APRIL 2026

Meet Our Contributors Step into better foot health

Brad Chilby is local landscape and event photographer, passionate about photographing the regions’ natural beauty, promoting the Illawarra region and sharing our rich history.

Dr Priya Goyal graduated from the University of Melbourne’s postgraduate program in 2019 following an undergraduate degree in Medical science from the Western Sydney University. She has special interests in Women’s and antenatal health, sexual health, LGBTQIA+ health, gender affirming care and has completed a Diploma in Children’s health. She grew up in Sydney and moved to the Illawarra in 2025 where she lives with her husband and baby.

Dr Helen Lewis is an environmental consultant who volunteers as convenor of Circular Plastics Illawarra, a network of passionate locals working to reduce, reuse and recycle plastics. She loves bushwalking, swimming and walking the neighbourhood with her Italian Greyhound looking for treats (the dog, that is).

Measles alert

Following the Illawarra Shoalhaven alert in March, here’s what you need to look for, by Dr Julie Blaze of Bulli Medical and Travel Vaccine Centre

Measles typically begins with a few days of high fever, cold-like symptoms, red watery eyes and a sore throat. Tiny white spots inside the mouth are an early clue. A red blotchy non-itchy rash then appears on the face and neck before spreading down to the feet. Around 32% of recent NSW cases also experienced gastro symptoms, such as diarrhoea. Complications can be serious – including pneumonia, encephalitis and in rare cases long-term neurological damage. Measles is one of the most contagious infections known. It spreads through respiratory droplets and can remain in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours. Covering your mouth when coughing and disinfecting surfaces helps prevent spread. Full protection requires two doses of the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps and rubella) at least four weeks apart.

Read the full article and sign up for the latest local news free to your inbox on Fridays at www.theillawarraflame.com.au

Khaled Assaad, the experienced podiatrist behind Platinum Sports Podiatry, is your go-to expert for all things foot and lower limb-related in the community. With a strong background in biomechanics and years of experience, Khaled provides high quality, personalised care tailored to your needs. He offers a wide range of services, including:

• Routine nail & skin care (incl home visits)

• Ingrown toenails & fungal treatments

• Children’s assessments

• Management of growth plate issues in kids

• Specialised care for adolescents & seniors

• Treatment of sports injuries

• Help with knee pain

• Tendinitis and nerve entrapments

• Custom orthotics for comfort and support Khaled is available from Mon-Sat, and home visits in Helensburgh. Book online

www.platinumsportspodiatry.com.au

02 4214 4293 | 0481 796 781 (if urgent/after hours)

Shop 1, Level 1, 338 Cemetery Rd, Helensburgh

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EDITORS Genevieve Swart, Marcus Craft

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COVER A Nine0Two Group coach and students, Burgh Healthy Hub. Photo: Anthony Warry

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DISCLAIMER: All content and images remain the property of The Illawarra Flame unless otherwise supplied. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission. Views expressed do not reflect those of the publishers.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: The publishers acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and their cultural and spiritual connection to this land. Their stories are written in the land and hold great significance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, from the mountains to the sea.

THE ILLAWARRA

KANE DOWNIE

Charity welcomes food truck

By Genevieve Swart

The launch of Need A Feed’s new food truck at Berkeley Neighbourhood Centre last month brought together an essential supply chain of supporters including the grocer who donates food, the lord mayor who supports the cause and the volunteers who cook, chat and serve delicious home-made meals.

“It’s a huge moment for Need a Feed,” said charity founder Shaz Harrison, expressing her gratitude to all those who helped fund-raise and finance Shellie the food truck.

“We’ve been dreaming about this day and working towards this day for nearly a year now …

“Our volunteers are just amazing. They’re the ones who make the food. They cook the beautiful vegie curry, they lift the boxes … and they love

Pub night raises $8k

By Marcus Craft

Helensburgh and district locals raised almost $8300 in two hours in a massive show of support for Glenbernie Orchard farmer Glenn Fahey.

Glenn was recently diagnosed with an advanced Grade 4 Glioblastoma brain tumour.

The fundraiser, hosted by Darkes Forest Volunteer Rural Fire Brigade and Helensburgh Hotel, was held on February 27 and drew more than 100 people. Funds go directly to the Faheys to help with Glenn’s ongoing medical expenses and care. The event included a visit from FRNSW, meat raffles, and a speech from Glenn’s daughter, Casey. Glenn did not attend due to his health.

A former brigade captain, Glenn served with Darkes Forest RFS for three decades. One of his mates and an organiser of the fundraiser, Peter Field, said: “I think it probably helped Glenn to know what the community thinks about him. He’s

people when they need it most. A massive thank you to Bill and Dave from Figtree Lions.”

Wollongong Lord Mayor Tania Brown opened the event, congratulating Shaz, her partner KP and all the volunteers. “I know that there’s going to be lots of breakfast and lunches being served to people who need it the most,” she said.

Shaz launched her charity 14 years ago at Berkeley Neighbourhood Centre with the help of centre manager Maria Di Carlo.

“Today is a full circle moment,” Shaz said, “because we’re back here at the centre and so, Maria, thank you … for believing, for opening the doors and now for welcoming us back and allowing this space to become our new headquarters. It means so much.”

The 2021 census recorded the median weekly household income in Berkeley as $1217 – less than half that of Helensburgh, Wollongong’s northernmost suburb, where it was $2490.

Maria said her centre is helping many people in need of basics, such as long-life milk. “With the cost of living, it’s so expensive – people are living cheque by cheque. By the time they pay rent and everything, there is not much left,” she said.

About 40 people gathered to enjoy a taste of Need A Feed’s vegetable curry, with all ingredients donated by Omar Matar, owner of family-run independent grocery store Woonona Fruit Basket.

To help, visit needafeed.org

done a lot for the RFS, and he’s given a lot over the years, and he’s a very nice, humble bloke.”

At GoFundMe.com, search for ‘Support Glenn through Grade 4 Glioblastoma treatment’. At time of writing, $28,850 of a $35K goal had been raised. You can also help by continuing to visit the orchard, buying fruit or cider from the farm shop or ordering online.

Visit www.darkes.com.au

Helensburgh

Julie York 0405 128 070

julie.york@helensburgh.rh.com.au

Olivia Calver Property Manager

Already a survivor: Reality TV star has shown resilience

By Tyneesha Williams

The Illawarra has a familiar face to cheer for this season of Channel 10’s Australian Survivor as vintage clothing reseller and Finbox cafe/surfshop worker Sally Foord takes on the ultimate social experiment.

The philosophy buff applied for the show last May, looking forward to a hands-on exploration of human nature. “I’m so excited to watch it, just to geek out on what a different version of myself I got to be – how I got to lie, deceive, and manipulate,” she says. “In the real world, you don’t want to do that – you don’t want to hurt or lie to the people you love – but out there, it’s your bread and butter.

“My background is in philosophy, sociology, anthropology ... Life is one big experiment and I think that’s what really drew me to Survivor – that I can put what I’ve learned about philosophy and human nature to the test.”

Sal grew up in Wollongong and began studying a bachelor of arts at UOW before moving to Western Australia in 2015, where she spent 10 years. Last year, while completing her masters in creative writing at Macquarie Uni, she applied for an extension on her assignments to make time to fill out a three-hour application for the show.

“I was just watching Survivor one night with my partner, Cal, and he was like, ‘You should apply, you’d probably get on’. And I just said, ‘I would, wouldn’t I?’”

Sal has been a dedicated viewer of Survivor since childhood. She and her little brother, Jacko, spent

hours watching the show, sometimes skipping school to watch past seasons together and routinely hosting watch parties with their friends and family.

She continued watching Survivor after Jacko died by suicide during the pandemic in 2020. Now their shared community will see her compete in his honour on the show that bonded them.

“I was actually saying to the producers, ‘My life now is about redeeming my brother ... I’m going on Survivor to prove to myself and my family that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” she says.

“I am stronger because Jack died. His death hasn’t destroyed my life; it’s made me more capable, and that’s my redemption’.

“And the producers said to me, ‘What would you say if we told you that the theme of this season is redemption?’ I didn’t know, and the whole room just went silent. It was a really electrifying moment.”

The audience will get to know Sal and Jacko throughout the season as she carries his memory into every challenge.

“I feel like it was meant to be in a way,” she said. “I don’t know if it was Jacko, my little guardian angel, just making miracles happen for me... but he has been doing that since he died. There’s been so many instances of this and this is just another one.”

Sal moved back to Wollongong in 2024 and has found support within local mental health circles, including with Talk2MeBro. “To come back here has just been so healing,” she says.

Lifeline offers 24/7 support on 13 11 14.

Siblings Sal and Jacko shared a love of the TV series. Photos supplied

‘This

looks like a better party’

Electrify Bulli launched in March with MPs, speeches and cake, writes Genevieve Swart

A family whose power bill is “$80 a month for everything and that includes charging the car” opened up their electrified home for the official launch of Electrify Bulli on Friday, March 13.

Jennifer Macey, husband Adam Hogan and their two teenage children live in a 1920s miners cottage at Bulli. The couple were early adopters, putting on a small solar system 15 years ago when such things were met with scepticism, Jennifer said.

“Now you look at all the rooftops on our street, and it’s almost every second, if not every third house, has solar panels,” she said.

“Our primary motivation was climate change. That’s been really important to us as a family – to look after the planet and reduce greenhouse gas emissions for our children.”

Over the years, they’ve replaced all gas appliances, including their stove, heater and hot-water system. Jennifer’s favourite switch was to reverse-cycle air-conditioning as there’s no need to ration it. “It honestly is guilt-free.

“The easiest one was probably the stove-top. We got one from Ikea for $700 – none of this is fancy, none of this is overly complicated. It’s all very achievable, but because we did it every two years, staggered it, that it made it more affordable.”

Their final big-ticket item was a home battery and the savings are now clear.

“We’ve probably saved $4000 just in petrol for the year – and we drive 25,000 kilometres. It’s crazy,” Jennifer said.

“Our house is like a working model of how easy it is to do. I’m encouraging everybody to do it.”

Jennifer’s neighbour, Greg Purvis, is convinced. His family are the first to sign up to the newly expanded Electrify 2515 Community Pilot, eager to electrify their hot-water system and kitchen stove.

“We just want to get off the gas,” said Greg, whose chief concern is cooking with gas gives off

pollutants linked to childhood asthma. “So that’s the big one, and also cost, because we can see at the moment, with the international situation, gas is going up in price.”

The power bill pain triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is still fresh but there’s hope that households won’t see a repeat during the war in the Middle East. And the reason is tied to why the Electrify 2515 pilot is expanding: the government’s Cheaper Home Batteries scheme.

For the local pilot, it means there’s no longer a need to subsidise home batteries, so funding can be redirected to a wider area. For the nation, the surge in solar storage is also pivotal, said Francis Vierboom, CEO of Rewiring Australia, the non-profit running the pilot.

“In 2022, the last time that gas prices spiked, all the gas-fired generation that provides electricity suddenly drove up prices, and that’s why all the electricity bills went up so much,” Francis said.

“This crisis is going to be different. We expect batteries are going to make a big difference and actually do a big job suppressing the price rises.”

About 20 people attended the Bulli launch, including Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Fremantle MP Josh Wilson, Cunningham MP Alison Byrnes and Rewiring’s chief scientist, Austinmer engineer Dr Saul Griffith, who shared a story about his new electric outrigger canoe and praised the community for “turning our world into the living laboratory to decarbonise”.

“I still feel in the fight against fossil fuels, we need to show that we’re throwing the best party,” he said. “This looks like a better party.”

The pilot has helped 100 homes in postcode 2515 to electrify since it began in late 2024. The goal is to convert 500 homes, all with smart energy management devices, supplying data to aid the clean energy shift across the country.

What locals think of new library

Wollongong City Council has received mixed feedback, writes Genevieve Swart

Residents of 2508 have shown great interest in plans for the new Helensburgh Community Centre and Library, with about 40 people attending a Let’s Talk session with Council staff on March 12.

Maddison and Khris Guru stopped by with their five-week-old baby and said they were keen for a new library to be built. “The new library would be awesome,”

Maddison said. “It’ll be nice to have more resources and amenities and space.”

“We’re big fans of libraries,” Khris said. “We want to see Helensburgh grow. We want the balance of a small town, but we are also excited that it is growing and changing.”

Charlie Truscott of Burgh Healthy Hub, said: “I think it’s going to be a wonderful library, but I just don’t think it services all the needs of the town. Obviously there’s not enough parking, and then people are concerned that it backs onto a fire zone.” She suggested a change to the flooring in the multi-purpose room, saying: “No one wants to do exercise on a carpet.”

Ross McLean, a structural design draftsman, said: “Basically, the concept is upside-down.” Ross said the library should be on the second floor so vibrations from activities like gymnastics don’t “disturb the peace”. He’d like to see the centre plus car parking over four blocks – the two empty blocks at 5355 Walker St, plus the two adjacent blocks where the current demountable library has stood for five decades. “Helensburgh businesses that we’ve spoken to at the chamber of commerce have all said, please help us solve the issue with parking in Helensburgh.”

encourage a bit more development in the area that it’s been calling out for, for almost half a century.”

Peter Sarlos, a retired architect and lawyer, had “a number of issues” with the design process. “The scheme was ill presented. There’s no scale. So there’s no way that the community was able to determine how big the spaces were and we’re still relying on little or no information that came from council. They are very jealous of the process. The number of car spaces would appear to be more or less suitable for a library, but they’re not suitable for what is termed a community hall.”

Georgina Coase, a Stanwell Park parent, liked the design. “I was surprised to see the community hall will fit over 200 people. I think that’s a reasonable size… The building itself – some people are going to love it, some people are not. It’s a very specific style. My main suggestion is, if they don’t want all the concrete walls graffitied within seconds, they could replicate some of the local artists’ murals. That would soften the building and prevent graffiti. Not every community gets a brand new community hall and library, so I feel pretty grateful. Things can always be bigger and better, but we’ve got to be realistic too.”

Jess Whittaker, a Ward 1 Greens councillor, backed the murals idea. “Using local artists to decorate concrete instead of graffiti artists is a great idea.” Once built, Jess thinks the new library centre will be “a real asset to the town”.

Paul de Bono, from Lake Macquarie, was part of the Helensburgh Land Pooling group that bought land in the town’s east decades ago and wants residential rezoning of the now conservation lots. He said: “I believe the new centre will be good for the town. There’s a lot of empty shops and it could help spruik the town’s commercial area, and

Dan Hayes, a Labor councillor, also liked the concept, describing it as “pretty good”, while acknowledging changes may be needed. “That’s what those plans being out for review is all about… but I’m pretty committed as this council to delivering a library and community centre.”

Overall, Neighbourhood Forum 1 convenor Warwick Erwin said the event was “constructive”.

Private in public

By Caroline Baum

What’s On

School holiday fun at your local library

@ Thirroul Library

8 April Glass Lantern Craft (ages 12-18) 2-3.30pm

10 April Twist & Tangle (ages 8-12) 10.30-11.30am

14 April Robotics workshop (ages 8-12) 10-12pm

16 April Storytime (ages 3+) 10.30-11.15am

@ Helensburgh Library

8 April Autumn Movie (ages 3+) 2-4pm

Two friends with an interest in art. More specifically, Australian art from the late 20th century. That is the simple genesis of POEM, a unique exhibition at Clifton School of Arts (CSA) from April 11 to 19 that showcases two local private collections, with works never shown in a public gallery until now.

“I hope this is the first of many shows in which local private collectors share their collections with us,” says CSA President David Roach, who admits that he was “astonished” by the quality of works being offered for the exhibition, which is a fundraiser for the building of the CSA’s muchneeded extension.

“It’s a who’s who of some of the finest abstract painters working in Australia.”

Artists include constructivist Godfrey Miller, abstract impressionist John Passmore, minimalist mark maker Ken Whisson, conceptual artist Robert McPherson and First Nations artist Judy Watson.

When lawyer John Morrissey and artist Jelle van den Berg met in the 1980s at a gallery opening in Sydney, they began a conversation that led to discovering their mutual enthusiasm for abstraction, for qualities of tonality and form rather than narrative. One as a collector, the other as a practitioner.  “Sometimes works came to us as a form of payment either for John’s legal advice, or in my case I would swap my own work with that of other artists,” says Jelle.

They often got to know the artists personally. And coincidentally, each of them moved to the northern Illawarra with their partners.

It has taken them months of fine-tuning to narrow down their selection for the CSA, Jelle says. “We wanted the paintings to have space to breathe.”

Many more works remain at home, suggesting that POEM might be the first in a series.

Visit artsclifton.org

14 April Robotics workshop (ages 8-12) 2-4pm

17 April Twist & Tangle (ages 8-12) 10.30-11.30am

Bulli Corner Quilters Exhibition and Sale Day 2 May 10am-4pm, Northern Illawarra Uniting Church, with raffle & refreshments. Gold coin entry.

North Illawarra Probus Club Meeting

14 April Guest speakers are Wollongong’s Citizens of the Year Teresa Tran OAM and H. Phong Le OAM. Woonona Bulli RSL at 10.30am, retirees welcome. Contact Shelley on 0418 218 959.

Above: Painting by Simon Blau. Below: Untitled by John Passmore

Exhibition 10–19 April 2026

Open Thursday to Sunday 10am – 3pm

Collection Abstraction POEM is an exhibition of selected abstract paintings from John Morrissey’s private collection; a shared curatorial exercise with Jelle van den Berg.

338 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Clifton

Karl Wiebke 'Lakes and Bridges' Oil on board 1988

Shoppers urge action on e-bikes

By Tyneesha Williams

A retired GP is calling for improved pedestrian safety after two near-misses with e-bike riders outside a Thirroul supermarket.

In a letter to Wollongong City Council, Helen Voysey asked that notices be issued in busy shopping areas, urging bike riders to dismount when passing through walkways.

“On the last occasion, there were two electrified motor bikes riding in close proximity to each other, neither being pedalled, both under motor control only. I stepped out of the IGA with my shopping, and nearly collided with the first bike, the second having to swerve to miss me, and in doing so nearly hit another shopper,” she wrote in a letter sent to all local councillors.

“Having had two hip replacements, and being a retired GP in my early 70s, I cannot afford to suffer an injury when simply doing my shopping.”

Other shoppers, including Denise Russell and Peter Needham, report similar incidents.

“You just lose your peace of mind,” Denise says. “Coming out of IGA here, you’re juggling your credit card and your shopping and everything, and there were two bikes coming quite fast towards me. Fortunately, I wasn’t injured, but it was terrifying.

“You’re walking in a pedestrian area. That should be quite a peaceful thing, and then all the time, you’re having to stay vigilant, or scared that something awful is going to happen.”

Under current NSW law, e-bikes are legal on public roads and shared paths only if they are “pedal-assist” models, with motors that cut out at a

maximum speed of 25km/h. Laws taking effect in August will lower motor power caps to 250W in line with the European EN15194 standard. Age restrictions for riders will be introduced and NSW Police will have powers to seize and crush non-compliant e-bikes.

The vehicles that concern Helen and Denise are not battery-assisted pedal bikes, but throttle-only devices that cannot be legally registered or insured.

With support from Northern Illawarra Residents Action Group (NIRAG), Helen is advocating to improve pedestrian safety on walkways, while NIRAG secretary Ross Dearden is calling for greater regulation of ebike registration and speed limits controlled by the state government.

Peter Needham, Helen Voysey, Ross Dearden and Denise Russell

Police tackle crime concerns

By Genevieve Swart

Northern suburbs residents reported two pressing problems at last month’s police forum at Tradies Helensburgh. One is relatively new: “gangs” of teenage e-bikers posing a threat to pedestrians and trespassing on properties. The other has been a source of sleepless nights for decades: noise on Lawrence Hargrave Drive’s “late-night raceway”.

The March 12 meeting attracted about 65 residents and was led by Wollongong’s police commander, Superintendent Karen Cook, who organised the event with Maryanne Stuart, the Member for Heathcote, to address local concerns.

Police presented statistics from the past 12 months, including a slide of All Crime by Sector, which showed just 3.6% occurred in Wollongong’s

northern area, compared with 38.3% in the central zone, 57.5% in the south and 0.6% in the west. “Helensburgh is never going to be a 24/7 police station,” Supt Cook said, explaining cars are now mobile police stations. “It’s important for us to have police out in the road doing their job, responding to your calls for service and preventing crime.”

Several people reported late-night hooning on Lawrence Hargrave Drive, with a Stanwell Park resident saying: “The noise is unbearable.”

Maryanne Stuart thinks incidents may have been under-reported: “When we’ve got speedway racing happening along Lawrence Hargrave Drive, I want all of you to pick up the phone and ring 131 444.”

For emergencies, call 000.

L-R:

in Thirroul

See Side ptical

Call

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City honours top citizens

Genevieve Swart reports on February’s 2026 City of Wollongong Awards

2025’s Citizen of the Year Malika Reese set the precedent for song last year when she accepted the city’s top award. This year’s joint winners, Teresa Tran OAM and H. Phong Le OAM, embraced the challenge, ending the ceremony with an uplifting celebration of multicultural Australia.

“Teresa and Phong did a beautiful rendition of ‘I am, you are, we are Australian’ with their Vietnamese flavour, which was wonderful. Lots of goosebump moments,” Wollongong Lord Mayor Tania Brown said.

It’s been an incredible 40-year journey for the couple, from fleeing communist Vietnam to starting afresh in Wollongong, to standing before a crowd of award-winning citizens, leading them in a patriotic ballad and being praised as “wonderful voices for diversity and inclusion” by the Lord Mayor. “We met in a refugee camp in Singapore 40 years ago,” Teresa said. “In the new country, with determination and courage, we make a promise to ourselves because of what we went through – we must make a positive contribution.”

The title of senior citizen of the year went to Judith Henderson, patron and co-founder of International Women’s Day Illawarra, and a champion of programs for women and girls.

Judith said she was “bowled over” and reminded of a word Bishop Desmond Tutu, the late South African human rights activist, once taught her: ubuntu. “It means every person you meet becomes a part of you, and you become a part of them. And that’s how I feel about these sorts of things.”

Young citizen of the year Fatima Al Taleb was awarded for her work on Keira High School’s Student Representative Council in creating a

garden and green space for students. “I was beyond excited and thrilled that I was nominated, first of all, as a finalist, let alone actually receiving the award. That was quite overwhelming,” Fatima said.

Symbio’s Jarrad Prangell won the sustainability and environmental achievement award for his conservation work in saving endangered frogs, flying thermal drones at night to map the locations of koalas and southern greater gliders, and working with the Local Aboriginal Land Council to teach young First Nations rangers how to use drones. “That’s been a lot of fun,” Jarrad said.

Ty Christopher won the innovation achievement award for his contribution to the clean energy transition, ranging from a four-decade career in industry to his current role as Energy Futures Network Director at UOW.

The 2026 diversity and inclusion award went to Green Connect Farm at Warrawong, a social enterprise known for providing jobs for young people and former refugees. Rob Battocchio, founder of the Wollongong Aquathon, received the Sports Achievement Award, while the arts and cultural achievement award went to Korimul Gang Show, the series of skits performed by scouts, guides and volunteers for the past 50 years.

Three people received the Lord Mayor’s Award: robotics mentors Andrew and Lyndell Clark, for their work in STEM education; and Diane Reid for community volunteering.

Six highly commended certificates were awarded to Dr Sharad Tamhane, Sama Sabbar, AJ Andrew Junior Rapana, FRC Team 5981 - Project Bucephalus, Angela Forrest and Better Births Illawarra (BBI), which turns 10 this year.

Photo: Tyneesha Williams

I’m genuinely honoured and grateful to be recognised as the Top Agent for Helensburgh, Stanwell Park and Stanwell Tops. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has trusted me to be part of their property journey — your support truly means the world to me. I’m excited to keep supporting our community and look forward to helping anyone considering a move in 2026.

Elle Ritson 0408 512 306 elle.ritson@raywhite.com The team at Transitus Legal is dedicated to helping you navigate your legal journey. We offer assistance in the following areas:

Honoured for service of a lifetime

By Genevieve Swart

A colourful Thirroul artist, a long-serving Landcare volunteer and a dedicated community activist are among this year’s Local Seniors of the Year. The Member for Heathcote, Maryanne Stuart, presented the awards at a special tea in March.

Judy Bourke, the president of Barracks Art Studios Thirroul, was honoured for her outstanding contribution to the arts.

“As a passionate visual artist, I am happy to promote a cultural activity that benefits me personally and contributes to the positive development of our community,” Judy said. “I am fortunate to be able to continue my professional practice of creating sculpture, printmaking, textiles and artist books at the Barracks Art Studios Thirroul with five other artists.”

Merilyn House was awarded for her “unwavering commitment to preserving our natural world”. She is most proud of what her Landcare group has achieved at Helensburgh Creek.

“We had our first workday there on 16 September 1993,” Merilyn said. “We cleared all the lantana and other weeds and planted trees supplied to us by Wollongong Council.

“Over the years we had a couple of setbacks. Horses being left there to graze on the grass and our plantings. Deer have also been a problem destroying many of the trees we planted.

“I received a compliment recently from a lady with children at the primary school. She thanked me for all the work there and said how much her

Trip to the Science Centre

By Year 6 student Jack Bernie

children enjoyed playing around the creek.”

Helensburgh’s Warwick Erwin was awarded for his “passionate advocacy at council meetings and dedicated leadership as convenor of Neighbourhood Forum 1”.

Warwick has led NF1 for a decade, running meetings, writing reports for this publication and corresponding council, forum members and government agencies. He’s proud of keeping residents informed, building relationships with council staff and sparking conversation.

“Because of reports in the Flame, the questions get asked,” Warwick said. “I’ve got the community talking. I’ve got the community asking questions. And sometimes I’ve got the community yelling and screaming at me. But they’re getting involved.”

In March, Scarborough Public School visited the Wollongong Science Centre. There were hands-on exhibits about the environment and sustainable energy, a speed challenge where you could throw a ball and measure how fast it travelled, and even a robotic dinosaur that we could control. We took part in a STEM challenge inspired by The Three Little Pigs. Each stage had different materials to design and build a house strong enough to protect their “pig” from powerful winds. Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 used Duplo. Years 3 and 4 used plastic straws and tape. Years 5 and 6 worked with paddle pop sticks and tape. Once built, our houses were tested using a fan, a hairdryer and even a leaf blower. A big thank you to the staff for making science so engaging and fun.

L to R: Warwick, Merilyn and Judy

Safe Sexual Health: Get Checked

By Dr Priya Goyal of Bulli Medical Practice

Can’t remember your last sexual health check? That’s your sign to book one. Looking after your sexual health is a normal, important part of wellbeing. Sexually transmissible infections (STIs) are more common than people realise and rates of chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and syphilis are on the rise. The good news is that most STIs are straightforward to test for, many are curable, and all are treatable.

Why Early Detection Matters

Left untreated, STIs can lead to serious health complications, including pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility and pregnancy complications. Many people with STIs feel well – which is why regular testing matters! Catching things early protects both you and your partners.

How

STIs Are Transmitted

STIs can be passed on through vaginal, anal or oral sex, and genital skin-to-skin contact. Transmission can also occur through sharing injecting equipment. Testing is for everyone

PARTNER CONTENT

Open Monday to Friday: 8am - 6pm Saturday: 8am - 12 noon

Full range of general practice services including women’s and men’s health, child and adolescent health, older adult health and nursing home visits, and specialised clinics including:

y Travel medicine - accredited Yellow Fever vaccination centre

y Skin cancer checks

who’s sexually active regardless of gender or the type of sex you’re having. Consider testing if you’ve had sex without a condom; have a new or multiple partners; share injecting equipment; are pregnant or planning a pregnancy; have symptoms – unusual discharge, pain when urinating, pain with sex, lumps or itchiness.

What to Expect at Your Appointment

Your GP may ask a few questions about the types of sex you’re having to make sure the right tests are offered. Testing typically involves urine samples, blood tests and self-collected swabs. Everything is confidential and you can decline any question or examination at any time.

Staying Protected

Condoms are effective in reducing transmission. Vaccines for hepatitis B and HPV offer added protection. For those at higher risk of HIV, preventative medications like PrEP and PEP are available. Talk to your GP – we’re here to help.

Book online* via the website: www.bullimedicalpractice.com.au or scan QR code:

*Please call 4284 4622 for an appointment if you have any respiratory symptoms 74

New digs for possums

By Jennifer Kay, a volunteer rescuer with WIRES Illawarra

Hot days can cause problems for our wildlife who cannot always find suitable trees for shelter. Many animals are forced to shelter in nooks and crannies of houses and buildings. Hot roofs, particularly corrugated iron, are not suitable for animals.

WIRES attended many rescues over the holiday season for heat-stressed possums who had been residing in unsuitable locations. These possums, weak and severely dehydrated, required days in care, receiving hydration and rest to regain their strength.

Fortunately for the possums, WIRES Illawarra, has an enthusiastic supporter who generously donates his time to help possums find new digs!

Meet arborist George Wilkinson, who spent many hours installing possum boxes as new homes for possums. This was possible with materials donated by Bunnings, and skilful construction by members of local Men’s Sheds, who supplied possum boxes for free, ready to be installed.

Do you have a possum residing in your roof? It is illegal and inhumane to trap and/or relocate possums. Removing them from their area and releasing them elsewhere, even into suitable habitat such as bushland, is a death sentence for this territorial species. Advice must be sought from licensed authorities, such as WIRES, and removal and relocation undertaken as a last resort. Contact the WIRES Rescue Office on 1300 094 737 if you have possums in your home and wish to request a possum box and help with humane relocation. This is a free service.

Become a possum protector

The Illawarra is home to several species of possums but the two you are most likely to encounter are the

Safe inside a ‘catio

By Genevieve Swart

While politicians consider how best to contain the serial killers of wildlife stalking suburban streets, a 75-year-old Wollongong woman has found a quick fix. It’s a patio for cats, aka a catio.

Gerri Wood owns a rescue cat named Abbie. Because Gerri has spent much of her life building and maintaining habitat for native animals, birds and insects, her companion was always destined to be an indoor cat.

Eastern Ringtail Possum and the Common Brushtail Possum. Both are nocturnal.

The challenges these possums face, such as habitat loss and urbanisation, make it crucial for us to step in as protectors of their well-being. You can help support possum conservation by providing artificial homes and advocating for habitat preservation. It is important to take care of our wildlife, who take care of us, because they play a vital role in the ecological and biological processes that are essential to life.

Visit www.wires.org.au/wires-news/possumin-your-roof-heres-how-to-help

thing which is small and moves,” Gerri said. “I also know that my cat is not street savvy and has no understanding of the dangers she would face outside my gate.”

Gerri commissioned an enclosure of see-through netting to cover her courtyard and gate.

Her provider, Chris Hawes of Alcatraz Cat Enclosures, said his custom-made service is in “high demand” as councils are introducing cat containment policies. “We’ve been operating for seven years and service the Sydney metropolitan area and beyond,” Chris said.

“My cat is sweet and loveable, but her natural instinct is to hunt and torment or maim any living

Greens councillor Deidre Stuart said, based on Threatened Species Hub numbers, Wollongong cats likely kill about five million creatures a year.

George installing a Brushtail Possum box

Beetling About

With Dr Chris Reid of the Australian Museum

Philagra parva is the common cuckoo spit insect in eastern Australia.

According to Simon Ingram in The Guardian, cuckoo-spit is named after the cuckoo because it appears in the UK spring at about the same time as migratory cuckoos. Birds, of course, don’t spit, they don’t seem to have saliva at all. So it’s just a ‘spit’ associated by time of appearance with a bird. It’s actually not even a ‘spit’, as the froth comes out of the tail end of the bug, not the mouth. So cuckoo-spit is quite inappropriate here but I’m unaware of any local names.

The UK version of cuckoo-spit is abundant in meadows, so that your legs can become quite wet with the stuff. Here I’ve only ever seen dribs and drabs, never an abundance.

But what is it? The froth is a protective coating made by the nymph (young) of a leaf hopper bug. In English the bug is called a spittlebug. Generally just one species of spittlebug occurs here – called Philagra parva. I’ve cleared away the froth of the left-hand blob (pictured at top of page) to reveal a

Frog of the Month

By Ewan Auld

L to R: Cuckoo spit in the back garden in Helensburgh and the insect inside, Philagra parva. Photos: Chris Reid

young adult, still soft and almost colourless from its skin change. This would normally stop producing the spittle, then dry out to a brown spittlebug with dark wing bands.

The biology of Philagra parva has not been studied in any detail, so I’m dependent on information about its relative in Europe, Philaenus spumarius. This European spittlebug has 16 different colour morphs, which have been subject to genetic studies trying to work out why. No such luck with ours, which doesn’t seem to vary.

The spit comes from the bug sticking its spiked mouth (remember that all bugs have spiked mouths) into the water-carrying tube of a plant (the xylem tube), not the sticky sap carrying phloem tube. Its a low nutrient watery diet, so the bug has to suck large amounts – but it uses the high water flow to make the froth. As the water is excreted at the tail end it is mixed with air and a self-produced foam-stabilising chemical so that the bubbles don’t instantly pop.

The froth makes a shelter from predators and from desiccation. All from having a poor diet.

Peron’s Tree frog (Pengilleyia peronii)

This large treefrog is easily recognisable by its cross-shaped pupils and grey-brown colouration, which often has emeraldgreen speckling. The species is quite common in the Illawarra, residing around streams and ponds, and often in suburban gardens with frog ponds. While they are usually in and around water sources, they become active after rainfall and will venture around bushland or backyards. I photographed this well-camouflaged frog after almost accidentally stepping on him while walking along a fire trail in Darkes Forest one rainy evening.

Nursery siblings nurture their nook

By Tyneesha Williams

Well-known Thirroul gardening shop The Niche Nursery is being reimagined. Since taking over the outlet about six months ago, siblings Rebekah and Matt McLean have been working to turn the space into a hub for gardeners.

“We just want gardeners to unite,” Rebekah says. “We really, really, really want to showcase and celebrate whatever other people have got to offer, as far as selling plants on consignment, running workshops … every conversation, everyone that comes in here is just so relevant, so uplifting.”

The budding partnership blends Matt’s hands-on expertise and Rebekah’s passion for education and community as a teacher by trade. Matt, a long-time arborist and landscaper, provides the “dirt under the nails” grit, Rebekah says.

“We have a great working relationship, and it’s interesting… It can be testing; we have different approaches sometimes, but we’re both very flexible and accommodating,” says Rebekah.

Proud descendants of the Awabakal people of Newcastle, Rebekah and her brother approach the nursery with respect for native plants and a responsibility to look after the natural environment. “We didn’t really know about our background until I was in my early 20s. The Awabakal community actually approached mum and I and said ‘Did you realise that your last name… your family is Aboriginal?’ We were just struck and like, ‘Well, what are we going to do about this?’,” Rebekah says. “We take our responsibility in this area from an Indigenous background perspective really quite seriously in the sense of being custodians, looking after the place.”

For over 10 years, the nursery on Lawrence Hargrave Drive was looked after by Russell Dixon, who respectfully passed the torch to the McLeans as it became difficult to upkeep. Rebekah is now reaching out to schools, hoping to establish work experience programs and gardening workshops on topics such as soil prep and worm farming.

Time to sing

Janice Creenaune meets Elana Stone, a full-time touring musician who finds time in her busy schedule to give back to the Northern Illawarra community through her joy of music and the pop-up ‘Earth, Wind and Choir’

Elana Stone bubbles in conversation, a pure delight, and resides locally, a talented star of the Australian music industry. It is clear she has an understanding of her own future, but she also understands the needs of others within the northern Illawarra community.

Elana moved to the northern Illawarra in 2017 from Sydney and decided she wanted to place her roots deep, meet others and combine her joy through music with others in the community. One way was to create the pop-up choir in Thirroul, with Luke Moseley, called Earth, Wind and Choir.

“I am still working a full-time music career as a band member for Missy Higgins and others, such as Josh Pyke, as well other jobs within the industry, (and being a mother of two young children) but the choir in Thirroul has become another avenue that enriches my life through music,” Elana said.

“I can see it works for many others within the choir, too. It does not seem to matter how our day has gone – the choir manages to lift us all higher. It is a remarkable feeling for us all.”

Held at the Thirroul Community Centre, choir meetings led by Elana provide the energy and a complete joy of music to enrich all-comers, no matter their experience or ambitions.

“This is a choir that many have been looking for because people of all generations just keep coming back,” Elana said. “It is a way of coming together in joyous harmony, but it has also become a friendship group twice a year.

“So many people love music but not all do it

forever. Work, family, childhood lessons discontinued, adult regrets – all feature. So, many jump at the chance to sing together, make connections and the opportunity to be vulnerable together. This does involve some risks because our noises are not always perfect, but as people engage in risks, there is also safety together. Some call it ‘exposure therapy’. We are not all trained musicians, but there is a joy that is created through music and singing together that is binding.”

Elana is traditionally trained through ANU (Australian National University) in the jazz school and credits her high school, Newtown High School of Performing Arts, with igniting that joy through music and performance. Piano, accordion, guitar and ukulele all feature in Elana’s musical expertise but her voice also features on stage and in choir.

It is hard not to feel the passion Elana exerts through her current choir creation. The joy is palpable and probably a reason for her longevity in a very competitive and changeable business in which only about 1% succeed.

Earth, Wind and Choir is open to all generations, with members ranging in age from 10 to 80. The $20 fee covers hire of the hall, public liability and administration and a small fee to the organisers and arrangers. “I am looking forward to term 2 of 2026 for our next hourly sessions of 8-10 weeks – Tuesday night, 7:30,” Elana said.

Elana Stone and Earth, Wind and Choir. Photos: Aristo Risi and Jarrad Seng

WHAT

THE INTEREST RATE RISE MEANS FOR THE 2508 & 2515 PROPERTY MARKET

On 17th March, The Reserve Bank of Australia increased the cash rate by 0.25% to 4.10%, as inflation and global energy pressures persist.

For homeowners, this means higher borrowing costs and continued pressure on household budgets.

Locally, across 2508 and 2515—including Stanwell Park, Helensburgh and Otford— we’re seeing a clear two-tier market.

Homes under $2 million remain in strong demand, particularly from buyers seeking a coastal lifestyle within commuting distance

lan Pepper 0403 570 041 Joshua Pepper 0437 790 052 ian.pepper@agencyhq.net.au joshua.pepper@agencyhq.net.au 9/17 Cemetery Road, Helensburgh

of Sydney. In contrast, properties above $2 million are seeing more cautious buyers, taking their time and focusing on value.

The market hasn’t stopped—but strategy, pricing and presentation are more important than ever. Our region continues to attract buyers drawn to its lifestyle, community and beauty—ensuring ongoing opportunity for buyers and sellers.

THUR 21 May

Creative Weaving

With Kath Mason

SAT 23 May

Printmaking

With Robert Ives

TUES + WED 26, 27 May

Collage and Mixed Media

With Elspeth McCombe

Info: cheryloconnor1@bigpond.com Artsclifton.org

Protecting the food chain

By Amanda De George

No one wants to come face to face with a mouse in the kitchen or have a rat run over their feet while having a quiet vino out the back (ask me how I know). But before you reach for the poison, here’s something to think about.

It’s a bit of a mouthful to say ‘‘second-generation anti-coagulants’’, so we’ll stick with SGARs.

Designed to kill rats and mice by preventing their blood from clotting, SGARs are also killing native wildlife and pets who either consume the baits or, in the case of our local owls, eat the poisoned rodents.

Snails and slugs, birds, lizards, possums, native rats, antechinus and even our four-legged friends who cannot resist a nibble on a forbidden substance are all at risk from primary poisoning.

Unlike first-generation anticoagulants (FGARs), SGARs are much more potent, long-lasting, and can remain in a poisoned animal’s body for weeks. When a predator or scavenger eats the dead or dying rodent – and death can take 5-10 days or even longer and the toxin can remain at dangerous levels even during decomposition – they are then at risk of being poisoned themselves.

This is secondary poisoning, and we’ve seen its consequences right across the food chain. Birds that regularly feed on rodents, such as kestrels, kites, currawongs and kookaburras are all at risk.

Owls are particularly vulnerable. As natural rodent hunters, they can consume multiple mice or rats in a single night. If those rodents have ingested SGARs, the owl receives repeated doses.

As someone living surrounded by bush, with our fair share of rodents and very regular visits from tawny frogmouths, boobooks and kookaburras, here is how we manage without poisons.

Apologies to our dogs, but we just can’t leave their food outside. That goes with human food too.

Make a bushfire plan

The RFS recommends it

Rats can squeeze through gaps as small as a 20-cent coin, so check for holes in walls and into the roof cavity and openings around pipes. A bit of steel wool and sealant can go a long way. This also works well to keep possums out of the roof cavity, where they always seem to party, at 2am, with boots on.

Of course, letting nature do its thing works a treat. Leaving trees in place, especially those with hollows, and adding possum and wildlife boxes will encourage visitors to form the local pest patrol.

And if things get out of hand, there are poison-free options. Humane catch-and-release traps and even snap traps work well and don’t affect the entire food chain.

Big news for birds

Last month BirdLife Australia announced a win in the campaign to remove SGARs from retail sale. The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority is now recommending a ban, but this still needs to be signed off by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

Autumn is a good time to plan for summer and make a bushfire risk management plan. Rural Fire Service group captain Craig Robertson said multiple agencies will be involved in hazard reductions over coming months. His message to residents is to prepare their properties: “Yes, we are going into winter but … it could be a dry winter. For the northern part of the Illawarra, it’s probably 2001 when we last had our big bushfire season up here. So we are aware that the growth and the fuels are there. It’s just probably a matter of time when that [next fire] happens.” Go to www.rfs.nsw.gov.au and download the free Hazards Near Me app

By Tyneesha Williams

What’s on at the Writers Centre

By Elizabeth Heffernan

Don’t miss the Vintage, Book & Art Bazaar at Coledale Community Hall this month!

Author talks in March

True tales to inspire

For two decades, Miss Zoe’s School of Dance has provided a space for Illawarra dancers to embrace the joy of movement without the pressure of competition. Founder Zoe McCarthy says she set up her school in a small community hall in Coniston in 2006 with a simple idea: a noncompetitive dance model.

“We really want to make sure that everyone feels happy and included and safe, and that’s the biggest message for us here at Miss Zoe’s … everyone is welcome,” Zoe said. “We’re a really inclusive, friendly, fun dance school. We don’t do any competitions or exams or eisteddfods or anything.”

Growing up in Jervis Bay, Zoe loved dancing.

“I had a beautiful teacher who was similar to me, so I felt very safe and included in class all the time, and that’s what I wanted to pass on to my students.”

From 10am to 2:30pm on Sunday, 26 April, immerse yourself in an indoor market full of rare retro finds, local artists and crafters, and vintage and indie books for sale from the South Coast Writers Centre! Last year’s stallholders ranged from tarot readers to vintage board game enthusiasts, ceramicists to paper artists and everything in-between. To be a stallholder, visit our website. Also coming up at the South Coast Writers Centre is Sydney Writers’ Festival Live & Local, on Friday 22 and Saturday 23 May. Enjoy livestreamed festival sessions direct from Sydney with some of the biggest names in literature right now, plus live on stage conversations with local authors.

Visit southcoastwriters.org

After moving to Wollongong for university, Zoe opened her own studio and studied psychology and primary teaching. Her studies informed her work as a dance teacher focused on the developmental and emotional benefits of dance.

Poet’s novel debut

By Tyneesha Williams

Last year, Miss Zoe’s School of Dance was recognised for the third consecutive year as a finalist in the champion performing arts category for the 2025 Australian Women’s Small Business Champion Awards. But Zoe says that the most rewarding feedback comes from students’ parents.

“It’s about the students who have maybe struggled, whether it be with their confidence or if they have a disability. When parents have come back and said, ‘we really appreciate how included they felt in class’,” she said.

Former students who grew up in the studio are now returning as adults, bringing their own children to experience the same supportive atmosphere they enjoyed.

This year, with classes in four locations, including Coledale, the school is looking forward to giving back, supporting the Cancer Council through Stars of Wollongong and Relay for Life.

“It’s been a fantastic journey,” Zoe said.

Visit www.misszoesschoolofdance.com.au

After a decade of success in the poetry scene, Courtney Peppernell is returning to her roots with debut fiction novel The Last Poem. “I always joke that it was my goal to write novels but then I got onto this side quest in poetry and I’ve kind of been there for the last decade,” she said. Courtney’s “side quest” began in the early days of Tumblr, sharing fan fiction and snippets of poetry. Then she put her Pillow Thoughts series on Amazon and it went viral, selling millions of copies. Last month Collins hosted a local launch for Courtney’s first novel. The Farmborough Heights author thanks her friends and family, particularly mum Fran Peppernell of Helensburgh Lions Club, for their support.

With the team at Collins Booksellers Thirroul

With the team at Collins Booksellers Thirroul Our events program really kicks off this month. More detailed information and registration for all events can be found on Humanitix or by calling the bookshop. Here’s an overview of what’s coming up:

• March 3: Courtney Peppernell – The Last Poem is the debut novel from this internationally bestselling poet

• March 7: Yvette Farmer

– Event for children 7 years+ launching Yvette’s new book Nature Knows

• March 14: Catherine Cole

– A French House – come Francophiles one and all

• March 17: Starre Vartan

To stimulate & inspire we have outstanding Non-Fiction Events this April, amongst them Jennifer Hamilton’s How to Weather Together and the muchanticipated Ruin of Magic from Kate Holden. On the 30th, Collins and South Coast Writers Centre co-present Environmental Hope and Heroes with Tim Flannery joining Sarah Hamylton and Natalie Kyriascou in conversation. This will be an exceptional event for environmental enthusiasts. Our Easter treat for tiny tots is on Tue 31st April, 10.30am Storytime with Ellie & Jerry the bunny. A book is the perfect way to balance out the chocolate. Happy reading!

– The Stronger Sex – science debunks the myths around women’s strength –inspiring!

collins BOOKSELLERS thirroul

www.collinsbooksthirroul.com.au

@collinsbooksellersthirroul

feature Cover

STRONG for life

By Marcus Craft

Lee Bailey is better equipped than most of us to prepare anyone, mentally and physically, for the rigours of modern life.

Lee was a NSW police officer for 27 years, which included stints in specialist groups, and has experienced more “trauma-related stuff” than anyone would care to imagine, including moments during which his life was in danger.

After almost three decades of extreme on-thejob trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder plagued Lee and he left the force in 2019 as a detective sergeant after concerned colleagues discussed the situation with him.

“From my perspective, I wasn’t that well, and I was basically pulled aside by my workmates and they said: ‘It’s time for you to go.’

“And in the time I left to where I am now, I’ve dropped 26 kilos in weight, I’m barely drinking, all that sort of stuff.”

A life-long fitness buff – he surfs, snow-skis, spearfishes and has played rugby union – Lee recognised the countless positives of physical training after leaving the NSW Police and has been in the fitness industry since 2021. His qualifications include Certificates III and IV in Fitness.

“It all comes down to a healthy exercise and

healthy routine and life in general. So it makes a massive difference, a massive difference.”

Lee is also president of the HelensburghStanwell Park Surf Life Saving Club and has been coach and fitness trainer of many of his three daughters’ sports teams.

But it’s as owner-manager and head trainer of the Nine0Two Group that he’s having a wideranging positive impact on the youth of Helensburgh and the northern Illawarra.

The group, based at the Burgh Healthy Hub, is nurturing a new generation of fit and confident kids and teens who are able to cope with the challenges of everyday life in the 21st century.

The group is named “Nine0Two”, based on the P902 form that Lee had to sign before leaving NSW Police. It hosts several classes including PrimaryFIT (for primary school students in years 4, 5 and 6), StrengthFIT (for students of all ages), CircuitFIT (for year 7 to 12 students), RunFIT (for students who want to improve their middle- to long-distance running), BallFIT (“for young athletes looking to gain a competitive edge in their chosen sport”), and KidsFIT (for years 1, 2 and 3).

Classes are an hour long and include a warm-up, a demonstration of the movements for that particular class, a circuit of five exercise stations (in PrimaryFIT, for instance), and a warm-down.

“There’s six primal movements,” Lee said. “We’ll pick five of those primal movements each class. And then we’ll demonstrate those five exercises with no weight.”

Primal movements include squats, lunges, pushes and pulls.

“It’s all your movements – isolated and compound movements – that you use during the course of any sort of workout.”

The safety of the young participants is a priority, Lee said.

“We’re telling them why they’re doing it [the exercise], what they’re doing it for, what muscles they’re working, all that sort of stuff.

“And then we go into the workout proper, which is normally five rounds of those five exercises, which generally goes for about 28 and a half minutes.”

The class finishes with a warm-down session, which in PrimaryFIT might include a tug-of-war.

“Probably my favourite class – I get a lot out of it myself – is what we call StrengthFIT, that’s year 7 and up and it’s a more serious class because we are lifting weights and it’s purely about strength.

“That class follows the same format as the other classes: warm-up, technique demonstration and then they go through the program itself.

“The class ratio is four kids to one coach, so we’ll have groups of four working together and there’s one coach with them the whole time.”

He said resistance (in the form of added weight on the bar) is gradually increased over time and positive progression is obvious for participants.

“It’s awesome to see them change, get stronger and you can see their confidence coming through – but also feedback I get from parents is unreal.

“We do have elite athletes in motocross and mountain-biking and one of the kids in our RunFIT class is currently the 1500m Australia champion and you can see them get stronger and their parents say, ‘Yeah, it’s definitely helping’.

“But we also have the kids who, you know, ball sports aren’t their thing, so they come in and they’re just getting stronger and stronger and you can see their confidence coming through.

“Basically we’re teaching the kids how to move, to build that confidence and build that fitness.”

Visit www.nine0twogroup.com.au

Photos: Anthony Warry

What happens to soft plastics

By Helen Lewis of Circular Plastics Illawarra

Soft plastic packaging can now be dropped off at any Woolworths store or to Flagstaff Group in Unanderra at certain times (check their website). Make sure your soft plastics are clean, dry and empty. Items NOT allowed include rigid plastics and biscuit trays (put these in your yellow bin) and polystyrene foam (this belongs in red bins).

So, what happens to the soft plastics we recycle?

There are several companies that already accept soft plastics for recycling, and more in the pipeline.

A group of Circular Plastic Illawarra (CPI) members and friends visited one of these companies recently to see how it is done.

The saveBOARD recycling facility is in Warragamba, about 90km from Wollongong. The company’s operations manager, Mark Atkinson, talked us through the process and the increasing range of products they manufacture. The material inputs vary depending on which product they’re making. Describing this as the ‘recipe’ for each

Ambos honour brave rescuers

Well done to paramedics and citizens

NSW Ambulance awarded courageous community members and staff from the Illawarra and South Coast at a ceremony in Wollongong in March. Award recipients included a father and son, Simon and Hamish Forshaw, who saved two children swept out to sea by a rip at Stanwell Park beach last September. Three Council lifeguards, Matthew Walker, Jasper Jordan and Blake Doering, were each honoured with a Cardiac Arrest Rescuer award for their response to a surfer in trouble at Thirroul Beach in January 2025.

product, Mark said it could include:

• household soft plastics;

• drink cartons (gable top or silver lined) from container deposit schemes;

• pre-consumer packaging material, such as printed rolls of film that are obsolete;

• plastic/aluminium blister packs.

These materials are shredded and mixed to create the right ‘recipe’ for each production run.

The material is compressed and heated to create boards with different thicknesses and between 2.4 to 3m in length. The edges are trimmed and all trimmings are recycled back through the process.

A very thin film can be moulded onto the top of the board to change its colour, e.g. for the green boards you can see in Woolworths supermarkets.

The boards can be used to replace plywood, MDF or particleboard in many applications, such as hoardings, internal linings for industrial and commercial buildings or cabinetry. The benefits include >99% recycled content and a lower carbon footprint compared to alternative products.

Other companies recycling soft plastics include Replas (Ballarat and Melbourne), APR (Melbourne) and iQRenew (Taree, NSW).

In other good news, manufacturers and retailers that use soft plastic packaging have formed a not-for-profit stewardship organisation called Soft Plastics Stewardship Australia (SPSA).

CPI is a member of the Circular Illawarra Precinct Taskforce, which is exploring opportunities for new circular economy businesses and jobs in the Illawarra. A precinct for plastic recyclers and other businesses reusing or recycling resources would be a win for our region.

Members of the tour group: Paul Stork, Miles Park, Mark Fetterplace, Helen Lewis, Yvette Barrs and Nick Florin

L to R: Blake, Matt and Jasper. Photo: Wollongong City Council

Photographer’s eye on the weather

A new column by Brad Chilby

The Illawarra is incredibly lucky to have dozens of spectacular lookouts, including the world-class view at Bald Hill, Stanwell Tops. It’s a view that never tires, no matter the weather conditions.

Bald Hill lookout is one of the best places to see changing conditions, as it offers a fantastic 300-degree view and on a clear day you can see Saddleback Mountain at Kiama, 55km away.

After a hike at Kelly’s Falls on a hot and humid day, I recently drove to Bald Hill lookout along Lawrence Hargrave Drive. As I was driving, I entered through a dense fog, which I thought was quite unusual, given it was a sunny day.

Upon arrival at the lookout, there was a cool sea breeze blowing, noticeably cooler than just a few kilometres inland, and the immediate view was clear. I could see a rather unusual cloud rising from the sea and sitting against the Illawarra Escarpment. The fog appeared to stretch from Bulli to Stanwell Tops.

This weather phenomenon is a sea fog known as advection fog, which occurs when warm, moist air is carried by the wind horizontally, typically at 5 to 18 knots, over a cooler surface. This surface can be land but, in this case, it was cool seawater upwelled by north-easterly winds.

The water was cool enough to instantly condense moisture into fog. Advection fog is typically a thick fog, about 100 to 300 metres deep, that expands in size with wind. It is often longer lasting than radiation fog if wind conditions remain steady. It dissipates once it travels over warmer land,

gradually thinning and evaporating, which was happening just over the escarpment.

As a photographer, fog is one of my favourite conditions to chase and capture. Usually, I take photos in the fog, not photographing it from a distance like I have on this occasion, as sea fog is difficult to forecast and plan for. If you are interested in getting fog photos, here are some tips: Go locally anywhere on top of the escarpment after a cold front has moved through the region. Sublime Point is one of the best spots, along with Maddens Plains, Mount Keira, Mount Kembla, Saddleback Mountain and the Robertson area.

Look for narrow tree-lined roads, a lone tree in a paddock or an old historic building such as a church to create a moody scene or look to the upper escarpment rainforest in the fog.

Fog appears thicker with a zoom lens. I usually use a 70-200mm zoom lens to get in close to the subject.

If you like taking photos of the fog from a distance, a cold front is your best chance. Look up from the coastal area at the places I mentioned to capture the fog sitting on top of the escarpment. A 200mm or larger zoom lens will get you the best shots, cutting out suburbia and focusing on the peaks of our beautiful mountains and the fog dancing between the rainforest vegetation.

You can still get great shots on a standard size lens or a phone, in which case you should head west towards the foothills to get in closer, and look for a park or clearing with escarpment views.

Chalet stint puzzles historians

By Jenny Donohoe, a researcher at Helensburgh & District Historical Society

William Scott Jardine was born in Scotland, but was working as a mine deputy at Metropolitan Colliery when he enlisted to serve in World War I.

Private W.S. Jardine – service no. 6276, of the 13th Battalion, 13th Reinforcement – was reported ‘missing in action’ in a field of France on 11 April 1917.

He was captured in Reincourt, France with shrapnel wounds (head and left arm) and interned in Lager 1, Soltau, Germany as a ‘Prisoner of War’.

Attend ANZAC Day ceremonies

By Will Lee, president of Austinmer Thirroul RSL Sub-Branch

Austinmer Thirroul RSL Sub-Branch will be holding the annual ANZAC Day Dawn Services at Austinmer Beach and Woodward Park, Thirroul, commencing at 6am on Saturday, April 25. All are welcome to pay homage to the fallen, returned and serving defence force personnel. Afterwards, join us at Club Thirroul for a

Soltau Army Corps Camp held 35,000 prisoners with another 50,000 on its registers in work camps. This overcrowded camp housed vermin-infested huts with very little heating and hot water.

William spent seven months at Soltau before being sent elsewhere.

On 27 November 1917, William was transferred to the Hotel Belveder, Interlaken, Switzerland and sometime in 1918 he was moved to ‘The Chalet’, Seeburg, via Lucerne, Switzerland.

He was repatriated and shipped out of Europe on 6 December 1918 to England before returning to Australia on 26 March 1919.

Private Jardine’s experience as a prisoner of war over a two-year period appeared to have been quite different to what most POWs would have experienced.

His story was never written down and, as a family historian, I wish it had been.

William was married to Catherine Loder in 1910 and they had nine children (four before the war and five afterwards.) They lived in MacMillan Street, Helensburgh.

Both William and Catherine Jardine are buried in Helensburgh Cemetery.

sumptuous breakfast from 7:30am.

Wollongong City Council has informed our Sub-Branch that it will replace the Thirroul soldier’s rifle that was stolen last year and repair the memorial stonework.

Join your local Sub-Branch

Austinmer Thirroul RSL Sub-Branch is recruiting. At RSL NSW, everyone is welcome. We’re here to help support all veterans, their families and the wider community. We provide support for veterans and family members; camaraderie and mateship with other veterans; connections with DVA regarding claims and advocacy; a space to build community and mutual respect. We organise regular social events for all; general meetings and an AGM; and commemoration services for Anzac and Remembrance Days.

Austinmer Thirroul meets on the 3rd Monday of the month, 5:30pm at Club Thirroul, 2B Station Street.

Contact 0419 000 061, rslnsw.org.au

The leader behind a local Dawn Service

Meet Michael Ali, the president of Helensburgh RSL Sub-Branch

Michael Ali OAM is the president of Helensburgh RSL Sub-Branch, a branch he was instrumental in re-starting. Every ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day, he organises services at Charles Harper Park War Memorial, a memorial he helped plan and build. In 2012, Michael received an Order of Australia for services to veterans and their families and his humanitarian work.

Michael was born in Dhaka East Pakistan on 1 October 1954. After the India-Pakistan War, he moved to West Pakistan as a displaced person, residing there from 1971 to 1974. During this time, he trained as an air-conditioning and refrigeration technician, then immigrated to Australia in 1974.

Three years later, Michael enlisted in the Australian Army Reserve as an Infantryman into the 4th Battalion of the Royal NSW Regiment, retiring at the rank of Warrant Officer Class 2 in Jan 2024. Michael married Diana Rosario and the couple had three children (Laura, Shaun and Natasha). He worked for Qantas from 1986, studied logistics at TAFE NSW and became a JP.

Military service has been a constant in his life. In 1990, Michael attended the 75th anniversary at ANZAC Cove. He also assisted in the 100th anniversary celebrations at Gallipoli.

For the past few years, Michael has been the Army’s Regional Indigenous Liaison Officer for NSW, bringing together Elders and the wider community to improve cultural understanding.

His awards include a 1989 Australia Day Medallion; a 1993 Reserve Forces Medal; a 1994 Land Commander Australia Commendation for liaison duties, changing army policy on the enlistment of immigrants, and serving as

3 brothers enlisted

Michael Ali assisting WWII veterans Alf Carpenter and Daphne Dunne at a Sydney march a few years ago

regimental policeman. With Qantas’ assistance, Michael helped bring the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels to Sydney for ANZAC Day marches. He also worked as part of a team to convince the government to recognise how the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels supported the Australian Army in World War II. Due to these efforts, the government issued a medallion to the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels in recognition of their services. Several Angels attended ANZAC Day services and local schools. Michael received the Papua New Guinea 30th Anniversary Medal for his work with veterans and for promoting PNG.

Invitation to Dawn Service and Sub-Branch April 25’s service will be from 5.45am at Charles Harper Park. Veterans who live in Helensburgh and district are invited to sub-branch meetings at Tradies Helensburgh on the last Thursday of each month at 7pm. Enquiries to 0403 867 805.

By Local Studies Senior Library Officer Lisa Hutton

When three of Charles Neaves’ sons signed up to serve in World War I, he had to bear the worry alone as their mother, Emma Jane (Massey) Neaves, was already dead. First to enlist was Private Alfred Ernest Neaves, a Unanderra labourer, born in 1891. He was shot and killed at Gallipoli. Younger brother Henry Herbert Neaves, a law clerk, enlisted at age 22. He was sent to Gallipoli, shortly after the death of his brother but survived the war and in 1918 was awarded the Military Cross. A third brother, George Neaves, enlisted in July 1915, but his father wrote to the Army asking

if they would discharge George as he was under 18, and Charles had already lost a son to the war, and the other was at the front. George was discharged on 15th February 1916. For more stories of local servicemen and women, visit the library website “Illawarra Remembers 1914-1918”.

Struggle for a social licence

Helensburgh faces a local example of a global problem: falling trust, writes Genevieve Swart

Public trust is easy to lose, as Russell Arnold’s story shows, and the fallout can trickle through the years until it becomes a deep well of disillusion with the institutions of democracy.

Like the environmentally minded people at Protect Our Water Alliance, Russell opposes Peabody’s plan to expand coal mining under the Woronora catchment via longwalls 317 and 318. A decision on the state significant development (SSD) is expected in coming months, but for this nature-loving bricklayer, the roots to his opposition run deep in the past.

Russell grew up in 1980s Helensburgh on Old Farm Road, a street that backs onto bushland shielding the historic Metropolitan Colliery from suburbia. For an imaginative boy accompanied by his dog, exploring the forest and its creeks was the foundation for a lifelong love of nature.

“I’d spend whole weekends just wandering through the bush, marvelling at it,” says Russell, who came to know the area like his backyard.

So when, decades later, Russell was in his 40s and on a trail run in the Royal National Park after heavy rain in early 2022, he saw inky water and black rocks littering the sandy banks of the Hacking River, he knew what he’d found.

“I was running along Lady Carrington Drive, and I just saw the coal all through the Hacking River,” Russell says. “I was really angry and upset.”

He says he tried to sound the alarm with the ABC and the NSW Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), but nothing happened.

“I wrote to the EPA,” he says, claiming these reports were met with “disregard” and he was told it was “naturally occurring” and “old” coal.

Russell set to work, filming his finds, creating a YouTube channel and self-publishing the clips.

“I was like, ‘No, I’ve grown up here my whole life. I know what’s old and new.’ I’ve seen the river through countless years, and that’s when they started getting a bit worried.”

Months later, in September 2022, another local trail runner, Wild magazine editor James McCormack, found coal in Camp Gully Creek, which flows through Helensburgh and into the Royal National Park and the Hacking River.

This time the TV cameras rolled in and the scandal led to the EPA prosecuting Peabody’s Metropolitan Collieries in the NSW Land and Environment Court over its failure to maintain a dam that overflowed with coal-laden water.

In March 2025, Peabody received fines and legal and investigation fees totalling more than half a

Russell (at left) and James both stumbled upon coal pollution while out for a run.

million dollars. Even in Helensburgh, where coal has been mined since the 1880s and the mine still employs 400 people, public trust took a knock.

Russell feels “massively” let down by the government and its regulatory structures.

“It always seems to be the interests of big business over anyone else,” he says. “The planet’s crying out for something different…

“I’m very disillusioned by the whole concept of political action. You see it in a lot of democracies around the world, obviously, with America, but even the UK, I think people have sort of lost faith in the democratic process, which is sad.”

In November, the Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Unconventional Gas Development and Large Coal Mining Development (IESC) responded to the mine’s current SSD, flagging “irreversible” environmental changes. Its strong wording does not reassure Russell: “I find the report shows that damage to the environment is guaranteed. Yet still leaves the door open for the decision maker to proceed.”

If it does, the “modification” will demand greater than ever public trust in both the mine and its watchdogs. No trail runners are likely to stumble on black sludge in a special area where even bushwalkers are forbidden and trespassing penalties may be up to $44,000.

EPA and Peabody respond

The EPA said Russell’s reports were among those that drove its 2022 investigations. Peabody said its mine has “strict environmental conditions” and the modification is “a routine two-year continuation”. Full story and statements on the Flame’s website.

The Dragon’s back

By architect Ben Wollen

No – not the football team. They’re already near the bottom of the table. I mean the inflation dragon.

I’ve been revisiting my older Flame articles because it feels like we’re coming full circle. Just as prices were beginning to stabilise, global tensions – particularly the conflict involving Iran – look set to breathe fire back into inflation. In the space of a month, diesel costs have nearly doubled, and there’s little sign of them levelling out. That kind of increase doesn’t stay at the bowser – it flows through to food, transport and, inevitably, interest rates.

reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Local initiatives like Illawarra Crop Swap, the food co-op, and growers such as Pope’s Produce are helping shorten supply chains and keep food production closer to home.

Meanwhile, advocacy groups like Illawarra Bicycle Users Group, continue to improve cycleways, making it easier to swap cars for bikes. I would love to follow up with a thanks to the new Mariyung trains operating on the Illawarra line – but, alas that’s a topic for another article!

Those earlier articles all circled around one idea: resilience. It’s a word that’s grown in meaning as the world becomes less predictable. Whether it’s how we raise our kids or build our homes, resilience – the big “R” – has trumped sustainability.

Speaking of trumped – back then, I was writing about Donald Trump in the context of trade wars and their knock-on effects for construction here in Australia. I didn’t expect those themes to resurface quite so literally – nor alongside renewed instability in the Middle East. Yet here we are again, dealing with geopolitical uncertainty and climate pressures, making those earlier reflections feel like I’m Punxsutawney Phil in Groundhog Day.

The good news is that here in the Illawarra, we’re relatively well placed to absorb some of these shocks. Thanks to Saul Griffith’s electrification movement, households have more pathways to

First bush dance

By SPAT’s Sian Morgan

Stanwell Park Arts Theatre is set to host a lively night of bush dancing, with one or two fun folk dances from Europe. The band is home-grown, made up of our very own talented community. It’s the first time we’ve held a bush dance, and it’s for one night only – Saturday, 30 May, 7:30-9pm. Stanwell Park CWA Hall, $20/$15. Someone will be calling the dances, so everyone can join in. No partner needed – just comfy shoes. Next, in June and July, SPAT Singers will hold their annual Dinner Shows. The 2026 theme, Beatles and Other Animals, is led by musical director Lindy Sharp. New performers are welcome – rehearsals are held every Friday at 7:30pm at the CWA Hall. Visit www.spat.org.au

During the last inflation spike, the construction industry took a hit. Projects stalled, and many builders were caught out by fixed-price contracts as material costs surged. This time, rising fuel prices will again push up costs – but the bigger question is supply. Previously, it was global demand and a touch of local hoarding – timber and insulation became the construction industry’s version of toilet paper. Now, supply chains are still functioning, though not without friction. Disruptions around key shipping routes like the Strait of Hormuz could create delays and added costs. Materials like timber and insulation should remain available – but “should” is me wearing my optimism hat.

Ultimately, resilience isn’t just about systems or supply chains – it’s about people. Australians have shown a remarkable ability to come together in tough times.

So consider this a gentle reminder: keep electrifying what you can, plant that veggie patch, and support local. It all adds up.

Bowlo birthday

By Jamie Madden of Wombarra Bowlo

To mark 70 years, we’re making a short film and hosting a series of special events celebrating our local, community-owned club.

Did you host a party or see a famous band? Sing in the choir? Have a memorable bowl? Spot a larrikin? Enter the onion-growing competition? Survive Faulty Towers? Or remember the famous bistro steak and sausage nights? We’ve heard the rumours – now we need your stories and photos to build a historic record of the club.

Share your Bowlo story & you could win VIP tickets to our 70th celebrations + other great prizes. Go to bowlo.com.au/MyBowloStory

Thirroul Village Committee Report

By TVC secretary Annette Jones

On Sunday 1st March the TVC held its first general meeting of 2026. The Member for Heathcote, Maryanne Stuart, attended and gave members an update on a variety of issues:

Overgrown vegetation in Austinmer –Maryanne facilitated communication between Council and Transport for NSW for work to take place on Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Toxteth and Boyce Avenues. It was scheduled to occur by the end of March.

Mariyung trains – these trains should be arriving in 6 to 8 weeks. Trials are underway. A new timetable will be released around August. Sydney Trains informed Maryanne that these trains are unable to travel on the eastern suburbs line, so will terminate at Central. Sydney Trains also said these trains will not stop at Wolli Creek. Maryanne is concerned and working with Sydney Trains to get a good solution for South Coast travellers. E-bikes – Maryanne reported there are about 750,000 e-bikes in NSW. There is a lot of work happening in this area, including looking at where hired E-bikes can be stored when not in use; compulsory helmet use; reduction of speed to 25kms/hr; age restrictions and policing of e-bikes including the seizure and destruction of noncompliant E-bikes.

Graffiti removal – Maryanne said she regularly receives calls about graffiti on Sea Cliff Bridge and arranges its removal. This is a significant cost to taxpayers. In Thirroul, graffiti is regularly removed by volunteers and Council. Since completion of the mural on the Telstra Building in Station Street Thirroul the site has not been attacked. This is a wonderful outcome for the community, one that the TVC wants to see replicated.

Thirroul Plaza

In late February, the TVC spoke with the development manager for Thirroul Plaza, Louis Goulimis. He advised that the project is on hold pending internal re-structure between the owners and, as such, he instructed the consultant team to hold off on any works until there is direction to proceed. He said there is no indication to assume anything about the site at present and that he will update the TVC as he is updated by the owners in order to resume Design Development. This will involve the community.

Amenities block in Thomas Gibson Park

The new amenities block is tantalisingly close to completion. Only a few finishing touches to complete. This was co-funded by the NSW

NIRAG/NF3 Report

By NIRAG secretary Ross Dearden

The Northern Illawarra Residents Action Group (NIRAG) supports preservation of open space and the retention and enhancement of our Natural Environment, European and Indigenous Heritage. Residents of Neighbourhood Forum 3 area (Woonona, Bulli, Thirroul and Austinmer) are welcomed to attend NIRAG meetings to contribute to local community issues and concerns.

Annual Clean Up at McCauley’s McCauley’s Beach Sandon Point Annual Clean-up was held on Monday, 2nd March. 11 volunteers met at Hewitts Creek bridge and cleaned up the beach and foreshore area. It was pleasing that there was less litter and rubbish than in previous years.

Homes NSW proposal at Bulli

The proposal at 6-10 Southview St, Bulli to replace 3 existing homes has been revised but still

exceeds the R2 zone limit. No advice has been received yet of the outcome of public submissions.

Amy Street. Thirroul

The majority of Lot 303 (about 7ha) is zoned C2, Environmental Conservation. Ongoing land management is essential as this is a vital ‘green corridor’. Council has agreed to review the strategic value of having this land as a public reserve. Advice is awaited.

L to R: TVC vice president Elliot Stein, Maryanne Stuart MP, Wollongong Lord Mayor Tania Brown, TVC secretary Annette Jones.

Government under its ‘Level the Playing Field Program’ and Council. On Friday, 13 March Maryanne Stuart, Council officials, members of the local sporting clubs and the TVC were on site for the unveiling of the new block. It features all-gender team change rooms, accessible and ambulant toilets, referees’ room, first aid room, seating, wide verandah for spectator shade, and canteen facilities. All were very impressed with the facilities and eager to try them out on the weekend.

Next TVC meeting: 4pm, 24 May, TRIPS Hall

E-bike concerns

NIRAG received a request last month and (although it has not been discussed at a meeting) it is suggested that the request be supported asking Council to take urgent action to require E-bike riders to dismount in shopping centres as an initial measure to improve pedestrian safety.

In addition, three additional safety measures are proposed for Mopeds (E-bikes that do not require to be pedalled) and are essentially motor bikes:

a) Limit the speed and use of Mopeds to persons over 16, and

b) Require mopeds to have a registered number plate for identification / 3rd party insurance purposes.

c) All E-bikes (for riders of all ages) must be speed limited and require activation by pedalling.

Our State and Federal Members are urged to give their support and take urgent action to enact these safety changes that are undeniably needed.

NIRAG’s next meeting will be on 13 May, 7pm upstairs at Bulli Community Centre

Neighbourhood Forum 1 Report

By NF1 convenor Warwick Erwin

The 2508 community is a unique community. I know change is inevitable, but that change should be on our terms.

It should be defined by those who live here, who understand the local conditions, the local characteristics. Why Walker Lane only works as a single-vehicle bi-directional lane, for example. NF1 has been trying to engage with Council, work with Council so that the community is empowered to have a say, to really contribute to outcomes.

Old Community Hall

NF1 has now received documents requested under a GIPA (Freedom of Information Request) and after a preliminary review and a community expert the reviewing the building itself (from the outside as Council will not allow internal inspection), it is clear that the water issues have occurred after the lane behind was re-graded in about 2009 for the multi-storey apartment blocks, which changed the flow of water down the lane.

A hygienist report and what looks like a builder’s report provide solutions to the issues with photos taken by camera through the floor vents in the hall. Those solutions were estimates, quoted to cost about $500k in 2021.

The decision to demolish the building was made by the Executive Management Committee of Council (staff) and no decision of Councillors or resolution of Council at a Council meeting to demolish the hall can be found.

Proposed New Community Centre & Library

Now on Council’s website are the concept sketches – they cannot be called plans as there are no dimensions or sizes. The architect’s concept design is entirely based on the brief by Council Staff. Make your comments to Council via email or the website.

Staff advised at the March NF1 meeting that the following projects would be completed by the end of this financial year: Vera St in to the Railway Station, Tunnel Road drainage works around 16 Tunnel Rd, pipe reline in Hume Drive (damaged pipe), Flood Warning signs for Otford Causeway (locations unknown at this time – six locations asked for), new playground equipment for Norm O’Brien Park (fencing requested due to Old Station Rd traffic and open drain) and fencing for Charles Harper Park playground equipment also requested.

Next NF1 meeting: 8 April in Helensburgh Community Rooms

Australia Wide Hot Water

Hello Fish in Berrara

By Duncan Leadbitter

It’s been a crappy few months for snorkelling with a persistent 1m swell from all directions and rain causing dirty water. This article comes from a recent break down at Berrara, just south of Sussex Inlet.

There is a lot of reef off the headland and there its like a partial lagoon with shallow reef at the northern end then a small islet on the eastern side. This provides some protection for wind and waves from the north and east. There is a rubble slope from the reef into the lagoon and a series of drop-offs and ridges.

There was lots to see when I was down there. A pod of dolphins swam by and studiously ignored me. There was none of the ‘let’s have a look at the human and be cute’ behaviour like there is in the movies. I could hear them underwater but didn’t get any video as they didn’t come close enough.

I also saw a Port Jackson shark, southern eagle ray, banjo ray, porcupine fish, black drummer, hula fish and some juvenile samson fish. The latter are like a yellowtail kingfish but with a rounder head.

There are lots of entry and exit points so choose one that works with the swell/wind and ensure that you think about how that area will look once the tide changes.

And no, the small beady-eyed shark was not a bull shark.

Use your phone to scan the QR code to watch Duncan’s video in his Illawarra Underwater YouTube channel

Bulldogs turn 80 but full of fresh bite

By Tyneesha Williams

The Northern Suburbs Bulldogs Rugby League Football Club is acknowledging its past while keeping an open eye on the future in its 80th anniversary year.

As the club celebrates its history, it is ushering in a new era. For the first time in eight decades, the Bulldogs are fielding an open women’s league tag team. Scarborough local and committee member Ashlee Tracey became involved with the Bullpups (juniors) six seasons ago when her son started playing and training at their home ground at Jim Allen Oval in Wombarra. She says the demand for a women’s team is undeniable.

“We weren’t sure how much interest there would be, but we put the word out and the community is really excited about it,” Ashlee says. “It’s very popular. We’ve got some players’ wives, girlfriends, partners, mums… all these local people that are like ‘thank God, we’ve been waiting so long!’”

The club’s player base has more than doubled in just a few seasons, jumping from roughly 40 total players to more than 100 across senior and junior divisions. The new women’s side alone boasts about 20 registered players ranging in age from 16 to 50.

“It’s about fun and community and playing in a team. Some of the women that are coming haven’t played before, and it’s about getting fit and physical

activity,” Ashlee says. “We’re a really community and family-orientated club.”

Since its establishment in 1946, the club has become a cornerstone of the community, with a small-but-mighty legacy including first grade premierships in 1952, 1960 and 1961, and a dominant run in the second division amateur league throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s. Between the larger clubs of Helensburgh and Thirroul, the Bulldogs take pride in their status as a tight-knit, community-oriented underdog.

“It’s a team sport and you play to win, but having fun is just as important,” Ashlee says.

Email northsbulldogs1946@gmail.com

Sea Eels dive into winter swim season

By Peter McDonald, president Stanwell Park Sea Eels

The Stanwell Park Sea Eels are back for our 39th season, starting Sunday, 3 May. Winter swimming is a refreshing way to start your Sunday, enjoy the water, and be part of a welcoming community.

We’re a family-friendly club open to anyone who can swim 50 metres unaided. Swims are at the picturesque Coalcliff Pool from 9am every Sunday through to September. Distances include 50m,

100m, and a relay, all handicapped so you can swim at your own pace.

After swimming, we head to Stanwell Park Surf Club for soups, drinks if you like, and plenty of socialising. This is also where we raise funds for charity through fines, raffles, and Joker Poker.

Our main charity is the CRAM Foundation, which supports adults and children with disabilities. We’ve been proud supporters since 1999, and last season we were able to donate $2000 towards essential equipment.

Sea Eels enjoy inter-club visits with Bulli Sea Lions, Cronulla RSL, Era swimmers, Jervis Bay Wobbegongs and the ladies from Bondi Icebergs. We compete at events including the Australian Championships, which this year will be in Perth.

Membership is open to local residents, those from outside the area, and surf club members. Joining the Sea Eels also makes you an Associate Member of Helensburgh Stanwell Park Surf Club, with insurance coverage included.

Great surfing, travel and club spirit

By Ian Pepper of the Scarborough Boardriders

It’s been a massive few weeks for Scarborough Boardriders, with strong performances at home, on the road, and from our next generation of surfers.

We kicked things off on 1 March with Pointscore No.2, held in pumping conditions at our local beach. It was a full day of competition, with standout performances in the afternoon finals. Zahlia Short dominated the Open Women’s, while Kalani Ball reminded everyone of his elite ability, throwing down powerful rail work and an incredible aerial to take out the A Grade Men’s.

A big thank you to Dave Crossley for keeping everyone fed on the BBQ, and to Headlands Austinmer Beach for supporting the day’s winners.

The following weekend saw the club travel north to compete in the Australian Boardriders Battle National Final at Burleigh Heads. Competing against the best boardrider clubs in the country, our team put in a strong showing. Nic Squiers delivered one of the standout moments with an 8.25 wave score – equal highest of the heat – and we managed to edge out Snapper Boardriders. While we didn’t progress, the effort and commitment from the team made the club proud. We’ll come back stronger next year.

Our junior surfers also flew the flag at the Surfing Illawarra Titles, hosted by East Corrimal Boardriders. The results speak for themselves, with wins to Kalani Whitton (U12 Girls), Ella Campbell (U14 Girls), and Noah Kornek (U14 Boys), alongside a string of podiums and strong finishes

New program helps people and puppies

By Oguzhan Dincsoy

An Australian-first program is taking enrolments from NDIS participants to join its March intake, giving them social connection and skill-building as well as socialisation for puppies in training to become assistance dogs.

The Connections Program is a partnership co-created by Assistance Dogs Australia and Happy Paws Happy Hearts. Penelope De Clouett, head trainer for the program, said the initiative had created a special community.

“It promotes inclusion and happiness in a place where people and animals come together to break down personal barriers and create space for change through fun programs,” Penelope said.

Assistance Dogs Australia is a national

Kalani, Ella and Noah took out Illawarra titles

across multiple divisions. It’s a clear sign the future of the club is in very good hands.

We then wrapped up the month with our annual Treachery trip at Treachery Camp – always a highlight. Despite a challenging forecast, the weekend delivered what it always does: great waves, plenty of laughs, and quality competition.

Lenny Golding (A Grade) and Amira Rankin (Open Women’s) took top honours, while Matt Wall added huge value with drone footage and a surf strength and mobility session for members.

Our club was also set to take part in the Kirra Teams event on the Gold Coast scheduled to be staged in late March.

If the past few weeks are anything to go by, Scarborough Boardriders are just getting started on what looks set to be a massive year.

not-for-profit organisation that breeds, trains and places life-changing accredited assistance dogs with people who have physical disabilities, children with autism and veterans and first responders with PTSD, empowering connection, inclusion and independence.

Penelope says the 12-week program offers mutual benefits as puppies get vital socialisation and participants get to improve social skills.

Participants can submit their interest contacting the enrolment team on 1300 077 984 or at hello@hphhfoundation.org

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resulting from use of, or reliance on, the information is entirely excluded. Scan the QR to download a fresh Tide Chart each month Local

TIMES AND HEIGHTS OF HIGH AND LOW WATERS LAT 340 29’ LONG 1500 55’

© Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2025, Bureau of Meteorology. Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide. Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effect. The Bureau of Meteorology gives no warranty of any kind whether express, implied, statutory or otherwise in respect to the availability, accuracy, currency, completeness, quality or reliability of the information or that the information will be fit for any particular purpose or will not infringe any third party Intellectual Property rights. The Bureau’s liability for any

or

Golf

Tradies Social Golf

Barry Thompson reports

February: Just as Terry’s game was on the improve after frolicking in the trees on the first and second, the rain started and developed into a deluge that halted play at the ninth.

Dave Astill led the field home with 21 points off a 28 handicap, followed by Roger Hendry and Mick Carroll, both scoring 17. Shane Wilson won the Helensburgh Driving Range Bucket of Balls voucher and the Presso took out the Bradmans.

I am assured that there was no violence involved when Terry tripped over his towbar in the parking area. Luckily, he was not injured, and Rod was only an innocent bystander.

March: Finally, we were able to tee-off into fine weather. The event was a two-man Ambrose and Paul flew home from foreign snowfields to partner the evergreen Sparrow in taking the Bradmans. At the other end, Shane and Jerry took the crown, followed by Gary and Hayden. My embedded agent was not present, so I have no scandal at hand. Will do better next month!

Our next outing (an individual Stableford event) is at Boomerang on April 11, we tee-off at 7am. Please arrive early to assist our starters.

Thanks to our sponsors: Tradies, Gallardo’s Pizzeria, and Helensburgh Driving Range.

Helensburgh Sunday Social Golf Club

Robert ‘Indy’ Jones reports On a cool and breezy morning we welcomed Dan Sullivan for the first time, birthday boy Luke Hatcher (one year after his last appearance) and Blake O’Connor’s handicap slashed (-4) to join “A” grade. The day began with Benny the “Dozer” collecting the loot in Treasurer Scotty’s absence. On-course eyes were searching for the marker, longest drive “B” grade, “Hatched” on the 4th (drug-testing required). Standing on the dais at the 19th were Peter Gardner (42 points), Frank Zuccala (36) and Luke “Longest drive Birthday boy” (35). Newcomer Dan S. nabbed an NTP along with Craig N., Ben Gersback, Peter G., Frank Z. and Luke H, all winners on the day. A handicapped Blake crashed to FATOE. Thanks to our sponsors: Christian’s Premium Meats and Helensburgh Driving Range. Next events are April 12, May 3 and June 14 – all 8am tee-offs. Call Tony (0418 863 100) to register attendance and cart requirements on the Tuesday before the date of our next event and for membership info. Indy signing off: Greatest fear… Making a hole-in-one and having to buy the entire clubhouse a drink. (I think I’m safe.)

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Your Local Real Estate Expert in the 2515 Market

“David was very professional with great communication from the beginning right through to completion of sale. Market assessment on price was also spot on. Highly recommended.”

Seller of house in Thirroul

David Hyslop - 0417 784 945

For more details, email ccarpetrehoming@ tpg.com.au Country Companion Animal Rescue

The best that the Northern Illawarra has to offer!

The sale of Doran House presents a rare opportunity to secure one of the Northern Illawarra’s most iconic beachfront estates. Set on an expansive 2,772sqm parcel overlooking pristine Stanwell Park Beach, the property offers direct access from the grounds to the sand and commanding ocean views in a setting that cannot be replicated.