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15 JULY 2023
Jamberoo Mt Rd Opens by Cassandra Zaucer Jamberoo Mountain Road is reopening to the public on 17 July, one year since its closure. Significant damage – caused by a number of landslides and flood water from storms in July last year – forced the closure of the key connecting infrastructure between the Kiama LGA and the Southern Highlands. Repairs didn’t begin until six months after its closure in January due to the extent of the damage at four different sites above and underneath the road, and the challenging geography of the sites.
big blow for Jamberoo businesses who, through their busiest time of the year, lost their tourist and commuter trade. It was reported by The Bugle in August, just one month after the initial closure, that Kings Patisserie & Café, Nerilee Antiques and Jamberoo Newsagency were suffering with a significant decline in customers. Jamberoo
Member for Kiama Gareth Ward, Member for Gilmore Fiona Phillips, Mayor Neil Reilly and Director Infrastructure Michael Malone inspecting the newly repaired road Director Infrastructure and Liveability Michael Malone says while this may feel like it extended the length of the road closure, it was critical to invest time and effort in coming up with repairs that would last, noting the road has been closed in the past from August to December in 2020. “It was important to spend time getting the investigations done and design right, otherwise we’ll be literally back at the drawing board if they fail,” Mr Malone says. He assures they have designed the damaged sections to withstand the sort of storms and flooding saw last year, rather than restoring them to what they were before. The 12-month wait was a
Newsagency originally adjusted its trading hours to counter the loss of tradies that would come through in the mornings – which was estimated to account for 20 to 25 per cent of their customer base – before closing their doors earlier this year. Nerilee Antiques reported it was down to three customers on the weekend compared to the usual 30 and admitted in May that they were considering shutting their doors after 50 years. Owner of Jamberoo Pub, Jamie Warren, says the road’s closure has flowed onto a reduction in the employment of his staff and has ultimately made it harder for him to pay the bills. “We’re coming off the back of a lot of difficulties, as are
Festival Celebration
Kiama Winter Festival opened to locals and visitors alike, with the popular ice rink returning to the shore. Following on from last year’s successful Ignite Festival, Destination Kiama presented the six-day festival which included different skating night themes with Freaky Friday, Superhero Saturday, Retro Sunday and more. The rink featured penguins to hold onto for shaky skaters and igloos nearby to eat something warm from the many of the other businessthe people of Jamberoo for food trucks. es, and the flow through of their patience and acknowlA concert was held by traffic in Jamberoo has just edges the significant impact SENTRAL Youth Services in made all that much difficult,” it has had on the local comHindmarsh Park showcasing he says. munity and businesses. “It has been a very long “I want to simply say thank local artists. Acts on stage included Denhaul so we’re really looking you for persevering throughim on Her, Frando, Sundown, forward to having the road out the last year while we Janis, Zirconium and Ben. reopen and getting a big worked to reconstruct the A great feature of this year’s boost back into our busisignificant amount of damness.” age to the road,” Mayor Reilly festival was the Eat Like a Local food stall where all of Jamie acknowledges that says. it has been a difficult job He also thanked the NSW Kiama’s favourite eateries to get the road reopened and Australian Governments, were and Taste of the Dharawal tent from Gamaraa. and appreciates the efforts who provided disaster relief The Festival Bar featured of Council, Member for funding and their expertise steaming mulled wine and a Kiama Gareth Ward and the on large-scale construction Government in making it projects, and Council staff happen, as well as Council and contractors, who met staff and contractors who numerous challenges along have been working on it. the way. While the closure has hurt To further extend his businesses, the lack of eastgratitude, and to give locals west connectivity has also in- a chance to chat with the convenienced local residents, engineers face-to-face about especially those who use the lengthy repair process, the mountain for their daily Council hosted a community work commute, school run or barbeque. shopping trip. continued on p8 Mayor Neil Reilly thanks
special Kiama Winter Brew beer from Stoic Brewing at Gerringong. Surfpaints were on site to personalise surfboards, and Faces to Paint and Hair by Courtney for the kids to get their festival look on. Mathilda’s Farmyard Nursery was also at the festival and very popular with the youngsters. One Fitness hosted a variety of fitness related events. Kiama Collective Beat also had a winter theme backdrop for festival photos. Once darkness fell, a series of illuminated projections were displayed from Luke Turk of Incirratta and Seven Marks Gallery, similar to light projections in Sydney’s Vivid festival. Inciratta incidentally is the name of a suborder of octopuses (not octopi) which includes benthic octopuses as well as the rarer paper nautiluses. by Mark Whalan