES has also fostered great friendships.

“I joined to get involved and help our community, and I’ve remained a volunteer because we have a supportive team who push each other to be our best,” says Cleal-Cook.

Diana Timmins

a room of 26 - the urgent call for blood donors and the reality we can't ignore

I am sharing this personal reflection not to alarm, but to ignite a conversation and inspire action. How can we, as a community, make donating blood a routine part of our lives? I invite you to share your thoughts and suggestions. Together, we can ensure that when someone needs blood, the lifesaving resource they require is readily available. Let's not wait until we're the ones in need to realise just how vital this issue is.

Let's start the conversation and make a difference together. Join us in the ‘Volunteers to Lifesavers’ campaign and book your

appointment today with the mobile blood bank visiting Kiama this June, simply search online for Kiama Mobile Donor Centre. You can also sign up for the Volunteers to Lifesavers team and be a part of a community that appreciates and recognises your vital contribution from the moment you decide to give. Search for Red Cross Lifeblood Teams.

Details regarding the Volunteers to Lifesavers team can be found at: https:// www.lifeblood.com.au/faq/ lifeblood-teams-faq/how-doi-join-existing-team . Lynne Strong

Photo credit: Kiama SES.

Wollongong to host 2026 LGNSW Annual Conference to host 2026 LGNSW Annual Conference

The City of Wollongong overcame a strong field to win the right to host the 2026 Local Government NSW Annual Conference in late November 2026, Local Government NSW (LGNSW) announced in a media release.

The Annual Conference is the local government sector’s primary event every year, which sets the agenda for the advocacy that the organisation pursues on behalf of the state’s 128 local councils.

LGNSW President, Councillor Darriea Turley AM, congratulates the City of Wollongong for beating off a raft of high-quality cities to host the conference.

“I am delighted that the conference in two years will be held in the City of Wollongong,” Cr Turley says.

Wollongong City Lord Mayor, Councillor Gordon Bradbery AM, is also delighted that Wollongong will be hosting hundreds of councillors, general

managers and council staff from across NSW.

“Here they’ll be part of constructive conversations focused on sharing new ideas and industry best practice.”

Wollongong City Council General Manager, Greg Doyle, believes Wollongong is making its mark as a city.

“We’ve been working hard in recent years to redefine Wollongong as a city that embraces the arts and culture, that facilitates

and delivers greener active transport through our investment in cycleways and support of a shared e-scooters trial, and that is working to address climate change through planning and policy,” said Mr Doyle.

“Plus, we’ve hosted world-class sporting events, and got one of the fastest-growing residential areas in NSW outside the Sydney metropolitan area.”

Make sure that you do your due diligence

local cybersecurity event advises businesses

The organisers of the recent IT&T Empowering Small Business: Cybersecurity Awareness event (2 May) were surprised that so many business owners had made it to Novotel Wollongong in North Wollongong on this particularly rainy and dark Thursday.

“We thought that a few of you might turn out with the bad weather out there,” said business support at IT&T, Anne Reeve.

It was quite the contrary. There was almost 100 people (96 to be exact).

Although, perhaps that’s no wonder with news about cyber security and crime making headlines almost daily. Who can forget about Medibank and Optus being victims of high-profile cyber attacks in 2022?

In April of this year, the City of Sydney had data from several public institutions posted online. Now in May, a Sydney man was arrested over an alleged data breach impacting at least 17 licensed clubs in NSW and the ACT, ABC News reported.

“The cyberhackers are starting to go for the low-hanging fruit, that’s small and medium-sized businesses,” said Partner Technology Strategist at Microsoft, Philip Meyer. Meyer was one of the

night’s three speakers, along with Andrew Bremner of SherpaTech and Peter Eldon of Access4 Telecommunicatins.

Among the most common cybercrimes affecting smallto medium-sized businesses are: email compromise, fraud compromise and bank fraud. In 2023, the Australian Cyber Security Centre revealed that, on average, a cybercrime report is made every six minutes.

That is rather terrifying statistics, to put it mildly. But the idea behind tonight’s event is not to alarm business owners, rather to inform them how they can protect their businesses, how they can utilise artificial intelligence (AI) without putting their data in danger; and to be aware of the implications of the new Privacy Act 2022

Helen Hasan runs a small non-for-profit, Living Connected, and has a few clients living in Kiama. “A little bit of information is always useful,” she said. “For us protecting older people, it’s important. Balancing between not scaring them, and making them aware.”

She’s known about AI for a long while after attending university in the 1960’s. The first AI program was actually written in 1967, according to Meyer.

ChatGPT launched

in November 2022. But for all its wonderful features, Meyer cautioned against using it for work-based queries.

“It’s great for mysterious travel planning and writing poems for my wife,” he said. “But please, don’t use it for work. All the data that you put in there becomes everyone’s data.”

Meyer also recommended that business owners, with a staff of less than 300 people and who are PC-users, get Microsoft 365 Business Premium, as it includes several security features in addition to products such as Word and Teams.

Bremner is an insurance specialist for tech and IT with SherpaTech.

“Are you seeing what I’m seeing?” he asked the room. “That is, increasing technical complexity, cyber threats and a tougher regulatory environment.”

It’s not said to dampen the mood but rather to ensure that small business owners are across how their businesses will be affected by Privacy Act 2022. The review of the act saw 116 recommendations, some have been fast-forwarded and some are waiting to be passed, he

Local Artists Showcase Talent at Shellharbour's Imaginarium Exhibition Space

The captivating works of two local artists, Ross Meaker and David Graham, were displayed on walls of the Imaginarium in Shellharbour throughout the recent Mother’s Day weekend.

Ross has a long-standing passion for photography, only further invigorated by the introduction of digital photography and his retirement.

His collection of landscape photography showcased the best from the snowy Jindabyne surrounds to the coastal sunrises of Narooma and Lake Conjola.

With Ross’ eye for detail and texture in his work, his photographs transport views through a visual journey of nature’s wonders. This was Ross’ first exhibition, and he admitted eagerness at the idea of his work reaching a wider audience for the first time.

Teaming up with Ross was David, whose artistic journey began as a child drawing maps.

With encouragement from his mother, Bronwyn, David’s passion transformed into a lifelong pursuit.

David’s meticulously crafted pencil and ink drawings are a stunning display of historical preservation. The collaboration between the two artists proved to be a success, drawing praise from visitors who flocked to The Imaginarium. As patrons explored the exhibition space, they were met with the diversity of styles and subjects on display, from the sweeping landscapes by Ross to the intricately drawn architectural pieces by David. Both artists respectively put on a stunning show of colour through sunsets and geometric patterns.

noted.

In summary, “there’ll be three big builders,” Bremner outlined. “Lowering the dollar amount (which means that businesses with an annual turnover of less than $3 million will need to comply with the Act); fines and penalties (the maximum penalty that can now be applied for a serious or repeated breach will be increased from $2.5 million to the greater of: 1) $50 million, 2) three times the value of any benefit obtained, and 3) 30 percent of the company's adjusted turnover in relevant period); and the reporting time threshold. Previously, if you had a material breach, you had to notify the regulator within 30 days - now, it’s 72 hours."

Malin Dunfors

Malin Dunfors

Wollongong to host the 2026 Local Government NSW annual conference. Photo credit: LGNSW.

Brooke Pittman

David Graham.

Ross Meeker.

(From left to right): Philip Meyer, Microsoft; Diego Vidal, Ingram Micro Cloud, and Andrew Bremner, SherpaTech at the Novotel Wollongong.

Volunteer Judi Sandilands-Cincotta is busier than ever Volunteer Sandilands-Cincotta is busier than ever

supporting the mental health of communities

Shiko walk in, everyone who crosses their path smiles,” says Natasha.

When Judi Sandilands-Cincotta retired from a decades long nursing career and moved from Sydney to Kiama for a seachange, she had no idea how busy she would be.

Judi is a Guide Dogs NSW volunteer and her weekly calendar is fully booked through her work as a therapy dog handler with her five-yearold labrador Ollie. Judi and Ollie visit high schools, courts, libraries, police and ambulance stations across the region to provide smiles, support and comfort to those who need it most.

Judi began volunteering in 2018 and has spent thousands of hours teaching and nurturing labradors as a puppy raiser. But in 2020 when COVID hit, the guide dogs training program went into lockdown.

“COVID was a real shift for me,” says Judi. “Everything shut down at guide dogs and if you’ve ever tried to train a dog on zoom, well it’s just about impossible. I was fortunate that I was not a new handler, so I had a bit of experience behind me that served me well, but I found the technology difficult.”

So, to maintain the training and discipline needed to be successful, Judi set up her garage to mirror external experiences for the dogs, including steps and water hazards.

It was during this time that Ollie came into Judi’s life. Ollie was on the Guide Dog Pathways Program with another puppy raiser, but medical issues meant she was no longer suitable. Ollie was rehomed with Judi, who soon realised she would make a brilliant therapy dog, due to her gentle, calm, loving nature.

Judi, a former clinical nurse consultant in mental health, knows how

cial a therapy dog can be to wellbeing. Research has proven that patting a dog can release the feel-good chemicals serotonin and oxytocin, and reduce stress hormones like cortisol.

Ollie is now one of the hardest working therapy dogs in the region, visiting Warilla High School’s wellbeing hub each week and spending time with students at Kiama and Bomaderry High every fortnight. After COVID, the need for mental health support in schools increased markedly, with anxiety among students and higher rates of school refusal on the rise. Staff at all three high schools describe Judi and Ollie as “superstars” for the volunteer work they do supporting kids who need a little bit of extra help navigating the challenges of school.

Warilla High School’s head teacher of wellbeing, Natasha Clark, says having Judi and Ollie on site for the past three years has provided invaluable support to both students and staff

“Judi is amazing,” says Natasha. “Judi and Ollie are such an important part of our school, we consider them staff. Ollie has a school support dog vest, she gets her school photo taken, has a school ID and takes part in events like RUOK Day. Everyone just loves them.”

The dynamic duo has now become a trio, with Judi introducing 11-month-old labrador pup Shiko - in training for the Guide Dog Pathways Program - to students so he can learn how to behave in busy environments with both children and adults.

Natasha says the positive impact Judi and her dogs have had on students is invaluable and the benefits of the therapy dog program “endless”.

“School can be stressful for students and teachers, but as soon as Judi, Ollie and

“You just can’t help it, they bring so much joy. Patting Ollie or Shiko really calms people down. If a student is feeling overwhelmed or anxious, you see them relax within minutes when they are with the dogs. It refocuses them on something other than the big emotions they are feeling.

“Once they are calm, we can start working with them to help with whatever it is they need. Having therapy dogs on site is mutually beneficial for everyone. It helps us as teachers to do our job better and I watch kids who are so upset just calm down straight away as soon as they see Ollie or Shiko.”

Bomaderry High School student support officer, Marty Richardson, agrees. “We have a tutorial centre at Bomaderry for kids with anxiety or behavioural issues and Ollie and Shiko help them with their emotional regulation,” explains Marty.

“If the kids need to see the school counsellor or deputy, we make sure Ollie goes in with them. The kids learn, through handling the dogs and training them, about trust and responsibility. Everyone loves Ollie and Shiko, and Judi too. If we could clone all three of them that would be so awesome. They are rockstars here at Bomaderry and how lucky are we to have them at our school?”

It is a sentiment shared by Natasha, who recognises that not all schools have had the support needed to implement a therapy dog program.

“We are so thankful for Judi and to have this program running in our school,” she says. “We had been wanting to do it for a very long time, but it was about finding the right person. We are very lucky to have found Judi, Ollie and Shiko. Everyone here can see the value that it brings to students and staff.”

Judi says the therapy dogs program works because of the bond students and staff have built with her and the dogs and the training that

has gone into ensuring Ollie and Shiko are suitable for school environments, which can be high energy and full of temptations like lunch boxes and ball games.

“You need to make sure your handling skills are really good,” says Judi. “Ollie’s nature is so beautiful. She has the best temperament and I knew she would be helpful with students in school settings.”

Shiko is a gentle giant, who loves attention. But Ollie keeps him in line and likes to remind the younger pup that she is the boss and the classroom is her domain.

“I just love them,” says Cooper, a Year 12 student who visits the wellbeing hub during a free period to hang out with Judi, Ollie and Shiko.

Judi takes her role as a puppy raiser, therapy dog handler and mentor to students very seriously and recognises it is a privilege to do volunteer work that she loves, even though she is busier than she ever was when she worked full-time.

“I will often ask students to help me train Ollie or Shiko, by walking the dogs on lead and getting kids to ask them to sit or stay or leave food,” explains Judi.

“They see how much better the dogs get at following commands through practice. Kids start to learn that it takes a lot of practice to get something right. The dogs show students that they might not get something right the first time, but they will get better with practice.”

Judi says volunteering with Guide Dogs NSW, and in particular therapy dogs like Ollie, has changed her life.

“Therapy Dogs is what I love,” says Judi. “Once a dog goes back to Guide Dogs NSW, you don’t get to see what they are capable of as an assistance dog because they are with their new owner. With therapy dogs you get to see the benefits immediately, and you get to interact with people in the community. My grandkids are in Sydney, so I love being around these young people in

high schools.”

Judi also recognises the benefits therapy dogs can provide to the wider community. Judi and Ollie were a welcome presence outside Westfield Bondi Junction, where they spent time with members of the public impacted by the horrific stabbings inside the centre just days earlier.

“I can read my dogs. You spend hours and hours training them everyday,” explains Judi.

“I knew that having a therapy dog like Ollie outside Westfield Bondi would be so beneficial for so many people. We didn’t speak to anyone about what happened, we were just there for people to come and pat or cuddle Ollie, or for kids to sit with Ollie while their parents spoke to the mental health volunteers on site.

“I just knew in my heart that cuddles with Ollie was exactly what this community needed. When people are at their absolute lowest, that’s when we see the benefit of therapy dogs the most.”

Judi and Ollie have also worked in disaster recovery centres after bushfires and floods, recently providing support at the Northern Illawarra flood recovery centre after torrential rain impacted communities across the region.

The pair are part of the Canine Court Companion Program at Campbelltown Court, offering comfort to victims of domestic and family violence. They also pop in to local police and ambulance dispatch stations for ‘fly-in, fly-out visits’ so staff can have a pat, play and cuddle with Ollie.

“It’s a distraction from the difficult things they have to deal with everyday,” explains Judi.

Next month, Ollie and Judi will start volunteering at Lifeline Sylvania, where Ollie will sit with call centre volunteers and offer handshakes, hugs and support once a month. And, as if the dynamic duo are not busy enough, they will be at Shellharbour Library throughout August to

read books with young people to celebrate Pawgust. Training a guide dog is expensive, around $50,000 for each puppy, and not all are guaranteed to become assistance dogs. Judi’s volunteer work as a puppy raiser and therapy dog handler ensures that all members of the community reap the rewards and benefits of the guide dogs program.

“People have donated their hard-earned money towards that cost so I’m going to make sure I give 115 percent as a puppy raiser,” says Judi.

“No dog is ever trained as a therapy dog. They all start on the guide dog pathway. But in the end, they choose the pathway themselves. I am so blessed that I have the opportunity to do this for people in my community and share the beautiful Ollie. And I know I have set Shiko up well for whoever receives him in the future. I may never meet them or see where he goes, but I know I finished what I started. I often tell this to students: ‘when you start something, see it through to the finish, don’t give up when it becomes hard’.”

Judi, who has been nominated in this year’s NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards for her work with Therapy Dogs in schools, encourages anyone interested in volunteering to “just do it”.

“Volunteering is such an important part of communities,” says Judi.

“I get to use my skills, adapt what I have learned in my profession and translate it into supporting the mental health of young people, empowering them to get involved with their community. These kids see what I can bring to the table as an older person and I want them to think that they can do the same, everyone has something to offer. I always say ‘use what’s in your hand’.”

What’s in Judi’s hand right now is treats for Ollie and Shiko, and she wouldn't have it any other way.

Danielle Wollage

Kiama Fire Station Open Day Kiama Fire Station Open Day

brings on the brings on the h eat heat

Not even a mega downpour on 11 May deterred families from heading to the Open Day at Kiama Fire Station, which has become one of the region’s main annual attractions.

Five-year-old Lachlan Rossiter has been “waiting for days for the fire day!” And the big day finally came for Lachlan, who attended with his dad, Cam Rossiter, and younger brother, threeyear-old Ollie Rossiter.

It was the third Open Day at Kiama Fire Station that they’ve attended. The 2024 edition definitely met their expectations. Lachlan shares that he liked holding the fire hose and going into the cab of the fire truck the most.

The brothers are proudly wearing their orange ‘Fire and Rescue’ helmets. They do come in handy, if you’re going to help a tall, grownup fireman or -woman.

Because once a year, during the Fire Station Open Day (which is a statewide event), firefighters at Kiama Fire Station get to do a bit of ‘show and tell’ about the fire trucks, station and, above all, the important work that they do

in and around Kiama.

“Yeah, it’s really good to see everyone here,” says Kiama Captain, Rhys Dawson. “To get a good understanding of what we do, and also ask questions about any fire safety measures that can be implemented in the home.”

“For us, to push the home fire safety message in,” he underlines.

The most common type of kitchen fire

There was a kitchen simulator on display, just outside the back of the fire station. Deputy Captain, Brian Guillaumier, stood ready to demonstrate what to do and equally crucial, what not to do if there’s a kitchen fire. It is, as it turns out, the most common type of house fire.

“It’s always a handy thing to know, especially when it comes to cooking fires,” said Captain Dawson.

“And to make sure that we got those preventative measures such as fire blankets and fire extinguishers, which you can purchase relatively cheaply from somewhere like Bunnings,

for example.”

Parents and children line up under the protection of the roof, close enough so that they can see the sink, but within a safe distance from what is about to happen.

On the stove stands a saucepan with only 10 millilitre of oil in it. But it can cause a lot of damage, especially if left unattended.

“Just give this a couple of minutes, you can see that it’s smoking already,” explains Deputy Captain Guillaumier.

When the saucepan catches fire, firefighter Tristan Reid is at hand to quickly step in.

“He’s simply going to put out the fire by putting a lid on it. And, you’ll see. Look at that! He puts the fire out. If he takes the lid off, it’s going to catch fire again.

“We don’t use water on a kitchen fire. Use a fire blanket, a fire extinguisher and get out of the house,” stresses Deputy Captain Guillaumier.

Make sure to have working smoke alarms in the house

Another fire safety measure is a smoke alarm.

Deputy Captain Guillaumier holds one in his hand as he turns to the group. “What happens when they go off ?” he asks, and puts on the smoke alarm, which immediately starts beeping.

“Get out of the house to the letterbox,” one girl offers up.

“Get out of the house to the letterbox,” Deputy Captain Guillaumier repeats. “Do we go back into the house? Of course, we don’t. We’re outside the house, we stay outside the house and call 000.”

If you don’t have a smoke alarm or aren’t sure if it works properly (the alarms have an expiry date and usually needs to be replaced every ten years), call on the friendly team at the fire station who offer free home safety checks. To request one, you can either call the station directly on 02 4232 1222 or go to the ‘Home fire safety’ section on the NSW Fire and Rescue’s website. Home safety checks are available all over Kiama.

“But anyone from Jam-

beroo and Gerringong can also request one and we generally work with the RFS (Rural Fire Service) to make that happen,” explains Captain Dawson.

Since Kiama Fire Station is an on-call station, they try to coordinate it so that all the home safety checks can be done in one day. That generally translates to once a week.

One of the most unusual questions that Captain Dawson was asked during the Open Day is what daily life is like for a firefighter.

Wanted: On-call firefighters

Now, it’s a bit different because they’re on-call firefighters, which means that they also work other jobs.

“In our days off, we carry a pager. The pager activates whosoever is on at that time, we’ll come to the station, we’ll get the fire trucks, go and help the community,” says Captain Dawson.

Currently, there’s a full on-call staff of 21 firefighters. Plus the trucks. There are two of them: an urban trucker and a bushfire tanker.

“At the moment, we are sitting at 17 and do have a couple of vacancies,” con-

tinues Captain Dawson.

“If anyone is interested in becoming a retained firefighter, you can log onto the NSW Fire and Rescue’s website and there’s an area where you can apply under, called ‘On-Call Firefighters’. It gets filtered through to the local zone office for consideration.”

He suggests that if you’re interested in applying, remember to check out the criteria. If there are any questions, you can always call the station or the zone office at Wollongong.

“But again, if you’re applying, we’re more than happy to have a look at anyone. Please consider applying,” he encourages.

Bec Reid’s husband, Tristan, is an on-call firefighter. It’s the second time that she and their two children, three-year-old Olivia and two-year-old Beau, are at the Open Day event. Olivia beams that she was having fun while she pulled out the fire hose and jumped into the fire truck.

Like many others in attendance, Olivia and Beau greatly enjoyed being with their dad at the fire station. It was a day sure to be remembered.

Malin Dunfors

Ablaze. Kiama on-call firefighter Tristan Reid helps simulating what a fire in the kitchen sink looks like, caused by only about 10 ml of oil.

Boys hanging out by the fire truck (from left to right) Lachlan Rossiter, Cam Rossiter and Ollie Rossiter.

Kiama Captain Rhys Dawson in front of the station's new bushfire tanker.

Family Reid at the Kiama Fire Station (from left to right) Bec Reid, Beau Reid, Tristan Reid and Olivia Reid. Photo credit Bec Reid.

Music, sweets and friends made our day! Music, sweets and friends made our day!

Undaunted by the rain, 160 people enjoyed the Children’s Medical Research Institute (CMRI) Gerringong Committee High Tea, held on Saturday 11 May at Gerringong Town Hall. A glass of bubbly, endless cups of tea or coffee and delicious home-baked slices, cupcakes, scones and sandwiches were a treat for all.

The Town Hall was transformed by the colourful artwork created by pupils from Gerringong Public School under the inspiring supervision of art teacher, Anna Mundey.

The bone china tea sets, floral arrangements and bright smiling faces of workers and guests ensured a successful and happy event from the start.

Musical entertainment was provided by local musicians, the Ukuladies + 1. Gaye Weir, Marg Hyslop, Brenda Langton, Vonne Mathie, Judy Quine, Denis and Jan Langley with Michele Thornton on guitar, performed a variety songs from Bob Dylan and the Seekers to the Everly Brothers and the Beach Boys. Lots of singing along by the audience was fun!

CMRI Gerringong members rallied to the call by cooking, making sandwich-

es, setting up the hall, decorating and, of course, presenting the delicious treats on tiered cake stands and platters as well as serving tea, plunger coffee and a glass of bubbles or orange juice to guests.

Selling raffle tickets, greeting guests, ushering guests to their tables and ensuring everyone is happy requires a lot of teamwork and planning. Congratulations to President, Lucy Hill, and her executive team, the catering committee and all of the members who worked to make the day so successful.

The generosity of the local community underpins the success of CMRI fundraising and is greatly appreciated. The following businesses and individuals donated vouchers and gifts for the multi draw raffle: A+ Pilates & Mat Work, Cronins Liquor, Endota Spa, Fins, Fangs & Feathers Warrawong, Holy Spirit , Kiama Quilters, Little C cafe, Lucy Hill, Natural Necessity, Noeleen Thistle, Parfait Patisserie, Pics & Flicks, Stoic, South Coast Hair, The Core Store and The Hill Bar & Kitchen.

Additionally, Ray White Real Estate print posters

for CMRI and Gerringong Laundrette give discounts when their services are required.

All of the money raised by the CMRI Gerringong Committee goes to supporting the scientists who work tirelessly to improve health outcomes for all children, particularly for the one in 20 who are born worldwide with a genetic disease.

Coming Events

The Katandra Choir led by Antoinette Raynal has once again chosen CMRI Gerringong Committee as its charity for proceeds from the upcoming event, South Coast Sings Goes Latin.This will be held on Saturday 29 June at The Pavilion Kiama. There will be a full day vocal workshop from 9:30am to

cert included), followed by a Twilight Concert from 3:30pm (tickets $20).

Bookings and tickets from here.

What a fantastic opportunity for those who love to sing as well as those who love to listen!

CMRI Gerringong is very grateful for this generous support. Please come along to South Coast Sings vocal workshop and/or concert. You will have a great time and will be supporting local singers and the scientists at CMRI.

Next Meeting: 7:00pm Monday 3 June 2024, Gerringong Town Hall. New members welcome.

Lorraine Peade

Art donated by Gerringong Public School.

Kiama Tennis Club - Judy, Tina, Jeannette, Jan, Joan, Nancy, Ann & Sarah

Mariella Vaux & Margaret Weir

Lucy Hill (President), Marg, Karen, Lorraine, Jennifer (CMRI

Relations officer), Noela, Ros, Marg & Colleen

A Tapestry of Culture: A Tapestry of Culture: 'From the Top Road' Exhibition Transforms SEVENMARKS Gallery

SEVENMARKS Gallery in Kiama is gearing up to unveil a rare and captivating exhibition, From the Top Road from 1 June to 20 July. This exhibition promises to be a celebration of connection, culture and creativity, showcasing artworks from two neighbouring communities in Arnhem Land, Northern Territory.

From the Top Road is more than just an exhibition, but takes the views on an immersive journey into the heart and soul of Indigenous Australia. The title itself comes from the primary route into Arnhem Land, granting access to the Bula’bula Arts Centre and the Maningrida Arts Centre, both vibrant hubs of creativity and cultural expression.

Attendees will experience spirit forms, fibre works and intricate woven pieces created by local artists deeply connected to their land, their ancestors, and their traditions.

“Our culture lies in the ground… It lies in the earth, but we are bringing it out…where we can see it.” said Kuninjku artist Ivan Namirrkki.

These artworks weave together stories of the natural environment, reflecting on the profound importance of ceremonies, songs, language and family

in Indigenous culture, constructing a cultural journey and an open invitation to immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of Indigenous art and heritage.

SEVENMARKS is making a name for itself, as a safe haven for artists to have creative freedom and expression over their work. Founded in 2022, the gallery serves as a dynamic platform for both established and experimental artists, pushing the boundaries of contemporary practice. The space itself has the flexibility to transform however the artist desires.

As Cobi Cockburn, one of the founders, states, "The art at the upcoming exhibi-

tion will all be for sale and accessible and affordable."

SEVENMARKS Gallery's mission is to make art a tangible and meaningful part of people's lives, breaking barriers of class, culture, and geography.

In a world where contemporary art often feels exclusive and elitist, SEVENMARKS Gallery stands out for its inclusivity and innovation through exhibitions like 'From the Top Road.'

So mark your calendars and prepare to embark on a journey of discovery at SEVEN MARKS Galleries 'From the Top Road' exhibition.

Brooke Pittman

Evonne Munuyngu and Mary Dhapalany.

Delilah Lilipiyana Woven Mat.

Evonne Munuyngu dying the pandanus.

Evonne Munuyngu with her freshly dyed yellow pandanus.

Evonne Munuyngu stripping the Pandanua.

Julie Djulibing Malibirr (Mindirr Pandanas bag.)

Kiama Council’s SENTRAL services

celebrates Youth Week success

Youth Week 2024 (11 - 21 April) has been hailed a success by both young people and their families.

Hosted by Kiama Council’s SENTRAL Youth Services team, Youth Week was packed with a variety of activities and events to provide entertainment and a sense of community for people aged 12-24.

The festivities boasted a variety of engaging options, such as classic favourites like a day at Zone Bowling, which included laser tag, arcades games and bumper rides. Other events included an outdoor movie night and gaming sessions at the SENTRAL cottages.

SENTRAL also encouraged the creative side of young individuals, providing an array of workshops including 3D printing and painting. Other events fostered exploration and appreciation for our environment, such as fishing outings that provided an opportunity to connect with nature and learn about marine life.

For those seeking more adventurous experiences, an overnight camping trip featuring kayaking and bouldering offered a chance to develop survival skills, resilience and teamwork.

The theme of Youth Week 2024 was ‘Express, Empower, Get Loud!’.

SENTRAL services did a great job providing opportunities for young people to emulate these values, providing them with experiences and educational opportunities to build skills and feel empowered in a safe and inclusive environment.

The young participants got to have their say about future Youth Weeks, with suggestions such as deep sea fishing, surfing, rock climbing, and biking all at the top of the list for next year - a challenge the SENTRAL team is more than willing to accept.

Brooke Pittman

Jamberoo Preschool’s Future in Doubt Jamberoo Preschool’s Future in Doubt

Jamberoo Preschool has sent out a plea to the local community, after an eighth flood at the facility has left the building “not fit for use,” according to the preschool’s Director, Belinda Hibbert.

In a letter to parents whose children attend the service, Hibbert informed families that Kiama Council “cannot afford to fix the issues around the flooding” and, as a result, “it is unlikely that the lease will be renewed come 2028”.

Currently, the centre, which leases a building on Allowrie Street from Kiama Council, has 67

families in their care and over 100 families on their waiting list. Jamberoo Preschool is a popular option for families in the area, with Kiama Preschool already inundated with applications.

“As a community-based, not-for-profit preschool, we are an extremely important service for the Jamberoo community and many families rely on us,” Hibbert told The Bugle. “To lose the preschool would be devastating.”

To address the problem, the preschool has put together a sub-committee who plan to apply for a

grant from the Department of Education, which could cover the cost of building a preschool, but not purchasing land to build it upon.

“We are reaching out to the community for support and help,” says Hibbert. “If you know of any locations or possible land that might be suitable for us, please reach out.”

Kiama Council has supported the centre’s flood-recovery, including undertaking a Flood Study in 2021, which recommended installing a ‘floodproof barrier’ at the rear of the preschool. This work was not undertaken and

funding was never made available.

A statement from Kiama Council on the situation at the Jamberoo Preschool reads: ‘Due to the repeated flooding of the premises, both parties have agreed this is not a viable long- or medium-term arrangement, and the Preschool is looking at options to relocate.

‘In the meantime, Council is committed to assisting where we can, providing staff to help clean-up after flooding incidents and helping the Preschool move into the Jamberoo School of Arts

section of the premises if/ when flooding is predicted or occurs, if that space is available.’

On 4 April, the NSW Government announced they would fast-track the largest expansion of preschools in the State’s history to deliver 100 preschools co-located with public primary schools by 2027. At this point, it is unclear whether this is an option for the preschool.

Whilst sorting through flood-damaged items, educators found a letter written by a child attending the service during a previous flood.

‘I remember being knee-deep in dirty water and being evacuated,’ wrote Pippi, who was five-years-old at the time.

‘It was scary and I didn’t know what would happen next. We were carried out across the water and into a waiting fire truck. I am really glad my sister wasn’t there that day.’

To support the preschool’s flood-recovery efforts, reach out via their Facebook page. Amy Molloy

Jamberoo Preschool after the flood 2024.

American journalist American journalist

comes for a surprise visit comes for a visit

It’s not everyday that an American journalist walks into The Bugle office.

“I used to work in a similar-sized newsroom in Fairfield, Ohio,” Christopher Ryan says.

The aforementioned journalist, Ryan, is actually Australian by birth (he was born in Perth), but moved to America at the age of one.

His parents moved back to Kiama when they retired. They selected the town because it’s the furthest that you can get from Sydney, and still have a direct train line, Ryan says.

He’s here for a visit, coming out about every 10 years.

“Australia’s not a weekend trip,” he chuckles. Ryan’s just been for a bush walk with a cousin. They were meant to go camping, but the dreadful weather put a stop to it.

Although, he doesn’t mind the rain, Ryan says. He lives in Boulder, located by the Colorado Rocky Mountains, where massive thunderstorms drenches the town during the summer months.

After working as a gen-

eral assignment reporter for local newspapers across Indiana, North Carolina, Florida, Ohio and Oklahoma, he switched to the technical side of the newspaper business about a decade ago. Now, he runs FutureOfNews, LLC.

“I still consider myself a journalist,” Ryan remarks.

Excitedly, he pulls out his smartphone to show how the interactive audio news, which he's set up, works. “Hi, Alexa. Give me the top 10 news in Colorado,” Ryan instructs.

out more about local journalism in Australia, especially how community newspapers utilise technology.

Fully automated, it draws stories from Colorado's daily newspapers' RSS feeds. Within seconds, he has the day's biggest stories in his palm, ranging from the Northern Lights setting the Colorado sky aglow to a 50-year-old cold case murder finally being solved.

Ryan’s curious to find

He shows his bag where he’s stocked up on a variety of dailies from the newsagent. There’s a copy of the recent The Bugle in there as well.

“I like the diversity of Australian media,” he comments. “Very good.”

Safe travels, Ryan, and we hope to welcome you back soon again.

Malin Dunfors

“An overnight success years in the making"

Southern Gin Southern

Gerringong Music Club presents... James Fortune and Georgia Lowe

The Gerringong Music Club is excited to present James Fortune and Georgia Lowe, a flute and harp duo, at the Gerringong Town Hall on Sunday, 19 May, from 2 pm to 3.30 pm. Located at 106 Fern Street, Gerringong NSW, the event promises a delightful afternoon of popular opera arias and art songs.

Imogen Stewart, the Musical Director of the Gerringong Music Club, shares, "Audiences can expect a program of opera arias, art songs arranged by Georgia Lowe and a recent Aus-

With winter showing every sign of settling in, and barely a fortnight of autumn left, now might just be the perfect time to cruise the Kiama Farmers’ Market, and come across the stall for South Coast Distillery, most famous for its Sublime Gin.

In an era when many local beer breweries have gone bust, finally collapsing after the fall in their customer base during the many restrictions during Covid-19 and an unforgiving Taxation Office demanding the payment of postponed alcohol excise, Southern Distillery is a rare success.

And it has been from the beginning, way back in 2018, recalling to mind the line: “An overnight success years in the making.”

Sublime Gin was the first product the distillery released, and was an instant success, garnering awards in Australia and internationally. It pulled a gold award at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and the Champion Trophy at the Australian Distilled Spirits Awards.

The gin and the distillery were the brain childs of founder Luke Hardy, and a group of housemates who had been “mucking around” with recipes for years.

Luke and his friends wanted to make a gin as good as anything anywhere in the world, and the rest is history.

Other gins, unique to the South Coast, include Illawar-

tralian commission. The concert will be followed by the Club’s Annual General Meeting, where we will discuss exciting plans for the upcoming year. It is an excellent opportunity to connect with fellow members, express your ideas and actively participate in shaping the future of the Gerringong Music Club.” Tickets can be booked online at Gerringong Music Club's website or purchased at the door. Members, children, and students enjoy complimentary access, while visi-

ra Plum, Five Islands and the Navy Strength Breakwater Gin, which comes in with an alcohol content of 57.5!

Nik Kelly, who mans the stall at the Kiama Farmers’ Market, says most people aren’t so much looking for a free sample as coming to buy a bottle. “A lot of locals know us,” he says. “We get a lot of repeat customers, who come every couple of weeks or so. The distillery has been a crowd favourite at Kiama Farmers’ Market, building strong support from both locals and visitors to the area.

“Illawarra Plum is made from a native tree found around the escarpment. It is a thick, sweet gin and perfect to sip. It’s perfect for the colder months.It is a Sloestyle of gin, a fruit style normally made with sloe berries. This is an Australian take on a classic English gin.”

South Coast Distillery has been attending the Farmers’ Market every week for the past three years.

“The market was very good for us in the early years, when we were building brand awareness,” Nik says.

“And we are still there.”

“They are very supportive of us and other local suppliers and small producers. It is very community focused. There are a lot of food stores, and many people come down for early dinner on Wednesdays.”

For the gin fanatics amongst The Bugle’s read-

tors can secure their seats for $30. Dont miss out and reserve your spot. Founded in 2003, the Gerringong Music Club is dedicated to enriching lives through music. Their commitment to curating an exceptional annual concert program has made them a cornerstone of cultural enrichment in Gerringong. Join them for an afternoon of musical enchantment and community engagement with James Fortune and Georgia Lowe.

Veronica Bardsley

ers, of which there are no doubt a number, World Gin Day is set for Saturday, 8 June.

South Coast Distillery are planning a number of events to mark the occasion, read more at:

https://southcoastdistillery. com.

Kiama Farmers’ Market manager Tricia Ashelford says the hours from now until October would be 2:00 to 5:00 pm every Wednesday. “Rain or shine, the markets continue on,” she says. “Winter is still a great time for the markets. Rug up and get some fresh air while shopping outdoors. And support your local suppliers.”

If conditions are too bad for the market’s normal location at Surf Beach, the Kiama Uniting Church half a block away acts as a wet weather backup.

On Wednesday 22 May, there will be a Volunteers Expo at the market. Some 24 local volunteer groups will be showcasing their organisations, and anyone with spare time to volunteer is encouraged to attend. You can find out more about the Farmers’ Market on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ KiamaFarmersMarket. John Stapleton

In a melodic twist of conservation and creativity, The Australian Koala Foundation (AKF) has announced an exciting collaboration with acclaimed singer-songwriter and Koala Army Ambassador, Andy Penkow.

Shades On Me, Andy's latest album was released on May 10. Two dollars from each album and vinyl sale will go directly to AFK. The contributions will play a crucial role in supporting the AKF’s ongoing conservation projects, and research initiatives.

“Being a Koala Army Ambassador is an honour, and it’s a cause close to my heart. Koalas are an essential part of our national identity, and it is our responsibility to save them,” says Penkow.

“Music has the power to inspire change, and through this partnership, I want to contribute to the AKF’s mission in a meaningful way. I hope when fans listen to Shades on Me, they reflect on the koalas of our land and enjoy that their support is making a real difference.”

Deborah Tabart OAM, Chair of the Australian Koala Foundation says, “Andy

has been an incredible supporter of the AKF and the koalas so far. As a Koala Army Ambassador, he’s been advocating for the safety of koalas and spreading the word of the vital work that we’ve been doing.”

“This partnership is a perfect match, as it brings together creativity and conservation - something that I truly believe can be world-changing,” Tabart says.

There are several ways that fans, supporters, and environmental enthusiasts can join Andy Penkow and the Australian Koala Foundation's mission to safeguard koalas:

• Purchase the physical album: Fans can buy Andy Penkow's album, Shades On Me from various locations, including his website, festivals and venues where he performs, JB HI-FI, and other outlets. Every sale of a CD or vinyl directly contributes to the preservation of Australia’s native species.

• Donate to the Australian Koala Foundation: Supporters can make a significant impact by donating directly to the

AKF. These contributions will directly fund crucial initiatives such as the Koala Kiss Project, along with research and conservation projects dedicated to protecting and preserving koala habitats.

By joining the mission, individuals can play a vital role in ensuring the welfare and survival of one of Australia's most beloved animals, the koala.

In The Bugle article: “Food for thought on Threatened Species Day” (published on the app on 7 September, 2021), the research of environmental scientist Norm Robinson shows koalas were historically found at the Minnamurra Rainforest and Seven Mile Beach. Robinson says that there haven’t been a confirmed sighting of any in these areas since 2005.

With creative initiatives like these, we can hopefully start to see more wildlife in our area. Have you had any recent sightings of koalas in our area? Let us know at: hello@thebuglenewspaper. com.au.

Veronica Bardsley

Music for a Koala cause Andy Penkow and AKF Unite

for the Koalas

Kids Helpline launches ‘My Circle’

platform to support mental health needs among young people

Kids Helpline, run by charitable organisation yourtown, has unveiled a new mental health care platform called ‘My Circle,’ in response to the growing demand for mental health support digitally.

In collaboration with several stakeholders, including the Bupa Foundation and the University of Sydney’s Cyberpsychology Research Group, My Circle offers a free, private, and anonymous social network, moderated by clinical professionals and provides a safe space for peer support.

KIAMA READER’S FESTIVAL 2024: A literary feast on the South Coast

Kiama is gearing up to host book lovers and literary enthusiasts from far and away for the Kiama Readers’ Festival over the weekend of 19-20 July.

This year, the festival promises two jam-packed days of literary discussion, insightful author talks, and the opportunity to mingle with like-minded individuals who share a passion for the written

word.

The festival has been organised by the volunteer group Friends of Kiama Library, which supports the Kiama public library service and the local community. They have done it spectacularly by creating a stimulating and enjoyable program for members and the local area alike.

Day one of the program

focuses on food and literature, welcoming authors such as Fiona Weird of Buena Vista farms, Kirsten Bradley and Craig Castree. The evening sees Fred Smith deliver a performance and discussion called “The Dust of Uruzgan,” at Kiama Library.

“We cannot allow mental ill-health to become the new norm in children and young people,” she states.

Supported by a $1M investment from the Bupa Foundation, the platform has already gained significant traction with nearly 4,000 new users last year, 70 per cent of which falls within the age group 13-17.

With an age range of 12-25 years old, young people in the Kiama area are encouraged to join the free platform. My Circle

The platform introduces a new level of accessibility for how young people access and receive mental health assistance. Tracy Adams, CEO of yourtown, emphasises the urgent need to address mental health challenges that young people face today.

has seen a lot of growth since it began in 2021 and is a safe and private way for our youth to connect on matters that are prevalent to their peers with qualified Kids Helpline Counsellors monitoring.

With its innovative approach, involving young people in the design and implementation of the platform, and commitment to empowering young people, My Circle represents a significant step forward in the provision of mental health support for teenagers in Australia.

For more information and to join the platform you can go to: https://kidshelpline.com.au/my-circle.

Brooke Pittman

Day two features appearances by renowned authors Hugh Mackay, Sue Williams, Chris Hammer and others. For the final session, Chris Hammer and Michael Brissenden will discuss Australian crime writing. The festival will conclude with dinner at the Kiama Leagues Club where attendees can join writer and social commentator Jane Caro, who will be the guest speaker.

For those eager to spend a weekend enjoying reading and writing delights, visit the Kiama Library website: for tickets and the full program.

Keep an eye out in The Bugle for exciting updates leading up to the festival!

Brooke Pittman

Pets get more at Petstock Kiama

Whether you’re caring for your dog, cat, bird, or fish – the brand-new Petstock Kiama store has more of what matters to you and your pets.

With an extensive range of premium pet supplies, you can shop all your favourite dog and cat food brands, including Glow, Royal Canin and Black Hawk. You’ll also find flea, tick and worming treatments, a massive range of toys and accessories, and everything else your pet might need.

Petstock Kiama also offers specialist pet services to keep your pet comfortable, healthy, and safe.

To make bath time easy, the store has DIY Dog Wash bays with shampoo, conditioner, flea wash and a hair dryer provided.

“Consistent bathing, every six to eight weeks, not only improves your dog’s appearance but also helps to keep their skin and coat healthy,”

says Store Manager, James Robertson.

If your pet’s ID tag has faded or fallen off its collar, it’s important to replace it as soon as possible. The team at Petstock can engrave and personalise tags in-store, ensuring that your pet remains stylish and has a better chance of getting home if they’re ever lost.

Petstock Kiama also offers free water tests, if you’re setting up or maintaining an aquarium to ensure all water parameters are at a safe level for your fish to thrive.

“There’s no need to make an appointment - simply scoop some water from your aquarium into a clean, airtight container and bring it in-store,” says James.

Visit the friendly team at Petstock Kiama, located in the Kiama View Shopping Centre, 149 Terralong Street.

Stock photo.

The Enchanted Forest postponed due to heavy rain forecast

The much anticipated Enchanted Forest light event has been postponed due to the prediction of heavy rainfall, and the new opening date will be Friday, 24 May.

Event organisers have inspected the Blackbutt Forest site and deemed it unsuitable for vehicle access. The team is unable to get the necessary equipment on site without impacting the waterlogged terrain.

Ticket holders for sessions between 17-23 May will be contacted by Laservision to reschedule their booking.

Laservision CEO Shannon Brooks says the postponement is unfortunate but unavoidable.

Chris Homer, Mayor for Shellharbour says, “unfortunately, we can’t control Mother Nature,” but emphasises that the community is still excited for the Enchanted Forest to return to the city.

For more information, and to reserve tickets, go to: www. theenchantedforest.com.au.

Brooke Pittman

Parking war in Eastern View Place

In a small, beautiful cul de sac in western Kiama, with long drive-ways and million dollar views, a curb-side parking dispute has turned neighbour against neighbour.

Four Eastern View Place residents wanted to overturn a No Parking decision made by the Kiama council in September 2023, and allow curb-side parking on the days the garbage trucks didn’t empty the bins. This would have brought Eastern View Place in line with the residents of seven other cul-de-sacs and turning head streets in the Kiama LGA.

The four residents

approached Councillor Stuart Larkins who lodged a Notice of Motion for the February Council meeting to allow parking except on ‘bin days’.

During the debate, it was discovered a resident had asked council to keep the No Parking signs indefinitely, as he was concerned emergency service vehicles couldn’t manoeuvre if curbside parking was allowed. Councillor Larkin’s motion passed 5-3.

In the March 2024 Council meeting, Councillors Rice, Renkema-Lang and Steele lodged a complete rescission motion of Clr Larkins' motion, and it was

debated again.

Notices of Rescission seek to overturn a previous council resolution, and return to the status quo – as though that resolution had never been made.

The aggrieved residents who spoke to Council wanted Clr Larkins' motion to stay in place. One other resident spoke in support of the rescission motion.

Clrs Rice and Renkema-Lang sent the matter back to the Kiama Traffic Committee, which means the residents still can’t park in their cul-de-sac.

Malcolm King

Kiama Seaside Probus bulletin

Kiama Seaside Probus, is a combined club of both men and women, who are retired or semi-retired.

Formed in 2008, they meet regularly to provide members with the opportunity to have fun, keep their minds active, expand their interests and create new friends through social interaction and activities.

The members live in Kiama and the surrounding districts.

Each month, there is a

lunch time meeting at the Kiama Leagues Club. The pre-lunch meeting incorporates a speaker from the club who outlines some passion, event or special aspect of interest in their lives. There is also an invited speaker on a wide range of topics. The speaker at the May meeting will be from Warrigal Care, a topic of much interest to many members.

Recreational and social events are also integral to

the range of options that the club offers. Already in 2024, there have been theater, sporting and social events. Those usually include food, drinks and chats.

For those interested in knowing more about Probus, or Seaside Probus in particular, there is a wonderful website for you to visit: https://kiamaseasideprobus.org.au/.

Local contributor

Photos provided by: Laservision.

Comedy for A Cause fundraiser Comedy for A Cause

The Kiama High School P&C Association is excited to announce our major fundraising event, Comedy for A Cause, which will be held on Friday, 31 May at 7:30 pm at the Kiama Leagues Club. Tickets are $40 each, which includes a free raffle ticket and can be bought at: https://comedyforacause.net/tc-events/ kiamahs/.

We are raising money for our school, and we need your help! The KHS P&C don’t often host fundraisers as we run the high school canteen. The profits from the canteen provides funding to students for representative sports and to the school directly, for items such as the COLA, school murals and arts programs.

In recent years, our number of canteen volunteers has been critically low and we’ve had to employ more staff to cover the workload, which impacts our canteen profits and ultimately reduces the funding that we have available to offer the school.

Just as importantly, we also need volunteers on our P&C committee in order to keep it (and the canteen) thriving as sadly, we have a number of retiring committee members this year. If we can’t keep the P&C operating, we risk losing the school canteen.

This will have a huge impact on our kids because they love the canteen. In the words of our students:

“I love the canteen because it’s open for everyone. If it’s a cold day, you can come and eat something warm.”

“The canteen is a friendly, welcoming space where you can spend time at recess and lunch.”

“The canteen team is always a highlight of my day! They always make me feel seen, comfortable and supported during the times when I’ve really needed it. Not only that, but the food is the BEST!”

The welcoming atmosphere, which is mostly due to the wonderful Janelle, who works full-time preparing delicious meals for our

students in the canteen. She’s a shoulder to lean on, a listening ear and a helping hand. Janelle really embodies the values of the school: respect, responsibility and excellence. She’s created not just a canteen but a positive space that enhances the well-being of our students, where all students and volunteers are welcome. It’s such a great space for our young people.

We’re looking for people to join the P&C committee in the roles of President, and Vice-President. General members are also encouraged to join. We’d love you to join us! Whether it’s by attending our Comedy for A Cause evening or becoming a volunteer.

We welcome all volunteers,

If you are an adult at higher risk of severe illness or are 65 years and over, a free COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for you every 6 to 12 months.

whether you have a grandchild at the school, a neighbour or a friend, we encourage everyone who can spare a little time to reach out and help, either as a canteen volunteer or a P&C member. We look forward to

seeing you at our fun Comedy for A Cause night on 31 May, or at our annual general meeting, which will be held in the high school library on 4 June at 6:30 pm.

Patricia Knill

Speak to your doctor or pharmacist about what is best for you. For more information on getting your free COVID vaccination, including how to book, visit nsw.gov.au/vaccination

Photos provided by: Janelle Sims.

#perfectplate2024

Prepare your taste buds for a culinary adventure as 'The Perfect Plate 2024' competition makes a grand return for its fourth annual showdown!

The competition celebrates the quality and range of cuisine available at clubs throughout NSW. It also aims to recognize the immense talent of chefs in the industry while enticing patrons to explore the culinary delights offered by clubs.

Public voting runs from 30 April to 16 June (11:59 pm). We recently visited the Kiama Leagues Club to savour their delectable entry - the 'Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder.'

The club’s apple cider braised pork shoulder was a delightful blend of warmth and flavour, featuring a subtle apple infusion that complemented the dish perfectly. The generous portion size and the tender, mouth-watering pork were highly satisfying, priced at

$30 for non-members and $28 for members; it offers great value.

Also throwing their hat in the ring for Kiama are the Cedar Cutters Sports Bar, presenting their enticing Braised Beef Short Rib with Dauphinoise Potato, Herb Pea Puree, and Braising Marrow Jus, and the Kiama Bowling & Recreation Club Limited Summit Bar & Grill with their Pork Knuckle. Here's how you can participate and indulge in this gastronomic competition:

• TASTE: Visit a club near you and savour a ‘Perfect Plate’ competition dish.

• VOTE: Show your support by scanning the Perfect Plate QR code at the club or search from the provided list. Keep your receipt handy for verification.

• WIN: Get a chance to win daily $100 dining vouchers or a 'Foodie Getaway' for two valued at up to $3,500. The more dishes

that you vote for, the higher your chances are of winning.

• SHARE: Share your Perfect Plate Awards experience by posting photos using the hashtag: #perfectplate2024.

This year, culinary expert Matt Moran and Masterchef finalist Courtney Roulston serve as ambassadors for the Perfect Plate competition. Awards include 13 regional winners based on dish scores, three state winners categorised by club size, and one statewide winner for the best dessert. Winning clubs receive commemorative plaques and top three statewide winners get advertising campaigns worth $10,000 each.

To explore more participating restaurants and dive deeper into the Perfect Plate experience, visit: perfectplate.com.au.

Veronica Bardsley

Three Australian stories front BCNA’s Pink Bun campaign

The Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) have teamed up with Bakers Delight for the annual Pink Bun campaign to shed light on the diverse experiences and needs of Australian women, navigating a breast cancer diagnosis.

This year’s campaign features three unique narratives from Kansas, Sam and Jill, hailing from different corners of Australia, who have come together to share their stories and the invaluable support received from BCNA.

Kansas received her diagnosis as a 24-year-old in rural Victoria and credits BCNA’s Pink Lady Match for her timely diagnosis. The Pink Lady Match acted as a reminder for Kansas to get a lump on her breast

checked out.

Sam contacted BCNA’s free helpline to share a confronting experience when she went through an airport screening with a breast prosthesis, which prompted BCNA into action to advocate for and help give people like Sam a voice.

Jill faced metastatic breast cancer and also benefited from BCNA’s advocacy, with her medication now being subsidised on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). These stories highlight BCNA’s vital support in empowering breast cancer patients nationwide.

The campaign runs from 9-29 May. During that time, you can purchase a 6-pack of Fun Buns from Bakers Delight. There’s also an option to host Pink Bun Par-

ties throughout the month.

The newly opened Baker's Delight store in the Kiama Village is eager to participate in the campaign. The Bugle caught up with the Store Manager on Thursday 9 May who said the community response has already been positive adding that he and his team are happy to be part of such a good cause. With the remainder of May ahead of us, head to Bakers Delight to support the Pink Bun Campaign! Through advocacy, support programs and other community initiatives, much like the Pink Bun campaign, BCNA continues to empower patients and raise awareness about breast cancer in Australia.

Brooke Pittman

Celebrity chefs Matt Moran and Courtney Roulston will travel NSW in search of the best club food.

'Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder.'

Photo provided by : BCNA.

Mountaineering in Laos

I was lost for words looking for an expression that would describe the ambience of Luang Prabang in central Laos, so I drew on a phrase used by the French Colonialists when they occupied Indochina in the 19th century: ‘The Vietnamese planted the rice, the Cambodians tended to the rice but the Lao listened to it grow.”

Some feel that this is a somewhat disparaging remark, implying that the Lao are lazy. But as someone who shared their lives, I feel that the French got it right. Their serenity and composure could be seen as laziness by those from the frenzied pace of the European industrial revolution. They merely displayed the effects of a deeply entrenched Buddhist culture. Here was the spiritual centre and base for the royal household. The tranquillity was palpable. The royal family was abolished in 1975, and Laos became a communist state.

We took the bus from the capital Vientiane to Luang Prabang complete with all the chickens, pigs and a man with an AK-47 standing over us. He was to protect us from the serious separatists operating out of the mountains. This caused some concern but not as much as realising that the dirt road, which we were travelling on, was held in place by bamboo poles suspended over a bottomless gorge. This tested all my pretensions of having to ‘trust in the universe’!

Our arrival was marked by a total lack of mayhem, which is found in most Asian towns. Everyone went around their usual daily chores against the backdrop of the magnificent architecture and the languid Mekong River. I noticed the stately bearing of the younger people, the women dressed in long sarongs and white blouses, their hair tied up on the top of their head amplifying their elegance.

After booking into an old French Colonial guest house, we went searching for a guided trekking outfit. Being experienced global trekkers, we couldn’t wait to

see what lay in those alluring limestone mountains.

When checking in for this two-day walk, there was a lot of commotion made about my age (60). I could not understand this until I saw the physical shape of older women, who had spent their lives in the rice fields. They shuffled along with a pronounced sideway bend at their waists and seemed to be perennially tired.

Our walk started out pleasantly enough, soft trails through the forest. But when we hit the steep climbs, the delight quickly turned to dismay. The trail, if you could see it over the long razor grass, was set at 30 degrees and in some places 45 degrees. In Europe or New Zealand, there would be set ropes for this gradient but all we had was bamboo trees and thick vines to hang onto. The surface was muddy and slippery. It was seriously challenging climbing in the hot steamy jungle, carrying a day’s water supply. At one point, I looked down to see myself covered with mud, blood and sweat. The tears were awaiting their turn.

Descending was even worse, slipping and sliding on the edge of the trail exposing an abyss. At one stage, I lost it and let out a blood curdling scream and the worst obscenities one could imagine. (The sort of words that I learnt in the shearing shed and cattle camps of outback Queensland). That sent the hidden wild animals scattering as I tried to forget that tigers lurked in this location. Eventually, I found a piece of bark that I could sit on to slither down on my bum.

Finally, we arrived at the Hmong village where we were to stay overnight. That night I slept the deepest sleep ever. The next day was a relaxed walk back, stopping at the famous Kuang Si falls with its clear turquoise waters.

And, to think it was only the start of three amazing weeks.

Trish Griffin

Gerroa Combined Probus Club

A former TV presenter from Better Homes And Gardens and garden landscaper designer, who started enjoying growing tomatoes from the age of seven, and a fireman.

Jason Hodges has won nine Logie Awards, and also the Silver Gilt medal for the eight time with his team at the Chelsea Flower Show in the UK.

He’s also a four-time winner at the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show, where he did a design called, “Welcome Garden”

for this year’s edition.

Jason now lives in Berry, enjoying the good life. He runs his own business as a Buxus farmer – ‘Green Art Gardens‘ and also Canary Island Palm Farm.

The members enjoyed the talk given by Jason, a very knowledgeable, funny and down-to-earth guy, who had us all laughing and learning. You might spot him enjoying a coffee at the local cafes to say hi too.

Lesley Berry

PNG ANGLICAN PRIMATE VISITS JAMBEROO

The Primate of all of Papua New Guinea (PNG), Archbishop Nathan Ingen, visited the Jamberoo Anglican Church as part of his visits to churches in the Sydney region.

Archbishop Ingen, who is the leader and spokesperson for the three million Anglicans scattered over hundreds of remote communities, was invited by the Archbishop of Canterbury to attend the Primates Meeting in Rome.

But he chose to accept the invitation of the Archbishop of Sydney to nurture the partnership his Diocese shares with like-minded, gospel-centred Anglicans, in fellowship with Gafcon Global Anglicans.

The Reverend at Jamberoo Anglican Church, Jodie McNeill, hosted the Primate during the Sunday Service on 5 May at 4:00pm, and took the opportunity to interview the Archbishop in front of the congregation.

Archbishop Ingen is a rural clergyman, serving as a bishop in the Diocese of Apro Rongo, in a place he

describes as, “on the top of a mountain” in the highlands of PNG.

During the interview,

Archbishop Ingen identified three challenges to his role: “finances, training pastors, and reaching remote communities.”

In PNG, the church provides 98 percent of the health and education services, bringing practical care to a country that lacks many of the everyday necessities, which are often taken for granted in Australia.

Close to his heart is the recruitment and training of pastors, and Archbishop Ingen remains deeply thankful for the financial partnership provided by churches in the Sydney Diocese, such as Jamberoo Anglican.

At present, they are building a theological college in the highlands of PNG, and they are seeking additional funds to set up another ministry training facility in Alotau, near Milne Bay, on the East Coast.

Reverend Jodie McNeill

Dinner in the hall at the Jamberoo Anglican Church. Photo credit: Jodie McNeill. Archbishop Nathan Ingen and Reverend Jodie McNeill. Photo credit: Jodie McNeill.

Gerroa Combined Probus Club celebrity speaker for May was Jason Hodges.

Limestone Mountains.

Community spirit, no replacement for professionalism

A Kind of Hush - The Magic of Karen Carpenter: Anita’s Theatre Thirroul, April 26. The enduring magic of The Carpenters’ music is the combination of Karen Carpenter’s beautiful voice, which had an unusual range of three octaves, and the songs that her brother Richard wrote for her. Unusually, a female singer who decides to sing a Carpenters song must set the key by the lowest note, not the highest.

A Kind of Hush - The Magic of Karen Carpenter was billed as a concert rather than a tribute, and clearly that was necessary because none of the headliners could match the range or quality of Karen Carpenter's voice.

The show was put together by Katie Noonan, and she was joined on stage by Melinda Schneider, Abby Dobson, newcomer Layla Havana and an ‘all-female’

backing band, which had turned half-male, by this the second last of a 16-show tour.

Katie Noonan displayed by far the best trained and controlled voice, but the least suited to the Carpenters’ songs, excelling as she does with precision and control in her highest register and bringing with it her own musical style.

Melinda Schneider’s songs by contrast were delivered unceremoniously, completely straight and unadorned but she is such an accomplished performer that I was most relaxed when she was centre stage.

Abby Dobson was having a bad night; at least, I choose to believe that because surely she would not have been included in the line-up had she sang that badly all the time. She did mention that she was ex-

hausted and hungry but as an audience member that’s not what I want to hear, implying that the effort she had invested in earlier audiences was impacting on her current performance. At the start the number of notes she missed was jarring to the ear but she did warm up towards the end, singing an unexpectedly sweet version of “The Rainbow Connection.”

Ironically, 15-year-old Layla Havana was the only one of the four singers, who hit the mark without fail, with her beautifully clear warm voice. She can only get better as her voice and her confidence matures.

The banter between the three headliners was full of in-jokes and shared knowledge, which actively excluded the audience while we assume that their intention was to do the opposite,

to include us in their private world. It did not help to be told that half the promised ‘all-girl’ band was absent because they got a better offer. At the end, Noonan gave a speech about how important it is to support independent musicians but in context it sounded more like an apology that everything was a bit amateurish.

The audience was generous; however, and eagerly participated in the curated singalong opportunities (“On top of the World” and “They Long To Be (Close to You)”), which was well suited to the community hall vibe of Anita’s Theatre. It was an enjoy-

able evening but in the end the pips that got stuck in my teeth ended up detracting

The Music Box Box

It was the most unusual and intriguing music box I had ever laid eyes on, and I had seen quite a few in my twenty-five years as an antiques and curios dealer.

Atop an exquisitely carved wooden box encasing the mechanism that produced the sound, sat an exquisitely crafted wooden clown with a rather deadly smirk on its face, clothed in a brightly coloured costume adorned with gold braid trimmings. It appeared to work by winding a handle on the side to make it play a whimsical tune with bells. I was allowed to try it but the tune was nothing I recognised. The moment I saw it in the auction room I knew I had to have it.

Despite being over a hundred years old, according to the listing in the auction catalogue, it was in excellent condition and the mechanism still worked. Its provenance was a little sketchy though – probably French but there was little else to provide clues to its origins. Provenance is important when dealing with antiques and curios so I approached the auctioneer to see if he had any more information

“It came from a deceased estate,” he began. “The name of the last owners was Carlyle. Such a tragedy,” he added. “I’ll provide you with the estate administrators' contact details, if you like.”

“Thanks, that would be great,” I replied, curious to know more. I was determined to buy it anyway. With little provenance, the price was going to be affordable I suspected.

The bidding went smoothly, and as there were only a couple of less enthusiastic bidders, I was soon heading back to the shop with my new treasure and a few other interesting bits and pieces.

There was really only one spot in the shop for my music box - in the middle of the front window display. I didn’t put a price on it. To tell you the truth, I wasn’t sure I wanted to sell it anyway but being in the window it was sure to capture the attention of passersby, who hopefully, would come inside and become customers.

“Oh, that was a real tragedy,” the estate administrator began when I contacted him the next day.

“The entire family died in a disastrous house fire. Two very young children were deprived of a future and they were only just back from their trip of a lifetime to Europe. Such a waste.”

“Well, it’s actually the music box I bought at the auction and added to my collection that I am interested in. Do you know anything about it?” I asked, trying not to sound too disinterested in the awful circumstances by which I had acquired it. I vaguely remembered some-

thing in the news about a house fire recently but gave it no more thought.

“Oh, that creepy thing,” he replied, “One of the few items that survived the fire, heaven knows how. Sorry, I don’t know much about the music box except that I think they probably brought back from their trip.”

The music box was definitely creepy as he said but I was used to unusual things and had always been attracted to items that might be described as different, especially anything macabre. At times I did feel the strange clown’s eyes following me around the shop. The little bells he held in his hands would ring when someone entered the shop. As it turned out, rather than being annoying, the ringing of the bells was quite useful as it alerted me while I was busy online researching French music boxes to get some clues to their origin and history. I had already thoroughly inspected every bit of the box inside and out, looking for a makers’ mark or date to no avail.

As I was now quite certain that it had French origins, I started to search for information on music box makers around the time the auctioneer had suggested. It was then I came across an article in a French newspaper dated around 10 years ago. Although my French is a bit limited, I did manage to get the gist of

it. It was a mysterious fire where a house burned down killing all its occupants. Only a strange music box survived the inferno. The photo attached to the article was a bit fuzzy but I could make out the silhouette of the music box and the distinctive clown. It had to be it! I instantly printed it out and arranged to take it to a friend, who was more fluent in the language and had connections in the antique market in France.

I am not sure if it was the smell of the smoke or the fire engine sirens that woke me abruptly from a deep sleep that night. Regardless, I was quickly out the window, carefully navigating my way down the rickety fire stairs in the dark. Thank heavens the old building that housed my shop and living quarters above it still had one, although it was in desperate need of repair.

Soon I was standing in the street wrapped in a blanket along with many of my neighbours, watching everything that mattered to me… the shop and all its wonderful antiques and curios, burn to the ground.

The source of the fire is still under investigation. An electrical fault, they suspect as the building was quite old and had not been maintained well enough, I was told by experts. But I had another idea that would have been too weird

Immediately

Same or next

to share and no one would have believed me anyway. True to the history I had been discovering about it, once again, the music box was the only item in the shop that survived.

I often wonder why it spared me but I'll never

know because as much as I still loved it, the music box went straight back to the auction house the very next day.

A short story by Jenny England

How worried should I be?

Melinda Sharpe

DOYOUWANTFREESUPPORTTOBEMOREACTIVE?

ResearchersattheUniversityofSydneyarerunningastudyto measuretheimpactoftheActiveWomenover50program.

This FREE programisdesignedforwomenaged50+tohelp increasetheirphysicalactivity.Theprograminvolves telephonehealthcoachingfromaphysiotherapist,private Facebookgroup(optional),awebsiteresource,and motivationalSMSoremailmessagesfor6months. Tobeeligible,youneedtobeawomanaged50+,livinginNSW, healthyenoughtotakepartinregularphysicalactivity,andhave accesstotheinternet.

Formoreinformation www.activewomenover50.org.au

sph.activewomen@sydney.edu.au

(02)86276242 OrscantheQRcodetolearnmore

Navigating grief: A journey of healing and remembrance

Dealing with grief and loss is a profound journey that affects individuals in unique and complex ways. Whether it's the loss of a loved one, a pet, a home, or a sense of identity, the process of navigating grief can be overwhelming. However, understanding the causes, symptoms, and strategies for coping can make a significant difference in one's ability to heal and find meaning in life once again.

Understanding Grief

Grief can stem from various sources, including the loss of a relationship, a job, health, or a sense of safety. Symptoms may manifest physically, emotionally, cognitively and behaviourally, making it a multifaceted experience. From physical ailments like headaches and digestive issues to emotional struggles such as intense sorrow and depression, grief affects every aspect of one's being.

Coping Strategies

Acknowledging grief and seeking help are crucial steps in the healing process. Expressing emotions, practicing self-care and engaging in activities that bring joy can provide relief amidst the pain. Meditation, in particular, offers a way to calm the mind and restore a sense of balance during turbulent times.

Models of Grief

Various models, such as the Kubler-Ross Stages of Grief, Stroebe & Schut’s Dual Model and Worden’s Task-Based Model, offer frameworks for understanding the grieving process. These models emphasise the importance of accepting reality, processing pain, adjusting to life without the lost loved one, and fostering enduring connections.

The Science of Grief

Understanding the neurobiological aspects of grief, including the role of stress hormone cortisol in the brain, sheds light on why grief can be so overwhelming. Increased cortisol levels during grief can impair cognitive function and emotional regulation, contributing to the intensity of grief symptoms.

Remapping Relationships

Remapping one's relationship with the lost loved one or the aspects of life that have changed can aid in the healing process. Rituals, such as visiting a loved one's resting place, writing letters or creating a memorial, provide opportunities to honour and remember them while adjusting to a new reality.

Self-Care Practices

Engaging in self-care practices, such as meditation, exercise and relaxation techniques, is essential for maintaining physical and emotional well-being. Developing a personal plan that prioritises self-care, seeks support, allows for emotional expression and incorporates rituals can provide clarity and direction throughout the journey of grief.

Navigating grief is a deeply personal journey that requires patience, self-compassion and resilience. By understanding the causes and symptoms of grief, exploring coping strategies and embracing models of grief, individuals can find solace and meaning amidst the pain. Through self-care practices and rituals, they can honour their loss while embarking on a path of healing and remembrance.

In the end, grief transforms us. It shapes our perspective and deepens our understanding of life's complexities. As we navigate the terrain of grief, may we find strength in our vulnerability and solace in the memories of those we have lost.

Donna Portland

Landing on your own two feet: on your own two feet: Donna Portland at the Kiama Lions

Donna Portland, is a multifaceted person whose career journey spans the realms of literature, journalism, and philanthropy. As the author of "Positive Habits Get Results" and a former journalist at The Bugle Newspaper, Donna's transition to her current role as General Manager of the Quest for Life Foundation marks the realisation of her dream to make a meaningful impact in Bundanoon's charitable landscape.

Donna Portland was

guest speaker at the Kiama Lions meeting earlier this month.

And what a colourful tale she had to tell.

With a career as diverse as it is intriguing, she spent six ‘very full time’ years working as a professional crew on superyachts, immersing herself in the enigmatic world of luxury travel.

In her talk, Donna revealed the inner workings of this exclusive industry, offering insights and dispelling misconceptions propagated by ‘reality’

shows like "Below Deck".

When Donna returned to Sydney in 1999 after working on yachts in The Mediterranean, Caribbean and USA waters, she became a mother.

At the same time she emerged as a leading figure in the Australian superyacht domain, earning awards such as the 2015 Business of the Year and the 2016 Industry Champion for her valuable contributions to the Australian superyacht sector.

Now residing in the

Southern Highlands, Donna is an ardent advocate for sustainability, with a keen passion for electric cars. It was a very interesting evening. Part of the purposes of Lions Clubs are Lions Clubs inspire service-minded people to serve their communities without personal financial reward.

If you would like to enquire about joining the Kiama Lions you can do so via their website.

Larkins

PUBLIC NOTICES

Public Notice of Praecipe, Tacit Acceptance and Reconveyance

Peter Smoley®, of Greenwell Point, New South Wales state, is not a voluntarily transactor in commerce, and is the irrefutable Holder in Due Course of all associated Copyright Protected Trade Names since unrebutted lawful reconveyance to the Land and Soil jurisdiction of Terra Australis, commonly known as The Commonwealth of Australia, Peter Smoley® Public Record Number RPP 44 6390 0051 0030 2998 7602, Proclamation Date 27 th of March, 2024; severing Usufruct Subjugation ties with the Australia Corporation in its entirety. The occupying corporate government of Australia and its affiliates are instructed to immediately cease and desist any further infringement upon these copyright protected financial instruments and cease and desist misaddressing Peter Smoley® in fraudulent debased.

Public Notice of Praecipe, Tacit Acceptance and Reconveyance

Andrew Semenov®, of Greenwell Point, New South Wales state, is not a voluntarily transactor in commerce, and is the irrefutable Holder in Due Course of all associated Copyright Protected Trade Names since unrebutted lawful reconveyance to the Land and Soil jurisdiction of Terra Australis, commonly known as The Commonwealth of Australia, Andrew Semenov® Public Record Number RPP 44 6390 0051 0030 2998 7602, Proclamation Date 27 th of March, 2024; severing Usufruct Subjugation ties with the Australia Corporation in its entirety. The occupying corporate government of Australia and its affiliates are instructed to immediately cease and desist any further infringement upon these copyright protected financial instruments and cease and desist misaddressing Andrew Semenov® in fraudulent debased.

Public Notice of Praecipe, Tacit Acceptance and Reconveyance

Antonina Smoley®,, of Greenwell Point, New South Wales state, is not a voluntarily transactor in commerce, and is the irrefutable Holder in Due Course of all associated Copyright Protected Trade Names since unrebutted lawful reconveyance to the Land and Soil jurisdiction of Terra Australis, commonly known as The Commonwealth of Australia, Antonina Smoley®, Public Record Number RPP 44 6390 0051 0030 2998 7602, Proclamation Date 27 th of March, 2024; severing Usufruct Subjugation ties with the Australia Corporation in its entirety. The occupying corporate government of Australia and its affiliates are instructed to immediately cease and desist any further infringement upon these copyright protected financial instruments and cease and desist misaddressing Antonina Smoley®, in fraudulent debased.

John

28 Written reminder (4)

30 Talk pompously (5) 31 Related to government (9) 32 Skims along surface (8)

Globe (6)

1 Adhesive (6) 2 Capsicum powder (7)

3 Old stringed instrument (4) 5 Sanitary (8) 6 Encoding (10) 7 Supervisors (7) 8 Tardiness (8) 9 Relating to audio equipment (2-2) 15 Athletic meeting (10) 18 Magazine volumes (4,4)

Compass (8) 21 Language of Bangladesh (7) 23 Molasses (7)

Dog (6)

Void (4)

Cease (4)

ACROSS 1 Provide (6) 4 Happy (8)

Disclosing (9)

Gem weight (5)

Furrow (4) 13 Conceal (4)

14 Arab state (5)

Element’s smallest part (4)

Directories (8)

Large dog breed (8)

Show sullenness (4)

Pacific country (5)

Wildcat (4)

5 LETTERS

3

4 LETTERS

1 Penguins have wings but can they fly?

2 In the film Finding Nemo, what kind of fish are Nemo and his father?

3 What type of dancer wears a tutu?

4 Who reached Australia in April, 1770?

5 Which city hosted the 2016 Olympic Games?

6 What animal do we get beef from?

FUN FACTS

1 Valentina Tereshkova was the first woman in space

2 The sun weights about 330,000 times more than Earth

3 The first supernova observed outside our galaxy was in 1885

4 A sunset on Mars is blue

5 There are currently five recognised dwarf planets in our solar system

Junior crossword

Solve all the clues and an eight-letter word will be spelled out.

1 Doesn’t leave

2 You use bait to _____ a fish

3 Opposite of younger

4 A type of Japanese poem

5 Really, really likes

6 Discovered

7 The planet we live on

8 Group of singers

ANSWERS: STAYS, CATCH, OLDER, HAIKU, LOVES, FOUND, EARTH, CHOIR, (SHOULDER).

KIDS’ QUIZ

7 What is the name of Bindi Irwin’s younger brother?

8 What is a baby kangaroo (pictured) called?

9 What is the capital city of Australia?

10 Quadruplets are how many babies?

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

Can you find five differences between these two images?

WORD FIND

WRDFIND

Can you find all of the words listed below? The leftover letters will spell out a secret message.

Secret message: Hustle and bustle

ANSWERS: 1. No 2. Clownfish 3. Ballerina. 4. Captain James Cook. 5. Rio de Janeiro. 6. Cattle. 7. Robert.

8. A joey. 9. Canberra. 10. Four.

6.00 Rage. 7.00 Weekend Breakfast. 9.00 Rage. 12.00 News. 12.30 Call The Midwife. 1.30 Father Brown. (M)

2.15 Gruen. 3.00 Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery. (PG) 3.30 Tony Armstrong’s Extra-Ordinary Things. (PG) 4.30 Restoration Australia. 5.30 Landline. 6.00 Australian Story. 6.30 Back Roads. (PG) 7.00 ABC News.

7.30 Father Brown. (M)

8.15 Midsomer Murders. (PG)

9.50 After The Party. (M)

10.35 Shetland. (M) 11.35 Rage. (MA15+)

5.00 Rage. (PG)

6.00 Morning Programs. 10.30 World This Week. 11.00 Compass. 11.30 Praise. 12.00 News. 12.30 Landline. 1.30 Gardening Aust. 2.30 Monty Don’s Paradise Garden. 3.30 Forever Summer With Nigella. 3.55 George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces. 4.40 Grand Designs. 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. 6.30 Compass. 7.00 News. 7.30 Call The Midwife. 8.30 After The Party. 9.20 The Luminaries. 10.15 Shetland. 11.15 Savage River. 12.15 The Trouble With Maggie Cole. 1.05 Rage Vault. 3.55 Landline. 4.25 Art Works. 5.00 Insiders.

6.00 Morning Programs. 11.00 Antiques Roadshow. 12.00 News. 1.00 Midsomer Murders. 2.30 Back Roads. 3.00 Further Back In Time For Dinner. 4.00 Long Lost Family. 4.45 Grand Designs. 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. 6.30 Hard Quiz. 7.00 News. 7.30 7.30. 8.00 Aust Story. 8.30 Four Corners. 9.15 Media Watch. 9.35 Q+A. 10.35 News. 10.50 The Business. 11.10 Gruen. 11.45 Planet America. 12.15 Grand Designs. 1.05 Long Lost Family. 1.50 Monty Don’s Paradise Garden. 2.50 Rage. 4.30 Landline. 5.00 Art Works. 5.30 7.30.

6.00 Morning Programs. 1.00 After The Party. 2.00 Parliament. 3.00 Further Back In Time For Dinner. 3.55 Long Lost Family. 4.40 Grand Designs. 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. 6.30 Hard Quiz. 7.00 News. 7.30 7.30. 8.00 Tony Armstrong’s Extra-Ordinary Things. 9.00 Secret Science. 9.30 David Stratton’s Stories Of Australian Cinema. 10.30 News. 10.45 The Business. 11.05 Four Corners. 11.50 Q+A. 12.55 Media Watch. 1.15 Grand Designs. 2.00 Long Lost Family. 2.50 Rage. 4.30 Landline. 5.00 Art Works. 5.30 7.30.

6.00 News. 9.00 News. 10.00 Four Corners. 10.45 Q+A. 12.00 News. 12.30 Press Club. 1.35 Media Watch. 2.00 Parliament. 3.00 Back In Time For The Corner Shop. 3.55 Long Lost Family. 4.40 Grand Designs. 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. 6.30 Hard Quiz. (PG) 7.00 News. 7.30 7.30. 8.00 Hard Quiz. (PG) 8.30 Gruen. 9.05 Blak Ball. 9.35 QI. (PG) 10.05 Planet America. 10.40 News. 10.55 The Business. 11.10 The Luminaries. (M) 12.05 Superwog. 12.25 Grand Designs. 1.15 Long Lost Family. 2.00 Rage. 4.30 Landline. 5.00 Art Works. 5.30 7.30.

6.00 WorldWatch. 8.00 WorldWatch. 12.00 WorldWatch. 2.00 Cycling. UCI ProSeries. Tour of Hungary. Highlights. 3.00 The Point: Road To Referendum History Bites. 3.05 Portillo’s Greatest Railway Journeys. 4.00 Sports Woman. 4.30 Cycling. UCI World Tour. Giro d’Italia. Stage 19. Highlights. 5.30 War Gamers. 6.30 News. 7.30 Jersey And Guernsey. 8.25 Cannes Uncut. 10.00 Secrets Of The Royal Palaces. 10.50 Paris Paris. 11.50 Paris Paris. 12.20 Dear Mama. 1.55 Dear Mama. 2.40 Late Programs.

6.00 WorldWatch. 8.00 WorldWatch. 12.00 WorldWatch. 1.00 Motor Racing. ProMX Championships. Round 4. 4.00 Sports Woman. 4.30 Cycling. UCI World Tour. Giro d’Italia. Stage 20. Highlights. 5.30 War Gamers. 6.30 News. 7.30 Came From Nowhere. 9.10 Pompeii: The Secrets Of Civita Giuliana. 10.15 Legendary Castles. 11.15 Lance. 1.20 Scotland: Rome’s Final Frontier. 2.25 Saved By A Stranger. 3.30 The Woman Who Wasn’t There. 4.40 Bamay. 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.15 France 24 Feature. 5.30 Al Jazeera.

6.00 WorldWatch. 8.00 WorldWatch. 12.05 WorldWatch. 2.00 The Assassination Of JFK: Ten Mistakes. 2.55 Mastermind Aust. 3.25 Where The Dreamings Come From. 3.35 The Cook Up. 4.05 Jeopardy! 4.30 Letters And Numbers. 5.00 Cycling. UCI World Tour. Giro d’Italia. Stage 21. Highlights. 6.00 Mastermind Aust. 6.30 News. 7.35 Tony Robinson’s Marvellous Machines. 8.30 Secrets Of The Tower Of London. 9.20 24 Hours In Emergency. 10.15 SBS News. 10.45 Christian. 11.40 Christian. 12.50 Sisi. 1.50 Late Programs.

6.00 WorldWatch. 12.00 WorldWatch. 2.00 Land Wars. 3.00 Living Black. 3.30 The Point: Road To Referendum History Bites. 3.35 The Cook Up. 4.05 Secrets Of Our Cities. 5.05 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. 6.00 Mastermind Aust. 6.30 News. 7.30 Who Do You Think You Are? 8.30 Insight. 9.30 Dateline. 10.05 SBS News. 10.35 Living Black. 11.05 Lost Luggage. 1.10 Dark Woods. 3.50 Fantastical Factory Of Curious Craft. 4.45 Bamay. 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

6.00 WorldWatch. 10.35 Outta Town Adventures. 11.05 First Australians. 12.00 WorldWatch. 2.00 Dateline. 2.30 Insight. 3.30 No Distance Between Us. 3.40 The Cook Up. 4.10 Secrets Of Our Cities. 5.05 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. 6.00 Mastermind Aust. 6.30 News. 7.30 Alone Australia. 8.30 Alone Australia. 9.30 This Town. 10.40 SBS News. 11.10 Don’t Leave Me. 1.10 Stella Blomkvist. 3.45 Fantastical Factory Of Curious Craft. 4.40 Bamay. 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

6.00 Morning Programs. 11.00 Antiques Roadshow. 12.00 News. 1.00 Secret Science. 1.30 Stuff The British Stole. 2.00 Parliament. 3.00 Back In Time For The Corner Shop. 3.55 Long Lost Family. 4.45 Grand Designs. 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. 6.30 Hard Quiz. 7.00 News. 7.30 7.30. 8.00 Restoration Australia. 9.00 Grand Designs. 9.50 Antiques Roadshow. 10.50 News. 11.05 The Business. 11.20 To Be Advised. 11.55 Talking Heads. 12.25 Grand Designs. 1.15 Long Lost Family. 2.00 Rage. 4.30 Landline. 5.00 Art Works. 5.30 7.30. 6.00 WorldWatch. 10.35 Outta Town Adventures. 11.05 First Australians. 12.00 WorldWatch. 2.00 Alone Australia. 3.00 Mastermind Aust. 3.30 The Cook Up. 4.00 Secrets Of Our Cities. 5.05 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. 6.00 Mastermind Aust. 6.30 News. 7.30 DNA Family Secrets. 8.40 Our Law. 9.50 The Responder. 10.50 The Responder. 11.50 Wonders Of Scotland. 12.20 The Spectacular. 4.15 Peer To Peer. 4.40 Bamay. 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

6.00 NBC Today. 7.00 Weekend Sunrise. 10.00 Morning Show. 12.00 Horse Racing. Doomben Cup Day. Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation Raceday. Sandown Saturday. Morphettville Race Day. 5.00 Seven News. 5.30 Border Security. (PG) 6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Border Security: Australia’s Front Line. (PG) 7.30 MOVIE: Jumanji: The Next Level. (2019) (PG) 10.00 MOVIE: Bad Boys II. (2003) (MA15+) 1.00 Australia’s Amazing Homes. (PG) 2.00 Shopping. 4.00 Tales Of Aluna. 5.00 House Of Wellness. (PG)

6.00 NBC Today. 7.00 Weekend Sunrise. 10.00 Morning Show. 12.00 House Of Wellness. 1.00 To Be Advised. 2.30 Surveillance Oz. 3.00 Border Security: Int. 3.30 Border Security. 4.00 Better Homes. 5.00 News. 5.30 Weekender. 6.00 Seven News. 7.00 To Be Advised. 10.05 The Latest: Seven News. 10.35 Code 1: Minute By Minute. (M) 11.35 Quantum Leap. (M) 12.35 Lipstick Jungle. (M) 1.35 Harry’s Practice. 2.00 Shopping. 3.30 Million Dollar Minute. 4.00 NBC Today. 5.00 Sunrise 5am News. 5.30 Sunrise.

6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Morning Show. 11.30 News. 12.00 To Be Advised. 1.30 Surveillance Oz: Dashcam. 2.00 The Chase. 4.00 News. 5.00 The Chase Aust. 6.00 7News Local. 6.30 7News @ 6:30. 7.00 Home And Away. (PG) 7.30 To Be Advised. 9.00 9-1-1. (M) 10.00 S.W.A.T. (M) 11.00 The Latest: Seven News. 11.30 Police Custody USA. (M) 12.30 The Event. (M) 1.30 Business Builders. 2.00 Shopping. 4.00 NBC Today. 5.00 Sunrise 5am News. 5.30 Sunrise.

6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Morning Show. 11.30 News. 12.00 To Be Advised. 1.30 Surveillance Oz: Dashcam. 2.00 The Chase. 4.00 News. 5.00 The Chase Aust. 6.00 7News Local. 6.30 7News @ 6:30. 7.00 Home And Away. (PG) 7.30 To Be Advised. 8.35 The Good Doctor. (M) 9.35 Ambulance: Code Red. (M) 10.35 The Latest: Seven News. 11.05 Born To Kill? (MA15+) 12.05 MOVIE: Dying On The Edge. (2001) (M) 2.00 Shopping. 4.00 NBC Today. 5.00 Sunrise 5am News. 5.30 Sunrise.

6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Morning Show. 11.30 News. 12.00 To Be Advised. 1.30 Surveillance Oz: Dashcam. 2.00 The Chase. 4.00 News. 5.00 The Chase Australia. 6.00 7News Local. 6.30 News. 7.00 Home And Away. (PG) 7.30 The 1% Club UK. (PG) 8.30 The Front Bar. (M) 9.30 Unbelievable Moments Caught On Camera. (PG) 10.30 The Latest: Seven News. 11.00 Talking Footy. 12.00 Dracula. (MA15+) 1.00 Travel Oz. (PG) 2.00 Shopping. 4.00 NBC Today. 5.00 Sunrise 5am News. 5.30 Sunrise.

6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Morning Show. 11.30 News. 12.00 MOVIE: Missing At 17. (2013) 2.00 Business Builders. 2.30 Border Security: America’s Front Line. 3.00 The Chase. 4.00 News. 5.00 The Chase Aust. 6.00 7News Local. 6.30 News. 7.00 Home And Away. (PG) 7.30 Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly. (PG) 8.30 Crime Investigation Australia. (MA15+) 9.55 Border Security: Int. (PG) 11.00 HMP: Behind Bars. (MA15+) 12.30 Boy To Man. 1.30 The Goldbergs. 2.00 Shopping. 4.00 NBC Today. 5.00 Sunrise 5am News. 5.30 Sunrise.

6.00 Getaway. 6.30 ACA. 7.00 Weekend Today. 10.00 Today Extra: Saturday. 12.00 Destination WA. 12.30 My Way. 12.45 The Summit. 3.30 The Lap. 4.30 Garden Gurus. 5.00 9News First At Five. 5.30 Getaway. 6.00 9News Saturday. 7.00 A Current Affair. 7.30 Jeopardy! Australia. 8.30 MOVIE: John Wick. (2014) (MA15+) 10.30 MOVIE: Mad Max: Fury Road. (2015) (MA15+) 12.45 The Lap. 1.35 Garden Gurus. 2.00 The Incredible Journey. (PG) 2.30 Getaway. (PG) 3.00 TV Shop. 4.30 Global Shop. 5.00

6.00 Hello SA. 6.30 ACA. 7.00 Weekend Today. 10.00 Wide World Of Sports. 11.00 NRL Sunday Footy Show. 1.00 Drive TV. 1.30 My Way. 1.45 The Summit. 3.00 Rugby League. NRL. Round 12. New Zealand Warriors v Dolphins. 6.00 9News Sunday. 7.00

6.00 Today. 9.00 Today Extra. 11.30 9News Morning. 12.00 MOVIE: Speechless. (1994) 2.00 Pointless. 3.00 Tipping Point. 4.00 9News Afternoon. 4.30 Tipping Point Australia. 5.30 News. 6.00 9News. 7.00 A Current Affair. 7.30 The Summit. 8.45 Paramedics. (M) 9.45 100% Footy. (M) 10.45 9News Late. 11.15 La Brea. (M) 12.05 Tipping Point. (PG) 1.00 Pointless. (PG) 2.00 Hello SA. (PG)

6.00 Today. 9.00 Today Extra. 11.30 9News Morning. 12.00 The Summit. 1.15 My Way. 1.30 Getaway. 2.00 Pointless. 3.00 Tipping Point. 4.00 9News Afternoon. 4.30 Tipping Point Australia. 5.30 News. 6.00 9News. 7.00 ACA. 7.30 The Summit. 8.45 Clarkson’s Farm: Scheming. (M) 9.45 To Be Advised. 10.45 9News Late. 11.15 Chicago Med. (MA15+) 12.05 Tipping Point. (PG) 1.00 Pointless. (PG) 2.00 Innovation Nation. 3.00 TV Shop. 4.00 Believer’s Voice Of Victory. 4.30 ACA. 5.00 Today Early News. 5.30 Today.

6.00 Morning Programs. 11.30 9News Morning. 12.00 The Summit. 1.15 My Way. 1.30 Great Australian Detour Snow. 2.00 Pointless. 3.00 Tipping Point. 4.00 9News Afternoon. 4.30 Tipping Point Australia. 5.30 News. 6.00 9News. 7.00 ACA. 7.30 The Summit. 8.45 Ski Rescue Downunder. 9.45 9News Late. 10.15 See No Evil. 11.15 The Equalizer. 12.00 Tipping Point. 12.55 Pointless. 1.50 Destination WA. 2.20 Explore. 2.30 Global Shop. 3.00 TV Shop. 4.00 Believer’s Voice Of Victory. 4.30 ACA.

6.00 Morning Programs. 1.15 Explore. 1.30 Great Australian Detour Snow. 2.00 Pointless. 3.00 Tipping Point. 4.00 9News Afternoon. 5.00 Tipping Point Australia. 6.00 9News. 7.00 ACA. 7.30 Rugby League. NRL. Round 13. Parramatta Eels v Cronulla Sharks. 9.45 Thursday Night Knock Off. 10.30 9News Late. 11.00 Law & Order: Organized

The Wodi Wodi people of the Dharawal language group were the main Aboriginal inhabitants of the Illawarra area, and a clan was centred around Werri Beach and Crooked River/Gerroa. Here is a great story of a cricket team, which was formed from the Crooked River area 130 years ago. It’s an important piece of Gerringong history.

There is no record of the cricket club being formed, and the reasons why it was created.

However, it can be surmised that ‘King’ Mickey Weston was the person behind the formation of the team. Mickey Weston was the Elder who oversaw the tribes from the Illawarra to Seven Mile Beach (at least) and he would regularly travel to these places. I imagine that he had a great interest in cricket and was keen to put together a team. Was the team just made up of indigenous men from Crooked River? It is possible, but it is also likely that some came from other places. There were mentions of Sims and Longbottoms in the team. The Longbottoms were prominent at Kiama and the Sims at Werri Beach.

The name Crooked River

was not always used as well. Sometimes, it was mentioned that the team came from Gerringong or maybe the South Coast. However, it may have been a convenience as I imagine the name Crooked River was not well known outside the Gerringong District.

A sure thing is that one of the first challenges for Mickey was to get the proper playing equipment. One thing that is consistent with most of the games played was that the team would, ‘put on a show’ after the game. This might include a corroboree and a demonstration of boomerang throwing. The ‘hat’ was taken around to collect money from the spectators. Often, there was a ‘goodly’ crowd there to watch the match and the entertainment.

Another thing that seemed to happen at most games was that the Indigenous team were always the visitors and, as such, were entertained to a luncheon/ afternoon tea. Apparently, on one occasion against Gerringong, this did not happen and the players were most put out according to a letter to the editor!

Apart from newspaper advertisements announcing the coming games, the first mention of an actual game report was from Saturday, 27 January 1894, reported in the Kiama Independent and Shoalhaven Reporter. Thank you to Trove.

‘King’ Mickey Weston’s Crooked River/ Wodi Wodi Cricket Club 1894

CRICKET.

(From a Correspondent.)

A match was played at Gerringong on Wednesday last between Mickey Weston's Team of Aboriginals and a 2nd team of the local club which resulted in a win for the former by 22 runs. The scores were: Gerringong.

A, Wilson, b Cummins ........ 13

M. Hanrahan, lbw,b Sutton ... 7

J. Wilson, b Longbottom........31

R. M. Miller, b Button........ 0

J. Fields, b Cummins ......... 0

J. W, Francis, c and b Cummings3 T. Hanharhan c Simms, b Long bottom......- .......... 0

B. Johnstone, b Cummings ... 3 M. Burke, b Cummings ........ 2 T. F. Seage, not out .........8

R. Gordon, c Matto, b Cummins.0 - Sundries … 17 Total ..... 87

Aboriginals.

B. Hoskins, b Wilson ....., 4 Sutton, b Wilson 0 Walker, b Wilson ......... . .. 0

W. Broughton, b Wilson .... 8 Hunt, b Johnston 1

T. Simms, b Wilson ..... 8

G. Longbottom, not out 51 Judson, b Wilson ........ 4 Matto, c Fields, b Miller.. 6

A. Cummings c Hanrahan b Miller 5 Edwards, b Wilson ... . 12 Sundries ...... ...... . 13 109

A Cummings appears to be a very good bowler!

The next game mentioned comes up in the paper 3rd February in a game against Jamberoo. The ‘Gentlemen of Colour’ arrived with plenty of time for the match and were entertained at lunch by ‘the white fellows’. They were one player short, and a Gerringong white boy substituted during the game.

Micky Weston’s team scored 31 in the first innings and 77 in the second. The Jamberoo team got 84 and were 2 for 27 when stumps were called.

After this the large number of spectators were entertained by a demonstration of boomerang throwing. It was noted that the crowd was the largest that had been to any Jamberoo game that season.

The visitors were then entertained at ‘tea’. A collection was taken up to help the team and 1 pound, 7 shillings and sixpence was collected.

The next match was only a few days later at Kiama. There was an extensive report on the proceedings in the paper.

The next mention is a game between Gerringong CC and the Crooked River CC on 17th February with Gerringong scoring 128 and the Aboriginals 69. W. Sutton scoring 27no.

On 22 March, the Gerringong Aboriginal CC, as it was called in the article, travelled to Shellharbour to play a match. The Aboriginal team won the game scoring 78 to Shellharbour’s 40. Top scorers were T. Simms and Joe Dixon, who both scored 20. It does not mention how they got there.

The next game mentioned was a trip to Wollongong.

A ‘goodly crowd’ was in attendance. The papers were all in praise of the Aboriginal team, displaying great skills. The team was described as ‘Mickey Weston’s team from Gerringong.’ The Aboriginals scored 36 and 8 for 25 and Wollongong 78.

When they travelled to Comerong on May 8 to play, they were called the South Coast Aboriginal Cricket team. In this match, they scored 35 and 31 as against Comerong with 44 and 70.

This is the last game mentioned in 1894 and the last mention of the Crooked River team. Mickey, however, appears to have put together another team of Dharawal men and played in the Wollongong areas in later years. Joe Dixon was the best player from the team. He forged out a career with Gerringong CC.

Mark Emery / Unknown journalist from 1894

The formation of the team

Non-stop fun and action when Kiama Gold played Kiama Blue and the Orange team played the Kiama Purple team.

The Power Under 15 Boys turned on the action.

The Junior A Competition featured several exciting games.

Photots by Brian Scott

Photos from the personal library of the Emery archive. Photographer's name is unknown.

Mud , sweat and downpour: Mud, sweat and downpour: Kiama Knights beat the Jets 18-6

Sunday, May 5, saw a flash flood warning in effect for the Illawarra region, with Kiama potentially being one of the hardest hit areas, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

But the torrential downpour didn’t stop the Kiama Knights in their round five meet-up against the Nowra Bomaderry Jets at The Castle (aka Kiama Showground) on May 5.

First out, under a grey sky, were the Reggies. They gave a good performance, considering the wet conditions, and beat the Jets 30-05.

The dreary weather definitely didn’t deter the fans, who dressed in their finest winter gear, gathered under the protection of the stands

or watched from the protection of their car boots.

The Kiama Knights first grade took the lead against the Jets after 12 minutes of play with a penalty score.

Meanwhile, the rain kept pounding, both horizontally and vertically.

Three minutes to half time, the Kiama score board showed 8-0. The Jets had yet to score. Right at half time, Kiama scored again - 12-0.

A converted try from the Jets in the second half, with 6 ½ minutes remaining of game time, put the final score at Kiama 18 - Jets 6. Kiama Knights Juniors

During the weekend, the juniors also played in the rain at Kiama Showground.

“They did really well,”

says President of the Junior Knights, Carl Middleton.

“And they really enjoyed it.”

Occasionally, games are called off due to the weather. For now, however, it was decided to keep the Showground open.

“It was good for them to experience playing in the wet weather,” says Middleton.

At the forefront of his mind when it comes to the season, he continues, “is that the kids are having fun and learning to play footy. To play in a really nice area in Kiama, to make good friends and to have coaches, who’ll become mentors.”

Malin Dunfors

THE 200-GAME QUARTET

Within the last five years, Michael Williams, his best mate Josh Walton, and his younger brothers, Ben and Tom, all played their 200th game for the Kiama Power Senior AFL club. Michael plays in the backline, Josh is a utility, Ben’s in the midfield and Tom’s a forward. They have also won three premierships together: in 2009 (versus the Bomaderry Tiger), 2011 (versus the Wollongong University) and 2018 (versus the Wollongong Lions).

The Bugle reached Michael on an morning off from work to chat about his 200 games landmark moment.

1) When did you reach the 200-game milestone?

“Myself, I reached it in 2022. Josh and Ben, both did in 2019. And Tom last year,” he says.

2) How did it feel?

“It felt really good.”

“Me and Josh have been playing for Kiama since we were 10-years-old in 2000, which was the second year for the Junior club. Josh played in the first-ever year for the Juniors in 1999.”

“We both started playing for the senior club in 2006, Ben in 2008 and Tom in 2010.”

3) How was it celebrated?

“The whole club and team

made it a big deal. It was a bit embarrassing. But the others got the same treatment, so it was good,” he chuckles.

4) Did you receive something to commemorate the occasion?

“They gave us a beer mug with the 200 games engraved and the Kiama logo during the end of year presentation. I got it in the living room, in a display cabinet.”

“It’s been a good journey, playing together with my two brothers and my best mate. I feel lucky,” he concludes.

Malin Dunfors

Brothers Ben, Tom and Michael Williams. Photo credit Michael Williams.

(From left to right): Josh Walton, Ben Williams, Tom Williams, and Michael Williams achieving the 200 game-milestone. Photo credit Michael Williams.

Kiama Knights first grade wins over the Jets with 18-6 at the Kiama Showground on May 5

Surfing South Coast looks for ng South Coast looks for sponsors to support annual sponsors to support annual sur

Attention:

Pickleball, one of the worlds fastest growing sports will be coming to Kiama Leisure Center on Sunday, 26 May for an open trial day.

Managing Director of Pickleball Promotions, Wayne Lee, will be offering his knowledge and input on how to play this new and fun

All pickleball enthusiasts!

social sport, suitable for all, along with host Paul Summerside and other accredited pickleball coaches.

All levels of players are welcome with limited spots available. There will be two sessions available.

Session 1: Beginners/intermediate at 11:30am - 1pm

Session 2: Advanced at 1pm2.30pm

Both sessions are free and bookings are essential. Bookings can be made to: Paulsummerside@outlook. com.au.

Paul Summerside

On 19 May, Jones Beach will once again host the 2024 NSW Junior Regional Series (South Coast), which covers Minnamurra in the north to Lake Tabourie in the south.

“Many athletes from this region have gone on to compete at Aussie titles and World Juniors, such as Keira Buckpitt from Ulladulla Boardriders,” says Jo Collinge, who has recently taken on the voluntary role of Surfing NSW Regional Director for the South Coast.

The 2024 NSW Regional Series serves as the initial pathway to the 2024 NSW State Titles Junior Surf Series and the 2024 Australian Junior Titles.

“Traditionally, this region has had a strong presence progressing to Aussie titles. Often, these

surfers have had to work harder for that success because we don’t have access to elite coaches and opportunities that are available to Sydney and North Coast athletes,” says Collinge.

Collinge has enjoyed putting on the event for three consecutive years with the help of Jones Beach Boardriders, where she previously served as secretary for the past eight years.

“I’ve been driven to provide a professional event for our local surfers to test their surfing skills at an entry-level competition on their own beach,” she says.

“Generally, surfers need to travel to Sydney and even further up the coast to Northern NSW to get a taste of competition surf-

ing, which comes at quite a cost to parents for travel and accommodation.”

Surfing South Coast is looking for sponsors wishing to support surfing in the local community to ensure this event can continue in its current format for future years.

“I want to continue to create and provide opportunities for young surfers that weren’t available to my kids five to six years ago, and build an inclusive community that provides equal access for surfers of all abilities,” Collinge explains.

For more information, please contact: nswsurfingsouthcoast@gmail. com.

Malin Dunfors

Lani Cairncross, who went on to place third at Australian Titles after progressing through State Titles. Photo credit Kirsten Cairncross.

The Under 14s final from the 2023 NSW Junior Regional Series (South Coast) at Jones Beach. Photo credit - Fran Wood.

Southern kids named as junior lifesavers lifesavers of the year

Zara Hall of Moruya Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC) and Archie Weir of Kiama Downs SLSC have been named the Ingenia Holiday Parks Junior Lifesavers of the Year.

“I did not expect to win and I was so surprised when I got it,” Hall says. “I went through all the emotions. I was nervous, I was excited, but it means so much to me to represent the Far South Coast and my club, Moruya here.”

Weir adds, “I’m ecstatic. It’s been a bit of a dream of mine for a while. I’ve been in lifesaving since I was a little Nipper and it means so much to come here to this camp and be with likeminded people. It’s really expanding my horizons.”

Formally recognised during a presentation ceremony in the morning of Friday 26 April, Hall and Weir were two in a group of 22 eager 14-year-olds who came from each of the 11 branches across NSW, having been acknowledged themselves as Junior Lifesavers of the Year for their region.

The pair represented the South Coast and Far South Coast with distinc-

tion, proving that NSW is blessed with talented young lifesavers along the entire coastline.

An enthusiastic and motivated lifesaver with a bubbling personality, Hall is passionate and gives so much to her club. She actively supports the ‘Same Wave’ program for all-inclusive lifesaving and passes on her knowledge to younger members.

Judges noted that she places a strong value on education, hoping to establish a program at her club that raises awareness of the beach to those visiting from inland.

“It makes me so happy to represent Moruya when I think about the things the club is a part of, like the ‘Same Wave’ program,” Hall says.

“I love just being at the ocean, around the club, I love competing, I love patrolling, I love everything about Surf Life Saving.” Weir, meanwhile, has several years of club experience. The panel noticed his desire to constantly improve his skills and his understanding of the important role lifesavers play on our coastline.

“It was important to me that I showed that I have leadership qualities and the different ways that we can show compassion to the community through lifesaving,” he says.

“Lifesavers are that sense of safety for the community and by being a lifesaver, I also get a really strong sense of belonging.”

Junior lifesaver finalists engaged in a three-day team building and leadership development program at Collaroy, which culminated in Hall and Weir being selected as the NSW Junior Lifesavers of the Year.

“I enjoyed learning about who we were and what we want to be as lifesavers, what our future is. We had some talks on that,” Hall says.

“It’s been amazing, and I want to thank all the facilitators who made it possible.”

“It feels like it’s gone way too fast, but it’s been incredible, and I loved it,” Weir underscores.

“The ice bath challenge was definitely a highlight.”

“We got to really learn and understand where everybody comes from and what they do, and it was a big part of our development.”

Executive General Manager of Tourism for Ingenia Holiday Parks, Matt Young, says that being involved in a program now in its 34th year has given them great pride.

“We have a responsibility to ensure the guests who come and stay with us go home happy and having had a safe trip, and part of that is working with Surf Life Saving NSW and helping to grow the new generation of lifesavers,” he says.

“I come here at the end of the event really excited to speak to everyone who has participated. They’re all enthusiastic, and it’s great to see this generation coming through so focussed on giving back to the community.”

Malin Dunfors

Archie Weir with his family (from left to right) sister Darcy, mum Skye and dad Adam. Photo credit Surf Life Saving NSW.

Ingenia Holiday Parks Junior Lifesaver of the Year Winners Zara Hall and Archie Weir. Photo credit Surf Life Saving NSW.