The Bugle News 27 February 2026

End of an era in Gerringong with Op Shop closing

Beaches going to waste over sewerage problems

Kiama Mayor Cameron

McDonald is getting on the front foot over beach closures and environmental concerns caused by the local sewerage infrastructure being under immense strain.

With the LGA under pressure to meet longterm housing targets, Cr McDonald said the Bombo Water Resource Recovery Facility is in serious need of being upgraded or replaced altogether.

Cr McDonald is worried that Sydney Water has not included Bombo in its Long

Term Capital and Operational Plan which lists priority infrastructure projects over the next decade.

He recently met with NSW Minister for Housing Rose Jackson and Kiama MP Katelin McInerney to air his concerns and will next month hold further discussions with the Minister and Sydney Water CEO Darren Cleary.

Sydney Water has been in the news over the past week after it was issued with a Pollution Reduction Program by the NSW Environment Protection Authority. A range of significant works, including fat removal from the Malabar Deep Ocean

Outfall bulkhead area, will be undertaken as part of the EPA order to reduce the likelihood of further debris balls washing up on the state’s beaches.

These “fatbergs” have ended up on various parts of the state’s coastline, including beaches in Kiama and Nowra in late 2024 and again in 2025.

“We’ve been asking Sydney Water to listen to our concerns about fatbergs and the overall capacity of the system for a long period of time,” Cr McDonald said.

“The facility at Bombo is an old treatment plant and it’s almost ‘end of life’. Lately they did some odour works, which is great to see. But it’s not

enough to fix the real harder issues of age of the asset, overall system capacity, water quality treatment at discharge and ability to cope with growth. The system we’ve long known is under strain locally and when you have round balls that have broken off from fatbergs washing up on the beaches it’s an indication that the whole system is not where it should be.

“So we wrote to Sydney Water on the last occurrence and said ‘what are they, what’s their origin and it’s a public health issue’ because we don’t want these fatballs washing up on our pristine beaches.

“It took about 14 months

of meetings and letters to confirm that it was small fatbergs round balls, formed from wastewater sewage and fats released in the ocean outfall, many kilometres away from Kiama.”

Cr McDonald explained that Kiama was “at the end of the line” for Sydney Water geographically because the area south of Crooked River forms part of Shoalhaven Council’s water supply.

“But that doesn’t necessarily mean that we should be thought of as last in the line of potential upgrades and works on the system,” he added.

“A lot of people come to the Kiama LGA to enjoy our

beaches but with fatballs washing up and also after heavy rainfall, we’ve often got to close beaches because our local sewage system cannot meet the pressure that’s put on it at that time.

“Our system is under enormous capacity constraints and any rain or change to the environment really affects the system. The system isn’t working at the moment and we’re wearing the environmental consequences of that. What I am after from Sydney Water is a plan, to be part of their long-term plan.”

Cr McDonald wanted to know why Sydney Water’s

Continued on Page 4

End of an era with Nearly New Shop closing

Paul Suttor

It’s the end of an era of more than 50 years with the announcement that the Gerringong Mayflower Nearly New Shop will close its doors.

The Op Shop started in the early 1970s as one part of essential continuous fundraising in the early stages of the development of Mayflower Uniting Village in Gerringong.

But with the current committee all in their 80s and Uniting needing to reclaim the land for the shop’s sorting shed, the tough decision was made by the Gerringong Mayflower Volunteers incorporated organisation’s executive to wind up operations in June.

Trevor Hamblen, the retiring president of Mayflower Volunteers Inc, fellow committee members Lyn and John Rolfe, and Mena Sharpe and shop manager Jennifer James assembled for a photo outside the shop for The Bugle during the week, as did the dedicated volunteers at the sorting shed as they worked through the many donated items that needed to be arranged for sale or further distribution.

The genesis of the shop came more than half a century ago when due to age and ill health, a parent of members of the Gerringong Congregational (now Uniting) church was in need of residential care.

This man had lived in Gerringong all of his life and wanted to spend his final days near his family, but the nearest suitable option for him was in Sydney.

Reverend John Robinson, the church’s minister at the time, and his wife Helen, decided to organise the building of a nursing home in Gerringong.

They were joined by enthusiastic parishioners in forming an organising committee with other churches and the whole Gerringong community getting involved. They held art exhibitions,

rummage sales, coffee mornings, sold cookbooks and later, staged a major fete each year. The shop started in a local resident’s garage before moving to the current premises in Fern Street.

Hamblen said the shop provided quality cheap items as well as funds for the continuing growth and support of the village.

“The Nearly New Shop was and still is run entirely by volunteers, including the shop itself, the sorting shed where volunteers meet every Tuesday morning to sort, clean and price donated goods, and the drivers who transported the goods between the sorting shed and shop.

“Seven years ago, the group running the Nearly New Shop became an incorporated organisation as we wanted to be sure we and the shop were fully covered by insurance.”

He praised Uniting for its help over the decades.

“Uniting have been very good to us, allowing use of their valuable large block of land on the corner of Belinda Street and Rowlins Road for many years for $1 a year.

“They now need the land. Most reasonable people will understand that we couldn’t expect Uniting, at a time when finances are tight, and other Uniting buildings require the same upgrade as we got a few years ago, to continue to have this valuable land only used Tuesday mornings.

“Attempts to find another suitable shed have so far come up with nothing definite.”

Hamblen said that when the new Nursing Home was built, Mayflower no longer had the same urgent need for funds.

In the past seven years, only around 37% of profits from the shop have gone to Mayflower Village, despite the fact our group spent $77,500 on initial equipment for the Mayflower Gym.

After Mayflower needs were fulfilled, the committee was able to donate to other

charities in the local area and beyond, including Salt Care in Nowra, who provide care for the homeless.

Homestead of Hope Kiama

KBECET for Kiama High School Breakfast program.

Jacaranda Cottage for young mums needing shelter.

A community mental health program in Gerringong for parents of children and teenagers.

Light Home, a facility in India for destitute Darlic people, which is visited annually by members of the Gerringong community.

The Nowra Town Band Food and Friends program at West Wollongong Anglican Church Lifeline

Dementia Awareness Group in Gerringong.

“The Mayflower Auxiliary that used to coordinate all of the fundraising ceased many years ago. This left just the current “Mayflower Volunteers inc.” running the nearly new shop,” Hamblen explained.

“It will be disappointing to many that , at least in the short term, the Nearly New Shop will close.

“Any individual or group who is disappointed, or even angry about this current shutdown are welcome to get it going again.

“Don’t be negative and blame the current ageing committee who want to retire after many years of service, in one case around 60 years of volunteering for Mayflower.

“Don’t blame Uniting, who have to be good stewards of the land they own. Don’t blame the council, who tried to find us another shed.

“Those who complain have the option to form a group, incorporate yourself to ensure you are legally formed, re-hire the shop, find a suitable sorting shed and get the shop going again.

“The huge number of volunteers who have kept the shop going since the 1970s deserve our grateful thanks.”

Iconic Rugby Sevens kicking goals on and off the field

The Kiama Rugby Sevens will not just deliver nearly 12 hours of high-octane sporting action on Saturday but a seven-figure windfall for the local economy.

Running for the 54th year, the iconic annual event kicks off at Kiama Showground and Chittick Oval at 8am on Saturday with matches running on both fields throughout the day.

A helicopter will deliver the trophies late in the afternoon before the semis and finals are held for the men’s and women’s country divisions, as well as the Bowl and Plate categories leading into the women’s final at 6.30pm and the premier men’s decider at 6.50pm. The winning teams in the two main finals receive $6000 each with the runnersup pocketing $3500.

Tournament director Mark Bryant said Saturday’s event was shaping up to be one not to be missed.

“Everything is done preparation wise, we've filled 44 teams back in November and then we had a few teams pull out and we've had to adjust.

“The grounds are coming up quite well. You can't get a room in town because of all the teams - everything is full.

“The weather is weather looking like it's gonna be about 23 degrees and overcast which is actually perfect weather for rugby. You don’t want it too hot.”

It’s not just a sporting event but a driver of economic benefit to Kiama.

“Through Destination Kiama, we do a post-event report and we bring in $1 million to the town for the weekend. For all the licensed outlets, this is the biggest night of year for them,”

Bryant added.

And the standard of play is set to be sky high with several Shute Shield teams and a squad from the Brisbane GPS

Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication, but we are only human. Content does not necessarily represent The

lining up. “Manly won the Hamilton Sevens, Warringah Rats are always up there, UTS Gordon will be really strong. Southern Districts are coached by Kiama’s own former Wallabies player Scott Fava so they will go well.

“GPS Brisbane are not going to travel all this way and not give it a good old shake.

“In the women’s, Manly and UTS Gordon are always up there and one of the dark horses this year will be Hunter Wildfires from up in Newcastle.”

Illawarra premiers Kiama will be taking part in the country division with Wagga Wagga Reddies, Orange Emus and Northlakes likely to be their main competition.

“The good thing about the country cup is that it’s pretty even and it could come down to a ref’s call or a bounce of the ball,” Bryant said. Tickets are still available from kiamasevens.com.

Unexpected harmony: Jacinda on song in the Gong

Myah Garza

What was meant to be a simple, cheerful set for the Sing Australia Kiama choir at the Gerringong Community Expo turned into something no one present will ever forget.

Like usual, the choir had a handful of songs to perform last Saturday – a relaxed crowd, home in time for lunch. Nothing formal.

But conductor Maree Shepherd had a small suspicion that this might not be an ordinary gig.

A few days earlier, choir member Ray Lind had casually asked if he could bring “some visitors” to watch the performance. It wasn’t an uncommon request. The week before, Ray’s wife Annette had attended another Sing Australia event with friends – one of whom turned out to be a familiar face from television’s Neighbours.

So when Lind mentioned visitors again, Shepherd joked “are you bringing another celebrity?”

“Well … you might know her,” he replied. “It’s Jacinda Ardern.”

Shepherd wasn’t entirely sure it would happen. There were no

elaborate arrangements, no announcements, no security details – just a quiet possibility.

Just in case, Shepherd printed copies of the New Zealand national anthem –in both Māori and English –along with a backing track.

Right on cue at 11am, as choir members gathered outdoors to warm up, Shepherd asked them to hum the NZ anthem.

They looked at her blankly.

“It’s not Anzac Day! What was going on?”

And then they saw her.

Walking towards them, relaxed and smiling, was the Hon. Jacinda Ardern, former Prime Minister of New Zealand.

“She just came up and was so delightful,” Shepherd recalled. “I asked if we could get a photo and she was so gracious.”

Jacinda was visiting Ray and his wife, Annette King, herself a former long-serving New Zealand MP and mentor to Ardern.

In fact, Shepherd had only just finished reading Ardern’s biography weeks earlier and had been struck by how often

Annette’s name appeared in its pages.

“That beautiful and generous spirit of hers just came through at the

Expo,” Shepherd said. “Just hearing people talk and the thrill it gave them to just be able to meet and greet her like she was just another person, but knowing what a special position she had –particularly during COVID, that Christchurch massacre –she handled with such dignity and empathy I thought was extraordinary.”

Not only did Ardern happily pose for a group photo, she stayed for the entire performance.

Smiling, she sang along and encouraged the choir.

Then, to everyone’s delight, she joined them in singing the New Zealand National Anthem in Māori and English.

For years, the group has performed at Anzac Day services, local expos and community events – often inviting audience members to join in.

They’ve learned the Māori version of the New Zealand anthem, sometimes guided by members of the local New Zealand community.

“I’m not sure they were looking at us,” Shepherd laughed. “I think they were looking at Jacinda Ardern!”

But it wasn't the star-struck spectacle that defined the morning.

“There was a real sense – no

43 years of care: Preschool icon retires

Amy Molloy

Every child at Kiama Preschool knows one very important fact about educator Lindy Verryt – affectionately known as “Lindy Lou” by the children who adore her: she’s “allergic to chocolate”.

matter what people’s politics – that the office of Prime Minister deserves respect,” Shepherd reflected.

“And after reading her book, I was so moved by her heart in office. That beautiful, generous spirit just came through at the Expo.”

After singing, Ardern didn’t slip away. Instead, she wandered through the expo, chatting with stallholders, posing for selfies, greeting library staff and volunteers.

One Lions Club member, busy at the sausage sizzle, told Shepherd meeting Jacinda was “the highlight of my life”.

“She made it all feel so natural,” Shepherd said. “It wasn’t formal … she was just happy to say hello to people.”

What began as a modest appearance became a vibrant, joy-filled celebration – a moment where music dissolved formality and titles, and everyone simply sang together.

“As I was leaving, people were just absolutely chuffed,” Shepherd said. “You could see what it meant to them.”

The choir will next be performing at the Shellharbour Seniors Expo at the Civic Centre next Tuesday at 11am and next Friday at Hindmarsh Park, as part of Kiama Council’s Seniors Expo.

“If Lindy eats chocolate, her bottom gets bigger,” a five-year-old, who recently graduated from Kiama Preschool, tells The Bugle

She laughs when she hears the story and plays along.

The kids adore her and she just as clearly adores them.

“This is my home away from home,” says Verryt, who, after four decades working at the preschool, celebrates her final day on Friday. This makes her the longest-serving educator at the preschool, which opened in the mid 1970s.

“I’ve been here for 43 years,” she tells a group of children when explaining the concept of retirement. “Now I’m ready to stay home and rest a little.”

In fact, she is already planning her next trip to Europe, as well as local caravan adventures. To celebrate the milestone, local families, staff, and the preschool committee contributed to a weekend away at Bannisters hotel in Mollymook. Many of the children will miss her presence at the ‘kissing gate’ – the gate where children say

goodbye to their parents or caregivers, and where Verryt is always present with words of comfort. “My favourite thing to do with Lindy is make magic potions,” says a preschooler. “She helps me to collect the chicken eggs,” shares another. For four decades, Verryt has been a constant in the lives of Kiama families, making her retirement not just the end of a career, but the closing of a remarkable chapter in the preschool’s history.

She credits the “lovely team” for her impressive tenure, at a time when many childcare centres are struggling with staff retention.

“Here, you really feel part of a community,” she explains.

The director of Kiama Preschool, Naomi Gates, will feel the loss.

“After 43 remarkable years at Kiama Preschool, Lindy leaves a legacy woven through our entire community,” she says.

“Her gift for building genuine connections and nurturing, caring relationships has seen her educate two generations of families.”

As a celebration, the preschool held a disco during the daytime. Verryt will join the “old gals” of Kiama Preschool – a cherished group of former educators who still meet regularly, a testament to the fact that their years together made them more like family than colleagues.

Beaches going to waste over sewerage problems

Continued from Page 1

“long-term capital plan for the next 10 years doesn’t mention Kiama or the Bombo treatment plant”. “Being not on the 10year plan is just not really acceptable for local people, especially with the questions about development that we’re being asked to answer.

“We’re being asked to increase housing supply underneath the direction from the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces and from the state and federal governments, and so we have always said that without the upgrade and provision of associated infrastructure then for us to do what we’re being asked to do is a near impossibility.”

A population explosion on the horizon for Sydney and the Illawarra with Kiama looking to add 900 dwellings by 2029 and 3500 by 2040 as part of Council’s Housing Strategy.

A spokesperson for Sydney Water told The Bugle that “significant growth has been

identified in the Kiama LGA since the development of Sydney Water's Long Term Capital and Operational Plan, and as such, we have been working closely with Kiama Council on its growth planning, prompting a review into our servicing strategy for the area.

“Sydney Water is now planning multiple growth projects in the wider Kiama area. The capacity of the Bombo Water Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF) is being assessed against the latest growth projections to determine when it will reach its capacity limits so that appropriate funding can be sought in a future price period.”

McInerney was confident the NSW Government would step up to deliver the infrastructure needed for the region.

She was pleased that Sydney Water had committed to reviewing the Illawarra Regional Master Plan “We can’t turn back the clock but we are putting in the

investment needed to meet the existing challenges and ensure the infrastructure is ready at the same time new communities and homes are coming on line.”

The Sydney Water spokesperson added that they would implement the PRP measures in close collaboration with the EPA. “The PRP outlines a comprehensive set of short, medium, and long-term actions to address the build-up of fats, oils, and grease (FOG) in the system and particularly in the hard-to-access bulkhead area of the Malabar Deep Ocean Outfall.

“These initiatives align with our broader $3 Billion Malabar System Investment Program, which involves significant infrastructure upgrades to support Sydney’s growing population while enhancing environmental performance and reducing discharges.”

Council planning to revamp outdated LEP

Paul Suttor

It has been 15 years since Kiama Council adopted its Local Environmental Plan and Deputy Mayor Melissa Matters says it’s high time it had a thorough overhaul.

Cr Matters successfully moved a motion at last week’s Council meeting to systematically review the LEP from 2011 and Kiama’s Development Control Plan (DCP) from 2020 with a view to removing any inconsistencies and to facilitate good outcomes for our community.

Whether the LEP is reviewed or replaced altogether with an updated version remains to be seen and will depend on Council finances in the near future.

“That will come down to where Council can find money from because money is extremely tight,” Cr Matters told The Bugle, expressing her personal opinions on the matter. “But at least we've brought it to the fore because with all the other strategies in place - the employment lands, the housing strategy, the vegetation study and rural lands - unless they all overlap and intertwine, things will still be outdated.”

She added that Councillors

had been put in a situation where they had to vote against several submissions because “the LEP being outdated, left us with no choice at times”.

“We're short on housing so we can’t be restricting people on their own property if they comply with the new housing strategy or the urban strategy but it doesn't fit the box because of the outdated LEPthat doesn't make sense.

“They all have to be aligned for us to move forward.”

Cr Matters said there had been a 15-year period where there has been a lack of progress in the amount of housing in the LGA and Council is now under significant pressure from the NSW Government to accelerate supply.

“Council is now in a position, and so is the government, about rushing housing through when there's been 15 years of basically nothing in our area,” she said.

“What worries me is when you do it in a hurry, it becomes a little bit of hodgepodge here and there, whereas I don't want our community to become like that. I want all strategies to overlay and be aligned. If we don't have a guideline and a criteria for what we meet, there will be no control on how we expand

and how we still keep our rolling green hills.”

Kiama Mayor Cameron McDonald said CEO Jane Stroud and Council’s planning department will investigate what can be done to overhaul the LEP. “We've had the housing strategy, we're doing the employment land strategy, we're hoping to be looking at a rural land strategy later in the year - these are all putting blueprints around our LGA for future development, and not just now for the next 20 or 30 years.

“Rather than piecemeal adjustments, we've acknowledged as a group that we need to do a significant review of the LEP.

“With all these things, they come with the cost. As a community, we've got to update that document and it will involve significant community consultation to ensure that it is how we want to develop as a community for the next 20 or 30 years.”

Meanwhile, Kiama Council’s Minnamurra Waste and Recycling Depot was closed to public this week after experiencing an onsite sewerage system incident last Friday. New flooring has been laid inside the weighbridge building and the facility is set to reopen next week.

‘An hour later, she was gone’

Council putting its stamp on a fairer future?

Akuna Street and Caliope Street might have looked like just two more lines on last week’s meeting agenda, but Kiama Council’s decision for them both to proceed marks a quiet turning point for our community and its future.

128% rise in regional voluntary assisted dying

Agrieving daughter from the Kiama LGA has shared her final moments with her mother, who completed the voluntary assisted dying (VAD) process last year.

“The family had a lovely last day together, and my mum was in very good spirits considering everything — smiling and engaging, even laughing at times,” she recalls.

“It was pre-decided by my mum that we would hug and say goodbye and then leave less than an hour before the VAD took place.”

At that point, her mum was given a sedative before the final procedure was completed.

“It was quite odd to see her alive and chatting, and then to know that less than an hour later she was gone,” she says.

“The doctor came to the house afterwards and asked if we’d like to go back and see her. It was very confronting and sad, but she looked very peaceful, and it did provide some closure.”

She believes much about the process is misunderstood — and that she had to set aside her own beliefs to support the wishes of her mother, who had cancer.

“My late father, who was very religious, believed very strongly that VAD was against God’s law and that only God could decide such things,” she says. “I did have mixed feelings about it.”

Seeing the experience up close has changed her perception, particularly in response to criticism that death is being made too “easy”.

For her mother, the process involved a series of doctors’ visits, and multiple doctors had to assess her eligibility.

The family were told that if their mum fell into a coma, the procedure could not go ahead. “She must be able to say yes, even if it’s a nod or a thumbs up,” she recalls.

“One of the things I’m grateful for is that my mother, while in a lot of pain, went on her own terms and in her own time, with everything sorted out for her family and before things became too awful for her.”

VAD has been legal in NSW since 28 November 2023.

According to data from the NSW Voluntary Assisted Dying Board, 2295 people in the state made a first request in the 12 months between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025 and 2146 people had a first assessment, with 1028 patients completing the process.

Of those who had a first assessment, the most common age bracket was 70–79 (33.5 per cent), with only 0.2 per cent in the youngest age bracket (18–29).

In Regional NSW, 1449 patients had a first assessment

for VAD during this period — a 128 per cent increase on data from the previous year.

Doctors across the state have expressed concerns about the VAD laws, primarily around the complexity of the legislation, pressure on the medical profession, and the potential for coercion.

Despite these concerns, many in the medical community support the framework as a compassionate option for patients experiencing extreme pain.

As of 30 June 2025, a total of 316 medical practitioners met the qualifications to provide VAD in NSW, according to the board’s second annual report.

A local medical practitioner told The Bugle it is vital that people in regional areas have access to end-of-life options. Despite offering VAD, they were unable to comment on the record.

There are concerns about potential backlash against medical practitioners from anti-VAD campaigners — similar to the backlash faced by abortion clinics.

Those who have watched a loved one die — either naturally or by choice — say stigma shuts down important conversations and adds to the pain of grieving families.

Grief coach and former lawyer Stephanie Duran specialises in supporting families through VAD, drawing on her own lifealtering experience. At 53, she was widowed when her

husband, Jeff, chose to end his life during the final stages of cancer.

“As someone who supported my husband Jeff in his decision to die with dignity, I understand how layered and complex this experience can be,” she told The Bugle.

“Assisted dying is not just a medical decision; it’s emotional, relational, spiritual and deeply human.”

In her new memoir, Because I Loved You, she chronicles the couple’s journey through terminal illness and Jeff’s end-of-life decision.

She believes the biggest misconception about VAD is that it is an easy way out.

“There is nothing easy about this decision. It is typically made after prolonged suffering and exhaustive treatment.”

Her advice to loved ones?

“There is no correct emotional response after assisted dying,” she says.

“Grief is deeply personal and often complicated by the circumstances. Beforehand, the countdown can feel surreal and traumatic. Afterwards, there can be societal judgement or silence. Just remember grief and relief can live together, side by side.”

Under the legislation, NSW Health is required to commence a review into the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act.

To submit feedback, visit health.nsw.gov.au/voluntaryassisted-dying

A Council long branded as anti-development is now, cautiously, putting its stamp on growth. For years, Akuna Street has been shorthand for everything locals feared about overdevelopment, height, bulk and developers trying to remake the town centre for scale the community were not prepared for and did not support. The 14-storey proposal at the carpark site has become a veritable lightning rod, prompting legal manoeuvres, community outrage and a council that is still seemingly in the dark as to what is happening.

Now, with that project declared State Significant and much of the final say shifted to Macquarie Street, Council’s recommendation to progress proposal for a smaller site to the south of the controversial carpark site is less a surrender than a strategic recalibration. By engaging with the process instead of stonewalling it, Councillors are signalling they would rather shape the inevitable than stage another symbolic, losing fight.

This is despite a 13% variation to the height limit and a 25% increase to floor space for the apartment building. Caliope Street tells a different, but complementary story: a green light for new homes in a town that has spent years agonising over a housing strategy it desperately needs

but struggles to embrace. The planning work already done for Kiama’s urban release and key catalyst sites and the recognition that Council must help meet state housing targets hangs over this decision. Endorsing Caliope to move forward is an admission that saying “no” to density in the centre and “no” to greenfield supply on the edges is no longer an option if locals want their kids to have somewhere to live.

The contrast with past terms is stark. Previous Councils often defined success by what they could stop: towers cut down to size, rezonings stalled, strategies sent back for another round of “community reassurance”.

This Council, by recommending Akuna and Caliope progress in the same week, is edging toward a different test: how to secure design quality, infrastructure and housing supply from developments that are coming anyway. That won’t silence critics who still see every crane as a crack in Kiama’s character.

And if our social media pages are anything to go by, there are a number of locals that are up in arms regarding last Tuesday’s decision and are expecting the four storeys at Akuna Street to become 14.

However, this cynicism distracts from the step change happening within Council and through parts of the community who see more housing as a positive move. Kiama is moving from a defensive politics of protection to a more mature politics of negotiation still protective but finally prepared to let some projects through the gate in return for a better, fairer town that is preparing for a future.

Slow Dough continues rapid rise

Danielle Woolage

“I’m so sorry, ladies. I have some bad news,” Slow Dough co-owner Lucy King tells the group who have just arrived at the seaside bakery for coffee.

“We’ve sold out of treats.”

It’s 11.30am on a Friday and there’s not a spare seat in the house. Only a handful of chocchip biscuits and focaccia slices topped with seasonal ingredients are left after a busy morning of trade.

When Lucy and her husband Richard opened the doors of their artisan bakery two years ago, this is exactly what they hoped to achieve - a community coming together to enjoy baked goods, coffee and each other’s company and empty shelves at the end of the day.

“Running a business is really hard work,” says Lucy.

“Our team works long hours, everyone’s on their feet all day, it’s very hot in the bakery.

“But one of the things that brings us all a lot of joy is when we get a spare minute to look out the window and catch moments where people are biting into their sweet treat.

“Seeing the happiness on their face makes all the hard work worth it.”

The couple, who moved from South Africa to Melbourne where they worked in high-powered corporate jobs, settled in Gerringong when Victoria’s borders were closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

While working from home, Richard, who has always loved baking, dabbled in making sourdough like many during the pandemic.

Soon they were baking loaves of sourdough out of

their garage and delivering to family and friends throughout the lockdown.

Demand was high and they eventually opened a shopfront in Kiama in early 2024.

“When we decided to leave our corporate careers and do this, it was not only because Richard enjoyed baking and making a really good product, but we saw the impact of coming together around good sourdough in our garage,” explains Lucy.

“Introducing neighbours to each other and the sense of community that was created in our garage was the reason we did this, ultimately everything we do comes back to that, bringing people together around good food.”

Such good food that Slow Dough was recently rated among the state’s top regional bakeries on popular websites Broadsheet and Delicious.

With word quickly spreading among food lovers, and Kiama already a popular destination for travellers and day trippers, the Kings found themselves busier than ever.

But an increase in customers brings with it new obstacles to overcome. Namely how much product to make to remain financially and environmentally sustainable while also ensuring local customers don’t miss out on their beloved bread.

Richard says knowing exactly how much to bake for each trading day “is the bane of my existence”.

“Getting the balance right is challenging,” says Richard. “There are so many factors to consider. It’s one of the hardest things to get right but I feel like we're getting it right more often now. But there are still days where we don't produce enough or have too much left over.”

The Kings use the highest

quality ingredients to produce their baked goods and with prices increasing across the board any leftover product is a financial hit.

“We use very expensive ingredients so we don't want to be throwing money down the drain,” says Richard.

“We go through up to 500 free range eggs and 40kg of butter each weekend,” adds Lucy.

“So when we sit down to plan our menu each week we look at not only what’s in season but also our production capacity to make sure we’re not putting undue pressure on our team of three bakers.”

“And we look at the weather,” says Richard. “Weather plays a huge role in getting the balance right of meeting customer demand.”

The pair are also mindful of their environmental footprint and each week send around 500 litres of kitchen waste and compostable customer packaging to feed a local permaculture garden in a partnership with The Passion Project.

Lucy and Richard, perfectionists at heart, are constantly striving to improve their products and sustainability, while ensuring local customers don’t miss out on bread or treats during peak times.

“One of the things we're really focusing on this year is creating more experiences for our local customers because we love that we have a consistent group of supporters who get joy out of picking up their bread and having a coffee and connecting with one another on the grass,” says Lucy.

The pair briefly considered throwing a birthday party at the seaside store to celebrate two years in business, but finding time in their busy

schedules proved difficult.

Then an opportunity arose to have local DJ Clay Comber host a Bread and Beats party on Valentines Day.

It was a way for the Kings to show their love for the local community who had wholeheartedly embraced them, their business and their ethos - a quality product, created sustainably, which brings people joy.

“We want to create experiences that give back to the community, and Bread and Beats was fantastic, we had so

many people turn out,” says Lucy.

They will hold another community event on 20 March, from 9-11am, in partnership with local artist Amy Kinzett.

The event is free and Amy will teach kids and adults how to create a masterpiece using just paper and glue.

For more information visit @amykinzett_art on Instagram and Facebook.

Local customers can also pre-order their bread and treats to make sure they don’t end up being one of the unlucky ones to miss out by visiting.slowdough.com.au.

Inside the YouTube trap: Experts share tips for protecting your kids.

YouTube logged out, you often miss out on a bunch of the built-in guardrails you’d get when they’re signed in. If you can, steer them to YouTube Kids or a supervised child setup.”

Even if your child is watching the kid’s version, don’t become complacent.

Emily Hanlon is a Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychologist and founder of The Playful Psychologist.

With her three young children, she doesn’t allow YouTube in her home unless it’s “completely supervised.”

In a follow-up to The Bugle’s report on the impact of the social media ban on regional teens, experts are warning about the “rabbit hole” of YouTube — and why it’s a lot darker than slime videos and kids unboxing Lego.

New data, released by the Australian research company Roy Morgan, has revealed YouTube viewing is nearuniversal among 6–13-yearolds across the country, with 89 per cent of this age group— an estimated 2.5 million— watching the streaming channel between AprilDecember 2025.

Gaming and animation are the leading video categories Australian kids are watching on YouTube, according to the Roy Morgan Young Australian Survey (YAS).

There’s also a gender divide. Boys are more likely to watch gaming and sport, while girls’ top-ranking categories are animals, fashion, and “unboxing” videos — usually featuring another child unboxing toys or products.

Although YouTube falls under Australia’s social media age restrictions, which means people under 16 are only permitted to access the YouTube Kids app, even parents can be tempted to side-step the rules.

“A lot of my little boy’s favourite shows aren’t available on [ the YouTube Kids app],” a local parent told The Bugle. “You find yourself

them log onto the adult app instead.”

YouTube creators generally make significantly more money posting content for general audiences, rather than content specifically designated as “made for kids”, because of regulations surrounding data collection and advertising for children’s content.

This means, some of your kid’s favourite programs — including ‘brain breaks’ which promote movement and meditation — might be available on ‘grown-up’ YouTube only, leaving parents in a dilemma.

It’s also not necessary to log in to watch the adult YouTube channel, which means the age of the user is hard to police.

The research from Roy Morgan has revealed the worrying impact of regular YouTube viewing. Among 10–13-year-olds, those who watched YouTube were more likely than those who didn’t to prefer computer games over playing outside, and to worry about war and terrorism.

Like adults, young people are not immune to doomscrolling – the compulsive, habitual and often unconscious act of endlessly scrolling negative social media content, even when it is distressing.

Toby Dagg is a Senior Executive with the eSafety Commissioner and has been a key player in the social media age ban conversation in Australia.

“There are harms faced

isn't a safe service by any means”, he told The Bugle.

“There is a ton of material on YouTube which is completely inappropriate for kids — violent, scary, sexually suggestive, graphic and threatening.”

On average, there are over 20 million videos uploaded daily to YouTube, according to data from the streaming service.

“Given the sheer volume of material uploaded every day, problems undoubtedly still plague YouTube, no matter how sophisticated their AI classifiers might be in detecting and removing violative content,” adds Dagg.

His worries are echoed by many experts and caregivers.

Jocelyn Brewer is a psychologist and founder of Digital Nutrition with a special interest in “cyberpsychology.” She has two rules for parents who want to keep their child safe on YouTube: no headphones for younger kids, and a “pause and show me” habit.

Parents should always be able to hear what their child is watching, and a child needs to feel empowered to press pause and question any scary or bullying content.

“It keeps things calm, makes it easier to block or adjust quickly, and keeps you in the loop without turning it into a daily fight,” says Brewer.

“If your kid is watching

“Even platforms designed for younger users can’t fully filter every recommendation,” she says.

“Autoplay, endless scroll, and algorithmic suggestions can mean kids spend far longer than intended on the app and encounter content beyond what parents choose. Assuming it’s ‘just cartoons’ they’re watching can lull families into a false sense of safety, and inappropriate material can still slip through.”

Her advice? Turn off autoplay, curate playlists, and have ongoing conversations about what kids are watching.

“Most importantly, join your child’s media experience rather than leaving them solo,” she says. “Co-viewing helps you contextualise content and model critical thinking around what they’re seeing.”

Get your gloves on to Clean Up South Coast on Sunday

Locals Councils are encouraging the community to take part in Clean Up Australia Day on Sunday.

This year’s national theme, Get Your Gloves On, encourages Australians to take practical action to improve the environment.

It’s a great opportunity to tidy up our natural spaces and help keep the South Coast looking beautiful.

Kiama Council will be providing waste collection services at registered Clean Up locations to support these activities.

Shellharbour City Mayor Chris Homer is urging the community to take their part.

“Caring for our natural areas is part of who we are in Shellharbour. Clean Up Australia Day is a chance for all of us to look after the beaches, bushland and waterways that define our city and support the wellbeing of our community,” he said.

“You don’t need to spend hours, but every bit of effort counts towards showing pride in our city and helps protect the places we enjoy.”

Shellharbour City Council is also supporting local volunteers. Anyone who joins a registered community clean up event listed on the Clean Up Australia Day website within the Shellharbour area will go into the draw to win one of three $50 Bunnings vouchers.

Getting involved is easy.

Registration is free and volunteers will receive a Clean Up kit with bags, gloves, and other useful supplies. Kits are available for individuals, families, and community groups. Businesses can also join in for a small fee to cover clean up materials.

These waste collection services are provided for community groups actively registered or engaged in organising Clean Up Australia Day activities. Household items are not eligible for disposal through these services.

To register your site or to join a group, visit the official Clean Up Australia Day website: https://register.cleanup. org.au/join-a-clean-up.

Revamped bistro proves a hit for Golf Club

Danielle Woolage

Emma Young is buzzing around the recently renovated Kiama Golf Club bistro, offering cheese platters, share plates and a glass of bubbles to a group of hungry (and thirsty) golfers.

The lucky bunch happened to walk into the club’s bistro at the end of a photo shoot to promote the club’s new menu and opening hours.

Rather than have the food go to waste Emma urges the group to dig in.

“You can be our Guinea pigs,” jokes the founder and former owner of beloved Kiama Downs coffee shop Stacks.

Emma is now bringing her cafe expertise to the golf club, with the bistro open from 6.30am for “grab and go” coffee, bacon and egg rolls, yoghurt and granola bowls.

It’s one of only a handful of licensed NSW venues open for the early morning brekky trade.

It’s a project Emma and golf club general manager David Rootham have been working on to coincide with the completion of stage one of the large-scale renovation.

Emma and her team have

created a menu to match the club’s refined new look.

The oak-lined walls, blackbutt timber fittings and crisp white tiles give the light-filled space warmth, while display cabinets filled with the Club’s historic golfing memorabilia provide a touch of nostalgia.

“We’ve got a great club, and so we want the menu and the service to be in line with that as well,” says Emma.

The Youngs successfully built up Stacks from scratch after moving to the area in 2018.

Their successful business was beloved by the local community but after Emma’s husband became so unwell his airway collapsed, the pair knew it was time to sell Stacks.

“It was quite a big thing with his health so we had to move on from Stacks at that point.

“I’ve been speaking to the golf club for a little while about the opportunity to introduce a cafe breakfast menu.

“So David got me onboard to help launch the space with a new menu and help train staff.

“It’s the first time a club's really opened for a cafe sort of style service, so it is a new

adjustment for members and the local community to get their head around.”

Now golfers can come in before their round and grab a coffee on the way out to the golf course.

“We want to focus on what cafes do well and that’s the grab and go sort of style.

“So everyone who’s coming to the golf course, they don't actually have to go to another space first for their coffee,” says Emma.

“They can come in, set up, get some nourishing food into their stomachs before they start their game.

“We’ve got lots of healthy options like poached eggs, boiled eggs, yoghurt and granola, fruit bowls, that can still be grab and go and the kitchen can make from 6.30am.”

The kitchen will then have table service from 8.30am and Emma is hopeful that the new menu and new opening hours will attract local residents looking for a relaxed breakfast option as well as golfers out in the course early.

“It’s opening up the golf club to a whole new market that they haven't tapped into yet.

“Then we’ve brought back the popular lunch and dinner

service with a revamped menu.

“There’s a new pizza section - everyone loves the pizzas here - and they’re made fresh each day.”

Emma’s role has included helping to redevelop and streamline the kitchen so staff can have a faster and higher service turnover. She has been working closely with the team to source the best suppliers, highest quality stock and ensure the catering staff and kitchen team are focused on “quality of the service as well and the products”.

“We also want to make sure in the coming weeks that everybody's aware of our new menu and opening hours,” says Emma.

“It’s such a beautiful spot to sit on the balcony and we want locals to come and enjoy what we have to offer.

“There are a lot of cafes in Kiama but a lot of them don't have a view like this, north facing where people can sit in the sun while enjoying their food.

“We want to really engage our community and make sure that the golf club is their first choice if they want to go out for breakfast, lunch or dinner.”

Why a Cedar sea change ticks all the boxes

Sealey

When William Shakespeare coined the term ‘sea change’ in his play The Tempest, he may not have imagined that it would become part of everyday vernacular.

sea change – noun; a striking change, as in appearance, often for the better.

• any major transformation or alteration.

• a transformation brought about by the sea

Many of us will have toyed with the idea of a sea change — for some it’s been part of a conscious decision-making process and for others it’s due to a significant life change.

One particular cohort that actively considers a sea change are those in or entering retirement. With myriad retirement options available in and around NSW, there is one option — a striking change that ticks all the boxes for the better.

Nestled within the coastal landscape of Kiama, Cedar on Collins offers more than just an exquisite location, stunning facilities and amenities and high-quality apartments, it is a place where connection is built and friendships are made.

“Moving house in one’s late

youth, and downsizing, is not for the faint-hearted,” one new resident shared.

“On arriving here, I was exhausted and felt overwhelmed. But I arrived at Cedar to a warm welcome and my front door wrapped in blue ribbon and with a large blue bow! It was such a lovely surprise and welcome.”

With 56 thoughtfully designed 1, 2 and 3-bedroom apartments Cedar on Collins offers contemporary, fresh spaces with a considered, spacious layout, together with tastefully appointed features and inviting living areas there is plenty for residents to enjoy.

“The light. The airiness. The quietness. How easy it is to clean.

“My proximity to all facilities, the welcoming garden on arrival home, the beautiful potted plants dotted around the paths and entrances … it’s wonderful,” another resident enthused.

It’s not just the property that enhances the experience of residents - the concierge team at Cedar on Collins are always a step ahead, providing a comfortable and tailored experience, and they are willing and able to provide assistance and meet requests wherever possible.

“Yes, we love it,” another couple shared. “The residents all initiated Friday evening drinks where people take their own food and drink.

And Cedar staff have organised a number of events such as Christmas lunch, film afternoons, morning teas, etc which are an ideal way to interact with other residents. Phone numbers have been exchanged and help provided to each other.”

There’s a lot to love about Cedar on Collins and the ease at which residents feel like they can move around, be themselves and make it their own has been a breath of fresh air for many. Just a short walk to the ocean front, minutes from shops, restaurants and cafés and the buzz of coastal village life, there’s so much on offer.

As one resident concludes: “We are now calling Cedar home. Our family and friends love what we have done [moving here] too. It’s so relaxing!”

Perhaps as you make your home at Cedar on Collins and watch the sun set from the roof-top gardens with newfound friends, you can raise a glass to Shakespeare and the Bard’s words ‘to unpathed waters, to undreamed shores.’

And just maybe your best days are yet to be written, and they might as well be at Cedar on Collins.

If you’ve been considering a sea change, our upcoming Open Day on 12 March is the perfect place to start. Register at cedarkiama.com.au.

Golden Valley reaches milestone with more on the horizon

Amilestone was reached this week for the Golden Valley land subdivision in Jamberoo with the first 10 lots being released for sale.

Siblings and business partners Jennifer Macquarie and Lawson Fredericks of Fountaindale Group are excited to be moving the project forward, having resolved multiple planning and servicing issues that held the project back for several years.

The development had been in the pipeline since 2017 but it was delayed by bureaucratic red tape.

Fountaindale reached a breakthrough last year after urging NSW Water and Housing Minister Rose Jackson to intervene in August to authorise the project to move ahead.

The civil construction works are currently in a tender process, with several local companies vying for the work.

The successful contractor will be appointed in March and construction of the 50lot subdivision will start in April.

Construction will be complete prior to the end of

the year, subject to reasonable weather.

Fountaindale has received strong inquiry in these homesites due to their generous size (800m2 each), the outlook over green rolling hills and the location in one of the Illawarra’s most loved rural villages.

The price guide for the lots ranges from $895,000 to $995,000.

The remaining 40 lots will be offered for sale towards the end of this year when construction is complete, and by then prices are expected to breach the $1 million mark.

The Fredericks family have lived and farmed in Jamberoo for six generations, so this project is close to their heart.

“Having grown up in the village, attended school here and being part of the community, we know exactly why people desire to live here,” Lawson said.

“We can’t wait to see new families build their dream home at Golden Valley and embrace that same village lifestyle that we have been privileged to experience.”

While the first 50 lots are being constructed, Fountaindale will be pursuing the rezoning of the

adjacent parcel for further residential development.

This land was identified as a future new living area in Kiama Council’s recently adopted Housing Strategy.

The two stages together will enable approximately up to 120 new families to move to Jamberoo which, over time, will increase enrolments at the primary school and strengthen the viability of local businesses.

“Medical and pharmacy services have always been a tenuous proposal in Jamberoo due to the population size, and the increased demand from new families is needed to attract and retain these important services for the benefit of the whole village,” Jennifer said.

“Stage 2 of the Golden Valley development will also incorporate a new home for Jamberoo’s community preschool which experiences regular flooding in its current location.”

More information on the Golden Valley project and its current land release can be found at www. goldenvalleyjamberoo.com. au.

Please note - this is paid content

Reptiles bring smiles at local vet

John Stapleton

Between the cats, dogs and sad-looking rabbits are the snakes, skinks, turtles, lizards, rats, wild birds and reptiles of all kinds. Even geckos.

Who knew that the South Coast harboured a vet specialising in reptiles?

Well, one person who did was the representative for the wildlife rescue group WIRES, Jamberoo-based Hugh Marriott.

For the endless roll call of snakes and reptiles damaged by cars or rescued from neighbourhood backyards, he has relied for years on the services of Kiama Downs Veterinary Clinic’s Dr Amanda Brett.

Whether he’s carrying a

blue-tongue lizard hit by a passing car or an escaped pet Centralian python that people have found in their back shed, Hugh makes the trek to Kiama Downs several times a month.

While your stricken cat or ailing dog won’t be turned away, the clinic particularly specialises in exotic wildlife on Mondays and Fridays each week. Dr Amanda has a lifelong passion for reptiles, including her pet Cunningham’s skink, affectionately known as Pretzel. Their personalities are a subject of eternal fascination.

“Pretzel is a really friendly lizard,” she says. “He has really soulful eyes. He loves cuddles.”

Hugh is particularly fond of blue-tongue lizards, which are breeding at this time of year and a common visitor to his cages in Jamberoo, where injured wildlife can spend months before being released back into the wild. “They have a personality, most definitely,” he says. “They are amazing, really curious critters. And placid. They are normally chill. They are outstanding Illawarra residents. They take out snails, like strawberries and eat mice. They are an all-round addition to your garden.

“We are getting lots of baby blue-tongues at the moment. They are born alive and are independent at birth.”

For Amanda and Hugh, their fascination with reptiles began early in life.

“I have always liked the weird and wonderful,” Amanda says.

“I grew up around the Australian bush. I was catching lizards and snakes when I was young. My grandparents had a farm on Cambewarra Mountain.

“We are lucky in Australiawe have such a variety of really interesting creatures, and they deserve to be preserved.”

She says many of her customers bringing in reptiles became acquainted with them because of their children.

“One of the major things I have learnt is that when people first decide to get lizards as pets, usually for their kids, they then absolutely fall in love with them,” she says.

“The lizards like to sit and watch TV; they want to be part of the family.

“They will tap on the glass to be let out. They want to be out there with you.

“We grow up fearing reptiles; we are taught snakes are scary, but if you take the time to get to know them it will change the way you feel. They

have wonderful personalities and make great pets.”

Hugh agrees. “The main thing to remember is reptiles are not out to get you.”

That said, if you find an unwelcome visitor in your backyard, he advises to steer clear and ring WIRES.

Most lizards can be cheerfully left to their own devices. But if you really have a blue-tongue you want rid of, give them a call. Don’t kill them. Snakes, too, are active at this time of year.

“As we move into the cooler weather snakes are looking around for somewhere to spend the winter, and building up on food.”

While diamond pythons, native to the Illawarra, are not venomous, others can be deadly or make you very sick. Of particular concern are redbellied black snakes, which can be lethal.

But there are others to be avoided, including goldencrowned snakes and smalleyed snakes.

To contact Hugh directly, phone 0401 394 444. Known as the Snake Catcher of Jamberoo, he is also the reptile coordinator for WIRES for the Illawarra.

For any other wildlife rescue, ring WIRES on 1300 094 737.

Bomaderry gets significant housing boost

More than 60 people are moving into a new 39-unit social and affordable housingcomplex in Bomaderry, marking a significant boost to local housing supply.

The development is close to Bomaderry Train Station and includes 25 social homes and 14 affordable units, ranging from studios to threebedroom apartments, with shared BBQ and play areas.

The project was funded through a $4.8 million NSW Government contribution via the Community Housing

Innovation Fund, supported by Southern Cross Housing, with land donated by Shoalhaven City Council. Southern Cross Housing will manage the complex.

The first residents include women over 55, a demographic at growing risk of homelessness.

The project is part of the state’s $6.6 billion social housing investment, expected to deliver 8,400 new homes across New South Wales.

Minister for the Illawarra and South Coast Ryan Park said the development would provide greater housing options for Shoalhaven.

Minister for Housing and

Homelessness Rose Jackson added: “Many of the new homes are going to women aged over 55, and that’s exactly who we need to be supporting.”

Southern Cross Housing CEO Alex Pontello described the project as “life changing for so many.”

Shoalhaven City Council Mayor Patricia White highlighted the role local government can play in addressing housing shortages.

“Providing land is one of the levers we can pull, and I’m delighted this important step was taken and this project is now complete.”

Volunteer Grants return to support South Coast communities

Myah Garza

Community organisations across the South Coast are being encouraged to apply for a fresh round of Volunteer Grants, with funding now available to help support the region’s dedicated volunteers.

Federal Member for Gilmore Fiona Phillips has announced that Expressions of Interest are open for eligible not-for-profit groups that rely on volunteers, with grants ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 on offer.

The Volunteer Grants program is designed to reduce barriers to volunteering while boosting participation and awareness of local opportunities. Funding can be used for practical needs such as communication tools, insurance, training, small equipment purchases, fuel, background screening checks and other items that directly support volunteerrun activities.

Phillips said the program had already delivered tangible benefits to South Coast organisations.

“During the last round, 24 community organisations

across the South Coast shared in more than $65,000 funding to assist with things like purchasing small equipment items, fuel, training courses and background screening checks,” she said.

Among the 2024–25 recipients were the Batemans Bay Youth Foundation, Callala District Soccer Club, Gerringong & District Historical Society, Kiama Pipe Band, Milton Theatre Committee and the Ulladulla Blessing of the Fleet Festival.

“It’s fantastic that we were able to provide a boost for these 24 organisations, whether sporting, arts, social or cultural,” Mrs Phillips said.

“They may be small grants, but they can make a big difference to community groups by reducing barriers for volunteers and increasing participation.

“I’ll always back our wonderful volunteers that give back so much of their time and knowledge, and I will continue to support their work in assisting our South Coast communities.”

Local community groups interested in applying are encouraged to contact Mrs hillips’ office on 4423 1782 or email Fiona.Phillips.MP@ aph.gov.au for details on how to submit an Expression of Interest.

South Coast Native Title claim could carry national significance

ANative Title claim covering the NSW South Coast from southern Sydney to the Victorian border is edging closer to formal recognition, with local leaders gathering in Kiama and Gerringong last week to prepare for its impact.

The Kiarama Southeastern Seaboard Native Title Partnership Symposium, hosted by Kiama Council and the Gerringong Aboriginal Housing Corporation on February 18 and 19, brought together Traditional Custodians, councils, state agencies and Aboriginal organisations ahead of the pending South Coast Aboriginal Peoples’ consent determination.

Aboriginal Elder Uncle Stan Jarrett, the chair of the Kiarama Southeastern Seaboard Native Title Partnership Symposium, said the claim has been nearly

a decade in progress. “It goes back about eight, nearly nine years,” he said. “The claim’s just about to be rubber-stamped, probably about another year and a half, I reckon.

“It’s not an actual court decision – it is a consent determination.”

A consent determination means the NSW Government agrees to recognise Native Title rights without a contested court trial. Uncle Stan said the process had involved extensive genealogical research and years of negotiation.

“We had to go back and find all the lineages,” he said.

The claim spans coastal land and sea country from Bundeena in southern Sydney to the Victorian border, extending three nautical miles offshore – a component that could carry significant implications.

Kiama Councillor Stuart Larkins described it as “quite a significant Native Title claim”.

“It’s been on for some years. These things take a lot of time, and we’re probably still a couple more years away, but we’re getting closer to determination,” Cr Larkins said. “The biggest thing for government, whether it’s local, state or federal, is understanding what that claim is going to be and how that works, particularly for local government, which owns or manages Crown Land.”

He said the inclusion of sea country rights makes the claim especially important.

“One of the biggest things about this claim is that it not just focuses on traditional native title aspects, but it’s also about sea country,” he said.

“The big question for the last 30 years hasn’t been so much about land – it’s been about water rights … Once a determination is made on this claim, particularly around sea country, it could have national significance.”

He said the symposium was designed as an information and preparedness forum for councils along the coast.

“It was a great information day for local governments from Sutherland Shire to Bega Valley – all the councils in between,” he said. “A lot of people got a lot of great information about what a Native Title claim is and what implications it has for local governments.”

He said a key outcome was the beginning of a co-designed framework for how councils and Aboriginal communities will work together once the determination is made.

“Part of the aim was to start a dialogue with local government and the Aboriginal communities of the South Coast and to form a network of Native Title officers,” he said.

“We’ve started a framework of how government could work with Aboriginal communities up and down the coast. That’s going to be co-designed by councils and communities together.”

Uncle Stan said the framework would allow for place-specific relationships, acknowledging that Aboriginal communities along the coast are culturally diverse. “All the communities are different up and down the coast,” he said. “What we’re trying to do is provide a framework where they can initiate local relationships in their own areas.”

He noted that only three of a minimum of six councils represented at the forum indicated they had a Reconciliation Action Plan in place – which he found surprising.

“You’d think they’d all start a reconciliation action plan,” he said.

The symposium also addressed environmental concerns linked to sea country, including the decline of kelp forests along the Great Southern Reef due to sea urchin overpopulation.

Gerringong Gazette

Gerringong Lions

The Old and The New

It was a case welcoming the new and recognising the old at the most recent Gerringong Lions dinner meeting at The Blue Goose Cafe in Gerringong, Jenni Hill was inducted into the club. She has been in town for a few years and had attended a couple of meetings - her sponsor, Peter Jeffrey and induction officer Steve Pottie, officially welcomed her to the club.

Vice-president (and president elect for 2026-27) Terry Kirkpatrick presented long service certificates to a number of “older” Lions: Peter Jeffrey for 10 years; Ron Horner and Steve Pottie (15 years) and Karl Kunz and Dave Peade (20 years).

Another feather in the Gerringong Lions cap came when the club was announced as the host club for the 2027 N2 Zone Conference at Worrigee Sports Club.

The Zone covers Goulbourn, ACT and South Coast clubs. Gerringong secretary Peter Jeffries was

appointed as the co-ordinator of the conference.

Return and Earn has been a major success for the club. Initiated by Bruce Ray, the project has recently exceeded the milestone of 2 million items going into the Return and Earn machine at Michael Cronin Oval, earning $200,000 for Lions charities and other organisations while saving all those containers from landfill.

Tomra, the overseer of the scheme is planning a special visit to Gerringong to celebrate the milestone.

Four local youths would be attending the Outward Bound course, courtesy of the Gerringong Lions. Previous club stalwart and a current bottle and can collector, Ray Worboys was given a recliner chair, donated by the Lions. Ray hasn’t been enjoying the best of health in recent times and the chair will make his life a little easier.

The Lions Club of Gerringong brought energy and colour to the GLAM

Community Hub event at the Gerringong Library on the weekend, hosting a recruitment desk and providing a free community BBQ that proved extremely popular with attendees.

The event drew a crowd, with locals, regular supporters, and curious newcomers all stopping by to learn more about Lions.

Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern made an appearance, delighting attendees and adding a touch of global flair to the day.

Later, while tallying the proceeds from the free BBQ, volunteers discovered a lone NZ$5 note in the donation tin. While the Lions are not drawing any firm conclusions, they admit they now have a “short list of suspects”.

All proceeds from the BBQ have been donated directly to the Gerringong Library, supporting its ongoing programs and community services.

Gerringong Public School is having its 150th anniversary and I wanted to tell you the tale of one of the teachers from the Second World War era.

Helen McKinlay came to Gerringong on her first appointment from Sydney. Her parents were Scottish and she was an only child. She came to replace Eileen Agar, who came from a farming family south of Berry.

There were not very many places for a young teacher new to the district to rent at that time, so she did what most young teachers did in those days and boarded with a lovely couple, Alf and Sarah Cooper.

This couple had lived in Kangaroo Valley for all of their working lives. They had retired to Gerringong, living in one of the town’s original buildings.

They loved having Helen as a boarder both for the company and the help it gave them financially. Helen had

Miss McKinlay a lesson to us all

only one regret about her time with them and that was that she did not record their stories of life in Kangaroo Valley.

She enjoyed her time at Gerringong PS and in the local district. One memory she had was of having dances with US servicemen. She said they were perfect gentlemen and boy could they dance. Even though they had to dance in combat boots she never had her toes trodden on.

She also remembered getting on a team bus from Gerringong Rugby League Club that was provided for supporters in a match against Berry.

Helen and my mother Elva hopped on (there was little petrol so going on any trip anywhere was a special treat) and went to Berry with the other supporters. Unfortunately, they were not invited back as they showed more interest in the shops than the big game!

After she left Gerringong she taught in a number of other schools but was forced to

give up her cherished career because she got married - imagine saying that to the female staff of Gerringong PS today!

She was my Godmother, and she would love to tell me stories of the good times she had teaching.

Helen told me that two grown-up men had sought her out specifically to tell that her teaching had made a big influence in their lives.

Later she lived in Penshurst and raised two children, Ina and Margaret, and many grandchildren as Mrs Helen Walker. She passed away in 2015 at the ripe old age of 94. Pictured above is her class at Gerringong in 1945. And what a lovely looking bunch of kids they are.

Is there anybody out there who can name any of the children? Any help would be appreciated.

I remember Helen as one of the loveliest human beings I ever met. I reckon those in Gerringong in 1945 who knew Miss McKinlay would agree.

Out and About with Gerringong Rotary

Stephanie Kemp

Anew member for Gerringong Sunrise Rotary

A new year and a new member: at one of our February meetings, Gerringong Sunrise was excited to induct a new member, Steve Simpson. He was formally welcomed by president Graham St Clair and received his certificate of membership and, most importantly, his barbecue apron.

If you would like to get involved or find out more

about Rotary’s projects, local and international, our meetings with visiting speakers and our social activities, please get in touch: secretarygerringongrotary@ gmail.com.

100 years of living and holidaying at Werri Beach

At the same meeting, Geoff Webb from the Gerringong and District Historical Society (GDHS) told us about the forthcoming Werri 100 Exhibition.

The inspiration for the project was the poster for the auction for the Werri Beach subdivision found in a drawer

at the local museum.

It took place on 30 January 1926 and 18 lots were sold for between 45 and 107 pounds. The original agents’ contracts books have been located at the State Library of NSW and are being lent for the exhibition.

The land was originally part of the Hindmarsh property and was then sold to James Muir Miller who executed the subdivision.

With the Depression and then World War II coming, it was over 20 years before all the blocks found owners and for a long time Werri was a separate village from Gerringong with

its own station, Omega, and shops.

Timber for building the new houses was delivered by train to Omega Station and then walked across the wetlands to where it was needed.

The Werri 100 project group put out the call to Werri Beach residents for memorabilia, photos and stories about their houses and the owners with a view to mounting a centenary exhibition.

This treasure trove of information is being digitised to become a permanent historical resource and a 200-page book is being

produced to support the exhibition. It will include local history and the stories of some of the Werri Beach families, like the Medenis family, who migrated from Latvia and set up the local vet practice and a Polish refugee who moved to the area and made the bricks and tiles for a number of the early houses until the council stopped him because he did not have a DA to operate a business from his property!

The main exhibition

at the Gerringong

but a particular focus will be the Weekend at Werri on 1819 April.

Chasing Northern Lights: The best places for Aurora adventures

There’s a reason the Northern Lights have long been one of nature’s most sought-after spectacles.

When charged particles from the sun slam into Earth’s upper atmosphere, they ignite majestic curtains of green, purple and red that dance across the polar night sky.

These lights, known as the Aurora Borealis, are a breathtaking reminder of our planet’s connection to the wider solar system.

Right now, we’re in the tail end of a period of elevated solar activity.

Our sun moves through an 11-year cycle of magnetic highs and lows, and the recent peak – sometimes called the “solar maximum” – occurred across 2024 and into 2025.

Although the sun has now passed that peak, strong solar flares and geomagnetic storms continue into 2026, meaning

aurora displays remain more vivid and frequent than usual.

Historically, this declining phase can still offer some of the best aurora opportunities before things quieten down later in the decade.

This elevated activity boosts your chances of seeing the lights, even sometimes at lower latitudes or during brief geomagnetic storms.

During strong solar events, charged particles push the auroral oval wider, lighting up skies that are usually too far south for viewing.

So where should you be planning your Aurora adventure?

Here are some of the top places around the world:

1. Troms?, Norway – Often dubbed the “Gateway to the Arctic,” Troms? sits well within the auroral zone. With a wide range of winter tours, easy access and frequent displays during the peak season (late

September–early April), it’s hard to beat.

2. Finnish & Swedish Lapland – Remote wilderness spots like Abisko and Inari offer dark skies and minimal light pollution, giving you stunning opportunities to catch the lights dancing overhead.

3. Iceland – With its dramatic landscapes and long nights, Iceland is a favourite for aurora chasers. Areas around the Westfjords and remote highlands offer especially clear, unobstructed views.

4. North America – Canada’s Northwest Territories (Yellowknife, Churchill) and Alaska (Fairbanks) are classic settings for aurora chasing, with dark skies and frequent activity well into the tail of the solar cycle.

5. Greenland – For those seeking less crowded skies and dramatic polar landscapes,

Best viewing usually comes in the heart of winter, between late autumn and early spring, when nights are longest and skies darkest.

Patience, clear skies and minimal light pollution are the keys to a truly spectacular show. And if you’re wondering whether this activity really lives up to the hype, ask our owner, Peta Godfrey.

She travelled to Norway in January and can personally attest to how magnificent the auroras are at present.

Why not pop into the office and ask her to show you some photos from her trip?

When you’re ready to plan your Aurora Adventure, Travel Focus Group can guide you to the best suited experience.

Call us on 02 4209 2044 to begin.

Please note - this is paid content

A number of artists set up their studios there, notably

Activities based at the Gerringong Progress Hall on Pacific Avenue will include a walking tour of the area with signs to point out key features and buildings and a sausage sizzle.

CMRI Gerringong elects new president

The 67th Annual General Meeting for Children’s Medical Research Institute Gerringong Committee was held at Gerringong Town Hall on 2 February.

After three years as president, Lucy Hill was congratulated for her hard work and commitment.

A new president, Brenda Davy, was elected and she will be well supported in her new role by vice-president Karen Forsyth.

Treasurer Sue Reid and assistant treasurer Rosalie Cronin were re-elected and will continue their roles with diligence and efficiency as always.

Secretary Cathie Bax and assistant secretary Rhonda Bailey were also re-elected and they will keep members informed and connected as always.

Two additional members on the executive team for 2026 are Sue Dmetreson and Lorraine Jolley. With such a long and successful history it was wonderful to have life members Margaret Weir OAM, Kate Quinn and Mena Sharpe at the meeting.

Margaret and Kate served, respectively, as president and treasurer for 30 years.

at the very first meeting of CMRI Gerringong back in 1959 when Dorothy Bailey was elected as the first president.

It will be another busy year for fundraising and socialising, cooking and hard work. Members were at the Community Expo last Saturday.

On Saturday, 28 March, Sydney artist and long-term supporter of CMRI, Robyn Ross will run a Charcoal Drawing Workshop at Gerringong Surf Club from 10am-3pm.

Tickets are $95 and this includes tuition, paper, charcoal and lunch. Tickets available from 2 March on Trybooking.

All the favourite events will be coming up:

Mother’s Day High Tea on 9 May

Bunnings BBQ & Bake Stall on 7 June

Jeans for Genes raffle & Trivia Night on 7 August

Raffle at Gerringong Bowling Club every Sunday night in September

Bombo Clothing Fashion Show on 17 October

Music Trivia Night on 14 November

Christmas Cake Stall on 5 December

Bunnings BBQ & Bake

Stall on 6 December

Keep track through the Gerringong Children’s Medical Research

Facebook page, The Bugle and posters around town. The generous support of the local community has allowed us to raise $2,337,098 since 1959. All of this money has funded groundbreaking research into childhood diseases.

R U OK?

Convoy asks South Coast to check in

Myah Garza

Abright yellow reminder is headed down Princes Highway, carrying a question it seems many could use to hear.

From 2–15 March, the R U OK? Conversation Convoy will wind its way through the South Coast, stopping in towns from Wollongong to Bungendore reminding others you don’t have to be an expert to ask someone if they’re OK –you just have to care.

The Convoy will stop in Wollongong on Monday (2 March), Nowra and Shellharbour on Tuesday, Kiama on Wednesday and Vincentia and Kiama again on Thursday.

“Checking in with someone isn’t a one-off moment; it’s about building trust and connection over time,” CEO Lachlan Searle said.

“By coming back to the South Coast, we want to acknowledge what communities have previously shared with us, see how they’re travelling, and continue to walk alongside them.”

The Conversation Convoy travels across regional Australia each year, meeting locals face-to-face at community events, schools, workplaces and organisations. There’s no lecture circuit – just a cuppa, a chat and

practical tips on how to have a meaningful conversation with someone who might be having tough times.

Community Ambassador Glenn Cotter, who lives in Bega and works in suicide prevention across the region, said the return visit sends a powerful message.

“R U OK? isn’t just about starting conversations, it’s about helping communities feel supported to keep having them, any day of the year,” Cotter said.

“Having the Convoy travel back through our region is a powerful reminder that these conversations matter and really do make a difference.”

This year’s South Coast route includes stops in Wollongong, Shellharbour, Kiama, Nowra, Milton, Batemans Bay, Moruya, Narooma, Bega, Bermagui and Bungendore.

Free public events along the way will offer a warm drink and practical tools to help locals feel more confident recognising when someone might be struggling and how

to respond.

As Searle said, sometimes people simply prefer to talk things through in person and learn what support services are available close to home.

“Locals know best,” he said.

“Through the Conversation Convoy we can better understand what people need, so our resources and programs continue to be practical and useful.”

The Convoy is part of R U OK?’s broader work in regional and rural communities, where connection can be a protective factor against suicide.

Research in the field of suicide prevention has long called attention to the importance of belonging and community – something R U OK? aims to strengthen by empowering everyday Australians to look out for their friends, family and workmates.

R U OK? Day itself will be held on 10 September 2026, but organisers stress the message applies every day of the year: Ask R U OK? Any Day – because a conversation could change a life.

For event details and free resources, visit ruok.org.au.

If you or someone you know needs support, Lifeline is available 24/7 on 13 11 14.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can contact 13YARN on 13 92 76 for free, confidential support.

Follow the music: Sounds of Jazz & Blues almost here

Myah Garza

The Kiama Sounds of Jazz & Blues weekend is right around the corner, with live music set to span across Kiama, Gerringong and Minamurra from March 6–8.

While the formal Kiama Jazz & Blues Festival program takes a pause this year, the music continues, with local venues independently hosting performances.

Kiama Council is supporting the event with a central gig guide and promotion, helping audiences map out their own music trail.

From intimate bar stages to wide open vineyard lawns, the region will once again provide a backdrop for smooth jazz, blues and eclectic live sets.

Audiences can move between venues, with a shuttle bus operating Friday to Sunday, sponsored by the Kiama Business Network.

At Crooked River Estate, music will take centre stage across Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 2pm to 5pm, offering a relaxed setting just outside town.

Sustainability and operations manager Joel Walsh said the vineyard’s

open spaces lend themselves naturally to live music.

“We’re aiming for a relaxed, casual atmosphere – that’s what we’re about day to day – but with a bit more liveliness for the festival,” Walsh said.

“With the lawn and the verandas, there’s space for people to stretch out, enjoy the music and maybe even have a bit of impromptu dancing.”

Saturday’s lineup includes Trombone Tone, a Kiamabased multi-instrumentalist known for building layered, full-band sounds live on stage, while Sunday sees Nowra-born four-piece The Golf Daddies bring their instrumental jazz-rock grooves to the vines.

“They’ve played here before and they’re South Coast locals,” Walsh said. “It’s great to have that local connection as part of the weekend.”

Local favourites Swamp Critters help launch the weekend at Yves on Friday night.

“It’s exciting that the business community and council have got behind the festival,” band member Kate Whitworth said. “It’s not only about musicians – it’s about that connection with the community we live in.”

Accessibility is also a major focus for the event.

Event sponsor Uniting Local Area Coordination has partnered with Kiama Council and organisers to map accessibility across participating venues.

Accessibility partner Bek McAlister said the information allows people with mobility needs to plan ahead, with venue details available online and accessible parking and toilets identified on Council’s Mobility Map.

Uniting has also helped develop a “sensory story” resource to support people with autism, intellectual disability and families with young children.

“A sensory story helps people understand what to expect,” McAlister said. “It explains the sounds, the crowds and the environment so people can plan ahead and feel comfortable participating.

“It’s about increasing local participation. Community events like this should be something everyone can enjoy.”

Whether following a favourite act or discovering a new venue, the weekend will be shaped by live music and local connection.

Add some colour to your life – Seniors Festival returns

Myah Garza

Kiama’s Seniors Festival is back from 2–15 March, and behind the scenes is a whole lot of community effort.

“At Kiama Council, we’re really honoured to celebrate our seniors,” said Community Development Coordinator Lance Barrie.

“We’ve run the Seniors Festival for many, many years now and always look forward to putting on events, activities, workshops and information sessions that promote wellbeing and connecting in community.”

This year’s theme, Live life in colour, encourages seniors to stay creative, connected and active – celebrating the experiences that have shaped them and the adventures still ahead.

The program is a collaboration between Council’s libraries, cultural development, community development and the Kiama Leisure Centre –along with a long list of local groups.

A highlight this year is the free live music and barbecue in Hindmarsh Park on 6 March, featuring the Alchemy Choir, Kiama Sing Australia and the Blowhole Buskers, with Rotary providing the barbecue.

“Come down to Hindmarsh Park, listen to some great music from local groups, enjoy the barbecue, and have a chat with friends and neighbours” Barrie said. No bookings required.

Creative workshops are also expected to fill quickly.

“Our art workshops are really popular amongst seniors –they often sell out,” he said.

Sketching in Nature, seascape painting and mixed media sessions all feature, alongside Yoga in the Park, tech help at the library and other activities designed to get people “out and about and really connecting with others.”

Barrie said the festival is also

about recognising the role older residents play in Kiama’s cultural life. “We’re fortunate here to have a really high volunteer rate and lots of community groups we enjoy working with. It’s a good opportunity to acknowledge their really important contribution.”

Most events require registration via Council’s website, and in recent years many have booked out – so organisers are encouraging people to get in early!

The NSW Seniors Festival is the largest celebration of older people in the Southern Hemisphere, recognising the contributions of people aged 60 and

over (50 and over for Aboriginal people and those with a lifelong disability).

Grab a brush, yoga mat, or just a coffee and celebrate seniors as a reminder of just how much they keep the South Coast’s spirit alive.

And if you think a local senior deserves extra recognition, Kiama MP Katelin McInerney is on the lookout for the unsung heroes of the community - who volunteer, lead, mentor, or just quietly make life better for everyone around them.

Categories cover everything from leadership and volunteering to sports, arts, heritage, community health and well-

being, and enriching the lives of other older residents.

“Our seniors touch lives in ways big and small," McInerney said.

"They don’t always seek the spotlight, so I’m asking friends, family, and neighbours to sing their praises. If someone you know has made a lasting impact, nominate them - let’s celebrate their contribution.”

Nominations are open for the NSW Seniors Festival Local Senior of the Year Awards and close at midday next Friday. Email kiama@parliament. nsw.gov.au for a nomination form.

Lime Building Group donates new rescue boat

Myah Garza

Lime Building Group is making waves in Kiama – this time, helping the local surf life saving club replace a 20-year-old rescue boat with a new life-saving vessel.

The donation from the local building firm has already been put to good use with the new Inflatable Rescue Boat (IRB) officially “christened” at Sunday’s nippers event.

The old boat, which had been in service for two decades, was worn and outdated.

Joel Stewart, founding director of Lime Building Group, was proud to support the community initiative.

"We’re fortunate to have such a passionate, talented and welcoming surf club

community.

“The work they do is crucial in keeping our beaches safe for both locals and the thousands of visitors we attract each year," Stewart said.

As a local business owner and a parent whose children enjoy Kiama’s beaches, Stewart felt it was important to give back to the community.

"I’m honoured to support the club so their volunteers and professionals can continue their vital work,” he said.

“Their previous IRB was in desperate need of an upgrade.

“We’re incredibly proud to play a small role in helping ensure our beaches are not only beautiful, but some of the safest on the coast."

Are you looking at waging the war on weeds?

Now is the perfect time to do so. We’ve had some decent rain, and the ground is really soft, which means pulling weeds can be relatively simple.

But if we let things go, we can end up with all sorts of problems. Take ornamental agapanthus, for example - if it goes to seed, it needs to be removed promptly before it becomes problematic and starts to germinate.

Another weed that can get out of hand is the cat’s ear. It looks similar to a dandelion, though there’s a difference: the cat’s ear has a branched stem, while a dandelion has a solitary stem.

Both have yellow, daisylike flowers. Once they start to seed, children often enjoy blowing on the seed heads, but this spreads the seeds into your lawn, leading to broadleaf weeds taking over if the lawn isn’t properly managed.

There are many weeds that need attention in our gardens, and allowing them to grow can quickly create serious problems. One example is the annual fleabane, also known as Canadian fleabane. It can grow to about a metre tall and produces flower heads that are ready to set seed.

If a plant snaps off when

Stewart emphasised the surf club’s central role for the local area.

"The surf club is such a cornerstone of this community. They give so much to our town, and supporting them is really an investment in the safety and future of our whole community."

His journey from growing up on a farm in Foxground to founding one of the South Coast’s most respected building firms reflects his commitment to local excellence and community.

Through both his professional work and civic engagement, Stewart continues to make a tangible difference in Kiama and beyond.

Waging the war on weeds

pulled from the ground, it can regenerate from the root system, so early control is essential. Remember: one year of seeding can lead to seven years of weeding.

Fleabane can produce up to 30,000 seeds per plant, making it critical to remove them before they reach this stage. Flatweeds are another common problem. They grow strong taproots and compete with your lawn.

Plantain is also a flatweed that can appear alongside others. The best way to control these is by maintaining a slightly higher lawn height — around 35 to 50 millimetres — which prevents flatweeds from competing. Selective herbicides can also help, but make sure you choose the right one for your lawn type, particularly for buffalo grass.

Manual removal is another effective option. Using a sharp knife or a small hand tool, you can remove weeds entirely, which is good for the environment and can be surprisingly relaxing.

Some annual weeds, like pitchforks or farmer’s friend (also called hitchhiker), spread easily because their seeds stick to clothing and get carried to other areas. Weeds are clever at dispersing themselves and often use us as their vehicle.

Ornamental plants such as

Men’s Shed Bugle stands newsmaking in two more towns

We now have two more fantastic Bugle news stands in the community made by the crafty fellows at the Kiama Men’s Shed.

If you drop by Khan's IGA in Gerringong or the Fredericks IGA in Jamberoo, you can pick up your weekly copy of The Bugle from one of these brilliantly designed custombuilt news stands.

Three long-serving members of the Shed –Greg Brown, Steve Dalton, and Eddie Lyon – were commissioned to design and build six custom news stands so that we can continue to spread the word about all the local news that matters.

Two of the news stands were recently placed in Kiama Shopping Village and another one on Terralong Street. Stay tuned for details of where the sixth one ends up.

The purpose of Kiama Men’s Shed is to promote the wellbeing of men within the community, to help

with camaraderie, social interaction and the swapping of ideas.

The 'Shed' has many members with differing professional and trade skills, all of which helps with the safe running and safe working environment.

The Kiama Men’s Shed continues to welcome new faces. Those interested in joining the team or seeing their work firsthand can make an in-person inquiry at the Shed at 20 Eddy Street to receive an application or log onto https:// kiamamensshed.com.

agapanthus or dietes can also become problematic if seed heads aren’t removed.

Dietes, for instance, form clumping, grass-like foliage that is low maintenance but still requires deadheading to prevent germination in mulch. The key to weed management is early action. Remove weeds before they flower, when they are still small “threads”.

You can hand-pull them or use chemical treatments.

Glyphosate 360 is a strong non-selective herbicide but must be used carefully to avoid harming desirable plants.

Softer options include pelarganic acid, which desiccates foliage without spreading through the plant. Trigger pack sprays and path weeders with pre-emergent chemicals can also prevent weeds from germinating in pathways, gaps, and around pavers. The next step is to prevent them from returning.

Mulching is essential. Apply mulch to moist soil to cover the weeded area, or consider sheet mulching by laying down layers of cardboard or newspaper topped with decorative mulch.

Regular observation is crucial.

With consistent effort, weed management becomes far easier, and your garden stays healthy and attractive.

what’s on?

WO-MAN-O-FEST

Thu 19 Feb- Wed 4 Mar

Old Fire Station Kiama

Exhibition with multiple artists displaying a range of art and jewellery

KISS Arts Festival

Fundraiser

Fri 27 Feb, 7pm-11pm

Kiama Surf Club

Fundraiser night of trivia, musical bingo, performance and surprises to support the KISS Arts Festival

Kiama Sevens

Sat 28 Feb, 7am-6pm Kiama Showground

44 teams competing, come for a great day of footy fun

Clash of Steel

Sat 28 Feb, from 6pm Unihall, University of Wollongong

Featuring trained fighters competing with real steel weapons inside a steel cage

NSW Seniors Festival

Mon 2 Mar- Sun 15 Mar

Multiple venues

Bringing together local community groups, activities, and events to support older residents

Family Fun Night

6 March 4:15pm to 5:45pm Kiama Public School.

Kiama Sounds of Jazz and Blues Weekend

Fri 6 Mar-Sun 8 Mar

Multiple venues

Local venues come alive with smooth jazz, soulful blues, and great vibes

The Robertson Show

Fri 6 Mar- Sat 7 Mar

Robertson Showground Country show celebrating community, tradition and the spirit of the Highlands

Sky, Earth, Water exhibition

Sat 7 Mar - Tue 14 Jun

Bundanon Art Museum

Explores Rosalie Gascoigne’s deep connection to the material landscape alongside Lorraine Connelly-Northey, Janet Fieldhouse and Glenda Nicholls

Gemtopia

Sat 7 Mar-Sun 8 Mar

Kiama Pavillion

Over 35 amazing stallholders with crystals and jewellery

Coos & Clay

Sun 8 Mar, 9:30am-12:30pm

Abergail Farm, Nowra

Meet highland cows and mould a clay cow sculpture

Blues Bash

Sun 8 Mar, 8pm

Kiama Bowling Club

Frank Sultana and his Horns Orchestra hit the road Open Day – Cedar On Collins

Thu 12 Mar, 9:30am-12:30pm Cedar On Collins, Kiama

Explore the living experience on offer to residents.

Coos & Colour

Sat 14 Mar, 9:30am-12:30pm

Abergail Farm Nowra

Meet highland cows and paint a cow on canvas

Ignite! The Perimenopause and Menopause Expo

Sun 15 Mar, 10am-3pm

Kiama Pavilion

Ignite your knowledge and embrace the changes happening during perimenopause and menopause

Expressive Art Retreat Fri 20 Mar- Sun 22 Mar Golden Ridge, Yellow Rock

Owls and opals shine

Kiama’s beloved Old Fire Station gallery has been taken over this month as WO-MAN-O-FEST brings a burst of color and high-end craft to the heart of town.

The exhibition was launched last Thursday night to an enthusiastic crowd, with guests

gathering to celebrate the unveiling of the new collection.

It was the perfect chance to meet the makers, enjoy the atmosphere, and celebrate the local creative scene.

The show is steered by curator and artist Auguste Blackman, son of the iconic

Charles Blackman, who has handpicked a stellar lineup of Illawarra-based talent to share the spotlight.

Kiama Creative Crafts Kiama Creative Crafts

Join us for a morning of socialisation and crafts

Every Monday Every Monday

9am-11:30am at kiama

Do you have what it takes to be a Zontian?

Join us for an inspiring Saturday morning conversation and discover how you can

Join us for an morning conversation can

Date & Time: 18 April | 11:30am

A major highlight of the exhibition is the inclusion of Harvey and Jules, who are showcasing a mesmerizing collection of polished Australian Boulder Opal jewellery.

Adding a whimsical touch to the gallery, Auguste has produced 45 bespoke owl paintings specifically for this Kiama run, ensuring the space is packed with as much personality as it is prestige.

Tuned In: KCR

Gerringong Community Expo

We had a wonderful time at the Gerringong Community Expo at Gerringong Library and Museum (GLaM) on Saturday, sharing the morning with more than 25 amazing local organisations.

The Expo was a welcoming space for everyone to wander, chat, and discover what’s happening across our community.

From gardening, craft and music groups to U3A, CWA, Probus, Lions and the Rural Fire Service, the sheer variety of groups on hand was a joyful reminder of how much our community offers — and of the many volunteers who keep local life buzzing behind the scenes.

We spent the morning talking with locals, hearing stories, and sharing what we do as a volunteer-run, not-for-profit community station.

“For us, being there is about listening first,” KCR’s Madeleine Scarfe said. “Community radio thrives when it grows out of real conversations and local voices.”

The morning had a happy, easygoing buzz. Families and residents of all ages lingered over a free pancake breakfast and sizzling sausages, swapping laughs, stories and tips for getting involved.

We captured some video of locals enjoying the fabulous Blowhole Buskers, plus a reel of photos from the day — you might just spot yourself having fun if you check out our Facebook page!

Sing Australia Kiama performed later in the morning and were joined by a very special guest - former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

We were sad to have

to leave before their performance, but loved hearing afterwards how magical the moment was for everyone who stayed. You can see the moment on Sing Australia Kiama’s Facebook page.

We’re grateful to the organisers for putting together such a welcoming, well-run event, and to everyone who stopped by to chat.

Audio from the Expo is now available as a podcast at kcr. org.au, and will also be broadcast on KCR this Saturday.

Moments like these remind us

why we do what we do — meeting people faceto-face, celebrating our community, and sharing the everyday stories that make life here so special. The event was made possible through funding from the Australian Library & Information Association’s Community Cohesion Programs grant.

Blow Your Bugle

Dear Editor,

I will reply to Stephen Cook's recent Letter to the Editor about Kiama not being kept beautiful.

When Minnamurra's Waste Facility (TIP) had reached its capacity, Council's Cleaning Services were then transferred there from Kiama township.

It was now under the supervision of Manager Tony Hardy (deceased) and Environmental/ Health Manager Paul Czulowski (retired).

As a prior employer of 10 years with Kiama Council (retired), 6 years

of those spent cleaning Parks, Reserves and Ovals. An example of my role was cleaning the Saddleback Mountain Lookout toilet every Tuesday.

Other toilets from Minnamurra, Kiama, Kiama Downs, Bombo, Kiama Rock Pool, Blow Hole, Coronation Park and Black Beach were cleaned by the cleaning team. Kiama Central was cleaned 7 days a week, 365 days a year without fail, sometimes extra services if required. It was run by a well organised management procedure and consisted of a great team effort.

The bus shelters were also cleaned monthly or when required earlier.

Illegal waste was collected, litter in reserves was picked up by foot and Council waste bins emptied.

The gardens were meticulously taken care of by Michael Dibley, a real credit to him. The sporting ovals and pavilion were also cleaned.

I was born and raised in Kiama, a small little seaside town which no longer has its clean and fresh look about it.

Rob Miller Kiama

Camping ain’t easy but it sure is fun

Carol Goddard

Over the six-week Christmas holiday period, many families with young children took off on a "much looked forward to" camping trip, hoping weather and good fortune would be kind to them.

We all know family relationships can be a delicate balancing act. Especially when planning an excursion.

Everyone right down to the lowly four-year-old has an opinion on where they want to go and what they want to do, so the planning stage for the trip will inevitably be loud and raucous, with the outcome hopefully being democratic.

Everyone gets their say. But then, making a decision for the family requires the utmost patience, diplomacy, and most of all, persuasive skills … and crossed fingers.

So just imagine a family of strong personalities, differing tastes and varied ages, making plans for a summer camping weekend together, in a remote bush setting.

No running water, no electricity, no pool or beach, lots of flies and scorchingly hot temperatures. Miraculously, everyone is In.

The Fam camp is a goer. What could possibly go wrong? With planning, and refined planning, what ensues is a ton of equipment and food and bevies and then more equipment, for a two-day odyssey.

There is no designated leader, as that would probably result in insubordination, and worse, insurrection. This is going to be a combined effort family weekend. Or that's what is planned. But sometimes, the

best laid plans ... The family between them has varied means of transport and accommodation for the trip, ranging from two caravans, to a ute complete with awning, pullout kitchen and swags, to a double mattress in the back of a 4WD.

Enough to comfortably accommodate the seven adults, two teens and 10-year-old.

They hope.Weather is always going to have a huge impact on what transpires while camping.

And so does the actual campsite, this one thankfully cleared, but crisp underfoot due to current severe drought conditions.

The campsite also has a formidable slope, which makes setting up fractious.

And tediously long.

Just as in the Old West movies of Hollywood, when the wagons heading to California protected themselves from attack by forming a circle, so too the family sets up its camp.

Wind direction, and where to access shade in these sultry conditions is critical.

As is the necessity for making lots of room for games to take place. Because there is no internet here, no reception and therefore no devices.

It's camping, which means bringing out the Finska, and Boules, and Archery and Golfsticks, and having good old fashioned fun.

She covers up in towels like a desert dweller and sits on a rock watching everyone else. Until, so hot, she braves the unknown and makes her way tentatively into the dam. There's a smell in the air, at first barely there, but then unmistakable.

Nothing takes place. Not a game is played.

The wind is so strong, and the heat so furnace-like from early in the morning that it's a case of just sitting around.

Interminably. And continually checking tent pegs and ropes.

This sitting around doesn't appeal. It's boring.

Camping is supposed to be fun, right?

No campfire can happen, it's a total fire ban.

It's too early for a beer

The teens are already edgy and therefore irritating to the adults and, all in all, things are beginning to look a little grim.The family live on the coast, and they all love the water.

They're not used to these harsh inland conditions.

They need to get out of this heat. There's a dam 25 minutes away, by 4WD through the bush.

The convoy sets off for relief from the heat which is way fiercer than what they're used to on the coast.

The dam looks spectacular from the road, so inviting. A seriously hot blustery wind is forming whitecaps on the water surface as they get closer.

Time to cool off. The water up close is pea green, with masses of weed and zero visibility. But it's wet and cool and soothing. Everyone in! Or almost everyone. One teen is suspicious of what may be in that water.

Ten-year-old takes off along the bank to investigate, excitedly returning to report a dead sheep and roo further along. Much consternation and comment.

And by this point in the afternoon, for the adults, much thirst, which means back to camp, for beer. Out come the cheese and bikkies, the chips, all manner of unhealthy, delicious nibbles. And the beer. That first cold fizzy sip on a very hot day after a 4WD adventure and swim in an isolated dam, there simply are no words.

Late afternoon waiting for the wind to drop and the heat to subside, there is much storytelling, lots of shenanigans involving a blow-up couch which becomes the target for unending divebombing hilarity, and much laughter.

Simple fun .

The grand finale: stargazing.

Lamps and torches are turned off.

The family look up from their camp chairs, and the now seriously deflated blow-up couch, and the awesomeness of all those twinkling stars, the revelation, the beauty, brings a silence. It is so quiet, so peaceful. The family will sleep well. Bacon and eggs for breakfast tomorrow, with very bad coffee.

Then the big pack-up. Was all the planning and the effort worth it? Hell yeah.

Agroup of Kiama players ventured south last week for the Ulladulla Summer Games and Seniors Tennis tournament.

All divisions were conducted on a round robin basis. This popular event attracted 215 players from all over the state and the ACT to the Ulladulla courts.

Local division one night comp player James Brown won the 60 men's singles and was pleased with his efforts.

Wilco Del Haas and Bob Morgan, both looking for some form, competed in the 75/80 men's doubles, finishing third.

Bob teamed up with David Graham the next day and performed in the 140 combined aged men's doubles against some seasoned pairings, mainly from Sydney.

They were both carrying injuries and after soldiering on through the heat, they will look for improvement at future events.

In the 100 combined men's doubles, Kiama coach Joe

Kiama veterans turn up the heat in Ulladulla

Moseley and club president Dave Lehman won the 100/110 men's combined doubles.

With five pairs in the event, the Kiama duo had some close matches but took out the event after winning all of their round robin matches.

David O'Keefe, who plays men's night comp for Oak Flats, and partner Rod Clarkson from Sydney were runners-up in the 120/130 doubles event.

Honours for the weekend go to Kiama Tennis Club secretary Steve Thurstan who took out two events, winning the 130 men's doubles with Sydney’s Craig Hunt and the 110 mixed doubles with Mel Bradley from Ulladulla.

There were some very high temperatures at the three-day event with players looking for some food and cool beverages at the end of each day at the well supplied sandwich and drink bar.

Ulladulla is the first seniors tournament of the country circuit for the year.

Gerroa delivers for windsurfing titles

Lleyton Hughes

Gerroa has once again lived up to its title as the spiritual home of windsurfing, with the 2026 Severne East Coast Titles finally crowning champions after a weeklong wait for the right conditions.

Following an earlier postponement and a nervous eye on the forecast, competitors were rewarded on Sunday when the longanticipated north-easterly filled in at 15–20 knots, sending shoulder-high sets marching into Seven Mile Beach.

“It was worth the wait,” local sailor James Hayward said. “When that NE kicked in, even though it was still a bit marginal at times, it gave us a proper window to run it. That’s all you need here.”

While winds across the weekend remained on the lighter side, Sunday’s weather

window allowed the NSW Wave Sailing Association to run a dynamic expression session format - a crowdpleasing shift from traditional heat draws.

All competitors first hit the water together, throwing down their best carving turns and aerial manoeuvres in an open expression session. From there, the top performers advanced to a final shootout to decide the champion.

In a spectacular finale, Logan Haggerston emerged with the 2026 Severne East Coast Title. Duncan Osborne finished second, with Laurie Menviel rounding out the podium in third. “Notably,” said Hayward. “Laurie Menviel’s podium finish further cemented her reputation for delivering a level of superb wave riding that rivals the very best in the field.”

In a fresh addition to the program, organisers also

introduced the East Coast Wave Rally - a high-energy format that quickly became a crowd favourite.

Sailors raced out through the break on their wave boards, rounded a buoy set offshore and charged back to the beach in a test of speed, timing and versatility.

Dean Hendrie took out the Wave Rally final, ahead of Haggerston in second and Matt C in third.

Hayward said the new format added another dimension.“It shows how wellrounded these sailors are,” he said. “You’re not just talking about surfing a wave - you’re talking about fitness, tactics and board handling. It brought a real buzz to the beach.”

Also running alongside the main competition was a youth training session and in a landmark moment for the association, several of the youngest “groms” caught their

first waves under the guidance of seasoned mentors.

“For me, that’s the best part of the weekend,” Hayward said. “Seeing the kids get their first proper rides out there - that’s how the sport keeps growing. There’s a real sense of passing it on.”

Whilst the event marked the grand finale of the 2025/26 NSWWSA season, Hayward also pointed out Gerroa’s ability to always have a community vibe.

“You’ve got elite sailors pushing through tough conditions, but you’ve also got families on the beach, mates catching up and kids getting involved,” he said. “That’s what makes Gerroa special. It’s high level, but it never loses that community feel.”

The NSWWSA extended its thanks to long-time supporters including local icon Natural Necessity Surf Shop and Severne.

Young gun steals spotlight at Shell Cove state qualifiers

Lleyton Hughes

The Links Shell Cove hosted some of the rising stars of women’s golf over the weekend at the final event of the Ford Women’s NSW Open Regional Qualifying Series.

The prestigious tournament is one of six regional qualifiers, giving professional and elite amateur golfers the chance to secure one of only two coveted spots in the NSW Open - one of Australia’s

premier women’s golf championships.

Just under 70 women competed in the tournament, including Kiama Golf Club member Sage Laird. Seventeen-year-old Victorian Amelia Harris emerged victorious.

Harris was exceptional across both days, carding rounds of 69 and 67 to finish eight-under par, claiming victory by two shots.

After her win, Harris said she was lost for words.

“I mean, it’s obviously super special for anyone, but I don’t have any words. Speechless,” she said.

At just 17, Harris played with composure beyond her years and closed out the second round with a blemishfree scorecard featuring five birdies.

“I just didn’t worry about the other girls, and I just believed in myself. I mean, it probably looked like I was a bit angry out there, but that’s just how I like to play - just doing

my own thing,” she said.

“Not much was running through my head, honestly. Just telling myself positive words and hoping I hit it straight.”

The victory earned Harris a place in the Women’s NSW Open, co-sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour and WPGA, where she will line up against world-class professionals. Typically unfazed, she is approaching the opportunity in the same manner.

“Same as this week - just play my own game. It’s a really good experience and I’m super excited, so I’ll just see how it goes.”

Korea’s Jeongmin Cho, who goes by Cecilia, finished second at six-under par, also securing a place in next week’s Women’s NSW Open.

“Congrats to Amelia, she played really solid. Yesterday she had one bogey in that wind, and today she was also solid. Good player coming up for Australia.”

Shellharbour Mayor Chris Homer said he was proud to host such a prestigious event.

“This is a proud moment for Shellharbour. Hosting an NSW Open qualifier puts our city and our course on show, and we’re thrilled to welcome players, visitors and fans to experience everything our region has to offer,” he said.

The Women’s NSW Open got under way at Wollongong Golf Club on Thursday, running until Sunday at the coastal course.

‘We’ve got teams on the waitlist’:

Fifth annual beach tag tournament the biggest one yet

Lleyton Hughes

Kiama Beach Tag is back bigger than ever in 2026 for its fifth year, with a full house of teams, a live music line-up and what organisers are calling a “once in a lifetime” opportunity for junior players.

The one-day beach tournament taking place on 7 March has grown from fewer than 40 teams to 72 this year - its biggest field yetwith waiting lists in multiple divisions.

Founder Keiron Duncan said the growth has exceeded even his expectations.

“We started with high 30s, maybe close to 40 teams, and now we’re at 72 and basically at capacity,” Duncan said.

“We’ve got about 13 or 14 teams on the wait list, but we just can’t run it across two days. With weather, tides and swell, it’s too risky, so we keep it to one big day.”

The tournament will feature nine divisions this year and features a full standalone women's division.

“The standalone women’s division is full with eight teams, which is awesome.”

The event will again feature an exhibition match with NRL and NRLW players and junior winners will also

Harbour take down Cavs

Lleyton Hughes

Shellharbour squeaked home by three wickets to beat Kiama in a South Coast cricket nail-biter at Scout Willoughby Oval on Saturday.

The loss puts Kiama’s hold on fourth spot in doubt heading into the final two rounds of the men’s firstgrade competition.

Cavaliers captain Jaya Hartgerink’s 30 and 37 from Niall Owers lifted the visitors to a modest total of 148 and the Harbour were cruising when they reached a hundred for the loss of just two wickets with Oran Pattison making 50. But they lost 5-41 before Jim Glazbrook’s unbeaten 31 got them home to claim outright second on the ladder.

North Nowra Cambewarra kept their finals hopes alive by upsetting Bay and Basin by 103 runs at Bernie Regan Sportsground.

Hyeon Parsons belted 61 off 47 and Samuel Neri (49) and captain Nathan Thomas (48) also did well as they amassed 244. The Dolphins’ top order crumbled to be 4-59 and they were never in the hunt with

Cooper Bramley, Parsons and Blake Horton taking three wickets each.

Lake are certain to finish with the minor premiership after Ryan Maguire’s 67-ball 100 and Jake O’Connell’s 53 propelled them to 7-282 against Oak Flats.

Despite half-centuries to skipper Jack Bennett (51) and all-rounder Zaied Bin Khalid (59 not out), the Rats finished well short of their target on 7-198.

Ex Servos have leapt from last to eighth, consigning Albion Park to the wooden spooner spot with a six-wicket win at Hayden Drexel Oval.

The Eagles were bowled out for 161 and the home side chased it down within 30 overs thanks to opener Matthew Higham’s 57 and an unbeaten 38 from Kuldeep Singh rana.

Bomaderry thrashed Kookas 262-142 on the back of opener Luke Jones (67) and Riley Ingram (71) starring with the bat and new-ball duo Peter King (4-34) and Brad Cross (333) dominating for the Tigers.

This Saturday, Bomaderry are away to Bay and Basin, Lake host Shellharbour in

Also on the sidelines will be the increased food and market stalls and the return of the Australian Skin Cancer Foundation’s new screening bus, offering close to 100 free skin checks on the day.

Duncan shared the story of Australian rugby league star Emma Tonegato, who attended the event last year and underwent a routine check.

receive Rugby League World Cup tickets, along with what Duncan described as “a once in a lifetime opportunity”.

“We’re calling it that for now,” he said. “It’s going to be pretty special for the kids.”

The tournament’s $20,000 prize pool also remains a major drawcard.

Beyond the football, the event continues to evolve into a full community festival.

In conjunction with what was supposed to be the Jazz and Blues Festival weekend, organisers will open the bar on Kendalls Beach on Friday, 6 March from 4pm to 8pm, with local musician Ben Gunn performing live.

“With the jazz festival being called off, we thought it was a good opportunity to get some live music happening in town,” Duncan said.

Saturday will see DJ Clayton Zane playing throughout the day, while Kiama Leagues Club will host an after party featuring two DJs into the night.

“There’s plenty to do in town for everyone over the weekend,” Duncan said.

“It ended up being a melanoma,” Duncan said. “She had to take some weeks off footy at the time. Now she’s an ambassador for the foundation. So that’s a really important part of what we do.”

Community involvement remains central to the tournament’s identity, with Kiama Surf Life Saving Club providing beach patrol, Kiama Lions Club assisting with parking and waste management, and strong backing from local businesses.

For Duncan, who founded the event and has overseen all five editions, the secret to its success lies in its setting and spirit.

“The opportunity to play with your mates on the beach, have a swim between games and be in a great part of the world like Kiamathat’s what makes it special,” he said.

“There’s a really good positive energy around the tournament. People are trying to win, but they’re not overly caught up in it. It’s just as much about what’s happening off the field.”

a top-of-the-table tussle, Kookas face Kiama at Warilla, the Eagles fly south to North Nowra and Ex Servos head north to Oak Flats.

Ladder: Lake 97, Shellharbour 86, Bay and Basin 80, Kiama 76, North Nowra 69, Bomaderry 68, Rats 42, Ex Servos 37, Kookas 36, Park 34.

In the women’s competition, Shellharbour claimed their first win of the season with a 50-run upset over Oak Flats Ratatouilles.

Opening duo Tammie Croker (46) and Pamela Evans (41) blazed away to set up their total of 1-131 from their 20 overs before Oak Flats were restricted to 3-81.

Lake Illawarra won a thriller over Kiama in the battle for fourth spot in the penultimate round.

Lilly Willstrop smashed 36 in their total of 6-114 despite

Heartbreak for Cavettes as Kiama suffer a tough round of cricket

Lleyton Hughes

It was a tough weekend for Kiama Cricket, with all grades slumping to disappointing losses as the competition reaches its pointy end.

The weekend began with an achingly close match between the Cavettes and Lake Illawarra. Both teams sat fourth and fifth respectively on the ladder and were playing for a finals berth.

“Bowling first, the Cavettes started strongly, having the visitors 3-13,” said Kiama Cricket Club president Bernie Brown.

“Thanks to some accurate bowling from Emma Ford (316) and a great direct-hit runout from Ebony Winston.”

The only other wickets came via a run-out by Naomi Poole and a wicket from Winston herself, with Lake Illawarra finishing on 6-114 from their 20 overs.

“Kiama went into bat and another excellent innings from Ebony Winston (51 not out) set up the chase. Along with her opening partnership with Carolyn Perry (12), they looked to have the Cavettes on track,” Brown said.

“Emma Ford fell in the 16th over with the Cavettes on 95, needing 20 runs for victory.

Emma Timbs and Sharon Kelly fought hard in the face of some tight bowling but fell just four runs short in an exciting finish.”

there, and even a late collapse could not prevent them from taking the match.

“Veteran Dan Reilly (113) broke the 66-run stand, triggering a collapse that saw the home side lose 4-8, but it wasn’t enough. Mick Norris toiled as usual, taking 2-27, while Joe Burgess claimed 1-20,” Brown said.

Firsts will also play The Kookas at Oakleigh Park this week.

Second grade had the bye and will host the final two rounds against the top two teams, Gerringong and Lake Illawarra, to keep their finals hopes alive.

Third grade bowed out of the finals race with their loss to Jamberoo, but it wasn’t without cause for celebration.

“Welcoming back captain Dane Parnaby from injury, the Cavs started well, removing the dangerous top order thanks to a wonderful spell from Nick Webster (4-38),” Brown said.

“At 4-75, the Cavs were in a strong position to restrict the home side to a modest total. However, a dip in intensity allowed Jamberoo to post 195.” Parnaby and Steven Piper took two wickets each, while Geoff McIntyre claimed the other.

Emma Ford’s haul of 3-16 before opener Ebony Winston put the Cavettes within striking distance with her unbeaten 51.

But they finished just four runs short of the total to drop to fifth on the ladder with one round remaining.

Ex Servos (5-108) beat the Ratettes in the other game with Nakita Boatswain topscoring with 47 and Rebecca Carson bagging 3-12 for the Shoalhaven side.

This Friday, the Lakers lock horns with the Ratatouilles at Albion Oval, the Kookas are away to Kiama at the Sporting Complex, and Shellharbour meet Ex Servos and the Ratettes clash with Albion Park in the two Myimbarr fixtures.

Ladder: Kookas 48, Ratettes 30, Ratatouilles 28, Lake 28, Kiama 24, Ex Servos 20, Park 18, Harbour 8.

The Cavettes can still make the finals with a win over the undefeated Kookas this weekend at Oakleigh Park in their annual McGrath Pink Stumps Day Challenge.

First grade looked to maintain their strong endof-season form as they faced second-placed Shellharbour away from home.

“Batting first, the Cavs struggled to build meaningful partnerships, slumping to 6-70,” Brown said. “Before Niall Owers (37), with support from the tail, pushed the score to 148. Jaya Hartgerink (30) was the only other Cav to pass 30.”

Kiama began the second innings on fire, removing the top order quickly.

“Brad Ison (2-28) struck in his second over, removing one of the openers. Niall Owers then produced a direct-hit runout to leave Shellharbour 2-35 after 10 overs,” Brown said. However, Shellharbour put on a 66-run partnership from

With the bat, Brown was the only player to post a significant score, finishing unbeaten on 46 as Kiama were dismissed for 136. With their finals hopes dashed, they will play the Kookas away this week.

Fourth grade also suffered defeat, but there was something to smile about with bowler Giles Brown claiming a five-wicket haul.

“Fourth grade faced competition leaders Jamberoo. Jamberoo struggled early thanks to Kiama’s enforcer Giles Brown (5-26), who dismissed the top five,” Brown said.

Jamberoo were bowled out for 143 and Kiama had the target in sight, but unfortunately began in similar fashion.

“They lost their top five cheaply. Brett Nortje (58 not out) tried valiantly, striking six fours and three sixes with some lower-order support, but it wasn’t enough as Kiama were bowled out in the 30th over for 115.”

Fourth grade fall to third on the ladder but are all but assured of finals cricket. They travel to Albion Park this week.

JUNIOR CRICKET UNDER 13 GIRLS

Paul Suttor

Australian rugby royalty Glen Ella, Charlotte Caslick and Scott Bowen gave their seal of approval to the Kiama Rugby Sevens at the official launch heading into Saturday’s 54th annual event.

The current, in Caslick’s case, national star and two Wallabies blasts from the past were the keynote speakers at Kiama Leagues Club last Friday. They kept the rugby-loving crowd entertained with stories from their decorated playing careers.

Bowen represented Australia as a fly-half in the 1990s and is now the highperformance chief for the national women’s squads.

Ella is one third of the legendary brothers who formed a brilliant attacking combination for the Wallabies a decade earlier while Caslick’s career has unfortunately been interrupted by a broken ankle suffered last year.

The Olympic sevens gold medallist from the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro has not competed at the Kiama event but has been a few times as a spectator.

Caslick was thrilled that Kiama’s event features equal prizemoney for the champions in the women’s division.

“The domestic sevens tournaments were a really important part of growing our

Rugby royalty give Kiama Sevens seal of approval

squad in the lead-up to Rio,” she said. “It's nice to see Kiama still going strong. A few of them have dropped out.

“There are more and more opportunities for girls to play sport and women to keep competing. The more opportunities we give them to create depth within Australia, from grassroots to the elite level, is really important.”

While the national sevens squad is off to North America for the World Series, Caslick is undergoing rehab with a view to returning next season. Her goals are to get back in the Olympic squad for the next

Games in Los Angeles in 2028 and the 15-a-side format to represent the Wallaroos at the World Cup on home soil the following year.

Ella, who made his Test debut in 1982, used to love coming to Kiama with the famous Randwick teams during his playing career for what was then considered the unofficial start to the rugby season.

“We looked forward to it, coming down and throwing the ball around,” he said.

“And the good thing was that with the two grounds right next to the beach, you'd

play a game, you'd go straight in the water, have a swim and come back out.

“In those days you used to have a lot of international teams coming to Kiama to play. The standards of the games were really, really high.

“And they used to pick the Hong Kong sevens from this tournament so we’d be doing our best to make sure we got on that trip. I think I went there about eight times.”

The seven style of rugby, with an emphasis on attack in the open space created by 16 fewer players on the field, was ideal for the Ellas.

“It suited us, there's no doubt about that,” he recalled.

“It was always good winning and having a few beers afterwards.”

He has been coming to the event for the past couple of decades as a spectator and will be watching on from the sidelines this Saturday.

Bowen was coached at Southern Districts by Ella in the early 1990s and fondly remembers the pre-season trips to Kiama to dust off the summer cobwebs.

“We came here every year, that was the tradition within the Sydney teams,” he said.

“You'd come down and play to kick-start the season.

“In the last couple of years, some of the teams that have gone really well in the Shute Shield Cup, like Eastwood and Warringah, they've been pretty consistent performers at the Kiama Sevens.

“We could tell any youngster that’s playing sevens that it is only going to make you a better 15s player because of the microscope you're under with your skills.

“Because of the space when you miss a tackle, it's a try to the other team. A dropped ball or whatever it is, if you make an error it’s a game of high consequence if you're not skilful.”

Bowen laughed that a quick dip in the surf was the perfect way to cool off between games, as long as everyone made it back in time for the next game.

“Some of the days when the surf's out of control, when you were back on the field you were counting the players to make sure your 12 people all got back rather than being lost down in the water.”

The Kiama Sevens gets underway at Kiama Showground and the neighbouring Chittick Oval at 8am on Saturday with matches running throughout the day, culminating in the women’s final at 6.30pm and the premier men’s decider at 6.50pm.

Tickets are still available from kiamasevens.com.

UNDER 10 GIRLS