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[ 23 January - 29 January 2026 ] Kiama Minnamurra Kiama Downs Jamberoo Gerringong Gerroa Shellharbour Shoalhaven
Fireworks are back! “Everyone is struggling”
The Spot café is the first to go Amy Molloy
Kiama Council’s crowd-pulling display
Myah Garza
F
ive months after Kiama Council announced they would “pause” the New Year Eve’s firework display due to lack of funding, fireworks will light up the Kiama Showgrounds this Saturday, promising families and locals a night to remember. The display, scheduled for 9pm on Saturday 24 January, is one of the most anticipated moments of the annual show and has delighted attendees for years — and it is fully funded by a local business. Sponsored by Carter Ferguson Solicitors, the fireworks have become a long-standing highlight of the Kiama Show. The firm has supported the Kiama Show Society and its
fireworks display for a decade, helping to maintain a tradition that brings the community together each year. “We’re proud to be a longstanding sponsor of the Kiama Show Society and its fireworks display,” said Paris Howcroft from Carter Ferguson Solicitors, which was founded more than 36 years ago in Gerringong by Tim Carter and Lloyd Ferguson. “The Kiama Showgrounds continues to celebrate the region’s strong agricultural heritage while offering a fun, family-friendly experience for the community.” Carter Ferguson is well known for its pro-bono work and support of local organisations. Sponsorships like the Kiama Show fireworks are a way for the firm to give
But who is paying the bill? back to the communities that support it year after year. This year marks the 178th running of the Kiama Show, which was first established in 1848. For nearly two centuries, the event has celebrated the region’s agricultural heritage while providing a fun, family-friendly weekend for generations of locals and visitors alike. “As a locally based firm with offices throughout the region, supporting community events, charities and local initiatives is something we genuinely value,” Howcroft said. “Many of our staff live and work locally, and we see sponsorships like this as a way of giving back to the communities that support us year after year.”
Meanwhile, Kiama Councillor Yasmin Tatrai is spearheading a communitylead petition to ensure the New Year’s Eve Fireworks are reinstated in 2026. To date, over 500 people have signed the petition, which is still available on the website, Change.org. Others have called on Councillor Tatrai to focus on other explosive issues impacting locals. For now, Kiama Show will fill the void left by the dark skies of the 31st December and create a core memory for local families and visitors alike. “Our kids sit on the hill overlooking Surf Beach to watch the Kiama Show fireworks every year,” a local mum told The Bugle. “It’s a more memorable ritual than seeing in the New Year.”
When The Spot café opened in Kiama Village in July, owner Luke GambleSmith wanted to create a “piece of heaven,” where he could build meaningful relationships with customers, staff, and suppliers. However, less than 18 months later, the business has closed — the latest casualty of the rising cost of running a business and the unexpected challenges of renting a space in Kiama’s prestige retail precinct. “Obviously, the cost of being there was a massive portion of our revenue,” Gamble-Smith told The Bugle. The other issue was foot traffic — he didn’t observe the overflow of eager customers from Woolworths as expected. “I’ve been told [Woolworths’] Direct to Boot has been far more popular than expected,” he says. As a result, people are driving through the carpark without stopping for refreshments. He also believes the installation of boom gates
and the sale of the Blue Haven Bonaira complex had an impact. “[Last year], the economy took a hit across the board,” he says. “Hospitality is copping it more than anyone else.” Throughout Kiama Village, it’s a familiar story for retailers. In 2024, project and development management services HGW Projects were enlisted to manage the tenancy coordination of Kiama Village, including 19 new tenancies. Four months ago, they annannounced on Cont on Pg 4